The Senate Committee on Local Government convened on May 5, 2025, to discuss key legislative matters, primarily focusing on House Bill 9 and House Joint Resolution 1, both sponsored by Senator Bettencourt.

During the meeting, Senator Bettencourt introduced House Bill 9 and moved to adopt a committee substitute for the bill. The motion faced no objections and was swiftly approved. Following this, Senator Bettencourt recommended that the committee report the bill with a "do not pass" recommendation for the original version, while endorsing the committee substitute for passage and printing. The committee members voted unanimously in favor, with six ayes recorded.

The committee then turned its attention to House Joint Resolution 1, where Senator Bettencourt again moved to adopt a committee substitute. This motion also encountered no objections and was approved. Similar to the previous bill, Senator Bettencourt recommended that the committee report the resolution with a "do not pass" recommendation for the original, while supporting the committee substitute for passage and printing. The vote concluded with six ayes and no nays.

Both House Bill 9 and House Joint Resolution 1 are now set to be reported to the full Senate, marking significant progress in the legislative process for these measures. The committee's actions reflect a streamlined approach to addressing fiscal concerns associated with the proposed legislation.