During an executive session on Feb. 18, 2025 the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee reported four bills out of committee with due‑pass recommendations. Committee staff called roll and recorded final tallies for each bill.

House Bill 16 22 — collective bargaining over AI in public sector
A motion was made and seconded to report House Bill 16 22 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation. The bill requires certain public employers to negotiate with organized employees before implementing or modifying artificial intelligence technology that affects wages, hours or other terms and conditions of employment. The committee recorded the following roll call votes: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — aye; Representative Ybarra — nay without recommendation; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — nay without recommendation; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced the result as 7 ayes, 2 nays. By the vote, House Bill 16 22 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

Proposed substitute to House Bill 16 82 — unemployment insurance part‑time definition
Vice Chair Representative Scott moved the proposed substitute to House Bill 16 82 and the substitute was considered for final passage. The proposed substitute modified the definition of part‑time worker to mean an individual who worked, on average, less than 35 hours per week during their base year and adjusted availability requirements; it also narrowed eligible circumstances for full‑time workers who become unable to work full time. Representative Ortiz Self spoke in favor of the substitute. Roll call votes were: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — no, do not pass; Representative Ybarra — nay, do not pass; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — nay without recommendation; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced the result as 6 ayes, 3 nays. By the vote, the substitute to House Bill 16 82 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

House Bill 18 43 — remove UI disqualifier for students
A motion was made and seconded to report House Bill 18 43 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation. The bill repeals the provision that disqualified otherwise eligible workers from unemployment insurance benefits solely because they were registered in school for 12 or more instructional hours per week. Roll call votes were: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — aye; Representative Ybarra — aye; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — nay without recommendation; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced the result as 8 ayes, 1 nay. By the vote, House Bill 18 43 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

House Bill 18 79 — hospital meal and rest period waiver (amended)
Vice Chair Representative Scott moved the substitute for House Bill 18 79 after adoption of Amendment Leon 9 1 8. Representative McIntyre moved the Leon 9 1 8 amendment, which the committee adopted. The amendment clarified that if second or third meal periods in a long work shift are waived, at least one meal period must actually be provided and taken during the shift, and it tightened the timing requirement for a waived meal period. The committee then voted on the amended substitute. The votes recorded were unanimous in favor: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — aye; Representative Ybarra — aye; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — aye; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced 9 ayes, 0 nays. By the vote, substituted House Bill 18 79 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

Committee comments and context
Committee members who supported bills cited worker protections, flexibility for healthcare employers and the need to allow bargaining over AI tools in the public sector. Members voting against or “nay without recommendation” cited concerns about fiscal impacts (for UI changes), the need for additional stakeholder work on amendments and the absence of a fiscal note at the time of the vote. These concerns were recorded in members’ statements during roll calls.

All four bills were reported to the next legislative step with due‑pass recommendations, per the roll calls recorded in the committee’s Feb. 18, 2025 executive session.