Transcript Highlights:

• I ask for your favorable support.
• So thank you for your support.
• I see your husband here supporting you, your family supporting you.
• He came to support the bill.
• He came to support the bill.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, several introductions, and an announcement that there would be no conference that weekend. The chamber then took up a long special order calendar and passed a series of bills, often by substituting House companions. Early measures included trust law modernization to create a nonjudicial trustee discharge process, military affairs changes expanding leave and retirement-related provisions, a bill to prepare for the end of penny use by standardizing cash rounding, and a podiatric medicine bill regulating cellular or tissue-based products and informed consent. The Senate also approved veterans court expansion, RV park assessment clarification, alcohol-loss tax deduction authority, bail bond and pretrial release revisions, and a military-installation jurisdiction bill to allow juvenile cases on bases to be handled in state juvenile court under certain conditions. Most bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously, with the bail bond bill passing 36-1 after questions about charitable bail bonds and confirmation that existing law on return of charitable bail funds would remain unchanged. The chamber then paused for a lengthy farewell presentation honoring Senator Lori Berman, featuring a video, remarks from many senators, and Berman’s own closing speech reflecting on her 16 years of service, her legislative priorities, and her call for civility, bipartisanship, and continued support for issues such as school safety, Israel, anti-Semitism, and affordability. After the tribute, the Senate resumed and passed additional bills, including one expanding insurance coverage definitions for portable electronics and eyewear, a workforce and nursing education funding bill broadening support for health science programs, a recovery residences regulatory streamlining bill, a felony battery enhancement bill adding resisting an officer with violence as a qualifying prior offense, and a child welfare bill extending visitor thresholds in out-of-home placements, making the Step Into Success program permanent, and creating a best-practices program. The chamber also advanced a candidate qualification bill tightening party-affiliation requirements and adding a House provision on recent legal name changes; debate began on that measure as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs, which help reduce these risks by lowering stray populations, improving animal health and supporting
• instead of being surrendered, improve pet health, and reduce the spread of disease, improve pet behavior
• in who's in crisis and they offer them care in 2025 and they're not insured, will our community behavioral
• President, first of all, I'm gonna support this.
• Meanwhile We've asked these community behavioral health centers and other mental health centers to serve

Bills: SB1636, SB1584, SB1730, SB1255, SB1627, SB137, SB2062, SB1470, SB1284, SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778, SB1327, SB1372, SB1403, SB1937, SB277, SB2131, SB1749, SB1348, SB1469, SB2018, SB1931, SB1530, SB2155, SB2030, SB1926, SB2170, SB2151, SB2166, SB1213, SB1381, SB1824, SB1876, SB1728, SB1582, SB1286, SB1386, SB1708, SB1618, SB2106, SB1471, SB2139, SB2154, SB1619, SCR15, HB2786, HB2787, SB1525, SB2011, SB2159

Keywords: cold case, unsolved homicide, violent crime, case file review, law enforcement, police records, victim family, immediate family member, designated person, forensic testing, witness reinterview, investigative leads, cold case unit, unsolved murder, public safety, Title 21, Oklahoma statutes, sexual assault, evidence kits, DNA testing

Transcript Highlights:

• WSCAI supports House Bill 2354.
• I'm testifying in support of House Bill 1859.
• We provide permanent supportive housing for nearly 1,500 people, and we strongly support House Bill 2266
• So I'm here to support 2266.
• Kent supports step housing.

Bills: HB2304, SGA9280, SGA9281

Keywords: condominium, housing, warranty, property rights, construction, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Nurses are also supporting placing... ...our jobs.
• Voters support CalCare.
• And we are here to help and support that.
• And I really appreciate all of y'all support.
• We're getting more and more support from Californians.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I ask for your favorable support.
• So thank you for your support.
• I see your husband here supporting you, your family supporting you.
• Jeff, you are my rock and supporter.
• With that, I ask for your favorable support. With that, I ask for your favorable support.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I would support it as well. Um, I did hear that DNR is in full support of this amendment.
• Thank you for your support.
• Thank you for your support.
• </c> forward for your support. forward for your support. Thank<00:53:11.680><c> you.</c> Thank you.
• </c> the finance committee for your support the finance committee for your support of<01:25:43.280><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm asking for your support. Thank you.
• Association in support.
• That support is bipartisan, as I mentioned.
• . ...Local 3930 in strong support.
• Happy to support. See the results of. Thank you. Happy to support. Well, thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills focused on mental health access, preventive care, health care costs, detention oversight, and daylight saving time. SB 989 would streamline Care Court referrals by allowing first responders to ask county behavioral health agencies to review and file petitions; supporters, especially firefighters and families, said the current process is too burdensome, while Disability Rights California and other opponents argued Care Court is coercive and unproven. SB 1089, as amended, would direct CalRx/HHS to help distribute GLP-1 medications more broadly and more affordably; the author described her own experience with the drugs, and the bill drew support from medical and life sciences groups with no opposition. SB 1309 would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for medically appropriate lung cancer screening follow-up care; cancer advocates and survivors strongly supported it, while health plans and insurers opposed it as costly and said the bigger problem is low initial screening rates. The committee also heard SB 1284, which would require DHCS to report large employers whose workers are enrolled in Medi-Cal and estimate taxpayer costs, framed by supporters as a transparency measure about corporate reliance on public coverage. SCR 7, urging permanent standard time for health reasons, passed with support from medical groups and no opposition. SB 995, the Masuma Khan Justice Act, would create statewide inspection and enforcement standards for large involuntary residential facilities, including private immigration detention centers and certain youth facilities; supporters cited unsafe and inhumane conditions, while county probation officials objected to duplicative oversight for secure youth treatment facilities. The committee took votes on each measure, and the bills and resolution advanced, with SB 1309 and SB 1284 moving on amended and the others also reported out; the consent calendar was approved as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do support uh this position is.
• I'm going to support the motion.
• And the reason is, even though I support cannabis bills in principle, um, I don't support cluttering
• > up</c><02:20:35.200><c> our</c> um I don't support cluttering up our um I don't support cluttering
• So I would support the worried.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also uh offer a county supports.
• :20.000><c> for</c> support supplemental enhanced for support supplemental enhanced for individual<00
• Please support the A17. Thank better. Please support the A17. Thank you,<00:55:43.839><c> Mr.
• </c> instead direct it to housing support. instead direct it to housing support.
• I can't support and I hope that you don't support, too. Thank you, Speaker.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Among the nearly 132,000 job seekers MassHire Department of Career Services supported in fiscal year
• One important area is technical assistance and early-stage business support.
• We have about 500 members, but we are agnostic to the support, so we support more than are actually fee-paying
• The BWWC stands proudly ready to support this committee in any way that would be helpful.
• About 25% of the governor's proposed budget is supported by federal revenue.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:29.680><c> child</c><00:08:29.960><c> support</c> fiscal year to support child support fiscal
• year to support child support services. services. services.
• </c> first year, 1.3 in the second to support first year, 1.3 in the second to support the<00:08:36.280
• </c> support the ombudsman. support the ombudsman.
• </c> program support. program support.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:23 HB 503 Discussion 00:01:00 HB 503 Vote 00:02:17 HB 504 Discussion 00:02:53 HB 504 Vote 00:04:48 HB 500 Discussion 00:05:19 HB 500 Vote 00:29:18 HB 900 Discussion 00:32:02 HB 900 Vote 00:33:00, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 503, the legislative branch budget, adopting a committee substitute and reporting it favorably. The chair said the Senate version fully funds defined calculations, provides 2% raises in each fiscal year for legislative employees, removes a paragraph on operating expense reductions, and includes $1 million in the first year for a judicial branch salary study. House Bill 504, the judicial branch budget, was then amended and reported favorably; changes included 2% annual raises for judicial employees, revised operating expense language, $1 million each year for county current services, retention of Boyle County fit-up language, reporting requirements for smaller capital projects, full funding for nine judges added in 2022, and removal of furlough prohibitions and certain budget implementation language. Both bills passed the committee unanimously with favorable expressions to the floor. The committee then considered House Bill 500, the executive branch budget, adopting a committee substitute before hearing a lengthy summary of major spending and policy changes. The chair described statewide 2% annual employee raises, agency base reductions with many exemptions, increased school safety and 911 funding, veterans and military funding, local government and severance-related changes, attorney general and auditor funding, pension and retirement system support, education funding changes including SEEK, postsecondary and scholarship provisions, public safety and corrections funding, and multiple capital projects. The chair also highlighted Medicaid-related provisions, including added waiver slots, increased state-directed payments, a 2.5% reduction in managed care vendor payments for plan years 2027 and 2028 with savings redirected to fee-for-service rates, and additional funding for behavioral health and public health programs. The bill was reported favorably after members explained their votes, with several noting they had only recently received the full 228-page bill and wanted more time for detailed review. Finally, the committee adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 900, an appropriation measure for government agencies, and reported it favorably. The chair said the bill remains a work in progress and that one-time funding requests from across the Commonwealth and across party lines would continue to be addressed as the process moves forward. All measures considered during the meeting passed the committee with unanimous or near-unanimous favorable votes, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Among the nearly 132,000 job seekers MassHire Department of Career Services supported in fiscal year
• One important area is technical assistance and early-stage business support.
• We have about 500 members, but we are agnostic to the support, so we support more than are actually fee-paying
• The BWWC stands proudly ready to support this committee in any way that would be helpful.
• About 25% of the governor's proposed budget is supported by federal revenue.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held a hearing on the impact of federal policy on the racial wealth gap in Massachusetts, the fourth in a series on federal impacts on racial equity. Chair Bud Williams and Chair Miranda opened by emphasizing that no bills were being heard and that the committee would instead take testimony from invited witnesses; public written testimony was also accepted. The chairs and witnesses repeatedly cited long-standing wealth disparities affecting Black and brown communities, including homeownership, wages, business ownership, and access to capital, and linked those disparities to federal policy changes, housing, education, health care, and workforce development. Administration officials testified first. Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones described persistent labor market disparities, including higher unemployment for Black and Latino residents, lower median hourly wages, and underemployment among degree holders, and highlighted state efforts such as ESOL-for-work funding, workforce training grants, MassHire career centers, skills-based hiring, and the state equity dashboards. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kiami Mahania argued that poverty drives poor health, not the reverse, and said wealth gaps contribute to chronic disease, maternal health inequities, medical debt, and shorter life expectancy; she pointed to the Advancing Health Equity Massachusetts initiative, a health care affordability working group, and the governor’s push to bar medical debt from credit reporting. Assistant Secretary Juan Vega of EOED focused on entrepreneurship and procurement, citing technical assistance grants, founder support programs, place-based investment, the Business Front Door, and the need to broaden access to contracts, capital, and business growth opportunities. Committee members pressed the panel on the effects of the federal “big beautiful bill” on households, especially single-parent and Black women-led households, and on whether the state could develop more timely data systems instead of relying on federal numbers. Officials said the impacts were still being monitored, but warned that Medicaid and SNAP changes would likely hit lower-income households and community institutions hard. Members also asked about unions and apprenticeships, microbusiness definitions, supplier diversity, pay equity, and degree inflation; the administration said registered apprenticeships and skills-based hiring are key tools, and noted that wage equity reporting is still in its early stages. Later testimony from BECMA’s Nicole O’Bean stressed that tariffs, DEI rollbacks, immigration enforcement, capital gaps, and federal funding cuts are constraining Black-owned businesses and inclusive procurement, while Gastón Institute researchers described severe Latino homeownership and rent burdens, educational inequities, and the need for housing, labor, and education policy changes to close the wealth gap.

Transcript Highlights:

• provider, uh, made restrictions a little tougher, and wanted to put down any ways of doing unethical behavior
• provider, uh, made restrictions a little tougher and wanted to put down any ways of doing unethical behavior
• I've also included a list of people that have come out in active support of this bill. Thank you.
• In active support of this bill, by asking to have their name signed to it. Thank you, Chief.
• , and overall we had 1,68 people signed in in opposition and only 82 in support.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> very grateful for this support very grateful for this support while<00:37:28.720><c> the</c><00:
• > while the support has been much while the support has been much appreciated<00:37:31.680><c> we</c>
• </c><00:37:41.200><c> our</c> our heal to support our our heal to support our healing<00:37:43.240><c
• </c><01:52:00.280><c> Community</c> Effectiveness in supporting Community Effectiveness in supporting
• </c> abuse treatment mental health support abuse treatment mental health support and<01:53:22.040><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to be here to support this bill.
• So we do support this bill.
• We want to go on record in support of this. This is permissive.
• The behavior problems seen while in the care of the Department of, The behavior problems seen while in
• Well, I'm in support of this bill.

Summary: The Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions heard testimony on House Bill 2912, House Bill 2753, and a joint hearing on House Bills 2171 and 3292. HB 2912 would expand the state’s use of master agreements for small projects, raising contract thresholds and adding architects, engineers, and surveyors to standing agreements for work under $100,000. Supporters from the Office of Administration and private engineering/architecture firms said the bill would reduce delays, lower costs, and avoid repeated RFQ/RFP processes for small projects. There were no witnesses in opposition, and the hearing closed after favorable testimony. HB 2753 would create a hospital zone designation, similar to school or work zones, allowing municipalities or counties to establish reduced-speed areas around hospitals when local conditions warrant it. The bill was presented in response to traffic and safety concerns around a rural hospital expansion and a state highway running through the campus area. Hospital representatives, the Missouri Hospital Association, and another hospital system supported the measure, emphasizing pedestrian, staff, ambulance, and visitor safety; committee members questioned the proposed penalties and whether the bill could create a statewide mandate, but supporters stressed it was permissive and locally initiated. No opposition testimony was offered. HB 2171 and HB 3292, identical bills, would direct the Department of Corrections to create a motivational boot camp program for offenders ages 17 to 21 convicted of nonviolent offenses, with the goal of rehabilitation and possible expungement after completion. Sponsors said the program would emphasize discipline, physical activity, and therapy, and could be a cost-saving alternative to prison; they noted a federal issue requiring changes for DWI/CDL cases and discussed a six-year sunset. Committee members raised questions about eligibility, screening, expungement language, program design, and how the proposal would interact with other sentencing bills. No witnesses testified in favor or opposition, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding to support... ...page five.
• Parents fought it, got a lot of support for it.
• Questionable behavior.
• to more nefarious behavior.
• EVV is one example of an integrity tool that TAC and DSSW have long supported.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met to hear interim charges on higher education transparency and on preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in state government. The chair emphasized accountability for taxpayer dollars and asked witnesses to address financial reporting, audit practices, and whether more frequent or comprehensive audits would improve oversight. Legislative Budget Board staff described how public university systems and most community colleges respond to requests about internal audit practices, noting that university systems generally follow a similar annual audit timeline and that community colleges use a more varied mix of internal and external audit arrangements. Members focused on gaps in reporting, especially Texas Southern University’s missing submissions for several years and Collin County Community College’s nonresponse to the LBB survey. The State Auditor’s Office then outlined its higher education audit work, including mandatory statewide single audits, DEI compliance audits, HUB and State Use Program audits, benefits proportional audits, and discretionary audits based on risk. The auditor said the office has released 43 higher-ed audit reports since fiscal year 2021 and has two audits in progress, and explained that internal audit reports from institutions help guide future audit selection. Senators pressed the office on the lack of enforcement authority, the value of internal auditors at each institution, and whether community colleges should have more standardized reporting and audit requirements. The auditor and general counsel said the SAO can refer suspected fraud to law enforcement but cannot itself enforce findings, while several senators suggested stronger clawback authority and more robust internal audit structures. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board explained that it collects annual financial reports, sources-and-uses data, and community college finance reports, and uses them for funding formulas and other reporting. It also trains governing board members and said it has limited regulatory authority, though community colleges must certify compliance annually and can lose eligibility for state funds if they do not. Members questioned the reliability of self-attested data, the adequacy of board training, and whether a single reporting structure would be more efficient. During public testimony, a ScholarShot representative argued for clearer, student-facing financial transparency so students can see total cost of attendance and the gap they must cover before enrolling.

Transcript Highlights:

• Solutions is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Behavioral Health Center of
• c><00:15:17.839><c> the</c> Psychological Association and the Psychological Association and the Behavioral
• </c> Behavioral Health Center of Excellence. Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.
• While we support strong program integrity standards and responsible stewardship of medical assistance
• And in some cases, I have heard from direct support workers who were not paid for two or three weeks'

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And the third area would be long-term services and supports financing.
• Child Support Notices of Action, automation funding supports include updates in CalSAWS and BenefitsCal
• need to continue supporting their loved ones at home.
• The stable housing and homelessness prevention for behavioral health supports remain essential to keeping
• The stable housing and homelessness prevention for behavioral health supports remain essential to keeping

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here in support of H. 5446, the local control of escars.
• I support all the home rule petitions on today's docket.
• I support all the home rule petitions on today's docket.
• We respectfully ask you to support S. 3117 and support and honor the wishes of the North End River community
• I do not support parrot mills. I don't support puppy mills.

Bills: H5432, H5433, S3093, H5363, H5137, H5247

Keywords: Newbury, rodenticides, second generation anticoagulant rodenticides, SGARs, pesticides, pest control, wildlife protection, environmental regulation, local bylaw, municipal authority, private property, rodent control, anticoagulant poison, public health, Massachusetts local option, Wellfleet, fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus, nutrient pollution

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on late-file bills, with testimony focused first on multiple home rule petitions seeking local authority to restrict anticoagulant rodenticides in towns including Andover, Topsfield, North Andover, Williamstown, Georgetown, Lexington, and others. Municipal officials, residents, wildlife advocates, and conservation groups described documented harm to hawks, owls, foxes, turtles, pets, and other wildlife, and argued that towns should be able to regulate these poisons locally. Several speakers said their towns had already voted to support restrictions and were using integrated pest management and other alternatives. Committee members noted that statewide rodenticide legislation had already advanced out of committee in both chambers and that the environmental bond bill was in conference committee, but no votes were taken during the hearing itself. The committee then heard testimony on H. 5137, a bill to prohibit the retail sale of parrots. Supporters, including animal welfare groups, veterinarians, rescue operators, and advocates, said parrots are often sourced from large breeding facilities with poor conditions, that many birds are surrendered because they are difficult long-term pets, and that rescues are overwhelmed. They argued the bill would encourage adoption, reduce demand for commercial breeding and trafficking, and improve bird welfare and public health. Opponents, including breeders, pet retailers, aviculture representatives, and rescue operators, said the bill would harm small businesses, reduce consumer access and transparency, and push sales to unregulated markets without improving welfare. Several speakers said the bill should instead focus on stronger standards and enforcement rather than banning sales. A separate bill, S. 310, designating the Marion Stoddard River Walk, was also briefly discussed in testimony supporting Marion Stoddard’s environmental work. The hearing ended after the committee finished taking testimony and adjourned; no roll-call votes or formal actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will not accept disruptive behavior or behavior that incites or threatens violence.
• The CSAC is in support. Thank you. Good afternoon.
• We're here today in support of the bill.
• We support. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair and members.
• I appreciate the comments from those who are in support.

Summary: The committee hearing began with housekeeping rules, including limits on public comment and a reminder that testimony would be in person, with written testimony accepted through the committee portal. One agenda item, SB 423 by Senator Gonzalez, was pulled, and the committee then took up SB 415 by Senator Reyes, a cleanup bill related to last year’s AB 98 warehouse and logistics facility law. The author explained that SB 415 would clarify that manufacturing facilities are not treated as logistics use facilities, give local governments more time to update truck routes and circulation elements, provide safe-harbor language for good-faith compliance efforts, exempt cities with no logistics facilities from certain circulation updates, and allow truck routes to be established by ordinance outside warehouse concentration zones. Testimony on SB 415 was largely supportive. Supporters included the American Planning Association, California State Association of Counties, Rural County Representatives of California, League of California Cities, California Business Properties Association, International Warehouse Logistics Association, California Grocers, California Business Roundtable, Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, and others, who said the bill would make AB 98 more workable and provide needed implementation flexibility, especially for local governments and rural areas. One opponent argued the bill would still harm rural counties, reduce economic development opportunities, and eliminate high-paying jobs tied to warehouse and logistics construction and operations. CalChamber supported the cleanup provisions but raised a process concern about a separate bill and the broader negotiation process around related policy. The author and committee chair closed by emphasizing the year-long negotiations and the intent to balance community, environmental justice, and industry concerns while improving implementation of AB 98. The committee then voted to pass SB 415 on a 10-0 vote, and the hearing was adjourned.