Transcript Highlights:

• But we've seen whether it be Elon Musk, or Google, or others are looking to create new human-computer
• So when Elon Musk or Google or others that are working to have these human-computer interfaces, can they
• /c><00:23:28.159> Musk whether it be Elon Musk whether it be Elon Musk or<00:23:29.320> Google
• <00:24:31.559> Elon<00:24:31.960> Musk<00:24:32.320> or<00:24:32.520> Google
• <00:24:32.880> or manner so when Elon Musk or Google or manner so when Elon Musk or Google

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've attached some maps that...
• Maravay, is working on a map of those gauges.
• If you look at those flood maps.
• Improved flood inundation mapping.
• Like the modeling maps are y'all familiar with the North Carolina flood inundation map have y'all seen

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're ignoring the evidence, the headlines that we can all Google, or they're just misleading you.
• some of the best contacts in the world, including the Scottish neuro researcher out of Japan who mapped
• Scottish neuro researcher out of Japan who mapped the brain, and I hope somebody will ask me about dementia
• You guys can Google this, okay?
• But if you Google it, you can find many more.

Bills: SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 5, which Senator Perry described as a ban on intoxicating THC consumer products while preserving legal CBD, CBG, hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil products. Perry argued that most retail THC products are already illegal under federal law, that the industry has used loopholes and misleading labeling to sell high-potency products, and that regulation would be ineffective because chemists can quickly alter formulations. He also said the bill would steer people with medical needs toward the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-Cup), which he and other supporters described as the proper physician-guided alternative. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly discussed the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and intoxicating THC products, and Perry said the bill would not touch non-consumable hemp uses such as fiber and clothing. Invited testimony came from law enforcement and medical witnesses who supported the bill. Texas Police Chiefs Association representative Steve Dye, Kaufman County District Attorney Early Wiley, and Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne all said regulation would be too costly, too complex, and ultimately unenforceable, while a ban would be clearer and easier to enforce. They cited overloaded DPS labs, the need for expensive private testing, limited police and prosecutor resources, and the difficulty of keeping up with constantly changing cannabinoids and out-of-state products. Hawthorne and Wiley described raids and investigations involving warehouses, retail stores, cash seizures, and products they said were marketed to young people and often mislabeled or imported from other states. They also said the bill would help law enforcement by creating a clearer legal line and protecting legitimate CBD/CBG businesses. Dr. Lindy McGee, speaking for the Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society, testified that retail THC products pose serious risks to children and adolescents, including addiction, impaired brain development, psychosis, suicide attempts, self-harm, accidental toddler ingestions, and possible long-term cognitive effects. She said there is no effective medication treatment for THC addiction comparable to nicotine cessation tools, and she supported restrictions such as child-resistant packaging, no marketing to minors, and age limits, while opposing criminal penalties for possession by minors. Senators asked follow-up questions about brain development, memory, dementia risk, pregnancy, and cardiovascular effects. No vote was taken during the portion provided, and the committee continued with invited testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• waiting for one other person in order to make sure that we have quorum, just so that we have a road map
• waiting for one other person in order to make sure that we have quorum, just so that we have a road map
• You know, and I've mentioned this many times: I get, according to Google, to 20 to 25 cities a month,
• You know, and I've mentioned this many times: I get, according to Google, to 20 to 25 cities a month,
• You know, and I've mentioned this many times: I get, according to Google, to 20 to 25 cities a month,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• about placing this on the App Store and putting it in the hands of the responsibility of Apple and Google
• So I need to sit down with Apple and Google and perhaps Meta to...
• Apple and Google and perhaps Meta and say what do y'all think about this?
• I think, you know, one point I've heard from Google and they were thinking they could be excluded, but

Bills: HB235, HB276, HB285

Keywords: social media, age verification, minors, under 16, children online safety, online privacy, platform regulation, deceptive trade practice, Attorney General, civil penalties, punitive damages, consumer protection, account creation, algorithmic feeds, internet safety, youth social media, minor safety, child online safety, teen accounts, parental controls

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> there's ongoing um components of our there's ongoing um components of our road<01:00:52.760> map
• > we're<01:00:53.680> engaging<01:00:54.319> our<01:00:54.799> our road map
• where we're engaging our our road map where we're engaging our our customers<01:00:56.119> more
• We don't want to violate our state constitution for privacy inadvertently by using like a Google or an
• We don't want to violate our state constitution for privacy inadvertently by using like a Google or an

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• In doing a quick Google search, and granted, Google is, you know, prone to failure just like the rest
• time the State Department of Health did their audit, appears to still be the most recent person that Google
• Since then, the Attorney General, Ken Paxton, has won two major settlements: $1.4 billion from Google
• I didn't admit guilt, but they paid. ...from Google and a $1.4 billion settlement against Meta.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll notice in this map, I've...
• So there is a map in your handouts that describes how that was done.
• They run the models, they hand you the map, modeled available groundwater district.
• And if you look at the map, you can pull up the map on the, on. Redtown Ranch.
• I was able to Google things. can come up with all kinds of things. You guys.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me tell you, in my part of the world because the legislature invested in mapping.
• <00:26:48.559> There legislature invested in mapping.
• There legislature invested in mapping.
• <04:43:43.200> Googled, every time my name is Google Googled, every time my name is Google
• Google my name. And, uh, it is hard.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Take a look at Google Maps pictures recently, and you will see online the mess we have in the Permian

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On the screen here, this is a bit of a coverage map of where our participants are located throughout
• If you are doing a Google search and you're searching for trades in Pierce County, we might be one of

Summary: The work session focused first on Washington’s apprenticeship system, especially building trades programs and support services. Labor and Industries staff explained how registered apprenticeship works in the state, including the role of the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council, the requirements for paid on-the-job training and classroom instruction, and the difference between apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship. Panelists emphasized that apprenticeship is tied to actual jobs and training agents, and that many waitlists reflect a shortage of job openings and employer participation rather than a lack of interest. They also discussed youth apprenticeship, the growth of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and the use of Career Bridge and L&I’s database to help people find programs. Representatives asked whether the state should expand apprenticeship programs and how people can find openings. Speakers said more programs alone would not solve the backlog without more employers signing on as training agents and more apprenticeship utilization on projects. The panel also highlighted the Constructed Career Initiative, a grant-funded navigation and support program that helps people enter and stay in building trades apprenticeships through outreach, case management, and wraparound aid such as transportation, tools, and work clothes. A related nonprofit, Build Up, described similar support services, including prison-based boot and PPE programs and assistance for reentry participants. The panel said these services are especially important because apprentices often face unstable income, housing, food, and transportation barriers. The panel also discussed House Bill 2084 and the new Construction Training Pathway Oversight Committee, which is examining construction training in correctional facilities and how to create clearer pathways from prison-based training to apprenticeship, college, or work. Speakers said the committee is still in its early stages and will report to the legislature. The session ended with committee members thanking the panel and noting the importance of support services and referral networks for apprentices. The meeting then resumed at Renton Technical College, where college leaders and faculty discussed serving non-traditional students. The college reported strong enrollment growth, a median student age of 30, a diverse student body, and high job placement rates, while also noting significant budget cuts and program reductions from the prior year. Health care and early childhood education programs were highlighted, including efforts to expand access through hybrid scheduling, evening and Saturday classes, Spanish-language offerings, and in-person wraparound support for admissions, financial aid, and registration. Faculty said these changes were driven by student data and were aimed at helping working parents, English learners, and other non-traditional students complete credentials and enter family-wage careers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are working to bring that in additional languages if someone doesn't already have Google Translate
• So that’s exactly the first piece: mapping all of the data that the state has.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're focusing specifically, for example, on veterans and specifically for industry certificates like Google
• they're well-established credentials that are not within the academic enterprise. and we would be mapping

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• decided to, in order to make it more efficient, expand to more people and then trying to bring in Google
• decided to, in order to make it more efficient, expand to more people and then trying to bring in Google
• decided to, in order to make it more efficient, expand to more people and then trying to bring in Google
• decided to, in order to make it more efficient, expand to more people and then trying to bring in Google
• fiber and at the time as bring in Google fiber and at the time as well<00:43:22.560> um<00:43

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met in August with a quorum present and approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee then reviewed several regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection, and heard brief explanations from agency representatives on each item. The Board of Pharmacy regulations would clarify what registered and certified pharmacy technicians may do under supervision and what certified technicians may not do, while updating registration applications. The Board of Cosmetology package included changes to executive director authority, licensure and reciprocity rules, school requirements, training hours, instructor ratios, sanitation and disease-related rules, complaint procedures, and permit terms; members asked about straight razor language and the increase in student-to-instructor ratios, and the board explained that cosmetologists are not permitted to use straight razors and that the higher ratio was intended to give schools flexibility, especially for part-time students and schools with wait lists. The Occupational Therapy emergency compact regulation added four compact rules adopted in April 2025, and Senator West raised a technical question about certification requirements under House Bill 6; the agency said it had been instructed to file the regulation as submitted. The Department for Fish and Wildlife Resources presented a package covering wildlife management area rules, a northern pintail bag limit increase, reportable disease reporting, and a repeal tied to boat registration fees. After a brief explanation of the new wildlife disease reporting rule, the agency requested and received a deferral of 301 KAR 2:031 to avoid a gap while replacement language is finalized. The Economic Development Finance Authority explained an emergency regulation for the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program, saying it was needed because the program had become oversubscribed and because administration was shifting to a new film office and council; members also asked about certification issues under House Bill 6, and the agency said it had filed the regulation as directed. The Department of Workplace Standards emergency PPE regulation was also discussed, with members asking about HB 6 certification language, and the agency gave the same response. The Department of Insurance regulation would create a $10,000 registration fee and a $1,000 annual licensing fee for pharmacy benefit manager licenses, with an agency amendment exempting PBMs that solely serve workers’ compensation plans. Members asked how many PBMs would be affected and why workers’ compensation PBMs were carved out; the agency said there were 70 registered PBMs total, four solely workers’ comp, and that workers’ comp rates are set by statute and could not absorb the fee. Finally, the Public Service Commission’s pole attachment regulation was summarized as a broadband-expansion measure that speeds application review, increases the number of poles allowed in a single application, and shortens dispute timelines; the commission explained it grew out of earlier legislative direction and subsequent emergency amendments, and the committee adopted the staff amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I think there, you know, kids will Google and come up with whatever they come up with.
• c><00:17:27.199> when<00:17:27.439> they<00:17:27.600> just<00:17:27.760> Google
• a lot about kids when they just Google a lot about kids when they just Google things<00:17:28.240
• <00:18:33.120> and there, you know, kids will Google and there, you know, kids will Google
• after chat Google search on you<00:33:27.919> know<00:33:28.080> different<00:33:28.399

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard testimony on the use of artificial intelligence in therapy and mental health settings. Representative Lisa Willner and Brenda Rosen of NASW Kentucky argued for “guard rails” on AI chatbots so they cannot present themselves as licensed therapists or replace school counselors, psychologists, or social workers. They said AI can support licensed professionals, but warned that chatbots cannot reliably recognize nonverbal cues, escalate crises, or provide accountable care, and they cited examples of harmful chatbot interactions, including a suicide case and a chatbot telling a user to “Please die.” The witnesses also raised concerns about data privacy, commercialization of sensitive mental health conversations, and the use of personal clinical content to train AI models. They said minors should require parental consent and suggested transparency about how a chatbot is trained and who created it. They distinguished between unvetted consumer chatbots and AI tools that have been scientifically validated or approved as digital therapeutics, noting that some evidence-based tools may be useful for specific conditions such as depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Committee members asked whether regulation should be handled by the legislature or by professional boards, and whether a multi-state model would be preferable to 50 different state approaches. The witnesses generally favored expert-led standards and said a board or panel of experts could review and approve mental health chatbots, but members cautioned that boards can become too restrictive and that legislation should preserve flexibility and avoid discouraging children from seeking help. The discussion ended with a request for the witnesses to restate their proposed policy ideas, including privacy protections, bans on commercialization, limits on training AI with clinical content, transparency requirements, and informed consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so you cannot find this information via Google. It is just not possible.
• And so you cannot find this information via Google. It is just not possible.
• So the light blue is the Google only, and the dark blue is with the model.
• and letting the model not have live Google and forcing it to rely on its training data.
• of the modern frontier models have Google access themselves.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on AI risks and mitigation, beginning with automated decision systems and then moving to frontier models. The chair emphasized that California has already passed some targeted AI bills, but broader regulation has stalled, and argued that a federal 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation would be reckless. The hearing was framed as a way to distinguish between narrow predictive systems used in areas like hiring, health care, and criminal justice, and more powerful frontier models with broader capabilities and potentially catastrophic risks. On the first panel, Professor Arvind Narayanan described automated decision systems as often relying on historical data that reflects past bias, producing only limited predictive accuracy and sometimes arbitrary or harmful outcomes. He cited examples including welfare fraud, criminal risk tools, hospital discharge estimates, and job-candidate scoring, and said policymakers should require effectiveness standards, explanation, contestability, impact assessments, and public inventories of government systems. Alondra Nelson focused on algorithmic discrimination as a spectrum of harms, including allocative discrimination, surveillance and privacy harms, targeting and profiling, and cultural misrepresentation. She gave examples involving IRS audits, data sold through apps and brokers, facial recognition misidentification, and biased employment and health-care systems, arguing that harms often compound across multiple systems. Cathy O’Neill described her auditing work as building a “cockpit” for AI—identifying who could be harmed, measuring disparities, and setting thresholds for action—and said audits, consent decrees, and public accountability can push companies toward better practices without banning innovation. Members of the committee asked about international competition, especially China, whether AI is more biased than humans, the cost of compliance for businesses, and whether California should move ahead despite federal uncertainty. The panelists said regulation should focus on high-stakes uses rather than all AI, that transparency and third-party auditing can be low-cost or cost-effective, and that good actors are already using impact assessments. They also noted that state-level action in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Jersey, and others is helping set standards. The chair and members stressed that the goal is not to stop innovation but to build trust and reduce discrimination in consequential decisions. The second panel turned to frontier models. Joshua Bengio warned that model capabilities are improving rapidly, especially in reasoning and planning, while alignment and safety are not keeping pace. He cited recent research suggesting models can behave deceptively, including attempts to avoid shutdown, fake compliance during training, and even blackmail in simulated scenarios, and said companies must measure and disclose these risks before deployment. The discussion underscored the committee’s broader concern that California should continue leading on AI safety and accountability while preserving beneficial uses of the technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• But that map only tells you where we are, not who we are. So who are we in the text?
• This is through an arrangement with Google, IBM, and Meta.
• Anderson, but if you look at the map, M.D. Anderson is a long, long way from Demet.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're talking about Google, we're talking about big giant companies who are well practiced at getting
• , we're talking about big giant Google, we're talking about big giant companies<00:15:52.560> who<
• you uh Trader Joe's as you said, but you uh Trader Joe's as you said, but you know know know Google
• is is a little bit of a different Google is is a little bit of a different animal<00:16:12.079> and
• coming in that's done this know, Google coming in that's done this uh,<00:20:17.440> you<00:20

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It gives them a road map and guidance for turning their concern and voices into action.
• It gives them a road map to care about.
• It gives them a road map and<00:43:34.640> guidance<00:43:35.280> for<00:43:35.599>
• Students map the change they are passionate about that is also connected to their issue.
• I did do a little bit of Googling and I found MDE's document titled Overview of U.S.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I said, “Well, let’s Google it.” And you can Google that if you have trouble sleeping at night.
• I said, "Well,<00:07:25.840> let's<00:07:26.080> Google<00:07:26.319> it."
• And uh you can "Well, let's Google it."
• trouble sleeping Google that if you have trouble sleeping at<00:07:29.440> night.
• Just Google master settlement at night.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:09 Approval of Minutes 00:00:48 KOAP Report 00:01:09 Update from CHFS 00:20:27, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum, approval of the September 18, 2025 minutes, and a staff update on recent tobacco settlement-funded agriculture activities. The agriculture side highlighted Commissioner Shell’s outreach, including school visits, farm visits, and speaking engagements in Kentucky and a trip to Tennessee to discuss program models. A representative also described a national conference in Iowa, where Kentucky’s agriculture finance program was praised as a $180 million loan program built with tobacco settlement funds. The board noted September approvals totaling $950,000 for the agriculture development board and $3.3 million for the finance corporation, along with staff activity such as site visits, program closures, and project reports. The board also announced that the KKMP report covering 2015-2022 would be distributed and that the annual report, marking the program’s 25th anniversary, was being prepared. The board then reviewed two featured projects. The Organic Association of Kentucky requested $425,000 for organic producer support, but the board approved only one year of funding at $29,000, with members noting concern about recurring applicants and the need to evaluate long-term funding. The second project, by Joseph Dale Bentley in Lewis County, sought $51,300 to expand a small ruminant facility for goat production and export. Members were particularly interested because the project was already operating and creating market opportunities for Kentucky goat producers; the board approved half the project cost to help expand infrastructure and potentially allow quarantining on site. The cabinet then presented its annual update on tobacco settlement fund use in public health. Julie Brooks, Sarah Johnson, and Andrea Day reported on the HANS home visitation program, tobacco prevention and cessation efforts, lung cancer screening, and early childhood oral health. HANS served more families in FY25, rising from 6,293 to 6,715, and increased services from 139,943 to over 143,000. Tobacco prevention and cessation programs continued to support Quit Now Kentucky and My Life, My Quit, though officials noted federal uncertainty and the loss of federal tobacco control infrastructure. They also reported a slight decline in student outreach and cessation requests, but continued demand from schools and communities for vaping and nicotine prevention support. Lung cancer screening expanded to 55 screens, with Kentucky cited as a model for other states due to improved incidence, survival, and early detection rates. Early oral health efforts continued through local health departments, with more trainings for public health nurses, continued varnish kits, and expanded support for dental graduates and hygiene teams.