Transcript Highlights:

• So when we were doing the original bill, I did a lot of research on state mobilization, and I didn't
• stakeholders, including hunger relief organizations, agricultural partners, food system businesses, research
• planning and management graduate program, currently doing research on how to make our infrastructure
• and seeing the opportunities, but at the same time, the issues that arise is what I'm focusing my research
• The League is a nonpartisan group, but advocates on issues based on positions derived from research,

Bills: HB2104 , HB2554 , HB2619

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response, tribal rights, fishing rights, salmon management, state-tribal agreements, natural resources, agriculture, regulations, farming, compliance, economic impact, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm wanting to know if there was any research or data collaboration between any of the R&D in the energy
• The board, as Senator Daniels stated, was never founded, so there was never any research collected.
• So it sounds like then that there's other mechanisms to maintain or collect the research and development
• . never founded, so there was never any research collected.
• So it sounds like then that there's other mechanisms to maintain or collect the research and development

Bills: SB1191 , SB1314 , SB1319 , SB1333 , SB1346 , SB1439 , SB1509 , SB1510 , SB1613

Committee: Senate Energy

Keywords: SB1191, Oklahoma Energy Initiative Act, Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative Board, low carbon energy, clean energy, energy policy, renewable energy, board repeal, statutory repeal, administrative board, energy committee, natural resources, Oklahoma statutes, 17 O.S. 802.3, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention, regulatory compliance, SB1319

Summary: The Senate Energy Committee met and first laid over a couple of items before taking up a series of energy and water-related bills. Senate Bill 1333, presented by Sen. Hall, was framed as a symbolic reflection of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s budget request and the state’s estimated $24 billion water infrastructure need through 2030. Members asked about project prioritization, emergency needs, long-term funding, federal matching dollars, and whether some proposed spending would go to outreach or new programs rather than direct infrastructure. Supporters emphasized the statewide water crisis, rural and municipal needs, and the goal of building a comprehensive water package; the bill passed 11-0. Senate Bill 1191, presented by Sen. Daniels, would eliminate an unused board tied to the Low Carbon Energy Initiative; the deputy secretary testified the board was never actually founded and collected no research, and the bill passed 11-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1439, the Energy Security and Independence Act, also by Sen. Daniels, which would shield fossil fuel companies operating lawfully and within permits from certain climate-change and emissions-based lawsuits. Questions focused on why the bill applied only to fossil fuels, whether it could affect landowners’ rights or environmental standards, and whether it would create a lower regulatory bar in Oklahoma. The author said it was aimed at a specific category of litigation seen in other states and would not protect unlawful conduct; the bill passed 10-1. Senate Bill 1314, by Sen. Yek, would raise the cap on the well drillers and pump installers indemnity fund from $50,000 to $100,000 and increase the per-well cap from $10,000 to $25,000; members discussed how the fund works and its limited size, and it passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1509, also by Sen. Yek, would update groundwater well spacing rules so the Water Resources Board could apply spacing requirements across all groundwater basins, not just those with maximum annual yield studies. The board said the bill is meant to protect existing commercial wells from encroachment, with exceptions if water cannot be found elsewhere on the property; it passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1319, presented by Sen. Hall, would allow the Corporation Commission to use plugging funds in rare cases where homes are affected by historic oil and gas activity or orphan wells; members raised concerns about caps, proof of contamination, remediation versus plugging, and whether landowners could present expert evidence. The author said the language was still being refined with the Commission, and the bill passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1346, by Vice Chair Woods, would direct the Water Resources Board to establish a water and wastewater infrastructure program with competitive loans for eligible entities; it was described as part of a broader effort to consolidate water measures into a comprehensive package and passed 9-0. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1613, which would let the LP Gas Administration buy, lease, and own its own vehicles instead of using the OMES fleet and would rename a miscellaneous permit as a food truck permit; it passed without debate. The meeting ended with adjournment and notice that there would be no committee meeting the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have really good research on what we need to do when young people have firearms.
• The University of Washington has really good research. They've studied it. We know what to do.
• We have good research, like how to educate them, how to help them change their thinking.
• They've pulled together all the research.
• They have some of that research compiled there. Thank you for your help with that.

Bills: HB2246 , HB2360

Committee: House Education

Keywords: firearm violations, education, student discipline, school policies, safety measures, albuterol, asthma, inhaler, rescue inhaler, respiratory emergency, school nurse, student medication, self-administration, anaphylaxis, public schools, private schools, charter schools, tribal compact schools, K-12 health, medication policy

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, you know, we've done the research and the demographics to see where the labor force is coming
• I just wanted to highlight a little bit about research and innovation as well.
• And so we conducted research to find out where is the aggregate coming from, where could it come from
• And so we did that research and began planning it out.
• So we had to begin forecasting and doing all that research.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Committee on Transportation received a presentation from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on Florida’s camera-based traffic enforcement programs: red light cameras, school bus stop-arm cameras, and school zone speed cameras. The department explained how each program works, the distinction between a civil notice of violation and a uniform traffic citation, and the fee distribution for each type of violation. It also reported preliminary data showing 42 jurisdictions operating red light cameras, with 496 cameras at 302 intersections and 923,133 notices of violation in fiscal year 2024-2025; for the newer school bus and school zone programs, the department said preliminary figures showed five active school bus programs and 40 active school zone programs, with prior-year totals of 61,150 school bus notices and 26,300 school zone notices. Senators asked about camera placement, school zone requirements, review procedures, and whether law enforcement or third parties are involved in reviewing violations. The committee then received an update from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue on the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative, which used $4 billion in general revenue to advance a $7 billion package of 20 major congestion-relief projects. He said the department has used innovative delivery methods, including modified phased design-build, voluntary acceleration, and structured acceleration, to move projects forward faster and control costs. He highlighted progress on projects including I-4 congestion relief lanes, the Golden Glades Interchange, I-95 at US-1, I-75 auxiliary lanes, I-75 at Pine Ridge Road, and I-275 in Tampa, and said 80% of the plan is expected to be underway by the end of 2026, with four projects remaining in 2027. Members asked about temporary traffic patterns at Golden Glades, subcontractor opportunities, public transportation planning, contractor safety and OSHA issues, bridge strikes, logistics hubs near airports and seaports, aggregate and material supply, local government coordination, and federal transportation funding. Secretary Perdue said FDOT continuously reevaluates traffic management plans, works with small businesses and local subs, and monitors contractor safety closely, including corrective action plans after incidents. He emphasized that Florida’s transportation revenues are flat, that the state remains largely state-funded, and that additional resources are the main thing the Legislature can provide to support future infrastructure delivery. The committee adjourned after the chair requested FDOT staff provide senators with district-specific project updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, I've been trying to research this and ...get caught up so I understand what I'm actually talking
• I've actually done some research on biomarkers or tests.
• Yeah, so again, we have to do some ...degree of background research to make sure that the tests meet
• While 20 might seem like a small number, we are doing our due diligence to conduct the research on those
• Is there anything that would be helpful for your team to expedite this research?

Bills: HB813 , HB1680 , HB3569 , HB4074 , HB4635 , HB5178 , SB527 , SB1307 , SB1822

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: autism, health insurance, coverage, medical treatment, health benefit plan, HIV prevention, prescription drug, prior authorization, health benefits, insurance coverage, insurance, contract termination, property and casualty, insurance agents, discrimination, appraiser, umpire, licensing requirements, continuing education, admin penalties

Transcript Highlights:

• This is, in our letter, a screenshot from a conversation from a researcher who self-identified as 14
• The concluding conversation in the chat between the AI chatbot and the researcher self-identifying as
• want to start by thanking the committee staff for their work on the bill, and also investigative research
• Moffitt had different experiences when doing their research for this bill.
• Doing their research for this bill. And I think my sponsor can speak to the fact that he had...

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee heard several bills on AI, social media, rental cars, and account deletion. AB 316 by Assemblymember Krell would bar defendants from avoiding liability by claiming an AI system autonomously caused harm. Supporters argued it would preserve accountability as AI grows more powerful, especially in cases involving children, while opponents said existing tort law already covers these issues and warned the bill could create uncertainty and overbroad liability. The bill passed the committee 8-1. AB 656 by Assemblymember Schiavo, sponsored by Consumer Federation of California, would make it easier for users to delete social media accounts and personal information, with amendments shifting the deletion prompt into settings rather than on every screen. Supporters said platforms use dark patterns and make deletion unnecessarily difficult; opponents raised concerns about unintended deletions and possible conflicts with existing privacy law, though the author said the bill was being aligned with CCPA. The bill passed 9-0. The committee also approved the consent calendar. AB 1197 by Assemblymember Calderon would address rental car theft and misuse by allowing limited geofencing in specific situations and revising rules around renter liability when keys are returned and a police report is filed. Rental car companies and other supporters said the bill would help recover stolen or abandoned vehicles, while an opponent warned about privacy and possible consumer harms in edge cases. The bill passed 11-0. AB 1374 by Assemblymember Berman would require more upfront disclosure of the total price of rental cars, including mandatory fees, to curb hidden charges; supporters said consumers still face surprise costs, while opponents argued current law already requires disclosure and that the bill’s new wording could invite litigation. It passed 13-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gomez, your testimony and extensive research on the super...
• Gomez, what tools and authorities exist within the Superfund program to help accelerate research and
• I mean, so currently the Office of Research and Development at EPA is the one that does a lot of that
• research that the Superfund program relies on, for example, in toxicity studies. on research on new
• At EPA, EPA has research and development efforts underway to solve challenging problems like this.

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Keywords: presidential nominations, EPA, environmental policy, Fish and Wildlife, committee meeting

Summary: The committee meeting focused on the presidential nominations of Brigadier General Brian Nesvick as Director of Fish and Wildlife and Jess Kramer and Sean Donahue as assistant administrators at the EPA. Each nominee presented their qualifications and experiences in their respective fields, with an emphasis on their commitment to uphold the laws passed by Congress. The discussion highlighted the nominees' dedication to addressing environmental issues and their proactive stances on regulatory matters. After deliberation, votes were held to report the nominations favorably, despite some members voicing concerns regarding their qualifications and potential conflicts with environmental interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• Research findings support these proposed changes, indicating that they can increase understanding among
• Research findings support these proposed changes, indicating that they can increase understanding among
• For decades, I've worked for California child passenger safety laws to reflect research-based best practices
• The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that most children under 12 still
• Research at Safety Belt Safe USA shows that at age 10, only half passed the five-step test for safety

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee met and began without a quorum, first hearing AB 612 by Assembly Member Rogers and later AB 435 by Assembly Member Wilson. AB 612 would direct Caltrans to update the highway design manual so local jurisdictions consult with fire departments on major road improvements. Supporters, including the California Professional Firefighters and labor representatives, said the bill would improve emergency response and prevent road designs from hindering fire apparatus. County representatives said they were not opposed but wanted the bill narrowed to avoid mandatory consultation on minor maintenance projects or in areas without a local fire district. Several members praised the bill as common-sense safety legislation, and it was moved forward to Appropriations. The committee then adopted its rules and approved a seven-bill consent calendar. AB 435 would update California child passenger safety law to require children under 10 to be properly restrained in the back seat, require children ages 10 to 13 to remain in the back seat unless they pass the five-step seat belt fit test, and require the five-step test before a child may ride in the front seat. The author and supporters, including Safe Kids Greater Sacramento, Safety Belt Safe USA, AAA, the Automobile Club, and hospitals, argued the bill would align state law with national best practices and improve child safety. Committee members raised concerns about enforceability, implementation timing, pickup trucks, large families, and low-speed vehicles, and the author said he was open to amendments and additional data, including California-specific information. AB 435 was advanced to the Committee on Appropriations after discussion. AB 612 also received a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. The committee held rolls open to allow additional members to add on, then later confirmed the votes and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I learned through further research that too much added sugar is linked to serious health issues like
• Medical research right now is making life-changing progress for people like me. There's now a...
• Medical research right now is making life-changing progress for people like me.
• We know that we have ongoing research and innovation to move us closer to expanding access, improving
• I founded this organization because, after surviving this industry and then researching it, I realized

Committee: House Health

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Internal company documents, independent scientific research, and recent jury verdicts all point to the
• A substantial and growing body of research shows that children under 16 are especially vulnerable to
• The research shows that social media impacts youth differently.
• Also, when you look at the research on the benefits, it's almost new.
• And as research went on...

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For instance, the Technology and Research Initiative Fund, the TRIF fund, that funds university research
• We have excellent research staff here, but they do like to double-check. They don't like to guess.
• Duncan or research staff, do you want to mention that line item either way? Mr.
• Duncan or research staff, do you want to mention that line item either way? Mr.
• Chair, doing some research on data centers, I worry about the capacity of our utilities and our water

Bills: HB4138 , HB4139 , HB4140 , HB4141 , HB4142 , HB4143 , HB4144 , HB4145 , HB4146 , HB4147 , HB4148 , HB4149 , HB4150 , HB4151 , HB4152 , HB4153 , SB1831 , SB1832 , SB1833 , SB1834 , SB1835 , SB1836 , SB1837 , SB1838 , SB1839 , SB1840 , SB1841 , SB1842 , SB1843 , SB1844 , SB1845 , SB1846

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: appropriations, education funding, health care, general fund, state budget, local funding, gaming, pari-mutuel, horse racing, regulatory assessment, first-time starters, budget implementation, federal funds, government services, budget stabilization, financial reporting, capital outlay, infrastructure, veterans services, highway construction

Transcript Highlights:

• But, just for my curiosity and reference, can you, like, do you know how I find out about researching
• Because, um, just doing a little bit of research beforehand, most of the military branches go between
• And I'm here as an expert; my research and writing on this issue have been published extensively.
• There has been a lot of psychological research that has happened in that time frame, a large focus on
• </c> preservation was we know from research preservation was we know from research that<04:07:50.920>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The House Children and Family Law Committee met on January 28, 2025, and first heard House Bill 322, which would give a parent paying child support the exclusive right to claim the child as a dependent on taxes. Representative Barton, the sponsor, argued that because child support is no longer tax-deductible, the paying parent should at least receive the child tax credit. Committee members and later testimony from New Hampshire Legal Assistance raised concerns that the bill would override court discretion, could disadvantage low-income custodial parents, and would not account for cases where child support payments are small or where parents share support unevenly. Several members noted that judges already allocate dependency claims in divorce orders and can modify those orders when circumstances change. After testimony, the committee moved to ITL (inexpedient to legislate) HB 322. The motion was seconded, discussion continued, and the roll call was unanimous in favor of ITL. The committee then placed the bill on consent and ended the executive session on HB 322. The committee next took up House Bill 325, which would eliminate term and reimbursement alimony in no-fault divorces. Representative Barton testified that alimony in those cases was akin to involuntary servitude and should not survive dissolution of the marriage contract. The hearing then moved into questions about whether alimony is meant to compensate a spouse for sacrifices made during the marriage, such as supporting a partner through school or staying home with children, and the sponsor maintained that post-divorce support should not continue as a marital obligation. The transcript cuts off before any vote or further action on HB 325 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I served as an interview research lead for our 2025 statewide study of over 1,600 higher ed students
• Given that much of the concern around this bill is focused on not discouraging groundbreaking research
• , we agreed that research results should be completely off the table.
• According to the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at the University of California at
• MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection heard several bills focused on privacy, AI, surveillance, and consumer protections. AB 302 would bar schools from excluding students from extracurricular activities because they do not use social media and would require schools to use at least one non-addictive means of contacting students and parents; it drew support from Common Sense Media and no opposition. AB 1705, the Reclaim Act, would require websites hosting non-consensual pornography to verify consent before upload; district attorneys and the Commission on the Status of Women supported it, while TechNet and CCIA opposed or raised concerns. AB 2007 would separate parental consent for a child’s image/likeness from general program enrollment forms in youth programs; educators supported it, while local government and parks groups raised implementation and penalty concerns. AB 2212 would update higher education sexual harassment definitions to include tech-facilitated harassment such as cyberbullying, doxing, and nudification-related abuse; students and advocacy groups strongly supported it, with no opposition. AB 1837 would extend transit agencies’ authority to use camera enforcement in bus-only lanes and at transit stops, with privacy retention limits and human review; transit agencies supported it, while some senators expressed concern about automated enforcement and surveillance, and the bill was placed on call after a split vote. AB 2392 would create an intersegmental higher education working group on generative AI training and procurement standards; it passed 5-0 after amendments removed prerequisites tying AI deployment to completion of the report. The consent calendar was also approved on call. Later, AB 1798 would prohibit life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information in underwriting; supporters argued it protects privacy and encourages testing, while insurers opposed the bill as undermining risk-based underwriting, and it advanced on a 3-0 vote on call. Finally, AB 1883 would restrict workplace use of emotion-recognition and neural-data surveillance tools; labor and privacy advocates supported it, employers and local agencies raised safety and litigation concerns, and it passed 3-0 to Labor after narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members, Jared Swanson with House Research.
• House Research basically said that if members have questions during the presentation, try and flag me
• Williams, Chair Davids and members, for the record I'm Sean Williams from House Research.
• Williams, Chair Davids and members, for the record I'm Sean Williams from House Research.
• I'm a legislative analyst for the House Research Department.

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That $4 million is applied research through 40 universities.
• And I know, just doing some reading and having some staff do some research, we are at a limit, I would
• It advances genetic research on inherited eye diseases and ocular oncology, requires the Department of
• Senate Bill 7028 revises several aspects of the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program.
• The bill also creates a new cancer research initiative within the Bankhead-Coley Program.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery introductions before taking up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley explained that the bill is intended to divert clinically appropriate defendants with mental illness from jail to treatment, create pretrial mental health diversion programs, expand grant uses for mental health and substance abuse reinvestment, require evaluations and treatment follow-up in certain probation and prison settings, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, and establish a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, and the Murphy family’s role in the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then recorded 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then moved into presentations on SB 2500, the 2025-26 General Appropriations Act. Chair Hooper said the Senate budget totals $117.4 billion, reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, keeps employee health contributions level, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and nearly $1 billion in education capital outlay. Committee chairs outlined their portions of the budget, including increased funding for K-12 schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, Medicaid and health services, corrections and courts, transportation and housing, and environmental restoration such as Everglades and water quality projects. Members then asked extensive questions, especially about education funding, school choice, AP/IB and accelerated programs, the Family Empowerment Scholarship, and the FEFP calculations. Senator Burgess repeatedly explained that scholarship funding is being moved “below the line” to improve tracking and that the Senate position is to preserve funding while giving districts more flexibility. Senators also questioned the APD wait list for disability services, opioid settlement spending, arts funding, the My Safe Florida Home condo pilot, and proposed IT and agency restructuring. Several chairs said some issues would be resolved in conference, and no final vote on the budget was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and then end up investing and research and then end up investing with<00:20:26.720><c> external</c><
• After examining the historical returns, the task force conducted significant research and analysis on
• In addition, consultant research indicated that most endowments distribute between 4% to 5% of their
• Based on its research and analysis, the task force recommends amending the Minnesota Constitution and
• Based<00:36:56.720><c> on</c><00:36:56.880><c> its</c><00:36:57.119><c> research</c><00:36:57.440><c>

Bills: HF3900

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund

Transcript Highlights:

• on this is that noting as I did research on this is that um<00:06:56.880><c> the</c><00:06:57.199><c
• </c><00:10:31.200><c> literature</c> a great amount of research literature a great amount of research
• So both anecdotal and research evidence supports this idea.
• Um, so I did a little bit of research on it, and, um, quite a bit of research, but we have this guidance
• </c> some fairly extensive research on this. some fairly extensive research on this.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bob Ehlers from House Research: My colleague Mr.
• </c> when you talk to me about a research when you talk to me about a research that<00:43:11.960><c>
• And I would also look to House research to help answer that if you have need more information.
• Representative Jones said she did not need additional information from House research.
• Representative Jones said she did not need additional information from House research.

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas the Commonwealth is home to several major facilities that focus on research to find better treatments
• tumors, including Dana-Farber, Harvard Cancer Center, the David Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research
• And whereas increased public awareness of brain tumors through advocacy, support, targeted research,

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and adopted a resolution offered by Senator Crichton commending the National Brain Tumor Society for recognizing May 26, 2026 as Brain Tumor Awareness Month. The resolution highlighted the impact of brain tumors, noted Massachusetts research institutions working on treatments, and was adopted by voice vote. The Senate then took up several local matters and passed them without objection. These included a Dartmouth bill authorizing an additional off-premises alcohol license, a Westwood charter bill, and later final passage of bills relating to Andover special town meeting petition requirements, the Plymouth town charter, and an additional off-premises alcohol license for Pembroke. House petitions were also received and referred to committees after suspension of Joint Rule 12. At the end of the session, Senator Tarr offered an order to adjourn in memory of Joseph Elliott McKekney of Gloucester, a former Coast Guard officer and community member, and spoke briefly about his life and service. The Senate observed a moment of silence, adopted the adjournment order, and recessed to meet again on Monday at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• And quite frankly, as I've done some research and talked to some, that's pretty significant on a yearly
• question about where you talk about, we have an idea what the cost should be based on our market research
• So I have a question about your market research. You know, how do you do that?

Committee: All ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council met to consider a request from the Office of Property Risk to use a request for qualifications (RFQ) process to procure auditing services for the state captive insurance program. Grant Wallace, Director of the Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk, explained that the captive insurance statute requires an independent audit and that an RFQ was appropriate because of the program’s specialized nature and the need for auditors familiar with FASB standards and insurance-company audits. Members asked about the requirement to include a projected cost in the request, how the market research was conducted, and whether Arkansas firms could receive preference. Wallace said the cost estimate is required for approval, that the market research was nationwide, and that the solicitation could be written to give some preference or advantage to local firms if desired. Members emphasized that professional auditing standards still require qualified auditors and noted that the process should not ignore cost. Senator Hickey confirmed the contract would cover a four-year term and that the projected amount was for the full term, not annually. Wallace also clarified that the RFQ process was only the first step; any selected firm would still need approval from the State Board of Finance, the subcommittee, and the full Arkansas Legislative Council before the contract could be finalized. The subcommittee then approved the request by motion, and the meeting adjourned.