Transcript Highlights:

• Their purpose is to reduce the price of drugs for their employees on their health insurance plans, not
• I believe it's around four employees and it's around $900,000, and it's concluded on Nellis.
• This also ensures a communication system and training for employees so they are aware of the risks that
• So I guess my question is, as I understand the intent of this, is to make sure that those employees who
• They are private employees, but many times they might have other construction... ...public employees.

Bills: AB93 , AB204 , AB414 , AB504 , AB598

Committee: Assembly Commerce and Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• We have more than 32,000 employees. about 84% of those employees work with our inmate or parolee population
• They're our employees.
• And a total of 1,000 employees. So I'm going to turn it over to our Chief Financial Officer, Mr.
• Hartman mentioned, we have a little over 1,100 employees in our budget this year.
• We have 44 employees that handle the work from those three divisions, and the majority of our... employees

Committee: House Corrections

Transcript Highlights:

• I probably wasn't as worried about what my employees were paying in income tax as I was what was going
• relative to making the reimbursement, or the payment to the company, using that KBI or number of employees
• relative to making the reimbursement, or the payment to the company, using that KBI or number of employees
• Using that KBI or number of employees.
• , the employees, the leverage, the<00:43:26.480><c> investment</c><00:43:27.600><c> to</c><00:43:27.680

Summary: The speaker outlined Kentucky’s economic development strategy and how the cabinet evaluates and awards incentives. He emphasized using national benchmarks such as Site Selection and Area Development magazines, focusing on real data, competitiveness, and performance-based incentives. He said the state is performing well nationally in investment rankings, and credited the legislature with providing tools that help attract and retain jobs, especially through speed to market, site readiness, transportation, and workforce coordination. A major portion of the remarks described the “anatomy” of an incentive package: first improving sites and infrastructure such as water, sewer, roads, and rail spurs; then using sales tax benefits for construction materials and equipment; then training support through the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation; and finally the Kentucky Business Incentive (KBI) program, which reimburses qualifying expenses from incremental tax revenue. He said incentives are negotiated, data-driven, and targeted toward companies with strong wage levels, training plans, growth potential, and, in some cases, agricultural benefits or industry leadership. He also noted special treatment for heritage communities and said the state has expanded KBI beyond heavy manufacturing to include R&D, headquarters, and service businesses. The speaker also described compliance and oversight. Incentive agreements are written with job, wage, investment, and community-benefit terms, and companies must file regular reports and invoices. Cash incentives can be clawed back if commitments are not met, while tax credits are tied to actual investment and job creation. He said the Revenue Cabinet and Environment and Energy Cabinet play important monitoring roles, and that projects go through application review and preliminary approval by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority before final approval and payment. He closed by thanking legislators for their support and for allowing more flexible, capped, and data-driven incentive tools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, we have 338 employees that have telework agreements, and these agreements understand that
• most of these employees are either central office employees or community workers that work out in the
• Most of these employees are either central office employees or community workers that work out in the
• other employees who are subject<00:45:40.440><c> to</c><00:45:41.040><c> executive</c><00:45:41.559>
• do telea workk the number 338 employees do telea workk or<00:47:29.599><c> they're</c><00:47:30.040>

Summary: The committee heard an overview from Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Randy White on the state’s juvenile detention network and several facility projects. He identified the currently operating detention centers as Boyd County for females, Breathitt County for low-risk males, Fayette County for high-risk males, Adair County for high-risk youth from Jefferson and surrounding counties, Warren County for high-risk males, and McCracken County for low-risk males. Members asked about capacity and staffing; White said Boyd County houses 33 and is usually near full, Breathitt County is about half full, Fayette County runs about 80-90% full, Campbell County’s operational limit is about 25 due to staffing, Adair County can hold 60 and has hit capacity several times this year, Warren County holds 43 and usually runs near capacity, and McCracken County holds 43 and is not currently full. He said staffing is generally harder in higher-risk facilities and in metropolitan areas because of wages and housing costs. White then updated the committee on the Louisville Detention Center downtown renovation and the Lyon facility project. For the Louisville downtown facility, he said schematic design and design development are complete, construction documents are expected by late February or early March, bids are anticipated in April, and completion is projected for March 2027. He explained the delay is due to extensive renovation work needed to bring the building up to current building, life-safety, ACA, and PREA standards, including security, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, food service, and roof work. The project is designed for 64 beds for high-risk Jefferson County boys, with the facility currently vacant and those youth being housed in Adair County and Campbell County. For the Lyon project, he said the contract was issued November 21, 2024, demolition is underway, completion is expected June 14, 2026, and the facility will have 34 beds in four pods for low-risk offenders; he said the project appears to be on time and on budget within the $4.5 million authorization. The committee also discussed the medical services contract. DJJ officials said they are reviewing whether to continue with the current state contract provider, Wellpath, or pursue an RFP, while retaining current merit staff and continuing oversight through four nurse program administrators. They said DJJ uses a state master agreement to staff nurses, APRNs, and the chief medical officer, and that the current contract is about $20 million per year. Members asked about Wellpath’s bankruptcy filing; officials said they were aware of it, asked questions, and were told it would not affect Kentucky service delivery or contracting, though they could not recall the bankruptcy type and offered to provide more detail later. They also said DJJ is working with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to become a Medicaid provider, and any future contractual partner will need to be a Medicaid provider. Finally, White described the proposed high-acuity juvenile mental health treatment facility. He said DJJ must accept court-ordered youth even when they have severe mental illness, but detention centers are not equipped to treat those youth and private psychiatric hospitals often refuse them or discharge them early. He argued that a dedicated secure treatment facility is needed for a small number of highly violent, high-need youth who require intensive psychiatric care and are disruptive in detention. The facility would provide behavioral and psychiatric treatment, reduce delays caused by lack of beds or outside placements, and serve youth determined by clinical assessment to need a secure treatment environment. No votes were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lunan, could you tell us stories about Lucas as a young employee while we get this set up?
• For example, when this becomes fully implemented, likely for our farm and our employees, and which any
• For example, when this becomes fully implemented, likely for our farm and our employees, and which any
• We have difficulties already with having employees apply and then tracking it.
• We have difficulties already with having employees apply and then tracking it.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• We actually have over 150 employees, approaching 200 if we get fully manned.
• And again, 150 to 200 people just at Dole, not to mention the rest of the industry. by 95 uh employees
• We we by 95 uh employees from Dole.
• </c><00:04:03.880><c> uh</c><00:04:04.560><c> over</c><00:04:04.840><c> 150</c><00:04:05.600><c> employees
• </c> actually have uh over 150 employees actually have uh over 150 employees approaching<00:04:07.080

Bills: HB1979

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee held an AEN hearing on Friday, March 20, in Room 224 with remote participation streamed live. The first measure, HB 1880 HD3, would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2030, the use or application of pesticides containing 1,3-D (Telone). Supporters, including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and HAPA, argued that 1,3-D is a probable carcinogen, can drift off target, and poses risks to farm workers, nearby families, children, and vulnerable communities, while safer alternatives exist. Opponents, including the Western Plant Health Association and Dole Food, said the product is federally registered and regulated, is needed for pineapple production, and that banning it could threaten jobs, local food production, and the pineapple industry; Dole also noted a petition signed by 95 employees opposing the bill. The chair recorded 73 in support, seven opposed, and two comments for the measure. The committee then took up HB 1931 HD2, which would establish a state noxious weed coordinator, update the process for designating and managing noxious weeds, allow public proposals to change designations, require notice and reporting, classify weeds into three categories, and strengthen enforcement and penalties. Testimony was generally supportive, with DLNR and DAB submitting support and CGAPS backing the bill as a modernization of outdated 1950s-era statutes, arguing that more flexible administrative rules would better address changing agricultural and invasive species conditions. The measure received 38 supportive testimonies, with no opposition or comments recorded. Because the committee did not have quorum, no final decision was made on the measures. The chair announced that decision-making would be rolled to Wednesday, March 25, at 3:05 p.m. in Room 224, and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Legislative and Political Director for the Texas State Employees Union.
• The Texas State Employees Union represents state employees across all agencies, including Health and
• Ray Hemel representing the Texas Public Employees Association.
• But I'm speaking on Article 2 in general, vis-a-vis the employees who are your employees ultimately,
• And you certainly have, on the benefits of employees.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• supply, the company, the employees, our customers flourish when there are two things.
• This tax will hit entrepreneurs who are reinvesting in employees, equipment, and growth.
• This tax will hit entrepreneurs who are reinvesting in employees, equipment, and growth.
• Senator Conway: How many employees are we talking about?
• My name is Nicole Gomez with the Washington Federation of State Employees.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on February 6, 2026, and first voted to suspend the five-day notice rule for all bills on the agenda. Senators Braun and Gildon objected, arguing the bill needed more public review and that the fiscal note had only just been released, but a roll call vote passed 15-9 and the committee proceeded to Senate Bill 6346. Staff briefed SB 6346 as a proposal to create a 9.9% income tax on Washington taxable income above a $1 million per-household standard deduction, with a $50,000 charitable deduction, apportionment rules for nonresidents and certain professions, quarterly estimated payments, and credits for capital gains tax and certain business taxes. Staff said the tax would begin in 2029 and eventually raise about $3.5 billion annually from roughly 30,000 taxpayers. The bill also would expand the Working Families Tax Credit, create a sales tax exemption for grooming and hygiene products, increase the small business B&O tax credit and filing threshold, and end the B&O surcharge on high-grossing businesses one year early. Members questioned the bill’s constitutionality, its exemption from referendum, treatment of student athletes, natural-resource industries, and whether real estate gains would be captured. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including labor groups, educators, health care advocates, counties, child care workers, and some business owners and high-income individuals, said the bill would make the tax code more progressive and provide stable funding for health care, education, child care, public defense, and other services, while expanding the Working Families Tax Credit. Opponents, including many small business, construction, housing, and taxpayer advocates, argued the measure would function as a tax on pass-through businesses and retained earnings, harm housing production and investment, encourage wealthy residents and businesses to leave the state, and violate the state constitution or the will of voters. No final action on SB 6346 was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• For NFIB, we follow both the Small Business Administration threshold of 500 or fewer employees.
• And L&I, that's about, I think, about 50 employees that would be needed just for the first phase.
• Our members want to do right by their employees, but hospitality runs on thin margins.
• There are inadequate protections for employees who may want to decertify or vote union now.
• Businesses want to see their employees in strong communities where they can live and work.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, the county sheriffs are the highest-paid employees in counties.
• have county sheriffs that are on food stamps, it seems that reason would say we have other county employees
• Do you see situations where we'll have more county employees who will be on food Stamps.
• family, they would potentially qualify again We don't know the particulars of individual county employees
• And then there are employees who work for them who can't make more than the elected officials.

Bills: SB227 , SB1942 , SB1627 , SB625 , SJR39 , SJR47

Committee: House Rules

Keywords: gross production tax, ad valorem tax, property exemption, Oklahoma Tax Commission, oil and gas production, regulatory impact, economic implications, dental insurance, health care, medical necessity, insurance claims, dentist rights, criminal code cleanup, duplicate statutes, statutory consolidation, repealer bill, emergency clause, Title 21 crimes, Title 47 DUI, child abuse reporting

Transcript Highlights:

• This created 35 year-round jobs for employees, including college students.
• I've had employees put multiple children through school. One employee just had...
• In my 30 years of being a trainer, I have had to lay off about five employees a year during seasonal
• I've had one employee in 30 years ever file for a... Unemployment.
• It still had employees at the site, and the same volume of goods was being sold and shipped from Prosper

Bills: HB 105 , HB982 , HB1483 , HB1508 , HB2575 , HB3646 , HB3993 , HB4083 , HB4580 , HB4725 , HB5169 , HB5511 , HJR73 , HJR102 , HJR174 , HB3746 , HB4240

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: economic development, job creation, energy, tax incentives, technology investment, ad valorem taxes, elderly, disabled, low-income, tax limitation, homesteads, Texas Tax Code, property tax, ad valorem tax, tax exemption, residential real property, home improvement, energy efficiency, energy-efficient upgrades, HVAC

Transcript Highlights:

• Net pension liability is an amount created when the promised retirement benefits owed to employees exceed
• The decreases were in the teacher retirement system and the state highway employee retirement system.
• We have state employees going out to all these daycares at least twice a year.
• Every year, we have state employees going out to all these daycares at least twice a year looking at
• The authority operates as an independent entity with its own management and employees.”

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING

Summary: The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee met on June 5 and first adopted prior minutes and several committee reports. The executive committee report noted adoption of its minutes, staff updates on scheduled audits, approval of an annual financial audit for the City of Horseshoe Bend, and an update on the intern program. The Counties and Municipalities report covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, compliance follow-up with towns including Denning, Gum Springs, Omer, Fargo, Jericho, and Haynes, and review of current and deferred reports; the committee filed most current reports but deferred several and referred some matters to prosecutors and the Attorney General. The Educational Institutions report said 103 education audits were reviewed, most with no findings, while several school districts had findings and one Booneville School District finding was referred to law enforcement. The State Agencies report included findings at the Department of Finance and Administration and a deferred Department of Health report, and the committee filed 13 reports. The committee then received lengthy presentations on the State of Arkansas annual comprehensive financial report and the state single audit for fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. Legislative Audit issued unmodified opinions on the state financial statements, but identified two material weaknesses: insufficient internal controls at the Office of State Technology to monitor threats and unauthorized access, and improper methodology changes and documentation issues at the Division of Workforce Services affecting year-end estimates for unemployment-related accounts. The single audit covered $12.4 billion in federal awards across 469 programs, with 16 major programs reviewed. Auditors reported 33 findings overall, including 31 federal findings, $12.9 million in outstanding questioned costs, and qualified opinions for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and the Child Care Development Fund cluster. Committee members questioned DHS, the broadband office, OST, DFA, Education, and Workforce Services about the findings, corrective actions, cyber protections, federal drawdowns, child care reporting, and accounting methodology changes. Several agencies described corrective steps. DHS said it had changed how it draws Summer EBT funds, addressed provider revalidation and incarceration-related Medicaid issues, and updated internal processes and staffing. The broadband office said the questioned costs reflected invoice documentation disputes rather than missing payments and expected Treasury review to resolve the issue. OST said it was expanding logging, endpoint detection, and enterprise monitoring, and described broader cybersecurity investments, training, and a roadmap. DFA and Workforce Services addressed the workers’ compensation and unemployment accounting issues, with Workforce Services saying it had updated its policy and submitted the methodology to DFA. After discussion, the committee voted to hold the two statewide audit reports over until the August meeting, with members asked to submit specific questions in advance so only needed agencies would return. The final item was a special report on the Hot Spring County Solid Waste Authority for January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025. The audit reviewed compliance with laws, board procedures, bidding, payroll, permits, inspections, and cash handling. It noted prior private audit findings on segregation of duties, that recent private audit reports had not been obtained for 2023 through 2025, and that the current administrator said prior office staff and bookkeeping contractors resigned when he was hired. The authority’s operations and revenue sources were described, and the report was presented for committee review.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it amends our present uh public pension law to allow for a state employee uh in any branch in their
• this bill is special to me and it also uh people have reached out and thanked me for this state employees
• Allow for a state employee in any branch in their respective retirement plans to establish a special
• who need that comfort level, employees who need that comfort level, that<00:18:50.240><c> stability<
• </c><00:19:39.840><c> that</c> that uh for those state employees that that uh for those state employees

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and approved the journal from February 17, 2026. The House communicated passage of several bills and requested concurrence, and committee reports were received, including favorable reports on Senate Bills 70, 74, 80, 127, and 154. Senate Bill 191 was also reported and then recommitted to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Senate Bill 104 was passed over and retained its place on the calendar. The chamber then took up and passed Senate Bill 47, which provides line-of-duty death benefits for search and rescue volunteers, with supporters emphasizing the dangerous emergency work these teams perform and the need to treat them like other first responders. Senate Bill 159, concerning missing and unidentified persons and aligning Kentucky with federal “Billy’s Law” database requirements, also passed unanimously after testimony about its value in helping families and law enforcement. Senate Bill 85, allowing state retirement beneficiaries to establish special needs trusts, passed unanimously as well, with members describing it as a way to provide long-term security for dependents with special needs. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 78 honoring the CSX Santa Train and Senate Resolution 76 honoring Frank Ryard and the Ryard’s Scoreboard for its long-standing role in Kentucky high school athletics. Members spoke about the scoreboard’s importance to athletes, families, and sports coverage statewide. Later, new bills and a concurrent resolution were introduced, including measures on state government, duty-related disability benefits, arrest-related deaths, detainee fatality review, carbon dioxide sequestration, and a mental health alternative response task force. The Senate received notice that Senate Bill 172 had been delivered to the Governor, then recessed for committee meetings and adjourned until February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• maintaining certain labor standards for workers, including production, maintenance, and operational employees
• of employers who could qualify by putting these extra burdens on them and making them use other employees
• Instead, this bill asks the owners of the corner grocery store, the brew pub where employees would meet
• Employees often accept lower pay, long hours and years of uncertainty with no guarantee of success.
• They've scored a little way of a little money to start a company, and the early employees.

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:

• The authority serves 79,300 employees and dependents with 49 200 lives insured under medical.
• The increases consist of 23 million for employee benefit premiums with an average of a 6.6% employer
• The authority also ensures over 49,000 employees, 2.4 billion in payroll, over 416,000 students, over
• One of the early pages, do you attribute that to better training of employees in our school districts
• Next up we We have the Public Employee Retirement Association, which is an agency 366 PERA.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• A team of five permanent employees and many temporary employees managed the loans.
• Did you have any data regarding how many employees?
• The vast majority of those 15,000 were non-owner, non-employee businesses.
• Those are businesses that have fewer than 10 employees.
• Or is it just specifically on employees alone? We look at employees alone.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• challenge for our small business, especially for the really small businesses that are under five employees
• challenge for our small business, especially for the really small businesses that are under five employees
• challenge for our small business, especially for the really small businesses that are under five employees
• I think they had, a few years ago, 2,100 employees that make more than the governor.
• that make more than the 2100 employees that make more than the governor. governor. governor.

Transcript Highlights:

• DuBois for legislation to establish a sick leave bank for Edward Suber, an employee of the Department
• consideration by the House: Senate Bill 2908, an act establishing a sick leave bank for Shannon Manning, an employee
• Commonwealth, amended; Senate Bill 3031, an act establishing a sick leave bank for Stephanie Rivera, an employee
• Representatives Haggerty of Woburn, Day of Stoneham, and Sokolow of Lexington, would the members, guests, and employees
• Representatives Haggerty of Woburn, Day of Stoneham, and Sokolow of Lexington, the members, guests, and employees

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and procedural motions. Members adopted a resolution designating August 8 and 9, 2026, as a sales tax holiday, concurred with the Senate on a sick leave bank petition for Edward Suber of the Department of Youth Services, and suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow two additional petitions to move forward: one concerning contract and coverage standards for health care worker platforms and another allowing firefighters of the Adams Fire District to continue serving past age 65. The House also received and approved a scheduling report for several bills, including two additional sick leave bank measures and a bill on firefighter and police officer age requirements. The chamber then moved through third-reading and engrossment actions on several bills. It passed Senate Bill 2574, providing accidental death benefits for the surviving spouse of a former Boston firefighter, and Senate Bill 2967, addressing ownership and maintenance of the Town Line Brook and Lindenbrook culverts and dams. The House also enacted House Bill 5392, authorizing the town of North Attleborough to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption. Later, it passed to engrossment House Bill 4716, amending the charter of the city of Pittsfield, and House Bill 5358, authorizing the City of Newton to place municipal charge liens for unpaid local charges or fines. The House observed a moment of silent tribute for Michael P. Higgins of Woburn, recognizing his long service to the community, local courts, politics, and addiction awareness efforts. The session concluded with adoption of an order to meet again Monday at 11:00 a.m., followed by adjournment to an informal session at that time.

Transcript Highlights:

• occupational injuries and illnesses; whereas safer organizations enjoy increased productivity, higher employee
• and partners representing thousands of businesses will mobilize in an effort to increase employer, employee
• recall elections in the town of Rutland; H 2917, an act further regulating creditable service for employees
• An act establishing a sick leave bank for Courtney Cochran, an employee of the Department of Children
• Third reading of a bill: An act establishing a sick leave bank for Courtney Cochran, an employee of the

Summary: The Senate first adopted a resolution commending the Greater Boston Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals for recognizing North American Occupational Safety and Health Week and Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day. Senator Paul Feeney introduced the resolution, welcomed guests from the organization, and the chamber adopted it by voice vote before taking a photo with the guests. The Senate then received a gubernatorial message transmitting the Ride Safe Act, which would enhance the safe use of micromobility devices such as mopeds, electric scooters, and bikes. The message noted the issue had been studied by a special commission created under the Mass Leads Act, and the matter was referred to the Committee on Transportation. The chamber also gave final passage to several local bills, including measures affecting Rutland recall elections, Dedham-Westwood Water District creditable service, Lancaster’s Animal Control Commission, Fairhaven’s charter, Orange’s annual town meeting date, a town administrator for Hopedale, and a sick leave bank for a Department of Children and Families employee. In addition, the Senate adopted an order requiring electronic filing of amendments to the General Appropriation Bill and setting the bill for second reading on May 19, 2026 as the only item on the calendar. The Senate adjourned to meet again on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• occupational injuries and illnesses; whereas safer organizations enjoy increased productivity, higher employee
• and partners representing thousands of businesses will mobilize in an effort to increase employer, employee
• recall elections in the town of Rutland; H. 2917, an act further regulating creditable service for employees
• An act establishing a sick leave bank for Courtney Cochran, an employee of the Department of Children
• Third reading of a bill: An act establishing a sick leave bank for Courtney Cochran and employees of