Transcript Highlights:

• It focuses narrowly on disclosure, ethical safeguards, and does not regulate pricing.
• Director of Government Affairs at the Washington State Nurses Association.
• I'm a registered nurse with Providence at Home with Compassus.
• House Bill 2320 relates to the regulation of firearm manufacturing.
• House Bill 2320 relates to the regulation of firearm manufacturing.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on House Bill 2255, House Bill 2548, and House Bill 2320. HB 2255 would regulate third-party litigation funding by requiring disclosure of funders and agreements, prohibiting funder control over litigation, capping funder recovery at 25%, and creating enforcement remedies. Supporters, including the sponsor, insurance groups, and liability reform advocates, described it as a transparency and consumer-protection measure that could improve court efficiency and reduce costs. Opponents, including the Washington State Association for Justice and the commercial litigation funding industry, argued it would burden plaintiffs, reveal protected work product, chill access to justice, and create satellite litigation. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing and asked testifiers to submit written comments. HB 2548 would expand state oversight of health care market transactions by broadening the types of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, and ownership/control changes that trigger notice to the Attorney General, pausing transactions until information requests are substantially complied with, expanding interagency data sharing, and revoking nonprofit status in certain transactions. Supporters, including patient advocates, nurses, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General’s office, physicians, and individual health care workers, said private equity and consolidation are driving higher costs, reduced access, and lower quality. Opponents from the Washington State Hospital Association and MultiCare said the bill is unclear, may contain drafting errors, does not adequately target private equity structures, and could create problems around nonprofit status and charitable assets. The hearing ended with the committee moving on to the next bill. HB 2320 would update Washington’s ghost gun laws to address 3D-printed firearms, CNC manufacturing, digital firearm manufacturing code, and the sale of machines marketed for firearm production, and would make certain violations per se Consumer Protection Act violations. The sponsor and supporters, including school officials, gun violence prevention advocates, a trauma survivor, a 3D-printing industry representative, and others, said the bill closes a public safety loophole and responds to the growing availability of untraceable weapons. Opponents, including the NRA, makerspace representatives, and some industry witnesses, argued the bill is overbroad, may sweep in lawful 3D-printing and CNC activity, raises First, Second, and Fifth Amendment concerns, and could create uncertainty through rebuttable presumptions and the CPA provisions. The transcript ends during the HB 2320 hearing, with additional testimony panels still to come and no final committee action recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's or be it's not a licensed nurse.
• I have the nursing home associations.
• </c> Well, we have on board a licensed nurse Well, we have on board a licensed nurse that<01:33:24.080
• Um if those from the school nurse.
• </c><01:36:31.280><c> of</c> in terms of what the regulation of in terms of what the regulation of insurance

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to begin work on HB 742, which would require catastrophic special education aid to be drawn from the education trust fund, and more broadly to study special education aid/differentiated aid and related costing issues. The chair said the group was starting early because the issue has been debated for years without resolution, local districts are being forced to absorb prorated costs, and the committee wants to send the Department of Education and HHS Medicaid a clear request for data and recommendations before retained bills return in the fall. A committee clerk was also selected, with Representative Reverend volunteering to take notes for the meeting. Members reviewed background materials on special education enrollment, high-cost students, and possible funding formulas, including data on students in high-cost brackets and prior ideas such as category-based funding and caseload-based approaches. The chair also referenced research on other states, including Arkansas, which uses a different special education funding structure and audits IEPs. The committee emphasized that it was focused on the funding mechanics and costs, not on questioning whether services should be provided. Henry Lipman of HHS explained how Medicaid-to-schools currently works in New Hampshire. He said 172 school districts participate, but utilization dropped during the pandemic and remains below historical levels, in part because districts need the capacity to bill Medicaid. Under the current system, schools receive reimbursement based on half of the Medicaid fee schedule, with the school district effectively providing the state share. He said the federal government is requiring a shift by July 1, 2026, to a true certified public expenditure model based on actual costs, which should allow schools to recover 50% of their true costs and some administrative overhead. The department has received a roughly $2.5 million grant to hire a vendor and support districts through the transition, and an RFP and stakeholder meetings are underway. Committee members asked about how costs would be determined, whether the new system would use actual district-specific costs rather than averages, and how the department would support districts that do not currently participate. Lipman said the cost model would be based on each district’s own reasonable costs, subject to audit standards, and that the department expects to provide templates and technical assistance through the vendor because its staff is limited. He also said about one in four New Hampshire children are enrolled in Medicaid, that child enrollment has been relatively stable, and that continuous coverage rules should reduce churn. No votes or formal actions on HB 742 were taken during the meeting beyond organizing the subcommittee and beginning testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, within the Office of Insurance Regulation, there are 10 new positions and $1.1 million to
• But it's been a priority of this Senate and of the House to get the nursing homes back to where they
• It adds a certain compost derived entirely from agricultural activity and regulated by the Department
• It requires the BOG to adopt regulations requiring universities to include nonresident undergraduate
• Very briefly, I want to ask you about the nursing home quality payment program.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1057, certified nurse assistance and home health aides. The motion is do pass.
• SB 1057, certified nurse assistance and home health aides. The motion is do pass.
• The motion is due pass as amended per author to modify regulation scope.
• SB 1302, Board of Registered Nursing. The motion is due pass.
• SB 1123, Administrative Procedure Act, major regulations. The motion is due pass.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met for a suspense-file hearing and voted only on measures already heard previously, with no public testimony. The chair explained that bills were taken up quickly in author order, with amended bills to be followed by addendum analyses. The committee considered a very large slate of Senate bills and two Assembly measures covering wildfire resilience, housing, insurance, energy, transportation, public safety, elections, health care, labor, environmental regulation, and various administrative and tax issues. Most measures were approved, many on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, while a substantial number passed on 5-2 or 5-1 party-line votes with Republicans generally voting no. Several bills were amended before passage, including changes to funding contingencies, timelines, reporting requirements, definitions, and removal of certain enforcement or private-right-of-action provisions. A few members noted concerns on specific bills, including Senator Richardson on SB 1203 (private security training), though he said he would vote for it at this stage. Among the notable actions, the committee advanced bills on wildfire smoke, wildfire recovery, mobile home parks, insurance nonrenewals, AI transparency, data center energy issues, Medi-Cal and health coverage, criminal justice, election administration, housing, and labor/workforce standards. The committee also approved AB 46 and AB 736. No bills were held for testimony because the hearing was vote-only, and the meeting adjourned after all items on the agenda were disposed of.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:53.120><c> the</c> 663 uh- 1.54 a um regulates the 663 uh- 1.54 a um regulates the recreational
• have a travel nurse come into this hospital built by our grandparents.
• have a travel nurse come into this hospital built by our grandparents.
• have a travel nurse come into this hospital built by our grandparents.
• have a travel nurse come into this hospital built by our grandparents.

Committee: House Water & Land

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. HB 114, concerning employment in the State Historic Preservation Program, drew support from DLNR, which said the measure would help retain qualified archaeologists, architects, and other professionals by preserving current pay levels for a limited number of positions. Members raised concerns about expanding exempt positions and the effect on union coverage, and DLNR said it was also working with DEHRD on longer-term reclassification issues. No vote was taken on the bill in the portion provided. HB 12, relating to tort liability, drew strong opposition from the Hawaii Association for Justice, which argued the bill would create overly broad immunity for landowners, conflict with Hawaii’s comparative fault framework, and undermine existing recreational liability law. Supporters said it would reduce liability concerns and encourage landowners to allow hiking, hunting, search-and-rescue training, and firearms-related uses on private land. The committee then moved on without any recorded vote in the excerpt. The committee also discussed HB 29 on counties, but no county representative was present, and members questioned whether the proposal should instead proceed through condemnation if it involved a forced sale. HB 175 on property maintenance received DLNR comments that the bill should be narrowed to noxious weeds and that fire-related provisions were more properly handled by county fire departments and the State Fire Marshal. HB 331 on permits drew support from several state agencies, but the Honolulu Board of Water Supply opposed it unless “repetitive construction” was defined more clearly; members and agencies discussed narrowing the bill to avoid unintended impacts on water and utility infrastructure. The committee also heard strong support for HB 3 on North Shore beach management, HB 309 on fish ponds, and HB 306 on water code penalties, though the Board of Water Supply raised concerns about increased fines and suggested an alternative governor’s bill and clearer administrative rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• Regulation.
• arise, DFS can work directly with the Florida regulator.
• Regulation.
• rise, DFS can work directly with the Florida regulator.
• But instead of closing them, we found a way to regulate them.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including a resolution honoring the late Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber also adopted a resolution designating August 9, 2026, as Bob Graham Day in Florida. Later, the Senate adopted a memorial-style recognition of the Florida Channel’s 30 years of legislative coverage. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on health care coverage, veterinary licensure, and affordable housing. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758, a public assistance/Medicaid and SNAP reform bill. The sponsor described five major changes: stronger anti-fraud authority, a Medicaid work requirement for able-bodied adults, expanded behavioral health services through a waiver, pharmacy program changes to reduce costs, and a SNAP fraud-reduction plan with photo ID and work requirements. Democrats offered amendments to condition the work requirement on Medicaid expansion and to add protections for SNAP photo ID use by caregivers, seniors, disabled people, and domestic violence survivors; both amendments failed. Senators then questioned implementation details, exemptions, and eligibility impacts. The bill was placed on the calendar for third reading. The Senate also passed CS/HB 7031 on taxation, substituting it for the Senate bill and adopting a technical amendment, by a vote of 34-0. The chamber passed a series of other bills, generally after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. These included a computer science education bill adding digital literacy and AI instruction, a Parkinson’s disease registry bill and related public records exemption, a bill designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official flagship, a local government electronic payments bill, a legal tender bill repealing a sunset on gold and silver recognition, public records exemptions for gold/silver custodians and stablecoin-related entities, a stablecoin pilot program, local government spending transparency requirements, a digital voyeurism bill expanding privacy protections to private fenced yards, an insurance licensing bill allowing high school students to complete insurance/personal finance coursework, and a medical freedom bill addressing vaccine information, conscience exemptions, ivermectin access, and the mRNA mandate sunset. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition, with recorded votes ranging from 31-3 to 34-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• or other related nursing areas.
• </c> today we had a wonderful school nurse today we had a wonderful school nurse lined<02:03:36.960><
• </c> of the nurs the position of the Nurses of the nurs the position of the Nurses Association<02:06:
• or other related nursing areas.
• </c><02:18:11.120><c> comes</c><02:18:11.319><c> in</c> the nursing home so the nurse comes in the nursing

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education to require objective, science-based evidence for pedagogical methods. The prime sponsor said the bill is a verbatim reintroduction from the prior session and argued that current federal definitions are too vague, allowing subjective surveys and other weak evidence to justify teaching methods. He said the bill is limited to pedagogy, not subject matter, and is intended to improve student outcomes, reduce fad-driven practices, and potentially save money by limiting unnecessary retraining and new materials. Members asked repeatedly about the bill’s scope, including whether it would affect classroom teachers, curriculum content, and existing instructional approaches such as phonics versus whole language or queuing. The sponsor said the bill applies to state and local education bodies and educator training policies, not individual teachers in their classrooms, and that teachers would retain flexibility. He also said standardized testing could be part of a scientific study but is not itself a study, and that textbook providers could be asked to furnish the studies supporting instructional guidance included in their materials. Several members raised concerns about the fiscal note and possible cost shifts to local districts and taxpayers. The sponsor disputed the idea that the bill would necessarily create major new costs or require additional staff, saying any costs would likely be limited and that the department is already applying federal evidence-based rules. He also said if some current methods are not science-based, updating them would be justified even if there were some initial expense. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• They require private duty nursing, probably 24 hours a day.
• They require private duty nursing probably 24 hours a day.
• The goal is to keep them out of nursing homes.
• Florida and properly regulate them to protect our environment.
• This isn't a new regulation.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and heard several member introductions before moving to the special order calendar. The chamber first took up SB 200/HB 295 on a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan, which directs DEP to develop a statewide recycling strategy by 2026 with stakeholder input and a three-year implementation roadmap; the House bill was substituted and passed 38-0. Senators then approved CS/CS/SB 492 on mitigation banking and land development after adopting two McLean amendments, including one on out-of-service credits and another incorporating phosphate mining lands provisions; the bill passed 35-3 after debate over possible constitutional issues. CS/SB 494 on aggravated animal cruelty was also amended and substituted with the House companion to add a searchable FDLE database of convicted animal abusers and a sentencing multiplier, with an agriculture-related exemption; it passed 37-0. The Senate next passed CS/CS/SB 500/HB 711 creating the Spectrum Alert for missing children with autism, including training and coordinated alert procedures, with a House amendment to align implementation timing and funding; it passed 37-0. CS/CS/SB 524/HB 1089 added Duchenne muscular dystrophy to newborn screening tests and passed 36-0. CS/CS/SB 592/HB 393 revised the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program by lowering approval thresholds, clarifying eligibility and ownership issues, and adding sliding-door wind-driven rain mitigation devices; it passed 37-0 after discussion about funding and insurance premium credits. CS/SB 742/HB 1145 on workforce education allowed charter schools direct access to grant funding and expanded money-back guarantees for certain programs, and it passed 37-0. CS/CS/SB 822/HB 443 on charter schools generated extensive debate and multiple amendments, including a Jones amendment requiring parent acknowledgment of school rules; the bill would expand charter autonomy, reporting flexibility, enrollment capacity, and governance provisions, and it was placed on the calendar for third reading after the amendment process. Later, the Senate passed HB 827 on a statewide study of automation and workforce impact, which would examine job displacement, wages, vulnerable regions, and training needs, by a 35-0 vote. It also passed CS/CS/SB 964/HB 181 on parole guidelines, CS/SB 976/HB 901 on court-appointed psychologists, and CS/SB 1084/HB 1451 on sexual cyber harassment and digitally forged intimate images, all unanimously. CS/CS/SB 1156 on a Home Health Aid for Medically Fragile Children Program was amended to clarify training requirements and passed 37-0 after supportive debate about helping parents care for medically fragile children. Finally, CS/CS/CS/SB 1240/HB 1091 on substance abuse and mental health care was amended to allow designated facilities to retain certain stabilized patients during the 72-hour involuntary examination period and passed 37-0. Several other bills were temporarily postponed, and the chamber also recognized guests and interns throughout the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that a state regulation or is it a federal regulation if you don't sell to a commercial facility in
• Just for a little background, I'm a nurse practitioner.
• Is that a state regulation or is it a federal regulation if you don't sell to a commercial facility in
• Just for a little background, I'm a nurse practitioner. Thank you, Mr.
• Just for a little background, I'm a nurse practitioner.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• ADHS has regulations, the department has regulations, but they're not completely aligned.
• I mean, we don't regulate the therapy.
• It's really amazing how many entities that we regulate and how complex the regulation is, so that's been
• I am a regulator. And I think, I hope that it's not...
• Yet the chief regulator has taken himself out of the mix.

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The only county authority that is removed by Senate Bill 29 is for a county to regulate or tax a solid
• 09:11.839><c> county's</c><00:09:12.240><c> ability</c><00:09:12.560><c> to</c><00:09:12.720><c> regulate
• </c> on the county's ability to regulate on the county's ability to regulate waste<00:09:13.519><c> haulers
• that are in administrative regulations that are in place.<00:30:44.000><c> And</c><00:30:44.159><c>
• </c> 21st, 2026 as certified registered nurse 21st, 2026 as certified registered nurse anesthetist<00

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill has enjoyed bipartisan support and is supported by nursing home resident advocates, ombudsmen
• Under current regulations, licensed cannabis retailers can offer curbside pickup as a remnant of COVID
• Exactly the population this regulated system is meant to serve.
• It includes security parameters, and it is an improvement in how safe, regulated access is delivered.
• Two, it takes up nurses' time. Three, it's very personal.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, what this bill does and doesn't do, it does regulate the use of this powerful surveillance
• The Secretary will read: An act relating to the use of nursing titles, amending RCW.
• The Secretary will read: An act relating to the use of nursing titles, amending RCW.
• I don't know if I've had the opportunity to tell you, but my little sister is a pediatric nurse, and
• So it's no surprise to me that nurses continue to be the highest ranked, most trusted professionals in

Bills: SB5223 , SB5286 , SB6002 , SB6178 , SB5892 , SB5177 , SB6039 , SB5874 , SB5863 , SB5972 , SB5941 , SB5203 , SB6014 , SB5993 , SB5831 , SB5928 , SB5912 , SB5825

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, policing costs, state hospitals, local funding, budget allocation, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate recognition, LPR, surveillance, driver privacy, vehicle tracking, location data, law enforcement technology, data retention, audit trail

Summary: The Senate convened with ceremonial opening activities, approved the previous day’s journal, and referred committee reports and new introductions, including SB 6346, to the appropriate committees. It also confirmed several gubernatorial appointments to college and board positions: Glenn F. Ellis to the Peninsula College Board of Trustees, Suzanne Donaldson to the Clark College Board of Trustees, and Jesse E. Johnson to the Highline College Board of Trustees, each by large bipartisan margins. The chamber then considered and passed a series of bills, often after suspending the rules to move them directly to final passage. These included SB 6014 on pregnancy-related accommodations; SB 5863 on preservation and inspection of Lakeland Village historical records; SB 5874 on correcting unemployment insurance employer reporting procedures for small businesses; SB 5972 expanding interest arbitration for certain correctional employees; SB 5286 formalizing reimbursement for local public safety services provided to state hospitals; SB 5877 making a technical correction related to certified anesthesiologist assistants; SB 5904 restricting nursing titles to licensed human persons; SB 5915 updating the health technology assessment program; SB 5919 creating voluntary wildfire-prevention incentives for agriculture; SB 5938 adjusting foreclosure prevention fees and exemptions; SB 5957 expanding the Homeless Youth Advisory Committee; SB 6102 aligning the ambulance transport quality assurance fee with federal rules; and SB 6103 advancing a rural hospital conversion intended to help East Adams Hospital remain open. The most debated measures were SB 5825, which authorizes the Washington State Leadership Board to solicit gifts, grants, and endowments, and SB 6002, which regulates automated license plate reader systems and driver privacy. On SB 5825, two Jeff Wilson amendments seeking to limit administrative use of donated funds and cap contributions were both rejected, but the bill ultimately passed 33-16. On SB 6002, an amendment to broaden authorized uses of ALPRs was rejected, a striking amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 48-9 after extensive floor debate focused on privacy, surveillance, law enforcement utility, and the need for clear rules. Most other bills passed with little or no opposition, though SB 5972 and SB 5203 drew some dissent over impacts on smaller counties and land-use concerns tied to wildlife connectivity planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they don't regulate people in the sense that a medical licensure board regulates them.
• And they don't regulate people in the sense that a medical licensure board regulates them.
• And they don't regulate people in the sense that a medical licensure board regulates them.
• And they don't regulate people in the sense that a medical licensure board regulates them.
• </c> doesn't the board of health regulate doesn't the board of health regulate hospitals<00:21:32.960

Committee: Joint Public Health and Welfare

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 17 February, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• NURSING IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
• FOR NURSING, MOST NURSING STUDENTS TO DO STAY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
• NURSES? CONSTRUCTION WORKERS? YOU KNOW IS IT APPRENTICESHIP? WALK ME THROUGH WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU?
• NURSES, ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, IT IS BY THAT LEVEL OF OCCUPATION.
• NURSING, THERE IS. THERE IS TEACHING. THE ONES YOU TYPICALLY THINK OF THERE ARE.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I am a nurse.
• I have been a women's maternal child health nurse and a psychiatric nurse for over 15 years now.
• And I am a nurse. I of this resolution. And I am a nurse.
• </c><01:24:12.719><c> for</c> health nurse and a psychiatric nurse for health nurse and a psychiatric
• , including the International Council of Nurses, National Nurses United, there are other countries as

Committee: House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AHCCCS has regulations, the department has regulations, but they're not completely aligned.
• So let's dig into the regulating the clinics component.
• That's what we would be looking at—any of our regulations.
• It's really amazing how many entities that we regulate and how complex the regulation is, so that's been
• I am a regulator. And I think, I hope that it's not...

Summary: The Committee on Director Nominations met with four members present and approved the prior minutes without objection. Chair Jay Kaufman outlined the committee’s role in reviewing executive nominations and explained the hearing process for three nominees: Mary Foote for the Office of Economic Opportunity, Debbie Johnston for the Department of Health Services, and Chuck Bassett. Foote did not appear for her hearing, and members discussed her absence and alleged omissions in her disclosure materials, including prior service with Planned Parenthood-related organizations. The committee then moved to reject her nomination, and the motion passed 3-2, recommending that the full Senate reject Mary Foote. Debbie Johnston, nominee to lead the Department of Health Services, appeared and gave an opening statement describing her Arizona background, prior Senate staff work, and more than 20 years with the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. She said her priorities at ADHS include rebuilding trust in public health licensing, improving stakeholder engagement, standardizing rulemaking communication, addressing alleged religious discrimination and retaliation concerns in licensing, and using technology and AI to improve efficiency. In questioning, senators pressed her on her management style, conflict-of-interest safeguards given her prior industry role, enforcement priorities, budget pressures, behavioral health and assisted living oversight, and the department’s response to COVID-19. Johnston said she would follow statutes, recuse herself from enforcement matters involving former contacts, and resign if directed to carry out an unlawful policy. She also said the department does not regulate therapy itself, only facilities, and that it would rely on legal counsel regarding the governor’s conversion-therapy executive order and related federal civil-rights allegations. Several senators focused on public health trust and the department’s pandemic response, with Johnston acknowledging concerns about closures, data collection, and communication during COVID-19 while saying she would review past after-action materials and be better prepared in the future. Public testimony from stakeholders in aging services and health care strongly supported her confirmation, praising her accessibility, responsiveness, and collaborative approach. After testimony, the vice chair moved to recommend Johnston’s confirmation to the full Senate. The roll call was underway when the transcript ended, with several members voting aye and one member expressing reservations about her not reviewing the pandemic after-action report before another crisis occurs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , exemptions, and regulation effectiveness.
• Facilities, Exemptions, Regulation, Effectiveness, Commerce Favorably.
• It doesn't regulate the industry.
• It doesn't regulate the industry.
• Are we increasing regulation? What's new? No, no.

Bills: HR133 , HR134 , HR135 , HR136 , HR137 , HR138 , HR139 , HR140 , HR141 , HR142 , HR143 , HR144 , HR145 , HR146 , HR147 , HR148 , HR149 , HR150 , HR151 , HR152 , HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR123 , HR125 , HR126 , HR127 , HR128 , HR129 , HR130 , HR131 , HR132 , HCR53 , HCR54 , HCR55 , HCR56 , SCR3 , SCR22 , SB4 , SB18 , SB66 , SB106 , SB201 , SB256 , SB274 , SB292 , SB326 , SB386 , SB406 , SB422 , SB423 , SB456 , SB475 , HCR3 , HB1 , HB3 , HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB241 , HB244 , HB306 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB345 , HB366 , HB383 , HB446 , HB473 , HB511 , HB514 , HB655 , HB730 , HB743 , HB836 , HB983 , HB1027 , HB1037 , HB1043 , HB1082 , HB1091 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1126 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1230 , HB1237 , HB1238 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , HB76 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB475 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB376 , HB377 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB961 , HB399 , HB868 , HB905 , HB180 , HB192 , HB284 , HB476 , HB915 , HB952 , HB1006 , HB401 , HB51 , HB58 , HB140 , HB982 , HB1010 , HB750 , HB911 , HB977 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB9 , HB151 , HB193 , HB310 , HB393 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773

Keywords: commendation, leadership, energy sector, Shell USA, Louisiana pride, House Resolution 134, HR134, honorary resolution, Bob Lupo, Robert E. Smith Lupo, Lakeview, New Orleans, civic service, philanthropy, real estate development, Hurricane Katrina recovery, community service, charitable giving, public recognition, Louisiana House of Representatives

Summary: The House met with a quorum and spent much of the day on personal privileges, recognizing visiting groups and designating several commemorative days, including Sigma Gamma Rho Day, Alpha Kappa Alpha Day, Italian Festival royalty, Acadiana’s Red and White Day, and Louisiana Automobile Dealer Day. Members also welcomed students, civic leaders, former legislators, a state pageant titleholder, and a visiting African law enforcement delegation focused on combating human trafficking. The chamber received Senate bills and committee reports, and several resolutions were adopted without objection, including condolences resolutions and commendations for schools, festivals, and public service organizations. The House then took up a long series of bills, with many passing on final passage after brief debate or technical amendments. Measures addressed topics such as notification of inmate releases from parish jails and DOC facilities (HB 76), ethics and financial disclosure, video voyeurism involving deceased persons (HB 265, renamed the Jacob Carter Dignity and Death Act), health insurance claim practices (HB 291), victim access to parole testimony without fees (HB 32), special education due process burden of proof (HB 342), AI disclosure in medical settings (HB 475), the psychology interjurisdictional compact (HB 486), homelessness provider oversight (HB 616), AI disclosure in campaign calls (HB 639), Medicaid managed care claim review (HB 740), menhaden fishing restrictions (HB 757 and HB 855), HIV exposure law modernization (HB 808), and rare cancer treatment advisory board changes (HB 761). Most of these bills passed with strong support; HB 342 passed 98-3, HB 639 passed 86-9, HB 808 passed 99-0, and HB 855 drew the most extended debate, with supporters citing science-based conservation and opponents warning about harm to the menhaden industry and coastal jobs. The House also adopted committee amendments and set several major fiscal measures as special orders for April 16, including HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 313, HB 383, HB 983, and HB 1126. Additional bills were advanced to third reading from committee reports, and the chamber returned some measures to the calendar for later consideration. Overall, the meeting was marked by ceremonial recognitions, a heavy legislative agenda, and multiple substantive policy votes across education, health, criminal justice, transportation, ethics, and natural resources.

Bills: HR133 , HR134 , HR135 , HR136 , HR137 , HR138 , HR139 , HR140 , HR141 , HR142 , HR143 , HR144 , HR145 , HR146 , HR147 , HR148 , HR149 , HR150 , HR151 , HR152 , HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR123 , HR125 , HR126 , HR127 , HR128 , HR129 , HR130 , HR131 , HR132 , HCR53 , HCR54 , HCR55 , HCR56 , SCR3 , SCR22 , SB4 , SB18 , SB66 , SB106 , SB201 , SB256 , SB274 , SB292 , SB326 , SB386 , SB406 , SB422 , SB423 , SB456 , SB475 , HCR3 , HB1 , HB3 , HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB241 , HB244 , HB306 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB345 , HB366 , HB383 , HB446 , HB473 , HB511 , HB514 , HB655 , HB730 , HB743 , HB836 , HB983 , HB1027 , HB1037 , HB1043 , HB1082 , HB1091 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1126 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1230 , HB1237 , HB1238 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , HB76 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB475 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB376 , HB377 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB961 , HB399 , HB868 , HB905 , HB180 , HB192 , HB284 , HB476 , HB915 , HB952 , HB1006 , HB401 , HB51 , HB58 , HB140 , HB982 , HB1010 , HB750 , HB911 , HB977 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB9 , HB151 , HB193 , HB310 , HB393 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773

Keywords: commendation, leadership, energy sector, Shell USA, Louisiana pride, House Resolution 134, HR134, honorary resolution, Bob Lupo, Robert E. Smith Lupo, Lakeview, New Orleans, civic service, philanthropy, real estate development, Hurricane Katrina recovery, community service, charitable giving, public recognition, Louisiana House of Representatives

Bills: HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR123 , HR124 , HR125 , HR126 , HR127 , HR128 , HR129 , HR130 , HR131 , HR132 , HCR53 , HCR54 , HCR55 , HCR56 , HR115 , HR116 , HR117 , HR118 , SCR19 , SCR26 , SB102 , SB222 , SB255 , SB270 , SB273 , SB314 , SB418 , SB420 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB49 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB211 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB324 , HB376 , HB377 , HB422 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB549 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1011 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB310 , HCR6 , HCR19 , HCR10 , HR74 , HCR26 , HCR35 , HCR7 , HB51 , HB82 , HB143 , HB145 , HB160 , HB180 , HB192 , HB393 , HB430 , HB445 , HB506 , HB515 , HB521 , HB565 , HB590 , HB614 , HB638 , HB670 , HB672 , HB685 , HB692 , HB752 , HB773 , HB781 , HB799 , HB860 , HB874 , HB887 , HB917 , HB937 , HB956 , HB965 , HB972 , HB977 , HB982 , HB1006 , HB1010 , HB1044 , HB1072 , HB1088 , HB1179 , HB1200 , HB76 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB475 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HB140 , HB750 , HB911 , HB52 , HB154 , HB400 , HB463 , HB570 , HB631 , HB637 , HB870 , HB952 , HB961 , HB399 , HB868 , HB905 , HB401 , HB901 , HR20 , HB9 , HB58 , HB151 , HB193 , HB284 , HB459 , HB476 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB915

Keywords: condolences, public service, environmental justice, sustainability, local government, military service, World War II, veteran, community, Italian Festival, cultural celebration, Tickfaw, Italian-American, community pride, heritage, Miss Louisiana Teen USA, Heaven Riley Breaux, recognition, youth empowerment, community service

Summary: The House met on April 9, 2026, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and the pledge. Members then spent much of the morning recognizing visiting groups and honoring individuals and teams, including Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Day, social workers, Black Women’s Health Initiative and My Sister’s Keeper, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, and several championship school teams. The House also received committee reports and introduced a number of resolutions and Senate bills before moving into House bills on second reading and final passage. A large block of bills focused on taxation, procurement, transportation, public safety, and administrative modernization. The House passed measures on prompt payment for contractors, fleet vehicle registration, electronic bidding forms, cooperative purchasing by local governments, and use of federal procurement rules for buses and paratransit vehicles. Members also approved bills related to ad valorem millage rules and a constitutional amendment proposal to change legislative session dates, though that session-date measure was sent to Appropriations. Other bills passed addressed brick manufacturing and wood pellet manufacturing as economic development priorities, boiler inspection authority, the Fire Marshal’s role in child care center inspections, and the Louisiana Wallet digitized credentials program. Several public safety and social policy bills also advanced. The House passed bills increasing penalties for repeat DWI offenders with serious prior driving-related convictions, providing medical expense assistance for injured law enforcement officers and firefighters, creating a green/blue envelope program for drivers with autism or mental illness, and establishing a workplace violence measure for retail food service establishments. Members also passed bills on domestic violence, homelessness-related court programs, non-compete restrictions for interns and preceptors, pharmacy benefit managers, and health coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devices. One bill on jury trial reassignment in criminal cases failed on reconsideration by a vote of 50-49 and returned to the calendar. Most of the bills considered on final passage were approved by wide margins, with several receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support. A few measures were temporarily returned to the calendar or recommitted, including some domestic violence, insurance, and retirement-related bills. The House also adopted multiple amendments during debate, and several members requested co-authors on measures after passage.