Votes at a glance: Judiciary Committee moves several bills; SB81 tabled

The House Judiciary Committee considered a slate of senate bills and committee substitutes during its session. The committee recorded formal outcomes on multiple items; most measures received a do-pass recommendation or were approved on consent, while Senate Bill 81's amendment was adopted and the amended bill was tabled after extended debate.

Votes and outcomes recorded in the hearing

- Senate Bill 113 (board and commission sunset dates, as amended): Committee reported a due pass on consent. (Outcome: Due pass on committee consent item.) - Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 353 (search and rescue emergency responses, as amended): Reported on consent with a due pass. (Outcome: Due pass on committee consent item.) - Senate Bill 109 (Public Regulation Commission technical cleanup, as amended): The committee issued a due pass after brief sponsor remarks and supportive testimony from utilities. (Outcome: Due pass.) - Senate Bill 9 (pipeline safety penalties, as amended): Committee voted a due pass; the bill raises state maximum penalties to match federal levels ($200,000 per day, $2,000,000 total) to maintain federal grant eligibility. (Outcome: Due pass.) - Senate Bill 220 (publication of state legal settlement terms, as amended): Committee issued a due pass; the bill requires posting state settlement agreements on the sunshine portal and triggers loss-prevention review team requirements for serious incidents. (Outcome: Due pass.) - Senate Bill 41 ("Turquoise Alert" for missing Indigenous people, twice amended): Committee adopted sponsor amendments and issued a due pass; bill directs DPS to create and maintain a turquoise alert system for missing Native Americans under defined, imminent-danger conditions. (Outcome: Due pass, twice amended.) - Senate Bill 11 (anti-distraction policy in schools, twice amended): Committee adopted amendments making school policy templates permissive and adding explicit protection for assistive devices; committee issued a due pass on the Senate Finance Committee substitute as twice amended. (Outcome: Due pass, twice amended.) - Senate Bill 357 (essential household services; anti-donation clause implementing legislation, as amended): Committee voted a due pass on the sponsor motion; the bill enables specified state public support programs for household essential services (local plans, legislative authorization and safeguards discussed). (Outcome: Due pass.)

What these votes mean

Most bills on the agenda were advanced from committee with do-pass recommendations or were approved on consent, meaning the measures proceed to the next steps in the legislative process. The committee took a different route for SB81: after adopting a sponsor amendment, the committee tabled the amended bill (vote recorded as 7 yes, 4 no), leaving it available for sponsors to rewrite and return.

One technical note: the committee recorded amendments and some roll calls during the hearing; where appropriation language had been discussed (notably a previously proposed $50 million appropriation tied to SB81) sponsors said that the appropriation had been removed from the current amendment.

Ending

Committee action advanced multiple bills to the next phase while tabling the high-profile Fair Plan reform measure until sponsors can address drafting and policy issues raised in testimony.