Transcript Highlights:

• are state custody inmates across the state.
• So that's better service for the employees.
• Grants, we know where their employees are from.
• 284 employees with... That number: 284 employees with a payroll of $20.8 million. Okay.
• And we're with New Mexico State, so we have the New Mexico State.

Bills: HB63 , HB64 , HB184 , HB200 , HB47 , HB48 , HB2 , HB9

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee heard testimony on the expected impacts of House Bill 9 on private detention facilities and the surrounding counties and municipalities, focusing on Cibola County/Milan, Torrance County/Estancia, and Otero County. Corrections Secretary Alicia Lucero explained that the Corrections Department does not oversee the immigration detention facilities directly, but said the department could help displaced workers through hiring fairs and expedited hiring into state positions, and suggested possible alternative uses for the buildings such as behavioral health treatment, training campuses, or transitional living centers. She also noted that a memorial would task several state agencies and affected counties with exploring alternate uses and economic options, and that Workforce Solutions had scheduled job fairs in February for the affected communities. Local officials described major fiscal and community impacts. Cibola County and Milan said the loss of the facility would reduce gross receipts tax revenue, force service cuts, and potentially shrink the county budget substantially; they also warned that the village uses the detention population to support federal grant applications and industrial park development. Torrance County and Estancia said the closure would eliminate jobs, reduce GRT revenue that funds public safety, and require transporting prisoners to other facilities at much higher bed rates, with estimated annual impacts around $3 million. Otero County reported 284 jobs and $20.8 million in payroll at risk, along with about $3 million in annual GRT and a $68 million facility that could be foreclosed if bonds defaulted. Committee members pressed for more precise numbers, including employee counts, transport costs, current bed costs, and the total fiscal impact after accounting for existing contract payments. Several members emphasized that each facility and community is different and asked for separate, detailed plans, including short-term cost replacement and long-term economic diversification. There was discussion of possible hold-harmless assistance, emergency bill drafting, and coordination with Workforce Solutions, Economic Development, and higher education partners. No formal vote was taken; the chair directed staff and agencies to meet the next morning to continue developing an emergency response and requested more detailed information from the counties and the department.

Transcript Highlights:

• This year we're behind 32 other states and in fact 11 states have, don't just require that the high schools
• And you might think that these states are states like Washington or Massachusetts where they have a big
• we start with our be employee centric, student centric, and how we treat our employees.
• A union representing more than 250,000 classified public school employees across the state.
• But red states are very focused on drawing blue state business.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• In total, JCC added 18 employees: the 15 here plus three for the Riverton State Office Building custodial
• In total, JCC added 18 employees: the 15 here plus three for the Riverton State Office Building custodial
• In total, JCC added 18 employees: the 15 here plus three for the Riverton State Office Building custodial
• In total, JCC added 18 employees: the 15 here plus three for the Riverton State Office Building custodial
• In total, JCC added 18 employees: the 15 here plus three for the Riverton State Office Building custodial

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first addressed an unintended consequence in the Joint Conference Committee report involving dual and concurrent enrollment funding. Staff explained that a dollar-for-dollar reduction tied to Senate File 81 would have fully funded public school dual/concurrent enrollment while leaving no funds for non-public school students. Senator Salazar moved to strike that provision, the motion was seconded, and it carried. Budget and Fiscal Administrator Don Richards then walked through the conference committee report and the major adopted amendments. He reviewed Senate and House amendments affecting items such as sign language interpreters, rural veterinary education, predator management authorization, petroglyphs and pictographs, senior services, community college funding, school district entitlement payments, the School Foundation Program reserve transfer, a tourism-related rodeo museum change, archaeological work on human remains, a jet airplane reduction, abortion-related language, livestock ear tags, provider rates for developmental disabilities, student-athlete endorsement restrictions, a forensic audit for the Wyoming Business Council, and the Yellowstone tree inscription. He also described several deleted sections and policy changes, including removal of spending-policy provisions, flex authority language, and other budget sections. Richards further summarized new or revised appropriations and conditions, including funding for local cybersecurity, stormwater fees, the Wyoming Natural Resource Trust Fund, lab services, IT modernization, Wyoming Public Television, matching funds, cloud services, and restored governor FTE requests. He noted a compromise on the outdoor trails matching program, a conditional $10 million University of Wyoming operational review appropriation tied to future cost savings, and a stablecoin appropriation. He also explained that the report retained the base-bill reversion language, discussed the remaining general fund balance and statutory reserve, and said the committee would circulate the amendment and signatures for floor action later that day. The meeting then adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• are state custody inmates in state custody across the state.
• So that's better service for the employees.
• Grants, we know where their employees are from.
• 284 employees with... 284 employees with a payroll of $20.8 million. Okay.
• And we're with New Mexico State, so we have New Mexico State. So you want UNM, or do you want CNM?

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• state of Florida but does not require employees to accept that amount if they choose to waive the right
• Through this bill, an employee may waive their right to receiving the state minimum wage by voluntarily
• We are dealing with the state minimum wage with this bill.
• That federal law states that employees...
• One, this bill does not lower the state minimum wage.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:53.920><c> and</c> has been very popular with employees and has been very popular with employees
• </c><00:13:30.959><c> deferred</c> contribution to employee deferred contribution to employee deferred
• Um I do want to add here uh my employee.
• </c><00:14:16.880><c> are</c> of that and I know I know employees are of that and I know I know employees
• </c> career here at the state senate. career here at the state senate.

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the state of Wyoming. the state of Wyoming.
• Supreme Court where all public States Supreme Court where all public employees<01:20:36.880><c> are<
• State.
• State.
• </c> a public employee. a public employee.

Bills: SF0035 , SF0090 , SF0072

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• It's essentially a self-attestation that the employee, It's essentially a self-attestation that the employee
• That total rating is often the key to several state benefits.
• For the state side, one thing For the state side, one thing I want to bring up is that not every person
• Are other states doing...
• So I'm just wondering if other states are doing a good job and what is our state doing about that?

Summary: The Employment Subcommittee of the Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met on May 18 and approved the prior meeting minutes. The first presentation was an update on the Massachusetts Disability Employment Tax Credit from MassAbility. The speaker explained that the credit, created in 2022, offers employers up to $5,000 in the first year and $2,000 in later years for hiring certified employees with disabilities. He described a streamlined self-attestation certification process, the online application and outreach tools, and noted that the first full tax season resulted in one company successfully claiming the credit. Members asked about how employers learn to file, available data, carry-forward rules, and whether more information from the Department of Revenue could be shared. The second presentation was from the Office of the Veteran Advocate. The speaker described the office as an independent agency created after COVID and the state veterans home tragedy to improve veteran services and investigate problems. He reviewed VA disability ratings, the fact that service-connected disability does not necessarily prevent work, and the barriers faced by veterans with less-than-honorable discharges. He also highlighted vocational rehabilitation, GI Bill and housing supports, and the office’s work on professional licensure barriers, especially for nurses and other skilled trades. Members discussed whether Massachusetts is behind other states on licensure reciprocity and the need for more openness from licensing boards; the office said it is starting with a narrow nursing-focused review and will report back on findings. In the final portion of the meeting, members discussed a lengthy policy brief from Seed and agreed it should be taken up at the August 31 meeting rather than rushed through by email. The group focused on two emerging areas of work: the benefit cliff and youth/young adult pathways into employment, including apprenticeships. Members suggested creating a clearer tool or spreadsheet to map existing resources and possibly a white paper for appointing authorities, while noting the commission’s limits on direct advocacy. The meeting ended with an invitation for members interested in the benefit cliff work or youth employment pipeline to join follow-up discussions, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill introduces mandatory fraud reporting for state employees and their agencies.
• state employees and their reporting for state employees and their agencies<00:04:26.280><c> if</c><00
• :04:27.440><c> state</c> agencies if an employee of a state agencies if an employee of a state agency
• I don't think this is an issue with the state employees in Minnesota.
• State employees are very much encouraged to report suspected fraud.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, it actually is used in all 50 states, but it's adopted, statutorily adopted, in 13 states.
• to state.
• He was actually a state employee when... Sitting next to me is Corey Ryder.
• He was actually a state employee when he made this selfless act himself. And so, Mr.
• employee while someone in another state benefits if there isn't any reciprocity or something.

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Summary: The committee first disposed of several measures without debate, including deferrals of House Bill 460, House Bill 561, Senate Bill 322, and another deferred Senate measure, before taking up House Bill 819 by Chairman Cruz. HB 819 would replace Louisiana’s current workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule with ODG by MCG, a private evidence-based guideline system used in other states. Cruz and Troy Prevo argued ODG is more comprehensive, updated more frequently, and could reduce claim duration, medical costs, and premium rates; Dr. Jason Picard said Louisiana already uses ODG as a secondary reference for gaps in the state schedule and that the bill would not change appeals or variance procedures. Opponents, including injured-worker advocates Joseph Jola St. and Robin Crumholt, argued Louisiana’s current guidelines are working, that ODG is more cost-cutting and insurer-driven, and that the bill could increase denials and delay care. Members discussed amendments to add a two-year sunset, allow tacit approval when treatment follows the schedule, require payment within 30 days, and raise the carrier’s burden to challenge care; the committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 819 favorably by a 7-6 vote. The committee then began Senate Bill 409 by Senator Myers, the Louisiana Living Donor Leave Protection Act. The bill would provide paid leave protections for living organ donors, set eligibility and verification procedures, and prohibit forfeiture of leave in certain circumstances for private employers. Myers said the measure is intended to remove job and paycheck barriers for people willing to donate organs and to support better transplant outcomes. Technical amendments were adopted at the start of the presentation, and the bill was introduced for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have seen it work well in other parts of California and even in other states.
• The Legislature is absolutely clear that there cannot be a cost to the state.
• Please come to the mic and state your name, affiliation, and position.
• The employee contribution is being made; the employer contribution stops.
• Leah Griffin, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, proud co-sponsor in support

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• or within the coming into the state or within the state<00:01:47.799><c> wanting</c><00:01:48.079><c
• </c> but general idea what parts of the state but general idea what parts of the state you<00:02:40.480
• Please state your name for the record. Welcome to the committee.
• Please state your name for the record. Welcome to the committee.
• Please state your name for the record.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> state and operate.
• Uh the state of state and operate.
• , over 30 states.
• There's a long list of employees, including hospital or clinic employees.
• </c> less employees. less employees.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• He said state agencies understand their work and the competencies required to buy employees to meet their
• State agencies understand their work and the competencies required to buy employees to meet their statutory
• For staff or the bill sponsor, I just wanted to make sure this applies to all state employees, not just
• I believe it's all state employees, as I wanted to clarify. No, it's all first responders.
• Chair, Representative Márquez, yes, this would apply to all employees under the state of Arizona, including

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1078, which would require courts reviewing public-records disputes to apply de novo review rather than deferring to an agency’s decision to withhold records. Senator Kavanaugh and a Goldwater Institute witness argued the bill would restore transparency and independent judicial review. The committee recommended the bill do pass on a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered SB 1184, which would add military division flags approved by the Department of Defense to the list of flags that HOAs and planned communities may not prohibit. Kavanaugh said the bill responds to HOA restrictions on veterans displaying unit flags. Members discussed whether the bill should also cover other flags, including LGBTQ flags, but no amendment was adopted. The bill passed 7-0. SB 1586 followed, requiring Arizona agencies to post federal guidance they create, adopt, or receive. Supporters said it would improve transparency; an opposing member said agencies already post such material and the bill was unnecessary. It passed 4-3. SB 1665, a state agency hiring reform bill, would require standardized hiring scores, interview panel grades, overall grades, and an appeal process for unsuccessful applicants. The State Personnel Board supported it as a merit-based reform, while ADOA opposed it as costly and burdensome, estimating more than $3 million in compliance costs and warning it could slow hiring. After extended testimony, the committee recommended it do pass 4-3. The committee also approved SCR 1024, which would require legislative candidates to reside in their district for one year and, if affiliated, be members of their party for one year before the election; it passed 6-1 after discussion about residency rules and ballot-measure concerns. Later, the committee heard SB 1135, which increases workers’ compensation burial expenses for fallen first responders from $5,000 to $10,000. Family members and first responders testified in support, describing the financial strain after line-of-duty deaths. The bill passed 6-1 with one member present. SB 1136, which allows surviving spouses of first responders to keep death benefits even if they remarry, also drew emotional testimony from widows and supporters and passed 5-2. The committee then took up SB 1435, expanding the existing prohibition on exposing minors to sexually explicit material to public libraries and making violations a class 6 felony; supporters framed it as child protection, while opponents warned it could chill library access and criminalize librarians. The bill passed 4-3. Finally, SB 1567 was introduced as another expansion of the same underlying law, prohibiting government entities and contractors from exposing minors to sexually explicit materials and from using public facilities for filming or facilitating sexually explicit acts; the sponsor described it as part of a broader effort to protect children, and the committee began discussion of the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• county employee.
• ><c> not</c> and Tuscaloosa. those employees were not and Tuscaloosa. those employees were not allowed
• </c><00:09:29.360><c> become</c> Instead, it lets city employees become Instead, it lets city employees
• were</c> city or county employee and we were city or county employee and we were administering<00:09:
• </c> employee or a county employee. employee or a county employee.

Committee: House County and Municipal Government

Transcript Highlights:

• or the United States.
• or the United States.
• He stated in the Public Employee Relations Act, which was SB 256, that the amendments that prohibited
• state attorney.
• The document that I have, which is filed in the state of Florida Public Employee Relations Commission—let's

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions before taking up a special order calendar of bills. Early measures included a claims bill for relief to L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, which passed 34-0 after substitution from the House version, and a claims bill for the estate of Mark Legata, which passed 35-0 after the amount was reduced in the substitute. The chamber then approved CS for CS for SB 42 on child protective investigations and specific medical diagnoses, requiring investigators to consider certain medical conditions that can mimic abuse; the sponsor described it as a fix for cases where medical evidence is overlooked, and it passed 34-0. A bill on autism education for teachers was also substituted with the House version, amended to replace the Senate language, and passed 35-0 after supportive remarks from members. The Senate next passed a land-use bill, SB 218, adjusting hurricane-related development restrictions so they continue in storm-damaged counties but expire in unaffected counties in 2026, with debate focused on local control and recovery needs; it passed 36-0. The chamber then approved several other measures with little or no opposition: a probate bill modernizing curators of estates (36-0), a Blue Ribbon Projects bill creating a framework for large planned developments with conservation set-asides, which drew extensive debate over local control, growth management, and the bill’s breadth before being temporarily postponed, a state lotteries update (36-0), a diploma requirements bill allowing Special Olympics participation to substitute for PE and clarifying marching band credit (36-0), and a naturopathic medicine licensure/regulation bill that reestablishes a licensing framework and board, which passed 33-3. The Justice Administrative Commission bill was amended to broaden membership to include a judge or senior judge and passed 37-0. The Senate also passed a public records exemption for certain local administrators and their families (31-5), a clinical laboratory personnel bill easing staffing requirements by aligning more closely with federal CLIA standards (37-0), a dry needling bill clarifying occupational therapists may perform the practice (37-0), a financial disclosures bill revising gift/honoraria reporting and restoring a percentage-based reporting option via amendment (36-0), and a child welfare bill expanding when parental drug abuse can be treated as harm or neglect and allowing earlier court intervention and services (37-0). Later, the chamber took up a bill on ideologies inconsistent with American principles and terrorist organizations. The sponsor said it would prevent enforcement of foreign or religious law over the Constitution, create a due-process process for domestic terrorist designations, and bar public funds from supporting terrorism. Senators raised questions about the lack of a time limit on conduct used for designation and whether conviction is required; an amendment was then offered to remove specific references to Sharia law and the bill’s findings, with the sponsor of the amendment arguing the language stigmatized Muslim constituents and singled out Islam. The transcript cuts off during that amendment debate, so no final action on the bill is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the United States.
• or of the United States.
• an assistant state attorney.
• The document that I have, which is filed in the State of Florida Public Employee Relations Commission
• I would say just any employee.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest introductions before moving into a long special-order calendar. The chamber first considered two claims bills: SB 6/HB 6507 for relief of L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, described as compensation for severe injuries after DCF returned the child to unsafe parents, and SB 26/HB 6509 for the estate of Mark Legata, involving catastrophic injuries tied to FDOT negligence. Both bills were substituted with their House companions and passed overwhelmingly. Members then approved several policy bills focused on child welfare, education, and professional regulation. CS/CS/SB 42/HB 47 required child protective investigators to consider certain medical diagnoses before proceeding in abuse cases; CS/SB 206/HB 851 expanded autism-related training and incentives for teacher preparation programs; SB 556/HB 453 allowed Special Olympics participation to satisfy PE requirements for students with disabilities and clarified marching band credit; SB 688 reestablished licensure and regulation for naturopathic doctors; SB 878/HB 1347 addressed clinical laboratory personnel shortages by aligning more closely with federal CLIA standards; and SB 914/HB 867 clarified that licensed occupational therapists may perform dry needling. Each of these measures passed, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The chamber also approved bills on court administration, public records, financial disclosure, and child welfare. SB 326/HB 131 modernized rules for curators of estates; SB 758/HB 625 updated the composition of the Justice Administrative Commission, with an amendment broadening the judicial member to a judge or senior judge; SB 830 created a public records exemption for certain local government executives and their families; SB 964/HB 6011 revised how gifts and honoraria are reported and, via amendment, restored a percentage-based reporting option for financial disclosures; and SB 1002 clarified that acute or chronic parental drug abuse can constitute harm or neglect and allow courts to order assessment and services. These bills all passed, with SB 830 drawing the most opposition among them. The most contentious debate centered on CS/CS/CS/SB 354, the Blue Ribbon Projects bill, which would create a framework for very large planned communities with substantial conservation set-asides. Supporters argued it would provide a new growth-management tool and economic opportunity, while opponents warned it was too broad, lacked specificity, weakened local control, and could be exploited by large developers. After extensive debate and an amendment limiting data centers in commercial areas, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 530 on lottery operations, SB 1632/HB 1471 on foreign law and domestic terrorist designations after a lengthy and divisive amendment debate over references to Sharia law, and SB 21/HB 218 on land-use regulations tied to hurricane recovery, which preserves SB 180 restrictions in storm-affected counties while lifting them later for unaffected counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• State-only claiming adjustments: We've made additional adjustments related to our state-only claiming
• , because of that they have to pay $300 per employee per quarter to the state.
• Is that the only state in the United States that does something like that?
• Is that the only state in the United States that does something like that?
• We have 136 facilities throughout the state of California with about 40,000 employees who take care of

Transcript Highlights:

• I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands
• petition of Jack Patrick Lewis relative to retirement benefits for Suzanne Garcia, a member of the State
• Employees Retirement System and the Framingham Retirement System, to the Committee on Public Service
• who receive wages through an electronic wage card; Employees who receive wages through an electronic
• An act establishing a minimum wage for employees of airline catering companies, House Bill 2145.

Summary: The House began with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and procedural orders. It adopted a resolution commending the Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts for recognizing March 2026 as Endometriosis Awareness Month. The House also adopted multiple orders extending committee reporting deadlines, including for the Committees on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities; Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure; Health Care Financing; Revenue; and Transportation. In addition, the House concurred with a Senate referral on legislation concerning Great River Regional School Districts and suspended Joint Rule 12 to send two petitions to committee, one on retirement benefits for Suzanne Garcia and another on senior property tax credits. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling recommended a slate of bills for House consideration, including measures on call firefighter rights, foreclosure protection for recently widowed spouses, wage protections for electronic wage cards and hospital workers, a minimum wage for airline catering employees, incentives for donations to local nonprofits, limits on prison labor, and a sick leave bank for a DCF employee. After suspending Rule 7A, the House gave these bills second reading and ordered them to a third reading. On third reading and final action, the House passed to be enacted a sick leave bank bill for a Department of Correction employee, concurred in a Senate amendment to a land conveyance bill for Brockton, and passed to be engrossed several local and special legislation bills, including measures involving Conway police and fire department employees and an Arlington firefighter civil service exception. The House then adopted an order to meet again Monday at 11 a.m. and adjourned to that time in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• this oral argument before the Washington State Legislative Ethics Board.
• Employees do not have an interest in their employers by virtue of their employment.
• There are many, many legislators who seek money for their employees.
• She's both a board member and an employee of AEJG.
• state legislature, state, I just.

Summary: The Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings held oral argument before the Legislative Ethics Board in the matter of Representative Tara Simmons, docketed as Legislative Ethics Board case 2025-5. The hearing concerned Simmons’ motion for summary judgment in an ethics complaint alleging violations of RCW 42.52.020 (conflicts of interest) and RCW 42.52.070 (special privileges), based on her work involving an EEC proviso, her employment relationship with EEC, a campaign surplus donation connected to AEJG and Jerry Stone, her involvement in an AEJG-EEC subcontract dispute, and related text messages with Anthony Powers. No evidence was taken; the session focused on legal argument over whether the alleged facts, if accepted as true, were sufficient to establish violations as a matter of law. Simmons’ counsel argued the complaint was legally insufficient because the alleged actions benefited her employer or others, not Simmons herself, and that existing board opinions allow legislators to support employers absent a direct personal benefit. He also argued the board was effectively trying to adopt a new bright-line rule prohibiting legislators from funding employers, which he said would be an improper retroactive change. Board staff, through Assistant Attorney General Julia Eisentrout, opposed summary judgment and argued the facts were enough to show Simmons had an indirect financial or other interest in EEC’s funding, that her job duties and legislative actions created conflicts, and that her actions around the donation, subcontract dispute, and text messages could be viewed as using her position to secure special privileges. A board member asked whether the allegations themselves were sufficient and whether the standard required assuming the facts as alleged; staff responded that the motion failed because the record contained sufficient facts to proceed, and that any factual disputes should be resolved at hearing. After rebuttal, the ALJ closed the oral argument and turned the matter over to the Legislative Ethics Board for deliberation. No ruling was issued during the hearing, and the board was to decide whether to grant the summary judgment motion or set the case for an evidentiary hearing.