Transcript Highlights:

• Online gambling is engineered to be addictive.
• There are no consumer protections, no responsible gaming standards, and the bill will change that.
• And as I've said, as a standard in this state, lawmakers have already acknowledged that gambling is an
• Plain Ridge Park Casino has been a reliable economic engine for our region.
• Similarly, the town hall lacked sufficient meeting and storage space. ...accessibility standards.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, chaired by Rep. Carole Fiola and Sen. Barry Finegold, held a lengthy hearing on a range of gambling-related bills. Testimony first focused on H. 496 to allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to authorize Plain Ridge Park Casino to add table games and more slot machines. Supporters, including Rep. Jeffrey Roy, Sen. Finegold, Rep. Barry R. Finegold, Rep. Brian Vaughn, and Plainville officials, argued the change was needed to keep Massachusetts gaming dollars from flowing to Rhode Island, protect jobs, and preserve local tax revenue. They described Plain Ridge as a strong community partner and cited host-community benefits such as municipal infrastructure projects and local aid. Opponents or skeptical witnesses later argued that expanded gambling, especially online, would increase harm and cannibalize existing casinos and local economies. The committee also heard testimony on bills related to sports betting restrictions and online gambling. Sen. John Keenan presented a “Better Health Act” proposal to ban prop bets and in-play bets, require affordability checks, prohibit hosts, raise the sports betting excise tax, expand funding for problem-gambling services, and increase research and data sharing. He and supporters framed the bill as a public-health response to addiction, suicide, bankruptcy, and other harms. Rep. David Nangle, speaking from personal experience with gambling addiction, strongly opposed internet gaming, warning that it would intensify addiction and expose children and families to 24/7 gambling on phones. In contrast, Rep. David Moradian and industry witnesses supported H. 4431 to legalize and regulate internet gaming, arguing it would bring illegal activity into a regulated market, generate new revenue, and include consumer protections such as age verification, deposit limits, self-exclusion, and responsible-gaming tools. The committee also took testimony on H. 4238, which would expand fundraising options for fraternal organizations, especially the Elks. Rep. Bruce Ayers and Elks representatives said the bill would help lodges raise money for scholarships, veterans’ services, and community programs after COVID-related losses and declining membership. On H. 480, Rep. Kathleen LaNatra, Rep. Badger, and representatives of veterans organizations and gaming-machine operators urged allowing qualified veterans groups to participate in certain video gaming activity, saying it would provide a sustainable revenue source to keep posts open and support veterans’ services. Dr. Rachel Volberg testified that expanding gambling, especially online gambling and slot machines at veterans organizations, would likely increase gambling harm, and she urged stronger harm-prevention measures, data reporting, and research funding. Other witnesses, including anti-gambling advocates and industry representatives, sharply disagreed over whether legalization would reduce illegal gambling or worsen addiction and social costs. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• an<03:38:49.680> analysis engineering testing and an analysis engineering testing and an analysis
• or IT is the pre premier engineering or IT is the pre premier engineering laboratory<03:40:45.359
• at the table as new wireless standards at the table as new wireless standards are<04:07:47.120><
• efforts to shape international standards efforts to shape international standards in<04:12:43.120
• Speaker, and I yield back. global standards as they will define the global standards as they will define

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, July 14, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• requirements that require multiple contracts, bids, for each project, whether it be architects, engineers
• 00:09:45.200> it<00:09:45.360> be<00:09:45.519> architects,<00:09:46.080> engineers
• , whether it be architects, engineers, whether it be architects, engineers, contractors,<00:09:47.440
• have annual reconciliation of performance, and they must still follow measurements and verification standards

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 216, 3 March, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first considered a strike-all related to the Mississippi Upskill Grant Program and a K-12 bridge bill tied to CTE and special purpose schools. Members discussed the alignment of workforce and career-technical education from pre-K through higher education. Senator Hopson moved to add a reverse repealer, which was adopted, and the strike-all was then passed as amended and forwarded to appropriations. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1488, which would authorize the University of Southern Mississippi to sell or enter into a long-term lease for university property in Hattiesburg. Senator Johnson explained that the roughly 600-acre tract, gifted in the 1920s and formerly used as a golf course, has a master plan for redevelopment; the bill would streamline the sale process while preserving requirements such as two appraisals and IHL approval. After questions about the acreage and safeguards, the bill was passed as amended and sent to appropriations. Members also approved a strike-all addressing financial literacy requirements for colleges and universities, including added content on mortgages and real estate, and then passed House Bill 1495, a companion to Senate Bill 2238, allowing Mississippi State University and the Oktibbeha County school district to co-mingle funds by mutual agreement for their partnership school/high school project. Finally, House Bill 1582 on community college energy performance contracts was discussed at length; the chair said it needed further vetting by the public property committee, so the committee added a reverse repealer and passed the bill as amended. The meeting ended with a rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• This incident alone should cause some question regarding his fitness to set the standards of conduct
• Texas, from computer and information technology for cybercrime. ...cybersecurity to manufacturing engineering
• of Pennsylvania, a law degree from Samford University, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
• He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University and completed the
• I did grow up in Pearland, attended Texas A&M as an aerospace engineering student, and then spent 26

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, in the, uh, in the back, we have, uh, our district engineer from the best district in the state
• what would have been the next step in that more difficult paper to recreate versus right, just your standard
• numbers tell the story showing that Texas maritime ports are not just local assets, they're economic engines
• Well, we might want to bring our district engineer Eric Lapkins over.
• He's the district engineer for the Odessa district, which includes Reeves County.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 49, Representative Callaway, an act relating to professional engineering and land surveying
• <00:06:18.479> and relating to professional engineering and relating to professional engineering
• They can also include health and safety standards, as well as prohibiting the sale of chickens or of
• They can also include health and safety<00:39:18.720> standards<00:39:19.280> as<00:39:
• 19.599> well<00:39:19.760> as<00:39:20.079> prohibiting safety standards as well

Keywords: Convene 00:00:00 Calendar/2nd Readings 00:05:55 Report of Committees 00:07:26 Orders of the Day/HB 419 00:09:02 HB 103 00:12:30 HB 276 00:37:54 HB 188 00:43:39 HB 189 00:47:11 HB 258 00:53:52 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 00:58:16 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 01:11:11 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 01:13:29 ConC/Rules Report 01:17:06 Adjournment 01:18:20, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum with 96 members present, excused absent members, suspended rules to allow co-sponsorship and vote modifications, and approved the journal from February 4, 2026. The clerk then reported a slate of bills on second reading, including measures on robotics, CPA recruitment, physical therapy, engineering scholarships, removal of unlawful occupants, rabies vaccinations, involuntary commitment, reading and language arts instruction, the education assessment and accountability system, grand jury service, cultured meat products, and the Controlled Substances Prescribing Council. Committee reports were received on several bills and resolutions, including bills on dissolution of marriage, licensed child care centers, video teleconference meetings, geoengineering, city franchises, trophy catfish, and House Joint Resolution 25 declaring Kentucky a “food is medicine” state. These favorable reports were treated as first readings and placed on the calendar. The chamber then took up House Bill 419 on the Kentucky Fire Commission, adopted House Committee Substitute 1, and passed the bill 97-0. The sponsor said the substitute would expand the commission from 14 to 18 members, make four ex officio members voting members, allow excess funds to be used for firefighters’ cancer screenings, and cap administrative reimbursements at 5%. The House also considered House Bill 103 on water fluoridation programs, adopted House Committee Substitute 1, and passed the bill 67-29. Supporters described the measure as removing an unfunded state mandate and making fluoridation a local option, while opponents argued it could harm public health and increase Medicaid costs. Debate focused on whether fluoridation improves oral health, the logistics and costs for water systems, and whether local governments or state health officials should make the decision. After passage of HB 103, the House moved to adjourn without objection. The transcript then begins consideration of House Bill 276 on keeping chickens on residential property, but no action on that bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• It wasn't an online program, but I think about the recent addition of an engineering program at Minot
• It wasn't an online program, but I think about the recent addition of an engineering program at Minot
• It wasn't an online program, but I think about the recent addition of an engineering program at Minot
• So it doesn't matter whether the FTE is enrolled in English or engineering.
• So you can see for agriculture, biological, physical sciences, business, engineering, those are paid

Summary: The Higher Ed Funding Committee met to review how North Dakota might identify and address low-producing academic programs and to discuss draft funding formulas for the university system. Lisa Johnson of the NDUS explained that the State Board of Higher Education is already developing a system-wide policy, using models from other states such as Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, and Connecticut. She described how low-producing programs are typically flagged by multi-year enrollment or completion thresholds, then reviewed for workforce demand, mission fit, cost, accreditation, and regional need before any action is taken. Committee members asked about what counts as a program, how costs are analyzed, whether certificates are included, how exemptions work for mission-critical or high-demand fields, and whether the board or legislature should set the rules. Johnson said the board is the appropriate body to lead the process, but legislators could use funding leverage if they wanted to encourage action; the chair asked the board to bring a detailed proposal to the June meeting. The committee then heard a Legislative Council presentation on a draft formula for UND and NDSU. The proposal uses fall census FTE enrollment, with a placeholder undergraduate rate of $7,000 per FTE and a graduate/professional rate of $10,500, plus incentives for completions in in-demand fields and research productivity. Alex from Legislative Council walked through the projected funding effects, noting that the model would increase funding for NDSU and reduce it for UND in the current biennium, with different results in the next biennium as enrollment changes are recognized. Members questioned the use of the placeholder rates, the definition of in-demand programs, the treatment of research funding, and the exclusion of state-appropriated dollars from the external grants calculation. The chair emphasized that the numbers were illustrative and that appropriators would set the actual dollar amounts later. A second draft formula for the other nine institutions was also reviewed. That model uses fall census FTE without a weighted economic factor, applies a higher undergraduate rate, and adds completion incentives for in-demand credentials and all other completions. Members noted that the formula would benefit some institutions, such as Bismarck State College, while reducing funding for others, such as Mayville State, and discussed whether the nine institutions should be treated more uniformly or split into smaller groups because of their different missions and sizes. Committee members and staff repeatedly stressed that the formulas are still being refined and that some institutions would likely need hold-harmless adjustments or other transition measures. The meeting ended with the chair directing the committee to continue the discussion later and to expect further work on both the low-producing program policy and the funding formulas.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, the civil engineer, they have a housing development; they were hired to provide information
• For example, the civil engineer, they have a housing development; they were hired to provide information
• For example, the civil engineer, they have a housing development; they were hired to provide information
• It still gets to the point where the civil engineer, where again we're doing appropriate registration
• <01:04:50.680> because extraordinarily high standards because extraordinarily high standards

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:30.560> with PRI Library privacy standards with PRI Library privacy standards with
• or a groundwater engineer and prove their case in court.
• This bill has that same standard. It does not do the citizen's job for them.
• or a groundwater engineer and prove their case in court.
• This bill has that same standard. It does not do the citizen's job for them.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened with a hearing on CACR 7, a proposed constitutional amendment to explicitly state that defendants are innocent until proven guilty in all cases and suits brought by the state. The prime sponsor argued the amendment would strengthen due process, prevent government overreach, and extend the presumption of innocence beyond criminal cases into civil and administrative matters such as forfeiture and family court proceedings. In testimony and questioning, the sponsor cited New Hampshire constitutional provisions, historical examples, and concerns about courts shifting burdens onto individuals. Committee members raised questions about the amendment’s wording, its relationship to existing law, and whether it would have practical effect if current statutes already place the burden on the state. The hearing was then closed without further witnesses. The committee next moved to executive session on House Bill 480, which establishes a procedure for restoring competency and creates a pilot forensic liaison position in Merrimack or Strafford County to assist with that process. After discussion about prior concerns, including an email from the Disabilities Rights Center and whether enough members were present, the committee voted to adopt Amendment 2025-61H and then voted ought to pass as amended. The amendment passed unanimously, and the bill passed on a 10-1 roll call, with Representative Andrew voting no. The chair noted the bill would not go on consent and that no minority report was planned. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 666-FN, which would add restitution for violations of library-use confidentiality and expressly include library cards and membership status among confidential records. The sponsor said the bill was intended to strengthen privacy protections after a local dispute and to provide a remedy and deterrent for improper disclosure. Committee questions focused on whether the restitution penalty would apply to accidental disclosures, how the bill interacts with existing exceptions such as court orders or investigations, and whether the language was consistent with current confidentiality law. The hearing remained open at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• I live here in Austin, Texas, and I'm an electrical engineer.
• However, if we lower the standards to allow...
• and another that aligns with the state standard.
• I heard you say there's a federal standard, there's a Texas standard, and then what was the other phrase
• you were... ...which ain’t on that standard.

Bills: HB231, HB231, HB475, HB488, HB632, HB821, HB1786, HB1955, HB2036, HB2060, HB2659, HB2677

Keywords: HB 231, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, permit exemption, dam, reservoir, erosion control, flood control, floodwater control, sediment control, watershed protection, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, local sponsor, water appropriation, small dam, water diversion, maintenance, rehabilitation

Transcript Highlights:

• But basically, we conduct these review standards statewide, Be pretty quick.
• But basically, we conduct these review standards statewide, and we provide targeted support employing
• The audit was based upon 30 minimum standards.
• Emergency and Military Affairs, we are responsible for developing those standards.
• So of the 47 schools that were part of that audit and the 30 minimum standards, the highest score was

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Questions, members, for Engineer Freeze or Senator Pratt?
• available uh it's pretty standard available uh it's pretty standard practice<00:21:35.880> and
• County, township, or city engineering department to either put it on an existing structure or, in
• Chair, my question is: Has one of these signs already been standardized in the work you've done before
• Chair, my question is: Has one of these signs already been standardized in the work you've done before

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• produce over 80% of the boats engines produce over 80% of the boats engines trailers<00:04:55.479
• A staff engineer was never replaced.
• <00:41:57.560> was additionally a professional engineer was additionally a professional engineer
• <00:43:10.559> was never replaced a staff engineer was never replaced a staff engineer was
• to be studies done there's engineering to be studies done there's engineering studies<00:56:37.240

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Air Strike All Amendment amends the definition of gold coin and silver coin to clarify the purity standards
• We're going to hear from Representative Melo CS for HB 839, Unlicensed practice of engineering.
• The engineering industry has become is being inundated with theft of seals and fraudulent signing and
• It prevents services from being denied for non-engineering reasons. Lake Forest annexation.
• Not lowering standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there are current drinking water standards that are a little bit in flux.
• To the community in which they are the economic engine, and along with the agriculture agriculture industry
• Chair, uh, Senator, you know, being an engineer and thinking this as a, as a process flow diagram or
• To do it's, it's, these are sort of delicate engineering kind of feats, right?
• levels that we're seeing, I mean, when we talk about 4 parts per trillion is the drinking water standard

Transcript Highlights:

• We are proud to say we have more engineers, more scientists, more researchers, more patents, and more
• and all of that equity that california got started right is now Compromised in the form of labor standards
• But this $25 million I would see as a tip of the spear or the engine of a freight train, if you will,
• The students that are coming out of the engineering programs across California in this state, ensuring
• It includes new and improving regulatory standards in the addition. of new laws since fees were last

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So every standard has policy letters.
• So substantial compliance, I took all of the different standards.
• I took all of the different standards. So what are the common themes among these standards?
• So every standard has policy letters.
• So it's kind of hard because you have to know the standards.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first postponed CS for HB 781 at the sponsor’s request. It then heard and passed CS for HB 429, which codifies the existing process for terminating or cancelling motor vehicle dealer franchises and requires manufacturers to provide written sales and service performance criteria; the bill was supported by the Florida Automobile Dealers Association and was reported favorably 12-0. The committee next took up HB 983 on homeowners associations, where the sponsor described HOA fraud and abuse concerns and proposed expanding local law enforcement authority to investigate, inspect, and audit HOAs, easing recall procedures, and allowing prevailing-party attorney’s fees in recall disputes. Two amendments were adopted: one removing constitutionality-problematic Kaufman language, and another defining financial statements more comprehensively to improve HOA transparency. The bill drew support from Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and was reported favorably as amended 14-0. The committee also passed CS for HB 1343 on public nuisance abatement fines, which raises daily fines from $250 to $500, removes the $15,000 cap, adjusts foreclosure timing on unpaid nuisance liens, and allows attorney-fee calculations to include legal assistance time. Members discussed due process and notice concerns, and the sponsor said he would work on clarifying notice for both owners and nuisance-causing parties; the Orange County Sheriff’s Office supported the measure, citing violent crime tied to nuisance properties. CS for HB 643 on residual market insurers was then reported favorably without discussion. CS for HB 1183 on cybersecurity incident liability followed; it would shield government and private entities from liability if they substantially comply with cybersecurity standards, with the sponsor explaining that the bill was revised after a prior veto to define substantial compliance through policy letters, disaster recovery planning, and multi-factor authentication. Despite concerns about the breadth of the liability protection, the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorably 13-1. PCS for HB 915, addressing advertisements for representation services, was also reported favorably 14-0. The bill targets misleading advertising by nonlawyers and notaries, especially in immigration-related services, requiring clear bilingual disclosures and allowing damages, fees, and injunctive relief for violations; it was supported by faith-based and civil rights groups. CS for HB 585 on former phosphate mining lands was then approved 14-0; the sponsor said it would create a defense to Water Quality Assurance Act strict liability for naturally occurring substances on former phosphate mine sites, require notice recording, radon surveys, and pre-suit radiation testing, and it would not apply retroactively to pending litigation. HB 6503, a claims bill for Mandy Penny Lemon, was also reported favorably 14-0 after brief sponsor remarks describing her severe injuries and homelessness following a 2018 incident. Finally, the committee considered HB 129 on pesticide-related products liability. A strike-all amendment was adopted that bars failure-to-warn claims for EPA-registered pesticide products when the label is consistent with EPA’s most recent human health risk assessment and carcinogenicity classification, while preserving claims if information was withheld, concealed, misrepresented, or destroyed to obtain or maintain the label. Supporters argued the bill provides certainty and respects EPA’s scientific labeling process; opponents warned it would effectively block access to courts and delay claims until after lengthy EPA investigations. After extensive debate, the committee reported the bill favorably as amended 13-1.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a career mechanical engineer, and I believe in practical solutions.
• The Army Corps of Engineers or through FEMA.
• And so what they did was look at standard deviations to see from the norm.
• I am familiar with the standards. Humble, as I say.
• In redistricting, we have very strict standards that are set by the U.S.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that is uh an ongoing piece the standard that is uh an ongoing piece the standard budget<00:43:51.839
• So the University standard everywhere.
• I'm not a software<01:00:24.799> engineer.
• I don't know what software engineer.
• <01:11:17.040> of back to that constitutional standard of back to that constitutional standard

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The substitute makes it crystal clear: the command promotes standards, leadership, and threat coordination
• , we imported every cyber recommendation adopted during DIR's sunset review: incident disclosure standards
• task forces to ensure that digital evidence collected during an incident is preserved to courtroom standards
• really very important. that digital evidence collected during an incident is preserved to courtroom standards
• off-highway vehicles, autocycles, motorcycles, scooters, personal watercraft, motorboats, and outboard engines

Summary: The Senate Business and Commerce Committee met with a quorum and considered several House bills. House Bill 111 was taken up as a committee substitute; members briefly discussed what entities the bill would apply to, and the committee substitute was adopted and reported favorably to the full Senate by a 6-5 vote. House Bill 150, relating to the Texas Cyber Command, received extensive explanation of a revised committee substitute that made the command a standalone state agency, allowed flexible state partnerships, preserved vendor neutrality, added emergency purchasing guardrails and reporting, protected existing confidentiality laws, limited monitoring to contracted entities, and clarified coordination with law enforcement rather than direct prosecution. The substitute was adopted and HB 150 was reported favorably 11-0. The committee also reported House Bill 2517 favorably without debate, 10 ayes and 1 present not voting. House Bill 2963 was considered with a committee substitute that added a definition of “power sports vehicle” and exempted those items from the right-to-repair bill; the substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably, with a recommendation for the local and uncontested calendar. House Bill 3520 was reported favorably by a 7-4 vote, and House Bill 5435 was reported favorably 11-0 and also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. After completing the votes, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.