Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 479, universal recognition of occupational license for aggravated garden guarding practices
• occupational license for aggravated occupational license for aggravated garden<00:43:04.000> guarding
• <00:43:04.320> practices<00:43:04.920> of<00:43:04.960> marriage garden guarding
• practices of marriage garden guarding practices of marriage and<00:43:05.440> family<00:43:05.760

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 9 March, 2026; 4:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then handled a series of introductions and announcements. Members welcomed guests in the gallery, recognized the doctor of the day, and later made several announcements about memorials, committee meeting times, and calendar deadlines. The chamber also agreed to dispense with the reading of the journal and the titles of bills and resolutions. The body then took up multiple measures, mostly on the appropriations, rules, and general bills calendars. Among the bills discussed and passed were House Bill 941 on the Mississippi Healthcare Industry Zone Act, with an amendment changing the repealer date to 2028; House Bill 1633 on the Site Development Grant Program, with a strike-all clarifying eligible utility and site-improvement expenditures; House Bill 1404 on fraudulent utility conversion, with a substitute strike-all adding protections and criminal penalties related to landlords failing to pay tenant-funded utilities; House Bill 907 revising the timing for sample ballots from the Secretary of State; House Bill 867 allowing Ross Barnett Reservoir funds to be used for shoreline maintenance and erosion prevention; House Bill 1558 revising compensation and reimbursement for the Tishomingo County Water District; and House Bill 514 revising the Veterinary Practice Act to protect certified veterinary technicians and update board membership and fees. Several other measures were also addressed, including Senate Bill 2648, which would let the MSU Extension Service assist poultry farmers with comprehensive nutrient management plans and was amended by the House to add Alcorn State University; Senate Bill 2637, on flexibility for the Northeast District livestock show location, on which the Senate voted not to concur and invite conference; House Bill 1069, the Mississippi Agriculture and Farmland Wind Tower Protection Act of 2026, which was amended to shift review of a waterfowl impact assessment to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and impose a one-year moratorium with a study committee; House Bill 1073, a consumer choice bill restricting bans on gas-powered farm equipment and lawn tools; House Bill 942 extending the chiropractic licensure repealer and allowing certain animal chiropractic work under veterinarian supervision; and House Bill 479, which extended temporary licensing timeframes for psychology and marriage and family therapy and added safeguards tied to background checks and qualifications. Most of these measures were adopted and passed by voice vote or by afternoon or morning roll call, with a few items retained on the calendar and several motions to reconsider or hold bills for later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 590, Representative Bratcher, an act relating to benefits for Kentucky National Guard members
• relating to benefits for Kentucky act relating to benefits for Kentucky National<01:02:59.200> Guard
• <01:03:00.319> House<01:03:00.640> Bill<01:03:00.880> 591, National Guard members
• House Bill 591, National Guard members.

Keywords: Convene 00:00:00 Senate Message 00:05:34 Calendar/2nd Readings 00:06:28 Orders of the Day 00:08:10 HB 542 00:08:34 HB 565 00:23:06 HB 611 00:25:32 HB 657 00:28:39 HB 762 00:31:07 HB 108 00:34:54 HB 67 00:39:02 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 00:46:48 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 00:58:42 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 00:59:12 ConC/Rules Report 01:02:18 Floor Amendments 01:03:42 Adjournment 01:04:02, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum with 92 members present, excused absent members, and approved the journal. The chamber also received notice that the Senate had passed Senate Bills 5, 12, and 73 and requested concurrence. Members then moved through second reading of several bills, including measures on geoengineering, video teleconference meetings, dissolution of marriage, licensed child care centers, city franchises, trophy catfish, peer support specialists, and House Joint Resolution 25 on Kentucky becoming a “food is medicine” state. The House then considered and passed several bills on third reading. House Bill 387, relating to the Controlled Substance Prescribing Council, was amended and passed 91-1 after debate over veterinarians’ reporting requirements; the bill bars such reporting by regulation, removes an emergency medicine physician and acute care nurse from the council, and adds two veterinarians. House Bill 45, modernizing CPA licensure, passed 93-0. House Bill 369, adding PTSD to conditions eligible for hyperbaric oxygen therapy for veterans, passed 93-0. House Bill 333, concerning faith-based small-scale affordable housing and shelters, passed 90-1 after discussion of housing needs, zoning limits, affordability requirements, and shelter standards. House Bill 50, addressing removal of persons unlawfully occupying real property, passed 92-0, and House Bill 388, a cleanup bill for the CASPER prescription monitoring program, passed 92-0. The House also passed House Bill 385, clarifying that the Commonwealth and Cabinet for Health and Family Services are financially responsible for non-elective medical care for patients of state-operated mental health facilities, by a 91-0 vote. House Bill 212, allowing licensed veterinary technicians to administer rabies vaccinations to dogs, cats, and ferrets under veterinarian supervision, passed 92-0. After these actions, the House took up House Resolution 58 recognizing February 6, 2026, as National Wear Red Day in Kentucky; the sponsor spoke about heart disease awareness and two young constituents awaiting heart transplants, and the resolution was adopted without objection. Later, the House received announcements about caucus meetings and committee meetings, then introduced a large slate of new bills and House Resolution 61 commemorating the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. The Committee on Committees and Rules Committee reported referrals and postings, including referral of several bills to standing committees and posting House Bills 748, 266, 305, and 470 for Monday, February 9, 2026. The session ended after introduction of floor amendments to House Bill 356.

Transcript Highlights:

• On your previous slide, did you use any National Guard help this year at all?
• We did not need any Ground National Guard assistance this year.
• It seems like our National Guard has been involved in fighting fires here for many years, and I'm just
• National Guard is typically used as, like, the last-resort surge when we reach a state of emergency,

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session covering the state revenue outlook, caseload forecasts, wildfire costs, budget balance, tort liability, water supply, and pension policy. The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported modest near-term U.S. growth, no near-term Washington employment growth in 2026, continued personal income growth, and elevated inflation, with tariffs and federal policy cited as major risks. Revenue forecasts were slightly improved for the current biennium by about $105 million but down about $185 million for the next biennium. Members asked about income inequality and housing permits; staff said personal income is an aggregate measure and housing production remains below long-term needs. The Caseload Forecast Council then reported that most forecasts were unchanged or only slightly changed, but several programs increased, including Washington College Grant, Working Connections, aged/blind/disabled cash grants, nursing homes, home and community services, and developmental disabilities personal care. The largest policy-driven change was in Medicaid low-income adult caseloads, where federal H.R. 1 was projected to reduce coverage substantially through narrower eligibility, community engagement requirements, and shorter eligibility periods. The committee also heard a wildfire funding update and a 2025 fire season review. Staff explained that the state budgets $93 million annually for suppression and uses supplemental appropriations for costs above that level, with an estimated state supplemental need of about $139 million for the current year. Department of Natural Resources officials said 2025 fire activity remained below the 10-year average in acres burned, but fires were more complex and closer to communities, contributing to higher residence loss. They described expanded use of aircraft, firefighters from other states, corrections crews, and the Arcadia 20 hand crew, and said the state did not need National Guard ground support this year. A budget preview then showed that the near general fund outlook had worsened after vetoes, lapses, and forecast changes, and that maintenance-level costs alone would leave a projected negative balance by fiscal year 2027 and about $4.3 billion by fiscal year 2029, before any policy decisions. Jason Seams, the state risk manager, reported a sharp rise in tort claim costs, with indemnity expenses nearly doubling from fiscal year 2023 to 2025 and DCYF accounting for most of the increase. He said the state self-insurance liability account has run deficits for four straight biennia and is now facing nearly $600 million in deficits, driven largely by a surge in DCYF claims, especially juvenile rehabilitation and long-running sex abuse cases. Members asked about the role of old claims, comparisons with other states, excess insurance, and whether more Attorney General staff could reduce special assistant attorney general costs. The committee then shifted to water policy, hearing from tribal leaders, Ecology, and the Washington Water Trust. Tribal witnesses emphasized overappropriation, declining flows, climate impacts, and the need for legislative oversight and tribal participation in water policy. Ecology described major projects in the Odessa sub-area, Yakima Basin, and Dungeness, along with the need for storage, recharge, conservation, and policy changes to support water supply development. The Washington Water Trust argued that climate change is reducing summer flows and that the state needs more funding, enforcement, and long-term commitment to restore instream flows. The final item was a pension update on LEOFF 1 surplus assets; staff reviewed two 2025 bills that would have merged or restructured the plan and used surplus assets, but neither passed, and instead the budget directed the Select Committee on Pension Policy to study the issue and report back.

Transcript Highlights:

• was given to Grand Portage in 2023 for the purchase of equipment and to fund a position for Coast Guard
• 00:04:42.000> position<00:04:42.320> for<00:04:42.639> Coast<00:04:42.880> Guard
• to fund a position for Coast Guard to fund a position for Coast Guard services<00:04:44.240>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, House Memorial 4005 by Representative Daley, Florida National Guard.
• House Memorial 4005 urges Congress to increase the size of Florida's National Guard.
• Rescue Team for Florida, and I'm wondering, I read a lot of force protection language in the National Guard
• This solely gives, would give the Guard the authority to increase the size of the body itself.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/HB 69, which would preempt local land-use decisions for presidential libraries to the state. The sponsor said the bill was intended to make it easier to site a presidential library in Florida. Members asked about whether the bill could affect nontraditional uses such as hotels or casinos, and the sponsor said it only addressed land-use and development-order decisions. There was no public testimony, and the bill was reported favorably 16-7. The committee then took up CS/HB 289, “Lucy's Law,” on boating safety. The bill expands boating education requirements, aligns boating penalties more closely with driving offenses, prohibits false information in vessel accident reports, and requires certain nonresidents to obtain boating safety cards. An amendment requiring boating safety courses for those convicted of civil boating infractions was adopted. The committee heard emotional testimony from Lucy Fernandez’s mother, who described the fatal 2022 boating crash that inspired the bill, along with support from industry and local-government witnesses. Members from both parties spoke in favor, emphasizing accountability, education, and enforcement. The bill passed unanimously, 25-0. HB 7003, an open-government/sunshine bill, preserved a public-records exemption for sensitive business information submitted with applications to the Office of Financial Regulation’s financial technology sandbox. It drew no public testimony or debate and was reported favorably. HB 4007, a local bill for Martin County, capped reimbursement for inmate emergency health care at 110% of Medicare, mirroring the Department of Corrections standard; it also passed favorably after supportive public testimony. The longest discussion was on HB 991, which would prohibit creation of new community redevelopment agencies after July 1, 2025, bar current CRAs from starting new projects or issuing new debt after October 1, 2025, and sunset existing CRAs by 2045 or their charter date, whichever is earlier. The sponsor argued CRAs have become long-lived funding vehicles used beyond their original anti-blight purpose and said local governments have other tools. Many members from both parties objected that CRAs remain important for affordable housing, small business support, infrastructure, and redevelopment in blighted areas, and several said the bill would harm ongoing or multi-phase projects. Three amendments were offered: one defining “new project,” one striking the new-CRA prohibition, and one striking the new-debt/new-project language; all were defeated except the first, which was adopted. Public testimony was split, with redevelopment groups, cities, and the Florida League of Cities opposing the bill and Americans for Prosperity supporting it. The committee did not reach final disposition in the portion provided, but the debate showed substantial opposition and concern about the bill’s impact on local redevelopment efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Safety of our children, school personnel, and crossing guards in school zones is vitally important.
• Tragically, the recent death of a beloved crossing guard, Ms.

Bills: HB410, HR310, HR314, HR316, HR317, HR321, HR275, HR276, HR279, HR282, HR286, HR289, HR292, HR295, HR302, HR319, HR307, HR273, SCR59, SCR61, SCR62, SCR68, SCR69, SCR70, SCR54, SCR55, SCR64, SCR75, HCR32, HB776, HB42, HB119, HB159, HB302, HB1017, HB1028, SB217, SB283, HB953, SB208, HR74, HB998, HB901, HR20, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB82, SB89, SB97, SB123, SB237, HB36, HB74, HB75, HB258, HB259, HB414, HB459, HB784, HB848, HB956, HB1095, HB1220, HB1252, SB469, SB479

Keywords: recording, privacy, notification, direct conversation, law enforcement, first responder, penalties, oil and gas, orphan wells, inactive wells, shut-in wells, marginal wells, plugging and abandonment, well decommissioning, site remediation, site restoration, Oilfield Site Restoration, OSR program, financial security, bonding

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, the pledge, and a national anthem performance, then moved through several personal privileges and recognitions. Members welcomed a student cancer survivor and entrepreneur, Bella of Brave Bella Bead Company, and also recognized a new legislative assistant, a page leaving for college, and a resolution honoring National Mississippi River Day. The chamber also received conference committee reports and enrollment reports, and returned some previously failed measures to the calendar, including H.R. 119 and H.B. 410. The main floor action centered on a series of Senate concurrent resolutions, most of which were adopted overwhelmingly. These included SCR 59 on re-evaluating flood maps and insurance rates tied to the Comite River Diversion Canal, SCR 61 urging higher reimbursement for behavioral health crisis centers, SCR 62 calling for review of school-zone safety and speed limits, SCR 68 creating a blockchain and digital innovation task force, SCR 69 encouraging continued research to reduce sugarcane burning, SCR 70 supporting the Major Richard Star Act for medically retired combat-wounded veterans, SCR 54 supporting the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act, SCR 55 designating the Peggy Martin Rose as the official state rose, SCR 64 creating a construction manager-at-risk task force, SCR 75 studying a Louisiana maneuvers museum and trail, and SCR 80 creating a task force on the minimum foundation program and long-term teacher pay funding. Most passed with little or no opposition, with SCR 84 on earthquake seismic activity in several parishes amended to adjust task force membership before final adoption. The House also heard a personal privilege statement honoring the late Ponder P.C. Clinton Jr., a noted Black farmer, cattleman, and community leader in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove neighborhood, and expressed condolences to his family. Later, members received a hurricane-season reminder from Rep. Jay Galle about disaster response procedures and the need to work through parish emergency offices. The transcript ends as the House moves into additional concurrent resolutions returned from the Senate with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so there's already security guards over there.
• I think our people are trained professionals as opposed to rented security guards, not to diminish their

Summary: The committee met to consider several budget and staffing requests tied to constitutional offices and the Supreme Court, with opening remarks noting that fringe benefits are now calculated at 40% to 45% and that constitutional officers may pay the maximum if they choose. Item B, a Supreme Court request for one new Supreme Court police chief position with no appropriation increase, was approved. Item C, from the Secretary of State, sought five additional Capitol Police corporal positions, title realignments, and salary maximum adjustments, along with a $498,000 appropriation increase; members questioned how the office could absorb pay changes without new funding, and the office explained it was cleaning up a large and outdated classification structure while also preparing to provide security for an additional building. The item was approved. Item D, from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, proposed moving from line-item maximum salaries to state pay-plan grades, with no change in total positions but about a $349,000 increase in salaries and matching funds. Office representatives said the office had not had raises in nearly a decade and needed the change to stay competitive and retain staff, but members raised concerns about comparing the office’s pay to other agencies and about office staffing and accessibility. Senator Hill asked to hold the item for offline discussion, and the committee agreed to hold it until the next day. Item E, from the Auditor’s Office, requested salary realignments, increases to line-item maximums, and two new positions tied to UCP claims and compliance work, with a total increase of $579,468. The auditor said the office had already pulled a government relations position from the request after an updated packet was issued, and defended the remaining increases as market-based and revenue-neutral, with some work funded by interest earnings. Members questioned the need for a legislative affairs position and whether the salary increases were aligned with the market, but after discussion the committee approved the item. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Proverbs 4:23: Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
• We pray that you guard their heart as they draw from that wellspring.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rifle provides three points of contact. out with, of course, the forend, your hand on the handle. hand guard
• The guards called the police and said, hey, these guys aren't doing anything wrong, but we're trying

Bills: SB108, SB318, SB507, SB511, SB533, SB1026, SB1386, SB1433, SB1434, SB1596

Keywords: elections, Election Code, poll workers, election clerks, presiding judge, alternate presiding judge, polling place, central counting station, county chair, political party, gubernatorial election, vote counting, election administration, Texas elections, precinct officials, ballot counting, county election officials, election integrity, election fraud, Attorney General

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we are, uh, often asked to help with the funding of food at the prison and so we want to find out
• If you do have the opportunity, I would encourage you also to see the Wyoming Frontier Prison.
• If you do have the opportunity, I would encourage you also to see the Wyoming Frontier Prison.
• If you do have the opportunity, I would encourage you also to see the Wyoming Frontier Prison.
• To see the Wyoming Frontier Prison.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The<02:07:56.960> jails<02:07:57.360> and<02:07:57.599> prisons<02:07:57.920>
• in our state are The jails and prisons in our state are unable<02:07:59.920> to<02:08:00.159>
• And there are people from the state prison, the Department of Corrections, the Space Force agencies,
• And there are people from the state<02:10:22.880> prison,<02:10:23.360> the<02:10:23.679
• > department<02:10:24.000> of state prison, the department of state prison, the department

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you're telling me now that we're removing those structural guard rails that the Department of
• And if you're telling me now that we're removing those structural guard rails that the Department of
• And if you're telling me now that we're removing those structural guard rails that the Department of
• <01:24:25.520> rails um had there were structural guard rails um had there were structural
• So there will guard rails will be left.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met with Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre and Charitable Gaming Chief Compliance Officer Kulie Aoyo to review proposed changes in HB 2 and related amendments affecting video lottery terminals, historic horse racing, charitable gaming, and scratch tickets. McIntyre said the late-arriving amendment made revenue estimates difficult, especially because the bill would allow operators to decide when to convert from HHR to VLTs and would change the floor-space rules. He explained that the existing 70/30 floor-space split between machines and table games was negotiated to protect charity revenue, and warned that moving to a 90/10 split could reduce charity revenue, potentially by as much as $17 million, while also changing the character of the facilities. Committee members discussed whether to keep the 70/30 split, and McIntyre said he could provide updated estimates later that day, including net impacts after any offsetting gains or losses under current law. Members also asked about the governor’s proposed operator share versus the Sweeney amendment’s higher operator share. McIntyre said the governor’s 45% figure was based on his own estimate and on comparable rates in other states, and he supported it as a way to maximize revenue for the state and charities. He also described a change to high-stakes tournaments: after speaking with Rep. Sweeney, he said the amendment was clarified to apply only to those tournaments and would lower the house take from 10% to 5% to encourage participation in rare, high-buy-in events. The committee also discussed a separate proposal to raise the maximum scratch ticket price from $30 to $50; McIntyre said the change would take time to implement, would likely increase net state revenue by about $1 million in year two, and was consistent with pricing in neighboring states such as Massachusetts and Connecticut. Additional questions covered sports betting and a separate Kino-related estimate. McIntyre said March Madness is the busiest period for sports betting and that the state’s sports betting revenue has exceeded initial expectations. He also said he had estimated that removing a municipal-vote restriction for Kino could cost about $12 million total, with $2 million in the first year and $10 million thereafter. No formal votes were taken during the discussion; the chair indicated the committee would revisit the VLT amendment and other sections later, and McIntyre agreed to send updated revenue estimates to committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• property that, when occupied, is rented to a member of the armed forces or a member of the National Guard
• Instead, he once again threatened the deployment of the National Guard to Chicago.
• The National Guard will not make our city safer, but it will cost taxpayers millions and millions and
• Let's be truthful about the real reason why President Trump wants to deploy the National Guard.
• Same thing when they put the National Guard...

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to put though we're making this ask, to put some<00:25:48.799> additional<00:25:49.120> guard
• rails in there to some additional guard rails in there to look<00:25:51.039> at<00:25:51.279>
• /c><00:26:36.240> sure<00:26:36.320> we've<00:26:36.640> put<00:26:36.799> guard
• <00:26:37.120> rails<00:26:37.360> in to make sure we've put guard rails in to make
• sure we've put guard rails in here<00:26:37.600> to<00:26:37.760> control<00:26:38.080

Keywords: 00:10 Call to order and Roll Call 01:06 Information Items and Introduction of Kentucky Court of Justice 03:02 Discussion of Interpreter State and National Contractor Rates 06:35 Discussion of Certifications 08:44 Discussion of AI use in Interpretation 13:56 Software Service Initiatives 16:47 Data Security and AV system Upgrades 24:38 Drug Court Issues 28:43 Discussion of Jefferson County Record Storage 35:33 Boyle County Courthouse Construction 39.26 KY State Police Driver Testing 45:22 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard a budget overview from the Kentucky Court of Justice focused on mandated services and several growth items in the judicial branch budget. Court officials said the requests were driven by legal and contractual obligations, including higher contractor rates for court interpreters and IT support, annual software-as-a-service costs, and upgrades to the court’s audiovisual record system (JAVS). They also discussed local facilities needs tied to Jefferson County lease space and the Boyle County Courthouse, though the bulk of the presentation centered on the court’s technology and service-delivery costs. Members asked detailed questions about interpreter services, including whether services are provided in person, by phone, or by Zoom, and whether Kentucky could train and certify more local interpreters instead of relying on contractors from around the country. Court officials said the certification process is rigorous, that the branch is working with the National Center for State Courts on an apprenticeship program, and that they believe Kentucky may have flexibility to develop state-level certification if it meets court needs. They also said they are exploring technology and AI tools for translation, but have not found a solution that reliably handles complex courtroom context. Representative Sharp asked whether cases had been delayed for lack of interpreters; officials said they could provide aggregated data later. The court also described its major IT modernization effort, including a statewide case management system, e-filing, and maintenance of many legacy applications. Officials said contractor rates need to be raised to compete for skilled labor during the implementation phase, but that those costs should decline once the new systems are fully built and only maintained. They explained that part of the request covers three SaaS initiatives: ongoing subscription costs for existing systems, annual fees for the CaseWorks system used in pretrial and specialty courts after federal grant funding ends, and adoption of DocuSign to streamline invoicing, procurement, and contract execution. In response to questions from Representative KC Carney, they said cybersecurity is taken seriously, that they recently conducted a tabletop exercise, and that some risk shifts to cloud vendors under contract, though no separate cybersecurity line item was included. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on the JAVS audiovisual court-record system. Court officials said not all courtrooms are on the same version, and they want funding to bring all locations up to the current version and prepare for version 9, which they said would standardize the system statewide and support the official court record. When asked about costs, they said each upgrade can cost about $70,000 to $80,000 per system, that they aim to upgrade about 50 per year, and that the request reflects the need to keep pace with a four-year refresh cycle. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want more guard rails. I'm happy to include them if this continues to move forward.
• We want more guard rails. I'm happy to include them if this continues to move forward.
• Citizens are being harassed by emboldened private security guards.
• Citizens are being harassed by emboldened private security guards just last week.
• And there's been stories where you'll go walking and a beach chair security guard will stop somebody

Summary: The committee first took up CS/SB 1730, a Live Local Act bill on affordable housing. The sponsor described it as a set of technical and policy adjustments to strengthen implementation, including changes to zoning, height, parking, moratoriums, attorney fees, and related land-use rules. An amendment by Senator Claudio was adopted, adding provisions such as a 10-story height limit near single-family neighborhoods, exclusions for certain protected areas, and changes to fee and use definitions. The committee then reported the bill favorably. Members next considered CS/SB 1674 on unrated bonds for Israel bonds, with a clarifying amendment adopted to make clear the bill applied only to Israel bonds. CS/SB 140 on charter schools was also approved after debate over parent-led conversion of public schools, municipal job-engine charter schools, and surplus school property; opponents warned about local control and impacts on teachers and communities, while the sponsor said the bill preserved district authority and created new school-choice and economic-development options. The committee also passed SB 96, a claims bill for Jacob Rogers, and CS/SB 954 on recovery residences, after strike-all amendments that addressed zoning, ADA concerns, bed caps, staffing ratios, and limits on operation in certain multifamily settings. Senators expressed support for expanding treatment housing but also raised neighborhood and staffing concerns. The committee then approved CS/SB 1714 on local housing assistance plans, which would allow SHIP funds for limited lot-rental assistance for mobile-home owners and require local plans to address mobile-home park closures. SB 658 on standardized construction lien release forms was reported favorably despite testimony from contractors and lawyers warning about possible effects on lien rights and the separate House proposal. The committee also reconsidered and then approved CS/SB 482 after a late-filed amendment addressing local government art fees and a key issue over defining “extraordinary circumstances,” with counties and cities saying more work remained. Finally, the committee passed SB 24 and CS/SB 4, both local claims bills, CS/SB 712 on synthetic turf and related construction rules, SB 952 repealing the emergency firearms/ammunition restriction, CS/SB 1164 allowing email notice delivery in landlord-tenant matters with opt-in safeguards, and SB 202 on municipal water and sewer rates, which drew extensive opposition from North Miami Beach and Miami Gardens officials over utility surcharges and revenue impacts. The meeting ended with SB 202 still under heavy questioning and testimony about the fairness and financial consequences of the surcharge structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want more guard rails. I'm happy to include them if this continues to move forward.
• We want more guard rails. I'm happy to include them if this continues to move forward.
• Citizens are being harassed by emboldened private security guards.
• Citizens are being harassed by emboldened private security guards just last week.
• And there's been stories where you'll go walking and a beach chair security guard will stop somebody

Summary: The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• and we're parked to blame because<00:07:14.039> we<00:07:14.160> put<00:07:14.360> guard
• rails<00:07:15.000> of<00:07:15.240> what<00:07:15.560> the because we put guard
• rails of what the because we put guard rails of what the minimum<00:07:17.000> uh<00:07:17.199
• ><00:07:19.879> rail<00:07:20.240> put<00:07:20.440> in but there was never a guard
• rail put in but there was never a guard rail put in place<00:07:20.960> for<00:07:21.199>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:44 Attendance Roll Call: 00:55 SB 193 (Sen. Girdler): 01:53 SB 9 (Sen. Higdon): 03:22 SB 257 (Sen. Tichenor): 34:14 Adjournment: 50:57, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government first took up Senate Bill 193, a simple measure described as restoring wallet cards for jailers to carry when they are outside the jail. The sponsor noted the fiscal impact was essentially zero, there were no questions, and the committee approved the bill 9-0 for passage to the Senate floor. The committee then heard Senate Bill 9, sponsored by Senator Higdon, which would change how the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) treats sick leave, personal leave, and annual leave in retirement calculations. The sponsor argued the bill is intended to address TRS’s financial challenges by standardizing leave rules statewide, limiting TRS retirement credit to 10 sick days and 2 personal days per year, preventing annual leave from being rolled into sick leave, requiring districts to pay the actuarial cost for any leave beyond the cap, and adding reporting and oversight requirements for participating agencies. He also said the bill would add 30 days of maternity leave, allow voluntary district contributions for tier four teachers, and direct the state auditor to audit TRS and report on agencies. Committee members asked about how overages would be audited and billed, the cost of a sick day, and how the bill would interact with local leave policies, including paid parental leave in some districts. The sponsor clarified that existing accumulated leave would not be affected, that the bill applies going forward, and that districts could still offer more leave but would bear the added cost. Members also discussed whether the maternity leave language set a cap or a minimum, and one senator noted the bill was intended to preserve personal days while stopping annual leave from being converted into pension credit. No vote on Senate Bill 9 was shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have seen perpetrators file defamation claims, even from prison.
• For the case I mentioned where the survivor's perpetrator was in prison, in that specific case we were

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on bills in the Civil Actions 2 and Court Administration areas, with testimony spanning judicial security, judicial compensation, civil process fees, bar advocate compensation, interstate discovery, defamation protections for sexual assault survivors, and related criminal procedure changes. Chairs Edwards and Day opened with housekeeping rules on testimony limits and written submissions, then called witnesses on each bill in turn. On H. 1766, judicial officers and the Massachusetts Bar Association strongly supported a judicial security bill that would protect judges’ personal information, citing threats, online harassment, swatting, and violence against judges and their families. On H. 1819, judges and the Massachusetts Judges Conference asked for higher compensation, saying Massachusetts judges rank low nationally after cost-of-living adjustment and that pay affects recruitment and retention. The committee also heard support for H. 1582/S. 1183 to raise civil process service fees, with sheriffs saying the fees have been unchanged since 2003 and are needed to cover rising costs, safety equipment, and operations funded by those fees. The committee heard from prosecutors on H. 1604 and H. 1846, which would give district courts concurrent jurisdiction over certain school-threat and leaving-the-scene offenses, allowing prosecutors to handle less serious or panic-driven cases more efficiently while preserving mandatory penalties. CPCS and bar advocates supported H. 1876 on bar advocate compensation, describing a continuing shortage and crisis in indigent defense despite recent pay increases and staffing investments. The Boston Bar Association supported H. 1857, a Massachusetts version of the Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, saying it would simplify out-of-state discovery and reduce cost and delay. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1974/S. 1143, which would protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment from retaliatory defamation suits unless the plaintiff proves actual malice, and would allow fee shifting and damages against abusive suits. Survivors, advocates, and attorneys described threats, legal costs, and chilling effects that silence reporting, while supporters said the bill would protect truthful speech and improve access to counsel. The committee also heard insurance-industry testimony on S. 1101, which would change personal injury protection payment rules to require insurers to tender disputed amounts within 30 days to avoid attorney’s fees; insurers said the bill would curb a growing volume of provider lawsuits and reduce abuse of the no-fault system. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed after all scheduled testimony was complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• during World War II, serving as Army and Navy nurses in combat zones, aboard hospital ships, in prisoner-of-war
• Thank you. ...in combat zones, aboard hospital ships, in prisoner-of-war camps, and on medical evacuation

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whether it's a prison, an unallocated cut to the prison system, whether it's the efficiency in the Medi-Cal

Keywords: 987, senate, all