Transcript Highlights:

• yes, it would be part of a driver's ed course that you're required to take before you go take your test
• for older people who don't necessarily need to take the driver's ed class, as long as they pass the test
• And then these questions about these types of situations would be included on that driver's ed test.

Summary: The committee first heard HB 299, a bill to support the Highway 180 project between Deming and Silver City. The sponsors described it as a three-phase road expansion that is already partly complete, but they emphasized rising construction costs, frequent accidents, heavy mining traffic, and the importance of the route to the local economy, tourism, and access to Silver City. A DOT engineer confirmed the project’s phases and cost increases, and the bill drew support from a former DOT official and others. The committee voted do pass, 6-0. The committee then heard HB 325, which would create a railroad crossing safety fund to help improve crossings statewide with lights, gates, overpasses, and other safety measures. Sponsors said the fund would be seeded with a modest amount and could leverage local, federal, and possibly public-private funding, with DOT setting rules and priorities. Railroad lobbyists from Union Pacific and BNSF supported the bill, saying it would help address a major public safety issue, especially for smaller communities. The committee voted do pass. Next, SB 73 was presented to require driver education schools to include at least three hours of instruction on vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Supporters said the bill would improve awareness and safety at low cost, and public testimony included a bicyclist and a parent who lost a daughter in a crash involving a vulnerable road user. Some members asked how the requirement would apply to first-time or older drivers, and sponsors said it would be part of driver education curriculum developed by MVD and DOT. The committee voted do pass, with one member explaining a vote to note the bill should be read as applying to any first-time driver, not just young drivers. The committee also heard SB 111, which would align the Motor Vehicle Division’s confidentiality rules with last session’s SB 36 by protecting personal information such as sex, gender identity, immigration status, and national origin from public disclosure. The Taxation and Revenue Department said the change was meant to close a gap in the law and prevent release of sensitive data in response to public records requests, while still allowing disclosure for law enforcement and other legally required purposes. The bill passed on a 6-1 vote, with one member voting no and saying he was frustrated by last-minute efforts to fix problems he did not see as existing. The meeting concluded with lengthy DOT district presentations from District 1 and District 6, covering budgets, completed and ongoing projects, local road and bridge work, equipment needs, and unfunded priorities. Members asked about specific projects, freight routes, cattle guards, dust and weather issues, striping contractors, and how projects are prioritized under the state’s asset management scoring system. DOT officials said many projects were complete or underway, that some major projects would be funded through Senate Bill 2 or other appropriations, and that equipment and recurring maintenance funding remain major concerns. The committee adjourned after thanking DOT staff and members for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• know, the Seattle Indian Health Board is the only organization that has a true mechanism, tried and tested
• So we began during COVID working on tribes being able to access positive COVID tests in the Washington
• more diagnosis and drugs, but a re-evaluation of the entire system, which does not utilize objective tests

Bills: HB2555 , HB2658 , HB2683 , HB2685 , HB2168 , HB2196 , HB2545

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare, traditional practices, health insurance, coverage expansion, mental health, insurance coverage, transparency, consumer protection, efficiency, health carriers, providers relations, tribal data, data protection, privacy, sharing of information, Indigenous rights, overdose prevention, data sharing, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• We are sending hygienists out on every claim, so they are going out and testing the lead and asbestos
• couldn't use was we said direct physical loss as determined by sight and smell, and that sight and smell test
• As determined by sight and smell, and that sight and smell test was taken out of the language.

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I took the test, passed it, went to the interview process.
• And then finally, because these are new rules that were rolled out in 2024, as we field-tested them and
• such as AI-generated witness testimony, that's going to be subject essentially to the same sorts of tests

Summary: The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee began its first meeting of the session by introducing two pages, Emmy Roberts of Lewiston and Cooper Smith of Nampa, who each described their backgrounds and interest in serving. The committee then considered two gubernatorial appointments to the Commission on Pardons and Parole: reappointment candidate Scott Smith and new appointee Dylan Hobson. Both testified about their public service backgrounds and approach to parole decisions, emphasizing public safety, individualized review, rehabilitation, and the importance of prison programming and supervision. Members asked about parole factors, the rider program for sex offenders, the role of politics, workload, and whether the system is working well. The committee did not vote on the appointments at this meeting, noting that votes would be taken at a later meeting. The committee then took up several Idaho State Police rule dockets. Lieutenant Colonel Russ Wheatley presented rule cleanups for civil asset forfeiture, the Idaho Public Safety and Security Information System (ISLITS), state criminal history records, and the sex offender registry. He repeatedly stated the changes were non-substantive, mostly simplifying language, deleting duplication, or updating the sex offender registry rule to match a new photo-transfer process after DMV system changes. The committee approved each of those rule dockets after brief discussion and no public comment. The final and most extensive item was the pending Idaho Rules of Administrative Procedure update presented by Chief Administrative Law Judge Brian Nichols. He explained the changes were driven by recent statutory modernization, field testing of the 2024 rules, and a new rule addressing artificial intelligence in administrative contested cases. Nichols said the AI provisions are aimed at transparency, disclosure, and safeguards against misuse, while preserving access for self-represented parties; he also said ALJs themselves are barred from using AI in deciding cases. Members questioned whether avatars should be allowed to present testimony or argument, and some expressed concern about abuse, but the committee ultimately approved the pending rule docket, with one senator stating he would have preferred a stricter prohibition on avatars. The meeting ended after all rule dockets were approved and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I took the test, passed it, went to the interview process.
• And then finally, because these are new rules that were rolled out in 2024, as we field-tested them and
• such as AI-generated witness testimony, that's going to be subject essentially to the same sorts of tests

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So every student that participates in an EFA program is required to submit a norm-referenced test, a
• standardized test.
• year, for you to renew your application, you have to submit a standardized, nationally recognized test

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we have the alcohol testing program. The current Toxilizer 8,000,000,000... known.
• Next, we have the alcohol testing program. The current toxilizer 8,000,000,000.
• Next, we have the alcohol testing program.

Bills: S0054 , S0156 , S0296 , S0298

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Keywords: cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, public records, open government, sunshine law, victims of dating violence, domestic violence, address confidentiality program, confidential address, voter registration, voting records, elections, supervisor of elections, Department of State, Attorney General, privacy

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 public safety budget, which totals about $8.2 billion within a $117.4 billion overall state budget. Caitlin Dawkins of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget outlined funding and reductions across the public safety silo, including the Department of Corrections, Juvenile Justice, FDLE, Legal Affairs, the courts, and related entities. Agency heads then presented their requests, with FDLE seeking funding for fentanyl enforcement, career offender registry staffing, alert system upgrades, alcohol testing equipment, officer mental health, criminal alien detection, and statutory staffing needs; DJJ requesting money for the Florida Scholars Academy, uniforms, residential contract rate increases, a new Broward detention center, and facility maintenance; and DOC requesting major funding for correctional officer pay increases, 500 additional FTE, facility construction and maintenance, communications and security technology, offender information system modernization, inmate health care, pharmaceuticals, and food service. Members discussed staffing shortages, prison conditions, immigration enforcement, public records burdens, mental health and substance use treatment, and the need for continued investment in corrections. A member of the public also testified about poor conditions in some prisons, including clothing, food, medical care, and maintenance issues. The committee then considered and passed CS/SB 156, the Jason Rayner Act, which would clarify that a person may not resist a law enforcement officer with violence when the officer is performing official duties and would increase penalties in cases involving violence against officers. The bill sponsor described the case of Officer Jason Rayner and said the measure was intended to prevent defendants from using claims about unlawful detention or arrest to justify violence. An amendment conforming the bill’s language was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably after support was noted from several law enforcement and municipal groups. Next, the committee passed CS/SB 54, which addresses use of substances affecting cognitive function. An amendment narrowed the medical-records language to records relevant to investigations of violent offenders and clarified privacy protections. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee also passed CS/SB 296, the Haven Act, which would direct a study of a secure web-based alert system for domestic violence victims so they can contact 911 without alerting an abuser, and would expand the Address Confidentiality Program to include dating violence victims. Testimony from survivors and advocates emphasized the danger victims face when trying to leave abusive situations. Finally, the committee passed CS/SB 298, the public-records companion bill, which extends confidentiality protections for participants in the Address Confidentiality Program to dating violence victims as well. All three bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• When legal and tested cannabis vaping products are restricted, consumers do shift toward readily available
• These products bypass state testing and often contain unknown dangerous substances, including excessive
• You have to really almost test the product to make sure that it's not clear, but it's actually blueberry

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard three bills ahead of the house-of-origin deadline. AB 762 by Assemblymember Irwin would ban the sale and distribution of disposable vapes in California, with committee amendments to align implementation dates and allow a sell-through period. The author and supporters, including waste agencies, firefighters, local governments, and public health groups, argued the devices create lithium-ion battery fire risks in waste facilities and burden ratepayers and first responders. Opponents, including cannabis industry and retail groups, argued the bill would not meaningfully reduce battery waste because most problematic products are already illicit, and warned it could worsen the illegal market and reduce consumer access to legal products. After extensive debate, the committee passed AB 762 as amended to Appropriations on a vote with some members not voting or on call. AB 1382 by Assemblymember Castillo would prohibit the sale of genetically modified animals created for cosmetic purposes. Supporters said the bill would prevent novelty pet breeding, reduce pressure on already overcrowded shelters, and avoid ethical concerns about modifying animals for appearance alone, while preserving medical and scientific research. Opponents, including the pet industry, argued the measure was unnecessary because regulated products such as glowfish already undergo scientific review and that the bill could create ambiguity and harm lawful commerce. The committee clarified that glowfish and scientific research were exempt, and AB 1382 passed to the Judiciary Committee. AB 739 by Assemblymember Jackson would require managing agents in common interest developments to provide homeowners and HOA boards a summary of fees charged for management services. Realtors supported the bill as a transparency measure, while community managers and the Community Associations Institute said they could accept it once promised amendments were adopted to narrow the disclosure and avoid blanket mailings that could raise costs. The author said amendments would be taken in the Housing and Community Development Committee and committed to further consultation. AB 739 passed to Housing and Community Development.

Transcript Highlights:

• That May Micro reactor scheduled for testing at the Idaho National Lab in 2026.
• We for testing at Idaho National Lab this next year.
• action of Idaho National Labs demonstration of my correct reactors experiments Tess based or don't test

Transcript Highlights:

• Looking at if we had 10 students that applied to NMMI, 7 of them couldn't, could not test out at grade
• In fact, the majority tested out maybe 2 grade levels below.
• that right, um, either consistency or flashy listening in class and knocking out of the park on the tests

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 229, Davies, STD testing: hold in committee.
• AB 1027, Sharp-Collins, Cannabis Quality Testing: do pass on an A roll call.
• AB 1440, Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Pesticides Testing: do pass on an A roll

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now the state lacks a structured system to routinely test and evaluate these plans across agencies
• These trainings must be inclusive, accessible, and tied to real-time testing of emergency alert systems
• And these zones are determined by using the most current data and field test, a model that serves as

Committee: House Emergency Management

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• witnessed matter worse than that. hand-in-glove with the Chinese Communist Party to construct and test
• This is a test for us to see whether we can actually... identify all traffic from China.
• It developed and those Chinese Communist Party officials tested the censorship tool and we'll give feedback

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism Subcommittee

Keywords: Meta, Facebook, whistleblower, regulation, China, user data, artificial intelligence, testimony, Congress

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism focused on oversight of Meta's foreign relations and representations to Congress. An essential witness, Sarah Wynne-Williams, a former executive at Facebook, provided testimony outlining significant concerns about the company's practices and its complicity in aiding oppressive regimes. The atmosphere was charged, with ongoing debates about the regulation of big tech companies and the ethical implications of their policies. The committee explored topics such as user data management, whistleblower retaliation, and the need for legislative measures to protect users and enhance accountability in the tech sector. A notable point of contention was Facebook's alleged cooperation with the Chinese government regarding the dissemination of user data and AI tools, leading to serious ethical implications.

Transcript Highlights:

• thing that in two and a half minutes<00:03:56.680><c> in</c><00:03:56.799><c> a</c><00:03:57.000><c> test
• testifying</c><00:03:58.480><c> um</c><00:03:58.640><c> at</c><00:03:58.760><c> that</c> minutes in a test
• testifying um at that minutes in a test testifying um at that committee<00:03:59.239><c> it</c><00:03

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 3030, the Minnesota Miners Relief Act, was presented as a response to layoffs at Cleveland-Cliffs facilities in Minorca and Hibbing, where more than 600 workers were expected to be affected. Supporters said the bill combines an extension of unemployment benefits for laid-off miners with two policy provisions: a site-specific standard intended to address long-running MPCA permitting and rulemaking issues, and standards for the safe storage of reactive mine waste. Speakers argued the package would provide immediate relief while also creating more certainty for future mining jobs and critical minerals development on the Iron Range. The event featured remarks from Representatives Spencer Igo and Cal Warwas, St. Louis County Commissioner Mike Jugovich, Senator Rob Farnsworth, and union and mine representatives, all of whom emphasized the personal and community impact of the layoffs. They described the potential ripple effects on suppliers, local businesses, young workers, and public revenues, and said the bill was about livelihoods rather than politics. Several speakers stressed that the policy provisions were meant to provide clearer, safer standards rather than weaken environmental protections, and they urged bipartisan cooperation to preserve mining jobs and support the region’s long-term future. In response to questions, Igo said the bill had strong bipartisan support for the UI extension and that the policy provisions should not threaten its chances. He said the UI portion was about three pages of the six-page bill and estimated the cost to the UI trust fund at between $1 million and $12 million. He also said the other provisions would require only modest statutory changes. The bill had been heard in the labor committee and was laid over for possible inclusion or further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of these groups use the quote-unquote time-tested model provided by the American Bible Society.
• have to look at the scientific evidence to see the efficacy of these programs, and it's been time-tested
• At the end of the day, faith-based programs have proven through the test of time to be the programs that

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee met with a full agenda and reported all measures favorably. The committee first heard HB 1327, which would codify the Hope Florida program in state law, and HB 1329, the related public-records exemption for Hope Florida participants; both bills drew questions about oversight, duplication of services, staffing, and data privacy, and both passed 17-0 after an amendment to HB 1329. The committee then approved HB 391, allowing certified batterers intervention programs to include optional faith-based content while remaining grounded in required therapeutic models; an amendment clarified that participation in faith-based components must be strictly voluntary. Supporters argued the bill restores choice and access, while opponents raised concerns about church-state separation and uneven availability of secular alternatives; the bill passed 17-0. Members also advanced HB 1065, creating an Alzheimer’s disease awareness initiative through the Department of Elder Affairs, with broad support from members who shared personal experiences and emphasized early detection and public education. HB 1163, dealing with recovery residences, passed 12-5 after debate over local zoning authority, home rule, and whether the bill would help or hinder placement of level four recovery homes near urban cores. Several members said they supported recovery housing in principle but wanted more clarity on task force findings and local impacts before fully backing the measure. The committee next approved HB 969, which shifts evaluation of school district mental health assistance programs to OPAGA and requires reports on outcomes and effectiveness; members stressed the need to know whether substantial mental health funding is improving student outcomes. HB 1191, which decriminalizes allowing children to travel to school, play outdoors, or stay home for reasonable periods and codifies current DCF policy, passed 16-0 with support framed around parental rights and child development. Finally, HB 1207, the Tristan Murphy Act, passed 15-0 and would expand mental health diversion and treatment options, including training for first responders, a forensic hospital diversion pilot, a behavioral health data repository, and additional evaluation requirements before inmate work assignments. The meeting adjourned after all agenda bills were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• of what we're doing is we want to go and we want to expand the assessments, expand the penetration tests
• So, in the most recent penetration test from DAR, they've found one moderate vulnerability, moderate
• We went out and we procured our own penetration test that identified three significant weaknesses, three

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is an important part of assessments, and we should probably revisit a list of such tests that we might
• is an important part of assessments, and we should probably revisit a list of such tests that we might
• is an important part of assessments, and we should probably revisit a list of such tests that we might
• I was around when we used... based on the T the test um results and based on the T the test um results
• That's how I think we should be measuring outcomes, along with those testing scores.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on school funding formulas, adequacy aid, and special education aid, with the chair outlining a schedule for the next several Tuesdays and noting that the committee would likely need multiple executive sessions to narrow down the bills. Members discussed the FY 26 formula, including base cost, differentiated aid, extraordinary needs grants, hold harmless provisions, and the roughly $28 million in excess statewide education property tax (SWP) funds that are not currently returned to the state under the existing formula. The first bill discussed was HB 137, which would allow excess SWP funds to remain with the local municipality for school and municipal purposes. Representative Spilsbury argued the issue is fundamental and suggested the state should require excess funds to be remitted back to the state, while Representative Damon said the bill appears to codify current practice and may be unnecessary, especially given possible court action. The discussion then shifted to a related bill from Representative Fellas that would redefine SWP as local money rather than state money and keep the current adequacy aid numbers revenue-neutral for now. Representative Fellas explained that SWP was created in 1999 after the Claremont lawsuit as part of the state’s effort to show increased school aid, but that it effectively labeled part of the local property tax as state money without changing property tax bills. She argued the state should not be tapping local property tax revenue and said her bill would preserve the current distribution while removing the SWP tax label, with future work possible on a different measure of local capacity such as income, home values, or poverty rate. Members also referenced prior discussions of fiscal capacity aid, relief aid, and other formula changes as part of the broader effort to restructure school funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• I can—I mean, in my test, I don't have the 20 here. I think it was 20 of you.
• I can—I mean, in my test, I don't have the 20 here. I think it was 20 of you.
• </c> there is no such test there is no such test in<03:13:47.920><c> this</c><03:13:48.080><c> bill</
• </c><03:28:42.319><c> to</c> that there's not any means testing to that there's not any means testing
• </c><03:34:43.080><c> it</c> income or asset um means testing it income or asset um means testing it

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:51:44.240><c> Test</c><00:51:44.559><c> or</c> personal consumption.
• Test or personal consumption.
• </c><01:31:29.199><c> if</c> you have to satisfy certain tests if you have to satisfy certain tests if
• So our conclusion was, and again this will have to be pressed and tested, that you can reduce a cost
• Our conclusion was that you can tested.

Committee: Joint Revenue

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, Senate File 28, Elections, Voting Machine, and Voting System Test.
• The Senate adopted Voting System Test.
• So really, that's the only testing.
• </c><03:25:00.319><c> Other</c> members are there for the testing.
• Other members are there for the testing.

Keywords: 916, all