Transcript Highlights:

• The program by one year.
• Our property taxes last year were raised 21%, with a proposal of 10% again this year.
• Two years is what this bill would authorize it to be delayed by. I don't know if we have two years.
• Two years is what this bill would authorize it to be delayed by. I don't know if we have two years.
• Two years is what this bill would authorize it to be delayed by. I don't know if we have two years.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um essentially what happens 10 years Um essentially what happens 10 years into<00:44:09.280>
• :42:02.160> half So a year from now a year and a half So a year from now a year and a half from
• for the last 4 years. for the last 4 years.
• , not just once a year and twice a year, not just once a year and leaving<02:59:30.200> that<02
• . year. year.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with quorum and seating issues, including the temporary appointment of Representative Shaw to fill in for a House member, followed by approval of the previous minutes and the consent calendar. Two items were then postponed to next month: Mechanical Licensing Board item 25-241 and Board of Veterinarian item 25-223. The committee then took up Department of Energy rulemaking on distributed energy resources interconnection procedures, including items 25-220 and related sections on fees, additional controls, and equipment. The Department explained revised language to address concerns that the original draft improperly suggested agency or PUC approval of utility fees; under the amended language, utilities would set fees designed to recover costs, with complaints handled through existing complaint procedures. Committee members and the Department discussed the statutory basis for that approach, including cost responsibility versus fee-setting authority. Public testimony was mixed. A small solar developer argued the rules still exceed statutory authority, impose unfair costs on customer generators, and allow utilities to shift transmission-related study costs onto interconnecting customers. Clean energy advocates supported the Department’s revised language but asked for clearer limits on charging customers for later-added controls, arguing costs should be tied directly to the customer’s interconnection and not to later utility-driven changes. Eversource supported the revised fee language, said most prior concerns were resolved, and recommended conditional approval, while also suggesting a minor wording change in the “Additional Equipment” section to clarify that only operational performance is covered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, $220,000 a year.
• Deputy Director Sergeant has over 30 years. Steve has been in 33-plus years.
• So our numbers at the Basic Academy, we are somewhere close to 700 per year.
• How many can you handle in the course of a year? You said you got 700.
• But we run three classes per year.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 25 or fiscal year 26. 4.9 4% growth in tax year 26 or fiscal year 27 under current law and as presented
• 18 through Fiscal Year 27.
• So as a result, no one has passed any tests at the end of the year. But.
• , we're gaining a year and a. years' time.
• over year.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• past five years alone.
• Reducing waiting time from the current 5 to 10 years to about 3 to 5 years.
• applicants a year.
• down the line rather than year by year by year.
• years for CWOP.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of budget and trailer bill presentations focused on labor and public employment programs. The first item covered EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on customer service improvements, fraud prevention, language access, and the Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged stronger legislative oversight as the project enters its most difficult phase, and members questioned the revised schedule, total cost, change orders, stress testing, SB 1090 implementation, and how race and ethnicity data will be protected. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that the work is being phased with disability insurance and paid family leave first, and that fraud has been greatly reduced since pandemic-era programs ended. Members also asked for follow-up information on SB 590 outreach and equity impacts. The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. The board and Department of Finance said the staffing reductions reflect the end of surge funding and that the proposal would consolidate roughly 10 to 12 reports into one annual report, with additional reporting only if new funds are appropriated for certain programs. Senator Durazo questioned the policy direction of reducing workforce staffing, while the administration said the positions were tied to temporary grant programs and that current staffing is sufficient for ongoing duties. Members also asked about the board’s role in AI-related workforce planning and the rationale for using state funds for the High Road Construction Careers Program. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund reforms and related staffing request at DIR. The administration and LAO described rapid growth in applications, backlog, and liabilities, saying the program’s eligibility has expanded beyond its original intent and that liabilities could reach about $30 billion by 2030 without reform. The trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply the changes to open cases, and use the QME process and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, evaluator capacity, and the relationship to other SIBTF legislation, while the LAO said the proposal largely aligns with its prior recommendations. DIR also presented a request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, which drew criticism from members who argued the cuts could weaken enforcement and backlog reduction efforts; the committee asked DIR to return with more detail on impacts and on its use of temporary-help authority. The final items addressed a request for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff and a trailer bill to make permanent the revised Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition timeline. DIR said the BOI staffing would help investigate fatalities and serious injuries more quickly, while members emphasized the importance of family contact and timely investigations. For the WCAB item, the chair explained that the 2024 change to Labor Code section 5909, which starts the 60-day decision clock when a case is transmitted rather than when a petition is filed, has reduced pending cases and should be made permanent; the remaining backlog was reported at 460 cases, down from 637 before the change.

Transcript Highlights:

• years.
• And is that number pretty consistent year over year?
• The '80s were dry years, drought years, whatever.
• It was five years ago, six years ago. Or the ones that we re-did, and I don't know what year.
• It was five years ago, six years ago, '21, okay.

Summary: The committee opened its third interim meeting with roll call, approved the November 13, 2025 minutes, and the chair reviewed prior committee work, including a denied request for a fertilizer-capacity study and a planned later discussion of the Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger issue. Commissioner Doug Goring then presented Department of Agriculture updates on uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, the state’s irrigation potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and supply in North Dakota. Members asked about funding sources, fertilizer storage and availability, natural gas and water needs for future fertilizer plants, and how the model zoning website would help counties and townships apply setback and odor tools. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the department is proposing changes to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and updated hydrologic data, while still limiting the model to direct, demonstrable costs and benefits. He said the goal is to make the analysis more realistic and consistent without changing statute, and he provided examples of how project benefits could change as drains age or as rainfall and flood data evolve. Committee members and water-user representatives generally supported continued work on the proposal, while raising concerns about downstream impacts, closed-basin projects, and whether the changes would meaningfully affect project approvals. The committee then heard from John Paskowski, state engineer, on Devil’s Lake, the West End and East End outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. He reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow limits, and explained that the control structure is intended to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled release by slowing erosion and head cutting. Members asked about water quality trends, the length of the downstream flow constraint, and whether the Tolna Coulee area had been studied for possible natural overflow or silt buildup. The discussion emphasized ongoing flooding concerns, mitigation for affected landowners, and the need to balance outlet operations with downstream water quality and infrastructure protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:03:59.000> capacity<00:03:59.879> so<00:04:00.079> for<00:04:00.360> years
• <00:04:01.040> um 10 round capacity so for years um 10 round capacity so for years um pistols
• It would extend the time periods to basically allow the labs to have enough time to process the testing
• It would extend the time periods to basically allow the labs to have enough time to process the testing
• It's to allow the labs to have enough time to process the testing. Recommendation is to pass as is.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met in decision-making only session and took up a series of bills, mostly approving them with amendments. SB 1032 on campaign finance passed with amendments to change the certification process for business entities, add a severability-type provision if foreign-influence conditions are struck down, and note a related Minnesota federal case. SB 401 on firearms passed with amendments to exclude shotguns, grandfather legally registered devices in place as of the effective date, and add committee report findings; SB 382 on procurement confidentiality passed as is; SB 598 extending deadlines for administrative driver’s license revocation review decisions passed as is; SB 771 on HHFDC board leadership passed as is; and SB 1318 clarifying water pollution enforcement jurisdiction passed as is. The committee also approved SB 1657 with an amendment removing authority to condemn public property, SB 1102 with an amendment making the Fire Council the source of nominees for the aircraft rescue fire fighting chief, and SB 100 with amendments replacing the original substance with a prohibition on fingerprinting nonprofit liquor-license board members during background checks and limiting the bill to counties under 500,000 population. SB 170 and SB 1296, both related to special management area exemptions for affordable housing and disaster-related reconstruction, passed with amendments incorporating Office of Planning, Sustainable Development, and Attorney General changes to narrow and clarify the exemptions. Finally, SB 363, a cleanup bill related to firearm parts and ghost gun laws, was considered with amendments that deleted a proposed new penalty section, revised existing firearms statutes, removed an unnecessary definition, and expanded penalties to include indeterminate imprisonment terms. Despite the amendments, the measure was not adopted because the Vice Chair voted no. The committee then adjourned and announced a later joint hearing with Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have done property tax rollback, I think the last three years. Look at that. Four years.
• All told, CR Maguire and its affiliated companies racked up contracts over the last several years valued
• It was tough to get testing centers, and it was tough to get later on vaccine locations.
• A lot of people who would never have had access to testing, and it was Tina Vidal who stood in the parking
• This year, the House is the host and it will be their bill that we adopt finally at the end of the time

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The numbers don't change as the years go by. It does lower the cost on the infrastructure...
• We, in researching this, discovered that this goes back about 80 years.
• We got in a rabbit hole that the administration has been going from for many years.
• But when they do a surface test, aluminum levels, burial mercury, heavy metals are found.
• Alabama does not consent to being a test site for dangerous geoengineering schemes.

Bills: HB248, HB311

Keywords: weather modification, atmospheric pollution, chemical dispersion, environmental law, public health, improvement districts, assessment collection, property taxes, local governance, foreclosure procedures, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• payments for 2 more years. payments for 2 more years.
• and testing. and testing.
• saying, well, we need two more years? saying, well, we need two more years?
• with a two-year delay. with a two-year delay.
• 17 years or under. 17 years or under.

Bills: HF4712, HF4801, HF3756, HF4860, HF4931, HF4289, HF4460

Keywords: residential pools, swimming classes, certification, private business, health safety, health care, prior authorization, managed care, medical assistance, mental health, substance use treatment, chronic conditions, health insurance, insulin, healthcare access, pharmacy regulations, patient assistance, affordable medication, healthcare, pharmacy

Summary: The committee met at 1:00 p.m., confirmed a quorum, and approved the April 8, 2026 minutes. The first bill heard was House File 4712, which was laid over after the committee adopted a DE2 amendment. Representative Schultz said the bill would create a narrow additional exception to public pool limitations so highly certified swimming instructors could use certain pools for specialized infant, youth, and developmental-disability swim instruction. The only testifier, Tessa Seppelt, described ISR instruction as water-safety and drowning-prevention training for very young children and children with developmental delays, and said access to appropriate facilities is the main barrier. Members raised questions about emergency egress, public safety, and insurance coverage, and the author said he would follow up on those concerns. The committee then took up House File 4801, a bill by Representative Nadeau aimed at health care program integrity. He said it would align commercial and Medicaid partners to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse by changing prior authorization and retrospective review processes, improving data sharing on suspected fraud, addressing conflicting or duplicative services, allowing managed care organizations to verify provider credentials, and making risk corridors in MCO contracts permanent. The Minnesota Council of Health Plans supported the bill, saying it would help detect fraud and improve coordination, while the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposed it, arguing that expanded prior authorization would delay care, increase physician burden, and harm children with chronic conditions. Members debated patient safety, fraud detection, and whether the bill would undermine recent prior-authorization reforms. The bill was laid over. House File 3756, a technical update to the insulin safety net program, was also laid over. Representative Backer said the bill clarifies that a hospital-use intravenous insulin product is not part of the program because it is sold only to health care institutions and infused by practitioners, not dispensed to patients for self-use. The Board of Pharmacy testified that the language was drafted to avoid affecting future legitimate uses, and members asked whether the definition could limit new uses if treatments change. The committee then began House File 4860, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s presentation is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, this year we saw some small but measurable improvements from last year, especially in mental health
• study and registry uh a couple of years study and registry uh a couple of years ago.<00:13:36.800
• <00:15:54.079> especially improvements from last year especially improvements from last year
• So um maybe from year 1 to year<00:26:53.440> two<00:26:54.080> um<00:26:54.480> the
• years.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on the second anniversary of the Maui wildfires, with Chair Dela Alani framing the discussion around emergency preparedness, recovery, and lessons for future disasters. The main presentation came from researchers involved in the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, who described the project as a grassroots academic-community partnership that has enrolled more than 2,000 adults and children for health screenings, social assessments, and biomonitoring. They said the study has documented elevated mental and physical health conditions, housing instability, unemployment, barriers to care, and exposure to heavy metals and other toxicants, while also noting some modest improvement in adult mental health and self-rated health compared with the prior year. The presenters emphasized that wildfire impacts remain severe two years later. They reported that about half of adult participants had worsening health since the fires, roughly 40% had direct or frequent fire exposure, and many adults showed chronic disease burdens such as hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory impairment. They also said about half of adult survivors reported depressive symptoms, about a quarter had moderate to severe anxiety, more than 4% had considered suicide in the prior month, and nearly one in four had PTSD. A clinician from the Lahaina Certified Community Behavioral Health Center described the clinic’s no-turn-away model, with case management, therapy, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management for anyone who needs it, and urged lawmakers to fund and expand that approach. The researchers also highlighted environmental findings, saying urine testing of more than 1,200 adults found heavy metal signatures that differed between burn-zone residents and those on the perimeter, with higher levels associated with displacement and ash re-exposure. They said about 20% of participants had higher-than-expected heavy metal levels 6 to 12 months after the fires, and cited a negative association between nickel levels and lung function. They argued for long-term monitoring, better cleanup methods, and a centralized health surveillance system tied to community outreach. No vote or formal committee action was taken during the briefing; the chair said the presentation materials and related reports would be posted for public access, and members were invited to ask questions after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• The damages per thousand locates in fiscal year, pardon me, calendar year 2024.
• this year.
• in the last couple of years.
• The damage prevention law in Texas hasn't been updated in over 25 years. five years.
• . years.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, uh, just four short years ago, you know, it's amazing how time flies. So congratulations.
• Offering virtual reality vision tests, which only take about 3 to 5 minutes.
• And then after 2 years, have MIA do a report back on where the existing investigations are.
• years years um<00:19:33.320> on<00:19:33.640> any<00:19:33.960> collection<00:19
• And then after 2 years, receipts tax.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, March 26, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with 39 members present and a quorum. The session opened with an invocation by Bishop Antonio Palmer of Kingdom Celebration Center, whose remarks were journalized. The President and members also welcomed several guests to the chamber, including former Delegate Sean Terrence, students from Charles H. Flowers High School and Garrison Forest School, Dr. Lee Snyder as doctor of the day, and Dr. Barbara Ann Palmer in recognition of Women’s History Month. The President also noted that the next day would be pro forma and that some scheduled items would be moved to the following week. The Senate considered Executive Nominations Report No. 6, covering gubernatorial nominees for boards and commissions including the State Board of Education, MEDCO, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. On motion of the committee chair, the report was special ordered to Tuesday, with members asked to review the list for recusals or related issues. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 890, which concerns an insurance premium receipts tax exemption for captive insurance procured by nonprofit hospitals and health care systems. On SB 890, the Senate adopted the committee amendments and then adopted a floor amendment offered by the bill sponsor. The amendment was described as replacing the bill’s earlier approach with a two-year moratorium on collection of any related liabilities, followed by a Maryland Insurance Administration report back on ongoing investigations. One senator raised concern that the amendment’s language could require the state to refund taxes already paid by hospitals and others, potentially costing millions, and asked for more time to review it; the motion to special order the bill was defeated. After discussion, the amendment was adopted and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. At the close of the floor session, committee and delegation announcements were made, including Finance, Triple E, Judicial Proceedings, Budget and Tax, Executive Nominations, and several county delegations. A senator from District 6 also spoke about the anniversary of the Key Bridge collapse and thanked colleagues for bipartisan work on related legislation and recovery efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• years ago we were years and oh about 20 years ago we were been<00:19:10.480> asking<00:19:10.840
• Um, and I do wonder because we also have heard a lot last year and this year that the sport is really
• in law at that time and then 10 years in law at that time and then 10 years ago<01:26:25.719>
• We test to those standards.
• We test to those standards.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• fund last year. fund last year.
• <01:46:18.760> that get a year behind, it's 3 years that get a year behind, it's 3 years that
• years I served. years I served.
• . year. year.
• . year. year.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and years.
• It can go on for years. Years before you get a response. That just can't happen.
• I mean, we've seen that in California, where it has gone on for years and years.
• after year after year.
• after year after year after year after year for this cleanup, so that it just doesn't affect the bottom

Keywords: presidential nominations, EPA, environmental policy, Fish and Wildlife, committee meeting

Summary: The committee meeting focused on the presidential nominations of Brigadier General Brian Nesvick as Director of Fish and Wildlife and Jess Kramer and Sean Donahue as assistant administrators at the EPA. Each nominee presented their qualifications and experiences in their respective fields, with an emphasis on their commitment to uphold the laws passed by Congress. The discussion highlighted the nominees' dedication to addressing environmental issues and their proactive stances on regulatory matters. After deliberation, votes were held to report the nominations favorably, despite some members voicing concerns regarding their qualifications and potential conflicts with environmental interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:00:54.079> fire<00:00:54.239> table test fire table test fire table shows<00:00:56.079
• And it's all a balancing test.
• And it's all a balancing test.
• years in the hard weather. years in the hard weather.
• I'm proud to say that for the ninth year out of the last 12 years, just last month, we provided over

Bills: HF3889, HF2567, HF3878

Keywords: workforce development, grant program, employment, economic development, funding, employment contract, labor policy, employee rights, unconscionable provisions, public policy, legal enforcement, airport workers, wage standards, labor rights, minimum wage, economic equity, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's say you had a routine blood test that maybe cost the insurance company $150.
• space after the last name and it's too long, or this health diagnosis doesn't match what this blood test
• /c><00:08:30.560> Minnesota<00:08:30.960> as<00:08:31.120> a<00:08:31.280> test
• um and they used Minnesota as a test um and they used Minnesota as a test case.<00:08:32.080>
• /c><00:10:41.680> are The federal government hasn't set any AI regulations, and we are many years

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senator Erin Maye Quade discussed her package of bipartisan AI-regulation bills, saying consumer-facing AI is largely unregulated and has already caused harm to children, adults, the environment, consumer prices, and privacy. She argued the federal government has not acted, so states are stepping in, and said the issue is drawing support across party lines because the harms are affecting red, purple, and blue states alike. She described a bill aimed at AI chatbots and children, citing reports of self-harm, suicide, disordered eating, harmful behavior, and other unsafe interactions. She said chatbots are designed to maximize engagement, avoid friction, and keep conversations going, which can be especially dangerous for developing brains and can lead to explicit or boundary-pushing content without human oversight. Maye Quade also outlined bills to bar health insurers from using AI in review, evaluation, determination, or appeals processes, saying insurers already deny claims too aggressively and AI speeds up denials. Another bill would prohibit AI-driven surveillance pricing, which she said allows companies to use personal data to charge different customers different prices for the same product. A final bill would require notice when people are interacting with AI and provide access to a human, which she said is important for both routine customer service and high-stakes situations like medical appointments. She acknowledged possible court challenges but said coordinated state action could effectively create a national framework if Congress continues to do nothing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Aiden is 13 years old.
• , earning $60,000 a year.
• Senator, the bill requires five employees for five years at $60,000 a year.
• for a $60,000 a year job.
• So it's got a one-year delay.

Transcript Highlights:

• to catch up after years of underfunding. to catch up after years of underfunding.
• So about $50 million a year out of general fund revenues of over $30 billion a year.
• , 5 years, 20 years, 30 years.
• Uh, there won't be a test.
• or last year.

Keywords: 1183, house