Transcript Highlights:

• The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, and this can be seen in my own district,
• The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, and this can be seen in my own district,
• The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, and this can be seen in my own district,
• into the 21st century and this can<03:56:45.720> be<03:56:45.880> seen<03:56:46.159>
• working on behalf of Southern century working on behalf of Southern Arizona<07:06:35.760> until

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 24, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...is dependent upon their ability to purchase costly online access codes for integrated textbooks,
• The past classes gets locked behind paywalls and access codes that expire at the end of the semester.
• I personally buy all my textbooks secondhand online, and these access codes make that impossible.
• I personally buy all my textbooks secondhand online and these access codes make that impossible.
• I personally buy all my textbooks secondhand online, and these access codes make that impossible.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education heard testimony on a broad set of bills focused on making public higher education more affordable and accessible, protecting student information, and changing social work licensure rules. Chair Rogers and Senator Comerford opened by emphasizing the committee’s focus on financial aid, tuition and fee waivers, scholarships, admissions, and institutional changes, and they reminded witnesses about the three-minute testimony limit. No votes were taken during the hearing. A large portion of the hearing centered on the “Super Act” (H. 1423/S. 218), which would eliminate the master’s-level social work licensing exam and create grant support for social work internships. Supporters—including students, practitioners, educators, and advocates—argued that unpaid internships and the exam create financial barriers, worsen workforce shortages, and disproportionately affect Black, brown, older, ESL, and other marginalized candidates. Opponents from the Association of Social Work Boards argued the exam is a necessary public-protection standard, helps maintain uniform licensure, and is important to the social work licensure compact; they said workforce shortages should be addressed through pay, working conditions, and caseloads instead. Committee members asked detailed questions about compact participation, exam accommodations, and how other states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut have handled similar changes. The committee also heard extensive testimony in favor of debt-free public higher education bills (H. 1436/S. 929). Witnesses, including students, faculty, advocates, and Senator Eldridge, said Massachusetts should expand on free community college by covering tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges and universities, with additional aid for living costs for lower-income students. Supporters said student debt delays homeownership, family formation, and career entry, and that the state should use Fair Share revenue to invest in public higher education. Some committee members voiced support but also raised concerns about prioritizing K-12 funding and the cost of expanding free college further. Several witnesses also supported bills to extend tuition and fee waivers to young adults raised by grandparents or other kinship guardians outside the DCF system, arguing that these students face the same trauma and financial barriers as foster youth but do not receive the same benefits. Representative Donato, Joseph O’Leary, Shauna Manning, Sandra Vecchio, Karen Gardner, Judy Walter, Elaine Arsenault, and others described the financial strain on grandparents raising grandchildren and urged parity with DCF-related waivers. In addition, Senator Jake Oliveira testified for a bill to protect public higher education student directory information from data mining and unauthorized sharing, and Deirdre Cummings testified for an open educational resources bill to reduce textbook costs. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on kinship care and college access, with committee members thanking witnesses and indicating follow-up on some bill language issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• NEPA has been weaponized for over a half a century, virtually from day one.
• , weaponized for over a half a century, weaponized for over a half a century, virtually<00:39:51.680
• America stuck in the 20th<01:08:42.400> century.
• Our nation's permitting 20th century.
• economy based on anticipated century economy based on anticipated increases<02:17:50.880> in<

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, December 18, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• life<00:35:27.640> cycle life cycle life cycle of<00:35:29.920> that<00:35:30.240> code
• > which<00:35:31.320> it<00:35:31.400> was<00:35:31.560> approved of that code
• in which it was approved of that code in which it was approved under. under. under.
• If we're really in now the seventh year of the third decade of the 21st century, I can promise you that
• , decade of the 21st century, decade of the 21st century, I<01:15:56.680> can<01:15:56.880

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program was founded on the belief that Asia's influence in global affairs would expand in the 21st century
• 06.680> 21st global Affairs would expand in the 21st global Affairs would expand in the 21st century
• 08.720> program<00:05:09.080> has<00:05:09.240> trained<00:05:10.080> 160 century
• this program has trained 160 century this program has trained 160 journalists<00:05:11.199> many<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with 24 members present and one excused, approved the previous day’s Journal, and heard several introductions. Senator Hashimoto welcomed a visiting Kukui Fellowship Program cohort from Maui, and Senator Chang delivered a tribute honoring the late University of Hawaii Professor Daniel W. Kwak, highlighting his scholarship in Asian studies, his teaching career, and the journalism fellowship and China seminar he founded. A late introduction also recognized retired UH communications professor Gerald Kato for his work in journalism policy. The chamber then processed messages and communications, including Governor’s nominations to boards and commissions, House communications returning Senate bills, and a Judiciary communication transmitting the nomination of Sonia H. Toma to the Family Court of the Second Circuit. The Senate adopted Standing Committee Reports Nos. 1369 and 1370, agreed to disagree with House amendments to Senate Bill 108, and received notice that conferees would be named later. House concurrent resolutions transmitted from the House were referred to committee. On third reading, the Senate passed House Bill 994, HD1, relating to promoting pornography to minors, and House Bill 1175, relating to tax appeal procedures, both by unanimous consent with 24 ayes and no reservations. The Senate also granted a waiver of referral for a list of Senate concurrent resolutions and Senate resolutions so they could meet an upcoming deadline. The President thanked staff for the job fair and noted its value for employees whose service would end at adjournment. The Senate then adjourned until 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 31st.

Transcript Highlights:

• Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who lived in the 5th century.
• independent nation in 1919 marked a pivotal moment in Irish history, one that continues to resonate a century
• Thank you. ...moment in Irish history, one that continues to resonate a century later.
• As we celebrate Irish... moment in Irish history, one that continues to resonate a century later.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call and prayer, then handled several procedural matters before moving to the daily file. Members approved a motion to withdraw Assembly Bills 100 through 219 to the second reading file by a roll call vote of 42-15, and unanimously approved re-referrals of AB 440 and AB 1265 to different committees. The chamber also welcomed international visitors, student and community guests, and later heard a series of guest introductions tied to agriculture, immigration, and Irish heritage. The main floor action centered on two resolutions. H.R. 19, recognizing California Agriculture Day, drew strong support from members representing agricultural districts, who highlighted the state’s farm production, exports, and the role of farmworkers and ranchers; the resolution was adopted by voice vote after 65 co-authors were added. ACR 51, honoring Irish American Heritage Month, was also adopted by voice vote after 66 co-authors were added, with members speaking about Irish immigration, labor history, California-Ireland ties, and St. Patrick’s Day. The Assembly also held multiple adjournment-in-memory tributes for the Honorable Leon Lawson Williams, a pioneering Black civic leader in San Diego who served on the City Council and County Board of Supervisors and helped expand public transit and advance civil rights. Members from San Diego and others described his barriers-breaking career and lasting influence on local government and community leadership. The House then received announcements about upcoming committee hearings and adjourned until Thursday, March 20, at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• know, whether it's the TV show Chernobyl or some of those disasters that we've experienced almost a century
• experienced those disasters that we've experienced almost<00:01:03.199> a<00:01:03.399> century
• 04.280> a<00:01:04.439> long<00:01:04.680> time<00:01:04.920> ago almost a century
• ago now a long time ago almost a century ago now a long time ago and<00:01:05.760> we've<00:01

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, that I know that we've talked about defelization in the context of the penal code review committee
• > that<02:15:26.960> have<02:15:27.280> been<02:15:28.079> uh code review
• committees that have been uh code review committees that have been uh formed<02:15:29.440> since<
• So by the mid-20th century, the term was closely associated with scientific racism and authoritarian
• Secondly, this singles out rental car companies over other wholesalers in the tax code, and these are

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs recessed briefly for a joint hearing, then reconvened and took up House Bill 2494, which would limit warrantless arrests for petty misdemeanors and violations, require officers to document arrest justification, expand citation-in-lieu-of-arrest use, and direct the Judiciary to create a standardized citation form. The chair also outlined hearing procedures and testimony time limits. Committee members later received an overview from the Policing Project about national trends in expanding citation use. Testimony was divided. Supporters, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, the Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and the Policing Project, argued the bill would reduce unnecessary arrests and pretrial detention, lessen jail overcrowding, save law enforcement time, and reduce harms such as job loss, housing instability, family disruption, and recidivism. They also said the bill preserves officer discretion through public-safety and flight-risk exceptions, and several supporters urged the committee to adopt a standardized citation form despite the Judiciary’s request for a delayed implementation date. Opposition came from the Department of the Attorney General, the Judiciary, county prosecutors, Honolulu Police Department, and other individuals. They argued the bill would unduly restrict law enforcement discretion, create administrative and data-processing problems, and make it harder to identify repeat or habitual offenders because of changes to citation information and fingerprinting. The Judiciary requested implementation no earlier than January 1, 2028 and said the citation form would need major changes. Opponents also warned the bill could increase litigation, suppress evidence, and not meaningfully reduce overcrowding because most jail populations are held on felony matters. The chair reported 14 testimonies in support, 21 in opposition, and one with comments; no vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:11:23.360> a uh at the turn of the last century a uh at the turn of the last century a
• Um, also it is against the code of conduct for licenses to do that.
• the the person that was handling uh code the the person that was handling uh code enforcement enforcement
• So number one, they violate U.S. code. So number two is term limit.
• So number one, they violate uh US code. So number one, they violate uh US code.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do a lot of international engagement, IAEA, and we do codes and standards adoption.
• And when codes and standards are developed, the NRC understands how that answer will be done.
• I already talked about how we're expediting codes and standards by bringing the NRC into these, and I
• I might go say, well, if you code it just like this, nobody will ever be able to crack through.
• So we work on buildings and very sophisticated codes. We call it all together force.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, the existing penalty statutes are not well suited to address serious code violations,
• Existing penalty statutes are not well suited to address serious code violations, such as large hazards
• Through the traditional code enforcement mechanisms, including collections, it just isn't severe enough
• Faith Borgias on behalf of the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers, a proud co-sponsor
• The primary goal of code enforcement is compliance with health and safety laws.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. AB 416 would allow emergency room physicians to initiate 5150 mental health holds, with supporters saying it would reduce emergency room bottlenecks and speed care for patients in crisis. County and behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, and some members raised broader concerns about the 5150 system and juvenile placements. The bill was ultimately approved on a do-pass as amended vote. AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Act, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued it would prohibit businesses from using personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, describing the practice as discriminatory and exploitative. Business and industry groups opposed the bill, warning that its language was too broad, could affect discounts and loyalty programs, and would create litigation risk through a private right of action. After discussion about enforcement and possible amendments, the bill passed on a do-pass motion. AB 632 would give local governments a faster way to collect penalties for serious code violations, including unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis activity, by allowing certain fines to become money judgments and clarifying lien authority. It had support from county and city groups and no opposition was voiced in the hearing; the bill passed as amended. ACA 7, a constitutional amendment intended to clarify and limit misuse of Section 31A, also moved forward after brief support testimony. The committee then took up AB 649, which would extend protections for businesses that proactively obtain certified access specialist inspections and fix accessibility violations; the author, a small business owner, and others testified in support, while disability rights groups moved to neutral after amendments. Members discussed the balance between access enforcement and reducing predatory litigation, and the bill was still under consideration as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Murray was a 20th century human rights activist. She was a legal scholar.
• Murray was a 20th century human rights activist. She was a legal scholar.
• Murray was a 20th century human rights activist. She was a legal scholar.
• <00:26:54.159> She 20th century human rights activist.
• She 20th century human rights activist.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, February 9, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with an invocation by the Reverend Mihi Kim Court of First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, and received remarks praising her social justice work and support for the LGBTQ community. The chamber also welcomed several visiting groups, including the Poolsville Town Council, the Maryland Commission on Women, Citizens for a Cleaner County, BUILD, District 37 visitors, and child care advocates participating in an “Evening in Annapolis for Child Care.” The Senate also introduced its weekly pages from schools across the state. Before moving to legislation, senators briefly discussed Senate rules and quorum procedures, including whether the 2025 rules govern the 2026 session and how presence and voting work during a protest. The presiding officer confirmed that the 2025 rules remain in effect, that physical presence counts for voting, and that senators present may vote when called. The chamber then referred a large batch of newly introduced measures to standing committees, including bills on artificial intelligence in education, pharmacist vaccine orders, parole commission matters, lead risk reduction, solar and energy storage policy, and several joint resolutions and bond initiatives. The Senate also noted that 234 bills had been introduced that day, bringing the total to Senate Bill 954, and thanked the Senate staff and Department of Legislative Services for their work. Later, the body heard a Black History Month presentation from the senator from Baltimore City and Baltimore County highlighting the importance of historical memory and honoring figures such as Pauli Murray, Ella Baker, and Fannie Lou Hamer, with detailed remarks on their activism and contributions. The remarks were journalized, and the Senate adjourned without objection until Tuesday, February 10 at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we also know that when it comes to some of these more nuanced conversations for the 21st century,
• But we also know that when it comes to some of these more nuanced conversations for the 21st century,
• But we also know that when it comes to some of these more nuanced conversations for the 21st century,
• ,<01:35:42.400> uh conversations for the 20th century, uh conversations for the 20th century
• that is a that is a 21st century that is a that is a 21st century conversation<01:36:00.639>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Fire codes don't stop every fire.
• the founding of this nation for a very specific reason. and I look at the atrocities in the last century
• the founding of this nation for a very specific reason. and I look at the atrocities in the last century
• and I don't think that that's a century and I don't think that that's a good<01:07:27.039> time
• And each of those cases is coded on approximately 200 different pieces of information.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do a lot of international engagement, IAEA, we do codes and standards adoption.
• And when codes and standards are developed, the NRC understands how that answer will be done.
• If I want to write code, you can do that at least 10 times faster than I can without it.
• I might go say, well, if you code it just like this, nobody will ever be able to crack through.
• So we work on buildings and very sophisticated codes. We call it all together force.

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks about the value of public engagement and the quality of questions from the group, followed by a series of technical presentations from Idaho National Laboratory staff. Joe Renovitz described recent nuclear regulatory changes tied to presidential executive orders, including NRC Part 53 for advanced reactors, the forthcoming Part 57 for very small reactors, and DOE updates to reactor authorization standards. He emphasized efforts to align DOE and NRC processes, use risk-informed and performance-based licensing, support reactor deployment for AI/data centers and national security, and use AI to speed communications and crosswalks between DOE and NRC requirements. In response to questions, he said there was no plan to merge agencies, but rather to improve coordination and public outreach through groups like GAIN and NEI. David Tolman then discussed the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage, transportation, disposal, and reprocessing. He explained high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), why it is needed for advanced reactors, and DOE’s HALEU Availability Program and related investments in enrichment, transportation, deconversion, and supply chain development. He also covered spent fuel management, the possibility of centralized storage or a fuel-cycle campus, the Center for Used Fuel Research, and ongoing work on high-burnup cask testing and reprocessing technologies. Tolman described aqueous, pyrochemical, and fluoride-volatility reprocessing approaches, noting the advantages and waste characteristics of each, and said several companies are working with INL on these technologies. Ashley Shields presented INL’s AI and nuclear work, focusing on the Genesis initiative and the Prometheus effort to use AI to design, license, build, and operate reactors with far less human intervention. She described INL’s broad use of generative AI tools, the need to manage large volumes of legacy technical data, and applications in reactor design, materials discovery, autonomous laboratories, and digital twins. Shields said AI is being used to reduce the enormous documentation burden in nuclear licensing and to support autonomous or remotely operated reactor demonstrations, while stressing that humans remain in supervisory roles. In discussion, she addressed data security, model access, and the continued need for software engineers. The session then recessed briefly and resumed with Mitch Kerman beginning a presentation on critical minerals and materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do a lot of international engagement, IAEA, and we do codes and standards adoption.
• And when codes and standards are developed, the NRC understands how that answer will be done.
• I already talked about how we're expediting codes and standards by bringing the NRC into these, and I
• I might go say, well, if you code it just like this, nobody will ever be able to crack through.
• So we work on buildings and very sophisticated codes. We call it all together force.

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks about the value of public engagement and the availability of presentation materials, then moved into a series of technical briefings from Idaho National Laboratory staff. Joe Renovitz described recent federal and DOE efforts to streamline nuclear regulation for advanced reactors, including NRC Part 53 and upcoming Part 57 rulemaking, DOE authorization updates, crosswalks between DOE and NRC requirements, and use of AI to speed licensing communications and document review. He emphasized that the goal is to align safety standards for advanced technologies, reduce rework for developers, and support deployment for commercial, defense, and research uses. In response to questions, he said there is no current plan to merge agencies, but there is more information-sharing and embedded NRC staff at DOE facilities; he also noted public outreach is supported through groups like GAIN and NEI. David Tolman then discussed the nuclear fuel cycle, covering uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage, transportation, disposal, and recycling. He explained high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), DOE’s HALEU Availability Program, and the need to expand domestic enrichment, deconversion, and transportation capacity to support advanced reactors and the 2050 nuclear growth goal. He also reviewed used fuel management, including on-site storage at operating and shutdown reactors, the Center for Used Fuel Research at INL, a high-burnup research cask project, and the long-term repository question, which he said is ultimately political as well as technical. He outlined reprocessing approaches—aqueous/Purex, pyrochemical, and fluoride volatility—describing INL’s work on electrochemical processing of EBR-II fuel and noting industry interest from several companies in recycling technologies. Ashley Shields presented on AI for nuclear applications, describing INL’s use of generative AI, high-performance computing, and digital-twin tools to accelerate reactor design, licensing, operations, and materials development. She highlighted the Prometheus effort to pursue highly automated reactor design and operation, the large documentation burden for reactor licensing, and ongoing work on autonomous control, remote operation, and AI-assisted materials qualification through the Vulcan challenge and related data platforms. In questions, she said AI tools are used under data-governance and security controls, with different models chosen for different tasks, and argued that software engineers and human oversight remain necessary. The session ended with a brief recess announcement and a transition to a later presentation on critical minerals and materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, after a century of use, we are reaching the limits of continued incremental repairs.
• us in our bonding tour how these utilities underneath West 7th Street's infrastructure is over a century
• <00:57:41.600> years infrastructure is over a century years infrastructure is over a century
• It is an expansion of a once-in-a-century opportunity to transform an urban tract of land into welcoming
• It is an expansion of a once-in-a-century<01:07:14.080> opportunity<01:07:14.680> to once-in-a-century

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the 2020 bonding bill, which was really the saga of the century and, to that point, the largest
• And then the 2020 bonding bill, which was really the saga of the century and, to that point, the largest
• And then the 2020 bonding bill, which was really the saga of the century and, to that point, the largest
• And then the 2020 bonding bill, which was really the saga of the century and, to that point, the largest
• And then the 2020 bonding bill, which was really the saga of the century and, to that point, the largest

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• JCNC's anniversary celebration will bring together members of the community to reflect a quarter-century
• Chinese six companies, has been a symbol of endurance, unity, and civic leadership since the mid-19th century
• in California is a story of hard work, faith, and cultural richness that goes back more than two centuries

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What's happened to us down there is, since the late 19th century, we've... ...since the late 19th century
• Thirty to forty percent of the seagrass that existed at the turn of the last century is gone.

Bills: HB134, SB217, SB180, HB157, HB92, HB335

Keywords: vehicle registration, disability access, fines, law enforcement, public accommodation, bond financing, municipal bonds, county debt, local government debt, debt service schedule, bond disclosure, public finance, bond underwriter, county commission, city council, refunding bonds, swap agreements, interest rate swaps, derivatives, fiscal transparency