Download the legislative calendar here.
Download the full legislative report here.
THIS WEEK’S RUNDOWN:
On Tuesday, the Administration released its amended budget proposal. This marks the beginning of the end of the legislative session with an adjournment possible in the next three weeks.
NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR:
Tuesday:
- House Health Committee will consider:
- HB 387-Prohibits a healthcare provider from inquiring as to a patient’s ownership, possession of, or access to firearm ammunition or firearm accessories.
- Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee will consider:
- SB 836-Requires a local education agency (LEA) or public charter school to require that each student who seeks to enroll in the LEA or public charter school provide documentation establishing that the student is: (1) a citizen of the United States; (2) is in the process of obtaining citizenship; or (3) holds a legal immigration or visa status.
- Senate State & Local Gov’t Committee will consider:
- SB 1083- Enacts the Dismantle DEI Act. Prohibits the state, any local government, any local education agency (LEA), and public institutions of higher education from basing hiring decisions on metrics which consider an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability; or from hiring a particular candidate in order to achieve any goals to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion in the workplace; however, an applicant’s national origin, age, or disability may be considered if such consideration is expressly permitted by a specific provision of state law or a federal statute or regulation. Removes the requirement that the Commissioner of the Department of Education (DOE) recommend a policy to promote educator diversity to local boards of education, which must subsequently adopt such policy.
- SB 1084- Prohibits a department, agency, or other unit of state government, or political subdivision of the state, such as a county, municipal, metropolitan government, or public institution of higher education from maintaining or authorizing an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion.
- SB 1087- Creates an offense for a person who is not lawfully present in the United States to knowingly enter or attempt to enter this state, or to remain in this state after entering prior to the legislation’s effective date.
- SB 643- Establishes that if a religious nonprofit organization having property duly-exempt from property tax liabilities moves, in part or in whole, to another parcel of property owned by the organization within the same taxing jurisdiction, then the exemption must be transferred or extended to the new parcel, and the organization is not required to file an application for exemption for the new parcel; provided, the organization maintains its exempt status and uses the new parcel for exempt purposes.
- SB 212- Expands the requirement that state and local governing bodies make an agenda available to the public prior to regular public meetings of the body to include the governing bodies of certain nonprofit organizations, including nonprofit community organizations that receive federal funding, nonprofit organizations that receive community grant funds from this state or certain funding from local governments, nonprofit organizations created for the benefit of local governments.
- Senate Judiciary Committee will consider:
- SB 441-Revises the offense of possessing a weapon on property that is properly posted to prohibit such possession such that the offense only applies if the individual intentionally or knowingly possessed the weapon where not authorized.
Wednesday:
- House Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee will consider:
- HB 322- Creates the offenses of human smuggling and the offense of harboring or hiding, or assisting another in harboring or hiding, within this state an individual who the person knows or should have known has illegally entered or remained in the United States.
- House Judiciary Committee will consider:
- HB 347-Specifies that the terms abandonment, abuse, severe abuse, and dependent and neglected child do not include the failure to meet the needs of a child solely due to financial hardship unless reasonable material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and refused by the parent or guardian.
- HB 1359-Requires that any foster child in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services (DCS), or an agency that contracts with DCS, has the right to: (1) go to school and receive an education that fits the child’s age and individual needs; (2) benefit from appropriate care and treatment in the least restrictive setting; (3) live in a safe and healthy environment; (4) report any violation of personal rights without fear of retaliation; (5) receive medical, dental, vision, and mental health services and be informed about diagnoses and treatment options; and (6) be free from punishment in the form of restrictions on contact with an appointed guardian ad litem and attorney at litem.