Transcript Highlights:

• don't know, libation in Africa is a ritual of heritage, a drink offering to honor and please the Creator

Summary: The Assembly met with a quorum call at the start, then proceeded with Black History Month observances, including a libation ceremony, the Pledge of Allegiance, and remarks emphasizing remembrance, ancestry, and the importance of honoring Black history. The chamber also handled routine procedural matters, including dispensing with the journal, re-referring certain Senate budget items to the Budget Committee, and allowing guest introductions and other unanimous-consent requests. The main floor action was on Assembly Concurrent Resolution 134, recognizing Black History Month. Members from multiple caucuses spoke in support, highlighting the historical contributions of Black Americans, the ongoing effects of slavery and segregation, the need to protect voting rights and education, and the importance of solidarity across communities. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 74 co-authors were added. The Assembly also adopted Assembly Concurrent Resolution 132, declaring February 28 as Rare Disease Day. Members shared personal stories about ALS and other rare diseases, described barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and insurance coverage, and called for more research and support. The resolution received broad bipartisan support, with 71 co-authors added before adoption by voice vote. The chamber then recognized a series of Black History Month Unsung Heroes honorees, including community leaders, health professionals, advocates, and public servants, and later heard additional guest introductions. The meeting concluded with adjournments in memory of Peyton Trilling and John Jackson, followed by announcements and adjournment until February 26 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful, our creator, our sustainer.

Bills: SB5223 , SB6071 , SB5966 , SB6061 , SB6016 , SB5973 , SB5053 , SB5249 , SB5899 , SB6190 , SB5574 , SB5873 , SB5924 , SB6263 , SB6282 , SB5950 , SB6074 , SB6096 , SB5609 , SB5901 , SB5943 , SB5975 , SJM8016 , SB5907 , SB6031 , SB6155 , SB6158 , SB6227 , SB5947 , SB6085 , SB6234 , SB6274 , SB5909 , SB6044 , SB6239 , SB6045 , SB6089 , SB6170 , SB5954 , SB5762 , SB6032 , SB6066 , SB6082 , SB6164 , SB6176 , SB6319 , SB6308 , SB6200 , SB6080 , SJM8014 , SB6177 , SB6052 , SB6182 , SB5828 , SB6335 , SB6017 , SB5470 , SB5990 , SB5046 , SB5387 , SB5637 , SB5647 , SB5839 , SB5888 , SB5962 , SB6018 , SB6037 , SB6047 , SB6078 , SB6130 , SB6147 , SB6151 , SB6197 , SB6220 , SB6256 , SB6311 , SB6343

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, healthcare, nutrition, medically tailored meals, dietary support, food security, chronic illness, tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, our creator, our sustainer.

Bills: SB5223 , SB6071 , SB5966 , SB6061 , SB6016 , SB5973 , SB5053 , SB5249 , SB5899 , SB6190 , SB5574 , SB5873 , SB5924 , SB6263 , SB6282 , SB5950 , SB6074 , SB6096 , SB5609 , SB5901 , SB5943 , SB5975 , SJM8016 , SB5907 , SB6031 , SB6155 , SB6158 , SB6227 , SB5947 , SB6085 , SB6234 , SB6274 , SB5909 , SB6044 , SB6239 , SB6045 , SB6089 , SB6170 , SB5954 , SB5762 , SB6032 , SB6066 , SB6082 , SB6164 , SB6176 , SB6319 , SB6308 , SB6200 , SB6080 , SJM8014 , SB6177 , SB6052 , SB6182 , SB5828 , SB6335 , SB6017 , SB5470 , SB5990 , SB5046 , SB5387 , SB5637 , SB5647 , SB5839 , SB5888 , SB5962 , SB6018 , SB6037 , SB6047 , SB6078 , SB6130 , SB6147 , SB6151 , SB6197 , SB6220 , SB6256 , SB6311 , SB6343

Summary: The Senate convened with all members present, heard a prayer and pledge, approved the prior day’s journal, and then moved through committee reports and House messages. Several bills were referred to committees, including low-income energy assistance and real property use restrictions. The chamber then took up a series of gubernatorial appointments, confirming Apollonio P. Hernandez to the University of Washington Board of Regents, Violet M. Frolov to the Central Washington University Board of Trustees, and Monica U. to the Washington Student Achievement Council, each after sponsor remarks and roll-call votes. The Senate also recessed briefly for caucuses and later resumed floor action on bills. On final passage, the Senate approved SB 6220 on nonprofit housing property tax exemptions for temporary community use, SB 5947 creating the Washington Health Care Board, ESSB 631 on safe pedestrian passage during construction, ESSB 6066 establishing crash prevention zones, SB 6044 recognizing Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, SB 5899 allowing qualified chiropractors to treat non-human animals under a licensing framework, SB 6151 dedicating environmental program fee accounts, ESSB 6200 allowing renters and mobile home occupants to install portable cooling devices with safeguards, SB 5901 adjusting school construction assistance for on-base schools, and SB 6080 governing federal detention contracts with county and municipal jails. Most of these bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though SB 5947, SB 5924, SB 6200, and SB 6080 drew notable opposition from some senators who raised concerns about cost, scope, safety, or implementation. The Senate also adopted amendments to several measures, including technical or stakeholder-driven changes to SB 5947, ESSB 631, ESSB 6066, SB 5899, and ESSB 6200. SB 5924, expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, passed after a lengthy debate over access to care, professional training, and the role of collaborative drug therapy agreements; supporters framed it as a response to provider shortages, while opponents argued it moved too quickly or needed more study. SB 6080, concerning jail contracts for federal detainees, saw failed amendments seeking an attorney general opinion and a good-faith extension, before passing on a 30-19 vote. The meeting ended with a personal privilege statement marking Lunar New Year and a motion to recess for lunch and caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• agencies to streamline contracting processes so small and micro businesses, the innovators and job creators

Bills: HB2309 , HB2249 , HB2417 , SGA9066 , SGA9246 , SGA9268

Committee: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections

Keywords: state employment, classified service, civil service, job qualifications, degree requirements, postgraduate degree, master's degree, doctorate, higher education, Office of Financial Management, OFM, classification plan, salary survey, market rate pay, compensation, workforce diversity, hiring reform, employment eligibility, work authorization, DACA

Transcript Highlights:

• actually talk about this as part of the work or expectation, and we know that data centers are job creators

Summary: The committee heard several public hearings on tax and housing-related bills. HB 2451 on local tax increment financing was briefed as a negotiated trailer bill adding new limits and consultation requirements for increment areas, including restrictions on using areas that already have needed public improvements, earlier sunset rules, more detailed project analysis, and stronger notice, mediation, and arbitration procedures for affected taxing districts. Supporters from cities, ports, and fire districts said the bill rebalances the process and protects impacted jurisdictions; the hearing then closed. HB 2322 would change the alternative jet fuel tax incentive program by replacing the current production-capacity trigger with a fixed effective period beginning in 2031 and ending in 2046, while clarifying carbon-intensity requirements. The sponsor said the change adds certainty and supports cleaner aviation fuel. A refinery representative supported the program but asked for clarification to include Pierce County or define “blender,” while a climate-health opponent argued the bill subsidizes continued fossil-fuel combustion and should be rejected. HB 2590 would revise the limited equity cooperative definition and exempt such cooperatives from WUCIOA unless they opt in, while preserving the property-tax exemption requirements; supporters said it would reduce red tape and better fit cooperative housing, while members raised concerns about unintended restrictive membership rules and asked for fair-housing guardrails. HB 2655 would create a new sales and use tax exemption for construction and equipment at certain new data centers in eastern Washington, subject to labor, wage, apprenticeship, employment, and sustainability requirements. Supporters framed it as a jobs and clean-energy opportunity tied to hydrogen development and regional competitiveness, while opponents said it was a subsidy for large corporations and could strain water, power, and public revenues. The committee then moved to executive action and advanced HB 1983, the second substitute for HB 1974, the substitute for HB 2334, HB 2367, and the substitute for HB 2650, all with due pass recommendations. Amendments were adopted on HB 1974 and rejected on HB 2367; the other bills were advanced without amendment. Votes were recorded on each measure, with HB 1974 passing 10-4, HB 2334 passing 13-1, HB 2367 passing 11-3, and HB 2650 passing 14-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• We used to call him the maestro, and he's the creator of the Greenspan put.

Committee: House Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• They are job creators, union employers, community leaders, and they are barely hanging on.

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• You give thanks to the Creator every day, who you are.

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• The House gallery, please rise for the invocation and remain standing. 13 Dear God, Our mighty creator

Transcript Highlights:

• 47:50.480><c> our</c> Right and wrong is established by our Right and wrong is established by our creator
• Our</c><01:47:51.720><c> Declaration</c><01:47:52.400><c> of</c><01:47:52.520><c> Independence</c> creator
• Our Declaration of Independence creator.
• Our Declaration of Independence says And these rights come from the creator and is what defines right
• They're not defending mob rule or a come from the creator and is what come from the creator and is what

Transcript Highlights:

• To our nation, we lost an innovator, a job creator, a trailblazer, and a leader.
• It's all irrelevant because our intrinsic value is given to us by our creator. was originally affirmed
• 59:59.280><c> our</c> intrinsic value is given to us by our intrinsic value is given to us by our creator
• That's what the framers of this creator.
• You know, in the Declaration of Independence, our founding fathers made clear that our creator endows

Bills: HR519 , HR538 , HR530 , HR537

Keywords: Minnesota lawmakers, political violence, domestic terrorism, assassination attempt, state legislators, Melissa Hortman, John Hoffman, Yvette Hoffman, Mark Hortman, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, public safety, law enforcement response, civil discourse, democracy, gun violence, elected officials, House resolution, condemnation, bipartisan unity

Transcript Highlights:

• here to align with curriculums and career pathways and jobs, which is why we're saying this is a job creator

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• here to align with curriculums and career pathways and jobs, which is why we're saying this is a job creator

Committee: All AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• here to align with curriculums and career pathways and jobs, which is why we're saying this is a job creator

Committee: All AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM.

Transcript Highlights:

• Heavenly Father and gracious God, it's a honor to come before you, the creator of heaven and earth on

Transcript Highlights:

• That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.

Bills: HJR1101 , SB1319 , SB1264 , HB4237 , SB1277 , SB2069 , HB3066 , HB2115 , HB2153 , HB2268 , HB2961 , SB1679 , SB2018 , HB4294 , SB2095 , HB4113 , SB1894 , SB1810 , HB4268 , HB1752 , HB3413 , SB625 , HB3644 , HB3940 , HJR1096 , HJR1100 , HJR1099 , HB2992 , SB1636 , HB4302 , SB1613 , SB1443 , HB1409 , HB1675 , HB1225 , HB1381 , HB4359 , SB1503

Keywords: Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, OMMA, medical marijuana, cannabis, marijuana regulation, administrative rules, permanent rules, rule approval, joint resolution, legislative oversight, Title 75 Section 308, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 442, patients, caregivers, licensees, dispensaries, growers, processors, SB1319

Transcript Highlights:

• Divine Father, Creator of all, we ask your blessing today upon this Senate chamber, for deliberations

Summary: The Senate convened with ceremonial opening proceedings, approved the prior journal, and then moved through a series of calendar actions, including discharging and substituting identical companion bills from committee and restoring several bills to the Third Reading Calendar after reconsideration. The chamber also took up a supplemental budget calendar and a controversial supplemental budget extender, with Senator O’Mara questioning the delay in final budget negotiations, the size of the extender, table targets, and unresolved policy issues such as auto insurance reforms, SEQRA, New York for All, and CLCPA changes. Senator Serrano responded that negotiations were ongoing and that the extender was a clean measure to keep state government functioning. The budget extender bills were then passed, with Senator Weik voting in the negative on one of them. The Senate also adopted a resolution memorializing May 4, 2026, as 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Day, and hosted Major General Scott Naumann and other Fort Drum leaders and soldiers for remarks on the division’s deployments, readiness, economic impact, and requests for continued state support on items such as microreactors, health care, DMV services, dining facilities, airports, and mineral-related development. The Fort Drum resolution drew extensive bipartisan praise from Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Minority Leader Ortt, Senator Scarcella-Spanton, Senator Ashby, Senator Walczyk, and others, who emphasized the division’s military history, its role as a major employer and economic driver in Northern New York, and the sacrifices of service members and their families. Several senators highlighted individual soldiers in attendance and their service records, while the resolution was opened for co-sponsorship and adopted. The Senate also recognized a visiting child author, Thomas Ortiz, who was introduced for publishing a book encouraging kindness and friendship. After the ceremonial segment, the Senate returned to regular business and passed a series of bills on the calendar, including measures affecting environmental conservation, executive law, public service, education, public authorities, real property tax, criminal procedure, election law, and civil rights. Some bills drew negative votes from a bloc of senators, particularly on the environmental, criminal procedure, election, and civil rights measures, but all listed bills were ultimately passed. The Senate then adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Creator God, you gave us responsibility for the earth, a world of riches and delight.

Transcript Highlights:

• Almighty God, our creator, we come to you on Tax Day in earnest prayer that you will keep our Show-Me

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the previous day’s journal by a 117-1 vote. Members then spent a large portion of the morning introducing guests, including students, civic groups, fraternity and sorority members, county officials, and visitors from various districts. The Speaker also suspended business several times to sign enrolled bills, including Senate substitute for House Bill 261, House Bill 2641, Senate substitute for House Bill 2423, and House Bill 2934. The chamber then debated House Concurrent Resolution 48, which urges Congress to pass the SAVE Act requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. Supporters argued it would protect election integrity and prevent non-citizens from voting, while opponents said it would create burdens, function like a poll tax, and disenfranchise eligible voters, especially women, rural residents, students, military members, and people who move or change names. After a motion for the previous question passed 93-42, the House adopted HCR 48 by a vote of 92-43. The House also passed House Concurrent Resolution 23, a federalism resolution affirming state control over elections, by a unanimous 137-0 vote after committee leaders said it had broad bipartisan support. The House then perfected and printed House Bill 2855, which adjusts workers’ compensation fund tax increments from 0.5% to 0.1% to better match receipts with expenditures; an amendment allowing replacement of attorneys in long-running permanent total cases was adopted first. Members also perfected and printed House Bill 1906, a short bill allowing township counties to authorize annual, semiannual, or quarterly payment of real and personal property taxes by ordinance. The session ended with announcements and a motion to recess until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Almighty Creator, at this sacred moment of morning prayer, we pause in silence before you, seeking the