Video & Transcript : 'prosecuting attorney' :
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AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/25/2026 - House Transportation & Infrastructure
Transcript Highlights:
- Chairman, Madam Vice Chair, that money comes from lawsuits the Attorney General wins.
- Tony Bradley: “So when she gets a case, or the Attorney General wins a case, it goes into that consumer
- And so under that scenario, we would be able to say, yeah, call the Attorney General’s office, here’s
- It would actually come from a different fund that the Attorney General will be able to access.”
- General to use that money to help investigate... ...allow the Attorney General to use that money to
Summary:
The committee heard several transportation-related appropriation and policy bills. SB 1273 would appropriate $14 million in FY2027 for pavement rehabilitation of Olga Frontage Road between Bowie and San Simon; after brief discussion about the road’s length and whether it was on a rural transportation priority list, the bill was reported out 3-2 with a do pass recommendation. SB 1452 would create a cargo theft task force in the Attorney General’s office, modeled on the retail theft task force, with reporting and investigative duties; Tony Bradley of the Arizona Trucking Association testified in support, describing cargo theft as a growing, sophisticated problem and noting the funding would come from the consumer fraud protection fund rather than the general fund. The committee adopted an amendment making the task force subject to appropriations and then passed the bill 5-0.
The committee also considered SB 1332, which would require the Auditor General and an independent transportation research entity to study Maricopa County light rail expansion and compare it with other transit technologies. Senator Kavanaugh argued the study was needed before committing billions more to light rail and said the governor’s office was open to the concept. Supporters, including local business owners, said the study would provide needed transparency and reflect concerns about business impacts and changing transportation options. Opponents, including Valley Metro, the City of Phoenix, and transit advocates, argued the state should not second-guess locally approved transit plans and pointed to existing studies, ridership, and economic development along light rail corridors. The bill passed 4-3.
SB 1059 appropriates $9.2 million for an additional right-turn lane at State Route 87 and State Route 260, and Senator Wendy Rogers used the hearing to describe several rural road projects she and Representative Blackman were pursuing, emphasizing safety, congestion, and local requests from mayors and councils. Members broadly supported the need for rural infrastructure, and the bill was reported out unanimously. The committee then took up SB 1209, which would exempt homeless individuals and others without a residence address from non-operating ID fees if they prove U.S. citizenship. Testimony from the Homeless ID Project and ADOT focused on how IDs help people obtain work and services, how citizenship and authorized presence are verified, and whether the amendment would create operational or fiscal issues; the discussion continued as the transcript ended, with no final vote shown for that bill.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- In the Veterans Court, it also codifies a role for the state attorney.
- This United States Attorney, or the United States Attorney General for the United States District Court
- This amendment aligns with the House version and was recommended by the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys
- This will help ease the workload and burden to the state's attorneys. Are there questions?
- This amendment aligns with the House version and was recommended by the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee Mar 18th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- There isn't patent prosecution and all of that happens with patents because it's slightly different.
- There isn't patent prosecution and all of that happens with patents because it's slightly different.
- Any individual can bring a lawsuit, and then you have class action attorneys putting lawsuits together
- And I also want to give my extreme gratitude to our sponsor, the City Attorney of San Francisco, who
- And I want to give a shout-out to our colleague, former Assemblymember, now City Attorney David Chiu,
Summary:
The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee met with a new membership roster and adopted its committee rules after quorum was established. The hearing then began with AB 412, the AI Copyright Transparency Act, which would require generative AI developers to provide copyright holders notice when registered copyrighted works are used in training data. The author and supporters, including SAG-AFTRA, the Transparency Coalition, voice actors, writers, labor groups, and other creators, argued the bill would give artists a practical way to learn whether their works were used and to vindicate their rights. Opponents, including EFF, CalChamber, RIAA, CCIA, Chamber of Progress, Bay Area Council, BSA, and TechNet, said the proposal was technically unworkable, could burden startups, conflict with existing law and pending litigation, and raise federal preemption concerns. Members discussed the bill’s amendments, including a fingerprinting approach and narrowing the bill to model developers, and the committee voted 8-2 to pass AB 412 as amended to the Judiciary Committee.
The committee then heard AB 446, which would prohibit “surveillance pricing,” or the use of personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service. The author and supporters, including Consumer Watchdog, UFCW, labor organizations, and consumer/privacy groups, described examples of differential pricing tied to device type, location, shopping behavior, and digital price tags, and argued the bill would protect consumers from discriminatory and predatory pricing. Business and industry opponents, including CalChamber, grocers, retailers, travel, broadband, and other associations, said the bill could conflict with the CCPA, interfere with loyalty and rewards programs, and create confusion about personalized discounts and dynamic pricing. The discussion focused on how the bill would treat loyalty programs, whether existing privacy law already covers the issue, and whether the proposal would unintentionally affect legitimate discounts and promotions.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Feb 12th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- THIS INCLUDES CLERKS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, STATE ATTORNEYS, ALL OF THE JUSTICE PARTNERS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED
- FOR EXAMPLE, AN ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY MAKES ABOUT AS MUCH AS AN ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY IN THE COMMUNITIES
- COURT FILING FEES SENATOR MARTIN BEING AN ATTORNEY I AM SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE FILING FEES RIGHT
- >> Chair: YOUR RECOGNIZE. >> FOR REGULAR COUNTY CASE, LET'S SAY YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY AND YOU FILE A SMALL
- OF THE SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FLORIDA PROSECUTING ASSOCIATION.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Seventy One - Friday, May 15 - Afternoon Session
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- For prosecuting attorney salaries, it's been changed so that it is identical to other bills with this
- And I think this will help with prosecution, but I think it will also help the family members who've
- And it was kind of evening the playing field regarding attorney fees.
- So we kind of stripped that out so both sides get attorney fees.
- If someone files for summary judgment and they win, they get attorney fees and litigation costs.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (03/25/2026)
Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Also signed up to speak are Attorney Brian Clark and Attorney Bob Barry from the Department of Health
- </c> Also signed up to speak are attorney Also signed up to speak are attorney Brian<01:44:32.159><c>
- </c> here just as a supplement to Attorney here just as a supplement to Attorney Barry's<01:59:11.119
- It's looking at criminal prosecution.
- </c> criminal prosecution. criminal prosecution. >> Representative<03:30:19.520><c> Nagel.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, May 13, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><02:25:32.560><c> upholding</c> in retaliation for attorneys upholding in retaliation for attorneys
- </c><02:49:49.040><c> and</c> engaged the targeted attorneys and engaged the targeted attorneys and firms
- Then he named to be the acting U.S. attorney Ed Martin.
- ,</c> he named to be the acting US attorney, he named to be the acting US attorney, Ed<03:59:31.439><
- Liz Oyer and they the US pardon attorney Liz Oyer and they sacked<04:00:23.840><c> her.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - Part 2 - 03/27/25
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> withholding it by law the Attorney withholding it by law the Attorney General<00:10:13.440><c> is
- </c><02:28:46.160><c> and</c> the investigation prosecution and the investigation prosecution and treatment
- I'm an attorney in private practice.
- </c><03:00:18.600><c> or</c> directly or through a li Ed attorney or directly or through a li Ed attorney
- </c><03:18:54.319><c> At</c> Spencer Meers I'm a policy Attorney At Spencer Meers I'm a policy Attorney
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm an attorney. I do real property work. I practice as a corporation.
- Mexico sentencing policy into alignment with federal statute and will reduce reliance on federal prosecution
- convictions are not permitted to possess guns or destructive devices and are appropriately charged, prosecuted
- New Mexico State Police and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety work closely with district attorneys
- And during that time, we wouldn't try to prosecute them through the state because the penalties were
Keywords:
medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm an attorney. I do real property work. I practice as a corporation.
- Mexico sentencing policy into alignment with federal statute and will reduce reliance on federal prosecution
- convictions are not permitted to possess guns or destructive devices and are appropriately charged, prosecuted
- New Mexico State Police and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety work closely with district attorneys
- During that time, we wouldn't try to prosecute them through the state because the penalties were so low
Keywords:
medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process
Summary:
The committee first took up House Bill 99, which would make changes to the Medical Malpractice Act, especially around punitive damages. The chair and sponsor said the bill would not be voted on that day and that public comment would wait until Monday, when a fuller presentation and any recommended substitute would be considered. Dr. Brooke Baker, a physician-lawyer, gave a long presentation on physician wellness, malpractice stress, and the effect of litigation on staffing and burnout, while also discussing hospital ownership structures, private equity, and rural hospital vulnerability. She argued that punitive damages are often pled too broadly in New Mexico, that the amendment language was unclear about which entities would be capped, and that better oversight and internal quality systems—not punitive damages—are the better tools for addressing bad actors and unsafe care. Committee members from both sides asked extensive questions about the patient compensation fund, indemnification, corporate structures, the effect of caps on insurance and recruitment, and whether the bill would protect physicians’ personal assets. No vote was taken on HB 99, and the committee recessed before moving to the next bill.
The committee then returned to House Bill 49, a public safety measure increasing penalties for felons who possess firearms. The sponsors and law enforcement witnesses said the bill is aimed narrowly at serious violent felons who are already prohibited from having guns, and that it would align state sentencing with federal law and give police and prosecutors a stronger tool against repeat violent offenders. An amendment was offered to narrow the bill further, add destructive devices, and make the offense a second-degree felony rather than escalating to first degree on repeat offenses. The amendment was adopted without opposition.
Public testimony on HB 49 was largely opposed. The Law Office of the Public Defender argued the bill criminalizes possession without a new act of violence, that current law already punishes felon-in-possession conduct, and that New Mexico has repeatedly increased penalties without evidence of reduced gun crime. The ACLU of New Mexico also opposed the bill, saying increased penalties are not a proven deterrent. The transcript cuts off as additional online opposition testimony was beginning.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Health Committee and Privacy Committee and Consumer Protection Committee May 28th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- So I've worked with federal regulators and state attorneys general, including Attorney General Rob Bonta's
- And I've seen firsthand that our current laws are very powerful tools for prosecuting people who use
- And so we should aggressively prosecute those.
- And so we should aggressively prosecute those.
Summary:
The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Health and Privacy Committees focused on generative AI in health care, with opening remarks emphasizing both its potential to improve care and its risks around privacy, bias, liability, workforce impacts, and unequal access. Chair Bauer-Kahan and Chair Bonta framed the discussion around how California can encourage beneficial innovation while protecting patients, especially given the sensitivity of health data and the possibility that AI could worsen existing disparities if not carefully governed.
The first panel featured representatives from Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Penguin AI, and Google, who described current uses of AI such as ambient clinical scribes, nursing documentation tools, imaging triage, maternal-fetal risk prediction, and administrative automation. Speakers said these tools can reduce clinician burden, improve patient experience, speed treatment, and in some cases improve outcomes, including a reported mortality benefit from a Kaiser predictive model and faster thrombectomy times at Cedars-Sinai. Members raised concerns about accuracy with accents and multilingual visits, whether predictive tools could reinforce bias or lead to more interventions such as C-sections, and how to ensure a human remains in the loop for important decisions.
The second panel, including representatives from the California Health Care Foundation, UC Berkeley, and Stanford, focused on policy and governance challenges. Testimony highlighted examples of AI supporting homelessness outreach and community health work, but also warned that biased algorithms can encode inequities, especially when trained on data that reflect under-treatment of Black, rural, or low-income patients. Witnesses urged clearer standards for trustworthy AI, stronger monitoring and governance structures, better data access for accountability, and attention to the safety net’s limited resources. Several speakers argued that states should require health systems to have AI governance processes, clarify liability between developers and deployers, and regulate downstream uses of AI while preserving access to data for lifesaving research and oversight.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- At that time, we were only looking at felony charges, those nonviolent charges that district attorneys
- Also, this screening goes to our court partners, prosecution, defense, judge, and they use it in consideration
Keywords:
rural law enforcement, grant fund, public safety, financial assistance, coordination districts, grant funding, law enforcement coordinators, municipal assistance, education, inmates, literacy, high school equivalency, Department of Corrections, parole, rehabilitation, HB3595, Safer Counties Revolving Fund, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, county grants, traffic barrier equipment
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (10/22/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- County attorneys need to departments.
- I understand the point that the Sullivan County attorney and the Strapford County attorney were both
- prosecute.
- </c><03:17:51.680><c> prosecute.
- </c> mandate that county attorneys prosecute. mandate that county attorneys prosecute.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- In 1992, Attorney General Richard Ieyoub appointed her as Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Civil
Bills:
SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, HB75, HB1222, SB121, SB312, SB348, SB485, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR54, HCR79, HCR87, HCR94, HCR104, HCR32, HB944, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB410, HB750, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB208, SB217, SB283, SB387, SB389, SB401, SB408, SB469, HB74, HB119, HB368, HB414, HB552, HB732, HB776, HB848, HB870, HB953, HB956, HB1236, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB149, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB382, SB441, SB449, HB134, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB784, HB1117
Keywords:
logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, received a prayer and pledge, adopted the journal, and heard messages from the House reporting final passage of several Senate bills and concurrence in SCR 86 and 87. The chamber also observed personal privileges honoring the lives of Edith K. Kirkpatrick and Susan Ann Traylor Bidick, with family members present and a moment of silence held for Bidick. The House later refused concurrence on Senate amendments to HB 42 and HB 159.
The Senate then took up a series of resolutions, most of which were adopted without objection. These included studies on energy infrastructure and modernization (SR 174, amended to add an alternative energy industry representative and a consumer advocate), breast pump Medicaid reimbursement (SR 175), digital student IDs (SR 176), lethality assessment protocols in domestic violence cases (SR 177), problem gambling prevention (SR 178), community water system grading (SR 179), condolences for Sharon Courtney (SR 180), and expansion of the Louisiana Tumor Registry (SR 181). The chamber also adopted SCR 85 honoring the Sam Houston High School Broncos baseball team after a recorded vote of 36 yeas and 8 nays.
On bills returned from the House, HB 1222 on grocery initiative grants failed on final passage by a vote of 18 yeas and 19 nays. SB 312 had House amendments rejected, SB 348 and SB 485 had House amendments concurred in, and SB 121 on congressional redistricting was the subject of extensive debate over racial gerrymandering, district configuration, and expected litigation before the Senate concurred in the House amendments by 28 yeas and 10 nays. The Senate also concurred in several House concurrent resolutions, including studies or reports on flooded corn and migratory waterfowl, deer hunting with dogs in Kisatchie National Forest, support for a Senator Kennedy letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service, boating safety reporting, and subsurface data review.
Finally, HB 944 creating a Women’s Health Consortium within the Department of Health was amended to address funding concerns and convert it into a more task-force-like structure, then passed 37-0 with nine coauthors. The Senate then recessed until 1:30 p.m. to continue work, including conference committee reports.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- In 1992, Attorney Richard Ieyoub appointed her as Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Civil Division
Bills:
SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, HB75, HB1222, SB121, SB312, SB348, SB485, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR54, HCR79, HCR87, HCR94, HCR104, HCR32, HB944, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB410, HB750, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB208, SB217, SB283, SB387, SB389, SB401, SB408, SB469, HB74, HB119, HB368, HB414, HB552, HB732, HB776, HB848, HB870, HB953, HB956, HB1236, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB149, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB382, SB441, SB449, HB134, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB784, HB1117
Keywords:
logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- General's restitution fund, um Attorney General's restitution fund, um that's<00:04:28.920><c> being
- </c> Attorney General to absorb those costs. Attorney General to absorb those costs.
- General to bring charges and criminally prosecute conduct made unlawful by the bill.
- General to bring charges and criminally prosecute conduct made unlawful by the bill.
- to bring charges and criminally prosecute conduct made unlawful by the bill.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Jul 7th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- RBFC's regulatory attorney believes that this Present a specific offer.
- We've even seen state attorneys general in multiple states take these actors to court, including some
- I'm a staff attorney with Housing and Economic Rights Advocates, or HERA.
- What about the Attorney General's authority?
- The Attorney General has authority under the UCL, the unfair competition law. That is true.
Summary:
The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met to hear several bills focused on consumer and small business financial protections. SB 97, by Senator Grayson, would update and clarify California’s digital financial assets law; supporters from the blockchain industry and consumer groups said it would improve compliance clarity while preserving room to align with possible federal action. The committee passed SB 97 on a due-pass motion to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee, with the roll left open for absent members.
The committee also heard SB 362, which would strengthen disclosure rules for small business financing by requiring clearer pricing information throughout the marketing process. Supporters said the bill would help small businesses compare offers and avoid harmful financing, while some industry groups objected to the bill’s treatment of communications and APR disclosures during negotiations. After discussion, the committee passed SB 362 to the Judiciary Committee, with several members voting aye and the roll left open.
SB 784, a bill addressing predatory home-improvement and solar financing practices, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters described scams targeting seniors, low-income homeowners, and non-English speakers, and said the bill would add safeguards such as confirmation calls, document access, fee transparency, and longer cancellation periods. Solar industry groups moved to neutral after amendments, while banks and other lenders raised concerns about overbreadth and impacts on legitimate lending. The committee passed SB 784 to Judiciary, with some members not voting or changing votes during the roll call.
Finally, SB 825 sought to give the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation clearer authority to enforce existing consumer financial protection laws against its licensees, especially in light of reduced federal CFPB enforcement. Supporters argued California needs independent state enforcement tools, while banking and mortgage groups opposed the bill as duplicative and unnecessary, urging coordination with federal regulators and proposing narrower amendments. The committee passed SB 825 to Appropriations on a due-pass vote, and then adjourned after completing the agenda.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Judiciary and Elections has had under consideration Senate Bill 1081 relating to DCS caseworker attorney
- I happen to work for attorney Cy Rembar.
- Now, I am not an attorney, so I looked up what that means, and all— ...attorney, so I looked up what
- I will take the word of the Senate Rules Attorney, who is a lawyer; I don't know.
- I will take the word of the Senate Rules Attorney, who is a lawyer, that this bill has constitutional
Summary:
The Senate met in several Committee of the Whole sessions to consider a large number of bills, with most measures receiving do-pass recommendations and several being amended before advancing. Early action included bills on fentanyl penalties (SB 1061), firearm suppressors/prohibited weapons (SB 1069), DCS attorney appearance and hotline/case-history access (SB 1081 and SB 1174), mandatory reporting and scrap metal theft (SB 1127 and SB 1128), and a narcotic-drug-to-minor offense bill (SB 1170). Senators Ortiz, Kuby, and others argued against the drug bills as harmful mandatory-minimum policies that would reduce judicial discretion and worsen addiction and incarceration outcomes, while supporters framed them as public-safety measures. SB 1170 ultimately failed on third reading; SB 1061, SB 1069, SB 1127, SB 1128, SB 1171, SB 1174, and SB 1188 passed, while SB 1021 later failed after concerns were raised about possible federal anti-kickback conflicts.
The chamber also advanced health-care and regulatory measures, including chiropractic board compliance training (SB 1021), radiation protection and health-care institution requirements (SB 1120 and SB 1121), health care cost containment system changes (SB 1171), and pharmacy scheduling/prescription authority (SB 1188). Several of these bills were amended with technical changes or rulemaking authority, and most passed on third reading. SB 1243 and SB 1244 on court-ordered treatment also moved forward after amendments; supporters said the changes would improve notice and allow guardians or agencies to act more effectively, while opponents warned about due-process concerns and expanded coercive treatment authority.
In later calendars, the Senate considered local planning and permitting (SB 1241), school access and GED preparation (SB 1166 and SB 1370), water and groundwater issues (SB 1202 and SB 1287), tax and finance measures (SB 1180, SB 1221, SB 1293, SB 1294, and SB 1429), and a constitutional resolution on legislative boundaries (SCR 1031). SB 1166 was amended to limit GED preparation to grades 11 and 12, SB 1241 and SB 1287 received technical amendments, and SB 1180 was clarified to align tax forms with federal conformity. SB 1075 on foreign entities and land sales drew the most debate: an Ortiz amendment would have shifted it toward corporate homebuyer restrictions and housing affordability, but that amendment was defeated on a roll call vote before the bill advanced as amended. Most remaining measures passed their third readings, with the Senate adopting Committee of the Whole reports and transmitting the approved bills to the House.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Oct 6th, 2025
Legislative Health & Human Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Out of 353 investigations from the Attorney General, only five had indictments, resulting in only two
- And, of all folks, besides the plaintiff's attorneys and some of us here, I have not heard defense attorneys
- Boothman, 57% of plaintiffs' attorneys, and he's actually dropped some of their cases.
- Yet, they get those cases prosecuted; the plaintiff's attorneys come to them and say, We are taking this
- So it's like a gravy train for a plaintiff's attorney, and that's what's really gotten into New Mexico
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Jan 28th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The attorney general issued an opinion that only people with opioid addiction could be served, and those
- When I first began, we didn't get appointed to those kids; they had attorneys.
- But what our judges in our district have noticed is that those attorneys are not as effective as us,
- so they get an attorney and just about always get us also.
- So I will be adjourned until tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. ...as effective as us, so they get an attorney
Summary:
The Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee reviewed the Judicial Branch budget, beginning with the Court Operations division. Legislative staff outlined the branch’s structure, recent spending trends, technology upgrades funded with ARPA dollars, and FY26/FY27 budget changes, including judicial compensation increases, added judges in several districts, and a late request for $800,700 from a dedicated fund to cover senior magistrate retirement and purchase-of-service costs. Court officials explained that the retirement request was driven by an unusual number of magistrate retirements announced too late to include in the original budget, and they also described the impact of declining federal support and the need to shift some treatment-court and technology costs to other funding sources. Members asked about the holdback, the court’s cloud and network modernization, the purpose of senior judge purchase-of-service payments, and the effect of treatment courts on public safety and incarceration; no vote was taken.
The committee then heard the Second Judicial District CASA/Guardian ad Litem request for $77,900 in general funds. The program said the money would support a trainer/recruiter/data supervisor position, required office and record space, annual financial review, and liability insurance, citing rural service needs, declining VOCA and grant funding, and the need to recruit and support volunteers across a large district. The executive director described the program’s statutory role in child protection cases and said fundraising now covers about 30% of the budget, taking time away from direct services. Members asked about the decline in VOCA funds, the number of children served, and examples of the program’s impact; the director gave a detailed success story about helping a family reunify. The hearing ended with no recorded appropriation action, and the chair adjourned the meeting until the next day.