Today the Legislature will reach an important deadline; it is the last day for Senate fiscal committees (Ways and Means; Transportation) to vote on Senate bills. Last Wednesday was the last day Senate policy committees could vote on Senate bills.
These deadlines, or cutoffs as we refer to them, are tools used to whittle down the large number of proposals introduced each session, so that only those bills with enough support can continue to move through the legislative process.
Three of my bills are advancing this session:
- Senate Bill 6133, aimed at deterring cannabis store robberies;
- Senate Bill 6205, which deals with instruction on the history and meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance; and
- Senate Bill 6211, which clarifies how often a landlord can raise rents.
In addition to the bills I have prime-sponsored, I have also signed on as cosponsor to several bills I believe would take our state in a better direction. One of those measures — Senate Bill 5841 — passed off the Senate floor last week. This measure would require individuals convicted of driving under the influence to pay financial support to minor children and dependents when the offense results in the death or disability of a parent. I am happy to report that the bill passed the Senate 49-0 and is now in the House.