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Rules committee clears two late bills — a late memorial package item and a proposal to make the state capitol a state park
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Summary
The committee approved suspending procedural deadlines to advance two late bills: SF 40‑73, moved to finance, and SF 17‑17, a memorial package item proposing designation of the state capitol as a state park and creation of a task force; sponsor apologized for the delay and said multiple agencies reviewed the park proposal with no opposition.
The Senate Rules Committee on April 23 voted to advance two late bills and referred them to the finance committee for further action.
Senator Hoffman asked the committee to waive the timing rules for SF 40‑73, explaining the bill missed filing deadlines because it was being coordinated as part of a larger memorial package and needed stakeholder work. Multiple senators pressed on whether routinely accepting late bills risks short‑circuiting committee review; Senator Hoffman apologized and said the delay stemmed from coordination across agencies and package timing rather than a lack of diligence.
The committee adopted the motion to suspend provisions of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 6 and moved SF 40‑73 to the finance committee by voice vote.
Senator Hoffman also presented SF 17‑17, a proposal discussed as part of a memorial package to make the state capitol a state park to access funds for tree planting and related work. She said staff from the Department of Administration, Department of Natural Resources, Historical Society and the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board reviewed the concept and that an assistant commissioner had said there was no agency opposition. The bill, as amended in the committee, was adopted for referral to the finance committee.
Next steps: both late bills were advanced to finance for fiscal and policy review.
