Committee advances fee-waiver bill for criminal-history checks after debate over mandating free private services

The Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 343 to the floor after a roll-call vote, following a debate over a provision that waives fingerprinting and other fees for pardon applicants through July 1, 2029. A committee member objected that the language would require private contractors to provide fingerprinting services for free with no state reimbursement and said, "For that reason, I'll be a no."

The committee member warned the provision (lines 72–77 in the bill text discussed) would "mandate a private business to provide free services to the people of the public when that service is not being reimbursed by the State." The chair responded that the bill's intent is to accommodate the rollout of the legislature's clean‑slate procedure, which he said has already reached "about 150 or 200,000 residents," and he expected the state to step in to reimburse contractors so the service would remain available.

The exchange framed the central policy dispute: whether the state should temporarily waive fees for pardon-seekers without requiring proof of indigency, and whether the legislature should expect private vendors to absorb the cost pending state reimbursement. The committee proceeded to a roll call to send the bill to JF on the floor; members recorded a mix of yes and no votes during the roll call.

The bill was described to the committee as waiving specified convenience or fingerprinting fees for certain pardon applicants through 07/01/2029 and as establishing reimbursement to private contractors after that date only if a state waiver is granted. The committee member urged caution about requiring uncompensated private services, calling that approach "bad public policy." The chair said the state would likely need to reimburse contractors for implementation.

The committee advanced the measure to the floor for further consideration. The transcript records the roll-call proceedings but does not provide a consolidated numerical tally in a single line; the roll call was read into the record by the clerk.