Transcript Highlights:

• What we're seeing is the, the juveniles are being approached with, uh. coded emojis, uh, different types
• I was going through the different code provisions that, that it captures, right?
• That way we still have access to our penal code chapter 12 enhancements, and I'm happy to answer any
• Pursuant to Texas Penal Code Section 6.03, a person is criminally negligent when he ought to be aware
• And there is a problem in the code.

Transcript Highlights:

• gross House Bill 1053 is a bill for an act to repeal Section 24-01-0.2 of the North Dakota Century Code
• Of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the length of the state highway system. Mr.
• We have safeguards and guardrails on property rights throughout the Century Code.
• Nor is there anything in Century Code that says nothing in the hunting chapter applies to you unless
• So I mean, I guess why would we need a sentry code, a law, saying you have to do what you already do.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then received a gubernatorial message listing numerous bills signed by the governor. The chamber also handled conference committee business, including appointing conferees for House Bills 1003 and 1169 after refusing to concur with Senate amendments, and adopting a conference committee report on House Bill 1053, which repealed a Century Code section related to the length of the state highway system. A major portion of the meeting focused on Senate Bill 2137, which would allow supplemental feed for hunting and include an expiration date. The House divided the proposed amendments into two parts. Division A, dealing with baiting limits and setbacks near livestock facilities, drew extensive debate over private property rights, enforceability, livestock protection, and hunting access, and failed 14-76. Division B, requiring chronic wasting disease surveillance and a report to Legislative Management, also drew debate over whether the reporting requirement was necessary or too late to be useful; it failed 44-46. With both divisions defeated, the House then passed the underlying bill 56-34. The House also laid over Senate Bills 2340, 2326, and 2289. Later, it defeated Senate Bill 2325, which would have created a process for non-federal easements on wetland areas, by a vote of 4-84. It passed Senate Bill 2210, directing a legislative management study on watershed-based water management, 85-3; Senate Bill 2387, establishing rights for sexual violence survivors, 89-0; and Senate Bill 269, allowing state agencies to satisfy legal notice requirements by posting on their websites if newspaper publication is missed, 72-17. The House then excused absent members and adjourned until Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• Policy of the federal tax code.
• that changed the tax code and tax policy.
• And then we were taking them out of the code.
• But that, I think, is part of what makes our tax code problematic.
• Volatility to the tax code is an important consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• additional visits from a code official additional visits from a code official the<00:14:42.759><
• I know a lot of people say it's code enforcement.
• I know a lot of people say it's code enforcement.
• I know a lot of people say it's code enforcement.
• has a statewide building code.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Labor Committee heard Senate File 560, a bill to require the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to establish a cost-per-square-foot valuation for residential building permits. Senator Dornink said the measure is intended to make permit fees more fair, reasonable, transparent, and predictable, and to reduce housing costs by limiting large differences in permit fees between municipalities. He said the bill would be sent to the Housing Committee without recommendation, and members discussed but did not act on a related amendment that would have shifted plan review and inspection fees to hourly and trip-based charges and made fee information publicly available. Testimony from Housing First Minnesota supported the bill’s goal, arguing that Minnesota’s housing shortage and high new-home prices make it important to reduce inefficiencies in the permitting system. The witness said permit valuations are often increased by cities, leading to higher costs for homebuyers, and cited examples of large fee differences between municipalities and claims of overcollection. He said some other states, including Texas and Wisconsin communities, use square-footage-based approaches. A League of Minnesota Cities representative opposed the amendment language and cautioned that trip charges and hourly billing would make fees less certain, could raise costs, and would be especially burdensome in Greater Minnesota; he said current valuation-based fees better reflect the actual cost and complexity of service and can be appealed if disputed. A representative of the Association of Minnesota Building Officials also raised concerns about the amendment, saying building departments provide consultations, inspections, plan review, and other services beyond a single trip, and that trip charges would not fit a responsive fee-for-service model. He said the current valuation system helps cover the full range of permitting work, though he acknowledged that a consistent square-foot valuation standard could improve transparency and reduce disputes over project value. Committee members asked about other states’ approaches and the scope of the bill, and the discussion emphasized that the proposal applies to one- and two-family dwellings.

Transcript Highlights:

• that's a federal entity, adopted a policy for the fire and life safety and animal housing facilities code
• non-residential farm buildings, cotton gins, livestock markets, which is defined in our agricultural code
• right now in some parts of the state, zoning rules make it nearly impossible to install a new HUD code
• So we took that feedback, updated our zoning codes to reflect that.
• They create arbitrary permitting process as well as weaponization of their zoning code to prevent and

Transcript Highlights:

• And is there an insurance code then?
• This code is a very confusing thing if you're not familiar with the juvenile code.
• If you're not familiar with the juvenile code.
• Our code is lacking in that aspect.
• I know that's a large code.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the state building code?
• code.
• compliance with code. compliance with code.
• <01:43:20.160> So, state building code. So, state building code.
• <01:45:00.960> zoning code with building code with zoning code with building code with zoning

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Code Section 1189. There are no memos in support or opposition.
• If reported, this bill will be reported to the Codes Committee.
• If reported, this bill will be reported to the Codes Committee.
• How was the determination made to refer it to the Codes Committee?
• You know, why Codes instead of another committee or anything?

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Higher Education Committee met on May 5 and considered 12 bills, with most measures relating to higher education administration, student services, and professional licensing. The committee advanced a rural teacher loan repayment program for teachers serving underserved rural areas, a SUNY/CUNY mental health staffing requirement, a bill allowing SED access to patient or client records in professional misconduct cases, an AI-in-therapy regulation bill, cross-profession supervision for certain mental health professionals, an extension of limited permits for social workers, continuing education requirements for acupuncturists, and updated supervision rules for physical therapy assistants. One bill reorganizing SUNY police was held for further negotiations with SUNY, SUNY police, and stakeholders. Two Article 7, Section 2, subdivision E motions for committee consideration were taken up. Senator Rose’s bill to withhold financial aid from SUNY or CUNY institutions that permit organizations designated as terrorist organizations was defeated after several senators voted no or without recommendation. Senator Kanzanari Fitzpatrick’s bill requiring anti-Semitism awareness training, incident reporting, and compliance with state reporting rules for higher education institutions was approved and sent to the Codes Committee, with some senators voting without recommendation because they viewed the subject as already covered by existing law. The committee also reported Senator Rivera’s nurse practitioner conformity bill to the floor, and several other bills were reported either to the floor or to Finance depending on their fiscal impact. Most measures were approved without opposition, though some senators voted without recommendation on bills they said overlapped with existing statutes or prior legislation. The meeting adjourned at 10:52 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're recognized to explain bar code 7, 3, 2, 4, 8, 9, >> Thank you.
• First up, we have Amendment bar code 6, 1, 4, 9, 7, 5, representative.
• Next up, we have Amendment bar code 470-5049, representative.
• We're now on the bar Code 8, 8, 5, 5, 7, 3, Representative Porras.
• We are now on Amendment bar code 3, 3, 3, 6, 7, 5, representative.

Transcript Highlights:

• basically state code that was the wrong code in the original bill.
• Replace line 44 on page two with, again, the code replacing the current code with the code that you see
• code here, which is 36... current code here, which is 36, 21222.
• Replace line 175 on page 7 with the following: again, replacing the code.
• Replace line 191 on page 7 with the following: again, just putting in the right code.

Bills: HB188, HB52

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical treatment, access, affordability, income tax, CHOOSE Act, education funding, ABLE account, tax credits, poverty threshold, legislative funding, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fire code defines a...
• that's in the fire code um the fire code that's in the fire code um the fire code defines<03:21:
• the code is of bedrooms yes the code the code is specific<03:25:42.439> on<03:25:42.560> including
• phrasing this the question fire code phrasing this the question fire code says<03:29:36.399>
• align our ordinance with the fire code align our ordinance with the fire code so<03:39:56.800>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Current Transportation Code statute found at 501.053 provides the process to apply for a bonded title
• The bill would amend the Transportation Code by adding a provision that allows for an applicant to apply
• Um, current Transportation Code statute found that 501.053 provides the process to apply for a bonded
• Uh, the bill would amend the Transportation Code by adding a provision that allows for an applicant to
• So went back, did our research, and under the labor code 406121, there is an explicit definition of an

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation heard several bills, mostly local memorial highway designations and transportation-related regulatory measures. Senator Hinojosa presented SB 1351 to designate part of US 281 in Hidalgo County as the Jose Rodriguez Lua Memorial Highway in honor of a Border Patrol processing coordinator killed by a drunk driver; a family member testified emotionally in support, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard and left pending SB 2245 on bonded titles for vehicles when a lienholder has gone out of business, SB 1568 on animal-friendly specialty license plates with a second “spay, neuter, adopt” plate, SB 2589 on handling closed county roads in Webb County, SB 1104 on allowing large retailers to use one fingerprinted employee of record across multiple Texas locations, SB 1423 naming the Bill Stout Parkway in Longview, and SB 1931 naming part of US 83 the Rodolfo Valdez Memorial Highway. Most of these bills drew supportive testimony or were presented as local measures with no opposition. The committee also took up broader policy bills. SB 215 would create a digital identification program for Texas driver’s licenses and certain other licenses, but the sponsor said he was mainly laying the bill out for discussion and study; testimony was limited and the bill was left pending. SB 2707 would clarify that government entities such as TxDOT and the military remain exempt from fees on oversized/overweight permit authority, though a county commissioner raised questions about road-use impacts and fee revenue. SB 2807 drew the most discussion: it would prevent a motor carrier’s use of safety technology, training, and related practices from being used as evidence that an independent contractor is actually an employee. Supporters said the bill would encourage adoption of safety tools like cameras and braking systems without increasing misclassification risk, while opponents from the trial lawyers’ side warned the wording could conflict with existing labor-code definitions and create litigation. The sponsor and committee members discussed possible clarifying floor amendments. After public testimony, the committee voted on the pending bills. All measures were reported favorably on 6-0 votes, with committee substitutes adopted where applicable. SB 1351, SB 1423, SB 1568, SB 1931, SB 2245, SB 2589, SB 2707, SB 2807, and SB 2841 were all sent to the full Senate, and several were recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee recessed subject to the call of the chair after completing the votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh the current penalty scheme and the penal code based on weight, you do not have to be a major drug
• Uh, under the penal code, it's called deadly conduct.
• On the other hand, Chapter 841 of the Health and Safety Code governs the civil commitment of sexually
• Section 8841.05 of the Health and Safety Code to align with Article 26.051 of the Code of Criminal Procedure
• Aligning the language of the Health and Safety Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure will clarify.

Bills: HB153

Transcript Highlights:

• remedy this, the bill now requires that emergency rules be published in the Florida Administrative Code
• 90 days, which are intended to replace existing rules, a note will be added to the administrative code
• 90 days, which are intended to replace existing rules, a note will be added to the administrative code
• The Department of State has already created a special section within the Administrative Code online for
• There are an estimated 16,300 numbered rules published in the Florida Administrative Code, and subsumed

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met for its first meeting of the session, took roll, and heard a presentation from Ken Plant of the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee on SB 108, the 2025 law overhauling Florida rulemaking. The presentation focused on new deadlines for agencies to begin and publish rules, limits on automatic sunset provisions, changes to emergency rule procedures, expanded public input on statements of estimated regulatory costs, a five-year review cycle for existing rules, and new licensing-reporting requirements. Members asked about the review timeline and emphasized the need to keep agencies accountable for meeting the new requirements. The committee then reviewed the Department of Management Services’ response to Auditor General Report 2025-1096 on fleet management. DMS said the audit found 10 issues, most of which it believes it has addressed, and described the statewide fleet system as tracking about 27,000 assets with limited staff. DMS highlighted two major improvement ideas that would require funding: an enterprise telematics system to automate vehicle data and improve tracking, and centralized fleet procurement to reduce duplication and save money. Members questioned the status of FleetWave implementation, missing vehicle records, integration with other state systems, and access controls for separated employees. DMS explained that FleetWave is fully implemented but still relies on manual data entry, that discrepancies with the state accounting system largely reflect mismatched or inconsistent entries, and that policies and procedures were updated after the audit. The department said it now works more closely with People First to deactivate access when employees leave. After discussion, no further business was raised, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Plus, just for up to the Florida building code.
• So we may may be trying to get some language in there that allows us to the differencing coding code.
• So the code, the code, the Florida building code is is widely recognized at to be the strongest in the
• We require this from this building code in the country and that's great.
• But we don't have the authority to currently and credits in the code plus area.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, House Bill 557 amends the Texas Family Code to create reasonable safeguards.
• This bill proposes several changes to the estate code in Texas to provide greater clarity, improvement
• Um, This bill is designed, what it does is it fills a void in the estate's code.
• So this provision in the code is intended to make things more efficient and to cost trusts less money
• It currently, when an owner of a motor vehicle is deceased, section 115.002 of the estate code allows

Transcript Highlights:

• amendment also includes a technical correction to reflect the proper fund account name per Arkansas Code
• amendment also includes a technical correction to reflect the proper fund account name per Arkansas Code
• This updates Arkansas Code to designate the Department of Agriculture as the responsible agency for the
• Also, it amends code to phase out the teacher equalization funds as per Act 909 of 2025, and that requires
• It also repeals code that is duplicative and that requires budget manuals to include the minority report

Summary: The special language subcommittee met for its first meeting of the session and reviewed several governor’s letters containing special language for appropriations bills. Members were reminded that the subcommittee only handles special language, while personnel and appropriation items go to other budget committees. Most items were explained by DFA Secretary Jim Hudson and agency representatives, with no major opposition raised. The committee adopted amendments for the Department of Finance and Administration to require administrative costs for pregnancy help organization grants to stay under 25%; for the Department of Correction to remove conflicting language about county jail reimbursement funds and make a technical fund-name correction; and for the Department of Education to designate the Department of Agriculture as the child nutrition agency and to implement Act 909 of 2025 changes related to EBD employer contributions and phasing out teacher equalization funds. It also adopted language allowing the CFO to waive the 3% state central services fee for agricultural promotion boards, allowing Department of Public Safety revenues from Camp Robinson facilities to be used for maintenance, and authorizing shared administrative services billing under the Arkansas Ford Initiative while removing duplicative reporting language. Additional adopted amendments designated Arkansas Rehab Services as the state unit for the vocational rehabilitation grant and capped the reimbursement rate for the used tire program at $2.31 effective July 1, 2026, to stabilize funding. One item was skipped because a later governor’s letter superseded it. All amendments considered were adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Perhaps a QR code would be good on this too if your language would require a QR code, because some people
• Perhaps a QR code would be good on this too if your language would require a QR code, because some people
• But I would recommend adding the QR code to this.
• Perhaps a QR code would be good on this too if your language would require a QR code, because some people
• But I would recommend adding the QR code to this.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is we develop code where if you stay within these boundaries...
• And that is we develop code where if you stay within these boundaries, you can get a code approval from
• But I think this code review principle is something that would be an excellent approach.
• Then a code approval means a pretty much boilerplate, make sure you're meeting all the code...
• Code approval means a pretty much boilerplate, make sure you're meeting all the code requirements, and

Summary: The Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure held a hearing focused on emerging technologies for climate resilience and infrastructure. The first panel discussed the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-driven microgrid that keeps the city powered during public safety power shutoffs using hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and liquid hydrogen storage. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool but emphasized that cost remains the main barrier to wider deployment. Energy Vault explained the project’s design, its ability to provide at least 48 hours of backup power on a small parcel of land, and its use of green hydrogen and battery storage to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A Calistoga councilmember and NCPA representative also discussed the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen project, saying it could help decarbonize power generation and transportation, but that federal and state funding changes, tax credit timing, and other policy shifts have made the project difficult to advance. The Green Hydrogen Coalition supported the Calistoga model as a blueprint and urged policy changes to create demand and reduce barriers for renewable hydrogen, including addressing behind-the-meter rules and recognizing hydrogen in state energy planning. The second panel focused on water resilience and desalination, with the California Desal Association and Oneka Technologies discussing wave-powered desalination for the City of Fort Bragg. Cal Desal said California’s changing hydrology, reduced snowpack, and drought conditions make local water supply options increasingly important, but noted that conventional desalination is expensive and slow to permit. Oneka described its offshore, wave-powered system as a zero-electricity desalination technology that produces drinking water without greenhouse gas emissions and with limited land use, and said the Fort Bragg pilot is intended to demonstrate the technology under California conditions. The company and Cal Desal both stressed that permitting is a major obstacle, with the project requiring multiple agencies and a timeline far longer than in other jurisdictions. They also said the technology’s autonomous operation could improve water resilience because it does not depend on the electrical grid. The final panel featured the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture proposal, which aims to restore kelp forests and support carbon removal and coastal food systems. The presenter said warming oceans and nutrient loss have devastated kelp forests along the California coast and argued that offshore platforms that raise and lower seaweed to access nutrients and sunlight could help regenerate ecosystems while producing food, feed, fertilizer, and carbon benefits. He said the technology has shown strong growth rates and storm resilience in other regions, but that California permitting remains a major hurdle, involving 17 state and federal agencies. He proposed a streamlined, code-based permitting approach for smaller projects and said the group is seeking matching funds to complete a first California pilot. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly highlighted the tension between innovation and the high cost, complexity, and length of California’s permitting and funding processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The code, the statute as written, or the custom, whatever it is, everyone's used to doing?
• It should be the code, but it depends upon the judge. Thank you.
• We fix something in the statute, in the code.
• So we've got adding that what is provided for in Civil Code Article 1617, it says a forced heir shall
• So we've got adding that what is provided for in Civil Code, Article 1617, it says a forced air shall

Summary: The Senate Judiciary A Committee met on May 5, 2026, with five members present and adopted the April 28 minutes. The committee then heard and favorably reported several measures, including HCR 31, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to study replacing or clarifying the term “foreign” in state law; HB 263, allowing the 14th JDC magistrate judge to handle certain specialty court felony matters; HB 299, clarifying paper filing rules for jury bonds and related payment issues; HB 535, simplifying hospital-based acknowledgments of paternity by removing the two-witness requirement while keeping notarization; HB 571, codifying the 19th JDC’s complex litigation section program; and HB 538, increasing the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court fee cap from $15 to $75 to help offset court costs. The committee also reported HB 215, raising the small succession affidavit threshold from $125,000 to $200,000, and HB 226, adding a 10.1 conference requirement before requests for admissions are deemed admitted, with discussion about discovery fairness and default judgment exceptions. The committee also took up HB 324, which makes judicial stipend increases permanent and adds a 2.7% salary increase for judges effective July 1, 2027; an amendment restoring the second year of the COLA was adopted, and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 1043, raising the jurisdictional amount in Jefferson Parish first and second parish courts, was amended to increase the amount from $35,000 to $50,000 and then reported with amendments. HCR 6, directing the Law Institute to study forced heirship and disinherison issues, was amended to add reporting language and related Civil Code references and then reported with amendments. HB 1006, changing summary judgment deadlines to give opponents more time to respond, was amended and reported by a 3-2 vote after roll call. Two more substantive bills drew extended debate. HB 1239 would strengthen the presumption that parents share physical custody equally unless a court finds that arrangement infeasible or not in the child’s best interest; supporters framed it as a parental-rights measure, while an attorney in opposition warned it would increase litigation, reduce stability for children, and be used as leverage in child support disputes. Despite the opposition, the committee reported the bill favorably. HB 190, as amended, would create a duty of reasonable care for certain software/app providers toward minors and require expert testimony, while excluding manufacturers; supporters said it was aimed at protecting children from harmful platform design, but opponents argued the proposal was unnecessary because existing tort law already covers negligence and warned it could create new causes of action and uncertainty over whether software is a “product.” The committee heard testimony from the Louisiana State Law Institute, the sponsor, and outside witnesses, but the transcript ends before final action on HB 190 is shown.