Transcript Highlights:

• So when I had the honor of being able to look at someone's resumes as I get to get expert recommendations
• They worked in conjunction with the auditor and also with Loft and the investigative or the forensic

Bills: HB3057 , HB3279 , HB4428 , HB3420

Committee: Senate Retirement and Government Resources

Keywords: government reporting, information technology, child welfare, environmental policy, state agency compliance, employment restrictions, state officers, prohibited acts, government contracts, public service, public finance, pension, pension fund, retirement system, board of trustees, proxy voting, proxy proposal, shareholder vote, shareholder activism, fiduciary duty

Transcript Highlights:

• So with that, I’m going to turn it over to the experts and other testifiers. Thank you.
• </c><00:07:35.440><c> and</c><00:07:35.680><c> other</c> turn it over to the experts and other turn it
• over to the experts and other testifiers.<00:07:36.639><c> Thank</c><00:07:36.800><c> you.
• </c> are people trained as EMTs with expert are people trained as EMTs with expert training<01:31:34.639
• 31:59.679><c> without</c><01:32:00.000><c> folks</c> experts in place and without folks experts in place

Bills: HF3661 , HF2380 , HF3468 , HF3483

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: facial recognition, privacy, government surveillance, public safety, data protection, civil liberties, disability rights, discrimination, accommodations, employment, housing, public services, education, civil action, failure to render aid, damages, Minnesota Statutes, legal liability, trespass, civil immigration enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:58.000><c> It's</c><00:40:58.240><c> discovering</c> forensic audit is.
• It's discovering forensic audit is.
• </c> try and have a a an actual forensic try and have a a an actual forensic audit<00:41:12.079><c> is
• </c><05:21:40.000><c> agent</c> ...for an expert agent.
• </c><05:23:50.000><c> highway</c> to highway agents and um expert highway to highway agents and um expert

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Summary: The Municipal and County Government Committee met in executive session on February 17, 2026, to act on a series of bills. Early in the meeting, members agreed that they could consult the online submission summaries rather than have changing submission counts read aloud. The committee then took up House Bill 1386, which would have allowed citizens in a municipality to vote to require a financial audit of a local school district. Members opposing the bill argued that school districts already have audit authority and reporting requirements under existing law, and that the proposal was unnecessary and potentially burdensome. The committee voted 17-0 to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate, placing it on the consent calendar. The committee next considered House Bill 1181FN on public hearing notice requirements for zoning board of adjustment appeals. Members who opposed the bill said newspaper publication provides independent third-party verification and archival value, and that removing that requirement would weaken public notice. The committee voted 17-0 ITL and sent the bill to the consent calendar. It also voted 17-0 ITL on House Bill 1327, concerning the definition of commercially zoned land, largely because the sponsor was absent and members said they could not do due diligence without hearing from the sponsor. The committee then acted on House Bill 1473FN, concerning the use of agricultural fairground property, and House Bill 1147, concerning the use of capital reserve funds. In both cases, members cited the sponsor’s absence and the need for more information as reasons to recommend inexpedient to legislate; both votes were 17-0 and both bills were placed on the consent calendar. House Bill 1220, which would have allowed municipal governing bodies to review and approve school budgets, was also recommended ITL by a 17-0 vote after members raised concerns about local control, legal conflicts between separate entities, and technical drafting problems. The committee recommended ought to pass on House Bill 118, which raises the amount of money municipal treasurers may hold before depositing it in the bank, with supporters saying the higher threshold would reduce unnecessary trips to the bank and improve efficiency. It also recommended ought to pass on House Bill 1151, a housekeeping bill correcting statutory references related to conservation commission appropriations, and it approved House Bill 1309 as amended after adopting Amendment 2026-0411H to clarify town meeting warrant language. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 1385, prohibiting negative property tax rates in certain municipalities, and recommended ITL by a 17-0 vote after testimony indicated the practice at issue had already ended and that a blanket prohibition could create problems for municipalities with excess revenues. The committee also began work on House Bill 1369, relating to posting warrants for special town meetings, and discussed an amendment to preserve newspaper notice while also allowing website posting where available.

Transcript Highlights:

• Traffickers are experts at spotting wounds in our children: a child in foster care, a teenager struggling
• even, you know, following the laws on public records requests and actually, you know, engaging with experts
• After hours of forensic exams and interrogation, and despite my being terrified of disclosing and even
• Survivors are usually the experts in assisting someone with their escape from that situation.
• Survivors are usually the experts in the safest way to get out of their situation, and the vast majority

Committee: House Public Safety

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety held an informational hearing in Pomona on sex work-related crimes and efforts to combat human trafficking. Opening remarks framed the hearing around the repeal of the old loitering law in SB 357 and the recent enactment of AB 379, which will again make loitering with intent to purchase commercial sex a misdemeanor starting January 1, 2026. Members said the goal was to better understand the sex work industry, trafficking, law enforcement practices, and survivor support, with a focus on prevention and accountability. The first panel featured a DOJ representative, a USC law professor, and an ACLU attorney. DOJ presented arrest and conviction data for the repealed loitering statute and said the data did not distinguish clearly between buyers and sellers. USC researchers said anti-trafficking raids and stings often lacked transparency, disproportionately harmed marginalized groups, and frequently failed to identify traffickers or connect survivors to services. The ACLU argued that loitering laws have historically been used to police people of color and that criminalizing sex work or purchase of sex can worsen harm, increase racial disparities, and create immigration consequences. Committee members asked about better data collection, racial disparities, and whether the new law would help communities; responses emphasized public health approaches, housing, job training, and trauma-informed services. The second panel included DOJ, Pomona Police Chief Mike Ellis, and survivor advocate Jess Torres. DOJ described regional human trafficking teams, task forces, prosecutions, and survivor services. Chief Ellis said the repeal of the loitering law reduced officers’ ability to intervene early, contributed to visible open-air prostitution near schools and businesses, and made it harder to rescue juveniles; he supported AB 379 and related local efforts. Torres, speaking as a survivor, argued that survivor voices are often excluded, that many youth in the sex trade are boys or LGBTQ youth, and that criminalization and street enforcement can retraumatize people and push the problem out of sight rather than solve it. She urged prevention, unmet-needs services, and survivor inclusion in policymaking. In the final panel, a Riverside County prosecutor said AB 63 would restore a useful enforcement tool with safeguards and could help officers make earlier contact with potential victims, while stressing the need for training and oversight. A public defender argued that arresting trafficked people reinforces traffickers’ control, creates lifelong barriers, and undermines cooperation, pointing to a Pomona diversion program as evidence that treatment and wraparound services can work. No formal votes were taken during the hearing; the committee used the session for testimony, questions, and discussion of competing approaches to trafficking enforcement and survivor support.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE HAVE DONE AS WE DECOMPRESSED OUR ORLANDO FORENSIC LAB.
• YOU GUYS VOTED ON A FORENSIC EXPANSION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AND PART OF THAT
• DOING A FARM TEAM SYSTEM JUST LIKE BASEBALL BECAUSE THEY HAVE FORENSIC BIOLOGY PROGRAM AND THAT WAY WE
• TO A NEXT LEVEL AND THAT WILL BE OUR GATORADE SETTING PUSH FORENSICS TO A NEXT LEVEL AND THAT WILL BE
• AND WE STARTED THAT IN JANUARY OF 2023 SO WE ARE HOPING AS THOUGH STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING WITH A FORENSIC

Transcript Highlights:

• Forensic pathologists working in coroner's offices attest to being pressured to change the cause of death
• A forensic pathologist and forensic toxicologists also report their findings.
• The coroner's bureau staff, including the chief forensic pathologist, deputy coroners, and forensic pathologists
• A forensic pathologist and forensic toxicologists also report their findings.
• The coroner's bureau staff, including the chief forensic pathologist, deputy coroners, and forensic pathologists

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• A few witnesses here are experts that maybe we can call on if need be.
• day we work directly with survivors of sexual violence across the state, providing crisis support, forensic
• We do have an expert witness, the director of the Delaware Division of Child Support Services, if there

Bills: HB372 , HB414

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on public safety, courts, and family law. House Bill 141, with House Amendment 1, would require the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to create a firearm responsibilities notice for firearm purchasers through licensed dealers, covering Delaware gun laws, safe storage, lost/stolen reporting, straw purchases, suicide prevention, and other safety responsibilities. Testimony from the NRA, Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, Moms Demand Action, the Coalition for Safer Delaware, and Delaware State Police was uniformly supportive, emphasizing education, standardized dealer practices, and potential evidence for straw-purchase prosecutions. No committee questions were raised, and the bill was moved forward after public comment. House Bill 326 would create a new offense for theft by impersonating a family member, aimed at scams involving spoofed calls, texts, or online messages that pressure victims to send money. The sponsor described the bill as a response to increasingly sophisticated fraud enabled by artificial intelligence, and noted that a House amendment removed an original mandatory minimum jail term, leaving sentencing to the courts. No public testimony was offered on the bill. House Substitute 1 for House Bill 150 would prohibit civil arrests inside courthouses and certain Department of Labor proceedings, with the sponsor arguing that such arrests deter people from coming to court or seeking protection; the bill would allow criminal arrests and civil arrests only with advance written notice. No testimony was taken on that measure. Senate Bill 284, the First State Emergency Responders Act, would create a narrowly tailored offense for intentionally approaching within 25 feet of first responders at emergency scenes after crossing a barrier or ignoring warnings, if done to interfere, threaten, or harass. Supporters, including police, fire service, and sportsmen’s groups, said it would protect responders and preserve emergency operations, while the Office of Defense Services opposed it on First Amendment and overbreadth grounds, arguing existing laws already cover much of the conduct. Senate Bill 304 would amend Delaware’s safe school zone law to allow private schools to use trained, vetted sentries or similar security arrangements; supporters said it would give smaller private schools an affordable safety option, while the sponsor said the bill needed more work and should not move forward yet. The committee also heard Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 314, which would clarify how courts handle evidence that a sexual assault complainant previously made a false allegation; DOJ and ODS said the substitute reflects a consensus approach, and YWCA Delaware supported it as a survivor-protective reform. Finally, Senate Bill 343 would expand methods for serving child support respondents in Family Court by authorizing service through certified mail and carriers such as USPS, UPS, and FedEx, addressing cases where people avoid in-person service using doorbell cameras and other technology. The Division of Child Support Services supported the bill as a practical update that would improve timeliness while preserving proof-of-delivery safeguards. At the end of the meeting, a motion was made and seconded, and the chair adjourned the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Even after applying the law faithfully and evaluating all the facts in forensic interviews, parole commission
• They review a comprehensive risk assessment conducted by a forensic psychologist.
• Mario Solis, who died in 2022, had a cause of death determined by a forensic pathologist that directly
• Forensic pathologists in coroner offices attest to being pressured to change cause of death at nearly
• Alexandra is actually the expert on price gouging in the region.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Michael, and the Elk River area, said he has taught college cyber security and computer forensics courses
• Michael, and the Elk River area, said he has taught college cyber security and computer forensics courses
• 08:43.640><c> security</c><00:08:44.640><c> uh</c><00:08:44.760><c> computer</c><00:08:45.080><c> forensics
• </c> cyber security uh computer forensics cyber security uh computer forensics related<00:08:45.839><
• in some of the or an expertise uh expert in some of the areas<01:30:27.719><c> we</c><01:30:27.920><

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe there are some experts here today who can answer more nuanced questions.
• I do believe that we have some expert witnesses in the audience tonight, and I request the right to close
• state, we are serving these children for less than $1,500 a head with extensive services, including forensic
• medical exams, forensic interviews, and mental health services that are available for those kids throughout
• We also have several forensic rooms that are set up for the interviews.

Bills: HB2510 , HB3589 , HB4611 , HB4655 , HB4665 , HB4666 , HB4670 , HB4700 , HB4730 , HB4798 , HB4838 , HB5136 , HB5243 , HB5302 , HB5539

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: assisted living, healthcare, licensing, criminal offense, personal assistance, group home, regulation, health and safety, inspections, resident care, criminal background checks, adoption, parental rights, registry, vital statistics, disclosure, counseling, foster care, independent living, financial literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• In jail, he would be found incompetent to stand trial, placed on the forensic waitlist, and sent to a
• Yes, even though we have people currently in the Smith County Jail that are on the forensic waitlist,
• For a family to navigate this process without expert guidance is very challenging.
• We've done forensic before, and he's been voluntary for the last seven years.
• I just want to say one thing: fund a forensic...

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> competency attainment board the forensic competency attainment board the forensic Navigator<00:18
• Forensic navigator services are also outlined within the statute.
• </c> examples of the things that our forensic examples of the things that our forensic Navigators<00:
• The second goal was to hire approximately 10 forensic navigators, one per judicial district.
• </c> with the forensic with the forensic psychiatrist<00:35:03.880><c> uh</c><00:35:04.079><c> the</c

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So when kids are getting their forensic interviewing done, the dogs are meeting with those kids before
• Um, I myself work here in Concord as a forensic psychologist.
• psychologist. conquered as a forensic psychologist.
• </c><05:39:29.840><c> psychologist</c><05:39:31.120><c> I</c> example uh as a forensic psychologist I
• behind me who probably can do a experts behind me who probably can do a better<05:47:28.798><c> job<

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Inspections and forensics as well as yourself, and you are against House Bill 3314, is that accurate?
• Great Atoms Inspection and Forensic Services, where I specialize in construction defect investigations
• I do forensic construction inspections.
• Once that proposal is submitted, the building science experts debate over the merits of the proposal.
• It might get tweaked, it might get voted down completely, but manufacturers, building science experts

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

Committee: House State Affairs

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:

• to transfer 50% of the penalty amounts to the University of Washington's Center for Environmental Forensic
• asked about the distribution that goes to the University of Washington Center for Environmental Forensic
• professor at the University of Washington and executive director of the Center for Environmental Forensic
• I'm the executive director of the Center for Environmental Forensic Science at the University of Washington
• What our center does is we develop novel methods to really promote wildlife forensic science.

Bills: SB5930 , SB6075 , SB6216 , SB6233

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: irrigation districts, director contracts, beneficial interests, transparency, governance, mitigation, habitat conservation, property rights, landowner compensation, fairness in mitigation, critical habitat, species preservation, riparian protection, salmon recovery, watershed planning, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Ecology, habitat conservation account, conservation easement, noxious weed control

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> S 272, an act relating to juvenile proceedings, criminal procedures, and forensic facilities for
• S 272, an act relating to juvenile proceedings, criminal procedures, and forensic facilities for criminal
• 07:03.680><c> and</c> proceedings, criminal procedures, and proceedings, criminal procedures, and forensics
• <00:07:04.560><c> facilities</c><00:07:05.199><c> for</c><00:07:05.440><c> criminal</c> forensics facilities
• for criminal forensics facilities for criminal justice<00:07:06.479><c> involved</c><00:07:07.039><c

Transcript Highlights:

• From my read on this and hearing from folks who are experts in the field, I don't think we're there yet
• misunderstanding here, there have been victims of sexual assault who have been charged for the sexual assault forensic
• misunderstanding here, there have been victims of sexual assault who have been charged for the sexual assault forensic

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• million is, you know, the folks at OSBI forecasted what they looked at: number of agents, analysts, forensic
• It would also go to acquired digital forensic technology and investigative tools specific to this area
• And one of the things, the wise sayings that I’d heard from judges and other experts is that prison..

Bills: SB1936 , SB1612 , SB1543 , SB1260 , SB1988 , SB1859 , SB2041 , SB1257

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Summary: The Public Safety Committee took up several criminal justice and public safety measures. Senate Bill 1936, as amended, increased penalties for impersonating law enforcement from a misdemeanor to a felony and expanded seizure provisions; amendments added federal law enforcement agents and state troopers to the covered officers, and the bill passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1612, requested by Tulsa police, would require limited reporting and sharing of certain injury-related information and hospital video/photo evidence with law enforcement to aid violent-crime investigations; members raised HIPAA, scope, and criminalization concerns, but the bill passed 5-2. Senate Bill 1543 would aggregate multiple DUI offenses within one year into a single felony case; after questions about sentencing, municipal charges, and deterrence, it passed 6-2. Senate Bill 1260 would require child sex traffickers and human traffickers to serve 100% of their sentences without parole or earned credits, and it passed 6-2. The committee also considered Senate Bill 1988, which would increase wire-transfer fees on funds sent outside the United States and restore an income-tax credit for Oklahoma filers; members questioned whether it functioned as a tax, its impact on lower-income senders and service members, and its connection to drug trafficking. The bill failed on a 4-4 vote. Senate Bill 1859, creating an OSBI cybercrime and fraud unit with an estimated $3 million fiscal impact, passed unanimously after testimony that cyber and cryptocurrency fraud are growing and often harm elderly victims. Senate Bill 2041 would make a third possession offense for methamphetamine, fentanyl, or cocaine a felony, with supporters saying it would push offenders toward drug court and opponents warning it would increase incarceration; it passed 6-2. Finally, Senate Bill 1257 would classify THC as a Schedule I drug to align with federal law and close trafficking loopholes, and it passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1584 was laid over at the author’s request.

Transcript Highlights:

• that was created by a bill the legislature passed a few years back that pays for sexual assault forensic
• For sexual assault forensic exams, we wanted to be sure that the victim was not getting billed for those
• fees cover the first $50,000 of claims, and those are from hospitals who are basically doing the forensic
• fall where it came to my attention that a hospital might have billed a sexual assault victim for a forensic
• Think about if you are at the hospital getting that forensic exam.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that the doctor has also done, he's published in the Journal of Forensic and Investigative
• Thank you, Senator, experts.
• There will be subject matter experts that have been identified in the bill.
• at inviting others as we've heard during the debates on the House side of getting subject matter experts
• What do you, what are you looking to find by creating this commission that our experts in economics and

Committee: Senate Senate Rules