Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm going to suspend the public hearing for a moment here.
• So I'm going to suspend the public hearing for a moment here.
• I use public transit. As a person, this doesn't happen. Public transit literally means everything.
• And with that, I'll close the public hearing on House Bill 2550 and open up the public hearing on House
• House Bill 2109 addresses vehicle loads on public highways.

Bills: HB2550 , HB2645 , HB2109 , HB2134 , HB2323

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: transit, community colleges, student transportation, free rides, public transportation, HB 2645, HB2645, Fairfax Bridge, State Route 165, SR 165, Carbon River, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, emergency infrastructure replacement, bridge collapse, bridge closure, transportation emergency, public safety, infrastructure repair, bridge replacement

Transcript Highlights:

• That will conclude the public testimony and the public hearing on House Bill 2159.
• So that will conclude the public testimony and the public hearing on House Bill 2441.
• So that will conclude the public testimony and the public hearing on House Bill 2521, and we would now
• public testimony.
• That will conclude public testimony and the public hearing on House Bill 2543.

Bills: HB1607 , HB2159 , HB2441 , HB2521 , HB2531 , HB2543

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: recycling, waste reduction, environmental policy, sustainability, municipal regulations, preK, education funding, childcare, youth development, state budget, HB 2441, line of duty death, survivor benefits, medical insurance premium reimbursement, surviving spouse, domestic partner, dependent children, public employee death benefits, retirement system, Washington State

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here today to speak on behalf of our public safety telecommunicators.
• include public safety telecommunicators in Senate Bill 774.
• and to include public safety telecommunicators in Senate Bill 774.
• Public safety telecommunicators save lives every single day.
• This bill seeks to repeal the current public records and public meeting exemption from cybersecurity

Bills: S0774 , S7028 , S7024 , S7026

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Keywords: mental health, first responders, employment benefits, 911 telecommunicators, nervous injuries, retirement, elected officials, Deferred Retirement Option Program, DROP, cost-of-living adjustment, trade secret, public records exemption, public meetings exemption, open government, sunset review, agency confidentiality, proprietary business information, proprietary confidential business information, confidential records, Florida public records law

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met and first heard Senate Bill 774, which would extend workers’ compensation medical benefits for employment-related mental or nervous injuries to 911 public safety telecommunicators, even without a physical injury. The sponsor and several dispatchers, a clinician, and communications directors testified in support, describing repeated exposure to traumatic calls, chronic understaffing, and the need for mental health treatment and retention support. Senator DiCeglie and Chair Mayfield praised dispatchers’ work, and the bill was reported favorably by committee vote, with Senator McClain later recorded as voting yes on the bill. The committee then took up SPB 7028, a retirement bill that sets Florida Retirement System employer contribution rates beginning July 1, 2026, leaves the 3% employee contribution unchanged, allows certain elected officers to receive a DROP payout under specified conditions, and provides a 1.5% alternative cost-of-living adjustment for eligible special risk retirees. Firefighters, police, sheriffs, and chiefs’ groups spoke in support, emphasizing recruitment and retention. The committee voted to submit the proposal as a committee bill and reported it favorably. Finally, the committee considered SPB 7024 and SPB 7026, both open-government-related bills. SPB 7024 would repeal the current public records and public meeting exemption for cybersecurity information and consolidate agency-specific cybersecurity exemptions into one agency-wide exemption. SPB 7026 would repeal the current public records exemption for trade secrets held by an agency and similarly consolidate specific trade secret exemptions into one agency-wide exemption. Neither bill drew testimony or debate, and both were submitted as committee bills and reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• identifiable when interacting with the public.
• duties are recognizable and accountable.
• I am pro-public safety. I am pro-accountability.
• One, it does actually present a direct threat to public safety, both for members of the public and members
• And before entering into public life, I've served as frontline public safety as a community corrections

Bills: SB5865 , SB5880 , SB5912 , SB5837 , SB5855

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Keywords: garnishment, debt, form standardization, financial protection, legal processes, toxicology testing, laboratories, accreditation, public health, standards, indigent defense, task force, criminal justice, legal aid, public defense, guardianship, conservatorship, protective arrangement, protective arrangements, supported decision-making

Transcript Highlights:

• While the law does not restrict public sector employees it's silent.
• I also have the member from the Texas Public Policy who actually wrote the bill for me.
• And like other boards and governmental bodies that are elected by the public.
• The real danger is a system that prevents public oversight.
• The taxpayers get it back as the public through those coffers.

Bills: HB1952 , HB3258 , HB3524 , HB3851 , HB4478 , HB4613 , HB4703 , HB4742 , HB4744 , HB4809 , HB4864

Committee: House S/C on Property Tax Appraisals

Keywords: county appraisal district, board of directors, governance, taxing units, public representation, penalty, property report, taxation, timely filing, chief appraiser, appraisal district, ad valorem tax, property appraisal, tax protests, unequal appraisal, property rights, property tax, public employees, protest leave, appraisal review board

Bills: HB 1320 , HB 2012 , HB 2293 , HB 2655 , HB 3174 , HB 4108 , HB 4661 , HB 4799 , HB 5534 , HB 5580

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, funding, state budget, public safety, child welfare, county boards, membership, local governance, public welfare, government service, social services, Texas Family Code, regulation, vendors, solicitors, roadside sales, county authority, Sweeny Hospital District, board of directors

Transcript Highlights:

• available for us in dark times, perhaps, but really, we wanted to take advantage of opportunities for public
• it ought to be, you know, It ought to be, you know, faith and belief is important, but not in our public

Bills: SB305 , SB109 , SB122 , SB111 , SB114 , SB113 , SB150 , SB112 , SB289 , SB303

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: education funding, RAISE Act, student outcomes, public schools, local education agencies, accountability, weighted allocations, special education, English language learners, gifted students, Tuskegee University, Alabama Education Trust Fund, appropriation, agricultural research, Southern Preparatory Academy, fiscal responsibility, financial reporting, Education Savings Accounts, RAISE Fund, CHOOSE Act Fund

Transcript Highlights:

• I've talked to the universities, the Alabama Department of Public Health... ...Alabama Department of
• Public Health.
• So why would we not want to make sure that the information that gets to the public is indeed facts and
• transparency; at least we all should be about transparency—about not wanting the truth to be told to the public
• Public, and so that's the perception that I'm getting from this in as much as we do not have this issue

Bills: HB134 , SB217 , SB180 , HB157 , HB92 , HB335

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: vehicle registration, disability access, fines, law enforcement, public accommodation, bond financing, municipal bonds, county debt, local government debt, debt service schedule, bond disclosure, public finance, bond underwriter, county commission, city council, refunding bonds, swap agreements, interest rate swaps, derivatives, fiscal transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• lands designated as public hunting areas.
• </c> and preservation of existing public art. and preservation of existing public art.
• </c> science, community engagement, public science, community engagement, public service,<00:55:31.599
• </c><01:00:37.520><c> whose</c> aistation from the notary public whose aistation from the notary public
• This was heard jointly with the Public Safety Committee.

Bills: SB2341 , SB2306 , SB2782 , SB2161 , SB17 , SB2358 , SB2367 , SB2240 , SB2547 , SB2401 , SB3031 , SB1406 , SB521 , SB3247 , SB1654 , SB1112 , SB1301 , SB2443 , SB2996

Committee: Senate Water, Land, Culture and the Arts

Keywords: historic preservation, Hawaii Revised Statutes, construction, state review, burial sites, cultural artifacts, development review, phased review, administrative fees, bureau of conveyances, land court, transaction fees, public services, cost recovery, notary public, fraud, real property, Bureau of Conveyances, title recording, property rights

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures related to hunting, trespass enforcement, conservation banking, coral reef resilience, and search and rescue. SB 2130 would require DLNR to increase the percentage of public land acreage designated for public hunting areas; DLNR offered comments, the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council expressed concern, and a Game Management Advisory Commission member urged adequate funding for both study and maintenance of any expanded hunting areas. SB 2128 would require forfeiture to the state of firearms or motor vehicles used in hunting trespass on private land; the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council supported the bill, and another signer testified without additional detail. The committee also heard SB 3053, which appropriates funds to DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources for mangrove removal and shoreline/stream maintenance in the Westlock and Middleock shorelines and watersheds. DLNR supported the measure and noted staff involved in mangrove removal work; no other testimony was offered. On SB 20005, which authorizes conservation banks for compensatory mitigation in habitat conservation plans and incidental take licenses, DLNR supported the bill but said a House measure, HB 1802, would place key safeguards in statute rather than administrative rules. Earthjustice opposed SB 20005 for lacking statutory safeguards and said it would support incorporating the House language, while CARES supported the bill as a modernization that could reduce permit processing time and provide more predictable costs. A lengthy discussion followed on SB 3201, which would direct DLNR to prioritize coral reef resilience and set performance targets for coral cover and herbivore biomass. DLNR said it supported the intent but wanted more flexibility because outside factors such as climate and emissions policy affect reef conditions; the Nature Conservancy shared that concern and asked for more flexible language. For the bill, For the Fishes strongly supported stronger protections and suggested adding abundance as a metric, while NOAA and DLNR discussed the difficulty of setting universal benchmarks because reef conditions vary by location. Randy Kosaki and CARES supported the bill, emphasizing coral decline and the need for measurable goals, while committee members asked about restoration projects, benchmarks, and whether the bill’s deadlines were meant to require a plan rather than immediate achievement. Finally, the committee took up SB 2937, which would create a search and rescue card program and special fund to reimburse state, county, and volunteer search-and-rescue operations. DLNR’s wildlife division said it stood on its written testimony, and the Hawaii SAR Alliance supported the concept but said Hawaii first needs a stronger search-and-rescue framework, including a state coordinator, before implementing such a program. No votes or final actions were taken on any of the measures in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there anybody here who would like to make public comment on House Bill 184 as amended? Great.
• And the main driver with this was Albuquerque Public Schools.
• Albuquerque Public Schools does not participate in NMSIA because of its size.
• House Bill 64 is the Public Project Revolving Fund appropriations bill.
• It appropriates $13.3 million from the Public Project Revolving Fund, and it includes $6,250,000 to the

Bills: HB63 , HB64 , HB184 , HB200 , HB47 , HB48 , HB2 , HB9

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: water project fund, New Mexico Finance Authority, NMFA, Water Trust Board, water infrastructure, wastewater, drinking water, flood prevention, watershed restoration, water storage, conveyance, delivery, water treatment, recycling, reuse, municipal infrastructure, local government finance, capital outlay, grants, loans

Transcript Highlights:

• And for us on our RP 500 reports on that industry tab, per David Monteith, 90% of that public administration
• Everything is going to be impacted, not just public safety, but law enforcement. And roads.
• And those GRTs right now are paying for our public safety services. They're paying for our EMTs.
• But with the amount of space that we have with our public facilities, has there been any thought to figure

Bills: HB63 , HB64 , HB184 , HB200 , HB47 , HB48 , HB2 , HB9

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: water project fund, New Mexico Finance Authority, NMFA, Water Trust Board, water infrastructure, wastewater, drinking water, flood prevention, watershed restoration, water storage, conveyance, delivery, water treatment, recycling, reuse, municipal infrastructure, local government finance, capital outlay, grants, loans

Summary: The committee heard testimony on the expected impacts of House Bill 9 on private detention facilities and the surrounding counties and municipalities, focusing on Cibola County/Milan, Torrance County/Estancia, and Otero County. Corrections Secretary Alicia Lucero explained that the Corrections Department does not oversee the immigration detention facilities directly, but said the department could help displaced workers through hiring fairs and expedited hiring into state positions, and suggested possible alternative uses for the buildings such as behavioral health treatment, training campuses, or transitional living centers. She also noted that a memorial would task several state agencies and affected counties with exploring alternate uses and economic options, and that Workforce Solutions had scheduled job fairs in February for the affected communities. Local officials described major fiscal and community impacts. Cibola County and Milan said the loss of the facility would reduce gross receipts tax revenue, force service cuts, and potentially shrink the county budget substantially; they also warned that the village uses the detention population to support federal grant applications and industrial park development. Torrance County and Estancia said the closure would eliminate jobs, reduce GRT revenue that funds public safety, and require transporting prisoners to other facilities at much higher bed rates, with estimated annual impacts around $3 million. Otero County reported 284 jobs and $20.8 million in payroll at risk, along with about $3 million in annual GRT and a $68 million facility that could be foreclosed if bonds defaulted. Committee members pressed for more precise numbers, including employee counts, transport costs, current bed costs, and the total fiscal impact after accounting for existing contract payments. Several members emphasized that each facility and community is different and asked for separate, detailed plans, including short-term cost replacement and long-term economic diversification. There was discussion of possible hold-harmless assistance, emergency bill drafting, and coordination with Workforce Solutions, Economic Development, and higher education partners. No formal vote was taken; the chair directed staff and agencies to meet the next morning to continue developing an emergency response and requested more detailed information from the counties and the department.

Transcript Highlights:

• The public line is open and working.
• This is not a tax on the general public.
• It revises provisions governing public works projects.
• We are back in order, and we will go to public comment.
• We are back in order, and we will go to public comment.

Bills: AB102 , AB108 , AB117 , AB213 , AB220 , AB221 , AB251 , AB259 , AB331 , AB336 , AB375 , AB379 , AB409 , AB475 , AB476 , AB550 , AB575 , AB594 , SB466

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: emergency medical services, ambulance, licensing, health district, paramedic, training requirements, outdoor education, recreation, grant program, environment, funding, special license plates, vehicle registration, custom plates, state revenue, transportation, public works, prevailing wage, custom fabrication, nonstandard materials

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:26:34.840><c> And</c> Kentucky Public Service Commission.
• And Kentucky Public Service Commission.
• </c><00:33:28.800><c> Service</c> familiar with how the Public Service familiar with how the Public Service
• Dave Carney is with us from the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
• And then Department for Public Health.

Bills: SB8

Committee: Joint Natural Resources & Energy

Keywords: utilities, public service commission, energy regulation, appointment, emergency declaration, tax increases, consumer protection, Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:51 Approval of Minutes 00:02:07 Legislator Comments 00:02:18 LIHEAP Public Hearing 00:04:19 PSC Update on RS 26 SB 8 00:32:18 WaterStep Presentation 01:04:08, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fees are, believe it or not, set by the Public Service Commission.
• And so there is a weekend fee that the Public Service Commission authorizes the tow truck people to charge
• This is just offering up the opportunity for the public to be able to get their belongings at some point
• The public to be able to get their belongings at some point prior to the first day of opening.
• Safety and Corrections, Office of Representative Adams, urges and requests the Department of Public

Bills: HCR96 , SB431

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Keywords: roundabout, traffic safety, public education, driving rules, Louisiana Department of Transportation, SB 431, Act 768, towing, tow truck companies, storage fees, nonconsensual towing, private property towing, vehicle release, impound, vehicle storage, gate fees, consumer protection, Louisiana State Police, Public Service Commission, stored vehicles

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on May 18, 2026, with a quorum present and took up Senate Bill 431 by Senator Foil. The bill, as amended in the House, would apply only to non-consensual private-property tows and require towing companies to have someone available on weekends to release vehicles within 90 minutes of a call if they want to charge storage fees for Saturday and Sunday. Senator Foil said the measure was intended to help vehicle owners retrieve cars and belongings sooner, while not forcing companies to stay open; Lieutenant John Nelson of Louisiana State Police explained that payment would still occur at the yard and that the bill did not change the fee structure. Amy Seals of Riverside Towing opposed the bill, citing safety concerns, burdens on office staff, and fairness issues because it would not cover police-initiated tows; she suggested limiting weekend release hours to daytime. Despite her concerns, the committee moved SB 431 favorably without objection. The committee then considered House Concurrent Resolution 96 by Representative Adams, which urges the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of Motor Vehicles, to provide educational materials on proper roundabout use. Adams said the resolution was meant to help drivers in smaller parishes and elsewhere who struggle with roundabouts. Several members supported the idea, noting confusion about roundabout navigation in their areas, and one member asked whether driver education already covers the topic. The resolution was moved favorably without objection. Before adjourning, the chair recognized a new DOTD staff member and a visitor from the Florida Women’s Republican group. Representative Spells then moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a public financing issue.
• They finance projects brought forward by private companies or public companies, public institutions that
• derive a public benefit.
• The public facilities pool is a pool that's essentially supposed to be used for public-private purpose
• </c> bucket, and then there's the public bucket, and then there's the public facilities<00:19:58.240>

Bills: HF3217 , HF2252

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: bioindustrial facilities, economic development, renewable energy, advanced biofuels, state funding, HF2252, Minnesota bonding, volume cap, private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, public facility bonds, public facilities pool, unified pool, bond allocation, municipal finance, bond cap, housing bonds, residential rental projects, manufacturing bonds, enterprise zone bonds

Bills: SB85 , SB85

Committee: House Agriculture and Forestry

Keywords: vaccination exemption, religious exemption, medical exemption, vaccine mandate, testing requirement, public schools, K-12, students, parents, guardians, higher education, college enrollment, university attendance, public institutions of higher education, immunization, religious tenets, sincerely held belief, school health policy, Alabama, AHSAA physical form

Transcript Highlights:

• That does it for public testimony. That does it for public testimony.
• Senators, that does it for public testimony. We're now in debate.
• Seeing no questions, we move to public testimony on the amendment.
• Seeing no questions, we'll move to public testimony.
• on a personal level, but from a public policy perspective as well.

Bills: S0162 , S0254 , S0688 , S0794 , S1110 , S1574

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Keywords: surgical smoke, health standards, hospital safety, patient protection, medical regulations, nursing education, licensure, remedial courses, temporary license, graduate nursing preceptorship, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, background screening, support coordination services, developmental disabilities, Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, public hearings, orthotics, prosthetics, healthcare, Medicaid

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum present and took up several health-related bills. CS/SB 1110 on Medicaid and insurance coverage for orthotics and prosthetics was heard first. The bill would require coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics without lifetime or continuous-use caps, direct AHCA to seek federal approval and update contracts, and require annual reporting. Testimony from a child using prosthetic “gymnastics blades,” his mother, and another young person with a prosthetic leg emphasized the high cost of activity-specific devices and the impact on children’s mobility, sports participation, and quality of life. Senators voiced strong support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then approved SB 1574, “Maddie’s Law,” which adds newborn screening for biliary atresia using the existing blood specimen collected at birth. The sponsor and the child’s father described the condition as time-sensitive and potentially fatal without early detection, and argued the screening could prevent transplants and save money. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered CS/SB 794 on background screening for employees of residential facilities and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities, plus a review of waiver support coordination quality, training, and access issues. Parents and a support coordinator testified that strong support coordination is essential for families and that the bill would help standardize expectations and improve services. An amendment aligning the bill with the House companion was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. Members next heard SB 162, which requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. Supporters, including nurses and the Florida Nurses Association, described surgical smoke as a workplace hazard with toxic chemicals and potential cancer risks; hospital representatives said they support the intent but argued existing federal and state standards already regulate the issue and the bill is too prescriptive. A late-filed amendment clarifying the smoke must be “effectively captured and filtered” was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 254, a major nursing education bill that tightens oversight of low-performing nursing programs, creates a temporary provisional license and preceptorship pathway for graduates awaiting NCLEX results, requires remediation for delayed testing, and increases transparency by posting passage rates. Nursing groups supported stronger standards, while private nursing schools warned the bill could reduce capacity and discourage program directors; the amended bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 688, which would reestablish licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors in Florida, create a board of naturopathic medicine, set licensure and renewal requirements, and define the scope of practice while excluding most prescription authority. Supporters said it would expand health care choices and allow naturopathic doctors to practice openly, while opponents from the medical community warned the bill could authorize diagnosis and treatment without sufficient training and rely on unproven therapies. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned after members thanked staff for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will go to public comments for those joining us online.

Bills: SB240

Committee: House House Taxation & Revenue

Keywords: capital outlay, capital projects, severance tax bonds, general fund appropriations, supplemental severance tax bonds, UNM School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, infrastructure, state buildings, courts, schools, higher education, road improvements, water and wastewater, tribal infrastructure, tribal projects, public safety, housing, emergency services, bonding

Transcript Highlights:

• project costs for qualifying affordable Multifamily Development, improving viability to leverage public
• This includes state agencies, higher education institutions, and public schools.
• We'll now go to public comment and start online.
• Any others wishing to make public comment online? Raise your hand now. Okay, we'll go to in person.
• These folks are teaching our kids at the public schools.

Bills: SB240

Committee: House House Taxation & Revenue

Keywords: capital outlay, capital projects, severance tax bonds, general fund appropriations, supplemental severance tax bonds, UNM School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, infrastructure, state buildings, courts, schools, higher education, road improvements, water and wastewater, tribal infrastructure, tribal projects, public safety, housing, emergency services, bonding

Transcript Highlights:

• I just wanted to say, as someone who spent three decades on active duty and moved no less than 13 times

Bills: SB540 , HB1085 , HB1484

Keywords: dentist, dental hygienist, dentistry, dental hygiene, licensure compact, interstate compact, professional licensing, license portability, health workforce, workforce shortage, mobility, compact privilege, state licensing board, public health, public safety, military spouse, telehealth dentistry, reciprocity, Title 59, occupational licensing

Summary: The Senate convened, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and several introductions, including the nurse of the day and student guests. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 540, a Department of Defense-request compact bill creating a dental/dental hygienist licensure compact. The author and supporters said it would improve reciprocity and help military spouses and workforce needs without lowering Oklahoma standards, while several senators raised concerns about sovereignty, rulemaking authority, potential enforcement actions, and possible costs. After debate, the bill passed 35-12. The Senate next considered House Bill 1085, which would standardize and adjust the fee structure for the service contract industry. An amendment changing dates was adopted, and the bill passed 44-3. The chamber then heard House Bill 1484, a fentanyl education bill requiring instruction for students in grades 6-12 on the dangers and consequences of fentanyl exposure. The author described it as a response to rising fentanyl deaths and a tribute to a young victim; the bill was said to apply to school districts and, by understanding, private schools as well. It passed 47-9 and then passed as an emergency measure. Before adjournment, senators also introduced visiting students and family members affected by fentanyl, and members made announcements about an appropriations subcommittee meeting and a Farm Bureau of Women lunch. The Senate then adopted a motion to adjourn until Thursday, February 12th at 9:30 a.m.