02/08/1993 03:00 PM House HES

  HB 79:  DAMAGE TO PROPERTY BY MINORS                                         
                                                                               
  Number 281                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. TOOHEY called an at-ease.  She then resumed the chair's                 
  gavel and brought to the table HB 79, held over from the                     
  previous week's meeting to satisfy a legal question.  She                    
  introduced VINCE USERA of the DEPARTMENT OF LAW to answer                    
  any legal questions from the committee.                                      
                                                                               
  REP. BUNDE moved passage of HB 79 out of the committee with                  
  individual recommendations.                                                  
                                                                               
  REP. B. DAVIS complained that HB 79 was not on the committee                 
  calendar, that she had not brought the bill folder, and that                 
  she did not know what the legal questions were.  She asked                   
  whoever had questions to pose them.                                          
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY said the reason HB 79 was held over was to                      
  answer legal questions on raising the damage level to                        
  $50,000 from $2,000, and that Mr.  Usera was available to                    
  answer any such questions.  She also noted that the meeting                  
  calendar gave notice that bills held over from previous                      
  meetings may be heard.                                                       
                                                                               
  Number  300                                                                  
                                                                               
  VINCE USERA, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF LAW,                  
  said he saw no reason why the damage limit could not be                      
  raised.                                                                      
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY called a brief at-ease, then called the meeting                 
  back to order.                                                               
                                                                               
  Number 310                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. VEZEY recalled previous questions from an insurance                     
  lobbyist about whether such property damage compensation                     
  payments could be claimed under homeowner's insurance                        
  policies.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Number 320                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. USERA said he could not answer; it depended upon the                     
  specific insurance policy.  He said the current statute                      
  provided for separate civil action under which the victim of                 
  a juvenile could recover up to $2,000 and the only change in                 
  the new statute would be to raise the limit to $50,000.                      
                                                                               
  Number 336                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIR TOOHEY repeated the motion, and hearing no objections,                 
  declared HB 114 PASSED WITH INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS.