This evening, the Senate met to consider 23 bills on second reading. The Senate voted to suspend the constitutional rule requiring bills be read on three separate days and passed eight bills on second reading. House Bill 4157, which allows insurers who have been suspended from writing new policies to continue to service existing policies, was amended and passed.

House Bills 4016 and House Bill 4017 were advanced to third reading with the Senate’s right to amend.

Constitutional rules were also suspended and one bill on first reading, House Bill 4471, was amended and passed.

Of the bills considered this evening, several were amended and will now be sent to the House for its concurrence. One such bill, House Bill 4386, which would authorize municipalities to create an annual vacant property registration, passed the Senate with amendments. House Bill 4139, which allows persons using bioptic telescopic devices to drive motor vehicles, also passed the Senate with an amendment.

The Senate will reconvene at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.

Members of the Senate received messages from the House to concur amendments on 13 bills. These bills were passed and will now be sent to the Governor. These bills include Senate Bill 238, which would increase the monetary limit to file a circuit court suit, and Senate Bill 634, which would create the Military Authority Act.

Eleven bills were on third reading and 10 of these passed, including House Bill 4304, which revises the Anatomical Gift Act and House Bill 4344, which relates to the criminal offense of cruelty to animals. These bills have now completed legislation and await approval from the Governor. One bill, Senate Bill 594, which would establish a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Students and School Personnel, was recommitted to Education committee.

The following committees will meet today:
Confirmations – 1:00 p.m. – 208W

Health & Human Resources – 1:15 p.m. – 451M
Education – 2:00 p.m. – 451M

Judiciary – 3:00 p.m. – 208W

Finance – 3:00 p.m. – 415M

Government Organization – 4:30 p.m. – 208W

The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Economic Development – 9:30 a.m. – 451M
Natural Resources – 10:00 a.m. – 208W

The Senate is in recess until 5:30 p.m.

The Senate reconvened this evening to hear bills on second reading. The constitutional rule that bills be read on three separate days was suspended and 16 bills were read a second and third time and passed by the Senate. All of these bills had amendments that were sent to the House for its concurrence.

House Bill 4628 passed the Senate with amendments. This bill would provide a tax credit for new job creation by certain taxpayers.

House Bill 3056 passed the Senate this evening and would allow pharmacists to administer certain immunizations. House Bill 4368 also passed the Senate this evening with amendment and would reduce acts of student violence and disruptive behavior and increase penalties for chronically disruptive students.

Five bills were on first reading and 14 bills were reported out of committee, taken up for immediate consideration and read a first time. All 19 bills were advanced to second reading.

The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Finance – 9:30 a.m. – 451M
Banking and Insurance – 12:00 p.m. – 208W
Confirmations – 1:00 p.m. – 208W

Health and Human Resources – 1:00 p.m. – 451M
Education – 2:00 p.m. – 451M
Judiciary – 3:00 p.m. – 208W
Education – 5:00 p.m. – 451M

The Senate will reconvene at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.

Sixteen bills completed legislative action today in the Senate. House Bill 4069 will require vision screening for driver’s license renewals. House Bill 4124 also completed legislative action and will add CPR and First Aid training to the health education curriculum in secondary schools.

The Senate concurred on House amendments to Senate Bills 493, Senate Bill 494, Senate Bill 507, Senate Bill 519 and Senate Bill 775. These bills have now completed legislative action.

The Senate refused to concede its amendments to House Bill 4496 and a request to conference was made.

The Senate also received committee reports this afternoon and two bills were taken up for immediate consideration and read a first time.

The following committees will meet today:
Natural Resources – 1:45 p.m. – 208W
Government Organization – 2:00 p.m. – 208W
Judiciary – 3:00 p.m. – 208W
Finance – 4:00 p.m. – 451M

The following committees will meet tomorrow:
Confirmations – 1:00 p.m. – 208W

The Senate will recess until 5:30 p.m. this evening.