Bills: HB4421 , HB4426 , HB4432 , HB4329 , HB3551 , HB3763 , HB1411 , HB2730 , HB3465 , HB3649 , HB3650 , HB3674 , HB3941 , HB3970 , HB3979 , HB3980 , HB3981 , SB1074

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: child welfare, fentanyl exposure, drug endangerment, environmental testing, safety analysis, remediation, child protection, Department of Human Services, violence prevention, HB4426, SIDE tax credit, strategic industrial development enhancement, income tax credit, economic development, tax incentive, qualified economic development expenditures, qualified initial infrastructure expenditures, industrial park, economic development zone, port authority

Transcript Highlights:

• Residents and visitors alike can hunt, fish, hike, and enjoy the outdoors largely because property owners
• , fish, hike, and enjoy the can hunt, fish, hike, and enjoy the outdoors<00:31:12.320><c> largely</c>
• Turtles do not reproduce in a short time like squirrels or deer, which grow up quickly, reproduce, and
• <01:13:27.280><c> like</c><01:13:27.520><c> squirrels</c><01:13:28.000><c> or</c><01:13:28.320><c> deer
• </c> in a short time like squirrels or deer in a short time like squirrels or deer which<01:13:29.360

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Monty was born in a South Dakota breeding operation, sold to a broker in Iowa, then sold to a Minnesota
• Monty was born in a South Dakota breeding operation, sold to a broker in Iowa, then sold to a Minnesota
• I was fortunate enough to do a lot with professional hunting and training, and I can tell you the biggest
• ><00:48:46.240><c> uh</c> to do a lot with um professional uh to do a lot with um professional uh hunting
• and training and I can tell you hunting and training and I can tell you this<00:48:48.720><c> members

Bills: HF2543 , HF2566 , HF2627

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: garnishment, wage garnishment, earnings levy, bank levy, execution, judgment debtor, judgment creditor, exemption notice, exempt property, bank account freeze, financial institution levy, employer disclosure, garnishee, writ of execution, debt collection, consumer debt, collections, bankruptcy exemptions, public benefits, means-tested benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• In one of the other committee meetings where I was, the harm that was discussed was in Iowa, which has
• In one of the other committee meetings where I was, the harm that was discussed was in Iowa, which has
• In one of the other committee meetings where I was, the harm that was discussed was in Iowa, which has
• Petra Broken continued: Iowa, which has a licensing law.
• This is not only a fencing bill, it's higher than an eight-foot deer fence, Senator Hoffman.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• in a lot They AAA uses this technology in a lot of<00:15:45.560><c> states</c> of states of states Iowa
• Michigan,</c><00:15:48.680><c> North</c><00:15:48.920><c> Dakota,</c><00:15:49.600><c> Nebraska,</c> Iowa
• , Michigan, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin<00:15:51.480><c
• Hey there, I'm Lauren Hunt.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been looking at working with DEER on looking at our position descriptions.
• </c><01:08:31.600><c> on</c> with continue to work with deer on with continue to work with deer on looking
• </c><04:48:57.120><c> So,</c><04:48:57.680><c> by</c> the um deer herd into this.
• So, by the um deer herd into this.
• .<05:18:29.760><c> um</c> hunting. um hunting. um many<05:18:32.000><c> accomplishments</c><05:18:32.560

Transcript Highlights:

• of policies for wildlife management, and the regulation, management, and transaction of wildlife hunting
• I see your hunting background is, you know, and also the science background that you bring.
• Fifty years ago, STEC was not in the intestines of cows, goats, sheep, deer, and pigs.

Committee: Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from February 3 and February 10, 2026, then heard two nominations. Jessica Manuel was introduced as a nominee to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. She described a science-focused background and experience with state and multi-agency work, and members discussed wildlife management, including gray wolves and conservation. The committee voted 8-0 to recommend her confirmation. Stephen Williams was then introduced as a nominee to the Arizona Livestock Loss Board. He emphasized his experience with the State Land Department and livestock operators, and members asked about compensation claims and wolf-related livestock losses. The committee voted unanimously to recommend his confirmation as well. The committee next considered SB 1785, which would codify ADWR’s existing one-mile safe-harbor policy for recovery wells near groundwater storage facilities. Supporters said it would provide certainty and preserve current practice, while ADWR requested clarifying language about the bill’s definitions. Opponents argued it would lock current policy into statute and could reduce flexibility. The bill received a 5-3 do-pass recommendation. SB 1082, which would impose sanitation and handwashing requirements on petting zoos and similar animal encounter exhibits, drew emotional testimony from a parent advocate describing children hospitalized with STEC HUS after a state fair petting zoo exposure, while opponents said the bill was unnecessary and overly burdensome. The committee adopted the sponsor’s amendment but then deadlocked 4-4, so the bill failed. The committee then took up SB 1336, a continuation and reform bill for the Arizona State Land Department that also created a temporary oversight committee and, through a large amendment, added lease, notice, and committee-structure changes. Supporters from mining and agriculture backed the measure as a way to improve predictability and transparency, while some members objected to the amendment’s scope and the committee’s composition. The amendment passed 4-3 and the bill as amended was recommended 6-2. SB 1200, an emergency measure directing ADWR to revisit certain Phoenix AMA assured water supply applications using older groundwater models, was supported by the sponsor but opposed by CAP/GRD and ADWR, who warned it would add replenishment obligations and rely on outdated models; it passed 5-3. SB 1335, requiring the Arizona Water Banking Authority Commission to post its annual report online, passed 7-0-1. SB 1559, creating rural groundwater management work groups in each basin with NRCD involvement and annual reporting to ADWR, drew support from conservation district representatives and opposition from Mohave County interests concerned it would not address overpumping; it passed 5-3. Finally, SB 1761, appropriating $47.7 million to the University of Arizona for its desert agriculture, Cooperative Extension, and experiment station programs, was presented as a land-grant mission funding measure and received broad support from agriculture and several members, with some concerns about budget priorities and the size of the appropriation.

Transcript Highlights:

• of policies for wildlife management, and the regulation, management, and transaction of wildlife, hunting
• I see your hunting background is, you know, and also the science background that you bring.
• Fifty years ago, STEC was not in the intestines of cows, goats, sheep, deer, and pigs.

Bills: SB1082 , SB1200 , SB1335 , SB1336 , SB1559 , SB1761 , SB1762 , SB1785 , SCM1007

Committees: Senate Natural Resources , Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Keywords: petting zoos, animal encounters, public health, handwashing, supervision, sanitization, safety regulations, civil penalties, groundwater management, rural areas, natural resources, soil health, water conservation, agriculture, public participation, appropriation, University of Arizona, Yuma center of excellence, cooperative extension, experiment stations

Transcript Highlights:

• Ernest Thomas was hunted down by a mob of 1,000 men and shot more than 400 times.
• questions, Vice Chair Rouson, for appearance forms, there's one appearance form, and that is Colonel Jason Hunt
• Pro-deer, for being so thoughtful, for always striving to strike a good, solid balance.

Summary: The committee first took up SB 694, which would compensate the descendants of the Groveland Four—Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepard, and Ernest Thomas—for the wrongful convictions, incarceration, and death tied to the 1949 case. Senator Bracey Davis described the bill as a final step after prior state apologies, pardons, and exonerations. The committee adopted a $4 million amendment that divided compensation equally among the four families and updated the recipient for Ernest Thomas’s share. Multiple family members and advocates testified in support, emphasizing the decades of trauma and the need for full justice. Senators in debate largely supported the bill, and it was reported favorably. The committee then approved SB 330, which clarifies disability provisions for firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers by refining the definition of heart disease and allowing certain officers who transfer agencies to rely on a prior physical under specified conditions. SB 474 also passed, expanding military leave protections to include public officials and employees who serve in the Coast Guard or Florida State Guard, adjusting pay eligibility for federal service, and updating related retirement and assistance provisions. SB 96, the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program bill, was amended to expand eligibility to veterans with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level and to move funding into the General Appropriations Act; members debated whether the broader eligibility could increase demand, but the bill was reported favorably. The committee also advanced SB 7018 on child welfare, making the Step Into Success pilot program permanent statewide, adjusting visitor/background-check rules for out-of-home placements, and creating a best-practices program through the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. CS/SB 480 on state IT governance was reported favorably after amendments that strengthened vendor performance metrics and restored state data center security provisions; it creates a new central IT governance structure under the Governor’s office and aims to improve oversight of procurement, spending, and technical debt. SB 1066, addressing partial restoration of the Ocklawaha River and Kirkpatrick Dam, passed after a late-file amendment and extensive testimony from environmental, recreation, and local economic interests. SB 1216, which gives school districts more flexibility in educator compensation, and SB 1120, which increases oversight and reporting for water management district spending, were also reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 1366 on claims against the government, which raises sovereign immunity caps, ties future adjustments to CPI, shortens claim deadlines, and changes attorney-fee provisions. The bill drew support from local government and public-hospital groups as a compromise, but also significant concern from some senators about the impact on self-insured agencies and whether the fee changes would discourage attorneys from taking cases. The discussion remained ongoing, and the bill was still moving forward as the meeting continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• This past weekend I was in Hutchinson, Minnesota, at the Big Little Hunting Fishing Expo, and as I was
• </c> Minnesota at the big little Hunting Minnesota at the big little Hunting Fishing<00:11:34.800><c>
• Again, what this does is it reduces hunting accidents, improves property security, and is very visible
• Again, what this does is it reduces hunting accidents, improves property security, and is very visible
• walsing around when Nebraska and Iowa walsing around when we're<02:09:21.520><c> at</c><02:09:21.599

Transcript Highlights:

• a qualifying event for the biennial National Senior Games, which in 2025 were held in Des Moines, Iowa
• along with 12,500 athletes from across the U.S. at the 2025 National Senior Games held in Des Moines, Iowa
• along with 12,500 athletes from across the U.S. at the 2025 National Senior Games held in Des Moines, Iowa
• along with 12,500 athletes from across the U.S. at the 2025 National Senior Games held in Des Moines, Iowa
• It also mimics the existing federal prohibition on machine guns, which are not tools for hunting or self-defense

Transcript Highlights:

• Monty was born in a South Dakota breeding operation, sold to a broker in Iowa, then sold to a Minnesota
• operation, sold to a Dakota breeding operation, sold to a broker<00:04:52.000><c> in</c><00:04:52.240><c> Iowa
• > sold</c><00:04:53.600><c> to</c><00:04:53.759><c> a</c><00:04:53.919><c> Minnesota</c> broker in Iowa
• , then sold to a Minnesota broker in Iowa, then sold to a Minnesota pet<00:04:54.639><c> store.
• Um, I was fortunate enough to do a lot with professional hunting and training.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said even in the NCHRP report that he chairs, very smart people from Iowa State and ITE and street
• <01:19:43.200><c> smart</c><01:19:43.760><c> people</c><01:19:44.160><c> from</c><01:19:44.400><c> Iowa
• </c> uh, very very smart people from Iowa uh, very very smart people from Iowa State<01:19:45.080><c>
• For example, a deer crash.
• A vehicle strikes a deer, um, the bill is $1,200, and it was pretty basic.

Committee: House Transportation

Summary: House Transportation opened public hearings on three Senate bills and discussed a fourth scheduling issue. On SB 499, which would change Traffic Safety Commission reporting requirements, the sponsor’s representative said the bill would require annual aggregated data on the causes of traffic collisions in New Hampshire and recommendations to address them. Members asked about the added Trauma Medical Review Committee seat, and a representative explained that it is a longstanding state board of emergency and trauma professionals; the bill had already been amended and passed unanimously earlier in the process. On SB 500, concerning restroom access for certain commercial motor vehicle operators, the sponsor and trucking-industry supporters said the measure arose from concerns raised by female truck drivers and was intended to require larger commercial facilities with available public or employee restrooms to allow truck drivers to use them when there are no public safety concerns. Supporters from the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association said driver shortages make it important to recruit and retain women, and that lack of bathroom access is a significant barrier. Committee members asked about the scope of the problem and whether the issue affected male and female drivers differently. The committee then heard SB 559, which would reduce the minimum allowable speed limit on locally controlled roads. Supporters, including bicyclists and the Bike-Walk Alliance, testified that lower speeds improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, citing personal crash experiences and national guidance supporting lower urban speed limits where warranted by traffic or engineering studies. They emphasized the bill would not mandate lower limits statewide but would give towns local discretion. Members questioned whether the group would support 15 mph limits and how congestion and travel-time concerns were weighed. A Department of Transportation official testified neutrally, saying the agency had no formal position but had concerns about public perception and possible spillover to unnumbered state roads. The chair also noted an earlier scheduling problem that prevented immediate executive action on a bill until later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lori Michael Deere, or Dean, the Wellspring family. Christian Bouté, DV Shelter Crisis Centers.
• When Antonio died at Elaine Hunt, no one from the facility called his mother.
• The health care administrator at Elaine Hunt Correctional Center looked into a couple of the cases.
• That’s in their blood to hunt and fish.
• He's created clear exemptions for sporting and hunting.

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee first deferred HB 374 without objection. It then heard SB 46, which creates the crime of unlawful operation of a group home aimed at protecting vulnerable adults living in unsafe, unlicensed residences where operators control residents’ assets. The Attorney General’s office described severe neglect and exploitation in some homes, while the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center opposed the bill over concerns it could create confusion, criminalize legitimate recovery or disability housing, and chill protected housing arrangements. After discussion, including assurances that the bill was narrowly targeted at bad actors, the committee reported SB 46 favorably. The committee next took up HB 276, which sets a statewide minimum bail amount for certain sexual offenses against minors. Testimony from a victim’s mother and an anti-trafficking expert supported the bill as a way to keep dangerous offenders detained and protect children, while members debated whether the original $50,000 minimum was too low and could be treated as a benchmark. The committee amended the bill in committee to raise the minimum to $1 million and to add human trafficking involving a victim under 18 to the covered offenses, then reported HB 276 favorably as amended. Members then heard SB 42 and SB 110, both addressing AI-generated child sexual abuse material. SB 42 expands the definition of child sexual abuse material to include digital and AI-generated depictions, while SB 110 prohibits using a child’s image to train AI to produce such material. The Attorney General’s office and survivor advocates supported the measures as necessary updates to keep pace with technology and protect children; the committee reported both bills favorably. HB 998, dealing with forensic medical exams and reimbursement for domestic violence victims, especially strangulation cases, was also heard and amended to remove human trafficking references and set implementation steps; advocates said the bill would improve evidence collection and reimbursement, and it was reported favorably with amendments. Finally, the committee heard SB 51 on fraudulent representation of military service or awards, which was supported as a tool to address stolen valor and was reported favorably, and HB 323 on notification and reporting of inmate deaths, which was presented as a transparency measure after a family testified about learning of a relative’s death from the news rather than the facility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Government and Finance study the feasibility of hunters buying upland game bird stamps with standard hunting
• Government and Finance study the feasibility of hunters buying upland game bird stamps with standard hunting
• Government and Finance study the feasibility of hunters buying upland game bird stamps with standard hunting
• Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, which has been enacted by five states: Washington, Montana, Wisconsin, Iowa

Summary: The Senate met on March 11, 2026, with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and numerous guest and page introductions, including school groups, prayer caucus visitors, and advocates for Home Family Education Day and Women in Blue Day. The chamber then took up committee reports and a large number of House bills, most of them on third reading, along with several resolutions and referrals. Senate Resolution 62, designating March 12, 2026, as West Virginia Athletic Trainers Day, was adopted after remarks emphasizing the value of athletic trainers in preventing injuries and tragedies in school sports. Several other resolutions and concurrent resolutions were referred to the Committee on Rules or laid over under the rules. The Senate passed a wide range of bills addressing economic development, public safety, health, licensing, and state administration. Measures approved included bills on the West Virginia Collaboratory at Marshall University, the Business Ready Sites program, volunteer fire company spending authority, the Load Forecast Accountability Act, funeral service licensure, work zone fines, biennial business reporting, correctional officer retirement law, the Right to Try Act, quick claim deed tax exemptions, an ibogaine drug-development grant program, aggravated vehicular homicide sentencing, 529 savings plan definitions, opportunity zones, barber apprenticeship, municipal and county hotel occupancy fund uses, criminal-record licensing standards, intimate image disclosure remedies, executor training materials, contempt penalties, PEIA treatment flexibility, PANS/PANDAS information, the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, capitation rate review expansions, convention and visitors bureau board membership, peer support services, cosmetology licensure compacts, natural resource police retirement, DNR fee indexing, ALS care services, the Neighborhood Investment Program, oil and gas well plugging and carbon capture-related provisions, DUI technical changes, abuse intervention program terminology, and a youth summer employment and career readiness program. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, with a few closer votes, including the Load Forecast Accountability Act and the DNR fee-indexing bill. Several bills were amended on the floor, including title amendments and strike-and-insert changes. The Senate also debated the work zone penalty bill, with supporters citing worker safety and fatalities and opponents arguing the bill increased fines too much without requiring removal of outdated work-zone signs. On the energy-related load forecast bill, senators discussed the inclusion of provisions from Senate Bill 420 and concerns about coal plant utilization and utility impacts. After debate, the Senate adopted amendments and passed the bill. In most cases, after passage the Senate ordered the bills communicated to the House, and for a few measures it also adopted title amendments or made bills effective from passage or on a specified date.

Transcript Highlights:

• It says economic stability in states like Mississippi and Iowa.
• the carport, and we look out over the fields where strawberries once grew, and where my son and I deer
• hunt.

Summary: The House Natural Resources Committee met on House Bill 7 by Speaker Pro Tem Johnson, the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act, which would remove eminent domain authority for carbon capture and geological sequestration projects. After housekeeping and roll call, the committee adopted a set of technical amendments that cleaned up definitions, removed a stray statutory reference, and changed “commissioner” to “secretary.” The author then gave an extended presentation arguing the bill was needed to align Louisiana law with the state constitution’s property-rights protections and recent court rulings, and to ensure carbon capture projects proceed only through voluntary agreements rather than forced takings. Several members questioned the author and supportive witnesses about whether the bill would stop carbon capture, affect oil and gas pipelines, or disrupt investment. The author and supporters said it would not stop projects, only prevent taking land without consent, and argued that landowners—especially small and rural owners—should not face the threat of expropriation. Supportive testimony also emphasized family land, inheritance, and constitutional limits on takings. Some members raised concerns about changing the rules after prior legislative action and about the economic importance of carbon capture, but the author responded that the legislature had made a mistake in 2020 and should correct it now. Opposition testimony came from representatives of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, the Louisiana Chemistry Association, and attorneys who handle right-of-way matters. They argued that eminent domain is a rare last resort, that existing law and the Landowner Bill of Rights already protect owners, and that the Constitution’s provisions for private-entity expropriation are different from the provisions discussed by the bill’s supporters. They warned that removing the tool for carbon capture would chill investment, threaten jobs and revenue, and could spill over into other energy infrastructure. The committee did not reach a final vote on the bill in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• are some of the reasons why public use, it says economic stability in states like Mississippi and Iowa
• the carport, and we look out over the fields where strawberries once grew, and where my son and I deer
• hunt.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• I've continued the tradition of agate hunting with my four kids, now ages 13 to 21, via trips to Grand
• for agots were made memories of hunting for agots were made on<01:08:54.799><c> the</c><01:08:54.960
• </c> continued the tradition of AGOT hunting continued the tradition of AGOT hunting with<01:09:05.679
• We'll take about a minute or so break as we hunt down... saw her here. saw her here.
• We've had multiple bills as long as I've been here and probably 20 years before that after Iowa did a

Bills: HF3793 , HF3699 , HF793 , HF3322 , HF3426

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: groundwater, water use permit, data centers, public health, environmental regulations, municipalities, state park license plate, specialty license plate, Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources, license plate design contest, North Shore, Lake Superior Agate, AI-generated art, artificial intelligence, Minnesota resident, state parks, specialty plates, vehicle registration, contest requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Our mission is to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank
• of the male deer, big horn sheep<01:59:33.599><c> and</c><01:59:33.760><c> sage</c><01:59:34.159><c>
• And since then, we've seen the comeback of mule deer back in historic ranges and sage grass.
• They're a big part of how we hunted our food, a big part of our distance.
• </c><02:09:59.040><c> our</c><02:09:59.199><c> food,</c> a big part of how we hunted our food, a big

Committee: Joint Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> house um they had unsecured um hunting house um they had unsecured um hunting guns<01:12:47.639>
• </c> hunt and yes we do use these for hunting hunt and yes we do use these for hunting I<01:49:50.960
• As stated before, if I were to go to the mainland to go on a mule deer hunt, I would not be able to bring
• Jason Wolford continued: “As stated before, if I were to go to the mainland to go on a mule deer hunt
• </c> different kinds of firearms for hunting different kinds of firearms for hunting for<02:10:05.599

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee hearing covered House Bill 279 and House Bill 392, both relating to firearms. HB 279 would restrict carrying or possessing firearm parts except at or between certain locations and in an enclosed container, define firearm parts and prohibited persons, and increase penalties for violations. The Department of Law Enforcement strongly supported the bill, saying it would close a loophole involving disassembled or “ghost gun” parts and help law enforcement charge people who carry weapons in pieces. Most public testimony opposed the measure, with speakers arguing it was unconstitutional, vague, hard to enforce, and would burden lawful gun owners, gunsmiths, and firearm dealers; several also said existing laws already cover the conduct. One supporter, Dennis Dunn, said additional firearm security could reduce theft and suicides. The chair noted the committee had received 270 testimonies on HB 279, with 39 in support, 234 in opposition, and one comment. The committee then heard HB 392, which would prohibit the possession, transfer, and sale of ghost guns and establish mandatory minimum sentencing for using a ghost gun in a felony. The Department of Law Enforcement and the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s office supported the bill, saying unserialized firearms are difficult to trace and that prosecutors need clear laws to address them. Supporters argued the measure would help prevent untraceable weapons from circulating and align penalties with other firearm offenses. Opponents, including several gun owners and association representatives, said the bill was unnecessary because existing state and federal laws already prohibit unserialized firearms, and warned it could create confusion, criminalize lawful owners of antique or self-built firearms, and be difficult to administer. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion provided.