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Committee moves multiple bills forward; custody presumption, expungement option, and public-safety measures receive favorable reports or are carried over
Summary
At the close of a long session the committee introduced or advanced several bills: a family-custody subbill was introduced and later received a favorable report, multiple criminal-justice bills received favorable reports (some as amended), and several bills were carried over for additional work.
The committee took formal action on a series of bills spanning family law, criminal procedure and public-safety topics. Highlights below summarize motions, outcomes and key committee discussion points.
HB 53 (family custody). Representative Mercedes Sellers presented HB 53, which would make a rebuttable presumption that joint legal custody and substantial parenting time are in a child’s best interest except in cases involving domestic or family violence, and would require final orders to address holiday parenting time and related matters. The committee introduced a sub-bill on a motion to introduce the sub; that motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote. Later in the same hearing a motion for a favorable report on the sub passed by voice vote.
SB 118 (Anaya’s law update). Senator Brown explained that SB 118 would update existing law (referred to in testimony as Anaya’s law) and add solicitation, attempt or conspiracy to commit murder and related firearm-discharge offenses to the list of conduct that may trigger an evidentiary hearing. The committee moved the bill for a favorable report; the motion passed by voice vote.
SB 178 (speedy-trial / reassignment amendment). Committee members discussed an amendment to make the measure identical to a House version and to allow presiding circuit judges discretion to reassign cases; the amendment was offered and adopted. The committee then renewed a motion and gave SB 178 a favorable report as amended.
SB 40 (suicide-prevention voluntary firearm surrender). Senator (name in transcript) offered an amendment to narrow approved surrender locations to federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) and remove state and local law enforcement from the list of locations. Members adopted that amendment and then gave SB 40 a favorable report as amended.
SB 88 (expungements). The bill revises the expungement process to allow a judge the option to set a hearing even when the district attorney does not file an objection. The committee approved a motion for a favorable report; members noted the change is permissive (optional) and does not force a hearing when the DA does not object.
Carryovers. The committee agreed to carry over several items for further work: HSP 82 (sponsor Faulkner is working with the bill), SP 358 (at the request of Representative Brinier), and HB 669 (a measure dealing with sale/possession/transfer of stolen firearms and ammunition in class 1 municipalities).
Why this matters: The package includes family-law reform that affects custody presumptions, criminal-justice clarifications affecting evidentiary hearings and speedy-trial reassignment, and a public-safety bill that narrows locations for voluntary firearm surrender. Carryovers will allow sponsors and committee members more time to refine text.
Actions (summary): The transcript records the following committee actions noted by motion and voice vote: introduction of a sub for HB 53 (motion passed), favorable report on HB 53 sub (passed), favorable report on SB 118 (passed), adoption of amendment and favorable report on SB 178 (as amended) (passed), adoption of amendment and favorable report on SB 40 (as amended) (passed), favorable report on SB 88 (passed), and carryover motions for HSP 82, SP 358 and HB 669 (carried over). The transcript shows voice votes; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the hearing transcript for these actions.
Provenance (selected): HB 53 introduction begins at t=1279.6599; the sub-introduction motion and vote are recorded at t=1318.395; the favorable-report motion and voice vote are recorded in the block at t=1516.125. SB 118 discussion begins at t=1640.77 and favorable motion at t=1691.885. SB 178 amendment discussion and favorable vote are at t=1790.83–1805.155. SB 40 amendment and favorable report are at t=1839.965–1894.7949. SB 88 discussion and favorable report occur at t=3275.645–3419.645. Carryover announcements for HSP 82 and SP 358 appear at t=1622.5599; HB 669 carryover motion and adoption are at t=3503.7349.
