Transcript Highlights:

• Uh House Bill 33 we carry over uh by the sponsor and that brings us to House Bill 35.
• House Bill 10 by Representative Pettus.
• Uh House Bill 33 we carry over uh by the sponsor and that brings us to House Bill 35.
• House Bill 33 we carry over by the sponsor, and that brings us to House Bill 35.
• . that's my proposal to the committee.

Bills: HB10 , HB33 , HB35 , HB42 , HB74 , HB102 , HB107 , HB10 , HB33 , HB35 , HB42 , HB74 , HB102 , HB107

Committee: House Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: body-worn cameras, dashboard cameras, law enforcement, public disclosure, investigation, transparency, juveniles, nonviolent offenses, intervention program, juvenile detention, youth services, volunteer firefighters, cancer compensation, death benefits, line of duty, first responders, bail reform, cash deposit, judicial discretion, criminal justice

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee, before you is a proposed change to the ethics rule. District 3.
• Committee, before you is a proposed change to the ethics rule.
• committee, makes the determination that the report must be sent to the House, and the House is going
• and House Policy Committee secret.
• Ethics Committee has.

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• That is an appropriate process for the ethics committee to consider.
• That is an appropriate process for the ethics committee to consider.
• The Ethics Committee abides by the same power-sharing agreement. Is this all appropriate?
• ><c> the</c><00:05:24.200><c> same</c> Ethics Committee abides by the same Ethics Committee abides by
• </c> integrity of members of the ethics integrity of members of the ethics committee<00:10:13.480><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> yeah</c> the Ethics Committee to reconvene yeah the Ethics Committee to reconvene yeah the<00:09
• /c><00:09:22.079><c> new</c><00:09:22.800><c> uh</c> the Ethics Committee with the new uh the Ethics
• And so, she's using that, you know, before the Ethics Committee couldn't make a determination.
• </c><00:11:40.240><c> Committee</c> you know before the Ethics Committee you know before the Ethics Committee
• </c><00:13:27.480><c> at</c><00:13:28.440><c> she</c> Ethics Committee will be looking at she Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• It could be one of the members on the ethics committee or it could be their DFL House leadership.
• It could be one of the members on the ethics committee or it could be their DFL House leadership.
• It could be one of the members on the ethics committee or it could be their DFL House leadership.
• It could be one of the members on the ethics committee or it could be their DFL House leadership.
• It could be one of the members on the ethics committee or it could be their DFL House leadership.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the proceedings of this Ethics the proceedings of this Ethics Committee.
• ><c> any</c> Ethics Committee from considering any Ethics Committee from considering any information,
• </c> Senate Ethics Committee must act now. Senate Ethics Committee must act now.
• <01:04:07.080><c> uh</c> ethical uh ethical uh ethics<01:04:08.080><c> committee</c><01:04:08.440><c>
• </c> ethics committee trial. ethics committee trial.

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair Larson, Senator Paulson, members of the committee, I don't think that we need the term ethical
• We'll call the Judiciary Committee back to order and open the hearing on House Bill 1263.
• This morning, I bring House Bill 1263 before this committee to open a clearer pathway to redemption and
• Chairman Larson and members of the committee, I encourage you to recommend due pass on House Bill 1263
• In committee, in the House Judiciary Committee, we did discuss this several years ago when the record

Bills: HB1455

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee first heard House Bill 1455, which would require the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission to review introduced legislation for tribal implications and conduct consultation with affected tribes. Rep. Collette Brown said the bill was intended to formalize and strengthen tribal consultation, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe representative Ross Bell testified in support. Brad Hawk, executive director of the Indian Affairs Commission, testified neutrally, saying the office already does much of this work but that the bill would add structure; several senators raised concerns about duplication, possible future staffing costs, and whether the bill was necessary. The committee amended the bill to replace “each measure” with “all legislation,” then passed a do-not-pass recommendation on HB 1455 by recorded vote, with Sen. Luick designated as carrier. The committee then took up House Bill 1032, dealing with municipal courts, appeals, and judge qualifications. Legislative Council and court staff walked through proposed amendments, including making municipal courts courts of record on a delayed effective date, clarifying appeal procedures, and adding standards for municipal judges. Members discussed whether to use the term “ethical standards” or “judicial conduct”; after questions about definitions and enforcement, the committee settled on replacing the language with “judicial conduct” in the amended bill. The committee adopted the amendments and then passed HB 1032 as amended on a do-pass vote, with Sen. Cory to carry. Later, the committee heard House Bill 1263, which would make it easier for people with criminal records to seek sealing after a denial by allowing an appeal and reducing the waiting period for a new petition from three years to one year. Rep. Nels Christensen, Christopher Davis, Travis Fink, and Brad Peterson all supported the bill’s goal of giving people a better path to rehabilitation and employment. The main point of disagreement was whether to keep the statutory presumption that the benefit to the petitioner must outweigh the presumption of openness of criminal records; several witnesses urged removing that language, while others said it was part of the compromise that created the current law. The committee closed the hearing without taking final action and said it would review the House discussion before deciding later.

Transcript Highlights:

• a violation of the Ethics Act for Ms.
• I understand that she received prior ethical consultation and advice from counsel for the House, but
• I understand that she received prior ethical consultation and advice from counsel for the House, but
• review Ethics Board decisions?
• Ethical violations in that role.

Summary: The hearing resumed on day two of the Legislative Ethics Board fact-finding matter involving Representative Tara Simmons. After opening remarks and confirmation that board members had not engaged in outside research or ex parte communications, Simmons’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she improperly combined a legislative proviso for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and private conduct were intertwined and that the board had enough evidence to require a defense. After deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss and proceeded to hear defense testimony. The first defense witness, Sharon Navas, testified that she met Simmons through advocacy work, later hired her at the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC), and maintained written employment policies intended to separate Simmons’s legislative role from her work for EEC. Navas said Simmons was never compensated for lobbying or legislative acts, that EEC paid her from unrestricted funds, and that Simmons did not work on the AEJG dashboard project or participate in the contract dispute with Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley. Navas described the proviso request and later contract issues as separate from Simmons’s legislative duties, and said she continued to pay invoices while the project was being completed. Simmons then testified about her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics advice before taking outside employment or pursuing provisos. She said she repeatedly consulted House ethics counsel and reviewed prior board decisions to ensure her outside work and legislative actions were separated. Simmons described her relationship with Anthony Powers, the dashboard project, the proviso process, and her understanding that the work was distinct from her legislative role. The hearing paused for lunch after part of Simmons’s direct examination, with testimony set to continue after the break.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:20.240><c> on</c> be re-referred to the committee on be re-referred to the committee on housing
• committee and has stepped down as chair of the subcommittee on ethical conduct.
• </c><00:10:29.440><c> down</c><00:10:29.680><c> as</c> ethics committee and has stepped down as ethics
• </c><00:11:36.720><c> committee</c><00:11:37.360><c> around</c><00:11:37.760><c> whether</c> of the ethics
• committee around whether of the ethics committee around whether or<00:11:38.320><c> not</c><00:11:38.560

Transcript Highlights:

• The non-partisan House Research Memo available online entitled Ethical Issues and the Minnesota House
• </c> and this ethics committee in particular. and this ethics committee in particular.
• We are writing to inform you that the House Ethics Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, April 28th
• 29.880><c> meet</c><00:36:30.080><c> on</c> Ethics Committee is scheduled to meet on Ethics Committee
• ><c> hear</c> Ethics Committee will hear hear Ethics Committee will hear hear arguments<00:36:58.360>

Committee: House Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand that she received prior ethical consultation and advice from counsel for the House, but
• I understand that she received prior ethical consultation and advice from counsel for the House, but
• In addition to seeking out ethics advice from the Ethics Board counsel, did you also have occasion to
• review Ethics Board decisions?
• Ethical violations in that role.

Summary: The hearing resumed in the Legislative Ethics Board matter involving Tara Simmons after the board confirmed no ex parte communications had occurred overnight. Respondent’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she violated ethics rules by combining legislative support for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and personal dealings were intertwined. After a recess for deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss, and the hearing moved into the defense case. The first defense witness was Sharon Navas, executive director of the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC). Navas testified that she met Simmons in 2018, later hired her, and took steps to separate Simmons’s legislative duties from her work for EEC. She said Simmons was never paid for lobbying or legislative acts, that her compensation came from unrestricted funds, and that the organization used written ethics-compliance language and a formal scope of work. Navas also described the proviso-funded dashboard project involving Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley, testifying that Simmons was not involved in the project’s day-to-day work, did not attend the meetings about the dispute, and was not part of the alleged contract disagreement. On cross-examination, staff focused on the contract documents, the dashboard work, and whether the scope of work matched the parties’ understanding. Tara Simmons then testified in her own defense. She described her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics guidance from House counsel and board-related materials before taking outside employment or supporting provisos. She said she relied on prior ethics advice when separating her legislative role from outside work and when seeking provisos for AEJG and EEC. Simmons also addressed her relationship with Anthony Powers, describing it as a friendship rooted in criminal justice reform work and prior collaboration. The hearing was still in the middle of Simmons’s direct testimony when the transcript excerpt ended, with no final ruling on the merits or disposition of the allegations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee, this is an internal House resolution. This is to change two rules, 45 and 26.
• Because this is an internal matter, because this is an ethics issue within the House itself, the only
• time that anything would come out would be when the Ethics Committee makes a report to the whole House
• So it's an internal matter within the Ethics Committee, and that's why we elect the ethics members because
• Following edit would be on Section 5E would read: All information regarding any ethics committee work

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Committee on Elections.
• </c> their capacity as our voice on ethics their capacity as our voice on ethics they<00:15:51.800><c
• </c> absolute Masons 562 part 3 says a house absolute Masons 562 part 3 says a house in<00:35:42.520>
• </c> our temporary rules yes it has an Ethics our temporary rules yes it has an Ethics process<00:35:
• Announcement for the Energy Committee: Senator France and I have spoken as co-chairs of the committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair now lays out House Bill 1130, our first House bill of the session, and recognizes its sponsor
• that we passed out but was not in the House bill.
• will make this House bill consistent with the Senate bill when it left this committee.
• But it will remain a House bill. Okay. Members, any questions for the sponsor on House Bill 1130?
• Would that be an ethics violation?

Bills: SB2101 , SB2334 , SB2633 , SB2637 , SB2713 , SB2781 , SB2782 , SB3059 , HB 1130 , HB256 , HCR19

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs heard several bills, mostly on alcohol regulation, ethics procedures, the Alamo, and free speech in professional associations. SB 2633 would let the City of Garland hold local option elections on alcohol sales within designated zones and use zoning/land-use rules for alcohol-selling businesses; Senator Johnson and Garland officials said it would reduce the burden of the petition process and support economic development. SB 2637 would require social media platforms to disclose when posts are made by bot accounts and allow Attorney General enforcement; supporters framed it as consumer protection against misleading automated content, while members raised questions about how platforms would identify bots and how enforcement would work. SB 2334 would allow airlines with passenger transportation permits to store sealed alcoholic beverages within five miles of an airport in the same county, which the sponsor and an American Airlines witness said would improve logistics without changing permits, taxes, or alcohol sourcing. The committee also heard SB 2781 and SB 2782, both related to Texas Ethics Commission procedures. SB 2781 would cap civil penalties tied to certain campaign contribution violations by former legislators who later lobby, and SB 2782 would require TEC to adopt discovery control plans and align discovery rules more closely with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure to limit costly, open-ended discovery. Both bills were left pending after no public testimony. SB 3059 would transfer oversight of the Alamo from the General Land Office to a new Alamo Commission beginning in 2027; Senator Campbell said it would provide long-term stewardship and transparency, while Senator Birdwell questioned the need for a change and the commission’s structure, and GLO witnesses said they were not aware of any problem prompting the shift. HB 1130, a House companion to a previously passed Senate bill, would provide liability protections for cavern entities that post warning signs, and it was also left pending. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 2713, which would bar professional or trade associations from denying membership or access based on protected characteristics or lawful speech and assembly. Senator Middleton and invited witnesses described disciplinary actions by realtor associations against members for social media posts, sermons, or political speech, arguing that the National Association of Realtors’ ethics rules were being used to punish private expression and threaten livelihoods through loss of MLS access. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the bill should be narrowed to avoid affecting religious organizations, how association discipline works, and whether the measure should address existing penalties or only future conduct. The bill was left pending after extensive invited testimony and committee discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you told the members of the conference committee the amendment had been added by the House, you
• However, the ethics committee at issue.
• , which is why we have an ethics committee that adjudicates them.
• <c> have</c><00:29:56.480><c> an</c><00:29:56.640><c> ethics</c><00:29:57.039><c> committee</c><00:29
• :57.760><c> that</c> why we have an ethics committee that why we have an ethics committee that adjudicates

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration - Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct

Transcript Highlights:

• the House Committee on Appropriations under the ballot system.
• House resolutions reported by committee. HCR 1 by Rep.
• House Bills on second reading reported by committee.
• Members, I ask for your consent to discharge House Bill 572 to the Committee on Civil Law.
• House and Governmental Affairs meets at 9 a.m. in Committee Room 2.

Bills: HR84 , HR85 , HR86 , HR87 , HR88 , HR89 , HR90 , HCR42 , HCR43 , HB1087 , HB1088 , HB1089 , HB1090 , HB1091 , HB1092 , HB1093 , HB1094 , HB1095 , HB1096 , HB1097 , HB1098 , HB1099 , HB1100 , HB1101 , HB1102 , HB1103 , HB1104 , HB1105 , HB1106 , HB1107 , HB1108 , HB1109 , HB1110 , HB1111 , HB1112 , HB1113 , HB1114 , HB1115 , HB1116 , HB1117 , HB1118 , HB1119 , HB1120 , HB1121 , HB1122 , HB1123 , HB1124 , HB1125 , HB1126 , HB1127 , HB1128 , HB1129 , HB1130 , HB1131 , HB1132 , HB1133 , HB1134 , HB1135 , HB1136 , HB1137 , HB1138 , HB1139 , HB1140 , HB1141 , HB1142 , HB1143 , HB1144 , HB1145 , HB1146 , HB1147 , HB1148 , HB1149 , HB1150 , HB1151 , HB1153 , HB1154 , HB1155 , HB1156 , HB1157 , HB1158 , HB1159 , HB1160 , HB1161 , HB1162 , HB1163 , HB1164 , HB1165 , HB1166 , HB1167 , HB1169 , HB1170 , HB1171 , HB1172 , HB1173 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1176 , HB1177 , HB1178 , HB1179 , HB1180 , HB1181 , HB1182 , HB1183 , HB1184 , HB1185 , HB1186 , HB1187 , HB1188 , HB1189 , HB1190 , HB1192 , HB1193 , HB1194 , HB1195 , HB1196 , HB1197 , HB1198 , HB1199 , HB1200 , HB1201 , HB1202 , HB1203 , HB1204 , HB1205 , HB1206 , HB1207 , HB1208 , HB1209 , HB1210 , HB1211 , HB1212 , HB1213 , HB1214 , HB1215 , HB1216 , HB1217 , HB1218 , HB1219 , HB1220 , HB1221 , HB1222 , HB1223 , HB1224 , HB1225 , HB1226 , HB1227 , HB1228 , HB1229 , HB1230 , HB1231 , HR73 , HR74 , HR75 , HR77 , HR78 , HR79 , HR80 , HR81 , HR83 , HCR36 , HCR37 , HCR38 , HCR39 , HCR40 , HCR41 , HB368 , HB433 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1019 , HB1020 , HB1021 , HB1022 , HB1023 , HB1024 , HB1025 , HB1026 , HB1027 , HB1028 , HB1029 , HB1030 , HB1031 , HB1032 , HB1033 , HB1034 , HB1035 , HB1036 , HB1037 , HB1038 , HB1039 , HB1040 , HB1041 , HB1042 , HB1043 , HB1044 , HB1045 , HB1046 , HB1047 , HB1048 , HB1049 , HB1050 , HB1051 , HB1052 , HB1053 , HB1054 , HB1055 , HB1056 , HB1057 , HB1058 , HB1059 , HB1060 , HB1061 , HB1062 , HB1063 , HB1064 , HB1065 , HB1066 , HB1067 , HB1068 , HB1069 , HB1070 , HB1071 , HB1072 , HB1073 , HB1074 , HB1075 , HB1076 , HB1077 , HB1078 , HB1079 , HB1080 , HB1081 , HB1082 , HB1083 , HB1084 , SB111 , SB122 , SB195 , SB221 , SB404 , HR1 , HCR6 , HCR19 , HB27 , HB81 , HB134 , HB154 , HB163 , HB170 , HB194 , HB214 , HB217 , HB220 , HB254 , HB259 , HB290 , HB308 , HB311 , HB360 , HB382 , HB401 , HB410 , HB417 , HB463 , HB514 , HB575 , HB592 , HB718 , HB723 , HB750 , HB755 , HB776 , HB812 , HB830 , HB838 , HB844 , HB882 , HB885 , HB888 , HB950 , HB961 , HB966 , HB980 , HR15 , HR20 , HCR14 , HB58 , HB69 , HB93 , HB166 , HB199 , HB201 , HB202 , HB218 , HB223 , HB224 , HB231 , HB235 , HB246 , HB338 , HB349 , HB352 , HB379 , HB405 , HB429 , HB535 , HB547 , HB577 , HB588 , HB626 , HB636 , HB652 , HB653 , HB669 , HB688 , HB691 , HB721 , HB738 , HB806 , HB851 , HB857 , HB861 , HB889 , HB904 , HB907 , HB908 , HB929 , HB1009 , HB13 , HB23 , HB25 , HB32 , HB41 , HB90 , HB120 , HB121 , HB122 , HB127 , HB138 , HB139 , HB141 , HB179 , HB187 , HB213 , HB247 , HB286 , HB332 , HB344 , HB357

Keywords: physical therapy, healthcare, prevention, wellness, education, Louisiana, landscape architecture, environment, public health, economic development, infrastructure, condolences, memorial resolution, tribute, Roger D. Boudreaux, Church Point, mayor, Louisiana House of Representatives, community service, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections, and the committee will now come to order.
• I have had the privilege of serving on ethics committees in the past and look forward to the good work
• I have had the privilege of serving on ethics committees in the past and look forward to the good work
• , and we'll be taking up a number of bills, I'm sure, as the Ethics Committee usually does.
• The Ethics and Elections Committee staff is responsible for preparing information about each appointee

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections convened, established a quorum, and members introduced themselves and the committee staff. Chair Gaetz outlined the committee’s jurisdiction over election law, ethics law, executive appointments, and related confirmations, and described the committee’s process for handling gubernatorial nominations and member concerns about nominees. The committee then received a briefing from the Florida Commission on Ethics on its 2025 legislative priorities and on implementation of Senate Bill 7014 from the prior year. The commission recommended three changes: expanding the definition of “relative” in the gift law to include current and former foster parents and foster children; authorizing salary withholding to help collect civil penalties and restitution; and adding whistleblower-like protections for people who file ethics complaints. Commission staff also explained how SB 7014 changed complaint processing by requiring allegations to be based on personal knowledge or non-hearsay information and by imposing new deadlines for legal sufficiency review, investigations, and advocates’ recommendations. They said the commission has adapted its intake and review process and is currently meeting the new timelines, though the tighter deadlines may create staffing and scheduling challenges. Commission counsel also provided an update on two active lawsuits. One challenges the constitutional in-office lobbying ban, and the other challenges the requirement that elected municipal officers and mayors file Form 6 financial disclosure forms. The committee discussed the impact of the new complaint standards, the possibility of litigation if deadlines are missed, and whether local ethics boards are implementing SB 7014 similarly. Members expressed support for the commission’s work and asked for written legislative recommendations and proposed statutory language. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a House Ethics Committee meeting. This is not a court of law.
• This is a House Ethics Committee meeting.
• This is a House House House um,<00:00:51.640><c> Ethics</c><00:00:52.040><c> Committee</c><00:00:52.360
• c> Committee</c><00:01:01.640><c> is</c> Today, the House Ethics Committee is Today, the House Ethics
• The Ethics Committee is unique among all the committees in the House.

Committee: House Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> the</c><00:11:37.440><c> ethics</c> sure if the committee the ethics sure if the committee the ethics
• </c> this committee and the ethics committee this committee and the ethics committee and<00:33:06.880
• </c> the um the work of the ethics committee. the um the work of the ethics committee.
• </c><00:56:19.280><c> Like</c> review by the ethics committee? Like review by the ethics committee?
• gt; Um the ethics committee &gt;&gt; Um the ethics committee is<00:59:12.319><c> not</c><00:59:12.559

Committee: House Legislative Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• I agree wholeheartedly with the idea of the ethics alert.
• It came back to the House, and the House said, no way. The vote then was 58 to 39.
• Ask one more thing on this ethics alert.
• as their, like, what committees...
• Or a House website, like listing them as their, like, what committees they're on.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes as corrected and noted there were no employment disclosure forms. It then discussed a draft advisory opinion on legislative stickers, pens, business cards, and similar items. Members agreed the opinion should identify historically provided items as presumptively within normal legislative conduct, but add clearer language that such items still cannot be used in a campaign-related way or otherwise conflict with ethics rules on use of public resources. Staff said Legislative Support Services and administration would be the main points of review for questionable requests, and the draft would be revised for board review. The committee also reviewed a second advisory opinion request about legislative and caucus staff interacting with caucus social media posts. The discussion focused on whether staff may like or engage with posts about legislation or policy positions. Members generally agreed that liking or otherwise engaging with caucus posts could be viewed as support and could create ethics problems, especially because social media content remains online and could later be tied to legislation. The draft was to be revised to draw clearer lines for compliance. Members then discussed a long-running project to review and either retain or retire older advisory opinions, and agreed to continue and complete that review process. They also discussed the recently passed ethics bill and supported issuing an ethics alert summarizing major changes, including concerns about a House amendment affecting social media and website references during the election year activity period. Finally, the committee approved spending about $19,171 to digitize archived case files into searchable format, with members expressing support for moving away from paper records. After public business ended, the committee adjourned the public session and planned to reconvene in executive session.