Transcript Highlights:

• I attend and provide comments at the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings frequently and
• In 2025, one of the females that we netted in 895, so almost a three-foot-long northern pike, had just
• About a week later, within about a hundred yards before we netted that female, we netted a male.
• In 2025, one of the females that we netted in 895, so almost a three foot long Northern Pike. an 895,
• About a week later, within about a hundred yards before we netted that female, we netted a male.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 5838, which would add a federally recognized tribal representative to the State Board of Natural Resources. The Department of Natural Resources commissioner and tribal leaders said the change would bring Indigenous knowledge and a voting voice to decisions on trust lands, while preserving existing tribal consultation. Some county and economic interests said they were not opposed to tribal participation but stressed the board’s fiduciary duty to trust beneficiaries and asked for more review of the board’s purpose; one witness questioned whether the beneficiaries had been consulted. The prime sponsor, Senator Claudia Kaufman, said the bill is about inclusion and equity and indicated openness to an amendment adding both eastside and westside tribal representation. The hearing closed with 142 written comments reported: 33 pro, 107 con, and 2 other. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5960, which would require Fish and Wildlife to designate at-risk ungulate populations and take predator mitigation actions when populations fall below specified benchmarks. Senator Shelley Short said the bill responds to declining deer and elk numbers and a lack of management, especially in northeast Washington. Supporters argued the bill would codify existing agency plans and restore balance in wildlife management, while opponents—including conservation groups, the Sierra Club, and several scientists and advocates—said the state’s predator-prey study found wolves were not the main driver of ungulate declines, pointing instead to habitat, forage, weather, disease, and vehicle collisions. Ranching and farm groups supported the overall goal but objected to the bill’s in-state wolf translocation provisions. The Department of Fish and Wildlife said it recognized the bill’s intent but opposed it because some directives were impractical, costly, or would require legislative approval. The hearing closed with 1,197 written comments reported: 843 pro, 352 con, and 2 other. The committee then held a work session on Lake Washington salmon predation. Larry Phillips and Muckleshoot Fisheries Director Jason Schaffler described a coalition effort to reduce predation on juvenile salmon in the Lake Washington system, saying invasive and predatory fish such as walleye, rock bass, American shad, northern pike, yellow perch, and smallmouth bass are harming sockeye and Chinook recovery. They said sockeye returns have fallen from hundreds of thousands to about 18,000 in recent years, ending tribal and sport fisheries, and argued that targeted predator removal, supported by prior state and county funding, could help restore runs. Senators asked about the methods and funding, and the presenters said fishing and netting are being used to suppress larger predatory fish and that more sustained investment is needed. Finally, the committee began public hearing on Senate Bill 1697, which would make federally recognized tribes eligible recipients for county conservation futures funds. Testifiers from the Washington Farmland Trust and the Tulalip Tribe said the bill would expand voluntary conservation partnerships, help tribes steward farmland and habitat, and make it easier to leverage county funds with other grants. They described past projects where tribal participation improved conservation outcomes but said tribes could not directly access conservation futures dollars under current law.

Transcript Highlights:

• daily attendance counts in SEEK.
• The Senate added language to remove the SEEK adjustment made for students attending model lab school.
• </c> attendance counts in SEEK. attendance counts in SEEK.
• students attending model lab school.
• detention center in central the female detention center in central Kentucky.

Summary: The Free Conference Committee on the 2026 General Assembly budget met to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 500. Leaders opened by thanking the other chamber’s work, asking members to turn microphones on and off to avoid feedback, and stressing the need to clearly note decision points so both chambers record the same actions. Staff then walked through the bill page by page, explaining that the committee was comparing only House and Senate differences, not the governor’s proposed budget. The discussion covered a wide range of appropriations and language items, including next generation non-911 services, school safety reporting tools, restored funding for brain injury, epilepsy, veteran service, homeless veterans, and rocket docket programs, debt service changes, rural infrastructure, disaster aid caps, Attorney General and Medicaid fraud funding, agriculture and county fair grants, auditor and pension-related appropriations, school facilities and SEEK funding, and numerous education programs. Members also discussed charter-related funding such as Star Academy, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, school resource officers, school-based mental health providers, AP/IB exams, Governor’s Scholars and Entrepreneurs, and several pilot or initiative programs in economic development, energy, and labor. Several items were described as technical corrections or restorations of language and funding, while others reflected differences in amounts or how funds would be distributed. There were several questions and comments from members about wording such as “implement and carry out,” the absence of the governor’s budget from the comparison document, and whether SEEK funding should be tied to teacher raises. The chair and other members emphasized that the committee’s role was to reconcile the two chambers’ budgets, not to adopt the governor’s proposal. Members also raised concerns about opioid settlement funds and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library match rate, with one senator urging restoration of the House language. No final vote or formal action was taken in the portion provided; the meeting primarily consisted of explanation, questions, and discussion of proposed budget differences.

Transcript Highlights:

• continuing the presentation with Commissioner Jenkins and some of his staff, so we're just taking some attendance
• So we're just taking some attendance online.
• And as we said, we do pathways with the females.
• And then, and only then, can we get them out post-release and hopefully they become that male or female
• numbers of our population, who's coming into our care, and what crimes they have, particularly for the female

Summary: The commission approved the July 11 minutes and then received a detailed follow-up presentation from the Department of Correction on facility footprint, mission-driven housing, programming, and technology. Commissioner Jenkins and Deputy Commissioner Peterson explained recent and planned facility changes, including the closures of Walpole, MCI Cedar Junction, and MCI Concord, the transition of the Plymouth Section 35/Mass Act program to Health and Human Services, the return of Bay State to DOC control for possible future use, and the Shattuck Hospital move to East Newton Pavilion. Members asked about operational capacity, the exclusion of support beds from occupancy figures, and the status of mothballed or unused facilities. Framingham drew particular attention because of its historically low women’s population and planned renovations; members raised concerns about the cost and the need to consider the broader women’s correctional system. A major portion of the meeting focused on mission-driven units and evidence-based programming. DOC described specialized units for health services, nursing care, clinical stabilization, mental health, residential treatment, protective custody, reentry, emerging adults, education, and substance use recovery, and noted that security threat group support beds are not used. Staff explained the distinction between general population beds and support beds, and between programming and treatment. They said core recidivism-reduction programs are based on risk-need responsivity and COMPAS assessments, with Spectrum Health Systems as the current vendor, and presented recidivism data showing lower reoffending among participants who completed programs such as violence reduction, criminal thinking, and the Correctional Recovery Academy. For women, they highlighted the pathways model at MCI Framingham, which combines trauma-informed, gender-responsive services, and reported strong outcomes for those engaged for at least 26 weeks. Members asked about how needs are identified and counted, how declinations are handled, and how the department distinguishes completion from ongoing maintenance. DOC said participation is voluntary, individuals are re-recommended over time, and completion is recorded in the system when criteria are met. They also discussed educational supports for learning disabilities and trauma, including IEP/504 coordination, tutoring, and a new school psychologist for testing. Questions were raised about family reunification programming, and DOC pointed to family-focused services, mediation, Read to Me Mommy, and the Brave unit for young fathers. Sheriff Cabral and Sheriff Cochie praised the presentation and emphasized the importance of family reunification and the realities of trauma in incarcerated people’s lives. The final section highlighted the expanded use of tablets across all facilities. DOC said tablets now support free phone calls, emails, video visits, surveys, educational content, medical updates, sick-call requests, and an earned-good-time app, while also helping with communication during facility closures and with ongoing programming. Staff said the tablets are used both for learning and recreation, and that more than half of the incarcerated population uses them monthly for educational purposes. Members discussed whether user feedback or “reviews” of programs could help increase participation, and DOC said tablet-based surveys make that possible. The meeting ended with general agreement that the department has expanded programming and technology substantially and is using them to support reentry, communication, and facility operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, someone who was born female and then goes through a process to... change their gender.
• Well, that person is still going to have female organs that need to be checked and treated.
• For example, premature menopause can occur when you consistently expose a natally female body to anywhere
• know if we can put it into the bill, or it could just be a suggestion when the nurse... ...home attendant
• I've seen sometimes where nursing home attendants will apply for ballots, and they will collect them

Bills: SB397 , SB481 , SB596 , SB760 , SB855 , SB1195 , SB1196 , SB1233 , SB1257 , SB1318 , SB1368 , SB1388 , SB1398 , SB1524 , SB1558 , SB1589 , SB1677 , SB1792 , SB2034

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• if this bill passes and the season is moved back two weeks, more male bears would be killed than females
• The department of wildlife, if I recall, said that by moving it back, we would kill more female bears
• We've had two long meetings, and we appreciate your attendance.

Bills: HB4246 , HB4230 , HB3617 , HB3657 , HB2976 , HB3391 , HB4459 , HB4128 , HB3989 , HB2989 , HB4060 , HB3145 , HB2992 , HB3464 , HB4246 , HB4230 , HB3617 , HB3657 , HB2976 , HB3391 , HB4459 , HB4128 , HB3989 , HB2989 , HB4060 , HB3145 , HB2992 , HB3464

Committees: House Energy , House Energy and Natural Resources Oversight

Keywords: HB4246, water rights, rural water, wastewater, drinking water, environmental quality, DEQ, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Rural Water Association, technical assistance, water infrastructure, small systems, utility operators, emergency water response, nonprofit contractors, vendor qualification, competitive bidding, best value procurement, central purchasing act, rural utilities

Transcript Highlights:

• She has distinguished herself as only the fifth female wrestler to accomplish this feat in Ohio wrestling
• SHE HAS DISTINGUISHED HERSELF AS ONLY THE FIFTH FEMALE WRESTLER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS FEAT IN OHIO WRESTLING
• This past Sunday, I had the great pleasure of attending the ceremony celebrating Reverend Lamont S.
• This month I have reflected on the contributions of the American female leaders who have made our Nation
• Supreme Court, paving the way for greater female representation in our legal system, and most recently

Transcript Highlights:

• I can tell you that the hardest days of my service have been when I've attended a funeral of a fellow
• I can tell you that the hardest days of my service have been when I've attended a funeral of a fellow
• I can tell you that the hardest days of my service have been when I've attended a funeral of a fellow
• </c> sexual trauma MST and out of our female sexual trauma MST and out of our female clients<01:17:27.280
• We continue to require our EMDR therapists to attend an advanced military training to be able to join

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• That's Orleans, Jefferson... and Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women for Females.
• I am the first female that came to... I am the first female that came to the Diamond House.
• She did 23 years in the female prison. Consuela Gaines, who sat here, and they called her Sway.
• She did 23 years in the female prison.
• I don't care about the Angola Twitter or the female prison Twitter. I'm looking at you.

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• But if you want to talk about some absolutely staggering numbers, let's talk about female veterans who
• Females.
• Olson earlier stated the number of female veterans, and that's just in a total aggregate number.
• Numbers that we have from 2023: female veterans had an increase in suicide rates of 24.1 percent from
• 2022 to 2023—a 24% increase in suicide rates among female veterans.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> youth</c><00:43:51.599><c> mental</c> than attending to the youth mental than attending to the youth
• But I will say this as a 5-foot-2 female: I am not comfortable with open carry.
• But I will say this as a 5-foot-2 female: I am not comfortable with open carry.
• But I will say this as a 5-foot-2 female: I am not comfortable with open carry.
• But I will say this as a 5-foot-2 female: I am not comfortable with open carry.

Summary: The House convened, received the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum with 89 members present, excused absent members, and suspended rules to allow co-sponsorships and vote modifications. The chamber approved the prior day’s journal and received notice that the Senate had passed SB 13, 22, 46, 51, and 90 and requested concurrence. On second reading, HB 134 (sexual assault nurse examiners), HB 168 with HCS 1 (voting under the influence), and HR 7 (recognizing guiding principles of elections in Kentucky) were reported. The House also recommitted HB 258 to the Transportation Committee and took up HB 312 for third reading and passage. HB 312, relating to concealed firearms and deadly weapons, drew the bulk of the debate. The sponsor argued the bill would allow law-abiding 18- to 20-year-olds to obtain a provisional concealed carry license, saying they are adults in other respects, the Second Amendment protects their right to bear arms, and Kentucky should align with other states. Supporters framed the measure as a constitutional rights issue and cited defensive gun use statistics, while one member argued the root problem is family upbringing rather than guns. Opponents said the bill would increase risks in schools and public spaces, pointed to concerns from school district police and SROs, and cited research linking younger age groups and loosened carry laws to higher firearm violence; they also argued the bill would make communities less safe and that no one’s rights would be taken away by voting no. The sponsor said no stakeholder had expressed opposition and clarified the bill would not change where firearms are permitted. The transcript provided does not include the final vote on HB 312.

Transcript Highlights:

• Almost 30% female participation at the institute, which is up, and I will tell you as comparison to the
• Uh, what is your female to male ratio?
• Um, I really do feel lucky to have attended this meeting and to see firsthand the genuine passion and
• Obviously the first bullet there talks about staff attending any stakeholder engagement meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're seeing an uptick in female veterans now.
• We host a job fair every month where 40 companies and 100 job seekers attend.
• I've been the only female veteran in the House of Representatives for the last nine years.
• We need more veterans in, especially females.
• I would be happy to talk to anyone to try to get more females in and more veterans overall.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we saw the drop-off of the initial attendance at the informational webinar that we do, that had
• c><00:12:40.240><c> initial</c> the the drop off of the initial the the drop off of the initial attendance
• of the informational webinar attendance of the informational webinar that<00:12:43.360><c> we</c><00
• It represents two of the members that attended this Women in Government to try a pilot project.
• so keep in mind the numbers that female so keep in mind the numbers that I<00:43:36.480><c> already<

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So that my voice goes back to sounding like a female. I would get breast reconstruction.
• I attended Suffolk University Law School, and I've also been an adjunct professor of law at Boston College
• me, a young woman who was a tomboy and lesbian, to suppress anything that associated me with being female
• Eventually, I went through Planned Parenthood to access basic female hormone replacement before finding
• said, the House members are voting for override vetoes and Senate members are in other hearings and attending

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of health insurance and public health bills, with most speakers focused on expanding coverage for specific treatments and services. Bills discussed included H. 1187/S. 792 on rehabilitation counselors, H. 1173/S. 692 on patient navigation, S. 2600 on scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, S. 2599 on medically necessary treatment for port wine birthmarks, H. 1164 on licensed educational psychologists for child and adolescent mental health services, S. 754/H. 1254 on autism diagnosis and treatment by nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists, S. 714/H. 1137 on infectious disease response and coverage, and S. 791 on making nature a prescriptive therapeutic intervention. Speakers generally argued these bills would improve access, reduce out-of-pocket costs, and address gaps in current insurance reimbursement rules. Testimony in support emphasized personal stories and clinical evidence. Cancer patients and providers described the benefits of patient navigation and scalp cooling for dignity and quality of life during treatment. Boston Children’s Hospital staff and families said port wine birthmark treatment is medically necessary, can prevent complications, and should not be denied as cosmetic. Rehabilitation counselors and school psychologists argued their services are effective, cost-saving, and underused because they cannot bill insurance. Autism advocates said current insurance statutes are outdated because nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists already provide evaluations and should be recognized for reimbursement to avoid delays in early intervention. Public health and GLAD Law testimony supported stronger infectious disease coverage to remove barriers to testing, treatment, and PrEP access. The hearing also included extensive testimony on H. 1172, a bill requiring insurance coverage for detransition-related care. Supporters said it would ensure coverage for medically necessary care for people who regret or reverse gender transition, while opponents argued it would legitimize anti-trans narratives or, conversely, that detransition care is needed because transition procedures can cause harm. The committee also heard strong support for S. 791 from advocates who described nature access as a health intervention that could help with trauma, anxiety, substance use recovery, and environmental justice, with claims that insurance coverage and reduced park fees would improve access. No votes were taken during the transcript, and the chair repeatedly thanked speakers and moved through the long list of public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we add language that removes students attending Craft, Gatton, and Vert Truba Residential Academic
• Academies from the average daily attendance for the purpose of calculating SEEK funding.
• projects that have been a lot of work, particularly for the center from McCracken: $45 million for a female
• $45<00:40:12.440><c> million</c><00:40:13.080><c> for</c><00:40:13.240><c> a</c><00:40:13.280><c> female
• </c><00:40:13.680><c> detention</c> $45 million for a female detention $45 million for a female detention

Transcript Highlights:

• I attended summer camp.
• under the application and them filling out their application, and they're given only the male or female
• Yeah, I think I followed it, but if an applicant, you know, checked female for their sex, and let's say
• They have to put either male or female.
• The U.S. government has a policy now, which identifies there are only two sexes, male or female.

Bills: S0330 , S0526 , S0862 , S1072 , S1078 , S1192 , S1250 , S1296 , S1298 , S1642 , S1698 , S7022

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The committee heard several bills and confirmations, with most measures reported favorably. Senate Bill 330 clarified the heart disease presumption for firefighters, law enforcement, and correctional officers, codifying the medical definition of heart disease and allowing transferring law enforcement officers to rely on a prior physical if a new agency does not provide one. Support was waived in by the Florida Smart Justice Alliance and the Fraternal Order of Police, and the bill passed unanimously. Senate Bill 526, as amended by a delete-all amendment, addressed commercial construction contracts, permit standards, fee reductions when private providers are used, floodproofing, product approval categories, and adoption of certain electrical code standards; it drew support from several construction and business groups and one opposing appearance, then was reported favorably. Senate Bill 1192 created a pilot program for callback queues at the Department of Commerce and Department of Children and Families to reduce hold times for callers seeking re-employment assistance and public benefits, and it also passed favorably. Senate Bill 1078 established transition procedures for a governor-elect, including agency liaisons, briefing materials, office space, and access to records; an amendment shifted IT support to the Department of Management Services, narrowed access to confidential records, and increased penalties for unauthorized disclosure, after which the bill was approved. Senate Bill 7022 extended a public records exemption for classroom examinations and assessment instruments through 2031 and expanded coverage to school district boards and public schools; it was also reported favorably. Senate Bill 862, as amended, set a $60,000 salary goal by 2030 for state correctional officers, probation officers, and institutional security specialists, with annual raises subject to appropriations; members and witnesses emphasized recruitment, retention, and safety, and the bill passed. Senate Bill 1250 removed the requirement that the Commission on Human Relations use registered mail for certain notices under the Florida Civil Rights Act, allowing less expensive notice methods, and it was reported favorably. Senate Bill 1698 allowed certain employers to post required workplace notices electronically instead of physically, and it passed without opposition. The committee also recommended confirmation of 10 appointees to the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the State Retirement Commission. The most extensive debate centered on Senate Bill 1072, which created an anti-Semitism task force within the Department of Legal Affairs to review anti-Semitism in Florida, improve community relations, advise on law enforcement training, assess digital media literacy efforts, evaluate hate crime statutes, and recommend policy changes. The sponsor said the bill was intended to address a growing problem and noted that Florida already uses the Holocaust Remembrance definition of anti-Semitism in statute. Numerous speakers opposed the bill, arguing it could chill protected speech, especially criticism of Israel, and could be used selectively against students, activists, Muslims, Arabs, and Jewish anti-Zionists; several also said existing hate-crime and civil-rights laws were sufficient and that the task force should include protections against Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate. One member raised concerns about the constitutionality of creating such task forces in light of prior actions by the Attorney General. Despite the opposition, the bill was reported favorably on a party-line style vote with Senator Bracey Davis voting yes along with the majority. Senate Bill 1642, the Freedom in the Workplace Act, was also heard and drew significant questioning. The bill would bar public employers and contractors from requiring pronoun use, certain gender-identity-related training, or non-binary sex options on forms, and would protect employees and contractors from adverse action based on religious, moral, conscience-based, or biology-based beliefs. Senator Polsky questioned whether the bill could interfere with anti-harassment training and workplace discipline, while the sponsor said the measure was meant to prevent government coercion and extend protections similar to those in school settings. The transcript cuts off before the final disposition of this bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to see when we do attendance what the quorum is. We had a group in a few weeks ago.
• And then our fearless leader, the first female chief of staff the House has had, Ms. Gina Lockwood.
• Female chief of staff the House has had? Ms. Keena Lockwood. Very important position.
• I have attended public school. I have attended public school.
• Okay, hi everyone, so I attend Cabot High School, and this is my personal experience.

Committee: All GIRLS STATE

Transcript Highlights:

• We truly appreciate your attendance with us today.
• XX is female. Even our teeth and hair follicles contain the XX or XY.
• Social transitioning is where you’re starting to have the child, hey, we’re going to use female names
• Social transitioning is where you're starting to have the child, hey, we're going to use female names

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 62 from an attendance 62 from an attendance standpoint<00:21:04.200><c> um</c><00:21:04.440><c>
• </c><00:24:44.559><c> astronaut</c><00:24:45.159><c> once</c> African-American female astronaut once
• African-American female astronaut once said<00:24:46.279><c> the</c><00:24:46.440><c> future</c><00:24
• He said, “We had an issue where our attendance at parent-teacher conferences was not where we wanted
• Representative Jordan said that in their district they had an attendance issue too, and they moved to

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Abigail attends Satsuma High School and is ...attends Satsuma High School and is paging for Senator Albritton
• in 2009, Judge Smitherman was sworn in as the 31st mayor of Birmingham, becoming the city's first female
• Herford and his son attended the groundbreaking ceremony of...
• Attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sun. Thank you very much, Mr.

Bills: SJR 2 , SB 4 , SJR 36 , SJR 2 , SB 4 , SR 42 , SR 74 , SR 76 , HCR 5 , SB 710 , SB 710