Joint Judiciary committee adopts interim rules requiring majority of each house to sponsor legislation

The Joint Judiciary Committee voted to adopt interim rules that require a majority of both the Senate and House members of the committee to sponsor interim legislation.

The committee debated two options for rule packet wording. Proponents of requiring a majority of each house said the change prevents committee work from advancing bills that would fail once introduced during session; opponents said the requirement would give a small number of members veto power over topics the committee has otherwise approved. Senator Kolb and Senator Hicks urged the committee to adopt rules that require majorities in both chambers; Representative Singh argued for the alternative that would allow a majority of the full committee to sponsor a bill. After discussion, the committee rejected the motion to adopt the majority-of-the-full-committee option and later adopted the rule packet that requires majority support from each house.

Committee staff confirmed a separate policy discussion on absentee and remote voting. Members were told management-council policy permits remote participation and that members should notify committee chairs and staff in advance so staff can supply meeting links.

The committee also approved smaller technical changes to the interim rules, including removing language that had allowed less-than-quorum meetings to transact business without follow-up. Members debated changing the notice period for motions to reconsider but the motion to extend notice to 15 business days failed. The committee then adopted the rules as amended.

The vote on the final motion to adopt the rules as amended passed; the committee also recorded earlier failed and successful proposals during debate. The committee asked staff to circulate the updated rules and to advise on attendance and remote participation procedures prior to the next meeting.