Rules committee advances reconification of Title 30 (HB 932) to Appropriations

The Rules Committee voted to report House Bill 932, described by the bill’s patron as a reconification of Title 30 of the Code, to the Committee on Appropriations after adopting committee line amendments.

According to the bill’s patron (speaker identified in the transcript as "Unidentified Speaker 2"), HB 932 follows a two-year study process involving subcommittees, active and retired judges, practicing attorneys and members of both chambers and was presented to the committee as a largely unanimous, consensus document. "For the most part, this was a consensus document ... and then was put in bill form," the patron said during the presentation.

The committee adopted three categories of line amendments: clarifying language after line 39 to make explicit longstanding House practice about special sessions and term expiration; replacing the obsolete word "secretaries" with "legislative assistance" to better reflect current roles; and making a repeal (noted in the transcript as repeal of "30-13") retroactive to July 1, 1971, to remain consistent with other legislation signed the same day. The committee voted to adopt the line amendments by voice vote.

After amendment, the committee moved to report HB 932 as amended. The clerk recorded the vote as eight in favor and four opposed; the chair announced that HB 932 "passes" from the Rules Committee and will be sent to Appropriations for further consideration.

What’s next: HB 932 will advance to the Appropriations Committee for further review and any fiscal consideration. The committee's action at Rules limits debate on the bill in that chamber but does not itself enact statutory changes beyond the referrals and adopted amendments.

Provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 150 and concluded at SEG 203.