Transcript Highlights:

• >> I said know your changes. My changes would be on line 15 where it says sale and or purchase.
• >> I said know your ch your changes >> I said know your ch your changes >> changes
• My changes would be on line 15 >> changes.
• flexibility, changing the process that they go through to get the meat, but just change the paperwork
• It's just ... through to get the meat, but just change through to get the meat, but just change the<00

Keywords: Agriculture - Room 210, 3 February, 2026; 2:00 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee first discussed a bill codifying herd-share/custom slaughter practices for small livestock producers. The sponsor proposed amending the bill to change “sale and/or purchase” to “deposit” and to allow pricing by live weight, dressed weight, or final weight. Members raised concerns that allowing payment by dressed weight could trigger federal USDA inspection requirements and conflict with existing federal rules. After discussion, the committee agreed to keep only the first change, striking “purchase” and inserting “deposit,” and to leave the weight-pricing language unchanged. The sponsor then withdrew the broader amendment, and the bill was reported out with a title-sufficient do-pass motion. The committee next took up a bill authorizing Mississippi State University Extension to assist poultry farmers with management plans, citing delays caused by short staffing at NRCS and DEQ. Members asked whether the extension service was comfortable with the role and were told the assistance would be voluntary and not mandatory. The bill was reported out on a title-sufficient do-pass motion. The committee also approved a bill to allow crawfish farms to be licensed, and a bill on district livestock shows that would let the northeast district show be held at any facility within the county rather than only at the Verona livestock center, which the sponsor said was no longer suitable for the children involved. The committee then considered a meat-labeling bill making technical amendments to last year’s law on cultured meat and related products. After an initial vote was set aside because of a communications problem, the committee reconsidered the bill and adopted an amendment changing a funding reference from “special” to “general fund.” The bill was then reported out as amended. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2631, creating a voluntary Mississippi Grain Indemnity Act to protect grain producers if elevators or buyers fail financially. The sponsor said the program would be funded by a per-bushel assessment, capped at $25 million, with possible state seed money still under discussion. Members asked about the source of any additional funds and the history of recent grain failures, and the bill was then moved forward on a title-sufficient do-pass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• The last changes to the exemption there were sort of three changes.
• The last changes to the exemption, there were sort of three changes.
• The last changes to the exemption, there were sort of three changes.
• The last changes to the exemption, there were sort of three changes.
• Starting in 2023, the last changes to the exemption, there were sort of three changes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the definitions in section 26-2 mean we just need to be cognizant that if we change the definition
• through1 10 seat points to definitions through1 10 seat points to definitions of<00:26:54.880>
• If this were changed, 10G would probably be a good place to put this.
• Administration came in it could change Administration came in it could change apparently<00:43:53.599
• > I<00:43:55.599> suspect apparently it is changing so I suspect apparently it is changing

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on January 28, 2025, and heard testimony on a series of bills dealing with vehicle titles, motor vehicle taxes, window tinting, license plates, electric bicycles, insurance penalties, vehicle inspection fines, and transportation discrimination. For HB 532, which shortens the time to forward a transferred vehicle title from 30 days to 14 days and allows a letter of attestation to serve as an endorsement certificate, testimony was listed in support from Councilmember U. Hajin and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and in opposition from Maui Mayor Richard Bisson and Sylvie Madison. HB 655 would require payment of unpaid motor vehicle taxes, fees, and penalties for the most recent five consecutive years of delinquency; the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi stood on written comments, with Tim Rymer and Robert Souza providing comments/support. HB 368, which would exempt certain medically sensitive drivers from sunscreen-device tint limits, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and support from several individuals. HB 226, lowering allowed windshield tint from 35% to 20%, drew opposition from the Department of Transportation and support from TNT Tinting Specialists; members asked about federal preemption, and DOT said federal guidance applies to manufacturers while states retain authority over aftermarket tinting. The committee also heard HB 543, prohibiting license plate flipping devices and imposing a $2,000 fine, and HB 228, authorizing counties to adopt rules for electronic license plates, repealing flipping devices, and setting a minimum fine for obscuring plates; both measures had DOT support, comments from the Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and opposition from Sylvie Madison. HB 70 would require insurance for electric bicycles and create a regulatory framework effective January 1, 2026. The Office of the Public Defender opposed it, arguing the bill improperly distinguishes e-bikes from mopeds; PeopleForBikes and the Hawaiʻi Bicycling League opposed it as costly and unnecessary, while the Insurance Division said the bill could conflict with existing no-fault definitions and might fit better in the motor scooter/moped insurance framework. HB 231, increasing the fine for violating motor vehicle insurance requirements from $500 to $1,500, was opposed by the Office of the Public Defender, which argued it would burden low-income residents and add to court congestion; members debated whether higher fines would improve compliance. Later, HB 227 would add fines for operating a vehicle without a current inspection certificate and had DOT support. HB 184 would require operators of low-speed electric bicycles to have a driver’s license, instruction permit, or provisional license; Kawaii Path, PeopleForBikes, and Get Fit Kauaʻi opposed it as a barrier to low-cost transportation and noted concerns for riders with disabilities, while DOT later said it would support the measure and was asked to research whether other states have similar licensing requirements. The final major measure discussed was HB 468, which would require the Civil Rights Commission to investigate discrimination complaints involving transportation network company drivers and riders with service animals and allow DOT to issue penalties to the companies. The National Federation of the Blind of Hawaiʻi, the Disability Rights Center, and individual riders supported the bill, saying current protections lack enforcement and that denials still occur; Uber and Lyft opposed it, saying they already prohibit discrimination, train drivers, investigate complaints quickly, and that the bill would duplicate existing law and create unnecessary penalties. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• NO IT DOES NOT CHANGE ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO NO IT DOES NOT CHANGE ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO THAT SECTION
• IS THERE ANY CHANGE, I THOUGHT THERE WAS CHANGE WITH REGARD TO THE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE THAT
• THE AMENDMENT DOES NOT MAKE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE PROVISIONS SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE PROVISIONS
• DEVELOPMENT AND DIDN'T CHANGE IT BACK.
• THE LAST 10 YEARS HAVE CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Little little change >> Um, thank you. Little little change here,<00:07:42.080> Mr.
• And this changes it >> Per day.
• :35.440> where people's lives because it changes where people's lives because it changes where
• So, they'd be this now change that?
• Uh right now Council and changes it.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation by Reverend Jod Gun, whose prayer was journalized by unanimous consent. The chamber then recognized several guests, including representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, who were present for a resolution honoring Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week, as well as former Delegate and physician Dan Moheim, Towson University students, a veteran guest, and parents and young children visiting for Maryland Family Network’s Day in Annapolis. The Senate adopted a resolution recognizing the National Alliance on Mental Illness for its advocacy on tardive dyskinesia screening, early detection, and treatment, and designated May 5–9 as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. The resolution was read and adopted without objection. The chamber also unanimously welcomed the guest groups and thanked them for their service and advocacy. In second-reader action, the Senate advanced several bills with committee amendments adopted without objection. Senate Bill 113, the Longevity Ready Maryland Act, was amended to refine aging-related planning, website reporting, and Commission on Aging membership, then ordered to third reading. Senate Bill 123 updated the membership of the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities and was also sent to third reading. Senate Bill 336 extended the Task Force on the Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances for one year and added an HBCU representative. Senate Bill 394 expanded expedited partner therapy to bacterial vaginosis and added licensed certified midwives as authorized practitioners. Senate Bill 444 changed certificate-of-need requirements for certain intermediate care facilities, and Senate Bill 461 conformed the SNAP Heat and Eat Program to federal eligibility rules; both were advanced to third reading. The Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee then took up Senate Bill 108, which would authorize the Maryland Department of the Environment to impose administrative penalties for certain water, wetlands, dam, and riparian-rights violations and expand administrative enforcement tools. Several senators raised concerns about the scope of the bill, its effect on shoreline restoration, dams, stormwater and wetlands enforcement, and whether it could allow penalties without adequate process or encourage payment instead of correction. The floor leader responded that the amendment requires notice, an informal meeting, and consideration of good-faith efforts before penalties are imposed in certain cases, and said the bill does not change permit requirements. The debate continued as members sought clarification on how the bill would apply to private dams, HOAs, farmers, and shoreline projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:14.320> names,<00:30:14.880> changing discussed, changing names, changing discussed
• a new change of use application. a new change of use application.
• that same definition to wildlife. that same definition to wildlife.
• They definitely helped us.
• They definitely helped us.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're exploring other ways to look at these data, but these are definitely not significant.
• Then, by having the location, we can also look at these changes spatially.
• But until they keep switching it, then buffer zones would change it.
• Like, uh, from a pharmacological perspective, or just this is a definition?
• I've study definitely drift farther than I've study definitely drift farther than 100<01:43:34.400>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing of Senate and House committees focused on restricted use pesticides in Hawaiʻi, with opening remarks framing the issue as one of health, environmental impact, and state-level regulation. The briefing reviewed the history of pesticide disclosure efforts, including prior county actions, a 2016 court ruling that shifted responsibility to the state, and Act 45, which enabled disclosure of restricted use pesticide data. Speakers highlighted 2019 reporting data showing concentrated use in parts of Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, especially near schools and communities, and identified fumigants such as 1,3-dichloropropene and metam sodium as among the heaviest-used products. Concerns were raised about potential links to cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive harms, Parkinson’s disease, and developmental effects, as well as the lack of long-term mixture studies and the need for better buffer zones, reporting, and farmer transition support. The Department of Agriculture’s pesticides program manager described the state’s regulatory framework, explaining the distinction between general use and restricted use pesticides and the department’s role under FIFRA and Hawaiʻi law. He outlined the branch’s enforcement, education/certification, registration, and laboratory functions, including inspections, complaint response, market surveillance, applicator certification, product review, groundwater protection modeling, and special registrations. He also noted staffing and resource limitations, including the absence of an in-house toxicologist and long-term monitoring capacity, and compared Hawaiʻi’s resources to California’s much larger pesticide regulatory program. He said the department supports Act 231, which was passed the previous year and is moving forward this session. A pediatrician speaking for the Hawaiʻi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized concerns about chronic low-level pesticide exposure in children, citing AAP policy statements and technical reports that associate exposure with cancer, leukemia, birth defects, neurobehavioral issues, and asthma. Drawing on work with the Kauaʻi Joint Fact Finding Task Force, the speaker said the group found the west side of the island to be an unhealthy community but could not prove causation because of missing drift, geospatial, and biomarker data. The testimony pointed to elevated cancer mortality, pneumonia admissions, obesity, dialysis, and developmental delay indicators, and described concerns about pesticide drift near schools and homes, including reports of children becoming ill after nearby spraying and low levels of chlorpyrifos detected in dust samples. An environmental health scientist from the University of Hawaiʻi described a pilot project using restricted use pesticide data in a public health context. She said the project began after seeing maps of Central Oʻahu pesticide use and aimed to pair GIS data with health and ethnicity data, while also conducting community focus groups. Preliminary focus group themes included calls to action, voting and policymaker awareness, concern about pesticide use near homes and fields, lack of community consent, and a desire to stay engaged. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And now we are coming in and saying the school has to change their policy.
• Any member wishing to change their vote? Staff, close the vote. Declare the vote.
• Any member wishing to change their vote or vote? To close the vote.
• Members wishing to vote or change your vote, ta, f, f, declare the vote.
• Any members wishing to change their vote, declare the vote.

Bills: HB3700, HB3315, HB3242, HB3379, HB3129, HB3132, HB2950

Keywords: education policy, grading system, student assessment, academic integrity, state funding, opinion conduct, higher education, bachelor's degree, feasibility study, Oklahoma State Regents, accreditation, credit hours, emergency declaration, gender, privacy, public schools, sleeping quarters, restrooms, criminal history, admissions process

Transcript Highlights:

• greatly changed in the last 20 years.
• committee that what has changed committee that what has changed substantially<00:52:14.440> is
• So, that has not changed.
• So, so will that 1 to has not changed.
• > to<01:29:58.000> the Um, some technical changes to the Um, some technical changes to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So a lot of circumstances have changed since then.
• And the unit's going to continue to monitor and report on all of these changes, correct?
• And the unit's going to continue to monitor and report on all of these changes, correct?
• —” “The change to the climate credit in Cap-and-Invest and AB 1207.
• It's a rapidly changing policy area, and the state has invested heavily in...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And some careers are definitely struggling here in the Commonwealth.
• Definitely in construction and the building trades is our bread and butter.
• And obviously times change; courses need to change.
• Definitely. And then those are all really great examples.
• Definitely. And then those are all really great examples.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Workforce Support Subcommittee met to discuss using registered apprenticeships to help address workforce shortages in disability services, human services, and other high-need fields. Co-chairs and staff introduced the session as a follow-up to earlier discussions with state labor officials and representatives from developmental disability and behavioral health provider associations. The panel focused on how apprenticeships can create paid, structured pathways into jobs while also supporting credentialing and retention. Amara Ramon of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards explained how Massachusetts apprenticeship programs are registered and supported, including the roles of apprenticeship liaison staff, operations, quality assurance, and grant support. She described the core features of apprenticeships—paid on-the-job training, related technical instruction, wage progression, and industry credentials—and contrasted them with internships or co-ops. Melissa Chabelli of the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board described the intermediary role her board plays in designing programs, registering apprentices, coordinating employers, and handling compliance. She emphasized flexibility, employer investment, tax credits, retention benefits, and the importance of mentors and local workforce partnerships. Lisa Morris of UMass Chan/For Health Consulting described a developing apprenticeship for medical interpreters, built from an existing training foundation and designed to address the gap between classroom preparation and work experience. She said the model would combine pre-apprenticeship training, employer interviews, 2,000 hours of apprenticeship, and related technical instruction tied to national certification. Speakers also discussed examples for nursing, early childhood education, CNC machining, and programs serving neurodivergent learners, including Bridgewater State’s Excel program. In response to audience questions, panelists said state agencies can serve as intermediaries, recruitment can come through career centers, youth programs, community colleges, ESL centers, and incumbent workers, and accommodations or modified curricula can support apprentices with disabilities. No votes were taken; the session ended with encouragement for attendees to contact the presenters and Division of Apprenticeship Standards for help developing programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• support this change? support this change?
• is anything going to change on them? is anything going to change on them?
• ago, 4 or 5 years ago, that changed ago, 4 or 5 years ago, that changed that,<01:04:26.760> and
• <01:04:39.160> to the uh the formula was not changed to the uh the formula was not changed
• >> It will if if they meet the definition >> It will if if they meet the definition

Keywords: MS House Floor - 25 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, dispensed with the reading of the journal, and welcomed several student and FFA groups from around the state, including chapters from Tippah, Forrest, Newton, and Wheeler counties, as well as the Puckett High School student council and an AP government class from Madison-Ridgeland Academy. After announcements, the chamber moved to the Ways and Means calendar and took up a series of tax and finance measures. House Bill 327 would extend Mississippi’s existing film tax credit to television production businesses, with a $42 million aggregate cap and a requirement that qualifying production activity occur in-state. House Bill 343 would create a tax credit for employers offering private health insurance to employees, set at $400 per employee in the first year and $200 in the second, capped at $10 million. House Bill 420 would lower the age threshold for an existing full homestead exemption for honorably discharged veterans and spouses from 90 to 85; members discussed the local cost impact, but the sponsor said the state cost would be zero. House Bill 489 would exempt from income tax any capital gains from a forced sale through eminent domain, so the property owner would not owe tax on that transaction. The House also passed House Bill 715, clarifying that both perishable and non-perishable food sold to food pantries are exempt from sales tax. House Bill 1063 would adjust an alternative energy/local tax provision by allowing a fee-in-lieu rate down to 10% and adding energy storage, such as large-scale batteries, to qualifying projects. House Bill 1793, by committee substitute, would add gun safes to the state’s Second Amendment sales tax holiday. House Bill 1941 would raise the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund’s administrative fee from 2% to 3% and authorize $5 million in bonds. House Bill 1942 would create a conduit bond mechanism under the TIF code for local development projects. House Bill 1944, by committee substitute, would expand the Children’s Promise Act tax credit program from $18 million to $40 million over three years and add a new $1 million credit for facilities serving adults with mental handicaps; members debated its effects on private schools, foster care entities, and public education funding. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, including several unanimous votes; House Bill 327 passed 115-1, House Bill 343 passed 118-0, House Bill 420 passed 120-0, House Bill 489 passed 120-0, House Bill 715 passed 120-0, House Bill 1063 passed 115-0, House Bill 1793 passed 109-3, House Bill 1941 passed 118-0, House Bill 1942 passed 116-0, and House Bill 1944 passed after extended debate. The discussion on House Bill 1944 featured questions about whether the credits favored private schools over public schools, whether schools could also receive ESA-related funds, and how much money individual institutions could receive; the sponsor said the credits are separate from tuition, are administered by DOR on a first-come, first-served basis, and do not reduce direct public school funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• The changes in the strike-all are just definitions in nature.
• They don't change the underlying intent of the bill.
• So, but times have changed 80 years later. America is the land of plenty.
• The biggest change would be the addition... To verify the signatures?
• It symbolizes those who dare to dream and dare to change.

Summary: The committee first took up CS for CS for CS for SB 462 on transportation. A substitute amendment was adopted that would require counties receiving transportation surtax proceeds to report how the money is used to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, prohibit certain airport fees tied to collegiate aviation flight training, create a Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority pilot program, and dedicate $10 million annually for a traffic signal modernization program. The amendment also removed several provisions from the bill, including a sales-tax transfer to the State Transportation Trust Fund, a bid-protest-related contracting requirement, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. A late-filed amendment was tabled, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard CS for CS for CS for SB 628, Lucy’s Law, which strengthens boating safety penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and reckless operation. After the sponsor withdrew a pending amendment, the committee heard emotional testimony from Lucy’s parents and others in support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee next considered CS for CS for SB 700, the Florida Farm Bill, under a strike-all amendment. The bill’s major provisions included removing non-purity additives from public water systems, requiring clearer labeling for meat, milk, poultry, and eggs, criminalizing drone harassment over farmland, updating agriculture disaster recovery programs, creating an honest services registry for charities tied to countries of concern, expanding FFA-related scholarships and school infrastructure, and allowing the state to repurchase certain former agricultural lands converted to solar fields. Testimony included strong support from agriculture and related groups, opposition from the Florida Bankers Association over a private right of action related to financial discrimination, and criticism from speakers opposed to fluoride removal. The bill was amended and then reported favorably despite some opposition. The committee also reported favorably SB 796, which authorizes DEP general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems to replace failing septic tanks. The committee then took up a large strike-all for CS for SB 1618, a K-20 education package. The amendment combined provisions on VPK flexibility, early grade success, agriculture education, financial literacy, reading intervention, teacher assignment transparency, restrictions on spending public funds for political or social activism, emergency opioid antagonists, corporal punishment consent, teacher certification pathways, and other higher-education and workforce items from SB 1624, including guardrails for certain private religious postsecondary institutions. Members questioned the new prohibition on using public funds for political or social activism, with the sponsor saying it was intended to keep public schools from being a battleground for ideology; Equality Florida and the ACLU opposed that section. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee began extensive debate on CS for SB 7016, a major initiative-petition reform bill. The sponsors said the bill responds to fraud and abuse documented in a large Office of Election Crimes and Security report and would impose tighter rules on petition circulators, including Florida residency and U.S. citizenship requirements, training, shorter submission deadlines, stronger penalties, new identification requirements on petitions, and a 25% invalid-signature trigger for investigations by election-crimes officials. Senators raised numerous questions about due process, public records, penalties, the treatment of volunteers and former felons, the verification process, and the practical effect of the new deadlines and thresholds. The discussion was ongoing when the transcript ended, and no final vote on SB 7016 is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The changes in the strike-all are just definitions in nature.
• They don't change the underlying intent of the bill.
• So, but times have changed 80 years later. America is the land of plenty.
• The biggest change would be the addition... To verify the signatures?
• It symbolizes those who dare to dream and dare to change.

Summary: The committee first took up CS for CS for CS for SB 462 on transportation, adopting a substitute amendment that would require counties receiving transportation surtax proceeds to report how the money is used, prohibit certain airport fees tied to collegiate flight training, create a Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority pilot program, and fund a traffic signal modernization program with $10 million annually from the State Transportation Trust Fund. The amendment also removed several provisions from the bill, including a sales tax transfer to the trust fund, a bid protest-related contracting requirement, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. A late-filed amendment was tabled, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard CS for CS for SB 628, “Lucy's Law,” on boating safety, which would strengthen penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and reckless vessel operation. Lucy’s parents gave emotional testimony in support, describing the fatal 2022 boating crash and urging stronger accountability. The sponsor withdrew pending amendments, and the bill was reported favorably. CS for CS for SB 700, the Florida Farm Bill, was next; the strike-all amendment covered a broad range of agriculture-related changes, including water fluoridation restrictions, labeling rules, drone restrictions over farmland, disaster recovery programs, an honest services registry, FFA-related provisions, and agricultural land preservation. Testimony included support from agricultural and gun-rights groups, opposition from banking, dental, and local-government advocates, and a lengthy public debate over fluoridation and financial discrimination. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 796 on general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems was reported favorably with little debate. The committee then took up CS for SB 1618 on K-12 education, adopting a delete-all amendment that combined a wide range of education provisions, including VPK flexibility, agriculture education, financial literacy, reading intervention requirements, teacher assignment reporting, restrictions on spending public funds on political or social activism, postsecondary and workforce-related changes, and other school and college system updates. Several speakers opposed the activism-related funding restriction, while the sponsor said the bill was intended to keep publicly funded schools focused on education; the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 7016 on initiative petitions, adopting a strike-all amendment that would sharply tighten petition circulation rules and increase penalties. The proposal would require circulators to be Florida residents and U.S. citizens, impose training and registration requirements, shorten petition submission deadlines, require more identifying information on petition forms, limit sponsors to one amendment per election cycle, and create new enforcement and investigation triggers, including a 25% invalid-signature threshold. Sponsors argued the changes were needed to address fraud and protect the integrity of constitutional amendment petitions, while senators raised concerns about due process, public-records issues, burdens on volunteers, and the impact on voters and sponsors. The bill was not reported in the portion provided, and the discussion remained ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, not beyond CPI changes.
• And AB 3 enhances that and makes language changes to make it more broad.
• And so I think we definitely have to continue to have conversations.
• But some changes were made in 2022.
• things have changed.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just regarding your response, do we know what if there's a cost associated with these rule changes?
• Yeah, I'm already changing my mind on my sandwich.
• Yeah, I'm already changing my mind on my sandwich.
• That hasn't changed, correct? Representative Owen, you're recognized.
• That has not changed.

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee met and took up a long agenda of policy bills, local bills, and open government sunset review measures. The committee first heard HB 433 on administrative procedures, as amended by a strike-all that would create a five-year repromulgation process for agency rules, require review of guidance documents, add cost-benefit analysis requirements, and tighten licensing reporting. Members questioned whether the bill duplicated existing JAPC review functions and raised concerns about costs and the scope of agency authority, but the amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably 12-3. The committee then approved HB 699, which increases penalties for certain traffic infractions when they result in a crash; CS/HB 404, a local bill updating the City of Tampa firefighters’ and police officers’ pension plan; HB 711, creating a statewide Spectrum Alert and law-enforcement training for missing children with autism; HB 4023, a local ethics-related charter change for the North Springs Improvement District; HB 583, requiring registration and disclosure for agents and organizations associated with foreign principals and foreign-supported political organizations; HB 251, recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida; and HB 749, extending medical benefits for firefighters who suffer catastrophic injuries during training. Most of these bills drew supportive testimony and were reported favorably by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The committee also considered several OGSR/open-records measures. PCB GOS-25-04 preserved exemptions for public safety communications system infrastructure records, PCB GOS-25-05 aligned cybersecurity-records sunset dates to October 2, 2026, and PCB GOS-25-06 narrowed exemptions for certain records held by the Department of Financial Services as receiver for insolvent insurers, making more information public. All three were reported favorably on 17-0 votes. The meeting adjourned after the final roll call.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bessant, and Commerce Secretary Lutnick, how... and work up there, how things have changed from a federal
• The 175,000, BlackRock holds 300,000. 2% is held by... which I believe is 400,000 and change.
• This only changes the effective date to January 1, 2027.
• Are we in Texas paying for the war in Ukraine and some input on the climate change agenda?
• Standards that would be substantive are a change of policy.

Bills: SB 21, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB372, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB764, SB842

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information

Transcript Highlights:

• issues to departments needing administrative guidance, as far as if they're looking at, you know, changing
• c><00:10:50.880> at,<00:10:51.120> you<00:10:51.279> know,<00:10:51.600> changing
• they're looking at, you know, changing they're looking at, you know, changing the<00:10:52.240><
• we had folks from the business community that were proponents of and advocating for some sort of change
• So, there was a change from the original calendar, so be mindful of that.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:13 Roll Call 00:00:24 Approval of Minutes from September Meeting 00:02:10 Presentation of Special Purpose Governmental Entities Report 00:03:19 Presentation of Kentucky League of Cities Legislative Platform for the Upcoming 2026 Session of the General Assembly 00:15:37 Discussion of Centralized Collection of Net Profits and Occupational License Taxes 00:37:05 Adjournment 00:55:53, 958, all

Summary: The committee received reports on special purpose governmental entities from the Department for Local Government and the Fire Commission. DLG staff described SPGEs as limited-jurisdiction political subdivisions and reviewed the department’s registry, reporting portal, compliance monitoring, and planned system upgrades such as a two-way message center, automated noncompliance notices, and tracking for new entities and board expirations. They reported that, as of October 10, 2025, 69% of SPGEs were active and discussed compliance data by cycle, fiscal year, and district type. The Fire Commission reported that fire department mergers have reduced the number of departments by 16 since last year, largely because of volunteer staffing shortages, while financial disclosure compliance had risen to 94%. The commission also noted 509 compliance reviews, 19 in-house inquiries, seven referrals to outside agencies, and one recent federal prison sentence in a theft case. Members asked whether DLG advises SPGEs on tax rates; staff said it only performs calculations and the entities set their own rates. Questions to the Fire Commission focused on whether department reductions meant station closures; officials explained that most changes were mergers that keep physical buildings in place while combining personnel and finances to meet minimum staffing requirements. They said the trend is spread across the state but is especially pronounced in rural areas. The Kentucky League of Cities then presented its 2026 legislative agenda. Its priorities included modernizing city revenue options, increasing equity in road funding, fixing tax increment financing issues, addressing transient room tax collection from web-based platforms, strengthening emergency response coordination, clarifying massage parlor regulation preemption, correcting unintended consequences of House Bill 606, improving newspaper publication rules, and modernizing procurement statutes. KLC also said it supports allowing all cities to collect restaurant tax revenue, wants cities to receive a larger share of road funds and EV-related revenues, and seeks state collection and remittance of any future local sales tax to comply with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Members asked about best-value bidding, road-fund equity, Airbnb tax litigation, EV prevalence, and disaster funding applications; KLC said cities currently must accept the lowest bid, the road split should better reflect city street costs, the Airbnb tax case remains pending, EV data by locality has not been studied, and allowing cities to apply directly for disaster funds would reduce reliance on county officials. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the September meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are the proposed changes to the rules. Mr.
• Those are the proposed changes to the rules. as well as relevant changes to rules 2 3 as well as relevant
• Those are the proposed changes to the rules. Mr.
• <00:12:18.560> Speaker, changes to the rules. Mr. Mr. Speaker, changes to the rules. Mr.
• >> Yes, ma'am. >> Lately, in the last several years, we've changed the rules, and the changes in the

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 04:28 Election and Swearing In of Constitutional Officers 04:35 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 06:51 HR 1 08:08 HR 2 08:40 HR 3 17:11 Impeachment Petitions reported 18:33 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 20:27 Stand at Ease 20:54 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 28:30 Adjournment 33:05, 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky House convened for the opening of the 2026 regular session, with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and a declared quorum of 100 members present. The House then excused absent members and suspended the rules to allow co-sponsorships and vote modifications to be filed. It also elected House staff constitutional officers by acclamation, including the chief clerk, deputy clerk, sergeant at arms, chief doorkeeper, enrolling clerk, cloakroom keeper, and janitor, followed by the oath of office. Members introduced and adopted House Resolutions 1, 2, and 3. House Resolution 1 established the 2026 House membership. House Resolution 2 adopted the House rules for the session, with changes reflecting the new temporary building, removal of COVID-related provisions, elimination of remote and alternative voting, shortening motions/petitions/communications time from 30 to 15 minutes, deleting guest introductions and gallery references, requiring only one signed jacketed bill copy, clarifying billbook co-sponsorship procedures, deleting consent orders and pairing rules, and updating chamber-access and lobbying restrictions. Some members objected that the changes reduced transparency and public access, and one member asked that the 15-minute limit be kept at 30 minutes, but the resolution was adopted. House Resolution 3 invited pastors of Frankfurt churches to open sessions with prayer; one member asked that it be broadened to include people of all faiths and beyond Franklin County, but it was also adopted. The House then reported interim communications, including citizen impeachment petitions filed against Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goodwine and Ballard County Jailer Eric Cppus. Members were reminded of a mandatory ethics meeting the next day. The clerk reported the first batch of filed bills and resolutions, including House Bill 11 on independent school districts and House Bills 12 through 34 on topics such as legislative privacy, income tax, rural hospital funding, Medicaid and Medicaid expansion, school employee payments, firearms, reproductive health and privacy, employment schedules, cancer treatment coverage, workers’ compensation for first responders, savings accounts, education opportunity accounts, leave from employment, criminal procedure, home purchases, FNF devices, data privacy, and death benefits, along with House Resolutions 4 through 6. The House then adjourned until 2 p.m. on January 7, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• The system has changed.
• And it begins by basic, The system has changed.
• So the system has changed. It's been forced to change a lot because of these budgetary issues.
• And to be honest, not much has changed. Not much has changed.
• But what has changed is students don't go to campus the way I did from...

Keywords: 987, senate, all