Commerce Committee rolls House Bill 378 and House Bill 905 to 2026 calendars

The Commerce Committee convened in April 2025 and by unanimous consent postponed action on two bills, rolling House Bill 378 to the first calendar of 2026 and House Bill 905 to the second calendar of 2026.

The postponements came during a brief meeting that established quorum and handled introductory business. Clerk staff reported 17 members present for the session. Chairman Clemens said he had spoken with Representative McCalmon about House Bill 378 and agreed to delay that bill to next year. The committee then accepted, without objection, a request to roll House Bill 905 to the second committee meeting of 2026 after the bill’s sponsor said parties needed more time to reach agreement.

Why it matters: rolling a bill delays committee consideration and any subsequent floor action. Committee members and staff described the delays as procedural and intended to give sponsors and stakeholders additional time to negotiate language.

Details on the two bills • House Bill 378: Introduced by Representative McCalmon. Chairman Clemens said he visited with McCalmon and that both agreed to delay the bill; Clemens said the item “is gonna be rolled to the first calendar of 2026.” No vote tally or further debate on policy content was recorded.

• House Bill 905: Identified in the meeting as a bill introduced by the chairman. Committee discussion indicated differences remained between proponents and opponents that needed resolution; the item was rolled to the second calendar of 2026 by unanimous consent. The transcript records the chairman asking for the committee’s indulgence to roll the bill and a later statement of “without objection” when the item was postponed.

Meeting context and other items The meeting was procedural in nature: a roll call confirmed a quorum, the two bills above were postponed, and the committee adjourned. Chairman Clemens took time to thank committee members and support staff, naming Sergeant at Arms Vantrese; John Miller, who runs AV; clerks Jared and Valentina; Alexandra Greenberg; Levin Middleton Dunn; Alex Lewis; and Rachel Bennett. Several other committee chairs—Boyd, Darby and Brickens—were acknowledged during the closing remarks. Representative Hardaway and others offered brief compliments to the chairman. No ordinances, resolutions or formal votes on bill text were recorded in the transcript.

What was not decided The committee did not take final votes on the substance of either bill. The transcript does not include bill text, budgetary details, committee amendments, or named votes tied to either bill. Sponsors and staff indicated further negotiation is expected before the bills return to committee.

Next steps Both bills were scheduled to return in 2026: House Bill 378 to the first calendar and House Bill 905 to the second calendar of 2026, per the committee’s announcements during the session. No dates, committee referrals beyond the Commerce Committee, or explicit deadlines were specified in the meeting record.