Video & Transcript : 'housing affordability' :

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TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session Apr 3rd, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • President, I am directed by the House to inform the Senate that the House is...
  • President, I am directed by the House to inform the Senate that the House is...
  • House Bill 9, Local Government; House Bill 13, Finance; House Bill 235, Finance; House Bill 135, Finance
  • ; House Bill 143, Natural Resources; House Bill 195, Local Government; House Bill 908, Criminal Justice
  • Senate Bill 2471 by Menendez, relating to a set-aside of low-income housing tax credits for at-risk housing
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with senators highlighting the university’s growth, medical school, research expansion, and role in serving South Texas. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 368 honoring outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, with numerous senators praising his long public career, leadership in higher education, and statewide impact. Senate Resolution 361 recognizing Texas HBCU Day and Senate Resolution 362 recognizing Denton County Days at the Capitol were also adopted, along with other routine recognitions and gubernatorial appointments being read into the record. The Senate then took up several bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to shorten vacancy posting requirements, allow bilingual certification candidates to retake only failed test sections, give teachers more flexibility with paid leave, clarify classroom removal procedures, and ensure parents are informed of appeal rights. The bill passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a parent’s right to direct a child’s education, was also brought up and passed to engrossment after a contested suspension vote. The Senate next passed Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, which would require reporting of foreign funding at public universities, bar gifts from adversarial governments, and require training and reporting systems to prevent foreign influence and intellectual property theft in higher education. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the so-called “Dexit” bill, was debated at length for its corporate governance changes, including codifying the business judgment rule and altering internal corporate litigation and records rules; it passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed by a 30-1 vote. Senate Bill 857, allowing law enforcement discretion to tow vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed after discussion of towing abuses during flooding and disaster conditions. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536, requiring dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, passed with broad support, and Senate Bill 922, addressing delayed electronic disclosure of sensitive medical test results so physicians can discuss them first, was taken up and passed to engrossment as the chamber continued through its calendar.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 12th, 2026 at 06:25 pm

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • We will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2575, House Bill 2334, House Bill
  • We will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2215, House Bill 1710, and House
  • The House will go at ease. The House will be in order.
  • Order in the House. House Bill 1710, Clerk will read.
  • Order in the House. House Bill 1710, Clerk will read.
Summary: The House took up second reading and final passage on several bills. House Bill 2575, relating to reducing certain environmental reporting obligations, was amended to direct savings from reduced utility reporting toward low-income electricity assistance, then passed 95-0. House Bill 2334, on cash transaction rounding for the loss of pennies, passed 89-6 after debate over common-sense rounding, tax treatment, and concerns about moving away from cash. House Bill 2714, updating caseload forecasting for food and nutrition assistance programs including SNAP, passed 95-0. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2557, concerning parental access to special education evaluation meetings and timelines, passed 95-0 after a technical amendment clarifying terminology and discussion about giving parents more time to prepare for meetings. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 2594, which codifies protections for unhoused students and aligns state law with federal McKinney-Vento protections; supporters described the bill as ensuring continued educational access for homeless youth, and it passed 94-1. House Bill 2348, updating timber sale process efficiencies, including electronic notice and appraisal/approval requirements for certain land sales, passed 95-0. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2215, dealing with Climate Commitment Act compliance obligations for fuels, drew extensive debate over market fairness, fuel prices, rural impacts, and Ecology’s authority; after adopting a striking amendment and rejecting several others, it passed 57-38. The House then considered House Bill 1710, a Washington Voting Rights Act compliance bill creating a new chapter in Title 29A RCW. Members debated numerous amendments focused on preclearance standards, lookback periods, fee shifting, rulemaking authority, settlement treatment, and the use of citizen voting-age population. Some technical amendments were adopted, while many substantive amendments were rejected. The transcript ends during continued amendment debate on the bill, before final passage is recorded.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 12th, 2026 at 12:35 pm

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • The House will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2630, House Bill 2360, House
  • Bill 2367, House Bill 2133, House Bill 2355, House Bill 2534, House Bill 2234, House Bill 2223, and
  • House Bill 2367, House Bill 2133, House Bill 2355, House Bill 2534, House Bill 2234, House Bill 2223,
  • The cost of land is one of the highest costs in developing affordable housing, and so we think this is
  • The cost of land is one of the highest costs in developing affordable housing, and so we think this is
Summary: The House took up several bills on second and third reading, beginning with House Bill 2360 on expanding access to albuterol in public and private schools. A motion to recommit the bill to the House Health Care and Wellness Committee failed on a roll call vote, 38 yeas to 56 nays. Supporters said the bill would help school nurses respond to students in respiratory distress and reflected input from nurses, OSPI, and the Department of Health. Opponents raised concerns about training, drug interactions, follow-up care, costs to districts, and schools making medical decisions without a diagnosis. The bill then passed 60-34. House Bill 2467, clarifying measurement rules for fifth-wheel travel trailers, passed 94-0 after sponsors said it would help Washington dealers and consumers. House Bill 1983, relating to timberland tax treatment when land is sold to DNR, passed 68-26 amid debate over whether it would help forest management or make it easier for DNR to acquire timberland. House Bill 2531, updating ambulance transport fund quality assurance rules to align with federal regulations and preserve matching funds, passed unanimously 94-0. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 1390, which phases out the Community Protection Program for certain developmentally disabled individuals with high-risk histories and transfers participants to other waiver programs. Supporters said the program was overly restrictive, out of compliance with federal law, and had trapped people in long-term confinement-like conditions; opponents argued it would weaken public safety and move dangerous individuals into community settings without adequate safeguards. The bill passed 52-44. House Bill 2367, eliminating a preferential treatment related to the former TransAlta coal plant in Centralia, passed 63-33 after supporters framed it as closing the book on coal and opponents warned about energy reliability, jobs, and an emergency clause. Substitute House Bill 2133, making a property tax exemption for certain senior centers permanent, passed 96-0. Substitute House Bill 2355, establishing labor protections for domestic workers, passed 57-39 after supporters emphasized dignity and long-standing worker abuse concerns, while opponents cited fiscal impacts. The House then passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2534, with a technical amendment, to improve educational stability for children in military families; it passed 96-0. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974, creating a land banking framework to support affordable housing, passed 59-37 after an amendment reduced fiscal impact by striking some tax preference sections. House Bill 2223, allowing certain irrigation district board service by farmers with spouses employed by the district, passed 93-3. Substitute House Bill 2239, allowing family burial grounds on private property, passed 96-0 after supporters cited rural needs, cultural traditions, and personal family stories. The session also included a brief congratulatory recognition for Representative David Stuebe after his first bill passed the House.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 12th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • The House will be in order.
  • The House will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2247. House Bill 2247.
  • House Bill 2338.
  • House Bill 2353, House Bill 2353, House Bill 253, House Bill 25, and House Bill 2480.
  • House Bill 2104, House Bill 2107, and House Bill 2247, hearing no objection, so ordered.
Summary: The House convened with a quorum, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard a prayer before approving the previous day’s minutes and taking caucus breaks. Members were reminded that the three-minute rule for debate had begun and would remain in effect through House of Origin cutoff. The chamber then moved through second- and third-reading action on a series of bills, mostly on capital, consumer, labor, and professional licensure topics. Several bills were advanced and passed with broad or unanimous support. House Bill 2338 would expand low-income weatherization work to community-scale and multifamily projects; House Bill 2353 raises the threshold for requiring pre-design on public projects; Substitute House Bill 2363 allows music therapy students to practice under supervision while exam scores are pending; Substitute House Bill 2525 creates a Heritage Orchard Program to preserve rare apple varieties; Substitute House Bill 2420 increases small works roster thresholds; Substitute House Bill 2428 prevents unintended lapses in life insurance by allowing a third-party designee to help maintain coverage; House Bill 2604 allows electronic signatures for transferring a vehicle to an insurer; and Substitute House Bill 2107 makes permanent a requirement that L&I provide written notice to employers/contractors when hazards are identified. Each of these bills passed by large margins, generally 94 yeas and no nays, except HB 2338, which passed 93-1. The House also adopted Amendment 1517 to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2247, a striker that revised the veterinary client-patient relationship bill to require annual veterinarian visits for certain animal production, commercial, and breeding operations and to align the measure with federal law. Supporters said it would allow veterinarians to use telehealth between physical exam visits and improve access for rural and agricultural communities. After the amendment, the bill passed 94-0. The session ended with more caucus announcements and the House at ease.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 12th, 2026

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • The House will be in order.
  • The House will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2247. House Bill 2247.
  • House Bill 2338.
  • House Bill 2353, House Bill 2353, House Bill 253, House Bill 25, and House Bill 2480.
  • The House will be in order. House Bill 2420, the clerk will read.
Summary: The House convened with a quorum present, the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer were offered, and the chamber approved the previous day’s minutes. Members then caucused briefly before moving into second reading and third reading action on several bills, with the day also marking the start of the three-minute debate rule through House of Origin cutoff. The House passed House Bill 2338, which expands the low-income home weatherization program to support community-scale weatherization projects, especially for multifamily housing. It also passed House Bill 2353, raising the threshold for requiring predesign work on public projects from $10 million to $15 million, and Substitute House Bill 2363, a trailer bill allowing music therapy students to practice under supervision while exam scores are pending. Members described these as efficiency measures and consumer or workforce improvements. The chamber also approved Substitute House Bill 2525 to establish the Heritage Orchard Program and a registry at Washington State University to preserve rare and heritage apple varieties, with sponsors emphasizing the importance of Washington’s apple industry and agricultural history. Additional bills passed unanimously included Substitute House Bill 2420 on increasing small works roster thresholds, Substitute House Bill 2428 on preventing unintended lapses in life insurance by allowing third-party designees, House Bill 2604 allowing electronic signatures for transferring salvage vehicles to insurers, and Substitute House Bill 2107 making permanent a pilot requiring Labor and Industries to notify employers of identified job-site hazards within 10 days. Finally, the House adopted Amendment 1517 and passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2247, which updates veterinarian-client-patient relationship rules to allow telehealth between required physical visits and requires annual veterinarian oversight for certain animal production, commercial, and breeding operations. All of the listed bills received overwhelming support, with each final passage vote recorded at 94 yeas and 0 nays, except House Bill 2338, which passed 93-1.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Local and County Government Feb 24th, 2026

Local and County Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • if they wanted to exact a fee on all of the, you know, grocery sacks that all of us end up in our house
Bills: SB2106 , SB1471 , SB2139 , SB2154 , SB1619
Summary: The Senate Local and County Government Committee heard and advanced several bills dealing with municipal authority, land use, waste management, and transparency. Senate Bill 2106, by Senator Brooks, would require municipalities that use a reversion ordinance to change zoning back to a prior designation to compensate landowners for any loss in property value; it passed 8-0. Senate Bill 1471, by Senator Boren, as amended, would allow cities and towns to impose narrowly tailored fees related to solid waste and packaging impacts, with revenue limited to waste collection, recycling, cleanup, education, and related contamination-reduction efforts; members discussed microplastics, bag fees, and concerns about scope and oversight, and the bill passed 6-2. Senator Nysha and the chair spoke in support of the measure as a conservation and landfill-reduction tool. Senate Bill 2139, by Senator Hicks, was presented as a cleanup bill directing county clerks to remove discriminatory language from recorded plats, including digital records, after an ordinance amending a plat is adopted and recorded. The committee adopted a committee substitute, struck title, and advanced the bill 8-0. Senate Bill 2154, by Senator Reinhardt, would require lien holders to be notified before foreclosure proceedings begin when a municipal lien is filed; Senator Nice asked whether the notice period could be defined as 10 business days, and the author agreed to discuss that with stakeholders. That bill also passed 8-0. Finally, Senate Bill 1619, by Senator Hamilton, was broadened from an original focus on data centers to a general transparency measure for municipal and county governments. It would prohibit officials from using nondisclosure agreements to conceal how public tax dollars are spent, while still protecting proprietary business information. Members discussed constituent concerns about secretive economic development deals, and the bill passed 8-0. The committee then concluded its business and adjourned.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/29/2026 - House Rural Economic Development

Rural Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm a senior policy advisor for the House Democratic Caucus.
  • We have a housing shortage across Arizona, particularly in the Apache Junction area, and the affordable
  • housing down there will take care of a few things.
  • So Apache Junction does not have the infrastructure when we're talking about affordable housing to be
  • And plus, a young person needs to be able to afford a home.
Bills: HB2065 , HB2066 , HB2071 , HB2106 , HB2237 , HB2258
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session 05-08-2026 11:30am

Hawaii Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • House Communication number 885 informs the Senate that House Bill 1800 Conference Draft 1 passed final
  • reading in the House.
  • House Communication numbers 886 and 887 inform the Senate that the House has inform the Senate that the
  • House.
  • member of the House State senator and a House member of the House of Representatives for 20 years in
HI
Transcript Highlights:
  • And every Hawaii kid was invited to her house.
  • My first substantive interaction with Colleen was when she was the co-chair of the joint Senate-House
  • But then she would never let them forget when they made a mess of her house. And they did.
  • And those of us that were close to John, that went to their house, we know that.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 10th, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • The House will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2091, House Bill 2304, House
  • You know, we've heard a lot in this chamber about housing affordability.
  • It allows for affordability in rural housing. So I urge you to join me in voting yes.
  • A lot of our affordable housing providers were showing stacks of mail that were being left undeliverable
  • And for the affordable housing providers, one of them mentioned 90% of their mail was not being picked
Summary: The House considered and passed a series of bills on topics including public employee bargaining communication, condominium and middle-housing development, building code changes for scissor stairs, substance use disorder monitoring for nursing assistants, pet insurance continuity, liquor licensing flexibility, voter registration challenges, concealed pistol license records exemptions, social housing public development authorities, services for people with developmental disabilities, rent increase notices, and unlawful detainer notices. Members repeatedly described the housing bills as efforts to increase supply, improve affordability, and fix prior statutory problems, while the health-related bills were framed as improving patient comfort, provider flexibility, or workforce consistency. Several measures were advanced without amendment, while others were substituted with committee recommendations before final passage. The most debated item was Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1916 on voter registration challenges. Supporters said it would curb mass or frivolous challenges, protect voters, and give election officials clearer standards and more accountability. Opponents argued it would make legitimate voter challenges harder, reduce citizen oversight of voter rolls, and weaken election integrity. Multiple amendments were offered to reduce penalties from felony to gross misdemeanor, allow electronic challenges, remove county-residency limits, and strike sections of the bill; most were rejected, though one amendment removing the same-county requirement was adopted. The bill ultimately passed after a divided vote. Other notable debate included House Bill 2152, which would allow terminally ill patients in hospitals and similar facilities to use medical cannabis; supporters emphasized dignity and comfort at end of life, while one opponent worried about added burdens on rural hospitals. House Bill 2235, concerning Public Records Act exemptions tied to concealed pistol license records and a permit-to-purchase framework, passed with strong support. House Bill 1687 on social housing public development authorities passed after an amendment restored city council involvement in housing cooperation decisions, while House Bill 2249, relating to Washington Technical employees and civil service treatment, passed with a larger number of nays. The House then placed additional bills on second reading and adjourned until the next legislative day.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 10th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • We will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 1155, House Bill 1002, and House
  • We will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2110, House Bill 2272, House Bill
  • House Bill 2109, House Bill 2492, and House Bill 2472, hearing no objections, so ordered.
  • To defend affordability, to help keep the cost of housing and building other things in some kind of reach
  • House Bill 2492 is declared passed. House Bill 2472.
Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the previous day’s minutes, and heard a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members also announced caucus breaks and a reminder that Seahawks apparel would be permitted on the floor the next day. The chamber then moved through second- and third-reading business on a series of bills, with several committee substitutes and amendments adopted by voice vote before final passage votes were taken by roll call. House Bill 1155, dealing with non-compete agreements, drew the most debate. Supporters said it would ban non-competes, improve worker mobility, and promote entrepreneurship; opponents raised concerns about contract freedom and, in one failed amendment, sought to exempt high earners and senior executives. Other adopted amendments clarified tribal worker relationships, defined patients in place of customers, and required notice that existing non-competes would be void. The bill ultimately passed 65-29. House Bill 1002, concerning PTSD eligibility for coroners and medical examiners, failed an amendment that would have limited costs to the relevant risk class, then passed 70-24 after supporters argued the measure would help a small group of workers exposed to traumatic scenes. House Bill 2264, on unemployment benefits for workers who voluntarily participate in layoffs, passed unanimously 94-0. The House also passed House Bill 2110, allowing nurses to accompany inter-facility ambulance transports without EMT licensure, after an amendment requiring training on ambulance equipment; House Bill 2272, a technical update to ski equipment terminology; House Bill 2238, creating a statewide food security strategy and narrowing agency scope through amendment; House Bill 2445, aimed at stopping profiteering in probate cases involving unclaimed estates; House Bill 2109, allowing covered transport of certain vehicle loads to reduce roadway debris; House Bill 2492, requiring behavioral and mental health training for construction and trades workers despite objections about added costs; House Bill 2472, strengthening licensing enforcement for fire sprinkler work; House Bill 288, joining the dietician licensure compact; and House Bill 2229, updating the Professional Engineers Registration Act and requiring board members to have practiced in Washington for at least five years. Final votes on these bills ranged from near-unanimous to more divided, with each receiving the constitutional majority needed to pass.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 10th, 2026

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • We will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 1155, House Bill 1002, and House
  • We will take the following bills in the following order: House Bill 2110, House Bill 2272, House Bill
  • House Bill 2109, House Bill 2492, and House Bill 2472, hearing no objections, so ordered.
  • To defend affordability, to help keep the cost of housing and building other things in some kind of reach
  • House Bill 2492 is declared passed. House Bill 2472.
Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard a prayer. Members approved the prior day’s minutes, referred introduction-sheet bills, and later took up several second- and third-reading bills. Early in the day, the chamber also announced that members could wear Seahawks apparel during floor action the next day. The House passed House Bill 1155, which bans non-compete agreements, after adopting amendments clarifying tribal worker relationships, replacing references to “customer” with “patient” in certain contexts, and requiring notice to current and some former employees that non-competes are void. An amendment to exempt senior executives earning over $350,000 was rejected. The bill passed 65-29. The House also passed House Bill 1002, allowing certain coroners and medical examiners to seek workers’ compensation for PTSD; an amendment to isolate costs to their own risk class was rejected, and the bill passed 70-24. House Bill 2264, clarifying unemployment insurance eligibility for workers who voluntarily participate in layoffs, passed unanimously 94-0. Later measures included House Bill 2110, allowing nurses to accompany inter-facility ambulance transports without also holding EMT licenses, which passed 94-0 after an amendment clarifying training; House Bill 2272, a technical update to ski equipment terminology, which passed 94-0; House Bill 2238, creating a statewide food security strategy, which passed 83-12 after a technical amendment narrowing agency scope; and House Bill 2445, aimed at preventing profiteering in probate estates, which passed 67-28 after a technical amendment. The House also passed House Bill 2109 on securing vehicle loads (95-0), House Bill 2492 requiring behavioral and mental health training for construction workers and apprentices (79-16), House Bill 2472 on licensed contractors for fire sprinkler work (92-3), House Bill 288 joining the dietician licensure compact (93-1), and House Bill 2229 updating the Professional Engineers Registration Act and requiring five years of Washington practice for board members after an amendment (68-26).
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Pro Forma Floor Session Feb 9th, 2026 at 09:55 am

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • The House will be in order.
  • With the consent of the House, the following resolutions are adopted: House Resolution 4678, honoring
  • House Resolution 4683, recognizing the Girl Scouts, and House Resolution 4684, recognizing the strong
  • The House will be at ease. Subject to the call of the Speaker, the House is now at ease.
  • The House will be at ease. Subject to the call of the Speaker, the House is now at ease.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 3/24/26

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • House File 4005 is laid over.
  • </c> I will move the DE4 to House File 962. I will move the DE4 to House File 962.
  • House File 4542 is laid over.
  • House File 4542 is laid over.
  • House File 4293.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism 2ND REVISED Feb 24th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism

Transcript Highlights:
  • estimated 400,000 dollars required for program administration if the Workforce Commission were to house
  • Senate Bill 2018 defines residential rental houses as it relates to ad valorem.
  • We know that we need more workforce housing in the state.
  • it's just on the cost approach, what about the fair market value of all of The other surrounding houses
  • Follow up, Senator Goodwin, in with a multifamily housing.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism 2ND REVISED Feb 24th, 2026

Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism

Transcript Highlights:
  • Members, Senate Bill 2018 defines residential rental houses as it relates...
  • Senate Bill 2018 defines residential rental houses as it relates to ad valorem.
  • We know that we need more workforce housing in the state.
  • it's just on the cost approach, what about the fair market value of all of the other surrounding houses
  • Then in with a multifamily housing.
Summary: The committee heard and advanced a series of bills affecting tourism, workforce, economic incentives, labor policy, and housing. Senate Bill 1327 would restore the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission’s authority by removing language that made it only advisory and returning hiring/firing power over the executive director to the commission; it passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1403, an Incentive Evaluation Commission recommendation, would require rebate claims to be filed within one year and eliminate a statewide wage threshold for certain job-creation rebates; it also passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1937, the Taxpayer Dollars Protect Workers Act, would make employers in certain incentive programs preserve secret-ballot union elections, protect employee privacy, and bar neutrality agreements tied to incentives; after debate over labor rights and free-market concerns, it passed 8-2. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 277, a committee-substituted version of the Oklahoma State Paid Family Medical Leave Act. The author said the bill was still a work in progress, but the sub removed exigency and safe leave, narrowed family definitions to legal relationships, and reduced employer notice/signage requirements; it advanced 8-0 with title off. Senate Bill 2131 would require tourism facilities and reservation confirmations to provide information on made-in-Oklahoma products via QR code or printed card, and it passed 8-0. Senate Bill 1749 would let local propane dealers and LP gas installers perform certain food truck inspections, and it passed 8-0. Additional measures included Senate Bill 1348, which would give the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission enhanced anti-fraud and appeal authority; members raised concerns about broad discretion, but it passed 8-0. Senate Bill 1469 would regulate earned wage access products, including employer-based and consumer-based services, with fee caps and licensing; it passed 7-1. Senate Bill 2018 would require new multifamily residential rental construction of 20 units or more to be assessed at cost for the first two tax years, beginning with 2027 assessments, and it passed 7-1 after debate over tax impacts. Senate Bill 1931 would add three members to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and passed 6-2. Senate Bill 1530 would refine the research and development rebate program and add a 2% bump for projects involving higher education institutions, passing 8-0. Senate Bill 2155 would let the Route 66 Commission enter MOUs with other agencies to carry out its work, and it passed 8-0.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • And finally, pursuant to House Bill 6, UK and KCTCS reported asset preservation projects.
  • <00:03:19.360><c> to</c> finally, pursuant to car pursuant to finally, pursuant to car pursuant to House
  • Bill 6UK and KCTCS reported asset House Bill 6UK and KCTCS reported asset preservation<00:03:22.800>
  • The first issue to look at today is the Kentucky Housing Corporation.
  • The first issue to look at today is the Kentucky Housing Corporation.
Summary: The committee met with quorum, approved the September meeting minutes, and received a set of information reports on capital projects, debt, school district bond issues, UK and KCTCS asset preservation projects, and the Louisville Arena Authority’s financial report, with the latter noted as lengthy and expected to be discussed further in person in December. The committee also heard a Finance and Administration Cabinet lease report covering three leases: a temporary lease for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services in Louisville due to ongoing maintenance and safety issues at its current site, a Department of Juvenile Justice lease in Hardin County for a day-treatment/alternative school program, and a Warren County lease renewal. Members questioned the Hardin County lease about the higher rate and limited competition; agency staff explained the specialized school setting, transportation and program requirements, and the difficulty of attracting bidders for alternative-school space. The lease package was approved after roll call. The committee then considered seven economic development grants: four EDF grants and three KPDI grants. The projects included infrastructure for Allen County’s industrial park, flood-related repairs for Weddington Plaza in the Big Sandy area, an Owensboro manufacturing expansion for Mscan America, a new Louisville manufacturing facility for Anthro Energy, a Henderson due-diligence study, a Paducah spec building, and utility extensions for the Riverbend site in Carrollton. Staff said the projects had been approved by KEFA and recommended by the relevant cabinet leadership, and the committee approved them by roll call. Finally, the committee reviewed a new Kentucky Housing Corporation conduit bond issue for about $43 million for 233 Louisville housing units, which was approved. It then took up five SFCC debt issues together: new money for an Edmonson County elementary school and Knox County middle school gym improvements, plus refundings for Callaway, Hardin, and McCracken counties. Members raised concerns that the refundings were bundled together and that some did not appear to meet a newly referenced 3% net present value savings guideline, but the package was still approved on a 5-2 vote. The meeting ended with calendar updates, including a November 20 meeting at noon and a December 16 meeting featuring the Yum Arena presentation, followed by adjournment.