Transcript Highlights:

• I had asked when we heard it the first time if we'd gotten feedback from the assessors on the bill, and

Summary: The Special Committee on Tax Reform met with seven members present and first took up SJR 95. After brief discussion, including support from members who said it would help future generations and one member who opposed it because of budget concerns, the committee voted 4-3 to do pass the resolution. The committee then considered HB 2923, a property tax relief bill. Members adopted a technical amendment and then a committee substitute. Supporters said the bill was intended to encourage homeowners to maintain their homes, while opponents said it would create a complex, subjective, and burdensome administrative process for county assessors and could amount to an unfunded mandate. Assessor testimony cited concerns about added expense, reduced local control, and increased State Tax Commission oversight. After discussion, the committee voted on the House Committee substitute for HB 2923 and passed it 5-3. The meeting then adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And after some feedback, it was determined that the increase in the licensing fees for alcohol and beer

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee met with a bare quorum and first approved the January 30, 2026 minutes without objection. The committee then considered the gubernatorial appointment of Ryan Lanham to serve as a state athletic commissioner through October 1, 2026. Lanham described his background in combat sports, including more than 20 years as a coach, participant, and corner, ownership of a boxing gym in Meridian, and prior amateur boxing bouts. Members asked about his experience, the role of the athletic commission, and the future of combat sports in Idaho; Lanham emphasized athlete safety, fair matchmaking, oversight of weight cutting, and support for regulated growth in sports such as MMA, boxing, Muay Thai, and bare-knuckle competition. The committee did not vote on the appointment, noting that appointments are generally voted on at a later meeting. The committee then took up RS 33216, presented by Senator Guthrie. He explained that the proposal revises a previously discussed increase in alcohol and beer/wine licensing fees by phasing the increase in over three years, one-third each year, after feedback that the original jump was too large at once. Senator Harris moved to introduce the RS, Senator Hartog seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. The chair then announced the committee likely would not meet the following Monday and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I have spoken with the senator about what that feedback looks like, and it'll be kind of dependent

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee met on a Friday morning, approved the minutes from January 21, January 23, and January 26, 2026, and then considered three Senate resolutions for introduction. The committee first heard RS 330-59, a bipartisan resolution condemning political violence and affirming that criticism of government is appropriate but violence has no place in politics or civil society. Senators from both parties praised the collaborative effort, and the committee voted to send the resolution to print. The committee next heard RS 331-30, presented by Senator Harris, which would require state and local governments and certain employers contracting with the state to use E-Verify to verify employee work eligibility. The sponsor said the measure would apply where taxpayer dollars are involved and could lead to contract loss for continued noncompliance. The committee voted to send the measure to print. Finally, the committee heard RS 330-20 from Senator Ward Engelking, a proposal restricting facial coverings for law enforcement officers except in specified circumstances such as medical, safety, undercover, SWAT, or forensic situations. The sponsor said the bill was intended to address public safety concerns and requested a hearing after printing; Senator Adams moved to print the bill, and the committee agreed. The meeting then concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• important to document, so we'll have a lot of evidence for the benefits of this program and further feedback

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• will give them the annual option to set what that is between a dollar and $1.30 based on whatever feedback

Bills: HB352

Keywords: HB352, cotton, cotton bale assessment, cotton levy, cotton producers, agriculture, forestry, Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee, per bale fee, commodity assessment, producer referendum, cotton sales tax, Alabama Code 2-8-199, cotton commission, agricultural funding, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to make sure that the total effort between us and the New Hampshire Municipal Association, we get feedback
• to make sure that the total effort between us and the New Hampshire Municipal Association, we get feedback
• to make sure that the total effort between us and the New Hampshire Municipal Association, we get feedback
• to make sure that the total effort between us and the New Hampshire Municipal Association, we get feedback
• We often get the feedback that New Hampshire Easy isn’t easy.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented its capital budget process and priorities, explaining how agencies assess facility needs, rank projects, and submit requests to the governor’s office. DAS described its Plant and Property division, which maintains 96 state buildings, and Public Works, which develops detailed cost estimates for selected projects. Officials said the governor’s office has traditionally narrowed requests into priority tiers, but this year all projects were estimated, creating more work and less detail. They also emphasized that the capital budget book functions as legislative intent and can be binding on how approved funds are used. On the substance of the request, DAS highlighted several priorities: continued funding for the state ERP system upgrade to the cloud, with about $5 million requested for sustainability and related Treasury functions; emergency fund and annex renovation work; a sprinkler replacement at DMV; and elevator repairs at the main building. Karen Rocky also identified maintenance projects that rose in priority after a facility condition assessment, including HVAC work for Portsmouth Circuit Court and Coos County Courthouse, boilers and controls for Carroll County and Lebanon Circuit Court, brick repointing at the main building and annex, window replacement at Spalding, and Brown building elevator replacement. Officials noted that the governor’s proposed capital budget included fewer DAS projects than in past years and no projects for the Bureau of Court Facilities. The committee also discussed lapses and reprogramming of prior appropriations. DAS said the first eight projects approved in 2023 remain under construction and should be extended, while many 2021 projects are delayed because of ARPA-related workload and broader construction backlogs. Members reviewed a 2019 project list and agreed to lapse project number 49, the Spalding roof project, with about $81,000 remaining. DAS also said some small 2019 balances, including courthouse generators, a boiler, cooling and controls, roof and exterior repairs, and the State House Annex elevator, could be redirected through Capital Budget Overview toward the Hillsboro County South Cell Block project. The hearing ended with questions about project schedules, ARPA deadlines, and the division of authority between DoIT and DAS for the ERP system.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is because they supplant the federal enforcement mechanism authorized by Congress.
• Our office provided feedback on this bill and worked in collaboration with the Washington State Innocence
• This bill sets into a regulatory mechanism, statutorily, the regulation of travel insurers.

Bills: SB5420, SB5877, SB5868, SB5109, SB5832, SB5922, SB5944, SB5988, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151

Keywords: veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have a list of waiting to see sponsors or feedback from you or others.
• the bill is framed around antipsychotic access for individuals with serious mental illness, the mechanism
• effectively overrides... ...for individuals with serious mental illness, the mechanism effectively overrides

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1630, which would direct AHCCCS to seek federal approval for a home- and community-based services program for adults determined to be seriously mentally ill, with quarterly implementation updates, a stakeholder work group, and a cap on enrollment. The sponsor and advocates from Arizona Mad Moms argued the bill would create a Medicaid-funded long-term care option for the most disabled SMI patients, reduce costly hospital and state-only care, and improve continuity of care. A committee amendment narrowed eligibility to individuals needing a long-term SMI level of care, changed reporting to semiannual, reduced the initial cap to 250 members with possible growth tied to savings, and required AHCCCS to keep pursuing approval if CMS denies it. The amendment was adopted, and SB 1630 as amended passed 10-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1131, which originally required every school district and charter school to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan and appropriated $1 million for implementation. A Warner amendment replaced the mandate with a reporting requirement on AED counts, CPR/AED-trained staff, and whether a plan exists, while shifting the appropriation toward AED grants and limiting school spending to purchasing and maintaining AEDs. The American Heart Association supported the amendment as a way to gather baseline data and target resources, while some members questioned the funding split and the rural-school priority. The amendment was adopted, and SB 1131 as amended passed 9-1. Next, the committee took up Senate Bill 1582, dealing with the school safety interoperability fund. The amendment changed the appropriation from ADE to ADOA and allocated funds to specific county sheriff’s offices to continue existing interoperable communication systems linking schools and first responders; supporters said the systems had been used in drills and some real incidents, and were important for school safety. One member raised concerns about the auditor general’s report and whether the program should continue, but sheriffs and school officials described it as a useful communication tool. The amendment was adopted, and SB 1582 as amended passed 6-4. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 1504, which would change retirement rules for Tier 2 and Tier 3 public safety personnel and reduce the waiting period for cost-of-living adjustments. The sponsor, police and fire representatives, and pension consultants argued the bill would improve recruitment and retention and align benefits more closely with what employees were promised, while cities, counties, and taxpayer groups warned it would add substantial unfunded liabilities and undermine the 2016 pension reforms. The committee spent extensive time on actuarial costs, funding status, and the effect of the amendment exempting the bill from statutory pre-funding requirements; the transcript ends during that discussion before a final vote on SB 1504 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have a list of waiting to see sponsors or feedback from you or others, so I would ask all of
• the bill is framed around antipsychotic access for individuals with serious mental illness, the mechanism
• effectively overrides... ...for individuals with serious mental illness, the mechanism effectively overrides

Bills: SB1041, SB1050, SB1131, SB1138, SB1249, SB1267, SB1272, SB1317, SB1461, SB1488, SB1504, SB1517, SB1523, SB1580, SB1582, SB1584, SB1585, SB1602, SB1630, SB1654, SB1672, SB1673, SB1718, SB1761, SB1819, SB1826, SB1827

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, veterans, lifetime pass, state parks, Arizona, access, disabled veterans, cardiac arrest, defibrillators, school safety, emergency response, CPR training, Arizona education funding, automated license plate readers

Transcript Highlights:

• Appreciate all of the feedback and the bipartisan support. Asking for a yes.
• And so, as this moves forward, we need to work in mechanical safeguards like those offered by Representative
• Partnership Access Line for Kids behavioral health, to create a more streamlined and sustainable funding mechanism

Bills: HB1073, HB1128, HB1316, HB1408, HB1591, HB1592, HB1634, HB1906, HB1960, HB2073, HB2145, HB2248, HB2266, HB2301, HB2333, HB2365, HB2401, HB2416, HB2421, HB2438, HB2474, HB2475, HB2515, HB2517, HB2523, HB2548, HB2597, HB2637, HB2640, HB2660, HB2675, HB2685, HB2720, HB1742, HB2104, HB2186, HB2405, HB2557, HB2593, HB2636

Keywords: national guard, military support, defense, state security, veteran services, child care, workforce standards, education, child development, training requirements, postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, community preservation, development authorities, funding, local governance, state resources

Transcript Highlights:

• I would love to have it as soon as possible, and if there's a mechanism to recover money, I'd love that
• I would love to have it as soon as possible, and if there's a mechanism to recover money, I'd love that
• </c><01:29:14.840><c> to</c> possible, and if there's a mechanism to possible, and if there's a mechanism
• It just makes sure that we have a tracking mechanism in place.
• </c><03:25:56.720><c> in</c> a, you know, a tracking mechanism in a, you know, a tracking mechanism in

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I supported our teachers in implementing phonemic awareness lessons, observed and provided feedback to
• </c><00:22:51.679><c> to</c><00:22:51.840><c> a</c> observed and provided feedback to a observed and
• provided feedback to a teacher<00:22:52.400><c> instructing</c><00:22:52.960><c> students</c><00:22:53.280
• think there are things that have shared responsibilities that the SAU will need to seek principal feedback
• </c> SAU will need to seek principal feedback SAU will need to seek principal feedback on.<00:26:08.480

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on school governance and a proposed shift in responsibilities related to SAU consolidation, with committee members first discussing how school board members and other local officials would be selected for future testimony. The main presentation came from the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, whose executive director Brady Belair and several principals argued that mandatory statewide administrative consolidation should be approached cautiously and that any consolidation should be voluntary and locally driven. They said anticipated savings may not materialize, citing possible higher personnel, transportation, and technology costs, and warned that forcing changes could create disruption without improving student outcomes. Principals testified that their jobs are already broad and demanding, centered on instructional leadership, student safety, staff supervision, family communication, and day-to-day crisis response. Kathleen Murphy of Amherst described working 60 to 70 hours a week and said principals spend substantial time coaching teachers, handling student issues, and supporting school climate; she said adding more administrative duties would compromise student learning and teacher growth. Adam Osborne of Bow Memorial School similarly described principals as daily problem-solvers who set school-level direction and create conditions for schools to thrive. The witnesses also emphasized that principals, superintendents, school boards, and business administrators have different training and responsibilities, and that specialized tasks such as special education compliance, FERPA/HIPAA issues, and labor matters require appropriate expertise. Committee members questioned the witnesses about overlap between superintendent and principal duties, the completeness of statutory responsibility lists, and whether some functions such as curriculum, discipline, hiring, and evaluation are shared. The principals acknowledged some overlap and collaboration, but said superintendents typically handle broader system-level, legal, and central-office responsibilities while principals focus on building-level leadership and teacher support. One member raised the earlier expectation that districts might move to a principal-plus-business-manager model, but the witnesses said that model did not develop as expected and that district structures vary widely. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• :56:56.079><c> um</c> We had different bills, and we brought everyone in, and they offered their feedback
• of Education, all the school management groups came to the different sessions and offered their feedback
• </c><00:57:13.440><c> about</c><00:57:14.400><c> how</c><00:57:14.640><c> does</c> offered their feedback
• about how does offered their feedback about how does this<00:57:15.119><c> help</c><00:57:15.440><c>
• </c> and offered their feedback and offered their feedback back.<00:57:41.680><c> Then</c><00:57:41.920

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I took that feedback seriously, and so this version reflects a more refined and focused approach as it

Summary: The Judiciary and Rules Committee met to approve the February 9, 2026 minutes, which passed by voice vote. The committee then considered several RSs for print only, noting this was not a full hearing and that some measures would later go to other committees. Senator Tammy Nichols presented RS 33485, a proposal to establish a statewide minimum standard allowing residents of single-family homes to keep up to four hens for household egg production, with incidental sales allowed under existing food safety and cottage food laws. She said the bill was narrowly tailored, preserved local and HOA nuisance-related authority, and was a refined version of a similar measure that passed the Senate last year but stalled in the House. The committee voted to send RS 33485 to print after a brief exchange about the “chicken or egg” question. Senator Phil Hart presented RS 32877C1, which would encourage judges to finish their terms by limiting post-retirement service as senior judges for those who retire early, while exempting judges forced into retirement by incapacity. He said the bill is intended to reduce early retirements that lead to gubernatorial appointments and incumbent advantages. Senator Ruchti opposed the motion to print, saying he generally supports printing RSs but was concerned about repeated changes affecting the judiciary and warned that such changes could discourage qualified attorneys from becoming judges. Despite that objection, the committee voted to send the measure to print. The committee then approved in one block four additional RSs: RS 32871C1 to the Local Government and Tax Committee, RS 332259 and RS 33526 to the Health and Welfare Committee, and RS 33508, a rules resolution related to local government tax. All motions passed by voice vote, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I took that feedback seriously, and so this version reflects a more refined and focused approach as it

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Judiciary and Rules Committee approved the February 9, 2026 minutes and then considered several RSs for print, noting this was not a full hearing. Senator Tammy Nichols presented RS 33485, which would create a statewide minimum standard allowing residents of single-family homes to keep up to four hens for household egg production, while preserving local and HOA authority over nuisance and related issues. The committee discussed the measure briefly, including a light exchange about whether the chicken or the egg comes first, and then voted to send it to print. Senator Phil Hart presented RS 32877C1, a proposal intended to encourage judges to finish their terms by limiting senior-judge eligibility for those who retire early, with an exception for incapacitation beyond the judge’s control. Hart said the bill was designed to avoid prior constitutional problems by applying only to judges who voluntarily file for another term. Several senators expressed concern that the judiciary should be left alone for a while and that repeated changes could discourage qualified attorneys from becoming judges, but the committee still voted to send the RS to print. The committee then bundled four additional RSs—RS 32871C1, RS 332259, RS 33508, and RS 33526—requested by committee chairs for referral to other committees or for rules-related purposes. On motion and second, the committee voted to send those four RSs to print as well, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• understanding what happened for the person to get in the facility that day, help with medication and feedback

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first, then heard testimony on House Bill 2516, which would allow a qualified family advocate to participate in a patient’s care during a 96-hour mental health hold. Representative Burns said the bill is intended to prevent facilities from using blanket HIPAA-based policies to exclude family members who often provide critical background, medication history, and discharge support. Members asked whether the bill assumes incapacity based on detention and whether a doctor could still deny family participation; Burns said the goal is to let physicians permit family input and that the advocacy role would end once the patient is released. No one testified for or against the bill, and the hearing was closed. The committee then heard House Joint Resolution 171, which would count property held in Chapter 100 bond arrangements toward a school district’s bonding capacity even though the property is tax-exempt while under municipal or other government ownership. Representative Faulkner said the change would help districts borrow more and noted an amendment was being considered to include all government entities, not just municipalities. Members raised concern that the proposal would extend school district credit without allowing the district to use the property’s tax revenue to repay the bond, though Faulkner said Chapter 100 projects are temporary and eventually return to the tax rolls. No public testimony was offered. After a quorum was established, the committee entered executive session and voted on House Bill 3205. The motion to do pass the bill was approved 6-0, with six ayes and no noes. The committee also postponed executive action on another measure until the following week, then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I have spoken with the senator about what that feedback looks like, and it'll be kind of dependent

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee met on a Friday and first approved minutes from January 21, January 23, and January 26, 2026. The committee then considered several Senate resolutions for printing. RS 33059, a bipartisan resolution condemning political violence and affirming that criticism of government is appropriate but violence has no place in politics, was introduced by Senator Ruttee and Senator Taves and sent to print after supportive comments from committee members. The committee also heard RS 33130 from Senator Harris, which would require state and local governments and certain contractors with more than 150 employees and contracts over $100,000 to use E-Verify to verify employee work eligibility. The proposal included compliance steps and possible contract loss for continued violations, and it was sent to print. Finally, Senator Ward Engelking presented RS 33020, a proposal restricting facial coverings in certain public-law-enforcement contexts, with numerous exceptions for medical, safety, undercover, SWAT, and similar situations. She said the measure was intended to address public safety concerns and requested a hearing; after a brief question about law-enforcement input, the committee voted to send it to print. The meeting ended after the final minutes were approved and no further business was raised.

Transcript Highlights:

• you're tapping or if your mic's on, and I think, you know, sometimes we got this incredibly loud feedback

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• system with Your Health Idaho, and the Idahoans that have been involved with the program have given feedback

Summary: The Senate Commerce Committee met with a quorum, took a silent roll, and first approved the January 15, 2026 minutes by motion and voice vote. The committee then heard three gubernatorial reappointments to the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board: Hyatt Erstad of Boise, Janice Folkerson, and Cynthia Fairfax of Boise. Each nominee briefly described their background and interest in serving, with Erstad and Folkerson also noting their work on the state high-risk pool and their long involvement in health insurance and health care. Committee members offered strong praise for all three nominees, emphasizing their experience, diligence, and service to Idahoans. During Ms. Folkerson’s and Dr. Fairfax’s appearances, senators discussed the success of Your Health Idaho and asked about how the exchange helps make coverage more affordable; Folkerson credited staff leadership, transparency, carrier and broker support, and the exchange’s mission, while Fairfax noted the exchange’s role in helping people find appropriate, cost-effective coverage. No votes were taken on the appointments at this meeting; the chair said the committee would likely vote on them at the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, and then adjourned after exhausting the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• First and foremost, I want to thank all the members of the committee for all their good feedback and

Keywords: 1185, senate, all