Transcript Highlights:

• They were ordered to let that group do whatever they wanted to do.
• But I have a real hard time with a group that's in here chanting from the river to the sea.
• With a group. In our Capitol building.
• But we had a group up on the 2nd floor today.
• and weapons groups, we agreed, or I shouldn't say.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first thing that I'll talk about is a group called We Lead CS.
• 27.639> a first thing that I'll talk about is uh a first thing that I'll talk about is uh a group
• called we lead CS it's an group called we lead CS it's an educational<00:16:31.120> group<00:
• <00:16:31.880> Kentucky<00:16:32.880> and<00:16:33.000> there educational group
• in Kentucky and there educational group in Kentucky and there are<00:16:33.440> several<00:16

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:25 Attendance Roll Call: 00:31 HJR 15 (Rep. Baker): 01:15 HB 462 (Sen. Nemes for Rep. Dietz): 09:01 HB 6 (Rep. Williams): 10:18 HB 73 (Rep. Johnson): 15:21 Adjournment: 18:48, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government first considered HJR 15, a resolution to return a Ten Commandments monument to the new state Capitol grounds. Representative Shane Baker described the monument’s history, its removal to storage in the 1980s, and a prior 2000 effort that was blocked by the courts. He argued recent Supreme Court decisions, including Van Orden and Kennedy, support a history-and-tradition approach and said the resolution would direct the Historic Properties Advisory Commission to retrieve and reinstall the monument in Monument Park. Senator Herron raised concerns about religious neutrality and whether other faiths would also be represented at the Capitol. Baker and Chair Petrie responded that the resolution was limited to restoring a specific historical monument and did not bar future proposals for other displays. Senator Armstrong voted no, saying the legal landscape remained uncertain and the state could face costly litigation. The committee approved HJR 15 on an 8-1 vote. The committee then took up House Bill 6, which would limit administrative agencies from issuing regulations with an economic impact of more than $500,000 over two years, with exceptions for imminent public health or safety threats, protection of federal or state funds, and compliance with certain court orders. Representative Wade Williams said the bill would rein in costly agency rulemaking and cited LRC data showing only about a dozen regulations in 2024 would have met the threshold, with roughly six after closer review. Senator Chambers Armstrong expressed concern that the bill could tie the government’s hands in emergencies, but the bill passed 8-1. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 73, which had a committee substitute. Representatives Johnson and Tipton explained that one part would add We Lead CS to the list of educational service providers allowed to administer their own retirement program participation, and the other would require the Teachers’ Retirement System actuary to provide additional information on each employer’s share of unfunded liability. The committee approved HB 73 unanimously, 10-0, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we're going to do after this, folks, is call people up in groups of four. I think we've got.
• Quite a few witnesses, I think eight maybe, so we'll call you up in groups of four.
• So that's carrying on the continuity of the work that that group did.
• We're in an advisory group.
• I would like to have a more balanced advisory group than is suggested in your bill.

Bills: SB 21, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB372, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB764, SB842

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information

Transcript Highlights:

• licensing is a technically open to all professions in practice, it is driven almost entirely by these key groups
• The majority of applications received and worded were for the 2, 3, year old age groups.
• Some are joint with the different groups that I mentioned that we will go in with law enforcement or
• these different groups, either conduct an inspection or or site for unlicensed activity alongside law
• We have been meeting over the last year for the implementation of this bill with different groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• My job at DHS was to oversee three groups of employees, one being the CCAP fraud investigations unit.
• , had a front-row seat to watch our group, had a front-row seat to watch the<00:24:15.880> fraud
• we were directed to attend many group we were directed to attend many group meetings<00:35:23.360
• And he stood up and the group walked out, and that was the end of the meeting.
• Yeah, any further contact with that group would serve no useful purpose.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I have one group that's open to them and their families and friends and another group for African American
• <01:01:04.800> particularly outdoor recreation groups particularly outdoor recreation groups
• I have one group for BIPOC communities.
• <01:01:11.080> for and friends and another group for and friends and another group for African
• that you run with or member of the group that you run with or the<01:42:11.640> group<01:42:11.880

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've spent a lot of time on thinking about implementation and really being pushed by city groups
• , extensive feedback from city groups, extensive feedback from city groups, from<00:23:39.280>
• So, we have heard about this shortage also from multiple different groups.
• <01:20:15.600> We also from multiple different groups.
• We also from multiple different groups.

Bills: HF3902, HF3895

Keywords: housing tax credit, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, qualified projects, taxpayer contributions, greater Minnesota, zoning, housing, local government, multifamily development, affordable housing, land use, urban development, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This feedback group has to be continuous. This isn't a one-time thing.
• services and group transportation.
• So even though the state didn't take action, this accrediting group did.
• <01:44:19.159> group<01:44:19.440> Services they were doing group group Services they
• were doing group group Services Group Group Group transportation<01:44:22.199> and<01:44:22.880

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Aloha, I'm Maya Gano, a sustainability fellow through Pāho School and a part of the leadership group
• <00:08:47.399> emphasized locations finally the group emphasized locations finally the group
• So, you know, we are working with their groundwater modeling group, Dr.
• Ly's group, to really do some of the first phases of that.
• Dr ly's group to really do some of group Dr ly's group to really do some of that<01:10:12.719> the

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd have an opt-in group and an opt-out group for every municipality.
• We'd have an opt-in group and an opt-out group for every municipality.
• We'd have an opt-in group and an opt-out group for every municipality.
• We'd have an opt-in group and an opt-out group for every municipality.
• We'd have an opt-in group and an opt-out group for every municipality.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was one of the decisions that was left to the regulatory advisory committee by the giant stakeholder group
• So they're going to be... [00:37:55.000] ...the giant stakeholder group that met on it, but a distinction
• But so you're saying that they would not be consulted, that this group would determine some of these
• of the interior not along the bay but so you're saying that they would not be consulted that this group
• You're saying the experts will delineate; the task force or the group will determine the policy, what

Bills: SB9

Keywords: wetlands protection, nontidal wetlands, Delaware, environmental sustainability, climate change, carbon sink, permitting process

Summary: The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee met and first considered SB 321 with Senate Amendment 1, the community solar utility billing bill. The sponsor explained that it would consolidate the two-bill system for community solar subscribers into one utility bill, with the utility forwarding the subscriber fee to the solar facility through an escrow mechanism so costs are not shifted to other ratepayers. Testimony from the solar industry, the Public Advocate, and environmental advocates supported the measure, emphasizing easier enrollment, fewer barriers for low-income customers, and guaranteed savings. The committee initially lacked enough members present to release the bill, but after a roll call vote it was released from committee. The committee then heard SB 9 with Senate Amendment 1, a wetlands protection bill creating a state non-tidal freshwater wetlands permitting program. The sponsor and DNREC described a framework of exemptions, general permits, and individual permits based on wetland type and value, with an advisory committee to develop regulations. Witnesses explained that “exceptional value” wetlands would include unique wetland communities and high-functioning wetlands, and that the bill was intended to preserve important habitat while allowing farming, drainage, and other exempt activities to continue. Some members raised concerns about flooding, land classification, and the balance of the advisory committee, while supporters said the bill was the product of broad stakeholder consensus and would protect wetlands without unduly harming agriculture or development. Public comment on SB 9 was strongly supportive from environmental groups, the Delaware Native Species Commission, the Home Builders Association, the Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy, and affordable housing advocates, who said the bill balanced conservation with practical land use concerns. After remote testimony, the committee took a roll call vote and SB 9 was released from committee. The meeting concluded with remarks thanking the chair for her service and instructions for members to sign the backers before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and I say this because when we did the work group first in early September after the shooting at
• Um, and I say this because when we did the work group first in early September after the shooting at
• Was it political pressure from gun lobbyist groups, or was it them wanting to stick together as a caucus
• , or was it from from gun lobbyist groups, or was it them<00:05:22.480> wanting<00:05:22.800><
• You mentioned gun lobbyist groups, and they represent certain populations.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The conversation focused on a Minnesota Senate gun violence prevention package that had recently passed the Senate. The senator said the effort began in 2023 with red flag laws and was later expanded into a broader, “holistic” approach after the Annunciation church shooting, with input from families affected by the tragedy, especially the parents of Harper Moyski. The package was described as combining gun restrictions with mental health and school safety measures. The main provisions discussed were a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, a re-ban on binary triggers, a ban on ghost guns, funding for mental health services including mobile crisis and health care professionals, and school safety aid for both public and private schools. The senator said the package reflected concerns raised by families, advocates, and members from both parties, and argued that it included items Republicans had requested, such as school safety aid and mental health funding. The senator said the Senate vote was historic because it was the first time the chamber passed an assault-weapons and high-capacity-magazine ban, and the first time such a comprehensive package had been assembled. The vote was described as party-line, with disappointment that no Republicans supported it. The senator said the House should take up the bill next, criticized House Republican leaders for not bringing it forward, and urged them to at least allow a vote. The senator also argued that the measure does not take away constitutional rights and said public support for the package is strong, including in so-called purple districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We decided early on to have not just legislative but also executive representation to bring both groups
• The assumption is that both groups—the executive branch and the legislative branch—are all for the most
• When it comes to teacher shortages, I'm going to start by saying that as an evaluation group, we had
• We interviewed teachers in focus groups.
• group meetings, specifically at the end of an evaluation, and say this is what we found.

Bills: SB197, HB140, SB214, HB214, HB147, HB270, SB73

Keywords: business regulation, nonprofit entities, electronic filing, merger agreements, limited liability companies, partnerships, property transfer, termination fees, HB140, private sewer systems, wastewater utilities, Public Service Commission, PSC jurisdiction, utility regulation, rate setting, rate consolidation, affiliated systems, common ownership, private utilities, sewer rates

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a study that There was a study group that came together, made up mostly of the people you see
• The Alabama Securities Commission is our state regulatory group that our state regulatory group that
• That was one important part the group did look at because some of our counties have large city schools
• I counter that with the fact that there is an oversight group that's going to be looking at this.
• So that’s why those parameters are set, and that's why this legislative study group is looking at it

Bills: HB61, HB327, HB253, HB297

Keywords: home school, career and technical education, public schools, K-12 education, enrollment policy, parental leave, state employees, adoption, employee benefits, aircraft tax, aviation tax, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, lease tax, rental tax, commercial aircraft, air carrier, airline, aircraft parts, maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• Advocates and environmental groups have documented multiple cases of poisoned raptors.
• Advocates and environmental groups have documented multiple cases of poisoned raptors.
• Wildlife rescue groups that tried to save them believe the cause ...in Brookline.
• Wildlife rescue groups that tried to save them believe the cause is likely SGAR poisoning.
• I saw some heads nodding yes, but we're not taking—it’s not a group participation project. Okay.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills focused on pesticides, pollinators, rodenticides, mosquito control, invasive species, and local authority over pesticide regulation. Chair Becca Rausch set strict two-minute testimony limits due to the very large number of speakers. Early testimony from Senator Moore and Representative Hawkins strongly supported a bill to restrict second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, citing harms to wildlife, pets, and public health, and noting that California has already adopted a similar model. Testimony also supported a Lowell home rule petition to allow the city to prohibit or restrict these rodenticides, with local officials describing documented raptor poisonings and municipal efforts to phase out use on city property. A major portion of the hearing focused on pollinator protection and neonicotinoid-treated seeds. Witnesses from environmental groups, conservation organizations, academics, and beekeepers argued that neonics harm bees and other beneficial insects, contaminate soil and water, and provide little or no economic benefit in most corn and soybean fields. Several speakers pointed to New York, Vermont, and Quebec as models for restricting treated seeds, and one panel cited research showing only a small percentage of fields benefit economically from the treatments. Support was also voiced for a bill establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program, with advocates criticizing aerial and truck spraying and urging non-chemical, locally tailored approaches. Other testimony supported bills to reform the pesticide board and pesticide regulation process, to give vulnerable municipalities more local control over pesticide use, to protect schoolchildren from pesticides on school grounds, and to respond to invasive species through a centralized state office, coordinator, strategic plan, and trust fund. Many speakers, including representatives from Mass Audubon, MSPCA, the Xerces Society, the Sierra Club, watershed groups, and local wildlife rehabilitators, described impacts on hawks, owls, pets, fish, and broader ecosystems. No votes were taken during the hearing, and committee members generally asked few questions, with the hearing remaining in testimony mode throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Unified Command Group is still intact? Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
• It's a subcommittee of the Unified Command Group, correct? Correct. Yeah.
• Is the Unified Command Group still meeting quarterly? I wouldn't say quarterly.
• Is the Unified Command Group still meeting quarterly? I wouldn't say quarterly.
• Back to just the uniform command group.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster. Laura Sori of the Department of Conservation and Energy said the agency has inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the earthquakes, found no permit violations, and is requiring monthly reporting of daily injection data. LSU and Tulane researchers explained that the swarm includes about 50 earthquakes detected by USGS since December 2025, including a 4.9 magnitude event on March 5, and that better monitoring is needed because Louisiana has very limited seismic station coverage. Dr. Cynthia Ebinger said her temporary array has detected more small quakes than USGS, that the pattern looks more like a swarm than normal aftershocks, and that the data suggest pressure changes in the subsurface, though no definitive cause was identified. Keith Hall of LSU described how other states responded to suspected induced seismicity with more monitoring, more frequent reporting, injection limits or moratoria, and “traffic light” systems that escalate regulatory responses as seismicity increases. Members asked about depths, fault locations, possible links to injection or fracking, and whether more monitoring and data-sharing should be pursued; several speakers said Louisiana likely needs a denser monitoring network and more structured data collection. A Texas geoscientist, William Berger, also testified that Texas uses large-scale data analysis and AI to study injection-related seismicity and argued for secure sharing of operator data to improve forecasting and risk management. The committee then took testimony on UAV and drone incursions over Barksdale Air Force Base. GOSEP said the incident was logged in WebEOC and the common operating picture, but that Barksdale did not request direct GOSEP resources and that the matter was handled through law enforcement channels. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose, but confirmed multiple drone sightings on the morning and evening of March 9 and continued monitoring for several days. State Police said they have created a task force with the Police Chiefs Association, Sheriffs Association, GOSEP, and LSP, and that officers are receiving FBI-related training to help detect and, where authorized, mitigate drones. Members discussed whether the activity was nefarious, what counts as an incursion, and the need for better public education about drone restrictions near military and critical infrastructure sites. No formal action was taken, but members said the issue will continue to be tracked alongside pending legislation. Finally, the committee received a one-year update on the merger of GOSEP with the Louisiana National Guard and Military Department. Major General Thomas Freelieu and Brigadier General Jason Maffus said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, shifted administrative functions to the Military Department, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance. They said the agency has modernized its common operating picture, returned staff to in-person work, and continued statewide preparedness exercises. Freelieu highlighted Guard missions including cyber expansion, the new Air National Guard cyber squadron at Jackson Barracks, modernization of the 159th Fighter Wing, and ongoing support for homeland security missions in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Maffus said GOSEP’s core mission remains emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and that the merger is intended to make state support to parishes faster and more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• Native populations have consistently experienced the highest suicide rates of any racial or ethnic group
• As I started to look at it, I was a part of the 988 work group, so I have been a part of overseeing this
• So there is a group that has been focused on this work in the last three years through federal funding
• You all are sitting on these work groups. There's a very complex governance structure.
• Those are all of our subject matter expert work groups, and 13 focus groups.

Summary: The joint Assembly Health and Select Committee on Native American Affairs held an oversight hearing on AB 988, California’s 988 crisis line and mobile crisis response system, followed by a discussion of suicide prevention and intervention in California Indian communities. Members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that AB 988 was intended to create a true alternative to 911 for behavioral health crises, with “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go,” and that Native communities continue to face disproportionately high suicide rates and barriers to culturally responsive care. The first panel of call center and stakeholder witnesses largely argued that implementation is falling short of the law’s intent. They said 988 call centers are underfunded, text/chat answer rates remain far below call answer rates, staffing is strained, and the system still lacks meaningful statewide interoperability between 988 and 911. Several witnesses said mobile crisis teams are not being dispatched through 988 as envisioned, and that funding formulas and governance are too opaque. San Joaquin County was presented as a local success story, with integrated 988, access lines, and mobile crisis handoffs that have reduced reliance on emergency departments and involuntary holds. Witnesses also discussed the need for better tribal outreach, the role of CCBHCs, and the importance of culturally competent services. State officials from CalHHS and DHCS described the five-year 988 implementation plan, the current governance structure across multiple agencies, and efforts to support training, public awareness, and referral tools. They reported growth in 988 contacts, ongoing training with the Trevor Project, a statewide resource directory, and a tribal awareness campaign. DHCS also outlined proposed trailer bill language that would create a formal designation process for 988 centers, set statewide standards, and require existing centers to obtain designation by 2029. Officials said current funding includes SAMHSA grants, block grant dollars, and an expected $67.3 million from the 988 fund in the next budget year, with a large share earmarked for Medi-Cal mobile crisis services. No formal vote or committee action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes a waiver case management work group and rate study.
• It includes a waiver case management work group and rate study.
• Moving next to line 639, this is a proposal to fund a small assisted living facility licensure group.
• Moving next to line 639, this is a proposal to fund a small assisted living facility licensure group.
• beginning with section nine, our group beginning with section nine, our group of<00:40:20.800>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I actually have a group here for us.
• Larry, would you stand up with your group and have your group stand up so we can recognize them?
• Uh, actually have a group here for us.
• and have your group stand up so we group and have your group stand up so we can<00:01:36.240> recognize
• Welcome >> Yeah, it's a nice looking group.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 03:09 SB 57 Discussion 04:03 SB 57 Roll Call Vote 38:37 SB 172 Discussion 41:27 SB 172 Roll Call Vote 50:23, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including a prayer, the pledge, recognition of an Energy and Environment Cabinet leadership academy group, a roll call establishing quorum, and approval of the previous meeting’s minutes. The main item was Senator Danny Carroll’s presentation of legislation to create a nuclear-ready site readiness pilot program in Kentucky. He said the bill is intended to help build a nuclear ecosystem in the Commonwealth by supporting early site permits, construction permits, or combined licenses, with the state contributing up to $25 million per project and a total of $75 million for up to three projects. He emphasized safeguards such as refundable funding if conditions are not met, legislative rather than authority-only selection of projects, and oversight by the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority (NIDTA). He also described related provisions on cost recovery through the Public Service Commission, tax incentive eligibility for nuclear ecosystem projects, training and consultant support for the authority, and eligibility for fusion projects. Carroll and Rodney Andrews said the proposal is meant to attract utilities, developers, and large industrial users such as data centers, and to spread projects geographically, with particular attention to Eastern Kentucky and other rural areas. They said selection criteria would include site suitability, prior site use, regional economic need and impact, geographic diversity, additional investment, federal funding status, and whether a community has applied to be designated nuclear-ready. They stressed that communities would not be forced to host reactors and could choose which parts of the nuclear ecosystem to participate in. Carroll also said the bill could help Kentucky compete with states like Texas and Tennessee, and Andrews said industry contacts viewed the proposal as a signal that Kentucky is open to investment. Members generally expressed support for the bill and its goals, while asking about taxpayer exposure, site size, permitting, grid needs, national security, and reactor technology. Carroll said the state’s direct commitment would be capped at $75 million, with any additional cost recovery depending on PSC approval and project specifics. He said small modular reactor sites would be much smaller than traditional plants, and described a model in which a utility partners with a developer and a data center, with power contracts helping offset costs over decades. On security and technology, Carroll and Andrews said newer reactors would still be subject to the same standards as larger units, and Andrews explained that next-generation designs may use different fuels and materials such as TRISO and high-assay low-enriched uranium. No vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided, and the chair noted time limits and that additional members still had questions, including one witness expected to speak against the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to thank our various stakeholder groups in the health care space who offered input.
• So I wanted to put on record that the advocacy groups that truly work every day to make sure people with
• we're following leads and we're using things like unique abilities, that's not what our advocacy groups
• And, Senator, have you contacted or worked with any victim advocacy groups on this legislation?
• I think you should work with those groups.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including remarks from the new Democratic caucus leader, Senator Berman, who emphasized bipartisan work on education, health care, the environment, and family issues. The chamber also recognized military leaders, an intern, and guests connected to later bills. No committee reports or executive messages were on the desk at the start of the session. The Senate then took up a series of bills, many of them with House companion substitutions and technical amendments. Major measures included the Pam Rock Act on dangerous dogs, which passed 36-0; a local government land regulation bill that was amended after questions about quasi-judicial hearings, impact fees, and county costs, then passed 26-8; a vessels/boating bill that incorporated related legislation and passed 35-0; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act, which passed 36-0; a fleeing or eluding law enforcement bill, amended to remove vehicle impoundment in the House version, which passed 36-0; a concealed carry/firearms bill for certain law enforcement and military personnel, which passed 33-3; and a timeshare management bill, which passed 36-0. The chamber also passed a disability history and awareness instruction bill, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, after extensive debate about language and the meaning of disability versus “unique abilities”; it received 35 co-sponsors and passed 35-0. Other bills passed included manufacturing and related fee legislation, public education on background screening requirements, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, Medicaid oversight, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, mammogram coverage, Parkinson’s disease, and others.