Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:26:17.000><c> program</c> best more robust uh safety program best more robust uh safety program
• of people think that it's important to have a safety net.
• You know, unemployment is a safety net. It's not the end all.
• You know, unemployment is a safety net. It's not the end all.
• You know, unemployment is a safety net. It's not the end all.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the director of administration at the Department of Safety. Welcome. Good afternoon.
• </c> department of safety. department of safety.
• Um, the Department of Safety... ...one question about drones.
• </c><00:18:43.520><c> the</c> of safety safety is not abading the of safety safety is not abading the
• The Department of Safety... >> Thank you, ma'am.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Fiscal Committee met on January 23, 2026, approved the December 19, 2025 minutes, and adopted the remaining items on the consent calendar after noting several withdrawals. The committee then took up Department of Safety item FIS 26007, which involved Homeland Security/FEMA grant funding for equipment and UAS-related activities. Senators asked whether any of the funding would support federal civil immigration enforcement or shared operations with federal agencies, and about privacy protections for drone data. The department said the grant is governed by federal parameters, that the state uses the remaining 20 percent after federally directed uses, and that privacy law in this area is evolving. The item was adopted on an 8-2 vote. The committee next considered Department of Environmental Services item 26003, which had been withdrawn by the Senate. A senator said concerns about using the funds for a different project had been resolved after speaking with the commissioner, and the item was adopted without further debate. The committee then moved to Department of Health and Human Services item 260005, a request for about $700,000 in remaining ARPA-related funds for the Hampstead children’s facility project. Commissioners explained that the project had been funded in stages because the original appropriation was based on estimates and bid assumptions, and that the remaining money would cover alternates and finish the project without using general funds. Senators raised concerns about repeated requests for additional money, the adequacy of security, site-selection costs, and why the project had not been fully funded at the outset. The department said the project had been intentionally structured to proceed in phases and that required security would be provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm asking you for the safety of my family, for the safety of my middle school sister, and for the safety
• About majority majority of it is safety.
• of</c> safety of my family, for the safety of safety of my family, for the safety of my<01:54:20.400>
• </c> while honoring legitimate family safety while honoring legitimate family safety needs.<01:57:16.159
• </c> want to consider that and the safety want to consider that and the safety issues<02:05:35.760><c

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:27:50.720><c> and</c> the Department of Safety and the Department of Safety and uh<00:27:52.400
• The House will now attend to the safety.
• </c><00:46:33.359><c> to</c> criminal justice and public safety to criminal justice and public safety
• The house will be give them the safety.
• </c><01:05:46.799><c> because</c> increase in public safety because increase in public safety because

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And five, he acts as if bird flu experts, nuclear safety officers, and IRS workers right in the middle
• For me, this is a safety concern on one hand.
• </c> increas increases Transportation safety increas increases Transportation safety Agriculture<02:11
• </c> also the cost to their health and safety also the cost to their health and safety the<02:54:09.279
• </c><07:26:34.478><c> and</c> pretty critical to Aviation safety and pretty critical to Aviation safety

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, this order includes a carve-out to preserve state laws related to child safety protections.
• The new ones, the technology and the safety factors are there. I worry about the old pipelines.
• The new ones, the technology and the safety factors are there, so I'm not worried about that.
• There could be safety incidents.
• So this is such profoundly important stuff on the safety of children.

Summary: The committee met at Minot State to continue its study of artificial intelligence, with a focus on child safety, sexual exploitation, chatbot risks, and education policy. Members first approved the minutes and then received a Legislative Council overview of AI-related harms to children, including AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, extortion, and chatbot companion risks. The memo reviewed North Dakota and federal law, recent state enactments, First Amendment limits, and examples from other states, including Connecticut’s AI companion safeguards and federal efforts such as the Take It Down Act. Members discussed whether North Dakota’s existing 2025 laws on minors and harmful material are strong enough in light of recent court decisions, and Legislative Council indicated it would provide additional comparison material before the next meeting. Superintendent Levi Bachmeier then presented on AI in education, arguing that schools need guardrails but should not ban AI outright. He said AI should be treated as a tool that can support instruction, teacher efficiency, and digital literacy, while warning against passive use, academic integrity problems, and overreliance on machines. He suggested embedding AI and digital literacy across subjects rather than creating a standalone class, and said schools should provide basic instruction when students receive one-to-one devices. Members asked about parent concerns, local control, higher education partnerships, and how to balance access with safety; Bachmeier emphasized a “threading the needle” approach and said the department would likely seek more guidance on digital literacy and cybersecurity. Special Agent Hellseth of BCI followed with testimony on AI and child exploitation. He said AI is already being used in North Dakota to create explicit images from innocent photos, impersonate children and adults, and facilitate grooming, harassment, and extortion. He described several cases involving AI-generated sexual images and said victims often suffer lasting trauma even when the images are fake. Hellseth explained that investigators use AI tools themselves to process large volumes of data and identify synthetic images, but that the workload is growing and victim services need expansion. He urged stronger accountability for companies, more resources for law enforcement and victim support, and continued training and public education. Members asked about cyber tip volume, staffing, false accusations, and corporate reporting obligations; Hellseth said every tip is reviewed, the unit is small but expanding, and current federal reporting laws are not proactive enough. Representative Porter suggested combining the Legislative Council memo and Bachmeier’s recommendations into a comprehensive bill draft for the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a measure that's focused on child safety during one of the most critical stages in the dependency
• Thank you for your co-authorship, as well as law enforcement and public safety organizations across the
• It's directly tied to public safety, land use planning, and long-term resource management.
• Local governments are tasked with protecting land use, infrastructure, and community safety over the
• No safety concerns, no, you know, name it. The city was kind of frozen, all right?

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with testimony largely focused on child safety, immigrant community transparency, agricultural land security, consumer protection, estate transfers, detention commissary pricing, and public works wage enforcement. SB 1234 would require fentanyl to be included in drug tests ordered by juvenile courts for parents or guardians in dependency cases; the author said it was a narrow child-safety measure, and there was no opposition. SB 1257 would require the Attorney General to publish annual reports on immigration enforcement incidents at designated safe locations; supporters said it would improve accountability and document fear in immigrant communities, while questions centered on how the data would be collected and concerns were raised about sanctuary policies. SB 1176 would bar foreign adversary entities from buying or controlling California agricultural land; supporters framed it as a national security measure, while committee members pressed the author on enforcement, who would verify buyers, and possible discriminatory application. The bill was moved on a 2-4 vote and placed on call after the author said he would work on clarifying responsibility and nondiscrimination concerns. The committee also heard SB 1146, which would require clear disclosure when AI-generated or altered images, audio, or video are used in health-related advertisements depicting health care providers. The California Medical Association and California Dental Association supported the bill, saying it would curb deceptive deepfake ads and protect consumers; it passed unanimously, 7-0. SB 988 would restrict assignment of benefits in auto glass claims, require claim numbers and itemized estimates, and update repair disclosure rules to curb overbilling and steering; supporters said it would protect consumers and stabilize insurance costs, while independent glass shop concerns about steering and market concentration were discussed. The bill passed 7-0, with one member abstaining because of a conflict. SB 1288, presented on behalf of Senator Laird, would require financial institutions to make good-faith efforts to notify beneficiaries of non-probate assets and would simplify access requirements, especially for nonprofits. Supporters described long delays and burdensome account-opening requirements; SIFMA and the California Bankers Association opposed the bill unless amended, citing conflicts with federal and industry obligations and concerns about retroactive burdens. The bill passed 8-0. SB 941 would cap commissary markups in private immigration detention facilities at 35% above vendor cost; supporters said detainees often pay excessive prices for basic necessities, and the bill passed 8-0. Finally, SB 909 would raise and index public works contractor fees and penalties and dedicate more penalty revenue to enforcement; labor supporters said stronger funding is needed to address wage theft and backlogs, while contractors warned of uncapped costs and reduced transparency. The discussion continued with questions about enforcement and whether stronger penalties or license restrictions would better deter repeat violators.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a measure that's focused on child safety during one of the most critical stages in the dependency
• Thank you for your co-authorship, as well as law enforcement and public safety organizations across the
• It's directly tied to public safety, land use planning, and long-term resource management.
• Local governments are tasked with protecting land use, infrastructure, and community safety over the
• No safety concerns, no, you know, name it. The city was kind of frozen, all right?

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These exemptions recognize real-life circumstances and protect the dignity and safety of people who may
• with the amendment language that we just put in, information related to the benefits, the risks, the safety
• especially for these families that are dependent on this, reentry from the justice system and public safety
• Bill 86 declares that the operation of a commercial vehicle by an unauthorized alien is an imminent safety
• Specifically dealing with the questions about public safety unions, I just want to clarify my previous

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and doctor-of-the-day introduction, then moved through a long special-order calendar. Early proceedings included a resolution honoring former Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber also heard several member introductions and recognitions before taking up bills. The most substantial debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758 on public assistance and Medicaid/SNAP reforms. The bill would strengthen fraud enforcement, impose a Medicaid work requirement for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid pharmacy purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Senators Berman, Smith, Bracy Davis, Osgood, and others argued for Medicaid expansion and added protections for vulnerable SNAP recipients, while Gates defended the bill as a compliance and cost-saving measure. Multiple amendments were offered, including Berman’s Medicaid-expansion condition and Osgood’s SNAP photo-ID safeguards; both were defeated. The bill was placed on the calendar for third reading after extended questioning. The Senate then passed a series of bills, often substituting House companions before final vote. These included tax conformity legislation (7031/7048), technology and computer science education (1503/1694), Parkinson’s disease registry and related public-records measures (1443/1684), designation of the SS American Victory as the official state flagship (249/1656), electronic payments for local governments (967/1612), legal tender and related public-records exemptions for gold, silver, stablecoins, and virtual currency kiosks (1311/1588/1087/7044/1568), local government finance and spending transparency (1329/1566), digital voyeurism (1536), insurance customer representative licensing (1343/1504), and medical freedom legislation (1756) with amendments on anti-kickback rules and vaccine information materials. Most bills passed on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with several amendments adopted and some withdrawn; the medical freedom bill was still under consideration at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> lot of sense, of course, for safety. lot of sense, of course, for safety.
• </c> fewer resources, making DV both a safety fewer resources, making DV both a safety crisis<00:18:55.520
• . able to have enhanced victim safety.
• As well as safety? Yes, very much so.
• </c> fewer victims, greater public safety. fewer victims, greater public safety.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:01 Kentucky’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative – Domestic Violence: 00:02:00 Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act: 00:46:41, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary approved the minutes from its July 24, 2025 meeting and heard an announcement about a lunch sponsored by the Kentucky State Buildings and Trades Council on forming a blue-collar caucus. The main presentation came from the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center on the Kentucky Justice Reinvestment Initiative’s domestic violence work, which was described as a multi-year effort begun in 2023 to analyze data and interview stakeholders across the state. Presenters reported that domestic violence is widespread in Kentucky, with about half of adults experiencing some form of violence or stalking in their lifetimes, and that an average of about 22,000 IPV incidents occurred annually from 2018 to 2022. They said domestic violence is a major driver of violent crime, accounting for about 48% of person offenses over a six-year period, and is linked to significant shares of homicides, sex crimes, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and simple assault. They also said reported incidents and arrests have risen in recent years, that protective-order violations and convictions have increased, and that Kentucky ranks near the bottom among surrounding states in the share of victim compensation for domestic-violence-related claims. Law enforcement survey results showed strong adoption of model policies and guidance, but limited use of screening tools for serious injury risk. The presenters emphasized that domestic violence also places heavy demands on law enforcement, courts, and corrections, citing roughly 30,000 law-enforcement responses in 2022 and noting that more than a third of people entering DOC custody and nearly a third under supervision had DV-related histories. They said a small group of repeat offenders drives ongoing harm and that targeted interventions could reduce recidivism. They highlighted a North Carolina example in which focused intervention reduced IPV-related homicides and calls for service, and they referenced Kentucky’s 2020 assessment recommendations on training, language access, protective-order service, and coordination with victim services and batterer intervention providers. They estimated that a 25% reduction in reported DV incidents could prevent nearly 5,000 victimizations annually and reduce DOC commitments and costs substantially. Committee members asked about the relationship between civil domestic violence petitions and companion criminal cases, and the presenters said they would check whether the data could answer that question. Members also discussed recent Kentucky legislation, including Senate Bill 319 on crime victims compensation and House Bill 38, which made a third domestic violence offense a Class D felony. Several members thanked the presenters and advocates, and one member raised concerns about service of process and recent violent incidents involving domestic violence-related warrants, prompting discussion of dedicated service units in larger jurisdictions and the resource limits faced by smaller agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a 750. that is associated with those safety-only counties.
• And to protect our safety, so I appreciate that very much, so.
• But there was not a lot of safety precautions at the time.
• It's important not only to transportation, but public safety.
• And this would be a complimentary safety assessment.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:03.280><c> for</c> of the necessity for it, the safety for of the necessity for it, the safety
• This is a worker safety bill, and we are committed to our employees' safety and well-being.
• to our employees safety are committed to our employees safety and<01:48:02.800><c> well-being.
• </c> for the safety of my employees. for the safety of my employees.
• </c> um, public safety. um, public safety.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:27:14.880><c> and</c><00:27:15.120><c> National</c> to track down Public Safety and National
• <01:08:01.079><c> act</c><01:08:01.559><c> of</c> safety act of safety act of 2006<01:08:03.559><c> second
• </c><01:23:49.520><c> of</c><01:23:49.719><c> America's</c> the safety of America's the safety of America's
• It's a public safety power shutoff. It's like a third rural country.
• </c><04:17:17.279><c> for</c> project was to improve fire safety for project was to improve fire safety

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bless them with hope, safety, and peace.
• Bless<00:01:33.200><c> them</c><00:01:33.360><c> with</c><00:01:33.560><c> hope,</c><00:01:34.160><c> safety
• </c> Bless them with hope, safety, and peace. Bless them with hope, safety, and peace.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Convention on Climate Change, and the International Criminal Police Organization, which impact the health, safety
• 55.400><c> health,</c> Organization, which impact the health, Organization, which impact the health, safety
• 17:57.080><c> of</c><00:17:57.200><c> the</c><00:17:57.280><c> people</c><00:17:57.600><c> of</c> safety
• , and well-being of the people of safety, and well-being of the people of Taiwan,<00:17:58.640><c> and

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to better educate the public, and for parents and families to better educate their children on the safety
• their<00:08:26.640><c> children</c><00:08:27.320><c> on</c><00:08:27.640><c> the</c><00:08:27.720><c> safety
• c><00:08:28.200><c> of</c><00:08:28.360><c> it</c><00:08:28.600><c> and</c> their children on the safety
• of it and their children on the safety of it and so<00:08:29.040><c> that's</c><00:08:29.440><c> why

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3785, a bill from Representative DePauw dealing with classification issues for electric bicycles and electric motorcycles. DePauw said the bill responds to concerns raised by a constituent, the Department of Public Safety, insurance companies, and law enforcement about the lack of a clear category for electric motorcycles and the need for clearer rules on where these vehicles may be used and how accidents and liability are handled. Several members spoke in support of the bill’s safety and education benefits, while also noting that the issue is still evolving and may need further work before final passage. The committee first considered and adopted the DePauw A11 amendment, described as a technical amendment to allow the Department of Natural Resources to use appropriated money or license-fee revenue for signage. Fiscal staff explained that the DNR has a $30,000 cost and $32,000 in offsetting revenue in a special revenue fund, but cannot access that revenue without a direct appropriation, making the amendment necessary. Representative Frazier noted the bill still needs additional work and confirmed with DePauw that further changes would be made before the bill reaches the floor. After discussion, including comments about the growing use of e-bikes by seniors, people with disabilities, commuters, and families, the committee voted to advance House File 3785 as amended. The motion to refer the bill to the general register passed on a voice vote, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• registration there at the window, those types of things, because we're trying to pay attention for officer safety
• He said this was the least of the safety issues, that insurance is allowed, and that if people want the
• He did not think it added any unnecessary risk to officer safety.
• I don't think that adds any unnecessary risk officer safety.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 629 from Representative Joe Palmer, which would let vehicle owners choose not to receive a paper registration card from ITD and instead keep an electronic copy on a phone or print one themselves. Palmer said the change was intended to give drivers flexibility and save ITD about $800,000, with the savings redirected to highway-related funds. He also said the bill would not require electronic registration, only allow it as an option, and noted that commercial vehicles already have a similar option. Chief Deputy Zach Hesing of the Ada County Sheriff’s Office testified in opposition on behalf of the Idaho Sheriffs Association. He said officers need a paper registration during traffic stops because phones, computers, or DMV systems can fail, especially in rural areas, and because handling a driver’s phone raises practical and officer-safety concerns. Several senators questioned how the bill would work if a phone was unavailable or if officers had to take a phone back to a patrol car; Palmer responded that drivers could still print a copy and that officers could radio in information if needed. During debate, supporters argued the bill was a modern convenience and a cost-saving measure that did not change the underlying requirement to provide proof of registration. Opponents raised privacy, Fourth Amendment, and officer-safety concerns, and some said registration should remain with the vehicle rather than be stored on a personal phone. A motion by Senator Kaiser to send HB 629 to the floor with a due pass recommendation failed on a voice vote, and the bill remained in committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• general revenue and there is no line item that we are actually spending Representative: it on public safety
• management lawyers and three strike-all amendments in the Senate as constitutional issues and child safety
• states abandoned registry restrictions because they have no impact on prevention, threaten public safety
• By expanding the protections, this legislation strengthens public safety, provides safeguards for our

Transcript Highlights:

• rate-making authority, its permissive authority to regulate for convenience, comfort, health, and safety
• , and, of course, the legislature's ability also to regulate for health and safety purposes, which the
• argument that future energy supply information can be seen to relate directly to public health and safety
• recommend a floor amendment to clarify the connection between the policy here and public health and safety

Summary: The committee considered a series of bills and resolutions for constitutional and proper-form review, with Tim Fleming from the Rules Attorney’s Office flagging potential issues and suggesting floor amendments in several cases. House Bill 2313, dealing with teachers’ strikes and work stoppages, was found to raise a pension-rights problem under the state constitution because it could diminish retirement benefits; the suggested fix was to remove the words “or former employment.” The committee also reviewed House Bill 2697 on opioid overdose emergencies and related immunity provisions, House Bill 2912 concerning Corporation Commission review of integrated resource plans for electric utilities, House Bill 2991 on parental consent for minors’ social media accounts, House Bill 4010 regulating genetic counselors and conscience protections, and House Bill 4115 and HCR 2051 regarding petition circulator identification requirements. In each of those measures, the rules attorney identified constitutional concerns tied to anti-abrogation, separation of powers/rate-making authority, First Amendment issues, or lawsuit-threat language, but indicated proposed amendments could resolve them. Members asked questions and debated the constitutional analysis, especially on HB 2912 and HB 2991. On HB 2912, one member argued the bill concerned policy and modeling rather than rate-setting, while others noted the complexity of the commission’s authority. On HB 2991, the sponsor said the measure had been under negotiation for months and was intended to avoid constitutional conflict, though the rules attorney said the First Amendment case law was not yet well developed. For HB 4010, the committee focused on a provision that could prohibit threatening a lawsuit against a genetic counselor, which the attorney said should be removed. For HB 4115 and HCR 2051, the attorney cited Buckley v. American Constitutional Law Foundation as a reason to delete the petition-circulator name-disclosure requirement. The committee voted to recommend each of the individually discussed measures as constitutional and in proper form, generally by 4-2 votes with two absent, including HB 2313, HB 2697, HB 2912, HB 2991, HB 4010, and HB 4115/HCR 2051. At the end of the meeting, the committee approved a large mass motion covering many additional bills and resolutions, and that package was recommended by a 6-0 vote with two absent. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Public Safety AMB is now in session. And let's see.
• I would look at it as enhancing public safety, but yes. You're recognized. Thanks, sir.
• This bill creates a revolving fund in the Department of Public Safety to be administered and award grants
• to counties for purposes of public safety equipment related to traffic control.

Summary: The Public Safety committee met and first considered HB 2993, as amended by a PCS, which would create 11 Council of Government-based positions to help rural law enforcement pursue grants and equipment funding. Members questioned the estimated $1.1 million annual cost, whether the program would mainly benefit rural areas rather than metro counties, and how the money would be administered through Oklahoma Homeland Security. The bill author explained that each COG would receive one funded position and that the money would stay within each COG. The committee voted 7-2 to report the bill favorably. The committee then heard HB 3850, which would require inmates to obtain a high school equivalency diploma as a condition of parole and would place the diploma in the inmate’s release file to improve employability and reduce recidivism. Questions focused on whether the requirement applied to all inmates, how it would affect release eligibility, and whether existing DOC programs already provide similar training. The author said the bill would build on current law and could help reduce waiting lists for equivalency programs. The committee voted 8-1 to pass the bill. Next, HB 3595, with a PCS, would create a revolving fund in the Department of Public Safety to award counties grants for traffic-control public safety equipment, especially for events where vehicles could be used to harm crowds. Members discussed the bill’s dependence on future appropriations and its status as a vehicle for the idea while budget issues are resolved. The committee voted 7-2 to report it out. The committee also unanimously passed HB 3763, requiring two hours of domestic violence training as part of continuing education for law enforcement, and HB 3760, a tax credit for donations to qualified law enforcement foundations, with the author noting a planned amendment to include COGs and certain other nonprofits. The chair announced one more meeting the following week and then adjourned the meeting.