Senate rules committee refers SB 44 for clerical changes and schedules four-bill calendar for Monday

The Senate Standing Rules Committee voted to refer Senate Bill 44 to the standing rules committee for clerical changes and approved a four-bill calendar for the coming Monday that includes SB 6, SB 8, SB 23 and SB 35.

Senator Kennedy moved the referral, saying, “Motion we refer senate bill 44 to standing rules committee, please.” Senator Watson seconded the motion. The chair called the question and members answered in the affirmative; the chair said the bill would be returned next week with a substitute reflecting the clerical corrections.

The committee then heard a sequence of brief presentations on other bills. Senator Kirkpatrick summarized several measures: Senate Bill 5, described as the “Gold Card” bill, which would create a fast-track prior-authorization process for certain providers; Senate Bill 6, which would broaden a prior fentanyl test-strip law to accommodate psilocine and other emerging street drugs; and Senate Bill 8, a Department of Human Services bill clarifying that juvenile court judges may issue arrest warrants when probable cause exists to resolve an inconsistency between Title 17 (the criminal code) and Title 15 (the juvenile code).

Senator Walker outlined Senate Bill 35, a proposal to change insurers’ nonrenewal-notice requirements from 30 days to 60 days “to give consumers more time to react,” saying slow mail service and a tight insurance market have increased nonrenewals.

Senator Taylor summarized Senate Bill 22, which would require the state Department of Education to post any federal Department of Education guidance and allow time for public comment and a statement about how the state intends to implement the guidance before it takes effect at the state level.

Chairman Albers presented Senate Bill 23, a department bill tied to the retirement system that would allow the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) to increase its allocation to alternative investments from 5% to 10% to diversify the portfolio.

After the presentations, the committee voted to place four bills on the calendar for Monday: SB 6, SB 8, SB 23 and SB 35. The chair stated he had a motion from Senator Albers and a second from Senator Anderson; the motion passed unanimously.

The committee recorded that SB 44 would be referred to the standing rules committee for clerical changes and that a substitute would be provided next week. The chair closed the meeting by reminding members to convene their committees ahead of Monday’s calendar.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to refer Senate Bill 44 to standing rules committee — Moved: Senator Kennedy; Second: Senator Watson; Outcome: approved; note: transcript records a unanimous voice vote and that a substitute will be prepared next week. - Motion to set the multi-bill calendar for Monday (SB 6, SB 8, SB 23, SB 35) — Moved: Senator Albers; Second: Senator Anderson; Outcome: approved; note: transcript records a unanimous voice vote.

Background and context: The meeting consisted chiefly of short bill introductions and scheduling decisions typical of a rules or calendar session rather than in-depth committee markup. Several bills presented were department bills or sought technical fixes (SB 8 and SB 44) while others would change substantive policy or procedure if enacted (for example, SB 35’s change in insurer notice period and SB 23’s change to ERS investment policy).