Transcript Highlights:

• </c> about the county buildings and the city about the county buildings and the city buildings<00:12:
• </c> Solano um here who is the Deputy city Solano um here who is the Deputy city manager<00:19:21.559
• I am Plymouth's Deputy City Manager, Maria Solano.
• I'll stand for any questions. city of Plymouth requests a sales tax city of Plymouth requests a sales
• </c> of visitors from outside of our city of visitors from outside of our city this<00:21:23.320><c>

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's a small group of people.
• And so it's a small group of people.
• 08.880><c> care,</c> Early childhood programs, child care, Early childhood programs, child care, child
• </c> Um the funding has not been programmed Um the funding has not been programmed or<00:26:13.360><c
• </c> programs. the PC traditional PCA program programs. the PC traditional PCA program and<01:13:32.000

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the city attorney for the city of Conut. Our city manager, Thomas Espel, did submit testimony.
• Is it residential programs for religious purposes, or is it all residential programs?
• /c> I am the city attorney for the city of I am the city attorney for the city of conquered.<01:04:20.160
• If it's all residential programs?
• </c> for residential programs. for residential programs.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 291, which would update religious land-use and property tax exemption rules for church-owned parsonages, parish houses, and similar properties. Senator Tim Lang, speaking for the sponsor, said the bill was intended to address situations where former parsonages are no longer occupied by clergy and are instead used for church-related purposes such as housing staff, religious education, or congregate living tied to ministry, including addiction recovery. He emphasized that the bill was not meant to create commercial rental housing and that it also preserves reasonable zoning and environmental regulations. Committee members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would be applied, especially the meaning of “religious purposes,” the six-unit limit, the “same lot” language, and whether churches could use the exemption to rent units for revenue. The sponsor said the six-unit cap was added to prevent large-scale commercial rental use, that congregate housing would be limited and defined, and that the bill was meant to cover uses like substance abuse recovery, homes for unwed mothers, and religious education, but not apartments converted for ordinary rental. He also said churches would still file annual exemption paperwork and towns could challenge claims they believed were commercial. Questions also raised concerns about whether the bill treated religious and nonreligious housing trusts differently; the sponsor responded that the bill was aimed at church-owned property used in pursuit of a religious mission. Several witnesses testified in support. Representative Mark Pearson, an active clergyman, said the bill would not remove additional property from the tax rolls because clergy housing allowances typically lead clergy to buy taxable homes elsewhere, while the church-owned parsonage remains exempt. Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire supported the bill as a modest expansion that could help create more attainable housing by allowing better use of existing religious land and structures, though he noted his organization would support even broader use. The hearing ended without a vote or final action, and the chair closed questions after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• to grow this Oklahoma State football program and take it to new heights.
• From there, she enrolled in a master's program to complete her degree in nursing.
• From there, she enrolled in a master's program to complete her degree in nursing.
• This is a program that's sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
• He's the school liaison program manager of the 72nd. Jimmy Higgins is here.

Bills: SR31 , SB2060 , SB2184 , HB1371 , HB1411 , HB1933 , HB2361 , HB2398 , HB2893 , HB3006 , HB3044 , HB3127 , HB3322 , HB3147 , HB1276 , HB3472 , HB3522 , HB3704 , HB4303 , HB4319

Keywords: military, children, resilience, Purple Up!, military families, master development district, improvement district, public improvements, infrastructure financing, special assessments, statutory revision, consolidation, law amendment, emergency legislation, legal clarity, oil and gas, mineral rights, proceeds, royalties, escrow account

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and spent much of the day on recognitions and special presentations, including Capitol Cowboy Day honoring Oklahoma State University, the Doctor and Nurse of the Day, Miss Oklahoma Teen Taylor Meeks, military families for Purple Up for Military Kids Day, and several visiting groups in the galleries. During the OSU presentation, university leaders highlighted OSU’s agricultural research and asked for support for an upcoming agronomy research bill, and Coach Eric Morris was welcomed as the new head football coach. The chamber then took up Senate Resolution 31, designating April 15 as Purple Up for Military Kids Day in Oklahoma, which was presented with remarks about the sacrifices of military children and families and the significance of wearing purple. The Senate also advanced and passed several measures, including bills dealing with duplicate statutory sections and statutory interpretation, a negotiated oil and gas bill, the True Grit Trail, nitric oxide sales to minors, foster care and juvenile transition documents, a paraprofessional certification change, an Indian education council sunset extension, veterans’ tax refund donations, a Route 66 specialty license plate, cell phone restrictions in K-12 classrooms, tire pyrolysis funding, ABLE Commission reporting, scholarship-granting organization tax credits, municipal ordinance publication deadlines, and agency rule authority and review. Most bills were advanced without objection and passed by wide margins, with a few closer votes on House Bill 2398, House Bill 3127, House Bill 3704, and House Bill 1276. House Bill 1276, extending the classroom cell phone prohibition, drew the most debate, with supporters citing improved student focus and classroom interaction and one member raising local control concerns before voting yes. House Bill 3704, concerning participation in a federal tax credit for scholarship-granting organizations, prompted questions about double-dipping on tax benefits and state sovereignty, but it ultimately passed 38-8. The Senate then announced a Technology and Telecommunications meeting for the next morning and adjourned until 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 16.

Transcript Highlights:

• City of Marion... Moving on, go ahead. City of Marion, did y'all ever get that project straight?
• The Alabama Digital Expansion Authority approved the AIM program to utilize the available program.
• This program will work in conjunction with the ARPA and the CPF program, which we will go into detail
• Now, if you'll take your programs right.
• Now, if you'll take your programs right here, we'll go project by project.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• grant program The competitive grant program established<00:20:55.520><c> by</c><00:20:55.640><c> this
• They donated $5,000 to the city of Mankato to begin their own Rally to Read initiative in the city of
• They donated $5,000 to the city of Mankato to begin their own Rally to Read initiative in the city of
• Program. Program.
• </c> Well Management Program. Well Management Program.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and then some more salient drill-down program information for each of the major programs within the
• ><c> down</c><00:11:25.440><c> program</c><00:11:25.800><c> information</c> Salient drill down program
• </c><00:12:00.839><c> to</c> because the counties are too small to because the counties are too small
• ><c> add</c><01:13:00.560><c> a</c><01:13:00.800><c> small</c> we may add a small we may add a small
• Are the programs, um, Director Johnson, the rehab programs, are they all voluntary?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > I</c><00:52:04.480><c> or</c> current program DOE program rules I or current program DOE program rules
• . programs. programs.
• I just wanted to share that these programs are not new programs.
• I just wanted to share that these programs are not new programs.
• And I just wanted to share that these programs are not new programs.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1783, which would expand public-private partnership options for charter school facilities. The Department of Education offered comments, the Charter School Commission and SFA supported the bill, and Hawaii Technology Academy, Hawaii Kids, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, HGA, Aloha Project, and several individuals testified in support, while UPW opposed it. Supporters said charter schools need faster and more flexible ways to address severe facility shortages and high costs, and SFA described the bill as a pilot model that could leverage developer partnerships and state contributions, citing Maryland as an example. Members asked whether the bill was limited to charter schools; DOE said the language could be read to include other public school facilities, but if focused only on charter schools, DOE was less concerned. The Charter School Commission also described an existing public-private preschool model through Parkway Village Preschool and PACTED. The committee then took up HB 1778, which would establish a CIP database for school facilities. SFA supported the bill, saying it would create a more disciplined, transparent basis for funding decisions by documenting facility condition, needed repairs, classification, and timing. DOE initially said it rested on its comments, then responded to questions by saying it already maintains deferred maintenance lists, uses systems such as Maximo, CPT, GIS, and finance software, and sends legislators project-status letters twice a year. DOE said it is working on improving its outward-facing dashboard and integrating its systems, but questioned whether the bill would add value beyond existing tools. Members emphasized the need for a publicly accessible, real-time transparency tool, while DOE said it was still evaluating its current systems and was not yet seeking funding for a new IT program. For HB 2344, creating an Independent Public School Realignment and Closure Commission, DOE said it wants to remain part of any consolidation process to keep students and education central, while SFA said the bill is timely and framed it as a restructuring response to changing conditions and possible federal funding cuts. SFA compared the proposal to the federal BRAC process for military base closures and said Hawaii has the same enrollment as in 1961 but many more schools, arguing that the state needs a more deliberate approach to school closures and land reuse. The Attorney General’s office raised technical concerns about several sections, including unclear references to administrative support, a governor-approval sequence, a possible conflict with existing statutes governing closed-school disposition, and a missing section number. Testimony on HB 2345, which would establish a geographic CIP district, began with DOE in opposition; DOE said the bill would duplicate existing work, add confusion by creating two agencies doing the same thing, and spend money inefficiently because district project coordinators and project lists already exist.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of the programs in this core are inspection programs that are regulatory and include programs such
• It's called the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, but that is just a small amount of administrative
• Waiver Program.
• This is in addition to managing the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program and the Medicare Rural Hospital
• program.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I trained at Mayo Clinic over 30 years ago and run a large pain program in the Twin Cities.
• </c> operate in other programs. operate in other programs.
• </c> which is a federal program. which is a federal program.
• This program is a federal entitlement program, with states and counties implementing the program.
• </c> on programs. on programs.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I come today on behalf of utilities, small utilities around the state of Florida.
• Family Lands Program. I think it's the best.
• Our program is a lifeline.
• The DEP is all over this, especially for small businesses.
• Small businesses like ours routinely pump ...these tanks and properly treat the waste.

Summary: The committee heard several bills and took favorable action on a number of them. CS/CS/SB 54 by Senator Sharif would require district medical examiners to perform toxicology screening for psychotropic drugs and intoxicating substances in autopsies of identified violent offenders, consult treating providers when available, document findings, and report results to state agencies; it passed after brief questions and one opponent waived against. CS/SB 176 by Senator Polsky would require public colleges and universities to publish clearer campus safety reporting and response procedures for threats to students, faculty, or staff; it also passed favorably with no opposition. CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Florida Farm Bill by Senator Trumbull, was the longest item and drew extensive testimony. The bill covers fair association rules, preemption of local limits on gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food animal veterinarian loan repayment program, permanent funding for Farmers Feeding Florida, forest service training, signal jammer penalties, CDL exam cheating penalties, no-solicitation protections, inspector protections, biosolids rules, and contractor payment enforcement. Members adopted multiple amendments, including changes to contractor payment language, expanding vet loan repayment to equine vets, merging citrus research entities, technical updates to fair statutes and nonprofit definitions, and a late amendment removing the bill’s disparagement/free-speech section after significant public testimony and debate. A separate late amendment on biosolids delayed compliance timelines for Broward County, and the bill then passed favorably as amended. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 834 on nonprofit religious organizations, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while adding a disclaimer requirement through amendment; the bill passed with support from some faith-based and consumer groups and one waiver against. SB 936 on temporary door locking devices passed without opposition. CS/SB 50 would expand veterans’ courts statewide as an option in all judicial circuits for service-related issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse; it received broad support from veterans and advocacy groups and passed favorably. CS/SB 1004, in strike-all form, would regulate dog and cat sales by requiring disclosure of medical records and financing terms, adding a three-day waiting period for financed purchases, and treating violations as unfair trade practices; an amendment removed an appropriation section, and the bill passed after questions about financing and pet retention. The committee then approved CS/CS/SB 178, which directs the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt rules allowing coaches to provide good-faith support to student-athletes for basic needs like food, transportation, and recovery services, while requiring reporting and preserving anti-recruiting enforcement; members discussed possible parental-consent language, and the bill passed favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing CS/SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks, with Senator Rouson explaining that it would regulate crypto kiosks to combat fraud, require operator registration, fraud warnings, blockchain analytics policies, and transaction limits, but the transcript cuts off before further action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that program. that program.
• </c> program or not? program or not?
• </c><02:44:06.800><c> But</c> FA program or any other program. But FA program or any other program.
• </c> a program for them to attend. a program for them to attend.
• </c><04:27:22.319><c> is</c> programming and and that programming is programming and and that programming

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on reviewing and correcting draft minutes and then working through a draft report on the cost of special education. Members made mostly clerical corrections, including clarifying references to Spalding, fixing acronyms such as LETRS, and cleaning up membership titles and appointee roles to match SB 57. The minutes were approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair also noted the commission’s deadline to complete findings and recommendations by July 1 and said the final report must be delivered to legislative leaders, the governor, the state librarian, and others. The main substantive discussion centered on the report’s findings about special education funding. Members agreed the report should emphasize that the commission was created to study the cost of special education and reduce reliance on local property taxes. One draft section described FY24 special education funding as coming from three primary state and federal sources totaling about $152 million, or roughly 15% of annual costs, with the remaining 85% paid by local school districts through property tax revenue, estimated at about $825 million. Members discussed adding historical or longitudinal data to show trends over time, and some suggested attaching charts or tables showing funding over the last 20 to 30 years. A second major topic was demographic data. The draft noted that statewide K-12 enrollment has declined since 2003 while the number and share of students with IEPs has increased. Members questioned whether the data compared like with like, especially given the growth of Education Freedom Accounts and charter school enrollment, and whether the figures included or excluded those students. Several members asked for clearer sourcing from the Department of Education and suggested keeping a list of unresolved questions, including the impact of the shift from ADMA to ADMR and the effect of the EFA program. The discussion ended with agreement to continue refining the report and to gather additional attachments and clarifications before finalizing recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> victims, and affordable housing programs victims, and affordable housing programs for<01:04:42.240
• I was assigned to a mentor program.
• Many of you may not know this, but I did an Emerge program, an intensive program in 2017.
• </c><02:50:38.319><c> council</c> for advice when I was on city council for advice when I was on city
• 31.040><c> counselor,</c> &gt;&gt; Faith was my city counselor, &gt;&gt; Faith was my city counselor,

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lucchese, Tony Lama, Black Jack Boots, Rocket buster boots, and caboots, all headquartered in the city
• We are a small family owned business and operated business.
• The Sun City, as El Paso is also known, has been the world's mecca for boot making for over a century
• You can't travel to a city anywhere in Texas, and I dare to say the US and visit so many boot artisan
• that was formerly the alternatives to abortion program.

Committee: Senate Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:36:15.080><c> with</c><00:36:15.240><c> the</c> some small fines associated with the some small
• Some of them, the dollars are very small. Most of the projects are done.
• </c> small. Most of the projects are done. small. Most of the projects are done.
• So, I think if you Meta is building a data center in the city of Rosemount.
• So, I think if you Meta is building a data center in the city of Rosemount.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the city of Berkeley is the only city that's a local public health jurisdiction, which is
• But we hope that other cities will take advantage if this bill were to pass.
• programs.
• I have worked with them when I was a deputy city attorney.
• I served on the Sacramento City Council for 12 years. Mr.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, you know, we've been up here and looked at lots of statistics on some of these programs, and
• Some of the programs are a little bit longer.
• There are some associate degree programs that apply to some of the demand out there.
• They're fairly small in size, and we think this will add efficiencies to us while maintaining that very
• That is a local bill, and the city of Lafayette will incur all costs.

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met on May 18, 2026, with eight members present and began by noting the state’s projected REC budget deficit and the need to consider fiscal impacts carefully. The committee first advanced HB 12, which extends the $250,000 surviving spouse benefit to reserve officers killed in the line of duty. Members noted the bill is prospective and that it draws from the same capped fund as other related bills, but it was reported favorable without opposition. The committee also adopted an amendment and reported HB 874 favorable as amended; the bill allows colleges, technical schools, the Louisiana Bar Association, and additional credentials to be added to LA Wallet, with the amendment changing mandatory language to permissive language. HB 951 was then reported favorable, creating an employer-facing workforce unit within Louisiana Works, to be funded through repurposed state and federal funds and existing staff, with a floor amendment expected to rename the unit. The committee also reported HB 979 favorable with amendments after reducing the proposed increase in survivor benefits because members learned several bills were drawing from the same $5 million fund, and HB 1193 favorable as amended, after striking a section that would have extended IDIQ authority to supply contracts for CPR. The committee then heard HB 909, which would require commercial payers to cover behavioral health crisis services. Representative Spell and LDH officials said the measure is intended to support crisis response centers and steer patients away from emergency rooms when appropriate, and they testified that it should be cost-neutral or absorbed within existing funding. Despite concerns raised by Senator Andrews about premiums, the bill was reported favorable after discussion of its potential savings and a possible pilot in Acadiana. HB 222, requiring Medicaid to cover dental procedures when needed to complete another medically covered procedure, was also reported favorable; LDH said it would absorb the cost within its existing budget and draw down federal matching funds. HB 291, which prevents health plans from penalizing hospitals when an out-of-network physician is involved in an otherwise covered hospital service, generated extensive debate over a disputed fiscal note and the No Surprises Act. OGB officials said any network “leakage” could cost the plan money, while supporters argued the policy is preventative and that the fiscal estimates were speculative. The committee adopted amendment 3941 to exempt OGB from the bill, then reported HB 291 favorable as amended. Later, the committee took up HB 145, which expands the authority of the law enforcement and firefighter survivor benefit board to cover extraordinary medical and dental expenses. Because members learned it also draws from the same fund as HB 12 and HB 979, an amendment reduced the amount from $50,000 to $25,000, and the bill was reported favorable as amended. HB 430, a local bill for Lafayette to continue paying health insurance costs for surviving families of fallen officers until Medicare eligibility, was reported favorable. Finally, HB 821, which establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Administration and transfers related duties from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, was introduced and discussed as a move with a one-time general fund expenditure already included in HB 1. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Everywhere I go, Casey Family Programs is there.
• And deaths actually make up a small number.
• The family program.
• So the SUPP program, the PPW program that I work closely with, and all the range of services, including
• So the SUPP program, the PPW program that I work closely with, and all the range of services, including

Bills: SB5979 , SB6308 , SB6319

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: opioids, substance abuse, dependent children, child welfare, caregiver substance use, court orders, shelter care, judicial discretion, family law, early childhood, family services, diversion programs, court-ordered assessments, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm thinking, well, we're a city, and this is a federal process.
• And that ballot measure said it can expend city money to educate other cities and counties.
• And that ballot measure said, and it can expend city money to educate other cities and counties.
• The ballot measure said it could expend city money to educate other cities and counties in case they
• Claire Sullivan on behalf of the City of Coronado, in support.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• services, and research programs.
• And we had some money around the immunization program, COVID immunization program, that was cut.
• That program got absorbed into one of our other programs, so it's covered in other ways.
• However, it varies by program.
• and other teaching programs.

Committee: House A&B Health Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all