Transcript Highlights:

• Members, I want to apologize to this body and to our Attorney General for statements that I made and
• I have the greatest respect for our Attorney General, and I have reached out to her personally to apologize
• I ask sincerely for this body's forgiveness, and I do apologize to both you and our Attorney General.
• And so the sheriff, the court, and the district attorney, they have to do this.
• The sheriff, the court, and the district attorney have to do the assessment to see who qualifies for

Bills: HR188, HR189, HR190, HR191, HR179, HR180, HR181, HR182, HR183, HR185, HR186, HR187, HCR75, HCR76, HCR77, HCR78, HCR79, SCR24, SCR36, SCR39, SB64, SB107, SB152, SB185, SB217, SB232, SB278, SB290, SB294, SB320, SB321, SB419, SB424, SB436, SB440, SB468, SB470, SB476, SB482, SB489, HCR32, SCR11, HB12, HB42, HB205, HB222, HB267, HB324, HB325, HB350, HB478, HB610, HB617, HB679, HB745, HB749, HB797, HB807, HB821, HB896, HB979, HB992, HB1000, HB1024, HB1050, HB1166, HB1172, HB1173, HB1193, HB1207, HB1218, HB1223, SB256, SB180, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HCR4, HCR47, HB59, HB74, HB159, HB330, HB364, HB414, HB458, HB525, HB568, HB786, HB1008, HB1033, HB1034, HB1041, HB1062, HB1070, HB1079, HB1112, HB1118, HB1139, HB1151, HB1176, HB1182, HB1196, HB1214, HB1241, HB87, HB115, HB162, HB368, HB433, HB441, HB447, HB466, HB481, HB741, HB1242, HB362, HB893, HB990, HB1007, HB1153, HB1243, SB162, SB349, SB350, SB382, SB383, SB127, SB244, HB615, HB864, HB1103, HB1175, HB31, HB225, HB608, HB664, HB897, HB977, HB1003, HB1160, HB1180, HB911, HB306, HB366, HB1161, HB1230, HB181, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB284, HB393, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB772, HB773, HB996, HB1035, HB1058, HB1082, HB1113, HB1189, HB1234, HB1240

Keywords: hunting dogs, field trials, working dogs, dog training, greyhound protection, Farm Bill, federal overreach, sportsmen, sportswomen, wildlife management, conservation, rural communities, Louisiana hunting, hunting tradition, animal welfare, dog breeders, dog owners, outdoor recreation, Kathy Taylor, musical achievements

Transcript Highlights:

• I work closely with Senator Washington, a trial attorney who specializes in these types of cases, to
• Well, if I were an attorney, I'd be happy to answer. Yeah. Thank you so much.
• Well, if I were an attorney, I'd be happy to answer. Yeah. Thank you so much.
• I'm the prosecuting attorney for Lincoln County.
• How many attorneys should we have? How many investigators should we have?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment comes from the response from the Attorney General's opinion.
• , public defenders, guardian ad litem, and private court-appointed attorneys. ...such as our state attorneys
• After this tragedy happened, the Attorney General and the elected state attorney both slammed and named
• Libby Gozo from the Attorney General's office waves in support.
• Libby Gozo from the Attorney General's office, waves in support.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of wondering: does this apply to when CPS can remove a child, or just when a parent would be prosecuted
• So does this section apply to when CPS could remove a child, or is this just in regards to prosecuting
• kind of wondering, does this apply to when CPS can remove a child or just when a parent would be prosecuted
• for not when CPS can remove a child or just when they're a parent would be prosecuted for not seeking
• does this section like apply towards when CPS could remove a child or is this just in regards to prosecuting

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee continued testimony on House Bill 864, which would schedule kratom as a Schedule I substance. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters included family members of people who died after using kratom, police representatives, a physician who said kratom is an addictive opioid-like substance, and the bill sponsors, who argued that kratom and related compounds can cause addiction, withdrawal, overdose, and death and that a ban is needed to protect public health. Opponents included convenience store and kratom industry representatives, a veteran and other users who said kratom helped them manage pain or avoid opioids, and the American Kratom Association, which argued that the bill conflates natural kratom leaf with synthetic derivatives such as 7-OH and that regulation, not prohibition, is the better approach. The committee ultimately adopted a motion to hold HB 864 to a time certain of March 25 by a roll call vote of 11-5. The committee then took up House Bill 903, a SNAP-related bill clarifying which food items can be purchased with benefits. The sponsor explained that the bill was intended to clean up the earlier SNAP waiver language and remove items such as cookies, cakes, brownies, sprinkles, chips, and snack bars from the list of allowable purchases, while keeping more nutritious items and certain bars. Retailers testified in support, saying the changes would reduce confusion and improve consistency. After discussion over the process and the proposed changes, a motion to hold the bill failed, and the committee voted to send HB 903 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The final item introduced was House Bill 757, which the sponsor said would define medical neglect in Idaho law and create protections for parents and guardians from false or bad-faith reports. The bill would narrow medical neglect to life-threatening conditions and include exemptions for reasonable efforts to obtain care, medically complex situations, and alternative treatments. No action was taken on HB 757 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It carves out the Boone County prosecuting attorney and the Boone County sheriff from this, so they will
• It also allows assistant prosecuting attorneys to be in the salary commission because they can receive

Summary: The House first established a quorum after introductions of the Freedom of the Road Riders and Warsaw High School students. Members then took up House Bill 1855, a reporting bill on alpha-gal syndrome. The sponsor described the bill as a public health surveillance measure to add alpha-gal to Missouri’s reportable conditions, require lab reporting to the Department of Health and Senior Services, and send aggregated data to the CDC. Supporters said the bill would help identify hotspots, guide education and funding, and address a serious tick-borne condition affecting rural and urban Missourians alike. Opponents raised concerns about cost, false positives/negatives, and privacy, but the sponsor and others said the system would be HIPAA-compliant and de-identified at the federal level. Two amendments to HB 1855 were debated. An amendment changing the department’s follow-up authority from “may” to “shall” was adopted, with supporters arguing that if the legislature funds follow-up, the department should be required to do it. A second amendment creating an opt-in/opt-out consent process for reporting was rejected 41-10 after extensive debate over privacy, data collection, and whether consent would undermine disease surveillance. The House then adopted the House committee substitute for HB 1855 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. The chamber next considered House Bills 2230 and 2978, a revised education measure aimed at reducing screen time in K-5 classrooms and encouraging handwriting and cursive instruction. The sponsor said the bill was based on research linking heavy screen use to poorer educational and behavioral outcomes, and supporters emphasized local control, parent access to screen-time policies, and the need to bring experts together through a state-level focus group. An amendment to exclude virtual school programs was adopted. The House then adopted the committee substitute for HB 2230 and 2978 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. Finally, the House began debate on House Bill 2355, the Food Is Medicine Initiative. The sponsor said the bill would let Missouri use federal funds through 1115 waivers to pilot medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling, and related interventions to improve health and lower Medicaid costs. Members generally supported the concept, citing food deserts and the benefits of better nutrition, but an amendment adding vitamin therapies and cleanup language prompted concern from one member about supplement quality and regulation; the transcript ends during that amendment discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, you were helping prosecute these folks, and I know you all were very frustrated at the times with
• Uh, you were helping prosecute these folks, and I know you all were very frustrated at the times with
• Uh, you were helping prosecute these folks, and I know you all were very frustrated at the times with
• And I know, for example, you all had to prosecute MS-13, Congressman, not when you were back prosecuting
• </c><04:38:24.561><c> Eastern</c> you were back prosecuting in the Eastern you were back prosecuting

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• has pursued federal scheduling activity, but state-level scheduling is independently necessary to prosecute
• But let me be clear that Schedule III still gives prosecutors effective tools to be able to prosecute
• But let me be clear that Schedule III still gives prosecutors effective tools to be able to prosecute
• For most drug prosecutions, as I understand it, though, we need the state statute so that they can prosecute
• For most drug prosecutions, as I understand it, though, we need the state statute so that they can prosecute

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and voted House Bill 2309, Representative Jones’ Oregon Harvesting bill, do pass by a vote of 13 ayes and no nays. The committee then moved to public testimony on House Bill 1881, which would schedule xylazine as a controlled substance. Representative Bill Allen said the bill is intended to address xylazine’s role in fentanyl-related overdoses, improve tracking and enforcement, and preserve legitimate veterinary use through carve-outs. A veterinarian from the University of Missouri testified in support, emphasizing xylazine’s long-standing and safe veterinary use and the need to protect agricultural practice while targeting illicit diversion. No opposition was presented, and testimony on the bill concluded. The committee then heard House Bill 1855, which would add alpha-gal syndrome to Missouri’s reportable conditions and create a reporting/surveillance framework. Sponsor Representative Matthew Overcast said the bill was revised to shift reporting from providers to private labs, create a standalone non-communicable disease reporting section, and support data collection for prevalence, education, and federal funding opportunities. Supporters included a lobbyist for the AlphaGal Alliance, a University of Missouri dermatologist/researcher, Extension staff, cattle industry representatives, and multiple patients and family members who described severe dietary restrictions, anxiety, school and work impacts, and the need for better public awareness and treatment research. Opponents argued the bill’s language would expand DHSS authority too broadly, especially the provision allowing the department to designate and enforce rules for noncommunicable diseases, and suggested narrowing the bill and adding opt-in protections. No vote was taken. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 2355, Representative Holly Jones’ “food as medicine” bill. Jones argued that nutrition should be treated as a public health intervention and described medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and nutrition counseling as tools that can improve outcomes and reduce costs. In questions, members raised concerns about how the proposal would interact with existing food assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC, school meals, and other federal nutrition benefits, and whether the bill would create a new entitlement or duplicate existing aid. The hearing on HB 2355 was still in progress when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• that I've been a prosecutor for 30 years and focused a lot on, I guess, my kind of specialty was prosecuting
• I guess my kind of specialty was prosecuting sexual assault crimes, especially dealing with minors.

Summary: The subcommittee held its first official organizational meeting to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes in New Mexico, especially activity connected to Zorro Ranch. After roll call established a quorum, the members introduced themselves and explained their backgrounds: Representative Anaya cited survivor advocacy work, Representative Hall described his FBI background, and Representative Reeb noted her experience prosecuting sexual assault cases. Chair Romero outlined the committee’s purpose as a bipartisan House investigatory subcommittee, informally called the Truth Commission, tasked with conducting a full, transparent, legally rigorous fact-finding investigation into Epstein’s criminal enterprise and how New Mexico was used. The chair said the committee has a $2 million budget, will hire legal experts and investigators, and will work through Legislative Council after session. She announced plans for a public website, regular updates, a tip line, and coordination with the New Mexico Department of Justice, law enforcement, and public safety agencies. She also said the committee has subpoena power and will issue subpoenas to persons of interest if they do not voluntarily cooperate, while protecting survivor anonymity and keeping the process trauma-informed and victim-centered. Members emphasized the importance of justice for survivors and public transparency. Representative Anaya encouraged people needing help to contact the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. No public commenters came forward during the allotted comment period, and the meeting adjourned after the organizational discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Joining me today are Ivy Fitzpatrick, Chief Deputy District Attorney with Riverside County DA's office
• I'm a chief deputy district attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
• In simplest terms, this District Attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, in simplest
• The outcome of a criminal prosecution is not and should not be a basis for altering a medical determination
• As a former wills, trusts, and estate planning attorney, I worked with clients who care deeply about

Summary: The committee heard SB 1422, which would restore Medi-Cal access for income-eligible undocumented adults beginning January 1, 2027. Senator Durazo and county, labor, health, immigrant-rights, and provider supporters argued the current enrollment freeze shifts costs to counties and hospitals, worsens preventive care, and increases expensive emergency treatment. No opposition testified. Several senators voiced support but also raised concerns about funding and the need for new revenue sources; the chair said she supported the concept and would continue working on financing, but the bill was not voted on because quorum was lost. The committee also heard SB 1023 on PrEP access, SB 1071 on amending death certificates after a homicide finding, SB 1057 on conviction-history review for CNA and home health aide certification, and SB 1088 on advance care planning and POLST/DNR updates. SB 1023’s author and supporters said requiring pharmacy-benefit coverage for injectable PrEP would reduce administrative barriers and improve access, while health plans opposed it as an improper benefit-design mandate; members sought clarification about how the billing pathway would work. SB 1071 drew strong support from victims’ families, law enforcement, and prosecutors who said death certificates should reflect later legal homicide findings, while coroners opposed it as blurring medical and legal determinations and risking data integrity. SB 1057 was presented as a fair-chance workforce measure to expand caregiving jobs for rehabilitated people with records, with no opposition heard. SB 1088 would modernize POLST/DNR rules, including electronic signatures, out-of-state recognition, and clearer signer authority; supporters backed the changes, while clinical nurse specialists opposed the bill for not including them as authorized signers. After quorum was established, the committee took up SB 869, which would require large chain restaurants to display an added-sugar icon next to beverages exceeding half the daily recommended sugar limit. Senator Weber Pierson and supporters from the American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association framed the bill as a transparency measure to help consumers make informed choices and reduce chronic disease risk. The senator responded to opposition concerns by saying existing nutrition information is often hard to find and that the icon would not unduly crowd menus. The hearing continued with testimony on the bill after quorum was reached, but no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Joining me today are Ivy Fitzpatrick, Chief Deputy District Attorney with Riverside County DA's office
• I'm a chief deputy district attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
• In simplest terms, this District Attorney at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, in simplest
• The outcome of a criminal prosecution is not, and should not become, a basis for altering a medical determination
• As a former wills, trusts, and estate planning attorney, I worked with clients who care deeply about

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You've got to be arrested, charged, prosecuted at trial, and hope that that defense works in front of
• , of course, what brings us here today: the jury instructions were so confusing, and the defense attorney
• What brings us here today is that the jury instructions were so confusing, and the defense attorney was
• I'm not an attorney. I'm not. I'm not trying to say that all officers are bad.
• And I'll never forget the feeling of being the first Black assistant state's attorney in the history

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, pledge, and several member introductions and recognitions, including resolutions and visiting groups. The chamber then moved to a special order calendar and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 88 on utility terrain vehicles, which would allow local governments to opt in to street use of UTVs under specified safety conditions; it passed 32-5 after debate over safety concerns. SB 102 on exceptional student education created a workforce credential/badge program for students with autism or on modified curricula; despite concerns about unfunded mandates, it passed 36-0. SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults authorized alternative service methods for scammers through the apps they used to contact victims and passed 37-0. SB 130 expanded and eased procedures for compensation of victims of wrongful incarceration, including extending filing deadlines and removing restrictive bars; it passed 38-0. SB 158 eliminated cost sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams under the state employee health plan and passed 38-0. The Senate then considered SB 234 on crimes against law enforcement officers, prompted by the killing of Officer Jason Raynor. The bill clarified that a person may not resist an officer with violence and added a mandatory life sentence for manslaughter of a law enforcement officer. A late amendment to restore “good faith” language failed, and after extensive debate over due process, racial profiling, and sentencing concerns, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. SB 262 on trust code technical changes passed 36-0. SB 274 designated portions of roads in Orlando as Harris Rosen Way and Geraldine Thompson Way; it passed 38-0 and then received 37 co-sponsors. SB 280 created an enforcement mechanism for candidate party-affiliation qualification requirements and passed 38-0. SB 296 repealed the statewide middle and high school start-time mandate and returned the issue to local districts with reporting requirements; it passed 38-0. Later, SB 356 designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida, with the sponsor emphasizing anti-Semitism and the need for education and remembrance. The transcript also included additional ceremonial remarks and recognition of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity members in the gallery. Throughout the meeting, most measures advanced with unanimous or near-unanimous support, while SB 234 generated the most substantive disagreement and was set aside for later consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• use it as an affirmative defense,' you've got to be charged, you've got to be arrested, charged, prosecuted
• confusing. and the What brings us here today is the jury instructions were so confusing and the defense attorney
• I'm not an attorney. I'm not... ...for us. I'm not an attorney.
• And I'll never forget the feeling of being the first Black assistant state's attorney in the history

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several member introductions recognizing visiting groups and resolutions, including Blood Clot Awareness Month and Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. The chamber then moved to a special order calendar and considered a series of bills, with most measures passing overwhelmingly after brief explanations and debate. Among the early bills, SB 88 on utility terrain vehicles passed 32-5, allowing local governments to opt in to limited street use of UTVs under specified safety rules; SB 102 on exceptional student education passed 36-0 to create a workforce credential program for students with autism or modified curricula; SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults passed 37-0; SB 130 on compensation for wrongful incarceration passed 38-0 after expanding filing timelines and easing restrictions on compensation claims; and SB 158 on diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations passed 38-0 to eliminate cost sharing for follow-up breast imaging under the state employee health plan. The most extended debate centered on SB 234, which sought to strengthen penalties and clarify the law regarding violent resistance to law enforcement officers and offenses against officers. Supporters argued the bill was needed after the Jason Raynor case to prevent defendants from using claims about an officer’s legal duty to justify violence, while opponents raised concerns about removing “good faith” language, potential impacts on Fourth Amendment protections, racial profiling, and the bill’s mandatory life sentence for manslaughter of an officer. A Jones amendment to restore “good faith” failed, and after further debate the sponsor temporarily postponed the bill without a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 262 on trust code technical changes (36-0), SB 274 designating roadways for Harris Rosen and Geraldine Thompson (38-0) and opening the board for 37 co-sponsors, SB 280 creating an enforcement mechanism for candidate party-affiliation qualifications (38-0), and SB 296 repealing the statewide middle and high school start-time mandate in favor of local decision-making and reporting requirements (38-0). Later, SB 356 designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida, with supporters emphasizing the need to confront antisemitism and preserve Holocaust memory; the bill was introduced and debated, with the transcript ending during remarks by President Gaetz about the recent Holocaust memorial unveiling. Throughout the meeting, senators also used debate to highlight broader policy themes such as autism workforce inclusion, breast cancer screening, wrongful incarceration reform, school district flexibility, and honoring community leaders through road designations. The chamber’s actions were largely affirmative, with several unanimous votes and one notable postponed bill after substantial disagreement."}】}]}}```

Transcript Highlights:

• And to date, zero cases have been prosecuted and there have been zero convictions.
• And you do see some cases that have been prosecuted and some that have been convicted.
• Now, when a referral is made here, just because there is not a conviction or prosecution doesn't mean
• Office of Fraud and Accountability for investigation of that potential fraud and potential criminal prosecution
• Yeah, so if they are referred to the Office of Fraud and Accountability and then there is a prosecution

Summary: The committee began with a work session on Washington’s child care oversight and subsidy system, focusing on Working Connections Child Care, licensing, audits, and fraud prevention. DCYF officials said the program serves over 63,000 eligible families, with about 6,600 licensed providers and roughly 2,200 license-exempt family, friend, and neighbor providers. They described annual unannounced licensing visits, complaint investigations, attendance tracking, eligibility verification, random and focused audits, and referrals to the Office of Fraud and Accountability or Office of Financial Recovery when needed. Senators asked about voucher amounts, visit frequency, and what happens when children are not present; officials said the average subsidy is about $2,200 per month, providers are paid directly, and repeated failed visits can lead to license closure. Child Care Aware and provider testimony emphasized the quality system, Early Achievers, and a virtual provider described the practical realities of home-based care and unannounced inspections. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for waiving high school physical education requirements. The bill’s sponsor said the goal was to make PE waiver decisions consistent across districts so students who move schools are not disadvantaged, especially in six-period schedules with limited room for electives. Student supporters said a uniform process would improve fairness and help students fit in AP, career, or other coursework. Opponents, including PE teachers and the Washington Association of School Principals, argued that PE is a core academic subject, that athletics is not interchangeable with PE, and that local flexibility should remain. The State Board of Education supported the bill, saying current district policies vary widely and a standardized process would improve equity and transparency. Next, the committee took testimony on Senate Bill 5961, which would transfer the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. The sponsor called it a simple administrative move to align the book-gifting program with early literacy and K-12 education, noting the program serves about 120,000 children in all 39 counties. OSPI and program representatives supported the transfer, saying it better fits the birth-to-grade-three literacy continuum and strengthens accountability. Testifiers highlighted the program’s role in school readiness, early brain development, and access to physical books for young children. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 5969, which would allow a student’s IEP transition plan to satisfy high school and beyond plan requirements if the IEP team chooses. The sponsor, a special education teacher, said the bill would reduce duplication and better support students with disabilities as they transition to postsecondary life. The committee then began hearing testimony on the proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> certainly never going to be prosecuted certainly never going to be prosecuted at<01:35:15.199><c
• The bill contact the attorney general.
• general, and I quote, "The the attorney general, and I quote, "The attorney<03:36:56.720><c> general
• </c><04:42:36.480><c> It</c> attorney fees and court costs. It attorney fees and court costs.
• </c><06:20:05.120><c> general's</c> level involving the attorney general's level involving the attorney

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this would allow for the Attorney General to take action on behalf of such workers.
• So the legislation gives the power to the Attorney General.
• Attorney Patrick Keady. Good afternoon and welcome. Yes.
• In person to testify, do any members of the committee have a question for Attorney Keady?
• I am going to ask the Attorney General in both Massachusetts and the U.S.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a lengthy hearing on June 18 focused on workers’ compensation, independent contractor and classification issues, workplace safety, warehouse worker protections, extreme temperature protections, retaliation against injured workers, and workplace bullying. Committee chairs outlined procedures for the hybrid hearing and noted that members would be leaving intermittently for floor votes. Testimony also touched on a bill to expand workers’ compensation disfigurement benefits by removing the current $15,000 cap and extending coverage beyond scars on the hands, neck, and face. A major theme was workplace safety in warehouses and in extreme heat or cold. Teamsters, warehouse workers, and labor advocates described high injury rates, strict quotas, lack of water, inadequate ventilation, frozen or missing safety equipment, and pressure to work through heat waves and snowstorms. Supporters urged favorable reports on bills protecting warehouse workers and requiring employers to adopt heat- and cold-safety plans, while the NFIB opposed the temperature bill as overly prescriptive and burdensome for small businesses. Sen. Edwards, Sen. Roche, Rep. O’Day, and others argued that the measures are needed to prevent heat illness, provide shade, water, rest breaks, training, and emergency plans, and to cover all workers regardless of immigration status. Another major subject was the “Act to Protect Injured Workers,” backed by labor groups, immigrant worker centers, legal services organizations, and individual workers. Witnesses said employers often retaliate after injuries by threatening deportation, lying about how injuries occurred, delaying care, or firing workers, and they supported stronger anti-retaliation enforcement, multilingual notices, and a rebuttable presumption of retaliation within 90 days of protected activity. The Mass AFL-CIO and immigrant advocacy groups supported the bill and opposed measures they said would weaken employee classification standards. Testimony also supported a funeral-benefits bill to raise workers’ compensation death-benefit reimbursement for burial and funeral costs, based on a family’s experience after a workplace fatality. The committee heard additional testimony on workplace bullying bills, with some witnesses urging a new legal duty for employers to prevent and respond to bullying, while others described the harms of toxic workplaces and the lack of effective remedies.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be a question for the Attorney General's Office. Is the Attorney General's Office?
• That would be a question for the Attorney General's Office.
• Is the Attorney General's Office going to be here today? Do we know?
• I'm an attorney here in Texas, practicing law for many years.
• A young civil rights attorney said, "Well, hold on, let's hold up.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If the court determines that a person is a veteran, it would direct the court to notify the prosecuting
• agency of that person's veteran status, at which point the prosecuting agency would provide information

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House Democratic Caucus met on Minority Caucus Calendar items and reviewed several Senate-amended House bills. HB 2003 would lower the learner’s permit age from 15½ to 15 and increase supervised driving time; the Senate added a delayed effective date of December 1, 2026, and the sponsor was said to have refused the amendment after previously concurring. HB 2693 would allow chambers of commerce to set up insurance purchasing pools for small businesses, and the Senate added a third-party-funded feasibility study by ADOA on what it would cost for state health insurance to enter the marketplace; members raised concerns that the study could be used to undermine the state self-insured plan, but no action was taken. HB 2133, dealing with synthetic sexual depictions and online sexual material verification, had multiple Senate changes that removed the synthetic-depiction expansion, added parody/artistic-expression exceptions, altered verification and record-retention rules, and removed AG inspection authority; the sponsor was expected to refuse the changes, and members were directed to stakeholder emails outlining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• If the court determines that a person is a veteran, it would direct the court to notify the prosecuting
• agency of that person's veteran status, at which point the prosecuting agency would provide information

Summary: The House Democratic Caucus reviewed several Senate-amended bills on the Minority Caucus Calendar. HB 2003, which lowers the learner’s permit age and increases supervised driving time, had a Senate delayed effective date added; members were told the sponsor had previously concurred but now intends to refuse. HB 2693, allowing chamber-of-commerce insurance purchasing pools and adding a third-party-paid feasibility study on state health insurance entering the marketplace, drew questions about possible impacts on the state employee health plan and whether the study could be used to undermine the current self-insured system. HB 2133, dealing with sexual material consent and synthetic depictions, generated the most discussion. The Senate removed the synthetic-depiction language from the revenge porn statute, added parody/comedy/artistic-expression exceptions, narrowed and expanded various verification provisions for commercial entities, removed limits on retaining identifying information, and eliminated AG inspection authority; members were told the sponsor intends to refuse the changes and that stakeholder concerns were outlined in emailed comments from the ASEO of Arizona and the Motion Picture Association. HB 2013, requiring ADEQ to submit exceptional-event demonstrations to EPA for certain wildfire impacts, had a Senate amendment limiting it to wildfires over 25,000 acres and tied to smoke or land damage; the sponsor was expected to concur, though stakeholders’ concerns remained unresolved. HB 2226, which requires courts to ask about veteran status at initial appearance and provide information about veterans’ services, was amended by the Senate to have the court rather than the prosecutor provide the information; members said the sponsor likely would concur. HB 2032, adjusting statewide assessment testing windows and related deadlines, was amended to extend the testing window to six consecutive school weeks and move the start of testing for grades 3-8 to the second week of April; the sponsor concurred, and members noted that organizations previously opposed had shifted to support. The caucus then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal behavior in the course of the background check, but it is something that has never been prosecuted
• Has never been prosecuted.

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee first considered the gubernatorial reappointment of Clayton Steele to the Board of Environmental Quality. After a motion by Senator Harris and a second by Senator Blaylock, the committee voted by voice vote to send the reappointment to the Senate floor with a recommendation that he be confirmed. The committee then reviewed docket 16-0602-2501 on foster care licensing, presented by Jared Larson of the Department of Health and Welfare. Larson said the temporary and pending rules implement last year’s kin-specific licensure legislation, make a largely cosmetic change to suspension/revocation language, and add a substantive standard allowing the department to deny licensure if it can show by a preponderance of the evidence that an applicant committed disqualifying conduct even without a conviction. Senators asked about the effect of raising the foster parent age limit from 21 to 23 under prior legislation; Larson said participation has increased, he had not heard of downsides, and the department would provide a written summary of the impact. The committee approved the docket by voice vote. Finally, the committee took up docket 16-0613-2501, a pending rule repealing the Emergency Assistance for Families and Children chapter. Larson explained the program is entirely federally funded and the existing state rules were essentially a word-for-word copy of federal law, so the department was repealing the redundant chapter in line with its broader effort to remove rules already covered by higher authority. After no questions, the committee approved the repeal docket by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're all attorneys.
• They're all attorneys.
• They're all attorneys.
• Uh, Daniel Albert from Department of Labor. attorney, I can tell you the defense bar attorney, I can
• </c> attorney. Mhm. attorney. Mhm.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all