Video & Transcript : 'government transparency' :

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LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Apr 13th, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • This is House Bill 1 by Representative McFarlane, provides for the ordinary expenses of state government
  • and the other budget bills work collectively to appropriate funding for the operations of state government
  • fiscally prudent spending will generate savings to the state in future years by not growing the government
  • Members, House Bill 383 provides for the ancillary expenses of state government.
Bills: HB1 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB383 , HB983 , HB1126 , HCR3
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Feb 26th, 2026 at 10:00 am

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • business owners, professors, activists, community leaders, and elected public officials across the government
  • They all believe that just because the federal government back in the 19s and 30s excluded this workforce
  • They all believe that just because the federal government back in the 19s and 30s excluded this workforce
  • President, and as a member of the State Government Committee, I want to add my voice of support.
  • The Secretary will read: An act relating to inquiries into association governance or operations by unit
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Feb 26th, 2026

Washington Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • business owners, professors, activists, community leaders, and elected public officials across the government
  • They all believe that just because the federal government back in the 1930s excluded this workforce,
  • President, and as a member of the State Government Committee, I want to add my voice of support.
  • The Secretary will read: An act relating to inquiries into association governance or operations by unit
  • Inact relating to inquiries into association governance or operations by unit owners in common interest
Summary: The Senate opened with ceremonial remarks, approved the previous day’s journal, and then moved through introductions, committee referrals, and caucus breaks. A resolution recognizing Ramadan, Senate Resolution 8680, was adopted after remarks from Senator Trudeau emphasizing charity, self-reflection, and restraint, and several members spoke in support of religious inclusion and community recognition. The chamber then took up several bills on final passage. House Bill 2304, expanding warranty options to encourage more condominium construction, passed overwhelmingly. Substitute House Bill 2492, requiring behavioral health and wellness training in construction apprenticeships, also passed after supporters cited high rates of mental health struggles and suicides in the trades. Substitute House Bill 2228, directing work on scissors stairs to improve housing efficiency, passed as well, as did Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1541, which revises the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee to add more military and veteran experience. The most extended debate centered on Substitute House Bill 2355, the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. Supporters argued it would provide basic labor protections, written agreements, minimum wage, and remedies for domestic workers, while opponents warned it would burden families, independent contractors, and small jobs with contracts, notice requirements, and private lawsuits. Several proposed amendments to narrow coverage or remove the private right of action were rejected, and the bill ultimately passed 28–20. The Senate also passed House Bill 2155 on nursing title use in the context of AI, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2242 on preventive services and state health guidance, Substitute House Bill 2269 on middle housing in unincorporated areas, and Engrossed House Bill 1501 on HOA/unit-owner inquiries after adopting a committee striking amendment. The Senate adjourned until the next morning.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary 2ND REVISED Apr 21st, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • this, but it just adds that the public trust hospital that is OU Heal authority is covered under government
  • This is putting that actual authority under the government tort claims protection. A do pass.
  • Still just toying around with government tort claims here.
  • jails that are housing inmates on behalf of other governmental entities still get protection for government
Committee: Senate Judiciary
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary 2ND REVISED Apr 21st, 2026

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Hamilton, if you want to start your local county government, you can go.
  • but it just adds that the Public Trust Hospital, that is OU Health Authority, is covered under government
  • This is putting that actual authority under the government tort claims protection. Move due pass.
  • Still just toying around with government tort claims here. This is on behalf of the Pro Tem.
  • are housing inmates on behalf of other entities that are governmental still get protection for government
Committee: Senate Judiciary
Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee considered a large slate of executive nominations and bills. The nominations of Kevin Buchanan to the Oklahoma State Council of Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, Bobby Raines to the Polygraph Examiners Board, and Colton Richardson to the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System Board were each advanced to the full Senate without opposition. The committee then heard and advanced several measures on elections, criminal law, public safety, and civil procedure, including bills on Article V convention commissioner guardrails, precinct official terms and oaths, fraud and identity theft, treatment screening for arrested individuals, electronic monitoring eligibility, press access to certain arrest information, foreign terrorist organization-related offenses, CDL eligibility tied to the meth registry, sheriff service fees, fentanyl overdose reporting and presumptions, corporate law updates, appraiser fees in condemnation cases, child sexual abuse reporting protections, eviction mediation, garnishment response deadlines, retired municipal judges carrying firearms, critical mineral ownership restrictions, removal of a sunset on a sexual assault nurse examiner coordinator, enhanced riot and assault penalties, ability-to-pay hearings at sentencing, firearm component liability protections, hospice admission authority, government tort claims coverage for OU Health Authority, and tort claims coverage for county jails housing inmates for other entities. Several bills drew notable questioning and amendments. House Bill 2299, dealing with Article V convention commissioners, was advanced after debate over the bill’s “intimidation” language and its potential effect on political speech; Senator Jett opposed it on vagueness grounds. House Bill 3852 on precinct officials was amended to reflect Election Board recommendations, including changing a disqualification period from three to six years, before advancing. House Bill 2939, removing obsolete fax-machine references from election law, was amended to strike a repealed-law reference and then advanced. House Bill 4343, setting a $350 fee for court-appointed appraisers, prompted extended concern about fixing a market rate in statute; the title was stricken so the measure could be worked on further, but it still advanced. House Bill 4227, the child sexual abuse NDA bill, advanced after the author recognized concerns and agreed to strike the title for further work, and House Bill 3386 on same-day eviction mediation also advanced after the author struck title to revisit discrimination concerns. Other measures advanced with little or no opposition, including House Bills 3244, 3345, 3114, 4144, 3764, 3304, 3262, 2941, 3498, 4141, 4237, 3062, 3431, 3581, 3648, and 3974. Some bills generated focused policy questions, such as whether the fentanyl overdose presumption would be rebuttable, whether the meth registry is lifetime or time-limited, whether the electronic monitoring bill would be too restrictive, and whether the riot-mask felony language could affect law enforcement officers operating in an official capacity. The committee also restored title on several measures before advancing them. The meeting concluded with Chairman Howard thanking the committee and staff and noting it was his final policy committee meeting as chair before adjournment.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm disgusted with the government. I'm disgusted with the politicians.
  • The government should not meddle in those things, and yet here we are.
  • This bill is the antithesis of that and it's a detriment to transparency.
  • So we may not need to blow a hole through transparency to fix this problem.
  • Transparency is essential.
Bills: SB6 , SB7 , SB8 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB15 , SB 6 , SB 7 , SB 8 , SB 11 , SB 12 , SB 13 , SB 15 , SB 17
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • SB8 creates an instructional support assessment program, adding transparency and clarity to the process
  • Preserving this integrity safeguards both transparency and fairness. For families and educators.
  • Consistent and transparent accountability system.
  • The bill actually structurally outlaws that practice on a government basis. And that's great stuff.
  • Second, Senate Bill 8 strengthens transparency and trust.
Bills: SB8 , SB 8
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence May 14th, 2025

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:
  • managed judicial compensation and related retirement benefits and the reporting of certain judicial transparency
Bills: SB1015 , SB2933
Summary: The Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence heard testimony on Senate Bill 1015, which would clarify that the comptroller is responsible for distributing excess judicial fund payments back to statutory probate courts. Judge Guy Herman testified in support, saying the bill would help ensure probate courts receive funding they are entitled to, while Ed Heimlich testified against the bill with broad criticism of probate courts and judicial practices. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2933, which would add elder abuse training to required judicial education for several categories of judges and judicial officers; Dr. Bruce Hargrave supported the bill, citing the prevalence and underreporting of elder abuse and the need for judges to recognize warning signs. No votes were taken on either of those bills, and SB 2933 was left pending. The committee then reconsidered Senate Bill 38, an eviction-related bill, and Vice Chair Hayes described two agreed floor amendments: one limiting the summary disposition procedure to forcible entry and detainer cases involving squatters, and another requiring a notice to pay rent or vacate for tenants who had been timely payers but missed a payment. After discussion, the committee voted 6-4 to report SB 38 without amendments. The committee also adopted or advanced a series of other bills and resolutions, including SB 293, SB 1141, SB 1448, SB 1536, SB 1558, SB 1838, SB 1940, SB 2127, SB 53, SB 251, SB 311, SB 387, SB 441 (with a substitute), SB 1164, SB 1335, SB 1574 (with a substitute), SB 1719, SB 1760, SB 1839, SB 1923 (with a substitute), SB 2807, and SJR 27 (with a substitute). Most measures were reported favorably on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with a few close votes on SB 942, SB 311, SB 2807, and SJR 27. SB 942, relating to retroactive child support beginning at conception, initially failed 5-5 but was reconsidered and then passed 6-5. The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 3/26/26

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • I own a legal research and government affairs business here in St.
  • And also, this bill has not been to local government, and you preempt local governments in section 16
  • </c><00:31:15.720><c> principles</c> these simple good governance principles these simple good governance
  • But um I think probably local government. Gov Ops. Elections.
  • </c> Probably local government. Gov Ops. Elections.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • The Senate Committee on Local Government will come to order.
  • Great start to the local government committee this morning. All right, okay, right.
  • In county government, we do... You have invited testimony from the Conference of Urban Counties.
  • It applies good government standards to the Angelina-Natavach River Authority's governing law, which
  • governments' debt status and the inclusion...
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • The Senate Committee on Local Government will come to order. The clerk will call the roll.
  • We're taking government away, but they want it. Okay. That's right.
  • With no other business to come before the Local Government Committee. The committee was... what?
  • With that, no other business for the Local Government Committee.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Education Apr 22nd, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Includes exemptions for law enforcement, government agencies, FAA-compliant commercial operators, and
  • Okay, so it requires including credit in United States history, at least one-half credit in government
  • Some that don't want anything to do with anything government-related.
  • Furthermore, the bill aims to balance transparency with the legal protections that all individuals are
  • The bill amends sections of the Education Code, Government Code, and Insurance Code to standardize these
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Education Apr 22nd, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • expands civics education in Texas high schools by requiring instructional... ...local and state government
  • It ensures students understand what government bodies do, who's responsible for what, and how to participate
  • Representative Jolanda Jones, relating to the inclusion of civics instruction and public school government
  • civics education in Texas high schools by requiring instructional content covering local and state government
  • It ensures students understand what government bodies do, who's responsible for what, and how to participate
US
Transcript Highlights:
  • It's modeled after the successful map land act which required the federal government to digitize maps
  • Given the growing mental health crisis in our country, I believe this is transparency that is important
  • This amendment is the text of my bill the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act s 259.
  • The FACT Act would provide much-needed transparency for companies that hold FCC authorizations and licenses
  • with ownership ties to foreign adversarial governments.
Bills: SB244 , SB28 , SB289 , SB323 , SB389 , SB414 , SB428 , SB433 , SB582 , SB613 , SB759 , SB792 , SB841 , SB843 , SB97
Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an important meeting where they discussed various bills aimed at addressing pressing issues like consumer protection, technology, and environmental management. Chairman Cruz opened the meeting by emphasizing the role of subpoenas in ensuring accountability and oversight, highlighting a recent compliance from several parties following such threats. The meeting progressed to consider several bills, including the Romance Scam Prevention Act championed by Senator Blackburn, which seeks to protect vulnerable populations from online dating scams that have resulted in enormous financial losses, particularly among seniors. The committee also nominated Michael Kratios for the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Mark Medder for the Federal Trade Commission, underscoring the significance of leadership in fostering innovation and consumer protection in technology sectors.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 3/18/25

State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • going to call this hearing Tuesday, March 18th, of the Minnesota House of Representatives State Government
  • And so, they had the votes to make this pass through the government.
  • And so, they had the votes to make this pass through the government.
  • And so, they had the votes to make this pass through the government.
  • So, they had the votes to make this pass through the government.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

S/C on County & Regional Government Mar 17th, 2025

S/C on County & Regional Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • 2 permanent standing subcommittee on county and regional government will come to order the clerk will
  • Without public safety, nothing else we do as a government. matters.
  • They enjoy being governed in their own neighborhood. rather than by a city hall.
  • Allows advisory boards to hold meetings by telephone conference. 551.127 of the government code governs
  • code or the government code.
Bills: HB336 , HB554 , HB849 , HB 1033 , HB1338 , HB 1246
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

EEP Public Hearing - Tue Feb 17, 2026 @ 9:30 AM HST

Energy & Environmental Protection

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a bill to expand the solar energy tax credit for single-family residential properties by removing certain cap amounts and raising the adjusted gross income limits for taxpayers to elect a refund of excess credits. The Hawaii State Energy Office and Department of Taxation both said they were standing on written testimony, while industry and advocacy groups largely supported the measure. Members questioned whether the income thresholds were set appropriately, how many taxpayers would be affected at different income levels, and how many would qualify for refundable treatment; Taxation said it did not yet have the requested numbers but was preparing a fiscal estimate. A major issue raised was drafting and administration: witnesses said the bill appears to apply differently to owner-purchased systems versus third-party leased systems, and Taxation said it likely could not easily verify household income for leased systems or cross-reference different taxpayers. Discussion also covered whether the credit should remain refundable, whether credits should be limited to amounts actually expended, and whether the bill should instead be structured to keep the credit with the system owner or lessor, with concerns about equity, market effects, and possible incentives to lease rather than buy. The committee then moved to HB 2316, which would align state restrictions on lead materials in drinking water infrastructure with federal Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. The Department of Health and other supporters testified in favor, and there were no questions from the chair. Next, HB 1566 on energy efficiency would require state agencies to use energy-efficient lighting, with the Hawaii State Energy Office providing technical assistance and a compliance survey prioritized for first responder facilities; testimony from state agencies and advocates was in support, and again there were no questions. For HB 1926 on Red Hill, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Board of Water Supply, and multiple organizations and individuals supported funding for remediation studies, environmental monitoring, groundwater research, independent testing, and a public dashboard, with DLNR emphasizing that decades of work remain necessary even after defueling and that the bill supports ongoing university and community partnerships. The committee then heard HB 1673 on landfill units. The Department of Health initially said it was in support but later corrected the record and stated it strongly opposes the measure, saying the bill would undo protections enacted last session that keep landfills out of areas over aquifers; the Board of Water Supply also opposed repeal of those protections, while the City and County of Honolulu supported the HD1 version that leaves siting decisions to the counties. Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and the Energy Justice Network opposed the bill, arguing the original protections should remain and that the amended version had confused commenters; supporters of the original version urged restoring it and considering additional language on ash.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • Government dependency is a trap. It robs self-reliance and it balloons budgets.
  • I always say government programs should be a trampoline, not a hammock.
  • Oklahoma for fairness, transparency, and state sovereignty.
  • Oklahoma wasn't built by government planners or bureaucrats.
  • It's a powerful speech exploring the role of government and the welfare state.