Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not sure which part, but appreciate a recognition that, look, and we did this with a bill on competency
• :38:01.840> on I know we did this with a bill uh on I know we did this with a bill uh on competency
• 03.359> the<02:38:03.520> good<02:38:03.760> senator<02:38:04.080> from competency
• with the good senator from competency with the good senator from Boulder<02:38:04.640> as<02:

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• goes into a special revenue fund, which goes to ensuring that workers and businesses are prepared to compete
• goes into a special revenue fund, which goes to ensuring that workers and businesses are prepared to compete
• As I've mentioned in previous testimony, Minnesota's businesses compete nationally for talent and investment
• :48.080> golfers The Adaptive Golf Open brings golfers from across the country together to compete

Transcript Highlights:

• that threaten imminent bad conduct, the floor amendment adopts an approach that better balances the competing
• /c><04:35:46.881> the approach that better balances the approach that better balances the competing
• 48.000> civil<04:35:48.439> rights<04:35:48.920> and<04:35:49.119> First competing
• civil rights and First competing civil rights and First Amendment<04:35:49.961> issues<04:35:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• standards, establishes clear enforceable staffing requirements, on-site coverage, minimum levels, competency
• requirements on-site uh coverage<02:07:14.239> minimum<02:07:14.639> levels<02:07:15.199> competency
• coverage minimum levels competency coverage minimum levels competency standards.<02:07:16.800>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what gives manufactured homeowners the rights and opportunity under the law to submit a competing
• the law to rights and opportunity under the law to submit<02:29:34.800> a<02:29:35.040> competing
• > offer<02:29:35.760> to<02:29:36.080> buy<02:29:36.319> their submit a competing
• offer to buy their submit a competing offer to buy their park<02:29:36.960> and<02:29:37.280>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they desist from performance until they satisfy a state officer, upon examination, that they're competent
• the first day of May, you're going to want that same face covering on, examination that they're competent
• for a examination that they're competent for a necessary<00:56:51.200> part<00:56:51.440>
• the Attorney General shall bring an action to enjoin the violation of this section in a court of competent

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, January 29, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened after a snow delay, heard an invocation from Reverend Scott Shelton, and conducted several floor introductions and recognitions, including birthday wishes for staff, a welcome for a temporary office staffer, recognition of the Center for Urban Families, and introduction of the week’s pages. The chamber then approved the prior journal and moved through bill and bond initiative readings, referring the listed measures to their standing committees or the capital budget subcommittee. The first substantive action was adoption of a favorable committee report on Senate Bill 17, an emergency bill authorizing the Baltimore City Board of Licensed Commissioners to issue a related event promoters permit for the CIAA tournament. The floor leader said the bill had no amendments, no fiscal impact, and no opposition in committee. The Senate adopted the report without objection and ordered the bill printed for third reading. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 1 from the Judicial Proceedings Committee, which would require the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to adopt a statewide policy on law enforcement face coverings, apply it to state, local, and federal officers in Maryland, and enforce violations through a civil citation and discipline. The committee report included two amendments: one technical and one making the policy statewide and preempting local policies. During extended debate, the bill’s sponsor argued that masks undermine transparency and trust and that the measure would create a uniform standard. A senator from Frederick County questioned whether the bill would effectively create a policy for federal agents without Maryland-specific training and raised concerns about enforcement, temporary detention, complaints, and possible conflicts with federal authority. The sponsor responded that officers would retain discretion, that the bill would be enforced through civil citations, and that similar civil enforcement mechanisms have been upheld in Maryland. No final vote on the amended report is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• night and there was a young Latino at a computer, and I said to her, "Isn't it awful that we make you compete
• awful that we said to her, "Isn't it awful that we make<04:24:48.000> you<04:24:48.319> compete
• with<04:24:48.880> all<04:24:49.040> these<04:24:49.359> other make you compete
• with all these other make you compete with all these other communities?"

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're competing with a lot of folks for liquor warehouse staff, but really that increase was dramatic
• <02:45:31.279> So,<02:45:31.520> we're<02:45:31.760> competing the country it
• So, we're competing the country it is.
• So, we're competing with<02:45:32.319> a<02:45:32.640> lot<02:45:32.720> of<02:45

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I guess if we're the underlying root issue, So I guess if the underlying root issue is competence
• So I guess if we're the underlying root issue, So I guess if we're the underlying root issue is competence
• You know, there's a lot of people competing for the space on...
• I just don't want to plug, you know, there's a lot of people competing for the space on kind of volunteer

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.

Transcript Highlights:

• have navigated tensions and policy disagreements, as you could even see today, political noise, and competing
• have navigated tensions and policy disagreements, as you could even see today, political noise, and competing
• , political you could even see today, political noise,<03:41:12.080> and<03:41:12.479> competing
• <03:41:13.680> But<03:41:13.840> at ...noise and competing priorities.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• disincentive for the buildout of a robust network of stations, which the state critically needs to compete
• critically stations um which the state critically needs<02:08:57.119> to<02:08:57.440> compete
• ><02:08:57.840> with<02:08:58.079> neighboring<02:08:58.560> states needs to compete
• with neighboring states needs to compete with neighboring states and<02:08:59.199> provinces.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing began with SB 12, which would let certain veterans who already qualify for a disabled veteran license plate use that VA disability determination to obtain a walking disability placard without having to undergo a second physical or submit additional proof. Senator Waters, the prime sponsor, said the bill was prompted by a constituent and would reduce redundant paperwork. Melinda Sims of United Spinal and Leo Pacquin of the State Veterans Advisory Committee both supported the bill, saying veterans already go through an extensive VA certification process and should not have to repeat it for the state. A DMV representative said the department had no known objection and explained that the change would let the placard travel with the veteran in another vehicle. The hearing on SB 12 was then closed. The committee then took up SB 40, which would allow safe boater education certificates to be completed and tested online, rather than requiring an in-person final exam. Representative Coker and Senator Tim Lang described the bill as a cleanup measure to make a COVID-era online process permanent and said it would improve convenience and keep more revenue in New Hampshire. Tom Praol, representing the vendor, said the state lost significant revenue when the online option ended and argued that online proctoring can verify identity and prevent cheating. The New Hampshire Marine Trades Association supported the bill, saying it would help boaters learn New Hampshire-specific laws and keep dollars in-state. The Department of Safety Marine Patrol was neutral: Captain Tim Dunlvy said the current system includes classroom and online coursework followed by an in-person proctored final exam, and he raised concerns about safety, exam integrity, and lower scores in computer-only testing, while noting New Hampshire’s strong boating safety record. Committee members asked about reciprocity, proctoring methods, costs, and crash data, but no vote was taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So would you say we should have competent translators to help you to pass the test to write the test?
• should<01:10:36.679> have So would you say we should have So would you say we should have competent
• :10:39.199> to<01:10:39.440> help<01:10:39.679> you<01:10:39.920> to competent
• translators to help you to competent translators to help you to pass<01:10:40.560> the<01:10:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We partner with culturally competent providers, conduct community readiness assessments, and use local
• 32.920> culturally informed we partner with culturally informed we partner with culturally competent
• providers<00:41:35.200> we<00:41:35.480> conduct<00:41:36.079> Community competent
• providers we conduct Community competent providers we conduct Community Readiness<00:41:37.160> assessments

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• but who are struggling to fight against a whole different playing field of money that they cannot compete
• money that different playing field of money that they<01:47:21.920> cannot<01:47:22.239> compete
• um<01:47:23.760> aloh<01:47:24.199> Ed<01:47:24.440> way they cannot compete
• with um aloh Ed way they cannot compete with um aloh Ed way is<01:47:24.760> very<01:47:24.920

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard three House bills related to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. HB 606 would extend the Act 279 special fund to June 30, 2028, continue deposits and appropriations to help eliminate the DHHL waitlist, and require a strategic plan and annual reporting. DHHL strongly supported the measure, saying most of the initial $600 million had been used and that the need remains large, with more than 29,000 people on the waitlist. Public testimony also supported the bill, emphasizing its importance to Native Hawaiian families and concerns about Hawaiians leaving the islands because of housing costs. A member noted the bill is a priority and that the committee will keep working on how to fund another $600 million. HB 1086 would exempt DHHL homestead lot and housing development from general excise and use taxes. DHHL supported the bill, saying any tax savings would reduce the eventual cost of housing for low-income beneficiaries. The Department of Taxation said it could administer the measure and noted it is already being implemented under the governor’s emergency proclamation, with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2026. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered technical comments and urged the committee to weigh existing benefits already received by DHHL beneficiaries. HB 1307 would appropriate funds for DHHL water well development and geothermal exploration on Hawaiian homelands. DHHL said the bill is a follow-up to prior study funding and would support slim-hole drilling, site evaluation, and consultant work to identify viable geothermal resources, especially on Hawaiʻi Island. Several testifiers opposed the bill, arguing there had been inadequate beneficiary consultation, raising environmental, cultural, and safety concerns, and objecting to using $20 million for geothermal rather than housing. In response to committee questions, DHHL staff explained that the goal is to gather information for a future public-private partnership to develop geothermal electricity, and that a Chapter 343 environmental review would be required later in the process. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Karen Rosenberg continued: But then all these issues around competency could be raised.
• ><00:49:25.000> around but then all these issues around but then all these issues around competency
• 26.400> raised<00:49:26.760> bed<00:49:27.599> um<00:49:27.839> you competency
• could be raised bed um you competency could be raised bed um you know<00:49:28.359> I'm<00:49

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that has great potential and a great passion for this line, they ought to have an opportunity to compete
• ought to have an they they they ought to have an opportunity<01:56:36.280> to<01:56:37.119> compete
• ><01:56:37.679> and<01:56:38.079> and<01:56:38.320> hopefully opportunity to compete
• and and hopefully opportunity to compete and and hopefully have<01:56:38.960> a<01:56:39.599>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education to require objective, science-based evidence for pedagogical methods. The prime sponsor said the bill is a verbatim reintroduction from the prior session and argued that current federal definitions are too vague, allowing subjective surveys and other weak evidence to justify teaching methods. He said the bill is limited to pedagogy, not subject matter, and is intended to improve student outcomes, reduce fad-driven practices, and potentially save money by limiting unnecessary retraining and new materials. Members asked repeatedly about the bill’s scope, including whether it would affect classroom teachers, curriculum content, and existing instructional approaches such as phonics versus whole language or queuing. The sponsor said the bill applies to state and local education bodies and educator training policies, not individual teachers in their classrooms, and that teachers would retain flexibility. He also said standardized testing could be part of a scientific study but is not itself a study, and that textbook providers could be asked to furnish the studies supporting instructional guidance included in their materials. Several members raised concerns about the fiscal note and possible cost shifts to local districts and taxpayers. The sponsor disputed the idea that the bill would necessarily create major new costs or require additional staff, saying any costs would likely be limited and that the department is already applying federal evidence-based rules. He also said if some current methods are not science-based, updating them would be justified even if there were some initial expense. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recently, Zing became the first student in Ammas High School history to compete at the Regeneron International
• Take the breadth of our disparate perspectives and competing agendas and make us see that our mutual
• disperate Take the breadth of our disperate perspectives<02:06:12.880> and<02:06:13.199> competing
• <02:06:13.679> agendas<02:06:14.560> and perspectives and competing agendas and perspectives
• and competing agendas and make<02:06:15.040> us<02:06:15.280> see<02:06:15.440> that

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 4, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is really, I think it's really valuable outside of six sites because, you know, you've got competing
• 31:03.039> know because you know you've got you know because you know you've got you know competing
• 04.159> in<00:31:04.399> there<00:31:04.720> and<00:31:05.039> stuff competing
• entities in there and stuff competing entities in there and stuff like<00:31:05.440> that<00:
• Right now, you've got two competing permits and only so much capacity that you need.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to deal with people waiting in jails for prolonged periods of time while they were waiting for a competency

Summary: The committee held its first meeting, with co-chairs and members introducing themselves and staff outlining the committee’s statutory mandate under the 2025-27 supplemental operating budget. Staff explained that the Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability will receive technical assistance from a nonpartisan organization, with work split into two phases: first on revenue growth, spending assumptions, and cost drivers in the four-year outlook, and later on staffing, overhead, performance management, and public reporting. Members broadly said they hoped the committee would build a shared factual understanding of the state’s fiscal situation, structural deficits, and budget processes, and identify a sustainable path forward for the operating budget. Staff then gave a detailed presentation on operating budget basics. They reviewed the size and composition of the operating budget, noting that most spending is concentrated in grants/client services and salaries/benefits, with K-12, DSHS, HCA, DCYF, DOC, and higher education making up most NGFO spending. They explained the distinction between constitutional, federal, statutory, and discretionary spending, using examples such as K-12, Medicaid, collective bargaining agreements, court-driven obligations like McCleary and Trueblood, and one-time appropriations. They also walked through how the state uses incremental budgeting, carry-forward and maintenance-level calculations, caseload and per-capita forecasting, and the four-year balanced budget outlook, including reserve calculations and the budget stabilization account. Members asked extensive questions about what is and is not included in the outlook, especially future collective bargaining agreements, health care and compensation growth, tort and other liabilities, and whether the state could better distinguish mandatory from discretionary spending. Staff explained that current CBAs and other already-enacted obligations are included, but future CBAs are not; some liabilities are reflected as expenditures when appropriated, while broader long-term liabilities are not fully captured in the outlook because they depend on future policy choices. Staff also noted that the legislature and ERFC can adopt assumptions such as reversions and growth factors, and that an outlook accuracy report is produced every five years to compare projected and actual maintenance-level spending. The committee agreed to follow up on some of the more complex liability and assumption questions. After a short break, Josh Goodman of the Pew Charitable Trusts began a presentation on Pew’s role and approach to state fiscal sustainability. He described Pew as a nonpartisan organization with long-standing state fiscal research, emphasizing its 50-state comparative data, interviews with state officials and experts, and focus on long-term sustainability, reserve policies, and recession preparedness. The presentation was ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Attorney General may bring a civil action on behalf of residents of the state in any court of competent

Keywords: 1146, all