Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Figures asked what the difference is between the regular teaching certificate and the one the
• Maybe the respectful of the request.
• /c><00:09:13.120><c> it,</c><00:09:13.279><c> the</c> the sooner the governor signs it, the the sooner
• </c> I understand the the uh what you're I understand the the uh what you're trying<00:13:15.040><c>
• One of the requirements under this program is that they have at least 60 credit hours of college credit

Bills: SB66 , SB74 , SB72 , SB149 , SB168 , SB66 , SB74 , SB72 , SB149 , SB168

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: University of Montevallo, trustees, board governance, terms of office, quorum, education, teacher support, loan assistance, acute shortage, Alabama teachers, higher education, adult learners, grant program, education funding, eligibility requirements, teacher certification, military veterans, temporary teaching certificate, workforce development, K-12 education

Transcript Highlights:

• focusing on, but also the broader economy and to drive a different narrative for the state.
• Some of the names that strike us in the SBDC network are places like Elf on the Shelf, Spanx, Under Armour
• business's strategic importance to the state, and, again, the extent to which the credit influences
• And if you look at the original intent of the program when it was first established under the Obama administration
• No indication that the STEP program was under threat.

Transcript Highlights:

• calls are in the youngest age group under 19.
• Lastly, the Senate should look at expanding the grant program created under Senate Bill 292.
• And it's the rural counties, the counties under 100,000, that struggle.
• is further delayed due to the judicial complications under the current status of the mental health code
• under the care of the LMHA or somewhere else or the jail?

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under
• Yeah, I'm under the committee.
• Um, I use the example, you know, when I'm driving home there's guardrails on the side of the road.
• Um, I use the example, you know, when I'm driving home there's guardrails on the side of the road.
• </c><04:01:16.080><c> under</c> coming back as a non by the under coming back as a non by the under collection

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• And when you look across the country, it's special education that's driving a lot of the cost increases
• The Grow Your Own Scholarship Program falls under the Higher Education Department, and Ed Fellows is
• The Grow Your Own Scholarship Program falls under the Higher Education Department, and Ed Fellows is
• or flying under the radar.
• I drive about 2.5 miles to work on the nation, and we keep him here in the Albuquerque region just to

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on strategic resource management in public education. LESC staff and PED officials argued that New Mexico has increased school funding, but local budgeting and planning remain fragmented and overly compliance-driven. They described long-term pressures including declining enrollment, rising special education costs, falling cash balances, changes in federal funding, and leadership turnover, and said schools need more intentional multi-year planning tied to student outcomes. They also outlined the many disconnected planning requirements schools must complete, compared New Mexico’s current approach with Ohio’s three-year budget forecasting model, and recommended continuing multi-year appropriations, adding $2.5 million for state grants in the unified application, and directing LESC, LFC, and PED to develop a long-term financial planning proposal. PED said it is working to reduce administrative burden through school accreditation, a unified application for federal and state funds, and internal alignment of guidance and coaching, with pilot schools reporting time savings and better alignment. Members raised concerns about four-day school weeks, the burden on small districts, the need for outcomes and return on investment, and whether the state should move toward a two-year or three-year planning cycle; staff clarified that the proposal was to streamline or eliminate redundant requirements, not add another layer. The committee then received an update on the Educator Fellows program. PED described it as a Grow Your Own pipeline that employs candidates as supplemental educational assistants while they work toward licensure, providing salary, benefits, paid leave, mentoring, and coursework support. Officials said the program helps address teacher shortages, improves student-to-teacher ratios, increases workforce diversity, and supports the Martinez-Yazzie action plan. They reported 370 current fellows across 86 LEAs and about 180 schools, with many fellows being people of color, first-generation college students, or second-career educators; roughly 85 are expected to become certified this year. A local HR director from Belen testified that the program has been especially valuable in small communities, where fellows are already rooted in the community and several have moved into teaching roles. Members asked about high school recruitment, tuition, retirement and benefits, the relationship to the Higher Education Department’s Grow Your Own scholarship, and the role of university partners. PED said fellows choose among accredited higher education partners, the program is separate from the scholarship but complementary, and the state is also building an apprenticeship model and seeking to expand the program to more LEAs, though some districts are on a waiting list because of funding and local match requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The problem is that the current rule is really very vague about the circumstances under which that can
• ><c> that</c><00:34:25.240><c> can</c> the circumstances under which that can the circumstances under
• Speaker, if I know that the process under the current rule, which is very minimal in terms of its wording
• The member continued, but the transcription cuts off mid-sentence. "...under a Democratic leadership.
• served on the first fleet of nuclear submarines under Admiral Rick.

Transcript Highlights:

• the bill, and under current law versus under the bill?
• I'm talking about the ones who have access to the courts under the current scheme that's in law.
• under the law, or will they be limited to the million dollars in damages?
• a surviving spouse or children under the age of 25?
• And under HIPAA, 30 is supposed to be the outlier of that.

Summary: The Senate began with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including interns, Denim Day awareness, and a resolution honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange on the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. The chamber also observed a moment of silence for former Senator Karen Johnson Gendron. After routine business, the Senate took up several special-order bills. The first major bill, transportation offenses involving death, increased penalties for repeat DUI/BUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide offenses. An amendment added penalties for refusal to submit to breath or urine testing and required law enforcement to notify suspects of those penalties. The bill passed 37-0. The Senate then passed SB 306 on Medicaid providers, requiring broader after-hours and holiday access to care and setting network standards for Medicaid managed care plans, also by a 37-0 vote. The chamber next considered a major condominium and cooperative associations bill responding to post-Surfside safety and financial concerns. Senators described the measure as balancing building safety with financial relief, extending reserve-study deadlines, allowing temporary reserve relief after inspections, tightening oversight of managers and inspectors, and adjusting voting, resale, and reserve rules. After extensive debate and praise from members for the bill’s sponsors and staff, the bill passed 37-0. The longest discussion centered on a constitutional amendments/petition process bill aimed at curbing fraud in citizen initiative petitions. Sponsors argued that the 2024 petition process was plagued by fraud and identity theft and proposed tighter rules for circulators, faster submission deadlines, voter notification, penalties, and limits on petition handling. Senators offered and adopted multiple amendments, including changes to petition-circulator definitions, invalid-signature thresholds, and voter notification procedures. After a substitute amendment was withdrawn, the Senate continued debating the underlying amended bill, with members split between concerns about election integrity and worries that the bill would burden volunteers and make it harder for citizen initiatives to qualify.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the drive.
• But if you were making the the drive.
• </c> advantageous to drive across the border. advantageous to drive across the border.
• The be uh taxed under this searchcharge.
• under RSA 198:39, and 75% to the state's general fund.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, the system wanted to control me under the guise of protection.
• Under current law, if the offense is not on the state's list of disqualifying crimes, the Department
• If a county experiences persistent jail governance issues and would like to bring the jail under the
• If a county experiences persistent jail governance issues and would like to bring the jail under the
• This helps the court better understand the context of their actions, their needs, the influence on their

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety bills, with most of the discussion focused on AB 1650, AB 2014, AB 1886, AB 2126, AB 2624, and AB 2257. AB 1650 would require clearer identification on privately owned vehicles rented or leased to government agencies for enforcement operations; supporters framed it as a transparency and safety measure in response to ICE activity, while no opposition testified. AB 2014 would allow post-conviction habeas relief where gender bias or stereotypes were used at trial and may have affected the outcome; supporters described cases involving sexist and anti-LGBTQ stereotypes, while the California District Attorneys Association opposed the bill as overbroad and likely to restrict relevant evidence, though the author said recent amendments removed the evidence-code provisions and left only the habeas remedy. AB 1886 would extend a 12-month probation presumption to youth in out-of-home placements and those discharged from secure youth treatment facilities; youth advocates supported it as a fairness and rehabilitation measure, while judges, probation officials, and district attorneys opposed it as undoing a recent compromise and limiting individualized decisions. AB 2126 would speed hiring of peer partners in child welfare by creating a narrow exemption process for certain foster-youth-related offenses; it drew broad support and no opposition. AB 2624 would expand the Safe at Home address-confidentiality program to immigrant service providers, employees, and volunteers; supporters cited threats, doxing, and harassment, while one journalist opposed it over possible effects on reporting, and the author and committee members said the bill preserves press protections and is narrowly aimed at threats and harassment. AB 2257 would restore county authority to create a separate corrections department to run jails instead of the sheriff; supporters argued it would improve accountability and address jail deaths and fiscal problems, while sheriffs opposed it as unnecessary and said sheriffs are already subject to oversight. The committee also noted several bills pulled by their authors and adopted a consent calendar of unrelated measures. Votes were not always taken immediately because the committee was waiting for a quorum, but AB 2624 was moved on a do-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations and left on call, and the chair indicated support or favorable recommendations on several of the other measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• under the Governor's proposal.
• the funds under Proposition 1.
• the funds under Proposition 1.
• , 2029, extending the time to continue the development of low-cost biosimilar insulin under the CalRx
• The California chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians is concerned that, under the May

Transcript Highlights:

• The courts are the ultimate check on this power under the Louisiana Constitution, as that same provision
• Chairman, the hamburger joint doesn’t have the ability to expropriate under the existing law.
• That certificate is issued formally by the Commissioner of Conservation, now under the authority of the
• That certificate is issued formally by the Commissioner of Conservation, now under the authority of the
• But most important, issued formally by the Commissioner of Conservation, now under the authority of the

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• Class rank and college admissions under the top 10% are affected by this issue, which varies widely across
• of specific programs, such as sex education, which is an opt-in instead of an opt-out under the terms
• Would a biology lesson that references sexual orientation in other species be banned under the law?
• It's based on gender and race, that kind of thing, that would be banned under the bill.
• and suicide under these conditions. that this bill proposes, or worse, to appease people who hate the

Bills: SB12 , SB226 , SB413 , SB1049 , SB1191 , SB2398 , SB571 , SB2920 , SB 12

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, school boards, transparency, public meetings, attendance, recording, released time, religious instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• revenue</c><00:23:49.120><c> under</c><00:23:49.360><c> the</c> The new fees would generate a pretty
• And then if you look at row 16 under fiscal year 26, and again row 23 under fiscal year 27, the House
• So, certainly I think the intention is this is for the intention of all of these policies is to drive
• And while the prices may not change that much, the turnover will take place and that'll drive room and
• One of which is the influence over.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 110, as amended by the Senate, which would establish fees for alteration-of-terrain applications and direct the Department of Environmental Services to adopt rules for a permit-by-notification process for certain projects. Trisha Milo introduced the bill for Senator Lang and noted that the department had worked on the amended language. Matt Mayberry of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association said the industry strongly supported the bill, describing it as a public-private partnership that would speed review for developers without affecting local control, with builders paying the costs rather than taxpayers. Members focused heavily on how the bill’s fee structure and permit thresholds would work, especially for projects near shoreland, wetlands, and protected water bodies. Representative Opel raised concerns about whether the bill reduced review of habitat and shoreland impacts or shifted costs unfairly; Philip Trobridge of DES explained that the bill does not eliminate those reviews and that shoreland projects still receive greater scrutiny. He said the bill creates different tiers, with the permit-by-notification process applying to certain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet that are not in protected shoreland, while larger or shoreland-affected projects remain under the standard review process. He also said the proposed fees were based on sustaining the program, covering added habitat and species review responsibilities, and keeping reviews efficient. Trobridge said the new fee structure would generate about $1.2 million in additional revenue and help fund additional staff and related program costs. He stated that the department had worked with the regulated community and believed the fees were fair and reasonable, though he acknowledged the bill’s wording was confusing and that the threshold could be revisited later if the new process works well. Members also discussed how the state process interacts with local approvals, and Trobridge said both state and local approvals are required before a project can begin. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Markwart. ...under the mentorship of experienced gardeners.
• project size you can apply for under the grant.
• <c> for</c><00:26:25.679><c> under</c><00:26:25.880><c> the</c> can apply for under the can apply for
• under the grant<00:26:27.720><c> furthermore</c><00:26:28.120><c> the</c><00:26:28.279><c> the</c><00
• </c><02:03:17.920><c> the</c> Federal you know leg out from under the Federal you know leg out from under

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• For a little bit of background, under current law fees collected by the Secretary of State under the
• under the Climate Commitment Act.
• hearing, so under the bill...
• So under the bill, the court can set conditions.
• really defined under the bill, so I'm attempting to define it under the bill to mean services or placements

Bills: HB1073 , HB1128 , HB1316 , HB1408 , HB1591 , HB1592 , HB1634 , HB1906 , HB1960 , HB2073 , HB2145 , HB2248 , HB2266 , HB2301 , HB2333 , HB2365 , HB2401 , HB2416 , HB2421 , HB2438 , HB2474 , HB2475 , HB2515 , HB2517 , HB2523 , HB2548 , HB2597 , HB2637 , HB2640 , HB2660 , HB2675 , HB2685 , HB2720 , HB1742 , HB2104 , HB2186 , HB2405 , HB2557 , HB2593 , HB2636

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: national guard, military support, defense, state security, veteran services, child care, workforce standards, education, child development, training requirements, postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, community preservation, development authorities, funding, local governance, state resources

Transcript Highlights:

• We have seen the benefits of expanding the scope of the The customer base for the Office of Cybersecurity
• The sooner we do, the better off for the state.
• and we completed that going through the RFQ process, keeping us under budget and on time.
• So this is an emerging problem in the industry as a whole, predominantly linked with Angus-influenced
• I remember when we didn't have hard drives, and I also remember when we didn't have the internet, so

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• As we will mention later in the handout, the new cap-and-invest structure under SB 840 changed how this
• are making today under consideration and inclusion, And many of the points you are making today under
• And so the neighbors raised a fuss with the county under the previous supervisor, and then we walked
• The insurance industry almost went under. So what did they do?
• area where the state does obviously have responsibility under the statute for good reasons.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the pro, is that the, is that the, and it's geared for higher ed.
• The consensus there was if the trainer was a teacher, that would be best to have as the example of the
• And the other who had the categories, who mentioned the categories The innovation grant recipients, that
• And then the third piece is just the well, so the establishment of the fund, the funding of the fund,
• So I know that cutting through there sometimes you drive by the botech.

Committee: House Oklahoma Education Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• One in three frequent psychedelic users report driving under the influence of psychedelics in the past
• against, under the law, excuse me.
• I was covered under the 2022 I was covered under the 2022 SAGC Morris decision for this predatory loan
• The transfer of the mortgage was therefore, under the SJC decision known as U.S. Bank v.
• of all the other loans under the 2004 law from this legislature.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Summary: The committee opened with procedural guidance for a very large hearing, explaining testimony limits, written testimony procedures, and rules for maintaining order. Members then heard testimony on a wide range of bills, including proposals to define antisemitism using the IHRA definition, regulate facial recognition technology, restrict weaponized robotics and drone use, expand protections for journalists’ confidential sources, address access to decedents’ email accounts, and create or adjust rules around municipal enforcement and animal cruelty fines. Several sponsors and advocates asked for favorable reports, and committee members asked clarifying questions on implementation, costs, and how the bills would interact with existing law. On facial recognition, sponsors and advocates described the technology as a threat to privacy, due process, and civil liberties, and urged adoption of the Special Commission’s recommendations, including warrant requirements, notice to defendants, and limits on untargeted surveillance. Support came from legislators, the ACLU, CDT, EFF, and a UMass professor, while committee members asked about current state law and municipal bans. On robotics, Senator Moore and industry witnesses from MassRobotics, Boston Dynamics, and AUVSI supported a bill prohibiting weaponized robots and requiring warrants for certain law enforcement uses, describing it as a public-safety and trust-building measure. On the shield law bill, newspaper publishers, journalists, NEFAC, and the Reporters Committee argued Massachusetts needs statutory protection for confidential sources, citing costly subpoenas and chilling effects on reporting. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to expand the right of publicity to cover image and voice, with SAG-AFTRA members supporting protections against AI-driven exploitation and some discussion about viral content and consent. Another bill would allow limited access to a decedent’s email accounts, with one witness describing a family’s inability to use a deceased relative’s email to notify friends. The committee then took testimony on psilocybin-related bills: supporters described medical and personal benefits and argued for narrow decriminalization or study, while an opponent warned of public-health risks, impaired driving, and youth exposure; the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society supported limited, safety-based decriminalization. Finally, the committee heard strong support for a “safe reporting” bill for sex workers and trafficking survivors, with advocates saying immunity would encourage victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of arrest, and members raised questions about how the immunity would work in practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• for 2027-28, even under the Governor's proposals.
• And under this proposal before you, the opposite is true.
• The State Water Board retains its absolute authority as the regulator under the Porter-Cologne State
• The final costs are still—we’re still under design, finishing up the design phase—so the cost may change
• that we inventory, tend to be under the cap.

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.