Transcript Highlights:

• would mandate that insurers offer a policy to a home that has gotten their wildfire-prepared home certificate
• Voluntarily by insurance companies of rewarding households that get their certificate.
• There are significant obstacles to getting that certificate, not just the cost of it, but also just a
• We need to establish statewide certification for wildfire mitigation.
• The state fire marshal has created a model defensible-space law, but we lack statewide certification

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance held an informational hearing on how climate change, wildfire risk, and related catastrophes are affecting California’s insurance market, affordability, and availability. Chair and members framed the issue as a statewide challenge tied to resiliency, land use, utilities, legal liability, and the FAIR Plan. Senator Becker noted the hearing was connected to SB 254 and its recent report, while the Vice Chair emphasized that the state’s current regulatory framework limits flexibility and that industry testimony would also have been useful. Amy Bach of United Policyholders described worsening availability and affordability, driven by climate impacts, insurtech/risk scoring, inflation, and the growth of surplus lines coverage. She said the Sustainable Insurance Strategy is beginning to show progress, but the FAIR Plan remains too large and non-admitted carriers create concerns because they are less regulated and do not share FAIR Plan or guaranty fund obligations. She stressed that mitigation incentives, grants, and voluntary insurer rewards for wildfire-hardening are important, but that many households cannot afford the needed improvements. In response to questions, she said underinsurance remains a major problem, especially after recent fires, and suggested stronger insurer responsibility for replacement-cost estimates or broader replacement-cost endorsements. Actuary Nancy Watkins and Stanford’s Michael Wara argued that California must both reduce wildfire risk and allow actuarially sound pricing if it wants a healthier market. Watkins compared the market to a household with rising expenses and said the state needs a mitigation framework focused on the highest-risk communities, especially older neighborhoods and homes near the wildland-urban interface. Wara said premiums must roughly equal expected claims plus expenses, and that California is “burning down too many houses,” which drives both availability problems and higher rates. He highlighted the role of structure-to-structure spread, older housing stock, utility ignitions, and the need to focus on community hardening, not just vegetation management. Both speakers said mitigation should be targeted, science-based, and sustained rather than one-time or scattered. Frank Freebalt of Cal Poly and Michael Gullner of UC Berkeley continued the discussion on fire modeling and risk reduction. Freebalt said the problem is best understood as a structure ignition and urban conflagration problem, requiring integrated land-use, utility, and community mitigation, with evidence-based priorities and better analytics. He emphasized that the state should focus on the highest-risk intersections first and that targeted mitigation can multiply the effectiveness of suppression and evacuation resources. No votes or formal actions were taken; the hearing was informational and focused on testimony, questions, and policy discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs, and teacher apprenticeship may also shorten the length of time it takes to complete certification
• programs, and teacher apprenticeship may also shorten the length of time it takes to complete certification
• programs, and teacher apprenticeship may also shorten the length of time it takes to complete certification
• programs, and teacher apprenticeship may also shorten the length of time it takes to complete certification
• um and because you're certification um and because you're doing<00:03:03.159> the<00:03:03.959

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
• One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
• One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
• One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National
• One of the things that was used was the Child Welfare Law Specialist certification standards of the National

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to discuss the guardian ad litem system, including appointment qualifications, training, payment, and whether any changes are needed. Roll was called, the February 25, 2025 minutes were approved, and the chair emphasized that the meeting was informational only and no vote would be taken. Representatives from the Court of Justice, including Chief Justice Deborah Henry Lambert and several family and district judges, testified about how the system has evolved since concerns raised in 2019 about overappointment and fees. Court witnesses said the judiciary responded to earlier concerns by requiring open appointment lists of trained and qualified attorneys, improving training, and increasing oversight of fee orders. They reported that statewide GAL fees have fallen from a little over $14 million in 2019 to about $12 million, even as caseloads have grown, and said the average payment works out to about $650 per case, with the statutory cap for trial-level GAL fees still set at $500 since 1986. They argued that the current local appointment model works well, especially in rural areas, and warned that moving to a DPA-style regional model would create serious scheduling and conflict problems because of overlapping dockets and related criminal cases. Judges from rural districts described shortages of available attorneys, high burnout, travel burdens, and the difficulty of finding enough counsel in smaller counties. They also said the Court of Justice cannot seek certain federal Title IV-E reimbursements, but urged the legislature to encourage the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to pursue that funding through an MOU. One judge noted that some appointed attorneys are effectively underpaid relative to private rates and that better compensation would help attract and retain lawyers. The discussion also covered training standards adopted after the 2019 audit. Witnesses said Rule 37 now requires initial training and four hours of multidisciplinary continuing training every two years, with topics including child development, trauma-informed care, substance use, child welfare, forensics, ethics, and communication with clients. They said the Court of Justice has offered in-person regional trainings and remote options, and that the goal is to keep qualified attorneys on the appointment lists while improving representation for children and parents in dependency, neglect, abuse, and termination-of-parental-rights cases.

Transcript Highlights:

• An act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law in relation to authorizing holders of certain operating certificates
• An act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law in relation to authorizing holders of certain operating certificates

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Disabilities Committee met on May 11, 2026, with Chair Senator Pat Fahey noting a quorum and that Ranking Member Senator Weber had submitted his voting sheet. The committee took up a seven-bill agenda focused largely on developmental disabilities, mental hygiene law, and services for vulnerable persons. Several bills were advanced to finance, including S4841A to establish a Blue Ribbon Commission on the future of New York’s service delivery system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, S4871B regarding the independent developmental disability arms and person program, S8429 authorizing certain providers to employ or contract with applied behavioral analysts and mental health counselors, and S124 adding spina bifida to the definition of developmental disability. The committee also reported S7484A to the calendar to establish a statewide residential families committee, S7794 to the calendar to establish a statewide group home families working group, and S170 to the calendar to allow certain reportable-incidents reports to be made available to the State Comptroller’s staff for performance audits. Members noted that several of the bills had been considered in prior sessions, and S170 was described as having come from the Governor’s office. After the votes, senators briefly discussed feedback from a recent hearing, including the need to follow up on legislative requests from panelists and concerns that employment remains a major unresolved issue for people with disabilities. The meeting then adjourned, with the chair suggesting there may be one more committee meeting later in the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that a degree program or is that a certificate program? >> Yes.
• Is that a degree program or is that a certificate program? >> Yes.
• Is that a degree program or is that a certificate program? >> Yes.
• Is that a degree program or is that a certificate program? >> Yes.
• is that a certificate program? is that a certificate program?

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 20 January, 2026; 2:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: Mississippi State University officials testified in support of the university’s separately funded agricultural, forestry, and veterinary units, emphasizing their economic impact, research output, and need for continued state support. Keith Cobalt, vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, said the division generates a $1.7 billion impact on Mississippi, but warned that state and local funding has not kept pace with federal dollars or inflation. He argued that global competition, especially from China and Brazil, is hurting row crop and forestry producers, and highlighted a Vision 2030 study finding about $10 billion in agricultural and forestry value leaves the state through value-added processing. He also raised concerns about rural depopulation and proposed rural innovation hubs to help retain population and jobs. Nick Frank, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said state appropriations make up about 25% of the college’s operating budget and are needed to support salaries, staffing, and service capacity. He described the college’s education, diagnostic, and clinical missions, including disease surveillance and responses to threats such as avian influenza, screwworm, and equine herpes virus. Frank said the college is expanding facilities with $18 million in 2024 state funding for a new farm animal hospital and cattle handling facility, but still needs additional support for equine and small animal renovations. He also requested support for rural veterinary scholarships and said inflation and salary competition from other schools and private practice are making retention difficult. In response to committee questions, Frank said the college enrolls about 118 to 119 students per class, with roughly 54 to 55 in-state students and tuition of about $29,900 for in-state and $53,000 for out-of-state students. He clarified that the “vet assistants” program is a four-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary medical technology, not a certificate. He also explained that staffing growth has largely been in the hospitals to address clinical shortages and improve care. Dr. Westberger, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said Mississippi’s forests support a $19 billion economic impact, 84,000 jobs, and a $4.5 billion payroll, while also providing environmental benefits. He said the college and research center are nationally recognized, including an NSF ranking placing Mississippi State 10th in natural resource conservation research expenditures for a small university. Westberger highlighted research on forest management, pest detection, mass timber, wildlife disease surveillance, and value-added bioproducts, including efforts to attract mills and manufacturing. He said Mississippi has added 10 mills or mill expansions in five years with more than $1.5 billion in investment and over 1,000 high-paying jobs, and noted the college is planning a new mass-timber annex to address capacity and showcase the material. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• When rebuilt, these units would have certificate of occupancy dates that exclude them from the provisions
• For rental units that benefit from state protections for the tenant based on the certificate of occupancy
• The loss of housing units that have been protected on the basis of their certificate of occupancy date
• The loss of housing units that have been protected on the basis of their certificate of occupancy date
• will issue the business license, and they will also issue the transit occupancy tax collection certificate

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with SB 41 by Senator Wiener, which would regulate pharmacy benefit managers by increasing transparency, banning patient steering and spread pricing, and requiring full pass-through of rebates. Supporters, including independent pharmacists and health advocates, said PBM practices are driving up drug costs and closing neighborhood pharmacies. Opponents from PBM and health plan groups argued the bill overlaps with recently enacted licensing and reporting requirements, would not lower consumer prices, and may be preempted by ERISA. Members discussed confidentiality issues, consumer savings, and the relationship between SB 41 and the new budget trailer bill; the author asked for an aye vote. The committee then took up SB 378, also by Senator Wiener, aimed at online marketplaces that advertise illegal intoxicating hemp and unlicensed cannabis products. Supporters from labor, public health, and the licensed cannabis industry said online sales are undermining regulated businesses and exposing children to unsafe products. Opponents from tech and hemp industry groups warned the bill is overbroad, could sweep in general-purpose platforms and lawful hemp wellness products, and raises Dormant Commerce Clause and First Amendment concerns. The author said he would narrow the bill, remove industrial hemp references, and address strict liability and standing issues; members largely focused on how to target illegal products without capturing lawful marketplaces. SB 243 by Senator Padilla addressed AI companion chatbots, with supporters including Common Sense Media and transparency advocates warning that these systems can be addictive, manipulative, and dangerous for minors and vulnerable users, citing studies and the death of a Florida teenager. The bill would require disclosures, anti-addiction design limits, self-harm protocols, audits, reporting, and a private right of action. Tech and business groups opposed the measure as overly broad and said its definitions could sweep in general-purpose AI tools; several members supported the goal but questioned the breadth of the definitions and the private right of action. Finally, SB 522 by Senator Wahab would extend just-cause eviction protections to rental units that were previously covered by the Tenant Protection Act but were destroyed in disasters and later rebuilt. Supporters, including Los Angeles city officials and tenant advocates, said the bill would help keep displaced renters housed after wildfires and other disasters. Apartment and realtor groups opposed it, arguing it would remove a key exemption needed to finance rebuilding and could discourage post-disaster reconstruction. Members expressed support for tenant protections in disaster areas, and the author asked for an aye vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it requires a public student to be eligible for a graduation certificate.
• <03:22:51.080> a<03:22:51.239> public<03:22:51.880> a graduation certificate
• But what it does is, after an individual completes the certification program, so they now have a certification
• Pro sorry completes the the certificate Pro sorry completes the certification<03:30:36.160> program
• program so they now have a certification program so they now have a a<03:30:38.120> certification

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee work session focused primarily on House Bill 115 and a proposed amendment, 114H, which would carry over language from HB 2 into HB 115 and place limits on Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Representative Murray described the amendment as a way to keep the 350% federal poverty eligibility cap, require students to have attended a charter public school in grades K-12 for the preceding year before entering the voucher system, and add guardrails against universal eligibility. She argued the state was facing a severe budget crisis, that expanding EFAs would divert money from other programs, and that public testimony and local votes showed widespread opposition to expansion. She also cited a letter from former Finance chair Neil Kirk opposing expansion. Other members responded that the committee should not revisit policy already decided by the House, though some said the amendment was fair to discuss because of its fiscal implications and supported it on that basis. The discussion then broadened into a debate over the fiscal impact of universal vouchers and the reliability of enrollment and cost estimates. Representative Luno argued that prior EFA projections had relied on assumptions that could badly underestimate state exposure, pointing to Arizona as a cautionary example and saying New Hampshire should not expand the program without better analysis. Representative Papovich similarly warned that universal eligibility could create a large, unexpected cost, estimating a potential exposure of about $285 million based on school-age children not currently in public, charter, or EFA programs. In contrast, Representative Weyler said EFAs can save money because public school spending is already high and parents using EFAs still pay taxes and take on more responsibility for their children’s education. After discussion, Representative Murray moved to accept the amendment, and Representative Bean seconded it. There was some procedural clarification about voting on the original bill and the amendment. The transcript ends before a final recorded vote on the amendment or on HB 115 itself, though the committee had also been told it would likely reconsider several retained bills later in the week, including HB 129, HB 133, HB 671, and HB 781.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:46:18.320> that's certification that's certification that's FSC<01:46:20.360> our<01
• of still birth, and we don't want to upend the certificate of still birth process in this state.
• <02:16:33.639> of over the years on the certificate of over the years on the certificate of
• <02:16:38.319> of<02:16:38.439> skill<02:16:38.719> birth upend the certificate
• of skill birth upend the certificate of skill birth process<02:16:39.559> in<02:16:39.760>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fee revenue may also be used to award grants to defray the costs of training and certification related
• Resilient roof system means a roof that has obtained 3A verified wind and hail certification from the
• Awarding grants to individuals to defray the costs of training and certification relating to...
• In turn, a health benefit plan means any hospital or medical expense policy or certificate, hospital
• A copy of the secondary handler's federal Department of Transportation hazmat shipping certification,

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The self-certification is also in here.
• The self-certification is also in here.
• The self-certification is also in here.
• The self-certification is also in here.
• The self-certification is also in here.

Bills: HF3169, HF3749, HF2605, HF3541, HF4102, HF3513, HF268

Keywords: suicide prevention, transportation, mental health, bridge safety, data collection, state law, bridge inspection, active transportation, truck parking, public safety, vehicle registration, fee structure, full-service providers, Capitol security, emergency management, state buildings, law enforcement, Minnesota State Patrol, State Patrol compensation, trooper salary

Transcript Highlights:

• He said the certification is one of the most paramount pieces of this bill in his opinion.
• And I want to draw attention to the section where we deleted out that teachers needed certification.
• <01:05:27.280> And<01:05:27.359> that teachers needed certification.
• And that teachers needed certification.
• > structured certification in these structured certification in these structured literacy,<01:

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• such units shall meet certification such units shall meet certification standards<01:17:23.560><
• <01:17:55.199> is<01:17:55.719> in<01:17:56.040> that certification is in that certification
• The certification team is already working with all of these types of entities.
• licensing team and the certification licensing team and the certification team<01:47:47.880>
• > already team the certification team is already team the certification team is already working

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, subdivision two provides for certification of the costs, requiring the cities to submit a report
• Subdivision five pertains to certification and payment.
• of<00:20:24.200> the<00:20:24.320> costs,<00:20:25.400> requiring certification
• of the costs, requiring certification of the costs, requiring the<00:20:25.960> cities<00:20:
• pertains to certification and payment. pertains to certification and payment.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 3802, an act relating to energy, amending the exemptions to the certificate of need requirement
• Under the current law, these line upgrades would require a whole new certificate of need, despite the
• This bill removes the requirement for a new certificate of need when upgrading a line with a capacity
• c> need<00:26:30.240> when<00:26:30.400> upgrading<00:26:30.840> a new certificate
• of need when upgrading a new certificate of need when upgrading a line<00:26:31.240> with<00:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair thanked her and said that some of the questions about her certification concerned her judicial
• So that was what the international law certificate did.
• So next item, the committee will now consider certification of retired circuit and district judges who
• That's temporary certification to sit through December 31st. They could not be here.
• That's temporary certification to sit through December 31st.

Keywords: House Committee Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, and the final set of requirements is two requirements related to federal certification and
• Certification as a qualified anti-terrorism technology refers to three liability protection award levels
• both reported they were working with the United States Department of Homeland Security to obtain certification
• Certification for their respective systems.
• For instance, one agency researched interoperable... certification for their respective systems.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee opened with remarks about moving JLAC to a more frequent monthly schedule and spending more time on each audit. Members also recognized Melanie Chesney of the Auditor General’s office for 32 years of service, with several members praising her work and her role in school safety and other audits. The meeting then turned to the JLAC-directed Arizona School Safety Special Audit on interoperable communication systems, with the Auditor General’s office presenting the December 2025 report. The audit found that the state had allocated nearly $26 million to interoperable communication efforts, but implementation varied widely. Auditors said all 14 law enforcement agencies used the money for interoperable systems, yet four agencies allowed private or tribal schools to participate contrary to statute, and several agencies failed to submit required expenditure reports. The report also found procurement problems: nine of 14 agencies did not follow procurement requirements or lacked documentation, many contracts lacked accountability provisions, and some agencies had not planned for ongoing costs. The audit estimated ongoing annual costs for an average rural county could range from about $16,000 to $382,000, and recommended that agencies document costs, follow procurement rules, monitor vendors, and plan for future funding. It also recommended the legislature clarify whether non-public schools may participate and revisit statutory system requirements that were vague or inconsistently interpreted. Members questioned the Auditor General about vendor licensing, whether systems could be built in-house, why some functions were not configured, and whether the systems were truly usable in emergencies. The presentation explained that some systems met requirements only in part, that Mutualink had a per-user licensing model affecting access to secure text and file sharing, and that some schools were unwilling or unable to install apps or keep devices logged in. The committee also discussed the difference between the separate school safety grant program administered by ADE and this interoperability fund, and several members expressed frustration with sole-source contracting and weak documentation. In the final portion of the presentation, auditors said only two of eight observed systems demonstrated all five critical emergency functions, while four agency systems could not be tested because they were reportedly not functioning. The committee then began hearing responses from county sheriffs, starting with the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association president, who emphasized county commitment to school safety and noted that some counties had implemented systems across multiple districts, including tribal and rural schools. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• program allows students to concurrently earn their high school diploma and a Level I, Level II certificate
• , or other industry-based certificate, giving them a meaningful head start toward a career.
• That meets the requirements to get what's called a level one or level two certificate.
• , and 31% overall do not have certification.
• Teacher certification and 31% overall do not have certification.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledges, and several ceremonial recognitions, including Wilson County Day, San Antonio Mission Indian Descendants Day, and Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, along with acknowledgments of visiting groups and a birthday greeting. The chamber also announced committee meetings and then moved into floor business, including conference committee action on Senate Bill 1, the state budget. A series of motions to instruct House conferees on SB 1 were debated and voted on. One motion sought to restore salary for Attorney General Ken Paxton after his impeachment-related suspension; it passed 88-56. Another, from Rep. Olcott, directed conferees to support amendments requiring data collection on the costs of undocumented immigrants in hospitals and prisons; after extended debate and a failed amendment from Rep. Martinez Fischer to also study immigrants’ economic contributions, the motion passed 86-61. The House also adopted instructions to eliminate Texas Lottery Commission funding, to support amendments restricting public education institutions from affirming gender identities inconsistent with biological sex, and to seek an additional $4 billion in property tax relief, with each motion passing on recorded votes. The House then took up a supplemental calendar and passed several bills, including HB 39 on veteran death data, HB 102 on priority registration for certain students entering military service, HB 126 on student-athlete compensation and representation, HB 290 on tuition and fee assistance for members of the Texas military forces, HB 300 on Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program updates, and HB 2143 naming a highway in honor of Army Specialist Joey Lins. The chamber also postponed consideration of HJR 2 and HJR 6. Later, the House considered HB 120 on career and technology education pathways and HB 20 on applied science pathway programs for high school students. HB 120 received a perfecting amendment and was advanced after discussion about workforce preparation. HB 20 prompted extensive questioning about transportation, costs, and how students would access partner campuses such as community colleges and TSTC sites; debate continued as the transcript ended, with members examining how the program would operate and whether approval authority would rest with TEA.

Transcript Highlights:

• we're adding the term accredited to where it says industry-recognized credentials, degrees, and certificates
• <00:02:24.000> Um<00:02:24.480> section<00:02:24.959> six degrees and certificates
• Um section six degrees and certificates.
• schools are not paying the same amount for a doctorate program or a baccalaureate program or a certificate
• uh balorate program or a certificate uh balorate program or a certificate program<00:26:20.960><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• description that focuses on necessary skills and knowledge, rather than solely on degree classes. certification
• , network and security certification for teachers. that they could go and share their information and
• We have students who are earning education-based certificates in high school.
• Those certificates are required for adults to do their job, and students are earning four to six of these
• . certifications in some of our schools in San Antonio.

Bills: HB150, HB869, HB876, HB 1043, HB1494, HB1522, HB150

Keywords: cybersecurity, state command, information resources, data protection, incident response, information technology, classification officer, job descriptions, state positions, competency-based, information sharing, government efficiency, public sector, private sector, distributed ledger, title registry, real estate, property liens, pilot program, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• McCalpin had kind of highlighted some of our different certification levels: EMT, AEMT, and paramedic
• We have a lot of individuals who get an EMT certification; they contribute to the system in other ways
• who<00:23:34.240> get<00:23:34.400> an<00:23:34.559> EMT<00:23:35.039> certification
• <00:23:35.840> they who get an EMT certification they who get an EMT certification they contribute
• That figure I just gave you also looks at individuals that come to us from other states and gain certification

Keywords: 1187, senate, all