Transcript Highlights:

• How many people, Madam Chair, have passed that, the Indigenous certificate in the state?
• How many people have actually gotten a certificate now?
• However, they are a contractor, so they receive funding to pay for their employees.
• And also in those rural areas, it's hard for those contractors to get a crew out there.
• And also in those rural areas, it's hard for those contractors to get a crew out there.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tiered certifications and agreed-upon procedure reporting under the state audit act.
• We had New Mexico Legal Aid help with that; they're a contractor through NMAA.
• Some of our contractors include New Mexico Legal Aid.
• That's how that process works, and we use the funds for staff and contractors.
• So basically, I help them with their tier certifications and AUPs.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2402, Ambulance Services Certificate; Commerce.
• HB 2799, excavation contractors license; Commerce and R.O.
• HB 2869, a treason certification; Commerce.
• HB 2910, register our contractors, administrative recovery; Commerce.
• HB 2910, register our contractors, administrative recovery; Commerce.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior journal, and took attendance. Members then recognized several guest groups and individuals, including the West Valley Regional Chamber, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics Arizona, Vitalant for National Blood Donor Month, and veterans and military family representatives in advance of a Veterans Caucus meeting. A proclamation was read recognizing January as National Blood Donor Month in Arizona and honoring Vitalant’s role in supplying blood to Arizona patients. The chamber also heard a declaration naming January 22, 2026, West Valley Regional Chamber Day, and members made personal remarks, including a memorial tribute to Jennifer Marie Walker Skaggs and announcements about committee meetings and caucus events. The House recorded attendance, entered committee reports, and processed a large number of bills through first and second reading, covering elections, education, veterans, health, housing, taxation, artificial intelligence, public safety, and other topics. Several bills were also withdrawn and reassigned to different committees, including referrals to Artificial Intelligence and Innovation, Government, and Public Safety and Law Enforcement. No substantive floor debate or final votes on legislation occurred in the transcript beyond procedural motions. The House later recessed and reconvened, continued first-reading referrals for additional bills and resolutions, and then adjourned on a motion approved by voice vote until 1:15 p.m. Monday, January 26, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I was personally involved in one when we had a, a major cost increase in steel and a contractor came
• Um, we wanted to be sensitive to the fact that the contractors had already expressed concern about being
• And so I, I, and this is really kind of in Congress coming from me being a contractor that I, I would
• Um, so the potential motion is council approval to adopt the June 2025 certification and resolution to
• Under certified, so now we will be covering what the full certification should be for that project.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a mechanical contractor from Young County, Palapena. We need this bill. Thank you.
• Under current law, municipalities are required to ensure that contractors carry workers' compensation
• We just don't have any local contractors or local professionals—fence contractors—that can do that.
• We end up using contractors from out of town, and they end up increasing the price.
• Today, just one year later, Isabella is completing her certification as a physician's assistant.

Bills: HB875, HB1667, HB2369, HB3844, HB4415, HB4479, HB4483, HB4676, HB5118, HB5400, HB5545

Keywords: workers' compensation, municipal construction, bidding requirements, small municipalities, contracting policies, first responders, PTSD, mental health, emergency services, medical expenses, injury claims, insurance carriers, opportunity youth, workforce development, employment, education, federal funds, employment discrimination, immunity waiver, public employees

Transcript Highlights:

• Carla Kugler, with Associated Builders and Contractors, and we are here today in strong support of House
• There's a certification process and the like. Can someone explain that, please, Mr. Chair?
• Chair and Representative, so you apply for the certification validating that you're a true affordable
• Chair, is you would go to MFA and ask for this certification that you were going to do rehabilitation
• Exemption, and that gives them an additional 180 days to come back with their certification.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• separate certification it rolls The Lure separate certification it rolls The Lure into<02:13:32.119><
• So when you say contractor, are you talking construction contractor or painting contractor?
• So when you say contractor, are you talking construction contractor or painting contractor?
• are you talking you say contractor are you talking construction<04:00:16.159> contractor<04:00
• :16.680> or<04:00:16.920> painting construction contractor or painting construction contractor

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Once a person earns a certificate of completion for that seminar course, he or she can be listed on a
• And is the part of the certification include.
• The providers of DD waiver services are contractors of the state of New Mexico.
• Most, if not all, contractors of the state respond to requests for proposals.
• The disaggregation was split 50-50 between employees and independent contractors.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 342, the Contractors Licensure Fairness Act, provides a more balanced approach to contractor licensing
• by allowing contractors to receive payment for the time spent on a project while they are licensed,
• It's important to note that the bill does not allow contractors to recoup pay for any of the unlicensed
• We appreciate and believe in the right-to-cure provisions of the Contractors State License Board, but
• The contractor must be licensed at the start of the project.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Contractors Licensure Fairness Act provides a more balanced approach to contractor licensing by allowing
• contractors to receive payment for the time spent on a project while they are licensed, even if gaps
• It's important to note that the bill does not allow contractors to recoup pay for any of the unlicensed
• We appreciate and believe in the right-to-cure provisions of the Contractors State License Board, but
• The contractor must be licensed at the start of the project.

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard a long agenda of licensing, consumer protection, and sunset-review bills. Early items included SB 1148, which would let aspiring security guards complete all required training before a guard card is issued; SB 342, which would soften the penalty for contractors who were licensed during part of a project but had a brief lapse; and several sunset bills for boards and bureaus, including the Board of Registered Nursing (SB 1302), the Board of Naturopathic Medicine (SB 1303), the Respiratory Care Board (SB 1304), the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (SB 1363), and the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board (SB 1368). The committee also heard SB 1311, which makes various updates to DCA boards and programs, and SB 1314, which restricts new tobacco retailers from locating within 600 feet of schools or daycare centers and bans nitrous oxide sales and related paraphernalia. Testimony was generally supportive on the training, sunset, and licensing cleanup bills, though several measures drew “opposed unless amended” or neutral positions over scope and implementation details. On SB 1314, supporters including prosecutors and school administrators argued it would reduce youth exposure to tobacco, while gas station, convenience store, cigar lounge, pharmacy, and business groups raised concerns about impacts on existing businesses, transferability of tobacco licenses, and possible de facto limits on future stations; some public health groups shifted to neutral after amendments. On SB 1302, nursing groups supported the board sunset bill, while the California Medical Association objected to allowing out-of-state nurse practitioner transition-to-practice experience to count without a California attestation process. On SB 1304, health facilities and long-term care groups supported the board extension but sought broader clarification so LVNs could perform respiratory tasks consistently across settings. After quorum was finally established, the committee voted to send the consent calendar bills SB 1376, SB 1391, SB 1416, and SB 1315 to Appropriations, and then approved SB 342, SB 1148, SB 1302, SB 1303, SB 1304, SB 1311, SB 1314, SB 1363, and SB 1368, all moving forward to the Committee on Appropriations. SB 1314 passed with some no votes, while the other measures advanced with broad support. The hearing ended after additional members were added on the record and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:04:36.000> one residential plumbing contractor, one residential plumbing contractor,
• ,<00:04:40.320> one water conditioning contractor, one water conditioning contractor, one
• and continuing education requirements for plumbing contractors.
• continuing education requirements for plumbing contractors.
• not seek um medical certifications. not seek um medical certifications.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, these are relating to title certificates, motor vehicle licenses, driver's licenses and
• Is there a mechanism in your bill to ensure that contractors do not low bid or document a lower price
• My brother is a general contractor, that's nothing and that's very little done to the house.
• This is handyman things, most contractors will not fool with something under $7500.
• , residential contractors hearing all the issues we have in our 400+ cities and 67 counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• ; enter into a contractual agreement with the pilot innovation contractor for the purposes of directly
• For instance, establishing, selecting a contractor, government assistance and research and development
• “Industry from the fire marshal’s office to the contractors board.
• , birth registration card, certificate of birth by the U.S.
• Department of State, a certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, Social Security card

Bills: HR320, HR321, SCR55, SCR69, SCR75, SCR77, SCR78, SCR79, SB259, SB295, SB312, SB348, SB444, SB485, HR73, HR118, HR144, HR196, HR237, HR249, HR260, HR267, HR272, HR278, HCR85, HCR100, HCR105, HCR107, HCR114, HR245, SCR5, SCR29, SCR33, SCR37, SCR63, SCR30, SCR40, HB62, HB193, HB210, HB220, HB246, HB364, HB420, HB475, HB584, HB622, HB772, HB784, HB949, HB953, HB1043, HB1070, HB1092, HB1134, HB1162, HB1176, HB1196, HB1214, HB119, HB129, HB233, HB283, HB538, HB789, HB850, HB870, HB1236, HB1241, HB54, HB137, HB321, HB368, HB386, HB414, HB431, HB552, HB555, HB578, HB590, HB593, HB618, HB638, HB670, HB692, HB707, HB708, HB715, HB718, HB732, HB741, HB748, HB776, HB796, HB807, HB822, HB848, HB856, HB887, HB888, HB917, HB921, HB1082, HB1243, HB1246, HB378, HB509, HB1090, HB1259, SB80, SB131, SB143, SB251, SB254, SB279, SB367, SB384, SB388, SB389, SB398, SB408, SB431, SB468, SB469, SB496, SB4, SB52, SB57, SB83, SB145, SB152, SB194, SB276, SB319, SB333, SB448, SB450, SB465, SB484, SB501, SB509, SB149, HR168, HB463, HB998, SB123, SB353, SB479, SB495, SB82, SB97, SB283, SB326, SB518, SB197, SB268, HB901, HR20, HR74, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB89, HB74, HB134, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB956, HB1117, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB208, SB217, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB379, SB382, SB387, SB401, SB441, SB449, SB487

Keywords: Arsenal, Arsenal F.C., Premier League, English football, soccer, football club, Mikel Arteta, Emirates Stadium, North London, Tottenham Hotspur, Gunners, sports resolution, commendation, celebration, championship, silverware, Louisiana House Resolution, ceremonial resolution, domestic violence, forensic medical examinations

Summary: The House was called to order, a quorum was established, and the meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members also observed several personal privileges and recognitions, including International Preeclampsia Awareness Month, the Hudson Cup award presentation to Rep. John Illg Jr., recognition of the Delcambre Shrimp Festival Queen, and a visit from U.S. Sen. John Kennedy. The chamber also received Senate messages, conference committee appointments, enrolled reports, and a conference report on SB 483 dealing with psychedelic-assisted therapy, which was laid over. The House then moved through a long series of concurrence and rejection votes on Senate amendments to House bills. Among the measures concurred in were bills affecting the Louisiana Women’s Policy Research Commission, the Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission, child exploitation reporting on covered platforms, the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board, DCFS background checks, AI disclosure in health care, foster care placement and related terminology, criminal history record confidentiality, parish court jurisdiction, court costs, developmental disability office renaming, insurance claims and contractor licensing, Medicare Advantage coverage, colorectal cancer screening, health facilities, highway memorial designations, jury compensation, school employee protections, juvenile court fees, off-road vehicle seizure, residential property insurance cancellation, child support enforcement, and several others. The House rejected Senate amendments on bills including ethics retroactivity, sex offender registration notification, plumbers licensing, and health insurance formulary placement, sending some to conference. Several bills were finally passed, including measures on obstructing public passages with motorized vehicles, class six injection well hearings, arson of religious buildings, wearing masks while committing felonies, professional board attorney fees, bulletproof vests for peace officers, critical infrastructure protection from foreign adversaries, debit card surcharges, electronic stock certificates, watershed restoration funding, and innovation economic development pilot hubs. The innovation hub bill drew extensive debate over no-bid contracting, transparency, and the role of elected versus unelected bodies; an amendment to limit contracting authority to parish governing authorities was withdrawn, and the bill later proceeded to final passage after extended floor discussion. The House also took up and passed or concurred in multiple other bills and resolutions, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to divided on a few measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul, and they were employed by a foundation as independent contractors.
• This group had multiple independent contractors, but two were charged, is that correct?
• My understanding is that this organization had multiple independent contractors.
• And if they have citizenship-affirming documentation, a passport, a birth certificate?
• They submit these documents; they say, "Here's my birth certificate. I was born in St.

Transcript Highlights:

• Certainly contractors, engineers, CPAs, they're going to figure out. ...held to a higher standard.
• We represent the National Electrical Contractors Association, NECA is the acronym.
• This doesn't just affect us; it affects Florida's business owners, contractors, and taxpayers.
• electrical contractors and engineers versus barbers and cosmetology.
• The difference between doing away with contractors and electrical contractors and engineers versus barbers

Summary: The committee first took up a local beverage-license bill for the World Equestrian Center in Marion County. The sponsor described the facility’s size, economic impact, and rapid expansion, and explained that the bill would direct DBPR to issue a special license for qualifying equestrian sports facilities. After questions about whether the carve-out would set a precedent for other businesses, the sponsor said the unique facts of the facility justified the bill. An amendment narrowed the off-premises alcohol authority so the license would allow beer and wine only for off-premises sales, while still allowing on-premises sales of all alcoholic beverages and a standalone bar on the premises. The amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 16-1, with Representative Rayner voting no. The committee then heard PCS for HB 1461, a broad regulatory-reform bill that would repeal continuing education requirements for certain licensed professionals, eliminate several boards/councils/commissions at DBPR and DACS, remove some secondary licenses, and expand licensure pathways. The sponsors argued that most complaints are already handled administratively, that the boards create bureaucracy and cost, and that the bill would improve efficiency without changing initial licensure standards. Members raised concerns about whether DBPR has the subject-matter expertise to replace professional boards, especially for engineering, harbor pilots, electrical work, home inspection, architecture, interior design, and related fields, and about whether removing continuing education could weaken public safety and code compliance. Public testimony on the PCS was mixed but leaned strongly against the bill from affected professions. Opponents from architecture, electrical contracting, home inspection, geology, interior design, real estate, and related groups argued that the boards provide technical expertise, discipline, and updated knowledge tied to changing building codes and safety standards, and that continuing education is important for public protection. Some supporters, including representatives of CPAs and landscape architects, said they appreciated efforts to streamline licensing and reduce anti-competitive barriers but still had concerns about specific provisions. The committee adopted two amendments: one requiring 30 days’ notice for an address change for a prescription sales business, and a second technical amendment. No final vote on the PCS was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• , an electrical contractor, general contractor, plumbing contractor, a roofing contractor and a residential
• contractor.
• It replaces these these experienced electric contractors with with staff.
• And my dad is a former contractor and talk shop at the local high school.
• Abc represents general contractors, subcontractors associates and suppliers.

Transcript Highlights:

• highway contractors group.
• So the highway contractors would be putting in more than anybody else at this particular time.
• And we're doing this for a reason that the contractors don't want.
• So if it's already in the prevailing wage and it's, and the contractors paying it.
• Like we said, we do not have certified payroll specifically on contractors to verify that.

Bills: SB190, SB152, SB77, SB150, SB151, SB156, SB172, SB182, SB185, SB212, SB170, SB133, SB174, SB163

Keywords: cancer treatment, revenue bonds, Gila Regional Medical Center, Nor-Lea General Hospital, healthcare funding, telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion

Transcript Highlights:

• All of them have been through the board certification... ...the board certification school, and I just
• If they, if they Cross County Rural Water and whoever the contractor is. Okay.
• I submit a pay request when the contractor submits a pay request. They send me the money.
• I don't see that money until that contractor gets done with his jobs.
• I don't see that money until that contractor gets done with his jobs.

Summary: The committee approved the February 12 minutes and received updates on delinquent municipal water and sewer reports for 2022 and 2023, noting continued progress toward compliance and reinstatement of turnback funds for several cities. It also deferred several matters to the June 4 meeting, including Fargo’s municipal accounting noncompliance report, Jericho’s street-fund misuse issue, Biggers and Holly Grove deferred reports, and a group of private water and sewer reports lacking proper responses. Members then heard and filed a detailed report on the City of Strong, which involved repeat findings on undeposited receipts, improper use of solid waste funds, unsupported spending, late payroll tax payments, accounting control problems, and fund balance issues. Mayor Darrell Howell described corrective steps, including new internal controls, outside CPA assistance, repayment of misapplied funds, budget amendments, and efforts to address the findings; the committee commended the city’s efforts and filed the report. The committee also filed reports on Thornton Waterworks, Calhoun County, Salem, Briarcliffe, Compton Water Association, Montgomery County Regional Public Water Authority, Camden, Johnson County, and Sparkman, while deferring several private water reports and other unresolved items. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District and other regional solid waste districts. The audit found issues in Pulaski County involving unapproved payroll items, missing credit card documentation, unapproved contracts, vehicle and cell phone documentation problems, lack of competitive bidding, and weak internal controls; members questioned the district’s practices and deferred the report to June while requesting district representatives appear. The committee also reviewed a statewide report on six regional solid waste management districts, with findings in Pulaski, Faulkner, and Benton counties and no findings in three others; that report was likewise deferred for Pulaski County questions. The meeting ended after a lengthy discussion with Cross County Rural Water System about overdue audit posting, water quality problems, grant-funded improvements, board notice practices, and the broader challenges facing rural water systems, after which the committee filed the report and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another one to look at would be the Contractors Board.
• Another one to look at would be the contractors board.
• how it will impact the state contractors board.
• The Contractors Board is 100% funded by licensee fees, and they are held accountable by contractors.
• The Contractors Board is 100% funded by licensee fees, and they are held accountable by contractors as

Bills: SB507

Keywords: SB507, Nevada, governmental administration, Office of Nevada Boards Commissions and Councils Standards, Department of Business and Industry, professional licensing boards, occupational licensing, regulatory fees, state account, nonreverting fund, Commission on Postsecondary Education, taxicab, taxi technology fee, Nevada Transportation Authority, Taxicab Authority, transportation network company, TNC, rideshare, Uber, Lyft

Transcript Highlights:

• Those include an air monitor, which collects the samples; a contractor, a worker, an inspector, a planner
• And once you give somebody a certification, The proper notice. Okay.
• , and basically you do—I saw it here—you do certifications right on this thing, yeah?
• And you give somebody a certification that everything is correct.
• So the certifications, I would assume they pertain to people who are removing asbestos from residential

Summary: The committee first reviewed the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality’s asbestos abatement program. DEQ explained that it licenses asbestos-related workers and businesses under federal and state law, including contractors, workers, inspectors, planners, designers, consultants, air monitors, and training providers. Members asked about the continued presence of asbestos in modern products, the status of the program’s grant fund, and why program expenses were expected to rise; DEQ said grants have not been issued in more than six years because revenues have not left a surplus, and the higher expenses reflect a reallocation of inspector salaries to the fund that supports the program. DEQ also described complaint-driven inspections, enforcement tools such as civil penalties and notices of violation, and the health risks of exposure, including asbestosis and mesothelioma. The report was accepted without objection. The committee then heard from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The commission outlined its standards, compliance, decertification, basic academy, advanced training, and jail standards functions, and said it operates three basic academies in Camden, Benton-Bryant, and Springdale. Members asked about recruitment and retention, academy capacity, training hours, and costs to local agencies; the commission said attendance costs counties nothing because the state funds the academies, and that basic training is being expanded to 705 hours with a greater emphasis on practical instruction. The commission also described separate training for detention officers and school resource officers, and said law enforcement divisions in other agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, are held to the same standards. It noted that most academy attendance requires agency hiring first, though a veterans-to-law-enforcement program allows some veterans to attend on their own and later seek employment. This report also was accepted without objection.