Transcript Highlights:

• We're finding students who do not have the education to make that informed decision for themselves.
• We're finding students who do not have the education to make that informed decision for themselves.
• short screening and testing windows make short screening and testing windows make in-person<00:15
• <00:30:31.880> sure come up and uh please State make sure come up and uh please State make
• He makes great grades.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with a quorum and heard first from the Washway Nicotine Youth Advocacy Group, which urged stronger enforcement of Kentucky’s Tobacco 21 law. Youth advocates described the harms of flavored vaping products, argued that nicotine use is targeting children, and called for retailer licensing, annual compliance checks, harsher penalties for illegal sales, and more funding for enforcement. Committee members praised the presentation, and one senator said he had heard a bill on licensed retailers may be coming soon. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Cloverport Independent School District and the Kentucky Virtual Academy about the state’s virtual school model. Superintendent Keith Haynes and principals Brandy Fagan and Sally Johnson said KYVA serves about 2,800 students, many of whom are at-risk or have health, safety, behavioral, or family reasons for choosing virtual education. They emphasized that the program uses live synchronous instruction, provides devices and materials, and offers special education and related services. They also said the school had a large wait list and that virtual programs need more flexibility in staffing ratios, scheduling, and testing windows. School leaders acknowledged criticism of KYVA’s proficiency scores and said many students entered far below grade level, with 59% not proficient in English language arts and 79% not proficient in math on recent state testing. They argued the program is too new to judge solely on one year of data and pointed to growth in MAP scores, as well as middle and high school rankings in the top half of Kentucky schools. Fagan and Johnson outlined improvement efforts, including daily interventions, small-group instruction, literacy programs, staff training, and expanded clubs and student activities. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• No one at all available or willing to help them in making their health care decisions.
• There are people, individuals who are both incapable of making their own health care decisions and they
• Ultimately, what happens in the absence of people to help guide these folks in their decision-making,
• No one at all available or willing to help them in making their health care decisions.
• Ultimately, what happens in the absence of people to help guide these folks in their decision-making,

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing on a broad slate of disability-related bills. Topics included creating a permanent Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Board (H. 231/S. 134), establishing a system for compensating guardians who serve incapacitated, unbefriended individuals through MassHealth (H. 253/S. 154), expanding Nikki’s Law to require MassHealth day habilitation programs to use the abuse registry (S. 165 and related bills), modernizing and streamlining the Disabled Persons Protection Commission’s statute and procedures (H. 243/S. 139), updating the definition of developmental disability to align more closely with federal law and include people such as those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (H. 276/S. 150), removing outdated and offensive terminology from the General Laws (H. 232/S. 137), and an autism education reform bill (H. 286). Several bills had no sign-ups, and the committee also noted related measures on cueing and prompting in PCA programs (H. 277/S. 157).

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s up to the jury to make that decision to convict.
• It’s up to the jury to make the decision if the death penalty is appropriate through that.
• And based on that evolving standard of decency, they can make this decision as well. >> So basically,
• make this decision as well. make this decision as well.
• my trial right there and they make my trial right there and they make decisions<01:08:20.640>

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Or they may make the decision, no, we don't have enough information.
• Or they may make the<00:42:00.760> decision,<00:42:01.760> no,<00:42:02.000> we<
• I think licensees are making the decision.
• I think licensees are making the decision.
• I think licensees are making the decision.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee discussed House Bill 185, which would amend RSA 3109 to add timelines for OPLC’s complaint review and investigation process. Members reviewed the existing five-year limitation period for misconduct complaints and noted that the bill would add a 30-day deadline for the office to make a recommendation to the board and a 90-day deadline to complete investigations. Some members raised concerns that the new deadlines could conflict with the existing statute of limitations, create pressure to dismiss cases too quickly, and potentially undermine the separation between OPLC’s investigative role and the boards’ adjudicatory role established by House Bill 655. Nicholas Fry, OPLC general counsel, testified that the agency’s fiscal note originally assumed it would need roughly double its staff to meet the proposed deadlines, though a later amendment reduced that estimate somewhat. He said OPLC would still need additional personnel, including investigatory paralegals and a physician investigator for the Board of Medicine, to meet the timeframes. He also explained OPLC’s current complaint and hearing procedures, including new consumer-friendly correspondence, website guidance, and efforts by the enforcement division to improve transparency and communication with complainants and licensees. Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors testified in support of the bill’s basic goal of speeding up intake and investigation, saying the 30-day intake/review period was reasonable and that the bill would not change OPLC’s role in that first step. He argued, however, that the investigation step is where delays occur, especially for lower-priority complaints, and that some cases have remained unresolved for years. Committee members also questioned how the added staffing costs would be paid, with discussion of whether they would come from license fees or the general fund. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment makes it clear.
• If you argued that there was bias or discrimination inherent in the decision-making process, then in
• The administration is making profound decisions.
• Let me just make a quick comment.
• report within six months auditing DOJ employees and their role in... in the Department of Education's decision-making

Bills: SB163, SB558

Keywords: civil rights, higher education, discrimination, complaints, awareness campaign, antisemitism, education, Civil Rights Act, IHRA definition, federal enforcement, Jewish community, anti-discrimination laws, Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, Protecting Students on Campus Act, First Amendment, Senator Tim Scott, free speech, college campuses, legislation, Trump administration

Summary: The committee meeting primarily focused on reviewing two significant bills: S558, the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2025, and S163, the Protecting Students on Campus Act. Senator Tim Scott introduced S558, emphasizing its importance in combatting anti-Jewish violence and harassment, and providing the Department of Education with necessary tools to investigate incidents of anti-Semitism on college campuses. The bill sparked a vigorous debate among members who expressed concerns over potential implications for free speech, particularly regarding its definitions of anti-Semitism, and whether it would infringe upon First Amendment rights.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that was also, in terms of the Industrial Commission members and decision-making around capping
• If we have the deposits and even if the outlook for deposits improves, then we can make managerial decision
• strategic, then we can make managerial decisions, strategic decisions, that, yes, we can do some more
• We score those in coordination with Water, Department of Transportation, us, PFA, and then make decisions
• They make those decisions on qualifications and who to bring forward as far as having the ability to

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee received a compliance and status update on Industrial Commission programs and the Bank of North Dakota. Staff reviewed appropriations and spending for several Industrial Commission funds and grant programs, including lignite research, oil and gas research, clean sustainable energy, grid resiliency, salt cavern analysis, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members discussed the timing of reimbursements, uncommitted balances, and the structure of the pipeline capacity and enhanced oil recovery funding. The Industrial Commission also reported on its administrative budget, grant management system project, and recent leadership transitions across several agencies. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described active grant rounds and the status of major projects. She said the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority approved three projects in its sixth round, with remaining uncommitted cash and loan capacity still available, though no new funding was appropriated this session. She also said the Oil and Gas Research Council approved six enhanced oil recovery projects and expects additional funding after a federal Department of Energy award replaces one project’s state funding. For grid resiliency grants, she said some projects have been funded, some commitments were returned or reallocated, and some DOE funds remain pending. She also updated the committee on the salt cavern business case study, which replaced an earlier larger development proposal, and on the NDSU research park grant, where the nonmatching portion was paid and the matching portion has moved slowly because the match must be in cash. Ron Ness then gave an extended presentation on enhanced oil recovery and North Dakota oil and gas trends. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, especially gas takeaway and projects like the Bakken East pipeline. He argued that enhanced oil recovery using CO2, natural gas, surfactants, and other methods could extend Bakken production for decades, but that the state needs more CO2 supply, better storage, and updated tax and regulatory incentives. Members asked about lateral lengths, CO2 availability, pipeline impacts, and the role of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and Ness emphasized that the projects are intended to share technical learning across operators and attract follow-on investment. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and strategic update. President Don Morgan said the bank’s mission remains to support North Dakota agriculture, commerce, and industry while cooperating with the state’s financial sector. He reviewed the bank’s main business lines: participation lending with community institutions, student loans, disaster lending, mission-based programs, and a new fintech-focused effort. Morgan said deposits are flattening, so the bank is managing balance sheet growth carefully, while still reporting improved net income and strong efficiency. He also introduced Rough Rider Coin as a bank-to-bank payment rail, not a public cryptocurrency, intended to speed and modernize payments within North Dakota’s banking and credit union system. Committee members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster program use, and how credit lines and liquidity would be affected if deposits shrink.

Transcript Highlights:

• :29.839> the decision to re-evaluate the decision to re-evaluate the administration<00:16:30.720
• Um who's the you had made this decision.
• Commerce when making this determination. Commerce when making this determination.
• And I have no doubt make a change to it.
• But that we can make a better system.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:55:42.240> whether point uh making a decision as to whether point uh making a decision
• You might make a decision possible.
• They make decisions.
• They make<04:09:43.600> decisions.
• They go back to whoever make decisions.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to tread lightly when we make these decisions.
• But the local individuals are making these decisions.
• <00:49:39.119> The<00:49:39.359> next when we make these decisions.
• The next when we make these decisions.
• are making these these these decisions. are making these these these decisions. the the the state

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The question of making is: how can they make a distinction or a determination that they can afford to
• To think through some of that criteria so we're not making decisions based on what we think should happen
• Can I make a quick comment?
• These types of systems are only going to give us the tools that we need to make more informed decisions
• They are going to make a decision on how that best fits which small communities, and we do anticipate

Transcript Highlights:

• This doesn't even make sense to me.
• This just gives them the power to make a decision on a case-by-case basis.
• This just gives them the power to make a decision on a case-by-case basis.
• Now, in the case of people who are making sort of a willful decision to say, you know, I could afford
• Now, in the case of people who are making sort of a willful decision to say, you know, I could afford

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works met with five members present and approved the May 14, 2026 minutes. The committee first considered HCR 32, which urges the Port of New Orleans to secure backup motors for the aging St. Claude Avenue Bridge; members discussed the bridge’s importance, the relatively low cost of the motor, and the traffic and emergency-response impacts of repeated breakdowns. HCR 32 was reported favorably. HCR 68, a request to Congress for funding to remove unusable bridges along Highway 90 as part of reconnecting the corridor toward New Orleans East, was also reported favorably after brief discussion about federal representatives and coordination with DOTD. House Bill 582 was deferred without objection. The committee then took up HB 762, which clarifies that the Office of Motor Vehicles may, rather than must, refer certain delinquent reinstatement-fee debts to the Office of Debt Recovery or other collection channels. Testimony from OMV and the bill author emphasized that the measure was intended to clean up prior language and preserve OMV discretion, while senators raised concerns about political influence, collection practices, and the impact of fees and debt on drivers. HB 762 was reported favorably. HB 730, concerning automatic dependent surveillance broadcast devices on aircraft, was amended to limit its application to aircraft over 2,500 pounds and to prohibit the use of the imposed fees on smaller aircraft. Supporters said the bill restores the original safety purpose of the devices and prevents their use for fee collection; the committee reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee also reported favorably on HCR 53, which creates a study committee on oversized vehicle permits and their parish-level impacts, and HCR 60, which urges DOTD to pursue the DRIVE initiative to study and improve safety on the I-12 corridor. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll make this quick.
• I urge you to make this right.
• And these companies produce these weapons to make money, of which they are making lots and lots.
• Stop making massacres lucrative.
• Stop making massacres lucrative.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held a hearing focused first on teacher retirement legislation, especially H. 2932 and S. 1884, which would give long-serving educators a one-time opportunity to enroll in Retirement Plus after the program’s 2001 rollout was described as confusing and inconsistently communicated. Legislators, union leaders, and many teachers testified that some educators missed the opt-in window because of faulty notices, leave status, transfers, or misinformation about payroll deductions, and that many have had to work several extra years as a result. Supporters said the bills would correct an unfair administrative error, provide a buyback option with interest, and could also save local school districts money by allowing earlier retirements. Representative Mark Sylvia also testified for H. 4234, a Fairhaven-specific bill to raise the age limit for special police officers from 65 to 70 and clarify appointing authority, citing experience and budget needs. The committee then heard testimony on several pension investment and divestment bills. Supporters of H. 2811 and related climate-risk measures argued that PRIM should assess, disclose, and address climate-related financial risk in the state pension fund, warning that fossil fuel investments could threaten long-term returns and public finances. Environmental advocates and financial experts said climate risk is systemic and urged transparency, divestment planning, and alignment with the Commonwealth’s climate goals. Another set of speakers supported H. 2984, which would divest pension investments from companies selling weapons to Israel; they argued the state should not be complicit in violence in Gaza and cited humanitarian and human rights concerns. Additional testimony supported H. 2900 and S. 1869 to divest from the firearm industry, with speakers saying pension investments should not undermine Massachusetts gun laws. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chairs repeatedly thanked speakers, limited testimony time, and noted that written testimony could be submitted later. The hearing concluded with the committee moving through the sign-up list and hearing extensive public testimony on the teacher retirement and divestment proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• What side of the political spectrum you're on here, whenever you make a policy decision, and it's not
• So when we think about what some of the impacts of federal decision-making is going to affect us one
• Program our private landowners that have large wooded areas to make decisions on how they should treat
• The white papers, technical guides, and those kinds of things in order to make decisions.
• special request for this amount of money, and so we hope that somehow you can help influence the decision-making

Transcript Highlights:

• those decisions.
• The purpose of the panel is to give patients the language that they need to make informed decisions about
• have a small group that gets together and makes decisions that otherwise would not have been made.
• We make decisions here and then we're judged by the constituents when we go home.
• They are forced to drain retirement accounts, take on overwhelming debt, and make impossible decisions

Bills: HB107, HB742, HB1639, HB1700, HB2071, HB2187, HB2402, HB2516, HB3211, HB4529, HB5342, HB694, HB923, HB4655, HB107

Keywords: sickle cell disease, registry, health data, confidentiality, healthcare access, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, cancer, female firefighters, health study, state health services, fire protection, telemedicine, teledentistry, telehealth, health records

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, what this bill does: It deals with a concept called supportive decision-making agreements.
• an alternative to full guardianship by allowing persons with disabilities who have the faculties to make
• However, when a person with a supportive decision-making agreement is involved in a criminal or civil
• However, when a person with a supportive decision-making agreement is involved in a criminal or civil
• interim study on the legal and ethical implications of authorizing a supporter under a supportive decision-making

Summary: The committee met at 5:39 p.m. with a quorum present and took up one item, Senate Bill 66. The chair laid out a committee substitute for the bill, which concerns supportive decision-making agreements as an alternative to full guardianship for adults with disabilities who can make their own choices but may need assistance understanding options, accessing information, and making decisions. The substitute would direct the Office of Court Administration to conduct an interim study on the legal and ethical issues involved in allowing a supporter under such an agreement to assist an adult with a disability in criminal or civil legal proceedings. The discussion noted stakeholder concerns about confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, and how the proposal would work in practice. The study is to examine effects on privilege and confidentiality, identify related estate code and other legal provisions that may need amendment, evaluate best practices from other jurisdictions, and recommend statutory changes. No committee members asked questions, and no one registered or appeared to testify. The chair closed the hearing, withdrew the committee substitute and left it pending, then concluded the agenda. The committee adjourned without objection, subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, yesterday we focused primarily on the department's decision-making and the internal processes
• decision-m and the internal processes. decision-m and the internal processes.
• here to understand how those decisions here to understand how those decisions translated<00:01:51.040
• <00:18:30.880> us Minnesota must remember what makes us Minnesota must remember what makes
• want to make that clear as well. want to make that clear as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• JUST TO MAKE SURE, DO THEY HAVE TO BE REGISTERED?
• SECTION 31 AND 32 OF SENATE BILL SEVEN HAVE HAD A DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY AS IT PERTAINS TO WATER QUALITY
• THIS PREEMPTS AND STRIPS THE DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT ELECTED TO SERVE THE CITIES
• THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THEIR OPERATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
• DECISIONS OR LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The committees would like to move into decision-making. Um, just going to add in the schools. Okay.
• So, why don't we go straight into decision-making?
• So, why don't we go straight into decision-making?
• Uh, we're in decision-making. Thank you everyone for your patience.
• Um visitors make informed decisions.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Education committees heard STR 1117 and SR 98, which urge the Department of Education, Department of Transportation, and Hawaii County to inventory bus stops used by children on Hawaii Island and develop safety improvements. DOE testified that routes are based on student locations, families must register riders, and access is complicated by county roads and privately owned or HOA-managed roads; members noted the need to focus on the most affected areas and on safety rather than just counting stops. The committees recommended both resolutions be passed with amendments, including adding the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee and technical changes, and both measures were adopted by vote. The Transportation and Culture and the Arts committee then heard several resolutions on international relationships and transportation safety. STR 196/SR 76 supporting broader ties with Norway, STR 197/SR 77 supporting broader ties with Sweden, and STR 195/SR 175 supporting broader ties with Sweden all moved forward; testimony generally favored learning from those countries, and the committee adopted amendments to add collaboration language and, in the Norway measure, a reference to prisons and criminal justice. The committee also heard STR 181/SR 51 on lowering the blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05; the Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance supported the measure and suggested adding flexibility for the DOT director to appoint additional working group members. The committee amended the resolution to broaden the working group and direct it to examine data, impacts, and implementation issues, then adopted it. On later agendas, the committee approved CR 12/SR 8 recognizing International Dark Sky Week with amendments to create a task force on light pollution and dark skies. It also passed CR 180/SR 150, which would have DOT report on commercial tour operator safety and performance, after amending it to clarify the purpose, require online public information, involve the NTSB, and create a transparency/scoring framework. STR 150 on subsidizing waterborne cargo transport was also passed with technical amendments. Finally, STR 222/SR 197 on towing companies having on-site ATMs was amended into a task force proposal led by the Office of Consumer Protection, and the committee adopted that recommendation. In each case, the chair’s recommendation was to pass with amendments or, for one Sweden measure, pass unamended, and the votes were unanimous with no recorded opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• help me make those decisions.
• help me make those decisions.
• help me make those decisions.
• help me make those decisions.
• I can make help me make those decisions.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee held an informational briefing on federal and state authority over National Guard deployment in response to civil protest or unrest, prompted by recent federal actions and the California litigation in Newsom v. Trump. The chair explained the purpose was to help lawmakers and the public understand the legal background, the status of the California case, and possible Hawaii policy responses. David Day of the Attorney General’s office outlined several recent federal immigration-related executive actions and enforcement directives, then described Hawaii’s participation in multiple lawsuits challenging federal funding conditions, data-sharing demands, and the birthright citizenship order. A major portion of the briefing focused on Newsom v. Trump. Day summarized the June 2025 Los Angeles protests and the president’s memorandum federalizing National Guard units under 10 U.S.C. 12406, which California challenged as ultra vires, procedurally improper, and violative of the Posse Comitatus Act, the Tenth Amendment, and the APA. He said the district court initially granted relief, but the Ninth Circuit stayed the TRO and held, in a published decision, that review under section 12406 is highly deferential and that the president lawfully exercised authority under paragraph 3. He also noted California-law issues about orders being issued through the governor, and said Hawaii had supported California through amicus briefs and would continue to do so; the bench trial was scheduled for August 11-13. Members then asked how Hawaii law differs from California’s and whether the Ninth Circuit ruling would control here. Day said the standard-of-review aspects would likely apply, but the California-specific procedural language about orders issued in the governor’s name does not appear in Hawaii law. The committee also heard from Colonel Lloyd C. Phelps of the Hawaii Department of Defense, who explained that National Guard activations generally occur under Title 10 federal orders, state orders, or other statuses, and said the June 2025 federalization mechanism was a Title 10 call-up. He began addressing the president’s authority, the Posse Comitatus Act, and Hawaii’s own preparedness, but the discussion was cut short and members indicated they would return to the topic later. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Aloha, welcome to a decision-making agenda for the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection.
• Senate Draft 3: We still have to keep working on this bill, so we're going to defer decision-making until
• then on Senate Bill 1151, realize this is actually a double, not a triple, so we are going to defer decision-making
• -<00:01:38.240> making<00:01:38.520> on<00:01:38.680> this going to defer decision
• - making on this going to defer decision- making on this to<00:01:39.479> Tuesday<00:01:40.479

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection met on Wednesday, March 12, at 11:15 a.m. in Conference Room 325. On Senate Bill 897, Senate Draft 3, the committee did not take final action and deferred decision-making until Thursday, March 13, at 11:16 a.m. On Senate Bill 137, Senate Draft 2, members discussed a few minor changes on pages five and six and in Section 269B. The committee agreed to adopt the House version of the provision, shifting the responsibility for entertaining competing offers from the Public Utilities Commission to the electric utility, which must do so first and then demonstrate compliance to the commission. The committee also redetermined the date to July 1, 3000 for consistency. The committee then voted on the chair’s recommendation to pass SB 137 SD2 with amendments. Representatives Kala and Kush voted in favor, Representative Quinland was excused, and the recommendation was adopted. Finally, on Senate Bill 1151, members noted it was actually a double rather than a triple referral and deferred decision-making to Tuesday, March 18, for placement on that day’s agenda.