The House Corrections & Institutions Committee revisited H.50 on Jan. 15, hearing Legislative Council staff contrast the House‑passed version with recent Senate amendments and discussing overlap with an executive order on state property utilization.

Legislative Council staff screened the Senate changes, noting the amendment broadens the inventory to include state‑leased properties in addition to state‑owned buildings and adds a subsection for legislative reporting. Counsel said the Senate’s edits narrow some language (asking agency heads whether a building is unnecessary for the agency’s purposes) and expand information the legislature would receive.

Members pressed on definitions and intent. Several asked whether "state‑leased" meant properties the state leases out or properties the state leases from private owners; counsel said the Senate language was intended to capture non‑state‑owned buildings the state leases so the legislature would see the full picture. A committee member noted an executive order with similar language and suggested the committee could propose to incorporate the executive order’s reporting structure into statute.

Committee staff outlined procedural options: concur with the Senate amendment, concur with a further proposal of amendment (which could add executive order language), or request a conference committee to reconcile House and Senate versions. Counsel noted the committee can propose new amendment language but that a conference committee negotiates only differences between the two chambers’ versions unless further amendment is offered and accepted.

Members asked staff to obtain the executive order text and to invite Buildings and General Services and administration representatives for detailed testimony, including the Capital Budget/5th Floor officials who advised the administration. Several members flagged interest in restoring language closer to an earlier draft that would task agencies with identifying state property suitable for conversion to affordable housing and in adding a regular reporting requirement to the legislature.