Transcript Highlights:

• Fentanyl. We're trying to deal with fentanyl, and now we got this.
• Fentanyl remains the number one killer of Americans 18 to 45 years of age.
• We're putting our neck out for even increased exposure.
• Poison control shows most exposures are mild.
• Poison control shows most exposures are mild.

Summary: The House Committee on Public Health heard House Bill 5, a proposal to ban THC products outside the Texas Compassionate Use Program while allowing non-intoxicating CBD and CBG products under tighter regulation. Chair Van Deaver gave a lengthy background on the 2018 federal Farm Bill and Texas’s 2019 hemp law, arguing that the lack of guardrails allowed a large, unregulated THC market to develop. HB 5 would impose licensing fees, product registration, testing and inspection requirements, and restrictions intended to keep products away from children. Invited witnesses from law enforcement strongly supported the bill. Steve Dye of the Texas Police Chiefs Association and Brian Hawthorne of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas argued that THC consumables are widely mislabeled, often far more potent than advertised, and linked to youth access, impaired driving, and organized crime. Both said regulation would be ineffective and would amount to legalization, while a ban would be easier for officers to enforce. They also emphasized support for the Texas Compassionate Use Program and said medical THC should remain available. Dr. Peter Stout of the Texas Association of Crime Lab Directors and Alice Amelot of Texas DPS testified as resource witnesses about forensic testing. They said current lab resources are already stretched thin, that quantitative testing for THC and related cannabinoids is expensive and time-consuming, and that a ban would simplify enforcement because labs could focus on presence/absence testing rather than concentration. Amelot said DPS labs are neutral on the bill but explained that mislabeled products and inaccurate certificates of analysis are common. Committee members asked about traffic safety, impairment, youth use, and the costs of enforcement and lab testing; witnesses repeatedly said the bill would reduce complexity for law enforcement but that any approach would still require more resources for labs.

Transcript Highlights:

• to fentanyl.
• But not included in the list is prohibiting permitting a child to ingest fentanyl.
• But not included in the list is prohibiting permitting a child to ingest fentanyl.
• the list is prohibiting permitting a child to ingest fentanyl.
• </c> Were caused by exposure to the infectious diseases sustained in the line of duty.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 897 does is align the criminal penalty for exposing children and vulnerable adults to fentanyl
• an assistant who was prosecuting a case involving a two-year-old little girl that was exposed to fentanyl
• Just last Christmas, there was an 18-month-old that was killed on Christmas Day because of exposure to
• fentanyl.
• I've served on the Commerce Committee and have had exposure to the insurance and other regulated industries

Transcript Highlights:

• Fentanyl. Trying to deal with fentanyl, you know? And now we have this.
• The problem—and so is fentanyl.
• Fentanyl remains the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 45.
• We're putting our neck out for even increased exposure.
• Poison control calls show most exposures are mild.

Bills: HB5

Keywords: hemp, cannabinoids, regulation, occupational licenses, consumable products, marketing, criminal offenses, labeling requirements, health and safety, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that the locals could take action to solve it from their perspective would leave the full amount of exposure
• to CDCR, and we do some work there on counter-drone operations to make sure that folks don't fly fentanyl
• We helped the city of San Francisco develop their counter-narcotics, counter-fentanyl task force.
• I'd offer fentanyl deaths across the state have gone down, and I'm not here to say I'd offer that fentanyl
• And on top of that, it's not just fentanyl coming across our borders from south to north.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an item on the vehicle license fee backfill for counties, focused largely on San Mateo County and the related excess ERAF calculation. Department of Finance staff said the administration does not propose the requested $119 million backfill, arguing the payment is discretionary and that the existing statutory formula should continue to operate as written. Senators and public witnesses, including Senator Becker and former Senator Jackie Speier, argued the state has a longstanding obligation to local governments and that San Mateo County faces severe service cuts without the funds; they also discussed whether the issue could be solved through local school district boundary changes or other structural fixes. The chair held the item open after testimony. The committee then reviewed Secretary of State budget proposals. The department presented SB 851 implementation funding of $1.1 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $807,000 ongoing for four positions and software to track election-related litigation, update voting system standards, and expand vendor notice requirements. Members asked about election security, the impact of recent federal court decisions, the end of federal HAVA funds in 2027-28, and the staffing and timeline needed to implement the law. The committee also heard a $11.8 million General Fund request for the Cal Access Replacement System, intended to replace the outdated campaign finance and lobbying disclosure platform; staff said the project is on track for a November 2026 go-live with a stabilization period afterward. A separate item sought $9.795 million Business Fees Fund for the Notary Automation Program replacement, with the department explaining delays were due to more planning, a 2025 special election, and the need to secure a contractor, with go-live now projected for 2029. All three items were held open. The Department of Veterans Affairs presented its overall status and then its Yountville skilled nursing facility project. CalVet described progress on veterans homes, home loans, housing programs, and mental health initiatives, while noting higher-acuity needs among older veterans and continued support for underserved groups. For Yountville, the department said the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility is nearing completion and will replace the aging Holderman Hospital building, though some functions will remain in the old building and other campus projects, including roof and steam system work, are still underway. Members also raised concerns about retroactive tax liabilities for employees whose housing fringe benefits had not been reported, and CalVet said it has corrected the reporting, retrained staff, and is working with employees on repayment and lease adjustments. The committee also discussed a proposal to eliminate vacant positions under Control Section 4.12; CalVet said the positions were long vacant and could be given back without harming operations, while the LAO noted the Legislature had not concurred and keeping them would increase General Fund costs. The item was held open. Finally, the California Arts Council gave an informational update on its work and the cultural districts program. The director described the council’s grantmaking, technical assistance, and support for 24 cultural districts statewide, while members emphasized the economic and preservation value of arts funding and urged more investment, including a proposed $50 million General Fund augmentation and a $10 million carve-out for cultural districts. Staff explained that the original cultural district funding was reduced and that the program is currently unfunded and lacks dedicated staff, limiting its ability to expand beyond a small share of applications. Members from different regions noted that many parts of the state still lack cultural district designations and pressed the council to broaden access beyond major urban areas. The item was informational only, with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I do history of industrial exposure.
• Exposure to small amounts has been linked to cancer, fertility issues, and immune system failure.
• , was coming across the fentanyl, was coming across the Caribbean<06:07:40.240><c> Sea.
• to kill kill millions of fentanyl to kill kill millions of Americans,<06:08:07.840><c> he</c><06:08:
• </c> somebody whose son died of fentanyl somebody whose son died of fentanyl overdose<06:08:25.360><c

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, December 11, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• conditions that are specific to women because we have the research now regarding the occupational exposures
• The materials that we're fighting against change our exposures. Change.
• And he consequently relapsed on fentanyl and continued that at the time when the medication was back
• can't fill that prescription, they become Desperate and there's always somebody ready to sell them fentanyl

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 84, introduced by Representative Armstrong, an act relating to children, providing that the exposure
• a child to a Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 controlled substance constitutes abuse of a child, adding exposure
• to the use of fentanyl as evidence of abuse of a child, and amending and updating sections of the Child
• Fentanyl as evidence of abuse of a child, amending and updating sections of the Children's Code to provide

Bills: HB1

Keywords: feed bill, legislative appropriations, legislative branch, New Mexico Legislature, general fund, legislative council service, legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee, house chief clerk, senate chief clerk, per diem, mileage, session expenses, interim committees, district staff, capitol complex, capital outlay data system, legislative processing system, redistricting, census redistricting

Transcript Highlights:

• If we put our partisan lens aside, Attorney General Mays has asked for a return of the focus on fentanyl
• us and said, based on the science, if you're a firefighter and you have this number of years of exposure

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety and Law Enforcement met and first announced that HB 2691 would be held and not heard further that day. The chair also limited testimony to three speakers for and three against, with two minutes each unless extended by a minority leader. The committee then took up HB 2993, which would allow the Department of Public Safety to spend on legal services independent of the Attorney General and, as amended, redirect $5 million from the Consumer Protection Consumer Fraud Revolving Fund to the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission Fund. Supporters argued the bill would give DPS outside counsel and shift money toward front-line public safety work; opponents said it was political retaliation that would weaken consumer protection enforcement and divert funds from Arizonans who benefit from AG actions. The committee adopted the chairman’s amendment and then approved HB 2993 on an 8-6 vote, with one absent. The committee next heard HB 2231, a clarifying bill updating the list of cancers covered under the occupational disease presumption for firefighters, peace officers, and fire investigators. The sponsor and firefighter testimony said the bill does not expand benefits but fixes a drafting problem, including a disputed comma that had been used by insurers to challenge claims; the Industrial Commission was listed as neutral if needed. Members discussed whether the presumption is rebuttable and how punctuation affected the statute’s meaning. During roll call, several members explained their votes in favor as a matter of grammar and statutory clarity, and the committee passed HB 2231 by a 14-0 vote with one absent. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• society in terms of risk for maltreatment and with regard to biological sensitivity for adverse exposure
• we should shows that adverse exposure we should shows that unaddressed<00:18:53.559><c> traumatic</c
• My families are addicted to fentanyl.
• My families are addicted to fentanyl.
• My families are addicted to fentanyl.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the entire state, with also geographic focus in certain counties where we want to accelerate first exposure
• that everyone understands what an opioid is and also not losing sight of educating ourselves on the fentanyl

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• DPS seizures of fentanyl increased. we've dealt with over the previous 4 years, uh, and then I'll go
• Uh, DPS seizures of fentanyl increased 1,272%. Opioid overdoses in Texas increased.
• Migrants dying from exposure increased.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security held its first hearing of the 89th legislative session, established a quorum, welcomed new and returning members, and adopted the committee rules without objection. The chair said the hearing would be limited to invited state agency witnesses and was intended as a status update for new members on current border operations, especially in light of the change in federal administration. Testimony came from the Office of the Attorney General, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Military Department. The Attorney General’s representative said border-related litigation is largely in a holding pattern while the new U.S. Department of Justice awaits additional leadership, and noted prior cases involving concertina wire, buoys, and the CBP One app. DPS described Operation Lone Star’s evolution from filling gaps when Border Patrol was overwhelmed to current operations focused on interdiction, criminal arrests, fentanyl and meth seizures, and national security concerns, while also noting improved morale and more voluntary deployments as border pressure has eased. The Texas Military Department reported more than 5,000 personnel on state active duty, extensive use of barriers, drones, boats, and rapid-response forces, and said Operation Lone Star has resulted in more than 531,000 apprehensions and a 90% reduction in illegal crossings. Members and witnesses discussed whether the state should maintain its current border-security footprint while federal policy settles, with the chair emphasizing preserving institutional knowledge and leaving tactical decisions to the governor. Questions also covered trooper fatigue, Border Patrol training under SB 602, and concerns about cartel-driven commercial trucking and fuel depots near the border. The committee heard that Border Patrol training with DPS has resumed, and the chair asked agencies to keep the Legislature informed as legal and operational circumstances change. No bills were heard and no votes were taken beyond adopting the committee rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• the State Public Charter School Commission, to conduct a study on the practices of managing heat exposure
• practices of conduct a study on the practices of managing<00:19:04.400><c> heat</c><00:19:04.799><c> exposure
• ><00:19:05.679><c> in</c><00:19:06.000><c> the</c><00:19:06.160><c> department</c> managing heat exposure
• in the department managing heat exposure in the department and<00:19:07.039><c> charter</c><00:19:07.520
• change waters down the urgency of actual public health emergency threats in our community, like fentanyl

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Health met on April 2, 2025, and heard several resolutions focused on student mental health, autism data collection, school heat exposure, and climate change as a public health issue. Testimony on HCR 96/HR 92 supported encouraging the University of Hawaii to evaluate and expand student mental health services; the University of Hawaii testified in support, and a student speaker said expanded services would make students more likely to seek help. The committee also heard HCR 145/HR 139, which urges state agencies to collaborate on planning for Hawaii’s participation in CDC autism prevalence surveillance; supporters included the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities and an autism advocate who said Hawaii needs better local representation in the data. The committee then heard HCR 186/HR 179, requesting a study of heat exposure management in Department of Education and charter schools. The Department of Health and the climate change and health working group supported the measure, citing rising temperatures, heat-related illness risks during outdoor activities, and the value of wet bulb globe temperature standards. Finally, the committee heard HCR 188/HR 182, declaring climate change a public health emergency and calling for statewide coordination on cross-sector solutions. Supporters from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, the climate change and health working group, and a Native Hawaiian physician emphasized climate-related health harms such as heat illness, wildfire impacts, chronic disease, and inequities; one member opposed the measure as politicized and said it could dilute attention from other urgent problems. In decision-making, the committee adopted recommendations to pass HCR 96/HR 92, HCR 145/HR 139, and HCR 186/HR 179 as is. For HCR 188/HR 182, the committee recommended passage with amendments, specifically a House draft one for technical clarity, consistency, and style. During the vote on the climate emergency resolution, Representatives Elos and Garcia voted no, while the rest of the members present supported the recommendation. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 136, adding exposure to the use of fentanyl as evidence of abuse of a child, is ordered printed

Transcript Highlights:

• He purchased fake Xanax that turned out to be fentanyl.
• His dealer had three felony trafficking warrants for fentanyl.
• Grena, she's a dog trainer from Texas Against Fentanyl.
• Yes, I am the Border Area Director for Texas Against Fentanyl.
• Endanger access to vaping, opioids, fentanyl, and other drugs.

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:

• One is what I see as a pretty obvious exposure to discrimination, which I'll unpack here in a moment,
• One is what I see as a pretty obvious exposure to discrimination, which I'll unpack here in a moment,
• You know, the fentanyl crisis has made these challenges even worse.
• Number two, they're scared to start Suboxone because of these interactions with fentanyl.
• with um as as undetectable as fentanyl with um as as undetectable as fentanyl would<01:28:59.400><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We are no longer dealing with just fentanyl.
• It was his first known exposure. He did not get a second chance.
• Yet she suffered the consequences of prenatal substance exposure, including fentanyl, methamphetamines
• In Arizona, prenatal substance exposure is not clearly treated as child abuse under our criminal statutes
• SB 1476... ...creates accountability by establishing a class six felony where prenatal substance exposure

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard and advanced several bills focused on criminal justice, public safety, firearms, immigration-related enforcement, and victims’ rights. SB 1170 would enhance sentencing for selling dangerous or narcotic drugs to a minor when the drug sale contributed to the minor’s death; supporters, including grieving parents, argued it would hold dealers accountable, while opponents warned it would remove judicial discretion and increase prison terms for people with addiction. The committee also approved SB 1012, which narrows a restaurant-related concealed-carry restriction for properly permitted handgun holders in certain Series 12 restaurants; supporters framed it as a limited correction, while beverage industry representatives said it overrides property rights and creates confusion. SB 1511, requiring proof of lawful status for drivers using non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses and allowing citations and possible impoundment, also received a do-pass recommendation after emotional testimony about trucking-related fatalities. The committee then took up a strike-everything amendment to SB 1100 creating an Arizona registration and disclosure system for lobbying on behalf of foreign adversary principals, with the Department of Homeland Security supporting the measure and civil rights advocates objecting that it could stigmatize people based on origin rather than conduct. SB 1004, dealing with GPS monitoring for homeless registered sex offenders, was amended to remove DPS as the monitoring agency and passed despite concerns about overcriminalization and loss of judicial discretion. SB 1213, which would bar probation for people unlawfully present in the U.S. and require ICE notification, passed over objections that it conflicts with existing probation statutes and raises constitutional concerns. SB 1402, requiring probationers on electronic monitoring to pay the fee, also passed, with opponents arguing courts already have discretion and should consider ability to pay. The committee next approved SB 1709, which mandates re-arrest, probation revocation, and consecutive prison terms for adults on probation for dangerous crimes against children who commit new offenses or violate probation; supporters said it was needed to protect children, while opponents said it strips judges of discretion and can punish technical violations too harshly. SB 1413, removing a $100,000 cap on restitution for serious injury or death caused by moving violations, passed after the county attorney’s office said the cap had already been found unconstitutional. SB 1416, updating missing-child notification procedures and requiring faster photo and media dissemination, passed unanimously after testimony from missing-child advocates. Finally, SB 1725, creating a civil and petty-offense remedy for excessive marijuana smoke or odor drifting onto neighboring property, passed after debate over private-property rights, medical marijuana protections, local control, and possible conflict with the Voter Protection Act; the committee also heard SB 1723, a domestic-violence-related bill expanding protective-order, bail, and parenting-time considerations, but the transcript cuts off before action on that measure.

Bills: HB2028, HB1859, HB1851, HB1660, HB1890, HB1892, HB1893, HB2122, HB2012, HB1770, HB2121, HB1979, HB1650, HB1982, HB218

Keywords: Labor Day, construction workers, tax credit, economic development, state law, employer support, workforce development, employment, career counseling, local economy, high-demand jobs, taxation, apprenticeship, income tax credit, qualified apprenticeship program, HB1660, Hawaii, county labor standards, counties, contractors

Transcript Highlights:

• Exposure to the adult incarceration systems... Thank you, Jayden, for your testimony.
• Exposure to the adult incarceration systems ...supporting young people across the state.
• There were no other drugs in his system, no alcohol, no fentanyl, nothing else.
• There were no other drugs in his system, no alcohol, no fentanyl, nothing else.
• The same category as heroin and fentanyl.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on several juvenile justice and parole-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on H. 2051/S. 1087 to end lifetime parole for juveniles and emerging adults, and H. 1923 to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds. Chairs Brandy Fluker-Reid and Lydia Edwards opened the hearing by noting the large number of bills and witnesses, the need to keep testimony moving, and special procedures for incarcerated witnesses and sensitive testimony. They also acknowledged the historic nature of the hearing being chaired by two Black women attorneys. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. Many incarcerated speakers and advocates supported ending lifetime parole, arguing that young people can change, that lifetime supervision creates constant fear of technical violations, and that it undermines rehabilitation, family stability, employment, and reintegration. Several testified about their own trauma, youth, and growth in prison programs, while others emphasized the costs of decades of supervision and the racial disparities in the system. Support also came from elected officials, UTEC, the Transformational Prison Project, United Way, CPCS’s Youth Advocacy Division, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, and others, who said juvenile systems are better suited to developmentally appropriate treatment and that the bills would improve public safety and reduce recidivism. There was also opposition, including testimony from family members of a murder victim who argued that lifetime parole should remain for serious violent crimes and that some offenders are not sufficiently rehabilitated. One virtual witness described a family tragedy involving the kidnapping and murder of her infant nephew and warned that ending lifetime parole could remove needed long-term supervision for dangerous offenders. In addition to the juvenile justice bills, the committee heard testimony on H. 1867, a bill related to continuing care for severe mental illness, and H. 2063, which would increase penalties for assaults on correction officers and other prison staff; the correction officers’ union supported H. 2063 and related safety bills. The hearing continued with many more witnesses and bill topics, but no final committee action was announced in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill establishes a clear and practical framework to reduce Arizona's exposure to risky vendors in
• Please... ...reduce Arizona's exposure to risky vendors in critical telecom infrastructure in two key
• decades been infiltrating our society in many ways: technological, as we're talking about, physical, fentanyl
• And the issue with heat exposure is that it's much like fatigue.

Summary: The Committee on Science and Technology heard Senate Bill 1046, which would prohibit critical telecommunications infrastructure in Arizona from using equipment manufactured or owned by a foreign adversary, require annual certification to the Corporation Commission, impose civil penalties for noncompliance, and bar violators from receiving certain public funds for telecom infrastructure. Marina Macklin testified in support, arguing the bill would reduce cybersecurity and national security risks tied to Chinese-linked telecom equipment and that states have an important role in procurement and infrastructure protection. Members asked about examples such as Huawei, the cost of compliance, whether the threat is current, and whether the bill duplicates federal efforts; Macklin said the measure targets public procurement, addresses existing risks, and complements rather than conflicts with federal action. The committee then voted 5-1 to return SB 1046 with a do pass recommendation, with one member citing concerns about timing and implementation. The committee also received a presentation from Craig Luxbacher of the University of Arizona on mining technology and the state’s role in critical minerals. He described Arizona as a hub for mining innovation and discussed university work on autonomous equipment, microgrids, pilot processing, tailings recovery, workforce training, and heat-stress monitoring. Members asked about microgrids, legal and policy changes needed to de-risk domestic mining, tariffs, workforce decline, and whether AI and automation would reduce jobs; Luxbacher said automation is driven by economics, not just regulation, and would likely create more skilled maintenance and technical jobs rather than eliminate the workforce. Jeremiah Pate of Lunisand then presented on subsurface imaging technology using geo-radio-tomography, which he said can image deep underground from airborne platforms and help locate critical minerals, aquifers, tunnels, and buried military infrastructure. Members asked about applications for archaeology, identifying mineral types, water detection, uniqueness of the technology, and possible defense uses. Pate said the company is working toward better mineral identification, can detect aquifers readily, and is currently the only company fielding this type of airborne subsurface imaging. The chair closed the meeting after thanking members and speakers, and the committee adjourned.