Bills: SB1465, SB2110, SB1771, SB206, SB1584, SB1386, SB1696, SB1806, SB1428, SB1390, SB1381, SB201, SB1778, SB1332, SB1836, SB1369, SB1794, SB1290, SB175, SB1379

Keywords: professional engineers, surveyors, licensure board, sunset extension, state board, occupational licensing, engineering license, surveying license, professional regulation, regulatory board, sunset review, emergency clause, Oklahoma O.S. 59, board appointments, lay member, SB2110, eggs, ungraded eggs, graded eggs, egg sales

Bills: SB1465, SB2110, SB1771, SB206, SB1584, SB1386, SB1696, SB1806, SB1428, SB1390, SB1381, SB201, SB1778, SB1332, SB1836, SB1369, SB1794, SB1290, SB175, SB1379

Keywords: professional engineers, surveyors, licensure board, sunset extension, state board, occupational licensing, engineering license, surveying license, professional regulation, regulatory board, sunset review, emergency clause, Oklahoma O.S. 59, board appointments, lay member, SB2110, eggs, ungraded eggs, graded eggs, egg sales

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and included several member and gallery introductions, including recognition of the Doctor of the Day and family members of senators. The chamber then moved to floor business on several bills, with no major debate on most measures. Senate Bill 1465 extended the sunset date for the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors to 2031 and passed 43-2, including as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 2110, as amended, allowed the sale of ungraded eggs up to 150 dozen, with the author explaining it was requested by constituents to support rural economics and farmers markets. Senators asked about the need for the bill, the cap, and food safety; the author said the limit was a starting point and noted the eggs would be sold off-premises. The bill advanced and passed 44-2. Senate Bill 1771, which authorizes the Workforce Commission to obtain more complete information on workforce development funds and retain outside counsel, had a title-restoring amendment adopted and then passed 35-11. Senate Bill 206, making public EMS services eligible as essential for drawing down federal funds, passed 42-5 and was also declared an emergency measure. The Senate also heard acknowledgements, including congratulations to Senator Seifried on her first successful day presiding and recognition of Catoosa Day at the Capitol. Announcements followed on appropriations and Oklahoma Women’s Day at the Capitol, and the Senate adjourned until Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an attorney in Galveston and I'm also the president of the Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys
• If you're looking at me, I'm not an attorney, so I'm not going to address that. Okay. Thank you.
• Well, it's a legal question, and none of them are attorneys. Okay, next question.
• of Family Defense Attorneys, and we are strongly in support of HB116.
• And I am a board-certified attorney, licensed in the state of Texas since 1986.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB116, HB18, HB37, HB116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: HB 18, Texas Legislature, quorum break, quorum-busting, legislative walkout, absent legislators, political contributions, campaign finance, political expenditures, legislative caucus, specific-purpose committee, Texas Ethics Commission, civil penalty, show cause order, district court, Fifteenth Court of Appeals, session fundraising, travel lodging food expenses, legislative session, compelled attendance

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an attorney from Galveston, I'm also the president of the Texas Association of Family Defense Attorneys
• This was long before indigent parents were assigned attorneys in a timely manner, and so we had... to
• We only have eight attorneys right now who represent parents.
• What is the county going to do if we no longer have attorneys willing to represent parents?
• I have been an attorney in the CPS arena for the majority of my practice.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744, HB18, HB37, HB116

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Transcript Highlights:

• Each CPT must also have a team attorney.
• the State's Attorney's Office use the information gathered at our CAC to arrest and successfully prosecute

Summary: The Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee held a panel discussion on Florida’s child protection teams (CPTs), child advocacy centers (CACs), and related state systems. Testimony came from the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Health, a local CAC director, the Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, a CPT medical lead, and a Jacksonville sheriff’s sergeant. Witnesses described how DCF investigations, CPT medical and forensic services, CAC multidisciplinary coordination, and law enforcement work together to assess abuse allegations, provide interviews and exams, and connect children and families to services. Several speakers highlighted telemedicine, co-location, and Jacksonville’s specialized investigative model as examples of stronger coordination. Committee members focused heavily on communication gaps, staffing shortages, and delays in forensic interviews and medical evaluations. Senators asked about implementation of Jordan’s Law, the timing of DCF and law enforcement notifications, whether law enforcement is always included in decisions about forensic interviews, and how quickly children are seen after a report. DCF and DOH representatives said referrals are generally made within 24 hours and that multidisciplinary staffings are used to share information, but law enforcement described cases where interviews were scheduled weeks out or reports arrived late, creating problems for probable cause and safety decisions. Members also raised concerns about turnover among CPIs and CPT staff, caseloads, and the need for more specialty providers. CAC representatives said the model reduces trauma by bringing services together in one place, but noted uneven access across the state, especially in rural areas and in counties without CACs. They said sustainable funding and workforce development are needed to maintain and expand services, and one speaker noted that some CACs have closed due to funding challenges. DCF said there are about 1,500 CPIs statewide and an average active caseload of about 12 per investigator, while CPTs serve roughly 22,000 to 23,000 children annually. The committee did not take any formal vote or action, but members requested follow-up information on staffing numbers, communication practices, CAC locations, and recommendations for statutory or budget changes. The meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• enforcement officers who use force constitutionally while carrying out their duties are immune from prosecution
• Currently, the attorney general can enter into an agreement, but this applies to state and local law

Bills: HB202, HB42, HB146, HB492, HB285, HB7, HB454, HB42, HB7

Keywords: law enforcement, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, bail reform, cash deposit, judicial discretion, criminal justice, Alabama law, youthful offender, capital murder, public safety, victims' rights, juvenile offenders, delinquent acts, juvenile court, nonfelony offenses, water safety offenses, HB285

Transcript Highlights:

• legislative races on the outside, $21.5 million in the governor's race, and $8.4 million in the attorney
• Imagine if courts can't process active prosecutions and defendants can't get their day in court.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will prosecute and go after anybody who’s committing fraud.
• </c><00:08:08.879><c> We</c><00:08:09.120><c> will</c><00:08:09.280><c> prosecute</c> providing services
• We will prosecute providing services.
• We will prosecute and<00:08:10.000><c> go</c><00:08:10.160><c> after</c><00:08:10.479><c> anybody</c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• bring them forward and we believe it's happened, we refer them to the BCA, who then refers them for prosecution
• bring them forward and we believe it's happened, we refer them to the BCA, who then refers them for prosecution
• bring them forward and we believe it's happened, we refer them to the BCA, who then refers them for prosecution
• And when it comes to fraud, by the way, we should be prosecuting these people in Minnesota because you

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• you have an awareness of the Department of Justice's team that targeted and basically was able to prosecute
• However, I believe that we have the instruments to continue. to proceed to prosecute these crimes.
• the the amount of, as we look at tip-fit flows, sustainment, and those things that are required to prosecute
• those replaced in a quick fashion so that we don't provide drain for sustainment things in order to prosecute

Keywords: Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. military strategy, China military drills, Taiwan, Philippines, North Korea, defense budget, military modernization

Summary: The meeting focused on significant strategic discussions regarding the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and its military posture in the region. Admiral Paparo and General Brunson were commended for their services, with the Chair noting an alarming shift in the balance of power towards China. Key topics included China's aggressive military drills near Taiwan, the increasing coercion against the Philippines, and the need for the U.S. to reaffirm its commitments to its allies in the region. Concerns were raised regarding China's military modernization and its implications for U.S. forces, alongside discussions on North Korea's threats and its burgeoning nuclear capabilities. The committee emphasized the urgent need for military and defense appropriations to counteract these growing security challenges.

Transcript Highlights:

• to ensure accountability, in 2024 the Department of Corrections referred 24 cases for criminal prosecution
• 42.399><c> criminal</c> referred 24 cases uh for uh criminal referred 24 cases uh for uh criminal prosecution
• 44.720><c> prosecutors</c><00:08:45.720><c> um</c><00:08:46.320><c> as</c><00:08:46.440><c> a</c> prosecution
• to local prosecutors um as a prosecution to local prosecutors um as a result<00:08:46.839><c> of</c>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 327, which would increase penalties for introducing contraband into correctional facilities, especially drugs and other dangerous items sent through the mail or brought in by outside actors. Representative Ingan described the bill as a response to a sharp rise in violations and staff exposures in DOC facilities, arguing that stronger felony penalties are needed to deter people from sending in illicit substances. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee omnibus because it has a fiscal note. The committee adopted the DE1 author’s amendment after Representative Ingan explained it was intended to clarify language that could otherwise create a catch-22 for people arrested or booked into jail who already have contraband on them. Members then raised concerns about the breadth of the bill, including overlap with an existing DOC statute and the possibility that the language could sweep in incarcerated people in situations involving prescription medication or minor exchanges. House nonpartisan staff and members suggested the DOC provisions should be reconciled with existing law before moving forward, and some suggested narrowing the bill to focus more specifically on jails. Sheriff Brad Wise of the Minnesota Sheriffs Association testified in support, saying contraband in jails threatens staff, inmates, visitors, and administrators and that current penalties are not enough to deter smuggling. Commissioner Paul Schell of Corrections also testified, noting that DOC already has a separate statute with a higher felony penalty for certain contraband, described the department’s mail-scanning contractor process, and said it has reduced suspected drug incidents by about two-thirds. An A2 amendment tied to medication intake practices was offered by Representative Curran but then withdrawn after discussion, with members agreeing the issue of medication access in facilities should be handled separately.

Transcript Highlights:

• doing school law at the time or really wasn't a niche, you know, for attorneys, so a remainder in the
• I'm an attorney with Home School Legal Defense Association.
• I'm an<01:27:48.480><c> attorney</c><01:27:48.880><c> with</c><01:27:49.040><c> Home</c><01:27:49.200
• ><c> School</c><01:27:49.520><c> Legal</c> an attorney with Home School Legal an attorney with Home School
• to go through the process attorneys to go through the process in<01:49:15.280><c> school.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I want to thank our Attorney General and her staff for the great work of defending that law, because
• Or the district attorney either knowing or caring.
• House Bill by Representative Wilder, recusal of a district attorney, notice of the Attorney General,
• House Bill by Representative Carver, 22nd JDC; number of assistant district attorneys; salary; payment
• House Bill by Representative Egan: district attorneys; number of assistant district attorneys in each

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, received and accepted multiple resignation notices from members representing Districts 37, 39, 60, 69, 97, and 100, and then recognized the election and qualification of the members-elect who filled those vacancies: Doyle Boudreau, Reese Broussard, Chasity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray. Each member-elect was sworn in, and the House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session. The chamber then handled a large number of procedural actions related to prefiled legislation. By motion and without objection, the House suspended rules to refer prefile bills to committee and introduced a broad slate of House bills and resolutions. Topics included the state budget and appropriations, retirement system changes, carbon capture and sequestration, criminal justice and bail, public safety, education, health care, local government matters, transportation, and several memorial or commemorative resolutions. Several resolutions and bills were noted as lying over, and some prefiled bills were withdrawn from the files. The House also received a Senate message that SCR 1 had been adopted, and the resolution was taken up without objection. The chamber then recessed for a joint session with the Senate to hear the governor’s address and a presentation honoring Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister with the Distinguished Flying Cross. In his remarks, Governor Jeff Landry highlighted his administration’s priorities, including education, tax reform, workforce development, health and nutrition, insurance reform, transportation infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and criminal justice reform, while urging support for his agenda and several related bills and constitutional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education Department to access patient or client records without consent for the investigation and prosecution
• Education Department to access patient or client records without consent for the investigation and prosecution

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Higher Education Committee met on May 5 and considered 12 bills, with most measures relating to higher education administration, student services, and professional licensing. The committee advanced a rural teacher loan repayment program for teachers serving underserved rural areas, a SUNY/CUNY mental health staffing requirement, a bill allowing SED access to patient or client records in professional misconduct cases, an AI-in-therapy regulation bill, cross-profession supervision for certain mental health professionals, an extension of limited permits for social workers, continuing education requirements for acupuncturists, and updated supervision rules for physical therapy assistants. One bill reorganizing SUNY police was held for further negotiations with SUNY, SUNY police, and stakeholders. Two Article 7, Section 2, subdivision E motions for committee consideration were taken up. Senator Rose’s bill to withhold financial aid from SUNY or CUNY institutions that permit organizations designated as terrorist organizations was defeated after several senators voted no or without recommendation. Senator Kanzanari Fitzpatrick’s bill requiring anti-Semitism awareness training, incident reporting, and compliance with state reporting rules for higher education institutions was approved and sent to the Codes Committee, with some senators voting without recommendation because they viewed the subject as already covered by existing law. The committee also reported Senator Rivera’s nurse practitioner conformity bill to the floor, and several other bills were reported either to the floor or to Finance depending on their fiscal impact. Most measures were approved without opposition, though some senators voted without recommendation on bills they said overlapped with existing statutes or prior legislation. The meeting adjourned at 10:52 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Hawaii Attorney General opposes this bill.
• ><c> opposes</c><01:37:31.440><c> this</c> The Hawaii Attorney General opposes this The Hawaii Attorney
• </c> person shall be subject to prosecution person shall be subject to prosecution for<02:35:24.240><
• <04:40:01.440><c> General's</c> Attorney General's Attorney General's testimony testimony testimony excuse
• </c> Department of the Attorney General. Department of the Attorney General.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we made it an Attorney General mandate.
• So we made it an Attorney General mandate.
• But it was the Attorney General.
• There are two opportunities to engage the Attorney General, which note that the Attorney General's office
• For one, the bicycle organizations and the public can help the Attorney General's office and city attorneys

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and public safety bills, largely focused on traffic violence, e-bike regulation, and DUI enforcement. AB 1588 on sideshows and street takeovers drew support from the author, San Francisco officials, law enforcement, and the League of California Cities, who said the bill would close loopholes, add motorcycles and dirt bikes to the sideshow framework, and align penalties with speed contests. ACLU California Action opposed it, but members generally supported the bill, noting the need for stronger tools against dangerous takeovers. The committee also heard AB 1654 on commercial driver’s licenses and federal verification rules, with the author arguing California must comply with federal law to avoid losing CDL authority; the chair and others objected that the bill could wrongly affect U.S. citizens and codify changing federal rules. The bill was discussed but not advanced in the portion provided. AB 1976 sought to speed delivery of bicycle and pedestrian safety projects by limiting some public meetings, restricting cancellation of contracts without findings, lowering petition thresholds for traffic calming, and updating the Pedestrian Mall Act. Supporters said current procedures delay life-saving projects and give too much power to opponents, while counties and cities opposed the limits on local public input and budget authority. After discussion, the committee voted to send AB 1976 to Local Government, with several members expressing support but also concerns about preserving community participation. The committee also heard AB 2015, which would direct Caltrans to study the effects of navigation apps on local roads and safety. Supporters said apps can divert traffic onto residential streets and undermine local traffic calming, while members suggested the bill should also consider built-in vehicle navigation systems. AB 2168, on the Active Transportation Program, would update the definition of safe routes to transit, prioritize transit-rich and underserved areas, and add stronger spending accountability; it drew support from bicycle and transit advocates and some local agencies, with a few technical concerns left to resolve. Finally, AB 1942 on e-bike registration and license plates for Class 2 and 3 e-bikes drew strong support from law enforcement and medical witnesses citing rising injuries, but broad opposition from bicycle groups, micromobility advocates, and some local governments who said it would burden lawful riders, create DMV problems, and not address illegal e-motos. The committee also heard AB 1685 and AB 1687, both DUI-related bills from the same author: AB 1685 would increase DMV points for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and AB 1687 would extend license revocation for a third DUI conviction to eight years with an interlock option after four years. Both bills received strong support from law enforcement and victims’ advocates, with ACLU California Action opposing them as duplicative or overly punitive; both bills were advanced by committee vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• CACs operate at the intersection of victim services, law enforcement, child welfare, prosecution, and
• I'm a right-to-counsel attorney from Yakima County. I represent tenants.
• In my short time as an RTC attorney, several cases have been dismissed because of notice violations.
• I'm a right to counsel attorney from Yakima County. I represent tenants.
• I'm a right-to-counsel attorney in Spokane with the Northwest Justice Project.

Bills: SB5998

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> I must say the district attorneys are supportive of this bill.
• :09.679><c> our</c><00:30:09.840><c> state,</c> the district attorneys of our state, the district attorneys
• The district attorney testify at all.
• I've prosecuted those cases. I've tried those cases.
• I've tried those prosecuted those cases.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• General, or the United States Attorney for the applicable district in this state, has waived exclusive
• The United States Attorney for the applicable district in this state has waived exclusive jurisdiction
• This amendment aligns with the House version and was recommended by the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys
• This will help ease the workload and burden to the state's attorneys. Are there questions?
• This will help ease the workload and burden to the state's attorneys. Are there questions?

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bureau was established in 2018 under then-Attorney General Javier Becerra, but it is discretionary
• at the will of the Attorney General.
• Throughout this process, my team and I listened to prosecutors, defense attorneys, survivors, advocates
• Assembly Bill 484 by Assembly Member Dixon and relating to attorneys.
• Assembly Bill 484 by Assembly Member Dixon and relating to attorneys.

Summary: The chamber reconvened after a late-night session and first adopted the consent calendar, including ACR 107 on the Diablo Range, by a 48-0 vote. Members then took up several Senate bills and Assembly measures, with repeated remarks about the long hours and the need to respect staff and keep proceedings moving. A vote change was also announced for Assembly Member Patel on SB 414, changing from aye to not voting. The main policy debate centered on energy, climate, and affordability. SB 237, dealing with oil and gas policy, refinery closures, pipeline safety, Kern County permitting, gasoline blend flexibility, and regional fuel coordination, drew strong support from members who framed it as a managed transition to stabilize fuel supply and protect jobs, and strong opposition from members who called it a giveaway to oil interests and a setback for climate goals. The bill passed 59-0. SB 254, an energy affordability and wildfire package, included wildfire mitigation financing, a successor wildfire fund, transmission cost reductions, clean energy permitting changes, and energization timelines; members raised some concerns about local control, but the bill passed 58-0. SB 840 and AB 1207 advanced the cap-and-invest reauthorization package, with supporters emphasizing emissions reductions, housing, transit, wildfire prevention, and community air programs, while opponents argued it would raise costs and function as a tax-and-spend scheme. SB 840 passed 54-15 and AB 1207 passed 55-10, both with urgency and immediate transmittal. Members also approved SB 352, which makes the Bureau of Environmental Justice permanent and requires air quality monitoring and reporting on AB 617 implementation, by 43-19. AB 825, authorizing California to help establish a Westwide electricity market, was presented as a way to lower bills, improve reliability, and reduce emissions; it passed 67-2 and was sent to the Governor. Additional actions included concurrence in Senate amendments to AB 8 on cannabinoids and AB 383 on firearms cleanup, and the chamber began consideration of AB 764 on wildlife as the transcript ended.