Video & Transcript : 'prosecuting attorney' :
Page 371 of 500
VA
Transcript Highlights:
- Chairman, this bill directs the Office of the Attorney General to determine whether other states' permits
- Chairman, this bill directs the Office of the Attorney General to determine whether other states' permits
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appr/Sub-Natural Resources REVISED Feb 11th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The Attorney General's Office, which I didn't list in that, those are our attorneys.
Summary:
The subcommittee heard an informational budget presentation from Diana Fletcher, administrator of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, which regulates amateur and professional combative sports and professional wrestling. Fletcher said the agency oversees licensing and event regulation for boxing, MMA, kickboxing, bare-knuckle fighting, slap fighting, and wrestling, with a focus on participant and public safety. She described recent changes including securing a standalone agency number, updating definitions and legal authority, moving away from cash/check processing to credit cards and online applications, and joining national regulatory organizations. She also said the commission is trying to attract major events such as UFC, WWE, and AEW, and noted the economic impact of 173 events last year, with more than $3 million in sales and significant hotel and job impact.
Members asked about licensing requirements, whether events must be sanctioned, the legality of unsanctioned events, and how the commission handles enforcement. Fletcher explained that participants, judges, promoters, announcers, and others around the ring or cage must be licensed, and that unsanctioned events are illegal under state law; boxing is also federally regulated. She said the commission relies mainly on the Attorney General’s Office for legal enforcement and does not regulate high school sports, though it does regulate youth combat sports and youth kickboxing. Questions also focused on slap fighting, which Fletcher said is a real and dangerous sport that the commission has trained on in Las Vegas to prepare for regulation.
On funding, Fletcher said the commission has historically received about $200,000, but is requesting a $300,000 supplemental appropriation this year and $500,000 recurring going forward. She said the agency needs funds for rent, IT, HR/payroll services through OMS, training, and one additional full-time employee, and that its revolving fund could be depleted without additional support. A committee member with boxing background endorsed the commission’s reputation and the need to restore it as a standalone agency. No vote was taken; the meeting ended after members thanked the presenters and adjourned.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism Feb 10th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism
Transcript Highlights:
- The Attorney General's office has been very helpful and gracious in offering counsel to the commission
- The Attorney General's office is not able to supply.
Keywords:
housing, infrastructure, water projects, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, economic development, zero-interest loans, clawback provision, local contractors, Olympics, funding, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, local businesses, revolving fund, event hosting, SB1525, tourism, recreation, conference, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Joint House-Senate Floor Session Jan 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
North Dakota Joint Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- remember Governor Alan Olson, who served as North Dakota's 28th governor from 1981 to 1984 and as Attorney
- General for the eight years before that. 1984 and as Attorney General for the eight years before that
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.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Judiciary Committee Mar 26th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- And so here we are today, witnesses that are present here with us, Savina Takar from the Consumer Attorneys
- Zavina Tacker, with the Consumer Attorneys of California, here in support.
Summary:
The Assembly Judiciary Committee met in a subcommittee setting to hear SB 26, a follow-on bill to last year’s AB 1755 dealing with California’s Song-Beverly “Lemon Law” process. Senator Umberg explained that the measure is intended to preserve the compromise reached last year while allowing automakers to opt out of the new framework and return to the prior law, with the goal of speeding up discovery and helping consumers resolve claims more quickly. Committee members and the author also noted the bill’s connection to concerns about court congestion and the need to revisit the law as vehicle technology evolves.
Support came from Consumer Attorneys of California, Toyota, and several automakers and manufacturers, including General Motors, Rivian, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Tesla, Kia, Volkswagen Group, and Mercedes. Toyota said the bill gives automakers a five-year opt-in choice and reflects the negotiated deal. In soft opposition, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety said it preferred more manufacturers opt out, but remained concerned about AB 1755’s reduced statute of limitations and repose, negative equity deductions, and the broader impact on consumers with defective vehicles.
After quorum was established, the committee took up the motion and passed SB 26 on a roll call vote, with all members present voting aye. The chair thanked the stakeholders for reaching a compromise and indicated the bill would move forward, with immediate referral anticipated after floor action.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Sunset Advisory Commission Jan 15th, 2025 at 08:01 am
Transcript Highlights:
- date and penalty of each violation, four, which penalties have been referred to the Office of the Attorney
- General for collections, five, whether the Office of the Attorney General accepted the referral, if
Keywords:
Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Ethics Commission, recommendations, Angelina River Authority, Natchez Valley Authority, public testimony, legislative session
Summary:
The meeting of the Sunset Advisory Commission served as a concluding assembly for the current biennium, where various agencies were reviewed. Notably, the Commission focused on staff recommendations and modifications regarding the Angelina and Natchez River Authority, Lower Natchez Valley Authority, and Texas Ethics Commission. After discussing various modifications, the members voted unanimously on multiple recommendations aimed at improving operational efficiency and accountability within these agencies. The Chair emphasized the collaborative effort of the Commission members and staff, acknowledging their hard work throughout the biennium.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- I was an attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance for 47 years.
- I was an attorney at New as we are.
- I'm a housing attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance.
- ,</c><01:01:24.640><c> tenants,</c> landlords, their attorneys, tenants, landlords, their attorneys,
- 01:26.480><c> more</c><01:01:26.720><c> familiar</c> their attorneys to become more familiar their attorneys
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - 03/24/25
Jobs and Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- I've been able to dig into this issue a lot on the attorney general's uh task force on misclassification
- I've been able to dig into this issue a lot on the attorney general's uh task force on misclassification
- general's uh task force on the attorney general's uh task force on on on mclassification<00:05:11.840
- :37:13.359><c> some</c> attorney general also has some attorney general also has some enforcement<00:
- My name's John Geffen, and I'm an attorney and the director of Legal Revolution law firm.
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Jul 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And in this role, I'm not practicing as an attorney. I happen to be trained as one.
- And in this role, I'm not practicing as an attorney. I happen to be trained as one.
- Force officers engaged close to the border, the Attorney General's Office of the United States has told
- But our attorney, Bill Myers, with Holland and Hart, said, 'Oh, it'll take them a week to 10 days to
- Our attorney, Alan Schroeder, truly believed we could win. We had never done anything wrong.
Summary:
The committee heard two main presentations. First, University of Idaho representatives Rob McQuaid, Matt Powell, and Dean Dennis Becker described the university’s land-grant mission and its work in agriculture, natural resources, extension, research, and workforce training. They highlighted the Morrill, Hatch, and Smith-Lever Acts; the university’s colleges and research stations; the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station; 4-H; the CAFE dairy research facility; the deep soil ecotron; the wildfire, forestry, and policy analysis programs; and the university’s role in veterinary, forestry, and agricultural education. Members asked about quagga mussels, New World screwworm, chronic wasting disease, federal and state funding cuts, and the status of the CAFE project. The university officials said they were willing to assist on invasive species issues, but emphasized not duplicating or diluting agency work, and they described significant impacts from federal funding delays and state cuts. No votes were taken.
The committee then heard testimony from Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse on Idaho’s position regarding ICE’s 287(g) partnership programs. He argued that participation should remain voluntary and locally controlled, and explained the differences among the jail enforcement, warrant service officer, and task force models. He said local agencies already cooperate with ICE in limited ways, but mandatory participation could create staffing, liability, and community-trust problems. Members asked about costs, detention standards, administrative versus criminal warrants, liability exposure, and whether deputies lose local control under task force arrangements. Hulse said the programs vary in cost and complexity, that ICE housing standards can be burdensome, and that local sheriffs should decide based on resources and community needs. The committee also discussed the number of Idaho agencies currently participating and the compensation and exit provisions in the agreements. No formal action or vote was taken.
In a later segment, the committee heard testimony from the Idaho Wool Growers Association and sheep producers on the long-running domestic sheep and bighorn sheep conflict. Stan Boyd reviewed prior legislation and litigation involving bighorn sheep transplants, notice requirements, and “hold harmless” protections for permittees, while Harry Solon described how forest closures and bighorn-related decisions reduced his family’s sheep operation and forced layoffs. The testimony focused on the economic and family impacts of the closures and lawsuits, and on the history of state efforts to protect grazing permittees. No committee action was recorded.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Feb 10th, 2026
New Mexico House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We have our former Speaker of the House and county attorney, current county attorney, Ken Martinez.
- We have our former Speaker of the House and county attorney, current County Attorney Ken Martinez.
- Former Speaker Martinez, county attorney, your office works so much.
- Former Speaker Martinez, county attorney, your office works so hard.
- Attorney from Burr-Lear, President of Garrett, are you ready on item number three? Yes, I am.
Bills:
HB111, HB103, HB109, HB128, HJM2, HJM3, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB49, HB60, HB108, HB120, HB124, HB145, HB154, HB158, HB164, HB180, HB291, HJR6, HJR7, HR1, HJM1, HM13, HM47
Keywords:
water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance
Summary:
The House opened with a series of ceremonial recognitions, including Bernalillo County Day, Pecos Elementary, Las Vegas, New Mexico Highlands University, the New Mexico International School, and the Sun Country golf organizations. Members and guests offered brief remarks praising county staff, educators, university programs, and local public service, and several caucus and committee announcements were made. The House also received a gubernatorial message authorizing consideration of House Bill 303, which was then removed from Rules, ordered printed, and referred to the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee.
The chamber then adopted a long slate of committee reports, moving multiple bills and memorials forward, including House Bills 294, 298, 38, 127, 151, 165, 47, 63, 64, 184, 200, 309, 311, 329, 310, and memorials 20 and 51. Most reports were adopted without objection, and several measures were advanced with committee substitutes or amended versions. The House then proceeded to third reading on selected bills.
On final passage, House Bill 128 passed 61-1. The bill updates presumptive workers’ compensation coverage for full-time firefighters with occupational cancers and other illnesses, and debate focused on the exclusion of volunteer firefighters, the evidentiary burden for exposure claims, and whether the bill should be expanded later. House Bill 109, dealing with the Water Project Fund and allowing the New Mexico Finance Authority to award funds without legislative authorization through December 2029, passed 61-0. House Bill 158, requiring accountability and evaluation plans for agencies receiving growth funds, passed 63-0. House Bill 49, increasing the penalty for serious violent felons who possess firearms or destructive devices to a second-degree felony, was debated extensively over sentencing discretion and the distinction between serious violent and nonviolent felons; the transcript cuts off before the final vote on that bill.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct - 04/24/25
Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct
Transcript Highlights:
- > that</c> Uh, and as you've already mentioned, I do have with me Charlie Nen, who is one of the attorneys
- of</c><00:04:35.600><c> the</c> Nen, who is uh uh uh one of the Nen, who is uh uh uh one of the attorneys
- Uh, you got a chance to meet attorneys.
- Statements were made by the attorney on Tuesday that were basically saying the same thing.
- We all maybe are not attorneys doing pro bono work, but we're doing volunteer work.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (03/25/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- attorneys for children already.
- attorneys for children already.
- attorneys for children already.
- um just for attorneys for attorney issue um just for attorneys for children,<01:43:29.760><c> there's
- </c><01:43:32.639><c> The</c> attorneys for children already. The attorneys for children already.
Summary:
The committee met in Division 3 work session on HB 2 and began by noting a delayed start to allow the Legislative Budget Assistant to finish a large packet of updated amendments and revisions. The chair said the goal for the day was to move as many items as possible, with any cleanup deferred to a Friday follow-up. Members also discussed the process for handling public and department testimony on selected items before votes.
Several early amendments were taken up and voted on. The committee unanimously recommended items dealing with repealing the liquor transfer to the alcohol fund and redirecting liquor-related revenue to the general fund, and it also approved an amendment revising Granite Advantage funding so there would be no automatic transfer from the liquor fund, instead using a general fund appropriation. Members then approved repealing the foster grandparent program by a 5-4 vote, and later approved an amendment requiring DHS contractors to comply with the patients’ bill of rights by a 9-0 vote. The committee also approved incorporating House Bill 94 on Medicaid coverage of circumcision by a 5-4 vote, while deferring the Wick Farmers Market Nutrition Program repeal for more discussion.
The committee spent substantial time on the youth risk behavior survey amendment. Supporters said the change was intended to clarify opt-out procedures and ensure parents, guardians, and students are clearly notified that they may opt out without negative consequences. Some members raised privacy concerns and said the language could add administrative burden, but the amendment was ultimately recommended to Finance by a recorded vote of 8-1. Another amendment on civil rights and contractor standards for DHHS was discussed but not voted on after concerns were raised about vague enforcement language and possible penalties. The committee also struck amendment 1026 as redundant, with members noting related work in existing law and Senate Bill 134, and then moved on to other items, including a revised equity/access-related amendment that was postponed for later discussion.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:16:41.920><c> Is</c> judiciary and costing attorneys etc.
- Is judiciary and costing attorneys etc.
- and and have done a lot of attorney and and have done a lot of legislative<00:27:56.480><c> work.
- general and I'm wondering the attorney general and I'm wondering what's<00:28:41.600><c> been</c><00
- here from the university had attorneys here from the university system<02:04:32.320><c> before.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 23rd, 2026
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator, my understanding is that it's the Attorney General's Office who would be charged with managing
- Yes, I think the way the language is now, it is the Attorney General's Office. circumstance where the
- It is the Attorney General's Office. Enforcement, yes.
- I think the way the language is now, it is the Attorney General's office that's charged with enforcement
Keywords:
animal telehealth, veterinary telemedicine, veterinary telehealth, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, animal health, pet care, companion animal, livestock, remote veterinary care, synchronous audio-video, telemedicine, prescription drugs, antimicrobial drugs, controlled substances, xylazine, compounding pharmacy, veterinary practice, Massachusetts Controlled Substances Act, animal owner
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a hearing on late-filed bills, with testimony heard both in person and remotely. The committee reviewed several measures, including H. 355 and S. 3082 on veterinary telemedicine/telehealth, H. 5445 on additional liquor licenses for East Hampton, and S. 3090/H. 5114 on consumer-connected devices and software support disclosure. The chair outlined hearing logistics, including three-minute testimony limits and written testimony submission, and noted that Lawrence High School students were present to observe.
On the veterinary bills, supporters of H. 355 argued that allowing veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship remotely would improve access to care for pets whose owners face transportation, mobility, or anxiety-related barriers, and could help veterinarians continue practicing through telemedicine. Opponents of S. 3082, including the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association and several veterinarians, said the initial in-person exam is essential to detect conditions that cannot be seen on video, avoid misdiagnosis, and preserve the standard of care; they emphasized that teletriage and follow-up telemedicine are already used after an in-person relationship is established. Committee members pressed both sides on the distinction between teletriage and establishing the relationship, the timing of annual exams, and whether limited exceptions for sedatives or other pre-visit needs might be workable. Senator Lovely testified in support, citing a recent Lyme case where follow-up telemedicine would have been useful.
On H. 5445, Representative Gomez and East Hampton Mayor Salem Derby urged approval of the bill to authorize eight additional liquor licenses, saying the city has reached its current cap, needs economic development, and wants to support downtown revitalization and new restaurant growth. Members asked about public safety and the number of licenses sought; the mayor said local public safety officials support the request and that the licenses would be for restaurants, not bars. On S. 3090 and H. 5114, consumer advocates and cybersecurity experts supported requiring manufacturers of connected devices to disclose software support timelines, arguing it would improve consumer transparency, cybersecurity, and reduce e-waste. Industry groups opposed the bills, saying fixed disclosure requirements could be impractical, create confusion, burden small businesses, conflict with federal efforts, and be difficult to apply to appliances, lighting, and other products with long lifecycles. The committee did not take a substantive vote on the bills during the hearing; at the end, staff announced a forthcoming poll for House members, and the committee voted to adjourn.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Emergency Management Committee Jun 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- AB 1749 would also authorize the Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorney to bring a civil
- Erin Friday, licensed attorney, president of Our Duty, also representing Cause.
- Erin Friday, licensed attorney, president of Our Duty, also representing Cause, Women Are Real, LGBT
Summary:
The committee heard presentations on several emergency-management-related bills. AB 1749 would prohibit drones from knowingly or recklessly interfering with wildfire suppression or other emergency response airspace and authorize civil enforcement with penalties up to $75,000 per violation. AB 1540 would restore the 988 “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention, with the author and supporters describing it as a needed crisis lifeline; opponents argued the bill was unnecessary and criticized the Trevor Project. AB 1805 would overhaul oversight of the state’s troubled next-generation 911 project by strengthening the advisory board, requiring quarterly reports, and mandating an independent technical evaluation and audit. AB 1832 would create a statewide 2-1-1 support fund and a community needs dashboard to expand and stabilize 2-1-1 services. AB 2543 would require EV charging operators to develop emergency management plans and identify backup power or charging options during disasters, with opponents arguing it singled out one industry and could slow deployment.
Testimony was largely in support of AB 1540, AB 1805, and AB 1832, with many public agencies, behavioral health groups, fire organizations, and local governments backing the measures. AB 1540 drew emotional testimony from a parent who lost a child to suicide, while AB 1805 received support from police chiefs, dispatchers, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which discussed the need for an independent technical review of regional versus statewide 911 system options. AB 1832 supporters emphasized that 2-1-1 helps divert non-emergency calls from 911 and provides critical disaster information and referrals. AB 2543 drew opposition from EV charging companies and industry groups, who said the bill imposed unique obligations on private operators and did not address all fuel types.
After debate, the committee voted to advance all of the measures. AB 1540 was sent to Senate Health, AB 1749 to Senate Judiciary, AB 1805 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technology, and Consumer Protection, AB 1832 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications, and AB 2543 to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications with amendments to be taken in the next committee. The consent item, AB 1836, was also approved. Final recorded votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with AB 2543 receiving the most opposition but still passing the committee.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 23rd, 2026
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator, my understanding is that it's the Attorney General's office who would be charged with managing
- Yes, I think the way the language is now, it is the Attorney General's office.
- It is the Attorney General's Office. Enforcement, yes.
- I think the way the language is now, it is the Attorney General's office that's charged with enforcement
Keywords:
animal telehealth, veterinary telemedicine, veterinary telehealth, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, animal health, pet care, companion animal, livestock, remote veterinary care, synchronous audio-video, telemedicine, prescription drugs, antimicrobial drugs, controlled substances, xylazine, compounding pharmacy, veterinary practice, Massachusetts Controlled Substances Act, animal owner
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Emergency Management Committee Jun 23rd, 2026
Emergency Management
Transcript Highlights:
- AB 1749 would also authorize the Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorney to bring a civil
- Erin Friday, licensed attorney, president of Our Duty, also representing Cause...
- Erin Friday, licensed attorney, president of Our Duty, also representing Cause, Women Are Real, LGBT
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Transportation Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Transportation
Transcript Highlights:
- You pick up the 940 CMR and you read it; it was written by an attorney.
- This is the District Attorneys' Association.
- The legal community, the District Attorneys Association, has endorsed this.
- Joe Early, this—excuse me—District Attorney Joe Worley invited us back for the 20th.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills covering motor vehicle sales, registration, title processing, dealer regulation, and several local matters. Chair Cyrro noted that Senate Bill 2414 had been postponed at the sponsor’s request, though public testimony would still be accepted. The hearing then heard testimony on measures including S. 2367, which would make an insurer primary for losses caused by an insured driver in a rental car; H. 3698 and related bills on codifying registration of 25-year-old imported Japanese kei vehicles; H. 3701 on requiring lienholders to release titles within seven days; H. 3690 on capping dealer documentation fees; and H. 3641 on requiring education for class two motor vehicle dealers. Testimony also addressed e-titling and e-signatures, peer-to-peer car sharing, temporary license plates, duplicate plates, general registration plates for motor vehicle distributors, and a bill to ban tinted license plate covers.
Supporters of the rental-car insurance bill argued Massachusetts is an outlier compared with 47 other states and said the change would improve fairness, competition, and consumer understanding without raising premiums. Dealers and industry groups generally supported e-titling/e-signature modernization and the inspection-related bill, but urged safeguards to preserve title, registration, and insurance verification. The Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association opposed the doc-fee cap, saying documentation fees are a disclosed cost-recovery tool that varies by dealership. Representatives and advocates for kei vehicles said the RMV’s 2024 reversal showed the need to codify the rules in law, while opponents of the RMV’s approach described it as arbitrary and harmful to owners and importers. Supporters of the dealer-education bill said it would curb unregulated “curbstoning” and help ensure proper title handling and consumer protection.
Several local and specialty bills also drew testimony. Hatfield officials supported a local bill allowing golf carts on certain town roads under strict safety rules, and Representative Ayers testified for a bill banning tinted license plate covers to aid toll collection, law enforcement, and vehicle identification. Senator Lovely and other advocates supported the “Easy ID” license plate proposal, saying it would improve vehicle recognition in crime and child-abduction investigations. The committee took no votes during the hearing and adjourned after public testimony concluded.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House/Senate Press Conference 4/15/26
Transcript Highlights:
- We have little faith in the ability for the governor or the attorney general to act on.
- <00:04:29.520><c> governor</c><00:04:29.919><c> or</c><00:04:29.960><c> the</c><00:04:30.080><c> attorney
- </c><00:04:30.440><c> general</c><00:04:30.840><c> to</c> the governor or the attorney general to the
- governor or the attorney general to act<00:04:31.320><c> on.
Summary:
Senator Steve Drazkowski and Representative Anderson held a press event promoting the bipartisan, bicameral “Take It Back Act,” a bill aimed at recovering taxpayer money lost to government fraud. They cited major Minnesota fraud cases, including medical assistance fraud, CCAP, and Feeding Our Future, and argued that the state has become a destination for fraud. They said the bill would impose a 100% tax or excise tax on money obtained through fraud, with proceeds deposited into a tax relief fund for income and property tax relief.
The sponsors said the measure is intended to create a stronger deterrent and to recover money even when criminal restitution or prosecutions do not fully recoup losses. They discussed examples of unrecovered funds, said the Department of Revenue could use criminal findings, data analytics, and IRS-sharing data to identify fraud, and noted that the bill includes an appeal process through tax court. They also said the current draft focuses on convicted fraudsters and people or organizations determined by the commissioner to have obtained money by fraud, while trying to avoid sweeping in innocent employees or others who were unaware of wrongdoing.
Anderson said the bill already has significant bipartisan support, including 11 House Democrats and Senator Rest, and that the House Tax Committee hearing is scheduled for April 30. He said the sponsors are working with the Department of Revenue on implementation and may revise the bill to make administration easier. The sponsors said they hope to move the bill through the House and Senate this session, and they closed by encouraging the press to review the fraud website they referenced, mnfraudfiles.com.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- I became an attorney in 2001. It had been in effect for quite a long time before that, I think.
- And so I'm sure you're aware, I believe you're an attorney as well.
- of the other folks we've got testifying to comment on this, but it's your belief as a practicing attorney
- All the time, defense attorneys call me up and say, “Luke, I'm just putting a check in the mail.
Summary:
The House Committee on Insurance met on March 25 and took up House Bill 577 by Representative Glorioso, which would change Louisiana’s bad-faith insurance penalty language from a flat 50% to “up to 50%,” giving judges discretion to award a lower penalty in cases involving minor or technical delays. Glorioso argued the bill would correct an omission from the 2024 consolidation of the bad-faith statutes, reduce unnecessary litigation over nominal delays, and potentially help lower reinsurance and homeowners’ insurance costs. Committee members questioned whether the change would weaken consumer protections or reward insurer misconduct, especially in catastrophe claims after storms, and whether any real rate relief would follow.
Opposition testimony came from the Louisiana Association of Justice and Real Reform Louisiana. They argued the current penalty provisions are important guardrails that help force timely payment and fair handling of claims, especially after hurricanes, and that the bill would reduce deterrence without producing meaningful premium reductions. They also said insurers already have substantial time and procedural protections under the law, and that penalties are rarely awarded but serve as leverage in settlement negotiations. Supporters and the Department of Insurance said Louisiana’s penalty structure is an outlier compared with other states and that the bill could make the market more competitive, though the department said it did not have court data on bad-faith judgments and could not quantify the bill’s effect on rates.
After debate, Representative Glorioso closed by saying he was open to further language changes but asked the committee to advance the bill. The committee then voted 10 yeas and 6 nays to report House Bill 577 favorably. Afterward, the committee moved on to the next item, House Bill 955.