Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, we've had several disasters across the Commonwealth.
• I mean, we've had several disasters across the Commonwealth.
• I mean, we've had several disasters across the Commonwealth.

Keywords: 0:20 Rollcall 2:28 Definition of Legacy system and demands of modern workplaces 10:48 Discussion of funding and planned expenditures 22:26 Contingency funding 23:16 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance heard a presentation from the Commonwealth Office of Technology on legacy IT modernization funds and how they are used to address outdated, unsupported, or unsustainable systems. David Carter and Carrie Welch explained the state’s definition of a legacy system under KRS 7A.180, emphasizing not only vendor support issues but also changing business needs, regulatory compliance, and the loss of institutional knowledge for older systems. They described the office’s review process for determining whether a project qualifies, including assessing business risk, comparing options such as upgrades, replacements, shared solutions across agencies, or commercial products, and then matching the project to available funding. The presenters said COT reports twice a year to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue on progress with legacy modernization projects. They reported 30 projects funded to date, with 18 completed, and said remaining projects are still moving forward while agencies continue to identify modernization needs. They highlighted examples of completed work, including modernized security cameras, replacement of unsupported systems, migration of documents to the Commonwealth Enterprise Content Management Platform, restoration of vendor support, a digital policy acknowledgement portal, replacement of the State Police dispatch system, and digitization of paper records for faster retrieval and better disaster resilience. Members asked for more detail on how the $10 million request would be allocated, including system-by-system spending, the split between software, hardware, vendor contracts, and staff time, and how the office determines when a system needs replacement. COT said it did not have a system-by-system or cost-category breakdown at the hearing but could provide one later, and explained that the funds are intended for development and first-time acquisition costs rather than ongoing maintenance. They also said the $5 million annual request was based on prior years’ experience and that agencies often contribute some funding themselves, so the program could still operate if appropriated less than the full amount. The committee then approved the minutes and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• A recession could be coming, as could another unemployment disaster.
• This bill isn't going after first... ...disaster. And I mean this from the bottom of my heart.
• The bill updates the successful state-funded agriculture and aquaculture disaster recovery loan program

Summary: The Housing, Agriculture and Tourism Subcommittee heard and advanced several bills. HB 615, allowing landlords to send required notices electronically with tenant written consent, was amended to allow either landlords or tenants to send messages electronically and passed favorably after testimony from legal aid and tenant advocates urging stronger opt-in, opt-out, and notice protections. HB 665, dealing with local government impact fees and development permits, would limit certain art-related impact fees, define “extraordinary circumstances,” and require more public process before fee increases; it passed after local government and industry testimony focused on refining the extraordinary-circumstances definition and concerns about public art funding. HB 365, a tenant protection bill for affordable housing units receiving public incentives, was amended to apply only to leases of 13 months or less and to take effect in July 2026; it passed with support from housing advocates and AARP and was described as preventing mid-lease rent increases while preserving renewal-time adjustments. HB 381, requiring issuance of addresses and parcel identification numbers within a set timeframe, was amended to extend the deadline to 20 business days and shift the fee consequence to the address fee rather than the building permit fee; it passed after discussion about delays affecting developers and local government responsibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Declare the vote: 9 eyes, zero nay. I declare you'll Be able to pass, thank you, Mr.
• Declare the vote: 9 yes, 0 no. Your bill is passed. Pass, sir. Thank you, members.
• Representative, I declare your bill to have passed.
• Declare the vote. 9909 to clear your bill to pass. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, members.

Bills: HB3725, HB3260, HB3660, HB3369, HB3370

Keywords: labor, e-verification, immigration, employers, employment eligibility, Department of Labor, penalties, funeral licensing, continuing education, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, professional development, licensing requirements, HB3660, natural organic reduction, human composting, soil reduction, green burial, funeral services, cremation, burial permit

Transcript Highlights:

• Prop 4 is entitled<00:27:01.600> Declaration<00:27:02.240> of<00:27:02.400> Rights,<
• /c> entitled Declaration of Rights, entitled Declaration of Rights, Government<00:27:03.679> for
• <00:31:28.720> of first made in the Declaration of first made in the Declaration of Independence
• At a time of growing division and democratic backsliding nationally, this amendment declares clearly
• At a time of growing division and democratic backsliding nationally, this amendment declares clearly

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional for Mental Health Awareness Month, focused on the fragility and renewability of mental health and the importance of human connection, kindness, and reaching out to people who are struggling. The chamber then handled several referral items, including first reading and referral of Senate Bill 329, an act relating to criminal procedures involving firearms, to the Judiciary Committee. It also referred Senate Bills 323 and 326 to the Committee on Appropriations because they carry appropriations, and noted that Senate Bill 278, relating to cannabis and state revenue, had been reported favorably with amendment and was referred to Ways and Means under House Rule 35A. The House took up Joint Senate Resolution 53 on weekend adjournment for May 15, 2026, and adopted it in concurrence by voice vote. The chamber also read House Concurrent Resolution 284 honoring former Senate Majority Leader and Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs’ Executive Director John F. Campbell for his public service, including his work on marriage equality and gun control, and members gave remarks recognizing his leadership, humor, and impact on the institution. Several guests were welcomed and recognized during announcements, including a representative involved in a diaper drive, local officials, and Norma Malone, who was honored for decades of public service in Barry Town and related local boards. The main floor action was on Proposal 4, a proposed constitutional amendment on equality of rights. The Judiciary Committee recommended concurrence, and the member from Burlington explained the amendment’s purpose and process, emphasizing that it would add an equal protection guarantee to the Vermont Constitution covering race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and national origin, while preserving other constitutional protections. The member also reviewed the proposal’s prior passage in both chambers in the previous biennium and its current path toward appearing on the November 2026 ballot if approved again by the House and Senate. The transcript ends while the House is still hearing extended remarks on Proposal 4, with no final vote on the amendment shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also recommend a more recurring revenue stream for the Disaster Relief and Resiliency Fund and dedicate
• $20 million. ...more recurring revenue stream for the Disaster Relief and Resiliency Fund and dedicate
• $20 million of this fund, given that disaster relief has emerged as a major financial exposure for the
• at the end of the summer, there's no way for us to responsibly incorporate what, frankly, was the disaster
• that Congress left us with and that Trump signed into law. ...frankly, the disaster that Congress left

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint budget hearing opened the FY27 budget process with remarks from the Senate and House Ways and Means chairs, who described the fiscal outlook as challenging because of slow revenue growth, rising health care and other costs, and uncertainty from federal policy changes. Governor Healey and Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz then presented House 2, a $62.8 billion budget that they said grows by about 1% and does not raise taxes or fees. They emphasized affordability, fiscal discipline, protection of core services, and continued investment in education, transportation, housing, child care, health care, and public safety. The administration also discussed a separate bill to delay and phase in certain federal tax-code changes from the so-called OB3 law, especially research and experimental expense provisions, to reduce immediate budget impacts and preserve competitiveness. A major portion of the hearing focused on education and municipal aid. The administration said House 2 provides about $7.6 billion for Chapter 70 aid, fully funds the final year of the Student Opportunity Act, increases special education circuit breaker funding, and raises rural school aid. Senators and representatives from both parties raised concerns that Chapter 70 and other aid formulas are not equitable for small, rural, and low-wealth communities and are not keeping pace with inflation, and several called for broader review of the formula and related funding streams. The governor and secretary said they are open to further discussion, pointed to additional support through rural aid, special education, transportation reimbursements, and minimum aid, and said total Student Opportunity Act investment would reach about $2.1 billion over the life of the law. Transportation, housing, and fair share spending were also central topics. The administration said fair share revenues are being used holistically, with education-heavy spending in the operating budget and transportation-heavy spending in the supplemental budget, and estimated the overall split to date at roughly 57% education and 43% transportation. They highlighted MBTA stabilization, regional transit authority support, microtransit, fare-free regional transit, and bridge and commuter rail investments, while noting the MBTA remains a major fiscal concern. On housing, the governor stressed production, permitting reform, ADUs, down-payment assistance, and support for public housing authorities, while lawmakers pressed for more funding for local housing authorities and for ways to address out-migration, energy costs, and affordability. The governor also said the administration will not withhold fire safety grants from communities over MBTA Communities Act noncompliance and will handle such issues case by case. No votes were taken at the hearing; it was an informational presentation and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• With 45 votes in the affirmative, Senate Bill 77 has received a constitutional majority and is declared
• With 45 votes in the affirmative, Senate Bill 91 has received a constitutional majority and is declared
• With 45 votes in the affirmative, Senate Bill 109 has received a constitutional majority and is declared
• With 45 votes in the affirmative, Senate Bill 194 has received a constitutional majority and is declared
• With 45 votes in the affirmative, Senate Bill 99, having received a constitutional majority, is declared

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation by Reverend Jod Gun, whose prayer was journalized by unanimous consent. The chamber then recognized several guests, including representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, who were present for a resolution honoring Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week, as well as former Delegate and physician Dan Moheim, Towson University students, a veteran guest, and parents and young children visiting for Maryland Family Network’s Day in Annapolis. The Senate adopted a resolution recognizing the National Alliance on Mental Illness for its advocacy on tardive dyskinesia screening, early detection, and treatment, and designated May 5–9 as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. The resolution was read and adopted without objection. The chamber also unanimously welcomed the guest groups and thanked them for their service and advocacy. In second-reader action, the Senate advanced several bills with committee amendments adopted without objection. Senate Bill 113, the Longevity Ready Maryland Act, was amended to refine aging-related planning, website reporting, and Commission on Aging membership, then ordered to third reading. Senate Bill 123 updated the membership of the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities and was also sent to third reading. Senate Bill 336 extended the Task Force on the Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances for one year and added an HBCU representative. Senate Bill 394 expanded expedited partner therapy to bacterial vaginosis and added licensed certified midwives as authorized practitioners. Senate Bill 444 changed certificate-of-need requirements for certain intermediate care facilities, and Senate Bill 461 conformed the SNAP Heat and Eat Program to federal eligibility rules; both were advanced to third reading. The Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee then took up Senate Bill 108, which would authorize the Maryland Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties for certain water, wetlands, dam, and riparian-rights violations and expand administrative enforcement tools. Several senators raised concerns about the scope of the bill, its effect on shoreline restoration, dams, stormwater and wetlands enforcement, and whether it could allow penalties without adequate process or encourage payment instead of correction. The floor leader responded that the amendment requires notice, an informal meeting, and consideration of good-faith efforts before penalties are imposed in certain cases, and said the bill does not change permit requirements. The debate continued as members sought clarification on how the bill would apply to private dams, HOAs, farmers, and shoreline projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:22:19.039> emergency declaring a public health emergency declaring a public health emergency
• <00:25:17.440> Declaring<00:25:17.919> a and endangering residents.
• Declaring a and endangering residents.
• Declaring a public<00:25:18.320> health<00:25:18.559> emergency<00:25:19.120> ensures
• I haven't seen a declaration for a public health emergency based on that. I'm done.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they don't count against the limit, but um, so it doesn't prohibit it, but it does say if you can't declare
• campaign<00:09:43.680> expense<00:09:44.160> if<00:09:44.480> you're declare
• it a campaign expense if you're declare it a campaign expense if you're paying<00:09:45.680> for<
• this a expenditure because I declare this a expenditure because I don't<00:10:52.480> think<00
• It would just limit your ability to declare it to be a non-campaign expenditure.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 3363, a bill focused on protecting the privacy and safety of legislators and other candidates by limiting public access to home addresses and related information in campaign finance and election filings. The author said the bill was prompted by the events of June 14 and was intended to make temporary Campaign Finance Board changes permanent. No public testimony was offered, and the author explained that the bill had been narrowed and reorganized after a Senate delete-everything amendment expanded its scope. Members then considered a series of amendments. The A1 amendment, which added security devices and security services as allowable non-campaign disbursements, was adopted after questions about family relationships and whether payments to relatives could qualify. The A2 through A9 amendments were also adopted, covering data classification or redaction of street addresses in Campaign Finance Board reports, lobbyist gift reports, candidate affidavits of candidacy, nominating petitions, local government candidate reports, and retroactive redaction of existing reports. The A4 amendment was modified by A12 to apply city, state, and ZIP code reporting to political committees, political funds, and party units. The A13 amendment removed a proposed misdemeanor penalty tied to disclosure violations, and the A14 amendment was adopted to give caucus and chamber leaders access to actual candidate addresses, though members noted the language still needed refinement and that the intent was to continue working on it. There was discussion about whether the address-access language in A14 would apply to all candidates or only legislative candidates, and whether it would affect residency disputes; staff said it would not change complaint or court processes, but could be a data point. Several members said they had concerns about the breadth of the language but were willing to keep working on it. After the amendments were adopted, the committee moved to the bill as amended and recommended that House File 3363 be re-referred to the Judiciary Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:17:40.240> signed after, Robert Treat Paine, signed after, Robert Treat Paine, signed Declaration
• <00:17:42.080> And<00:17:42.200> I<00:17:42.240> mean, Declaration of Independence
• And I mean, Declaration of Independence.
• That document inspired the Declaration<00:27:26.760> of<00:27:26.800> Independence,<00:
• 27:27.280> which<00:27:27.440> has Declaration of Independence, which has Declaration of

Bills: SB271, HB511

Keywords: SB271, Alabama, municipalities, city fees, town fees, franchise fees, utility franchise, natural gas, manufactured gas, gas utility, public streets, public places, right-of-way, municipal consent, gross receipts tax, license tax, privilege tax, Public Service Commission, PSC, utility regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3419 having received eight ayes and zero nays, I declare the same to have passed.
• Having received eight ayes and zero nays, I declare the bill to have passed. Thank you, Mr.
• Having received eight ayes and zero nays, I declare the bill to have passed. Thank you, Mr.
• Having received six ayes and three nays, I declare House Bill 4335 to have passed, handing the chair

Bills: HB3419, HB3624, HB3748, HB4335

Keywords: corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law, public office, counties, property taxation, watercourse, boundaries, effective date, county government, administration, local resources, public institutions, construction, maintenance, animal welfare, pet shops, commercial breeders, county regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 9 is an act relating to teacher benefit provisions and also declaring an emergency.
• So we’re talking about properties that the city has title to, that have been declared... ...which is
• So we’re talking about properties that the city has title to, that have been declared... ...So we’re
• talking about properties that the city has title to, that have been declared...
• been yeah declared so in this<00:26:42.880> event<00:26:43.480> if<00:26:43.640> the

Keywords: Consideration of SB 176 01:52 Consideration of SB 104 05:03 Consideration of SB 9 08:09 Consideration of SB 129 18:50 Consideration of SB 178 31:20, 958, all

Summary: The House State Government Committee met with a quorum and took up several Senate bills, adopting committee substitutes where offered. Senate Bill 176, relating to statutory committees within the Legislative Research Commission, was presented by Senator Matt Nunn as a cleanup and process-streamlining measure for appointments, vacancies, and appointing authorities. It passed the committee 15-0 with a title amendment. Senate Bill 104, presented by Senator Scott Maiden and the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority, would update deferred compensation law by adding a fiduciary standard, allowing less expensive liability insurance, making federal-law compliance self-correcting, and authorizing a self-directed brokerage account option. It passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Senate Bill 9, presented by Senator Jimmy Higdon, would change teacher retirement-related leave provisions, including up to 30 days of maternity leave, a 13-day annual rollover toward retirement, limits on using annual leave to increase retirement benefits, reporting requirements, and related cleanup provisions. After questions about maternity leave, district flexibility, and the actuarial cost of additional days, it passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Senate Bill 129, presented by Senator Rocky Adams and House sponsor Representative John Hudson, was described as a housing and redevelopment measure aimed at vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties in Louisville. Testimony focused on allowing qualified nonprofits to purchase certain tax-delinquent properties after a waiting period, along with provisions on density development, accessory dwelling units, urban development incentives, fire and code enforcement recovery, a Central Business District tax fix, and changes to binding elements. Members raised concerns about nonprofit qualifications, land bank overlap, and county clerk burden; the bill passed 13-1 with one pass and received a title amendment. Senate Bill 178, presented by Senator Mike Nemes, was a short reorganization bill to codify the transfer of the Department of Disability Determination Services Program from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Labor Cabinet. It passed 12-0. The committee then recorded additional votes and adjourned, with the chair thanking members and staff, noting it was likely the final meeting of the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• business will be observed today: prayer, pledge of allegiance, introduction to doctor and nurse, declaration
• Declare the vote: 76 in favor, 14 nay, having a majority vote of those present and constituting the house
• Declare the vote: two nay, ever seen a majority vote of those like to in constitution in the house.
• I declare the bill to pass.
• I declare the emergency to have passed. Mr. Leader, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bills: SB1287, SB1983, SB1796, SB1806, SB1558, SB2135, SB483, SB1198, SB1265, SB2154, SB2139, SB1552, SB2118, SB1775, SB259, SB1344, SB1380, SB2007, SB1572, SB2074, SB1423, SB1425, SB1502, SB1503, SB1833, SB1561, SB1555, SB2044, SB1749, SB904, SB1565, SB1500, SB667, SB1484, SB1562, SB1644, HR1045, SB227, SB1627, SB1475, SB1966, SB2049, SB1531, SB80, SB1734, SB1630, SB1894, SB1975, SB1432, SB1437, SB1812, SB346, SB710, SB1489, SB1614, SB2045, SB1250, SB1304, SB1501, SB1946, SB592, SB65, SB1257, SB444, SB640, SB2178, SB1242, SB1642

Keywords: abstraction, licensing, Oklahoma Abstractors Board, criminal background, good moral character, SB1983, foster care, resource family partner, resource family partners, Department of Human Services, DHS, child welfare, foster homes, foster children, placement data, data sharing, de-identified data, aggregated data, sibling groups, placement disruptions

Transcript Highlights:

• talking like a lawyer and bore everybody in the room, but there is an Act of Alabama 1858-9 which declared
• And so, once that was declared a public highway and a dam was placed across it, the reservoir becomes
• Correct, that's our legal position once it's declared navigable.
• Well, so you're saying it was declared by statute, yes, and also by the analysis that DCNR goes through
• It's a purely private lake, so it was never declared a navigable waterway in the history of Alabama.

Bills: HB471, HB473

Keywords: water authority, sewer management, fire protection, local governance, board of directors, local officers, water recreation, public access, water bodies, recreational use, water commissions, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff made a great recommendation in the first stop for the legislature to find and declare that this
• Senate Bill 86 declares And sadly, there are many more cases.
• Senate Bill 86 declares that the operation of a commercial vehicle by an unauthorized alien is an imminent
• Senate Bill 86 declared And sadly, there are many more cases.
• Senate Bill 86 declares that the operation of a commercial vehicle by an unauthorized alien is an imminent

Summary: The Fiscal Policy Committee met and first adopted a late-filed amendment to SB 774, which expands enhanced workers’ compensation coverage to 911 public safety telecommunicators for mental or nervous injuries. The bill drew supportive testimony from a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher and others, and was reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 770 on forensic services for certain defendants, which would allow the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to consolidate secure forensic services for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism whose charges were dismissed after incompetency findings. Members then considered several public safety, family, and workforce bills. CS/SB 86, which declares unauthorized aliens operating commercial vehicles an imminent safety hazard and imposes vehicle impoundment and a $50,000 penalty on motor carriers, was reported favorably after questions about impound procedures and cargo handling; one speaker opposed it. SB 1594, protecting veterans’ benefits for foster youth so the funds are reserved for postsecondary education, training, and after-care services, was reported favorably with supportive testimony from a former DCF attorney. CS/SB 760, creating a new offense for willful violations of no-contact pretrial release conditions in violent crime cases, was reported favorably despite criminal defense attorneys’ concerns about a provision allowing warrantless arrests without officer observation. The committee also approved a complete rewrite of the nonprofit corporations chapter in SB 554, a sickle cell continuing education bill (SB 844) after extensive emotional testimony from patients, advocates, and family members, and SB 1022 adding two children’s initiative programs in Bay County and Broward County. CS/SB 1246 broadened the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund to include health science education programs and related workforce needs and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee approved CS/CS/SB 1230 restricting use and sale of certain firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS, and CS/CS/SB 128 directing DEP to mark Red Harris Spoil Island; both passed with favorable votes. Several senators later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific tabs, and the meeting adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• chairir Burns, Chair Hamilton There are 7 ays and two nays. 1519 Having received 7 ays and 2 nays, I declare
• Senate Bill 1775 having received ten zero nays, I declare The same to have passed. Thank you, Mr.
• Having received 11 aye and zero nays, I declare the same to have passed. Thank you, Chairman.
• I declare the same to have passed. Senator Albert is recognized to explain Senate Bill 2080.
• I declare the same to have passed. Senator Hamilton presiding. Thank you.

Bills: SB1519, SB1775, SB1900, SB1948, SB2080

Keywords: municipal zoning, home-based businesses, no-impact businesses, local government, regulation, short-term rentals, municipal ordinance, municipal court, court of record, court not of record, city penalties, fine limits, penalty cap, ordinance enforcement, state statute, traffic offenses, speeding, parking, DUI, DWI

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill failing to receive a constitutional majority, I declare it lost.
• The bill having received a constitutional majority, I declare it passed and ordered to the Senate.
• Members, we are going to... ...already declare it passed and ordered to the Senate.
• The bill having received a two-thirds constitutional majority, I declare it passed and ordered to the
• The bill having received a two-thirds constitutional majority, I declare it passed and ordered to the

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Declare the vote 100 nay.
• Declare the vote 10 aye 0 nay. Mr.
• Declare the vote 100 nay.
• Declare the vote, please. As soon as you tell me.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is the Environmental Product Declaration Program.
• commercial or residential developers Are starting to require the use of environmental product declarations
• They have five cement and concrete blends that are certified that have The Environmental Product Declaration
• And to speak to the existing facilities briefly, for the rebate and For the Environmental Product Declaration

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reflection. 249 years ago tomorrow, a British college colony on the east coast of North America declared
• , with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, that they would be known as the United States
• Some historians consider the Declaration of Independence to be the beginning of the end.
• I declare on the urgency thereof to take effect immediately.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and the number of instructional days per week that students are required to be in school programs, declaring
• relating to health care, enacting the Behavioral Health Medicaid Waiver Act, making an appropriation, declaring
• Administrative penalties, declaring an emergency.
• Criminal history background checks, declaring an emergency.