Video & Transcript : 'legislative' :
Page 335 of 500
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs (05/13/2025)
Election Law and Municipal Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:14:09.920><c> body,</c> and determined by the legislative body, and determined by the legislative
- So, um, again, you know, we ultimately think that the legislative body and the voters who show up and
- So, um, again, you know, we ultimately think that the legislative body and the voters who show up and
- So the legislative<00:17:58.799><c> body</c><00:17:59.120><c> does</c><00:17:59.280><c> have</c><00:17
- :59.440><c> that</c><00:17:59.679><c> type</c><00:17:59.840><c> of</c> legislative body does have that
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Workforce committee debates HF1325 to change MN's earned sick, safe time law 3/12/25
Transcript Highlights:
- Thank you for the opportunity to share our members' support for legislative modifications to the sick
- We appreciate certain clarifications that were made during the last legislative session, which included
- </c><00:42:12.240><c> to</c> goals of esst I urge legislators to goals of esst I urge legislators to
- </c><01:10:18.679><c> by</c> this place where we're legislating by this place where we're legislating
- We are seeking to pass a piece of legislation to add to state policy for the reasonable employer and
Summary:
The committee took up House File 1325 and adopted the author’s A2 amendment before hearing testimony. Representative Schultz presented the bill as a set of bipartisan changes to make Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law more workable for small businesses, public employers, and taxpayers, arguing the current law is an unfunded mandate that increases costs and property taxes. The bill’s supporters said it would add flexibility, including changes affecting coverage for certain workers, employer size thresholds, front-loading, weather-related exceptions, and a delay on penalties.
Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach of the Department of Labor and Industry opposed the bill, saying it would exclude about 800,000 workers, or roughly 30% of the workforce, from earned sick and safe time protections and create confusion and enforcement problems. She also objected to the proposed penalty delay, saying the department already uses compliance assistance and needs penalty authority for serious violations. The Minnesota Chamber supported modifications to the mandate, saying businesses—especially small ones—have struggled with compliance and that the law has had unintended effects on PTO policies and leave use. The League of Minnesota Cities supported parts of the bill, especially changes affecting more generous city leave policies and weather-event exemptions, saying current language creates confusion and can interfere with emergency staffing.
Opponents from Education Minnesota, SEIU Minnesota, TakeAction Minnesota, and a nurse from Unity Hospital argued the bill would strip protections from part-time workers, minors, and workers with family caregiving needs, and would weaken a law they said has helped workers avoid discipline or lost wages when sick. Supporters from counties and an HR consultant emphasized administrative burdens, emergency staffing needs during weather events, and the difficulty of applying ESS rules to existing leave policies. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the bill was laid over for further consideration.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Education Policy and Administration (02/20/2026)
Education Policy and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- Please legislate 1268 as written.
- </c> is really daunting to read legislation. is really daunting to read legislation.
- </c> this legislation. this legislation.
- </c> I could share them with legislators. I could share them with legislators.
- Legislators are elected and legislators lose reelection, and some resign or worse.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (05/23/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> considered in later legislation. Okay. considered in later legislation. Okay.
- </c> for New Hampshire and all legislators. for New Hampshire and all legislators.
- </c> discussed um nowhere in the legislation discussed um nowhere in the legislation uh<01:13:02.400>
- </c> and and to to try and craft legislation and and to to try and craft legislation to<03:46:46.479>
- </c> that's really worthy of of legislation. that's really worthy of of legislation.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee 4/8/26
Public Safety Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> on this important legislation. on this important legislation.
- </c> the proposed legislation is premature. the proposed legislation is premature.
- Next up is Deputy Legislative Auditor Catherine Tyson from special review of the Office of Legislative
- I am a Deputy Legislative Auditor from the Office of Legislative Auditor.
- And, as Deputy Commissioner explained, Legislative Auditor from the Office of Legislative Auditor from
Keywords:
school safety, threat assessment, pilot project, education, real-time monitoring, public safety, HF4299, school safety specialists, Minnesota School Safety Center, appropriation, general fund, fiscal year 2026, school security, school violence prevention, student safety, Department of Public Safety, school resource support, education funding, peace officer, training reimbursement
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - 02/18/26
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- Miss Spence, please. >> Key Spence, committee legislative assistant for the A committee and the Veterans
- I'm also an intern for Senator Putnam. >> Hi, I'm David Wing, legislative assistant to State Senator
- </c> >> Hi, I'm David Wing, legislative >> Hi, I'm David Wing, legislative assistant<00:04
- Uh you all did give legislative session.
- </c><00:56:28.559><c> session</c> created in the 2022 legislative session created in the 2022 legislative
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - 03/17/25
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> legislative branch. legislative branch. Well,<00:16:24.240><c> Mr.
- </c> have worked uh since last legislative have worked uh since last legislative session<01:03:37.520
- ><c> group</c><01:05:04.960><c> which</c> legislative advisory work group which legislative advisory
- </c><01:09:03.920><c> proposed</c> under the legislation and proposed under the legislation and proposed
- </c> you'll see the new legislation you'll see the new legislation classifies<01:25:43.120><c> data</
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- intensity of bills that you are receiving, as was mentioned, I'm here to testify in support of legislation
- There has been official guidance issued in 13 states, legislation in another 14, I think.
- I'm pleased to offer testimony in support of this bill, legislation that would allow cash transactions
- The legislation also requires the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation to ensure clear
- They're waiting on legislation, the Common Sense Act, to come over from the House.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a public hearing on two bills: House Bill 5138, concerning consumer protections for cash transactions amid penny scarcity, and House Bill 5036, concerning consumer information related to tariffs. Chairs Tackey Chan and Senator Payano opened the hearing, noted the committee’s one-year anniversary, reviewed procedures, and explained that the Senate and House were both in session, with Senator Payano prepared to take over if needed. The committee heard from several industry and legislative witnesses, and the hearing was eventually closed by motion and voice vote.
Supporters of H. 5138, including Senator Paul Feeney, the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, and the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, said the bill would create a clear statewide rounding standard for cash transactions if pennies become scarce. They argued it would improve operational efficiency, reduce confusion, provide legal clarity, and protect businesses and consumers by requiring notice and limiting the rule to cash payments. The Retailers Association of Massachusetts also supported the concept but suggested amendments, including changing mandatory rounding language to allow flexibility and clarifying that taxes and fees would not be affected.
Witnesses were largely opposed to H. 5036. The Retailers Association, the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, and the Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association said tariff-related shelf or price disclosures would be difficult or impossible to implement because tariff costs change frequently and are hard to trace through complex supply chains. Auto dealers emphasized the challenge of calculating tariff impacts across thousands of vehicle parts and models, while retailers said the proposal would add burdens and could increase costs. No votes on the bills were taken during the hearing; the only formal action was adjournment of the hearing after testimony concluded.
VT
Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session - 2026-04-17 - 11:30AM
Vermont Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- of the Vermont Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Association, farmers, landowners, and, of course, legislative
- > uh,</c><00:16:40.160><c> committee</c><00:16:40.520><c> chair</c><00:16:40.920><c> of</c> the legislative
- uh, committee chair of the legislative uh, committee chair of the<00:16:41.160><c> Vermont</c><00:16
- :47.959><c> course,</c> farmers, landowners, and of course, farmers, landowners, and of course, legislative
- </c> legislative counsel. legislative counsel.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Apr 15th, 2026
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- and intensity of bills that you are received as was mentioned, I'm here to testify in support of legislation
- There has been official guidance issued in 13 states, legislation in another 14, I think.
- I'm pleased to offer testimony in support of this bill, legislation that would allow cash transactions
- The legislation also requires the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation to ensure clear
- They're waiting on legislation, the Common Sense Act, to come over from the House.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a public hearing on House Bill 5036, concerning consumer information related to tariffs, and House Bill 5138, concerning consumer protections for low-value tender scarcity and penny rounding. The chairs opened with procedural remarks, noted both chambers were in session, and explained that testimony would be limited to three minutes. The hearing also included light discussion of the committee’s one-year anniversary and the large volume of bills the committee handles.
Testimony on H. 5138 was broadly supportive. Senator Paul Feeney, the bill’s co-sponsor, said the measure would address confusion caused by the penny’s scarcity by creating a statewide cash-rounding standard to the nearest five cents, with rounding up or down depending on the final digit. He emphasized that the bill would apply only to cash transactions and would require consumer notice rules from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. Representatives from the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, Massachusetts Retailers Association, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, and New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association all supported the bill, citing operational efficiency, legal clarity, fairness, and reduced burden on retailers and restaurants. The Retailers Association suggested amendments to make rounding discretionary rather than mandatory and to clarify that taxes and fees would not be affected.
Testimony on H. 5036 was largely opposed by business groups. The Massachusetts Retailers Association, New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, and Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association all said the tariff disclosure requirements would be difficult or impossible to implement in practice, especially given frequent tariff changes and the complexity of pricing goods and vehicles. They argued the bill would create compliance burdens and could increase costs rather than help consumers. No votes were taken on either bill. The hearing concluded after no further witnesses came forward, and the committee voted to close the hearing.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- I think legislation like this is really harmful to youth and adults in our state.
- Oh, are you concerned with legislation like this leading to an increase in youth and adult suicide?
- Would you agree that in 2023, this legislative body decided to put A prohibition on all of these types
- of procedures for minors, so legislation like this does not expand on the demographic that was mentioned
- This was you know, follow up bla legislation on the bill that you just referenced because you know, my
Bills:
SB667, SB904, SB1344, SB1380, SB1423, SB1425, SB1484, SB1500, SB1502, SB1503, SB1555, SB1561, SB1562, SB1565, SB1572, SB1644, SB1749, SB1833, SB2007, SB2044, SB2074
Keywords:
chiropractic, licensure, animal chiropractic, Board of Chiropractic Examiners, licensing requirements, gender transition, gender-affirming care, transgender, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, hormone therapy, sex reassignment, transition surgery, Medicaid, public funds, state facilities, state hospital, Oklahoma, intersex, DSD
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm next on the agenda with this piece of legislation, so I'd ask my good co-chair to take over.
- I'm next on the agenda with this piece of legislation, so I'd ask my good co-chair to take over.
- One of the things in this legislation we've done is take out the word reimbursement from this fund.
- It could potentially be used if this legislation were to pass and this became law, then we could use
- Ben Taves, Senator for Legislative District 4. Before you is House Bill 915.
Summary:
The committee began by recognizing and thanking page Caleb Williams for his service, including brief remarks and a song, before moving to approval of the minutes from March 12, 16, 17, and 18, 2026. All four sets of minutes were approved by voice vote.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 1420, which would redirect about 1% of the state health insurance premium tax into a fund for medical education, with the goal of stabilizing funding for undergraduate medical education and supporting future expansion of medical school seats. Senator Lent and Representative Manwaring explained that the bill would create a dedicated pathway for these funds and could also accommodate other medical education-related revenues. After questions about the premium tax and existing uses of the fund, the committee voted to send SB 1420 to the floor with a due pass recommendation; Senator Zito requested to be recorded as opposed.
Next, the committee considered House Joint Memorial 20, which asks the federal government to address the costs Idaho incurs under Plyler v. Doe for educating students regardless of immigration status. Representative Tanner argued the decision created an unfunded mandate and cited rough estimates of annual and long-term costs. After questions about the source of the student estimates, the committee voted to send HJM 20 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with Senators Burtenshaw and Semmelroth requesting to be recorded as opposed.
Finally, the committee heard House Bill 915, which would establish a baseline recess policy for public and charter schools, including a 20-minute daily outdoor recess for grades K-5 when feasible and a prohibition on withholding recess from an entire class as punishment. Senator Taves said the bill was intended to protect children’s health and learning, while opponents argued it was unnecessary and infringed on local control because schools already provide recess. The committee voted to hold HB 915 at the call of the chair, and the meeting adjourned with notice that the IDLA bill was expected the next day.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Learn more about the Minnesota Youth in Government program! Feb 3rd, 2026
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- annual program offers a real-world look at state government and what it means to be a part of the legislative
- The 4-day event allows participants to create their own mock legislative session by electing leadership
- Legislative branch, judicial branch, media, we have a special program for eighth graders that gets a
- It's amazing, and I love it, and I've learned so much not just about the legislative process but about
- </c> so much not just about the legislative so much not just about the legislative process<00:04:29.919
Summary:
The transcript is a promotional overview of Minnesota Youth and Government, a four-day mock state government conference held each January at the Minnesota State Capitol Complex and the Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. It explains that eligible 8th through 12th grade students from Minnesota and western Wisconsin participate through school or community delegations, which meet during the year to prepare for the conference.
Participants described the program as a hands-on way to learn how state government works and to build skills in public speaking, debate, leadership, scheduling, and interviewing. High school students can take on roles such as legislators, judges, attorneys, lobbyists, media representatives, or cabinet members, while eighth graders participate in a leadership corps that samples multiple program areas. Several speakers emphasized the value of meeting students from different schools and states, hearing new perspectives, and gaining access to spaces like the House Chamber.
The transcript includes personal testimonials from students and program alumni about making friends, gaining confidence, and learning from committee and floor debates. One speaker noted a committee discussion on curriculum that brought in views from teachers, students, and families. A representative from Shakopee said the district has one of the largest delegations, with over 150 students involved, and praised the program as a way to prepare future leaders. No formal legislative votes or actions were taken, since this was an informational segment about the youth program.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- of the election equipment or technology currently approved for use in Florida impacted by this legislation
- ... ...leaders in terms of building resilience at the state level, both through executive and legislative
- leaders in terms of building resilience at the state level, both through executive and legislative action
- But the other issue I'd like to highlight is the transnational oppression legislation, which is another
- novel thing that Florida will be leading the country if this legislation has passed.
Keywords:
financial disclosure, statement of financial interests, ethics, late filing, late-filed disclosure, automatic fine, waiver, Florida Commission on Ethics, public officials, state officers, local officers, state employees, ethics enforcement, government transparency, sunshine law, reporting persons, penalty reduction, first-time offender, election ethics, general revenue fund
Summary:
The committee met with a quorum present and first took up Senate Bill 1178, the Foreign Interference Restriction and Enforcement Act, sponsored by Senator Garcia. The bill would expand state restrictions on foreign countries of concern and designated foreign terrorist organizations, including creating a state registration framework for foreign agents, banning gifts to public officials from covered foreign entities, requiring ethics training on foreign influence, tightening procurement limits for information technology and critical infrastructure, restricting sister-city/sister-state encouragement, revising linkage institute rules and tuition provisions, and criminalizing certain conduct tied to foreign governments or unauthorized enforcement of foreign law. Members asked extensive questions about how the bill would affect election technology, software development, federal foreign-agent registration, educational exchanges, and the treatment of organizations such as CARE; the sponsor said the bill focused on ownership/control and foreign countries of concern, not specific components or general participation in events. An amendment by Senator Grall was adopted to clarify definitions, align penalties with willful violations, and specify that new ethics training content is additive. The committee then heard supportive testimony from Kelly Curry of State Armor and Rob Pierce of American Global Strategies, both of whom argued the bill would help Florida counter foreign influence, protect data and infrastructure, and improve transparency. CS for SB 1178 was reported favorably by roll call vote.
The committee then considered Senate Bill 1622, which provides a one-time waiver of the automatic fine for a late-filed financial disclosure under specified conditions, including that the filer submitted the disclosure before the maximum fine accrued and had not previously received such a waiver. Carrie Stillman of the Commission on Ethics testified in support, saying the bill preserves transparency and compliance goals while making the fine and appeals process more workable. The bill was reported favorably by roll call vote.
Finally, the committee took up confirmation hearings for appointments in tabs 3 through 26. No separate votes were requested, no public testimony was offered, and the block of appointees was recommended favorably to the full Senate by roll call vote. The meeting then concluded with no further business.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- This is legislative cleanup language.
- This bill is a critical piece of cleanup legislation.
- This bill is a critical piece of cleanup legislation, as Representative Way commented, clarifying the
- for your support of this legislation.
- The very reason this legislation is before you today is because of an incident The very reason this legislation
Summary:
The Commerce Committee heard three bills after announcing that House Bill 2118 would be held. House Bill 2091 would raise the maximum asset-based assessment DIFI can charge domestic insurers to fund financial surveillance staff, with future increases tied to inflation and capped. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the fees had not been updated in 25 years, that Arizona’s insurance regulatory workload has grown substantially, and that the change should help DIFI hire staff, reduce reliance on more expensive contracted work, and not increase premiums. The committee voted 11-0 to give HB 2091 a due pass recommendation.
House Bill 2138 would clarify workers’ compensation coverage for professional firefighters injured while traveling to or from work, defining firefighter for that purpose. The sponsor and witnesses from Queen Creek and the fire community said the bill was intended as cleanup language to restore the original legislative intent after a claim was denied because of a statutory loophole, and that the change would protect firefighters and support recruitment and response readiness. The County Supervisors Association said it was neutral but requested counties be removed from the definition because counties do not employ firefighters; a floor amendment was expected to address that. The committee approved HB 2138 11-0.
House Bill 2122 made clarifying changes to last year’s reciprocity/endorsement law for registration of BTR-related professions, including reciprocity with the United Kingdom. The sponsor described it as a cleanup bill to fix an omission and support workforce development and commerce, and the only witness offered no additional testimony. The committee passed HB 2122 on an 11-0 vote, and the meeting adjourned after all three bills received due pass recommendations.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Press Conference: Special Session Jul 31st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- And Texas Republicans to race back to Austin for a special legislative session. Why was that done?
- Uh, I was a freshman here in 2003, a freshman state legislator, when we left the state to go to Ardmore
- When I testified last week to state legislators at their first hearing, I said what I believe is true
- He's using Texas to protect himself and the state legislators here have to determine whether they're
- Because these legislators are standing up, these members of Congress are standing up and communicating
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee Apr 9th, 2025
Communications and Conveyance
Transcript Highlights:
- We seek to protect the rights of all who participate in the legislative process so that we can have effective
- we will not permit conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of legislative
- With me to provide testimony is Adria Tinnen, the Director of Race, Equity, and Legislative Policy at
- In addition, the amendments add legislative findings and declarations that acknowledge that multiple
- And we have to have now legislation for that.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Republican Press Conference 3/12/25
Transcript Highlights:
- When you look at kind of model legislation at the federal level, the Lake and Riley bill got broad bipartisan
- level has gotten broad bipartisan support, and I'm open to conversations about making this or any legislation
- /c><00:03:13.200><c> at</c><00:03:13.319><c> the</c><00:03:13.440><c> federal</c> kind of model legislation
- at the federal kind of model legislation at the federal level<00:03:14.040><c> the</c><00:03:14.159>
- better knowing that we have legislation better knowing that we have a<00:04:46.560><c> 6767</c> All
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets Jul 2nd, 2026
Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets
Transcript Highlights:
- This legislation represents the next phase of our economic development strategy.
- Legislation is urgently needed.
- With Congress gridlocked, California, New York, and Illinois, Legislation is urgently needed.
- I’m the political and legislative director... Again, my name is Dan Hoffer.
- I’m the political and legislative director from SEIU Local 509.
Summary:
The House Bonding Committee met to hear testimony on H. 5527, the Mass Wins Act, with Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley opening by describing the bill as a follow-on to Mass Leads. He said the proposal includes $305 million in bond authorizations, with $180 million for new programs and $125 million to expand existing ones, plus $140 million in deauthorizations of unused or redundant authorizations. He highlighted investments in applied AI and quantum, robotics, business expansion capital, defense innovation, global business attraction, ag tech and food science, downtowns, and the creative economy, and said the bill is intended to support geographic equity and small business growth across the Commonwealth.
Committee members questioned the administration on several policy sections, including the MassCEC climate-tech certification language, housing-related provisions tied to 40B compliance and site plan review, the removal of the LCSW exam, AI transparency and federal preemption concerns, and the effect of lower LLC filing fees. Paley generally said some contested sections were added by the Economic Development Committee rather than the administration, defended the MassCEC discretion language as necessary for climate certification, and said the administration would follow up on committee-added provisions. He also said the bill’s housing provisions were meant to help address the state’s need for more homes and that the deauthorizations were housekeeping measures that did not affect current capital plan projects.
Public testimony covered a wide range of topics. AARP and local advocates urged a statewide ban on cryptocurrency ATMs, arguing they are heavily used in scams, impose high fees, and drain money from seniors and local economies. Housing groups supported codifying site plan review and adding parking reform and YIGBY-style housing on faith-owned land. Building trades asked to include off-site fabrication in prevailing wage law. The Massachusetts Public Banking Campaign backed the bill and urged inclusion of a public bank concept. Several witnesses supported Section 106, the Transparency and Frontier AI Act, as a way to require safety plans, audits, incident reporting, and whistleblower protections for the largest AI companies, while an AI startup group argued the section would overregulate smaller firms and should be separated from the bond bill. No votes were taken during the hearing.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- and attack individual legislator records.
- and attack individual legislator records.
- I remember this legislation. So how has it been going, the pilot program?”
- So then with this legislation, would it require at least a 10.1?
- This bill would be a legislative recognition of a duty in this type of case.
Summary:
The Senate Judiciary A Committee met on May 5, 2026, with five members present and adopted the April 28 minutes. The committee then heard and favorably reported several measures, including HCR 31, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to study replacing or clarifying the term “foreign” in state law; HB 263, allowing the 14th JDC magistrate judge to handle certain specialty court felony matters; HB 299, clarifying paper filing rules for jury bonds and related payment issues; HB 535, simplifying hospital-based acknowledgments of paternity by removing the two-witness requirement while keeping notarization; HB 571, codifying the 19th JDC’s complex litigation section program; and HB 538, increasing the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court fee cap from $15 to $75 to help offset court costs. The committee also reported HB 215, raising the small succession affidavit threshold from $125,000 to $200,000, and HB 226, adding a 10.1 conference requirement before requests for admissions are deemed admitted, with discussion about discovery fairness and default judgment exceptions.
The committee also took up HB 324, which makes judicial stipend increases permanent and adds a 2.7% salary increase for judges effective July 1, 2027; an amendment restoring the second year of the COLA was adopted, and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 1043, raising the jurisdictional amount in Jefferson Parish first and second parish courts, was amended to increase the amount from $35,000 to $50,000 and then reported with amendments. HCR 6, directing the Law Institute to study forced heirship and disinherison issues, was amended to add reporting language and related Civil Code references and then reported with amendments. HB 1006, changing summary judgment deadlines to give opponents more time to respond, was amended and reported by a 3-2 vote after roll call.
Two more substantive bills drew extended debate. HB 1239 would strengthen the presumption that parents share physical custody equally unless a court finds that arrangement infeasible or not in the child’s best interest; supporters framed it as a parental-rights measure, while an attorney in opposition warned it would increase litigation, reduce stability for children, and be used as leverage in child support disputes. Despite the opposition, the committee reported the bill favorably. HB 190, as amended, would create a duty of reasonable care for certain software/app providers toward minors and require expert testimony, while excluding manufacturers; supporters said it was aimed at protecting children from harmful platform design, but opponents argued the proposal was unnecessary because existing tort law already covers negligence and warned it could create new causes of action and uncertainty over whether software is a “product.” The committee heard testimony from the Louisiana State Law Institute, the sponsor, and outside witnesses, but the transcript ends before final action on HB 190 is shown.