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Ways and Means advances several election and education bills; committee approves multiple withdrawals
Summary
At its Feb. 6 voting session the Ways and Means Committee favorably reported several departmental and education bills affecting party formation, voter registration age, health curriculum rules, transcript issuance and absentee-notice timelines, and approved a consent motion withdrawing six bills.
The Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 6, 2025 favorably reported several bills related to election administration and education and approved a consent motion withdrawing multiple bills.
House Bill 41, a departmental bill from the State Board of Elections, was reported favorably. The bill moves the deadline to file a petition to form a new political party from the first Monday in August to the first Monday in July and prohibits resubmitting signatures from a rejected petition. The committee moved the bill favorably by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
House Bill 153, proposed by Delegate Fair, would lower the voter registration age from 16 to 15 years, 9 months, aligning first eligibility with the date a person can apply for a learner’s permit. The committee completed a roll-call vote and reported the bill favorably. Recorded votes on the transcript show 16 yes votes and 3 no votes; Delegate Roberts was excused.
House Bill 161, which codifies current practice for county boards of education to establish health curricula under a state framework developed by the State Department of Education and the State Department of Health, passed favorably on a roll call. The bill requires county committees of educators, community members and health experts to produce age-appropriate curriculum based on the state framework and permits parental opt-out of the Family Life and Human Relations portion but not HIV/AIDS prevention.
House Bill 184, introduced by Delegate Ebersole, prohibits nonpublic schools that participate in state-funded education programs from refusing to issue a student’s transcript because the student owes a debt. The committee moved the bill favorably by roll call.
House Bill 199, another departmental bill from the State Board of Elections, clarifies that notices to permanent absentee voters confirming address and delivery preference must be sent during the period beginning 120 days to 90 days before an election. The bill was reported favorably following a voice vote; a few members were recorded as opposed on the transcript.
The committee approved a consent motion to withdraw several bills from further consideration: House Bill 47; House Bill 3707 (as read in the transcript); House Bill 404; House Bill 4604; House Bill 5306; and House Bill 8603. The withdrawal motion passed by voice vote.
Subcommittee announcements concluded the session; the Local Revenues subcommittee will meet the following day via Zoom.
Votes at a glance (from committee transcript): - HB 41 — Favorable (voice vote) — mover not named in transcript. - HB 153 — Favorable (roll call) — recorded yes: Madam Vice Chair; Delegate Ebersole; Delegate Patterson; Delegate Fair; Delegate Hornberger; Delegate Long; Delegate Young; Delegate Miller; Delegate Roberson; Delegate Wims; Delegate Vogel; Delegate Mira Q North; Delegate Wells; Delegate Plokovich Carr; Delegate Feldmark; Chair. No: Delegate Buckle; Delegate Hartman; Delegate Griffith. Delegate Roberts excused. - HB 156 — Unfavorable (roll call) — defeated in committee; separate article covers debate. - HB 161 — Favorable (roll call) — recorded in transcript as passed. - HB 184 — Favorable (roll call) — recorded in transcript as passed. - HB 199 — Favorable (voice vote) — a few recorded opposed (Delegates Long, Miller, Hartman noted as opposed in transcript).
Several bills were withdrawn by consent (numbers as read on the record).
