Transcript Highlights:

• 01:00.600> water, earth, underground or surface water, earth, underground or surface water, waste
• waste water, or other heat sources. waste water, or other heat sources.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4122, and Representative Halons moved that the bill be laid over for possible inclusion. The committee first adopted the DE3 author’s amendment without objection. Halons explained that the bill, developed through the Thermal Energy Network Deployment Work Group and extensive stakeholder negotiations, would allow public utilities to build thermal energy networks and recover costs, while keeping the projects under Public Utility Commission oversight similar to electric and natural gas services. He noted a small technical correction may still be needed in the cost recovery language. Testimony was uniformly supportive. Aurora Vautrin of 100% Campaign said the bill advances Minnesota’s leadership on thermal energy networks and thanked the authors, work group, labor, and utility partners. Jamie Fitzke of CenterPoint Energy described the company’s planned thermal energy network pilot as part of the 2021 Natural Gas Innovation Act framework, emphasizing that the technology is promising but still new, especially in Minnesota’s extreme cold climate, and that the amended bill reflects substantial compromise and preserves PUC oversight and customer protections. Kevin Pranis of LiUNA supported the bill as a way to create jobs and use existing labor skills from gas, water, and related infrastructure work, while also noting that geothermal cost and drilling challenges remain. Committee members expressed enthusiasm for the proposal and its potential to make Minnesota a leader in thermal energy networks. In closing, Halons said the bill had gone through many iterations and acknowledged the compromise language, but stressed that it is a major step because it explicitly authorizes utilities to build TENS and rate recover, creating a foundation for future utility planning. The bill was then laid over.

Transcript Highlights:

• It only allowed funding for wastewater, septic-to-sewer, alternative or advanced waste treatment projects
• It only allowed funding for wastewater, septic-to-sewer, alternative or advanced waste treatment projects
• previously: septic to sewer, septic upgrades from traditional to nutrient-reducing stormwater, advanced waste

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources convened with a quorum present, heard opening remarks from Chair Rodriguez and member introductions, and discussed broad priorities including water quality, climate change, budget oversight, and accountability for environmental investments. Members emphasized concerns about nutrient pollution, springs, Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and the need for better data and measurable results. The committee then received a presentation from DEP Deputy Secretary Adam Blaylock on the state’s water quality restoration framework. He explained how water quality standards, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), and reasonable assurance plans work together to address impaired waters, and noted that BMAPs are updated every five years with annual reviews in between. He also described recent statutory changes requiring five-year milestones, restrictions on new septic systems in certain areas, and public-facing data tools to track projects and water quality trends. Members questioned whether BMAPs are producing enough improvement and whether the five-year update cycle is too slow. Blaylock said results can take years because of project lag and environmental variability, but that the department can adjust plans if data show they are not working. He also highlighted $2.9 billion in statewide water quality funding since 2019, nearly 1,100 funded projects, and a $1.1 billion water quality improvement grant program that now covers impaired waters beyond BMAP areas. The committee discussed agricultural projects, DEP and FDACS funding roles, and a new dashboard and centralized monitoring platform under development. No formal votes or other actions were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment moved by the vice chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to start off by citing a CDC study done in 2024, which identified that roughly two... ...CDC study
• These pilot programs can serve as study sites for IRB-approved studies nationwide.
• But as Colin was saying, it’s very hard to study because it’s like a plant inside another plant.
• First, where were one of the institutions that I’ve been doing these studies?
• The cost of this study is a nanofraction of what we are already spending.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery opened its first public hearing of the 2025–26 session with remarks from the Senate and House chairs outlining the committee’s priorities. They noted recent work on addiction and recovery legislation, the ongoing youth behavioral health crisis, and that members might need to leave periodically for floor votes. The chairs explained hearing procedures, including three-minute testimony limits, written testimony deadlines, and reporting deadlines for Senate and House bills. The hearing then focused on several bills related to youth mental health, overdose prevention, and psychedelic treatment research. A major portion of the hearing centered on bills to improve youth crisis response and overdose prevention. Testimony strongly supported bills to print the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on student ID cards, with speakers from mental health organizations, crisis centers, and individuals sharing personal stories of depression, suicide attempts, and the importance of making 988 as familiar as 911. Another set of bills would require schools to stock naloxone and provide overdose prevention education. Physicians, harm reduction advocates, students, and grieving family members testified that school-based Narcan access and education could save lives, reduce stigma, and help students recognize overdoses and understand Good Samaritan protections. Senator O’Connor and Tamika Perry also testified for a bill to strengthen substance use prevention education and reduce overdose abandonment, emphasizing the need to teach students about overdose risks and the legal protections for calling 911. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to authorize a pilot program for psychedelic treatment in licensed facilities. Senator Friedman and several medical and behavioral health professionals argued the proposal was a narrow, research-based approach distinct from the broader ballot question rejected in 2024. They said the bill would allow only a small number of supervised clinics to use psychedelics for conditions such as depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders, with data reporting and Department of Public Health oversight. Supporters described it as a cautious way to study promising treatments while avoiding unsupervised or commercialized use. Finally, the committee heard support for a bill to create a special commission and five-year strategic plan for children’s behavioral health services, with testimony that the current system is fragmented, difficult for families to navigate, and strained by workforce and funding challenges. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• some cover crops, some agroforestry, doing some work to get composting made out of, you know, food waste
• food waste um we are doing some food waste um we are doing some reforestation<01:09:55.440> projects
• battery manufacturing industry, a lithium-ion battery recycler, a collector, a representative from the waste

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Energy and Environmental Protection Committee met on February 13, 2025, after a brief recess for a concurrent hearing. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including HB 332 on recycling and lithium-ion batteries, HB 256 on environmental protection and federal air standards, HB 348 on single-use plastics in lodging establishments, HB 810 on noise pollution and helicopter-related civil actions, HB 505 on Red Hill coordination, HB 975 on carbon sequestration incentives, and HB 974 on utility financing and step-in agreements. Testimony was generally supportive on HB 256, HB 348, HB 505, HB 975, and HB 974, while HB 332 drew both support and opposition, including concerns from the Consumer Technology Association about battery recycling policy. On HB 975, OPSD supported the program but urged language to prevent use for carbon offsets, and the committee discussed how the program would be monitored and reimbursed. On HB 974, the chair summarized extensive amendments addressing reserve fees, revenue definitions, trust funds, default procedures, and customer credits, while noting the Consumer Advocate’s changed view that a reserve fee may not be constitutionally required. In decision making, the committee adopted amendments and recommended passage for HB 332, converting it into a working group to study recycling of small- and medium-format lithium-ion batteries, with members from state agencies and industry and a note that an appropriation may be needed. HB 256 was passed with amendments to clarify compliance with federal law unless standards become more stringent. HB 348, HB 810, and HB 505 were each passed as is. HB 975 was passed with amendments, including language to prevent use of the program for carbon offsets and a note that dollar amounts would be blanked out and addressed in the committee report. HB 974 was also passed with amendments after the committee reviewed the proposed changes and discussed the reserve fee issue. The committee additionally noted that HB 1476 had previously been deferred and would remain deferred, and the meeting concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• This has to do with the waste tire program. In the governor's letter, there was... ADEQ.
• This has to do with the waste tire program.

Summary: The Joint Budget Committee met to consider several budget-related items and amendments. An amendment to Senate Bill 30 concerning the Office of the Governor, offered by Senator Rice, would have canceled funding for a senior advisor position tied to former Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri; Senator Rice and Representative Wooten criticized the position’s cost and Profiri’s lack of responsiveness to the legislature and taxpayers. The chair referred that amendment to the personnel committee for review, and other members were told further discussion would occur there. The committee also referred an amendment by Senator Johnson related to the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism to special language, and referred House Bill 1080 by Representative Ladyman for the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, to special language as well. In other business, Senator Dismang explained a revised special language amendment for ADEQ’s waste tire program to correct a timing issue in the governor’s letter; the committee suspended the rules so it could be considered and then referred it to special language for the next day’s agenda. The meeting included recognition of student guests from Jonesboro High School and Hendrix College. No substantive votes were taken on the contested personnel amendment, and the meeting adjourned with plans to reconvene the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• We depend on people to do a great job and we have failed under fraud and or waste to do the basics in
• We depend on people to do a great job and we have failed under fraud and or waste to do the basics in
• under<00:03:19.680> fraud<00:03:20.239> and<00:03:20.560> or<00:03:20.879> waste
• we have failed under fraud and or waste we have failed under fraud and or waste to<00:03:22.239>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The program focused first on Minnesota Republicans’ efforts to combat fraud and improve government accountability, featuring Sen. Mark Koran. He argued that fraud in programs such as Medicaid, childcare assistance, PCA, autism services, housing support, and food aid harms both taxpayers and vulnerable recipients, and he cited cases where people in need were left without services. Koran said the problem stems from weak agency oversight, overreliance on self-attestation, and poor use of available data and site visits. He described a bill and related work to strengthen an independent inspector general structure, standardize eligibility checks, require better verification and external data use, and improve agency accountability; he also said federal involvement is necessary because many programs include federal dollars. No vote was taken in the interview, but he said the Senate had already passed an inspector general-related measure and that broader reform is still needed. The second major topic was the Senate DFL’s “ICE accountability agenda” in response to federal immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota. The package includes bills to protect sensitive spaces such as schools and hospitals, ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty, and allow Minnesotans to sue the federal government in state court. DFL members framed the issue as one of constitutional enforcement tactics rather than immigration policy, and said the measures are intended to prepare the state if ICE returns. No committee vote or final action was described. The final segment covered school seclusion policy. Sen. Judy Seeberger explained that seclusion is intended as an emergency safety tool, not discipline, but said the 2023 law banning it through grade 3 removed a resource without replacing it. She said supporters of the ban point to misuse and trauma, while she and a working group sought a compromise with tighter safeguards: extending the policy through grade 12, requiring explicit parental consent and access to the room, interpreter services when needed, and reporting if seclusion is used repeatedly. She said the working group’s recommendations were largely reached by consensus, but the issue remains unresolved and it is unclear whether further legislation will advance this session.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not about tightening belts or trimming waste.
• make sure that we're doing exactly that: that this healthy food that we grow, and that there isn't waste
• but we are also seeing an emphasis on making government work better, cutting the fraud, cutting the waste
• the Congress and the administration, that we stand willing to work with this administration to cut waste
• California kids and farmers are not waste, fraud, and abuse.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then held its Latino Spirit Awards ceremony. Members adopted House Resolution 16, proclaiming May 4–11, 2025 as Cinco de Mayo Week, after supportive remarks from several caucuses emphasizing Mexican history, women’s contributions, LGBTQ solidarity, Black and Brown unity, and AAPI and Jewish community support. The chamber then recognized 11 Latino Spirit honorees for achievements in human rights, business, arts, public service, community empowerment, health and science, environmental justice, philanthropy, and entertainment. After the ceremony, the Assembly returned to floor business and approved a series of measures. AB 60, banning synthetic nitro musks in cosmetics and personal care products, passed 56–3. AJR 6, urging Congress to protect federal school meal and local food funding, drew extensive debate and broad bipartisan support; members cited child hunger, farm economies, and local food systems, and it passed 76–0 with 73 coauthors added. Other measures adopted included AB 679 on state park land acquisitions, AB 681 expanding Dream Loan Program caps for undocumented graduate students, AB 1224 on substitute teacher continuity, AB 831 on gaming technical changes, AB 259 extending Brown Act teleconferencing flexibility, AB 467 extending Los Angeles Neighborhood Council teleconferencing authority, and AB 519 targeting deceptive puppy mill sales. The chamber also passed AB 1522, an urgency Judiciary Committee bill protecting attorneys from politically motivated discipline and creating an expedited licensing path for some former federal attorneys, and AB 263, which extends temporary water flow requirements on the Shasta and Smith Rivers; that bill drew sharp disagreement over water rights, tribal participation, and impacts on farmers, but ultimately passed 51–16. Additional measures approved included AB 428 on pooled insurance for water corporations, AB 492 requiring notice to local jurisdictions when recovery treatment facilities are licensed, and AB 536 preserving colorectal cancer screening coverage. The Assembly also adopted a motion to suspend file notice so Appropriations could hear AB 379 on May 7.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did two case studies. Had we chosen to enroll families in state preschool who were two...
• Like, we've been having this conversation for multiple years, multiple studies, the urgency, the desire
• These slots are already in construction; cutting them would waste public investment and break faith with
• philanthropic, and other partners on a capacity assessment for the immediate needs program, specifically to study
• moving forward and not come starting February of next year of like, hey, we need to delay it and we wasted

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We did two case studies.
• We've been having this conversation for multiple years, multiple studies.
• These slots are already in construction; cutting them would waste public investment and break faith with
• philanthropic, and other partners on a capacity assessment for the Immediate Needs Program, specifically to study
• moving forward and not come starting February of next year of like, hey, we need to delay it and we wasted

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> I'd entertain study. >> I'll move interim study. >> I just don't think this is ready for prime time
• So I think that makes motion of interim study. Motion.
• All in favor of interim study. >> Aye. >> Any opposed? >> Consent. >> Second by Senator Rosenwald.
• This does not count the staff time that will be wasted doing menial tasks.
• <02:33:03.120> Our be wasted doing menial tasks. Our be wasted doing menial tasks.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Property Act was drafted by the Uniform Law Commission and finalized in 2009 after a three-year period of study
• And so this helps them do that, to avoid land waste and helps property owners avoid those predatory partition
• <00:58:50.559> to<00:58:50.880> avoid<00:58:51.280> land<00:58:51.599> waste
• helps them do that to avoid land waste helps them do that to avoid land waste and<00:58:52.400><

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:01 Kentucky’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative – Domestic Violence: 00:02:00 Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act: 00:46:41, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary approved the minutes from its July 24, 2025 meeting and heard an announcement about a lunch sponsored by the Kentucky State Buildings and Trades Council on forming a blue-collar caucus. The main presentation came from the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center on the Kentucky Justice Reinvestment Initiative’s domestic violence work, which was described as a multi-year effort begun in 2023 to analyze data and interview stakeholders across the state. Presenters reported that domestic violence is widespread in Kentucky, with about half of adults experiencing some form of violence or stalking in their lifetimes, and that an average of about 22,000 IPV incidents occurred annually from 2018 to 2022. They said domestic violence is a major driver of violent crime, accounting for about 48% of person offenses over a six-year period, and is linked to significant shares of homicides, sex crimes, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and simple assault. They also said reported incidents and arrests have risen in recent years, that protective-order violations and convictions have increased, and that Kentucky ranks near the bottom among surrounding states in the share of victim compensation for domestic-violence-related claims. Law enforcement survey results showed strong adoption of model policies and guidance, but limited use of screening tools for serious injury risk. The presenters emphasized that domestic violence also places heavy demands on law enforcement, courts, and corrections, citing roughly 30,000 law-enforcement responses in 2022 and noting that more than a third of people entering DOC custody and nearly a third under supervision had DV-related histories. They said a small group of repeat offenders drives ongoing harm and that targeted interventions could reduce recidivism. They highlighted a North Carolina example in which focused intervention reduced IPV-related homicides and calls for service, and they referenced Kentucky’s 2020 assessment recommendations on training, language access, protective-order service, and coordination with victim services and batterer intervention providers. They estimated that a 25% reduction in reported DV incidents could prevent nearly 5,000 victimizations annually and reduce DOC commitments and costs substantially. Committee members asked about the relationship between civil domestic violence petitions and companion criminal cases, and the presenters said they would check whether the data could answer that question. Members also discussed recent Kentucky legislation, including Senate Bill 319 on crime victims compensation and House Bill 38, which made a third domestic violence offense a Class D felony. Several members thanked the presenters and advocates, and one member raised concerns about service of process and recent violent incidents involving domestic violence-related warrants, prompting discussion of dedicated service units in larger jurisdictions and the resource limits faced by smaller agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:01:02.359> water<01:01:02.640> and uh um great capacity for waste water and uh
• um great capacity for waste water and so<01:01:02.960> this<01:01:03.119> really<01:01:
• to start moving preliminary studies to start moving forward<01:01:23.039> on<01:01:23.200>
• that's needed in this area the studies that's needed in this area the<01:06:47.240> 75<01:06:
• water in Kawaii and regarding the waste water in Kawaii and so<01:10:58.800> this<01:10:58.920

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This has to do with the waste tire program. In the governor's letter, there was... ADEQ.
• This has to do with the waste tire program.

Summary: The committee convened with a quorum, recognized visiting student groups from Jonesboro High School and Hendrix College, and then moved through its agenda. Item B1 was passed over. Under item C1, Senator Rice offered an amendment to Senate Bill 30 concerning the governor’s office that would eliminate funding for a senior advisor position tied to former Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri, arguing the state had spent too much on the position and citing concerns about his performance and lack of responsiveness. Representative Wooten supported the amendment, criticizing Profiri’s failure to appear before the committee. The chair referred the amendment to the personnel committee for further review and cut off further discussion in this meeting. The committee then referred item C2, an amendment by Senator Johnson to the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, to special language. Item C3, House Bill 1080 by Representative Laddeman relating to the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, was also referred to special language. Under other business, Senator Dismang presented a revised special language amendment for the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (ADEQ) waste tire program to correct a timing issue in the governor’s letter. The committee voted to suspend the rules so the revised language could be considered, then referred it to special language for the next day’s agenda. The meeting adjourned with notice to reconvene the following morning at 9:00.

Transcript Highlights:

• distracted driving that we have studied distracted driving that we have studied in<01:16:41.000>
• I'll draw your attention to two major studies. The first one is a 2015 study by the U.S.
• I'll draw your attention to two major studies. The first one is a 2015 study by the U.S.
• I'll draw your attention to two major studies. The first one is a 2015 study by the U.S.
• I'll draw your attention to two major studies. The first one is a 2015 study by the U.S.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee opened its public hearing with HB 249, sponsored by Representative Seth Miller, which would allow bicycles, human-powered vehicles, and electric bicycles to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs in certain situations. Miller argued the bill would improve cyclist safety and traffic flow at no cost to the state, citing Idaho and Delaware as examples where similar laws were associated with fewer injuries and crashes. He emphasized that the proposal would remain optional for cyclists, who would still be required to yield to cross traffic and obey right-of-way rules, and said the bill is intended to help riders maintain momentum and avoid the instability that comes from repeatedly starting from a full stop. Committee members raised concerns about uncertainty for drivers and pedestrians, liability, and whether the bill would create a special class of road users with different rules. Representative Crawford asked about the red-light left turn language, and Miller explained it was included because bicycles may not trigger some traffic signals. Representative Hill questioned how other road users would know what a cyclist intended to do at an intersection, and Representative Gon noted the bill did not appear to address liability the way some motorcycle-related laws do. Miller responded that cyclists would still be expected to yield appropriately and said he would be open to an amendment if liability language was needed. Representative Emble also questioned whether the bill would create a special vehicle class, and Miller replied that bicycles already have different roadway rules and that the bill was meant to improve safety and flow. Several supporters testified in favor of the bill. Michael Frank, a cyclist and League cycling instructor from Spofford, said he regularly rides a cargo bike for errands and that stopping fully at intersections leaves him exposed longer and makes it harder to restart on hills. He said the bill would let cyclists slow, assess traffic, and proceed safely while maintaining momentum, and noted that he had not personally received a ticket for rolling through a stop sign, though he had been warned by police. Tim Blagden, former head of the Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, said the bill reflects how many people already ride, saves energy, and helps bicycles move through intersections faster and more safely. No vote or committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• issue right now, and we're trying to sort of rise above that, and we're trying to figure out what's waste
• It's really important that we understand that these investments in ICF services are not waste.
• Just to underpin what this money means for us and as a show that this is not wasteful spending.
• My organization, as a case study based on 2025 data, our increase would have been less than $200,000
• This is not waste. This is not new. was half a million dollars. So this was half a million dollars.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• questions come from so if you've studied questions come from so if you've studied the<01:43:46.760
• I'll draw your attention to two major studies. The first one is a 2015 study by the U.S.
• safety and from all of the uh studies safety and from all of the uh studies that<04:02:25.680>
• your attention to two two major studies your attention to two two major studies uh<04:02:37.000>
• A 2018 study, a differences-in-differences study on New Jersey, which is actually kind of one of the

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee held a public hearing on HB 249, which would allow bicycles, and in the bill’s language human-powered vehicles and e-bikes, to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs when safe. The bill sponsor, Rep. Seth Miller, said the measure is intended to improve cyclist safety and traffic flow at no cost to the state, citing Idaho and Delaware as examples where similar laws were associated with fewer crashes or injuries. He emphasized that the bill would remain optional, would not let cyclists ignore cross traffic, and would help riders avoid the unstable “wobble” that comes from repeatedly stopping and starting, especially on cargo bikes or other heavier bicycles. Committee members raised concerns about predictability, liability, and whether the proposal creates a special class of vehicle. Rep. Crawford asked why the bill also addresses left turns on red for one-way streets; Miller said that provision is meant to address situations where bicycles do not trigger signal equipment and could otherwise be stranded at a light. Rep. Gannon questioned the lack of explicit liability language, and Miller said he did not know of a separate provision but would be open to an amendment if the committee wanted clearer language. Rep. Hill and Rep. Emble expressed concern that other drivers would not know what cyclists intend to do and that the bill could create special rules; Miller responded that cyclists would still be required to yield and that the law would not change right-of-way rules. Several witnesses testified in support. Michael Frank, a Spofford cyclist and League cycling instructor, said the bill would help him safely commute and carry heavy groceries by reducing the effort and exposure involved in restarting after a full stop. Tim Blagden, former head of the Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, said the bill reflects how many people already ride, saves energy and time, and would still require cyclists to stop at red lights unless the intersection is clear. He also noted that traffic signals often do not detect bicycles. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We waste resources defending indefensible legislation.
• We waste resources defending and judge.
• So this is a study committee put together to study some of the options that the state can have and what
• So study the access to medical records.
• be a study committee put together<04:22:34.399> to<04:22:34.800> study<04:22:35.120>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I realized that during the summer you had a study committee that looked at all of this, and this
• And that study commission is still working at this problem. >> Great.
• And that study commission is Walner.
• commission um, has been funding study commission um, has been working<01:50:43.520> on.
• <02:37:59.120> two therefore we'll have another wasted two therefore we'll have another wasted

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the effectiveness workforce outcomes of the MJ Foster promised program. ...other departments to study
• I think you will hear that there's going to be a big study around a lot of, or a possibility of a study
• Originally, this body wanted to take dramatic action without any study.
• action without any study.
• We were able to kind of move that back and put a study to study committee that was appointed entirely

Bills: HR179, HR180, HR181, HR182, HR183, HR184, HR185, HR186, HR187, HCR75, HCR76, HCR77, HCR78, HCR79, HR165, HR166, HR168, HR169, HR170, HR171, HR172, HR173, HR174, HR175, HR176, HR177, HR178, HCR65, HCR66, HCR67, HCR68, HCR69, HCR70, HCR71, HCR72, HCR73, HCR74, SCR34, SB34, SB43, SB52, SB56, SB165, SB173, SB189, SB190, SB260, SB322, SB345, SB374, SB387, SB401, SB448, SB449, SB455, SB487, SB496, SB502, SB505, HB362, HB893, HB990, HB1007, HB1153, HB1243, HR1, HR17, HCR5, HCR4, HCR47, HB55, HB385, HB394, HB396, HB406, HB608, HB622, HB676, HB772, HB897, HB1030, HB1035, HB1038, HB1045, HB1049, HB1056, HB1058, HB1059, HB1092, HB1100, HB1117, HB1160, HB1161, HB1162, HB1177, HB1180, HB1189, HB1216, HB1239, HB1240, HB59, HB74, HB159, HB330, HB364, HB414, HB458, HB525, HB568, HB786, HB1008, HB1033, HB1034, HB1041, HB1062, HB1070, HB1079, HB1112, HB1118, HB1139, HB1151, HB1176, HB1182, HB1196, HB1214, HB1241, HB87, HB115, HB162, HB368, HB433, HB441, HB447, HB466, HB481, HB741, HB1242, SB162, SB349, SB350, SB382, SB383, SB127, SB244, HB977, HB181, HB31, HB664, HB9, HB192, HB225, HB306, HB310, HB366, HB635, HB911, HB1230, HB1236, HB615, HB864, HB1103, HB1175, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB284, HB393, HB459, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB682, HB733, HB773, HB996, HB1003, HB1082, HB1113, HB1234

Keywords: neighborhood, crime prevention, security districts, law enforcement, community safety, funding, Counseling Day, mental health, Louisiana Counseling Association, community support, mental wellness, Louisiana State University, athletics, NAIA, sports achievements, recognition, success, competition, education, higher education

Summary: The House opened with a prayer, pledge, quorum call, and several personal privileges recognizing guests and special observances, including Junior League Day, Renewable Energy Day, Wholesalers Day, and Sin Law Day. Members also introduced and adopted a number of commemorative resolutions, including condolences, recognitions of schools and community figures, and resolutions related to LSU, ALS Awareness Month, and local festivals. Several Senate and House measures were referred or laid over, and the chamber announced upcoming scheduling changes for House and Senate bills. The most extensive debate centered on House Bill 385, which would require certain TOPS scholarship recipients to repay one semester of aid if they fail to meet academic requirements, subject to listed exemptions and an option to avoid repayment by entering certain high-demand career and technical programs. Opponents questioned the bill’s impact on students, its possible constitutional issues, administrative costs, lack of a fiscal note and implementation details, and whether it would worsen brain drain or convert a merit scholarship into a loan. The motion to recommit the bill to Appropriations failed 34-16, but after continued questioning and criticism, the author later moved to return the bill to the calendar, and that was agreed to. The House then passed House Bill 55, which restricts public disclosure of juror information, after adopting an amendment clarifying that juror interviews are still allowed if jurors choose to participate. The chamber also passed House Bill 394 extending the conditional parole programming period from nine months to 24 months, House Bill 396 making autopsy photographs admissible in criminal proceedings, House Bill 406 directing the Department of Education to study whether it should supervise interscholastic high school athletics, House Bill 622 aligning state criminal history record handling with federal requirements, and House Bill 676 creating the crime of fraudulent patient referrals, or body brokering, with amendments clarifying lawful marketing arrangements. House Bill 1030, concerning reimbursement for non-emergency medical transportation for certain mental health-related services, was taken up with amendments and then temporarily returned to the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:37.840> The<00:04:38.080> waste<00:04:38.320> water<00:04:38.560>
• The waste water in that comes in.
• The waste water in that interceptor<00:04:39.680> eventually<00:04:40.240> makes<00:04:
• <01:36:13.280> These decontaminating waste water. These decontaminating waste water.
• The way we treat waste water pollution.

Keywords: 1183, house