Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also alters permanent entity.
• <02:43:58.240><c> and</c> entities and entities and again<02:44:00.319><c> a</c><02:44:00.560><c> part
• </c> um entities? um entities?
• </c> for the entity. for the entity.
• </c> &gt;&gt; I I think we've covered this. &gt;&gt; I I think we've covered this.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation by Rabbi Ari Goldstein, whose remarks were journalized at the request of the senator from District 33. The chamber then recognized the doctor of the day, Dr. Maryann Lamont, for her 50 years in medicine and her work in neurology and stroke care, and also thanked a legislative aide, Samantha Briggs, who is leaving for law school. The presiding officer noted a quorum was present and moved into the day’s floor work. The Senate handled several messages and committee reports, including a conference committee appointment on Senate Bill 18, which concerns provisional social work licensure. In Finance, the chamber advanced Senate Bill 246 on Health Services Cost Review Commission member terms, Senate Bill 370 on acupuncture board revisions, Senate Bill 564 creating a Division of Data Protection in the Attorney General’s office and a related work group, Senate Bill 782 on telecommunications infrastructure protections, Senate Bill 808 on health insurance provider panel requirements, Senate Bill 849 on agricultural equipment warranties, Senate Bill 867 on the Maryland Aerospace and Technology Commission, and Senate Bill 982 on mutual insurance holding companies converting back to mutual insurers. Most of these bills were reported favorably with technical or conforming amendments, which were adopted without objection, and each was ordered printed for third reading. The committee also considered several House bills with Senate cross-files or identical measures. These included House Bill 118 on money transmitter licensing, House Bills 339 and 512 on Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners compensation, House Bill 1100 on telecommunications infrastructure protections, House Bill 1395 on agricultural equipment warranties, House Bill 1473 creating Maryland’s Future Board, House Bill 226 on Department of Disabilities housing programs, House Bill 278 codifying the Longevity Ready Maryland plan, and House Bill 746 on collaborative care model coverage and cost-sharing limits. In each case, the committee reports were adopted, amendments were approved where offered, and the bills were advanced to third reading or passed for third reading, with no recorded opposition on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• What you mean is taking money away from taxing entities like schools and fire departments?
• That's covered in the language, and you're not guilty of anything with that.
• But that's just one entity, one witness from one telecommunications company.
• Louis area that testified and the area that covered, you know, my area in AT&T.
• But again, there's other areas... ...and the area that covered my area in AT&T.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . if we are that entity that is that is if we are that entity that is that is producing<00:08:57.760>
• another entity. um and providing<00:10:47.600><c> funds</c><00:10:47.839><c> to</c><00:10:48.000><c>
• cover</c><00:10:48.160><c> these</c><00:10:48.399><c> legal</c> providing funds to cover these legal
• providing funds to cover these legal costs<00:10:49.200><c> will</c><00:10:49.519><c> hopefully</c><
• We have crop rotations, cover crops, alfalfa.

Bills: HF3474 , HF3475 , HF3508

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: agriculture, funding, research, agricultural institute, state appropriations, education, leadership council, compensation, research institute, dairy assistance, investment, relief initiative, farm support, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They said none of that is really covered in the brief piece of legislation before the committee.
• They're trying to cover somebody's overdue book fees or something to that effect.
• Is it just cash that is provided somehow to the school district without any sort of person or entity
• </c><01:31:02.800><c> within</c> do list all of those entities within do list all of those entities within
• </c> would hope that we would be covering would hope that we would be covering those<04:07:56.319><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened hearings on SB 69, including a germane amendment on school board votes to accept or reject gifts and donations, and a non-germane amendment creating a virtual early childhood readiness family engagement program for preschool children not yet in kindergarten. Prime sponsor Rep. Glenn Cordelli said the literacy program was modeled on earlier HB 671, would be funded through gifts and donations rather than state appropriations, and would include reporting requirements to the governor and legislature. Members questioned changes from the earlier bill, including the move away from center-based language, the lack of a dollar threshold for school board action on donations, anonymous gifts, and whether the amendment preserved enough evaluation data. Testimony on the donation provisions raised concerns about broad language, timing, and public-meeting requirements. Rep. Timothy Han and Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association both noted that school districts already have policies and asked how the bill would work for routine donations, anonymous gifts, and situations that might require non-public discussion under right-to-know law. Wilson cited examples such as field-trip scholarships, backpack drives, and sports uniforms, and said the association was not taking a position but wanted clearer guardrails. Rep. Han said school boards may need to discuss some gifts in non-public session and that the bill should better address those circumstances. On the early literacy amendment, Wilson and others questioned whether the program was sufficiently developed, whether it was appropriate to rely on a primarily online model for very young children, and how it would interact with special education services and IEPs. A representative from Waterford.org, Rob Riley, testified in support, saying the program would be supplementary, adaptive, and family-engagement based, and that Waterford could provide devices and internet access for families who need them. He said the program would work alongside school districts and IEP teams rather than replace existing services. No vote was taken during the hearing; the chair said the committee would later exec the bills and try to get reports in for the calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• If Sacramento handed this budget to a math teacher, it would come back covered in red ink with a failing
• The rejection of the medical asset test, the $300 million that goes into Covered California.
• And instead, now we'll expand that definition to cover the sale of digital...
• And instead, now we'll expand that definition to cover the sale of digital pre-written software.
• Colleagues, I also want to address something we just heard about the subsidies for Covered California

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I will cover the studies we've completed, one that has just started, and tools we've created to help
• I won't go through the full list of impacts covered within the programmatic EIS.
• That is the local entity. But it can make it harder to predict.
• Due to limited resources, the study did not fully separate all materials covered by current laws.
• . ...would increase costs to the stores, and those costs are not currently being covered.

Summary: The committee held a work session on state environmental policy act (SEPA) implementation and carryout bags. Ecology staff Diane Buterak described the Clean Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) completed for utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and green hydrogen, plus a new PEIS underway for sustainable aviation fuel. She explained that PEISs provide broad planning-level analysis to help developers and agencies avoid or mitigate impacts, but do not replace project-level review. Members asked about permitting timelines, greenhouse gas emissions from different hydrogen production methods, water use, agricultural land conversion, battery fire risk, and tribal consultation. Buterak said the PEISs identify potentially significant impacts and mitigation measures, including fire response planning, early tribal outreach, and agrovoltaics as an option for solar projects. EFSEC’s Amy Hofkimer then presented the transmission-facility programmatic EIS required by SB 5165 for 230 kV and higher transmission projects. She said the statewide review covers new lines and certain upgrades/modifications, analyzes impacts to water, cultural and tribal resources, habitat, and other areas, and uses general measures, design considerations, avoidance criteria, and sensitivity maps to guide siting and corridor planning. She said the final document would be issued in early October. Questions focused on reconductoring, tribal lands, scenic areas, and whether the review could affect existing lines crossing tribal lands. A Grant County planning director, Jim Anderson Cook, said Ecology’s PEIS would help with cumulative impacts for clustered solar projects, but noted tight local review timelines and the need for strong pre-application coordination, especially on cultural resource studies and decommissioning plans. Yakama Nation attorney Shona Leverett argued SEPA is only an assessment tool and said tribes face barriers from short comment periods, limited confidential tribal input, weak cumulative impact analysis, and challenges in the FSEC process; she urged better upfront developer diligence and more effective tribal coordination. Puget Sound Energy’s Sarah Leverett said the utility needs efficient and predictable permitting to meet clean energy mandates while maintaining reliable service and aging infrastructure. She described the scale of needed clean energy and transmission buildout, including a 10-year process for the Energize Eastside transmission rebuild, and said more consistent SEPA and PEIS processes could help. Members asked about future generation sources, reliability, and hydropower as a firming resource; she said PSE is pursuing an “all of the above” approach and would welcome more firm, dispatchable clean energy options. The committee then shifted to carryout bags. Staff Jacob Lipson and Tracy Taylor reviewed Washington’s bag law, its preemption of local ordinances, the current 8-cent charge, the scheduled increase to 12 cents, and the 2025 change delaying the 4-mil thickness requirement until 2028 while adding a temporary 4-cent penalty for thicker bags. Ecology’s Peter Lyon said the agency emphasizes education and complaint-based enforcement, has received 872 reports, and has not yet imposed any fines. Commerce’s Kirk Esmond summarized a WSU study finding fewer plastic bags distributed but more plastic by weight, and said Commerce and Ecology support keeping the 2.25-mil standard and not allowing thinner single-use bags again. Retail industry testimony from Brandon Housekeeper said grocers comply with the law but oppose the added 4-cent penalty and thicker-bag requirement, citing higher costs and confusion in the policy changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is important to note that the Texas Health and Safety Code 142A states that any entity that claims
• Liability insurance covers various needs.
• This change requires us to purchase a tail in order to cover our exposure.
• But it would almost be completely covered if you put the nursing facilities. Thank you.
• That's also covered. Okay. It's definitely covered.

Bills: SB397 , SB481 , SB596 , SB760 , SB855 , SB1195 , SB1196 , SB1233 , SB1257 , SB1318 , SB1368 , SB1388 , SB1398 , SB1524 , SB1558 , SB1589 , SB1677 , SB1792 , SB2034

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: SB 397, telemedicine, telehealth, teledentistry, remote care, virtual care, consent documentation, patient consent, data collection, data sharing, audio-only telehealth, in-person examination, irreversible medical procedure, health professional regulation, Occupations Code, Texas Health and Human Services, medical records, provider compliance, data privacy, consumer rights

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:27:43.280><c> from</c> making decisions without any cover from making decisions without any cover
• Um, that they wouldn't entity.
• </c> covered by uh would be covered by FIRK. covered by uh would be covered by FIRK.
• </c> or pays uh essentially the the entity or pays uh essentially the the entity seeking<05:44:45.840
• </c> on the entity seeking to interconnect. on the entity seeking to interconnect.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• entities. In the last uh five years, DHS entities.
• ><c> not</c><00:42:40.400><c> previously</c> entities who have not previously entities who have not previously
• </c><00:48:42.160><c> or</c> we do not give grants to entities or we do not give grants to entities or
• Looks like they'll get back to you. these entities regulated?
• Commissioner these entities regulated?

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Sonny just covered inputs, and now I'm going to talk about outputs, and he defined this really well,
• Can I get all my insurance covered? Can I just operate this year?
• But all of this, once again requires willingness on behalf of these entities to provide the appropriate
• So, right now, the amount of financial assurance required from most companies is not enough to cover
• All right, those are the terms, and then last slide I'll cover on slide 9.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:33:17.040><c> the</c> universal preschool would cover the universal preschool would cover the
• We're covering 12,000 people at the tune of 53 million.
• None of this is covered by funding.
• The loss of income covered by funding.
• That is a priority. quite covers, but at least we're going quite covers, but at least we're going in<

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other aspect that<00:15:59.959><c> it</c><00:16:00.079><c> covers</c><00:16:00.680><c> is</c><00:
• is there is a small that it covers is there is a small percentage<00:16:02.240><c> of</c><00:16:02.360
• &gt;&gt; The end product is that it covers the &gt;&gt; The end product is that it covers the $20<00:
• So, we got asked them to communicate and made it clear that broadcast equipment is not covered.
• </c><01:01:08.520><c> the</c> necessary surplus needed to cover the necessary surplus needed to cover

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We won't be able to cover to share that.
• Um, um that you would like us to cover.
• issues that we've covered here today.
• issues that we've covered here today.
• </c> housing issues that we've covered here housing issues that we've covered here today.<00:34:47.040

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:15 Roll Call 00:00:45 Discussion of Pro-Growth Housing Policies 00:02:33 Adjournment 01:17:15, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force 2.0 reconvened with several new members and heard a presentation from Kentucky Housing Corporation Executive Director Winston Miller and Deputy Executive Director Wendy Smith. They framed the task force’s work as a practical effort to address Kentucky’s housing shortage, update members on the current housing landscape, summarize existing state and federal resources, and suggest areas for the task force to focus on over the coming year. KHC said its 2024 housing supply gap analysis found Kentucky is short about 206,000 housing units, split roughly evenly between rental and homeownership, and projected the gap could grow to 287,000 units by 2029 if current trends continue. They emphasized that every county in Kentucky needs more housing, that the 2008 housing crisis and loss of construction capacity remain major causes of the shortage, and that current pressures include high interest rates, rising insurance and tax costs, construction cost inflation, and housing prices and rents growing faster than incomes. KHC also said homelessness has risen in Kentucky, with point-in-time counts showing double-digit increases in recent years. The presenters reviewed existing resources, including federal programs, the Kentucky Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the rural housing trust fund, KHC mortgage and down payment assistance programs, and the state mortgage interest deduction. They said these resources are important but insufficient to close the gap, and noted that a proposed federal FY2026 budget would cut HUD programs by 44%, potentially removing about $286 million from Kentucky housing resources, though no action has been taken yet. They urged the task force to consider stronger, more flexible tools such as a revolving loan fund, a state affordable housing tax credit, and economic development and employer-assisted housing incentives, and pointed to Indiana’s housing infrastructure and regional development funds as examples. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's at seven, but that's supposed to also cover the Good Life too.
• They're writing agreements with states and other entities.
• Which line item would New Horizons magazine be covered by?
• So is the $600,000 that's being appropriated from SIF in the House version, would that cover what's being
• need to figure out a way to make sure that they get funded and get moved to where they're going and cover

Bills: SB2018

Committee: House Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Keywords: funding, commerce, autonomous technology, workforce development, economic growth, grant programs, 908, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 2018, the Department of Commerce budget, and walked through the long sheet and a series of proposed changes. Members discussed restoring a vacant workforce FTE that Commerce said it could fill soon, monitoring federal funding delays but reporting no known cuts, and adjusting several one-time items including Operation Intern, the North Dakota Development Fund, the Global Talent Office, and tourism-related funding. The chair also proposed separating tourism marketing and Good Life funding again, rather than combining them, and members raised concerns about ensuring tourism dollars are used only for tourism purposes. A number of program amounts were reviewed or adjusted in discussion, including UAS grants, Vantus/Beyond Visual Line of Sight funding, Grand Sky, Grand Farm autonomous agriculture grants, base enhancement grants, Native American small business grants, regional workforce impact grants, technical skills training grants, and tribal college workforce grants. Commerce officials explained that some grant language would be changed to require competitive RFP processes, and they clarified that the housing opportunity and community property improvement items were handled in other bills or programs. The committee also discussed apprenticeship efforts across state agencies and Commerce’s role in workforce development. The committee reviewed carryover and exemption language for prior appropriations, including federal weatherization and energy funds, and Commerce said three one-time FTE tied to those federal programs should become ongoing because the federal dollars continue over several years. A motion to add $1.5 million for the North Dakota Safety Council failed for lack of a second. The committee then planned to return the next day to continue work on Commerce and take up the CTE budget, including a pending amendment related to CTE’s possible move from the 15th floor of the Capitol.

Transcript Highlights:

• private landowner wish to remove an ashtunipa tree from their land, for any reason no governmental entity
• false beliefs to justify clearing is. and causes more erosion, flooding, and fire risk. of Ashton per cover
• spread across degraded rangelands and hills to replenish soils and ground more effectively than a cover
• The hill country was covered. covered with mostly a forest, and it's called the Juniper Oak Woodland.

Bills: SB434 , SB844 , SB898 , SB1177 , SB1214 , SB1454 , SB1920 , SB1927 , SB1935 , SB1965 , SB2010 , SB2046 , SB2068 , SB2073 , SB2183 , SB2260 , SB3034 , SB907

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Would they not be covered by developed?
• </c> the intent of the bill seems to cover the intent of the bill seems to cover all<04:31:25.680><c>
• </c><04:58:29.280><c> heated</c> woods and so having a covered heated woods and so having a covered heated
• At entity in the same regulatory space.
• 03:57.200><c> the</c><06:03:57.600><c> first</c> those things covered under the first those things covered

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation will prohibit an aircraft or a public or private entity from using information broadcast
• want licensed insurance agents to sell a non-insurance product that is not regulated and does not cover
• It is not regulated and does not cover all your health needs.
• , Trump's entity, to ensure that they are protected.
• It has been negotiated between Palm Beach County and the Trump entities.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's 380 mines that were not properly covered. And then there was Peabody.
• We don't have the state or federal laws to cover this type of conduct.
• We don't have the state or federal laws to cover this type of conduct.
• Yes, sir, this just prevents land ownership from hostile entities.
• They urge governmental entities to hire a financial advisor when they're issuing bonds.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and several guest introductions and proclamations, including recognition of Dr. Victoria Tannenbaum as Doctor of the Day, Lutheran Day at the Legislature, a veterans treatment court judge, and Adrian Ace Stubbs Day. Attendance was recorded at 56 present, one absent, and three excused. The chamber then moved through communications, committee reports, and first/second readings before beginning a long third-reading calendar. Members considered and voted on a wide range of bills covering tax administration, groundwater and water rights, licensing timeframes, homicide, school employee transparency, mining, retirement system cleanup, utility regulation, AI and digital privacy, sexual extortion, adult protective services, salvage vehicles, veterinary board changes, geological survey reorganization, court fees, real estate licensing, probation, and several education-related appropriations and policy measures. Many bills passed on largely party-line votes, while others passed overwhelmingly or unanimously. Several members explained votes on issues such as superintendent contract transparency, ESA administration funding, mining reclamation, water supply and drought policy, motorcycle safety, AI and adult-content verification, and abortion-pill coercion. The House also passed multiple concurrent resolutions and memorials, including measures on election administration, Judea and Samaria, Route 66, and a memorial to rename State Route 69. Election-related debate was especially pointed, with supporters arguing for precinct-based voting and opponents warning of cost, reduced access, and logistical burdens. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to begin consideration of measures on Calendar No. 1, starting with HB 2174 and related amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• It covers um management fees, the staff.
• </c> be left aside for agencies to help cover be left aside for agencies to help cover those<00:39:49.520
• </c> &gt;&gt; Well we it only covers health insurance.
• &gt;&gt; Well we it only covers health insurance.
• </c> you're receiving enough rebates to cover you're receiving enough rebates to cover that.<01:19:16.000

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with approval of partial minutes, with members noting that DHS/HHS material was not yet included and that the minutes would be finalized later. The committee then heard from the General Court about several dedicated funds. Testimony explained the Joint Legislative Historical Fund, which receives a $25,000 annual general fund appropriation and transfers from visitor center sales above a $50,000 threshold, and is used for portrait maintenance, chamber work, Hall of Flags upkeep, and other historical preservation needs. Members also discussed the preservation of the Civil War flags in the Hall of Flags, with the General Court stating the flags are monitored through annual high-definition photos and that no immediate stabilization project is planned. A question about Union cemeteries was raised but the witness said he had no knowledge of federal funding for them. The committee also reviewed the visitor center revolving fund and noted that the accounting presentation is confusing because transfers are netted out so the fund ends each year at $50,000. Members suggested the narrative should clearly identify the transfer amounts and actual revenue, and staff agreed to note that in future reporting. The General Court then described its special legislative account as a stability reserve for capital and emergency needs, citing past uses such as the plaza ADA renovation, the legislative parking garage, and moving operations to One Granite Place. Members asked about interest earnings and were told the account is held in the treasury and any interest goes to the general fund unless statute directs otherwise; no additional funding was recommended at this time. The Department of Administrative Services then presented the law enforcement memorial fund, explaining it is a long-standing leftover construction fund with a small balance that has not been needed because the New Hampshire Law Enforcement Memorial Officers Association privately funds memorial upkeep and plaques. Members discussed whether the state should transfer the remaining money to the nonprofit, but no decision was made; the department said it would research whether such a transfer is legally possible. The department also reviewed the former land conservation endowment fund, now moving to Fish and Game under House Bill 2, and explained that it primarily covers administrative costs, management fees, and investment losses for a long-term conservation program. Members asked about the fund’s large balance and the increase in expenses, and were told the fund is intended to last indefinitely and that future reporting will shift to Fish and Game.

Transcript Highlights:

• And entities like data centers that do and will need so much from this infrastructure should be adding
• They are where the physical assets of the entities that we oversee are located.
• </c> entities that we oversee are located. entities that we oversee are located.
• </c><00:57:28.559><c> um</c> and this program helps our entities um and this program helps our entities
• again for that natural gas uh entities again for that winter<01:02:14.880><c> risk.

Bills: HF3296 , HF3802

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: energy conservation, data centers, electric sales, energy optimization, utility regulations, energy regulation, certificate of need, renewable energy, power production, energy efficiency, Minnesota statutes, 1183, house