House Committee of Reference Report

Committee on Health & Human Services

All text that will be removed from the bill will be indicated by strikethrough as follows:

This is text that is removed from law.

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• This all capitals text would be added to law.
• This is bold & italic text that would be added to law.

March 4, 2026

After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following:

HB26-1227   be amended as follows, and as so amended, be referred to the Committee on Appropriations with favorable recommendation:

Page 1, Line 1Amend printed bill, page 3, strike lines 1 through 3 and substitute "ad

Page 1, Line 2litem or counsel for youth, objects to the dismissal, a hearing

Page 1, Line 3must be held before a judicial officer to determine, by a

Page 1, Line 4preponderance of the evidence, whether the child or youth is

Page 1, Line 5dependent or neglected, unless".

Page 1, Line 6Page 3, strike lines 24 through 26.

Page 1, Line 7Strike page 4 and substitute:

Page 1, Line 8"SECTION 3.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

Page 1, Line 9takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the

Page 1, Line 10ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August

Page 1, Line 1112, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a

Page 1, Line 12referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the

Page 1, Line 13state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act

Page 1, Line 14within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect

Page 1, Line 15unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in

Page 1, Line 16November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the

Page 1, Line 17official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.".