Transcript Highlights:

• after. ...areas of government with significant priority populations that it could be modeled after.
• Chairman, of the, um, critical and priority population mental health space, but just not in this Title
• So a good example of this would be the dual enrollment. They chose to take that one out.
• So a good example of this would be the<01:25:06.560> dual<01:25:06.800> enrollment.
• They chose to take the dual enrollment.

Bills: SF0032, SF0010, SF0001, HB0001

Keywords: 911 services, emergency response, grant funding, next generation technology, government accountability, public safety, mental health, detention, competency evaluation, treatment, contractual agreements, Wyoming, budget, funding, education, wildfire prevention, healthcare, community colleges, grants, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the number one priority. We desperately need a new chapter house Our roof is leaking.
• What will be the priorities here in New Mexico?
• Um, the enrollment now, do we have an idea? Are you going to expand? Because I think...
• Um, one of the barriers for enrollment access is the transportation.
• It's not easy Education is one of our biggest priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, it expands eligibility for priority registration for courses at public institutions of higher
• First, it expands eligibility<00:35:24.480> for<00:35:24.720> priority<00:35:25.280>
• registration eligibility for priority registration eligibility for priority registration for<00:
• existing statutory prohibitions on specific sexual activity for law enforcement officers with a student enrolled
• , I guess, oversight of a school resource officer, and once they turned 18 while they were still enrolled

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation by Reverend Jod Gun, whose prayer was journalized by unanimous consent. The chamber then recognized several guests, including representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, who were present for a resolution honoring Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week, as well as former Delegate and physician Dan Moheim, Towson University students, a veteran guest, and parents and young children visiting for Maryland Family Network’s Day in Annapolis. The Senate adopted a resolution recognizing the National Alliance on Mental Illness for its advocacy on tardive dyskinesia screening, early detection, and treatment, and designated May 5–9 as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. The resolution was read and adopted without objection. The chamber also unanimously welcomed the guest groups and thanked them for their service and advocacy. In second-reader action, the Senate advanced several bills with committee amendments adopted without objection. Senate Bill 113, the Longevity Ready Maryland Act, was amended to refine aging-related planning, website reporting, and Commission on Aging membership, then ordered to third reading. Senate Bill 123 updated the membership of the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities and was also sent to third reading. Senate Bill 336 extended the Task Force on the Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances for one year and added an HBCU representative. Senate Bill 394 expanded expedited partner therapy to bacterial vaginosis and added licensed certified midwives as authorized practitioners. Senate Bill 444 changed certificate-of-need requirements for certain intermediate care facilities, and Senate Bill 461 conformed the SNAP Heat and Eat Program to federal eligibility rules; both were advanced to third reading. The Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee then took up Senate Bill 108, which would authorize the Maryland Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties for certain water, wetlands, dam, and riparian-rights violations and expand administrative enforcement tools. Several senators raised concerns about the scope of the bill, its effect on shoreline restoration, dams, stormwater and wetlands enforcement, and whether it could allow penalties without adequate process or encourage payment instead of correction. The floor leader responded that the amendment requires notice, an informal meeting, and consideration of good-faith efforts before penalties are imposed in certain cases, and said the bill does not change permit requirements. The debate continued as members sought clarification on how the bill would apply to private dams, HOAs, farmers, and shoreline projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• But when you create a budget, you also create budget priorities.
• would ask those school districts that are looking at this from that particular lens to heighten the priorities
• Heighten the priority of their safety in your budget process.
• If we had a priority of ten things, I can't see how this is not almost top priority.
• When he was enrolled, we submitted extensive medical documentation confirming multiple.

Transcript Highlights:

• This appropriation of $55,000 helps us improve and make STARS accessible to students enrolled in alternative
• panel of staff, agency, and community partners, along with ongoing youth representatives, with a priority
• Priorities such as uplifting youth voices and substance abuse prevention.
• The Minnesota Youth Council gives us the important tools that we need to turn these priorities into positive
• student has the chance to reach their fullest potential by making school attendance a community priority

Bills: HF1966, HF54, HF2043, HF1171, HF2741

Keywords: HF1966, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, STARS program, alternative education, alternative programs, education finance, general fund appropriation, student support services, career readiness, employment skills, academic skills, social skills, student conferences, training grants, Minnesota Department of Education, specialized education, at-risk students, nontraditional education, HF54, Silver Lake

Transcript Highlights:

• When I enrolled in Access, I was provided with the support of job searching.
• When I enrolled in Access, I supervisor.
• When I enrolled in Access, I was<00:15:32.320> provided<00:15:32.560> with<00:15:32.720
• So that would be a priority on this program.
• So that would be a priority on this program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the needle forward in this space All right, well my my opinion at this point is it's not a high priority
• This is obviously what we do in the budget, which is grapple with priorities, but I certainly know that
• I witnessed them gain confidence, enroll in transfer level courses, and begin to reimagine their futures
• We just have to weigh all of the priorities but certainly. You can see the impact it's making.
• This is a mission priority.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Career development and technical pathways have been one of the top priorities.
• The top priorities we have had for multiple years, and we support it.
• That's your priority.
• Protecting our children should be a priority.
• It should be the top priority of every legislator out here, and I think it really is.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is the top priority for us at DHS, and to make sure that every dollar from the taxpayers is working
• That<00:03:39.440> is<00:03:39.640> the<00:03:40.320> top<00:03:40.640> priority
• for us at DHS That is the top priority for us at DHS and<00:03:43.120> to<00:03:43.240> make
• This would immediately save enrollment.
• <00:53:48.520> in providers that would be enrolling in providers that would be enrolling in

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you tell me what the legislative priorities are?
• That's our legislative priority: to work with the legislature.
• So our priority is to continue to serve and do what's best.
• That's our legislative priority: to work with the legislature.
• So our priority is to continue to serve and do what's best.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Nominations met to consider several gubernatorial nominees and first approved a slate of nominees left pending from the March 31 agenda. The committee voted 5-0 to favorably report those nominees to the full Senate for confirmation. Public testimony was then opened and later closed, with some listed witnesses not appearing. The committee heard testimony on Jerry K. Weldon II for the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors. Senators focused on stewardship of the Brazos River, the authority’s relationship to the legislature and the public, Sunset review, water quality and nutrient runoff, impaired waterways, and possible uses of constructed wetlands for aggregate mine reclamation. Weldon emphasized collaboration, transparency, and keeping the citizens of Texas as the authority’s primary customer. Commissioner Robert Vaughn was considered for reappointment to the Texas Transportation Commission. Discussion centered on TxDOT’s management, rural funding, population growth, project delivery, and the commissioner’s role on the audit committee. Doug McCreakin was considered for the Texas Tech University Board of Regents, with questions about legislative priorities, compliance with DEI-related state law, workforce development, rural medical education, and university partnerships. Jody Giles was considered for reappointment to the University of Texas Board of Regents, and Bernadette Carrasco Coleman for reappointment to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents; both discussed higher education priorities, PUF funding, compliance with state law, and student support programs. John Rutherford was considered for reappointment to the Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees, with questions about fiduciary oversight, investment understanding, and keeping the retirement system solvent. Brigadier General Michael Boyd was also considered for appointment to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, where discussion focused on military retention, child care, spouse licensing, base infrastructure, and grant funding for Texas installations. The committee did not take final votes on these later nominees during the hearing and left them pending subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• 'Did you submit your priorities?' 'No.' 'You got to submit your priorities.'
• 'You got to submit your priorities.' 'You submitted your priorities?' 'Yeah.'
• Did you submit your priorities? No. You got to submit your priorities.
• You got to submit your priorities. You submitted your priorities. Yeah.
• We see every county is going through declining enrollment, declining enrollment.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized several introductions and memorials, including a resolution designating August 9, 2026, as Bob Graham Day and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, with several bills substituted with House companions and adopted by voice vote or recorded vote. Early measures included a tax conformity bill tied to federal Internal Revenue Code changes, which passed 34-0, and a Medicaid/public assistance bill that drew extensive debate over work requirements, fraud reduction, behavioral health services, and SNAP/EBT reforms. Amendments offered by Senators Berman and Osgood to condition or soften the work and photo-ID provisions were rejected, and the underlying bill was placed on the third-reading calendar after lengthy questioning about implementation, exemptions, and eligibility effects. The Senate also passed bills on computer science education and AI instruction, a Parkinson’s disease registry public-records exemption and registry update, designation of the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the legal-tender sunset for gold and silver, public-records protections for gold/silver custodians and stablecoin-related entities, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, and local government budget transparency/spending measures. Most of these measures were adopted after minor amendments or technical substitutions, with votes generally ranging from 31-3 to 34-0. The chamber also recognized the Florida Channel’s 30 years of legislative coverage. Later, the Senate approved a digital voyeurism bill expanding the reasonable-expectation-of-privacy definition to include private fenced yards, and an insurance customer representative licensing bill allowing high school students to complete insurance/personal finance coursework and later qualify for licensure. The final major item was a medical freedom bill that would expand parental vaccine information requirements, add a conscience-based exemption to immunization mandates, allow behind-the-counter ivermectin for adults, and repeal the sunset on the mRNA mandate prohibition; two amendments clarifying anti-kickback rules and requiring vaccine information to include risks, benefits, safety, and efficacy were adopted, while questions from Senators Smith and Massullo focused on public-health impacts and the content of the required materials. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a priority of both my office and law enforcement to improve those numbers.
• Currently, TDHCA uses school A-through-F ratings for nearby general enrollment public schools as a metric
• Currently, TDHCA uses school A-through-F ratings for nearby general enrollment public schools as a metric
• This was one of our priorities. And thank you, Senator Huffman, for championing the bill.
• This was one of our priorities long before session. And so thank you very much.

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Pastor Tedrick Woods, followed by routine chamber actions including excusing Senator Gutierrez and receiving House messages that the House had passed HB 21 and HB 49. Senators also recognized advocates visiting the gallery on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis awareness and introduced the Doctor of the Day. The chamber adopted several resolutions, including HCR 66, by voice vote. The Senate then took up and passed a series of measures, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. Among the bills finally passed were HJR 2, which would prohibit state death taxes; HB 206, limiting counties from requiring cash bonds for pipeline construction; HB 517, barring property owners associations from fining homeowners for discolored vegetation during watering restrictions; HB 2756, requiring TDCJ correctional officers to receive de-escalation and behavioral health training; HB 451, expanding screening for commercial sexual exploitation risk among children in DFPS and TJJD custody; SB 705, cleaning up the air conditioning and refrigeration contractors advisory board; SB 2017, creating an offense for burnouts and wheelies; SB 1858, expanding body armor grant eligibility to ISDs; SB 1400, directing a study on transfer-student outcomes for community college funding; SB 2764, requiring notice to manufactured home buyers about converting homes to real property; SB 748, a licensing cleanup bill on laser hair removal; SB 2519, restricting certain ad valorem tax uses and bonds after amendment; SB 2878, the courts bill with amendments on Brazoria County courts and youth diversion provisions; SB 466, allowing families to request fetal death certificates at any gestational age; SB 1608, requiring timely physical exams for inpatient mental health admissions; SB 1730, limiting civil damages claims arising from certain uses of force or deadly force; SB 2417, clarifying Attorney General antitrust investigation work product and discovery rules; and SB 1946, creating a family violence, criminal homicide prevention task force. The Senate also passed HB 3204, renaming and updating the Polytechnic College at Sam Houston State University, and SB 1986, requiring opioid warning labels. Several bills drew brief debate or amendments. Senators discussed broader HOA reform while considering HB 517, and SB 2203 on TCEQ discovery procedures was amended to require party motions, set a 15-day expiration for certified issues, and limit hearing abatement. SB 2017 was amended to change the mens rea language from knowingly to intentional. SB 2519 was narrowed by amendment to a forward-looking policy statement separating maintenance-and-operation taxes from debt-service taxes. SB 2878 also received amendments to reduce the number of new Brazoria County courts and add youth diversion and crisis-response provisions. SB 466 prompted a floor debate over whether fetal death certificates are appropriate for pre-20-week losses, with supporters emphasizing family closure and opponents arguing the document has no estate-related purpose. SB 1730 also prompted questions about the relationship between criminal findings and civil liability in self-defense cases. The session concluded with additional House and Senate measures being signed in the presence of the Senate and continued consideration of SB 2177, a grant program to help local law enforcement solve violent and sexual offenses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you explain to me the incentive for students who are already here enrolled in a college?
• What is, how do you define the incentive for those students who are currently enrolled?
• I'm referencing the students who are enrolled right now in a Florida college.
• And meanwhile, our open-enrollment colleges deeply benefit from their contributions.
• And remember, there's also colleges where it's open enrollment, so they accept everyone.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Parkland shooting victims, quorum call, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rules and Ethics Committee special order report for February 13, 2025 was adopted, setting the day’s special order calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up immigration-related special order items, beginning with Senate Memorial 6C, which urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements. Members debated federal immigration policy and state cooperation with DHS, and the memorial passed 85-27. The House next considered Senate Bill 4C, an immigration bill creating new state offenses related to unlawful entry and reentry into Florida and requiring a mandatory death sentence for an unauthorized alien convicted of a capital felony. Members questioned the bill’s constitutionality, including Supremacy Clause, due process, and Eighth Amendment concerns, and several speakers argued it would create separate classes of people and invite litigation. Multiple amendments were offered to narrow or expand exemptions, including protections for Venezuelans on TPS, certain Haitian TPS and humanitarian parole recipients, undocumented people brought to Florida as children working in critical professions, and a proposal to delay action pending court rulings; all of those amendments were rejected. The bill passed 85-29. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 2C, which would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the Governor and Cabinet, establish a local law enforcement immigration grant program and advisory council, repeal the undocumented-student fee waiver, and appropriate more than $300 million for immigration enforcement. The sponsor described it as supporting cooperation with federal immigration agencies and ending the in-state tuition incentive for undocumented students. Early questioning focused on the impact on “dreamers” and whether the bill would effectively raise their tuition costs; the sponsor said it removed the incentive of in-state tuition but did not bar attendance. The transcript cuts off during that exchange, before final action on SB 2C is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• respond to it, and how do we collaboratively work with you guys here on You know, what are the priorities
• obviously are going to have a little bit of a tight budget year this year and a lot of competing priorities
• That's part of our priorities and our plans, and Really engaging with rural hospitals that surround us
• how that works is Typically, it's over the summer that program because most of those kiddos are enrolled
• Priorities and trust

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• specific several specific programs that I'll be going through a little bit to help us establish our priorities
• our needs and we wanted to make sure we were able to have a product that could grow with us as we enrolled
• Also what we try to do each year with our symposium over the last few years is align our research priority
• So we've released a priority research, a word that we are looking for more research specifically on the
• serves as an opportunity to update the statewide action plan, encourage accountability and align priorities

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we need another 50 million dollars through an extraordinary session when we have so many other priorities
• this country and citizens of this country apply for their family members to come here first, as a priority
• So why is that a priority of the administration? I believe that the uses of these funds...
• But given the constraints of the budget, I would argue that there are higher priorities here than suing
• College students are afraid to go to school, and when those enrollments go down, whose districts are

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, that's actually going to inflate enrollment, thus causing increased error rates.
• That's actually going to inflate enrollment, thus causing increased error rates.
• And in doing so, trying to tackle enrollment changes and how it affects our error rate.
• However, our top priority is the well-being of our students.
• So the school needs to have less students actually enrolled in these programs than in prior years.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, 40% of transition-age foster youth in care did not have stable housing. 74% were enrolled in
• care did not have stable housing, 74% were not enrolled in a post-secondary school, 32% had not obtained
• improving foster youth education, requiring key data reporting along with establishing timelines for enrollment
• One of ASWB's highest priorities is accountability to the public, especially those served by social workers
• One of ASWB's highest priorities is accountability to the public, especially those served by social workers

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting foster youth, child welfare oversight, homelessness services, juvenile justice, social work licensure, and human services workforce supports. Committee co-chairs Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jay Livingstone opened the hybrid hearing by outlining testimony procedures and accessibility measures. Several members and legislators participated throughout the day, and many witnesses were invited to submit additional written testimony after speaking. A major portion of the hearing focused on House 227/Senate 105, which would protect federal benefits owed to children in foster care. Supporters, including advocates from Hopewell, the Disability Law Center, CPCS, the Children’s Law Center, More Than Words, Friends of Children, and youth witness Onyx Rosario, said DCF had already ended the practice of taking most Social Security and SSI benefits and now conserves them in accounts for youth, but argued the policy should be codified to prevent future reversals. Witnesses described how conserved benefits help with basic needs, housing, education, transportation, and transition to adulthood, and several noted the bill also adds financial literacy and transparency requirements. Senator Joan Comerford and others said the change would protect vulnerable youth, especially children of color, LGBTQ youth, and youth with disabilities. The committee also heard testimony on House 225, which would expand the grandparents-raising-grandchildren commission by adding appointments and helping with quorum and representation. The committee also took testimony on Senate 136, which would improve emergency housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness by easing documentation requirements, allowing use of existing state data to verify eligibility, requiring notice before benefit reductions, and creating an ombudsperson. Senator Adam Gomez and other supporters said the bill would reduce barriers for families in crisis. On House 262/Senate 148, an omnibus child welfare bill, witnesses supported provisions on data reporting, education coordination, and Office of the Child Advocate reforms, while CPCS raised concerns about expanded access to sensitive records and the OCA’s role in certain proceedings. The Office of the Child Advocate supported codifying current practices and also backed child fatality review changes in House 234/Senate 133. The committee additionally heard support for Senate 108, which would require attorneys and audio/video recording during juvenile custodial interrogations, and for House 247/Senate 116, which would update the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board to add supported lived-experience seats. Finally, the committee heard competing testimony on Senate 135, a bill to ensure parity in social work licensure. SEIU Local 509 and supporters argued the current exam requirement disproportionately harms Black, Latino, multilingual, and multicultural applicants and worsens workforce shortages, while the Association of Social Work Boards opposed the bill, saying the exam is a necessary public-protection measure and that removing it would conflict with interstate compact efforts. The hearing also included testimony in support of a loan repayment program for human service workers, with providers and workers describing low wages, high student debt, and the need to retain staff in essential services. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• That $6.2 million is for New Mexico Care; this is a governor's priority.
• Our second big priority area is New Mexico Care, and New Mexico Care, as you heard from both Lori and
• Was the question about priority consultations and the district court and the amount that's spent?
• Adding new prosecutors to the districts was a priority of the executive.
• If our priority is for public safety, and this is a crime, everyone has said their priority is crime,

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee first heard an Aging and Long-Term Services Department budget presentation comparing the LFC and executive recommendations. The main differences were in the Aging Network, Adult Protective Services, Program Support, and Long-Term Care Division, especially the executive’s proposed $10 million infusion into the Kiki Savadra Senior Dignity Fund and $6.2 million for expanding New Mexico Care. LFC staff explained that the committee recommendation was lower in general fund and fund-balance use, while the executive emphasized rising senior population needs, meal and transportation costs, and the cost savings of keeping older adults at home. The secretary also reviewed the department’s special requests, including the conference on aging, outreach, emergency preparedness, and the Kiki fund, and described New Mexico Care’s growth, its evaluation results, and the department’s plan to separate Kiki into its own accounting fund. Members largely focused on senior services, rural meal delivery, transportation, caregiver support, and the Kiki fund. Several members urged stronger support for non-metro aging providers and for New Mexico Care, citing its role in keeping seniors out of nursing homes and the program’s reported savings and outcomes. Questions also covered eligibility, background checks for caregivers, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer’s screening, and whether Kiki funds can support home modifications such as ramps. The committee then voted to adopt the LFC recommendation with one executive language change: adding the executive’s page 14 language allowing an additional 12.5% distribution for initial payments to aging network providers at the start of FY27. Representative Dow opposed the motion. The committee then moved to the Attorney General’s budget. LFC staff explained that the office’s budget relies heavily on the Consumer Settlement Fund, with both recommendations reducing general fund revenue while increasing settlement-fund use, and that performance measures were in consensus. The Attorney General said the office was not seeking more general fund, but wanted greater ability to use funds it recovers. He highlighted major consumer and public safety work, including litigation against major social media and AI platforms, a case involving Snapchat and child exploitation/extortion, the statewide crime gun intelligence center, efforts to address oilfield theft, work on missing and murdered Indigenous persons, and efforts to protect federal funds coming into New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• For those in the body who were here, you may remember my priority bill a couple years back was the Prenatal
• little pamphlets section, they now have pamphlets about the Prenatal Plus Program and how to get enrolled
• They now have pamphlets about the Prenatal Plus Program and how to get enrolled in the benefits that
• Colleagues, I used my personal priority designation on this bill.
• And a priority motion: Speaker Arch moved to recess the body until 1:00 p.m.

Bills: LB878, LB958, LB958A, LB762, LB1187, LB966, LB929, LB962, LB1209, LB937A, LB962A, LB1050, LB1050A, LB965, LB1022, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB745, LB749, LB778, LR293, LR296, LR422, LR495, LR496, LR497, LR498, LR499, LR500, LR501, LR502, LR503, LR504

Keywords: paid parental leave, state employees, workplace benefits, family support, economic impact, Medicaid, Medical Assistance Act, home and community-based services waiver, HCBS waiver, waiver participant, assessment tool, clinical interviewing, service tier, retroactive coverage, doula, doula reimbursement, maternal health, prenatal care, pregnancy, birth outcomes