Video & Transcript Research : 'general manager'
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ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Jun 10th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- So you can manage it with your staff, you think? Okay. Because, you know. John? Yeah, Mr.
- Yes, we will manage it. Mr. Chairman, Senator Hogan, yes, we will manage it fine.
- So in the past, historically, those have normally been given the second week of session, generally on
- I mean, the room is generally pretty full. We're in Brunhild-Hoglund. It's a big, long day.
- You know, there has to be a process to manage that.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations and Budget Public Safety Subcommittee - Afternoon Session Jan 12th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- To my left is Shawna Murphy, she is our finance manager.
- What I've asked Our building or our facilities manager to do personally.
- I generate Abel generates $13 million in revenue for the general fund today.
- General counsel here, she's implemented a case management system called Cleo to better manage our legal
- And then funding sources, obviously, as I said, we generate $13 million in general fund.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/09/2026 - House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- I think also, at the same time, that hunting needs to be managed.
- is managed by the North American Model of Conservation.
- Now, how are predatory animals managed through Game and Fish now?
- It's the management of predatory control.
- But as far as management goes, it should be science-based.
Keywords:
land division, property disclosure, real estate, affidavit, Arizona Revised Statutes, small land subdivision, land use, real estate regulation, county ordinance, water supply requirements, property access, civil penalties, wildlife management, deer permits, private land, landowner rights, human-wildlife conflict, predatory animals, hunting regulations, game and fish
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- >> Um that are managed by DAGS. >> Um that are managed by DAGS.
- >> um, computerized maintenance management >> um, computerized maintenance management
- on board, the maintenance management on board, the maintenance management system,<00:53:34.600><
- He's our branch manager from the Project Management Branch within the Public Works Division.
- <01:15:14.960>
division <01:15:15.480>and management division and management division and
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Government Operations held an informational briefing with the State Procurement Office on its small business procurement program. SPO staff described the program’s purpose as expanding access to state contracting for small businesses, including veteran-, Native Hawaiian-, and women-owned firms, and said they are seeking to make the current five-year initiative permanent before it ends in June 2027. They reported outreach efforts, a new website and newsletter, statewide surveys, draft administrative rules, and a 38% increase in small business registrations in the HANS database. They also explained that the program is intended to support outreach, education, certification, compliance, and a statewide database to connect agencies with qualified small businesses.
Committee members focused heavily on whether the program is producing measurable contract awards, not just registrations. The chair and senators questioned the definition of “small business,” noting that SPO currently relies on SBA standards in HANS and is considering a Hawaii-specific definition based on employees, revenue, and Hawaii residency. Members raised concerns that the data showed only a small number of registered businesses receiving awards and that the database does not yet track awards well enough to evaluate performance. SPO responded that the database has had funding gaps, that the position was only filled in February 2025, and that the agency is still building the system and rules needed to track outcomes accurately.
A major theme was how to make the program more effective for very small or “micro” businesses and how to reduce the complexity of state procurement. Members discussed the difference between set-asides and bid preferences, with SPO explaining that set-asides are generally tied to RFPs and preferences to IFBs. The committee suggested that future rules should make participation easier, provide more training and hand-holding, and possibly create pathways for micro businesses or groups of small businesses to bid together. No votes or formal actions were taken; the briefing ended with the committee asking SPO to provide more performance data and clearer information on outreach results and database contents.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Monday, February 10, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Attorney General Tong.
- Attorney General Tong.
- personnel management personnel management hacked<05:11:46.080>
the <05:11:46.200>cfpb< - Well-managed state, I'm sure.
- <07:43:29.440>
Allan speak to the attorney general Allan speak to the attorney general Allan
PA
Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Jul 12 2026)
Pennsylvania Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I rise in support of this Budget General Appropriation Act.
- One of those managed care organizations, the CEOs living in Florida, as well as One of those managed
- Again, those are also operating as pharmacy benefit managers.
- If you factor in the managed This budget does just that.
- It's a manageable operating expense.
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, communications, committee reports, and leaves of absence. The journal was approved 50-0. The chamber then took up House Bill 1505, which drew extended debate over school funding and adequacy/tax equity. Senators Coleman and Keefer argued the bill continued to pour money into districts like Allentown without accountability or improved results, while Senators Costa, Miller, Haywood, and Anthony Williams defended the funding as a response to historic underfunding and the Commonwealth Court decision. A motion allowing Senator Coleman a third speaking turn was adopted 27-23, and the bill ultimately passed 45-5.
The Senate then considered House Bill 2400, the General Appropriation Act. Supporters, including Senators Martin, Dush, Phillips-Hill, Costa, Ward, Street, Hughes, and Pittman, emphasized that the budget was balanced without using the rainy day fund or raising taxes, reduced the governor’s proposal, increased education and child care funding, supported nursing homes, rape crisis centers, infrastructure, and workforce programs, and shifted money from lapsed or unused accounts to current priorities. Opponents, including Senators Saval and Muth, said the budget failed to address structural deficits and omitted new revenue options, emergency services funding, and other major issues. The bill passed 44-6 with amendments and was returned to the House for concurrence.
The Senate also passed a series of other bills, including House Bills 2412, 2413, 96, 858, 1042, 1286, 1646, 1851, 1862, 2017, 2024, 2401, and 2559, with varying margins, and sent them to the House, some with amendments. House Bill 1042 drew a negative recommendation from Senator Costa over a late amendment involving second-degree murder/felony language, but after reconsideration and vote changes it passed 30-20 with amendments. House Bill 1862, creating an Ignition Interlock Driver’s License, passed 45-5 after support from Senator Judy Ward. House Bill 1248 passed 43-7 and designates Pennsylvania rye whiskey as the official state spirit, with Senators Bartolotta and Robinson speaking in support. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 216, after defeating Senator Haywood’s amendment to narrow the scope of a proposed Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study of managed care organizations; the resolution passed 31-19. Several other bills were held over in their order, and the Senate later moved toward a condolence resolution.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on State Government (10-21-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- Kentucky is home to 44 generations.
- >
Green <01:22:08.239>at General Butler and Village Green at General Butler and Village - facilities management division is facilities management division is managing<01:27:31.360>
284 - projects while others are management projects while others are being<01:27:47.199>
managed <01 - generous. This is the last one, though. generous. This is the last one, though.
Keywords:
Discussion of SB 126 (2025 RS) 00:05:13
Discussion of HB 16 (2025 RS) 00:15:40
Kentucky Department of Parks – Overview 01:05:06, 958, all
Summary:
The committee met jointly for State Government, State and Local Government, and Elections and Constitutional Amendments, approved the minutes from the September 23 meeting, and then took up discussion of Senate Bill 126, a proposed constitutional amendment to restrict the governor’s pardon power. Senator Chris McDaniel said the measure was prompted by concerns over pardons issued in 2019 and would bar pardons for 60 days before a gubernatorial election through the swearing-in of a new governor, leaving the power otherwise intact. Members who spoke generally supported the proposal as a way to increase accountability, and McDaniel said he intended to place it on the 2026 ballot. No vote was taken on the bill during the discussion.
The committee then moved to House Bill 16 on water fluoridation. Representative Hart and Senator Greg Elkins said the bill would remove Kentucky’s fluoridation mandate and give local water districts the choice to add fluoride or not. They emphasized that the revised draft also adds immunity language to protect districts from civil litigation regardless of their decision. Dr. Jack Call, a Louisville dentist, presented against fluoridation, arguing that the main dental benefit is topical rather than from drinking water and citing studies and reports he said linked fluoride exposure to reduced IQ in children and other health concerns. Cindy Batson, a nurse and parent, also supported the bill and said she had testified on the issue for years.
During questions, Senator Rollins raised concerns about fluoride being an industrial byproduct and described fluoridation as forced medication. The discussion remained focused on the bill’s local-control and immunity provisions, with sponsors saying they were not trying to relitigate the broader science but wanted to remove the mandate. The transcript ends while questions and testimony on HB 16 were still underway, and no final committee action is shown.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:41:49.119>
related to discuss financial aid manage related to discuss financial aid manage - <00:54:32.400>
a <00:54:32.720>challenging man managing a challenging man managing - <01:17:41.920>
from Metaf, government relations manager from Metaf, government relations manager - vital in keeping first generation vital in keeping first generation students<01:23:38.320>
and - And that is why today I urge you, pass the A4 amendment. generations. generations.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 2/10/25
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm a fourth-generation turkey producer.
- We do still have some farmland up there that we manage and keep track of.
- We're very proud of how we manage our forests here in Minnesota.
- We're very proud of how we manage our forests here in Minnesota.
- I am Tim Shup, a fifth-generation dairy farmer.
Summary:
The House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee held an introductory meeting that began with housekeeping, a correction to the committee rules (the room number should be G3, not G35), and member and staff introductions. Members described their districts, agricultural ties, and priorities for the session, including consumer food costs, urban agriculture, farm economics, livestock disease preparedness, and support for Minnesota’s agricultural sectors. No votes were taken during the introductory portion.
The committee then turned to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Deputy Commissioner Andrea Veble of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture said the Walz administration strongly supports SAF because of its potential for agriculture, forestry, and clean energy, and reviewed Minnesota’s 2023 SAF tax credit and related sales tax exemption. She said the state has feedstocks and should continue investing so Minnesota can attract SAF production and support rural jobs. Jeff Davidman of Delta Airlines testified that aviation is difficult to decarbonize and that SAF is the airline industry’s main path to net zero by 2050; he cited current use of SAF, the need to scale production, and Minnesota’s role in supplying feedstocks and hosting future production.
Peter Frost of Greater MSP described the Minnesota SAF Hub as a public-private partnership aimed at building the full SAF value chain in Minnesota. He emphasized that Greater MSP is coordinating investors and partners to grow the regional economy and said the SAF effort is intended to create jobs and economic development. Committee members did not ask questions during the portion captured, and no formal action or vote was recorded on the SAF presentations in this transcript excerpt.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- In short, this bill provides cities with an additional option to help manage retirement benefits and
- It's a momentous occasion for everyone in my generation on the police department who has been waiting
- Employ a general counsel that also advises the consortium to receive gifts, grants, or donations for
- Generally speaking, these funds are the last resort, with the exception of emergency funds, and so we
- account within the ESL aimed at generating higher investment returns for the state.
Keywords:
Texas Future Fund, investment review board, economic stabilization, innovative technology, national defense, retirement, service credit, Employees Retirement System of Texas, employee benefits, pension reform, salary supplement, county judges, judicial functions, state law, government compensation, public retirement systems, municipality pensions, firefighters, police officers, retirement age
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HWN-EIG, HWN, HWN-HOU, HOU DEFER Public Hearings 02-04-2025
Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Ernie, manager for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.
- Richards and members Aloha Ernie manager Richards and members Aloha Ernie manager for<00:04:53.160>
- generate revenue.
- generate revenue. uh with respect to generating our own uh with respect to generating our own Revenue
- revenue that you could be generating revenue that you could be generating currently<00:27:06.399
Summary:
The joint hearing focused primarily on Senate Bill 1409, which would cap county user fees charged to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands supported the measure, arguing it would reduce monthly housing-related costs for lower-income beneficiaries and help make homesteading more affordable. Several testifiers, including the Tax Foundation of Hawaii and some individuals, also submitted comments or support. County and city water and sewer agencies, including the County of Kauai Department of Water, the City and County of Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and the City and County Department of Environmental Services, strongly opposed the bill, saying it would shift substantial costs to other ratepayers, create lost revenue, and could force fee increases for everyone else. They also raised concerns about the bill’s cap structure and potential misuse, while noting their systems are funded by user fees rather than taxes.
During committee discussion, Honolulu Board of Water Supply officials estimated about 4,500 DHHL customers on Oʻahu and projected lost revenue of roughly $30 million to $36 million over five years, with larger cumulative impacts over time; they said any waiver would be absorbed by other customers. The County of Hawaiʻi representative estimated nearly 2,000 DHHL customers on the Big Island and about $2.4 million in annual lost revenue. DHHL responded that it is pursuing revenue-generating projects on unused lands, but members questioned whether the department should do more to generate its own revenue and suggested looking at other affordability mechanisms, including market rent on commercial properties or a similar cap on other beneficiary fees. After hearing the testimony and discussion, the committee chair announced the recommendation to defer SB 1409 indefinitely, and the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs agreed with that decision.
The hearing then moved to Senate Bill 1408, a housekeeping measure. DHHL testified in support, saying the bill was part of an effort to lower housing costs through a modular manufacturing approach. DHHL described plans to use an unused hangar at Kalaeloa for a potential modular housing manufacturing plant, including discussions with the University of Hawaiʻi and a Denver-based company, and said it was also exploring a pilot project with Habitat for Humanity on Maui. No vote or final action on SB 1408 was taken in the portion of the transcript provided.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Thank you. and generate sustainable revenue streams and generate sustainable revenue streams for<00:02
- electricity, right, or generate power.
- electricity, right, or generate power.
- uh electricity right or generate uh electricity right or generate<00:17:12.760>
power <00:17:13.439 - Deputy Attorney General Trisha Nakamatsu appearing on behalf of the Department of the Attorney General
Summary:
The committees first heard Senate Bill 151 relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and geothermal development on Hawaiian homelands. DHHL and Ulupono Initiative testified in strong support, saying the measure would help advance clean energy goals, create economic opportunities, and support DHHL’s mission. Fine Electric also supported the bill. Several members of the public testified in opposition, raising concerns about consultation with beneficiaries, water impacts, land issues, and the scale of the proposed spending. In response to questions, DHHL staff explained slimhole drilling, the permitting distinctions between water exploration and geothermal exploration, and said prior studies and geophysical testing had been done. The chair then recommended passage with amendments, including SMA technical amendments, a directive to establish a permitted interaction group to study geothermal options, removal of the appropriation language, and a new effective date. The committees adopted the recommendation and passed SB 151 with amendments, with one senator voting no and several excused.
The joint committees then took up Senate Bill 371 on property damage to critical infrastructure facilities. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill with amendments, recommending broader critical infrastructure language to cover systems such as transportation, gas, power, water, and oil, and suggesting additional changes to improve prosecution. Utility and other supporters also testified in favor. The chairs proposed adopting the AG’s amendments except one, and further expanding the bill to make manslaughter explicit when a death results from disruption of critical infrastructure, and to add water as a covered infrastructure category. The committees adopted the amended recommendation and passed SB 371 with amendments.
Finally, the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee heard Senate Bill 585 on special purpose revenue bonds for Bana Pacific. The Attorney General noted a possible issue with the company’s entity status and the bill title, but Bana Pacific stated it was in the process of converting from an LLC to a corporation and was satisfied with the title. The State Energy Office supported the concept, and Bana Pacific described the project as an integrated biogas and green hydrogen facility that would support energy security, create jobs, and reduce emissions. The committee then moved on to Senate Bill 964 on waste-to-energy, where the State Energy Office offered supportive comments but many testifiers opposed the measure, arguing incineration is costly, polluting, and inferior to recycling. Written testimony showed more opposition than support, and public testimony focused on environmental and cost concerns.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, first we have the Department of the Attorney General.
- <02:07:01.760>
makeup in terms of I guess the general makeup in terms of I guess the general - Mahalo. million from the general funds for this million from the general funds for this fiscal<02:27:
- Okay, we have the Department of the Attorney General with comments.
- <02:35:19.120>
well you uh I think in general well you uh I think in general well uh<02:35
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Education Oversight - Morning Session Dec 17th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- The 24-hour course helps set up and manage, teach you how to manage a behavioral threat assessment and
- management team.
- It's the gap that we have to fill in Oklahoma: behavioral threat assessment and management.
- So ideally, if you want to manage...
- Generally, the way it works is that you have to be invited to be on the Rave app.
Summary:
The committee heard extensive testimony on Oklahoma school safety from Commissioner Tipton, OSSI director Mike Fike, OACTIC director Alan Young, OSBI lieutenant Isiles Keene, and Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton. The main focus was a statewide school-safety framework built around response, prevention, and recovery. Witnesses described training law enforcement in the LASER active-shooter response model, adding A-TURK training for coordinated law enforcement/fire/EMS response, expanding run-hide-fight and Stop the Bleed instruction for educators and staff, conducting risk and vulnerability assessments, and using the Rave panic-button system and the ProtectOK tip app to speed reporting and dispatch. They also emphasized behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams as a prevention tool to identify and support at-risk students before violence occurs.
Members asked about administrator and teacher training, school counselor involvement, how apps are deployed on personal versus school devices, and whether schools are actually using the programs. Witnesses said administrators, counselors, and SROs should be part of BTAM, that training is most effective when it is realistic and repeated, and that Rave is geofenced and typically invited onto devices by schools. Several members stressed that school leaders must buy in for safety plans to work, and one member raised concerns about traumatic training and the need for mental-health support as part of prevention. Witnesses said mental-health referral and monitoring are part of BTAM, but the school and local partners must manage the process.
OSBI’s lieutenant added broader context, comparing school safety to fire safety and noting that Oklahoma still lacks some statutory requirements for intruder drills and stronger penalties for school threats. He also discussed possible future tools such as surveillance analytics, gunshot detection, ballistic-rated doors and walls, and better access controls, while warning that technology should supplement, not replace, basic safety systems and training. Sheriff Walton closed by describing rural response challenges and his foundation’s effort to place ballistic shields in schools and police cars, arguing that human resources and rapid communication remain the biggest gaps. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The Attorney General has jurisdiction.
- For Texas residents, and they, as you correctly stated, would report to the Attorney General.
- I'm the General Counsel to the Texas General Land Office.
- I'm the Chief Financial Officer for the General Land Office. Thank you.
- I managed our team full time, worked more than full time, was obsessed with it.
Keywords:
minors, sexually explicit materials, public libraries, age verification, civil penalties, library collection review, alcohol storage, airline permits, beverage regulations, airport, commercial flights, alcoholic beverages, local option election, zoning regulations, municipality control, land use, state law, social media, bot accounts, misinformation
Summary:
The Committee on State Affairs heard several bills, mostly on alcohol regulation, ethics procedures, the Alamo, and free speech in professional associations. SB 2633 would let the City of Garland hold local option elections on alcohol sales within designated zones and use zoning/land-use rules for alcohol-selling businesses; Senator Johnson and Garland officials said it would reduce the burden of the petition process and support economic development. SB 2637 would require social media platforms to disclose when posts are made by bot accounts and allow Attorney General enforcement; supporters framed it as consumer protection against misleading automated content, while members raised questions about how platforms would identify bots and how enforcement would work. SB 2334 would allow airlines with passenger transportation permits to store sealed alcoholic beverages within five miles of an airport in the same county, which the sponsor and an American Airlines witness said would improve logistics without changing permits, taxes, or alcohol sourcing.
The committee also heard SB 2781 and SB 2782, both related to Texas Ethics Commission procedures. SB 2781 would cap civil penalties tied to certain campaign contribution violations by former legislators who later lobby, and SB 2782 would require TEC to adopt discovery control plans and align discovery rules more closely with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure to limit costly, open-ended discovery. Both bills were left pending after no public testimony. SB 3059 would transfer oversight of the Alamo from the General Land Office to a new Alamo Commission beginning in 2027; Senator Campbell said it would provide long-term stewardship and transparency, while Senator Birdwell questioned the need for a change and the commission’s structure, and GLO witnesses said they were not aware of any problem prompting the shift. HB 1130, a House companion to a previously passed Senate bill, would provide liability protections for cavern entities that post warning signs, and it was also left pending.
A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 2713, which would bar professional or trade associations from denying membership or access based on protected characteristics or lawful speech and assembly. Senator Middleton and invited witnesses described disciplinary actions by realtor associations against members for social media posts, sermons, or political speech, arguing that the National Association of Realtors’ ethics rules were being used to punish private expression and threaten livelihoods through loss of MLS access. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the bill should be narrowed to avoid affecting religious organizations, how association discipline works, and whether the measure should address existing penalties or only future conduct. The bill was left pending after extensive invited testimony and committee discussion.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I am the president of Summit Property Management based in Dallas.
- A month or two later, and the manager who's not represented by, by counsel, we try to get our managers
- They all said they had verbal leases with the previous management.
- I'm the policy manager at Texas Network of Youth Services. We call ourselves TNoise.
- I'm the managing attorney of the eviction Rights counsel Unit at Lone Star Legal Aid.
WI
Wisconsin 2026 1st Special Session
Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges Apr 9th, 2026
Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges
Transcript Highlights:
- Generally no. If you are an at-will employee. Generally no. Generally no.
- When we think about what the general...
- And so there's a general counsel now. This is off topic.
- That raises my hand and go, excuse me, and so there's a general counsel now.
- I, like you, appreciate his financial management. We’ve crossed that, Rich.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee Jun 17th, 2026
Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm an attorney four with the Department of Managed Healthcare.
- We have $2 billion in assets under management.
- We have $2 billion in assets under management.
- You got to, they got to manage it and make sure they actually work.
- You got to, they got to manage it and make sure they actually work.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- And we all know this hits close to home, as this is my parents' generation, it's our parents' generation
- , our grandparents' Generation, and so it is absolutely important that we continue to honor them.
- And the arts district, and it’s to provide materials and energy-generational programming.
- They have received some support; the county board generously provided $10,000.
- In front, or you can manage from there if you want, but to run the show.
Keywords:
cultural heritage, funding, White Earth Nation, tribal community, construction, Delano, sesquicentennial, community events, fall of Saigon, Saigon anniversary, Vietnam War commemoration, Vietnamese Minnesotans, Cambodian Minnesotans, Lao Minnesotans, Southeast Asian refugees, Asian American heritage, cultural heritage fund, Minnesota Humanities Center, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, equity funding
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Child Custody Review Task Force Feb 23rd, 2026 at 10:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- And so when you have this situation, it does create confusion for the general public, I think.
- Legislative Management is going to have some say in this.
- So I don't know if this is one bill or three bills that we could offer Legislative Management.
- So if the bill passes, the Legislative Management doesn't have the option of not studying it.
- So if the bill passes, the Legislative Management doesn't have the option of not studying it.
Summary:
The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and reviewed a memorandum compiling member suggestions for possible legislation. The memo grouped ideas into topics including creation of a family court, expanded education for parents, attorneys, and judges, expedited hearings for parenting-time violations, limiting law enforcement involvement in custody disputes, creating parenting time expediters, and adopting more uniform court procedures. Members also discussed whether to form subcommittees, but the task force decided to continue working as a full committee rather than create subcommittees at this time.
The committee then heard testimony from Dr. John Perez, a mental health professional, who described his personal custody experience and his professional work with families he believes have been affected by parental alienation. He argued for stronger education, faster court response times, and better tools to address intentional interference with parenting time. Members questioned him about his case history, the concept of parental alienation, and whether specialized family courts or judges with family-law training could help. Dr. Perez said a dedicated family court and faster hearings would likely have helped his situation.
The task force spent substantial time discussing the possible creation of a family court. Judge Hovey supported the idea of a specialized family court or at least a study of one, saying family cases are distinct from ordinary adversarial litigation and that judges with family-law experience could better handle them. Several members agreed that a family court could improve consistency, expertise, and speed, but others cautioned that the task force’s current directive is focused on enforcement of existing orders rather than broader custody policy, and noted that voters had previously rejected equal shared parenting proposals. The group also discussed expedited procedures for parenting-time disputes, with Judge Hovey suggesting a 30-day hearing timeline may be workable.
On education, members generally supported requiring parents to complete a parenting education course and adding educational materials explaining court process, child support, and what judges can and cannot do. Mr. McLean suggested a short instructional video for litigants and more family-law education for judges and attorneys, while Ms. Moldenhauer said education could be incorporated into scheduling orders or mediation orders. Members also discussed the Parents Forever course, including whether it should be mandatory in all counties and whether cost is a barrier; no vote was taken on any of these proposals.