Final Session Priorities and an updated Vote Tracker

I have highlighted in yellow some bills that I think the General Assembly should make a priority of passing before June 30. And a couple of those bills highlighted in yellow on the chart are bills that must be defeated at all cost. Those bills will be described below.

This list is not exhaustive, and I might have missed a bill here or there. This list is also informed by how far bills are along in the legislative process. For example, the James Johnson Sentencing Reform Act is a high priority, but it was just introduced, and it will likely be finally passed in 2020 rather than 2019. Also, if a bill has been languishing in a committee for months, it is also not likely to be acted on, so I won’t include it on this priority list unless it is a true progressive priority. For example, two new progressive income tax brackets on the wealthy.

• House Bill 5 — Restoring Judicial Discretion for Concurrent Sentences
• House Bill 15 — New Tax Brackets.  $125,000 and $250,001 at 7.1 percent and above $250,000 at 7.85 percent.
• House Bill 39 — Same Day Voter Registration
• House Bill 73 — Constitutional Amendment Eliminating Absentee Voter Restrictions
• House Bill 80 — Making the EITC Refundable
• House Bill 110 — Legalization of Marijuana
• House Bill 124 — Easing Effect of Criminal Record on HVAC license
• House Bill 129 — Ending School Funding Referendums for Operating Budgets
• House Bill 175 — Voting by Mail
• House Bill 186 — Requiring the Auditor to do her job
• House Bill 200 — Clean Water Plan
• Senate Bill 35 — Codifying Obamacare Protections
• Senate Bill 37 — Criminal Record Expungement
• Senate Bill 43 — Easing Effect of Criminal Record on Electrician License
• Senate Bill 44 — Decriminalizing Underage possession and consumption of alcohol
• Senate Bill 45 — Civil Violation for Marijuana Possession for those under 21
• Senate Bill 47 — Drug Code Fairness
• Senate Bill 92 — Dental Medicaid Coverage

Here are the bills that must not be considered, and if they are considered, they must be defeated:

• House Bill 155 — The Simpler Budget Hostage Amendment
• House Bill 165 — Reinstating the Death Penalty

In the above chart, bills are listed numerically, with House bills first, and then the Senate bills.   Sponsor’s names are blue if they are Democrats and red if they are Republicans.   A link to the specific legislation is provided if you move your mouse over the Bill Number.   In the second column on the right, we will provide the bill’s current status and whether or not it has passed a chamber of the General Assembly.    In the last column on the right, we indicate whether we support or oppose the legislation.