Senate clears a package of bills on procedural and agency changes, including gambling rules and DOT modernization
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Summary
Lawmakers passed multiple bills on the floor: Senate File 2289 (gambling, building code, residential care — amended and passed), SF 2039 (legislative intervention in judicial review), SF 2088 (DOT modernization, amendment delaying an electronic-reporting provision), SF 2186 (military deployment custody adjustments), SF 2207 (agency bill‑submission deadline), and SF 2219 (exempting FFA and 4‑H activities from chronic‑absence counts).
The Senate passed a group of bills addressing agency processes, regulatory oversight and school attendance rules during the floor session.
Senate File 2289 (Department of Inspections and Appeals and licensing) was called up by Senator Dawson. An amendment (Senate Amendment 5019) clarifying a tax change was adopted and the bill was passed; unanimous consent was granted to immediately message the bill.
Senate File 2039, a bill allowing caucus leaders and other legislators to intervene in judicial review of agency action under the specified statutory framework, was passed by the Senate (roll call: ayes 36, nays 11).
Senate File 2088, described as the Department of Transportation Modernization Bill, contains five divisions to update DOT procedures (including eliminating the chauffeur's instruction permit and requiring electronic accident reports). The body adopted Senate Amendment 5003 to delay implementation of Division 2 to March 1, 2027. The bill passed unanimously (ayes 47, nays 0).
Senate File 2186, which permits parents subject to short‑term military deployments (30 days or less) to make up missed physical‑care visitation within a 30‑day window and was amended to explicitly include Space Force members, passed unanimously (ayes 47, nays 0).
Senate File 2207 moves the deadline for state agencies to submit proposed legislation to the Legislative Services Agency from 45 to 60 days before session to give LSA more time to prepare drafts; the bill passed (ayes 31, nays 15) after floor discussion about workload and the volume of bills.
Senate File 2219 was amended on the floor to replace the term "excused" with "exempt" for FFA and 4‑H absences to ensure those absences do not count toward chronic absenteeism totals. One proposed amendment to broaden the set of covered activities was defeated, and the adopted amendment was intended to avoid triggering chronic‑absentee procedures; the bill passed 46–0.
The Senate adjourned to reconvene on Tuesday, February 24 at 9 a.m.
