Committee forwards House Bill 55 addressing 'bonafide volunteer' status to the floor

A House committee voted to send House Bill 55 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation after the sponsor said the bill tightens rules to protect certain volunteers from losing benefits.

Representative Diet introduced HB55 and said the bill addresses the status of individuals acting as "bonafide volunteers," removing uncertainty that can threaten an individual's benefits (the transcript refers to the benefit as a "Percy benefit"). He told the committee he had presented background and rationale during an earlier RS stage and used much of this hearing to stand for questions. No outside witnesses gave testimony during the recorded excerpt.

Representative Fuhrman moved to introduce HB55 with a due-pass recommendation at one point but later withdrew an incorrectly made motion; Representative McCann then moved that the committee send HB55 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation, and that motion carried on a voice vote. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The committee did not develop additional legislative directions during the recorded proceedings; the sponsor indicated prior discussions had covered most background and asked the committee to advance the bill.