Video & Transcript Research : 'work scope'

Page 145 of 500
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Energy Resources Apr 14th, 2025

Energy Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • actually work.
  • If they're working in natural gas already, they will be trained to work as part of this hydrogen transition
  • A group of stakeholders in my office to work this out.
  • No, that's not the way it's supposed to work.
  • You cannot specify that it just will work always.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Appropriations Apr 3rd, 2025 at 08:30 am

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • That's work to be done.
  • A lot of the work can be done after a site assessment. Much of the work is done remotely.
  • The work group consisted of a prosecutor.
  • How does this work with the last bill?
  • So we have to work together, and I appreciate Senator Shively being able to work with our E&E section
Keywords: 908, all
Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2271, which would formally place adult residential facilities in code and rebase their Medicaid reimbursement rates. Sponsor Chairman Ruby and HHS staff explained that these facilities, often serving people with dementia or acquired brain injury, are reimbursed at a much lower rate than skilled nursing care and help reduce bottlenecks in higher-level facilities. Members questioned how the program differs from basic care and nursing facility memory care, and the bill was referred to the HR section for deeper review before possible action on Monday. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2396, as amended, which would authorize an independent third-party performance audit of the Department of Commerce and the North Dakota Development Fund, with findings shared with the state auditor. Sponsors said the proposal was prompted by concerns raised in testimony and that a private audit could begin faster than a state audit. The committee adopted an amendment adding an emergency clause and directing the report to the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee, then passed the bill 20-0 with 3 absent. Next, Representative Clemine presented Senate Bills 2226, 2036, and 2037. SB 2226 would presume an incarcerated person indigent at initial appearance so counsel can be provided at that critical stage; the commission said the appropriation would fund contract attorney hours, and the bill was sent to HR for further review. SB 2036 would create procedures for determining juvenile fitness to proceed in delinquency cases, with a $500,000 appropriation for mental health evaluations, and SB 2037 would begin a juvenile criminal code framework and include a $300,000 appropriation for fitness-to-proceed evaluations; both were also referred to HR, with some concern raised about staffing and overlapping functions. After a short break, the committee heard education-related appropriations bills. SB 2234 would replace expired ESSER funding for Choice Ready grants, but members noted the program was not included in the K-12 budget and sent it to E&E for comparison with existing appropriations. SB 2286, a University of North Dakota request for a new nursing school facility, drew extensive discussion about the age and condition of the current building and the size and scope of the project; the committee ultimately adopted a do-not-pass motion 22-0. SB 2213, the “science of mathematics” bill modeled on the science of reading initiative, would fund math professional development and implementation; it was also referred to E&E for further review. The committee then briefly passed the Racing Commission budget, SB 2023, and began discussion of the Trust Lands budget, SB 2013, including a proposed retention increase for investment-related positions.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • However, there's still much work that needs to be done.
  • We're happy to work with the committee on this over time.
  • We support OCA's work to improve affordability.
  • So we have one position for this work.
  • On the second question, so we are... ...working hard.
Keywords: 988, house, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Yes, that's my position with this, uh, working for the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center.
  • Dyson and for yourself for working on this and, uh, and for sticking around here all day.
  • I worked for the Brazos County Sheriff's Office for 30 years.
  • It expands definitions and clarifies the scope of illegal content.
  • So, um, we'll, we'll reach out to you to get that, get that working on.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • If they’re working a lot of hours, we have a lot of them servicing, they’re working some extra hours.
  • If they're working a lot of hours, we have a lot of them are servicing, they're working some extra hours
  • So the money is being put to work.
  • Ed Murphy and his team worked hard on that.
  • How does that work?
Keywords: 908, all
Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division of the budget section and received updates on several Industrial Commission-related agencies and programs. Legislative Council first reviewed base budget materials, then the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported on its current appropriation and staffing, noting that its new FTEs were being filled gradually and that it remained largely funded through special and federal funds. Agency leaders described homeownership lending, loan servicing, and housing incentive fund activity, including below-market mortgage rates, down payment assistance, and a growing servicing portfolio that has increased workload but not yet required additional FTEs. Housing Finance also detailed use of the Housing Incentive Fund and homeless grant dollars. Officials said the multifamily HIF round drew more than $73 million in requests and awarded $25 million, while the single-family program supported rural development and community land trusts. Homeless grant funding was split between emergency shelter, prevention, and rapid rehousing, with performance-based scoring used to renew or reallocate awards. Members discussed housing affordability, aging households, rental assistance, and the need to coordinate housing and site-preparation messaging with Commerce. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased in the next session. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and operations update. Staff said the agency was on track financially, had filled most of its new reclamation FTEs, and was not expecting major litigation costs beyond normal late-biennium invoices. The director reviewed agency initiatives including Project North Star IT modernization, organizational restructuring, succession planning, rulemaking, and implementation of the development incentive well tax program and critical minerals rules. He also discussed oil and gas activity, explaining that longer laterals, especially three- and four-mile wells and the first five-mile spacing case, are helping keep production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. Members asked about gas capture, hedging, break-even prices, and the effects of Iran and Venezuela on oil markets. The committee also heard about enhanced oil recovery grants and the Pipeline Authority. The EOR program’s $25 million appropriation was fully allocated to six projects, with total awards reaching about $45.1 million when other fund balances were included, subject to a possible 5% reduction if federal DOE money does not materialize. Officials said the projects are public, reimbursement-based, and will produce results over the next several years. Finally, the Pipeline Authority outlined natural gas transmission projects, including the imminent Bakken Express line and the proposed Bakken East project, which WBI was selected to advance after an Industrial Commission RFI process. The project is moving through open season, survey permission, and regulatory work, with in-service dates projected for 2029 and 2030.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Budget Section Regulatory Division Mar 18th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • It's working. It's working. On a project in Hillsboro at the end of this month.
  • And these are nonprofit organizations working locally.
  • themselves, or in the individuals who just can't work.
  • Ed Murphy and his team worked hard on that.
  • How does that work?
Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/16/2026 - Senate Finance

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • So I think that has to be worked out.
  • or irreputable work or whatever?
  • They have to show all that work.
  • or irreputable work or whatever?
  • They have to show all that work.
Summary: The committee first approved the March 9, 2026 minutes and held House Bills 29 and 2939 at the sponsor’s request. It then took up House Bill 2016, which would eliminate the late-filing penalty for taxpayers with zero income tax liability; after discussion about whether taxpayers still need to file to establish that they owe nothing, the committee adopted an amendment narrowing the bill to income tax filers and passed the bill 4-3. The Department of Revenue said it was neutral on the bill but supported the amendment. The committee next heard House Bill 2289, which updates the property-value examples used in bond/override election pamphlets and truth-in-taxation notices from older low values to $300,000. Supporters said the figures are outdated and should better reflect current home values; opponents questioned whether $300,000 was the best benchmark and whether adding another example would confuse voters. The bill passed 4-3. The committee also approved House Bill 4103, which bars school districts from calling bond elections if enrollment is below 50% of capacity. Supporters argued districts should use or monetize excess space before asking taxpayers for more debt, while school administrators and others said the measure would block needed maintenance, safety upgrades, and local decision-making. It passed 4-3. Two related agricultural property bills, House Bills 2104 and 2105, were both amended and passed 4-3. HB 2104 creates a four-year period after a successful agricultural property tax appeal during which assessors generally may not reclassify or reinspect the property absent changes in use, ownership, splits, or improvements. HB 2105 requires advance notice of inspections and inspection reports and provides a three-year inspection exemption after the most recent inspection, with similar exceptions. Farm and ranch groups said the bills provide fairness and certainty after successful appeals; county assessors opposed them as limiting oversight and creating unequal treatment. The committee also passed House Bill 2256 unanimously, which sets notice and title procedures for salvage auction dealers when insurance claims are denied or unpaid, and House Bill 2979 unanimously, which updates credit union regulatory timelines and procedures. Later, the committee passed House Bill 2996 unanimously, clarifying that certificates of insurance are informational only and cannot expand coverage or rights, with penalties for misrepresentations. It also heard House Bill 2174, which renames and updates regulation of insurance modeling and data organizations, requires model filings, and revises related reinsurance provisions; the discussion focused on how DIFI would regulate models versus the companies that create them, but no vote was taken in the portion provided. Finally, House Bill 2477 was introduced to conform Arizona’s 529 plan to federal law by increasing the K-12 withdrawal limit to $20,000, adding post-secondary credentialing expenses, and allowing rollovers to ABLE accounts and Roth IRAs if requirements are met; the sponsor and Treasurer’s Office supported it as a cleanup/conformity measure, and discussion began on how the new rollover options would work.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session 4/7/26

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Some of us are really here to get work done.
  • Some of us are really here to get work done.
  • We're racing what they work so hard to do.
  • We should be working toward taking action now.
  • There's a lot of work to be done. Let's make the right vote.
Keywords: 1183, house
MN
Transcript Highlights:
  • We didn't have a lot of employees; we had families working at those farms.
  • I mean, we could work on that.
  • <00:08:45.480> on work on work on that<00:08:47.800> uh<00:08:48.040> the<00:08:
  • We can work through those things. Representative, thank you, Mr. Chair.
  • <00:15:18.120> through<00:15:18.320> those work through those work through those things
Keywords: 919, house, all
Summary: The committee heard extended discussion on House File 8, a bill aimed at changing Minnesota’s permitting and environmental review process. Supporters said the bill is intended to help small and medium-sized businesses and projects that face long delays, and argued that the proposal does not lower environmental standards. They described the bill as modeled in part on provisions used in other states, including a staggered permitting process and an expedited option, and said the goal is to improve transparency, reporting, and real-time public access to permit information. Members raised concerns about whether the bill could also benefit large corporations and major industrial projects, including mining and other large facilities, rather than just smaller businesses. Several lawmakers questioned the use of county-based public input, the lack of tribal consultation, and how the bill would interact with treaty rights and communities outside the affected county. Others argued that the bill could create risks by speeding permits for bad actors or by allowing larger entities to pay for expedited treatment. Testimony also referenced examples from the Minnesota Chamber’s report, with a witness disputing the claim that permitting alone drove companies out of Minnesota and saying those cases involved more complex facts. The committee first considered a motion to lay the bill on the table, but that motion failed on a 5-7 roll call. The committee then voted on a motion to re-refer House File 8, as amended, to the Labor and Workforce Development Committee. That motion passed 7-5, and the bill was sent on to that committee.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select Aug 22nd, 2025

Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Transcript Highlights:
  • I think it works in harmony.
  • of work and can be absorbed.
  • We look forward to continuing to work with you.
  • They will conclude their work no later than December 1, 2026.
  • So I just want to reiterate that and I will continue to work.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

March 4, 2025 - 01:30 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • But not the quality of the work. I'm talking about the quality of work. I don't believe. Okay.
  • Well, I think what choice would anyone have but to try and make it work?
  • Do you have any staff working overtime? Yes. How many?
  • Pretty much all of the hearing officers are working late in the day.
  • They're just working longer hours to get their job done.
Summary: The subcommittee first heard a lengthy Auditor General presentation on the Department of Management Services’ fleet management operations. The audit found major problems with oversight, recordkeeping, policies, fee-setting, purchase and disposal approvals, public auction controls, and FleetWave system access and processing. Key findings included that 2,279 vehicles valued at more than $57 million could not be matched between FleetWave and FLAIR, disposal records were missing or incomplete, user access remained active long after employees separated, and the department had not documented a reasonable basis for its $1.75 per-vehicle monthly fee. Members expressed strong concern about the accuracy of the state’s fleet inventory and the risk of waste or misuse. DMS Secretary Allende said the department concurred with the findings, was working with the Auditor General, and planned corrective actions, including better training, clearer guidance, improved reconciliation, and possible centralization or pilot programs for fleet purchasing and management. The committee then returned to vacancy discussions with several agencies. The Division of Administrative Hearings said its two long-vacant judges of compensation claims positions had been hard to fill because of low pay and short reappointment terms, but the chief judge said the division could operate without them and offered those positions up as part of a reduction exercise. The Public Service Commission reported 42 vacancies but said statutory deadlines were still being met, though staff workloads and depth of analysis were affected. The commission also said vacancies help it manage salaries within its trust-fund budget. Members questioned whether some of those positions were truly needed given the lack of delays. The Florida Gaming Control Commission reported 29 vacancies, including a vacant chair that prevented appointment of an inspector general, and said the chair vacancy was a gubernatorial appointment issue. The acting executive director also said the commission’s compulsive gambling prevention program had lapsed after no responsive bids were received for a new contract, but an invitation to negotiate was nearly complete and a new provider was expected soon. The Public Employee Relations Commission reported that its caseload had more than doubled after Senate Bill 256, which increased union recertification work; it said it was meeting deadlines only with overtime and that the workload had not fallen despite decertifications. Members asked for follow-up data on union cases, vacancy needs, and whether some positions across agencies could be reallocated to better match workload.
VA

Virginia 2026 Regular Session

March 06, 2026 - Regular Session

Virginia House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • your blessings upon them, their families, and their work.
  • The Senate amendment changes the makeup of the work group. Mr.
  • That completes the work there. There are bills in conference.
  • Speaker, that is all the work before the body on this Friday.
  • Speaker, that is all the work before the body on this Friday.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Health Committee Apr 8th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • Assemblymember Sharp-Collins, who joined this bill on our first day of work.
  • Thank you, Madam Chair, for your committee staff's work on this bill.
  • Yeah, I mean, obviously that is the work of this committee and it's the work that we do day in and day
  • This just-say-no approach may work This just-say-no approach may work for some, but it certainly doesn't
  • work for the vast majority, and these policy barriers are counterproductive.
Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on April 8 and heard a long series of bills, beginning with AB 54 on medication abortion access. The author and supporters, including the Attorney General’s office and reproductive justice advocates, said the bill would protect California’s medication abortion supply chain and shield providers and manufacturers from civil, criminal, and professional liability. Opponents from the California Family Council argued the bill removes safeguards and increases risks. The bill was moved forward on a committee motion. The committee then heard several reproductive and public health measures, including AB 551 to create a pilot program supporting emergency departments in providing reproductive health services, AB 260 to protect medication abortion access and telehealth, AB 309 to remove sunset dates on laws allowing pharmacy syringe sales and lawful possession of sterile syringes, AB 536 to preserve colorectal cancer screening coverage if federal guidelines are challenged, AB 804 to make housing support services a Medi-Cal benefit, AB 594 to address student health insurance billing and transparency, AB 836 to study and expand the midwifery workforce, AB 1418 to collect data on health coverage for eligible employees, and AB 1500 to maintain and expand the abortion.ca.gov information site. Supporters emphasized access, preventive care, workforce shortages, and public health benefits, while opponents raised concerns about abortion, syringe distribution, and the focus of state resources. Most measures were advanced by committee vote, with roll calls showing broad support and a few no votes from members on some bills. The final bill discussed in the transcript was AB 1037, which would update substance use disorder laws to reflect evidence-based, harm-reduction approaches and remove barriers to treatment. The author and supporters described it as a compassionate response to overdose and treatment access problems, while law enforcement opposition argued it would encourage drug use and endanger communities. The transcript cuts off during testimony on AB 1037, so no final committee action on that bill is shown in the provided text.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Ways & Means Apr 14th, 2025

Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • That resort would never have been opened without working together.
  • We have been working on this a long time, actually before inflation went crazy.
  • All of our counties benefit from the work that they do.
  • Strategy, which includes working with Mr.
  • Thank you, Representative Lopez, for your hard work.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

House of Representatives May 20th, 2026

Louisiana House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Please work your way to your desk.
  • Please work your way to your desk.
  • We’re already working on the language to fix it.
  • We worked it out. It was something that we had agreed upon.
  • We worked it out. It was something that we had agreed upon.
VT

Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Session - 2026-03-24 - 10:00AM

Vermont House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group.
  • > Vermonters Madam Speaker, the Working Vermonters Madam Speaker, the Working Vermonters Caucus
  • It ensures that the systems we already fund work together.
  • c> of<01:27:56.440> the This broadens the scope of the This broadens the scope of the definition
  • This is a foundational piece of that work.
Keywords: 926, house, all
Summary: The House opened with a devotional and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through first readings and referrals of several bills. House Bill 950, the pay act for certain state employees, was read and referred to Appropriations, and House Bill 951, the government appropriations bill, was read and referred to Ways and Means. Senate bills referred included S. 138 on commercial property assessed clean energy projects, S. 181 on eliminating a pre-sentence investigation requirement for deferred sentences, S. 206 on licensure of early childhood educators, S. 219 on an energy navigator program report, S. 239 on the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group, and S. 291 on travel disclosures for legislators and certain executive officers, each sent to the appropriate committee. The chamber also read several House concurrent resolutions adopted on the consent calendar. These included resolutions congratulating Rice Memorial High School’s Division Two girls soccer team and Division One field hockey team, designating March 2026 as Athletic Trainers Month in Vermont, and remembering the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan. The Japan remembrance resolution included a message from the Japanese consul general expressing gratitude for Vermont’s solidarity and friendship after the disaster. Later, members offered announcements recognizing guests in the gallery, including Rice Memorial athletes and coaches, representatives of the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers, and students and teachers from Pondbrook and Sterling College. The House also heard a detailed floor speech in support of House Bill 861, which would establish a statewide Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. The sponsor described accessibility barriers faced by disabled Vermonters, argued that ADA responsibilities are currently uneven across state government, and said a coordinator would improve coordination, compliance, and access across agencies. The House then announced the order of upcoming bills, starting with H. 861 and H. 931, but no final vote on H. 861 was taken in the portion provided.
CO

Colorado 2026 Regular Session

Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 115 May 8th, 2026

Colorado Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • That's how it works.
  • spell out how this should work. spell out how this should work.
  • c> tech They work Maybe they work in in the tech They work Maybe they work in in the tech industry
  • , work orders stop work orders, work orders stop work orders, and<05:00:41.000> attorney<05
  • Excellent work, Mr. um, Mr. President. Excellent work, Mr.
Keywords: 981, all
Summary: The Senate was in session with a quorum present, approved the journal, and received several committee and House messages before moving through a long third-reading calendar. The chamber also paused for multiple personal privilege recognitions, including welcoming community guests and students, and a lighthearted update that Senator Sullivan’s missing stuffed “Chip” had been found. The majority leader later moved to lay over the remaining third-reading bills until later in the day, and the Senate also laid over special-order second reading bills until after third reading. On third reading, the Senate passed Senate Bill 185 and a series of House bills, including HB 1342 on bear-luring behavior, HB 1269 on transit access, HB 1225 on distributed energy resources, HB 1233 on property tax procedures for nonresidential property, HB 1414 on medical records held by certain health care entities, HB 1256 on release procedures from the Department of Corrections, HB 1004 on a child care income tax credit, HB 1014 extending the Colorado Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit, HB 1111 creating a pesticide product disposal and container recycling program, and HB 1287 continuing certain Division of Real Estate regulatory functions. HB 1206 was laid over to Monday, and SB 193 was laid over to the bottom of the calendar. Several of these bills passed with notable no votes from minority members, while others passed with broad support. The Committee of the Whole then took up House Bill 1276, a bill concerning protections for immigrants in Colorado and related appropriations. Senator Weisman explained and the committee adopted two amendments: one extending the deadline for peace officer training from July 1 to December 31, 2027, and another clarifying that a certification requirement would not apply to the judicial branch’s e-filing system but would continue to apply to other judicial data systems. Senator Judah spoke strongly in support of the bill, arguing it was about government accountability, privacy, and conditions in detention facilities. The committee adopted both amendments and then adopted HB 1276. The committee also considered House Bill 1419, dealing with the overall refund amount for state revenues above the TABOR spending limit. Senator Bridges presented the committee report, and Senator Kirkmeyer spoke in opposition, arguing the bill was an unnecessary maneuver to retroactively alter accounting and TABOR refund calculations despite prior compliance and a clean audit opinion. After debate, the committee report was adopted and the bill was taken up for further discussion, with the transcript ending amid that debate.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on State and Local Government - 02/20/25

State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • The county IT directors are very passionate about their work.
  • The county IT directors are very passionate about their work.
  • I work at a nonprofit.
  • Similar question: I work at a nonprofit.
  • I currently live and work in St. Paul.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary A May 5th, 2026

Judiciary A

Transcript Highlights:
  • No, I just wanted to say thank you for your good work.
  • I think it's worked great.
  • I think it's worked great.
  • I think it works good. All right.
  • Also, it works with defense attorneys. They get the suit in...
Keywords: 974, senate, all
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary A May 5th, 2026

Judiciary A

Transcript Highlights:
  • I think it's worked great.
  • I think it's worked great.
  • I think it works good. All right.
  • Also, it works with defense attorneys. They get the suit in...
  • The vast majority of child custody cases are worked out by parents.
Summary: The Senate Judiciary A Committee met on May 5, 2026, with five members present and adopted the April 28 minutes. The committee then heard and favorably reported several measures, including HCR 31, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to study replacing or clarifying the term “foreign” in state law; HB 263, allowing the 14th JDC magistrate judge to handle certain specialty court felony matters; HB 299, clarifying paper filing rules for jury bonds and related payment issues; HB 535, simplifying hospital-based acknowledgments of paternity by removing the two-witness requirement while keeping notarization; HB 571, codifying the 19th JDC’s complex litigation section program; and HB 538, increasing the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court fee cap from $15 to $75 to help offset court costs. The committee also reported HB 215, raising the small succession affidavit threshold from $125,000 to $200,000, and HB 226, adding a 10.1 conference requirement before requests for admissions are deemed admitted, with discussion about discovery fairness and default judgment exceptions. The committee also took up HB 324, which makes judicial stipend increases permanent and adds a 2.7% salary increase for judges effective July 1, 2027; an amendment restoring the second year of the COLA was adopted, and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 1043, raising the jurisdictional amount in Jefferson Parish first and second parish courts, was amended to increase the amount from $35,000 to $50,000 and then reported with amendments. HCR 6, directing the Law Institute to study forced heirship and disinherison issues, was amended to add reporting language and related Civil Code references and then reported with amendments. HB 1006, changing summary judgment deadlines to give opponents more time to respond, was amended and reported by a 3-2 vote after roll call. Two more substantive bills drew extended debate. HB 1239 would strengthen the presumption that parents share physical custody equally unless a court finds that arrangement infeasible or not in the child’s best interest; supporters framed it as a parental-rights measure, while an attorney in opposition warned it would increase litigation, reduce stability for children, and be used as leverage in child support disputes. Despite the opposition, the committee reported the bill favorably. HB 190, as amended, would create a duty of reasonable care for certain software/app providers toward minors and require expert testimony, while excluding manufacturers; supporters said it was aimed at protecting children from harmful platform design, but opponents argued the proposal was unnecessary because existing tort law already covers negligence and warned it could create new causes of action and uncertainty over whether software is a “product.” The committee heard testimony from the Louisiana State Law Institute, the sponsor, and outside witnesses, but the transcript ends before final action on HB 190 is shown.