Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also a volunteer with the Kentucky Medical Freedom Coalition. I'm not a lobbyist.
• I<00:33:48.040> do<00:33:48.280> want<00:33:48.400> to<00:33:48.480> drive
• <00:33:48.960> point<00:33:49.280> home<00:33:49.480> though I do want to drive

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:15 HB 195 Discussion: 05:22 HB 195 Roll Call Vote: 16:33 SB 199 Discussion: 18:34 SB 199 Roll Call Vote: 41:25 SB 5 Discussion: 43:50 SB 5 Roll Call Vote: 46:35 HB 687 Discussion: 48:10 HB 687 Roll Call Vote: 50:15, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But what about, you know, it's the you something about it in a navigable water, somebody driving a boat
• I'm Jordan Carpenter, legal counsel with Alliance defending Freedom.
• This morning I left my house at 07:00AM to drive 2 counties away to provide prenatal care at 08:00PM.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• concerns about drunk driving fatalities. concerns about drunk driving fatalities.
• bars saw their alcohol impaired driving bars saw their alcohol impaired driving uh<00:47:36.319>
• driving fatalities raise by 53.6%. driving fatalities raise by 53.6%.
• drink saw higher drunk driving rates. drink saw higher drunk driving rates.
• of that system drives uh drives sales of that system drives uh drives sales of course<01:09:47.040

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ...this country that we live in and in the freedom that we enjoy. Amen.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and, Lord, we're mindful of our armed forces around the world that are standing on guard to protect freedom

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, and granted several leave requests for absent members. After dispensing with the reading of the previous day’s journal and noting no committee reports or unfinished business, the chamber took up House Resolution 1002, which authorizes recesses of the House or Senate for four consecutive days or longer. The resolution was explained by Representative Walker, no one spoke against it, and it passed by voice vote. During morning hour, the House recognized visiting guests, including law enforcement officers, Dr. James Hunt of Little Rock, and Nurse Lee Fasio. The chamber then moved to the budget calendar and considered House Bill 1002, the general appropriation bill required to be passed before other appropriation measures. Representative Johnson explained the bill, and it passed third reading with the emergency clause by a vote of 93 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 present. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Committee announcements included House Management meeting 15 minutes after adjournment on Tuesday, the Arkansas Code Revision Commission meeting at 1:30 p.m. that day, Joint Budget meeting Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., and Personnel Committee meeting Tuesday at 8:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

Bills: SB1265, SB1198, SB2046, SB1415, SB1714, SB1962, SB26, SB172, SB260, SB264, SB1525, SB1332, SB1998, SB1378, SB1771, SB1919, SB2018, SB1936, SB1612, SB1543, SB1260, SB1988, SB1859, SB2041, SB1257, SB1726, SB1236, SB1633, SB1413, SB1317, SB1360, SB1342, SB1477, SB1189, SB1546, SB1524, SB1338, SB1193, SB1812, SB1617, SB1638, SB504, SB2072, SB1283, SB1216, SB1655, SB2011, SB1643, SB1446, SB1256, SB1258, SB1441, SB1224, SB1448, SB1496, SB1597, SB1621, SB1827, SB2066, SB2104

Keywords: healthcare authority, property lien, county treasury, local government, Oklahoma, municipalities, campsite regulation, Department of Environmental Quality, unauthorized camps, public safety, environmental standards, nondisclosure agreements, state employment, employee rights, transparency, government accountability, employee suggestions, cost savings, state agencies, incentives

Transcript Highlights:

• world with a home for everybody, a world with food and work for everybody, a world with spiritual freedom

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Individual freedom. Thank you, Melissa. Any questions?
• So this bill doesn't prevent us from individual freedom. Thank you, Melissa. individual freedom.
• Aubrey, in the freedom. Gotcha. Not often. Mr.
• Aubrey. in<01:00:20.559> the in the in the freedom.<01:00:23.839> Gotcha. freedom.
• Gotcha. freedom. Gotcha. Not<01:00:27.040> often.<01:00:28.160> Mr.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, financially, it gave me more freedom to be able to afford the basic needs such as food, light,
• Also, financially, it gave me more freedom to be able to afford the basic needs such as food, light,

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its sixth public hearing and took testimony on a large slate of bills, with the chair moving H. 542/S. 341 on family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care to the top of the agenda so young constituents would not have to wait. Witnesses from labor, community organizations, and FFN providers strongly supported the bill, saying FFN care fills critical gaps for families working nonstandard hours, especially in low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Testimony emphasized that FFN providers are currently underpaid, often receive only about $24 per child per day, and should be guaranteed at least the state minimum wage. Witnesses also backed changes to the voucher system to allow families to combine formal and FFN care more flexibly, and they supported creating an FFN advisory council. Committee members asked about the difference between FFN and center-based care, registration requirements, fingerprinting/background checks, EEC’s ongoing study group, and the fiscal impact; witnesses said the current annual cost is about $1.8 million and could rise to about $6 million if all current FFN providers were paid minimum wage, still under 1% of the EEC budget. The committee then closed testimony on that bill. The committee next heard testimony on several preschool and universal pre-K bills, including H. 707 on public preschool facilities, H. 687/S. 339 on universal pre-K and mixed delivery, and related bills such as H. 606, H. 523, H. 618, H. 522, H. 510, and H. 615, many of which were later closed without additional witnesses. A Lowell school official testified that space and facilities funding are major barriers to expanding preschool and that the city has hundreds of children on voucher waitlists. Other witnesses and organizations, including the Early Care and Education Consortium and AFT Massachusetts, supported mixed-delivery universal pre-K and warned that public-school expansion should not undermine community-based providers, whose preschool tuition helps subsidize infant and toddler care. Several witnesses also urged stronger standards for preschool teachers, better staffing ratios, and more integrated special education and support services. The committee accepted written testimony on some bills and closed testimony on the others when no one else came forward. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 541/S. 373, which would ban school exclusion in pre-K through third grade. Advocates from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Mass Appleseed, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, AFT Massachusetts, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee argued that suspensions and expulsions at young ages harm learning, worsen inequities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They cited data showing disproportionate impacts on Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and low-income children, and described personal stories of children whose behavior improved when schools kept them in class and addressed underlying needs. Committee members asked for updated data on the number of students and districts affected, and witnesses said they would provide more detailed written information. After testimony on this and a few other bills, including S. 372, S. 357, and H. 275/S. 133, the committee closed testimony and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• As Ukraine enters year five of fighting for its freedom, its independence, and sovereignty, I ask that
• must stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable and oppressed across our globe in the fight for freedom

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our constitution was designed to safeguard the maximum amount of freedom for the citizens of this great
• While the desire to combat crime is understandable and important, freedom should not be sacrificed for

Bills: HB 551, HB 1281, HB 1378, HB 1617, HB 2868, HB 2881, HB 3374, HB 4439, HB 4726, HB 4732, HB 4878, HB 4914, HB 4921, HB 4958, HB 5200, HB 5318, HB 5360, HB 5402, HB 5568, HB 5573, HB 5623, HJR 218

Keywords: political contributions, address privacy, Texas Ethics Commission, election transparency, campaign finance, international organizations, World Health Organization, jurisdiction, state law, enforcement, United Nations, World Economic Forum, attorney general, Texas attorney general, state sovereignty, legal enforcement, Texas Attorney General, electric energy storage, municipal regulation, county regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is all about local control, it's about our board members deciding a little more. freedom on
• Thank you. concerned about in fact it's been more we would like to allow these teachers to have more freedom

Bills: HB 1178, HB1411, HB1441, HB1773, HB1813, HB2107, HB2598, HB2911, HB2967, HB3672, HB5263, HB3797

Keywords: education, temporary certification, out-of-state educators, teacher shortage, military spouses, personal leave, school holidays, employee compensation, overtime provisions, school safety, peace officers, mental health, de-escalation techniques, trauma-informed care, student trustee, school board, student representation, education policy, nonvoting position, school governance

Transcript Highlights:

• I served in the Faculty Senate and also in the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee, where we keep the
• Faculty Senate and Academic Freedom and Tenure committees in higher education at the universities, at

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, in summary, you know, it declares legislative findings that extreme weather is driving homeowners
• He said there has never been a good market drive for this.
• We should be focused on lowering costs, protecting freedoms, and restoring transparency, not expanding
• And the people who drive the vehicles, they're... ...people who drive the vehicles, they're going to
• Between an electric vehicle and an ICE vehicle, it's just the emissions while you're driving.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There has always been freedom of the executive branch, for the governor's office, to reestablish whatever
• There has always been freedom of the executive branch, for the governor's office, to reestablish whatever
• There has always been freedom of the executive branch, for the governor's office, to reestablish whatever
• There has always been freedom of the executive branch, for the governor's office, to reestablish whatever
• There has always been freedom of the executive branch, for the governor's office, to reestablish whatever

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're grateful for the inspired constitution, for the freedoms that we have in this great nation.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're grateful for the inspired Constitution, for the freedoms that we have in this great nation.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, confirmed a quorum of 97 members present, and granted leave to Representatives Brad Hall and Brandon Aker. The chamber recognized several guests, including law enforcement officers, the doctor and nurse of the day, former Representative Carlton Wing, leadership groups from Hot Springs and Huntsville, NCSL liaison Susan Haltine, family members of Representative Jeremy Wooldridge, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and several representative-elects who will join the next General Assembly. The only bill taken up was House Bill 1001, the appropriation for the Arkansas House of Representatives for fiscal year 2025-2026. Representative Vaught presented the measure as the House’s operating appropriation for the fiscal session, no one spoke against it, and the bill passed with the emergency clause by a vote of 96 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 present. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 1 p.m. the next day. Members announced upcoming meetings for House Management, the Joint Budget Committee and its subcommittees, the Rules Committee, the Energy Caucus, and the House Prayer Caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you come here as an elected official, you see these paintings that talk about freedom and justice

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• God bless freedom. God bless our state. And God bless the United States of America.
• finally, God bless our troops.<00:06:40.800> God<00:06:41.120> bless<00:06:41.440> freedom
• God bless freedom. God bless our troops. God bless freedom.
• They feed our students,<02:42:58.560> they<02:42:58.720> drive<02:42:58.960> them
• ><02:42:59.120> to<02:42:59.359> school,<02:43:00.080> and students, they drive

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened under call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then took the roll, establishing a quorum. The chamber received a House message announcing passage of Senate File 3720, a workers’ compensation bill adopting 2026 recommendations of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council, and then moved through routine author changes and motions, including sending House File 3825 to the Finance Committee and advancing House File 3298, which was described as funding the removal and replacement of underground tanks to protect water supplies. A major floor item was Senate File 4282, the education forecast-adjustment bill. Senator Kunish explained that the conference committee updated appropriations to reflect forecast changes, added language on highly qualified paraprofessionals for Title I special education, provided tribal contract aid if a permanent school fund amendment passes, allowed districts to use operating capital for utility costs, extended grants for gender-neutral bathrooms, and made two school district fund transfers. The Senate adopted the conference report and passed the bill 34-33. The Senate then considered House File 3489, which would establish a felony offense of grooming, require reporting to licensing boards, update school and mandated reporter rules, and add funding for investigators. Supporters framed it as a child-protection measure based on a survivor’s testimony and a teacher-abuse case; one member also spoke in favor, while another offered a strongly partisan critique of public education. The Senate adopted the A11 amendment, gave the bill third reading, and passed it 66-0, then recessed briefly to honor guests in the gallery. After recess, the Senate took up House File 5074, the annual claims settlement bill. Senator Clark said it appropriates just over $5.1 million for claims including exoneration payments and a permanent injury claim, highlighting compensation for James Lamar Davis, Clayton Douglas Groves, and Marvin Haynes. The bill drew some debate over the Haynes payment and the calculation for an ankle injury claim, but it ultimately passed 64-2. The final item was House File 4074, the 2026 omnibus pension bill, described as improving public safety and other public employee retirement benefits, removing a COLA delay, creating work groups on duty disability, and addressing pension provisions for probation officers, 911 telecommunicators, St. Paul teachers, and other groups; the discussion was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I vaguely remember the drive to the ER, and as my head rested against the window, I drifted in and out
• :20:41.919> vaguely<00:20:42.320> remember<00:20:42.640> the<00:20:42.880> drive
• I vaguely remember the drive something.
• I vaguely remember the drive to<00:20:43.200> the<00:20:43.360> ER,<00:20:43.600> and
• Um and they of intellectual freedom.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 102, which would make informational materials about type 1 diabetes available on the Department of Education website. Senator Ward said the bill is intended to help parents, teachers, and school staff recognize early symptoms such as thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and weight loss so children can be referred for care before they develop diabetic ketoacidosis. He noted that a newer blood test can identify some children at risk earlier than in the past. Members asked how people would be directed to the website, and Ward said the information would be posted online and also distributed in handouts, with school personnel helping spread awareness. He emphasized the bill is informational only and not a diagnostic or treatment tool. Several supporters testified in favor, including representatives from the Dartmouth Diabetes Link and students with type 1 diabetes who described delayed diagnoses, emergency hospitalizations, and the difficulty of having symptoms misunderstood as stress, athletics, or normal teenage changes. They said the bill could help parents, teachers, and peers recognize warning signs earlier and reduce the risk of life-threatening ketoacidosis. One witness noted that New Hampshire ranks high in childhood type 1 diabetes, and another said even a single person seeing the information could make a difference. A retired diabetes educator and state representative also testified in support. The hearing on SB 102 was then closed. The committee then opened the hearing on Senate Bill 211, which would require school sports teams to be designated as male, female, or co-ed, bar biological males from female-designated teams and locker rooms, and create a cause of action for violations. Senator Avard said the bill responds to constituent concerns and is meant to protect fairness, safety, and privacy for biological females. In questioning, he said girls could still play on boys’ teams, but boys could not play on girls’ teams, and he said he would be open to changes. Opponents, including an attorney from LGBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, argued the bill is substantially the same as a law passed the previous year that was already challenged in federal court and found likely unconstitutional under equal protection and Title IX; they urged the committee to mark it inexpedient to legislate. The transcript cuts off before any committee vote or further action on SB 211.