Ways and Means Committee voting session: bills approved, held and withdrawn on March 11

The Ways and Means Committee convened March 11 for a voting session and reported a series of bills favorably, held one bill for further departmental work, and accepted two withdrawals. Major actions included measures on school technology policies, a curbside voting pilot, tax and administrative changes, and school safety requirements for athletic events.

Key outcomes (motions are committee reports or favorable votes as recorded in the transcript):

- House Bill 147 (as amended): Requires county boards of education to adopt and publish a policy limiting student use of personal electronic devices—including smartphones—during instructional time, with exceptions for students with disabilities and documented health issues; committee passed the bill favorably as amended.

- House Bill 317 (as amended): Establishes a curbside voting pilot program in three counties (one small, one medium, one large) for the 2026 and 2028 elections; the amendment requires State Board of Elections communications and signage to emphasize that curbside voting is primarily an accommodation for voters with disabilities, limited mobility and elderly voters; committee passed the bill favorably as amended.

- House Bill 496: Held by the committee…