On Monday the House unanimously passed out legislation relating to maternal morbidity (SB 17). They also passed out SB 1, relating to property taxes, as substituted and amended with 105 ayes and 41 nays. The bill was then sent back over to the Senate where they later announced they would not concur with House amendments and announced the following conferees: Bettencourt (Chair), Buckingham, Creighton, Hancock, Van Taylor. It is anticipated the House will announce their conferees today when they reconvene.
In regards to education negotiations, the House took up and passed to third reading SB 16, relating to the creation of school finance commission). Subsequently, the Senate picked up HB 21/HB 30, relating to school finance, for deliberation. HB 21/HB 30, as substituted and amended, were passed out of the Senate shortly before 1:00 a.m. this morning. HB 21/HB 30 will now head back over to the House where they can either concur or go to conference to work on the differences.
HB 21, as passed in the Senate included language from Senate Bill 16 (school finance commission) and language similar to SB 19 (addressing TRS-Care). A total of 8 amendments were adopted bringing the total fiscal note to approximately $563 million which could be addressed by a payment deferral to MCO’s (managed care organization). HB 30, as passed in the Senate would appropriate $563 million contingent on the passage of HB 21.
The Senate also reconsidered HB 7(tree planting credit/tree removal) as it was returned from the House. The House had determined the Senate’s version of the bill was inconsistent with the legislation’s sole purpose of creating tree-planting credits to offset local mitigation fees. The Senate reconsidered a prior amendment and then adopted an amendment adding language attempting to address House concerns before sending the bill back over to the House for further consideration.
The House and Senate will reconvene today at 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. respectively.
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