Video & Transcript Research : 'transparency in voting'
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TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate of the 89th Legislature Feb 19th, 2025 at 11:00 am
Texas Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Members, this is a voice vote. All in favor. Say aye. All opposed say no. The ayes have it.
- Members thank you for your vote. votes, Jocelyn's family thanks you, and in memory of Jocelyn, I move
- So there may be a way to document all this because there's such a lack of transparency in here.
- There's no transparency in Harris County. The victims groups were concerned.
- with this, Senator Alvarado, as you and I have discussed, in my opinion, it's transparency.
Keywords:
bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
March 20, 2025 - 02:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- Since tort reform passed in transparency and damages in 2023, in defending against these damages, I have
- Please keep truth and transparency in our court system. Please vote no on this amendment.
- In almost two years to the day... ...transparency in damages.
- Vote in favor. Thank you for being here. Members were in debate. Any members in debate?
- Probably voted down on 837 in 2020. So happy to be here and support it again.
Summary:
The subcommittee considered a long agenda of civil justice and claims measures. HB 1173, relating to the Florida Trust Code, was presented as a clarification of standing in trust litigation after recent case law; after questions about who may sue, an amendment was adopted clarifying that an expressly named charity retains standing, and the bill passed 14-2. HB 1437, on attorney’s fees in motor vehicle PIP disputes, drew testimony from insurers and reform groups opposing a return to fee-driven litigation and from medical groups supporting fee recovery for prevailing parties; it passed 17-0. CS/HB 147, addressing prohibited debt-collection communications during nighttime and early morning hours, was described as a clarification of an outdated statute in light of modern communications, with support from business groups and no opposition in the vote; it passed 18-0.
The committee then heard several claims bills against the Department of Children and Families. HB 6511, for relief of L.P., described severe injuries to a child after DCF allegedly failed to act on warning signs; a technical amendment was adopted and the bill passed 18-0. HB 6515, for relief of Michael Barnett, involved DCF’s alleged failure to investigate domestic violence that preceded the killing of three children and injury of a fourth; members asked about the settlement amount and the case’s circumstances, and the bill also passed 18-0.
HB 1517, expanding wrongful death law to allow parents of an unborn child to recover for the child’s death, generated the most extensive debate. The sponsor said it aligns civil law with existing criminal definitions and excludes claims against mothers and providers of lawful medical care, including IVF; opponents warned it could be used to target reproductive care, support networks, and domestic violence survivors, while supporters framed it as a justice measure for families. An amendment clarifying damages rules for minors and unborn children was adopted, and the bill passed 13-4. Finally, HB 947, on evidence of medical damages in personal injury and wrongful death cases, sought to allow broader evidence at trial and to change “shall” to “may”; supporters said it would improve fairness and transparency, while opponents argued it would weaken post-2023 tort reforms and reintroduce inflated medical damages. The amendment was adopted and the bill was then taken up with additional opposition testimony.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Legislative Audit Committee Jun 1st, 2026
Joint Legislative Audit
Transcript Highlights:
- In fact, in the average, Sandak is subject to 14 audits each year.
- Thank you in the appropriate time. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you, Senator.
- , in robust support.
- We'll get some information that will be very helpful to the Legislature in terms of transparency.
- We are in adjournment.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- The first bill that I am presenting in committee today focuses on insurance transparency and has received
- SB 877 ensures transparency in insurance claims by requiring insurers to document and disclose all claim
- This happened in San Diego. This happened in Santa Rosa. This happened in Paradise.
- Not voting. Ellis? Not voting. Gibson? Aye. Hadwick? Not voting. Herbedian? Krell? Aye. Nguyen?
- But in any event, I'm hopeful, and I'm doing a yes vote.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Sep 10th, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- For the waste of taxpayer funds contained in Senate Bill 578, I ask for a no vote.
- Senate amendments are concurred in. Item 237. The vote. Ayes 48, noes 4.
- Senate amendments are concurred in. I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
- This bill has enjoyed bipartisan support with no votes in opposition.
- Senate amendments are concurred in. Aye vote. Ms. Clerk will close the roll and tally the vote.
Summary:
The Assembly convened, initially lacked a quorum, then returned to session with prayer, pledge, and a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk following news of his shooting. Members then handled a series of procedural motions, including suspending rules, moving several bills to the inactive file, re-referring bills to committees, and authorizing committee meetings. The chamber also observed adjournments in memory for several individuals, including Ermilo Don Rodas, John Burton, Nina Chomsky, and Barbara “Bobby” Samperey.
On the floor file, members considered and passed a long list of Senate bills, largely on bipartisan or unanimous votes. Topics included consumer protection and transparency for self-storage contracts (SB 709), adoption jurisdiction (SB 450), privacy and name/image protections (SB 683), an audit of the February 2025 bar exam (SB 47), data broker transparency (SB 361), used-car buyer protections (SB 76), state parks land acquisition streamlining (SB 630), cemetery work group deadlines (SB 777), financial enforcement authority (SB 825), utility outage reporting and reliability planning (SB 292), vital records confidentiality (SB 313), health care coverage and hormone therapy access (SB 418), workplace outreach (SB 578), Holocaust and genocide education (SB 472), county jail treatment for misdemeanor incompetency cases (SB 820), and AI companion chatbot safeguards for minors and self-harm risks (SB 243). Most measures passed with little or no opposition, though SB 578 drew sharp debate over the workplace outreach program and its funding.
The Assembly also took up concurrence items and approved numerous Assembly bills with Senate amendments. These included transparency in legislative nondisclosure agreements (AB 1370), affordable faculty/staff housing provisions at community colleges (AB 648), tribal youth foster care reforms (AB 1378), EV charger payment regulations (AB 1423), technical Political Reform Act changes (AB 1511), diacritical marks on vital records (AB 64), reproductive health protections with urgency (AB 260), union and collective bargaining protections (AB 288), bench trial statement-of-decision streamlining (AB 515), agricultural land stewardship (AB 524), geothermal exploratory project rules (AB 527), Medi-Cal field medicine changes (AB 543), tobacco-related provisions (AB 573), social media platform rules (AB 656), state parks transaction reporting (AB 679), professional licensing changes (AB 742), and child care staffing and assistant teacher pathways with urgency (AB 753). Votes were generally strong, with several measures passing unanimously or near-unanimously.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Jun 29th, 2026
Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- SB 1370 supports that effort with important environmental protections and transparency that are not in
- I have Pedro Hernandez from Green Latinos to testify in support, and I respectfully ask for an aye vote
- With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote. We fully trust you in that process.
- With that, I respectfully ask for your aye vote. We fully trust you in that process.
- So, anyhow, that's the spirit in which I ask for an aye vote. Okay. Call roll.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 22nd, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Their solution is to decrease the transparency in our elections.
- We should be more transparent in our investigation, especially when the data tells us that there are
- He has seized ballots and voting rosters from election offices in Georgia and Arizona, has sued our very
- So just wanted to rise in support and respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
- So just wanted to rise in support and respectfully ask for your aye vote.
Summary:
The Assembly convened, initially lacked a quorum, then completed the roll call and prayer, adopted routine procedural motions, and moved through the daily file with many bills passed and retained or passed outright. Early measures included AB 2417 on community college faculty retirement information, AB 1579 expanding the Children’s Crisis Pilot Program, AB 2041 on emergency medical services reporting, AB 1547 on a UC medical school feasibility study in Kern County, and AB 1552 directing higher education segments to report on civic engagement and democracy education. The body also took up SB 73, an urgency elections-security bill, where supporters argued it would protect ballots, voting systems, and election workers from interference, while opponents said it could be unconstitutional, partisan, and overly restrictive of local and federal investigations. SB 73 passed with urgency and immediate transmittal to the Senate.
The Assembly then approved a long series of policy bills, many with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including AB 1554 on California Earthquake Authority transparency, AB 1584 on civil rights duties at the Air Resources Board, AB 1592 on the California Indian Cultural Center, AB 1629 on direct payment to dentists, AB 1645 on prison visitation physical-contact rules, AB 1688 on foster care notice and accountability, AB 1699 on prescribed and cultural burns, AB 1738 on virtual final inspections for single-family homes, AB 1741 on charging sexual battery during a residential break-in as a wobbler, AB 1802 on mitigation lands endowments, AB 1813 on community renewable energy program changes, AB 1899 creating a youth homelessness prevention office, AB 1904 on a credentialing apprenticeship program, AB 1941 on organized metal theft, AB 2043 on drone-attack prevention for mass gatherings and critical infrastructure, AB 2054 on paid family leave for military relatives, AB 2081 on home-based Medi-Cal care, AB 2116 on predatory lending, AB 2122 limiting bench warrants for vehicle-code infractions, AB 2176 on student housing coordination, AB 2187 on tribal public-contract exemptions, AB 2221 on charitable fundraising processing deadlines, AB 2232 on advance parole hearing reporting, AB 2235 on confidentiality of judges’ home addresses, AB 2250 on cannabis/hemp enforcement cleanup, and AB 2266 on electricity. Most measures were described as support or bipartisan bills and passed with little or no opposition.
A few bills drew notable debate or recorded opposition, including AB 1813, AB 2122, and SB 73, though all ultimately passed. After finishing 35 items, the Assembly announced it would return the following week with a much larger file, noted upcoming floor amendment deadlines, and adjourned until Tuesday, May 26 at 1 p.m. A post-adjournment vote change was also recorded, changing Assembly Member Dixon’s vote on AB 2041 from aye to no.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
TCA Public Hearing 03-25-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Do you know if in this year’s budget there’s funding for acquisition in our state budget this year?
- If there's no discussion on that, then Acting Vice Chair, for the vote, votes aye.
- <00:40:02.640>
Chair's chair for the vote. Chair's chair for the vote. - Any no votes or votes or reservations? Any no votes or votes or reservations?
- Any no votes or votes or present. Any no votes or votes or reservations?
Summary:
The Committee on Transportation and Culture heard a series of resolutions covering cultural preservation, civic education, dark-sky protection, Taiwan relations, aviation safety reporting, waterborne cargo subsidies, and Maui transportation planning. Testimony on the Hawaii Theatre resolutions (SCR 131/SR 110) came from the Hawaii Theatre Center in support, with a question about whether acquisition funding was in the current budget; the witness said he was not aware of any such funding. The state archivist strongly supported SCR 169/SR 138 on expanding public outreach and civic engagement, and a student testifier supported the measure while urging stronger language to include Indigenous culture and closer work with Native communities. On STR 12/SR 8 recognizing International Dark Sky Week, testimony emphasized light pollution’s effects on birds, marine life, human health, and astronomy, and suggested stronger lighting ordinances and possible dark-sky reserve efforts. STR 31/SR 17 on Taiwan received support from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, while STR 180/SR 150 on aviation safety reporting drew support from Blue Hawaiian Helicopters but opposition from the Department of Transportation, which said much of the requested information falls under FAA jurisdiction and would be voluntary at the state level. STR 150 on waterborne cargo subsidies was supported by DOT, Young Brothers, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association, with DOT asking that the working group be smaller to speed a report to the 2026 session. STR 37/SR 21 and STR 38/SR 22 on Kihei road planning drew support from the Kihei Community Association, which described severe congestion and safety concerns in South Maui.
In decision-making, the committee advanced SCR 131/SR 110 on the Hawaii Theatre as introduced. SCR 169/SR 138 was advanced with amendments to address comments about Indigenous culture. STR 12/SR 8 on International Dark Sky Week was deferred for further discussion until the following Tuesday. STR 31/SR 17 on Taiwan was advanced with technical, non-substantive amendments. STR 180/SR 150 and STR 150 were both deferred to the same later decision-making date to allow further work on possible amendments and jurisdictional issues. STR 37/SR 21 was passed as introduced, and STR 38/SR 22 was passed with technical, non-substantive amendments. In each vote taken, the measures were adopted without recorded opposition from the members present.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jun 24th, 2026
Housing and Community Development
Transcript Highlights:
- For those reasons and those in our letter, we ask for no vote. Thank you.
- For those reasons and those in our letter, we ask for no vote. Thank you.
- And for that and many other reasons in our letter, we respectfully ask for a no vote. Thank you.
- And with that, in that spirit, I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.
- You are in non-voting right now, sir, right? To aye, of course.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- All those in favor, so vote. All those in favor, so vote. All those in favor, so vote.
- All those in favor, vote "Aye." All opposed, vote "Nay." ...HB88. All those in favor, vote "Aye."
- All those in favor, vote "Aye."
- Currently, this includes mail voting, mail-in voting. ...mail voting, mail-in voting.
- CL one, please lock in the members' vote.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting Jul 29th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I believe the the map I voted for in 2001 was a legal map.
- I do not believe in party line politics as much as I believe in voting for candidates, regardless of
- are just Democratic voting blocks in the state of Texas? Yeah, absolutely.
- In many states, he wouldn't be able to... ...vote.
- I vote. ...and am represented by Congresswoman Escobar in the 16th district.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Local Government (3-17-26)
Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- All those in favor vote I. All those against vote no.
- All those in favor vote I. All measure. All those in favor vote I.
- All those in favor of Senate Bill 20, vote I. All those opposed, vote nay.
- All those in favor of the bill vote aye, all those opposed vote nay.
- , All those in favor of the bill vote aye, All those in favor of the bill vote aye, all<00:31:48.960
Keywords:
Meeting Start 00:00:01
Roll Call 00:00:21
SB 141 Discussion 00:03:21
SB 141 Vote 00:10:57
HB 755 Discussion 00:13:08
HB 755 Vote 00:17:55
SB 20 Discussion 00:19:36
SB 20 Vote 00:21:53
SB 40 Discussion 00:23:31
SB 40 Vote 00:26:25
HB 851 Discussion 00:28:53
HB 851 Vote 00:31:53
Adjournment 00:33:26, 958, all
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 107 May 1st, 2026
Colorado Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Are there any no votes? Senators Bazley, Zamora Wilson. Oh, all those in favor say aye. Aye.
- This requires a two-thirds vote. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed, no.
- This amendment ensures transparency and accountability in union finances.
- All those in the chamber not entitled to vote, please be seated.
- So, this would be in direct conflict with existing federal law. I urge a no vote. Thank you.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Mar 26th, 2025
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
Transcript Highlights:
- So we have to pass that bill in order to find out what's in it? Exactly. Yeah, exactly.
- A gang member who was put in right in he would be murdered.
- My brother Scott Whitley was killed in 2022 in the Marion County Jail in Ocala, Florida.
- Scott Whitley was killed in 2022 in the Marion County Jail in Ocala, Florida by Florida State employees
- it's not in statute.
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to review its proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 budget, totaling about $7.6 billion. The chair highlighted funding for the Department of Corrections, including health services, food inflation, and prison population growth; the Department of Juvenile Justice for residential beds and higher food/medical costs; FDLE for a law enforcement apprenticeship program and officer wellness services; justice administration for court-appointed attorney rates and VOCA shortfalls; major IT projects; and court operations, including funding for 29 new judges. Members asked about where the new judgeships would go and whether staffing would accompany them, and staff said the judge positions would be listed later in a conforming bill and that associated court staff were included, but not additional state attorney or public defender staffing. Several members also asked whether the budget addressed pay and staffing shortages in state attorneys’ and public defenders’ offices, and staff said those decisions had not yet been finalized.
The committee then heard public testimony from several speakers who urged more funding for prison safety, medical care, and oversight. Speakers described personal experiences involving deaths or serious harm in correctional facilities and jails, alleging inadequate medical treatment, excessive force, isolation, and failures to investigate. One speaker said her son died after being beaten and denied timely medical care in a correctional facility; another said her son was not receiving adequate health care at Charlotte Correctional; and another described her brother’s death in the Marion County Jail after repeated tasing and pepper spraying. The committee adopted a motion allowing staff to make technical adjustments and then approved the committee’s budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee.
The committee also took up CS for CS SB 48 on alternative judicial procedures and foreclosure sales. Senator Garcia offered an amendment to standardize judicial sales, increase transparency, limit preferences in bidding, preserve public notice requirements, restrict plaintiff credit bids to the amount of the judgment unless a deposit is posted, and prevent deviations from statutory timelines and procedures from being hidden in court orders. Garcia said the bill was intended to close loopholes and protect homeowners, especially condominium owners, from unfair foreclosure practices. A representative for Auction.com said similar laws have been used in other states and offered to provide data. After debate, the amendment was adopted, and the bill passed the committee favorably on a roll call vote.
MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS Senate Floor - 19 March, 2026; 10:00 AM
Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Requires voting no.
- She requires voting anyone object. Mr. She requires voting no.
- transparency act and act. transparency act and act.
- All in favor signify by saying I. Opposed? No, the ayes have it in conference.
- in Gulfport.
Summary:
The Senate considered a series of local and private bills, mostly extending repealer dates or authorizing small local taxes and contributions. These included measures for the City of Laurel, City of Clinton, City of Moss Point, and City of Hattiesburg to continue hotel/motel or restaurant taxes for tourism, parks, and recreation; a Marshall County bill allowing a $7,500 annual contribution to the Bahyia Area Arts Council; a Jackson County bill extending a $5,000 contribution to Friends of Arts, Culture, and Education; a City of Philadelphia bill authorizing a one-time $10,000 contribution to Philadelphia Transit; and a Dotto County bill allowing golf carts and low-speed vehicles on certain public roads. The chamber also approved a Jackson County bill revising the powers and duties of the county fair board. Most of these local bills were passed by voice vote and then by the morning roll call, with no questions raised.
The Senate also took up several conference-related matters and House amendments. On Senate Bill 2676, the Proxy Advance of Transparency Act, the Senate voted not to concur and to invite conference. On Senate Bill 2882, dealing with homestead exemption eligibility, members discussed a House amendment clarifying that property owners who deed property but reserve a life estate do not have to reapply for homestead exemption; the Senate concurred and sent the bill to the governor. Additional items later in the calendar included nonconcurrence and conference invitations on bills involving a rural hospital pilot program, dependent care tax credits, health reimbursement arrangement tax credits, state park land lease tax treatment, rural hospital contributions, electronic payment processing fees, storm-related utility revenue bonds, agriculture and logging sales tax exemptions, and revisions to the Pregnancy Resource Act.
Near the end of the calendar, senators chose to pass and retain several remaining items rather than take final action, and leadership noted the need to move bills off the calendar in the next session. The Senate then moved to announcements, including committee meetings and a bipartisan social event, and several members requested that the journal reflect adjournment in memory of named individuals. The chamber ultimately agreed to recess until later that day or until the last committee report was filed, with the journal to reflect adjournment until the next morning.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JHA Public Hearing - Tue Jan 28, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- The majority in the Senate can, through votes, reject our appointments.
- The majority in the Senate can, through votes, reject our appointments.
- The majority in the Senate can, through votes, reject our appointments.
- The majority in the Senate can, through votes, reject our appointments.
- The majority in the Senate can, through votes, reject our appointments.
Summary:
The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs held its first hearing of the 33rd Legislature and heard several measures, beginning with HB 131, which would allow agencies to disclose government records to researchers for certain purposes and direct the Office of Information Practices to adopt uniform rules. OIP supported the bill, saying it would help researchers access government records, while DLNR questioned whether the bill was necessary, raised concerns about costs and exemptions, and suggested a definition change regarding media. The Public First Law Center and other supporters said the bill would not remove existing exemptions or create new disclosure requirements, but would simply authorize rulemaking to create a clearer process for research access. Common Cause Hawaiʻi raised concern about including news media in the measure. The chair emphasized that the rulemaking process would allow agencies and the public to work through details, and the committee moved on without a recorded vote in the transcript.
The committee then heard HB 411, which would create uniform administrative penalty procedures under the state ethics code and lobbyist law, and HB 412, which would expand lobbying definitions to cover certain communications with high-level executive officials about procurement and make some contracts voidable if awarded through unethical lobbying. The Ethics Commission supported HB 411 as an efficiency measure that would streamline the charge process without changing substantive rights, while HB 412 was described as a narrow transparency measure modeled on other states. The State Procurement Office warned that voiding contracts could cause delays, warranty issues, third-party complications, and higher reprocurement costs. The Ethics Commission responded that any contract revocation would be at the Attorney General’s discretion and likely reserved for egregious cases, and that the threat of voiding a contract would help deter noncompliance. The committee also heard HB 413, which clarifies that lobbyist campaign contribution prohibitions apply during periods when both houses of the Legislature are in session; the Ethics Commission and Campaign Spending Commission both supported the bill and the Ethics Commission requested amendments to clarify jurisdiction between state and county lobbyist enforcement.
Finally, the committee took up HB 149, which would require domestic and foreign corporations to report independent expenditures and political contributions to shareholders. The only testimony noted in the transcript was written comments from Matson, which said the requirement would be expensive and cumbersome and that the information is already publicly available through existing campaign finance reporting websites. No votes or final committee actions on the bills were recorded in the provided transcript.
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
New York State Senate Session - 02/05/2026
New York Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- >> IN RELATION TO CALENDAR 36, VOTING IN NEGATIVE ARE SENATORS, ASHBY, BASKIN, BORRELLO, BYNOE,
- >> IN RELATION TO CALENDAR 171, VOTING IN NEGATIVE ARE SENATORS BORRELLO, LANZA, OBERACKER, AND
- >> IN RELATION TO CALENDAR 187, VOTING IN NEGATIVE ARE SENATORS BORRELLO, CHAN, GALLIVAN, GRIFFO
- >> IN RELATION TO CALENDAR 186, VOTING IN NEGATIVE ARE SENATOR WALCZYK. AYES 57, NAYs 1.
- The result was announced: in relation to Calendar 213, the senators voting in the negative were Senators
Summary:
The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Imam Tahir Kukaj of the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, who offered remarks about gratitude, diversity, and support for Kosovo’s independence. The Journal was approved, and the chamber then took up several previously adopted resolutions, including Resolution 1516 commemorating the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence and Resolution 1317 honoring the Stillwater Girls Varsity Soccer Team and Head Coach Christine Ihnatolya for winning the NYSPHSAA Class C state championship. Both resolutions were adopted, and the sponsors were authorized to seek additional co-sponsors.
The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed a series of bills, including measures on environmental conservation, education, public health, civil service, penal law, public service, labor, and a retroactive real property tax exemption for the Silver Lake Foundation. Most bills passed with broad support, though several drew recorded no votes from a small group of senators. Senator Fahy explained her vote on a bill renaming an OASAS scholarship in honor of Father Peter Young, emphasizing his work on addiction, incarceration, and homelessness.
Two items drew extended debate. On Calendar 141, Senator Walczyk appealed the chair’s ruling that an amendment to a public service bill was nongermane; the Senate voted 21 to overrule the chair, so the ruling stood, and the bill then passed 52-6. On Calendar 213, Senators Kavanagh and Borrello debated a food-safety bill concerning disclosure of certain food ingredients and chemicals; supporters said it would improve transparency and protect children’s health, while opponents argued federal action was already underway and a national standard would be preferable. After the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar, it passed 56-2. The Senate then adjourned until Monday, February 9 at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days as legislative days.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- We will vote whenever we get a quorum; we'll call roll and vote when we get a quorum.
- Because I can tell you, in every major city in this country, and in rural parts of this country, the
- to see how backward they were about the transparency of the fees that the licensees in their state charged
- transparency.
- We invest in roads, we invest in water, we invest in telecommunications; we also have to be willing to
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Legislative Audit Committee Jun 1st, 2026
Joint Legislative Audit
Transcript Highlights:
- We'll now move on to our regular calendar, and we're proceeding in sign-in order.
- Thank you in the appropriate time. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you, Senator.
- In a calendar year.
- We'll get some information that will be very helpful to the Legislature in terms of transparency.
- We are in adjournment.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- chambers; we're voting in our committees and taking multiple votes that people have every right to know
- Forty members having voted in the affirmative, none in the negative, the conference report is accepted
- It's been recorded. 39 members have voted in the affirmative. None in the negative.
- Five members have voted in the affirmative. Thirty-four in the negative.
- All members have been recorded. 37 members having voted in the affirmative, 3 in the negative, the measure
Summary:
The Senate first adopted three congratulatory resolutions recognizing the retirements of Dolores Hayes, Lisa Audet, and Kate Fitzpatrick. It then handled several procedural matters, including suspending Joint Rule 12 to refer a sick leave bank bill for a Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office employee to the Committee on Public Service and referring House petitions to their respective committees. The chamber also adopted a conference report on the joint rules for the 2025-2026 session after remarks from Senators Creem, Tarr, Lovely, and Fattman emphasizing transparency, public access, recorded votes, longer notice for hearings and conference reports, remote participation, and periodic review of the rules. The report was accepted by a 40-0 roll call.
The Senate then took up the bill strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth, Senate No. 2538, commonly described as Shield Act 2.0. Senator Friedman and others argued the bill was needed to protect reproductive and gender-affirming care from out-of-state and federal interference, to limit disclosure of sensitive information, to create a state-level EMTALA-style protection for emergency care and active labor, and to strengthen privacy and licensing protections for providers and institutions. Senators Cyr, Lovely, and Fattman also spoke in support, framing the bill as a response to recent federal and state threats and as an extension of Massachusetts’ prior shield-law work.
The chamber considered numerous amendments. Several were rejected, including amendments by Senators Finegold and Keenan and multiple Tarr amendments on topics such as medical records, consistency with existing law, and public health data collection. Some amendments were adopted, including a Montigny amendment on health-connected data disclosure, a Brownsberger amendment further protecting privacy for reproductive and gender-affirming care, a Rauch amendment clarifying protections for patients in active labor, a Tarr amendment removing an exemption for data from personal tracking devices, and a Rodrigues corrective amendment. After the amendments, the Ways and Means substitute was adopted, the bill was ordered to a third reading, and it then passed to be engrossed by a 37-3 roll call.
At the end of the session, the Senate adopted a memorial adjournment in honor of former Senate Majority Leader Louis P. Bertinazi. The Governor also filed a message submitting a bill to build resilience for Massachusetts communities, authorizing future capital spending for energy and environmental affairs, which was referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. The Senate then adopted an order to meet again the following Monday at 1 p.m. and adjourned.