Transcript Highlights:

• include Global Security development include Global Security development assistance Environmental Protection
• relating to development relating to development districts R Wadsworth you're districts R Wadsworth you're
• with substitute by representative 335 with substitute by representative Whit relating to building permits
• Whit relating to building permits Whit relating to building permits chairman R before you start we got
• officer from parole or permition officer from parole or permition officer from utilizing a post replace

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I look forward to seeing your bill develop. So I look forward to seeing your bill developed.
• However, it is unclear whether this standard permits a modest increase in size.
• However, it is unclear whether this standard permits a modest increase in size.
• But when those agreements are structured without clear guardrails, development.
• SB 1172 ensures that economic development works for our communities, not against them.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, if disconnected while presenting testimony, you may be allowed to continue if time permits.
• <00:12:21.600> continue<00:12:21.920> if<00:12:22.160> time<00:12:22.399> permits
• <00:12:23.120> Um<00:12:23.360> but to continue if time permits.
• Um but to continue if time permits.
• > inner people don't develop the inner people don't develop the inner discipline<00:38:09.280>

Bills: HB2437, HB2461, HB2604, HB2605, HB1860, HB2001

Keywords: arts education, student engagement, cultural literacy, public schools, funding, public art, cultural preservation, community identity, art management, performing arts, ticket surcharge, arts funding, education, community support, therapeutic arts, neurodiverse, autism, attention-deficit disorder, underserved communities, mental health

Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts heard several measures focused on arts funding, public art, performing arts, and libraries. HB 2437 would appropriate funds for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ Artists in the Schools program; the Foundation testified in strong support, explaining that demand has increased and that additional funding would allow more schools to be served. HB 2461 would raise the ceiling for the works of art special fund and provide money for maintenance and a collections manager position; the Foundation supported it and described major conservation needs, including large-scale repairs to public artworks such as the Tadashi Sato work in Hilo and the King Kamehameha statue, as well as ongoing bronze maintenance and new commissions affected by rising materials costs. HB 2604 would create a performing arts ticket surcharge; the Attorney General and Department of Taxation raised drafting and administration concerns, while the State Foundation supported the concept. HB 2605 would create a position to coordinate specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions for underserved neurodivergent populations, and the Foundation supported that measure as well. HB 1860 would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony orchestra and require annual reports; the Attorney General suggested clarifying the public purpose, and the Symphony, youth symphony, and many community supporters testified in favor, emphasizing educational, cultural, and civic benefits. HB 20001 would designate the first Friday in February as Love My Library Day; the State Public Library System, Friends of the Library, and individual testifiers strongly supported it, describing libraries as essential community and educational resources. After hearing testimony, the committee took action on several bills. HB 2437 was recommended for passage with amendments in HD1, with the appropriation blanked out and the additional needed funding to be noted for Finance consideration; the vote was unanimous among members present. HB 2604 was also recommended for passage with HD1 and technical amendments, including deleting the term “Hawaii-based,” clarifying that student performances at public charter schools are exempt, aligning recordkeeping provisions with tax law, and setting an effective date of January 1, 2027. HB 2461 was deferred to decision-making on Friday, February 13. The transcript also indicates the committee moved through the remaining measures after testimony, but the excerpt ends before final votes are shown for HB 2605, HB 1860, and HB 20001.

Transcript Highlights:

• permit.
• They've approved all the development.
• So the developer would, they would say to the developer, you owe us two million dollars because we're
• parcels or an adjacent development.
• What is the Economic Development Agency? What is the economic development agency?

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including guests from the press, Florida State women’s soccer, and former Senator Janet Cruz. Members also announced there would be no conference that weekend. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions and proceeding quickly to third reading and final passage. Among the measures approved were bills modernizing trust settlement and trustee discharge procedures; revising military affairs laws, including leave protections, retirement eligibility, and assistance programs; creating uniform cash-rounding rules as Florida prepares for the end of the penny; refining podiatric medicine rules on cellular/tissue-based products and informed consent; expanding veterans’ court access statewide; clarifying RV park special assessments; establishing concurrent state-federal jurisdiction for juveniles on military installations; reauthorizing alcoholic beverage loss deductions; and revising bail bond and pretrial release laws, including training, electronic notices, forfeiture timing, and related procedures. Members also passed bills on eyewear insurance licensing, expanding the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund into health science education, streamlining recovery residence regulation, enhancing felony battery penalties, and updating child welfare rules to reduce repeated background checks, make the Step Into Success program permanent, and create a best-practices program. Several bills drew brief supportive remarks, especially those affecting veterans, the National Guard, foster youth, and military families. One bail bond bill prompted questions about charitable bail bonds, with the sponsor stating the current statute would remain unchanged. Most bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously; the bail bond measure passed 36-1, while the others noted here passed with no or minimal opposition. The Senate also adopted an amendment to the military affairs bill and a delete-all amendment to the military-installation jurisdiction bill before final passage. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to honoring Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman on her farewell. Members from both parties offered extended remarks praising her leadership, preparation, collegiality, advocacy on issues such as voting rights, women’s rights, Israel, anti-Semitism, breast cancer, school safety, and family law, and her effectiveness in committee and on the floor. Berman delivered an extended farewell speech reflecting on her 16 years in the Legislature, her family, her district, and her legislative priorities, and the Senate ordered her remarks spread upon the journal before recessing and later returning to continue the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• > movement permitting non-infected farms movement permitting non-infected farms movement during
• <01:14:22.320> um initiative which we've developed um initiative which we've developed um
• The first is the<01:20:38.960> Economic<01:20:39.440> Development the Economic Development
• transportation pathways, um developing transportation pathways, um developing business<01:22:48.159
• like water and economic dis development like water and economic dis development districts<01:30:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• permit.
• Between the landowner and the county when applying for a development permit. That is the bill, Mr.
• So the developer would, they would say to the developer, you owe us two million dollars because we're
• parcels or an adjacent development.
• It would have to be the development order, have the negotiations would have to take place, the development

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, several introductions, and an announcement that there would be no conference that weekend. The chamber then took up a long special order calendar and passed a series of bills, often by substituting House companions. Early measures included trust law modernization to create a nonjudicial trustee discharge process, military affairs changes expanding leave and retirement-related provisions, a bill to prepare for the end of penny use by standardizing cash rounding, and a podiatric medicine bill regulating cellular or tissue-based products and informed consent. The Senate also approved veterans court expansion, RV park assessment clarification, alcohol-loss tax deduction authority, bail bond and pretrial release revisions, and a military-installation jurisdiction bill to allow juvenile cases on bases to be handled in state juvenile court under certain conditions. Most bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously, with the bail bond bill passing 36-1 after questions about charitable bail bonds and confirmation that existing law on return of charitable bail funds would remain unchanged. The chamber then paused for a lengthy farewell presentation honoring Senator Lori Berman, featuring a video, remarks from many senators, and Berman’s own closing speech reflecting on her 16 years of service, her legislative priorities, and her call for civility, bipartisanship, and continued support for issues such as school safety, Israel, anti-Semitism, and affordability. After the tribute, the Senate resumed and passed additional bills, including one expanding insurance coverage definitions for portable electronics and eyewear, a workforce and nursing education funding bill broadening support for health science programs, a recovery residences regulatory streamlining bill, a felony battery enhancement bill adding resisting an officer with violence as a qualifying prior offense, and a child welfare bill extending visitor thresholds in out-of-home placements, making the Step Into Success program permanent, and creating a best-practices program. The chamber also advanced a candidate qualification bill tightening party-affiliation requirements and adding a House provision on recent legal name changes; debate began on that measure as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• district and who is not enrolled as a full-time student in the district in which he resides shall be permitted
• <00:01:53.759> by which he resides shall be permitted by which he resides shall be permitted
• Um, and we come at this bill from a workforce development standpoint.
• You know, there development standpoint.
• So uh I think this not know developed.

Bills: HB0023, HB0024, HB0025

Keywords: extracurricular activities, public school participation, enrollment, Wyoming, student access, charter schools, application process, authorizers, public hearing, community support, scholarship, education, eligibility, continuous enrollment, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an economic development tool, and it is a tool that basically says, welcome to the Commonwealth.
• Very important in that development of medical It's not about allowing a health care professional to do
• Very important in that development of medical I would say this is very important: it provides services
• Very important in that development of medical Six other states have had very similar legislation, in
• Very important in that development of medical that they can work with their conscience that they can

Keywords: Discussion on SB 132 - 00:06 Vote on SB 132 - 04:41 Discussion on HB 219 - 43:49 Vote on HB 219 – 49:00 Discussion on HCR 20 – 50:08 Vote on HCR 20 – 51:28, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 132, which would create conscience protections for health care professionals who object to participating in certain procedures or services on religious, moral, or ethical grounds. Senator Donald Douglas and several supporters argued the bill is a recruitment and retention tool for Kentucky’s health care workforce, emphasizing provider shortages, maldistribution, and the need to protect individual conscience rights. Supporters said the bill would not apply to emergency care, would not permit denial of care based on a patient’s identity, and would mainly protect professionals from being forced to perform procedures they believe are unethical. They also cited similar laws in six other states and said the bill would have a cause of action to give it enforcement teeth. Supportive testimony came from an emergency physician, a registered nurse, and others who described personal experiences or examples involving objections to abortion-related care, opioid prescribing, and pressure to participate in procedures that conflicted with conscience. They said conscience protections would help attract providers, preserve ethical integrity, and allow clinicians to make professional judgments without corporate or institutional coercion. In questioning, senators asked about practical examples, the scope of the bill, whether it would cover hypothetical cases involving patients of particular religions or identities, and which states have similar laws. The sponsor and supporters repeatedly said the bill is about procedures, not patients, and that it should not be read to allow discrimination against individuals. Opponents, including pediatricians and a registered nurse/minister, warned that the bill is overly broad and could allow refusals of care by not only physicians but also pharmacists, clerks, and ambulance drivers. They argued it could delay treatment, increase discrimination, and worsen access problems in rural areas, especially for contraception, Plan B, blood transfusions, and other services. Critics said existing professional ethics already require patient care and that the bill could undermine evidence-based medicine and worsen Kentucky’s provider shortage. The committee took testimony and questions; no final vote or disposition was announced in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• the hopefully the last regularly scheduled session of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
• She's approaching graduation, but she has permitted public access as a service dog in training under
• Chairpersons and members of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.
• Chairpersons and members of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.
• With that, we've concluded all of our hearings for the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with the co-chairs introducing House and Senate members and explaining the hybrid format, three-minute testimony guidance, and the deadline for written testimony. The committee then heard extensive testimony on S. 2665, which would require employers to post notice to employees when an I-9 audit or similar federal immigration inspection is underway. Supporters, including immigration attorneys, a pediatrician, a labor leader, and an affected family member, argued the bill would protect privacy, give workers time to gather documents and consult counsel, and reduce fear and wrongful arrests. One witness from Illinois described a similar law there and said it had not caused the problems employers feared, while others said recent ICE enforcement has made notice especially important. The committee also heard testimony on S. 1360, a bill affecting collective bargaining rights for State Police, with the State Police Association arguing that a statutory gap lets departmental rules override their contract and that the bill would restore intended bargaining protections. A separate labor bill, S. 1305, was also briefly supported by the AFL-CIO as part of broader worker-classification protections for app-based delivery drivers. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 2066, which would impose fines on transportation network drivers who refuse rides to people with disabilities using service animals. Testimony from blind and disabled riders, service dog users, advocates, and the Disability Law Center described repeated ride cancellations, drivers pulling away after seeing a service animal, and the difficulty of enforcing existing anti-discrimination laws through MCAD or other agencies. Witnesses said the current system leaves riders without practical recourse because drivers are hard to identify and complaints can take years, and they argued that fines on individual drivers would create a real deterrent. Several witnesses also described the impact on employment, medical appointments, and daily independence. Committee members asked about service-animal verification, whether refusals are ever appropriate, and whether penalties should target drivers or companies; witnesses said legitimate refusals are limited to misbehaving or unsafe animals and that companies already have policies and some training, but enforcement remains weak. The committee also heard from a witness supporting a related bill on rideshare accessibility and from advocates describing broader transportation discrimination issues. One witness discussed a separate proposal to study service-animal denial, and others noted that Uber’s self-identification feature and company policies have not solved the problem. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the meeting ended after the final witnesses on the service-animal bill and a brief organizational discussion about related legislation and committee business.

Transcript Highlights:

• My area of research is on reproduction and gender development.
• They seek teamwork, confidence, accomplishment, memories, positive development, and more.
• Can you reveal what you know, if you're permitted to discuss that?
• Under the law, students in California are permitted to participate in sex-segregated programs and access
• another distinction of an interesting facet of what I see as the myriad of biology that makes us develop

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , but are really developers.
• , but are really developers.
• , but are really developers.
• , but are really developers.
• <03:22:56.080> does individual Wastewater permits does individual Wastewater permits does

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public within the limits of our time, we will not permit
• During the Gulf War in 1990, FVAP initiated the electronic transmission service, which permitted military
• What we need, we believe, is a path to developing consensus among policymakers on what specific option
• looking on what other states are doing in this process and their degree of success, and if possible develop

Summary: The Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee met and considered several measures, with most of the discussion focused on veterans’ access to food assistance, overseas voting, and veteran mental health research. SB 1201, the “No Hungry Heroes Act,” would seek federal waivers to protect certain veterans from CalFresh time limits and require referrals to county veteran service officers; supporters said federal SNAP cuts are leaving vulnerable veterans at risk of hunger, while no opposition testified. Members spoke strongly in favor, emphasizing the need to support service members and their families. SB 970 addressed ballot access for military and overseas voters after the federal DOD fax service was discontinued. The bill would direct the Secretary of State to develop regulations for a secure ballot return method. County election officials and veterans groups supported the measure, while the Secretary of State’s office and Verified Voting raised concerns about cybersecurity and urged a more deliberate process, including a possible task force. After discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 970 and send it to Appropriations. SB 1224 proposed a California Emerging Therapies Research Partnership to help the state compete for federal research funding for alternative therapies, including treatments relevant to PTSD, depression, and substance use among veterans. Veterans advocates described the bill as a way to expand options for those not helped by traditional treatment, and the author noted amendments to address conflicts of interest and administrative issues. The committee approved the bill and referred it to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar, including HR 120, SB 892, SB 1188, SJR 14, and SJR 17, and later voted SB 1201 and SB 970 out of committee as well. Overall, the meeting reflected broad bipartisan support for veteran-focused measures, with the main policy debate centered on how to balance access and security in overseas voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public within the limits of our time, we will not permit
• During the Gulf War in 1990, FVAP initiated the electronic transmission service, which permitted military
• What we need, we believe, is a path to developing consensus among policymakers on what specific option
• looking at what other states are doing in this process and their degree of success, and if possible develop

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we just look at this—you know, workforce development is an issue for all the contractors across
• It would allow delinquent taxpayers to renew their license through RLD... ...or a permit, the way distance
• permit, if they're compliant with the tax and rent installment agreement and yet delinquent.
• Main and only change in the legislation is to support uniformity and predictability for property developers

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of our population of 150,000 residents as well as other municipalities that face the threat of development
• We're threatened by the development of new technology right at our Mayor Wayne Messam: Border, decided
• It provides that a commercial wastewater system permit is valid for one year.
• of these Representative Boyles: Alternate land application facilities would still be able to be permitted

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, the legislature permitted participating districts to voluntarily exit the TRS Active Care program
• So in the first year that employers were permitted to leave active care, 114 left.
• Additionally, we work with every federal law enforcement agency, and we're at the forefront of developing
• These reforms were developed and agreed upon by all key stakeholders the city of San Antonio, the San

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislation permits participating districts. voluntarily exited the TRS ActiveCare program.
• So in the first year that employers were permitted to leave ActiveCare, 114 left.
• Additionally, we work with every federal law enforcement agency, and we're at the forefront of developing
• Regarding a definition for months of service for members, these reforms were developed and agreed upon

Bills: HB3014, HB3109, HB3126, HB3474, HB3594

Keywords: gift card fraud, counterfeit gift card, gift card tampering, gift card theft, prepaid card, stored value card, retail fraud, financial crimes, consumer protection, organized retail crime, gift card skimming, magnetic stripe, chip card, redemption information, gift card packaging, Penal Code, felony theft, state jail felony, third-degree felony, second-degree felony

Transcript Highlights:

• We have looked at what we've learned from past projects to help inform project development decisions,
• <00:15:03.760> decisions, inform uh project development decisions, inform uh project development
• um we have a lot of project development um we have a lot of project development professionals<00
• , that's a part of project development, that's a part of project development, but<00:25:18.720>
• Riverport and Industrial Development Riverport and Industrial Development Authorities<00:55:39.839

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:20 Road Projects 46:30 Approval of Minutes 46:50 Railroads 57:26 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum, so it could not approve the minutes. The chair announced an Eastern Kentucky University health forum later that day and then proceeded with testimony on alternative delivery methods for road projects. Jason Sawala of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Chad Laroo of the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors were sworn in and introduced themselves. Sawala explained KYTC’s use of alternative delivery tools, including design-build, construction manager/general contractor (CMGC), and public-private partnerships (P3s). He said the cabinet’s goal is to deliver the best value to taxpayers in terms of quality, cost, and time, and emphasized that alternative delivery is most useful on projects with special circumstances such as innovation needs, specialized technology, complex constructibility, schedule pressure, or early contractor input. He cited the cabinet’s wrong-way driving prevention project as an example where design-build helped evaluate technologies and coordinate with stakeholders such as EMS and first responders. He also outlined the main tradeoffs: alternative delivery can improve collaboration and sometimes accelerate schedules, but it also brings risks related to right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, changing scope, and the need for dedicated staff and compressed decision-making. He stressed that these methods are not a cure-all and are not appropriate for every project, while noting that traditional design-bid-build remains effective for most of KYTC’s work. Representative Branscum responded favorably, saying early contractor involvement is valuable and consistent with his experience in the vertical construction world. No votes or formal actions were taken because the committee lacked a quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's precisely what the rule from the Biden administration permitted.
• And that's precisely what the rule from the Biden administration permitted.
• c> materiality that developed the materiality that developed the materiality definition<00:36:21.359
• <00:58:00.799> to fiduciaries would be permitted to fiduciaries would be permitted to consider
• Portchester and have developed Portchester and have developed incredible<02:16:42.880> numbers

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 15, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:27:11.720> they went to get their their permitting they went to get their their permitting
• We hope that a flexible approach in permitting noise barriers will help protect residents and preserve
• <00:46:35.240> noise flexible approach in permitting noise flexible approach in permitting
• discussion about planning the developing discussion about planning the developing of<02:01:36.360
• Charles Redfern has worked tirelessly to develop and improve the multi-use trails.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 561, sponsored by Representative Nancy Murphy, which would limit the state’s ability to discontinue, reclassify, or revert state-owned highway property to municipalities without local approval. Murphy and other supporters argued the bill would protect towns from unfunded mandates and prevent property tax increases caused by taking on costly road maintenance. Representative Wendy Thomas, Rosemarie Rung, Merrimack Town Council Chairman Finley Rothhouse, and Town Manager Paul McAuliffe all testified in support, describing the financial burden of the planned transfer of Continental Boulevard in Merrimack and warning it would set a harmful precedent for other communities. The Department of Transportation’s Steve Leon explained the department’s current authority and processes for discontinuance and reclassification, said active highways are not surplus property, and noted that the Supreme Court’s Town of Nelson decision held such reclassifications were not an unfunded mandate. The committee then closed the public hearing on HB 561. The committee next took up House Bill 578, presented by Representative Mooney on behalf of Representative Bill Boyd, to require sound barriers along the F. Everett Turnpike in Merrimack. Supporters said widening the turnpike would increase noise in nearby neighborhoods and that a 2019 NHDOT study identified 17 neighborhoods with noise levels above federal standards, though only four were included for mitigation under the current project. They argued the remaining neighborhoods should also receive relief and cited quality-of-life and property-value concerns. Senator Tim McGuire also testified in support, saying residents were experiencing unexpected and severe noise impacts and urging the committee to act outside the usual criteria to approve the barriers. The transcript provided does not show a final committee vote or action on HB 578.