Transcript Highlights:

• Two members must not have been a public official or held elected partisan office or hold a position in
• </c><00:05:16.160><c> or</c> must not have been a public official or must not have been a public official
• Part of that in elections in the state.
• officials or candidates on track and within the law is very important.
• </c> finance board and keeping us uh elected finance board and keeping us uh elected officials<00:29:

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• When voters understand the rules, elections run more smoothly, election officials can do their jobs more
• the rules, elections run more smoothly,<00:30:58.640><c> election</c><00:30:59.039><c> officials</c>
• <00:30:59.440><c> can</c><00:30:59.679><c> do</c> smoothly, election officials can do smoothly, election
• laws is with election officials, with local election officials, so they know how to administer those
• officials, with local are with election officials, with local election<00:31:47.600><c> officials,</

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, 424 elected officials, I trust their creativity.
• So, what I would tell them is call your elected officials, write your elected officials, go to the town
• officials, write your call your elected officials, write your elected<01:05:43.400><c> officials,</c
• ><c> and</c><01:13:46.960><c> to</c> elected officials truly represent and to elected officials truly
• </c><02:22:29.880><c> officials</c> also over 75 locally elected officials also over 75 locally elected

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• The voters of District 49A knew who they were electing, and they knew that they were electing an advocate
• official?
• </c> while you've been elected? while you've been elected? Representative<00:40:42.200><c> Falkner.
• </c><00:42:55.440><c> official?
• </c> while you've been an elected official? while you've been an elected official?

Committee: House Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> improve their elections process. improve their elections process.
• </c><00:09:12.320><c> official</c><00:09:12.760><c> at</c><00:09:12.880><c> the</c> where we have a elected
• official at the where we have a elected official at the federal<00:09:13.280><c> level</c><00:09:14.240
• It's for any any<00:09:53.120><c> elected</c><00:09:53.520><c> official</c><00:09:53.880><c> at</c><00
• :09:54.000><c> the</c><00:09:54.080><c> federal</c> any elected official at the federal any elected official

Summary: The House Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee met to consider House Bill 534, an elections bill sponsored by Representative D.J. Johnson. The committee first adopted a committee substitute, and Johnson explained that the substitute removed the emergency clause, deleted provisions on craft member appointments and cast vote records, changed language on memoranda of understanding with the Department of Justice from mandatory to permissive, and removed a section on election-day procedures for voters flagged as non-citizens. He said the changes were made in response to concerns from county clerks and to improve the bill before floor consideration. Members asked about the bill’s purpose, cost, and effects. Johnson said the measure was not aimed at a widespread fraud problem but was intended to improve election security, accuracy, and fairness, and he said he had not been told it would create a significant cost increase. Questions also focused on a provision allowing certain federal officeholders to run for president or vice president while retaining their current office; Johnson said the language was meant to apply only to federal offices decided by the Electoral College and to avoid penalizing voters who elected those officials. Representative Roberts supported that provision, while Representative Gooch objected to it and said he would vote no if it remained. The committee also discussed voter-roll maintenance and whether the bill would improperly remove people whose voting rights had been restored by pardon or other legal means. Johnson said the administrative process should account for restored rights through coordination with the governor’s office and the Administrative Office of the Courts. Several members praised the Secretary of State’s work but raised concerns about the clerks’ opposition, the bill’s cost, and whether it solved a real problem. After debate, the committee voted 12-4 to pass the bill as amended by the committee substitute, then adopted a title amendment, and reported House Bill 534 favorably to the House floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• official to knowingly disclose records in violation of this.
• official to knowingly disclose records and violation of this.
• Before you is Senate Bill 5853, sponsored by Senator Jeff Wilson, concerning protecting elected officials
• Public officials must be given the option to enroll, and when any enrolled public official contacts the
• , all public officials will be notified as soon as practicable.

Summary: The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee met on January 23, 2026, first taking executive action on several bills. The committee held SB 6035 and SB 5842 for another week, then worked through SB 5973 on initiative and referendum signature gathering rules. Members debated 12 amendments to a proposed substitute and the underlying bill, but none were adopted. The substitute would prohibit pay-per-signature and require 1,000 pre-filing signatures for initiatives; opponents argued it would burden the initiative process, while supporters said it would curb fraud and improve accountability. The committee then advanced SB 5892, SB 6081, SB 5877, SB 5968, and SB 6034, each on a due pass recommendation, with SB 6081 referred to the Transportation Committee and the others sent to Rules or Ways and Means as noted in the motions. During public hearing, the committee heard SB 5888, which would remove Senate confirmation for members of the Washington State Women's Commission. Senator Wellman said the change would align the commission with similar bodies and correct an inconsistency, and commission staff testified in support, saying the appointment process is already thorough and that the governor would retain appointment authority. The committee also heard SB 6123, expanding a public-records exemption for voluntarily supplied demographic information to local government employees; a Pierce County HR director supported the bill, saying it would help build trust while preserving aggregate reporting. The hearing on SB 5853, sponsored by Senator Wilson, drew strong support and no opposition; it would create a statewide emergency notification system for public officials to alert them to targeted threats, with the Secretary of State and Military Department involved in administration. Secretary of State staff said they supported the concept but wanted to work with the sponsor on implementation details, and the sponsor said he was willing to amend the bill to address those concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• The issue with this interpretation is that it could protect an elected official who committed an act
• in their office. in their prior term as an elected official before their re-election or an act after
• It's the impropriety or the appearance of impropriety by elected officials or appointed judges is not
• You know, we'd like to think that any elected officials elected by the people has done so in good faith
• This has no consideration for our trans elected officials and state employees.

Bills: SB240 , SB1183 , SB1184 , SB1577 , SB2043 , SB2051 , SCR42 , SJR68

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The issue with this interpretation is that it could protect an elected official who committed an act
• in their office. in their prior term as an elected official before their re-election or for an act after
• You know, we'd like to think that any elected officials, elected by the people, has done so in good faith
• This has no consideration for... our trans elected officials and state employees.
• It has adults. and as adults in Texas, we are required to protect them. all of our elected officials.

Bills: SB240 , SB1183 , SB1184 , SB1577 , SB2043 , SB2051 , SCR42 , SJR68

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• basically, when I filed my disclosure, I had to file as a candidate, and then I had to file as an elected
• official.
• If we are elected officials, we have to file a disclosure because we are elected.
• If we are elected officials, and then we have to file another one because we're also a candidate.
• official.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 1133, an emergency measure intended to streamline financial disclosure filings for certain candidates and officeholders. The bill would deem a candidate in compliance with nomination-paper disclosure requirements if they have already filed the annual financial disclosure statement required of public officers, eliminating the need for a duplicate filing for that year. Members discussed that the change would apply only for the relevant filing year, not for an entire term, and several members said the current process is repetitive and unnecessary. During discussion, staff clarified that the bill would not change the normal candidate filing requirements for all situations, but would reduce duplicative filings for officeholders who are also candidates. Members expressed support for simplifying the process. The vice chair moved Senate Bill 1133 be returned with a do pass recommendation, and the committee approved the motion by a vote of 5-0, with two members absent.

Transcript Highlights:

• officials.
• I couldn’t even give a water bottle to an elected official. That’s how stringent the policies were.
• officials.
• I couldn't even give a water bottle to an elected official. That's how stringent the policies were.
• I will say, in the Bay Area, there have been plenty of elected officials—name a city—that have been caught

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So this carves that out and it allows, again, consenting adults, elected city councils and elected fire
• The commissioners are also duly elected officials, and what they're asking for is to take the current
• It is just now saying we're going to have one public hearing, one approval process by elected officials
• for... ...saying we're going to have one public hearing, one approval process by elected officials for
• to represent, and here we have a group of also elected officials who have recognized the challenge that

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• officials and appointed officials that hold various positions throughout the state, the President of
• officials and appointed officials that hold various positions throughout the state, the President of
• Official Journal of the Senate of the State of Louisiana.
• for removal of certain elected temporarily appointed judges.
• What we did is we change the retroactivity for statewide elected officials, and that's basically what

Bills: SCR12 , HB221 , HB509 , HCR58 , SB78 , SB25 , SB80 , SB132 , SB155 , SB157 , SB202 , SB228 , SB250 , SB414 , SB433 , SB479 , SB513 , SCR9 , SCR58 , SB65 , SB215 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , SB514 , HCR32 , HB17 , HB41 , HB73 , HB223 , HB244 , HB759 , HB906 , HB966 , HB1006 , HB1009 , HB1086 , HB1107 , HB1112 , HB1215 , HB1242 , SB217 , SB283 , SB469 , HB36 , HB42 , HB74 , HB119 , HB159 , HB259 , HB302 , HB414 , HB459 , HB776 , HB848 , HB956 , HB1017 , HB1028 , HB1095 , SB208 , SB312 , SB382 , SB389 , HB210 , HB258 , HB359 , HB368 , HB468 , HB552 , HB732 , HB784 , HB870 , HB953 , HB1117 , HB1236

Summary: The Senate met with 29 members present, heard a prayer and national anthem presentation, and approved the journal without objection. The chamber then received multiple messages from the House on conference committee reports and concurrence actions, and took up a long calendar of Senate resolutions and House/Senate bills returned from the House with amendments. Several resolutions were adopted without objection, including commendations and requests for reports or studies, while others were left over or returned to the calendar. The Senate concurred in or adopted amendments on a series of bills covering registrar compensation (SB 25), broadband administration and reimbursement (SB 80), school safety master key boxes (SB 132), dental coverage for cancer treatment (SB 155), paid parental leave for educators (SB 157), election supervisor compensation days (SB 202), water utility service line replacement funding (SB 228), weight management services through the Office of Group Benefits (SB 250), medical debt protection (SB 414), Medicaid coverage of weight-loss medication (SB 443), and design-build authority for vertiport facilities (SB 513). It also adopted a House concurrent resolution urging backup motors for the St. Claude Avenue Bridge (HCR 32). One bill, SB 479 on removal of certain judges, had its amendments rejected and was sent to conference. The chamber then considered conference committee reports on several measures. Reports were adopted on SB 312 (labor organization dues and fees), SB 208 (veterans services and VA-related restrictions), SB 382 (workers’ compensation advisory council and reimbursement schedule timing), SB 389 (agent and athlete registration and fee review), and multiple House bills including HB 359 (party primary qualifying rules), HB 368 (New Orleans historic preservation lien procedures), HB 468 (wholesale residential real estate definitions), HB 552 (DWI-related responsive verdict language), HB 732 (motor vehicle fines/fees and hybrids), HB 870 and HB 1236 (pharmacy benefit manager and insurance provisions), and HB 1117 (prescription period issues). HB 210 on retroactivity was also adopted after debate. Several conference reports were temporarily passed over or returned to the calendar, including HB 953, and the Senate adjourned to reconvene the next morning for final work.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:44.640><c> that</c> know from local welfare officials that know from local welfare officials
• official official um<00:33:26.720><c> and</c><00:33:27.919><c> you</c><00:33:28.159><c> know</c><00:
• ,</c> um, they're all working the elections, um, they're all working the elections, but<00:51:04.880>
• </c> the only one that elected him at large. the only one that elected him at large.
• </c> are elected at large. are elected at large.

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I do think we have an automatic mechanism in place to prevent a governor or other elected official, for
• official.
• official.
• officials from that state.
• officials from that state.

Bills: HF2185 , HF1849 , HF3719 , HF3721 , HF3845 , HF3720

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• official.
• Supervisors of elections.
• on election day.
• elect assume office.
• elect assume office.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of recognitions for interns, staff, and guests. Members also honored a retiring Senate staffer and a wounded veteran, then moved into returning House messages and special order bills. Several measures were taken up and either concurred in or sent back to the House, with multiple unanimous or near-unanimous votes on noncontroversial bills. Among the bills addressed were SB 118 on recreational vehicle park assessments, SB 572 on ethics for public officers and employees, and HB 991 on election integrity. SB 118 and SB 572 were amended to reflect House changes and passed 38-0. HB 991 drew extensive debate over voter registration and identification requirements, with opponents arguing it would burden students, seniors, disabled voters, and others, while supporters said it would strengthen election security and streamline verification; it passed 27-12. The chamber also approved bills on historic cemeteries, chickee regulation, habitual traffic offender designation, military affairs, and a Department of Health package. The Department of Health bill (SB 902/HB 733) was the subject of detailed amendment work, including changes to medical marijuana rules, NICU educational materials, Early Steps, dental loan repayment, and pediatric trauma center designation. The Senate adopted an amendment to the amendment and then passed the bill 37-0. Other measures included a funeral services bill, which the Senate refused to concur in because the House strike-all would redefine cremation to include composting, and a veterans-related bill that was temporarily postponed. The Senate also recessed briefly, then returned to continue the calendar and additional recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now its governing board has elected officials from all 27 mpo boards.
• We have 10 of the 16 members are elected officials. The other 6 are representatives of agencies.
• official from Hillsborough County.
• officials, priorities which, you know, can wex and weighing depending on which election season we're
• So I think it's that ongoing elected official conversation and then you've got all the chambers and stakeholders

Transcript Highlights:

• city staff and elected officials were being bought and sold by corporate interests.
• </c> being and elected officials were being being and elected officials were being bought<01:38:37.679
• We went and held every single elected official accountable if they didn't provide the transparency.
• We went and held every single elected<01:53:19.840><c> official</c><01:53:20.320><c> accountable</c><
• 01:53:20.719><c> if</c><01:53:20.960><c> they</c> elected official accountable if they elected official

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation is to prevent violence and intimidation at polling places and help ensure a peaceful election
• official to maintain...
• Officers whose presence is requested by an election official to maintain order or to respond to an emergency
• Our poll officials and our county clerks and the Secretary of State's office were all well trained on
• Our poll officials and our county clerks and the Secretary of State's office were all well trained on

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Joint Resolution 7, a land swap between the City of Santa Fe and the state involving a parcel in Midtown Santa Fe, the former College of Santa Fe campus area. The sponsor said the transaction would not involve any money and was intended to help advance redevelopment of the Midtown area. There was no public testimony, and the committee moved a due pass recommendation with no opposition. The committee then took up Senate Bill 261, which updates 2024 law restricting firearms at polling places by narrowing exemptions. The bill would generally make polling places firearm-free, while still allowing firearms for law enforcement requested by election officials to maintain order or respond to emergencies, for officers whose offices are in the same facility, and for people inside private vehicles. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters, said firearms can intimidate voters and poll workers and should not be present at polling sites. Opponents from the Zia Rifle and Pistol Club, NRA, and New Mexico Business Coalition argued the bill removes protections for law-abiding concealed carry holders and off-duty officers, and that concealed carry is not inherently intimidating. Committee members questioned how the ban would be enforced, how concealed carry would be identified, and whether polling places would be left vulnerable in the event of an attack. The Secretary of State’s representative said stationing uniformed officers at polling places would violate federal law, that poll workers are trained in de-escalation, and that the bill is intended to create a clear, uniform rule for election workers. Before the discussion concluded, the sponsor had to leave for another committee, and the chair announced the bill would be rolled to a later meeting. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's why they elect the sheriff.
• Work, of course, with the administration and elected officials to understand what you're hearing from
• officials, understanding where the priorities lay within the stakeholders and with elected officials
• county officials.
• A few days in Yosemite with about 35 elected county officials, just hearing their concerns and being

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met to consider a series of gubernatorial appointments, bill referrals, and two Senate Rule 26 authorship-change requests. The committee first approved, on 4-0 votes held open for absent members, a slate of appointments not required to appear, including J. Bradshaw to the Transportation Commission, Kylie Bolser to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and several appointments to the Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, as well as Monique Moyer to the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority Board. The committee also approved bill referrals and, after a clarification that only authorship changes were before the committee, approved the Rule 26 requests involving former Assembly Member James Gallagher’s bills AB 2676 and AB 2700. After absent members arrived, those earlier actions were confirmed by 5-0 votes. The main hearing was on Megan Hurdle’s appointment as Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Hurdle emphasized a science-based, collaborative approach balancing conservation with the needs of farmers, ranchers, local governments, tribes, and communities. Senators focused on human-wildlife conflict, including wolves and mountain lions, the Western Joshua tree program and its costs for homeowners and local projects, invasive golden mussels, staffing shortages among wildlife officers, marine protected areas and 30x30, tribal co-management and land return, and oil spill prevention and response. Hurdle said the department is using data sharing, less-lethal tools, task forces, public education, and partnerships to address these issues, while also trying to improve permitting and reduce burdens where possible. The committee then heard from Caroline Thomas Jacobs, nominated to lead the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Jacobs highlighted her prior leadership roles in wildfire safety and her earlier service at Cal OES, and said her priorities include statewide preparedness, next-generation 911, recovery from the Los Angeles fires, and planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics. Senators questioned her about disaster debris clearance, public safety power shutoffs, governance for the 911 rollout, earthquake preparedness, mutual-aid equipment, and how Cal OES coordinates with local and out-of-state law enforcement for major events. Jacobs said Cal OES should show up quickly, coordinate clearly, and use lessons from past disasters to reduce delays and improve response. Both nominees received broad support from public witnesses, and each was advanced to the Senate floor by committee vote; Hurdle’s appointment was later confirmed 5-0, and Jacobs’s appointment was confirmed 5-0 after the committee reconvened.

Transcript Highlights:

• for electing leaders and how laws are to be established, executed, and interpreted.
• money coming in to influence our elections.
• Ponder was talking about my election. In fact, I dare say that perhaps Mr.
• Ponder was talking about my election, because if I remember correctly, my first election was roughly
• $50,000 to the House of Representatives, and now that election is a $300,000 election.

Committee: Senate Senate Federalism Committee of Reference