Transcript Highlights:

• some of the folks, especially who were not here when we transformed with a handful of years ago, the bread
• The SRFs are fantastic, and they are our bread and butter.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources Committee was called to order with member and staff introductions, then heard a presentation from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA). Director Chelsea McGuire described WIFA’s core revolving loan programs for clean water and drinking water infrastructure, its rural water supply development fund, its conservation grant fund, and the long-term water augmentation fund. She said WIFA has invested nearly $3 billion over 30 years in water infrastructure, awarded $87.3 million under the rural fund, and allocated about $211 million in conservation grants expected to save 6.6 million acre-feet of water. She also reported that the conservation grant fund is fully allocated and that WIFA is seeking renewed funding support from the legislature. A major focus was the long-term augmentation fund, which WIFA is using to evaluate large-scale water supply projects through a competitive solicitation and due-diligence process. McGuire said 17 proposals were received and seven projects were selected for further development, including desalination, reuse, groundwater storage, and exchange-based supply arrangements involving Arizona, California, and Mexico. She emphasized that the next phase will include public engagement, technical and financial analysis, and input from potential water buyers, and that the projects are intended to address an identified supply gap of 100,000 to 500,000 acre-feet per year over the next 10 to 15 years. Members generally praised WIFA’s work, especially its support for small and rural communities, and asked about public transparency, conservation savings, federal funding for revolving funds, and the cost and timeline of augmentation projects. McGuire said the revolving funds remain financially stable even if federal funding declines, though forgivable-principal grants could be affected. She also said smaller utilities often need staff help to navigate applications and that WIFA is working to make the rural fund’s process more predictable and accessible. Several senators urged the legislature not to cut WIFA’s funding, while McGuire argued that stable state support is needed to keep project costs down and maintain momentum. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, lending is our bread and butter, right?
• The other bread and butter is cash management, certainly, if you still necessitate cash management.

Bills: HB245, HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175

Keywords: property tax, delinquent taxes, ad valorem, penalties, interest cap, military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator French, I know you had a question yesterday about what are we doing to get CO2 up into the Big
• Senator French, I know you had a question yesterday about what are we doing to get CO2 up into the Big
• Senator French, I know you had a question yesterday about what are we doing to get CO2 up into the Big
• Senator French, I know you had a question yesterday about what are we doing to get CO2 up into the Big

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair calls Emily French, Daniela Hernandez, David Chinkanjan, and Colin Steele.
• Emily French, Daniela Hernandez, David Chinchin, and Colin Steele. Thank you.
• Okay, wait for Emily French. Thank you. Any questions? Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• I'm Emily French. Perfect! The chair calls Emily. Ms.
• French. Members, any questions for this witness? ...manual to question a witness. Thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can assure you that there's a goal for the circuit judges and want to be back in French.
• Yeah, medieval French, you know, something like that. I move there. All right. So, Mr. Chairman.

Keywords: Code Commission, 976, house, all

Summary: The Virginia Code Commission met on June 3, 2026, approved the November 17, 2025 minutes, and adopted an electronic meeting policy for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The commission also welcomed a new member, Travis Hill, the Attorney General’s designee, and later approved the 2026 work plan for the Administrative Law Advisory Committee (ALAC), which will continue work on updating Articles 1 and 2 of the Administrative Process Act, the preservation of error doctrine, and the harmless error doctrine. A major discussion focused on a plain-English forms initiative raised by Justice McCullough. Members agreed to create a work group including clerks, the Office of the Executive Secretary, judges, and practitioners, and to survey circuit and general district court clerks for the most problematic forms as a starting point. The goal is to identify code changes and possible plain-language alternatives that could improve court forms and user understanding, with the commission approving that next step by motion. The commission also approved extending its contract with LexisNexis for three years, with one member abstaining because of a firm relationship with the parent company. It accepted and acted on an Attorney General opinion regarding Virginia Beach charter provisions, directing staff to update the law portal to reflect the opinion’s conclusions about which sections were repealed or remain historical. In addition, the commission noted that the Title 30 recodification passed with a reenactment clause and will require a work group and further review next year; it also heard a request from the Virginia Electoral Board Association to consider Title 24.2 for future recodification, but took that under advisement for later discussion. The meeting ended with plans to poll for an August or early September meeting and to discuss a separate “shall” bill referral at the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• French Brown from the Florida Chamber. Mr. Brown? Thank you, President Gates.
• French Brown on behalf of the Florida Chamber.

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met with a quorum present and took up two bills. The first, SPB 7046, was the Senate tax package. It included changes to Live Local property tax opt-outs, charter school distributions from voter-approved property tax levies, RV park special assessments, fiscally constrained county funding, a permanent sales tax exemption for small propane tanks, a hunting/fishing/camping sales tax holiday, and provisions barring governmental net zero policies. An amendment made the charter-school distribution change prospective starting July 1, 2026. Committee discussion focused heavily on whether the charter-school language would divert money from traditional public schools and on the fiscal-constrained county formula. The bill was reported favorably as a committee bill after a roll call vote, with Senators Bernard and Jones voting no. The committee also considered SPB 7048, which updates Florida’s conformity to the Internal Revenue Code as of January 1, 2026 and partially decouples from federal tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill addresses bonus depreciation, research and experimental expenses, business meal deductions, and the business interest deduction, with the Revenue Estimating Conference expected to review the fiscal impact later in the week. The Florida Chamber testified that the bill should better align with federal tax relief and reduce administrative burdens, while senators emphasized the need to balance business tax relief with state revenue constraints. SPB 7048 was also reported favorably as a committee bill by roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the funny thing with Alcan was because it was in Quebec, Hydro Quebec, they're all French.
• So they ended up merging with the French aluminum company and then Rio Tinto took them over.
• So they ended up merging with the French aluminum company and then Rio Tinto took them over.
• <04:00:12.800> So Hydro Quebec, they're all French. So Hydro Quebec, they're all French.
• they ended up merging with the French they ended up merging with the French aluminum<04:00:17.560

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the chair calls Morgan Whetstone, Allison Hoke, Isabel Lang, Emily French. Thank you.
• Isabel Lang, Emily French, Susan Caranza, Dr. Susan Caranza. And the chair calls Matilda Miller.
• French, welcome. Introduce yourself and go ahead. Hi, I'm Emily French.

Bills: SB1540, SB2225, SB2284, SB2382, SB2487, SB2514, SB2595, SB2876, SB2877, SB3031, SB2753

Keywords: election officials, confidentiality, personal information, government transparency, public safety, spirit beverages, alcoholic beverages, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, distribution, taxation, firearms, local regulation, archery equipment, weapons, voter registration, statewide list, county requirements, election integrity, computer services contracts, mental health

Summary: The committee first adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 30 and then voted to report the substituted bill favorably to the full Senate; the roll call showed six ayes and one nay, with later unanimous-consent corrections noted for additional aye votes. The committee also reported Senate Bill 801 favorably to the full Senate by an eight-to-one vote. Both bills were left with no further action in the meeting after the votes. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2595 by Senator Middleton and Senate Bill 2876 by Chairman Hughes, both aimed at addressing masked harassment and riot-related conduct. Supporters said the bills would deter intimidation, protect public order, and respond to recent protests and anti-Semitic incidents, while opponents from civil rights, disability, and advocacy groups argued the measures were overly broad, could chill peaceful protest, and would burden people who wear masks for religious, medical, or disability-related reasons. Public testimony was taken on both bills, and both were left pending after testimony closed. Senate Bill 2753, by Senator Hall, proposed consolidating early voting and election day into a single continuous in-person voting period with common procedures and equipment, while preserving countywide voting and mail voting. The Secretary of State’s office said the bill could improve ballot secrecy and simplify administration, though witnesses raised concerns about ballot privacy, logistics, and access for disabled voters; some county election officials were neutral or supportive of the concept, while others opposed it as confusing or potentially burdensome. The bill was left pending after extensive testimony. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2225 on allowing spirit-based ready-to-drink beverages to be sold in grocery and convenience stores, with supporters arguing the law should focus on alcohol content rather than the source of the alcohol and that the bill would modernize an outdated code. Later, Senate Bill 1540, which would add election officials and related workers to confidentiality protections, drew support from county election officials who described threats and harassment, though one witness suggested the bill’s language may need technical adjustment to better match its intent. Finally, Senate Bill 2382, concerning statewide voter registration systems and offline counties, drew opposition from county election administrators and vendors who warned about capacity, cybersecurity, and single-point-of-failure risks, while others suggested a phased approach or API-based integration; the transcript ends with testimony still open on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under our current law, uh bread, uh fiber, uh current law, uh bread, uh fiber, uh current law, uh bread
• They're already in your light bread and everything else you're light bread and everything else you're
• light bread and everything else you're eating.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the 2021 um to really hone in on the 2021 um to really hone in on the thorough<00:10:25.360> breads
• c> um<00:10:26.800> I'm<00:10:26.959> an<00:10:27.120> exercise thorough breads
• um I'm an exercise thorough breads um I'm an exercise jockey<00:10:28.079> as<00:10:28.200>
• ><00:10:28.399> so<00:10:28.560> the<00:10:28.680> thorough<00:10:28.959> breads
• jockey as well so the thorough breads jockey as well so the thorough breads have<00:10:29.440>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And then one day I say, speak French. Speak French. And he doesn't. And then I slap him.
• I say, speak French. And then I slap him again, and I say, speak French.
• He's not gonna be able to speak French because kids cannot demonstrate. behavior that hasn't been modeled

Bills: HB31, HB3360

Keywords: juvenile justice, community supervision, felony offenses, treatment of children, juvenile facilities, chemical dispensing device, solitary confinement, rehabilitation, criminal proceedings, delinquency, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll take a half of bread over none any time.
• I'll take<01:13:12.719> a<01:13:12.880> half<01:13:13.280> of<01:13:13.360> bread
• over<01:13:14.719> I<01:13:14.880> mean<01:13:15.040> over take a half of bread
• over I mean over take a half of bread over I mean over none<01:13:15.679> any<01:13:15.920>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against
• shrimp, blackened shrimp tacos, shrimp pasta, pulled pork, jambalaya, crawfish bites, white chocolate bread
• Pulled pork, jambalaya, crawfish, white chocolate bread pudding, pralines, toffee, and blue runner red

Bills: HR188, HR189, HR190, HR191, HR179, HR180, HR181, HR182, HR183, HR185, HR186, HR187, HCR75, HCR76, HCR77, HCR78, HCR79, SCR24, SCR36, SCR39, SB64, SB107, SB152, SB185, SB217, SB232, SB278, SB290, SB294, SB320, SB321, SB419, SB424, SB436, SB440, SB468, SB470, SB476, SB482, SB489, HCR32, SCR11, HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB267, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB478, HB610, HB617, HB679, HB745, HB749, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB896, HB979, HB992, HB1000, HB1024, HB1050, HB1166, HB1172, HB1173, HB1193, HB1207, HB1218, HB1223, SB256, SB180, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HCR4, HCR47, HB59, HB74, HB159, HB330, HB364, HB414, HB458, HB525, HB568, HB786, HB1008, HB1033, HB1034, HB1041, HB1062, HB1070, HB1079, HB1112, HB1118, HB1139, HB1151, HB1176, HB1182, HB1196, HB1214, HB1241, HB87, HB115, HB162, HB368, HB433, HB441, HB447, HB466, HB481, HB741, HB1242, HB362, HB893, HB990, HB1007, HB1153, HB1243, SB162, SB349, SB350, SB382, SB383, SB127, SB244, HB615, HB864, HB1103, HB1175, HB31, HB225, HB608, HB664, HB897, HB977, HB1003, HB1160, HB1180, HB911, HB306, HB366, HB1161, HB1230, HB181, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB284, HB393, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB772, HB773, HB996, HB1035, HB1058, HB1082, HB1113, HB1189, HB1234, HB1240

Keywords: hunting dogs, field trials, working dogs, dog training, greyhound protection, Farm Bill, federal overreach, sportsmen, sportswomen, wildlife management, conservation, rural communities, Louisiana hunting, hunting tradition, animal welfare, dog breeders, dog owners, outdoor recreation, Kathy Taylor, musical achievements

Transcript Highlights:

• So going back to what I think is the bread-and-butter—well, actually the bread-and-butter work really
• But the bread-and-butter work, yes, is working with the Secu Commission and the Land-Grant Council.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the one thing that broadcasters offer in this space of free broadcast, or bread and butter, if you
• will,... ...this space of free broadcast, or bread and butter, if you will, is exclusive content.

Keywords: Scheduler, 973, house, all

Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and first handled routine business including postponing approval of the prior journal and confirming a quorum. Several committee reports were adopted, including measures from Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, Tourism and Recreation and Economic Development, Appropriations, Rules, Commerce, and Environmental and Natural Resource Protection. The chamber also adopted House Resolution 531, designating June 2026 as Scoliosis Awareness Month, after testimony from Rep. DeLosier and discussion of a constituent’s experience with severe scoliosis; the resolution passed 201-1. The House then adopted a series of additional resolutions and bills, including Diaper Need Awareness Week, a study on PANS/PANDAS, 717 Day, Little League World Series Week, and a resolution commemorating America 250 in Pennsylvania. It also passed bills on Sunshine Act agenda notice changes, veteran death notifications, Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, township audit deadlines, first responder memorials, road transfers, parole board succession, and restrictions on HOA limits for rooftop solar. The solar bill drew multiple failed amendments on HOA voting rules, native plants, energy-source discrimination, and net metering; one amendment on indemnification for elected officials at special events was adopted. In final passage votes, the House approved legislation to prohibit NDAs related to data centers, with debate centered on transparency and local control; it passed 171-31. The chamber also passed bills allowing Pittsburgh school administrators to collectively bargain, requiring hunting and trapping education options in schools, expanding SWIF’s equity investment authority, and scheduling metatomidine as a Schedule 3 controlled substance. The Counseling Compact bill and a parole-record privilege bill both passed unanimously or near-unanimously, and the House signed those measures for presentation to the Governor. The session ended with referrals of new bills to committees, a motion to adjourn, and adjournment until July 1, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Definitely in construction and the building trades is our bread and butter.
• Definitely in construction and the building trades is our bread and butter.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Workforce Support Subcommittee met to discuss using registered apprenticeships to help address workforce shortages in disability services, human services, and other high-need fields. Co-chairs and staff introduced the session as a follow-up to earlier discussions with state labor officials and representatives from developmental disability and behavioral health provider associations. The panel focused on how apprenticeships can create paid, structured pathways into jobs while also supporting credentialing and retention. Amara Ramon of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards explained how Massachusetts apprenticeship programs are registered and supported, including the roles of apprenticeship liaison staff, operations, quality assurance, and grant support. She described the core features of apprenticeships—paid on-the-job training, related technical instruction, wage progression, and industry credentials—and contrasted them with internships or co-ops. Melissa Chabelli of the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board described the intermediary role her board plays in designing programs, registering apprentices, coordinating employers, and handling compliance. She emphasized flexibility, employer investment, tax credits, retention benefits, and the importance of mentors and local workforce partnerships. Lisa Morris of UMass Chan/For Health Consulting described a developing apprenticeship for medical interpreters, built from an existing training foundation and designed to address the gap between classroom preparation and work experience. She said the model would combine pre-apprenticeship training, employer interviews, 2,000 hours of apprenticeship, and related technical instruction tied to national certification. Speakers also discussed examples for nursing, early childhood education, CNC machining, and programs serving neurodivergent learners, including Bridgewater State’s Excel program. In response to audience questions, panelists said state agencies can serve as intermediaries, recruitment can come through career centers, youth programs, community colleges, ESL centers, and incumbent workers, and accommodations or modified curricula can support apprentices with disabilities. No votes were taken; the session ended with encouragement for attendees to contact the presenters and Division of Apprenticeship Standards for help developing programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Making Baird's bread there, you know, you should continue baking your Baird's bread.

Bills: HB24, HB2015, HB2149, HB2559, HB2701, HB2797, HB3172, HB24

Keywords: zoning, public notice, local government, residential development, protests, water conservation, municipal utility districts, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental regulation, groundwater management, nonconforming uses, zoning regulations, land use, property rights, municipal authority, municipal moratorium, development moratorium, property development, subdivision, site plan

Transcript Highlights:

• And the bread and butter of our program is accurate records.
• And the bread and butter of our program is accurate records.
• That is part of the bread and butter of our program.
• That is part of the bread and butter of our program.
• That is part of the bread and butter of our program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And when I look at this list, and I see the person that killed in the French Quarter, the person that
• And when I look at this list, and I see the person that killed in the French Quarter, the person that
• We have red cards in opposition from Dawn Front, French, sorry, McNeese State University, Danny Ford

Bills: HR73, HR272, HR273, HR278, HCR91, HCR99, HCR100, HCR111, HB255, HB261, HB328, HB378, HB479, HB517, HB564, HB778, HB1090, SB135, SB278, SB448

Keywords: domestic abuse, protective orders, victim protection, Louisiana State Law Institute, mandatory procedures, parental discipline, corporal punishment, child abuse, cruelty to juveniles, juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, child welfare, DCFS, Office of Juvenile Justice, reasonable discipline, parental rights, family law, law enforcement reports, abuse allegations, single-parent households

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee met on May 19, 2026, with a long agenda and several members’ bills and resolutions. The committee first considered HB 255, as substituted, which would add up to two years of imprisonment for a person charged with a felony or rioting offense who wore a mask or face covering to evade identification, with exceptions for religious coverings, motorcycles, and medical use. Supporters said it targeted concealment during felonies; the ACLU opposed it as redundant and potentially overbroad, while the Louisiana District Attorneys Association clarified the enhancement would apply only to felony convictions. The committee adopted the substitute and reported HB 255 favorably by a vote of 8-3. It then advanced HB 378, which creates penalties for using a vehicle to obstruct first responders and law enforcement; after an amendment narrowed the bill to first responders, it was reported favorably. HB 1090, increasing penalties for arson of a religious building, also passed favorably after testimony emphasizing attacks on houses of worship. HR 272, requesting a study on parental discipline, abuse allegations, and juvenile delinquency, was reported favorably as well. The committee also heard HB 479, the Fiscal Truth and Sentencing Act, which would require more detailed reporting on incarceration costs and sentencing impacts. Supporters, including the ACLU, said the bill would improve transparency and help lawmakers make better fiscal decisions; clerks of court opposed it as an unfunded mandate. Despite amendments shifting reporting duties and clarifying compliance with Children’s Code Article 412, the bill failed on a 4-7 roll call. The committee then deferred HCR 99 and took up HR 278, which asks the Attorney General to consult stakeholders and review electronic monitoring laws and regulations; supporters described serious failures in the current GPS monitoring system, and the resolution was reported favorably. HR 273, creating a task force to study work release programs, was also reported favorably after members said it would help refine the system and gather cost data. Later, the committee heard SB 448 on the Office of the State Public Defender. After discussion of a recent Supreme Court ruling and concerns about expert-witness funding and indigency determinations, the committee adopted an amendment adding a contradictory-hearing process and appellate review protections, then reported the bill as amended. HCR 100, concerning casino property sales, was amended to remove specific property references and instead urge the Gaming Control Board to consider economic development, job creation, and community benefit; the casino association withdrew opposition after the amendment, and the resolution was reported favorably as amended. The committee also voluntarily deferred SB 278 and HCR 91. HB 261, which would create exceptions to abortion laws for rape and certain sex offenses, drew extensive emotional testimony from supporters and opponents, including survivors and legislators discussing rape, incest, and fetal life; the bill was defeated 2-10. Finally, the committee took up HB 778 on kratom possession, with the author arguing for a distinction between natural kratom and synthetic products, and supporters and opponents offering conflicting testimony about safety, addiction recovery, and regulation.

Transcript Highlights:

• > A6<00:04:15.920> amendment Senator French offers the A6 amendment Senator French offers
• Uh Senator French. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Senator Maye Quade.
• Uh Senator French. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Senator Maye Quade.
• Uh Senator French. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Senator Maye Quade.
• Uh Senator French. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Senator Maye Quade.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all