Transcript Highlights:

• we can transform how we work, not just for today, but for every family and every worker who needs a space
• It also creates space for more people, such as women, people of color, queer folk, and young folks from
• I was put under observation in the hospital and then sent home on Tuesday for bed rest for the remaining
• not to mark PTO for those two days that I was in the hospital and to work as much as possible from bed
• I didn't have to be on bed rest for long.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development heard testimony on several workforce-related bills, with most of the hearing focused on ESOL and apprenticeship legislation, followed by testimony on a four-day workweek pilot and paid prenatal leave. On ESOL, witnesses including the Boston Foundation, Skillworks, MassINC, MIRA, JVS Boston, Eastern Bank, immigrant advocates, employers, and legislators supported H.2080/S.1326, arguing that Massachusetts has a large backlog of limited-English-proficiency residents waiting for classes, that ESOL is essential to economic mobility and immigrant integration, and that the state needs a coordinated, statewide strategy with more vocational and workplace-focused English instruction. Testifiers cited long waitlists, fragmented delivery across agencies, labor shortages, and examples of workplace English programs helping immigrants gain jobs, advance careers, and support businesses. Committee members asked questions about how vocational ESOL differs from standard classes, and witnesses explained that it focuses on job-specific language and workplace scenarios. The committee also heard strong support for H.2085/S.1303, which would require more use of registered apprentices on public construction projects over $1 million. Labor leaders from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and Massachusetts Building Trades, along with electricians and apprentices, said the bill would help apprentices complete training by ensuring enough job-site hours, expand access to good union careers, and strengthen the construction workforce for housing, infrastructure, and clean energy work. Several witnesses defended existing apprenticeship ratios and electrical licensing standards, warning against deregulation and emphasizing safety. Committee members asked about project thresholds and apprenticeship ratios, and witnesses said the bill’s phased apprentice-hour requirement was intended to cover most public projects under current cost conditions. The committee then heard testimony on S.1330, a four-day workweek pilot program. Senator Dillon Fernandez and Representative Shirley Arriaga described the proposal as a response to burnout, affordability pressures, and changing workplace norms, arguing that a pilot would let Massachusetts study whether shorter workweeks improve productivity, retention, and worker well-being. Witnesses said the model could help families balance caregiving and commuting while maintaining or improving output. Finally, the committee took testimony on S.1361, establishing paid prenatal leave. Parents, health advocates, March of Dimes, and others said paid leave would help pregnant workers attend critical prenatal appointments, reduce missed care, and improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Several speakers shared personal stories about high-risk pregnancies, pregnancy loss, and the financial strain of taking unpaid time off. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked a limited number of questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I went to bed at 1:45 a.m. this morning.
• Go to bed.' And then I think they were here well past 2 a.m. So it's just appreciated.
• Because no teacher should go to school or go to bed at night worried about being sued because of something
• I have had discussions with people in this space and they don't disagree with what You're saying they
• You can have conversations with everybody in this space and even if they're against this legislation,

Bills: SB1090, SJR49, SB633, HR1059, SB650, SB2063, SB122, SB1614, SB1884, SJR52, SJR53, HJR1101, SJR50, HB3021, HR1058, SB514, SB382, HB3320, SB740, SB833, SB2143, SB1209, SB244

Keywords: wildlife, conservation, Oklahoma, regulations, permanent rules, Leo's Law, child endangerment, fentanyl testing, drug screening, child welfare, Oklahoma Children's Code, substance abuse, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, AAPI, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Oklahoma House resolution, commemorative resolution, heritage month, cultural recognition

Transcript Highlights:

• In short Senators President Trump, Trump is asking for more badges, more detention beds for criminals
• There are 1500 available beds.
• I want to comment on this money that's available because what they need or beds.
• We have no inventory of beds. We have no real identifiable idea of costs.
• The president also asked for beds.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, I found out our available capacity is 8,198 beds at our state prisons.
• How many beds and what kind of capacity do you think we have right now?
• How many beds do you think we will need? How many successful in rounding up will be?
• Those are no longer private spaces where immigration enforcement activity could occur.
• We have to provide that opportunity to have beds. We have done this with the resources.

Bills: SJR36, SR8, SR14, SR15, SR17, HCR54

Keywords: accountants, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, advocacy, legislation, business issues, memorial, law enforcement, sacrifice, tribute, community support, service, community, Holocaust, remembrance, antisemitism, human rights, education, Holocaust Remembrance Day, memorialization, sexual assault

Transcript Highlights:

• because we don't need more space for childcare at this point.
• And we have, I don't know, maybe 100 or so bunk beds that we've distributed out of the care portal.
• But they still need to keep that space available for the kid when they come back.
• Well, they didn't have enough square footage of outdoor space, so our rules wouldn't allow them to do
• A space is missing. How are we responding to actually get the dollars there? You're fine.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it 60 days after a dental bed is added?
• Is it 60 days after a dental bed is added?
• Is it 60 days after a dental bed is added?
• Is it 60 days after a dental bed is added?
• Is it 60 days after a dental bed is added?

Bills: HF362, HF2590, HF2760, HF3444

Keywords: massage therapy, Asian bodywork therapy, massage therapist, Asian bodywork therapist, licensure, professional licensing, health occupations, Department of Health, commissioner of health, advisory council, protected title, unlicensed practice, scope of practice, consumer protection, background check, professional liability insurance, continuing education, credentialing examination, state preemption, municipal regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• And we can't have that happen in this space because we don't have the tools to do that.
• I worked in this space.
• And we can't have that happen in this space because we don't have the tools to do that.
• I worked in this space.
• <00:43:07.079> is providers are having in this space is providers are having in this space

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• was enough plugs to either run a cardiac monitor, run their pumps, and plug in the bed.
• It is our belief that for these 10 or 15 years, hospital associations have been able to reduce beds,
• A few years back, we were a 68-bed acute care hospital.
• We are now at... 25-bed critical care at this hospital. It's a huge difference. Why?
• Of is what I just saw there, where our hospital goes from 68 beds to 25.

Transcript Highlights:

• to be admitted to a state-operated treatment program within 48 hours of when a medically appropriate bed
• elders talk to us is that our job as legislators is to make sure that when we're sitting in these spaces
• elders talk to us is that our job as legislators is to make sure that when we're sitting in these spaces
• Uh, this project will expand bed capacity for the entire state, allowing Minnesota to better meet the
• ,<01:35:42.000> housing, emergency shelter beds, housing, emergency shelter beds, housing,

Bills: HF2115, HF2276, HF1644, HF99, HF2068, HF2707, HF2704, HF2406, HF1674, HF1579

Keywords: human services, aging services, disability services, behavioral health, long-term care, nursing home, nursing facility, assisted living, waiver services, medical assistance, Medicaid, case mix reimbursement, PDPM, RUG, direct care and treatment, developmental disabilities, day services, positive support, guardian, conservator

Transcript Highlights:

• in particular that it's taking a spaces in particular that it's taking a considerable<00:26:46.960><
• Since 2020, more than 3,100 nursing home beds have been taken out of service statewide.
• This workforce challenge is driving the closures and bed layaways.
• We had recommended an addition of 50 beds for direct care and treatment to address the people waiting
• We had recommended an addition of 50 beds for direct care and treatment to address the people waiting

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our work helps improve the appearance of the community and care for the spaces where families live.
• a top priority for the 2025 to 2031 UC Capital Financial Plan, which includes an additional 8,000 beds
• Both are designed to address growing capacity constraints and add critically needed hospital beds in
• rare opportunity to build a net new hospital in California at a time when many systems are reducing beds
• In California, at a time when many systems are reducing beds and scaling back services.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• plan requires 988 centers to be air traffic controllers for mobile crisis teams and stabilization beds
• Our local 988 provider, well space, also now operates through this process our behavioral health access
• Yeah, and that is, I mean, again, California has put a lot into the youth behavioral space, and we know
• Again, I also just say thank you for being invited to be in this space.
• So thank you for your time, and I appreciate you here in this space. Thank you so much.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on AB 988 implementation and suicide prevention in California Indian communities. Members and the chairs emphasized that 988 was intended to create a behavioral health crisis system with “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go,” and then turned to the disproportionate suicide burden facing Native youth and the need for culturally responsive outreach and services. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, the bill’s author, said the law has already saved lives but argued that key parts of the system—especially interoperability between 911 and 988, mobile crisis dispatch, and adequate funding—are not yet working as intended. The first panel of stakeholders and call center leaders largely said California’s 988 network is underfunded and not fully integrated. Speakers from the Steinberg Institute and 988 California said call, text, and chat demand has grown sharply, but staffing and funding have not kept pace, leaving text/chat answer rates far below the state’s goals and sending many contacts to out-of-state backup centers. They also said mobile crisis teams are not being dispatched through 988 statewide, and that the state’s current governance and funding structure is too fragmented. WellSpace Health and other providers described 988 as the “front door” to crisis care, urged more stable funding, and recommended broader use of the CCBHC model to support mobile crisis and behavioral health infrastructure. San Joaquin County offered a local success story, describing a countywide crisis continuum that links 988, mobile crisis, behavioral health access lines, and follow-up services through warm handoffs and coordinated outreach. County officials said the model has reduced reliance on emergency departments and involuntary holds, and they noted that local partnerships and repeated community meetings were key to implementation. Members asked about staffing, tribal outreach, and how to make the system more measurable and interoperable; panelists said staffing projections should be based on actual call volume and contact length, and that tribal-specific outreach has often depended on temporary grant funding. State officials from CalHHS and DHCS then described the five-year implementation plan, the roles of multiple agencies, and current performance data. They said California’s 988 system has handled more than 74,000 contacts in a recent month, with in-state answer rates of 87% for calls and lower rates for chats and texts, and that unanswered contacts are routed to backup centers. They highlighted training efforts, LGBTQ+ competency work after the end of the federal “Press 3” option, and efforts to improve reimbursement for mobile crisis services. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, it's all this putting the rivalry to bed here in the Senate. That's all right.
• ><00:14:56.240> here<00:14:56.399> in<00:14:56.560> the putting the rivalry to bed
• here in the putting the rivalry to bed here in the Senate.<00:14:57.040> That's<00:14:58.000>
• <00:16:03.440> um sure that there's plenty of space um sure that there's plenty of space um
• as they are in the to to give them space as they are in the on<00:16:12.720> the<00:16:12.800

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, February 12, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with 39 members present, heard the invocation from Reverend Meredith West, and journalized her remarks. The chamber then recognized several guest groups and observances, including Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s Second District Corridor 1 for “100 Q’s in Annapolis Day,” the Kent Island High School boys lacrosse team for winning the Maryland 2A state championship, Arts Day participants, Rural Maryland Council members, Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition advocates, and visitors from the Maryland Judiciary. Senators also spoke about the meaning of Kente cloth during Black History Month, and the chamber recognized a birthday and thanked protocol staff for Valentine’s Day decorations. The Senate’s featured presentation was the annual Lincoln Day speech by the Senator from the 37th District. The senator reflected on Abraham Lincoln’s life, political career, and moral leadership, emphasizing his self-education, opposition to the expansion of slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg, and the idea that the nation’s founding principles of liberty and equality guided Lincoln through the Civil War. The minority leader praised the address, and the Senate agreed without objection to journalize the remarks. After the ceremonial portion, the Senate moved to business. Bond initiatives on the calendar were read and referred to the Capital Budget Subcommittee. The Executive Nominations Committee reported favorably on a list of recess appointees, including gubernatorial secretaries, district court judges, and a state board appointee, and the report was special ordered to Monday, February 16, 2026. The chamber then began second-reader consideration of Budget and Taxation bills: Senate Bill 25, altering the cyber security technology and service tax credit, was amended and ordered printed for third reading; Senate Bill 58, creating a property tax credit for retail service station conversions, was discussed with questions about who would receive the credit and why the incentive was needed, and consideration was ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our understanding of the contracts, what we have had access to, is that whether those beds are filled
• or not, the counties are on the hook for paying for the number of beds that they contracted for.
• staffing to be able to utilize each and every one of those beds.
• Even though Constable Heap was at home in bed and sleeping when the traffic stop was made, he was sued
• There's plenty of space in the county for an offender to live if that's what they want to do.

Bills: HB240

Keywords: tax exemption, farm products, ad valorem taxation, tax code, producer ownership

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of county and regional government bills, with most measures left pending after testimony. HB 2097 would let counties that opt in give sheriff’s deputies an alternative appeal route for certain discipline cases through an independent hearing examiner instead of the Civil Service Commission. The author and a CLEET witness said it would be faster, cheaper, and fairer; questions focused on why the bill was needed and whether sheriffs could already use such a process. No opposition testified, and the bill was left pending. HB 4642 drew extensive testimony after the author said it was prompted by a death involving an out-of-state jail contract. The bill would require counties contracting with out-of-state jail facilities to include Texas-like jail standards and oversight provisions. The author, a former detainee held in Louisiana, his wife, and a Texas Jail Project advocate described poor conditions, lack of accountability, and multiple deaths of Texans housed out of state. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards director said five counties are currently housing 1,251 Texas inmates out of state, mostly because of staffing shortages, and said the bill would give the commission more authority and oversight. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4350, which would allow peace officers to request redaction of personal information from online real property records. Supporters said officers face retaliation risks and should have protections similar to judges and other officials; a title industry witness cautioned that redaction should not compromise the integrity of land records. The bill was left pending. HB 3687 would require county fire marshals in counties over 100,000 to meet specified training and certification standards, and HB 4105 and HB 4205 would give Harris County preferences in construction contracting and require pay parity for comparable law enforcement ranks within the county, respectively; all drew support from county officials and were left pending. HB 5403 would repeal a special rule requiring Dallas and Tarrant county sheriffs to get commissioners court approval for commissary disbursements, and it was also left pending. Later, HB 4462 would let elected county officials in large counties choose outside counsel in civil cases involving them, rather than relying solely on the county attorney. Supporters argued this would reduce conflicts of interest and protect officials’ reputations; questions centered on who qualifies and whether it could conflict with county interests. Finally, HB 240 would restore a five-member quorum requirement for Harris County tax levies, effectively requiring all commissioners to be present before a new tax rate can be adopted; supporters framed it as a taxpayer protection, while the Conference of Urban Counties opposed it as giving one member a de facto veto and potentially disrupting the budget process. Both bills were left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• space at a different prison.
• And those days add up where people are waiting around, waiting for a bed, waiting for space.
• to keep those beds empty based on keeping that timeline in check.
• For instance, in a biennium, we need several hundred more infirmary beds.
• Almost every biennium we have to add and modify beds to make that happen.

Bills: SB552, SB1099, SB1124, SB1208, SB1372, SB1506, SB1667, SB1804, SB1806, SB1870, SB1936, SB1937, SB2180, SB2405, SB2569, SB2570, SB1646

Keywords: community supervision, criminal justice, illegal alien, deferred adjudication, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, SB 1099, undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, immigration status, felony sentencing enhancement, criminal penalty increase, Texas Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, affirmative finding, judgment finding, deportation, public safety, immigration enforcement, sentencing reform, felony offense

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice bills, beginning with SB 1870 and SB 1727, both of which were adopted as committee substitutes and reported favorably to the full Senate. SB 1870 would bar local governments from adopting policies that decriminalize controlled substances or direct officials not to enforce state drug laws, with civil penalties enforced by the Attorney General for violations. SB 1727 was described as a technical change to make the draft a formal Legislative Council version of a TDCJ-related assault bill; both bills were also sent to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then took up SB 2405, the major Sunset bill for TDCJ, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, Windham School District, and the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee. Senator Parker explained that the bill continues and modernizes those agencies, requires a 10-year facilities and staffing plan, expands rehabilitation and reentry programming, improves parole-board consistency and training, and codifies various cleanup and inspector general recommendations. Sunset staff and agency witnesses discussed the bill’s data-sharing, program coordination, and projected savings from reducing delays in parole-voted programming; public witnesses generally supported the post-secondary education and reentry provisions, while some urged stronger statutory direction for Windham and more reform to medically recommended intensive supervision. The bill was left pending. SB 1804, SB 1099, SB 2569, and SB 2570 were also heard. SB 1804 would allow restitution for tattoo removal for human trafficking survivors and remove the age restriction so adult survivors can qualify; it was reported favorably and sent to the local calendar. SB 1099 would increase penalties for certain felony offenses when committed by a person determined to be unlawfully present in the country; immigration and civil rights witnesses opposed it as overbroad and difficult to administer, but it was reported favorably. SB 2569 would modernize unmanned aircraft reporting by requiring law enforcement agencies to post reports on public websites; it passed unanimously and was sent to the local calendar. SB 2570 would create a defense to prosecution for peace officers and correctional guards using less-lethal force weapons within the scope of their training; law enforcement witnesses supported it, civil rights and prosecutor witnesses raised concerns that it was too broad and could weaken existing use-of-force standards, and the bill was left pending for further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• at the solutions table there are space at the solutions table there are better<00:59:27.200> ways
• Uh, since 2020, more than 3,100 nursing home beds have been taken out of service statewide.
• single bed single bed incentives<01:30:25.760> the<01:30:25.960> proposed<01:30:26.360
• the closures and bed the closures and bed layaways<01:31:12.119> also<01:31:12.320> in
• <01:37:09.760> incentives rate adjustments single bed incentives rate adjustments single bed

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not going to have a reduction in beds because we're keeping a workforce in place and asking for
• We're not going to have a reduction in beds because we're keeping a workforce in place and asking for
• "Money to our child care centers, we keep our beds.
• We're not going to have a reduction in beds because we're keeping a workforce in place and asking for
• the current structure and why we're looking for some guidance. space I also work with the the DD space

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so currently there's 80 beds.
• Who typically served children of mixed-age groups in the same space or classroom.
• So we don't know how many spaces were opened up for infants and toddlers.
• We just don't know how many spaces. That's correct. Yes, that's correct. So is, do you know?
• Now we start talking about utilizing all the space there again. How can we potentially use it?

Summary: The committee first heard an update on North Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and Continuum of Care funding. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported that homelessness remains driven by tight housing markets, low incomes, rising rents, and barriers to rental assistance, public benefits, and disability determinations. She said the state’s one-time North Dakota Homeless Grant is serving all regions but reaches far fewer households than the former Rent Help program, and that aging homelessness, shelter staffing shortages, and limited affordable units are growing concerns. Members discussed the need for more housing supply, better coordination with Health and Human Services, landlord engagement, reentry housing, and possible continued one-time funding for the $10 million Homeless Grant and $25 million Housing Incentive Fund. Henderson also warned that federal Continuum of Care funding is uncertain, with HUD expected to issue a new notice June 1 and possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing toward transitional housing and other models. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described the school’s services for infants, children, and adults, including screenings, mobility training, assistive technology, and outreach across the state. He said the agency works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation and is also involved in improving website and document accessibility, especially for PDF materials. Public testimony highlighted barriers such as inaccessible CAPTCHA systems, online forms, driver’s license requirements on job applications, and limited transportation in rural areas. A deaf resident urged broader use of video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training so people know how to use them effectively. Finally, Kay Larson presented the final report on the child care provider licensing study. The report recommended streamlining North Dakota’s child care licensing structure into three provider types plus a preschool designation, while preserving health and safety standards and maintaining eligibility for child care assistance. The committee discussed simplifying training and qualification rules, revising ratio and group-size requirements, and adjusting age bands for infants and toddlers. The report also noted that some changes would require statutory amendments and later administrative rule changes, with a transition period likely extending through 2029. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the committee accepted the updates and scheduled follow-up presentations for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• going to be used—I mean, an adult is not going to use a bassinet, but an adult could use a full-size bed
• c> bassinet, but an adult could use a bassinet, but an adult could use a full-size<00:14:57.080> bed
• I<00:14:58.400> think<00:14:58.600> that's<00:14:58.880> why full-size bed
• And so I think that's why full-size bed.
• as he does around the same heart space as he does around this.<00:26:19.640> But<00:26:19.800

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 18 was taken up in committee, with the chair noting a preference to hear testimony from people who had traveled farther before hearing from lobbyists or other local witnesses. Representative Engan presented the bill as a family-support measure that would exempt certain infant care items from sales tax, arguing that the cost of raising children has risen sharply and that the bill would provide immediate relief to parents. He cited examples of potential savings on cribs, mattresses, strollers, and baby bottles, and said he was open to expanding the list of covered items. Chair Gomez offered a DE1 amendment that would replace the blanket sales tax exemption with an expansion of Minnesota’s child tax credit, arguing that the child-rearing cost burden is better addressed through targeted assistance rather than a broad exemption that could also benefit higher-income purchasers. After discussing the policy differences and the fiscal impact, Gomez withdrew the amendment. Members then asked questions about the bill’s scope, whether luxury items should be excluded, and why the exemption was limited to baby items rather than older children’s needs. Engan said he would be open to excluding luxury items and to discussing broader expansions, including school supplies. The committee then heard testimony in support from Sarah Gangelhoff of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, who said the bill would help families facing high housing, food, and child care costs and would especially benefit women and single-mother households. Maggie Hanggi of the Minnesota Catholic Conference also supported the bill, saying the tax relief could help families afford essential infant items and reduce fear for prospective parents. Members raised concerns about whether tax exemptions effectively reach the families most in need, with one member noting that low-income families may not even be in a position to shop for these items; Engan responded that the savings would still be real for those who do purchase them. No final vote or disposition on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, for your home defense or for your liability with regard to your gun, if you're asleep in bed
• Services Commission is experiencing a severe staffing shortage. shortage, causing 288 of their 2,329 beds
• To get into a state hospital bed. Yeah, that's the 241 days.
• The data I've seen is it's pretty much uniform. because there's only so many forensic beds available.
• Every day we are confronted with the challenges of a lack of state beds and insufficient jail competency

Bills: HB268, HB305, HB307, HB380, HB548, HB727, HB268, HB305, HB307

Keywords: false reporting, emergency response, criminal penalties, restitution, public safety, penalties, emergency services, public institutions, false reports, criminal penalty, pretrial hearings, criminal competency, legal process, court timelines, restoration of competency, fines, community service, credit, criminal justice, defendants