Transcript Highlights:

• And what I found very interesting in my research is just recently, even an entity like NOAA is one of
• the entities that are saying, 'Listen, this is something that we need to take a closer look at and not
• And what I found very interesting in my research is just recently, even an entity like NOAA is one of
• the entities that are saying, listen, this is something that we need to take a closer look at and not
• And once again, you would be surprised an entity such as NOAA—there are several articles out there, just

Summary: The committee first heard SB 200, which would implement recommendations from DEP’s 2020 Recycling Goal Final Report by creating a technical assistance group to develop a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan by 2026. The bill focuses on recycling education and outreach, evaluating the former recycling grant program, and developing markets for recyclable materials. Supporters from the waste and recycling industry and counties said the bill would finally create a real plan to help Florida move toward its recycling goals. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered SB 50 on nature-based coastal resilience, which would promote green, gray, and hybrid infrastructure, direct USF’s Flood Hub to develop guidelines, require DEP rulemaking on erosion and mangrove protection, and study whether nature-based flood reduction could help lower insurance costs. Supporters appeared in favor, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 7000 as a committee bill to continue a public records exemption protecting site-specific location information for threatened and endangered species. Members next took up SB 56 on weather modification activities. The bill would prohibit the release of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere to affect weather or sunlight, define geoengineering, increase penalties through an amendment, and create a DEP reporting hotline with possible referral to DOH or emergency management. The sponsor and several supporters argued the bill was needed to address public concerns and lack of oversight, while several senators questioned the evidence, the role of state agencies, and whether the bill was ready for passage. Despite opposition from some members, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also approved CS for SB 62 creating a resilient building tax credit program, after amending it to shift agency references from DEP to DBPR and add university advisory members, and CS for SB 80 to clarify state park management as conservation-based, require public notice and advisory input for plan changes, and improve reporting on park repairs; both bills were reported favorably after testimony from supporters and conservation groups who sought tighter language to prevent incompatible uses. Finally, the committee received presentations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on gopher tortoise relocation, wildlife disease surveillance, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. FWC described tortoise relocation and recipient-site programs, ongoing monitoring of wildlife diseases such as chronic wasting disease and feline leukomyelopathy, and efforts to address fish die-offs and update sanctuary agreements amid state-federal jurisdiction issues. No votes were taken on the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• distinction if, as you move it, it leaves the choice to shorten the term or lengthen the term to the entity
• distinction if, as you move it, it leaves the choice to shorten the term or lengthen the term to the entity
• distinction if, as you move it, it leaves the choice to shorten the term or lengthen the term to the entity
• distinction if, as you move it, it leaves the choice to shorten the term or lengthen the term to the entity
• distinction if, as you move it, it leaves the choice to shorten the term or lengthen the term to the entity

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they distinct entities or a single foreign government apparatus that controls the Panama Canal?
• It comes from the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, that there is only one entity.
• So we look at it as one entity. Yeah, I might just add, Mr.
• Coast Guard, and other entities to try to have the safest operations possible.
• Moreover, a Chinese state-owned entity is currently building a bridge over the Panama Canal.

Transcript Highlights:

• SUCH AS THE FLORIDA NETWORK TO RENDER SERVICES AND PROVIDE SHELTERS AND YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THESE ENTITIES
• PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS, PRODIGY, THOSE ENTITIES. PROBATION AND COMMUNITY INTERVENTION.
• LASTLY THERE IS JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION WHICH INCLUDES ALL THESE ENTITIES WHO ESSENTIALLY SERVE THE JUDICIAL
• THE JUSTICE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMISSION IS THE ENTITY THAT SORT OF DOES ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE.
• THOSE ARE EXTRAORDINARY AND INEFFECTIVE ENTITIES.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are the policy driver for Medicaid payer as the Medicaid entity.
• working group that they brought together legislators, providers, and DHS as the payer and the policy entity
• with that, that we had the responsibility for them, and we did that with our independent assessment entity
• But I think that focus of, like, do we have a single entity saying that a family can come to and say.
• Do we have a single entity saying that a family can come to and say the person that my family member

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill was well-intentioned and I liked the title um a separate entity that was um um a separate entity
• /c><00:07:42.040><c> money</c><00:07:42.560><c> into</c><00:07:42.920><c> an</c><00:07:43.040><c> entity
• </c> pulling all of this money into an entity pulling all of this money into an entity that<00:07:44.320

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• support for community outreach and education to ensure that our police officers, our law enforcement entities
• support for community outreach and education to ensure that our police officers, our law enforcement entities
• our police officers, our law ensure that our police officers, our law enforcement<00:05:12.320><c> entities
• are</c><00:05:13.199><c> aware</c><00:05:13.440><c> of</c><00:05:13.600><c> how</c> enforcement entities
• are aware of how enforcement entities are aware of how this<00:05:14.000><c> program</c><00:05:14.320

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up several measures, beginning with House Bill 2413 on pre-trial reform, which had been deferred from a prior agenda. The chair said the committee would incorporate judiciary recommendations and other technical, non-substantive amendments to continue discussion, and the measure was adopted with amendments by a 2-1 vote, with one member excused. The committee then heard extensive testimony on House Bill 2062, which appropriates funds for gun violence prevention efforts, including processing temporary restraining orders and gun violence protective orders and funding public awareness campaigns. Supporters, including county, advocacy, law enforcement, and student witnesses, said the bill would improve implementation of an existing law, save lives, and reduce suicides and violence. Opponents argued red flag laws can be abused, raise due process concerns, and may create dangerous enforcement situations. Written testimony was reported as 60 in support, 47 in opposition, and one comment. The committee later passed HB 2062 with amendments, including a corrected effective date, by a 3-1 vote with one member excused. The committee also considered House Bill 1957 on safe entryways, which would establish enforcement procedures in larger cities to prevent blocking of private doorways and entrances. Written testimony included support and opposition, but no oral testimony was offered, and the bill was passed with technical, non-substantive amendments. House Bill 253 on fireworks, which expands civil asset forfeiture for felony fireworks offenses and clarifies air-delivery provisions, was also passed with an amended effective date. House Bill 2581 on emergency management, which would narrow the definitions of disasters and emergencies, drew testimony both supporting the bill as a check on emergency powers and opposing it as incomplete or too broad in its current form; decision-making on that measure was deferred to the committee’s March 23 meeting. House Bill 2498 on a care home resilience pilot program was also deferred to March 23 after no testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Health to provide at least 50 percent of grants provided under the Abortion Savings Program to these entities
• property tax that would have been levied on the facility if the facility were owned by a taxable entity
• The transmission authority already is a publicly accountable entity.
• Normally, transmission is done by privately held entities or by the Bonneville Power Administration.
• The way that the law is structured currently, those entities do payments to the counties or the, um,

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met in executive session on three bills. For Second Substitute Senate Bill 6182, staff explained it would create an abortion savings program funded by a new assessment on health carriers to support grants for abortion clinical care access. Representative Marshall offered amendments to limit grants to Washington residents, expand eligibility to IVF and fertility providers, prioritize medically underserved areas, and add a 2031 sunset; all were rejected or withdrawn. The committee then voted 18-10 to report the bill out with a do pass recommendation. For Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6260, staff briefed a striking amendment that would reduce savings in K-12 spending by changing local effort assistance and Running Start limits, prioritizing some transition-to-kindergarten funding, and eliminating inflation increases for National Board bonuses. Members debated a series of amendments on bus depreciation, charter school LEA payments, transition-to-kindergarten funding, and Running Start. Some amendments were adopted, including a bus depreciation change and a Running Start adjustment, while others were rejected. The committee then adopted the striker as amended and reported the bill out 17-12 with a due pass recommendation. For Substitute Senate Bill 6355, which would establish the Washington Electric Transmission Authority and related board and advisory structures, members considered amendments on rural land-use expertise, eastern Washington board representation, corridor review standards, tribal workgroup removal, and payments in lieu of taxes for transmission facilities. One amendment was withdrawn and the others were rejected except for a landowner/rural expertise amendment that passed. The committee then reported the bill out 18-11 with a due pass recommendation. At the end of the meeting, members exchanged closing remarks thanking staff and colleagues, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because remember, we're working with an entity completely out of our state. There are others.
• And I always have a concern when we join a national entity.
• And if we're allowing, depending how entities change, if the executive board or whoever meets, it's the
• And is this under the medical board, or do they have their own entity that oversees the physician assistants
• part of it, as I've been learning more about compacts and looking, delving into many of these other entities

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 12, the physical therapy licensure compact. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would increase access to care and help recruit physical therapists in New Mexico, especially in rural areas and for neurodivergent patients. Support came from the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, Desert States Physical Therapy Network, Think New Mexico, the state Health Care Authority, and Americans for Autism Advocacy. A trial lawyer raised concerns about immunity, venue, and loser-pays language, and committee members discussed whether New Mexico-specific amendments would be accepted by the compact commission. Two amendments were adopted, including clarifying language on background checks, data, federal court standing, and repeal procedures, plus an immunity-related amendment. The bill was then reported out with a 9-0 due pass recommendation. The committee then considered House Bill 10, the physician assistant interstate compact. Supporters again emphasized workforce shortages, telehealth access, and the need to join the compact to qualify for Rural Health Transformation Program funding. The Health Care Authority said the compact was part of New Mexico’s commitments tied to federal funding, and a trial lawyer again raised concerns about loser-pays language. Two amendments were adopted to clarify New Mexico’s authority over reproductive and gender-affirming care issues, confidentiality of New Mexico licensee data, joint investigations, and contingent repeal procedures. After discussion about malpractice exposure, oversight, and the need for compact commission approval of language changes, the bill received an 8-0 due pass recommendation. House Bill 34, dealing with school nurse licensure provisions, was presented as a cleanup bill to clarify implementation issues from last session. The changes would add charter schools, align contract language with teacher contracts, and adjust supervision and evaluation rules for tiered school nurses in small districts. The New Mexico School Nurses Association supported the bill, and it passed unanimously with an 8-0 due pass recommendation. The committee also heard Senate Memorial 21, which would direct the Department of Health to study overdose prevention centers and other harm reduction strategies. Supporters from the ACLU, All Safe New Mexico, the Drug Policy Alliance, and Families and Youth Innovations Plus argued that New Mexico’s overdose crisis remains severe and that evidence-based interventions could save lives and connect people to treatment. The Department of Health provided background on overdose trends and said it was neutral but available for technical questions. After discussion about fentanyl trends, drug prices, and public health approaches, the memorial was approved on a 7-1 due pass vote. The committee also announced that Senate Bill 130 would be rolled over to Sunday’s meeting because a new substitute needed review.

Transcript Highlights:

• It comprises over 70 persons and entities from a wide cross-section of Idaho.
• It comprises over 70 persons and entities from a wide cross-section of Idaho.
• clarifying of definitions to work with other statutes and with the nomenclature used by various entities
• The list that the Senator was reading from is at least 11 outside entities and persons we worked with
• The list that Senator was reading from is at least 11 outside entities and persons we worked with to

Summary: The committee first approved the January 21, 2026 minutes, then took up Senate Bill 1240, a major rewrite of Idaho’s guardianship and conservatorship laws. Sponsor Sen. Ruchti and witnesses from TEPI, Disability Rights Idaho, AARP Idaho, the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities, the courts, and professional fiduciaries said the bill modernizes outdated statutes, strengthens least-restrictive alternatives, clarifies notice and hearing rights, adds a new short-term protective proceeding, and improves oversight and protections against isolation and abuse. One public witness raised concerns about ambiguity, agency authority, and possible overreach, but no formal opposition was presented by stakeholder groups. The committee voted unanimously to send SB 1240 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then considered three cleanup or clarification bills from Sen. Lakey. Senate Bill 1248 repeals the obsolete capital crimes defense fund now that the state has taken over public defense; it passed without testimony and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1249 updates a statutory reference to current time-zone terminology; it also passed without opposition and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1251, which clarifies that the Idaho Attorney General has statutory authority to civilly enforce state laws through declaratory or injunctive relief when no specific enforcement mechanism is provided. Sen. Lakey said the bill is meant as a catch-all and does not mandate action in every case. One public witness opposed the bill over concerns about broad authority and potential conflicts with local control, while Sen. Wintrow also raised separation-of-powers concerns during debate. Despite those objections, the committee voted to send SB 1251 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• our budget, all of our board meeting minutes, anything that you would expect to find for a public entity
• So we give money to entities for the same thing across the board quite frequently.
• And so we have to create these entities to backfill that for the people that don't have the economic.
• And so we have to create these entities to backfill that for the people that don't have the economies
• we have to do it in a year when we have money because we have to put money aside to hold certain entities

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• really going to providers to create new capacity to take on more children, or for individuals or entities
• They can also be other community entities as well, providing child care services, again, licensed and
• really going to providers to create new capacity to take on more children or for individuals or entities
• They can also be other community entities as well, providing child care services, again, licensed and
• purchase a fire extinguisher or other equipment to keep children in a home environment or in a community entity

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations for several Department of Health and Welfare divisions, including Early Learning and Development, Public Health Services, and Family and Community Partnerships. The analyst and director explained recent reorganizations, such as moving the Idaho Child Care Program into Early Learning and Development, shifting Emergency Medical Services out of Public Health, and proposing to move the Idaho Home Visiting Program from Public Health to Early Learning and Development for efficiency. The presentations also covered ongoing and one-time funding requests for child care capacity, immunizations, HIV and hepatitis prevention, lab testing, disaster preparedness, and kinship navigation services. A major focus was the Idaho Child Care Program capacity funding. Committee members asked about the source of the money, how much was already set aside, whether the funds would create new slots rather than subsidize existing ones, and how the department would verify proper use. The director said the money comes from the federal Child Care Development Block Grant, is intended to expand provider capacity in underserved and rural areas, and can support both licensed and unlicensed providers as long as federal health and safety requirements are met. Members also questioned the proposed five new program integrity positions, including a fraud investigator, and the director said they are needed for a full annual review of providers and beneficiaries; she later corrected that the positions are ongoing, not one-time, funding. Public health questions centered on the effectiveness of HIV and hepatitis prevention spending, the immunization assessment fund, and the role of public health more broadly. The director said HIV and hepatitis funds support education, screening, and surveillance rather than treatment, that the state continues to see a need despite rising case counts, and that the department is revamping outcome reporting. On immunizations, she said the assessment fund is financed by insurer assessments and supports vaccine purchases at lower cost, with the governor recommending an increase based on the assessment board’s decision. Members also asked about the home visiting program’s funding history, the proposed transfer of funds between Youth Safety and Permanency and Switzie for rare complex cases, and the use of ARPA funds for one-time data modernization projects. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• they're entitled to by law, but what they paid for through premiums for health insurance and other entities
• When an entity such as Medicaid or Medicare or a health insurance plan pays for treatment that's been
• He's just paying back what he's been paid through these other governmental entities and health insurance
• He's just paying back what he's been paid through these other governmental entities and health insurance
• He still has to pay back Medicaid and all the other entities that have paid for this treatment.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, Ecology can make drought emergency response grants available to public entities and tribes to
• questions, and we acknowledge that the match requirement can become a barrier for smaller public entities
• And we do continue to support interested public entities on applications that meet the specific requirements
• Public entities across the state have continued to highlight the value they see in building resilience
• And as we've seen, there is continued interest across public entities in the state at different levels

Summary: The committee heard first from Deputy State Climatologist Karen Bumbacco, who reviewed the weather and snowpack conditions that contributed to Washington’s 2025 drought. She said the state had a very warm and dry water year, with April through September ranking among the warmest and driest periods on record, and that three straight years of below-normal snowpack and precipitation had compounded drought impacts, especially in the Yakima Basin. She also explained that a weak La Niña could bring a wetter-than-normal winter, though temperature forecasts were less certain, and noted that long-term climate projections point to continued snowpack decline and earlier runoff timing. Department of Ecology staff Rea Burns and Caroline Melor then described the state’s drought declaration process and response. They said Washington’s statutory drought threshold is less than 75% of normal water supply plus a hardship finding, and that Ecology extended the Yakima drought declaration in April and expanded it statewide in June. They discussed reliance on federal monitoring data and staffing at NRCS, USGS, Reclamation, and NOAA, and said federal staffing and funding instability has created concerns for snowpack and water data. They also reviewed drought response funding, noting that grants have supported projects in the Yakima and Dungeness basins and that the drought emergency account still has a balance available for current needs. Burns gave a detailed update on the Yakima Basin, saying it experienced unprecedented conditions this year, including nearly empty reservoirs, curtailment orders sent to about 1,500 water users, and the first time even the most senior 1855 surface water rights were turned off. She said widespread compliance occurred, though the process exposed areas for improvement, especially coordination with federal partners. Committee members asked about the long-term basis for climate projections, the 75% drought threshold, federal impacts, drought insurance, reservoir storage, and whether the state should consider more drought funding or new storage projects. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• election at large and numbered positions, which is in line with the model of other governmental entities
• Currently, taxpayers struggle to find complete information concerning the tax entity elections that impact
• taxpayers to access historical and current information about bond and debt obligations issued by taxing entities
• agencies would be asked to coordinate the rules so the reporting would be easier for the witnesses and entities
• He noted that there are three different entities and said the matter would be handled in rulemaking.

Bills: HB103

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government heard a series of local and special-purpose bills, mostly with brief sponsor explanations and little or no public opposition. Topics included fireworks sales near the Texas-Mexico border for Cinco de Mayo (HB 1629), allowing larger counties to use their own inspectors for county buildings (HB 3234), updating governance and financial rules for the Wood County Central Hospital District (HB 5664), clarifying firefighter collective bargaining and impasse procedures (HB 3171), and exempting certain Fort Worth ETJ properties from release rules to protect infrastructure investments (HB 2512). The committee also heard bills on border subdivision rules in Cameron County (HB 3680), extending a property tax exemption to surviving spouses of certain veterans affected by the PACT Act (HB 2508/HJR 133), drainage district election timing and procedures (HB 5693, HB 2694), utility transparency for municipally owned systems (HB 1991), and management district and hospital district election or appointment changes (HB 5698, HB 2293). Another major bill, HB 1449, would expand a food truck permitting pilot program to counties over one million population; witnesses supported the concept but asked the committee to coordinate it with related fee and standards bills, and the bill was left pending for further work. The committee also heard HB 3732, which would let fire departments obtain extensions to comply with new NFPA protective equipment standards, and HB 5431, which would clarify that mayors and at-large council members do not need new elections after reapportionment; both were left pending after questions about their scope. Several transparency and tax-related bills were also discussed, including HB 103, creating a statewide database of local bond and tax election information, and HB 851, requiring reporting on homestead tax ceiling properties; both drew support and were later voted out. After testimony, the committee reported multiple bills favorably, often unanimously, and recommended many for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also used procedural swaps to substitute House companions for Senate bills on several measures, then recessed with plans to return later to process additional bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Anti-Red Flag Act prevents all government entities in Texas from recognizing or enforcing red flag
• Furthermore, the bill prohibits Texas entities from accepting federal funds to enforce... force red flag
• Senate Bill 1362 seeks to place a prohibition on local regulation by stopping all governmental... entities
• The bill also prevents state and local entities from accepting federal grant funds for the implementation
• that a person is in immediate danger to themselves or others. ...we will prohibit and even punish entities

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How does a hosting entity know something is a bot? Or a human? Senator Birdwell, I don't know.
• To refresh everybody, it introduces liability protection for the cavern entities, provided that they
• And the way I read that initially... was that it's actually three different entities: the professional
• Private entities, but by and large, the National Association of Realtors controls that.
• said that they are not subject to the Constitution of the United States because they are a private entity

Bills: SB2101, SB2334, SB2633, SB2637, SB2713, SB2781, SB2782, SB3059, HB1130, HB256, HCR19

Keywords: minors, sexually explicit materials, public libraries, age verification, civil penalties, library collection review, alcohol storage, airline permits, beverage regulations, airport, commercial flights, alcoholic beverages, local option election, zoning regulations, municipality control, land use, state law, social media, bot accounts, misinformation

Transcript Highlights:

• journalists' interest in this concept stems from abusive claims of sovereign immunity by some governmental entities
• It effectively nullifies the TPIA when the request is directed to a governmental entity.
• If that entity can simply declare sovereign immunity and avoid a response.
• is Representative Kerrie Isaacs's bill that we heard last week relating to liability of a cavern entity
• And then a private entity bought it out for 103 million. Yes, that is the same one.

Bills: HB113

Keywords: HB 113, Texas, Government Code Chapter 1253, general obligation bonds, bond election, voter approval, political subdivision, local government, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds, capital projects, public finance, bond referendum, ballot measure, five-year waiting period, rejected proposition, election law, municipal finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And the RPEP coordinating entity could be a non-profit. or a service center that kind of sits above the
• additional daily attendance that goes to. the home district that is then shared with the coordinating entity
• the legislation works is that 20% of that funding for that 80% is controlled by the coordinating entity
• students. students who are participating in that pathway, they're still benefiting from the coordinating entity
• RPAP designated district is to have a contract between all of the districts and the coordinating entity

Bills: HB20, HB 120, HB20, HB120

Keywords: applied sciences, career education, high school diploma, certificate program, work-based learning, job placement, high-growth jobs, technical training, career readiness, education reform, workforce training, public schools, financial aid, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Transcript Highlights:

• reservation I have is based on opposition testimony from Hy Hy pyro, which is supposedly the only legal entity
• reservation I have is based on opposition testimony from Hy Hy pyro, which is supposedly the only legal entity
• reservation I have is based on opposition testimony from Hy Hy pyro, which is supposedly the only legal entity
• reservation I have is based on opposition testimony from Hy Hy pyro, which is supposedly the only legal entity
• Which is supposedly the only legal entity that does the Hilton wine Village shows and 95% of the legal

Keywords: 910, house, all