Senate committee advances bill altering standard for commercial electronic mail and lowering statutory damages

The Senate Business, Trade and Economic Development Committee on Feb. 25 moved Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2274 — a measure concerning commercial electronic mail — forward with a due-pass recommendation to the rules committee after an executive-session voice vote.

Committee staff member William summarized the bill to the committee as one that “concerns commercial electronic mail,” saying it would require the center to have knowledge of falsity and, as stated in the transcript, reduces statutory damages from 500 to 100. William also presented the measure during the committee’s pre-executive-session briefing.

The committee returned from a brief caucus and Unidentified Member moved that HB 2274 receive a due-pass recommendation to the rules committee. The motion passed on a voice vote; the chair announced the bill had passed “subject to signatures.” The transcript records no roll-call vote or individual tallies.

The committee did not record additional conditions or amendments to HB 2274 in this session. Next procedural steps, per the motion, are referral to the rules committee; the transcript does not specify a timeline for that referral.

The committee’s action was limited to the due-pass recommendation; the transcript provides no further debate on implementation details, enforcement mechanisms, or fiscal impacts for HB 2274 beyond the staff summary.