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Committee adopts technical changes and conforming amendments to related reckless-driving and must-appear measures (SB123/HB676)
Summary
The committee approved technical clarifications to Senate Bill 123 and adopted conforming amendments to House Bill 676 so votes on one bill would mirror the other. Members said an Environment and Transportation (E&T) bill addressed some concerns about creating a new criminal-negligence offense for driving.
The House Judiciary Committee approved technical amendments to Senate Bill 123 and adopted conforming amendments to House Bill 676 so the two measures would advance in parallel.
Committee counsel said the amendments were technical: they add misdemeanor language in sections that previously omitted a charge and otherwise incorporate actions taken in the Senate. The committee adopted the amendments and then, by motion, made the recorded vote on HB 676 the same as the recorded vote on SB 123.
Committee members also discussed related driving bills. Members noted that a bill from the Environment and Transportation Committee makes certain reckless-driving offenses “must-appear” and adds a jailable penalty for one offense, which the chair said obviated the need for a separate bill introduced by Delegate Wims that would have created another criminal-negligence offense. The committee agreed the E&T action addressed many of the community concerns.
By voice/hand vote the committee adopted the amendments to SB 123, then voted favorably on the bill as amended and moved on; members who sought to be added to the bill were recorded during the conforming-amendments process.
