Senate Codes Committee reports multiple bills including protections for workplace speech and youth arrest notifications

The Senate Standing Committee on Codes met March 25 and reported a package of bills covering criminal justice, employment-protection, police hiring standards and youth notification rules. Committee members moved each bill and the clerk announced results on the record; several votes included named no votes or "without recommendation" entries.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Print 490 (Sen. Fernandez): Amends provisions concerning conduct against a child under 17 and removes the time limit to bring subsequent offenses. Motion to report moved by Senator Bailey, seconded by Senator Cossack. Committee voice vote recorded as favorable; clerk announced "the bill is reported." (Provenance: committee transcript introduction and voice vote.)

- Senate Print 1641 (Sen. Fernandez): Permits support to a vulnerable elderly person testifying in grand jury proceedings with district attorney consent. Motion to report moved by Senator Prasad, seconded by Senator Bailey; clerk announced "the bill is reported." (Provenance: bill read and voice vote.)

- Senate Print 2453 (Sen. Gennardez): Provides that the ordinary period of presidential immunity from prosecution should not extend the time limitations for commencing criminal or civil actions. Motion to report moved by Senator Bailey, seconded by Senator Prasad. The clerk recorded several negative votes: Senator Galavan, Senator Colombo, Senator Murray and Senator O'Meara were named as voting no; the clerk nevertheless stated "the bill is reported." (Provenance: reading and recorded negatives in transcript.)

- Senate Print 2494 (Sen. Gennardez): Extends protections for employees who make allegations of employment discrimination from defamation suits brought to chill public petition and participation. Sponsors described the measure as intended to empower victims of workplace harassment. Motion to report moved by Senator Bailey, seconded by Senator Briscoe; the bill was reported. (Provenance: sponsor remarks and voice vote.)

- Senate Print 3158 (Sen. Scoopis): Designates animal fighting as a predicate criminal act for purposes of enterprise corruption statutes. Motion to report moved by Senator Murray, seconded by Senator O'Mara; Senator Briscoe was recorded in the negative; the bill was reported. (Provenance: bill description and vote.)

- Senate Print 4389 (Sen. May): Tailors color-vision requirements for police officer appointment to exclude only extreme deficiencies and provides methods for applicants to meet standards after initial failure. Committee discussion included requests to clarify language cited in a prior gubernatorial veto message; motion to report moved by Senator Bailey, seconded by Senator Gennard, with Senator Briscoe recorded as no and Senator Galvin recorded "without recommendation." The bill was reported. (See separate article for fuller discussion.)

- Senate Print 4466 (Sen. Mayer): Prohibits a property owner from enforcing or adopting a restriction that forbids 1 or more religious items on an entry door or entry door frame of a dwelling. Motion to report moved by Senator Murray, seconded by Senator Brissport; the clerk recorded Senator Gavin as "without recommendation" and the bill was reported.

- Senate Print 4763 (Sen. Bailey): Requires police officers to make reasonable efforts to notify a parent or legal guardian when a youth (including persons under age 19) is arrested, with exceptions if notification would endanger the youth's health or safety; the bill also includes amendments related to exploited children. Motion to report moved by Senator Briscoe, seconded by Senator Salazar. Recorded negatives: Senator Galavan and Senator O'Meara; recorded "without recommendation": Senators Murray and Galvin. The clerk announced "the bill is reported." (Provenance: bill reading and vote recording.)

Committee adjourned after reporting the listed bills. The committee record contains on-the-record voice votes and a few named no votes and "without recommendation" entries as recorded by the clerk. No roll-call tallies with counts were read into the record for every bill; where the clerk named individual dissenting senators those names are reported above.