Environment and Agriculture panel amends and advances SB302 to add background checks for waste-facility owners, incorporates animal‑cruelty language

The Environment and Agriculture Committee voted to amend and advance SB302, the Senate bill that would require background checks for owners of solid and hazardous waste facilities, adopting amendment 2025-2219H and later voting the bill Ought to Pass as Amended.

The amendment, moved by Chairwoman Aaron and seconded on the floor, incorporates clarifying language from a Senate amendment, extracts siting-evaluation-committee language that had been handled in a trailer bill, and inserts provisions from House Bill 616 addressing animal‑cruelty investigations. A roll-call vote on the amendment recorded 12 yes, 0 no; the committee later voted Ought to Pass as Amended by the same margin.

The amendment bundles several changes. Committee members said it clarifies requirements for background checks tied to ownership of solid and hazardous waste facilities and preserves exceptions for landfill expansions and the opening of additional…