Senate Appropriations advances large slate of Assembly bills in procedural hearing

The Senate Committee on Appropriations convened and quickly moved through a long agenda of Assembly bills, taking roll-call votes and sending most measures either to the Senate floor or to the committee's suspense file. Chair opened the hearing by explaining the process and how the committee would proceed through measures alphabetically and by author order.

"As we go through the agenda, I will announce the author, measure number, provide a brief description of any amendments to the measure before we take the vote," the chair said, and reminded listeners that the committee would post hearing results and addendum analyses online after the hearing. Senator Grayson noted the committee’s role was limited to fiscal consideration: "the vote today, as far as items coming off suspense file is for fiscal consideration only and that any votes on the floor would be in consideration of policy."

The hearing was predominantly procedural: many bills were adopted by unanimous or near-unanimous votes with no witness testimony at the dais. Where authors amended bills on the floor, the chair said staff would post an addendum analysis describing amendments and any fiscal impacts within about an hour of the hearing's conclusion. The committee recessed briefly during the morning and later reconvened to consider several reconsideration requests before adjourning.