Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill does not create new law. It's not intended to create new law.
• I now still train law enforcement across the state.
• I chair the law implementation and training subcommittee, working directly with law enforcement and the
• judiciary on how these laws are applied and enforced.
• There's that mechanism in the law. That's available.

Bills: HB343 , HB378 , HB394 , HB396 , HB426 , HB439 , HB491 , HB523 , HB622 , HB676 , HB772 , HB1025 , HB1038

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Keywords: parole eligibility, juvenile offenders, rehabilitation, first-time offenders, reentry programs, substance abuse treatment, education programs, emergency responders, law enforcement, obstructing traffic, public safety, penalties, parole, criminal justice, release extension, prison reform, autopsy, criminal evidence, photographs, court proceedings

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that something that happens in Texas through this law?
• I think, frankly, it happens everywhere with all laws.
• Every day we’re getting reports of law violations.
• State law provides a non-exhaustive list of limited authority law enforcement agencies, and for that
• That includes both federal and state law enforcement, period.

Bills: HB2217 , HB2558 , HB2641 , HB2648 , HB1239 , HB1591 , HB2209 , HB2310 , HB2526

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: rehabilitation, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, first-time offenders, pathways to rehabilitation, mental health, sentencing alternative, criminal justice, diversion programs, HB 2641, ICE out act, law enforcement hiring, immigration and customs enforcement, ICE officers, former federal employees, sworn officer, police staffing, general authority law enforcement agency, limited authority law enforcement agency, immigration enforcement

Bills: HB176 , HB180 , HB176 , HB180 , HB333 , HCR35

Committee: House S/C on State-Federal Relations

Keywords: tax, ad valorem, voter-approval, local government finance, property tax, repeal, tax rates, school finance, tax reduction, compressed tax rate, education, funding, HB 176, Texas border security, interstate compact, Government Code Chapter 794, Texas-Mexico border, border enforcement, immigration enforcement, ICE 287(g)

Transcript Highlights:

• earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Oklahoma City University, Go Stars, and went on to practice law

Bills: HB3257

Committee: Senate Veterans and Military Affairs

Keywords: veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service

Summary: The Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met with a quorum and considered three nominations to the Oklahoma Veterans Commission and one bill. The committee heard presentations for Rick Munchler, Robert W. Allen Jr., and Matthew Dukes, each described as having extensive military, public service, and veterans’ advocacy backgrounds. In each case, senators moved do pass, there were no substantive questions or debate, and each nomination received unanimous 5-0 approval to advance to the full Senate for confirmation. The committee also heard House Bill 3257, which would extend certain state benefits available to veterans who are 100% disabled due to a service-connected disability to veterans who are 100% disabled as a result of negligence or malpractice at a VA hospital under federal law. The author explained the bill would align state recognition and benefits with federal disability determinations in those cases, while noting the property tax exemption issue is constrained by the state constitution. After brief questions about the bill’s scope, the committee voted 5-0 to pass the measure to the full Senate. At the close of the meeting, the chair noted another committee meeting would be needed the following week to consider additional Veterans Commission nominees, and the committee adjourned.

Bills: SB 629 , SB 1015 , SB 2501 , SB 2933

Committee: Senate Jurisprudence

Keywords: child support, interest accrual, family law, delinquency, financial judgment

Bills: HB138

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: voter registration, application rejection, transparency, election integrity, state law

Bills: SB35

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: child custody, criminal offense, law enforcement, penal code, parenting

Bills: SB80 , SB1101 , SB1813 , SB1966

Committee: House Commerce & Economic Development Oversight

Keywords: SB80, legislation, state law, public safety, community impact, local governance, dental coverage, insurance reporting, healthcare access, dental loss ratio, community benefits, Oklahoma law, Athletic Trainer, Compact, interstate practice, licensure, public health, workforce development, military spouses, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 600 makes changes to Florida bail bonds and partial release laws.
• Bail Bonds and Partial Release Laws.
• Also, he is waiving in support for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
• It's Lisa Hurley, Family Law Section, Florida Bar. She is waiving in support.
• I don't do this type of law, but in my experience and having this type of law in my law firm and in working

Bills: S0436 , S0532 , S0600 , S0644 , S0682 , S0928 , S1072 , S1332 , S1632 , S1634

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Keywords: foreclosure, court clerks, budget management, judicial sales, Florida statutes, bail bonds, pretrial release, forfeiture, criminal justice, bond conditions, surety, attorney fees, litigation costs, court jurisdiction, equitable awards, financial resources, domestic violence, protective injunctions, electronic monitoring, enhanced penalties

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> employee, uh, of the Department of Law employee, uh, of the Department of Law Enforcement<01:05:
• </c> retirement benefits, if a law retirement benefits, if a law enforcement<01:06:30.640><c> officer
• Next, we have HB 2323, relating to workers' compensation law.
• </c><01:21:18.880><c> also</c> unauthorized practice of law. also unauthorized practice of law. also
• It does include uh some of all HRS law.

Bills: SB3082 , SB3110 , SB3251

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: military families, family leave, qualifying military exigency, Hawaii Revised Statutes, financial support, Hawaii National Guard, civil-military program, education, collective bargaining, exemption, SB3251, Hawaii public safety, ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, law enforcement hiring, state employment ban, police powers, Department of Law Enforcement, DLNR

Transcript Highlights:

• She has practiced law since 1989 and I got a chance to meet her.
• Yes, as the senator said, I've practiced law since 1989.
• So I've stayed away from criminal law.
• The bill is adding fire departments to a statute that became law back in 2009 that prevents law enforcement
• To a statute that became law back in 2009 that prevents law enforcement agencies from charging accident

Bills: HB3045

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Keywords: accident response, motor vehicle, law enforcement, fire department, fee prohibition

Summary: The Public Safety Committee first considered several gubernatorial nominations. Brent Black of Bixby was renominated to the Forensic Review Board, with Senator Guthrie noting the board’s seven-member makeup and the need for mental health professionals; the nomination was advanced 8-0. Lou Ann Moody of Henrietta was then presented for the Forensic Review Board. Moody described her long legal career, her work as city attorney and in juvenile/dependency matters, and her decision to avoid criminal defense work to avoid ethical conflicts. Members asked about the board’s caseload and meeting schedule, and the nomination was advanced 8-0. The committee also heard the nomination of a retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer, Mr. McCoy, to the OSBI Commission. He emphasized his decades of law enforcement and emergency-management experience, and the nomination was advanced 8-0. The committee then took up House Bill 3045, with an amendment offered by Senator Reinhart. The amendment would allow certain fire departments, rural fire districts, and fire protection districts in municipalities under 200,000 population to recover accident response fees, while preventing those fees from going into general revenue or funding non-fire services. Reinhart explained the bill was intended to address fire departments’ ability to recover costs while limiting the impact on the state’s two largest cities. Senator Brooks questioned why the exemption would apply only to the largest municipalities, and Reinhart responded that Tulsa and Oklahoma City would see the greatest fiscal impact and that rural departments lacked comparable revenue sources. Senator Murdoch raised a point that the bill had an unescorted fiscal impact on municipalities and asked for a ruling under the Municipal Fiscal Impact Act. The chair took the matter under advisement and, at the sponsor’s request, laid the bill over rather than proceeding further. The meeting concluded with members offering extended personal remarks thanking the chair and vice chair for their leadership and service, and the chair adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is significant case law stating that the agreements between local law enforcement and ICE of this
• There is significant case law stating that the agreements between local law enforcement and ICE of this
• There is significant case law stating that the agreements between local law enforcement and ICE of this
• I have law enforcement people in my family. I have law enforcement people in my family.
• They're not enforcing the law. In some cases, they might be breaking the law.

Bills: SB100

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Incidentally, if we were going to do law enforcement training, full law enforcement authority, it would
• I think they had 332 law enforcement charges... ...I think they had 332 law enforcement charges on those
• We pass laws, most of them without unanimous consent, and they become law.
• Criminal law is not something that I studied. It wasn't something that I enjoyed in law school.
• or a failure of criminal law.

Bills: SB100

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Bills: HB 2217

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: law enforcement, bullet-resistant, grant program, safety equipment, peace officers

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2217 establishes a grant program to equip law enforcement vehicles with bullet resistance
• Texas has seen a rise in violence against law enforcement.
• Under current law, prosecutors face jurisdictional limitations that can hinder their efforts to bring
• This change aligns with current Texas law and other venue statutes in place for crimes such as fraud,
• Under current law, prosecutors face jurisdictional limitations that can hinder their efforts to bring

Bills: HB2217

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: law enforcement, bullet-resistant, grant program, safety equipment, peace officers

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice met and considered two House bills. HB 2217 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement agencies equip patrol vehicles with bullet-resistant components such as windshields, side doors, and windows. Senator Hagenbuch explained that the measure is intended to improve officer safety in light of shootings through patrol car glass, and no invited or public testimony was offered. The committee voted 6-0 to report HB 2217 favorably to the full Senate and also recommended it for the open uncontested calendar. The committee then took up HB 2594, with Senator Creighton explaining that it updates venue rules for cybercrime and related theft cases involving intangible property such as cryptocurrency, online fraud, and intellectual property theft. The bill would allow prosecution in the county where the victim resides, where the defendant is apprehended, or where the defendant is extradited to, giving prosecutors more flexibility when crimes cross county lines. No questions or testimony were offered. The committee voted 6-0 to report HB 2594 favorably to the full Senate. It was also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. After completing its business, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee substitute will also make the bill a Legislative Council draft and require law enforcement

Bills: SB2601

Committee: Senate Border Security

Keywords: landowner compensation, border crime, agriculture damage, law enforcement, crop loss

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security met with a quorum and heard only one bill, Senate Bill 2601 by Senator Blanco, laid out by Senator Hinojosa of Hidalgo. The bill was presented as a committee substitute to revise the Landowner’s Compensation Program created last session under SB 1133. The changes would expand eligibility to include land lessees with the landowner’s permission, cover damage to the land itself as well as structures and real property, add continuous smuggling of persons as a qualifying border crime, prohibit insurers from using claims under the program in rate calculations, and require law enforcement to provide requested border crime reports to the Attorney General within 14 days. Public testimony was unanimously supportive. Charles Maley of the South Texans Property Rights Association said the program has been beneficial and that the bill helps clean up implementation issues, including clarifying compensation for debris and pollutants left on land. Stephen Diebel of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association also supported the bill, saying it would help address fence damage, destroyed infrastructure, and other harms along the border, and that lessees who manage properties day to day should be eligible for direct compensation when they have the landowner’s permission. Members discussed border-related property damage, including vehicles crashing through fences, broken sheds, livestock escaping, and resulting highway hazards. Senator Hinojosa asked about how conflicts between landowners and lessees would be handled, and testimony indicated documentation of lease authority would be required. After public testimony closed, the committee adopted the committee substitute without objection and voted to report SB 2601 favorably to the full Senate by a 5-0 vote, recommending it as local and uncontested.

Transcript Highlights:

• when developing proposals to create new law.”
• Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Minnesota require a 60% vote by the people.
• Senator Lee, do you want to go into laws? It might be your fingerprint.
• So, and we have grandfathered, and we've got to look at the pharmacy law.
• law.

Bills: HCR3025

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: law enforcement, first responders, heroism, community safety, condolences, 908, all

Summary: The State and Local Government Committee first heard House Concurrent Resolution 3025, a resolution honoring the police and first responders of Fargo. Representative Hendricks presented it as a straightforward tribute tied to a tragic incident, and several members and a representative of the Chiefs of Police Association and North Dakota League of Cities spoke in support. There was no opposition, and the committee closed the hearing and later gave the resolution a 6-0 do pass recommendation, with Senator Braunberger volunteering to carry it. The committee then heard House Concurrent Resolution 3010, which would direct Legislative Management to study legislative responsibility to review existing law before proposing new law. Representative Kempinock said the idea was to reduce repetitive or duplicative bills and improve legislative education, but also noted that current efforts by Legislative Council and leadership had made the resolution largely unnecessary. Members generally agreed with the premise but questioned whether a study was needed, and the committee ultimately gave it a 4-2 do pass recommendation, with Senator Lee volunteering to carry it. Next, the committee heard House Concurrent Resolution 3003, which would raise the threshold for approving constitutional amendments from 50% to 60%. Speaker Wise argued constitutional changes should be difficult and cited other states’ higher thresholds, while Eric Spencer of the Greater North Dakota Chamber supported the measure and emphasized how often North Dakota’s Constitution has been amended. Members discussed the irony of asking voters to raise the threshold by a simple majority and the broader issue of an overused constitution, but the committee still recommended it do pass on a 6-0 vote. The committee then spent considerable time on House Bill 1297 and related House Bill 1307 amendments dealing with approval voting, ranked-choice voting, and a Fargo-specific exemption. Members and witnesses from the Secretary of State’s office and the League of Cities debated whether Fargo should be exempted and how to avoid conflicts between the two bills. An amendment to strip approval voting from 1297 failed on a 3-3 tie, after which the committee gave 1297 a 4-2 do pass recommendation so the floor could decide the issue, with plans to reconcile 1307 afterward based on that outcome.

Transcript Highlights:

• What's an example of other laws that our courts have considered?
• Well, when we, in crafting this legislation, one of the laws—an example is Sharia law, and that's why
• This bill is broader than just family law. Okay.
• So what does this bill do beyond just enforcing our current laws?
• I mean, how can we interpret a religious law or a law from a foreign country?

Bills: S0002 , S0006 , S0018 , S0026 , S0028 , S0050 , S0178 , S0326 , S0538 , S0786 , S1004 , S1096 , S1178 , S1366 , S1632 , S1634

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: negligence, settlement, appropriation, highway safety, damages, law enforcement, child welfare, injury compensation, Department of Children and Families, compensation, law enforcement accountability, personal injury, motorcycle accident, Department of Transportation, legal claim, police negligence, monetary compensation, civil rights, city liability, veterans

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills, most of them claims or civil-law measures, and reported each favorably. Among the bills approved were SB 326 on curators of estates, SB 1096 clarifying filing deadlines under the Florida Civil Rights Act, SB 28 and SB 26 on claims against the City of Lakeland and the estate of Mark Legata, SB 6 involving a DCF-related claim for Layla Estrada/Sapphire Williams, SB 786 creating a nonjudicial process for closing trusts, SB 18 and SB 2 on claims involving the estate of McKenzie Navarre and Daniel Mosley, and SB 50 expanding veterans’ courts statewide. The committee also approved SB 538 on extracurricular activities, SB 1004 on pet sales and financing disclosures, and SB 1366, the sovereign immunity bill, which was presented as a starting point for negotiations with the House over higher claims caps and related provisions. Most of these bills were explained by sponsors as clarifying existing law, modernizing procedures, or resolving uncontested claims, and several had support from affected organizations or individuals; some also drew opposition or concerns from speakers, especially on trust notice issues, sovereign immunity, and the scope of the extracurricular and pet-sale bills. Several bills were amended before passage. SB 326 was narrowed by removing a section and changing reporting language for curators. SB 786 received a technical clarification amendment, while SB 18 removed an unneeded Medicaid-related section. SB 50 on veterans’ courts drew broad support from veterans’ groups and criminal-justice organizations. SB 538 on extracurricular activities was amended multiple times to address home education eligibility, activity fees for homeschool participants, technical cross-references, and compensation for extracurricular sponsors. SB 1004 was supported by animal-welfare advocates and consumer-protection interests. SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools was amended to limit the bill to head coaches, require personal funds, and allow similar bylaws by other athletic associations; it passed after discussion of a Miami Northwestern coaching controversy. The committee also took up two major policy bills with substantial testimony and questions. SB 1178 on foreign influence would create a state framework for foreign-agent registration, restrict gifts and contracts tied to foreign countries of concern and designated foreign terrorist organizations, limit certain sister-city and university linkage activities, and increase penalties for crimes committed to benefit foreign governments or terrorist groups; supporters framed it as a national-security and transparency measure, while the sponsor withdrew one amendment before passage. SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles generated the most extended questioning, especially about its domestic-terrorism designation process, references to Sharia law, notice and due-process protections, and potential effects on students and speech; supporters argued it targets conduct, not belief, while opponents warned it could chill protected activity and unfairly target Muslim communities. The committee heard many public speakers on both sides, but no floor debate followed before the bill was moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think in our discussion, the law, if this becomes law, would not go into effect until October of this
• That is not a statute, that is not a law.
• I taught constitutional law for 25 years to seniors in law school.
• Well, they're not under current law. Now, what current law...
• We make laws, and we don't think about the incidental effects of those laws.

Bills: HB202 , HB42 , HB146 , HB492 , HB285 , HB7 , HB454 , HB42 , HB7

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: law enforcement, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, bail reform, cash deposit, judicial discretion, criminal justice, Alabama law, youthful offender, capital murder, public safety, victims' rights, juvenile offenders, delinquent acts, juvenile court, nonfelony offenses, water safety offenses, HB285

Transcript Highlights:

• And went on to practice law with Chesapeake Energy before becoming the CEO and managing broker of Sage

Bills: HB3257

Committee: Senate Veterans and Military Affairs

Keywords: veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service, 914, all