Transcript Highlights:

• And so those folks dropped off. We had some issues with a vendor that was supplying some services.
• c><00:10:16.800> so<00:10:17.040> those<00:10:17.360> folks<00:10:17.680> dropped
• And so those folks dropped providing.
• And so those folks dropped off.<00:10:18.800> We<00:10:19.040> had<00:10:19.440> some
• wait times dropped to essentially zero. wait times dropped to essentially zero.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:00 Approve Minutes from November 13, 2025- 00:00:55 RiverLink Tolling Operations for Louisville Bridges-Quarterhill Testimony- 00:01:48 Staff Report on Veterans’ Centers- 00:26:45 Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Response to Staff Report- 0:58:53 Adjournment- 1:18:00, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the November 13, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony from Quarter Hill, the tolling subcontractor for RiverLink on the Indiana-Kentucky bridge system. Quarter Hill described its role in back-office support and call center operations for the Lincoln, Kennedy, and Lewis and Clark bridges, and said the contract began in 2021 with go-live in September 2023. The company reported that revenue has increased since it took over, customer service response times have improved, and it has been operating at a loss because the contract was based on outdated transaction estimates and did not account for higher-than-expected volume and added support costs. Members questioned Quarter Hill about the role of consultants, the low reported collection rate, and why the company was leaving the contract. Quarter Hill said a single large consulting engineering firm had been hired to help shape the RFP and contract, but argued that consultants and overly detailed requirements can create disputes and hinder efficient service. On collection rates, the company said the reported 85% rate reflects the absence of registration holds and other enforcement tools, and that the remaining unpaid tolls are the hardest to collect. The company also said it had lost significant money on the contract and had reached a change order and termination agreement, while emphasizing that the system itself was functioning well. The committee then received a staff report on Kentucky veterans centers. Staff said quality of care is generally high and staffing has improved, but reported occupancy figures are misleading because they are based on certified beds rather than functional capacity after conversions to single-occupancy rooms and capital projects. The report said actual occupancy is closer to 85% than the commonly reported 56%, and that increasing occupancy would not necessarily increase revenue because the state’s cost of care exceeds reimbursement and private-pay revenue. Recommendations included adopting functional occupancy reporting, continuing the move to single-occupancy rooms, reviewing modernization needs at Thompson Hood, including Eastern Kentucky in planning, and referring the Radcliffe HVAC procurement and installation to the Auditor of Public Accounts and Attorney General for review.

Transcript Highlights:

• Meloran, I'm concerned you've dropped a seven-page set of amendments on us this morning.
• But I think it's a little disingenuous to drop seven pages on us, and we've got a bill that's 23 pages
• Was to drop seven pages on us, and we've got a bill that's 23 pages with Rep.
• But we knew that Senator Myers' bills was coming, and then you dropped this bill on us.
• I've reviewed that, but you've dropped all this at the last minute. So I'm offended about this.

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 408 by Senator Myers, a major workers’ compensation overhaul centered on creating an all-claims medical database, requiring electronic reporting and billing, and modernizing fee schedule and claims data collection. Myers said the bill was designed to improve transparency, reduce disputes, address outliers and abuse, and help injured workers return to work faster. The committee adopted technical amendments, then considered a large amendment set combining portions of House bills 780 and 1101, which added preliminary determination procedures, fraud language, temporary total disability and supplemental earnings benefit changes, and a fallback deadline for the department to establish a fee schedule if no agreement is reached by 2029. Several members and witnesses objected that the amendments were dropped late and would turn SB 408 into an omnibus bill; supporters argued the package was the best chance for comprehensive reform. After debate, the committee adopted the amendments and reported SB 408 favorably as amended. Testimony on SB 408 was sharply divided. Supporters, including some providers and injured-worker advocates, said the bill’s core value was transparency through the database and that the system needed modernization and a better fee schedule. Opponents argued the added amendments would burden pro se claimants, expand litigation, and weaken injured workers’ rights, especially through fraud and preliminary hearing provisions. Committee members also questioned whether the combined package was germane and whether it should be allowed to move as a single reform measure. Louisiana Workforce Commission staff explained the timeline for data collection, electronic billing, dispute rules, and eventual fee schedule rulemaking, and said the department could execute the law as amended. The committee then turned to House Bill 585 by Representative Chasson, concerning workplace violence and safety plans for small-box discount retailers. The bill was revised through a substitute that required covered retailers to develop and submit a written workforce safety plan, or submit an existing plan if one already existed. Representative Glorioso raised concerns that requiring a written safety plan could create new civil liability under Louisiana’s assumption-of-duty doctrine and increase litigation and insurance costs. Chasson responded that the intent was simply to encourage safety planning and that businesses already had such plans. The committee discussed possible narrowing language, but the transcript ends before a final disposition on HB 585 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• They looked like you dropped out, and that was in the funding formula.
• I believe it was children's, oh, the Cancer Center on line 55, that there was a drop in funding of, appears
• So we didn't want to drop it off, but the ...rolled up in FY26.
• So we didn't want to drop it off, but the funding is still there. Great.
• Two classes, and if they were on two separate nights of the week, about 25% of them had to drop one class

Bills: SB37, SB29

Keywords: high-quality literacy instruction, science of reading, structured literacy, reading instruction, literacy assessment, dyslexia screening, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, biliteracy, English language learner, ELL, bilingual education, dual language program, reading intervention, reading difficulty, reading improvement plan, literacy coach

Transcript Highlights:

• y'all don't have that, but in FY19, 40 came from the general fund, and then 20, 40, and... ...21 dropped
• Then we dropped back up to 14, 13.
• We would have been, let's see, five, six—we'd have been, say, every drop of the money that came in that
• We get one in Taos; they drop down and cover maybe the Cimarron and those areas.
• There's a Raton; they can cut across Cimarron, they can drop down to Springer and do all that easily

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're looking in the not-too-distant future at people being dropped from Medicaid.
• investment that a little bit of prevention can actually save money in the long term in terms of people dropping
• out of the workforce and in terms of... ...save money in the long term in terms of people dropping out
• And then the hospital will drop them. Our systems don't interconnect right.
• And then these systems drop off, and these programs drop off.

Summary: The Community Safety Committee held an interim work session on crisis response, with members and witnesses discussing how Washington can better integrate 911, 988, mobile crisis, co-response, and alternative response models for behavioral health crises in public spaces. Travis Parker opened with an overview of the Sequential Intercept Model and the crisis care continuum, emphasizing early intervention, 988 access, regional coordination, navigators and peer support, and the need for sustainable braided funding. Several Washington witnesses then described current programs and system gaps, including the growth of co-response teams, the importance of integrating 911 and 988 rather than treating them as competing systems, and the need to reduce unnecessary emergency room use and improve first responder wellness and training. City, fire, and crisis-system representatives described local challenges and reforms. Kim Hendrickson of Poulsbo said most crisis calls still come through 911 and urged better coordination among field-based teams, more behavioral health training for fire/EMS, and more alternatives to ER transport. Laura Pippen, a designated crisis responder, described a strained involuntary treatment system, fewer DCRs statewide, difficulty getting law enforcement support for transports, and limited facility capacity, especially for substance use disorder. Jennifer Stuber and South County Fire’s Keith Sharp highlighted workforce training, a crisis responder certificate program, and first responder wellness efforts. Research witnesses Evan Lauder and James Pine said the evidence is still developing but generally supports on-scene resolution, reduced ED transport and detention in some models, and the importance of clear dispatch protocols, coordination, and ongoing evaluation. Dispatch and program operators then gave examples of how systems are working in practice. Katie Myers of Washington APCO/NENA said 911 remains essential, but needs evidence-based triage protocols, liability protections, and additional funding if it is expected to take on more crisis-response responsibilities. Whatcom County described embedding a “community connector” in the 911 center to coordinate alternative response, while ValleyCom reported that its 988 diversion pilot transferred 2,165 calls with 98% resolved through 988/211 without returning to 911. National examples included Denver’s STAR program, Albuquerque’s Community Safety Department, and Atlanta’s PAD initiative, each showing different ways to route low-acuity or behavioral-health-related calls away from police and toward clinicians, peers, or civilian responders. The session ended with Washington examples continuing, including Whatcom County’s alternative response team, underscoring the committee’s interest in refining and expanding integrated crisis response systems in the next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• they're going to see their tuition rate tripled, maybe quadrupled, and they're probably going to have to drop
• reality is that for those students that are currently enrolled, the vast majority of them, they will drop
• They will drop out. You have priced them out of higher education.
• We saw somebody do a 180 for political expediency, drop a $120,000 position, and exchange it for a million-dollar
• So we could say, hey, we're going to drop them off in two hours.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the pledge, and a moment of silence honoring former Senator and Judge Thomas Gallen. The chamber then moved to special order items focused on immigration and related enforcement measures. Senate Memorial 6C, urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide guidance and training for 287(g) agreements, passed by voice vote. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 4C, an immigration measure that would impose a mandatory death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of capital felonies and create state crimes for illegal entry and re-entry. Senators Pizzo, Polsky, and Sharief raised concerns about constitutional issues, plea bargaining, trial and penalty-phase procedures, prosecutorial discretion, and the effect on victims’ families. Supporters, including Senators Fine and Gruters, argued the bill was a strong deterrent and a response to serious crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. The bill passed 25-11. The chamber next debated Senate Bill 2C, a broader immigration enforcement package. The bill would create a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, expand local-federal cooperation, fund detention and enforcement efforts, strengthen pretrial detention rules for unauthorized aliens, and end in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Senators Davis and Pizzo questioned enforcement mechanics, jurisdiction, bond procedures, and whether local agencies were actually mandated to participate; supporters said the bill was designed to maximize cooperation with federal authorities and the Trump administration. A late-filed amendment by Senator Pizzo to preserve tuition waivers for current students failed 14-22, and a second amendment was withdrawn after discussion. Debate then continued on the bill, with opponents arguing it was costly, federal in nature, and harmful to Dreamers and other students, while supporters said it was necessary to crack down on illegal immigration and align state policy with federal enforcement priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• You get that dropped on the door, it's like, folks, that's just to give you an idea.
• with an air tight case, satisfies burden of proof to take to a jury, but the president asks you to drop
• Well, it's true that his prosecution has been dropped, correct? Pardon me?
• His, the prosecution against him, the case, has been dropped.
• What I was referring to is... your statement about why it was dropped based on what the media was reporting

Keywords: nominations, Deputy Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice, Todd Blanch, Gail Slater, confirmation hearing

Summary: The meeting focused on the nominations of Todd Blanch and Gail Slater for the positions of Deputy Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, respectively. The committee considered the qualifications of both nominees, with opening statements provided by the nominees themselves. There was an evident emphasis on the rigorous vetting process that nominees undergo before their selection, highlighting the importance of the roles within the Department of Justice. Members of the committee engaged in a structured question-and-answer session to further evaluate the nominees' capabilities and fit for the positions they were nominated for, with each member allotted seven minutes to pose questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Revenues drop, and policymakers have to make tough decisions to balance the budget.
• Revenues drop, and policymakers have to make tough decisions to balance the budget.
• turn the page to the actual question that is before the people of Minnesota, 2.1 through 2.3, you drop
• uh 2.1 through uh 2.1 through 2.3<00:25:44.880> uh<00:25:45.000> you<00:25:45.200> drop
• one of those projected 2.3 uh you drop one of those projected uh<00:25:47.320> it<00:25:47.440

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 4, as amended, was heard in committee. The bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create a Minnesota tax relief account that would capture projected general fund revenues exceeding 105% of projected expenditures and return those funds to taxpayers, primarily through property tax relief or income tax relief. The committee adopted an amendment to put the bill in the author’s preferred shape, and later adopted a technical amendment from Representative Smith to insert the word “projected” before “expenditures” on line 2.2. Representative Johnson presented the bill as an affordability measure meant to return surplus money to the people rather than create new spending, arguing it would help homeowners and taxpayers if a surplus occurs. Ranna Lee of Americans for Prosperity supported the concept of returning surplus funds to taxpayers but also urged broader tax and budget reforms, including triggers for rate reductions and changes to budgeting practices. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project and Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota opposed the proposal, warning that embedding budget and tax rules in the Constitution would reduce legislative flexibility, weaken public investment, shift costs to local governments, and make it harder to respond to recessions or emergencies. Members raised questions about how the formula would work, who would qualify for refunds, whether corporations with property tax liability could benefit, and how the proposal would handle forecast-based calculations and unexpected events such as pandemics or federal policy changes. House research and committee staff clarified that the bill would need to go to Ways and Means and then Rules to satisfy House requirements for constitutional amendments, and that a fiscal note had been requested and was in process. The committee did not take final action on the bill in the portion of the transcript provided, but the motion before it was to recommend passage and send House File 4 to Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would, with change, my motion if the roll call is dropped to lay it over for possible inclusion in
• I would, with change, my motion if the roll call is dropped to lay it over for possible inclusion in

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It should be coming from today, which means you need to drop it.
• So if you drop it today, then I can give it to you this afternoon. Then go ahead and post that.

Bills: HB78

Keywords: Baldwin County, court proceedings, nonjury cases, branch courthouses, judicial authority, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Madam Chair, Senator Lucero, in what's driving some of these drops going back 20 years, that was
• So leading to that significant drop-off in new construction of all types.
• <00:26:03.039> there<00:26:03.840> of<00:26:04.159> the drop there of the drop there
• there was such a precipitous drop. there was such a precipitous drop.
• in what's driving some of these drops in what's driving some of these drops going<00:26:50.400><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the year that unfunded liability is paid off, it drops to 878 million from one year to the next.
• Sometimes there were a lot of competing demands, right, when revenue was dropping.
• went from 100 102 and 23 to then dropped went from 100 102 and 23 to then dropped down<01:23:47.920
• And you see that when we get through the amortization period, those drop to zero.
• amortization period those drop to zero. amortization period those drop to zero. the<01:28:44.320

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum call, the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, and approval of the prior meeting minutes. The first presentation was from Bo Craycraft of the Judicial Form Retirement System, who gave an update on investment performance, asset allocation, cash flow, and projected employer costs. He reported strong fiscal year 2025 investment results, with both the legislative and judicial retirement plans outperforming their actuarial assumed rates of return and benchmarks, driven largely by U.S. equity performance. He also noted the plans remained near their target asset allocation and continued to experience negative cash flow, though he said that was manageable in context of strong asset growth. Craycraft then discussed a recent experience study and actuarial assumption changes, especially a revised salary growth assumption and a higher cash balance interest credit rate. He said these changes increased projected employer costs, with contributions rising from about $700,000 to a projected $2 million in later years, though he expected the eventual 2025 valuation and investment gains to reduce that estimate. Members asked about mortality assumptions, the impact of the experience study on liabilities, and the sharp increase in the judicial plan’s projected employer cost. Craycraft explained that the increase was driven mainly by the updated assumptions and that no other major plan changes were involved. At the chair’s request, Craycraft also addressed the recent rise in Medicare Advantage premiums for the plan’s health coverage, saying the 2025 increase was largely tied to Part D changes and the Inflation Reduction Act and had been about 45%, but that future growth was expected to be under 5%. After his presentation, the committee moved to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority update, where the next speaker began by saying the funds had exceeded actuarial assumed returns for the fiscal year.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's a drop of 6.1%.
• And that's a drop of about 11 million.
• And that's a drop of 610<00:05:13.600> of<00:05:13.759> 1%.
• As you may remember, there was<00:05:16.400> a<00:05:16.560> drop<00:05:16.720> in
• >> and um I guess actually it's dropped >> and um I guess actually it's dropped about

Keywords: This meeting was recovered from a back up copy and uploaded after the original meeting took place., 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on the FY 2025 road fund. Officials reported road fund revenues came in $38.5 million above the enacted estimate, but were down about $11 million from FY 2024, largely because a motor fuels tax rate reduction took effect at the start of FY 2025. Motor vehicle usage tax receipts were stronger than expected, and the cabinet said the road fund ended the year with a $61.6 million surplus, which the budget bill directs to state highway construction. Members also discussed how the motor fuels decline affects formula distributions to cities, counties, and rural/secondary roads, with officials saying about $122.8 million had been planned for revenue sharing but was not distributed because receipts were lower than forecast. Members asked about broader revenue trends, including fuel efficiency, electric vehicles, and the removal of a hybrid fee. Cabinet officials said improved fuel efficiency and CAFE standards reduce gasoline consumption and therefore fuel tax receipts, while EVs and plug-in hybrids are subject to a user fee. They also said toll revenues from the Louisville bridges are covering bills and commitments, though they did not have detailed figures at hand. On project delivery, officials said delays are often caused by right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and the large volume of projects in the highway plan, and that much of the work happens behind the scenes before construction begins. The committee also reviewed the cabinet’s cash management approach, which was adopted after 2000 to avoid setting aside full project costs all at once and to keep the road fund cash balance above a required minimum. Officials said the balance typically rises in winter and falls in summer as project bills come due, and that the current balance was about $166 million. They also reported that project awards for the year were nearing $998 million and expected to exceed last year’s total. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen bills come in, drop it from three and a half to two and a half, drop it to two, drop it to
• one and 1/2, drop it.
• three and a half to two and a half drop three and a half to two and a half drop it<00:07:29.360>
• to<00:07:29.520> two<00:07:29.840> drop<00:07:30.000> it<00:07:30.160>
• it to two drop it to one and 1/2 drop it to two drop it to one and 1/2 drop it.<00:07:32.080>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to begin work on HB 742, which would require catastrophic special education aid to be drawn from the education trust fund, and more broadly to study special education aid/differentiated aid and related costing issues. The chair said the group was starting early because the issue has been debated for years without resolution, local districts are being forced to absorb prorated costs, and the committee wants to send the Department of Education and HHS Medicaid a clear request for data and recommendations before retained bills return in the fall. A committee clerk was also selected, with Representative Reverend volunteering to take notes for the meeting. Members reviewed background materials on special education enrollment, high-cost students, and possible funding formulas, including data on students in high-cost brackets and prior ideas such as category-based funding and caseload-based approaches. The chair also referenced research on other states, including Arkansas, which uses a different special education funding structure and audits IEPs. The committee emphasized that it was focused on the funding mechanics and costs, not on questioning whether services should be provided. Henry Lipman of HHS explained how Medicaid-to-schools currently works in New Hampshire. He said 172 school districts participate, but utilization dropped during the pandemic and remains below historical levels, in part because districts need the capacity to bill Medicaid. Under the current system, schools receive reimbursement based on half of the Medicaid fee schedule, with the school district effectively providing the state share. He said the federal government is requiring a shift by July 1, 2026, to a true certified public expenditure model based on actual costs, which should allow schools to recover 50% of their true costs and some administrative overhead. The department has received a roughly $2.5 million grant to hire a vendor and support districts through the transition, and an RFP and stakeholder meetings are underway. Committee members asked about how costs would be determined, whether the new system would use actual district-specific costs rather than averages, and how the department would support districts that do not currently participate. Lipman said the cost model would be based on each district’s own reasonable costs, subject to audit standards, and that the department expects to provide templates and technical assistance through the vendor because its staff is limited. He also said about one in four New Hampshire children are enrolled in Medicaid, that child enrollment has been relatively stable, and that continuous coverage rules should reduce churn. No votes or formal actions on HB 742 were taken during the meeting beyond organizing the subcommittee and beginning testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've always had four, and more recently we've dropped down to three.
• four um and more recently we've dropped four um and more recently we've dropped down<00:10:41.680
• <03:58:42.640> off real estate business has dropped off real estate business has dropped off
• <04:54:56.360> off that their revenue dropped off that their revenue dropped off considerably
• <04:55:03.798> to law and um so it it it has dropped to law and um so it it it has dropped

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Personnel Appeals Board, which explained that it became an independent state agency after Senate Bill 487 and was presenting its first standalone operating budget. The board described its quasi-judicial role in hearing appeals from classified state employees over disciplinary actions such as warnings, suspensions, and terminations, and said it handles about 25 to 35 cases a year, with some cases lasting longer because of their complexity. Members also outlined the need for a chair and vice chair who are attorneys, the board’s current staffing and space needs, and its plan to move away from reliance on Administrative Services for office support and website functions. The board requested about $353,500 for fiscal year 2026, including startup costs, routine operating expenses, and two new part-time positions: a program director and a paralegal. Members said the budget reflects the new independent status, includes funding for only four board members rather than the authorized five, and is designed to avoid full-time staffing costs and benefits. Legislators asked about the cost per case, the board’s relationship to DAS, whether appeals must go through the board before court, and how often cases are appealed further. The board said appeals must first go through it, that court appeals are infrequent but have increased recently, and that the board’s process is intended to resolve disputes more quickly and less expensively than court litigation. Committee members also asked about the board’s caseload, outcomes, and staffing. The board said that in the prior year there were 22 cases, with four decisions overturned in favor of employees, nine dismissals, and nine settlements, and that many disputes are resolved before reaching the board through a multi-step internal process. A member noted the governor and council had recently approved a new board member and were expected to approve a fifth soon. The discussion ended with questions about the board’s website and records access, which members said would need to be moved from Administrative Services as part of the agency’s transition. The committee then moved to the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities. The executive director explained that the council is 100 percent federally funded under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and develops a five-year plan to address the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said the council works with state agencies and advocacy organizations on quality-of-life issues, accessibility, voter rights training, and plain-language or easy-to-read materials, and that 60 percent of its membership must be individuals with disabilities or family members/guardians. She also described the council’s funding structure, including reimbursement to the state for operating costs, and noted that it currently has three full-time and three part-time positions, with no new positions requested but one full-time position being eliminated and replaced after a pandemic-era staffing change did not work out as planned.

Transcript Highlights:

• often it’s that this, this, that the youth shouldn’t be necessarily charged as an adult, and often dropping
• I don’t necessarily think that these charges should completely be dropped.
• I’m still highly concerned because our Attorney General loves to drop gun charges no matter where the

Bills: HB372, HB414

Keywords: HB372, Justice of the Peace Court, Delaware courts, Title 10, court administration, judicial staffing, county courts, Kent County, New Castle County, Sussex County, Wilmington, 24-hour hearings, court locations, court hours, magistrate court, access to justice, court consolidation, Delaware General Assembly, destructive weapon, possessing a destructive weapon

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met and heard three bills. HB 372 would reorganize Justice of the Peace Court resources by shifting the number of judges and court locations among counties, consolidating overnight operations into a single 24-hour court in Kent County, and adjusting staffing to address workload and efficiency concerns. Chief Judge Alan Davis said the change responds to increased civil filings, automated enforcement, and staffing shortages, and that a Sussex County pilot closing a 24-hour facility had worked without major issues. Some members raised concerns about impacts on Sussex and Kent County, bail processing, and local response times, while public comment included one supporter. The committee voted to release HB 372. The committee then considered SB 324, which amends Delaware’s permit-to-purchase law to allow constable agencies, including those serving institutions like Delaware Tech, to purchase handguns for newly hired constables without duplicative background checks. Sponsor Representative Cook said the bill aligns constable procurement with existing law-enforcement exemptions while preserving gun-safety requirements. Public testimony included support from Delaware Tech and comments urging broader fixes to the permit-to-purchase law, including exemptions for retired officers with federal 218 credentials and clarification on firearms returned from manufacturers, gunsmiths, or police departments. The committee voted to release SB 324. Finally, the committee heard HB 414, which clarifies that the Superior Court’s exclusive jurisdiction over certain destructive-weapon offenses applies only to adults, while juvenile cases would still begin in Family Court. Sponsor Representative Romer said the bill preserves the Family Court’s role in handling youth cases and allows referral to Superior Court when appropriate. The Department of Justice said it still believes Superior Court is the proper venue for these serious charges, while the Office of Defense Services supported keeping youth cases in Family Court first, arguing that rehabilitation and juvenile-specific dispositions are more appropriate. After public comment, the committee voted to release HB 414, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, we know that when the fire risk goes up, insurance rates go up, or they just drop coverage
• So you can actually measure how the water that we're dropping on it gets down to the plains.
• You're going to drop you in the same. You know what? I would take you the time. Yes, it is.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Committee on Rural Economic Development met to hear two presentations. Representative Volk gave a presentation on invasive plant species in southern Arizona, focusing on buffalo grass and stinknet as wildfire fuels that also harm native ecosystems and can worsen respiratory issues. He described current removal efforts, including hand-pulling and coordinated treatment by groups such as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and discussed the potential for drones and targeted herbicide application to improve mapping and treatment of infestations. Members asked about grazing uses, costs, herbicide selectivity, and the spread of stinknet, and Volk noted that mapping and treatment efforts are being expanded with grants and local testing of drone-based spraying. The committee then heard from Dr. Vishnu Reddy of the University of Arizona on space defense as an economic enabler for Districts 7 and 17. He described Biosphere 2, the Landscape Evolution Observatory, agrovoltaics, and freight-farm systems as research and economic development assets tied to water scarcity, food production, and renewable energy. He also explained the University’s planetary defense work, including asteroid tracking, international warning exercises, and the DART-style concept of nudging hazardous objects off course, while noting the Chelyabinsk event as an example of an unexpected airburst. Dr. Reddy emphasized the role of the University of Arizona, small businesses, and student workforce development in supporting space situational awareness and related research. He also shared meteorite, moon, and Mars samples with members and staff. No formal votes or committee actions were taken beyond the presentations and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So going forward in FY28 Could we look at dropping this academy funding back down to just maintaining
• And so that would drop that request by $500,000, and we would only need $600,000 for the new spot.
• In the winter months, it drastically drops off.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, someone drops a speedy trial demand on 180 days, and they're 208 for DNA. That's not good.
• Someone drops a speedy trial demand on 180 days, and they're 208 for DNA. That's not good.
• And someone says, no, drop a speedy right now. No continuances for the defense.

Summary: The committee met with Senators Garcia and Simon excused and heard a presentation from FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard on homicide and violent-crime investigations, focusing on access to blood evidence, toxicology, medical records, mental health records, and the legal limits imposed by Florida law, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2. He explained that autopsy evidence collected by medical examiners is generally available to law enforcement, while hospital records and mental health/substance abuse records usually require subpoenas, court orders, or consent, which can delay investigations. He also discussed the difference between DNA testing and toxicology testing, the role of warrants and probable cause for living suspects, and the special rules that apply when a suspect is deceased. Members asked detailed questions about what toxicology panels include, whether medications can be tested for, how medical examiners review prior medical history, and whether FDLE tracks data linking violent crime to mental health issues or follow up with regulators after incidents. Pollard said the agency follows investigative leads where relevant, but regulatory follow-up depends on the circumstances. He also discussed behavioral threat assessment and management, and said risk protection orders have been used effectively to prevent violence and can lead to court-ordered evaluations and services. The committee then shifted to crime lab capacity and turnaround times. Pollard said the average DNA turnaround time was 208 days for some evidence, with anything over 30 days considered backlog, but that sexual assault kits are prioritized and generally handled much faster, with rush cases sometimes completed within 24 hours. Members expressed concern about delays in unsolved violent and sexual assault cases and asked what resources would help reduce backlog; Pollard said additional analysts would improve turnaround times. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenter and adjournment after Senator Bernard moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• substitute will simplify and align the the Houston Fire Department and the Houston Police Department drop
• the Houston Fire Department will be allowed to participate for 15 years of additional service in a drop
• the Houston Police Department will be allowed to participate for 20 years of additional service in a drop

Bills: HB104

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tax rate election, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, de minimis rate, local government, special district, tax increase, tax notice, public hearing, tax code, Health and Safety Code, Texas property taxes, taxing unit, election threshold, two-thirds vote, majority vote, budget approval