Transcript Highlights:

• But please know, it's impactful to the committee to hear your story. So thank you.
• protects or prevents genetic test results on their own from being used to deny coverage or dramatically inflate
• As you've heard, some people refuse genetic testing, fearing that it will impact their ability to get
• As you've heard, some people refuse genetic testing, fearing that it will impact their ability to get

Bills: H5112 , S2921 , H4914

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: genetic discrimination, genetic testing, genetic information, DNA, hereditary risk, insurance underwriting, life insurance, health insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, medical privacy, consumer protection, anti-discrimination, insurer regulation, Commissioner of Insurance, chapter 176D, underwriting, hereditary disease, genomics, travel insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• So to adjust for inflation, the fee goes from $3,000 to $4,000 for an original license, and then the
• He believes that it does not impact his ability to drive a car.
• And so autism, so there's not going to be any fiscal impact for them to add that. Follow up.
• They have indicated that there will be zero fiscal impact to making these changes and they are fully

Bills: HB4284 , HB1250 , HB4190 , HB3086

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: animal abuse, offender registry, public safety, animal welfare, criminal justice, Oklahoma legislation, local law enforcement, Public Safety Technology Revolving Fund, grants, state funding, law enforcement technology, cyber crime, fraud prevention, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, insurance fee, digital forensics, investigative support, revolving fund, prisons, corrections

Transcript Highlights:

• So to adjust for inflation, the fee goes from $3,000 to $4,000 for an original license, and then the
• He believes that it does not impact his ability to drive a car.
• And so autism, so there's not going to be any fiscal impact for them to add that. Follow up.
• They have indicated that there will be zero fiscal impact to making these changes, and they are fully

Summary: The committee took up a series of House bills, adopting several PCS/committee substitutes by unanimous consent before hearing each measure. HB 3521, the Oklahoma Money Transmission Modernization Act, would consolidate money transmission law, add licensing for payment processors and digital asset kiosks, require Oklahoma licensure and home-state licensure, and raise certain fees; it passed 5-0. HB 4153 updated driver licensing language to reference Service Oklahoma instead of the Department of Public Safety and passed without objection. HB 3691 would allow applicants for a Class D license to self-certify medical ability to drive safely, addressing privacy concerns for a constituent with depression; it passed 6-0. HB 3045 expanded an existing prohibition on municipalities charging service fees for emergency responses to include fire departments, with an amendment exempting volunteer/rural fire departments; after discussion about taxing versus feeing for services, it passed 4-3. The committee also advanced HB 2977, which would let deaf or hard-of-hearing drivers voluntarily note that status on their license to help law enforcement during traffic stops; Service Oklahoma said there would be no fiscal impact, and the bill passed 4-0. HB 4408 would codify how the 780-781 Community Safety Fund savings are calculated, using a formula developed by LOFT and the court system; LOFT testified the language would make the calculation definitive, and the bill passed 7-0. HB 3152 would give Corporation Commission officers authority at ports of entry to arrest and transport violators with pending warrants within their current jurisdiction, reducing the need to call other agencies; it passed 7-0. HB 4058, with an amendment correcting “diver” to “driver,” would allow Oklahomans to add their blood type to a driver’s license as a voluntary option to raise awareness and potentially aid emergency care; it passed 7-0. HB 3982 would create temporary tags for commercial vehicles and extend tag periods for certain in-state and out-of-state vehicles to address registration delays; it passed 7-0. Finally, HB 3115 would change Department of Corrections director qualifications to require either certified peace officer status or 10 years of corrections experience, set the appointment term at five years, and limit removal to a two-thirds legislative vote; it passed after brief discussion. The chair noted this was likely the last Public Safety Committee meeting of the session before Senate bills are considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• IN PARTICULAR I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR DEDICATION CLEARLY ON ISSUES THAT IMPACT CHILDREN IN OUR STATE.
• THEY HAVE PROFOUND AND SOMETIMES PERMANENT IMPACTS ON FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES AND ON OUR ECONOMY.
• PANDEMIC ERA INFLATION DID AND NUMBER ON THE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL ECONOMY. THE IMPACT IS REAL.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every day, I see the impact that dedicated, passionate.
• Moreover, while inflation has impacted the cost of all aspects of the universe, the costs associated
• As both inflation and enrollment. have increased.
• That's 100,000 new students in inflation.
• How will vouchers impact your schools?

Bills: SB451 , SB762 , SB1490 , SB1262 , SB1459 , SB1750 , SB1962 , SB2252 , SB2253 , SB2365

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• all... ...be sued for because we're impacting or trampling on the dormant commerce clause.
• And so you don't see this at all impacting that? The Constitution?
• Representative McMakin, is this adjustment part driven in part by inflation? Yes, sir. Okay.
• And when they do, the impact depends on placement and proximity.
• I don't see an amendment impacting paragraph E.

Bills: HB220 , HB259 , HB463 , HB536 , HB750 , HB830 , HB950

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Keywords: child exploitation, online reporting, platforms, cyber crime, PROTECT Act, excavation, demolition, infrastructure repair, BEAD Program, utility damage, construction coordination, contact point, emergency services, telephone charge, wireless service, reporting requirements, communications district, wireless communication, school safety, community permits

Transcript Highlights:

• We certainly are impacted by the funding cuts sent our way by H.R. 1, which passed by one vote in the
• We are impacted by those decisions when tariffs are announced.
• Those impact us; they acutely impact us here in Washington.
• House of Representatives impact Washingtonians as much as they impact people in Texas or North Carolina
• the people's right to initiative, this one seems to impact it.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2260, House Joint Resolution 4209, and House Bill 2259, with testimony and questions on each. HB 2260 would require petition signature gatherers to sign and date each petition sheet, provide their address and county, and require voters’ residence addresses for signature verification; supporters said this would improve accountability and help prevent fraud or duplicate signatures, while opponents argued it would burden volunteers, risk disenfranchising voters who move or use incomplete addresses, and add unnecessary penalties. The Secretary of State and former Secretary of State opposed the bill, saying existing verification methods are effective and that the measure could create costly, unintended barriers. HB 2259 would require 1,000 registered-voter signatures before filing an initiative or referendum and prohibit pay-per-signature compensation, with civil penalties and a private right of action; supporters said it would reduce frivolous filings, title shopping, and fraud incentives, while opponents said it would chill initiative activity, especially for rural communities and referenda with tight timelines. The Secretary of State and former Secretary of State also opposed HB 2259, saying the initiative process should remain accessible and that the bill would add barriers and workload. House Joint Resolution 4209 would amend the state constitution to allow the legislature to modify congressional districts mid-decade by simple majority if another state adopts a new congressional map absent a court order. The prime sponsor argued Washington should not unilaterally stay passive if other states engage in partisan mid-decade redistricting, while opponents said the proposal would weaken Washington’s bipartisan redistricting system, set a bad precedent, and invite retaliation. Testimony on the resolution was sharply divided, with supporters warning that partisan redistricting elsewhere threatens fair representation and opponents saying Washington should preserve its existing commission-based process rather than respond in kind. The hearing on HJR 4209 was concluded after testimony. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the excerpt. The chair suspended and reopened hearings as planned, and testimony was taken on all three measures, with HB 2260 and HB 2259 drawing extensive public comment and questions about fraud, access, and administrative burden.

Transcript Highlights:

• Substance use disorder also disproportionately impacts our industry.
• The Board is here testifying as other, only as we are waiting whether there is a fiscal impact.
• The Board is here testifying as other, only as we are waiting whether there is a fiscal impact.
• Adjusted for inflation, growers are earning far less today than prior generations.
• Adjusted inflation, growers are earning far less today than prior generations.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several Labor and Workplace Standards bills. HB 2492 would require building and construction apprenticeship programs, beginning in 2027, to include two hours of behavioral health and wellness training covering topics such as suicide prevention, substance use disorder, recognizing distress, peer support, and connecting to resources. The prime sponsor and many labor, apprenticeship, and contractor witnesses supported the bill, describing high suicide and overdose rates in construction and sharing personal stories about losses and struggles in the trades. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard HB 2405, a Department of Labor and Industries request bill creating a pilot to allow earlier treatment for PTSD claims in workers’ compensation, including up to 11 treatment sessions before claim adjudication and limited follow-up treatment after closure. L&I and NFIB supported the measure as a way to speed treatment and reduce barriers, while one legal advocate supported it but raised technical concerns about pre-claim treatment and urged more focus on workplace prevention; another witness cautioned against emphasizing psychiatric drug treatment. The bill was heard only; no action was taken. HB 2406 would expand L&I’s ability to send notices electronically, with opt-in/opt-out provisions and some changes to timing rules for workers’ compensation and WISHA notices. L&I supported the bill as a modernization measure, while labor and workers’ advocates opposed changes affecting workers’ compensation notices, arguing that email should not become the default for vulnerable workers who may miss deadlines. HB 2478 would give L&I discretion, rather than a mandate, to investigate wage complaints and allow penalties when the department initiates an investigation; L&I supported it as a more efficient enforcement tool, and the committee discussed how complaints would still be handled and communicated. Finally, HB 2471 would create a state collective bargaining framework for private-sector workers if federal labor law or the NLRB no longer covers them. Supporters said it would preserve organizing and dispute-resolution rights if federal protections fail, while agricultural employers and NFIB opposed it, arguing it would inappropriately apply to agriculture and small businesses, could disrupt perishable harvests, and should rely on secret-ballot elections rather than card check. No votes were taken on any of the bills in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the dollars might impact more to us than the percentages.
• So if you're talking about impact for kids and impact both special education and all kids, you know,
• So what would the financial impact of that be if we lowered that threshold?
• financial impact that it would have.
• Is that—what's the impact on that? And how's that affecting school districts?

Committee: Joint Special Education Funding Committee

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 4, 2026 minutes, and received a lengthy Department of Public Instruction presentation from Stanley Schauer Jr. on North Dakota student performance data in math and ELA, with comparisons between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. Schauer explained the assessment systems used, the 1% alternate assessment cap for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the absence of 2019-20 data due to the pandemic, and how state standards are set by North Dakota educators. Members asked about cohort trends, the role of alternate assessments, grade-level patterns, and whether the state should focus more on reducing the novice category than on moving students from approaching to proficient. Schauer also discussed the new NDA Plus assessment, the state’s planned growth model, and the possibility of future breakdowns by disability category or by schools using science-of-math approaches. Special education educators testified that students with disabilities continued to receive services during COVID because of FAPE obligations, which likely helped limit learning loss, and emphasized that IEP teams focus on individual growth rather than only proficiency buckets. Committee members then shifted to special education funding and possible funding models. Brandon Bombach of Grand Forks Public Schools presented on the state aid formula, focusing on the special education weighting factor and arguing that the current formula does not adequately respond to growing student needs because it counts enrollment but does not adjust when the number of students with IEPs rises. He used examples to show that a district can have the same enrollment and receive the same weighting even if the number of students needing services increases. Members discussed whether the formula should be tied more closely to actual need and accountability, and the chair indicated that the committee would continue gathering data and ideas for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> we're not impacting local jurisdictions. we're not impacting local jurisdictions.
• And we know that this is a direct impact of the narrower definition to AGI.
• </c> more about the really important impact more about the really important impact of<00:15:17.520><c
• </c> just to understand the impact of this. just to understand the impact of this.
• ,</c><00:25:12.400><c> whereas</c> continued to follow inflation, whereas continued to follow inflation

Bills: HF2715 , HF2499 , HF3420 , HF3657 , HF2303

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Rising temperatures and extreme heat impacts.
• But no impact on projects, right? Correct.
• So we don't anticipate that it will have that impact because of the surplus.
• How are the L.A. fires impacting the generation of hazardous waste?
• We're seeing positive impacts on that front as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the inflated cost. the inflated cost.
• I'm the chief impact officer at the Groundbreak Coalition.
• Well, I think the developers are saying we can't do that because that impacts their profit.
• </c><00:56:57.960><c> on</c> the the slow and indirect impact on the the slow and indirect impact on
• </c> we can't do that because that impacts we can't do that because that impacts their<00:57:25.600><

Transcript Highlights:

• But the impacts, uh, the social impacts, when, uh, that could be there with intimidation within a county
• There's an economic impact to the focus on consolidation, for further and further getting bigger and
• uh the social county but the impacts uh the social impacts<00:02:47.080><c> when</c><00:02:48.080><c
• ><c> focus</c> there's an economic impact to the focus there's an economic impact to the focus on on
• </c><00:03:51.120><c> the</c> Hinman on the what about the impact the Hinman on the what about the impact

Summary: The committee heard extended discussion on House File 8, a bill aimed at changing Minnesota’s permitting and environmental review process. Supporters said the bill is intended to help small and medium-sized businesses and projects that face long delays, and argued that the proposal does not lower environmental standards. They described the bill as modeled in part on provisions used in other states, including a staggered permitting process and an expedited option, and said the goal is to improve transparency, reporting, and real-time public access to permit information. Members raised concerns about whether the bill could also benefit large corporations and major industrial projects, including mining and other large facilities, rather than just smaller businesses. Several lawmakers questioned the use of county-based public input, the lack of tribal consultation, and how the bill would interact with treaty rights and communities outside the affected county. Others argued that the bill could create risks by speeding permits for bad actors or by allowing larger entities to pay for expedited treatment. Testimony also referenced examples from the Minnesota Chamber’s report, with a witness disputing the claim that permitting alone drove companies out of Minnesota and saying those cases involved more complex facts. The committee first considered a motion to lay the bill on the table, but that motion failed on a 5-7 roll call. The committee then voted on a motion to re-refer House File 8, as amended, to the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. That motion passed 7-5, and the bill was sent on to that committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Had it already been in effect now we could be tracking the impacts of those wildfires and the impact
• From a fiscal standpoint AB 1056 is designed to minimize impact to the state.
• It's surprising that this bill gets a designation of zero fiscal impact.
• So, just to be clear, this bill would only impact those in the IOU service territories.
• It would have no impact on any of the munis. L-E-D-W-P, zero.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• The resulting impact has been detrimental to the accessibility of affordable housing.
• So the impact is more than simply the affordability of housing; it's also an economic impact.
• Counties regulating density in this manner have a direct impact on housing affordability and accessibility
• We're just going to do this because this is what we think we want, not realistic to what impact this
• We know you can't impact that, but we think this law can help. Thank you for being here today.

Bills: SB840 , HB2025 , HB2512 , HB3139 , HB3798 , HB3892 , HB4373 , HB4398 , HB4582 , HB4689 , HB5187 , HB5658 , HB5666

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: HB 2025, Texas Property Code, plat filing, replat, amended plat, condominium plat, subdivision, county clerk, tax certificate, ad valorem taxes, delinquent taxes, property records, real property, land use, local government, property development, subdivision recording, condominium recording, tax receipt, eminent domain

Transcript Highlights:

• monetary thresholds for estates eligible for expedited processes that have not been adjusted for inflation
• economic conditions, procedural barriers... ...expedited processes that have not been adjusted for inflation
• There are many other individuals and families who are impacted in similar ways.
• It is also worth noting that there are many other individuals and families who are impacted in similar

Bills: S0144 , S0192 , S0332 , S0532 , S0620 , S0694 , S0820 , S0888 , S1000 , S1224 , S1396 , S1500

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and first postponed SB 532. It then heard and approved SB 620, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board office to disclose any citizenship other than U.S. citizenship. The bill drew one waiver in opposition from Common Cause and passed 8-0. The committee also heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters said it would add transparency, limit funder control over litigation, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in funding; opponents argued it would create strategic advantages for defendants and could burden plaintiffs. The bill passed 7-2. The committee later approved SB 192, repealing a $1,500 cap on patient funds held in trust by chiropractic physicians, and SB 888, extending limits on indemnity and insurance requirements for design professionals in private contracts; both passed unanimously among those voting. The committee also approved several Judiciary-related measures. CS/SB 332, as amended, creates a narrow temporary public meetings/public records exemption for certain pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions by local governments, and passed 7-0. SB 820, which strengthens quarterly reporting requirements for problem-solving courts, passed 10-0. SB 1500, implementing probate process recommendations to raise small-estate thresholds, clarify access to safe deposit boxes, and improve enforcement in uncontested probate, also passed 10-0. SB 144, creating a public records exemption for personal information of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families due to harassment concerns, passed 9-1. The committee then approved CS/SB 1224, as amended, making it a third-degree felony to fraudulently obtain possession of a rental unit through false written statements, counterfeit documents, or impersonation; the bill passed 10-0. SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate, passed 10-0 after testimony from banking and credit union representatives and support from Senate leadership. Finally, CS/SB 694, providing compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four, was heard with emotional testimony from family members and advocates describing the wrongful convictions, killings, and decades-long effort for redress; an amendment specified equal shares for the four families, and the bill passed 10-0. Several members requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, it also impacts our energy demand, right? So now we can't use that hydrogen.
• The impacts on the not to build there.
• I want to help people who can’t pay their bills because we’re artificially inflating the cost.
• I what I see the biggest impact is that I what I see the biggest impact is that what<01:43:04.440><c>
• </c><01:44:45.400><c> also</c> that will really impact also that will really impact also not<01:44:47.000

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:24:11.520><c> Um,</c><01:24:11.920><c> also</c><01:24:12.400><c> I</c> be directly impacted by
• Um, also I be directly impacted by this.
• Um, I'm looking at, uh, I went on a field trip over Lake Winnipesaukee and saw many inflatables that
• Um, I'm looking at, uh, I went on a field trip over Lake Winnipesaukee and saw many inflatables that
• Thank you. inflatables that actually take um a inflatables that actually take um a massive<01:38:29.199

Summary: The committee began with introductions and a description of the day’s process: a full committee work session on four bills, with no public testimony, followed by caucus and then executive action. The first bill discussed was HB 113, concerning OHRV operation on certain highways in Windsor. Representative Nab presented an amendment that would require a public hearing and Department of Transportation approval, modeled on procedures used in Coös and Grafton counties. Members discussed whether Windsor had already held a local vote or hearing, whether minutes from a town meeting existed, and whether the amendment truly preserved local control. A Windsor resident testified informally that the town had not taken a final vote and that the matter had been left to the state. Committee members also raised concerns about noise, dust, public safety, and the fact that the road in question would connect OHRVs on a state road rather than a trail system. The chair closed the work session on HB 113 and said the committee would return after caucus to vote on the bill and amendment. The committee then took up HB 595FN, relative to coastal resilience zones. Representative Nat said the bill addressed flooding concerns in both coastal and inland New Hampshire, but that the sponsor viewed it as too complex and had recommended breaking the issue into separate parts in future legislation. On that basis, Nat said it was appropriate to ITL the bill, and noted that the sponsor supported that course. No further discussion followed, and the work session was closed. Next was HB 629FN, funding the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams. Representative Darby explained that the original bill had proposed both a waterfront frontage tax and a $5 charge tied to boat registration, but that the amendment would replace the bill by removing the frontage tax, moving the $5 dam-maintenance fee to the boat decal section of statute, and changing the effective date to January 1, 2027. Darby said the larger fee had raised concerns about impacts on current-use property and enforcement, while the revised $5 fee would raise roughly $500,000 to $600,000 annually. Representative Dunn thanked Darby and said the Marine Trades Association supported the revised approach. A question was raised about whether the original prime sponsors supported the amendment; the chair said they were on board, and Darby added that the proposal reflected recommendations from a prior study committee. The committee then closed HB 629FN and opened SB 27FN, relative to dwellings over water. On SB 27FN, Representative Derby said he opposed the bill because it would take away public access rights and amounted to a one-off legislative solution for a private concern. Representative Donnelly asked how many similar structures might be affected and whether the Department of Environmental Services knew of other cases; DES responded that there was one other related case under settlement compliance and no other active cases with the same issue. In follow-up discussion, DES clarified that the proposal was not a shoreland 50-foot setback issue, but rather involved structures extending over public water. The discussion remained focused on the scope of the bill and its potential precedent-setting effect, with no vote taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• impact in the 2027-29 biennium.
• impact in the 2027-29 biennium.
• And it doesn't necessarily impact accountability.
• And it doesn't necessarily impact accountability.
• negative impact on school districts.

Bills: HB2175 , HB2227 , HB2528 , HB2292 , HB2257 , HB2608

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: durable medical equipment, sales tax exemption, healthcare accessibility, cost reduction, nonprofit providers, affordable housing, real estate tax, exemption, housing policy, tax incentives, real estate excise tax, REET, growth management act, GMA, local government finance, capital facilities plan, comprehensive plan, county tax, city tax, voter approval

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, impact in our hometown areas.
• The average inflation rate during the Joe Biden, Kamala Harris era was 5%. Inflation is down.
• Inflation is down. The average inflation Inflation is down.
• </c><06:07:22.558><c> on</c> our economic record, the impact on our economic record, the impact on people
• </c><06:43:05.920><c> of</c> about the Medicaid coverage impacts of about the Medicaid coverage impacts