Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm asking for a no vote on the substitute motion, and I'm giving my reasons why you should vote
• And so if we did that, we would have a separate vote on that item.
• And I'm asking for a no vote on the substitute motion and I'm giving my reasons why you should vote to
• So your vote is to pull this out and adopt the report.
• So your vote is to pull this out and adopt the report.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Further debate, seeing none, the vote will now occur. If you approve the nominee, you'll vote aye.
• Members, the vote will now occur. Members, the vote will now occur on House Bill 3982.
• Members, the vote will now occur on House Bill 2979. Clerk will call the roll.
• A vote will now occur on House Bill 4266. Clerk will call the roll.
• The vote will now occur on House Bill 4058. Clerk will call the roll.

Bills: HB2053 , HB2123 , HB2603 , HB2979 , HB2997 , HB3148 , HB3982 , HB4058 , HB4108 , HB4143 , HB4266

Committee: Senate Aeronautics and Transportation

Keywords: outdoor advertising, transportation, state law, commercial activities, sign regulations, urban areas, turnpike, infrastructure, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, construction, bridges, motor carriers, public safety, enforcement, Department of Public Safety, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, transition period, roadside investigation, motor vehicle laws, HB2979

Summary: The Senate Aeronautics and Transportation Committee heard two executive nominations first and advanced both unanimously. Tim Gatz was nominated to serve as Cabinet Secretary for Transportation, with supportive remarks from Senator Paxton and Senator Guthrie about his responsiveness and long service; the committee voted 12-0 to advance him. Justin Blake Wilson was nominated to the Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Commission, introduced by Senator Howard as a banker and entrepreneur interested in public service; he also advanced 12-0. The committee then considered several transportation and motor vehicle bills. House Bill 3982 would give certain commercial fleets a 90-day temporary tag and allow nonresidents 60 days to title and license vehicles in another state; it advanced 12-0. House Bill 2123, a backup measure related to a Tulsa/Jenks/Bixby Arkansas River bridge project aimed at easing congestion and improving safety, also advanced 12-0. House Bill 2979 would allow ODOT to establish school zones on portions of state highways at local request, with ODOT identifying 14 qualifying locations and an estimated cost of $266,000; it passed 12-0. House Bill 2997, a consumer protection bill targeting bait-and-switch practices in retail motor vehicle sales and increasing enforcement staffing, advanced on a 10-2 vote after discussion of raising the maximum fine from $1,000 to $10,000. Other measures approved included House Bill 3148, allowing licensed new and used motor vehicle dealers to perform their own VIN inspections, which passed 12-0; House Bill 4108, adding airport operational areas to the list of critical infrastructure and prohibiting trespass there, which passed 12-0; House Bill 4143, raising the damage threshold for a required written collision report from $300 to $3,000 and allowing no report when parties exchange information, which passed 11-1 amid concerns about fault and insurance verification; House Bill 4266, the omnibus license plate bill, which passed 12-0 with a zero fiscal impact noted; House Bill 2053, clarifying outdoor advertising rules for playgrounds and planned unit developments, which passed 12-0; and House Bill 4058, allowing optional blood type information on driver licenses and ID cards to aid first responders and blood supply efforts, which passed 11-0. The chair closed by thanking members and staff, noting it was likely the committee’s final meeting and his last as chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• you vote?
• Representative Tharinger, would you like to vote orally? Tharinger votes aye.
• Representative Dye, how do you vote? Does any member wish to change your vote?
• Speaker, is vote no. Vote no, and let's stop this precedent. It's a bad, slippery slope.
• vote?

Summary: The House was called to order, a quorum was confirmed, and members recited the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer. The chamber approved the previous day’s minutes, held brief party caucuses, and received a Senate message announcing the signing of engrossed substitute House Bill 1187. The House then moved through third-reading business on several bills, concurring in Senate amendments before final passage votes. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1795, dealing with school restraint and isolation practices, drew the most debate. Supporters said the Senate changes added clarity and strengthened protections around restraint, while opponents argued schools and private providers serving high-need students need more training and funding before restrictions are tightened. The bill passed 58-37. Engrossed House Bill 1941, allowing small cannabis producers to form limited agricultural cooperatives, also passed after debate over whether cannabis should be treated as an agricultural product; it passed 69-26. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034, concerning the use of surplus pension funds from the LEOFF 1 plan, generated extensive opposition from members who said pension money should remain for retirees and first responders and warned against using it to balance the budget. Supporters described the measure as a prudent fiscal step for an overfunded closed plan. It passed 50-46. House Bill 1526, which allows snack bar licensees to sell wine by the glass, passed 87-9, and Second Substitute House Bill 1701, allowing independently owned wineries and breweries to lease third-party kitchen space, passed 89-7. The House then went at ease.

Transcript Highlights:

• All those in favor vote aye. Those opposed vote nay. The ayes have it. So ordered.
• Those in favor vote aye. Those opposed vote nay. Do not vote until you hear the bell.
• The House will now proceed to vote. Thanks. The House will now proceed to vote.
• Speaker Montenegro votes aye. I vote aye. Have you all voted? Members, please vote.
• Vote aye, all those opposed vote nay. The ayes have it. So ordered.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Baker votes aye. Baker votes aye. Suisinski. Baker votes aye. Swedzinski votes aye.
• We voted on it. 134 members read this. We voted on it. 134 members voted<01:04:28.480><c> yes.
• I voted in favor of talk about votes.
• It is a vote against civil rights. It is a vote against the Constitution. Please vote no.
• Baker votes aye. Suisinski. Suazinski votes aye. Baker votes I. Suisinski. Baker votes I.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The vote now. If you favor the measure, vote 'aye.' If you pose the measure, vote 'nay.'
• Are there those wishing to vote or change their vote? Chair is preparing to close.
• Seeing no debate, vote now. If you favor the measure, vote 'aye.'
• Are there those wishing to vote or change their vote? Chair is to close. Close the row.
• The vote will now occur. If you favor the measure, you vote 'aye'.

Bills: SB540 , HB1085 , HB1484

Keywords: dentist, dental hygienist, dentistry, dental hygiene, licensure compact, interstate compact, professional licensing, license portability, health workforce, workforce shortage, mobility, compact privilege, state licensing board, public health, public safety, military spouse, telehealth dentistry, reciprocity, Title 59, occupational licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair votes aye.
• Vice Chair also votes aye. Senator Melmisal votes aye. Senator Mckel votes yes.
• Chair votes aye. >> Thank you. Uh, Vice Chair votes no. Senator Lamasal votes no.
• </c> voting no. voting no. &gt;&gt; So<00:03:31.200><c> noted.
• Uh, Vice Chair votes no. Senator Lamasal votes no. Senator McKelby votes reservations.

Bills: SB3275

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: cannabis, low-dose, personal use, cultivation, cannabis accessories, Hawaii cannabis law, medical cannabis, 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection met in decision-making on SB 2760, which had previously been heard jointly with the Agriculture and the Environment Committee. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including language authorizing suspension of certain regulations as needed to enable quarantine treatments and changing the effective date. No members objected, and the recommendation was adopted by unanimous aye votes from the chair, vice chair, and other senators present. The committee then reconvened on SB 3275 relating to cannabis. The chair explained the bill was being kept moving so the Legislature could continue discussing the impacts of recent federal actions on the hemp industry, especially cultivation and processing of CBD products in Hawaii. The proposed amendments would strike several sections and pages of the bill, remove references to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and substitute the Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation, along with technical non-substantive changes. During discussion, several senators raised concerns about CBD purveyors and the effect on the 329 program, and noted constituent communications on both sides of the issue. One senator said they would vote with reservations, and others said they would vote no. Despite the concerns, the committee voted to pass SB 3275 with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Kendris declares the vote.
• Representative Schreiber, do you care to vote? Representative Schreiber now declares the vote.
• German Fetgatter, you care to vote? Declare the vote. With a vote of six 'yays' and three 'nays'.
• Clear the vote with a vote of 90 nay. We'll report your bill out as a due pass.
• Representative Kendrick and Representative Schreiber declare the vote with a vote of 90 nay.

Bills: SB44 , SB134 , SB1378 , SB1400 , SB1403 , SB1832 , SB2018 , SB2143

Committee: House A&B Finance Subcommittee

Keywords: sales tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, contractors, charitable purposes, state law, retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, Olympics, funding, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, local businesses, revolving fund, event hosting, sales tax, tax exemption, tax refund, Oklahoma Sales Tax Code

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyone voting no? Anyone voting with reservations?
• Anyone voting with reservations? Anyone voting no? Members vote.
• will be voting no anyone else Shimizu will be voting no anyone else voting voting voting no<02:27:30.319
• <02:28:51.640><c> sd1</c><02:28:52.640><c> um</c> vote voting on SB 849 sd1 um vote voting on SB 849
• Anyone else voting with reservations? Anyone voting no? All other members vote aye.

Committee: House Water & Land

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on March 13, 2025, and first announced that SB 1456 would be deferred to the end of the agenda and ultimately worked on later, with the chair indicating the bill would be deferred and revisited in a future measure. The committee then heard SB 841 on marine life conservation districts. DLNR supported the bill, saying it would fund carrying capacity studies to inform rules and policies. Testimony noted a pilot study already underway at the Puka Marine Life Conservation District and another nearing completion at the old Kona Airport MLCD. Members discussed costs, with DLNR estimating about $300,000 per year for one user-experience study, potentially more for ecological analysis, and also discussed possible funding from the Mālama Kai special fund. DLNR said it had no objection to consulting current operators and other users, and explained the program would be a new, ongoing adaptive-management tool. The committee next heard SB 411 on capital improvement projects at small boat harbors. DLNR supported the intent, saying the bill would help expedite use of special funds for CIP work, while the Department of Budget and Finance opposed it, arguing the draft could conflict with constitutional limits on appropriations. Public testimony from an industry representative supported the bill and urged more collaboration with commercial operators, while committee discussion focused on whether DLNR could already use special funds for repairs, how much engineering and bidding work is required before projects go out to bid, and whether the current process creates bottlenecks when bids exceed initial estimates. DLNR said it can do some repairs and maintenance within existing authority and funding ceilings, but that the bill as drafted could be too broad. The committee also heard SB 5 on historic preservation, where DLNR supported the measure and NAOP Hawaii opposed it, saying the bill’s broader definition could expand the scope beyond the stated goal of narrowing reviews and reducing backlog. The committee then took up SB 1462 on the state historic preservation income tax credit. The Department of Taxation said the revenue estimate assumes the cap would be reached each year the credit is available, and DLNR supported the bill. SHPD said the prior credit had sunset, outreach had previously been done in targeted communities such as Chinatown, and owners of eligible historic properties are notified during review. Finally, the committee heard SB 268 on island burial councils. DLNR supported the bill, and OHA strongly supported it, saying the councils have struggled with quorum and expertise and that the measure would restore the original intent of having lineal descendants and cultural practitioners as decision makers, while still allowing landowners and developers to testify and participate. OHA also said it would help provide technical support and urged continued involvement from SHPD and the Attorney General’s office.

Transcript Highlights:

• cler lock machine record to vote 60 vote cler lock machine record to vote 60 n the BR has been adopted
• clerk lock machine record to votes vote clerk lock machine record to votes 18 i0 n HB 213 has passed
• clerk lock machine Court to votes vote clerk lock machine Court to votes 55 I zero n BR has been adopted
• clerk loock machine record votes vote clerk loock machine record votes under I Zer n the BR has been
• CL loock machine Court vote 100 z n vote CL loock machine Court vote 100 z n s sp70 has passed thank

Keywords: sessions, 2025-R, 1, 219

Transcript Highlights:

• Current vote 3-0. Chair voting aye.
• Current vote 8-0. Chair voting aye.
• SB 1125, Menchavar, current vote 11-1. Chair voting aye. Not voting. Aragon? Aye. Not voting.
• Vote 10-? Chair voting aye. Achobogue? Not voting. Arreguín, aye. Grove.
• SB 875, current vote 4-1. Chair voting aye. Achobogue. SB 875, current vote 4-1. Chair voting aye.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills, with extensive testimony on cost, ratepayer impacts, and climate or reliability goals. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and support renewable natural gas development by reducing interconnection cost barriers. Supporters said RNG helps methane reduction and organic waste diversion, while opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, argued the bill could shift costs to ratepayers and subsidize combustion-based fuels, especially dairy digesters. The author said committee amendments removed the rate-basing provisions and instead urged the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision; the bill was left for a later vote. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Diablo Canyon Community Impact Mitigation Program through 2030. Supporters said San Luis Obispo County and local schools rely on the funding for emergency preparedness and public safety, while TURN argued the extension would add about $47 million in statewide ratepayer costs and should instead be paid from existing PG&E deal revenues. Members discussed the bill as a continuation of the 2022 Diablo Canyon agreement, and the author said the measure simply restores the five years omitted from that deal. The committee also heard SB 1215 by Senator Cortese, which would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing. Supporters said renters and apartment residents are largely shut out of home charging, and that prior utility programs showed the model can be cost-effective and beneficial to ratepayers. The bill was amended to address affordability, ratepayer benefits, and limits on major system upgrades. SB 1295 by Senator Stern would create a framework for using distributed batteries and other local resources to solve grid constraints more cheaply than traditional infrastructure. Supporters said it could improve reliability and reduce costs by targeting batteries where they provide the most grid value, while utilities said they were open to continued discussion. SB 1359, also by Senator Stern, would require the CPUC to more carefully evaluate major gas infrastructure investments and alternatives such as electrification before approving new spending. Environmental groups supported the bill as a guardrail against stranded assets, while gas utilities opposed it, warning it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and retroactively change the rules for approved investments. On water policy, SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar would create a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Supporters said about 1.6 million households have water debt and that affordability is a statewide issue, not just a problem for disadvantaged communities. Some members raised concerns that the bill lacked a funding source and that state mandates, such as chromium-6 treatment requirements, already strain local water agencies; the author and supporters responded that the bill includes administrative caps and transparency measures and is intended to work alongside future funding. The committee then heard SB 1098 by Senator Pérez, which would restrict the use of utility memorandum and balancing accounts by requiring exceptional circumstances, adding sunset dates, and creating cost-sharing or lower-return rules for certain spending. TURN and other supporters said the accounts allow utilities to recover costs after the fact with too little discipline, while Edison and PG&E opposed the bill, arguing that some costs are unpredictable and that the CPUC already has a formal review process. SB 1125 was moved to Appropriations with a roll call, and the roll was left open for additional votes; the other measures were discussed with no final committee actions announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Favor the report, vote aye. If you're opposed, vote nay. Is everyone voted?
• Favor the report, vote aye. If you're opposed, vote nay. Has everyone voted? Everyone voted.
• Favor the report, vote aye. If you're opposed, vote nay. Has everyone voted?
• Favor the report, vote aye. If you oppose, vote nay. Has everyone voted? Everyone voted.
• Favor the report, vote aye. If you oppose, vote nay. Has everyone voted?

Keywords: MS House Floor - 31 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye.
• Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye.
• Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye.
• Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye.
• Chair votes aye. Vice Chair votes aye.

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Have all members voted? Have all members voted? Have all members voted?
• Have all members voted?
• Members will proceed to vote. Have all members voted?
• Members will proceed to vote. Have all members voted? Have all members voted?
• Clerk will lock the machine and announce the vote. Members voted.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Don Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. The chamber announced it would take up 11 budget conference committee reports, with no third-reading bills or special-order calendar items. Members were reminded that conference reports were subject to debate but not amendment, and that the required review periods had been satisfied. The first major action was on HB 7031E, the tax package. Representative Duggan explained that the conference report included a mix of retained, modified, and new tax provisions, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related changes, reductions in certain gaming and carbon-related taxes, changes to child care and documentary stamp tax credits, a new refund process for public works construction tax paid by universities and colleges, and other tax administration changes. Debate focused on the bill’s consumer impact, the reduction of the child tax credit from three years to one, the inclusion of firearm accessories in a sales tax holiday, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the homestead exemption provision for certain deployed diplomatic and foreign service personnel. Critics argued the package favored niche or corporate interests over broad affordability relief, while supporters said it provided targeted tax relief and reflected conference negotiations. The House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began presenting the conference report for HB 501E, the state budget, which totaled $114.5 billion for fiscal year 2026-27 and was described as below the prior year’s spending level while maintaining reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major budget areas: pre-K-12 funding included an increase in FEFP, salary increases for veteran teachers, stabilization funding, and support for declining enrollment; higher education included full Bright Futures funding, workforce programs, college operating support, university initiatives, and school guardian expansion; IT funding focused on Palm, ACCESS, APD’s I-Connect replacement, corrections systems, emergency management systems, and cybersecurity grants; health care funding covered Medicaid, nursing home rates, waiver provider increases, ADAP funding and restructuring, child welfare, and behavioral health; transportation and economic development included housing, cultural grants, jobs and rural infrastructure, Visit Florida, Space Florida, highway patrol equipment, and local transportation projects; justice funding included correctional construction, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement grants, and clerk and due process reimbursements; state administration included fire stations, constrained counties, building maintenance, and Safe Florida Home; and agriculture/natural resources funding emphasized Everglades restoration, water quality, land acquisition, Florida Forever, state parks, and citrus research. Members then began questioning the budget details, including school voucher accountability, school funding formulas, public defender parity, prison technology, wastewater monitoring in prisons, ADAP policy, SNAP fraud controls and AI-assisted verification, Florida Forever funding, school lunch funding, and coral reef restoration. No final vote on HB 501E appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, Vice Chair for the vote. >> Voting on HB 2310.
• </c> &gt;&gt; Voting uh members voting on HB2427HD1.
• &gt;&gt; Voting uh members voting on HB2427HD1.
• vote.
• Members [clears throat] voting the vote.

Bills: HB2116 , HB1879 , HB2214 , HB2310 , HB2168 , HB2427 , HB2560 , HB1596 , HB2197 , HB2498 , HB2167

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: grants, community engagement, nonprofit organizations, federal assistance, volunteering, youth transit, public transportation, subsidized transit, environment, energy independence, affordable transportation, Hawaii, diaper tax credit, families, low-income, childcare, health, Hawaii Department of Human Services, DHS, emergency appropriation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures related to human services, homelessness, transit, and family supports. HB 2116 HD1, concerning grants from the Office of Community Services to nonprofits providing training and volunteerism opportunities, drew strong support from Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and multiple organizations in written testimony. Supporters said the bill would help vulnerable people affected by federal program changes and cuts by connecting them to reintegration and support services. HB 1879 HD1, establishing a subsidized youth transit program coordinated with counties, received extensive testimony in support from the Department of Health, Department of Taxation, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Aloha United Way, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii State Youth Commission, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Greenpeace Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Transportation Council, and others. Testifiers emphasized equity, school attendance, reduced transportation costs, climate benefits, and broader access for youth. Several witnesses urged amendments to make the program universal rather than means-tested, and committee discussion noted implementation questions for neighbor islands and rural areas. HB 2214, creating a refundable diaper tax credit for low-income families with children age four and under, was supported by the Hawaii Diaper Bank, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and several other organizations. The Department of Taxation recommended making the credit non-refundable and clarifying definitions to aid administration, while supporters argued refundability was important for low-income families who may owe little or no income tax. HB 2310, an emergency appropriation to replenish DHS funds used to provide SNAP benefits during a federal shutdown, also drew broad support from DHS, Catholic Charities, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Aloha United Way, and others; witnesses praised the state’s rapid response and said the appropriation would prepare DHS for future emergencies. The committee also heard HB 2168 HD1 and HB 2427 HD1 on education for students experiencing homelessness and unaccompanied homeless youth; the Attorney General recommended technical amendments to avoid conflicts with existing law and to clarify McKinney-Vento-related definitions, while advocates stressed the need for school access, transportation, meals, and other supports for homeless and runaway youth.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Floor Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 104. members voting yay, 56 members voting members voting yay,
• . vote. vote.
• </c> vote for this bill. vote for this bill.
• Clerk, please report. members voting yay, no members voting members voting yay, no members voting nay
• Those in favor vote aye, those opposed nay. Roll call is open for your vote. All members voted.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any<01:25:41.760><c> no</c><01:25:41.920><c> votes?</c> Any no votes? Any no votes?
• Seeing none, Vice Chair for the vote. Any no votes? Any no votes?
• </c> none, vice chair for the vote. none, vice chair for the vote.
• Voting on SP 2246 SD1. >> Thank you, Chair. Voting on SP 2246 SD1.
• No<01:29:58.639><c> votes.</c> No votes. No votes.

Bills: SB2543 , SB2014 , SB2115 , SB3095 , SB3264 , SB2114 , SB2117 , SB2246 , SB2519 , SB3055 , SB3131 , SB3144

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: state construction, construction manager, design review, public works, capital improvement, DAGS, Department of Accounting and General Services, DOE, Department of Education, comptroller, pilot program, design review special fund, county permit review, accessibility compliance, Disability and Communication Access Board, state infrastructure, government construction, project oversight, civil service exemption, county agencies

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Campos votes yes. Senator Cervantes votes yes. Senator Chávez votes yes.
• Senator Duhigg votes yes. Senator Ivey? votes no. Senator Figueroa votes yes.
• Senator Herndon votes yes. Senator Lanier votes no. Senator Maestas votes yes.
• Senator Wilson votes no. Senator Trujillo votes yes. Senator Wilson votes no.
• Senator Woods votes no. Senator Brandt votes no. Senator Pope votes yes.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, prayers and pledges, and several procedural announcements, including permission for cameras, a relaxed dress code for guests, and excusing a few senators. Members also recognized numerous guests and honorary lieutenant governors, and discussed a planned bolo tie contest tied to New Mexico tradition and state history. The chamber then moved to business, including the confirmation of Anna Silva as Secretary of the General Services Department. The confirmation drew broad support from senators on both sides, who praised Silva’s long career in state government, her management experience, and her work on major projects such as the executive office building, procurement reforms, and facilities management. After debate, the Senate voted unanimously to confirm her appointment. Silva’s family and guests were recognized from the floor after the vote. The Senate then took up House Bill 2 and 3, the state budget. Senator Muñoz presented the Senate Finance version as a balanced budget with about $11.1 billion in spending, 27% reserves, recurring investments in health care, early childhood, public safety, education, roads, housing, and economic development, and targeted nonrecurring spending for items such as water, universities, and innovation sectors. Supporters emphasized affordability, teacher health insurance parity, medical residency funding, rural and community investments, and public safety funding. Critics raised concerns about the size of the budget, the late availability and complexity of the bill, the removal of a proposed 1% pay raise for state employees, and whether spending priorities and education dollars were being allocated effectively. No final vote on the budget was shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I vote no, and we're going to have a roll call vote.
• </c> substitute as as adopted please vote substitute as as adopted please vote vote<00:16:29.160><c>
• Representative Lewis voted yes. Representative Maddox voted yes. Representative Meredith voted yes.
• Representative Neighbors voted yes. Representative R. White voted yes.
• Representative Stalker voted yes. Representative Wht voted yes. Chairman: I vote...

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:01 Roll Call 00:16 HB 211 Discussion 02:55 HB 211 Vote 16:30 HB 160 Discussion 18:50 HB 160 Vote 52:06 Adjournment 57:35, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Local Government met for its first meeting of the year, established a quorum, and heard two bills. House Bill 211, sponsored by Representative Chris Lewis, would create a definition for cigar bars and allow indoor cigar smoking in qualifying establishments if they meet criteria such as deriving at least 15% of gross income from cigar-related sales, restricting entry to those 21 and older, prohibiting cigarettes and vaping, and requiring a smoke-free area for deliveries. Lewis and Louisville Metro Council member Anthony Pantini described the bill as a small-business and tourism measure modeled on Tennessee law, while the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and a St. Elizabeth physician opposed it, arguing it would undermine local smoke-free ordinances and expose patrons and workers to harmful secondhand smoke. Several members raised local-control concerns, and Lewis said he was open to local governments making decisions on less restrictive approaches. The committee adopted a committee substitute and then approved HB 211 on a roll call vote, with multiple members voting yes and several no votes, sending the bill forward as amended. The committee then heard House Bill 160 from Representative Susan Whitten, with Logan Haynes of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute. They said Kentucky faces a housing shortage of roughly 200,000 units and that starter homes are increasingly unaffordable, making manufactured housing an important part of the solution. Whitten said the bill would treat manufactured housing more like site-built housing while still allowing local governments to enforce cosmetic standards such as roof pitch, exterior facade, and foundation material, and she emphasized that HOA, deed, and historical preservation restrictions would remain in place. Haynes argued that modern manufactured homes are federally and state inspected, more energy efficient, faster to build, and more affordable than site-built homes, and he said the bill would not open the door to older-style mobile homes or single-wides except in limited narrow-lot situations. Representatives from the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties expressed concerns about the bill’s current language, saying land-use decisions should remain local and warning that the definition of qualified manufactured home and the bill’s treatment of local standards could have unintended consequences. They said they appreciated Whitten’s willingness to work with them and indicated they hoped to continue negotiating amendments as the bill moved forward. No vote on HB 160 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bonta, Macedo, not voting. Masito, not voting. ...Due Pass to Judiciary.
• Bauer-Kahan, Macedo, not voting. Masito, not voting. DeMaio, no. Hoover, not voting. Irwin, aye.
• You respectfully ask for an aye vote? I was going to ask for an aye vote. Thank you.
• There are 10 votes. McKinnor, aye. Patterson, not voting. That bill is out 11-2.
• There are 10 votes. McKinnor, aye. Patterson, not voting. That bill is out 11-2.

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.