Committee reports out lead-abatement contractor program bill 13-6 with two excused

The Environment & Energy Committee voted to report Substitute Senate Bill 5,494 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation on a roll-call of 13 ayes, 6 nays and 2 members excused.

Vice Chair Hunt moved the bill out of committee; the motion was seconded and put to roll-call. Committee discussion emphasized the bill’s intent to align a Commerce-run contractor assistance program with federal programs and to support contractors in safe lead-paint removal.

Chair D'Alessio and multiple members praised the Commerce program’s cooperative approach. Representative Dye said committee testimony showed the program had worked effectively and cooperatively with contractors and that there had been no enforcement fines in five years because of the program’s collaborative approach, but she said some members remained unmoved because they wanted more outreach and clarity from the agency. Dye characterized her members as “mixed” on the final recommendation because of those outstanding questions.

On the roll call, staff announced the final tally as 13 ayes, 6 nays and 2 excused. The clerk recorded individual votes during the roll call, for example: “Representative Barnard votes aye,” “Representative Berry votes aye,” “Representative Duer votes aye,” “Representative Fitzgibbon votes aye,” “Representative Klobba votes aye,” “Representative Lee votes aye,” “Representative Mena votes aye,” “Representative Rammell votes aye,” “Representative Stearns votes aye,” “Representative Street votes aye,” “Representative Wiley votes aye.” Several members recorded “nay without recommendation” and two members were excused. After the roll call staff announced the result and reported the bill “is reported out of committee with a due pass recommendation.”

The committee did not attach amendments during the session and closed the matter after the vote.