Transcript Highlights:

• These are all great provisions that we fully support.
• are folks who are coming in through alternative certification programs with no hands-on training, fully
• Or they're not being fully covered. That's a safety issue for children.
• ensuring that Texas turns out productive members of society, we should not hesitate. to fund this fully
• in the rollout of the new system, and it is unclear at this time how TEA will define the system to fully

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• resolution to urge the President of the United States and the United States Department of Agriculture to fully
• honor its commitments to the of the United States and the United States Department of Agriculture to fully
• years for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, to learn where freedom was, it may take generations to fully
• two years for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas to learn where freedom—it may take generations to fully
• When one group is prevented from fully participating in democracy, the promise of America becomes weaker

Summary: The Senate met with 27 members present and a quorum, opened with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a series of motions, recesses, and introductions of bills. Several new bills were read and referred, including measures affecting the Income Tax Act, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, public utilities, nondisclosure agreements, data centers and community benefit agreements, zoning, Medicaid false claims, and the Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Act, with referrals mainly to finance, energy and environment, and housing and human services committees. In the Committee of the Whole, Senate Bills 592, 49, and 50 were reported without amendment and advanced. On third reading, the Senate passed Senate Bills 900, 820, 966, 967, 968, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, and 978. SB 900 dealt with the Vehicle Code, SB 820 with election law, SB 966 and SBs 974-978 with housing and insurance-related changes, and SB 967 with the Income Tax Act. SB 966, 967, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, and 978 all passed on 20-16 votes, while SB 900 passed 35-1. Senate Bill 973, creating a state-based health insurance exchange as a nonprofit corporation, drew the most debate. Senators Weber, Lindsay, and Halk offered amendments, all of which were defeated after recorded votes; Weber argued for cost controls and consumer savings, while supporters said the bill would give Michigan more control over health care decisions and could lower premiums. Senator Irwin spoke in support of the housing-related package, saying it would help address the state’s housing shortage. Senate Bill 592, concerning the Corrections Code, was also passed after a 31-5 vote, with Senator Lindsay explaining his no vote as concern about how the bill treats juvenile offenders. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 133, urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to honor commitments to Michigan farmers participating in the Rural Energy for America Program. Senator McCann supported the resolution, citing farm losses from federal rollbacks, while Senator McBroom gave a strong no-vote explanation criticizing state energy policy and the resolution’s framing. The session ended with remarks recognizing Juneteenth and an anecdotal bipartisan exchange between senators before the chamber adjourned until June 23 at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been fully supportive of those measures all along the way.
• Colorado to the west has a fully publicly-funded paid FMLA.
• I think that those two polls, both the fully state-funded version we see in Colorado and then the opt-in
• found that there had been some appraisals that were on the revenue model and the apartments weren't fully
• We're doing this because these properties aren't fully leased.

Bills: SB1327, SB1372, SB1403, SB1937, SB277, SB2131, SB1749, SB1348, SB1469, SB2018, SB1931, SB1530, SB2155

Keywords: tourism, recreation, economic development, Oklahoma Commission, executive director, probation, credits, educational advancement, Oklahoma Statutes, criminal justice reform, job incentives, tax rebates, Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, employment growth, wage requirements, labor organization, incentives, employer practices, union neutrality, worker rights

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you aware of the frontal lobe research about how a child's frontal lobe is not developed fully to
• ...of the frontal lobe research about how a child's frontal lobe is not developed fully to 25 and how
• had a constitutional right at 18, I think part of the reason for the alcohol is because they're not fully
• As the Southeast Regional Director for Gun Owners of America, we fully support HB 133.
• We know that it's not fully developed to 25. We know that to be true. Science has shown that.

Summary: The committee first took up HB 133, which would lower the minimum age to purchase a long gun from 21 to 18. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill restores the rights of adults 18 and older, emphasizing constitutional rights, military service, voting, jury duty, and parental responsibility. Opponents, including gun violence prevention advocates and several members, cited Parkland and the recent FSU shooting, argued that people under 21 are still developing and more impulsive, and said the current law helps protect public safety. After extensive debate and public testimony on both sides, the committee voted 11-5 to report HB 133 favorably. The committee then considered PCS for HB 35, which adds driving without a valid license to the offenses that can lead to habitual traffic offender designation and is named Isaiah’s Law in memory of a child killed by an unlicensed driver. Supporters said it addresses repeat dangerous conduct and should help prevent similar tragedies. One member questioned whether it was a knee-jerk response, while others said it was a reasonable accountability measure. The PCS passed unanimously, 16-0, and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard HB 245, which updates Florida law to use more accurate terminology for child sexual abuse material rather than “child pornography,” and includes related technical corrections. The sponsor said the change better reflects the seriousness of the crime and asked whether the bill also covered AI-generated material; the sponsor said the statute already addresses such references. After a technical amendment was adopted, the bill passed unanimously, 16-0, and was reported favorably. The chair also reminded members to maintain respect toward public witnesses and each other before adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the organization that hosts the Twin Cities Auto Show and supports it solely or fully.
• This is the organization that hosts the Twin Cities Auto Show and supports it solely or fully.
• Cities Auto Show supports it solely or Cities Auto Show supports it solely or fully<00:16:42.759>
• 43.399> the<00:16:43.680> support<00:16:44.360> and<00:16:44.560> this fully
• so with all the support and this fully so with all the support and this and<00:16:44.959> the

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• statutory payments, and many new legislators were not present when prior commitments were made to fully
• c><00:05:55.840> to when prior commitments were made to when prior commitments were made to fully
• :57.840> in<00:05:58.080> recent<00:05:58.639> recent<00:05:59.160> in fully
• fund pensions in recent recent in fully fund pensions in recent recent in recent<00:05:59.840> address
• However, these have not yet been fully implemented.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first took up Senate Bill 193, described as a simple measure to restore a wallet card for jailers to carry when outside the jail. The chair noted the fiscal impact was essentially zero, there were no questions, and the committee voted to pass the bill 9-0. The committee then heard Senate Bill 9, a proposal focused on the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS). The sponsor argued TRS remains underfunded despite large state contributions, cited rising unfunded liability and negative cash flow, and said the bill is intended to standardize and limit what sick leave, personal leave, and annual leave can count toward retirement calculations. The bill would generally cap TRS retirement credit at 10 sick days and 2 personal days per year, prevent annual leave from being rolled into sick leave, require more uniform reporting and oversight from participating districts and agencies, and shift costs to districts that offer benefits beyond TRS limits. The sponsor also said the bill would add 30 maternity leave days, allow voluntary supplemental contributions for Tier Four teachers, and include a floor amendment directing the state auditor to audit TRS and report on agency leave policies. During the presentation, the sponsor emphasized fairness, transparency, and accountability, and used a hypothetical high-salary administrator to illustrate how leave payouts can increase retirement benefits and create additional unfunded liability. Senator Mills thanked the sponsor and said members had been working to understand the issue, but no committee action on Senate Bill 9 was completed in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will not be as high as some of the banks, and it will be fully disclosed to the membership.
• It will not be as high as some of the banks, and it will be fully disclosed to the membership.
• It will not be as high as some of the banks, and it will be fully disclosed to the membership.
• I am here today to introduce Senate Bill 26. be fully disclosed to the membership. be fully disclosed
• The consumer is made fully aware escrow.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 25, which would allow New Hampshire state-chartered credit unions to choose, by member vote, to compensate their board members. Prime sponsor Senator Dan Innis said the bill is enabling only, does not require compensation, and is intended to align New Hampshire with other states that already permit this. He argued that credit union board service now requires more time and expertise, and that compensation could help attract stronger candidates and improve governance. Representatives from the Cooperative Credit Union Association and St. Mary’s Bank testified in support. They said the change would not create salaries, but could cover modest compensation or reimbursements such as daycare, education, cybersecurity, or accounting training. They emphasized that credit unions remain nonprofit and member-driven, that board members must be credit union members and elected by members, and that any compensation decision would be made by the membership at an annual meeting or through the credit union’s voting process. Witnesses also said the bill would help with recruitment and retention, especially as credit union operations have become more complex and digital, and noted that similar authority exists in 16 other states, including Rhode Island. Committee members asked about the historical reason credit unions were excluded, the amount and structure of compensation, whether there would be a cap, and how voting would work. Witnesses said the bill does not set a statutory maximum, but in practice the amount would be disclosed to members and set through the vote; they also described St. Mary’s Bank’s ballot process and said proxy or ballot procedures depend on each credit union’s bylaws. One witness noted that federally chartered credit unions are subject to different limits. After testimony and questions, the chair closed the public hearing on Senate Bill 25 and then moved on to Senate Bill 26.

Transcript Highlights:

• In recent years it hasn't been fully used.
• It's been a little bit less fully used.
• Um, you've probably read the fiscal note, which says that the robotics fund is fully encumbered.
• We are um able to fully fill positions.
• request uh to fully fund the winter<01:09:12.319> retention<01:09:12.799> incentive.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need this legislation to ensure that those who commit these acts are fully prosecuted and that no
• accompl able it is our duty to fully accompl able it is our duty to protect<01:25:56.760> the
• <01:26:06.119> prosecuted commit these acts are fully prosecuted commit these acts are fully
• I just want to say that I fully support this bill, and I hope that it moves forward. Thank you.
• support this bill and uh I that I fully support this bill and uh I hope<01:31:51.280> that<01

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees heard HB 756 HD1, a measure on flavored tobacco products. Supporters included the Attorney General, Department of Health, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, youth advocates, public health groups, and Kaiser Permanente. They argued flavored tobacco and menthol are used to attract and addict young people, cited rising youth and young adult vaping rates, and pointed to public health harms and evidence from other states that flavor restrictions reduced e-cigarette sales. The Attorney General requested oral amendments to correct a statutory reference, repeal a county preemption provision so counties could enact stricter flavor bans, and restore appropriations, positions, and the original effective date. Opponents, including retail and wholesale businesses, argued the bill would hurt small businesses and state tax revenue, push sales to the black market, and remove a harm-reduction option for adult smokers; they urged stronger enforcement instead of a ban. After testimony, the committees took up amendments and recommendations. The chair proposed correcting the statutory citation to HRS 26-38, adopting a Department of Health amendment on disposal of electronic smoking devices and e-liquids as hazardous waste, and noting the appropriations, FTE, and effective date in the committee report. Members then voted to pass HB 756 HD1 with amendments in both committees, with the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee recording one member as supporting with reservations. The transcript then moved to HB 806, relating to fireworks, which would appropriate funds for the Department of Law Enforcement to conduct sting operations on Oʻahu to enforce fireworks laws. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying undercover enforcement is costly and additional funding is needed. A community testifier also supported stronger enforcement, citing illegal aerial fireworks, noise, and impacts on pets and kupuna. No final vote on HB 806 was shown in the excerpt. The Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee also heard HB 438, which would create a Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program to provide legal representation in immigration court for income-qualified individuals. Support came from civil rights, legal aid, ACLU, and law school clinic representatives, who said counsel is needed to ensure due process and fair access to justice, especially because immigration proceedings can lead to deportation and family separation. Opposition testifiers argued taxpayer-funded counsel for people in immigration proceedings is inappropriate, unlawful, or unfair to citizens and legal residents. One law school representative suggested a technical amendment to broaden language about training and education. The excerpt ends before a final vote on HB 438 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• been seated at a rich helm of opportunity because I decided to take a chance on a place I was not fully
• Our budget request is $32.4 million for FY27 and $35.5 million for FY28 to fully fund the program, which
• 32.4 for 27 and 35.5 for 28 to fully 32.4 for 27 and 35.5 for 28 to fully fund<00:44:53.440>
• 28 be restored so that we can fully 28 be restored so that we can fully honor<00:46:19.839> the
• our estimate of the amounts to fully our estimate of the amounts to fully fund<00:48:15.440>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education heard presentations from the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) on their strategic plans, enrollment trends, and budget priorities. University of Louisville President Bradley highlighted the university’s new five-year strategic plan, its R1 research status, community-engaged and opportunity college classifications, record enrollment of 25,005 students, and its role in serving first-generation, Pell-eligible, military-connected, and rural students. He also emphasized the university’s economic and workforce impact, including athletics, nursing, dentistry, and a recent Speed School building, and previewed major capital and program requests: a $142 million STEMH building, a $15 million one-time request for National Cancer Institute-related cancer research, and $5.3 million for the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership. He also discussed a planned $260 million health sciences building and the university’s efforts to expand health care access beyond Louisville through regional sites and residency partnerships. Members responded positively, with Representative Tipton asking about agency bond projects and regional health outreach, and President Bradley saying the university is evaluating debt capacity and exploring smaller projects while noting that the STEM building request would rely on state-funded debt service. He described UofL Health’s expansion into places such as Bullitt County, Shelbyville, Madisonville, and Paducah, and its efforts to train physicians for rural practice. Representative McCool praised the university’s military-friendly designation and cancer research priorities and noted personal family ties to UofL. Michaela Aman, a sophomore from Letcher County, also testified about how UofL has supported her as a rural student and emphasized the university’s commitment to opportunity and social mobility. KCTCS President Ryan Quarles and CFO Todd Kilburn then presented the system’s enrollment, completion, and workforce-training results. They said KCTCS now serves more than 110,000 students, graduated a record 24,000 students last May, and has moved from 45th to 4th nationally in graduation rate. They also highlighted that over half of students are first-generation, 60% work while enrolled, 70% of graduates work in Kentucky, and 74% graduate with no student loan debt. KCTCS described its common-course-numbering agreement with Morehead State as part of a broader transfer simplification effort, and said it trains about 200,000 Kentuckians annually when including workforce training and firefighter instruction. The system also outlined efficiency measures, including property sales, a new bookstore contract projected to save $4.3 million over five years, and a new evaluation process for real estate and facilities. KCTCS’s budget and capital requests included operating funding tied to enrollment growth, support for the TRAINs program, the ECTC training facility at Glendale, continued support for Health Force Kentucky, three capital construction projects at Jefferson, Bluegrass, and Gateway, and asset preservation funding focused on safety and security upgrades. Quarles also referenced House Bill 5, saying it would expand KCTCS’s correctional education and re-entry work and could help reduce recidivism. Members asked about the bill and its impact, and KCTCS said it already provides instruction in jails and prisons and sees the proposal as an extension of that work.

Transcript Highlights:

• United Policy Holders has written this to be more specific so that people are understanding, am I fully
• United Policy Holders has written this to be more specific so that people are understanding, am I fully
• United Policy Holders has written this to be more specific so that people are understanding, am I fully
• United Policy Holders has written this to be more specific so that people are understanding, am I fully
• United Policy Holders has written this to be more specific so that people are understanding, am I fully

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up a short-form administrative licensing measure requested by the administration to correct and clarify renewal provisions in a prior bill. Members raised no questions, and the committee voted to adopt the proposed Senate draft and recommit the bill back to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee for a further public hearing. The committee then heard SB 2876 on natural hair braiding, which would exempt natural hair braiders from licensing under certain conditions. The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology said it views hair braiding as within the broader scope of cosmetology, but agreed that people who only braid hair should not need a license because the training and exam requirements are minimal. The board warned, however, that exempting braiders could create consumer protection gaps involving sanitation, training, and enforcement, and noted that related services such as waxing, cutting, coloring, shampooing, and relaxing would still require licensure. Supporters included the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and the Institute for Justice. The committee also heard SB 2950 on captive insurance and SB 2951 on insurance proceeds. On SB 2950, the Insurance Division opposed the bill, saying captive insurance is designed for formal self-insurance for companies and that allowing captives to insure the public would not fit the existing regulatory framework; a fire survivor advocate supported the measure as a way to expand disaster-related insurance options. On SB 2951, which would require mortgage servicers to follow certain rules for disbursing insurance proceeds after residential damage or destruction, United Policy Holders strongly supported the bill, citing delays in releasing funds and the need to help survivors rebuild, while banking and financial industry groups submitted opposition or comments. Finally, the committee heard SB 2952, SB 2960, and SB 2964, all related to property insurance and disaster recovery. SB 2952 and SB 2960 would extend the time policyholders have after a declared disaster to submit documentation and recover replacement cost value, with supporters arguing that rebuilding after major disasters takes far longer than standard policy deadlines allow and that the bills would improve consumer protection and transparency; the Insurance Division, the Insurance Council, and national insurance groups opposed the measures. SB 2964 would require annual disclosures of replacement cost value and coverage sufficiency; the Insurance Council opposed it as costly and unnecessary because policies already include inflation-related adjustments, while United Policy Holders and fire survivors supported it, saying many homeowners are underinsured and do not understand their coverage.

Transcript Highlights:

• $493 licensing fee for speech language pathology assistants, or SLPAs, is more than double that of fully
• $493 licensing fee for speech language pathology assistants, or SLPAs, is more than double that of fully
• $493 licensing fee for speech language pathology assistants, or SLPAs, is more than double that of fully
• $493 licensing fee for speech language pathology assistants, or SLPAs, is more than double that of fully
• They align fully with federal law.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also increased the time before you became fully vested from 10 to 20 years.
• Thankfully, PAR is on a path to being fully funded, and so you wouldn't see that.
• sure that our plans are fully funded. sure that our plans are fully funded.
• These amounts accumulate during the working lifetime to fully fund the benefit at retirement.
• during the working lifetime to fully during the working lifetime to fully fund<01:26:07.280>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• specifically targeting the understanding that we have come to know now is that juveniles' brains do not fully
• specifically targeting the understanding that we have come to know now is that juveniles' brains do not fully
• specifically targeting the understanding that we have come to know now is that juveniles' brains do not fully
• First of all, juvenile brains do not fully develop until the age of 26, which is where the age of 25
• first seven to ten years, I began to have that spark and change in my life where I started to really fully

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm still not fully understanding. So I'm going to turn to some more expertise, a board member, Dr.
• set of parameters that we're considering when we're putting forth this study before jumping in and fully
• The ongoing aspect, the administration does expect for the mandates process to fully play out.
• Tiffany Germain with NextGen California here in support of fully funding School Meals for All as well
• CSNA supports fully funding universal school meals.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• session are a culturally responsive and accessible healthcare, protecting motans from discrimination, fully
• discrimination protecting motans from discrimination protecting motans from discrimination fully
• <00:01:43.960> funded<00:01:44.640> College<00:01:45.399> fully<00:01:45.680>
• funded<00:01:46.119> Cradle fully funded College fully funded Cradle fully funded College
• fully funded Cradle to to to college<00:01:48.360> an<00:01:48.600> equitable<00:01:49.240

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate POCI caucus members held a press event outlining their priorities for the session and framing them as a response to federal actions and rhetoric they described as harmful to Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant, and other marginalized communities. Senator Zaynab Mohamed said the caucus would not be silent and emphasized goals including culturally responsive and accessible health care, protection from discrimination, fully funded education from cradle to college, an equitable bonding bill, and safe, dignified housing. Senator Erin Maye Quade said the caucus would fight efforts to “resegregate” society and highlighted support for strengthening the READ Act and advancing the Minnesota Building Families Act to cover infertility care through insurance. Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten pointed to recent DFL accomplishments such as the CROWN Act, restoring the vote, and the African-American Family Preservation Act, and urged colleagues to consider how legislation and budgets affect communities of color. She also said she would champion Minnesota Connecting Families, a proposal to make communication free for incarcerated people, along with a ban on legacy admissions and legislation preventing housing discrimination against Section 8 voucher holders. Senator Mary Kunesh reviewed education investments made over the past two years, including increased school funding, free lunches, library funding, pre-K expansion, the READ Act, and the Teachers of Color and Indigenous Act, and said her top priority is advancing an Equal Rights Amendment and protecting tribal sovereignty and treaty rights. Senator Susan Pha said the caucus remains necessary because people of color and immigrants still face discrimination, including her own family, and said the group would continue fighting for equality and opportunity. In response to questions, caucus members said they hoped for bipartisan support on some proposals but were prepared to use their majority if needed. They said they were not intimidated by the new federal administration or Republican control in Washington, argued that Minnesota should protect residents from federal harm, and criticized GOP efforts they characterized as attacks on DEI and racial equity. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• A dynamic and responsive democracy that fully serves our communities five years from now?
• Today, I ask the committee, how do you envision a dynamic and responsive democracy that fully serves
• It's not necessarily fully built in for those who get pulled into the process.
• It's not necessarily fully built in for those who get pulled into the process.
• Those plans to fully flourish.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held an early planning hearing on how Massachusetts can maximize participation in the 2030 census, with Chair Will Brownsberger and Vice Chair Rebecca Rausch emphasizing the need to start well in advance. The first panel, made up of leaders from the Massachusetts Voter Table, MassVOTE, MIRA, and MESA, stressed that grassroots community organizations are trusted messengers and should be funded early to do multilingual outreach, training, and direct assistance in hard-to-count communities. They described lessons from 2020, including the shift to internet response, reduced federal census infrastructure, the importance of coordinated statewide networks, and the need to begin messaging several years before Census Day because building trust and staffing outreach takes time. Panelists repeatedly warned that immigrant communities are facing heightened fear because of federal immigration enforcement and the possibility of a citizenship question or other federal changes, making census participation more difficult. They said 2020 funding arrived too late to fully staff and train outreach teams before the pandemic, and argued that future resources should be deployed earlier and more flexibly. In response to committee questions, they estimated Massachusetts should invest roughly $8 million to $10 million or more in state census outreach, with one proposed model of about $3 million to $5 million at the start, additional funding in the middle years, and a larger final push closer to 2030. They also suggested that funding should support communications infrastructure, translation, social media and ethnic media outreach, and possibly a permanent complete count structure or trust fund to preserve institutional knowledge. A second panel from Common Cause Massachusetts and the ACLU of Massachusetts echoed the call for stronger, earlier investment and stronger privacy protections. They urged the legislature to expand existing census line items, consider a trust fund or other dedicated funding stream, and coordinate census outreach with other state programs that already work through trusted community messengers. The ACLU testimony focused on racial inequities in census counts and warned that federal efforts to exclude non-citizens or add a citizenship question would deepen distrust and undercount immigrant communities. Committee members asked about the 2020 overcount/undercount results, funding levels, timing of grant distribution, and whether census outreach should be routed through the Secretary of the Commonwealth or other state mechanisms; no votes were taken, and the hearing moved on to a later panel on immigrant-community outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you are asking a question and we don't have the data to fully answer your question.
• Finally, as we approach the height of hurricane season, I assure you that our preparation is fully on
• But it hasn't been fully tested yet. I'm knocking on wood, Mr.
• I'm not sure if those last two got fully hired on yet. So we're almost at capacity. Yes, sir. Okay.
• I'm not sure if those last two got fully hired on yet. So we're almost at capacity. Yes, sir. Okay.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster. Laura Sori of the Department of Conservation and Energy said the agency has inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the earthquakes, found no permit violations, and is requiring monthly reporting of daily injection data. LSU and Tulane researchers explained that the swarm includes about 50 earthquakes detected by USGS since December 2025, including a 4.9 magnitude event on March 5, and that better monitoring is needed because Louisiana has very limited seismic station coverage. Dr. Cynthia Ebinger said her temporary array has detected more small quakes than USGS, that the pattern looks more like a swarm than normal aftershocks, and that the data suggest pressure changes in the subsurface, though no definitive cause was identified. Keith Hall of LSU described how other states responded to suspected induced seismicity with more monitoring, more frequent reporting, injection limits or moratoria, and “traffic light” systems that escalate regulatory responses as seismicity increases. Members asked about depths, fault locations, possible links to injection or fracking, and whether more monitoring and data-sharing should be pursued; several speakers said Louisiana likely needs a denser monitoring network and more structured data collection. A Texas geoscientist, William Berger, also testified that Texas uses large-scale data analysis and AI to study injection-related seismicity and argued for secure sharing of operator data to improve forecasting and risk management. The committee then took testimony on UAV and drone incursions over Barksdale Air Force Base. GOSEP said the incident was logged in WebEOC and the common operating picture, but that Barksdale did not request direct GOSEP resources and that the matter was handled through law enforcement channels. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose, but confirmed multiple drone sightings on the morning and evening of March 9 and continued monitoring for several days. State Police said they have created a task force with the Police Chiefs Association, Sheriffs Association, GOSEP, and LSP, and that officers are receiving FBI-related training to help detect and, where authorized, mitigate drones. Members discussed whether the activity was nefarious, what counts as an incursion, and the need for better public education about drone restrictions near military and critical infrastructure sites. No formal action was taken, but members said the issue will continue to be tracked alongside pending legislation. Finally, the committee received a one-year update on the merger of GOSEP with the Louisiana National Guard and Military Department. Major General Thomas Freelieu and Brigadier General Jason Maffus said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, shifted administrative functions to the Military Department, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance. They said the agency has modernized its common operating picture, returned staff to in-person work, and continued statewide preparedness exercises. Freelieu highlighted Guard missions including cyber expansion, the new Air National Guard cyber squadron at Jackson Barracks, modernization of the 159th Fighter Wing, and ongoing support for homeland security missions in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Maffus said GOSEP’s core mission remains emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and that the merger is intended to make state support to parishes faster and more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you are asking a question and we don't have the data to fully answer your question.
• Finally, as we approach the height of hurricane season, I assure you that our preparation is fully on
• But it hasn't been fully tested yet. I'm knocking on wood, Mr.
• I'm not sure if those last two got fully hired on yet. So we're almost at capacity. Yes, sir. Okay.
• I'm not sure if those last two got fully hired on yet. So we're almost at capacity. Yes, sir. Okay.

Summary: The committee met on May 26, 2026, and first approved the minutes from the May 22, 2025 meeting. The main topic was the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster, with testimony from Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy staff, LSU and Tulane geoscientists, and later LSU law professor Keith Hall. Witnesses said the cause of the swarm has not been definitively identified, but induced seismicity from wastewater injection or hydraulic fracturing remains a concern. They described 50 earthquakes reported by the USGS in Red River, Bienville, DeSoto, and Natchitoches Parishes, including a magnitude 4.9 event on March 5, 2026, and explained that Louisiana’s sparse seismic network limits detection and depth/location estimates. C&E said it inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the events, found no violations, now requires more frequent injection reporting, and is working with researchers and LSU on a possible state monitoring network and future policy changes. Committee members asked about injection depths, fault locations, whether the activity could be natural, and whether Louisiana should adopt stronger monitoring or a traffic-light regulatory system like other states. The witnesses said more data is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn, but that denser monitoring can detect smaller quakes and help identify patterns. Professor Hall summarized responses in other states, including more frequent reporting, increased monitoring, injection reductions, moratoria, and traffic-light systems in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. Members also discussed whether operators should share more seismic and geologic data, and several said the state should avoid jumping to conclusions while still improving oversight. The committee then heard from William Berger, a Texas geoscientist, who described using AI and operator data to model wastewater injection and seismic risk, and said broader data sharing would improve forecasting and siting decisions. He and another witness emphasized that many earthquakes arise from clusters of wells rather than a single well, and that proprietary concerns limit voluntary disclosure. The committee also received a brief update from GOSEP and the Louisiana National Guard on the Barksdale Air Force Base drone incursions. GOSEP said it logged the incident in WebEOC and shared releasable information, while State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose. Officers said a task force has been formed, some personnel have received federal drone-mitigation training, and House Bill 940 is intended to mirror the task force MOU. Finally, Major General Thomas Friloux and Brigadier General Jason Maffus updated the committee on the merger of GOSEP into the Louisiana Military Department. They said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, brought back employees to in-person work, modernized the state’s common operating picture, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance through staffing and contract changes. They also noted the planned transfer of the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, ongoing hurricane preparedness, and continued coordination with parish emergency managers. No votes were taken on the substantive topics, and the meeting ended with the committee moving through its agenda items and receiving informational testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're wise, proven, and should be fully funded.
• I have the largest department in the county, but that allows us to be fully integrated within a health
• I have the largest department in the county, but that allows us to be fully integrated within a health
• But at the same time, we need to be fully funding.
• And I know that each of you is fully committed to this system and you want to save lives in the same

Summary: The joint Assembly Health and Select Committee on Native American Affairs held an oversight hearing on AB 988, California’s 988 crisis line and mobile crisis response system, followed by a discussion of suicide prevention and intervention in California Indian communities. Members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that AB 988 was intended to create a true alternative to 911 for behavioral health crises, with “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go,” and that Native communities continue to face disproportionately high suicide rates and barriers to culturally responsive care. The first panel of call center and stakeholder witnesses largely argued that implementation is falling short of the law’s intent. They said 988 call centers are underfunded, text/chat answer rates remain far below call answer rates, staffing is strained, and the system still lacks meaningful statewide interoperability between 988 and 911. Several witnesses said mobile crisis teams are not being dispatched through 988 as envisioned, and that funding formulas and governance are too opaque. San Joaquin County was presented as a local success story, with integrated 988, access lines, and mobile crisis handoffs that have reduced reliance on emergency departments and involuntary holds. Witnesses also discussed the need for better tribal outreach, the role of CCBHCs, and the importance of culturally competent services. State officials from CalHHS and DHCS described the five-year 988 implementation plan, the current governance structure across multiple agencies, and efforts to support training, public awareness, and referral tools. They reported growth in 988 contacts, ongoing training with the Trevor Project, a statewide resource directory, and a tribal awareness campaign. DHCS also outlined proposed trailer bill language that would create a formal designation process for 988 centers, set statewide standards, and require existing centers to obtain designation by 2029. Officials said current funding includes SAMHSA grants, block grant dollars, and an expected $67.3 million from the 988 fund in the next budget year, with a large share earmarked for Medi-Cal mobile crisis services. No formal vote or committee action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.