Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and we had emotionally regulate.
• </c> consistent mechanism uh for that input consistent mechanism uh for that input at<00:44:19.119><c
• </c><01:16:59.440><c> on</c> mentioned uh federal regulations on mentioned uh federal regulations on
• </c><01:20:14.880><c> to</c> There's very little outcome data to There's very little outcome data to
• </c> utilize ABT card data to flag. utilize ABT card data to flag.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> different um provision related to data different um provision related to data privacy<00:15:03.279
• Um as non-public data under chapter 13.
• </c> Senate version uh of of that um data Senate version uh of of that um data privacy<00:15:36.880><
• </c> are subject to the government data are subject to the government data practices<00:21:23.280><c>
• </c> House author of the the OPM regulation House author of the the OPM regulation bill.<01:21:27.520

Summary: The conference committee received a nonpartisan walkthrough of the House and Senate side-by-side for higher education-related legislation, with staff identifying Senate-only, House-only, identical, and technical-difference provisions. Topics included paid blood donation leave for Minnesota State employees, a revised higher education attainment goal, athletic fee restrictions, developmental course disclosures, American Indian Scholars Program eligibility, protections and definitions for pregnant and parenting students, online program management contracts, student aid reporting, work-study and dual training grants, private and out-of-state postsecondary education regulation, private career school licensing and data privacy, college savings plan changes, and several University of Minnesota-related provisions. House-only items also included an unemployment insurance aid adjustment, a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and $5,000 for Bemidji State University reforestation; Senate-only items included Board of Regents appointment language, limits on for-profit control of medical school curriculum, and reporting on for-profit funding in medical education. After the walkthrough, the committee moved to adopt the same and similar provisions and direct staff to make technical corrections. A senator asked about proposed adjustments to the pregnant and parenting student language, and the chair said amendments would be considered after adopting the same and similar provisions. The motion to adopt prevailed. During public testimony, Sydney Spre of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the Senate’s paid blood donation leave language, saying it would create parity for Minnesota State employees and encourage blood and plasma donation. Commissioner Dennis Olsen of the Office of Higher Education thanked the committee for adopting most of the agency’s proposed language and said he was available to help clarify remaining differences. In response to questions, he explained the Senate’s higher education attainment goal proposal, saying it would extend and broaden the existing goal, raise the target from 70% to 75%, expand the age range, and use additional metrics and partner agencies; he also said the overall attainment rate had been 63.5 under the prior goal. The transcript ends as the commissioner was being asked whether the proposal would require additional appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment also strengthens the statewide cybersecurity defense system by requiring data-sharing agreements
• Unless, of course, the people in charge of the unions don't want the input, and they want to keep their
• But the school teachers have the ability to have much more input if they want to have the input.
• You know, regulation is one thing, but when we layer heightened thresholds, automatic consequences, and
• unequal standards, we risk moving from regulation into impairment of constitutional rights.

Summary: The committee took up several bills and confirmations. It reported favorably SB 332, as amended, on a narrow public-meetings/public-records exemption for legal strategy and settlement communications during the pre-suit period in Burt Harris claims; SB 464, requiring K-12 schools to formally observe Veterans Day; SB 984, clarifying firefighter cancer/death-benefit provisions and related prevention language; SB 576, expanding and codifying the local government cybersecurity protection program under Florida Digital Service; SB 964, revising how certain gifts and honoraria are reported to the Commission on Ethics; SB 1612, requiring local governments to accept electronic payments with exceptions and a delayed effective date; SB 830, creating public-records exemptions for certain local government administrators and their families; SB 1096, clarifying the filing deadline for Florida Civil Rights Act complaints; and SB 1656, designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship. The committee also considered a large confirmation package. Jeffrey Aaron’s appointment to the Public Employees Relations Commission was discussed separately after Senator Polsky raised concerns about his political connections and prior work; the committee still recommended him favorably. The remaining appointees on tabs 12 through 30 were also recommended favorably in one vote. The longest and most contentious item was SB 1296, with a committee substitute, on the Public Employees Relations Commission and public-sector unions. The PCS would change union certification/recertification rules, require a recent showing-of-interest form, create different voting thresholds for public safety and non-public safety employee organizations, limit paid union leave for non-public safety unions unless reimbursed, require equal access to certain employer communication spaces, and speed up impasse procedures for legislatively funded salary increases. Senators raised constitutional concerns, especially about the single-subject rule and collective-bargaining rights, and many speakers opposed the bill as union-busting and harmful to teachers, bus drivers, nurses, utility workers, and other public employees. Supporters argued it would improve accountability, ensure genuine member support, and prevent taxpayer-funded union activity. The committee continued debate on SB 1296 after extensive testimony, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• defense system so The amendment also strengthens the statewide cybersecurity defense system by requiring data-sharing
• Unless, of course, the people in charge of the unions don't want the input and they want to keep their
• But the school teachers have the ability to have much more input if they want to have the input.
• You know, regulation is one thing, but when we layer heightened thresholds, automatic consequences, and
• unequal standards, we risk moving from regulation into impairment of constitutional right.

Bills: S0332 , S0464 , S0576 , S0830 , S0964 , S0984 , S1096 , S1296 , S1298 , S1612 , S1656

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The committee first heard a committee substitute for SB 332, which creates a narrow public meetings and public records exemption for certain pre-suit settlement communications in Bert Harris claims involving local governments and private property rights. The sponsor said the change is intended to allow confidential legal strategy and negotiation during the 90-day pre-suit period while keeping settlements and outcomes public. The strike-all amendment was adopted, supportive testimony was waived in, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved several other measures, including SB 464 requiring K-12 schools to formally observe Veterans Day as a school holiday; SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention, which was amended to add a statement of important state interest and reported favorably after testimony from firefighters both supporting the bill and urging a longer benefit window; SB 576 on local government cybersecurity, which was amended to route the program through the Florida Digital Service and strengthen state-local coordination; SB 964 clarifying how certain gift and honoraria disclosures are filed with the Commission on Ethics; SB 1612 requiring local governments to accept electronic payments with a delayed effective date; SB 830 creating public records exemptions for certain local government administrators and their families; SB 1096 clarifying the filing deadline for employment discrimination complaints; and SB 1656 designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship. All were reported favorably. The committee also considered a slate of appointments, including a separate vote on Jeffrey Aaron to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which was recommended favorably after Senator Polsky objected to the appointment and cited concerns about political ties and prior work. The remaining appointees on tabs 12 through 30 were also recommended favorably. After a recess, the committee took up SB 1296 on the Public Employees Relations Commission, as substituted by a committee PCS. The PCS would change union certification and recertification rules, require stronger showing-of-interest and voting thresholds, limit paid union leave in some cases, require equal access to employer communication spaces, and speed up impasse procedures for state-funded salary increases. The bill drew extensive testimony, with supporters arguing it would improve accountability, transparency, and taxpayer fairness, and opponents—many of them teachers, bus drivers, and other public employees—saying it would weaken collective bargaining, burden workers, and function as union busting. Members raised constitutional concerns about the single-subject rule and collective bargaining protections, and debate was ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The latest data that I saw from last year, I'm not sure—is there going to be data... ...to be that way
• The latest data that I saw from last year, I'm not sure—is there going to be data produced for this year
• , but this regulation was actually vacated at the end of 2024.
• It's self-reported data, so yeah, self-identified.
• Okay, yeah, it's a self-reported data, so yeah, self-identified.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met to review CSU and State Library budget issues, enrollment trends, the Capital Fellows program, and a Title IX update. Chair David Alvarez opened by stressing that CSU faces serious financial pressure, including a systemwide deficit and proposed cuts that he and several members said were too large and likely to harm access, course offerings, and student services. Public comment focused heavily on the Braille Institute Library, with patrons, staff, veterans, and advocates urging restoration of funding and warning that the proposed cut would severely affect blind and visually impaired Californians across Southern California. Several CSU faculty, staff, and union representatives also opposed the proposed reductions and warned of larger class sizes, fewer sections, and layoffs. On the CSU core operations item, the Department of Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to reduce ongoing General Fund support by about $375 million and defer a 5% base increase, while the LAO said CSU core funding would be roughly flat once tuition and targeted augmentations were considered, but warned that rising costs and prior shortfalls would still force campuses to cut spending. CSU’s Chancellor’s Office said the proposed cut would deepen existing problems, citing prior-year budget gaps, job losses, reduced course sections, and student-service reductions. Members pressed Finance and the LAO on whether cuts could be made more surgically, especially at the Chancellor’s Office or in institutional support rather than in instruction, and the LAO said the Legislature has flexibility to target cuts more specifically. CSU also described ongoing consolidation efforts, including shared services among campuses and the planned Cal Maritime/Cal Poly San Luis Obispo integration, while cautioning that savings are not yet fully known. The committee then discussed CSU enrollment. The LAO recommended holding enrollment targets flat because the budget does not add new funding, while CSU reported strong recent growth, including more California residents, record first-year enrollment, and expanded direct admissions and transfer pathways. Members questioned why some campuses with high demand turn away many applicants while others continue to lose enrollment, and CSU said it is shifting resources from campuses with sustained declines to those with demand, using a 10% below-target threshold. The committee also discussed whether enrollment declines mirror local population trends, how to improve marketing and program alignment, and whether lessons from Cal Poly Humboldt’s conversion could inform other campuses such as Sonoma State. The Capital Fellows item drew a Finance proposal for a salary increase and an LAO counterproposal for a smaller raise plus future COLA language; the committee kept the item open. Finally, CSU reported progress on Title IX compliance, saying it has completed most State Auditor recommendations, expanded civil rights staffing, and increased training, prevention, and case-management efforts, though members asked how proposed budget cuts might affect those services.

Transcript Highlights:

• This program has been proven by data to be the best method for helping schools improve test scores.
• goes a long way toward firming up discipline, making it more accountable, and giving teachers more input
• thousands of positions vacant or filled with unqualified or uncertified individuals, according to data
• ..academic research enterprise, promote a culture of compliance that is consistent with federal regulations
• Words are regulated. Can't bully. Can't harass. Vaping gets you taken off a team.

Bills: SB1074 , SB1327 , SB1475 , SB1582 , SB1583 , SB1598

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: foreign relations, university governance, research security, international agreements, Arizona Board of Regents, interscholastic activities, student eligibility, criminal offenses, school district, youth sports, academic participation, conduct, planned communities, homeowners association, HOA, community documents, pet restrictions, dog breed restrictions, breed-specific ban, size limits

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, there's regulations that don't make sense maybe from our perspective.
• I don't want us to permit, regulate, or tax pushing everyone out of Minnesota.
• I'm happy to provide more input in the future. Thank you.
• I'm happy to provide more input in the future. Thank you.
• I'm happy to provide more input in the future. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Hines.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• for better and and more and more input for better and better<01:20:28.239><c> decisions.
• House Bill 494, Representative Roberts, an act relating to administrative regulations.
• </c><01:37:25.920><c> House</c><01:37:26.159><c> Bill</c> administrative regulations.
• House Bill administrative regulations.
• House Bills 56, 214, 281, and 366. regulations. House Bill 424 to primary regulations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sir, you have input.
• Sir, you have a input. word public. Sir, you have a input.
• with me, and we're very much believers in always having the original data source.
• with me, and we're very much believers in always having the original data source.
• That's having the original data source.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and its relationship with student data and its relationship with student data privacy.<00:38:50.800
• So I I appreciate your input. I I &gt;&gt; Yeah. So I I appreciate your input.
• </c> &gt;&gt; that was taken from the April 126 data &gt;&gt; that was taken from the April 126 data
• ,</c> the same population are regulated, the same population are regulated, &gt;&gt; right?
• Good work today. and input that's going into that draft. and input that's going into that draft.

Summary: The commission met to approve the May 18, 2026 minutes and then focused on how SB 57’s special education cost study should inform HB 1099, which creates a separate study committee on residential placements and related education costs. Members discussed sending the commission’s minutes and findings to that new committee, noting the short timeline for its work and the need to be specific about unresolved issues so the new group does not duplicate the same questions. A major topic was the cost and responsibility for students placed at Spalding and similar residential programs, especially transportation and whether costs are paid through the Department of Education’s episode-of-treatment (EOT) fund, local districts, DHS, or Medicaid. Staff explained that for students with disabilities, EOT funds cover special education and transportation costs tied to the placement, while students without disabilities are handled through DHS care-management and best-interest meetings. Members raised concerns about whether some students at Spalding are receiving no schooling, whether transportation costs are substantial, and whether Medicaid reimbursement could offset some expenses. The commission also discussed confusion over district responsibility when students placed in residential programs attend school in another district, using Winnisquam as an example. Several members said the receiving district was not notified that DHHS-approved programs could bring in additional students and costs, and they suggested DHHS or its care-management entity should notify both the district of residence and the receiving district when a program is approved. The group agreed this notification issue, along with transportation funding, privacy concerns in Medicaid-to-schools billing, and the distinction between special education placements, EOT placements, and other voluntary residential placements, should be passed to the HB 1099 study committee for further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we need to have centralized data to determine that.
• What kind of data are they gathering?
• What kind of data are they gathering?
• Centralized data and where we're making our budgetary decisions.
• Now you're saying it's about data. “Issues and about data. Now you're saying it's about data.

Bills: SB132 , SB241

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee first heard HB 158 as amended, which would require state agencies receiving appropriations from the Grow Fund to submit accountability and evaluation plans to the State Budget Division and the Legislative Finance Committee. LFC staff said the bill would put existing practice into statute and formalize agency reporting and evaluation responsibilities. The bill drew no opposition testimony, and after questions about whether agencies or LFC would do the evaluations, it passed on a 9-0 due pass vote. HB 255, the Public Safety Workforce Building Program, was then presented as a bipartisan measure to consolidate public safety workforce funding into a competitive grant program for local law enforcement, fire, detention, and public attorney offices. The sponsor said it would not require a new appropriation. There was no opposition testimony, and the committee approved it on a 9-0 due pass vote. The committee then took up SB 309, which would replace the lottery’s 30% return requirement with a fixed floor return for several fiscal years, with a reversion to the current law if the floor is not met. Lottery officials and supporters argued the change would let the lottery offer more competitive prizes, including higher-value scratchers, and potentially increase scholarship revenue; opponents, including Think New Mexico and a nursing student, warned it could cap long-term growth and reduce scholarship funding. After extended debate, the bill passed on a 7-2 due pass vote. Later, SB 79, creating a statewide mosquito-borne disease prevention program through the Department of Health, was presented by its sponsor as a response to West Nile virus and warmer winters. Testimony from the sponsor and the state entomologist emphasized rising mosquito risk and the need for county grants and statewide coordination. Although the committee initially moved to table the bill because funding had already been included in the budget, that motion failed and the bill ultimately received a due pass vote. The committee also heard HB 295, which would create a centralized accessibility reporting position in the Department of Health; after testimony for and against, an amendment stripping the appropriation was adopted, and the bill passed 5-3. The committee then heard HB 124, establishing an Office of New Americans within Workforce Solutions to coordinate workforce integration for immigrants with lawful status. Supporters described barriers faced by immigrant workers and the need for bilingual training and centralized assistance, while the sponsor said the office would have no first-year budget impact. The bill passed 6-4. Finally, the committee considered SB 273 and SB 274, both involving state financial support for affected entities and the Patient Compensation Fund. SB 273, which would provide temporary state assistance to communities affected by economic disruption, passed after debate about precedent and economic recovery. SB 274, which sought repayment from the Patient Compensation Fund for prior state infusions, drew opposition from hospitals and physicians who warned of higher surcharges and questioned the timing and legality; discussion continued around the committee substitute and the fund’s statutory restrictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• That balance is difficult, but it is achievable when stakeholder input is taken seriously and decisions
• collected that week, present the data collected that week, present that<01:14:13.400><c> to</c><01:14
• </c><01:14:42.960><c> on</c><01:14:43.120><c> a</c> um are then collecting that data on a um are then
• collecting that data on a daily<01:14:43.600><c> basis</c><01:14:44.800><c> and</c><01:14:45.080><c>
• </c><01:15:14.880><c> is</c><01:15:15.040><c> showing</c><01:15:15.520><c> how</c> because the data is

Bills: HF4207 , HF4338

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• They seem to fear planning future disability services based on data and direct input from people with
• They seem to fear planning future disability services based on data and direct input from people with
• They seem to fear planning future disability services based on data and direct input from people with
• The data is mixed. The study resonated. The data is mixed.
• In the data, I was single day.

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• The overall purpose of a regulation.
• </c><01:01:36.319><c> on</c> and anybody is anybody have an input on and anybody is anybody have an input
• </c><01:10:51.199><c> to</c> limiting occupational regulations to limiting occupational regulations to
• </c> regulation. Okay. regulation. Okay.
• </c> input on these types of deployments. input on these types of deployments.

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• And that data that they collect becomes a part of the decennial census count.
• Thank you for your input. I hear you.
• stakeholders, critically, and with input and in consultation with the plaintiffs.
• to the plan development, giving input on a draft and input on a final version that we really genuinely
• Thank you for that input.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:35.799><c> around</c><00:20:36.240><c> that</c> kind of Regulation around that kind of Regulation
• </c> both by the legislator and by Regulators both by the legislator and by Regulators when<01:04:08.480
• It is an entirely manual process, with staff that would have to work off of spreadsheets, taking data
• It is an entirely manual process, with staff that would have to work off of spreadsheets, taking data
• If it's a data center, it might be most of it, if not all.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, DSHS must collect data from both cities and submit an annual report to the Office of Financial
• Finally, DSHS must collect data from both cities and submit an annual report to the Office of Financial
• They would have input on, and they wouldn't lose their jobs or have their employment impacted if they
• And that's what this bill regulates. It doesn't regulate masks.
• The bill regulates anything that obstructs a view of the officer's face, and that's where we have some

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met on January 18, 2026, and heard staff briefings and public testimony on several familiar bills. Engrossed Senate Bill 5068 would broaden eligibility for law enforcement, civil service, prosecuting attorney, and Fish and Wildlife officer jobs to anyone legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law, replacing references to lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients. Supporters, including Sen. Lovick and King County, said it would expand the applicant pool and align state law with federal work authorization rules; opponents raised concerns about background checks, visa fraud, and whether the bill could allow people without U.S. citizenship to serve in sensitive public safety roles. The committee also heard testimony on Second Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5268, which would require community custody for unlawful possession of a firearm offenses; law enforcement and prosecutors supported it as an accountability measure, while the Sentencing Guidelines Commission urged more specificity and cautioned against over-supervision for lower-level cases. The committee then heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5272, which expands school-related interference and intimidation offenses to include employees, contractors, students, and officials or volunteers involved in extracurricular athletic activities, increases penalties, and requires non-student offenders to be barred from the school or activity for 12 to 18 months. Sen. Lovick and several witnesses, including referee Bob West, supported the bill as a response to rising abuse of sports officials and school personnel. The committee also heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5286, which would codify and fund community policing partnerships at Western State Hospital in Lakewood and Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, with annual reporting requirements; the mayors of Lakewood and Medical Lake testified in support, saying the programs had reduced calls and improved safety. A major portion of the meeting focused on Substitute Senate Bill 5855, which would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while interacting with the public, with exceptions for undercover work, SWAT/protective gear, and other hazardous conditions. Supporters, including Sen. Valdez, the King County prosecutor, local officials, and several public commenters, argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and public trust, especially in response to masked federal immigration enforcement. Opponents warned about officer safety, doxing, weather and smoke conditions, and possible conflict with federal law; committee members and stakeholders discussed a possible amendment tied to Labor and Industries rules to address protective coverings in hazardous conditions. The chair said the committee would take executive action on SB 5272, SB 5286, and SB 5268 the next day, and the meeting adjourned after public testimony on SB 5855.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh we believe this data is reader data.
• </c> our data laws. our data laws.
• as private data and non-public data.
• as private data and non-public data.
• </c> as private data and non-public data. as private data and non-public data.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose, as I've said, is to get input and updates on the findings from the deportation data project
• The purpose, as I've said, is to get input and updates on the findings from the deportation data project
• </c> of the work of the deportation data of the work of the deportation data project.<00:15:39.360><c
• data project.
• ><c> sets</c><01:16:22.800><c> were</c> say that the data these data sets were say that the data these

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on findings from the deportation data project and possible policy responses to increased federal immigration enforcement in Hawaii. In opening remarks, the chair said the committee was concerned about changing federal executive orders, policies, and enforcement actions, and framed the issue as one involving due process and public safety. The chair and presenters described reports of ICE activity on multiple islands, including raids, courthouse presence, and fear in immigrant communities, and said the committee was considering whether state policies should be advanced more quickly. Mandy Fernandez of the ACLU of Hawaii presented updated deportation data and argued that increased immigration enforcement is creating fear, reducing crime reporting, and potentially making state and local agencies extensions of the federal immigration agenda if they accept federal funding with conditions. She said the deportation data project, housed at UC Berkeley Law with UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, uses FOIA requests and its latest data runs through late July 2025. She reported 153 ICE arrests in Hawaii from January through July 2025, up from 41 in the same period in 2024; 96 removals, up from 15; a federal detention center average daily population of 91 in June 2025 versus 31 in June 2024; and 111 ICE detainers issued in Hawaii from September 2023 through July 2025, with 49 issued in 2025. She also cited an immigration court backlog of 1,144 pending cases as of August 2025 and noted that about one in five Hawaii residents were born outside the United States. Haley Chang of the Office of the Public Defender said her office is seeing a marked increase in ICE presence around courthouses and more ICE contacts with clients, including reports of people being detained after court appearances or while on supervision. She emphasized that the office is not an immigration law office and that much of its information is anecdotal, but said the pattern appears new compared with prior years. In response to committee questions, she explained that ICE detainers are requests, not judicial warrants, and said local law enforcement is generally not required to honor them unless accompanied by a judicial warrant or other legal authority. She also said the public defender’s office had not yet seen new criminal charges arise solely from an ICE detention or failure to appear tied to immigration enforcement, though cases could be affected if defendants are removed from the criminal process.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had a minor change to it, and with the input on the committee for June Rules.
• For employee input, it took less than a minute, and again, I'm not a great typer.
• For employee input, it took less than a minute, and again, I'm not a great typer.
• Some of the data you've been given here is that it made absolutely no difference in Arizona.
• I think that we can be a friendly state for regulation and still stand for law and order.