My bill requiring that a tenant be given a lawyer before the court proceeding that could put him or her in jail is not going to pass, a member of the Judiciary Committee told me when I asked for an update before the floor session began this morning.

I was also told that the bill reforming the body attachment process, which lands tenants in jail, will get a favorable committee report.

“You could add language to that bill,” I suggested, “requiring the court system to report to the legislature on the number of people who are still incarcerated if the reforms are enacted.”

If that doesn’t happen, I’ll try to get someone in authority to sign a letter making that request.

—

“Is my bill going to be on the list?”

This time I was the chair, and my colleague was making the request.

If a bill is on my subcommittee’s voting list, then there’s enough time for it to be voted out of the full committee, and enough time after that for it to be considered by the full House before Monday.

Then you start all over again with a bill hearing in the Senate.