Transcript Highlights:

• I used to use the population number of 700,000 people in our county, and I was listening to our sheriff
• a basic transmitter and a long piece of wire strung across my backyard in the 1960s, just using this
• I was proud many of these systems were recently used in Iran and Venezuela.
• You did use one of my favorite words, and it was diversity.
• state colleges who make sure those dollars we put in are used to educate the students of the state of

Summary: The committee on Higher Education Appropriations heard and favorably reported two bills: SB 1570, which revives the former Project Leo program to help locate missing persons with special needs through voluntary tracking devices and coordination with sheriff’s offices, and CS/SB 1376, which creates a grant program to support genetic counseling education in response to a statewide shortage of genetic counselors. Both bills drew supportive comments, with the genetic counseling bill also receiving public support from a university representative. The committee then took up a large slate of confirmations. It first approved a block of reappointments to various university and college boards of trustees, including institutions such as UWF, Broward College, Chipola College, FIU, Pasco-Hernando, Polk State, St. Petersburg College, Valencia, FAMU, FAU, UCF, FSU, New College, UNF, USF, and Broward College. It then heard from numerous new appointees and some requested reappointments, many of whom emphasized workforce training, nursing, military and veteran support, dual enrollment, and local economic development as priorities for their institutions. Several nominees highlighted their personal ties to the schools and communities they would serve, including appointees to Pensacola State, Polk State, St. Petersburg College, UNF, UWF, FIU, the College of the Florida Keys, Valencia College, and Chipola College. Committee members repeatedly asked about nursing NCLEX pass rates, workforce alignment, and institutional growth. One reappointment, Thomas Zachary Smith to the UWF board, was pulled from the block for separate questioning about his past public comments and his role in Project 2025; he said he would serve in his personal capacity and treat all students equally. The committee also separately heard from a Florida Poly reappointment, I. Shapiro, who was questioned about prior remarks regarding race and Supreme Court nominations, and from a New College reappointment, Mark Bowerlaine, who described campus improvements and enrollment growth. The meeting ended amid ongoing confirmation processing and separate votes on the remaining nominees.

Transcript Highlights:

• I used to use the population number of 700,000 people in our county, and I was listening to our sheriff
• a basic transmitter and a long piece of wire strung across my backyard in the 1960s, just using this
• I was proud many of these systems were recently used in Iran and Venezuela.
• You did use one of my favorite words, and it was diversity.
• we put in are used to educate the students of the state of Florida to the best of their ability, and

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> protect us on January 6th I mean lot of protect us on January 6th I mean lot of my<03:00:08.319>
• who take care of us on a daily basis.
• they</c><05:14:43.040><c> do</c> burden of telling us what they do burden of telling us what they do
• > to</c> full force of the government to full force of the government to intimidate<05:16:52.440><c>
• c> of</c><08:03:53.840><c> the</c> life of service reminds us of the life of service reminds us of the

Transcript Highlights:

• of them regardless of that.
• It is not right to rob us of the opportunities that sport provides by allowing biological males access
• than the legal name or a derivative of that name, using pronouns, titles, or identifiers that do not
• So staff were instructed to use birth names when calling home to hide the full extent of what was happening
• I discovered this at the end of the school year when her biology teacher used a male name on a final

Bills: HB2020 , HB2032 , HB2033 , HB2249 , HB2313 , HB2318 , HB2378 , HCR2003

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: interference, disruption, educational institutions, public order, conduct rules, statewide assessment, student testing, academic standards, third grade reading, reading retention, promotion and retention, school accountability, assessment window, testing window, test scores, school report cards, nontest data, graduation rates, dropout rates, education data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• prepared at the request of, exclusively for the benefit or use of, for purposes of limiting who appraisers
• And while currently it might be marketed to a very elite class of homebuyers, so most of us in this room
• I think staff is going to give us a lot of help in that space.
• I think staff is going to give us a lot of help in that space.
• Maybe not all of us, but I do. Thank you. Do. Thank you.

Bills: HB2477 , HB2501 , HB2465 , HB2512 , HB2240 , HB2624 , HB2536 , HB2476

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: real estate, appraisal, consumer protection, business operations, regulatory compliance, HB 2501, real estate disclosure, seller disclosure notice, residential property, home heating oil tank, oil tank insurance, pollution liability insurance agency, PLIA, heating oil contamination, remediation assistance, Washington real estate, property sale, buyer disclosure, seller obligations, oil heat

Transcript Highlights:

• We target—we’re using people of lower socioeconomic statuses as excuses.
• I would hope finally we can move us into a more modern way of doing this.
• I would hope finally we can move us into a more modern way of doing this.
• You know, we use a lot of... ...websites to find information. You know, we use a lot of...
• I'm the wife of a United States Air Force veteran and I'm the mom of a beautiful, brilliant transgender

Bills: HB2015 , HB2060 , HB2129 , HB2170 , HB2210 , HB2228 , HB2352 , HB2460 , HB2533 , SB1019 , SB1045 , SB1050 , SB1078 , SB1083 , SB1167 , SB1184 , SCR1006

Committees: Senate Government , Senate Senate Government Committee of Reference

Keywords: budget procedures, late filing penalty, accounting standards, financial reporting, state appropriations, abortion, educational institutions, health education, state aid, public schools, municipal libraries, annual reporting, state legislation, transparency, government accountability, procurement, foreign adversary, China, state contracts, information technology

Transcript Highlights:

• system using AI, generative AI, or emotional recognition algorithms, instead of a system using AI that
• system using AI, generative AI, or emotional recognition algorithms, instead of a system using AI that
• And at least two of us serve on that, as well as Representative Callan.
• of us is not taking it?
• And all of that is necessary to move us in the direction and to ensure justice.

Bills: HB2397 , HB2417 , HB2157 , HB2186 , HB2225 , HB2351

Committee: House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans

Keywords: fire services, reimbursement, state agencies, local jurisdictions, mobilization plan, military justice, victims' rights, militia, Washington code, legal protections, artificial intelligence, AI regulation, algorithmic discrimination, high-risk AI, machine learning, generative AI, synthetic content, impact assessment, risk management policy, consumer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of us. >> All right. Is Senator Sessions here or... >> Oh, okay.
• </c><00:04:13.120><c> Most</c><00:04:13.439><c> of</c><00:04:13.599><c> us.
• Most of us. &gt;&gt; Well, they good group here. Most of us. All<00:04:14.879><c> right.
• /c><00:14:47.519><c> the</c> talk to all of us and maybe in the talk to all of us and maybe in the meantime
• I mean, things that all of us sitting here would just say.

Bills: SB9 , SB90 , SB82 , SB84 , SB9 , SB90 , SB82 , SB84

Committee: Senate Healthcare

Keywords: Alabama Athletic Commission, Attorney General, criminal penalties, unarmed combat, regulation, boxing, mixed martial arts, civil fines, Green County, racing, pari-mutuel wagering, gaming regulations, commission appointments, historical horse racing, local tax, SB82, warrant recall, outstanding warrants, stale warrants, misdemeanor warrants

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, how can we justify forcing residents of Berlin to pay taxes on top of, you know, their own circumstance
• So, how can we justify forcing residents of Berlin to pay taxes on top of, you know, their own circumstance
• Um, how can we justify forcing residents of Berlin to pay taxes on top of, you know, their own circumstance
• ><c> that</c><00:47:27.280><c> districts</c> instead of us assuming that districts instead of us assuming
• </c> outcome of that ballot article for us. outcome of that ballot article for us.

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• The BCA use-of-force investigation provision I think is a good provision.
• The BCA use-of-force investigation provision I think is a good provision.
• The BCA use-of-force investigation provision I think is a good provision.
• That is a forced use of local taxpayer resources.
• c> local</c><03:55:04.720><c> taxpayer</c> a forced use of local taxpayer a forced use of local taxpayer

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> us these costs of producing electricity. us these costs of producing electricity.
• County is not lost on any of us here.
• lost on any of us here.
• the use of these human lives perpetuated the use of these human lives and<03:29:05.439><c> workers</
• </c> question before us is the adoption of question before us is the adoption of House<03:40:04.319><

Transcript Highlights:

• It's helped us a lot; it's helped us gain a lot of recognition.
• Today, we're involved in re-establishing the common use of all of our common lands and traditional uses
• because there's three of us.
• That can be used for that sort of purpose.
• And you get seven of us to pitch in what you know, $80,000 or close to that, or 10 of us to pitch in

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Agriculture and uses of radioisotopes.
• The Bureau of Business Economics Research did a study, which was part of what led to us passing this
• And I think a lot of the science that came out of the New Mexico consortium has now been used in the
• Over 90% of our water is used for agricultural purposes.
• Bring us all in; I would love to be part of that conversation.

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of the negotiation at this stage, the use of the word implicitly, the middle ground that we
• What this does is a stutter step, and I'll use an example kind of more global.
• I was conceived through an act of sexual violence in which extreme force was used against my mom.
• It gave us in excess of $2,500.
• The dollar value of $1,000, when plugged into the consumer price index, gave us in excess of $2,500.

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee met on March 18, 2026, with a quorum present and heard several criminal justice bills. HB 36 by Rep. Butler, as amended, removed Evangeline Parish from the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District and was reported favorably. HB 160 by Rep. Knox increased penalties for domestic violence offenses involving strangulation; the committee adopted an amendment requiring at least one year without probation or suspension, heard strong support from survivors and prosecutors, and reported the bill favorably as amended. HB 552 by Rep. Bryant, handled by Vice Chair LaFleur, clarified DWI law to include impairment beyond alcohol; a technical amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably as amended. HB 119 by Rep. Fontenot created and strengthened penalties for AI-generated sexual images, especially involving minors; after amendments, including a new possession offense and a name change to “Act Ivy Daniels,” the bill was reported favorably as amended. HB 171 by Rep. Spell corrected a citation in the personal surety provisions and was reported favorably without opposition. HB 140 by Rep. Cox drew the most debate. The bill lengthened juvenile delinquency filing and adjudication timelines and changed procedures for extensions and dismissals. Prosecutors and law enforcement supported the bill as a practical update to account for modern evidence gathering and case complexity, while public defenders, juvenile advocates, and other opponents argued it would prolong detention, undermine speedy-trial protections, increase costs, and harm children. After extensive testimony and discussion, the committee adopted amendments and reported HB 140 favorably as amended by a roll call vote of 8-3, with Representatives Knox, LaFleur, and Moore voting no. The committee also heard HB 68 by Rep. Schlegel, combined with concepts from Rep. Glorioso’s similar bill, to update disturbing-the-peace law to protect houses of worship from intentional disruption. An amendment clarified definitions of worship spaces and interruptions and increased the mandatory minimum jail time from 15 to 30 days, while enhancing penalties to a felony for more serious conduct such as battery, property damage, or carrying a dangerous weapon during the offense. Supporters framed it as a deterrent and protection for religious liberty, while opponents, including the ACLU, raised First Amendment concerns and asked for tighter language. The transcript cuts off during opposition testimony, and no final vote on HB 68 is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• that volume tell us about the scope of the claims?
• That means to you or should mean to us, what does that volume tell us about the scope of the claims,
• We have before us Lauren Klein, Director of Advocacy for the Legal Aid Association of California.
• We've been able to use that data to go, for instance, to members of the board of supervisors that represent
• We have the same set of panelists who are here before us, so that'll save us a little time.

Summary: The committee heard budget and workload presentations from the Office of the State Public Defender, legal aid organizations, and the Judicial Branch. OSPD requested permanent funding for positions that had been temporarily funded to implement the Racial Justice Act, explaining that the work has become ongoing and now includes additional Supreme Court briefing, habeas proceedings, investigations, expert analysis, and data requests. The State Public Defender also presented the AB 625 public defense workload report, which found statewide staffing shortages, caseloads above recommended standards, and major gaps in investigators and support staff. Senators asked about racial bias claims, the volume of data requests, and the impact of Prop. 36, and OSPD said it would provide additional written information. The legal aid panel asked for a $50 million increase to the Equal Access Fund, $20 million to restart homelessness prevention services, and $10 million for health care access work, while also supporting Access to Justice Commission requests for loan repayment assistance, immigrant family preparedness services, and innovation grants. Witnesses described legal aid as homelessness prevention and cited examples involving eviction defense, domestic violence survivors, and immigration detention cases. Los Angeles Superior Court Presiding Judge Sergio Tapia discussed eviction data, low tenant representation, and court pilots in Compton and at Stanley Mosk that combine mediation, rental assistance, and legal help. Senators asked for service maps, outreach materials, and more detail on funding needs and federal funding losses. For the Judicial Branch overview, the Judicial Council and trial court representatives supported the Governor’s proposed budget, including $70 million for trial court operations, $21.7 million for employee health and retirement costs, and funding for appellate counsel, case processing, and courthouse construction. They said rising costs, staffing retention, and interpreter shortages continue to strain the courts, and described efforts to reallocate interpreter funds and recruit hard-to-find languages such as Mixteco. Senators pressed the branch and the Department of Finance on courthouse facilities, noting that the long-term need is far larger than the current budget proposal; Finance said the branch’s facility needs were estimated at about $22.5 billion over 10 years to start 68 projects and $29.4 billion to complete the remaining projects. The committee requested follow-up information on facilities, judgeships, and interpreter needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• that volume tell us about the scope of the claims?
• That means to you or should mean to us, what does that volume tell us about the scope of the claims?
• We have before us Lauren Klein, Director of Advocacy for Legal Aid Association of California.
• We have before us Lauren Klein, Director of Advocacy for Legal Aid of Association of California.
• We have the same set of panelists who were here before us, so that'll save us a little time.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on the Office of the State Public Defender, civil legal aid funding, and Judicial Branch operations. The State Public Defender requested permanent funding for positions that had been temporarily funded to implement the Racial Justice Act, explaining that the workload has grown substantially through retroactive capital-case briefing, habeas proceedings, data requests, and related statistical analysis. She also presented findings from a public defense workload and staffing report showing that California’s county-based public defense system is under-resourced, with too few attorneys, investigators, and support staff, especially in rural counties, and that statewide standards and funding are lacking. Committee members asked about the scope of racial bias claims, the impact of collaborative courts and Prop. 36, and the need for statewide cost estimates and phased funding options. The committee then heard from legal aid advocates and a Los Angeles Superior Court judge in support of increased civil legal aid funding. Witnesses described the Equal Access Fund, homelessness prevention services, health care access, and immigration detention defense as cost-effective ways to prevent evictions, stabilize families, and reduce downstream public costs. They requested a $50 million increase to the Equal Access Fund, $20 million to restart homelessness prevention services, and $10 million for health care access work, along with additional targeted investments from the California Access to Justice Commission. Testimony emphasized the severe shortage of legal aid attorneys, the high demand for immigration representation, and the role of legal aid in domestic violence, housing, and family law matters. Senators asked for more information on service locations, outreach, funding losses, and how the requested amounts were calculated. In the Judicial Branch overview, Judicial Council and trial court representatives supported the Governor’s proposed budget, including a $70 million increase for trial court operations, $21.7 million for employee health and retirement costs, and funding for appellate counsel and case processing. They said the money is needed to offset inflation, supply chain costs, and staffing pressures, and to preserve access to justice. Senators pressed the branch and Department of Finance on interpreter shortages, midyear funding flexibility, courthouse facilities needs, and judgeship needs in inland counties. Finance officials said they were aware of the broader facilities backlog, and the committee requested follow-up information on the full capital and maintenance needs, interpreter funding, and updated judgeship and workload data. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• that to the federal government and using it as a basis for comparison to the adequacy of our rates.
• Many of our state preschool programs are fully enrolled and have shared with us that they've used kind
• Parents are forced out of the workforce.
• I'm here on behalf of CCPU, our providers, and the families who depend on us.
• I am here in support of AB 1981 and asking you to stand with us in voting yes on AB 1981.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Labor to allow us to do this.
• Secretary: We need to be more efficient with the use of those funds.
• Because most of us, I know in Rapids, we've got a strong police jury.
• I believe that most of the surrounding states, similar to us, near us, they all pretty much rely either
• I believe that most of the surrounding states, similar to us, near us, they all pretty much rely either

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 680 by Representative Weibel, which would modernize Louisiana’s workforce development system by consolidating strategy and administrative functions at the state level while preserving local input. After adopting two sets of technical amendments and a larger amendment package that added a transition advisory team, consultation requirements with local workforce partners, and other planning and governance changes, the committee heard extensive testimony from the author, the Secretary of Louisiana Works, parish and local workforce representatives, and a witness from Utah describing that state’s consolidation experience. Supporters said the bill would reduce overhead, direct more money to training and services, improve coordination, and better align workforce programs with regional labor needs, while several members pressed for assurances that local boards, parishes, cities, and small businesses would remain involved. The committee ultimately adopted the amendments and reported HB 680 favorably with amendments. The committee then heard House Bill 780 by Representative Furman, a workers’ compensation bill aimed at reducing litigation and speeding dispute resolution. After adopting technical amendments and a separate amendment set allowing authorized agents or attorneys to prepare certain notices, members also adopted a committee amendment deleting a statutory definition of “arbitrary and capricious” after concerns were raised that the language could create confusion or conflict with existing jurisprudence. The author and supporting attorneys argued the bill would restore an expedited preliminary determination process, create a single standard for attorney fees, and reduce costs for employers by limiting unnecessary litigation and delays. They said the changes would not affect an injured worker’s choice of physician or existing penalty provisions, and that the bill mainly addressed notice and dispute procedures. Opponents, including attorneys representing injured workers, argued the bill would make it harder for workers to recover penalties and attorney’s fees when benefits are delayed or denied, and said the new standard could favor insurers that are understaffed or slow to process claims. They also criticized the shift from reasonableness to a more restrictive standard and raised concerns about delayed payments and the lack of transparency around defense costs. After hearing testimony from both sides, the committee continued discussion of the bill with these issues still under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• And every state uses a variation of a combination of some set tools that are kind of more widely used
• We ask senators to listen to the voices of those of us who live this reality every day.
• Hello, good afternoon to us. I wanted to show you a little of the behavior of my son.
• Each one of us is a giver and a receiver."
• Obviously, we don't have a lot of time, but we're going to make the best use of our time.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held an informational hearing on several Department of Developmental Services proposals, with no votes taken. The first item focused on equitable access to intake and services for regional center clients, including standardizing eligibility assessments and modernizing the strengths-and-needs evaluation used to inform individual program plans. DDS said the changes would create a more consistent, equitable, and evidence-based process statewide, while the LAO explained the proposals as a response to disparities and inconsistent regional center practices. Advocates and regional center representatives were divided: Disability Rights California, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and some providers supported modernization but urged clearer safeguards, more community co-design, and stronger legislative review; others, including some regional center leaders and family advocates, warned against replacing the CEDER too quickly and stressed the need to preserve the person-centered IPP process. Committee members emphasized fair process, fidelity, and the need for a validated tool, while also noting that the proposals would not change eligibility definitions or replace IPPs. The second major item addressed state-operated transitional and rehabilitative services, including proposed time limits for stays at Porterville Developmental Center and Canyon Springs, plus the merger of the Community Placement Program and Community Resource Development Program. DDS argued that people should not remain in locked facilities for years and that the proposal would create urgency, clearer transition planning, a right of return, and a more efficient single program for community resource development. Supporters, including Disability Rights California, the State Council, the Public Defenders Association, and some service providers, said the proposals align with Olmstead and the Lanterman Act, reduce overreliance on institutions, and should be paired with stronger mental health supports, oversight, and notice to counsel. Opponents, including a district attorney representative, argued that a blanket 24-month limit could endanger public safety and that some individuals require longer, case-by-case commitments. Committee members said they wanted a more comprehensive plan showing that community placements and supports will be ready before people are moved, and they questioned whether an arbitrary timeline could work for such a complex population. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly stressed that any implementation must be fair, transparent, and backed by valid tools, adequate community capacity, and public input. DDS said both sets of proposals would require legislative approval and that the department is still open to changes in trailer bill language and further stakeholder consultation. The hearing ended with the committee indicating it would continue reviewing the proposals and hear public comment, but no formal action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate confirm Bonnie Stalworth to the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees using previous
• c><01:12:12.239><c> using</c> adoption of the substitute using adoption of the substitute using previous
• </c><01:21:43.600><c> previous</c> of HB1 138 as substituted using previous of HB1 138 as substituted
• It was off social media, but about two-thirds of the way through I think all of us kind of feel this
• </c> all of us twothirds of the way through all of us twothirds of the way through mentally,<01:32:39.760

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then approved the prior journal and allowed bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The chamber received multiple committee reports, including favorable reports on several finance and taxation bills, confirmations, local bills, and a series of resolutions. The Senate also confirmed several appointments to higher education and university boards, including Nicholas J. Balden, Jennifer Wit, Ronnie Stalworth, and Rex Reynolds, using long or previous roll calls as applicable. The Senate adopted a special order calendar that set up floor consideration of several bills, including measures on physician assistants, seafood/aquaculture, motor vehicles, campaign practices, property insurance and energy reduction, child custody, and school bus drivers. During debate on the special order calendar, Senator Smitherman raised concern that no bills on the calendar were sponsored by minority members, noting a prior understanding that minority-sponsored bills should be represented; Senator Wagner responded that the calendar was prepared based on legislation rather than sponsor party, and the exchange ended with an agreement to continue moving forward. The Senate then adopted the special order calendar and began taking up the listed bills. On the special order calendar, the Senate advanced House Bill 156 on physician assistant compacts, House Bill 277 on seafood/aquaculture tastings, and House Bill 42 on motor vehicles, with supporters describing each as consumer-friendly or supportive of industry. The chamber also considered local legislation, including bills for Madison, Tallapoosa, and Shelby counties; House Bill 337 for Madison County was amended and carried over, while House Bills 490, 491, and 493 passed after roll-call votes. Throughout the meeting, the Senate also adopted several commendatory and memorial resolutions, including measures honoring individuals, recognizing organizations and events, and naming a highway, with most adopted by voice vote and no recorded opposition.