Transcript Highlights:

• Sturgeon and Representative Barry, relating, directing the Department of Labor to study the creation of a small
• also fight like banshees for affordability, not only for residential property owners, but also for small
• Small businesses, such as small office, small retail, are faced with substantial expense in retrofitting

Summary: The committee met in hybrid format, approved the minutes from June 24 and June 25, 2026, and then heard several bills and a resolution. On House Bill 382 with House Amendment 2, sponsored by Rep. Lynn and Sen. Hocker, the sponsor said the bill makes technical corrections to Delaware’s rental car and peer-to-peer car sharing laws after concerns raised following HB 209, clarifies when loss-of-use damages may be recovered, and preserves recovery for intentional, willful, or criminal conduct. Avis Budget Group and Enterprise Mobility supported the bill, while Allstate Insurance and Toro opposed it, arguing the measure could reintroduce unfair fees and leave too much discretion to rental companies; Sen. Townsend also said he wanted more clarity on how the bill would operate. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then considered House Bill 476, a Frederica charter change sponsored by Rep. Postals and Sen. Buckson. The bill would reduce town council meetings from twice monthly to once monthly and make ordinances effective immediately unless otherwise stated. Members asked why the Senate sponsor was absent and noted the bill requires a two-thirds vote, but no public comment was offered and no action was recorded. The committee also heard House Joint Resolution 13, sponsored by Sen. Sturgeon and Rep. Barry, which directs the Department of Labor to study a Delaware health care apprenticeship degree program to help address workforce shortages. The Delaware Health Care Association supported the resolution and urged coordination with existing workforce efforts; no opposition was presented and no vote was recorded. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 458 with House Amendment 1, sponsored by Rep. Lynn and Sen. Pardee, concerning backflow devices in low-hazard buildings. Sen. Pardee said the bill would exempt residences and office-type buildings from costly retrofits, while DHSS said the current regulation does not clearly define low-risk buildings and the bill’s list would not create immediate public health concerns until regulations are updated. The Delaware Association of Realtors supported the bill, saying the regulation is overly broad and expensive, while the Delaware Rural Water Association opposed it, warning that backflow prevention is important to protect aquifers and drinking water. The meeting ended with adjournment after public comment and no recorded votes in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of them is a small but necessary technical change.
• There is a small...
• There is a small, it is probably going to be amended because we found a small drafting error that the
• It's just a small drafting error that would be corrected. Any questions or comments on the bill?

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of health and social services bills, many of them recurring proposals that had passed the Senate before or been vetoed in prior years. Topics included primary care investment, penalties for adult care facility safety violations, emergency insulin access, limited nursing services in adult care facilities, a State Medical Indemnity Fund ombudsman, hospital ownership and private equity oversight, controlled substances for people with substance use disorder, rescue inhaler information in the immunization system, nursing home closure procedures, Medicaid coverage for complex care assistance, increased personal needs allowances, parental education for minors with disabling conditions, physician and dentist loan repayment/support, higher public health penalties, direct Medicaid billing for licensed creative arts therapists, adoption registry information release, fetal and infant mortality review boards, reusable food and beverage containers, DNR and hospice decision rules, a special needs assisted living demonstration program, temporary licensure for out-of-state health professionals at a triathlon event, and lead reporting and mitigation in school water. Sponsors described most bills as straightforward efforts to improve access, transparency, or care quality, while several members noted technical fixes or fiscal concerns on a few measures, including outdated program references and the need for funding to support expanded loan repayment eligibility. Some bills were framed as responses to prior vetoes or as renewed attempts to advance previously passed Senate measures. The chair also noted the committee still lacked a budget and expected additional meetings. For each bill, members generally moved and seconded the measures, and the committee voted favorably, usually with some members recorded as without recommendation. Most bills were advanced either to first reading, finance, or higher education, depending on referral. No bill was defeated in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Look, having a small airport in Lord LaFouche that I hear from lots of people that we have some of the
• Look, having a small airport in Lafourche that I hear from lots of people that we have some of the best
• I passed the bill related to it in 2018, a small thing, essentially about brown water.
• I passed the bill related to it in 2018, a small thing, essentially about brown water.
• compared to everybody else in the state that, depending on how much they receive, just, you know, a small

Bills: HR118, HB1039, SB436, SB442

Keywords: water utility, tax credit, excessive rates, residential service, subcommittee, local sales tax, local use tax, sales and use tax, tax audit, local collector, tax collector, prescriptive period, prescription waiver, interest suspension, delinquency penalties, estimated assessment, arbitrary assessment, certified mail notice, audit notice, taxpayer rights

Summary: Yes. This appears to be a meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee, based on the chairman’s roll call, the committee’s tax-related agenda, and the motions to report bills favorably. The committee first announced that SB 436 by Senator Cloud was deferred. It then heard SB 442 by Senator Stein, which would extend and clarify a local sales and use tax exemption in Calcasieu Parish for repairs, upgrades, and overhauls of certain aircraft at qualifying facilities like Chennault. Testimony from Citadel Completions emphasized the bill’s economic-development purpose, competitiveness with other states, and job retention/expansion in Southwest Louisiana. Representative Orgeron moved favorable passage, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee next considered HR 118 by Representative Wright, which would create a legislative subcommittee to study a possible state income tax credit for certain water utility customers affected by high rates tied to private water system upgrades and brown-water/manganese issues in parts of the Florida parishes and elsewhere. Members questioned the fiscal impact, eligibility, and whether the proposal would merely be a Band-Aid or a fair way to offset costs; Wright said it was only a study and not an automatic trigger for a tax credit. Representative Jackson moved to report the resolution favorably, and it was adopted without objection. Finally, HB 1039 by Representative Desotel was not presented and was held in committee. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is because they are very small, they don't participate in the commercial insurance market, and the
• We have Barney Bishop with Small Business Pharmacies Aligned for Reform. You're recognized.
• In the past year, 1,600 pharmacies closed, both chain pharmacies and small mom-and-pop pharmacies.
• Now, that's nothing to the state of Florida, but that kind of attitude is what's driving my class of small
• The plans are paying a very small amount in most instances, forcing the providers to go into litigation

Transcript Highlights:

• the Omen in Aviation event day, we just hosted at the AAR hangar about a month and a half ago, or small
• I know Senator Weber knows what a teehanger is, but that's basically just a small single engine.
• So, we've got a lot of space industry activity across Oklahoma, a lot of small space companies, a lot
• linear feet of joint seal, about 1,300 square yards of panel replacement, and 7,500 cubic feet of small
• For example, this one had a ton of panel replacement but hardly any small repair, whereas the runway

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also seeks to It also seeks to increase consumer choice, lower repair costs, support small repair
• This bill, they worked on with AARP, creates a 15-member task force with balanced representation from small
• It creates a 15-member task force with balanced representation from small and large employers, retirement
• Frequently, they are given to small business vendors as a reward for referring work.
• , are giving out gift cards, but calling them reward cards so that they expire to the detriment of small

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee heard and reported favorably several bills. SB 386, by Sen. Trumbull, would create consumer rights and manufacturer obligations for defective farm equipment, modeled on lemon-law concepts, and passed without opposition. SB 528, also by Sen. Trumbull, would strengthen Florida’s manufacturing sector through Department of Commerce responsibilities, a chief manufacturing officer role, workforce grants, and reporting requirements; it drew questions about whether it differed from last year’s bill and was supported by several appearance forms before passing favorably. SB 806, a right-to-repair bill for portable wireless devices and agricultural equipment, drew the most testimony: supporters said it would expand consumer choice and repair access, while dealers and industry representatives argued existing manufacturer agreements already provide access and warned the bill could disrupt dealer/manufacturer relationships and future technology; it nevertheless passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 696 on trademark registration, which would modernize the trademark classification system, allow online applications, and clarify document verification procedures, and SB 930, which creates a 15-member Florida Retirement Savings Task Force to study retirement coverage gaps and recommend policy options without imposing employer mandates. SB 826, by Sen. Leak, would address reward cards that function like gift cards but expire, while excluding loyalty programs; the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association raised concerns about unintended consequences and the need for tighter definitions, but the bill was reported favorably after the sponsor said the language would be refined. SB 874 would expand professional licensure reciprocity for experienced out-of-state surveyors and mappers to address workforce shortages, and it also passed favorably. After a pause, the committee took up CS/SB 838 on electronic payments of retail installment contracts. Sen. Yarbrough said the bill clarifies that reasonable convenience fees for optional electronic payments are permissible, provided they are disclosed and a fee-free option remains available, to reduce ambiguity and litigation. Members questioned whether the bill could authorize or expand fees and whether the “reasonable” standard was sufficiently clear; the sponsor said the fees are tied to processor costs and are not intended as revenue. An amendment adding the word “retail” was adopted, and the committee substitute was reported favorably. Several members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on bills they had missed, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, members, for coming today and giving me an opportunity to talk about the small requirements
• Some of the challenges, of course, are that our workforce people do not want to sign contracts for small
• We have the wonderful OSA occupational safety program that is to freely train any Oklahoma small business
• municipality, go out and do a trenching, you know, exhibition or something for on a weekend for a small
• That's a very small agency in Oklahoma size, and we do receive federal dollars, but we're in constant

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to be impacted If we don't act, are middle-class families, and over half of these individuals are small
• business owners, small business employees, and entrepreneurs, self-employed.
• I assume on top of the other money we just talked about for marketplace assistance programs and small
• Eligibility is there for these small businesses?
• Whether it's a small disaster or a large disaster, I think it's very important that we take action.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I'm trying, but members, seriously, this is a small step, but I think.
• So, it's a small step but an important one.
• It's a small step but an important one. thank you for your consideration.
• It may not be more gallons than even a small swimming pool. Yeah.
• This water district includes seven small towns that are in my district.

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• WE REPRESENT A SMALL COMMUNITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES DEPEND UPON US TO GET
• AND JACKSON COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT RULE COUNTIES IN FLORIDA THIS ALLOWS US TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES
• WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY MEANS OF PROMOTION FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.
• THE LAST 2 PERCENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE I THINK IT DOES MAKE A BIG DEAL FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

Transcript Highlights:

• it's my pleasure and honor to offer, offer up House Bill 3126, which provides a critical pathway for small
• Some small districts, uh, in my district chose to do so, believing private insurance would provide a,
• Quite frankly, a lot of them, these are small rural districts that thought they could save some money
• became available and going to convention and conferences and it was pushed quite heavily, uh, for small
• The the committee substitute makes a small change regarding a definition for months of service for members

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3126 provides a critical pathway for small school districts to rejoin the state's uniform
• Some small districts in my area chose to do so, believing private insurance would provide more affordable
• Quite frankly, a lot of them—these are small rural districts that thought they could save some money.
• became available and going to... conventions and conferences, and it was pushed quite heavily for small
• The committee substitute makes a small change.

Bills: HB3014, HB3109, HB3126, HB3474, HB3594

Keywords: gift card fraud, counterfeit gift card, gift card tampering, gift card theft, prepaid card, stored value card, retail fraud, financial crimes, consumer protection, organized retail crime, gift card skimming, magnetic stripe, chip card, redemption information, gift card packaging, Penal Code, felony theft, state jail felony, third-degree felony, second-degree felony

Transcript Highlights:

• ONE ON THE LEFT ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES. THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS.
• IT IS WITHIN THE BIG DATA AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SIDE TO PROMOTE SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS
• THE PROGRAM AND THAT IS OPERATING BOATS, BEING IN THE RAIN TECHNICIAN, FIXING GASOLINE AND DIESEL SMALL
• THE ENTIRE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND IS NOW RESEARCH VESSEL DESIGNATED BY THE US COAST GUARD USES SMALL
• THE US FLAG IN MERCHANT MARINE IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• McAllen is among the top 10 best cities for small businesses to locate and for families to come and locate
• McAllen is among the top 10 best cities for small businesses to locate and for families to come and locate
• The Chamber of Commerce is composed of many small communities along the edge of the lake and small towns
• Small communities along the edge of the lake and small towns and marinas.

Summary: The Texas Senate convened with a quorum, heard the governor’s emergency message outlining priority issues for the session, including property tax relief, water supply and infrastructure funding, universal education savings accounts, teacher pay, career and technical education, creation of a Texas Cyber Command, and bail reform. The governor also submitted a State of the State message and several appointment nominations for Senate confirmation. The chamber then took up a series of ceremonial resolutions and recognitions for McAllen Day, UTSA and UT Health San Antonio Day, Wise County Day, and Houston East End Chamber of Commerce East End Day, along with visits from the Houston Realty Business Coalition, Cedar Creek Chamber of Commerce, Webb County/Laredo delegates, UT Dallas McDermott Scholars, Andrews County officials, and occupational therapy professionals and students. Several senators spoke in support of the recognitions, highlighting local economic development, higher education, public health, and regional history. McAllen was praised for its growth, business climate, and cultural significance; Laredo and Webb County were recognized for trade, the Washington’s Birthday Celebration, and cross-border ties; UTSA and UT Health were commended for research, cybersecurity, and health science work; and UT Dallas scholars were recognized for academic achievement and public service. Wise County, the East End of Houston, and Andrews County were also described in terms of their economic contributions and community heritage. The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 27 for McAllen Day and Senate Resolution 32 for UTSA and UT Health San Antonio Day without objection. It also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 11, which granted permission for either house to adjourn for more than three days between February 5 and February 11, by a recorded vote of 30 ayes and 0 nays. Additional resolutions listed on the calendar were adopted without objection, and the Senate recessed until noon on Wednesday, February 5.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's kind of like to make the House members feel small. Oh, it's a good reminder.
• Small towns can't do that.
• We're a small town. Unfortunately, I-49 went around us, and we got left in the cold, so to speak.
• Do the small towns give each other traffic tickets when they're going through? Not mine anymore.
• So the sheriff is doing law enforcement in our little small town now. All right. Okay.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 5 minutes and then heard House Bill 578, which would define sex in Louisiana law as biological sex, replace references to gender with sex in various statutes and forms, and direct the Law Institute to make conforming changes. Supporters from the governor’s office said the bill would bring clarity and consistency, while opponents argued it could create conflicts with existing law and weaken protections tied to gender identity. After debate, the committee reported HB 578 favorably. Members then considered House Bill 1250, a measure aimed at aerospace-related litigation. The bill would allow a special motion to strike certain claims against aerospace flight entities when the claims are preempted by federal law. Senators raised concerns that the language was broad enough to affect airports, airlines, contractors, and even unrelated incidents, and the author said he was willing to work on narrowing amendments. The committee nevertheless reported HB 1250 favorably. House Bill 718, dealing with liability protections for private airstrips used for recreation, was amended to narrow its scope and then reported favorably, while House Bill 163, a narrower related airstrip bill, was voluntarily deferred so the committee could work from the other measure. The committee also approved House Concurrent Resolution 61, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to review possible conflicts between the constitution and statutes on expropriation. House Bill 180, defining foreign adversaries and agents of foreign adversaries for a proposed constitutional amendment, and House Bill 192, a constitutional amendment barring foreign adversaries from expropriating land in Louisiana, were both reported favorably. House Bill 1008, which sets out academic freedom and whistleblower protections for higher education, was rejected on a roll-call vote after concerns about its scope and limits on university discipline. House Bill 638, a prompt-payment bill for contractors, was set aside while amendments were being located. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 71, which would extend existing liability protections for justified use of force to properly trained armed security guards. The author and the Board of Private Security Examiners said security officers receive training and often face dangerous situations, but opponents argued the bill would give too much protection to personnel with far less training than law enforcement and could shield bad shootings. After debate, the committee voted to defer HB 71. The last measure discussed was House Bill 1082, which would change venue rules for lawsuits involving the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System so actions by the system would be filed where the employer is located; the author said the bill was meant to help small municipalities, and members indicated they were open to narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:08.240> but However, we do have still a small but However, we do have still a small
• affect a little over 2,000 small affect a little over 2,000 small business<00:17:52.080> taxpayers
• <00:18:11.440> And money in small businesses hands. And money in small businesses hands.
• We do try to give small businesses relief.
• We do try to give small businesses relief.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, look, while most drivers occasionally exceed the speed limit, uh, research has shown that a small
• /c><00:02:03.200> a limit, uh research has shown that a limit, uh research has shown that a small
• group of high-risisk repeat small group of high-risisk repeat offenders<00:02:06.320> are<00:
• Families for Safe Streets members know a small high-risk subset of drivers repeatedly caught speeding
• for Safe Streets members know a small for Safe Streets members know a small high-risk<00:08:26.560

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• you all enacted the rural program units to try to accommodate for the lack of efficiencies in very small
• So then when they would come, they'd pull her out for small groups. So she's isolated.
• think with that 10% cap, we are inherently limiting choice because school districts that are very small
• Chair, our small rural communities, our Indigenous tribal communities, whereby distance learning is the
• Now, for very small districts, that might not be, you know, substantial, but as you get larger, that

Bills: HB2, SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think this is a small but key component of facilitating that.
• I happen to be a small rancher in Lincoln County, also chairman and commissioner as well.
• I happen to be a small rancher in Lincoln County, also chairman and commissioner as well.
• Finally, SB 17 threatened small, locally owned businesses.
• It is a burden on small business people in this state and on gun owners.

Bills: SB4, SB7, SB9, SB17

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare, medical education, salaries, graduate education, clinician pay, health sciences, education funding, faculty salary, University of New Mexico, healthcare funding, general fund, state budget, New Mexico legislation, gun control, firearm safety, dealer regulation, illegal trade, background checks, 996

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:35:53.280> And useful for a small rural town. And useful for a small rural town.
• Small cities don't spend that much. They don't have that much money.
• Small cities don't spend that much. They don't have that much money.
• <00:52:57.119> Just expensive for small municipalities.
• Just expensive for small municipalities.

Bills: SB23, SB71, SB105, SB109, SB115, SB131, SB148, SB165

Keywords: law enforcement, taser, restrained individuals, police procedures, civil rights, income tax, tax exemption, Alabama tax code, Section 40-18-3, civilian employees, Department of Defense, DoD, Armed Forces, military pay, combat zone, deployment, National Guard, Reserve components, emergency response, federal employees