Transcript Highlights:

• I don't have the language right here in front of me to tell you, but what I remember is that it has to
• and the education property tax credit to $6,000, helping those property owners that are struggling to pay
• What about schools that [snorts] have... that [snorts] have, you know, perhaps one the member in front
• And they're paying through it through their budget, paying back their bond.
• But I didn't have this really handy spreadsheet in front... ...this really handy spreadsheet in front

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes a lot for you to come here and stand up in front of all my colleagues here.
• That is what you have in front of you members. Chair: Thank you.
• In addition to that, they required prepayment of Mark Wickham: $250,000 per occurrence and we had to pay
• The reason why it was strengthened in 2014 was that it was when the Innocence Lost series hit the front
• As insurance providers exit the market, children pay the price.

Transcript Highlights:

• for your attention as I really want to commend Representative Brown for showing some initiative and paying
• <00:23:03.600> his<00:23:04.559> failure<00:23:05.120> to initiative and paying
• for his failure to initiative and paying for his failure to sign<00:23:05.760> up<00:23:06.000
• These leaders are on the front lines of implementing policy we debate in this chamber, and ensuring our
• <00:31:28.000> policy<00:31:28.399> we front lines of implementing policy we front

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• approve the cost-of-living increase that all state employees are getting, which is a 3% increase in pay
• which is a 3% employees are getting, which is a 3% increase<00:14:08.560> in<00:14:08.880> pay
• c> July<00:14:10.560> 1<00:14:11.680> for<00:14:12.480> Steven increase in pay
• as of July 1 for Steven increase in pay as of July 1 for Steven Pium,<00:14:13.839> our<00:14
• <00:16:56.880> of<00:16:57.440> for eight minutes via Zoom in front of for eight minutes

Keywords: Part two will take place after first executive session., 958, all

Summary: The commission first returned from executive session and noted that discussions there were preliminary only and no final agency action was taken. It then approved the budget report, which staff said was within year-to-date budget parameters. Members discussed recommended changes to the code of ethics. Staff proposed four items: defining and prohibiting sexual harassment as ethical misconduct; two housekeeping changes related to lobbyist registration notice and campaign contribution language; and a possible reduction of the post-service waiting period for former legislators to become lobbyists from two years to one year. Members agreed the lobbying cooling-off period was a broader General Assembly issue and voted to recommend only the first three changes, leaving the fourth for later review. The chair noted the July 1 deadline for submitting ethics-code recommendations to the LRC. The commission also approved renewal of a $100,000 contract with Casey Bailey and Mains for Robert Jenkins to continue serving as enforcement counsel, with hourly rates of $125 for the attorney and $40 for the paralegal. Finally, it approved a 3% cost-of-living pay increase for General Counsel Steven Pium, discussed possible conference attendance and informal opinions, and adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Who pays the electric bill on my house? You do? Who pays the electric bill on your house? I do.
• I don't pay the bills. Well, I notice it.
• I pay the bills, but I don't handle the actual transaction.
• Yeah, well, in fact, we have a, I've got it in front of me.
• You're paying $500 a year to get $125 back in your pocket.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:32:31.560> the You're better off just to pay the You're better off just to pay the property
• selling cookies and slips on the front selling cookies and slips on the front stairs<01:49:07.000
• pilot agreement with the Baldwin to pay pilot agreement with the Baldwin to pay $410,000 $410,000
• have senior living facilities that pay have senior living facilities that pay reduced<02:06:15.400
• Riverwoods Durham<02:06:17.280> pays<02:06:17.560> 44.2% Durham pays 44.2% Durham pays

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So on the slide that we have in front of us, my question is: does the agency have transfer authority?
• actually helpfully on the slide in front actually helpfully on the slide in front of<00:53:22.319
• Example: if an entity is soliciting participants by paying them to participate, but they're actually
• It had been in the public record since 2022, yet we kept paying them.
• from the commissioner to keep paying from the commissioner to keep paying this<01:46:02.320>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...a reasonably uniform appearance, and for damage under an actual cash value insurance policy, pay
• They wouldn't pay for the other three sides.
• I'm not...” “...certified payroll and I'm not pay prevailing wage.
• Pay more than they'd like to for homeowners insurance.
• And oftentimes, to say the front left fender is damaged, a body shop, and the carriers are going to pay

Summary: The Insurance Committee first heard House Bill 2250, sponsored by Representative Zimmerman, which would require insurers to cover replacement of all siding on a home when storm damage affects only part of the siding and matching materials are not reasonably available. Zimmerman said the bill is intended to codify Missouri case law and address homeowner complaints after hailstorms, where insurers allegedly paid only for the damaged side and left owners to pay for the rest if matching siding could not be found. Committee members generally expressed sympathy for affected homeowners and discussed possible refinements, including limiting the requirement to street-facing elevations and adding clearer consumer disclosures about coverage. Opposition testimony came from the Missouri Insurance Coalition, which argued the bill could increase premiums and reduce affordability, especially for homeowners choosing lower-cost policies. Coalition witnesses said insurers should repair direct physical damage but raised concerns about extending coverage to cosmetic mismatch issues and noted that consumers can sometimes buy more robust coverage through riders or different policy options. They also said better disclosure and consumer education would help. Representative Castile raised additional ideas about certified payroll and contractor accountability, though those were not part of the bill under discussion. After the HB 2250 hearing closed, the committee established a quorum and moved into executive session on House Bill 3328. The committee adopted a House Committee Substitute that, according to Representative Castile, removed the IBHS certification requirement in favor of a non-biased third-party testing lab and deleted an adjuster cap, while keeping the bill’s broader “stronger home” program intact. The committee then voted the substitute do pass by a 9-0 vote and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The pay plan that we're on, or was approved during the last session, was a pay plan that was basically
• You know, everybody says, oh, but this is what the pay plan did. You know what?
• If you're paying these people more than a governor's paying, how do you justify your comments about the
• The pay plan, the max position, say for your chief of staff, was 140.
• You take office, the pay plan changes.

Summary: The committee first reviewed a list of bills already marked ready for due pass, including several House bills (HB 1010, 1018, 1020, 1023, 1041, 1055, 1077) and Senate bills (SB 4, 16, 24, 55, 59), along with a few items in the budget packet. The JBC Personnel Subcommittee report was then taken up, and Senator Rice offered a substitute motion to separate out the governor’s staff-related item for a separate vote and a roll-call division. After discussion about the request and the underlying personnel issue, the substitute motion failed on a roll-call division, and the committee then adopted the personnel subcommittee report as a whole. The committee next heard questions for Treasurer John Thurston on House Bill 1034 and the Treasurer’s office budget request. Members raised concerns about salary increases for executive staff, the size of raises under the approved pay plan, office hours, and whether the office was prioritizing raises appropriately. Thurston said the salaries were within the previously approved pay plan, that the request was for full funding of that plan with a negotiated 10% amount, and that office hours remained the same though vault tours had been adjusted for scheduling. Several members expressed dissatisfaction with the increases, while others noted the compromise reached with committee leadership. The committee then adopted the letter for HB 1034. The committee also considered special language items, including a proposal tied to extension office improvements through a DFA-administered program for the Division of Agriculture, which was described as unfunded. That item was adopted. The committee then moved through the remaining ready items, giving do-pass or adopt motions to SB 29, SB 51, HB 1034, HB 1010, HB 1018, HB 1020, HB 1023, HB 1041, HB 1055, HB 1077, SB 16, SB 23, SB 24, SB 55, and SB 59. SB 4 was set aside as not ready. The meeting adjourned with notice that the committee would reconvene in 15 minutes in another room to handle special language.

Transcript Highlights:

• Someone has to pay the price.
• Panel, they'll make their way to the front here.
• the table in front.
• Take it from someone who's been on the front line.
• You'll pay the price down the road. Thank you.

Bills: HB4

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that on because why pay a bill today if you can just pay it in two years, and it's the same bill.
• their regular pay step.
• Now you're going to pay for water.
• Now you're going to pay for water.
• Are not included up front.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 1521, the Judiciary Committee’s civil law omnibus measure. The bill makes a number of minor, mostly clarifying changes, including repealing obsolete Government Code provisions, allowing juvenile courts to hear petitions to establish records of birth, death, or marriage, requiring notice of probate petitions to the Department of Child Support Services, and correcting typos in existing law. It had no opposition and was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations, though it was later placed on call pending additional votes. Members then heard AB 57, which would reserve at least 10% of California’s Home Purchase Assistance Program funds for descendants of formerly enslaved people. The author and supporters framed it as a reparative, race-neutral-by-lineage effort to address historic housing discrimination and the racial wealth gap, while opponents argued it was an unconstitutional racial proxy and should instead be based on individual injury. The bill drew strong support and opposition testimony, was amended, and was approved on a do-pass as amended vote to Appropriations, then placed on call. AB 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act, was heard next. The bill would expand and standardize caregiving and guardianship tools for families facing immigration-related separation, including broader use of caregiver authorization affidavits, recognition of non-relative extended family caregivers, and a new short-term guardianship process that preserves parental rights. Supporters said it would reduce trauma and help children remain with trusted caregivers; there was no opposition testimony. The committee approved it on a do-pass to Human Services vote and placed it on call. The committee also heard AB 392, which would address non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit media by requiring uploader consent certifications, faster takedown procedures, and civil remedies against uploaders and hosting sites. A survivor testified in support, and members discussed implementation details and possible amendments; the bill was moved on a do-pass as amended basis to Appropriations and placed on call. AB 692, which would prohibit employer “stay-or-pay” debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave or are terminated, also advanced despite opposition from business and industry groups concerned about impacts on signing bonuses and voluntary training programs. It was sent to Appropriations on a do-pass as amended vote and placed on call, along with AB 1234, a wage-claim enforcement bill aimed at reducing Labor Commissioner delays and adding consequences for employers who fail to participate in the process. The committee also heard AB 394, which expands protections for transit workers and allows transit agencies to seek restraining orders against violent riders; it received broad support, some concern about system-wide bans, and was discussed with amendments that preserved judicial discretion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. tag is right there in front of you, if you would put it to the side. Thank you.
• I really want to acknowledge our progress on this front.
• The grant helps to pay for prescribed equipment and its installation.
• For a purchase to qualify for the preference, the VA must pay the business directly.
• At that point, the veteran is eligible for the exemption and does not pay the sales tax.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe this is the third time I've been in front of you about this issue.
• I know that TANF pays for me, so I identify with that program.
• I know that TANF pays for me, so I identify with that program.
• That was one of the goals we had, making work pay.
• That was one of the goals we had, making work pay.

Summary: The committee met to hear consultants Mason Bishop and Cameron Christie discuss Arkansas’s “one door/no wrong door” workforce and social services modernization effort. Bishop argued that the current system is fragmented across multiple agencies, offices, and portals, making it hard for job seekers and employers to access services efficiently. He said the goal is to create a more integrated system that promotes upward mobility, longer labor force attachment, better employer access to talent, greater efficiency, and faster adaptation to changes such as AI and other economic disruptions. Bishop repeatedly pointed to Utah as a model, describing how that state combined workforce and public assistance functions into a single agency, used statewide cost allocation to blend funding streams, and improved customer service and outcomes after reform. He said Arkansas should consider integrating governance, service delivery, and financing, including possible waivers, a statewide cost allocation plan, and a benefits-cliff pilot. He also said Arkansas’s current local workforce board structure creates duplication and weak coordination, and that Launch is a useful tool but not a full service-delivery system. Committee members asked how the proposal would work in practice, including whether TANF could be used to cross-train DHS workers, how federal waivers might be obtained, how local boards would be affected, and how disabled clients would be handled. Bishop said TANF should be treated as part of a workforce strategy, that federal pilot authority for workforce reform nearly passed but did not, and that waivers are now the practical path. He also said Arkansas could either merge functions more fully or at minimum co-locate workforce staff in DHS offices statewide. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with plans to continue the discussion in August, including a focus on case management and whether the state is managing programs or people.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, in front of me today is Chelsea Entner. Please raise your hand.
• Ex t Miss Abigail Barnes is here with Representative Pay from Lawn ex t Miss Aie Bishop is here with
• He knew the cost of freedom and he was willing to pay for it.
• In closing, I have a special recognition for Tommy Howe, who would come to the front.
• I would like to ask you to go in front. You're actually going to hand it to him.

Bills: HCR1030, HB1370, SB893, SB2, SB1589

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

Transcript Highlights:

• They can use them while they're moving front, rear, on the side, either one. >> Okay.
• They can use them while they're moving front, rear, on the side, either one. >> Okay.
• They don't pay attention, and I don't want to do that on a police force.
• They can use them while they're<00:07:05.440> moving<00:07:05.919> front,<00:07:06.400>
• , rear, on the side, they're moving front, rear, on the side, either<00:07:08.080> one.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met with a quorum and heard several bills. House Bill 282, sponsored by Representative White, was presented as “Troy’s Law” to allow tow trucks to use green lights, including while moving, as a safety measure for operators working roadside. White said the bill was developed after fatal crashes involving tow operators and that the green-light language was a compromise after earlier blue-light proposals drew opposition. Members asked about Kentucky State Police support and whether green lights were used by other groups; White said KSP and the FOP supported the bill and that the military also uses green lights. The committee adopted a committee substitute and then reported HB 282 favorably with the substitute attached. The committee next took up House Bill 648, sponsored by Chairman Blanton, which addresses warranty reimbursement for dealers of heavy trucks. Blanton explained that some manufacturers were refusing to cover warranty work on components made by other manufacturers, leaving dealers to absorb the cost. The bill would require proper reimbursement for parts and specialized equipment used in warranty repairs on big trucks, not regular passenger vehicles. After a motion and second and no questions, HB 648 was reported favorably. Finally, House Bill 519, sponsored by Representative Klein, was heard after the agenda was adjusted to move it to the end. The bill would let applicants for driver’s licenses, permits, or ID cards voluntarily indicate a communication disorder so first responders can better understand and accommodate them during traffic stops or emergencies; it would prohibit fees for adding or removing the notation and take effect July 1, 2027. Members asked about privacy, deletion of records, and whether additional training would be needed. Klein said the notation method was still being worked out with KYTC, no burden of proof would be required, and existing law-enforcement training could likely absorb the change with little added cost. HB 519 was then reported favorably by roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• I pay my tax.
• I mean, my lease is in the downtown, and so that lease, I pay taxes towards the Downtown Development
• They all have come out and said they support, even though they're having to pay taxes.
• In front of the city every year. Thank you, Mr. Knight. I appreciate you being here.
• In front of you, there are four boxes starting on the top left.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to consider several audit requests and enforcement items involving local governments and special districts. The committee approved operational audits of the City of Miami Beach, the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority, and the City of Daytona Beach. In each case, the requesting member described concerns about transparency, financial management, or internal controls, while local officials or representatives generally said they were willing to cooperate and, in Delray Beach’s case, noted that an internal audit had already been completed and that some issues were being corrected. The committee also received a presentation on the statewide review of neighborhood improvement districts. The reviewers reported that 15 of 21 districts were active and six inactive, with common findings including outdated or missing performance plans, weak web presence, inadequate meeting notices, and limited management mechanisms. They said staffing levels often correlated with the ability to meet statutory requirements, and they recommended updates to district governance and transparency practices. On enforcement, staff reviewed local governments and special districts that had failed to file required financial reports or had submitted audit reports missing required information. The committee approved staff recommendations to proceed under the statutory enforcement process for the noncompliant entities, with flexibility for the chair and vice chair to delay action if additional information is provided in good faith. The committee also voted to send a letter to the Union County Legislative Delegation encouraging a local bill to dissolve the Town of Rayford, based on staff’s view that the town lacked employees, services, debt, and a clear reason to continue existing as an incorporated municipality.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll tell you confess that the previously I've been up here in front of one of these committees and I've
• I normally talk very well in front of groups that from senators makes me nervous.
• very good pay and very good benefits with center for the expense of training that was alluded to.
• for that equipment and we can't pay for the other cost goes into producing that product and then we
• I mean, we have a daunting task in front of us to save agriculture in the state of Florida.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:58:32.079> of product of what you have in front of product of what you have in front of
• federal pass through funding to help pay federal pass through funding to help pay for<01:04:04.319
• required to pay back the APC's. required to pay back the APC's. Um,<01:26:36.400> Mr.
• <01:27:04.719> Is to pay back. Is to pay back.
• <01:31:36.560> of Wickland, for bringing this in front of Wickland, for bringing this in front

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They noted that many states have a surcharge added on to tipping fees—for example, if somebody pays $60
• And in the Northeast, our municipalities are paying more for disposal of trash compared to many other
• Northeast our municipalities are paying Northeast our municipalities are paying more<00:29:55.399
• to be trying to attack it on all fronts to be trying to attack it on all fronts thank<00:44:58.000
• Those kinds of revenues could really pay for what currently is a general-funded program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee held a hearing on House Bill 619, which would appropriate $1 million to the Solid Waste Management Fund for matching grants to municipalities and businesses for waste diversion projects, with 50% of the money prioritized for food waste diversion. Representative Karen Ebel, the sponsor, said the fund would help New Hampshire meet its solid waste diversion goals, preserve landfill capacity, and support composting, recycling, and related local business activity. She cited New London’s composting program as an example, saying 172 families participated and 32 tons of food waste were diverted in 2024, reducing tipping and trucking costs. Committee members asked about possible alternative funding sources, including a surcharge on landfill tipping fees. Ebel said many other states use such surcharges to fund recycling and solid waste programs, while New Hampshire relies on general funds. She also said the current fund balance was about $900,000 because some money had been used for staffing, and that the grant program was still in rulemaking. Questions also focused on how household composting works and whether municipalities could generate revenue from compost; Ebel said participation is optional, most programs use buckets and transfer stations, and the main benefit is cost savings from reduced disposal rather than compost sales. Testimony in support came from the New Hampshire Municipal Association and the Northeast Resource Recovery Association. Both said municipalities are interested in food waste diversion and composting, that these programs can reduce long-term disposal costs and property tax pressure, and that there is growing demand for technical assistance and grant support. The Northeast Resource Recovery Association said food waste makes up about 24% of municipal and business waste, that fewer than two dozen communities and fewer than two dozen businesses currently offer such services, and that a City of Lebanon pilot program saw about 30% savings by composting on site. The Department of Environmental Services said it was not taking a position but is working on rulemaking for the grant program and expects strong interest from municipalities, private composters, farmers, and anaerobic digester operators. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• If there are folks that truly have an intellectual disability, we would... ...get that in front of a
• I'm going to make this very quick because I've testified in front of y'all a million times.
• is Audrey Waska. quick because I've testified in front of y'all a million times.
• Plus, the offender is going to pay for this as well.
• Plus, the offender is going to pay for this as well.

Bills: HB91, HB123, HB167, HB255, HB264, HB321, HB884, HB955, HB967, HB968, HB969, HB978, HB985, HB994, HB1005, HB1104, HB1107, HB1109, SCR3

Keywords: criminal procedure, disclosure, criminal records, witness protection, trial rights, electronic monitoring, GPS ankle monitor, ankle bracelet, pretrial release, post-conviction supervision, bail monitoring, house arrest, corrections, criminal justice, law enforcement, prosecuting authority, court reporting, provider registration, LCLE, Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee first handled housekeeping by voluntarily deferring HB 123, HB 255, and HB 994 without objection. It then took up SCR 3 by Sen. Myers, which sought to delay implementation of a State Police rule change affecting criminal history background checks for certain health care workers and authorized agents until October 1, 2026, to avoid hiring delays. An amendment was adopted to remove language authorizing parish and local law enforcement to perform checks during the interim. After testimony from health care stakeholders who supported the delay, SCR 3 as amended was reported favorably. The committee next considered HB 978 by Rep. Lecombe, which as amended changed the bill from a town-of-Addis-specific exception to a broader adjustment in the population threshold for municipalities required to remit special costs to the district indigent defender fund, raising the threshold from under 5,000 to under 9,000 population. Supporters said the change would relieve small mayor’s courts and similar local courts of a $45-per-violation burden that was not well suited to those systems. The bill drew support from local officials and was reported favorably as amended. HB 967 by Rep. Moore, which would have expanded parole eligibility for certain long-serving offenders convicted before July 2, 1973 by removing language limiting eligibility to those who had pleaded guilty, generated extensive debate. Supporters argued the bill would only allow elderly prisoners to be considered by the parole board and would not guarantee release, while opponents, including district attorneys and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, argued the 2022 law already covered those who pled guilty and that the bill would extend relief to people convicted at trial of serious violent crimes. After discussion, the motion to report HB 967 favorably failed on an 8-3 vote. The committee then heard HB 1107 by Rep. Melancon, a post-conviction procedure bill for capital cases involving claims of intellectual disability. The bill, as amended, raised the burden of proof to clear and convincing evidence, required expert reports and IQ information, applied Daubert-style reliability screening, and clarified that it only applies in death penalty cases. Supporters from the Attorney General’s office and district attorneys said the bill would create a clearer procedure and speed resolution of Atkins claims; opponents from disability-rights, criminal defense, and medical groups argued it would replace clinical standards with a rigid statutory definition, rely too heavily on a 75 IQ cutoff, and risk excluding people with genuine intellectual disabilities. Testimony continued through the end of the transcript, with no final committee vote shown on HB 1107.