Transcript Highlights:

• And I suspect all of these serious illnesses someday will have a generic equivalent or a lower-price
• So one of the issues with making this pretty substantial move is that it's irreversible.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened and handled several House messages and conference committee appointments before taking up a series of bills. It appointed conference committees on Senate Bill 2265 and House Bills 1454, 1448, and 1524. The chamber also adopted a Senate amendment to House Bill 1216, delaying its effective date for the copay accumulator prescription drug bill to January 1, 2026, with later renewal timing for non-PERS plans. House Bill 1216 then came up for final passage. Senators debated whether allowing copay accumulator programs to count manufacturer coupons toward deductibles would help patients with expensive drugs or unfairly shift costs to insurers and other policyholders. Supporters said it would help people afford life-saving medications and that the coupon payments go to pharmacies, not insurers; opponents argued it could raise premiums and create perverse incentives for drug pricing. The bill passed 29-18. The Senate also concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 2160, which changes health insurance benefits under the Uniform Group Insurance Program to move from a grandfathered to a non-grandfathered plan, with supporters emphasizing added benefits and flexibility and opponents warning of higher costs and irreversible changes. That bill passed concurrence 33-14 and final passage 39-8. The Senate next concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 2339, the wildfire mitigation bill, which requires utility mitigation plans to be updated every two years, incorporate national electric standards, and creates a rebuttable presumption of reasonable care if the plan is followed. The bill then passed final passage 46-1. The chamber also adopted conference committee reports and passed House Bill 1460 on adult foster care and monitoring devices, House Bill 1440 on cigar lounge tobacco use, and Senate Bill 2374 on insurance-related provisions including property insurance arbitration, managed repair programs, and surplus lines issues; SB 2374 also added a study on towing and recovery coverage. The session ended with announcements of upcoming conference committee meetings and adjournment until April 22, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• raised a very valid point that a more equitable threshold might be the nine credit hours, roughly equivalent
• including e-cigarettes or vaping remains a significant public health issue. and places a substantial

Bills: HB173, HB184, HB484, HB678, HB 1211, HB1507, HB1705, HB1868, HB2290, HB2851, HB2856, HB3041, HB3204, HB173, HB184

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• They are a high school graduate or equivalent, they have not earned a baccalaureate degree, they are
• I always defer to the member, but we did actually look through the video evidence, and it did substantiate

Transcript Highlights:

• gas, or excuse me, greenhouse gas, greenhouse gas, electric generating rule that's going to have substantial
• An astounding 35% of the wells in Texas... taxes are zero to one barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• day comment timelines, but the default is 15 days, which is often actually prohibitive of getting substantial
• day comment timelines, but the default is 15 days, which is often actually prohibitive of getting substantial
• I'm just going to note for you in the short time that we have is that, number one, we are paying substantially
• Size-wise, they're very equivalent.
• reinforcing the equipment jamming issue, there have been studies in New Jersey that demonstrate substantial

Summary: The committee held a work session on state environmental policy act (SEPA) implementation and carryout bags. Ecology staff Diane Buterak described the Clean Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) completed for utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and green hydrogen, plus a new PEIS underway for sustainable aviation fuel. She explained that PEISs provide broad planning-level analysis to help developers and agencies avoid or mitigate impacts, but do not replace project-level review. Members asked about permitting timelines, greenhouse gas emissions from different hydrogen production methods, water use, agricultural land conversion, battery fire risk, and tribal consultation. Buterak said the PEISs identify potentially significant impacts and mitigation measures, including fire response planning, early tribal outreach, and agrovoltaics as an option for solar projects. EFSEC’s Amy Hofkimer then presented the transmission-facility programmatic EIS required by SB 5165 for 230 kV and higher transmission projects. She said the statewide review covers new lines and certain upgrades/modifications, analyzes impacts to water, cultural and tribal resources, habitat, and other areas, and uses general measures, design considerations, avoidance criteria, and sensitivity maps to guide siting and corridor planning. She said the final document would be issued in early October. Questions focused on reconductoring, tribal lands, scenic areas, and whether the review could affect existing lines crossing tribal lands. A Grant County planning director, Jim Anderson Cook, said Ecology’s PEIS would help with cumulative impacts for clustered solar projects, but noted tight local review timelines and the need for strong pre-application coordination, especially on cultural resource studies and decommissioning plans. Yakama Nation attorney Shona Leverett argued SEPA is only an assessment tool and said tribes face barriers from short comment periods, limited confidential tribal input, weak cumulative impact analysis, and challenges in the FSEC process; she urged better upfront developer diligence and more effective tribal coordination. Puget Sound Energy’s Sarah Leverett said the utility needs efficient and predictable permitting to meet clean energy mandates while maintaining reliable service and aging infrastructure. She described the scale of needed clean energy and transmission buildout, including a 10-year process for the Energize Eastside transmission rebuild, and said more consistent SEPA and PEIS processes could help. Members asked about future generation sources, reliability, and hydropower as a firming resource; she said PSE is pursuing an “all of the above” approach and would welcome more firm, dispatchable clean energy options. The committee then shifted to carryout bags. Staff Jacob Lipson and Tracy Taylor reviewed Washington’s bag law, its preemption of local ordinances, the current 8-cent charge, the scheduled increase to 12 cents, and the 2025 change delaying the 4-mil thickness requirement until 2028 while adding a temporary 4-cent penalty for thicker bags. Ecology’s Peter Lyon said the agency emphasizes education and complaint-based enforcement, has received 872 reports, and has not yet imposed any fines. Commerce’s Kirk Esmond summarized a WSU study finding fewer plastic bags distributed but more plastic by weight, and said Commerce and Ecology support keeping the 2.25-mil standard and not allowing thinner single-use bags again. Retail industry testimony from Brandon Housekeeper said grocers comply with the law but oppose the added 4-cent penalty and thicker-bag requirement, citing higher costs and confusion in the policy changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, consider the equivalent of fiber or cable in terms of providing high quality broadband.
• groundwork for by referencing old telecommunication systems, a lot of broadband services are still substantially
• Um, what are we talking about in terms of, um, poles that are substantially degraded that need to be
• These funds, included in the $3.3 billion from the BEED program, will provide substantial capital to
• We, we've heard future proof, um, used in this committee hearing, uh, substantially, uh, and, and I wanna

Transcript Highlights:

• the new members, the new members went through a fiscal note training, but there's really not an equivalent
• the new members, the new members went through a fiscal note training, but there's really not an equivalent
• the new members, the new members went through a fiscal note training, but there's really not an equivalent
• the new members, the new members went through a fiscal note training, but there's really not an equivalent
• Revenue estimate training so equivalent Revenue estimate training so we<00:04:03.599> hope<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Tax Committee met to receive a presentation from House Fiscal staff Cynthia Templin and Katrina Heimark on state tax revenues, property tax aids and credits, and key budget terms and timelines. They explained the difference between fiscal years, tax years, biennia, the general fund, and dedicated funds, and reviewed the legislative budget calendar, including the governor’s January budget recommendation, the February forecast update, March budget resolution deadlines, and the expected end of session in May. The presentation focused on how Minnesota tax revenue is collected and where it goes. House Fiscal said fiscal 2024 total revenue for public services was about $102.5 billion, with $46.5 billion coming from state and local taxes. Of total state tax revenue, about 85% goes to the general fund and about 15% is dedicated to other funds. They noted that income and sales taxes make up the largest share of state collections, while local property taxes are the largest share of local revenue. They also reviewed constitutional and statutory dedications, including the Legacy sales tax dedication, the motor vehicle sales tax dedication to transportation, and the auto parts sales tax dedication that was changed in 2023 to a 100% transportation dedication phased in over 10 years. Members asked several questions about slowing income tax growth, possible effects of migration and corporate departures, and whether changes in population or wages were affecting revenue trends. Templin said she was not aware of recent independent or MMB studies tying revenue loss to migration, but would look into it. Members also discussed the sharp rise in tax receipts in fiscal 2021 and 2022 after the pandemic downturn, with staff explaining that the low fiscal 2020 base and a shift toward goods purchases during COVID helped drive the increase, especially in sales tax revenue. No bills were taken up and no votes were recorded during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not meant to interfere with parties' ability to contract and preserve substantial contractual
• And I'm not sure of the specific stuff, but I do know they spent a substantial amount of money to defend
• At the same time, House Bill 1237 would already provide substantial relief by shifting more than $300,000
• House Bill 1082 would make enforcement substantially more expensive and substantially more difficult
• A lot of their requirements are a high school diploma or the equivalent of a high school diploma, GED

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not meant to interfere with parties' ability to contract and preserve substantial contractual
• And I'm not sure of the specific stuff, but I do know they spent a substantial amount of money to defend
• At the same time, House Bill 1237 would already provide substantial relief by shifting over $300,000
• In House Bill 1082, it would make enforcement substantially more expensive and substantially more difficult
• A lot of their requirements are a high school diploma or the equivalent of a high school diploma, GED

Summary: The committee first approved the May 5 minutes and then heard House Bill 578, which would define sex in Louisiana law as biological sex, replace references to gender with sex in various statutes and forms, and direct the Law Institute to make conforming changes. Supporters from the governor’s office said the bill would bring clarity and consistency, while opponents argued it could create conflicts with existing law and weaken protections tied to gender identity. After debate, the committee reported HB 578 favorably. Members then considered House Bill 1250, a measure aimed at aerospace-related litigation. The bill would allow a special motion to strike certain claims against aerospace flight entities when the claims are preempted by federal law. Senators raised concerns that the language was broad enough to affect airports, airlines, contractors, and even unrelated incidents, and the author said he was willing to work on narrowing amendments. The committee nevertheless reported HB 1250 favorably. House Bill 718, dealing with liability protections for private airstrips used for recreation, was amended to narrow its scope and then reported favorably, while House Bill 163, a narrower related airstrip bill, was voluntarily deferred so the committee could work from the other measure. The committee also approved House Concurrent Resolution 61, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to review possible conflicts between the constitution and statutes on expropriation. House Bill 180, defining foreign adversaries and agents of foreign adversaries for a proposed constitutional amendment, and House Bill 192, a constitutional amendment barring foreign adversaries from expropriating land in Louisiana, were both reported favorably. House Bill 1008, which sets out academic freedom and whistleblower protections for higher education, was rejected on a roll-call vote after concerns about its scope and limits on university discipline. House Bill 638, a prompt-payment bill for contractors, was set aside while amendments were being located. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 71, which would extend existing liability protections for justified use of force to properly trained armed security guards. The author and the Board of Private Security Examiners said security officers receive training and often face dangerous situations, but opponents argued the bill would give too much protection to personnel with far less training than law enforcement and could shield bad shootings. After debate, the committee voted to defer HB 71. The last measure discussed was House Bill 1082, which would change venue rules for lawsuits involving the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System so actions by the system would be filed where the employer is located; the author said the bill was meant to help small municipalities, and members indicated they were open to narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• on the FTE be this could be substantial on the FTE time<02:31:30.880> like<02:31:31.120> well
• new program that could be substantial. new program that could be substantial.
• Our neighbors to the north and Quebec have demonstrated the use of untreated seeds delivers equivalent
• Our neighbors to the north and Quebec have demonstrated the use of untreated seeds delivers equivalent
• equivalent yields and cost them less. equivalent yields and cost them less.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• significant additional reporting burdens, which unnecessarily augment existing processes and will substantially
• This proposal is essentially the equivalent of saying a new subdivision's impacts have to pay for Interstate
• Here we're talking about potential large load consumers that are the equivalent of, I don't know, hundreds
• nearly the size of Manhattan in Louisiana, which in itself is set to consume over 5 gigawatts, equivalent
• to 5 million homes. ...which in itself is set to consume over 5 gigawatts, equivalent to 5 million homes

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• significant additional reporting burdens, which unnecessarily augment existing processes and will substantially
• This proposal is essentially the equivalent of saying a new subdivision's impact has to pay for Interstate
• Here we're talking about potential large load consumers that are the equivalent of, I don't know, hundreds
• nearly the size of Manhattan in Louisiana, which in itself is set to consume over 5 gigawatts, equivalent
• to 5 million homes. ...which in itself is set to consume over 5 gigawatts, equivalent to 5 million homes

Summary: The committee first heard SB 804, the Hydrogen Pipeline Safety Act, from Senator Arreguín. He said the bill would designate the State Fire Marshal as the safety regulator for intrastate hydrogen pipelines and require hydrogen-specific standards, while not mandating any pipeline construction or bypassing environmental review. Supporters included labor groups, utility employees, and the City of Burbank, while Air Products opposed unless amended, citing concerns about the bill’s specificity, fee structure, and the need for a hydrogen-specific rulemaking process. The committee discussed safety, fees, and regulatory certainty, and later passed SB 804 on a 9-0 vote to Emergency Management with commitment to take amendments. The committee then took up SB 905 by Senator Becker, aimed at reducing electricity rates by changing utility incentives. The bill would tie part of executive compensation to keeping rates below inflation, require more performance metrics, and allow the CPUC to consider lower returns on equity for certain lower-risk investments and alternative financing options. Support came from consumer, environmental, agricultural, and large energy user groups, while Southern California Edison, CalChamber, PG&E, and utility labor groups raised concerns that the bill could reduce investment, create regulatory uncertainty, and raise borrowing costs. After extensive discussion about utility affordability, wildfire costs, and capital markets, the committee passed SB 905 on a 7-1 vote to Appropriations. SB 913, also by Senator Becker, would create a clearer pathway for distributed energy resources such as batteries and smart thermostats to participate in the resource adequacy market and compete with utility-scale resources. Supporters said the bill would better use existing grid capacity, lower costs, and build on the state’s Demand Side Grid Support Program; PG&E opposed unless amended, saying the use case was not yet proven and was already being addressed in other rulemakings. After the committee accepted amendments, one opposition group moved to neutral and another said it might do so after reviewing the changes. The bill passed 8-0 to Appropriations and was placed on call. Several other measures were heard and advanced, including SB 1196 on faster utility hookups for small energization projects such as ADUs and EV chargers, SB 931 reauthorizing the Diablo Canyon Essential Services Mitigation Fund through 2028, SB 1158 reducing the frequency of joint reliability assessments from quarterly to twice yearly, and SB 1245 directing further study of California’s gasoline market and potential use of non-CARBOB fuel during supply disruptions. SB 1196 and SB 931 both passed with broad support and no opposition after amendments, SB 1158 passed without testimony, and SB 1245 drew strong support from consumer and environmental advocates but opposition from fuel industry and business groups concerned about costs, confidentiality, and fuel standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're trying to figure out how to essentially design an equivalent feature to an arrangement that
• 15.800> essentially<00:13:16.320> design<00:13:17.240> an<00:13:17.360> equivalent
• to essentially design an equivalent to essentially design an equivalent feature feature feature
• This is a relatively new motion, and it enforces a parental plan, a substantial deviation from the parental

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• information from someone in your agency maybe even last week that they would have received a cut—fairly substantial
• appropriation is about 7.4 million plus to fund school-based mental health service providers full-time equivalent
• appropriation is about 7.4 million plus to fund school-based mental health service providers full-time equivalent
• appropriation is about 7.4 million plus to fund school-based mental health service providers full-time equivalent
• appropriation is about 7.4 million plus to fund school-based mental health service providers full-time equivalent

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:00:30 Kentucky Department of Education 00:27:10 Education and Labor Cabinet 00:31:35 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:36:55, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for a budget-only discussion with no bills scheduled for a vote. Members first welcomed a group of high school guests, then heard from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on funding issues for child advocacy centers, domestic violence centers, rape crisis centers, and SNAP. DCBS Commissioner Lisa Dennis and budget director Misty Sammons said the victim-services programs were included in the current baseline budget, but it was too early in the budget process to know final funding levels. They said earlier reports of major cuts were based on a misunderstanding, that conversations with the agencies were ongoing, and that they would provide the committee with the agency’s base-budget information. A member also asked about domestic violence shelter funding, and the cabinet explained that prior one-time money had been used to replace lost federal Victims of Crime Act funds. On SNAP, the cabinet said Kentucky does not expect to need additional money for benefit costs because the payment error rate is about 4%, below the threshold that would trigger added state costs. However, they said the federal HR1 change shifting SNAP administrative costs from a 50/50 state-federal split to 75% state and 25% federal will require additional funding to operate the program. Members praised the eligibility and family support staff for keeping error rates low and asked to be notified quickly if more implementation support is needed. Representative Bojanowski asked whether a specific SNAP administrative cost figure was already in House Bill 500; the cabinet said it was not, and that such an item would be an additional budget request not included in the bill. The committee then heard from the Department for Medicaid Services. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Senior Deputy Commissioner Veronica Judy Cecil described Medicaid fraud-and-abuse monitoring, including a new CMS file and guidance on concurrent enrollment across states. They said DMS refers suspected fraud or abuse to the Attorney General’s office and that the relationship is working well. When asked about using AI, they said the department is not yet using AI but does use internal algorithms to flag potential fraud, waste, and abuse. Finally, Eric Lowry of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services discussed fiscal note processing, saying House Bill 2 is a complex Medicaid bill and that the cabinet is working to set up a meeting with the sponsor; he said the cabinet is responding and hopes to meet on Monday. The committee also briefly heard from the Kentucky Department of Education, where Matt Ross said the existing $7.4 million for school-based mental health services is already in the base budget and that no additional language is needed in House Bill 500 to distribute it, though KDE has requested additional funding to raise the overall appropriation to $18 million.

Transcript Highlights:

• it's substantial, is that why they're not stepping in to help out?
• It should just be if there's a risk of harm, not how serious is it, how substantial is it.
• > cm<03:33:48.720> laceration what's substantial at 2 cm laceration what's substantial
• This means that the risk could be equivalent to a mere possibility.
• <04:03:18.160> If equivalent to a mere possibility. If equivalent to a mere possibility.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every district gains substantial resources going forward. as a result of this bill.
• It provides teacher support. and a substantial investment in special education and other areas. important
• This bill provides substantially for local control.
• If we buy advertisement anywhere near this number, it would be the equivalent of limiting this voucher
• So for example, if 2% of students are using the voucher program in an urban area, then that equivalent

Bills: SB2, HB2, HB2000, HB2196, HB213, HB222, HB645, HB1458, HB 1022, HB141, HB502, HB643, HB3093, HB1700, HB 117, SB503, SB2, HB 120, HB20, HB150, HB6, HB 100, HB210, HB215, HB1393, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB142, HB451, HB 124, HB2, HB2000, HB2196, HB213, HB222, HB645, HB1458, HB 1022, HB141, HB502, HB643, HB3093, HB1700, HB 117

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, child grooming, sex offender registration, criminal justice, reportable conviction, law enforcement, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota devotes substantially more money to deal with problems that are far less costly than worker
• Minnesota devotes substantially more money to deal with problems that are far less costly than worker
• more money to deal devotes substantially more money to deal with<00:10:31.160> problems<00:10
• This would fund an additional 2.5 full-time equivalent employees for the department's Labor Standards
• <01:17:08.560> employees<01:17:09.080> for<01:17:09.440> the equivalent employees

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We work with employers across Minnesota to provide resources and also have a substantial partnership
• changes to our policies in substantial changes to our policies in Minnesota<01:31:49.280> in<
• And I think I crunch the numbers: if you pay someone in North Dakota $80,000, it's the equivalent of
• > of<01:41:49.600> paying<01:41:49.840> them<01:41:50.080> like the equivalent
• of paying them like the equivalent of paying them like $100,000<01:41:51.280> here<01:41:51.520

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If the bill makes this framework optional, it is effectively the equivalent of taking no action at all
• 02.880> taking<00:51:03.160> no<00:51:03.359> action<00:51:03.640> at equivalent
• of ask of taking no action at equivalent of ask of taking no action at all<00:51:04.520> so<00
• It improves mental health outcomes by as much as 80%, and it also substantially reduces the rates of
• reduces the rates of substantially reduces the rates of suicide<01:38:18.679> ideation<01:38:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Senate hearing focused primarily on SB 1201, a wildfire measure that would create a wildfire recovery fund and allow securitization for electric utilities. Hawaiian Electric strongly supported the bill, saying it would help protect customers, property owners, insurers, and the broader economy from future catastrophic wildfire liability while improving the utility’s credit profile and lowering financing costs. Support also came from DCCA Consumer Advocacy, the Attorney General’s office on written comments, Ulupono Initiative, Clearway Energy Group, IBEW Local 1260, Par Hawaii, KIUC, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, Plus Power, and numerous organizations and individuals. Opponents or commenters raised concerns about the liability cap, victim compensation process, and fund structure, including the Hawaiʻi Association for Justice, the Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters, and the Hawaiʻi Insurance Council; Henry Curtis of Life of the Land supported the concept of a fund but questioned the catastrophe threshold and whether the fund would be empty without a prudency finding. Much of the discussion centered on whether the proposed fund would actually help restore Hawaiian Electric to investment grade, with senators comparing the proposal to California’s wildfire fund. Hawaiian Electric said the bill was only one part of a broader process, alongside physical risk reduction and settlement finalization, and argued that without the bill the utility would not regain investment grade. Senators also questioned the proposed $1 billion fund size, the fairness of ratepayer contributions versus shareholder contributions, and whether customers should pay for consulting and administrative costs; Hawaiian Electric said its proposed amendment would remove those consulting-related charges. The company also said the fund would accrue interest and, if unused, could be returned to customers, and that there would be replenishment and supplemental contribution mechanisms if the fund were exhausted. The Attorney General’s office said it still had further amendments to discuss, and the departments had not yet resolved where the fund should reside administratively, though Hawaiian Electric said it believed DCCA was the appropriate place but was open to alternatives. KIUC requested two amendments. No vote or final committee action was taken during the hearing, and the measure remained under discussion with questions and proposed amendments still outstanding.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 523, water resources identification of vernal pools, has been substantially amended as drafted
• Senate Bill 523, water resources identification of vernal pools, has been substantially amended as drafted
• equivalent to what is used for other tenants.
• <01:25:12.480> equivalent<01:25:12.960> to<01:25:13.199> what ratio substantially
• equivalent to what ratio substantially equivalent to what is<01:25:13.840> used<01:25:14.080>

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with 38 members present and a quorum, then began with an invocation and several ceremonial introductions. The chamber recognized pioneering women of the Maryland State Police for Women’s History Month, including the original six female graduates and other firsts in the department, and also introduced the day’s doctor and a student intern. The Senate agreed to journalize the remarks honoring the Maryland State Police guests. The body then took up several Finance Committee bills, adopting committee amendments and favorable reports without objection on Senate Bills 385, 387, 389, 753, 469, and 608, each of which was ordered printed for third reading. SB 385 concerns immunization, screening, and preventive-service recommendations and pharmacist administration; SB 387 restricts predatory pricing and use of personal data by food retailers and delivery services; SB 389 makes transit-oriented development changes; SB 753 addresses financial exploitation protections for seniors and vulnerable adults; SB 469 authorizes a Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund affordability program; and SB 608 requires coverage for pharmacogenomic testing. Senate Bill 626, dealing with birth certificate sex designation changes and related identification documents, was briefly set aside at the request of a senator seeking possible amendments, with the presiding officer agreeing to hold it until the next session. Senate Bill 739, a climate change, homeowners insurance, and emergency management study bill, was also introduced with one amendment and sparked debate over its scope and funding, including discussion of a $150,000 Strategic Energy Investment Fund allocation and whether the study would examine the General Assembly’s own climate policies. The transcript ends during that discussion, before any final action on SB 739.