Transcript Highlights:

• So, we look to it, by the way, this is the third year running.
• <00:32:07.480> year way, um uh this is the third year way, um uh this is the third year running
• it's the information that the third it's the information that the third party party party rating
• <01:55:57.720> it<01:55:57.840> off wanted to read it off wanted to read it off in<
• them off in reach, but I'll just read them off in list<01:56:08.720> form.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• when we send a bill to the Appropriations Committee, and that would require an introduction by a two-thirds
• In Section 3, we're allowing the second reading and final passage of the bill to occur on the same day
• It's reported out without requiring that two-thirds vote.
• It's reported out without requiring that two-thirds vote.
• the approval of the Legislative Management, which met yesterday, or there is the ability by a two-thirds

Bills: SB2401, SB2402, SB2403, SB2404

Keywords: SB 2401, North Dakota, Century Code, occupational therapy, occupational therapy board, criminal history record check, background check, licensee investigation, physician continuing education, medical license renewal, nutrition education, metabolic health, chronic disease prevention, health occupation boards, medical board, licensure fee, audit response, disciplinary action, Title 43, board of medicine

Summary: The Senate convened in special session with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call establishing a quorum of 45 members present and two absent. The chamber received certification from the Secretary of State and the governor’s executive order calling the special session to address funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program and to act quickly to accept and appropriate federal funds. The main action was adoption of the procedural rules for the extraordinary session. Senator Klein explained the proposed rule changes, which were designed to speed up consideration of bills during the short session, including limits on bill introduction, same-day second reading and final passage, elimination of standing committees for the session, creation of a Joint Policy Committee and Joint Appropriations Committee, and authorization for remote testimony and limited remote participation. The procedural committee’s report on these rules was adopted without opposition. The Senate also adopted reports naming members to the Joint Policy Committee and Joint Appropriations Committee. Announcements noted that the Senate Employment Committee, Joint Policy Committee, and Joint Appropriations Committee would meet later that morning, that the Senate would not reconvene at 4 p.m., and that a Highway Patrol presentation on legislator safety would be held. The Senate then moved through the listed orders of business and recessed, planning to meet in joint session with the House before adjourning until Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, just for the public's benefit for the House, we should be reading the full summary if that's
• Uh, this bill would provide for third-party review for certain projects, and I appreciate Senator Inouye
• provide<00:06:40.240> for Uh, this bill would provide for Uh, this bill would provide for third-party
• review<00:06:41.280> for<00:06:41.520> certain<00:06:41.759> projects third-party
• review for certain projects third-party review for certain projects and<00:06:42.720> I<00:06

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not going to read in the meeting.
• Uh, please, uh, we've read the letters in the packet.
• Uh we've read the letters in the packet.
• Please state your name for the third.
• Carol, would you please will be third.

Bills: HF3676, HF3593, HF3785, HF3774, HF4111, HF3513

Keywords: Safe at Home, address confidentiality, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, victim privacy, survivor protection, confidential address, protected address, secret address, identity protection, residential confidentiality, program participant, nondiscrimination, court disclosure, protective order, service of process, driver's license, state ID

Transcript Highlights:

• If I read this correctly, do I read it that you're not proposing to change the appeal process?
• Was I didn't read any objection or comments from the BTLA on this.
• Because if I read reval is happening?
• <01:12:51.920> party appropriate to go to a third party appropriate to go to a third party
• So, um based on my reading of the bill.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• chair M speaker I move that the reading chair M speaker I move that the reading of the journal at length
• objections hear no objections reading objections hear no objections reading the journalist dispense
• time hey the it a second time third time hey the it a second time third time hey the disruption you
• a second or subsequent second third a second or subsequent second third fourth whatever okay offense
• it's on the legislation um I can read it's on the legislation um I can read it's not particularly long

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I read about it in the paper.
• Cook, please read. Mr. Cook, please read the calendar item. House Bill 1001.
• Clark, please read Senate Bill 1.
• who fail the reading tests.
• reading test.

Summary: The Arkansas Boys State House convened with a quorum, heard opening remarks from legislative leaders and guests, and then considered a series of bills focused on rural services, education, taxes, and zoning. House Bill 1001 would have increased rural health care funding through a 10% tax on individuals earning at least $300,000; supporters argued it would improve access and quality in rural areas, while opponents raised concerns about fairness, long-term funding, and whether it would drive away doctors and taxpayers. The bill failed by a vote of 24 yeas, 51 nays, and 1 present. House Bill 1002 would have limited the number of subjects rural teachers could be assigned and offered sign-on bonuses to recruit more teachers; supporters said it would reduce burnout and improve specialization, while opponents questioned funding and whether it would worsen inequities. After immediate consideration, it passed narrowly, 38 yeas, 36 nays, and 2 present. The House then debated House Bill 1003, which would regulate AI data centers through county zoning authority and a 10% tax on corporations to fund conservation efforts. Supporters said counties should be able to decide whether data centers fit local needs, while opponents warned about lost jobs, higher costs, and federal-state jurisdiction issues. The bill passed 62 yeas, 7 nays, and 3 present. House Bill 1004 would have reduced motor vehicle registration fees to offset high fuel costs, but critics argued it would reduce highway and road funding and strain the state budget; it failed 20 yeas, 46 nays, and 4 present. The chamber then took up Senate bills. Senate Bill 1 proposed incentives tied to SNAP benefits to encourage healthier food purchases and address food insecurity and obesity; supporters framed it as a way to improve access to healthy food, while opponents objected to taxing junk food and burdening SNAP users. It passed 43 yeas and 27 nays. Senate Bill 2 would require reading tests in middle school and state tutoring for students who fail; supporters said it would address literacy problems early, while opponents wanted clearer provisions for older students and implementation. It passed 67 yeas, 6 nays, and 1 present. Senate Bill 3 would cut individual and corporate income taxes to promote economic growth and ease cost-of-living pressures; supporters cited prior tax cuts and business attraction, while opponents said the benefits would mostly go to wealthy corporations and CEOs. It passed 53 yeas, 15 nays, and 16 present. Senate Bill 4 created a mixed-use zoning grant program funded by a 1% hotel tourism tax to encourage affordable housing and downtown redevelopment; it passed 51 yeas, 7 nays, and 13 present. The session ended with a motion to adjourn, which carried.

Transcript Highlights:

• Watson would like to please read the oral amendment: On page one, line 13, after “nasal,” strike “naloxone
• Amendment uh Mr Watson would like to Amendment uh Mr Watson would like to please<00:01:53.680> read
• <00:25:09.039> of plummeted with just over one-third of plummeted with just over one-third
• in March of 2024. future our third systemwide support future our third systemwide support strategy<00
• We need it to happen. maybe am I reading it quite right but maybe am I reading it quite right but you're

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have not been reading the Federalist Papers in the Senate.
• I've read it. Previous Speaker, Professor Friedman, said it's not in the Constitution.
• Only being read it is the voters able to assess that.
• This refers to the views of third parties.
• It means that such parties Refers to the views of third parties.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee hearing focused on whether the Office of the State Auditor may constitutionally audit the Massachusetts Legislature under Chapter 250 of the Acts of 2024 and what such an audit could include under generally accepted government auditing standards. Chair Cindy Friedman opened by explaining the background: voters approved Ballot Question 1 in November 2024, the law took effect in January 2025, and the Auditor then initiated audits of both chambers. The chair said the subcommittee was seeking expert testimony because the proposed audit scope, constitutionality, and possible bias concerns remained unresolved. Public testimony was invited, but no members of the public pre-registered; written testimony remained open for a short period after the hearing. The hearing then proceeded with invited experts on constitutional law/state government and auditing-related issues. Professor Lawrence Friedman testified that the ballot initiative’s approval by the Attorney General and by voters did not resolve constitutional questions, and he argued Chapter 250 violates the Massachusetts Constitution. He said the Legislature has constitutional authority to set its own rules and manage its proceedings, and that an executive-branch audit would intrude on legislative deliberation, speech and debate protections, and separation of powers. He also warned that even audits of supposedly administrative matters could become a vehicle for repeated document demands and litigation that would indirectly burden legislative functioning. In questioning, senators pressed him on the line between administrative and deliberative functions, the role of the Attorney General versus the courts, the possibility of retroactive audit scope, and whether prior legislative consent to audits mattered; he said prior consent would not bind future legislatures and that constitutionality is ultimately for the courts. Professor Ray La Raja also opposed the audit, framing it as a threat to institutional independence and representative democracy. He argued that allowing an executive-branch official to audit the Legislature without consent would upset separation of powers, chill internal debate, and create a precedent for broader executive intrusion. He said voters often support “transparency” reforms without fully appreciating institutional consequences, and that legislatures should defend their autonomy, especially amid what he described as broader executive overreach nationally. Senators asked about chilling effects, the practical distinction between administrative and core legislative functions, and whether the courts or the Legislature should resolve the issue; he said the courts would ultimately adjudicate disputes, but the Legislature should not waive its constitutional authority lightly. Jean Kempthorne took the opposite view, arguing the audit is permissible and should proceed. She said the state auditor is a constitutional officer accountable directly to the people, that the audit power can be expanded by statute, and that separation of powers does not require watertight compartments. She contended the audit would not displace core legislative powers because the auditor can only evaluate operations, report findings, and make recommendations. She also argued the Legislature itself already conducts audits of other branches, so it is inconsistent to claim an audit of the Legislature is unconstitutional. In response to senators’ questions, she said there are guardrails against truly intrusive requests, but that the administrative-versus-legislative distinction is not a workable bright line; she suggested disputes should be handled case by case, with objections, negotiation, or litigation if specific requests go too far. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as they take the exit ramp, it looks like a third-world country: crash everywhere, broken-down fences
• Representative Brown made a substitute motion to not adopt the amendment and allow for further reading
• amendment representative Brown substitute motion to not adopt the amendment and allow for further reading
• The third is in the capital bill. Maintenance, equipment, and other funding to DOT.
• The third is in the capital bill.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee met with quorum and took up only HB 3, the Department of Transportation Appropriation Act of 2026 for FY27. The bill was presented as an amended budget that would increase NMDOT’s operating budget by about $132.6 million, or 10.2%, using available cash balances, additional projected revenue, and contingent revenue tied to Senate Bill 2, the highway bond bill. Staff walked through the amendment section by section, explaining changes to project design and construction, highway operations, program support, modal programs, federal and interagency transfer lines, corrected performance-measure language, and added budget adjustment authority for the current and next fiscal years. Several members raised concerns about the late circulation of a revised amendment and the appearance of multiple bill versions, arguing the committee had not had enough time to review the changes and that the process may have violated the 24-hour rule. Others asked for clarification on how the budget distinguished between rehabilitation and maintenance, and DOT staff explained that major rehabilitation is generally tied to STIP projects while maintenance is handled through district-level plans and contracts. Members also discussed the use of cash balances for non-recurring spending, the impact of electric vehicles on road revenue, and the need for more maintenance, litter cleanup, fencing, and beautification funding. DOT and executive representatives noted the amendment includes a significant maintenance increase and said additional non-recurring funding could also come through House Bill 2 and the capital bill. The committee first rejected a substitute motion to delay action, then adopted the amendment and later voted due pass on HB 3 as amended. Public comment was opened, but no one spoke in support or opposition. After passage, members explained their votes, with some supporting the bill as a needed transportation investment and others objecting to the process and the compressed review timeline.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, as it turns out, one third of them go to the community colleges, a third of them go to the regional
• universities, and the third of them go to a research institution.
• including curriculum development, staffing, advising, assessment, and instruction, to strengthen reading
• This year's state readings are requesting $56.3 million for the next phase in that remediation effort

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And third, to explore... ...experience after a wildfire or a flood.
• Then I got pregnant with my third child, and he was born.
• And then my third, I got pregnant with my third one. And so, and I thought, and he was born.
• But today, I have the honor of reading a testament from a parent.
• She's in the third grade.

Summary: The hearing focused first on how wildfires and other disasters affect child care providers, families, and early education infrastructure. State officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Education described disaster response and preparedness efforts, including shelter coordination, licensing outreach, emergency waivers, distribution of supplies, and the statewide child care disaster plan. Testimony from providers and advocates emphasized major gaps in recovery funding, insurance coverage, rebuilding support, mental health services, and coordination with local rebuild plans. Several witnesses urged more dedicated disaster-recovery funding for child care facilities and suggested statutory changes, including allowing greater flexibility for rebuilding costs and requiring early childhood programs to be included in local disaster planning. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on child care. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said enforcement activity is causing families to keep children home, disrupting continuity of care, reducing enrollment, and creating fear and trauma for children and providers. They argued that immigrant and mixed-status families need clearer protections, privacy safeguards, legal support, trauma-informed guidance, and safe-haven policies for child care settings. Speakers also stressed that the child care workforce is heavily immigrant and that recent state laws such as AB 49 and AB 495 will require funding, training, and technical assistance to implement effectively. Public commenters, including child care providers, described personal experiences with fire damage, displacement, permit delays, lost income, and the emotional toll of serving families during crises. Others described how immigration enforcement has made parents afraid to attend events, drop off children, or remain connected to providers. Committee members repeatedly noted that child care is often overlooked in emergencies and asked state officials how child care systems are being integrated into disaster planning and how local and state agencies can better coordinate. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's not available for public consumption as I read it.
• The way I read that, it seems like we were not in a good position.
• It reads like we did good, it reads like we did bad, or we were not doing good.
• The way I read that, it seems like we were not in a good position.
• It reads like we did good, it reads like we did bad, or we were not doing good.

Summary: The committee met to adopt prior minutes and reports from its executive and standing committees, including counties and municipalities, educational institutions, and state agencies. Those reports covered routine audit activity, delinquent private water and sewer audits, municipal accounting compliance issues, education audit findings, and several state agency audit items. The committee also reviewed and adopted the State of Arkansas annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2025 and the related single audit report, both presented by Legislative Audit staff. The state financial report showed unmodified opinions on the state’s financial statements and described total assets of about $41.9 billion and liabilities of about $11.1 billion, along with retirement system assets of $39.9 billion and a net pension liability of $9 billion. Two material weaknesses were identified: insufficient internal controls at the Office of State Technology to monitor threats and unauthorized access, and a Division of Workforce Services methodology change for unemployment-related estimates that was not properly documented or approved. The single audit covered $12.4 billion in federal awards across 469 programs, with 16 major programs reviewed; it resulted in 33 findings, 14 with questioned costs totaling $16.6 million, and qualified opinions for the Summer EBT program, the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and the Child Care Development Fund cluster. Members questioned agency officials in detail about the Summer EBT questioned costs, DHS unresolved findings, broadband grant documentation, cyber security controls, workers’ compensation liabilities, and child care funding and reporting. DHS explained that the Summer EBT issue involved drawing federal funds in advance rather than as benefits were redeemed, and said the process has been corrected. Broadband officials said the questioned $6.6 million reflected documentation-detail disagreements across many invoices rather than missing payments. OST officials described new logging, endpoint detection, and phishing-training efforts, and DFA and Education officials addressed specific audit findings and corrective actions. The committee ultimately moved to hold the two large statewide reports over until the August meeting for further review, with discussion continuing on whether to release some agency staff in the meantime.

Transcript Highlights:

• For those bills, they shall be considered as having their first reading.
• . reading. reading.
• for the third time by title only, and placed upon its passage.
• third time by title only, and placed upon its passage.
• third time by title only, and placed upon its passage.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and approved the journal. The clerk reported House-passed bills and Senate bills received from the House, and several Senate bills were read a second time and sent to the Rules Committee. Committee reports recommended passage of multiple measures, including bills from Appropriations and Revenue, Health Services, Natural Resources and Energy, State and Local Government, and Transportation. The chamber then moved to orders of the day and took up Senate Bill 50 and Senate Bill 191, while Senate Bill 137 and Senate Joint Resolution 54 were passed over and retained in the orders of the day. Senate Bill 50, relating to the disposition of property, was explained as a broad update to trust, probate, and intestacy law. Supporters said it would streamline probate when there are no disputes, add privacy protections for decedents’ estate information, give courts more flexibility, set retention and filing-fee rules for wills, recognize electronic wills and other uniform-law concepts, and allow transfer-on-death designation for motor vehicles. A floor amendment removed inheritance-tax provisions and corrected technical issues; it was adopted, and the bill passed 35-1 after debate in favor from several senators and no substantive opposition. Senate Bill 191, creating the Kentucky Kindergarten Readiness Performance-based Child Care Incentive Pilot Program, was also amended and passed. The bill would establish a three-year pilot administered by the University of Kentucky College of Education, providing a one-time $2,000 per child incentive payment or refundable tax credit to child care providers and low-income families when children are assessed as kindergarten ready. A floor amendment clarified that the study and recommendations must comply with federal child care regulations; it was adopted, and the bill passed 35-1 after a senator changed a vote from no to yes. The Senate then recessed for Rules and Committee on Committees meetings, after which the rules committee posted additional bills to future orders and the committee on committees referred several bills and resolutions to standing committees. Several members also made announcements about upcoming committee meetings, a legislative breakfast, a fish fry, and condolences for a community member.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what I'm reading today is a very serious walking back of that.
• I'm reading today is a very serious walking back of that.
• Woodard for the record, to best answer your question, because of the way the law currently reads and
• And then for a third offense, it's a gross misdemeanor.
• And I was trying to read it, and it's not accessible to my screen reader.

Bills: AB275, SB371, SB457

Keywords: criminal procedure, wiretap, law enforcement, child protection, sexual offenses, SB371, Nevada, trespass, criminal trespass, NRS 207.200, property rights, misdemeanor, warning period, 24 months, 36 months, no trespassing, posted signs, fencing, private property, public property

Transcript Highlights:

• But then later did because I read the fine line.
• You may have read about that at an FIR.
• I read those in the context of this.
• If I read it correctly, there's a membership fee that you would go...
• Over a third of customers have never tipped. There's no... $1.19 tip.

Transcript Highlights:

• The third provision is NAIC...
• For the most part, people don't read through them, which, you know, I think is a challenge in itself.
• I think that a lot of times people assume that you shouldn't, that you won't read it, and so then they
• I'm concerned that that might cause confusion for people who are reading the bill or trying to apply
• It'll read, "The licensee shall notify prior to any private catered event," so we'll have a single sentence

Bills: HF2601, HF2607, HF2027, HF2608

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:21:25.280> the third may have just received it. the third may have just received it. the
• The the third tax on it under the BPT.
• <01:53:55.280> this trees, I read this trees, I read this as<01:53:57.719> the<01:53
• I'm not going to read it.
• Um but I will just say quickly read it.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It used to read “ratepayer savings”; now it reads “customer savings.”
• Representative Bernardi: So the key word that you read, I think, was the third or fourth word in your
• initial reading: contested.
• read I think<03:16:44.279> was<03:16:44.479> the<03:16:44.640> third<03:16:44.840
• :47.080> reading<03:16:47.840> was your initial reading was your initial reading was contested

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I rise to recognize Read Across America Week.
• On Sunday, we kicked off Read Across America Day, marking the start of National Reading Month each March
• This celebration fosters a lifelong love of reading.
• This celebration fosters a lifelong love of reading.
• Two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 3, 2025, 1012, house, all