Committee reports six consumer and business bills out of committee; tallies and key changes

The Consumer Protection & Business Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 19 voted to report six substitute bills out of committee with due-pass recommendations, adopting several amendments across the measures.

The actions covered bills on small-business risk pooling, fire-loss reporting for insurers, expanded outdoor alcohol service, protections for solicited real-estate transactions, cannabis social equity, and a study on condominium construction-defect liability. Committee members debated amendments on several bills and adopted multiple technical and policy changes before reporting the measures out with the tallies below.

Why it matters: the committee’s votes advance bills that would change business tax treatment, insurer reporting duties, local alcohol permitting for special events, consumer protections in certain real-estate sales, and multiple measures affecting the cannabis industry. Many of the bills include implementation timelines or reporting requirements that would require follow-up at other committees or by agencies.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 17-14 (self-insurance risk pools for small business): Adopted amendment CLOD 337 and reported out as substitute H-1533 with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 15 aye, 0 nay. Staff described the measure as enabling small businesses to form joint self-insurance risk pools…