Transcript Highlights:

• injury they complete the state action report<00:14:20.959> that<00:14:21.199> I<00:14:
• I also teach EV market and technologies class at the University of St. Thomas.
• would be to index the current $75 action would be to index the current $75 EV<00:31:30.960> gas
• My name is MJ Carpio, executive director of Move Minnesota and Move Minnesota Action.
• Uh for for the Move Minnesota Action.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She's now the Baltimore County Executive, Kathy Class Meerson. >> County Executive Kathy Class Meers
• We have gone through and direct action.
• Why sitins, marches, and so action? Why sitins, marches, and so forth?
• Nonviolent comm community action.
• Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was well timed.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, January 19, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with an invocation by Pastor Ray Cotton of Mount Si Baptist Church, who prayed for wisdom, integrity, courage, compassion, and protection for lawmakers. The senator from the 45th district introduced the pastor and praised his long ministry and community leadership. The chamber then recorded a quorum and moved through brief introductions of guests, including constituents from District 22, local elected officials, a junior senator from District 8, Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, and a new group of student pages from several districts. The Senate handled limited business, including the reading and referral of Senate Bill 257, the Mel Noland Woodland Initiatives and Fellowship Fund reporting bill, and two bond initiatives for the Linthicum Ferndale Youth Athletic Association and Carol Manor Elementary School. Leaders noted that committee hearings would be busy in the coming week and that the desk was otherwise clear. There was also an announcement encouraging members to watch the documentary "Ain't No Back to a Merry-Go-Round," tied to Glen Echo Park desegregation history and the legacy of former Senator Gwen Britt. The main event was the annual Martin Luther King Jr. remarks by the senator from the 45th district. The speech focused on passages from the "Letter from Birmingham Jail," emphasizing King’s discipline, nonviolent strategy, the interconnectedness of communities, the role of constructive tension, the need to demand justice rather than wait indefinitely, and the moral distinction between just and unjust laws. The senator framed King as both a strategist and a builder of institutions, and argued that lawmakers should measure their work against those principles. The chamber responded with strong applause, and the remarks were journalized without objection. After a final quorum call confirmed 43 members present, the Senate remained in session briefly and then adjourned without objection until Tuesday, January 20 at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Urban municipality means the municipality other than a city of the first class that is adjacent to or
• Urban municipality means the municipality other than a city of the first class that is adjacent to or
• so um senat Balden any first class so um senat Balden any closing<00:34:45.000> comments<00:34
• State action is now the problem.
• is now the problem cities have action is now the problem cities have currently<00:48:33.760> the<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It will be a first of its kind, best-in-class state veteran nursing home in the nation.
• The training from June 1 to 5—is it a five-day class or is it one? No, sir.
• The training from June 1 to 5 is it a five-day class or is it one? No, sir.
• , like one- or two-hour classes.
• They can attend online as part of the class that's going on inside of the actual facility.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Major General James Hartzell of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the agency’s mission, outreach efforts, state veterans nursing homes, and support programs. He highlighted Florida’s large and growing veteran population, the state’s existing nursing homes and the planned 10th home in Collier County, and the department’s dental assistance program, which served 245 veterans in the first quarter of the fiscal year and completed 1,631 procedures while saving more than $525,000. He also discussed veteran service officers, the benefits guide, the department newsletter, efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, and mental health outreach through the Overwatch/Firewatch program. Senators asked about future nursing home locations, adult day health care, homelessness, and the dental program; Hartzell also announced that retired Colonel D.J. Reyes will become deputy executive director on November 7. The committee then heard from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Division of Emergency Management, on disaster response, recovery, and agency modernization. He described the State Emergency Response Team, the new Florida Central Operations and Coordination Office warehouse in Auburndale, and the new state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, which is ahead of schedule and designed to hold about 220 people and withstand 200-mph winds. Guthrie reviewed recovery efforts for recent storms, including debris removal, volunteer villages, sheltering, and FEMA reimbursement totals for Hurricanes Milton, Helene, Debbie, Idalia, Ian, and earlier storms. He also discussed the Elevate Florida home-elevation program, the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation training initiative, the DEMES platform, and WebEOC, noting that 60 counties and 22 colleges and universities are using the system. Members asked Guthrie about flood-response resources for cities, training for local officials, and lessons from inland flooding after recent storms. He explained how local governments can request pumps and other assistance through county and state channels, described upcoming elected-official training, and emphasized mutual aid and EMAC as key future disaster-response tools. The committee took no formal votes or other legislative action and adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you guys can look in this report and the audit starting on page 8, I love looking at actionable
• He and his wife are going through all kinds of nightmares with classes and counseling and stuff.
• He has lost $20,000 in annual income simply because of all the classes he's been having to take for things
• He and his wife are going through all kinds of nightmares with classes and counseling and stuff.
• He has lost $20,000 in annual income simply because of all the classes he's been having to take for things

Summary: The committee met to review an audit and recommendations from the Alliance for Opportunity on reforming Arkansas workforce and social service delivery. Members discussed creating a more integrated, regional, “one-door” system that would combine eligibility screening, job training, and service referrals across DHS, workforce, health, and related programs, with an emphasis on reducing administrative overhead and redirecting more funds to direct services and training. Several members raised the need to include groups such as people in generational poverty, rural residents, reentry populations, and people involved in the court system, while also ensuring access for those without digital skills or technology. Artificial intelligence was a major topic. Members suggested using AI and a centralized database or virtual hub to pre-populate forms, identify program eligibility, notify workforce agencies, and improve efficiency, while still maintaining case managers and in-person support for those who need it. There was also discussion of benefit cliffs, DHS processes that may hinder employment, and the need for industry input and working groups to study AI and other issues. Members repeatedly asked for measurable outcomes, including return-on-investment estimates, cost savings, and performance metrics tied to the number of people moved into self-sufficiency and employment. The committee then reviewed a draft consultant services agreement with Work Ed Consulting LLC, represented by Mason Bishop, to assist with the study under Act 145 of 2025. The contract would run from March 20, 2025 through June 30, 2027, with a maximum amount of $158,000 plus possible additional services up to 10% if approved. Bishop said his work would include ongoing ROI updates and that his experience included helping create Utah’s workforce department and assisting Louisiana with similar reforms. After questions about oversight and deliverables, Representative Beck moved to advance the contract, Senator Sullivan seconded, and the committee approved it by voice vote before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So finally, there's no clear accountability system to the measure whether this bill action actually will
• Great to have is that many kids in my school are costly, removed from the other classes to retake these
• getting pulled out for either one deal, biology, it just snowballs and makes the kid struggle in the class
• it is. 30 1% are great, but not so destructive that they're missing critical destruction and their classes
• Unlike the zombies that are in our 07:00AM classes. This is the problem.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our mission is to represent residential and small commercial consumers as a class in utility proceedings
• Our mission is to represent residential and small commercial consumers as a class in utility proceedings
• electric base rate case, it's not unusual to hire four or more experts: a revenue requirement expert, a class
• Yes, sir, absolutely, and we represent them as a class when it comes to the actual cases.
• important function for licensing... skilled professionals who meet educational standards and whose actions

Bills: SB1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met to review Article 8, regulatory agencies, and began Article 9, general provisions, before recessing for floor action. The committee first heard budget presentations from the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC). The PUC budget recommendation was about $5.07 billion in all funds, including an additional $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, plus funding for staffing and technology needs tied to contested cases, infrastructure resiliency, and outage mapping. PUC witnesses emphasized the agency’s growing workload, the need for more staff and modern systems, and oversight of the Texas Energy Fund. OPUC’s recommendation was about $6.9 million, with a reduction in authorized FTEs to better match actual staffing; the agency requested additional funding for salaries, expert witnesses, and budget flexibility, and members highlighted OPUC’s role representing residential and small commercial consumers in utility proceedings. The committee then heard from the Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), whose recommendation was just over $11.2 million. BHEC’s main requests included funding to fill vacant positions, money for continuous National Practitioner Data Bank queries, and a proposed Texas-owned psychology licensing exam in response to concerns about changes to the national exam. Agency leaders also discussed a rider request that would shift responsibility for certain judgments or settlements to the comptroller. Members asked about prior complaint backlogs, and BHEC said those backlogs had been cleared. The Board of Chiropractic Examiners followed, with a recommendation of just under $2.4 million; the board sought support for staffing, training, broadband, and salary retention, and described its work regulating chiropractors and workers’ compensation-related doctors. The Board of Dental Examiners was the last agency heard before the committee recessed. Its recommendation was just under $10 million, and it requested a 10% salary increase for eligible staff, three additional licensing staff, one staff member to handle required background checks, an additional attorney, and an executive director salary adjustment. Dental board witnesses said licensure growth, increased complaints, and low salaries were straining licensing and enforcement operations, even though the agency reported strong performance and high case completion rates. The chair ended the hearing early because the Senate had to return to the floor, and the committee remained in recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• of actions that are not prohibited by this law.
• It does this by allowing a private right of action against the abortion drug industry.
• There's no cause of action. There's no civil or criminal liability, whatever.
• These actions are illegal under our pro-life laws, but enforcement remains difficult.
• It's not about actions taking place in other states.

Bills: SB10, SB16, SB6, SB 6, SB 10, SB 16

Keywords: trafficking, prostitution, affirmative defense, victims, criminal justice reform, victim rights, criminal justice, judicial reform, court procedures, mental health services, criminal penalties, court security, SB 6, Woman and Child Protection Act, abortion, abortion-inducing drugs, medication abortion, mifepristone, misoprostol, pro-life

Transcript Highlights:

• A police officer is aware that actions.
• So, please pass this bill. ...to be exposed to these horrific actions?
• talking about the most serious classes talking about the most serious classes of<01:49:35.040>
• > convicted of class A and class B convicted of class A and class B felonies.<02:11:32.400> Felonies
• <03:25:15.359> not<03:25:15.600> otherwise actions that they would not otherwise actions

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on two immigration-enforcement bills: HB 1886 HD1 and HB 2540 HD1. HB 1886 would limit state and federal collaboration in immigration enforcement, require visible identification and restrictions on facial coverings for law enforcement officers, and create offenses for improper masking, lack of identification, and unauthorized civil immigration interrogation, arrest, or detention. HB 2540 would also limit state and federal collaboration, require law enforcement agencies to adopt and publicly post written civil immigration enforcement policies, prohibit stops or arrests based solely on immigration status, and restrict state and county participation in civil immigration enforcement in certain places. Most testimony supported both measures. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Hawaii, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and several private individuals said the bills would increase transparency, accountability, and community trust, and would help protect constitutional rights and reduce fear among immigrants and other community members. Several testifiers emphasized Hawaii’s history and the need to keep local law enforcement separate from federal immigration enforcement, while others said the bills would help people feel safer going to court, school, work, or public protests. A retired police officer also supported visible identification and uniform standards for officers, including federal agents operating in Hawaii. A few testifiers opposed the use of masked or unidentified officers and argued that local police should not be diverted from ordinary public safety duties to immigration enforcement. One ACLU witness noted that the federal government has increasingly used local and state agencies to expand immigration enforcement, and said the task-force provisions in the bills are important to prevent blurred lines between agencies. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the meeting provided, but it recorded very large numbers of supportive testimonies for both bills, with only a small number in opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not used to grade how a teacher teaches their class or anything of that nature.
• That is important because if there was corrective action, it would be with that employee.
• So I was wondering how that would happen if someone opposes having a camera in a class.
• Accommodations, so let's say it's read aloud in class.
• Last year, I had problems with my IEP not being followed in math class.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those reports of investigation go to the board, and then adjudication or a dismissal, that action is
• is taken by the board from that action is taken by the board from there<00:14:20.440> maintenance
• would consider emergent that action would consider emergent that action needs<00:20:39.039> to
• <04:06:16.720> I have to be enrolled in the class I have to be enrolled in the class I believe
• subdivision and how disciplinary actions subdivision and how disciplinary actions by<04:51:22.680

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was an orientation-style overview from the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), led by Executive Director Deana Jurus and staff. They described the office’s mission to protect public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and the public trust, and outlined the agency structure: enforcement, licensing and board administration, operations, legal counsel, board counsel, and the hearings bureau. OPLC said it currently supports 57 boards, including seven advisory boards, and has about 104 filled positions out of 120 authorized. They also noted new voluntary certifications for doulas, lactation consultants, and community health workers that are in rulemaking. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on how boards and staff divide responsibilities under RSA 310:4. Staff explained that the office handles application processing, complaint intake and initial review, records retention, 91-A requests, and rule drafting, while boards make final decisions on licensure criteria, complaint dismissals or investigations, disciplinary actions, and some hearing matters. They also described the rule structure by chapter number ranges and the distinction between full licensing boards and advisory boards. The committee asked about complaint notifications, and OPLC said it is tightening policies so complainants are told whether a matter is closed or moving forward. The licensing process was discussed in detail, especially for nursing. Bethany Katrell explained that applicants apply through an online portal, may receive approval to sit for exams, can work under provisional authority in some cases, and then receive full licensure after exam results and criminal background checks are complete. OPLC said the portal now reduces back-and-forth paperwork and that, as of the latest biweekly report, 87% of applications were decided within the statutory 90-day period and 57% within 14 days. Members also raised questions about why some professions require board approval before taking an exam, and OPLC said that requirement varies by statute or board rule. No votes or formal actions were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also, that fund is per entity, so it would be per class, per injection site.
• This is for only a parish that has, or will have, a Class VI.
• If you don't have a Class VI, this bill is not relevant to you.
• Okay, what about if a parish has the plume but not the Class VI?
• I think there's still some confusion on Class 5 and Class 6. We get notified in Class 6 for sure.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:39:48.400> size, not limited to reducing class size, not limited to reducing class size
• However, we continue to face challenges, including high class sizes and loss of programming.
• <01:32:40.960> Thank appropriate action based on that.
• Thank appropriate action based on that.
• Thank you. ...not treat them like second-class workers.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Allie Saberman on behalf of the Housing Action Coalition in support.
• Hi, Ben Turner with Action Advisors on behalf of CBIA.
• Ben Turner with Action Advisors on behalf of CBIA.
• Program, and Clean Water Action in support.
• Program and Clean Water Action in Support.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mariko Yoshihar on behalf of Tech Equity Action in support.
• Mariko Yoshihar on behalf of Tech Equity Action and Support.
• And when they are, there are enforcement actions taken against them.
• Marika Yoshihar on behalf of Tech Equity Action in support.
• In the current state, these tools never really force an action.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But no action.
• And again, we stand on that e-tabs are Class III gaming machines.
• And again, we stand on that e-tabs are Class III gaming machines.
• But so would you say that you consider an e-tab machine a Class II or Class III machine?
• With our arts class, we have arts and crafts.

Summary: The Tribal and State Relations Committee met at Standing Rock with tribal council members, state legislators, and agency representatives to discuss state-tribal coordination and local priorities. Early discussion focused on process concerns, including the short agenda time and the need for better communication, more advance notice, and more relevant state department staff at future meetings. Tribal leaders asked for lists of state tribal liaisons and bills affecting tribes, and state members said they would follow up, share grant and deadline information, and plan another meeting in Bismarck with program experts and agency staff. A major portion of the meeting centered on health, child welfare, law enforcement, housing, infrastructure, and sovereignty issues. Tribal speakers said rural health transformation funding and other state programs often do not fit direct-service tribes or IHS-funded systems, and they raised concerns about Medicaid, ICWA, foster care delays, human service zones, housing shortages, and the placement of Native children off-reservation. They also discussed missing and murdered Indigenous people, search-and-rescue cooperation, cross-deputization, extradition and banishment ordinances, and the need for stronger law enforcement partnerships that respect tribal sovereignty. Other concerns included poor roads, water and sewer needs in Sioux County communities, census accuracy, and the impact of data centers and other development on water and health. Economic development and regulatory issues were also discussed. Standing Rock representatives raised concerns about charitable gaming and e-pull tabs, saying the machines function like Class III gaming and have harmed tribal revenue while spreading into local businesses. They also described problems with county-issued fireworks permits and state/county liquor licensing rules that they said undermine tribal authority within reservation boundaries. In response, legislators said the committee would continue to look at these issues, and one member suggested possible legislation such as limiting e-tabs near tribal lands. The committee also heard from Joseph McNeil of Sage Development Authority about a 235-megawatt wind project on tribal, allotted, and fee land; he said federal permitting delays have stalled the project and asked for state support to help move it forward. The meeting concluded with a presentation from Dave Archambo of Wojou, a nonprofit focused on land regeneration, buffalo, food sovereignty, cultural programming, and youth wellness. He described the organization’s work on buffalo processing, gardening, fishing, hunting, language, and arts programs, and framed it as a response to historical trauma and community healing. The committee then broke for lunch and planned to resume with the Wojou presentation after the recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are then remotely piloted by our world-class drone racing pilots in our Austin Operations Center
• I am also an adjunct instructor for ALERT, having hosted 40 classes and trained over 1,000...
• So the actual pilots are the pilots that we're hiring, and they're world-class racing drone pilots that
• We've done exhaustive after-action about the deployment of it and how to interact with law enforcement
• And so it's not the drone or AI or anything determining who's a threat and who's not; it's a world-class

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a quorum and announced a full agenda, including combined public testimony for two bills related to student personal communication devices. The committee first took up Senate Bill 1262 by Senator Nichols, a school safety cleanup bill following House Bill 3. The bill would allow TEA to commission peace officers for school safety purposes, require annual renewal of good-cause exceptions to armed guard requirements, create a new report based on intruder detection audits and vulnerability assessments, and require behavioral threat assessment teams to include someone with specific knowledge of a special education student’s disability. Committee members asked about the difference between TCOLE licensing and TEA commissioning, the scope of the officers’ authority, and how the good-cause exception would work. The committee substitute was adopted, and public testimony included support from school safety and drone-response advocates, Disability Rights Texas in favor of the special education provisions, and a student witness raising concerns about the mental health impact of repeated lockdowns and the need for immediate, reliable school safety responses. The bill was left pending after testimony, then the committee briefly recessed and later reopened testimony to hear the student witness. The committee then laid out Senate Bill 2252 by Senator Creighton, a major early literacy and numeracy bill for kindergarten through third grade. Creighton said the bill builds on prior literacy efforts by funding teacher stipends for literacy and math academies, providing free and clearly administered screeners and assessments, expanding screening options, clarifying how results are used, supporting high-quality pre-K, and increasing the early education allotment. He emphasized low reading performance and the need for early intervention. Members discussed how the bill differs from earlier academy models and whether the assessments are diagnostic or high-stakes; Creighton and witnesses said the tools are intended to identify students needing support, not to serve as punitive testing. The committee adopted the substitute. Witnesses for SB 2252 largely supported the bill. A Uplift Education representative described strong gains from small-group literacy tutoring and said students receiving targeted support can make more than a year of growth in a year. An education specialist explained that the bill aligns general education screening with existing dyslexia and special education practices and helps districts identify students who need intervention before a disability evaluation is required. A Commit Partnership witness cited statewide reading data, the importance of high-quality pre-K, and the need for transparent, consistent progress monitoring and parent engagement. Members asked about the meaning of the growth data, how dyslexia screening works, and how the bill would help identify struggling students earlier. Before finishing all questions, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair after the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why does the State Board of Education believe now that there's too much political action?
• Or are we simply putting all of these classes of people ahead of everyone else?
• I am involved in truancy and also Class C misdemeanors.
• We need a defined workday, fair grievance processes, and enforceable class size limits.
• Respect isn't just a slogan; it's policy in action.

Bills: SB 13, SB 27, SB 57, HB1325, HB1655, HB3312, HB5526, SB13, SB57, SB207, HB441, HB591, HB5019, SB27, SB843

Keywords: lobbying, public funds, political subdivision, local government, county association, municipal lobbying, registered lobbyist, Texas Legislature, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, government finance, county dues, state association of counties, sheriffs association, law enforcement officers, legislative advocacy, bill tracking, legislative alerts, Government Code Chapter 556

Transcript Highlights:

• , but next door there may be a chemistry class, or there might be other classes offered that are more
• We have a broad understanding, based on the Department and Board of Education’s actions, of how this
• Therefore, I think it makes sense that there’s a request here for legislative action.
• Therefore, I think it makes sense that there’s a request here for legislative action.
• Meanwhile, you are trying class sizes.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can understand, 367 students, they take four or five classes.
• to five classes a week and they have jobs, it's not practical.
• Mānoa classes.
• Many professionals will do just one class.
• many professionals will do just class many professionals will do just one<00:48:24.000> class

Keywords: 912, senate, all