Committee reports several bills out of committee after executive session; key privacy and voting-access amendments considered

A legislative committee met in executive session Feb. 25 and reported several bills out of committee with due-pass or due-pass-as-amended recommendations, advancing measures on voting access, public-records exemptions, agency reporting and sports wagering.

The panel incorporated amendments and recorded several roll-call votes. Second substitute Senate Bill 6035, a multipart measure on voting services for military, overseas and Native American voters as well as voters with disabilities, was reported out with an amendment that removes authority to implement an electronic ballot portal for some covered voters and instead requires a feasibility study; the committee adopted amendment OMI 385 and reported the bill out 5–1 with one excused. Representative Farvar described the bill as "an important piece of legislation to make sure that we are ensuring access to voting," while Representative…