Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Service and the... ...the accessibility of the public to see the agreement between the U.S.
• providing services.
• What kind of things could they gather with some of the technology? Do you know? Yes, ma'am.
• I'd like to thank the speakers for their service. Years in the Air Force.
• I'd like to thank the speakers for their service.

Bills: SB1198 , SB1199 , SB1286 , SB1683 , SB1761

Committee: House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Keywords: Arizona beef council, beef promotion, agricultural marketing, commodity council, livestock, cattle industry, ranching, rural affairs, self-financed program, sunset extension, continuation bill, market development, beef products, Arizona agriculture, Title 41, Title 3, sunset review, marketing order, producer assessment, Salt River horse herd

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:55.040><c> The</c> services uh about uh 36 million. The services uh about uh 36 million.
• Postal Service.
• </c><01:10:46.159><c> to</c> that commits 2,000 hours of service to that commits 2,000 hours of service
• </c><01:14:54.800><c> to</c> using the shot spotter technology to using the shot spotter technology to
• So you guys a technology shot spotter.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of service, CO2 April Boulogne with 10 years of service, and CO2 Winston Chapman with 11 years of service
• And I think that was feedback from the Department of Health Services.
• The Department of Health Services has to then transmit that inspection to CMS. And Ms.
• And I think that was feedback from the Department of Health Services.
• The auditor... getting the best price for high quality services.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the journal, and recognition of the Doctor of the Day. Members also welcomed a visiting group from Women Leading Government and adopted a proclamation honoring Deputy Warden Veronica Parcell and National Corrections Officers and Employees Week. The House then agreed to request Senate consent to adjourn after completing its work on Wednesday, April 22, and later moved into Committee of the Whole to consider bills on the calendar. In Committee of the Whole, the House advanced several Senate bills. SB 1457, SB 1808, SB 1006, SB 1018, SB 1041, SB 1345, and SB 1512 all received do-pass recommendations, with SB 1552 also receiving a do-pass recommendation as amended. SB 1006 was amended to increase the anonymous small-donation reporting threshold and add an inflation adjustment, drawing debate over transparency. SB 1018, dealing with Sharia law, prompted sharp disagreement over constitutional concerns and community impact, but still advanced. SB 1041, a strike-everything amendment on electronic monitoring in assisted living facilities, drew supportive testimony about accountability and protecting vulnerable seniors. SB 1345 advanced with amendments after discussion of licensing timelines for health facilities and removal of an anonymous complaint provision. On third reading, SB 1167 and SB 1254 passed, and SB 1763 also passed after debate over school district finance rules. SB 1315, concerning school safety interoperability and communications with law enforcement, failed on a 25-25 tie after extensive debate over whether it was a vendor-driven bill and whether it created an unfunded or poorly designed mandate. After that vote, a motion to reconsider SB 1315 succeeded by a 30-18 vote. The House also concurred in Senate requests to return HB 2035 and HB 2249 for reconsideration. The session ended with announcements about the annual legislative charity softball game, a Democratic caucus meeting, and adjournment until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lucas Parsons, municipal parking services. Are you here? Wave in support. Okay. Thank you.
• Interoperability of the proposed technology with PTC systems in the trains themselves, we felt that the
• This amendment simply clarifies that the bill applies to contractors providing public transit services
• rather than operating transit services and removes the reference to some subcontractors from the bill
• . ...operating transit services, and removes the reference to some subcontractors from the bill.

Summary: The Transportation Committee considered several bills and amendments. SB 1274, as amended, removed a number of unrelated transportation provisions and added items including local authority to lower residential speed limits, clarification that certain license plate frames do not obscure plates, FDOT funding for eligible rural airport projects, limits on yellow-light timing changes to intersections with red-light cameras, revisions to private use of license plate readers, and rules for direct payments to first-tier subcontractors. The amendment and the bill both passed favorably. SB 1310, as amended, would direct FDOT to study advanced detection and monitoring systems at public railroad crossings and report policy options to the governor and legislature; rail safety testimony supported the study while urging attention to interoperability and other safety concerns. The amendment and bill were adopted and reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 828 on extending sovereign immunity to private contractors providing public transit services. Supporters said it would reduce litigation costs, provide predictability, and help maintain affordable transit and paratransit service, especially in rural areas; opponents argued it was an overbroad expansion of sovereign immunity and could affect employee rights and accountability. After an amendment narrowing the language to contractors providing services rather than operating transit and removing subcontractor references, the bill passed favorably. SB 1378, which strengthens traffic enforcement by clarifying abandoned-vehicle removal, penalties for unlawful plates or stickers, and vehicle seizure authority for fleeing and eluding, also passed favorably with support from law enforcement-related testimony. The committee then confirmed a slate of appointees in tab 6 by one vote, with no objections. SB 1562, dealing with motor vehicle dealers and limiting concentration of a brand’s sales among a single dealer group once the brand has a meaningful Florida presence, was presented as a competition and dealer-diversity measure and passed favorably. Members later recorded additional affirmative votes on several tabs, and the chair noted this was likely the committee’s last meeting of the year before adjourning without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• services to the rest of his neighbors into the... ...and the one landowner can't prevent the services
• And this technology is getting better and better every year. And, Mr.
• But some of these are new technologies.
• Technology. That may happen, by the way.
• I talked to Brian up at Sedalia, who gives us service up there—excellent, excellent service from those

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• there was no loss in service.
• Number two, Arkansas Rehab Services with Guy Fentner Education Service.
• Number two, Arkansas Rehab Services with Guy Fentner Education Service.
• Francis Community Services.
• This is for intensive in-home services for DCFS clients in service areas.

Committee: All ALC-REVIEW

Summary: The committee met to review a supplemental agenda, procurement rule revisions, methods of finance, discretionary grants, contracts, and a member disclosure. The Office of State Procurement presented rule changes tied to 2025 legislative changes, including Act 782, with updates to sole-source definitions, unrealistic bids, protest requirements, debarment procedures, and recodification references; the committee voted to accept the supplemental agenda and approve the rules. Members also approved eight methods of finance covering university repairs, equipment replacement, property purchase, and capital projects, along with a large slate of discretionary grants for courts, health, DHS, historic preservation, and tobacco prevention programs. The committee then reviewed RFQs and six ratifications. The ratifications included a Workforce Connections payment to ACT WorkKeys, Department of Health costs from an ice-storm-related water leak, a large Department of Public Safety ratification for Motorola’s Arkansas Wireless Information Network upgrade, Veterans Affairs HVAC and medical-service payments, and a UA Little Rock painting contract. The Department of Public Safety ratification drew extended questioning about why the expired Motorola contract had not been renewed sooner and why the issue took months to reach the committee; agency officials said the project was bond-funded, had not been tracked in ASIS, and involved ongoing negotiations and system updates. Despite concerns, the committee approved the ratifications. Members also reviewed a long list of construction, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including numerous university, DHS, health, corrections, and state agency agreements. Several contracts were discussed in more detail, including an SAU custodial contract question about sales tax and transparency reporting, and Department of Corrections aerial application contracts for Tucker and Cummins farms, which officials said served separate facilities in different parts of the state. The committee approved the contract lists, reviewed reports, and accepted a disclosure from Representative Andrew Collins regarding his investment interest in a company leasing property to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• SUD training for service providers, including combined in-home services providers.
• I love the preventive services.
• So you find that services or legal services like that can help steer families out of the system in some
• Services include habilitative care, nursing, physician and dental services, training and daily living
• One was to keep the facility open for residential services or use it for other human services.

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy update on Washington child welfare from Casey Family Programs and DCYF. Dr. David Sanders said Washington has sharply reduced out-of-home care and increased kinship placements, but he flagged concerns about low screening-in rates, long stays in foster care for many children, and a recent rise in repeat maltreatment and child fatalities, especially among infants. He urged more focus on infants and young children, better coordination among child protection, health care, and law enforcement, and more proactive review and investigation practices. Members asked for disaggregated data on children lingering in care, fatalities, and causes such as fentanyl exposure. DCYF said it has increased relative placements and guardianships, but also reported a concerning rise in 2025 critical incidents, mostly near-fatalities involving children age three and under, many opioid-related. The department described responses including safe child consults for opioid cases, more training, hotspot analysis, and proposed investments in peer support, public health nurses, community referrals, and an updated safety framework. Members also discussed whether a broader commission on child abuse prevention would be useful, and DCYF said it was open to that idea. The committee then received a DSHS reorganization update from Secretary Angela Ramirez, who described the “Reimagined” plan to consolidate four administrations into three new ones, with the stated goals of reducing silos, improving customer experience, and making transitions between services smoother. She said the agency is seeking statutory changes and CMS approval to align the new structure, and members asked about preparing for federal HR1 impacts, especially SNAP. Ramirez said DSHS is monitoring those impacts closely and emphasized the need for accurate data and cross-agency coordination. Finally, DSHS’s Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration updated the committee on residential habilitation centers and implementation of Substitute Senate Bill 5393, which phases out Rainier School by June 30, 2027 and limits new admissions. Officials reported current census and staffing levels at the state’s RHCs, said Rainier has had some residents transition to supported living or adult family homes, and explained that emergency and permanent rulemaking was needed to implement the law. They also said Rainier was recently cited by federal surveyors for not meeting the active treatment requirement for two residents, and that the facility has 90 days to return to compliance before possible payment penalties or further remedies. Members pressed for details on the citation, the meaning of active treatment, the assessment process for admissions, and whether Rainier could be repurposed for other services; DSHS said it is working on corrective action and will follow up in writing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> office of legislative legal services office of legislative legal services because<02:09:59.320><
• ,</c> Office of Legislative Legal Services, Office of Legislative Legal Services, Joint<02:11:52.360>
• ,<02:50:35.240><c> technology</c><02:50:36.000><c> that</c><02:50:36.240><c> is</c> technology, technology
• that is technology, technology that is evolving<02:50:38.200><c> every</c><02:50:38.560><c> 5</c><02
• These technology companies bring so much These technology companies bring so much to<03:04:23.800><c>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As technology has improved and how we...
• As technology has improved and how we...
• And what we do see is the cyber-related, technology-related crimes.
• And what we do see is the cyber-related technology-related crimes.
• And again, it is, do see is the cyber-related technology-related crimes.

Bills: SB1936 , SB1612 , SB1543 , SB1260 , SB1988 , SB1859 , SB2041 , SB1257

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Keywords: forfeiture, criminal offenses, law enforcement, Class D1 offenses, property seizure, SB1612, mandatory reporting, violent injury reporting, gunshot wound, stab wound, poisoning, burn injury, explosive injury, medical reporting, healthcare providers, law enforcement notification, evidence preservation, patient video records, confidentiality waiver, misdemeanor penalty

Summary: The Public Safety Committee took up several criminal justice and public safety measures. Senate Bill 1936, as amended, increased penalties for impersonating law enforcement from a misdemeanor to a felony and expanded seizure provisions; amendments added federal law enforcement agents and state troopers to the covered officers, and the bill passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1612, requested by Tulsa police, would require limited reporting and sharing of certain injury-related information and hospital video/photo evidence with law enforcement to aid violent-crime investigations; members raised HIPAA, scope, and criminalization concerns, but the bill passed 5-2. Senate Bill 1543 would aggregate multiple DUI offenses within one year into a single felony case; after questions about sentencing, municipal charges, and deterrence, it passed 6-2. Senate Bill 1260 would require child sex traffickers and human traffickers to serve 100% of their sentences without parole or earned credits, and it passed 6-2. The committee also considered Senate Bill 1988, which would increase wire-transfer fees on funds sent outside the United States and restore an income-tax credit for Oklahoma filers; members questioned whether it functioned as a tax, its impact on lower-income senders and service members, and its connection to drug trafficking. The bill failed on a 4-4 vote. Senate Bill 1859, creating an OSBI cybercrime and fraud unit with an estimated $3 million fiscal impact, passed unanimously after testimony that cyber and cryptocurrency fraud are growing and often harm elderly victims. Senate Bill 2041 would make a third possession offense for methamphetamine, fentanyl, or cocaine a felony, with supporters saying it would push offenders toward drug court and opponents warning it would increase incarceration; it passed 6-2. Finally, Senate Bill 1257 would classify THC as a Schedule I drug to align with federal law and close trafficking loopholes, and it passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1584 was laid over at the author’s request.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then finally, I'll finish with technology.
• We have had a very difficult time funding our technology projects over these last several years.
• Everything we do at DOT is based and founded in some sort of technology.
• The other is any alternative modes that arise from technology...
• Director, thank you so much for your service.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The committee held a panel discussion on micro-mobility device regulation and enforcement, focusing on e-bikes and e-scooters. Sheriff Robert Hardwick and Chief Jamie Cruz described serious injuries involving children, including crashes at high speeds, and argued that current law is outdated because it folds e-bikes into the bicycle statute. They urged a separate statewide framework with clearer age limits, licensing or training requirements, helmet rules, and penalties for modifying devices to go faster. Both also emphasized that parents should bear responsibility and that enforcement should include education, progressive discipline, and, if needed, civil citations. FDOT District 6 Secretary Daniel Iglesias and DHSMV representative Lonnie Groner said their agencies are prioritizing education, outreach, and better data collection. They noted that micromobility devices are increasingly common, create safety and accessibility issues on sidewalks and shared-use paths, and are difficult to track because crash reports often do not identify them consistently. Members discussed whether motorized devices should be barred from sidewalks, whether riders should be licensed and insured, and how enforcement could be made uniform statewide. The panel also said manufacturers have not been meaningfully engaged and that local approaches vary widely. The committee then heard 2026 legislative priorities from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and DHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. Perdue outlined FDOT’s large five-year work program, ongoing congestion-relief projects, investments in ports, airports, rail, workforce, heavy equipment, facilities, and cybersecurity, and the need to do more with flat revenues. Kerner summarized DHSMV’s agency bill priorities, including requiring a Florida address and proof of residence for vehicle registration, updating identification requirements, aligning tank vehicle and motor carrier rules with federal standards, improving IFTA administration, raising the crash-report damage threshold, and allowing electronic notices. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:14.960><c> service</c> reasonable rates, exceptional service reasonable rates, exceptional service
• </c> and philanthropic services. and philanthropic services.
• bank debt-to-service cash Standard bank debt-to-service cash ratios,<00:31:50.480><c> cash</c><00:31
• </c> borrowers, proprietary technology borrowers, proprietary technology information. information. information
• We have leveraged very varied financing tools, and we are agnostic to technology.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're leading off with Thrive, which is the big technology piece because we think technology is a good
• And Elizabeth Pittman, Director for Division of Medical Services.
• management services, including referrals to care and services available in the geographic region of that
• we've added to our state plan as a service for this population.
• we've added to our state plan as a service for this population.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee heard extensive public testimony from youth advocates and others urging stronger action on vaping in Arkansas. Speakers described high rates of youth vaping, the appeal of flavored products and social media marketing, health risks from nicotine and aerosol exposure, and school disruptions. They recommended prohibiting vaping in public indoor spaces, aligning vape rules with smoke-free laws, and expanding prevention and cessation efforts. Committee members praised the students for testifying and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was an overview of Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year federal initiative funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. DFA officials said Arkansas received about $209 million for the first year and could receive roughly $1 billion over five years if performance remains strong. They emphasized that the program must be transparent, locally driven, and focused on transformation rather than operating support, debt relief, or new construction. They outlined four initiatives—Heart, PACT, Rise, and Thrive—covering prevention and community health, provider collaboration and access, workforce development, and technology/telehealth. Officials said applications would open in early May, with all four initiatives expected to launch by June, and that funds would be awarded through a reimbursement-based process with a quick turnaround. Committee members asked detailed questions about eligibility, allowable uses, timelines, and how the program would affect existing providers. Officials said rural eligibility could include providers in urban areas if they serve rural patients, and that existing programs could expand if they did not supplant current funding. They also said the program could support targeted renovations, mobile units, new residency slots, EMS equipment, and clinically integrated networks, but not working capital, permanent new buildings, or food purchases. Members raised concerns about protecting current rural providers, supporting school gardens and farmers markets, and ensuring nonprofits and faith-based groups could participate. Officials said the state would continue technical assistance and that the application review team would include DFA and health leadership. Later in the meeting, DHS presented a Medicaid and CHIP rule implementing federal requirements for incarcerated youth, including 30-day pre-release and post-release coverage, targeted case management, and screening services. The Department of Health also presented a rule updating audiology licensing to reflect recent acts and changing the renewal deadline from June 30 to October 31. Both rules were reviewed without objection, and the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have contractual service findings related to bids and satisfactory receipt of goods and services.
• Information technology access privileges.
• Construction using their own services.
• The next area is information technology access privileges.
• Um, the best I can is that they were hired for strategy services.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee received a presentation from Auditor General staff on recurring findings from audits of district school boards, colleges, and universities. For school districts, the main issues discussed included missing or outdated safe-school officer training documentation, weak purchasing-card controls, vendor banking-change fraud risks, incomplete background screenings and disqualification-list procedures, missing website budget disclosures, excessive or untimely IT access, late deactivation of former employees’ access, missed emergency drill deadlines, inaccurate capital outlay and resiliency education records, weak tangible property inventories, adult education reporting errors, untimely bank reconciliations, and improper use of workforce development funds. The auditors said many of these issues are repeated from prior years and are summarized in their annual report on significant findings and financial trends. For universities and colleges, the auditors highlighted similar control weaknesses, including vendor information change controls, IT access issues, cash and investment reconciliation problems, purchasing and procurement deficiencies, personnel and compensation issues, and student fee compliance concerns. Specific examples included a UF consulting contract totaling about $6 million, FAU underreporting carry-forward balances by about $77 million, UCF’s payment loss of about $107,000 from an email scam tied to vendor changes, and a North Florida College unauthorized transfer involving a few hundred thousand dollars. The committee asked questions about the UF consulting work, the FAU carry-forward issue, and whether the listed findings meant every named entity had every issue; auditors clarified that the lists reflected entities with findings in those categories, not necessarily each specific problem. The committee then turned to enforcement for entities with long-standing uncorrected audit findings. Staff reported 144 entities with 197 findings repeated in three or more successive audit reports and recommended sending letters requesting updated corrective-action status, including for late-filed 2022-2023 reports where appropriate. The committee approved the staff recommendation and directed letters to be sent. The meeting ended with members emphasizing the importance of audit oversight and taxpayer accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• As economic and technological changes accelerate, it is crucial that our educational institutions equip
• I also want to thank each committee member here for your work and for your public service.
• Services and also professionals in this state. The shortage remains dire.
• I have a technology consulting firm and a massage school.
• For those of you that don't understand necessarily how it works in the fire service and the police service

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee heard Senate Bill 1961, which would expand reporting on post-secondary outcomes and workforce data, including employment, earnings, regional labor demand, and credentials of value. Senator Bettencourt said the bill is intended to close data gaps and improve alignment between education programs and workforce needs. Witnesses from Opportunity Austin, Texas 2036, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, and the Fort Worth workforce community testified in support, saying better data would help students, parents, schools, employers, and regional economic development efforts. After questions from members about regional workforce pipelines and semiconductor talent needs, public testimony closed and SB 1961 was left pending. The committee then took up several pending bills and reported them favorably, including SB 1325, SB 604, SB 1832, SB 747, SB 2185, and SB 2395, with committee substitutes adopted where needed. SB 1325 was amended to remove the DSHS commissioner’s authority to issue standing orders for respiratory distress medication in schools. SB 1832, relating to school transfer or private-school funding options for students victimized by a public school employee, and SB 747, relating to intimate visual material policies, were both advanced on recorded votes. SB 2185, on the bilingual education allotment, was initially moved to a local calendar but was later backed up and reported to the full Senate after a fiscal note was noted. SB 2395, on school district general obligation bonds, was also reported favorably and then moved to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also heard SB 646, which would expand the Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program to additional professions, increase award amounts, and add stipends for rural and bilingual service. Senator West said the bill responds to mental health workforce shortages and inflation. The Texas Counseling Association supported the measure, and a Hogg Foundation representative said participation has grown sharply since prior changes. SB 646 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2647, which would create a Texas state accrediting agency and interim oversight system for higher education accreditors; supporters from the Texas Public Policy Foundation and a massage school owner argued it would improve accountability and reduce accreditor overreach, while Senator Menendez raised concerns about effects on law and medical school accreditation and student opportunities. SB 2647 was left pending. Finally, the committee heard SB 2786, which would exempt first responders from the Texas Success Initiative entrance exam, and SB 2615, which would standardize remote-work policies across public higher education institutions. The Texas State Association of Firefighters supported SB 2786, saying it would remove an extra step for career advancement; the bill was left pending because the committee substitute had not yet been adopted. SB 2615 was presented as a way to ensure more consistent in-person staffing expectations while preserving exceptions for illness, disability, and some non-teaching roles; it too was left pending. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're leading off with Thrive, which is the big technology piece because we think technology is a good
• We service people south of us 40, 50, 60 miles, east of us 40, 50, 60 miles.
• And Elizabeth Pittman, Director for Division of Medical Services.
• management services, including referrals to care and services available in the geographic region of that
• we've added to our state plan as a service for this population.

Summary: The committee first heard extensive public testimony from youth and advocates urging stronger restrictions on vaping. Speakers described vaping as a youth-targeted public health problem, citing flavored products, social media marketing, nicotine addiction, brain development concerns, school disruption, and exposure to harmful aerosol. They recommended prohibiting vaping in public indoor spaces and aligning vape rules with smoke-free laws. Committee members praised the speakers and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was on Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, administered through DFA. Secretary Jim Hudson and program director Brad Andi explained that Arkansas received about $209 million in the first year under the federal program, with potential for roughly $1 billion over five years if performance is strong. They emphasized that the program is meant for long-term rural health transformation, not general operating support, debt relief, or new construction. The state’s plan centers on four initiatives: HEART for prevention and community health, PACT for access and provider collaboration, RISE for workforce development, and THRIVE for technology and telehealth. Officials said applications will be handled through upcoming notices of funding opportunity, with a focus on local, shovel-ready projects, regional collaboration, and transparency. Committee members asked how the program would work for hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, schools, faith groups, and urban providers serving rural patients. Officials said eligibility is broad if applicants can show a connection to rural health, and that targeted renovations, mobile units, school-based clinics, farm-to-school or garden projects, EMS equipment, residency expansion, and behavioral health initiatives may fit if they align with the plan. They stressed that the program cannot fund working capital, routine maintenance, or new buildings, but can support repurposing space and collaborative networks. Members also raised concerns about protecting existing rural providers from being displaced, and officials said applications would be reviewed by a state committee with technical assistance and a reimbursement-based process. The committee then reviewed and took no objection to several DHS and Health Department rules. DHS presented a Medicaid/CHIP rule implementing federal requirements for incarcerated youth, including pre- and post-release coverage, care coordination, targeted case management, and screening services, with no public comments received. The Health Department also presented a licensing rule for audiology and speech pathology that implements recent acts and changes the renewal deadline; that rule was likewise reviewed without objection. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Office of Information Technologies Office of Information Technologies revolving<01:11:09.120><c>
• </c> screening services. screening services. &gt;&gt; Senator<02:02:07.679><c> Rich.
• Food service restaurants money.
• </c> receive with food service orders. receive with food service orders.
• > item</c> use food service item service wear item use food service item service wear item sorry.<03:

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Senate Committee on Labor and Technology.
• </c><00:13:51.680><c> that</c><00:13:52.000><c> might</c><00:13:52.240><c> be</c> the kinds of services
• that might be the kinds of services that might be available<00:13:53.440><c> for</c><00:13:53.760><c
• Technology has provided a lot of tools that actually have educated them to be able to compete in a lot
• has provided a many tools now technology has provided a lot<00:28:50.399><c> of</c><00:28:50.480><c>

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology met on March 6, 2026, and considered four gubernatorial nominations. For GM 690, Jesse Kola Dean was nominated for reappointment to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Board. Testimony from the Retirement Savings Board and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations strongly supported Dean, citing his original membership on the board and his role in advancing implementation of the retirement savings program. Dean described his background and said the program was moving into implementation after the board approved the Connecticut consortium model; in response to questions, he said the main challenges had been finding an executive director and adapting the program from an original opt-in structure to the opt-out consortium model. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent. For GM 634, Darlene Blakey was nominated to the board of trustees of the Employees' Retirement System. ERS and several individuals submitted support. Blakey, an executive vice president and chief lending officer at First Hawaiian Bank, said her banking and finance background and personal experience with her mother’s retirement benefits motivated her service. She told senators she had attended ERS meetings and was focused on improving retirees’ access to information, education, and retirement planning, and said she would recuse herself from matters involving First Hawaiian Bank because of a potential conflict of interest. The committee again voted to advise and consent. The committee then considered GM 627 and GM 726, both nominations of Gina Anu Novo to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council for different terms. Written testimony from numerous supporters was read into the record. Novo, a longtime First Hawaiian Bank executive and current vice chair, described her experience building audit, compliance, human resources, and technology functions, and said she wanted to help strengthen workforce pathways, career development, retention, and outreach to youth and workers who do not pursue college. Senators asked about her plans to connect workforce development with education and financial literacy; she emphasized career pathing, training, and adapting to changing skills needs, including the role of technology and AI. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent on both nominations, and the meeting adjourned after all four nominations were approved by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2015, relating to radiologic technologies.
• to radiologic technologies, submits the following report.
• There is a Health and Human Services amendment. Mr.
• There is the Health and Human Services Amendment. Mr.
• There is a Health and Human Services Committee amendment. Mr.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't include giving service to the beneficiaries.
• These courts address service-related issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or substance abuse
• Teddy owned up to this outright stating that he offered food, ubers, and recovery services to. owned
• This blocks technological infiltration through blocking those connected technologies from state government
• And we see that in their technologies. Their cameras are sending data back to China.

Bills: S0002 , S0006 , S0018 , S0026 , S0028 , S0050 , S0178 , S0326 , S0538 , S0786 , S1004 , S1096 , S1178 , S1366 , S1632 , S1634

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: negligence, settlement, appropriation, highway safety, damages, law enforcement, child welfare, injury compensation, Department of Children and Families, compensation, law enforcement accountability, personal injury, motorcycle accident, Department of Transportation, legal claim, police negligence, monetary compensation, civil rights, city liability, veterans

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills, most of them claims or civil-law measures, and reported each favorably. Among the bills approved were SB 326 on curators of estates, SB 1096 clarifying filing deadlines under the Florida Civil Rights Act, SB 28 and SB 26 on claims against the City of Lakeland and the estate of Mark Legata, SB 6 involving a DCF-related claim for Layla Estrada/Sapphire Williams, SB 786 creating a nonjudicial process for closing trusts, SB 18 and SB 2 on claims involving the estate of McKenzie Navarre and Daniel Mosley, and SB 50 expanding veterans’ courts statewide. The committee also approved SB 538 on extracurricular activities, SB 1004 on pet sales and financing disclosures, and SB 1366, the sovereign immunity bill, which was presented as a starting point for negotiations with the House over higher claims caps and related provisions. Most of these bills were explained by sponsors as clarifying existing law, modernizing procedures, or resolving uncontested claims, and several had support from affected organizations or individuals; some also drew opposition or concerns from speakers, especially on trust notice issues, sovereign immunity, and the scope of the extracurricular and pet-sale bills. Several bills were amended before passage. SB 326 was narrowed by removing a section and changing reporting language for curators. SB 786 received a technical clarification amendment, while SB 18 removed an unneeded Medicaid-related section. SB 50 on veterans’ courts drew broad support from veterans’ groups and criminal-justice organizations. SB 538 on extracurricular activities was amended multiple times to address home education eligibility, activity fees for homeschool participants, technical cross-references, and compensation for extracurricular sponsors. SB 1004 was supported by animal-welfare advocates and consumer-protection interests. SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools was amended to limit the bill to head coaches, require personal funds, and allow similar bylaws by other athletic associations; it passed after discussion of a Miami Northwestern coaching controversy. The committee also took up two major policy bills with substantial testimony and questions. SB 1178 on foreign influence would create a state framework for foreign-agent registration, restrict gifts and contracts tied to foreign countries of concern and designated foreign terrorist organizations, limit certain sister-city and university linkage activities, and increase penalties for crimes committed to benefit foreign governments or terrorist groups; supporters framed it as a national-security and transparency measure, while the sponsor withdrew one amendment before passage. SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles generated the most extended questioning, especially about its domestic-terrorism designation process, references to Sharia law, notice and due-process protections, and potential effects on students and speech; supporters argued it targets conduct, not belief, while opponents warned it could chill protected activity and unfairly target Muslim communities. The committee heard many public speakers on both sides, but no floor debate followed before the bill was moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• As mentioned, the Transportation Committee staff and Legislative Information Services are on hand.
• Obviously, the technology... ...that have to work on in the future.
• Obviously, the technology has outpaced legislation, and that's why this commission was formed.
• We'll have to then do our in-service training, mandatory in-service training.
• Mobility technology, as you've heard, has far outpaced regulation, and there are many devices in technology

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hearing on the governor’s Ride Safe Act (S 3077), a micromobility bill based on recommendations from last year’s Special Commission on Micromobility. Administration witnesses from MassDOT and the MBTA said the bill is needed because current laws are outdated and inconsistent, and they emphasized a new speed-based framework that would classify devices by maximum speed rather than by device name. They said the bill would set statewide rules, clarify enforcement, require safety equipment and age limits, restrict unsafe modifications, improve crash-data collection, and create a working group to address future issues such as registration, licensure, insurance, and emerging technologies. Committee members asked about crash reporting, battery safety, enforcement on shared-use paths, commuter rail access, and how the bill would apply to off-road vehicles. Several witnesses and legislators supported the bill’s general approach but raised concerns about whether the speed tiers should be tied more directly to actual operating speed on paths, whether higher-speed devices should be registered, and how police would distinguish between similar-looking devices. Representative and commission witnesses also urged more funding for Complete Streets and Shared Streets and Spaces, and some suggested adding default speed limits on shared-use paths and automated enforcement tools. Public testimony was mixed. Pediatric emergency physicians strongly supported the bill but urged amendments for a minimum age to operate powered devices and a universal helmet requirement, citing rising severe injuries and deaths among children. A police chief and other safety advocates backed clearer rules and better data collection, while some moped riders objected that the bill would treat low-speed gas mopeds too harshly and should better account for mopeds as vulnerable road users. UL Standards and AAA supported the bill’s safety and clarity goals, with UL recommending tighter language on battery certification and equivalent standards. No vote was taken at the hearing.