Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an attorney and a resident of Cole County.
• legal counsel or, under memorandums of understanding, pay local county commissions to have their attorney
• is giving $100,000 to an attorney to the county to pay for an assessment on Chapter 100.
• And I immediately said to my wife, well, I’m not going to hire an attorney.
• I figured it all…” “And I immediately said to my wife, well, I’m not going to hire an attorney.

Summary: The committee first took up House Committee Substitute for House Bills 21, 22, and 1626, which would combine the bills and add a clawback/refund provision for construction work in progress in base rates if costs were imprudently incurred or a project is not placed in service in a reasonable time. Supporters argued Missouri should remove its CWIP ban to stay competitive with neighboring states and attract utility investment, while opponents warned about unknown costs and timelines for ratepayers. The substitute was adopted, and the committee voted the combined bill do pass by 12 ayes and 7 noes. The committee then considered House Bill 2711, as amended by a substitute, dealing with broadband-related property tax treatment. The sponsor explained the substitute narrowed the bill to new installations, added a seven-year sunset, and aimed to clarify assessment issues. Supporters said the measure would help expand broadband infrastructure and improve service in underserved areas, while opponents argued the tax break should not apply to upgrades within existing service territories and questioned whether the bill truly expanded access. The committee adopted the substitute and voted the bill do pass by 12 ayes and 7 noes. The remainder of the hearing focused on House Bill 2762, a broad solar/wind/water measure. The sponsor described provisions setting a $2,500 per megawatt tax on solar nameplate capacity, creating more uniform assessment rules, establishing setbacks for solar facilities, limiting eminent domain use, and including smaller sections on water district dissolution and wind turbine lighting. Testimony was mixed: solar developers, Clean Grid Alliance, Renew Missouri, and Missouri Farm Bureau supported clearer rules, grandfathering, and setbacks they viewed as reasonable, while landowners and local residents raised concerns about property rights, transparency, runoff, glare, noise, and the impact of large solar projects on neighboring farms and homes. No final action on HB 2762 was taken in the portion provided, but the chair said a committee substitute would be developed to address the solar issues more comprehensively.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's really common from our conversations with practitioners and attorneys that AB 2011, to the extent
• So, in conversations with practitioners and attorneys, we've heard that things like the exclusion of
• But as an attorney, I advise my clients. I say, here are the costs. Here are the benefits.
• So sometimes it's, you know, I won't disclose any particular attorney-client privileged communications
• I won't disclose any particular attorney-client privileged communications that I have, but we always

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A legal representative can be an attorney. It can be a licensed public insurance adjuster.
• And then, of course, our Attorney General’s office, which is always watching out for consumer protection
• Of course, our Attorney General’s office, which is always watching out for consumer protection, does
• I guess Nick Fielden from the Attorney General's Office, please come forward to testify.
• I'm a legislative analyst at the Attorney General's Office, and I want to acknowledge we're coming in

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee held public hearings on three bills and then moved into a work session on insurance-related topics. House Bill 2428 would require life insurers to send advance written notice of an impending lapse or cancellation, including notice to a designated third party, and to provide proof of delivery; it would also require applicants to be told they may designate such a third party. The prime sponsor and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner supported the bill as a consumer protection measure for older or vulnerable policyholders, while the life insurance industry supported the concept but requested a delayed implementation date and a small technical amendment. The committee then heard House Bill 2399, which would prohibit post-loss assignments of benefits in property insurance. Staff and the prime sponsor described the practice as allowing contractors to step into the policyholder’s shoes and potentially take control of claims, litigation, and settlement, often to the consumer’s detriment. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Washington State Association for Justice, PEMCO, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau all supported the bill, emphasizing consumer vulnerability after disasters and the risk of fraud or inflated claims. Members asked about steering by adjusters, alternative ways for homeowners to authorize others to help with claims, and the $50,000 per-violation penalty, which would go to the general fund. House Bill 2087 would enact a Washington Travel Insurance Act based on the NAIC model, creating a more detailed statutory framework for travel insurance licensing, travel retailers, travel administrators, disclosures, and prohibited sales practices. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill would expand consumer choice and standardize rules, while the Office of the Insurance Commissioner supported the compromise language but raised a remaining concern about claims being adjusted by unlicensed adjusters. The Attorney General’s Office testified that the bill should not be read to supersede Washington’s anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws, and the sponsor said amendments were being worked on to address that concern. In the work session, OIC and Department of Natural Resources staff presented the wildfire mitigation and resiliency work group report. They said the group reached consensus on several areas, including the importance of community-level mitigation, better data sharing, improved transparency around wildfire-related nonrenewals and cancellations, and a voluntary grant program to help homeowners retrofit to IBHS wildfire-prepared standards. Members asked about leadership for the recommendations, overlap with existing programs, privacy concerns in data sharing, and how the proposals would fit with broader statewide wildfire planning. The committee also received a briefing on flood insurance markets and claims after the December atmospheric flooding event, with staff noting that private flood policies generally offer broader coverage than the federal NFIP, and that Washington had seen about 700 federal claims and roughly $18 million paid out so far.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I appreciate that question and I asked that as well, and I spoke with our Senate attorney to make
• So, I appreciate that question and I asked that as well, and I spoke with our Senate attorney to make
• So, I appreciate that question and I asked that as well, and I spoke with our Senate attorney to make
• So on this amendment, I talked with the Attorney General's office because they had some concern about
• The Attorney General's office had some concern about the definition of peace officer, right?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And other city attorneys, but being as small as we are, we rely on city attorneys and other professionals
• Had we had more time, and council, And if PNC had more time to review the plat, as well as our attorney
• Let's check with the Attorney General's Office to ensure that we are correct with the law.
• I'm the Assistant City Attorney with the City of Dallas. I'm respectfully in opposition to HB3919.
• I think there are pockets of land, and I think the city of Dallas attorney mentioned that in the southern

Bills: HB602, HB1322, HB1930, HB2225, HB2304, HB2494, HB3275, HB3810, HB3919

Keywords: affordable housing, land use, zoning, urban planning, community development, housing crisis, mixed-use development, sustainability, municipal utility district, board of directors, qualifications, land ownership, Texas, taxation, residency, municipal approval, subdivision plans, local governance, plats, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• The budget includes $5.1 million to enhance fee rates for court-appointed attorneys, funding to cover
• The proposed budget funds $53 million for IT projects for the Department of Health Administration, Attorney
• The proposed budget allocates $15 million for special pay adjustments for state attorneys, public defenders
• , and other justice administration attorneys.
• This funding is aimed at addressing attorney recruitment and retention.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Advisory opinions issued by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General relying on the elections
• However, since opinions by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General lack the force of law, House
• Um, this has been based off of a 2003, uh, attorney general opinion from then Attorney General Greg Abbott
• , I will point out that, uh, Governor, uh, well, now, Governor Greg Abbott, but, uh, when he was Attorney
• Republicans dominated Virginia state politics with two US senators, consecutive Republican governors and attorneys

Transcript Highlights:

• requiring a majority of votes cast for a candidate to win. is issued by the Secretary of State and the Attorney
• However, since opinions by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General lack the force of law, House
• Um, this has been based off of a 2003 Attorney General opinion.
• From then Attorney General Greg Abbott, he wrote GA0025, when Austin first tried to introduce ranked-choice
• But I do want to point out that Governor, well, no, Governor Greg Abbott, but when he was Attorney General

Bills: HB376, HB817, HB 1297, HB1478, HB1661, HB1783

Keywords: HB 817, Texas Election Code, majority vote, majority threshold, ranked-choice voting, preferential voting, instant runoff voting, vote reassignment, ballot ranking, election administration, public office election, Election Code Section 2.0215, runoff elections, plurality vs majority, voting systems, education reform, budget allocation, teacher retention, student performance, accountability measures

Transcript Highlights:

• If those positions are lost, funding to pay these students will result in increased workload for attorneys
• Amount of workload that is needed, it does tend to be difficult to hire OPS attorneys.
• “And law clerks, and the reduction in those positions would require an increase in workloads on attorneys
• We use the OPS category both for hiring law clerks, as well as we do have some luck hiring OPS attorneys
• reduce that when, by, I don't know, it's by statute, but when they have these different cases, the attorneys

Summary: The subcommittee met to review agency travel, budget reduction exercises, and member reports from agency meetings. Early discussion focused on the Department of Management Services (DMS), where members questioned the cost of travel for four out-of-state data/cyber staff and the secretary’s absence. DMS defended the hires as highly specialized enterprise cybersecurity and data personnel, said the positions were lawfully paid and posted, and explained that the staff work on statewide data cataloging and cyber risk reduction rather than agency-by-agency systems. Members also raised concerns about fleet inventory discrepancies and requested follow-up information on hiring, travel, and data inventory timelines. The chair said she would consider travel guardrails and possible reductions, and noted that DMS, the Lottery, and the Florida Commission on Human Relations did not meet the requested reduction target, while the Public Employee Relations Commission did not submit reductions. The committee then heard from the Florida Lottery about the secretary’s trip to Paris for the World Lottery Convention. Lottery staff said the trip was reimbursed through the multi-state lottery organization and was intended to share best practices and improve operations, though members questioned the value of the travel and requested reimbursement records and the trip agenda. The subcommittee also reviewed agency reduction exercises from several agencies. The Department of Revenue exceeded its target and was praised for frugality; DFS, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Financial Regulation, the Office of Insurance Regulation, the Public Service Commission, the Division of Administrative Hearings, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation each described how they met or approached their reduction goals, often through vacancies, reversions, or expense cuts. OIR warned that further reductions could hurt insurance regulation capacity, while OFR and PSC said their reductions were based on historical reversions and lower post-COVID travel or vacancy levels. Members then reported back on agency meetings. DMS members raised fleet tracking, real property audits, salary studies, and health plan savings ideas, and asked for follow-up on the Florida PALM project, cybersecurity grants, and state IT modernization. DFS members said the agency was efficient and that its Palm-related work and insurance consumer programs were important. Lottery members emphasized the agency’s revenue generation for education and its low administrative overhead. Gaming Control members highlighted storage costs for seized gaming equipment and suggested technology-based alternatives. PERC members said a union-related law had doubled their workload and asked for more staffing and possible AI assistance. OIR members stressed the need for a Tampa satellite office and more resources to recruit and retain specialized staff. The chair closed by saying the committee would continue reviewing travel, staffing, and reductions with an eye toward taxpayer value and transparency.

Transcript Highlights:

• Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, in private practice, and most recently, as the former Acting
• Attorney General... of the United States, people are often surprised to learn how Matt and I became
• With decades of law enforcement experience and having served as the acting Attorney General, Matt has
• Attorney for the Southern District, and that was from the years 2004 to 2009.
• Attorney or to the very top rung of our nation's law enforcement ladder.

Transcript Highlights:

• Worked with the Attorney General's office on a couple of items.
• And then as it rolls through the Attorney General's office and its federal counterpart needed some actual

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Worked with the Attorney General's office on a couple of items.
• And then as it rolls through the Attorney General's office and its federal counterpart needed some actual

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, entered executive session, and considered two House bills. House Bill 21-24, offered by Representative Banderman, was moved for do pass and approved on a roll call vote of 6 ayes and 3 noes. The transcript does not include the bill’s substance, only the motion and vote. The committee then took up House Bill 3383, offered by Representative Vernetti, along with a committee substitute. The sponsor explained that the substitute expanded nonprofit-related provisions, including additional designation language, coverage for certain nonprofit organizations that register only in Missouri, and added financial penalties for organizations that fail to comply with E-Verify or residency verification requirements. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted do pass on the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3383 by an 8-0 vote, with two members present. With no further business, the committee exited executive session and adjourned. The chair noted that no Senate bills had yet been referred and asked members to watch for email updates on the schedule for the coming weeks.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, what I'm what I have done is I have worked with the attorney general's office on this language
• That has been something that some attorneys have now said that they want to disagree with.
• I would have to say that the only organization that I actually got feedback on this from was the attorney

Bills: HB1979, HB1225, HB3931, HB4454, HB3849, HB1746, HB3720, HB4275, HB4300, HB3586, HB2268, HB3755, HB4117, HB4294, HB3650, HB4298

Keywords: early childhood education, task force, governance structure, healthcare access, stakeholder engagement, quality services, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity, X marker, transgender, vital statistics, State Department of Health, State Commissioner of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• The Attorney General could check into any... ...state unfair deceptive acts and practices.
• The Attorney General could check into any violations, and we have also provided for a course of civil
• It's simply a disclosure legislation, but it does have some teeth attached for the Attorney General and

Bills: HB4248, HB4429, HB2588, HB3472, HB4317, HB3462, HB2035, HB3501, HB3127, HB3143, HB3144, HB3260, HB4321, HB3011, HB3522, HB3530

Keywords: HB4248, hemp beverage, hemp drinks, THC beverage, cannabis beverage, intoxicating hemp, age restriction, under 21, minor possession, youth access, public health and safety, Title 63, Oklahoma Statutes, retail sales, alcohol-style regulation, controlled substances, beverage regulation, proxy advisory services, shareholder rights, financial transparency

Summary: The Business and Insurance Committee met with a quorum and laid over Item 8. Members first took up House Bill 4248, which was amended to prohibit anyone under 21 from buying, selling, delivering, furnishing, or possessing beverages containing hemp. Pro Tem Paxton explained the bill as a response to THC-infused hemp drinks being sold in convenience stores, and the committee passed the bill 9-0. The committee then approved a nomination for Stephen Brickle of Moore to the Alarm, Locksmith, and Fire Sprinkler Industry Committee for a four-year term ending June 30, 2030, also by a 9-0 vote. Members next passed House Bill 4429, the Proxy Advisor Transparency Act, which requires proxy advisors to disclose when recommendations are not based on a written financial analysis and allows enforcement through the Attorney General and civil actions; it passed 9-0 after questions about ESG-related considerations. Several other bills were considered and advanced, including House Bill 2588 on HOA board eligibility for resident owners, House Bill 3472 on tire pyrolysis facilities, House Bill 4317 on CPA exam eligibility, House Bill 3462 on plumbing licensing, House Bill 2035 on funeral transportation agreements, House Bill 3501 on multiple alcohol manufacturing licenses on one premises, House Bill 3127 and House Bill 3143 on medical marijuana regulation, House Bill 3144 on limiting grower licenses, House Bill 3260 on funeral director continuing education approval, House Bill 4321 on labor rules for existing structures, and House Bills 3011, 3522, and 3530 on home brewer licensing, ABLE Commission reporting, and purchase-record timing. Most measures passed on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, with a few receiving one no vote. The meeting adjourned after all listed items were heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, my name is Andrew Labadini, and I’m the Assistant Attorney General in the Insurance and Financial
• Hi, my name is Andrew Labadini, and I’m the Assistant Attorney General in the Insurance and Financial
• Glenn Kaplan from the Attorney General’s office.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The House and Senate chairs opened the first organizational meeting of the special commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. They explained that the commission’s charge includes reviewing payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now/pay later financing, the costs to small businesses of accepting different forms of payment, and the impact of Section 28A of Chapter 140D. No testimony was taken at this first meeting; it was intended to introduce commission members, outline the process, and begin planning future hearings and a final report with recommendations or options for the Legislature. Members discussed possible hearing topics, including business and consumer impacts of credit card fees, surcharges, and gratuities; the legal and regulatory landscape; and policy considerations such as transparency, reporting requirements, and possible limits on fees. Several members supported the commission’s scope and noted the issue’s timeliness, citing the growth of cashless transactions and the burden of swipe fees on retailers and restaurants. One member suggested the commission also consider cryptocurrency in transactions, and another raised the possibility of holding hearings outside the State House to improve access for small businesses around the state. The chairs said the first public hearing is tentatively set for April 8 in Gardner Auditorium, with additional hearings to be scheduled depending on interest and sign-ups. They said testimony may be offered in person, online, or in writing, and that written testimony will be part of the record. The commission also encouraged members and interested parties to suggest experts, topics, and report formats as the study develops. The meeting ended with a motion to close and an affirmative vote to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• When ambiguity exists, it's low-hanging fruit for attorneys, and families get sucked into the judicial
• Professor Galligan is a widely recognized expert in civil law, and Nick is the staff attorney with the
• Yeah, I'll introduce myself: Nick Cuncle, staff attorney at the Law Institute, as Rep.

Bills: HB78, HB112, HB190, HB292, HB410, HB427, HB437

Keywords: jurisdiction, city court, Bogalusa, civil law, court limit, Louisiana, child relocation, custody, mileage measurement, co-parenting, Louisiana law, software, computer programs, standard of care, liability, design, development, manufacture, sale, security deposit

Transcript Highlights:

• Within an HOA dispute, homeowners have three choices: hire an attorney, accept the abuse, or move out
• My name is Brittany Bones, and I'm an attorney as well as the chair of the Idaho Community Association
• My name is Brittany Bones, and I'm an attorney as well as the chair of the Idaho Community Association

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you an attorney? I am not an attorney, Mr. Chair. You're going to give it a shot?
• I can give it a shot, but I may defer to some of the attorneys that are on the committee.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I thought I had the answer, but I went to some attorneys for the legislature and was told that we
• So my answer I got again from our attorney was that that very well could be challenged because if it
• We've had fairly extensive exposure to this, and I've checked with the past attorneys general.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, the California Attorney General's Office does not have access to these filings, leading to a
• This bill creates a smoother and more efficient merger review process by giving the Attorney General
• This will give the Attorney General more time to review mergers and give businesses more time to respond

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, and opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Routine procedural motions followed, including unanimous-consent actions to suspend rules for adjournment-in-memory remarks, guest introductions, and expedited floor processing of certain bills and committee reports. The chamber also recognized several guests, including Sacramento Police Detective Jason Collins, student musician Ethan Shue, and Glendale Councilmember Artie Kasakian. On the floor file, AB 1184 by Assembly Member Patterson, the Homeowner Association Accountability and Transparency Act of 2026, was presented as a measure to add basic transparency requirements for HOAs; it passed 56-0. AB 871 by Assembly Member Stephanie, addressing financial elder abuse and scam reporting/training for financial institutions, also passed 56-0. On the Senate side, SB 25 by Senator Umberg, which would give the California Attorney General earlier access to federal merger-notification filings to streamline merger review, passed 43-14 after the Majority Leader presented it. The Assembly then held several adjournment-in-memory tributes, including Paul R. Ignatius, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy and Glendale native; Oxnard Police Commander Scott Aaron; Private First Class Tanner F. Rubio of the U.S. Marine Corps; and former Yolo County Supervisor Betsy Marchand. Members and family guests offered remarks honoring their service and legacies, followed by a moment of silence for PFC Rubio. The session concluded with announcements about upcoming floor and committee deadlines and adjourned until Monday, January 26 at 1 p.m.