Day 35 - 3/22/2006

>> Back to Week Ten, Mar. 20 - Mar. 24

Pace of Legislation Speeds as Session Winds Down

On Tuesday, which did not count as a legislative day, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended passage of HB 1059 increasing penalties for sexual predators.  An amendment changes the age difference from 3 years to 4 years for “Romeo and Juliet” exceptions making certain sexual conduct a misdemeanor instead of a felony if the child is at least 13. The House Judiciary Civil Committee approved SB 420 allowing a parent to give a power of attorney to a grandparent or great grandparent for care of  a grandchild and creating a pilot project of payments to these grandparents.  The Committee decided to give the noncustodial parent the same right.

Today the House agreed to the Senate version of HB 1066 expanding metabolic screening for newborns.  It is on its way to the Governor for signing.

The House Judiciary Civil Committee favorably reported SB 382 , the bill amending the major child support legislation that passed last year.  The Committee amended SB 382 to allow reductions in child support when the court order provides for at least 91 days of visitation time for the non-custodial parent.  Women in the Senate had raised the level to 121 days. The House Committee added an amendment to allow modifications of orders only when there is a substantial change in circumstances, thus preventing parents from seeking modifications based simply on the passage of the new law that creates a new formula. 

The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee recommended passage of a substitute to SB 529   on undocumented immigrants.  The substitute incorporates a plan for the Department of Labor to spot check businesses to determine if they are hiring undocumented workers.  The contents of HB 1238, the bill charging a 5% fee for funds wired out of the country by undocumented people, were amended onto SB 529.  The Committee also recommended approval of  SB 396  authorizing use of deadly force where an individual feels threatened with violence.

The same committee voted to favorably report a substitute to SB 603 allowing advanced practice nurses prescriptive authority.  The substitute is more restrictive in some respects than the version that passed on the Senate floor and the version of HB 935 that passed the House.  HB 935 was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee today.

The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended passage of HB 1473 which requires legislative approval before the state requests any federal waivers of Medicaid rules affecting more than 20,000 Medicaid patients. Last summer legislators became concerned when the administration discussed plans for a Medicaid waiver that would have substantially altered the program. The bill now incudes an amendment advocates for seniors and people with disabilities had sought softening the Medicaid estate recovery policies.

Coming Events:

Thursday, March 23

The Senate will vote on its version of the 2007 Budget and on HB 1092 creating a suicide prevention program.

The House will vote on SB 136 (bail for delinquent children).