Transcript Highlights:

• Those are big lakes to have PFAS in our lakes.
• Those are big lakes to have PFAS in our lakes.
• Those are big lakes to have PFAS in our lakes.
• Those are big lakes to have PFAS in our lakes.
• </c><00:56:14.720><c> in</c> Lakes and a lot of other lakes in Lakes and a lot of other lakes in between

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide affordable access to our lakes, prairies, hills, and rivers.

Bills: HF474, HF218, HF210, HF441, HF691, HF720, HF1068, HF1314, HF1465, HF1860, HF2046, HF1389, HF2404, HF2854, HF2985, HF3128, HF3103, HF778, HF3125

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide affordable access to our lakes, prairies, hills, and rivers.
• affordable<00:52:00.880><c> access</c><00:52:01.200><c> to</c><00:52:01.440><c> our</c><00:52:01.680><c> lakes
• ,</c><00:52:02.160><c> to</c><00:52:02.319><c> our</c> affordable access to our lakes, to our affordable
• access to our lakes, to our prairies,<00:52:03.680><c> um</c><00:52:03.920><c> to</c><00:52:04.160><

Bills: HF474, HF218, HF210, HF441, HF691, HF720, HF1068, HF1314, HF1465, HF1860, HF2046, HF1389, HF2404, HF2854, HF2985, HF3128, HF3103, HF778, HF3125

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, Senator Mover Benton, thank you, Mr.
• All right, Senator Mover Benton, thank you, Mr.
• Last month, the pilot program for body-worn cameras was implemented at both Lino Lakes and Shakopee and
• Last month, the pilot program for body-worn cameras was implemented at both Lino Lakes and Shakopee and
• shortage of programming space, and I'm sorry that we weren't able to move ahead with Rush City and Lino Lakes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For discussion, gentleman from Benton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• are doing is we are eliminating and combining the Show Me, Missouri Valley, Ozark Gateway, ABCD, and Lakes

Summary: The House first established a quorum after a brief quorum call and a recognition of Doug Pitt and Crystal Simon of Care to Learn, an organization described as serving students statewide with clothing and other support products. The chamber then moved through a series of bills on perfection and printing, with members often explaining the purpose of each measure and offering supportive or critical questions. House Bill 2848 would create the offense of masked intimidation, making it a misdemeanor to conceal one’s face while intentionally harassing, intimidating, or threatening another person in a way that places them in reasonable fear for their safety. Members discussed historical examples such as hooded intimidation and modern examples involving doorbell cameras; concerns about law enforcement or ICE were raised and answered by the sponsor as outside the bill’s intent. The bill was ordered perfected and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1791 would require building permits to be issued within 30 days, or 60 days for larger tracts, with an appeals process if applications are incomplete. Supporters said it would reduce red tape and help address housing affordability and disaster recovery, while opponents warned it could strain understaffed local governments. An amendment requiring code enforcement officials to be certified in any nationally or internationally recognized code they enforce was adopted, and the bill was then perfected and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2465 was also perfected and printed; it would let sole proprietors and very small businesses buy group health coverage outside the ACA framework, expanding options for small employers. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2711 would reduce the assessment rate for broadband infrastructure and investment from 33% to 12% for seven years. Members debated whether the incentive should apply to upgrades within existing service areas or only to expansion into underserved areas; an amendment clarifying that the purpose is to promote expansion of fiber and broadband services was adopted, and the bill was perfected and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3080 would restore historic preservation tax credit language previously enacted and later struck down by the courts; supporters from across the state cited recovery, tourism, and redevelopment projects, and the bill was perfected and printed. House Bill 1772 would raise state payments for adoption attorneys and separate guardian fees to help reduce barriers to adoption; it was described as a first step to help children move more quickly into permanent homes and was perfected and printed. House Bill 296 would increase state matching funds for regional planning commissions, update the list of commissions, and tie future maximum grants to the consumer price index; it was also perfected. Finally, House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2913 and 3228 would protect teachers and other school employees from liability when they reasonably intervene to protect themselves or students from violence, while not requiring them to intervene; the measure was strongly supported by educators and was perfected and printed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent District 57 in Central Missouri, covering most of Benton County, parts of Pettis and Johnson
• Louis might want to retire at Lake of the Ozarks and teach in a district closer there for a few years

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Davina Duerr [member_17413], from the 1st District, which includes Woodinville, Bothell, Kenmore, Lake
• and Ranking Member Mark Klicker [member_17348], 60th District, Walla Walla County, large part of Benton

Summary: The committee heard a series of presentations on comprehensive plan updates, permitting reform, special purpose district coordination, and subdivision reform. Pierce County and the City of Redmond described their recent comprehensive plan updates, emphasizing housing production, transit-oriented development, middle housing, preservation of affordable housing, and the need for technical assistance and clearer state guidance. Both jurisdictions said the planning process took years and was complicated by overlapping state requirements, changing legislative mandates, and multiple review authorities. Redmond in particular said mid-course legislative changes forced supplemental environmental review and added significant cost and delay, and both local governments asked for more stability, clearer statutes, and better-aligned timelines. Presenters from the architecture, building official, and development sectors focused on permitting delays and proposed ways to speed housing delivery. Dave Boucher of AIA Washington argued for a provisional construction permit process for projects stamped by licensed professionals, along with mandatory deadlines and fewer stalled review cycles. Tim Woodard of WABO described existing tools such as pre-application meetings and phased approvals, noting they can improve certainty but also require staff time and careful coordination. Representatives from Master Builders and D.R. Horton said permit and subdivision delays add substantial cost to housing, citing studies showing months of delay and tens of thousands of dollars added per home, and urged administrative approvals, concurrent review, self-certification, and limits on repeated review cycles. The committee also reviewed a Commerce-led task force report on integrating special purpose districts into Growth Management Act planning. The task force recommended early invitation and notice to water, sewer, school, port, and other service providers during countywide planning policy and comprehensive plan updates, better coordination on grants and capital projects, updated water system coordination plans, and improved school siting and funding alignment in fast-growing areas. Speakers stressed that the recommendations were intended to be light-touch and focused on better communication rather than major statutory overhaul, while also noting that rural and slow-growing areas should not be burdened with the same requirements as rapidly growing jurisdictions. On subdivision reform, FutureWise and the City of Spokane discussed making more subdivision decisions administrative, preserving vesting, clarifying exemptions, and reducing unnecessary notice and appeal steps. Spokane described local reforms such as smaller minimum lot sizes, unit lot subdivisions, and reduced-process “minor engineering review” for simple plats, while raising concerns about new notice requirements and appeals to city councils for technical plat decisions. Across the hearing, members repeatedly returned to the theme that local governments, builders, and state agencies need clearer, more coordinated rules to reduce delay and uncertainty while still protecting safety and planning goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair calls Ezra Morales, Megan Benton, and Molly Voiles. Okay, give it to her. Thank you.
• Next, we have Megan Benton. Oh, sorry. Miss... MS. Did you say you were an educator? Correct?
• Megan Benton, we have you registered on behalf of Texas Values.
• My name is Megan Benton.

Bills: HB7, SB 8, HB7, SB 8

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think Senator Benton Court, you were there.
• Alvarado, Benton, and 28 ayes and no nays. The rule is suspended.
• Do you yield, Senator Benton Court? Certainly.
• Senator Benton Court, this is very similar, as you said, to Senate Bill, House Bill 3.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, invocation, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then observed a moment of silence after Senator Eckhardt referenced a mass shooting in Austin. The chamber also agreed to postpone reading and referral of bills until later in the day. Early procedural business included a motion not to print Senate Bill 3, which was adopted without objection. Later, Senator Mendez raised a parliamentary inquiry about moving flood relief bills to the top of the calendar, but the presiding officer said the order of business was up to the chair. The main floor action centered on Senate Bill 4, the congressional redistricting bill. Senator King laid out the bill, describing it as the companion to the House version, based on 2020 census data, and arguing it was legal, race-blind, more compact, and likely to elect more Republicans. Senators asked extensive questions about the process, public hearings, and the map’s effects on districts and communities. The Senate voted to suspend the regular order of business and the three-day rule, then passed SB 4 to engrossment and finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 19 yeas and 2 nays. The Senate also took up Senate Bill 6, relating to abortion and civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs. Senator Hughes argued the bill was needed to stop illegal abortion pills being mailed into Texas and harming women and unborn children. The Senate suspended the regular order of business and the three-day rule, passed the bill to engrossment, and then finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 18 yeas, 10 nays, and one present not voting. A lengthy discussion followed on the committee substitute for Senate Bill 14, which would standardize law enforcement personnel and departmental files statewide. Senator King said the bill codifies a TCOLE model policy and limits public access to personnel files to substantiated misconduct, commendations, and evaluations, while keeping other records available through other legal processes. Senators Eckhardt, West, Hinojosa, and others questioned how the bill would affect transparency, meet-and-confer agreements, civilian review boards, and access to unsubstantiated complaints. An amendment by Senator Hinojosa of Dallas to narrow the bill to unfounded complaints failed, and SB 14 was then passed to engrossment on a vote of 18 yeas and 10 nays. The final major item was Senate Bill 1, the natural disaster omnibus bill responding to the July flooding. Senator Perry said the bill addresses camp and RV park safety, evacuation plans, emergency rooftop access, lines of succession for local emergency management, annual drills, volunteer management, drone restrictions over disaster areas, small-business recovery loans, and a statewide data hub for flood and weather monitoring. Senators Menendez, Eckhardt, and Kolkhorst asked about autopsies, volunteer background checks, liability, warning systems, floodplain mitigation, and coordination with FEMA and local governments. Perry said the bill focuses on preparation, response, and recovery, while broader prevention and mitigation issues may be addressed later. The transcript ends during this extended discussion, before final action on SB 1 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kristen Benton, I'm Executive Director of the Board of Nursing.
• Benton has just said, over 560,000 licensees we have and over. and 219 schools that we have purview over
• Benton and the board. the agency and what we're requesting.
• Benton. She hasn't been at this role long, but she has a long tenure.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are four individuals: Benton, Arnett, Casey Kelly, Liz Dalton, and Reed Clay.
• I think I want to reiterate what Benton mentioned a minute ago, which is, you know, Nuclear is going

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's actually Benton now.
• My fiance and I got a new house, so I'm from Benton, but, Madam Speaker, that is my motion.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And Benton Brown, representing Make Our Schools Safe, didn't indicate a position.
• And Benton Brown representing Make Our Schools Safe didn't indicate a position. Support.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety met with a quorum and adopted the June 4, 2026 minutes. The committee first took up Senate Bill 712, adopting the S-2 substitute, which expands residency requirements to include adjoining districts and removes a provision allowing a district to appoint someone employed by the district. The committee then reported SB 712 to the floor. It also considered House Bills 4025 and 4026, described as safe storage tax exemption bills; the committee heard one supportive written card and reported both bills to the floor, each on a 5-1 vote. The committee next heard testimony on Senate Bill 885, which would create a statewide Parent and Child Legal Representation Commission and Office within LARA to address child protective legal representation. Senator Singh and Alicia Moon of the Michigan Supreme Court described the current county-by-county system as uneven, with attorney shortages, inconsistent pay, and limited specialized training. They said the bill would set standards for training, caseloads, client contact, and compensation, while requiring public comment and future appropriations before implementation. Testimony and written cards from a broad range of organizations and judges supported the measure, and the committee reported SB 885 to the floor on a 6-0 vote. The committee then heard extensive testimony on Senate Bills 1015 and 1016, which would create an Office of Community Violence Intervention and Prevention within MDHHS and establish a grant program to support community violence intervention efforts statewide. Sponsors and witnesses from Force Detroit, D-Live, Seize the Smoke, Advance Peace, public health, law enforcement, and advocacy groups described CVI as a public health and public safety strategy that reduces shootings, supports survivors, and saves public costs. Several witnesses cited local data showing reductions in shootings and homicides in Detroit and Lansing, while one witness from the Michigan Sheriff's Association opposed the bills as written. The committee voted to report both SB 1015 and SB 1016 to the floor, each on a 5-0 vote with one pass, and then adjourned after additional testimony and reading of support cards.

Transcript Highlights:

• Several of the surrounding states, when I go to, when I leave Benton, Missouri, it's 80 miles to the
• So I recall recently, every year I would go to Ha-Ha Tonka down at Lake of the Ozarks.
• Jeff Renetti, District 123, representing Camden County, home of Lake of the Ozarks.

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation first heard Senate Bill 1408, which would allow Missouri to raise rural interstate speed limits from 70 to 75 miles per hour. Senator Berger argued the change would improve traffic flow, align Missouri with neighboring states, and reflect modern vehicle safety technology, while acknowledging the fiscal note and possible fatality concerns. Supporters, including a National Motorist Association witness and other members, said 75 mph is common elsewhere, drivers already exceed posted limits, and the bill would simply give MoDOT discretion rather than mandate higher speeds. Opponents, including law enforcement, AAA, the Missouri Insurance Coalition, and MoDOT, argued higher speeds would increase crash severity and fatalities, especially for young and older drivers, commercial vehicles, and road workers, and said any change should be based on engineering studies rather than a blanket policy. MoDOT testified that Missouri interstates are not designed for 75 mph, cited higher fatality rates in states that raised limits, and said the bill could add roughly 20 to 25 deaths on rural interstates; members also debated enforcement, distracted driving, truck speed governors, and whether the bill would apply beyond interstates to some state highways. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then took up House Bill 3447, which would update Missouri towing and recovery laws. Representative Vernetti said the bill is intended to protect consumers, require adequate insurance for large commercial vehicles, improve notice and dispute procedures, limit unreasonable storage charges, and clarify abandoned-vehicle handling. Towing industry witnesses said they often recover vehicles with expensive equipment, face unpaid bills and underinsured customers, and need a faster dispute-resolution process; they described the bill as a starting point and said current law leaves towing companies holding large unpaid balances. Trucking representatives and some members criticized the proposed insurance requirement as too burdensome for Missouri carriers, especially owner-operators and small fleets, and argued the issue may be better addressed through federal action or broader tort reform. The discussion ended with the bill still in testimony, with witnesses indicating they were open to further negotiation on the dispute-resolution and insurance provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank my friend, Senator Benton, for pointing out an error that was in the bill that we fixed
• fire chiefs that could see upwards of a quarter of a million-dollar loss on his yearly budget out in Lake
• Thank you, Chief, and you're here testifying on behalf of Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Texas Fire Chiefs
• I am Robert Abbott, Fire Chief with Lake Travis Fire Rescue, and I am against the bill for a number of
• I mean, so when the fire chief was here just for the Lake Travis area and Representative Troxclair's

Bills: HB17, HB23, SB 10

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support, youth programs, community education, county population threshold, large county, local government revenue, leasehold interest, possessory interest

Transcript Highlights:

• Benton Kelly E. Pang, who as we many know is a noted ethnobotanist.
• </c><01:04:58.559><c> Benton</c> the the quote is from um Dr. Benton the the quote is from um Dr.
• Benton Kelly<01:04:59.280><c> E</c><01:04:59.520><c> Pang</c><01:04:59.839><c> who</c><01:05:00.000><

Bills: HB2198, HB2021, HB1881, HB1964, HB1990, HB2151, HB2599, HB2414

Keywords: gambling, prediction markets, Hawaii gambling laws, financial contracts, ethical concerns, electric bicycles, micro-mobility devices, safety regulations, traffic laws, insurance exemption, high-speed electric devices, land use, ropeway, transportation, state regulation, government exemption, building code, permitting process, training, state council

Transcript Highlights:

• David Emmerich, Macy, Megan Benton, and Kaitlin Cash.
• Call Jessica Cox, Shelly Hayes McMahon, Jennifer Mendoza, and Megan Benton.
• I see we have Megan Benton. And a person called Jennifer Mendoza.
• My name is Megan Benton, and I'm the Strategic Policy Associate for Texas Values Action, the largest

Bills: SB10, SB16, SB6, SB 6, SB 10, SB 16

Keywords: trafficking, prostitution, affirmative defense, victims, criminal justice reform, victim rights, criminal justice, judicial reform, court procedures, mental health services, criminal penalties, court security, SB 6, Woman and Child Protection Act, abortion, abortion-inducing drugs, medication abortion, mifepristone, misoprostol, pro-life

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent District 57 in Central Missouri, covering most all of Benton...
• District 57 in Central Missouri, covering most all of Benton County, part of Pettis and Johnson, and
• record that there is no bigger fan that has done more for county government than the gentleman from Benton

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and voted 16-0 to give Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 914 and House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3467 a do pass recommendation. HB 3467 was amended before the vote, with members noting the sponsor had incorporated committee feedback and made technical corrections, including ballot-language fixes and statutory updates. The chair then moved the committee into public hearing and asked witnesses to keep testimony concise. The bulk of the meeting focused on House Joint Resolution 107, which would put before voters a constitutional question related to Jackson County’s charter government and the possible separation of Kansas City from Jackson County. The sponsor argued the measure was about voter sovereignty and local control, saying Jackson County residents should be able to decide how they are governed. Supporters, including a Jackson County legislator, said the county’s current structure leaves Eastern Jackson County underrepresented and that local reform efforts have been blocked. Opponents, including representatives of Kansas City, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Civic Council, argued the proposal was unnecessary, costly, and poorly drafted, raising concerns about the 10-year resubmission language, the exclusion of local officials from the transition process, and the potential $9 million statewide election cost. No action was taken on HJR 107. The committee also heard Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 975, which deals with ambulance district mergers and community paramedic/mobile integrated health services. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help struggling rural ambulance districts merge without disrupting billing and would expand community paramedic care, especially in areas with limited access to health care. Several witnesses described successful programs that reduce emergency room use and improve patient outcomes. Opponents, including fire district and firefighters’ representatives, supported the merger provisions but objected to Senate-added language that would loosen jurisdictional and MOU requirements for community paramedic services, arguing it could undermine local control and create loopholes. The committee recessed before finishing the remaining agenda item, House Bill 3496, and planned to reconvene later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I ask for you to call upon the gentleman from Pettis, Adrain, Lewis, and Benton County, followed
• Speaker, I ask for you to call upon the gentleman from Pettis, Adrain, Lewis, and Benton County, followed
• Gentleman from Benton.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal by roll call vote, 139-1. Members spent much of the morning introducing guests and recognizing visitors, including Missouri FFA officers, library advocates, park and recreation professionals, interns, community leaders, and family members. The chamber also heard a tribute to William Clay Sr. in observance of Black History Month. The first major bill taken up was House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1757, which would require universal gifted-student screening by the end of third grade and clarify how schools identify gifted students. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is meant to expand access to gifted services, reduce bias in identification, and ensure students are screened regardless of zip code or family resources. Several members asked about funding, screening methods, and whether the bill would create an unfunded mandate; the sponsor said schools would have flexibility to use two of seven screening options and that the bill would not require a gifted program unless a district reaches the 3% threshold. The House adopted the committee substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. The chamber then took up House Committee Substitute for House Bills 1667 and 2294, the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The sponsor said the measure would require medical care for infants born alive during or after an abortion attempt and impose civil and criminal penalties for failure to provide care. Supporters framed the bill as protecting newborns who survive an abortive attempt, while opponents argued it was duplicative of existing law, could criminalize medical providers, and would worsen Missouri’s maternity-care shortages and discourage doctors from practicing in the state. Members debated the bill’s language, intent, and possible effects on abortion-related investigations and medical practice; the discussion continued beyond the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I ask for you to call upon the gentleman from Pettis, Audrain, Lewis, and Benton County, followed
• Speaker, I ask for you to call upon the gentleman from Pettus, Audraign, Lewis, and Benton County, followed
• Gentlemen from Benton.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal, and a long series of special guest introductions recognizing interns, community leaders, FFA officers, library advocates, park and recreation professionals, and others. Members also used points of personal privilege to honor Black History Month and the legacy of William Clay Sr. The chamber then moved into first reading of several bills, including measures on University of Missouri curators, personal property assessment lists, and state department spending. The main floor action centered on House Bill 1757, which would require universal screening of third-graders for gifted education using flexible screening methods and would help ensure students who qualify are identified regardless of zip code or family resources. Supporters argued the bill would close gaps in gifted identification and expand access, while questions focused on funding, screening methods, and whether the bill would create an unfunded mandate. The House adopted the committee substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. Members then debated the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, presented as House Committee Substitute for House Bills 1667 and 2294. Supporters said the bill would require medical care for infants who survive an abortion attempt and impose civil and criminal penalties for knowingly harming such a child. Opponents argued the bill was duplicative of existing law, could criminalize medical providers, and would worsen Missouri’s maternal care shortages. The debate included extended questioning about the bill’s standards, scope, and enforcement, but no final vote on the born-alive measure was taken in the excerpt.