House rejects telework-report amendment to telecommunications bill; Senate File 51 passes unanimously for transmission

The House considered and rejected a proposed third-reading amendment to Senate File 51 that would have required a report on state-employee telework. The bill itself, which renews the state's telecommunications regulatory provisions, passed the House and will be transmitted to the governor.

Majority Leader Heiner moved third-reading amendment number 1, which would have required agencies to report on state employees who telework during part of a specified period (July through year-end). He described the amendment as data-gathering to inform management. "This is just asking for data ... I urge your favorable consideration," Heiner said.

Opponents including Representative DeHen, Representative Nicholas and Representative Wiley urged keeping the bill "clean." DeHen warned the Telecom Act expires July 1 and said the telework reporting could be obtained without statutory language, arguing: "If we add this on the bill ... I don't want to go to conference committee over it, and I don't wanna risk the passage of the bill." Multiple members said agencies already provide similar information on request.

The amendment failed on a voice/division vote (the chair announced the amendment "has not been adopted '29 to 31"). The underlying bill, Senate File 51, was then read and, on roll call, passed the House 60 ayes with two members excused.

Ending: Senate File 51 passed the House and will be forwarded; the attempt to codify a telework reporting requirement into statute failed on the floor because members preferred to request the information administratively without risking conference committee action or jeopardizing passage of the main bill.