House Appropriations Committee reports a slate of Senate bills, mostly by substitute, with unanimous or near-unanimous votes

RICHMOND — The House Appropriations Committee met and quickly reported a series of Senate bills out of committee, many with substitutes that conformed them to companion House measures.

The meeting opened with the chair announcing the loss of "former chair Barry D. Knight" and asking members to "stand for a moment of silence, please." Committee members then processed a lengthy slate of bills.

Unidentified Speaker 2 introduced Senate Bill 3, saying "This substitute would conform the bill to ... House Bill 18, which establishes the employee childcare assistance program, which would provide matching funds." The committee voted to report SB 3 with the substitute; the tally recorded in the transcript was 20 to 0.

Several other measures were reported with similar procedural actions. Senate Bill 52 (sponsor: Senator Rouse), described as identical to House Bill 28 (Delegate Henson), was reported on a recorded vote of 13 to 7. SB 98 (Senator Stanley) was reported 20 to 0. SB 134 (Senator Locke), SB 140 (Senator McPike), SB 149 (Senator McPike), SB 167, SB 286 (Senator Ayre), SB 403 (Senator Lucas), SB 404 (Senator Lucas), and SB 439 were reported with tallies ranging from unanimous to near-unanimous in committee, as noted in the transcript. SB 324 (Senator McPike), with a substitute relating to independent contractors and a House sponsor referenced as Delegate Cars, recorded a 14 to 7 vote. SB 692 (Senator Sutterline), described as conforming to House Bill 584 and "mak[ing] several changes," was reported 22 to 0.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the committee transcript):
• SB 3 (Aird) — substitute to conform to HB 18 — reported 20–0.
• SB 52 (Rouse) — identical to HB 28 — reported 13–7.
• SB 98 (Stanley) — identical to HB 169 — reported 20–0.
• SB 134 (Locke) — substitute to conform to HB 1208 — reported 20–0.
• SB 140 (McPike) — substitute to conform to HB 325 — reported 21–0.
• SB 149 (McPike) — identical to HB 176 — reported 21–0 (transcript also shows 20–0 earlier).
• SB 167 — substitute to conform to HB 1221 — reported 21–0.
• SB 286 (Ayre) — substitute to conform to HB 54 — reported 21–0.
• SB 324 (McPike) — substitute on independent contractors (HB 1046 referenced) — reported 14–7.
• SB 403 (Lucas) — identical to HB 7 — reported 21–0.
• SB 404 (Lucas) — identical to HB 8 — reported 22–0.
• SB 439 — identical to HB 1039 — reported 22–0.
• SB 692 (Sutterline) — substitute to conform to HB 584 — reported 22–0.

The transcript records motions, seconds and the recorded tallies but does not list individual member votes by name. Several items were described as having substitutes that "conform" the Senate bill to a House bill or make them "identical" to the House version; the transcript frequently notes the House bill number where that alignment occurred.

After the votes the chair entertained a motion to adjourn and provided logistics, noting lunch would be available Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and referencing a Sunday 1:00 meeting start. The committee adjourned following the routine business recorded in the transcript.

What the record shows and does not: the committee transcript provides bill numbers, sponsors referenced in the proceedings, substitute actions and vote tallies. The transcript does not list the names of members who moved or seconded motions in most cases, nor does it include full debate text on policy merits for most bills — the proceedings documented here are largely procedural reports and votes.