Transcript Highlights:

• Over that time, he's legislators.
• intently on the legislation before them. intently on the legislation before them.
• Um, and there was no opposition in the committee. security securely um, recording and security securely
• as well as security attendants. as well as security attendants.
• Wilkinson Judicial Security Act.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, journalized the prayer, and recognized Read Across America Day with a special resolution congratulating the Maryland State Education Association on the program’s 28th anniversary. Senators also welcomed several guests and student groups, including Eleanor Roosevelt High School students, Maryland Federation of Republican Women members for Red Scarf Day, medical shadows from Johns Hopkins, a student page prospect, and a group from Matthew Henson Elementary School. The chamber then took up multiple Finance Committee consent calendars and individual local alcohol-related bills, all of which were reported favorably, adopted without objection, and ordered printed for third reading. Measures included changes to alcohol license fee refunds for uniformed service members, Anne Arundel County license classifications and compensation for liquor board officials, a Baltimore City racetrack license extension, a Cecil County license quota change, and new or expanded licenses for golf courses, sports venues, and barber shop/beauty salon establishments. The Senate also advanced bills on social work licensing, a rural readiness economic development program, a Maryland-Ireland Trade Commission extension, peer-to-peer car sharing insurance rules, telematics-based auto insurance disclosures and appeals, and veteran status notation on public profiles. Several bills were amended before being advanced, generally with technical or clarifying changes and no recorded opposition. Senate Bill 18 would create a provisional social work license; Senate Bill 351 would regulate insurer use of vehicle telematics data; Senate Bill 395 would revise insurance and liability rules for peer-to-peer car sharing; and Senate Bill 197 would alter comprehensive plan elements in land use law. Senate Bill 439, protecting fire and rescue public safety employees from adverse action based on medical cannabis certification, also moved forward without amendment. One measure, Senate Bill 69, which would make permanent the nonprofit navigator position in the Department of Commerce, was discussed at length after a member raised concerns about oversight of nonprofit grant funding. On request, the bill was special ordered to the next day for further consideration. All other bills discussed in the transcript were advanced to third reading by unanimous or near-unanimous voice action, with no recorded roll-call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can introduce legislation that DCS...
• Matt Gress, Legislative District 4. This bill is... ...Legislative District 4.
• risk, the exact security risk that Mr.
• So I think that legislation is sufficient at this time.
• So I think that legislation is sufficient at this time.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:10.960> to our board did propose legislation to our board did propose legislation to
• <00:29:40.880> agenda<00:29:41.799> thank legislative agenda thank legislative agenda thank
• I'm the legislative liaison for TR.
• uh excuse me a as far as a legislative uh excuse me a legislative<00:58:59.400> agenda<00:58:
• one is to maintain benefit security one is to maintain benefit security namely<01:15:06.880>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Durant. um legislation um legislation uh<00:00:50.640> or<00:00:51.039> funding
• That is it is secured somewhere safe.
• officers and security and mental health. officers and security and mental health.
• and it that caught up in the legislation and it that legislation<02:52:10.399> I<02:52:10.560
• vet these issues and to hold legislators vet these issues and to hold legislators accountable<03

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• People want security.
• And talk about security.
• That's security. That's security.
• It's a means to a secure life. And it should be.
• Financial security, job security, and we've invested collectively together millions of dollars in fighting

Transcript Highlights:

• the house chairman on homeland security the house chairman on homeland security in<00:09:27.320>
• This is a different piece of legislation, okay?
• This is a different piece of legislation, okay?
• hearings for the director of Homeland Security.
• prior iterations of this legislation prior iterations of this legislation maybe<02:05:53.440>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now therefore be it resolved that the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislative Session
• The Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs, HB 1372 by Raymond relating to
• duplicate modified or renewed license of to carry a handgun referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
• coordination among federal state and local authorities and deployment of technologies for border security
• for the Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also took important steps to ensure food security for families in need.”
• <00:22:50.960> We food security for families in need.
• We food security for families in need.
• Now they have food security, a better health outlook, and no longer have to ration meals in their own
• <00:26:12.960> and propose we use for food security and propose we use for food security and

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:15:55.440> these to be serving you to secure these to be serving you to secure these rights
• the standard wall and they are secured the standard wall and they are secured in<01:29:54.880>
• security number in order to<02:04:41.840> process<02:04:42.239> that.
• We now take pride in owning a home, building equity, and having a secure future.
• This is a huge having secure future.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We thank you for each of our legislators, our senators. We thank you, God.
• A thoughtful, data-driven approach, this legislation is a result of extensive work by your interim legislative
• would come from that. ...on the product and then consider what legislation will come from that.
• So... on the product and then consider what legislation will come from that. Senator Paulson.
• Senator Klein: Madam President, I would move that we lay 1566 over one legislative day.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 46 members present. It then took up multiple House messages and amendments, appointing conference committees on several measures, including SB 2007, SCR 4007, SB 2374, SB 233, and House bills 1029, 1218, and 1022. The chamber also considered a series of House bills on the sixth and 14th orders, often adopting committee amendments before final passage or, in some cases, rejecting the bill outright. Among the major policy items, the Senate passed HB 1524 on regional planning council grants, HB 1143 increasing a food bank appropriation to $10 million, HB 1126 modernizing cosmetology licensing and inspections, HB 1542 making student applications for admission exempt records, HB 1613 regulating law enforcement use of robots, HB 1582 directing a study on false reports and accusations, HB 1214 revising school transportation funding, HB 1448 creating a study on advanced technologies, HB 1280 on drainage project voting rules, HB 1499 protecting records related to federal judges, and several Senate bills returned from the House, including SB 2221, SB 2117, SB 2198, SB 2120, and SB 2214. The Senate also adopted amendments to HB 1541 on septic systems before rejecting it on final passage. Several high-profile bills failed after debate. HB 1566, dealing with kratom regulation, saw an amendment to convert it to a study fail on a 21-25 vote, after which the chamber laid the bill over for one legislative day rather than take final action. HB 1283, which would have eliminated cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams in the state employee plan, was defeated 22-24 after extensive debate over cost, precedent, and insurance impacts. HB 1527, requiring Holocaust education in statute, also failed 22-24, with supporters emphasizing the importance of the subject and opponents arguing curriculum belongs in standards rather than statute. The Senate adjourned after announcements, scheduling its next meeting for Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• I should also point legislative auditor.
• out that the office of legislative out that the office of legislative auditor<00:09:34.080> already
• You know, it is a secure website.
• So it's like a secure payment process system.
• So it is secure, but we need a way to follow up with people.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee Chair Kristen Robbins opened by criticizing the governor’s fraud package as too focused on new spending and staffing, and not enough on culture change, accountability, eligibility rules, and an enterprise-wide IT/data strategy. She said the committee had heard a good overview from multiple commissioners, but she remained concerned that piecemeal technology investments and added staff would not address the root causes of fraud. Robbins also said she would introduce a bill based on issues raised in committee, including requiring grants management staff to complete Office of Grants Management training and certification. A major action announced was the launch of a new whistleblower portal at mnfraud.com, which legislators said will let people submit basic fraud allegations, after which staff will follow up and forward matters to the Office of the Legislative Auditor, BCA, law enforcement, or the attorney general as appropriate. Members noted that the Office of the Legislative Auditor already has a separate reporting portal, and there was a question about why the new site does not allow anonymous reporting; Robbins said contact information is needed so staff can follow up. She also said the portal is intended to centralize and triage reports from agency workers, service recipients, and providers. Republican members said the governor’s proposal still misses key pieces. Vice Chair Anderson argued the package mostly adds staff to agencies that failed to catch or act on fraud, and said Minnesota needs a statewide independent inspector general with authority outside agencies and a stronger whistleblower system. Representative Marion Rarick said the proposed criminal penalty increases are too small compared with federal penalties and criticized the package for adding only one forensic auditor at the BCA while DHS receives many more positions. She also argued that agency managers should face sanctions when fraud occurs under their watch and said the state needs a culture where employees can be rewarded for good work but also held accountable for failures. Members discussed several other ideas, including creating new crimes for kickbacks and theft of public funds, requiring fraud fiscal notes, improving data sharing and eligibility verification, and using better IT so systems can talk to each other. There was also discussion of whether government services should rely less on nonprofits and private contractors; one member said fraud often follows a particular business model rather than the sector itself, while another suggested capping salaries of top nonprofit executives receiving government funds. The committee also noted that the governor’s fraud package is being presented as a package but will likely move as separate provisions through different omnibus bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then on your pieces of legislation, what if one of them fails?
• And this legislation helps us. Can we deliver and how well can we deliver?
• And this legislation helps us deliver faster and better.
• And this legislation helps us deliver faster and better.
• Minutes of the legislative session last year.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this legislation is not just about maintenance; it is also about modernization.
• Programs funded in this legislation are based on real needs identified by communities and supported by
• It's secured with a very specific revenue stream, and so it's treated separately.
• by the fair share And so the debt service is paid through the operating budget, and it's secured by
• Yesterday it was Social Security, tomorrow it's Medicaid.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Bonding, State Assets, and Capital Expenditures held its first public hearing on House Bill 4257, a transportation bonding bill. The administration testified in support, describing the bill as a $1.185 billion authorization: $300 million for Chapter 90 municipal road funding and $885 million for statewide transportation capital programs. Officials said the bill would increase municipal aid by 50%, with $200 million distributed under the traditional Chapter 90 formula and $100 million based solely on road mileage to better help rural communities. They also highlighted $500 million for bridge and pavement lifecycle asset management, $200 million for culverts and small bridges, and $185 million for congestion, safety, ADA, sidewalk, and multimodal improvements. Committee members asked about how municipalities would apply, how the road-mile formula would affect rural towns, and how the bill would interact with federal funding uncertainty and debt financing. Administration witnesses explained that projects would be administered through MassDOT district offices and Grant Central, that the bill would not backfill rescinded federal funds, and that the proposal would likely use special obligation bonds backed by Fair Share revenues to reduce pressure on the Commonwealth’s general obligation debt limit. Members also pressed the administration on the shift from general obligation to special obligation financing and on whether the Chapter 90 increase keeps pace with inflation. Administration officials said the special obligation structure would be credit-rated separately and was intended to expand available capital without affecting the GO bond cap, while acknowledging that the Commonwealth’s debt portfolio would grow. They said the Chapter 90 increase would roughly restore purchasing power lost since 2012, though construction inflation has outpaced general inflation. Several members and witnesses emphasized the importance of the road-mile formula for rural communities and the need for technical assistance for small towns. The Massachusetts Municipal Association testified in strong support of the bill, calling Chapter 90 and the new infrastructure authorizations critical for cities and towns facing federal uncertainty and rising costs. The Massachusetts Aggregate and Asphalt Pavement Association also supported the bill, citing the importance of the funding for road and bridge work, the construction season, and the industry’s economic impact. A committee member asked about asphalt price inflation, and the witness said liquid asphalt costs rose sharply after COVID, including increases of around 20% in some years. At the end of the hearing, the chair said members would receive a poll by email to move the bill out quickly, and the committee then voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sergeant at Arms will please secure the chamber doors. Members, please take your seats.
• All right, let's jump right into it so we can do the reading of the journal from the prior legislative
• 500 legislative bond initiative requests<00:04:27.560> totaling<00:04:27.960> more<00:
• jobs, and a secure future. jobs, and a secure future.
• Staff of the Department of Legislative Services are available to assist in drafting amendments.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate reconvened with a quorum and took up Budget and Taxation matters first. The chamber considered Senate Bill 283, the Maryland Consolidated Capital Bond Loan of 2026, with the capital budget subcommittee chair describing a $5.7 billion capital program focused on jobs, reliability, and infrastructure, including funding for transportation, state facilities, local projects, and legislative bond initiatives. The committee report and reprint were explained, and the bill with its 291 committee amendments was special ordered until the next day for further amendment work. The Senate then adopted the favorable committee report for Senate Bill 769, the University System of Maryland Academic Facilities Bonding Authority, and ordered it printed for third reading. On the third reading calendar, the Senate passed Senate Bills 84, 618, 932, 148, 202, and 623 by constitutional majorities. SB 84 concerned collective bargaining for graduate assistants; SB 618 addressed a public ethics exemption for General Assembly members and certain state and local employees; SB 932 dealt with social media platforms displaying user location; SB 148 created an income tax subtraction modification for public safety employee retirement income supporting 911 specialists; SB 202 reinstated an order-to-show-cause process in police discipline, which drew floor opposition from a senator who argued it would revive an unnecessary exception to the streamlined police accountability process; and SB 623 created the Maryland Premium Cigar Lounge Act of 2026. The Senate also handled Senate Bill 463, a second-reading bill on municipal vagrancy and local authority to prohibit it, which the committee chair moved to special order for the following Tuesday without objection. The session concluded with announcements about caucus meetings, a quorum call, and adjournment until Tuesday, March 24 at 11:00 a.m., along with thanks to the secretary’s office, DLS staff, and pages for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's a very important piece of legislation.
• I think it's a very important piece of legislation.
• U, it important piece of legislation.
• without strong guard rails and security without strong guard rails and security controls.<02:08:
• the bottom line is we need to secure the bottom line is we need to secure both<02:10:11.199>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In March of 2024, I met with Jordan and Cassidy Harstead in my legislative office.
• In March of 2024, I met with Jordan and Cassidy Harstead in my legislative office.
• It's time for a legislative change to hold our schools more accountable.
• This legislative body can be the catalyst to hold our public schools accountable.
• Do you own firearms and how are they secured?

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's something that the vast majority of the current legislators have never dealt with.
• It's a legislative endowment. And, you know, I understand your feeling about wanting...
• There are over 500 partners in the Food Security Network. Of New Mexico.
• Along the same lines, we're looking at doing the same thing with this type of legislation.
• of this legislation and building those relationships.

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative in support of fully funding the rural library endowment with an additional $29.5 million. The presenters described rural libraries as essential community infrastructure that provide not only books and internet access, but also early childhood programs, adult education, workforce support, telehealth, disaster response, and civic meeting space. They argued that the endowment would provide stable annual support for staffing and operations, help sustain libraries in very small towns and tribal communities, and support new or developing libraries. Members asked about eligibility, county coverage, how funds are distributed, and whether the state tracks broader outcomes such as job placements or certifications; the presenters said the State Library administers the funds and that the initiative itself is a nonprofit capacity-building organization, not the fund manager. Some members raised concerns about whether an endowment is the best long-term model versus recurring annual appropriations, and about the need for better reporting and state-library involvement. The committee then heard from food bank leaders Jill Dixon and Katie Anderson about food security and its economic impact. They said New Mexico’s five food banks and more than 500 partner agencies serve all 33 counties, distribute over 45 million meals, and rely mostly on philanthropy, with some state and local support. They emphasized that SNAP is a major economic driver, supporting grocery access, jobs, and local spending, and that recent legislative growth funding helped food banks respond to a surge in demand during a SNAP disruption. They also highlighted food banks as community hubs that can connect people to health care, job training, and other services, including through clinic referrals and closed-loop systems. In response to questions, they said food access gaps remain in some rural areas, that clients can generally seek food at other distribution sites without barriers, and that longer-term solutions should include more grocery access, healthy corner stores, and stronger broadband and health care infrastructure. The final presentations came from the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce and the Artesia Chamber of Commerce. Gallup-McKinley described a shrinking workforce, youth outmigration, crime, health care shortages, malpractice costs, and gross receipts tax burdens as major barriers to rural economic growth, and urged action on workforce pipelines, housing, public safety, malpractice reform, and tax/regulatory changes. Artesia highlighted its murals, library, sports tradition, oil and gas, agriculture, federal training center, and refinery, while also noting workforce shortages, health care recruitment challenges, housing constraints, and the need for quality-of-life investments and more flexible regulation. The committee also briefly heard a bill presentation proposing a New Mexico-Ireland Trade Commission to promote bilateral trade and investment, especially in technology, agriculture, and energy sectors. No votes were taken because quorum was not reached, and the endorsement item was not acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senators this legislation is the work product of discussions between the Department of Children,
• This legislation allows the most qualified individuals to serve on the assisted Technology Council.
• We very much support the legislation that Senator Simon knows.
• And just like Senator Boyd said this, this legislation will save lives.
• School school security guard special or Burgess.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:17.039> testimony agriculture and bio security testimony agriculture and bio security
• So bio security my my my goods. Right.
• <00:22:57.600> I'm security contracts are executed. I'm security contracts are executed.
• You know, I don't security companies.
• that legislation. that legislation.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So anything we can do to send that message to DC, I think it's important that we do it as state legislators
• stands firmly in defense of Texas water, jobs, and food security.
• This is no longer just an agriculture issue, it's a food security crisis and economic emergency and human
• I urge the subcommittee and the full committee, full legislators to support HCR 77 and stand shoulder
• Texas has always been a leader in energy security, securing energy security for our allies abroad and