House committee refers bill allowing private ID scans for age-restricted sales to rules committee

SALEM — The House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, and Trade voted May 21 to refer Senate Bill 1005 to the Committee on Rules without recommendation, after a short work session and roll-call vote.

Senate Bill 1005 would allow a private entity to swipe a customer's driver's license or identification card when providing age-restricted goods or services regardless of whether there is reasonable doubt the customer is at least 21 years old, according to the bill summary read during the work session. Committee staff said the bill has no fiscal or revenue impact.

Vice Chair Dealey moved the bill "to rules without recommendation as to passage," and the motion was approved on a roll call. The recorded votes were: Representative Lively — Aye; Representative Osborne — Yes; Representative Scarlato — Aye; Representative Watanabe — Aye; Representative Juncker — Aye; Vice Chair Deo — Yes; Vice Chair Indore — Yes; Chair Sharon Winn — Yes. Representative Dobson was excused.

A committee member described the decision to send the bill to Rules as "frustrating" and said the committee had the votes to move the bill directly to the House floor, though the member did not identify who would make that direct-floor motion. Committee members said referring the bill to Rules would allow more time for discussion before floor consideration.

No amendments or floor recommendations were made in the committee; the action was a referral to the Rules Committee. Chair Sharon Winn closed the work session and reopened the earlier informational meeting afterward.