Transcript Highlights:

• Competitiveness Infrastructure Program to projects that are not eligible for funding from the Freight Mobility
• learned so much in my time on this committee about the importance of our port system and freight mobility
• We agree that we need to have freight mobility. We need to have standards in place.

Bills: SB5420

Keywords: veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights

Transcript Highlights:

• this definition, I would say, not a pre-manufactured or factory-assembled structure, which includes mobile
• He added that rail is a vital component of freight mobility and the full transportation system, and that
• rail is one of the most carbon-efficient modes of freight mobility and supports Washington’s climate

Summary: The committee heard four bills. On kit homes (ESSB 5552), staff explained the bill would direct the State Building Code Council to adopt rules for residential kit homes of 800 square feet or less by March 31, 2027. Prime sponsor Sen. Jeff Wilson said the bill would add housing options and asked that kit homes be treated as a distinct category from modular or factory-built structures; members asked whether current rules exist and whether the bill would cover 3D-printed homes. The public hearing was postponed, and later one supporter testified that the bill would help create clearer statewide standards without changing local zoning or safety requirements. On SB 5467, staff said the bill raises the thresholds for water-sewer districts to sell surplus property without notice or by private sale, increasing the personal property threshold to $5,400 and the real property threshold to $7,500. Sen. Keith Goehner said the change simply updates outdated limits to reflect inflation and improve efficiency. A representative of the Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts supported the bill, noting the thresholds had not been updated since 2011 for real property and 1993 for surplus property. The committee closed the public hearing without action. The committee also heard SB 5820, which would repeal Clark County’s authority to apply a freight rail-dependent use overlay to certain lands under prior law. Sen. Adrian Cortes argued the existing exemption has harmed agricultural and forest lands, led to environmental violations, and cost taxpayers money, while local supporters said the overlay has not produced promised economic benefits and should be removed. Opponents, including a railroad operator, the Association of Washington Business, and others, said the rail line supports economic development, rail-served industrial demand, and existing contractual and public investments, and warned repeal could strand investments and limit future freight and climate-friendly transportation options. The hearing was closed with no vote. Finally, the committee heard SB 5995, which would remove the 2031 sunset from the existing prohibition on using public port funds to buy fully automated marine cargo container handling equipment, while continuing to allow zero- and near-zero-emission equipment purchases. The sponsor and labor witnesses said the bill protects family-wage jobs, keeps taxpayer money from subsidizing automation, and preserves human oversight for safety and efficiency. Port and shipping industry opponents argued the bill is premature, could reduce port competitiveness, and should remain subject to the current sunset so the policy can be revisited later. The public hearing was closed with no action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• disabilities change schools at least one time during just high school, which shows our significant mobility
• High school, which shows our significant mobility.
• A statewide IEP platform will help address mobility issues we face in New Mexico and historical federal

Bills: HB30, HB120, HJR1, SB210, SB306

Keywords: teacher residency, Teacher Residency Act, public schools, teacher preparation, educator pipeline, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, student teachers, apprenticeship, co-teaching, mentor teachers, residency stipend, teacher salary, level one teacher, charter schools, school districts, New Mexico education, teacher workforce, principal stipend, cohort model

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 64, which would codify the existing Office of Special Education within the Public Education Department, create a deputy secretary position, and formalize responsibilities for enforcing special education law, monitoring disability protections, and supporting a statewide online IEP system. The sponsor and PED officials said the bill would provide continuity, improve compliance with IDEA, help students who move between schools, and keep gifted education unchanged in its current curriculum-and-instruction placement. An amendment requiring quarterly consultation with superintendents and charter school leaders was also described as a way to improve collaboration and continuous improvement. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from educators, disability advocates, parents, superintendents, unions, and charter school representatives, who said the bill would improve accountability, transparency, and services for students with disabilities. One parent testified in opposition to the gifted-education language, warning that removing gifted students from the special education umbrella could weaken protections and services. Committee members asked about cost, the office’s current structure, the role of 504 plans, and how the bill would affect military and foster students; PED said the office is already staffed and funded primarily through federal IDEA dollars and that 504 enforcement remains separate, though the office may monitor related protections. The committee then voted do pass. The committee next heard House Bill 256, which would require schools to include cardiac emergency response procedures for athletic activities and ensure AEDs are clearly marked and accessible at those events. Supporters, including the American Heart Association, nurses, and school leaders, emphasized that AEDs and trained staff can dramatically improve survival in sudden cardiac arrest cases. Questions focused on how many AEDs schools would need, whether schools already have them, and how the bill would affect middle school athletics and budgets; the sponsor said schools would determine the best placement, with at least one AED available for athletic events. The committee voted do pass. Finally, the committee heard House Memorial 43, which asks LESC and PED to study how New Mexico and other states measure school performance, including the use of the Lexile reading framework. Superintendents argued that Lexile provides a more consistent, apples-to-apples comparison than some state accountability measures and could better reflect student growth. There was no opposition, members asked about possible study costs, and the memorial passed on a do pass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• health outcomes, stronger educational results for their children, and greater long-term economic mobility
• Homeownership is one of the most powerful avenues for achieving economic mobility, especially for low-income
• It also supports upward mobility by providing generational wealth.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then took up several floor items. The main policy item was SR 71 by Senator Arreguín, a resolution recognizing the importance of affordable homeownership in California. Supporters from both parties emphasized homeownership as a path to stability, wealth-building, and neighborhood strength, while noting the state’s high housing costs, racial disparities in ownership, and the role of nonprofit builders such as Habitat for Humanity and state programs like CalHome. The resolution passed 35-0, and Senator Arreguín then introduced Habitat for Humanity advocates visiting for Annual Advocacy Day. The Senate also confirmed three gubernatorial appointments: Trista Gonzalez as Director of the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, Aaron McGuire as executive director of the Board of State and Community Corrections, and Lee Herrick for reappointment as California Poet Laureate. All three confirmations were approved unanimously or near-unanimously. In addition, the body adopted SCR 115 by Senator Daly, recognizing Wear Red Day and February as Heart Health Month, with extensive remarks about women’s heart disease, stroke awareness, and the importance of listening to symptoms; the resolution passed 37-0. The Senate then adopted SR 75 by Senator Rubio, designating CalEITC Awareness Week to promote awareness of the state earned income tax credit, which supporters described as a key anti-poverty tool; it passed 29-0. During privileges of the floor, the Senate welcomed visiting British shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly and his wife, Lady Susanna Cleverly, who are in California through a USC Schwarzenegger Institute fellowship studying housing policy. The chamber also heard a committee announcement and a motion to move one file item to the inactive file. The session concluded with adjournment in memory of Frank Gehry, June Roberti, and Stephen Michael Ruda Flores, with members offering tributes to each and the Senate announcing its next meeting date.

Transcript Highlights:

• interpret practice under a certificate as meeting the active practice of medicine requirement under the MOBILE
• So what happens is, while Florida Statutes 458.305 defines the practice of medicine broadly, the MOBILE
• WHILE  FLORIDA STATUTES 458.305 DEFINES  562 THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE  BROADLY THE MOBILE

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and heard a series of health care-related bills, with Chair Tuck emphasizing respectful debate and noting that all bills on the agenda would be voted on that day. The first measure, HB 743, would give the Attorney General authority to investigate and bring civil actions against health care practitioners who violate Florida’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and would make aiding or abetting such conduct a third-degree felony. Supporters said it closed loopholes and protected minors and parental rights, while opponents argued it was vague, overbroad, and could chill lawful care and professional judgment. The bill passed 13-4 and was reported favorably. The committee then unanimously approved PCS for HB 567, which narrows a continuing-education requirement for podiatrists so only those who prescribe controlled substances must take the related two-hour course. It also unanimously approved HB 439, allowing chiropractors, under specified training and certification requirements, to inject vitamins and nutrients while continuing to prohibit intravenous injections. The committee also passed HB 1235 to enter Florida into the respiratory care interstate compact, and HB 1237, a linked public-records/public-meetings exemption needed to implement that compact; both measures were supported as workforce and access-to-care bills and passed without opposition. Later, the committee approved PCS for HB 809, which addresses temporary physician certificates in areas of need and aims to prevent doctors from losing the ability to practice when area designations change. Members asked about licensure pathways and the effect of federal or board designation changes, and supporters framed the bill as protecting continuity of care in underserved communities. The committee also unanimously passed HB 1347 to align clinical laboratory personnel licensing with federal CLIA standards amid staffing shortages, and HB 1515, a public-records exemption tied to a uterine fibroid research database. Finally, the committee approved HB 169 updating acupuncture statutes, including terminology changes and limits on injection therapy, and HB 1021, Representative Young’s first bill, allowing qualified hospital pharmacists in Level I and II trauma centers to administer emergency medications at a physician’s direction during life-threatening situations. HB 1021 drew the most questions, mainly about scope, definitions, and who could authorize the pharmacist, but after a technical amendment it passed unanimously. All remaining bills were reported favorably, and the meeting adjourned after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mobile, Pro Tempore Pringle, for the purpose of making announcements
• Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mobile, Representative Bracy. Thank you, Mr.
• The Chair recognized the gentlewoman from Mobile, Representative Simpson.

Bills: HJR 99, HB 1399, HB 1400, HB 1094, HB 365, HB 1109, HB 647, HCR 35, SB 14, HB 12, HB 1522, HB 422, HB 675, HB 204, HB 748, HB 912, HJR 99, HB 1399, HB 1400, HB 1094, HB 365, HB 1109, HB 647, HCR 35, HCR 123, HCR 124, HR 57, HR 87, HR 111, HR 228, HR 230, HR 322, HR 624, HR 625, HR 626, HR 627, HR 628, HR 630, HR 631, HR 634, HR 635, HR 636, HR 637, HR 638, HR 639, HR 640, HR 645, HR 646, HR 648, HR 649, HR 651, HR 652, HR 653, HR 654, HR 664, HR 665, HR 668, HR 675, HR 676, HR 678, HR 679, HR 680, HR 683, HR 686, HR 688, HR 689, HR 694, HR 695, HR 697, HR 698, HR 699, HR 472, HR 622, HR 632, HR 633, HR 643, HR 655, HR 657, HR 660, HR 661, HR 662, HR 663, HR 667, HR 670, HR 674, HR 681, HR 682, HR 696

Keywords: animal feed, tax exemption, ad valorem taxation, retail, constitutional amendment, retail sale, tangible personal property, Texas tax code, groundwater, water conservation, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, innovation fund, local conservation districts, transportation protection agreement, funeral services, insurance exemption, regulation, deceased transportation, HB 365

Transcript Highlights:

• and we often deal, particularly in rural areas of rural northeast Texas, with manufactured homes, mobile
• This does allow for that mobile home, oftentimes, which isn’t, you know, as far as an estate is concerned
• deed on that home to avoid thousands of dollars potentially in probate costs, simply to transfer a mobile

Bills: SB387, SB1650, SB1838, SB1839, SB1923, SB1940, SB2052

Keywords: judicial bond, guardianship, probate law, county judge, statutory county court, attorney general, criminal prosecution, public order, law enforcement, jurisdiction, attorney ad litem, parent-child relationship, compensation, legal representation, government entity, probate, court proceedings, record delivery, wills, legal documentation

Summary: The Senate Committee on Jurisprudence heard several family-law and probate bills. Senate Bill 2052 would codify a rebuttable presumption that a parent acts in the best interest of a child and require clear and convincing evidence to overcome that presumption in disputes involving non-parents; the author and several witnesses supported the bill as a clarification of existing case law, while one witness suggested refining the modification language. Public testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1923, which would allow child support to follow a child placed temporarily with kin or fictive kin under a parental child safety placement or authorization agreement; the bill’s author and a grandparent caregiver testified in support, while one witness suggested the Attorney General could handle the change administratively. That bill was also left pending. Senate Bill 1838 would standardize fee schedules and compensation rules for attorneys ad litem and related court-appointed counsel in DFPS child-protection cases. The author said the bill would clarify unclear current law, and witnesses from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and family-defense bar supported it, though one asked that expert-witness expenses be expressly included. Senate Bill 387 would raise the bond requirement for county judges handling guardianship proceedings to at least $500,000; the author described it as a refiling of a prior bill that passed unanimously but was vetoed, and a statutory probate judge testified in support. Senate Bill 1839 would require original or paper wills to be delivered to the transferee court when probate proceedings are transferred; the committee substitute broadened the delivery methods, and the district clerk witness supported the change. All three bills were left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 1536, which had previously been voted out with the wrong committee substitute; members reconsidered the vote, adopted the corrected substitute, and then voted 3-0 to report the bill favorably to the full Senate, with local and contested calendar certification. Finally, Senate Bill 1940 would create a transfer-on-death mechanism for manufactured homes classified as personal property, similar to existing tools for real property and vehicles; the author and an estate-planning attorney testified that it would streamline transfers and reduce probate costs. A non-substantive committee substitute was still being prepared, and the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• state of Iowa, and as soon as you cross the border, some people tell me, you can place a bet on your mobile
• state of Iowa, and as soon as you cross the border, some people tell me, you can place a bet on your mobile
• state of Iowa, and as soon as you cross the border, some people tell me, you can place a bet on your mobile

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our Office of Economic Development is working on the Coconut Marketplace Mobility Hub, which would include
• economic development is working on the coconut<00:28:00.600><c> Marketplace</c><00:28:01.320><c> Mobility
• </c><00:28:01.880><c> Hub</c><00:28:02.840><c> which</c> coconut Marketplace Mobility Hub which coconut
• Marketplace Mobility Hub which would<00:28:03.159><c> include</c><00:28:03.519><c> a</c><00:28:03.640
• </c><00:40:34.200><c> crisis</c> allowed us to create a mobile crisis allowed us to create a mobile crisis

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Employee retention, the cost of living here in Austin is extremely expensive. 70% of our employees are
• Our agency is currently running off of eight full-time employees.
• Ray Hemel, representing the Texas Public Employees Association.
• We desperately need. a COLA that is recurring for your employees, your employees. retired employees.
• Every Texan partnered with Texas State Employees. employees union last year to survey state employees

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this, and as we've gone through and we see the different things that have occurred, especially how mobile
• like notarization and updating and all the different things that apply to a society that is very mobile
• </c><00:01:58.000><c> our</c> occurred, especially how mobile our occurred, especially how mobile our
• > and</c><00:02:16.959><c> lives</c><00:02:17.280><c> in</c><00:02:18.319><c> um</c> that is very mobile
• and lives in um that is very mobile and lives in um several<00:02:19.120><c> places</c><00:02:19.680

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > have</c><02:30:46.200><c> um</c> So, do these employees have um So, do these employees have um free
• </c> retention of employees. retention of employees.
• The remainder of the employees are subject, as state employees, to the state ethics code.
• </c> it's about any kind of public employee it's about any kind of public employee who<02:59:30.960><
• So, an outside investigator was engaged. is a former employee, and some of the is a former employee,

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, if they're contract employees, then it wasn't...
• So you're saying they're currently contract employees? Sure.
• I mean, what other employees are there? Who have we left out?
• I mean, what other employees are there? Who have we left out?
• If they are a company's employee, they would have access.

Bills: HR72, HR73, HR74, HR75, HR76, HR77, HR78, HR79, HR80, HR81, HR82, HR83, HCR36, HCR37, HCR38, HCR39, HCR40, HCR41, HB368, HB433, HB1017, HB1018, HB1019, HB1020, HB1021, HB1022, HB1023, HB1024, HB1025, HB1026, HB1027, HB1028, HB1029, HB1030, HB1031, HB1032, HB1033, HB1034, HB1035, HB1036, HB1037, HB1038, HB1039, HB1040, HB1041, HB1042, HB1043, HB1044, HB1045, HB1046, HB1047, HB1048, HB1049, HB1050, HB1051, HB1052, HB1053, HB1054, HB1055, HB1056, HB1057, HB1058, HB1059, HB1060, HB1061, HB1062, HB1063, HB1064, HB1065, HB1066, HB1067, HB1068, HB1069, HB1070, HB1071, HB1072, HB1073, HB1074, HB1075, HB1076, HB1077, HB1078, HB1079, HB1080, HB1081, HB1082, HB1083, HB1084, HR70, HR71, HCR35, HB31, HB326, HB1013, HB1014, HB1015, HB1016, SB192, SB196, SB198, SB203, SB204, SB214, SB216, SB257, SB291, SB383, HB13, HB23, HB25, HB32, HB41, HB42, HB90, HB120, HB121, HB122, HB127, HB138, HB139, HB141, HB179, HB187, HB213, HB247, HB286, HB332, HB344, HB357, HB367, HB370, HB462, HB505, HB527, HB537, HB605, HB680, HB681, HB725, HB780, HB782, HB847, HB892, HB911, HB916, HB1012, HR15, HR20, HCR14, HB53, HB57, HB64, HB102, HB106, HB111, HB137, HB152, HB155, HB177, HB238, HB256, HB258, HB337, HB359, HB363, HB386, HB434, HB546, HB557, HB584, HB661, HB697, HB726, HB727, HB747, HB756, HB758, HB759, HB765, HB767, HB825, HB858, HB930, HB941, HB957, HB964, HB58, HB69, HB93, HB166, HB199, HB201, HB202, HB218, HB223, HB224, HB231, HB235, HB246, HB338, HB349, HB352, HB379, HB405, HB429, HB535, HB547, HB577, HB588, HB626, HB636, HB652, HB653, HB669, HB688, HB691, HB721, HB738, HB806, HB851, HB857, HB861, HB889, HB904, HB907, HB908, HB929, HB1009, HB868, HB119, HB140, HB739, HB842, HB875, HB919, HB61, HB185, HB233, HB613, HB848, HB52, HB228, HB289, HB735, HB796, HB722, HB284, HB301, HB827, HB953, HB901, HB9, HB46, HB193, HB400, HB436, HB468, HB570, HB582, HB733, HB746, HB923, HB952

Keywords: HR72, House Resolution 72, Sophia Patout, Layla Porter, St. Amant High School, Future Farmers of America, FFA, Coastal Restoration Heroes, coastal restoration, Louisiana coast, coastal land loss, wetlands, saltmarsh, barrier island, West Grand Terre Island, Restore or Retreat Inc., smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, black mangrove, Avicennia germinans

Summary: The House met on March 26, 2026, established a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a large number of introductions, resolutions, and committee reports. The chamber recognized Women of the Storm on its 20th anniversary, honored Saint-Amant FFA for winning a national coastal restoration championship, and later recognized Elevate Louisiana. The House also received Senate bills on topics including freshwater fishing limits, bridge preservation, emergency medical services, ambulance reimbursement, eye care coverage, and other matters, and introduced numerous House resolutions and bills covering education, ethics, transportation, elections, public records, criminal law, and appropriations. Several measures were referred to committees or were allowed to lie over, while some resolutions were adopted without objection. The House then considered and passed a series of bills, many by wide margins. Criminal justice and public safety measures included HB 53, adding illegal gambling as a RICO predicate offense; HB 57, allowing courts to consider criminal histories when issuing temporary restraining orders; HB 64, authorizing magistrates to recall arrest warrants; HB 102, creating second-degree cruelty to the elderly and persons with infirmities; HB 106, requiring written parental consent before melatonin is administered to children; HB 137, strengthening penalties and school notification procedures for terroristic threats against schools; HB 152, updating controlled dangerous substances schedules; HB 155, restricting drone use near the Capitol; HB 177, allowing retired court reporters to return on contract; and HB 727, allowing burning of certain untreated construction lumber and wood mats. Members also approved HB 11, adding associate degrees to sentence-diminution eligibility, and HB 726, increasing penalties for abandoning vessels, with discussion noting the need for future funding to remove derelict boats. Education and workforce-related bills also advanced, including HB 238, easing ethics restrictions so former school board members who are certified teachers or school psychologists can return to work sooner; HB 256, clarifying mandatory reporter training for school employees; HB 363, allowing virtual-school students to participate in extracurricular activities and athletics at their resident public school; HB 386, allowing locally authorized charter schools to operate as their own LEA under local rules; HB 434, giving superintendents more authority over probationary school bus employees; HB 557, defining long-term care pharmacies; and HB 584, ending the practice of giving foster children trash bags for belongings and providing proper luggage instead. The House also passed HB 661, expanding nepotism exceptions for certain lower-paid school positions such as paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers, and HB 697, recreating the Department of Environmental Quality through 2030. Most bills passed unanimously or with strong bipartisan support, though HB 137 on school threats drew significant debate over parental liability and juvenile intervention before passing 71-26.

Transcript Highlights:

• and 5.5% growth for higher education employees.
• I don't have an ask because you've included the 18 employees.
• I'm a member of Texas State Employees Union and...
• We desperately need a COLA that is recurring for your employees, your retired employees.
• Every Texan partnered with Texas State Employees Union last year to survey state employees on their pay

Transcript Highlights:

• if this is something that USAR will have the job protections, because they will all be official employees
• There are a lot of different designations of our employees.
• medical doctors, the civil engineers, and then we have a whole other group that are hired as temporary employees
• Our local teams met that. 24 of those moved and mobilized, and then even the hoist team was deployed
• Our local teams met that. 24 of those moved and mobilized, and then even the hoist team was deployed

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee received a budget and program update from Kentucky Emergency Management on the state’s urban search and rescue buildout. Eric Gibson and Doug Hargrave said the legislature’s funding was used to create FEMA-type urban search and rescue capacity, including Kentucky Task Force 1 and 2, the incident support team, and the helicopter aquatic rescue/hoist team. They emphasized that the effort is not just equipment purchases but also training, credentialing, warehouse and training-facility development, canine program expansion, and coordination with local search and rescue agencies across the Commonwealth. Gibson reported that the agency executed 99.4% of the $16.175 million appropriation by the end of the fiscal year and said the team met its readiness target ahead of schedule, with equipment already being deployed in recent flood response operations. He also said $500,000 per year was set aside for local search and rescue grants, with about $482,000 awarded to 29 teams in one year and $490,000 to 36 teams in the next, averaging about $20,000 per grant. Several members urged the committee to consider increasing support for local responders in future budgets, noting rising equipment costs and the importance of local teams as first on scene. Members asked about staffing, coverage, and benefits. Gibson explained that the task force is a mixed workforce of full-time fire personnel loaned from local departments, professional service staff such as doctors and engineers, and temporary deployment staff, with workers’ compensation coverage provided through KYEM and/or home agencies depending on the arrangement. He also said local search and rescue members are not currently included in line-of-duty death benefits. In response to questions about coverage and deployment, he described the two task force locations as designed to keep resources within roughly 100 miles of every Kentuckian. The discussion also turned to recent flood response and disaster recovery. Gibson said the state had mobilized up to 24 teams over the weekend, documented roughly 60 to 80 water rescues or assisted evacuations, and was seeing significant damage in counties such as Cumberland, Clinton, and Metcalfe, including agricultural losses. He said several counties were meeting FEMA public assistance thresholds and that the state was preparing a broader relief request that could include FEMA, SBA, and USDA assistance. He also updated members on efforts to claw back and reallocate unused “strained fiscal liquidity” funds by the statutory deadline, saying notices were sent and funds were redirected where possible to unmet local needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bus driver, an employee of the Pasco County School Board, failed to drive safely, leading to the
• Employees of the Agency for Health Care Administration.
• Many of the employees who do that investigation have received many threats, everything from doxing to
• There may be employees who have been investigated, who are employees of a hospital or a nursing home,
• Senators, this bill aims to protect personal identifying and location information of employees, board

Summary: The Rules Committee took up a large agenda of bills, with many measures reported favorably after brief explanations, amendments, and testimony. Early bills included CS/SB 658 on lien waivers and releases, which was amended to preserve enforceability despite form differences and then passed; CS/CS/SB 736 on brownfields redevelopment, which drew support from business and redevelopment interests and passed; and CS/SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, which was amended to bar certain building or fire code provisions affecting fuel-source choices and then passed despite opposition from environmental advocates. The committee also advanced CS/CS/SB 1132 on right-to-repair for certain equipment, where manufacturers, dealer representatives, and industry groups warned the bill could undermine dealer networks and existing repair programs, while supporters argued it would improve consumer access and help farmers and equipment owners. The bill still passed. Other measures reported favorably included CS/SB 1378 on restitution for leaving the scene of property-damage crashes, CS/CS/SB 768 on foreign-country controlling interests in health care licensing, CS/SB 772 on school access to glucagon for diabetes emergencies, CS/SB 1400 on removal of nonconsensual altered sexual depictions, and CS/SB 1696 on transportation network company impersonation and transit funding. A major portion of the meeting focused on affordable housing. CS/SB 1730, a follow-up to the Live Local Act, made several changes to zoning, height, density, parking, moratorium, and enforcement provisions, with members raising concerns about parking reductions, attorney’s fees, local control, and impacts in the Keys and other sensitive areas. Supporters said the bill closes loopholes and improves workforce housing implementation, while some witnesses urged additional exemptions for areas of critical state concern. The bill was reported favorably after amendment. Later, the committee considered several bills from Senator Leak, including CS/SB 576 on service of process, CS/SB 606 on public lodging and food service establishments, and CS/SB 1164 on electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices. CS/SB 606 drew substantial debate over whether hotels and extended-stay properties should be able to remove nonpaying guests without treating them like residential tenants; the sponsor said the bill clarifies transient occupancy and removes mandatory arrest provisions, and it passed. CS/SB 1164, which allows email notice delivery by agreement, passed despite concerns from tenant advocates that the bill should include clearer consent and safeguards. The committee also approved CS/SB 1374 on school district reporting of educator arrests and misconduct, CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation sales, and began hearing CS/SB 1690 on surrendered infants, which would authorize infant safety devices or “baby boxes” as a legal surrender option, with supportive testimony from proponents describing crisis situations and the need for anonymous surrender options.

Transcript Highlights:

• Studies show that companies with strong DEIA policies have better employee morale, lower employee turnover
• We are proud to offer 13 employee resource groups.
• In our most recent 2025 employee engagement survey, we had a 94% response rate.
• As an example, our employees speak more than 60 languages and dialects.
• And our employees are so excited to go out and be able to share this information.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Massachusetts; no bills were heard or voted on. Chairs Bud Williams and Liz Miranda opened by framing the hearing as a response to recent federal actions they said threatened DEI efforts, funding, and civil rights protections in education and other sectors. They said the committee would hear from experts, agencies, advocates, and businesses about the legality and benefits of DEI and the impact of federal actions on the Commonwealth. Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler testified virtually that Massachusetts is pushing back against federal efforts to restrict DEI, including guidance and certification demands directed at schools. He highlighted state investments in early education, child care, early college, career and technical education, and educator diversity, arguing these efforts help close opportunity gaps for Black and brown students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other underserved groups. In response to member questions, he said federal education dollars are core to services for students and that the state is prepared to fight funding cuts while monitoring impacts across K-12, early education, and higher education. Elizabeth Matos of the Attorney General’s Office said DEIA programs remain legal under state and federal law and described AG guidance issued to help institutions navigate federal confusion. She reviewed litigation the office has joined or won, including efforts involving withheld school funds, museums and libraries, the Minority Business Development Agency, Head Start, AmeriCorps, and other federal actions. Members asked about immigration-related fear and profiling, and Matos pointed to existing Know Your Rights guidance, said complaints to the Civil Rights Division have increased, and noted the office is seeing issues involving housing discrimination, employment, public accommodations, and threats to call ICE. She also said the office is open to further legislative ideas but did not discuss specifics. Evelyn Carter, a social psychologist, testified that diversity, equity, and inclusion are often misunderstood and defined the terms plainly, emphasizing that diversity is a group characteristic, equity addresses unequal starting points, and inclusion is about belonging and access. She argued that DEI matters because it creates guardrails against bias, helps make environments accessible, and addresses ongoing inequities. In response to questions, she suggested practical strategies such as using clear criteria and written records in decision-making, broadening who is considered part of one’s in-group, and pairing bias awareness with concrete behavior-change tools. The hearing also included testimony from Meredith Tewitt of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, who spoke about the importance of DEI for women, veterans, and people who rely on federal institutions, and urged lawmakers to continue supporting inclusion and access.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I do care about my employees and my customers, and I have a.
• A lot of employees that rely on me.
• He's Hemco, and I employ over 20 employees in Eagle Pass.
• We have too few dishes employees trying to please around 8,000 registered retailers.
• We have grown to four stores with 22 employees.

Bills: HB 28, SB 3

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, state health, youth protection, licensing fees, criminal offenses, HB28, public testimony, committee decorum, bill substitute, legislative process

Summary: The meeting featured significant discussions regarding HB28, where the chair outlined the plans to bring forward a substitute for the bill. The chair emphasized the importance of maintaining order and decorum during the proceedings. Members engaged in deliberations, and a number of public witnesses were invited to testify, thereby enriching the discussion around the bill. This interaction provided valuable insights into public sentiment regarding the issues at hand.

Transcript Highlights:

• Often these employees will be making less money than in the private sector.
• Often these employees will be making less money than in the private sector.
• When we hear the term manufactured home, many people still think mobile home.
• </c><04:03:57.439><c> That's</c><04:03:57.680><c> because</c> still think mobile home.
• That's because still think mobile home.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 9, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so as those costs continue to rise, we would like to make sure that we can continue to pay our employees
• c> at the Minnesota Association of at the Minnesota Association of Professional<01:21:51.679><c> Employees
• Without cameras, we have no way of verifying injuries on a non-mobile infant or a non-verbal toddler.
• Without cameras, we have no way of verifying injuries on a non-mobile infant or a non-verbal toddler.
• Without cameras, we have no way of verifying injuries on a non-mobile infant or a non-verbal toddler.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, 1183, house