Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that she told me was that she was scared to go on strike and feared the retaliation
• I feared retaliation from my boss, but seeing a lawmaker stand here with us makes me feel like we aren't

Summary: The House convened on Ash Wednesday with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the journal approved, and a series of guest introductions recognizing Dr. William Thompson, Disability Day at the Capitol participants, Arizona Cattle Growers, a GCU student guest, striking ASU Aramark workers and union supporters, Nurse-Family Partnership nurses, Navajo Nation visitors, and others. Members also made remarks honoring Lent, Ramadan, Black History Month, and various community figures. Attendance was recorded at 54 present, 3 absent, and 3 excused, and the House received committee substitutions and Senate messages without objection. The chamber adopted House Resolution 2006, a death resolution honoring Yvonne Glee Lyme Federson and her work with Childhelp to combat child abuse. The resolution was adopted unanimously, followed by a moment of respectful silence. The House then resolved into Committee of the Whole and later an additional Committee of the Whole to consider several bills. Measures receiving do pass recommendations included HB 2089, HB 2177 as amended, HB 2258, HB 2322 as amended, HB 2786, and HB 2825 as amended, with amendments adopted on HB 2177, HB 2322, and HB 2825. The House adopted the Committee of the Whole report and ordered those bills engrossed or regrossed as appropriate. In the additional Committee of the Whole, members debated HB 2074, HB 2104, and HB 2105, all property- or health-related measures. HB 2074 drew sharp debate over an amendment removing a life-of-the-mother exception in a partial-birth abortion provision; supporters said the change clarified that safer medical alternatives exist, while opponents argued it would criminalize care even to save a mother’s life. HB 2104 and HB 2105 were amended to add taxable improvements as a trigger for assessor review and to make a standardized report optional, with supporters saying the changes improved county property tax administration and opponents warning they could hinder assessors and create litigation. All three bills received do pass as amended recommendations and were ordered engrossed. The House then took up third-reading votes and passed HB 2173, HB 2203, HB 2223, and HB 2501 by 57-0 votes with three not voting. HB 2307, an emergency measure concerning dangerous and incompetent defendants and out-of-state treatment options, passed 37-20 with three not voting, but failed to achieve the required two-thirds vote for the emergency clause. Members explained votes in support as a temporary response to a lack of in-state treatment beds, and in opposition as a bill that was too broad or not yet implementable. The House adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• On to page three: the Senate-only provision adding a definition of retaliation to the campus sexual misconduct
• On to page three: the Senate-only provision adding a definition of retaliation to the campus sexual misconduct

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You need the staff more than you need to retaliate, okay?
• You need the staff more than you need to retaliate, okay?
• You need the staff more than you need to retaliate, okay?
• and it's retaliation they weren't asked?
• </c><05:02:58.558><c> they</c> that time and it's retaliation they that time and it's retaliation they

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And let me say another thing about whistleblowers.
• to do with passing the whistleblower law years ago, that's supposed to protect an employee.
• Now, we think about whistleblowers.
• , and I had something to do whistleblower, and I had something to do with<00:46:44.640><c> passing</c
• c> years</c> with passing the whistleblower law years with passing the whistleblower law years ago,<00

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• individuals are very hesitant and worried to file complaints that are not anonymous for fear of retaliation
• There's also the opportunity for civil litigation, for some kind of discrimination or retaliation if
• police chiefs—I can't believe, wrote, can't actually believe—whether through embarrassment, fear of retaliation

Bills: S0600 , S0760 , S1012 , S1326 , S1488 , S1536 , S1544 , S1750

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: bail bonds, pretrial release, forfeiture, criminal justice, Florida statutes, bond conditions, surety, violations of release conditions, violent crimes, victim safety, public safety, warrantless arrest, probable cause, pretrial detention, first appearance hearing, law enforcement immunity, domestic violence, stalking, battery, aggravated assault

Summary: The committee took up several criminal justice bills, beginning with SB 760 on violations of pretrial release conditions. A strike-all amendment narrowed the bill to make willful violation of a no-contact order a first-degree misdemeanor, authorize warrantless arrest on probable cause, and require detention until first appearance in certain cases. The amendment and the bill, as amended, were both adopted and reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 1536 on digital voyeurism, which would extend the expectation of privacy to backyards in the surveillance statute; it was reported favorably after brief questions and support from a Florida Smart Justice Alliance witness. Members next considered SB 1012 on inmate services. The bill would expand use of contractor-operated institutions inmate welfare trust funds for reintegration and facility upgrades, and would require reimbursement for inmate emergency and specialty medical services at Medicaid rates, with telehealth and autonomous APRNs included as options. Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida opposed the bill as written, warning that tying Medicaid participation to treatment of inmates could reduce reimbursement and discourage provider participation, while the Department of Corrections and Florida Smart Justice Alliance supported it. Senators discussed costs, aging inmates, and possible future changes, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed CS for SB 600 on bail bond and pretrial release laws after adopting a strike-all that aligned it with the House companion and made technical changes to solicitation, training, and bond reinstatement rules. Public testimony raised concerns about who should receive returned bond money and how clerks would process payments, but the sponsor said the bill would continue to be refined. Later, the committee reconsidered and favorably reported SB 1750 on criminal sexual conduct, which increases penalties and mandatory minimums for serious sex crimes, especially those involving children. It also reconsidered and favorably reported SB 1544 on complaints against law enforcement and correctional officers, a bill requiring complainants to provide sworn complaints to officers before interrogation unless corroborating evidence is present; police chiefs and sexual violence advocates opposed parts of the bill, while supporters argued it would protect officers from unfounded complaints. Finally, SB 1488 on booking officer duties regarding minor children of arrested persons was reported favorably, and SB 1326 on prosecution of defamation was taken up for reconsideration with a delete-all amendment that narrowed the insanity defense, limited mitigation for severe mental illness in serious cases, and extended detention periods for incompetent defendants; opposition testimony from defense, public defender, and mental health advocates warned it would worsen treatment and increase costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to testify on behalf of one of our immigrant members who fears retaliation for speaking out.
• I'm here to testify on behalf of one of our immigrant members who fears retaliation for speaking out.
• I'm here to testify on behalf of one of our immigrant members who fears retaliation for speaking out.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills. HB 2140 would exempt land sold or transferred to a governmental entity from additional tax when removed from open space classification in certain circumstances. Staff explained the current use property tax system and said the bill would likely have minimal but indeterminate revenue effects, with about $30,000 in one-time Department of Revenue costs. Representative Lowe said the bill was intended to fix a niche problem where a farmer loses a small frontage strip to a county and is then charged back taxes despite no change in land use. FutureWise testified in support of the bill’s intent but asked for small language changes to ensure transferred land remains compatible with agricultural or open space use. The public hearing on HB 2140 was then closed. HB 2326 would allow a fire protection district that is partially overlapped by another district’s EMS levy to impose its own levy on the portion not already covered, subject to voter approval in the affected area. Staff said the bill would have no state general fund impact and about $28,000 in one-time Department of Revenue costs. Fire district and fire chief representatives testified in support, describing situations in Clark County and Kittitas County where most residents cannot vote on an EMS levy because a small overlapping area already has one. Opponents, including Washington Citizens Against Unfair Taxes, argued the bill would add to property tax burdens. The hearing on HB 2326 then closed. HB 2334 would require rounding of cash transactions to the nearest five cents as pennies are phased out of circulation, while leaving non-cash payments unchanged. Staff said the bill would apply to the final total after taxes and fees, with an indeterminate but minimal state revenue impact and significant Department of Revenue implementation costs. The prime sponsor said the bill was needed because the federal government ended penny production without giving states guidance. Retail and grocery groups generally supported the concept but requested amendments for clarity, consumer protection, SNAP compliance, and flexibility while pennies remain in circulation; one witness opposed the bill as another tax burden. The hearing on HB 2334 was then closed. The committee then heard HB 2100, a proposed statewide payroll expense tax on large operating companies to fund a new Well Washington Fund for higher education, health care, cash assistance, energy, and housing. Staff said the proposed substitute would apply to employers with at least 250 employees and $7 million in annual payroll, exclude certain public and health care entities, and generate substantial revenue, with the fiscal note estimating about $7.6 billion to the general fund and $4.2 billion to the new fund in the 2027–29 biennium under the revised threshold. Supporters, including poverty, housing, labor, education, disability, and faith advocates, said the bill would help offset federal cuts and protect vulnerable residents. Business, retail, hospitality, construction, and technology groups opposed it, warning of job losses, higher costs, reduced competitiveness, and broader impacts on consumers and employers. The prime sponsor said the bill was a response to federal divestment and that the state needed a progressive revenue source now; no vote was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• This system of harassment and retaliation ultimately ended my career in tech.
• This system of harassment and retaliation ultimately ended my career in tech.
• This system of harassment and retaliation ultimately ended my career in tech.

Bills: SB5984 , SB6119 , SB6076

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: artificial intelligence, chatbots, regulation, technology, consumer protection, pollutants, tire regulation, 6PPD, environment, public safety, SB 6076, consumer-owned utilities, public utility districts, municipal procurement, competitive bidding, public works, clean energy, renewable energy, nonemitting generation, energy storage

Transcript Highlights:

• This is due to several factors such as mistrust of government, fear of retaliation, and an information
• requirements around written agreements; and workers are protected from forms of discrimination and retaliation
• workers a collective voice and a clear process to address unsafe conditions, unfair treatment, and retaliation

Summary: The House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee heard public testimony on several bills. HB 2151 would update factory-built housing and commercial structure rules by directing L&I to consider newer national standards and allowing inspections by qualified third-party agencies without requiring a contract; the sponsor and L&I said it would save time and money and help lower costs for manufactured housing. HB 2372 would change workers’ compensation time-loss calculations so injured workers receive 100% of the employer’s monthly health care contribution unless the employer keeps paying it; supporters said this would better protect injured workers and their families, while a small-business representative opposed the bill and suggested direct payment to insurers instead, and L&I noted implementation costs and timing concerns. HB 2355, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, would create standalone protections for domestic workers covering wages, written agreements, notice before termination or severance, anti-harassment and anti-retaliation rules, and discrimination protections, while also extending minimum wage/overtime/sick leave coverage to some domestic workers; testimony from workers, advocates, Seattle officials, and the sponsor emphasized wage theft, insecurity, and the need for statewide standards, while L&I said technical clarifications and funding would be needed. HB 2409 would establish a collective bargaining framework for agricultural workers under PERC, with procedures for representation elections, mediation, and interest arbitration; supporters framed it as a long-overdue extension of bargaining rights and dignity to farmworkers, while growers and farm bureau representatives warned it could disrupt harvests, harm farms, and affect the food supply. HB 2472 would strengthen enforcement of fire sprinkler licensing and certification by allowing local fire code officials to request proof of credentials and issue stop-work orders; labor, fire marshals, and industry groups supported it as a public safety measure, while the building industry raised a drafting concern about the term “residential sprinkler.” No votes or final committee actions were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead of being offered a just solution, people are punished and face retaliation when they submit complaints
• Instead of being offered a just solution, people are punished and face retaliation when they submit complaints
• They may be unfamiliar with the justice system, or they may fear retaliation.

Summary: The committee heard staff briefings and sponsor testimony on four bills. House Bill 2310 would elevate fourth-degree assault with a finding of sexual motivation to a Class C felony after two prior qualifying convictions within 10 years, with discussion focused on when sex-offender registration would apply and whether the bill would capture repeat conduct that is often pled down. The sponsor said the bill responds to a constituent’s experience and is intended to increase accountability for repeat offenders. Testimony was split: prosecutors and law enforcement supported the bill as a practical way to address repetitive sexual-motivation assaults, while defense advocates warned it would trigger major sex-offense consequences, including registration, prison time, immigration consequences, and possible sentencing disproportionality. No vote was taken and the hearing was held open. House Bill 1239, the reentry readiness bill, would increase earned release time to up to 33.33% for eligible offenses committed on or after July 1, 2026, make certain enhancements eligible for earned release time, create a two-year peer-support pilot for incarcerated survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, and require victim-notification materials about sentencing changes. The sponsor and supporters said it would improve reentry, reduce recidivism, and better prepare people for release, while the Sentencing Guidelines Commission said it aligns with prior recommendations for consistency in earned release. Prosecutors opposed the bill, arguing it mainly shortens sentences rather than improving reentry and could reduce accountability. The hearing remained open. House Bill 1228 would allow blood and breath toxicology testing to be considered valid if performed by a lab certified under ISO/IEC 17025, in addition to current state toxicologist methods. The sponsor and several local officials said Washington’s toxicology backlog is causing long delays, sometimes over 300 days, which slows charging decisions and can allow repeat DUI behavior before cases are filed. Supporters said private accredited labs could provide a local option and speed results, while defense advocates asked for discovery protections if outside labs are used. County and law enforcement representatives supported the concept but cautioned against shifting costs to counties and creating unequal access based on local resources. The sponsor indicated an amendment would remove out-of-state labs and add a five-year report-back. House Bill 2464 would require private detention facilities to report serious incidents such as abuse, neglect, deaths, suicides, injuries requiring hospitalization, and service disruptions to the Department of Health and local law enforcement within one business day, and would require annual reporting by law enforcement on calls and follow-up actions. The sponsor said the bill is aimed at transparency and ensuring that incidents in private detention facilities are not hidden. Testimony from advocates, journalists, and researchers described alleged abuse, suicides, hunger strikes, fires, and barriers to reporting at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, and said the bill would improve public access to information. Law enforcement representatives said the bill affects only two agencies and urged the committee to consider the cumulative burden of reporting mandates and the public-trust implications of involving local agencies in federal detention issues. The hearing on this bill was also held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• That leaves renters in the dark, and it leaves the door open for unlawful evictions, including retaliation
• It also protects against both retaliation and discrimination.
• It also protects<00:49:52.280><c> against</c><00:49:52.640><c> both</c><00:49:52.840><c> retaliation<
• /c><00:49:53.640><c> and</c> protects against both retaliation and protects against both retaliation

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It seems like there are just, you know, there’s retaliation because someone has made someone upset or
• I am submitting it anonymously because I remain concerned about professional retaliation and mostly my
• I am submitting it anonymously because I remain concerned about professional retaliation and mostly my
• personal safety. because I remain concerned about professional retaliation and mostly my personal safety
• permission from the court, to foster placement in Casa Grande, missing two full weeks of school in retaliation

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Government met for a presentation-only hearing focused on the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) and related child welfare system issues; no bills were heard or voted on. Chair Blackman opened by stressing that the hearing was for fact-finding and data, not personal attacks, and Director Catherine Patak then presented DCS data on hotline volume, investigations, reunifications, adoptions, guardianships, extended foster care, and placement patterns. She said DCS investigated more than 43,000 cases in 2025, kept the out-of-home population relatively steady, and emphasized that Arizona places a high share of children with kin. She also highlighted a mismatch between the age of children entering care and the availability of foster homes willing to take older youth, and said behavioral health capacity, not DCS alone, is a major constraint. Patak discussed kinship supports, foster care reimbursement increases, the Family First Prevention Services Act, missing youth, congregate care reduction, and the department’s procurement process for group home beds. Members asked about kinship caregiver support, behavioral health access, reunification services, parental-rights terminations, Auditor General findings on notices and documentation, licensing and reimbursement rates, and why some relatives are not approved as placements. Patak said DCS is working on policy guidance, supervisor training, and improved supports, but that provider capacity and other system partners limit what DCS can do. Representative Gillette then gave a lengthy presentation focused on system design, procurement, funding flows, and congregate care. He argued that DCS, DES, and Access are structurally intertwined, that DCS’s procurement carve-out and capitated funding model create incentives tied to bed space and volume, and that fragmented oversight diffuses accountability. He cited budget figures, contract amendments, and audit concerns to argue that the system is overreliant on congregate care and that decision-making, medical referrals, and placement processes are too vague or too centralized in ways that can harm children and families. Gillette said his findings were based on contracts, interviews, and public records, and he indicated some material would be referred to special counsel. He also raised concerns about placement decisions, due process, and demographic disparities in congregate care outcomes. The chair cut off further questioning of Gillette for time and announced the committee would move on to the next presenter, Vice Chair Fink, with attorneys and other speakers to follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• here saying sometimes—and we’ve seen in family court too—it seems that there is just, you know, retaliation
• I am submitting it anonymously because I remain concerned about professional retaliation and mostly my
• I am submitting it anonymously because I remain concerned about professional retaliation and mostly my
• personal safety. because I remain concerned about professional retaliation and mostly my personal safety
• permission from the court, to foster placement in Casa Grande, missing two full weeks of school in retaliation

Committee: House Government

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• could keep confidential for a period of time information that could harm the state and jeopardize whistleblowers
• commonly used off-the-shelf software products that would securely receive and allow us to investigate whistleblower

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides further whistleblower protections and grants-related cases.
• It provides further whistleblower<00:18:50.240><c> protections</c><00:18:50.640><c> and</c><00:18:50.799

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also addresses whistleblowers.
• people within a school system on mandatory reporting they had to do where they whistle ended up whistleblowing

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And whenever we've seen these headlines, oftentimes it's a whistleblower that's sharing with us, right
• And whenever we've seen these headlines, oftentimes it's a whistleblower that's sharing with us, right

Summary: The House convened with prayer, moments of silence for Reverend Jesse Jackson and former State Attorney Joseph Di Alessandro, and a quorum present. Members then took up a special order calendar and considered a series of bills, with several recognitions and brief recesses interspersed throughout the day. Early floor action focused on civil justice and estates measures. The House passed CS/HB 1407 on commencement of civil actions, clarifying when a complainant may file an employment discrimination suit if the Florida Commission on Human Relations does not issue a right-to-sue notice. It also passed HB 895 on trustee settlement and discharge, allowing certain non-adversarial irrevocable trusts to be discharged without court involvement; CS/HB 1337 on estates, expanding personal representative authority and increasing small-estate thresholds; and CS/HB 131 on curators of estates, codifying a tool for court protection when the state faces potential loss. Each of these bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief sponsor explanations and, in the case of HB 895, a technical amendment. The House also approved CS/HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over U.S. military installations, which would allow juvenile offenses on certain installations to be handled in state court rather than federal court, and CS/HB 441 on conservation lands, which increases notice and transparency requirements for land swaps involving conservation property. Members from both parties praised the conservation bill as a response to public concern over land swaps. Additional measures passed included HB 409 requiring K-12 schools to observe Veterans Day, CS/HB 461 allowing eligible students to volunteer at polling locations for community service hours, CS/HB 1115 creating grants for genetic counseling education, HB 569 revising forensic client services for persons with developmental disabilities, CS/HB 505 regulating virtual currency kiosks to combat senior fraud, and HB 271 addressing premium reporting rules for foreign and alien bail bond insurers. The most extended debate centered on CS/CS/HB 919, which creates a statutory definition for major commercial service airports and preempts local naming authority for seven major airports, including a proposal to rename Palm Beach International Airport for President Donald J. Trump. The bill drew sharp partisan debate over local control, costs, trademark/licensing concerns, and the appropriateness of honoring a sitting president. Amendments to delay the naming until after Trump leaves office and to combine his name with John F. Kennedy’s were both defeated. After structured debate, the bill passed 81-? yeas (the transcript records 81 yeas) and was sent on. The House also began debate on HB 191 regarding re-employment assistance eligibility verification, with the sponsor explaining added disqualifications and identity/eligibility checks; questioning began but the transcript ends before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And whenever we've seen these headlines, oftentimes it's a whistleblower that's sharing with us, right
• And whenever we've seen these headlines, oftentimes it's a whistleblower that's sharing with us, right

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other statutes in New Mexico include the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Unfair Practices Act, as well
• I sponsored and passed the Whistleblower Protection Act so that people who are not in government could

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I’ll be accepting the committee amendments, which allow whistleblower reports to be shared for enforcement
• Whistleblowers Francis Howgan and Arturo Bejar have shown that these companies have knowledge of how

Summary: The committee heard several privacy and consumer protection bills, with most of the discussion focused on AI and social media. AB 1405 would create a state registry for AI auditors and set basic transparency, ethics, and qualification standards for those auditors; supporters said it would build trust and provide a foundation for future AI oversight, while some members questioned whether government should define auditor qualifications instead of industry groups. The bill was moved out on a 5-1 vote to Appropriations, with the roll left open. AB 2, by Assemblymember Lowenthal, would impose enhanced financial penalties on large social media companies when their negligence causes harm to children and teens. Supporters, including a grieving parent and Common Sense Media, argued the bill would create accountability for harmful algorithms and design choices, while opponents from TechNet, EFF, CCIA, and CalChamber warned it was vague, could chill speech, invite censorship, and raise Section 230 and First Amendment concerns. Committee members debated private right of action versus public enforcement, possible shakedown lawsuits, and whether the bill should be narrowed; the bill passed 6-0 to Judiciary with the roll left open. AB 410 would expand California’s bot disclosure law so bots must identify themselves up front and truthfully if asked, rather than only prohibiting deceptive bots in limited commercial or election contexts. Supporters said the measure would help users, especially youth and vulnerable people, know when they are interacting with AI and reduce deception online; one privacy group withdrew opposition after amendments, and other industry groups said they were no longer opposed or had no formal position. The bill passed 9-1 to Appropriations with the roll left open. The committee also approved AB 1327, which lets consumers cancel home improvement contracts by email instead of only by mail and requires phone assistance for cancellations; the Contractor State License Board withdrew opposition after amendments, and the bill passed 11-0 to Judiciary with the roll left open.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was very concerned about retaliation from this individual who implied in his emails that he knew where
• option for themselves and their families, knowing that it could open them up to escalation and retaliation
• :59.560><c> very</c><00:24:59.840><c> concerned</c><00:25:00.400><c> about</c><00:25:00.720><c> retaliation
• </c> I was very concerned about retaliation I was very concerned about retaliation from<00:25:01.720>
• </c> them up to escalation and retaliation. them up to escalation and retaliation.

Bills: HF3951 , HF4005 , HF962 , HF4585 , HF3870 , HF4542 , HF3893 , HF4293 , HF4075 , HF4057 , HF3809

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: submetered utility service, tenant rights, digital payment, eviction protection, housing policy, biometric data, consent, data protection, civil penalties, privacy laws, HF4585, Minnesota, harassment restraining order, HRO, restraining order, temporary restraining order, petitioner notice, service of process, law enforcement notification, sheriff