Sen. Missy Irvin‘s bill to ban certain body-modification techniques was passed over in committee today. Noting that the assembled public had a more punk-rock persuasion than one normally finds at Public Health committee meetings, Chairman John Burris said, “I don’t want to paint too broad of a brush but from the looks of the audience, it looks like some people may be here for SB387.” He announced that the committee would discuss the bill on March 21.
I have heard from legislators off the record that there is growing opposition to the prohibition bill and that it may not have the votes to pass the House.
Two Republicans were willing to go on the record with doubts about the bill. Rep. Nate Bell told me he was hoping to come to the House committee meeting to speak against the intrusive bill. He said he would certainly speak against it if it came to the House floor. Meanwhile, Rep. David Meeks tweeted that “I haven’t made a final decision on SB387 but I am leaning no.” On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Warwick Sabin told me that he will vote against the bill. It will be interesting to see whether other Democrats come out against it.