Transcript Highlights:

• If you look at other western states that have fire risk, their use of mapping technology is much more
• We have seen a great increase in light pollution due to changes in technology over the past 26 years,
• To become more effective, the act must reflect the current technology and incorporate the current best
• interested in science ensures a future supply of talented scientists and engineers to keep our technological
• This gives us a chance to start to build in the newest technology that keeps us.

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• quickly tell you whether or not there's a change in expenditures, fees, tax revenue, information technology
• 12.639><c> sector</c><00:16:13.639><c> um</c><00:16:13.839><c> so</c><00:16:14.120><c> this</c> of Technology
• big Tech sector um so this of Technology big Tech sector um so this committee's<00:16:14.959><c> interest
• But as you can imagine, with technology and all the concerns with that these days, this could be something
• needs to be reinstituted because there could be a committee just on doing all the stuff related to technology

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This will create transportation problems, health problems, technological barriers, and without having
• The amendment does not ban technology.
• And so there is no situation under current law or under this bill in which technology alone would be
• So right now, as we have seen technology change over the years, almost anyone can print an ID card in
• I feel like this bill is stymying innovation and technology.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To information technology. Referred to third read of House Bill 2410.
• What we need is the personnel and the technology to help make that work.
• And now for that Science and Technology amendment. Mr.
• Chairman, I move that the Science and Technology Committee amendment, as amended, be adopted.
• And now for that science and technology amendment. Mr.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and several guest introductions and proclamations, including recognition of Dr. Victoria Tannenbaum as Doctor of the Day, Lutheran Day at the Legislature, a veterans treatment court judge, and Adrian Ace Stubbs Day. Attendance was recorded at 56 present, one absent, and three excused. The chamber then moved through communications, committee reports, and first/second readings before beginning a long third-reading calendar. Members considered and voted on a wide range of bills covering tax administration, groundwater and water rights, licensing timeframes, homicide, school employee transparency, mining, retirement system cleanup, utility regulation, AI and digital privacy, sexual extortion, adult protective services, salvage vehicles, veterinary board changes, geological survey reorganization, court fees, real estate licensing, probation, and several education-related appropriations and policy measures. Many bills passed on largely party-line votes, while others passed overwhelmingly or unanimously. Several members explained votes on issues such as superintendent contract transparency, ESA administration funding, mining reclamation, water supply and drought policy, motorcycle safety, AI and adult-content verification, and abortion-pill coercion. The House also passed multiple concurrent resolutions and memorials, including measures on election administration, Judea and Samaria, Route 66, and a memorial to rename State Route 69. Election-related debate was especially pointed, with supporters arguing for precinct-based voting and opponents warning of cost, reduced access, and logistical burdens. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to begin consideration of measures on Calendar No. 1, starting with HB 2174 and related amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will now proceed to vote. ...relating to information technology.
• What we need is the personnel and the technology to help make that work.
• And now for the Science and Technology amendment. Mr.
• Chairman, I move that the Science and Technology Committee amendment, as amended, be adopted.
• And now for that science and technology amendment. Mr.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:04:14.400><c> learning,</c> technology for um asynchronous learning, technology for um asynchronous
• Information technology.
• With me is Information Technology.
• So technology companies figured fees.
• </c> on the services the types of technology on the services the types of technology that<01:47:02.080

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> well, we actually do have a technology well, we actually do have a technology fund<00:36:46.520>
• We just passed my bill the other day to ban the use of notification technology in AI.
• We just passed my bill the other day to ban the use of notification technology in AI.
• We just passed my bill the other day to ban the use of notification technology in AI.
• It's still going banned that technology.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And as improvements to technology continue, I'd hate to keep buying a new one all the time.
• What I will tell you and what becomes apparent is that the technology does evolve to the point that the
• And as improvements to technology rent?
• And as improvements to technology continue, continue, continue, uh<00:08:52.080><c> I'd</c><00:08:52.399
• does evolve to the that the technology does evolve to the point<00:09:27.040><c> that</c><00:09:27.279

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So what are technologies that can help those producers that maybe can't get to the larger scale?
• So what can we do as an organization to provide technology to help those companies continue to succeed
• Uh, they maybe, if some of the company's technologies, uh, like there's a project related to sorghum,
• uh like there's a a project technologies uh like there's a a project related<00:32:29.760><c> to</c>
• Orb Technology is our company based here, or is the company based in Lexington.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• organization dedicated to strengthening democracy for all voters through the responsible use of technology
• These states have very different election technology, procedures, and timelines.
• These states have very different election technology, procedures, and timelines, and the audits are adapted

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on election security bills, focusing first on S. 517 and H. 876, which would strengthen Massachusetts’ post-election audit process. Testimony from the Brennan Center, Common Cause Massachusetts, Verified Voting, and the League of Women Voters supported expanding audits to include all ballot types, increasing audit frequency from every four years to every two years, requiring statewide audit reports to be posted within 30 days and kept online for six years, and allowing municipalities to conduct audits under state standards. Witnesses also praised the bill’s creation of a work group to study risk-limiting audits and other improvements, emphasizing public confidence, transparency, and the ability of audits to detect errors or deter fraud. Committee members asked detailed questions about how Massachusetts compares with other states, how risk-limiting audits differ from current tabulation audits, how audits are selected and expanded if discrepancies appear, and what the costs and mechanics of different audit methods would be. Witnesses explained that current audits are typically random, hand-count-based checks of selected contests and batches of ballots, that risk-limiting audits use statistical sampling and can escalate to a full recount if needed, and that Massachusetts’ local-control structure makes a collaborative work group useful. They also noted that audits generally confirm results but can uncover errors that do not change outcomes, and occasionally more serious problems. The committee then heard testimony on H. 832, which would authorize the Secretary of the Commonwealth to take emergency actions affecting elections during declared emergencies. Supporters said the bill would create a clear statutory process for rescheduling or adjusting elections during severe weather or other crises, including allowing emergency absentee ballot accommodations for civilian responders, and would reduce the need for court intervention. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing, and the meeting ended with adjournment after no additional testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• response to COVID-19, Sam transitioned from teaching math to revitalizing a neglected middle school technology
• Thank you. a neglected middle school technology program, introducing students to STEM subjects such as
• I have my great friend and constituent from Green Country Technology Center, the greatest career tech

Bills: HB1411 , HB3143 , HB3144 , HB3901 , HCR1019 , HB3981 , HB4248 , HB3194 , HB3849 , HB4095 , HB4302 , HB3342 , HB3344 , HB3287 , HB3645 , HB3647 , HB3930 , HB3931 , HB1818 , HB4454 , HB4336

Keywords: True Grit Trail, Oklahoma, tourism, signage, Department of Transportation, state parks, historical sites, economic development, medical marijuana, license transfer, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, moratorium, business regulation, commercial grower licenses, licensing restrictions, agriculture, psychological autopsy, mental health, suicide prevention, state health department

Transcript Highlights:

• protections, but also is updated to the way that marketing practices are today and with modern technology
• The technology is a little bit different in that the number of text messages that are sent by large or
• The technology is a little bit different in that the number of text messages that are sent by large or

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They've requested some extra technology changes, and the association has requested some of that, so we've
• They've requested some extra technology changes, and the association has requested some of that, so we've
• we understand that the increase in fees is necessary to meet the costs associated with improved technology

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I disagree that pushing back on the use of technology, which can help make us more efficient, safer,
• to student discipline and school safety based on automated decision systems, school surveillance technology
• its guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in K-12 education to address the systems and technologies

Summary: The Senate took up a proposed consent calendar package and advanced it to the consent calendar by voice vote, with remarks noting the measures had broad agreement, no con testimony, and support from chairs and ranking members. Members also briefly noted that many of the items in the package were minority-party bills. The chamber then advanced a long series of bills from the white sheet to the floor or second reading calendar, generally without opposition. Topics included HIV antiviral drug coverage without prior authorization (SB 6183), limits on carrier refund requests to providers (SB 6071), extending limits on replacing jobs with fully automated equipment (SB 5995), medically tailored meals under Apple Health (SB 5966), earned wage access services (SB 5328), financial aid outreach for high school seniors (SB 5841), campaign finance reporting timing (SB 5840), a tourism promotion program (SB 6061), wage enforcement flexibility for Labor and Industries (SB 6058), workforce development changes (SB 5931), collective bargaining for language access providers (SB 5944), compensation petitions for wrongfully convicted persons (SB 5520), court safety background checks for judges and staff (SB 6011), liability protections for donated baby items (SB 6087), clean energy procurement for consumer-owned utilities (SB 6076), non-opioid pain treatment coverage (SB 5916), technical land-use changes involving aquifer recharge areas (SB 6016), human trafficking remedies and business liability (SB 5936), collegiate sports wagering limits in tribal casinos (SB 6137), pathways to medical licensure for overseas graduates (SB 5185), AI and surveillance limits in K-12 discipline and safety decisions (SB 5956), fetal death definition changes (SB 6025), permanent direct-appeal procedures for environmental and land-use cases (SB 6009), allowing unattended vehicles to idle briefly to protect pets (SB 5833), dementia education materials from the Department of Health (SB 6161), asbestos training rules (SB 6188), negligent driving changes tied to excessive speeding (SB 5890), abortion medication reimbursement changes in corrections settings (SB 5917), a Growth Management Act exemption repeal for one county (SB 5820), initiative and referendum process protections related to money in signature campaigns (SB 5973), a federal wildfire response memorial (SJM 8015), juice grapes under agricultural marketing rules (SB 5816), workers’ compensation rate transparency (SB 6136), and a real estate marketing transparency bill (SB 6091). Most motions passed by voice vote with little debate, though a few drew brief support or opposition. Senator Braun opposed the bill extending the prohibition on replacing jobs with fully automated equipment, and Senator Short opposed the bill on initiative and referendum financing and the bill removing a county-specific Growth Management Act exemption. The meeting ended after no further business was raised and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Science and Technology. 2936, public policy. 2938, minute. Science and Technology.
• With your permission, the House Science and Technology Committee will meet upon adjournment in House

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior journal, and recognized the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Sarah Lee Davison of Tucson. Members also introduced numerous guests and advocacy groups in the gallery, including Aliento students for Education Day, gun violence prevention advocates, agricultural visitors, military veterans, and representatives of the Kino Border Initiative and Nucor Steel. The chamber then observed a moment of silence in honor of Andy Grosetta, a longtime Arizona rancher and cattle industry leader, after a proclamation was read memorializing his life and renaming a meat transparency bill the Andy Grosetta Act. The House entered Committee of the Whole and considered HB 2074 and HB 2148. HB 2074, described by supporters as a measure to strengthen mandatory reporting related to partial-birth abortion and verify compliance with existing law, drew sharp opposition from Democrats who argued it would criminalize medical workers and punish women seeking care; supporters said it targeted only those with direct knowledge of the procedure and protected unborn children. The committee adopted the Judiciary Committee amendment and then gave HB 2074 a do pass recommendation as amended. HB 2148, described briefly by its sponsor as a transparency bill, also received an Appropriations Committee amendment and a do pass recommendation as amended. The Committee of the Whole reported both bills back to the House, which adopted the report and referred HB 2074 and HB 2148 to engrossing. The House also announced committee meetings for later that day and the following morning, including Appropriations, Federalism and Military Affairs, Science and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence and Innovation, and Rural Economic Development. The chamber then adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, January 29, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Science and Technology. 2936 Public Policy. 2938 Minute. Science and Technology.
• With your permission, the House Science and Technology Committee will meet upon adjournment in House

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've also done a really good job of educating members on the technology that's out there that even folks
• in Oregon with the most recent and up-to-date technology can benefit from investing.
• We're at a point in time where if we invest in that now, we can take advantage of technology that can

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: Senate and House Democratic leaders used the meeting to preview several bills they expect to move quickly, while framing much of their agenda as a response to federal ICE actions and broader concerns about public safety and accountability. They said the Senate will pass a bill banning law-enforcement masking, with the stated goal of requiring identification and transparency for officers, and that the House will likely take it up after House-of-Origin cutoff. They also said a bill restricting Flock automated license plate readers will move from rules to the floor, and they discussed a separate proposal to bar people hired as ICE agents under Trump’s second term from later serving in Washington law enforcement, though leaders said they had not yet reviewed its details. The leaders repeatedly criticized ICE and said the state must do what it can to protect residents, especially immigrants, while also defending Washington’s law enforcement training and accountability systems. They said the bill on face coverings is aimed at federal agents, though they also argued it is a general standard for all law enforcement and may serve to “enunciate” a norm even if its legal scope is tested in court. They also discussed concerns about fraud and misuse of funds in state programs, saying Washington has checks and balances and that accountability measures are appropriate, while cautioning against baseless claims. On budget and policy matters, they said a Senate bill to restore Washington College Grant and Washington Promise scholarship funding would be considered in the operating budget process, but it was too early to know what reductions could be reversed. They expressed openness to a House bill limiting non-emergency charity care to Washington residents, citing border-community strain and examples from eastern Washington hospitals. They also said they were still evaluating a House bill on camping enforcement tied to shelter availability and a tort-liability measure, noting that any savings would likely come from reduced litigation costs rather than caps on damages. Other topics included a possible income tax proposal, which leaders said could be introduced as soon as Friday or next week with offsets included or outlined; House Bill 1607 on a beverage container recycling/deposit system, which they said could reach executive action soon; and a floor vote expected on the BAC bill the next day. They also said they were not inclined to hear the recently arrived voter initiatives in committee, describing them as likely headed to the ballot instead.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've also done a really good job of educating members on the technology that's out there that even folks
• in Oregon with the most recent and up-to-date technology can benefit from investing.
• We're at a point in time where if we invest in that now, we can take advantage of technology that can

Summary: Senate and House Democratic leaders used the meeting to discuss a broad package of bills they said were aimed at responding to federal ICE actions and protecting Washington residents. They highlighted an upcoming Senate vote on Senator Valdez’s bill banning law-enforcement masking, a Flock automated license plate reader restrictions bill moving through rules, and a bill to protect emergency response operations. They said the face-covering bill is intended to apply to law enforcement generally but is mainly aimed at federal agents, and argued it would improve accountability and set a clear state norm, while acknowledging legal questions and a similar California case. They also said they were working with the governor and attorney general on related protections and invited Republican support. The leaders also addressed several other policy items. They said a Senate bill to restore Washington College Grant and College Bound scholarship funding would be considered in the operating budget process, but it was too early to know whether reductions could be reversed. They expressed openness to a House bill limiting non-emergency charity care to Washington residents, citing border hospitals and the burden on local resources, and said they were open to oversight ideas for housing-related fraud concerns while defending the accountability systems already in place. They also discussed a House bill on camping enforcement tied to shelter availability, saying it was a complex issue and likely still under discussion. On budget and tax issues, they said an income tax proposal was likely to be introduced later in the week or the following week, with offsets either included in the bill or outlined in a companion measure. They also said they were still evaluating a tort-liability proposal and its projected savings, and were open to Representative Keaton’s memorial urging Washington to opt into a federal education tax credit, though they emphasized their priority remains funding public schools. Finally, they said a recycling/deposit-return bill had improved and was likely to move out of committee, and they expected a floor vote on the BAC bill the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS PRIVILEGES, OR BOTH PRIMARY WILL BE ABOUT IT AS WELL AS THE REMOVAL OF
• THE NEXT CATEGORY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS PRIVILEGES.
• WE ALSO HAD SIX COLLEGES THAT HAD CONTROL DEFICIENCIES RELATED TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS PRIVILEGES

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , develop, and maintain our technology systems to support everything that we do at DRA.
• This is our backend technology system.
• </c><01:11:17.760><c> system</c> is a complete backend technology system is a complete backend technology
• Just a few other things on page 21: technology upgrades with ARPA funds.
• Are we using technology? Well, we'll probably do what we can with the rangers we have.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority officials, led by Executive Director Rob Dapice, briefed legislators on the agency’s structure and funding. They explained that the authority is created by state law but is not a state agency, its debt is not state debt, and it is governed by a board appointed by the governor and approved by the Executive Council. The discussion focused on the Affordable Housing Fund and the lead paint hazard remediation fund, including how state appropriations and federal resources are combined to finance affordable rental housing and lead abatement work. Dapice said the Affordable Housing Fund is used as gap financing for multifamily affordable housing projects, typically alongside federal tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and that state dollars leverage roughly 2:1 to 10:1 in additional federal and private investment, averaging about 4:1. He said the fund has received historic appropriations in recent budgets, including $30 million over the last two biennial budgets and an annual $5 million set-aside from the real estate transfer tax. He also said the fund is usually structured as 0% interest, deferred loans rather than grants, with repayments returning to the fund if projects generate cash flow. Members asked about rents, oversight, staffing, revenues, and whether the programs had added positions. Dapice said affordability restrictions generally last 30 to 99 years, rents are tied to income limits and capped so tenants pay no more than 30% of income, and compliance staff inspect properties regularly to verify income eligibility and rent limits. He said the organization has about 130 to 135 employees, down from about 145, with no new positions added because of the appropriations. He estimated total revenues at roughly $300 million, with administrative budget around $22 million, much of it pass-through grant money. On lead paint remediation, he said the state first appropriated $6 million in 2019, plus $1 million in ARPA funds, and that the program has cleared more than 500 units. He said the federal grant program is not annual or predictable, with a recent award of about $7.75 million, and that the maximum federal grant per unit is $177,000, typically paired with up to $100,000 in state loan support. He also noted that the program can address homes before a child is poisoned if lead hazards are identified, but that cases involving an already exposed child are a higher priority. No votes or formal actions were taken.