House approves amendment to DUI treatment program bill after bipartisan work; bill reprinted

The Pennsylvania House on Sept. 29 approved an amendment to House Bill 1615, which establishes a driving-under-the-influence treatment program. The amendment's sponsor and other leaders described it as a bipartisan product worked out by committee staff.

Representative Hohenstein, identified in the transcript as the maker of amendment 01603, asked colleagues to support the amendment, calling it —the product of truly bipartisan effort.— Minority Judiciary Chair Representative Kaufman also said he appreciated the work and that the amendment —is agreed to.— The clerk recorded the roll call on the amendment as 202 yeas and 1 nay; the amendment was agreed to.

After the amendment's passage, the House agreed to the bill as amended and the bill was ordered reprinted; the transcript records that the bill "as amended will be reprinted." The record did not include a separate final-passage roll call for the bill on the floor during the excerpt.

Why it matters: Proponents described the amendment as a bipartisan compromise developed by both Democratic and Republican staff and committee leadership. Supporters said it strengthens the underlying DUI treatment program and is the product of work by committee chairs and staff.

Details from debate and votes: Representative Hohenstein spoke in favor of the amendment and thanked the chairs and staff for bipartisan work. Representative Kaufman, minority chair of judiciary, said the amendment was agreed to. The clerk recorded the amendment vote as 202 yeas and 1 nay. The bill as amended was agreed to on the floor and reprinted; no additional floor final-passage tally appears in the provided transcript excerpt.

Ending: The amended bill will be reprinted for the House record; the transcript did not show subsequent Senate action or an enactment date.