Video & Transcript Research : 'legislative transparency'

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Edfin Committee Meeting - 2025-04-01

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • By addressing the challenges faced by districts with high seasonal property ownership, this legislation
  • I’ve upped my game and become a board member over there, and I think from my job as a legislator here
  • The district that I lead is represented by both DFL and Republican legislators, and I've worked well
  • This lives up to the spirit of the historic legislation the governor and DFL majority passed in 2023,
  • I don't think that kids are going hungry today in schools because of the legislation that we passed in
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Health Mar 24th, 2025

Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • And so we support legislation that would promote a culture of life in Texas, and we believe House Bill
  • You know, I think that for us as legislators, we always look at the fiscal note.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Business and Commerce May 20th, 2025

Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • But again, this is all a process we work together to perfect the piece of legislation.
  • But again, this is all a process we work together to perfect the piece of legislation.
  • It's not a separate agency under this legislation. I understand.
  • I'm in support of this legislation for three reasons. First...
  • It's really the big focus of this piece of legislation. Let me take you through that.
Summary: The committee took up several pending business items and reported a series of House bills out of committee, including HB 2467, HB 2468, HB 2518, HB 4310, HB 4386, HB 4490, HB 5323, and HB 149. Most of these were advanced on committee substitute motions and sent to the local and uncontested calendar or reported favorably to the full Senate. HB 2467 drew one nay vote, while the others were approved without opposition. HB 4310 and HB 4386 were described as committee-substitute versions with changes narrowing disclosure requirements and preserving attorney-client privilege in certain circumstances. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 149, an AI governance bill. The substitute was explained as addressing biometric identifier capture and storage, exempting certain AI uses for security and fraud prevention, clarifying definitions, restricting AI systems that simulate explicit child sexual content, adjusting Attorney General investigative authority, refining sandbox program waivers, reducing Texas AI Council powers and membership, and adding DIR coordination provisions. The committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably. The committee then heard extensive testimony on HB 1500, the DIR sunset bill. The author said the bill would continue DIR for 12 years, restructure its board, update advisory committees, require regular cybersecurity assessments and penetration testing for state agencies, improve IT procurement training, and transfer the e-grants program to the Comptroller. A Texas 2036 witness supported the bill as a way to strengthen governance, procurement, and cybersecurity. Members asked detailed questions about the bill’s structure and then left HB 1500 pending. The committee also heard a lengthy presentation on HB 150, which would create the Texas Cyber Command as a component of the University of Texas System, administratively attached to UTSA and located in San Antonio. The author argued the command would centralize cyber threat intelligence, incident response, and digital forensics, and would be able to support state and local entities, with optional services for local governments. Members raised concerns about university mission drift, governance, security, chain of command, procurement authority, gifts and donations, and civil liberties implications of proactive cyber monitoring. Witnesses from UTSA/NSCC and SecurityScorecard testified in support, emphasizing the security of the downtown San Antonio facility, the existing cyber ecosystem there, and the need for a dedicated cyber capability. The bill remained under discussion with no final committee action announced in the excerpt.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Business and Commerce Apr 24th, 2025

Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • We believe there may be a way to accomplish this at the dealer. without legislation and the agency is
  • We are appreciative of Senator Hall filing this legislation and and we thank you, Chairman Schwartner
  • on legislative draft.
  • James Madison warned us that the accumulation of all powers legislative, executive, and judiciary in
  • My office is committed to working with those groups to find opportunities to improve this legislation
Summary: The meeting of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee was marked by discussions on several significant bills, with a keen emphasis on legislative updates and committee substitutes. Notably, Senator Blanco presented a new committee substitute for SB2610, which modifies the employee cap from 100 to 250 and extends the update timeline for cyber security programs for small businesses. This substitute was adopted unanimously, reflecting a collaborative agreement among the committee members. Additionally, there were discussions surrounding SB1856 as Senator Crayton provided insights into how stakeholder feedback influenced the bill's committee substitute. The committee ultimately voted in favor, pushing it towards the local and contested calendar, indicating the bill's progression through legislative channels.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Intergovernmental Affairs Mar 18th, 2025

Intergovernmental Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • What happened after the legislation was passed in.
  • What demographics does this legislation target?
  • We believe this is the intent of this legislation.
  • I'm the legislative officer.
  • And so, part of the goal of the legislation...
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Insurance May 13th, 2026

Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm sorry for rearranging my legislation. All right. The board is clear.
  • It's given transparency. PBM pricing is notoriously opaque and non-transparent.
  • As far as transparency, you talked quite a bit about PBMs.
  • They need a system that is transparent, accountable, and patient-focused.
  • It is pro-transparency. It is pro-accountability. And it is also pro-fair competition.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

CPN-JDC, CPN, CPN, CPN Public Hearings 03-04-2026

Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:
  • We should just legislatively keep this issue going. Members, any comments or questions?
  • 00:10:12.160> we<00:10:12.280> should<00:10:12.480> just<00:10:12.680> legislatively
  • <00:10:13.920> keep order, we should just legislatively keep order, we should just legislatively
  • And also, thank you very much to Senator Ihara's office for their work on drafting this legislation and
Bills: SB2386, SB2804, SB2852
Summary: The committees met in decision-making sessions on several bills and generally advanced them without opposition. Early actions included SB 2386, which clarifies job-posting pay disclosure requirements and lowers the small-employer exemption threshold, and SB 2804, both recommended to pass unamended. SB 2852, addressing accessibility of information and communications technology for people with disabilities in public accommodations, was also recommended to pass unamended. SB 2975 on marine life conservation districts was advanced unamended despite a noted defective effective date. The CPN committee then acted on SB 3019, a consumer protection bill, recommending passage with amendments to require refunds of certain fees upon cancellation and to defect the effective date to July 1, 2050. SB 3231 on agricultural districts, SB 2378 on housing, and SB 3062 on liquor were all recommended to pass with amendments and a defective effective date set to July 1, 2050. SB 3255, concerning cash payments and rounding guidance, was reconsidered after discussion with small business stakeholders and was also advanced with amendments. In the later regular CPN agenda, SB 2607 on landscape architect licensure drew support from the board and professional groups and was recommended to pass with board-requested amendments and a July 1, 2050 effective date. SB 2623 SD1 on pharmacy technician registration was recommended to pass with clarifying amendments from the Board of Pharmacy. SB 2396, which would create a registry for agents managing property for absentee owners and require on-island contact information for certain condo owners, received mixed testimony: supporters emphasized accountability and enforcement, while opponents from community associations raised implementation concerns and asked for further work. The committee ultimately recommended SB 2396 with amendments from the Hawaii Council of Community Associations and a July 1, 2050 effective date.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Transparency becomes essential.
  • The Texas Public Policy Foundation supports this legislation because it enhances market transparency
  • This bill is simply a legislative effort to enhance the current framework. legislative draft.
  • Get to a transparent part.
  • . over this legislation.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Exempted, by the way, while we are exempted from this legislation.
  • What we are trying to do is provide some transparency.
  • These bills would increase swipe fee competition and transparency.
  • to have concerns over this legislation.
  • Those with $10 billion or more are what they legislate and regulate.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Business and Commerce (Part I) Apr 3rd, 2025

Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • Open and transparent government is one of the highest values we hold as Texans, reflected in Chapter
  • Open and transparent government is one of the highest values we hold as Texans, reflected in Chapter
  • Open and transparent government is one of the Let's get your mind going. Thank you, Mr.
  • He’s mad, and every day he’s filing hundreds—hundreds—and I think we passed some legislation about a
  • Are there time frames placed in your legislation for finding the potential heirs by the ad litem?
Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and first took up several pending and uncontested bills. It favorably reported SB 1405, SB 1762, SB 1977, SB 2077, SB 2148, and SB 1968, and also moved SB 2321 to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then heard SB 819, which would change how the Public Utility Commission reviews proposed utility-scale solar and related interconnection projects. The committee substitute would shift the default so interconnection is allowed unless the PUC affirmatively prohibits it within 180 days, limit denial to cases where harm substantially outweighs benefits, remove public meeting requirements, retain setback and financial assurance provisions, add optional application materials such as national security and environmental information, and restore local control over county tax abatements. The substitute was adopted and SB 819 was favorably reported to the full Senate on a 7-3 vote. The committee then took up SB 231, focused on CenterPoint’s use of large emergency generators after Hurricane Beryl. Senator King explained that the original bill was intended to prevent customers from being charged for non-mobile generators that were leased at great cost and did not match the bill’s emergency-response purpose. CenterPoint’s Jason Ryan apologized for the company’s communication failures and said the company would make customers whole through a combination of rate reductions, foregone storm-cost recovery, and a donation of the 15 large generators to ERCOT for about two years to address a San Antonio-area reliability issue, with the company absorbing the associated costs. PUC Executive Director Connie Corona said the commission could enforce the agreement through its contested-case process. Public testimony included consumer and reliability advocates, one of whom argued utility-scale microgrids should be preserved as a policy option. SB 231 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 986, which would create an alternative process for routine Public Information Act requests so local governments can make initial redactions without sending every routine exception to the Attorney General, while preserving an appeal path and training requirements. Supporters said it would reduce backlog and speed access to records; opponents argued it would shift the burden to requesters and encourage delay. The AG’s office testified that the process could improve efficiency and still fit within current timelines if used promptly. SB 986 was left pending. Finally, SB 584 was briefly laid out to require consumer reporting agencies that buy data from others to ensure the information complies with Texas law on excluded items such as bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens, and SB 600 was heard on heir property. SB 600’s substitute would strengthen notice, require an attorney ad litem, add an heir’s bill of rights, allow settlement conferences, and require fair-market-value sales protections; supporters said it would curb predatory partition practices, while opponents warned some provisions could burden or diminish minority heirs’ property rights. SB 584 and SB 600 were left pending after testimony.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee 4/15/26

Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • ,<00:38:21.000> judicial, titled uh 2026 legislative, judicial, titled uh 2026 legislative
  • drones outside legislators' homes. drones outside legislators' homes.
  • that you're seeing as legislators. that you're seeing as legislators.
  • with legislators last summer. with legislators last summer.
  • legislative protection. legislative protection.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

House - Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources Feb 3rd, 2026 at 09:03 am

House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Its sources of funds are tax check-off donations and legislative appropriations.
  • The problem is legislative authorization; we have to sit and wait.
  • So, what this bill does is it gives us a pause on legislative authorization.
  • And I know this legislative body supports rural development.
  • It matters when you guys step forward and support this kind of legislation.
Bills: HM26, HB243, HB109
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Joint Appropriations Jan 21st, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • That includes what was done this last legislative session.
  • legislation, legislators to be able to adjust to the many needs of the state.
  • The Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Supreme Court, and the university system are not included
  • across the state being less transparent.
  • And then the only way I can see to be more transparent, or at least keep the transparency that we currently
Bills: HB1623
Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Joint Appropriations Jan 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • legislative input into the After that meeting, legislative leadership met with Governor Armstrong on
  • Legislative Management for introduction into the special session.
  • Section 6 is a legislative management report.
  • to any legislative committee on the status of the programs.
  • We want results, we want outcomes, we want transparency.
Bills: HB1623
Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1623, the appropriations bill tied to North Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which is funded through a new federal rural health care grant. Senator Bekkedahl explained the bill’s background, the interim committee process that developed it, and the federal conditions attached to the award, including spending deadlines, administrative cost limits, and restrictions on uses such as new construction, supplanting existing funding, and certain other costs. Legislative staff then walked through the seven sections of the bill, including appropriation authority, transfer authority, contingent appropriations for pass-through grants, procurement and public improvement exemptions, recipient reporting, legislative reporting, and immediate effective date. Commissioner Traynor and HHS staff described how the department plans to implement the program, emphasizing that the funding is intended to improve rural access, workforce recruitment and retention, technology and data connectivity, and community health initiatives. They said the department will rely on local applications, technical assistance, templates, listening sessions, and partnerships with providers, schools, public health units, tribal entities, and other community groups. Members asked about reimbursement timing, upfront costs, administrative expenses, sustainability after the five-year grant period, and whether CTE centers, public health units, gyms, grocery stores, and other community partners could participate; the department said yes, within program rules and with a focus on measurable outcomes and sustainability. Several supporters testified in favor. Mental Health America of North Dakota and the Mental Health Advocacy Network supported the bill and urged investment in community-based mental health, crisis response, children’s services, peer support, and mobile crisis teams. HIA Health described the grant as a chance to expand home-based and hospice care, noting that rural providers already have workable models but need funding to scale them. A cybersecurity representative also supported the bill, warning that the large amount of health data and AI-related tools will require strong data protection and professional support. The hearing was closed with no opposition testimony, and the committee announced it would return later in the day for further work on the bill and other measures.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Education Finance Committee 4/1/25

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • I understand that previous generations of legislators decided that seasonal and recreational properties
  • this legislation ensures that all<00:08:32.440> students<00:08:32.919> have<00:08:33.240
  • here I have also job as a legislator here I have also co-authored<00:20:21.720> several<00:20
  • The district that I lead is represented by both DFL and Republican legislators, and I've worked well
  • This lives up to the spirit of the historic legislation the governor and DFL majority passed in 2023,