Transcript Highlights:

• Huge thing for them, keeping them in our state after they graduate school.
• They've been purchased and now they're short-term rentals.
• I'm a Lewiston native and purchased a property in McCall about four years ago.
• And then, furthermore, a lot of people I know who are purchasing properties... ...purchasing properties
• And then, furthermore, a lot of people I know who are purchasing properties, I know somebody who purchased

Committee: House Business

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• More than 40 organizations are involved, as well as several high school student groups and youth groups
• completing the biomedical sciences master's program at Midwestern University, she attended medical school
• If you're not employed and you're going to school, you stay on SNAP.
• If you're not employed and you're going to school, you stay on SNAP.
• ...going through a challenging time, why are we going to be cruel and restrict certain purchases from

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• psychology, probably what most of you would know as a school psychologist.
• They function almost exclusively in the public school system.
• to tighten the spigot down so tight on psychology that you can't get your VA slots filled or your schools
• We also look at out of state shopping, um, for SNAP purchases, and then that will trigger alerts that
• They can lose connection with their family members, um, their school, continuing to attend the same school

Committee: House Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• My staff has purchased these products. Thank you.
• Juvenile jurisdiction and the THC vape issue in our schools, even in our rural schools here in Hill County
• If you know, if you purchase...
• distance from our high schools, junior highs, and elementary schools—five locations, including gas stations
• We actually sent a letter to the school across from us too, Crockett High School, letting them know that

Bills: HB5

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: hemp, cannabinoids, regulation, occupational licenses, consumable products, marketing, criminal offenses, labeling requirements, health and safety, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• End of year and summer school.
• And so is that how is that affecting other school systems that do have summer school programs for their
• And so is that, how is that affecting other school systems that do have summer school programs for their
• we bring a fiber optic connection into a school, we put electronics on each end from this at the school
• purchase.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The committee received a series of informational reports from NDIT and DPI on major IT projects, cybersecurity, and the K-12 student information system transition. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major project portfolio, noting 111 projects totaling about $542.8 million, generally under budget and slightly behind schedule overall. He highlighted three schedule-red projects: Bed Management System and Vital Records, both now complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project, which is delayed due to vendor bug fixes after user testing. He also summarized new project startups, including the Attorney General’s Victim Notification System, HHS Medicaid correctional facilities data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier e-permit system, and additional RIMS work, and answered questions about project timing, funding, and whether work had begun on legislatively funded IT projects. Chris Gurgan, NDIT’s chief information security officer, reported on mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting under HB 1314. He said 77 incidents have been reported since August 2021, with 47 meeting the statutory definition of a cybersecurity incident; phishing remains the most common type, followed by email quarantine alerts, XDR detections, and malware. He emphasized that most incidents are resolved, but that timely reporting is critical for any chance of recovering funds in business email compromise or ransomware cases. He also described several notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool breach, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise at a K-12 district, and a recent ransomware report involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about smishing, MFA, conditional access, security awareness training, and recovery of lost funds; Gurgan said state systems use phishing-resistant MFA and conditional access, training is provided to state employees and offered to political subdivisions on an opt-in basis, and broader cybersecurity maturity assessments are underway. Craig Falkley gave brief reports on coordination with political subdivisions and higher education, including shared networking, cybersecurity, radio/911, PeopleSoft, and co-location services. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for decentralized, secure data sharing, but said the state has limited use for it and would likely frame future reporting more broadly around emerging technologies. The committee then heard from Tony Ambrose of DPI on the statewide Infinite Campus implementation. He said district implementations are underway, but the project had to terminate its original data migration vendor for poor performance and replace it with Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with a similar North Carolina migration. He also said DPI is moving special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, is still working through how to preserve e-transcripts and Choice Ready-type functionality after the PowerSchool transition, and is developing identity, authentication, and data-sharing arrangements for the summer cutover. Members raised concerns about procurement timing, summer school disruption, and whether some functions would be ready by July 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, and you know, I know they be in high schools, but the little middle school, we got middle school
• ,</c> schools, but the little middle school, schools, but the little middle school, we<03:04:10.960><
• </c> middle schools we have. middle schools we have.
• But in high school, school, school, two<03:08:41.279><c> years</c><03:08:41.600><c> of</c><03:08:41.840
• Then I go to school.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, confirmed a quorum, excused absent senators, and adopted the previous day’s journal. The chamber also recognized guests, including members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and employees of the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative. A senator then delivered a Black History Month-style presentation highlighting James Weldon Johnson, A. Philip Randolph, Jan E. Matzeliger, and Percy Lavon Julian for their contributions to civil rights, labor, industry, and science. The Senate received House messages referring two Archives and History board appointments to the Committee on Confirmations, then took up numerous committee reports. Several bills from Finance and Taxation, Judiciary, Education Policy, Agriculture, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Healthcare, Tourism, Veterans and Military Affairs, State Government Affairs, and Local Legislation received favorable reports, some with amendments or substitutes, and were advanced to second reading and placement on the next legislative day’s calendar. The chamber also recommitted Senate Bill 266 to the Tourism Committee. The Senate confirmed multiple appointments, including Llaya McNair to the Alabama Trust Fund Board, several members to the Credit Union Administration Board, and Elizabeth Smithart, Leslie Sanders, and Wayne Sers to the Alabama State Board of Human Resources. It then adopted several resolutions, including commendations and memorials, such as resolutions honoring Mary Francis Holland, the Stanhope Elmore boys bowling team, and Alicia Cannon for more than 50 years of service to the Alabama judicial system. The Senate also adopted a resolution creating the Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence and Children’s Internet Safety, after discussion about its purpose, membership, and duties; an amendment to the commission resolution was adopted before the resolution itself was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their kids are going to go to our schools and our colleges.
• They're going to become economic factors. ...to go to our schools and our ecologies, they're going to
• The opposition will tell you this hurts the local schools and libraries.
• The opposition will tell you this hurts the local schools and libraries.
• Is this something that, how would it work if whoever we're purchasing something from, how would they

Committee: House Special Committee on Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Tax Reform heard three measures focused on property tax relief and tax administration. House Bill 2869, sponsored by Rep. Mike Jones, would authorize counties to offer up to a 100% property tax credit on the primary residence of 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans, with a $500,000 value cap, surviving-spouse carryover, no stacking with other credits, and protections for bonded indebtedness. Jones and supporting witnesses from Missouri veterans organizations said the bill is a practical, county-option approach that recognizes veterans’ service and could help keep federal retirement and disability income in Missouri. The Department of Revenue noted the bill could reduce eligibility for the existing property tax credit and urged timely fiscal-note review. No opposition testified. The committee also heard H.J.R. 115, sponsored by Rep. Dave Griffith, which would place a constitutional amendment before voters to exempt 100% disabled veterans from personal property tax and homestead-related taxes, with surviving-spouse protections. Griffith said the measure has been pursued for years, would affect a relatively small number of veterans, and should be treated as a common-sense benefit for service-connected disabilities. Veterans’ groups strongly supported the resolution, describing it as overdue relief for veterans on fixed incomes and urging the committee to move it forward. Several members discussed whether the policy should be in the Constitution or statute, but all testimony was in favor. Finally, the committee heard HB 3303 from Rep. Cecily Williams, a cleanup bill to clarify that state and local sales or use taxes are exempt when the General Assembly purchases goods or lodging for official business and is reimbursed with public funds. Williams said the current statute lists outdated tax categories and leaves some local taxes on reimbursable expenses, causing the state to pay unnecessary taxes. Members generally supported the concept, and the Department of Revenue testified only on the need for timely fiscal-note requests and said the fiscal impact appeared minimal. No one testified in opposition to any of the three bills, and the committee concluded its hearing without taking final action or votes in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• While college sports is schools.
• </c> school students from around the country. school students from around the country.
• Lincoln High School schools in Oregon.
• </c> training to get them ready for school. training to get them ready for school.
• </c> as a Glenn County School Board member. as a Glenn County School Board member.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For instance, we had a youth who came to our program fresh out of high school, very eager to purchase
• We encouraged her to continue saving a little bit more before purchasing.
• However, she ended up going to a small lot and purchased a vehicle.
• And many local businesses utilize for their employees, including the Burnham State School.
• It ensures that Texans under the age of 65 with ALS can purchase affordable medication.

Bills: HB107 , HB742 , HB1639 , HB1700 , HB2071 , HB2187 , HB2402 , HB2516 , HB3211 , HB4529 , HB5342 , HB694 , HB923 , HB4655 , HB107

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: sickle cell disease, registry, health data, confidentiality, healthcare access, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, cancer, female firefighters, health study, state health services, fire protection, telemedicine, teledentistry, telehealth, health records

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that this brings in schools as well.
• I think that this brings in schools as well.
• Jennifer actually moved her kids to a different school district and different schools, and they left
• So we're always on the lookout for purchasers of our finished compost.
• You go to the local elementary school, the school nurse has boxes and boxes and baskets full of inhalers

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on AB 2218, which would declare state policy to recognize and address water-related inequities affecting California Native American tribes and require several state agencies to incorporate that policy into water-related decisions. The author and tribal witnesses said the bill would codify a seat at the table for tribes and build on existing consultation and equity commitments, while supporters from environmental and tribal organizations backed the measure. Opponents from municipal utilities, water agencies, cities, counties, agriculture, and business groups argued the bill was too vague, could create uncertainty for water supply and project approvals, and might invite litigation. The chair signaled support, and the author said the bill was intended as a consultation measure rather than one that would usurp agency authority. The committee then took up AB 1795, a wildfire smoke-damage bill that would establish statewide standards for inspecting, testing, and remediating smoke-damaged homes and create clearer insurance claim handling rules. The Department of Insurance supported the bill, saying it would bring consistency and accountability after major urban-interface fires, while wildfire survivors and advocates said current insurer practices leave families unable to safely return home. Insurance and local government groups opposed unless amended, warning about cost, implementation uncertainty, and the bill’s scope. Members discussed unresolved issues, including how the bill would interact with a separate wildfire health-and-safety bill, whether it would apply to existing policies, and how presumptions and testing standards should work. The committee voted AB 1795 out on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations. AB 1642, another wildfire-related bill, was also heard and focused on setting science-based testing and clearance standards for homes, schools, and businesses after urban and wildland-urban interface fires. The author and a Caltech scientist described contamination from lead and other heavy metals in fire-affected homes and argued for a presumption that certain contaminants found after a fire came from the wildfire, to reduce costly disputes. Survivors and many advocacy groups supported the bill, while insurers and other industry groups opposed, saying the testing regime was too broad, the geographic scope was unclear, and the presumptions could function like strict liability and raise insurance costs. Senators pressed both sides on how AB 1642 would overlap with the CDI smoke-claims task force and with AB 1795, and the author said the two bills were intended to be complementary and would continue to be reconciled. The committee also briefly heard AB 1976, which would create a CEQA exemption for pedestrian malls and limit certain local procedural delays for pedestrian and traffic-calming projects. Supporters said it would make it easier to create safer, more walkable, and more livable streets, and there was no opposition testimony. The chair described it as a narrow CEQA exemption for active transportation-related projects and indicated support. The committee then moved on to AB 2026, a groundwater recharge permitting bill, with the author explaining that it would streamline permitting so more recharge projects can capture floodwater and store it for drought years; testimony on that bill began as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This requires school districts to adopt a policy ensuring that instruction in Asian American, Native
• This bill just increases the school district public bid thresholds relating to purchasing and building
• This bill just increases the school district public bid thresholds relating to purchasing and building

Summary: The committee first approved several package motions: gubernatorial appointments were advanced to the confirmation calendar, a consent calendar package was advanced to the consent calendar, and a regular calendar package was advanced to the floor calendar. Members noted that many of the packaged measures had been worked in advance and included bills from the Minority Caucus. The committee then advanced a series of individual bills to the floor calendar. These included SB 6086, allowing the Administrative Office of the Courts to use consultants for threat assessments when judicial officers are threatened; SB 5574, requiring instruction in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latino American, and Black American history in social studies curricula; SB 5873, expanding escorted leave and compassionate leave provisions for incarcerated people; SB 5992, creating a youth development fund account for grants to youth programs; SB 5924, expanding pharmacy practice to include limited diagnosing and prescribing; SB 6134, requiring notice to striking workers about possible overpayment issues after retroactive pay; SB 6263, raising school district public bid thresholds; SB 5395, adding guardrails on AI use in prior authorization and requiring medical necessity decisions by licensed professionals; SB 6282, adding behavioral health training to apprenticeship programs; SB 5905, addressing pension enrollment rules for port district employees; SB 5950, adding certain Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu holidays to the list of non-legal state holidays; SB 6074, directing a work group to study reestablishing parole; SB 6226, protecting audiologists’ clinical autonomy in choosing telehealth or in-person care; SB 6096, requiring deferred collection systems for utility connection fees in residential construction; SB 5970, making the property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizens’ centers permanent; and SB 6269, updating fuel definitions so hydrogen fueling stations can be overseen under weights and measures rules. One bill drew a brief objection: SB 6302, which would limit the number of independent contractors used for the same type of finishing work on public works projects to address misclassification, was supported by its sponsor but opposed by Senator King, who said it would unduly restrict independent contractors. Despite that concern, the motion to advance the bill carried. All other measures discussed were advanced by voice vote, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• MEMBERS, LET'S TAKE UP TAB 2, SENATE BILL 296 ON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL START TIMES BY SENATOR
• MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL BUSES, ONE I SPOKE TO AS MANY AS 19 AND THEN
• THIS STRIKE ALL AMENDMENT REMOVES THE STATEWIDE MANDATE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TO START AT
• THE SEMINOLE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAIVES THEIR TIME AND SUPPORT, MARTIN BLACK SCHOOL DISTRICT WAIVES
• IF THEY ARE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEY SHOULD GO TO BED AT SEVEN, MIDDLE SCHOOL THEY SHOULD GO TO BED

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• book travel from a California-based seller of travel can be reimbursed if they don't get what they purchased
• book travel from a California-based seller of travel can be reimbursed if they don't get what they purchased
• multidisciplinary evaluations for the state's most vulnerable children struggling at home and in school
• My medical reports are used by families, health care providers, and schools to secure this assistance
• Specifically, this bill would clarify that gold buyers who purchase gold at remote events must follow

Committee: House Business and Professions

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> matches the the process for purchasing matches the the process for purchasing with<00:42:27.440>
• </c> background checks for firearm purchases. background checks for firearm purchases.
• And then, uh, we did know that it at least partially involved a school, um, and the school personnel,
• We believe it involved a school.
• Representative Boschman. involved a school um and the school involved a school um and the school personnel

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• California schools are required to maintain a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses campus
• California schools are required to maintain a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses campus
• So the goal here is just to ask schools to make sure that when they're doing their overall school site
• So obviously, even extra outside the new construction area, whether that's a school or non-school, in
• I sat on a school board. He now sits on... ...City Council for 12 years. I sat on a school board.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That means that for retirees in a high-cost-of-living area, they have lost about 50% of their purchasing
• Dorothy Johnson, for the Association of California School Administrators, respectfully opposed.
• Jean Chadbourne from Oakland, California, a high school teacher, lifelong Democrat, member of FIRE, the
• As a former school board member and personnel commissioner, I proudly present AB 2120.
• However, due to the very large workforce and very diverse school sites and student body that we serve

Summary: The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee heard and advanced several bills covering workers’ compensation transparency, public pensions, prevailing wage, workplace harassment training, and employee benefits. AB 1048 would require disclosure of the contract justifying reduced workers’ compensation payments to medical providers; supporters said it would improve transparency without changing reimbursement rates, while opponents argued the problem was overstated and existing dispute remedies were sufficient. AB 1601 would give Sonoma County flexibility to target a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees rather than requiring an all-or-nothing COLA; county and union witnesses said retirees have gone without a COLA since 2008 and have lost purchasing power, and the bill passed unanimously. AB 1439 would commission a UC Berkeley study on labor standards in pension-funded real estate and infrastructure projects; labor groups supported it, while local governments, housing, and industry groups opposed it, and it passed on a 4-1 vote after one senator voted no in committee. The committee also heard AB 1697, which would delay implementation of a prior law restricting certain employment debt and pay-to-quit arrangements until 2027; the author said the delay would give employers, including professional sports leagues, time to adjust, while a financial services group sought a further delay to 2028. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech content in existing workplace harassment training for employers with five or more employees; supporters cited rising antisemitic and other hate incidents and said the bill would help workers recognize and report hate, while opponents raised First Amendment concerns and argued existing harassment law already covers hostile conduct. AB 2120 would extend Los Angeles Unified’s selective certification hiring authority and allow retention of specialized employees in layoffs, and AB 2292 would bar providers from charging administrative fees for disability insurance and paid family leave certification forms; both drew support and were advanced without opposition testimony. AB 1198, the Fair Pay for Construction Workers Act, would require prevailing wage to be based on the time work is performed rather than the date a project is advertised for bid. Labor and contractor supporters said the current rule can lock in outdated wages and underpay workers on long projects and change orders, while cities, counties, and contractor groups warned it would create uncertainty, raise costs, and jeopardize projects funded by fixed grants or bonds. After testimony and questions, the committee voted to send all of the bills forward, with final recorded votes later showing unanimous or near-unanimous approval and several measures placed on call before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That means that for retirees in a high-cost-of-living area, they have lost about 50% of their purchasing
• Dorothy Johnson, for the Association of California School Administrators, respectfully opposed.
• Jean Chadbourne, from Oakland, California, a high school teacher, lifelong Democrat, member of FIRE,
• As a former school board member and personnel commissioner, I proudly present AB 2120.
• However, due to the very large workforce and very diverse school sites and student body that we serve

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• campground or cabin, where Minnesotans spend their summer vacations, host family reunions, picnics, school
• </c><00:27:12.799><c> the</c><00:27:12.919><c> trees</c> The private market to purchase the trees, or
• are used to generate dollars for the education system that go to the permanent school trust fund.
• </c><00:31:39.799><c> the</c> offer to purchase the offer to purchase the ground<00:31:41.679><c> commissioner
• </c> local governments are able to purchase local governments are able to purchase credits<00:40:39.720

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• California schools are required to maintain a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses campus
• California schools are required to maintain a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses campus
• So the goal here is just to ask schools to make sure that when they're doing their overall school site
• So obviously, even extra outside the new construction area, whether that's a school or non-school, in
• I sat on a school board. He now sits on... ...City Council for 12 years. I sat on a school board.

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard several bills related to school nutrition, campus safety, college financial aid, and UC contracting ethics. SB 1058 by Senator McNerney would remove price as the primary factor in school nutrition procurement grants, allowing districts more flexibility to prioritize quality, local sourcing, cultural responsiveness, and healthier meals. Supporters from school nutrition and education groups said it would help districts better serve students and local farmers without increasing state costs. After questions about vendor selection and safeguards against favoritism, the bill was moved do pass and later approved 7-0. SB 1140 by Senator Ashby, sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers, would require school safety plans to address access control during construction, maintenance, and repair projects. Supporters said the bill closes a gap that can leave gates or doors unsecured and could help prevent unauthorized access to campuses. There was no opposition, and the committee approved the bill unanimously. SB 959 was also taken up on consent and passed. SB 1006 by Senator Padilla would raise the Cal Grant B Access Award and tie future increases to inflation using the California Consumer Price Index. Supporters said the current award has lost most of its value and does not cover basic needs like housing, food, transportation, and books, affecting hundreds of thousands of students. Members discussed the fiscal impact and the need to keep aid aligned with rising costs; the bill was moved forward and later approved 7-0. SB 1141 by Senator Wahab would bar UC contracts with businesses that pay UC executives or where executives serve in paid roles, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest. UC and the Chamber of Commerce opposed the bill as too broad and potentially disruptive to operations, while supporters argued existing rules are insufficient because many contracting decisions happen outside public view. After extended debate over recusal, transparency, and the scope of the restrictions, the committee passed the bill 4-2 and then finalized all bills on the agenda before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, able to serve more than 100 public high school students across 14 schools, achieving a 98%
• Last year, able to serve more than 100 public high school students across 14 schools, achieving a 98%
• Last year, able to serve more than 100 public high school students across 14 schools, achieving a 98%
• Last year, able to serve more than 100 public high school students across 14 schools, achieving a 98%
• ,</c> school students across 14 schools, school students across 14 schools, achieving<01:00:38.160><c

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Health, Human Services, and Higher Education hearing took up HB 441 HD2, a measure to increase cigarette taxes and dedicate the revenue to the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. The Department of Taxation said it had no substantive objection but requested an effective date of January 1, 2026 if tax rates change so it can order new stamps. The Department of Health, the Deputy Attorney General/tobacco enforcement, the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, the American Cancer Society, the Hawaii Medical Association, and several other health organizations and youth advocates supported the bill, arguing that higher cigarette prices reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and help fund cancer research and care. Several supporters asked for a larger increase, including at least $1 per pack, while opponents from retail, wholesale, and tobacco-related groups argued the tax would be regressive, burden low-income smokers, and drive sales to the illicit market. The Tax Foundation and other opponents also criticized reliance on sin taxes and said smoking rates are already at historic lows. After testimony and questions, members discussed how the revenue should be used and whether higher taxes change smoker behavior or push people toward vaping or other alternatives. The chairs announced they would pass HB 441 HD2 with amendments, replacing the contents with SB 528 SD1 except for changes reflecting the Department of Taxation’s request and a provision directing all proceeds from the tax increase to the Hawaii Cancer Center’s debt reduction, with an effective date of December 31, 2025. The House Health, Human Services, and Higher Education committees then voted to adopt the recommendation; the Health, Human Services committee vote was adopted with Chair and several members voting aye and one member voting no in the Higher Education committee vote. The hearing also briefly covered HB 1334 on meat donation, which drew support from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, food industry, and community groups, though no action was taken in the excerpt. The committee then heard HB 1098 on crimes against protective services workers. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying assaults on protective services workers can have chilling effects and deserve stronger deterrence; a committee question raised whether the bill should instead be part of a broader, more proactive approach to assault statutes. The Department of Human Services also described safety steps such as panic buttons and phone apps for social workers. The excerpt ends before any final vote on HB 1098.