Transcript Highlights:

• And folks, just so you know, I've visited his office a few weeks ago, and one of the things he showed
• And folks, just so you know I've visited his office a few weeks ago, and one of the things he showed

Committee: All ALC-HIGHER EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• confidence patients place in nurse practitioners is demonstrated by the more than one billion patient visits
• So please visit and be a part of this very important commemoration of America's 250th birthday.

Bills: HR39 , HR40 , HR41 , HCR19 , HCR20 , HCR21 , HB2 , HB3 , HB15 , HB441 , HB976 , HB977 , HB978 , HB979 , HB980 , HB981 , HB982 , HR19 , HR20 , HR21 , HR22 , HR23 , HR24 , HR25 , HR26 , HR27 , HR28 , HR29 , HR30 , HR31 , HR32 , HR33 , HR34 , HR35 , HR36 , HR37 , HR38 , HCR15 , HCR16 , HCR17 , HCR18 , SCR10 , HB115 , HB208 , HB465 , HB964 , HB965 , HB966 , HB967 , HB968 , HB969 , HB970 , HB971 , HB972 , HB973 , HB974 , HB975 , HB474 , HB487 , HB503 , HB606 , HB633 , HB707 , HB720 , HB728 , HB733 , HB846 , HB852 , HB856 , HB868 , HB875 , HB78 , HB112 , HB148 , HB149 , HB190 , HB221 , HB346 , HB354 , HB355 , HB356 , HB358 , HB384 , HB427 , HB657 , HB675 , HB716 , HB207 , HB300 , HB331 , HB428 , HB464 , HB587 , HB618 , HB629 , HB801 , HB853 , HB891 , HB901

Keywords: St. Joseph's Day, Saint Joseph's Day, St. Joseph's Altar, Italian American, Italian heritage, Italian immigrants, Louisiana culture, New Orleans, Sicilian heritage, Catholic, Feast of Saint Joseph, cultural resolution, heritage caucus, legislative caucus, ethnic heritage, jazz history, Italian Louisiana, immigrant contributions, cultural recognition, House Resolution 40

Summary: The House opened with procedural motions, receipt of enrollment and committee reports, and several personal privilege recognitions for visiting groups and commemorative observances. Members welcomed Irish dignitaries, the Convention of States, the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association, nurse practitioners, professional surveyors, a birthday recognition for a member’s daughter, an America 250 concert announcement, and a youth leadership group. The chamber also introduced a number of resolutions and bills, including major fiscal measures such as HB 2 (capital outlay) and HB 3 (bond authorization), along with local and policy bills covering retirement, utilities, law enforcement, education, and public safety. Several resolutions were adopted without objection, including observances for HBCU Day, Opportunity and Action Day, and commendations and condolences for individuals and organizations. The House then considered numerous second-reading bills and committee reports, including measures on income tax check-offs, traffic signal penalties, utility terrain vehicles, personal delivery devices, tax underpayment penalties, road dedications, and motor vehicle regulations. In floor action, HB 78 passed 96-0 to expand the jurisdiction of the Bogalusa city court. HB 190 passed 97-0 to create a Civil Code standard of care for software and computer programs, and HB 427 passed 99-0 to clarify online child-protection provisions and replace “sexually explicit” with the statutory “material harmful to minors” definition. HB 675 passed 100-0 after an amendment removing a middle name from the honoree, and HB 716 passed 99-0 to rename the Chalmette Ferry Terminal for Michael C. Ginnart Jr. The chamber also approved several memorial highway and bridge designations, including HB 346 for Speaker Joe Salter Memorial Highway, HB 355 for Veterans Park Memorial Highway, HB 356 for the Everett Brady Jr. Memorial Bridge, and HB 358 for a memorial highway honoring Charles Bordelon. Other bills were returned to the calendar or temporarily deferred, including HB 112, HB 148, HB 149, HB 221, HB 354, and HB 657. The House also announced committee meetings for the next day, received additional committee reports, and adjourned until 2:00 p.m. the following day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We work closely with Visit Idaho to promote our industry.
• Visit Idaho and the Idaho Travel Council are the organizations we work with.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have visited the sheriff's office in Navajo County. I know Sheriff Klaus.
• My son was visiting from New York, and he talked about a great adventure we had.

Summary: The Military Affairs and Border Security Committee heard several bills. HB 2416 would appropriate $20 million for Department of Public Safety border support, including equipment, law enforcement positions, and grants to local governments for border-related enforcement and detention costs. Supporters, including the Arizona Sheriffs Association, said the funds are fully used each year and are largely spent on drug interdiction, especially against fentanyl and methamphetamine. Opponents argued the bill’s immigration-enforcement language was too broad and that the money should instead go to health care, education, food assistance, or prevention programs. The committee approved HB 2416 on a 4-3 vote. The committee also heard HB 2806, which would require county recorders, ADOT, and AHCCCS to use the federal SAVE system and report citizenship-verification results to JLBC and the Auditor General. The ACLU of Arizona opposed the bill, saying SAVE is not designed to determine voter eligibility, could wrongly flag eligible citizens, and would likely lead to litigation and confusion. Several members questioned the need for the bill, noting existing citizenship requirements and current use of SAVE in some agencies, while others supported it as a way to ensure only citizens access voting and benefits. HB 2806 passed 4-3. HB 2663, a technical cleanup bill updating military leave language for state and local employees serving in the National Guard or Reserves, drew little opposition and passed unanimously. HB 2759 would appropriate $500,000 to the Department of Veterans Services for a grant program with Yavapai County educational institutions to help veterans with emergency housing, equipment, professional development, and other shortfalls tied to delayed GI Bill payments. Testimony supported expanding help for veterans, but some members raised concerns that the bill was limited to Yavapai County and included private institutions; the sponsor and witnesses said it could serve as a pilot and potentially expand statewide. The committee approved HB 2759 on a 4-3 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• So by going to that same emergency room appointment or that same emergency room visit, it could be paid
• In the instance of an emergency room visit, is the difference between potentially having insurance and

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We can track how often someone visits the site and actually kind of their location to see if it's mostly
• We can track how often someone visits the site and actually kind of their location to see if it's mostly

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• also said he served eight years as a county chairman for the Republican Party in Custer County and visited
• And as I have visited with parents, and we've chatted about how AI is a tool and that parents want guidelines

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee heard RS 33261, the School-Sponsored Bible Reading Act, which would require public school teachers to read sequential Bible passages daily without comment or instruction, with accommodations for objections and injunctive relief as the enforcement mechanism. The sponsor and a representative from Idaho Family Policy Center argued the bill fits Idaho’s history and the U.S. Supreme Court’s current “history and tradition” approach, while opponents said it was unconstitutional, not voluntary, and inconsistent with separation of church and state. A substitute motion to return the RS to the sponsor failed on a tie vote, and the motion to introduce the RS also failed on a tie vote. The committee then considered RS 33332 C1, which would treat student walkouts or absences for protest as unexcused and require reporting to state officials. The sponsor said the bill was aimed at students leaving class to protest during school hours, while members raised concerns about impacts on student civic engagement, parent-excused absences, and politically active youth groups. The RS was introduced by voice vote. Next, the committee heard a revised RS 33523-2-3 on collecting aggregate data about students’ immigration status in public schools to estimate the cost of educating non-citizen students. The sponsor said the bill would not deny enrollment, would use only aggregate data, and was intended to help the legislature understand costs; members questioned administrative burden, possible discrimination, and the fiscal note. The motion to introduce the RS failed on a tie vote. Finally, the committee advanced Senate Bill 1244, a code-cleanup measure removing obsolete regional library system provisions, to the floor with a due pass recommendation. It also heard Senate Bill 1227 on artificial intelligence in K-12 education, which would create a state framework for AI use, local district policies, training, transparency, and privacy protections; testimony was generally supportive but urged caution, especially for younger students. The committee voted to send SB 1227 to general orders for amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The presidents work very hard, and I really enjoy visiting with them and talking to them about their
• And I really enjoy visiting with them and talking to them about their issues.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Education

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd visited with ISP about this, and they said that they would appreciate some clarity on this issue.
• I'd visited with ISP about this, and they said that they would appreciate some clarity on this issue.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we need to visit these in-depth measures and have an open discussion and debate.
• I think we need to visit these in-depth measures and have an open discussion and debate.

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The Committee on Elections first met in executive session and took up a committee substitute for H.J.R. 122, which combined H.J.R. 122 with related measures H.J.R. 104 and H.J.R. 149. Representative Banderman offered and the committee adopted an amendment limiting leadership terms in the resolution from three terms to two for the House speaker and from two terms to one for the Senate president. The committee then adopted the revised substitute and voted the combined resolution do pass by a 9-1 vote. In public hearing, the committee heard HB 1987, a technical fix to local filing deadlines for declarations of candidacy when the deadline falls on a holiday. Representative Hinman explained the bill was requested by city and school clerks to avoid requiring offices to open on holidays such as New Year’s Eve or Christmas Day. Testimony from city, municipal, and county clerk organizations was unanimously supportive, and no opposition was offered. The committee also heard HCR 23, which urges Congress to recognize state authority over election laws and campaign finance. Sponsor Representative Perkins and supporting witnesses argued the resolution is a federalism measure grounded in the Tenth Amendment and noted that similar resolutions have passed in 24 other states. Some members questioned whether the resolution could conflict with federal election policy or allow inconsistent state approaches, but the sponsor said the measure simply affirms state authority and does not mandate any specific policy. Finally, the committee heard HB 1802, which would allow poll challengers and watchers to be present during in-person absentee voting in first-class and charter counties, with procedures for advance notice. The sponsor said the bill was intended to create consistency after differing county practices and to address issues seen in St. Charles County during the 2024 election. The St. Charles County election director supported the bill as a clarification of existing law, while some members raised concerns about unequal treatment of counties and the potential for disruption. The hearing concluded without a vote on HB 1987, HCR 23, or HB 1802.

Transcript Highlights:

• To ask a question, Senator, so in the interim, my visit with you all on this legislation and Senator
• But we have maintained that this is only in Follow up: Have you visited with the cattlemen's association

Bills: SB2122 , SB330 , SB2071 , SB2169 , SB2069 , SB2095 , SB2157

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Keywords: poultry, agriculture, out-of-state processing, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, regulation, food safety, elk population, wildlife management, Oklahoma State University, veterinary medicine, ecosystem health, habitat assessment, milk, dairy, dairy farm, milk products, Grade A milk, pasteurization, raw milk, milk inspection

Transcript Highlights:

• from a provider within L&I's medical provider network, except for an initial office or emergency room visit
• For care beyond the initial visit, the worker must choose an attending provider within the network.

Bills: SB5944

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Keywords: language access, collective bargaining, labor relations, employment rights, worker protections, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> To the Maryland Career and Technical Student Organizations visiting us today, the Senate of Maryland
• Um, every year we are visited by the president or past presidents of MedChi.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate met on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with a quorum present. The session opened with an invocation by Chaplain David Stadler, followed by journalization of his remarks and several introductions recognizing guests in the chamber, including dentists, an intern, a former legislative staffer, and representatives from the University System of Maryland and other groups. Senators also noted upcoming committee meetings and a Legislative Black Caucus photo the next day. The main floor action centered on a resolution honoring Maryland Career and Technical Student Organizations for Career and Technical Student Organization Week. The sponsor described the role of CTSOs in serving more than 12,000 students statewide and in building leadership, professional, and career skills. The resolution was read in full and adopted unanimously, with the Senate expressing congratulations and appreciation for the organizations’ work with young people. The Senate then took up layover items and calendar bills. Senate Bill 56, concerning Maryland Longitudinal Data Center external data sharing for multi-state reporting, was special ordered for one day after members raised privacy-related questions. Senate Bill 99, the Open Meetings Act/Local Board of Education Transparency Act measure, was also special ordered for one day after discussion of its committee amendment. The chamber also received administrative corrections from the Governor and referred them to the Executive Nominations Committee, and the majority leader later moved adjournment until February 19 at 10:00 a.m., which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• along San Pedro Drive to keep the commercial corridor open for business for all who live, work, and visit
• All who live, work, and visit the San Pedro Main Street corridor. I urge your support. Thank you.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 248, the general obligation bond bill, which would authorize about $392.5 million in bond capacity for senior centers, libraries, and higher education, special schools, and tribal school projects. The sponsor highlighted major projects including a new UNM School of Medicine, a multidisciplinary building at NMSU, renovations at New Mexico Tech, a technical innovation center at CNM, an agricultural science and arts building at ENMU, and library renovations at New Mexico Highlands. Public testimony was supportive, especially from the New Mexico Library Association, and members discussed how the bond process works, including application timing, readiness to spend funds, voter approval, and how unspent bond proceeds revert. The committee voted do pass on HB 248 without opposition. The committee then considered House Bill 309, which would clarify property tax valuation rules for electric energy storage facilities by extending the existing special valuation method for electric generation, transmission, and distribution to battery storage and similar technologies. Supporters from PNM, InterWest Energy Alliance, and Inventergy said the bill would provide consistency and clarity as storage becomes more important to grid reliability and clean energy development. Members raised questions about depreciation, the 12-year schedule, the 20% floor on valuation, possible effects on local government revenues, whether the bill would apply to utilities and co-ops, industrial revenue bonds, and whether it covered microgrids or only battery systems. The committee approved HB 309 on an 8-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 48, which would authorize $92 million in bonds for the State Fairgrounds District to support redevelopment of the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, including land acquisition, green space, water and sewer infrastructure, and traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements near San Pedro and Central. Support came from neighborhood groups, housing advocates, the city of Albuquerque, the chamber of commerce, and others who described the project as a long-term investment in safety, infrastructure, and economic revitalization for the surrounding area. Members questioned the bond repayment structure, the 25-year term, the use of district gross receipts and gaming tax revenues, parking impacts, and future bonding needs. The committee voted do pass on SB 48 by a 10-2 margin.

Transcript Highlights:

• enhancements correlate to goals that the agency has, and you can see how they're measuring these goals by visits
• These replacement items include two vehicles that counselors will use to drive to visit clients to help

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations first for the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Analyst Brooke Dupree reviewed the agency’s statutory role, funding sources, staffing, and FY27 requests, including an ongoing transfer within the In Demand Careers Fund to increase trustee and benefit payments for Idaho Launch grants, a proposal to consolidate the STEM Action Center into the council, and requests for reappropriation authority for several grant funds. Director Wendy Sechrist said Launch, workforce training, semiconductor, and child care grants have produced strong participation and wage gains, and she explained that the proposed STEM merger would transfer remaining dedicated-fund balances to the Workforce Development Training Fund. Members asked about the effect of a $10 million cash transfer on Launch awards, repayment of grants by students who do not meet requirements, and the use of employer training funds; Sechrist said wording such as “up to $10 million” would avoid reducing awards and that the agency is still exploring debt collection options. The committee then reviewed the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Dupree outlined the agency’s vocational rehabilitation and independent living services, its dedicated funds, and FY27 requests for additional appropriation to spend Social Security reimbursement revenue and for replacement vehicles from the adaptive aids fund. Administrator Beth Cunningham said the agency uses those funds to support clients’ employment and independence, and that the requested increases would help cover needed vehicles and offset other costs. She also said holdbacks would have a modest effect on services, including reduced site restoration funding and some cuts to client services and travel. Finally, the Idaho State Historical Society presented its budget. Dupree described the agency’s preservation mission, staffing, dedicated funds, and FY27 requests, including $450,000 for the second year of moving state records and collections into a new archives addition, plus IT hardware and reappropriation authority. Director Janet Gallimore emphasized stewardship of state records and artifacts, the importance of the collections move, and the agency’s role in America 250 activities. Members asked about archaeological review travel, the agency’s long tenure, and the use of miscellaneous revenue; Gallimore agreed to provide travel records and thanked the committee for its support. The meeting ended with a presentation of historical artifacts and adjournment until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also has classroom visits so that we can see what's happening in the classrooms.
• It also has classroom visits so that we can see what's happening in the classrooms.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• services had not been cut; rather, prior authorization was being requested after a certain number of visits
• We've asked for prior authorizations after so many visits.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, I will mention that several of us have had the opportunity to visit Taiwan during different time
• And then there have been several other visits.

Bills: HB186 , HB92 , HJM1

Committee: House House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

Keywords: tax credit, land conservation, biodiversity, agricultural preservation, historic preservation, natural resources, open space, tax exemption, Social Security, income, retirement, financial relief, Taiwan, trade, technology, education, international relations, economic partnership, New Mexico, United States

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, it's 87,000 cancer screenings in just a year alone, over 2 million STI tests, and 400,000 visits
• So the critical services that they provide would lead to more emergency room visits.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee heard AB 106, an early-action budget bill providing $90 million one-time General Fund to support reproductive health providers affected by the federal H.R. 1 prohibition on Medicaid funding. Department of Finance staff explained that the money would be administered as grants through the Department of Health Care Access and Information because affected providers can no longer bill Medi-Cal during the federal restriction, which lasts through July 4, 2026. Members also discussed why the amount increased from an earlier $60 million estimate, with Finance saying the figure was updated based on additional claims data and provider information. The committee debate focused heavily on the policy implications of the funding. Supporters argued the bill is an emergency response to a targeted federal attack on Planned Parenthood and related family planning services, emphasizing that the funding would backfill non-abortion services such as cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, mammograms, and prenatal care. Opponents questioned the use of General Fund dollars, the grant structure versus loans for other distressed providers, the Public Records Act exemption, and the bill’s priority compared with rural hospitals, developmental services, public safety, and other budget needs. Finance clarified that the federal funds at issue do not pay for abortion services and that the grant program would be open to eligible providers meeting criteria set by the department. Public testimony was overwhelmingly in support from Planned Parenthood affiliates, Essential Access Health, Western Center on Law and Poverty, the California Medical Association, family physicians, OBGYN groups, and others, while some commenters used the opportunity to raise unrelated budget concerns such as Medi-Cal dental cuts, IHSS, and CalHome funding. After discussion, the committee approved AB 106 on a 12-4 vote and reported it out. The chair also noted that a later hearing would examine broader H.R. 1 impacts in more detail.

Transcript Highlights:

• transformation waiver, but also understanding that health is only 20% about what happens in a clinic visit
• traveled more than 8,000 miles in my car, meeting with nearly all 35 local health jurisdictions, visiting

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held confirmation hearings for Ryan Moran to lead the Health Care Authority and Dennis Worsham to serve as Secretary of Health. Moran emphasized his personal background, experience in Maryland Medicaid, and priorities of protecting coverage amid federal changes, addressing health disparities, strengthening tribal partnerships, and improving agency operations. Worsham described his long public health career in Washington, his statewide listening tour, and his focus on collaboration, science-based decision-making, accountability, workforce support, and rebuilding public trust. Senators raised questions about behavioral health, social determinants of health, communication, misinformation, and the impact of federal policy changes; both nominees said Washington should continue leading on coverage, prevention, and public health resilience. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills. It passed SB 5899, allowing qualified chiropractors to perform chiropractic diagnosis and adjustments on animals; SB 6292, creating a joint legislative-executive committee on health care financing with a substitute; SB 6182, establishing an abortion savings program, after rejecting several Christian-sponsored amendments and adopting a Bateman amendment limiting eligible organizations to DOH-contracted abortion providers or funds; SB 5947, creating the Washington Health Care Board; SJR 8206, proposing a constitutional right to affordable health care; and SB 5933, on overdose mapping information sharing, with a substitute. The committee also recommended confirmation of both gubernatorial appointments. In a second group of bills, the committee passed SB 5823 on patient advocates with a substitute requiring at least one person physically present daily in acute care settings and expanding exemptions for certain hospitals; SB 6210 on the health plan certification process with a substitute; SB 5921 on psilocybin; SB 6226 protecting audiologists’ clinical autonomy with a substitute; and SB 5924 expanding pharmacists’ prescriptive authority with a substitute. Members discussed access, affordability, rural workforce shortages, and patient safety, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.