Video & Transcript Research : 'private prisons'
Page 2 of 500
MS
Mississippi 2025 Regular Session
Local and Private - Room 409, 18 March, 2025; 9:30 A.M.
MS
Mississippi 2025 Regular Session
Local and Private - Room 409, 11 March, 2025; 12:30 PM.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- AFSCME is a public- and private-sector labor union.
- creates immense uncertainty, and for a hospital that already pays its bedside nurses less than in private
- creates immense uncertainty, and for a hospital that already pays its bedside nurses less than in private
- That public dollars ought to be deployed in ways that generate widespread benefit, not just private gain
- as the director of downtown partnerships for the Minneapolis Downtown Council, including a public-private
Keywords:
Hennepin County, sales tax, health care facilities, ballpark improvements, tax revenue, HF4234, Minnesota private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, bond cap, aggregate bond limitation, residential rental projects, multifamily housing, affordable housing finance, housing bonds, public finance, bond allocation, private activity bond cap, Minnesota Statutes 474A.02, tax committee, tax refund
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 11th, 2025 at 09:30 am
Appropriations - Education and Environment Division
Bills:
HB1540
Keywords:
education savings account, ESA, school choice, private school vouchers, nonpublic school, tuition assistance, education tax credit, homeschool exclusion, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Public Instruction, public funding for private education, voucher program, student scholarships, special education, parental choice, curriculum funding, tutoring, online learning, state per-pupil payment, income-based eligibility
Summary:
The committee first took up amended bill 10-13, a school funding and education appropriations measure. Senator Schaible walked through the final version, which included changes to foundation aid, transportation grants, free and reduced-price meals funding, paraprofessional and teacher support programs, Native American education items, library and school facility projects, and several one-time grants. Members discussed removing the science center grant funding, and Senator Meyer objected to that removal, arguing that Grand Forks had raised matching private and local funds and that other cities had received similar state support. The committee also agreed to adjust regional education association funding to reflect six centers rather than seven, reducing that line to $600,000.
The committee then adopted the amendment to 10-13 unanimously and passed the bill as further amended on a unanimous roll call, with Senator Shively designated as carrier. After a brief recess, the committee turned to bill 1540, but no formal action was taken. Bank of North Dakota and OMB representatives raised concerns that the draft included policy changes and procurement/IT exemptions that needed further discussion. Members agreed the bill would be delayed until Monday so the Bank, OMB, and NDIT could confer and work through the mechanics and policy issues before the committee moved it forward.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine worldwide threats; to be immediately followed by a closed hearing in SH-219. Mar 25th, 2025 at 09:00 am
Intelligence (Select) Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator, 99% of the critical infrastructure United States is controlled by private companies.
- General Hawk talked about the importance of public-private cooperation.
- Of a private discussion that took place between individual leaders in our government.
- Were you using your private phone or public phone for the signal discussions?
- It included the private opinion of a Secretary of Defense on the timing of strikes in Yemen, correct?
Keywords:
national security, cyber threats, civil liberties, transnational crime, FISA Section 702, public-private partnership, intelligence community, Annual Threats Hearing
Summary:
The Senate Intelligence Committee convened for a significant meeting focused on the Annual Worldwide Threats Hearing. Prominent officials from various intelligence agencies presented their insights on emerging national security threats, including concerns over increasing cyber threats, particularly from China and non-state actors. A major discussion point included the balance between national security and civil liberties, as evidenced by conversations surrounding Section 702 of FISA and its implications for privacy protection. The challenges posed by cartels and transnational criminal organizations, especially related to narcotics trafficking, were emphasized as pressing issues necessitating coordinated responses from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This meeting underscored the necessity of public-private partnerships to tackle these multifaceted threats effectively.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm here today in support of keeping men out of our Texas prison system, our female Texas prison systems
- I'm here today in support of keeping men out of our Texas prison system, our female Texas prison systems
- Prisons are already brutal for the LGBTQ population.
- The Prison Rape Elimination Act currently requires that prisons and jails, detention facilities, establish
- I'm a prison minister. I do a lot for the Lord.
Keywords:
gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct
Summary:
The Committee on State Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 7, the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, with the author and committee substitute explaining that the bill would require public facilities to designate multi-use private spaces by biological sex, restrict access to women’s restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping quarters, shelters, and correctional facilities, and create civil penalties and enforcement mechanisms. Members asked about how the bill would apply to family violence shelters, children in mixed-family settings, venue layout, and venue for lawsuits; the author said the bill was similar to prior legislation but with stronger penalties and the 15th Court of Appeals as the exclusive intermediate appellate court for challenges, while clarifying that trial venue should generally be local except for state agencies. The committee also heard that the bill would be amended to better address local venue concerns and shelter-related issues.
Invited testimony was largely in support of the bill from witnesses who described personal experiences in women’s sports, prisons, shelters, and public facilities, arguing that single-sex spaces are necessary for privacy and safety. Supporters included parents, former incarcerated women, a Republican county chair, a legal advocate, and a prison educator, who cited incidents involving transgender-identifying individuals in locker rooms, shelters, prisons, and restrooms, and said the bill would restore sex-based boundaries and protect vulnerable women and girls. One witness from Texas Values said the bill was needed despite the recently enacted Women’s Bill of Rights, and another ADF witness said the measure would protect privacy in schools and shelters.
Opponents testified that the bill would harm transgender and intersex Texans, create harassment and “gender policing,” and expose cisgender women and children to invasive enforcement. Several witnesses argued there is no evidence that transgender women pose a restroom safety threat, while others said the bill would worsen mental health, employment, and school conditions for trans people and could conflict with prison standards and federal law. Family violence advocates urged changes to protect shelter operations and clarify that children can stay with parents, while other witnesses said the bill would create barriers for victims seeking help. The hearing featured extensive public testimony on both sides, but no final vote or committee action was taken in the portion provided.
TX
Keywords:
gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct
Summary:
The Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 14, which would create a confidential department file for law enforcement officers and jailers and limit public access to records involving unsubstantiated misconduct, while preserving access for hiring agencies, TCOLE, and certain criminal justice uses. TCOLE’s Gretchen Grigsby explained the current rollout of law enforcement recordkeeping reforms, including the distinction between the public personnel file and the confidential G-file, and answered questions about when TCOLE would request files during investigations. Senator Perry and other members focused on how the bill would interact with existing personnel-file rules, public transparency, and criminal discovery obligations.
Public testimony was largely opposed. Critics argued the bill was drafted too broadly, could sweep in records beyond misconduct files, and would reduce transparency for the public, journalists, oversight bodies, and families seeking answers in cases such as Uvalde and jail deaths in Tarrant County. Several witnesses said the bill could allow small or single-officer agencies, including elected constables, to shield their own records, and some warned it could chill reporting and oversight. Supporters, including law enforcement representatives, said the bill would protect officers from false or unsubstantiated allegations, align agencies without civil-service protections with those that already have G-files, and preserve confidentiality for records that should not be public. Dallas County prosecutors and Harris County deputies supported the general policy but asked for clarifying amendments, especially to separate language they said could affect the Michael Morton Act and to preserve existing protections through in-camera review or protective orders.
Committee members spent significant time questioning witnesses about how substantiated versus unsubstantiated allegations would be handled, whether body camera footage and case files would remain public, and how the bill would affect discovery in criminal cases. After hearing all registered witnesses, the chair closed public testimony. Senate Bill 14 was left pending, and the committee recessed.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- is that when we did the stakeholder engagement, we engaged with many, most of the users of these private
- with many of most of the users<00:05:04.320>
of <00:05:04.600>these <00:05:04.960>private - <00:05:05.280>
activity <00:05:05.760>bonds, users of these private activity bonds, - users of these private activity bonds, uh<00:05:06.919>
developers <00:05:07.800>um <00 - <01:31:51.880>
sector <01:31:52.160>workforce, Minnesota's private sector workforce
Keywords:
HF4234, Minnesota private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, bond cap, aggregate bond limitation, residential rental projects, multifamily housing, affordable housing finance, housing bonds, public finance, bond allocation, private activity bond cap, Minnesota Statutes 474A.02, tax committee, tax refund, Minnesota Statutes, time limit, claims, tax overpayment, taxation
Summary:
The committee first adopted the April 14, 2026 minutes as amended, correcting a misspelling in the reference to Chair Davids. It then heard House File 4234, a tax-exempt bonding/affordable housing bill from Representative Rey Rower, and adopted a technical A1 amendment before laying the bill over for possible inclusion in the 2026 tax bill. The bill would conform Minnesota law to recent federal changes to low-income housing tax credit rules by lowering the amount of tax-exempt bonds needed for projects to qualify, with the stated goal of spreading bond allocations across more projects and increasing affordable housing production without additional state funds.
Testimony in support came from the bill author, the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, and Mary Tingerthal, who said the change would increase efficiency in the use of federal bond authority and could raise the number of funded housing projects from about 16 to 25 per year, bringing in roughly $120 million more annually for housing. Members discussed where the benefits would be felt statewide, including greater Minnesota and larger metro areas, and the author said the bill would help address shortages in affordable and senior housing. The committee took no final vote on the bill, instead laying it over.
The committee next heard House File 3697 from Vice Chair Norris, which would change Minnesota’s tax refund claim timelines to better align with federal law and most other states. The author and a tax attorney testifier said the bill would reduce confusion and help taxpayers, especially vulnerable individuals who may overpay or be overassessed and then miss the current deadline to seek refunds. The Department of Revenue said it had no concerns with the language and did not oppose the bill, and the committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the 2026 tax bill.
Finally, the committee began hearing House File 4738 from Representative Keeler, a Safe Harbor funding proposal for victims of sex trafficking and sexually exploited youth. The author described Safe Harbor as a statewide program serving youth across Minnesota and said the committee should consider creative funding options, but Chair Davids stated the proposed funding source would not work because it would take money from women’s sports scholarships. Testifiers from Lake House in Duluth and a former Safe Harbor youth described the program’s impact on homeless and trafficked youth, including shelter, mental health services, education, and transition to adulthood. The hearing continued with testimony, but no action was taken in the portion provided.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It is a private person.
- Men should not women's shelter or women's prison or any women's designated private space.
- Women have a right to privacy in their private spaces, and men do too.
- Uh, being trans, 83% women should not have men in their prison. 91% locker rooms should be private and
- Should be Um, private For women and private for men and be separated.
TX
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Because women deserve to have their private spaces.
- Should not women's shelters, women's prisons, or any women's designated private space.
- rooms should be private and sex-segregated.
- Policy should recognize that those spaces should be private for women and private for men and be separated
- I said in my private capacity, not in my capacity.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- There are a variety of private sector vendors that offer...
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 3/17/26
Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
Transcript Highlights:
- Locked down so that Minnesotans can trust that their private data is kept private and in the state of
- that we are protecting motans private that we are protecting motans private data.<00:09:31.760><
- The companies also grant... involvement of private companies and the involvement of private companies
- But what this will do is maintain an expectation that their private data is private, and so we have a
- that their private data is private<00:21:49.120>
and <00:21:49.280>so <00:21:49.440>
Keywords:
foreclosure, mortgage, redemption period, homestead, Minnesota Statutes, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate recognition, vehicle surveillance, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, data privacy, government data practices, law enforcement data, surveillance technology, location data, vehicle tracking, warrant requirement, probable cause, exigent circumstances
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 3/24/26
Housing Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:04:56.320>
activity allocation of taxexempt private activity allocation of taxexempt private - how private activity bonds are awarded. how private activity bonds are awarded.
- Uh, there's been two on aging privately owned infrastructure, on aging privately owned infrastructure
- that was an assessment on any private that was an assessment on any private equity<00:57:41.440>
- <01:22:07.440>
parks challenge that uh the 900 private parks challenge that uh the 900 private
Keywords:
HF4234, Minnesota private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, bond cap, aggregate bond limitation, residential rental projects, multifamily housing, affordable housing finance, housing bonds, public finance, bond allocation, private activity bond cap, Minnesota Statutes 474A.02, tax committee, natural gas, gas hookups, residential construction, energy policy, local control, state preemption
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Cooking prisoners, cooking them.
- But don't we have other people in the prisons who are not prisoners? The guards. The guards.
- They meet in 350 groups in over 113 jails and prisons across the state, many of which are Texas prisons
- After four state prisons, I got transferred to a private prison with air conditioning.
- Programs in prison.
Keywords:
mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, HB 2854, Pokuaa-Flowers Act, parole, mandatory supervision, electronic monitoring, releasee, parole officer, hospital visit approval, general hospital, law enforcement notification, DSHS, Department of State Health Services, corrections, public safety, liability immunity
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- specifically with the Competes fund, we see it as essentially a slush fund to hand out grants to private
- The Supreme Court has made it clear that public grants to private industry are unconstitutional unless
- In other words, the public is receiving a bigger benefit than the taxpayer is giving to the private industry
- We don't think government should be in the business of subsidizing private industry.
Keywords:
trade offices, committee, Arizona commerce authority, stakeholder input, efficiency, Arizona competes fund, economic development, fund repeal, state finances, state appropriations, Arizona Commerce Authority, job creation, business incentives, commerce authority, public-private partnership, business regulation, Arizona governance, 1182, all
Summary:
The Committee on International Trade heard a presentation from Alan Renteria of the Puerto Peñasco Chamber of Commerce, who promoted Rocky Point as a major tourism and investment destination for Arizonans. He highlighted tourism growth, cross-border ties, safety coordination, the importance of fishing and shrimp to the local economy, and potential commercial opportunities such as improved border infrastructure and a possible cargo or cruise port. Members responded with personal comments about travel, geology, medical volunteer work, and the city’s appeal, and Renteria said he wanted to serve as a liaison to improve communication between Arizona offices and Puerto Peñasco.
The committee then considered three bills related to the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). HB 2751 would continue the Arizona Competes fund indefinitely and subject use of the fund to legislative appropriations; HB 2752 would shift oversight of trade offices from the ACA board to legislative appropriation and require annual reporting to JLBC; and HB 2753 would add legislative ex-officio members to the ACA board, including committee chairs and, under an amendment, minority party ranking members. Supporters argued the bills would give the legislature more oversight and a seat at the table, while Greg Blackie of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club opposed HB 2751, calling for repeal or stronger guardrails and citing past audit concerns.
All three bills advanced on due pass recommendations. HB 2751 passed 7-1 with one member present and one absent; HB 2752 passed 9-0 with one absent; and HB 2753 passed 9-0 after the Austin amendment was adopted, adding minority party representation. The committee also removed HB 2746 from the agenda before taking up the ACA measures.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- It clarifies that private vendors... ...administrative notices, those kinds of things.
- It clarifies that private vendors do not receive police powers or law enforcement authority.
- We obviously contract with the sheriff's office for police services, but we already are using private
- And so this bill would allow us to further utilize private contractors on things that are not actually
- And just for the record, this has nothing to do with private industry. No, sir.
Keywords:
motor vehicles, enforcement, administrative support, law enforcement, private service provider, regulatory compliance, expropriation, public purpose, property rights, compensation, city governance, St. George, insurance premium tax, city of St. George, municipal authority, local taxation, East Baton Rouge Parish, 965, house, all
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee 3rd Revision: Oreder revised Feb 18th, 2026 at 04:30 pm
A&B Education Subcommittee
Keywords:
extracurricular activities, charter schools, student eligibility, virtual education, Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, prayer, religious freedom, public schools, consent, First Amendment, school policy, paid maternity leave, school employees, public health, childcare, work-life balance, education, family leave, tuition, grant
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Public Safety REVISION 2: SB2062 - Link added Apr 1st, 2026 at 09:00 am
Public Safety
Keywords:
SB1213, earned credits, inmate credits, good time, sentence reduction, Department of Corrections, DOC, prison reform, corrections policy, inmate classification, class levels, rehabilitation credits, achievement credits, vocational training, educational credits, prison programs, public safety, violent offenders, violent crime exclusions, sex offense exclusions
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama House Urban and Rural Development Committee Feb 12th, 2025
Urban and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- The proposed legislation would allow those unregulated privately-owned water companies to come under
- Would allow those unregulated privately-owned sewer systems, which are affiliated with a regulated sewer
Keywords:
foreign investment, agriculture, property rights, critical infrastructure, sanctions, HB140, private sewer systems, wastewater utilities, Public Service Commission, PSC jurisdiction, utility regulation, rate setting, rate consolidation, affiliated systems, common ownership, private utilities, sewer rates, wastewater management, Alabama utilities, Jefferson County Board of Health