April 10, 2026 · 1,387 words · 8 speakers · 45 segments
The first conference committee on House Bill 26, 1038, will come to order. Ms. King, please call the roll.
Senators and Representatives, Clifford.
Here.
Flannell.
Here.
Rich.
Here.
Wallace.
Here.
Snyder.
Here.
Adam Chair.
Here.
I forgot that was me. All right. So we are here to discuss the changes that we are making for 1038.
so um madam chair yes i don't think uh senator wallace has gotten the handout oh okay i'm sorry
all right thank you senator perfect okay so we had some um changes that were made in the senate and we're not here to dispute those changes we're we're here to accept them um but we wanted to make some additional changes and those have to do with putting a little bit more guardrails on the independent redistricting committee and so well we we fixed a typo that's the first thing in the report and then we have made changes such that the members of the independent redistricting committee there's a requirement for a balance between republican democrat and independent and more specifically the largest party and the second largest party. We put in a requirement that you must be affiliated in those positions for at least three years previous to being appointed to the committee, and also put in some language around how those committee members are chosen. So we require a public application process and with public notice, with 30 days notice in advance. And that is the sum total of the changes. Representative Clifford.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So this change came after we were already in the third reading process or scheduled for third reading in the Senate. And some interested citizens brought us some catch-22s that they proposed could have happened under the other scheme basically wherein should someone want to stack an independent quote unquote redistricting committee that all it would take was having somebody go change their party affiliation right before That is what this came out of That why we looked at making sure that both the process was formal open independent and that there was at least some time elapsed so that that would eliminate a person being able to change their party affiliation simply for this process. We have been seeing that more often lately, actually. I know that we had people even in our state Democratic Assembly on stage this year that were just, you know, Republicans just last year and vice versa. I think that we've seen this type of thing happen other places. I think this is a good safeguard to make sure that we're having this process be independent by citizens and not something where party players of any kind could try to make a play. That's what we're attempting to do here.
Madam Chair. Senator Schneider.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And I want to thank my House colleagues for bringing this amendment. You know, this bill has always been a nonpartisan bill. It really is trying to make sure that we, you know, revamp the way that we redistrict. Now, we do everything else except for county commissioners and really just bringing them into line. I know some of this seems a little over the top, but, you know, you really have to plan for all eventualities. And I think these amendments really make it a better bill and really ensure that the process remains nonpartisan. I like the three years prior having to be either be affiliated or unaffiliated, as the case may be, and holding the notice for 30 days for people to apply, I think will give a good chance that, you know, really interested and involved citizens can make application, and hopefully the commissioners would have a good roster of people to choose from. So thank you again.
Representative Clifford.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just noticed one thing that's non-substantive that I don't think we have to change anything on the conference report, but Mr. Lively, at the very tip top, if you'll notice, an inerrant B has been added to second regular session of the General Assembly on your bill itself. The very first letter on the re bill And the title No literally the very first letter Mr. Lively, do you know something we don't? Do we have a special session in store?
Yeah, we're the B second regular session. I actually printed the PDF from the Internet for this, so I'm curious. I can go look once we're done and see if that's how it's appearing online. If so, I'll ask LIS to update that. but so yeah it must be that during enrolling so yeah it must be that during enrolling somehow someone hit a letter but I'll make sure that that's updated online I don't even think that there is actually a way to amend that text through amendment because of where it appears on the bill but I'll yeah behind the scenes make sure that goes away okay good catch is there any other
questions, comments? Senator Rich. Thank you, Madam Chair. This is not a bill that I supported. I do appreciate some of the things that you're putting in the conference committee to make this better, but I think it would be, I don't know. I just think it'd be hypocritical of me to approve this when I don't support this bill because I don't, as a former county clerk, I don't even believe this is necessary. So I won't be signing on to this conference committee report.
Okay, thank you. Anybody else? Comments, concerns? All right. Now you say, are there any amendments? Does anyone have any amendments? I do. Representative Clifford.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move CH, what is this, 1038-001. I move the first conference committee amendment, the first draft report of the first conference committee on House Bill 26-1038.
Do you have a second? Katie?
I'll second it.
We don't usually do that in the Senate. I know you guys are weird. Okay. Okay. Ms. King, can you call the roll?
Senators and Representatives. Clifford.
Yes.
Flannell.
No.
Rich.
No Wallace Aye Snyder Aye Madam Chair Yes Passes 4 Passes 4
That passes 4-2. Are there any other amendments? Seeing none, I guess the committee is... What do I do? Okay. Just read that. All right. The first conference committee report on House Bill 26, 1038, is approved by a vote of 4 to 2. As amended. As amended. Approved as amended. The committee is adjourned.
Did I miss something?
What?
What? So, I don't care.
Yes. Mr. Lively. Mr. Lively.
Thank you, Pierce Lively, Office of Legislative Legal Services. So I don't believe it's actually that you're adopting an amended version of the report. That would be a situation where you all had a draft report and perhaps wanted to change it further or had a second draft report or something like that. In this case, if I understood correctly, you all wanted to adopt the draft report as I presented it to you. So it is not the draft report as amended. It is merely the draft report.
Okay, so the first conference committee report on House Bill 26-1038 is approved by a vote of 4-2.
Okay. And then, Madam Chair.
Mr. Lively.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So, real quickly, before you all leave, I just wanted to explain the next step of the process so that no one is surprised and so that it's on the record. Since you all did drop this draft report, I wasn't actually sure if that was going to happen before we started, so I don't have the final report with me. It takes just a matter of minutes to get it printed up, so I'll do that. Hopefully have that ready before 9. I will catch all of you on the floor, even those of you who voted no, and give you the opportunity to sign the report if you so please, and then we'll explain the next steps then in terms of who you deliver it to, how you go down to the floor and make, or don't make, I guess, your motions and what to do next. Thank you all.
Thank you. The committee is adjourned. and I hope House members get that chance to get some sleep.