Senate Local Government committee: votes at a glance — Feb. 14, 2024

At its Feb. 14 session, the Senate Local Government Committee handled executive action on a sequence of House bills and one resolution. Below are the outcomes and key details recorded in committee.

Key outcomes

- House Bill 2-21 (election/transition clause changes): Amendment delaying the effective date was adopted, but the bill failed final passage in committee on a roll-call vote (3 yes, 7 no) and was subsequently tabled. (Motion to table carried; recorded as tabled.)

- House Bill 3-23 (allow counties to pay reserve deputy sheriffs): Concur motion carried by voice vote; committee named a floor carrier.

- House Bill 4-86 (county deputy sheriff compensation): Concur motion carried by voice vote; Vice Chair Beard will carry the bill to the floor.

- House Bill 4-92 (municipal parking requirements): Committee adopted an amendment limiting parking requirements for smaller units and passed the bill as amended (roll-call 8 yes, 3 no); Senator Trevis will carry to the floor.

- House Bill 5-47 (codification and volunteer firefighter retirement language): Amendment corrected a codification error; bill passed as amended.

- House Bill 5-94 (clarifying prohibition on local governments requiring additional state-issued professional licensing): Committee adopted amendment addressing state vs. local licensing and passed the bill as amended (9 yes, 1 no).

- House Bill 6-58 (local board of health and sanitation / on-site wastewater): After debate and two competing amendments, one amendment failed and another passed; the final committee vote on the bill was 5 yes, 5 no (a tie), and the committee tabled HB 6-58 for further work.

- House Bill 6-81 (subdivision and water availability): Committee adopted applicability and grandfathering amendments and passed the bill as amended (6 yes, 4 no).

- House Bill 6-88 (marijuana law revisions): Committee agreed to withdraw consideration for today to allow the sponsor time to work on amendments; action deferred to Wednesday.

- House Bill 7-13 and House Bill 7-14 (municipal zoning / division of land): Both bills passed after committee amendments that narrowed exemptions and adjusted penalties; senators discussed public-safety review criteria and local exemption checks.

- House Bill 7-16 (county water and sewer board qualifications): Passed by voice vote.

- House Bill 7-38 (county zoning boundary procedure): Committee debated cost and mailing burdens; the bill was tabled after roll-call results favored tabling.

- House Bill 7-64 (public transit district rules): Committee adopted amendments to define "direct transportation service," allow removal from a district after five years without service, and to protect property owners from district indebtedness; bill passed as amended (8 yes, 2 no).

What changed and what’s next

Several bills that raised substantial policy questions were amended to narrow language or add grandfathering protections; HB 6-58 was tabled after a tied vote and requires further stakeholder work. Multiple bills are carried to the Senate floor by committee members for consideration.

Votes and formal actions recorded in committee (selected): HB 2-21 tabled; HB 3-23 concurred; HB 4-86 concurred; HB 4-92 passed as amended (8–3); HB 5-47 passed as amended; HB 5-94 passed as amended (9–1); HB 6-58 tabled after tie; HB 6-81 passed as amended (6–4); HB 6-88 withdrawn for further amendment; HB 7-13 passed; HB 7-14 passed as amended; HB 7-16 passed; HB 7-38 tabled; HB 7-64 passed as amended.

The committee scheduled additional executive action Wednesday for bills the sponsors are editing. This 'at a glance' list reflects the committee's recorded roll-call results and motions on Feb. 14, 2024.