Transcript Highlights:

• 00:12:29.760> death<00:12:30.240> among<00:12:30.639> college<00:12:31.120> age
• leading cause of death among college age leading cause of death among college age individuals<00
• Um, and I'm not sure of that age, the year range. >> Uh, that was requested, but >> Um, that was the
• At age 19, I'm old enough to be drafted and go fight in America's next war.
• And the the AG just this campus.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, I'm of an age CARES program.
• Because you specifically mentioned aging.
• good representative of the aging good representative of the aging population<04:44:20.480> that
• I think that AARP aging.
• cross-section of disability and aging. cross-section of disability and aging.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They age out of my practice.
• license to treat someone under the age license to treat someone under the age of 18<01:05:47.000
• I would love to also save money for kids when they age out.
• , yeah, depending on age.
• , yeah, depending on age.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Children and Family Law Committee opened its March 4 meeting with procedural announcements, including a deadline for any Minority Report, notice that the committee would not meet the following Tuesday because of town meeting day, and a preview of its March 18 agenda. The chair said that meeting would include hearings and executive sessions on HB 518, requiring DHHS to provide a detailed annual report of DCF costs, and HB 775, directing DHHS to seek proposals for supervised visitation centers; HB 553 was also slated for executive session. The committee also heard an update on Representative Grossman’s son, who remained in the PICU at Mass General. The main hearing was on HB 493, which would require child abuse and neglect education for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants as a condition of licensure. Representative Alicia Gregg presented the bill and an amendment reducing the required training from two hours to one hour, saying the goal was to improve recognition of abuse and prevent both missed cases and false accusations. Cassandra Sanchez, the state Child Advocate, strongly supported the bill, describing a 2020 review of nine cases of non-ambulatory infants with serious injuries and later system mapping that identified gaps in medical recognition; she said the training should be part of existing continuing education hours and that voluntary uptake had been limited. Dr. Michael Matos of Wolfeboro Pediatrics also testified in support. Ben Bradley of the New Hampshire Hospital Association opposed legislating the requirement, saying hospitals already train staff and that the legislature should not single out one topic for statutory mandate when other reporting obligations are handled differently. In questioning, committee members asked whether the hour would be part of existing continuing education, whether hospitals already provide similar training, and whether the bill should be placed in the continuing medical education statute instead of child protection law. Bradley said hospital members already provide annual training and collaborate with proponents, but did not support putting the requirement in statute. Sanchez said the bill was intended to use one of the hours already required for training, though members noted that the bill text did not clearly say so. The committee also heard broader testimony about the Family Division of Circuit Court, including a proposal to create a subcommittee to study more difficult issues such as pre-trial counseling, evidentiary practices, and domestic violence-related cases, with the Speaker appointing members to that subcommittee.

Transcript Highlights:

• S-2680, an act to improve public health and safety standards in communities around aging nuclear power
• There's nothing in there that says we need to separate age and so forth.
• I grew up undocumented and knew from a young age that I was different from other students in my class
• I grew up undocumented and knew from a young age that I was different from other students in my class
• His family has three children under the age of five.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on several public safety bills, with testimony first on S.2681, Colby’s Law, which would establish safety standards for BMX and motocross tracks. Supporters, including the family of a child killed at a track, argued the bill is needed because some tracks lack basic protections such as barriers, emergency plans, on-site medical staff, and adequate track maintenance. A motocross track representative opposed the bill as overregulation that could impose major costs and argued existing safety efforts and voluntary safety committees are preferable. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on S.2680, which would expand emergency preparedness requirements around aging nuclear power plants and nuclear waste sites from a 10-mile to a 50-mile radius. Supporters from Cape Cod Downwinders, Massachusetts Peace Action, physicians, and other advocates said current law is outdated and insufficient, citing risks from radioactive waste storage, limited federal oversight, and the need for broader evacuation and emergency planning. Testifiers urged the bill’s passage, and no action was taken. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Protect Act, H.5158, dealing with limits on cooperation between state/local agencies and federal civil immigration enforcement. Sheriffs testified about how ICE detainers and notification requests work in practice, emphasizing discretion, public safety, and the difference between sentenced prisoners and pretrial detainees. Supporters from labor, education, and health care groups said immigrant communities are living in fear and asked for stronger protections, including bans on 287(g) agreements and clearer limits on ICE activity in schools, hospitals, and other sensitive locations. The hearing also included testimony on H.4697 regarding training and certification of constables and civil deputy sheriffs, with the Hampshire County sheriff saying sheriffs are already working with POST and MPTC on training standards and that the bill may be duplicative.

Transcript Highlights:

• Colleagues, in this day and age, anybody who is around kids in any official capacity should be held to
• For example, for adolescents age 13 to 18, the prevalence of eating disorders soared from 112 per 100,000
• AB 2030 creates clear and enforceable age restrictions on the sale of these products and requires age
• It adds nitrous oxide to the list of highly dangerous products requiring age verification.
• Nitrous oxide to the list of highly dangerous products requiring age verification, prohibits using gift

Summary: The Assembly met on May 7, 2026, after an initial delay caused by the absence of a quorum, then proceeded with prayer, a moment of silence for victims of a hate-motivated attack at the Islamic Center in San Diego, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Speaker pro tempore then moved through the daily file, repeatedly urging members to be on time and at their desks as the House of Origin deadline approached. Procedural actions included dispensing with the journal, deferring some items, and moving AB 1667 to the inactive file. The bulk of the session was devoted to floor consideration of many bills, most of which passed with little or no opposition. Measures approved included bills on artificial intelligence provenance information (AB 2713), community college trustee compensation (AB 2528), transit camera enforcement and privacy (AB 1837), excess proceeds claims in taxation (AB 2705), HOA technical cleanup (AB 1892), hepatitis C treatment access (AB 1843), child care planning in local general plans (AB 1914), greenhouse energy code flexibility (AB 2200), rent-now-pay-later consumer protections (AB 2350), housing cleanup and density bonus measures (including AB 2390, AB 2480, AB 1567, AB 1751, and others), spay/neuter access (AB 2010), workforce housing financing tools (AB 2110), supportive housing and homelessness-related changes (AB 2146), mental health and health plan notification measures (AB 1598, AB 2613), student aid and education bills (AB 1534, AB 1636, AB 1669, AB 1728, AB 1784, AB 1871), public safety and criminal justice bills (AB 1546, AB 1572, AB 1872, AB 1877, AB 1932), and several health and social services measures (AB 1602, AB 1628, AB 1680, AB 1825, AB 1845, AB 1906, AB 1907, AB 1925). Most bills were described as support measures, often with bipartisan backing and no opposition, and passed by wide margins. A few bills drew more discussion, especially AB 1751, a housing/townhome bill that sparked extended debate over wages, prevailing wage, stakeholder engagement, and whether the measure could depress pay for construction trades; despite concerns and an opposition speech, it ultimately passed 44-0. AB 1793, which would allow symmetrical rounding of cash transactions to the nearest nickel in light of the penny’s phaseout, also drew light debate and passed 47-1. AB 1932, an urgency measure expanding community-based crisis response, passed with one no vote on both the urgency and the bill. Several urgency or 54-vote bills, including AB 1534 and AB 1932, required later roll calls or calls to be lifted, but all measures described in the transcript were ultimately approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as Senator Swisinski said, you know, Ruby Bridges and him are the same age.
• him<00:38:22.560> are<00:38:22.720> the<00:38:22.880> same<00:38:23.040> age
• Ruby Bridges and him are the same age. Ruby Bridges and him are the same age.
• And I think it was year two or three of it, and I happened to ask a couple of them that were like my age
• Of of and I happened to ask a couple of them that were like my age, is everybody on board?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first received a House message reappointing a conference committee on Senate File 2077, the environment and natural resources appropriations bill, and took no further action on that message. The chamber then moved through motions and resolutions, including a failed attempt to suspend the rules to make House File 4102 a special order for immediate consideration. Senator Howe argued the bill was urgent because it would extend a study on state law enforcement pay and help address State Patrol recruitment and retention, while Senator Friends opposed suspending the rules; the motion failed on a roll call vote, 35 ayes to 32 nays. The Senate then took House File 3629 from the table, made it a special order, and adopted the A5 amendment. The bill, relating to grants management and the Department of Administration, was described as refining agency authority over exemptions, adding reporting requirements, expanding whistleblower protections, and broadening fraud-prevention tools. The A5 amendment added stronger payment-withholding authority for agencies based on credible allegations of fraud, removed the 60-day withholding limit, allowed cross-agency withholding in some cases, replaced court appeal with agency reconsideration, made the authority permanent, and added a reporting requirement for DHS and DCYF inspector general activity. Supporters said it would improve transparency and protect taxpayers; the bill then passed final roll call 67-0. Finally, the Senate took up House File 4492, which was amended with the A4 delete-everything amendment. The new version combined three articles: READ Act provisions, a veterans diploma provision, and early literacy field-experience changes. Senators described the veterans section as requiring school districts to award diplomas to veterans who left high school to serve in the Korean or Vietnam Wars, and the READ Act and literacy provisions as aligning teacher preparation and early literacy instruction with state standards. Members also discussed school discipline and classroom safety issues in the course of debate. The bill was then read for final passage, with senators speaking in support of the combined package and its education and veterans provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• that uh, um, that their needs were not being met and they wanted something done with their retirement age
• So we're able to reduce their age for retirement from 60 to 55.
• So in this bill, their retirement age.
• So we're able to reduce<00:03:30.480> their<00:03:30.640> age<00:03:30.880> for<
• retirement from 60 reduce their age for retirement from 60 to<00:03:32.239> 55.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 4074, the second engrossment of the retirement bill, was presented as a broad pension package with changes affecting multiple public retirement systems. Rep. Lilly described provisions including bringing St. Paul teachers closer to parity with TRA, reducing the COLA waiting period for police and fire retirees from two years to one, lowering the retirement age for certain probation, corrections, and 911 telecommunicator workers from 60 to 55, addressing a State Board of Investments fix, and creating or continuing work on Secure Choice and other retirement-related issues. Members also noted help for volunteer firefighters, EMS-related workers, and a local fix for Maple Plain’s volunteer fire system. The bill was repeatedly described as bipartisan and the product of successful working groups and negotiations with the Senate. Several members spoke in support, emphasizing the importance of public pensions, the impact of inflation on retirees, and the value of the bill’s targeted improvements for workers who are often not covered by Social Security. Rep. Johnson, Rep. Hill, Rep. Vega, Rep. Robbins, Rep. Cha, and others praised the work of the pension commission, staff, and the co-chairs. They highlighted the St. Paul teachers changes, the police and fire COLA adjustment, and the bill’s efforts to honor promises made to public employees. Some members also pointed to the importance of work groups as a way to develop better long-term solutions. The main point of debate centered on the duty disability amendment, which would have addressed disability issues for first responders. Supporters said the issue is serious and needs a work group solution rather than piecemeal changes, while Rep. Johnson and others warned that the proposal could create problems by treating psychological injuries differently from physical injuries. Rep. Roach said the body should not have passed the prior law and urged a fix for disabled law enforcement and first responders. After discussion, Rep. Lilly withdrew the A3 amendment. Earlier technical amendments A9 and A10 were adopted by voice vote, with members noting they were non-substantive and intended to keep House and Senate language identical and avoid a conference committee. The bill then moved to third reading as amended, with members urging a green vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• it would be the exact same type of process, where you just tap and then that shows that you are of age
• to be buying alcohol or you're of age to be renting a car.
• you<00:03:01.360> are,<00:03:02.200> uh,<00:03:02.320> of<00:03:02.640> age
• <00:03:02.920> to that shows that you are, uh, of age to that shows that you are, uh, of age
• to be, uh, alcohol or you're of age to be, uh, renting<00:03:07.519> a<00:03:07.600> car.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 1335, a bill to authorize Minnesota digital/mobile driver’s licenses and related electronic credentialing. Chair Tapkey moved the bill as amended to Ways and Means, and the committee adopted the A2 author’s amendment changing the effective date. Tapkey described the bill as a modernization measure modeled on other states, intended to add convenience and security for ID checks at bars, restaurants, airports, hotels, and car rentals, while keeping physical IDs in place. Chair Kosnick objected that the bill’s subject matter should be heard in other committees, especially Commerce, Public Safety, and Judiciary, citing privacy and law-enforcement concerns, but the hearing continued. Several testifiers supported the broader move toward digital credentials and e-titling. Brian McDaniel of the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association said the hospitality industry supports tools that make it harder for minors to access alcohol, while noting privacy concerns and wanting a role in developing the system. Amanda Doerr of the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association supported the A3 amendment as an incremental step toward electronic titles and electronic signatures, saying Minnesota is behind other states and that the transition should be gradual. Jim Hurst of the Minnesota Deputy Registrars Association said deputies support moving toward e-titling but raised concerns about liability for fraudulent electronic documents and strongly opposed the A4 revenue-sharing amendment, warning it could put deputy registrars out of business. Sam Krieger, representing private deputy registrars, said the A4 amendment could exclude private deputies and close about half the offices in the state. Chair Tapkey said the A3 and A4 amendments were intended to improve customer service, digital access, and future title transfers, but after hearing objections, both amendments were withdrawn. The committee then considered the A5 amendment offered by Rep. Anderson, which would bar electronic driver’s licenses for people not lawfully present in the United States. Anderson argued it would prevent issuing credentials to people in the country illegally, including suspected terrorists. Opponents, including Rep. Kegel and Rep. Lucero Nicolai, argued it would create unequal treatment and could wrongly affect refugees or asylum seekers. DVS Director Pong Xiong testified that current applications do not include NCIC checks and that standard credentials are validated through document review rather than broader database screening. The transcript ends amid continued debate over the A5 amendment and related privacy and eligibility questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• But somebody with a disability who fell between those ages wasn't covered.
• So what we said is make sure that somebody in that age group, from 18 to 60, who goes missing and has
• But somebody with a disability who fell between those ages wasn't covered.
• So what we said is make sure that somebody in the disability age group, from 18 to 60, who goes missing
• As the shooter was 19, we raised the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including guests from the press, Florida State women’s soccer, and former Senator Janet Cruz. Members also announced there would be no conference that weekend. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions and proceeding quickly to third reading and final passage. Among the measures approved were bills modernizing trust settlement and trustee discharge procedures; revising military affairs laws, including leave protections, retirement eligibility, and assistance programs; creating uniform cash-rounding rules as Florida prepares for the end of the penny; refining podiatric medicine rules on cellular/tissue-based products and informed consent; expanding veterans’ court access statewide; clarifying RV park special assessments; establishing concurrent state-federal jurisdiction for juveniles on military installations; reauthorizing alcoholic beverage loss deductions; and revising bail bond and pretrial release laws, including training, electronic notices, forfeiture timing, and related procedures. Members also passed bills on eyewear insurance licensing, expanding the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund into health science education, streamlining recovery residence regulation, enhancing felony battery penalties, and updating child welfare rules to reduce repeated background checks, make the Step Into Success program permanent, and create a best-practices program. Several bills drew brief supportive remarks, especially those affecting veterans, the National Guard, foster youth, and military families. One bail bond bill prompted questions about charitable bail bonds, with the sponsor stating the current statute would remain unchanged. Most bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously; the bail bond measure passed 36-1, while the others noted here passed with no or minimal opposition. The Senate also adopted an amendment to the military affairs bill and a delete-all amendment to the military-installation jurisdiction bill before final passage. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to honoring Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman on her farewell. Members from both parties offered extended remarks praising her leadership, preparation, collegiality, advocacy on issues such as voting rights, women’s rights, Israel, anti-Semitism, breast cancer, school safety, and family law, and her effectiveness in committee and on the floor. Berman delivered an extended farewell speech reflecting on her 16 years in the Legislature, her family, her district, and her legislative priorities, and the Senate ordered her remarks spread upon the journal before recessing and later returning to continue the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• addressing what the AG addressing what the AG raised<00:52:36.880> as<00:52:37.080> potential
• We'll be adopting AG amendments to retain exemptions in chapters 103D, 103F, 127A, and 523A within HRS
• We'll be adopting AG<01:06:12.359> amendments<01:06:12.880> also<01:06:13.200> to
• ><01:06:13.400> add<01:06:13.760> a<01:06:13.840> savings AG amendments also to
• add a savings AG amendments also to add a savings clause<01:06:14.640> confirming<01:06:15.480

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Labor met on February 19, 2026, and heard a series of bills largely focused on public employment, staffing, and professional licensing. Early measures included HB 2276 and HB 2472, both relating to Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund staff salaries, which were supported by trust fund representatives and received no opposition or questions. The committee also heard HB 1714 HD1 on housing, where the Hawaii Public Housing Authority testified with comments and the Deputy Attorney General raised concerns about the scope of autonomy, civil service, collective bargaining, and a possible separation-of-powers issue involving legislative approval of long-term contracts. The committee then considered several personnel and civil service bills. HB 2325 HD1, relating to civil service exempt positions at DLNR, drew support from DLNR and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, but HGEA opposed it and urged the department to seek other recruitment and retention solutions while keeping employees in civil service. HB 1541, relating to Department of Health positions, was supported by DOH on the grounds that the positions serve vulnerable populations and require specialized expertise, while HGEA opposed. HB 2140 HD1, relating to essential permanent positions, received support from OPSD, HGEA, and the Chamber of Commerce, with written comments from the city Department of Budget and Fiscal Services. HB 2315 HD1, relating to state employment benefits, was strongly supported by DOH, UPW, and HGEA as a recruitment and retention incentive; members questioned the pilot program, and DOH explained it would allow employees to cash out vacation leave earlier than current policy allows. The committee also heard HB 2295 on government contracting, with DOE support not present and IBEW 1186 in opposition. HB 1720, relating to professional engineers, drew strong support from the City and County of Honolulu’s planning department, which argued the bill would help with affordable housing review and only affect eligibility to sit for the licensure exam, but strong opposition from engineering industry and licensing board representatives, who warned it would lower licensing standards and harm reciprocity; members questioned both sides about plan review experience and licensure requirements. HB 2367, relating to employment earnings and pay transparency, received strong support from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, AAUW, the Commission on the Status of Women, and others, who said transparency helps small businesses and retention, while written opposition came from the Maui Chamber of Commerce and NFIB. Finally, HB 1935, relating to personal information, drew comments from the Attorney General and the Campaign Spending Commission about implementation burdens and disclosure requirements, with UPW supporting the home-address redaction portion but opposing the broader disclosure process; additional written testimony was noted from OIP, the League of Women Voters, Public Press Law Center, HGEA, and DCCA.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, and I don't have anything for AG because we did it this morning, so that's my questions.
• The problem comes in at the mechanism of age verification and possible consequences from companies.
• First of all, the parental consent and age verification requirements are a very difficult nut to crack
• And that also brings me to my other point in that I would love to see an age limit.
• To my other point, I would love to see an age limit.

Bills: S2500, S2502, S2504, S7028, S2506, S2508, S2510, S2512, S2514, S2516, S2518, S0482, S0678, S0984, S1016, S1074, S1706, S7030

Keywords: budget, appropriation, education funding, healthcare, environmental protection, infrastructure, local government, Appropriations Act, funding, education, rural development, economic assistance, collective bargaining, state employees, labor relations, impasse resolution, negotiations, retirement, elected officials, Deferred Retirement Option Program

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2026-2027 budget, SPB 2500, with chairs outlining major spending in K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Highlights included a $115 billion overall budget, pay raises for state employees and public safety workers, major K-12 funding increases and enrollment supplements, higher education workforce and nursing investments, expanded Medicaid/KidCare and behavioral health funding, corrections and law enforcement operational funding, transportation and housing investments, and significant environmental and water quality spending. Members asked about civic education funding, declining enrollment, professor retention, APD waiver waitlists, cultural grant allocations, and other line items. Public testimony also addressed HIV/AIDS drug assistance funding and prison air conditioning. SPB 2500 was adopted as a committee bill after amendment consideration and a roll call vote. The committee then took up implementing and related budget bills, including SPB 2502 (implementing the General Appropriations Act), SPB 2504 (state employee bargaining placeholder), SB 7028 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and related retirement changes), SPB 2506 (fuel tax distributions), SPB 2508 (state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge), SPB 2510 (termination of an unused court trust fund), SPB 2512 (new judgeships), SPB 2514 (K-12 conforming changes), SPB 2516 (higher education conforming changes), and SPB 2518 (health conforming changes). Most were explained as technical or conforming measures tied to the budget, and all were reported favorably as committee bills, with SB 7028 amended to direct a portion of increased contributions to disability and line-of-duty death benefits in the FRS investment plan. The committee also heard and passed several member bills, including CS for SB 1074 on rounding rules for cash transactions in a world without pennies, CS for SB 678 restoring the alcohol loss deduction framework for distributors, and SB 964 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention. SB 964 drew the most discussion, with questions about the one-year death-benefit window, the separate $25,000 cancer diagnosis payment, and whether the bill could create gaps in coverage for firefighters diagnosed or dying just outside the new time limits. Firefighter representatives testified in support, saying the bill would provide clearer protections for members and families. All of these measures were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• trying to work collaboratively<00:05:14.560> with<00:05:14.800> the<00:05:14.960> AGS
• with the AGS, DER, uh all<00:05:17.600> of<00:05:17.759> stakeholders<00:05:18.320>
• These guidelines failed to account for demographics, age, sex, cultural background, and job demands.
• <00:52:20.800> And testimony from AG uh AG's office.
• And testimony from AG uh AG's office.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the Senate Committees on Labor and Technology and Public Safety and Military Affairs considered three bills. SB 2141 would reclassify certain Department of Law Enforcement leadership and employees as Class A members for retirement purposes and adjust retirement benefit calculations. DLE supported the bill, saying it would address retirement classification without enhancing benefits, while the Employees’ Retirement System said it had no formal board position but wanted key provisions preserved. The Deputy Attorney General raised a potential title/subject issue and warned the bill could be vulnerable to challenge because the reclassification, contribution changes, and benefit calculations are in separate statutory sections. After questions about the number of affected employees and possible amendments, the committees deferred the bill. SB 2593 would exempt certain Law Enforcement Standards Board positions from civil service and collective bargaining. The board’s administrator said the positions would handle sensitive and confidential information and require specialized experience, and the board chair’s representative said the bill was important to meet certification deadlines. Opposition testimony from HGA argued exempt employees are at-will and suggested civil service protections should remain, with any staffing issues handled through reclassification or other personnel tools. Committee members questioned whether the positions could instead be civil service but excluded from bargaining, and staff explained the distinction between civil service exemption and collective bargaining exclusion. The committees ultimately recommended passing SB 2593 with amendments, including a deferred effective date of January 1, 2077, and the recommendation was adopted. SB 2824 would create a bribery-related reporting duty for public servants. Supporters, including Indivisible Hawaii, said it would establish a clear duty to report known or suspected bribery and strengthen public trust. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, saying it would criminalize an affirmative duty to report another person’s misconduct. After limited discussion, both committees voted to pass SB 2824 with amendments, including a deferred effective date of July 1, 2050, and the recommendation was adopted. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come. We begin this day with prayers of thanks.
• the legacy of Robert Goddard, who started here in New Mexico, to continue the legacy of the atomic age
• here in New Mexico, To continue the legacy of the atomic age here in New Mexico.
• So A.J., 17 years of age and in the 11th grade here again from Las Vegas, ranked second in her class
• Quadra, at age four, as a member of the tiny Senoritas dance group, sponsored by the Belarus Community

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a five-month intensive program that takes cohorts of 20 students, roughly between the ages of
• The reason we were working on this is because, at least in 2021, the average age of an apprentice in
• of the key things that was coming up is we want to make sure that we could actually really lower the age
• What are some of the additional strategies to reach out to young people, 16 to 24 years of age, who are
• The average age for an apprentice has dropped from 30 to 27, but we’re losing valuable years of income

Summary: The hearing opened the Select Committee on Effective Postsecondary Career, Technical Education, and Workforce Development Programs at Santa Ana College, with Assemblymember Mike Fong emphasizing the need for affordable, accelerated pathways into high-demand careers and noting his bill AB 1098 creating the California Interagency Education Council. Chancellor Marvin Martinez welcomed the committee and urged changes to AB 927 to remove the “duplication” barrier for community college bachelor’s degrees, arguing that applied baccalaureate programs can lead to high-wage jobs and expand access for low- and middle-income students. The first panel focused on statewide workforce trends and policy. California Community Colleges Vice Chancellor Anthony Cordova highlighted credit for prior learning, Strong Workforce funding, dual enrollment, and apprenticeship growth, asking the Legislature to restore and increase Strong Workforce funding and expand applied baccalaureate degrees. LAEDC’s Josep Bilayo described regional labor market data showing growth in health care, education, construction, bioscience, and clean energy, while stressing the need for employer-led, data-driven programs, wraparound supports, and flexible funding. Andrew Gonzalez of the Building and Construction Trades Council argued that registered apprenticeship must be paid, combine classroom and on-the-job training, and end in a portable credential; he also promoted apprenticeship readiness programs, community workforce agreements, and stronger exposure to trades starting in K-12. Eric Morrison Smith of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color discussed the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship Grant Program and related youth apprenticeship recommendations, including bridge programs, intermediary infrastructure, reduced employer barriers, and better coordination of state funding. A later panel highlighted Santa Ana College’s fire technology and firefighting academy programs. President Annabelle Neri and Vice President Jeffrey Lamb said the college is one of the state’s largest fire training providers, with strong partnerships with local fire agencies, law enforcement, and the U.S. Forest Service, and with high job placement and six-figure starting salaries for some graduates. They also described related certificates, advanced officer training, wellness services, and workforce preparation such as mock interviews and sponsorships. Throughout the hearing, members and panelists repeatedly stressed the importance of aligning education with labor market demand, expanding apprenticeships and work-based learning, and using regional collaboration to connect students to living-wage careers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Much less the age of what we're going to see and talk about today.
• Davin Hunt, and in my hand, I have passed out to you a picture of my sweet little angel, Jamie Hunt, age
• Ingrained in me at an early age were two simple words: BE PREPARED. Simply BE PREPARED.
• Her athleticism and drive were remarkable; she was a talented soccer player from an early age.
• As a father of littles in that same age range, is "Stay in your cabin" an unacceptable evacuation plan

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What SB 25 does is create a smoother, more efficient merger review process by providing AGs with earlier
• So the state AG gets notice at the same time that the federal government gets notice, so they're doing
• Why does the state AG have to file a lawsuit to do that?
• Why does the state AG have to file a materials to do our job.
• Why does the state AG have to file a lawsuit to do that?

Summary: The committee heard several bills from Senator Umberg and Senator Allen, with testimony from supporters and opponents before roll-call votes were taken once quorum was established. SB 253, the annual State Bar fee bill, would keep fees unchanged while requiring two-year notice for substantial changes to the bar exam, including vendor changes, and returning to an older delivery method for the upcoming exam; it was presented as a response to recent State Bar problems and the February bar exam failure. SB 25, the Pre-Merger Notification Act, would require certain merger parties to provide California’s attorney general the same Hart-Scott-Rodino materials filed federally, so state antitrust review can occur in parallel with federal review; supporters said this would reduce delay and uncertainty, while members questioned whether it would add another layer of review. SB 36 would strengthen price-gouging enforcement after the January 2025 Southern California firestorms by requiring rental-listing platforms to report suspected gouging, expanding consumer and prosecutor remedies, and allowing warrants in housing-related cases; supporters said it would close loopholes, while opponents from business groups raised concerns. All three bills were later approved on roll call, with SB 36 and SB 413 placed on call before final passage and SB 253 and SB 25 moving forward on committee votes. The committee also heard SB 413, which would streamline access to juvenile case files in certain civil cases brought by or on behalf of the youth who is the subject of the file, allowing attorneys to use heavily redacted records without first petitioning the juvenile court. Supporters, including Los Angeles County counsel and county associations, said the current petition process is costly, slow, and routinely granted, creating delays in civil litigation and court congestion. Opponents, including the Youth Law Center, argued the bill would weaken longstanding juvenile confidentiality protections by bypassing judicial review and could expose sensitive information unnecessarily. After discussion about redactions, sealing, and the scope of access, the bill was passed on a do-pass-as-amended vote. Finally, Senator Wahab presented SB 436, which would extend the notice period for nonpayment of rent from three days to 14 days. Supporters, including tenant advocates, legal aid groups, and several local governments, argued the change would reduce unnecessary evictions, give renters more time to obtain assistance or a paycheck, and help prevent homelessness. Opponents, including apartment associations, property owners, and the California Association of Realtors, said the bill would burden landlords, especially small owners, and could unintentionally affect commercial leases; members also raised concerns about repeated late payment and the lack of stronger guardrails. The author said she would work on clarifying commercial coverage and safeguards, and the bill remained under discussion as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2012, at the age of 16, I was sexually assaulted by my 34-year-old coach.
• They sent it to the AG for opinion when I PIA'd it.
• I am a social studies educator for 24 years and a mom of two school-age boys.
• Sure, y'all may still pass age before, but having departed the original...
• Suicide is increasing across professions, across gender, across age.

Bills: HB4, HB20

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's just say on average, a year you average, for those of you that know ag, 180 bushels of corn per
• We had steak on a stick, more fitting to vote green on the ag bill today.
• This extends that to children of all ages.
• This extends that to children<00:45:18.400> of<00:45:18.640> all<00:45:18.800> ages.
• <00:45:19.880> Um children of all ages. Um children of all ages.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So for instance, let's say it's age verification, you can make sure that's the only information that
• If it's your age, and frankly not even your age, it's a yes or no. So are you over 21?
• They don't need to know her age.
• How you store the bow and arrow, got to lock it. the case or have certain sub-type of age requirements
• Um, verification later, so it could be several months before an AG can, all right.

Bills: HB2034, HB2436, HB3010, HB3033, HB3138, HB3177, HB3426, HB3686, HB3858, HB4176, HB4257, HB4264, HB4804, HCR98

Keywords: groundwater, foreign ownership, national security, water permits, environmental health, deadly conduct, firearm, recklessness, peace officer, prosecution, Penal Code, Texas laws, disaster recovery, infrastructure, rural communities, grants, state funding, emergency management, HB 3033, Texas Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Age does not guarantee skill. And owning a boat doesn't mean you know how to operate it safely.
• for sale to keep it in ag. Members, that is the bill. Are there questions on the amendment?
• It may be open to a... ...be open to all kinds of international ag companies.
• This doesn't get better with age.
• My job with the Cleo Institute is working with young people, specifically college-age students.

Summary: The committee first took up CS for CS for CS for SB 462 on transportation. A substitute amendment was adopted that would require counties receiving transportation surtax proceeds to report how the money is used to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, prohibit certain airport fees tied to collegiate aviation flight training, create a Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority pilot program, and dedicate $10 million annually for a traffic signal modernization program. The amendment also removed several provisions from the bill, including a sales-tax transfer to the State Transportation Trust Fund, a bid-protest-related contracting requirement, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. A late-filed amendment was tabled, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard CS for CS for CS for SB 628, Lucy’s Law, which strengthens boating safety penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and reckless operation. After the sponsor withdrew a pending amendment, the committee heard emotional testimony from Lucy’s parents and others in support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee next considered CS for CS for SB 700, the Florida Farm Bill, under a strike-all amendment. The bill’s major provisions included removing non-purity additives from public water systems, requiring clearer labeling for meat, milk, poultry, and eggs, criminalizing drone harassment over farmland, updating agriculture disaster recovery programs, creating an honest services registry for charities tied to countries of concern, expanding FFA-related scholarships and school infrastructure, and allowing the state to repurchase certain former agricultural lands converted to solar fields. Testimony included strong support from agriculture and related groups, opposition from the Florida Bankers Association over a private right of action related to financial discrimination, and criticism from speakers opposed to fluoride removal. The bill was amended and then reported favorably despite some opposition. The committee also reported favorably SB 796, which authorizes DEP general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems to replace failing septic tanks. The committee then took up a large strike-all for CS for SB 1618, a K-20 education package. The amendment combined provisions on VPK flexibility, early grade success, agriculture education, financial literacy, reading intervention, teacher assignment transparency, restrictions on spending public funds for political or social activism, emergency opioid antagonists, corporal punishment consent, teacher certification pathways, and other higher-education and workforce items from SB 1624, including guardrails for certain private religious postsecondary institutions. Members questioned the new prohibition on using public funds for political or social activism, with the sponsor saying it was intended to keep public schools from being a battleground for ideology; Equality Florida and the ACLU opposed that section. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee began extensive debate on CS for SB 7016, a major initiative-petition reform bill. The sponsors said the bill responds to fraud and abuse documented in a large Office of Election Crimes and Security report and would impose tighter rules on petition circulators, including Florida residency and U.S. citizenship requirements, training, shorter submission deadlines, stronger penalties, new identification requirements on petitions, and a 25% invalid-signature trigger for investigations by election-crimes officials. Senators raised numerous questions about due process, public records, penalties, the treatment of volunteers and former felons, the verification process, and the practical effect of the new deadlines and thresholds. The discussion was ongoing when the transcript ended, and no final vote on SB 7016 is shown in the excerpt.