Transcript Highlights:

• They are a very small but mighty nonprofit.
• They are a very small but mighty nonprofit.
• We are like running a small hospital or a small city.
• small city um we a small hospital or a small city um we are<00:31:56.000> Minnesota's<00:31:56.600
• farmers and farmer groups that are small farmers and farmer groups that are small and<00:48:44.559

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• available in small towns. available in small towns.
• small Sullivan County has a lot of small small Sullivan County has a lot of small volunteer<04:03
• district, I have a lot of small district, I have a lot of small businesses.<05:08:47.200> I
• I have uh small um uh garages.
• that the biggest issue that small that the biggest issue that small businesses<05:09:05.840>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• small amendment and here you go. Sorry. small amendment and here you go. Sorry.
• This is not a small county workload, and I represent a lot of small counties.
• :15:56.159> counties, and I represent a lot of small counties, and I represent a lot of small
• <01:15:58.000> county and I respect what my small county and I respect what my small county
• So it is big, we're not small.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and made several announcements, including recognition of Liberty Common High School seniors and Canyon Creek Elementary students visiting the Capitol. Committee meeting notices were also given for Judiciary and Transportation, Housing, and Local Government. The chamber then took up House Joint Resolution 1027, a Holocaust remembrance resolution sponsored by Representatives Weinberg and Woodrow and Senators Weissman and Ball. The resolution emphasized the history of the Holocaust, the rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Colorado and nationally, the importance of Holocaust and genocide education, and the need to combat bias and hate. Several members spoke in support, including personal reflections from Representatives Woodrow, Weinberg, Goldstein, and others about family history, survivor testimony, and the importance of remembrance and prevention. The House adopted HJR 1027 by vote, and Representatives Rutnell and Lindsay were added as co-sponsors. The chamber then set a slate of bills as special orders for April 14, 2026. In committee-of-the-whole action, House Bill 1288 on jury selection was amended and passed; the amended bill creates a jury selection working group to study voir dire, juror questionnaires, and related issues, with a public report and Supreme Court review of any proposed rule changes. House Bill 1224 on financial protections for mobile home park residents was also taken up, with committee reports adopted and discussion focused on transparency in park sales, resident purchase opportunities, disclosures, and due diligence protections. Representative Richardson offered amendment L006 to adjust how a state registration fee is allocated, describing it as a flexibility and transparency measure, while the sponsor responded that the bill was keeping the fee structure stable and that the existing split had been negotiated with stakeholders.

Transcript Highlights:

• Small businesses will feel that. Prices will increase.
• I'm a small.
• But small business owners are also parents.
• AB 1349 is another swipe at a small Latino-owned business.
• AB 1349 is another swipe at a small Latino-owned business.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 56, which would require social media platforms to display a warning label about potential mental health harms from prolonged use, with amendments shortening the initial warning and allowing immediate access to the platform. The author and supporters, including a parent who lost a daughter to suicide and a therapist, argued that social media contributes to teen anxiety, self-harm, and other harms and that families need clearer public health information. Opponents from tech and civil liberties groups argued the bill would be ineffective, burdensome, and likely unconstitutional, saying it would create warning fatigue and should be replaced by more targeted tools and digital literacy measures. Several members discussed emergency access concerns, language access, and whether the warning should be more actionable; the bill was moved on a 9-0 vote to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then took up AB 358, which would amend CalECPA to allow law enforcement, with the victim’s consent, to inspect certain abandoned tracking or surveillance devices found in a victim’s home, vehicle, or personal property without first obtaining a warrant. The author and a San Diego prosecutor said the bill is narrowly tailored to devices used solely for spying and is intended to help stalking and domestic violence survivors act quickly before evidence is lost. Opponents from EFF and the ACLU warned the bill would weaken warrant protections, create a loophole around CalECPA, and reduce transparency and accountability. Members debated Fourth Amendment issues, abandonment, and the practical need for rapid access; the bill passed the committee on a 9-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1137, which builds on last year’s CSAM reporting law by allowing any user to report child sexual abuse material, requiring clearer reporting mechanisms, adding human review in some cases, and mandating third-party audits and public reporting. Supporters, including survivor advocates and a parent of a child victim, said the bill would reduce the burden on survivors and improve removal of abusive content. Tech industry opponents said they support the goal but objected to the human-review mandate, public audit disclosures, and enforcement provisions, arguing they could create security risks and compliance burdens. Members generally supported the bill’s intent but raised questions about audit frequency and human review; the bill was moved on call with seven votes at the time of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Write me a small paragraph and I'll include that and send it forward. We'll do. Okay.
• Unfortunately, the number of times that the case has been proven as deed theft is pretty small.
• I can get the actual number, but it's pretty small percentage-wise that have actually been determined
• Unfortunately, the number of times that the case has been proven as deed theft is pretty small.
• I can get the actual number, but it's pretty small percentage-wise that I've actually been determined

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Banking Committee met with Chair James Sanders Jr. and reviewed a full agenda of banking-related bills. Early action included approval of a bill requiring licensed check cashers to file suspicious activity reports, and a bill on civil penalties for fraud or misrepresentation in financial products or services, though several members objected to removing the intentionality standard and warned it could broaden enforcement too far and discourage lending in New York. The committee also advanced a bill prohibiting fees for periodic paper statements, a bill on asset-based lending transactions, and a bill requiring reporting of suspected financial exploitation. Members spent substantial time on a bill regulating automated lending decision tools. The sponsor and chair said the measure would allow AI use but require a human review or appeal if a borrower is denied, while some senators raised concerns about competitiveness for state-chartered banks and possible overlap with existing human oversight. The bill was reported out and referred to the Internet and Technology Committee for further review. The committee also approved a DFS study bill on the financial stability and licensing of the check-cashing industry, with a suggestion that the study also examine risks of expanding the industry. A major discussion centered on the “Deep Protection Act,” aimed at preventing foreclosures tied to deed theft. The sponsor described cases involving elderly homeowners and fraudulent transfers, while opponents argued the bill was vague, could create unintended consequences or private litigation, and might affect only a small share of mortgages because it applies to state-chartered institutions. The sponsor said the bill would be amended and noted interest in related county clerk reforms. The committee ultimately sent the bill to Judiciary. The final bills addressed mortgage payment schedule fees and unsolicited mail loan checks; both were approved. The meeting ended after the chair emphasized open debate and committee review as part of improving legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what we had been using for rooftop solar, small ag, and small business was 30 from the fed.
• So, Glenn Felty, the owner and founder of a small solar company, Sunstate Solar, here in Albuquerque.
• We've had a small layoff already and hope to retain employees with the passage of this bill.
• This bill helps not just families, but also our small businesses, our farmers, and our Native communities
• One of the reasons that the use of this is also for small business and small ag is that it increases

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we see this as a small step in providing the opportunity for anglers throughout Minnesota to be able
• under the age of 15, 16, um, you're in that 30% of Minnesota population is an angler, and this is a small
• <00:02:43.920> the<00:02:44.239> opportunity small step in providing the opportunity
• small step in providing the opportunity for<00:02:45.040> anglers<00:02:45.519> throughout
• <00:03:14.560> step and this is we see this as a small step and this is we see this as a small

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:47:31.920> investments federal funds those small investments federal funds those small
• <01:23:43.040> rural missing the boat in our small rural missing the boat in our small rural
• project was to be dropped on a small project was to be dropped on a small community. community.
• specifically address the needs of small specifically address the needs of small communities<02:02
• I say that meaning our small I say that meaning our small communities,<03:15:49.520> your

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Small state like us who rely on severance taxes, which are very volatile.
• This was a very small fund until 2024.
• See, it's very small compared to the general revenue. $166 million because it's very small compared to
• Small. Not small. I mean, it's average, right? It's about inflation.
• So I'm just reading it, and then you've got some other small money.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It can start small, but it grows exponentially.
• We all know Texas is big, but in Texas, venture capital is small.
• it harder for small businesses to grow and compete and to hire new people.
• Um, as a small business owner, I understand how important it is.
• And so to Doctor Oliverson's point, you, we would be using a, a small portion, not a small but a significant

Bills: HB104

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tax rate election, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, de minimis rate, local government, special district, tax increase, tax notice, public hearing, tax code, Health and Safety Code, Texas property taxes, taxing unit, election threshold, two-thirds vote, majority vote, budget approval

Transcript Highlights:

• The majority of our members are small and mid-size businesses.
• Majority of our members are small state.
• Majority of our members are small and<00:08:38.880> mid-size<00:08:39.360> businesses.
• Depending on the workplace, small business owners could be forced to reconfigure their workspace and
• All things that come with a cost that is difficult for small businesses to absorb.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3796, as amended by a DE2 amendment, and the amendment was adopted on a voice vote. Representative Jones described the bill as creating a reasonable expectation that employees can sit when the nature of the work allows it, and said the DE2 clarified language with help from the Department of Labor and Industry and added a penalty for violations. She said the bill was inspired by constituents who work in a museum and by concerns about the health effects of prolonged standing, including back and leg pain, fatigue, cardiovascular issues, and pregnancy-related harms. Supporters testified that the bill would improve worker health and safety and reflect common-sense accommodations. A former Walker Arts Center union president described a dispute over stools for gallery assistants, saying workers were told they needed a doctor’s note to use them and that the union gathered signatures and other support after the employer restricted seating. A UFCW representative said seating makes ergonomic sense, can reduce injuries and workers’ compensation costs, and may reduce ADA-related issues, especially for cashiers. Opposition came from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business, both of which argued the bill was too vague and could create compliance and litigation problems for employers. They raised questions about what counts as reasonable seating, adequate numbers of seats, and reasonable proximity, and worried about impacts on small businesses, tight workspaces, and industries such as retail, food service, hospitality, nursing, and meatpacking. Department of Labor and Industry staff explained that enforcement would likely begin with technical assistance and an inform-and-educate process, with investigations and possible penalties if compliance could not be achieved. Members also questioned statewide impact and fiscal effects. The chair laid over House File 3796 as amended for further discussion, with no final vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also grew up in a really small town, Lake Arthur, down in the southeastern part of the state, so I
• And I am grateful that in those experiences, both growing up as small-track water users and the water
• Sales range from very small amounts of less than a hundred dollars in a single purchase all the way to
• Importantly, 82% of our purchases were sourced from small and mid-scale producers, and operations of
• Unfortunately, in our area, there are very few institutional buyers willing to work with small-scale

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I talked to a gentleman the other day at a small company.
• Just a small, and that's just a small operator.
• And I will note that if you're in a small county under 75,000, We'll note that if you're in a small county
• Business owners take a small amount of money each month on each employee they have... ...take a small
• I didn't, I do represent a small county.

Bills: S0216, S0246, S0356, S0388, S0470, S0488, S0490, S0528, S0584, S0594

Keywords: reemployment assistance, fraud prevention, eligibility verification, Department of Commerce, benefit disqualification, specialty license plate, specialty plates, motor vehicle registration, license plate fees, annual use fees, Florida DHSMV, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, deauthorization, financial reporting, nonprofit organizations, college license plates, university license plates, veterans plates, law enforcement plates, Fraternal Order of Police

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered ten bills, beginning with SB 594 on local housing assistance plans. Senator Burton explained that the bill would make residents of mobile home parks and manufactured housing communities eligible for SHIP rental assistance and, in some cases, repair or rehabilitation funds, recognizing that many own their homes but rent the lot. Supporters from AARP and the Federation of Manufactured Homeowners said the bill would help seniors and low-income residents remain housed. The bill was reported favorably by a roll call vote. Members then approved two Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles measures: SB 488, the agency package updating Florida’s motor fuel tax compliance with IFTA, allowing online filing and private license plate agencies to act as agents, raising the crash-damage reporting threshold, expanding email communications, and updating tank vehicle compliance; and SB 490, a related public records exemption for email addresses collected for renewal notices. Both were reported favorably without opposition. The committee also passed SB 246, creating a specialty license plate for the UFC Foundation, despite concerns raised that the foundation is based out of state and that the plate was politically motivated; the bill was approved on a split vote. The committee gave favorable reports to SB 216 on reemployment assistance eligibility, which would tighten job-search requirements, require more frequent eligibility verification, and add reporting on fraudulent claims. The bill drew substantial opposition from labor and policy advocates who argued it would add barriers for unemployed workers, especially in rural and skilled-trades jobs, and that the state’s unemployment system remains difficult to navigate. Supporters said the bill was aimed at fraud prevention and ensuring claimants remain eligible. SB 356 on utility terrain vehicles generated extensive debate over safety, local control, and whether UTVs should be allowed on certain roads; supporters emphasized rural utility and law enforcement benefits, while opponents cited manufacturer warnings and crash risks. The sponsor ultimately temporarily postponed the bill. The committee also reported favorably SB 528 on manufacturing, which expands the Department of Commerce’s manufacturing responsibilities, codifies the chief manufacturing officer position, and creates workforce development grant support; SB 584 on commercial driving schools, which authorizes DHSMV agreements with county tax collectors to help enforce school regulation; and SB 388, which raises the annual use fee for the Florida Wildflower specialty plate from $15 to $25 to support the Florida Wildflower Foundation. The final bill, SB 470 on the Fraternal Order of Police specialty plate, was introduced as a measure to broaden eligibility for the existing plate and stabilize funding for law enforcement memorial efforts, but no final action on that bill was reached in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's kind of the same, and it could be anything from a small collection of detached homes all the way
• That means more opportunities for small-time builders, more opportunities for people that have, like,
• I appreciate you're mentioning the small landlords and people who say to you that...
• I feel like a lot to a lot of those very small landlords who really do struggle and...
• It's also a really good solution for small yards and has a really light footprint on the land.

Summary: The committee met for work sessions on land banking/shared homeownership and on maximizing existing housing stock. Members first heard an overview from Commerce on alternative homeownership models, including community land trusts, limited equity cooperatives, condominiums, accessory dwelling units, middle housing, church land for housing, and public land transfers. The discussion focused on how these models can help households build equity while keeping housing permanently affordable. Committee members asked about statewide counts of co-ops and land trusts, and Commerce said it does not track all of those entities directly. Pierce County staff then described the Pierce County Community Development Corporation’s rapid acquisition fund and its role in acquiring, holding, and transferring public land for affordable housing. They said the county used general fund and affordable housing sales tax dollars to buy properties, preserve a manufactured home park through resident ownership, and create a pipeline of sites for future development. Members asked about the advantages of a public development authority, funding sources, the use of surplus and underutilized public property, and how the model works with housing authorities. Spokane land bank staff followed with testimony that land banks can reduce blight, preserve affordability, and help nonprofits acquire land quickly, but that holding costs and taxes can make the work harder without state support. They also described brownfield assessments, donated properties, and work on Black homeownership and public surplus properties. The committee then heard from the Northwest Cooperative Development Center on limited equity cooperatives, especially in manufactured housing communities. The witness said Washington now has about 43 limited equity co-ops and that recent subsidy funding and legislation have accelerated resident purchases of manufactured home communities. Members asked how residents benefit from capped equity, how values are affected, and whether the model improves access to lending; the witness said the model stabilizes costs, allows modest equity gains, and that a recent law allowing manufactured homes in co-ops to be titled as real property should improve access to traditional financing. The committee also discussed House Bill 1974 from the prior session and possible updates to land banking legislation. In the second work session on maximizing existing housing stock, Commerce reviewed recent housing laws and implementation timelines, including ADUs, middle housing, condo liability reform, SEPA changes, tiny homes, and co-living. Members raised concerns about the long implementation horizon, vacancy data, corporate ownership of homes, and the need for better support for small landlords and first-time ADU owners. Sightline then testified on mobile dwelling units, arguing that RVs, tiny houses on wheels, and similar units are a low-cost, quick-to-install housing option that is often blocked by zoning; the witness said many Washington residents already live in these units, often informally. Finally, AARP discussed housing options for older adults, including ADUs, missing middle, manufactured home communities, co-living, universal design, and village-style support models, emphasizing aging in place and the need for more accessible, affordable housing choices.

Transcript Highlights:

• to get into small farming and to succeed. I think we've asked to double the amount that we can.
• We have long roots within how the agriculture industry works in our small rural communities.
• A small fraction of the need is for us to be able to turn on the tap.
• And that's just a small part of the problem.
• This relatively small investment would substantially help many graduates of Texas Tech.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Robinsdale is full of small one- to one-and-a-half-story homes on small lots.
• Robinsdale is full of small one- to one-and-a-half-story homes on small lots.
• Robinsdale is full of small one- to one-and-a-half-story homes on small lots.
• Robinsdale is full of small one- to one-and-a-half-story homes on small lots.
• to one and a half story homes on small to one and a half story homes on small Lots<00:09:20.880>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• but we're constrained by the the small but we're constrained by the the small number<00:51:20.880
• some cases where it may be a small some cases where it may be a small buildable<00:54:52.079>
• that there's one class of small that there's one class of small businesses<02:08:50.719> that
• businesses, move a we can support small businesses, move a small<02:10:03.119> inclusion<02:10
• um, trying to help our small businesses. um, trying to help our small businesses.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• small tweak, to this.
• small tweak, to this.
• small tweak, to this.
• small tweak, to this.
• We have in the tails a very, very small possible hopeful surplus, ever so small.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4252 and first heard a walkthrough of a DE2 amendment that largely incorporated Office of Higher Education technical and statutory cleanup items, including reporting consolidations, updates to postsecondary registration and licensing statutes, and an anti-fraud provision. New provisions in the DE2 would require public postsecondary institutions to explain developmental courses before enrollment and obtain a written acknowledgement, revise the state grant tuition cap, add a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation in FY 2027 for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and provide $5,000 one-time funding for reforestation at Bemidji State University. Fiscal staff also noted additional special revenue fund revenue and expenditures tied to licensing and registration litigation response. The main debate centered on the A8 amendment offered by Representative Rarick, which would require the governor to appoint University of Minnesota regents only from candidates recommended by the joint legislative committee if the legislature fails to elect regents. Rarick argued the amendment was needed to address what he described as conflicts of interest and pay-to-play concerns in recent gubernatorial appointments. Several members questioned whether the language was constitutional, whether it actually addressed conflicts of interest, and whether it should instead refer to ARCAC-screened or ARCAC-recommended candidates. Nonpartisan staff said the governor’s appointment power is addressed in the university charter, not directly in the constitution, but could not definitively assess constitutionality if challenged. Members were divided: some supported the goal of cleaner governance but said the amendment was not ready or did not match the problem being described; others argued the legislature had failed to complete its own regent appointments and that the amendment was a response to that failure. No vote on the A8 amendment or the bill was reached in the portion provided, though a roll call was requested on the amendment and the chair indicated the bill would continue through amendment consideration before final discussion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• neighborhood development company small neighborhood development company small businesses<00:13:27.800
• <00:13:50.320> businesses it's devastating for small businesses it's devastating for small
• construction like this impacts our small construction like this impacts our small business<00:14
• same situation and I feel as a small same situation and I feel as a small business<00:20:24.720>
• business owner I feel for your small business owner I feel for your small businesses<00:20:26.840

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They are great donors to the community, and I think would just love a small recognition that once you
• recognition that once just love a small recognition that once you<00:14:18.160> reach you reach
• business loan program is a our small business loan program is a very<00:32:14.039> popular<00
• <01:08:30.679> particles through the air and small particles through the air and small particles
• <01:20:41.480> portion small portion small portion uh<01:20:44.120> important<01:20:44.480

Bills: HF276, HF413, HF411

Keywords: human services, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, long-term services and supports, LTSS, public assistance, application process, eligibility determination, customer service survey, wait times, form complexity, lead agencies, Department of Human Services, Department of Children Youth and Families, streamlining, administrative reform, case management, reassessment, intake system, adaptive eligibility form