House Municipal and County Government [Source] Translate

The meeting began with Representative Diane Power welcoming the committee and acknowledging Representative Rung as a temporary replacement. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the committee addressed the agenda, which included executive sessions on several bills. Representative Gilman raised concerns about online bill submissions continuing past the deadline, leading to a decision to consult online information rather than discuss changing numbers. The first bill discussed was House Bill 1386, aimed at allowing citizens to vote for financial audits of local school districts. Representative Stavis moved to recommend the bill as inexpedient to legislate (ITL), citing cost and constitutional concerns. The motion passed unanimously, 17-0. Next, House Bill 1181, concerning public hearing notice requirements for zoning board appeals, was reviewed. Representative McDonald moved ITL due to concerns about internet access for posting notices. The motion passed 17-0. House Bill 1327, related to the definition of commercially zoned land, was introduced. Representative Maggiore moved ITL, stating the sponsor was absent. The motion passed unanimously. House Bill 1473FN regarding agricultural fairground property was discussed, with Representative Stavis moving ITL due to the sponsor's absence. The motion passed 17-0. House Bill 1118 proposed increasing the limit for funds remitted to municipal treasurers. Representative Grund moved to pass the bill, explaining it would increase the deposit limit from $500 to $3,500 for efficiency in smaller towns. The motion passed unanimously. House Bill 1147, concerning capital reserve funds, was introduced, and Representative Stavis moved ITL due to the sponsor's absence. The motion passed 17-0. House Bill 1220, allowing municipal governing bodies to review and approve school budgets, was discussed. Representative Gilman moved ITL, arguing it would complicate relationships between school boards and select boards. The motion passed 17-0. The meeting continued with House Bill 1394, which was voted as ITL with a unanimous vote of 17-0 and recommended for the House consent calendar. Representative Fracht will write the report. House Bill 1395, regarding the establishment of a municipal charter commission, was discussed. Representative Stavis moved ITL, stating the bill was unnecessary. The motion passed 17-0 and will be placed on the House consent calendar. House Bill 1396, concerning the authority of municipal officers regarding charter commissions, was introduced. Representative Maggiore moved ITL, reiterating the bill's unnecessary nature. The motion passed 17-0 and will be placed on the House consent calendar. The meeting concluded with a thank you from the chair for participation. Further discussions included House Bill 1756FN, which allows organizations to file for property tax exemptions every five years, passing with a vote of 17-0. House Bill 1583, permitting municipalities to establish special assessment districts for infrastructure improvements, was voted as ITL with a unanimous vote. House Bill 1085, concerning police commissions, was also voted as ITL. House Bill 1135, prohibiting the acquisition of prescriptive rights in private roads through adverse use, had an amendment accepted and passed with a vote of 17-0. House Bill 1303, authorizing municipalities to adopt zoning ordinances related to tree canopy management, was voted as ITL. House Bill 1351, regarding uniform municipal standards for home-based businesses, was similarly voted as ITL. After a break, the committee resumed with House Bill 1107, enabling municipal budget committees to have alternate members. Representative Karazinski moved ITL, which passed 16-1. House Bill 1512, allowing municipalities to vote on preventing residents from receiving education freedom account vouchers, was also moved ITL and passed unanimously. House Bill 1027, subjecting appropriations of local conservation commissions to local governing body approval, faced an amendment that failed. The motion for ITL passed 10-7, with reports assigned accordingly. The meeting included discussions on House Bill 1195, addressing municipal zoning requirements for child daycare providers, with an amendment accepted despite concerns about local control. The bill passed with an amendment. House Bill 1691, limiting qualifications for land in current use, was deemed ITL unanimously. House Bill 1430, enabling municipalities to vote on Keno, was also moved ITL. The meeting concluded with discussions on House Bill 1273, which faced opposition due to concerns about new fees or taxes. The motion to recommend it as ITL passed 12-5. The committee discussed amendments to House Bill 1575, with an amendment accepted and the bill passing with a vote of 9-7. The chair announced the next meeting would be on March 3rd, and reports from the day's discussions were requested by midnight on February 22nd. The meeting was then adjourned.