Transcript Highlights:

• Keep your hand upon Israel and their military and the whole Middle East. Protect the people there.
• East Tampa is more than a part of the community I represent.
• East Tampa is more than a part of the community I represent.
• However, the growth takes place on the east side, on the south side.
• An empty chair in the east side of the chamber, the...

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Lee County Judge John Carlin, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of FSU Police Officer Cody Popple for stopping the April campus shooter. The Speaker then outlined the final week of session, noting the House had passed 253 House bills and 149 Senate bills to date, but that the 2026-27 budget would not be completed this week. The chamber also adopted the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report for the day. The House took up several Senate bills on special order, largely technical or open-government measures, and passed them with little or no opposition. These included SB 100, SB 104, and SB 102 on the Florida Statutes and revisor’s changes; SB 7006, SB 7014, SB 7002, SB 7012, SB 7024, SB 7016, SB 7026, SB 7008, SB 7000, and SB 7004, which extended or preserved various public-records and meeting exemptions for matters such as Public Service Commission proprietary information, social media investigations, military affairs, highway safety records, cybersecurity, emergency shelter contact information, conviction integrity units, and trade secrets. Most passed overwhelmingly, though SB 7006 drew 99-8, SB 7022 on public records for exam integrity passed 101-8 after questions about testing materials and scoring rubrics, and SB 7026 on trade secrets passed 106-3. The most substantive floor debate centered on SB 7040, which recreates the emergency preparedness and response trust fund in the Executive Office of the Governor. Rep. Eskamani offered an amendment to let the fund expire, arguing the money had become a “slush fund” and had been used for the Everglades detention facility rather than emergencies; several members supported her on fiscal and separation-of-powers grounds, while others said the fund is needed for rapid disaster response. The House rejected Eskamani’s amendment and then adopted a Griffiths strike-all amendment adding accountability measures, including spending limits, quarterly reporting, asset tracking, and a sunset/review provision. SB 7040 then passed 82-25. The chamber also passed CS/CS SB 302 on coastal resiliency, CS/CS SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits, CS SB 474 on military affairs, and SB 488 on Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which prompted extended questions about vehicle registration requirements, license plate frames, and foreign passport/I-94 documentation; the bill was still under amendment and debate when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:33:02.159><c> uh</c> understanding of at least the east uh understanding of at least the east
• There's May East, there's May West out in California.
• There's May East, there's May West out in California.
• We're getting deep location of May East.
• There's May East, there's in the world.

Summary: The Intelligence Task Force met with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the August 14 meeting. The first presentation was from the National Retail Federation on artificial intelligence in the retail sector. NRF described AI use cases in three areas: consumer-facing tools such as chatbots, product descriptions, and marketing; employee-facing tools such as company-specific apps trained on employee manuals; and internal uses such as supply chain forecasting, inventory planning, fraud detection, cybersecurity, and coding support. The presenters said retail has been among the top deployers of AI and emphasized that the goal is to improve both customer and employee experience. NRF also outlined its principles for responsible AI use, organized around governance and risk management, customer engagement and trust, workforce applications, and business partner accountability. The group said retailers should maintain strong internal oversight, be transparent with customers, ensure compliance with existing laws, closely review workforce-related uses because they can be high-risk, and clearly define responsibilities between retailers and third-party developers. In policy discussion, NRF urged a tiered approach focused first on high-risk uses such as hiring, health care, financial, mortgage, and rental decisions, warned against fragmented rules that could favor only the largest firms, and encouraged voluntary standards and worker upskilling incentives. In response to a question about dynamic pricing, NRF said its members do not target consumers based on pricing and offered to follow up with more information. The committee then moved to a follow-up discussion on energy policy and data centers, hearing from Bartley Cleland of NetChoice. He explained that AI runs largely in data centers and that cloud computing shifts processing and storage away from individual devices, which he argued improves efficiency and can reduce costs. He said electricity demand has been rising over time and that AI will increase compute-related electricity use, but framed electricity as a normal input to economic growth. No votes or formal actions were taken after these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And your statement about the nearest hospital was an hour to the east.
• And your statement about the nearest hospital was an hour to the east.
• So I thought that must mean both of these are on the east side.
• Both of these are on the east side.
• As some of you may know, Paris Hilton was ripped from her bed in the middle of the night by strangers

Committee: Senate Human Services

Summary: The committee adopted the consent calendar and then heard several bills on child care, aging, child welfare, food access, and youth services. SB 1200 by Sen. Menjivar would redefine infant and toddler age categories in child care licensing to allow providers to serve children beginning at 18 months in the toddler category, with supporters saying it would increase capacity and help family child care businesses stay open; it passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 971 by Sen. Choi would authorize counties to offer optional adult education and technology training programs for adults 55 and older through local partnerships; supporters said it would reduce isolation and improve digital literacy, and it passed 4-0 to the floor. SB 1234 by Sen. Alvarado-Gil would require fentanyl to be included in court-ordered drug testing in dependency cases, with testimony from an angel family and law enforcement about child deaths and exposure risks; it passed 4-0 to the floor. The committee also heard SB 1109 by Sen. Alvarado-Gil, which would require additional state review for short-term residential therapeutic programs in very small rural counties or facilities with repeated serious citations. The author and county officials from Alpine County argued that rural counties lack the hospitals, schools, and 24-hour emergency response needed to safely support these placements, while providers opposed the bill as overly broad and potentially destabilizing to STRTP capacity. After the author accepted committee amendments, members voted 4-0 to send the bill to Appropriations as amended. SB 961 by Sen. Ashby would require students applying for financial aid to be notified that they may also be eligible for CalFresh; student and advocacy witnesses described widespread food insecurity on campuses, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 1099 by Sen. Gomez Reyes, which clarifies local governments’ authority to provide state or local public benefits to all residents under PRWORA-related exemptions; supporters said it would reduce legal uncertainty for local safety-net services, and the bill was voted 2-0 with the remaining members absent, leaving it on call. SB 1190 by Sen. Grove would create a licensing and regulatory framework for youth transport companies that move minors to out-of-state residential facilities; survivors testified about traumatic transports, supporters called for basic guardrails, and the bill passed 4-0 to Public Safety. Finally, SB 1325 by Sen. Jones would create a narrow pathway for Feeding San Diego to participate in CalFood, with supporters saying it would expand hunger relief in San Diego County and opponents warning it could divert limited food bank resources; the discussion focused on broader funding concerns, and no final vote was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will focus on the East Texas region today, including the Harris County area.
• East Texas region or another area of the state.
• This hearing is focused on East Texas, Harris County, and surrounding areas.
• In other words, you're rigging the rules in the middle of the game.
• We are in the middle of Hurricane Susan.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I couldn't help myself but reflect on the fact that about 50% of those middle schoolers that were
• I am the proud superintendent at Cushing ISD in East Texas. My name is Dr. Brandon Enos.
• I am the proud superintendent at Cushing ISD in East Texas, and I am also representing TREA.
• Yeah, East Texas. No, we always practice that, and though, although...
• It is East Texas pronunciation, not French. Didn't know, though.

Bills: HB4 , HB20

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• only seeks to bolster my argument, that what is right for Amesbury is not right for Halifax or for East
• Bridgewater... ...or for East Bridgewater or any of the other communities.
• To our towns, Abington, Whitman, and East Bridgewater that I represent.
• For communities like Abington, East Bridgewater, and Whitman, this is a structural overhaul.
• For communities like Abington, East Bridgewater, and Whitman, this means real, predictable relief.

Summary: The House first adopted several ceremonial resolutions congratulating three Eagle Scouts, then concurred in Senate amendments to House bills affecting the town of Milford’s alcohol licensing law and the town of Middleton’s charter. It also passed to enact a Senate bill on maintenance of private roads in Gloucester and engrossed a House bill allowing Plymouth to create a special revenue account for land acquisition. The chamber later observed moments of silence for former Lynn City Councilor Richard “Rick” Ford, Portuguese American community leader Louis Pedroso, and Quincy veteran Mildred “Millie” Cox, and welcomed several guest groups and dignitaries, including students from Fall River, D.A.R. Good Citizen award recipients, and a British minister visiting the State House. Most of the floor session centered on FY27 budget amendments, especially housing and shelter policy. Members debated and rejected multiple Republican amendments that would have tightened eligibility for the HomeBASE and emergency shelter programs by requiring citizenship or limiting access to U.S. citizens with Massachusetts residency, with supporters arguing the changes would reduce costs and opponents saying the programs already have strict eligibility rules and that the proposals would exclude lawful residents and vulnerable families. The House also rejected an amendment to block Housing and Livable Communities grants from being conditioned on MBTA Communities Act compliance, with supporters calling it a reprieve for noncompliant towns and opponents saying the law is helping address the housing shortage. A consolidated housing/environment amendment was then adopted 154-0, funding major housing, shelter, clean water, climate, and food assistance accounts. The chamber also defeated amendments to create a data center commission and to eliminate the vocational-technical school admissions lottery, though the latter was withdrawn after debate. Another rejected amendment would have suspended public policy and public benefit charges on electric and gas bills; opponents said that would eliminate low-income and senior bill relief. The House then turned to education-related amendments, rejecting proposals to change special education reimbursement formulas and to raise the reimbursement rate from 75% to 80%, with opponents arguing the ideas needed committee review and cost analysis. Finally, the House began debating an amendment to fully fund regional school transportation by removing “subject to appropriation,” but the transcript ends before any final vote on that item.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to look more, we call it east-west. Uh, north-south is going to the internet.
• East-west is between our systems. So, we have to look at both north-south and east-west. I'm sorry.
• :45:14.080><c> is</c><00:45:14.240><c> going</c><00:45:14.480><c> to</c> east-west.
• East-west is between our the internet.
• </c> north-south and east-west. I'm sorry. north-south and east-west. I'm sorry.

Summary: The 2025 Artificial Intelligence Task Force met for its first meeting of the year and heard updates on federal AI policy, state implementation of Senate Bill 4, and the business community’s perspective on AI regulation. Co-chairs noted that federal legislation could affect the task force’s work later in the year, but said Kentucky still has significant issues to study, including energy, land use, education, social media, and children’s engagement with AI. The task force had quorum and no votes were taken. Kate Shanks of the Kentucky Chamber said the business community supports continued discussion but favors a federal approach over a patchwork of state laws. She described the Trump administration’s new AI executive order as emphasizing innovation over regulation, noted the pending federal AI action plan, and discussed congressional action including the Take It Down Act and industry-specific changes to existing laws. She warned that state-by-state AI rules could increase costs and burden businesses, and said the Chamber would prefer incremental, flexible policy that avoids conflict with existing law and limits private rights of action. Members asked about uniform model legislation, education uses of AI, and civil liability; Shanks said a model approach could help avoid fragmentation and that liability should generally be handled through consumer-protection-style enforcement rather than broad litigation. The Commonwealth Office of Technology then reported on implementation of SB 4, saying it has worked with industry, agencies, other states, and vendors to build an AI policy framework now in final review. Officials said an AI Governance Committee has been established and will meet in July, and a draft RFP is being prepared to meet the bill’s tracking and documentation requirements. They said no major implementation challenges have been identified so far, but the impact of pending federal rules remains uncertain. Members also discussed the need to educate students and teachers about AI, with one member emphasizing that schools should teach both how to use AI and how to think critically about information online.

Transcript Highlights:

• youth from South Central as well as districts represented by some of my colleagues like Pico-Union, East
• Families drove in from East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Pico Rivera, and beyond, sometimes for the very
• Angeles cheered together, from wealthy families in the West Side to working-class families in the East
• In his brief career, Dean appeared in just three films: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant
• He earned Academy Award nominations for East of Eden and Giant, making him the only actor in history

Summary: The Assembly met on July 17, 2025, after a quorum call and prayer, then moved through a long ceremonial and floor session. The chamber recognized the 2025 Science and Technology Policy Fellows, the 2024-25 Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellows, and the 2025 Assembly Fellows, and also heard guest introductions honoring Brad Webb of Legislative Counsel, youth advocates supporting AB 1231, the Live Oak Lady Lions softball team, the new UC President J.B. Milliken, the Rohnert Park 11-and-under Cal Ripken All-Star team, and arts leaders from Auburn. The Assembly also took up several procedural motions, including removing some bills from the consent calendar and noting absences. On the floor, members adopted ACR 12 designating November 1 as Fernando Valenzuela Day, with broad support and 66 co-authors, and later adopted H.R. 56 recognizing August 2025 as Chicano Heritage Month, with 65 co-authors. The Assembly also adopted ACR 101 naming a portion of State Highway Route 46 the James Dean Memorial Highway, and H.R. 50 proclaiming November 25, 2025, as Elimination of Violence Against Women Day, with members emphasizing survivor support and prevention. In each case, authors and supporters highlighted the cultural, historical, or public-safety significance of the measures. The chamber also concurred in Senate amendments on several bills, including AB 359 on the Political Reform Act, AB 594 on student health insurance protections, AB 1085 banning license plate obstruction devices and penalizing sellers, AB 1286 on public employment transparency, and AB 1505, the Agriculture Committee omnibus bill. AJR 14, urging federal attention to the impact of tariffs on California ports, passed 44-1 after debate over trade policy and port jobs. AJR 17, calling for modernization of immigration law and a pathway to lawful status for long-term undocumented residents, passed 47-7 after extensive debate focused on immigrant families, the economy, and federal enforcement actions. The Assembly also adopted the resolutions by voice vote where required and recorded the roll-call results for the joint resolutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The risk of wildfire on the east side is pretty much the entire east side.
• I’m curious how, you know, I just recently went on a tour of the Energized East Side Transmission Project
• is obviously upon us, as demonstrated by the continued risk, as Representative Orkett noted, on the east
• This hearing is extremely timely, as we are in the middle of wildfire season, as many people have already
• However, updated guidance would come during the middle of the climate planning and implementation process

Committee: Joint JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee I-900 Subcommittee heard JLARC’s annual update on the status of State Auditor recommendations. JLARC staff said that for the 2024 review period there were three new legislative recommendations and three previously unresolved recommendations from earlier years. They reported that the legislature did not convene the civil asset forfeiture work group recommended by the auditor, and took no formal action on two water-use-efficiency recommendations. Two recommendations related to concurrent Medicaid enrollments were addressed in a bill introduced this session, but that bill was not adopted. The committee then heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on ensuring climate-resilient electricity infrastructure. The audit concluded Washington has opportunities to better adapt new energy infrastructure to climate change by using more site-specific climate information, broader collaboration, and stronger use of vulnerability assessments. The auditors recommended expanding the Climate Impacts Group’s analyses if funding is available, using forecasted information in DNR wildfire maps, designating a non-regulatory coordination office, and expanding vulnerability assessments in Ecology and Commerce processes. Agency witnesses generally agreed with the importance of resilience but emphasized existing efforts, the need to avoid duplicating current planning and SEPA processes, and concerns about funding, staffing, affordability, and preserving regulatory roles. The final audit examined fines for human trafficking and related sexual exploitation crimes. Auditors found courts assessed these mandatory fines inconsistently, collection rates varied widely, some revenues were sent to the wrong local government, and some jurisdictions did not clearly use the money for enforcement, prevention, or survivor services as required. The audit recommended better coordination with prosecutors, improved court coding and templates, and stronger local processes for tracking and spending fine revenue. King County provided testimony thanking the auditors and describing its anti-trafficking work. The meeting ended with no votes taken and the next meeting announced for September 17.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, getting into a little bit of background on Stockton East to give you some context, we were formed
• I'm the general manager of Stockton East Water District.
• So, getting into a little bit of background on Stockton East to give you some context, we were formed
• So, getting into a little bit of background on Stockton East to give you some context, we were formed
• This was quite a learning curve for Stockton East. First, it took a long time to get this permit.

Summary: The hearing focused on oversight of AB 658 and the State Water Resources Control Board’s five-year temporary permits for groundwater recharge. Assembly Member Arambula and committee members discussed how the permits are intended to help capture high flows during wet periods, support SGMA implementation, and store water underground for later use. The State Water Board chair said the five-year permits have become an important tool, with seven five-year permits issued this season and over 43,000 acre-feet authorized, but noted that actual recharge depends on hydrology and that the board is open to improvements. Members and witnesses discussed several possible changes to make the program more effective: allowing a two-year delay before the five-year permit clock starts, codifying CEQA exemptions that have been used through executive order, and shifting from a public objection model to a public comment model to reduce delays. There was also discussion of water availability analyses, with some members asking whether the state could develop a broader statewide assessment to reduce consultant costs and make permitting more predictable. The board said such an effort would be large and costly, but could potentially save applicants money and improve consistency. District representatives described their experiences. Stockton East said the five-year permit was more cost-effective than repeated 180-day permits, but that the 90-20 methodology, consultant costs, and a burrowing owl survey condition made use difficult. Omaha-Hartnell Water District said its recharge work depends on simple, low-cost infrastructure and that five-year permits, CEQA reform, and lower upfront fees would help small districts. A consultant working with Scott Valley and Sierra Valley said five-year permits can work well in different basins, but local infrastructure, stakeholder coordination, streambed alteration agreements, and upstream flow constraints can limit recharge. Members also raised concerns about basin connectivity, downstream water rights, and the need to pair recharge with sustainable groundwater pumping and broader water storage planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, getting into a little bit of background on Stockton East to give you some context, we were formed
• So, getting into a little bit of background on Stockton East to give you some context, we were formed
• This was quite a learning curve for Stockton East. First, it took a long time to get this permit.
• This was quite a learning curve for Stockton East.
• First, it took a long, This was quite a learning curve for Stockton East.

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul um designated in the east side St.
• </c><01:48:48.320><c> side</c><01:48:48.480><c> a</c> the east side and make east side a the east side
• And now we're in the East Side.
• </c> king is back and the king is in the east king is back and the king is in the east side<01:56:10.960
• So since the king is back to the east side of St.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Take for example Burnett Middle School in Austin.
• Rated F in 2023 and not rated in 2022, its zone includes a booming area east of the Domain, right on
• My wife attended a middle school that now has an F rating.
• I mean, I won't tell you how many people that, as a kid, down the east side that I know that went.
• East Austin, oh, there you go. We'll start on either end. Go ahead and start your... Okay.

Bills: HB22 , SB250 , SB375 , SB536 , SB845 , SB1633 , SB1944 , SB1957 , SB2081 , SB2137 , SB2262 , SB2299 , SB2419 , SB2452 , SB2522 , SB2549 , SB2594 , SB2605 , SB2631 , SB2639 , SB2675 , SB3029 , SJR60 , HB22 , HB1392 , HB2525

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> &gt;&gt; Chapen of East Montillier. &gt;&gt; Chapen of East Montillier. &gt;&gt; Yes.
• </c> &gt;&gt; Chapen of East Montpillar. &gt;&gt; Chapen of East Montpillar. &gt;&gt; Yes.
• </c> from East Montpelar. from East Montpelar.
• </c> from East M. No, member from Berry Town. from East M. No, member from Berry Town.
• </c> could I interrogate the member from East could I interrogate the member from East Montillar?

Transcript Highlights:

• It's approximately 40 acres, and it's on the east side of the Intracoastal.
• It's approximately 40 acres, and it's on the east side of the intercoastal.
• Johns River to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east side.
• It is a series of wells along the east and the north shore of Tampa Bay.
• So we're that voice for those that are in that middle ground as well.

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met to hear a panel discussion on implementation of Senate Bill 64 (2021), which requires elimination of non-beneficial wastewater discharges to surface waters by 2032. Department of Environmental Protection staff reported that utility plans have been approved, about 570 million gallons per day are expected to be eliminated under the plans, and roughly 176 million gallons per day have already been eliminated. The department emphasized ongoing annual reporting, continued coordination with utilities, and the need for projects such as reuse, indirect potable reuse, wet-weather backup discharges, groundwater recharge, and other beneficial uses to meet the law’s 90% reuse requirement in applicable cases. Representatives from Flagler Beach, Atlantic Beach, JEA, and Hillsborough County described how the law affects different utilities. Smaller and coastal systems said they face major cost, space, salinity, and infrastructure constraints, with limited reuse opportunities and expensive alternatives such as deep well injection or regional transfer. Larger systems described substantial capital programs already underway, including public access reuse, indirect potable reuse, regional recharge projects, and saltwater intrusion barrier wells, with costs ranging from tens of millions to billions of dollars. Members and witnesses discussed the need for flexibility, regional solutions, and case-by-case permitting, and the Florida Rural Water Association asked the committee to consider hardship provisions and funding or exemption adjustments for smaller systems. The committee then took up SPB 7002, a proposed bill by the Environment and Natural Resources Committee relating to water management districts. Senator Broder explained that the bill would increase transparency, improve planning and budgeting oversight, create a gift ban, support local referendum authority for certain ad valorem funding, and provide record-level funding for Everglades restoration. After a question from Senator Smith about whether the ad valorem language was expansive or restrictive, Senator Broder said it would add a new funding tool for districts. The committee adopted a motion to submit SPB 7002 as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably by roll call vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• But anyways, I watched that video of 15 students from East St.
• But anyways, I watched that video of 15 students from East St.
• He has a daughter-in-law that teaches at East Ascension.
• The middle school law, that's the bulk of the bill, they have to have six activities a year.
• Because, again, the middle school portion of this, we're already doing.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee met on March 18, 2026, with 11 members present and adopted prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee first heard HB 649 by Rep. Brass, which would create a statewide common application portal for dual enrollment. Supporters from the Pelican Institute and the Board of Regents said the bill would simplify enrollment, reduce paperwork for counselors and families, and improve awareness of dual enrollment options. Members asked about nonparticipation by institutions and access for nontraditional students; the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up HB 807 by Rep. Brass, which would establish the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within LCTCS to help recruit and retain instructors for high-demand workforce programs. Testimony from River Parishes Community College, Dow, and the Louisiana Chemical Association described instructor shortages as a bottleneck for training workers for major industrial projects, and said employer-sharing models and apprenticeships have been successful. An amendment expanded eligibility to include LSU Eunice and Southern University at Shreveport, and the committee adopted the amendments. After debate about whether the state needed a new fund versus using existing systems, the bill was reported favorably by a 13-1 roll call vote. Next, the committee heard HB 285 by Chairman Bacala, which authorizes school boards to cooperate with banks and credit unions to operate branches in high schools as part of financial literacy programs. Bacala said the bill clarifies statutory authority, and an amendment added banks to the original credit union language. Members discussed ethics, exclusivity, student access, and whether the branches could market products; supporters from LABI and financial industry groups said the programs improve hands-on financial education. The bill was reported with amendments without objection. The committee also considered HB 28 by Rep. Owen, which adds a BESE-level appeal for certain teacher certification applicants affected by administrative or contractor errors. Owen described a case in which applicants paid for certification programs but were denied because of a mentor-signature issue, and said the amendment would require BESE or its designee to act within 30 days. Department of Education staff said the Teacher Certification Appeals Council had already granted extensions rather than outright denials in the affected cases, but the committee advanced the bill after a 9-4 roll call vote. Finally, the committee began HB 268 by Rep. Carver, which would strengthen career exposure requirements for students by tying activities more closely to high-wage, high-demand jobs and adding an annual exposure requirement in K-5; testimony emphasized early workforce awareness, and discussion focused on keeping the requirements manageable for schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• But anyways, I watched that video of 15 students from East St.
• But anyway, I watched that video of 15 students from East St.
• He has a daughter-in-law that teaches at East Ascension.
• The middle school law, that's the bulk of the bill, they have to have six activities a year.
• Because, again, the middle school portion of this, we're already doing.

Bills: HB28 , HB50 , HB196 , HB268 , HB271 , HB285 , HB316 , HB649 , HB807

Committee: House Education

Keywords: teacher certification, certification appeals, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Teacher Certification Appeals Council, educator licensure, teaching license, teacher licensure, appeals process, certification denial, administrative appeal, special meeting, board president, retroactive application, education board, Louisiana teachers, Department of Education, statutory entities, re-creation, termination date

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are still in the middle of a pretty potent viral season this season.
• And we are still in the middle of a pretty potent viral season this season.
• And the big thing to tell your community, it's the masks that have the pink in the middle.
• You can see that there were over 10,500 structures destroyed in the east.
• I'm going to focus on the middle of the slide, the L.A.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the health impacts of wildfires and the effects on health care systems and access to care. The first panel focused on public health consequences, with testimony from UCLA and UCSF physicians, a community organizer, and an Altadena recovery leader. Witnesses described acute and long-term physical harms from wildfire smoke and ash, including asthma and COPD exacerbations, cardiovascular and stroke risks, pregnancy impacts, infection risk, and possible added hazards from lithium-ion battery fires. They also emphasized mental health effects such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, “firebrain,” and the need for psychological first aid, trauma-informed community networks, and youth-focused resilience programs. Community advocates stressed that Latine, Indigenous, undocumented, and Black communities face disproportionate harm because of language barriers, unsafe work conditions, lack of insurance, and exclusion from disaster aid, and they called for stronger language access, worker protections, permanent disaster relief, and better outreach. Committee members asked about air monitoring, masks, wind events, lithium-ion batteries, and how to reach communities with translation and emergency information. Panelists said AQI is useful but incomplete, that N95s help for smoke but P100 masks are needed for ash/asbestos exposure, and that communities should be warned to stay indoors and avoid windy dust-ups after fires. They also discussed the importance of building relationships during non-emergency periods, using text alerts and trusted community organizations, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate information. Several members and witnesses highlighted the need for more research on long-term health effects, especially for people with chronic lung disease, workers who cannot stay indoors, and residents exposed to repeated disasters. The second panel addressed health care system response and access to care. DHCS and DMHC described emergency flexibilities used during the Southern California fires, including federal waivers, extended Medi-Cal renewal deadlines, reinstated coverage for some disenrolled members, suspension of prior authorization and prescription refill barriers, out-of-network access at in-network cost-sharing, and communication through websites, toll-free numbers, and social media. Hospital and community health center leaders described major operational strain: emergency room surges, canceled surgeries, dialysis disruptions, staff displacement, temporary housing needs, and financial losses. Huntington Health and AltaMed reported using incident command systems, temporary care spaces, bilingual and culturally tailored services, mobile clinics, infection control measures, and community health workers to keep care going. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better disaster staffing pools, more flexible facility rules, stronger mental health coverage, child care planning, and statewide coordination for future emergencies; no formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• To the East End, to Aldine, to Pasadena, to Galena Park, to Jacinto City, and South Houston, we are a
• It's grown, but for the most part, it's been in the North and East.
• Southeast Houston, East End, parts of Houston.
• Houston is the most diverse city in this country, and the last... middle-class America.
• In pretend, we never saw that, and then an 'A' for your middle name and then Thomas. Yes.

Committee: House Congressional Redistricting, Select

Transcript Highlights:

• In the East Gallery, a young man named Paul Haas, who is going to stand up now, a constituent of mine
• Senators, in an effort to protect the pristine coastal area of East Tampa Bay, which has small keys,
• Why are we naming it in the middle, in the early part of his second term?
• In 2017, well, most recently, peace in the Middle East, right? Hostages being freed.
• In the East Gallery, our mayor here in Leon County is here.