Transcript Highlights:

• <00:21:02.080> making<00:21:02.559> process, rule making process, rule making process,
• >> would define that in rules? >> would define that in rules?
• Rules were developed.
• Rules were developed. We moved ground. Rules were developed.
• fishing game can set rules for itself. fishing game can set rules for itself.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, two, I never voted for the Code of Ethics 10.5 rules.
• As far as changing a rule, there absolutely is a process for that.
• This rule was not passed without the knowledge of all members.
• No, I'm saying when the rule was put forth to all the members.
• They just agreed to change their rules. You do not have to be a member.

Bills: SB1361, SB2105, SB2690, SB2713, SCR38, SB2637, SB2881

Keywords: SB 1361, Texas disaster recovery loan, small business loan, micro-business loan, community development financial institution, CDFI, economic disaster assistance, post-disaster financing, business recovery fund, Texas Economic Development Bank, zero-interest loan, working capital, payroll support, health benefits, job retention, declared disaster, small business relief, microenterprise, franchise exclusion, private equity-backed business

Transcript Highlights:

• But we have no business sending a permanent plate, Texas plate, outside the state.
• In terms of the Supreme Court ruling, it's correct.
• I get the Supreme Court ruling, but isn't that why we file bills and change statutes?
• And you change statutes and the remedies and the ruling could be different. Correct.
• That's rewriting. the rules mid-game, something no fair society should ever do.

Bills: SB 1113, SB 1117, SB 1206, SB 1460, SB 1802, SB 1906, SB 1917, SB 2340, SB 2455, SB 2680, SB 2690, SB 705, SB 748

Keywords: SB 1113, converter's license, converter license, motor vehicle dealer, auto dealer, vehicle conversion, converted vehicles, direct sales, retail sales, trailer, semitrailer, manufactured trailer, chassis, manufacturer's statement of origin, MSO, Occupations Code, Transportation Code, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, dealer licensing, general distinguishing number

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee was marked by discussions on several significant bills, with a keen emphasis on legislative updates and committee substitutes. Notably, Senator Blanco presented a new committee substitute for SB2610, which modifies the employee cap from 100 to 250 and extends the update timeline for cyber security programs for small businesses. This substitute was adopted unanimously, reflecting a collaborative agreement among the committee members. Additionally, there were discussions surrounding SB1856 as Senator Crayton provided insights into how stakeholder feedback influenced the bill's committee substitute. The committee ultimately voted in favor, pushing it towards the local and contested calendar, indicating the bill's progression through legislative channels.

Transcript Highlights:

• witnesses and public comment, I want to make sure that everyone understands that the Assembly has rules
• Now, let's cover the ground rules for appropriate conduct.
• The rules for today's hearings include no talking or loud noises from the audience.
• Please be aware that violations of these rules may subject you... ...subject you to removal and other
• The PUC would adopt rules to implement the program by July 1, 2027.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the committee and our visitors and witnesses today, the House Committee is subject to the same rules
• In the hearing room, under House rule, committee members must first seek recognition from the chair before
• The implementation requirements direct both the TDCJ and the Commission on Jail Standards to adopt rules
• Individuals are placed in solitary confinement for often minor rule infractions.
• Supreme Court first upheld Kansas' civil commitment program in 1997, ruling that because the nature of

Bills: HB1826, HB1969, HB2708, HB2729, HB3618, HB4515, HB4764, SB1021, SB1610

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Transcript Highlights:

• So, for instance, consider this: it places a permanent cloud on the title of the property, makes it very
• So if a deer farmer simply follows the rule here and happens to have a deer escape, it doesn't even say
• If a cattle farmer doesn't follow a rule, they might pay a fine, but their cattle aren't taken away from
• Whether an individual facility complies with the relevant statutes and rules will be determined on a
• If there is a producer who flat-out refuses to follow fencing guidelines... including fencing rules that

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also includes $4,570.40 for a Department of Corrections injury claim involving a permanent ankle
• Corrections injury claim<00:03:41.640> involving<00:03:42.160> a<00:03:42.280> permanent
• <00:03:42.840> ankle<00:03:43.200> injury claim involving a permanent ankle injury
• claim involving a permanent ankle injury sustained<00:03:44.280> while<00:03:44.480> working
• <00:21:28.160> on to file it and to have a judge rule on to file it and to have a judge rule

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules for underground storage tanks follow the same approach.
• > for<00:31:25.560> underground<00:31:26.160> storage<00:31:26.600> tanks rules
• for underground storage tanks rules for underground storage tanks follow<00:31:27.280> the<00
• difference between permanently difference between permanently discontinuing<01:12:37.040> a
• The House Rules Committee calendared the bill on April 24th.

Bills: HF3547, HF3651, HF4043, HF4282, HF4095

Keywords: fireworks, public safety, regulation, tax revenue, local government, sale, safety standards, fire safety, ethanol, fuel equipment, compatibility standards, law enforcement, peace officer, unauthorized practice, criminal justice, civics education, jail medication, correctional facility, detention, incarcerated persons

Transcript Highlights:

• Eventually, I was able to ask for a U visa for victims of crime and get permanent residency on November
• residency on November 25 2024 permanent residency on November 25 2024 I<00:55:37.559> became<
• I mean, that's the general rule.
• 24:40.639> um<01:24:41.639> cases<01:24:42.000> that<01:24:42.239> they rule
• are there any um cases that they rule are there any um cases that they they're<01:24:43.040> ask<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and find permanent and find permanent housing<00:23:31.679> I<00:23:31.760> mean<00
• We really feel strongly that if New Hampshire's power generators should be subjected to the same rules
• We really feel strongly that if New Hampshire's power generators should be subjected to the same rules
• We really feel strongly that if New Hampshire's power generators should be subjected to the same rules
• We really feel strongly that if New Hampshire's power generators should be subjected to the same rules

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Builders right now navigate four different county codes, which have inconsistent and complex rules.
• Builders right now navigate four different county codes, which have inconsistent and complex rules.
• um I believe it's record records rule um I believe it's record it's<01:52:18.840> rule<01:52:
• it's rule 10.4 of their uh Records rules it's rule 10.4 of their uh Records rules but<01:52:22.000
• um so if those requirements in the rules um so if those requirements in the rules are<01:53:01.400

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Housing held a public hearing on January 31 and heard testimony on a series of housing and building-code bills. The first major item, HB 1 relating to building codes, drew sharply divided testimony. Supporters, including BIA Hawaii, Grassroot Institute, Dr. Horton, and several builders and trade groups, argued the current code-adoption process is slow, fragmented, and costly, and that reform would help housing production. Opponents, including Sierra Club Hawaii, AIA Hawaii, ICC, and labor representative Kiko Bosi, said the bill would weaken public safety, reduce statewide consistency, and could leave tenants and first responders at greater risk. No vote was taken during the hearing, and members asked questions about the effect of a governor’s emergency proclamation suspending the Building Code Council and about county authority over code amendments. The committee then heard HB 745 and HB 1321, both also relating to building codes. Grassroot Institute supported both measures, saying the system is broken and needs streamlining, while BIA Hawaii and others emphasized the cost burden of repeated code updates. Opponents, especially Bosi and ICC, argued that the bills would undermine the State Building Code Council’s role, create confusion, and prioritize cost over safety; Bosi also said labor should be included in any code discussions. Members questioned whether counties can remove state code provisions and whether the state code already supersedes county codes, and one member noted the need for clarity and consistent enforcement rather than a wholesale overhaul. Later, the committee heard HB 284 on housing, HB 761 on county permitting and inspection, and HB 738 on historic preservation. HB 284 drew support from several housing and real estate groups, while DLNR opposed it. On HB 761, HHFDC supported the bill, DLNR warned that the proposed changes could jeopardize Hawaii’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, DAGS said it would likely need to duplicate county permitting staff, and the Department of Planning and Permitting opposed it; Grassroot Institute and NAIOP supported it. For HB 738, HHFDC, DLNR, Grassroot Institute, Hawaii YIMBY, NAIOP, and others supported the measure, with Grassroot and NAIOP suggesting clarifications so expedited review would also cover mixed-use projects and better define the scope of work. The transcript does not show any final votes or committee action on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• House rule states that once the February forecast has been released, Ways and Means Committee has 25
• versus permanent or base funding<00:20:40.720> the<00:20:40.840> lines<00:20:41.240>
• Sa. would be a violation of the house rules would be a violation of the house rules and<00:38:14.280>
• is that the internal Fundamental rule is that the internal management<01:17:07.880> of<01:17:
• general lawmaking power so general rules general lawmaking power so general rules that<01:18:34.120

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Higher Ed Finance and Policy Committee met to begin a budget overview for higher education. The chair noted quorum, committee member introductions, and that Democratic members were absent. The chair also said the Office of Higher Education would not be appearing for the planned budget deep dive, so nonpartisan fiscal staff would present instead. Ken Savory, the committee’s nonpartisan fiscal analyst, introduced a presentation on the higher education finance structure and timeline. Savory explained the state budget cycle, the difference between direct appropriations, statutory appropriations, open appropriations, base funding, tails, and one-time appropriations, and how those concepts apply to higher education. He described the committee’s usual budget areas: the Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, the University of Minnesota, and the Mayo Foundation. He also reviewed historical spending charts showing higher education’s share of the general fund over time, the 2/3-1/3 funding policy in statute, and how tuition and general fund support have shifted. He noted that the FY 26-27 base for the Office of Higher Education area is about $725 million, including roughly $450 million for the State Grant program and about $99 million for North Star Promise. Members asked about comparing the current budget to earlier biennia, and staff responded that they would need to calculate the percentage difference. The chair then summarized prior budget growth, saying the previous budget was about $650 million over base and the current budget/tail was about $450 million over base. Staff also reviewed the 2024 omnibus higher education bill, including a roughly $5 million reduction to North Star Promise that was redirected to the Fostering Independence Grant program and a $500,000 appropriation for Minnesota State’s Kids on Campus program. The committee did not take any formal votes or actions during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, briefly, I want to just go over some ground rules.
• Uh if you would be so kind ground rules.
• Um, situation into a permanent tragedy.
• Breaking the rules carries little consequences.
• Breaking the rules carries little consequences.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard opening remarks and ground rules from Chair David Tarnas, including a request for two-minute testimony limits, clear speaking, Zoom etiquette, and respectful conduct. The first measure taken up was HB 2062, relating to gun violence prevention, which would appropriate funds for enforcement of gun violence protective orders and for public awareness campaigns. Judiciary submitted written testimony recommending technical changes to clarify that it does not enforce laws and instead should be funded for personnel to process temporary restraining orders and gun violence protective orders; the Department of Law Enforcement supported the bill and said it is well positioned to conduct public education. Support also came from county and advocacy witnesses, including Moms Demand Action, Giffords Gun Owners for Safety, HGEA, and a retired police officer, while opposition testimony argued the measure raises due process and Fifth Amendment concerns and that education, not enforcement, should be the focus. The chair noted 37 testimonies in support, 103 in opposition, and three comments; no vote was taken in the portion provided. Testimony on HB 2062 emphasized both public safety and constitutional concerns. Supporters described the bill as a way to increase awareness of an existing legal tool, prevent suicides and shootings, and help law enforcement and the public understand gun violence protective orders. Opponents, including gun owners and firearms groups, argued that red flag laws can be abused, lack due process, and should not be expanded through state funding. A county neighborhood safety witness suggested an amendment to allow public, private, and nonprofit consultants to assist with training and implementation. Members asked a few questions, but the agencies with written testimony were not present, so the chair referred members to their submissions. The committee then moved to HB 2061, relating to firearms, which appropriates money for the state gun buyback program and requires at least two buyback events in each county. Written support was noted from the Department of Law Enforcement, Hawaii County Council, the County of Kauai Prosecuting Attorney, and the Hawaii State Association of Counties, with the latter emphasizing that buybacks are voluntary prevention tools that can reduce risk before crises escalate. Opposition came from the Mid-Pacific Pistol League, SDM Training Group/Bows and Bullets, and others; one witness argued buybacks are ineffective, costly, and can be vulnerable to misuse or black-market diversion, and suggested a year-round surrender option instead. The committee heard additional support from a retired police officer and from a gun violence survivor with Students Demand Action, but no final action or vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, pursuant to House Rule 47(f), House Bill 127 and House Bill 480 are waived from the committee
• Representative Beler moves to a rule suspension and is recognized to speak to his motion.
• The motion before us is suspension of the rules. This is going to be a roll call vote.
• Speaker, I would like to place the debate in the permanent journal without objection. Thank you.
• Request that the remarks of the previous speaker be printed in the permanent journal?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Similarly, in the retaliation unit, L&I rules require L&I to resolve these complaints within 90 days
• And fourth is to increase jobs at data centers, both temporary construction jobs and permanent family
• And I'll just point out that, per Department of Revenue confidentiality rules, we can't disclose savings
• removing the expiration date and the performance statement requirements, thereby making the preference permanent

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's a series of rules and... ...data represents what's meaningful for them, but there's a series
• of rules and program participant guidelines and also tools that we provide for this purpose.
• We have people on the staff who do communicate with the Census Bureau annually, who are permanent.
• So our communication with the Bureau, not just the Biden administration, but the permanent staff of the

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on census preparation, focusing first on testimony from U.S. Census Bureau staff James Whitehorn and Andrea Grace Johnson. They described the Bureau’s decade-long geographic and redistricting programs, including the Boundary and Annexation Survey, School District Review Program, Participant Statistical Area Program, and Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA), along with the Block Boundary Suggestion Project and voting district collection. They emphasized that Massachusetts has been a strong partner in these efforts and explained how the Bureau is using updated street data, building footprints, machine learning, and change detection to improve address lists and track new housing. Whitehorn also reviewed the 2030 redistricting data program, the legal basis for it under PL 94-171, the role of state nonpartisan liaisons, and the expected timeline for data delivery. He noted that OMB’s revised race and ethnicity standards will merge those questions into one and add a Middle Eastern/North African category. Committee members asked about the new standards, state contacts, and how boundary updates are submitted, and the witnesses said they would provide the slide deck and contact information. Wendy Underhill and Helen Brewer of NCSL then testified about why census preparation matters for states, stressing its impact on data, federal funding, and political representation. They outlined optional steps states can take before 2030, including staying in touch with Census Bureau staff, identifying state and local personnel involved in census work, supporting local participation in Bureau programs, and creating complete count committees or commissions. They cited Massachusetts’s prior complete count committee and grantmaking efforts as an example and said such efforts can improve self-response and overall accuracy. They also noted that state legislatures can act as conveners and trusted messengers, and they discussed broader issues such as privacy protections, differential privacy, budget uncertainty, and the possibility of future litigation or a citizenship question. Secretary of State William Galvin then gave extended remarks on Massachusetts’s 2020 census experience and the need to prepare early for 2030. He said the state faced major challenges in 2020 from the pandemic, litigation, and rhetoric about citizenship, and that Massachusetts relied heavily on local records, university data, and community outreach to document residents, especially students and non-native-born populations. He argued that the state should strengthen local recordkeeping now through LUCA, annual resident lists, assessors’ and zoning records, and other local data sources, and he urged support for a proposed $500,000 appropriation for census-related grants and technical assistance. Galvin said better preparation is needed because housing patterns, population shifts, and local administrative capacity have changed since 2020, and he emphasized that the goal is to improve the completeness of the records the Census Bureau will use in 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• Structure, permanence to work we've already committed to doing, and a real partner moving forward for
• This rule was requested by some parents with homeschool students to allow homeschool extracurricular
• You know, I had always thought this was actually the rule of the day, that homeschoolers could actually
• So I couldn't, Madam President, I couldn't hear what you said over the biting humor, sometimes permanently

Summary: The Senate reconvened, read committee reports, and assigned House Bill 89 with House Amendment 1 and House Bill 393 with House Amendment 1 to the Senate Finance Committee. It then adopted Consent Calendar 64, which included resolutions recognizing Take Our Children to Work Day, Juneteenth, National Farmers Day, Invisible Disabilities Week, Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day, National Nonprofit Day, and two property-assessment working group resolutions. The calendar passed by a unanimous roll call, and the chamber heard remarks supporting Juneteenth, Delaware agriculture, invisible disabilities awareness, and the nonprofit sector. The Senate passed the fiscal year 2026 and 2027 revenue estimates in Senate Joint Resolution 16 and Senate Joint Resolution 17, and approved the fiscal year 2027 operating budget in Senate Bill 335 after extended debate on budget growth, recurring costs, health care, education, public safety, retiree obligations, and fiscal restraint. It also passed Senate Bill 336, the one-time supplemental appropriation bill, which includes one-time investments such as a $100 million transition toward a weighted education funding formula, election support, early childhood education, classroom projects, lead remediation, and campaign finance modernization. Several members praised the budget process and staff, while others cautioned against future spending growth. Among policy bills, the Senate passed House Bill 369 to codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety, House Bill 268 to increase penalties for assaulting postal workers, House Bill 374 to require workforce reporting on large public works projects, Senate Bill 253 with House Amendment 1 to standardize school bullying parental-notification procedures, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 342 to modernize the Delaware Motion Picture and Television Development Commission, House Bill 402 to extend Clean Air Act Title V permit fees, and Senate Bill 346 with Senate Amendment 1 to streamline Environmental Appeals Board timelines. The Senate also began consideration of House Bill 293, which would add hate crimes to the Victims’ Compensation Assistance Program, but the transcript cuts off before its vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• is that during the 2025 legislative session, Senate Bill 88 was passed, which creates a Medicaid permanent
• Senate Bill 88 was passed, which creates a Medicaid permanent fund.
• and policy decisions: what sorts of incentives for what purpose, how much should be invested, what rules
• A program with more steps, more qualifying criteria, complex rules, and cumbersome reporting requirements

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its fourth meeting, held October 27-28 in Santa Fe, with Representative Duncan moving approval and no opposition. The chair then introduced a panel on the cost of providing medical care in New Mexico, focusing on physician shortages, rising practice costs, and access problems, especially in southern New Mexico and Las Cruces. Panelists included family physicians, a pediatrician, a cardiologist/electrophysiologist, and a community health center medical director, who described their backgrounds and practices before turning to the policy discussion. The doctors argued that New Mexico is losing physicians because of three main pressures: medical malpractice exposure, gross receipts tax on medical services, and low Medicaid reimbursement. They said malpractice premiums are much higher than in neighboring states, punitive damages and venue shopping increase risk, and the patient compensation fund and attorney fee structure create additional costs. They also described administrative burdens from insurance billing and referrals, the high debt and long training period for physicians, and the effect of corporate medicine and private equity on practice decisions. One panelist emphasized the economic impact of each physician on jobs and local spending, while another noted that shortages force patients into emergency rooms and delay specialty care. The panel presented a list of proposed solutions: reform punitive damages, limit venue shopping and stacking, restore lifetime medical payments from the patient compensation fund, enact apology protections, cap attorney fees, continue Medicaid funding improvements, and eliminate gross receipts tax on medical and dental services. Committee members generally agreed the presentation was thorough and useful, but several noted that some proposals fall outside this committee’s jurisdiction and would likely need to move through other committees, especially judiciary and tax. Some members supported drafting legislation or working on separate bills, while others urged caution, requested more input from hospitals and economists, and raised concerns about local government revenue impacts from GRT changes. The chair concluded by encouraging members to continue discussions offline and noted that the tax-related issue would be taken up further in the next day’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Permanently altering the balance of power in that region.
• Secretary Hedges has outspoken disregard for the rules of war, endangering...
• Integrity, adherence to the rule of law, and unwavering commitment to uphold our democratic institutions
• Despite that, President Biden decided to permanently deploy more Navy ships in Europe to counter Russia

Keywords: defense, geopolitical tensions, military readiness, China, Russia, U.S. military, Indo-Pacific, alliance, procurement

Summary: The meeting focused on critical defense and security matters, particularly concerning the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving China and Russia. There were discussions surrounding U.S. military readiness, with significant emphasis on the potential threats posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region. Members expressed concerns about America's military capabilities in relation to the growing Chinese fleet and the importance of maintaining strong alliances with nations like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Additionally, the notion of prioritizing the defense industrial base was highlighted, emphasizing the need for effective procurement and modernization efforts to counter adversarial threats. Furthermore, notable commentary included a reference to President Zelensky's remarks regarding peace negotiations with Ukraine, expressing a willingness for further cooperation with the U.S.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to clause one of rule one, the journal stands approved.
• to clause one of rule one, the journal<00:05:38.400> stands<00:05:38.720> approved.
• <00:35:59.280> unlawful applications, which was ruled unlawful applications, which was ruled
• Pursuant to clause 8 of rule ordered.
• <01:14:10.320> Remaining clause 9 of rule 20. Remaining clause 9 of rule 20.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, September 11, 2025, 1012, house, all