Transcript Highlights:

• registered special conservators of the peace, and technicians employed by localities to swear or affirm
• The bill also requires all law enforcement officers swearing or affirming such certificates to complete

Keywords: House Committee Room B, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I’d like to be recorded as voting in the affirmative for tab 1.” “All right. Any objection?
• I'd like to be recorded as voting in the affirmative for tab 1. All right. Any objection?

Bills: S0754, S0796

Keywords: heated tobacco products, tobacco regulation, vaping, definition changes, Florida statutes, veterinary medicine, telehealth, veterinary professional associate, animal health, public safety, access to veterinary services

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and took up two bills. First, it heard SB 754 on heated tobacco products. The bill would statutorily define heated tobacco products and exempt them from the cigarette tax. Senator Davis questioned why the exemption was needed, and Senator Bernard asked about youth access; the sponsor said the bill was limited to taxation and would look into age and regulatory issues. A Florida Retail Federation representative appeared in support. The committee voted the bill favorably, and Senator Bracey Davis later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on tab 1. The committee then considered SB 796 on veterinary medicine, after adopting a delete-everything amendment. The amended bill would create a Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA) role for individuals with a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care to perform delegated tasks under a licensed veterinarian’s responsible supervision. It also would extend the time period for telehealth prescriptions for flea and tick products from one month to six months and for other medications from 14 days to 30 days. Senator Boyd raised liability concerns, and the sponsor said existing statute already places liability on the supervising veterinarian. The Florida Veterinary Medical Association testified against the bill, arguing Florida should expand and better utilize existing veterinary technicians rather than create a new mid-level role, and warning about federal prescribing restrictions and animal safety. Supporters, including the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Dr. Wayne Jensen, argued the bill would expand access to care, reduce costs, and provide a well-trained supervised workforce. Several senators said the bill balanced access and safety, and the committee reported SB 796 favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you swear or affirm that the evidence you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and
• Do you swear or affirm that the evidence you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met to consider confirmation appointments, beginning with Rodney Barreto’s reappointment to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Barreto described his background and defended his record, saying the commission has expanded public access, conserved land, supported youth conservation programs, and maintained strong law enforcement and wildlife management. Senators questioned him about public opposition to his confirmation, his role in supporting Amendment 2, a proposed use of submerged land near Singer Island, the Split Oak land swap, and whether FWC may reopen a bear hunt. Barreto said he saw no conflict in his Amendment 2 involvement, denied that any condo application existed for the Singer Island property, defended the Split Oak deal as a conservation and land-acquisition tradeoff, and said bear-hunt options would be presented later by staff and biologists. Several members of the public spoke against Barreto’s reconfirmation, arguing that FWC needs reform, term limits, and more scientific leadership, and criticizing his real estate and lobbying ties as conflicts of interest. Speakers also objected to his positions on development, habitat protection, trap use, herbicide spraying, and the handling of bear management and public notice at FWC meetings. Senator Avila spoke in strong support of Barreto, citing FWC’s role in Biscayne Bay restoration, juvenile redfish releases, invasive species control, and community involvement. The committee then voted to recommend Barreto’s confirmation favorably, with Senator Smith voting no. The committee next considered tabs 2 and 3, the reappointments of Kathy Chapman and Michael Kennedy to the Florida Inland Navigation District. With no separate vote requested and no public opposition, the committee recommended both confirmations favorably by voice roll call. The meeting concluded with thanks to staff and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Senate that the record show the roll has been called and all those present voted in the affirmative
• By a vote of 41 in the affirmative, 0 in the negative, House Bill 1 with the emergency clause has passed

Transcript Highlights:

• But we want to find the bad apples and keep them out. We want to encourage the good. Okay?
• But we want to find the bad apples and keep them out. We want to encourage that are good. Okay.
• This information is not readily available, and people find it out in very unexpected ways.
• So people don’t—this is how they find out this information.
• So people don’t—this is how they find out this information.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most drawing support after amendments or ongoing stakeholder negotiations. SB 29, by Senator Laird, would extend a sunset on the law allowing pain-and-suffering claims to survive a plaintiff’s death; supporters, including a family member describing a medical negligence case, labor groups, consumer advocates, and disability and elder organizations, argued it prevents defendants from running out the clock, while hospitals, medical groups, and business organizations warned of higher costs and added liability. After extensive debate about data collection, settlement reporting, and the impact on health care access, the bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. SB 294, by Senator Reyes and presented by Senator Laird, would require employers to notify a worker’s emergency contact if the worker is arrested or detained and would create a template to inform employees of state and federal labor rights. Labor and worker advocates said the bill would help workers understand and enforce their rights amid weakened federal enforcement; there was no opposition on file, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 697 would modernize water-rights adjudication by allowing the State Water Board to use technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations; with no opposition, it also passed unanimously. The committee also advanced SB 37 on attorney advertising, SB 645 on peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 303 on bias-mitigation trainings in public workplaces, and SB 464 on expanding pay-data reporting for specified state workers. SB 37 drew support from consumer and legal groups but concerns from Walker Advertising about joint advertising; members said negotiations were ongoing, and the bill passed. SB 645 would extend anti-bias jury-selection rules to certain civil rights cases; criminal-defense and defense groups said they were close to agreement, and the bill passed. SB 303 and SB 464 were both amended to narrow scope and moved forward after several opponents shifted to neutral or removed opposition. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you'll find that we do that when you come up as a witness. Very important to us.
• So many of the things we'll talk about today you may find that we're not mentioning other things.
• Too many families find themselves trapped by their zip code or have a special need that would otherwise
• Let's continue to work together to ensure we find the right balance as we make these adjustments.
• Let’s try to find that balance as we discuss these important topics today.

Bills: SB 2

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The enrollment committee has met<02:38:37.760> and<02:38:38.080> finds<02:38:38.319>
• that<02:38:38.560> House<02:38:38.800> Bill<02:38:39.280> 669 met and finds
• Uh, the enrollment committee has met and finds that the following Senate bills are in order and ready
• Enrollment committee has met and finds...
• > supremacy<05:25:45.200> of resolution affirming the supremacy of resolution affirming

Bills: HB567, HB776, HB2, HB568, HB619

Keywords: open records, public access, transparency, government accountability, public agency, dental practice, licensing, administrative regulations, dental assistants, supervision, Medicaid, community engagement, healthcare, managed care, eligibility, public assistance, insurance, public adjuster, claim process, contract requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Once affirmed, this project may move forward through schematic design.
• This is known as a vote two, and that affirmative vote two authorizes full design and construction.
• What we would do, UMass at least, we try to find a donor who's willing to either put their name on it
• consider, like more than 300 firehouses that need to be built, and that money needs to—we need to find
• The working group's findings confirmed the necessity of the plan we're putting forward today.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on the BRIGHT Act, a higher education capital bill that would use Fair Share surtax revenue to fund major repairs, modernization, and decarbonization projects across UMass, state universities, and community colleges. UMass leadership described a $4.8 billion deferred maintenance backlog, aging buildings, and the need to modernize facilities, improve accessibility, and reduce emissions. Administration officials said the bill would authorize $2.5 billion in capital funding, split roughly 50-50 between UMass and the rest of public higher education, plus additional targeted funding for housing planning, smaller modernization projects, campus master plans, and workforce skills grants. They emphasized that the financing structure is modeled on the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and would not raise student costs, while also supporting affordability through financial aid and free community college. Members raised questions about regional equity, the distribution of funds among the five UMass campuses and the 24 state university/community college campuses, project labor agreements, whether the bill would unlock private or federal matching funds, and how the system is preparing for AI and changing workforce needs. UMass officials said project selection is data-driven, based on deferred maintenance, safety, accessibility, sustainability, and programmatic needs, and that the flagship campus in Western Massachusetts would likely receive a large share because of its size and needs. They also said UMass Boston would receive its own share and would not be shortchanged by the Bayside project. On labor, they said PLAs are commonly used and they would follow existing board and building authority policies. On affordability, they said the university has shifted hundreds of millions into need-based aid and that the state’s recent support has helped keep tuition low for many students. DCAMM and higher education officials said the state’s public campuses account for a large share of state-owned building space and a disproportionate share of operational carbon emissions, making decarbonization a major driver of the bill. They said the legislation would allow larger, more comprehensive projects that can address deferred maintenance, energy efficiency, and program needs at the same time, while also making some projects shovel-ready through the Fair Share supplemental funding already appropriated. A later panel from the State Universities Council of Presidents argued the bill’s authorization is still too small to meet long-term needs and urged the committee to increase the bond cap and ensure a more equitable distribution among segments. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Someone suggested that if you're having a lot of trouble, just find the youngest child in your home or
• This is an act of... racial discrimination and bias, and it's saying that we need to go out and find.
• Every motion that was filed, every signature that was signed was an affirmation of just that.
• This is an opportunity for the Texas legislature to find...
• And find neighbors who treat each other like family, even if we don't all look or worship the same.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rosie came to me, and it's not the way you want to find a new friend in life, but we have now been kind
• This bill would remove from the Public Information Act requests to find out information about how the
• Unregulated drones are increasingly used to locate and track federal border agents, find witnesses in
• Find witnesses in the border and even smuggle illegal items into Texas.
• Senators, you may recall this is the resolution we unanimously passed affirming parental rights.

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum, heard an invocation, dispensed with the previous journal, and received a House message. Members also recognized Dr. Namita Bardwaj as doctor of the day. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 554 honoring Christopher “Chris” Jake Stone of Santa Fe for his heroism during the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, with several senators and the lieutenant governor offering remarks about his sacrifice and the ongoing impact on his family and community. The Senate also signed a number of bills and resolutions and adopted Senate Resolution 533 recognizing the Texas Legislative Internship Program class, with multiple senators highlighting individual interns and the program’s role in developing future public servants. The floor then took up and passed several bills, often by suspending the regular order and the three-day rule. These included HB 1639 on a study of cancer incidence among female firefighters; HB 102 granting early registration for students in military-related programs; HB 4325 increasing civil penalties for barratry; HB 5342 creating a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline trust fund and related funding study; HB 3370 allowing late timberland appraisal applications after an owner’s death; HB 3376 requiring certain guardians to complete dementia/Alzheimer’s training; HB 132 extending confidentiality protections to information about hostile acts by foreign adversaries; and HB 1978, which sought to restrict ERCOT interconnections, but its motion to pass to engrossment failed on a 20-11 vote. Additional measures passed included HB 511 on unsolicited voter registration mailings, HB 2187 on nurse staffing, retaliation, and overtime protections, HB 2510 creating offenses for unlicensed assisted living operations, HB 694 on DFPS notification timelines, HB 1893 making license plates in law-enforcement video nonconfidential for public information requests, HB 2733 updating barratry and solicitation laws for digital communications, HB 4506 allowing opt-in electronic zoning notices, HB 3751 transferring a TxDOT property to DPS, HB 3033 creating a grant program for nonprofits supporting injured or killed DPS employees, HB 4273 on Medicaid fraud prevention and eligibility verification, HB 3211 on vision care benefits, HB 4529 exempting certain DoD-certified child care facilities from state licensure, HB 2522 easing fingerprinting requirements for certain vehicle dealers, HB 4219 tightening public information request response requirements, and HB 4783 requiring a report on opioid antagonist programs. The Senate also received a House message noting passage of SB 9, and a nominations committee report was announced for future consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just I touch on the Clean Power Plan, and what we call the endangerment finding.
• The clean air act endangerment finding.
• what they call the endangerment finding. what they call the endangerment finding.
• utilities have got to be able to find utilities have got to be able to find maybe<01:03:53.200><
• marketable solution to be able to find marketable solution to be able to find more<01:05:09.200>

Bills: SJ0001, SF0017

Keywords: mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, forestry management, good neighbor authority, state lands, employee funding, donations, revolving account, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentleman's time is... cockroaches run out and we find more cockroaches run out and we find more things
• chair 2third being in the affirmative chair 2third being in the affirmative the<05:48:12.160>
• In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended.
• I'm committed to finding ways to improve health care and make it more reliable and affordable.
• I'm committed to finding ways to improve health care and make it more reliable and affordable.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• but in this particular situation, we've got some of these existing structures and we're trying to find
• trying to find a workable solution. solution. solution.
• And I find that they can't figure out.
• <00:51:05.599> So<00:51:05.760> if affirmatively publish the data.
• So if affirmatively publish the data.

Bills: HF4253, HF4257, HF3236, HF4264, HF4149, HF4019

Keywords: boat storage structures, public waters, natural resources, rule amendments, watercraft canopy, PFAS, environmental regulation, manufacturers, public health, product safety, groundwater, water appropriation, water-use permit, water permit, aquifer test, aquifer, well construction, groundwater permit, Department of Natural Resources, DNR

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:37.280> ourselves<00:03:37.599> in we find ourselves in we find ourselves in
• They affirmed that burning a U.S. flag is protected speech. Of course, we agree with that.
• They affirmed that burning a U.S. flag is protected speech. Of course, we agree with that.
• <00:52:30.079> um<00:52:30.240> the find um the find um the perpetrators<00:52:32.200><
• <01:37:00.800> people really critical to try to find people really critical to try to find

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So while you all find your seats, then we'll go ahead and get started. Judge Happily: Good morning.
• Do you swear or affirm that everything you're about to say is the truth? Thank you. Go ahead, Mr.
• If I were a big, important professional, I would still find a way to be at the appointments.
• The judge is equipped to make findings of fact and conclusions of law and a written order.
• A more detailed order with my findings will follow. There's no other business before the court.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representatives to the families of the children whose lives were taken in a mass shooting in Treeport and to affirm
• , provide for an exemption for criminal responsibility and delinquency proceedings, provide for affirmative
• This is just to clarify and affirm that this is permissive.
• It removes the compliance measure and affirms the BESE measure that may revoke its approval of non-public

Bills: HR195, HR196, HR197, HR198, HR199, HR200, HR201, HR202, HR203, HR204, HR205, HR206, HR207, HR208, HR209, HCR87, HCR88, HCR89, HCR90, HR192, HR193, HR194, HCR80, HCR81, HCR82, HCR83, HCR84, HCR85, SB235, SB416, SB425, SB435, SB439, HCR15, HCR41, HCR76, HCR77, SCR3, HB91, HB167, HB227, HB243, HB264, HB321, HB335, HB398, HB492, HB623, HB624, HB660, HB689, HB708, HB719, HB802, HB804, HB884, HB906, HB926, HB934, HB940, HB955, HB968, HB969, HB978, HB985, HB1005, HB1022, HB1028, HB1029, HB1069, HB1077, HB1095, HB1104, HB1107, HB1185, HB1187, HB1199, HB1201, HB1203, HB1217, HB1220, SB66, SB68, SB76, SB139, SB336, SB475, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HCR4, HCR47, HCR32, HR38, HR96, HR160, HCR31, HCR61, SCR19, HB64, HB68, HB92, HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB267, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB478, HB610, HB617, HB745, HB749, HB752, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB896, HB979, HB992, HB1000, HB1024, HB1050, HB1166, HB1172, HB1173, HB1207, HB1218, HB1223, HB316, HB549, HB578, HB748, HB798, HB824, HB988, HB989, HB1001, HB1032, HB1081, HB1108, HB1129, HB1140, HB1157, HB1192, HB1195, HB1198, HB1244, SB73, SB89, SB128, SB149, SB191, SB196, SB238, SB318, SB340, HB306, HB366, HB911, HB1161, HB1230, HB59, HB481, HB772, HB897, HB1003, HB1008, HB1112, HB1180, HB1189, HB525, HB1058, HB181, HB1118, HB1082, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB225, HB284, HB393, HB458, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB773, HB864, HB996, HB1035, HB1113, HB1234, HB1240

Keywords: Louisiana Young Heroes Day, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, LPB, house resolution, ceremonial resolution, special observance, youth recognition, student achievement, community service, public service, high school students, youth leadership, disability advocacy, autism, diabetes, epilepsy, foster care, STEM, robotics, literacy

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, adopted the journal, and spent much of the day on recognitions and resolutions. Members honored NAMI and proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Month, recognized fourth graders from Alpine Christian School, Hunter Nation supporters, Vermilion Parish guests, and the 2026 Louisiana Young Heroes. The House also observed a moment of silence for Martha Odom after the Mall of Louisiana tragedy, and one member spoke against political violence and harassment. Several resolutions were adopted, including measures for Louisiana Young Heroes Day, Rural Mental Health Day, Nurses’ Day/Week, a study of child abuse reporter training, a memorial on FISA/privacy, and studies on civil bench warrants, property transfer/public records issues, the term “foreign” in state law, and carbon sequestration-related property issues. The House also adopted HCR 4 by a 63-30 vote to suspend certain Louisiana Administrative Code provisions on supplemental feeding, baiting, and chronic wasting disease control areas for 18 months. The chamber then moved through a large number of committee reports and bills, mostly advancing them without objection. Notable measures included bills on criminal discovery and law enforcement records, impaired driving task force, sexual assault nurse examiners and oversight, election commissioner pay, Medicaid dental coverage tied to other procedures, judicial salaries, teacher phased retirement, TOPS Tech eligibility, school emergency operations plans, pharmacy benefit manager transparency, and school-based health services. Several bills were recommitted to Appropriations or sent to third reading, while others were adopted as titles or amended in committee reports. In floor action on final passage, the House approved a series of bills with broad support: H.B. 12 on survivor benefits for reserve and auxiliary law enforcement officers (102-0), H.B. 402 on phased retirement for higher education employees (97-2), H.B. 205 on supplemental compensation for election commissioners (98-0), H.B. 224 on Medicaid dental coverage for medically necessary procedures (98-0), H.B. 267 on Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors appointments (70-19), H.B. 324 on judicial salary increases (98-0), H.B. 325 on TOPS Tech eligibility changes (90-7), H.B. 350 expanding a charter school’s grade levels (98-0), H.B. 745 extending special permit authority for tandem loads (100-0), H.B. 749 transferring administration of 529/ABLE savings programs to a third-party platform while keeping state oversight (94-0), H.B. 797 creating the Bayou Gold Program for digital gold businesses (101-0), H.B. 807 creating a workforce instructor capacity investment program (90-0), H.B. 821 moving the Center for Safe Schools to the Law Enforcement Commission (103-0), H.B. 896 on toll signage, dispute procedures, and customer service centers (103-0), H.B. 979 increasing first responder survivor benefits to $404,000 after amendment (103-0), H.B. 992 assigning student IDs in early childhood programs (94-6), H.B. 1000 adjusting highway priority program procedures and local district contract limits (96-0), H.B. 1024 creating a Louisiana Democratic Party license plate (100-0), H.B. 1050 clarifying CDL age and vision requirements (98-0), and H.B. 1173 easing late-fee treatment in license reinstatement payment plans (94-0).

Transcript Highlights:

• believe this legislation is flawed essentially in three major areas, and I happen to confirm and affirm
• It just states it actually affirms his ability to speak into these areas.
• It just states it actually affirms his ability to speak into these areas.
• It actually affirms his ability to speak into these areas.

Bills: SB2109, SB2151

Keywords: emergency preparedness, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, multilingual resources, American Sign Language, public education, community resilience, disaster response, emergency management, governor powers, legislative oversight, public safety, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Public Safety met on March 20, 2026, and the chair opened by noting severe rain and flooding conditions in Hawaii and said the committee would proceed with the hearing but defer decision-making until the next meeting on March 25. The first measure discussed was SB 2109, an omnibus bill on emergency preparedness communications. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, including from state agencies and advocacy groups such as the Disability and Communications Access Board, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and others. Supporters emphasized the need for funding and planning for multilingual emergency materials and language access, citing current evacuation notices that were not available in languages such as Ilokano or Tongan. The chair stated that action on SB 2109 would be deferred until March 25. The committee then heard SB 2151, relating to emergency management and changes to the governor’s emergency authority. Testimony was mixed but heavily focused on concerns about executive power. Earthjustice supported the bill with amendments, saying it should narrow extraordinary emergency powers, add definitions for emergency and disaster, preserve transparency under the Uniform Information Practices Act, and lower the legislative threshold to terminate an emergency proclamation from two-thirds to a simple majority. Other supporters, including the League of Women Voters of Hawaii and some individuals, also backed reform. Opponents, including Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and numerous individuals, argued the bill still gave the governor too much power, used overly broad disaster definitions, and did not sufficiently protect constitutional rights; several urged major amendments or repeal of portions of Chapter 127A. Some opponents specifically objected to the two-thirds termination standard and to provisions they said could enable compulsory immunizations or other mandates. Members questioned Earthjustice about whether the bill would suspend constitutional rights. Earthjustice responded that the bill would not authorize constitutional violations, but would allow suspension of laws enacted by the legislature, and pointed to existing statutory procedures for individuals to challenge emergency proclamations. The witness described a Mauna Kea case in which a three-judge panel granted relief to an individual under the current statute, and explained that the process could potentially affect a broader proclamation if allowed to run to completion. The hearing continued with additional testimony and questions, but no final vote or committee action on SB 2151 was taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:38:21.280> on um uh both questions and affirmations on um uh both questions and affirmations
• c><02:26:53.200> violating<02:26:53.760> a find find people uh for violating a find find
• Okay, I'm sorry, I can only find 0891. I'll find it. It doesn't have it? I hear it. I have it.
• <05:15:07.440> 08 I okay I'm sorry I can only find 08 I okay I'm sorry I can only find 08
• disclosure and you have to affirmatively disclosure and you have to affirmatively say<05:21:47.440

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on HB 584, which would bar New Hampshire and its political subdivisions from enforcing mandates, orders, or similar directives from the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum. Prime sponsor Representative Green described the bill as a sovereignty measure and offered an amendment to clarify language, including replacing a reference to entities that “create and enforce policies” with language covering enforcement of policies, mandates, orders, requirements, edicts, or directives. Supporters argued the bill was a preemptive safeguard against outside influence and cited concerns about pandemic-era public health measures and international organizations. Opponents, including the American Heart Association, warned it could chill local policymaking and limit the ability of communities to use outside research or guidance. The chair closed the hearing on HB 584 after testimony concluded. The committee then moved to HB 580-FN, relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases. Representative Anita Burroughs, the prime sponsor, said the bill is intended to protect people who report sexual assault, sexual harassment, abuse, or domestic violence from retaliatory defamation suits, so long as statements are made in good faith and without malice. She also said the bill preserves the ability of accused persons to defend their names. Burroughs explained that the proposal was prompted by a survivor’s experience and was meant to address the chilling effect of expensive litigation on reporting misconduct. Testimony on HB 580 was generally supportive. Witnesses said the bill would help survivors speak out without fear of meritless lawsuits and described retaliatory defamation as a tool used to silence or intimidate accusers. Burroughs noted the bill was informed by anti-SLAPP principles and referenced high-profile defamation cases as examples of the cost and pressure of litigation. No vote was taken in the portion of the transcript provided; the hearing on HB 580 was opened and testimony began.

Transcript Highlights:

• modern day Lord of the Rings trilogy, and a mysterious ring is discovered by a shepherd who haphazardly finds
• This is a constitutional right; we're simply affirming people's Given constitutional rights, Representative

Bills: HB3419, HB4153, HB3430, HB3791, HB3277, HB4119, HB4408, HB3905, HB3968, HB3835, HB3386, HB2650, HB3742, HB3588, HB3748, HB4303, HB4311, HB3028, HB4428, HB4429, HB4132, HB1889, HB3265, HB1739, HB4434, HB3313, HB3852, HB4263, HB3413, HB3414, HB3415, HB3416, HB3417, HB3418, HB3420, HB2116, HB2206, HB3625, HB2939, HB3721, HB1823, HB2425, HB4440, HJR1087, HB4003, HJR1077, HB1770, HB1675, HB3627, HB3891, HJR1067, HB3462, HJR1053, HJR1054, HJR1044, HB3472, HB1225, HJR1019, HB4145, HJR1081, HB1746, HJR1069, HJR1050, HB1638, HB3327, HJR1055, HB3127, HB4488, HB2955, HB3781, HB3783, HB3802, HB2471, HB2937, SCR16, HB2960, HB3466, HB3262, HB3269, HB3152, HB4140, HB4142, HB3148, HB3378

Keywords: corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law, public office, driver license, reading proficiency, minors, education requirements, alternative testing, attendance, remedial reading, public school, oath of enrollment, court financial obligations, cost hearing, payment plan, community service, court compliance program, debt relief

Transcript Highlights:

• care of the patient, the individual, the New Yorker, who is going to limit access to their records, I find
• It only restricts specific data listed as health services, reproductive health services, gender-affirming

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Health Committee met to consider a series of bills, many of them repeat proposals from prior sessions. Early measures included S.11 on disclosure for non-invasive prenatal screening, S.92 allowing redaction of certain physician names from birth certificates, S.135 creating practical support grants for abortion care, S.428A requiring chain restaurants to label high-sodium menu items, S.555 prohibiting visual images of people undergoing medical treatment without consent, and S.1614A establishing presumptive Medicaid eligibility for people leaving incarceration. The committee also advanced S.1438A to create an abortion clinical training program, S.1468 on access to medical records and limiting copy charges to actual cost, S.1619 expanding pharmacists’ authority to order and administer certain tests, and S.1714 banning the use of “excited delirium” as a diagnosis or cause of death. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on S.1633A, which would add protections for sensitive health information and allow patients to restrict disclosure of specified categories of data. One senator argued the bill could hinder care by limiting access to complete records, especially in emergencies, while supporters said the measure was needed to protect patients and providers from legal action by other states or the federal government, particularly in reproductive health cases. Staff clarified that the bill would allow segregation of specific sensitive data rather than locking an entire record. The committee also discussed S.1913, a 340B prescription drug anti-discrimination bill; supporters said it would protect safety-net providers and federally qualified health centers from pharmaceutical company practices, while one senator raised concerns about broad state intervention in a federal program. Additional bills advanced included S.5981 establishing a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program, S.6178 directing a sickle cell disparity study, S.7457 permitting cremation or natural organic reduction for certain unclaimed decedents, S.7541 moving up reporting timelines for licensed home care services agencies, and S.8257A directing an alternative payment methodology for federally qualified health centers to support fertility care. Most bills were moved by committee vote, generally with some opposition or without recommendation, and were referred to first reading, rules, or finance as appropriate.