The Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee gave a due pass to House Bill 1280, Representative Brandenburg’s bill concerning election approval of projects, during its afternoon session on April 4. The committee voted unanimously to advance the bill out of committee.

Committee members said legislative counsel had flagged possible constitutional problems with the bill and warned it could draw litigation. "I was concerned about this bill because I thought maybe it might be unconstitutional," Chairman Lewick said, adding that he had consulted legislative counsel who told him the bill "could draw a lot of lawsuits." Despite that concern, members moved to advance the measure for further consideration.

The due-pass motion was made and seconded on the record and the clerk conducted a roll-call vote. The transcript records the following votes in favor: Senator Marsalais; Senator Weston; Senator Weber; Chairman Lewick; Vice Chair Meerdal; Senator Lem; and Senator K. The tally recorded on the roll call was unanimous in favor; no nay votes or abstentions were recorded in the transcript. The committee’s action was a procedural “due pass” recommending the bill be reported from committee rather than adoption of final text.

The chair said he was "staying out of this" and would not take further action himself but that other committee members could pursue further work on the bill if they wished. The transcript indicates no amendments to HB1280 were adopted at the meeting and no final passage by the full chamber occurred during the session.

Background provided in committee discussion showed the bill relates to how certain projects would be approved by election, and Representative Brandenburg was identified as the bill’s sponsor. Committee members did not, in the transcript, specify any additional amendments or the exact constitutional defects identified beyond the broad warning from legislative counsel that the bill’s wording posed legal risk.

Votes at a glance: Due pass on House Bill 1280 (Representative Brandenburg) — motion to give due pass approved on roll call; vote recorded as unanimous in favor.

The committee moved on after the roll call. No implementation timelines or committee-assigned follow-up tasks for HB1280 were recorded in the transcript.