The House Finance Committee met Feb. 18 and voted to report three bills to the full House with due‑pass recommendations.

Substitute House Bill 1261, which would broaden allowable tourism and incidental uses on classified open‑space, farm and agricultural land and shortens the period for additional tax assessments on removals and withdrawals from seven to four years for changes on or after Sept. 1, 2025, was moved, seconded and advanced by voice vote. Committee leadership announced the motion passed with 15 yeas, 0 nays and no excused or absent members; the committee reported the substitute bill out with a due‑pass recommendation.

Substitute House Bill 11 27 (recorded internally as HB 1127 in committee materials), which revises the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act and includes a departmental substitute negotiated with industry, was reported out after roll call: 14 ayes, 1 nay, 0 excused. Committee staff said the substitute addresses definitions for abandoned prearranged funeral services, removes a presumption that some gift cards are abandoned, and updates holder/dormancy provisions and delivery instructions for safe deposit box contents.

House Bill 19 83, a bill adjusting the definition of “Timberland” for purposes of the real estate excise tax (a wording fix tied to a prior bill), was reported out by roll call: 14 ayes, 1 nay, 0 excused. Supporters said the measure clarifies preferential real estate excise tax treatment when timberland is sold to a governmental entity that will maintain it as working forest.

Votes at a glance
- Substitute HB 1261 (open‑space/farm/agricultural land, proposed sub H‑1328.1): reported out by voice vote; announced tally 15 yeas, 0 nays. Outcome: reported out with due‑pass recommendation.
- Substitute HB 11 27 (revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, proposed sub H‑1456.2): roll call 14 ayes, 1 nay, 0 excused. Outcome: reported out with due‑pass recommendation.
- HB 19 83 (timberland/REET definition): roll call 14 ayes, 1 nay, 0 excused. Outcome: reported out with due‑pass recommendation.

Committee staff briefed the substance of the substitutes before the votes and answered members’ technical questions. No final floor action was taken during the hearing; all three measures were moved forward to the next stage of consideration.

Ending: The committee moved from voting business into a series of public hearings on other bills on the agenda.