Senate committee gives favorable reports to bills on school-license age, truck rule, DOC anti-drone authority and others

The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee advanced several bills on Feb. 11, recording favorable reports (unanimous committee votes recorded in the transcript) and adopting at least one amendment.

Key actions and brief descriptions:

HB 33 (handled by Representative Trevor for Representative Bolton): Lowers the age at which a driver's license may be suspended for leaving school from 19 to 17. The committee recorded a favorable report after a motion and second; the transcript records the committee result as 6–0 in favor.

HB 35 (Representative Bolton): Addresses truck configuration by limiting differential to no more than 4 inches from front to back. The committee moved the bill by rule and gave it a favorable report.

HB 274 (Representative Simpson, handled by Representative Bridal): Authorizes the Department of Corrections to use technology to disable drones that fly above correctional facilities, building on an earlier law that prohibited drone use above DOC properties. The committee recorded a favorable report.

HB 287 (Representative Betzold): Seeks to codify an annual joint session to honor law enforcement that has historically been done by House Joint Resolution; the committee gave the bill a favorable report.

SB 229 (Senator Gavan): Updates military justice guidelines for National Guard members following last year's guideline adoption; the committee gave a favorable report.

SB 201 (Senator Gavan): Allows greater flexibility for JROTC participation, including transfers between schools to join a different service's ROTC and allowing homeschool students to participate; committee members adopted an amendment by voice that the chair recorded as adopted, and then the bill received a favorable report.

SB 216 (Senator Carnley): Technical clarifying changes related to awards administered by the tag office to prevent overlap with gubernatorial awards; the committee voted to give a favorable report (transcript records a 6–0 result).

The committee took no recorded amendments for most bills except SB 201, where an amendment was adopted; the session concluded with the chair announcing the committee adjourned.