Transcript Highlights:

• We would still have the Attorney General's office able to bring something against them.
• Secretary Mouton will be able to answer questions for our office, I think.
• Secretary Mouton, Deputy Secretary for GoBiz and the Secretary of State's office: Yes.
• So what do we put in place to protect our seniors from those types of solicitations as well?
• And it also deletes proposed law regarding where the board may establish their office.

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Commerce met on March 11, 2026, opened with roll call and adoption of prior minutes, interim amendments, and the committee rules for the new session. Members then took up several bills, with technical amendments adopted on multiple measures before final committee action. The committee also deferred House Bill 267 because the author was absent. House Bill 853 by Representative McMakin, dealing with misleading solicitations by non-government entities, drew the most discussion. The committee adopted technical amendments and a concept amendment tying enforcement to the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, with members and Secretary of State Nancy Landry discussing the meaning of “may” versus “shall,” the scope of “foreign” entities, and whether the bill covered mail, email, and other digital solicitations. The Secretary of State’s office supported the bill as a consumer-protection measure against deceptive government-like mailings, and the committee reported the bill favorably with amendments. House Bill 618, also by Representative McMakin, would adjust Louisiana Economic Development fees and related cost provisions. Secretary of LED gave a detailed presentation on the department’s recent restructuring, investment totals, job creation, small-business support, and the Source Louisiana platform, while members questioned fee impacts, hardship waivers, competitive effects, and how LED tracks incentives and job data. After adopting technical amendments and an amendment removing biannual inflationary adjustments, the committee reported the bill favorably with amendments. House Bill 207 by Representative Henry, revising the Louisiana Auctioneer’s Licensing Board’s membership, domicile, and related provisions, was amended to keep consumer members and clarify venue in East Baton Rouge Parish before being reported favorably. House Bill 300 by Representative Riser, raising the appraisal threshold for certain state bank residential loans from $250,000 to $400,000, was reported favorably after discussion of federal alignment and appraisal safeguards. House Bill 464 by Representative Riser, requiring more centralized reporting of damaged utilities through 811 and related notifications, received support from utility and 811 representatives and was also reported favorably. The committee adjourned after adopting a motion to do so.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tell me about the coordination between your office and the Secretary of State's office in defending those
• It's the job of the Attorney General's Office.
• This is our director's office administration.
• And right now, obviously, they stopped making the Charger for police, the police package, so we’ve moved
• And I am going to mention his name because he would hate if he knew this, but Officer Joel Givens, Officer

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• White offices? Yes. Okay. And then? It takes all three to change the investment policy.
• Senior Jefferson. Yes, sir, Mr. Speaker.
• officers, animal control.
• Somebody out there, a police officer... ...some sort of official paperwork.
• Somebody out there, a police officer, an animal control agency, there's case numbers out there.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not the Inspector General's office.
• Yes, the receiver's office is actively working on that.
• And does the Office of the Special Master still exist now that we have the receiver office?
• The Office of Special Master is no longer.
• You don't have, you know, custody officers.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program, and the Coleman mental health receivership. The hearing focused on correctional health care, reentry, aging incarcerated populations, and the state’s progress toward compliance in the Plata and Coleman receiverships. Members also discussed the OIG’s intake complaint workload and medical inspection findings, as well as broader questions about staffing, vacancies, and the cost of court oversight. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two permanent positions in its intake processing unit, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025. OIG officials said complaints are categorized by issue and prison, prioritized by urgency, and generally responded to within 30 days, but they do not track complaint “validity” rates. The medical inspection unit reported that in cycle seven, case review performance was generally adequate while policy compliance was often inadequate; the lowest-scoring areas included emergency services, medication management, and health care environment. Members asked for more detailed reporting on complaint types, priority levels, and systemic issues. CCHCS described rising health care costs driven by an aging prison population, staffing vacancies, and contract medical expenses. Officials said more than 80% of the budget is personal services, and they are using hiring events, social media outreach, and expanded classifications to reduce vacancies. CalAIM officials reported early implementation success in pre-release and reentry services, including 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% assigned managed care plans, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about 169,000 claims submitted and $14.7 million reimbursed. The LAO noted that the Plata medical receivership has increased per-person costs and that the state should continue oversight while seeking ways to reduce vacancies and expand federal reimbursement opportunities. For the Coleman mental health receivership, the receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for receiver office staffing and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent. The LAO supported continued oversight but recommended additional steps to address vacancies, including greater out-of-state recruitment, expanded telemental health, and possible consolidation of mental health services. The LAO also recommended reducing the telemental health staffing request and monitoring its effects. Members questioned the long-term cost of receiverships, the pace of compliance, and whether more detailed benchmarks and staffing data should be provided. No formal votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not the Inspector General's office.
• Yes, the receiver's office is actively working on that.
• They're really taking over for the Office of Special Master.
• Okay, and does the Office of the Special Master still exist now that we have the receiver office?
• The Office of Special Master is no longer.

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Office of the Inspector General and California Correctional Health Care Services on prison oversight, medical care, reentry, and related budget requests. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two additional intake analysts, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025 and explaining that the unit reviews and routes complaints, including PREA and staff misconduct allegations, within 30 days. Its medical inspection unit reported on cycle seven prison health inspections, noting generally adequate case-review performance but weak policy-compliance results, especially in medication management and health care environment indicators, and said it was beginning cycle eight with revised inspection methods. Members questioned the OIG about what kinds of complaints were driving the increase, whether the office tracks validity or systemic patterns, and how it distinguishes duplicative complaints from those already handled by CDCR. OIG said the largest categories were prison conditions and staff misconduct, that it does not determine whether complaints are “valid” in a statistical sense, and that it forwards issues to CDCR or other entities as appropriate. Senators also asked about the medical inspection findings, the remaining prisons not yet delegated back from federal receivership, and whether more detail should be provided in future reports. LAO and Department of Finance staff said they had no concerns with the OIG proposal. The committee then reviewed the correctional health care budget, including staffing, pharmacy, contract medical costs, and the state’s progress toward ending the Plata medical receivership. CDCR said it is trying to reduce vacancies through hiring events, social media outreach, new classifications, and more on-site care, while also using CalAIM to improve reentry services; CalAIM officials reported 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% managed care assignment, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about $14.7 million in reimbursements to date. Members pressed staff on the cost of receivership, the pace of delegation, whether more care could be consolidated into fewer facilities, and whether the state should seek more federal reimbursement or alternative staffing models. Finally, the committee discussed the new mental health receivership and a telemental health staffing proposal. The receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for the receiver’s office and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent; CDCR also sought about $8.9 million for telemental health staffing, growing to $13 million ongoing. LAO recommended approving the action plan and portions of the telehealth request, but urged the Legislature to monitor progress, consider out-of-state recruitment and expanded telehealth, and avoid across-the-board salary increases; Finance cautioned that out-of-state licensure would require major statutory changes and that staffing-ratio changes would need receiver approval. Senators raised concerns about the high cost of receiverships, vacancy-driven fines, the need for more detailed benchmarks, and whether the state should consolidate mental health populations and better target recruitment to fill hard-to-staff positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not the Inspector General's office.
• Okay, and does the Office of the Special Master still exist now that we have the receiver office?
• The Office of Special Master is no longer.
• You don't have, you know, custody officers.
• Josh Whitmer's office, Department of Finance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before coming to the legislature, I worked as an information officer and architect at OptumHealth for
• Trying to figure out how we, you know, support our peace officers, our police officers, and our volunteers
• My name is Anjali Cameron, and I am the Chief Executive Officer of CEVA-AIFW.
• CEVA serves the community through senior programs, youth support, gender-based violence interventions
• And now the new change with the governor's office, I think they want to make sure that they include it

Bills: HF2779 , HF1645 , HF1885 , HF1289 , HF1534 , HF2707 , HF1675 , HF3046

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2746, Trade Office study committee — Finance.
• office and this consumer protection office is actively litigating against Uber, one, over deceptive
• And the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did participate. We know that.
• And the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did participate. We know that.
• And the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did participate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Usually that's called out by police. And so that is in the DPS contract.
• So from the sheriff's office, they told me that you guys, you know.
• agent or officer in the Mohave County area stationed full-time, correct?
• We have officers that are stationed along the river in Mohave County.
• We have officers that are stationed along the river in Mohave County, and we have officers that are responsible

Bills: HB2127 , HB2257 , HB2305 , HB2573 , HB2772 , HB2941 , HB2957

Committee: House Transportation & Infrastructure

Keywords: special license plates, transportation, funding, nonprofits, charitable contributions, boating, watercraft licensing, law enforcement, safety fund, state funding, Arizona Revised Statutes, DUI, ignition interlock, substance abuse treatment, driving privileges, alcohol education, driver license, nonoperating identification license, medical indicia, health care directive

Transcript Highlights:

• We are an integral partner with the US Small Business Administration and the Governor's Office of Business
• We set up mobile offices in FEMA trailers, in regional community centers, and even coffee houses.
• You have seniors who want to potentially. Sell their house, but they have no way of doing that.
• It would, through the Office of Economic Development, GO-Biz, as it's referred to.
• Thank you, Daryl Lucian and Strong of the LA Police Protective League in support.

Committee: House Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact

Transcript Highlights:

• Senior Senator from the Fourth asked about businesses.
• Chair recognizes the senior senator from the fourth.
• No, to run for office. Oh, to run for office.
• Does that include the state constitutional officers? It should.
• It was not entered by the clerk's office, or was not properly transcribed by the clerk's office.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 4198, which would require employers to use E-Verify to confirm new hires’ work authorization and impose escalating penalties for violations, including warnings, debarment from state contracts, loss of business licenses, and other sanctions. Counsel and senators raised extensive drafting concerns, including circular language, conflicts with existing record-retention provisions, unclear references to “seeks to employ,” possible application to babysitters, lawn care, and other casual or household arrangements, and uncertainty about how the bill would work for employers who never actually complete a hire. The bill sponsor defended the measure as a way to strengthen compliance with existing law, protect employers who use E-Verify in good faith, and deter illegal hiring. After debate, a motion to table the bill failed on a roll call vote, 6 in favor and 10 opposed, and the chair then announced the bill would be sent to a subcommittee to be cleaned up, with instructions to resolve the drafting conflicts and other ambiguities. The committee then turned to House Bill 4710, with an amendment, which would require a person to be registered with a political party or as an independent 210 days before filing a certificate of candidacy. Counsel explained that the change would lengthen the current 60-day requirement and would affect both party-switching and independent candidacies, making it harder for candidates to change affiliation shortly before an election. Senators asked about how the 210-day period would work relative to the primary and general election filing deadlines, and counsel clarified that it would be measured backward from the relevant filing dates. The discussion focused on the practical effect of the bill as a “sore loser” measure and on the timing rules for candidacy filings.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't do it to our police. We don't have volunteer police.
• We don't do it to our police. We don't have volunteer police.
• We don't do it to our police. We don't have volunteer police.
• We don't do it to our police. We don't have volunteer police.
• We don't do it to our police. We don't have volunteer police.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2746, Trade Office study committee. Finance.
• And right now the AG's office and this consumer protection office is actively litigating against Uber
• office and this consumer protection office is actively litigating against Uber, one, over deceptive
• And the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did participate. We know that.
• And the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did participate.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and a series of personal privilege introductions recognizing guests including the Doctor of the Day, realtors visiting for Realtor Day, and the family of former Senator Barbara Leff. The chamber also adopted House Concurrent Resolution 264 honoring Barbara Leff, followed by a moment of silence in her memory. The Senate then moved through a large number of bill introductions and first readings, as well as Committee of the Whole consideration of several measures. In Committee of the Whole, senators considered and advanced multiple bills, often with technical or negotiated floor amendments. Among those reported out as do pass or do pass as amended were SB 1494, SB 1497, SB 1503, SB 1535, SB 1544, SB 1580, SB 1582, SB 1584, SB 1585, SB 1602, SB 1632, SB 1723, and SB 1798. The amendments addressed topics such as technical corrections to mining and pension language, classical learning tests, sex trafficking record sealing, probation reporting, school safety funding, kinship foster care stipends, DES credentialing, domestic violence release conditions, and a school safety/threat identification pilot program that was revised into a FAFSA awareness recognition program. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted. The Senate then took up third-reading votes on several bills. HB 4115, SB 1012, SB 1213, SB 1416, SB 1474, SB 1511, SB 1549, SB 1573, SB 1634, SB 1647, SB 1649, SB 1664, and SB 1725 were considered, with most passing on party-line or near-party-line votes; SB 1416 and SB 1664 passed unanimously, while SB 1549 passed with broader support. Several members explained votes on immigration enforcement, concealed carry in establishments serving alcohol, commercial driver licensing, campaign finance, and a digital asset reserve fund. HB 2993, dealing with DPS legal representation funding, passed 16-13 after debate over constitutional concerns, funding sources, and the use of the Attorney General’s consumer fraud fund. The session ended with the Senate adopting the Committee of the Whole report and transmitting the passed bills to the House.

Transcript Highlights:

• We would still have the Attorney General's office able to bring something against them.
• It looks like it actually is from Secretary's office or from a national business group.
• Secretary Mouton will be able to answer questions for our office, I think.
• Quincy Mouton, Deputy Secretary for GoBiz and the Secretary of State's office, and yes.
• And it also deletes proposed law regarding where the board may establish their office.

Bills: HB207 , HB267 , HB300 , HB464 , HB618 , HB853

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Keywords: Louisiana Auctioneers Licensing Board, auctioneer licensing, professional licensing board, board membership, gubernatorial appointments, consumer members, public at large, Public Service Commission district, East Baton Rouge Parish, venue, domicile, licensure requirements, licensed auctioneer, occupational licensing, state board governance, Act 138, home inspectors, licensing, term limits, Louisiana State Board

Transcript Highlights:

• He ran my office for many John Walter. He ran my office for many many<00:02:33.600><c> years.
• ,</c><00:09:45.840><c> folks</c> application for folks seniors, folks application for folks seniors,
• They have offices in every one of the They have offices in every one of the 120<00:18:20.960><c> counties
• </c> leadership from rural water offices leadership from rural water offices across<01:09:29.120><c>
• Um Mark's right, the ability to office.

Bills: SB8

Committee: Joint Natural Resources & Energy

Keywords: utilities, public service commission, energy regulation, appointment, emergency declaration, tax increases, consumer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• We are at caseloads of over 20 in many offices.
• I haven't seen it in the office. I haven't—there's no discussion of it.
• Siffregul from the Office of the Child Advocate.
• And now I would like to turn to Melissa Threadgill, our senior...
• Thank you for your testimony and for all the work that your office does.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing on a series of child welfare bills focused on DCF, foster care, mandated reporting, educational records, and family support. Chair Kennedy and Chair Livingstone opened with accessibility and testimony rules, then heard testimony on bills including S.127 on expanding mandated reporters, S.107/H.235 on a Foster Children’s Bill of Rights, S.106/H.228 on transferring foster care review from DCF to the Office of the Child Advocate, H.258/S.125 on an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records, H.205 on kinship foster care background checks, H.246/H.266 on minimizing trauma in care and protection cases, and S.159 on support for families after sudden unexpected infant death. Supporters of the mandated reporter bill, led by Sen. Feeney and Foxborough advocates, described a local model that trains all adults who work with children and argued the state should scale that approach statewide to improve recognition and reporting of abuse. Testimony on the foster care bills emphasized the need for clearer rights, better notice to children and attorneys, stronger remedies, and independent oversight. Advocates, youth with lived experience, and legal organizations described placement instability, delayed notifications, abuse in care, poor educational continuity, and the need for rights around safety, family contact, culture, language, and access to records. Several witnesses urged that the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights include enforceable court remedies, not just reporting requirements. On the oversight bill, supporters argued DCF should not review its own foster care system and pointed to poor outcomes, high placement instability, and recent investigative reporting as evidence for moving review responsibilities to the Office of the Child Advocate. On the electronic backpack bill, testimony focused on the need for real-time data sharing and a centralized system so schools can receive foster students’ records quickly and support continuity. On the trauma-minimization bill, Rep. Miskin framed the proposal as a set of practical changes to reduce harm during removals and court involvement. On the SUID bill, Sen. Lovely said families should be given information about available grief and support resources after an infant death. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• the last few years, making sure that those individuals that want to come through their junior and senior
• And for good reason, because There is no barrier as far as cost at all for a junior or senior.
• The parts in the green are the areas that are our agency's offices on the third floor.
• So, instead of making him do art for his senior year. He was able to take marine biology.
• Opper's judges, Ohlers, police are all very well-funded, 90s or more, 95 actually or more.

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• And from our Neighbor Island District Offices, representing all four offices, is our Kauai District Office
• And from our Neighbor Island District Offices, representing all four offices, is our Kauai District Office
• And from our Neighbor Island District Offices, representing all four offices, is our Kauai District Office
• </c> The forestry officer? The forestry officer?
• So they could only hire retired police officers or retired sheriffs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Heather Thielman, Senior Vice President of Sam Houston State University.
• Do you know if the campus... ...police or campus security found members on the IDs?
• Amanda Poole with the 63rd District Attorney's Office.
• We have an attorney in our office. Last week, they just put in her notice.
• office, and that's as close as we're getting to Del Rio with attorneys in our office.

Bills: HB173 , HB184 , HB484 , HB678 , HB 1211 , HB1507 , HB1705 , HB1868 , HB2290 , HB2851 , HB2856 , HB3041 , HB3204 , HB173 , HB184

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• People don't want to be police officers. Police forces can't fill the ranks.
• People don't want to be police officers. Police forces can't fill the ranks.
• </c><00:51:22.880><c> officers</c> people don't want to be police officers people don't want to be police
• People don't want to be police officers. Police forces can't fill the ranks.
• You have to have police officers there.

Committee: Senate Transportation