Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Senator Cooby, I think I'm speaking to our tax code as a whole and that working people bear a
• I'm reading Section 2 that says Arizona Water Banking Fund. It's line 12 on the bill. 1837.
• I would just say caution, everybody on both sides, to be careful of these code words of corporations
• that is the great success that is in this budget of applying the Trump tax cuts to the Arizona tax code
• ...filers to file assuming that the state is going to conform with the changes in the federal tax code

Bills: HB4138, HB4139, HB4140, HB4141, HB4142, HB4143, HB4144, HB4145, HB4146, HB4147, HB4148, HB4149, HB4150, HB4151, HB4152, HB4153, SB1831, SB1832, SB1833, SB1834, SB1835, SB1836, SB1837, SB1838, SB1839, SB1840, SB1841, SB1842, SB1843, SB1844, SB1845, SB1846

Keywords: appropriations, education funding, health care, general fund, state budget, local funding, gaming, pari-mutuel, horse racing, regulatory assessment, first-time starters, budget implementation, federal funds, government services, budget stabilization, financial reporting, capital outlay, infrastructure, veterans services, highway construction

Summary: The committee met in a special joint appropriations session to review the FY 2027 budget package, including House Bill 4138 and Senate Bill 1831, the general appropriations or “feed” bills. Staff described the budget as including a one-time transfer of state funds, a 5% lump-sum reduction to most agencies’ discretionary general-fund budgets, continued funding for the state health insurance plan and school facilities, and various one-time restorations or reversions of prior appropriations. Members spent much of the meeting clarifying how the 5% reductions would work, noting that formula and mandatory funding such as K-12 basic aid are excluded, while the governor’s executive branch would decide how to implement the cuts within agencies. The chair repeatedly emphasized that the committee was not specifying line-item cuts and that agencies would have discretion over implementation. A large portion of the discussion focused on the practical effects of the budget on universities, public safety, health care, rural programs, and fund sweeps. Arizona Board of Regents and university representatives said the proposed reductions would amount to more than $85 million statewide and could affect programs such as the Arizona Promise Program, Teachers Academy, and tuition freezes, though no specific program cuts were written into the bill. Other testimony raised concerns about fund sweeps from encumbered balances, including university research funds, housing trust funds, utility regulation funds, and ADOT-related accounts, with some members warning about possible impacts on rural infrastructure and federal matching dollars. The committee also discussed the state employee health plan, including a $228 million general-fund infusion and proposed employee premium increases over three years, as well as questions about corrections, forestry and fire management, and rural critical access hospitals. Public testimony was largely opposed to the budget. Speakers from Opportunity Arizona, the Arizona Board of Regents, health care, and local government argued that the package would reduce support for education, housing, SNAP, health care access, and rural communities while preserving tax benefits for data centers and wealthy taxpayers. A mayor from Globe described severe flood damage and asked for state help for a flood relief fund, while a motorcycle safety advocate questioned a proposed transfer from the motorcycle safety fund. Committee members debated whether the budget’s effects should be described as speculative or as likely consequences of the broad cuts, and several exchanges became contentious over comparisons to the Great Recession and references to federal tax policy. The meeting ended with continued public testimony and no final vote taken in the portion provided, though leadership had earlier said the committee planned a mass roll-call vote on all the bills at the end.

Transcript Highlights:

• But working with my colleagues, this reduces the possibility of someone being penalized for something
• is, on page 2, line 3, it changes the language that says 'including but not limited to Children's Code
• Article 412' and changes that to say 'but in compliance with Children's Code Article 412.'
• The FDA's own research concluded kratom appeared to be well tolerated, which is code for safe at all
• Which is code for safe at all dose level studied. That matters, too.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of criminal justice measures, with several bills and resolutions reported favorably and others rejected or deferred. Representative Baham’s HB 255, as substituted, would enhance penalties for certain felony or rioting offenses committed while wearing a mask to evade identification, with exceptions for religious, motorcycle, and medical coverings; it was reported favorably after opposition from the ACLU and support from law enforcement groups. His HB 378, as amended, narrowed a vehicle-obstruction offense to first responders and was also reported favorably. HB 1090, increasing penalties for arson of a religious building, was reported favorably with support from the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops. HR 272, requesting a study of parental discipline, abuse allegations, and juvenile delinquency, was reported favorably after sponsor testimony about confusion over current law. HB 479, the “Fiscal Truth and Sentencing Act,” sought quarterly reporting on incarceration costs and sentencing impacts; despite support from the ACLU and opposition from clerks of court over an unfunded mandate, it failed on a 4-7 roll call. HR 278, asking the Attorney General to review electronic monitoring laws and make recommendations, was reported favorably after testimony from advocates and supporters of tighter oversight. HR 273, creating a task force to study work-release programs, was also reported favorably, while SB 278 was voluntarily deferred. The committee also considered several high-profile social policy measures. HB 261, by Representative Boyd, would create an exception to abortion restrictions for rape and certain sex offenses; the hearing featured extensive emotional testimony from survivors, clergy, and legislators on both sides, but the bill was rejected on a 2-10 vote. HCR 100, as amended, urged the Gaming Control Board to ensure due diligence in proposed casino acquisitions with attention to economic development, job creation, and community benefit; the amendment resolved industry concerns and the resolution was reported favorably. SB 448, concerning the Office of the State Public Defender, was amended to add procedures for expert-witness funding disputes, sealed contradictory hearings, and interlocutory review, then reported favorably. SB 135, which would redirect sports wagering revenue away from a capped sports fund and toward early childhood seats, drew opposition from university-related interests but no motion was made. Finally, HB 778 on kratom was presented as a narrower approach that would ban synthetic and semi-synthetic kratom while allowing regulated natural products; testimony included concerns about harm, business impacts, and claimed benefits for pain management and PTSD, and the discussion was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The regulation that mandates that, I have the citation: it's the New Mexico Administrative Code 13.21.2.9
• When you have a system that's not penalizing risky doctors, it punishes them.
• It's not in the Medical Malpractice Act; it's in the administrative code that was enacted by Superintendent
• In the code, I have a copy of it if you would like, and I'm happy to give it to you.
• So, in courtesy and code, they decided the verdict was. $40 million.

Transcript Highlights:

• DFL Senator Erin Maye Quade's bipartisan bill, Senate File 1119, would penalize companies that allow
• An algorithm is simply a code.
• It's a code that's designed to make the decision-making, as I explained earlier, and so somebody's bias
• , their lived experience, is going to be baked into that code.
• Lived experience is going to be baked into that code.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> copying<02:33:54.399> costs That section deals with copying costs That section deals with
• With regard to the provision that it would constitute an invitation, which is in section Roman 2, section
• With regard to the provision that it would constitute an invitation, which is in section Roman 2, section
• <02:56:58.399> A which is in section uh Roman 2 section A which is in section uh Roman 2 section
• Um, the first is on the B3 section would be a replace-all section.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It made significant changes that would affect Florida's corporate income tax code.
• that impact Florida collections, the bill maintains current law by holding to the Internal Revenue Code
• The amendment clarifies the Florida anti-kickback law in Section 456.054.
• If you've broken the code on something that is profound, what matters the most is the why.
• This amendment to section 943.10, section 14, formally includes them as officers and includes them in

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and recognitions, including a resolution honoring Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a special-order calendar with multiple bills, many of them paired with House companions and amended before final passage. Early action included adoption of a tax conformity bill tied to federal changes in the Internal Revenue Code, with a 34-0 vote. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758, a Medicaid and SNAP reform bill. The sponsor described provisions to strengthen fraud enforcement, impose work requirements for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid drug purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Democrats offered amendments to delay work requirements until Medicaid expansion and to add protections for SNAP users such as caregivers, seniors, disabled individuals, and domestic violence survivors; both amendments failed. Senators also questioned implementation details, exemptions, and potential effects on vulnerable populations. After debate, the bill was placed on the calendar for third reading. The Senate also passed bills on technology education and AI instruction, a public records exemption and related Parkinson’s Disease Registry measures, designation of the SS American Victory as the state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the sunset on legal tender recognition for gold and silver, public records protections for financial and digital-asset custodians, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, local government budget transparency, digital voyeurism, insurance customer representative licensing, and a medical freedom bill with amendments on vaccine-related materials and anti-kickback provisions. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition, though the public records bill for gold/silver custodians and the legal tender repeal drew a few dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so they feel they're being penalized in terms of not being able to submit for a license.
• And so they feel they're being penalized in terms of not being able to submit for a license after they've

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The New York State Senate Committee on Higher Education met on April 21, 2026, with a quorum present and considered nine bills. The committee advanced bills addressing licensing discrepancies for junior and assistant landscape architects (S.1834A), SUNY/CUNY research foundation financial reporting (S.6745), credits for volunteer firefighters and EMTs enrolled in SUNY or CUNY (S.7367), campus pool and health membership for disabled veterans (S.7784A), early licensure eligibility for dental residents in multi-year specialty programs (S.8401A), a 90-day grace period for certain social workers awaiting limited permits (S.9303), interior designer certification standards (S.9673), and a transfer of excess tuition reimbursement account funds to support proprietary vocational school oversight (S.9682). One bill, S.948 concerning occupational therapists, was held pending resolution with the State Education Department. Members asked questions on several measures, including whether firefighter/EMT credits were tied to service rather than coursework, how the dental residency bill would work in practice, and the funding source and purpose of the proprietary school supervision account transfer. Support was noted for the interior designer bill from ASID, CIDQ, and IIDA, while most other bills had no listed support or opposition memos. The committee explained that the fund transfer bill would move up to $500,000 from a tuition reimbursement account balance above $2.5 million to help the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision address oversight needs. All of the bills taken up and moved were reported out of committee, with some sent to the floor and others to the Finance Committee as indicated by the chair. Several were reported without recommendation from individual members. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members, Senate Bill 1075 prohibits and penalizes the conveyance of an interest in real property
• to hostile ...prohibits and penalizes the conveyance of an interest in real property to hostile foreign

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee met to consider several bills for constitutionality and proper form. Senate Bill 1018, which expressly adds Sharia law to Arizona’s definition of foreign law and bars its enforcement where it would conflict with constitutional or state/federal law, drew a Rules Attorney warning that it could raise Establishment Clause and possibly Free Exercise concerns, citing the Oklahoma Sharia-law case. Despite that caution, the committee recommended the bill by a 5-3 vote, with members on both sides explaining their votes. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1075, which restricts conveyances of real property to hostile foreign governments or their agents and creates a state commission to review such transfers. The Rules Attorney flagged possible federal preemption and foreign affairs doctrine issues because federal law already regulates foreign-controlled land transactions tied to national security. The bill was nevertheless recommended 5-3. Senate Bill 1095, a measure on gender transition procedures for minors, was described as consistent with recent Supreme Court precedent on state bans, but the attorney flagged the provision barring medical referrals as potentially vulnerable under First Amendment speech doctrine; it was also recommended 5-3. Senate Bill 1635, dealing with alerting a person to an imminent law-enforcement arrest effort, was found generally permissible with a suggested drafting clarification, and it too passed 5-3. At the end of the meeting, the committee took up a mass motion covering a large group of additional Senate bills and Senate Concurrent Memorials. The Rules Attorney stated that all of the measures had been reviewed and were, in the committee’s view, constitutional and in proper form. The mass motion was approved unanimously, 8-0, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right, there's also a period, what is that, for folks who are in the program not to be penalized.
• Right, there's also a period, what is that, for what, for folks who are in the program not to be penalized

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation, chaired by Senator Pete Harckham, met with a quorum and considered a 10-bill active list. The committee advanced several bills on environmental monitoring and reporting, including measures on SPDES public notice submission, bioheating fuel requirements, community air monitoring, air quality monitoring for major mass transit projects, climate-related financial risk disclosure, mercury thermostat collection, financial responsibility for major facilities or vessels, a New York Youth Climate Corps, and a DEC study of school retrofits near major highways. Some of these bills were advanced on the calendar, while others were referred to finance. The committee discussed Senator Harckham’s PFAS and biosolids bill at length. Members reviewed amendments intended to address Farm Bureau concerns, including language changes that removed opposition, and discussed the proposed statewide moratorium, eligibility for voluntary testing, and the new Agricultural PFAS Response Fund. Harckham and others noted that the bill would help reimburse or assist farmers with remediation if contamination is found, and that the public should understand only a small percentage of New York farms have received direct biosolid application. Members also noted that the bill could affect other biosolid uses, such as at a golf course in one senator’s district. Throughout the meeting, senators asked brief questions, offered supportive comments, and in several cases recorded votes of without recommendation or nay on specific bills. The committee ultimately voted to advance or refer all ten bills as appropriate, with the PFAS bill referred to finance after unanimous support from those present. The meeting concluded after welcoming several senators who joined during the session, including new member Senator Bachar.

Transcript Highlights:

• CORRECTLY AS AN EMPLOYER BUT FOR SOME REASON AS LONG AS YOU DOCUMENT IT AN EMPLOYEE WILL NOT BE PENALIZED
• I WANT TO ALSO NOTIFY IN THE SAME SECTION TO QUALIFY FOR REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE IF TO BE ABLE AND AVAILABLE

Transcript Highlights:

• We are penalized for growing our business. Rather than supporting... our business.
• to a lot of you is a provision that would give the Department of Insurance oversight solely over section
• Section seven deals with consumer complaints.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• By the time you understand the state procurement code, you deal with the anti-donation clause, you deal
• The very first section, starting from lines 1 all the way down to line 23 are all related to just the
• And the LFC recommendation doesn't have anything in this particular section, but if you turn to line
• are actually part of the. department's operation rather than a separate program that has its own section
• We should not be penalizing schools that are performing well.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aligns with Welfare and Institutions Code 5801, which recognizes that mental health services
• conviction and replacing it with the clear and convincing standard language normally used in the Family Code
• And you've made it very clear that it's not to penalize anybody. It's to get information out.
• Basically, sales in these zip codes, legitimate or not, are going to garner a lot more scrutiny from
• In your mind, is that a violation of the code? Is that a violation of the code? I'm not sure. Yeah.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several bills focused on health care planning, mental health court participation, homeowners association governance, groundwater enforcement, pet-policy disclosure in rentals, and post-disaster property speculation. SB 1088 would update California’s POLST and DNR laws by renaming POLST to Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, allowing electronic signatures, clarifying who may sign on a patient’s behalf, and making clear that these forms are voluntary; it drew support from the Coalition for Compassionate Care and no opposition. SB 1242 would let original family petitioners participate in CARE Court for care coordination and information-sharing, while preserving judicial discretion to exclude them if harmful; supporters said it would improve treatment coordination, while Disability Rights California opposed it as coercive and a removal of patient consent. The committee advanced SB 1242 on a 7-0 vote, with the bill placed on call. The committee also considered SB 1007, which would require more HOA budget transparency, disclosure of evidence for violations, and a lower cap on regular assessment increases without a homeowner vote. Supporters argued it would improve accountability and protect homeowners from steep fee hikes, while HOA industry groups warned it could undermine funding for insurance, maintenance, and other operating costs. Members raised concerns about the cap and the need for flexibility for large expenses; the bill passed 6-1 and was placed on call. SB 1364, as amended, would prevent a person convicted of sexual assault from obtaining custody or visitation of a child conceived from that assault, while preserving the possibility of voluntary co-parenting and aiming to qualify California for federal grant funding; it passed 8-0 and was placed on call. Later, SB 997 would give the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and its groundwater sustainability plan, addressing an enforcement gap for a GSA created by special legislation rather than a joint powers agreement. It drew support from agricultural and county groups and passed 9-0, placed on call. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies up front on applications, websites, and ads, and allow refund of an application fee if disclosure was not provided before payment; supporters said it would reduce wasted application costs and pet relinquishment, while rental housing groups said the ad disclosure requirements were impractical. The bill passed 8-0 and was placed on call. The final bill, SB 1090, was introduced to prohibit large property owners from making unsolicited purchase offers for five years in wildfire-disaster areas, responding to investor activity after the Eaton and Palisades fires; the author and a SAGE witness described it as a protection against disaster capitalism and predatory low offers to displaced residents.

Transcript Highlights:

• With this bill, we are ensuring that families are not penalized while finding support for their children
• You're trying to do the right thing for your kid, and you're penalized by trying to do the right thing
• You're trying to do the right thing for your kid, and you're penalized by trying to do the right thing
• We've reached out to DHS for technical... section two uh and the ability to section two uh and the ability
• <01:21:55.159> and<01:21:55.400> potentially this section and potentially this section

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um which is to access their section 35.
• Um I successfully sectioned her or ago.
• eligible or not. um that coding makes eligible or not. um that coding makes all<01:16:45.840>
• that would be responsible for coding that would be responsible for coding every<01:28:51.679>
• Section 8 housing, uh been on over 50%. Section 8 housing, uh over<04:11:22.640> 27%.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code.
• of just a primary diagnosis code of just a primary diagnosis code of Behavioral<00:08:21.319>
• > I<00:09:03.440> apologize MCO top procedure codes um I apologize MCO top procedure codes
• look over um on the procedure code look over um on the procedure code description<00:09:32.399><
• description you'll see that that uh code description you'll see that that uh code is<00:09:34.640

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services held its first meeting and received an overview from the Department for Medicaid Services on Medicaid’s behavioral health and substance use disorder services. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beal said Kentucky Medicaid serves about 1.4 million members, including over half of Kentucky children, with 485,000 expansion members, more than 69,000 enrolled providers, and total fiscal year 2024 expenditures of $18.5 billion. They said Kentucky covers a broad range of behavioral health services, and behavioral health provider enrollment has grown from a little over 4,500 in 2019 to nearly 8,000 in 2024. They also described how Medicaid spending and utilization are tracked through claims and encounter data, with most members served through managed care organizations. Members focused on sharp increases in certain behavioral health billing codes, especially peer-to-peer services, and asked about reimbursement, utilization review, and whether the growth reflected increased need or expanded coverage. DMS said the rise was partly tied to combining facility and nonfacility behavioral health fee schedules in 2023, choosing the higher reimbursement rate to avoid cuts, and that the department has seen an uptick in peer-to-peer services. In response to concerns about overutilization, DMS said it mailed a letter to behavioral health providers, is considering limits and prior authorizations for some services, and plans to create a standardized monthly behavioral health report to monitor trends consistently and identify when controls may be needed. Lawmakers also asked whether the provider network is sufficient and whether access is adequate, especially for children. DMS said provider enrollment has expanded because behavioral health services were added to Medicaid in 2014 and because demand increased after COVID, but acknowledged studies showing children have less access than adults and said that would be an area of focus. The department said managed care organizations are required to ensure access to needed services and that current trends indicate access is available, though one member disagreed and said workforce shortages remain a major concern. Another member asked about non-emergency medical transportation spending, and DMS explained that it is handled through a capitated arrangement administered by the Transportation Cabinet rather than directly by the managed care organizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 2 of the bill— I should say Section 3 of the bill— changes current law, which says the commission
• Code section 15852B are varied.
• <05:41:15.120> section sources listed in 42 um US code section sources listed in 42 um US
• code section 15852B 15852B 15852B are<05:41:19.440> varied.
• <05:41:35.680> of repeated references to sections of repeated references to sections of federal

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of itself can be so severe or pervasive that it constructively discharges, demotes, or otherwise penalizes
• A few households are fortunate enough to receive a Section 8 voucher, but the voucher supply, like the
• No new standard Section 8 vouchers are expected to be issued in the near future.
• Factors like cost of materials, labor, stringent building codes, and market competition make development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing on a series of bills focused largely on local-option real estate transfer fees and housing funding tools for communities facing severe affordability pressures. Testimony strongly favored bills for Somerville, Concord, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Chatham, and a statewide local-option transfer fee, with speakers arguing that high-end real estate transactions should help fund affordable housing, anti-displacement efforts, workforce housing, and related capital improvements. Elected officials and local housing leaders described rising rents and home prices, investor activity, shrinking year-round housing stock, and difficulty recruiting or retaining teachers, police, health care workers, and other essential employees. Several witnesses emphasized that the proposals would be optional for municipalities, could include exemptions for first-time homebuyers or seniors, and would direct revenue into local affordable housing trust funds or housing banks. Committee members asked questions about who would pay the fee and whether it could make housing less affordable, and supporters responded that the fees would be targeted at higher-value transactions and designed with local flexibility. For Somerville, the delegation and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne backed both a local home rule petition and statewide enabling legislation, saying the city has already used zoning reform, inclusionary zoning, and local housing funds but still needs a new revenue source to address displacement and investor-driven purchases. For Concord, Representative Carmine Gentile and Concord housing advocates supported a home rule petition and the statewide bill, arguing that a modest fee on sales above $1 million could generate predictable revenue for affordable housing production and preservation. One committee exchange focused on whether the fee would affect most Concord sales and whether it would be passed on to buyers; supporters said the policy was intended to shift costs toward higher-value properties and help leverage other funding sources. The committee also heard testimony on House 4105, which would redirect a casino-related revenue stream to the Healthy Incentives Program. Farmers, advocates, and residents said the current funding was originally intended to support horse racing but has not met that goal, and that the money would be better used to support Massachusetts farmers and food-insecure residents through HIP. In a separate bill, Senator Becca Rausch testified in support of Senate 268, which would create a state-level hostile learning environment complaint process for higher education institutions and potentially strip tax exemptions from colleges or universities found to have such environments; she cited anti-Semitic and transphobic incidents on campuses and argued that existing federal protections should be mirrored in state law. The hearing also included testimony on college tuition debt reduction legislation from Senator Michael Moore, who said the bill would allow a deduction for tuition and fees paid to Massachusetts public colleges and universities to ease student debt and support the state’s workforce. A major portion of the hearing focused on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket housing bank proposals. Hospital, school, housing, planning, and municipal officials from Martha’s Vineyard said the island’s year-round housing shortage is harming health care, schools, and the local workforce, and urged approval of a housing bank funded by a local-option transfer fee. Nantucket witnesses made similar arguments, pointing to a very high median home price, a large seasonal housing stock, and the need for a dedicated revenue stream to preserve and create year-round housing. Supporters repeatedly cited the long-running success of the islands’ land banks as evidence that transfer fees can work without harming real estate markets. Senator Julian Cyr and Representative Thomas Moakley Luddy also backed the Cape and Islands transfer-fee bills, saying the region needs bold action and a sustainable local funding source to address its housing crisis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the prior journal and took up motions and resolutions. Senator Gianaris moved to reconsider and restore Senate Print 3179A, an Environmental Conservation Law bill, to the third reading calendar, and amendments were also received on Senate Print 8491. The chamber then considered and adopted Resolution 1716, designating March 2026 as Greek History Month in New York, with remarks from several senators about Greek heritage, Greek independence, immigration, and the contributions of Greek Americans. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1607, proclaiming March 2026 as American Red Cross Month, with extensive testimony praising Red Cross disaster relief, blood donation, preparedness work, and volunteers; several senators highlighted local volunteers and urged greater support for the organization, including budget resources. The Senate welcomed guests, including Red Cross representatives and students from Brooklyn, and later opened the resolutions for co-sponsorship. The chamber then moved through the calendar and passed multiple bills, including measures affecting mental hygiene, elder law, penal law, public authorities, labor, public service, correction, education, election law, alcoholic beverage control, and state administrative procedure. Most bills passed by wide margins, though some drew recorded opposition, including the public authorities bill and several election, public service, and correction measures. Senator Ramos explained her support for the labor bill as a workplace dignity and anti-bullying measure, and Senator Ryan explained his support for the small-business regulatory website bill as a way to simplify access to agency rules and guidance. Senator Skoufis’s Public Health Law bill was also recalled from the Assembly, restored to the third reading calendar, and amended. The Senate then adjourned until Thursday, March 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, otherwise, you get actually penalized for not using that money.
• that fraud, waste, and abuse section. that fraud, waste, and abuse section.
• So this essentially removes lines 12 through 16 and line 18 by simply replacing that section, sections
• <01:43:25.280> two<01:43:25.840> and<01:43:26.159> section replacing that section
• two and section replacing that section two and section three<01:43:26.800> with<01:43:26.960>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 74, which would require state agencies, especially the Department of Environmental Services and other permitting agencies, to report more detailed data on permit applications, approvals, denials, pending applications, and permits taking longer than 90 days. The sponsor’s representative and a lawyer who helped draft the bill argued that the legislature needs comprehensive permitting data to evaluate whether current timelines are reasonable and whether regulatory delays are burdening property owners and economic activity. They said the information should already be tracked within existing budgets, despite a fiscal note claiming additional staff would be needed. A Business and Industry Association representative supported the bill, saying better data is needed to understand actual permitting timelines and to help streamline the process, especially in light of housing and development concerns. Members asked whether the bill was simply collecting data without a clear next step, and the response was that the data would allow lawmakers to judge whether existing deadlines, extensions, and exemptions are justified and whether changes to permit timelines are needed. Several members agreed the information would be useful and that agencies should already be tracking it. The committee then voted to pass Senate Bill 74 on a roll call, with the motion approved and the bill placed on consent for further consideration, with a note that it would go to finance for review of the fiscal note. The committee then took up Senate Bill 196, which would raise the threshold for certain in-house construction projects handled by the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services and two other departments from $500,000 to $1 million, described as an inflationary update. The sponsor said the department’s existing staff can handle these smaller renovation-type projects and that the bill should not require new positions; the deputy adjutant general later confirmed the department does not need additional staff and said the projects are typically roof, boiler, and similar repairs. Members asked about a fiscal note suggesting new positions and about revenue/expenditure impacts, and the sponsor explained that the fiscal note language appeared to reflect an earlier draft and that the budget effect is largely a shift in where the work is performed. The committee recessed briefly for the deputy adjutant general’s arrival, then continued discussion of the bill.