Transcript Highlights:

• This bill helps ensure that Federal contractors are able to hire who they want to hire without additional
• THIS BILL HELPS ENSURE THAT FEDERAL CONTRACTORS ARE ABLE TO HIRE WHO THEY WANT TO HIRE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL
• FOR AMERICANS WHO HAVE VALUABLE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO BE HIRED AS CONTRACTORS, EVEN IF THEY DON'T
• Federal contractors are rarely able to place an individual without a four-year degree on a technology
• FEDERAL CONTRACTORS ARE RARELY ABLE TO PLACE AN INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT A FOUR YEAR DEGREE ON A TECHNOLOGY

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we've also got great architects, engineers, contractors, construction managers, tradespeople, and
• The good thing is that the bulk of the contracts have gone to Alabama contractors.
• Raber General Contractors... ...foundations.
• Raber General Contractors, they're out of Auburn; they did the frame that you see going up now.
• Bradley's a Montgomery contractor, and they've got all the HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, and those

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• highway contractors—I want you to sort of imagine the hard hats and the reflective vests and the men
• Also, in any litigation that would arise in these contractor disputes, where there was a plaintiff that
• <00:50:51.280> disputes, arise in these contractor disputes, arise in these contractor disputes
• in the question, where the contractors in the question, where the contractors have<00:51:50.000>
• an ambiguity, it will drive those conversations between engineers, the state officials, and the contractors

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have qualified contractors.
• <00:25:49.200> get<00:25:49.520> involved contractors.
• And when they get involved contractors.
• I'm a general contractor based out of Troy, Alabama.
• >> Well, we're the contractor and we do self-inspect.

Bills: HB245, SB16, SB59, SB62, SB79, SB88

Keywords: inhalants, controlled substances, butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, health, public safety, SB16, four-point restraint, hog-tie, hog tie, prone restraint, law enforcement, police, sheriff, use of force, restraint techniques, positional asphyxia, arrest procedures, detention

Transcript Highlights:

• So the contractor that was awarded the 61 contracts was the lowest responsible bidder.
• I just vet the contractor.
• Risks to non-consenting contractors are unresolved.
• Objective 3 has this obtained information on whether a selection of State Water Project contractors,
• I'm Jennifer Pier, general manager for State Contractors.

Summary: The committee heard several audit requests and related testimony. The first major item was an audit of Coachella Valley Unified School District’s contract and fiscal management. The author and supporters described long-standing fiscal mismanagement, large budget shortfalls, layoffs, contracting concerns, and questions about the district’s foundation and use of public funds. District representatives and the Riverside County Office of Education said the district is already under fiscal oversight, has a stabilization plan, and is working to reduce deficits and improve student outcomes. After extensive debate and public comment, the motion to approve the audit was put on call because the committee did not have the required votes from both houses at that moment. The committee then approved an audit of East Bay transit agencies in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Senator Wahab argued the region’s many overlapping transit agencies create fragmentation, duplication, and inefficiency, especially amid a fiscal cliff and possible future tax increases. Transit agencies and labor representatives opposed the audit, saying the agencies already undergo multiple audits, serve distinct local needs, and are implementing regional coordination efforts. After testimony from agency leaders and public commenters, the committee voted to approve the audit. The next item was an audit of California Community Colleges’ unrestricted reserves. Senator Archuleta and supporting faculty representatives said reserves have grown substantially and may be diverting resources from student services, instruction, and workforce programs. They argued there is little oversight when reserves become too high. The Chancellor’s Office and Calbright College were invited to respond, and the audit objectives focused on reserve growth, reasons for high balances, oversight by the Chancellor’s Office, and effects on students and staff. The transcript cuts off during the Chancellor’s Office response, so the final committee action on this item is not shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, members, contractors with state patrol will be accessing your offices to...
• Also, members,<00:30:22.399> contractors<00:30:23.120> with<00:30:23.440> state<
• 00:30:23.760> patrol members, contractors with state patrol members, contractors with state patrol
• accessing<00:30:25.600> your<00:30:25.919> offices<00:30:26.480> to Members, contractors
• All contractors have been background checked and will be wearing proper identification.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal from February 12 as corrected, and heard several announcements and recognitions. Representative Joseph introduced the day’s “hidden figure,” Glenda Strong Robinson, a Boulder civil rights and faith leader, who was recognized by the chamber. Members also received announcements about an upcoming water education event, the Senate memorial for Senator Winter, scheduled duress alarm installations in member offices, and the House closure on Monday, February 16, for Presidents Day. Committee reports were received from Education and Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources. The Education Committee reported House Bill 1029 favorably to Appropriations and House Bill 1090 with amendments and a favorable recommendation to the Committee of the Whole. The Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee reported House Bill 1034 with amendments and a favorable recommendation to the Committee of the Whole. The chief clerk also noted a printing report. The House then introduced three bills: House Bill 1210, concerning limiting the use of intimate personal data to make inferences affecting a person’s financial position; House Bill 1211, concerning regulation of broadband services by the Public Utilities Commission; and House Bill 1212, concerning the authority to carry a handgun. Each was assigned to the appropriate committee. The chamber then adjourned until Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I WANT TO POINT YOU TO SOME PROVISIONS OF THE BILL OF CONTRACTOR FRAUD AND ISSUES WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT
• IS NOT COMPLETED AND IF YOU DO NOT GET IT RIGHT WE HAVE CREATED A FELONY, POTENTIAL FELONY FOR CONTRACTOR
• NEXT WE HAVE OF CAROL BOWEN. >> THANK YOU I'M CAROL BOWEN ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS OF FLORIDA
• OUT A FIRST THINGS AS THE BILL SITS TODAY EVEN AS AMENDED TO BEGIN WITH IT ONLY SPEAKS TO GENERAL CONTRACTORS
• TABLE THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND THE SECOND THING WHEN IT COMES THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS

Transcript Highlights:

• I think one of the biggest issues is whether we should include private contractors, independent contractors
• Concurrently, if there is a subcontractor for a general contractor, not any sub, the general contractor
• Currently, if there is a subcontractor for a general contractor, not an ESOP, the general contractor
• Concurrently, if there is a subcontractor for a general contractor, not any sub, the general contractor
• Currently, if there is a subcontractor for a general contractor, not an ESOP, the general contractor

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But as you can see from the testimony, the main proponents of this bill are developers and contractors
• in repair and developers and contractors in repair and construction<00:25:57.120> defect<00:25
• <00:26:19.240> um bill are developers and contractors um bill are developers and contractors
• also gives uh contractors and developers an<00:26:35.279> unfair<00:26:35.760> advantage
• um ability to pursue their contractors um ability to pursue their claims<00:27:08.760> um<00:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 5, 2025, and heard testimony on several bills. HB 918, relating to labeling, drew support from the Department of Health, INDA (the nonwoven fabrics industry), and Hawaii Realtors. INDA said the bill aligns with do-not-flush labeling laws in other states but raised a concern about the six-month compliance deadline tied to FIFRA approval. In response to committee questions, witnesses explained that the bill is aimed mainly at disinfecting wipes, that most products are already labeled nationally, and that the proposed timing issue could be addressed by using Oregon’s approach. No vote was taken on the measure during the portion shown. The committee also heard HB 1482, relating to controlled substances. HPD supported the bill, and Aloha Green Holdings and the Department of Health both said they supported the intent but recommended technical amendments. Their testimony focused on clarifying the treatment of Delta-8 THC, distinguishing synthetic or artificially derived cannabinoids from naturally occurring forms, and avoiding confusion in the hemp law. Members asked whether Delta-8 would show up on drug tests; witnesses said it would test positive for THC and would not be distinguished from Delta-9. The bill was then set aside as the committee moved on. HB 981, relating to attorney’s fees, drew opposition from a law firm representing homeowners and associations, which argued the bill would limit access to legal services, favor developers and contractors, and make settlement harder. The witness suggested instead using existing consumer-protection fee-shifting concepts, and committee members explored whether a capped fee award or a broader attorney-fee rule would be more appropriate. The committee then took up HB 807 and HB 336, both relating to condominiums. HB 807 received support from the Green Infrastructure Authority and the Hawaii Bankers Association, while one testifier urged deferral over unresolved questions about commercial PACE financing; the bank association asked for more time to work with HGIA, and the chair indicated decision-making could be deferred to allow that discussion. On HB 336, the Community Associations Institute opposed the bill as removing checks and balances, while the Hawaii Workers Center and others supported it as a step toward clearer enforcement of health and safety issues in condominiums and rental housing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so in the contractor space, it's mostly out-of-town contractors that'll come in and convince a
• Yeah, so in the contractor space, it's mostly out-of-town contractors that'll come in and convince a
• There's a lot of tricks that these out-of-town contractors have when they approach our citizens.
• Yes. contractor space.
• There's a lot of tricks that these out-of-town contractors have when they approach our citizens.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mike Jemnetsky, Contractor, State License Board.
• Most importantly, this bill gives the California Department of Justice, in cooperation with the Contractor
• State Licensing Board, the authority to pursue contractor license suspensions or revocations in the
• All too often within the state of California right now we see rampant wage theft issues where contractors
• Todd Blumstein representing the Southern California Contractors Association.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Court decisions have made this problem worse by ruling that general contractors lack standing to bring
• So General Contractor X... Employs subcontractors.
• General Contractor X pays the subcontractor $50,000 for supplies.
• The general contractor wants the job to move forward, so they again pay the $50,000.
• My name is Jeffrey Twala, and I serve... ...as president of the Associated Builders and Contractors of

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of them are outside vendors and contractors who have those particular rights.
• Because when you talk about speeding up, slowing down to get contractors, I can tell you right now in
• You know, there's a process in terms of when we hire a contractor, they go out and they purchase all
• And so that is driving up costs because fewer contractors. By all means.
• And so that is driving up costs because fewer contractors.

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to hear an overview of State University System finances from the Board of Governors and detailed budget presentations from Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of North Florida. The witnesses explained how university budgets are organized into fund categories such as education and general, contracts and grants, auxiliaries, local/designated funds, capital projects, and component units such as direct support organizations. They also described carry forward funds, the statutory reserve and spending-plan requirements, the PICO/HECO capital outlay process, and how universities use investment accounts, audits, and board oversight to manage restricted and unspent funds. The universities emphasized that most operating dollars are restricted to specific uses and that state support helps keep tuition low. Members asked about differences in funding levels among institutions, especially why FSU receives more funding than UCF despite lower enrollment. Officials said preeminence funding, performance funding, and special legislative appropriations explain much of the difference, and the Board of Governors noted that Florida now has four preeminent universities, with UCF nearing that status. Questions also focused on what happens to unspent carry forward money, how it is invested, and whether the Board of Governors or Legislature can require funds to be returned; officials said the money is invested conservatively, subject to board and audit oversight, and can roll forward under a detailed spending plan, though the Legislature can change funding levels. The committee also discussed capital projects, with members asking about delays, inflation, and whether more projects should be phased or funded faster; witnesses said PICO funds remain with the state until needed and are reimbursed as construction proceeds. A substantial portion of the discussion covered athletics, research, student fees, and endowments. The universities said athletics is generally expected to be self-supporting, though limited use of auxiliary or carry forward funds may be allowed for projects benefiting the broader student body. They also described the financial pressures from name, image, and likeness changes and new NCAA-related costs, and said institutions are planning for those changes now. On research, the universities explained sponsored research funding, indirect cost recovery, compliance obligations, and tech transfer, but did not provide specific commercialization revenue figures and said they would follow up. Members also asked about student fee increases, student input, counseling and wellness funding, and how housing costs affect affordability; the universities said student committees and boards review fees, and aid packaging is intended to keep student debt low. Endowments were described as being held in separate foundations/DSOs with independent investment committees and used mainly for scholarships, faculty support, and research.

Transcript Highlights:

• One contractor, Northwest Florida Health Network in my neck of the woods is the only CBC that has been
• Chair Gaetz: Madam Secretary, in the corrective action plan from your agency to this contractor, the
• There hasn't been a forensic audit to document that, or is that simply a report from that contractor?
• And I haven't had the letter you wrote to the contractor saying that the funds were improperly obtained
• Chair Gaetz: CBCs are not government agencies, they are private contractors and they contract with the

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You had stated that you no longer have to have a license to be a fencing contractor.
• I can think of a few specific fencing contractors.
• Fencing contractors, and they don't have to have a license to do this. Is that correct?
• A lot of contractors go out of business, so we have fewer contractors in New Mexico.
• That raises the cost of the house, the largest cost that a contractor has is in employment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we need to just recognize that, and Uber is not the only sector where independent contractors
• we And so we need to just recognize that, and Uber is not the only sector where independent contractors
• setting up a system where folks are truly seen as their own kind of business owner and independent contractor
• there is somewhat of a leveling of the playing field that we do typically see between independent contractors
• setting up a system where folks are truly seen as their own kind of business owner and independent contractor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, these workers are in the gray area based on their classification as independent contractors
• At the federal level, they are classified as independent contractors, and so this bill would not address
• At the federal level, they are classified as independent contractors, and so this bill would not address
• Would the language in this legislation reflect that for all independent contractors, not just rideshare
• Would the language in this legislation reflect that for all independent contractors, not just rideshare

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What we've seen in recent years is unscrupulous contractors and public adjusters charging unnecessary
• I do want to be clear, though, that the vast majority of contractors and adjusters that we see do a great
• What we've seen in recent years is unscrupulous contractors and public adjusters charging unnecessary
• <00:04:03.079> and<00:04:03.280> Public<00:04:03.560> Adjusters contractors and
• <00:04:14.319> and the vast majority of of contractors and the vast majority of of contractors

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:06 SB24 Discussion: 01:08 SB24 Vote: 13:22 SB18 Discussion: 14:40 SB18 Vote: 21:54, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 24, a measure aimed at combating property and casualty insurance fraud. Senator Girdler and witnesses from the Insurance Institute of Kentucky and the National Insurance Crime Bureau said the bill would expand the definition of a fraudulent insurance act to cover statements that misrepresent the scope of property damage or repair costs, with the goal of addressing inflated storm-damage claims and out-of-state bad actors. Members discussed whether existing prosecutors were already handling these cases, the role of Commonwealth’s attorneys versus the Attorney General, and the need to keep the bill narrowly tailored to criminal intent rather than negligence or ordinary disputes over value. The committee substitute was adopted, the bill received favorable expression, and a title amendment was also adopted. The committee then heard Senate Bill 18, which would address a shortage of insurance options for automobile dealers by allowing nonadmitted carriers to provide garage liability coverage in Kentucky. Testimony from an insurance agent and a legislative agent for Big I Kentucky described a shrinking market in which some small dealers cannot find coverage at all, risking closure. Members asked about the meaning of garage liability, consumer protections, solvency concerns, and whether more competition could lower prices; witnesses said surplus lines carriers already operate in Kentucky, agents play an important vetting role, and errors-and-omissions coverage would apply to the agent. The bill was supported as a way to preserve dealer businesses and expand coverage options, and it passed the committee with favorable expression after roll call.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a mechanical contractor from Young County, Palapena. We need this bill. Thank you.
• Under current law, municipalities are required to ensure that contractors carry workers' compensation
• This exemption allows local governments to work with qualified local contractors who may otherwise be
• We just don't have any local contractors or local professionals—fence contractors—that can do that.
• We end up using contractors from out of town, and they end up increasing the price.

Bills: HB875, HB1667, HB2369, HB3844, HB4415, HB4479, HB4483, HB4676, HB5118, HB5400, HB5545

Keywords: workers' compensation, municipal construction, bidding requirements, small municipalities, contracting policies, first responders, PTSD, mental health, emergency services, medical expenses, injury claims, insurance carriers, opportunity youth, workforce development, employment, education, federal funds, employment discrimination, immunity waiver, public employees

Transcript Highlights:

• in mind you need to be able to keep the capacity and capability and competence in the government contractor
• , the Bradley fighting vehicle, the Abrams tank, they last for 40 years and so you have a prime contractor
• committee when I'm finished this, a comparison of the compliance requirements that a government contractor
• has, not just defense contractors, but any government contractor, and what happens in the private sector
• Many defense companies and many other contractors and the rest of the federal government have bids that