Transcript Highlights:

• Those numbers aren't reported by bank.
• If his phone rang and his caller ID said it was his bank, with that bank's phone number, and they call
• You ranked 35th by the number of complaints filed. You ranked 41st by the number of losses.
• Don't use a phone number in an email or a link.
• Tierney can speak to specific numbers.

Summary: A joint House-Senate Insurance and Commerce meeting focused on the growing threat of financial fraud in Arkansas, with members hearing from bankers, regulators, law enforcement, AARP, and mortgage and insurance industry representatives. Witnesses described a wide range of scams, including spoofed bank calls and texts, fake websites and social media impersonation, romance and investment scams, business email compromise, gift card fraud, check fraud, wire fraud, reverse mortgage scams, and crypto kiosk schemes. Several speakers emphasized that fraud is increasingly organized, technology-driven, and amplified by artificial intelligence, and that seniors are disproportionately targeted and often suffer the largest losses. Testimony highlighted both prevention and recovery efforts. Bankers said institutions spend heavily on training, customer education, and fraud detection, but often cannot stop losses once customers have been convinced to authorize transfers. The Attorney General’s office described its Consumer Protection Division, a new Financial Fraud Task Force, and examples of recovering funds quickly from crypto kiosk and wire fraud cases. The State Bank Department and Securities Department said Arkansas’s 2025 crypto ATM legislation and related education requirements have helped, and they urged continued public education. The Insurance Department reported major insurance-fraud trends, including fake insurance cards, forged policies, premium-finance schemes, and staged auto accidents, and said it prosecutes these cases aggressively. Members asked about reporting scams, the security of tap payments, how fraud losses are tracked, the role of crypto kiosks, and whether Arkansas should pursue model legislation or stronger action against telecom and social media companies. Witnesses said tap payments are generally safer than chip or swipe, that crypto transfers are often unrecoverable, and that spoofed caller ID and impersonation ads remain major problems. Paul Benda of the American Bankers Association urged state and federal action against telecom and social media platforms and supported national scam legislation. No new bills were voted on at the meeting, but members approved the November 3, 2025 minutes and several witnesses offered to share model legislation, consumer education materials, and state-by-state fraud data with the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• People couldn't use their cell phones? Oh, yeah, on the phone side, yes.
• You know, that's got a number of deficiencies, it's got a number of ideas, got a number of concepts,
• Number three, phones and siren warnings, not just phone text, for all of you.
• Number three, phones and siren warnings, not just phone text, for all the reasons you've heard about:
• I think I got my numbers right there. I think I got my numbers right there.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now that's a staggering number, but consider where it is today.
• It will not reduce the overall number.
• Your phone knows how old you are.
• The phone knows how old you are because when we...
• when the phone is purchased, right?

Keywords: Stop CSAM Act, child exploitation, online safety, reporting requirements, tech accountability, NCMEC, survivor support, legislative testimony

Summary: The committee meeting centered around the urgent need to address child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online, focusing primarily on the testimony and discussions surrounding the Stop CSAM Act. Several witnesses, including representatives from law enforcement and advocacy organizations, highlighted the significant drop in reports of child exploitation cases despite an alarming increase in actual incidents. Concerns were raised about tech companies' reporting practices, with calls for more stringent requirements to ensure timely and accurate reporting of suspected abuse. The legislation aims to fortify protections for child victims by imposing stricter obligations on tech platforms to report incidents and support law enforcement in investigations.

Transcript Highlights:

• When volunteers check in at a volunteer reception center, they share their cell phone numbers and can
• We also set up a couple of phone numbers, one for people who suspected...
• Some people didn't use cell phones, and some people don't answer when they get a call from a number they
• Yeah, take my phone, take my phone. Oh, okay. Is he done?
• In addition to that, each radio has its own unique ID, kind of like a phone number.

Keywords: flooding, emergency response, communication systems, first responders, disaster management, Texas Water Development Board, regional planning, public safety

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on discussions around the recent floods in Texas, specifically addressing emergency preparedness, response coordination, and recovery efforts. Officials from various agencies provided testimonies on the challenges faced during the emergency, including issues with communication systems among first responders. Notably, the need for improved inter-agency communication and technology integration was emphasized, with recommendations for establishing regional communications units for better coordination during disasters. The audience included local government representatives and emergency management partners, who shared insights and experiences from the recent flooding events.

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll basically track your phone so we can see exactly where you are when you're calling.
• So it makes phone calls from a landline-esque telephone over the internet.
• The only difference is that if you're calling from a landline, or like a phone that's not a mobile phone
• that's not a mobile or like a a phone that's not a mobile phone<00:20:54.400><c> like</c><00:20:54.600
• </c><00:26:27.919><c> six</c> is for number six is for number six 662<00:26:30.600><c> and</c><00:26:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard and discussed three nominations to the 911 Board: Matthew Kurara (Governor’s Message 505), Re Mahuna (Governor’s Message 614), and Rebecca Liberman/Weberman (Governor’s Message 661). Kurara, a Honolulu Police Department communications captain, said he would bring PSAP and dispatch experience to the board, with a focus on Next Generation 911, better coordination among PSAPs, and recruiting and retaining telecommunicators. Mahuna, a longtime Hawaiʻi Police Department officer and current board member, emphasized his emergency-response experience during disasters on the Big Island and his support for improving communication through Next Generation 911, including the new joint call center on Hawaiʻi Island. Liberman, the board’s VoIP representative and a Charter/Spectrum government affairs director, said she was continuing her second term and would keep working on legislative and government issues, including the statutory change removing “enhanced” from the board’s name to better support Next Gen efforts. Members asked each nominee about rural coverage, redundancy, training, broadband, radio-system limitations, and how Next Generation 911 would affect service in places like Puna and other rural areas. The nominees generally said the system is designed with redundancy so service would revert to backup systems if new technology fails, and that the main challenges in rural areas are often broader communications or radio issues rather than 911 itself. Kurara and Mahuna both said each PSAP currently handles much of its own training, though there is interest in more standardization and national best practices. Liberman explained that VoIP calls generally work over the internet and may benefit from Next Gen, but that location/address issues for some internet-based calling services may still need further review. The committee also discussed public education about text-to-911, the use of technologies such as FirstNet, and whether the E911 special fund ceiling needed to be raised again. Mahuna said he did not see a current need to raise the ceiling further. Written testimony was received in support of all three nominees, including support from public officials, law enforcement, county agencies, and private individuals. No opposition testimony was noted, and the chair said decisions would be made later with the other nominees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item number one on the agenda is Senate Bill 181.
• Many of you, most of you, pre-cell phone, am I right?
• </c> lose my job there were also 10 phone lose my job there were also 10 phone calls<00:10:26.480><c>
• </c> daughter many of the texts and phone daughter many of the texts and phone calls<00:10:30.320><c>
• </c><00:28:38.960><c> of</c> want you to know you have a number of want you to know you have a number

Keywords: Roll Call – 00:11 Discussion on SB 181 – 01:05 Vote on SB 181 – 24:16 Discussion on HB 242 – 31:00 Vote on HB 242 – 32:14 Discussion on HB 164 – 33:26 Vote on HB 164 – 39:55, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children heard Senate Bill 181, which would require school districts to use only traceable forms of communication for staff, coaches, and volunteers when contacting students, require reporting of known private direct communication, notify parents, protect minors’ anonymity in EPSB investigations, and extend the investigation period for sexual misconduct cases to 120 days. Senator Lindsay Tichenor said the bill is meant to restore safeguards for children and families and address inappropriate private communications between school personnel and students. The committee also heard testimony from Stacy and Brad Brisco, who described allegations that an Anderson County guidance counselor had communicated privately with their daughter, encouraged her to pursue emancipation and CPS involvement, and used school channels to facilitate contact; they said the resulting abuse report was unsubstantiated and that the school system and EPSB had not acted promptly. Ashley Nation also testified in support as a survivor of educator sexual abuse, arguing that traceable communication policies are needed to prevent grooming and misconduct and that the bill does not stop communication, only makes it transparent and accountable. Members asked questions about what counts as traceable communication and whether schools already have policies. Tichenor said traceable communication could include paper notes, email, and apps such as ClassDojo or Google Classroom, and said the bill requires a trail parents can access. She also said some districts have ethical standards but they are not consistently followed, and that state-level action is needed. Senator Denine suggested the bill should allow districts more flexibility to choose among trackable platforms, noting that some systems already use tools like Dojo and Remind; Tichenor said a floor amendment would address that concern. Senators Williams, Meredith, Mills, Wise, and others voiced support, emphasizing child safety and the need for timely EPSB action. The committee then voted 9-0 to pass SB 181 with a favorable recommendation to the Senate floor. Afterward, the committee took up House Bill 242, sponsored by Representative Samara Heavrin, which would increase transparency in the child welfare system by making Kentucky child welfare data available to researchers while preserving privacy protections. With no questions, the committee approved HB 242 as well, also by a favorable vote, and members briefly noted support for the bill and the need for better data to inform child welfare policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• and slide phones.
• I would assume that we would have the teacher have a phone number, one of cell phone on them, number
• </c> have the teacher would have a phone have the teacher would have a phone number<01:04:31.799><c>
• on</c><01:04:33.279><c> them</c><01:04:33.720><c> number</c> number one of cell phone on them number
• number one of cell phone on them number two<01:04:34.559><c> um</c><01:04:34.720><c> I</c><01:04:34.760

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began by announcing that afternoon hearings, including House Bill 283, would be moved to Representatives Hall because of expected public interest. It then took up House Bill 671, which would establish a kindergarten literacy readiness program. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Pearson, described the measure as a way to close gaps in early reading readiness and said it was intended as a first step, with only a placeholder appropriation while details are developed. He framed it as a targeted effort to help children who are not entering first grade ready to read. Testimony on HB 671 was largely supportive. Representatives asked about the bill’s structure, whether a specific program had been identified, how it would interact with play-based learning, and why the provider was limited to a registered nonprofit. Waterford.org representatives Teresa Rosenberger and Rob Riley testified in support, describing Waterford Upstart as a home-based, evidence-based early learning program already used in New Hampshire. They said the program provides adaptive instruction, family coaching, and technology support, including computers, tablets, internet access, and translation services in more than 100 languages. They also said the model has been successful in New Hampshire, including a Nashua pilot and later statewide efforts, and that similar legislation has existed in other states. Rep. Jonah Wheeler also spoke in support of the bill. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 671. After a fiscal note for HB 671 was distributed, the committee moved to House Bill 781, which would require school districts to adopt policies for a cell phone-free education and includes an appropriation. The transcript cuts off as Rep. Litchfield was introduced to testify on that bill, so no testimony, debate, or vote on HB 781 is included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• When volunteers check in at a volunteer reception center, they can share their cell phone numbers with
• Get on our phones.
• We set up a couple of phone numbers, one for people who suspected that someone in their family, a loved
• Some people didn't use cell phones, and some didn't answer when they received a call from a number they
• In addition to that, each radio has its own unique ID, kind of like a phone number.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those three are rigor, um, relevance, and relationships is number one to me.
• Okay, so eight years later now, in my ninth year here, I find out that we've gone down in that number
• are are just going through the numbers are are just going through the roof<00:02:54.319><c> and</c><
• down in that number we were 44th<00:03:26.920><c> and</c><00:03:27.040><c> now</c><00:03:27.159><c>
• So, yeah, but the cell phone—I, I—it’s a problem.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Off on your phone, right? I also want to set aside places that have no cell phone coverage.
• We set up a couple of phone numbers.
• I’ll begin on slide number two.
• Phone service, sure. Yes, yeah.
• In addition to that, each radio has its own unique ID, kind of like a phone number, and that would have

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Number one, predict the flood. flood, and number two, project the warning. Okay?
• cell phones.
• Number three, phones and siren warnings, not just phone texts, for all the reasons You've heard about
• phones are off.
• Number four.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to phone a friend.
• So I broke it down into actual numbers.
• And I actually had LCB look into those numbers.
• We'll go to three in Vegas and then to the phones.
• So we are going to move to the phone lines. Okay.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We did have a number of assembly members and senators of both parties, and we've had a number of state
• We did have a number of assembly members and senators of both parties, and we've had a number of state
• We'll stay on the phone lines.
• We'll stay on the phone lines.
• We'll stay on the phone lines.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it is that the right number? I 175. Is it is that the right number?
• We could have sent an alert to everybody's phone today, but we didn't have everybody's phone number.
• If you remember, the plans were we by... phone. So she can ask questions about phone.
• ><c> everybody's</c><00:53:10.800><c> phone</c><00:53:10.960><c> number.
• </c> didn't have everybody's phone number. didn't have everybody's phone number.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: A presenter from Fast Health Corporation described a proposed Kentucky Health Command System tied to Senate Bill 175, which would create a state-sanctioned AI platform for rural hospitals and telehealth. The company said the system would help rural residents get health information remotely, triage minor issues, and escalate more serious cases to Kentucky providers, with use cases including blood pressure, diabetes, maternity care, smoking cessation, and other preventive-care topics. The presenter argued the system would help rural hospitals compete with out-of-state telehealth companies and keep patients connected to local care. The presentation also emphasized a commercial model the sponsor said would generate new revenue through ads and branded interactions, with the bill reportedly directing 80% of that revenue to rural hospitals and 20% to the state to maintain the system. The presenter said the technology would augment, not replace, doctors and nurses, and claimed it could improve access and convenience in underserved areas. Committee members raised concerns about liability, whether the AI could provide medical advice, and whether there was evidence it had reduced emergency room visits; the presenter said the system could not give medical advice and acknowledged the technology is still very new. The sponsor of the bill said the goal was to help transform rural health care, reduce unnecessary ER use, and capture revenue that would otherwise go to commercial search engines and out-of-state companies. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion ended with questions about branding, loyalty, and the legal limits of the AI system.

Transcript Highlights:

• So overall, the numbers of the, based on the population of the 320 cases...
• We'll start in our physical locations and then we'll move to our phone lines.
• We'll have you come to the table, and afterwards we'll move to the phones.
• We are going to head to our phone lines.
• There may be someone on the phone lines. AvH, do you have anyone for us?

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Two separate issues. 988 is the phone number. Right. You could call it at any time.
• As I said, on slide 62 is all your phone numbers.
• So to the phone number, I agree with you on that. So we do have several different options. Two.
• So to the phone number, I agree with you on that.
• , and so the number is being programmed into their phones.

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation on LSU Health Care Services Division and Lallie Kemp Medical Center. Staff reviewed HCSD’s roughly $74.7 million budget, much of it tied to legacy obligations for former LSU hospital systems and support for Lallie Kemp. Committee members asked about prisoner care, risk management costs, declining admissions and emergency visits, and the hospital’s 340B drug program. Lallie Kemp officials explained that prisoner care serves multiple state and local facilities, that lower admissions largely reflect more patients being placed in observation status, and that the in-house 340B program provides major savings to patients and the prison system. Members also asked about care for unhoused patients and the hospital’s discharge practices, and the hospital said social services works to find placement when possible. The committee then moved to the Louisiana Department of Health budget, which was presented as just under $23.5 billion, with Medicaid making up more than 90 percent of the total. The presentation covered the Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health, Office of Behavioral Health, Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, and Medicaid. Major items included the new Rural Health Transformation Program, the transfer of several functions from DCFS to LDH under the One Door initiative, changes to SNAP administration, and large Medicaid adjustments driven by enrollment, utilization, and federal policy changes. Testimony also highlighted the statewide crisis hub and 988, the commodity food program for seniors, women’s health and maternal outcomes, and the department’s efforts to modernize technology and reorganize services. Members questioned LDH officials on a wide range of budget and policy issues, including the rural health grant, crisis services, Medicaid redeterminations, provider taxes, physician and hospital supplemental payments, nursing home rates, HCBS funding, and the impact of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. LDH said the rural health grant would support workforce, technology, and care-delivery improvements; that the crisis hub and mobile crisis units are being expanded to improve access and reduce emergency room use; and that the department is working to keep the SNAP error rate below 6 percent to avoid a projected state cost increase. Officials also said they expect to return next year with additional funding requests for HCBS and other programs, while emphasizing that current budget changes are largely meant to realign funding with actual expenditures and new federal requirements. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You even get walk-up music, apparently, to somebody's phone ring.
• We have five employees with numbers less. If you have 100 employees, it's more.
• . investments of cell phone companies go into areas where they have a customer base.
• , and we are ready and sitting on go for these cell phone towers.
• So, when radio communications fail, often we rely on cell phone use.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you said that this is like Big Brother, or our cell phones—does our cell phones collect the same data
• So I think us having cell phones...
• So I think us having cell phones... ...wasn't on my phone. So I think us having cell phones.
• Everybody doesn't have a cell phone, just so you know. Everybody isn't, but they want everybody.
• This council has been working in different formats for a number of years, well over a decade.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on Senate Bill 905, moving the bill “do pass.” The roll call vote was 6 ayes and 4 nays, so SB 905 was reported do pass. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 959, presented by Senator Doug Beck on behalf of Senator Steve Roberts, who was on active military duty. SB 959 would establish the Missouri GIS Council within the Office of Administration to improve statewide geospatial data coordination through research, planning, training, and education. Supporters, including Greater St. Louis, Inc., the State 911 Service Board, and Bio-STL/Next Missouri, said the bill would improve emergency response, 911 routing, infrastructure planning, broadband and economic development, reduce duplicated spending, and include privacy protections by prohibiting collection of personally identifiable information. An opponent from Armour Vine argued the bill was “big brother” and raised privacy concerns, saying public access to geospatial data could be misused and that citizens should opt in. Committee members questioned both sides about whether the bill tracked individuals and about the practical uses of GIS data for 911 and rural addressing. Witnesses for the bill emphasized that it concerns maps and infrastructure data, not personal tracking, and that the public would have access to publicly funded maps. The hearing on SB 959 then concluded with no further action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• People couldn't use their cell phones. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. On the phone side, yes.
• Number one, predict the flood, and number two, project the warning. Okay?
• You know, that's got a number of deficiencies, it's got a number of ideas, got a number of concepts,
• We need a numbering system.
• Number three, phones and siren warnings, not just phone texts, for all the reasons you've heard about

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness hearing convened in Kerrville with quorum, public testimony limited to three minutes and invited testimony to 10 minutes. Leaders from both chambers, along with the lieutenant governor and speaker, framed the hearing as an unprecedented joint effort focused on learning from the July 4 flood, honoring victims, and identifying actions to reduce future loss of life. The committee also heard opening remarks about decorum, logistics, and the intent to continue work in future sessions. The first panel included Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas IV, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, Upper Guadalupe River Authority representative William Rector, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, and Real County Judge Bella Rubio. They described the flood as sudden and catastrophic, with Kerr County reporting 108 deaths and two missing. Local officials emphasized that they received no timely warning of the scale of the event, that responders and volunteers acted heroically under extreme conditions, and that communications, cell coverage, and rural emergency resources were strained. Several witnesses said the county’s existing alert systems were limited by geography, sparse broadband, and the speed of the flood. Testimony focused on possible improvements, including real-time flood gauges and predictive monitoring, stronger rural emergency management staffing and training, better interoperability and alerting tools such as IPAWS, CodeRED, WENS, and sirens, and expanded broadband and radio coverage. Kerrville asked for a flood warning system before next summer and state help for stormwater, floodplain, and disaster recovery funding. UGRA described its past and current flood-warning and mitigation efforts, including gauge funding, a new software-based flood prediction project, and consideration of additional retention dams. Kendall and Real counties highlighted successful or needed alerting and evacuation practices, while also stressing the difficulty of funding and maintaining such systems in small rural counties. Members asked detailed questions about the timeline of the flood response, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and whether regional consolidation or additional infrastructure could improve future preparedness.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, can you tell us why it didn't come on your phone, or did it come on your phone?
• You did not receive that on your phone? No other phone, your wife's phone?
• First off, you kept the phone on.
• Your phone could get it, my phone could not. And so my hope is that we look at...
• I guess if phone numbers that were or donations, but colleges are able to do camps.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all