Video & Transcript Research : 'Texas Water Code'
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NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (02/12/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- The purpose of standing up a separate line was to make sure that if you had an area code from outside
- Could you detail a little bit if someone calls with a Texas area code and then you get the call, how
- <00:27:51.480>
area <00:27:52.240>code If someone calls with a Texas area code and - that care in Texas, and they do have that online resource directory.
- Final question for me is: this program mandatory in Texas? In Florida? Yes. Okay, thank you.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education May 8th, 2025
S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education
Transcript Highlights:
- public school teachers and students pursuing career and technology education, CTE certifications in Texas
- In addition, the Education Code is amended to reflect these broader reimbursement rights.
- In addition, the Education code is amended to reflect these broader reimbursement rights.
Summary:
The Subcommittee on Academic and Career-Oriented Education met briefly and considered only House Bill 1061, laid out by Representative Bojani. The bill would expand reimbursement for career and technology education (CTE) certification exam costs for students, teachers, and school districts. For students, it removes the current limit of one reimbursement so they can be reimbursed for multiple certification exams if they pass. For teachers, it broadens reimbursement beyond cybersecurity certifications to all CTE-related certifications. It also allows school districts that pay exam-related costs, including application or processing fees, to seek reimbursement from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through an application process.
During questions, members clarified that reimbursement would not be available if an individual failed the certification exam. Representative Schoolcraft asked about how the subsidy amount is determined and how the program is funded; the bill author said the amount is unchanged from current law and said he would follow up on funding details. No one testified for or against the bill.
Representative Bojani closed on the bill, and the subcommittee left HB 1061 pending without objection. With no further business, the meeting adjourned.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Resources, Recreation and Development (02/05/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Commission to look at water use and water issues, water quality throughout the state.
- Commission to look at water use and uh water<00:12:16.519>
issues <00:12:17.480>uh <00:12 - :17.639>
water <00:12:17.920>quality <00:12:18.399>throughout water issues uh water - to ensure water local regulations to ensure water adequacy<00:13:35.240>
as <00:13:35.440> - >
new Waterworks water available in a new Waterworks water available in a new water<00:32:34.760
Summary:
The committee first discussed scheduling and notice for upcoming executive sessions on a larger slate of bills, including plans to take up eight bills in the morning and possibly the last three bills in the afternoon, with caucus time provided if needed. The chair emphasized advance notice, publication, and flexibility if more bills are added later. The hearing then opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and proceeded to HB 568, a bill allowing local planning boards to request water supply studies for subdivisions to ensure water adequacy as housing density increases.
Representative Kat McGee, the prime sponsor, said HB 568 was developed after constituent concerns about private wells being affected by nearby development. She described the bill as narrowly tailored, non-mandatory, and intended to preserve local control while clarifying that planning boards may request studies under local regulations. She noted bipartisan support, an exclusion for community water systems and larger groundwater withdrawals regulated elsewhere, and said the bill would help prevent water shortages and related problems for new and existing homes. Questions from members focused on whether the bill should specify that it applies to subdivisions of four or more lots, since that language had been in an earlier version.
Testimony on HB 568 was mixed. Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors opposed the bill, arguing it lacked a definition of “water supply study,” could lead to expensive hydrology studies, and might raise housing costs; he suggested more work with DES or a study committee. DES administrator Brandon Kernin said the department had worked from a 2010 groundwater commission report, that such problems arise only intermittently in certain areas, and that the bill would make explicit local authority to adopt such ordinances. He also said DES data and homeowner surveys can help identify problem areas and that more robust wells could be considered in the long term. The committee noted 10 online submissions in favor and 3 opposed, plus blue-sheet testimony of 2 in favor and 1 neutral, and then closed the hearing on HB 568.
The committee immediately opened HB 582, a bill on safety requirements for operation of personal watercraft. Representative Darby, the sponsor, said the bill responds to the speed and maneuverability of modern personal watercraft, which he described as more like motorcycles on water than traditional boats, and cited a fatal accident on Lake Monomonac as an example of the risks. He said the bill is not intended to restrict ordinary recreation or wake surfing, but to update safety standards for a newer class of larger, quieter three-person PWCs. The hearing began with Darby’s presentation, and no vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- In recent months, 10 states, including Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Virginia, New Mexico, and most recently
- I spent the next three years getting acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, herbal therapy, homeopathy, water
- therapy, diet, and edictives... ...getting acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, herbal therapy, homeopathy, water
- We support initiatives to strengthen the criminal code, as others have recommended.
- . ...bill ignores the rigor of our training, of our curriculum, of our standards, and practice and codes
Summary:
The committee opened a hearing of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure and reviewed a broad agenda including credit card fees, event ticketing, music therapy licensure, senior psychologist licensure, CPA pathways, school mental health licensure, and a bill regulating alternative healing therapies. The chairs explained hearing logistics, including three-minute testimony limits and submission of written testimony, and noted that more than 70 people had signed up to testify. Legislators and advocates were heard out of order throughout the day.
A major portion of the hearing focused on credit card surcharge and interchange legislation. Restaurant owners, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, NFIB, and other small-business witnesses supported bills allowing merchants to add convenience fees and, in one proposal, preventing card companies from charging fees on tax and tip portions of transactions. They argued that swipe fees are a major and growing cost, especially for restaurants, and that Massachusetts is one of only two states that bars surcharges. Opponents from the Cooperative Credit Union Association, the Electronic Payment Coalition, and the Electronic Transactions Association warned that the proposals would create compliance burdens, fragment the payment system, raise legal preemption issues, and disrupt a system they described as efficient and secure.
The committee also heard competing testimony on ticket transferability and ticket resale. Supporters, including the National Consumers League and Sports Fans Coalition, said bills on ticket transferability would protect consumers who cannot attend events and would increase competition and savings in the secondary market. Opponents, including United Musicians and Allied Workers and theater owners, argued that mandatory transferability would weaken artists’ and venues’ ability to prevent scalping and predatory resale, and that some ticket sellers should be exempt from the broader ticketing regulations. Separate testimony supported music therapy licensure, senior psychologist licensure, and new CPA education pathways, with witnesses saying these measures would expand access to care and strengthen the workforce while maintaining professional standards. The hearing also drew extensive opposition to S.261 on alternative healing therapies, with practitioners and clients arguing it would overregulate spiritual and holistic practices and was not an effective response to human trafficking concerns.
NJ
Transcript Highlights:
- Depending on your zip code, that's how much funding that you get.
- Water, but you're not getting anything else. Don't even get me started on Jersey City.
- Then we have Mawa, who is totally reliant on well water.
- We have Mawa, who is totally reliant on well water.
- They have well water.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- They have to meet all the International, the Arkansas Fuel Gas Code, National Electric Code, and they
- A code cycle. The IMC is the mechanical code that we work under. A code cycle.
- You still got that three-year code cycle.
- The thing that we, with the electrical, is that the code cycle starts.
- The codes or the classes they have to attend are for code updates.
Summary:
The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed several agency rules and most were approved without objection. The Department of Agriculture repealed rules tied to the now-repealed Arkansas Catfish Processors Fair Practice Act. The Department of Human Services updated Medicaid policy to clarify child support enforcement treatment for pregnant women, remove the word “forcible” from rape/incest good-cause language, and eliminate a 90-day waiting period for ARKids B after loss of group coverage; members highlighted the significance of the language change and asked for a quick-reference eligibility chart. DHS Medical Services also received approval for a CMS cell and gene therapy model rule for sickle cell drugs and a technical Medicaid-assisted medication-assisted treatment update that was described as cost-neutral and non-substantive.
The Department of Labor and Licensing presented several rules implementing recent acts and internal cleanup changes. These included procedures for local construction plan disputes under Act 591, Contractors Licensing Board amendments raising the restricted commercial license threshold from $750,000 to $1.5 million and allowing deferral of owner-complaint investigations during civil litigation, and a similar residential contractors change. The HVACR Licensing Board presented broader revisions under Act 746, including grammar and cleanup changes, elimination of the Class C license with transfer of existing holders to Class B, expansion of allowable work limits, a change to continuing education from four hours annually to eight hours per three-year code cycle, and clarification on training, child labor, and licensing issues. Several members questioned the practical impact of the HVAC changes, but the rule was approved.
The committee also granted the Department of Inspector General’s request for exclusion from rulemaking reporting under Act 473, concluding that no rule was necessary because the act already defines the key terms and review process for foreign-adversary cultural exchange agreements. In addition, the Arkansas State Library’s report recommending continuation of its existing rules was accepted. During the status updates on outstanding 2023-session rulemaking, Education explained delays were due to overlapping 2025 amendments and the large volume of rules, while members expressed concern about the length of time since enactment; staff noted only a small number of 2023 rules remain outstanding. The meeting ended after written 2025-session updates were received with no further questions.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Finance Jun 24th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- water settlement?
- Water or agricultural water.
- Generated this water.
- this is pure water, it is water vapor.
- Sorry, ah, we are not creating water, but, ah, we use the alternative water as because water H2O has
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Jun 25th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- miserable that people literally are packing up and leaving this gorgeous state for the hot, humid Texas
- It requires standardized itemization of all lien-based medical bills so that you have the same codes
- for the same treatment, i.e., like a chiropractor will be X code or Y code.
- I can, require standardized itemization of all lien-based medical bills so that you have the same codes
- for the same treatment, i.e. like a chiropractor, will be X code or Y code.
Summary:
The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then handled a series of procedural motions to re-refer bills, suspend rules, and remove items from the consent calendar. The chamber also heard guest introductions recognizing family milestones, a youth leadership program from Assembly District 13, a delegation of Japanese business leaders, and a Michoacan delegation. Later, members adopted several resolutions and consent items, including California Craft Beer Week, the Freedom Flag as a 9/11 remembrance symbol, Probation Services Week, and California Wildfire Week, along with other consent-calendar measures.
The main floor debate centered on SB 417, a $10 billion housing bond for the ballot, with supporters emphasizing the state’s housing shortage, homelessness crisis, and funding for multifamily housing, supportive housing, homeownership, farmworker housing, student housing, tribal housing, infrastructure, and preservation of existing affordable units. Opponents criticized the proposal as adding debt without enough reform and objected to the use of veterans in the measure’s messaging. The Assembly passed SB 417 on urgency and on the measure, 54-7, and sent it to the Senate. Members then adopted ACA 20, which would expand and modernize the state Rainy Day Fund by increasing its cap and changing deposit rules; it passed 54-8 and was transmitted to the Senate.
The Assembly also approved SB 623, a transportation-related bill addressing rideshare safety and medical lien practices. Supporters said it would curb abusive billing, restrict attorney conflicts and kickbacks, require stronger background checks for TNC drivers, and allow women riders and drivers to request women-only matches. The measure passed unanimously, 67-0. Later, the House adopted ACA 21, which removes ACA 13 from the November ballot, by 62-0, and ACA 22, which amends a ballot measure affecting taxation and local fiscal resources, by 64-0. The session concluded with an adjournment in memory of Dr. Dorothy Viola Calvin, followed by announcements, recesses, and final adjournment until the next scheduled floor session.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- The association also strongly supports an act relative to the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code,
- So it is vital to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ...commercial code.
- amendments that are proposed here in H. 1282 and S. 684 are meant to update the Uniform Commercial Code
- of Columbia who have already passed this legislation to amend their particular Uniform Commercial Code
- statutes. ...passed this legislation to amend their particular Uniform Commercial Code statutes, and
Summary:
The Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on several bills focused on consumer debt, mortgage regulation, credit unions, and foreclosure prevention. The Attorney General’s Office strongly supported the Debt Collection Fairness Act (S. 735/H. 1275), saying it would curb abusive debt collection, prevent stale claims, limit civil arrest warrants, modernize wage garnishment rules, and reduce judgment interest rates. Senator Eldridge and legal aid advocates echoed that support, while the Massachusetts Bankers Association and the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association supported bills on credit union mission/competition, consumer privacy in mortgage applications, subprime loan definitions, UCC updates, and protections for vulnerable adults, but opposed foreclosure mediation proposals and several credit union expansion measures, arguing they would distort competition and add unnecessary burdens.
A large portion of the hearing focused on foreclosure prevention bills (S. 765/H. 1090), with testimony from homeowners, housing organizers, and legal advocates describing predatory lending, confusing servicing practices, health harms, and displacement caused by foreclosure. Supporters said a statewide pre-foreclosure mediation program would give borrowers and lenders a chance to reach alternatives such as loan modifications or repayment plans, and cited local experience in Lynn where mediation reportedly produced high rates of foreclosure alternatives. Opponents from the banking industry argued Massachusetts already has strong foreclosure protections and that a new mandatory process could delay resolution without added benefit, though they also noted a 2024 pilot should be evaluated first.
The committee also heard strong support for H. 1282/S. 684, which would update the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code. State Street and a bankruptcy attorney said the changes are needed to keep commercial law current with electronic transactions, tokenized assets, and blockchain technology, and to maintain competitiveness with other states. The hearing concluded after public testimony, with no bill votes taken during the session; the chair thanked speakers and the committee voted to adjourn.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Business and Professions Committee Apr 29th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Maggie Carpenter, has two lawsuits against her from Texas and Louisiana. In New York, Dr.
- Maggie Carpenter has two lawsuits against her from Texas and Louisiana because someone found medication
- country. 437,000 of those fatalities were here in California, the second highest in the nation behind Texas
- Under this framework, randomized audits ensure compliance with health and safety codes, and the approach
- tests at over 15,000 locations across Oakland and found that connections in the highest-income zip code
Summary:
The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard a full agenda of bills focused on reproductive health, professional licensing and sunset reviews, consumer protection, and business regulation. Early testimony centered on AB 260, which would protect access to medication abortion, mifepristone, and telehealth reproductive care in California; supporters emphasized state protections against federal restrictions, while an opponent argued the bill removed safety safeguards. The committee also heard AB 714 on closing a loophole in regulation of low-cost commercial driving schools, AB 968 on allowing pharmacists to prescribe non-hormonal contraception, AB 671 on streamlining restaurant permitting, AB 1027 on strengthening cannabis product testing oversight, AB 1271 on broadband pricing and speed transparency, and AB 1332 on narrowly allowing medicinal cannabis shipments for seriously ill patients. Several sunset bills were also taken up, including AB 1482 on animal shelter and breeder transparency, AB 1501 on the Podiatric Medical Board and Physician Assistant Board, AB 1502 on the Veterinary Medical Board, AB 1503 on the Board of Pharmacy, and AB 1504 on the Massage Therapy Council.
Testimony was largely in support of the measures, with many bills drawing co-sponsors or support from industry, consumer, or professional groups. AB 1503 generated the most sustained opposition, with nurses, physicians, and drug industry representatives objecting to expanded pharmacy technician ratios, standard-of-care language, and therapeutic interchange authority; supporters argued the bill would modernize pharmacy practice and expand access. AB 1504 also drew mixed testimony, with massage therapy groups supporting continuation of the council but raising concerns about proposed public records and governance provisions. AB 1271 drew a policy dispute over whether broadband reporting requirements duplicated federal FCC processes, while supporters argued California needed its own consumer-facing data and complaint system.
After quorum was established later in the hearing, the committee began taking roll-call votes. AB 1271, AB 1332, AB 1482, AB 1501, and AB 1502 were all reported out on due-pass motions, with AB 1271 amended and the others generally amended or as introduced as noted. Earlier bills including AB 260, AB 671, AB 714, AB 968, and AB 1027 also received motions and were approved once the quorum was present. The chair repeatedly noted the lack of quorum during the hearing, but once one was secured, the committee completed votes on the agenda items and advanced the measures to Appropriations.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-03-12 (10:30AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We have done our best to chart our own independent course through turbulent waters and unforeseen storms
- Promoting and handing out improper solicitations is a violation of the honor code.
- Promoting and handing out improper solicitations is a violation of the honor code.
- It is an honor code violation, which this disciplinary action that the universities and colleges already
- The state-term contract for building code inspection services.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then moved into returning messages from the Senate. Early action focused on CS/CS/HB 1503 on computer science education and certification, which would add computer science and artificial intelligence content in high school and create a K-12 teacher certificate program; after adopting a House amendment restoring certificate language and adjusting implementation timing, the House concurred in the Senate amendment and passed the bill 105-0. The chamber then took up CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity, adopting a House amendment to allow local governments to buy into the cyber grant program and add a five-year sunset, then concurring in the Senate amendment shifting grant administration back to the Florida Digital Service; the bill passed 104-1.
The House refused to concur in Senate amendments to CS/HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over U.S. military installations and HB 6011 on reporting gifts or honoraria, sending both back to the Senate. It also refused to concur in the Senate amendment to CS/HB 851 on professional learning for instructional and school administrative personnel, saying the Senate version expanded the bill beyond its original autism-focused scope. After a recess, the House unveiled Speaker Daniel Perez’s portrait and heard extended remarks praising his leadership, institutional reforms, and the work of House staff and members.
In the second returning-message list, the House debated CS/CS/HB 1471 on systems of law and terrorist organizations. The Senate amendment clarified the definition of “promote,” refined notice and timeline provisions for terrorist organization designations, and kept references to Sharia law as an example in the foreign religious law section. Supporters argued the bill was aimed at conduct beyond speech and was intended to protect the Constitution and public safety; opponents warned it would chill free speech, target Muslim Floridians, and give the governor and cabinet unprecedented power without adequate due process. After lengthy debate, the House concurred and passed the bill 80-25. The House then took up CS/CS/HB 1473, a public records bill tied to HB 1471, and moved to concur in a technical Senate amendment aligning the records exemption with the revised structure of HB 1471.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, December 3, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Cloud, for five minutes. Speaker. Speaker.
- , chair recognizes a gentleman from Texas, chair recognizes a gentleman from Texas, Mr.<00:20:13.919
- For more than 50 years, Victoria, Texas.
- They have a pay for power and water?
- But he did get it two weeks later when he was sent down to Texas.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- They have to meet all the International, the Arkansas Fuel Gas Code, National Electric Code, and they
- A code cycle. The IMC is, which is the mechanics... A code cycle.
- A code cycle.
- You still got that three-year code cycle.
- The codes or the classes they have to attend is for code updates.
Summary:
The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed several agency rules and most were approved without objection. The Department of Agriculture moved to repeal rules tied to the now-repealed Arkansas Catfish Processors Fair Practice Act. The Department of Human Services updated Medicaid policy to clarify that pregnant women may still be referred to child support enforcement but will not be sanctioned during pregnancy and the 60-day postpartum period, removed the word “forcible” from rape/incest good-cause language, and eliminated a 90-day waiting period for ARKids B when group health coverage ends. DHS also received approval for a CMS cell and gene therapy model for sickle cell disease and a technical Medicaid medication-assisted treatment update that does not change coverage.
The Department of Labor and Licensing presented several rules. One created procedures for the department to issue interpretations in local construction plan disputes under Act 591 of 2025. The Contractors Licensing Board and Residential Contractors Committee amended rules to raise the restricted commercial license threshold and light building project limit from $750,000 to $1.5 million, and to allow deferral of owner-complaint investigations while related civil litigation is pending. The HVACR Licensing Board presented broader cleanup and policy changes under Act 746 of 2025, including eliminating the Class C license by moving those holders into Class B, expanding work limits for Class A and B licensees, changing continuing education to eight hours per three-year code cycle, and keeping annual license renewal. Members asked detailed questions about impacts on businesses, training, youth working with parents, and whether any unintended burdens were created; the board said it had notified licensees and had received little pushback.
The committee also granted the Department of Inspector General’s request for exclusion from rulemaking reporting for Act 473 of 2025, concluding that the statute was sufficiently detailed and did not require additional rules. In addition, the Arkansas State Library’s report was accepted, with the Department of Education stating that the library’s three existing rules should remain in effect. During the update on outstanding 2023-session rulemaking, Education explained that many delayed rules were held back because they were likely to be amended again in 2025, and members expressed concern about the length of time some rules have remained unfinished. The meeting ended after written 2025 rulemaking updates were noted, with no further action taken.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology Aug 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- And I chair the Water Committee, which you think may not have anything to do with anything here.
- off water for particular reasons, and the biotech industry came together and said you can’t do this
- to the biotech industry; you have to have water.
- And we have that guaranteed water program still in effect today for the city as well, for a lot of those
- off water for particular. water at a time when San Diego was cutting off water for particular reasons
Summary:
The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology met on August 19, 2025 to examine the effects of federal grant cuts, tariff uncertainty, and related policy changes on California’s biotech, medtech, and academic research ecosystem. The chair and panelists emphasized California’s outsized role in the industry, describing major clusters in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and explaining how research, startup formation, manufacturing, and clinical trials are interconnected across the state. Speakers from Biocom California, California Life Sciences, Farma, UC, Stanford, CSU Biotech, and UCLA all argued that NIH and NSF funding are foundational to discovery, workforce training, and commercialization, and that disruptions are already chilling venture capital, startup formation, and hiring.
Witnesses described several concrete impacts: suspended or terminated grants, reduced doctoral admissions, fewer training opportunities, canceled retreats and internships, and anxiety among graduate students and early-career researchers. UC reported hundreds of millions of dollars in suspended or terminated NIH and NSF funding, while Stanford said more than a thousand training and career-development grants nationwide have been frozen or ended, affecting multiple trainees per grant. CSU Biotech said 133 federal grants had been terminated, scaled back, or canceled, totaling about $140 million, including nearly $30 million from NIH and NSF. Industry representatives also warned that proposed antitrust limits on mergers and acquisitions could undermine the standard biotech exit path and further deter investment.
Committee members asked about the duration of the disruption, the possibility of state action to offset federal losses, and whether California could better support workforce development, manufacturing, and R&D tax credits. Panelists urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state support for STEM education, internships, apprenticeship pathways, manufacturing incentives, and the R&D tax credit, and to consider infrastructure and housing as part of competitiveness. They also noted that tariffs are already raising costs for medtech components and building materials, and that China is increasingly competing for R&D, talent, and licensing deals. No formal votes or bill actions were taken at the hearing; the meeting was informational and focused on testimony and discussion.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- This is from the Executive, and it's to implement the Water Security Planning Act, a 50-year water action
- For the Rural Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund, that's for rural community water programs.
- On line 333, you see a cash infusion into the water project.
- That would be for spending on water projects that you all would authorize by legislation.
- You're going to practice in Texas. But there's all kinds. I mean, like I said, I.
MI
Transcript Highlights:
- Because if you're having to build a bigger, larger-scale apartment building because of building code
- Existing building codes and other rules around fire rating of interior and exterior walls, as well as
- Council will include in the new 2027 building code.
- For example, the 2021 building code was finally adopted last year and is currently under litigation.
- Currently building code requirements, especially and targeted reform to help address that gap.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services met with a quorum, adopted the June 16, 2026 minutes, and then unanimously adopted S-1 substitutes for House Bills 5570 and 5571. The chair said the committee would take testimony and likely not move to final passage that day, in order to allow more discussion and questions. The bills, as substituted, would allow local governments to permit certain multifamily buildings up to four stories to be built or converted with a single staircase, subject to conditions such as limits on units per floor, floor size, and existing fire safety requirements. A sunset provision was described as ending the statute once LARA adopts corresponding building code rules.
Representatives Fairbairn and Wooden testified in support, saying the bills are intended to address Michigan’s housing shortage by making smaller infill and “missing middle” projects more feasible and less costly. They argued the current two-stair requirement drives up costs, makes land assembly harder, and limits development on narrow or irregular lots. Senators asked about stair width, emergency safety, the choice of four stories instead of six, and why the American Institute of Architects opposed the approach; the sponsors said the 48-inch stair width was intended to allow two-way movement, four stories was a compromise aligned with expected code changes, and the architects preferred rulemaking over statutory change.
Supportive testimony came from Pew Charitable Trusts, which said research from New York City, Seattle, and other places found fire death rates in modern single-stair buildings to be indistinguishable from other multifamily buildings, and that modern safety features such as sprinklers, alarms, and fire-rated construction make these buildings safe. A developer from Ann Arbor and the Michigan Home Builders Association said the reform would improve floor-plan efficiency, reduce wasted circulation space, lower construction costs, and help smaller projects pencil out. Abundant Housing Michigan also supported the bills, estimating they could reduce apartment construction costs by nearly 13%. The clerk read in numerous written cards in support from business, housing, municipal, and advocacy groups, while the Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs and the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union were listed as neutral. The committee adjourned without further business.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- much water, how much food we exactly how much water, how much food for<01:47:02.719>
every <01 - Your dog didn’t have food or water.
- >> Oh, of course I agree. >> Water, you can buy water on this. >> But see, water does not kill your appetite
- home and add water. They're fine. home and add water. They're fine.
- <06:06:50.958>
So water, sewage, those type things. So water, sewage, those type things.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Another good win is exempting water resources from cuts.
- Another good win is exempting water resources from cuts.
- I don't see much plan for water in this budget, no money for affordable housing.
- Her water moratorium shut it down. It raised the prices of homes on every Arizona family.
- But data centers, she carved them out in her water moratorium.
Summary:
The meeting began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, and a guest introduction for Deputy Frank Sloop. The Senate then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, with most measures receiving do-pass recommendations after brief explanations and, in several cases, floor amendments. Topics included public records, capital outlay review, local government, taxation, state budget implementation, higher education appropriations, utility regulation, towing regulation, homeowners association disclosures, nursing board regulation, veteran services, criminal justice, human services, K-12 education, state property management, and the continuation of the Arizona State Board of Nursing.
Several bills were amended on the floor before receiving favorable recommendations. House Bill 2114 on motorcycle-related provisions was amended to require that at least one registered owner be legally licensed to operate a motorcycle in Arizona. House Bill 2397 on HOA/condominium disclosures was amended to change disclosure timing and fee rules and make other conforming changes. House Bill 2408 on nursing board regulatory action was amended to remove a clear-and-convincing-evidence burden in disciplinary matters and clarify complaint-sharing procedures. House Bill 2957 on driver’s license/handheld provisions, House Bill 2305 on towing regulation, and House Bill 2321 on DCS-related reporting also received amendments before do-pass recommendations.
The largest item was Senate Bill 1847, the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act. Senators offered extensive floor amendments affecting agriculture, corrections, criminal justice, school safety, law enforcement equipment, vehicle theft task force funding, liquor licensing, and other budget items. During third reading and debate on the budget, Democratic senators praised negotiated gains such as funding for aging services, food assistance, civil legal aid, school meals, heat relief, and a three-year moratorium on new data center tax incentives, while criticizing border-related funding, ESA/voucher policy, and cuts to higher education and adult education. One member’s remarks were ruled dilatory after repeated off-topic comments, and the ruling of the chair was sustained by a 16-12 vote. The transcript ends with additional budget-related explanation of votes continuing after the budget’s third reading.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- They are operated by a team in Austin, Texas. My company that I represent is in Austin, Texas.
- By the way, these are already operational in Florida, and Georgia and Texas has approved them to pilot
- ... ...operational in Florida, and Georgia and Texas has approved them to pilot programs to go into effect
- is Senate Bill 504, and I love that it's 504, because if anyone's from New Orleans, that's my zip code
- And, of course, I have a lot of charter schools in the 504 area code.
Summary:
The House Education Committee met on May 12, 2026, and first approved SB 518, which gives LSU limited authority to buy and sell certain real estate within one mile of campus as a two-year pilot program. Supporters said the bill would let LSU respond more quickly to deteriorating properties near campus and improve the student experience, while keeping protections such as appraisals and fair-market-value requirements. Members asked about whether the authority would affect residential property or be expanded to other universities, and the bill was reported favorably without objection.
The committee then advanced SCR 33, creating a one-year Work-Based Learning Coordination Task Force to study and better align apprenticeships, internships, job shadowing, and related programs across state agencies and employers. Testimony emphasized the need to reduce duplication and improve coordination so students and employers can more easily connect. HR 168 also passed, directing the Board of Regents to study collegiate athletic program funding after concerns raised by athletic directors about deficits and accounting practices.
Members next approved SB 488, establishing a school safety drone response pilot program to supplement school crisis plans. The bill drew detailed testimony from a vendor describing drone deployment, response times, and coordination with law enforcement; an amendment was adopted to require coordination with the Department of Education, State Police, and the Sheriffs’ Association. The committee also favorably reported HCR 97, asking BESE and Wildlife and Fisheries to study adding age-appropriate hunting, conservation, and shooting sports education in grades 5-12, with members clarifying that no live firearms would be used on campus.
Finally, the committee approved SB 112, allowing local school boards to adopt parental-consent release-time policies for religious instruction, with amendments adding instructor qualifications, reporting requirements, electronic delivery flexibility, and constitutional safeguards. It also reported SB 504, expanding individual graduation plans to include vocational options and apply to charter schools, with an amendment for standalone elementary charters. The committee then passed SB 346 and SB 347, both dealing with deepfakes—one prohibiting their use against K-12 students and the other adding unlawful deepfakes to campus power-based violence rules—and SB 353, authorizing postsecondary systems to digitize student IDs for use in LA Wallet. Several members raised concerns about naming LA Wallet specifically, but the bill was still reported favorably. The meeting ended with adjournment.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session Apr 15th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And whereas Oklahoma State University is guided by the values of the cowboy code emphasizing integrity
- whereas, prior to joining Oklahoma State, Coach Morris served as head coach at the University of North Texas
- And in Stillwater, code orange, I think is what we're calling it.
- This is something that Texas has done very successfully.
- Leader, members, House Bill 3044 simply updates the Oklahoma tax code related to donations made via tax
Bills:
SR31, SB2060, SB2184, HB1371, HB1411, HB1933, HB2361, HB2398, HB2893, HB3006, HB3044, HB3127, HB3322, HB3147, HB1276, HB3472, HB3522, HB3704, HB4303, HB4319
Keywords:
military, children, resilience, Purple Up!, military families, master development district, improvement district, public improvements, infrastructure financing, special assessments, statutory revision, consolidation, law amendment, emergency legislation, legal clarity, oil and gas, mineral rights, proceeds, royalties, escrow account