Committee advances three bills — HB 161, HB 184 (as amended) and HB 185 (as amended) — to the House floor

The House Health and Human Services Committee moved three bills to the House floor during executive action.

HB 161: Vice Chair moved HB 161 for a due pass; discussion noted proceeds from vending on federal/state property would benefit blind businesses on those lands, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The committee clerk recorded proxied aye votes for several members; the bill will move to the House floor.

HB 184: Staff described a sponsor amendment that adds and clarifies statutory definitions related to auditory differences and redefines the term "deaf person" to reflect a variation in the hearing process. The committee moved the amendment, discussed briefly, and approved HB 184 as amended by voice vote with proxy votes noted; the bill will move to the floor.

HB 185: The sponsor's amendment (185.01) changes the policy from continuous eligibility until age 6 to three years of continuous eligibility from initial enrollment or reenrollment, requiring at least one reenrollment period if a child is enrolled from birth until age 6. The amendment was moved and approved; members discussed policy and fiscal implications. The committee conducted a roll call vote; the clerk announced "17 members vote aye" and the bill will move to the floor.

The committee adjourned after housekeeping announcements about upcoming meetings.

(For motions, amendments and vote tallies, committee staff referenced the printed amendment packet and fiscal notes; proxied votes were used for some members during voice votes and a roll call was used for HB 185.)