Transcript Highlights:

• It will burden state-chartered credit unions more heavily while federally chartered institutions receive
• But if payments rules become material and harsher for state charters than for federal charters, it will
• That would further weaken the state charter over time and undercut a system built on meaningful charter
• credit unions and Illinois-chartered banks.
• Number one, most states want to retain state charters.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card heard extensive testimony from credit union, banking, retail, restaurant, and payments-industry representatives about proposals to limit interchange fees, especially on the tax and tip portions of transactions. Several witnesses opposed state-level restrictions, arguing they would create a patchwork of rules, burden state-chartered institutions, raise compliance complexity, and ultimately reduce resources for fraud prevention, cybersecurity, rewards, and access to credit. Others, including retail and merchant advocates, said swipe fees are a significant and growing cost for small businesses and that states should consider reforms such as limiting fees on taxes and tips, allowing surcharging, improving transparency in merchant contracts, and studying collection costs more closely. Witnesses also discussed recent legal and regulatory developments, including Illinois’s interchange-fee law, OCC and NCUA interim rules, and the ongoing Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement. Industry representatives said the Illinois law has been delayed and is likely preempted for most transactions, while merchant advocates argued the state efforts and court rulings show that networks and banks do not set fees competitively. The proposed antitrust settlement was described by some as a meaningful but limited merchant victory, with temporary fee reductions and expanded surcharge/steering rights, while others said it still falls short of structural reform. The commission members pressed witnesses on the practical effects of fees, the cost of cash, whether merchants can pass costs through, and whether small businesses are actually seeing benefits from the current system. Members repeatedly emphasized the need for a fair middle ground that protects both small businesses and the payment system. No substantive votes or policy actions were taken beyond accepting testimony, and the meeting ended with adjournment after all scheduled witnesses had spoken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of those 234 teachers, 151 of them were teaching in a public or charter school.
• However, the further breakdown shows that... ...school or charter school.
• Part of the fund also goes to districts and charters that have high numbers of Native students.
• And charter schools to cover costs for AED training. It will also stagger rule implementation.
• So for public non-charter high schools, compliance is required by the 2026-2027 school year.

Summary: The committee began with a presentation on the 520 Native American Language and Culture certificate, created to let proficient tribal language and culture speakers teach in K-12 schools without a bachelor’s degree. LESC staff, PED, and HED described the certificate’s statutory basis, the role of tribes and pueblos in setting proficiency standards, and ongoing challenges such as uneven MOAs, limited professional development, rural access barriers, data gaps, and retention concerns. PED said oversight of 520 is moving from the licensure bureau to the Indian Education Division, and HED reported that the tribal education technical assistance centers authorized in 2023 are still in procurement but are expected to be awarded in early 2026. A student, Alonzo Hughes, testified about how learning Tewa from 520-certified teachers helped him understand his culture and speak with elders, and members praised the program’s role in language revitalization and asked about funding, teacher pathways, and whether similar models exist in other states. Committee members then discussed several PED rule updates. Staff reviewed an adopted rule implementing HB 54 on AEDs and cardiac emergency response plans, including staff training requirements and staggered compliance dates, and a proposed rule for school nurse licensure under HB 195 that would create a three-tier system and align nurse pay with teacher pay. They also reviewed proposed changes to the Community Schools Act rule, including a full-time community school coordinator requirement, updated grant language, and broader coalition membership criteria; PED said the broader language would not conflict with the Martinez-Yazzie work. A proposed bilingual teacher rule would standardize coursework requirements, add trans-languaging and culturally relevant curriculum competencies, and allow Native American language certification applicants to demonstrate proficiency using tribal standards. In questions, members raised concerns about AEDs being present at athletic events, the need for the amended school nurse bill to move experienced nurses directly into higher levels, and whether the community schools rule’s broader coalition language could affect current education litigation. Members also asked about funding for 520 programs, teacher residency or cohort models, and how to support advanced language instruction and sustainability. PED said the Indian Education Fund and school budgets can support some of the work, but additional strategic funding and cross-training are needed. The committee also heard that New Mexico’s 520 system is unusually robust compared with other states, and members encouraged staff to present the model at national conferences. The meeting ended with the director’s report, which noted a flat budget request of $2,024,300, staff turnover including Natasha Davalos’s departure, and appreciation for the committee’s work before adjournment for the holidays.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then when we did a charter change about how the assessor was to be hired, the voters came out and
• “A charter government is, therefore, not above the people. It is below the people.
• The primary question is, why does this every 10-year process end once a new charter is approved?
• So everything will continue on until the new charter, or the amended charter, or however much the people
• So there have been efforts at charter reform. Our charter requires a review periodically.

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and unanimously voted Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 914 and House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3467 due pass. HB 3467 was amended before passage; the sponsor said the changes clarified that any tax authority would apply only if a tax change is actually approved, corrected county/city references, and fixed ballot-language issues involving sheltered workshops. Members generally praised the sponsor’s work, though one member noted concern about shifting more burden to sales taxes. The main public hearing was on H.J.R. 107, which would place before voters a constitutional question allowing Jackson County to consider separating Kansas City from the county or otherwise altering its charter government. Sponsor Rep. Steinmeyer argued the measure was about voter sovereignty and local control, citing prior Jackson County ballot measures and saying entrenched local power had blocked reform. Supporters echoed that Jackson County residents were frustrated with representation, taxes, and county governance. Opponents, including Kansas City and chamber representatives, argued the proposal was unnecessary, costly, procedurally unclear, and potentially destabilizing; several members also questioned the 10-year resubmission clause, the exclusion of local officials from the transition process, and the statewide fiscal impact. No action was taken on the resolution during the hearing. The committee then heard Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 975, dealing with ambulance district mergers and community paramedic/mobile integrated health services. Senator Black and supporters said the bill would help struggling rural ambulance districts merge without disrupting billing, contracts, or service, and would expand community paramedic care for low-acuity patients and hospital-at-home models. Several witnesses from ambulance and fire districts described successful programs and said the bill would improve patient care and help rural areas. Opponents, including ambulance and fire district representatives, supported the merger provisions but objected to Senate-added language they said would let districts provide community paramedic services across jurisdictional lines without memorandums of understanding, undermining local control and negotiating power. The hearing ended with testimony still ongoing after a recess for floor session; no vote on SB 975 was reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It preempts local governments from mandating charter safe-school officer options.
• The Section 19, the preemption of the charter school officer options.
• Of the charter school officer options.
• You stated that it was four options that charter schools were restricted to.
• So it only applies to public schools, which means only charter and public schools.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum calls, and several recognitions before taking up a series of Senate messages and House motions. Members also recognized House Sergeant at Arms staff, visitors in the gallery, and family members. The chamber approved the journal and then moved into message lists and concurrence motions on several bills. On CS/CS/SB 1668, relating to the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association (NICA), the House concurred in a Senate amendment that clarified that if the NICA plan lacks adequate cash flow, the Office of Insurance Regulation may authorize a cumulative transfer of up to $20 million over the life of the plan and removed a proposed time limit on provider assessments. The bill then passed 96-2. The House also concurred in a Senate amendment to CS/CS/CS/HB 905, the foreign influence bill, after debate over a proposed strike-all amendment that would have removed surrogacy-related language; that amendment failed. Supporters said the bill still retained key foreign-influence restrictions, while opponents objected to the surrogacy provisions and other remaining restrictions. The bill passed 83-17. The House then took up CS/CS/HB 1279 on education. The Senate amendment added provisions on tuition residency for certain military and State Department families, a one-year deferral option for Benacquisto Scholarship recipients, virtual school notifications, educational emergency authority for persistently low-performing schools, epinephrine flexibility, VPK and New Worlds Reading changes, math pathways, dance credit, IEP service notifications, charter school safety officer options, and FEFP adjustments for Florida advanced courses, while removing several House provisions including the 95% Florida resident requirement for preeminent universities, the 5% cap on undergraduate international enrollment, and DEI-related provisions. Debate focused heavily on the educational emergency and collective bargaining language for persistently low-performing schools, with supporters saying it would help districts improve student performance and opponents warning it would weaken unions and affect schools that are not truly failing. The bill passed 81-16. Finally, the House considered CS/CS/CS/HB 399 on land use and development regulations. An amendment to repeal portions of last year’s SB 180 was ruled not germane. The House then took up a Senate amendment on compost facilities that would bar local governments from conditioning compost-facility approval on the purchase of additional property to expand a privately owned road and would limit local revocation of permits when facilities comply with state or regional environmental regulation; debate began on that motion as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• We turn to page 10, which is the fishing game comparative statement of undesignated surplus.
• </c><01:07:06.640><c> Uh</c><01:07:06.960><c> the</c> of the fishing game fund up.
• Uh the of the fishing game fund up.
• game fund act the end of in the fishing game fund act the end of 27.<01:07:20.640><c> That</c><01:07
• game department so that's why to fishing game department so that's why it's<01:08:52.640><c> a</c><01

Keywords: LBA Briefing on Budget, 928, house, all

Summary: The presentation was an LBA overview of Senate changes to the House-passed state budget, with Michael Kane explaining how Senate Finance updated revenue and spending estimates after April revenue figures and agency discussions. He said the Senate’s revenue outlook was higher than the House’s in some areas, but lower in others, especially video lottery terminal revenue, and that the biggest differences also came from changes to revenue splits between the general fund and education trust fund, lapse estimates, and several policy changes in House Bill 1 and House Bill 2. Kane highlighted several major revenue and policy differences: the Senate changed the business tax, tobacco tax, and real estate transfer tax splits; adjusted liquor revenue dedication; removed the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap; delayed the Lakes Region facility proceeds plan; altered the PECARD fund treatment; added a granite patron of the arts tax credit; and changed the treatment of unique funds and video lottery terminal revenue. On spending, he noted Senate changes to judicial, corrections, HHS, human rights commission, and other budgets, including additional settlement costs, higher lapse assumptions, and a different approach to Medicaid premium revenue and retirement savings. He also described Senate additions such as a nursing home bed fee, Hampstead Hospital transition funding, and changes to the YDC claims settlement fund. The presentation focused on comparing House and Senate surplus statements across fiscal years 2025 through 2027, including projected ending balances and rainy day fund transfers. Kane repeatedly emphasized that the numbers were still dependent on final revenues and lapse amounts, and that some balances would be carried forward and trued up later in the biennium. No committee vote or final action was described in the excerpt; it was an informational budget briefing and comparison of the two chambers’ proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, basically, I live to hunt and fish and spend time outdoors and take other people with me as much
• resources, and it's great in Mississippi where we can be within just a few minutes of good hunting and fishing
• people access and that they're projects that are outdoor activity type things that you can hunt and fish
• That's the heart of it is that we can get people out outdoors to actually hunt and fish and enjoy.

Committee: Joint Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Keywords: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Room 210, 25 March, 2026; 1:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• approval of United States H.R. 5966, Ohio River Restoration Program Act, to bring clean water, enhanced fish
• the United States H.R. 5966, the Ohio River Restoration Program Act, to bring clean water, enhanced fish
• help increase flood resiliency, including the restoration of natural systems, and protect and restore fish
• Including the restoration of natural systems, protect and restore fish and wildlife, and control for

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:07.200><c> Charter</c> I want to leave you with this.
• Charter I want to leave you with this.
• </c><00:14:45.240><c> school</c> them as seriously in the charter school them as seriously in the charter
• Uh, I have a charter school in my district.
• But also, we structurally harm charters from the get-go.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• charter, the state charter can have that same protection.
• charter.
• state chartered.
• The credit union have more federally chartered credit unions than state charter.
• But our decisions in our charter are somewhere else. Our charter doesn't exist anymore.”

Bills: HB387 , HB673 , HB947 , HB975 , HB1102 , HB1228 , HB1229 , HCR66 , SB102 , SB165 , SB280 , SB291 , SB326 , SB521

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: engineering, land surveying, construction, state fire marshal, plan review, security cameras, abandoned property, blighted structures, property management, digital assets, abandonment, custodian, escheatment, blockchain, cryptocurrency, unclaimed property, state treasurer, Department of Public Service, statutory entities, public administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Sarah Kelly, Vandergriff Kelly with the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools.
• Like we always do about charters. They're public schools, so they're included in this.
• But I certainly don't think there's anything stopping a charter school from doing this.
• The question is to you: Is that adding in the charter schools?
• Yes, many of our charter schools have SROs and have those.

Bills: HCR26 , HB113 , HB380 , HB392 , HB476 , HB513 , HB608 , HB682 , HB905 , HB987

Committee: House Education

Keywords: human growth, development education, prenatal education, state standards, biological science, grading scale, education reform, students, public schools, academic policy, community college, technical education, pilot program, driver training, transportation, Safe Haven Law, flyers, child safety, infant relinquishment, name image likeness

Transcript Highlights:

• the same option to have public financing for campaigns that charter cities have.
• option to have public finance or campaigns that charter cities have.
• That charter cities have.
• With the over 400 charter cities in California, how come only five do it?
• We’re not a charter city, and in Lynwood.

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on July 2, 2025, with a quorum present and took up eight agenda items, including four consent bills. The committee first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 280, SB 621, SB 851, and SB 852, all moving forward without objection. The committee then heard several bills from Senator Umberg focused on election administration and campaign finance, along with SB 408 on voter-roll maintenance. SB 249 would require county board of education elections to be consolidated with the statewide general election. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters, argued this would increase turnout and make those elections more representative; opponents, including Orange County education officials, argued it would override local control, increase costs, and add ballot fatigue. The bill passed 5-2 and was re-referred to the Committee on Education. SB 398 would make it a crime to pay or offer contingent payments or other valuable consideration to induce voting or voter registration, closing what supporters described as a loophole involving lotteries and incentives. It passed 5-0 as amended and was re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety. SB 42 would remove the state ban on public financing for campaigns in general law cities and counties, allowing local voters to decide whether to adopt such systems. Supporters from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, and many local advocates said it would broaden participation and reduce the influence of big money; opponents raised concerns about taxpayer funding, guardrails, and local oversight. The bill passed 5-2 and was re-referred to Appropriations. Finally, SB 408 would require election officials to use U.S. Postal Service change-of-address data to help maintain voter rolls; supporters said it would improve accuracy and trust in elections, while one commenter questioned reliance on postal data. The bill passed unanimously 6-0 and was re-referred to Appropriations. The committee then completed the remaining roll calls and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 156, this shows the long-term facilities maintenance aid for charter schools being eliminated
• Just for background, school library aid is provided to districts and charters to help pay for specific
• While this is coordinated under LTFM, charter schools can use this funding for any general fund purpose
• Of the recollection of state aid for the unreimbursed costs of charter tuition, charters would then roughly
• There seems to be a theme, as you flip through the presentation: charter schools are going to take a

Bills: HF2430 , HF2433

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: education finance, teacher training, Read Act, state aid, school funding, education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill applies to the following institutions: chartered banks, credit unions, residential mortgage
• We continue to have concerns about the treatment of state charter banks vis-à-vis federally chartered
• So you can be a federally chartered institution or a state chartered institution, and the member doesn't
• So it kind of, like I mentioned, devalues the state charter and the membership of our eyes.
• These states include state-chartered banks.

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have our freshly harvested game and fish program.
• We also take fish.
• , then they can donate the fish directly to our program.
• And again, we send Second Harvest in New Orleans down to collect the fish.
• So the pool we're fishing in is...

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, adoption of the agenda, and approval of the prior minutes. The main presentation was from Julie Grenwald of Louisiana Hunters for the Hungry, who described the nonprofit’s protein donation programs, including freezer clean-out days, deer and fish processing partnerships, and a paused feral hog donation program that had collected about 3,500 hogs and 137,000 pounds of pork before funding ran short. She said the group has donated roughly 300,000 pounds of protein over two years, works with food banks and local agencies, and is protected under Louisiana’s Good Samaritan Law. Members asked about processor locations, exotic species, signage, sponsorships, and whether the program could expand to other invasive species or mobile drop-off options; Grenwald said expansion is possible if processors and funding are available. The task force then received a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries update from Jonathan Bordelon on chronic wasting disease testing. He reported more than 2,800 samples collected and over 2,300 results returned, with nine positives total: eight in Tensas Parish and one confirmed in Concordia Parish on Richard K. Yancey WMA, which triggered preparation of an emergency declaration and future rulemaking to adjust the control area. He said harvest and sampling remain near record levels, most samples are voluntary, and the agency continues to monitor symptomatic deer reports and public submissions. The final major presentation was from William McKinley of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, who gave a detailed overview of Mississippi’s CWD response. He said Mississippi has 529 detections across 18 counties, with prevalence rising from about one in 500 samples to about one in 80 statewide, and much higher in some counties. He described Mississippi’s surveillance system, targeted tags within three miles of positives, environmental sampling, feeder bans in CWD zones, and research showing contamination at feeders and in scrapes. He also discussed possible multiple strains, including one linked to the Wisconsin whitetail strain and another around Vicksburg/Issaquena, and said the disease appears to be expanding about 3.5 miles per year. Members asked about high-fence enclosures, live deer movement restrictions, baiting and feeding rules, hunter participation, and whether Louisiana should develop similar environmental testing capacity; no votes were taken on these issues, but members discussed possible future legislative or budget action.

Transcript Highlights:

• you described that the change was very... it just clarifies that it's not all the federal funds that Fish
• game gets is just the funds that fishing game gets is just the ones<00:09:48.079><c> directed</c><00
• Fishing and game stuff. Did somebody take out 65? I am. Yeah, okay. I just didn't hear that. 108.
• Oh, Max doesn't have it from Fish and Game.
• game Let's pause this and get fishing game Let's pause this and get that<00:14:56.480><c> cuz</c><00

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• land, with the requirement that the land be used for non-motorized public recreation use and public fishing
• </c> public fishing access. public fishing access.
• People who swim, fish, or recreate in areas impacted by untreated or under-treated sewage, and especially
• Uh, just wanted to thank Chair Fischer for the work on people who swim, fish, or recreate in people who
• swim, fish, or recreate in areas<00:15:17.480><c> impacted</c><00:15:18.040><c> by</c><00:15:18.240>

Bills: HF3643 , HF3426 , HF4222 , HF4224

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: Melissa Hortman, Mark Hortman, memorial park, state park, working group, Minnesota Historical Society, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, Saint Paul, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Administration, Legislative Coordinating Commission, general fund appropriation, park planning, interpretive services, public engagement, state memorial, land use, natural resources, commemorative legislation, environment

Transcript Highlights:

• “The fish were contaminated with forever chemicals or PFAS, right?
• I mean, if you have the opportunity to go, you know, catch 10 fish out there and nine of them out of
• It says that 91% of the fish in the bay are contaminated with forever chemicals.
• It says that 91% of the contaminants in the bay, the fish out there, 91% are contaminated with forever
• But I would say that, so one is what you’ve described about PFAS and the fish.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several governor’s appointees and routine committee actions. Members approved, by unanimous 5-0 votes, three not-required-to-appear appointments: Hampus Eitsiter to the Boating and Waterways Commission, Peter Stern to the California Horse Racing Board, and Dean White to the State Mining and Geology Board. The committee also approved references of bills to committees and floor acknowledgements, each by 5-0 vote. The committee then heard testimony on Tyler Sadwith’s appointment as Chief Deputy Director of Healthcare Programs at the Department of Health Care Services. Sadwith emphasized protecting Medi-Cal access for 14 million Californians, navigating federal changes, and continuing CalAIM and behavioral health reforms. Senators focused heavily on hospital financial distress, rural access, Medi-Cal redeterminations, work requirements, provider reimbursement, fraud oversight, dental access, labor and delivery closures, and the effectiveness of CalAIM and community supports. Public commenters from county, hospital, and provider groups largely supported the nomination, citing his experience and collaborative approach. The committee voted 5-0 to send his appointment to the full Senate. The committee also considered Chris Thayer’s appointment as director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Thayer described OEHHA’s role as providing transparent, science-based health assessments, improving risk communication, and supporting tools such as CalEnviroScreen and Prop 65 guidance. Senators raised concerns about reliance on models versus real-world data, PFAS, environmental justice, wildfire and battery-fire impacts, and whether CalEnviroScreen and Prop 65 are working as intended. Public testimony from environmental and health organizations supported the nomination and highlighted OEHHA’s scientific role. The committee approved Thayer’s appointment 3-1, with one senator not voting, and forwarded it to the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• Practices vary between districts, charter schools, and private schools.
• Practices vary between districts, charter schools, and private schools.
• Charter schools have had a similar alternative pathway for administrators since 2019.
• public charter system in Idaho.
• Charters can do this, traditional schools can do that.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and<00:04:56.240><c> motion</c><00:04:56.400><c> is</c><00:04:56.639><c> tal</c><00:04:57.040><c> fishing
• do pass strike &gt;&gt; and motion is tal fishing do pass strike all.<00:04:58.639><c> All</c><00:04
• &gt;&gt; Motion's<00:14:15.839><c> tile</c><00:14:16.160><c> fishing</c><00:14:16.399><c> do</c><00:14
• :16.560><c> pass</c><00:14:16.800><c> strike</c> &gt;&gt; Motion's tile fishing do pass strike &gt;&gt
• ; Motion's tile fishing do pass strike all.<00:14:17.279><c> All</c><00:14:17.440><c> those</c><00:14

Committee: Joint Business and Financial Institutions

Keywords: Business and Financial Institutions - Room 216, 2 March, 2026; 4:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation will require Idaho Fish and Game to provide a 30-day public comment period when the
• Idaho Fish and Game undertakes season-setting every other year.
• reasonable amount of time to absorb, analyze, and respond to the season-setting proposals of the Idaho Fish
• This proposed legislation has been fully coordinated with Idaho Fish and Game management, and they don't
• have any problems. ...coordinated with Idaho Fish and Game management, and they don't have any problems

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Keywords: 989, all