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House floor erupts over bypassing committee process as late bills arrive; motion to send to committee succeeds
Summary
Lawmakers clashed over several late bills brought to the floor without prior committee hearings (notably HB 370 with a $72,000 fiscal note). Critics demanded rules and 24-hour notice; proponents said certain 'must-debate' bills were prioritized. The House agreed to refer disputed items to committee for a hearing the following day.
A prolonged floor exchange focused not on the substance of a single bill but on procedure after members objected that several measures (including HB 370, an income-tax credit for providers of individuals with disabilities with a $72,000 fiscal note) reached the floor without committee review or adequate time for members to study fiscal materials.
Representative Birmingham said public trust requires committee hearings and public notice; he asked the House to send the bill back to Rules for assignment and to provide 24-hour notice. "I don't really know what it is... It's had no committee hearing," Birmingham said on the floor as members held up copies and fiscal papers that had just been distributed.
Other members defended leadership: they described a priority list of "must-debate" bills identified by staff and argued that strict adherence to committee steps would hinder an abbreviated 45-day session. Representative Bishop (majority leadership) explained the practice of prioritizing certain bills for floor debate and urged patience while acknowledging glitches in the flow.
After extended argument, members proposed and debated substitute motions (circling the bill versus sending it back to Rules). The House ultimately agreed to send the item to the Health and Human Services committee for a hearing the following day, per floor motions and agreement among members.
The exchange underscored tension between floor prerogatives and expectations of committee review in a compressed session calendar.
