House committee advances substitute for resolution extending ACA tax credit after accuracy dispute

The House Health and Social Services Committee on March 20 adopted a committee substitute for House Joint Resolution 9, a resolution sponsored by Representative Mina that would extend an Affordable Care Act tax credit.

Chair Representative Mina opened the session returning HJR 9 to the committee and asked whether any further discussion or amendments remained. Representative Ruffridge objected to moving the resolution forward, saying the resolution’s "whereas" clauses were "not 100% accurate" and that he had been awaiting numbers from the Division of Insurance. After discussion, Representative Ruffridge moved a conceptual amendment to strike a phrase on page 2, line 2; the chair briefly objected for discussion and then removed the objection. The committee adopted conceptual amendment number 1.

Following adoption of the conceptual amendment, Representative Meares moved the resolution from committee. When Representative Ruffridge again objected and explained his concerns, Meares withdrew the motion. After the conceptual amendment passed, the chair entertained a renewed motion to move the resolution; that motion carried with no further objection. The committee adopted the committee substitute and signed the committee report.

The transcript does not include the updated numeric figures that Representative Ruffridge requested nor a copy of the committee substitute text beyond the amendment described. The committee recorded that there was an attached fiscal note but no additional amendments submitted by the sponsor’s office prior to the hearing.

Votes and formal actions recorded in the committee minutes show the committee substitute for House Joint Resolution 9 passed out of committee; the transcript records an objection during initial motion but ultimately notes the committee substitute "passes from committee."