Transcript Highlights:

• Through the work of the governor's Texas Emergency Management Council, we work with 38 other state agencies
• Had 41 new state assisted fire starts.
• That's a, that's a vastly more than most other states across the United States. Uh, we have, um.
• state that.
• In this state and every police chief in this state and the Department of Public Safety.

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• We just finished our state across the state of Kentucky. We looked across the state of Kentucky.
• </c> state board of education in 1980. state board of education in 1980.
• Um so key ideas codes.
• </c><00:43:35.599><c> Postal</c> retired from the United States Postal retired from the United States
• </c> offer this in every county in the state? offer this in every county in the state?

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:08 Agency Updates: 00:01:27 Truancy: 00:01:43, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council met on October 8, 2025, approved the minutes from the August 29 meeting, and then focused its agenda on truancy and chronic absenteeism. Chad Butler, director of pupil personnel for Meade County and president of the Kentucky Department of Pupil Personnel directors, said chronic absenteeism remains a major problem statewide, citing recent Kentucky rates around 28% to 30% and noting that schools are trying to identify best practices to get students back in class. He said causes appear to include post-COVID social-emotional distress and confusion about when students should stay home, and he described a local effort to use a Healthy Kids Clinic model to keep some students in school when possible. In response to questions, he said chronic absenteeism has only been tracked seriously in the last two to three years and that House Bill 611 appears to have increased the number of youth entering the court system for habitual truancy; AOC said it would provide county-by-county data and outcomes later in the meeting. The council then heard from John Tyson of Alabama, a former Mobile district attorney, who described the Helping Families Initiative as a school-community partnership designed to address truancy and related behavior issues without arrest. Tyson said Alabama defines chronic absence as missing 10% of the school year and emphasized that the program is preventive rather than punitive, using warning letters, family engagement, assessments, individualized intervention plans, and referrals to community services. He said the program has operated since 2003, now includes 20 district attorneys and 44 school systems, and served more than 95,000 students, 73,000 families, and 162,000 parents in the most recent year. Tyson reported that in Mobile County the program was associated with a 3.15% attendance improvement in 2023-24 and a 4% reduction in the issue in 2024-25, along with a 50% reduction in truancy and 58% reduction in chronic absenteeism, and he said the program produced a large return on investment. Tyson also stressed that student absenteeism wastes tax dollars and that better attendance improves educational outcomes and community safety. He described the program’s use of a case-management database, real-time data tracking, and more than 1,000 referral agencies, and said the model is intended to be replicated statewide. He closed with examples of students whose attendance and family circumstances required coordinated support rather than punishment, including a teen mother and a disruptive child, to illustrate his view that schools, courts, and social services should work together to address underlying needs and keep children in school.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state doesn't do that.
• To other state agencies.
• soil and they're charged with a state offense, then under the United States Constitution and state Constitution
• them across the state.
• them across the state.

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing of the 89th regular session, adopted nearly identical committee rules from the previous legislature by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the budget framework, emphasizing conservative spending, a $332.9 billion all-funds budget, and major priorities including property tax relief, public education, border security, health and human services, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. She also introduced committee and leadership staff and described the hearing schedule and public testimony procedures. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending, including a $23.8 billion ending balance, but warned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid using temporary spikes for ongoing commitments. Senators questioned him extensively about the Economic Stabilization Fund cap, sales tax trends, inflation, and whether the state should consider raising the cap or using severance-tax revenues differently. Hager said the Rainy Day Fund is expected to hit its cap, which would leave more severance-tax revenue in general revenue, and he stressed that infrastructure needs remain significant. The Legislative Budget Board then gave a detailed overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major components. LBB staff explained that the bill includes continued funding for the Foundation School Program, $850 million for the Texas State Technical College endowment, $1.3 billion for the Texas University Fund, $6.5 billion for border security, salary increases for correctional officers and state troopers, $3 billion for dementia research, higher community attendant wages, expanded community-based care, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, and funding to clear volunteer fire department grant backlogs. They also outlined supplemental priorities such as water infrastructure, retirement legacy payments, rail grade separations, wildfire aircraft, and emergency facilities, and said the current controlling budget limit is the tax spending limit. A major portion of the hearing focused on property tax relief. LBB explained that prior-session relief grew from an expected $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher-than-anticipated property values and interactions among hold-harmless provisions, and that SB 1 continues and expands relief with $51 billion in total property tax relief, including $3 billion more for compression, $3 billion to raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, and a $500 million placeholder for business tax relief. Senators discussed the automatic nature of some of these costs, the effect of the non-homestead circuit breaker, the role of federal COVID funds, and the need to maintain school finance commitments if the state continues to compress school tax rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• an advantage than in-state companies or small businesses in the state.
• You know, we have State Library Board and we have libraries all across the state.
• We know they're state funds.
• in state law.
• in state law.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a long agenda of agency rule changes, beginning with housekeeping on the order of business and then taking up rules from multiple state agencies. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s odometer disclosure rule allowing electronic signatures and disclosures, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and recreational parks, lead-based paint, counseling licensure, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental specialties and compacts, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, medical compacts, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these were described as technical updates, conformity with recent acts, federal standards, or compact participation, and nearly all were approved without objection after brief questions and, in many cases, no public comment. The committee also reviewed Department of Labor and Licensing rules on minimum wage/independent contractor standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements for ATV/LSV dealers, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting and retention programs. Testimony generally emphasized that the rules implemented recent legislation, updated fees or licensing standards, or streamlined existing processes. Members asked a few questions about fee structures, the rationale for regulating professional wrestling, and how the National Guard’s public-private partnership and incentive programs would work; the department said the recruiting incentives would be funded from existing appropriations and were intended to improve retention and force strength. These rules were also approved without objection. The most extensive discussion came on the Department of Education’s Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program rule. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify allowable expenses, and speed approval of core educational purchases. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting certain sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting phone purchases except for disability-related needs, setting a $1,000 threshold for additional review of technology purchases, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about safeguards, appeals, sports equipment, provider credentialing, rural vendor access, and whether the department would be flexible or overly restrictive. The department said it would review every request, provide written explanations for denials, allow appeals up to the State Board, and refer suspected fraud to prosecutors if necessary. After hearing from 13 members of the public, the committee continued to discuss the rule, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the EFA rule is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> use</c><00:21:01.840><c> facial</c> public buildings that use facial public buildings that use facial
• </c><00:37:35.200><c> to</c><00:37:35.520><c> chase</c> state of the legislature to chase state of the
• Um, Minnesota State Council is a state agency which serves as a liaison between Minnesotans with disabilities
• Um Minnesota State<00:57:56.880><c> Council</c> HF 2380 would clarify in Minnesota statute 363A.02, the
• </c> in Henipin County but around the state in Henipin County but around the state that<01:32:44.320>

Bills: HF3661 , HF2380 , HF3468 , HF3483

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: facial recognition, privacy, government surveillance, public safety, data protection, civil liberties, disability rights, discrimination, accommodations, employment, housing, public services, education, civil action, failure to render aid, damages, Minnesota Statutes, legal liability, trespass, civil immigration enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• or licensed in the United States.
• or licensed in the United States.
• experience and learning how state agencies work with private companies. ...experience and how state
• Aurora has also operated in other states or have been going through the testing phase in other states
• in other states?

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a state-level MCL.
• As you've heard, 11 states have already adopted state standards that are similar to the federal standard
• While a state drinking water standard is a priority for all of us, past efforts under state laws have
• And that is just the first step in a state process.
• And in California, there are efforts underway and guardrails in place while the state develops state

Summary: The committee heard several environmental and consumer-safety bills. AB 405, the Fashion Act, would require fashion companies to disclose and manage toxic chemicals in their supply chains; supporters said it would reduce worker and consumer exposure and align with existing industry frameworks, while retailers and business groups argued it would duplicate existing laws and raise costs. After questions about DTSC workload, international standards, and affordability, the bill was moved on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Natural Resources and held on call with three votes. AB 762 would ban the sale and distribution of disposable vape devices; supporters emphasized battery-fire risks, recycling contamination, and waste impacts, while cannabis and convenience-store interests warned it would push consumers to illicit markets and harm legal businesses. The bill passed on a due-pass motion to Business and Professions with three votes and was held on call. The committee also adopted the consent calendar with six votes. AB 794 would direct California to keep in place the federal PFAS drinking-water standard if federal protections are weakened, with supporters citing health risks and the need for certainty, and water agencies opposing the emergency-rulemaking authority and potential costs. Members debated whether the bill was too broad and whether federal funds would cover implementation; the bill passed on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations with four votes and was held open. AB 1148, the Safer Food Packaging Act, would restrict certain chemicals in food packaging; supporters cited cancer and reproductive-health concerns, while chemical, beverage, and manufacturing groups argued the bill should go through existing regulatory processes and that some chemicals lacked feasible alternatives. The author said she would remove antimony trioxide later in the process after hearing opposition concerns; the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Judiciary with four votes and was held open. Finally, AB 1338 would allow local air districts to recover costs for implementing fence-line air monitoring at metal shredding facilities, building on prior legislation and local air district efforts in AB 617 communities. The author said the bill would preserve local control and improve efficiency, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District testified in support. The transcript ends as the district witness begins testimony, with no vote yet taken on AB 1338.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, we have Representative Unger, state agencies.
• If you could state your name and position. Okay, I'll swear y'all in.
• If you could state your name in position. And if you could state your name, please. All right.
• And could you state your name, please? All right. And could you state your name, please? All right.
• And could you state your name, please? Okay, I'll swear y'all in.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING

Summary: The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee approved the February 13 minutes and then heard several committee reports. The executive committee report noted that audit and special reports were scheduled for presentation, one requested report remained outstanding, and staff was asked to review selected Benton County circuit court case transfers. The committee also received and adopted reports from the counties and municipalities committee, the education committee, and the state agencies committee. Those reports covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, education audit reports, and state agency findings such as duplicate vendor payments, collateral issues, record-keeping problems, and vehicle log deficiencies. In each case, the committee voted to file or adopt the reports, with some reports deferred for follow-up or for officials to appear at a later meeting. A major portion of the meeting focused on the City of Pine Bluff’s 2024 financial audit. Auditors said the city received a clean opinion overall, but management letter findings identified serious issues in the mayor’s office, Parks and Recreation, and the finance department. The Parks and Recreation finding involved $179,629 in manual receipts that could not be traced to city deposits, missing receipts from several facilities, $48,415 in unallowable purchases, $13,000 in questionable purchases, altered invoices, unapproved vendors, and missing equipment; those matters were referred to the prosecuting attorney, attorney general, Governmental Bonding Board, and Arkansas State Police. The finance finding cited weak cash-receipting and bank-reconciliation procedures and late or missing deposits. City officials, including the mayor, finance director, and parks director, testified that the problems predated the current administration and said they had taken corrective steps. They described hiring a forensic audit firm, creating or updating standard operating procedures, improving receipting and deposit processes, adding procurement oversight, and moving Parks and Recreation to electronic or system-based receipting. Committee members questioned the officials about oversight, nonprofit relationships, and whether theft or system failures were to blame. After discussion, the committee voted to file the Pine Bluff report. The next meeting was announced for June 4-5, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a chair of the Hawaii State Fire Council, Chief Kazul Todd, or Mr. Lum. I did say Mr.
• We have a chair of the Hawaii State Fire Council, Chief Kazul Todd, or Mr. Lum. I did say Mr.
• Yes, Gary Lum testifying on behalf of the State Fire Council.
• Yes, Gary Lum testifying on behalf of the State Fire Council.
• Question from Senator Dort. to the current building codes in place to the current building codes in place

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on House Bill 1064, which would implement recommendations from the Fire Safety Research Institute’s Maui wildfire report, clarify the role of the State Fire Marshal, and appropriate funds. Testimony was generally supportive from DLNR, the Climate Advisory Team, the State Fire Council, Hawaiʻi Electric, the Attorney General’s office, the Honu Fire Department, AARP, the Hawaiʻi Insurance Council, and others. Governor Green’s office said it supported the bill but wanted the office of the State Fire Marshal placed under the Department of Defense rather than the governor’s office, citing constitutional and administrative concerns. Members also questioned the State Fire Council about the selection process for the fire marshal and about defensible space and wildfire resilience in different communities. After discussion, the committees deferred decision-making on HB 1064 to Friday, March 14, at 3:00 p.m. in Room 225 for the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, with the same recommendation from the other committee. The hearing then moved to House Bill 697, which would expand who may review automated speed enforcement images. HDOT supported the bill but said it would prefer funding from the Highway Special Fund or the automated speed enforcement special fund rather than general revenues. Opposition testimony from the ACLU raised privacy concerns, argued the bill blurs the line between law enforcement and infrastructure management, and said DOT staff lack the mandate and expertise for the task. Judiciary said it would need additional capacity to process citations and hearings, and noted the program’s likely workload and costs were still uncertain. The committees then took up House Bill 277 on vehicular pursuit policy. The Attorney General and the Law Enforcement Standards Board urged the committees to defer the bill and let the board develop policy first, while Hawaii County Police opposed the measure as unnecessary, confusing, and too restrictive of officer discretion. Honolulu Police Department and the Policing Project supported the bill, arguing that clearer statewide standards and transparency are needed because pursuits can cause serious injuries or deaths and existing policies are inconsistent or not public. The Policing Project said the bill could be improved with amendments on serious crimes, but supported legislative action to set statewide standards while still involving the board. No final vote or action on HB 277 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And while Medicare covers vitiligo treatment, Medicaid coverage varies state by state.
• The President of the United States. It belongs to the President of the United States.
• There is red tape associated with the codes across the 50 states.
• And this red tape associated with these codes across the 50 states is something that they encountered
• We actually have states like New York where the...

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 25, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If we can rent a building and get it up to code quickly, let's just do that instead of building something
• That money is invested by our State Investment Council, which on average has a return of 5.2% to 7% every
• And this is just the state of New Mexico; that data was just the state of New Mexico.
• State parks. What do we fund state parks at what level last year?
• But if you hire a contractor and say, I want to build this state capitol building today and give me modeling

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• A law enforcement agency in the state, the United States Armed Forces, the New Mexico National Guard,
• Criminals, by definition, and by our own code, are not supposed to... ...and by our own code, are not
• and the state of New Mexico. ...to uphold both the United States and the state of New Mexico.
• over the state.
• laws of the resident's home state.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent the New Mexico Pharmacy Business Council. As Ms. Garcia stated, very likely not the...
• As you stated, it is a supply problem at a national level, and passing legislation in this state isn't
• I'm a cannabis advocate here in the state for the past decade.
• So how does the state or what is your plan for the state to provide services when we currently don't
• So, health insurance is, most of it, a creature of state statute, of state law, rather than federal law

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And while we had some of that in our existing code, we made it much stronger in this current code.
• So those were all kept from our existing code. So those were all kept from our existing code.
• references to code... ...are just going through other code sections that now have references to code
• and saying this is what it means and your activity is in violation of the state code; therefore, stop
• This isn't, again, the criminal code, but it's the civil code.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 21, 2026 minutes, then took up Senate Bill 1240, a major rewrite of Idaho’s guardianship and conservatorship laws. Sponsor Sen. Ruchti and witnesses from TEPI, Disability Rights Idaho, AARP Idaho, the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities, the courts, and professional fiduciaries said the bill modernizes outdated statutes, strengthens least-restrictive alternatives, clarifies notice and hearing rights, adds a new short-term protective proceeding, and improves oversight and protections against isolation and abuse. One public witness raised concerns about ambiguity, agency authority, and possible overreach, but no formal opposition was presented by stakeholder groups. The committee voted unanimously to send SB 1240 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then considered three cleanup or clarification bills from Sen. Lakey. Senate Bill 1248 repeals the obsolete capital crimes defense fund now that the state has taken over public defense; it passed without testimony and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1249 updates a statutory reference to current time-zone terminology; it also passed without opposition and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1251, which clarifies that the Idaho Attorney General has statutory authority to civilly enforce state laws through declaratory or injunctive relief when no specific enforcement mechanism is provided. Sen. Lakey said the bill is meant as a catch-all and does not mandate action in every case. One public witness opposed the bill over concerns about broad authority and potential conflicts with local control, while Sen. Wintrow also raised separation-of-powers concerns during debate. Despite those objections, the committee voted to send SB 1251 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Buildings, and heavy machinery.
• This approach builds on work already underway.
• A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals
• THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE NATION. MR.
• He stayed focused on building what he called the Beloved Community.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state has put together a task force.
• When the State Auditor made a comment yesterday about not being able to get the state budgets in line
• State of New Mexico.
• Other states, like Texas, many of our adjoining states, Texas is almost 100 percent private property.
• So I think it's a good plan if we're gonna be the quantum state in the United States, right?

Transcript Highlights:

• So let's say an offender offended in a sending state.
• Well, we can't guide what happens in other states.
• So we have eight states that border our state.
• to state or the death.
• In the state of Missouri, our hospital provides services to 58 hospitals across the state of Missouri

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of that had to do with the building aid that was got from the state, and a lot of that had to do
• Even if the period of time you have to wait for your building aid to come from the state might change
• So they need to know, are the building codes? Is the electricity being installed properly?
• </c><02:32:41.760><c> basically</c> state who build schools and basically state who build schools and
• </c> that they would even receive state that they would even receive state building<02:39:10.960><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 292, which would authorize a governor’s warrant to cover special education aid shortfalls from the education trust fund, and from the general fund if needed, so local school districts would not have to absorb prorated costs or raise local property taxes. Senator Lang said the bill was prompted by a prior $15 million special education funding shortfall caused by higher-than-expected catastrophic aid claims, including more qualifying students and the recent increase in the special education age limit to 22. He emphasized that the bill is intended to ensure the state meets its funding commitment and avoid shifting costs to towns. Members asked about how the bill interacts with House Bill 742 and House Bill 773, including whether the language should be merged or whether the state should fund 100% versus an 80% floor. Lang said he was open to improving the bill and to adding a study committee or performance audit on special education costs, but maintained that the state should not push costs to local taxpayers when it has available funds. The hearing on SB 292 was then closed, with no vote taken. The committee then opened Senate Bill 98, which would extend for five more years a tax credit program for donations to regional career and technical education centers. Senator Waters said the program has been successful in building partnerships between CTE centers and employers, especially through equipment donations that support training and apprenticeships. He cited examples including automotive, marine trades, and advanced manufacturing programs, and said the five-year extension would let lawmakers continue to review whether the incentive is working as intended. Several members questioned whether the credit is effectively a 100% subsidy and how the cap works. Waters and another member explained that the underlying program has an aggregate cap of $500,000 and that credits are prorated if requests exceed that amount; they also said the donations are primarily equipment, not cash. Some members raised concerns about whether businesses could also claim other tax deductions or credits, but the sponsor said the existing structure has been in place for years and has been revisited periodically. No vote was taken during the hearing excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's doing building- permits, it's doing state housing goals for local government, it's doing ADU compliance
• We urge funding for the state LIHTC program which efficiently leverages federal funding to build affordable
• Kristen Heidelbach here on behalf of UFCW Western States Council, very supportive of the May revise and
• , specifically Rev and Tax Code 97.3, The state must return the extra money to the cities, counties,
• As stated above, the Revin Tax Code provides the state must return excess ERAF to the counties.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the American Council of representing the American Council of engineering<00:55:29.119><c> companies<
• of New Hampshire as well as the state of New Hampshire as well as other<01:00:52.799><c> states</c><
• state in a surrounding<01:06:35.160><c> State</c><01:06:36.440><c> and</c><01:06:37.440><c> they</c>
• across the 50 states.
• really</c> between states some states are really between states some states are really strict<01:44:02.960

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all