Bills: SCR56 , SCR79 , SCR85 , SCR120 , SCR129 , SCR181 , SCR63 , SCR112 , SCR194 , SCR195 , SCR196 , HB202 , HB963 , HB1050 , HB1511 , HB1546 , HB1550 , HB1553 , HB1643 , HB1656 , HB1658 , HB1664 , HB1667 , HB1682 , HB1700 , HB1721 , HB1810 , HB1823 , HB1824 , HB1878 , HB1969 , HB2005 , HB2078 , HB2152 , HB2246 , HB2270 , HB2279 , HB2289 , HB2385 , HB2417 , HB2429 , HB2503 , HB2599 , SB253 , SB847 , SB1142 , SB1432 , SB2043 , SB2050 , SB2074 , SB2102 , SB2135 , SB2138 , SB2140 , SB2320 , SB2340 , SB2386 , SB2396 , SB2397 , SB2398 , SB2433 , SB2446 , SB2521 , SB2544 , SB2567 , SB2578 , SB2580 , SB2595 , SB2601 , SB2645 , SB2673 , SB2706 , SB2727 , SB2802 , SB2852 , SB2892 , SB2929 , SB2972 , SB3007 , SB3069 , SB3073 , SB3076 , SB3136 , SB3138 , SB3157 , SB3204 , SB3234 , SB3247 , SB3302 , SB3324 , SB3325 , HB1815 , HB2592 , HCR32

Keywords: lifeguards, first responders, public safety, ocean safety, emergency response, community wellbeing, invasive species, octocoral, Pearl Harbor, environment, Navy responsibility, marine ecosystem, ecosystem preservation, shoreline maintenance, civil service, classification review, compensation systems, labor shortage, employee retention, department collaboration

Bills: HJR1 , HB9 , HB21 , HB26 , HB30 , HB37 , HB116 , HB630 , HB879 , HB913 , HB1151 , HB1318 , HB1593 , HB1899 , HB2703 , HB2809 , HB2890 , HB2970 , HB3307 , HB3526 , HB5092 , SB128 , SB203 , SB317 , SB393 , SB397 , SB644 , SB731 , SB801 , SB913 , SB1071 , SB1073 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1232 , SB1250 , SB1262 , SB1285 , SB1310 , SB1359 , SB1444 , SB1483 , SB1705 , SB1782 , SB1861 , SB1897 , SB1944 , SB2023 , SB2043 , SB2082 , SB2133 , SB2215 , SB2297 , SB2298 , SB2309 , SB2532 , SB2549 , SB2566 , SB2617 , SB2619 , SB2639 , SB2688 , SB2696 , SB2717 , SB2790 , SB2841 , SB2847 , SB2850 , SB2857 , SB2891 , SB2919 , SB2928 , SB2972 , SB3052 , SB3053 , SB1 , SB260 , SB1506 , SB1637 , HB37 , HB109 , HB334 , HB1130 , HB1238 , HB1327 , HB1610 , HB1615 , HB1620 , HB1689 , HB2081 , HB2809 , HB2884 , HB2890 , HB4215 , HB5092 , HCR7 , HCR75 , HCR86 , HCR92 , HCR93 , HCR126 , SB644 , SB1086 , SB1230 , SB1310 , SB1361 , SB1553 , SB1778 , SB1790 , SB2344 , SB2460 , SB2515 , SB2600 , SB2747 , SB2751 , SB2785 , SB2790 , SB3047 , SB3048 , SB3050 , SB3051 , SB3052 , SB3053 , SB3056 , SB3058 , SB3061 , HJR1 , HB1130 , HB1689 , HB2884 , HB1393 , HB2559 , HB26 , HB3012 , HB1327 , HB109 , HB1238 , HB2890 , HB9 , HB4215 , HB2970 , HB37 , HB1899 , HB1593 , HB2607 , HB3526 , HB3810 , HB5092 , HB388 , HB2809 , HB1151 , HB913 , HB3307 , HB879 , HB116 , HB12 , HB2703 , HB1610 , HB1615 , HB1620 , HB30 , HB21 , HB2712 , HB2692 , HB1633 , HB1318 , HB685 , HB630 , HB4753 , HB2742 , HB303 , HB198 , HB1535 , HB762 , HB148 , HB1520 , HB5061 , HB2286 , HB1606 , HB1041 , HB132 , HB11 , HCR7 , HCR75 , HCR86 , HCR92 , HCR93 , HCR126 , SJR36 , SJR50 , SJR63 , SCR12 , SCR39 , SB2023 , SB1310 , SB2972 , SB1073 , SB2847 , SB2532 , SB2619 , SB62 , SB666 , SB847 , SB284 , SB854 , SB810 , SB1505 , SB583 , SB507 , SB1434 , SB1772 , SB2016 , SB1122 , SB731 , SB397 , SB508 , SB1436 , SB287 , SB1882 , SB393 , SB1791 , SB209 , SB2429 , SB511 , SB2309 , SB1085 , SB1975 , SB2717 , SB1262 , SB636 , SB2056 , SB884 , SB1200 , SB1845 , SB2458 , SB801 , SB3014 , SB3013 , SB758 , SB2797 , SB2076 , SB2876 , SB1640 , SB1449 , SB1181 , SB1359 , SB1234 , SB2926 , SB2841 , SB1528 , SB2891 , SB1854 , SB317 , SB1250 , SB2082 , SB1285 , SB1237 , SB2819 , SB629 , SB2608 , SB1602 , SB2009 , SB2460 , SB867 , SB640 , SB1698 , SB2680 , SB2994 , SB2747 , SB913 , SB1071 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1483 , SB1444 , SB1553 , SB1556 , SB1703 , SB2133 , SB2297 , SB2298 , SB2622 , SB2955 , SB2334 , SB1861 , SB2043 , SB1367 , SB2857 , SB128 , SB3058 , SB2044 , SB2363 , SB2565 , SB1888 , SB3048 , SB3052 , SB3053 , SB3036 , SB3057 , SB3056 , SB3043 , SB3050 , SB3063 , SB3035 , SB1790 , SB1778 , SB203 , SB3061 , SB2799 , SB2790 , SB2688 , SB2515 , SB1230 , SB2522 , SB2639 , SB2459 , SB3051 , SB2655 , SB2251 , SB1884 , SB2617 , SB2751 , SB2928 , SB2566 , SB1897 , SB1749 , SB1361 , SB2549 , SB2553 , SB2919 , SB1782 , SB1705 , SB2696 , SB1944 , SB2215 , SB644 , SB1232 , SB2850 , HB45 , HB48 , HB1261 , HB1465 , HB1778 , HB2596 , HB5238 , HB33 , HB1188 , HB210 , HB1022 , HB1458 , HB5560 , HB1240 , HB1950 , HB2027 , HB2768 , HB2788 , HB2791 , HB3146 , HB3698 , HB3699 , HB1893 , HB3700 , HB4850 , HB4187 , HB1397 , HB4885 , HB4804 , HB3751 , HB3611 , HB2775 , HB2061 , HB2003 , HB1729 , HB1242 , HB791 , HB2029 , HB647 , HB2522 , HB4738 , HB3033 , HB3594 , HB3474 , HB2563 , HB2802 , HCR90 , SJR87 , SB2969 , SB3073 , SB2497 , SB1798 , SB2603 , SB2607 , SB781

Keywords: constitutional amendment, property tax, ad valorem tax, tax exemption, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, equipment exemption, machinery, local government finance, school district revenue, county taxes, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, tax relief, commercial property, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief

Transcript Highlights:

• Give you an example: in engineering, they're not complaining.
• Engineering, right?
• Engineering, right?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><05:26:26.240><c> an</c> well-respected Austin resident, an well-respected Austin resident, an engineer
• and</c><05:26:27.360><c> law-abiding</c><05:26:28.160><c> citizen,</c><05:26:29.200><c> serves</c> engineer
• and law-abiding citizen, serves engineer and law-abiding citizen, serves as<05:26:29.760><c> co-president

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, January 12, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senate 2011, an act to provide for a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, July 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• following ENT entities that<04:42:34.200><c> geo</c><04:42:34.840><c> geo</c><04:42:35.280><c> engineering
• </c><04:42:36.040><c> is</c><04:42:36.760><c> discouraged</c> that geo geo engineering is discouraged
• that geo geo engineering is discouraged in<04:42:37.600><c> lines</c> in lines in lines 22<04:42:40.718

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, at one point it was recommended that one be an engineer, one be an accountant, and one be a lawyer
• One of the others has to be finance, business, accounting, economics, or engineering, and the third is
• I'm an engineer with an MBA, and the other commissioner has a Ph.D. in economics. Thank you.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard the Banking Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget presentation from Commissioner Amelia Galeri. She described the department as a self-funded consumer protection regulator overseeing two main areas: the Banking Trust Division, which supervises state-chartered banks, credit unions, and trust companies, and the Consumer Credit Division, which oversees more than 7,000 licensees including mortgage and money transmitter businesses. She said the department’s budget is about 86% salaries and benefits, with 53 positions all filled, and explained that the agency funds itself through fees, fines, and end-of-year assessments on regulated entities. Galeri said the department is facing workload growth from several directions: continued growth in the trust industry, increased fintech supervision, and a new requirement to regularly examine auto dealers that take finance applications, which adds about 300 exams over two fiscal years. She said the department was directed to flat-fund its budget based on 2025 levels but was allowed to increase travel and training. To stay within that limit, she said the department reduced office space, went paperless, converted administrative and licensing positions into examiner positions, and expects to defund an embedded DOJ database administrator position once a new SharePoint system is fully implemented. Members asked about how the department’s revenue and assessments work, including whether fees were increasing and how much existing banks would pay. Galeri said fees are not being raised, most banks pay little or no fines, and assessments are based largely on asset size, with trust companies paying the bulk. She also explained that fines are set by statute, generally capped at $2,500 per violation for consumer credit entities, and said she would not recommend increasing that cap. The committee then voted to accept the Banking Department’s budget proposal as presented in HQ1, with a motion and second and no discussion. The transcript then moved to the Department of Energy budget. Commissioner Jared Chakin and Chief of Operations Lenny Radio discussed federal program funding, including LIHEAP fuel assistance and weatherization. They said the apparent drop in fuel assistance funding from FY 2024 actuals to the budgeted amount is due to the loss of ARPA and CARES Act supplemental funds, while weatherization remains a federally constrained program with a waiting list and limited flexibility. Members also asked about a proposed transfer from the renewable energy fund; staff said the transfer would still allow the department to carry out its statutory duties for the year, though the committee deferred deeper discussion until House Bill 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, from the top down, I believe that the measures start engineered at the top but realized from

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security focused on several correction-related bills, including visitation reform, elder and medical parole, incarcerated persons’ human rights, and creation of an independent correctional oversight office. Vice Chair Christopher Worrell chaired the hearing in place of Chair Dan Cahill for much of the session and explained that the committee would first hear from incarcerated individuals remotely, then move to public testimony. The committee repeatedly enforced three-minute limits and accepted written testimony as well. Much of the testimony from incarcerated people emphasized that visitation is central to rehabilitation, family stability, and reentry, and that current DOC policies—visitor caps, pre-approval requirements, scheduling rules, dress-code enforcement, and restrictions on contact—have reduced family contact and caused harm. Several speakers argued that elderly and medically frail prisoners should be released through parole because incarceration is costly, ineffective, and inhumane for people who pose little public-safety risk. Others described poor prison conditions, limited programming, inadequate healthcare, segregation-like housing, and the impact of K2 use, suicides, and self-harm. Supporters of the oversight bill said an independent office is needed to address racial disparities, grievance failures, and lack of accountability within the DOC. A number of speakers tied their support to personal experiences, including alleged racial discrimination, denial of programs, and barriers to family visits. Some testified that rehabilitative programming, education, and restorative justice reduce violence and improve outcomes, while others said the DOC spends too little on programming and too much on punishment. Committee members asked a few follow-up questions, including about K2 contraband and how to reduce drugs in facilities, and one member asked about typical visitation lengths. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony on the bills and several witnesses urged favorable reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have programs for engineering. We have some environmental science that we're working on.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy and House Chair Chynah Tyler, who emphasized that the fiscal year 2026 hearing was focused on the Health and Human Services budget, asked members to keep questions budget-related, and noted that no public testimony would be taken. They also highlighted the choice of Doherty Memorial High School as the venue to showcase Worcester’s investment in career and technical education. Committee members then introduced themselves before the first panel, the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the state veterans homes, began testimony. Secretary John Santiago said the governor’s FY26 proposal would support implementation of the HERO Act, which he said is now about 95% implemented, including higher disabled veteran annuities, expanded behavioral health benefits, and other service expansions. He described efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, including nearly $20 million in ARPA-funded housing and outreach initiatives, and said the agency has delivered more than 100,000 supportive services to nearly 8,500 veterans. Leaders from the Chelsea and Holyoke veterans homes reported on staffing, quality measures, electronic medical records, and major construction projects at both facilities, including a new Chelsea campus and the new Holyoke home. Members asked about funding transfers, geographic equity in access to the homes, outreach to women veterans and veterans of color, suicide prevention, Gold Star family support, and the impact of federal uncertainty; Santiago said the homes are now licensed and certified, that the current budget is sufficient, and that the agency is expanding engagement and data collection. The second panel, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, testified that its FY26 request is about $3.3 million, up from the current $2 million, to cover staffing, a larger office, and higher technology costs. Veteran Advocate Bob Notch said the office is a new independent oversight agency created in 2022 to examine systems, coordinate with local veteran service officers, and investigate fatalities or serious harm involving veterans in state care. He said the office’s work depends on research, data, and collaboration with other agencies, and that current funding is only enough for minimum operations. In response to questions, Notch and Deputy Commissioner David O’Callaghan discussed the difficulty of tracking veteran suicides, the need for better data across agencies, and the office’s role as an oversight body rather than a direct service provider. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> You're an engineer. >> I are.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• district costs related to creating that pathway, similar to our welding or our ag or our tech and engineering

Committee: Joint Special Education Funding Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• district costs related to creating that pathway, similar to our welding or our ag or our tech and engineering

Committee: Joint Special Education Funding Committee

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 4, 2026 minutes, and received a lengthy Department of Public Instruction presentation from Stanley Schauer Jr. on North Dakota student performance data in math and ELA, with comparisons between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. Schauer explained the assessment systems used, the 1% alternate assessment cap for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the absence of 2019-20 data due to the pandemic, and how state standards are set by North Dakota educators. Members asked about cohort trends, the role of alternate assessments, grade-level patterns, and whether the state should focus more on reducing the novice category than on moving students from approaching to proficient. Schauer also discussed the new NDA Plus assessment, the state’s planned growth model, and the possibility of future breakdowns by disability category or by schools using science-of-math approaches. Special education educators testified that students with disabilities continued to receive services during COVID because of FAPE obligations, which likely helped limit learning loss, and emphasized that IEP teams focus on individual growth rather than only proficiency buckets. Committee members then shifted to special education funding and possible funding models. Brandon Bombach of Grand Forks Public Schools presented on the state aid formula, focusing on the special education weighting factor and arguing that the current formula does not adequately respond to growing student needs because it counts enrollment but does not adjust when the number of students with IEPs rises. He used examples to show that a district can have the same enrollment and receive the same weighting even if the number of students needing services increases. Members discussed whether the formula should be tied more closely to actual need and accountability, and the chair indicated that the committee would continue gathering data and ideas for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• district costs related to creating that pathway, similar to our welding or our ag or our tech and engineering

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then received a lengthy DPI presentation from Stanley Schauer on statewide reading and math assessment data for students with and without disabilities. He explained the assessment systems used over time, the absence of 2019-20 data, and how North Dakota’s standards are set by educators. Members asked about alternate assessments, cohort trends, the apparent drop in proficiency in higher grades, and the new NDA+ assessment. Schauer emphasized that the biggest pattern in the data was the relative stability of students with disabilities, the post-pandemic drop and partial recovery, and the need to focus on reducing the novice category. He also said the state plans to revisit high school standard setting and that future data could be broken out by program, disability category, and schools using science-of-math or other initiatives. Public testimony from special education staff suggested that the flat performance of students with disabilities during COVID likely reflected continued services and intensive supports, and committee members discussed whether the current disparity goal is realistic and whether growth measures would be more useful than simple proficiency buckets. After the presentation, the committee took a short break and then moved into discussion of special education funding models. Chair Richter said members should contact Schauer directly with ideas for additional data views and noted that the committee would continue its work on funding and possible model changes. Brandon Bomback of Grand Forks Public Schools began a presentation arguing that the special education funding formula, especially the weighting factor, should be reconsidered if the committee wants a system that better reflects accountability and student needs. He said his comments were based on the perspective of a larger district and focused on the special education weighting factor rather than other parts of the formula. The remainder of his presentation was not included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Engineering is complete, and portions are ready for construction.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, we worked over a period of time with various search engines where it's not so much the case

Bills: SCR145 , SCR132 , SCR31 , SCR110

Keywords: traffic violations, demerit point system, driver license points, traffic safety, hit and run, reckless driving, repeat offenders, recidivism, Department of Transportation, DOT, task force, traffic enforcement, road safety, vehicle code, license suspension, county police, Hawaii transportation, SCR132, Senate Concurrent Resolution, Makakilo Drive Extension

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the fundamental principles of industrial engineering that my wife beat into my head.

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But the remaining segments are the most challenging, both in terms of topography, engineering, and also

Bills: HF3599 , HF3761 , HF3523 , HF3515 , HF573

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: water treatment, infrastructure, municipal funding, bond issuance, Becker, sewer improvements, sanitation, Hibbing, state bonds, infrastructure funding, capital investment, safety improvements, mobility, U.S. Highway 12, bonds, transportation funding, trails, Prior Lake, bond funding, recreational improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• idea, put it in place, and then discovered, as we put it in place, that there were significant engineering

Summary: The Appropriations Committee considered a large agenda of bills and reported several measures favorably. Early action included SB 6, a settled claim bill involving the Department of Children and Families and a trust for Leila Estrada and Sapphire Williams, and CS/CS/SB 1266, which creates a cybersecurity experiential learning and clearance-readiness program through the Department of Commerce and Cyber Florida. The committee also approved SB 532 on clerks of court funding, allowing clerks to retain all excess Article V revenue rather than returning half to the state and clarifying foreclosure sale procedures. In addition, the committee passed CS/CS/SB 1602 and CS/CS/SB 1604 to create and fund a pilot housing program for veterans through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and CS/SB 1110 to expand Medicaid and private insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including testimony from affected families and advocates. The committee also adopted an amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/SB 1012 on inmate services, removing the bill’s medical-services compensation provisions while retaining changes to the inmate welfare trust fund and related facility uses. It also adopted a delete-all amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/CS/SB 1614, which was narrowed to remove a provision allowing local governments to use excess fees to construct new buildings. The committee spent substantial time on CS/SB 17, a Medicaid oversight and transparency bill. The sponsor said the measure would create a joint legislative Medicaid oversight committee, authorize the Legislature to retain its own actuary, modernize Medicaid statutes, strengthen managed-care performance standards, and increase accountability for pharmacy benefit managers and related entities. After amendment, the committee adopted changes removing several PBM-related provisions while retaining the broader oversight framework. Testimony from supporters emphasized transparency, fraud prevention, and cost control, while a PBM trade association asked to continue working on affiliate-manufacturer, network, and payment issues. The bill was reported favorably. The most extensive discussion centered on CS/SB 1758, which proposes major changes to Medicaid and SNAP. The sponsor described five reforms: stronger fraud and overpayment recovery authority, a Medicaid work requirement for certain able-bodied adults, expanded behavioral-health services through Medicaid waivers, pharmacy-program changes to obtain rebates and reduce institutional costs, and SNAP/EBT reforms including photo IDs and work requirements. The committee adopted two amendments: one adding a transitional “glide path” for people who gain employment but risk losing Medicaid, and another exempting hospice patients with six months or less to live. Supporters argued the bill would reduce fraud, improve accountability, and encourage work, while opponents warned it would increase administrative burdens, push eligible people off coverage, and conflict with federal law or guidance. The bill remained under debate with extensive public testimony from advocates, providers, and affected families, and the transcript ends before final disposition on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• idea, put it in place, and then discovered, as we put it in place, that there were significant engineering

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And locally, Scottsdale-Leer engineering found that Scottsdale intersections with photo enforcement,

Keywords: 1182, all