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Senate amends and approves HB 279 to let counties hold administrative hearings, scales back proposed penalty
Summary
After floor debate over criminal penalties, the Senate amended House Bill 279 to keep maximum ordinance violations at class C for counties and passed the bill 18–9. Senators debated concerns that elevating penalties to class B would increase incarceration for locally defined offenses.
Senators on the floor amended and passed House Bill 279 on administrative hearings for counties, changing proposed maximum penalties so counties may not seek class B misdemeanor sanctions for ordinance violations and instead remain at class C. The amended bill passed the Senate 18–9 and will be sent to the House for further consideration.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Vickers, said the legislation gives counties authority similar to cities to adopt ordinance procedures and formal administrative hearings intended to resolve local violations without…
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