Transcript Highlights:

• to Pay above the salary schedule.
• This is a $2,000... ...dollars increase across the minimum salary schedule. A yield for questions.
• This raises the minimum salary schedule by $2,000. I yield for questions.
• What is the penalty if a school district doesn't honor the salary schedule?
• But as long as this minimum The salary schedule exists, and we all know how I feel about it.

Bills: SJR47, SB1491, SB1579, SB1806, SB1552, SB483, SB63, SB137, SB346, SB514, SB1344, SB1360, SB1380, SB1437, SB1189, SB1217, SB1221, SB1262, SB1272, SB1325, SB1339, SB201

Keywords: voter ID, elections, constitutional amendment, Oklahoma, proof of identity, presidential electors, vacancies, oath of office, political party, property tax, valuation increase, taxpayer rights, homestead, protest process, foster care, adoption assistance, transitioning youth, Department of Human Services, voluntary services, county home rule charter

Bills: SB2102, SB1940, SB1625, SB1442, SB1623, SB1242, SB1949, SB1592, SB1913, SB592, SB992, SB1241, SB259, SB1928, SB1426, SB1531, SB1561, SB1122

Keywords: credit card fees, merchant discounts, payment card network, interchange fees, transparency in fees, Oklahoma law, payment card, rebate, merchant, tax compliance, health insurance, mandate, impact analysis, insurance department, public health, access to healthcare, SB1442, alcoholic beverage control, ABLE Commission, liquor license fees

Transcript Highlights:

• I know we were on a little bit of a schedule change today because we're trying to accommodate a lot of
• around a little bit on this agenda to accommodate noncommittee members and folks who have conflicting schedules
• Thank you, Chairman, for accommodating my schedule. Thank you, committee. Mr.
• They have to be able to manage the curriculum, manage the schedule, manage the...
• coming out, that this should be some aspect of what they're doing, so that not to not to remove the C

Bills: SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778

Keywords: career readiness, education reform, high school assessments, workplace skills, state education, credentialing, teacher certification, principal requirements, education administration, special education, Oklahoma education law, SB2045, Grow Your Own Educator Program, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, alternative certification, alternative teacher certification, teacher preparation, tuition reimbursement, course fee reimbursement

Transcript Highlights:

• introduce myself and say thank you, I noticed that he was Mentally beginning to transition to his next scheduled
• significance of their unique contribution while we are all prone to distraction and the demands of busy schedules

Bills: HB4139, HB4143, HB4144, HB3974, HB3303, HB3790, HB3697, HB3262, HB4226, HB2936, HB3322, HB4296, HB3278, HB4202, HB3648, HB3500, HB3037, HB3428, HB3257, HB3432, HB3043, HB3044, HB3078, HB3940

Keywords: home warranty, service contracts, transparency, insurance regulation, consumer protection, motor vehicles, traffic collisions, car accident, auto accident, crash report, collision report, property damage threshold, Department of Public Safety, DPS, law enforcement reports, insurance claims, financial responsibility, uninsured motorist, private property accidents, public roadway

Transcript Highlights:

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• :40.720><c> court,c><00:10:41.040><c> suchc><00:10:41.200><c> asc><00:10:41.519><c> divisionc
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Bills: HB19, HB170, HB171, HB173, HB174, HB19, HB170, HB171, HB173, HB174

Keywords: Ebony Alert, missing youth, public safety, law enforcement, racial equity, HB170, supplemental appropriations, Education Trust Fund, Alabama education budget, school funding, K-12 education, local boards of education, textbook adoption, school buses, school safety, charter schools, summer programs, afterschool programs, reading intervention, college and career readiness

Transcript Highlights:

• 09:36.399><c> toc><00:09:36.560><c> doc><00:09:36.640><c> thatc><00:09:36.800><c> andc> >&
• toc><00:09:37.920><c> doc><00:09:38.080><c> asc><00:09:38.320><c> muchc><00:09:38.399><c> of
• <c> andc><00:09:43.519><c> bringc><00:09:43.680><c> itc><00:09:43.920><c> inc><00:09:44.080><
• c> herec><00:09:44.720><c> umc><00:09:44.959><c> withc><00:09:45.200><c> ourc> that and bring
• c><00:09:48.640><c> Nextc><00:09:48.800><c> up,c><00:09:49.120><c> Senatorc><00:09:49.360><c>

Bills: HB63, HB19, HB80, HB41, HB20, HB60, HB100, HB71, HB91, HB93, HB63, HB19, HB80, HB41, HB20, HB60, HB100, HB71, HB91, HB93

Keywords: paternity, child custody, joint custody, parental rights, family law, domestic violence, shared parenting, Ebony Alert, missing youth, public safety, law enforcement, racial equity, human trafficking, victim restitution, civil action, criminal prosecution, labor servitude, sexual servitude, class A felony, class B felony

Transcript Highlights:

• I guess if they would be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in existence...
• And so, you know, it's not just a 501(c) who's had an idea.
• No, they'd get less, the $600 or less, with this fee schedule that we're proposing.
• We pay some fees and cost schedules and other lines of business this extraordinary number.
• We're on a schedule. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Challenge accepted.

Bills: HB165, HB175, HB198, HB272, HB457, HB488, HB566, HB603, HB763, HB902, HB909, HB971, HB981, HB1066, HB1125, HB1154, HB1231

Keywords: HB165, lottery proceeds, Lottery Proceeds Fund, Veterans Service Grant Fund, constitutional amendment, veterans, military veterans, veterans' benefits, veterans services, family support, state lottery, education funding, Minimum Foundation Program, problem gambling, compulsive gaming, state treasurer, ballot proposition, constitutional referendum, lottery revenue, Louisiana resident veterans

Bills: HR1041, SB137, SB1255, SB1226, SB1238, SB1258, SB1325, SB1460, SB1543, SB1730, SB1921, SB1733, SB1216, SB1256, SB1061, SB1534, SB1873, SB1653, SB540, SB1948

Keywords: electronic monitoring, Department of Corrections, criminal justice, rehabilitation, public safety, medical parole, compassionate release, incarcerated, medical conditions, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, motor vehicle, accident, notification, liability, civil action, gender neutral, domestic abuse, domestic violence, assault and battery, strangulation

Bills: HR1041, SB137, SB1255, SB1226, SB1238, SB1258, SB1325, SB1460, SB1543, SB1730, SB1921, SB1733, SB1216, SB1256, SB1061, SB1534, SB1873, SB1653, SB540, SB1948

Keywords: electronic monitoring, Department of Corrections, criminal justice, rehabilitation, public safety, medical parole, compassionate release, incarcerated, medical conditions, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, motor vehicle, accident, notification, liability, civil action, gender neutral, domestic abuse, domestic violence, assault and battery, strangulation

Transcript Highlights:

• determines how to prioritize available resources, we believe the data and the 19-year gap in our salary schedule
• determines how to prioritize available resources, we believe the data and the 19-year gap in our salary schedule
• We have paid all of ours off about six years ahead of schedule and no longer have that.

Bills: SB25, SB250, HB22, HB27, HB33, HB47, HB233, HB290, HB308, HB324, HB382, HB533, HB559, HB575, HB980, HB1157, HB1207, HB1236, HCR45

Keywords: registrar of voters, parish registrar, chief deputy registrar, confidential assistant, election administration, elections, salary schedule, compensation, merit evaluation, population-based pay, census-based pay, Department of State, Secretary of State, State Board of Election Supervisors, redistricting, senate districts, Senate District 33, Senate District 34, Senate District 35, precincts

Transcript Highlights:

• So with the new language on C, kind of walk me through what you're expecting for the director at DHS.

Bills: HB1979, HB1225, HB3931, HB4454, HB3849, HB1746, HB3720, HB4275, HB4300, HB3586, HB2268, HB3755, HB4117, HB4294, HB3650, HB4298

Keywords: early childhood education, task force, governance structure, healthcare access, stakeholder engagement, quality services, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity, X marker, transgender, vital statistics, State Department of Health, State Commissioner of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• So with the new language on C, kind of walk me through what you're expecting for the director at DHS.

Bills: HB1979, HB1225, HB3931, HB4454, HB3849, HB1746, HB3720, HB4275, HB4300, HB3586, HB2268, HB3755, HB4117, HB4294, HB3650, HB4298

Keywords: early childhood education, task force, governance structure, healthcare access, stakeholder engagement, quality services, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity, X marker, transgender, vital statistics, State Department of Health, State Commissioner of Health

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee first considered the nomination of Christy D. Fisher to the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Senator Stanridge presented her as a lay member with legal and paralegal experience, and Fisher spoke about her family’s experience with speech therapy and autism-related speech needs. After brief questions, the committee advanced the nomination on an 8-2 vote. The committee then heard several bills, including measures creating an Early Childhood Task Force (HB 1979), clarifying that Oklahoma has always prohibited sex-to-gender-identity amendments on birth certificates (HB 1225), and establishing a process for correcting death certificates after one year (HB 3931). Members also advanced a bill restricting edible medical marijuana products from being attractive to children (HB 4454), updating the mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents (HB 3849), and allowing juvenile safety plans to take effect if not acted on within 24 hours (HB 1746). Other bills addressed local food sales thresholds (HB 3720), allowing case managers and peer support specialists to work for cities and counties (HB 4275), DHS background-check and email-notice updates for child care centers (HB 4300), and a clarification that raising a child consistent with biological sex is not child abuse and that adoption cannot be denied solely over refusal to support a gender transition (HB 3586). The committee also advanced bills on Medicaid reimbursement for dementia cognitive assessments and care planning (HB 2268), juvenile detention medication funding (HB 3755), family resource centers including faith-based and workforce organizations (HB 4117), epilepsy insurance coverage protections (HB 4294), extending the managed care rate floor to July 1, 2028 with a carve-out for multi-state contracts (HB 3650), and child care reforms raising subsidy co-pays and directing DHS to set more flexible master-teacher ratios for certain facilities (HB 4298). Several bills were amended or worked from committee substitutes, and most passed on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, with HB 1225, HB 3586, and HB 4294 drawing some opposition. The committee adjourned after noting it would likely meet again later for additional executive nominations.

Bills: SB1465, SB2110, SB1771, SB206, SB1584, SB1386, SB1696, SB1806, SB1428, SB1390, SB1381, SB201, SB1778, SB1332, SB1836, SB1369, SB1794, SB1290, SB175, SB1379

Keywords: professional engineers, surveyors, licensure board, sunset extension, state board, occupational licensing, engineering license, surveying license, professional regulation, regulatory board, sunset review, emergency clause, Oklahoma O.S. 59, board appointments, lay member, Oklahoma Workforce Commission, workforce development, data collection, economic development, outside counsel

Transcript Highlights:

• having their reimbursement rates set by the workers' compensation commission in the medical fee schedule

Bills: HB3790, HB2941, HB2959, HB3087, HB3974, HB3500, HB3697, HB3262, HB3582, HB4226, HB3037, HB4139, HB4143, HB4144, HB2936, HB3322, HB4296, HB3278, HB4202, HB4176, HB3303, HB3648, HB4119

Keywords: home repairs, consumer protection, contracts, homeowner rights, rescission, fentanyl, overdose, first responders, drug reporting, immunity, controlled substances, penalties, school abuse reporting, child abuse, neglect, mandatory reporting, student safety, school employee misconduct, administrator reporting, superintendent

Transcript Highlights:

• You don't have a proposed schedule for completion of the project, correct? We do not at this time.
• if we said go and we're not prepared to say go, but the schedule would look as follows if we said go
• If all of that stuff is approved by the end of this year, the build schedule we think will take between
• We're not scheduled to have public testimony today, OK, OK, and so, um, Just the committee can do that
• You know, we've moved our schedule for next week and and so what we're gonna do, we've got 20 some bills

Bills: HB 2007, HB 2462, HB 2621, HB 2921, HB 3187, HB 3331, HB 3332, HJR 144, HB 3514, HB 3528, HB 3539, HB 3563, HB 3720, HB 3726, HB 3751, HB 3859, HB 3947, HB 4148, HB 4164, HB 4337, HB 4346, HB 4368, HB 4706, HB 4916, HB 4950, HB 4967, HB 5177, HB 5603

Keywords: commercial signs, county approval, transportation code, regulations, road signage, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, confidentiality, personal information, local government, airport data, public records, regional transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• You don't have a proposed schedule for completion of the project, correct? We do not.
• I mean, so I apologize for that, but Representative Little was talking about the schedule as part of
• And so if the schedule would look as follows.
• If we said go—and we're not prepared to say go—but the schedule would look as follows if we said go,
• We're not scheduled to have public testimony today.

Bills: HB2007, HB2462, HB2621, HB2921, HB3187, HB3331, HB3332, HJR144, HB3514, HB3528, HB3539, HB3563, HB3720, HB3726, HB3751, HB3859, HB3947, HB4148, HB4164, HB4337, HB4346, HB4368, HB4706, HB4916, HB4950, HB4967, HB5177, HB5603

Keywords: commercial signs, county approval, transportation code, regulations, road signage, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, confidentiality, personal information, local government, airport data, public records, regional transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• For those in the gallery, please rise for the invocation to be delivered by Reverend Joseph C.
• Senate Bill 2928 by Creighton, relating to the scheduling of the first day of school for students by
• Senate Bill 2997 by Menendez, relating to the scheduling of certain controlled substances in response

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:

• also want to take a moment to give a special shout-out to a very important part of our team, our scheduler
• , thank you for your work and all you have done for our office in keeping us open, working, and scheduling
• First is a teacher time study looking closely at schedules, non-instructional duties, and professional

Bills: SJR12, SCR39, SB27, SB29, SB241, SB406, SB414, SB464, SB568, SB578, SB609, SB660, SB689, SB693, SB785, SB857, SB879, SB921, SB922, SB955, SB985, SB993, SB996, SB1008, SB1035, SB1036, SB1059, SB1098, SB1120, SB1122, SB1147, SB1188, SB1197, SB1209, SB1227, SB1245, SB1267, SB1307, SB1321, SB1332, SB1386, SB1396, SB1453, SB1484, SB1494, SB1536, SB1537, SB1596, SB1610, SB1664, SB1741, SB1814, SB1822, SB1841, SB1948, SB2065, SB2155, SB2188, SB2230, SB2406, SB2407

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with senators highlighting the university’s growth, medical school, research expansion, and role in serving South Texas. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 368 honoring outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, with numerous senators praising his long public career, leadership in higher education, and statewide impact. Senate Resolution 361 recognizing Texas HBCU Day and Senate Resolution 362 recognizing Denton County Days at the Capitol were also adopted, along with other routine recognitions and gubernatorial appointments being read into the record. The Senate then took up several bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to shorten vacancy posting requirements, allow bilingual certification candidates to retake only failed test sections, give teachers more flexibility with paid leave, clarify classroom removal procedures, and ensure parents are informed of appeal rights. The bill passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a parent’s right to direct a child’s education, was also brought up and passed to engrossment after a contested suspension vote. The Senate next passed Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, which would require reporting of foreign funding at public universities, bar gifts from adversarial governments, and require training and reporting systems to prevent foreign influence and intellectual property theft in higher education. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the so-called “Dexit” bill, was debated at length for its corporate governance changes, including codifying the business judgment rule and altering internal corporate litigation and records rules; it passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed by a 30-1 vote. Senate Bill 857, allowing law enforcement discretion to tow vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed after discussion of towing abuses during flooding and disaster conditions. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536, requiring dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, passed with broad support, and Senate Bill 922, addressing delayed electronic disclosure of sensitive medical test results so physicians can discuss them first, was taken up and passed to engrossment as the chamber continued through its calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• point my staff and General have put up with me through the travel and through the conversation and scheduling
• Well, with that said, subsection C of your DEI office definition says that DEI offices mean means an
• I know there's two or three places in the statute where we have those. section C of your definition,

Bills: SJR 12, SCR 39, SB 7, SB 8, SB 27, SB 29, SB 125, SB 241, SB 371, SB 396, SB 406, SB 464, SB 568, SB 578, SB 608, SB 617, SB 660, SB 689, SB 693, SB 707, SB 731, SB 732, SB 763, SB 779, SB 836, SB 854, SB 857, SB 875, SB 878, SB 879, SB 906, SB 920, SB 921, SB 922, SB 942, SB 965, SB 985, SB 996, SB 1029, SB 1035, SB 1036, SB 1059, SB 1084, SB 1098, SB 1101, SB 1185, SB 1188, SB 1321, SB 1332, SB 1366, SB 1388, SB 1396, SB 1453, SB 1484, SB 1494, SB 1536, SB 1563, SB 1596, SB 1610, SB 1619, SB 1737, SB 1738, SB 1741, SB 1816, SB 1822, SB 1841, SB 1939, SB 2155, SB 2188, SB 2230

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: In this meeting, significant discussions revolved around the passage and modification of various Senate Bills, including SB1388, which pertains to family support services under the Health and Human Services Commission. Senator Kolkhorst advocated for the bill, emphasizing its focus on pro-life, family-centered care. The committee passed the bill after thorough examination, showcasing a collaborative effort among the members to ensure its alignment with successful past initiatives. In another session, Senator Hughes presented SB942, aimed at retroactive child support linked to prenatal care, which sparked a constructive dialogue reflecting bipartisan support for maternal and child welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• and FDA Commissioner McCurry stood before the nation and announced the federal recommendation to Schedule

Bills: HR73, HR272, HR273, HR278, HCR91, HCR99, HCR100, HCR111, HB255, HB261, HB328, HB378, HB479, HB517, HB564, HB778, HB1090, SB135, SB278, SB448

Keywords: domestic abuse, protective orders, victim protection, Louisiana State Law Institute, mandatory procedures, parental discipline, corporal punishment, child abuse, cruelty to juveniles, juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, child welfare, DCFS, Office of Juvenile Justice, reasonable discipline, parental rights, family law, law enforcement reports, abuse allegations, single-parent households

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee met on May 19, 2026, with a long agenda and several members’ bills and resolutions. The committee first considered HB 255, as substituted, which would add up to two years of imprisonment for a person charged with a felony or rioting offense who wore a mask or face covering to evade identification, with exceptions for religious coverings, motorcycles, and medical use. Supporters said it targeted concealment during felonies; the ACLU opposed it as redundant and potentially overbroad, while the Louisiana District Attorneys Association clarified the enhancement would apply only to felony convictions. The committee adopted the substitute and reported HB 255 favorably by a vote of 8-3. It then advanced HB 378, which creates penalties for using a vehicle to obstruct first responders and law enforcement; after an amendment narrowed the bill to first responders, it was reported favorably. HB 1090, increasing penalties for arson of a religious building, also passed favorably after testimony emphasizing attacks on houses of worship. HR 272, requesting a study on parental discipline, abuse allegations, and juvenile delinquency, was reported favorably as well. The committee also heard HB 479, the Fiscal Truth and Sentencing Act, which would require more detailed reporting on incarceration costs and sentencing impacts. Supporters, including the ACLU, said the bill would improve transparency and help lawmakers make better fiscal decisions; clerks of court opposed it as an unfunded mandate. Despite amendments shifting reporting duties and clarifying compliance with Children’s Code Article 412, the bill failed on a 4-7 roll call. The committee then deferred HCR 99 and took up HR 278, which asks the Attorney General to consult stakeholders and review electronic monitoring laws and regulations; supporters described serious failures in the current GPS monitoring system, and the resolution was reported favorably. HR 273, creating a task force to study work release programs, was also reported favorably after members said it would help refine the system and gather cost data. Later, the committee heard SB 448 on the Office of the State Public Defender. After discussion of a recent Supreme Court ruling and concerns about expert-witness funding and indigency determinations, the committee adopted an amendment adding a contradictory-hearing process and appellate review protections, then reported the bill as amended. HCR 100, concerning casino property sales, was amended to remove specific property references and instead urge the Gaming Control Board to consider economic development, job creation, and community benefit; the casino association withdrew opposition after the amendment, and the resolution was reported favorably as amended. The committee also voluntarily deferred SB 278 and HCR 91. HB 261, which would create exceptions to abortion laws for rape and certain sex offenses, drew extensive emotional testimony from supporters and opponents, including survivors and legislators discussing rape, incest, and fetal life; the bill was defeated 2-10. Finally, the committee took up HB 778 on kratom possession, with the author arguing for a distinction between natural kratom and synthetic products, and supporters and opponents offering conflicting testimony about safety, addiction recovery, and regulation.