By State Affairs
The Legislature has introduced 1,966 bills this legislative session, along with 150 memorials and resolutions, smashing its former record.
This week, lawmakers will hustle to give those bills a hearing before crossover week, when bills switch chambers.
Prepare for some extra-long committee hearings.
Here are five issues we are watching this week:
More than 50 bills listed on Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee agenda
The days before crossover week have always caused a scramble to get as many bills through committee as possible. And among the mile-long agendas posted to the calendar this week, the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee has the second longest agenda, with about 54 bills ready to be heard. Topics include everything from the names of political parties to making marijuana smoke a public nuisance and everything from A to Z concerning courts, crimes and elections. Beyond its regular Wednesday meeting at 1:30 p.m. (pending floor session), the committee has an 8 a.m. meeting scheduled for Friday to listen to any unheard bills.
Legislature finally hears short-term rental regulation bill
A short-term rental regulation bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Commerce Committee Tuesday afternoon following the chamber floor session. The bill, House Bill 2429Track (vacation rentals; short-term rentals; occupancy), would allow municipalities to limit the number of short-term rental licenses issued within their jurisdictions. A strike-everything amendment proposed for the bill would scale back the measure and instead focus on occupancy limits and repeat nuisance offenders.
