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Committee advances several bills on child welfare, magistrate pay and parental-rights disclosure
Summary
The committee reported multiple bills to the full Senate, including SB 197 (adds attempt as an offense), SB 718 (magistrate pay increase), SB 540 (CPS audio-recordings), SB 399 (Bring Them Home Fund), HB 4354 (clothing allowance for children in DHS custody), and SB 1029 (written parental‑rights disclosure). Several votes were voice votes; two notable amendments on SB 399 were defeated by division.
The Senate committee moved several bills forward during the session.
Votes and actions taken include:
- Senate Bill 197: Committee substitute explained (adds attempt to procure/authorize/induce another person to engage in sexual exploitation of a child under a caregiver's care). Vice chair moved to report the bill to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass; the motion was adopted by voice vote and the bill was reported. (SEG 848–897)
- Senate Bill 718: Committee counsel explained a magistrate pay increase from $63,250 to $70,000 with an estimated fiscal impact to the 2027 budget of about $1.3 million; the committee voted to report the bill to the full Senate with a referral to Finance under double committee reference. (SEG 900–971)
- Senate Bill 540: Committee substitute (audio recordings for CPS initial investigations) was adopted as amended (an amendment to add counsel for the department as a recipient of the recordings was adopted) and the substitute was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass (Finance referral). (SEG 971–1246)
- Senate Bill 399: Committee substitute for the Bring Them Home Fund was debated at length and two amendments offered by Senator Marion (priority grants to nonprofits and creation of an advisory committee) were both defeated (the priority‑grant amendment lost on division 5–10). The committee then voted to report SB 399 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass (Finance referral). (SEG 1248–2576)
- House Bill 4354: Strike‑and‑insert amendment on an initial clothing allowance ($375) for children placed in out‑of‑home care was adopted and the bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation to pass. (SEG 2578–2637)
- Senate Bill 1029: Committee substitute codifying CPS disclosure of parental rights (two sheets: immediate rights and ongoing rights) was adopted and reported to the full Senate with a recommendation to pass. (SEG 2646–2764)
Procedural notes: Most measures were reported by voice vote or adopted by voice; the SB 399 amendment vote required division and a recorded count. Several bills carry double committee references and were reported to the full Senate subject to Finance committee review.
For reporters: key follow-up items include fiscal notes for SB 718 and SB 399, rulemaking and privacy procedures for SB 540, and any subcommittee output for SB 986 (which was referred to subcommittee rather than reported).
