Committee tables amendment, advances Senate Bill 33 to Rules and Reference

At a meeting of the Senate Workforce Development Committee, members voted 3–1 to lay Amendment 136-0128 on the table and then voted 3–1 to favorably report Senate Bill 33 to the committee on rules and reference.

The amendment, introduced by Ranking member Ingram, would have required the director of the Department of Commerce to publish on the department’s public website information on employer rights and employee rights under the bill’s internet-posting provisions and other employee-rights information the director determined appropriate. The amendment also would have required that employer postings include information on how employees can access that website.

Why it mattered: proponents of the amendment said it would ensure employees have accessible, ongoing notice of rights beyond onboarding. Opponents said the change would reintroduce cost and complexity for employers the bill aims to reduce.

The committee debate centered on balancing employer compliance burden with employee notice. Senator Lang said, “I would like to thank Senator Ingram for her thoughtful input on this bill and her recommendation of this amendment,” adding that the bill had bipartisan support previously and that the amendment would increase cost and complexity for employers. Ranking member Ingram said the amendment was a modest step to guarantee access and argued it would not be burdensome, urging the committee that “It’s not that hard.”

The motion to lay Amendment 136-0128 on the table carried on a roll call that recorded three yes votes and one no. The committee then moved to report the bill favorably to the committee on rules and reference; that motion also carried 3–1. The clerk left the roll open for members who had checked in but were not present at the vote.

Discussion vs. decision: The requirement in the amendment to direct the Department of Commerce to publish employee-rights information was debated but not adopted. The committee took formal action to advance the underlying bill (Senate Bill 33) to rules and reference.

Votes at a glance: - Motion: Lay Amendment 136-0128 on the table. Moved by Senator Lang. Result: Passed, 3 yes, 1 no. - Motion: Favorably report Senate Bill 33 to the committee on rules and reference. Moved by Vice chair Brown. Result: Passed, 3 yes, 1 no.

Next steps: The chair said this will stand as the bill’s third hearing and that the rules committee roll would remain open at the chair’s discretion.