Video & Transcript : 'fairness in mitigation' :
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AL
Alabama 2026 Regular Session
Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Special Session 2026 May 5th, 2026
Ways and Means General Fund
Transcript Highlights:
- He fought for fair representation when there wasn't no Black custodians in the House of Representatives
- </c> second in command in Egypt. second in command in Egypt.
- Why does Alabama have to be in the forefront of this and not just be fair?
- Why does Alabama have to be in the forefront of this and not just be fair?
- the forefront of this and not just be in the forefront of this and not just be<01:01:39.560><c> fair
Bills:
HB1
Keywords:
HB1, Alabama, elections, primary election, special primary, runoff, congressional districts, redistricting, reapportionment, district boundaries, federal court, injunction, judgment, Governor proclamation, nominee certification, party nominee, general election 2026, election calendar, voting rights, congressional race
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee Jun 25th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- In response, the Legislature passed AB 2967 in 2020, closing this loophole with CalPERS.
- In response, the legislature passed AB 2967 in 2020, closing this loophole with CalPERS.
- Janice O'Malley, with AFSCME, in support. Good morning, Mitch Steiger with CFT, also in support.
- Janice O'Malley, also in support. Thank you. Are there any witnesses in opposition?
- Janice O'Malley asks me in support. Thank you. Are there any witnesses in opposition?
Summary:
The Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement heard several retirement and school employment measures. SB 301 by Sen. Grayson would prevent CERL-covered cities and districts from amending retirement contracts to exclude certain employee groups, closing a loophole similar to one previously addressed for CalPERS. The bill was supported by California Professional Firefighters and received no opposition. SB 443 by Sen. Rubio would clarify that employees transferring into a joint powers authority can retain CalPERS classic status even when the JPA expands later; the city of La Verne, a flood management agency, and AFSCME supported the bill, and it also drew no opposition. Both bills were moved out of committee on unanimous votes and sent to Appropriations, with the consent calendar items SB 521, SB 581, and SB 853 also approved.
The committee then heard SB 494 by Sen. Cortese, which would give classified school employees the right to have disciplinary appeals heard by an administrative law judge rather than by the school board. Supporters, including CSEA, AFSCME, and CFT, argued the bill would create parity with teachers and community college faculty and provide a fairer appeal process. Opponents, including the California School Boards Association, county superintendents, school business officials, and community college groups, argued it would remove local control, impose a one-size-fits-all process, and shift costs to districts. The bill was passed out of committee and referred to the Committee on Higher Education.
The committee also considered SJR 2 by Sen. Cortese, a resolution urging Congress and the President to enact federal protections for classified school employees, including better wages, benefits, safety, and workplace rights. Support came from CFT, CSEA, and other labor groups, with no opposition. The resolution was adopted and moved forward. At the end of the hearing, the committee reopened the roll to add votes, and all listed measures ultimately passed unanimously or near-unanimously before the meeting adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Service Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Public Service
Transcript Highlights:
- leadership in the life-altering injuries she sustained in the line of duty in 2021.
- Sorry, they're still not back in the schools in the same capacity.
- The requirement to be in the field not only requires safeguards for their protection, but in fairness
- They've always been in Group 2. We're trying to keep them in Group 2.
- In Senate Bill 1804, we have what we believe to be a fair approach to addressing a number of inequities
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement classification and benefit bills affecting municipal and state employees. Much of the hearing focused on proposals to move various workers from Group 1 to Group 2 or Group 4, including municipal building officials (H. 2776), MassDOT highway workers (H. 2908/Sousa’s Law), DCF attorneys (H. 2771), probation officers, licensed electricians, drinking water operators (H. 3000/S. 1834), MWRA non-clerical workers (S. 1803), transitional parole officers (H. 2878), Plymouth BCI criminal investigator officers (H. 2975/S. 1863), Beverly fire alarm operators/public safety telecommunicators (S. 1876), Massport pipefitters and refrigeration technicians (H. 2788/S. 1829), and other public safety or hazardous-duty classifications. Witnesses generally argued that their work is physically dangerous, understaffed, or comparable to already higher-classified employees, and several said the changes would help recruitment and retention with little fiscal impact because the affected groups are small.
The committee also heard testimony on H. 4508, a home rule petition to grant a disability pension to Boston principal Patricia Lampron. Supporters, including Representative Dan Hunt, Boston city councilors, and Lampron herself, described a severe 2021 assault at the Henderson Inclusion School that left her with lasting physical and psychological injuries and forced her into early retirement. They urged the committee to advance the bill quickly. One witness, Pamela McLaughlin, testified in opposition, arguing the bill would set the wrong precedent and describing alleged prior misconduct by Lampron, and asked that the bill be sent to study.
Several witnesses and committee members asked brief questions, mainly about the scope of the bills, whether certain workers were already in higher groups, and the fiscal or precedent concerns. No votes were taken during the hearing. At the end, the chairs announced that testimony was complete, asked whether anyone else wished to speak, and then the committee voted to adjourn.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/11/2026 - House Ways & Means
House Ways & Means Committee of Reference
Transcript Highlights:
- it in buying houses to rent, or you could invest it in an interest-bearing account or whatever.
- In public age 12? Ms. Miranda.
- I will say that in general across the state, not about any of the members in this body, but in general
- I support students in Arizona, and I think that we should enable students in Arizona to benefit from
- I support students in Arizona, and I think that we should enable students in Arizona to benefit from
Summary:
The House Ways and Means Committee first heard SCR 1028, a voter-referral constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds legislative vote for state fee and assessment increases set by agencies, closing what supporters described as a loophole that has allowed fee hikes without direct legislative approval. The sponsor argued the measure would restore accountability and prevent agencies from using fees as a workaround for tax increases, while opponents from business and economic groups warned it would make agencies less responsive, delay needed adjustments for inflation and program costs, and shift costs to taxpayers or reduce funding for services. After debate, the committee returned SCR 1028 with a do pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote, with one member absent.
The committee then took up SB 1142, which would have Arizona opt into a federal tax credit program for donations to scholarship-granting organizations and set eligibility requirements for those organizations. Supporters said the program would bring in private dollars at no state cost, expand school choice, and help students with tutoring, special needs, transportation, and other educational expenses; they also argued that if Arizona does not opt in, donations could flow to other states. Opponents, including the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, said the federal program was not yet fully written, lacked guardrails, and could further strain public schools by diverting resources away from the majority of students who remain in district schools. The committee returned SB 1142 with a do pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote, with one member absent, and then adjourned.
NJ
Transcript Highlights:
- I rise in support of A4085, the Fair Price Protection Act.
- It is one of the most basic assumptions people still have about fairness in our economy, and we ought
- in earmarks in this budget.
- In the interest of fairness, for all New Jersey businesses, I respectfully ask my colleagues to vote
- It should not happen here in the state when we’re talking about transparency and fairness for all of
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- There's nothing fair about it, and I do believe that we have the controls in place to make sure that
- There is nothing more sacred in this republic than our right to vote in free, fair, and secure elections
- And instead, every member of the majority party voted against that common sense effort for fairness in
- It is not fair to allow biological males to compete in competitive sports against biological females.
- We can set fair standards for participation in We can set fair standards for participation in sports,
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee 3/11/25
Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- the Boundary Waters land to mountainous property in the western United States is not a fair comparison
- comparison to other land that's a fair comparison to other land in<00:32:45.600><c> Minnesota</c><00
- We think that's more than fair for the people that have purchased crossbows in the last couple years,
- We think that's more than fair for the people that have purchased crossbows in the last couple years,
- We think that's more than fair for the people that have purchased crossbows in the last couple years,
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Thirty Two - Wednesday, March 4 - Afternoon Session
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I didn't notice that in your bill. I hope it's not in there.
- So what you're trying to read in is something more than it's actually in the bill.
- So what you're trying to read in is something more than it's actually in the bill.
- compliance in the future.
- I think as long as we're in there fiddling with things, let's just put that in.
Summary:
The House met after a quorum call and several members introduced job shadows, interns, and 4-H guests. Once 93 members were present, the chamber moved to House Bills for Perfection. House Bill 1707 was taken up first and amended with a title change; sponsors said it would stop the Department of Revenue from taxing credit card processing fees charged to vendors. Members described it as a small-business measure, and the bill was ordered perfected and printed as amended.
The House then considered House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2819, which would authorize rounding cash sales to the nearest five cents in light of the penny’s elimination. Supporters said it would give businesses clear authority to round and avoid compliance problems or lawsuits. The substitute was adopted and the bill was ordered perfected and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2103 followed, a property-fraud and notary-fraud bill that would require warning signs in recorder offices, increase penalties for false filings and notary-related fraud, and raise fines for notary seal vendors. Supporters said it was aimed at deterring deed fraud and protecting homeowners; some members questioned whether it went far enough or whether it could burden honest notaries. The substitute was adopted and the bill was ordered perfected and printed.
House Bill 1800, dealing with the Hancock Amendment inflationary growth factor for property tax assessments, drew the most debate. An amendment changed the title and another amendment lowered the cap on revenue growth from 5% to 3% when inflation exceeds that level. Supporters argued it would help taxpayers keep more of their money; opponents warned it would reduce funding for schools, fire districts, ambulance districts, libraries, and community colleges and could force more frequent ballot measures. The amendment and the bill were both adopted, and the bill was ordered perfected and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2600, which would create a clearer process for ambulance district consolidation and improve rural EMS access, was also amended to preserve county commission authority over subdistricts, allow at-large districts in some cases, require voter approval for mergers, and tighten timing and election procedures. Members said the changes would help struggling ambulance districts while keeping local control, and the substitute was adopted and ordered perfected and printed. The House then adjourned after announcements about upcoming committee meetings and events.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Press Conference: Majority Leader End-of-Session Media Availability - 05/18/26
Transcript Highlights:
- projects across the state and investment in work, an investment in communities, and an investment in
- And in many fair deal for Minnesotans.
- public safety, in capital security, in crime victim services.
- Minnesotans more in fuel, more in food.
- c> and</c><00:15:17.680><c> out</c><00:15:17.960><c> in</c> in Stillwater, in Blaine, and out in in Stillwater
Summary:
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said the 2026 session ended with major accomplishments despite frustration over what did not pass. She highlighted a $1.2 billion bonding bill, housing and rental investments, property tax reductions, support for HCMC and distressed hospitals, public safety and crime victim funding, IT modernization, and fraud-prevention measures. She also said the Senate pushed a tab fee holiday, though she criticized Republicans for delaying its start until January, and described the session as focused on a “fair deal” for Minnesotans facing higher costs.
Murphy said some of the most difficult work involved human services and fraud oversight. She said lawmakers created an independent inspector general office, funded the Attorney General’s Medicaid fraud unit, added training and electronic visit measures, and included payment-withholding language with due-process protections and continuity-of-care safeguards. She said the Senate tried to balance fraud enforcement with preserving access to Medicaid-funded services, and emphasized that legislators must continue oversight and follow audit recommendations.
She also expressed deep disappointment that a comprehensive gun violence prevention package did not pass the House, saying it included prevention, intervention, harm reduction, school safety, and mental health provisions. She said the package was rejected by House Republicans and that she would keep fighting for it. On immigration enforcement, she said the Senate proposed protections against ICE actions but could not get them enacted. She also discussed campaign strategy, saying Democrats would defend frontline seats and emphasize health care, housing, jobs, and affordability, while continuing to support roads, bridges, and transit.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> and less fair by federal interference in and less fair by federal interference in election<00:05
- In Brazil in 2022, Jair Bolsonaro attempted to subvert a free and fair election, one that he eventually
- the efficient, fair voting system that allows every voter in Minnesota the opportunity to cast a ballot
- the efficient, fair voting system that allows every voter in Minnesota the opportunity to cast a ballot
- the efficient, fair voting system that allows every voter in Minnesota the opportunity to cast a ballot
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- , I certainly don't dispute that safety and fairness in sports, for example, are important interests.
- ,</c><01:04:23.599><c> are</c> and fairness in sports, for example, are and fairness in sports, for example
- So I want fair and equal competition in sports.
- So I want fair and equal competition<02:06:55.840><c> in</c><02:06:56.079><c> sports.
- </c> in every single case, which is not fair in every single case, which is not fair to<02:52:47.279>
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- It says in person in support. Uh Molly Turpin also in support. Thomas Ferrell in support.
- </c> in support. Alen Suamorei in support. in support. Alen Suamorei in support.
- The ability to know what's in the best interest of a child, the ability to know what's fair in a contentious
- </c><01:16:02.560><c> in</c><01:16:02.800><c> a</c> ability to know what's fairness in a ability to know
- what's fairness in a contentious<01:16:03.520><c> divorce</c><01:16:04.000><c> proceeding.
Summary:
The committee hearing covered three judicial confirmations for the First Circuit family court. The first nominee, Maria F. Penn, was introduced for confirmation to a six-year term as a district family court judge. Testimony from family law attorneys and the Hawaii State Bar Association was strongly supportive, emphasizing her courtroom demeanor, preparation, knowledge of family law, respect for litigants and counsel, and ability to manage emotionally difficult family court matters. Judge Penn also spoke about her background, including her legal career, prior service as a PDM family court judge, and her view that family court requires both legal judgment and empathy. The chair noted that the committee would not vote that day and would take up votes the next morning.
The second nomination was Wilson Aunga for a district family court judgeship. Supporters described his character, community involvement, and suitability for family court, including testimony from the Honolulu prosecutor, longtime friends, classmates, community members, and others. Speakers highlighted his work with youth, his leadership in the prosecutor’s office, his calm and impartial temperament, and his commitment to education and public service. The chair reported 105 supporters, no opposition, and one comment from the Hawaii State Bar Association. Additional testimony continued from members of the public, including a speaker discussing mental health and personal support for Aunga.
Throughout the hearing, the chair enforced a two-minute limit on oral testimony and explained that the committee was short on time and would recess as needed. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair announced that voting would occur the following day in the same room.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- And just appreciate you all being willing to listen and keeping in mind the fairness factor for New Mexicans
- Fair, predictable reform keeps patient protections in place while making participation more realistic
- Fair, predictable reform keeps patient protections in place while making participation more realistic
- I wasn't in '21. I wasn't in '23, but I was in '26.
- I wasn't in 21. I wasn't in 23, but I wasn't 26. negotiation. I wasn't in 21.
Keywords:
medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process
Summary:
The committee first took up House Bill 99, a medical malpractice reform measure. Sponsor Chair Chandler and Minority Leader Armstrong described months of stakeholder negotiations aimed at balancing patient compensation with concerns from physicians, hospitals, and insurers about litigation costs, punitive damages, and access to care. The committee substitute kept the existing monetary damage caps but changed several provisions, including definitions of “occurrence” and “value of medical care,” treatment of future medical expenses, a higher clear-and-convincing standard for punitive damages, a two-step process before punitive damages can be pled, and a lower punitive-damages cap for smaller providers versus a higher cap for large hospital systems. Supporters said the bill would help recruit and retain doctors and stabilize the malpractice market; opponents argued it weakens accountability, especially for corporate and out-of-state hospital systems, and several speakers urged a stronger amendment to preserve patient rights. After debate, the committee voted 10-0 to give the House Judiciary Committee substitute for HB 99 a do-pass recommendation.
The committee then heard House Joint Resolution 5, which would amend the state constitution to allow legislative compensation. Sponsors and supporters said paying legislators would make service more accessible to working people, parents, rural residents, and others without independent wealth, and would broaden representation. Several advocacy groups and individual commenters backed the proposal, while members raised questions about the pay formula, with the resolution tying compensation to the state median income. Some members supported the idea but preferred a salary commission or a different mechanism. The committee approved HJR 5 on a 7-3 vote.
Finally, the committee began hearing House Memorial 39, which calls for a task force to study the current state of sexual assault examination kits and report on backlog progress. Sponsor Rep. Ferrari and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs explained that a prior task force a decade ago found more than 5,000 untested kits and led to policy changes, including the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights and a statewide tracking system. The memorial is intended to reassess whether backlogs remain and recommend further fixes.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- exam in 2013.
- in Massachusetts.
- I had taken meetings before, and that's you in three dimensions in a while.
- They leave in May.
- That's not fair. It's not fair to them. It's not fair.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard testimony on several real estate, housing, and consumer protection bills. A major portion of the hearing focused on bills to create licensure for commercial interior designers (H.324/S.254), with supporters from the architecture and interior design fields arguing the measure would recognize a distinct profession, expand permitting authority for qualified designers, improve public safety, and remove barriers to firm ownership and public contracting. Witnesses said the proposal had been redrafted through collaboration among interior designers, architects, engineers, and building officials, and Senator Gomez said the Senate had passed the bill previously and hoped to advance it again. The committee also heard support for H.450 on solar customer protections, with solar companies backing standardized disclosures, a consumer brochure, a longer rescission period, and sales registration requirements as consumer safeguards that would not materially disrupt business operations.
The committee then took testimony on H.431/S.245, a bill to end housing discrimination in the Commonwealth. Senator Gomez, fair housing advocates, and several renters described alleged discrimination against Black renters and voucher holders, citing testing data and personal experiences. They said the bill would strengthen enforcement by linking court findings to temporary license suspensions, require fair housing training, increase public reporting, and add board representation with fair housing or voucher-holder experience. A real estate appraisers representative also supported S.196, which would make appraisal licensure mandatory in Massachusetts, arguing that home valuation should be done by licensed professionals.
A substantial part of the hearing addressed broker-fee and rental-timing bills, including H.335, H.336, H.374, H.224, and H.449. Supporters of the broker-fee changes argued that tenants should not be charged fees when the landlord hired the broker, while opponents warned the language could restrict tenant representation and harm small landlords, students, and the rental market. Several witnesses opposed the 90-day lease-signing window in H.336, saying it would compress the September rental cycle, worsen competition, and make it harder for students and out-of-state renters to secure housing. The chairs noted that broker fees had already been addressed in the state budget, and the hearing concluded with no votes on the bills, only the close of testimony and an announcement that the committee would not hold another hearing until later in the year.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Jan 27th, 2026 at 08:32 am
House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- In the 1950s, in the 1950s, in the 1950s... On every barrel of oil and MCF produced in the 1950s.
- He noted that, in terms of tax fairness across the board, both Representative Henry and he sit on the
- He said that in that conversation, one of the pillars of good tax policy is fairness, meaning one taxpayer
- In that conversation, one of the pillars is fairness, and that is that one taxpayer in New Mexico shouldn't
- I think that'd be fair to say. I think most folks in here still see that it needs to be subsidized.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Mar 11th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- in our area, the students. that plan and getting those faculty in, especially in our area, the students
- but it comes in waves.
- terms of mission, in terms of strategy, in terms of location?
- And out of 153 MD programs in the country, our College of Medicine ranks in the bottom 10% in terms of
- And out of 153 MD programs in the country, our College of Medicine ranks in the bottom 10% in terms of
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to examine how Florida’s state universities are funded and to begin discussing a possible university funding model. The panel included the State University System chancellor and CFOs from FSU, UF, FAMU, FAU, UNF, and UCF. Members first reviewed major cost drivers, which the universities said are broadly similar across institutions: wages and benefits, equipment and supplies, financial aid, professional services, utilities, IT, and maintenance. Several institutions noted unique pressures from geography, growth, research intensity, and mission, such as UCF’s size and engineering focus, UF’s land-grant and research enterprise, FAMU’s need to recruit top talent while serving a high-Pell student population, and FSU’s large facilities and research obligations. The chancellor also summarized systemwide cost growth since 2012-13, including higher health insurance, retirement, and salary costs, while noting tuition had been held flat.
The committee then discussed other revenue sources, including auxiliaries, restricted funds, capital projects, and component units such as foundations and health systems. University leaders explained that many of these funds are restricted to specific purposes, and some, like UF Health, account for a large share of operating expenses. Members also discussed the current performance-based funding process. University representatives generally praised it for transparency, accountability, and its focus on student success, but said the heavy use of one-time funds, nonrecurring appropriations, and unfunded mandates makes long-term planning difficult. FSU and others argued that rising employee costs, waivers, and facilities expenses are not fully covered, while FAMU said performance funding has improved outcomes but can disadvantage institutions serving more low-income students.
In response to questions about improvements, the universities suggested more recurring and predictable funding, better coverage of mandated costs, more flexibility in fees, and continued investment in research and strategic priorities. The chancellor said the Board of Governors is considering a version 3.0 of performance funding that would benchmark institutions against peers and Carnegie classifications. The committee also explored whether universities should have more flexibility to set out-of-state tuition and professional school tuition. Most university leaders favored giving boards of trustees more authority, while the chancellor cautioned that increasing out-of-state enrollment or tuition too much could affect legislative support. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with the chair thanking the panel and adjourning the committee.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Labor and Employment Committee Jun 25th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- in opposition.
- SB 703 represents a critical step in ensuring that our state's trucking industry operates in a fair,
- the country in our largest ports in California.
- Seeing no more witnesses in support, do we have any witnesses in opposition?
- lower-paid industries, but even in lower-paid positions within companies or, in this case, in government
Summary:
The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on worker rights, workplace technology, pay equity, and retail/self-checkout standards. SB 703 would require ports to collect and report information on trucking companies to help identify worker misclassification in the port trucking industry; supporters, including Teamsters and the California Labor Federation, said better data is needed for enforcement, while trucking and retail groups said they were working with the author and expected to remove opposition after amendments. The bill passed 5-0 and was re-referred to Transportation. The committee also approved a consent calendar of other measures.
SB 294, the Workplace Know Your Rights Act, would require the Labor Commissioner to create a template for annual employer notices about workers’ labor and civil rights, including emergency contact notification if a worker is detained or arrested. Supporters said the bill would help workers understand their rights amid federal rollbacks and weak enforcement; the California Restaurant Association opposed it. SB 7 would require notice and human review before employers use automated decision-making systems for discipline or termination, and would bar predictive use of such systems for employment actions. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or opaque algorithmic management, while HR, chamber, retail, and local government groups raised concerns about breadth, notice burdens, and small-business impacts. Both bills passed 5-0 to their next committees.
The committee also advanced SB 238, which would require disclosure about workplace surveillance and AI monitoring tools, and SB 442, which sets staffing and operational standards for self-checkout, including at least one staffed lane, one employee dedicated to monitoring self-checkout, item restrictions, and a 15-item limit sign. Supporters argued both bills improve transparency, safety, and worker protections; opponents warned SB 238 could expose security practices and SB 442 could raise costs and create preemption issues. SB 464 would expand state pay-data reporting to better capture public-sector workforce demographics in line with reparations and pay-equity goals, and SB 642 would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by extending recovery periods, clarifying wage definitions, and updating pay-scale language. SB 464 and SB 642 also passed, with some opposition from county and business groups over scope and retroactivity. All measures taken up in the hearing were approved by committee, generally on 5-0 votes, and re-referred to the appropriate policy or fiscal committees.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Jan 21st, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Postsecondary Education & Workforce
Transcript Highlights:
- House in Seattle.
- The cap was at $7 million in 2019. It was raised to $9 million in 2020.
- this way that they're not paying their fair share is just really unhelpful in partnering between business
- Fair question? Yes.
- Yes, Democrats are in B-12, and Republicans in B-27.
Keywords:
social work, licensure, alternative routes, education requirements, professional regulation, tuition waivers, veterans, education, children of veterans, higher education, military families, music therapy, temporary exemptions, healthcare, therapy practice, funding, tuition, financial aid, state budget, 904
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Government Efficiency Feb 26th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- In debt. I think last year it was around $50-something million in debt.
- Well, and that's how come I allude to a fair hearing whenever there are some people in the state of Missouri
- I don't know that that middle decision is going to be any better in terms of being more fair or more
- To this process, I'm not convinced that it's going to actually result in more fair, more objective decisions
- The full family move provision is referenced twice in there in a transfer, in a residence transfer.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- And I'm just... in any part of the state... In any part of the state?
- I paid $170,000 in interest only in 2025 for holding an undeveloped property.
- Well, and that's how come I allude to a fair hearing whenever there are some people in the state of Missouri
- The full family move provision is referenced twice in there in a transfer, in a residence transfer.
- I think those are all things to consider in how we make sure that this process is independent, fair,
Summary:
The committee first took up House Bill 2330 in executive session. A committee substitute narrowed the bill’s annexation-related scope to St. Charles and Jefferson counties and removed water and sewer language because those services are provided by private entities in those counties. The committee adopted the substitute, but the final do-pass motion failed on a 6-8 vote after the chair changed his vote to no.
The committee then considered House Bill 1817, which drew discussion about reporting public assistance information in a generalized way rather than identifying individual households. An amendment clarifying that the report would use averages and not specific addresses was adopted, rolled into a committee substitute, and the substitute was then passed on an 11-1 vote with one present. Members raised concerns about SNAP, TANF, and WIC-related provisions and about consistency in the bill’s population threshold, but the bill advanced.
Public hearing testimony followed on House Bill 2291, a bill creating deadlines for local governments to act on building permit applications. Supporters, including the sponsor and industry advocates, said permit delays raise costs, slow housing and economic development, and argued the bill would not change zoning or inspections. Opponents, including the Missouri Municipal League, warned the bill’s language could be read to affect zoning and that a single 30-day deadline may not fit projects of different sizes or allow enough time for public input and safety review. No vote was taken on the bill.
The committee also heard House Bill 2336, a state property disposal bill. The sponsor said a substitute would be needed because additional properties and corrected legal descriptions had been identified, and the Office of Administration confirmed support and explained that five properties, including former DESE schools and a Springfield regional office, would be added. Finally, House Bill 2403, the “Rue Wells Act,” was heard to create an independent appeal board for student transfer eligibility decisions by activities associations. Supporters described the case as unfair and costly to challenge in court, while others questioned whether a new board would add bureaucracy or bias. Testimony from school administrators said most appeals are already resolved within the existing process, but they were open to a narrowly tailored appeals mechanism with clear recusal rules and independence.