The House Judiciary Committee moved multiple bills forward during its session, advancing measures on theft, retail crime, civil asset forfeiture, juvenile records, DNA collection, public-safety studies and other topics. Because many items received brief debate and several formal roll-call votes, the committee processed the package in a single meeting and sent most bills to the next committee stage.

Votes at a glance (committee actions and outcomes)

- House Bill 1140 (catalytic-converter theft): Committee adopted a committee amendment (0-4-3-52) and voted 16 ayes, 0 noes to send HB1140 as amended to finance, ways and means. Sponsor described efforts to close a statutory gap that limited some punishment to fines only; the amendment removes language restricting punishment to fines so class A misdemeanor penalties may include imprisonment up to 11 months, 29 days.

- House Bill 207 (organized retail crime updates): The committee adopted Amendment 3,919 and voted 17-0 to send HB207 as amended to calendar and rules. Sponsor said the change updates definitions to include modern technology such as online marketplaces and scanners.

- House Bill 12,29 (civil asset forfeiture bond waiver): Committee voted 17-0 to advance HB12,29 to finance, ways and means. Sponsor said the bill would waive a roughly $350 bond charged to many people seeking return of property seized in civil forfeiture, arguing the fee prevents low-income people from recovering property.

- House Bill 34 (juvenile-record access in bail proceedings): Committee adopted Amendment 4,207 and voted 16 ayes, 5 noes to send HB34 as amended to finance, ways and means. Sponsors said the bill allows judges or judicial commissioners to review juvenile court records (when allowed by law) in certain bail-setting contexts; legal counsel explained the bill does not explicitly change confidentiality rules for juvenile records but could affect whether information is discussed in court.

- House Bill 3,41 (DNA collection for death-row inmates): Committee voted 20 ayes, 0 noes, 1 present not voting to send HB341 to calendar and rules. Sponsor said the measure closes a gap so all inmates on death row have DNA collected and entered into databases.

- House Bill 5,14 (firearm sales and violent-crime study): Committee adopted Amendment 3,361 and voted 22-0 to send HB514 as amended to finance, ways and means. Sponsor described a one-year study to collect data on firearms used in violent crimes and whether weapons were obtained legally or illicitly.

- House Bill 2,16 (commercial anti-squatting): Committee voted 21-0 to send HB216 to calendar and rules; sponsor described expanding last year’s residential anti-squatting law to commercial properties and shortening an owner’s time and expense to obtain removal of unlawful occupants.

- House Bill 78 (venue for bond-condition violations): Committee adopted an amendment and voted 21 ayes, 0 noes, 1 present not voting to send HB78 as amended to calendar and rules. Sponsor said the bill clarifies which county may prosecute violations of bond conditions when elements occur across multiple jurisdictions.

- House Bill 45 (child abuse penalty for ages 9–17): Committee voted 21-0, 1 present not voting, to send HB45 to finance, ways and means; sponsor said the bill raises the penalty for child abuse leading to injury for 9 to 17-year-olds from a class A misdemeanor to a class E felony.

- House Bill 553 (assault enhancement for corrections staff): Committee voted 17 ayes, 5 noes to send HB553 to finance, ways and means; the measure would add correctional, probation and parole officers to the list of first responders qualifying for enhanced penalties when assaulted.

Other committee business: House Joint Resolution 100 was rolled for one week at the chairman’s request. Committee leadership announced remaining bills on the agenda were rolled to next week’s calendar at adjournment.

Ending: The Judiciary Committee processed a multi-item agenda and moved most bills on to the next appropriate committees with many unanimous votes; bills that drew extended testimony were sent on for further economic, budgetary or scheduling review.