Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to thank Senator McEwen for support of this legislation, Senator Chapman for his support, and
• The council developed policy recommendations within that strategy for both legislative consideration
• I represent the 19th legislative district, and thank you for hearing this bill.
• I'm Jeff Wilson, representing the 19th legislative district.
• Under this legislation, that maximum term would be increased to 75 years, so Sound Transit could issue

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held public hearings on several bills. Substitute Senate Bill 5690 would require WSDOT to give utility owners advance notice of fish barrier removal and other projects, seek federal funding for those projects when available, and report back to the Legislature; supporters said it would help small utilities plan for costly relocations, while WSDOT said the bill would not achieve its intended effect and that federal reimbursement for these costs is limited. The committee also heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5746, which would create or continue an advisory process on EV charger infrastructure property crime; the sponsor and supporters said it would help address vandalism and theft affecting charging access, and testimony was overwhelmingly in favor. Senate Bill 5750 would authorize state facilities to charge fees for privately owned EVs using state charging stations and deposit the revenue into the motor vehicle fund; the sponsor said this would make charging costs fairer and recover expenses, with broad support and some questions about whether the policy could be implemented administratively without legislation. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6148, which would increase the maximum term for regional transit authority bonds from 40 years to 75 years, affecting Sound Transit. Sound Transit and transit advocates argued the longer term would better match debt to long-lived assets, help accelerate construction, and reduce near-term financial pressure without raising taxes, while opponents warned it would increase long-term costs and shift repayment burdens to future generations. Committee members asked about interest costs, asset values, and examples of eligible long-lived projects such as tunnels and bridges. No votes were taken during the hearing, and each bill closed with testimony counts recorded on the record.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to bless this proceeding and this legislative session with a song, and I'll leave you with
• The impact of this legislation on Washington is ugly. Nearly 300,000...
• Legislation has been introduced to do just that, and we should act on it.
• Tuesday, January 13th, the second legislative day. The House is now adjourned until 11:55 a.m.
• Tuesday, January 13th, the second legislative day.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The House convened for the opening day of the 2026 regular session of the 69th Legislature with roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, a prayer, and a tribal welcome from Squaxin Island Tribe member Chris Peters and other tribal leaders. Justice Mary Yu administered the oath of office to Representatives Hall, Obras, Thomas, Salahuddin, and Zahn. The Speaker also recognized the service of Justice Yu, the late Senator Bill Ramos, the late Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, and Trooper Tara Marissa Gooding. The Speaker and Republican leader Stokesbary delivered opening remarks focused on the session’s priorities and challenges, including affordability, taxes, housing, public safety, and the impact of federal policy on Washington. The House adopted several organizational resolutions and motions. House Resolution 4665, notifying the Governor that the House was organized and ready to do business, passed. House Concurrent Resolution 4406, setting the Governor’s address to the Legislature, and House Concurrent Resolution 4407, returning bills and resolutions to the normal process for consideration, both passed. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8407, establishing cutoff dates for the 2026 session, also passed. The House suspended rules to move various measures, referred introduced bills to committees, and approved House Resolution 4667 adopting the permanent House rules. The Speaker announced committee assignment changes, including new appointments for Representatives Engel, Hall, Parshley, and Zahn, and reminded members of pink slip deadlines. A House delegation then reported back from the Governor’s office, saying he welcomed the Legislature and was ready for the session. The House adjourned until the next day, with a pro forma session and the Governor’s State of the State address scheduled for the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislative approval is required before the Comptroller may transfer money from the reserve.
• To the Legislative Budget Board, I was just curious as to why.
• Are there any safeguards you would recommend for this legislation?
• That's a component of this legislation. Originally, I think it was several years...
• Well, we'll see what the parameters are. are in the legislation.

Bills: SB 21, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB372, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB764, SB842

Keywords: emergency alerts, weather alerts, public safety, local government, municipality, county, website posting, online notice, emergency management, disaster preparedness, evacuation, National Weather Service, NOAA, Texas Division of Emergency Management, TDEM, localized alerts, hazard warnings, severe weather, watch warning advisory, public information

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislation reforming the property tax system and providing relief for Texas property taxpayers.
• , legislation providing for a universal education savings account program, legislation to provide salary
• career and technical education for Texas students, legislation creating the Texas Cyber Command.
• Priority legislation like finally ending property taxes risks failing.
• The county was carved out of Cook County by a legislative act and named in honor of Henry A.

Transcript Highlights:

• the commission to proceed forward with the hiring of Katie Comstock as the new director of the Legislative
• And want to thank him and all the staff for the work they've done in preparation of the Southern Legislative
• And want to thank him and all the staff for the work they've done in preparation of the Southern Legislative
• this job and in setting what the bar looks like for staff in the building and sometimes for us as legislators
• , the way we need to us as legislators, the way we need to conduct<00:04:32.160><c> ourselves</c><00:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The commission met following an executive session on personnel matters and announced its intent to move forward with hiring Katie Comstock as the new director of the Legislative Research Commission. Members then approved, by roll call vote, a motion to adopt the October 1, 2025 minutes with specified exceptions, approve items under new business, accept and refer communications items 1 through 151 as indicated, and approve the report of the director selection committee. The motion carried with multiple aye/yes votes and no recorded opposition from those present. In other business, President Stivers thanked Speaker Pro Tem Meade and staff for their work preparing for the Southern Legislative Conference in Lexington, noting the event’s size and expected exposure for the area. Meade credited LRC staff, Jay Hartz, and partisan staff for the work, saying his role had mainly involved phone calls and meetings. Several members then offered extended remarks recognizing Jay Hartz for his leadership, professionalism, responsiveness, and long service to the commission and the building. Speakers said his work had set a standard for staff and legislators alike and wished him well in his next chapter. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Perfury needed to answer legislators' questions regarding his corrections work.
• Six, make such reports and recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Legislative
• Perfuri, as former Secretary of Corrections, should have been there to answer legislators' questions,
• There to answer legislators' questions, as I was told during that meeting.
• legislative branch that has the right and authority to do that.

Summary: The committee took up several budget and personnel items, first approving revised requests from the Auditor’s Office and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. The Auditor’s request lowered its salary-and-match increases to 10 percent, with operations and UCP amounts reduced to $245,490 and $109,711. The Lieutenant Governor’s revised request kept positions at line-item maximums and sought $99,876 in regular salary and match appropriations, or 17.43 percent. Both items were approved without objection. The main discussion centered on a member amendment from Senator Rice to Senate Bill 30 affecting the Governor’s Office. The amendment would eliminate one senior advisor position, reduce authorized positions from 59 to 58, and cut salaries and matching funds by a total of $264,895. Senator Rice argued the reduction was warranted because of concerns about former Corrections Secretary Joe Profury’s handling of corrections-related matters, including the Franklin County land purchase, transparency issues, and his refusal to appear before Joint Performance Review. Several members questioned the relevance of the testimony and noted the Governor could still hire him in another role if she chose. After discussion, a roll call vote was taken and the amendment failed. The committee then approved two routine items: OPM’s request to reinstate a labor market rate at the crime lab so it can offer up to $300,000 to recruit two medical examiners, and Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for 11 positions tied to the new veterinary medicine school. Both requests were approved, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our representative of Raymond from Legislative District 31, which is Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, and Lema
• Representative Raymond from Legislative District 31, which is Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, and Lemhi Counties
• First, it adds some legislative intent to establish legislative findings that parenting is a fundamental
• We don't really enter into the judicial and they don't really enter into the legislative, but we have
• And so there's good reason that's in there. and I would ...or calling legislators.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee approved the minutes from February 25 and February 27, then considered several RS introductions. RS 33619, a replacement related to stablecoins and the FAST Act, was introduced after staff corrected a mistaken statement of purpose. RS 33593, dealing with alleged secret social transitioning of children and giving the attorney general or private parties a civil remedy, was introduced after questions about whether it would affect nickname use; Representatives Rubel, Berch, and Church were recorded as nays. RS 33581, concerning county fair boards and allowing counties over 200,000 population to make them advisory only, was introduced. RS 33590, a rules resolution for the Department of Commerce and Division of Veterans Services, was introduced and recommended to the Second Reading Calendar. The committee also heard RS 3355-5, a major custody-law proposal from Representative Heather Scott. She said it would create a presumption of substantially equal parenting time, require evidentiary hearings before restrictions, limit temporary and ex parte orders, guarantee parental access to records, tighten standards for supervised visitation, and make court-ordered professionals advisory only. Members raised concerns about the role of judges, the use of hearsay, and a provision excluding safety plans from evidence; the motion to introduce passed. Later, Representative Ehlers presented RS 33598, which would remove a 50-cent fee from standard license plates tied to the Idaho Heritage Trust Fund and create an America 250 specialty plate; it was introduced. He also presented RS 33607, a DOGE task force-related proposal shifting regulatory duties from the Honey Commission to the State Department of Agriculture; it too was introduced. The committee adjourned after noting more RSs may be coming in a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call to order the Legislative Joint Audit Committee for Friday, February 13th.
• the audit and special reports scheduled to be presented to the standing committees and the full Legislative
• Of the 64 delinquent entities, 59 have filed their reports since the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee
• The motion covering the history of the Medicaid Subcommittee and Legislative Audit’s role related to
• This report was issued in response to a legislative request for Legislative Audit to conduct a review

Summary: The Legislative Joint Audit Committee met on February 13, 2026, and first adopted the January 9, 2026 minutes and then adopted reports from its executive and standing committees. The Executive Committee reported on scheduled audits, denied a special report request concerning the I-owned fire department, approved questions to the Arkansas Department of Health about Title V sexual risk avoidance education funds, authorized the Office of Property Risk to hire a CPA for its annual audit, and asked staff to gather information on circuit judge caseload assignments in Benton County. The Counties and Municipalities Committee reported progress on delinquent private water and sewer audits, including reinstatement of 19 entities after required reports were filed and 59 of 64 delinquent 2023 entities submitting reports. It also noted that Adona was now in substantial compliance with municipal accounting law, while officials from Denning and Gum Springs appeared regarding noncompliance. Of 109 current reports reviewed, 15 were referred to prosecutors and the Attorney General, two were certified to the Governmental Bonding Board, 94 were filed, and 15 were deferred. The Education Institutions Committee filed 31 audit reports, including one for Cedarville School District that was referred to the prosecuting attorney, Attorney General, and Governmental Bonding Board, and the State Agencies Committee filed 10 reports involving issues at DHS, Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Corrections, and Veterans Affairs. The committee also heard a Medicaid Subcommittee report that included presentations from DHS, the Office of Medicaid Inspector General, and the Attorney General’s Office on their Medicaid-related roles. In special reports, Legislative Audit presented a review of Cleburne County’s library expenses, finding more than $80,000 in unauthorized or questionable disbursements, including purchases lacking a documented business purpose, undocumented disbursements, and possible improper fuel expenses; the matter was referred to the 16th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney and the Attorney General. The committee also reviewed the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy at UALR, where auditors found scholarship awards to ineligible students, numerous disbursement-processing exceptions, and that the program had ceased in 2024 with remaining funds returned to the school districts. After discussion, the committee filed both special reports and adjourned, with the next meeting set for March 12-13, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Despite the dramatic testimony we heard today, what's the likelihood of any significant gun legislation
• >> Well, I think you probably have to ask the governor and the legislative leaders more than us.
• I think, you know, I can't speak for each individual member or legislator, but we are having conversations
• If legislators vote the way their districts as a whole would want them to vote, I think it is realistic
• </c> the governor and our legislative the governor and our legislative leadership<00:05:03.040><c> that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Dear God, we thank you for the opportunity to gather here today on this final day of our legislative
• Give us the courage to do what is right and pass legislation that truly benefits the people of this state
• </c><00:01:34.079><c> that</c> what is right and pass legislation that what is right and pass legislation
• Be it resolved by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration of the House of Representatives
• </c><00:12:02.160><c> administration</c> of rules and legislative administration of rules and legislative

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The House 94 session 2025, 28th Legislative Day, St. Paul, Minnesota, Wednesday, April 30th, 2025.
• Whereas in 1988, legislation setting aside the first Thursday in May in each year as National Day of
• Be it resolved by the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration of the House of Representatives
• ><c> setting</c> Whereas in 1988, legislation setting Whereas in 1988, legislation setting aside<00:08
• administration of the and legislative administration of the House<00:09:36.560><c> of</c><00:09:36.800

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Ten years ago, I sponsored and passed legislation that worked for a while. It was very successful.
• Under the proposed legislation, it would become an eight-member board with one appointed by the mayor
• Regarding local legislation, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
• There is clearly a local issue that should have been discussed and voted on by local legislators.
• Um, and so those are legislation. Um, and so those are some really, really concerns me.

Bills: SB330

Keywords: water management, regional boards, municipal governance, ethics compliance, public utility, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• clerk will read the Journal of the preceding day, Journal of the House, 94th Session, 2025, 6th Legislative
• Session 2025, 6th Legislative Day, St. Paul, Minnesota. Monday, February 24th, 2025.
• Report from the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.
• </c> and legislative and legislative Administration<00:09:04.079><c> Nisa</c><00:09:04.600><c> from</
• </c><00:09:06.480><c> Administration</c> on rules and legislative Administration on rules and legislative

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the employees of ZEP to be eligible for the retirement board, and that's why we need the special legislation
• Should this legislation be reported out of committee favorably, adopted by the General Court, and approved
• opinion that there are no options available to the department that are preferable or equal to this legislative
• Cusack, the Joint Committee on Public Service, the entirety of the General Court, and, should this legislation
• He just needs this legislation. The town needs this legislation because of his age.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I move that the reading of the journal at length for the first legislative day be dispensed
• 09:44.600><c> the</c><00:09:44.720><c> same</c><00:09:45.040><c> to</c><00:09:45.120><c> be</c> legislative
• day and finds the same to be legislative day and finds the same to be correct.<00:09:45.960><c> Signed
• </c><00:09:52.440><c> day</c><00:09:52.640><c> be</c> length for the first legislative day be length
• for the first legislative day be dispensed<00:09:53.360><c> with.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation would grant Koenig Distillery a specialty liquor license, able to sell liquor by the
• The language in the legislation states that very specifically.
• The legislation also clarifies that anyone under 21 may enter and remain on the licensed premises just
• legislators who toured the facility last year.
• We don't currently know of any opposition to this legislation.

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee met with a quorum, approved the January 28, 2026 minutes, and was informed that Governor Little had withdrawn the reappointment of Estella Zamora to the Idaho Commission on Human Rights, ending further committee action on that appointment. The committee then considered and approved a rules docket from the Idaho State Lottery (IDAPA 52.01.03), which the director said was largely a cleanup and simplification effort. He highlighted changes to improve transparency around parent-company ownership, clarify draw games, simplify bingo paper language, and remove outdated or redundant provisions; the rule package reduced the text substantially in word count, paragraphs, lines, and pages. The committee next heard RS 329-88-C-1 from Senator Brandon Shippey, which would grant Koenig Distillery a specialty liquor license allowing it to sell liquor by the drink from brands it owns. Shippey said the distillery is a small family business outside city limits, so it cannot obtain a quota-type city license and is at a competitive disadvantage compared with distilleries inside cities. He said the proposal was developed with input from ISP, Alcohol Beverage Control, and legislators who toured the facility, and noted similar allowances exist in neighboring states. The committee voted to send the RS to print. Senator Ben Adams then presented RS 331-34, a revised public lands proposal. He said the change adds language allowing the acquisition of new rights, describing it as a minor adjustment that addresses concerns without creating new objections. The committee voted to introduce the RS. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sounds like some great legislation.
• He's a former legislator and has become an expert on this.
• I like to say I'm a recovering legislator these days.
• But again, as a legislator, I'm moving bills.
• But again, as a legislator, I'm moving bills.

Bills: SB57, SB405, HB62, HB193, HB203, HB222, HB246, HB420, HB475, HB486, HB574, HB584, HB815, HB949, HB1092, HB1214

Keywords: SB 57, Act 735, Act 463, nutrition, public health, food additives, artificial colors, banned chemicals, ingredient labeling, food labeling, FDA, food and beverage regulation, consumer disclosure, school nutrition, Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 40, Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 17, food manufacturers, food retailers, compliance, effective date delay

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing no objection, we're on that third reading of legislation.
• I just want to stand in strong support of this legislation.
• As a legislator, there should be some solutions.
• As a legislator, there should be some solutions.
• Legislative Council Service will post the proposed committee substitute on the Legislative Council Service

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a bill that is part of our Firefighting to Freedom legislative bill package.
• Those are the legislative bills that you have just done. ...of minor children.
• This top-down approach with politicians With LA legislators and stakeholders.
• And finally, again, I guess this is how some legislation is made.
• I am going to stand right by this incredible group of legislators.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance recognizing 9/11. Members then moved through a long daily file and concurrence calendar, with many items passed without debate or temporarily retained. The chamber also took procedural actions, including re-referring AB 1152 to the Public Safety Committee, suspending rules for guest access and file-item handling, and later taking a roll-call vote to allow a late-filed journal letter request. Among the major Senate bills taken up on third reading, the Assembly approved SB 385 on peace officers’ rights, SB 753 on shopping cart recovery, SB 838 on housing and hotel projects, SB 643 on carbon dioxide removal grants, SB 645 on jury peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 761 on CalFresh access for students, SB 774 on real estate licensing sunsets, SB 400 on renewable energy labor tax incentives, SB 24 on utility spending transparency, SB 37 on attorney advertising ethics, SB 258 on spousal rape involving disabled spouses, SB 364 on outdoor advertising near new freeways, SB 403 removing the sunset from medical aid in dying, SB 770 on HOA barriers to EV charging, and SB 22 on gift certificate cash redemption values. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition; SB 403 and SB 770 drew more divided votes, while SB 24 was briefly delayed by a call before passing. The Assembly also concurred in numerous Senate amendments on Assembly bills covering a wide range of topics, including service of process (AB 747), local clean energy planning (AB 39), firearms (AB 1078), workers’ compensation (AB 1336), public health (AB 1487), survivor leave protections (AB 406), solid waste (AB 70), water reporting for data centers (AB 93), Diwali recognition (AB 268), wildfire workforce recovery (AB 338), educational equity (AB 419), civic education (AB 422), office-to-housing conversions (AB 507), cannabis tax relief (AB 564), privacy/browser opt-out rules (AB 566), housing element transparency (AB 610), tenant appliance requirements (AB 628), code enforcement penalties (AB 632), homelessness and LGBTQ-related policy (AB 678), energy (AB 740), DEIA review in state government (AB 766), inmate firefighter wages (AB 247), children’s health (AB 798), real estate (AB 851), COVID-era rehiring protections (AB 858), hazardous materials (AB 961), real property and housing covenants (AB 1050), aging (AB 1069), health care facilities (AB 1172), endangered species protections (AB 1319), CalWORKs modernization (AB 1324), cannabis access for seriously ill patients (AB 1332), foreign labor contractors (AB 1362), and downtown revitalization financing (AB 1445). Several of these passed overwhelmingly, while a few drew notable opposition, including AB 93, AB 403, AB 770, AB 851, AB 1050, and AB 1319. The transcript also included extended debate on SB 34, which was presented as a compromise measure on air pollution and port operations in the San Pedro Bay area. Supporters said it narrowed the scope to protect union jobs while preserving AQMD authority, while opponents and supporters alike noted the underlying distrust between labor and environmental stakeholders. The Assembly passed SB 34, SB 515 on disaggregated demographic data collection, and then began taking up AB 495 on immigration, with the sponsor describing family separation and immigration enforcement trauma before the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation represents hope.
• We're doing a legislative briefing.
• It does not legislate family relationships.
• Parents are not obstacles to be legislated around.
• Parents are not obstacles to be legislated around.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on several juvenile justice and parole-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on H. 2051/S. 1087 to end lifetime parole for juveniles and emerging adults, and H. 1923 to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds. Chairs Brandy Fluker-Reid and Lydia Edwards opened the hearing by noting the large number of bills and witnesses, the need to keep testimony moving, and special procedures for incarcerated witnesses and sensitive testimony. They also acknowledged the historic nature of the hearing being chaired by two Black women attorneys. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. Many incarcerated speakers and advocates supported ending lifetime parole, arguing that young people can change, that lifetime supervision creates constant fear of technical violations, and that it undermines rehabilitation, family stability, employment, and reintegration. Several testified about their own trauma, youth, and growth in prison programs, while others emphasized the costs of decades of supervision and the racial disparities in the system. Support also came from elected officials, UTEC, the Transformational Prison Project, United Way, CPCS’s Youth Advocacy Division, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, and others, who said juvenile systems are better suited to developmentally appropriate treatment and that the bills would improve public safety and reduce recidivism. There was also opposition, including testimony from family members of a murder victim who argued that lifetime parole should remain for serious violent crimes and that some offenders are not sufficiently rehabilitated. One virtual witness described a family tragedy involving the kidnapping and murder of her infant nephew and warned that ending lifetime parole could remove needed long-term supervision for dangerous offenders. In addition to the juvenile justice bills, the committee heard testimony on H. 1867, a bill related to continuing care for severe mental illness, and H. 2063, which would increase penalties for assaults on correction officers and other prison staff; the correction officers’ union supported H. 2063 and related safety bills. The hearing continued with many more witnesses and bill topics, but no final committee action was announced in the portion provided.