Transcript Highlights:

• Palliative care is not a reimbursable code or a benefit that Medicare provides.
• evaluates how much funding to allocate to these programs, they rely on wage data from the Bureau of Labor
• I've used this example in the past: if the Department of Labor or the Department of Transportation issued
• You may remember the Department of Labor audit last year in the $1.5 million settlement over a lawsuit
• request for the revised rate reimbursements is not granted and the rates are not increased, The most labor-intensive

Transcript Highlights:

• I have been told that there are both environmental and labor standards, and I hope that that is true.
• both I have been told that uh there are both environmental<00:03:36.640> and<00:03:37.040> labor
• ><00:03:37.519> standards<00:03:38.239> and<00:03:38.480> I environmental and labor
• standards and I environmental and labor standards and I hope<00:03:38.959> that<00:03:39.200>
• The amendment is coded A3. I recognize the member from My Santi, Representative Gordon.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This groundbreaking legal code laid the foundation for American civil rights.
• We commit ourselves to that every Labor Day.
• The very foundation of our labor laws, the Commerce Clause that supports the Fair Labor Standards Act
• I have all references to labor and the protection of workers.
• I have all references to labor and the protection of workers.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs was opened by Chair Joe McGonagle and Vice Chair Senator Mike Rush, who noted that Chair John Velis was deployed with the Massachusetts National Guard. The chairs explained the hybrid format, three-minute testimony limit, live streaming, and filing deadlines, and said the committee would hear 11 House bills and eight Senate bills dealing with federal and overseas issues. Much of the hearing centered on competing resolutions about Article 5 constitutional conventions, along with related resolutions on D.C. statehood, child labor, Citizens United, and Cambodia. Supporters of H. 4692 and S. 284, a joint resolution to rescind all prior Massachusetts Article 5 convention applications, argued that old resolutions from the 1930s and 1970s could be used to count Massachusetts toward the 34-state threshold for calling a federal constitutional convention. Testifiers from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Reproductive Equity Now, labor groups, and others warned that a convention would have no clear rules, could not be reliably limited to specific topics, and could put civil rights, reproductive rights, labor protections, and other constitutional protections at risk. Several speakers also cited a recent federal lawsuit and said the safest course was to remove outdated applications from the books. A large opposing panel testified in support of H. 3888, a resolution calling for a Convention of States to propose amendments limiting federal power, imposing fiscal restraints, and establishing term limits. Supporters argued that Article 5 provides a lawful way to address federal overreach, debt, and congressional stagnation, and said the process would be limited by state applications and ratification by 38 states. Some committee members and witnesses raised concerns about a runaway convention, broad language in the resolution, and whether Congress could or should set rules for such a convention. Representative Gentile also testified in support of several related resolutions on overturning Citizens United, D.C. statehood, and the child labor amendment, while Representative Howard and Representative Tongue supported a Cambodia resolution condemning political oppression and urging free and fair elections. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 1993, PGT began work with Miami-Dade County to develop window and door building code protocols to
• This trend poses a substantial challenge. ...difficult to attract and retain labor in manufacturing.
• Furthermore, the shortage in labor and manufacturing is not a challenge unique to Florida.
• As a small business owner, navigating these labor challenges while striving for operational excellence
• The multitude of regulations ranging from environmental standards to labor laws creates a formidable

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee met to hear an overview of its jurisdiction and then focused primarily on Florida manufacturing. Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly described manufacturing as central to a more resilient, diversified economy, citing the 2023 Florida Manufacturing Report and noting strong growth in manufacturing businesses, jobs, exports, and workforce programs. He emphasized that most Florida manufacturers are small businesses, that the sector is increasingly STEM- and technology-driven, and that the state’s main challenge is workforce aging and the need to retain trained talent. Members also discussed how to better expose students and parents to manufacturing careers, improve startup access to capital, and strengthen regional manufacturing corridors and transportation links. Kevin Carr of FloridaMakes said Florida is on track to become a top-five manufacturing state, but warned that productivity, technology adoption, and workforce shortages remain key issues. He said a proposed manufacturing bill would create a chief manufacturing officer and help address workforce, technology, and market-visibility challenges. Bain Beecher of PGT Innovations described the company’s growth and community role, but highlighted obstacles such as affordable housing, insurance costs, permitting delays, supply-chain disruptions, and limited awareness of manufacturing careers among students and parents. Andrew Kosowski of Veterans Metal focused on small- and medium-sized manufacturers, citing labor shortages, the cost of adopting new technology, regulatory burdens, and cybersecurity compliance as major pressures, and urged support for the draft manufacturing bill. Brian Giuliani of the Port of Tampa Bay outlined the port’s cargo mix, infrastructure investments, and role in moving fuel, construction materials, and manufactured goods, saying the port’s expansion and transloading plans could better connect Florida manufacturers to suppliers and markets. Committee members repeatedly stressed the need to promote manufacturing careers earlier in school, improve public perception of the industry, and reduce barriers to investment. No formal vote was taken during the discussion, but the panelists broadly supported the draft manufacturing legislation and the committee’s focus on manufacturing policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Carter Bundy representing both AFSCME and the 36,000 members and families of the Mexico Federation of Labor
• It opens up a new section of code and it changes our procedure.
• Chair and Senator, as much as I would love that, it would not fit in this section of code or in this
• I think you're absolutely right; it's a whole different section of law and code and would be considered
• In that case, there is a school code, and so we can track those students.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And let us not create, let us not DEI code or a dog whistle for inferior capability or inferior work.
• even still, the progress that allowed me to thrive and make it to where I am today... came from the labor
• We have to do the extra labor of fundraising thousands of dollars to create. cover our events and programming

Keywords: education, curriculum, HB178, diverse history, equity, testimony, higher education crisis, representation

Summary: The meeting was characterized by impactful discussions focused primarily on education and the representation of diverse histories in Texas's curriculum. Notably, Representative Christina Morales advocated for HB178, a bill aimed at ensuring that all Texas high school students have access to Mexican-American and African-American studies as part of their graduation requirements, moving from elective-only status. This bill garnered support from both sides of the aisle, highlighting a cooperative effort to improve educational equity in Texas. Several representatives shared personal stories reflecting on the importance of inclusive education, showcasing the bill's far-reaching implications for students' sense of identity and history.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will say this morning while we were in session, we had an agreement between labor and the industry.
• So, I will be updating that to the agreement between labor and industry at this time.
• With the CIB board and Larry Broke, I don't know the organized labor.
• So this is clearly defining that our statutes and our administrative code are in alignment with one another
• of Oklahoma is putting out are actual, factual, and in complete alignment with our administrative code

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a labor issue.
• But there's also our own administrative code that has been in existence for quite some time.
• And this is per 2.82.8 of the New Mexico Administrative Code.
• First, is this individual registered with the Department of Labor?
• indication that they are in business for themselves; if they are not registered with the Department of Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• We also, in 2018, started a day labor program called Mono e Mono.
• We have four staff that go out and provide outreach at the time that the day labor program is also providing
• It might be that they're more aptly suited to doing the day labor program, just trying to make ends meet
• haven't been formally adopted, the city has been open to discussing them with law enforcement and code
• Chair, thank you for your answer, but also when you talk about codes, I mean we're also seeing a kind

Transcript Highlights:

• offer benefits that are valuable to workers, and they need to be able to do that in partnership with labor
• Committee, Yvonne Panis with the California Labor Federation in support. Thank you.
• Under the current bill, the misconduct that is defined in Education Code, I mean, these are things that
• include the most serious sex and drug... ...conduct that is defined in Education Code includes, I mean
• Good morning, Yvonne Fernandez, California Labor Federation, in support.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on public employment, retirement, and recognition of cultural and public service issues. AB 569 would allow local governments and unions to negotiate supplemental pension contributions for certain employees; AB 989 would make California Native American Day an official paid state holiday; AB 268 would recognize Diwali as an official state holiday; AJR 3 would urge protection of Social Security, Medicare, and Medi-Cal from federal cuts; AB 1067 would require misconduct investigations to continue even if an employee retires during the process; AB 1510 made technical and conforming changes to state employee pay and benefits laws and to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority labor law; and AB 1233 would create a statewide database of classified school employee employment history and serious misconduct records. The committee also took up AB 1383, which would lower the retirement age for certain first responders and restore some bargaining rights over retirement benefits, drawing extensive testimony for and against. Supporters of the holiday bills emphasized long-overdue recognition of Native American and South Asian communities and the importance of honoring California’s diversity. Supporters of AJR 3 described the reliance of seniors, people with disabilities, and families on federal and state health and retirement programs, warning that cuts would cause serious harm. AB 1067 was presented as a way to prevent employees from retiring to avoid accountability, while AB 1233 was framed as a student-safety measure to help schools identify applicants with prior egregious misconduct. Opposition to AB 1233 focused on due process and the breadth of the misconduct records, and opposition to AB 1383 argued it would reverse PEPRA reforms, raise pension costs, and strain local budgets, while supporters said firefighters and other first responders face unique health and safety risks and deserve earlier retirement. Most bills were reported out of committee on unanimous or near-unanimous votes and placed on hold for add-ons or referral to Appropriations or another committee. AB 912 was taken up on the consent calendar and held; AB 569, AB 989, AB 268, AJR 3, AB 1067, and AB 1510 all advanced with do-pass recommendations and were placed on hold. AB 1233 was moved to the Committee on Education. AB 1383 drew the most extensive debate, with many witnesses in support and opposition, and committee members largely expressing support for first responders while also noting concerns about cost and pension policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• decisions as we confront and. increasingly sophisticated adversary in China, which not only has lower labor
• close to North Dakota as you can possibly be, to quote my colleague from South Dakota, was your area code
• the supply chain across countries and figure out where the materials are that we need and schedule labor
• think the the ancillary technologies that are built to manage supply chains and manufacturing and labor
• the Air Force's fighter force structure and prioritizing the recapitalization of combatants. combat-coded

Keywords: Air Force modernization, fighter aircraft, autonomous systems, air superiority, national security, recapitalization

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on military procurement and modernization, with significant discussions surrounding the Air Force's capabilities and strategic needs. Key topics included the urgent need for recapitalization of the Air Force's fighter squadrons, as well as the importance of integrating new technologies like autonomous systems to bolster military effectiveness. Several senators raised concerns about the current resources available to the Air National Guard and the potential loss of skilled service members if recapitalization plans are not swiftly developed. There were also discussions on the importance of maintaining air superiority in light of evolving threats, particularly from adversaries like China.

Transcript Highlights:

• traveled and most importantly, the amount of money users are spending while using the trail unique QR code
• locations early last year to test the methodology and starting September of 2024, we have installed QR code
• It's a it's a cost and labor intensive process.
• Another cost labor intensive process to go.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• overview of CTE in Florida as well as our annual CTE audit, which evaluates CTE programs quality and labor
• with how we identify credentials of value for the Masters credentials list, or is there evidence of labor
• opportunities for that to be cured, maybe there, maybe miss alignment with an assignment of a SOC code
• We're very grateful for the leadership that we've had from our code representatives as well as our former

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• building codes and building code building codes and standards<00:31:52.639> are<00:31:53.000><
• the codes and that's what the codes the codes and standards<00:32:42.799> uh<00:32:43.039>
• talk about the building code itself, the electrical code, the plumbing code.
• talk about the building code itself, the electrical code, the plumbing code.
• ><00:42:18.839> codes<00:42:19.839> is County building codes is County building codes is

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Housing held a public hearing on January 31 and heard testimony on a series of housing and building-code bills. The first major item, HB 1 relating to building codes, drew sharply divided testimony. Supporters, including BIA Hawaii, Grassroot Institute, Dr. Horton, and several builders and trade groups, argued the current code-adoption process is slow, fragmented, and costly, and that reform would help housing production. Opponents, including Sierra Club Hawaii, AIA Hawaii, ICC, and labor representative Kiko Bosi, said the bill would weaken public safety, reduce statewide consistency, and could leave tenants and first responders at greater risk. No vote was taken during the hearing, and members asked questions about the effect of a governor’s emergency proclamation suspending the Building Code Council and about county authority over code amendments. The committee then heard HB 745 and HB 1321, both also relating to building codes. Grassroot Institute supported both measures, saying the system is broken and needs streamlining, while BIA Hawaii and others emphasized the cost burden of repeated code updates. Opponents, especially Bosi and ICC, argued that the bills would undermine the State Building Code Council’s role, create confusion, and prioritize cost over safety; Bosi also said labor should be included in any code discussions. Members questioned whether counties can remove state code provisions and whether the state code already supersedes county codes, and one member noted the need for clarity and consistent enforcement rather than a wholesale overhaul. Later, the committee heard HB 284 on housing, HB 761 on county permitting and inspection, and HB 738 on historic preservation. HB 284 drew support from several housing and real estate groups, while DLNR opposed it. On HB 761, HHFDC supported the bill, DLNR warned that the proposed changes could jeopardize Hawaii’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, DAGS said it would likely need to duplicate county permitting staff, and the Department of Planning and Permitting opposed it; Grassroot Institute and NAIOP supported it. For HB 738, HHFDC, DLNR, Grassroot Institute, Hawaii YIMBY, NAIOP, and others supported the measure, with Grassroot and NAIOP suggesting clarifications so expedited review would also cover mixed-use projects and better define the scope of work. The transcript does not show any final votes or committee action on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, Sarah Flock, California Federation of Labor Unions, in support. Thank you.
• This bill would allow the California Department of Justice, an agency with wage theft and labor code
• expertise, to coordinate accountability measures when labor violations rise to an egregious level.
• Chair, Member, Sarah Flachs, California Federation of Labor Unions, in support. Mr.
• Chair, Member, Sarah Flock's, California Federation of Labor Unions, in support. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to reproductive access, child safety online, immigration enforcement in schools, health privacy, location data, digital provenance, reparations, and age assurance. AB 54 would protect the medication abortion supply chain and shield providers and others from liability; AB 1137 would strengthen reporting and enforcement tools for child sexual abuse material on social media; AB 49 would limit ICE activity at California public schools; AB 82 would expand privacy and safety protections for gender-affirming care patients and providers; AB 1355 would restrict the collection, use, and sale of precise location data; AB 853 would expand provenance requirements for AI-generated and authentic content; AB 62 would create a pathway for restitution for racially biased eminent domain takings; and AB 1043 would create a device-based age assurance framework for online services. Supporters generally framed the bills as necessary responses to current harms: reproductive rights advocates emphasized California’s role as a safe haven; child safety witnesses described the persistence and re-victimization caused by CSAM online; immigrant rights and education advocates said schools should remain safe from immigration enforcement; health and LGBTQ+ advocates stressed privacy and safety risks tied to tracking and harassment; privacy and consumer groups backed limits on location data and stronger provenance tools; and reparations advocates said AB 62 would help address historic injustices. Opposition came from family policy, tech, business, law enforcement, and industry groups, who raised concerns about safety claims, constitutional issues, implementation burdens, transparency, law enforcement access, and the need to preserve existing privacy frameworks and voluntary standards. The committee members largely expressed support for the policy goals while noting implementation concerns on some measures. Several members asked for or were offered coauthor status on bills. AB 1137, AB 54, AB 49, AB 82, AB 1355, AB 853, and AB 62 all received do-pass votes to Appropriations, with some members voting no or not voting on certain bills. AB 1355 and AB 853 were advanced with amendments or ongoing work promised with opponents, and AB 1043 was presented with discussion of possible amendments on parental consent and age assurance details, though the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• by hundreds of individuals, including members of the public and individuals representing organized labor
• public and individuals representing public and individuals representing organized<00:11:08.160> labor
• <00:11:09.079> Electric<00:11:09.519> and<00:11:09.760> Gas organized labor
• Electric and Gas organized labor Electric and Gas Utilities<00:11:11.519> affordable<00:11:12.000
• :19.760> nonprofits state agencies utilities nonprofits state agencies utilities nonprofits labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's expensive, it's labor intensive, and you're constantly balancing trying to make sure that you're
• their model and so I think it is very difficult to be the first to try something it's expensive it's labor
• And in that model code, they recommended that experts be appointed to do custody evaluations.
• And then that model code they recommended that experts be appointed to do custody evaluations.
• so that's one of the recommendations that that's there I've got some information about that model code

Summary: The work session began with a discussion of expanding opportunities in the legal profession, especially in response to shortages of lawyers in rural Washington and in public service roles. Washington State Bar Executive Director Tara Nevitt described a slowly growing but aging attorney population, noted that younger attorneys have declined, and outlined efforts such as supervised practice pathways to bar admission, reduced admission-by-motion experience requirements, expanded law clerk capacity, rural job fairs and grants, and a pilot program allowing innovative legal service delivery models. Members asked about bar passage score changes, loan repayment assistance, and the former Limited License Legal Technician program; Nevitt said the bar is monitoring other states and remains in dialogue with the court about paraprofessional licensing. Law school representatives from UW, Seattle University, and Gonzaga emphasized public service pipelines, financial barriers, and rural legal deserts, citing LRAPs, scholarships, stipends, clinics, and hybrid or regional programs designed to recruit and retain students in Washington. Seattle U highlighted its FlexJD and hybrid hub partnerships in underserved areas, while Gonzaga and UW reported substantial shares of graduates entering public service, though most still cluster in urban regions. The committee also heard from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Office of Public Defense, both of which described severe recruitment and retention problems in rural counties, with vacancies, low applicant pools, and the need for higher salaries, housing help, internships, and loan support. The Office of Public Defense said its internship and fellowship program, created by SB 5780, has already placed interns in rural counties and produced some commitments to return after graduation. The Washington State Bar’s law clerk program was also presented as a pathway that helps people train locally and remain in their communities, including by supporting succession for aging solo practitioners. The committee then shifted to family law and guardianship issues. On Title 26 guardian ad litem practice, presenters from Northwest Justice Project and private family law practice said GALs can play an important role but that training, oversight, and consistency remain major concerns, especially in domestic violence cases. They described problems such as inadequate training, bias, inconsistent recommendations, high fees, and lack of accountability, and suggested stronger, standardized training, more use of mental health professionals for custody evaluations, and better oversight mechanisms. Members asked about county practices, including rotation systems for GAL appointments and whether King County’s family court assessors provide a useful model. The discussion then moved to minor guardianships under the Uniform Guardianship Act. A Superior Court judge said the 2021 changes increased the need for court visitors and appointed counsel, but courts are struggling to find qualified attorneys and visitors, especially in rural areas. A former commissioner said most of the bill under discussion was technical cleanup to align prior amendments, though it would add some fiscal burdens. Administrative Office of the Courts staff reported that the statewide reimbursement program for UGA implementation has repeatedly run out of money earlier each year, with minor guardianship costs making up most of the expense. The Office of Public Guardianship then described rapid growth in demand for adult guardianship and less restrictive alternatives, noting that referrals and caseloads have risen sharply, but that the office is constrained by a shortage of certified professional guardians and low compensation levels. Finally, the committee began an update on Blake implementation from the Office of Civil Legal Aid, which funds civil legal services related to the decision, before the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:10.640> Job there's cooling labor demand. Job there's cooling labor demand.
• labor instead of worrying about the foreign labor?
• force size of the labor force and labor force size of the labor force and labor force participation
• labor force as there used to. labor force as there used to.
• broke broken up by zip code, do you? broke broken up by zip code, do you?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's my understanding that the contracts, the labor agreements, have a code of conduct that says this
• We know this project labor agreement will ensure that labor is adequately sourced, attracted, and retained
• in an extremely tight labor market.
• We know this project labor agreement will ensure that labor is adequately sourced, attracted, and retained
• in an extremely tight labor market.

Keywords: 905, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the prompts were, find all duplicate programs in Century Code across all agencies.
• Labor force participation has edged up to 62.5%, though it remains below historical levels.
• So, I'll say why labor market: we're looking really good as far as jobs go.
• So I'm going to transition to labor force participation rate, which I mentioned earlier.
• Right now, North Dakota has a 68.7% labor force participation rate versus 62.1% nationwide.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Leadership Division of the Budget Section approved the prior meeting minutes and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s interim work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has reviewed state cash, investments, and liquidity across agencies and concluded the state’s overall mix of long-term and short-term assets is appropriate, with about $35 billion in total liquid assets and investments and roughly 89% in longer-term investments. He highlighted process improvements already underway, including replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work, and said the board sees opportunities to improve forecasting, automation, and statewide coordination. Members asked about whether the CD change would increase returns, how the Legacy Fund transfer for the homestead tax relief bill affected earnings, and whether more state cash could be consolidated or better managed through BND; Sickler and BND staff said those issues are being studied and may lead to legislation for the 2027 session. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the committee on the Task Force on Government Efficiency. He said the group has focused less on cutting dollars and more on defining metrics and asking how the legislature knows whether programs are working. The task force is pushing a standard set of questions for new or expanding programs—who is affected, expected outcomes, alternatives, how success will be measured, and full funding—and OMB has agreed to require those answers in future budget requests. Members discussed possible use of dashboards, program evaluators, AI tools, and possible rule or statutory changes to require performance measurement. Toman said the task force will continue meeting with agencies such as the courts, university system, auditor, HHS, Commerce, and ITD to identify workflow bottlenecks and potential efficiencies. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota gave a workforce update, reporting that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5% and labor force participation is about 68.7%, both well above national performance. He described Job Service’s 15 workforce programs, including H-2A housing inspections for foreign agricultural workers, the job placement partnership program with DOCR, WOTC, and other federal and state workforce efforts. Davis said the agency served more than 11,000 individuals in 2025, operates nine workforce centers, and tracks outcomes through quarterly and annual reporting. In response to questions, he said job openings data reflect only positions in the system and may understate actual hiring needs, that child care and other assistance programs could be better tied to employment outcomes, and that the DOCR partnership has shown strong results with lower recidivism and higher earnings. He also said the H-2A inspection workload is growing quickly and additional staffing or less frequent federal inspection requirements could help. Allen Knutson then presented S&P Global’s updated revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the prior month’s outlook, improving the state’s near-term revenue picture, though the economy remains volatile and agriculture is facing weaker commodity prices. Based on the updated forecast, total major tax revenues for the current biennium are projected to be about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and the next biennium could be about $500 million higher, though that estimate is preliminary and may change. He also walked through an alternate oil-price scenario showing significantly higher oil and gas collections and a larger Strategic Investment Fund balance if prices remain elevated. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about tribal allocation changes in the alternative scenario; Knutson said additional updates are possible through OMB and future forecast cycles.