Transcript Highlights:

• Some of that includes even dependent care credits, which we love supporting child care, but the way that
• Child care credit.
• There was nobody that was directed to individually.
• By choosing to fully conform to all of our health care...
• We want to take health care away from more Arizonans.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and several guest recognitions, including a student honored for a national Mandarin speech contest, a Ms. Black Arizona candidate, and a Madison Elementary School reusable-tray pilot program. The body also recognized interns and approved the prior journal. The chamber then moved through Committee of the Whole calendars and adopted committee reports recommending passage of a series of budget-related bills. The main legislative business centered on the 2026-27 budget package and related omnibus measures, including appropriations, budget implementation, capital outlay, commerce, criminal justice, environment, health care, higher education, human services, K-12 education, state property, revenue/taxation, and transportation bills. Most of these measures were advanced with do-pass recommendations, with repeated debate focused on the tax omnibus and the overall budget’s policy choices. Supporters argued the package provided affordability, tax relief, conformity with federal tax changes, reduced government spending, and reforms to entitlement and other programs; opponents argued it favored corporations and wealthy taxpayers, cut health care, food assistance, housing, tourism, wildfire response, and education, and would forfeit federal matching funds. Several members specifically criticized the failure to close the data center tax exemption and to raise sports betting taxes, while supporters defended those provisions as pro-business and pro-growth. There was also discussion of fund sweeps, including university research funds, housing trust funds, and other agency balances, with opponents saying the sweeps targeted encumbered or already-committed money. After debate, the Senate adopted Committee of the Whole reports and advanced the bills, and later took up House bills introduced and placed on third reading, with members explaining their votes on HB 4138, the General Appropriations Act, largely along party lines. At the end of the session, the Senate processed messages from the House requesting the return of SB 1160 and SB 1786 for reconsideration, and the Senate requested the House return HB 2415 for reconsideration. The chamber also introduced and placed several House budget bills on third reading, including HB 4138 through HB 4153, continuing the budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• They know this committee cares about this issue.
• They're people that I care about deeply.
• But FDA always recognizes Texas has to take care of Texas.
• So would you support telemedicine care if it reduced the cost of veterinary care for sheep and goats?
• So I provide direct medical support to shelters through medical care, spay and neuter surgeries, and

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Basically, they don't care.
• With a career in health care, it's very near and dear to my heart, as my career in health care was.
• We want to take care of our providers throughout New Mexico, and we want to take care of our New Mexicans
• But now, understanding the careful work that Senator Trujillo, Senator Duhigg... ...the careful work
• An act relating to health care, amending the Health Care Purchasing Act and sections of the New Mexico

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Related to connective tissue repair, wound care, or pain management.
• You have the courage to challenge and the compassion to care.
• And I don’t care who you are, that’s a big deal. I’m proud of that.
• , child care, and food insecurity.
• This is a very strong step in the right direction of regulating data centers.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, several introductions, and an announcement that there would be no weekend conference. The chamber then took up a long special-order calendar of bills, generally moving each measure through third reading and final passage, often by substituting House companion bills. Early measures included trust law modernization (SB 786/HB 895), military affairs changes and Guard retirement corrections (SB 474), rounding rules for cash transactions as pennies phase out (SB 1074), podiatric medicine regulation and informed-consent requirements (SB 1092), veterans court expansion (SB 50/HB 199), RV park special assessment clarification (SB 118), concurrent jurisdiction for juvenile offenses on military installations (SB 502/HB 351), alcoholic beverage loss deductions (SB 678/HB 1137), and bail bond/pretrial release revisions (SB 600). Most passed unanimously or near-unanimously; SB 600 passed 36-1 after questions about charitable bail bonds and an amendment aligning with the House version and prosecutors’ concerns. The Senate also considered bills on portable electronics and eyewear insurance (SB 772), the linking industry to nursing education fund and health science workforce programs (SB 1246), recovery residences and behavioral health licensing (SB 1030, with a technical amendment on background checks and probationary licenses), felony battery enhancements for repeat offenders and offenses against law enforcement (SB 436), and child welfare changes including foster-home visitor screening, a permanent statewide Step Into Success program, and a best-practices repository (SB 1718). These measures were explained by sponsors as efforts to streamline regulation, improve workforce and health-care training, strengthen public safety, and reduce administrative burdens while preserving safeguards. Votes on these bills were overwhelmingly favorable, with final tallies typically 36-0 or 37-0. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to a farewell tribute to Senator Lori Berman. Members from both parties praised her leadership, collegiality, policy work, and advocacy on issues including voting rights, women’s rights, Israel and antisemitism, school safety, breast cancer, and family law. Berman delivered a lengthy farewell reflecting on her 16 years in the Legislature, her caucus leadership, and the importance of dignity, respect, and public service. The Senate adopted a motion to spread her remarks upon the journal and then recessed before returning to continue the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• from Scott County in the bill as it's currently written to be directed instead to MnDOT.
• Thank you for being here and making sure that we get this taken care of for Scott County.
• The directional sign needs is routinely used to get people and make them aware of the locations.”
• The directional sign needs is routinely used to get people and make them aware of the locations.
• We think this bill is a big step in the right direction. Thank you for your time.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I see people who care about their communities. Aren't we all on the same team?
• Um, they're a group of people who care a lot about Wyoming.
• Um, but there'd be some direction in section two to wind them up earlier.
• And subsection D directs that uh one of the accounts...
• Um, you know, CARES Act, CPF, and LBA.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You've got to be careful, so it's a balancing act. But we welcome the growth.
• At the same time, you've got to be careful, so it's a balancing act.
• revenue is also health care related.
• Those are programs that are actually directed toward those things specifically.
• So we can tackle the issues of the care piece for better.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Higher Education met to review interim charges on the Permanent University Fund (PUF), the Available University Fund (AUF), the Higher Education Fund (HEAF), and the Texas University Fund (TUF). Legislative Budget Board staff outlined how each fund works, including PUF’s constitutional role for UT and Texas A&M, HEAF’s capital support for institutions outside those systems, and TUF’s research funding for eligible universities. They also described TUF’s growing corpus and distribution changes, and noted which institutions are nearing eligibility. Committee members asked about distribution formulas, comparisons to other states, and how funds are allocated among system institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• care facilities.
• care facilities.
• And these seniors were not being taken care of at all.
• This home care solvency is related to our Home Care Services Branch, which is responsible for the administration
• and the solvency of the Home Care Fund.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• than 700 members here in Louisiana who provide essential obstetric and gynecologic care to patients
• across obstetric and gynecologic care to patients across our state.
• The resolution directs the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism to conduct a study with the
• Next bill, please. ...licensed facilities provide for hospice care.
• and education, to provide relative to the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair then directed Lisa to call the roll on Senate Bill 1366.
• CARE Florida. CARE Florida, the group... Who orchestrated this attack?
• CARE Florida, the group which must be shut down now.
• Florida care for to the group which must be shut down now care members including the director heba abraham
• They're taking away health care and now crushing dissent. Please vote no. Thanks.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard a long agenda of bills, beginning with several probate, civil rights, and claims measures. Senators Burgess’s SB 326 on curators of estates was explained as a modernization of probate law; an amendment narrowing the bill was adopted, and the committee reported the bill favorably 10-0 after limited public testimony, including opposition from Ray Contreras. Burgess’s SB 1096, clarifying filing deadlines under the Florida Civil Rights Act, also passed unanimously 11-0. The committee then approved several claims bills, including SB 28 for Reginald Jackson against the City of Lakeland, SB 6 for a child injured after DCF’s handling of abuse allegations, SB 18 for the estate of McKenzie Navarre against the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, SB 26 for the estate of Mark Legata against FDOT, and SB 2 for the estate of Daniel Maudsley against DHSMV, with votes ranging from 10-1 to 11-0 and mostly no debate or opposition. The committee also took up trust and family-law related bills. Leader Berman’s SB 786 created a nonjudicial process for closing uncontested trusts and discharging trustees; after a technical amendment and testimony from Ray Contreras raising notice concerns, it passed 11-0. President Gates’s SB 50 expanded veterans’ courts statewide, drew broad support from veterans’ groups and advocacy organizations, and was reported favorably 11-0. Senator Simon’s SB 538 standardized extracurricular participation rules for public, private, virtual, and homeschool students; after multiple amendments on homeschool eligibility, fees, and coach compensation, it passed 11-0 with support and opposition from education-related groups. President Gates’s SB 1004, aimed at consumer protections in the sale of dogs and cats, also passed unanimously after testimony from humane organizations. The committee then considered broader policy bills. President Pro Tem Brodeur’s SB 1366 on claims against the government proposed raising sovereign immunity caps and adding CPI adjustments; local government, hospital, and school representatives supported the Senate’s lower-cap approach while warning against the House version, and the bill was reported favorably 11-0. Senator Jones’s SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools, as amended, would let head coaches provide limited personal support to student-athletes and require reporting of assistance; it passed 10-0. Senator Grohl’s SB 1178 on foreign influence and foreign countries of concern drew extensive supportive testimony from national security witnesses and was reported favorably 11-0 after a technical amendment and withdrawal of another amendment. Finally, SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles prompted substantial debate and public testimony over domestic terrorism designations, Sharia law references, due process, and free speech concerns; the committee had not yet completed final action on that bill when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't honestly care about the truth. They don't care about your families.
• They don't honestly care about the truth. They don't care about your families.
• They don't honestly care about the truth. They don't care about your families.
• They don't honestly care about the truth. They don't care about your families.
• They don't honestly care about the truth. They don't care about your families.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and not the actual care.
• These are private, personal decisions, health care decisions.
• This is a total ban on all kinds of gender transition care for minors.
• This bill moves in the opposite direction.
• Children that were in care of DCS this past year.

Bills: SB1095, SB1127, SB1170, SB1208, SB1211, SB1237, SB1239, SB1240, SB1243, SB1244, SB1259, SB1283

Keywords: gender transition, minors, irreversible surgery, health professionals, puberty-blocking drugs, medical procedures, prohibition, Arizona Revised Statutes, reporting abuse, child neglect, mandatory reporting, child safety, medical treatment, faith exemptions, penalties, narcotic drugs, fentanyl, sentencing, drug offenses, juvenile justice

Transcript Highlights:

• versus not having health care.
• Especially in health care, Senator.
• care to be interpersonal in the room.
• I still care, but I want to care in a bigger picture.
• , and we're talking about access to health care, and we're talking about health care providers, that

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Nicole, and so because we have a—the state has a self-insured health care plan, we already aren't
• any data on that that we could, you know, that could potentially help efforts to make sure we take care
• instead of doing what my... ...you know, that could potentially help efforts to make sure we take care
• our employees instead of doing what my colleague just shared about not funding our current health care
• If the court determines that a person is a veteran, it would direct the court to notify the prosecuting

Summary: The House Democratic Caucus reviewed several Senate-amended bills on the Minority Caucus Calendar. HB 2003, which lowers the learner’s permit age and increases supervised driving time, had a Senate delayed effective date added; members were told the sponsor had previously concurred but now intends to refuse. HB 2693, allowing chamber-of-commerce insurance purchasing pools and adding a third-party-paid feasibility study on state health insurance entering the marketplace, drew questions about possible impacts on the state employee health plan and whether the study could be used to undermine the current self-insured system. HB 2133, dealing with sexual material consent and synthetic depictions, generated the most discussion. The Senate removed the synthetic-depiction language from the revenge porn statute, added parody/comedy/artistic-expression exceptions, narrowed and expanded various verification provisions for commercial entities, removed limits on retaining identifying information, and eliminated AG inspection authority; members were told the sponsor intends to refuse the changes and that stakeholder concerns were outlined in emailed comments from the ASEO of Arizona and the Motion Picture Association. HB 2013, requiring ADEQ to submit exceptional-event demonstrations to EPA for certain wildfire impacts, had a Senate amendment limiting it to wildfires over 25,000 acres and tied to smoke or land damage; the sponsor was expected to concur, though stakeholders’ concerns remained unresolved. HB 2226, which requires courts to ask about veteran status at initial appearance and provide information about veterans’ services, was amended by the Senate to have the court rather than the prosecutor provide the information; members said the sponsor likely would concur. HB 2032, adjusting statewide assessment testing windows and related deadlines, was amended to extend the testing window to six consecutive school weeks and move the start of testing for grades 3-8 to the second week of April; the sponsor concurred, and members noted that organizations previously opposed had shifted to support. The caucus then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, public records, Agency for Health Care Administration. Yes, all right.
• As you may know, ACA is one of our most important agencies dealing in health care.
• direct support to a veteran.
• direct support to a veteran in the veteran space that maybe perhaps my agency wasn't able to.
• And if they're used, profit status, raising funds, is able to provide maybe that direct support to a

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and took up a full agenda of bills, many involving public records exemptions and government operations. Several measures were reported favorably, including SB 342 on an Agency for Health Care Administration public records exemption for employees facing threats; SB 7018 preserving a public records exemption tied to parental consent/judicial bypass records for minors seeking abortions; SB 626 lowering quorum requirements and allowing remote participation for the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys; SB 710 protecting personal information of Crime Stoppers employees, board members, volunteers, and their families; SB 300 extending clerk personal-information protections to appellate court clerks; and SB 302 creating a similar exemption for Judicial Qualifications Commission employees. The committee also approved SB 7010 and SB 7008, which preserve and narrow public records exemptions related to the Department of Financial Services as receiver for insolvent insurers and the financial technology sandbox, respectively. The committee also heard and advanced several policy bills. SB 820 codifies the Office of Faith and Community in the Executive Office of the Governor; Senator Polsky questioned whether the office was duplicative of existing services and raised concerns about religion in state governance, while supporters argued it complements existing networks and helps connect Floridians to services. SB 1144 codifies the Hope Florida program, with supporters describing it as a connector to community resources and critics again raising concerns about overlap, private donations, and accountability; both SB 820 and SB 1144 passed on largely party-line votes with Senator Polsky voting no. SB 804 would redesignate the SS American Victory as the state flagship, but Senator Rodriguez opposed giving up the current flagship designation for the Key West schooner, though the bill still passed favorably. SB 214 designates August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day and passed without opposition. SB 1088 requires certain state customer-service phone lines to offer callback features, and SB 576 makes technical fixes to service-of-process law; both were reported favorably. Additional bills included SB 1524, a broad Department of State measure with a strike-all amendment that revises grant-review procedures, adds an America 250 funding focus, and changes commission-fee and oath requirements; Senator Arrington and Senator Polsky expressed concerns about reviewer qualifications, grant criteria, and the impact on arts and cultural programs, and both voted no while the bill still passed. SB 1640, on confidentiality of lethality assessment forms in domestic violence cases, was amended to allow disclosure to domestic violence centers while barring disclosure to state attorneys, and it passed favorably. SB 1160 expands health insurance premium benefits for certain officers catastrophically injured or killed in the line of duty; supporters from the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in support, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also confirmed eight appointments to the Florida Commission on Community Service, the Investment Advisory Council, the Public Employees Relations Commission, and the State Retirement Commission. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded on specific bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• She is responsible for providing appropriate support, supervision, and direction to over 18,000 staff
• to correctional staff who are supervising over a hundred and forty... ...statewide and to directions
• He also provides direct oversight to the four community corrections regional directors as well as the
• A standard condition can be reporting as directed to the probation office.
• So even though it's not radios, it is a step in the right direction.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard an informational presentation from the Florida Department of Corrections on how the prison and community supervision systems operate after sentencing. Assistant Deputy Secretary Hope Gartman described the reception process for new inmates, including intake, medical and mental health screening, classification, custody and housing levels, gain time, and the department’s academic, vocational, substance abuse, chaplaincy, visitation, and communication programs. She emphasized that reentry begins on day one and that program placement is driven by risk and needs assessments, with facilities matched to inmates’ medical, mental health, and security requirements. Members also asked about family contact, visitor applications, inmate welfare trust funds, tablet access, private prison placement, staffing shortages, overtime, contraband interdiction, and waiting lists for programs; several follow-up materials were requested for distribution to all members. Mr. Winkler then outlined community corrections, explaining the different supervision types under Florida law, including probation, drug offender probation, community control, sex offender supervision, conditional release, and addiction recovery supervision. He described the department’s monitoring tools, such as office and field visits, warrantless searches, alternative sanctioning for technical violations, telephone reporting for low-risk offenders, employment assistance, and mobile probation and reentry units. He said the department’s supervision success rate is about 62%, with more than 91% of successful completers not returning to custody within three years. Members questioned officer workloads, the use of radios and GPS check-ins, the rollout of uniforms and firearms, how violations are handled, and whether all circuits participate in alternative sanctioning; Winkler said the program is statewide and that the department is seeking funding for radios. During public comment, Florida Cares Charity urged the committee to consider evidence on deterrence, parole, and recidivism, arguing that community supervision is less costly than incarceration and can be effective. James Beardy of the Florida PBA emphasized the dangers faced by correctional and probation officers, including long shifts, field searches, and working alone, and argued for higher pay and better support comparable to other law enforcement. The meeting concluded with the chair thanking the presenters and public speakers, and the subcommittee adjourned without taking any legislative votes or formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• For background, there are a number of legislatively directed efforts related to youth behavioral health
• I would say no, because they're directed to look at existing policies.
• and direct coaching to my faculty teams in public school since 2020.
• So it's really a good step in the right direction.
• How do we make sure that we're working together and not working in separate directions?

Summary: The committee held public hearings on three K-12 bills focused on behavioral health, literacy, and review of education mandates. On House Bill 1634, staff and Rep. Milin Tai described a framework for OSPI and educational service districts to coordinate with state and local partners on behavioral health technical assistance and training for schools, aligned with the Washington Thriving prenatal-to-25 plan. Testifiers, including students and education/behavioral health representatives, said the bill would improve coordination, early intervention, and access to supports for students and families. The bill was presented as having no fiscal note because it relies on existing funding, and testimony emphasized parent and student engagement in the framework. On House Bill 2636, staff and Rep. Skyler Rude explained that the bill creates a Public Education Review Steering Committee to identify existing policies and funding provisions for JLARC review, with the goal of determining whether they achieve intended outcomes, improve student performance, are cost-effective, and should be maintained, modified, or repealed. Supporters said the bill is intended to help reduce burdensome or ineffective requirements on school districts and free resources for students, while some members questioned how the committee would define policy and whether it could affect future mandates. A representative of the Washington State School Directors Association supported the concept as a meaningful review of unfunded mandates. The committee also heard House Bill 1295, which would require evidence-aligned literacy curriculum updates after 2027, require comprehensive K-4 literacy programs using structured literacy practices, direct PESB to revise literacy endorsement standards, require literacy-related continuing education, and direct OSPI to develop educator literacy training. Supporters, including parents, educators, students, dyslexia advocates, and district staff, argued that structured literacy is supported by research and would improve outcomes for struggling readers and students with dyslexia. One witness from the Washington Education Association supported the bill but raised concern about adding another continuing-education requirement. Testimony on the bill was extensive and largely in favor, with some discussion about whether the approach would address older students and how it would interact with existing district and ESD efforts. After public hearings, the committee moved into executive session and approved three gubernatorial appointments for confirmation recommendation. It adopted an amendment to House Bill 1796 and advanced the bill to Ways and Means, passed Engrossed House Bill 2317 to Rules, and adopted a striking amendment to Substitute House Bill 2594 before advancing it to Ways and Means. All actions were taken by voice vote, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I got to know children in the foster care system.
• And so I know you all sitting here care very much about these issues.
• And with that comes a responsibility for direction and purpose.
• That our students are taken care of.
• I had a very loving, caring foster. I had very loving, caring foster parents.

Summary: The committee held confirmation hearings for Don Walters as New Mexico’s first State Child Advocate and for two New Mexico Highlands University regents, Elaine Luna and Grace Margaret Herrera. For Walters, the sponsor and selection committee chair described her extensive child welfare background, including work as a guardian ad litem, CYFD attorney, and director of CYFD’s Office of Advocacy. Multiple supporters testified, including former colleagues, a foster parent, and CYFD Acting Secretary Valerie Sandoval, all praising her integrity, child advocacy experience, and commitment to collaboration and transparency. Committee members focused heavily on the new Office of the Child Advocate’s startup needs, especially staffing, access to CYFD records, and funding. Walters said she expected the office to need roughly $4.5 million to $5 million to launch and envisioned about 26 to 27 staff, with regional presence across the state. Members urged the legislature to fund the office through House Bill 2 and discussed possible legislation to ensure timely access to records. The committee then voted unanimously to advance Walters to the full Senate. For New Mexico Highlands University, Senator Campos introduced Elaine Luna for reappointment, highlighting her background in social work, hospital administration, and community service. Luna said she would focus on student support, basic needs, and mental health, and the university president testified in support. The committee asked about campus safety and student issues, including how the board would respond if students were affected by ICE actions. The committee voted to advance Luna unanimously. The final confirmation was Grace Margaret Herrera, presented as a student regent candidate for Highlands. Supporters described her as a former foster youth, small business owner, and current student success center employee who mentors students and brings lived experience to the role. Members praised her resilience and connection to students, and the committee unanimously advanced her to the full Senate as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• She's the LFC analyst for the Early Childhood Education and Care Department.
• Early childhood education and care fund for maternal and child health. We did 5 million there.
• You'll always hear us talking about the MCOs, managed care organizations.
• on Medicaid, but they don't manage all of the care of everybody on Medicaid.
• Um, and then you can see it broken down by behavioral health and long-term care there.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we did a bill last session to expand family child care around, but also we know how important it
• And we did a bill last session to expand family child care around, but also we know how important it
• OFM is directed to review and adjust compensation amounts at least every five years.
• And there is no free child care in this bill. All right. Thank you. It's providing free child care.
• We're going to allow payment for child care.

Bills: SB5901, SB5860, SB5956, SB5574, SB5922, SB5858

Keywords: school construction, school facilities, capital budget, school plant project, state funding assistance, school construction assistance program, on-base schools, military base, Department of Defense school, military families, public school facilities, instructional space, Superintendent of Public Instruction, SIP, school district capital funding, school housing burden, rapid growth, enrollment growth, free and reduced-price meals, alternative learning experience