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Senate advances a slate of bills: elections timing, landfill class change, search‑and‑rescue funding, tax breaks and motor‑vehicle measures
Summary
The Senate placed multiple bills on the third‑reading calendar and adopted concurrent resolutions covering special-election timing, landfill reclassification, search‑and‑rescue funding, clean‑air stove tax exemptions and more — several by unanimous or large majorities.
Beyond the ethics and arbitration measures, the Feb. 22 Senate floor session moved a broad set of bills and resolutions forward.
Key floor actions:
- Senate Bill 119 (second substitute) — The chamber approved changes that generally require special local elections on the November ballot but permit a local legislative body to hold a June special election by unanimous local vote; second substitute passed and was placed on the third‑reading calendar (26 yea, 1 nay, 2 absent).
- Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 — The Senate approved a legislative concurrence to reclassify Central Valley Landfill from Class IV to Class VI to allow acceptance of construction and demolition waste; the resolution passed (25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent).
- Senate Bill 60 (first substitute) — A cleanup substitute to the Search and Rescue Funding Act passed and was placed on third‑reading calendar (27 yea, 0 nay, 2 absent). Sponsor noted additional interim fiscal work is needed.
- Senate Joint Resolution 5 — A resolution urging preference for American‑made goods in stimulus spending passed (22 yea, 6 nay, 1 absent) after debate on protectionism and procurement flexibility.
- Senate Bill 135 — A sales and use tax exemption for certain energy‑efficient stoves and stove fuel (aimed at cleaner air and supporting pellet stove manufacturing) passed to the third‑reading calendar (roll call recorded as 29 yea, 0 nay).
- Senate Bill 148 — An insurance‑sector bill on Guaranteed Asset Protection waivers (sold by dealers) was amended on the floor to clarify handling of collected fees and passed to third reading (28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent).
- Senate Bill 62 was circled for further amendment (senator circled the bill to allow incoming amendments to be considered later).
- Senate Bill 70 — Sponsor Senator Urquhart presented legislation removing strict joint‑and‑several liability for adults who entrust vehicles to minor drivers unless the adult was negligent. A proposed amendment to cap liability at $100,000 failed after debate; the bill then passed and was placed on the third‑reading calendar.
Other procedural votes moved numerous additional bills to committee assignments or onto the third‑reading calendar during the session.
The Senate adjourned with committee notices and housekeeping items; leaders indicated some bills will see further refinement before third reading.
