Transcript Highlights:

• the adolescent minor, the material has to depict sexual conduct that is patently offensive to the prevailing

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The ayes have it, and the motion prevails.

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and adopted a resolution congratulating Anna Karaz on her 100th birthday. It then took up and passed to be engrossed a home rule bill authorizing bilingual ballots in English and Haitian Creole for the Town of Randolph. The sponsoring senator spoke in support, saying the measure would improve access, inclusivity, and voter participation for Randolph’s growing Haitian Creole-speaking population, and noted the town’s low recent turnout and the importance of not waiting for a federal language-access review. The Senate also passed to be engrossed a bill authorizing the Town of Milford Select Board to appoint a highway surveyor. It later adopted a Ways and Means order advancing a House bill on teacher preparation and student literacy with a new draft, and suspended rules to refer several Senate petitions. Additional local bills were enacted, including measures concerning Provincetown’s charter, the appointed town clerk in Avon, and Westwood liquor license authority. The Senate also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer a House petition on retirement benefits for a Massachusetts Maritime Academy associate professor. Later, the Senate amended and passed a bill validating and confirming certain acts and proceedings of elected and appointed officials in the Town of Plymouth. A senator also offered remarks congratulating Sweet Paws Rescue on its 15th anniversary and new facility, which were ordered printed in the Journal. The chamber then adopted a motion to adjourn in memory of Gerard W. Moynihan of North Reading, followed by a moment of silence, and adjourned until the following Monday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The ayes have it, and the motion prevails.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Zero nays; the motion prevails. All right members, is there any more business to discuss today?

Bills: HB3557, HB5578, SB973, SB974, SB2068, SB2073

Keywords: ad valorem tax, property tax, incomplete structure, human occupancy, tax exemption, HB 5578, Texas Tax Code, Section 6.062, appraisal district, county appraisal district, chief appraiser, budget hearing, public notice, notice of hearing, newspaper publication, website notice, social media notice, online newspaper, county government, property appraisal

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails, and the amendment is adopted. Further amendments at the desk.

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion prevails, and the A1 amendment is adopted. Representative Tapkey, thank you very much, Mr.
• The motion prevails. The A2 amendment is adopted. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• The motion prevails. The A2 amendment is adopted. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• c><01:05:13.599><c> no</c><01:05:14.599><c> the</c><01:05:14.680><c> motion</c><01:05:15.000><c> prevails
• </c><01:05:15.839><c> the</c> those oppose no the motion prevails the those oppose no the motion prevails

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion prevails. The amendment is adopted. Senator Jeong, tell us about your bill.
• Motion prevails. 1373 be recommended to pass and be 1373 be recommended to pass and be re-referred<00
• 16.440><c> you</c><00:27:17.000><c> chair</c><00:27:17.360><c> Senator</c><00:27:17.720><c> umu</c> prevails
• thank you chair Senator umu prevails thank you chair Senator umu verbon<00:27:18.760><c> senfl</c><00
• Motion prevails. The amendment is adopted. Senator Oumou Verbeten, thank you, Mr. Chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion prevails. Thank you, Representative. Okay, let's get right into the agenda.
• Motion prevails. Two-year bill as amended. Representative Witte, thank you, Chair Davids.
• Motion prevails. It kind of scared me on that one. I kind of had to come to the rescue one.
• like all in favor say I I opposed motion<00:41:43.119><c> barely</c> motion barely motion barely prevails
• it it isn't matter it kind of prevails it it isn't matter it kind of scared<00:41:47.400><c> me</c><

Bills: HF1833, HF148, HF1127, HF1227, HF1681, HF1974, HF1106, HF1016, HF2197

Keywords: sales tax, education funding, construction, Aitkin Public Schools, tax exemption, refundable credit, HF148, use of force training, deadly force, peace officer training, police training, law enforcement, POST Board, Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training, scenario-based training, de-escalation, defensive tactics, force-on-force training, stress management, officer wellness

Transcript Highlights:

• A motion prevails. Chair oppose? A motion prevails. Chair oppose? A motion prevails.
• Motion prevails. Motion prevails. Motion prevails. Um I move for the BIR.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails, and the minutes are approved.
• The motion prevails, and the amendment is adopted.
• opponents Oppo opposed say nay<00:18:03.320><c> the</c><00:18:03.440><c> motion</c><00:18:03.840><c> prevails
• </c><00:18:04.280><c> and</c><00:18:04.480><c> the</c> nay the motion prevails and the nay the motion
• There being 11 yeas and 10 nays, the motion prevails.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion prevails. Thank you, Representative Smith.
• Motion prevails. Item next. Who has the 0013 amendment?
• I I the author would like all favor say I I opposed<00:50:51.480><c> motion</c><00:50:51.839><c> prevails
• item next who opposed motion prevails item next who has<00:50:54.559><c> the</c><00:50:55.040><c> 0013
• Motion does not prevail. So we have House File 457 amended.

Bills: HF1277, HF812, HF457, HF633

Keywords: data centers, tax exemption, Minnesota statutes, economic development, employment growth, income tax, tax brackets, tax adjustments, Minnesota, tax policy, underutilized buildings, adaptive reuse, building conversion, historic preservation, downtown revitalization, vacant property, vacancy reduction, refundable tax credit, income tax credit, grant in lieu of credit

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, these are the rules required under the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act to implement three separate acts
• Act 397 made helpful reforms to how wage and hour claims are investigated by our office and adjudicated
• Members, any questions for 17A, minimum wage rules?
• amounts are now determined by program cost, workforce demands, credentials of value, and projected wages
• to draw them in because this has been honestly the first year we could actually pay them a decent wage

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a long agenda of agency rule changes, beginning with housekeeping on the order of business and then taking up rules from multiple state agencies. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s odometer disclosure rule allowing electronic signatures and disclosures, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and recreational parks, lead-based paint, counseling licensure, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental specialties and compacts, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, medical compacts, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these were described as technical updates, conformity with recent acts, federal standards, or compact participation, and nearly all were approved without objection after brief questions and, in many cases, no public comment. The committee also reviewed Department of Labor and Licensing rules on minimum wage/independent contractor standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements for ATV/LSV dealers, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting and retention programs. Testimony generally emphasized that the rules implemented recent legislation, updated fees or licensing standards, or streamlined existing processes. Members asked a few questions about fee structures, the rationale for regulating professional wrestling, and how the National Guard’s public-private partnership and incentive programs would work; the department said the recruiting incentives would be funded from existing appropriations and were intended to improve retention and force strength. These rules were also approved without objection. The most extensive discussion came on the Department of Education’s Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program rule. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify allowable expenses, and speed approval of core educational purchases. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting certain sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting phone purchases except for disability-related needs, setting a $1,000 threshold for additional review of technology purchases, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about safeguards, appeals, sports equipment, provider credentialing, rural vendor access, and whether the department would be flexible or overly restrictive. The department said it would review every request, provide written explanations for denials, allow appeals up to the State Board, and refer suspected fraud to prosecutors if necessary. After hearing from 13 members of the public, the committee continued to discuss the rule, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the EFA rule is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• local school boards to raise their compensation, we've seen elected officials rush to raise their wages
• So I want to make sure that taxpayers understand these are not poverty wages that we're paying board
• Also, just to mention that, in addition, a bachelor degree opens the door to higher wages and career
• Also, just to mention that, in addition, a bachelor degree opens the door to higher wages and career
• board input, regional labor market data, and clear evidence of demand, such as hiring challenges or wage

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several measures focused on community college baccalaureate programs and trustee compensation. AB 2528 would raise the maximum monthly compensation cap for community college district trustees, with the author and supporters arguing the change is permissive, long overdue, and needed to make service more accessible to working people and better reflect community diversity. CSEA took a tweener position, warning about optics and asking for longer public notice before any compensation increase, while some members raised concerns about taxpayer costs and benefits. The bill was discussed but no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt. The committee then took up AB 2053, which would authorize Coast Community College District to offer a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree. Supporters said the bill addresses a workforce shortage, serves working adults and veterans, and includes an LAO evaluation and a sunset. CSU and its Academic Senate opposed the bill, arguing it duplicates existing CSU programs and could set a precedent for more one-off degrees. Members also raised questions about funding, Prop. 98, and whether the program would divert resources; the author said the district already has funding and that the bill is a narrow pilot. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer the bill to Appropriations, with several ayes and some no votes, and the roll left open for additional members. AB 2301, a pilot allowing up to 10 community college districts to offer nursing bachelor’s degrees, drew broad support from nursing, labor, and community college groups who said California faces a severe nursing shortage and that community colleges offer a more affordable pathway for working and rural students. CSU and other opponents argued existing ADN-to-BSN pathways are more efficient and that the bill could worsen competition for limited clinical placements and faculty. Members questioned funding and Prop. 98 impacts; the Chancellor’s Office said the pilot would not require new state funding and would rely on existing mechanisms such as Strong Workforce and nursing infrastructure grants. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer AB 2301 to Appropriations, with the roll again left open. The transcript then began AB 2694, a broader workforce-responsive baccalaureate expansion bill intended to address duplication rules and create a more flexible process for community college bachelor’s degrees, but the discussion was not completed in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• explicitly allowing institutions of higher education to shield employment contracts, salaries, and wages
• We punched down on minimum wage We punched down on minimum wage workers.
• I do not have a business so I can vote independently when it comes to minimum wage and benefits.
• So I can vote independently when it comes to minimum wage and benefits.
• Is it going to be young people who hear us say that they deserve less than a minimum wage for their work

Bills: LR509, LR510, LR511

Keywords: congratulations, Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame, Deloris Marshall Adamson, recognition, achievement, service, retirement, Nebraska Legislature, public service, legislature, Nebraska, 956, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, you have wage structures that are set based on anticipated rates.
• does not prescribe, interfere with, or make any reference to employee classifications or specific wage
• with or make any reference to employee classifications or specific wage orders.
• attendant exemption structure is not being altered in any way, and the applicability of a specific wage
• order, specifically Wage Order 15, is also not interfered with.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :19:19.840><c> those</c> hospitality industries because those hospitality industries because those wages
• </c> wages are a little bit higher. wages are a little bit higher.
• rates<00:19:30.360><c> did</c><00:19:30.520><c> not</c><00:19:30.880><c> inflate,</c><00:19:31.520><c> wages
• </c><00:19:31.880><c> did</c><00:19:32.000><c> not</c> rates did not inflate, wages did not rates did
• not inflate, wages did not inflate<00:19:32.640><c> in</c><00:19:32.800><c> the</c><00:19:32.880><c>

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Things that will help me are higher wages and more support in buying a home, not taking away from my
• When workers lose the ability to speak up, wages fall behind, benefits disappear, and families pay the
• However, our grocery bill, insurance, and such continue to go up, and wages have not gone up to match
• They have higher wages, better health insurance, better retirement plans, improved work... ...better
• Philip Randolph, you know, he would always talk about unionization and how it was about wages, but it

Bills: S0042, S0688, S0762, S1168, S1296, S1298, S1300, S1318, S1332, S1376, S1548, S1570, S1574, S1632, S1634, S1750

Keywords: child protection, medical records, investigation, abuse, neglect, healthcare, Child Protection Team, diagnosis, criminal defense, legal representation, death penalty, indigent defense, regional counsel, conflict of interest, background screening, athletic coaches, youth sports, criminal history, expungement, Florida statutes

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 42 on specific medical diagnosis and child protective investigations. A late-file strike-all amendment was adopted that made only stylistic changes to align with the House version. Supporters said the bill would help DCF and child protective teams better identify rare medical conditions and give parents a chance to defend against mistaken abuse findings. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 1570, which restores a prior program to help locate missing persons with special needs through voluntary tracking devices and coordination with sheriff’s offices and CARD centers, with nonrecurring funding included. Members then advanced several education, disability, and public services measures. CS for CSSB 182 created a teacher training and mentoring program for high-performing current and retired teachers to mentor teachers in D- and F-rated schools, and CS for CSSB 794 required background screening for employees in residential and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities while directing APD to study support coordination quality, workforce issues, and service gaps. Testimony on SB 794 strongly supported better training, lower caseloads, and more consistent support coordination. The committee also favorably reported CS for CS SB 1168 on background screenings, CS for CS SB 214 to allow rural special districts to pay verified invoices directly, CS for SB 1376 to create grants for genetic counseling education, and SB 1574 (Maddie’s Law) to add newborn screening for biliary atresia; the latter drew emotional support and testimony that early screening could save lives and reduce transplant costs. The committee heard and passed a number of other policy bills, including CS for CS for SB 1510, the DEP agency package, after environmental groups warned that one provision could delay basin management protections and allow more septic systems in impaired watersheds; the bill still passed favorably. Members also approved CS for CS for SB 598 on funeral and cemetery regulation, SB 688 to license naturopathic doctors, SB 1318 on scholarship account reversion rules, CS for CS for SB 682 on domestic violence injunctions and penalties, SB 130 on workforce training for current and former inmates, and SB 1548, the latest Live Local affordable housing update. Several bills were briefly postponed or taken up later in the meeting. In the latter portion of the meeting, the committee approved CS for C.S. for SB 536 on criminal gang membership criteria, CS for C.S. SB 762 on assigning conflict capital cases across regional counsel offices, SB 1332 on career offender registration requirements, CS for CS for SB 1742 creating a new offense for indecent exposure of sexual organs to a child, and CS for SB 1750 increasing penalties for serious sex offenses and child sexual abuse material crimes. The committee also debated CS for SB 1226 on Public Employee Relations Commission procedures and union certification rules, including a late-file amendment setting a 60% threshold and 25% quorum for recertification; the discussion focused heavily on constitutional concerns, union rights, and differences between first responders and other public employees. The transcript ends while that bill’s debate is still underway, with the committee having already taken numerous favorable votes throughout the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• have low literacy or educational attainment levels that severely impair their ability to earn livable wages
• And whereas, whereas more than 12... ...livable wages and fully contribute to their communities.
• And whereas education, literacy, and numeracy improve access to better jobs, improved wages, better health
• We have taken a leadership role on workers' wages.
• What about the fact that we've acted on wages, that we've acted on civil rights, that we've acted on

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like us to remember that during this time, from 2020 to 2025, Florida's minimum wage has grown by
• Part of that is related to that increase in minimum wage that's happening statewide.
• Things such as you've heard mentioned earlier, the $15 an hour minimum wage.
• A portion of their salary from Medicaid or Medicare revenue in that year, that minimum wage had to go
• We've created some very high wage and high value jobs, and with those people coming in, they have some

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes heard first from city representatives through the Florida League of Cities, who argued that property taxes are a stable local revenue source that funds core services such as police, fire, parks, public works, and stormwater work. Casey Cook emphasized that cities are optional governments with widely different tax bases and service levels, that exemptions shift the burden to fewer taxpayers, and that transparency already exists through TRIM notices, public budgets, and local hearings. Sarah Campbell of Fernandina Beach, T. Michael Stavris of Winter Haven, and Stephen O’Kee of Port St. Lucie described their budget processes, the share of general-fund revenue coming from property taxes, reserve policies, debt and capital planning, and the impact of inflation, minimum wage increases, and personnel costs. They all said local governments need predictable revenue and that any property tax changes would require careful consideration of replacement funding or service reductions. Members questioned the city panel about whether homebuyers are clearly informed about city versus county taxes and services, the role of HOAs, how many lobbyists cities employ, reserve levels, average salaries, and whether utility revenues are used only for utility purposes. The panel said TRIM notices, realtor listings, and city websites provide tax information; HOAs generally do not provide emergency services; lobbyists help local governments track Tallahassee legislation; reserves vary by city and fund; and utility revenues are generally restricted, though some cities use limited transfers. Members also asked about revenue replacement if ad valorem taxes were reduced or eliminated, and the panel said options would likely include user fees, service cuts, or other local revenue shifts. The chair also asked about public safety consolidation, and the response was that such decisions are local and may shift costs rather than create true savings. The committee then heard from county representatives after an overview by the Florida Association of Counties’ Davin Suggs, who framed counties as shared partners with the state and emphasized the gap between rising market values and the shrinking share of taxable value after exemptions and assessment limits. He said counties face a mismatch between revenue based on taxable value and expenses driven by real-world costs, and noted that most counties either held millage steady or lowered it without reaching rollback rates. He also highlighted that property taxes are only one part of county revenue, with charges for services and intergovernmental revenue often larger in some counties, and that public safety at the county level includes more than law enforcement, such as EMS, emergency management, inspections, and corrections. Deborah Manzo of Okeechobee County described a fiscally constrained rural county with limited staff, a county-supported airport, heavy reliance on property taxes for the general fund, and major cost pressures from inflation, insurance, retirement, and state and federal mandates. She said the county lowered millage slightly over recent years but still depends on multiple revenue sources and special assessments, and she flagged Medicaid, medical examiner costs, and possible firefighter workweek changes as significant concerns. Bay County Administrator Mark McQueen said his county’s budget is shaped by Hurricane Michael recovery, non-discretionary obligations, and rapid growth; he described ongoing FEMA reimbursement delays, substantial borrowing to cover disaster costs, and continuing interest expenses while the county waits for reimbursement. The county panel was still in progress when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• At 16, on weekends, I was a busboy earning the minimum wage of $1.20 an hour.
• At 16, on weekends, I was a busboy earning the minimum wage of $1.20 an hour.
• Union wages were an amazing $3.50 an hour, almost three times minimum wage.
• where the government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage
• president who is militarizing law enforcement, sending them into communities for political purposes to wage

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, observed a moment of silence for John Burton, and proceeded with the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural motions. Members approved a rule suspension to allow floor amendments on SB 271 and SB 67, and several committee notices and bill referrals were handled. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading file, with many bills passed and a number of items temporarily passed or retained on file. Among the major measures approved were bills on civil rights and public safety (SB 477, SB 19, SB 36, SB 571, SB 580), health care and coverage (SB 257 on pregnancy as a qualifying life event, SB 530 on Medi-Cal access standards, SB 660 on health data exchange, SB 754 on menstrual product contaminant disclosure), housing and disaster recovery (SB 610, SB 655), transportation and climate (SB 533 on EV charging payments, SB 30 on diesel locomotives, SB 71 on CEQA exemptions for transit, SB 263 on tariff impacts), and natural resources/energy (SB 283 on battery storage safety, SB 88 on biomass emissions, SB 427 extending the Habitat Conservation Fund). The Assembly also passed urgency measures including SB 864 on tribal gaming compacts, SB 663 on wildfire-related property tax relief, SB 471 expanding DDS ombudsman authority, and SB 497 on privacy protections for legally protected health services. Several bills drew notable debate. SB 41 on pharmacy benefit managers saw opposition over concerns about moving ahead before broader PBM data and licensing reforms take effect, but it still passed. AB 1340, a concurrence item on gig worker collective bargaining rights, prompted extended debate over labor rights, consumer costs, and union influence. Other concurrence items included AB 671 on restaurant permitting, which passed without opposition. The Assembly also took up SB 640 on direct admission to CSU, SB 702 on demographic reporting for appointees, SB 710 preserving a solar property tax exclusion, and SB 793 on counterfeit lighter safety, all of which passed. The session ended with the Assembly continuing through the file, including concurrence votes and additional bill actions, with most measures approved by substantial margins.