Transcript Highlights:

• "That's a very practical question. I think when SROs work well, they work very well.
• not saying let's take them out of the school, because I mean you've highlighted a very real and practical
• A lot of it does not just come back to school resource officers; it comes down to the same practices
• It comes down to the same practices of school discipline and restraint and seclusion being used against

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on H.5171, an act relative to safer schools, and H.3895, which would expand career and technical education opportunities for Lynn students. The chair outlined short testimony limits and noted the hearing was livestreamed. Most of the discussion centered on H.5171 and the role of school resource officers (SROs) in schools. Witnesses from the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee and the CPCS Education Law Project supported H.5171, arguing it would limit SRO involvement to serious criminal conduct, reduce school-to-prison-pipeline harms, and encourage restorative justice, de-escalation, and anti-bias practices. They described examples of students with disabilities being arrested or disciplined in ways they said reflected misunderstandings of disability-related behavior. Committee members asked about real-world school safety concerns, including gang activity and weapons in schools, and the witnesses responded that the bill would not eliminate SROs but would better define their role and improve training. A parent advocate, Joey Ford, testified neutrally on H.5171, saying over-criminalization in schools often stems from district discipline practices, restraint and seclusion, and inconsistent DESE oversight, not only from SROs. On H.3895, Ford spoke in favor of expanding CTE, saying such programs helped him succeed and stay engaged in school. After testimony concluded, the committee closed testimony on both bills and then adjourned without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is kind of a problem that was inherited from past practice, and so we'd like to get it resolved
• That's actually a practice that's been going on for a while.
• We've just got quite a few of these funds out there before that practice started.
• For a while, we've just got quite a few of these funds out there before that practice started that are

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• mutilation certain rights under the victims of sexual assault act. ...and it also creates a best practices
• This is a bill that allows an advanced practice registered nurse, no, never mind, an advanced practice
• Advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant to serve as the acting local health officer

Summary: The committee and rules meeting advanced a package pull of measures and then moved a series of individual bills and one joint memorial from the white sheet to the floor calendar or second reading calendar. Among the measures discussed were SB 6308 on tools for courts in shelter care hearings to address child protection and tort liability concerns; SB 6200 on tenant rights to install portable cooling devices; SB 6080 on parameters for local jails holding ICE detainees and reimbursement; SB 5911 on protecting benefits and funds for youth in extended foster care; SB 6177 on expanding disclosures on the LEAP website; SB 6052 on a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment; SB 6182 on an Abortion Savings Program; SB 5828 on college scholarships for private universities; SB 6335 on changes to the Transportation Commission; SB 6017 on trauma-informed treatment of victims and witnesses; SB 6346 on a tax on high earners, which drew opposition over constitutionality and impacts on businesses; SB 6262 on vehicle weight thresholds for certain transportation vehicles; SB 5470 on detached accessory dwelling units outside urban growth areas; SB 5999 on allowing advanced practice registered nurses or physician assistants to serve as acting local health officers in smaller counties; SB 6244 on extending a hazardous substance tax exemption for agricultural crop protection products; and SB 5961 on transferring the Imagination Library Program to SPI. The committee also advanced Senate Joint Memorial 8014 requesting an investigation into a killing. Most measures were described by sponsors as technical, administrative, or supportive of housing, transportation, public health, child welfare, or transparency goals. SB 6346 prompted the most substantive debate, with Senator Braun arguing it functioned as an income tax that could harm small and medium businesses and raise constitutional concerns, while the sponsor characterized it as a tax on millionaires. SB 5999 drew a brief concern about how long acting local health officers could serve, though the member said they would still support it. SB 5961 was noted as having local support and was framed as better aligning the Imagination Library with early childhood literacy goals. The committee approved the package pull and each individual motion by voice vote, with the record reflecting ayes carrying the motions and no recorded roll-call votes. At the end of the meeting, Senator Peterson said it was likely the last sit-down of the first half of session and noted one more standing rules meeting was expected on Monday before cutoff on Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now I am a disabled veteran and then eventually I was hired and I utilize a similar practice.
• 00:04:12.480><c> utilize</c><00:04:13.040><c> a</c><00:04:13.280><c> similar</c><00:04:13.680><c> practice
• </c><00:04:14.640><c> Um</c><00:04:15.040><c> so</c> and I utilize a similar practice.
• Um so and I utilize a similar practice.

Bills: HB292, HB307, SB33, HB292, HB307, SB33

Keywords: economic development, incentives, transparency, compliance, Alabama Jobs Act, speedy trial, visiting judge, court administration, public interest, criminal justice, SB33, marriage, premarital class, conflict resolution, marriage license reform, probate judge, Administrative Office of Courts, AOC, domestic violence, intimate partner violence

Transcript Highlights:

• STANDARDIZING PROCESSES AND PROTECTING HOMEOWNERS INCLUDING CONDOMINIUM OWNERS ESPECIALLY FROM UNFAIR PRACTICES
• WAS THAT WE SAW AT A GIVEN MOMENT BECAUSE OF THIS ALTERNATIVE SALES PROCEDURE THAT THEY WERE SALES PRACTICES
• AND ALSO, THE ARTICLE I GAVE TO YOU WITH REGARD TO INVESTIGATION DONE BY MIAMI HERALD THE BILL THE PRACTICE
• THIS LEGISLATION IS MODELED AFTER LEGISLATION IN OHIO AND ILLINOIS THAT HAS BEEN IN PRACTICE THAT HAS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've practiced OB-GYN for 22 years, and I'm here to oppose House Bill 1811.
• I've practiced OB-GYN for 22 years, and I'm here to oppose House Bill 1811.
• Um, we know both practical and moral.
• </c> Hampshire resident and a practicing Hampshire resident and a practicing doctor<03:06:27.200><c>
• National Pediatrics Practice but I I National Pediatrics Practice but I I here<03:10:27.200><c> my</c

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My law practice is limited to representing cities and towns.
• </c><00:54:09.640><c> do</c> version when they they practically do version when they they practically
• </c><02:16:55.679><c> that's</c> reasonably practical that's reasonably practical that's all<02:16:58.559
• </c><02:36:34.120><c> um</c> when attendance is not practicable um when attendance is not practicable
• There’s no notice, so how do you make that practicable?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee opened its hearing with a procedural discussion about a forthcoming Monday hearing, and the chair confirmed that any amendment deemed non-germane would be made public in advance and included in the calendar. The committee then took up House Bill 6, which would replace the word “citizen” in the Right-to-Know law with “any person,” allow requesters to specify the format of records, and expressly reference preliminary drafts circulated to a quorum or majority of a public body as disclosable material. The sponsor said the bill was intended to clarify existing law, remove uncertainty after a Rochester-related dispute over requester eligibility, and make records easier to obtain electronically unless doing so would be impossible, unusual, unduly burdensome, or harmful to recordkeeping integrity. Testimony was mixed. Cordell Johnston, speaking for himself as a municipal attorney, opposed most of the bill, especially the requirement that records be delivered electronically or by mail, arguing that out-of-state or out-of-country requests can be fishing expeditions that impose significant burdens on towns and clerks. He said local residents already can obtain records at town hall and that many municipalities voluntarily email records as a courtesy, but should not be required to mail large volumes of material. He also said the preliminary-draft language was unnecessary because such drafts are already covered when circulated to a quorum or majority. Representative Alexander raised concerns about the breadth of “any person,” potential abuse by bad actors, and the cost to municipalities, while Representative Peternell asked about whether the bill should account for nonresident property owners and business owners. The sponsor responded that limiting requesters by residency would not meaningfully stop abuse and said he did not know the bill’s fiscal impact, though he suggested it might improve efficiency. Yil Biset of the ACLU of New Hampshire testified in support of HB 6, calling it a modest and reasonable transparency measure. He said the preliminary-draft language was acceptable and consistent with existing exemption language in the public-meeting and documents statutes, and he said he was not aware of foreign-bot document requests occurring in New Hampshire. He also noted that current law already requires electronic disclosure when records exist electronically and can reasonably be provided that way. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And while they were practicing, they wore shirts that said, "Pay us what you owe us."
• </c> practice in the United States? practice in the United States?
• </c> implement best practices implement best practices &gt;&gt; to<00:41:33.040><c> make</c><00:41:33.280
• >> I mean, we do agree it's best practice.
• They need to de taking practice.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Education met on March 19 and moved through several bills under time pressure, hearing mostly brief testimony. SB 2024 SD2 and SB 896 SD2, both concerning public-private partnerships for charter school facilities, drew support from the Department of Education, the Charter School Commission, White Kids Can, and Hawaii Technology Academy. DOE said any P3 model should apply only to charter schools on private land and not affect public schools on DOE land. Supporters argued the approach could speed construction, reduce costs, and keep public money in public assets, while UPW and HGA raised concerns about privatization. In response, SFA said the intent was to mirror the existing conversion charter school model, with public ownership of assets and unionized staff, and noted some regions have waited years for schools. SB 2613 SD1 on TMK transfers was heard next. DOE said the bill had originally been supported as part of the governor’s package but was amended to require DOE to convey lands for 13 libraries on DOE property, which DOE said would create “donut holes” in campuses and was unnecessary because existing agreements already govern library use. The State Public Library System supported the bill, saying it has long coexisted with DOE but needs clearer separation and more reliable control over its sites. The Attorney General’s office said the library system currently lacks express statutory authority to own real property and flagged implementation issues because some of the affected parcels are not currently owned by DOE. Committee members questioned both sides about current agreements, communication, and how the bill would change operations. SB 494 SD2, concerning charter school audits, received comments from the Charter School Commission, which said the bill was redundant because charter schools already undergo annual audits during the term of their contracts. The Office of the Auditor was also present. SB 2391 SD2, relating to automatic pay increases for teachers, drew strong opposition from the Office of Collective Bargaining, which said step movement and longevity increases are negotiated in each contract and do not automatically carry over when a contract expires; it warned the bill could affect upcoming negotiations with HSTA. HSTA and several other supporters argued the bill would standardize annual step movement, improve retention, and reflect existing contract language. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1013 relating to public employees merit hiring practices recommends the bill be amended as follows
• When we look at merit and hiring practices, and especially recruiting practices, we really should be
• Senate Bill 1366, an act establishing the public property towing impound practices study committee.
• And when we look at just the practical things that need to be done, it includes smart measures.
• Because alternative options exist, health practices...

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So not a hypothetical, but fire safety grants—that will be our practice with...
• But I also have to deal with the very practical issues of preparing ballots for our voters.
• I'm not sure that's practical, and in the real world I have to pay... ...real money.
• And also change their practices so the scams were reduced. They did barely anything.
• Combat these practices that are really awful. And many of these folks are elderly.

Summary: The hearing opened the FY27 budget process with remarks from the Senate and House Ways and Means chairs and testimony from Governor Healey and Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz. The chairs emphasized fiscal caution amid choppy revenue growth, rising health care and education costs, and federal uncertainty, while the governor framed House 2 as a $62.8 billion budget that grows spending by about 1% without new taxes or fees and aims to protect core services while advancing affordability. The administration said the budget uses efficiencies, program integrity, and Fair Share surtax revenue to support education, transportation, housing, child care, health care, and public safety, and it also filed a supplemental Fair Share bill using surplus FY25 funds. Much of the questioning focused on the federal “OB3” tax law and the administration’s separate proposal to delay or phase in certain corporate tax changes, especially research and experimental deductions, to avoid in-year budget shocks. Members also pressed the administration on Fair Share allocations, with the governor and secretary explaining that operating-budget surtax spending is weighted more toward education while supplemental spending is more transportation-focused, and that combined spending is roughly balanced overall. The administration highlighted Chapter 70 aid, special education circuit breaker funding, rural school aid, local aid, child care, the MBTA deficit, regional transit authorities, and a new HHS transportation line item as part of the broader transportation strategy. Several members raised concerns about Chapter 70 equity, rural districts, municipal overrides, out-migration, housing affordability, public housing repairs, and the MBTA Communities Act. The governor and secretary said they are open to further discussion on school funding formulas, PILOT, and municipal aid, and stressed housing production, energy affordability, and workforce development as key responses to out-migration. On energy, the governor defended an all-of-the-above approach, including renewables, gas, and exploration of nuclear, while saying she would continue pushing utilities and regulators to reduce ratepayer costs. The governor also said fire safety grants would not be withheld for noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act, and members discussed public safety, housing, and local grant impacts in that context. Other topics included the Bright Act and higher education capital investments, with the administration saying it is preparing to support campus infrastructure across the public higher education system and that the bill is intended to strengthen Massachusetts’ competitiveness and retain graduates. Members also questioned cuts to the PCA program and EAEDC, and the governor responded that the state’s PCA program remains strong but is under pressure from large federal health care reductions. No votes were taken; the session was a hearing on the governor’s budget proposal and related policy bills, with the administration taking questions and offering explanations of its recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our team practiced thoughtful stewardship of...
• I’m not sure that’s practical. In the real world, I have to pay real money.
• I'm not sure that's practical. In the real world, I have to pay real money.
• And also change their practices so the scams were reduced. They did barely anything.
• Combat these practices that are really awful. And many of these folks are elderly.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In California schools, it is common practice to provide access at the district office to math textbooks
• . practices around, like, best practices around youth development really speak to making sure that that
• I don't think it's not being practical. I think it's being clear that we are...
• We regularly discuss practice and policy issues affecting our students.
• So it sounds like this is a significant bill moving the best practices forward.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Decades-old insurance laws and practices that govern our claims process have not kept pace.
• recovery plan, doubles penalties during a declared emergency for violations of insurance fair claims practices
• Decades-old insurance laws and practices that govern our claims process have not kept pace.
• recovery plan, doubles penalties during a declared emergency for violations of insurance fair claims practices
• recovery plan, doubles penalties during a declared emergency for violations of insurance fair claims practices

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is another cleanup bill to codify current practices and fix cross-references.
• It codifies current practices on ad hoc judges and improves some definitions.
• This bill is to sunset a practice that was dealing with... ...to sunset a practice that was dealing with
• So this will eliminate the old practice and let us move forward with the new law.

Bills: SB8, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB14, SB16, SB17, SB18, SB20, SB21, SB22, SB416, SB455, SB456, SB477

Keywords: Municipal Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana, participation, employer, retirement, SB 10, Act 222, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, state police retirement, retirement system funding, employer contributions, actuarial gains, amortization, Permanent Benefit Increase, PBI account, benefit increase reserve, supplemental permanent benefit increase, public retirement systems, state pension, pension funding

Summary: The Retirement Committee met on April 29, 2026, established a quorum, and heard a series of retirement-related bills, mostly cleanup or technical measures affecting various public retirement systems. SB 22 would extend Municipal Employees Retirement System eligibility to certain positions in the Second City Court constable’s office in New Orleans. SB 17 would create a funding deposit account for cost-of-living adjustments for registrars of voters’ employees’ retirement system. SB 455 would allow certain district and parish courts to participate in the Parochial Employees Retirement System. SB 456 would update compensation rules for assigned retired judges, and SB 8 would add the Louisiana Asset Management Pool as a participating employer in MERS. All of these bills were described as aligning statutes with current practice or expanding participation options, and each was reported favorably without objection. The committee also heard several Louisiana State Police retirement bills. SB 10 would repeal outdated priority allocation and retiree raise rules and adjust handling of surplus employee contributions; SB 11 would increase the funding cap for benefit increases from 2.5% to 3.5%; and SB 12 would update membership and definition language to reflect the State Police Commission rather than the Civil Service Commission. SB 18 would repeal a special exception allowing certain MERS retirees to return to part-time work while collecting full benefits, while protecting roughly 30 current participants. SB 20 and SB 21 would update actuarial gain/loss and unfunded liability funding rules for school employees’ retirement and LASERS, respectively, in light of the new permanent benefit increase funding structure. Each of these bills was supported by system officials as cleanup or modernization measures and was reported favorably. The committee spent the most time on education and return-to-work issues for teachers and public employees. SB 16 would reduce annual trustee training requirements for retirement system boards from 16 hours back to 12 hours, which witnesses said would better fit smaller systems and match the original intent of the law. SB 13 would similarly update TRSL’s actuarial funding rules after the sunset of the experience account. SB 14, based on a 2025 study work group, would consolidate and simplify TRSL return-to-work rules and expand options for retired teachers, with witnesses emphasizing teacher shortages and the need to retain experienced educators. All three were reported favorably. Finally, SB 416 would allow certain Department of Public Safety and Corrections retirees to return to critical shortage positions after one year, and SB 477 would classify the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as a full-time state employee for retirement purposes. Both bills drew questions and discussion, especially SB 416, and both were reported favorably. The chair announced the committee’s next meeting would be moved from Monday to Tuesday, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• had other discussions with some of you off, you know, regarding bills regarding general judicial practices
• Having practiced both in the Eastern District and Western District...
• Having practiced both in the Eastern District and Western District, I don't see any great difference,
• probably the court best situated to be able to hear that case from an efficiency standpoint, from a practical
• This is very common in plaintiff’s practice that if there is a statute that would otherwise limit your

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill takes a practical approach to promoting biosimilar use.
• We regulate our pharmacists' pharmacy scope of practice. We did this, frankly, with generics.
• So for those that are deemed interchangeable, we are just aligning with what is already in practice.
• This bill offers several practical ways to encourage biosimilar use to bring down the cost... ...several
• practical ways to encourage biosimilar use to bring down the cost and inject more competition into a

Summary: The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee heard SB 1094 by Senator Weber Pierson, which would expand pharmacist substitution authority for biosimilars and allow health plans to require use of lower-cost generic or biosimilar alternatives when available, unless the prescriber marks “do not substitute.” The author said the bill is intended to lower prescription drug costs, improve access, and require insurers to report on whether substitutions reduce out-of-pocket costs and premium growth. Committee amendments were accepted, including changes to align definitions with federal law, require a link to the FDA Purple Book, add a 30-day advance notice requirement for plan-driven substitutions, and allow exceptions for patients or providers. Supporters included Blue Shield of California, Sharp HealthCare, health plans, CVS, the California Chamber of Commerce, and other business and health care groups, who argued the bill would increase competition, reduce costs, and remove administrative barriers to using FDA-approved biosimilars. Opponents and “opposed unless amended” witnesses, including the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, the California Rheumatology Alliance, and some physician groups, argued the bill goes beyond current FDA interchangeability standards, could undermine physician judgment, and may create patient safety concerns for some chronic-disease patients who react differently to biosimilars or experience problems with multiple switches. Committee members discussed the “do not substitute” option, patient notification, insurance approval, and whether the bill preserves physician discretion. After debate, Senator Arreguín moved the bill, and the committee voted 10-0 to pass SB 1094 as amended to the Senate Health Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill takes a practical approach to promoting biosimilar use.
• We regulate our pharmacists, pharmacy scope of practice. We did this, frankly, with generics.
• So for those that are deemed interchangeable, we are just aligning with what is already in practice.
• This bill offers several practical ways to encourage biosimilar use to bring down the cost... ...several
• practical ways to encourage biosimilar use to bring down the cost and inject more competition into a

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we want, like I said, we want to establish a consistent practice and procedure for when those
• And we just think that that's a good practice and a good professional development resource that we can
• what... ...withholds or falsifies a disclosure statement, talk to me what withholds looks like in practice
• testimony, she just spoke to finding something out 45 minutes ago for something she thought was in practice
• trying to make sure that we have a structure in place that will work not only legally, but in practicalities

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bills 1371 and 1372, which were described as measures to improve student safety by requiring more consistent disclosure and sharing of personnel information across educational entities, including public, charter, private, and micro schools. Senator Nichols said the bills would help ensure that allegations of misconduct, resignations during investigations, disciplinary actions, and other relevant employment history are not kept internal but are disclosed during hiring, and that cases involving covered individuals would be referred to the Idaho Professional Standards Commission. The State Superintendent said the department shared the goal of stronger mandatory reporting and hiring safeguards, and noted ongoing work with the Attorney General’s office and school attorneys to refine the language and align it with existing law and ethics training. Several committee members questioned how the proposal differed from current background checks and mandatory reporting laws, whether it would affect out-of-state applicants, and how it would apply to private schools and micro schools. Nichols said the bills were intended to fill gaps where information is not reported or transferred, and that the language would be adjusted to request records from prior employers over the last 10 years without automatically disqualifying applicants if information is unavailable. He also said the whistleblower language from SB 1372 would likely be folded into SB 1371 so the issues could be handled in one bill. The superintendent added that the department is also working on reinforcing the code of ethics and mandatory reporting expectations for educators. Testimony included statements from a friend reading a written statement for Dr. Laura Bolton, who said she had reported misconduct in the Boise School District and faced retaliation; the chair stopped that testimony when it touched on allegations tied to a current or previously settled case. Kathy Wilson testified that her son was assaulted in a Boise school restroom and said the district failed to report properly, while Tori Dole described retaliation after she reported concerns about a registered sex offender connected to a Boise school. After discussion, Senator Woodward moved to hold both bills in committee, and the motion passed unanimously, with the chair saying the committee would bring the bills back once the language was ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• After a decade of practicing family and urgent care medicine in rural and suburban communities, Dr.
• introduce are going to work just as well or better and for less Expense than the time-honored and true practice
• creating in perpetuity a revolving door of short-term teachers when a few years of Steady applied practice
• Why we are only just now beginning to rein in the practice of hiring adjunct teachers, which Was, let
• better served, Speaker, if I had started out enrolled in education programs and come out with that practice

Bills: HB4319, HB4317, HB1225, HB3076, HB3081, HB4226, SCR17, HB4432, HB3304, HB3411, HB3435, HB4339, HB4331, HB4341, HB4342, HB1770, HB1016, HB4113, HB2950, HB4141, HB3277, HB2988, HB3029, HB3338, HB1889, HB3834, HB3831, HB2939, HB3045, HB3657, HB1739, HB3759, HB3755, HB4484, HB4486, HB4108, HB1250, HB2961, HB1219, HB3025, HB1782, HB1907, HB3718, HB4459, HB2976, HB3548, HB3545, HB2952, HB2929, HB2956, HB2973, HB3055, HB3086, HB3040, HB3794, HB4336, HB3151, HB1590, HB3581, HB3313, HB3429, HB3448, HB1752, HB2650, HB3584, HB4202, HB3586, HB4321, HB4280, HB3650, HCR1020, HB2116, HB2206, HB4301, HB3625, HB3147, HB3403, HB3498, HB3970, HB3975, HB3976, HB3980, HB4265, HB4266, HB3638, HB3880, HB3930, HB3942, HB3944, HB4191, HB3242, HB3678

Keywords: administrative procedures, rulemaking authority, specific authority, legislative review, agency rules, accounting, CPA, licensure, educational requirements, reciprocity, professional conduct, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity

Transcript Highlights:

• I am here to express my support for House Bill 762 because it addresses a practical and pressing challenge
• It's about honoring service with practical support.
• The bill takes a targeted approach and a practical one. It does not eliminate the choice.
• The bill takes a targeted approach and a practical one.
• yes vote on House Bill 762 so Idaho can continue to support military families with the respect and practical

Keywords: 989, all