Senate committee advances 13 bills in executive session; several carry amendments

The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections Committee advanced 13 bills during an executive session on Feb. 3, moving each to the next step with a "due pass" recommendation, subject to signatures.

Committee staff summarized each measure before the vice chair moved the bills. Notable actions included: Senate Bill 6,084 (clarifying that a person may not vote twice in the same election) received a due‑pass recommendation with no amendment; substitute C for Senate Bill 6,215 was adopted to shift certain auditing and accountability work from the state auditor to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) with a reporting deadline of Sept. 1, 2027; a proposed substitute B for Senate Bill 5,763 narrowed a law‑enforcement aviation grant program to rotary‑wing aircraft with human operators and removed aerial wildland fire suppression provisions while making the act null and void if specific funding is not provided by June 30, 2026.

On holidays and recognitions, substitute Senate Bill 5,950 would add six legislatively recognized non‑legal holidays; an amendment A to add Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Day and Orange Shirt Day was presented by Senator Kaufman but withdrawn on the floor before final passage. Senate Bill 6,044 would designate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas as non‑legal holidays. Senate Bill 5,046 would designate Nov. 22 as "Kimchi Day," and Senate Bill 5,489 would name Wilkinson Sandstone the state's official sandstone; both were advanced.

A proposed substitute D for Senate Bill 6,160, concerning changes to agency reporting requirements, removed 24 reporting requirements from the bill language and adjusted the frequency of five annual reports to a biannual schedule; staff said the substitute left the statutory reports unchanged where intended. For Senate Bill 6,049, the committee adopted amendment E to clarify the definition of "de‑identified" data and to correct a typographical reference to the healthy youth survey before rolling the amendment into a proposed substitute and advancing the bill.

Several members voiced reservations during the proceedings. Senator Hasegawa said she would be "without recommendation" on substitute Senate Bill 5,950, noting that a Buddhist celebration was missing from a transition between versions and expressing concern that the list should be inclusive. On the aviation grant measure, she said she was concerned the program "allows for acquisitions of new aircraft" while the state faces a serious budget deficit and therefore would be without recommendation though willing to vote to keep the bill moving.

All bills considered in the executive session were moved, seconded and advanced by voice vote; the chair ruled each bill passed "subject to signatures." The committee then recessed for the public hearing portion of its agenda.