Transcript Highlights:

• I will work with you all the way to Washington, D.C., and defend you all the way to Washington, D.C.
• That's not a burden on the state.
• Federal money coming to the state of Missouri.
• It is not designed to vary from state to state.
• There are other states that have done things.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> state whose God is the Lord." state whose God is the Lord."
• Amen. people of the state of Mississippi, but people of the state of Mississippi, but also<00:07:45.920
• </c> &gt;&gt; We have with us today the, uh, state &gt;&gt; We have with us today the, uh, state vice
• </c><00:15:55.080><c> Butler-Washington.</c> Lady from Hines, Ms. Butler-Washington.
• </c> our state with the opportunity to give. our state with the opportunity to give.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 3 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• next session with a bit of a game plan about how we're going to move the transportation system in the state
• of Washington forward.
• can be out on our roads and be moving through our state and still be safe, happy, healthy, and get home
• So coming together with this and making a huge step forward in maintenance and preservation in our state
• State was very critical at this time. I'll just highlight the work with the ferries.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The conference committee met to act on the conference agreement for gross substitute Senate Bill 6005, the state’s two-year transportation budget. Staff summarized the agreement as a $16.6 billion appropriations package for the biennium, compared with $17 billion in the Senate version and $16.5 billion in the House version. The budget includes about $800 million in reappropriated capital funds to continue existing projects, plus new funding for preservation, maintenance, and ferries, and it is tied to a six-year plan with project lists referenced in the bill. Members from both chambers praised staff and described the agreement as a compromise focused on maintenance, preservation, ferries, and traffic safety. Several speakers emphasized that the budget addresses immediate needs while acknowledging broader long-term challenges, including the need for sustainable transportation revenue and future planning for ferries, culverts, and capital projects. Some members noted concerns about the financing approach and the use of bonds, but still supported the overall agreement. On the motion to approve the conference report, the committee voted 5-1 to recommend the conference budget. Representative Barkis voted do not recommend, while Representatives Donaghy and Fey, and Senators King, Krishnadasan, and Leavitt voted to recommend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:42.000><c> Madam</c> Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington.
• Madam Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington.
• Please state Welcome to the committee.
• Please go ahead and state your name and give us your testimony.
• </c><00:24:46.960><c> of</c> defender office or for the state of defender office or for the state of

Bills: HF2300

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Almost every other state that's a high-tax state renewed that provision.
• Almost every other state that's a high-tax state renewed that provision.
• </c> in our state. in our state.
• </c> the state, zero. the state, zero.
• </c> Minnesota state taxes. Minnesota state taxes.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair lays before the House a communication from the Speaker's rooms, Washington, D.C., May 26, 2026
• be offered by guest chaplain, Reverend Rachel Landers Vognes, Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, Washington
• And so, as servant leaders of this United States, we unplug and disengage from the business that is always
• Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, Washington,<00:06:16.360><c> D.C.
• ,</c> United States, United States, we<00:06:54.160><c> unplug</c><00:06:54.840><c> and</c><00:06:55.040

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• next session with a bit of a game plan about how we're going to move the transportation system in the state
• of Washington forward.
• the most important thing, is in my view, is to make sure that anybody who lives, plays, works in Washington
• can be out on our roads and be moving through our state and still be safe, happy, healthy, and get home
• So coming together with this and making a huge step forward in maintenance and preservation in our state

Summary: The conference committee met to act on the conference report for gross substitute Senate Bill 6005, the state’s two-year supplemental transportation budget. Staff summarized the agreement as a $16.6 billion budget for the biennium, compared with $17 billion in the Senate version and $16.5 billion in the House version. The package includes about $800 million in reappropriated capital funds to continue existing projects, along with new funding for preservation, maintenance, and ferries, and it is tied to a six-year transportation plan and two project lists referenced in the bill. Members from both chambers spoke in support of the compromise while noting ongoing concerns about long-term transportation funding. Several emphasized that maintenance, preservation, ferries, and safety were the central priorities, and that the budget would help keep workers employed and projects moving. Chair Fye and Ranking Member Barkas both said more work is needed in the interim and next session to develop a sustainable long-term revenue and capital strategy, while Senator King, Representative Donaghy, and Senator Krishnadasan highlighted the preservation, maintenance, ferries, and jobs impacts of the agreement. After debate, Representative Fine moved to approve the conference report. The committee then took a roll call vote and recommended the conference budget by a tally of five to one, with Representative Barkas voting do not recommend and the other members voting to recommend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each state has a state energy office.
• University.
• State.
• I suggested the North Dakota State University Extension Service because it has offices all over the state
• I suggested the North Dakota State University Extension Service because it has offices all over the state

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Summary: The committee met to review advanced nuclear energy issues in North Dakota, beginning with approval of the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon presented an overview of the advanced reactor landscape, distinguishing light-water SMRs, advanced Gen 4 reactors, and microreactors. The presentation emphasized that light-water SMRs are the most near-term deployable and use familiar low-enriched uranium fuel, while many Gen 4 designs may require high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALU), which is not yet supported by a mature U.S. supply chain. Nucleon also noted that advanced reactors are being developed primarily for industrial heat applications, while microreactors are niche, higher-cost systems for remote or mission-critical uses. Committee members asked about fuel availability, safety, recycling, and whether large reactors such as AP-1000s were evaluated; the presenter said fuel development is proceeding in parallel but remains a bottleneck, and that siting and grid capacity often make SMRs more practical than gigawatt-scale plants in North Dakota. Representatives from the National Association of State Energy Officials described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, regional coordination, grants, tax incentives, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and pilot programs. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and said states are focusing on multi-state coordination, demand aggregation, regulatory coordination, waste management, workforce readiness, and community engagement. They also discussed affordability tools such as construction work in progress (CWIP), financing incentives, and consumer protections, citing examples from Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, Tennessee, and others. In response to questions, they explained that pilot programs often involve site-readiness and feasibility studies, and that the federal Nuclear Innovation Campus process is moving forward with multiple submissions while broader waste and recycling policy may require congressional action. The Public Service Commission said it would likely have a major role in any North Dakota nuclear project through certificate-of-public-convenience-and-necessity review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted gaps in current law for small reactors, co-located facilities, NRC coordination, and long-term site stewardship. The commissioner said the commission has no authority over a private, self-contained reactor not connected to the grid. The Department of Environmental Quality explained that the state regulates radioactive materials under its agreement-state authority, but NRC retains primacy over fission reactors; DEQ would likely assist with emergency planning and could have a larger role if fusion reactors emerge. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, requiring a dedicated radiological emergency preparedness program, training, drills, public outreach, and likely additional funding and staffing, with industry expected to bear much of the cost. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota’s water laws and prior-appropriation system are adequate for nuclear siting, that the Missouri River is the best likely source, and that no statutory or budget changes are currently needed from a water perspective. The committee recessed for lunch after these agency presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are seeing industry the state.
• </c> States fully uh by the US Coast Guard. States fully uh by the US Coast Guard.
• Repeals the state from 19 to 18.
• And that in Washington state, required price impact analysis has shown that the program has only increased
• I have in previous in our state.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard SB 2694 SD2, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create automatic adjustment mechanisms for water carriers, including a water carrier inflationary cost index, and to waive certain requirements under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Testimony was sharply divided. The Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and several shipping, harbor, labor, and business-related supporters argued the bill would modernize regulation, reduce the need for large catch-up rate cases, and help keep rates aligned with rising costs. Young Brothers said its current rate-setting process is expensive and delayed, and that annual adjustments with guardrails such as a 5% cap and periodic full reviews would support sustainable operations and the state’s supply chain. Some supporters also said the company’s less-than-container-load service and required inter-island routes create costs that are not fully covered by current rates. Opponents, including the Consumer Advocate, the Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Food Industry Association, restaurant and chamber groups, and other businesses, argued the bill would lead to higher costs for consumers and businesses and should not move forward. Several testified that shipping costs already significantly affect pricing and that automatic increases would worsen the cost of living. The Consumer Advocate said Young Brothers should focus on cost control and implementing its business plan rather than automatic rate increases. The Maui Chamber and others pointed to a recent PUC decision that imposed a two-year stay on rate increases and said the bill would undermine that protection. Some opponents urged the committee to defer to the PUC’s regulatory authority. The PUC explained that it regulates water carriers as public utilities under existing statute and said it had recently approved a temporary rate increase while imposing a two-year stayout period on further increases, with emergency relief still possible. PUC members said they were still examining whether they have authority to adopt the proposed WICI mechanism by rule and wanted legislative clarity. In response to questions, the PUC said it prefers the current two-year stayout as reflected in its order. Young Brothers also clarified that it serves less-than-container-load cargo, that some routes and services are cross-subsidized because they are not profitable, and that an independent observer is being put in place to monitor implementation of its updated business plan. The transcript ended with the committee still taking questions; no final vote or disposition on the bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that my takeaways are not universal.
• Alongside this, our programs have supported 172 LGBTQ-plus community centers across the United States
• Your technology policy rarely stays here; where California leads, other states watch.
• But as I stated in the beginning, this is truly a double-edged sword.
• Noting that the reality is the same, you know, in the states. But Australia is massive.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• State your name, who you're with.
• In your state.
• The universities in our state will be avoided by cis and trans, non-binary, and intersex students.
• The universities in our states will be avoided by CIS and trans, non-binary, and intersex students.
• We're a constitutional carry state and a stand-your-ground state.

Committee: House Emerging Issues

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It has traditionally been something where the state auditor's offices have been able to provide that
• information or state elections office, excuse me, the county elections.
• Like other state trustee agencies, there’s ample precedent. It had good bipartisan sponsorship.
• This is largely a technical cleanup of the Washington Leadership Board statute.
• Like other state trustee agencies, there’s ample precedent. It had good bipartisan sponsorship.

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It has traditionally been something where the state auditor's offices have been able to provide that
• information or state elections office, excuse me, the county elections.
• This allows Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to be able to develop an integrated wildlife
• This is largely a technical cleanup of the Washington Leadership Board statute.
• Like other state trustee agencies, there's ample precedent. It had good bipartisan sponsorship.

Summary: The Committee on Rules considered a gubernatorial package poll, a consent calendar package poll, and a series of individual polls. The gubernatorial nominations on the lavender sheet were advanced to the confirmation calendar, and the measures on the pink consent calendar package were advanced to the consent calendar, with Senator Peterson noting the consent package was a bipartisan set of bills expected to be unanimous. The committee then advanced numerous bills from the white sheet, including SB 6002 on limits for automated license plate readers and privacy protections; SB 6178 on restrictions related to assignment of post-loss property insurance benefits; SB 5892 on protecting voter registration data and sensitive personal information; SSB 5490 on search policies for transgender and intersex individuals in local jails; SB 5177 on professional development that considers historically marginalized and underrepresented groups; SB 6039 on electronic communications for L&I; SB 5874 on waiving penalties for minor unemployment insurance reporting errors; SB 5863 on preserving Lakeland Village records and artifacts until 2030; SB 5972 on binding arbitration for certain correctional officers; SB 5941 on energy code flexibility for small school districts; SB 5203 on wildlife habitat connectivity and related reporting/funding; SB 6014 on confidentiality for pregnancy accommodation complaints; SB 5993 on limiting interest on new and unpaid medical debt to 1%; SB 5831 on the Uniform Mortgage Modification Act; SB 5928 on wildfire risk model disclosure and insurer consideration of mitigation efforts; SB 5912 on reinstating the indigent defense task force; and SB 5825 on technical cleanup of the Washington Leadership Board statute and private fundraising authority. Most motions passed by voice vote with little or no opposition. Senator Short spoke against SB 5892, arguing voter data access had traditionally been handled through auditor or county elections offices and that the bill moved in the wrong direction; supporters responded that it protected sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and birthdates while preserving access to voting history. The meeting concluded after the chair asked for further business and, hearing none, adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, she joins us from Washington State, and we're thrilled to have her.
• Um, she joins us from Washington<00:02:27.599><c> State,</c><00:02:27.840><c> and</c><00:02:28.000><c
• > we're</c><00:02:28.239><c> thrilled</c><00:02:28.480><c> to</c> Washington State, and we're thrilled
• to Washington State, and we're thrilled to have<00:02:28.720><c> her.
• Best agency in the state. I'll amazing. Best agency in the state.

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The state will be filing a motion, I see. I'm sorry.
• I am the representative of the Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, and I'm here to give you
• So right now, a little background on the Washington State Patrol or WSP retirement system: I think LEOFF
• Washington State Patrol has less than 1,000.
• So any pay or pension enhancements cost our individuals more with the Washington State Patrol than it

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Few in the in the lake<00:15:37.080><c> states.</c> lake states. lake states.
• </c><00:16:19.640><c> state</c><00:16:20.560><c> and</c><00:16:20.760><c> then</c> tribes in Washington
• state and then tribes in Washington state and then several<00:16:21.320><c> in</c><00:16:21.440><c>
• </c> political jurisdiction, usually a state political jurisdiction, usually a state or<00:17:10.520>
• Washington state also has a program that's in the process of linking with the WCI.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductions, approval of the March 6 minutes as amended to add an attendee list, and a brief overview of the day’s agenda. The committee heard two presentations from carbon project developers, with the first from Dylan Jenkins of Finite Carbon. He described Finite Carbon’s work in improved forest management projects, its role in developing carbon methodologies and protocols, and its experience with projects in New England, Appalachia, Alaska, and Canada. He also outlined the difference between compliance and voluntary carbon markets, the role of registries and intermediaries, and the types of buyers in the market, including large corporate buyers and long-term off-take partners. A major focus of the presentation was how forest carbon projects are structured and how credits are monetized. Jenkins distinguished between removals and reductions, explaining that removals come from new forest growth while reductions are tied more closely to baseline assumptions and standing stock. He said improved forest management projects can generate both types of credits, and that removals generally command higher prices because they are easier for buyers to understand and verify. He also emphasized that carbon project commercialization can occur before, during, or after credit issuance, and that landowners may be paid through a variety of structures, including leases, advance fees, per-unit payments, or off-take agreements. Jenkins then addressed the committee’s tax-related questions, saying House Bill 123 appeared intended to treat carbon credit sales similarly to timber sales for local tax purposes. He argued that carbon credits are a forest product and that taxing them can be reasonable in principle, but he stressed that lawmakers should distinguish between commoditization and commercialization when deciding what event to tax. He noted that credits may be created but never sold, and that in some programs landowners retain timber and carbon rights while in others the developer has deeper control over those rights. In response to questions, he said the industry uses protocols, verification, and third-party oversight to address baseline and quality concerns, but acknowledged that baseline setting remains a major point of debate in the market.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the state turns its back. the state turns its back.
• </c> happen next in another state. happen next in another state.
• </c> advancing in other states. advancing in other states.
• entire state of Illinois.
• . state. state.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a multi-state press event and hearing focused on alleged federal immigration enforcement abuses in Minnesota and other states. Minnesota lawmakers and invited legislators from Montana, Illinois, North Dakota, Tennessee, and elsewhere described ICE and Border Patrol activity as warrantless, masked, and violent, citing detentions of residents and U.S. citizens, school lockdowns, hospital disruptions, chemical munitions, and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Brady. Speakers said the actions were terrorizing immigrant communities, communities of color, Native Americans, and families, and argued that the federal government was using Minnesota as a testing ground for broader authoritarian overreach. Several lawmakers tied the situation to constitutional and civil-rights concerns, saying the conduct violated protections related to due process, free speech, and equal treatment. They urged state and federal officials to resist cooperation with ICE, protect schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses as safe spaces, and support sanctuary policies. One speaker said Minnesota had never before needed a select committee on federal impacts, but that the current situation justified it; another said a coalition of 27 states was coordinating 85 bills to require coordination with local law enforcement, increase transparency, protect against warrantless arrests and racial profiling, and impose consequences for federal misconduct. During the press question period, lawmakers from North Dakota and Tennessee said similar enforcement activity was spreading beyond Minnesota, including reported abductions in Fargo and a large federal presence in Memphis that had led to deportations and business closures. Illinois lawmakers said their state had already passed sanctuary laws and would continue pushing back. The event ended with calls for continued organizing, state-level legislation, and collective resistance to federal immigration enforcement practices described by speakers as unlawful and abusive.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Rex Reynolds to the Athens State Rex Reynolds to the Athens State University<00:22:56.080><c> Board
• </c><00:23:06.640><c> University</c><00:23:07.120><c> Board</c><00:23:07.360><c> of</c> the Athens State
• University Board of the Athens State University Board of Trustees<00:23:08.000><c> using</c><00:23:08.400
• state championship um rings. And also my state championship um rings.
• Therefore, state and local law.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then approved the prior journal and allowed bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The chamber received multiple committee reports, including favorable reports on several finance and taxation bills, confirmations, local bills, and a series of resolutions. The Senate also confirmed several appointments to higher education and university boards, including Nicholas J. Balden, Jennifer Wit, Ronnie Stalworth, and Rex Reynolds, using long or previous roll calls as applicable. The Senate adopted a special order calendar that set up floor consideration of several bills, including measures on physician assistants, seafood/aquaculture, motor vehicles, campaign practices, property insurance and energy reduction, child custody, and school bus drivers. During debate on the special order calendar, Senator Smitherman raised concern that no bills on the calendar were sponsored by minority members, noting a prior understanding that minority-sponsored bills should be represented; Senator Wagner responded that the calendar was prepared based on legislation rather than sponsor party, and the exchange ended with an agreement to continue moving forward. The Senate then adopted the special order calendar and began taking up the listed bills. On the special order calendar, the Senate advanced House Bill 156 on physician assistant compacts, House Bill 277 on seafood/aquaculture tastings, and House Bill 42 on motor vehicles, with supporters describing each as consumer-friendly or supportive of industry. The chamber also considered local legislation, including bills for Madison, Tallapoosa, and Shelby counties; House Bill 337 for Madison County was amended and carried over, while House Bills 490, 491, and 493 passed after roll-call votes. Throughout the meeting, the Senate also adopted several commendatory and memorial resolutions, including measures honoring individuals, recognizing organizations and events, and naming a highway, with most adopted by voice vote and no recorded opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Have any other states tried to correct it with legislation passed in other states?
• Additionally, for your multi-state employers in the state of Massachusetts, we have several states that
• No other state has this.
• No other state has this.
• It should really be on this state to ensure that workers. to earn the state minimum wage.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid public hearing with testimony on a wide range of labor, workforce, unemployment insurance, apprenticeship, disability services, farm labor, hospital staffing, and workplace harassment bills. Chairs Jake Oliveira and Paul McMurtry outlined hearing procedures, limited testimony to two minutes, and noted written testimony would be accepted after the hearing. Committee members and staff were introduced throughout the session as witnesses arrived in person or remotely. A major portion of the hearing focused on unemployment insurance legislation. Greater Boston Legal Services, the AFL-CIO, and Rep. Joan Meschino supported bills to adjust UI eligibility for workers with fluctuating schedules and to streamline waivers and write-offs for non-fault overpayments, arguing the current system unfairly denies benefits or burdens workers who were not at fault. They also backed bills calling for more oversight and resources for the Division of Unemployment Assistance, citing persistent delays in benefit payments. NFIB opposed the UI changes, warning that the trust fund is headed toward insolvency and arguing the bills would worsen the system’s finances. Rep. Meschino and committee members emphasized that the proposals were meant to protect good-faith claimants and did not apply to fraud. Another large set of bills addressed wages, workforce development, and working conditions. Testimony supported raising and modernizing direct care wages to address severe staffing shortages in human services and disability services, with advocates from the Massachusetts Developmental Disability Council, The Arc of Massachusetts, parents of adults with disabilities, and a direct care worker describing how low pay and turnover harm people needing support. The committee also heard support for apprenticeship-related bills from the AFL-CIO and the Carpenters, while Associated Builders and Contractors opposed mandatory apprenticeship ratios and urged changes to align them with licensing laws. Farm worker advocates supported a bill to raise farm labor standards, including minimum wage, paid breaks, and paid time off, while the Farm Bureau opposed parts of it beyond the minimum wage increase. The hearing also featured testimony on workplace harassment training, overtime protections, hospital mandatory overtime, suicide prevention signage on construction sites, and a proposal to update the Massachusetts Medical Society’s mission language from “citizens” to “people.” Labor groups, educators, and compliance trainers strongly supported mandatory annual sexual harassment training, saying it would improve workplace culture and reduce harm. SEIU 1199 supported extending the hospital nurse mandatory overtime ban to the broader hospital workforce. Witnesses on the suicide prevention bill described personal losses in construction and recovery work and urged posting 988 information on job sites. The committee took no votes during the hearing; witnesses repeatedly asked for favorable reports, and members asked follow-up questions on UI calculations, apprenticeship ratios, small-business impacts, and emergency exceptions for hospital staffing.

Transcript Highlights:

• other states' farm winery permits are all about—grapes that are grown within that state.
• the wine industry in other states.
• Other states do similar things in tracking? I cannot speak to that. I can't speak to other states.
• Most of the states, in fact, I would say every state knows.
• Please state your name, give your position on the bill, and state your testimony, please.

Bills: HB223

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all