The House, Thursday, February 4, 2016

The House took up 29 bills: 14 together on the consent calendar, then 15 one by one, in the order told below.

Journal
House Journal 11
Assembled
1:00 PM
Votes Taken
4 roll calls, 3 divisions22 voice votes
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MLA
“The House, Thursday, February 4, 2016.” Granite Record, https://graniterecord.org/session/H/2016-02-04. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.
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Granite Record. (n.d.). The House, Thursday, February 4, 2016. Retrieved 19 Oct. 2026, from https://graniterecord.org/session/H/2016-02-04
Chicago
Granite Record. “The House, Thursday, February 4, 2016.” Accessed 19 Oct. 2026. https://graniterecord.org/session/H/2016-02-04.
BibTeX
@misc{session-H-2016-02-04, title = {The House, Thursday, February 4, 2016}, howpublished = {Granite Record}, url = {https://graniterecord.org/session/H/2016-02-04}, note = {Accessed 19 Oct. 2026} }

How the Day Began

The House assembled at 1:00 PM, a prayer was offered and Rep. Latha Mangipudi (D - Hills 11) led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Presiding over the House during the day: Rep. Shawn Jasper (R - Hills 37), Speaker of the House.

Excused for the Day

Show the 59 members excusedRepublican 38Democrat 19

The journal records 59 members as having leave of the House for the day, that is, permission to be away. A member on leave may still have voted on part of the day, and the roll call record does not always agree with the journal about who was excused.

Rep. Christy Bartlett (D - Merr 19) Rep. Steven Beaudoin (R - Straf 9) Rep. Chris Brown (D - Graf 12) Rep. Guy Comtois (R - Belk 7) Rep. Joe Duarte (R - Rock 2) Rep. June Frazer (D - Merr 13) Rep. Carolyn Gargasz (R - Hills 27) Rep. Bruce Hodgdon (R - Rock 1) Rep. Shem Kellogg (R - Rock 14) Rep. Linda Kenison (D - Merr 15) Rep. Robert Knowles (R - Straf 12) Rep. Douglas Ley (D - Ches 9) Rep. Patrick Long Rep. David Lundgren (R - Rock 5) Rep. Anne Priestley (R - Rock 8) Rep. Elisabeth Sanders (R - Rock 12) Rep. Robert Walsh (D - Hills 11) Rep. Wheeler, Rep. Brad Bailey (R - Graf 14) Rep. Benjamin Baroody (D - Hills 39) Rep. Jane Beaulieu (D - Hills 19) Rep. Duane Brown (R - Graf 16) Rep. Rebecca Brown (D - Graf 2) Rep. Carol Bush (R - Rock 31) Rep. Lars Christiansen (R - Hills 37) Rep. James Coffey (R - Hills 25) Rep. Karel Crawford (R - Carr 4) Rep. Linda DiSilvestro (D - Hills 9) Rep. Fred Doucette (R - Rock 25) Rep. Alethea Froburg (D - Coos 3) Rep. Janice Gardner (D - Straf 15) Rep. Mary Gile (D - Merr 27) Rep. William Goulette (R - Hills 23) Rep. Martha Hennessey, Rep. David Hess (R - Merr 24) Rep. Robert Hull (R - Graf 9) Rep. George Hurt (R - Belk 2) Rep. Laura Jones (R - Straf 24) Rep. Norman Major (R - Rock 14) Rep. David Milz (R - Rock 6) Rep. Sharon Nordgren (D - Graf 12) Rep. Jeffrey Oligny (R - Rock 34) Rep. James Parison (R - Hills 25) Rep. Harold Parker (R - Carr 6) Rep. Michele Peckham (R - Rock 22) Rep. Wendy Piper (D - Graf 10) Rep. Joseph Pitre (R - Straf 1) Rep. Eric Schleien (R - Hills 37) Rep. Thomas Sherman (D - Rock 24) Rep. Stephen Stepanek (R - Hills 22) Rep. Michael Sylvia (R - Belk 4) Rep. John Sytek (R - Rock 8) Rep. Daniel Tamburello (R - Rock 5) Rep. Franklin Tilton (R - Belk 3) Rep. Pamela Tucker (R - Rock 23) Rep. Andrew White (D - Graf 13) Rep. Joshua Whitehouse (R - Straf 2) Rep. Steven Woitkun (R - Rock 12) Rep. Timothy Soucy (D - Merr 21)

The Day in Order

HB 1272-FN (2016)Became Law
relative to bus transportation for chartered public school students.
Rep. Katherine Prudhomme-O'Brien (R - Rock 6) House Education Senate Education Education - General

House Education recommended Ought to Pass (OTP), 11–8.

Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)

Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote

In the record: Ought to Pass with Amendment 0414h

Also spoke during this billRep. Rick Ladd (R - Graf 4)the record does not say which of the day's motions

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✓HouseFeb 4, 2016✓SenateMay 5, 2016✓GovernorJun 10, 2016✓LawJul 1, 2016
HB 1127 (2016)Died
relative to qualifications of referees in the superior courts and circuit courts.
Rep. Daniel Itse (R - Rock 10) House Judiciary Senate Judiciary Courts and Procedure

House Judiciary recommended Ought to Pass (OTP), 10–8.

Ought to Pass (OTP, Pass the bill)

Motion Passed: Bill Passed 185–124 on a roll call

Spoke for the motionRep. Mark McLean (R - Hills 15)

Spoke against the motionRep. David Woodbury (D - Hills 5)

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✓HouseFeb 4, 2016✕SenateMay 5, 2016Governor✕LawMay 5, 2016
CACR 15 (2016)Died
relating to the election of judges. Providing that judges be elected for specific terms.
Rep. Michael Brewster (R - Merr 21) House Judiciary Constitutional Amendments

House Judiciary recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 16–0.

Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)

Motion Passed: Resolution Killed 220–85 on a roll call

Spoke for the motionRep. Timothy Horrigan (D - Straf 6)

Spoke against the motionRep. Gannon

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✕HouseFeb 4, 2016SenateVoters
HB 1214 (2016)Died
allowing towns and cities to authorize an additional surcharge on hotel occupancy under the meals and rooms tax.
Rep. Laura Pantelakos (D - Rock 25) House Municipal and County Government Taxes - State

House Municipal and County Government recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 10–6.

Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)

Motion Passed: Bill Killed 185–119 on a roll call

Spoke for the motionRep. Franklin Sterling (R - Ches 14)

Spoke against the motionRep. Marjorie Porter (D - Hills 30) Rep. Frederick Rice (R - Rock 21) Rep. Laura Pantelakos (D - Rock 25) Rep. Christopher Herbert (D - Hills 43)

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✕HouseFeb 4, 2016SenateGovernor✕LawFeb 4, 2016
HB 1221 (2016)Died
relative to excluding certain one-time expenditures from the default budget in official ballot municipalities.
Rep. Bart Fromuth (R - Hills 7) House Municipal and County Government Municipalities

House Municipal and County Government recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 12–4.

Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)

Motion Passed: Bill Killed 224–67 on a division

Spoke for the motionRep. Franklin Sterling (R - Ches 14)

Spoke against the motionRep. Max Abramson (R - Rock 40)

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✕HouseFeb 4, 2016SenateGovernor✕LawFeb 4, 2016
HB 1402 (2016)Died
prohibiting the state and political subdivisions from acquiring military-equipped vehicles or equipment which are not readily available in an open national commercial market.
Rep. Hoell J.R. (R - Merr 23) House Municipal and County Government

House Municipal and County Government recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 11–4.

Lay on the Table (Set the bill aside)

Motion Passed: Bill Tabled on a voice vote

Moved by Rep. J.R. Hoell (R - Merr 27).

In the record: Lay on Table

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016HouseFeb 4, 2016SenateGovernor✕LawJun 16, 2016
HB 1430-FN (2016)Became Law
relative to operation of compact utility tractors.
Rep. Len Turcotte (R - Straf 4) House Transportation Senate Transportation Motor Vehicles

House Transportation recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA) with amendment 2016-0130h, 16–0.

Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)

Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote

In the record: Ought to Pass with Amendment 0130h and 0270h

Also spoke during this billRep. Steven Smith (R - Sull 11)the record does not say which of the day's motions

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✓HouseFeb 4, 2016✓SenateMay 5, 2016✓GovernorJun 15, 2016✓LawJul 1, 2017
HB 1446 (2016)Died
relative to enforcement of the prohibition on the use of mobile electronic devices while driving.
Rep. Daniel Tamburello (R - Rock 5) House Transportation Motor Vehicles

House Transportation recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 15–3.

Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)

Motion Passed: Bill Killed 198–100 on a roll call

Spoke for the motionRep. Werner Horn (R - Merr 3)

Spoke against the motionRep. J.R. Hoell (R - Merr 27)

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✕HouseFeb 4, 2016SenateGovernor✕LawFeb 4, 2016
HB 1389 (2016)Died
prohibiting a town meeting from materially changing a petitioned warrant article in a town that has adopted the official ballot referendum form of meeting.
Rep. James Spillane (R - Rock 2) House Municipal and County Government Municipalities

House Municipal and County Government recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 13–3.

Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)

Motion Passed: Bill Killed 194–100 on a division

Spoke for the motionRep. Bruce Tatro (D - Ches 10)

Spoke against the motionRep. James Spillane (R - Rock 2)

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✕HouseFeb 4, 2016SenateGovernor✕LawFeb 4, 2016
HB 1697-FN (2016)Became Law
relative to the operation and insurance of transportation network companies.
Rep. John Hunt (R - Ches 11) House Transportation Senate Transportation Motor Vehicles

House Transportation recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA) with amendment 2016-0176h, 14–2.

Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)

Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote

In the record: Ought to Pass with Amendment 0176h and 0405h

Also spoke during this billRep. Laurie Sanborn (R - Hills 2) Rep. Steven Smith (R - Sull 11)the record does not say which of the day's motions

✓IntroducedJan 6, 2016✓HouseMar 10, 2016✓SenateMay 12, 2016✓GovernorJun 21, 2016✓LawJun 21, 2016