Straubel conducts straw poll on ways-and-means amendment to H 955

Straubel, chair of the House Education Committee, opened the panel’s Wednesday meeting and conducted a straw poll on the ways-and-means amendment to "h 9 55." Straubel called members to raise their hands for or against the amendment and then announced, "The vote is complete."

The tally as spoken in the meeting recorded seven members in favor; the transcript shows the opposing count in unclear form, and the exact number of members recorded as opposed could not be verified from the audio transcript. Straubel described the procedure as a straw poll — a nonbinding count used to gauge the panel’s position — and noted legislative staff from the legislative council and the joint fiscal office were present to answer questions. "We have, a committee room filled with legislative council and joint fiscal office who are all here to answer any further questions people might have," he said.

Straubel instructed members on how to register their vote electronically and by raising hands, telling one member, "Josh, you can, raise your hand, electronically if you like." After calling for votes in favor and against, he confirmed the count and said the committee’s business for the day was finished.

The chair announced the committee will meet again tomorrow at 9 a.m., with at least three amendments expected and testimony scheduled on one item. Straubel and staff also said amendments would be posted to the committee website as they become available and members would be alerted once the documents were online.

The meeting adjourned after the announcement of the next day’s schedule. The straw poll recorded on the audio transcript is advisory only; no formal final action on H 955 was taken during this session.