Transcript Highlights:

• No wonder we need to have this meeting.
• And we also need to be providing housing ...who are on our streets and need support.
• We need housing at all levels of income, and we need resources and strategies that deliver on, you know
• We're going to need more revenue. We're going to need a bond.
• I do not have an organization, but I need to because I need to be able to write some of these Amtrak

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the Governor’s 2025 reorganization plan to split the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency into two new agencies: a Business and Consumer Services Agency and a California Housing and Homelessness Agency. Administration officials said the change would give each side more focused leadership, improve consumer protection and regulatory oversight, and better align housing and homelessness policy with the state’s broader housing goals. Leaders from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Cannabis Control, Alcoholic Beverage Control, and Financial Protection and Innovation all voiced support for the business-side reorganization, while housing officials emphasized that the new housing agency would help streamline funding, compliance, and coordination across programs. Members raised concerns about timing, budget impacts, office space, and whether the split would actually reduce bureaucracy. The administration said the plan would be included in the May Revision, was intended to be cost-neutral, and would not require fee increases for licensees or additional office space. On the housing side, officials said the new Housing Development and Finance Committee would work toward a single application and more coordinated award process for affordable housing funding, while preserving CalHFA’s statutory and financial independence. They also said the reorganization would improve compliance monitoring, data collection, and coordination with local governments, including Los Angeles homelessness programs. Public testimony was largely supportive. Industry groups representing beverage distributors, craft brewers, wine, mortgage lenders, and housing organizations backed the business-side split, and housing advocates such as Housing California, the California Housing Partnership, and the California Housing Consortium supported the housing agency concept and the proposed one-stop-shop approach. Several witnesses urged that tax credits, bonds, and other funding sources be better coordinated, and some said the plan should be paired with additional state investment and implementation resources. No formal vote was taken; the hearing was informational.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as you can see, the recurring revenues in Lafitte are not enough to support the work that needs to
• I believe that Senator Talbot's amendments just presented to you today will help remove the function
• Next up, we'll take who you need—you need the secretary for you? Senator Presley? Which one?
• And in the spirit of cooperation, we need additional time and collaboration to work on this.
• We may need to change the actual title of it as well because of the amendment set.

Bills: HR243, HB939, SB56, SB72, SB129, SB171, SB252

Keywords: Tickfaw River, boating safety, warning signs, parish governing authorities, Livingston Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Lake Maurepas, Natalbany River, boat collisions, vessel incidents, recreational boating, marine safety, public safety, navigation hazards, waterway signage, Louisiana House Resolution 243, HR 243, motor vehicle, licensing

Summary: The committee first adopted Amendment Set 527 without objection, then took up Senate Bill 56 concerning the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District and its possible transfer into the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West. Amendment Set 5327 was adopted to add a compliance officer with specified qualifications, described as a checks-and-balances measure separating that role from the chief of police. Testimony in support emphasized the district’s limited recurring revenues, the need for professional management, and the West Bank authority’s ability to provide administrative and operational support. A witness for affected landowners raised concerns about unpaid takings claims and urged amendments to preserve liability and avoid litigation, but the committee ultimately reported SB 56 favorably with amendments. The committee then received an update from DOTD Secretary Glenn Laude on the department’s transformation initiatives, including outsourcing operations and maintenance, construction process improvements, faster contractor payment times, quicker change-order approvals, and improved project delivery rates. After that, the committee reported favorably Senate Bill 171, which makes cleanup changes to the new water resources authority, and Senate Bill 252, which updates driver’s license organ-donor authorization to record both yes and no choices. Senate Bill 72, dealing with electronic titles and vehicle registration, was amended extensively to modernize OMV processes, support electronic lien and title transactions, and set standards for secure digital titles; it was then reported with amendments. House Bill 939, which would have created a Louisiana New and Used Motor Vehicle Commission, was converted into a substitute bill creating a Louisiana Vehicle Commission and consolidating the existing new and used vehicle commissions. After discussion of implementation, governance, funding, and employee-transition concerns, the committee adopted the substitute amendments and then deferred the bill. Senate Bill 129, creating a Master Combat Infantry Specialty license plate, was amended to add designated state officials for a related special plate request tied to security and parking around the Supreme Court in New Orleans, and it was reported with amendments. Finally, House Resolution 243, as amended, urged safety warning signage on the Tickfaw River after a fatal boating accident; the amendment shifted responsibility from DOTD to surrounding parish governing authorities, and the resolution was reported with amendments before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• If there are any kind of tweaks that we need to make or what we need to do.
• You need a driver's license.
• So, lawyers need 12 hours of CLEs (continuing legal education). We need 12 hours a year.
• You need expertise.
• So, I think you need...

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes it's the teacher I need.
• So we need to look at that as well. So we have to change our tools to meet the need.
• We have a problem and we need help.
• I want to think of the solution because he's still here and we need to move forward and we need to be
• Chairman, whether it has been researched and proven and now works, we need we need to know everything

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our doctors and their staff need support, and they need to stay informed about the latest laws and the
• Please, we need to do better.
• That's why these bills are needed.
• We need to go back and look, I need to go and study and see if there's any specific penalties.
• But why do we need this bill?

Bills: SB31, SB33, SB510, SB871, SB1868, SB2024, SB2166, SB2309, SB2880, SJR27, SJR39, SJR40, SB 31, SB 33

Keywords: SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, unborn child, abortion exception, abortion ban, physician liability, health care liability claim, aiding and abetting, Texas Medical Board, State Bar of Texas, continuing medical education

Transcript Highlights:

• It's hard to get a committee together with education laying out HB 2, which is where I need to head.
• House Bill 4285 updates a narrow section of the Alcohol Beverage Code to reflect the operational needs
• Yes, we do need to solve that problem.
• Functionally operate.
• Because one, that's been most functional for us, but two,...

Bills: HB186, HB201, HB229, HB796, HB1506, HB2702, HB2885, HB3225, HB3909, HB4285, HB5138

Keywords: social media, children, account verification, data privacy, parental control, financial crime, card fraud, motor fuel theft, law enforcement, criminal activity, skimmers, prevention, training, biological sex, government information, definitions, sex-based distinctions, public health, federal directives, state authority

Transcript Highlights:

• I might need that. Nice to have you back. Thank you. And any? That would say it.
• joining us on the Zoom would like to provide public comment, you can do so using the raise hand function
• joining us on the Zoom would like to provide public comment, you can do so using the raise hand function
• The goal was for CJC to provide the council with needed staff support and training opportunities, both
• If anyone joining us on Zoom would like to provide public comment, you can use the raise hand function

Bills: SB295, HB378

Keywords: SB295, Delaware, Title 24, aesthetician, aesthetics, cosmetology, barbering, electrology, nail technology, scope of practice, license display, apprentice permit, Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, microdermabrasion, microneedling, dermaplaning, chemical peel, exfoliation, lash extensions, brow tinting

Summary: The Senate Legislative Oversight Committee met in hybrid format, approved the minutes from its April 22 and May 13 meetings, and then heard two bills. HB 420 would modernize massage therapy licensure by allowing the Board of Massage and Bodywork to decide which coursework may be completed in a hybrid format and which must remain in person, while also removing outdated references to a license type the board no longer issues. The sponsor said the change would improve access for students who cannot easily travel or stop working, while preserving public protection through board rules. Public testimony on HB 420 was entirely supportive. Robert Overmiller spoke in favor, and Mackenzie Francis of Alpha School of Massage also supported the bill, citing workforce growth in massage therapy and arguing that hybrid education would expand access, especially for students entering the field later in life. No committee questions or objections were raised. The committee then discussed HB 378, which would continue the Council of Corrections’ partnership with the Criminal Justice Council and avoid the sunset of that arrangement in 2026. Members noted the bill stemmed from a prior Joint Legislative Oversight effort to provide the council with staff support and training. Robert Overmiller again testified in support, and there was no opposition or further public comment. The meeting concluded after discussion of the two bills, with no votes recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to help you understand anything you feel like you need to understand about what's going on in
• And so my view is that this needs to be a top priority not only of this committee, but of the House,
• Uh, for, for those who, who, um, who needed assistance.
• And as we go into adding some of these new functions.
• By being able to, um, move judges between functions, uh, as they're needed, uh, to hear the cases that

Transcript Highlights:

• Don't need your phone. All right, see you. Don't need your phone. You're over there, yeah.
• medical care and need a home.
• patients who no longer need medical care and<00:58:46.559> need<00:58:46.760> a and need
• function.
• /c><02:43:16.960> Advocate patients need to know need to Advocate patients need to know need to

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So these are much-needed funds, and Mr.
• And our aging campus is in very much need of these types of new construction.
• some needed improvements. some needed improvements.
• <00:07:28.160> Chair<00:07:28.319> and needed funds and Mr.
• Chair and needed funds and Mr.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment. On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest. Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• It addresses a need in foreclosure law, so I encourage members' support. Thank you so much.
• /c><00:04:26.240> more<00:04:26.479> in<00:04:26.560> foreclosure addresses a need
• That if someone gets the drugs they need, the care that they need to make their lives better, elongate
• That if someone gets the drugs they need, the care that they need to make their lives better, elongate
• I think we need to put numbers bigger next time for me. There we go, Madam Chair.

Bills: HF1224, HF1615, HF2403

Keywords: foreclosure, mortgage postponement, homeowners, redemption period, Minnesota Statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Do I need to move? Well, somebody needs to... Okay, well, he can. Mr.
• <00:08:03.720> thank and it's it's uh very well needed thank and it's it's uh very well needed
• This mandate is not needed when only 25 out of 331 districts remain in odd-year elections.
• This mandate is not needed when only 25 out of 331 districts remain in odd-year elections.
• Many cities listen to their residents and feel a change is needed one way or the other.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It just doesn't have the function turned off.
• <00:03:49.760> They notification functions turned off.
• They notification functions turned off.
• The only thing, again, I think we need to prohibit nudification.
• And um uh we need to pay attention to.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Federal programs for managing individual types of conditions or systems that need to function within
• need that needs to a ton more education need that needs to be<04:03:29.239> done<04:03:29.439
• A nurse needs a plumber too, though, so it's a mutual need society.
• Yeah, a nurse needs a plumber too, though, so it's a mutual need society.
• hierarchy of needs I think we also need hierarchy of needs I think we also need healthc<04:11:01.720

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• The smart gun locks almost instantaneously when needed by an authorized user.
• For an authorized user, it functions just like a traditional 9-millimeter pistol.
• Innovation needs room to breathe.
• One, this is not a smartphone or an Apple Watch that you need to charge every day.
• We do need to have this be a viable ongoing business.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met for its fourth hearing on emerging firearm technology, focused on personalized firearms and related privacy issues. Co-chairs noted the commission’s charge to study personalized firearm incentives, risks from digital manufacturing codes and AI, and the costs of requiring personalized firearm and microstamp technologies, and said the report deadline is being extended to July 31. They also announced the next public hearing for April 17 at 11:00 a.m., limited to Massachusetts residents. The first witness, Kai Kloepfer of Biofire, described the company’s personalized 9mm smart gun and argued it is designed to prevent unauthorized use through biometric authentication, local encrypted data storage, no wireless connectivity, and automatic disarming when released. He said Biofire opposes any mandate requiring personalized firearms, calling such mandates a de facto gun ban that would stifle innovation, limit consumer choice, and burden a still-developing market. He said the company has a patent portfolio, has received thousands of pre-orders, is shipping in all 50 states, and is approved for sale in Massachusetts; he also said the gun costs about $1,500, is currently sold online, and is intended mainly for home defense. Members questioned him about sales, manufacturing, battery life, repairability, transfer of ownership, possible expansion to other firearms, and whether microstamping could be incorporated. A Massachusetts firearms roster official, Michaela Dunn, explained the state’s testing and approval process for handguns and confirmed that the Biofire firearm is now on the Massachusetts roster and commercially available for retail sale in the state. Kate Crockford of the ACLU of Massachusetts testified only on facial recognition, warning that commercially available systems show significant demographic bias and that Massachusetts lacks comprehensive biometric privacy protections. She urged passage of pending data privacy and biometric privacy bills, including the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act and related measures, before any broader use of biometric verification in firearm laws. Commissioners discussed privacy concerns, and Biofire said its system is zero-knowledge and would likely comply with stronger biometric privacy laws. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported beyond the scheduling announcement and the extension effort.

Transcript Highlights:

• . needs. needs.
• This need for funds was this.
• building systems need total replacement. building systems need total replacement.
• Resources are needed to rework space to meet the needs of the new tenants.
• Resources are needed to rework space to meet the needs of the new tenants.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to make changes.
• We need to make changes.
• But it's how we meet the needs of all of those that need the service.
• But it's how we meet the needs of all of those that need the services.
• I need not mention that.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What is the need trajectory for this program?
• So we kind of need to do some tweaking there.
• and does not meet the needs of the state's current processes.
• And so, PeopleSoft to meet our state needs.
• Which would be all of the accounting functions of the state, right?

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services on the My Safe Florida Home program, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot, and the Florida PALM financial system replacement project. For My Safe Florida Home, Stephen Fielder explained the wind-mitigation grant program, including its inspection-first process, two-to-one matching grants for most homeowners, low-income exemptions from the match, and eligible improvements such as roofs, clips/straps, water barriers, and opening protection. He reported roughly 109,000 initial inspections, nearly 59,000 grants approved, 31,000 final inspections, 25,000 reimbursements, and about $240 million paid out through the end of 2024. Members asked about premium savings, contractor pricing, fraud, owner-builder eligibility, reimbursement timing, and whether the program should have a dedicated funding source; Fielder said the program is currently closed, more than 40,000 people have signed up for updates, and the office has seen some price-gouging and impersonation issues but no major fraud trend. The committee also discussed the new prioritization rules that took effect July 1, 2024, which direct grant awards by age and income. Fielder said the program used a survey of existing applicants to implement the new priority groups and that the first group was over age 60 and low-income. Members raised questions about how premium reductions are measured, whether insurance company changes or rising insured values affect the data, and whether the program can track long-term outcomes after reimbursement. Fielder said the office reports raw premium changes based on declarations pages, knows the insurer for participants, and has validated results with multiple insurers, but does not track homeowners after they leave the program or enforce continued insurance coverage. For the My Safe Florida Condo Pilot, Fielder said the program is modeled on the home program but uses association-level applications, a maximum grant of $175,000 per association, and a similar two-to-one match. He said the application window opened briefly in November and was closed quickly because available funding could be exhausted and the department is prohibited from creating a waiting list. He identified several needed statutory changes, including better distinguishing condos from single-family homes, adjusting roof requirements for flat concrete roofs, and revisiting the unanimous unit-owner vote requirement, which he said has been a major obstacle. Chair Lopez noted the pilot is intended to be a learning process and thanked DFS staff for identifying implementation issues. The final presentation covered Florida PALM, the state’s effort to replace the 40-year-old FLAIR accounting system with a PeopleSoft-based financial management system. Fielder and PALM Director Jimmy Cox said the project began in 2014, the state contracted with Accenture in 2018, cash management went live in 2021, and the project was paused in 2022 for legislative review and remediation. They said the system is expected to go live in 2026, possibly in July rather than January, and that the project has spent about $225 million to date, with a current-year budget of about $60.9 million and a projected next-year request of about $64 million. Members asked about cybersecurity, cloud hosting, project scope, and whether the system is unique to Florida; staff said the system is not Florida-specific, access is credentialed through agency identity management, and the cloud host location is confidential. After the presentations, Chair Lopez assigned members to work with specific agencies on budget review meetings, asked them to discuss agency structure, priorities, staffing, waste reduction, and other budget issues, and set a deadline to report findings in the first week of regular session. The meeting then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• need people to guide them through those. need people to guide them through those.
• And so I see it being a great need to function as a pure ombuds person role.
• And so I see it being a great<00:54:19.200> need<00:54:19.359> to<00:54:19.599> function
• to function as a pure ombbuds great need to function as a pure ombbuds person<00:54:21.680> role.
• We have real needs, and that we have to get it to function.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Audit Commission heard a presentation from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on its evaluation of the Office of Ombuds for Families (OBFF). Auditors said the office remains important because of Minnesota’s long history of racial disparities in the child protection system, but they found major problems with how OBFF is operating. The report said OBFF’s statutory duties are very broad compared with its small staff and budget, and that the ombuds persons are not carrying out all required duties while spending substantial time on activities not required by law. Auditors also said the office’s recent impact is unclear and that its complaint-handling work has significant deficiencies, including poor documentation, limited data, few policies, inconsistent handling, and failure to follow best practices. The presentation also focused on oversight and accountability. Auditors said OBFF’s three community boards, which are supposed to appoint and oversee the ombuds persons, have not provided adequate oversight: meeting requirements were often not met, attendance was low, and there was little evidence the boards were fulfilling their statutory duties. The auditors further said OBFF’s unusual structure, with no single designated leader and shared authority among the three ombuds persons, creates unclear lines of accountability. Their recommendations included revising OBFF’s statutory duties to better match legislative goals and resources, improving complaint-handling practices, strengthening board oversight, and establishing a single leadership position for the office. Members asked follow-up questions about racial disproportionality in out-of-home care, spending on nonrequired activities, and whether the ombuds persons met statutory qualification requirements. Auditors referred members to the report for more detailed data, said the office does not track expenditures by function, and noted that while the ombuds persons have relevant professional backgrounds, the evaluation raised concerns about whether they are meeting their duties as expected. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• there to meet the growing needs.
• They're providing services like functional- functional-based family services, therapy services, which
• Specific needs.
• I am so grateful for your consideration. needs in House Bill 1, including our need for lab space.
• need these folks.

Keywords: 1184, house, all