Transcript Highlights:

• Our bill also requires social media to have pop-up notifications every 30 minutes informing the user
• Our bill also requires social media to have pop-up notifications every 30 minutes informing the user

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Rep. Zach Stevenson and Sen. Mann presented Minnesota legislation aimed at requiring warning labels on social media platforms, modeled on the Surgeon General’s recommendation, and adding pop-up notifications every 30 minutes to show users how long they have been on a platform. They argued that social media use is linked to serious mental health harms among youth, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, and said the bill is part of a broader effort to add guardrails on big tech. They also referenced related Minnesota efforts on deepfakes, child influencers, platform-use disclosures, and a separate effort to remove cell phones from classrooms. The hearing featured emotional testimony from parents Bridget Noring and Tabitha Urbansky, who described losing sons to fentanyl poisoning after drugs were arranged through Snapchat. Both said social media platforms can function as drug markets and that warning labels and other restrictions could help prevent similar tragedies. Eric Mishy of SAVE and the Kids Campaign also testified in support, saying social media is contributing to anxiety, depression, suicide, sextortion, trafficking, bullying, and drug sales, and that companies have not done enough to stop these harms. In response to a question about the pop-up feature, Stevenson said the idea is new in Minnesota but similar to “are you still watching” prompts on streaming services, intended to add friction and interrupt addictive use. He and others said no state had yet enacted similar warning-label laws, though several have proposed them, and they emphasized that regulating technology companies is difficult because of their resources and lobbying power. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the transcript, though the bill was scheduled for a House Commerce Committee hearing the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is to fund additional technical staff for the performance goals and compensation system.
• It's supported by fees from the sex offender community notification assessment.
• It's to purchase an A.V. system for the Real Estate Commission.
• It's to repair and maintain the HVAC system. It's supported by license and application fees.
• And maintain the HVAC system. It's supported by license and application fees.

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, fund transfer, and reserve requests across multiple agencies. Section B temporary appropriations included funding for state technology upgrades, personnel management staffing and IT skills assessment, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, and higher education workforce grants and credentialing pathways. Additional items covered an ARPA grant for the University of Arkansas Fort Smith LPN program, an IIJA grant for the Oil and Gas Commission’s critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for State Police vehicle purchases, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, and cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission’s AV system and HVAC work. Most of these items were approved by voice vote. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands drew extended questioning and was ultimately not approved. Members questioned the $250,000 transfer to operating expenses tied to the purchase of a West Little Rock office building, the ongoing lease costs at the prior location, and whether the agency had adequately planned for building-related expenses. After discussion, the motion failed, and members told the agency to tighten spending and return if needed. The committee then took up 15 pay plan appropriation requests totaling $25.7 million and approved them after discussion with DFA, DHS, Corrections, and the State Board of Election Commissioners. Members focused heavily on DHS staffing shortages at human development centers, where officials said vacancies and turnover were driven by overtime and burnout rather than pay alone; one member asked DHS to submit a written plan to address the issue. Corrections reported the pay plan had improved hiring and retention. The committee also approved overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. Reports on reserve funds, the Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, tobacco settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust, IIJA, and revenue transfer activity were received. The Medicaid Trust Fund report prompted significant concern about February’s $90 million draw; DHS said the month was unusually high because of cash-flow timing and that the fund should end the year with a balance between $150 million and $200 million, while lawmakers noted a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The final discussion centered on DHS’s state hospital damage claim and reconstruction funding, where members expressed disappointment that insurance reimbursement would likely return only about $1.8 million now and possibly about $97,000 more later, far less than the roughly $5 million initially expected. DHS explained the policy was based on actual cash value and depreciation for old buildings, and said the work would proceed on Unit 3 for secured restoration because it was the most cost-effective option.

Transcript Highlights:

• The complexity arises because the boundaries to these systems for the life-cycle analysis are... ...are
• We want to ensure the systemic problems leading to catastrophic failures in the Class II program are
• All militaries have a systemic critical vulnerability in that they depend on civilian power grids to
• So that's our recharge system going on. There's a lot of energy there.
• Utility water and wastewater systems have to have a reliable source of energy, and geothermal provides

Bills: HB1647, HB2612, HB3125, HB3158, HB3240, HB3506, HB3516, HB3707

Keywords: carbon sequestration, environmental policy, Texas, energy, climate change, regulatory council, geothermal energy, workforce development, education and training, energy industry, apprenticeship, energy production, energy policy, renewable energy, state council, administrative law, public information, transparency, government accountability, judicial process

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 3701 by Dyson Earling to the authority of the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M system to construct
• , acquire, improve, extend, and equip utility systems located on the university system, property for
• HB 3709 by DL relating to the partial count of electronic voting systems ballots are for the Committee
• HB 3776 by Paul relates to the reporting requirements of the public retirement system and authorizes
• HB 3791 by Dyson relating to the time frame required for excavation notification refer to the Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It strengthens the mandatory reporting requirement to include... ...notification of the state at the
• These concerns are sufficiently investigated and acted upon, and there's a system in place to ensure

Bills: SB226, SB413, SB571, SB1049, SB2398, SB2920

Keywords: residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, school boards, transparency, public meetings, attendance, recording, misconduct, child abuse, educators, investigation, criminal offense, education law, suspension, reporting requirements, released time, religious instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• CLOSE US OUT BECAUSE I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT THE STATE COLLEGES ARE NOT PART OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
• ONCE A LICENSEE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REPORTING THEY ACTUALLY ARE SENT A LETTER SENT A NOTIFICATION
• COMPONENTS YOU KNOW I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE 30% PAYBACK BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE COULD BE ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM
• FLORIDA HAS A GREAT EDUCATION SYSTEM AND WE SHOULD DO BETTER. A.

Transcript Highlights:

• testify for or against House Bill 3181, please come down and let us know so we can get you in the system
• It's a lot easier to utilize the criminal system to enforce that court order because if you have a right
• The main things that this bill did that we thought fixed the system in a big way were adding accessibility
• We will continue to move bills through the process, so senators, be watching for notifications.

Bills: HB46, HB272, HB551, HB1661, HB2820, HB3181, HB4145, HB4157, HB46, HB272

Keywords: low-THC cannabis, dispensing organization, Texas Compassionate-Use Program, medical use, patient access, registration, healthcare, legislation, credit card fraud, debit card fraud, prosecution, illegal possession, state law, political contributions, address privacy, Texas Ethics Commission, election transparency, campaign finance, election supplies, ballots

Transcript Highlights:

• March 14th, bills and joint resolutions submitted by 6 PM to the Capitol clerk through the e-file system
• HB 1368 by Jones of Dallas, or a link to the notification requirement if a public school does not have
• Buckley relating to an indicator of achievement for military readiness under the public accountability system
• relating to the designation of farm-to-market road 3383 in Navarro County as part of the state highway system

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , mental health services, justice system.
• And I'm guessing if we looked at the juvenile justice system, the prison system, some aspects of special
• No Child Left Behind in our education system when we...
• Our justice system is not executing justice.
• And I just think that the justice system, after they have put...

Summary: The committee first approved the December 16 minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their economic and public-system impacts. She explained that ACEs are population-level risk indicators, not individual diagnostic tools, and said higher ACE exposure is associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare and justice involvement, and lower workforce participation. She cautioned that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across the life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based interventions and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, trends in ACEs, and home visiting; she emphasized supportive relationships, protective factors, and the importance of positive childhood experiences. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco, along with a recorded family story from Abby, about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota. Abby described how Healthy Families North Dakota supported her family after a premature birth and NICU stay by providing weekly in-home coaching, developmental screenings, postpartum mental health check-ins, referrals, and parenting support. The presenters explained that home visiting is voluntary, relationship-based, and usually begins prenatally or shortly after birth, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, pregnancy navigators, human service zones, self-referrals, and other community partners. They said North Dakota currently has four main evidence-based models operating through 12 organizations, with Healthy Families available in all 53 counties, though only a fraction of eligible families are served. Funding was described as a patchwork of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E, Medicaid, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and other grants; members discussed whether the Legislature or agencies should expand support and how to improve outreach and sustainability. Finally, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, focusing on AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and chatbot-related risks. The report summarized federal and state law, including North Dakota’s existing computer-generated image provisions, the federal PROTECT Act, the Take It Down Act, and recent federal executive orders on AI policy. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI’s effect on critical thinking and misinformation. The committee then heard from BCI Special Agent Cassidy Halsef, who said AI is already driving a sharp rise in child exploitation cases in North Dakota, including AI-generated explicit images of real minors and school-based incidents involving mass-shared manipulated images. She said investigators are seeing more cyber tips, more difficult forensic work, and lasting harm to victims and families, and urged stronger legal penalties, specialized training, victim services, and prevention education in schools and communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• The language in this proposal is very similar to the requirements for voter notification when a polling
• Our campaign finance system is fundamentally no longer holding up the will of the people.
• <01:10:45.239> is our campaign Finance system is our campaign Finance system is fundamentally
• Supreme Court unleashed a torrent of money into our political system by overturning residents and, for
• Supreme Court unleashed a torrent of money into our political system by overturning Citizens United and

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mechanical systems are in the water and seeing results versus a study.
• Mechanical systems are in the water and seeing results versus a study.
• invested um in the public health system. invested um in the public health system.
• 6.18 impose patient notification 6.18 impose patient notification provisions<01:35:14.719> in
• ,<01:59:44.639> we to the AY's uh computer systems, we to the AY's uh computer systems, we

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sorry, by turning the civil justice system into a money-making machine. commodity for investors to
• Balance can be restored to the legal system, and the related increased product, service, and insurance
• in<00:34:59.160> our<00:34:59.520> court system system of mechanisms in our court
• system system of mechanisms in our court rules<00:35:00.320> to<00:35:00.480> make<00:35
• litigation and the court system litigation and the court system understand<00:40:30.760> what's

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 733-FN, a bill on third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors financing lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, and contributes to litigation abuse, higher insurance costs, and what he called a “tort tax.” He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with specific references to foreign-entity restrictions, consumer-protection guardrails, and reporting requirements. He also noted a few technical fixes to the draft, including adding the word “knowingly” and restoring a section that had been omitted. Committee members questioned how the bill’s foreign-entity language would work, including whether a governor or the Department of Safety would designate countries of concern, and whether the bill would bar foreign parties from using litigation funding. Cole and others clarified that the bill was intended as a reporting measure, not a ban on litigation funding itself, and that the goal was to disclose who is funding lawsuits and to what extent. Representative Sal asked whether the bill would prevent a litigant from getting outside financing; Cole answered no, emphasizing disclosure rather than prohibition. Brandon Grat of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau testified that the bill’s enforcement provisions were too limited. He said the draft appears to give the Attorney General only a civil-penalty remedy, likely too small to deter violations, and not the broader Consumer Protection Act tools such as injunctions, restitution, or investigation authority. He also raised concerns about whether the Attorney General or Insurance Department would have proper jurisdiction, given that the product may be financial or insurance-related. Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the department sees possible benefits from transparency because disclosure of litigation funding could help insurers assess risk, improve underwriting, and potentially ease hard-market pressures, especially for nonprofits and child care providers. He also said the bill’s language likely needs further work to clarify agency authority and suggested involving the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and banking regulators. Opposition testimony came from the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association. Marissa Chase and Samantha Hering argued the bill is one-sided because it requires disclosure only on the plaintiff side and not from defendants or insurers. They said New Hampshire already has court rules and discovery procedures that cover relevant disclosures, making the bill unnecessary, and questioned whether the existence of a funding contract is even relevant in litigation. The hearing ended with the committee continuing to discuss possible revisions and enforcement options, but no vote or final action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're part of the Arrowhead Library System in Northeast Minnesota.
• Um so um this bill<00:37:07.760> notif<00:37:08.320> uh<00:37:08.480> modifying<
• 00:37:09.119> eligible bill notif uh modifying eligible bill notif uh modifying eligible expenditures
• could alleviate general fund pressure, preserving staff positions, and improving our food service system
• <00:43:22.000> for improving our food service system for improving our food service system

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we so appreciate the tier system, and I think Chairman Leach was very instrumental.
• And that's what we're discussing: what that legal system should be.
• The problem with the system is these technicalities and the writs now.
• Standardize the procedure statewide, creating a more predictable and fair system.
• This is not only unjust, it is a perversion of our legal system.

Bills: HB32, HB15, HB171, HB421, HB581, HB644, HB745, HB349, HB917, HB204, HB923, HB15, HB171, HB204

Keywords: eviction, landlord rights, tenant rights, justice court, property law, court procedures, chemical dependency, court-ordered treatment, mental health, health care, treatment facility, juvenile justice, criminal justice reform, deep fake, digital impersonation, age verification, private cause of action, explicit content, consumer protection, HB 581

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS ALLOWS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF WASTEWATER UNITS TO REPLACE FAILING SEPTIC SYSTEMS.
• A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT RELATING TO DISTRIBUTED WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS.
• THIS IS NOT MEDICINE BEING PUT INTO THE WATER SYSTEM.
• THIS BILL IS SIMPLY PROHIBITING ANYONE FROM PUTTING ANY MEDICINES IN THE WATER SYSTEM.
• THE UNDERLYING BILL IS TO PREVENT US FROM PUTTING MEDICINE IN THE WATER SYSTEM.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you are an adoptive parent who has come through Florida's child welfare system, you're eligible
• It is that our overall systems and how difficult they can be to extract information.
• takes up a lot of time and energy of the child welfare system because the child welfare system hasn't
• You have the emerging child there who's been bouncing around in the system.
• You have the emerging child there who's been bouncing around in the system or has high-acuity mental

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs met with a quorum and first took up SB 398, which would create a statewide public health awareness campaign through the Department of Elder Affairs on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Senator Burgess said the campaign would focus on early detection, brain health, risk reduction, clinical trial access, and community resources. The committee heard supportive testimony from a caregiver, AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association, and others, with members discussing the need for culturally responsive outreach and continued funding. SB 398 was reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then heard SB 106, which would strengthen Florida’s exploitation injunction law for vulnerable adults by allowing service of an unascertainable exploiter through the same communication method used to contact the victim, such as text, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp. Senator Martin explained the bill as a way to close a loophole that lets scammers evade traditional service, and witnesses from the Florida Bankers Association and the Florida Bar’s Elder Law Section supported it, describing how the bill could stop ongoing thefts more quickly while preserving due process. Members asked about gift card scams, clerk workload, and the definition of an unascertainable respondent. SB 106 was reported favorably. The Department of Children and Families then presented an update on the Adoption Benefits for Qualifying Adoptive Employees Program, describing its expansion over time and the current one-time lump-sum benefit structure for eligible adoptive parents. The presentation covered eligibility rules, open enrollment, funding history, and the program’s impact on adoption placements, with members asking why tax collectors were included but other constitutional offices were not, and whether foster relatives could qualify. Finally, the committee considered SPB 7012, a committee bill addressing child welfare workforce shortages, treatment foster care for high-acuity children, and improved data collection on commercially sexually exploited children. The bill would direct DCF to recruit former public safety workers for CPI and case manager roles, create a treatment foster care pilot in two judicial circuits, and require more detailed, analyzable data and capacity studies. The bill drew support from child welfare advocates, with some members urging DCF to return with a more developed framework; it was adopted as a committee bill and reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• The library system is free.
• The library system is free.
• And these systems are companionship. And these systems are spreading<03:35:21.120> rapidly.
• <05:51:25.120> are that indigenous knowledge systems are that indigenous knowledge systems
• <05:51:29.680> of highly effective systems of highly effective systems of environmental<05

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bagley-Keene requires that every meeting has to have the proper notification.
• This is another direct way that the tax system could become smaller. Thank you.
• Thank you. ...of three CLIFs and serve some of the most vulnerable in our health care system.
• The fee schedule represents the intersection of two separate systems: healthcare and education.
• , the managed care payment system generally, have been very complex.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what's happening in our system when it's dry.
• through our system and out through the Delta.
• It's our system of government. I can live with that.
• That is still working its way through the court system.
• It's mainly just for the highway system.

Summary: The hearing opened with budget framing from the chair and the LAO, who said the May Revision addresses roughly a $14 billion budget problem and that the environment and transportation subcommittee’s proposals account for about $1.9 billion of the solution. The LAO urged members to focus on solutions that do not worsen out-year deficits, to preserve reserves, and to defer major policy changes that are not necessary to pass the budget, including the newly introduced water-related trailer bills. Members also raised concern about a late-dropped Olympic-related trailer bill, which the LAO likewise suggested should be deferred for fuller review. The first major item was the Delta Conveyance Project and related water quality control plan trailer bills. The administration argued the proposals would streamline permitting, water rights proceedings, judicial review, and land acquisition, and would clarify DWR’s bond authority for the project. DWR said the project is needed to protect water supply reliability against drought, earthquakes, sea level rise, and other climate-related disruptions, and that the tunnel would help move water when conditions are wet and safer for the environment. Committee members from both parties questioned the timing, the use of budget trailer bills for major policy changes, the scope of the CEQA and water-rights changes, the lack of a bond cap, cost growth, and eminent domain protections. The LAO recommended deferring both water trailer bills without prejudice. Public comment was sharply divided, with labor, water agencies, and some business groups supporting the project as climate adaptation and reliability infrastructure, while environmental, tribal, fishing, county, and community groups opposed it as an attempt to bypass public process and weaken protections. The committee then briefly heard the DMV’s Digital Experience Platform fee trailer bill, which would reinstate a $1 system improvement fee to help fund the vehicle-registration phase of the project. DMV said the fee would raise about $7 million annually and offset roughly $59 million to $60 million of project costs, while the LAO noted it would help but would not solve the Motor Vehicle Account’s broader structural gap. The hearing then moved to California High-Speed Rail, where the new CEO presented an updated plan and said the project remains a major climate and infrastructure investment. He reported a revised Merced-to-Bakersfield cost range of $34.9 billion to $38.5 billion, said the agency is trying to reduce risk through direct procurement of materials, and argued that stable annual funding is needed to avoid higher costs from delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the current system.
• It's the current system.
• It's the current system.
• It's the current system.
• It's the current system.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first accepted the minutes from the April 4 meeting, then moved to a discussion of potential audit topics and follow-up on prior performance audits. Christine Young, Director of Audits, and Jay Henry, performance audit supervisor, walked members through a spreadsheet showing the status of roughly 30 performance audit reports from the past 10 years, including the number of observations, whether agencies concurred, how many observations were fully addressed, and when each report was last updated. They explained that “fully addressed” only means the agency addressed the observations it agreed with, and that some reports include rejoinders when the audit office disagrees with an agency’s response. Members also discussed how some audits have been updated and others have not, including an example from the prescription drug monitoring program, which moved from the Board of Pharmacy/OPLC to HHS and was recently updated after staff contacted HHS. A major focus was the mental health workforce licensing audit, which was described as having little or no follow-up in the spreadsheet. Several members said this was especially concerning given the ongoing mental health crisis and argued that the committee should require a response. The committee agreed to start by sending letters to the chairs of the boards listed under that audit, asking the chair or designee to appear at the next meeting or respond in writing about what has been done and what remains unresolved. Members noted that the current process is voluntary and self-reported, which can lead to long delays or no response, especially for boards that meet only monthly and may have changed membership or leadership since the audit was issued. The committee also discussed other audit follow-up issues, including the liquor commission division of enforcement and licensing, which staff said was farther along than its percentage suggested, and a recently released human rights report that was not yet due for update. Members raised the possibility of using future budget reviews to ask agencies what they have done about old audit findings. In addition, the committee briefly discussed future audit topics, including a possible audit of local school districts related to special education, and staff explained that the statute allows the LBA to audit a limited number of non-state entities over a five-year period. The motion to authorize the chair and LBA to draft and send letters to the mental health workforce licensing boards passed by show of hands with one abstention. The next meeting was tentatively set for June 6 in State House 100, with staff to confirm the room and schedule.