Transcript Highlights:

• is a simple bill that strengthens existing law by raising the penalty for destroying a flag from a Class
• to be managed, the estimated annual cost for implementation, and recovery broken down by customer class
• And we would develop a cost recovery factor by class for the utility to implement.
• On top of that, you see no class action lawsuits against spray foam and moisture.

Bills: HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042, HB45

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money, HB 1232, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, public employee, retaliation

Transcript Highlights:

• So people that maybe you've done a class on, say, working in a confined space, you don't necessarily
• ><00:10:21.680> a you know you've done a you've done a you know you've done a you've done a class
• :22.800> in<00:10:23.040> a<00:10:23.200> confined<00:10:23.680> space class
• on say working in a confined space class on say working in a confined space um<00:10:24.800> you<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• you change the tax base, whether you remove something from it or, in this case, you're adding a new class
• you're<01:16:42.080> adding<01:16:42.320> a<01:16:42.480> new<01:16:42.640> class
• <01:16:42.880> of<01:16:43.040> property<01:16:43.280> to you're adding a new class
• of property to you're adding a new class of property to the<01:16:43.600> tax<01:16:43.840>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 302, which would allow the state treasurer to invest public funds in precious metals and digital assets. The sponsor was not present, so Representative Urs introduced the bill briefly and said he did not know much about it. No one from the Treasury Department testified, and members repeatedly noted the treasurer’s absence. Susan Elme testified against the bill, arguing that these investments are highly volatile and contrary to the treasury’s duty to remain stable and liquid. She said the bill should be killed. In questioning, she estimated the 5% cap in the bill would amount to roughly $10 million, depending on available funds, and said such investing would be more appropriate for an individual day trader than for the state treasury. Members also discussed prior legislative experience with Bitcoin-related proposals and raised concerns about whether the treasury had the staff expertise to manage commodity or digital asset investing. The committee did not take a final vote; instead, it agreed to hold a work session and seek additional information from the treasurer, with a plan to revisit the bill on April 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's sub problems with teachers, but I can put two classes together and I can teach that class.
• There's sub problems with teachers, but I can put two classes together and I can teach that class.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this is on line number six, where it talks about exclusively providing housing for this specified class
• this is on line number six, where it talks about exclusively providing housing for this specified class
• this is on line number six, where it talks about exclusively providing housing for this specified class
• this is on line number six, where it talks about exclusively providing housing for this specified class

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee first took up a nongermane amendment to House Bill 71 that would require state vendors, through contract language, to comply with the New Hampshire Patient Bill of Rights. Representative Edwards said the amendment was revised after feedback from the hospital association and DHHS, applies only to new contracts or amendments, and includes a repeal date of November 30, 2026 so it would function only for the current budget cycle. John Williams of Legislative Affairs said the changes reflected work with DHHS procurement staff and with hospital stakeholders, including the removal of the term "addenda" in favor of "amendment" and clarification on prospective application. The committee did not vote on the amendment at that time, noting it would be attached later to HB 71. The committee then moved into executive session and acted on several bills. HB 67, which converts a pilot program for accessible voting machines in local elections into a permanent program, was amended to remove a $100,000 appropriation and adjust dates; the amendment and the bill as amended both passed unanimously, 25-0, and the bill was suggested for the consent calendar. HB 111, extending the Right-to-Know Ombudsman position, was retained and slated to be incorporated into HB 2 after a unanimous 25-0 vote, with the ombudsman noting the office could expire July 1 if the budget were delayed. HB 164, creating a process for a publicly accessible website for local records retention and access, was also retained for HB 2 by a 25-0 vote because it carries an appropriation. HB 216 was retained for further work because the committee could not get reliable cost information from the retirement system or the Labor Department; members said the fiscal note looked alarming, though the committee believed the actual cost might be near zero. HB 282, which raises the biennium cap on critical injury benefits for first responders from $500,000 to $1 million without increasing any individual benefit, was voted ought to pass 25-0 and will require a report. HB 619, dealing with solid waste issues and a possible self-funding accounting unit, was retained for HB 2 by a 25-0 vote. HB 650, an annual dedicated-funds cleanup bill that also caps a robotics fund at $1 million, passed ought to pass 25-0 and was placed on consent. Finally, HB 129, defining "evidence-based" in public education, was retained 25-0 while members continued working on language, and HB 133, concerning new resident driver’s license transfer requirements and DMV notices, drew a split policy discussion: the minority raised constitutional, administrative, and fiscal concerns, while the majority moved to retain it for HB 2 consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Affordable workforce homes are essential to support a strong middle class, create thriving communities
• c><00:26:08.960> a<00:26:09.320> strong<00:26:09.520> middle<00:26:10.000> class
• <00:26:10.799> create to support a strong middle class create to support a strong middle class

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's critical that we provide our next generation with a best-in-class education, and our budget priorities
• classrooms by the way of cell phones um classrooms by the way of cell phones um getting<00:07:06.440> class
• 07.120> phones<00:07:07.360> out<00:07:07.479> of<00:07:07.639> our getting class
• cell phones out of our getting class cell phones out of our classrooms<00:07:08.280> are<00:07

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee heard a briefing from the governor on her recommended fiscal years 2026-2027 budget. She described it as a “recalibration” that reduces general fund spending by about $150 million from the prior budget, avoids tax increases, and aims to protect vulnerable residents while supporting the economy. She said the proposal addresses a projected current-biennium deficit, cites lower-than-expected revenues and off-budget spending, and includes a hiring freeze and other spending reductions. The governor also said the budget is built on current revenue estimates developed with the Department of Revenue Administration and the state’s chief economist. Major policy areas discussed included education, public safety, health and human services, housing, and workforce development. The governor said the budget increases spending on public education and special education, expands Education Freedom Accounts to public school students, funds a cell-phone-free classroom grant program, continues the community college tuition freeze, and supports workforce training. She also highlighted investments in the Group II retirement system for first responders, Northern Border Alliance and drug interdiction efforts, child advocacy and victim services, mental health services, developmental disability services with no wait list, and a streamlined housing permitting process with a 60-day review target. Committee members raised questions about the fiscal assumptions, the impact of possible federal funding changes, the Education Freedom Account expansion, dam infrastructure funding, and workforce issues such as state employee pay and vacant positions. The governor said the budget continues funding for federal programs currently assumed, and that she would advocate for block grants and other federal flexibility. On dams, administration officials said the budget includes about $13 million in capital funding, with possible fee increases under consideration. On staffing, the governor said the budget funds the previously bargained 12% state employee increase, includes eight position reductions tied to program changes, and would allow those employees to be rehired if openings arise. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• and life, and that being a big reason why they either didn't go to school at all or were skipping classes
• I'm just astounded, and, you know, all my years of teaching, parents never took kids out of class.
• I'm just astounded, and, you know, all my years of teaching, parents never took kids out of class.
• I'm just astounded, and, you know, all my years of teaching, parents never took kids out of class.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just had my first class this past fall, and it went terrifically.
• just<00:15:27.079> had<00:15:27.279> my<00:15:27.440> first<00:15:27.800> class
• those things um just had my first class those things um just had my first class this<00:15:28.360

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Labor Committee received an overview from Chief Judge Patricia Millan of the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals (WCCA). She explained the court’s history, created in 1981, its role as the appellate body for workers’ compensation disputes after Department of Labor and Industry and Office of Administrative Hearings proceedings, and its original jurisdiction over petitions to vacate settlement agreements. She also noted the court is composed of five judges, is funded entirely by the workers’ compensation fund, and operates with five staff attorneys and two full-time employees. The committee then heard introductory remarks from the judges present for confirmation: Deb Sunquist, Katherine Carlson, Shan Quinn, and Thomas Christensen, with a procedural note that Quinn’s reappointment had not yet been formally referred to the committee, so his motion would be held until paperwork arrived. The judges emphasized their collaborative, panel-based work, their experience representing both injured workers and employers, and their commitment to the workers’ compensation system. Quinn also described efforts to teach workers’ compensation at the University of Minnesota and encourage younger lawyers to enter the field. Members asked about the court’s caseload and about delays in workers’ compensation claims. In response, the judges said the WCCA’s caseload has generally declined and fluctuates, and they offered to provide case-count data. In a more detailed exchange, a senator described a family member’s long-delayed claim; judges explained that repetitive-trauma or “Gillette” injuries often require substantial medical proof and can be difficult for insurers to accept, but that the system is intended to be no-fault and typically takes about a year to a year and a half from filing to resolution. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected here.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Energy reports that in 1975 the sedan-wagon class had the highest average fuel economy
• The average fuel economy for the sedan-wagon class had risen to 31.67 miles per gallon beginning around
• Fuel economies began to rise again, while all vehicle classes have experienced impressive gains in fuel
• The car-SUV class has seen a 70% improvement since 2000.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Minnesota House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee met on January 22, 2025, for its first meeting and took up House File 5, introduced by Representative Jim Joy and moved to the Tax Committee. Joy said the bill would make Minnesota more affordable by eliminating the Social Security tax, repealing the motor fuels tax inflator, removing the retail delivery fee, and changing vehicle-related taxes and metro-area sales tax allocations. Committee fiscal staff reviewed the bill’s fiscal effects, including impacts on the general fund, the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund, the Transportation Advancement Account, and the split between Metropolitan Council and metropolitan counties. Testimony was largely divided along stakeholder lines. The Minnesota Grocers Association and Minnesota Propane Association supported repealing the retail delivery fee, arguing it creates administrative burdens, requires costly software changes, and raises costs that are passed on to consumers; propane representatives said the fee is especially burdensome because most of their deliveries are exempt but still require tracking and reporting. In contrast, the League of Minnesota Cities, Minnesota Association of Small Cities, Metro Cities, and Minnesota Association of Townships emphasized the need for stable, predictable transportation funding for local roads and said they support the Transportation Advancement Account and related revenue streams, though some were neutral on the exact source of funding. The League and small cities groups said local governments need reliable annual revenue and that past funding has been inconsistent. Committee members asked about who pays the delivery fee, its exemptions, and how much revenue it has generated versus earlier forecasts. Fiscal staff said current estimates for delivery fee revenue are below original projections, and explained the fee’s exemptions and $100 transaction threshold. Representative Joy said his intent was to keep small cities and townships whole as the bill moves forward. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the bill was heard and referred as noted at the outset.

Transcript Highlights:

• Other classes of ratepayers, like residential, small commercial, as opposed to these large data centers
• We have rate classes for all different sorts of customer classes.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on energy, public safety, and environmental cleanup. House Bill 455 would create a historic preservation license plate to raise funds and awareness for Delaware preservation efforts, and House Bill 471 would tighten rules and penalties for off-highway vehicles on shared private roads, with golf carts excluded. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 439, the Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act, would require clearer disclosures when selling electric mopeds and electric motorcycles so consumers understand classification, power, and licensing/insurance requirements. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 407, related to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act and brownfields, would shift funding for brownfield cleanup from the original realty transfer tax approach to a dedicated share of the hazardous substance cleanup fund and raise civil penalties for fraudulent acts. The committee also approved the June 18, 2026 minutes once quorum was reached. Most of the meeting centered on House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 233, as amended, a large-load/data center bill intended to protect ratepayers from costs tied to massive new electricity users. The sponsor and Public Advocate said PJM’s warnings about a coming reliability backstop auction made it urgent to establish a Delaware framework now, requiring large energy users to sign utility agreements, cover their share of transmission, distribution, and capacity costs, and comply with curtailment and other protections. Supporters from environmental groups and some labor and business voices said the bill was needed to prevent cost shifts to households and small businesses, while opponents argued it was being rushed, could deter investment, and might unintentionally affect other industries; several asked for more time and clearer definitions. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee also took up House Bill 470, which would authorize Delmarva Power, with PSC approval, to build and operate utility-owned battery storage and spread costs across the customer base. The sponsor and Delmarva said the bill would improve reliability quickly and help avoid outages, while the chair expressed concern that the state had not yet fully studied whether utility-owned or competitively procured storage is the best model, noting a recent SEU storage study and broader policy questions. Supporters said utility storage could be deployed faster and help with peak shaving, while others urged a competitive process; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 470.

Transcript Highlights:

• The sponsors have not pointed to one person, one class of people, one policy, one law that would have
• The sponsors have not pointed to one person, one class of people, one policy, one law that would have
• perspective of, you know, getting a swastika painted on my backpack or having some kid outside geometry class

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chaplain Clementina Cherie, the founder of the Peace Institute, asked our class to research the Boston
• Police Department's approach The founder of the Peace Institute asked our class to research the Boston
• I had one class that wanted our school to be associated with the state symbol.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. Representative David Linsky supported HB 3383, which would designate the song “Roadrunner” as the official rock song of Massachusetts, describing its Boston roots and cultural significance. Representative Sean Garberle supported HB 3335 on public access to historical records, arguing that records from state institutions should be released after 75 years and that families and researchers should be able to identify people buried in unmarked graves at former state institutions. Representative Rodney Elliott and Lowell officials supported HB 4138, authorizing easements for a Lowell sewer separation project; they said the project is needed for Clean Water Act compliance, will reduce combined sewer overflows into the Merrimack River, and must proceed quickly to meet SRF and consent-decree timelines. Committee members asked about Article 97, the location and scope of the easement, environmental justice impacts, and minority/small business participation in construction. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate 2183 and its House companion, which would elevate the Massachusetts National Guard to a cabinet-level position reporting directly to the Governor. Senators Mike Moore and John Velis, along with the National Guard Association’s Matthew McKenna, argued the change would reduce bureaucracy, improve communication and readiness, and reflect the Guard’s broad domestic and military missions. Velis cited the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home tragedy as an example of a breakdown in communication, while committee members said they wanted more information, including input from the Governor’s office and Guard leadership, before acting. The committee noted the distinction between state-controlled and federalized Guard missions and said it would continue reviewing the issue. Senator Liz Miranda and a large panel of survivors, advocates, and Northeastern law students testified in support of S. 2174 and S. 2177, which would create an office and task force on unsolved homicides, allow families to petition for case review after three years, require written responses, and establish a tip line, database, and dedicated funding. Witnesses described long-standing lack of communication, low clearance rates, and the disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Senator Becca Rausch also testified on S. 2210, extending public records law to the governor and Legislature, and S. 2207, creating stronger information-governance and records-retention standards; she said both would improve transparency and reduce waste. The transcript does not reflect any votes taken during the hearing, though chairs repeatedly indicated support for moving some bills favorably and said the committee would continue reviewing the National Guard proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• pet stores, shelters, and rescues require that the animals being transported be handled by a USDA Class
• As you've heard in previous testimony, PFAS are a large class of industrial chemicals famous for their
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, are a class of synthetic chemicals that includes more than

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries held a public hearing on 19 legislative proposals, with testimony limited to three minutes per speaker and seven minutes per panel. The hearing opened with testimony on bills promoting urban agriculture and vacant-lot conversion, including H.121/S.61, which Green Roots staff and community members supported as a way to turn vacant lots in environmental justice communities into urban farms and gardens that improve food access, health, community cohesion, and climate resilience. Rep. James Arena-DeRosa also spoke in support of H.109/S.56, the PFAS bill, describing it as a measure to protect soil and farms from contamination and to create relief for affected farmers. A major portion of the hearing focused on H.109/S.56, which would ban land application of sewage sludge/biosolids, provide liability protection and relief funds for farmers, and address PFAS contamination in soil, water, crops, and animals. Testimony came from environmental groups, farm organizations, and individual farmers, including the Mass Food System Collaborative, Conservation Law Foundation, Clean Water Action, CEMAP, NOFA, Sierra Club, and several farmers who described contamination in Maine and Massachusetts and urged the committee to act. Witnesses emphasized that PFAS poses serious health risks, that farmers should not bear responsibility for legacy contamination, and that the bill should be paired with funding for testing, remediation, and assistance. Committee members asked questions about farm liability, the scope of the bill, contamination in different ownership situations, and the costs and timelines of remediation, with Senator Comerford and others clarifying that the bill is intended to protect farms and farmers rather than non-agricultural landholders. The committee also heard strong support for H.416, a farm-to-institution pilot program, from Rep. Lee Davis, Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, and Berkshire Bounty. They said the pilot would connect Massachusetts farms to schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, and other institutions, creating new markets, strengthening local supply chains, and supporting food-is-medicine efforts. Members discussed whether the model could be statewide and referenced existing programs such as Island Grown Initiative and local hospital and insurance partnerships. Another agricultural bill, H.1058, was supported by Rep. Mark Sylvia and the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association as a way to allow unused cranberry water rights to be transferred within the same watershed for municipal mitigation while helping growers retire or consolidate bogs. The hearing also included testimony on the broader farm omnibus bill H.112/S.55 and related measures, with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau and others praising the committee’s work on agricultural resilience, food security, agritourism, workforce development, and farmland access, while suggesting additional transportation-related fixes for farmers. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does not create a new protected class.
• He's our class for an I vote. Thank you.
• These tools protect a limited class of affordable housing projects and the cities that approve them from

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on domestic violence protections, pay equity enforcement, Jewish demographic data collection, court transparency, auto glass insurance practices, pet policy disclosure for renters, and civil rights accountability for federal officers. SB 99 would require courts and law enforcement to better recognize military protective orders in domestic violence cases; supporters from the Department of Defense and military organizations said it would close jurisdictional gaps for military families, and the bill passed to Public Safety. SB 1237 would increase penalties for repeat noncompliance with California pay data reporting laws; supporters said stronger enforcement is needed to address persistent wage gaps, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1387 would allow Jewish identity to be reported as an ethnic category in state demographic data; supporters said better data would improve policy and anti-discrimination efforts, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary or divisive, and it passed to Privacy. SB 932 would require assignees filing civil actions to identify the original party in the case caption; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it passed to Judiciary/Appropriations on call. The committee also took up SB 98, which would regulate auto glass insurance claims by restricting assignment of benefits, requiring clearer estimates and invoices, and limiting inducements to consumers. The sponsor and NICB said the bill would curb fraud and unsafe repairs, while independent glass shops and industry groups argued it could reduce consumer choice and favor insurer-aligned networks; the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees and provide refunds if nondisclosure materially affected an applicant’s decision; supporters said it would save renters time and money, while rental housing representatives objected to a provision limiting eviction based solely on failure to sign a pet addendum. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 747, the No Kings Act, would create a California cause of action allowing people to sue federal officers for constitutional violations using standards similar to Section 1983. Senator Wiener and a witness who said he was unlawfully detained by Border Patrol argued the bill is needed because federal officers currently lack comparable accountability after the Supreme Court narrowed Bivens remedies. Law enforcement groups opposed the bill, warning that the qualified immunity language is unclear, could create a separate California standard, and might expose officers and governments to retroactive litigation; members discussed possible amendments on qualified immunity and retroactivity, and the bill was moved forward with an urgency amendment while negotiations continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• if we get that data, then we can make sure everybody is paid consistently and they're in a certain class
• will impact—these are your constituents who represent that so-called blue-collar community of working-class
• That so-called blue-collar community of working-class manual laborers.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 408 by Senator Myers, a workers’ compensation overhaul creating an all-claims medical database, requiring electronic reporting and billing, and setting up confidentiality, rulemaking, and penalties. Senator Myers said the bill was meant to modernize a paper-based system, speed injured workers back to care and work, reduce disputes through a more predictable fee schedule, address outliers and abuse, and generate reliable data for future fee-schedule decisions. Representative Melarine then offered a large amendment package combining portions of House Bills 780 and 1101 into SB 408, adding preliminary-determination procedures, changes to benefit durations, fraud language, and a deadline for the department to establish a fee schedule if no agreement is reached. Supporters said the package would create a more complete reform; opponents argued the additions were rushed, not germane, and would harm injured workers, especially those without lawyers, by adding technical filing burdens and stricter fraud consequences. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment package, then adopted a follow-up amendment removing the word “potential” from a fines provision and deleting the fraud section, and finally reported SB 408 with amendments on a divided vote. Testimony on SB 408 was sharply split. Proponents, including Alton Ashy and Trey Mustian, argued the bill’s transparency and data-collection provisions were the most important part, that the system needs a modern fee schedule, and that the added reforms would help control costs and speed payment. Opponents, including Shannon Lindsay and another injured-worker advocate, said the original bill was a good compromise but the added provisions changed its character and would disadvantage pro se claimants, remove materiality from fraud law, and reduce benefits for seriously injured workers. Committee members also questioned the timeline for the database and fee schedule, the effect of historical data gaps, and whether the reforms would help employers and injured workers alike. The committee ultimately agreed the bill still contained its core goals of faster care, predictable fees, anti-abuse measures, and modernization. The committee then moved to House Bill 585 by Representative Chasson, a workplace-violence/safety measure for small-box discount retailers. Chasson explained that the bill had been narrowed to require retailers to submit an existing written workforce safety plan, or develop one if they do not already have one, with no penalties attached. The committee adopted a substitute bill incorporating prior amendments. Representative Glorioso noted continuing concerns about civil-liability implications and the duty to protect against third-party criminal acts, but the bill was advanced from committee after the substitute was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dixon continued presenting AB 1614, a measure that prohibits piggybacking on bikes and e-bikes on a Class
• However, these laws are currently limited to a highway and do not apply to bicycles ridden on a Class
• These laws are currently limited to a highway and do not apply to bicycles ridden on a Class 1 bikeway

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• gallery, to your left and to my right, if they will all please stand up, we have the entire third grade class
• They are ranked Class 2 state championship in speech and debate, state championships, and they are also
• They are ranked class two state championship in speech and debate, state championships, and they are

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the House Journal for the 64th day by a 125-0 roll call vote, and then spent much of the morning on personal privileges and introductions of guests, interns, students, and special recognitions. Members welcomed school groups, interns, a Savannah Bananas guest, and several family members, and also noted birthdays and Mother’s Day greetings. On legislation, the chamber first agreed to go to conference on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1421, appointing a House conference committee. The House then took up Senate Bill 1000, which reauthorizes the Missouri Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund and updates outdated tourism funding language; members from both parties spoke in support of tourism as an economic driver, and the bill passed 136-6. The House also considered House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1020, an omnibus Department of Revenue bill addressing fee office contracting, vehicle registration and related penalties, Real ID document retention, five-year license plates, and emissions-related provisions. Members adopted amendments reducing late-registration penalties, making document retention opt-in, restoring a five-year plate option, and removing cosmetic damage as a basis for rejecting rebuilt vehicles; despite debate over emissions testing and air quality, the bill passed 130-10. The chamber then moved to House Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 835 and 1111, a combined judiciary/civil legislation package. Members described it as a vehicle for several vetted measures, including anti-assignment-of-benefits language for insurance claims, the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, and court administration changes such as workers’ compensation procedures, judgeships, automation fees, law library surcharges, and expungement fund provisions. Amendments were offered and adopted to adjust attorney-fee language in the anti-SLAPP provisions and to add a St. Louis police legal-expense-fund provision, though the latter drew objections over procedure and whether it had received a hearing. The transcript cuts off while debate on that amendment is still underway, and no final vote on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when I went in, there was an English learning class, or not English, there was an educational reading
• class that was going on, and, you know, based on the numbers that I've seen, 70% of the incarcerated
• If they're on parole and they just get out of the system, do you have additional classes, additional

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first established quorum and then approved several routine items, including one governor’s appointment not required to appear, references of bills to committees, and floor acknowledgments. The committee then heard from two CDCR appointees required to appear, Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, both nominated to associate director positions in the Division of Adult Institutions. They described their long careers in corrections and emphasized the California model, explaining that it is intended to improve staff safety, rehabilitation, trauma-informed practices, and reentry outcomes. Members raised concerns about a widely reported use-of-force incident at Central California Women’s Facility, sexual abuse and retaliation concerns in women’s prisons, visitation restrictions, and the need for consistent policies and stronger communication. The nominees said the department investigated the incident, disciplined staff, provided medical and mental health support, conducted training, and is working to improve reporting, PREA compliance, and family visitation. The committee voted 4-0 to send both nominations to the Senate floor, with public testimony largely in support from former incarcerated people, nonprofit reentry advocates, and community stakeholders. The committee then heard from Jason Johnson, nominated as Undersecretary of Operations at CDCR. Johnson framed his work as centered on rehabilitation, public safety, and culture change, and he described his background in probation, parole, and CDCR leadership. Members questioned him about opposition letters and complaints alleging retaliation, hostile work environment, discrimination, and public safety concerns tied to his leadership of adult parole operations. Johnson said many complaints were tied to efforts to change a previously toxic culture, denied retaliatory intent, and pointed to his record of creating or strengthening reentry and compliance programs, including community reentry units, community compliance units, behavioral health reintegration efforts, and transitional community reentry programs. He also addressed parole supervision tools for high-risk sex offenders, contraband interdiction, and PREA-related training and reporting systems. The discussion repeatedly returned to the need to balance institutional security with rehabilitation and to ensure that staff and incarcerated people can report misconduct safely. The committee did not take a final vote on Johnson in the portion provided, but members indicated they were weighing the late-breaking opposition materials and his responses carefully.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when I went in, there was an English learning class, or not English, there was an educational reading
• class that was going on, and, you know, based on the numbers that I've seen, 70% of the incarcerated
• If they're on parole and they just get out of the system, do you have additional classes, additional

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first established quorum and took up several routine items, including two governor’s appointments to the Court Reporters Board, references of bills to committees, and floor acknowledgments. Heather Lynn Gonzalez’s appointment was approved 3-1, Allison Salton-Sall’s appointment was approved 4-0, and the other routine items were approved 4-0. The committee then heard testimony on two Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation appointments, Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, both associate directors in the Division of Adult Institutions. Senators focused heavily on the California model, staff safety, prison violence, sexual abuse prevention, retaliation concerns, and visitation. Ratliff and Tuggle said the California model is meant to balance rehabilitation with safety, that CDCR has improved communication and training, and that incidents such as the pepper-spray event at Central California Women’s Facility led to discipline, investigations, retraining, and policy review. They also described PREA reporting systems, anti-retaliation protections, statewide visiting meetings, and efforts to make visiting more family-centered and consistent. Public commenters largely supported both nominees, citing their work on rehabilitation, reentry, and sexual abuse response. The committee unanimously voted 4-0 to send both Ratliff and Tuggle to the Senate floor for confirmation. It then heard from Jason Johnson, nominated as CDCR Undersecretary of Operations. Senators questioned him about parole supervision, public safety, contraband, prison rape prevention, workplace culture, whistleblower retaliation, and repeated allegations in late-filed opposition letters. Johnson said parole risk is assessed through established scoring and supervision levels, that sex offenders are subject to GPS monitoring and treatment, and that operations use investigations, training, and collaboration with law enforcement to address contraband and misconduct. He emphasized rehabilitation, culture change, accountability, and his commitment to staff and public safety, while acknowledging criticism and the difficulty of leading a large institution. No vote on Johnson was taken in the portion provided.