Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing no one approaching, let's bring it back to committee for questions by committee members.
• Questions by committee members? Yes, Dr. Weber Pearson. Questions by committee members? Yes, Dr.
• All right, let's bring it back to committee for questions and comments by committee members. Yes.
• In this committee, I believe I'll see it again in health, which is a different committee. Um.
• In this committee, I believe I'll see it again in health, which is a different committee.

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several bills. SB 479 by Senator Arreguín would allow Berkeley, Long Beach, and Pasadena, as local health jurisdictions, to use multidisciplinary homeless response teams and share specified information across departments; supporters said it would improve coordination and services for unsheltered residents, and the bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations. SB 46 by Senator Umberg would direct the Secretary of State to keep constitutionally ineligible presidential candidates off the California ballot, including anyone who has already served two terms; supporters argued it was a constitutional enforcement measure, while Senator Niello questioned whether it was needed, and it passed 6-1 to Appropriations. SB 99 by Senator Blakespear would improve coordination between military and civilian systems by requiring courts and law enforcement to account for military protective orders and notify military authorities of possible violations; the Department of Defense supported it, while the ACLU raised due process concerns, and it passed 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 719 by Senator Cabaldon would extend the sunset on state reporting about high-risk automated decision systems from 2029 to 2032, and it passed 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 300 by Senator Padilla would strengthen California’s new AI chatbot law by requiring operators to prevent minors from being exposed to sexually explicit material; supporters said the existing law was insufficient, while industry groups warned against expanding a brand-new regime before it had been tested, and it passed 9-0 to Appropriations. SB 381 by Senator Wahab would allow adult adoptees, and descendants of adoptees, to obtain original birth certificates and create a nonbinding contact preference form for birth parents; supporters described health, identity, and dignity concerns, while some members raised privacy concerns, and it passed 13-0 to the Senate Health Committee. SB 33 by Senator Cortese would eliminate the sunset on the public works contractor claim-resolution process, with supporters saying it reduces litigation and speeds payment, and it passed 10-0 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee, good afternoon.
• and we can do it through rule in the House and Senate joint rules or we can pass legislation that requires
• That you and the committee have undertaken.
• It could be some OSHA rules in there.
• It could be some OSHA rules in there.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Leadership Division of the Budget Section approved the prior meeting minutes and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s interim work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has reviewed state cash, investments, and liquidity across agencies and concluded the state’s overall mix of long-term and short-term assets is appropriate, with about $35 billion in total liquid assets and investments and roughly 89% in longer-term investments. He highlighted process improvements already underway, including replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work, and said the board sees opportunities to improve forecasting, automation, and statewide coordination. Members asked about whether the CD change would increase returns, how the Legacy Fund transfer for the homestead tax relief bill affected earnings, and whether more state cash could be consolidated or better managed through BND; Sickler and BND staff said those issues are being studied and may lead to legislation for the 2027 session. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the committee on the Task Force on Government Efficiency. He said the group has focused less on cutting dollars and more on defining metrics and asking how the legislature knows whether programs are working. The task force is pushing a standard set of questions for new or expanding programs—who is affected, expected outcomes, alternatives, how success will be measured, and full funding—and OMB has agreed to require those answers in future budget requests. Members discussed possible use of dashboards, program evaluators, AI tools, and possible rule or statutory changes to require performance measurement. Toman said the task force will continue meeting with agencies such as the courts, university system, auditor, HHS, Commerce, and ITD to identify workflow bottlenecks and potential efficiencies. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota gave a workforce update, reporting that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5% and labor force participation is about 68.7%, both well above national performance. He described Job Service’s 15 workforce programs, including H-2A housing inspections for foreign agricultural workers, the job placement partnership program with DOCR, WOTC, and other federal and state workforce efforts. Davis said the agency served more than 11,000 individuals in 2025, operates nine workforce centers, and tracks outcomes through quarterly and annual reporting. In response to questions, he said job openings data reflect only positions in the system and may understate actual hiring needs, that child care and other assistance programs could be better tied to employment outcomes, and that the DOCR partnership has shown strong results with lower recidivism and higher earnings. He also said the H-2A inspection workload is growing quickly and additional staffing or less frequent federal inspection requirements could help. Allen Knutson then presented S&P Global’s updated revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the prior month’s outlook, improving the state’s near-term revenue picture, though the economy remains volatile and agriculture is facing weaker commodity prices. Based on the updated forecast, total major tax revenues for the current biennium are projected to be about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and the next biennium could be about $500 million higher, though that estimate is preliminary and may change. He also walked through an alternate oil-price scenario showing significantly higher oil and gas collections and a larger Strategic Investment Fund balance if prices remain elevated. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about tribal allocation changes in the alternative scenario; Knutson said additional updates are possible through OMB and future forecast cycles.

Transcript Highlights:

• , came through Rules unanimously.
• I did want to also thank the committee members that passed it out of committee with a 9-0 vote.
• Out of Rules Committee with a 15-0 vote, I would appreciate the members of...” “...committee with a 15
• House Bill 1644 passed out of the Economic Development Committee by a vote of 13 to 0 and Rules Committee
• House Bill 2641 passed out of your Committee on Crime and Public Safety 15 to 1, and passed out of Rules

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members of the committee. For the record, Lena Langer, counsel to the committee.
• For now, the committee is in recess. The committee will come to order again.
• It's everything from voir dire that starts with jury selection to rulings on motions in limine, rulings
• There's something called the rule of lenity.
• It's everything from voir dire that starts with jury selection to rulings on motions and limine, rulings

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met in executive session on February 2, 2026, to consider several bills. Staff summarized bills on reentry and earned release time (HB 1239), assault with sexual motivation (HB 2310), extraordinary medical placement (HB 2490), Office of Independent Investigations reporting rules (HB 2508), stalking supervision (HB 2510), nitrous oxide restrictions (HB 2532), and inmate funds/indigency thresholds (HB 2539). HB 2220 was bumped to the next day, and the committee later deferred action on HB 2490. On HB 1239, the committee considered multiple amendments. Amendments to require additional community custody supervision, reduce the earned release increase for serious violent and Class A sex offenses to 20%, and bar earned release from being used if parole is later established were all rejected. Amendments excluding sexual motivation enhancements from earned release calculations and adding a second DOC pilot program for incarcerated survivors at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton were adopted. The committee then reported out the amended substitute bill on a 5-4 vote, with members debating public safety, victim impacts, sentencing fairness, and DOC workload. HB 2310, which elevates fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation to a Class C felony for offenders with specified criminal history, was reported out unanimously. HB 2508 was amended to narrow immediate reporting requirements for non-deadly force incidents and in-custody deaths, then passed unanimously. HB 2510, requiring DOC supervision for people convicted of stalking in community custody, also passed unanimously. HB 2532 passed unanimously after an amendment adding a veterinary-care exception to the nitrous oxide offense. HB 2539, which raises the inmate indigency threshold to $100 and, in the substitute, removes the telephone-services deduction exemption, passed on a 6-3 vote. The committee adjourned after stating it would return the next day to act on the remaining bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House of Representatives' standing committee on rules begs leave to report that it has carefully
• The committee made a ruling to move that up to under the age of...
• That the court overturns that ruling?
• To be unconstitutional, however the court rules, I respect the ruling of the court, whether it's in favor
• The only thing that was changed in our committee, Mr.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, members will have five bills before the committee. and 1 PCS.
• Thank you, Committee. Good luck.
• And committee staff.
• From other states, however, are not bound by that rule.
• Thank you, Chair, thank you, committee members.

Committee: House Commerce Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee.
• Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Spencer Camps.
• Trent, a question: whose responsibility is it to know the rules, the water rules in this state, when
• Trent question who responsibility is it to know the rules of the the water rules in this in the state
• In the Natural Resources Committee in the Senate—how did that go?

Bills: SB1137 , SB1200 , SB1419 , SB1447 , SB1560 , SCM1004

Committee: House Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bill and it's referred to the committee bill and it's referred to the committee on<00:05:55.199>
• And you have amended the bill as recommended by the Committee on Judiciary.
• </c><00:15:24.399><c> on</c> recommended by the committee on recommended by the committee on judiciary
• Committee. Committee. &gt;&gt; Senator<00:21:03.919><c> from</c><00:21:04.080><c> Windham.
• President, just to round that out, the Senate Education Committee will meet at 1:30.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> writing to committee. writing to committee.
• It establishes a legislative study committee to examine whether existing administrative rules governing
• Uh, that Senator Roford went to the rules committee, uh, and the Senate did get a late-filed legislation
• the</c><03:51:10.800><c> Senate</c> the rules committee uh and the Senate the rules committee uh and
• And this committee is going to help us be able to close those holes in our rules and our regs.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> conference committee report. conference committee report.
• </c> committee report. Uh thank you, Mr. committee report. Uh thank you, Mr.
• Welcome to the committee.
• Welcome to the committee.
• sent to that committee.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, and members of the committee.
• Our committee has total of 21 sponsors.
• </c><00:33:15.279><c> members</c> annually. 10 of your committee members annually. 10 of your committee
• </c> of the committee? of the committee? Senator<00:37:51.119><c> Neas.
• Judge Sans, member of the committee.

Committee: Joint Local Government

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:08 Roll Call 00:00:29 Discussion of Large Project Siting in Local Governments Following Clover Creek Solar v. Breckinridge County 00:03:34 Discussion of Coroners’ Issues 00:24:49 Adjournment 01:01:11, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members of the committee, Chris Blake, staff of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee.
• Representative DeBrodoski and members of the committee, again, Chris Blake, staff to the committee.
• ski and members of the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee, Kim Weidner, staff to the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee. Kim Weidner, staff to the committee.

Summary: The committee heard public hearings on several health-related bills. House Bill 1904 would prohibit cat declawing except for therapeutic purposes, with staff explaining definitions, fines, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The prime sponsor and animal welfare advocates described declawing as cruel and linked it to pain and behavior problems, while the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association supported the substance of the bill but asked to remove the added reporting and disciplinary provisions as redundant and burdensome. House Bill 2211 would provide guidance for medically tailored meals under existing Medicaid-related nutrition supports, including standards for Washington-based nonprofit providers where possible, menu review, and nutrition requirements. The sponsor said it would clarify implementation without expanding the program, and supporters from meal providers, food distributors, and local farms said it would improve health outcomes, keep dollars local, and support Washington jobs and agriculture. House Bill 2329 would allow licensed midwives to delegate certain tasks to medical assistants and to supervise medical assistants, with the sponsor and birth center operators saying it would fix an omission in current law and help rural and under-resourced birth centers operate more efficiently. Supporters said it would improve staffing and financial stability, while the sponsor indicated the lactation consultant language would likely be removed because those consultants are not regulated by the Department of Health. The committee then returned to House Bill 1904 for additional testimony from humane organizations, veterinarians, shelter leaders, and local officials, all supporting a ban on declawing and emphasizing animal pain, shelter impacts, and available alternatives. House Bill 2247 would expand and clarify veterinary telehealth and veterinarian-client-patient relationship rules, allowing a VCPR to be established in certain telehealth circumstances and setting guardrails for consent, practice standards, and when in-person exams are still required. Supporters from shelters, animal welfare groups, mobile clinics, and veterinarians said telehealth would improve access in rural and underserved areas, reduce shelter intake, and help animals receive care sooner; the veterinary association supported the bill with amendments to clarify recordkeeping and access-to-care findings. House Bill 2339 would update nursing license terminology and processes for advanced registered nurse practitioners, including title changes, controlled substance rules for CRNAs, transcript submission, and interim permits. Nursing board and ARNP representatives supported the technical updates, while the hospital association and medical association raised concerns about title language for clinical nurse specialists and the deletion of a reference to the medical profession. Finally, House Bill 2106 would require health carriers to give 90 days’ notice of significant mid-contract payer modifications and provide the actual modification language, with the sponsor and hospital and provider representatives saying insurers are increasingly making unilateral changes that affect payment, services, and patient access. UW Medicine and a rural hospital district described examples where insurers changed imaging or preventive service coverage mid-contract, causing financial losses and forcing difficult choices about network participation. Carriers were noted as opposing the bill, while providers and facilities argued it would improve transparency and prevent one-sided contract changes that disrupt care.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next order of business is a meeting of the Committee on Committees and Rules Committee.
• and the Rules Committee at the Clerk's desk.
• Committee on Committees and the Rules Committee on Committees and the Rules Committee<01:58:59.679><c
• at</c><01:59:04.719><c> the</c> committees and rules committee at the committees and rules committee
• The next order of business is a report of the Committee on Committees and Rules Committee. Mr.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on Committees and Rules Committee.
• The Senate shall stand in recess for meeting the Rules Committee and Committee on Committees at the clerk's
• The Rules Committee has met and posted the following bills to the regular orders for Friday, February
• Also, the Rules Committee has recommitted Senate Bill 74 to Appropriations and Revenue.
• /c><01:13:02.400><c> the</c> rules committee has recommitted the rules committee has recommitted the

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, that takes us down to the report of the executive committee.
• The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met on February 19th this week.
• All other rules were reviewed and approved and noted in this report. Mr.
• And so they have not been presented to this committee at this time.
• The committee reviewed all items listed in the report.

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer, approval of the prior minutes, and a monthly revenue report from the Bureau of Legislative Research. The report showed gross general revenue collections up year to date and net general revenue above forecast, with the increase attributed in part to income tax growth, a fiscal-year shift, and lottery-related collections. Members asked no questions, and no action was required on the revenue report. Several subcommittee reports were then presented and adopted, including executive, administrative rules, game and fish/state police, hospital/Medicaid/developmental disability, occupational licensing, PEER, revenue, state insurance programs, and personnel. The executive report noted a waiver request for Jackson County School District construction services and an audit with no findings. The administrative rules report covered agency directives, rulemaking updates, and a few rules pulled for later consideration. The revenue subcommittee held one District 4 tire removal contract until its next meeting, while the state insurance subcommittee reviewed the EBD contract with Boston Consulting Group and approved pharmacy formulary and drug recommendations. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the State Insurance Department’s examination of pharmacy benefit managers, especially Navitus Health Solutions. Commissioners and staff explained that Navitus objected to producing certain claims data for self-funded plans, raising an ERISA preemption argument, and that the matter was being set for an administrative hearing, likely in April. Members questioned compliance, due process, and the implications of the objection, while the department said the state initiated the examination and was continuing to seek resolution. The committee also reviewed an Arkansas Teacher Retirement System agreement, with one member noting a potential conflict and abstaining. The meeting ended after members reviewed additional reports with no further action and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members of the committee.
• Senate Bill 1012 keeps the rules simple.
• We can protect innovation, Senate Bill 1012 keeps the rules simple.
• Chair, members of the committee.
• I've said it dozens of times to the members of this committee.

Committee: House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first and held public hearings on two Senate bills. Senate Bill 944, sponsored by Sen. Carla May, would update the statutory salary range for the City of St. Louis sheriff’s attorney, which she said has been unchanged since 1990 and no longer reflects inflation, modern legal complexity, or comparable compensation in other jurisdictions. There was brief supportive comment from Rep. Fuchs, and no witnesses appeared in opposition or for information. The hearing on SB 944 then concluded without further action. The committee next heard Senate Bill 1012, sponsored by Sen. Nicola, which would clarify that existing law applies to artificial intelligence and that humans remain responsible for AI use. The bill also addressed AI in licensed professions, companion chatbots, and political ads using generative AI. Rep. Fuchs raised a question about liability for sharing an AI-generated image, and the sponsor said the bill excludes end users from liability and is intended to create basic guardrails while preserving innovation. Testimony in opposition came from Americans for Prosperity and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Both argued the bill was overly broad and contained drafting problems, including unused definitions, cross-reference errors, and unclear metadata and liability provisions. The Chamber also said the bill would create regulatory uncertainty for industry and should be perfected before advancing. After public testimony, the committee moved into executive session on SB 1012 and voted the bill do pass, but the vote was 0 ayes and 11 noes after a member changed to the prevailing side, so the bill failed. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Morning, Chairman and committee. Bruce Scogg, District 10.
• Chairman and committee members.
• Yeah, I'm trying not to turn this into a germane committee hearing.
• And committee, you'll just note, we'll see a few more of these RSs around rules.
• Thank you, Representative Monks and committee members.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee.
• So you're familiar with us committee.
• I can take committee wants to go.
• I am Sean Jasper, the committee.
• I don't know if I forwarded those on to LBA, so please... rule with in rules would bring in rule with

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the committee, I'm here to present... Good afternoon, members of the committee.
• Good afternoon, members of the committee. Good afternoon, members of the committee.
• File item 19, AB 1557, and then, as I noted at the beginning of this committee, pending Joint Rule 62
• That bill fails committee. It was noted earlier that... Four to three. That bill fails committee.
• Committee adjourned.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rules Chair Passidomo, for what purpose do you rise? Thank you, Mr.
• Senator of the 28th, Rules Chair Pasidomo, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. President.
• I move that the rules be waived and SCR 1466 be immediately certified to the House.
• Senator of the 28th, Rules Chair Passidomo, you're recognized for another motion. Thank you, Mr.
• Madam Rules Chair, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. President.

Keywords: 999, senate, all