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 and creating annual actuarial reporting and a business-and-occupation tax exemption limited to income from risk-pooling activity. (Staff briefing: Peter Clodfelter.)

- House Bill 17-93 (fire-loss reporting to Office of the Insurance Commissioner): Reported out as proposed substitute H-1533.1 with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 12 aye, 3 nay. The substitute extends insurer reporting timelines from 30 to 90 days, changes certain reporting fields (ZIP code in lieu of full address), adds NAIC numbers, clarifies when origin/cause must be reported, allows third-party reporting vendors, expands agencies with whom data may be shared, and delays enforcement until one year after implementing rules are adopted. (Staff briefing: Megan Mulvihill.)

- House Bill 15-15 (expanded outdoor alcohol service and civic campus authorizations — proposed substitute H-1288.2): The committee adopted a sequence of amendments (including H1481.1, H1478.1 and CLOD 326) that set staggered expiration dates, added reporting and public-engagement review requirements for approved jurisdictions, and expanded qualifications for certain fan-zone designations. The committee reported the substitute out with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 13 aye, 2 nay. Sponsors and opponents discussed enforcement costs, event caps for large cities and reporting requirements to the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). (Staff briefing: Peter Clodfelter.)

- House Bill 10-81 (rights for solicited real-estate transactions — substitute H-0649.1): Committee adopted conforming amendments (MOL 5 38, MOL 5 33) and reported the substitute out with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 9 aye, 6 nay. The substitute clarifies that the appraisal and cancellation rights apply to solicited real-estate transactions executed on or after Jan. 1, 2026, moves effective dates to avoid interfering with existing contracts, and removes language authorizing the attorney general as the only enforcement option. (Staff briefing and sponsor: Peter Clodfelter; Representative Donaghy spoke in favor.)

- House Bill 15-51 (extension and evaluation of the cannabis social equity program): The committee adopted Amendment CLOD 314 and later CLOD 314/CLAUDE 3 14 to address implementation concerns; substitute H-153? (as presented) was reported out with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 9 aye, 6 nay. The bill would extend the social equity program by two years (to 07/01/2034 in original text) and requires an evaluation and report; amendments clarified the treatment of license application windows and program commitments. (Staff briefing: Peter Clodfelter; Representative Reeves moved.)

- House Bill 15-16 (study on insurance options to reduce condominium construction-defect liability): Two committee amendments were adopted to add stakeholder consultation and specify funding from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s regulatory account; substitute reported out with due-pass recommendation. Vote: 9 aye, 6 nay. The substitute expands the study mandate and permits contracting with actuaries/consultants and delays the report date by one year. (Staff briefing: Peter Clodfelter.)

What the votes do not resolve

Several bills that received public hearings during the same meeting (including measures on mobility-device right-to-repair, cannabis enforcement priorities, data-broker taxation, and out-of-state ownership of cannabis licenses) were presented and discussed but did not receive final committee votes in this session. Those measures remain in committee for further work, public comment, or amendment.

What’s next

Reported bills proceed to the House floor and to fiscal or policy committees as appropriate (fiscal notes and implementation details noted in staff briefing memos). Several measures require rulemaking or agency reports; the committee adopted reporting and review triggers for a number of bills.

Votes and motions cited here are recorded on the committee record and included in standing committee report forms presented during the Feb. 19 meeting.