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Senate State Government Committee advances package of bills in executive session
Summary
In executive session Feb. 3, the Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections Committee moved due-pass recommendations for a package of 13 bills covering elections, holidays, agency reporting, public-records exemptions, aviation grants and other items; several items drew policy comments before voice votes.
The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections Committee met in executive session Feb. 3 and advanced a package of bills, issuing due-pass recommendations and referring measures to Rules and Ways and Means committees. The package included measures on election law, non-legal holidays, agency reports and a new grant program for law enforcement aviation support.
Staff briefings introduced the measures before closed consideration. Notable items included Senate Bill 6084, clarifying that a person may not vote more than once in the state or vote in two states when election dates coincide; Senate Bill 6044, which would designate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas as legislatively recognized non-legal holidays; Substitute Senate Bill 5950, which would add six non-legal holidays (an Amendment A from Senator Kaufman adding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Day and Orange Shirt Day was listed but later withdrawn); and proposed substitute Senate Bill 5763, creating a grant program to maintain and operate local law enforcement rotary‑wing aviation units with a contingency that the act is null and void if specific funding is not provided by 06/30/2026.
Senator Hasegawa spoke against moving some items without further adjustment. On SB 5950 she said she would be "without recommendation" because ‘‘a Buddhist celebration that is missing that was left off apparently in the transition between version 1 and version 2,’’ but she said she would vote to keep the bill moving if her vote was necessary. On SB 5763 she expressed concern about allowing acquisitions of new aircraft "while we're in such a serious budget deficit situation," though the substitute clarifies the program's scope and includes a funding contingency.
Other bills advanced included Senate Bill 6215 (substitute C) directing JLARC to review auditing and accountability practices across state agencies; Senate Bill 6160 (substitute D) adjusting or removing multiple agency reporting requirements; Senate Bill 6049 (amendment E adopted and rolled into a substitute) creating limited public-disclosure exemptions; Senate Bill 6164 (Watech-related exemptions); Senate Bill 6313 (Capital Centennial Stewardship Account); Senate Bill 5784 (proposed substitute F) on voluntary demographic data collection; Senate Bill 5046 (designating Kimchi Day); and Senate Bill 5489 (designating Wilkinson Sandstone as the official state sandstone). The Chair repeatedly ruled the bills passed subject to signatures after voice votes.
Most executive-session actions were resolved by voice vote with no roll-call tallies recorded in the transcript. Committee staff later opened one public hearing (Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1541) after completing executive-session business.
The committee adjourned after the public hearing concluded.
