Bills: HB1160, HB1289, HB1339, HB1798, HB1065, HB2125, HB2134, HB2185, HB2191, HB2205, HB2245, HB2283, HB2406, HB2501, HB1544, HB1834, HB2188, HB2206, HB2478, HJM4012, HB1104, HB1152, HB1254, HB1443, HB1982, HB2006, HB2297, HB2322, HB2329, HB2379, HB2388, HB2399, HB2462, HB2544, HB2551, HB2262, HB2298, HB2351, HB2401, HB2593, HB2661, HB1496, HB1898, HB2157, HB2311, HB2325, HB2552, HB1343, HB1707, HB2361, HB2389, HB2468, HB2521, HB2720, HB1591, HB2092, HB2176, HB2255, HB2281, HB2438, HB2685, HB1960, HB2236, HB2364

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Bills: HB1160, HB1289, HB1339, HB1798, HB1065, HB2125, HB2134, HB2185, HB2191, HB2205, HB2245, HB2283, HB2406, HB2501, HB1544, HB1834, HB2188, HB2206, HB2478, HJM4012, HB1104, HB1152, HB1254, HB1443, HB1982, HB2006, HB2297, HB2322, HB2329, HB2379, HB2388, HB2399, HB2462, HB2544, HB2551, HB2262, HB2298, HB2351, HB2401, HB2593, HB2661, HB1496, HB1898, HB2157, HB2311, HB2325, HB2552, HB1343, HB1707, HB2361, HB2389, HB2468, HB2521, HB2720, HB1591, HB2092, HB2176, HB2255, HB2281, HB2438, HB2685, HB1960, HB2236, HB2364

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, the flags were escorted by the Nisei Veterans Committee Color Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Scout Alexander Bertelsen, and Reverend Masao Umoto delivered the invocation. The House then approved the previous day’s minutes and took up House Resolution 4692, recognizing the 84th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and honoring Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated and incarcerated during World War II. The resolution recounted the history of the incarceration, the service of Japanese American veterans, the findings of the 1982 commission that the policy was driven by racial prejudice and war hysteria, and the later federal apology and reparations. The resolution was adopted by voice vote, and guests connected to the Japanese American community and remembrance observances were recognized. Several members spoke in support of the resolution, emphasizing the constitutional failures of the wartime incarceration, the importance of remembrance, and the need to guard against fear-driven violations of civil liberties. Remarks also highlighted personal family histories, the experiences of camps such as Manzanar and Camp Harmony, and the service of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and other Japanese American units. After adoption, the House agreed to spread Representative Stonier’s remarks upon the journal. The House then considered a motion to re-refer Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 536 to the Community Safety Committee instead of the Environment and Energy Committee. Representative Abbarno argued the bill dealt primarily with criminal penalties and prosecutorial authority, while Representative Fitzgibbon opposed the change, saying the bill’s predominant subject matter remained environmental. The amendment failed on a voice vote. The House then adopted the motion to read and refer the day’s introductions to the designated committees, with SB 6066 sent to Transportation. Finally, the House returned HB 1065, HJM 1412, and ESHB 1819 to the Rules Committee, announced caucuses, and adjourned until 9:55 a.m. Friday, February 20.

Transcript Highlights:

• You've seen it in your own insurance rates, automobile insurance, homeowners insurance.
• So the insurance.
• You may have a primary insurer and an excess insurer.
• Which insurer, if you have multiple insurers that have paid on that?
• insured.

Bills: HB79, HB437, HB646, HB1089, HB1099, SB173, SB180, SB260, SB424, SB476

Keywords: carbon capture, damages, environmental liability, legal liability, site restoration, expert witness, expert testimony, witness fees, pecuniary interest, conflict of interest, civil procedure, evidence law, Louisiana evidence code, Louisiana civil litigation, expert report, discovery, pretrial disclosure, litigation transparency, settlement, damages award

Transcript Highlights:

• I worked for a couple of insurance companies, so I have that side of me.
• Well, insurance is when something bad happens, right?
• services for state-regulated insurance.
• I'm Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer.
• That's the nature and the purpose of health insurance.

Bills: SB5877, SB5967

Keywords: anesthesiology, medical personnel, surcharges, licensing, healthcare regulations, preventive services, state authority, healthcare access, insurance coverage, public health, 904, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee opened its 2026 session with a work session on access, quality, and affordability. Health Care Authority officials Michelle Needham and Ross Florey, joined later by Washington Health Alliance medical director Dr. Drew Oliva, reviewed the Health Care Cost Transparency Board’s work and data. They said Washington has reduced its uninsured rate from 15% to 5%, but health care spending growth remains above the benchmark, with 2023 spending growth at 6.2% versus a 3.2% target. They identified major cost drivers such as prescription drugs, hospital outpatient care, and professional services, and said 2026 priorities include market oversight/transparency, slowing spending growth, and increasing primary care. Dr. Oliva added that quality measures remain mostly below the 90th percentile, primary care attachment is weak, hospital pricing varies widely, and behavioral health data remain a blind spot. Senators asked about links between cost and quality, primary care recommendations, ambulance costs, and medical homes. The presenters also discussed federal changes affecting Medicaid and exchange coverage and said the committee’s recent legislation on reference-based pricing, APCD transparency, and planning/data collection would help future work. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5877, a technical fix to extend the $70 Physician Health Program surcharge to certified anesthesiologist assistants so they can participate in the Washington Physicians Health Program and related resources. Committee staff and the prime sponsor said the bill corrects a statutory gap after CAA licensure was created in 2024. Testimony from the Washington Medical Commission, the Washington Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants, and the Washington Physicians Health Program supported the bill as a consistency and workforce-support measure. The bill drew 12 pro and 2 con sign-ins, and no vote was taken in the transcript. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5967, which would preserve access to preventive services by allowing the Department of Health to issue immunization recommendations based on multiple expert sources and by maintaining state insurance coverage for preventive services tied to federal recommendations as of June 30, 2025, with authority for OIC rulemaking to keep coverage at least as favorable to enrollees. Governor Ferguson’s office, Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer, and Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham testified in support, saying the bill does not create new vaccine mandates but protects existing no-cost coverage and gives Washington flexibility if federal vaccine guidance becomes unstable. Supporters included physicians and pediatricians who described vaccine-preventable deaths, rising measles and pertussis concerns, and the importance of stable, science-based guidance and universal vaccine access. Opponents argued the bill politicizes vaccines, expands state discretion without enough transparency or fiscal detail, and should instead end mandates; they also raised concerns about conflicts of interest in medical organizations. The hearing continued with additional supportive testimony from family physicians and pediatric specialists emphasizing prevention, access, and evidence-based recommendations.

Bills: HB0076, HB0102, HB0115

Keywords: annexation, landowner rights, municipal law, city planning, property, local government, artificial intelligence, synthetic sexual material, child protection, self-harm, criminal liability, cardiac emergency, defibrillator, school safety, training, public health, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AI developers are also protected from undue liability.
• c><00:16:31.360><c> artificial</c> Page two, the developers of artificial intelligence systems, liabilities
• Page three walks you through the liability and defense, the unlawful distribution, and non-consensual
• </c><00:43:04.400><c> on</c><00:43:04.640><c> an</c><00:43:04.800><c> interactive</c> to impose liability
• on an interactive to impose liability on an interactive computer<00:43:06.000><c> service</c><00:43:

Bills: HB0076, HB0102, HB0115

Keywords: annexation, landowner rights, municipal law, city planning, property, local government, artificial intelligence, synthetic sexual material, child protection, self-harm, criminal liability, cardiac emergency, defibrillator, school safety, training, public health, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What are homeowners experiencing with the lack of insurance? Or is it the high cost of insurance?
• </c> a year on insurance. a year on insurance.
• </c> insurance, home insurance in that area? insurance, home insurance in that area?
• </c> people who get their insurance there. people who get their insurance there.
• </c> relating to health insurance. relating to health insurance.

Bills: HB20, HB2612, HB2404, HB2459, HB2194, HB1880, HB2284, HB1969, HB2458, HB1546, HB2161, HB1721, HB1641, HB2137, HB1782, HB2360, HB1965, HB1897, HB1513

Keywords: lava insurance, homeowners, insurance market, subsidy, Hawaii, mortgage, debt, secured transactions, real property, Hawaii Revised Statutes, cooperative associations, electric utility cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, mutual help, food innovation, agribusiness, food safety, market access, branding, economic diversification

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 20, which would create a lava zone insurance subsidy/fund. The Insurance Division opposed the bill, arguing that lava zones 1 and 2 are the highest-risk areas, that a subsidy would not reduce the underlying risk or loss costs, that it could invite similar subsidy requests for other hazards, and that the bill may conflict with HICV by diverting funds from the CRF. Members discussed the lack of authorized homeowners insurance in those lava zones, the role of HPIA and the surplus market, and the difference between the proposed lava-zone subsidy and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. The chair noted 37 submitted testimonies in support and one in opposition, and the committee then moved on without taking a vote on HB 20 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 2612, relating to mortgages, which would clarify that a mortgage does not exist independently of the debt it secures and is not independently enforceable from that debt. The Hawaii Credit Union League and Hawaii Financial Services Association opposed the bill, while several individuals testified in support, arguing it would restore Hawaii’s long-standing lien-state rule and prevent so-called “zombie mortgages” after the Hawaii Supreme Court’s White decision. Supporters said the bill would protect borrowers from delayed foreclosures and predatory lending practices, while opponents and the Insurance Division emphasized that foreclosure actions still require proof of standing and possession of the note, and that lenders generally pursue foreclosure without seeking deficiency judgments. Committee members questioned the Insurance Division about how the current market works, whether lenders could wait out the statute of limitations and then foreclose only on the mortgage, and whether equitable tolling or later defaults could allow refiling. The division said it is still trying to attract authorized insurers back into the lava-zone market, but has seen little progress. No vote or final action on HB 2612 was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill does tighten up and address some of the liability issues.
• So that's how that liability is assigned. Are there any questions, members?
• My question to you is, what happens then from a liability perspective?
• In other words, does that transfer the liability then?
• I'm just saying that was the liability.

Bills: HB1540, HB3837, HB5571, SB370, SB2425

Keywords: government review, Texas Sunset Act, regulatory oversight, agencies, sunset provisions, autonomous vehicles, regulation, safety, criminal offense, Autonomous Vehicle Commission, registration, regulations, Level 4 automation, Level 5 automation, self-driving technology, traffic laws, permit system, collision reporting, safety standards, Automated Vehicle Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• are concluded, these APS... abandoned the site without any remediation, leaving behind a permanent liability
• That the adoption of this bill would actually save, or could save, operators from loss. liability.

Bills: HB 1089, HB 1163, HB 1177, HB 1238, HB1318, HB1400, HB1407, HB1532, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation

Bills: HB 1089, HB 1163, HB 1177, HB 1238, HB1318, HB1400, HB1407, HB1532, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation

Transcript Highlights:

• That is, that ensures... ...insurance program. Yes.
• electronics limited agent licensees to sell Iware insurance and provide...
• And this bill allows portable electronics limited agent licensees to sell Iware insurance and provides
• I just want to say I wish I could have insured my beard because I would like my beard back.
• Murphy, Florida Association of Insurance Agents, waiving in support. Thank you, sir.

Bills: S0204, S0540, S0772, S1294, S1474, S1504, S1708

Keywords: gaming, slot machines, veterans organizations, regulatory compliance, Florida Gaming Control Commission, declaratory statement, criminal penalties, financial regulation, vulnerable adults, information security, financial exploitation, licensing, biosolids, agronomic rate, land application, environmental protection, Florida statutes, nutrient management, recordkeeping, farming

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government met with a quorum present and first took up confirmation votes for appointees on tabs 2 through 6, which were recommended favorably without public testimony. The committee then heard CS/SB 1474, which would direct DEP to stop issuing or reissuing permits for Class B biosolids land application when a wastewater treatment facility is reasonably accessible within 50 miles, and it was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 1708, which removes a timing requirement for veterinarians licensed in good standing elsewhere to qualify for Florida licensure; it received support from Americans for Prosperity and the ASPCA and was reported favorably. Members then considered CS/SB 204 on illegal slot machine operations. An amendment was adopted that set the baseline penalty at a second-degree misdemeanor, elevated violations involving six or more machines or repeat offenses to a third-degree felony, and made violations by a person of authority involving six or more machines or multiple prior convictions a second-degree felony. Testimony supported the bill’s effort to target larger illegal operations while protecting veterans’ organizations and other lawful users from felony exposure; the bill as amended was reported favorably. The committee also adopted a strike-all for CS/SB 1294 addressing Class AA biosolids, requiring agronomic-rate application, recordkeeping, IFAS guidance, and application of fertilizer-related requirements to bulk land application products, with an effective date of November 1, 2026; it was reported favorably after limited questions about oversight and IFAS’s role. Later, CS/SB 772 was heard to allow portable electronics limited licensees to sell “iware” insurance and define that term, and it was reported favorably. CS/SB 1504 updated pre-licensure education for the 440 customer service representative license so a high school student completing a half-credit insurance and personal finance elective can apply upon turning 18; it received supportive testimony from industry groups and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee adopted a strike-all amendment to CS/SB 540 creating cybersecurity program requirements for mortgage and money service businesses, extending oversight to certain investment advisers, clarifying emergency suspension authority for anti-money laundering violations, extending payment deadlines for examination costs, and adjusting director experience requirements for financial institutions; the bill as amended was reported favorably. Senators McClain and Truenow requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on tabs 11 and 13, and the committee adjourned at the end of the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dialysis patients deserve choice in their secondary insurance coverage.
• So I actually got lucky with my employer insurance.
• They have a coverage that... ...employer insurance.
• Medigap is the supplemental insurance that...
• Actual analysis shows that insurers choose to adjust premiums.

Bills: H4353, H4425, H4453, H4623, H4770, S2587, S2737

Keywords: behavioral health, Medicaid, reimbursement rates, healthcare providers, service delivery, accreditation, Medicare, end-stage renal disease, healthcare access, patient coverage, renal failure, MassHealth, asset limit, personal vehicle exemption, vehicle value, healthcare, autism, ABA services, assistive technology, children

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on several health care financing bills, with most testimony focused on autism/ABA services and kidney disease coverage. On House Bill 4623, Representative Lisa Field and providers from Community Autism Services and related groups urged the committee to recognize assistant-level ABA providers, including BCaBAs, in the MassHealth reimbursement structure to expand capacity, reduce wait lists, and improve access for children with autism. An actuary testified that moving from a two-tier to a three-tier ABA model could lower MassHealth costs, and providers said current reimbursement and new MassHealth requirements are contributing to long delays and workforce strain. On House Bill 4353 and Senate Bill 2587, testimony from ABA organizations supported a biannual Medicaid rate review process to better align reimbursement with service costs, workforce needs, accreditation requirements, and new administrative burdens, without mandating a specific rate increase.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a brief reminder, Senate Bill 5919 is the bill that encourages fire districts and insurance providers
• This gives opportunities for the insurance companies to work together to create voluntary incentives

Bills: SB5919, SB5816

Keywords: fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there's going to be maybe different levels of professional liability insurance, for example, so there's
• , uh, insurance taxes, how much it costs to have an executive director, things of that nature.
• </c><00:13:32.120><c> uh</c> um building expenses insurances uh um building expenses insurances uh Insurance
• What kind of insurance do they need?
• We saw a 13-year-old kid last year who came to the clinic and did not have any insurance.

Bills: HF1005

Keywords: health insurance, medical assistance, behavioral health, reimbursement rates, primary care services, physician fee schedule, managed care, residential services, 1183, house

Bills: SB100, SB122, SB127, HB182, HB275, SB100, SB122, SB127, HB182, HB275

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, real property assessment, assessment cap, county-wide reappraisal, CPI-U, Consumer Price Index, tax assessor, Class II property, Class III property, local government revenue, property tax relief, reappraisal, tax increment district, retroactive tax law, Alabama Code 40-7-2.2, appropriation, education funding, Southern Preparatory Academy, fiscal responsibility

Transcript Highlights:

• The next one is insurers can provide coverage or they're not, but they're no obligation, same as right
• So, mine were $25 for two for the Neffy, but it was after insurance. Oh. So, I think you're right.
• /c><01:13:43.520><c> it</c><01:13:43.679><c> was</c><01:13:43.760><c> after</c><01:13:44.080><c> insurance
• </c> the Nephe, but it was after insurance. the Nephe, but it was after insurance. Oh. Oh. Oh.

Bills: HB0003, HB0117, HB0041

Keywords: pregnancy centers, abortion, pro-life, healthcare, women's rights, state regulation, civil rights, freedom of speech, informed consent, civil liability, coercion, healthcare rights, law enforcement, death benefits, retirement, survivor support, public safety, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's really this is putting into a statute that already exists, 39-110, about liability for health care
• It's really this is putting into a statute that already exists, 39-110, about liability for health care
• It's really this is putting into a statute that already exists, 39-110, about liability for health care
• It's really this is putting into a statute that already exists, 39-110, about liability for health care
• </c> attorney fees, and broad liability attorney fees, and broad liability provisions<01:30:36.400><c

Bills: HB0003, HB0117, HB0041

Keywords: pregnancy centers, abortion, pro-life, healthcare, women's rights, state regulation, civil rights, freedom of speech, informed consent, civil liability, coercion, healthcare rights, law enforcement, death benefits, retirement, survivor support, public safety, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When Kansas attempted to arm school staff, commercial insurers refused to cover the liability.
• Is there any liability insurance that the PDD manufacturers will have to carry, or even the companies
• It is not addressed necessarily in the bill, but I am sure there will be liability insurance from the
• Also, immunity from liability is included for pharmacists and other health care providers who provide
• It creates confusion about liability, coverage, and licensure risk. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Bills: S0118, S0896, S1690, S1756

Keywords: recreational vehicle parks, special assessments, property tax, occupancy rates, commercial assessment, school safety, guardian program, firearms, crimes near schools, security assessments, public postsecondary education, medical freedom, vaccination, ivermectin, healthcare practitioner liability, immunization exemptions

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 896, a school safety bill expanding the Guardian program to public postsecondary institutions. The bill requires active assailant response plans, security risk assessments, threat-management protocols, use of the suspicious activity reporting tool, and allows voluntary participation in Guardian for colleges and universities. A late-file amendment by Senator Polsky was adopted to clarify that students who are also employees or faculty are not eligible for Guardian. Members debated campus carry concerns, storage of firearms, and whether the bill could lead to broader gun access on campuses. Several faculty and gun-safety advocates testified against the bill, while supporters argued trained guardians can deter violence. The committee reported the bill favorably by roll call vote. The committee then approved CS for CS for CS for SB 1690 on child care and early learning services. The bill updates child care laws, clarifies regulations, and reduces overregulation of before- and after-school programs. An amendment expanded authority for the Florida Education Foundation to fundraise for early learning from birth to VPK. Testimony was largely supportive, emphasizing affordability, access to quality child care, and relief for working families, though one speaker opposed the bill as an expansion of government. The bill was reported favorably. Next, the committee passed CS for CS for SB 118, which clarifies how non-ad valorem special assessments are applied to recreational vehicle parks and limits the square footage used for assessment purposes to the maximum size of an RV space. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 1220, the Department of Transportation package, which addresses seaport and airport planning, personal delivery devices, autonomous vehicles, advanced air mobility, toll programming, and other transportation-related changes. Amendments modified provisions on personal delivery devices, utility permits, autonomous vehicle penalties, and law-enforcement cruiser lights. Both bills were reported favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1756, the medical freedom bill, which proposes new vaccine information requirements, conscience-based school immunization exemptions, limits on compelled vaccination during public health emergencies, and behind-the-counter access to ivermectin for adults. The sponsor and supporters framed the bill as strengthening informed consent and parental rights, while opponents and some senators raised concerns about vaccine hesitancy, herd immunity, and the inclusion of ivermectin. Public testimony was extensive and sharply divided. The transcript ends during continued testimony and debate on SB 1756, before a final vote is taken.

Bills: SF0020, SF0021, SF0022

Keywords: data privacy, government accountability, personal data, data retention, resident rights, stable token, liquidity, trust account, Wyoming, fund distribution, financial regulation, state commission, decentralized, nonprofit association, merger, conversion, liability, membership, governance, indemnification

Bills: SF0020, SF0021, SF0022

Keywords: data privacy, government accountability, personal data, data retention, resident rights, stable token, liquidity, trust account, Wyoming, fund distribution, financial regulation, state commission, decentralized, nonprofit association, merger, conversion, liability, membership, governance, indemnification