Committee concurs in three amendments to HB1717 adding technical and privacy clarifications

The House Aging Committee approved concurrence in three Senate amendments to House Bill 1717 during a single meeting session, voting by voice on each amendment.

Representative Zach Gramlich (District 50, Fort Smith) presented each amendment. He described House Amendment 1 as primarily technical language supplied by an external company 'so they could ensure they would follow along.' For Amendment 2, Gramlich said it was 'a little bit more substantive' and clarified what 'consent' and 'disclosure' mean, added definitions for third parties and processors, and specified when collecting or processing information is acceptable. Gramlich described Amendment 3 as clarifying how audio files will be used and deleted when no longer reasonably necessary, setting limits on what an operator may retain while allowing retention in some circumstances to protect children, and giving the attorney general authority to enforce the subchapter.

Each amendment drew no committee questions or public testimony during the meeting. The committee moved to concur in Amendment number 1, then in Amendment number 2 (to be sent), and finally in Senate amendment number 3; each motion carried by voice vote ('All in favor say aye'). Rep. Gramlich thanked the chair and committee following the final concurrence.

The committee took no other actions on HB1717 at this meeting and recorded no amendments to the amendments.