Transcript Highlights:

• you one of the best newsletter creators, Raz, our complex area supervisor, Stacy Bellowos, by the window
• area supervisor, Stacy Bellowos by the area supervisor, Stacy Bellowos by the window.<00:33:15.679><c
• > makes</c><00:33:16.559><c> amazing</c><00:33:17.039><c> newsletters</c><00:33:17.600><c> to</c> window
• She makes amazing newsletters to window.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, weatherization, new windows, new lights, etc.
• goals that you think this fund will accomplish, and what are those goals other than just replacing my windows
• respiratory illnesses and other health issues that we see with climate change, are important to have new windows
• I've had some issues with the existing funds, more specifically when it comes to window when the RFP

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, baby dog and I go through a lot of drive-thru windows and maybe we shouldn't go through that
• many, but just the other day we're going through the drive-thru window at Arby's.
• of treatment access is critically important because people with addiction often experience a brief window
• You have a window of opportunity.

Committee: Senate Aging (Special) Committee

Keywords: opioid crisis, overdose, naloxone, drug trafficking, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, older adults, Medicaid expansion

Summary: The meeting convened to address the dire opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide, with a particular focus on the alarming rise of opioid use disorder among older adults. Key testimonies highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and strict law enforcement actions against drug traffickers. Sheriff Dennis Lima from Seminole County outlined successful strategies implemented in Florida, including increased access to naloxone and legislative changes to hold drug dealers accountable for overdoses. Various members expressed a united front on tackling this multifaceted issue, advocating for the expansion of Medicaid and better access to treatment as essential steps to curbing the epidemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• about halfway through the first period, somebody in our suite put a UND Fighting Sioux flag out the window
• About halfway through the second period, somebody decides that flag needs to go out the window again.

Summary: The House convened in joint session for the special session of the 69th Legislative Assembly, with introductions of visiting officials and a moment of silence for former Governor Alan Olson. The chamber then escorted Lieutenant Governor Michelle Strind and Governor Kelly Armstrong, along with First Lady Kirstie Armstrong, to the rostrum. The governor’s remarks were ordered printed in the journal. Governor Armstrong addressed the special session’s single purpose: considering North Dakota’s $199 million first-year federal award under the rural health transformation program. He thanked legislators, HHS, tribal partners, providers, and community leaders for their work on the state’s CMS application, and said four bills helped improve the application score: requiring the presidential fitness test in PE courses, adding nutrition education to physicians’ continuing education, joining the physician assistant licensure compact, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice. He said he looked forward to signing those bills and the accompanying appropriation measure. The governor described the rural health plan as focused on four pillars: promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles, stabilizing the rural health workforce, expanding access through telehealth and mobile services, and using technology and data to improve care. He emphasized that the plan would avoid new buildings and unsustainable programs, and instead use federal funds for lasting, scalable reforms. He said the state could receive at least $500 million over five years, possibly more, and urged quick authorization and appropriation so the funding could be deployed responsibly. After the governor and lieutenant governor were escorted out, the joint session was dissolved. The House then returned to regular business, announced committee meetings, excused absent members, and adjourned until 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now the state testing window is a finite window.
• Is there ways that we can explore to expand that window so that in the testing cycle... ...that window
• So, we have the ability to shift resources around in those testing windows.
• And really what it came down to on average, we were probably in that 20 to 30 minute window per day.
• Students know all the shortcut keys between switching between windows very quickly in the middle school

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration

Transcript Highlights:

• We think that the instructional window could be affected by this and could undermine the integrity of
• Yeah, so it would be a three-year window of support, and the intent behind that is to make that alignment
• sure I'm understanding correctly: say next year is year one of the cycle, we have our three-year window
• Would they not be able to enter because they've missed their window to enter? Yes, that's correct.
• to your earlier question, I actually would like to seek some clarity on the three-year eligibility window

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a request for my daughter's layout of our house, window location, bedroom, Layout of our house
• , window location, bedroom location, a Christian rock concert where he tried to convince her to dye her
• And there's the concern that we're allowing too big of a window before we prosecute.
• And there's the concern that we're allowing too big of a window before we Um, there's the concern that
• we're allowing too big of a window before we prosecute.

Committee: House Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:

• children are in temporary care rather than with their adoptive families during that vital bonding window
• That window, I believe, works.
• The 48-hour window that is currently in place, The 48-hour window that is currently in place coincides
• adoption is difficult and deeply, in a deeply emotional decision, I believe that the current 48-hour window
• The 48-hour decision-making window, combined with the 34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy leading up to birth

Bills: HB163 , HB216 , HB721 , HB2035 , HB2038 , HB3057 , HB3153 , HB3233 , HB3595 , HB3801 , HB3812 , HB4076 , HB4129 , HB4377 , HB4535 , HB4666 , HB4730 , HB4743 , HB4903 , HB5149 , HB5155 , HB1534 , HB163 , HB216

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: epinephrine, healthcare, emergency response, administration, medical policy, health care, itemized billing, patient rights, provider regulations, Texas Health and Safety Code, cost disclosure, insurance, benefit plan, administrators, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions, parental notice, mental health, medical licensing

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first, then established a quorum with five members present. Members heard and left pending several House bills, including HB 4743 on allowing hospitals to license mobile stroke units under a hospital license, HB 4129 on earlier DFPS enforcement tools for single-source continuum contractors in community-based foster care, HB 4903 creating a Quad Agency Child Care Initiative to coordinate child care regulations across state agencies, HB 3812 revising the gold card/prior authorization process for physicians, HB 4535 requiring written informed consent before COVID-19 vaccination and a standardized state information sheet, and HB 4666 reducing the frequency of some HHSC reports to the legislature. The chair also noted HB 35 would be voted on later after a subcommittee back was received, and that a large number of bills would be heard the next day. Most of the testimony focused on HB 4535 and HB 4730. On HB 4535, supporters argued the bill would strengthen informed consent for COVID vaccination by requiring written consent and clearer state-level information about risks, manufacturer liability protections, and adverse-event reporting; opponents, including a pediatrician and medical groups, said existing federal and state informed-consent materials already cover these topics and warned the bill could create duplicative paperwork and penalties. On HB 3812, the Texas Medical Association supported changes that would extend the gold-card evaluation period to one year, raise transparency, and make prior authorization exemptions easier to administer, while health plans said they were neutral and viewed the bill as a balance between reducing burden and preventing fraud or unsafe care. HB 4730 drew extensive testimony from adoption professionals, birth mothers, adoptive parents, and child welfare advocates. The bill would require DFPS to create a relinquishment form, train child-placing agency staff, and extend the minimum waiting period for voluntary relinquishment from 48 hours to seven days. Supporters of the current law argued the 48-hour period aligns with hospital discharge, allows informed decisions, and helps birth parents and adoptive families begin healing and bonding without pushing children into foster care or creating legal and Medicaid complications. The author said the bill would be revised and that the seven-day provision was a work in progress. No votes were taken on the bills during the meeting; each bill was left pending after public testimony closed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dottie could not open her windows. Just restart the clock, please.
• , we closed the car windows and wondered out loud what was going on.
• People can't open their windows or run their air conditioners.
• Sand dust is all over windows, cars, up your nose, in your eyes, etc.
• We couldn't open our windows.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The hearing covered a broad set of environmental and water-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on blue economy and circular economy proposals, drought management, drinking water safety, flood resilience, and water infrastructure funding. Supporters of bills such as H. 987 and H. 988 described grant programs for blue economy workforce development, research, small businesses, and public education about a circular economy. Other speakers backed measures on coastal erosion research, recreational boating dredging, cranberry water-right transfers, sand mining oversight, and a voucher program for home water filtration in PFAS-impacted communities. Several elected officials and advocates also urged passage of bills to require private well testing, improve school drinking water safety, and address sand mining pollution and PFAS contamination. Water supply and drought issues drew extensive testimony. Senator Eldridge and others supported legislation to let the state, through DEP and the drought management task force, impose regional water-use restrictions during droughts and make the task force permanent in statute. Advocates from watershed groups, farms, and environmental organizations said the current town-by-town approach is inconsistent and ineffective, and they described drought impacts on rivers, farms, private wells, and wildfire risk. A related bill on private wells was supported as a way to help homeowners test and remediate contaminated wells, especially in rural areas without public water. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to allow the Lynnfield Water District to join the MWRA, with local officials saying the move would help address PFAS and other contamination and improve supply reliability. Another major panel supported a water infrastructure funding bill, arguing that aging drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems need major new investment, including support for PFAS treatment, sewer rate relief, biosolids research, and regional interconnections. Members asked about costs, funding sources, and the relationship to existing revolving loan funds; witnesses said the bill would need to be paired with future bond funding and new revenue ideas. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly invited written testimony and noted the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• No guarantee of any particular<02:32:16.960><c> processing</c><02:32:17.600><c> window.
• </c><02:32:18.720><c> no</c> particular processing window. no particular processing window. no recourse
• </c><02:36:18.640><c> currently</c> only during the 9 to9 window currently only during the 9 to9 window
• </c><02:37:45.120><c> The</c><02:37:45.359><c> trial</c> window as it sees fit.
• The trial window as it sees fit.

Transcript Highlights:

• matter of fact, if you go to your auto policy, you'll see that there are special provisions just for window
• replacement and window damage.
• You'll see that there are special provisions just for window replacement and window damage.
• So we were routinely destroying all documentation after a seven-year window.
• would be able to follow up and show what was done with that patient or client with that kind of a window

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on domestic violence protections, pay equity enforcement, Jewish demographic data collection, court transparency, auto glass insurance practices, pet policy disclosure for renters, and civil rights accountability for federal officers. SB 99 would require courts and law enforcement to better recognize military protective orders in domestic violence cases; supporters from the Department of Defense and military organizations said it would close jurisdictional gaps for military families, and the bill passed to Public Safety. SB 1237 would increase penalties for repeat noncompliance with California pay data reporting laws; supporters said stronger enforcement is needed to address persistent wage gaps, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1387 would allow Jewish identity to be reported as an ethnic category in state demographic data; supporters said better data would improve policy and anti-discrimination efforts, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary or divisive, and it passed to Privacy. SB 932 would require assignees filing civil actions to identify the original party in the case caption; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it passed to Judiciary/Appropriations on call. The committee also took up SB 98, which would regulate auto glass insurance claims by restricting assignment of benefits, requiring clearer estimates and invoices, and limiting inducements to consumers. The sponsor and NICB said the bill would curb fraud and unsafe repairs, while independent glass shops and industry groups argued it could reduce consumer choice and favor insurer-aligned networks; the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees and provide refunds if nondisclosure materially affected an applicant’s decision; supporters said it would save renters time and money, while rental housing representatives objected to a provision limiting eviction based solely on failure to sign a pet addendum. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 747, the No Kings Act, would create a California cause of action allowing people to sue federal officers for constitutional violations using standards similar to Section 1983. Senator Wiener and a witness who said he was unlawfully detained by Border Patrol argued the bill is needed because federal officers currently lack comparable accountability after the Supreme Court narrowed Bivens remedies. Law enforcement groups opposed the bill, warning that the qualified immunity language is unclear, could create a separate California standard, and might expose officers and governments to retroactive litigation; members discussed possible amendments on qualified immunity and retroactivity, and the bill was moved forward with an urgency amendment while negotiations continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, at the Governor's Budget, we were looking in the budget window and the projected fund balance
• That's just baked into the system when the clock starts with the filing, but you have that window where
• the Appeals Board, every case, every party on both sides of the case knows that there's a 60-day window
• Subsequent to this acceptance of our proposal, the CPUC opened its first application window, and since
• Subsequent to this acceptance of our proposal, the CPUC opened its first application window, and since

Transcript Highlights:

• The couple of things: There's a 120-day window, and the statute reads that within 120 days of a placement
• The regulation shifts the starting point of that window from 120 days of placement, which could be a
• starting point The regulation shifts the starting point of<00:34:07.800><c> that</c><00:34:08.040><c> window
• </c> of that window of that window from<00:34:09.560><c> 120</c><00:34:10.240><c> days</c><00:34:10.560
• there, there are other states, Missouri, California, and I believe Tennessee, they have a longer window

Summary: The committee first reviewed several Fish and Wildlife regulations. Staff explained amendments to 301 KAR 2:176, 4:112, and 6:030, including updating wildlife control tag language, creating an impoundment agent program for seized wildlife, and clarifying boating safety rules. A member raised a concern about boat wakes near docks, and staff said the commission had recently voted on related changes that were not yet included because the regulation had been filed earlier; those changes would have to come back later. The committee approved the staff amendments without objection. The Board of Veterinary Examiners then presented 201 KAR 16:767, which would require veterinary managers to be physically present during business hours and limit them to five registered facilities. Board representatives said they had tried to meet with affected parties before the hearing but had not reached agreement. A representative for Kentucky Pet IQ argued the rule was written for full-service hospitals and would be impractical for short, limited-service clinics that only provide vaccinations, preventive care, and parasite testing. Members expressed concern about the rule’s impact on veterinary access in underserved areas, and the committee voted to defer the regulation until the next month so the parties could continue negotiating. The committee next considered Transportation Cabinet 601 KAR 9:120, the online insurance verification system, in both ordinary and emergency form. The chair said staff had identified conflicts with a bill passed the prior year and moved to find the regulations deficient. The motion passed on a roll call vote, with six ayes and two pass votes. The committee then found ordinary ABC regulations 804 KAR 12:020 and 12:030 deficient as well, again by six ayes and two pass votes, after noting that the emergency versions had already been found deficient the previous month. Finally, the committee reviewed Cabinet for Health and Family Services 902 KAR 55:110, which would require veterinarians to report dispensed controlled substances to KASPER while exempting administered medications. OIG staff said the rule was meant to align regulation with statute, which includes veterinarians as prescribers, and emphasized that the reporting duty applies to prescriptions, not administration to animals. Some members supported the change as a needed anti-diversion measure, while others worried about implementation burdens and timing. After discussion, the committee found the regulation deficient by a 6-2 vote. The meeting then moved into full review of 922 KAR 1:565, a Department for Community Based Services rule implementing kinship care provisions from Senate Bill 151; staff said it was needed for implementation once funding is available, but a member criticized the two-year delay and the inclusion of language conditioning implementation on funding. A public witness from the Kinship Families Coalition argued the rule should not shift the 120-day application window in a way that could affect federal funding eligibility and urged the committee to reject the regulation as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• shave off an additional $2 billion to complete Merced to Bakersfield, still within our 2030 to 2032 window
• draft business plan will have an updated baseline schedule that should be accompanied by a schedule window
• did not disclose that its statistical analysis, which formed the basis of its then-2033 schedule window
• indicated that near-immediate implementation of these reforms was necessary to maintain the schedule window
• We weren't able to get it within this window, but we'll follow up.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee held an oversight hearing on California High-Speed Rail, focusing on the authority’s supplemental project update report and the newly released 2026 draft business plan. Committee leaders emphasized transparency, the project’s funding challenges, and the need for clear answers on costs, schedule, and scope. The High-Speed Rail Authority said the project has made major progress in the Central Valley, including substantial construction completion, right-of-way acquisition, and railhead development, and highlighted over $14 billion in savings from a rebased project plan, plus an additional $2 billion in savings in the draft business plan. The authority also said it expects to begin laying track by the end of the year and continues to pursue private-sector partnerships and clean-energy opportunities. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Inspector General both raised concerns about whether the current funding plan is sufficient and whether the authority has clearly identified the timing of future expenditures versus revenues. The LAO said the project likely still faces a funding gap for Merced-to-Bakersfield once financing costs and the loss of $4 billion in federal funds are considered, and warned that cap-and-invest revenues are volatile and may not be well suited for borrowing without additional safeguards. The Inspector General said the authority still has not provided a precise funding plan, estimated the project is about two years away from lacking funds on hand to stay on schedule, and urged lawmakers to focus on financing costs, procurement timing, schedule risks, and distinguishing true cost cuts from scope changes. Members questioned the authority about proposed statutory changes, including CEQA and permitting streamlining, court resources, third-party process changes, sales tax exemptions on materials, and expanded land-use/value-capture tools. They also pressed the authority on the loss of federal funds, the withdrawal of litigation over those funds, and whether the project’s revised savings depend on moving station locations away from downtown Merced and Bakersfield and on other scope changes such as more single-tracking and blended operations south of Palmdale. The authority said it is still committed to Merced-to-Bakersfield, believes the business plan shows a path to completion with sufficient funding, and will work with the Legislature on any needed changes before the final plan is submitted.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think they're the experts that we need to really move forward in the short window that we've got
• And I think the other thing is... ...forward in the short window that we've got to get this done.

Committee: All ALC-EXECUTIVE SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The Executive Subcommittee met and first considered a waiver request from the Stuttgart School District to use the TIPS interlocal purchasing system for a turf replacement project instead of a traditional competitive bid. Superintendent Jeff McKinney explained that three bids were received but none fully met the RFP specifications, including warranty and insurance requirements. After review by the district’s architect, the committee approved the waiver request by voice vote. The committee then approved a consultant services agreement between the Bureau of Legislative Research and Work Ed Consulting to support the Hospital Medicaid Developmental Disability Subcommittee’s study under Act 145. Legislators said the consultant would help develop workforce-system reform legislation for the 2027 session, and noted the firm’s experience in other states. The contract runs through June 30, 2027, with a maximum amount of $158,000, and was approved without opposition. Next, the committee approved an actuarial and consultant services agreement with Perrin Knight to provide ongoing actuarial support for the state property insurance captive and related legislative oversight work. Bureau staff said the contract would run from April 1 through December 31, 2027, with a maximum amount of $475,000, though only actual hours and travel would be billed. Members asked about budgeting, invoice timing, and overlap with other insurance consultants, and the agreement was approved. Finally, the committee approved using Bureau committee room funds to renovate Committee Room C in the Big Mac Building, citing outdated audiovisual equipment and the need to update the room to match other recent renovations before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative, in no way does this replace the requirement for them to check the database Be for that short window
• Thank you for the question, yes sir, it's just that short window they're going to check the database

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• But up until then, we're just wasting money by throwing it out the window. Members, vote yes.
• But up until then, we're just wasting money by throwing it out the window. Members, vote yes.
• But up until then, we're just wasting money by throwing it out the window. Members, vote yes.
• But up until then, we're just wasting money by throwing it out the window. Members, vote yes.
• Then point, we're just wasting money by throwing it out the window. Members, vote yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 908 by Senator Wiener, relating to windows. Senator Wiener, you are recognized.
• The bill streamlines the permit process for code-compliant residential window replacements.
• bill also prohibits a jurisdiction that is both a city and a county from imposing requirements on windows
• Colleagues, we know that many residents want to weatherize their windows to lower their energy costs,
• I appreciate the author's goal to create a reasonable window for corrections and promote fairness in

Summary: The Senate began with a roll call, a moment of silence for the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The body then moved through gubernatorial appointments, confirming Julia Montgomery as General Counsel for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board and reappointing Dr. Cynthia Glover Woods, Dr. Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez to the State Board of Education, and George Cardona as Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar. The Senate also heard a guest introduction welcoming Cal Lutheran University students, faculty, and staff to the gallery. The chamber then took up several resolutions, including SR 111 recognizing the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Phobia, and Transphobia; SCR 129 designating part of Highway 152 as the Rusty Arraes Highway; SCR 169 proclaiming October 2026 as Women's Small Business Month; and SCR 173 designating May 2026 as California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. All of these resolutions passed, with members speaking in support of Arraes, women-owned businesses, and the public safety and community roles of fairgrounds. The Senate also passed a series of policy bills. These included SB 1154 on best-value procurement for community college public works, SB 1369 on judicial recall safeguards, SB 1106 shortening the data broker deletion timeline under the Delete Act, SB 1417 increasing transparency for mutual water companies, SB 1408 authorizing a future Contra Costa transportation sales tax measure, SB 1172 adding guardrails to local tax sharing agreements, SB 1383 protecting locally adopted labor standards in density bonus projects, SB 1371 barring waste haulers from suspending service during lawful labor disputes, SB 908 streamlining residential window replacement permits, SB 1361 limiting actions taken solely to avoid transit-oriented housing standards, SB 1014 requiring early fee and improvement estimates for housing projects, SB 1272 giving homeowners more time to fix preexisting code violations, SB 1406 targeting the Montana tax loophole, SB 1238 increasing HOA transparency and oversight, and SB 868 creating a plug-in solar framework. Most passed on largely party-line votes, with some Republican members objecting to labor-related or regulatory measures. Later in the day, the Senate approved additional health, education, privacy, and AI measures, including SB 950 on early-onset Alzheimer’s treatment coverage, SB 874 on Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment oversight, SB 1049 on correcting health plan claims, SB 1067 on early math screening, SB 1202 on Medi-Cal outreach amid federal changes, SB 944 on acupuncture coverage, SB 957 on notice for federal subpoenas to social media companies, SB 998 on discrimination prevention coordinators, and SB 1000 on AI content transparency. The final item shown, SB 1056 on protective orders for sexually explicit material involving adult victims, was introduced with the author noting ongoing work on amendments, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• This request funds the hidden, but critical work, roofs, windows, and HVAC needed to renew and extend
• ><00:01:37.800><c> roofs,</c> hidden, but critical work, roofs, hidden, but critical work, roofs, windows
• and HVAC needed to renew and windows and HVAC needed to renew and extend<00:01:41.600><c> the</c><00
• Pretty much there's like a 2-hour window where our university food places are open.
• </c> Pretty much there's like a 2-hour window Pretty much there's like a 2-hour window where<00:17:32.000

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• be having metal detector devices, whether it be cameras, uh whether it be even putting the film on windows
• 10:35.760><c> on</c> whether it be even putting the film on whether it be even putting the film on windows
• to make them somewhat windows to make them somewhat bulletproof<00:10:38.640><c> and</c><00:10:38.959
• They want to do it towards film on the windows over this, then they have that discretion.
• o over this then the they the uh windows o over this then the they they<00:21:27.360><c> have</c><00

Bills: HB187 , HB341 , HB4 , HB175 , HB326 , HB187 , HB341 , HB4 , HB175 , HB326

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: HB187, court fees, docket fee, sheriff's fund, sheriff's office, jail operations, law enforcement, county sheriff, court filing fees, Alabama Code 12-19-312, solicitor's fund, clerk's fund, forensic services trust fund, budget flexibility, public safety, municipal court, district court, circuit court, cosmetology, makeup application