Video & Transcript : 'prevailing wages' :
Page 37 of 394
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee 4/13/26
Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- investigations, traditional financial crimes, fraud involving state government programs, and then wage
- investigations, traditional financial crimes, fraud involving state government programs, and then wage
- </c><00:18:51.560><c> theft</c> programs, and then wage theft programs, and then wage theft investigations
- It captures a lot of labor items like prevailing wage requirements.
- Thank you very much. labor uh items like prevailing wage labor uh items like prevailing wage requirements
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Housing Jun 21st, 2026 at 09:00 am
Joint Committee on Housing
Transcript Highlights:
- Specifically, what this bill will do—and I just want to say at first, this bill has no effect on prevailing
- wages.
- The public housing industry very much supports living wages and wages for tradesmen that we understand
- The public housing industry very much supports living wages and wages for tradesmen that we understand
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Housing held a hearing on a wide range of housing bills focused on manufactured housing, condominiums, public housing, tiny homes, and protections for elderly and disabled residents. Chairs Haggerty and Cyr opened by emphasizing the importance of these housing types and the need to hear from many speakers. Testimony on manufactured housing was especially extensive and sharply divided. Supporters of bills such as H. 1475, S. 990, and H. 1513 argued that out-of-state corporate owners are buying communities, raising rents and fees, reducing services, and exploiting legal gray areas. Residents and lawmakers from affected communities like Taunton, Middleborough, Attleboro, and Oak Point described steep rent disparities, fear of displacement, and the need for stronger protections, while Representative Hawkins urged an omnibus approach and said the bill would create a local board to ensure compliance with existing law. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Manufactured Housing Association and Hometown America’s counsel, argued that current law already provides protections, that the bills would create uncertainty or unfairly restrict owners, and that H. 1475 was intended to clarify the post-Blake legal landscape. The committee also heard testimony on condominium reform through S. 980, with owners describing lack of transparency, surprise assessments, and limited accountability, and urging updates to Chapter 183A and more owner rights.
Public housing bills also drew support from housing authority advocates. MassNAHRO backed S. 955, H. 1517, H. 1512, H. 1550, and H. 1551, saying housing authorities need more flexibility to preserve and expand affordable housing. Witnesses supported tax relief for replacement public housing units and streamlined procurement rules, arguing these changes would help projects move faster and make better use of capital funds. Committee members asked questions about PILOT agreements, tax treatment of new developments, and whether state and federal public housing would be treated similarly. The committee also heard from Senator Lovely and advocates for S. 1007/H. 1525, which would prevent and respond to bullying of elderly and disabled residents in housing. Supporters described the bills as a long-needed response to harassment in senior and public housing, calling for building-level plans, staff training, and AG oversight; Jerry Halberstadt said the measure should be strengthened with enforcement and tenant advocacy support. Pamela and other witnesses described severe personal impacts from bullying and management retaliation.
Another major topic was S. 1474/H. 1474 on movable tiny houses as permanent dwellings and accessory dwelling units. Supporters, including Representative DeCoste, Vera Struck, Kaylee DeCrease, and Abundant Housing Massachusetts, said tiny homes are a safe, affordable, sustainable option for seniors, workers, and others facing the housing shortage, and urged the committee to legalize them and align state rules with emerging standards. They also discussed tax classification and the need for a clear building code and DMV category. Finally, H. 1476 on pet-friendly elderly housing drew support from animal welfare groups, who said the bill would restore and modernize a prior pet program, expand access across state-aided housing, limit pet deposits, and reduce pet surrender caused by housing barriers. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment & Energy Jan 22nd, 2026 at 08:00 am
Environment & Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- an ELUF, there are requirements for community workforce agreements or project labor agreements, prevailing
- wage, and apprenticeships.
- And communities are reaping the benefits of the family-wage construction jobs, the new community assets
- And communities are reaping the benefits of the family-wage construction jobs, the new community assets
- Quincy has 45% of family wage jobs related to data centers, and 57% of our property tax base is collected
Keywords:
energy facilities, large energy use, regulation, state oversight, infrastructure, water quality, game farms, public health, environmental protection, regulatory oversight, extended producer responsibility, paint waste management, environmental regulations, sustainability, recycling, ski areas, winter sports, terminology update, recreation, regulatory changes
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 4/16/26
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> abstention, the motion does not prevail abstention, the motion does not prevail for<00:28:36.480
- And of course they're good to point out, this is not like an hourly wage.
- And of course they're good to point out, this is not like an hourly wage.
- And of course they're good to point out, this is not like an hourly wage.
- And of course they're good to point out, this is not like an hourly wage.
Bills:
HF4338
Keywords:
human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review, postpayment review, surety bond, compliance training, case management, targeted case management
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- . wage. wage.
- So it'll actually drop them when you're just dealing with wages.
- cost of the the wages and the benefits<01:47:20.040><c> study.
- How often do wages versus the benefits.
- </c><01:47:35.560><c> or</c> it'll be but is that just the wages or it'll be but is that just the wages
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- Providers cannot sustain frozen rates while wages and operating costs continue to rise.
- Currently, Medicaid reimburses home care aide wages in assisted living at just $16 per hour.
- Medicaid is currently paying assisted living $16 an hour for personal care, which is below minimum wage
- We also hope that you're able to prevail against the Senate that is reducing that amount.
- We also hope that you're able to prevail against the Senate that is reducing that amount.
Bills:
HB2289
Keywords:
appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Appropriations Feb 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Providers cannot sustain frozen rates while wages and operating costs continue to rise.
- Currently, Medicaid reimburses home care aide wages in assisted living at just $16 per hour.
- Medicaid is currently paying assisted living $16 an hour for personal care, which is below minimum wage
- We also hope that you're able to prevail against the Senate that is reducing that amount.
- We also hope that you're able to prevail against the Senate that is reducing that amount.
Summary:
The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on proposed substitute House Bill 2289, the House operating budget. Budget staff Mary Monroe gave a detailed overview of the proposal’s near general fund outlook, reserve levels, major revenue assumptions, and major spending and savings items. She highlighted assumed revenue from capital gains and a proposed “millionaires tax,” a transfer from the budget stabilization account, administrative reductions across agencies, and several major policy shifts, including changes affecting Working Connections Child Care, K-12 education, higher education, long-term care, behavioral health, wildfire response, and state employee compensation. Members then asked questions, including about the higher education building account/operating fee swap and its interaction with the capital budget and Climate Commitment Act funds. The committee also announced amendment deadlines for the budget process.
The bulk of the meeting was public testimony, with many speakers generally supporting or opposing specific parts of the budget. Supportive testimony praised funding for wildfire prevention, public health, reproductive health, civil legal aid, the Poison Center, some higher education institutions, and certain disability and child welfare services. Many speakers urged restoration or protection of funding for K-12 education, especially transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, bus depreciation, and Running Start; others opposed cuts to child care, early learning, public defense, long-term care, adult day and home care services, occupational/physical/speech therapy for Medicaid patients, and community and technical colleges. Several local government, health, and nonprofit representatives also asked the committee to preserve public works, homelessness, energy assistance, environmental justice, and recovery/diversion programs, while some business and public safety groups sought continued funding for organized retail crime prevention and related initiatives.
No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee recessed briefly and later resumed with virtual testimony, where additional witnesses repeated concerns about education cuts, long-term care, health care access, disability services, dispute resolution, early childhood programs, and the need for ongoing or increased funding in those areas.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability Aug 27th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- into the access side of it, of the affordability of their debt, their credit score, and their livable wages
- the access side of it, of the affordability, of their debt, their credit score, and their livable wages
- overwhelmingly being used by affordable builders because they tend to bring with them requirements like prevailing
- wage or deep affordability, which don't work for market-rate builders.
- wage or deep affordability, which don't work for market-rate builders.
Summary:
The Assembly Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability held its first hearing of 2025 to examine California’s housing finance system, with opening remarks emphasizing the state’s severe housing shortage, high costs, and the need for practical recommendations to the Legislature and Governor. Co-chairs described the committee as an educational and problem-solving forum focused on financing housing production, first-time homeownership, mixed-income developments, and affordability across the income spectrum. Witnesses from state agencies and the development sector were invited to explain how housing is financed and where the system is breaking down.
Panelists from the California Housing Partnership, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the Tax Credit Allocation Committee/State Treasurer’s Office, CalHFA, and Related outlined the “capital stack” used to finance affordable housing, stressing that projects typically rely on multiple public and private sources, including federal and state low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, state subsidies, local funds, and rental income. Speakers noted that affordable housing rents generally cannot support full project costs without public subsidy, and that recent federal changes—especially the expansion of the 4% and 9% tax credit programs and the reduction of the bond financing threshold for 4% credits—should allow California to finance substantially more units. CalHFA also described its homeownership programs, including My Home, Dream For All, and disaster-related mortgage assistance, as well as its multifamily lending and bond issuance programs.
Several witnesses and committee members emphasized that the system remains too complex, too slow, and underfunded. They pointed to the need for more state funding, a housing bond, a permanent funding source, and better coordination among agencies, while also citing recent streamlining efforts such as AB 434’s SuperNOFA, AB 519’s one-stop-shop working group, and the planned California Housing and Homeless Agency reorganization. Members raised concerns about equity, access, missing-middle housing, gender and racial disparities, and whether current programs adequately serve extremely low-income households and those at risk of homelessness. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing; the discussion ended with committee members and witnesses agreeing that both funding and administrative reform are needed to increase production and improve affordability.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Gov. Tim Walz's tax bill, HF2437, heard in House Taxes Committee 4/2/25
Transcript Highlights:
- Motion prevails.
- This bill would tax people who are just trying to avoid having their credit destroyed and their wages
- </c><01:04:31.440><c> garnished</c><01:04:31.839><c> for</c> destroyed and their wages garnished for
- It's like regular people who make a wage—we can't cheat on our taxes because all the information just
- people who make a wage we can't cheat<01:25:04.000><c> on</c><01:25:04.119><c> our</c><01:25:04.320>
Summary:
The committee took up House File 2437, the governor’s proposed tax bill, and first adopted the A25-Z42 amendment to put the bill in the desired shape. Commissioner Paul Marquardt of the Department of Revenue then presented the bill as part of Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan’s budget, describing it as a response to budget pressures that would make the tax system more fair and stable while supporting economic development and jobs.
Marquardt walked through the bill’s major provisions. These included sustainable aviation fuel policy, repeal of K-12 education credit assignment, elimination of the political contribution refund, expansion of the research and development credit, short-line railroad infrastructure modernization, changes to the state airport fund levy, replacement of attachments and appearances with distribution systems, a narrow personal property tax exception for low-income housing tenants, reduced aquatic invasive species aid, and a 34% reduction in PILT payments. He then focused on the sales tax article, saying it would lower the statewide rate by 0.75% while expanding the base to selected professional services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services, with business-to-business transactions exempt. He said the proposal would be effective for sales and purchases after September 30, 2025, and estimated a first-year rate-cut impact of about $99 million versus $215 million from the service expansion, while arguing that most households would see a net tax cut. He also noted other changes such as landlord penalty adjustments, a 30% reduction in sustainable aviation fuel incentive payments, repeal of local government cannabis aid, and repeal of the tax filing modernization account.
Public testimony began with Kyle Playford of the Financial Planning Association of Minnesota, who strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on professional services, especially financial planning. He argued that financial planning is an essential service for retirement, investment, and long-term financial security, and said the tax would raise costs for consumers, reduce access for middle-class families, small business owners, and retirees, and put Minnesota firms at a competitive disadvantage. The chair then indicated that additional public testimony would continue before member questions.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment & Energy Jan 22nd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- an ELUF, there are requirements for community workforce agreements or project labor agreements, prevailing
- wage, and apprenticeships.
- And communities are reaping the benefits of the family-wage construction jobs, the new community assets
- Quincy has 45% of family-wage jobs related to data centers, and 57% of our property tax base is collected
- These are high-quality, family-wage jobs that support local communities and sustain a skilled construction
Summary:
The committee heard House Bill 2343, which would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain CAFO or individual discharge permit coverage for its game farms, and to treat game farms with at least 5,000 birds as large CAFOs. The prime sponsor and local officials from Centralia said the WDFW pheasant farm has contributed to nitrate contamination in a critical aquifer, affecting drinking water and public health, and argued the state should be held to the same standards as private operators. WDFW testified that it has already voluntarily secured the permit the bill would require and is working with Ecology and local partners. Testimony from county health and residents largely supported the bill, citing elevated nitrate levels and health risks, especially for infants and pregnant people.
The committee then heard House Bill 2301, which expands Washington’s paint stewardship program to cover additional paint-related products, aerosol paints, and certain non-industrial coatings. The sponsor and industry supporters said the existing paint recycling program is working well and should be broadened to keep more materials out of landfills and reduce local hazardous waste costs. Local government witnesses supported the expansion but asked for changes on convenience standards, packaging coverage, and reimbursement for local collection costs. Ecology supported the overall concept but raised implementation concerns, including the need for uniform standards, full reporting, and more time for rulemaking. A wood preservatives industry representative opposed including wood preservatives, saying they are not paint and have different handling requirements.
The committee also took testimony on House Bill 2515, a proposed substitute addressing emerging large energy use facilities, defined mainly as large data centers and virtual currency mining facilities. The bill would require utilities to adopt tariffs or policies to protect other ratepayers, require long-term contracts, demand response or curtailment provisions, reporting on energy and water use, and new clean energy targets for these facilities, while also changing how no-cost allowances under the Climate Commitment Act are allocated and creating an annual fee for the facilities. Supporters, including environmental groups, community action agencies, some utilities, and labor and tribal representatives, said the bill would protect ratepayers, improve transparency, and keep Washington on track for climate goals. Opponents, including data center and business groups, some ports, and several labor organizations, argued the bill is too prescriptive, could raise costs or discourage investment, may affect existing contracts and other large industrial loads, and could reduce construction jobs. No votes or final actions were taken in the transcript.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Mar 30th, 2026
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions
Transcript Highlights:
- It's just moving forward by wage and salary growth.
- Because the cap is simply last year's cap plus wage and salary growth.
- residents than there is on higher-wage residents.
- residents than there is on higher wage residents.
- And we tax typical wages, salaries, and pensions at, if I was reading... ...and we tax typical wages,
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Mar 30th, 2026
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions
Transcript Highlights:
- residents than there is on higher wage residents.
- residents than there is on higher wage residents.
- And we tax typical wages, salaries, and pensions at, if I was reading... ...and we tax typical wages,
- Sounds appealing: taxes shouldn't grow faster than wages and salaries.
- First, it’s been mentioned that it’s indexed to wage and salary growth.
Keywords:
tax revenue, state surplus, taxpayer refunds, budget growth, Massachusetts General Laws, income tax, tax reduction, state law, personal income tax, tax rates
Summary:
The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on two proposed ballot initiatives: one to reduce the state personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, and another to revise the state tax collection cap law (62F) so the cap would be based on the prior year’s actual collections plus wage-and-salary growth and would include surtax revenue. Committee chairs outlined the hearing process and noted that the measures would need additional signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot if not enacted by the legislature.
The committee’s expert witness, Doug Howgate of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, said the income tax proposal would lower the base rate in stages beginning in 2027 and would ultimately reduce state income tax collections by about $5.4 billion annually when fully implemented. He estimated savings would vary by income level, from a few hundred dollars for lower- and middle-income households to about $10,700 for taxpayers at the surtax threshold. He argued the proposal would improve tax competitiveness but would also require major budget adjustments, likely including reserve use, spending cuts, and possibly new revenue measures; he cited prior downturns and said the state’s rainy day fund is stronger than in past recessions, though spending growth and health care costs remain concerns. On the 62F proposal, he said rebasing the cap to prior-year collections would make refunds more likely, with modeled refunds totaling about $7.9 billion without the surtax and $10.1 billion with it over the last decade, and warned it could reduce stabilization fund deposits and constrain recovery after recessions.
Proponents of both petitions, including representatives from Taxpayers for an Affordable Massachusetts, NFIB, Pioneer Institute, and the Mass Opportunity Alliance, argued that Massachusetts faces an affordability and competitiveness crisis and that lower taxes would help families, small businesses, job creation, and outmigration. They said the income tax cut would put about $1,300 a year back into the hands of average families, help pass-through businesses reinvest, and improve the state’s ability to compete with lower-tax states such as North Carolina. Their economist, Rebecca Paxton, presented a model projecting average annual revenue losses of about $680 million during the phase-in and a total net income tax revenue impact of $2 billion to $2.2 billion, while saying long-term revenue growth would be stronger after implementation. The hearing ended with committee questions and a brief dispute over a planned voter testimonial video, which the chairs said was not appropriate for the hearing at that point.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Committee Jan 22nd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- AB 1198, Haney, prevailing wage.
Summary:
The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on January 22, 2026, for its regular order hearing and suspense-file hearing. In regular order, the committee approved consent-calendar bills AB 683, AB 763, AB 1126, and AB 1278 on unanimous due-pass motions, and AB 34 and AB 442 on a second unanimous due-pass motion. The committee then heard and advanced several bills, including AB 35, which would create an APA exemption for Proposition 4-funded programs to speed implementation of water, wildfire, energy-storage, and grid-support projects; AB 748, establishing pre-approved housing programs for local agencies; AB 939, allowing immediate transfer of certain affordable homeownership units to qualified nonprofit housing organizations; AB 643, adding a narrow organic-waste-derived agricultural fertilizer product to SB 1383 procurement options; and AB 96, removing the high school diploma requirement for certified Medi-Cal peer support specialists. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with sponsors and coalition representatives emphasizing reduced delays, lower costs, and improved housing, environmental, or behavioral-health outcomes. The Department of Finance offered general budget comments but no bill-specific positions. The committee voted the bills out, with AB 643 and AB 96 receiving no recorded opposition in the transcript and AB 939 passing with some members noting support and interest in coauthoring.
The committee also received a presentation-only discussion of AB 1091, a proposal to authorize eight-letter specialty license plates, which the author said could generate revenue for rural programs such as the Williamson Act; the bill was not acted on at that time. After public comment, the committee moved to the suspense-file hearing on 53 bills. Using a substituted motion for due-pass and due-pass-with-amendments items, the committee held some bills and advanced many others, often with amendments that narrowed scope, deleted provisions, or required reports or studies. Bills held in committee included AB 405, AB 298, AB 333, AB 296, AB 1091, AB 1241, and AB 577, among others. The committee reported moving 43 bills to the Assembly floor, with several on A roll calls and others on B roll calls or with amendments, and noted that amendment language would be posted later online.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Committee Jan 22nd, 2026
Appropriations
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- :09:36.480><c> nurses</c><00:09:36.880><c> a</c><00:09:37.040><c> competitive</c><00:09:37.519><c> wage
- </c> could pay our nurses a competitive wage could pay our nurses a competitive wage without<00:09:38.640
- If this is allowed to continue, we will have no choice but to reduce nurse wages to Medicaid levels.
- Please state your name for the record and proceed. reduce nurse wages to Medicaid levels. reduce nurse
- wages to Medicaid levels.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- residents than there is on higher-wage residents.
- residents than there is on higher wage residents.
- And we tax typical wages, salaries, and pensions at, if I was reading... ...and we tax typical wages,
- Sounds appealing: taxes shouldn't grow faster than wages and salaries.
- First, it’s been mentioned that it’s indexed to wage and salary growth.
Summary:
The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on two proposed ballot initiatives: one to reduce the state personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, and another to revise the state’s tax collection cap/62F process so it would be based on prior-year collections plus wage growth and include surtax revenue. The committee chair and House co-chair outlined the hearing process, and the first witness was Doug Howgate of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, who testified as the committee’s subject-matter expert on both measures. He said the income tax proposal would lower taxes broadly but would reduce state revenue by about $5.4 billion when fully implemented, with an estimated $800 million hit in FY27, and he discussed possible effects on competitiveness, taxpayer savings, and public finances. On the 62F proposal, he said the revised cap would make refunds more likely, could have produced several large refunds in recent years, and would reduce stabilization fund deposits and constrain recovery after recessions.
Committee members questioned Howgate about competitiveness, outmigration, prior tax ballot measures, spending growth, MassHealth, and the interaction between the income tax and surtax. He emphasized that taxes are only one part of the state’s overall competitiveness and that housing, public services, and other factors also matter. He also noted that the surtax is constitutionally restricted but can still support ongoing spending choices. After his testimony, the committee moved to the proponents’ panel.
Proponents of both initiatives, including representatives from Taxpayers for an Affordable Massachusetts, the National Federation of Independent Business, Pioneer Institute, and the Mass Opportunity Alliance, argued that the measures would improve affordability, help retain residents and businesses, and support job growth. They cited polling support, outmigration, small-business reinvestment, and comparisons to lower-tax states such as North Carolina. Their economist, Rebecca Paxton, said her model showed smaller revenue losses than critics claim and projected that the revised revenue cap would not create additional annual revenue losses while producing more regular taxpayer refunds. Committee members pressed the panel on competitiveness, prior ballot initiative implementation, and whether the measures would actually address broader affordability pressures; the hearing ended with the committee continuing to take questions from the proponents.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We want things in our country addressed like being able to make a good wage and have groceries and health
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- History shows that strong, well-organized efforts like this consistently prevail in court.
- Prevailing in court. This is not a loophole. It's a right. And we are ready to defend it.
- labor has fought to secure the most basic rights: the right to bargain collectively, to earn fair wages
- When women fought for their right to vote, when workers demanded fair wages, and when young people marched
Summary:
The hearing of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs was opened by Chair Joe McGonagle and Vice Chair Senator Mike Rush, who noted that Chair John Velis was deployed with the Massachusetts National Guard. The chairs explained the hybrid format, three-minute testimony limit, live streaming, and filing deadlines, and said the committee would hear 11 House bills and eight Senate bills dealing with federal and overseas issues. Much of the hearing centered on competing resolutions about Article 5 constitutional conventions, along with related resolutions on D.C. statehood, child labor, Citizens United, and Cambodia.
Supporters of H. 4692 and S. 284, a joint resolution to rescind all prior Massachusetts Article 5 convention applications, argued that old resolutions from the 1930s and 1970s could be used to count Massachusetts toward the 34-state threshold for calling a federal constitutional convention. Testifiers from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Reproductive Equity Now, labor groups, and others warned that a convention would have no clear rules, could not be reliably limited to specific topics, and could put civil rights, reproductive rights, labor protections, and other constitutional protections at risk. Several speakers also cited a recent federal lawsuit and said the safest course was to remove outdated applications from the books.
A large opposing panel testified in support of H. 3888, a resolution calling for a Convention of States to propose amendments limiting federal power, imposing fiscal restraints, and establishing term limits. Supporters argued that Article 5 provides a lawful way to address federal overreach, debt, and congressional stagnation, and said the process would be limited by state applications and ratification by 38 states. Some committee members and witnesses raised concerns about a runaway convention, broad language in the resolution, and whether Congress could or should set rules for such a convention. Representative Gentile also testified in support of several related resolutions on overturning Citizens United, D.C. statehood, and the child labor amendment, while Representative Howard and Representative Tongue supported a Cambodia resolution condemning political oppression and urging free and fair elections. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee 4/8/26
Transportation Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Many years ago, we struggled with the concept of prevailing wage, and then we went on to wetland conservation
- Many years ago, we struggled with the concept of prevailing wage, and then we went on to wetland conservation
Bills:
HF4807
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session Mar 6th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
Washington House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- whether it's ships, planes, missiles, or satellites, in order to engage in that conflict and ultimately prevail
- And often their retirement is a percentage of what their wages were.
- Retirement is a percentage of what their wages were when they were working.
- testimony in committee on both sides of the matter, but I believe the testimony for this policy prevailed
Bills:
HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6137, SB6244, SB6044, SB6132, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258, HB2720, HB2073, HB2487, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6137, SB6244, SB5420, SB5868, SB6044, SB6132, SJM8002
Keywords:
behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, insurance tax, state regulation, insurers, taxation, budget impact, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives