Transcript Highlights:

• False. And you make the point so eloquently.
• The other false statement...

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think the potential for people that spy on America and come here under false pretenses, this exception
• Are you okay with U.S. citizens' lives being held in limbo by false or weak claims of voter fraud and

Bills: SB17, SB1569, SB2420, HB5138, HJR161, HB1937, HB3334, HB5444, HB5137, HB361, HB321, HB5447, HB464, HB678, HB2294, HB4172, HB3225, HB1769, HB5394, HB1837, HB1787, HB2271, HB2440, HB5134, HB5149, HB2151, HB2073, HB2186, HB2025, HB1936, HB1777, HB1663, HB 1306, HB 1290, HB1527, HB4802, HB3462, HB2963, HB2462, HB2560, HB644, HB2725, HB2621, HB2588, HB1443, HB1403, HB3032, HB1557, HB1664, HB2811, HB2088, HB2598, HB3062, HB3134, HB3940, HB4027, HB4097, HB4862, HB4170, HB4157, HB4205, HB4279, HB4377, HB4838, HB5424, HB5294, HB4870, HB4763, HB5639, HB4112, HB2275, HB1677, HB5014, HB3848, HB3797, HB3727, HB3709, HB3177, HB3057, HB4176, HB4202, HB2180, HB3528, HB3658, HCR76, HCR127

Keywords: foreign ownership, real property, national security, criminal penalties, civil penalties, personal information, higher education, privacy protection, governing board, institutional security, software applications, mobile devices, age verification, parental consent, data protection, app store regulation, HJR 161, Texas constitutional amendment, voting rights, non-citizen voting

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, received the invocation and pledges, and heard several announcements and recognitions before moving into floor action. Members honored the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley chess team for winning a share of the 2025 President’s Cup, recognized educator Jessica Lopez, and paid memorial tribute to Jennifer Maddenly, along with recognitions for Jeanette Valdez Duran’s food pantry work, TAMACC’s 50th anniversary, and Bernardine Steptoe’s retirement from WFAA. The House also granted permission for committees to meet while the House was in session, set a local consent calendar, and suspended posting rules for a Public Health Committee hearing on SB 2721. The chamber then considered a long series of Senate and House bills, with many passing on record votes. Measures addressed local law enforcement authority (SB 906), veterans highway designation (SB 1229), foster care medical billing (SB 855), massage therapy trafficking safeguards (SB 703), tax ballot language (SB 1025), occupational licensing for people with convictions (SB 1080), lien deadlines (SB 929), liquor sales complaints (SB 1355), higher education application fee waivers (SB 2231), utility data access (SB 1877), pediatric preceptorships (SB 1998), and several House bills on bond forfeiture notice, health workforce coordination, indigent civil commitment representation, consumer transaction cancellations, bird dispersal rules, theft venue for digital property, military grant applications, AI cancer-detection grants, cybersecurity contract language, in-state tuition for military-related programs, utility capital recovery, energy waste advisory oversight, gas utility rate recovery, psychedelic therapy study, teacher retirement funding transparency, pension changes, tax payment plans, and voter registration security. Some measures drew notable debate or amendments, including HB 5247, where a ratepayer-credit amendment failed, and HB 2298, HB 4014, HB 510, HB 561, HB 1128, HB 1904, HB 30, HB 200, HB 3045, and HB 5111, which all passed after recorded votes with varying margins. A major point of contention was SB 2420, the app store age-verification bill, which prompted extended debate over whether the bill should also require app developers to verify users’ ages. Representative Bryant offered an amendment to preserve developer verification obligations, arguing the bill would otherwise shift responsibility away from app makers; the author opposed it, saying the bill’s approach was more workable and raised concerns about First Amendment issues. Multiple points of order were raised and withdrawn during the debate, and the amendment discussion remained unresolved in the excerpt. The House also postponed further consideration of SB 17, SB 552, and SB 2420 at different points, and recessed for lunch after completing a large block of third-reading votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is false.
• This is false.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services committee heard extensive testimony on HB 1194 HD2, a bill to regulate midwifery and require accredited education for licensed midwives. Supporters, including the Midwives Alliance of Hawaii, ACOG, a pediatrician, and several licensed midwives, argued the bill would improve maternal and newborn safety, clarify the definition of midwife, strengthen accountability, and align Hawaii with national education standards. They said accredited training is necessary to avoid gaps in knowledge and to support safe transfers and collaboration with hospitals. Opponents, including many midwives, parents, cultural practitioners, and community groups, argued the bill would restrict access to care, criminalize traditional and apprenticeship-based midwifery, and undermine reproductive autonomy and Native Hawaiian and other cultural birthing practices. Several asked for amendments to preserve a birth attendant exemption, the PET/portfolio pathway, and cultural and religious protections. Others said the bill would disproportionately harm rural, Indigenous, and low-income families by making training and licensure less accessible. The committee also heard testimony from state and county entities and professional organizations, with some standing on written testimony and others offering brief comments. The chair repeatedly reminded testifiers of the one-minute limit and the possibility that final decision-making would be deferred if quorum was lost. The transcript does not show a final vote or action taken during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• been moved from its former position, there has to be a process now because it's been reestablished falsely
• been moved from its former position, there has to be a process now because it's been reestablished falsely

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Bills: HR320, HR321, HR308, HR309, HR310, HR311, HR312, HR313, HR314, HR315, HR316, HR317, HR318, HR319, SCR65, SCR74, SCR76, HR245, SCR30, SCR40, HB1259, SB4, SB52, SB57, SB83, SB145, SB152, SB194, SB276, SB319, SB333, SB448, SB450, SB465, SB484, SB501, SB509, HR73, HR118, HR144, HR196, HR237, HR249, HR260, HR267, HR272, HR278, HCR85, HCR100, HCR105, HCR107, HCR114, SCR5, SCR29, SCR33, SCR37, SCR63, HB62, HB193, HB210, HB220, HB246, HB364, HB420, HB475, HB584, HB622, HB772, HB784, HB949, HB953, HB1043, HB1070, HB1092, HB1134, HB1162, HB1176, HB1196, HB1214, HB119, HB129, HB233, HB283, HB538, HB789, HB850, HB870, HB1236, HB1241, HB378, HB509, HB1090, SB80, SB131, SB143, SB251, SB254, SB279, SB367, SB384, SB388, SB389, SB398, SB408, SB431, SB468, SB469, SB496, SB149, HB463, HB998, SB123, SB353, SB479, SB495, SB82, SB97, SB283, SB326, SB518, SB197, SB268, HB901, HR20, HR74, HR168, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB89, HB74, HB134, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB956, HB1117, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB217, SB274, SB300, SB379, SB382, SB441, SB449

Keywords: Arsenal, Arsenal F.C., Premier League, English football, soccer, football club, Mikel Arteta, Emirates Stadium, North London, Tottenham Hotspur, Gunners, sports resolution, commendation, celebration, championship, silverware, Louisiana House Resolution, ceremonial resolution, domestic violence, forensic medical examinations

Summary: The House met with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then received a series of Senate messages, conference committee appointments, and enrolled bill reports. The chamber also noted Senate concurrence in several House concurrent resolutions and the adoption of conference reports, while multiple Senate bills and resolutions were signed by the Senate President. Senate Bill 480, dealing with butterfly bottom nets and vessel use/anchorage, was referred to the Natural Resources Committee without objection. Members introduced several House resolutions, including measures to commend Arsenal Football Club, recognize Pope Leo XIV and 4-H honoree Margaret Mimi Stoker, study forensic medical exam protocols for domestic violence survivors, create a task force on second-degree murder sentencing, review miscarriage and pregnancy-loss terminology, commemorate the 250th anniversary of New Orleans, and support the National Guard Youth Challenge Program. Committee reports also moved forward bills on child welfare, water quality, scenic rivers, orphan wells, gravel mining reclamation, groundwater conservation, agricultural production, railroad hazards, and retirement system merger feasibility, along with resolutions on Pope Leo XIV and the LaMelle family. The House took up numerous Senate bills returned from the Legislative Bureau, adopting amendments and advancing many to third reading, including bills on health and welfare, education, insurance, and criminal justice. The chamber also reported favorably on resolutions condemning political violence and honoring public figures and organizations, and it scheduled several committee meetings for the following day, including Health and Welfare, Appropriations, Natural Resources, Civil Law, Transportation, and Ways and Means. The session ended with announcements about upcoming committee agendas and delegation meetings, and the House adjourned on motion to reconvene at 1:00 p.m. the next day.

Bills: HR320, HR321, HR308, HR309, HR310, HR311, HR312, HR313, HR314, HR315, HR316, HR317, HR318, HR319, SCR65, SCR74, SCR76, HR245, SCR30, SCR40, HB1259, SB4, SB52, SB57, SB83, SB145, SB152, SB194, SB276, SB319, SB333, SB448, SB450, SB465, SB484, SB501, SB509, HR73, HR118, HR144, HR196, HR237, HR249, HR260, HR267, HR272, HR278, HCR85, HCR100, HCR105, HCR107, HCR114, SCR5, SCR29, SCR33, SCR37, SCR63, HB62, HB193, HB210, HB220, HB246, HB364, HB420, HB475, HB584, HB622, HB772, HB784, HB949, HB953, HB1043, HB1070, HB1092, HB1134, HB1162, HB1176, HB1196, HB1214, HB119, HB129, HB233, HB283, HB538, HB789, HB850, HB870, HB1236, HB1241, HB378, HB509, HB1090, SB80, SB131, SB143, SB251, SB254, SB279, SB367, SB384, SB388, SB389, SB398, SB408, SB431, SB468, SB469, SB496, SB149, HB463, HB998, SB123, SB353, SB479, SB495, SB82, SB97, SB283, SB326, SB518, SB197, SB268, HB901, HR20, HR74, HR168, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB89, HB74, HB134, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB956, HB1117, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB217, SB274, SB300, SB379, SB382, SB441, SB449

Keywords: Arsenal, Arsenal F.C., Premier League, English football, soccer, football club, Mikel Arteta, Emirates Stadium, North London, Tottenham Hotspur, Gunners, sports resolution, commendation, celebration, championship, silverware, Louisiana House Resolution, ceremonial resolution, domestic violence, forensic medical examinations

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We can look at different methods of identification and things like that or ways to eradicate them.

Summary: The committee heard two main presentations. First, University of Idaho representatives Rob McQuaid, Matt Powell, and Dean Dennis Becker described the university’s land-grant mission and its work in agriculture, natural resources, extension, research, and workforce training. They highlighted the Morrill, Hatch, and Smith-Lever Acts; the university’s colleges and research stations; the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station; 4-H; the CAFE dairy research facility; the deep soil ecotron; the wildfire, forestry, and policy analysis programs; and the university’s role in veterinary, forestry, and agricultural education. Members asked about quagga mussels, New World screwworm, chronic wasting disease, federal and state funding cuts, and the status of the CAFE project. The university officials said they were willing to assist on invasive species issues, but emphasized not duplicating or diluting agency work, and they described significant impacts from federal funding delays and state cuts. No votes were taken. The committee then heard testimony from Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse on Idaho’s position regarding ICE’s 287(g) partnership programs. He argued that participation should remain voluntary and locally controlled, and explained the differences among the jail enforcement, warrant service officer, and task force models. He said local agencies already cooperate with ICE in limited ways, but mandatory participation could create staffing, liability, and community-trust problems. Members asked about costs, detention standards, administrative versus criminal warrants, liability exposure, and whether deputies lose local control under task force arrangements. Hulse said the programs vary in cost and complexity, that ICE housing standards can be burdensome, and that local sheriffs should decide based on resources and community needs. The committee also discussed the number of Idaho agencies currently participating and the compensation and exit provisions in the agreements. No formal action or vote was taken. In a later segment, the committee heard testimony from the Idaho Wool Growers Association and sheep producers on the long-running domestic sheep and bighorn sheep conflict. Stan Boyd reviewed prior legislation and litigation involving bighorn sheep transplants, notice requirements, and “hold harmless” protections for permittees, while Harry Solon described how forest closures and bighorn-related decisions reduced his family’s sheep operation and forced layoffs. The testimony focused on the economic and family impacts of the closures and lawsuits, and on the history of state efforts to protect grazing permittees. No committee action was recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a public school employee, I continued to experience a lack of seizure identification and first aid

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with the chairs emphasizing time limits, written testimony, and grouping similar measures together. Early testimony focused on opioid use disorder education in schools (S.382), with Senator Keenan arguing that students should be taught about the risks of substance use disorder and naloxone use as part of health curricula. Representative DeCost also briefly introduced H.551, a narrow bill concerning parent rights for children in third grade and younger. Several bills were then closed without testimony, including measures on type 1 diabetes informational materials and other diabetes-related proposals. A major portion of the hearing centered on school health and emergency response bills. Supporters of H.652/S.342 on diabetes management in schools described inconsistent district practices and urged clearer standards so students can receive care in classrooms rather than being sent out of instruction. Bills on epinephrine access and seizure disorders drew extensive testimony: advocates for stock epinephrine in schools argued that unassigned epinephrine can save lives and should be funded in a cost-neutral way, while a pediatrician opposed one version as an unfunded mandate. For seizure-safe schools (S.422/H.635), students, parents, educators, and advocates described missed or delayed responses to seizures, stigma, and the need for staff training, seizure action plans, and emergency medication protocols. A separate bill, H.645, allowing anti-seizure medication on school buses, was supported by a parent and student who said current law forces costly and restrictive transportation arrangements. The committee also heard testimony on youth skin health bills (S.334/H.600/H.619), which would let students carry and apply sunscreen at school and camp without a physician’s note. Supporters from melanoma prevention, dermatology, and industry groups said the bills would remove unnecessary barriers and promote sun-safe habits, while one witness cautioned about drafting details and unintended consequences. The hearing then moved to CPR/AED education for graduation (S.456), where Senator Tarr, a student advocate, and the Red Cross all supported requiring hands-on CPR certification for high school students. Finally, the committee took testimony on healthy school lunches (H.539/S.401): supporters from the Healthy School Lunch Coalition and school food directors backed stronger nutrition standards and a standing advisory council, while Consumer Brands Association witnesses opposed the bill as too vague and potentially disruptive. A nutrition scientist also warned about unintended restrictions on medically necessary or innovative foods. The chairs closed the hearing on the healthy lunch bills and then opened testimony on universal school meals for virtual schools (H.700), with Superintendent Patrick Latuka supporting access for students in Commonwealth virtual schools who currently receive no meal support.

Transcript Highlights:

• title is: preventing a supervisor of the checklist from verifying a person's identity without identification

Keywords: 9:00am HB 158 9:10am HB 281 9:20am HB 317 9:30am HB 340 9:40am HB 1062 9:50am HB 1187 10:00am HB 1234 10:10am HB 1300 10:20am HB 1306 10:30am HB 1381 10:40am HB 1541, 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference first resolved House Bill 158, which concerns public inspection of absentee ballot lists. The Senate explained a revised approach that removed the broader bill language and instead directed the Secretary of State to review absentee ballot data after each general election for patterns such as common addresses and to report findings to the committees of jurisdiction. The House agreed to the Senate position, and the conference committee voted unanimously to concur. The committee then took up House Bill 281, dealing with a sortable electronic voter checklist. Members debated the Senate’s removal of language that would have included the absentee ballot mailing address when different from the voter’s registration address. Concerns were raised that releasing mailing addresses could expose where voters are not home and could affect overseas and military voters. The committee also discussed a related form for election officials who personally know a voter, including how long the form would be retained and whether it would be subject to public records law. After further discussion, the House agreed to the Senate changes with an additional requirement that the form be signed, and the committee voted to proceed with the amended Senate position. House Bill 317, concerning verification of a person’s identity by a supervisor of the checklist without identification, was also discussed at length. The Senate’s version preserved the ability for election officials to identify people they know, but required a signed form under penalty of perjury and added a nursing home-related provision. Members described the measure as balancing community-based identification with tighter documentation, and a House witness described local problems with inconsistent ID checks and concerns about voting in nursing homes. The House sought one additional change requiring the nursing home verification form to be signed, and the Senate accepted that addition; the committee then voted to move the bill forward on the consent calendar. The conference committee next considered House Bill 340 on electioneering by public employees. The chair presented a replace-all amendment that tied the definition of electioneering to existing law, added a prohibition on expressly or primarily political surveys, and created a civil penalty of up to $1,000 alongside the misdemeanor penalty. Members discussed clarifying when the misdemeanor versus civil penalty would apply and which categories of public employees were covered. After caucus, the Senate agreed to the House’s replace-all approach with the clarifying changes, and the bill was closed. The committee also resolved House Bill 1062 by agreeing to strike a sunset clause from the Senate version authorizing random audits of citizenship qualifications, and it began discussion of House Bill 1187 on the filing window for special-election candidates, where the House proposed requiring local election officials to arrange a filing time on the same day or next business day after being contacted.

Transcript Highlights:

• the MDL project that allows California residents to obtain a digital mobile driver's license or identification

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need earlier identification, school-based health services, family-centered treatment, and community-based

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• think that there's a story to be told there, but I can assure you in 1972 the methodology and the identification

Summary: The commission held an open discussion on how to develop recommendations for its report due at the end of September, with chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger emphasizing that the group is moving from information-gathering into idea-sharing. Members discussed the need for more testimony from stakeholders such as reentry centers, correctional officers, unions, and the judiciary, and several participants urged the commission to use prior reports and existing data as a starting point. There was broad agreement that the work should focus on outcomes, transparency, and identifying gaps across the correctional and community supervision systems. A major theme was whether Massachusetts should move toward a more integrated, step-down model that better connects DOC, county sheriffs, probation, parole, reentry centers, and community-based services. Participants raised the possibility of expanding use of minimum security, pre-release, day reporting, and community justice support centers, and some suggested exploring whether sheriffs should have jurisdiction over people with longer remaining sentences, or whether judges should have more discretion to place people in county facilities. Others stressed the importance of involving the judiciary earlier, improving sentencing information, and aligning programming across agencies so reentry planning begins at sentencing and continues through release. The discussion also focused on facility conditions, women’s housing, Bridgewater, Framingham, restrictive housing, and the relationship between correctional settings and mental health needs. Several members called for more consistent standards, better data on spending and program effectiveness, and stronger accountability for evidence-based practices. The group also raised concerns about contraband K2, the need for cultural change inside institutions, and the importance of trust, staff training, and soft handoffs to the community. No votes were taken; the meeting was primarily a working discussion, and the chairs said they would circulate a written set of recommendations and continue the conversation at future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• competitive grants to school districts, which is subject to appropriation, to facilitate the identification

Summary: The committee took up executive action on the capital budget, Proposed Substitute Senate Bill 6003, and several policy bills. Staff described amendments to the capital budget that shifted funding among behavioral health, local/community projects, irrigation projects, and juvenile rehabilitation capacity, plus a technical fix to the water pollution control revolving program. The committee adopted Senator Dozier’s budget-neutral amendment and a technical amendment, then advanced the amended capital budget to the Rules Committee. It also moved House Bills 2441, 2124, 2471, 2133, 2610, and 2338 forward with due-pass recommendations, and advanced Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 on Climate Commitment Act accounts to the Transportation Committee after adopting two amendments and withdrawing three others. A major public hearing focused on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which would terminate and restate LEOFF Plan 1 in 2029, transfer surplus assets, and direct portions to the Climate Commitment Account and the pension funding stabilization account. Staff said the plan is currently about 160% funded and explained the bill’s IRS-review process, statute of limitations, and estimated implementation costs. Testimony was sharply divided: some retirees, firefighters, counties, and cities opposed the bill as an improper use of pension assets and urged benefit enhancements or protection of local medical obligations, while others supported using the surplus for broader public purposes. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard House Bill 2179 on PERS coverage for certain port workers, with ports and the Washington Public Ports Association supporting clarification for railroad employees covered by the federal railroad retirement system. House Bill 1069, allowing Department of Corrections employees to bargain over supplemental retirement benefits, drew support from Teamsters and corrections workers, while House Bill 2091, expanding employee-information sharing with bargaining representatives, drew union support and privacy objections from Washington Policy Center. Finally, Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1210 on targeted urban area tax preferences drew support from labor, local governments, and project proponents, and opposition from contractor groups and environmental advocates over project labor agreement requirements and nuclear-related concerns; Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 on community preservation and development authorities and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974 on land bank authorities for affordable housing were also heard, with both receiving supportive testimony from community and housing advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it has to be a different, separate entity identification.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee was called to order, a quorum was established, and the minutes from the prior meeting were approved. The first major presentation came from Montana Public Employees Retirement System executive director William Hollahan, who gave an overview of Montana’s Volunteer Firefighters’ Compensation Act plan. He explained that the plan covers volunteer firefighters in unincorporated areas, is funded by 5% of state fire insurance premium taxes, and currently serves 228 departments with about 2,936 active members and 1,242 retirees. He described eligibility rules, annual training and reporting requirements, benefit levels for partial and full pensions, disability, death, medical, and funeral benefits, and said the plan is actuarially sound with roughly $60 million in assets and a funded ratio slightly above 100%. Committee members asked about prior-service credit, whether EMS personnel are included, the effect on recruitment and retention, and whether expanding coverage would require a funding analysis; Hollahan said prior service is not credited, EMS is not currently included, and any expansion would need financial review. Tim Walleen of Workforce Safety and Insurance then presented a draft North Dakota workers’ compensation solution for volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS personnel. He explained that volunteer responders are already covered by workers’ comp for medical and wage-loss benefits, but the proposal would set a minimum annual wage of $30,000 for calculating wage-loss benefits for qualifying volunteers, with the benefit paid at two-thirds of that amount. Representative Porter suggested tying the volunteer definition to existing code rather than a fixed dollar amount, and Walleen agreed. Questions focused on whether search and rescue or other volunteer emergency services could be included, whether departments would face new paperwork, and whether volunteer organizations can already elect coverage; Walleen said there would be no additional paperwork and that volunteer coverage is already available. The committee also heard from volunteer fire service representatives and the state fire marshal. An Oakes-area firefighter, Mr. Olson, testified that small departments are struggling with retention, communication, and administrative burdens, especially around separate bookkeeping and funding rules for donated or fundraising money, and he said departments need clearer guidance from the state. State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark introduced himself and outlined a broader effort to improve education, support, and coordination for fire departments, including a planned 10% audit of certificates of existence beginning in 2027, more outreach through his office, and better assistance with training, reporting, and grant access. He said his office is authorized under current law to provide these services, but the role has been vague and underused. Finally, Arnagard Rural Fire District Chief Rick Schreiber testified in favor of new recruitment and retention ideas, including retirement-style benefits, health insurance, tax incentives, scholarships, grants, and more remote or regional training. He said volunteer departments are losing members, that local tax and donation funds are already stretched, and that any new retirement or incentive program should be sustainable and likely involve a mix of state and local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• and in our neighborhoods across Southern California and the Central Coast, typically without identification

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What I can say is an investment at this age and early identification and detection reduces the cost later

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What I can say is an investment at this age and early identification and detection reduces the cost later

Summary: The committee first heard the Office of the Governor’s FY 2027 budget request from Adam Gresham. He explained the office’s staffing and noted a $500,000 core reduction, along with a reallocation of three positions and about $168,000 from the governor’s office to the mansion operating fund to better reflect where those employees work. Members asked about the National Guard emergency line, which Gresham said had already spent about $63,457 in FY 2026 and could be used again for disaster activations, though he did not expect to use the full $4 million. He also said the agricultural resiliency transfer fund had not been used and had no current transfer plans. Several members commented on the size of the governor’s cut and whether the judiciary and other offices were also being asked to reduce budgets. No votes were taken. The committee then moved to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood and early childhood-related budget items. DESE staff described funding for the Office of Childhood, MoQPK child care provider grants, LEA pre-K grants, early childhood special education, Parents as Teachers, First Steps, preschool coordination, after-school programs, and child care subsidy. Members asked extensively about the MoQPK grants, including why Head Start providers were eligible, how curriculum approval works, and what safeguards exist against fraud or improper payments. DESE said it conducts physical inspections, desk reviews, payment-system checks, and investigations as needed, and that it had not had findings in this area. Some members questioned whether DESE or DSS was the right home for early childhood programs, while others defended the partnership and the role of early educators in identifying child needs. A major portion of the discussion focused on early childhood special education and the child care subsidy program. DESE explained that First Steps serves children birth to age three, while early childhood special education covers ages three to five and is driven by IEP eligibility; members asked for more data on diagnoses, trends, and how many children come off IEPs. The committee also discussed the child care subsidy budget and the governor’s proposed shift to paying providers based on authorization and at the beginning of the month. DESE said the change is being piloted, that a wait list is expected to begin around March 1, and that a May rollout is being considered, but only if software testing and fiscal projections show the system is sustainable. Members expressed frustration that promised changes had been delayed and that providers had been told different timelines, while DESE said the delay was driven by software issues, fiscal caution, and the need to avoid repeating prior payment problems. The hearing ended with the committee in recess before later resuming discussion of the subsidy program; no final votes or actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• providers who have met minimum program assessment composite scores, have completed training in early identification

Bills: HB 1500, HJR 7, HJR 112, HB 34, HB 133, HB 112, HB 119, HB 128, HB 130, HB 132, HB 2756, HB 166, HB 406, HB 186, HB 271, HB 331, HB 380, HB 1583, HB 1584, HB 1819, HB 621, HB 303, HB 552, HB 366, HB 463, HB 1211, HB 1327, HB 1461, HB 923, HB 1760, HB 2043, HB 2467, HB 5333, HB 5265, HB 1592, HB 1576, HB 1552, HB 2018, HB 3511, HB 1781, HB 2013, HB 2340, HB 2349, HB 2508, HB 2970, HB 2520, HB 865, HB 2851, HB 3385, HB 3336, HB 3529, HB 3309, HB 1127, HB 1232, HB 1397, HB 4236, HB 1804, HB 1926, HB 4041, HB 1965, HB 1964, HB 2679, HB 2730, HB 3698, HB 3699, HCR 77, HB 3354, HB 163, HB 201, HB 272, HB 333, HB 405, HB 519, HB 569, HB 654, HB 694, HB 791, HB 1006, HB 1136, HB 1240, HB 1266, HB 1275, HB 1437, HB 1532, HB 1675, HB 1842, HB 1868, HB 1888, HB 1894, HB 1943, HB 1990, HB 2029, HB 2061, HB 2286, HB 2523, HB 2622, HB 2626, HB 2652, HB 2692, HB 2842, HB 2885, HB 2914, HB 3016, HB 3096, HB 3129, HB 3248, HB 3251, HB 3255, HB 3479, HB 3611, HB 3623, HB 3701, HB 3724, HB 3803, HB 3804, HB 3805, HB 3806, HB 3810, HB 3816, HB 3832, HB 3887, HB 4127, HB 4129, HB 4130, HB 4131, HB 4163, HB 4187, HB 4229, HB 4238, HB 4454, HB 4588, HB 4643, HB 4736, HB 4738, HB 4739, HB 4945, HB 5015, HB 5616, SB 767, SB 1619, SB 1738, HJR 5, HJR 2, HB 1399, HB 388, HB 114, HB 205, HB 2789, HB 2791, HB 499, HB 2960, HB 3163, HB 3135, HB 2427, HB 1672, HB 1722, HB 2618, HB 879, HB 1126, HB 4134, HB 3513, HB 1445, HB 1893, HB 1734, HB 3229, HB 3306, HB 1276, HB 3516, HB 4145, HB 1585, HB 4810, HB 2558, HB 2742, HB 1695, HB 33, HB 144, HB 109, HB 103, HB 148, HB 3809, HB 2217, HB 220, HB 2421, HB 2363, HB 421, HB 2455, HB 3711, HB 2559, HB 2775, HB 3126, HB 3666, HB 3595, HB 3260, HB 3376, HB 3826, HB 3770, HB 1831, HB 2614, HB 3113, HB 322, HB 431, HB 869, HB 1203, HB 1244, HB 1875, HB 1950, HB 2152, HB 2341, HB 2809, HB 2856, HB 3012, SB 1415, SB 1058, SB 487, SB 1499, SB 513, SB 1697, SB 1197, SB 1437, SB 1809, SB 836, SB 1879, SB 1145, SB 963, SB 1038, SB 1147, SB 914, SB 711, SB 1409, HB 3707, HB 589, HB 1360, HB 2337, HB 2391, HB 718, HB 23, HB 2436, HB 1500, HJR 7, HJR 112, HB 34, HB 133, HB 112, HB 119, HB 128, HB 130, HB 132, HB 2756, HB 166, HB 406, HB 186, HB 271, HB 331, HB 380, HB 1583, HB 1584, HB 1819, HB 621, HB 303, HB 552, HB 366, HB 463, HB 1211, HB 1327, HB 1461, HB 923, HB 1760, HB 2043, HB 2467, HB 5333, HB 5265, HB 1592, HB 1576, HB 1552, HB 2018, HB 3511, HB 1781, HB 2013, HB 2340, HB 2349, HB 2508, HB 2970, HB 2520, HB 865, HB 2851, HB 3385, HB 3336, HB 3529, HB 3309, HB 1127, HB 1232, HB 1397, HB 4236, HB 1804, HB 1926, HB 4041, HB 1965, HB 1964, HB 2679, HB 2730, HB 3698, HB 3699, HB 3354, HB 163, HB 201, HB 272, HB 333, HB 405, HB 519, HB 569, HB 654, HB 694, HB 791, HB 1006, HB 1136, HB 1240, HB 1266, HB 1275, HB 1437, HB 1532, HB 1675, HB 1842, HB 1868, HB 1888, HB 1894, HB 1943, HB 1990, HB 2029, HB 2061, HB 2286, HB 2523, HB 2622, HB 2626, HB 2652, HB 2692, HB 2842, HB 2885, HB 2914, HB 3016, HB 3096, HB 3129, HB 3248, HB 3251, HB 3255, HB 3479, HB 3611, HB 3623, HB 3701, HB 3724, HB 3803, HB 3804, HB 3805, HB 3806, HB 3810, HB 3816, HB 3832, HB 3887, HB 4127, HB 4129, HB 4130, HB 4131, HB 4163, HB 4187, HB 4229, HB 4238, HB 4454, HB 4588, HB 4643, HB 4736, HB 4738, HB 4739, HB 4945, HB 5015, HB 5616, SB 767, SB 1619, SB 1738, HCR 77

Keywords: Information Resources, Department governance, cybersecurity, state assistance, procurement training, technology resources, advisory committees, water fund, Texas water supply, constitutional amendment, state revenue, infrastructure, parental rights, child upbringing, government interference, Texas legislation, science park district, economic development, technology innovation, higher education collaboration

Transcript Highlights:

• Bank of America is responsible for what we call KYC, the New York. customer and the identification because

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all