Transcript Highlights:

• motorcycle awareness; SB 2114, motorcycle registration and carman safety fund; SB 2181, mobile food vendors
• motorcycle awareness; SB 2114, motorcycle registration and carman safety fund; SB 2181, mobile food vendors
• irreversible gender surgeries on minors, all of the negative effects, the chilling effects, higher rates

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, journal approval, guest introductions, and recognition of doctors and other visitors. The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a large number of bills on topics including public schools and curricula, transportation, health care, child welfare, municipal and county governance, homeowners’ associations, speech, and election-related matters. Several measures were retained on the calendar, while many others were advanced with committee or floor amendments. Among the more notable debates, senators discussed SB 1094, which would impose civil liability related to gender reassignment surgery on minors; supporters said it would compensate minors harmed by such procedures, while opponents argued it would discriminate against transgender youth, raise malpractice costs, and chill access to care. SB 1813, concerning the state hospital governing board and Maricopa County bed limits, drew concern about litigation and the need to expand capacity for people with serious mental illness, while supporters said the bill would remove a legal cap and allow more beds to be used. SB 1496 on Department of Child Safety procedures was amended to clarify representative payee requirements and received generally favorable comments, though some members raised concerns about child safety and DCS discretion. The Senate also advanced SCR 1004, a photo radar ballot referral, after an amendment requiring voter approval in jurisdictions that use photo radar; Senator Leach thanked the sponsor for the change. Other bills moved forward included measures on school firearm safety instruction, civics instruction, chiropractic claims, behavioral health prior authorization, psychiatric evaluations, DCS procedures, AHCCCS procurement contracting, county recorder and HOA-related issues, and legislative qualifications. The chamber adopted the Committee of the Whole reports and properly assigned the bills after each calendar was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• current fleet to 80 years that'll keep that 100 gigawatts through 2050 and then we're also seeing up rates
• gigawatts that's only 1% of the goal and then from there it's like what are the priority of sites after up rates
• those are going to be existing nuclear power plants are the priority of sites after up rates those are
• And then as you, if there, if you do get a project that has a specific vendor or specific technology,
• Bill Gates writes my, you know, he signs my paycheck, and our spend rate is about $2.5 million a day.

Summary: The committee met for its final meeting and approved the June 16 minutes. The main focus was policy development for advanced nuclear energy, including used fuel disposition, community engagement, and Wyoming’s legislative framework for nuclear development. Rod McCullum of the Nuclear Energy Institute briefed members on DOE’s “innovation campus” initiative for used nuclear fuel, explaining that DOE has narrowed responses to five states—Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Idaho, and Louisiana—and is seeking host agreements by September 30. He said the effort likely requires both federal and state legislation, and industry disputes DOE’s proposal to restart the nuclear waste fee, arguing the Nuclear Waste Fund should instead be used through appropriations for disposal-related work. He also answered questions about Yucca Mountain’s failure, deep seabed disposal, and international approaches to spent fuel, emphasizing consent-based siting and collaboration with states, localities, and tribes. Envoy Public Labs/GAIN presenters Chase Blazer and Austin Blanche described state-led community engagement models for advanced nuclear projects. They highlighted examples from Kentucky, Indiana, New York, Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Connecticut, noting that successful siting depends on early public education, local government support, workforce planning, and, in some cases, state funding for early site permitting. Committee members asked how broad engagement should be, whether it should be countywide or regional, and how small modular reactors differ in public outreach; the presenters said the approach should match the project footprint and local concerns, but that even SMRs still require broad education and stakeholder involvement. Wyoming Senator K.L. Case and Wyoming Energy Futures CEO Rita Meyer then described Wyoming’s legislative history and TerraPower’s Natrium project in Kemmerer. They reviewed Wyoming’s earlier 1995 high-level waste law, which effectively froze nuclear development until reforms in 2022 allowed on-site storage of waste from an active in-state reactor and removed much of the state-level permitting burden. Meyer said the project is now in construction, with a sodium-cooled fast reactor and molten-salt storage system, but faces major supply-chain challenges—especially HALEU fuel—and relies on private investment plus a federal ARDP grant rather than state dollars. Members asked about water supply, investor motives, supply-chain bottlenecks, and state revenue; the presenters said water comes from a PacifiCorp surface-water contract, investors are seeking long-term returns, and Wyoming expects benefits through property and sales taxes and a per-megawatt-hour fee rather than direct state investment.

Transcript Highlights:

• discussing next week at the WPTA conference in Next week at the WPTA conference in Casper, with the vendors
• historically, because of the relatively recent change in inflation and, you know, short-term market interest rates
• option because That's only a short-term option because if my minerals were to fall down or interest rates
• It would have to include sparsity; it may be perhaps crime rates.
• When I went looking at crime rates, they vary considerably across cities in Wyoming, so that may matter

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anybody in business knows that's a tremendous rate.
• Anybody in business knows that's a<00:18:22.000><c> tremendous</c><00:18:22.640><c> rate.
• </c><00:18:24.880><c> in</c><00:18:25.200><c> New</c><00:18:25.360><c> Hampshire,</c> a tremendous rate
• So in New Hampshire, a tremendous rate.
• They went back to their vendor and was able to reduce it to the $1.3 million, and as a result, they're

Committee: Senate Capital Budget

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• lawsuits from partners or ex-partners as a woman who has a close Fam family member that suffered a rate
• It's not about abortion side about rate this about any of the above.
• There is it would be almost impossible with the rate of spontaneous abortion at what it is until 3 months
• that because of feedback devices described as something that measures bodily functions such as heart rate
• Is it true that there's only one vendor that creates and sells these baby boxes? That is correct.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A maintenance vendor is dispatched immediately to contain the damage and implement temporary repairs.
• So what I'm going to respectfully ask is we need to make sure somewhere in your rating system that you're

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation held a hearing focused first on courthouse facility funding and then on the Governor’s proposed court facilities budget. Legislative Analyst’s Office staff outlined the state’s court-facilities funding structure, including the 2002 shift of trial court facility responsibility from counties to the state, the main funding accounts, the insolvency of the construction fund, the move to General Fund support, the backlog of deferred maintenance, and the large estimated cost of needed new construction and repairs. Judicial Council representatives and judges from Los Angeles and Mendocino described severe seismic, safety, ADA, security, and maintenance problems, with examples of floods, elevator failures, asbestos-related closures, and long-delayed or underfunded projects. They argued that chronic underinvestment is making facilities less safe and more expensive to maintain, and that courthouse conditions directly affect access to justice and public confidence. Committee members pressed witnesses on how projects are prioritized, whether population and filing volume are adequately reflected, why reassessments have not been updated since 2019, how long acquisitions and construction take, and what level of funding would actually close the gap. Members also questioned the fixed county contribution, the use of General Fund backfills, and whether the state should set a clearer long-term funding target for the judicial branch. LAO staff emphasized that any new General Fund commitment would require tradeoffs with other budget priorities and said the Legislature must decide its appetite for funding. Judicial Council staff said the current prioritization was based on the 2019 reassessment and trailer bill language, that a new reassessment would cost about $14 million, and that acquisition delays are often driven by willing-seller issues and CEQA requirements. The chair asked for written testimony and indicated the committee would consider a future field hearing. In the second panel, Judicial Council and Department of Finance representatives reviewed the Governor’s budget proposals for court facilities. They said the proposal includes continued backfill for the State Court Facilities Construction Fund, several new construction and reappropriation items, relocation of Los Angeles courtrooms from the Spring Federal Building, and completion of a fire/life-safety project in Orange County. A court executive from Ventura testified that courthouse conditions affect public trust, employee morale, and the quality of service, citing roof leaks, elevator breakdowns, and HVAC failures as examples of why sustained facilities funding is needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• A maintenance vendor is dispatched immediately to contain the damage and implement temporary repairs,
• So what I'm going to respectfully ask is that we need to make sure somewhere in your rating system that

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation held a hearing focused on courthouse facility funding and the Governor’s budget proposals for the judicial branch. The Legislative Analyst’s Office outlined the state’s courthouse funding structure, including the Trial Court Facilities Act, the main facility funds, the fixed county facility payment, and the heavy reliance on General Fund backfill. LAO also explained that the state’s construction funds were depleted after large transfers and declining fine-and-fee revenue, leaving a backlog of roughly 80 construction projects and more than 22,000 deferred maintenance projects statewide. Members and witnesses discussed the long timelines for capital projects, the need for reassessments, and the impact of inflation, CEQA, and site acquisition delays. Judicial branch representatives, including Justice Hill, Judge Moorman, and Judge Tapia, testified that courthouses across the state face serious seismic, ADA, security, and maintenance problems. They described cost-cutting efforts in design and construction, but emphasized that many facilities are aging and unsafe, with examples from Los Angeles, Compton, Ukiah, and other courts involving flooding, elevator failures, asbestos issues, and closures that disrupted thousands of cases. Judge Moorman highlighted the Ukiah courthouse replacement as an example of a project that is on time and on budget and would improve access, safety, and community services. Judge Tapia stressed that deferred maintenance in Los Angeles County alone exceeds $1.4 billion and argued that preventive maintenance is fiscally prudent because emergency repairs and closures are more costly. Committee members pressed the panel on how priorities are set, whether caseload and population growth are adequately reflected, how quickly projects can be accelerated, and what level of funding would actually meet statewide needs. The Department of Finance and Judicial Council staff explained that the county contribution is fixed and not inflation-adjusted, that acquisitions require willing sellers and can be delayed by CEQA and market conditions, and that the Judicial Council’s prioritization process was based on 2019 criteria that may need updating. LAO cautioned that any new General Fund commitment would require tradeoffs with other state priorities and suggested the Legislature decide what level of funding it is willing to support. The committee also reviewed the Governor’s budget proposals for courthouse facilities, which include backfill for the construction fund, selected new construction and judgeship-related projects, and major facility modifications such as the Orange County Central Justice Center and relocation of Los Angeles courtrooms from the Spring Federal Building.

Transcript Highlights:

• The town is current on its debt payments, payroll tax filings, and vendor payments.
• The millage rate is six mills and has not been raised in recent years.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on April 8, 2025, and first took up several local bills that were presented briefly and then approved without public opposition. HB 4035 would merge the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District and the Lee County Mosquito Control District, contingent on approval by voters in both districts at the 2026 election; it passed 15-0. HB 307 would extend to county property appraisers the same authority tax collectors already have to use salary savings for employee bonuses or incentives, and it passed 17-0 after testimony from property appraisers and their associations in support. HB 4047 and HB 4049 would adjust assessment caps for the Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District and the North St. Lucie River Water Control District, respectively, with inflation indexing, annual increase limits, and referendum approval requirements; both passed unanimously. The committee also adopted an amendment to the committee substitute for HB 1169, a broader water management district bill covering quorum and meeting rules, lobbying restrictions, ad valorem taxing authority for certain capital projects by referendum, budget reporting, bidding preferences, and additional oversight and funding information; the amended bill passed 16-0 and was reported favorably with committee substitute. The final and most heavily debated item was HB 4079, which would dissolve the Town of White Springs and return it to unincorporated Hamilton County. The sponsor argued the town had a pattern of mismanagement, including financial problems, audit findings, canceled elections, and public safety concerns, and said dissolution would lower taxes and preserve services through the county. Committee members asked about the town’s finances, audits, law enforcement, fire protection, debt, and whether the county could absorb services and liabilities. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters of dissolution cited audit findings, alleged illegal gambling operations, double taxation for law enforcement, high administrative costs, and intimidation at meetings. Opponents, including current and former town officials and residents, said the town had made progress, had corrected audit issues, maintained reserves, and was working to restore services and governance; they asked for more time and pointed to an upcoming election. No vote was taken on HB 4079 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• South states said, if you agree, to a different form of regulation, where we no longer guarantee you a rate
• We are an We're a national non-profit, we're vendor neutral that works with the government and non-governmental

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the key to lower rates.”
• That's the key to lower rates.”
• That's the key to lower rates.”
• That's the key to lower rates.”
• </c><02:15:33.880><c> minus</c> rate rather than the earned rate minus rate rather than the earned rate

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The mortality rate of acute paraquat poisoning is between 50 and 90 percent.
• There's lots of university studies that have come out that have already projected a high suicide rate
• It allows us to plant at lower rates. I'm going to move on here and skip a little bit.
• Uh, allows us to plant<01:19:04.159><c> at</c><01:19:04.480><c> lower</c><01:19:04.880><c> rates.
• Um, I'm going to plant at lower rates.

Bills: HF3965 , HF3704 , HF3260 , HF3718

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: pesticide, agriculture, environmental protection, health risks, chemical safety, local agriculture, insecticides, pollinators, seeds, environmental health, neonicotinoids, systemic insecticides, civil penalties, pest management, land trends, report, appropriation, farmers, veterinary medicine, veterinary technology

Transcript Highlights:

• from there, where where do we need rates from there, where where do we need to<00:57:20.160><c> plug
• We do some work through our Connect program with, you know, they're one of the vendors or one of the
• They have set rates<01:35:37.120><c> from</c><01:35:37.360><c> all</c><01:35:37.520><c> of</c><01:35:
• 37.679><c> that</c><01:35:37.840><c> from</c><01:35:38.000><c> FEMA</c><01:35:38.400><c> that</c> rates
• from all of that from FEMA that rates from all of that from FEMA that you<01:35:38.880><c> can</c><01

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, and heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University’s Disaster Science Operations Center. WKU described its multidisciplinary disaster science effort, including meteorology, emergency management, the Kentucky State Climate Center, the Kentucky Mesonet, and the Disaster Science Operations Center, which was created in 2021 and serves as an operational hub for forecasting, emergency planning, crisis management, training, and decision support. Speakers emphasized applied learning, student field work, partnerships with industry and event venues, and a five-year NSF/UK-led research project focused on weather hazards, disaster preparedness, and building a statewide disaster database to improve mitigation and resilience. Members asked about flooding, the relationship to EKU’s program, Tennessee’s capabilities, and the timeline and goals for the research project; WKU said the data collection is underway and that the evidence suggests tornado risk is shifting east and occurring more at night. A WKU graduate student also described the value of hands-on storm-chasing and operational forecasting experience, saying it helped prepare her for work in forecasting and emergency management. Members asked about her motivation for joining the program and about the practical realities of storm chasing. The discussion also touched on whether Kentucky’s tornado risk is shifting east; WKU said the evidence from tornado observations and other studies points in that direction, with added concern about nighttime events and communicating warnings to vulnerable communities. The task force then heard from Amy Shaquinn of the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group, who outlined the county-level recovery process after the 2021 tornadoes. She said Kentucky ranks among the top states for federally declared disasters, has seen a high number of tornadoes in recent years, and also faces major flood risk and earthquake concerns along the New Madrid fault. Shaquinn stressed the distinction between immediate response and long-term recovery, explaining that response covers rescue, cleanup, temporary housing, and short-term assistance, while recovery is the longer effort to restore survivors to safe, sanitary, and secure housing through local long-term recovery groups. She said community-led recovery is essential and that preparedness and mitigation follow once immediate recovery needs are addressed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we saw is increased recidivism rates across the county, dramatic.
• I have their—well, I have their arrest rates.
• So what I have is I can tell you what the arrest rates are.
• The LBB already calculates juvenile recidivism rates.
• And what we’ve seen is a huge success rate because of that is an instant bond.

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As a result, many states with opt-in systems can see enrollment rates under 5%.
• But when enrollment rates under 5%.
• So, it just seems like it's a very low utilization rate.
• We do use the third-party vendor to send text messages.
• </c> and adjusting the reimbursement rates. and adjusting the reimbursement rates.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard House Bill 2095, which would provide supplemental appropriations for the Judiciary for the 2025-2027 biennium. Judiciary Administrative Director Brandon Kimura testified in strong support and outlined a request for about $6.4 million in supplemental operating funds, plus four permanent full-time position conversions. He grouped the request into security, services to court users, and staffing needs, including $3.25 million for supplemental armed private security at judiciary facilities statewide, nearly $200,000 for cybersecurity staffing and support, restoration of funding for substance use treatment purchase-of-service contracts, restoration of funding for the Office of Public Guardian on Kauaʻi, salary commission funding, a Kona court operations position, and two Court-Appointed Special Advocates positions converted from temporary to permanent. He also described five capital improvement requests totaling $55.4 million, led by $30 million for construction of a new South Kohala courthouse, $1.2 million each for air conditioning upgrades in Hilo and Kauaʻi, $15 million for elevator upgrades at Kahumanu Hale, and $8 million in lump-sum bond funds for emerging projects. Several organizations testified in support, including Parents and Children Together and the True Cost Coalition. Supporters emphasized the importance of the purchase-of-service funding for domestic violence and substance use treatment services and said the restoration would return funding to pre-COVID levels and help providers maintain capacity. Kimura explained that the Judiciary often shifts funds among contracts during the year to avoid service interruptions, but that the reduced funding has caused delays and operational problems for providers and probationers. Members asked detailed questions about the capital projects and operating requests. Representative Shimizu asked for more information on the lump-sum bond funds and the elevator project, and Kimura explained that the Kahumanu Hale request covers four remaining elevator shafts after earlier funding addressed the first five elevators. Representative Cochran asked about the absence of Maui County projects, and Kimura said the Judiciary is still planning for its older Maui facilities with DAGS. Chair Tarnas questioned the need for armed private guards and discussed whether court security should be prioritized within the Department of Law Enforcement; Kimura said the Judiciary needs additional personnel now and has not asked DLE to deprioritize other missions, though the chair suggested further coordination between the agencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2023, they filed for Chapter 7 liquidation, leaving dozens and dozens of vendors, suppliers, and businesses
• fortunate enough as a town to obtain a zero percent interest loan, we will still have to raise the sewer rate
• If we don't receive the zero percent interest, then we'll have to probably double rates, which is going

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing covered several bills related to environmental, natural resources, and maritime issues. Representative Markey testified in support of H. 1000, which would create a commission to study financing wastewater infrastructure, especially in southeastern Massachusetts and the South Shore, citing combined sewer overflows and impacts on aquaculture. Members agreed the core challenge is finding long-term financing for wastewater solutions. The committee also heard testimony on H. 902 to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation, with supporters describing its role in expanding access, supporting underrepresented communities, and helping grow the outdoor economy. Related testimony also supported H. 986, which would codify the Division of Ecological Restoration and the Office of Fishing and Boating Access within the Department of Fish and Game, with witnesses emphasizing habitat restoration, flood reduction, public access, and boating/fishing opportunities. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 901/S. 597, “An Act Providing Nature for All,” which would dedicate existing sporting goods sales tax revenue to a new conservation fund. Supporters from Mass Audubon, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Appalachian Mountain Club, Trust for Public Land, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, and conservation groups argued the bill would provide a sustainable revenue stream for land conservation, parks, trails, wetlands, water protection, and climate resilience, while also advancing environmental justice and outdoor recreation. They said the state needs roughly $300 million more per year to meet land conservation goals and that the bill could generate about $100 million annually without raising taxes. Committee members asked about balancing conservation with housing and development, and witnesses said the goals are compatible and that the bill includes safeguards. Witnesses also noted similar funding models in other states. The hearing also included H. 1053, a bill to create a Merrimack River Collaborative. Regional planning and watershed advocates said the river faces bacterial contamination, heavy metals, combined sewer overflows, and other pollution, and that a formal collaborative would help coordinate municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofits across the watershed and possibly across state lines. Another bill, H. 4109, would relocate harbor lines in New Bedford Harbor to allow reconstruction of deteriorating bulkheads at a waterfront industrial site; the New Bedford Port Authority, engineers, and the property owner said the change is needed for permitting and would support port modernization and jobs. Finally, the committee heard extensive testimony on S. 641 regarding marine pilotage in New Bedford. Supporters argued the bill would remove a District 3 pilotage restriction and improve port flexibility and offshore wind operations, while opponents warned it would undermine the state’s compulsory pilotage system, weaken safety, and allow ship owners to shop for pilots. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• all infrastructure and connection costs and replaces it with a requirement that the owner pay the rate
• preceptors, internships, and to increase enrollment, program completion, licensure examination passage rates
• We have to stop being in the business of catering to lobbyists and vendors and not our constituents.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, you know, government has a lot of vendors we pay for different things.
• It was so scintillating and so crude, I had a family member text me and say, 'Your committee is X-rated
• Committee is X-rated. These are our children. We talk about librarians. We talk about the law.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that's to pay for an amendment to the card vendor contract and also some form changes.
• amendment<00:13:43.440><c> to</c><00:13:43.520><c> the</c><00:13:43.640><c> card</c><00:13:43.920><c> vendor
• </c><00:13:44.240><c> contract</c> amendment to the card vendor contract amendment to the card vendor

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• those who are required to pay those taxes, but also the tax services, your accountants, and your vendors
• tax services, your accountants<00:58:59.200><c> and</c><00:58:59.400><c> your</c><00:58:59.600><c> vendors
• </c><00:59:00.320><c> and</c><00:59:00.520><c> all</c> accountants and your vendors and all accountants
• and your vendors and all these<00:59:00.960><c> other</c><00:59:01.200><c> folks</c><00:59:02.000><c

Bills: HF1338

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, state oversight, government accountability, fraud, waste, abuse, audit, investigation, subpoena, whistleblower, public integrity, transparency, state agencies, executive branch, public funds, taxpayer funds, law enforcement oversight, public safety programs, advisory council

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be roughly $43,000 according to our vendor.
• would be roughly $43,000 according to would be roughly $43,000 according to our<00:47:12.319><c> vendor
• 14.800><c> in</c><00:47:15.119><c> addition</c><00:47:15.440><c> to</c><00:47:15.680><c> that,</c> our vendor
• Um and in addition to that, our vendor.

Bills: HB0120 , HB0043 , HB0128

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Keywords: energy production, natural gas, industrial sovereignty, manufacturing, tax exemptions, money laundering, illegal investment, financial institutions, criminal activity, Wyoming legislation, severance tax, oil production, tax exemption, energy sector, economic impact, 916, all