Transcript Highlights:

• This would be an assessment by LDI for the pharmacy benefit managers in the state to conduct business
• Last year, the Department had told us that they would need a $90,000 cost for conducting examinations
• For example, the recently suspended House race, our staff is on the front lines conducting early voting

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with eight members present and deferred HB 127. It then considered a series of bills, most of which were reported favorably without opposition. HB 22 revised COLA rules for the clerks of court retirement system, allowing more frequent COLAs when the system is better funded; HB 324 made judicial stipends permanent and added future COLAs subject to available funding; HB 233 increased jury mileage reimbursement; HB 47 reorganized assessor retirement COLA statutes; HB 533 allowed St. Tammany Parish to transfer unused witness-fee account balances to the 22nd Judicial District Court; HB 980 adjusted eligibility for the Firemen’s Supplemental Pay Board; HCR 45 urged Congress to clarify ARPA deadlines for water projects; HB 559 increased court costs in the 4th Judicial District; HB 290 recreated the Department of Treasury and related entities in statute; and HB 382 addressed Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget review authority over Group Benefits plans. The committee also reported HB 1157 favorably, creating a financing bank mechanism for infrastructure projects, and HB 575 favorably, giving youth aging out of foster care preferred access to surplus state vehicles through the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency. Several measures drew more discussion. HB 1236, dealing with pharmacy benefit managers and professional dispensing fees, prompted extensive testimony from the sponsor, the Legislative Fiscal Office, the Department of Insurance, independent pharmacies, and PBM representatives. Supporters said it clarifies and strengthens enforcement of existing PBM law and protects independent pharmacies; opponents argued the bill’s requirement that PBMs bear dispensing-fee costs would be difficult to implement and could raise premiums. The sponsor said he would work on amendments, including clarifying language and a delayed effective date, and the bill was nevertheless moved favorably. SB 25, on registrar of voters compensation, was amended to a revised pay structure and then reported favorably. HB 47 and HB 533 were also presented as funding and administrative cleanups for retirement and court-related accounts, with local support noted. The committee also heard HB 233 on jury duty mileage reimbursement, which the sponsor said updates a 1961 rate and would be funded locally at an estimated average increase of about $4,000 per judicial district. HB 324 on judicial salaries was described as self-funded by the judiciary and subject to available funding, with no budget impact. HB 575 on foster youth transportation was presented as a non-appropriation measure aimed at helping youth aging out of foster care by giving them preferred access to surplus vehicles. HB 382, which concerns the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget’s role in approving Group Benefits plans, was reported favorably with little discussion. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also conduct annual site visits.
• We also conduct annual site visits.
• We also conduct annual site visits.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• know the the role of the legislature you know the the role of the legislature to<00:13:11.680> conduct
• > oversight<00:13:12.720> over<00:13:13.160> lost<00:13:13.520> bills to conduct
• oversight over lost bills to conduct oversight over lost bills and<00:13:14.920> you<00:13:15.000

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Hicks presented House File 4194, which would change how Rochester’s approved local option sales tax funds could be used for a regional athletics facility. Hicks argued the city’s 2023 ballot materials promised substantial community and stakeholder engagement and an indoor/outdoor community recreation complex, but that the project shifted to an outdoor-only plan without meaningful public input. She said the bill was needed to center Rochester residents’ voices and prevent a precedent of approved projects being changed after the vote. Rochester City Council President Randy Schubring opposed the bill, saying the city is following the 2023 authorization and building as much as possible within the approved funding. He said the ballot question passed with 53% support and urged the committee not to overturn local election results, while asking lawmakers to work with the city and Rochester delegation on the remaining funding shortfall. Testifier Kamau Wilkins also opposed the city’s current direction, saying voters were promised indoor recreation facilities but are now getting mostly outdoor baseball diamonds, which he described as a bait-and-switch. Several members supported Hicks’ concerns, saying legislators have a duty to ensure local sales tax projects match what voters were told. Representative Lee raised a broader issue about legislative oversight of local option sales taxes and referenced a possible St. Paul-related fix. Hicks closed by saying she supported the tax originally but no longer believes the project matches what voters approved. The committee then laid House File 4194 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The overwhelming amount of research that has been conducted shows that there is a very causal negative
• It says conducting a leaf-off aerial imagery biannually or annually, subject to the availability of funds
• Line A says conduct a leaf-off aerial imagery biannually or annually subject to the availability of funds

Bills: HB1782, HB2293, HB3176, HB3544, HB3546, HB3619, HB4358

Keywords: artificial intelligence, education reform, innovation, funding, advisory council, broadband, Oklahoma Broadband Office, broadband access, statewide broadband plan, internet connectivity, grant programs, expansion council, termination plan, Oklahoma, Gas Hub, national laboratory, public-private partnerships, aerospace, high-performance computing, economic development

Summary: The Senate Technology and Telecommunications Committee considered several House bills focused on artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, broadband, and education technology. House Bill 3176 would create an Oklahoma Gas Artificial Intelligence and Space Research Hub under the Department of Commerce and a National Laboratory Development Program to help Oklahoma pursue federal research designations; members questioned the fiscal impact, public reporting, and agency placement, and the bill passed 7-1. House Bill 3544 would prohibit minors from accessing AI social companions and authorize civil penalties; supporters cited research and safety concerns, and it passed 8-0. House Bill 3619 would modernize state geographic data collection and mapping for census and boundary purposes; members raised concerns about county boundaries, costs, and possible impacts on property and taxation, and it passed 6-2. The committee also advanced House Bill 3546, which bars artificial intelligence and other non-human entities from being granted legal personhood under Oklahoma law, passing 8-0 without debate. House Bill 1782 would create an Oklahoma AI Education Innovation Act with an advisory council and grant fund; members asked about funding formulas, membership, and dual office-holding, and it passed 8-0. House Bill 2293 would extend the Oklahoma Broadband Office sunset while requiring a wind-down plan and legislative review; members discussed the office’s consultation and termination process, and it passed 8-0. Finally, House Bill 4358 would limit screen time for pre-K through fifth grade students to one hour per school day. After questions about enforcement, classroom logistics, and special events, the author struck the title to continue working on the measure, and the bill passed 8-0. Throughout the meeting, members generally expressed support for the policy goals of the bills while flagging implementation, fiscal, and jurisdictional concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• urge the committee, we want to... urge the House in general to stress upon FDOT that, as a study is conducted
• will research, operate research-designated facilities, and enter into contracts and agreements for conducting
• concerns with universities that might not, for example, let a student group that focuses on net zero conduct

Transcript Highlights:

• to be zero emissions, and to amend the Public Authorities Law in relation to requiring NYSERDA to conduct
• to be zero emissions, and to amend the Public Authorities Law in relation to requiring NYSERDA to conduct
• to be zero emissions, and to amend the Public Authorities Law in relation to requiring NYSERDA to conduct

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications met under Chair Senator Kevin Parker and considered several bills related to clean energy, transmission, storage, schools, and microgrids. Bill 1456, which would require certain watercraft, aircraft, and trains to be zero-emissions and direct NYSERDA studies and incentives, was discussed as technology-neutral and advanced with one no vote to the Finance Committee. Bill 286, increasing statewide energy storage capacity, drew concerns about battery safety, fire risk, and volunteer fire department training, but was advanced to the floor with two no votes. Bill 2482, the Go Green Schools Act, would let schools convert to renewable energy and keep savings for school operations; it advanced to the floor despite concerns about siting solar on school grounds. Bill 2485 on expanding electric transmission lines and Bill 5510 directing NYSERDA to develop microgrid recommendations were both advanced to the Finance Committee, each with one no vote. The committee then heard testimony from Marguerite Wells, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. She argued that wind, solar, storage, and transmission have made New York a leader in clean energy and said renewable energy is increasingly cost-competitive, with much of recent bill increases driven by grid upgrades and gas prices rather than renewables. She also said clean energy helps hedge against volatile fossil fuel prices, pointed to community solar and offshore wind as savings and reliability tools, and said the state’s permitting and interconnection processes have improved. Members questioned Wells about farmland use, decommissioning, recycling of solar and wind equipment, battery storage safety, local control, and misinformation. Wells said utility-scale projects require decommissioning plans and financial assurances, farmland must be restored under agricultural guidelines, and recycling capacity is developing. On battery storage, she said New York has rigorous codes and monitoring requirements, that not all storage is lithium-ion, and that state-level permitting is appropriate for large facilities. Several senators raised concerns about fires, contamination, winter performance, and siting projects in densely populated areas or on farmland, while others emphasized farmland protections and the value of renewable projects to host communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• you would grant these men and women as you would grant these men and women as they<00:08:04.080> conduct
• their<00:08:04.639> business,<00:08:05.280> Lord,<00:08:05.520> on they conduct
• their business, Lord, on they conduct their business, Lord, on behalf<00:08:06.080> of<00:08:

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 28 January, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, received an invocation from Pastor Jonathan Gary of Hikes Retreat Baptist Church, and recited the pledge of allegiance. Routine procedural motions followed to dispense with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles, all approved by voice vote. The chamber also introduced several guests, including members of the Domestic Violence Review Board and domestic violence shelter directors, visitors from the Aspire Learning Center in Simpson County, and representatives of the Mississippi Airports Association and Jackson Municipal Airport Authority. The main legislative action was on House Bill 3, described as a technical cleanup bill related to CO issues that had previously been vetoed in part by the governor. Senator Brian explained that the new version removed the objectionable provision, contained only minor technical changes, and was essentially the same bill passed earlier. The Senate adopted the bill by use of the morning roll call, with one member recorded as voting no and another present, and then granted immediate release to the governor for signature. The remainder of the meeting consisted largely of announcements about committee schedules and cancellations, including meetings for appropriations subcommittees, business and financial institutions, highways and transportation, public health and welfare, universities and colleges, education, elections, public property, government structure, and others. The presiding officer also announced the Senate would begin at 9:00 a.m. the next day to allow members to attend the speaker’s father’s funeral, that the chamber would work on Friday, and that the Senate would stand in recess until the last committee report was filed or 5:00 p.m., at which time it would be considered adjourned until 9:00 a.m. Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's generating we conduct a marketing effectiveness study to make sure that what we are doing is actually
• We also conduct what's called a direct influence study.
• That's often where we interact with travelers who are coming here by car are able to conduct our surveys

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Health further conducts well investigations and testing through a contract with DEP
• The department also conducts risk communication and health impact assessments to identify potential risks
• This effort is conducted in collaboration with DEP and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Summary: The committee first received a Department of Environmental Protection presentation on Florida Forever and the sale or exchange of conservation lands. DEP described Florida Forever as the state’s main conservation land acquisition program, funded in recent years at high levels, and said most acquisitions since 2019 have been within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The presentation also explained the legal process for disposing of conservation lands: requests are reviewed by the Acquisitions and Restoration Council, then the governor and cabinet decide whether land is no longer needed for conservation or whether an exchange provides a net conservation benefit. Senator Smith asked several questions about recent land-swap proposals, public notice, political influence, and whether any transactions had bypassed the usual sequence; DEP said applications can be withdrawn before ARC review, notice is posted seven days in advance, and the council and cabinet are the decision-makers. Senator Harrington asked about the difference between Florida Forever land sales and water management district surplus lands, and DEP said the reported 2.3 acres sold referred only to Florida Forever-funded projects. The committee then heard presentations from the Department of Health and DEP on PFAS and PFOA. DOH outlined what PFAS are, their common uses, possible health impacts, and ways Floridians can reduce exposure, including water filtration and avoiding certain products. DOH said it conducts well investigations, health consultations, fish consumption advisories, and monitoring in coordination with DEP and FWC. DEP followed with a more technical overview of PFAS regulation and cleanup, explaining federal testing and drinking-water standards, Florida’s provisional cleanup levels, and the state’s response at contaminated sites, including bottled water and filtration for affected residents. Senators asked about testing requirements for public systems and private wells, disposal of used filters, and how federal rulemaking and litigation could affect Florida’s standards; DEP said public systems are required to test under EPA monitoring rules, private wells are not directly required to test, and Florida may adopt its own standards if federal action does not occur by the statutory deadline. Finally, the committee took up SB 150, which would designate the flamingo as the state bird and the scrub jay as the state songbird. The sponsor argued the bill better reflects Florida’s identity and conservation values, noting the flamingo’s iconic status and the scrub jay’s status as a Florida-only species. Members asked lighthearted questions about mockingbirds, flamingo color, and feeding costs, and an appearance card was filed in support by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The committee debated the bill briefly and then passed SB 150 favorably by roll call vote, with all members present voting yes except Senator DiCeglie, who was excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• The reason being after a boundary survey<00:09:46.800> was<00:09:47.040> conducted<00:09
• the<00:09:47.600> parcel<00:09:47.920> size<00:09:48.160> was survey was conducted
• the parcel size was survey was conducted the parcel size was determined<00:09:48.720> to<00:09

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Long Range Capital Planning and Utilization Committee met and first approved the June 30, 2025 meeting minutes. The committee then took up a series of Department of Transportation property actions, including authorization to grant an access point in Exeter, sell two small tracts in Keene, amend a prior Guilford disposal based on a revised survey and appraisal, sell 0.42 acres in Lincoln, list and sell 9.77 acres in Chesterfield, sell 0.54 acres in Fremont, and approve a permanent access easement in Belmont. The committee also approved a utility easement in Albany and a permanent access easement on Route 153 for the Bickfords. Most of these items involved direct sales or listings, administrative fees of $1,100, and conditions requiring surveys and local/state approvals; several were approved unanimously after brief or no questions. Representative Faulkner declared a conflict of interest on the Chesterfield item, and Representative Newman sat in for that matter; later, Faulkner was recused from the Belmont item as well. The committee also approved a Department of Administrative Services request to grant a perpetual utility line easement to Public Service Company of New Hampshire for a facility under construction at the Hampstead hospital property, with the administrative fee waived because the grant was in exchange for utility service. During discussion of informational item LRCP25-038, staff explained that no committee action was needed because the item was only to notify members that a parcel’s fair market value had been reduced due to a change in access. The committee received additional informational materials from the New Hampshire Council on Resources and Development, including minutes from its May 8 meeting and memorandums on surplus land review for Meredith and Hampstead. The next meeting was set for December 9 at 9:30 a.m. at Granite Place, Room 228, and the chair noted the meeting would be on a Tuesday because of building scheduling. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• A market conduct examination is one of my department's most effective tools, involving a thorough fact-based
• consumer complaint data for stronger actions if necessary, even to include in our ongoing market conduct
• lawyers and our analysts can actually look and start an investigation, and we need to expand our market conduct

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held its fifth oversight hearing on the California Department of Insurance’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy (SIS), with Commissioner Ricardo Lara providing an update on implementation. Lara said the department has finalized major reforms, including new catastrophe modeling tools, faster rate review procedures, use of forward-looking data tied to mitigation, and modernization of the FAIR Plan. He argued the strategy is intended to improve insurance availability in wildfire-prone areas, increase transparency, and stabilize the market, while also criticizing consumer intervenor groups and saying the department will tighten rules on intervener compensation and relevance. Members questioned Lara about when the SIS would begin producing visible market changes, how long rate filings would take to approve, and what the FAIR Plan modernization would mean for consumers’ costs. Lara said catastrophe model approvals should be completed by the end of the month, insurers are expected to begin submitting SIS filings in the coming weeks, and rate reviews have already been reduced from 281 days to 71 days. He also discussed a new market conduct investigation into State Farm’s handling of wildfire claims, ongoing complaints about smoke-damage claims, and a newly created smoke claims and remediation task force to develop standards. Lara said the department has helped more than 12,000 wildfire survivors, with over 38,000 claims filed and more than $17 billion paid, and that it is also working with other western states on underinsurance issues. Public commenters from the insurance industry, homebuilding, and insurance brokerage sectors largely supported the SIS and the department’s efforts, saying the reforms are needed to restore availability and stability. They emphasized the importance of timely rate approvals, FAIR Plan solvency, and greater transparency, and several noted that member companies are preparing to use the new filing process. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, though members and the commissioner discussed ongoing legislative needs, including AB 226 and possible future FAIR Plan transparency measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• We use some, we use some, some of the principles of democracy as how we conduct business on the floor
• Their proposed timeline would be that this would be conducted over the course of the summer and early
• Common Ground for Common Good, which came out of the focus groups that the Project for Civic Health conducted

Summary: The Joint Select Committee on Civic Health met to discuss next steps for its work on civic health, including related efforts by the Project for Civic Health and a proposed Evans School research survey of legislators. The chair reviewed the committee’s mandate and described ongoing partner initiatives, including shared principles of engaging with respect, seeking common ground, and disagreeing constructively. Members generally supported the Evans School proposal, though one member asked how the project would measure success, and the chair said the goal was to gather broad input from legislators on strengths, weaknesses, and future directions. A major portion of the meeting focused on a draft committee statement condemning political violence. Members agreed to remove the word “crazed” from the description of a recent assassination, with concerns raised that the term implied irrationality and could stigmatize disability. Members also suggested broadening the language to include non-abusive and productive dialogue, and replacing or supplementing “pray” with more inclusive wording; the final phrasing settled on “hope and pray.” The committee also briefly debated whether to describe the United States as a democracy or a representative republic, ultimately agreeing on “representative democratic republic” and approving the statement for posting and distribution, with several members still needing to provide digital signatures. The rest of the meeting was an open discussion about how to improve civility and relationship-building in the Legislature. Members emphasized the value of in-person meetings, shared meals, mentoring newer legislators, and more intentional cross-party conversations. Several said there are fewer informal opportunities now than in the past, especially after the pandemic, and suggested ideas such as retreats, regular gatherings, and bringing in outside experts like the National Institute for Civil Discourse. The chair said he would relay the committee’s support for the Evans School survey and adjourned the meeting after noting the discussion had produced several constructive ideas for future work.

Transcript Highlights:

• OK, because I think there was some concern about whether the fees pay for the ability to conduct inspections
• Therefore, we set the standards and conduct the inspections for a fee.
• Similarly, we have worked out an agreement with the city of Fort Worth, where if they conduct an inspection

Bills: HB103

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our rules, precedents, and practices establish the conduct of those discussions, including the bounds
• with SB 14, we're embedding that same dismantling of expertise into Texas law by requiring courts to conduct
• And the required solicitation of public input, all of which is conducted by the sunset Advisory Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 3763 by Purdell Riling to certain audits of employers conducted by the Texas Workforce Commission
• HB 3770 by Caprio relating to the efficiency reviews of state agencies conducted by the Legislative Budget
• HB 3819 by Johnson relating to the use of remote technology when conducting uncontested probate proceedings

Transcript Highlights:

• With the proposed executive branch office being created, it will conduct audits of the state agencies
• investigating fraud, waste and abuse complaints, particularly as they pertain to the Governmental Conduct
• made almost maybe about 15 of officials or elected officials that have violated the Governmental Conduct

Transcript Highlights:

• There are already the laws that an employee shall not engage in sexual conduct.
• municipality also states that it's unlawful for a probation or parole officer to engage in sexual conduct
• Officer to engage in sexual conduct, that's under supervision, disciplinary, custodial authority.

Bills: HB43, SB81, SB178, SB138, SB89, SB183, HB27, HB188, HB199, HB190, SB117, HB43, HB27

Keywords: criminal procedure, split sentencing, probation, Class A felony, Class B felony, minimum confinement, custodial sexual misconduct, sexual misconduct, inmate abuse, prisoner exploitation, correctional staff, jail staff, detention center, probation officer, parole officer, Department of Corrections, Department of Youth Services, sheriff, county jail, municipal jail

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, we actually did not conduct an average because we were trying to get rid of some of those
• We also do conduct adjustments for locally collected revenue.
• So the department conducts the mechanics of it.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee for Higher Education met to review Florida’s workforce and Florida College System funding models as part of budget planning. Chair Harrell opened by emphasizing the state’s growing focus on technical education and workforce pathways, and the committee first heard from Tara Goodman of the Department of Education on district workforce education. Goodman explained the programs funded through district workforce dollars, including career certificates, applied technology diplomas, registered apprenticeship, and adult general education, and described the model’s reliance on lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local tuition offsets, and supplemental factors such as disability services, GED testing, and minimum funding for small rural districts. She also noted federal support through Perkins and WIOA and said the model is used to determine unmet need and guide appropriations. In response to questions, she said health care programs are generally among the higher-cost offerings and may be supplemented by pipeline funds. The committee then heard from Kathy Hebda, Chancellor of the Florida College System, on the college system’s funding model. Hebda described the main funding sources, including the program fund, student success incentive funds, pipeline funds, tuition and fees, and performance-based incentives, and explained that the current model was developed by the 28 college presidents under legislative direction. She said the model uses a three-year average FTE, weights workforce enrollment more heavily than non-workforce enrollment, gives significant weight to completions, includes a small-college factor and regional cost differentials, and also provides targeted funding to bring colleges up to a floor based on per-FTE funding. Senators asked about colleges below the target, cost differences among programs, faculty salaries, and health insurance costs; Hebda said the model is meant to provide flexible operating dollars that colleges can use for those expenses, but specific salary and benefit decisions are left to the institutions. Seminole State College President Georgia Lorenz also testified in support of the college funding model, saying it holds institutions accountable for enrollment and completions, can be adjusted to reflect state priorities like workforce, and addresses differences in size and regional costs. No bills were voted on, and the committee adjourned after brief closing remarks thanking Seminole State College and the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cates, an act relating to property tax, removing the requirement that a Board of County Commissioners conduct
• An act relating to children, requiring the Children, Youth, and Families Department to conduct assessments
• , provide services, and conduct an investigation upon a failure to comply with the House Bill 173, having

Transcript Highlights:

• And to date, we have conducted risk evaluations on 246 species.
• effectiveness of our efforts to control them are 2 of the most important questions answered by research, FWC conduct
• A great example of this is FWC working with the University of Florida to conduct a scout snake project

Keywords: 999, senate, all