Law and Justice Committee: votes and recommendations from March 20 executive session

During its March 20 executive session the Law and Justice Committee heard staff briefings and took final committee action—mostly by voice vote—on a large package of bills. The committee recorded adoption or rejection of specific amendments and issued ‘do pass’ recommendations for most items; the transcript records voice votes only and does not include roll‑call tallies.

Key actions and outcomes (voice votes unless otherwise noted):

- House Bill 10-46 (immunity for persons who break into vehicles to rescue vulnerable people or animals): Amendment Alpha (require 911 or law enforcement notification before entry) was adopted; the bill as amended received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- House Bill 11-12 (removing city residency requirement for judges pro tem in large municipalities): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Engrossed Substitute House Bill 11-49 (preventing cruelty to animals): Amendment Bravo (officer determinations require eyewitness/substantial objective facts) failed; Amendment Charlie (remove the word “commercial” from accepted husbandry practices) failed; the bill received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules. Committee noted an agreed language between defense and Safe Haven was missing from the committee binder and will be provided before the floor.

- House Bill 1,007 (small‑claims notice requirements): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Engrossed House Bill 10-52 (hate‑crime offense clarification): Striking amendment Delta (revert to original language; remove “substantial” wording) was adopted; the bill as amended received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- House Bill 12-15 (remove references to pregnancy from the Natural Death Act model directive form): Amendment Echo (prospective application) failed; the bill received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules after debate where at least one senator urged a do‑not‑pass recommendation from their side.

- House Bill 14-84 (exceptional sentences for offenses resulting in pregnancy): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- House Bill 14-57 (electronic monitoring for certain conditional releases): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Substitute House Bill 12-44 (safe‑driving course in lieu of 60‑day license suspension): Received a due‑pass recommendation and was sent to the Transportation Committee.

- Substitute House Bill 12-05 (knowing distribution of a forged digital likeness): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Engrossed, Substitute House Bill 16-20 (limitations and parenting plans): See separate article; striking amendment adopted and bill received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 11-74 (court interpreters): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 14-40 (seizure and forfeiture procedures): Amendment India (mailing notice begins forfeiture proceedings) adopted; Amendment Juliet (remove port district use of forfeiture proceeds for responsible gun‑ownership programs) was withdrawn after clarification; bill received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- House Bill 17-31 (unclaimed property held by museums/historical societies): Amendment Kilo (technical fixes) adopted; Amendment Lima (right of action for owners who failed to claim due to disability) failed; bill received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

- House Bill 13-61 (process‑service updates for business entities and nonresident motorists): Received a due‑pass recommendation to Rules.

The committee concluded its executive session after recommending a large number of bills to the Rules Committee or other committees. The transcript records voice votes and committee chairs’ announcements of adoption; the record does not show roll‑call vote counts for any item.