Artificial Intelligence Bills (SB 5838)/(HB 1934)
- Progress: Senate version heard in House Consumer Protection Committee on Feb 20.
- WR’s Stance: More information is needed before the state begins regulating. Supports retail inclusion in a task force, seeks timeline extension; high-priority concerns. Believes a national solution would be preferable.
- Status: Passed out of committee.
Unemployment Insurance (UI) for Striking Workers (HB 1893)
- Allows for striking workers to collect unemployment insurance benefits
- WR is opposed to this bill
- Status: HB 1893 passed the House Feb 13 with amendments; heard on 2/15 in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee; passed Committee on 2/19 and is in Senate Rules.
Retail workforce workgroup (SB 6296)
- Objective: Establish a retail workgroup to promote training opportunities
- WR supports this bill
- Status: The Senate passed this bill unanimously on 2/13. The House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee passed this bill out of committee.
Incentives for Return to Work (SB 5368) (HB 2127)
- Changes: SB 5368 allows small businesses to partner with local nonprofits to provide light-duty return-to-work opportunities; HB 2127 increases the reimbursement rate for businesses that provide a light-duty return-to-work opportunity for an injured worker.
- WR supports these bills
- Status: SB 5368 passed Senate 44-4 but failed to pass the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee by 2/22. HB 2127 passed House of Representatives 97-0; Public hearing in Senate Labor and Commerce committee on 2/15 and passed by Committee on 2/19 and in Senate Rules.
Repeat Offenders (SB 5056)
- Proposal: Allows a court to sentence a habitual property offender to an additional 24 months for a Class B felony, and an additional 12 months for a Class C felony
- WR supports this bill
- Status: Executive session was scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Feb 20.
Multiple Accomplices (HB 5160)
- Changes: A person commits second-degree organized retail theft if they—along with at least two accomplices—enter the store within five minutes of each other, and steal property worth $750 or more from a retail store.
- WR supports this bill
- Status: unanimously passed out of the Senate and was scheduled for a public hearing and executive session in the House Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee. Failed to proceed.
