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Lawmakers object to tabling amendments as House Finance Committee advances data-center bill
Summary
Several committee members protested tabling two amendments to House Bill 26 50, saying the practice denied committee-level debate and that members received short notice; the committee chair defended reporting the bill to the full House so all members can vote.
Members of the House Finance Committee raised procedural objections during consideration of House Bill 26 50, criticizing the committee's decision to table two amendments rather than debate them at the committee level.
Representative Coutts (the member who introduced the proposed amendments) urged colleagues not to table amendment a03745, calling it a source of revenue for the state and saying tabling would "restrict people" from having debate. "A vote for this amendment will be a vote to ensure that people who are coming to take from our grid will be paying their tax to the state," Coutts said during the committee floor.
Other members echoed concerns about process. Representative Debanzo said the action "wasn't democracy" and called the move "like dictatorship here," arguing members were denied an opportunity to vet amendments in committee. Another member said they received an email at 12:11 a.m. notifying them the bill would be run and criticized the short window for review.
The chair defended the committee's record of hearings and said the bill was being moved now because of budget season and to allow all 203 House members to vote on the measure on the floor. The chair also said the amendments would be available to offer when the bill reaches the full House.
The committee proceeded with roll-call votes to table both amendments and then voted to report the bill to the full House. Members opposing the committee's actions said they will press for debate on the floor; supporters said the process preserved the ability of all House members to weigh in.
The meeting ended with the committee's report of the bill to the full House (announced as 15 in favor, 11 opposed).
