Transcript Highlights:

• And so we have actually assembled a staff of research software engineers who interface between the faculty
• It's the ecosystem that has faculty, students, support, staff culture, that appreciates where we are
• over almost 2005, when TSA from all over the nation, every single state pain that some faculty or staff
• perspective, there are 2 courses that are on that story for you to start ones infection to the way I this equities
• leave out, I do want to take a moment to recognize the president, some of the students and faculty and staff

Transcript Highlights:

• If you need assistance in registering or testifying, please let me know or contact my staff.
• I've elaborated on this with various members of your staff earlier this week, but it's not clear that
• Department, as this bill provides us with an avenue to be a responsible employer by developing our staff
• I'll show you registered as Kathy Mitchell, testifying on behalf of Equity Action against the bill, is
• rare, but sometimes it also points to certain units that need re-testing, training, or may need some staff

Bills: SB 15

Keywords: law enforcement, department file, employee records, misconduct, confidentiality, Texas occupations code, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you need, uh, assistance in registering or testifying, uh, please contact, uh, let me know or my staff
• I've elaborated on this with various members of your staff earlier this week, but it, it's not clear
• As this bill provides us with an avenue to be a responsible employer by developing your staff and implement
• I show you registered as Kathy Mitchell testifying on behalf of Equity Action and action and yourself
• injury are rare, but sometimes it also points to certain units that need retraining or may need some staff

Bills: SB 15

Keywords: law enforcement, department file, employee records, misconduct, confidentiality, Texas occupations code

Transcript Highlights:

• that we all share, which includes. reproductive freedom, which includes diversity, inclusivity, and equity
• they can impose an outsized burden on simpler transactions, including the incurring of additional DGS staff
• This will reduce backlogs. and staff costs and allow DGS to focus on larger and more complex acquisitions
• Start by thanking the committee staff for working with us on the bill.
• 98 the safe act requires k through schools, and higher education institutions to notify students, staff

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sectors that are high-road, high-paying, and that also have the opportunity to provide worker voice, equity
• hearing is being heard not only here today, but it's being televised, with other assembly members and staff
• know, and under this committee that I get to chair on that note, I want to also acknowledge our great staff
• I know I already acknowledged them, but our committee staff has been great in this committee.
• But our committee staff has been great in this committee.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in Paramount as part of its “Pocketbook Tour,” focused on affordability, cost pressures, and household impacts in Los Angeles County. The first panel centered on workers and learners, with testimony from the UCLA Labor Center and the Southeast Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board. Speakers described how rising living costs, tuition, and low wages force many students to work long hours, often in unrelated, low-wage jobs, while struggling with food, rent, bills, anxiety, and limited financial aid. Recommendations included expanding state-funded work study, creating a statewide internship tax credit for small businesses, improving financial aid formulas to reflect regional cost of living, increasing flexibility for students, and strengthening worker-rights education and career pathways. The second panel focused on microbusinesses and small business affordability. Testimony from microenterprise advocates, the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network, and local business owners described rising commercial rents, labor costs, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, insurance, utilities, and disaster-related pressures as major threats to small businesses. Witnesses emphasized that small businesses are central to local economies and asked the state to expand technical assistance, low-interest financing, disaster support, supply-chain development, and community-based outreach. They also urged more intentional support for microbusinesses and home-based entrepreneurs, including networks that connect them to resources and help them build collective buying power. Committee members asked about possible state actions, including tax credits for hiring local workers or interns, support for trades and apprenticeships, and ways to partner more closely with SBDCs and chambers of commerce. Public comment echoed the hearing themes, with speakers highlighting student hardship, nonprofit mental health funding, renewable energy jobs and internships, and the need for state support for clean-energy incentives. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks and adjournment at 11:05 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Service staff competitively, given the essential work they do.
• If we are limited in our revenue growth, we cannot adequately staff our departments, purchase necessary
• However, three and a half percent is now getting to the point where we can build anything, but we can't staff
• We think that builds stockholder equity and that makes their property go up because people want to move
• And we're talking about 5,300 staff members. I don't know if this applies since we talked.

Bills: SB9, SB 9

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap, tax rollback, tax levy, maintenance and operations, debt rate, disaster relief rate, Texas Legislature, local taxing unit, school assessment

Transcript Highlights:

• The students come to the station, they train at the station, and eventually serve as the volunteer staff
• The radio station has a staff of three people at this point.
• We're attempting to hire a fourth person, so we have a very small staff, but we were The students in
• In terms of that, we have the capital needs in order to ensure that if staff is hired, or reporters are
• some of the politics from an elected state board, there are still concerns around the quality and equity

Transcript Highlights:

• And let's ask the staff to brief the two bills."
• Martha Whaling, staff to the committee.
• Okay, good. and the staff ...the staff could bring in the shardy in. He actually left Zoom?
• I had a question for staff.
• I'll ask for a brief staff report, please. For the record, Martha Whaling, staff to the committee.

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met on February 23, 2026, with a compressed schedule and limited testimony time. Members first heard Second Substitute Senate Bill 5974, which would set eligibility standards for sheriffs, police chiefs, and marshals, require background checks for sheriff candidates through the Washington State Patrol, regulate volunteers and youth cadets, and create a vacancy in office if an elected law enforcement official is finally decertified or fails statutory eligibility requirements. Supporters, including Senator Lovick and several advocacy groups, said the bill promotes accountability and professionalism. Opponents, including the sheriffs of Walla Walla and Spokane counties, argued it imposes unfunded mandates, conflicts with voter sovereignty and recall procedures, and could create problems for rural counties and volunteer use. The committee later took executive action and reported the bill out with a do pass as amended recommendation, 6-2 with one excused. In executive session, the committee also acted on Engrossed Senate Bill 5068, which expands law enforcement hiring eligibility to people legally authorized to work in the United States. A striking amendment clarified that agencies are not liable for employment discrimination claims if hiring is impracticable, allowed applicants who cannot yet possess weapons to apply if they can possess them when hired, and made technical changes. Representative Burnett raised concerns about background investigations, foreign-country vetting, oath of office, and firearm issues, but the committee adopted the striker and then reported the bill out as amended on a 6-2 vote with one excused. The committee also considered Substitute Senate Bill 5855, which prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while interacting with the public except in specified circumstances and creates a civil cause of action. Amendments added an intent section, expanded exceptions for health and safety equipment under OSHA/WISHA, and proposed stronger prosecutorial language, though two amendments were rejected. The bill was then reported out as amended on a 6-2 vote with one excused. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. Engrossed Senate Bill 5890 would expand reckless driving to include driving more than 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, and 20 miles per hour over in active construction zones when workers are present; law enforcement, prosecutors, traffic safety officials, and construction industry representatives testified in support. Substitute Senate Bill 5936, a Uniform Law Commission proposal on human trafficking, would allow prosecution of businesses that knowingly engage in or profit from trafficking, strengthen victim confidentiality, and improve U and T visa certification procedures; testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with one witness urging caution about unintended consequences for businesses that report trafficking. Finally, Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 6070 would expand missing-person response tools by allowing certain surveillance devices to be used for community caretaking to locate missing endangered persons, create Ebony and Purple Alerts, transfer the missing persons website to the State Patrol, and add a public records exemption. Testimony strongly supported the alert provisions, especially for people with disabilities, while one privacy advocate objected to the surveillance provisions as an overreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• even microreactors, as more of those come into play, come into fruition, will the NRC have enough staff
• Will the NRC have enough staff to properly oversee this?
• Currently, we have a full staff, and I think we're good at this point.
• Staff are going through educational opportunities, taking advantage of them whenever they're possible
• Committee discussion and staff directives. Mr. Chairman. Yes. Senator Mather. Thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They all had amendments, but I appreciate you and your staff working to get these bills even better.
• They all had amendments, but I appreciate you and your staff working to get these bills even better.
• And I also wanted to thank your good staff director, Marty Harkness, and also Tabitha Hunter, as part
• ..." "...justice as destabilizing, economic equity as radical.
• And one of the, this was in the Senate staff analysis, preventing terrorist recruitment is one of the

Summary: The committee first considered CS/SB 536, which updates Florida’s criminal gang statutes to reflect modern gang recruitment and communication methods, including social media and encrypted messaging. Senator Martin said the bill does not criminalize gang membership, but clarifies definitions used for gang-related enhancements and law enforcement investigations. Members raised concerns about the meaning of “observed in the company” of gang members and possible impacts on businesses and bikers; Martin said the language was not intended to reach ordinary business customers and that the bill still requires other criteria. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably after debate, with some members supporting it and others warning it was still too broad. The committee also approved CS/SB 762, allowing cross-jurisdictional assignment of conflict capital cases with cost and reporting requirements, after an amendment emphasizing judicial economy and geographic proximity; the bill was described as a cost-saving measure and was reported favorably. CS/SB 1742, creating a new offense for indecent exposure or sexual acts directed at minors under 16, was amended to align with the House version and to cover observing a child for sexual gratification, then reported favorably. CS/SB 1750, increasing penalties and mandatory minimums for serious sex crimes and child sexual abuse material offenses, was amended to restore some current-law provisions and limit reclassification to offenders who were 18 or older at the time of the offense, then reported favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 1582 on statewide data sharing for secondhand dealer and pawnbroker transactions, along with its companion public-records bill SB 1792, both described as theft-prevention and law-enforcement tools with confidentiality protections and stakeholder support. CS/SB 500, providing FDLE protective security for major-party nominees for statewide constitutional offices, was also reported favorably after a technical amendment. The longest and most contentious discussion was on CS/SB 1632, which would create a process for Florida to designate foreign and domestic terrorist organizations, restrict courts from enforcing foreign or religious law when it conflicts with state or federal law, and bar public funds from supporting designated organizations. Senator Graal said the bill targets conduct, not belief, and creates due-process protections through written findings, public notice, cabinet action, and judicial review. Senator Smith and Senator Polsky repeatedly questioned whether the bill’s use of terms like “promotion” could chill protected speech, academic debate, protest activity, or legal representation, and whether the designation process could be used politically or against religious and advocacy groups. Graal said promotion was meant to cover support for illegal acts, not mere disagreement or academic speech, and said she was open to clarifying language. Numerous speakers opposed the bill, arguing it was vague, unconstitutional, and likely to be used against Muslim communities, students, nonprofits, and dissenting political speech; a few supporters argued it was needed for public safety and to prevent state support for terrorism. The committee did not take a final vote on CS/SB 1632 in the portion provided, and the transcript ends during public testimony on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have a badge buddy, and we have been educating not only the ER staff, but the staff in the whole
• tools that your staff can lean on?
• We do, whenever we train our staff to recognize things.
• But all of our staff are highly trained and qualified.
• , the human trafficking staff.

Summary: The first meeting of the Human Trafficking and Emergency Department Task Force focused on implementing Act 267, which created the body to develop a statewide human trafficking protocol to be incorporated into Louisiana’s sexual assault response plans. Chair Rep. Kelly Hennessy Dickerson and Office of Human Trafficking Prevention Director Mary Kate Andropont emphasized that the goal is a practical, transferable, survivor-centered protocol that can be adapted across regions and health systems. The task force also noted its timeline: use today’s presentations and member feedback to draft a protocol before the next meeting, then refine it into a final version. Presenters from hospitals, SANE programs, and advocacy organizations described current practices and gaps. Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport’s Operation Rahab and FMOLHS’s human trafficking policies highlighted staff education, badge buddies, anonymous admissions, hotline and law enforcement reporting, and coordination with community partners. SANE and forensic nursing presenters described red-dot privacy alerts, trauma-informed interviewing, and the need to train all hospital staff, not just ED clinicians, because trafficking victims may present repeatedly or in non-ED settings. LaFASA described statewide advocacy and legal support, while Unbound Now and BCFS/Common Thread explained Louisiana’s juvenile trafficking response under Act 662, including 24/7 crisis response, relational advocacy, and care coordination for minors. Members repeatedly raised the lack of safe housing, transportation, and placement options after identification, especially for adults, male survivors, and adults with special needs. Several presenters said that identifying victims is only the first step and that Louisiana still lacks enough resources for discharge and long-term stabilization. The task force also discussed the need for broader training across emergency departments, residency programs, nursing, housekeeping, maintenance, student health, mental health, and law enforcement, with members stressing that protocols should be clear, trauma-informed, and usable statewide. No votes were taken; the main action was to gather testimony, identify gaps, and begin drafting the statewide protocol.

Transcript Highlights:

• Authority leadership and. staff.
• First, state healthcare authority staff do an audit.
• were difficult for staff to verify or substantiate.
• We'll ask the staff to check.
• Thank you for the work to the staff. Thank you all very much.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the DTSC staff says, thanks. That's not productive.
• to DTSC staff of more than 1,000.
• These priorities directly connect to how the department prioritizes Equity.
• BES needs their own legislative staff, government relations person.
• DTSC staff refused to make the amendments that the board was asking for.

Summary: The joint oversight hearing reviewed the five-year implementation of SB 158 and the Board of Environmental Safety’s role in DTSC reform, with members and witnesses focusing on transparency, accountability, fee-setting, permit appeals, community engagement, and the unfinished SB 673 regulations. The chair raised concerns about the board’s effectiveness, including whether it has been too passive, whether its authority is sufficient, and whether a recent board appointment created an appearance of conflict. Testimony from Earthjustice emphasized that DTSC remains too slow and that the board should be more willing to push the department, speak publicly, and use its authority more actively. The California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance supported the board as a forum for transparency and accountability, while also stressing the need for stable funding and cautioning against politicization. Community witnesses described the board as an important improvement because it created a public venue, ombudsperson, and permit appeal process that did not exist before, and because it has at times forced changes to DTSC’s hazardous waste management plan. At the same time, they argued that the board lacks leverage over budgets, staffing, and implementation, and that community input often does not translate into action. One witness urged statutory changes to align the director’s priorities, the hazardous waste management plan, and performance metrics, and to reconsider the current appeals process. Another called for stronger community engagement practices, more accessible public meetings, and outside help to redesign participation processes. Public commenters also asked for youth representation, stipends for participation, and a more direct role for the board in environmental justice matters. Board Chair Andrew Rakestra and DTSC Director Katie Butler said the reforms have produced measurable improvements. They cited greater transparency through public meetings and ombuds services, stronger accountability through public performance metrics and permit appeals, improved fiscal stability, reduced permit backlogs, increased enforcement, and progress on safer consumer products and Exide cleanup. Both acknowledged remaining challenges, including the board’s limited authority over budgets, the need for earlier and more meaningful engagement, delays in completing SB 673 regulations, and the structural deficit in the hazardous waste control account. They also noted that the hazardous waste management plan left major policy questions unresolved and that the board retained oversight of implementation. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And let's ask the staff to brief the two bills.
• Martha Whaling, staff to the committee.
• And the staff... ...the staff could bring in the Shardy in. He actually left Zoom? Oh, okay.
• I had a question for staff.
• I'll ask for a brief staff report, please. For the record, Martha Whaling, staff to the committee.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• two, it requires the Department of Legislative Services to develop a process to assess the health equity
• impacts of relevant the health equity impacts of relevant legislation.<00:15:46.440><c> Number</c><00
• My seatmate is on the phone with the staff council trying to get the answers to her questions.
• I appreciate the senator from District 34 and the committee staff working through this.
• </c> committee staff working through this. committee staff working through this.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, April 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, chairs, vice chairs, committee members, and to the support staff of this legislature.
• </c><00:42:16.200><c> of</c> members, and to the support staff of members, and to the support staff of
• </c> equity and and move up. equity and and move up.
• As is, and that was just discussed by Dean and our staff last week. No tell.
• As is, and that was just discussed by Dean and our staff last week. No tell.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, um, so members and staff, get ready to keep your comments under 5 minutes.
• And, um, so members and staff, get ready to keep your comments under 5 minutes.
• I primarily staff the tax committee.
• </c><00:05:23.319><c> in</c><00:05:23.479><c> the</c><00:05:23.720><c> background</c> connection staff
• I primarily staff the tax committee, um, just be helping out for a little bit, and a couple of pages

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Within the five departments of Health and Wellness, that includes about 45 professional staff.
• Just in this last quarter, we had student staff callers from multiple divisions throughout Central who
• Another important outcome: the pilot created a trusted referral pathway for faculty and staff.
• Staff, and those positions are faculty positions. Thank you. And one other question.
• We know that there has been equity across the system since this high school and beyond plan became a

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to make one correction for the record: the position that's provided is the staff recommendation
• Well, next up is Andy Sites, director of Trans Equity for the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic
• is Andy Sites director of &gt;&gt; Well, next up is Andy Sites director of Trans<01:01:29.360><c> equity
• for</c><01:01:30.040><c> the</c><01:01:30.200><c> Hawaii</c><01:01:30.560><c> Appleseed</c> Trans equity
• for the Hawaii Appleseed Trans equity for the Hawaii Appleseed Center<01:01:31.400><c> for</c><01:01

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard several Senate bills. SB 2149 would exempt paternity proceedings involving allegations of domestic abuse from mediation and clarify the domestic abuse mediation exemption in divorce cases. The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence supported the measure but recommended technical and conforming changes, including updating references from HRS Chapter 584 to 584A and aligning the language more closely with the Uniform Mediation Act. Members discussed whether the bill’s wording could limit who may bring a support person to mediation, and the chair suggested the intent was to preserve survivor choice while avoiding ambiguity. No vote was taken in the portion heard. SB 2203 would create an offense for law enforcement officers using masks or personal disguises. The Office of the Public Defender, ACLU of Hawaii, Legal Clinic, and many other supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and public trust, while still allowing safety exceptions. Law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Law Enforcement, Honolulu Police Department, and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office, raised concerns about operational needs, undercover and auxiliary units, body cameras, and possible supremacy clause issues if the bill is aimed at federal officers. The chair noted the bill appeared likely to move forward and asked agencies and advocates to work on possible amendments; testimony count was reported as 114 in support, 3 opposed, and 2 comments. SB 2251 would appropriate funds for the victim witness assistance program in the City and County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The prosecutor’s office supported the bill, saying it would replace shortfalls from declining federal funding and help maintain victim services and rights information. A former program director also testified in support. When asked, the office said it would not object to a simple reporting requirement. The committee then moved on to SB 2311, which would address claims against the state and add reporting and timing requirements; the Department of the Attorney General testified with concerns and recommendations, and members began questioning current practices for handling claims and settlements.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to thank Secretary Elizabeth Greginski and the staff of the Early Childhood Education and
• Staff and improve purchasing power.
• And the staff of the Student Success and Wellness Bureau of the Public Education Department, as well
• Speaking of staffing, all of the above quality provisions require qualified staff, of course.
• In this school year to provide training to their staff.