Transcript Highlights:

• Title 10, a federal civil service retirement is calculated under United States Code Title 5, so therefore
• calculated under United States code calculated under United States code title<00:08:55.240> 10
• service title 10 a federal civil service title 10 a federal civil service retirement<00:08:58.839
• my retirement the federal civil service my retirement the federal civil service retirement<00:09
• Code Titles 10 and 32.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Supreme Court revised that to create an annual report on civil cases in particular to note the civil
• The Supreme Court revised that to create an annual report on civil cases in particular to note the civil
• It was also the jurisdictional threshold, so some of those circuit civil cases came over to county civil
• So all that pent-up demand, the continuation of the shifting of the county civil cases from circuit civil
• Down in 2021-22, but not nearly as down as the overall circuit civil or county civil.

Summary: The committee first heard an update from the Florida Department of Corrections on the proposed Lake Correctional Institution mental health project in Clermont. Tim Fitzgerald explained the project’s history, including the 2016 Disability Rights Florida litigation, the 2018 consent decree, and the original plan for a 550-bed inpatient mental health facility. He said inflation and design changes pushed the project above the bond amount, leading the department to shift to a “continuum of care” alternative with 572 beds total: 92 inpatient beds and 480 residential treatment beds in three special housing units. Fitzgerald said the project is currently paused pending House concurrence, while the Senate has already agreed to the alternate plan, and noted the bond balance, prior expenditures, and the need to spend down the tax-exempt bond by August 2026. Members questioned how the new plan differs from the original facility, whether it satisfies the consent decree, and what caused the cost increases. Fitzgerald said the department believes it has already met the consent decree through systemwide improvements to housing, staffing, programming, and out-of-cell time, though he said he would confirm the court documentation. He also said the original scope grew from 275,000 to 350,000 square feet as treatment, nursing, security, and programming needs were refined, and that inflation, fees, permitting, and contingencies contributed to the higher cost. Several members asked for follow-up information on Senate approval, consent decree documentation, and the project’s impact on crisis-stabilization capacity. The committee then received a joint court-system presentation from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure and Clerks Corporation Executive Director Jason Welty on caseload trends, case tracking, and staffing. McClure described statewide filing trends, the use of weighted caseload studies to certify judicial need, and recent Supreme Court rule changes aimed at active civil case management, including differentiated case tracks, stricter deadlines, and proportional discovery. He said the latest workload study led the Supreme Court to certify a need for 23 circuit judges and 25 county judges. Welty reviewed clerk workload trends, the statewide case maintenance and CCIS systems, and declining clerk FTE despite rising case volumes, and said clerks are seeking additional funding for injunctions, Baker Act/Marchman Act/sexually violent predator work, and juror management. In questions, members pressed both presenters on data quality, case-weight calculations, filing fees, and whether current resources are enough to reduce delays. McClure clarified that the workload weights are based on judge time studies and that a capital murder case averaged 3,177 minutes, while other examples such as auto negligence and dissolution cases were much lower. Welty said the Legislature could help by increasing funding or potentially revisiting filing fees, and noted that many clerk services are unfunded or underfunded, especially indigent and protective filings. The chair and members also raised concerns about backlog, inconsistent case reporting across circuits, and enforcement of judicial time standards; McClure said there is no direct sanction in the rules, and compliance is largely managed through chief judges and the Supreme Court. The meeting ended with no votes taken and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you look at Article 3.
• It says there's a disability penalty in code 48.051A that is causing schools.
• Um, uh, is, is governed by chapter 37 of the Education code.
• And do private schools follow the Texas Education code?
• I can't remember if it's in the Family code or the education code, but there are, there are laws that

Transcript Highlights:

• And the code at the top of the bonding bill is 25-05718.
• So I'll cover the first half of article two.
• the modifications article. the modifications article.
• Article 3 uh begins on modifications.
• The document that we're looking at is coded 25-05729.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Code Red Defense. Thank you, NDI, thank you, dancers, thank you.
• limitations, requiring reports, amending, repealing, enacting, and recomposing sections of Chapter 9, Article
• limitations, requiring reports, amending, repealing, enacting, and recomposing sections of Chapter 9, Article
• la Cruz (member_14046), an act relating to traffic laws, amending a definition in the Motor Vehicle Code
• This resolution proposes an amendment to Article 10, Section 2 of the Constitution of New Mexico to allow

Transcript Highlights:

• It's just the terminology of the juvenile of the Children's Code.
• So effectively we're really focusing on what is Article 16, and the question then is whether Article
• So I would urge the members to keep all of Article 16 struck.
• If you look on page 30, Article 19, subparagraph B.
• So, what is Article 13 on page 21 is entitled Finance Powers.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the relevance of their articles and the relevance of their articles.<00:47:08.240> There<
• There are many paths to articles.
• <00:49:40.640> of mistaken, the um Conval Articles of mistaken, the um Conval Articles of
• understandably most of these articles understandably most of these articles agreement<00:53:20.559
• <04:53:41.040> that also in in our criminal um code that also in in our criminal um code that

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sir, you're recognized to explain Amendment bar code 231079.
• It's the Office of Criminal Conflict, Civil Regional Counsel when it comes to our civil responsibilities
• And I told the Civil Justice Committee that, I told the Civil Justice Committee that those are not legally
• This is coded into their technologies.
• And it has to spread the code, access that device.

Transcript Highlights:

• These codes do not identify criminal activity.
• Chairman, Representative Petraris, that's not what merchant category codes are for. Mr.
• Chairman, Representative Petraris, that's not what merchant category codes are for.
• And so the merchant codes is happening today.
• And so the merchant codes is happening today.

Bills: SB1049, SB1053, SB1058, SB1093, SB1160, SB1211

Keywords: spousal maintenance, court guidelines, self-sufficiency, financial support, marriage dissolution, concealed carry, gun permits, firearms training, public safety, criminal history checks, local recognition, firearms, merchant codes, financial privacy, Second Amendment, data protection, riot, planning, racketeering, criminal conspiracy

Transcript Highlights:

• Colorado should be moving toward a simpler, more predictable tax code.
• That is a direct payment program routed through the tax code. And Colorado...
• While supporters describe this as a modernization of the tax code, the practical effect is clear.
• I mean, the title says concerning civil...
• The title says concerning civil rights violations involving discriminatory practices in public schools

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• drafts I present to you one other code drafts I present to you one other code that<01:16:50.400>
• <01:27:10.840> in Commercial Code in Commercial Code in 1994<01:27:13.400> the<01:27
• <01:49:31.000> 8<01:49:32.000> was UCC article 8 was UCC article 8 was wrong<01:49:
• so HP 427 is a proposal to amend article so HP 427 is a proposal to amend article 8<01:52:18.679
• <01:52:30.719> 8 individuals and businesses article 8 individuals and businesses article 8

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 167, a PFAS-related measure to add ski, snowboard, and boat wax to the state’s list of banned consumer products containing PFAS. The sponsor said the product is already banned in many other places, alternatives exist, and the concern is that these products go directly into water rather than landfills. She cited high PFAS levels in several New Hampshire lakes and argued the bill would help stop further contamination. A member of the public also described personal experience with ski wax products disappearing from the market, suggesting PFAS may have been the reason. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 167. The committee next opened a hearing on House Bill 312, dealing with college athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Representative Moffett explained the bill was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s NCAA v. Alston decision and was modeled on New Jersey law. He said the bill would prevent colleges from restricting NIL compensation, require athletes to use licensed attorneys or registered sports agents, and limit certain endorsements involving addictive drugs, adult entertainment, firearms, and weapons. He framed the measure as a proactive response to a changing college sports landscape and noted possible future conflicts involving schools, agents, and endorsements. Committee members raised several concerns and suggested changes. One member questioned the bill’s exclusion of two-year institutions, another objected to the weapons restriction, and others asked how the bill would affect scholarships. The sponsor said the intent was to protect scholarships, especially athletic scholarships, and clarified that need-based scholarships were not meant to be affected. He also acknowledged discomfort with the endorsement restrictions and said the committee might want to broaden or revise the language. The hearing remained open for further consideration, with no vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're highlighting the anniversary itself through a series of special articles in Minnesota History
• She was an Indigenous civil rights trailblazer who helped pass America's first anti-discrimination act
• In my classroom, students engage in debates where they practice civil disagreement.
• debates where they practice civil debates where they practice civil disagreement. disagreement.
• So, Minnesota has a deep military tradition, from soldiers who served during the American Civil War,

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The committee held a joint hearing recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and focusing on civic education, free speech, voting, and Minnesota’s America 250 commemorations. Opening remarks emphasized the importance of education, Indigenous land acknowledgement, and the idea that democracy depends on informed and engaged citizens. The chair then invited student debaters from the Minnesota High School League to testify about how debate, free speech, and evidence-based reasoning have shaped their education and civic participation. The students argued that debate teaches critical thinking, helps young people engage with difficult issues, and should be protected as part of a healthy democracy; one also urged lawmakers to move beyond empty promises and take action on issues such as eviction moratoriums, ICE collaboration, and protest protections. Commissioner Willie Jett of the Minnesota Department of Education testified that public education is where citizenship first becomes real, and that schools, libraries, and educators help students learn to listen, question, debate respectfully, and understand both the ideals and failures of American history. He said democracy is something each generation must learn and strengthen, and thanked the committee for convening the hearing. Former students Sarah Griffin and Charlie Crocker then offered tributes to Senator Swedzinski, describing how his teaching encouraged civic engagement, disagreement, and action, and how his classroom shaped their lives and public service. Their remarks emphasized that democracy is not a spectator sport and that ordinary people build it through small, courageous acts. Secretary of State Steve Simon followed with testimony on Minnesota’s civic culture and voter participation. He said Minnesota has long ranked near the top nationally in voter turnout, including youth turnout, and attributed that to a combination of good election laws and a strong pro-voting culture. He highlighted school-based civic education efforts such as pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds and the Students Vote mock election program, and noted that Minnesota’s congressional delegation was unanimous in supporting the Voting Rights Act in 1965 as an example of the state coming together on major moral questions. The Minnesota Historical Society then began its presentation on America 250, with Kent Whitworth describing the organization’s role, the new edition of the Northern Lights curriculum, and broader commemorative activities; Dr. Bill Convery introduced historical context about how Americans have celebrated independence and how the semiquincentennial can leave a legacy for future generations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Education Code 38.004 mandates school-adopted policies addressing sexual abuse.
• So we think it's appropriate to go ahead and have a civil remedy for folks.
• Civil action. Civil action. Yes. Right. Because normally it's two years. Thank you, Senator West.
• We've also worked over the years on that teacher code of ethics.
• Can you provide the teacher code of ethics to the committee for us?

Bills: HB4, HB20

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• How does the bill address, or does the bill address, building code updates? Senator DeSegle.
• It doesn't address anything to do with building code updates.
• How does the bill address, or does the bill address building code updates? Senator DeSegley.
• It doesn't address anything to do with building code updates.
• House Concurrent Resolution. ...of Section 3(d), Article III of the State Constitution.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then moved into a series of special-order bills and House messages. Early floor action included passage of a claim bill for Mandy Penny Lemon (HB 6503) and bills on sewer collection systems (HB 1123) and farm products (HB 211), all passing unanimously. The chamber also took up an ad valorem tax exemption resolution for agricultural tangible personal property (CS/HJR 1215), which passed 37-0. Several other measures were temporarily postponed before the Senate recessed and later returned to House messages and additional special orders. The Senate then addressed multiple House amendments and conference-style motions. It concurred in amended versions of SB 994 on driver safety, SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, and HB 1609 on waste incineration/auxiliary containers after extended debate over hurricane recovery rules, local government restrictions, and plastic container preemption. The chamber also concurred in CS/HB 1205 on citizen initiative petitions, increasing the number of petitions a volunteer may carry from 2 to 25, and in CS/HB 733 on Brownfields. Other House amendments were rejected or sent back, including SB 234 on offenses against law enforcement, SB 116 on veterans policy, SB 168 on mental health, and HB 1101 on out-of-network provider referrals. Later, the Senate approved CS/HB 1255 on education and CS/HB 875 on educator preparation, with discussion focused on school readiness, teacher training, and changes to certification and testing requirements. It also concurred in CS/HB 1427, a broad health care bill, after the House added a major nursing education amendment that tightened Board of Nursing oversight, required standardized evaluation and remediation, and imposed accountability measures tied to NCLEX pass rates and program performance. Several members raised concerns or praised negotiated compromises throughout the day, but the recorded actions were mainly concurrence motions, refusals to concur, and final passage votes on the bills considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm hoping, Madam Chair, to an article that was in the paper about the Environment Department stopping
• Here's a number of the tax code changes and other revenue changes that have been made, totaling with
• If you read the article, it's that we didn't.
• You know, it was a little more complicated than the article said.
• I Found an article. I put it on social media channels.

Transcript Highlights:

• [Music] I will call the Judiciary and Civil Law Committee to order and welcome everyone.
• All civil law, housing, and okay, perfect.
• They're in your packets. law um what else do you cover all civil law um what else do you cover all civil
• Code sets out the purpose of um judicial Code sets out the purpose of um judicial discipline<00:08:23.080
• They'll talk about the Civil Rights Act at the federal level.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Judiciary and Civil Law Committee met to hear an informational presentation from the Board of Judicial Standards. After brief member and staff introductions and a review of committee rules, the board’s executive secretary, Sarah Bas, and Mary Pat Maher explained the board’s history, mission, and operations. They described the board as an independent state agency that handles complaints about judicial misconduct and disability, issues advisory opinions, and educates judges on ethics. The presentation covered the board’s composition, complaint intake and screening process, and the levels of discipline available, ranging from summary dismissal and letters of caution to private admonitions, deferred disposition agreements, public reprimands, and formal complaints that can lead to Supreme Court review. Members asked about the board’s budget, public access to discipline records, confidentiality of complaints, and how the board balances accountability with protecting public confidence in the judiciary. The board said public discipline is posted on its website, while private admonitions, deferred dispositions, dismissals, and letters of caution remain confidential. It also said judges generally are told who complained so they can respond, though the board can withhold the source for good cause. Questions also focused on whether attorneys are underreporting misconduct, how many complaints are nuisance complaints, and whether the online complaint system changed the types of complaints received; the board said nuisance complaints make up more than half, the complaint types have not changed much, and it does not have data comparing complaint sources to outcomes. No votes or formal committee actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The remainder is generally dedicated to Title 25 civil commitments through the civil commitment process
• title 25 civil commitments through through<00:12:08.800> the<00:12:08.959> civil<00:12
• through the civil commitment uh process. through the civil commitment uh process.
• But I think when you talk about civil rights on the Title 25 side and then criminal civil rights
• Then we again all the bankruptcy codes.

Bills: SF0010, SF0005

Keywords: mental health, detention, competency evaluation, treatment, contractual agreements, bankruptcy, hospital, county, healthcare, financial stability, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to flag that the dependent exemption is a very positive feature of Minnesota's income tax code
• that we take family size into tax code that we take family size into account<00:08:01.000> in
• in the country, the most progressive state tax code out of the 50 states and D.C.
• Walker Orenstein has published a couple articles about this.
• according to this Star tribun article according to this Star tribun article it's<00:58:58.559>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• rights and civil liberties and against the actions of this administration.
• Once again, the Equal Protection Clause and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 were cited.
• Once again, the Equal Protection Clause and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 were cited.
• Currently, state law, Penal Code Section 31610, establishes the intent of the Legislature to require
• In addition, SB 1414 also raises concerns under Article 4, Section 16 of the California Constitution.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that regard cuz that's like a civil that regard cuz that's like a civil type<00:23:56.400> of
• The ACLU is a civil rights organization, and we take on a different set of cases.
• offer civil remedies to survivors. offer civil remedies to survivors.
• We've seen that civil remedies work.
• Civil actions also attorney's fees.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several Senate bills. On SB 2530, relating to campaign contributions, the State Procurement Office suggested clarifying that contractor disclosure information be submitted within 30 days of a fully executed contract, while the Campaign Spending Commission supported the bill but asked that the restriction on contributions by officers be expanded beyond compensated officers. Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action supported the measure and urged keeping the Senate language, arguing it better addresses contractor influence, while no other testifiers appeared. On SB 2970, relating to standards of conduct, the State Ethics Commission supported the bill and proposed amendments to consolidate the new language into existing Chapter 84 contract provisions and use “department head” instead of “director.” The State Procurement Office supported the measure but recommended closing a perceived loophole by limiting the covered contracts to those under $10,000. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee then heard SB 2919, which would fund one full-time Deputy Public Defender position focused on immigration-related advice under Padilla v. Kentucky. The Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrants’ Rights, and the ACLU of Hawaii supported the bill, explaining that the position would help public defenders advise clients about immigration consequences of criminal cases, not provide immigration representation. Members asked several questions about the scope of the position and whether it could assist with citizenship; testimony clarified that it would not handle civil immigration matters. The bill was also described as creating a statewide consistent resource for the public defender system. Finally, on SB 2446, relating to the judiciary, the Intermediate Court of Appeals supported adding a seventh associate judge position but noted the court has only recently been fully staffed at six judges and has improved output through internal changes. The chair emphasized that the bill authorizes the position without funding and encouraged the judiciary to return later if appropriations are needed. The committee also began hearing SB 2730, a criminal justice reform bill on warrantless arrests and citations. OHA supported reducing unnecessary arrests but objected to making citations visible on criminal records; the Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, citing law enforcement flexibility, identification concerns, and possible litigation costs; and the Judiciary requested a later implementation date and suggested changes to citation-resolution language. The transcript ends while testimony on SB 2730 was still underway.