Ways and Means committee advances multiple bills; six receive favorable reports

The Ways and Means full committee advanced six bills on April 1, 2026, issuing favorable reports on measures ranging from lottery vending-machine sales to changes in hospital designation and a parental-leave expansion.

Representative Valentine introduced House Bill 5057 to permit lottery ticket sales via vending machines, saying the state "is the only lottery that does not allow vending machine sales" and projecting "in year 1, we'll have an about 1,000,000 or so in additional scholarships," rising to roughly "around 8,000,000 a year." The committee approved HB 5057 by roll call, 16 to 4.

The panel also advanced Senate Bill 32, which Representative Long described as the "Pregnancy Resource Act," creating a nonrefundable income tax credit for donations to qualifying pregnancy resource centers with a $3,500,000 cap and a 25% per-organization limit. The committee gave SB 32 a favorable report, 18 to 5.

Representative Cobb Hunter moved House Bill 5018 to bring the governor and lieutenant governor under the agency head salary committee for salary adjustments; that bill received a unanimous favorable report, 23 to 0.

Several other bills were approved on the consent of the committee or after brief consideration. The clerk called votes and the chair announced each tally as the committee completed roll call procedures.

The committee adjourned after completing the agenda; more detailed discussion occurred on select bills (notably transportation and rural hospitals) covered in separate articles.