Transcript Highlights:

• demonstrated</c> myself and this body has demonstrated myself and this body has demonstrated &gt;&gt; Republican
• ><c> to</c><00:51:47.400><c> get</c><00:51:47.480><c> there</c><00:51:47.560><c> a</c> &gt;&gt; Republican
• I would love to get there a &gt;&gt; Republican.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 25 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And look, you might get some Republicans that vote for it because it does lower their bills by a dollar
• This was not sent from some nefarious Republican lobbyist.
• This was not sent from some nefarious Republican lobbyist.

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, February 6, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• brought up by some of our colleagues, the other reason this concerns me is I am in a county with a Republican
• brought up by some of our colleagues, the other reason this concerns me is I am in a county with a Republican
• I agree with what some of my Republican colleagues said yesterday.

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, heard an invocation and pledges, and approved several routine motions, including excuses for absent members, permission for committees to meet while the House was in session, and postponements of some bills. The chamber also received a Senate message listing measures passed by the Senate and adopted a memorial resolution honoring the 21 victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, with remarks entered into the House Journal after a moment of silence. The House then took up a long third-reading calendar and passed a series of Senate bills on topics including criminal justice and corrections sunset provisions (SB 2405, 2406, 2407), election equipment testing (SB 2166), electric grid reliability and attack-preparedness exercises (SB 2148), firefighter collective bargaining (SB 777), DFPS and foster care procedures (SB 1141 and SB 1398), Medicare durable medical equipment billing (SB 1330), property tax administration (SB 1453), probate cleanup and record transfers (SB 1448 and SB 1839), mental health filing procedures (SB 53), school residency for children in safety placements (SB 226), diabetes-related amputation study (SB 1677), rapid DNA analysis (SB 1723), utility rate transparency and capacity cost recovery (SB 1664 and SB 1856), community supervision eligibility (SB 552 postponed), and other measures. Several bills passed with broad support, while others drew notable opposition and narrower margins, including SB 777, SB 2137, SB 2111, SB 1677, SB 1936, SB 1453, and SB 38. Two bills drew especially extensive debate. SB 2148, dealing with electricity supply chain reliability and tabletop exercises for critical facilities, was discussed as a grid-security measure aimed at coordinating utilities, law enforcement, ERCOT, and the PUC in the event of physical attacks; it passed unanimously. SB 1936, changing how LSD is measured for criminal prosecution from dosage-based to weight-based calculations, prompted extended discussion about lab consistency, carrier mediums, and fairness in charging, with supporters saying it would help crime labs and law enforcement and opponents warning it could distort penalties depending on the medium used; it passed 108-26. The House also passed SB 36, creating a Homeland Security Division within DPS, after questions about overlap with TDEM and the cost of adding personnel. Late in the day, the House debated SB 38 on eviction procedures, with supporters saying it targeted squatters and streamlined removal of unauthorized occupants, and opponents arguing it would make evictions too easy and worsen homelessness; it passed 85-44. The chamber also began debate on SB 37, a major higher-education governance bill that would expand governing-board oversight of curriculum, hiring, and faculty senates; members raised concerns about academic freedom, faculty governance, and the impact on humanities programs, and debate was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the other thing I think she's a Republican, so to be safe.
• Um, the other thing I think she's a Republican, so to be safe.
• Um, the other thing I think she's a Republican, so to be safe.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee took up HB 164, dealing with homeowners and certain service agreements tied to residential real estate. Much of the discussion focused on whether the bill should be framed as prohibiting “service agreements” or more specifically as banning “future right to listing” agreements, and whether the bill should mirror Maine’s newer law. Mike Padmore of AARP New Hampshire presented suggested edits, including clarifying that the agreements are unenforceable, striking a provision at Roman 6C, and adding language making clear that registry of deeds staff are not liable when they record documents they are statutorily required to file. Bob Quinn of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors said the bill and Maine’s law reach the same result, but he preferred simpler wording and argued the bill should not include a two-year time limit because legitimate listing agreements should not create liens at all. Members and witnesses debated whether the bill should simply make the practice illegal outright, whether the Consumer Protection Act is the right enforcement vehicle, and whether the lien-removal process should be modeled on the recent undischarged mortgage bill. A consumer protection official said the bureau supports the statute and explained that under RSA 358-A, consumers could seek damages and equitable relief to strike a lien, while also noting that the bureau often uses the Consumer Protection Act as an enforcement tool. The committee also discussed narrowing the bill to residential real estate, with the sponsor and witnesses saying the problem has been seen in residential transactions and that commercial property was not the focus. The testimony described the underlying problem as companies, often national rather than New Hampshire-based, using long-term or future listing agreements to impose liens or penalties on homeowners, sometimes in connection with estate transfers or home sales. Witnesses said legitimate real estate listings do not normally place liens on houses, but these arrangements can include hidden or unclear penalties, including a reported 3% charge on home value. No vote was taken in the excerpt, but the committee appeared to be working through possible amendments and whether to adopt Maine-style language or a simpler New Hampshire-specific approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• For Republicans, there will be a caucus at 7:00 next Monday night.
• Republicans, there will be a caucus 7:00 Republicans, there will be a caucus 7:00 next<02:00:12.400><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to continue its review of recommendations for New Hampshire’s family court, with the chair emphasizing a collaborative approach and noting that the group would focus on the origins of the family division, recurring problems identified in earlier reports, and comparisons with other states. Members discussed organizing testimony into three broad topics: the court hearing process and pro se litigant preparation, mediation/arbitration/counseling, and the interaction of domestic violence issues with family court and related criminal proceedings. The chair also noted that the subcommittee would not meet again for two weeks and encouraged members to review materials from Judge Michael Mace and NCSL research on other states’ family court systems. Attorney Heather Culp, senior administrator for the judicial branch’s circuit court, testified about New Hampshire’s ADR programs. She explained that the Office of Mediation and Arbitration, created by statute in 2007, oversees more than 12 statewide ADR programs across the Supreme, Superior, and Circuit Courts, including family division programs such as divorce-parenting mediation, neutral case evaluation, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and voluntary adoption mediation. She said the divorce-parenting mediation program is the largest family division ADR program, with about 3,400 mediation sessions in 2023 out of roughly 6,700 cases, and that most cases involving minor children are referred to mediation soon after the first appearance session. Culp described the family division process as beginning with a first appearance session led by a case manager, who provides information, helps with paperwork, and schedules mediation, usually within 30 to 45 days. She said mediation is strongly encouraged in parenting and divorce cases, but there is no requirement to reach agreement, and parties may settle some issues while leaving others for court. She also explained that mediation is prohibited or limited in certain domestic violence cases: cases with active civil protection orders may proceed only with both parties’ consent and possible safeguards, while cases involving criminal protective orders are not sent to mediation. Mediators in court-referred family cases are contracted with the court and must be certified by the executive branch’s mediator certification board; mediators do not communicate with judges, except through a brief ADR report noting whether the case settled or what the next procedural step is. Members asked about referrals, timing, and the meaning of “neutrals,” and Culp said the court uses in-house contracted neutrals for family division ADR and does not refer divorce-parenting cases to outside providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a matter of fact, it was the Republicans that had the it was the Republicans that had the it was
• the Republicans that had the biggest issue.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Alabama Federation of joined by the Alabama Federation of joined by the Alabama Federation of Republican
• women please stand to be Republican women please stand to be Republican women please stand to be recognized

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• interesting</c><01:34:16.080><c> a</c> know it's kind of interesting a know it's kind of interesting a republican
• 17.440><c> spending</c><01:34:18.040><c> at</c><01:34:18.199><c> the</c><01:34:18.320><c> same</c> republican
• bills on spending at the same republican bills on spending at the same time<01:34:18.840><c> there's

Bills: HF601 , HF271 , HF1101 , HF979

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: agriculture, depredation compensation, livestock, crop damage, elk, wolves, wildlife management, skills path program, career and technical education, CTE, dual credit, postsecondary options enrollment, apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, dual training, work-based learning, career pathways, skilled trades, workforce development, high school to career

Transcript Highlights:

• And to put it on the record, there were two Democrats and two Republicans that voted against this bill
• record, there were two Democrats and the record, there were two Democrats and two<01:53:54.000><c> Republicans
• that</c><01:53:54.639><c> voted</c><01:53:54.880><c> against</c><01:53:55.119><c> this</c> two Republicans
• that voted against this two Republicans that voted against this bill<01:53:55.760><c> in</c><01:53:56.000
• I'm running the amendment because 23 district attorneys, including Democrats and Republicans, have requested

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And um, I just wonder what um, the Republican Abe Lincoln would think about all this conversation behind
• And um, I just wonder what um, the Republican Abe Lincoln would think about all this conversation behind
• And um, I just wonder what um,<01:31:54.960><c> the</c><01:31:55.080><c> Republican</c><01:31:55.720>
• <c> Abe</c><01:31:55.920><c> Lincoln</c><01:31:56.320><c> would</c> um, the Republican Abe Lincoln would
• um, the Republican Abe Lincoln would think<01:31:56.680><c> about</c><01:31:57.440><c> all</c><01:31

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the first is that um this was a statute that was passed in 2019 with bipartisan support under a Republican
• passed in 2019 with bipartisan support passed in 2019 with bipartisan support under<04:02:25.760><c> Republican
• </c><04:02:26.640><c> There's</c><04:02:27.120><c> been</c> under Republican governor.
• There's been under Republican governor.
• bipartisan support through voice votes in both the House and Senate, and it was signed into law by Republican

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She wrote a letter to the editor talking about recent rhetoric by a Maine representative, a Republican
• I intend to gavel in and put us in recess for a half hour, and there will be a Republican caucus in my
• > be</c><04:45:51.600><c> a</c> a half hour and there will be a a half hour and there will be a Republican
• :53.200><c> office</c><04:45:53.920><c> from</c><04:45:54.240><c> 3</c><04:45:54.480><c> to</c> Republican
• caucus in my office from 3 to Republican caucus in my office from 3 to 3:30. 3:30. 3:30.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• unwanted pornography, especially unwanted pornography and accidental exposure. 83% of Alamians, both Republican
• , 83% of Alamians, both Republican, Democrat, independent, Democrat, independent, Democrat, independent
• that you that you that 83% of Alamians, both Alabama, uh, both Alamians, both Alabama, uh, both Republicans
• , both Democrats, both Republicans, both Democrats, both Republicans, both Democrats, both independents

Keywords: 920, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In other words, if this is where the Republicans in the state say we have to keep the EFAs once you're
• In other words, if this is where the Republicans in the state say we have to keep the EFAs once you're
• In other words, if this is where the Republicans in the state say we have to keep the EFAs once you're
• In other words, if this is where the Republicans in the state say we have to keep the EFAs once you're
• In other words, if this is where the Republicans in the state say we have to keep the EFAs once you're

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• saying it either going to be flat or even increase if, you know, if the House were to stay with the Republicans
• So, I mean, with everything, you know, with the Republicans now, with the administration, the Senate,
• ><00:31:18.960><c> stay</c><00:31:19.240><c> with</c><00:31:19.480><c> the</c><00:31:19.799><c> Republicans
• </c><00:31:20.559><c> and</c> were to stay with the Republicans and were to stay with the Republicans

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025. The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions. Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Weare is a 68% Republican town, and Henniker is a 63, 64% Democrat town.
• 02:00:11.520><c> is</c><02:00:11.760><c> a</c><02:00:12.000><c> 63</c><02:00:12.920><c> 64%</c> Republican
• town and hener is a 63 64% Republican town and hener is a 63 64% Democrat<02:00:14.239><c> town</c><
• I'm here today asking Republicans to join us in that.
• </c> values I'm here today asking Republicans values I'm here today asking Republicans to<03:00:23.319

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is something that we looked at... ...for instance, Republican administrations from years past at

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• second, we're super excited to see our Assemblymember Stan Ellis has been appointed to fill the Republican

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on July 1, 2026, heard a full agenda of election-related measures, and took final votes on several bills and one resolution. The committee also adopted two consent items, SB 1429 and SB 1430, without opposition. Members and the chair repeatedly noted committee membership changes and the final meeting of the session, and the chair emphasized the committee’s focus on protecting democracy and election integrity. Among the bills heard, SB 1369 would shorten the signature-gathering period for judicial recalls in larger counties and require paid gatherers to disclose they are compensated; supporters argued it would protect judicial independence, while the chair and some members noted the need to balance recall rights with county differences. SB 900 would reformat campaign disclosure language on large print ads and billboards to improve readability while preserving transparency, with broad support from outdoor advertising, clean money, and good-government groups. SJR 18, which condemns Citizens United and urges action against corporate spending in elections, drew support from reform advocates but also concerns about the resolution’s focus and scope; it was advanced on a party-line split with some members voting no. The committee also advanced SB 1164, a major voting-rights measure expanding California protections against vote dilution and voter suppression, adding preclearance-style review for some jurisdictions, and directing courts to interpret election laws in favor of voting access. Local government representatives opposed it unless amended, citing uncertainty, loss of safe-harbor protections, and implementation concerns, while civil-rights and labor groups strongly supported it. SB 1360, which expands language-access requirements for voters with limited English proficiency and lowers coverage thresholds, was supported by voting-rights and immigrant-advocacy groups but opposed by elections officials unless amended; the committee acknowledged the need for further work on county-level implementation and data standards. The committee also approved SB 1418, which extends protections against seizure of election records and voting systems beyond voted ballots, and SB 884, which creates a buffer zone around polling places and vote-by-mail drop locations to prevent interference with voting and ballot custody, though sheriffs and police groups opposed the arrest restrictions. SB 46, which would give the Secretary of State clearer authority to remove constitutionally ineligible presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the ballot, and SB 715, which moves candidate ballot-designation challenge deadlines earlier, also advanced. Most measures were sent to Appropriations or otherwise held on call for absent members, and the meeting ended with final roll calls and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Could we have a Republican advocate come up, please? Thank you.

Bills: SB287

Committee: House Natural Resources & Energy

Keywords: solid waste, recycling, universal recycling, single-stream recycling, multifamily housing, apartment recycling, commercial recycling, waste diversion, recycling grants, low-interest loans, Delaware Recycling Fund, Delaware Solid Waste Authority, DNREC, waste hauler, curbside recycling, yard waste, source-separated recycling, pay-as-you-throw, extended producer responsibility, waste bans

Summary: The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee met and considered three Senate bills. SB 287 with Senate Amendment 2, a DNREC cleanup bill on recycling, would tighten recycling collection rules for haulers and commercial generators, require multifamily recycling education, repurpose the Delaware Recycling Fund, and add annual reporting; after brief questions and no public comment, the committee motion to release did not initially receive enough votes, so the bill was circulated for signatures. SB 346, which would speed Environmental Appeals Board hearing and decision timelines so DNREC secretary decisions become final if deadlines are missed, drew support from the Nature Conservancy and also failed to get enough votes at the meeting, so it too was circulated for signatures. The committee then took up SB 326, a major utility-regulation bill sponsored by Senator Hanson and Representative Heffernan that would cap certain non-mandatory utility spending, limit interim rates, increase oversight and transparency, and streamline rate-setting. SB 326 generated extensive testimony and debate. Supporters, including the Public Advocate, Sierra Club, PSC staff, and some legislators, argued that Delmarva Power’s spending on non-mandatory infrastructure has risen far faster than inflation, that the company is a regulated monopoly, and that the bill would help restrain future delivery-rate increases without harming reliability because mandatory reliability, storm response, and vegetation management spending would remain allowed. Opponents, including Delmarva Power, business groups, contractors, labor representatives, and the Delaware Contractors Association, argued the cap would delay needed reliability and capacity projects, hurt economic development, reduce jobs, and interfere with utility planning; they also said supply costs, not distribution spending, are the main driver of recent bill increases. After public comment and additional questioning, the committee voted to release SB 326 on a split roll call, but because several members were absent the bill was also walked for additional signatures. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• politics—I mean, there’s no place in the sheriff’s office politics, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its review of the county sheriffs’ role in corrections, reentry, and public safety. After approving the prior meeting minutes, the sheriffs completed a lengthy presentation describing how their offices provide regional jail services, women’s programming, mental health and substance use treatment, reentry support, community partnerships, and auxiliary public safety functions such as BCI work, TRIAD, Meals on Wheels, and event support. They emphasized that services are tailored to local needs, that women’s facilities are designed to keep mothers close to family and support reunification, and that programming, housing, and job placement are central to reducing recidivism. They also discussed challenges including K2/synthetic drugs in facilities, gang classification and separation, and the difficulty justice-involved people face obtaining IDs and birth certificates, especially for people from Puerto Rico. Commission members generally praised the sheriffs’ work and asked for more detail on how regional women’s facilities operate, how community-provider cuts might affect reentry services, how no-cost phone/tablet communication is balanced against programming time, and what the most essential programs are if funding is reduced. The sheriffs said programming must come first, identified mental health, substance use treatment, domestic violence programming, and housing/job placement as critical, and explained that community organizations and the Registry of Motor Vehicles are key partners in reentry. They also described their approach to gang management through classification, separation, and information sharing, and noted that the Registry has become more flexible but Real ID requirements have made documentation barriers more significant. The commission chair stressed that the purpose of the study is collaboration and improving system performance, not an adversarial effort against the sheriffs or a decarceration debate. Members noted that future meetings would hear from probation in June and the Department of Correction in July, and that the commission would continue gathering information before deciding on next steps. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously.