Transcript Highlights:

• And the judges actually have to presume the law is constitutional.
• But the judge, I would say the only limitation on the judge and two fit parents. would be is to do something
• I should mention that I am a A former state district judge, I was the judge of the 247th Family District
• So, at the time, I was married to a state district judge.
• With Judge Woolley, good to see you, JPCA on.

Bills: HB170 , HB865 , HB748 , HJR112 , HB 1110 , HB1495 , HB786 , HB 1130 , HB170

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: civil liability, self-defense, force, deadly force, legal immunity, attorney's fees, criminal justice, firearms, liability, veterans, gun ownership, immunity, firearm hold agreement, sexual abuse, nondisclosure, confidentiality, public policy, Trey's Law, parental rights, child upbringing

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll say this led to frustration on the part of the judges and our constituents.
• Furthermore, district judges may also receive a county supplement of up to $18,000 by increasing the
• And in fact, over 87% of district judges currently received the maximum county supplement.
• . citing just judges in chiefs.
• Committee substitute Senate Bill 293, relaying the discipline of judges.

Bills: SJR18 , SCR9 , SCR13 , SB10 , SB11 , SB19 , SB20 , SB25 , SB62 , SB260 , SB263 , SB293 , SB314 , SB384 , SB412 , SB441 , SB442 , SB494 , SB523 , SB569 , SB616 , SB688 , SB707 , SB766 , SB842 , SB869 , SB890 , SB914 , SB929 , SB971 , SB992 , SB1066 , SB1145 , SB1621 , SJR36 , SJR18 , SCR9 , SCR13 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB372 , SB495 , SB842 , SB971 , SB1066 , SB929 , SB765 , SB523 , SB62 , SB19 , SB18 , SB666 , SB688 , SB707 , SB888 , SB687 , SB706 , SB847 , SB869 , SB890 , SB992 , SB1145 , SB494 , SB290 , SB766 , SB11 , SB10 , SB13 , SB263 , SB412 , SB20 , SB441 , SB442 , SB1621 , SB569 , SB314 , SB25 , SB293 , SB914 , SB260 , SB1248 , SB740 , SB14 , SB1006 , SB20 , SB25 , SB260 , SB293 , SB314 , SB384 , SB442 , SB494 , SB616 , SB869 , SB890 , SB929 , SB992 , SB1145 , SB1621 , SR232 , SR237 , SR242 , SB16 , SB22

Transcript Highlights:

• My favorite presiding judge, Judge Sergio Tapia II, the presiding judge of the Superior Court of Los
• My favorite presiding judge, Judge Sergio Tapia, the favorite presiding judge, Judge Sergio Tapia, the
• Our favorite judge, Judge Tapia, thank you so much for the work around the evictions and the eviction
• judge of the Superior Court; and Ms.
• I'm joined today by Judge Ann Moorman, who is a judge in the Mendocino Superior Court and also the council's

Transcript Highlights:

• There is, I know one judge here today, and I'm a judge who's signed an affirmation.
• Any questions for the judge, Mr. Little?
• And as a judge.
• The judges want to decrease their dockets, right?
• Would they have a judge? I mean, if the judge could zoom in.

Bills: HB268 , HB305 , HB307 , HB380 , HB548 , HB727 , HB268 , HB305 , HB307

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: false reporting, emergency response, criminal penalties, restitution, public safety, penalties, emergency services, public institutions, false reports, criminal penalty, pretrial hearings, criminal competency, legal process, court timelines, restoration of competency, fines, community service, credit, criminal justice, defendants

Transcript Highlights:

• >> The judge has discretion. >> But the bill doesn't say that the judge has discretion. >> Judge always
• >> And we had a name for a certain judge in our community with— >> I think Judge Pooh was a good judge
• </c> &gt;&gt; Is that judge still here? &gt;&gt; Is that judge still here?
• </c> &gt;&gt; I think Judge Pooh was a good judge. &gt;&gt; I think Judge Pooh was a good judge.
• </c> off running the judges to make that. off running the judges to make that.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, but if the reason the judge is waiving those is because the individual otherwise, the judge doesn't
• that's like, hey, by the way, judge, our jail's full, so, you know, we'd like to do this, and the judge
• that's like, hey, by the way, judge, our jail's full, so, you know, we'd like to do this, and the judge
• , the judge, like, hey, by the way, judge, our jail is full, so, you know, we'd like to do this.
• Oh, the presiding judge. I apologize. Oh, the presiding judge requirement.

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• And a lot of judges feel that I tool.
• </c><00:39:33.359><c> Um</c> clerks, the justice court judges. Um clerks, the justice court judges.
• </c> the circuit court judges are unopposed. the circuit court judges are unopposed.
• c><00:46:16.640><c> judge.
• </c> on one judge. on one judge.

Committee: Joint Judiciary, Division A

Transcript Highlights:

• little indication if you had the name of the judge.
• had before them. the sentencing judge is is public data the sentencing judge is is public data um<00
• </c> there are certain uh risks that a judge there are certain uh risks that a judge may<00:42:30.160
• </c> keeping judges keeping judges records<00:42:52.480><c> uh</c><00:42:52.680><c> in</c><00:42:52.839
• </c><00:44:13.839><c> who</c> collected on um line 2.4 the judge who collected on um line 2.4 the judge

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• But you can fix that by saying that the judge can sign the summons, but the judge shouldn't be signing
• for a short period of time, a backup judge or a visiting judge would sit the bench and sign the tickets
• The judge does not sign the citation. It will be dismissed.
• Chair and Senator Alston, so the judge wouldn't sign the traffic ticket at all, because the judge wouldn't
• So if it's not necessary to have a judge— So if it's not necessary to have a judge sign summonses, then

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from March 10, 2026, and then heard several House bills, mostly on appropriations, fees, water, food assistance, technology, and licensing. HB 2056, which would appropriate $100,000 for an Arizona Department of Water Resources feasibility study on brackish groundwater desalination, passed 6-3 despite concerns raised in opposition about increased groundwater pumping, subsidence, and impacts to tribal lands and conservation efforts. HB 2057, reducing the Arizona Centennial Special Plate renewal fee from $25 to $20, also passed 7-2 after one senator objected that the plate’s purpose and discount were not well justified. HB 2224, appropriating $1 million annually to DES for the produce incentive program, drew supportive testimony from food access groups who said the program helps families, farmers, and local markets; members noted the amount was below the prior $2 million funding level and could force site closures, but the bill passed 9-0. The committee also advanced HB 2257, which changes the distribution of watercraft registration and fee revenue, shifting more money to lake improvement and boating safety funds and less to the watercraft licensing fund. It passed 6-3 amid criticism that the bill moved money away from Game and Fish and concern that the boating safety fund increase could support immigration enforcement. HB 2265, which bars courts from charging criminal defendants for public defender services and certain other criminal-case fees and assessments, passed 7-1 after extensive testimony from advocates who argued the fees burden indigent defendants and cost more to collect than they raise; opponents called it a cost shift to counties and other local governments and said more fiscal data was needed. HB 2311, regulating publicly available conversational AI services with disclosure, anti-gamification, sexual-content restrictions, parental tools, and self-harm protocols, passed 7-2 after the sponsor and supporters framed it as child protection, while opponents warned about privacy, surveillance, and overbroad definitions; an Epstein amendment broadening the bill was rejected. The committee then considered HB 2752, which would subject Arizona Commerce Authority trade offices to legislative appropriation and require annual reporting. The ACA said it was neutral but supported the concept of data-driven decisions; the sponsor said the Legislature should approve trade offices and that the bill reflected his prior trade-office initiatives. An Epstein amendment requiring objective research for trade-office appropriations was rejected, and the bill passed 6-3. Finally, the committee heard HB 2957, which would preserve non-Real ID driver’s licenses, prohibit mandatory participation in enhanced ID programs, restrict biometric collection and document retention, and bar government entities from requiring digital or mobile IDs. The sponsor and several supporters argued it protects privacy, state sovereignty, and informed consent, while opponents from ADOT and the trucking industry warned it could conflict with federal Real ID and CDL requirements and jeopardize federal compliance and funding. The discussion was still ongoing at the end of the transcript, with witnesses and members debating whether the bill would change current practice or create federal conflicts.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a resolution authorizing the burial of Judge Guy Herman, who is very much alive and well and
• Judge Herman was first elected as the judge of Travis County.
• Court No. 1 in 1985, I think he is the longest-serving state judge, I think.
• Judge Herman has served as the presiding.
• Judge for the Statutory Probate Judges of Texas, also, since 1998.

Bills: SB2232 , SCR1 , SCR6 , SCR15 , SCR27 , SCR32

Committee: Senate Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you put that in front of the judge and is it ultimately the judge going to make the determination
• If you do that, the judge will hammer you.
• We're not. ...workers' compensation judge.
• It goes before the judge for a preliminary determination, and the judge can decide if they had the right
• And then the judge can give their ruling, and all the judge has got to do is say, hey, you should sign

Summary: The committee first voluntarily deferred House Bills 460 and 561, then took up House Bill 1101 on workers’ compensation. The sponsor said the bill would define maximum medical improvement, adjust fraud provisions, shorten temporary total disability and supplemental earnings benefit periods, and revise vocational rehabilitation rules; an amendment removed proposed age-based termination language for benefits. Business groups including LABI supported the bill as a way to reduce Louisiana’s comparatively high indemnity costs and align the state with regional norms, while injured-worker advocates and attorneys strongly opposed it, arguing it would cut benefits, shift medical and disability decisions away from treating physicians and judges, broaden fraud too far, and potentially push costs onto public programs. After debate, the committee voted to report HB 1101 with amendments. House Bill 282 was voluntarily deferred. House Bill 293, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Louisiana employment discrimination protections, drew generally supportive testimony from the sponsor and supporters, with some members raising questions about religious exemptions and federal law. The committee ultimately voted against reporting HB 293 favorably. House Bill 390, providing unpaid leave protections for domestic abuse survivors at larger employers, was presented as a tool for survivors, but the committee split 6-6 on a motion to report it favorably; the tie resulted in the bill being voluntarily deferred. The committee then heard House Bill 456, which would expand workers’ compensation petition requirements and allow employers or payers broader access to file disputed claims and seek discovery. Supporters argued employers currently lack a practical way to obtain records and challenge claims without first cutting off benefits, while opponents said the bill would revive a rejected 2012 approach, increase litigation, and undermine the no-fault workers’ compensation bargain. The discussion centered on whether the bill would preserve benefits while allowing discovery or instead encourage more disputes and penalties. The transcript ends with testimony still underway on HB 456, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• No judge should be beyond accountability when the public sees that we hold judges to the highest ethical
• Attorneys donate to judges. campaigns, and judges ignore crimes committed by attorneys in their courts
• Judges are protecting judges. When we complain about these crimes, the SCJC does nothing.
• We stayed with judges watching over judges.
• included alternate judges.

Bills: SB31 , SB33 , SB510 , SB871 , SB1868 , SB2024 , SB2166 , SB2309 , SB2880 , SJR27 , SJR39 , SJR40 , SB 31 , SB 33

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• My favorite presiding judge, Judge Sergio Tapia II, the presiding judge of the Superior Court of Los
• My favorite presiding judge, Judge Sergio Tapia, the favorite presiding judge, Judge Sergio Tapia, the
• Our favorite judge, Judge Tapia, thank you so much for the work around the evictions and the eviction
• judge of the Superior Court; and Ms.
• That being said, I also noticed in the document that we reference judges, and it does not mention judges

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on the Office of the State Public Defender, civil legal aid funding, and Judicial Branch operations. The State Public Defender requested permanent funding for positions that had been temporarily funded to implement the Racial Justice Act, explaining that the workload has grown substantially through retroactive capital-case briefing, habeas proceedings, data requests, and related statistical analysis. She also presented findings from a public defense workload and staffing report showing that California’s county-based public defense system is under-resourced, with too few attorneys, investigators, and support staff, especially in rural counties, and that statewide standards and funding are lacking. Committee members asked about the scope of racial bias claims, the impact of collaborative courts and Prop. 36, and the need for statewide cost estimates and phased funding options. The committee then heard from legal aid advocates and a Los Angeles Superior Court judge in support of increased civil legal aid funding. Witnesses described the Equal Access Fund, homelessness prevention services, health care access, and immigration detention defense as cost-effective ways to prevent evictions, stabilize families, and reduce downstream public costs. They requested a $50 million increase to the Equal Access Fund, $20 million to restart homelessness prevention services, and $10 million for health care access work, along with additional targeted investments from the California Access to Justice Commission. Testimony emphasized the severe shortage of legal aid attorneys, the high demand for immigration representation, and the role of legal aid in domestic violence, housing, and family law matters. Senators asked for more information on service locations, outreach, funding losses, and how the requested amounts were calculated. In the Judicial Branch overview, Judicial Council and trial court representatives supported the Governor’s proposed budget, including a $70 million increase for trial court operations, $21.7 million for employee health and retirement costs, and funding for appellate counsel and case processing. They said the money is needed to offset inflation, supply chain costs, and staffing pressures, and to preserve access to justice. Senators pressed the branch and Department of Finance on interpreter shortages, midyear funding flexibility, courthouse facilities needs, and judgeship needs in inland counties. Finance officials said they were aware of the broader facilities backlog, and the committee requested follow-up information on the full capital and maintenance needs, interpreter funding, and updated judgeship and workload data. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> arguments and uh debate before the judge arguments and uh debate before the judge about<00:24:41.120
• </c> you would have thought or the judge you would have thought or the judge perhaps<00:26:08.720><c>
• Why wouldn't the judge be able to use that as a tool to secure release?
• Why wouldn't the judge why security?
• Why wouldn't the judge why shouldn't<00:30:59.919><c> the</c><00:31:00.080><c> judge</c><00:31:00.399

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Judge Holdrich, can you come to the table, please? Yes, sir.
• You have their amendments, Chair, Judge? Yes, sir. Okay. Go ahead on the amendments, Judge. Okay.
• Have the amendments, Chair, Judge? Yes, sir. Okay. Go ahead on the amendments, Judge.
• Thank you, Judge.
• I've got Judge Holders, who's at the table from the Law Institute, and also I have Judge Glenn Ansardi

Bills: HB135 , HB142 , HB170 , HB194 , HB215 , HB216 , HB226 , HB284 , HB292 , HB297 , HB609

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: exemption, motor vehicles, health savings accounts, debt relief, bankruptcy, civil procedure, abandonment, default judgment, court costs, notice requirements, construction contracts, jurisdiction, dispute resolution, public policy, Louisiana law, professional engineer, peremptive periods, construction, architect, real estate developer

Transcript Highlights:

• We leave that personal staff decision to the appointed judge.
• And then if the judge needs that, we need to produce a transcript.
• But it is for cases where the judge need someone in the courtroom.
• So and I know, you know, this Judge Maney, but there are 2 bar gems.
• Judge preliminarily, I've talked to my chief judge and I think he's going make that in the Leon County

Transcript Highlights:

• Rick Thompson with the County Judges and Commissioners Association.
• We show you registered as James Deloach, Lamb County Judge. Yes, sir.
• As he stated, my name's Mike Deloach, Lamb County Judge.
• Judicial discretion in the bill is still maintained. allowing judges to reduce the sentence if the judge
• We're not judging. Okay, no problem. No problem.

Bills: HB153 , HB1410 , HB1461 , HB1760 , HB1762 , HB3261 , HB3773 , HB153

Committee: House Corrections

Keywords: education, funding, student resources, technology access, equal opportunity, veterans treatment court, mental health, criminal justice, rehabilitation, eligibility criteria, veterans, treatment court, military service, legislation, private prisons, inmate confinement, criminal justice reform, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, government contracts, inmate housing

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:29:55.000><c> I've</c> the discretion from from the judge I've the discretion from from the judge
• But when this law is applied, judges see that, judges know that, and judges can take that into account
• </c><01:37:29.960><c> see</c> but when this law is applied judges see but when this law is applied judges
• ><c> um</c><01:37:31.679><c> and</c><01:37:31.800><c> judges</c><01:37:32.119><c> can</c> that judges
• know that um and judges can that judges know that um and judges can take<01:37:32.480><c> that</c><01

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• So now I'm getting into the administrative law judge part.
• to the judge findings of fact or feedback to the court and make recommendations to the court.
• There an opportunity at these ALJ hearings for the administrative law judge to have certain questions
• That it could recommend that the ALJ could recommend that to the district court judge.
• Are any of those other states better at making those allocations or on the shared parenting judge?

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• , but no staff to go along with those judges.
• , but no staff to go along with those judges.
• for fiscal year 2026-2027, authorizing 13 new circuit court judges and 12 new county court judges.
• for fiscal year 2026-27 authorizing 13 new circuit court judges and 12 new county court judges.
• The circuit court judge ships are allocated as follows.