Transcript Highlights:

• This is to continue the birth, death, marriage, and divorce and acknowledgement of paternity certificates
• This is to continue the birth, death, marriage, and divorce and acknowledgement of paternity certificates

Summary: The ALC-Review Subcommittee reviewed seven methods of finance, including university projects at ASU Jonesboro and Mountain Home, Black River Technical College deferred maintenance, UA Batesville’s Farm Project Gateway Center, UAMS PET cyclotron equipment, a new allied health building at UAPB funded by a federal grant, and UCA’s multi-purpose arena design work. The committee also approved an alternative delivery construction project for UAPB’s Allied Health and Sciences Building, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members then approved discretionary grants from the Department of Health and DHS, including support for a heart attack center designation, community health worker training, homeless services funding corrections, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. In the contracts section, the committee reviewed RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and a large slate of out-of-state and in-state contracts covering topics such as seatbelt survey data collection, Medicaid and DHS systems, state hospital staffing and services, veterans’ services, education assessments, and state IT and procurement projects. Several contracts drew extended questioning. Senators and representatives pressed DHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs about heavy reliance on contract nursing and staffing costs, and officials said they were using pay incentives and recruitment efforts to increase state employee staffing. Members also questioned AEDC’s lithium supply chain study and the Department of Education’s security contract, with concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments. The committee held three in-state contracts—Department of Education security services and two DHS staffing contracts—until Friday, then adopted the remaining contracts and received informational reports on contract amendments, executed contracts, and emergency procurements before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the principal, Icenberg, and Hartstein up in the gallery
• WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRINCIPAL ICEN BERG AND HARTSTEIN UP IN THE GALLERY AS

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 9, 2026, approved the prior journal, and took up several procedural items, including substituting identical Senate Bill 6734A for Assembly Bill 4382A and adopting a resolution calendar with exceptions for Resolutions 1718 and 1723. The chamber also received amendments on another bill and heard multiple guest introductions, including students from Ahavas Bas Yaakov of Monsey and Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, who was recognized for her work on food and nutrition policy and health equity. A major portion of the session was devoted to Resolution 1680 commemorating Bronx Day. Senators Fernandez, Bailey, Myrie, Serrano, Sepúlveda, Krueger, and others spoke in praise of the Bronx’s history, diversity, culture, resilience, and contributions to music, fashion, sports, and civic life. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1718 recognizing Harriet Tubman Day, with remarks highlighting Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad, her Civil War service, and her later life in Auburn, and adopted Resolution 1723 marking the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday and emphasizing the continuing importance of voting rights protections. The Senate then passed a series of bills from the calendar. These included measures on general municipal law, public health, executive law, education, vehicle and traffic law, criminal procedure, labor law, and legislative law. Several members explained their votes on health-related bills: Senator Cleare spoke about period poverty and access to free menstrual products in educational institutions; Senator Webb supported a bill requiring hospital governing boards to include a registered professional nurse; and Senator Murray, joined by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, described personal experiences with blood clots and pulmonary embolism in support of a bill creating a working group on the issue. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable negative votes, and the Senate adjourned until Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sure that that was a sad day for a lot of folks in this country, and I just want to acknowledge that
• The current state policy acknowledges environmental considerations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Governor DeSantis is once again acknowledging our hardworking educators by investing an additional $201
• Governor DeSantis is once again acknowledging our hardworking educators by investing an additional $201

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget and the Department of Education on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 education budget. Shelby Salmons outlined the overall budget framework, and Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsis highlighted major education investments, including $486 million for VPK, $30.6 billion for K-12 education, a $761.1 million increase in FEFP funding, the highest per-student funding level to date, and $201 million more for teacher pay flexibility. The presentation also emphasized school safety, mental health, civics education, and the Guardian Program, along with continued funding for TEACH, HIPPY, Help Me Grow, and civics debate and literacy initiatives. Members asked about how the mental health allocation would be used, counselor staffing ratios, school closures and whether the department intervenes, oversight of school choice and voucher-funded schools, and the Guardian Program’s pay structure and effectiveness. Senators also raised concerns about the FISH school capacity report, data collection, teacher pay, professional development, AI and tutoring technology, and whether the budget adequately supports mental health services and school safety. The Commissioner said many funding decisions are left to districts, that the department stands ready to assist, and that the Guardian Program has been successful and expanded over time. During public testimony, Pinellas County School Board member Laura Hine said her district spends far more on safety and mental health than it receives in state categorical funding, and urged the committee to consider full-day VPK funding, arguing it has improved third-grade reading outcomes in Pinellas. Senators followed up on district flexibility and local spending choices. The committee took no substantive vote on the budget presentation and adjourned after thanking the department for its recommendations and partnership.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we would not be on the floor tomorrow, I wanted to take this moment today to properly acknowledge
• Founded in 1908... ...to take this moment today to properly acknowledge and celebrate this occasion.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then received and adopted, by a 39-0 vote, a committee report confirming 52 gubernatorial executive appointments to various state, regional, and local boards and commissions. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities, described as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package. Sponsor Senator Simon outlined provisions creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties facing population loss, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care support. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping grant language tied to new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties generally supported the bill, though some raised questions about eligibility for certain rural areas and how funds would be accessed. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then took up CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General findings by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance-based business plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including changes to the stabilization fund and documentation requirements. Senators from both parties debated transparency, accountability, and implementation concerns, with some also urging future attention to declining-enrollment school districts and the quality of scholarship providers. The bill passed 38-0. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House, welcomed Palm Beach County visitors in the gallery, and adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was going to be based on, we have to acknowledge the fact that we're trying to make up for generations
• talk about strengthening the capacity of the Public Education Department (PED). ...in order to acknowledge

Transcript Highlights:

• I acknowledge Representative Guerin's intent to address infrastructure concerns for Fort Worth.
• I acknowledge that.

Bills: HB103

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We thank him for acknowledging the needs... ...of retirees in the ERS system to receive a supplemental
• Many states are acknowledging the need for more safe, affordable credit options.

Bills: HB886, HB1514, HB2434, HB2688, HB2802, HB3161, HB3221, HB4029, HB4339, HB4591, HB4774, HB4802, HB4853, HB5627, SB1737

Keywords: retirement, supplemental payment, benefits, Employees Retirement System, eligible annuitants, legislation, annuity, service credit, Employees Retirement System of Texas, employee benefits, pension reform, public retirement systems, municipality pensions, firefighters, police officers, retirement age, DROP program, actuarial studies, pension benefits, municipal retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• I think learning about the struggles of my people, even though it meant acknowledging that my country
• Finally, the bill's incredibly vague reference to facial coverings fails to acknowledge religious or

Bills: SB2972, SB1909, SB2815, SB735, SB2233, SB800, SB1069, SB2683, SB2986, SB2058, SB2310, SB2055, SB1032

Keywords: expressive activities, freedom of speech, public forum, higher education, protests, student rights, antisemitism, public institutions, disciplinary policy, student organizations, compliance, institutional policy, disciplinary sanctions, diploma designation, institution merger, academic records, student options, Holocaust education, Holocaust Remembrance Week, genocide education

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to start by acknowledging the hard funding decisions this committee is faced with in putting together
• Just know that if anyone feels like they didn't get enough time, we, as chairs, acknowledge the work

Bills: HF2563

Keywords: HF2563, legacy finance bill, Legacy Amendment, outdoor heritage fund, clean water fund, parks and trails fund, arts and cultural heritage fund, Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, Clean Water Council, Minnesota legacy funds, habitat conservation, prairie restoration, wetland restoration, forest conservation, riparian buffers, water quality, groundwater protection, drinking water, septic systems, watershed planning

Transcript Highlights:

• And thank you, Assembly Member Gallagher, for acknowledging a great team that's across the river here
• Those of us who were elected in '22 and those elected in '24 join me in acknowledging our current colleagues

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, pledge, and a moment of silence for Marysville Police Officer Osmar Rodarte. Members then handled several procedural motions, including re-referring bills and moving items on the file, with AB 567 re-referred by a recorded vote of 42-17 and the remaining referral requests approved without objection. The chamber also heard a brief personal statement from Assembly Member Macedo thanking colleagues and staff for support during a health episode. On the floor, members presented and passed several measures. AB 310 by Assembly Member Alanis, requiring youth sports organizations to have AED access, emergency response plans, and coach training, passed 56-0. AB 437 by Assembly Member Lackey, expanding CIF reporting to include sports-related injuries and medical problems, passed 59-0. ACR 55 by Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez, commemorating the 40th anniversary of ARC v. DDS and the Lanterman Act, received 62 co-authors and was adopted by voice vote. The Assembly also adopted HR 28 recognizing Major League Baseball Opening Day 2025, with extended lighthearted remarks about the Dodgers, Giants, and Athletics, and HR 23 honoring Cesar Chavez Day, which drew broad support from caucus leaders and members speaking to Chavez’s labor and civil rights legacy. Both resolutions were adopted by voice vote after adding co-authors. The chamber then approved the second-day consent calendar, including ACR 39 on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month and ACR 53 on Women’s Equal Pay Day, and later adjourned in memory of Ralph Miller after tributes from Assembly Members Hart and Gibson. The House adjourned until Tuesday, April 1 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a symbol of how we as a state acknowledge the central power and wisdom of citizens, just like they
• It is a symbol of how we as a state acknowledge the central power and wisdom of citizens, just like they

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 1257, which would eliminate the Public Safety Advisory Committee to the POST Board, was the final bill heard. The bill’s sponsor argued the committee was created in 2020 in response to post-Floyd criminal justice reforms but had since become obsolete because local agencies and communities had created their own oversight bodies and the main POST Board still includes citizen members and public participation. The sponsor said the advisory committee had run out of issues to address and was effectively meeting just to justify its existence. Former Representative Carlos Mariani testified in opposition, saying the committee was a bipartisan part of the 2020 Minnesota Police Accountability Act and was intended to preserve citizen involvement in policing policy and protect civil and human rights after George Floyd’s murder. He argued that eliminating it would weaken a state-level structure created to rebuild public trust and ensure consistent oversight, while still allowing local efforts to continue. Another member asked about compensation and noted the committee has a $20,000 ongoing appropriation through the POST Board; the sponsor clarified members are not individually compensated beyond per diem and travel. After discussion, the sponsor renewed the motion to recommend re-referral to the General Register. The committee voted, and the motion carried, sending House File 1257 to the General Register.

Transcript Highlights:

• We talked about the actions of the teachers, and we acknowledge that a Level 2 teacher with 9 or 10 years
• House Memorial 2 acknowledges the increasing role of artificial intelligence in education and the need

Transcript Highlights:

• Heavenly Father, we come before you today with humility and gratitude, acknowledging that you are the
• 28.240> gratitude, today with humility and gratitude, today with humility and gratitude, acknowledging
• that you are the sovereign acknowledging that you are the sovereign God<00:06:32.960> that<00
• It mystified us when not a single Democrat would rise on the floor to acknowledge families devastated
• of<01:37:49.199> 13<01:37:49.679> service acknowledge the total of 13 service acknowledge

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, March 19, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I need to acknowledge that 475, um, grouping, uh, all of us together is, um, is the idea here.
• It has just been acknowledged<02:30:20.479> that<02:30:20.640> there<02:30:20.800> is
• <02:30:20.880> a<02:30:21.040> lack<02:30:21.200> of acknowledged that there
• is a lack of acknowledged that there is a lack of staff<02:30:21.680> power,<02:30:22.000>
• ,<02:49:12.880> but certificate that we acknowledge, but certificate that we acknowledge,

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hawaii already acknowledges that giving shooters the ability to unload dozens of rounds in seconds is
• Again, we acknowledge the middle ground to find balance in limiting the amount of .50-caliber or larger
• He began by acknowledging the humane intent of the bill.
• the Humane intent start by acknowledging the Humane intent of<01:24:32.600> the<01:24:32.719>
• I just want to acknowledge your hard work on this.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on March 13, 2025, and took up several firearms and fireworks measures. On SB 227, which would create an illegal fireworks enforcement division in the Department of Law Enforcement and appropriate funds, DLE supported the bill, saying fireworks enforcement has become a full-time job requiring dedicated staff rather than a collateral-duty task force. Members discussed whether the bill and the related task force bill were both needed; DLE said yes, explaining that the new division would provide full-time state employees while the task force funding covers interagency costs such as transportation, storage, overtime, and personnel. Testimony on SB 227 was reported as 12 in support and 6 in opposition. On SB 222, which would fund the illegal fireworks task force and extend its sunset to June 30, 2030, DLE and the Honolulu Police Department supported the measure, emphasizing continued enforcement pressure and interagency coordination. An opponent from the Libertarian Party of Hawaii argued the bill was a waste of time, criticized fireworks prohibition as cultural overreach, and performed a song in opposition. Representative Shimizu asked about results from the extra enforcement effort, and DLE said enforcement has driven up street prices and made investors think twice, which they described as a goal of pricing people out of the market. The chair reported 13 testimonies in support and 6 in opposition. The committee then heard SB 1324, a more comprehensive fireworks bill that would revise definitions and penalties, create first- and second-degree fireworks offenses, add infractions, and increase penalties for serious injury or death. DLE and the Attorney General strongly supported it, saying the bill would improve enforcement, address black-market activity, and help prosecutors when fireworks have already exploded and evidence is destroyed. The Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing existing laws already punish these offenses and that the real issue is enforcement; the office also raised constitutional concerns about the bill’s concurrent civil infraction and criminal trial process. Honolulu Police supported the bill, while the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office said the alternative definitions would help in cases involving exploded versus seized fireworks. The chair noted 17 testimonies in support, 7 in opposition, and 3 comments, and members discussed whether the bill could be amended to address the public defender’s concerns. The committee also began hearing SB 308, which would expand the state’s magazine-capacity restrictions to firearms with detachable magazines over 30 rounds, with a grandfathering provision for certain magazines obtained before January 1, 2026. DLE supported the bill as a fair balance that would grandfather existing magazines while preventing new high-capacity acquisitions. Opposition testimony from Jerry Yuan of the Pool, Oil, Rifle, and Pistol Club argued the proposal was another shifting restriction and opposed magazine bans generally. The hearing continued with additional testimony not fully captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Heavenly Father, we come before you with humility and gratitude, acknowledging your sovereignty over
• Heavenly Father, we come before you with humility and gratitude, acknowledging your sovereignty over
• Whereas the Declaration of Independence opens with the profound statement acknowledging that, when in
• Whereas the Declaration of Independence opens with the profound statement acknowledging that, when in
• Whereas George Washington acknowledged the value of protecting our liberty through future generations

Bills: HB567, HB776, HB2, HB568, HB619

Keywords: open records, public access, transparency, government accountability, public agency, dental practice, licensing, administrative regulations, dental assistants, supervision, Medicaid, community engagement, healthcare, managed care, eligibility, public assistance, insurance, public adjuster, claim process, contract requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• It acknowledges that infrastructure is not just concrete and steel.
• It acknowledges that infrastructure is not just concrete and steel.
• Passing this bill means acknowledging that every life matters and that our state has both the ability
• It acknowledges that pain into action.
• every<00:14:28.959> life means acknowledging that every life means acknowledging that every

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, Madam Chair and members, while I acknowledge that there is this war between different entities
• And so, Madam Chair and members, while I acknowledge that there is this war between different entities
• And so, Madam Chair and members, while I acknowledge that there is this war between different entities
• And so, Madam Chair and members, while I acknowledge that there is this war between different entities
• , well, I acknowledge that there is<01:25:34.960> this<01:25:35.280> war<01:25:36.000><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Before I begin, I just want to acknowledge, uh, members of my team who are here with me in the event
• Before I begin, I just want to acknowledge, uh, members of my team who are here with me in the event
• <01:32:11.240> You<01:32:11.280> know, acknowledge that. No, thanks.
• You know, acknowledge that. No, thanks.
• First, acknowledge the problem. Then understand it.

Keywords: 910, house, all