Local Government Committee reports a slate of local and uncontested bills, holds sunset measure

The Committee on Local Government reported a series of House bills and a Senate committee substitute to the full Senate and recommended many be placed on local or uncontested calendars.

Chairman Bettencourt laid out multiple measures during the session and senators moved to report several House bills, including House Bill 334 (reported 4-0), House Bill 554 (4-0), House Bill 1593 (4-0), House Bill 2607 (4-0), House Bill 3526 (4-0), House Bill 3810 (4-0) and House Bill 5092 (4-0). Committee motions to report the bills were made by various members (Senator Cook, Senator Paxton, Senator Nichols) and the clerk called the roll for each measure; the committee recorded the measures as passed out of committee and recommended for local or uncontested calendars as noted during roll call.

Early in the meeting the committee adopted a committee substitute to Senate Bill 22-15 and reported that substitute to the full Senate; the clerk recorded the committee substitute as reported after the roll call. The committee also discussed, and decided to hold, a Sunset bill (identified in the transcript as "the Sunset Bill, Brian, 15 20") so members could take more time to review it.

Most measures were advanced by recorded votes that the clerk summarized as four ayes and zero nays in multiple roll calls; one committee vote produced a 4–1 result when a single senator recorded a no vote. Committee members emphasized coordination on the local and uncontested calendars and asked members to raise objections in advance if they opposed placing a bill on those calendars.

With no further business, the committee adjourned and said it expected to reconvene Monday afternoon to consider any additional bills that arrived after the session adjourned.