Transcript Highlights:

• doesn't seem to impact the amount doesn't seem to impact the amount machine<00:21:47.200> makes
• > remainder is that dollar amount will remainder is that dollar amount will become<00:50:59.760> a
• transfer of real property distribution transfer of real property distribution of<01:01:04.079>
• schools can budget to a certain amount schools can budget to a certain amount of<01:16:59.040>
• <03:46:29.199> of test by pointing out the amounts of test by pointing out the amounts of

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:

• Is that dollar amount included in this request, or are you just asking for the...
• Incredible to be able to have that amount of space to have this type of planning.
• Those are in the right amount of time if there's any leftover that we can tap into.
• We're requesting $29.95 million, which amounts to $14.975 million per year.
• Our distribution to our students in the state of Texas is crucial.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:26:58.560> of that we are have the least amount of that we are have the least amount of
• Um, and their weekly benefit amount.
• amount.
• zeroing out your weekly benefit amount zeroing out your weekly benefit amount at<01:52:01.199>
• Thank you. >> Go ahead. amount hasn't been changed in 20 years. amount hasn't been changed in 20 years

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The ringleader used Instagram and other social media platforms to advertise and distribute counterfeit
• cases involved offenders using social media platforms as their primary tool for trafficking and distribution
• And in Houston, we double the amount in any other city in the country.
• There's an intent there, and whether you take someone's life or not, the full amount of the law should
• It is intended to be that short amount of time, not you got out of your house, you're walking from your

Transcript Highlights:

• Amount of money to help them with this implementation process: $2.5 million each for Hennepin and Ramsey
• To that, it will be distributed free of charge to TFAT partner agencies for the handling and delivery
• A-18 amendment, and this amendment would just make sure that we put some money into the diaper distribution
• That would amount over there. There is an investigation ongoing.
• I would do anything, any amount of money that we can get.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• So just so I'm clear on the process: this committee is saying that we need X amount of judges, and then
• legal loopholes that have allowed properties to be acquired at auction for disproportionately low amounts
• The amendment limits the plaintiff's credit bid to the amount of their judgment.
• The amendment limits the plaintiff's credit bid to the amount of their judgment.
• It works, you know, efficiently for both sides, ensuring proper fund distribution, simplified claims

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to review its proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 budget, totaling about $7.6 billion. The chair highlighted funding for the Department of Corrections, including health services, food inflation, and prison population growth; the Department of Juvenile Justice for residential beds and higher food/medical costs; FDLE for a law enforcement apprenticeship program and officer wellness services; justice administration for court-appointed attorney rates and VOCA shortfalls; major IT projects; and court operations, including funding for 29 new judges. Members asked about where the new judgeships would go and whether staffing would accompany them, and staff said the judge positions would be listed later in a conforming bill and that associated court staff were included, but not additional state attorney or public defender staffing. Several members also asked whether the budget addressed pay and staffing shortages in state attorneys’ and public defenders’ offices, and staff said those decisions had not yet been finalized. The committee then heard public testimony from several speakers who urged more funding for prison safety, medical care, and oversight. Speakers described personal experiences involving deaths or serious harm in correctional facilities and jails, alleging inadequate medical treatment, excessive force, isolation, and failures to investigate. One speaker said her son died after being beaten and denied timely medical care in a correctional facility; another said her son was not receiving adequate health care at Charlotte Correctional; and another described her brother’s death in the Marion County Jail after repeated tasing and pepper spraying. The committee adopted a motion allowing staff to make technical adjustments and then approved the committee’s budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee also took up CS for CS SB 48 on alternative judicial procedures and foreclosure sales. Senator Garcia offered an amendment to standardize judicial sales, increase transparency, limit preferences in bidding, preserve public notice requirements, restrict plaintiff credit bids to the amount of the judgment unless a deposit is posted, and prevent deviations from statutory timelines and procedures from being hidden in court orders. Garcia said the bill was intended to close loopholes and protect homeowners, especially condominium owners, from unfair foreclosure practices. A representative for Auction.com said similar laws have been used in other states and offered to provide data. After debate, the amendment was adopted, and the bill passed the committee favorably on a roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:22:03.679> of gets away from the singular amount of gets away from the singular amount
• Do you believe that all those students require the same amount of time and the same amount of costing
• > for time and the same amount of costing for time and the same amount of costing for example<
• /c><01:18:01.920> every<01:18:02.280> kid distribute the same amount for every kid distribute
• what we often call excess swept amount what we often call excess swept amount and<04:31:55.880><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on HB 563, which would revise the education funding formula for pupils receiving special education services by replacing the current single special education amount with three differentiated categories. Representative Rick Ladd, the prime sponsor, said the bill largely tracks a House-passed version from the prior session with minor figure adjustments, and explained that the proposal uses projected FY26 amounts for three categories based on time in general education versus more intensive placements. He also noted that the bill does not address catastrophic aid directly, but that special education aid, CAT aid, and proration all remain issues for later work sessions. Ladd and supporters argued that weighted categories better reflect actual costs and are more sustainable than treating all IEPs the same. Representative Margaret Drye said the approach was one of the best ideas from the education funding subcommittee and urged the committee to support differentiated aid. Representative Ames asked how the category amounts were derived, and Ladd said Category A follows the FY26 base, Category B is a higher weight, and Category C is a still higher weight for more intensive services, though he acknowledged the exact multipliers were developed earlier and could be revisited. He also said the committee would continue discussing whether the weights are appropriate and how they interact with CAT aid. Testimony from Bonnie Dunham strongly opposed the bill. She argued that funding based on placement rather than actual service need would create incentives to move students into more restrictive settings, could stigmatize children with labels such as "Category C," and would undermine the least restrictive environment requirements under federal special education law. She described her son’s experience in inclusive settings as beneficial and said the bill would have penalized the district for serving him there. In response to questions, she said schools and parents should base funding on the child’s actual needs and costs, not on placement, and urged the committee to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate.

Transcript Highlights:

• the amount paid, if it was lower, or up to $1,000, but that's the cap.
• And we started with a bill that had this amount of money. And I think we ended up with like $250.
• Madam Chair, Representative, so you would go to the amount.
• And it was talking about how the crazy amount of stuff that is done Week or something.
• Okay, but they're kind of distributing it.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we can, I'm going to go ahead and get staff to distribute the amendment.
• Step one is the claim will process with a higher member cost-share amount.
• And in fact, the patient's cost share, maximum amount of pocket, could be $5,000.
• It is a significant amount of work.
• The discussion could have been any amount, but that was the amount that was given.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance met on May 6, 2026, and first reported HB 1241 favorably. That bill, by Chairman Furman, requires insurers to check with DCFS before paying certain insurance settlements to determine whether the recipient owes delinquent child support, and to withhold and remit arrears if found. DCFS explained that Louisiana already has intercepts and other collection tools, but no current mechanism for insurance settlements. Senators raised concerns about notice to obligors and about liability if insurers fail to withhold, but the bill was advanced without objection. The committee then heard HB 870, which would require health insurers and PBMs to cover lower-cost generic or biosimilar drugs when available and to use utilization management no more restrictively on those drugs. Supporters said the bill would improve access and lower patient costs by using wholesale acquisition cost as the comparison point. Opponents, including Louisiana Blue and the AFL-CIO, argued that WAC ignores rebates and net cost, could force plans to cover higher-cost biosimilars first, and could increase premiums and disrupt ERISA and fully insured plan design. The committee adopted a technical amendment set and then a second amendment set that added notice and reporting requirements tied to net cost calculations, and HB 870 was reported favorably as amended. Several other bills were moved with little or no opposition. HB 1176, concerning Medicare Advantage coverage for integrative cancer treatments such as cold cap therapy, cryotherapy, and acupuncture, was amended to change the effective date and then reported favorably. HB 1196, dealing with colorectal cancer screening follow-up colonoscopies, was also amended and reported favorably. HB 1162, a consumer protection bill requiring DOI to verify that a contractor named on a first-party property damage check is licensed in Louisiana, was amended and reported favorably. HB 826, which modernizes insurance referral rules to allow referrals by email or website address, was reported favorably. The committee also heard HB 1151 on insurer investment limits and solvency protections, and HB 1236 on pharmacy reimbursement and copay maximizer programs; both drew substantial testimony and concern, especially over retroactivity, PBM cost allocation, and whether copay maximizers shift costs to patients, but the transcript cuts off before final action on HB 1236.

Transcript Highlights:

• reiterated once... ...if it did increase that deduction, there would be no income tax up to that amount
• He said they are using about half of that amount, about 2.4% to 2.5%, for administration, and that they
• It used to be frontier communities as well, but it kind of said no more than X amount of projects can
• And it used to be frontier communities as well, but it kind of said no more than X amount of projects
• And I do ask that because I do want to make sure that it's equitably distributed across our state.

Bills: HB70, HB93, HB95, HB139, HB140, HJR4

Keywords: Public Regulation Commission, PRC, utility oversight fund, public utilities, utility regulation, commissioners, commission staff, chief of staff, ethics, Gift Act, revolving door, post-employment restrictions, consumer complaints, telecommunications, pipeline safety, natural gas pipelines, oil pipelines, license fees, regulatory oversight, administrative cleanup

Transcript Highlights:

• We have been able to respond to each of those cases in a reasonable amount of time.
• the case and compare those to what the prosecutor actually looked at, it takes just an incredible amount
• A lot of the new technology for surveillance and other things change the workload and change the amount
• It looks like increasing the amount that you allocate by $8 million a year.
• If we've got to go up... ...the amount that you allocate by $8 million a year.

Summary: The committee received agency updates on several behavioral health and justice programs. The Health Care Authority reported that assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) has expanded from two counties to eight, with a ninth expected in December, and described AOT as a court-ordered, least-restrictive treatment model that depends on close coordination among courts, treatment providers, and local officials. The agency also reviewed Joel’s Law, which lets family members, guardians, conservators, or tribes petition for an initial involuntary detention when they disagree with a designated crisis responder’s decision. Judges Ferreira and Larson said petition use has increased significantly statewide and in Snohomish County, but many cases do not proceed beyond the initial detention stage; they also noted family frustration, disjointed processes, and bed shortages as ongoing issues. Committee members asked about expansion criteria, the law’s effectiveness, and how the system fits together with other mental health interventions. The Attorney General’s Office presented on the hate crimes and bias incidents hotline created by SB 5427. The hotline began a pilot in King, Clark, and Spokane counties on July 1, 2025, with a statewide launch planned for 2027. Officials said the advisory committee helped shape the referral process, intake questions, outreach materials, and public branding. In the first five months, the hotline received 301 reports, with roughly 45% from King County and about 38% from outside the pilot counties; 42% requested follow-up, and only about a quarter of those wanted law enforcement referral. Testimony emphasized that the hotline is non-emergency, anonymous if desired, and focused on referrals rather than investigation. Members asked about why callers do not seek law enforcement involvement, how the hotline compares with Oregon’s launch, and what kinds of incidents are being reported. The Office of Independent Investigations reported progress on its work investigating police deadly force fatalities. Director Roger Rogoff said the agency has grown to 66 employees, including 31 investigators, and has completed six fatality investigations, with two public final reports posted. He said the office now operates in Region 1 and plans to expand statewide as staffing allows, with a future east-side expansion dependent on additional investigators. He also said the office has 29 requests to review prior cases, but those reviews are time-intensive and limited to cases with new evidence. Committee members asked about staffing needs, local cooperation, and whether the office conducts parallel investigations; Rogoff said OII performs the criminal investigation, while agencies may still do administrative reviews. The committee then heard a lengthy panel on public defense caseload standards and funding. The Washington State Bar Association, Washington Defender Association, county representatives, and city representatives all discussed the new caseload standards and the implementation timeline. Speakers said the standards reflect modern public defense realities but warned that funding, attorney recruitment and retention, office space, and data collection remain major barriers. Survey results from county offices showed wide variation in readiness, with many counties uncertain about timelines and most citing lack of funding as the biggest obstacle; attorney attrition was also described as high. County and city representatives argued that the new standards will require far more attorneys and support staff, and that local governments cannot absorb the cost without substantial state funding. They urged the Legislature to increase state support, improve workforce pipelines, and address structural issues in the public defense system.

Transcript Highlights:

• That every one of our energy sources has at least a certain amount of reliability.
• Furthermore, it imposes reasonable limits on transaction amounts and fees to prevent exploitation and
• The fine amounts that they can levy for violations must be documented; that document is unenforceable
• Efficiency through the transmission and distribution utilities, as we do, is important because they have
• Remember, they achieved more than their goal, so it's a reasonable amount to start with.

Bills: SB383, SB1012, SB1181, SB1705, SB2075, SB2221, SB2586, SB2864, SB2994

Keywords: SB 383, ERCOT, Texas Utilities Code, interconnection, wind power facility, offshore wind, coastal wind, nearshore wind, Gulf of America, Texas coast, three marine leagues, electric grid, transmission line, distribution facility, renewable energy, battery storage, energy storage, grid access, power grid, electric service

Transcript Highlights:

• The, the negative amount that we can account for is really just some of those, um, the high demand, low
• And when you talked about the amount of money, uh, that's being reviewed now for the upcoming budget,
• What was the amount, 145 million, 124, the exceptional item. Yes, sir.
• There are some bills in the US Congress to try to limit the amount that can be charged for this.
• The Blankets and jackets are in the warehouses, they need to be distributed in preparation of.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we also requested funds for our regional park system, which is really distributed among 10 implementing
• But we also requested funds for our regional park system, which is really distributed among 10 implementing
• among 10 implementing Park distributed among 10 implementing Park agencies<00:19:35.880> uh<00
• What's the estimated amount in savings that this will project?
• What's the estimated amount in savings that this will project?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met on January 29, 2025, to hear the Metropolitan Council’s presentation on the Governor’s proposed agency budget requests. The Council outlined three main budget items: authorization to advance funds to MnDOT to help coordinate a highway project with arterial bus rapid transit construction; a proposal to make free regular-route transit rides permanent for eligible Metro Mobility riders, after a successful pilot that produced nearly 75,000 rides; and a reduction in general fund support for rail operations, which the Council said it could absorb in the near term. The Council also noted it was seeking $15 million in the bonding bill for bus rapid transit, including support for the H Line, and described other capital requests for an infill/infiltration program and regional parks. Council leadership said the advance-funds proposal would let two projects move together more efficiently, reduce disruption, and potentially lower costs by avoiding repeated reconstruction and maintenance. On the Metro Mobility fare pilot, they said the lower fare increased rider freedom and spontaneity while saving state money because fixed-route service is cheaper than individual Metro Mobility trips. On the general fund reduction, they said the agency is expanding service, opening the Gold Line, B Line, and E Line, and can manage the cut because of its diversified revenue sources, though it could affect future expansion. Senator Nelson raised concerns about the proposal to expand the Right-of-Way Acquisition Loan Fund to include regional parks and trails, warning that the legislation should clearly avoid creating condemnation authority for park or trail projects, especially where they are adjacent to MnDOT projects. Council staff responded that the program would finance local acquisitions rather than give the Met Council condemnation power, and said they would take the concern under advisement and ensure the legislation is carefully drafted. Members also discussed federal funding uncertainty; Council officials said federal transit operating support is about $30 million and that a pause or cut could affect future capital projects and some existing awards, while the region’s diversified funding base would help cushion operations. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that amount works.
• I know that amount works.
• And that's what it amounts to when you say we have the power to negotiate. We don't.
• That led to a tremendous amount of projects, and we took the lead.
• They've already received a decent amount of money in a very short period of time.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• intelligence is being used to create non-consensual sexually explicit images and videos that are distributed
• First, it addresses the distribution of deepfake media on social media platforms by creating a tool that
• platform of a non-consensual activity. request its removal and have it taken down within a reasonable amount
• Committee Substitute House Bill 3694 would make it a crime to knowingly produce or distribute sexually

Bills: HB 115, HB507, HB1765, HB1847, HB2046, HB2239, HB2328, HB2309, HB2417, HB2728, HB2794, HB3206, HB3566, HB3694, HB3744, HB4254, HB4697, HB4733, HB4915, HB5465, HB2813, HB115

Keywords: habeas corpus, postconviction, criminal procedure, indigent defense, scientific evidence, legal representation, judicial power, capital felony, criminal law, death penalty, attorney qualification, training standards, law enforcement, no-knock warrant, search warrant, peace officer, attorney workload, criminal justice, caseload limits, fair representation

Transcript Highlights:

• the fifth year of receiving the exemption, the homesteader will receive the full $250,000 exemption amount
• Receive the full $250,000 exemption amount.
• Then that amount should be decreased by $1 billion each year over the next 10 years.
• Then to never exceeding that amount.
• Then, that amount should be decreased by $1 billion each year over the next 10 years.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You just can't believe the amount of work these volunteers, most of whom are volunteers, do out in the
• With the amount of money we have in appointing these two people back, who I have confidence in, we're
• of state money and the dollar amount of federal money.
• And would have caught the dollar amount. An audit should have caught this.
• It would have caught the dollar amount leaving and whether it was legal or not legal.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Deputy Director, if you are able to follow up and then share that with my office and I can distribute
• We did have some late testimony distributed, and we apologize for the late testimony.
• On our next measure, HB 231, relating to motor vehicle insurance, the bill has current blank amounts
• Right now we have some blank amounts, so I'm going to insert some language to constitute that.
• To July 1, 3000, and any current appropriation amounts in the bill we are going to blank that.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on January 28, 2025, and heard testimony on a series of bills dealing with vehicle titles, motor vehicle taxes, window tinting, license plates, electric bicycles, insurance penalties, vehicle inspection fines, and transportation discrimination. For HB 532, which shortens the time to forward a transferred vehicle title from 30 days to 14 days and allows a letter of attestation to serve as an endorsement certificate, testimony was listed in support from Councilmember U. Hajin and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and in opposition from Maui Mayor Richard Bisson and Sylvie Madison. HB 655 would require payment of unpaid motor vehicle taxes, fees, and penalties for the most recent five consecutive years of delinquency; the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi stood on written comments, with Tim Rymer and Robert Souza providing comments/support. HB 368, which would exempt certain medically sensitive drivers from sunscreen-device tint limits, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and support from several individuals. HB 226, lowering allowed windshield tint from 35% to 20%, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and support from TNT Tinting Specialists; members asked about federal preemption, and DOT said federal guidance applies to manufacturers while states retain authority over aftermarket tinting. The committee also heard HB 543, prohibiting license plate flipping devices and imposing a $2,000 fine, and HB 228, authorizing counties to adopt rules for electronic license plates, repealing flipping devices, and setting a minimum fine for obscuring plates; both measures had DOT support, comments from the Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and opposition from Sylvie Madison. HB 70 would require insurance for electric bicycles and create a regulatory framework effective January 1, 2026. The Office of the Public Defender opposed it, arguing the bill improperly distinguishes e-bikes from mopeds; PeopleForBikes and the Hawaiʻi Bicycling League opposed it as costly and unnecessary, while the Insurance Division said the bill could conflict with existing no-fault definitions and might fit better in the motor scooter/moped insurance framework. HB 231, increasing the fine for violating motor vehicle insurance requirements from $500 to $1,500, was opposed by the Office of the Public Defender, which argued it would burden low-income residents and add to court congestion; members debated whether higher fines would improve compliance. Later, HB 227 would add fines for operating a vehicle without a current inspection certificate and had DOT support. HB 184 would require operators of low-speed electric bicycles to have a driver’s license, instruction permit, or provisional license; Kawaii Path, PeopleForBikes, and Get Fit Kauaʻi opposed it as a barrier to low-cost transportation and noted concerns for riders with disabilities, while DOT later said it would support the measure and was asked to research whether other states have similar licensing requirements. The final major measure discussed was HB 468, which would require the Civil Rights Commission to investigate discrimination complaints involving transportation network company drivers and riders with service animals and allow DOT to issue penalties to the companies. The National Federation of the Blind of Hawaiʻi, the Disability Rights Center, and individual riders supported the bill, saying current protections lack enforcement and that denials still occur; Uber and Lyft opposed it, saying they already prohibit discrimination, train drivers, investigate complaints quickly, and that the bill would duplicate existing law and create unnecessary penalties. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh but nobody them at the full amount uh but nobody them at the full amount uh but nobody had requested
• requested was reduced the overage amount requested was reduced the overage amount requested was reduced
• as follows to and it will be distributed as follows to and it will be distributed as follows to the
• because this tax is helping this amount because this tax is helping this amount because this tax is
• that we feel is is is good where amount that we feel is is is good where amount that we feel is is is

Bills: HB 9, HB 22, HB 908, HB 1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment