Transcript Highlights:

• to wrap up, I just briefly want to show you this dashboard that LFC staff created, which has a QR code
• These dashboards, by the way, The interactive dashboards and the QR codes are fantastic.
• And just so you know, I did your QR code, and I can't see any of this on my phone; I need a magnifying
• providing for loan. repayment for physicians and also makes some adjustments for non-physician occupations

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That is for our code enforcement from the river, from the Intracoastal Waterway.
• That is for our code enforcement from the river, from the inter-coastal waterway.
• may only be used for construction of a building or structure to house a local government's building code
• presently in such a situation that it really needs to be remodeled and reworked in respect to the occupation

Summary: The committee first took up a long-running audit finding involving the City of Daytona Beach’s unexpended building permit fund balance, which has exceeded the statutory cap for several years and was reported at $10.8 million in the latest audit. Mayor Derek Henry and city staff said the city had analyzed the fund, adopted a corrective action plan, waived more than $5.5 million in permit and inspection fees, used some excess funds for a training facility rehabilitation, and is pursuing a $9.4 million City Hall expansion that they say is allowed under a November 2024 Attorney General opinion permitting construction of a building to house the building code enforcement function. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the city was simply trying to spend down the money, whether the proposed uses were truly lawful, why the balance kept growing despite fee waivers, and where the interest earnings were going. The mayor and deputy city manager said the city’s growth and staffing needs justified the plan, but several members expressed frustration and skepticism. A public commenter also urged accountability and raised concerns about the city’s spending plans and the size of the remaining balance. The committee then received an Auditor General presentation on the Town of Greenville, which found 31 operational audit findings and described pervasive control failures, possible fraud, waste, and abuse. The findings included election paperwork problems that left a council seat vacant, conflicts of interest, late financial disclosure filings, related-party transactions, inadequate meeting notices and minutes, quorum and voting documentation problems, council members’ involvement in day-to-day operations, missing ethics training, budget adoption and monitoring deficiencies, inaccurate accounting records and bank reconciliations, utility billing and rate issues, grant compliance problems tied to an unfinished grocery store project, weak personnel and contracting controls, improper severance and compensation issues, late vendor payments, weak procurement and P-card controls, vehicle-use and property-control weaknesses, poor public records access, and IT access and fraud-policy gaps. Greenville’s mayor and staff said the audit largely reflected the prior administration and that the current council and staff are taking corrective action. They said the town terminated the former manager, adopted seven new policies since the audit began, and is working with the Auditor General to improve procurement, financial controls, inventory management, grant oversight, and ethics compliance. The town attorney said he had alerted federal authorities earlier about concerns, and committee members noted that FDLE has received a criminal referral and is investigating. Several members praised the new leadership’s cooperation but also suggested the town consider consolidation or dissolution if problems persist.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is coded A3. I recognize the author of the amendment, Representative Heintzeman.
• The amendment<00:14:18.639> is<00:14:18.959> coded<00:14:19.760> A3.
• House File number 1355, number two on the calendar for the day, an act relating to occupational safety
• The amendment<00:24:10.240> is<00:24:10.679> coded<00:24:11.679> A25-000054.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill will ensure that California's Occupational Safety and Health standards, OSHA, develop standards
• exactly clear on the examples of what is happening that this bill is trying to correct, because Labor Code
• Labor Code Section 2802 very broadly has been interpreted by courts, even as it applies to trainings,
• revisions they are speaking about, because what I'm hearing, I think, fits very clearly into Labor Code

Summary: The committee heard a series of labor-related bills, with most measures focused on worker training, privacy, wages, and safety. AB 296 would require schools or districts to host apprenticeship fairs at least once a year, with flexibility on how they are run and whether programs outside the county can participate. Supporters said it would help connect students to skilled trades and address workforce shortages; school administrators opposed the bill as an unfunded mandate that could be impractical for elementary schools. The bill was later moved on call, with the committee noting it could not vote until quorum was established. AB 1221 and AB 1331 both addressed workplace surveillance. AB 1221 would restrict invasive monitoring tools, require notice to workers, limit the use and sharing of worker data, and require human review before discipline based on surveillance outputs. Labor groups supported the bill as a response to AI-driven monitoring, while business groups raised concerns about broad definitions, security cameras, investigations, and data-access provisions. AB 1331 focused more narrowly on privacy in off-duty and private spaces, limiting surveillance in places like restrooms, break areas, vehicles, and homes; hospitals and business groups opposed it as too broad and potentially disruptive to safety, cybersecurity, and facility monitoring. Both bills were advanced by committee vote. The committee also heard AB 1181, which would require firefighter turnout gear to be free of cancer-causing chemicals such as PFAS by 2027, and AB 1198, which would require prevailing wage rates on public works to reflect the wage in effect when the work is performed rather than when the project was first advertised. Firefighter representatives strongly supported AB 1181, while the chemical industry asked to continue working on scope and timelines. AB 1198 drew support from labor and contractor groups but opposition from local governments and housing groups concerned about mid-project cost increases; it was passed to Appropriations after a roll-call vote. Other measures approved included AB 1235 on skilled-and-trained workers for CSU construction, AB 1251 on ghost job postings, AB 552 on locating the Agricultural Labor Relations Board office outside Sacramento, AB 1110 on updating Cal/OSHA workplace posters, AB 1136 on expanding high road training partnerships, and AB 1234 on wage claim enforcement. AB 692, which would ban employer debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave a job, drew strong support from nurses and labor advocates and opposition from business and health care groups; it was also passed on a roll-call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanted to have a bill that puts it into code.
• But at least it's in code.
• In the code that you wrote.
• So at least by putting it in the code, we can avoid all that.
• “Code that needed to be addressed.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee opened with roll call and a review of special-session procedure: bills would be heard in filing order, with related school-lunch bills grouped together, and any bill advancing would require a motion, second, and majority vote to be introduced. Members also discussed that the committee was functioning much like a delayed-bills committee, with final referral to either Appropriations or Policy depending on the bill’s fiscal impact. The first major proposal was Senator Schibley’s bill to create a narrow, statewide Bank of North Dakota bridge-loan program for struggling nonprofit medical facilities, prompted by Jacobson Memorial Hospital’s financial crisis. He argued the hospital and surrounding EMS services could close without short-term help, while committee members questioned the added language, the population cap, the $10 million fund with $5 million per applicant limit, and whether the program could open the door to future requests. Representative Headland then presented two cleanup bills from the prior property-tax session: one to fix notice and tax-certification issues for local taxing districts, and another to correct how the primary residence credit is applied so taxpayers receive the full benefit rather than counties retaining part of the reimbursement. Members asked about township hearing timing, the estimated $10–15 million annual impact, and whether the credit issue could be fixed retroactively; Headland said the bill was intended to correct the problem going forward. Three school-lunch bills drew extensive discussion. Representative Vetter proposed a small administrative appropriation to add an FTE to help eligible families enroll in the existing free/reduced lunch program, saying the goal was to ensure needy children are signed up and that the state should not subsidize meals for wealthy families. Representative Nathe offered a broader bill mirroring the pending initiated measure but placing the program in statute instead of the Constitution, moving implementation up a year, and funding it with a one-time $65 million from the strategic investment fund; he said this would preserve legislative flexibility and avoid constitutional entrenchment. Representative Dressler proposed raising the state-funded eligibility threshold from 225% to 300% of poverty, arguing it would expand access while still preserving federal reimbursements and encouraging better enrollment systems. Members debated costs, future budget pressure, whether the bills set a precedent for responding to ballot measures, and whether the program should include breakfast and other operational details. Other proposals included Senator Powers’ bill to create a hyperbaric oxygen board and support rural access to hyperbaric chambers for wounds, concussions, PTSD, and other conditions; Representative Tolman’s reporting-requirements bill to force new or expanded programs to justify purpose, alternatives, evaluation methods, and full implementation costs; Representative Frelich’s bill addressing the ongoing redistricting litigation and what happens if the Supreme Court or lower courts alter the current map; and a bill requested by the Public Service Commission and ITD for FERC litigation support and ADA website/document compliance. The committee also heard a rural-health eligibility bill from Representative Twait aimed at steering federal rural health dollars toward rural providers, with questions focused on whether the mileage limits would exclude some communities. One Holocaust education item was deferred until the sponsor could be located.

Transcript Highlights:

• The 130 cases in West Texas and New Mexico include 20 hospitalizations.
• The 130 cases in West Texas and New Mexico include 20 hospitalizations.
• Architects to perform building code Architects to perform building code inspections<03:10:08.040
• <03:10:34.160> the<03:10:34.279> bill local building codes the bill local building
• <03:25:22.920> which the United States code which the United States code which applies<03:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're a civic education company based out of Texas. Okay.
• It's largely codified by Code Section 21-5I-4.
• All right, so we've identified multiple code conflicts and some circular... ...identified multiple code
• Disclosures pursuant to 17A to A7 of the code.
• There's another section of code.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Does the gentleman yield, and is the gentleman from Texas in your line? Love it.
• Is the gentleman from Texas? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for taking my inquiry.
• I am actually a former director of camps in Colorado, Missouri, and Texas myself.
• The gentleman from Texas. Mr.
• Seeing none, the gentleman from Texas. I renew my motion.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the comptroller to release money that we already have from tax collections from 2024, by the way, occupancy
• The occupancy tax continues to increase. You know, from 2018 to now, it's increased over 60%.
• Cape Cod, it generated $90 million that were between the 15 towns on the Cape through the local occupancy
• million figure for the Travel and Tourism Trust Fund hasn't been increased since 2018, even though the occupancy
• of these five districts... ...of these five districts, the Indian residents and the other occupants

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development held a hearing on October 21, opening with a moment of silence for former committee chair Senator Edward Kennedy. Chairs Senator Paul Mark and Representative Sean Garballey then heard testimony on several bills related to tourism funding, arts infrastructure, public art, Native heritage, and a choreographer laureate. A major focus was legislation to require earlier distribution of regional tourism council grants from the Tourism Trust Fund, with testimony from regional tourism leaders from North of Boston, Metro West, Cape Cod, and Senator Joan Lovely. Witnesses said delayed grant allocations make it difficult to plan fall, winter, and shoulder-season marketing, and they argued that an October 1 or September 1 deadline would help preserve tourism’s economic impact without increasing appropriations. They cited tourism’s role in jobs, tax revenue, and regional economic development, especially for smaller and less prominent tourism regions. The committee also heard strong support for the Creative Space Act and the PLACE Act, which would help municipalities preserve affordable creative workspace and create a public art funding mechanism tied to state construction projects. Testimony from MassCreative, MAPC, arts organizations, muralists, and local arts leaders emphasized loss of workspace, displacement of artists, and the economic and community benefits of public art. Additional testimony supported bills to protect Native American heritage by preventing the sale of funerary and sacred objects in public or nonprofit collections, and a bill to establish a first-in-the-nation choreographer laureate of the Commonwealth. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was 15% of West Maui's occupancy that went up and we can attribute that specifically to the additional
• It was 15% of West Maui's occupancy that went up and we can attribute that specifically to the additional
• It was 15% of West Maui's occupancy<00:18:22.960> that<00:18:23.200> went<00:18:23.360>
• up<00:18:23.760> and<00:18:23.919> we<00:18:24.160> can occupancy that went
• up and we can occupancy that went up and we can attribute<00:18:24.880> that<00:18:25.600>

Bills: SB2278, SB2908, SB2987

Keywords: light pollution, outdoor lighting, fully shielded, Hawaii Revised Statutes, environmental protection, night sky, lighting fixtures, local control, exemptions, athletic facilities, wildlife conservation, Hawaiian culture, 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committees on Tourism and Economic Development and Technology heard several measures on February 12, 2026. HB 1950 would dedicate 15% of transit accommodations tax revenue to a new state-led marketing and branding special fund and require an annual tourism management plan. HTA and DBEDT supported the bill as providing predictable funding for marketing and tourism management, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii opposed the special fund structure as limiting legislative flexibility. Members discussed the size of the allocation and whether a tourism emergency fund would still be needed; the bill later advanced with amendments that removed some provisions and blanked out the 15% figure for further discussion, and it passed with amendments. HB 2268 would add film production marketing and promotion to HTA’s powers. The governor’s office, HTA, the Hawaii Film Alliance, and several industry groups supported the measure, arguing that film and TV exposure drives tourism and generates significant spending and tax revenue, while one individual testified in opposition. In questions, HTA said it would use existing staff and did not have a separate cost estimate. The committee amended the bill to specify that film productions are primarily filmed in Hawaii and deferred the date to continue discussion; it then passed with amendments. The committee also heard HB 2156, which would raise filing thresholds for general excise tax and transit accommodations tax filers. The Department of Taxation said the change could increase administrative burden if more filers shift from mandatory electronic filing to paper filing, while the Tax Foundation noted the filing threshold issue is separate from e-filing requirements. The bill was moved forward with a deferred date. HB 1946, concerning time-share registration renewals and amendments, drew support from ARDA and other industry testimony, with no opposition noted; DCCA was said to be in talks with the industry. It was also advanced with technical amendments and a deferred date.

Transcript Highlights:

• and it's not consistent in terms of how people, as you'll see on the upcoming slide, report their occupations
• Based on self-reporting by the legislators, when they talk about education or occupation, if you look
• Occupation is something else. It's an education, I think, is what he had listed as employment.
• On page 11, I’m just wondering if there were any legislators that I listed their occupation or if they
• So it was primarily you zeroed in on occupation...

Transcript Highlights:

• So that would only be applicable to certain occupations.
• So that would only be applicable to<01:16:17.600> certain<01:16:18.640> occupations.
• Um that wouldn't to certain occupations.
• <01:44:21.760> that employers under certain NAKES codes that employers under certain NAKES
• codes that have<01:44:22.320> sites<01:44:22.639> in<01:44:22.880> Minnesota<01

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And South Dakota and Texas are a little bit nuanced in their response time frames.
• In um Texas and South Dakota, frames.
• So in Texas um the codified happen.
• ,<00:11:10.000> and Montana, South Dakota, Texas, and Montana, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming
• I'm not seeing it right Montana code.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the comments that I provided you from candidates, you may have seen Colorado or Texas or Idaho, or
• So what we do if someone says Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and many other states, we're going to let them
• If you're close to the border with Texas and you think that you perhaps will be paying less taxes when
• And then I just provided the statutory reference for you and the administrative code.
• Texas offers $180,000 for four years, I'm sure. And then Utah is not quite as competitive.

Transcript Highlights:

• my testimony, I had a friend from Texas. my testimony, I had a friend from Texas.
• <00:45:17.520> review<00:45:18.160> committee code review committee code review committee
• <00:46:27.040> Very that relate to the penal code. Very that relate to the penal code.
• the recommendation from the penal code the recommendation from the penal code review<01:02:48.480
• >> That was the recommendation of no code >> That was the recommendation of no code

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard opening remarks and ground rules from Chair David Tarnas, including a request for two-minute testimony limits, clear speaking, Zoom etiquette, and respectful conduct. The first measure taken up was HB 2062, relating to gun violence prevention, which would appropriate funds for enforcement of gun violence protective orders and for public awareness campaigns. Judiciary submitted written testimony recommending technical changes to clarify that it does not enforce laws and instead should be funded for personnel to process temporary restraining orders and gun violence protective orders; the Department of Law Enforcement supported the bill and said it is well positioned to conduct public education. Support also came from county and advocacy witnesses, including Moms Demand Action, Giffords Gun Owners for Safety, HGEA, and a retired police officer, while opposition testimony argued the measure raises due process and Fifth Amendment concerns and that education, not enforcement, should be the focus. The chair noted 37 testimonies in support, 103 in opposition, and three comments; no vote was taken in the portion provided. Testimony on HB 2062 emphasized both public safety and constitutional concerns. Supporters described the bill as a way to increase awareness of an existing legal tool, prevent suicides and shootings, and help law enforcement and the public understand gun violence protective orders. Opponents, including gun owners and firearms groups, argued that red flag laws can be abused, lack due process, and should not be expanded through state funding. A county neighborhood safety witness suggested an amendment to allow public, private, and nonprofit consultants to assist with training and implementation. Members asked a few questions, but the agencies with written testimony were not present, so the chair referred members to their submissions. The committee then moved to HB 2061, relating to firearms, which appropriates money for the state gun buyback program and requires at least two buyback events in each county. Written support was noted from the Department of Law Enforcement, Hawaii County Council, the County of Kauai Prosecuting Attorney, and the Hawaii State Association of Counties, with the latter emphasizing that buybacks are voluntary prevention tools that can reduce risk before crises escalate. Opposition came from the Mid-Pacific Pistol League, SDM Training Group/Bows and Bullets, and others; one witness argued buybacks are ineffective, costly, and can be vulnerable to misuse or black-market diversion, and suggested a year-round surrender option instead. The committee heard additional support from a retired police officer and from a gun violence survivor with Students Demand Action, but no final action or vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Bills: SB1636, SB1584, SB1730, SB1255, SB1627, SB137, SB2062, SB1470, SB1284, SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778, SB1327, SB1372, SB1403, SB1937, SB277, SB2131, SB1749, SB1348, SB1469, SB2018, SB1931, SB1530, SB2155, SB2030, SB1926, SB2170, SB2151, SB2166, SB1213, SB1381, SB1824, SB1876, SB1728, SB1582, SB1286, SB1386, SB1708, SB1618, SB2106, SB1471, SB2139, SB2154, SB1619, SCR15, HB2786, HB2787, SB1525, SB2011, SB2159

Keywords: cold case, unsolved homicide, violent crime, case file review, law enforcement, police records, victim family, immediate family member, designated person, forensic testing, witness reinterview, investigative leads, cold case unit, unsolved murder, public safety, Title 21, Oklahoma statutes, sexual assault, evidence kits, DNA testing

Transcript Highlights:

• We are accredited through the Council on Occupational Education, and we are also licensed by the Minnesota
• We are accredited through the Council on Occupational Education, and we are also licensed by the Minnesota
• education where we Council of occupation education where we also<01:09:37.239> are<01:09:37.400
• We have over 130 zip codes that students are attending Summit from.
• Over 130 zip codes that students are attending Summit from.

Bills: HF500, HF718, HF1096, HF1246, HF1469

Keywords: nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, workforce development, job training, economic stability, low-income, career pathways, education funding, Summit Academy, employment, STEM programming, GED preparation, Neighborhood Development Center, NDC, small business, entrepreneurship, business training

Transcript Highlights:

• When a fire occurs, occupants, first responders, and property owners rely on these systems to work immediately
• project decided, hey, we want to do something more than what the state... ...requires, more than what code

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All we want to do is add job location, the name of the occupation, down to a six-digit zip code, and

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Career and Technical Education, focused on integrating workforce, education, training, and human services systems. Moore argued that WIOA, Perkins, and ESSA should be aligned more closely, with fewer federal and state bureaucratic layers, more state flexibility, and a stronger emphasis on labor force participation, postsecondary attainment, and training tied to in-demand jobs. He said the federal agencies are moving toward combined plan timelines for 2026, encouraged states to pursue combined plans and waivers, and described efforts to streamline reporting, reduce administrative overhead, and expand tools such as integrated intake, cross-training, virtual and mobile service delivery, apprenticeship, and talent marketplaces. Moore also emphasized accountability and outcomes, saying states should measure training-related employment, retention, and the share of funds going to direct services rather than administration. He criticized the current workforce system as too costly and ineffective, and said states should use primary labor market information, better wage records, and employer input to align training with actual job demand. Members asked about balancing flexibility with accountability, the role of employers versus postsecondary institutions, serving rural “training deserts,” state waivers, and data-sharing systems such as Mississippi’s workforce technology efforts. Moore said states can use waivers and technology to create common intake and co-enrollment across programs, and that enhanced wage records are key to better workforce planning. The committee then received a separate update from DHS Secretary Janet Mann and Director Jay Hill on reimbursement rates for aging and adult behavioral health services. They said DHS had compiled more than 100 public comments, submitted a recommendation to the governor to hold current rates, and was awaiting executive review, which they estimated could take 30 to 60 days. Members asked about the timeline and the scope of the legislation requiring monthly reports. The meeting ended with notice of a later audit presentation scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the Big Mac building.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senate Bill 891, Senator Guile, Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations, Perinatal Mental
• ,<01:04:46.079> digital<01:04:46.559> products,<01:04:47.280> and digital codes
• , digital products, and digital codes, digital products, and taxable<01:04:48.079> data<01:04:
• And so what we're trying to do is very specific to this very narrow piece of the code.
• There are lots of definitions of affordable housing in lots of different parts of the code, and they

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, established a quorum, and handled several ceremonial and introductory matters before moving into committee reports. The chamber welcomed the doctor of the day, recognized an intern and a guest in the gallery, extended birthday wishes to Senator Chris West, and received remarks from the Romanian Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Andre Moraru, who emphasized Romania’s strategic partnership with the United States, NATO cooperation, investment ties, energy projects, and support for Ukraine. Senators also briefly noted Maryland’s military and diplomatic ties to Romania. The ambassador’s remarks were journalized, and members were given time to meet with him off the floor. The Senate then took up a series of second-reading bills, mostly from the Finance Committee, adopting committee amendments and favorable reports without objection. Among the measures advanced were Senate Bill 39 on behavioral health reimbursement rate methodology and a work group for certified community behavioral health clinics and outpatient mental health centers; Senate Bill 605 directing the Public Service Commission to study broadband and VoIP oversight; Senate Bill 721, Ralph’s Act, providing expedited DDA/Medicaid eligibility for certain recently relocated individuals; and Senate Bill 891 on perinatal mental health screening, coverage, training, and reporting. Each was amended in committee and ordered printed for third reading. The Senate also advanced several House bills, including House Bill 427 extending the task force on responsible use of natural psychedelic substances and adding an HBCU representative; House Bill 480 requiring transportation network companies to maintain written deactivation policies; House Bill 532 requiring overtime pay for firefighters employed by governmental units after 168 hours in a 28-day period; House Bill 816 reducing the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund assessment cap from 3% to 1% and authorizing an affordability program; House Bill 829 requiring human trafficking awareness training for certain for-hire and rideshare drivers; House Bill 862 requiring a two-person crew for certain freight rail operations in shared corridors, contingent on similar action in neighboring states; and House Bill 999 revising Class 9 limited distillery license rules and production limits. Most of these bills were reported favorably, with no objections, and were ordered to third reading or passed for third reading as applicable.