Transcript Highlights:

• alternative protein innovation, the first state to have any type of such committee of its kind in the nation
• We were the first state in the nation, and I believe still the only state in the nation that's invested
• in public dollars in alternative... ...the nation, and I believe still the only state in the nation
• So Friends of the Earth is a national nonprofit, which works to fight for a more healthy and just world
• Our program is rated number one in the nation by Niche.com.

Summary: The Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation held its second informational hearing at UCLA, focusing on California’s alternative protein sector and the role of public institutions in expanding plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated protein options. Chair Ash Kalra opened by highlighting prior state investments in UC research centers, the importance of student engagement, and the hearing’s three panels: reducing the carbon footprint of institutional meals, addressing market challenges to scaling alternative proteins, and advancing future food research and workforce development. Assemblymember Isaac Bryan also briefly praised the committee’s work and its relevance to climate and health goals. The first panel featured Friends of the Earth, UCLA Dining, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Megan Jones described California school food efforts, including technical assistance and microgrants that helped districts expand plant-based meals, reduce water and carbon footprints, and improve student satisfaction. Pete Angelese explained how UCLA Dining uses concept-driven venues, sustainable purchasing, and marketing nudges to increase plant-forward choices, while Dr. Michelle Wood outlined Los Angeles County’s 2024–2025 board motions to expand plant-based options in county food venues and programs, including joining the World Resources Institute’s Cool Food Pledge. Committee members asked about costs, procurement, and how student and consumer behavior can be influenced. The second panel addressed market barriers to scaling alternative proteins. Zach Weston and Daniel Gertner emphasized that the sector faces a cost-and-scale trap, high capital needs, and financing gaps, and they recommended grants, tax credits, loan guarantees, procurement commitments, and workforce development. T.K. Pillen of Beyond Meat argued that the category has faced a recent downturn due to consumer skepticism, industry attacks on “fake meat,” and pricing pressures, and said the key to renewed growth is increasing demand through better taste, health, pricing, and messaging around “plant protein.” Panelists also discussed hidden subsidies and structural advantages for conventional animal agriculture, and committee members raised questions about iBank loan guarantees and supply chain challenges. The final panel highlighted UCLA’s research and training efforts. Dr. Amy Roet described the Future Food Fellows program, which trains students across disciplines in science, communication, leadership, and community-building, and supports research on scalable, safe, and nutritious alternative proteins. Corinne Smith shared her cultivated meat research and student leadership in the Alternative Proteins Project at UCLA. Dr. Janet Tomiyama presented consumer psychology findings showing that disgust, gender norms, and terminology strongly affect acceptance, with “plant protein” and “complementary proteins” testing better than “fake meat.” The hearing concluded with support for continued public investment, clearer messaging, and expanded education and workforce pipelines to help California remain a leader in alternative protein innovation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hampshire, the National Alliance on Mental<00:07:41.120><c> Illness.
• That then generated the national security advisory at the time set up a national call which I was on.
• ,</c> facility, checking the water chemistry, facility, checking the water chemistry, mowing<01:01:49.920
• Uh, last earlier this week I was in front of your colleagues in the House STE, and the week prior to
• Uh, earlier this week I was in front of your colleagues in the House STE, and the week prior to that

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Hopefully, we could have that discussion as we move into the last few weeks of session.
• As of right now, yes, but you know, as we have two weeks left, we don't know if there are going to be
• I look forward to working with all of you as we put a bill together for the last two weeks of session
• We look forward to being able to push a green button sometime in the next two weeks.
• You know, you go back and see this chemistry building at the U or whatever that we did, and you kind

Bills: HF719 , HF2484 , HF2486

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
• First, I'd like to just, as a—sorry, my voice is weak today—as a chemistry and physics...
• As a chemistry and physics teacher, I could refute a lot of the things that the gentleman was talking
• nation.
• nation.

Summary: The House first approved the previous day’s journal by roll call vote, 112-2, and then spent time on numerous guest introductions and recognitions. Guests included former Rep. Bill E. Kidd, students and school officials from several districts, pharmacy students, community and labor representatives, Alliance for Life members, Link community partners, and the student who led the Pledge of Allegiance. A personal privilege announcement also recognized a legislator’s son’s birthday. The main floor debate centered on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 21, 22, and 1626, the Missouri Nuclear Clean Power Act. Supporters argued the bill would remove a roadblock to small modular nuclear reactors by allowing construction work in progress (CWIP), lower long-term electricity costs, attract industry, and help Missouri meet future baseload demand, especially for data centers and other large users. Opponents said the measure would shift risk and cost overruns to ratepayers, cited past nuclear cost overruns and safety concerns, and argued Missouri voters had previously rejected such financing. After extended debate and several inquiries, the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered the bills perfected and printed. The chamber then perfected and printed House Bill 1881, which would make xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance. The sponsor and supporters said the drug is a dangerous animal tranquilizer increasingly used in illicit fentanyl mixtures, while the bill preserves legitimate veterinary and agricultural uses. Members from both rural and urban districts supported the measure, and the House adopted an amendment clarifying penalties for knowingly starving an animal and false reporting in animal abuse cases. Finally, the House took up House Bill 2292, which would encourage cross-reporting among agencies handling child, elder, and companion animal abuse. The sponsor said abuse in one area often correlates with abuse in the others and that the bill would use existing agencies rather than create a new department. An amendment was also offered to strengthen elder-abuse investigations by allowing post-certified investigators in the Department of Health and Senior Services to assist law enforcement and obtain records. The discussion emphasized protecting vulnerable Missourians and improving coordination among investigators and local police.

Transcript Highlights:

• So AM 3119 is a replay from my LB 1033, which we saw last week, which I withdrew.
• My LB 1033, which we saw last week, which I withdrew. It came out of committee with no opposition.
• Colleagues, last week, the biggest concern on this bill was how we were going to...
• Last week, the biggest concern on this bill was how we were going to pay for it.
• It's only 40 cents a meal, but four times five is two bucks a week.

Bills: LB878 , LB958 , LB958A , LB762 , LB1187 , LB966 , LB929 , LB962 , LB1209 , LB937A , LB962A , LB1050 , LB1050A , LB965 , LB1022 , LB753 , LB788 , LB913 , LB1055 , LB1195 , LB429 , LB721 , LB722 , LB727 , LB745 , LB749 , LB778 , LR293 , LR296 , LR422 , LR495 , LR496 , LR497 , LR498 , LR499 , LR500 , LR501 , LR502 , LR503 , LR504

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, I just got a call a couple of weeks ago from a gentleman who was released.
• I mean, the nation, the other programs that were looked at?
• And the president, national president, is from Rapids anyway.
• You now have a system that is operating at an extremely high level, one of the models across the nation
• The truth is, The truth is we have one of the highest workers' comp system costs in the nation, one of

Summary: The Labor and Industrial Relations Committee first took up House Bill 680 by Rep. Weibel, which proposes a major overhaul of Louisiana’s workforce development system. The bill and a large amendment package were described as modernizing workforce planning, consolidating some state-level strategy and administration, and strengthening coordination with local workforce partners, employers, and regional stakeholders. A transition advisory team with an 18-month sunset was added to help implement the changes, and members repeatedly raised concerns about preserving local input for different regions, parishes, and cities. Rep. Weibel, the secretary of Louisiana Works, parish officials, and other supporters said the goal is to shift more resources from overhead to training and direct services while keeping local boards and parish involvement in place. Testimony from a Utah official and from local government and business representatives emphasized that similar consolidations can create efficiencies without eliminating local responsiveness. The committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 680 with amendments. The committee then heard House Bill 780 by Rep. Furman on workers’ compensation. The bill seeks to streamline disputes over compensation and medical benefits, reduce litigation, and lower costs by restoring an expedited preliminary determination process and changing the standard for penalties and attorney fees to an arbitrary-and-capricious standard. Supporters, including lobbyists and defense attorneys, argued that the current process is outdated, overly technical, and too litigious, especially because adjusters now often work remotely and the statute still relies on fax and certified-mail procedures. They said the bill would speed up decisions, reduce unnecessary attorney-fee claims, and help employers and injured workers alike. Opponents, including attorneys for injured workers, argued the bill would make it harder for workers to recover penalties when benefits are delayed, shift the burden in favor of insurers, and fail to address understaffing and defense costs. Members debated whether the bill’s new standard should replace the current “reasonably controverted” language; an amendment to restore that language was offered but opposed by the author and other members and was not adopted. The committee adopted technical amendments and other committee amendments, heard additional testimony, and continued debating the bill’s substantive changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This week alone, an individual called over 35 times making threats to staff.
• Speaking from my own personal experience, we get phone calls during qualifying week asking us how to
• new supervisors' offices in Broward and Palm Beach County, which are, I think, the models for the nation
• Again, I think the legislature for creating that office; it's a first of its kind in the nation.
• A little background about myself: I've been in environmental chemistry for about five years now.

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and heard a presentation from the Florida Commission on Ethics on several proposed legislative changes. The commission asked for changes to the Whistleblower Act to better cover ethics complaints, a public records exemption for commissioners’ and staff members’ sensitive personal information, an expanded gift-disclosure family definition to include foster relationships, and a first-time waiver of fines for late financial disclosure filers. Staff also requested technical fixes, including treating a timely postmarked appeal as filed on time, clarifying Form 6 filing requirements for appointees to elected seats, extending ethics-training requirements to municipal appointees filling unexpired terms, and clarifying where Form 10 gift disclosures are filed. Commission staff reported high electronic filing compliance rates, the rollout of automated fines, and an average of 92 days for completed preliminary investigations in 2025. They also updated the committee on two federal court challenges involving the in-office lobbying ban and the Form 6 requirement for elected municipal officers. The committee then heard from Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who outlined preparations for the 2026 election cycle and several policy proposals. He discussed work with new supervisors of elections, ongoing election-crimes enforcement, cooperation with federal agencies on citizenship verification, and data-sharing agreements with other states. Byrd also proposed a statewide pre-certification audit system with grants for smaller counties, a more streamlined process for checking voter citizenship status after registration, and a modernization fix for voter records affected by randomized driver’s license numbers. Members asked about special elections, election-crimes investigations, returning-citizen voting determinations, chain-of-custody procedures, and interstate data-sharing agreements. Byrd said special election timing is controlled by the governor, the elections-crimes office investigates but does not arrest, returning-citizen applications are resolved within 90 days, and he is confident in current chain-of-custody practices. The committee also considered gubernatorial nominations. By unanimous vote, members approved a block of nominees, then separately took up Joshua Kellum’s nomination to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The committee heard sworn public testimony from Robin Blevins, who urged rejection of Kellum’s appointment and criticized his background and past involvement in FWC-related advocacy. After brief discussion, the committee voted unanimously to approve Kellum’s nomination as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do most elementary campuses now have a full-time librarian five days a week or?
• While national guidelines I recommend at least 20 minutes of recess daily.
• This is also an issue of national security.
• I Began representing this group three weeks ago And as much as I've learned as fast as I can, I know
• Typically, it's two weeks. traditional student for like absentee for two weeks yeah but the district

Bills: HB367 , HB497 , HB549 , HB983 , HB 1188 , HB 1290 , HB1368 , HB2243 , HB2310 , HB2849 , HB3099 , HB3546 , HB3629 , HB3627

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: education, absences, severe illness, life-threatening, school policy, verification, healthcare, insurance, affordability, coverage, patient rights, school health, respiratory distress, airway clearance devices, medication training, public health, HB 983, Texas Education Agency, TEA, educator privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Which is below the national average.
• While the national standard is to track six-year graduation rates...
• Armed Forces Service, service to our nation.
• We're being privileged of wearing the colors of our nation to Texas.
• What we've seen overall across the nation is that.

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I'd actually like to update that to Green Nation out of East Texas and the Green Nation community
• Green Nation. Green Nation? Yeah, and the Green Nation community, please. Green Nation community?
• Could you change that to Green Nation of Tyler, Texas, that you're representing Green Nation of Tyler
• Lead the nation.
• SB 3 would set a national precedent.

Bills: HB28 , SB3 , SB 3

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, state health, youth protection, licensing fees, criminal offenses, flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, next week to be a pass this bill favorably. Thank you. Okay, Representative DeWitt.
• Patrick Riley with Louisiana Chemistry Association. Nick Waltz with Ocean's Health Care.
• And that would be very reasonable for a consumer to be week. Insurance, what is this?
• It takes a week probably, from what I understand.
• It took me two weeks to learn all of this, and I'm trying to still digest it.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 350, which would extend the grade levels at Ecole Pointe-au-Chien from fourth through eighth grade. The sponsor and several members emphasized the school’s importance to Terrebonne Parish, French immersion, and school choice. An amendment was adopted making the bill subject to appropriation, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. Members then approved House Bill 749, which authorizes the Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority to contract with a program manager for certain savings programs, including ABLE, START, and START K-12, in response to a prior cyber incident and to improve security and customer service. An amendment simplified the bill’s effective-date language so provisions would take effect upon execution of the contract. The bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee also advanced House Bill 979 to increase the survivor benefit for law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty from $250,000 to $350,000. Testimony from the governor’s office said the increase could be covered within existing appropriations and that the amount was consistent with inflation since the benefit was last set. The bill was reported favorably. Later, House Bill 42 creating a phased retirement option for public post-secondary employees in the Teachers’ Retirement System was reported favorably, and House Bill 205 to allow local clerks of court to supplement election commissioner pay by up to $100 per election was also reported favorably after extensive testimony about staffing shortages and stagnant pay. The committee additionally reported favorably House Bill 12 extending survivor benefits to reserve officers killed in the line of duty, and House Bill 324 on judicial salaries, after amending it to remove future COLA provisions and leave only the permanent stipend increase.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, in a response back to you within a few weeks. Okay.
• For context, the national average is 248 physicians per 100,000.
• That needs to happen by the first week of May.
• </c> first week of May. first week of May.
• </c> get looking into that this week. get looking into that this week. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Committee: Joint Labor, Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Um that will save our students weeks.
• </c><00:26:03.840><c> Association</c> that respond to the National Association that respond to the National
• Well, I represent Vlad, I would say that may be a national percentage. Yeah, that’s national.
• Well, I represent Vlad, I would say that may be a national percentage. Yeah, that’s national.
• </c> our NETI compliance and our national our NETI compliance and our national accreditation<01:11:46.320

Summary: The committee heard updates from the chancellors of the state university system and the community college system on ongoing restructuring, collaboration, and enrollment trends. The university system said its office move to the NHTI campus is ahead of schedule and should save students about $250,000 a year while creating revenue for the community college system. Both systems described continued work on transfer pathways, direct-admit outreach, shared advising, and broader efforts to shrink footprints, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency in response to declining enrollment and demographic pressure. A major topic was a possible federal change to Pell Grant eligibility that would require students to enroll in at least 7.5 credits. The chancellors said most community college students are part-time because of work and family responsibilities, and that the change could affect roughly 2,000 current Pell recipients and make it harder for students to afford or sustain enrollment. Members also discussed how the state’s governor’s scholarship statute largely benefits full-time students, suggesting possible future statutory changes. The chancellors explained how credits typically work, noting most courses are three or four credits and that students would likely need to add an entire course to meet the proposed threshold. The committee also discussed the broader higher education landscape, including declining high school cohorts, competition among New England institutions, and the need to right-size capacity. One member raised concerns about the health of regional campuses such as Plymouth and Keene; the chancellors said incoming enrollment is down at UNH and Plymouth and holding at Keene, attributing the trend to demographics rather than one campus drawing students away from another. They emphasized the importance of community colleges, adult learners, and short-term workforce programs as part of the state’s future education mix. Finally, the committee touched on the value of the university system’s research enterprise. The chancellor said about $250 million a year flows into the university system in federal research grants, with about $9.5 million currently under stop-work orders from federal agencies. She said the immediate concern is not DEI-related but federal cuts and possible caps on indirect cost recovery. Members noted that the R1 research designation supports business partnerships, student opportunities, and economic development projects such as West Edge in Durham.

Transcript Highlights:

• you're in a smaller school, let's say you only have five kids in your high school that are taking chemistry
• prevents our schools that are larger, that probably have the capacity to fill an entire class of chemistry

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• National Day of Prayer, I believe every day is a perfect opportunity for prayer.
• Today is the National Day of Prayer.
• Members, this is our annual National Peace Officers' Week recognition resolution and also Peace Officers
• Both of these days a week, the day in the week takes place next week.
• Members, once again, thank you for a good week of work here.

Bills: SB1090 , SJR49 , SB633 , HR1059 , SB650 , SB2063 , SB122 , SB1614 , SB1884 , SJR52 , SJR53 , HJR1101 , SJR50 , HB3021 , HR1058 , SB514 , SB382 , HB3320 , SB740 , SB833 , SB2143 , SB1209 , SB244

Keywords: SB1090, Oklahoma Homeowner Repair Contract Protection Act, home repair, home solicitation contract, cooling-off period, right to cancel, consumer protection, contract rescission, certified mail cancellation, home solicitation sales, contractor regulation, home improvement scams, public finance, State Treasurer, Invest In Oklahoma, OCAST, venture capital, private equity, growth funds, direct investment

Transcript Highlights:

• Good afternoon, Tim Chesdick with the American Chemistry Council, also in support. Thank you.
• It's vital to keep them here, not only for data security, but for national security reasons as well.
• I think in a couple weeks, I would imagine.
• Tim Chesdick with the American Chemistry Council, in opposition. Thank you.
• Jason Bryant, on behalf of the National Confectioners Association, we're opposed as well.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• We meet once a week on Wednesdays after school for 30 minutes.
• We also meet once a week.
• Ditto, we meet during the week for our...
• We meet during our planning time that we have at least once a week.
• It's still a new system and cross-checking, but definitely within a week.

Transcript Highlights:

• osteopath from Mccalister, Oklahoma, and he's a full-time emergency room physician at the Choctaw Nation
• Could you explain why we've stricken the word 'national'?
• It says 'shall complete education and training courses in accordance with national and Oklahoma CASA
• Is there any reason why we strike 'national'? Thank you for the question.
• for CASA goes through the National CASA.

Bills: SB2065 , SB1641 , SB1642 , SB1589 , SB1597 , SB1216 , SB2173 , SB2028 , SB2117 , SB2127 , SB2134 , SB2014 , SB1805 , SB2044 , SB1836 , SB1380 , SB2179 , SB1436 , SB1558 , SB933 , SB1651 , SB1328 , SB1572 , SB1966 , SB175 , SB1475 , SB1950 , SB2049 , SB2052

Keywords: pollinator, state symbols, agriculture, insects, environment, business entities, limited liability company, LLC, foreign LLC, domestic LLC, limited partnership, foreign limited partnership, registered agent, Secretary of State, annual certificate, good standing, certificate of authority, designated office, email address, electronic mail

Transcript Highlights:

• In June of this certain year, a week later, I picked up the affidavit.
• Senate Bill 1597 removes mandatory adherence to national standards for the Oklahoma court.
• Further, the national COSTA guidance at times encourages advocacy positions.
• There are standards that our federal funding that comes through national COSTA.
• Tied to that specific national certification. Thank you, senator.

Bills: SB1638 , SB504 , SB2072 , SB1283 , SB1216 , SB1655 , SB2011 , SB1643 , SB1446 , SB1256 , SB1258 , SB1441 , SB1224 , SB1448 , SB1496 , SB1597 , SB1621 , SB1827 , SB2066 , SB2104

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: Governmental Tort Claims Act, liability limits, claims, medical negligence, tort reform, state liability, public health, claims adjustment, compensation limits, SB504, marriage, child marriage, minor marriage, age of consent, minimum marriage age, underage marriage, teen marriage, parental consent, judicial approval, marriage license

Transcript Highlights:

• to 97 per week, a 549% increase because survivors saw how quickly violence can escalate.
• to 97 per week, a 549 percent. rose from 15 per week to 97 per week, a 549% increase because survivors
• We are now seventh in the nation on domestic violence abusers that die at the hand of their abusers.
• By the way, we never adopted the minutes from last week.
• I would say, see you next week. Same bad time, same bat channel, but that is not the case.

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Summary: The Senate Committee on Judiciary C met on May 19, 2026, with a quorum present and first deferred House Bill 276 at the sponsor’s request. The committee then heard and advanced several bills, largely focused on criminal justice, domestic violence, victims’ rights, probation/parole, and critical infrastructure protections. HB 160, by Rep. Knox, would increase the penalty for domestic abuse battery and battery of a dating partner involving strangulation from three to six years, with at least one year without probation or suspension; it drew strong support from prosecutors and domestic violence advocates and was reported favorably. HB 769, by Rep. Boyd, would create a 24- to 72-hour cooling-off hold in domestic violence cases, with an amendment to make the hold concurrent with other detention periods and to avoid stacking with existing law; it was reported with amendments. The committee also reported favorably HB 1234, which creates mandatory jail time for fleeing the scene after striking a person and failing to render aid, and HB 158, which restores custodial inpatient treatment as an option for probationers and increases the allowable treatment period from 90 to 180 days. HB 169, allowing courts or the parole board to assess extradition costs against absconders based on ability to pay, was also reported favorably. HB 251, requiring notice to a victim or designated family member before resentencing or final conviction hearings, drew support from the Attorney General’s office and opposition from the ACLU, which argued that victim involvement at that stage could be inconsistent with post-conviction standards; it was nevertheless reported favorably. Additional measures advanced included HB 289, which removes a redundant 24-hour delay between denial of a new trial motion and sentencing; HB 394, extending the conditional parole period from nine months to 24 months to allow completion of required programming; and HB 330, increasing penalties and restitution for vandalizing churches and graves, which was supported by the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops. HB 429, expanding critical infrastructure protections to oil and natural gas facilities and related operations and increasing penalties for unauthorized entry, drone activity, and cyber interference, was reported with amendments after discussion about harmonizing the definition with another bill and ensuring coverage of water-related facilities. The committee also approved the minutes from the prior meeting before adjourning.