Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 5758 is Senator Saldaña's bill that deals with the density of cannabis stores and social equity
• Medicare privatization and requests that the government take action when we're trying to increase equity

Summary: The committee first approved moving Senate Bills 5067 and 5758 from the X-file to the white sheet. It then advanced a long series of measures from the white sheet to the floor calendar, including SB 5067 on impaired driving (lowering the per se BAC threshold from 0.08 to 0.05), SJM 8002 opposing Medicare privatization, ESSB 5061 on annual prevailing wage adjustments for public works contracts, SB 5855 restricting unlawful face coverings by law enforcement, SB 5865 updating garnishment forms for variable pay schedules, and SB 5081 clarifying remote vehicle starting on streets. Also advanced were ESSB 5268 on 12 months of community custody for unlawful firearm possession, SB 5272 on school event safety and interference penalties, SCR 8406 on civic health, SB 5000 making “the Evergreen State” the official nickname, SB 5500 modernizing Working Connections Child Care reimbursement rates, ESSB 5105 addressing digitally altered sexually explicit depictions of minors, and SSB 5156 on elevator standards. Additional measures moved forward included SJM 8006 asking the state Supreme Court to reinstate and expand the limited licensed legal technician program, SB 5325 designating the Columbia Plateau cactus as the state cactus, SB 5286 creating a community partnership policing program for Medical Lake and Eastern State Hospital while recognizing the existing Lakewood/Western State Hospital partnership, and SB 5937 concerning smart access systems in residential properties under the Landlord-Tenant Act. Several members briefly explained their bills, with some noting bipartisan support, prior committee approval, or existing budget provisos. The only recorded substantive opposition came from Senator King, who said he had concerns that SB 5067 might not achieve its intended safety outcomes. Most other motions were adopted by voice vote with no further debate. The meeting ended after a brief clarification that one motion should have been to the second-and-third-reading calendar, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• procedure and to certain public school requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction and diversity, equity
• procedure and to certain public school requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction and diversity, equity

Bills: SJR36, SB26, SJR3, SJR48, SJR50, SJR51, SCR15, SCR17, SB3, SB5, SB12, SB18, SB1001, SB1002, SB1003, SB1004, SB1005, SB1006, SB1007, SB1008, SB1009, SB1010, SB1011, SB1012, SB1013, SB1014, SB1015, SB1016, SB1017, SB1018, SB1019, SB1020, SB1021, SB1022, SB1023, SB1024, SB1025, SB1026, SB1027, SB1028, SB1029, SB1030, SB1031, SB1032, SB1033, SB1034, SB1035, SB1036, SB1037, SB1038, SB1039, SB1040, SB1041, SB1042, SB1043, SB1044, SB1045, SB1046, SB1049, SB1050, SB1051, SB1052, SB1053, SB1054, SB1055, SB1056, SB1057, SB1058, SB1059, SB1060, SB1061, SB1062, SB1063, SB1064, SB1065, SB1066, SB1067, SB1068, SB1069, SB1070, SB1071, SB1072, SB1073, SB1074, SB1075, SB1076, SB1077, SB1078, SB1079, SB1080, SB1081, SB1082, SB1083, SB1084, SB1085, SB1086, SB1087, SB1088, SB1089, SB1090, SB1091, SB1092, SB1093, SB1094, SB1095, SB1096, SB1097, SB1098, SB1099, SB1100, SB1101, SB1102, SB1103, SB1104, SB1105, SB1106, SB1107, SB1108, SB1109, SB1110, SB1111, SB1112, SB1113, SB1114, SB1115, SB1116, SB1117, SB1118, SB1119, SB1120, SB1121, SB1122, SB1123, SB1124, SB1125, SB1126, SB1127, SB1128, SB1129, SB1130, SB1131, SB1132, SB1133, SB1134, SB1135, SB1136, SB1137, SB1138, SB1139, SB1140, SB1141, SB1142, SB1143, SB1144, SB1145, SB1146, SB1147, SB1148, SB1149, SB1150, SB1565

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, severance tax, oil and gas, Texas STRONG fund, economic stabilization, public health, property tax relief

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, I'll allow staff to answer that. Thank you.
• Are there any questions for staff?
• I need to double-check my answer with our staff.
• But am I... can we have staff reply? Am I correct?
• Any questions for staff? Wonderful.

Bills: HB2427, HB2458, HB2474, HB2540, HB2589

Keywords: ink of hope act, mental health, substance use, rehabilitation, community support, Washington college grant, postsecondary education, nondegree programs, student access, financial aid, consumer protections, school closures, educational programs, student rights, emergency medical services, EMT recertification, healthcare, first responders, public health, encampments

Transcript Highlights:

• director at the Department of Revenue, thanked the chair for authoring the bill and thanked committee staff
• the Legislative Auditor conducts its annual reviews and other work at the Department of Revenue, its staff
• :01:52.320><c> thank</c><00:01:52.479><c> your</c><00:01:52.720><c> committee</c><00:01:53.040><c> staff
• </c> also want to thank your committee staff also want to thank your committee staff for<00:01:53.520
• ><c> have</c><00:03:11.120><c> access</c><00:03:11.360><c> to</c><00:03:11.599><c> federal</c> its staff

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Presentations of the reports will follow the same format: first an overview from LCC staff, testimony
• The state staff are amazing and work very hard to support the work we do.
• I'm nonpartisan staff with the Legislative Coordinating Commission.
• </c><00:42:17.440><c> with</c> Andrew George I'm nonpartisan staff with Andrew George I'm nonpartisan
• My question to staff is: so it was 41 core recommendations.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:57:50.000><c> will</c> staff.
• Um, our classified staff will staff.
• Even our classified staff—we have 80% of our staff take that insurance, and 40% of that is our classified
• Even our classified staff—we have 80% of our staff take that insurance, and 40% of that is our classified
• </c><01:02:36.000><c> down</c> we've, you know, paired our staff down we've, you know, paired our staff

Bills: SF0059, SF0053

Keywords: language proficiency, literacy education, reading interventions, dyslexia support, Montessori methods, individualized reading plans, amateur status, high school athletics, student eligibility, sports regulation, monetary compensation, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to say thank you to your staff.
• I also want to say thank you to my staff.
• And thank you to the vice chair, Joe Cumberford, Assistant Vice Chair Paul Feeney, your staff, the staff
• And I can't end without thanking my staff.
• So I'd like to thank my chief of staff, Mary Ann Padgin, Deputy Chief of Staff Jonah Beckley.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up a long series of FY26 budget amendments during debate on the Ways and Means budget bill. Early on, an amendment on debt service and the Debt Affordability Committee was rejected. A major education amendment offered by Senator Lewis and supported by Senator Comerford was then adopted; it directs DESE to begin a public process, with $200,000 in funding, to review and recommend updates to the Chapter 70 municipal contribution formula and related school funding structures as the Student Opportunity Act nears full implementation. Senators argued that school districts across the Commonwealth are under severe fiscal strain, citing rising special education, transportation, health insurance, and Proposition 2 1/2 pressures, and that the current formulas are increasingly out of alignment with local needs. The chamber also considered and voted on many other amendments, with several adopted and several rejected. Adopted amendments included measures on public payroll transparency, regional EMS, a small business group purchasing cooperative pilot, simplifying Medicaid eligibility determinations, and early education background checks. Rejected amendments included proposals on first-time homebuyer savings accounts, population change studies, competitiveness studies, emergency contract reform, natural gas cost containment, a $200 per pupil aid increase, regional school reimbursement increases, a Foundation Budget Review Commission-related study, special education service studies, welfare benefit audits, short-term capital gains, and an MBTA sustainability plan. Senator Durant also spoke in support of Amendment 766, which would create a crumbling concrete assistance fund for homeowners affected by pyrrhotite, with tax-exempt aid, federal funding applications, audits, and a stakeholder working group. Near the end of debate, Senator D. DiDomenico praised the Shannon Grant program for gang violence prevention, and the Senate adopted a final corrective amendment containing technical fixes and local earmarks. The bill was then ordered to a third reading and, after a roll call on engrossment, passed to be engrossed by a vote of 38-2. The Senate also approved a motion to adjourn to the following Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. and recessed in memory of Yaron Lashinsky, Sarah Lynn Milgram, and Leslie A. Feeney.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think, as our staff just presented, this is our current policy.
• I'm now going to turn to staff once again, and Lucas, you seem to be the point.
• I'll ask staff... House. So you'll be a very good resource for us.
• And we do have staff contacts listed.
• And we do have staff contacts listed. in advance. And we do have staff contacts listed.

Summary: The Virginia Disability Commission held its first meeting of the year on June 18, established a quorum, and introduced members. Senator Barbara Favola was elected chair and Delegate Amy Laufer was elected vice chair, both unanimously. The commission also reviewed and unanimously approved its electronic/remote participation policy, which mirrors last year’s policy and allows limited remote participation under Virginia FOIA rules. Staff then reviewed a package of 14 disability-related bills that passed last session and were signed into law. Topics included disabled veterans’ vehicle registration fee exemptions, open captioning requirements for movie theaters, guardianship/conservatorship order forwarding, service dog team definitions, education and transition planning for students with disabilities, Blue Envelope and driver communication training for law enforcement and driver education, deferred disposition and jury service protections, voting rights in guardianship cases, expansion of the Virginia Human Rights Act, continuation of a DD waiver eligibility change, and DMAS training authority for autism competency checklists. Members discussed implementation concerns, especially making the Blue Envelope/driver communication program more visible and considering a follow-up letter and DMV presentation. The commission then adopted its interim work plan unanimously, with discussion of possible presentations on DMAS and Medicaid waivers, DBHDS telehealth training implementation, SCHEV and VDOE transition planning, transition from institutions to community settings, criminal justice reform, transportation and parking accessibility, adult-sized changing tables, and school accessibility. Members also suggested adding EVV concerns, seclusion and restraint, rare disease issues, and insurance coverage problems for needed medications. Public commenters urged the commission to address burdensome EVV requirements for family caregivers, improve accessibility for local government meetings and documents, and explore a standardized credential/career pathway for direct support professionals. The chair said follow-up work would be assigned on EVV and implementation issues, and the meeting location would move to the Senate side of the Capitol going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• is the largest provider of SEL, states on its website, quote, 'Transformative SEL as a lever for equity
• So what we've seen is that Transformative SEL as a lever for equity and social justice.
• We already have amazing staff at our schools that are always smiling and welcoming the students, and
• I will say the safety of our students, teachers, and staff must always be our highest priority.
• I assume staff might would have stopped me if I did it wrong, but okay, thank you.

Bills: HB2093, HB2370, HB2376, HB2380, HB2381, HB2383, HB2423, HB2481, HB2621, HB2895, HB4005, HB4043, HB4109

Keywords: mental health, school curriculum, education policy, instruction requirements, statute repeal, charter schools, education, weapons detection, public safety, school administration, school districts, real estate transactions, school property, bond issuance, land use approval, capital improvements, school governance, board meetings, education funding, parental notification

Transcript Highlights:

• be brief here, but you know, when the justification for a motion is to protect girls and promote equity
• <c> promote</c> a motion is to protect girls and promote a motion is to protect girls and promote equity
• , equity, equity, it's<00:53:36.400><c> really</c><00:53:36.840><c> hard</c><00:53:37.480><c> to</c><
• Title IX is a landmark bill that bans sex discrimination in education programs for both staff and students
• Restricting gender-affirming care, prohibiting school staff from referring to students by their lived

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, thank you to the chair and committee staff for your work on this bill.
• I thank the committee staff for working with our office on this bill.
• Weber Pearson, her staff, and your committee counsel for extensive discussions. ...her staff, and your
• I want to again thank the author, her staff, and committee staff for the continuing engagement on this
• So I want to thank our entire staff for the Judiciary Committee.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call this hearing to order, and committee staff, if you'll please call the roll.
• And I think, And staff and people who can do that organizing work.
• Good afternoon, Chair and members and staff.
• We did email staff some initial comments over the weekend.
• We really appreciate the staff work on this. Good evening, Chair and members.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The majority of contraband comes from staff.
• Yes, it is coming from staff, particularly male staff, who use that as a way to get vulnerable women
• to participate in things with male staff.
• I'm with the Texas Center for Justice and Equity.
• They don't get enough treatment; the staff is short.

Bills: HB1826, HB1969, HB2708, HB2729, HB3618, HB4515, HB4764, SB1021, SB1610

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Transcript Highlights:

• Essentially what happened is there were salary increases provided to TDCJ staff and DPS staff in the
• Also sort of to staff the legal health line.
• to reduce processing time for document filing, to B, are some additional staff for 10 additional staff
• They have 22 staff already. How many do you have? Does the agency?
• Item 5, staff wellness counselor expansion to me on that staff wellness program within state facilities

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you to the chair and to the committee staff for their collaboration and extreme work on this bill
• And that's important equity policy. We hope the committee can support the bill.
• What we have done is had, subject to existing law, reports that are transmitted to legislative staff.
• We thank Assembly Member Wilson and her staff for helping us hone the testimony.
• We thank Assembly Member Wilson for her leadership and her staffs in helping us hone the testimony.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also the centerpiece of the chairman's bill. ...to try and get a little more equity and fairness
• Maybe they've been staff members that have worked a long time. They understand the process.
• They don't, they, I think their staff that used to be 80, 90 people, they are now at 37 people.
• Their staff has probably assessed... It's a very small parcel count.
• Their staff is probably assessed, or maybe one person if maybe that one person is not even a full-time

Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform heard public testimony on House Bills 3253 and 3254, presented by Representatives Steinhoff and Jobe. The bills would expand assessor training and continuing education requirements, require physical inspections for large assessment increases on commercial property as well as residential property, allow greater use of technology and remote imagery in assessments, create optional electronic notices and communications for taxpayers, and move toward setting property tax levies by subclass with a small-parcel exception. The bill also included provisions to raise the per-parcel reimbursement floor for assessors, reimburse local governments for revenue losses tied to SB 190 and SB 3, provide payment options during appeals, and require counties to offer installment payment options for property taxes. The sponsors said the proposal was built from bipartisan committee discussions and statewide listening sessions, and they emphasized assessor professionalism, taxpayer flexibility, and fairness in the assessment process. Committee members asked about assessor training, the fiscal note, the parcel reimbursement formula, and how the subclass levy system would work in small jurisdictions. Witnesses from the Missouri Special Districts Association and school administrators generally supported the concepts of better assessor training, more resources, and taxpayer payment flexibility, while also warning about implementation burdens and the fiscal impact of state backfill for SB 190 and SB 3. Testimony also focused on the accuracy of ratio studies and the fairness of moving to subclass-based levies. Some members argued the current system can shift tax burdens unfairly between residential, commercial, and agricultural property owners, while others cautioned that the new structure could create winners and losers depending on local assessment practices. A representative from the State Tax Commission clarified that commissioners do receive training, corrected the parcel reimbursement discussion to note the first 20,000 parcels are treated differently under current law, and said the commission already provides assessor training. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's not like we take staff from IRP and put them on the rate case or pull staff from the rate
• In the call-out from the staff on this item, I'm just going to read from here: subtracting PAO staff
• So there's staff that are specifically focused on safety policy initiatives, and those staff are also
• of staff.
• So the CPUC staff and the communications division has nearly doubled since 2021, from 79 to 142 staff

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're talking about a general equity to where the majority party is running behind the minority party
• And I'm sure it's going to pass today, but what's going to pass away is that bit of equity that we did
• I love that we're saying equity so much today. I appreciate that.

Bills: HB4248, HB4429, HB2588, HB3472, HB4317, HB3462, HB2035, HB3501, HB3127, HB3143, HB3144, HB3260, HB4321, HB3011, HB3522, HB3530, HB3940, HB3078, HB3043, HB3005, HB3007, HB3403, HB1907, HB3175, HB3986, HB3466, HB3411, HB4246, SJR49, HB3281, HB4319, HJR1086, HJR1024, HJR1087

Keywords: HB4248, hemp beverage, hemp drinks, THC beverage, cannabis beverage, intoxicating hemp, age restriction, under 21, minor possession, youth access, public health and safety, Title 63, Oklahoma Statutes, retail sales, alcohol-style regulation, controlled substances, beverage regulation, proxy advisory services, shareholder rights, financial transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• Addressing disparities in sleep apnea awareness, screening, and treatment is essential to advancing health equity
• Awareness, screening, and treatment is essential to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes
• health issue affecting individual health and public safety, and further affirm that advancing health equity

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our government reflects that diversity because equity requires intention.
• This bill brings stability, accountability, and equity to special education statewide.
• This bill brings stability, accountability, and equity to special education statewide.

Keywords: 996, all