House committee reports several bills, tables others in Feb. 6 session

The House Committee on General Government and Capital Outlay met Feb. 6 and took action on a package of bills ranging from voter registration maintenance to language-access requirements.

Chair opened the meeting, called the roll and declared a quorum. The panel then considered a sequence of bills, moving several forward to the next step, laying others on the table for further consideration and removing one from the docket.

Among the items reported out, the committee voted to report House Bill 28, by Delegate Henson, which the committee described as requiring elections to complete removal of ineligible voters from the voter registration system "90 days prior." The motion to report was moved and seconded and the committee reported HB28 by a vote of 5 to 2.

The committee approved House Bill 127, by Delegate Cawson, as amended. Miss Peaks told members the amendment removed a one-time payment provision for court-appointed attorneys and that the bill "has no cost" as amended; HB127 passed 7-0.

House Bill 247, presented with reference to persons with autism, intellectual disability or developmental disability, was reported by the panel by a vote of 6 to 1.

The committee laid House Bill 310, the Artificial Intelligence Workforce Impact Act by Delegate Figgins, on the table after a member raised concerns about potential fiscal impact. "House bill 3 10 has been laid on the table," the Chair said during the roll call on that motion.

A substitute for House Bill 494, by Delegate Guzman, was adopted; the substitute clarifies that qualifying former federal employees are to receive hiring consideration and directs the Department of Human Resource Management to modify the online job-application system. The committee reported HB494 with the substitute.

House Bill 580, by Delegate Glass, was reported with amendments that the committee said clarify the role of the Division of Consumer Counsel within the Office of the Attorney General on matters related to emerging technologies.

House Bill 797 was reported with a substitute that establishes a framework for independent verification systems; the committee reported that bill by a 7-0 vote.

House Bill 1009, by Delegate Tran, addressing administration of language access across the executive branch, was laid on the table after members cited fiscal concerns. The transcript of the committee exchange records inconsistent tallies during the clerk's readout (the exchange references both "6 to 0" and "7 to 0"); the committee's certified minutes should be consulted for the official tally.

Finally, HB1121, requested to be stricken by Frederick Walker, was removed from the docket in a recorded vote reported as 7-0.

Votes at a glance: - HB28 (Henson): reported to next stage; described as requiring elections to complete removal of ineligible voters 90 days prior; committee reported 5-2. - HB127 (Cawson): amended; amendment removes one-time payment for court-appointed attorneys and was described as producing no cost; approved 7-0. - HB247 (Watts): reported 6-1; addresses deferred disposition reporting for people with autism/ID/DD. - HB310 (Figgins): Artificial Intelligence Workforce Impact Act; laid on the table citing potential fiscal impact. - HB494 (Guzman): substitute adopted clarifying hiring consideration for qualifying former federal employees; reported with substitute. - HB580 (Glass): reported with amendments clarifying the Division of Consumer Counsel's role on emerging technologies. - HB797: substitute accepted and reported 7-0; establishes framework for independent verification systems. - HB1009 (Tran): language access administration; laid on the table; transcript contains inconsistent tallies (see article) — consult certified minutes for official count. - HB1121 (Frederick Walker): stricken from docket; recorded vote reported as 7-0.

The committee adjourned at the close of the agenda. The committee record and certified minutes should be consulted for the formal, final vote tallies and for the text of adopted substitutes and amendments.