Transcript Highlights:

• turn them nude, make AI pornography out of<04:00:05.600> those<04:00:05.840> pictures.
• Uh so members, AI pornography allegedly.
• Also want to thank Senator Maye Quade for all of her work on the AI nudification bill.
• Also want to thank Senator Maye Quade for all of her work on the AI nudification bill.
• Also want to thank Senator Maye Quade for all of her work on the AI nudification bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the NICB does use fraud analytics, which in the bill is described as AI, data analytics, and statistical
• /c><01:26:05.280> described<01:26:05.760> as<01:26:06.520> um<01:26:06.800> AI
• , bill um is described as um AI, bill um is described as um AI, uh<01:26:08.120> data<01:26

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 83, which would require hotel keepers to give adequate notice of service disruptions to guests and third-party vendors. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill but asked for amendments to restore remedies and add a nonwaiver provision, arguing that without penalties the measure would lack consequences and that consumers should not be able to waive the notice rights. Supporters, including Unite Here Local 5 and individual testifiers, said guests deserve transparency and meaningful recourse when disruptions occur, especially for labor disputes, construction, or other service interruptions that affect the experience they paid for. Hotel industry representatives, including the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, and hotel workers/testifiers, opposed the bill in its current form while offering amendments. They said the measure was too broad, difficult to implement, and could interfere with collective bargaining, third-party booking systems, and existing contracts. They also argued that some disruptions are not easily known in advance and that the bill unfairly singles out hotels compared with other industries. One testifier emphasized that notice should be required only for actual, known disruptions rather than potential events, and another raised concerns about applying the bill to properties not directly involved in a labor dispute. After the SB 83 testimony, the committee moved on to SB 2798, which would make permanent and expand statewide the agricultural enforcement pilot program created in 2025 and rename it the agricultural enforcement program. The chair introduced the measure and called on the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity as the first testifier, but the transcript excerpt ends before testimony or any vote on SB 2798.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did look to see if some of these AI-based tools could also serve as a dyslexia-sensitive screener
• We did look to see if some of these<00:25:21.440> um<00:25:22.320> AI<00:25:22.799>
• tools<00:25:24.400> could<00:25:24.720> also<00:25:25.200> serve these um AI
• based tools could also serve these um AI based tools could also serve as<00:25:26.559> um<00:

Bills: HB1559, HB2012, HB2297, HB2122, HB2345, HB2398, HB2534, HB2621

Keywords: telecommunication devices, student use, public schools, student engagement, educational outcomes, confiscation policy, mental health, statewide policy, community literacy, education, Title I funding, reading proficiency, underserved communities, family engagement, tutoring, literacy support, adult education, community education, literacy programs, workforce development

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we wanted to do, what the AI wants us to do, is to really look at the CTE criteria and work
• And what we wanted to do what the<00:53:18.800> AI<00:53:19.160> wants<00:53:19.480>
• 20.440> is<00:53:20.640> to<00:53:20.760> really<00:53:21.040> look the AI
• wants us to do is to really look the AI wants us to do is to really look at<00:53:21.560> the

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened with a quorum present and then proceeded through committee reports, largely adopting favorable reports and amendments without objection. Early measures included SB 530, which funds grants for multigenerational social connection programs for older adults; SB 731, clarifying the legal status of the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council; SB 809, directing a feasibility study on a caregiver infrastructure program; SB 860, creating an Aging Resilience Fund with reporting and budget protections; SB 910, requiring insurance reimbursement for services provided by graduate-level clinical interns under supervision; and SB 972, making several Baltimore City alcoholic beverages licensing changes. Each of these bills was advanced to third reading after committee amendments were adopted. The Finance Committee also advanced SB 555, establishing a Dementia Services and Brain Health Program and a provider resource toolkit for dementia care; SB 757, creating a Maryland Local Sourcing Portal to connect businesses with local sources for tariff-impacted goods; SB 772, creating an employment training and opportunity database to help people qualify for or maintain Medicaid and SNAP; SB 792, requiring hospitals to adopt and train staff on immigration-enforcement policies consistent with Attorney General guidance; SB 869, establishing a workforce training pilot program through Commerce and community colleges; SB 905, creating an advanced manufacturing grant program through TEDCO; and SB 974, changing who may serve as inspector for the Caroline County Board of License Commissioners. Most of these bills were reported favorably with technical or narrowing amendments and then ordered printed for third reading. Budget and Taxation advanced SB 28, which would create binding arbitration for state employee collective bargaining impasses and include a proposed constitutional amendment requiring funding in the Governor’s budget; SB 466, expanding a physician preceptor tax credit and adjusting training-hour requirements; and later SB 704, concerning estate tax treatment for qualified agricultural property transferred to an LLC. SB 557, a gaming-related bill, was laid over until the end of the evening at the majority leader’s request. In the Education, Energy, and the Environment report, the committee advanced SB 35 on a state natural science museum designation, SB 166 on shellfish aquaculture permit sanctions, SB 189 on municipal drainage inlet safety requirements prompted by a child’s death, SB 242 on civil relief for service members and spouses, SB 266 on local regulation of invasive trees and tree-of-heaven, and SB 267 on a corporate rental-property registry and local housing application review process. SB 267 drew a brief question from the minority leader, who asked whether prior opposition remained and how the amended bill differed; the sponsor said the opposition had gone away and described the bill as now focused on a responsible-owner registry and an administrative review process.

Transcript Highlights:

• and toddlers are among the most sought-after images by pedophiles and predators who seek to create AI
• <01:48:12.920> seek<01:48:13.160> to<01:48:13.280> create<01:48:14.080> AI
• and predators who seek to create AI and predators who seek to create AI child<01:48:14.720> porn

Bills: HF3542, HF3819

Keywords: data privacy, investigative data, welfare system, public funds, transparency, child care, licensing, inspections, compliance, program integrity, 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3542, authored by Representative Hudson, and first adopted the February 25 minutes. Hudson explained that the bill, as amended in a DE1, would require agencies to disclose to the public, legislators, or the press the existence of certain investigations only after the subject has been notified and the agency has decided to reduce, suspend, or withhold payments. He said the amendment was intended to avoid tipping off subjects before notification while still increasing transparency about investigations involving public funds. A separate A3 amendment was withdrawn after the DE1 was adopted. Several members questioned the bill’s scope and timing, asking what “existence of an investigation” meant and whether the proposal would disclose information before findings were complete. Hudson clarified that the bill was aimed at identifying who is being investigated, not revealing investigative details. The committee then heard extensive public testimony from child care providers and advocates, who opposed the bill and argued it would expose providers to harassment, threats, and stigma before any findings were made. Testifiers described recent threats, ICE-related disruptions, audits, overpayment findings, and the burden of CCAP compliance, saying the bill would punish providers for paperwork errors and worsen safety concerns, especially for Somali and other providers of color. A board member of the Minnesota Child Care Association also opposed the bill, saying providers had been chilled from speaking publicly because of death threats and harassment, and warning that disclosure of investigations could intensify that climate. In response, Hudson said the bill was not about targeting child care providers generally and was limited to confirmed ongoing investigations after notice to the subject. The committee then heard from Inspector General Keys, who explained that CCAP investigations are administrative, not criminal, and are based on evidence of repeated errors or financial misconduct rather than intentional fraud. He said the office looks for patterns beyond simple mistakes and that the bill’s notice requirement would not impede investigations. The discussion ended amid a brief procedural dispute over comments directed at Hudson, after which the chair returned to the bill and the Inspector General’s testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• We fell a little bit short with some of the AI, or artificial intelligence, funding that we had requested
• c> bit short with some of the um some of bit short with some of the um some of the<00:21:47.120> AI
• <00:21:47.760> art<00:21:48.159> artificial<00:21:48.720> intelligence the AI
• or art artificial intelligence the AI or art artificial intelligence funding<00:21:49.600> that

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• program administered by HHSC to support qualified hospitals and health care facilities in implementing AI
• While many of you know AI is artificial intelligence, I would like to coin the word augmented intelligence
• , which uses AI technology to enhance, not replace, human decision-making.
• I mean, just there's AI, ChatGPT. If you ask it, it'll give you the answer.

Bills: SB17, SB1569, SB2420, HB5138, HJR161, HB1937, HB3334, HB5444, HB5137, HB361, HB321, HB5447, HB464, HB678, HB2294, HB4172, HB3225, HB1769, HB5394, HB1837, HB1787, HB2271, HB2440, HB5134, HB5149, HB2151, HB2073, HB2186, HB2025, HB1936, HB1777, HB1663, HB 1306, HB 1290, HB1527, HB4802, HB3462, HB2963, HB2462, HB2560, HB644, HB2725, HB2621, HB2588, HB1443, HB1403, HB3032, HB1557, HB1664, HB2811, HB2088, HB2598, HB3062, HB3134, HB3940, HB4027, HB4097, HB4862, HB4170, HB4157, HB4205, HB4279, HB4377, HB4838, HB5424, HB5294, HB4870, HB4763, HB5639, HB4112, HB2275, HB1677, HB5014, HB3848, HB3797, HB3727, HB3709, HB3177, HB3057, HB4176, HB4202, HB2180, HB3528, HB3658, HCR76, HCR127

Keywords: foreign ownership, real property, national security, criminal penalties, civil penalties, personal information, higher education, privacy protection, governing board, institutional security, software applications, mobile devices, age verification, parental consent, data protection, app store regulation, HJR 161, Texas constitutional amendment, voting rights, non-citizen voting

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, received the invocation and pledges, and heard several announcements and recognitions before moving into floor action. Members honored the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley chess team for winning a share of the 2025 President’s Cup, recognized educator Jessica Lopez, and paid memorial tribute to Jennifer Maddenly, along with recognitions for Jeanette Valdez Duran’s food pantry work, TAMACC’s 50th anniversary, and Bernardine Steptoe’s retirement from WFAA. The House also granted permission for committees to meet while the House was in session, set a local consent calendar, and suspended posting rules for a Public Health Committee hearing on SB 2721. The chamber then considered a long series of Senate and House bills, with many passing on record votes. Measures addressed local law enforcement authority (SB 906), veterans highway designation (SB 1229), foster care medical billing (SB 855), massage therapy trafficking safeguards (SB 703), tax ballot language (SB 1025), occupational licensing for people with convictions (SB 1080), lien deadlines (SB 929), liquor sales complaints (SB 1355), higher education application fee waivers (SB 2231), utility data access (SB 1877), pediatric preceptorships (SB 1998), and several House bills on bond forfeiture notice, health workforce coordination, indigent civil commitment representation, consumer transaction cancellations, bird dispersal rules, theft venue for digital property, military grant applications, AI cancer-detection grants, cybersecurity contract language, in-state tuition for military-related programs, utility capital recovery, energy waste advisory oversight, gas utility rate recovery, psychedelic therapy study, teacher retirement funding transparency, pension changes, tax payment plans, and voter registration security. Some measures drew notable debate or amendments, including HB 5247, where a ratepayer-credit amendment failed, and HB 2298, HB 4014, HB 510, HB 561, HB 1128, HB 1904, HB 30, HB 200, HB 3045, and HB 5111, which all passed after recorded votes with varying margins. A major point of contention was SB 2420, the app store age-verification bill, which prompted extended debate over whether the bill should also require app developers to verify users’ ages. Representative Bryant offered an amendment to preserve developer verification obligations, arguing the bill would otherwise shift responsibility away from app makers; the author opposed it, saying the bill’s approach was more workable and raised concerns about First Amendment issues. Multiple points of order were raised and withdrawn during the debate, and the amendment discussion remained unresolved in the excerpt. The House also postponed further consideration of SB 17, SB 552, and SB 2420 at different points, and recessed for lunch after completing a large block of third-reading votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you want to look up on the internet, or ChatGPT, or AI, a veteran definition of a general discharge
• know, or chat GPT the internet any, you know, or chat GPT or<00:31:36.320> or<00:31:37.200> AI
• > or<00:31:37.840> anything<00:31:38.159> a<00:31:38.399> veteran or or AI
• or anything a veteran or or AI or anything a veteran definition<00:31:39.440> of<00:31:40.399

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held public hearings on three transportation bills. SB 154 would add the Snow Traveler Foundation to the list of charitable organizations authorized to offer multi-use decal plates through the existing Department of Safety program. Senator David Roford said the bill would create a non-tax funding source for snowmobile trail maintenance, especially after flood damage, and Dan Gold of the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association said the foundation would accept tax-deductible donations for projects such as upgraded trail signage. He explained that the association’s 96 volunteer clubs maintain about 7,000 miles of trails and that the sign program is costly. No opposition was presented, and the hearing was closed after questions from members about the foundation’s status and fundraising goals. SB 271 would expand eligibility for veteran license plates to include veterans with a general discharge under honorable conditions. The sponsor’s representative said the change would recognize service members who are already eligible for many veterans benefits but are excluded from plates under current law. Supporters included Phil Grizzo, who argued that general discharges often reflect service that was otherwise honorable, and Kevin Grady of the State Veterans Advisory Committee, which said it strongly supported the bill and was also considering broader statutory cleanup to standardize the definition of veteran across state law. Committee members asked whether the change should be limited to plates or applied more broadly, but the sponsor said broader changes would be a separate policy question. The public hearing was then closed. SB 273, titled “Cheryl’s Law,” would update New Hampshire’s move-over requirements for motorists approaching stopped or standing vehicles on the roadside, including stranded vehicles and those with warning signals. Senator Donovan Fenton said the bill was intended to save lives and honor Staff Sergeant Jesse Cheryl and Brigadier General John Pogo, both of whom died in roadside incidents. He said the measure would require drivers to slow down, change lanes if safe, and move over for roadside vehicles, with the intent of education rather than punishment. Committee members asked about enforcement, the lack of a fiscal note, whether the bill applied statewide, and whether the language could be read as weakening the move-over requirement; the sponsor said it applied to all roads, did not change fines, and was meant to clarify and broaden safety obligations. The hearing continued with additional questions, and the sponsor said state police and other safety stakeholders supported the approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• AIS we did not cut, so to come in and have the charge of cutting $80 million and then I think that this
• SFIA there'll be further discussion SFIA there'll be further discussion there<00:57:36.640> AIS
• 57:38.640> so<00:57:39.200> to<00:57:39.440> come<00:57:39.599> in there AIS
• we did not cut so to come in there AIS we did not cut so to come in and<00:57:40.640> have<00

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• We have some kind of clunky systems with many choices, and now with this assistive technology, with AI
• ><01:09:10.839> the<01:09:10.960> right<01:09:11.199> Senator<01:09:11.600> AI
• <01:09:12.480> uh<01:09:13.239> it in terms of the right Senator AI uh it in terms
• of the right Senator AI uh it as<01:09:14.239> you<01:09:14.400> know<01:09:14.719>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're not on it yet, you don't need to because sometimes AI will display your unwanted image, so
• you you you don't need to<00:13:57.079> because<00:13:57.519> sometime<00:13:58.079> AI
• 00:13:59.120> will<00:13:59.360> display<00:13:59.839> you to because sometime AI
• will display you to because sometime AI will display you you<00:14:00.560> know<00:14:01.040>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• other states that are doing amazing things, taking a Social Security number, running it through an AI
• running<01:25:32.920> it<01:25:33.080> through<01:25:33.320> an<01:25:33.520> AI
• <01:25:33.920> database<01:25:34.600> and running it through an AI database and running
• it through an AI database and going<01:25:35.080> oh<01:25:35.960> this<01:25:36.159><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Jacob Ai, on behalf of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines: We do stand on our written comments, but did want
• person um Al chair Vice chair members uh person um Al chair Vice chair members uh Jacob<00:44:58.359> AI
• 58.800> behalf<00:44:59.160> of<00:44:59.359> Alaska<00:44:59.920> and Jacob AI
• on behalf of Alaska and Jacob AI on behalf of Alaska and Hawaiian<00:45:00.480> Airlines<00:45

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1077, a governor’s administration bill to increase transient accommodations tax revenue and split it between two new special funds: a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund and an economic development and revitalization special fund for tourism/resort areas. Supporters, including the Governor’s Office, recovery and resilience staff, climate and conservation groups, and several state agencies, said the bill would create a dedicated, more reliable funding stream for wildfire mitigation, coastal resilience, land clearing, infrastructure, and community-led projects. Some supporters also urged changes to the bill, including moving the fund to DLNR, adding DHHL and OHA representation, clarifying community grants, and ensuring the fund can support both state-led and community-led resilience work. The Attorney General’s office flagged a drafting issue, noting that the bill references fees deposited into the new fund even though the new chapter does not authorize fee collection, and recommended deleting that language or adding fee authority. The Climate Advisory Team representative also suggested adding DHHL to the decision-making body and requiring at-large members to have climate, resilience, conservation, or infrastructure expertise. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Kohala Coast Resort Association opposed the measure, arguing that the special fund structure does not meet statutory criteria, that the bill functions as a tax increase, and that the transient accommodations tax is not being collected equitably across all lodging types before any increase is imposed. Other opponents, including tourism and lodging interests, warned that hotels and timeshares already bear most of the tax burden and that raising the TAT could hurt an already struggling visitor industry and drive tourists away. Supporters countered that current funding is far short of what is needed and that a dedicated revenue stream is necessary to address climate impacts now. Committee members questioned why the Legislature should cede spending decisions to a separate executive-branch process, and the administration responded that the bill is intended to create a transparent, recurring mechanism for funding priorities that can be adjusted over time. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• to have perfect bills, but the fact is, there's just as a state that's just entering into this new AI
• And I've got this really crazy deal here now that recognizes my AI chairmanship, which has been... ..
• .really crazy deal here now that recognizes my AI chairmanship, which has been a boutique committee that

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• will recall that very, very early on this session, we had spent some significant time talking about AI
• collection of sensitive data through government IDs and/or biometric scans and technologies that rely on AI
• collection of sensitive data through government IDs and/or biometric scans and technologies that rely on AI

Bills: HF4502, HF3388, HF4106, HF400, HF4138, HF4118, HF4203

Keywords: trusted contact, financial exploitation, elder abuse, elder financial abuse, fraud prevention, financial institution, banking, credit union, broker-dealer, account security, dormant account, consumer protection, scam, suspicious activity, protective services, law enforcement reporting, Minnesota Statutes chapter 45A, HF3388, Minnesota premium security plan, reinsurance

Transcript Highlights:

• The issue that I have with artificial intelligence is right now when you upload information into AI,
• So being able to work with NDAT, how can we establish and set up in-house AI where we can control the
• Set up in-house AI where we can control the data.

Summary: The committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with the statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and OMB reported a clean, unmodified opinion for the state, with strong financial results including a $40.6 billion net position, $30.99 billion in assets, $1.81 billion in liabilities, and continued Legacy Fund growth. OMB also explained the new GASB 101 compensated-absences reporting change and discussed pension-liability fluctuations tied to discount-rate assumptions and investment performance. Members asked about how the state compares to others and about the effect of short-term commodity price swings, and OMB said the report reflects actual fiscal-year results rather than forecasts. The committee then heard the University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund revenue, insufficient monitoring of service organizations at CTS, NDSU, and UND, improper bank reconciliations at Dakota College of Bottineau, Dickinson State, and Williston State, and investment/cash reconciliation problems at Bismarck State College related to bond proceeds. University officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations. Members raised questions about NDSU’s use of certificates of deposit, and university staff explained that CDs are used to earn interest on funds being accumulated for future projects. Several other audits were presented, most with clean opinions and no findings, including the State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Notable exceptions included a State Fair Association audit with an adverse opinion on the foundation component unit because its financial statements were not available for audit, and a Securities Department performance audit finding that performance-based pay increases and bonuses were issued without required evaluations. The committee also discussed the State Auditor’s future needs, including more staff capacity, data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, possible subpoena authority, independent legal counsel, and whether some audits—such as the Ethics Commission and State Fair—should be handled by independent third parties or under different statutory arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also prevents voters from being flagged as ineligible based solely on AI, automated systems, or algorithmic
• Also, the added language restricting the use of AI or automated systems or algorithmic processes could
• Also, the added language restricting the use of AI or automated systems or algorithmic processes could

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and included several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate measures before final passage. The first major bill, health care patient protection, required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, a pediatric emergency care coordinator, and readiness assessments; it passed 36-0. A public records bill protecting victim identities and temporarily exempting the name of a law enforcement officer who is a victim also passed after questions about access for victims of police misconduct, with a 33-4 vote. The Senate next approved a local government cybersecurity bill creating a state-administered program through Florida Digital Service to help counties and cities strengthen cyber defenses, with priority for rural and fiscally constrained governments; after amendments, it passed 37-0. A clerks of court bill allowing clerks to retain all revenue above projections and, through a House amendment, revising legal notice and traffic citation distribution provisions, passed 38-0 despite debate over impacts on municipalities and law enforcement. The chamber also passed a trademark modernization bill and a septic system permit bill intended to reduce delays for builders; the septic bill was amended to align the House and Senate versions and passed 38-0. The longest and most contested item was the elections bill, which updated citizenship verification procedures using REAL ID and state databases, changed candidate qualification rules, and altered election administration provisions. Numerous amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to exempt certain seniors, preserve student and retirement-center IDs, allow attestations in place of documentary proof of citizenship, and require human review over automated systems. One amendment to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, was also debated. The transcript ends while debate is still underway on the elections measure, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• that we are working in tandem between branches around what we're doing with schools as it relates to AI
• issues they are seeing, where they hope to grow in this arena, and then bringing in some folks from the AI
• Seeing none, I'll move on to AI technology in schools. Chairman Tschuler, thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee heard from Superintendent Megan Degenfelder on several interim topics centered on student-centered learning. She highlighted work-based learning and dual/concurrent enrollment, saying the state is updating accountability measures and should examine whether these programs are helping students progress, avoid duplicative costs, and reduce the need for remedial college coursework. She also discussed broader life-skills education, including financial literacy and soft skills, and said districts vary widely in what they offer. On gifted and talented programs, she noted that districts are statutorily required to provide them but the state does not have a clear picture of how consistently they are implemented, and she suggested the committee may want to study that area further. Members asked follow-up questions about whether dual enrollment should be evaluated only by time-to-degree, and Degenfelder said the analysis should also consider additional credentials and remedial coursework. Senator Schuler and others raised the idea of making financial literacy or other life-skills content more common, though Degenfelder said she did not favor a statewide mandate and instead preferred incentives and district-level implementation. The committee also discussed artificial intelligence in schools as an information-sharing topic, with Degenfelder saying the department is beginning a landscape analysis with districts and teachers. She then reviewed NAEP results, noting Wyoming performs strongly in fourth grade but drops sharply by eighth grade, and said the state wants to understand where students are falling off. Members also raised concerns about international comparisons and the need to improve literacy and math outcomes. The committee then moved to member-submitted topics. Representative Strock proposed reviewing the governance structure of state education, arguing that the current split among the Department of Education, State Board of Education, and other boards creates inefficiency and confusion, especially for licensure and programs like CTE. Senator Scott noted that turnover in the superintendent’s office could be a practical issue in any restructuring, and Strock responded that administrative staff could handle day-to-day operations. Representative Williams then introduced a discussion of common core standards and literacy, arguing that standards may be too broad and not specific enough, especially in early grades, and that Wyoming should emphasize phonics, basic reading, math, and civics more directly. Representative Guggenmos agreed that narrowing early-grade focus to math and literacy could improve outcomes. Finally, Representative Williams raised virtual education, saying it is growing quickly and the committee should study funding, accountability, and student support more closely; the chair opened that topic for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• search<01:31:15.120> every<01:31:16.000> every<01:31:16.760> every<01:31:17.760> AI
• search every every every AI search every every every AI uh<01:31:19.520> generated<01:31:

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 3 March, 2026; 3:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1622, a strike-all amendment to create a pilot program for certain small-community hospitals to receive limited certificate-of-need exemptions. The bill would allow qualifying hospitals to open a geriatric psychiatric unit without a CON, permit each hospital one additional CON exemption for a service otherwise requiring one, cap dialysis-unit exemptions at eight hospitals, continue existing moratoriums with periodic Department of Health review, allow facilities in Issaquena or Humphreys Counties under limited conditions, and add a loser-pays rule for unsuccessful CON court challenges. Technical corrections were made, the strike-all amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported do pass as amended by voice vote. The committee then moved to House Bill 942, where Senator McMahan offered an amendment to allow a Lee County chiropractor to advertise as a neurologic chiropractor and list related credentials. Members questioned whether chiropractic neurology is recognized in Mississippi and raised concerns about the practitioner’s prior discipline by the board, but the chair ruled the amendment germane. The amendment failed on voice vote, and the bill itself then passed and was reported to the floor. The committee next considered House Bill 1034, but no amendment was offered. It then took House Bill 479 off the table. That bill extends the temporary licensing period for psychology and marriage-and-family-therapy boards from 30 to 60 days to allow more time for criminal background checks. Senator Blackwell offered a clarifying amendment to make clear that temporary licenses must be revoked if required background checks or other licensure requirements are insufficient, and that the temporary license does not replace the underlying education, training, and examination requirements. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported do pass as amended. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1067, the Rural Health Transformation Program. Senator Hickman explained that the bill would require procurement procedures and reporting for the state’s rural health transformation funds, prioritize projects tied to the original application, and direct funds toward rural and underserved areas such as health professional shortage areas, low-income counties, and places without hospitals. Senators questioned whether the added state rules would layer on top of existing federal requirements and whether the bill could slow distribution or invite litigation, but supporters said it was meant to add transparency and guardrails rather than change the federal program. The bill was discussed at length, but the transcript ends before a final vote on HB 1067.

Transcript Highlights:

• picture of a photo ID, as well as taking a selfie with their camera as a liveness check to ensure that AI
• of a photo ID, as well as taking a selfie with their camera as a liveness check. ...to ensure that AI
• the identification is a living human being and not a deep fake or something that was created via an AI

Bills: HF1338

Keywords: Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, state oversight, government accountability, fraud, waste, abuse, audit, investigation, subpoena, whistleblower, public integrity, transparency, state agencies, executive branch, public funds, taxpayer funds, law enforcement oversight, public safety programs, advisory council