Transcript Highlights:

• Can you say how the Alzheimer's research was flawed and wrong? Thank you.
• Can you say how the Alzheimer's research was flawed and wrong?
• There's actually, in the packet that you have, a fairly detailed description of what went wrong.
• All right, and if there's something wrong with the current protocol or there's something wrong with the
• And that is wrong, and it is harmful.

Bills: SB1015, SB1049, SB1066, SB1081, SB1092, SB1133, SB1134, SB1139, SB1147, SB1148, SB1168, SB1189, SCR1001, SCR1002, SCR1005, SCR1010

Keywords: gender transition, detransition, healthcare liability, medical malpractice, youth protection, legal action, Arizona law, spousal maintenance, court guidelines, self-sufficiency, financial support, marriage dissolution, child safety, dependency cases, attorney regulation, foster care, legal representation, probation, dangerous crimes, children

Summary: The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee heard several bills and took action on multiple measures. SB 1066 would create civil liability for knowingly or recklessly publishing fraudulent scientific research, allowing the Attorney General, county attorneys, and injured parties to sue; the sponsor and supporters argued it would deter research fraud and protect the public, while opponents warned it would chill research and speech. After debate over peer review, fraud standards, and the bill’s scope, the committee voted 4-3 to give SB 1066 a do-pass recommendation. SB 1015 would impose strict personal liability on providers who perform gender transition procedures on minors, including liability for later detransition costs and injuries; supporters framed it as accountability for irreversible treatment on children, while opponents called it discriminatory and likely to function as a backdoor ban. After testimony from the sponsor, medical professionals, detransitioners, and civil liberties advocates, the committee also passed SB 1015 on a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered SB 1049, which would limit spousal maintenance awards to four years and change the factors courts use in setting support. The sponsor said the bill was intended to curb long-term maintenance and align support with self-sufficiency, while judicial and family-law witnesses explained the existing guideline system, the 2022-2025 court study, and concerns that a hard cap could ignore case-specific circumstances such as disability or housing instability. The committee adopted an amendment setting the duration cap at four years and approved the bill as amended by a 4-2 vote. SB 1189, allowing campaign funds to be used for personal security for candidates and family members, passed unanimously after supporters cited threats against public officials and personal experiences with harassment. The committee also passed SB 1081, which would prevent a Department of Child Safety attorney from appearing before a judge they had appeared before in the prior five DCS cases; the sponsor said it was meant to reduce familiarity between attorneys and judges, while opponents raised concerns about rural court access and arbitrary limits. SB 1133, which would eliminate the need for a candidate to file a second financial disclosure statement if one had already been filed that year, was amended to add an emergency clause and passed unanimously. The committee then moved to SCR 1001, a referral measure to end early voting at 7 p.m. on the Friday before the general election and require affirmative request for a mail ballot by voters who have provided proof of citizenship; the transcript cuts off as that measure was being introduced.

Transcript Highlights:

• because it focuses precious resources and our already overburdened criminal justice system on the wrong
• 09:22.560> person probation requirements for a person probation requirements for a person convicted
• of a misdemeanor operating on convicted of a misdemeanor operating on a<02:09:24.639> vehicle
• of operating a vehicle persons convicted of operating a vehicle under<02:09:48.320> influence
• SB 2812 SD1 requires drivers who have been convicted of excessive speeding or habitually operating a

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard SB 2694 SD2, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create automatic adjustment mechanisms for water carriers, including a water carrier inflationary cost index, and to waive certain requirements under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Testimony was sharply divided. The Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and several shipping, harbor, labor, and business-related supporters argued the bill would modernize regulation, reduce the need for large catch-up rate cases, and help keep rates aligned with rising costs. Young Brothers said its current rate-setting process is expensive and delayed, and that annual adjustments with guardrails such as a 5% cap and periodic full reviews would support sustainable operations and the state’s supply chain. Some supporters also said the company’s less-than-container-load service and required inter-island routes create costs that are not fully covered by current rates. Opponents, including the Consumer Advocate, the Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Food Industry Association, restaurant and chamber groups, and other businesses, argued the bill would lead to higher costs for consumers and businesses and should not move forward. Several testified that shipping costs already significantly affect pricing and that automatic increases would worsen the cost of living. The Consumer Advocate said Young Brothers should focus on cost control and implementing its business plan rather than automatic rate increases. The Maui Chamber and others pointed to a recent PUC decision that imposed a two-year stay on rate increases and said the bill would undermine that protection. Some opponents urged the committee to defer to the PUC’s regulatory authority. The PUC explained that it regulates water carriers as public utilities under existing statute and said it had recently approved a temporary rate increase while imposing a two-year stayout period on further increases, with emergency relief still possible. PUC members said they were still examining whether they have authority to adopt the proposed WICI mechanism by rule and wanted legislative clarity. In response to questions, the PUC said it prefers the current two-year stayout as reflected in its order. Young Brothers also clarified that it serves less-than-container-load cargo, that some routes and services are cross-subsidized because they are not profitable, and that an independent observer is being put in place to monitor implementation of its updated business plan. The transcript ended with the committee still taking questions; no final vote or disposition on the bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• notices mailed to people's homes, more corrections needing to be issued when the database gets it wrong
• Needing to be issued when the database gets it wrong, more disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
• There's nothing wrong with using a UCF student ID with your signature on it to go vote.
• I asked the staff to make sure I am wrong on that.
• , or catch mistakes involving the wrong medication, the wrong strength, or the wrong patient before harm

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of recognitions for interns, staff, and guests. Members also honored a retiring Senate staffer and a wounded veteran, then moved into returning House messages and special order bills. Several measures were taken up and either concurred in or sent back to the House, with multiple unanimous or near-unanimous votes on noncontroversial bills. Among the bills addressed were SB 118 on recreational vehicle park assessments, SB 572 on ethics for public officers and employees, and HB 991 on election integrity. SB 118 and SB 572 were amended to reflect House changes and passed 38-0. HB 991 drew extensive debate over voter registration and identification requirements, with opponents arguing it would burden students, seniors, disabled voters, and others, while supporters said it would strengthen election security and streamline verification; it passed 27-12. The chamber also approved bills on historic cemeteries, chickee regulation, habitual traffic offender designation, military affairs, and a Department of Health package. The Department of Health bill (SB 902/HB 733) was the subject of detailed amendment work, including changes to medical marijuana rules, NICU educational materials, Early Steps, dental loan repayment, and pediatric trauma center designation. The Senate adopted an amendment to the amendment and then passed the bill 37-0. Other measures included a funeral services bill, which the Senate refused to concur in because the House strike-all would redefine cremation to include composting, and a veterans-related bill that was temporarily postponed. The Senate also recessed briefly, then returned to continue the calendar and additional recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• First-time arrestee and 81% were convicted of DUI in justice courts; 82% were convicted in district courts
• I mean, it's any crime, any arrests or convictions or case filings, and they're going to be an underestimate
• interest in doing a more deep-dive study into DUI recidivism that would follow people from arrest to conviction
• So then just the total number of convictions for BAC failure per capita instead of just a total amount

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• victims of domestic violence the ability to seek lifetime no-contact injunctions against offenders convicted
• victims of domestic violence the ability to seek lifetime no-contact injunctions against offenders convicted

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then recorded attendance at 23 present, 0 absent, and 7 excused. The journal for April 21, 2026, was approved without objection. The chamber then adopted a legislative proclamation recognizing April 19–25, 2026, as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in Arizona, honoring victims, survivors, and service providers. Senator Bolick spoke in support of the proclamation, tying it to Domestic Violence Awareness Month and highlighting work with victim advocates and survivors, including Amberley’s Place, Janice’s Women’s Center, and Kaylee Kozak. She referenced prior legislation such as SB 1211, which allows lifetime no-contact injunctions for certain domestic violence victims, and described broader efforts to strengthen protections and avoid retraumatizing survivors. She then moved to reconsider the Senate’s prior failure to pass HB 2950 on third reading, and the motion was adopted. The Senate also received a large package of new budget-related bills, SB 1831 through SB 1846, covering general appropriations, state budget implementation, capital outlay, commerce, criminal justice, environment, healthcare, higher education, human services, K–12 education, local government, state properties, revenue, tax and taxation, and transportation. These bills were referred to the Committee on Appropriations, Transportation, and Technology, and the Senate suspended the five-day committee agenda rule so the committee could hear them on April 28, 2026. Committee announcements noted that the Senate and House Appropriations committees would meet the next day at 10 a.m. in House Hearing Room 1, and the Senate adjourned until April 28, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, under Alabama law, if someone is convicted of rape or sodomy and the victim is under the age
• have to happen is, the short answer is no, but what will have to happen is someone actually gets convicted

Bills: HB2, HB27, HB54, HB49, HB58, HB40, HB38, HB43, HB2, HB27, HB40, HB38, HB43, HB54, HB49, HB58

Keywords: vaccination, parental consent, minors, medical consent, guardian approval, sex offender, employment, first responder, childcare, public safety, juvenile protection, emergency orders, child custody, court authority, abuse and neglect, firearm possession, law enforcement, criminal penalty, concealed carry, Alabama law

Transcript Highlights:

• Or am I reading that wrong? Standards and Training would develop the training program, correct?
• And then even if they do, more often than not, a jury is not going to convict on that, because there
• this bill up, I'm just kind of in shock at all the defenses and, well, man, you worded the mens rea wrong
• You worded the actus reus wrong. Well, other states don't do it that way.
• I could be wrong. But what does... ...does that mean?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the prior day by a 123-0 roll call vote. Members then used points of personal privilege to recognize National Police Week and honor fallen law enforcement officers with a moment of silence, and several members gave farewell remarks for departing colleagues and interns. The chamber also introduced a number of special guests, including student groups, interns, a former representative, and the University of Missouri wheelchair basketball team. The House then took up Senate messages and committee reports before acting on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 1839, 2921, and 3015. The sponsor explained the Senate amendment was a technical correction to an online age-verification provision related to pornography; the House concurred 104-30 and then finally passed the package 112-25. The chamber also considered the conference committee report on House Bill 2596, which was described as a small-business health plan measure that modernizes pooled-plan language and adds a 12-month contraception coverage provision while removing a Senate-added blood pressure cuff requirement. After debate on the conference report and a severability clause, the House adopted the report 120-26 and then third-read and passed the bill 119-27. Finally, the House debated Senate Bill 905, which would create the Missouri Ranger training program allowing schools to optionally place specially trained personnel with narrow law-enforcement authority on campus. Debate focused heavily on school safety, local control, training standards, liability, funding, and whether the proposal would improve protection or instead increase the presence of guns in schools. Supporters argued it would give districts another optional safety tool, especially where school resource officers are unavailable, while opponents said schools need more mental health and educational resources rather than armed personnel and raised concerns about training, child development, and unintended harm. The House adopted an amendment clarifying the program after a 96-46 vote, but the transcript cuts off before final passage of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is wrong.
• It is wrong.
• It is wrong.
• It is wrong.
• c> Leadership requires courage, conviction, Leadership requires courage, conviction, compassion.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, July 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would amend the habitual offender law, saying that prior convictions include both in-state
• This bill would amend the habitual offender law, saying that prior convictions include both in-state
• <01:00:12.160> to<01:00:12.319> every<01:00:12.559> other<01:00:12.960> conviction
• <01:00:13.760> So<01:00:13.920> it similar to every other conviction.
• So it similar to every other conviction.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We ask that you grant each and every one of us a discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong
• She gave me the wrong number, sorry. It's 6 and not 16.
• In your hypothetical with there being a wrongful death claim there, I'm sure there's going to be a lawsuit
• going to be trained to do it, and you're going to be drilled on how to do it, and there's nothing wrong
• People knew exactly what went wrong, and they could tell us in very articulate terms.

Bills: SB8, SB4, SB43, SB1, SB2, SB13, SB6, SB10, SB16, SB14, SB3, SB8, SB4, SB43, SB1, SB2, SB13, SB6, SB10, SB16, SB14, SB3

Keywords: education, accountability, public school assessment, state law, transparency, intervention, performance ratings, Texas congressional redistricting, U.S. House districts, congressional map, redistricting, gerrymandering, 2020 Census, census tracts, block groups, voting districts, election law, Texas House of Representatives districts, federal congressional districts, 2026 elections

Transcript Highlights:

• fundamental as where to stand, what to look out for, and what to do if they noticed something was wrong
• I applied my comments to the wrong bill, but AB 448 is the bill that I referenced before.
• This is wrong.
• I can attest to the hard work being done in Placer County, and I can see how this monumental conviction
• Unfortunately, AAM believes that the way AB 1320 is drafted, it would solve the wrong problem in the

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health bills focused on access to preventive care, behavioral health, hospital services, and patient safety. Early items included AB 554, which would expand and protect access to HIV prevention drugs like PrEP, including injectable forms and coverage protections; supporters said it would shore up access amid federal threats, while insurers opposed it as a costly benefit mandate. AB 577 would limit insurer and PBM practices that steer medications away from physician offices and require more transparency and patient consent; doctors and patient advocates supported it, while health plans and insurers warned it could raise drug costs and disrupt specialty pharmacy networks. AB 546 would require coverage for portable HEPA purifiers for vulnerable enrollees during declared emergencies, especially wildfire smoke events, with support from air quality and public health groups and opposition from insurers concerned about benefit expansion and cost. The committee also heard AB 224, which would codify California’s updated essential health benefits benchmark plan after a public review process, adding infertility treatment, hearing aids, and durable medical equipment if approved by CMS for the 2027 plan year. DMHC said the state had completed the review and needed legislation to meet federal timing, and the measure drew broad support. AB 1032 would require plans and insurers to reimburse up to 12 additional behavioral health visits for enrollees in wildfire-affected counties for a limited period after an emergency; supporters argued it would fill gaps in trauma care after disasters, while insurers said existing parity and continuity-of-care rules already address the issue and that the bill could create inequities. AB 849 would require trained chaperones for sensitive ultrasound exams and training on how to observe and intervene; it was backed by a survivor and patient advocates, with hospitals and health districts raising staffing concerns. Later, AB 1196 would direct the Department of Public Health to update outdated rules requiring three surgeons for certain heart surgeries using cardiopulmonary bypass; supporters said the rule no longer reflects modern practice and strains staffing, while cardiology representatives had no formal opposition but wanted to review amendments. AB 1113 would codify a right to wear a mask for health reasons in public spaces, with support from disability and public health groups. AB 1386 sought to add perinatal care to the list of basic hospital services, prompting testimony about maternity ward closures, workforce shortages, and rural access; the author said the bill would be amended further and that the committee would need to revisit timelines and implementation details. The committee also heard AB 1429, which would address Kaiser’s repeated mental health parity violations and improve access to behavioral health care, though the transcript cuts off before any action on that bill is shown. Several bills were moved with motions and seconds, but many were held for quorum; AB 1196, AB 1113, and AB 1386 were among the measures advanced to a roll call or held on call, and the committee repeatedly noted that final votes would occur when quorum was available.

Transcript Highlights:

• It just seems wrong that a teenager can be working at a part-time fast food job... restaurant and be
• We're going the wrong direction.
• Just because you have gone down the wrong road, as a child, they tend to use those things against you
• Oh, yeah, I was wrong, Debra Leibchi. the left. Okay, well then you go ahead, Thomas.
• They say, "Oh, there's nothing wrong with you." And guess where that person ends up?

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's wrong. It is wrong. We need to support women.
• It's wrong. It is wrong. We need to support women.
• It's wrong. It is wrong. We need to support women.
• It's wrong. It is wrong. We need to support women.
• It's wrong. It is wrong. We need male. It's wrong. It is wrong.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• comes from a case involving the A3 charter school network in San Diego which resulted in criminal convictions
• The Superior Court that issued the criminal convictions out of the A3 Charter scandal also ordered the
• What we see here, and correct me if I'm wrong, we're not doing...
• So we ask you know what was the wrong what was wrong with the old way of just using paper. Right.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, I'm looking at the wrong one. Question 186?
• It’s not a—they don’t know the wrong word for me, but cryptography, that’s short.
• It’s not a—the wrong word for me, but cryptography, that’s short.
• It’s not a—the wrong word for me, but cryptography, that’s short.
• I mean, clear and convincing evidence—that doesn't require conviction.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The discussion focused on a cannabis legalization/regulation bill and whether it should be retained for further study or moved forward. Members debated the fiscal impact, with one side emphasizing that the bill would cost about $7.1 million in the first two years before generating revenue, while supporters argued the House should make a statement in favor of legalization despite likely opposition from the Senate and governor. There was also disagreement over strategy: some said retaining the bill until closer to the next election would give the issue more visibility, while others said delaying would only avoid sending a bill the Senate was unlikely to take up anyway. A major point of contention was whether cannabis should be regulated by a new cannabis commission or placed under the Liquor Commission. Supporters of the Liquor Commission argued it already has enforcement infrastructure, especially for age restrictions, and could handle cannabis more efficiently without creating a new bureaucracy. Opponents said cannabis is a different industry that would require specialized expertise, and they objected to expanding the Liquor Commission, which they described as unpopular and costly. The committee also discussed past versions of the bill, including concerns about limited licenses and the perception that the earlier approach favored large businesses. Members reviewed specific provisions such as licensing fees, THC limits, and cultivation categories. One member noted a $10,000 fee for retail cannabis stores and cannabis product manufacturers authorized to perform extractions, while a smaller tier-one cultivator fee was described as a lower-cost option for small growers. There was also discussion of whether the bill would allow sales through general retail outlets or only dedicated cannabis stores, and whether plants and seeds were covered. No final vote or action was clearly recorded in the excerpt, but the main procedural question was whether to retain the bill for more work or advance it as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• this is a bill involving the restoration of voting rights and notifications of those that have been convicted
• Criteria would be that the person has lost his or her right to vote by reason of conviction.
• So, every single person that has been convicted has met criterion number one and would be eligible to

Bills: HB265, HB146, SB254, HB202, HB3, HB42, SB18

Keywords: resisting arrest, penalties, criminal justice, law enforcement, public safety, youthful offender, capital murder, victims' rights, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, illegal alien, enhanced sentencing, criminal offenses, minor victims, felonies, Alabama legislature, bail reform, cash deposit

Transcript Highlights:

• worked with Legislative Council to get some insight into how many people are actually charged and convicted
• I mean, are they just being charged and then nobody gets convicted?
• And then nobody gets convicted, I'm really more looking for those statistics, and that's why I included

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard House Bill 1582, a study bill on false accusations and false reports of a crime. The sponsor argued the issue is broad but important, citing concerns about weaponized accusations in custody, civil, and political disputes and saying the study should gather statistics on how often these offenses are charged and prosecuted. Testimony in support came from the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents and the North Dakota Association for Justice, both describing cases where false domestic-violence allegations or false reports caused arrests, jail time, and court burdens, while noting the difficulty of finding statistics or examples of prosecutions. Members questioned the bill’s scope, and the committee amended it to narrow the study to North Dakota Century Code Chapter 12.1 before giving it a do pass recommendation by roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 1613, which addresses autonomous vehicles, robots, and law enforcement use of technology. The sponsor explained the amendment was intended to create definitions for autonomous, remote, lethal, and less-than-lethal systems, while preserving current law enforcement tools such as body cameras, license plate readers, and other cameras, and requiring warrants or use-of-force policies in certain situations. Testimony and discussion focused on ensuring humans remain involved in decisions to deploy weapons, limiting autonomous use of lethal force, and clarifying how drones and other devices could be used for surveillance or emergency response. After discussion of concerns from law enforcement, technology, and other stakeholders, the committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended by roll call vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1499, which would make home addresses and telephone numbers of federal judges, magistrate judges, and U.S. Supreme Court justices confidential under state open-records law. The sponsor and the Attorney General’s office said the bill would extend protections already given to state judges and other justice-system employees, noting increased threats to judges and explaining that federal law does not fully protect these records in state files. With no opposition offered, the committee gave the bill a do pass recommendation and then adjourned after noting it had completed action on all 122 bills before it, with only two conference committees remaining.

Transcript Highlights:

• And after I was elected, I was thinking about everything that could go wrong in the Senate.
• the gentleman's side of it, it's always also what's going to happen to West Virginia if we get this wrong
• Senate amendments as it relates to committee substitute for House Bill 4138, relating to persons convicted

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first handled several House amendments to Senate bills and passed them, including SB 194 updating the definition of disabled veteran taxpayer, SB 499 requiring toxicology tests in auto accidents, SB 672 on Real Estate Commission licensing discipline, SB 724 on home confinement officers and the EMS retirement system, SB 897 on alcohol and drug counselor licensure, and SB 982 creating the Neighborhood Access Road Program. In each case, the chamber agreed to the House changes and then passed the bill, with some measures also given effective dates, including SB 724 effective July 1, 2026 and SB 648 effective from passage. The Senate also concurred in amendments to SB 197, doubling penalties for sex crimes against minors, and SB 648, which removed restrictions on foreign entities in the Strategic and Critical Resources Act. The chamber then took up a series of additional bills and conference actions. It appointed a conference committee on HB 4588 after refusing to recede from its amendment. The Senate passed HB 4009, the Portable Benefit Account Act, after adopting a Banking and Insurance committee strike-and-insert amendment that moved the program to the Division of Labor, expanded portable benefit definitions, and made technical changes. Later, the Senate also passed SB 182 on annexation by minor boundary adjustment after amending the House changes to allow one annexation per year instead of one every two years, and it passed HB 5101 increasing strangulation penalties, HB 4364 on juvenile offender bail and counsel language, HB 4412 on age verification for certain websites, HB 5564 on deputy sheriff vacation carryover, HB 4138 on sex offender registration fees, HB 4951 after receding from its earlier amendment on continuing education, SB 4 after receding from its amendment, SB 389 after refusing to concur in a House amendment that would have stripped the bill, SB 927 on beekeeping and municipal regulation, and HB 5214 on drug testing for parents before reunification. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to Senate Resolution 67 honoring Senator Michael Andrew Woelfel and Senate Resolution 68 honoring Senator Charles Houston Clements. Numerous senators gave extended remarks praising Woelfel’s legal skill, candor, mentorship, and service, and Clements’s long service, institutional knowledge, steadiness, and friendship. Both resolutions were adopted by roll call votes, with SR 67 passing 34-0 and SR 68 passing 33-1. After the resolutions, the Senate recessed briefly to present the outgoing senators with resolutions and flags flown over the Capitol.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe I had the wrong email or communication, but when you try to reach out to them...”
• She may come wrong. And then another complaint that we got... There are two other examples on C4.
• Over a two-year period, we had 61 convictions. After that, it started to tail off.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: A joint House-Senate Insurance and Commerce meeting focused on the growing threat of financial fraud in Arkansas, with members hearing from bankers, the Attorney General’s office, the state bank and securities commissioner, the insurance department, AARP, and mortgage industry representatives. Witnesses described fraud as increasingly organized, technology-driven, and often transnational, with common schemes including spoofed bank calls and texts, fake websites and social media impersonations, business email compromise, gift card and wire scams, crypto kiosk fraud, check fraud, and mortgage/real estate fraud. Several witnesses emphasized that seniors are disproportionately targeted and that losses are often underreported because victims feel embarrassed or do not know where to report incidents. Testimony highlighted both state and national responses. Bankers and regulators pointed to Arkansas’s 2025 actions on crypto ATMs and elder-fraud education, including training for gift-card sellers and safe-harbor protections for banks under the Safe AR Act. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division described its complaint process, a new financial fraud task force, and examples of recovered funds, including quick recoveries from Bitcoin kiosk scams and wire fraud cases. The American Bankers Association and others urged stronger accountability for telecoms and social media platforms, citing spoofed caller ID, impersonation ads, Section 230 issues, and the need for a national scam-prevention strategy or federal office. Artificial intelligence was identified as a major emerging risk because it can generate convincing scam emails, websites, and impersonation content at scale. Members asked about reporting procedures, whether banks reimburse fraud losses, how crypto affects recoverability, the safety of tap-to-pay versus chip use, and whether public online records contribute to fraud. Witnesses generally advised victims to report scams through the proper channels, avoid clicking links or responding to suspicious messages, and verify requests independently by contacting institutions directly. The committee also heard that banks and regulators are already sharing information and educating consumers, but that more legislative and cross-agency action may be needed. No formal vote or bill action was taken beyond approval of the November 3, 2025 minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• There’s no rush here; whatever it takes to build is the wrong signal to send.
• That is completely the wrong message.
• In California, we know that 30% of adults have a conviction record, and therefore the impact of the justice

Keywords: 988, house, all