Committee advances a slate of bills; multiple due-pass recommendations and amendment adoptions recorded

Following public hearings, the Law and Justice Committee met in executive session and took a sequence of procedural motions and voice votes to adopt amendments and recommend bills be sent to the rules committee.

Key procedural outcomes recorded in the hearing include due-pass recommendations (voice-vote) or amendment adoptions for the following items: substitute House Bill 2158 (electronic notarial acts) was moved for a due-pass recommendation; substitute House Bill 2239 (family burial grounds) adopted amendment alpha then received a due-pass recommendation as amended; substitute House Bill 2178 (court rules/procedures) and House Bill 2543 (county clerk fees) received due-pass recommendations; engross substitute House Bill 2165 (false identification as a peace officer) and engross substitute House Bill 2532 (sale/distribution of nitrous oxide) each had amendments adopted and were given due-pass recommendations; and engross substitute House Bill 2320 (regulation of firearm manufacturing via 3D printing/CNC) adopted targeted amendments and received a due-pass recommendation.

Votes were conducted by voice and recorded as "Aye" and "Nay" responses; the committee recorded that the bills as amended "received a due pass recommendation and [were] sent to the rules committee subject to signatures." Several senators voiced concerns about fiscal notes and constitutional issues for particular measures during discussion, but the committee proceeded to forward the bills to the rules committee for further consideration.