Transcript Highlights:

• I think DACA is set up by federal regulation, maybe even an executive order.
• But this also wouldn't include DEQ and water. The water, is that right? Yeah.
• We just couldn't quite get on the same page, I believe it was with DEQ and water.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee first approved a motion to print several RSs, then took up Senate Bill 1260, which was presented by Sen. Lakey as a clarification and strengthening of Idaho’s 2023 immigration-enforcement law. He said the bill, drafted with the Attorney General’s office, broadens and clarifies references to federal immigration law and adds an affirmative defense for people lawfully authorized to be present in the United States. Senators asked about DACA, asylum, and federal preemption; Lakey said the bill was intended to align with federal law and address litigation concerns. The committee then voted to send SB 1260 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with Senators Wintrow and Rukti recorded as opposed. The committee next heard House Bill 520, which standardizes the contents of hearing notices under the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act for most state administrative agencies. Sen. Ruttey explained that the bill is meant to create consistent minimum notice requirements because agencies have not been uniform in what they provide. Chief Administrative Law Judge Brian Nichols said the bill does not address timing, only the required contents of notices. With no testimony in opposition, the committee passed HB 520 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 541, presented by Sen. Nichols, would expand the definition of “child” for electronic enticement of a minor cases to include 16- and 17-year-olds when the offender is at least five years older. She said the change was prompted by anti-trafficking concerns and supported by Idaho Children Are Primary and the Fraternal Order of Police. A Boise resident and former LAPD officer testified in support. The committee unanimously sent HB 541 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee also considered House Bill 581, which would require the Legislature, by House or Senate resolution, to formally notify the Idaho Supreme Court when it finds a court rule conflicts with statute or alters substantive rights. Sen. Nichols said the courts had no objection, but several senators raised separation-of-powers concerns and said they were uncomfortable with the Legislature commenting on court rules. Despite those concerns, the committee voted to send HB 581 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with at least one senator requesting to be recorded as opposed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think DACA is set up by federal regulation, maybe even an executive order.
• But this, it also wouldn't include DEQ and water. The water, is that right? Yeah.
• I believe it was with DEQ and water.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1417, the Mutual Water Company Rate and Disclosure Notice Act, requires mutual water companies to
• known as mutual water companies.
• Now, I've learned a lot about mutual water companies over the last year and a half because mutual water
• Now, this is a water bill.
• The State Water Project delivers water to two-thirds of California.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The change would be: the right of the people to educate their children without government regulation
• So it says the right to educate their children without government regulation.
• How would this affect regulation for our schools?
• So right now, our public schools have a large stack of regulations that they have to comply with.
• We're following a good number of bills right now and trying to keep our heads above water. Okay.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:17:44.320><c> AI,</c> lawyers who say to me regulate AI, lawyers who say to me regulate AI, right
• </c><00:17:54.880><c> than</c> house the rules and regulations than house the rules and regulations than
• </c><00:18:20.080><c> that</c> wrong place. and we can't regulate that wrong place. and we can't regulate
• </c><01:07:30.880><c> what</c> those um attempting to to regulate what those um attempting to to regulate
• > it's</c><01:22:24.080><c> very</c> uncharted waters and it's very uncharted waters and it's very interesting

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard testimony on the use of artificial intelligence in therapy and mental health settings. Representative Lisa Willner and Brenda Rosen of NASW Kentucky argued for “guard rails” on AI chatbots so they cannot present themselves as licensed therapists or replace school counselors, psychologists, or social workers. They said AI can support licensed professionals, but warned that chatbots cannot reliably recognize nonverbal cues, escalate crises, or provide accountable care, and they cited examples of harmful chatbot interactions, including a suicide case and a chatbot telling a user to “Please die.” The witnesses also raised concerns about data privacy, commercialization of sensitive mental health conversations, and the use of personal clinical content to train AI models. They said minors should require parental consent and suggested transparency about how a chatbot is trained and who created it. They distinguished between unvetted consumer chatbots and AI tools that have been scientifically validated or approved as digital therapeutics, noting that some evidence-based tools may be useful for specific conditions such as depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Committee members asked whether regulation should be handled by the legislature or by professional boards, and whether a multi-state model would be preferable to 50 different state approaches. The witnesses generally favored expert-led standards and said a board or panel of experts could review and approve mental health chatbots, but members cautioned that boards can become too restrictive and that legislation should preserve flexibility and avoid discouraging children from seeking help. The discussion ended with a request for the witnesses to restate their proposed policy ideas, including privacy protections, bans on commercialization, limits on training AI with clinical content, transparency requirements, and informed consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Occupational and Professional Licenses, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, and Idaho Department of Water
• Many of these tools are just for advisory or informational purposes, and that wouldn't be regulated with
• Many of these tools are just for advisory or informational purposes, and that wouldn't be regulated with

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand we have with us this morning the new director of the Texas Water Development Board, Ms.
• leadership and, in consultation with the Lottery Commission and stakeholders, to study the potential regulation
• Commission and stakeholders to study the potential regulation of lottery ticket courier companies in

Summary: The Sunset Advisory Commission met for its final meeting of the biennium, established a quorum, and approved the December 11, 2024 meeting minutes. Members then voted on staff recommendations for several agencies, including the Angelina and Nettie River Authority, Lower Nettie Valley Authority, and Trinity River Authority of Texas, adopting all recommendations without objection. For the Texas Ethics Commission, the Commission adopted staff recommendations, including two modifications to recommendation 1.2: one to exempt lobby compensation thresholds from inflation adjustments and revert them to statutory levels, and another to round inflation-adjusted amounts to practical increments. The Commission also adopted eight new Texas Ethics Commission recommendations. These addressed late filing penalties, including limiting accrual for eight-day reports through election day, excluding the first post-election semiannual report from daily penalties, waiving penalties when notice cannot be shown, reviewing the definition of substantial compliance for corrected reports, reviewing the definition of principal purpose to reduce unnecessary campaign finance reporting burdens, improving public access to delinquent penalty information on the TEC website, and expanding training and plain-language guidance on lobbying and filing requirements. The Commission also adopted two previously omitted Texas Department of Criminal Justice recommendations, 6.5 and 6.6. By recorded vote, the Commission unanimously forwarded all recommendations adopted during the biennium to the 89th Legislature, with nine ayes. Sunset staff then reported on implementation of 2023 Sunset recommendations, stating that the State Auditor found 89% of selected management actions fully implemented and that Sunset staff found 68% of 163 statutory and related changes fully implemented, with most remaining items in progress or partially implemented. The Commission also briefly noted receipt of a Texas Lottery Commission evaluation concerning executive leadership and potential regulation of lottery ticket courier companies, but no further action was taken on that item. The meeting concluded with closing remarks and a motion to recess subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand we have with us this morning the new director of the Texas Water Development Board, Ms.
• leadership and, in consultation with the Lottery Commission and stakeholders, to study the potential regulation
• Commission and stakeholders to study the potential regulation of lottery ticket courier companies in

Summary: The Sunset Advisory Commission met for its final meeting of the biennium, established a quorum, and approved the December 11, 2024 minutes. Members then voted on staff recommendations for several agencies, including the Angelina and Netties River Authority, Lower Netties Valley Authority, and Trinity River Authority of Texas, adopting all recommendations for those entities without modification. The Texas Ethics Commission received the most discussion. Members adopted a modified recommendation to exempt lobby compensation thresholds from inflation adjustments and another modification to round inflation-adjusted amounts. The Commission also adopted a series of new recommendations addressing TEC customer service staffing, late filing penalties, post-election reporting penalties, waiver of penalties when notice cannot be produced, review of the substantial compliance standard for corrected reports, review of the definition of principal purpose for campaign finance reporting, more prominent public posting of delinquent penalties, and clearer training and guidance on lobbying registration and filing requirements. The Commission also adopted two previously omitted Texas Department of Criminal Justice recommendations, 6.5 and 6.6. The Commission then took its required final record vote to forward all recommendations adopted during the biennium to the 89th Legislature; the motion passed with nine ayes. Sunset staff provided a status update on implementation of 2023 Sunset recommendations, reporting that the State Auditor found 89% of selected management actions fully implemented and that Sunset staff found 68% of 163 statutory and related changes fully implemented, with the remainder mostly in progress. The meeting also noted the recently completed evaluation of the Texas Lottery Commission and ended with closing remarks from the chair and vice chair before the Commission recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the third thing is regulating late fees.
• Madam Chair and Representative, yes, this would not regulate the types of fees that you charge.
• Madam Chair, um, I co-sponsored the Cannabis Regulation Act with your Vice Chair five years ago.
• They have three different alarms and are temperature regulated.
• They're temperature regulated and have three different alarms.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm gonna get a drink of water about.
• Like YK Water right there, that...
• Like YK Water right there, that...
• Hey, I make the best water. I'm a good water.
• </c> followers watching me fill up the water followers watching me fill up the water jug. jug. jug.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House-Senate higher education briefing focused on how the University of Hawaii athletics department plans to remain competitive in the NIL era, especially as the House settlement and related changes allow new forms of athlete compensation. Chair and Senator Kim opened by framing the issue as balancing competitiveness, sustainability, compliance, and UH’s educational mission. Coaches Laura Beeman and Timmy Chang described how NIL and the transfer portal are already affecting recruiting and retention, with Beeman saying women’s basketball has lost six to 10 recruits because UH cannot yet match offers, and Chang citing examples of players being courted with large sums and the need to retain proven local and out-of-state athletes. Both emphasized that student-athletes should still prioritize education, culture, and team values, while also receiving support that helps them stay at UH. Athletic Director Matt Elliott then outlined UH’s broader strategy. He said the department’s vision is to create an outstanding student-athlete experience, recruit and retain elite athletes, compete at the highest level of the Mountain West, and strengthen the bond with the community. He described NIL as having moved from a largely unregulated period to a new phase in which institutions can directly control some NIL payments, while outside deals still must be reviewed for fair market value. Elliott said UH wants to use NIL to help athletes cover basic needs and build financial stability, while also keeping them academically on track. He noted the department is pursuing fundraising, including a “Boost the Bose” account, corporate sponsorships, and licensing deals, to support NIL opportunities. In response to questions from Senator Kim, Elliott clarified that UH’s approach involves both institution-controlled payments and outside NIL deals: internal payments can be structured at the department’s discretion within the cap, while external sponsor deals must go through NIL Go and meet market-value standards. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• the regulation of lawyer advertising presenting today.
• You know, states can regulate whatever they want.
• When you're arguing over regulation. We can also regulate non misleading commercial speech.
• The regulation has to directly advance that interest and the regulation can be no more than it's required
• But the bar is serious about regulation in this area.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The biggest thing I think is this bill maintains state sovereignty in the regulation of the teaching
• <04:28:15.600><c> the</c> maintains state sovereignty in the maintains state sovereignty in the regulation
• </c> regulation of the teaching profession. regulation of the teaching profession.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One, best practices to regulate and oversee the production and distribution of xylazine to ensure that
• One, best practices to regulate and oversee the production and distribution of xylosein to ensure that
• So we'll just wait a moment, take a breath, maybe get some water. Take a breath.
• Maybe get some water. Okay, let's see where she is. Is this working now? Yes, thank you. Welcome.
• I see that the first two suggested work groups are one is about regulating and overseeing production

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on xylazine held its first meeting, with House Chair Mindy Domb and Senate Co-Chair John Keenan outlining the commission’s charge and a proposed work plan. The commission is tasked with studying the public health and safety impacts of xylazine in the illicit drug supply, including whether it should be scheduled as a controlled substance, how to regulate its production and distribution, and how to improve outreach and treatment for people exposed to it. Members were told the report deadline had been extended to March 30, 2026, and staff proposed a series of public hearings and working groups leading to a final report. The meeting also included attendance, packet materials, and procedural planning. The first major testimony came from BSAS Director Deirdre Calvert, who described xylazine’s appearance in Massachusetts drug supply data, the state’s public health alerts, and DPH’s partnership with Brandeis, CDC, and harm reduction organizations. She emphasized four priorities: reducing stigma and discrimination in health care, expanding self-directed wound care support and coverage for supplies, expanding access to drug checking and test strips, and supporting low-barrier services such as mobile vans and drop-in centers. Commission members asked about first responder awareness, medical education, and whether harm reduction services might face federal restrictions; Calvert said misinformation remains a problem and noted ongoing training efforts, including collaboration with public safety agencies. Several other speakers reinforced the need for low-barrier care and drug checking. Dr. Raghini Jala, an infectious disease and addiction medicine physician, said xylazine has become a common component of the unregulated opioid supply and urged support for rapid-response education teams, community-based drug checking, and better hospital and detox protocols for xylazine withdrawal and wounds. Recovery coach Alan Young testified from lived experience, describing severe wounds, fear of inadequate withdrawal treatment in emergency settings, and the value of mobile care vans that can provide methadone, buprenorphine, and wound care in the community. Dr. Sarah Wakeman echoed the need for naloxone, rescue breathing, low-threshold treatment, and non-stigmatizing health care settings, while Sarah Macon of the Boston Public Health Commission described Boston’s harm reduction and drug checking work, including on-site testing, wound care, and a decline in opioid mortality. Tracy Green of the Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream explained that xylazine has declined in recent samples while metatomidine is rising, said drug checking is increasingly used but still not enough, and argued for more funding, staffing, and statewide access to real-time drug checking and harm reduction services.

Transcript Highlights:

• that we are clear that the California Public Utilities Commission, although the word is public, regulates
• The regulators have delivered these initial assessments rather than a blunt-force restriction in the
• You leave it up to the regulators to do it.
• And maybe if this moves along in the process, we can talk about having the PUC not adopt regulations,
• In other words, they would never adopt another regulation again, because they just adopt things on their

Summary: The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the CPUC to increase legislative oversight, add legislative liaisons, require more detailed and timely reporting on rate-setting decisions, and add a public advocate member. The author and supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and geographic diversity in CPUC decision-making amid rising utility rates. Witnesses from TURN, San Joaquin County, SDG&E, and former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch offered support or support-in-principle, while no opposition testimony was presented. Members generally praised the bill’s transparency goals, and AB 13 passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. The next bill, AB 99, would cap investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel/commodity costs. The author and supporters, including a representative of the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect ratepayers, especially seniors and low-income customers, from repeated rate hikes. Opposition came from utility labor, utilities, the Chamber of Commerce, and others, who argued the bill was too simplistic, could suppress labor costs, and did not account for major cost drivers such as wildfire mitigation, mandates, and net metering. Several members supported moving the bill forward as a starting point on affordability, while others criticized it as overly blunt. AB 99 passed 11-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The hearing then shifted to an informational panel on strategies to reduce California transmission costs. A Public Advocates Office staffer described a growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven largely by utility pre-application and construction periods. Panelists from Net Zero California and consulting firms presented research suggesting that public financing or public-private partnership lease models could reduce transmission costs by lowering financing, tax, and capital costs, with estimated savings of up to 57% and as much as $123 billion over 40 years. PG&E’s representative said the utility is already pursuing federal loan guarantees, grants, and a public-private partnership with Citizens Energy, but warned that state ownership could create tax, wildfire-liability, and governance risks. Members asked about the CPUC’s role, the causes of delays, and whether public financing could complement existing competitive solicitation processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Schools are regulated and safety is paramount.
• Daycare centers are regulated and safety is paramount.
• Schools are regulated and safety is paramount.
• Daycare centers are regulated and safety is paramount.
• Don't regulate people. Let's be so for real right now, you guys.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:57.600><c> management</c> uh increase from the water management uh increase from the water
• </c> um increasing the land and water um increasing the land and water conservation<00:16:43.040><c>
• Our water is too important not to. Our water resources are limited.
• Our water is too important not to. Our water resources are limited.
• pollution or water because of water pollution or water depletion<01:49:00.880><c> from</c><01:49:01.199

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, Committee of National Resources, Energy and Water has under consideration.
• I move the Natural Resources, Energy, and Water Committee amendment be adopted.
• I move the Natural Resources, Energy, and Water Committee amendment be adopted.
• House Bill 2053, an act appropriating monies to the Department of Water Resources.
• The Natural Resource, Energy and Water Committee will not be meeting today. I wish to announce.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's just so many regulations that they can't keep up with, and they may need to go to work to get
• We've also become Minnesota egg water quality certified.
• fund or we also have a a grant water fund or we also have a a grant we're<01:18:59.520><c> working</
• </c> um the management and state regulations um the management and state regulations of<01:47:57.840>
• And you could probably drink out of some cardboard water bottles that we're working on, too.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They not even public water.
• They not even public water.
• They not even public water. have wells. They not even public water.
• water allocation of the city to supply the data center.
• water allocation of the city to supply the data center.

Bills: HF4077, HF3798, HF3886

Keywords: municipal nondisclosure agreement, NDA, public records, transparency, local government, county, city, town, school district, housing and redevelopment authority, economic development authority, port authority, economic development, land development, public financing, tax increment financing, TIF, abatement, municipal bonds, debt obligations

Transcript Highlights:

• Resources, MDH water well management and drinking water divisions, MPCA remediation staff, and MDA pesticide
• and water resources mdh water<00:54:54.200><c> well</c><00:54:54.520><c> management</c><00:54:55.000
• ><c> and</c><00:54:55.200><c> drinking</c><00:54:55.559><c> water</c> water well management and drinking
• water water well management and drinking water divisions<00:54:56.799><c> mpca</c><00:54:57.720><c>
• </c><01:30:33.239><c> and</c> compliance with laws regulations and compliance with laws regulations and

Keywords: 1183, house