Transcript Highlights:

• Millions of Americans do not have ready access to either document.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:56:41.040><c> for</c> to get our communities ready for to get our communities ready for business
• </c> of these projects that are shovel ready. of these projects that are shovel ready.
• </c><03:03:53.840><c> for</c> even I can't even fix and be ready for even I can't even fix and be ready
• </c> ultimately to take the business ready ultimately to take the business ready communities<03:04:18.960
• It's plug-andplay, ready already there. It's plug-andplay, ready to<03:18:35.920><c> go.

Transcript Highlights:

• Marty Healey, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Honorable Council, and inform them that the Senate is ready
• to assemble and ready to do business.
• The Senate has gone to meet with the House, and we have told them that we are ready to get to work for
• We're able to communicate that the Senate is ready to work with the executive plan, and they wish as
• the Senate be appointed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is now assembled and ready

Summary: The Senate convened, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and adopted several organizational orders at the start of the session. Members were appointed to committees to notify the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Council, and House that the Senate was ready to do business, and those committees were discharged after delivering the messages. The Senate also adopted an order to print and bind the Daily Journal for the session and deposit a certified copy with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The chamber then acted on procedural matters, including a Rules Committee report recommending suspension of Joint Rule 12 for a petition to establish a sick leave bank for Shannon Manning, a trial court employee; the rule was suspended and the matter referred to the Judiciary Committee. Additional House petitions were likewise referred under suspension of Joint Rule 12. The Senate also adopted an order to adjourn until the next day at 11:00 a.m. Later, members offered an adjournment in memory of Charles D. Baker III, age 97, highlighting his military service, public and private sector career, teaching, civic involvement, and family life. The Senate adopted the motion, observed a moment of silence, and adjourned in his memory.

Transcript Highlights:

• be appointed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has been called to order and is ready
• Honorable Council, to inform them that the two branches of the General Court are now assembled and ready
• The House of Representatives is gratified that the Senate is ready to do business, and we look forward
• The House of Representatives is ready to work with them in the year 2026.
• We are in the House chamber and ready to take on that will be more people who are welcome in Massachusetts

Summary: The House convened with the Pledge of Allegiance and immediately took up organizational business, including appointing committees to inform the Senate that the House was ready to proceed and to wait upon the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Council. The chamber also welcomed the Fairhaven High School Blue Devil football team, celebrating its 2025 MIAA Division 6 Super Bowl championship and recognizing the coach, school staff, principal, and superintendent. Members adopted routine orders concerning publication and official binding of the House journal, and the House approved several Rules Committee reports. These included adoption of a congratulatory resolution for Joseph Rink’s Eagle Scout achievement, an extension of time for the Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses to report on House Doc. 4904, and suspension of Joint Rule 12 to allow a petition by Alice Hanlon Pais on the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code to go to the Committee on Financial Services. On legislation, the House concurred in Senate amendments to House No. 4233, the Malden charter bill, after the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading reported the amendments were correctly drawn. The House also passed to be engrossed Senate No. 2799, establishing a sick leave bank for Jeffrey Yantanthin, an employee of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The session ended with adoption of an order to adjourn until the next day at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• be appointed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has been called to order and is ready
• Go to the well; the Senate is waiting for you to inform them that they are ready.
• Honorable Council to inform them that the two branches of the General Court are now assembled and ready
• The House of Representatives is gratified that the Senate is ready to do business, and we look forward
• We are in the House chamber and are ready to take on that there will be more people who are welcome in

Summary: The House convened, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and formally notified the Senate that it was ready to proceed to business. Members also welcomed special guests from Representative Mark Sylvia’s district, including the 2025 MIAA Division 6 Super Bowl champion Fairhaven High School Blue Devil football team, its coach Derek Admeida, school officials, and other guests, recognizing the team’s repeated championship appearances and recent title. The chamber adopted routine organizational orders, including publication and binding of the House journal, and appointed a joint committee to inform the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Council that the General Court was assembled and ready for business. The House also adopted a Rules Committee report honoring Joseph Rink for achieving Eagle Scout, extended the reporting deadline for the Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses on certain House documents, and suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow a petition by Alice Hanlon Pais concerning the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code to proceed to the Committee on Financial Services. On legislation, the House concurred in Senate amendments to House No. 4233, amending the charter of the City of Malden, and passed Senate No. 2799 to be engrossed, establishing a sick leave bank for Jeffrey Yantanthin, an employee of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The House also adopted an order to adjourn until the next day and recessed several times during the proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• upon the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Honorable Council, and inform them that the Senate is ready
• to assemble and ready to do business.
• The Senate has gone to meet with the House, and we have told them that we are ready to get to work for
• We're able to communicate that the Senate is ready to work with the executive branch, and they wish as
• the Senate be appointed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is now assembled and ready

Summary: The Senate convened, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and carried out the customary opening orders to notify the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Council, and House that the Senate was ready to do business. Committees were appointed and reported back after delivering the messages, and the Senate also adopted an order authorizing the printing and binding of the Daily Journal for the session. The chamber then acted on several procedural matters, including suspending Joint Rule 12 to refer a petition for legislation establishing a sick leave bank for Shannon Manning, a trial court employee, to the Committee on the Judiciary. Additional House petitions were similarly referred under Joint Rule 12. The Senate also adopted an order to adjourn the next day at 11:00 a.m. and dispensed with printing a calendar. Later, members offered an order to adjourn in honor of Charles D. Baker III, age 97, who died on November 1, 2025. The Senate heard a detailed tribute to his military service, public and private sector career, teaching, civic involvement, and family life, observed a moment of silence, and then adjourned in his memory to meet again the following day at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maura Healey, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Honorable Council, and inform them that the Senate is ready
• to assemble and ready to do business.
• The Senate has gone to meet with the House, and we have told them that we are ready to get to work for
• We're able to communicate that the Senate is ready to work with the executive branch, and they wish as
• the Senate be appointed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is now assembled and ready

Transcript Highlights:

• to transact business Mr President ready to transact business Mr President ready to transact business
• what I asked the for he'll be you ready what I asked the for he'll be you ready what I asked the for
• to purge our history out as if we ready to purge our history out as if we ready to purge our history
• I'm not ready to live that again okay no I'm not ready to live that again okay no I'm not ready to live
• amendment uh I'm ready adoption of the amendment uh I'm ready adoption of the amendment uh I'm ready

Bills: SB 26 , SB 28 , SJR 36 , SB 616 , SB 565 , SB 384 , SB 28 , SB 28 , SR 131 , SR 168 , SR 174 , SR 175

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary, we're ready to call the roll. Representative Contreras. Aye. Representative Press.
• Secretary, we're ready to call the roll. Representative Contreras. Representative Gress.
• Secretary, we're ready to call the roll. Secretary, we're ready to call the roll.
• Secretary, we're ready to call the roll.
• Secretary, we're ready to call the roll. Representative Contreras.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Human Services heard and advanced a series of Senate bills focused largely on mental health, public health, child welfare, and insurance coverage. SB 1113 would allow screening or evaluation agency employees to personally serve court documents on patients in involuntary mental health proceedings; supporters said this would reduce burdens on police and be less disruptive for patients. The committee adopted the Bliss amendment limiting reimbursement to services provided under county contract, and SB 1113 was given a due pass recommendation 12-0. SB 1122 would limit Access from imposing over-100% prepayment review on certain behavioral health providers serving American Indian Health Program members unless a corrective action plan is in place; Access was neutral and said it had worked with the sponsor, and the bill passed 12-0. SB 1123 would remove a board-certification requirement so trained, licensed forensic pathologists can supervise pathology trainees during autopsies; Maricopa County supported it as a workforce and efficiency measure, and it passed 12-0. SB 1125 would require DCS to make annual efforts to enter MOUs with Arizona tribes and improve coordination on tribal children in state care; DCS said it was already working on pending MOUs, and the bill passed 12-0. The committee also heard several bills tied to breast cancer screening and court-ordered treatment. SB 1165 would prohibit cost-sharing for follow-up breast cancer diagnostic and supplemental screening services in private insurance; the sponsor and advocates described it as removing financial barriers that can delay diagnosis, and it passed 12-0. SB 1243 would require guardians to be notified before discharge or release of patients under court-ordered treatment and allow guardians to seek continuation of treatment; family members and advocates testified that missed renewals can create dangerous gaps, and the bill passed 10-0 with two absent. SB 1318 would repeal a state breast-density notice requirement that now overlaps with a newer federal FDA standard; ADHS said the change would reduce confusion and duplicate notices, and it passed 11-0 with one absent. Later, SB 1188 would align Arizona controlled-substance schedules with federal FDA/DEA scheduling; the sponsor said it would speed access to new treatments, while one member opposed it over concerns about relying on federal agencies, and it passed 8-2. SB 1193 would bar DHS from selling or disclosing EMT personal identifying information for commercial purposes without consent; the sponsor said the bill was prompted by concerns about vendors buying licensee data, and members discussed whether broader privacy protections should be considered, but the bill passed 10-0. Finally, SB 1477 would require referral agencies serving assisted living facilities to verify background-screening practices, registry status, and insurance coverage; the sponsor and PASSRS said it would raise standards in senior placement services, and it passed 10-0 after a technical amendment. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's good that if you're ready for the advanced math course, let's put you into it.
• Just because you get an A on a test might not mean that you're ready for advanced math.
• The bill—those assessments do not determine if you're ready for an advanced math course.
• A student just getting an A, do you believe they're ready for that next advanced class?
• Because I got A's, but I sure wasn't ready for algebra.

Bills: HB2093 , HB2370 , HB2376 , HB2380 , HB2381 , HB2383 , HB2423 , HB2481 , HB2621 , HB2895 , HB4005 , HB4043 , HB4109

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: mental health, school curriculum, education policy, instruction requirements, statute repeal, charter schools, education, weapons detection, public safety, school administration, school districts, real estate transactions, school property, bond issuance, land use approval, capital improvements, school governance, board meetings, education funding, parental notification

Transcript Highlights:

• Whenever you're ready, Senator. I think you might have to press that button. There we go.
• Thank you so much, Senator, whenever you are ready. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• The science is ready, the clinicians are ready, SB 1224 makes California ready.
• The science is ready, the clinicians are ready, SB 1224 makes California ready.
• We were ready to remove our opposition, but we remain opposed unless amended. Thank you. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a series of bills focused on behavioral health, cancer screening, provider reimbursement, research funding, workforce licensing, and tobacco regulation. SB 16 would require counties to maintain procedures for designating and training professionals authorized to perform 5150 evaluations and initiate involuntary holds; supporters said it would expand the pool of qualified clinicians and reduce reliance on law enforcement, while opponents raised concerns about local control and implementation. SB 1124 would require CDPH to create and post lung cancer screening eligibility signage at tobacco point-of-sale locations; supporters emphasized low screening awareness and early detection, and the bill was advanced with amendments. SB 28, a CARE Court cleanup bill, proposed an ombudsperson, reporting, electronic petitions, remote participation, and other changes to improve accountability and access; it drew both strong support and significant opposition over concerns about coercion, scope, and whether the program is working as intended, but it passed the committee as amended to Judiciary. The committee also heard SB 874, which would strengthen oversight of Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment services, including background checks for providers and a stakeholder workgroup to develop standards; it passed to Public Safety. SB 1049 would let providers resubmit corrected claims within 90 days after a plan’s denial or recoupment action when the original claim had a correctable technical defect; supporters described delayed and withheld payments harming practices, while insurers argued the bill could duplicate existing dispute processes. The bill passed to Appropriations on call. SB 1224 would create a state framework to compete for federal ARPA-H funding for emerging therapies research, with testimony from a UC Davis psychiatrist and veterans’ advocates supporting expanded research into treatments for PTSD, depression, and other conditions; it passed to Military and Veterans Affairs. Later, SB 1057 would change how the Department of Public Health evaluates conviction history for certified nurse assistants and home health aides, shifting from automatic denial toward individualized assessment based on the offense, time elapsed, and rehabilitation; it passed to Appropriations with some no votes. Finally, SB 1314, a tobacco-related bill, sought to create a 600-foot buffer around schools and day care centers for certain tobacco retailers and address related issues such as cigar lounge definitions and nitrous oxide sales; several local government and public safety groups supported it, while health organizations and business groups opposed it unless amended. The chair announced that committee amendments were being set aside for now and the bill would move forward to Business and Professions with a commitment to continue working on the language; it passed out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can begin whenever you are ready. Thank you. Thank you.
• It's affecting our operational readiness.
• It strengthens our statewide mutual aid readiness.
• You can go ahead and begin, Director, whenever you're ready.
• We are ready to start the second panel, so I'm going to invite Chief Zach Kern.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on the rising cost and long delivery times for fire apparatus and related equipment, with opening remarks stressing that aging fleets, supply chain problems, and delayed replacements are affecting emergency readiness across California. Cal OES and Cal Fire described statewide procurement challenges, including higher prices, multi-year delivery timelines, two-year encumbrance limits, and the strain on mutual aid when engines remain in service beyond their intended replacement cycles. Cal Fire said it operates 537 engines, with 300 meeting replacement criteria and 243 at least 16 years old, and explained the difference between mandatory contracts and one-time acquisitions. The Department of General Services said vendors have cited labor costs, chassis pricing, and the need for longer production timelines, while also noting that statewide contracts can include nominal price increases but not open-ended price hikes. Local fire chiefs from Santa Barbara County, Los Angeles County, Napa, and Fullerton testified that apparatus prices have risen sharply while delivery times have stretched from under a year to three to five years or more. They described specific examples of engines and ladder trucks costing far more than prior purchases and arriving years later, forcing departments to keep older reserve apparatus in service, spend more on maintenance, and defer other budget priorities. Several witnesses said industry consolidation has reduced competition and contributed to delays and price increases, with Los Angeles County and Fullerton noting they have pursued antitrust complaints and litigation against major manufacturers. Napa also described proprietary parts and software limiting in-house repairs, and Santa Barbara County said a vendor’s unfulfilled delivery promise caused the department to lose its place in line. Members asked about possible solutions, including whether the state should consider manufacturing apparatus itself, whether procurement rules or prototype requirements could be streamlined, whether DGS staffing or contract processes could be accelerated, and whether more stable long-term purchasing commitments would help manufacturers plan production. Witnesses said safety-driven specification changes are necessary but can add time, and that the main bottlenecks are industry capacity, consolidation, and vendor performance. The vice chair raised concerns about how grant funding windows and local matching requirements are affected by multi-year delays, especially for small and rural departments that rely on grants and on used apparatus passed down from larger agencies. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded with committee members indicating interest in possible legislative, regulatory, and antitrust follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• Happy to answer any questions, but you're probably tired of me talking or you're probably ready to go
• We're ready to run some bills? Members, representatives, anything else from you guys? Go good?
• If you're not ready to handle school, because, work on your timing.
• If you're not ready to handle school and a job, just don't do it. And I'm stepping out the well.
• She teaches a career readiness class for the freshmen at my high school.

Committee: All GIRLS STATE

Summary: The meeting was a Girl State House session in which members received a brief orientation on chamber rules, decorum, voting procedures, and how to use the floor, followed by prayer, the pledge, and attendance. The parliamentarian and House leaders emphasized respectful conduct, recognition procedures, live microphones/cameras, and how motions such as immediate consideration work. After the rules overview, the chamber began considering bills in order. House Bill 1001, which would have prohibited over-the-counter diet pills from being sold or transferred to anyone under 18, drew debate over eating disorders, teen health, and whether parents or sellers would be affected. Supporters argued it would protect minors from harmful diet culture, while opponents raised concerns about medical exceptions and whether the age limit should be 21 instead. The bill failed, 42-55 with two present. House Bill 1002, allowing lottery winners to remain confidential, was amended during discussion to cover a $100,000 threshold and special rules for elected officials; supporters said it would protect winners from scams and harassment, while opponents raised transparency concerns. It passed 79-17 with one present. House Bill 1003, requiring schools to provide resources and courses on child labor/workplace laws, was debated as a workforce-readiness measure, but members questioned whether it should be a required course, an online option, or limited to older students. The bill failed 22-73 with three present. House Bill 1004, creating the Arkansas Head Injury Act and requiring helmets and face protection for motorized cycle operators and passengers, received strong support based on safety and personal testimony about motorcycle deaths; it passed 94-4. House Bill 1005, the Adult Preparedness Act, would have required a year-long personal finance course before graduation; members debated whether the material was already covered in existing classes and whether schools had time and staffing to implement it. It failed 35-60 with four present. House Bill 1006, increasing the teacher classroom investment tax deduction from $500 to $1,000, was broadly supported as a way to help teachers pay for classroom supplies and student needs, and it passed 97-0 with one present. House Bill 1008, aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial businesses by limiting national franchises in local economic zones, sparked debate over how to define zones, whether existing chains would be affected, and the impact on jobs and affordable shopping options; it failed 23-69 with six present. The session then moved to House Bill 1009, establishing a blue envelope program for people with intellectual disabilities during police interactions; the sponsor explained it would be optional and included in law-enforcement training, and supporters said it could reduce confusion and improve safety. The transcript cuts off before the bill’s final action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please begin when ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the committee.
• You begin when ready. Good morning, everybody. My name is Steve Boresne.
• You begin when ready. Good morning, everybody. My name is Steve Boresne.
• Simply put, the bill is just not ready for prime time.
• Simply put, the bill is just not ready for prime time.

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• Please proceed when you're ready.
• Please proceed when you're ready. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• You may proceed when you ready.
• Go ahead and ready. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
• You may begin when you are ready. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee heard several bills focused on developmental disabilities, food security, veterans, aging services, child care, and elder abuse reporting. SB 969 by Senator Reyes would make remote services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities a permanent option; supporters said virtual programming improves access, continuity, and choice, and there was no opposition. SB 1025 by Senator Hurtado would create an Office of Food Security and Affordability to coordinate state food programs, improve CalFresh enrollment, and develop a 24-hour hotline; committee members raised questions about duplication, metrics, and oversight, but the bill advanced after discussion. SB 1052 by Senator Gonzalez would allow the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to appoint contingent authorized representatives so people with disabilities are not left without support if a family member becomes unavailable; supporters described immigration enforcement, illness, and family separation as reasons for the bill, and members discussed administrative burden and renewal procedures before the bill passed. SB 1077 by Senator Gonzalez would require CDSS to prepare for future federal shutdowns by creating a communications and contingency plan for CalFresh disruptions and a state-backed emergency food assistance mechanism; members discussed how it would work with existing CalFresh administration, and the bill passed. SB 1201 by Senator McNerney would seek federal waivers to protect vulnerable veterans from new SNAP work requirements and require referrals to county veterans service officers; supporters said the federal cuts would harm homeless, newly discharged, and disabled veterans, and the bill passed. SB 1261 by Senator Laird would let aging and disability resource centers continue operating through partner transitions so services would not be interrupted; supporters emphasized continuity of care and the bill passed. SB 1110 by Senator Becker would revise child care subsidy funding and stabilization rules for alternative payment programs and community providers; supporters said the current reimbursement structure is outdated, and the bill passed after the author said a budget-related provision would be removed. The committee also later voted SB 969, SB 1052, SB 1077, SB 1201, SB 1261, and SB 1110 out of committee, with the bills kept on call for absent members, and began hearing SB 991 on elder abuse reporting, where supporters argued that licensing records should distinguish abuse from lesser resident-rights violations so families and policymakers can better understand facility conduct.

Transcript Highlights:

• Readiness, as far as this is, you know, they got an A on that piece.
• Representative, please proceed when ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members.
• I do want to, before we go ahead and get ready and get set... ...before we go ahead and get ready and
• Thank you, I’m ready for any questions. Thank you for being here. Appreciate your testimony.
• Make sure you state your name for the live stream and proceed when ready.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Karen, can you take the roll so when our sponsor gets here, we'll be ready to go?
• Are you ready for—?
• Are you ready for questions? Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Are you ready for questions from the committee?
• Are you ready for questions? We are ready for questions. Okay.

Summary: The committee first took up HB 195, as amended by committee substitute, which would protect the personal assets of individual medical providers from medical malpractice judgments when they carry appropriate insurance or participate in the Patient Compensation Fund. The sponsor said the bill was intended to address providers’ fear of losing homes and other personal property, while opponents argued it could exempt a class of people from civil justice. Supporters said it was a reasonable compromise that preserved patient access to justice while helping recruit and retain providers. The committee adopted the substitute and advanced it on a do pass vote. The committee then heard HB 295, a revised version of the Accessibility Act, which would create a centralized office for accessibility reporting, technical assistance, and annual reporting on barriers in state buildings and websites. Supporters said the bill would improve coordination, data collection, and compliance with existing ADA requirements; opponents argued it duplicated existing law and would create another government office without enforcement power. Members debated whether the Governor’s Commission on Disability should handle the work instead, but the sponsors said the commission lacked capacity and the Department of Health was a better fit. The committee adopted the substitute and advanced it 8-1. Next, HB 296 proposed doubling the working families tax credit. The sponsor and supporters described it as an anti-poverty measure that would benefit more than 200,000 families and strengthen work incentives, while committee members asked about the fiscal impact, administration, and interaction with other tax credits. The bill was quickly advanced on a do pass vote. The committee then heard HB 338, which would extend the gross receipts tax deduction for health care providers through 2031 and add co-insurance payments. Health care advocates supported it, but city and municipal representatives warned it would reduce local revenue unless a full hold harmless was added. After extended discussion, the committee rejected a motion to table and instead advanced the bill 9-0 with no recommendation, with several members saying they would not support it on the floor unless local governments were made whole. Finally, the committee heard HB 259, which would create an optional actuarial review process for proposed health insurance legislation through the Legislative Finance Committee. Supporters said it would give lawmakers better data on premium, utilization, and spending impacts before voting on coverage mandates; opponents and some members raised concerns about cost, staffing, data access, and whether the process would be too limited to be useful. After discussion, the committee advanced the bill on a do pass vote. HB 279 was rolled at the sponsor’s request, and the committee adjourned after reminding members about the evening dinner.

Transcript Highlights:

• Proceed when you're ready. Well, I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman.
• Have a seat and proceed when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Proceed, have a seat when you're ready.
• Have a seat and proceed when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Gentlemen, have a seat and proceed when you're ready. Good morning. Mr.

Committees: House Elections , House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Transcript Highlights:

• Proceed when you're ready. Well, I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman.
• Have a seat and proceed when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Proceed, have a seat when you're ready.
• Have a seat and proceed when you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Have a seat and proceed when you're ready. Chair: Have a seat. Proceed when you're ready.

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and voted to pass House Bill 2125, which drew some concern from Rep. Woods about subpoena power for the Secretary of State, and House Bill 1812, which passed unanimously. The committee then moved to public hearing on House Bills 2387 and 2480, both aimed at reinstating Missouri’s presidential preference primary and adjusting absentee voting rules. Sponsors Rep. Veit and Rep. Banderman argued the primary would increase participation, make Missouri more relevant in presidential politics, and better reflect voter preferences, while also proposing changes to the in-person absentee window to reduce overlap with April elections and encourage in-person voting. Testimony in support came from the Missouri Republican Party, the Missouri Democratic Party, the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, ACLU Missouri, Missouri Farm Bureau, and several individuals. Supporters emphasized broader voter participation, the value of a primary over caucuses, and the need to make Missouri’s presidential process more accessible and visible. Party representatives said they were willing to work on binding language so primary results would inform or bind delegate selection, and Democrats said their rules already bind delegates to primary results. Several members said they would be more comfortable supporting the bills if the primary were made binding by statute and if the primary were closed to party members only. Opposition focused on the fiscal cost, the nonbinding nature of the primary as written, and concerns that the bill could mislead voters into thinking they were directly electing a nominee when delegates are still chosen through caucus/convention processes. Witnesses and clerks also objected to shrinking the excused in-person absentee period from six weeks to three, warning it could create confusion and burden election offices. The committee heard no final vote on HB 2387 or HB 2480 before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And for kids that we're trying to get them ready, especially our special ed students that we're trying
• to get them ready for the world ahead, we need to teach them how to appropriately use it.
• to get them ready for the world ahead, we need to teach them how to appropriately use.
• Ready to have you start your testimony. Please begin. Hi, my name is Garrett Denham.
• As a parent, I understand the complexity for students to be present and ready to learn when they have

Bills: SB6192 , SB6206 , SB5346 , SB6125 , SB5841 , SB5907 , SB5951

Committee: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education

Keywords: education, reading, mathematics, student intervention, instruction, academic standards, child care, first responders, incentives, pilot program, mobile phones, cell phones, smartphones, school phones, classroom distraction, digital citizenship, media literacy, internet safety, cyberbullying, student mental health