Transcript Highlights:

• Now the bill got added two other service lines, ENT and one other service line.
• patients have access to services, you're going to see, one, Medicaid patients have access to care immediately
• So if it goes, if the author is here to just look at one service line, how do you look at that one service
• for the services described in the bill.
• care.

Bills: HB198 , HB325 , HB488 , HB719 , HB749 , HB755 , HB797 , HB823 , HB1028 , HB1194 , HB1222

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:51.000><c> uh</c> Lincoln and Conway with no service uh Lincoln and Conway with no service
• Direction uh in in the language um uh Direction uh in in the language um uh there's<00:09:02.120><c>
• </c><01:36:21.239><c> and</c> right now so one is on child care and right now so one is on child care
• Services be able to talk to each other Services be able to talk to each other Therefore<03:31:45.319>
• </c> attract a current member of the service attract a current member of the service in<04:54:11.440>

Summary: The committee first took up HB 713, which would require mile markers on Route 112, the Kancamagus Highway. The sponsor and DOT testimony described the road as a heavily traveled but isolated corridor with little or no cell or radio service, frequent accidents and breakdowns, and serious public-safety problems when emergency responders cannot quickly locate incidents. Members discussed where markers should be placed, how frequently they should appear, whether both sides of the road should be marked, and the potential cost; DOT said the project could be done with federal funds and might be combined with other work to reduce mobilization costs. The committee agreed the bill was straightforward and voted OTP 18-0, with discussion that a friendly amendment might be offered later to refine the language. The committee then heard HB 563, concerning calculation of adequate education grants. Testimony explained that the bill would add fiscal capacity disparity aid in FY 27 and increase the special education differentiated aid factor, while also reducing extraordinary needs grants so the overall fiscal impact would be net neutral. Members noted the changes were limited to the second year because of the budget process and school district ballot timing. Supporters argued the fiscal capacity aid would help property-poor towns and should be expanded, while others emphasized the bill’s budget-neutral structure. The committee voted to retain HB 563 for further consideration in the budget process. Finally, the committee opened HB 675, which would limit the authority of school districts to make certain appropriations. A Derry resident and former local official testified in favor, arguing that property taxes are too high, that school spending has outpaced town-side tax caps, and that local voters should have more control over school budgets. Committee members questioned whether the issue should instead be handled locally through existing processes or broader governance changes, and one member noted the state’s constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education. The discussion continued, but no final action on HB 675 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• A company offers IT services to DHCS. As we read it, this would apply to the bill.
• First, on electronic signatures, assessors are already moving in this direction.
• of their income on infant care. and dispense with our suspense file.
• California's early care and education system.
• care.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard several bills, most of them referred to the suspense file because of their fiscal impact. AB 2465 and AB 1675 would deny state grants, loans, tax credits, or other benefits to companies doing business with ICE or related immigration-enforcement agencies; both drew strong support from immigrant-rights, labor, and community groups, and opposition from CalChamber and industry groups that argued the bills were overly broad and could affect unrelated federal contracts. AB 1633 would impose a 50% gross receipts tax on for-profit private immigration detention facilities, with supporters saying it would hold companies accountable for dangerous conditions and opponents warning it was punitive and could disrupt detention operations. The committee also heard AB 2089, which would streamline the welfare property tax exemption process for affordable housing, and AB 2250, a cleanup bill to clarify hemp enforcement laws; both were supported by affected industry and advocacy groups, while county assessors and tax collectors opposed AB 2089 unless amended over workload and implementation concerns. AB 2172, which would allow counties to use a single-member assessment appeals commissioner for complex property tax appeals, was the only bill taken up for a vote during the meeting. Supporters, including Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, said the change would reduce a large backlog and speed resolution of appeals; the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 4-0 to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2319, creating a proposed post-production tax credit to keep film and television post-production work in California, with support from labor and industry representatives who said jobs and spending were leaving the state; the author said the bill still needed work on labor standards and the annual credit cap. Finally, AB 2403 was presented to create a commercial production tax credit to keep commercial shoots in California. The author and supporters said commercial production has declined sharply in the state and that other states are winning work through targeted incentives, while labor-backed witnesses argued the bill would protect middle-class jobs and local spending. The transcript ends during the presentation of AB 2403, before any vote or final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I was just trying to see that the land was taken care of.
• It is a direct impact.
• Is that one of the directions you're trying to go here?
• It is a direct impact.
• This professionally sees a positive taking care of people.

Committee: Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2787, which would bar the state and its political subdivisions from using personnel or financial resources to enforce or cooperate with the federal Mexican wolf reintroduction program, while exempting the Livestock Loss Board’s livestock loss program. Sierra Club and animal welfare advocates opposed the bill as harmful to wolf recovery and unnecessary given the livestock loss reimbursement data. The committee approved HB 2787 on a 4-3 vote. Members then considered House Bill 255, which would create a Brackish Groundwater Recovery Program Fund and authorize the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority to administer projects using long-term water augmentation funds. Opponents argued brackish groundwater is still groundwater and pumping it could cause localized impacts and land subsidence, while supporters framed it as a water-supply solution. The bill failed on a 2-4 vote. The committee next advanced House Bill 2782, requiring disclosure rules for regulatory assets included in utility rates, and House Bill 2781, which would impose financial assurance, insurance, decommissioning, and site-restoration requirements on solar energy power plants. HB 2781 drew stakeholder testimony from solar industry, utilities, and local-government interests; an amendment to revise financial assurance and remove a remediation fund was adopted, but the bill itself then failed on a 4-4 vote. The committee also approved House Bill 2975, which would suspend State Land Department solar scoring maps and require new mining and housing resource maps, despite opposition that it would reduce transparency and favor certain land uses over solar. Later, the committee approved House Bill 2696, as amended, directing the Arizona Commerce Authority to prioritize fuel and gas price reduction and create a fuel resiliency task force, after debate over whether the bill should focus more broadly on energy resilience and whether the ACA was the right agency. The committee also passed HCM 2009, urging Congress to streamline mining access, compensate states for subsurface mineral rights, and require legislative approval for new national monuments, and HB 2889, which would fund ADEQ monitoring of uranium contamination and create a statewide registry and tribal-partnered monitoring program. Finally, the committee heard HB 2763, which would require a legislative joint resolution before the Game and Fish Commission could close a shooting range; Game and Fish said it would add another step to the closure process and mainly affect the Ben Avery facility, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• My understanding is that that amendment would direct the Air Resources Board to perform that analysis
• Within our lifetime, they will be out of service.
• It simply directs a state to evaluate development impacts the good and the bad comprehensively.
• I'm the directing attorney at the Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability.
• General Services Administration in 2024. Green Globes was reaffirmed by the U.S.

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several energy, environmental, and consumer protection bills while operating at times without a quorum. Senator McNerney presented SB 925, which would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy, and SB 1350, which would expand the use of green hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using hydrogen. Supporters said both bills would help California maintain leadership in emerging clean-energy industries, attract investment, and create jobs. Opponents of SB 1350 raised concerns about greenwashing, resource shuffling, and increased NOx emissions from hydrogen combustion, while supporters said committee amendments added guardrails against those outcomes. Senator Ashby presented SB 1010, a manufacturer-funded extended producer responsibility program for refrigerants in appliances; supporters said it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve recovery, while opponents argued existing laws already regulate refrigerants and that the bill could raise costs and disrupt recycling markets. Senator Grayson presented SB 1145 to streamline CEQA and federal reuse procedures for qualifying projects in the Concord Reuse Project Area, which supporters said would help deliver long-planned housing, jobs, and open space, while one housing group sought stronger affordable-housing guarantees. Senator Cabaldon presented SB 1341, which would give CalRecycle authority to reduce processing fees for wine and spirits bag-in-a-box containers when fee collections exceed program needs; supporters said the current fee increase was abrupt and excessive, while opponents warned against giving the agency too much discretion. Senator Padilla presented SGR 13, urging the U.S. to secure enforceable commitments to eliminate transboundary sewage pollution in the Tijuana and New River watersheds during the 2026 USMCA review, and SB 1033, which would require testing and disclosure of heavy metals in protein products; SGR 13 drew strong support from border and environmental justice advocates, while SB 1033 drew support from consumer and health groups and opposition from industry groups concerned about labeling burdens and scope. Senator Caballero presented SB 1183, requiring a state study of the environmental, land-use, and economic impacts of industrial solar in the Central Valley; farm and land-use advocates supported the bill, while solar industry groups opposed unless amended, saying it should better reflect solar’s benefits and existing state analysis. After testimony, the committee took roll and adopted several measures on a 4-0 or 3-0 basis, with bills including SJR 13, SB 925, SB 1350, SB 1145, SB 1341, SB 1033, and SB 1010 advanced on call to Appropriations or, in the case of SB 1010, already voted with a 3-1 result before being held on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• The professional health care providers in these centers—doctors and nurses—provide these services.
• The professional health care providers in these centers—doctors and nurses—provide these services.
• Pregnancy care centers provide medical services performed by licensed doctors and registered nurses.
• All of the services provided by pregnancy<01:43:04.560><c> care</c><01:43:04.880><c> centers</c><01:43
• ><c> medical</c> Pregnancy care centers provide medical Pregnancy care centers provide medical services

Bills: HB0003 , HB0117 , HB0041

Committee: Senate Labor, Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:

• , health care, all increasingly unaffordable.
• , health care, all increasingly unaffordable.
• So I think we're 100% in the wrong direction.
• And I'm not sure that's the right direction for Washington.
• My other quick question is directed to Senator Braun.

Summary: Senate and House Republican leaders used the media availability to focus on affordability and to criticize the Democratic majority’s newly released income tax proposal. Leaders John Braun and Drew Stokesbary argued the plan would raise costs, harm small and medium-sized businesses, and fail to deliver meaningful tax relief elsewhere. They said the bill’s marriage penalty, lack of loss carryforward, and treatment of pass-through entities were especially problematic, and they warned it could eventually expand beyond high earners. They also cited other pending measures they said would increase costs, including taxes or fees affecting insurance, tires, clothing, social media, cigarettes, and solid waste. A major portion of the discussion centered on Republican-hosted listening sessions on the initiatives, which they said were intended to provide balanced public testimony after Democrats declined to advance hearings. House Republicans said they invited speakers both for and against the initiatives, including a wide range of opponents, and emphasized that the sessions were meant to show the public a fair debate. They also discussed several policy bills they oppose, including housing and homelessness measures they said would limit local control near schools and parks, and a bill creating a regulatory framework for automated license plate readers, which they said still raises concerns for cities and law enforcement despite some improvements. In response to questions, Republicans said they support funding for public defense but believe it should be handled within existing budget priorities rather than through an income tax. They also said they are watching bills on government fraud oversight, SNAP restrictions on unhealthy foods, and public safety, including measures related to sexually violent predators and child safety. Throughout the event, leaders repeatedly framed their agenda as protecting affordability and public safety while opposing what they described as tax increases and regulations that would make life more expensive in Washington.

Transcript Highlights:

• cost of care.
• issues, family care issues, et cetera.
• Family care issues, etc.
• Some of that is preventative care.
• or payment for specified providers of services.

Summary: The Employee Benefits Committee met to approve prior minutes, hear presentations on state employee health insurance, compensation, leave, and related policy issues, and then recess for lunch. PERS reviewed the history and structure of the state health plan, noting the long-standing state-paid family coverage, cost-control measures, wellness incentives, the current grandfathered PPO and high-deductible options, and the effects of recent benefit mandates such as insulin caps, prosthetic coverage, medication management, prescription copay changes, and ambulance balance-billing limits. Committee members questioned the fiscal impact of adding benefits and the possible cost of moving to a non-grandfathered plan, while PERS and HRMS emphasized that health insurance remains the top-ranked employee benefit and that any major plan changes should be considered carefully. HRMS also presented compensation comparisons showing state pay generally below private-market benchmarks, discussed targeted market equity adjustments, identified ongoing recruitment and retention concerns in fields like nursing, IT, engineering, and attorneys, and reviewed leave policies, tuition reimbursement, and family leave comparisons with neighboring states. Job Service provided labor market data showing low unemployment, high labor force participation, and wage growth that still trails some neighboring markets, and OMB explained that prevailing wage requirements apply to federally funded projects under Davis-Bacon, not to ordinary state contracts. After lunch, the committee took up the required process for health insurance mandate bills and adopted an amendment to Joint Rule 211. The amendment clarified that the deadline for submitting mandate measures is intended to allow time for all required reports, including both the cost-benefit analysis and any Employee Benefits Committee actuarial report, while leaving the existing deadline unchanged. The amendment was adopted on a roll call vote, with several members voting yes and a few no votes recorded. The committee then moved into its jurisdiction review of bill drafts, beginning with a bill that would automatically renew pre-tax dental and vision elections; members debated whether it had any actuarial or administrative impact on PERS or the state, and the chair explained that the committee’s role was only to decide whether further analysis was needed before later testimony and recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• assessment of services follows agency assessment of services and<00:04:03.799><c> functions</c><00:04
• </c> costeffective and transparent services costeffective and transparent services that<00:16:21.360>
• It covers growing expenses for health care compensation, utilities, and legal services.
• , security services, or consulting services.
• Consulting</c> Services Security Services uh Consulting Services Security Services uh Consulting Services

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I'm directed to inform the House that the Senate has passed Senate Finance Committee substitute
• Senate Bill 21 has been read by title and is referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee
• fund budget caps, repealing the Low Income Telephone Service Assistance Act, amending, repealing, and
• fund budget caps, repealing the low income telephone service assistance act, amending, repealing and
• House Health and Human Services Committee will meet at 9:00.

Bills: HB111 , HB108 , HB145 , HB164 , HB291 , HJR6 , HR1 , HB63 , HB64 , HB165 , HB184 , HB200 , HB4 , HB7 , HB20 , HB65 , HB66 , HB80 , HB88 , HB96 , HB166 , HB285 , HB295 , HB306 , SB29 , SB37 , HJM2 , HJM3 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM32 , HM13 , HM47 , HM20 , HM51 , HM1 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM46 , HM53 , HM54 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50

Transcript Highlights:

• c> DMV</c> Human Services Human Services the DMV Human Services Human Services the DMV other<00:27:09.880
• We support the Kaka services as well as the Garden at Lium services, but as far as the evaluations, we
• </c> Wildlife um both through direct Wildlife um both through direct predation<01:25:42.159><c> and</
• Thanks very much to the testifiers. of customer services and uh from three of customer services and uh
• </c> accurate this is a proposal to take care accurate this is a proposal to take care of<03:15:41.479

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee met on February 12 at 2 p.m. and heard several measures related to corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, retirement benefits, and gun violence prevention. On HB 10002, which would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify unannounced inspection authority, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it had no objection to the term length or to 24/7 unannounced access. The commission’s chair, Commissioner Mark Patterson, asked for a longer term, saying the commission needs more time and stability to manage reform efforts after years without staff during COVID. Community Alliance on Prisons and Carolyn Eaton also supported a longer term, with both suggesting six years would better insulate the position from politics. The chair noted he had asked Chair Bot for background on the prior committee’s changes and said that could be discussed during decision-making. The committee then heard HB 67, which would require DCR to help inmates obtain civil identification documents such as IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards as soon as practicable, including for people in furlough or community placement programs. DCR said it supported the bill and described ongoing work with the city and county on ID machines and with agencies on certificates and Social Security cards. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Office of Public Defense all supported the measure, emphasizing that identification is essential for housing, employment, and successful re-entry and noting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on Native Hawaiians. On HB 1183, which would classify certain law enforcement administrators and Department of Law Enforcement employees as Class A members for retirement purposes, the Department of Human Resources Development, the Employees’ Retirement System, and the Department of Law Enforcement all supported the bill. DHRD said it would help recruitment and retention, ERS said it had technical amendments to suggest, and DLE said the change would help with succession planning and allow the governor to appoint the most qualified leader. The committee also heard HB 1045, an emergency appropriation bill to cover payroll fringe benefits for Department of Law Enforcement personnel after salary funding had been shifted to other departments; Budget and Finance and DLE explained the need for the supplemental funding, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 664, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a grant program, a resource bank, and a special fund. The Attorney General recommended adding standards for grant awards and warned of overlap with the existing Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission, suggesting consolidation and repeal of the older commission to avoid duplication. Supporters included the Brady Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action Hawaii, a physician, and an Army veteran, who argued the office would centralize data, coordinate prevention efforts, and help secure outside funding. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting 37 supporters, nine opponents, and three commenters, but no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:33.680><c> to</c> thank you for your dedicated service to thank you for your dedicated service
• </c><00:49:56.359><c> and</c> efficiently to provide services and efficiently to provide services and
• ><c> health</c><01:01:31.000><c> services</c> education child care and health services education child
• care and health services to<01:01:32.000><c> our</c><01:01:32.200><c> neighborhoods</c><01:01:33.200
• service the Foreign the Park Service service the Foreign Service<05:29:40.120><c> those</c><05:29:40.280

Transcript Highlights:

• Our board will not care about those if somebody has been convicted of, you know, careless driving.
• This funding is a very important part of the services provided by Carlton County.
• and cable. services to the statute.
• Consequently, they cut lines providing 9-1-1, phone, and internet services. internet services, risking
• access to life-saving emergency services, not to mention internet service to homes and businesses.

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• That's relationships and a social service lens.
• And by a social service lens, I mean that is our core business.
• Every part of our department is, in essence, a social service.
• It's because I care. This is my community. It's my home.
• It's because I care. This is my community. It's my Thank you. Why is that? It's because I care.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We obviously, you can see, work there with Homeland Security, FBI, our Marshal Service, Secret Service
• We all say if you elect me, we're going to take care of our kids, so let's take care of our kids, right
• provided in compliance with the applicable standard of care, including but not limited to care related
• such care.
• family members who provide that care.

Bills: S0164 , S0656 , S0892

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• attempting to get in front of our tort liability problem by giving some tools to courts in shelter care
• Shelter care hearings to try to protect children. I urge your support. Further remarks?
• Senate Bill 5911 relates to strengthening financial stability of young people that are in the care of
• carriers for the purposes of paying for abortion care services.
• A dedicated state account for this funding to direct via grants for the intended purpose.

Summary: The committee and rules meeting advanced a package pull of measures and then moved a series of individual bills and one joint memorial from the white sheet to the floor calendar or second reading calendar. Among the measures discussed were SB 6308 on tools for courts in shelter care hearings to address child protection and tort liability concerns; SB 6200 on tenant rights to install portable cooling devices; SB 6080 on parameters for local jails holding ICE detainees and reimbursement; SB 5911 on protecting benefits and funds for youth in extended foster care; SB 6177 on expanding disclosures on the LEAP website; SB 6052 on a statewide digital transcript data-sharing environment; SB 6182 on an Abortion Savings Program; SB 5828 on college scholarships for private universities; SB 6335 on changes to the Transportation Commission; SB 6017 on trauma-informed treatment of victims and witnesses; SB 6346 on a tax on high earners, which drew opposition over constitutionality and impacts on businesses; SB 6262 on vehicle weight thresholds for certain transportation vehicles; SB 5470 on detached accessory dwelling units outside urban growth areas; SB 5999 on allowing advanced practice registered nurses or physician assistants to serve as acting local health officers in smaller counties; SB 6244 on extending a hazardous substance tax exemption for agricultural crop protection products; and SB 5961 on transferring the Imagination Library Program to SPI. The committee also advanced Senate Joint Memorial 8014 requesting an investigation into a killing. Most measures were described by sponsors as technical, administrative, or supportive of housing, transportation, public health, child welfare, or transparency goals. SB 6346 prompted the most substantive debate, with Senator Braun arguing it functioned as an income tax that could harm small and medium businesses and raise constitutional concerns, while the sponsor characterized it as a tax on millionaires. SB 5999 drew a brief concern about how long acting local health officers could serve, though the member said they would still support it. SB 5961 was noted as having local support and was framed as better aligning the Imagination Library with early childhood literacy goals. The committee approved the package pull and each individual motion by voice vote, with the record reflecting ayes carrying the motions and no recorded roll-call votes. At the end of the meeting, Senator Peterson said it was likely the last sit-down of the first half of session and noted one more standing rules meeting was expected on Monday before cutoff on Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Angela Angela Melody young cares Angela Angela Melody young cares testifying<00:04:39.639><c> in
• </c><00:29:48.399><c> division</c> environmental health services division environmental health services
• <c> the</c> service Services that's exactly the service Services that's exactly the concern<00:32:59.639
• </c><00:38:15.200><c> we</c> health envirment health services we health envirment health services we
• </c><01:15:52.199><c> yes</c> service Human Services in support yes service Human Services in support

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Summary: The joint hearing covered several bills focused on environmental protection and wastewater management. HB 26 HD 2, relating to environmental protection, drew support from the Department of Health, Reworld, and Energy Justice Network. Supporters said it would preserve existing standards for waste-to-energy facilities, including H-Power, even if federal EPA rules are weakened, while Energy Justice Network urged the state to go further and require stronger pollution controls on older burners at the plant. HB 734 and HB 735, both relating to wastewater systems, received broad support from state agencies, county representatives, realtors, environmental groups, and others. Testimony emphasized reducing the cost of cesspool upgrades, updating rules, and improving coordination between the Department of Health, counties, and the University of Hawaiʻi. Members raised concerns about whether some areas, such as Ewa, should be treated differently if they are not near aquifers or the ocean, but the department said the existing prioritization process already considered statewide conditions and that cesspools generally still affect water resources. On HB 735, the committee discussed the current bedroom-based limits for individual wastewater systems and whether the bill would allow more flexibility for housing configurations, with the department explaining the limits are tied to density and system capacity. HB 879, relating to cesspool conversions, was also supported by the Department of Health, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and several advocacy groups. Testimony said the bill would help low- and moderate-income homeowners in priority areas by increasing grant assistance for cesspool upgrades, but the Department of Health noted it would need three full-time positions to administer the program. Members asked for clarification on the grant amount and staffing costs, and the department indicated the grant cap should remain at $20,000 unless changed. HB 918, relating to labeling of non-flushable wipes, drew support from wastewater and industry groups, including the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, which said similar laws have passed in other states and that the bill reflects cooperation between manufacturers and wastewater officials. The Department of Health and county officials supported the concept but said enforcement and outreach would require additional staff, and senators questioned whether the state could effectively enforce the labeling requirement without a national standard.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> service station sitting there service station sitting there &gt;&gt; uh<00:32:04.559><c> abandoned
• Because service is that necessary?
• 00:32:48.080><c> in</c><00:32:48.480><c> Charles</c> service station like that in Charles service station
• </c><00:43:41.680><c> to</c> programs and they provide services to programs and they provide services
• Hixson Behavioral Health Services Matching Grant Program for Service Members and Veterans. >> Senate

Summary: The Senate convened with 39 members present, heard the invocation from Reverend Meredith West, and journalized her remarks. The chamber then recognized several guest groups and observances, including Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s Second District Corridor 1 for “100 Q’s in Annapolis Day,” the Kent Island High School boys lacrosse team for winning the Maryland 2A state championship, Arts Day participants, Rural Maryland Council members, Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition advocates, and visitors from the Maryland Judiciary. Senators also spoke about the meaning of Kente cloth during Black History Month, and the chamber recognized a birthday and thanked protocol staff for Valentine’s Day decorations. The Senate’s featured presentation was the annual Lincoln Day speech by the Senator from the 37th District. The senator reflected on Abraham Lincoln’s life, political career, and moral leadership, emphasizing his self-education, opposition to the expansion of slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg, and the idea that the nation’s founding principles of liberty and equality guided Lincoln through the Civil War. The minority leader praised the address, and the Senate agreed without objection to journalize the remarks. After the ceremonial portion, the Senate moved to business. Bond initiatives on the calendar were read and referred to the Capital Budget Subcommittee. The Executive Nominations Committee reported favorably on a list of recess appointees, including gubernatorial secretaries, district court judges, and a state board appointee, and the report was special ordered to Monday, February 16, 2026. The chamber then began second-reader consideration of Budget and Taxation bills: Senate Bill 25, altering the cyber security technology and service tax credit, was amended and ordered printed for third reading; Senate Bill 58, creating a property tax credit for retail service station conversions, was discussed with questions about who would receive the credit and why the incentive was needed, and consideration was ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Primary care, mental health services, reproductive health, schoolwide health education, immunizations
• </c> or health care or health care services<05:22:38.480><c> School</c><05:22:38.638><c> based</c><05
• The services offered can range from minor medical care to fully functional diagnostic and prescription
• This is kind of like your child going out to urgent care and getting medical services, and you're not
• and getting medical out the Urgent Care and getting medical services<05:57:09.200><c> and</c><05:57:

Summary: The committee opened with House Bill 184, which would create a committee to study changing school start times. Members discussed Amendment 0394, which made the study committee’s duties more investigative and adjusted reporting recipients, including the Governor. Several members raised questions about whether the committee should review evidence-based studies, local district decisions, and existing district reports; supporters said the amendment would better allow the committee to gather information and recognize local control. The amendment passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Representative Litchfield noted that no one had testified in opposition and encouraged the future study committee to review an Oyster River School District report on school start times. The committee then took up House Bill 394, concerning cooperative school district budget committees and board member representatives. Amendment 0476 was adopted 17-0 after discussion that it clarified the bill’s language and reflected work with the School Boards Association. The committee then voted OTPA on the bill, which also passed 17-0. House Bill 738, requiring background checks for employees and volunteers at certain non-public schools or education service providers receiving public funds, was moved inexpedient to legislate. Supporters said the bill would create practical and legal problems for private citizens and homeschooling families, and the motion passed 15-2 with no minority report, placing the bill on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 235, which would amend the educator code of ethics and conduct to add responsibilities to parents. Supporters argued parents should be explicitly included in the code, while opponents said parents were already covered in existing ethics language and statute. The bill passed narrowly, 9-8. The committee then returned to House Bill 532 on alternate dispute resolution and individualized education plan team meeting facilitation. Amendment 0480H clarified that different rules would apply separately to neutral conference, mediation, and IEP facilitation; it passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Finally, the committee moved to House Bill 564, concerning adoption of school administrative unit budgets, and voted to retain the bill for further review because members said there was still confusion about how it would apply to single-district and multi-district SAUs.

Transcript Highlights:

• in providing memory care services, clarifies requirements for resident contracts, and prohibits facilities
• Public service is not about titles. Public service is not about titles or about recognition.
• The true measure of our worth is always the value of our service, especially our service to others.
• The true measure of our worth is always the value of our service, especially our service to others.
• unique disabilities, including residential services, adult training, and school services.