House Human Services approves amendment 1.1 to S.210 and then approves S.210 as amended

The House Human Services committee voted to approve House Human Services amendment 1.1 to S.210 and then approved S.210 as amended by recorded roll‑call votes. The clerk called the roll for the amendment and for the bill; the chair announced both outcomes as 10–0–1. The approvals send the amended bill onward to the floor.

Why it matters: The amendment alters the court petition process reflected in the bill: it removes a clause that had been characterized in prior drafts as a veto authority for a state's attorney, adds a specific subdivision directing courts to consider whether disclosure of records would interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation, and inserts language that would allow a petitioner to refile for an autopsy report after a material change in information.

Legislative Council staff explained the changes as part of the amendment package and reminded members they had heard witness testimony earlier in the week. The staff summary to the committee said Subdivision B (court instructions) now includes a new item about whether disclosure interferes with an ongoing criminal investigation and that a new Subdivision C would not prohibit a petitioner from refiling for a copy of an autopsy report on a material change in information (Legislative Council staff).

Procedure and votes: The chair explained the committee would vote first on the amendment and then on the bill as amended. The chair moved that the committee accept House Human Services amendment 1.1; the clerk conducted a roll‑call vote. The clerk recorded 'Yes' from the members called and the chair announced the amendment passed by recorded vote 10–0–1. A member then moved to approve S.210 as amended; the clerk again called the roll and the committee approved S.210 by recorded vote 10–0–1.

Quotes from the meeting included staff explanation of the court provisions and the chair’s procedural motion to approve the amendment and the bill. The committee will now send S.210 as amended to the floor for further action.