Senate Human Services committee advances multiple bills to Ways and Rules, and reports several gubernatorial nominees with recommendation to confirm

The Senate Human Services Committee on Feb. 12, 2025, advanced a slate of bills to the next steps in the legislative process and reported four gubernatorial nominees with recommendations that they be confirmed by the full Senate.

Bills advanced or otherwise acted on by the committee:

- Senate Bill 5,409 (DOC communication pilot): The committee voted to give SB 5,409 a due‑pass recommendation and referred the bill to the Committee on Ways and Means. Staff summarized the bill as a four‑year pilot at the Department of Corrections to improve communication between incarcerated individuals and staff; the available fiscal note shows roughly $1.7 million per biennium.

- Senate Bill 5,427 (Rapid Care Team extension): The committee gave SB 5,427 a due‑pass recommendation and referred it to Ways. The bill extends duties of the rapid care team for children in crisis and extends a multicare project director position through June 30, 2027; staff summarized a fiscal estimate of about $6.5 million for…