Transcript Highlights:

• essentially again we've grown from5 to18 physicians,40 investigators, 3 toxicologists,8 chemists for forensic
• physically to accommodate the expanded workload that they have it's one of the top five busiest forensic
• appropriation changes for last year were mainly due to maintaining regional market values for our forensic
• You know, we do exit interviews and I'm trying to think back About if anybody articulates that that's

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes dedicated funding for forensic laboratories to identify remains and reunite families with
• This includes dedicated funding for forensic laboratories to identify remains and reunite families with
• Familial DNA, we are forensically solving past crimes that you never thought in the past you'd ever be
• There is an allocation through BIA to do forensic genetic genealogy, this next-level DNA analysis that
• And there is an allocation through BIA to do that forensic genetic genealogy specifically for MMIP cases

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs opened its 2025 hearing with a traditional song and remarks about the importance of Native visibility and land acknowledgment. The hearing focused on missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP), exploitation and trafficking in a Public Law 280 (PL 280) state, and California’s response. Members and tribal leaders emphasized that MMIP is tied to historical trauma, forced removal, undercounting, and ongoing inequities in law enforcement response, media attention, and access to resources. Several panelists urged stronger tribal consultation, better data collection, more funding, and culturally informed education and victim services. In the first panel, tribal chairpersons described personal and community impacts. Chairperson Antonet Del Rio spoke about the need to include federally and non-federally recognized tribes and to educate schools and communities, while naming long-unsolved cases from her tribe. Chairperson Cheyenne Stone connected MMIP to the history of violence in Owens Valley and to the disturbance of Indigenous remains during infrastructure projects, calling for forensic resources, mandatory consultation, and accountability. Chairperson Charles Martin described the death of Morongo citizen Amy Porter and said the Feather Alert failed her family because law enforcement did not act quickly enough; he called for reforms and better coordination, especially in PL 280 jurisdictions. Chairwoman Nelson and committee members echoed the need for equity, urgency, and government-to-government respect. The second panel examined how PL 280 complicates MMIP and trafficking cases. Professor Carol Goldberg explained that PL 280 created an unfunded mandate, reduced federal jurisdiction and funding, and contributed to under-resourced policing and mistrust; she recommended mandatory training, community-oriented policing, formal tribal-county collaboration, and possible retrocession in some cases. Yurok Chairman Joe James tied MMIP to boarding schools, trafficking, and the need to advance bills such as AB 31, SB 4, ACR 39, AB 285, and AB 1378, along with increased budget funding. Morning Star Gali argued that PL 280 enables traffickers and violent offenders to exploit jurisdictional gaps and called for tribally led public safety, housing, victim services, and stronger consultation. Dustin Contreras, a human trafficking investigator, described the overlap between trafficking and MMIP, stressed partnerships and task forces, and supported more education for law enforcement, schools, and families. In the final panel, state and county officials described current efforts and acknowledged remaining gaps. The Attorney General’s Office said it is working on MICIC outreach, tribal response planning, PL 280 training through an advisory council, and improved data systems, while supporting bills and the Feather Alert. Humboldt County Sheriff Hansel described the case of a missing woman, Emily, as an example of how people with mental illness or justice involvement can become invisible, and said counties need more consistent training and clearer jurisdictional protocols. He and other officials supported the Feather Alert, tribal police authority, and a pilot program for POST status for tribal police, which they said had been vetoed previously. Across the hearing, speakers repeatedly called for better coordination, more funding, stronger tribal authority, and sustained action rather than symbolic recognition.

Transcript Highlights:

• generations of my family call Florida home, and I'm in the process in the next month of starting interviews
• generations of my family call Florida home, and I'm in the process in the next month of starting interviews
• And I had to hire my own private forensic examiner.
• And I had to hire my own private forensic examiner, Dr. Daniel Schultz.

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and heard extensive debate on SB 734, which would repeal Florida’s wrongful-death medical malpractice exception that bars certain adult children and parents from recovering noneconomic damages. Senator Yarborough presented the bill as a fairness and accountability measure, while many family members testified in support, describing deaths they believed were caused by medical negligence and arguing the current law denies equal justice. Opponents, including physician and insurer representatives, warned the bill could increase malpractice exposure, premiums, defensive medicine, and physician shortages. The committee also considered two late-filed amendments: Senator Burton’s amendment would make Department of Health investigative findings admissible in court, and Senator Martin’s amendment to that amendment would broaden admissibility/discoverability to additional disciplinary and prior-adverse-incident records and insurance coverage facts. After debate, the Martin amendment was adopted, but the Burton amendment as amended failed on a roll call vote. The committee then reported SB 734 favorably without the amendment. The committee next unanimously reported CS for SB 86 favorably. That bill, by Senator Burgess, expands peer support protections for first responders to include support personnel; there was little debate and several law-enforcement-related organizations indicated support. The committee also took up SB 316 on series limited liability companies. Senator Berman explained that the bill creates rules for series LLCs in Florida, and a late-filed amendment, requested by the Secretary of State, delayed implementation by one year. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered CS for CS for SB 384, which requires municipalities seeking to annex state-owned land to notify the relevant county legislative delegation when the first public hearing is advertised. Senator Burton presented the bill briefly, there was no opposition or debate, and the committee proceeded to vote on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Detectives and a social worker came to interview us. My husband was first, and then it was my turn.
• When the interview was done, we were told Willa would be going home with us.
• They also asked for our phones so they could do a forensic investigation, and we agreed.
• However, they had interviewed the daycare provider and found several inconsistencies between what she

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:27.520> interviews,<00:23:28.799> 12<00:23:29.200> court forensic interviews
• , 12 court forensic interviews, 12 court accompaniment, accompaniment, accompaniment, four<00:23:31.440
• medical forensic evaluations in my career.
• Forensic is the gathering of evidence. Health insurance doesn't cover forensic gathering.
• <04:55:15.040> basically<04:55:15.440> the forensic and medical. basically the forensic

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You just said avoiding duplicate interviews.
• interviewers, like a SANE interview type of situation... helpful uh additional Corrections that helpful
• > own<05:02:05.040> interviews<05:02:05.558> and conduct their own interviews and
• County where trained forensic County where trained forensic interviewers<05:02:21.958> like
• interviewers like a sane interview type interviewers like a sane interview type of<05:02:23.320>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2206, SNAP error rate forensic audit, mandates that, on or before December 30, 2030, DES reduce
• Madam Chair and members, House Bill 2322, DCS investigations, interviews, recording, enables video or
• audio recordings of interviews with a child and the Department of Child Safety.
• Madam Chair, members, House Bill 2322, DCS Investigations, interviews, recording, and it enables the
• video or audio recordings of interviews with a child and department of child safety.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee worked through a very long minority caucus calendar covering a wide range of bills, with many items being described and then either left on consent, pulled from consent, or noted for votes. Topics included bullion and state depository proposals, a produce incentive appropriation, a biennial budget change, veterans services funding, driver licensing and traffic enforcement measures, procurement and public records changes, school board and school facilities rules, SNAP work requirements and verification, child welfare and juvenile justice provisions, housing and homelessness measures, energy and fuel policy, election administration, and several tax, commerce, and licensing bills. Members repeatedly raised concerns about constitutionality, federal preemption, duplication of existing law, and whether some measures were policy priorities that had been vetoed in prior sessions and were returning unchanged. Several bills drew extended debate. Members objected to English-proficiency requirements for commercial drivers and motor carriers, arguing federal law and the supremacy clause would bar them. Earned wage access regulation prompted strong opposition over consumer harm, overdraft cycles, and high effective APRs. School-related bills were criticized for overregulating public schools while not imposing similar requirements on ESA/private-school programs, especially on fingerprint clearance and reporting. SNAP-related bills were also opposed as setting unrealistic mandates and repeating vetoed proposals. Other contested measures included a drag-show criminalization bill, a bill restricting photo enforcement, a bill limiting local regulation of unmanned aircraft, and a bill conforming Arizona tax law to federal changes, which members said would benefit wealthy taxpayers and corporations without a clear funding source. The committee also heard a number of supportive or less controversial measures, including bills on veterans awareness, dementia care telemonitoring, Braille transcription funding, CPA licensure pathways, cash acceptance by retailers, and some child safety and court administration changes. Several bills were pulled from consent for further discussion, while others were noted as having unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The meeting ended with caucus announcements, including an affordability award presentation, an upcoming Latino Caucus discussion on community land trusts, and an invitation to African American Legislative Day activities, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• services, the family connections model, is not eligible for federal reimbursement, but Motivational interviewing
• Those are motivational interviewing and safe care. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• It's for serious reasons, but I think there should be a forensic interview that they will have at different
• Interviews during different processes in family courts when there is mention of child neglect or abuse

Transcript Highlights:

• We're a group of research scientists in forensic psychology and criminal justice, and we've been conducting
• of classification boards to see how that process goes, to see how the incarcerated persons were interviewed
• That's just based on what we've done, and we didn't do some huge study and interview everybody, I will
• Vincent's point, it's not—we can't interview everyone. We can't count. To Dr.
• Benson's point, it's not—it's that we can't interview everyone. We can't capture all of them.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met on January 12 to continue its review of DOC classification practices, with Senator Brownsberger and Representative Hunt co-chairing. After brief discussion of the prior hearing, members said there would likely be another opportunity for additional testimony, including possible video testimony from people inside facilities. The main presentation for the day was DOC’s classification system and a UMass Chan study of whether the system predicts institutional misconduct and whether overrides affect its accuracy or create racial/ethnic bias. DOC officials described the objective point-based classification system, its history, and the role of discretionary and non-discretionary overrides. They said the system is designed to balance public safety and reintegration, with initial classification emphasizing offense history and reclassification emphasizing institutional adjustment. DOC reported that, in the current population, about 16% are classified to maximum security, 74% to medium, and 10% to lower security. They also reviewed the non-discretionary restrictions that keep people out of minimum or medium security, and said discretionary overrides are used less often than the National Institute of Corrections’ suggested ceiling and are reviewed within six months. UMass Chan researchers said their analysis used historical DOC data from 2019 to 2022, focused mainly on about 7,600 male reclassification cases, and found that the scored custody level accurately predicted institutional misconduct. They said the tool performed well on standard statistical measures, but predictive accuracy declined after overrides were applied, with overlap appearing between minimum and medium groups. In a supplementary analysis, they said the loss of accuracy was driven primarily by non-discretionary restrictions rather than discretionary overrides. They also said the study did not find evidence of racial or ethnic bias in the tool itself, and that DOC’s current system is comparatively more lenient than many other states. Members and guests raised concerns about overclassification to medium security, the low share of people in minimum, the role of civil commitment restrictions, and whether the data captured historical bias or individual cases where overrides felt subjective. DOC and UMass Chan responded that the study was group-based, not case-specific, and that minimum-security rates are hard to compare across states because Massachusetts’ prison and county systems differ structurally. The commission did not take a vote or formal action, but asked members to send follow-up data questions by the end of the week for referral to DOC and the researchers.

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide child-friendly forensic interviews, for example, and things like that.
• child-friendly Uh they provide child-friendly Uh they provide child-friendly uh<00:17:43.440> forensic
• <00:17:43.960> interviews,<00:17:44.400> for<00:17:44.520> example,<00:17:44.960
• > and uh forensic interviews, for example, and uh forensic interviews, for example, and things

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Only trained law enforcement officials and forensic interviewers should be conducting these investigations
• But, you know, we have to interview all of those students and ask the tough questions and oftentimes
• But, you know, we have to interview all of those students and ask the tough questions and oftentimes

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee heard several bills focused on school finance, transparency, student safety, and educator misconduct. SB 843 by Senator Kolkhorst would create a centralized TEA database for school bond elections, tax rates, and project details; supporters said it would improve transparency for taxpayers, while members discussed the fiscal note and suggested adding charter schools. SB 1224 by Senator Sparks would require superintendents to report alleged romantic, sexual, or abusive conduct between staff and students directly to law enforcement within 48 hours, with penalties for failure to report; testimony from advocates and survivors strongly supported the bill and urged that it also apply to private and charter schools. SB 747 by Senator Paxton on behalf of Senator King would require school district policies addressing AI-generated sexually explicit images of minors as cyberbullying and direct the School Safety Center to develop guidance; the committee heard emotional testimony from a student victim and discussed school authority to discipline off-campus conduct and the role of cell phones. The committee also heard SB 1636 by Senator Hinojosa, which would limit use of interest and sinking tax revenues to debt service for voter-approved capital projects and not deferred maintenance; school finance witnesses raised concerns that the bill’s language could restrict needed facility maintenance spending and asked for a clearer definition of deferred maintenance. SB 2185, also by Senator Hinojosa, would expand access to the bilingual education allotment for dual-language programs; district officials and educators testified in support, saying it would remove barriers to funding and better support bilingual instruction. SB 604 by Senator West would require the Permanent School Fund Corporation to publicly track bonds backed by the state guarantee program that are downgraded to speculative or junk status, with West arguing the information would provide an early warning sign of district financial distress. Across the hearing, much of the testimony centered on student protection and accountability in schools. Multiple witnesses described educator misconduct cases, failures to report abuse, and the need for outside law enforcement involvement rather than internal district investigations. Committee members repeatedly discussed extending reporting and safety requirements to private and charter schools, and several witnesses urged independent oversight. No bills were voted out; each measure heard was left pending, and the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the child interview at the same time to minimize duplicative interviews of a child victim.
• committed um where there's forensically committed um where there's forensically uh<02:11:18.400>
• trained interviewers and law uh trained interviewers and law enforcement<02:11:21.520> um<02:
• of of a child victim and so interviews of of a child victim and so those<02:11:36.000> interviews
• available to view um those interviews available to view um those interviews that<02:11:45.559>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Division 3 House Finance Committee opened a work session and announced scheduling updates, including a second Medicaid work session on March 5 at 9:00 a.m. and a reminder that recommendations or budget amendments must be moved to the full finance committee by the end of March. Members were told no motions, roll calls, or votes would be taken, and the chair also reviewed upcoming meeting dates and weather-related cancellation procedures. The day’s presentation was a budget work session on the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), with officials Marie Nunan and Nathan White introducing the agency’s budget materials and mission. DCYF’s presentation focused on its core mandates and recent operational changes. Officials described child protective services, juvenile justice services, and the Sununu Youth Services Center, then highlighted workforce improvements, including reduced vacancy rates for assessment caseworkers, juvenile justice officers, and youth counselors. They attributed the staffing gains to legislative pay raises, mass recruitment posting changes, a more stable and trauma-informed model at SYC, and broader flexibility after prior budget cuts and hiring freezes. Members asked about full-time versus part-time staffing, and DCYF said most positions discussed were full-time, with some harder-to-fill part-time youth counselor roles at SYC. The committee also discussed DCYF’s emphasis on serving families earlier through its Community Navigator hotline referrals and community-based voluntary services, which are intended to connect families to supports before abuse or neglect escalates. Officials said the Community Navigator program had received 807 referrals since August 2023. On juvenile justice, DCYF described its assessment and diversion process and said it had reduced juvenile probation involvement by 30% from 2019 to 2023; members were directed to slide 17 for 2024 data, and officials said the trend continued toward fewer in-home juvenile justice cases. The agency also reported progress in kinship care, saying initial out-of-home placements with kin now occur 74% of the time and that kinship placements are associated with more reunification. Officials said kinship caregivers are being licensed and paid similarly to foster parents, and that the legislature’s kinship law has helped. Finally, DCYF outlined transition-age youth supports, including the HOPE program, Youth Villages LifeSet, and housing vouchers. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:27.520> interviews,<00:23:28.799> 12<00:23:29.200> court forensic interviews
• , 12 court forensic interviews, 12 court accompaniment, accompaniment, accompaniment, four<00:23:31.440
• Forensic is the gathering of evidence. Health insurance doesn't cover forensic gathering.
• there's a difference between forensic there's a difference between forensic and<04:49:57.280>
• They doesn't cover forensic gathering.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1651, which would create a civil sexual assault protective order for survivors who do not have a domestic violence or stalking relationship with the offender, and would also update the sexual assault survivors’ bill of rights regarding evidence kit retention and tracking. Representative Jennifer Rhodes, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to fill gaps for survivors assaulted by strangers, acquaintances, or others outside existing protective-order categories, and to ensure evidence is preserved for the longer of the statute of limitations or the retention period. Committee members asked whether the new order could be misused and how the bill would prevent frivolous petitions; the sponsor said the same legal process would apply and a victim would still have to prove they were actually assaulted. Representative Eileen Kelly and Lynn Shallet of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence testified in support, saying current law leaves many sexual assault survivors without a meaningful civil remedy unless they qualify for domestic violence or stalking relief. Shallet said the gap has existed for decades and noted that other states already have standalone sexual assault protective orders. She also said the bill would clarify survivors’ rights to know the status and location of their evidence kits. Shauna Foster of New Beginnings Without Violence and Abuse described local cases where survivors were denied protective orders because they lacked the required relationship with the offender, including a co-worker assault and an assault involving an unhoused survivor. Lisa Curtis, a survivor and founder of Safe Haven Ballet, gave emotional testimony in support, describing her own sexual assault and the difficulty of seeking protection and justice. She said survivors need safety to recover and that the bill would better align the justice system with trauma-informed support. Janet Carroll, a sexual assault nurse examiner and advisory board co-chair, testified that the bill’s evidence-kit provisions reflect federal changes and existing tracking practices. She explained that New Hampshire uses a kit tracking system that lets patients and professionals follow kits through the process, and said the bill would codify the right to be informed of a kit’s status and location. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Slide 9 shows the non-maximum security forensic waitlist.
• A lot of that higher cost is attributed to the type of patient, so forensic patients. which is about
• Ninety-one of those 169 are forensic, and the rest are civil. at 78, and also I will add that some of
• This is four forensic patients that are being treated. are with us for a longer stay and are ready to
• There are two additional as a result of a writer a writer that were forensic audits a forensic audit

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:46:07.480> for<00:46:07.760> those interviewing for those interviewing for those positions
• <03:16:56.680> on them on the spot we did um interviews on them on the spot we did um interviews
• Resume development for interview, resume development for interview, practicing that sort of thing
• They're there for some forensic issue, which is prolonging their hospitalization.
• <04:26:19.479> issue they're there uh for some forensic issue they're there uh for some forensic

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have now adequate staffing with 18 forensic pathologists.
• are broken down from a couple of years ago from The salary adjustments that we had to make with forensic
• I believe that we are interviewing applicants if it if it if it is not every single week of the month

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• product and then um we do not because under 3915 this body told us we cannot give copies of child forensic
• interviews to defense attorneys they have to access those um through a secure system.
• I know with my, like even with my forensic experts, uh, I have to link up with them if I'm trying to

Bills: HB207, HB235

Keywords: HB 207, Texas Government Code, Section 411.201, license to carry, LTC, handgun license, concealed carry, federal judge, immigration judge, immigration court, U.S. immigration court, judicial security, firearm carry permit, Texas handgun license, federal judiciary, HB235, Texas, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, disabled veteran

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we do not, because under 3915, this body told us we cannot give copies of child forensic interviews
• I know with my, like, even with my forensic experts, I have to link up with them if I'm trying to track

Bills: HB207, HB235, HB324, HB449, HB463, HB502, HB 1121, HB1445, HB1465, HB1778, HB1977, HB2000, HB2066, HB2596, HB207, HB235

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, obscenity laws, visual material, anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, criminal offenses, sexually explicit material, minors, artificial intelligence, sexually explicit, doll, mannequin, robot, law enforcement, healthcare, insurance, affordable care, access

Transcript Highlights:

• These are expert witness intensive, meaning forensic psychologists.
• If there's medical issues, uh, we'll use, uh, forensic psychiatrists as well in these cases.
• teaching technology skills to the clients, how to use a computer, how to do a resume, how to do, um, interview

Transcript Highlights:

• You just said avoiding duplicate interviews.
• interviewers like a SANE interview type of situation.
• > own<05:02:05.040> interviews<05:02:05.558> and conduct their own interviews and
• County where trained forensic County where trained forensic interviewers<05:02:21.958> like
• interviewers like a sane interview type interviewers like a sane interview type of<05:02:23.320>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 146, which would require longer retention and quicker disclosure of certain video recordings from traffic stops and similar motor vehicle violations when a citation is disputed. The prime sponsor described the bill as a response to a constituent who challenged a speeding ticket but could not obtain a cruiser video before it was deleted under the current 30-day retention practice. Supporters argued the bill is about fairness and access to potentially exculpatory evidence, and one member suggested a simple 60-day retention period might avoid confusion over different timelines. The sponsor also noted that the bill would not affect criminal cases and that victims and complainants should have access to the same evidence as law enforcement when a recording is relevant to a defense. Major Brendan Davey of the New Hampshire State Police testified in opposition. He said the proposal would create a different discovery standard for one type of evidence, could discourage agencies from adopting body-worn or cruiser cameras, and would add cost and administrative burden. He explained that the State Police already retain routine traffic-stop videos for at least 30 days, but keep videos much longer when complaints or possible litigation are involved, and said the current system balances efficiency with accountability. He also argued the underlying speeding case did not make the trooper video directly material to the citation, though he acknowledged the legislature could choose a longer blanket retention period if it wished. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then opened a public hearing on House Bill 638, which would allow people serving life without parole sentences to become eligible for a parole hearing at age 60 after serving at least 18 years, provided they have had no major conduct violations in the prior 10 years. The sponsor said the bill is intended to give a narrow second look to a small number of elderly prisoners, citing the high cost of incarceration and the health challenges of aging in prison. He emphasized that the bill would not automatically release anyone, would not apply to capital murder convictions under RSA 630:1, and would still allow victims to participate in the parole process. Testimony on HB 638 was mixed. Alexander Bailey, a survivor of violent crime and domestic violence advocate, supported the bill, saying many survivors favor rehabilitation, second chances, and restorative justice, and that people in prison often age faster and face serious health and safety problems. Another supporter, Russell Roy, began offering a personal story about crime, addiction, and violence in Concord, but the transcript cuts off before his full remarks. Committee members asked about why age 60 was chosen, how released individuals would support themselves, and whether victims or families would be consulted; the sponsor said 60 was meant to limit eligibility and reflect the health realities of prison, and that parole boards already consider support networks and victim input. No action or vote was taken in the hearing.