Transcript Highlights:

• And the bill ensures that a financial aid through a small charge of 1.5 mills per kilowatt hour on electric
• those developing markets for those small those developing markets for those small nuclear<01:05:
• Um, you know, amount for the small-scale nuclear or other emerging resources. Okay. Thank you.
• Vice Chair, um, you asked a question about would this water down effects to incentivize small nuclear
• showed that there was a cost shift small showed that there was a cost shift small one<01:58:43.199

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In most cases, nominal means small amount.
• These arrests commonly small amounts.
• I cannabis is really vanishingly small.
• enforce these violations of small enforce these violations of small amounts.<02:05:58.320> The
• So I'm um for these very small amounts.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• appreciation<00:04:29.120> for small token of our appreciation for small token of our appreciation
• We have a couple of small issues, small as far as the difference apart that we are very large issues,
• small issues, small as have a couple of small issues, small as far<02:35:22.080> as<02:35:22.160
• <03:10:56.160> victory 2023, we able to make a small victory 2023, we able to make a small
• We've got We've taken some small steps.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 50 cents on every retail delivery in the state would place a disproportionate burden on families, small
• This tax would also hurt small businesses and local restaurants already struggling to stay open.
• And this is a very small ask: to at least put in term limits so that we can get new blood, new ideas,
• We represent about 700 members, mainly small and mid-sized businesses.
• North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber represents about 700 members, mainly small

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony on a range of bills focused on transportation funding, governance, and equity. Supporters backed proposals to create a North Central Massachusetts intercity passenger rail fund tied to a possible new gaming license (H. 3680/S. 2363), local parking assessments (H. 3756), third-party delivery fees (S. 2356/H. 3774), broader roadway pricing and congestion management measures (S. 2353/S. 2354), tolling equity and regional transit authority advisory boards (S. 2400/S. 2401), and Steamship Authority oversight reforms including board term limits (S. 2395). Testimony in favor emphasized new dedicated revenue sources, commuter rail expansion, regional equity, improved oversight, and better transit access for riders and communities that rely on public transportation. There was also testimony in opposition to the third-party delivery fee bills from Chamber of Progress, which argued the fee would raise costs for consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers, could reduce demand and jobs, and might not achieve the intended environmental benefits. Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts opposed H. 3633, a transit expansion, electrification, and resiliency bill, specifically objecting to its mandatory project labor agreement requirement and saying it would limit competition and disadvantage non-union contractors and workers. Several witnesses spoke in favor of the Steamship Authority bill, saying term limits would improve transparency, accountability, and board turnover. The committee also heard detailed support for the North Central rail proposal from a legislator, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and a transportation advocate, who described the bill as a way to generate long-term bonded revenue for rail infrastructure. After testimony concluded and no questions remained, the chairs entertained and received a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• these programs will allow MassDOT to continue advancing major capital programs and support big and small
• the legislative strategy, and you are right that only in transportation can a $5 billion bill be a small
• investments, please ensure that small rural communities have a clear path to accessing an appropriate
• That's filling potholes, it's small bridges, so much of what you've heard so far.
• That's filling potholes, it's small bridges, so much of what you've heard so far.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets held a public hearing on H. 5279, a bill financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. MassDOT and A&F testified in support, describing the bill as a more than $5 billion transportation bond package centered on a four-year, $1.2 billion Chapter 90 authorization, plus funding for MBTA rail reliability and modernization, housing-related transportation improvements, a new DCR/MassDOT PRISM program for parkways and other DCR assets, and reauthorizations of the Municipal Pavement Program, Shared Streets and Spaces, and highway programs. They said the bill would support safety, resilience, housing production, and multimodal transportation, and noted that some bonds could be issued as special obligation bonds backed by the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and Fair Share revenues. Committee members asked about the size and structure of the authorizations, the federal match for highway projects, the source of MBTA vehicle procurement, bridge repair needs, and whether the housing-related funds could be used flexibly for items like sidewalks, bike lanes, bus stops, and other local transportation improvements. Administration witnesses said the bill is intended as a temporary refill of existing programs until a larger transportation bond bill is filed next session, that the federal-aid line includes the full spending authority while the state only borrows the 20% match, and that the housing-related program is deliberately broad and not limited to MBTA communities. They also said Chapter 90 includes a road-mile component that especially helps rural communities and that preservation and safety are built into the programs. The Massachusetts Municipal Association also testified in strong support, emphasizing that Chapter 90 is the most important tool municipalities have to maintain the roughly 30,000 miles of local roads and bridges they are responsible for. MMA urged timely passage before construction season and praised the continued $300 million Chapter 90 level, especially the $100 million road-mile distribution that helps communities with large road networks and smaller populations. No votes were taken on the bill, and the hearing concluded with adjournment after testimony ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the requirement that in a small rural community, as Senator Bracey raised, Bracey Davis, there are
• They actually own a fairly small business, but they get their cyber, they get hit a hundred times a day
• And there's kind of a small operator. And it's the same thing that's happening here.
• to the next one under tab 4, SPB 7016 by Commerce and Tourism relating to OGSR, administration of small
• Relating to OGSR, administration of small business loan programs held by an economic development agency

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee first heard SB 410, which would add current and former licensed private investigators, and their spouses and children, to the list of people whose home address, phone number, date of birth, photographs, and related family information are exempt from public records disclosure. Sponsor Senator Trunow said the exemption is meant to protect investigators who work on sensitive matters such as fraud, missing persons, human trafficking, and abuse cases and may face retaliation. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee heard testimony from a private investigator describing threats and safety concerns, then voted to report the bill favorably as CS/SB 410. The committee then took up SB 216 on reemployment assistance eligibility verification. Senator McClain said the bill is intended to combat unemployment fraud by requiring claimants to contact five prospective employers per week, appear for scheduled interviews, and undergo regular identity, immigration, employment, and incarceration checks, with fraud information shared among agencies and published annually. Opponents, including labor advocates and representatives of construction and rural workers, argued the bill would add barriers for legitimate claimants, worsen Florida’s already low recipiency rate, and create problems for seasonal, rural, and transportation-limited workers. Supporters said the system needs stronger fraud controls and that employers and taxpayers bear real costs from noncompliance. The committee reported SB 216 favorably after debate. In routine open-government sunset review business, the committee approved two committee bills. SPB 7014 extends for five years a public records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations of a social media standards law, with staff noting the exemption has not been used because of ongoing constitutional litigation. SPB 7016 preserves a public records exemption for certain financial information held by an economic development agency when administering state or federally funded small business loan programs; supporters said the exemption protects applicants from fraud and harassment, while Senator Smith said he would vote no to remain consistent with his prior opposition. Both measures were submitted as committee bills and reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In whatever way we can, small or big, although the fact that you're on this floor means you've found
• In ways big and small, noticed and unnoticed, you inspire our communities.
• Gloria Partida is a mother, grandmother, retired neuroscientist, small business owner, and founder of
• Honey Mahogany is a San Francisco-born performer, activist, and small business owner.
• Rowe operates a small farm on the. where she was born, growing alfalfa.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will note again that Platte County does allow him to take a small amount of private practice.
• We're going to detect fires early, respond aggressively, keep fires small, and reduce the likelihood
• rural hospital to be financially... ...small rural hospital to be financially sustainable.
• hospitals, our small ambulance agencies, and our workforce initiatives.
• We know the economic problems of our small The economic problems of our small and rural hospitals are

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This budget recognizes that, and with a very small investment raises that to 30 years old, giving them
• It's a small one, but I think a significant one.
• Of those 88 cities, I represent seven of those eight communities, and they're all small cities.
• It really, really has to do with our small cities.
• and they're critical to this solution, but small cities cannot be forgotten.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders said was the negotiated compromise with the Senate and was expected to move to the floor that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core services in the face of federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget framework and the likely floor bills, including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. Department of Finance representative Eric Khali said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced approach and supported the modification in SB 122, while noting the package uses additional revenues and new spending to soften or reject some proposed cuts. Most of the discussion focused on major spending areas. Members and subcommittee chairs highlighted protections and additions for health care and human services, including rejecting the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit change, delaying premium increases, restoring clinic and dental funding, supporting distressed hospitals and county indigent care, and expanding county eligibility staffing to handle H.R. 1-related workload. Education members described record or expanded support for TK-12 schools, child care, special education, community colleges, teacher recruitment, and higher education, including a change to extend Cal Grant eligibility to age 30 for some community college students. Housing and homelessness funding was increased for HAP, multifamily housing, and the low-income housing tax credit, while public safety members pointed to investments in victims’ services, restorative justice, and prison closure savings. Several members also raised concerns or priorities tied to the budget deal. Some praised the package as a moral document that protects vulnerable Californians, immigrant communities, LGBTQ residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Others noted unresolved issues, including the MCO tax’s impact on districts, the need for more support for local journalism, arts, biotech R&D incentives, transit and GGRF-related concerns, and the need for continued work on Prop. 98 and long-term fiscal resilience. The vice chair cautioned that despite the current progress, the state remains vulnerable to revenue volatility and warned that the budget should build more resilience against a possible downturn. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the committee was preparing the budget package for floor action and final negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a small, mission-driven infill developer building starter homes across California.
• For a small developer, certainty is key.
• They're small—10 units or less.
• And this is one of the drivers—just a small one, but it is a driver.
• This small but meaningful change improves efficiency.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, um, then, uh, Commissioner Scott needed just a small, uh, a change here in wording.
• And, um, then, uh, Commissioner Scott needed just a small, uh, a change here in wording.
• And, um, then, uh, Commissioner Scott needed just a small, uh, a change here in wording.
• And, um, then, uh, Commissioner Scott needed just a small, uh, a change here in wording.
• <01:00:23.840> uh<01:00:23.880> a uh needed just a small uh a uh needed just a small

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> It does not is a small fine boundary. >> It does not is a small fine boundary.
• I have a small comment that I'd like to make as it relates to local governments.
• I have a small comment that I'd like to make as it relates to local governments.
• <00:24:23.520> I<00:24:23.840> have<00:24:23.919> a<00:24:24.080> small
• I have a small do that. Anybody else?

Bills: SB298, SB91

Keywords: Florence, Lauderdale County, municipal boundaries, corporate limits, land annexation, military installations, tall structures, local government, construction approval, wind energy facilities, aeronautics, Department of Defense, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, those are wines that are made often in very, very small quantities and are very, very limited upon
• Now, those are wines that are made often in very, very small quantities and are very, very limited upon
• And sometimes a small example is a...
• And sometimes a small example, as, you know, Chief Justice Blacklock said, a small example made out of
• Again, I thought small government was a guiding factor for many in political office. Why more laws?

Bills: SB240, SB1183, SB1184, SB1577, SB2043, SB2051, SCR42, SJR68

Keywords: biological sex, gender identity, public facilities, civil penalties, local government, EBT, electronic benefits transfer, food stamps, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, TANF, temporary assistance for needy families, welfare benefits, benefit card fraud, fraud hotline, card replacement, photo ID, recipient photograph, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1183, by Senator Creighton, which would require Lone Star Cards used for SNAP and TANF benefits to display the recipient’s name and photo, add fraud-reporting information, and require HHSC to track replacement-card requests. Creighton argued the bill would reduce fraud and protect taxpayer dollars, citing Texas SNAP theft and overpayment data. HHSC testified that photo IDs on the card are technically possible and explained how authorized secondary users are added. Dr. Amber O’Connor of Every Texan testified against the bill, saying SNAP fraud is a small share of expenditures, that the proposal would be costly and ineffective, and that federal rules limit mandatory photo requirements. Public testimony closed and SB 1183 was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1184, also by Senator Creighton, which would lower from 20 years to 10 years the minimum age of collectible wine that Texas collectors may sell to permitted restaurants. Supporters said the change would help Texas restaurants access desirable vintages, keep collectible wine in-state, and align with market demand; invited witnesses from the wine industry testified in favor. No opposition was heard, public testimony closed, and SB 1184 was left pending. Next, Senator Birdwell laid out Senate Bill 2051 and Senate Joint Resolution 68, both aimed at revising Texas impeachment procedures in response to issues identified during the 2023 impeachment process. The measures would clarify constitutional and statutory impeachment authority, require sworn testimony, extend review periods for House members, address conflicts of interest and presiding officers, require cost reporting, and modify rules for impeaching the governor or lieutenant governor. A committee substitute added protections for the accused, longer review periods, and a fallback presiding-officer option. Witnesses generally supported stronger accountability but raised questions about whether the language should also cover retired or visiting judges. Both measures were left pending after testimony. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1577, which would expand Texas Motor Speedway’s alcohol sales authority to include distilled spirits and remove certain event and concession limits; the Speedway’s representative supported the bill and it was left pending. Later, the committee heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 42 and Senate Bill 240, which would recognize only two sexes and restrict access to sex-designated private spaces in public facilities based on biological sex. Supporters argued the measures were needed to protect women’s privacy and safety, including in schools and shelters, while opponents warned about enforcement problems, privacy concerns, and impacts on transgender Texans and others who do not fit stereotypical sex traits. After extensive testimony, both measures were left pending. The committee then took up multiple pending bills and reported several favorably, including SB 511, SB 33, SB 510, SB 871, SB 2024, SB 2166, SJR 27, SJR 40, SB 1313, SB 1314, SB 1316, SB 1541, SB 2420, SB 1999, SB 2309, SB 1860, and SB 2429, with some also certified for the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• He argued that if a small business is forced into a moratorium, it will kill growth.
• Higdon continued that if a small business is forced into a moratorium, it will kill growth.
• He said that, as a small business that is growing and being successful in Kentucky, he would like the
• <00:40:41.280> businesses they're going to hurt small businesses they're going to hurt small
• business and that's one of the to small business and that's one of the reasons<00:41:37.920> I'm<

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up Senate Bill 202, adopting a committee substitute before hearing testimony. Senator Julie Rocky Adams explained that the substitute would require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to promulgate regulations by January 1, 2026 for intoxicating hemp-derived beverages, direct the University of Kentucky to study manufacturing, testing, distribution, sales, and consumer effects of those beverages, and impose a moratorium on their sale until July 1, 2026. Supporters, including Rep. Matt Cook, said the measure was intended as a consumer-protection step rather than a ban, citing concerns about youth access, inconsistent labeling, and the need for a clearer regulatory framework. Members asked about the legal status of the products, whether the bill could unintentionally sweep in non-intoxicating hemp beverages, and whether there was evidence of harm. Senators were told the products are legal under the federal farm bill loophole, but that testing has shown THC levels on sampled cans did not match labels and that current regulations do not specifically address intoxicating hemp-derived beverages. Senator Higdon said CHFS had already been authorized to regulate hemp products and was moving forward with regulations and enforcement, while Senator Meredith questioned whether a moratorium would unfairly punish businesses that had already invested in the market and suggested setting a THC standard instead. Public testimony then shifted to industry opposition. Jim Higdon of Cornbread Hemp said his company had invested heavily in a beverage line and argued the moratorium would function like a ban and harm small businesses. Dee Taylor of 502 Hemp and the Kentucky Hemp Association also opposed the moratorium, saying existing rules already require age limits, behind-the-counter sales, and licensed retailers, and arguing that a cap on milligrams would be preferable to a shutdown. He said retailers were seeing approved and unapproved products in the market and urged work with the Cabinet and ABC rather than a moratorium.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our small businesses will continue to prosper.
• Our small businesses will continue to prosper. This ends now.
• Our small businesses will continue to prosper.
• ,<00:33:46.960> there every community, big and small, there every community, big and small
• I small way that we can show our thanks.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:05.440> geographic precinct uh serviced a small geographic precinct uh serviced a small
• , the small what?
• >> The small purchase threshold.
• Let me try that on rely on small dollar.
• <01:24:07.199> dollar money and rely on small dollar money and rely on small dollar donations

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1525, which would appropriate funds to counties to open more voter service centers for in-person voting, provide money to the Office of Elections to print and mail the voter information guide to all registered voters, and support a public outreach campaign to increase voter participation. The Office of Elections supported the bill and estimated costs of a little over $2 million to print and mail the guide and about $178,000 for outreach, noting it spent about $441,000 on election advertising in 2024. Testimony from advocacy groups including Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Common Cause Hawaii, and Indivisible Hawaii strongly supported the measure, emphasizing access for neighbor island voters, people with disabilities, new voters, and voters who need ballot assistance. County election officials from Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai provided comments or testimony that were more cautious. They said additional funding would be welcome, but staffing and logistics remain major constraints, especially for election-day service centers. Honolulu’s city clerk said funding alone would not necessarily solve long lines, while Maui’s county clerk explained that voter service centers require trained seasonal employees, extensive training, and the ability to handle many ballot styles. Maui also described its current pop-up sites, including Hana, as expensive but necessary for remote communities, and said the county is already running at bare minimum staffing. Members asked questions about who decides how many service centers are opened, how staffing is handled, and whether there is a middle-ground model between the old precinct polling places and the current voter service center system. Honolulu explained that county clerks make those decisions under current law and that the county has tried pop-up sites in addition to its main centers. The discussion also noted that in 2024 most voters used vote by mail, while a smaller number used early in-person voting or final-day service centers. No vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• some of these small communities face. some of these small communities face.
• This is just a small sample of we have.
• wasn't able to bring up their small wasn't able to bring up their small trailer,<00:50:11.839>
• I had a uh due to a lot of small issues.
• I to do that and help small businesses.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and heard a brief announcement from Senator Richardson about the Missing in America Project interring unclaimed veterans’ remains at the Western Kentucky Veterans Cemetery in Hopkinsville. He read the names of several veterans being laid to rest with military honors, and the chair thanked the volunteers involved in the effort. The main presentation was an update on Kentucky’s urban search and rescue program from the Department of Military Affairs and Kentucky Emergency Management. Officials said the program is being built around two regional task force hubs, a helicopter aquatic rescue team, an incident support team, and a rescue aid fund for local search and rescue units. They reported that the $8.3 million appropriated for the program in the 2025 budget was fully executed, that $482,670 of the rescue aid fund went to 29 local teams, and that $493,592 has already been allocated in the current year to 36 teams. They also described warehouse and equipment purchases, staffing with full-time and part-time personnel, and a new training site on state property for collapsed-structure and multi-agency exercises. Officials said the program has already been used in recent disasters, including flood response and urban search and rescue operations in several parts of the state, and claimed the effort has impacted more than 1,500 citizens through rescues, evacuations, and related assistance. They said the helicopter aquatic rescue team is fully operational, the task force roster should be finalized by January, incident support should be online by April, and the full program should be deployable by June 30 or July 1, 2026. Members asked about statewide response times, K-9 search capabilities, and the long-term cost of the program, including concerns about reliance on federal matching funds. The presenters said K-9 assets will be part of the task force, that pre-positioning during forecasted storms can reduce response times significantly, and that they would provide more detailed budget information later.

Transcript Highlights:

• From that small beginning, a mighty state has grown with an annual GDP of over $234 billion.
• From that small beginning, a mighty state has grown with an annual GDP of over $234 billion.
• So, there is limited private land available for small business expansion.
• Wabino is a small town with a population of just over 1,000 people.
• just small town with a population of just over,00<06:06:49.600> people.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a small company. If I drill a well, I drill it myself.
• I do a very small percentage of municipal work, and what municipal work I do is is for small rural water
• It's a small town on the north side of Lake Palestine.
• Not the whole aquifer, just a small region.
• All these small towns, especially that really.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we or is this just a small gap.
• And for 28 it's just $86.1 million, and that's extremely small. optimistic is surprisingly small.
• And optimistic is surprisingly small.
• The bank deposits small components.
• So these other ones are really very small.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on preliminary fiscal 2026 revenue estimates and the governor’s office request for an official revision to fiscal 2026, with members reminded that any estimate adopted now would not bind the December official estimates. Staff from S&P Global walked through three forecast scenarios—control, optimistic, and pessimistic—based on recent federal tax changes, tariffs, and other policy developments, emphasizing that the outlook remains highly uncertain. Under the control scenario, the presentation projected below-trend real GDP growth of 1.8% in fiscal 2026, slowing to 1.5% by fiscal 2028, with unemployment peaking around 4.5% and the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times to a long-run range of about 2.75% to 3%. The optimistic scenario assumed lower effective tariffs, stronger growth, and better labor and housing outcomes, while the pessimistic scenario assumed a broader trade war, higher effective tariffs, faster deportations, weaker employment and consumer spending, and unemployment rising to about 6.3%. Speakers also noted that the forecast was prepared before later BLS revisions and that recent data on inventories and AI-related investment made the recent quarters look unusually volatile. Members discussed how the current fiscal 2026 outlook compared with earlier assumptions and noted that the eventual revenue revision may be smaller than the spread between the optimistic and pessimistic economic scenarios. The governor’s office and committee members also reviewed sector-specific impacts, including manufacturing, housing, light vehicle production, exports, and consumer sentiment, with particular concern about Kentucky’s auto and housing-related industries. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.