The House Revenue and Taxation Committee advanced SB561. This bill requires The Assessment Coordination Department to establish mandatory guidelines for county assessors to follow in identifying property that is exempt from property tax. It also requires the Director of the Department of Finance and Administration to report to the Legislative Council and the Governor before each regular session on the effect of each state tax exemption, discount, credit, and deduction. In addition, SB561 provides a sales tax exemption for advertising space placed on a public transit bus.
The House Education advanced SB383. This bill allows school districts to hire certified law enforcement officers as school resource officers.
The House Judiciary Committee advanced HB1809. This bill creates an additional term of imprisonment of 1-10 years for the conviction of violent offenses against a person at a church or other place of worship.
The committee also advanced SB573. This bill ensures that an inmate who was convicted as an adult for an offense he or she committed before the age 18 can participate in an educational, training, or rehabilitative program that is otherwise available to other inmates. It also restores an inmate’s right to vote if he or she was under the age of 18 when convicted, was discharged from parole, and meets other specific criteria.
The House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee advanced SB2. This bill states a physician shall not perform an abortion with the knowledge that a pregnant woman is seeking an abortion related to diagnosis of Down Syndrome in an unborn child.
The House passed HB1775. This bill requires an able-bodied adult under 60 years of age who receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to participate in employment and training programs. Those with dependent children under 6 years old would be exempt from the requirement.
The House passed HB1856. This bill prohibits state agencies from consenting or approving the termination of a pregnancy for an individual in the custody of the state and from spending state funds for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy.
The House passed SB493. This bill states that if a person’s driving privileges are suspended solely as a result of outstanding driver’s license reinstatement fees, the office of Driver’s Services shall permit the person to pay only one reinstatement fee of $100 to cover all administrative orders. The driver must have paid all costs associated with the criminal offense that led to the suspension and graduate from a specialty court program.
The House will reconvene tomorrow at 1:30pm.