Committee adopts amendment and substitute, votes House Bill 75 do pass 10-4

During the committee's executive session, members adopted a House Committee amendment to House Bill 75 and then voted the House Committee substitute "do pass." Representative Davidson offered House Committee Amendment 0.04h and described it as a package that "removes subsection 6 of the bill" and narrows language in subsection 5 by changing the mens rea from "intentionally" to "knowingly." Davidson said that change would ensure protections for worshippers while reducing opportunities for future abuse.

After brief questions from committee members — including a clarification about the legal distinctions between "intentionally" and "knowingly" — the body adopted Amendment 0.04h and then rolled the amendment into a committee substitute. The chair called a roll and the House Committee substitute for House Bill 75 was voted "do pass." The clerk recorded 10 ayes and 4 noes.

The committee recorded the roll call votes during the session. Those on record voting aye in favor of the substitute included Chairman Christ and Vice Chair Peters; those recorded voting no included Representative Weber, Representative Fuchs and Representative Price. The chair announced, "By your vote of 10 ayes, 4 noes, you voted House Bill 75 do pass." No further public testimony was heard in executive session on this item.

The committee discussion focused narrowly on statutory language and evidentiary standards rather than policy outcomes; no implementation details or effective date were specified during the executive session.

The committee moved on to other business after the vote.