Transcript Highlights:

• It restored all the felons' rights in Kentucky except the ones that were convicted of serious crimes:
• And with an expungement, it's like the crime never happened and you have all your rights back.
• With an expungement, it's like the crime never happened and you have all your rights back.
• With an expungement, it's like the crime never happened and you have all your rights back.
• </c> convicted of one of those other crimes convicted of one of those other crimes that<00:31:11.600>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:05 Attendance Roll Call: 00:10 SB 70 Discussion: 00:58 SB 70 Vote: 04:36 SB 80 Discussion: 05:16 SB 80 Vote: 31:45 SB 127 Discussion: 32:30 SB 127 Vote: 39:38 SB 154 Discussion: 41:25 SB 154 Vote: Adjournment: 47:14, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we are targeting only those defendants who have committed a previous crime, been convicted of
• a violent crime, and they're up before a judge on a second charge for murder or a violent crime listed
• , was convicted of a crime, or is on probation right now.
• while they're being charged with a violent crime that they were let out on bond for.
• Senate Bill 761 is the crime victims' rights enforcement bill that passed this chamber with unanimous

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, approved the previous day’s journal, and received a House message announcing passage of HB 4 on public school accountability and assessment. The chamber also recognized the Doctor of the Day, adopted SR 520 honoring Rosser Coke-Newton Sr. for his biography of former Governor Richard Coke, and adopted SR 518 recognizing Texas Moral Injury Awareness Day, with remarks focused on the impact of moral injury on veterans and first responders. The Senate later adopted SR 395 honoring the ninth class of Governor William P. Clements, Jr. Scholars, and several other resolutions were adopted by voice vote, including college savings awareness recognition and other member-sponsored recognitions. The body then took up several bills and resolutions on the floor. HB 3307, allowing online continuing education for arbitrators in property tax appeals, passed unanimously after suspension of the rules and the three-day rule. HB 913, renaming and reorganizing certain state hospitals, and HB 2970, governing the Gulf Coast Protection District and coastal barrier design, also passed unanimously. HJR 1 and HB 9 advanced a proposed constitutional amendment and statutory change to raise the business personal property tax exemption from $2,500 to $125,000; both measures passed, with HJR 1 receiving one no vote and HB 9 passing unanimously after a clarifying amendment. The Senate also passed HB 1151, which limits child removals and termination of parental rights based solely on parental medical treatment decisions, and HB 116, which revises grounds for involuntary termination of the parent-child relationship by removing the “O grounds” and requiring support from financially able parents whose rights were terminated. HB 1899 lowered the age for pyrotechnic operator licenses and fireworks display permits from 21 to 18. SB 1285, as amended, passed to protect bats by prohibiting entombment while preserving removal options from unoccupied spaces, and SB 2847 passed to promote innovations in core curriculum for faster bachelor’s degrees. On criminal justice, SJR 87, a proposed constitutional amendment requiring denial of bail for certain repeat violent felony offenders, passed after two floor amendments clarifying due process and representation language; Senator Eckhardt spoke against it on final passage, arguing it lacked judicial discretion and a clear-and-convincing standard. SB 3073, requiring magistrates to make written findings in certain criminal proceedings, also passed. Later, SB 128, requiring hospitals to report suspected child abuse-related information to HHSC, advanced on a divided vote, and SB 2619 and SB 2972 passed on public school accountability and expressive activities at public colleges, respectively, with Senator Eckhardt opposing SB 2972 as too restrictive on campus protest rights. The chamber also heard extended debate on HB 21, targeting “traveling” housing finance corporations and their use of tax exemptions for apartment projects, with supporters arguing it curbs abuse of the tax code and critics warning about unintended effects on affordable housing; the discussion continued with questions but no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in detail, particularly the 111 crimes in detail, particularly the 111 crimes that<00:37:30.400>
• I previously serious and violent crimes.
• </c> Uh, testimony in opposition, Crime Uh, testimony in opposition, Crime Victim<01:33:10.320><c> Commit
• Nowhere in this most heinous crimes.
• crimes, let alone property theft crimes.

Bills: HB1531

Keywords: emergency announcements, American Sign Language, accessibility, public safety, broadcast media, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1913, which would create a mental health coordinator position within the Office of Veteran Services for the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home and appropriate funds for it. Supporters said veterans, especially on the neighbor islands, need more mental health access and coordination. Several witnesses, including Sean Sonatada and Tom Driscoll, supported the intent but urged amendments to broaden the position beyond one facility and make it a statewide resource. Committee members questioned whether the bill would duplicate existing services at the veterans home and whether the position would be reimbursable through federal VA funding; testimony indicated the state would appropriate the money, while existing home services are already covered through current staff and federal reimbursement structures. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 9, which would designate Hawaii as a Purple Heart state. Testifiers generally supported the measure as a way to honor wounded veterans and their families, though one member asked what benefits the designation would confer. Witnesses clarified that the bill was mainly symbolic and did not appear to create new benefits, and one testifier noted Honolulu County had already adopted a similar Purple Heart designation. The committee then took up House Bill 1628, which would establish a compassionate release protocol for certain seriously ill or debilitated incarcerated persons. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Hawaii Paroling Authority opposed the bill, arguing that an existing administrative process already works, that the bill could improperly extend eligibility to people serving life without parole or mandatory minimum sentences, and that it lacked victim and family input and sufficient resources. In contrast, the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission strongly supported the bill, saying it would reduce the high cost of incarcerating people with complex medical needs, ease burdens on staff and the prison population, and better reflect human dignity. The commission described having seen severe suffering and deaths in custody and said compassionate release is warranted in some cases. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• stop from moving forward, because I think it has long-term harm for our state, is the environmental crimes
• Commissioner, if you look at the Attorney General's office, and I think Senator Braun brought environmental crimes
• Commission, if you look at the Attorney General's office, and I think Senator Braun brought environmental crimes
• Senator Braun brought environmental crimes up, which is a really bad bill because it creates all these
• Many of these bills, even environmental crimes, are expanding that authority and really centralizing

Summary: Washington Senate and House Republican leaders held a media availability focused on affordability, taxes, and government accountability as cutoff day approached. Senator John Braun and Representatives Peter Abbarno and April Connors criticized the Senate-passed income tax bill, arguing it is unconstitutional, would eventually expand beyond high earners, and should be stopped in the House. They also warned about a range of other tax proposals they said would raise costs for groceries, prescription drugs, data centers, startups, and businesses that employ people on Apple Health or Medicaid. The lawmakers also highlighted concerns about energy policy, saying past decisions have driven up utility costs and forced more spending on low-income energy assistance. Abbarno criticized a bill affecting L&I funds and said money was diverted to CCA instead of education or health care. They also objected to several agency-expansion and enforcement bills, including an environmental crimes bill and an Attorney General investigations bill, saying they would centralize power in Olympia and discourage investment. A major portion of the discussion centered on child welfare and DCYF accountability. Republicans said House Democrats blocked motions to bring child welfare bills to the floor, including measures tied to the Keeping Families Together Act and a bill to clarify “imminent harm,” and argued the Legislature should focus on child safety rather than process objections. In closing, Braun noted that a bipartisan fentanyl/endangerment bill, HB 5071, remains alive in the House, while Republicans said they would continue trying to stop tax increases and other bills they view as harmful before the cutoff deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• Larson continued that the rule cites two provisions in IDAPA that define the list of crimes approved
• cross-reference IDAPA rules or the law that would apply, this section instead opens the door for any crime
• He asked whether a misdemeanor is a crime and whether, if someone went jaywalking, that could be used
• to earlier, where they would likely have failed a background check had they been convicted of the crime
• Subject continued that it would not be a crime that is not listed or considered within those background

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee approved the January 26 and 27 minutes and introduced RS 3-2-884, a bill to protect Social Security survivor benefits for children in foster care from being used by the state to offset other costs. Representative Tanner said the measure would codify protections already being pursued administratively and noted that other states have taken similar action. Members asked whether the funds could go into ABLE accounts, and Tanner said the goal was simply to keep the money intact for the child. The committee then heard and acted on foster care licensing rules (docket 16-602-2-2501), including both a temporary rule extension through July 1, 2026 and approval of the pending rule. Department of Health and Welfare staff said the rule implements prior legislation extending foster care to age 23 and adding kin-specific licensure, and it updates background-check and licensing standards so the department can deny placement or revoke a license based on conduct shown by a preponderance of the evidence even if there was no conviction. Members asked about the removal of language on the reasonable and prudent parent standard, corporal punishment, behavior management, and whether the rules would exclude otherwise suitable foster parents; staff said the standard is now in statute and that home studies and supervisory review provide safeguards. Some members expressed concern about discipline language, while others said the rules were intended to better protect children. The committee also approved a repeal of the state rules for Emergency Assistance for Families and Children (docket 16-613-13-23-2501), with the department explaining that the program is governed almost entirely by federal law and regulation and that the state rules were largely duplicative. After the rule actions, members discussed budget issues and were told the committee would not meet the next day and would likely reconvene the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• loved one that we lost just doesn't matter because it's just, you know, the person who committed the crime
• The person who committed the crime, who killed my brother, is just walking free on the streets, and nothing
• My hope is you will understand these kinds of crimes have cascading effects, that the losses sustained
• at a 4th degree felony allows us two things: one, to give teeth to um these lesser, these lesser crimes
• just have charges to be able to bring justice and to be able to hold people accountable for these crimes

Transcript Highlights:

• recommending that Joint Rule 12 be suspended on the joint petition of Omar Gomez relative to reports of crimes
• recommending that Joint Rule 12 be suspended on the joint petition of Omar Gomez relative to reports of crimes
• recommending that Joint Rule 12 be suspended on the joint petition of Omar Gomez relative to reports of crimes
• recommending that Joint Rule 12 be suspended on the joint petition of Omar Gomez relative to reports of crimes

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An investigation into the parent or legal custodian for a crime where the victim is the child is in the
• There's really no crime they're accusing us of, but they're taking the child.
• There was no crime, and they committed multiple crimes, and now these children are left without...

Bills: HB340

Keywords: child protection, due process, family preservation, child custody, human resources, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we heard from 2 victims of that terrible crime.
• And we need to deal with gun crimes, actually deal with gun crimes, making repeat gun offenders and straw
• And we need to deal with gun crimes, actually deal with gun crimes, making repeat gun offenders and straw
• We won't stop all crime.
• crimes.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Crime Victim Compensation Commission in support.
• It defines committing a crime.
• It defines committing a crime.
• </c><00:48:53.839><c> It</c> It defines committing a crime. It It defines committing a crime.
• </c><00:53:57.040><c> again</c> streets where they commit a crime again streets where they commit a crime

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a large number of health-related measures, with the most extensive discussion on SB 2283, which would expand mail-order pharmacy access for prescription drugs. Supporters including HMSA, the Board of Pharmacy, and health plan groups said mail order could lower costs, improve adherence, and reduce hospitalizations, while independent pharmacies and rural neighbor-island providers warned it could harm local pharmacies, reduce access for patients who rely on face-to-face service, and create delivery and storage problems for medications. No vote was taken on SB 2283 during the excerpt, and the chair moved on after hearing testimony. The committee also heard SB 2855 on opioid antagonists, with the Insurance Division and HMSA noting that medically necessary opioid antagonists are already covered and suggesting the issue may be addressed through education or administrative fixes. Fentanyl and substance abuse groups supported the measure. SB 3045 on health insurance coverage for continuous glucose monitors drew broad support from diabetes and health organizations; HMSA said it had already expanded coverage for members on injectable insulin but raised concerns about supply constraints and said it had not yet seen an auditor study referenced in discussion. Members asked whether the bill would extend coverage beyond current policy. SB 2843 on domestic violence received support from the Public Defender’s Office, prosecutors, and victim-related organizations, who said the pilot program for misdemeanor domestic violence cases had reduced backlogs and improved court efficiency. A prosecutor also supported retaining coercive control as a petty misdemeanor tool in larger domestic violence cases. SB 2845 on healthcare facility access drew strong support from many health, legal, and advocacy groups, who said it would protect patients and staff from disruptive interference at healthcare facilities; one opponent argued it would chill lawful speech and protest and unfairly exempt labor demonstrations. The committee then heard SB 2854 and SB 3202, both healthcare-related measures, with testimony largely in support. SB 2854 drew comments from health and dental groups, and SB 3202 focused on workforce and licensing issues, including support for retired physicians volunteering, preceptor tax credits, and adding advanced midwifery and physician assistant-related provisions. The chair repeatedly enforced a one-minute testimony limit and moved through the agenda without recorded votes in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Essentially, it does two things to existing statute: it makes a threat actionable and a crime for the
• One interesting thing about this topic is that AI has made this crime a lot easier to commit.
• This crime is commonly called sextortion.
• is that they require dissemination to have actually occurred before someone can be charged with a crime
• House Bill 727 closes that gap and makes the threat itself a crime.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee began with an annual briefing from Mountain Home Air Force Base leadership on the 366th Fighter Wing’s mission, modernization, and community partnerships. The colonel discussed the base’s role in national defense, F-15E recapitalization, airspace and range improvements, the Snake River water pipeline and treatment plant project, and quality-of-life issues such as schools, child care, housing, and medical partnerships. He also highlighted the base’s economic impact and cooperation with local and state partners. After brief questions, the committee entered executive session under Senate Rule 20E for an intelligence briefing from Captain Juanita Garcia. The committee then approved the minutes from February 27, March 2, and March 4, 2026, and advanced several gubernatorial appointments. Robert Donaldson and Irving Lippman appeared for reappointment to the Idaho Endowment Fund Investment Board, and Shelly Enderud was sent to the Senate floor with a recommendation for confirmation to the State Building Authority. Donaldson and Lippman described their backgrounds and interest in continuing to serve, and members asked about endowment distributions and investment challenges. Members heard and passed House Bill 686, which creates a narrow exception allowing cities under 10,000 population to hire relatives of local elected officials under strict conditions, including public posting, documentation, council approval, and oversight by an unrelated supervisor. Testimony from the Association of Idaho Cities supported the bill as a response to staffing shortages in small communities. The committee also passed House Bill 727, a sextortion bill that makes threats to distribute explicit images a crime and increases penalties when minors are involved; sponsors and the Attorney General’s office emphasized the rise of AI-generated exploitation and Idaho cyber-tip data. Finally, the committee introduced RS 33647, a resolution seeking federal action to reduce pelican impacts on Idaho fisheries, and RS 33616, a resolution honoring fallen state police K9 Kimber. All measures considered were approved or introduced without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill on the calendar, please: Senate Bill 1673, an act appropriating money to the Law Enforcement Crime
• Committee on Public Safety, having under consideration Senate Bill 1673 relating to appropriation to the Crime
• Senate Bill 1673, an act appropriating money to the Law Enforcement Crime Victim Notification Fund.
• Senate Bill 1673, an act appropriating money to the Law Enforcement Crime Victim Notification Fund.
• H. 29, 666, dangerous crimes against children probation. June elections.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• additional aggravating factor, which essentially would allow the jury to conclude that if the capital crime
• We agree that these terrible and tragic crimes are gravely evil.
• We agree that these terrible and tragic crimes are gravely evil.
• If you perpetrate one of these crimes in an instance where people are otherwise considered safe— If you
• perpetrate one of these crimes in an instance where people are otherwise considered safe, I'm going

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met and considered nine bills, with members hearing brief presentations, limited debate, and mostly unanimous support. Early measures included CS/HB 421, which expands peer support access for first responders to include support personnel, and HB 205, which creates a new offense for abandoning a restrained dog during a natural disaster (“Troopers’ Law”). Both bills drew support from law enforcement and animal welfare-related witnesses, and both were reported favorably; HB 205 was adopted with a technical amendment. The committee also approved CS/HB 157 on service of process, which clarifies that a prior statutory change applies to all causes of action, creates a safe harbor for compliance, tightens substituted service requirements, and allows individual registered agents to be served anywhere in the state. HB 693, which adds an aggravating factor for capital felonies committed where people are gathered for school, religious, or public government activities, drew both support and opposition; the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed expanding the death penalty, while supporters argued juries should have more tools in capital cases. The bill was reported favorably after debate. Members then approved CS/HB 113, increasing penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, after discussion about marked versus unmarked vehicles and an amendment that restored current penalties for two related offenses. Rep. Bracey Davis voted no, citing concerns about unmarked cars and public safety perceptions. The committee also passed HB 91 on misdemeanor probation, PCS/CS/HB 383 allowing certain officers and service members to purchase firearms without the three-day waiting period, and CS/HB 195 to let correctional education count toward professional licensure requirements for incarcerated people. Finally, CS/HB 479 was approved to allow judges to order restitution in hit-and-run property-damage cases. All bills were reported favorably, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It addresses the issue of the 12 major crimes, in which there shall be a presumption that you will be
• Those crimes include things like homicide, first- and second-degree assault, felony domestic violence
• in which there shall be a major crimes in which there shall be a presumption<01:07:55.039><c> uh</c>
• </c><01:07:57.520><c> include</c><01:07:58.000><c> things</c><01:07:58.279><c> like</c> those crimes
• include things like those crimes include things like homicide<01:07:59.079><c> first</c><01:07:59.359

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Prop. 47, in 2014, reclassified several nonviolent, low-level drug possession and property crimes from
• Get off drugs means less crime. Voters were clear.
• We don't fund the budget based on crimes. There's no... How we fund public safety.
• We don't fund the budget based on crimes. There's no line item for murder investigations.
• We don't fund the budget based on crimes. There's no line item for murder investigations.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand that what we're really trying to address are some of these unsettling kind of creepy crimes
• But in any of these cases, is an element of the crime that someone's actually been touched or put in
• This is not touching crimes.
• This is not touching crimes.
• This is not touching crimes.

Bills: SCR17, SB2104, SB2155, SB1428, SB1250, SB1651, SB1794, SB444, SB1061, SB1327, SB1425, SB1455, SB1458, SB1460, SB1480, SB1530, SB1543, SB1555, SB1593, SB1209, SB1730, SB1733, SB1769, SB1805, SB2069, SB2095, SB1503

Keywords: Oklahoma Ireland relations, Ireland, Irish heritage, St. Patrick's Day, Choctaw Nation, Choctaw famine relief, Irish-American, cultural resolution, concurrent resolution, ceremonial resolution, economic development, trade commission, international relations, Tulsa IrishFest, ShamROCK the Gardens, Oklahoma City St. Patrick's Parade, Irish ancestry, Senate of Ireland, Aubrey McCarthy, Phil Thompson

Summary: The Senate began with several ceremonial recognitions, including citations for the Destiny Christian School girls volleyball team and football team for state championships, and for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, in connection with Delta Day at the Capitol and Women’s History Month. Members and guests were welcomed to speak briefly before the chamber returned to its agenda. The chamber then considered a series of bills. SB 444, dealing with hospice handling and disposal of controlled dangerous substances left after a patient’s death, passed 39-0. SB 1327, restoring the Tourism and Recreation Commission’s authority and adding general commission-member requirements, passed 27-12. SB 1061, a mortgage broker fee cleanup bill, passed 38-0. SB 1425, repealing an obsolete health care workforce board, passed 40-0. SB 1455, extending the sunset for the Board of Governors of the Architects, Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers, passed 28-11 and then also passed the emergency with 38-1. SB 1458, an Attorney General-request bill to align grand jury witness confidentiality statutes, failed 24-14. The Senate also passed SB 1460, which increases penalties for repeat peeping Tom and clandestine recording offenses and makes second or subsequent offenses sex offenses, by a vote of 38-3. SB 1480, creating a youth apprenticeship pilot program, passed 42-0 and then passed the emergency. SB 1530, updating the Oklahoma Research Development Rebate Program and encouraging private partnerships with higher education, passed 36-4. SB 1543, allowing multiple DUI charges within one year to be prosecuted as a single felony case and making related cleanup changes, passed 37-6 after extended debate about diversion, due process, and testing issues. SB 1555, aligning the state definition of intellectual disability with federal standards, passed 42-0, with a later correction noting the final vote as 42-1. SB 1593, updating outdated OSU-Tulsa trustee language, passed 43-0 and then passed the emergency. SB 1730, requiring law enforcement to copy OSBI on sexual offense reports, passed 37-6. SB 1209, which would have excluded Sundays and federal holidays from the eviction filing-to-hearing timeline, failed on a 21-21 tie after debate over landlord rights, service timing, and court delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nothing changes unless a crime is committed, that crime furthers, benefits, or promotes criminal gang
• So someone has to commit a crime.
• The crime has to be in furtherance of the benefits or interest of a criminal gang.
• So what was the specific crime that you stated the person committed?
• The safeguards remain: a crime must occur.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Washington County administrator Alan Massey, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery recognitions. The chamber adopted the special order report and then took up a series of bills on the special order calendar. Early measures included CS/HB 967 on electronic payments to local governments, which passed 110-0, and HB 127 requiring cursive writing instruction in grades 2-5, which passed 111-0 after members spoke about literacy, signatures, and heritage. CS/HB 453 on high school diploma requirements passed 111-0 and would allow certain students to use Special Olympics participation for PE credit and marching band for PE and arts credit. The House also passed CS/HB 237 on use of professional nursing titles, which requires APRNs using the title doctor to clarify they are APRNs, by 111-0. The chamber then debated HJR 583, a proposed constitutional amendment on religious expression in public schools. Supporters said it would codify existing statutory protections for student and school personnel religious expression and let voters decide; opponents argued it was unnecessary, could create confusion, and risked constitutional problems involving school-sponsored prayer and the separation of church and state. After structured debate, the resolution passed 93-17. The House next passed CS/HB 363 on dental therapy, which creates a licensed mid-level dental provider and drew sharp debate over access to care versus patient safety; it passed 80-29. HB 375 on autonomous practice by certified registered nurse anesthetists passed 78-28, and HB 301 on psychiatric mental health APRN autonomous practice passed 88-18. Later, the House passed HB 863 on arbitration for Citizens Property Insurance disputes, giving policyholders a choice between arbitration and court, by 105-3, and HB 1399 on property insurance affiliates, which increases oversight of insurer-affiliate transactions, by 160-3. Members also heard and advanced a local claims bill, HB 6517, for relief of Eribeito and Sanchez Mayan against the City of St. Petersburg, describing severe injuries allegedly caused during an arrest and transport; the bill was rolled over for third reading at the end of the transcript. Throughout the day, members also paused for multiple recognitions of visiting students, local officials, professional groups, and community organizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• he was a skilled handyman and enjoyed working on his Cadillacs and Mercedes, as well as restoring computers

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate convened with the Pledge of Allegiance and first took up final passage of H. 4426, establishing a sick leave bank for Paul Starvasky of the Department of Correction. A standing vote was required for the emergency preamble, which was adopted, and the bill later passed to be enacted along with H. 4158, expanding the Select Board of the Town of Weston, and H. 4532, exempting certain affordable housing and branch library space in Dorchester from public procurement laws. All three bills were signed by the President and sent to the Governor. The chamber also adopted a Senate resolution commending Hope and Comfort Incorporated for observing Hygiene and Security Awareness Week. In addition, the Senate ordered to a third reading and then passed to be engrossed S. 1859, a retirement bill for Walter L. Gertner, a former Attleboro firefighter, and H. 360, a bill further regulating certain on-premises alcoholic beverage licenses in Holyoke. The Senate also suspended rules to advance a petition concerning purchase of out-of-state service and referred it to the Committee on Public Service, and received a House bill revising the charter of the town of Millis, which was ordered to a third reading. The Senate referred a House petition on expanding access to the family self-sufficiency program to the Committee on Housing. Members then adopted a motion to adjourn in memory of Stephen E. Strum, with a brief remembrance read into the record. Finally, the Senate adopted an order to meet again the following Thursday at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Apologies, my computer just closed on me.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Apologies, my computer just closed on me.

Summary: The caucus reviewed several House and Senate measures, mostly in concurrence form. HB 2611, which clarifies and expands children’s rights in foster care and kinship care, was presented with a Senate amendment requiring quarterly reports on random employee drug screening results at group homes to the Health and Human Services committee chairs; the sponsor intended to concur. HB 2048, on access to non-opioid prescription drug controls, would bar more restrictive utilization controls such as prior authorization or step therapy for clinically appropriate non-opioid pain medications approved by the FDA, with a repeal date of August 31, 2028; the sponsor intended to concur, though one member raised concerns about opioid addiction in tribal communities and asked about stronger warnings and Indian Health Service involvement. HB 2404, changing inter-facility transport procedures, returned from the Senate with only a delayed effective date change, and concurrence was expected. SB 1630, a Senate bill, would create a home and community-based service program for adults who are seriously mentally ill; members noted there was no opposition, but also that the bill appears to have a cost and no appropriation. HB 2950, creating tourism improvement districts, was amended in the Senate to remove a lodging business assessment requirement for destination marketing organizations and allow local governing bodies to approve assessment rates; members confirmed it remained an opt-in/opt-out structure. HB 2995, which rewrites Arizona’s domestic violence framework for legal decision-making and parenting time cases, was amended to make child and victim safety the highest priority, revise court findings and evidence standards, limit mutual domestic violence findings, and add an emergency clause; the sponsor recommended concurrence, though one member asked where the committee stood on the bill. HB 2265, concerning court fees and assessments, was amended to restore courts’ ability to adopt new fees, fines, and surcharges going forward; concurrence was recommended, but county supervisors remained opposed due to concerns about cost shifts. HB 2986, the annual ADEQ omnibus, was amended to merge the recycling fund into the solid waste fee fund and exempt certain public water system infrastructure modifications from plan review; concurrence was expected. The caucus also briefly noted the fiscal year 2027 budget bills, HB 4154 through HB 4169, before adjourning.