Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Martha Karshair, and I'm a retired family medicine physician.
• My name is Martha Carrshaer, and I'm a retired family medicine physician who has spent most of my professional

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Election Laws held a public hearing focused primarily on ranked choice voting (RCV) legislation and several local home rule petitions, along with one petition to authorize remote participation in Concord town meetings. Chairs Keenan and Hunt outlined hearing procedures and noted the committee would hear both in-person and virtual testimony. The committee also took testimony on Concord’s request for remote participation in open and special town meetings, with supporters arguing it would make town meeting more accessible to residents with childcare, mobility, work, or disability barriers while preserving direct democracy. A large portion of the hearing centered on RCV local-option bills and municipal petitions from communities including Concord, East Hampton, Salem, Chelsea, Arlington, Revere, Amherst, and others. Supporters—among them local officials, legislators, election advocates, educators, veterans, and nonprofit leaders—said RCV would reduce vote-splitting, encourage more candidates, promote more positive campaigning, improve representation, and increase turnout. East Hampton officials described their existing use of RCV, saying it produced record turnout, was easy for voters to understand with education, and could be expanded to multi-winner races without major added cost. Concord and Amherst witnesses said their voters had already approved local steps toward RCV and urged the committee to let municipalities implement the system without further delay. Testimony in favor of the local-option RCV bill emphasized home rule and local control, with several witnesses arguing the state should not block communities that have already voted to adopt RCV. Speakers from MassVOTE, the AFT Massachusetts, Voter Choice Massachusetts, Progressive Massachusetts, the Boston Teachers Union, and Veterans for All Voters said the reform would strengthen democracy, broaden participation, and save money by avoiding low-turnout preliminary elections. Some witnesses also referenced examples from Cambridge, Maine, and Utah to argue that RCV is workable, nonpartisan, and familiar to voters. The hearing ended with no votes or final committee action taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• My dad is a retired physician and currently serves on the board of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.
• My dad is a retired physician and currently serves on the board of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.

Summary: The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee met on May 20, 2026, with a quorum present and no minutes available for approval. The committee first heard HB 181, which would let the legislative auditor review income tax data to verify eligibility for Medicaid and, at LDH’s request, SNAP. The auditor said the work would be limited to internal data testing under sharing agreements and not disclosed to third parties. After questions about privacy and duplication, the bill was reported favorably to the floor without objection. The committee then took up HB 906 on presidential preference primaries and party nominating petitions. The Secretary of State and bill author said the measure would let major parties decide whether unaffiliated voters may participate in their primaries, with 180 days’ notice to the state, and would keep party rules consistent within presidential years so elections can be programmed properly. Several senators raised concerns that the bill would disenfranchise no-party voters and give parties too much control, but supporters said both major parties had approved the approach. The committee voted 4-3 to report the bill favorably. Members also advanced HB 398, which would require the judiciary to use the federal GSA meal per diem rate instead of the current higher state judicial rate; HB 1052, which strengthens confidentiality protections for child abuse investigations handled by child advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams; HB 1245, which protects witness criminal history records from unintended public release in clerk of court records; HB 202, which requires state civil service or hiring agencies to notify applicants when a vacancy is filled or they are rejected; HB 540, which requires disclosure of paid digital election advertising; HB 9, designating stuffed shrimp as a Louisiana specialty; HB 1057, extending the validity of absentee-by-mail applications for military voters from one year to two; HB 225, proposing a constitutional amendment to limit governors to two lifetime terms; HB 177, allowing retired court reporters to contract with former public employers; and HB 459, requiring disclosure when campaign materials use AI, with amendments adopted after discussion of First Amendment and campaign finance concerns. The committee also rejected an amendment to HB 1057 that would have expanded Sunday early voting in certain parishes. After the bills, the committee held confirmation hearings for James Kelly and Charles Wilkinson to the Board of Supervisors of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, both of whom described education and workforce development backgrounds and were favorably received.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1156 by Representative Robert Carter is an act in Title 37 relative to physicians.
• House Bill 1156 by Representative Robert Carter is an act in Title 37 relative to physicians to provide

Bills: SR113, SR114, SCR64, SCR65, SCR66, SCR67, SCR12, HB59, HB66, HB79, HB153, HB165, HB326, HB387, HB455, HB513, HB660, HB719, HB762, HB802, HB816, HB833, HB895, HB950, HB975, HB1011, HB1028, HB1039, HB1051, HB1053, HB1057, HB1080, HB1084, HB1155, HB1215, HB1224, HB1228, HB1234, HB1251, HB1252, HB1254, HB1256, HB221, HCR11, HCR27, HCR28, HCR32, HCR49, HCR50, HCR60, HCR64, HCR66, HCR67, HCR68, HCR78, HCR81, HCR58, SB25, SB250, SB348, SB444, SB485, HB22, HB28, HB33, HB41, HB47, HB87, HB115, HB162, HB195, HB214, HB217, HB233, HB283, HB290, HB316, HB319, HB324, HB345, HB362, HB363, HB368, HB377, HB380, HB382, HB386, HB392, HB406, HB431, HB441, HB466, HB503, HB511, HB514, HB533, HB559, HB575, HB590, HB593, HB618, HB636, HB655, HB664, HB685, HB692, HB707, HB715, HB732, HB738, HB741, HB748, HB776, HB807, HB822, HB856, HB860, HB868, HB887, HB888, HB896, HB905, HB908, HB961, HB980, HB990, HB992, HB999, HB1000, HB1010, HB1146, HB1157, HB1233, HB1236, HB1243, SB29, SB30, SB32, SB41, SB42, SB43, SB47, SB84, SB93, SB113, SB192, SB199, SB219, SB220, SB221, SB222, SB241, SB253, SB255, SB289, SB292, SB306, SB314, SB351, SB399, SB404, SB424, SCR9, SB132, SB35, SB65, SB135, SB215, SB246, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, HCR26, HCR45, HCR31, HB238, HB241, HB242, HB250, HB260, HB265, HB275, HB300, HB320, HB338, HB339, HB349, HB379, HB399, HB427, HB463, HB464, HB468, HB545, HB550, HB551, HB565, HB588, HB639, HB725, HB805, HB808, HB834, HB847, HB853, HB858, HB861, HB883, HB916, HB937, HB1012, HB1027, HB1044, HB1054, HB1091, HB1117, HB90, HB127, HB138, HB150, HB201, HB268, HB273, HB285, HB315, HB354, HB355, HB360, HB376, HB445, HB506, HB606, HB649, HB665, HB681, HB721, HB746, HB757, HB781, HB835, HB844, HB857, HB872, HB886, HB889, HB892, HB982, HB987, HB1037, HB1068, HB1072, HB1078, HB1085, HB1132, HB1137, HB1167, HB1174, HB1232, HB1238, HB23, HB136, HB17, HB21, HB51, HB55, HB74, HB106, HB108, HB133, HB140, HB159, HB168, HB215, HB226, HB263, HB296, HB299, HB322, HB364, HB519, HB535, HB538, HB568, HB571, HB622, HB635, HB676, HB772, HB784, HB1006, HB1018, HB1043, HB1070, HB1134, HB1237, HB1239, HB62, HB193, HB203, HB210, HB220, HB228, HB246, HB420, HB475, HB486, HB574, HB584, HB750, HB813, HB815, HB826, HB870, HB949, HB953, HB1045, HB1092, HB1151, HB1162, HB1176, HB1177, HB1196, HB1214, HB1241, HB36, HB73, HB119, HB126, HB129, HB166, HB211, HB245, HB271, HB280, HB337, HB351, HB677, HB712, HB723, HB726, HB728, HB759

Keywords: condolence resolution, memorial resolution, sympathy, tribute, Martha Elizabeth Odom, Louisiana Senate, bereavement, obituary, student recognition, ballet, dance, softball, soccer, tennis, creative writing, theater, high school honors, Ascension Episcopal School, University of the South, Sewanee

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present and opened with the introduction of guest pastor Dr. Jeff Williams, who delivered the invocation before members recited the pledge and approved the journal without objection. The chamber then handled a series of communications from the House, including notice of House action on numerous Senate bills and joint resolutions, and introduced several Senate resolutions and a concurrent resolution, many of which were laid over. One resolution to recognize Jewish American Heritage Month drew objection to suspension of the rules, while SCR 64, creating a task force on construction management at risk, was amended to add the Louisiana Police Jury Association president or designee and then adopted 34-0. SCR 66 designating Anti-Hunger Day and SCR 67 honoring Chef John Folse were also adopted unanimously. The Senate also heard personal privilege remarks recognizing Southwest Louisiana Day at the Capitol, honoring the late John Gillespie, and designating a Day Without Child Care at the Capitol through SR 115. The chamber then considered a large number of House bills and House concurrent resolutions on second reading, mostly referring them to committees or ordering them to the Legislative Bureau. Among the measures advanced from committee were bills on veterans’ employment at schools, anti-cancer medication coverage, domestic abuse arrest holding periods, food safety, state finances, vaccination status and public buildings, construction code commission purpose, elected official compensation, clinical trial competitiveness, law enforcement records, sexual assault nurse examiner oversight, human remains documentation, wildlife disposition, and several local or tax-related measures. HCR 11 supporting the Louisiana National Guard at Camp Beauregard was concurred in 135-0. The Senate also received committee reports on multiple House bills, with several reported favorably or with amendments. On final passage, the Senate approved a series of bills, including SB 135 on sports wagering revenue allocation, which passed 32-2 after debate over shifting more funding to early childhood education and capping the sports fund allocation. Other bills passed included HB 238 on ethics exceptions for former school board members, HB 241 on bank records definitions, HB 242 allowing a St. Tammany Parish constable to appoint a deputy, HB 250 on financial disclosure for board members, HB 260 on complimentary transportation for legislators, HB 265 expanding video voyeurism offenses with a funeral-service exemption amendment, HB 275 increasing penalties for domestic violence committed in the presence of a child, HB 300 raising the appraisal threshold for certain residential loans, HB 320 creating a crime of unlawful exposure by an inmate, HB 338 extending the Office of Financial Institutions sunset, HB 339 expanding privacy protections for law enforcement officers and administrative law judges, HB 349 expanding the Imported Seafood Safety Fund’s uses, HB 379 allowing certain 17-year-old students to serve as poll commissioners, HB 427 revising online minor-protection language after a debated amendment restoring an opt-out, HB 463 raising emergency communication service charges under voter approval and hearing requirements, HB 464 requiring utility damage notices to go to the Regional Notification Center, and HB 468 regulating wholesaling of residential real property. Most of these measures passed unanimously or by wide margins, with several motions to reconsider laid on the table after passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• He is now a physician here in town, but Garrett, Garrett could not do the math.
• And he is now a physician here in town, but Garrett, Garrett could not do the math.

Bills: HB1011, SCR11, SB41, SB49, SB107, SB123, SB224, SB292, SB425, SB479

Keywords: tax credits, higher education, workforce development, brain drain, economic incentives, public meeting minutes, transparency, government accountability, publication deadlines, open meetings, SB49, Louisiana elections, party primary, primary elections, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, school board elections, election law, candidate qualification, ballot access

Summary: The House and Governmental Affairs Committee heard Senate Bill 123 by Sen. Morris, a proposed constitutional amendment to create a legislative-address process for removing certain judges for cause, with the governor certifying removal after a legislative vote and Senate trial. The bill was presented as a way to address perceived gaps and ambiguity in the current Constitution between impeachment provisions and the Judiciary Commission’s authority over judicial discipline. The committee also adopted a technical amendment (Amendment Set 4708) that renumbered paragraphs for clarity. Sen. Morris and supporters argued the measure is needed because current mechanisms have not adequately held judges accountable in serious cases. They cited several criminal cases, especially involving juveniles and electronic monitoring failures, and said the bill would provide a last-resort remedy for gross misconduct, incompetence, or malfeasance. Multiple family members of murder victims testified in support, including Anna Carter, James Carter, and Tracy Carter, who described the death of Jacob Carter and said the case showed a failure of oversight and accountability. Reverend Rodney Wood also spoke in support, describing another case he believed reflected a grave injustice. Committee members raised concerns about separation of powers, due process, political misuse, and whether the bill would reach beyond judges to district attorneys. Some questioned the mechanics of the proposed process, the role of the governor, the Senate trial, and whether the Judiciary Commission and existing impeachment provisions should instead be strengthened or clarified. The ACLU testified in opposition, saying the bill had technical inconsistencies in its vote threshold language, could be addressed by testing existing impeachment authority first, and should not single out judicial discretion while excluding DA discretion. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• getting and the treatments that they're getting and make sure that they're up to date and what most physicians
• getting and the treatments that they're getting and make sure that they're up to date and what most physicians

Summary: The committee first considered revisions to the JBC rules, which staff said were all prompted by acts passed in the 2025 legislative session. The rules were adopted without objection. Members then received a balanced budget presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s FY27 proposal, which he said was built around three priorities: limiting state government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income tax cuts. He highlighted major additions for education funding, EFA growth, pay plan costs, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, corrections medical costs, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction, and Medicaid sustainability, while also explaining a new A/B funding category structure intended to prioritize recurring costs and preserve room for tax cuts. Members questioned Hudson about the cost of income tax reductions, the constitutional balanced-budget requirement, education funding, the Educational Adequacy Fund, Medicaid trust fund balances, and the impact of federal changes on Medicaid and SNAP. Hudson said each tenth of a percent income tax cut would cost about $58 million, the budget remained balanced, public education would still receive historic increases, and the Medicaid trust fund would be monitored closely with additional set-asides proposed. He also said the FY27 SNAP administrative cost increase would be about $18 million. The committee then heard from the Division of Higher Education, which reported institutions were 2.61% more productive overall and that the budget recommendation followed the statutory productivity formula. Questions focused on why some institutions were receiving decreases or large increases, how the formula works, and how the new return-on-investment metric and committee composition would affect future funding. The committee approved several higher education-related actions, including personnel changes for nine institutions and special language for North Arkansas College’s move into the University of Arkansas system. Staff then walked members through the higher education appropriation summary, explaining large percentage increases at several institutions were tied to federal funds or corrected carry-forward issues, including the U of A School of Mathematical, Sciences and the Arts, South Arkansas College, SAU Tech, ASU Mountain Home, and ASU Newport. Members also discussed UAPB’s 1890 extension program and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s land-grant matching funds; officials said UAPB’s recommendation was being aligned with actual spending and that the Division of Agriculture’s Smith-Lever and Hatch matches were included within its overall appropriation. The committee ultimately adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions and then moved on to the Department of Corrections section, with the chair outlining how the committee would proceed through those appropriations by section.

Transcript Highlights:

• getting and the treatments that they're getting and make sure that they're up to date and what most physicians
• getting and the treatments that they're getting and make sure that they're up to date and what most physicians

Summary: The committee first adopted revised JBC rules, which staff said were updated to reflect legislation passed in the 2025 session. It then heard a presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s proposed balanced budget for FY27, with no action taken. Hudson said the budget reflects three priorities: limiting state-government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income-tax cuts. He highlighted increases for education funding through EFAs, pay-plan costs for Corrections, DPS, and the Attorney General, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, a Corrections medical contract, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction efforts, and an additional $100 million set aside for Medicaid sustainability. Committee members questioned the size of the tax cuts, the balance requirement, public education funding, Medicaid trust-fund levels, EFA funding, and the expected impact of new SNAP cost-sharing rules. The Division of Higher Education then presented its productivity-based funding recommendations. Officials said institutions were 2.61% more productive overall, with funding changes driven by a statutory formula that rewards degree production, underserved populations, and high-demand fields. Members asked about declines at UA Little Rock, the formula’s multipliers, the role of the Arkansas Access Act and a new return-on-investment metric, and how two-year colleges are adjusted for size. The committee also reviewed special items and approved two letters: one authorizing 17 net personnel changes across nine institutions, and another adding special language for North Arkansas College’s entry into the University of Arkansas system. The committee then adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions. A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on the University of Arkansas system, especially Fayetteville’s athletics funding and the broader impact of the House/NIL settlement. Chancellor Charles Robinson and system officials explained that the board had waived a longstanding campus transfer and directed the university to provide an additional $6 million to athletics, with some costs likely to be passed through to students but partially offset by existing budget growth. Members debated whether the university should prioritize academics or athletics, how the transfer originated, and whether the athletic changes would affect affordability. The committee also discussed the 1890 extension program at UAPB and the Division of Agriculture’s land-grant funding. UAPB officials said the state match is intended to be one-to-one, that the current recommendation aligns appropriation with actual spending, and that a $2 million set-aside remains available if needed. The Division of Agriculture later clarified that its Smith-Lever extension and Hatch research funds are part of the UA system’s separate budget and that the state matched about $6.2 million in federal extension funding last year. The committee then moved to the Department of Corrections. It approved G1, transferring 51 positions to the secretary’s office to activate a recidivism program, with an estimated cost of about $4 million. Staff then began walking through the department’s FY27 budget, noting an increase of about $8 million for administration and shared services, including a $170,000 sex-offender assessment appropriation moved under Act 723 of 2025 and roughly $6 million more for medical contracts. Questions on the Corrections budget had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the last original physician Practicing in my clinic.
• In a survey of physicians who left New Mexico, access to quality education was cited as one of the top

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a physician and a parent. And I oppose this bill. Good morning.
• Academy of the Sciences and Arts, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sacramento, Pride at the Pier

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And our final panel, we will welcome Yvonne Castellanos, the Toxics Coordinator at Physicians for Social
• For example, board members have met with Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, Earthjustice

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on DTSC’s implementation of SB 158 reforms, including enforcement, community engagement, fee stability, the hazardous waste management plan, permitting backlogs, and the Safer Consumer Products program. Senators and Assembly members emphasized protecting overburdened communities and asked how DTSC and the Board of Environmental Safety are using their authority to improve accountability, reduce delays, and address hazardous waste facilities and consumer product chemicals. The hearing also included discussion of extended producer responsibility programs and whether DTSC can support them more efficiently, including through coordination with CalRecycle. DTSC Director Katie Butler said the department is now more transparent, accountable, and fiscally stable, citing stronger enforcement actions, an interactive inspections map, expanded community outreach, and emergency response work on the Los Angeles wildfire cleanup. She said DTSC has made progress on fee reform, the hazardous waste management plan, cleanup grants, permit renewals, and safer consumer products rulemaking, including adding microplastics to the candidate chemical list. Board Chair Andrew Rakestraw said the board has held multiple public meetings and hearings, is working on fee rates and performance metrics, and is revising the hazardous waste management plan after public comment, including removing a proposal to send certain contaminated soil to municipal landfills. He also noted remaining concerns about fee structure, permit delays, and the pace of the safer consumer products program. Public witnesses offered sharply different views. A representative of the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance said SB 158 reforms have improved permitting and transparency, but urged more attention to risk-based decision-making, reduced duplication, and possible General Fund support for plan implementation rather than relying only on fees. Earthjustice argued DTSC remains too slow and that communities continue to suffer from long-delayed permits and weak protections, urging the Legislature to take a more active role and to prioritize eliminating hazardous substances rather than minimizing costs. Committee members pressed the witnesses on permit renewals, community impacts, and the pace of the safer consumer products program, while DTSC defended its progress and said further legislative collaboration may be needed on hazardous waste management and emerging waste streams.

Transcript Highlights:

• So on behalf of the families that I represent, the future physicians of the Central Valley, I want to
• patients' homes via interstate carrier, but only after obtaining valid medical documentation from a physician

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long daily file with numerous guest introductions and recognitions, including tributes to outgoing University of California President Michael Drake, student and community advocates, and visitors connected to foster care, military appreciation, and college savings. The chamber also took up several procedural items, including concurrence in Senate amendments to ACR 75 on California Farm Week, which passed 59-0. Members then adopted AJR 7 on protecting federal special education funding and services for students with disabilities, with broad bipartisan support and a 65-0 vote after 63 co-authors were added. The Assembly also adopted ACR 82 recognizing Foster Care Month and ACR 85 recognizing 529 College Savings Day by voice vote after adding co-authors, and ACR 89 recognizing Military Appreciation Month, also adopted by voice vote after co-authors were added. These resolutions featured testimony and remarks emphasizing support for vulnerable children, foster youth, military families, and access to higher education. On policy bills, the Assembly passed AB 929 on groundwater and managed wetlands (41-14), AB 1026 on utility connection timelines for housing projects (52-0), AB 1332 on direct shipment of medicinal cannabis under specified conditions (55-0), AB 1356 on follow-up reporting in DHCS death investigations at treatment facilities (54-0), and AB 671 on streamlining restaurant openings through self-certification of certain plans (62-0). The chamber also approved AB 715 on anti-Semitism and school climate after extensive debate and cross-caucus support, 64-0, and AB 33 on autonomous vehicle deliveries requiring a human safety operator, 52-6. Later, AB 5 on election ballot-counting timelines passed 66-0, AB 27 and AB 28 addressing the Chiquita Canyon landfill disaster passed 61-0 and 44-6 respectively, and the Assembly began consideration of AB 43 to extend state authority over wild and scenic rivers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, I'm not a physician or a veterinarian or a scientist; I'm a police officer.
• As a future physician concerned about the health of Austin citizens, I urge you to support HB1674.

Bills: HB1341, HB1674, HB4028, SB2321

Keywords: hydrogen sulfide, public health, environmental regulation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, ground level concentrations, emissions limit, emissions limits, ground-level concentrations, air quality, PFAS, agriculture, environmental protection, health risks, criminal offense, chemical regulation, preproduction plastic, water quality, pollution control, industrial waste, emissions

Transcript Highlights:

• Hancock, ruling that certain practices of health-benefited plan issue a certain curse that certain physicians
• and healthcare providers should rank physician and for the committee on insurance.

Bills: HB14, HJR31, HB43, HB18, HB 106, HB36, HB26, HB149, HB 121, HB206, HB136, HB3114, HB2733, HB1732, HB3700, HB467, HB 1130, HB1846, HB1442, HB 1147, HB2176, HB2701, HB805, HB2890, HB 1154, HB1644, HB2118, HB1718, HB2488, HB2596, HB1971, HB2468, HB484, HB2578, HB3204, HB 1041, HB307, HB685, HB1710, HB538, HB2525, HB3125, HB2027, HB2894, HB3077, HB3684, HJR99, HB1399, HJR5, HB1330, HB2110, HJR2, HJR6, HB1587, HB14, HJR31, HB43, HB18, HB 106, HB36, HB26, HB149, HB 121, HB206, HB136, HB3114, HB2733, HB1732, HB3700, HB467, HB 1130, HB1846, HB1442, HB 1147, HB2176, HB2701, HB805, HB2890, HB 1154, HB1644, HB2118, HB1718, HB2488, HB2596, HB1971, HB2468, HB484, HB2578, HB3204, HB 1041, HB307, HB685, HB1710, HB538, HB2525, HB3125, HB2027, HB2894, HB3077, HB3684

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, farm products, tax exemption, ad valorem taxation, agriculture, Texas Constitution, livestock, producer, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services

Transcript Highlights:

• To be members of the Texas Physician Assistant Board: Rale K. Ali, Southlake; Lyle D.
• He is a family physician with over 20 years of practice in rural Texas. Dr.

Bills: SJR12, SJR81, SCR39, SB22, SB32, SB241, SB393, SB414, SB458, SB464, SB568, SB583, SB609, SB660, SB693, SB731, SB732, SB746, SB783, SB785, SB897, SB993, SB996, SB1008, SB1029, SB1035, SB1036, SB1120, SB1122, SB1147, SB1163, SB1188, SB1197, SB1209, SB1227, SB1245, SB1267, SB1307, SB1321, SB1332, SB1386, SB1394, SB1396, SB1470, SB1494, SB1537, SB1596, SB1598, SB1610, SB1664, SB1814, SB1822, SB1841, SB1948, SB2065, SB2155, SB2406, SB2407

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, tax exemption, ad valorem, tangible personal property, income production, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, invocation, approval of routine motions, and the reading of gubernatorial nominations and several honorary resolutions. The chamber adopted resolutions recognizing Jack and Jill of America Day and DJ Daniel Day at the Capitol, with multiple senators offering remarks praising youth leadership, perseverance, and public service. The Senate also introduced the Doctor of the Day and then proceeded to a long series of floor actions on bills. A major focus was Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 568, which overhauls special education funding and services in public schools by moving from a placement-based model to an intensity-based system tied to student needs and IEPs. Senators Bettencourt, Creighton, and Menendez emphasized transparency, parent input, evaluation funding, dyslexia services, and better alignment of funding with actual services; Senator Hinojosa shared a personal story about dyslexia and the importance of early intervention. The bill was advanced on second and third reading and finally passed 30-0. The Senate also passed SB 1396 to prohibit national sex education standards in public schools, SB 2065 on the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System, SB 1664 requiring clearer public disclosure of transmission and distribution utility rate changes, SB 1029 on advertising certain used motor vehicles, SB 1120 expanding rights for family violence victims, SB 1036 regulating residential solar retail transactions, SB 464 creating school-proximity restrictions and penalties for tobacco and vaping sales, SB 1035 giving farmers and ranchers equitable relief from certain local agricultural regulations, SB 1610 addressing civil commitment facility safety and prosecution issues, SB 1197 extending drone restrictions to spaceports, and SB 1386 changing legislative witness immunity from transactional to testimonial immunity. Another major bill was Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1188, which updates electronic health record requirements. Senator Kolkhorst said the bill builds on Texas medical privacy law by requiring U.S.-based storage of EMR data, prohibiting recording of voter registration status and credit score information, requiring provider verification and disclosure for AI-assisted diagnosis or treatment recommendations, preserving parental access to minors’ records until age 18, and ensuring EMRs can capture metabolic health and biological sex information. A floor amendment clarified the bill’s scope and enforcement, and the bill passed 23-7. Several measures drew debate, especially SB 414 on bond ballot transparency, where Senators Eckhardt and Menendez questioned whether requiring estimated interest and total debt cost on ballots could be misleading or difficult to implement because interest rates and financing terms can change before issuance or over time. The transcript ends during that discussion, with no final action shown on SB 414.

Transcript Highlights:

• consultant behavioral health consultation service for primary care providers and other outpatient physicians
• so that... ...service for primary care providers and other outpatient physicians so that they can get

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from the chair and members about recent federal cuts to public health, mental health, family planning, and Title X funding, with strong concern about the impact on California programs and providers. The committee then turned to the Department of State Hospitals, which presented its 2025-26 budget proposal of $3.4 billion, including new positions, capital improvements, and funding tied to increased patient costs and incompetent-to-stand-trial services. DSH reported major progress in reducing the IST waitlist and wait times, said it had met the court’s 28-day treatment benchmark for those without extenuating circumstances, and described workforce recruitment and retention efforts such as residency programs, fellowships, outreach, and hiring streamlining. Members asked about future IST referral trends, SB 1323’s effect on diversion and community treatment, and workforce lessons in high-cost regions; public comment urged reconsideration of county IST growth cap methodology in light of new criminal justice initiatives. The committee next received an informational overview of Proposition 1 and its changes to behavioral health funding and governance. The Legislative Analyst’s Office explained that Prop. 1 restructured county MHSA funding buckets, expanded the Commission for Behavioral Health, shifted prevention and early intervention responsibilities, and authorized a $6.4 billion bond, including $4.4 billion for behavioral health facilities through BHCIP. DHCS said it had released guidance for county integrated plans and was receiving extensive public comment. Members focused on BHCIP application requirements, especially letters of support and tribal projects, and raised concerns about whether DHCS’s implementation matched statutory intent. DHCS said it had authority to set application requirements and that tribal entities were treated differently because of sovereignty and funding structure. DHCS then updated the committee on BHCIP, the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program, and related bond implementation. The department said BHCIP had awarded about $1.7 billion across five rounds, with more than 130 projects and 223 distinct facilities funded, and that it was preparing to award the new bond funds after receiving nearly $8 billion in applications. The LAO’s assessment found that more than half of awards served at least 80% Medi-Cal enrollees, but also raised concerns that the regional allocation model could reinforce inequities, that the program had not sufficiently addressed the highest-need regions such as the southern San Joaquin Valley, and that smaller counties and less launch-ready applicants faced barriers. For bridge housing, DHCS said more than $1.1 billion had been awarded, serving over 5,000 people and supporting more than 2,000 operational beds, but the Governor’s budget proposes to eliminate Round 4 funding as the administration weighs other statewide investments and Proposition 1 implementation workload. Public commenters and members urged more accountability, better regional equity, stronger labor and community involvement, and caution about funding for for-profit psychiatric facilities. Finally, the committee heard on the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative. CalHHS and DHCS described CYBHI as a broad prevention- and equity-focused effort with more than 1,300 organizations funded, over $2.1 billion awarded, and multiple work streams spanning schools, community programs, workforce, and digital supports. DHCS highlighted school-based services, the fee schedule rollout, and digital platforms BrightLife Kids and Soluna, which it said are reaching users statewide and providing low-barrier access to coaching and support. Members and public commenters raised concerns about delays in school fee schedule implementation, the large share of funding going to digital tools, the need for more in-person services, and whether the initiative is sufficiently tracking outcomes and equity impacts. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• These students are our future nurses, physicians, teachers, and business owners.
• These students are our future nurses, physicians, teachers, and business owners.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the pledge, and a moment of silence honoring former Senator and Judge Thomas Gallen. The chamber then moved to special order items focused on immigration and related enforcement measures. Senate Memorial 6C, urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements, passed by voice vote. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 4C, an immigration measure that would impose a mandatory death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of capital felonies and create state crimes for illegal entry and re-entry. Senators Pizzo, Polsky, and Sharief raised concerns about constitutional issues, plea bargaining, trial and penalty-phase procedures, prosecutorial discretion, and the effect on victims’ families. Supporters, including Senators Fine and Gruters, argued the bill was a strong deterrent and a response to serious crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. The bill passed 25-11. The chamber next debated Senate Bill 2C, a broader immigration enforcement package. The bill would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, expand local-federal cooperation, fund detention and enforcement efforts, strengthen pretrial detention rules for unauthorized aliens, and end in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Senators Davis and Pizzo questioned enforcement mechanics, jurisdiction, bond procedures, and whether local agencies were actually mandated to participate; supporters said the bill was designed to maximize cooperation with federal authorities and the Trump administration. A late-filed amendment by Senator Pizzo to preserve tuition waivers for current students failed 14-22, and a second amendment was withdrawn after discussion. Debate then continued on the bill, with opponents arguing it was costly, federal in nature, and harmful to Dreamers and other students, while supporters said it was necessary to crack down on illegal immigration and align state policy with federal enforcement priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• this amendment in honor of a young woman who, when I first was elected, I met with a principal, a physician

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with ceremonial business, including adoption of resolutions recognizing the Copernicus Institute and honoring October 2025 as Polish American Heritage Month. Members also concurred in Senate petitions and suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow several new petitions to be referred, including proposals on employer notice of I-9 records, Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day, a sick leave bank for a trial court employee, and the purchase or lease of Fenn Farm. The chamber then advanced several local and administrative bills, including legislation authorizing MassDOT to convey land in Stoneham and bills on child welfare protections, transit-worker assault penalties, and other local matters. The most substantial debate centered on House No. 4645, a substitute bill addressing assault and battery on transit workers. Supporters argued that transit employees face rising violence and deserve protections similar to other public employees, citing MBTA assault statistics and testimony from workers describing threats, spitting, weapons, and serious injuries. The House accepted the substitute bill and passed it to be engrossed by roll call, 116-0. The chamber also passed to be engrossed a child welfare bill, House No. 4644, after debate on expanded DCF reporting, discharge planning, the independence of the Office of the Child Advocate, education coordination for children in care, and child fatality review reforms; amendments were adopted, including one adding a Department of Social Services social worker to the fatality review team and another creating a commission to study a digital education portfolio for foster youth. The House also adopted an emergency preamble for a bonds bill and passed several engrossed local bills, including measures affecting Hull, Lanesborough, and Norton. The session included a formal visit from a Hokkaido, Japan delegation marking the 35th anniversary of the Massachusetts-Hokkaido sister-state relationship, with remarks entered into the Journal. Members observed moments of silence for Bernard Fang and former Representative Thomas George, and the House later adopted a special adjournment in memory of Mark Haren before adjourning to meet the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2019, a young physician I worked closely with was found dead shortly after Mother's Day, leaving two

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a public hearing with opening remarks from Senate Chair John Cronin and House Chair Dan Cahill, followed by member introductions and instructions limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee first heard testimony on S. 2743, an act addressing staged suicides. Elizabeth Sherin Feiner of Jewish Family and Children’s Service and later Susan Altman, a domestic violence advocate, described cases in which deaths initially treated as accidents or suicides were later found to be homicides, arguing the bill would improve training, investigation protocols, and accountability in deaths involving domestic abuse. Committee members asked about current police and medical examiner practices, and one member noted that sudden-death determinations are handled by the chief medical examiner in Massachusetts. The committee then heard testimony on S. 2861, a special commission to examine school bus safety, led by Representative Sabadosa and Amanda Taylor, whose daughter Summer Steel was killed in a school bus door incident. Taylor urged adoption of anti-pinch sensor technology on new buses, saying it could have prevented her daughter’s death. Representative Sabadosa and later a Mazur USA representative supported the bill, explaining that anti-pinch and anti-drag technologies are already used in other transportation sectors and could prevent similar tragedies. The hearing also included discussion of costs and the fact that the proposal would apply prospectively to buses manufactured going forward. Finally, the committee heard testimony on S. 3021, updating Massachusetts student transportation. Ever-Driven Technologies and Chamber of Progress supported the bill, saying it would modernize Section 7D requirements for smaller passenger vehicles used for alternative student transportation while keeping core safety standards in place. They argued the change would help districts serve students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or with disabilities, reduce costs, and expand transportation options amid a statewide transportation crisis. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Natalie Pita on behalf of the California Academy of Family Physicians in support.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection heard three Assembly bills. AB 412, the AI Copyright Transparency Act by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan, would require developers to let copyright holders query whether their works were used to train generative AI systems. Supporters, including voice actors, artists, labor groups, and Professor Ben Zhao, argued the bill is a narrow transparency measure that helps creators protect their rights and that the underlying technology is feasible. Opponents, including business and tech groups, argued the bill goes ahead of unsettled copyright law, is technically difficult to implement at scale, and could burden startups. The author accepted committee amendments narrowing the bill, and the committee voted 6-2 to pass it as amended to the Judiciary Committee. AB 2448 by Assembly Member Berman would require electronic health record vendors to implement technical safeguards that help providers protect sensitive reproductive and gender-affirming care information. Planned Parenthood affiliates, the Attorney General’s office, and other supporters said the bill clarifies existing law and strengthens patient privacy amid threats to reproductive care access. There was no opposition testimony. The committee voted 7-1 to pass the bill to the Health Committee. AB 2561 by Assembly Member Valencia would prohibit changes to consumers’ privacy settings without their consent, aiming to prevent apps and software updates from resetting user preferences. CalChamber and TechNet representatives said they now supported the bill after the author accepted their amendments. The committee voted 8-0 to pass AB 2561. The hearing included multiple roll calls as quorum was established and bills were held on call before final votes were taken, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tim Madden, representing the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, in support

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health met in Room 2100 and first established a quorum, then approved a six-bill consent calendar on a 6-0 vote, placing it on call. The committee then heard AB 2233, which would ensure that once applied behavior analysis services for autistic patients are authorized, families can use those approved hours across the authorization period rather than losing them to weekly utilization caps or scheduling barriers. The author and supporters, including behavior analysts and family advocates, said the bill would not expand benefits but would improve access to already authorized care; health plan and insurance representatives initially raised fraud and utilization-management concerns but said they would remove opposition after amendments preserving those safeguards. AB 2233 passed 7-0 and was placed on call. The committee next heard AB 96, which would remove the high school diploma or equivalent requirement for certification as a Medi-Cal peer support specialist. Supporters from county behavioral health, peer services, and local governments argued that lived experience, training, and certification standards—not a diploma—should determine eligibility, and that the change would help address workforce shortages and expand culturally competent peer support. One opposition witness from the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals testified against the bill, but the measure advanced on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations and was placed on call. The final major item was AB 1876, the Fair Care for All Act, which would codify federal non-discrimination protections in state law for health care coverage and services. Supporters said it would protect transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex patients from discriminatory coverage practices and preserve access to medically necessary care; opponents argued it would force coverage of gender-affirming interventions and reduce insurer safeguards. After debate over whether the bill expanded coverage, the author said it simply mirrored existing federal non-discrimination law. AB 1876 passed 7-1 and was re-referred to Judiciary, then placed on call. The committee later opened the roll to record absent members and concluded the meeting after all items were disposed of.

Transcript Highlights:

• But now, Lord, you are the great physician, the great healer.

Bills: HCR1030, HB1370, SB893, SB2, SB1589

Keywords: legislative procedure, session calendar, deadline schedule, bill deadlines, joint resolution, Oklahoma Legislature, 61st Legislature, regular session, adjourn sine die, floor deadline, third reading, committee deadlines, bill drafting, appropriations, budget bills, ethics commission, agency rules, administrative procedures act, local and special laws, pension legislation

Summary: The House first took up Senate Bill 893, a conference committee report on property and critical infrastructure. The bill would bar foreign principals from countries designated as foreign adversaries from owning agricultural land or other land, especially within 10 miles of military installations or critical infrastructure, and also restrict certain state software purchases tied to adversarial countries. Members asked about how later-designated adversary countries would be covered and about the delayed effective date, which was explained as giving current owners time to divest. The conference report was adopted without objection, and the bill then passed the House 89-0. The chamber then considered Senate Bill 2, another conference committee report on wind energy setbacks. The measure would establish statewide setback standards for industrial wind turbines, including 2.5 tip heights from occupied dwellings and 1.5 tip heights from nonparticipating property lines, with exceptions for projects that had already secured most site control or queue positions before the effective date and for small community-scale systems. Supporters said it was a compromise that at least put some protections into statute, while opponents argued it weakened earlier House language and eliminated county local-control options. After debate, the bill failed on a 20-67 vote. Later, the House voted 60-19 to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1589, allowing it to become law notwithstanding the governor’s objections. The session also included prayers and announcements, including updates about Representative Cantrell’s hospitalization and a note that the Senate had adjourned sine die. The House then adjourned sine die for the second regular session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature.