Transcript Highlights:

• So, if we're going to interim study, I think that the result of that interim study, we'll end up talking
• So, if we're going to interim study, I think that the result of that interim study, we'll end up talking
• The motion is interim study. Representative Lels. Yes. Representative Devoid. Yes.
• I don't believe there's a consent or not for interim study. Does everybody know?
• , community, the public safety committee, community, the public safety committee, I<00:48:42.160>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the Senate Finance Committee.
• Committee members... Mr.
• Committee questions, Senator Padilla.
• OK, all right, committee members, move for a pass.
• Chair, members of the committee. Members of the committee, thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, uh, this bill actually came to the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife Committee late in the interim.
• Um, it was not an interim topic, and so we didn't take it up as a committee.
• , Wildlife Committee late in the<00:31:12.799> interim.
• This is the other bill related to speedy banks from the select committee during the interim.
• This is the other bill related to speedy banks from the select committee during the interim.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• during the interim.
• committee.
• What a fine looking committee committee.
• interim study. interim study.
• Questions from the committee, committee, committee, >> Mr.<01:19:12.480> Berbert.

Bills: SJ0001, SF0017

Keywords: mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, forestry management, good neighbor authority, state lands, employee funding, donations, revolving account, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• interim committee. We urge a yes vote. interim committee. We urge a yes vote.
• Those two committees happen to be year-round committees, not interim committees.
• <01:12:55.280> So, committees, not interim committees.
• So, committees, not interim committees.
• the interim committees again and the interim committees again and the legislation<01:20:13.440><

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and heard several announcements about committee schedules and Capitol events, including Faith and Justice Lobby Day, Agriculture Week activities, and a tribute presentation for Sergeant Benjamin Pennington. The tribute honored Pennington’s Army service, his time at Fort Carson, and his death from injuries sustained in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base; he was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant. A member also offered remarks recognizing the sacrifice of service members, and taps was played. The chamber then took up third reading and final passage on multiple bills. Senate Bill 39, concerning Fire and Police Pension Association disability and survivor benefits, passed 63-1. House Bill 1311, regarding use of a bond in lieu of retainage in construction contracts, passed 55-1 after a brief explanation of support from a member. House Bill 1184, continuing the Colorado Forest Health Council, passed 50-1; House Bill 1305, on inpatient behavioral health access, passed 64-0; and House Bill 1234, on access to child abuse or neglect records, passed 64-0. Senate Bill 50, requiring certain child care center policy disclosures to caregivers, passed 56-8. Senate Bill 84, preserving privileges for certain state entities in connection with information provided to the state auditor and fraud hotline duties, passed 42-12. House Bill 1186, continuing regulation of bail bonding agents by the Division of Insurance, passed 61-13. House Bill 1181, continuing the Barber and Cosmetologist Act, passed 51-13 after a member requested removal of their name as a co-sponsor. The House also moved Senate Bill 21 back to the general orders calendar and set several bills as special orders. In the House Special Committee on Legislative Interim Activities, House Bill 1331 was heard; the appropriations committee report was adopted after members noted a roughly $400,000 general fund reduction and a 3.3 FTE staffing reduction. The bill itself would suspend 10 interim committees, repeal two committees, and limit travel and per diem reimbursements to help address the budget gap. Supporters said the measure was similar to last year’s bill and encouraged continued policy work outside formal interim committees, while opponents argued that some committees, especially those related to water, behavioral health, and youth, should be preserved and questioned the prioritization of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council and related costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee reports, Senator Blackwell. Thank you, Mr. President.
• She does a Committee Woman with us.
• :21:43.200> Committee >> The Energy Committee Energy Committee >> The Energy Committee
• >> Want to announce a committee meeting. >> Want to announce a committee meeting.
• Denise Gregory, the interim nation, Dr.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 3 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with an invocation by Reverend Vincent Russell of Greater Fairview Baptist Church, and then dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles. The bulk of the meeting consisted of introductions and recognitions of guests in the galleries, including representatives of the Red Cross, Omega Psi Phi members, local chamber of commerce and county officials, a Jackson Municipal Airport Authority representative, a doctor of the day, junior pages, and several Jackson State University Day at the Capitol guests and administrators. Members also made a series of announcements about committee meetings and Capitol events. These included meetings for Finance, Appropriations, Energy, Judiciary A and B, Public Health and Welfare, Public Property, Veterans and Military Affairs, Economic and Workforce Development, Universities and Colleges, Local and Private, and others. Announcements also highlighted special events such as William Carey University Capital Day, Jackson State University Day at the Capitol, the Mississippi Songwriters and Hall of Fame luncheon, the Mississippi Forestry Commission's 100-year celebration, and choir performances by New Albany High School and Newton County High School. No substantive floor debate or votes on legislation were recorded in the transcript beyond procedural motions. The Senate agreed to recess, first until 4:00 p.m. and later until 8:00 p.m. or until the last committee report was filed, with the journal to reflect adjournment until 10:00 a.m. the next morning. Members also requested that the Senate adjourn in memory of Brigadier General George Cronia and James Jefferson.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Nominations will come to order. The clerk will call the roll.
• Public testimony will be taken after all nominees have come before the committee.
• I don't know if you've got other committees you have to go to.
• May I ask the rationale for the severing so that the full committee knows?
• , but the previous interim?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Nominations met with a quorum and first took up pending nominations from an earlier agenda. Members severed Douglas McReecken, nominated to the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents, from the rest of the list and then voted to report the remaining nominees to the full Senate by a 7-0 vote. The committee then voted on the severed nomination itself and reported Douglas McReecken to the full Senate as well, by a 5-2 vote. The committee heard testimony from Brooke Pop, reappointed as chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and later from Commissioner Katarina Gonzalez, also of TCEQ. Questions focused on whether TCEQ rules comply with state law, ex parte restrictions, public transparency, concrete batch plant permitting, MUD approvals, water availability, illegal dams, enforcement, and the agency’s role in local environmental disputes. Both nominees said they follow the law as written, described internal legal review of rules, and emphasized transparency, public outreach, and enforcement; Gonzalez said she had already sent back two rules she believed did not comply with legislation. Members also discussed TCEQ’s authority limits and the need for clearer public communication about what the agency can and cannot regulate. The committee also considered Alethea Sullivan, nominated to the Texas Southern University Board of Regents. Questions centered on TSU’s status as an independent institution, the role of HBCUs amid DEI-related legal changes, and student outcomes. Sullivan said she would focus on ensuring taxpayer and student resources produce valuable credentials and noted concerns from her review of graduation and bar passage rates. The committee then heard from Benjamin Barkley, appointed chief executive and public counsel of the Office of Public Utility Counsel. Barkley said OPUC’s main need is additional funding to recruit and retain attorneys and expert witnesses, reduce turnover, and continue representing residential and small commercial consumers in utility rate cases; he said the office was involved in 73 contested cases and saved Texans $2.2 billion in FY 2024. No final action was taken on the later nominees, and the committee recessed with nominations left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm used to the reports going to an interim committee or whatever, but not to a standing committee once
• , the Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee, the previous interim for session staff, as well
• So as compared to last session, the positions that were proposed by this committee last interim, those
• The parking lot attendant was not proposed by this committee the previous interim, but one ultimately
• We've relied on this interim Laffercy Committee, which kind of picks and chooses, but we don't do deliberate

Summary: The committee met to organize upcoming legislative session arrangements and staffing, and to review several rule and security-related items. It first approved a Joint Rule 211 change, recommended by the Employee Benefits Committee, that clarifies the deadline and statutory references for introducing health insurance mandate bills so required cost-benefit materials can be completed in time. Members noted the change would streamline the process, though it would not solve all timing and mandate-determination issues. The committee then discussed a draft bill on confidentiality protections for certain public officials and candidates, but members raised concerns about the statute’s complexity, the practical difficulty of administering it, and whether it would meaningfully improve safety; no action was taken and the topic was set aside for further discussion. The committee received an update on the new NCSL Legislator Security Fund. Staff explained that North Dakota is in process to apply for grant funding that could reimburse up to about $200 per legislator for personal security-related expenses such as home cameras, locks, lighting, or monitoring services, with reimbursement handled through Legislative Council and subject to Emergency Commission approval. Members asked about eligible expenses, timing, and whether new legislators would be included, and staff said the program would likely cover current legislators only for this round. The committee also approved the 2027 joint session schedule for the State of the State, tribal-state message, and State of the Judiciary on January 5, with the tribal and judiciary addresses in the morning and the governor’s address later in the day. The committee next approved the statutory reporting schedule for the Commerce Commissioner and agricultural commodity groups, setting the Commerce report for January 13, 2027, and the agriculture reports and pesticide container disposal update for January 14, 2027. Members questioned the usefulness of some of these recurring reports, but agreed to follow the existing statutory requirements. The largest discussion centered on Legislative Council staffing for the 2027 session: the committee approved reducing session staff to 36 Senate and 41 House employees, eliminating procedural clerk positions in standing committees in favor of permanent policy analysts, while retaining quality assurance clerks and adding a House parking lot attendant. It also approved a 3% salary increase for those staff positions, matching the increase given to state employees. Finally, the committee reviewed a revised organizational session and new legislator training agenda. Staff proposed moving some orientation content into a separate pre-session training day for new legislators on November 30, including laptop setup, mock committee and floor sessions, parliamentary procedure, and HR/benefits training, while adding more security and budgeting instruction. Members strongly supported earlier and more practical training, including follow-up reinforcement during the first week of session, and suggested using experienced or term-limited former legislators as mentors. Staff also described efforts to expand training materials into podcasts, flowcharts, and other formats, and Legislative Council leadership outlined the office’s remaining vacancies and a proposed expansion of policy analysts, program evaluators, legal staff, and training support to better serve the legislature and improve oversight of state programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that was flagged by committee as well in subcommittees.
• And that was flagged by committee as well in subcommittees.
• You're following members of the committee, Representative?
• The LFC was at NMSU this interim, which feels like a long time ago now.
• Thank you, members of the committee. My name is Rafael Rovi-Rosa.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reminder to the committee about the committee dinner tonight at Santa Fe at 6. 6. Santa Fe.
• committee once a year.
• Thank you, committee.
• I'm ready for the committee, ma'am, Chair. Okay, questions from the committee.
• So, Madam Chair, was it not endorsed by the tax committee in the interim?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee.
• of the committee? of the committee?
• comments from members of the committee? comments from members of the committee?
• Chairman and committee.
• Chairman and committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee. All<00:27:24.440> right.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:01 Roll Call 00:00:21 SB 141 Discussion 00:03:21 SB 141 Vote 00:10:57 HB 755 Discussion 00:13:08 HB 755 Vote 00:17:55 SB 20 Discussion 00:19:36 SB 20 Vote 00:21:53 SB 40 Discussion 00:23:31 SB 40 Vote 00:26:25 HB 851 Discussion 00:28:53 HB 851 Vote 00:31:53 Adjournment 00:33:26, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We work hard on this committee.
• Chairman and members of the committee.
• So this scenario reflects those changes from that committee.
• As far as the impetus, it’s been flagged by members as well as interim committees for a deeper dive into
• Chairman, just for the committee, so that would put this Mr.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Committee on Elections will come to order. The clerk will call the roll. Chair Shaheen.
• Thank you, Chair Busey, and members of the committee.
• So I think the committee substitute talks about a pilot.
• This committee reconvenes after midnight, or the meeting might get canceled.
• This committee reconvenes after midnight, or the meeting might get canceled.

Bills: HB311, SB447, SB505, SB2217, SB2753

Keywords: voter registration, electronic, Texas election law, Signature verification, DPS, internet application, Texas Election Code, signature verification, online application, data security, electronic application, Department of Public Safety, information security, electronic voter registration, voting technology, voter access, state election laws, digital signature, election irregularities, audit

Summary: The committee heard several election-related bills. SB 447 would let the City of Mission in Hidalgo County permanently move its municipal elections from May to the uniform November election date if it chooses. The bill was described as permissive and intended to increase turnout and reduce costs. Mission’s mayor testified in support, saying voters had already approved the change by a wide margin in a charter amendment election. The bill was left pending after no objection. SB 2217 focused on standardizing election data reporting and reconciliation across counties to improve transparency and comparability. Testimony was generally supportive of the goal, but Dr. Laura Presley and others flagged technical issues, including a discrepancy between a three-ballot mismatch threshold in existing law and a 1% threshold in part of the bill, plus a definition issue involving central accumulators. Supporters said consistent auditing and reconciliation would help election integrity, while the bill was also left pending. The committee then took up SB 2753, a major proposal to create a continuous in-person voting period that would combine early voting and Election Day into one uninterrupted process, with precinct consolidation and other changes. Supporters said it could simplify administration, reduce equipment changes, and improve security by using one set of machines. Opponents and neutral witnesses raised concerns about cost, staffing, ballot security, reporting changes, weekend voting, and whether the bill was ready for implementation; several urged a pilot or study instead. The committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. SB 505 would create a process for election workers, candidates, party officials, and measure proponents or opponents to request explanations of election irregularities, with escalation to the Secretary of State for audit or enforcement if responses were unsatisfactory. Supporters said it would provide a way to resolve irregularities and restore confidence, while opponents argued it was too broad, lacked guardrails against abuse, and could be used by partisan actors to pressure counties. The bill was left pending. Finally, HB 311 would expand Texas’s online voter registration system to first-time registrants and others, with supporters citing efficiency, lower costs, and broader access, and opponents raising concerns about signature verification and implementation details. Testimony was cut short because of the session deadline, and the bill had not been disposed of in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, committee.
• Chairman, committee. I'm >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, committee.
• Any questions from the committee? committee? committee?
• questions from the committee? questions from the committee?
• Again, this is an interim Joint Judiciary Committee bill you're all familiar with.

Bills: SF0007, SF0008

Keywords: theft, penalties, larceny, criminal offense, felony, Wyoming, absconding, law enforcement, criminal justice, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chair Martinez offers a committee substitute.
• Good morning, Chairman, Committee members.
• As he noted, that's, uh, this is all, uh, uh, from interim study recommendations from this committee,
• You don't have a committee sub, right?
• This bill implements a recommendation made in the interim report of the Senate Committee on Water, Ag

Bills: HB 937, HB 2078, HB 2080, HB 3322, HB 3350, HB 4212, HB 4630, HB 4896, HB 4951, HB 5348, HB 5675, SB 565, SB 971, SB 1662, SB 2124

Keywords: special districts, notice requirements, Water Code, government transparency, public meetings, meeting notice, transparency, public engagement, notice, elections, groundwater management, water conservation, joint planning, environmental impact, desired future conditions, groundwater, conservation district, environmental quality, regulatory review, water utility

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, esteemed committee and members of the public.
• committee.
• committee.
• Committee.
• And good morning, members of the committee. Good to see you again here at the start of interim.

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on technology in government, AI, broadband, and digital equity. Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd described the city’s AI strategy, emphasizing responsible use, privacy, security, community input, and data strategy. He said Seattle is using small pilots and partnerships to test AI for tasks such as public records processing, infrastructure inspection, and permitting, while keeping humans as the final decision-makers. Members asked about bias, liability, training on best practices, labor involvement, and public records; Lloyd said AI should remain an assistant tool, not a replacement for human judgment, and that Seattle is still testing solutions for records requests and permitting. WATech CTO Nick Stow and Deputy Director Mark Quimby discussed the state’s broader AI policy, the generative AI executive order, a sandbox with more than 15 agencies, and use cases including a resident portal, cybersecurity, and wildfire detection. They stressed consent, closed systems, human-centered design, and the need to govern all forms of AI, not just generative AI. Committee members raised concerns about federal data access, labor issues, and wildfire detection effectiveness. Spokane County IT staff described a more restrictive approach to AI, citing privacy, bias, and cyber risks. The county standardized on Microsoft Copilot as its only approved chat-style AI tool, blocked other AI chat platforms, and requires human review of all AI-generated content. They said AI is also being used by criminals for phishing and deepfakes, underscoring the need for strong policy and security controls. The committee also received an update from the Attorney General’s AI Task Force. Yuki Ishizuka said the task force has 19 members and eight subcommittees covering ethics, consumer protection, labor, health care, public safety, education, government efficiency, cybersecurity, and industry/energy. The task force is working toward an interim report due December 1, 2025 and a final report due July 1, 2026, and is reviewing recommendations through public forums and advisory committees. Ishizuka warned that a federal budget reconciliation provision could bar states from enforcing AI regulations for 10 years, and several members voiced support for state authority and asked about possible 2026 legislation. The committee then heard updates on broadband and digital equity. Commerce’s Dave Pringle said the BEAD broadband program is being reshaped by new NTIA guidance, which removed or reduced emphasis on several prior priorities, and Washington is now working under an expedited process to submit its state application by September 4. He noted that no projects have been built yet, that four counties did not receive applications in round two, and that the state is trying to keep applicants engaged through office hours and a shortened review window. The Office of Equity and the Digital Equity Forum reported increased participation, new members, and ongoing outreach to tribal, rural, and underserved communities, while previewing recommendations such as creating an interdepartmental digital equity team and improving data use. Finally, Lumen’s Robert Thoms described private-sector broadband deployment challenges, including permitting, regulation, and the economics of extending fiber, while noting continued investment in overbuild projects, a $30 low-cost service option tied to the former ACP, and work with the state, tribes, and libraries. No votes were taken; the meeting consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members of the committee.
• Chair and committees, uh, members of the committee.
• Chair and members of the committee.
• Chair, thank you so much, members of the committee.
• or through the interim and into the next year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, committee.
• that the committee might have. that the committee might have.
• If we do table this, uh, we need to get it into the interim committees: Judiciary and Labor, Health.
• Um, so we will be working very hard to get this into the proper committee in the interim uh to make sure
• Um, so we will be working very hard to get this into the proper committee in the interim to make sure

Bills: HB0101, HB0062, HB0109

Keywords: guardianship, monitoring, ward protection, financial independence, case management, governmental claims, liability limits, inflation adjustment, public safety, local government insurance, property tax, tax exemption, homeowner, armed forces, residency requirement, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and members of the committee.
• Um, we're a policy committee, not a money committee.
• <01:37:08.639> study don't see the reason to interim study don't see the reason to interim
• statute that a that a a study committee statute that a that a a study committee could<01:43:08.880
• entire bill uh into a study committee entire bill uh into a study committee that<01:43:21.440>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• committee, House Bill 1980, and it would seem that might be interim study or a place for us to proceed
• Uh, no, interim study. I interim study, okay. The public has access, oh yes, oh yeah, absolutely.
• And then motion will be interim<01:13:07.720> study. interim study. interim study. Okay.
• of that committee. of that committee.
• Oversight Committee Oversight Committee and and and that's<01:31:40.520> responsibility.

Keywords: 1189, house, all