Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2179 involved the participation of certain port district employees in PERS, a federal railroad
• Port district employees in PERS or a federal railroad plan or a union-sponsored retirement plan.

Bills: HB1710 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2179

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: Washington Voting Rights Act, voting rights, election law, preclearance, Attorney General review, local government, county redistricting, districting, ward boundaries, at-large elections, language minority, language access, voter dilution, racial discrimination, protected class, consent decree, settlement, covered jurisdiction, covered policy, RCW Title 29A

Transcript Highlights:

• required to carry the $1 million uninsured, underinsured coverage, those carriers that transport railroad
• that are required to carry the $1 million uninsured, underinsured, those carriers that transport railroad
• automatic operation of the formula, then the driver captures 70% of that automatically without any separate
• But we are glad to reach out to your team and give you that information separately.

Summary: The committee heard several insurance-related bills. SB 371 by Senator Cabaldon would lower uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage requirements for rideshare companies from the current $1 million level to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, with added transparency and data-reporting provisions. Uber, Lyft, and several business groups supported the bill as a way to reduce fares and improve affordability, while consumer attorneys, labor groups, and others opposed it as a major cut in protection for injured passengers and drivers. Committee members raised concerns about whether savings would actually reach riders and drivers, but the bill was approved on a do-pass vote to the next committee, with one member not voting. SB 487 by Senator Grayson would change how settlement or judgment proceeds are distributed when peace officers or firefighters are injured by a third party, ensuring they receive at least two-thirds of the at-fault party’s liability insurance limits in certain cases. Supporters, including public safety unions and an injured deputy sheriff, said current law can leave injured first responders with little or no recovery after employer reimbursement, while opponents representing cities, counties, and public agencies argued the bill would reduce recovery of taxpayer-funded workers’ compensation costs and lacked sufficient data. The committee members who spoke largely supported the bill, and it passed on a do-pass vote to Appropriations, with one member not voting. SB 616 by Senator Rubio would create an independent community hardening commission within the Department of Insurance to develop statewide wildfire mitigation recommendations and a post-catastrophe reporting process. The Department of Insurance, local governments, consumer groups, and fire-related organizations supported the measure as a way to improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while water agencies opposed provisions touching water infrastructure and warned of litigation and ratepayer impacts. The bill advanced on a do-pass vote to Appropriations, with some members not voting and one member voting no. The committee also heard SB 547 by Senator Perez, coauthored by Senator Rubio, which would extend wildfire-related insurance cancellation/nonrenewal moratoriums to commercial properties; insurers removed their opposition after amendments, and the bill passed to Appropriations on a do-pass vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know of her as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
• know of her as a conductor on the We know of her as a conductor on the Underground<01:16:41.280><c> Railroad
• </c><01:16:42.560><c> She</c><01:16:42.800><c> risked</c><01:16:43.120><c> her</c> Underground Railroad
• She risked her Underground Railroad.
• We have uh multiple students from their fifth and sixth grade class.

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, February 19, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• commitment to the Civil War was to clean out a band of Confederate militia who burned the first railroad
• as I understand it from the stories that they tell me, that the bathrooms in this building were separated

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Summary: The Special Committee on Tourism first met in executive session and approved the Senate substitute for Senate Bill 1000, which concerns the tourism supplemental revenue fund and how its money is collected and distributed. The motion to do pass received 11 ayes and 0 noes. In public hearing, the committee heard House Bill 2213, which would establish U.S. Grant Day in Missouri on April 27, Grant’s birthday. Representative Riggs described Grant’s many Missouri ties and his later legacy, and members offered supportive comments. No opposition was presented, and the hearing was closed without a vote. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1613, which would designate November 24 as Frankie Muse Freeman Day in Missouri. Senator Mosley and supporters emphasized Freeman’s civil rights work, especially in housing discrimination and voting rights, and witnesses spoke about her legacy and the importance of remembering segregation-era history. There was no opposition. The committee also heard House Bill 3216, which would designate May 10 as Missouri River Runner Day to raise awareness of Amtrak’s River Runner route across Missouri. Representative Wilson explained the bill’s connection to Train Awareness Day and the route’s usefulness for travel across the state, including to Jefferson City, St. Louis, and Kansas City. A witness provided informational testimony about the broader rail network and tourism value, and members discussed train travel safety and access. No opposition was offered, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• commitment to the Civil War was to clean out a band of Confederate militia who burned the first railroad
• understand it from the stories that they tell me... ...that the bathrooms in this building were separated

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• going up, this is a reasonable approach to getting there and being able to use class two and three railroad
• going up, this is a reasonable approach to getting there and being able to use class two and three railroad
• going up, this is a reasonable approach to getting there and being able to use class two and three railroad

Bills: SB6132

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: indebtedness limits, inland port districts, federal funding, infrastructure improvements, economic development, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Archuleta, SB 667, Railroads, Wayside Detector Systems. The action is due pass.
• SB 667, Railroads, Wayside Detector Systems.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met in a vote-only suspense file hearing with no public testimony. The chair explained that measures would be taken up alphabetically, with some bills amended before voting and addendum analyses to follow on the committee website. A quorum was present, and the committee then moved through a long list of Senate bills covering topics such as battery recycling, property tax exemptions, rail safety, military protective orders, affordable housing and youth housing bonds, workers’ compensation, metal shredding facilities, elections, family research centers, electrical rates and political influence, AI standards, student health, air quality, abandoned electrical infrastructure, disaster preparedness, contracts bid preferences, presidential election qualifications, unlicensed contractor work, alcohol and drug programs, generative AI, kratom and nitrous oxide, unmanned aircraft, adoptees’ birth certificates, body-worn cameras, physician discipline, and deprivation of constitutional rights. Several bills were amended before passage, including measures on railroads, military protective orders, housing bonds, workers’ compensation, metal shredding facilities, youth housing, property taxation, kratom/nitrous oxide, adoptees’ birth certificates, and constitutional rights. The committee repeatedly substituted prior roll-call votes for similar measures, resulting in many bills passing on unanimous 7-0 votes or 5-2 votes with Republicans voting no. SB 691 on body-worn cameras passed on a 6-0 vote, and SB 742 on abandoned electrical facilities was approved after a brief roll-call correction. Overall, the committee advanced all measures heard that day and adjourned after the chair noted it was their last meeting presiding over Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I'd like to do today is: I'm not here to testify that we need railroads. I've watched it.
• It's got to be a separate authority because we don't want any part of MassDOT.
• And this separate authority will be able to receive the money, do all the money, do all the... a consultant
• It's got to be a separate authority because we don't want any part of mass GOs.
• And this separate authority will be able to receive the money, do all the money, do all the The authority

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony on a range of bills focused on transportation funding, governance, and equity. Supporters backed proposals to create a North Central Massachusetts intercity passenger rail fund tied to a possible new gaming license (H. 3680/S. 2363), local parking assessments (H. 3756), third-party delivery fees (S. 2356/H. 3774), broader roadway pricing and congestion management measures (S. 2353/S. 2354), tolling equity and regional transit authority advisory boards (S. 2400/S. 2401), and Steamship Authority oversight reforms including board term limits (S. 2395). Testimony in favor emphasized new dedicated revenue sources, commuter rail expansion, regional equity, improved oversight, and better transit access for riders and communities that rely on public transportation. There was also testimony in opposition to the third-party delivery fee bills from Chamber of Progress, which argued the fee would raise costs for consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers, could reduce demand and jobs, and might not achieve the intended environmental benefits. Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts opposed H. 3633, a transit expansion, electrification, and resiliency bill, specifically objecting to its mandatory project labor agreement requirement and saying it would limit competition and disadvantage non-union contractors and workers. Several witnesses spoke in favor of the Steamship Authority bill, saying term limits would improve transparency, accountability, and board turnover. The committee also heard detailed support for the North Central rail proposal from a legislator, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and a transportation advocate, who described the bill as a way to generate long-term bonded revenue for rail infrastructure. After testimony concluded and no questions remained, the chairs entertained and received a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• individual, because they understood the Homedale water, just simply said, hold on, hold on, we got to separate
• have infill pushing against the interests of our traditions in Idaho, and if we want, and that’s a separate
• That was separated by a two-year time span. I mentioned working for Post Falls for 30 years.
• That was separated by a two-year time span, where I served as director of Parks and Recreation for Skagit
• And now kids are walking across railroad tracks to get back and forth from their parking to bring their

Committee: Senate Local Government and Taxation

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right, and those requirements are, of course, on teachers and my. wife's a fourth grade reading and writing
• Texas 8th grade math performance has not... ...increased a commiserate 48%.
• Rail, we have three class railroads in the state of Texas. and more rail lines than any other state.
• We work in coordination with those class railroads to support their efforts.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Archuleta, SB 667, Railroads, Wayside Detector Systems. The action is due pass.
• SB 667, Railroads, Wayside Detector Systems.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee held a vote-only suspense file hearing with no public testimony, taking up a long list of Senate bills and amendments. Measures discussed included battery recycling, property tax exemptions, railroad wayside detector systems, military protective orders, an affordable housing bond, fireworks permits, workers’ compensation earnings, metal shredding facilities, election system inspection, family research centers, electrical rates and political influence, AI standards and safety, youth housing bonds, student health, air quality standards for hydrogen sulfide, electrical infrastructure, disaster preparedness, property taxation for family homes and farms, state agency contract bid preferences, presidential election qualifications, unlicensed contractor work, alcohol and drug programs, generative AI in legal settings, kratom and nitrous oxide, unmanned aircraft, adoptees’ birth certificates, body-worn cameras, physician certificate revocation, and deprivation of constitutional rights. Several bills were amended before passage, including changes to bond measures, technical fixes, narrowed remedies, and other author-requested revisions. Most measures advanced on unanimous 7-0 votes, while a number of higher-profile or more controversial bills passed on 5-2 votes with Republicans voting no. SB 667 on railroads passed 4-2 after amendments; SB 691 on body-worn cameras passed 6-0; and SB 742 on permanently abandoned electrical infrastructure passed after a roll call that was corrected on the floor. The committee repeatedly substituted roll calls from earlier bills to record votes on many items, reflecting the suspense-file process. No testimony was taken, and the chair emphasized that all items had already been heard previously. At the end of the hearing, the chair announced it was their last meeting presiding over Appropriations, thanked the committee staff and members, and the committee adjourned after noting that results and addendum analyses would be posted online for amended bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Archeletta, SB 667, railroads, wayside detector systems. The action is due pass. 667.
• Railroads, wayside detector systems.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the last few years, we nearly lost the town of Lind to fire from a railroad-related fire.
• In the last few years, we nearly lost the town of Lynn to fire from a railroad-related fire.
• Our oysters pass through a minimum of three companies, all of which have separate DOH licenses.

Bills: SB5919 , SB5816 , SJM8015 , HB2737

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, federal response, wildfire protection, community safety, infrastructure, natural resources, commercial shellfish, shellfish fees, Department of Health, biotoxin testing, export certificate

Transcript Highlights:

• Particularly in California, from tremendous sacrifices in building the Transcontinental Railroad, to
• From building the transcontinental railroad to leading in the fields like technology, education, and
• not match precisely, for example, due to a missing middle initial, lenders are forced to file a separate

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• State-Assessed Property Division is responsible for valuing state-assessed public utilities and railroad
• This division also administers the Private Railroad Tax Program.
• Thank you for the opportunity to provide a brief overview. and railroad properties.
• This division also administers the Private Railroad Tax Program.
• The private railroad tax program. Thank you for the opportunity to provide a brief overview of BOE.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an informational overview from the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GoServe), including California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission. GoServe reported strong participation in programs such as California Service Corps, College Corps, Youth Service Corps, Climate Action Corps, and the new men’s service challenge. Testimony emphasized enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes, outreach results, and efforts to reduce administrative costs. The Department of Finance said the administration supports the programs but has already made reductions to help address the budget deficit, while the LAO said it had no new recommendations on the informational item. Committee members raised questions about program scale, demographics, and effectiveness, especially for Climate Action Corps and whether the programs are duplicative of existing volunteer opportunities. One member criticized the programs as too fragmented and costly, while others asked for more data on who is being served and whether the programs increase actual participation in state services. GoServe said it would follow up with demographic and regional impact information. The committee also discussed the men’s service challenge, which GoServe said has formed partnerships with organizations such as YMCAs and Big Brothers Big Sisters and has already attracted more than 2,000 participants. The item was informational only. The committee then heard a BOE overview and a budget request to implement SB 293, which gives wildfire-affected families additional time to claim intergenerational Prop. 13 property tax transfers. BOE requested $154,000 for guidance, public materials, and inquiry response, explaining that the work is urgent and tied to disaster relief in Los Angeles County, especially Altadena. The LAO had no concerns, and Finance had no comment. Members asked how many cases might be affected and whether more funding would be needed later; BOE said the full number is not yet known and that future requests are possible. The committee also heard BOE’s IT modernization proposal for the state-assessed property tax system, a 30-year-old mainframe replacement costing $3.2 million in 2026-27 and $3.1 million in 2027-28. BOE and Finance supported the project as necessary, while the LAO said it had no concerns but urged a high bar for new IT spending. Members generally supported modernization but cautioned about implementation risk. Finally, CDTFA presented an overview and two policy proposals. The department described administering 42 tax and fee programs, collecting $98 billion in FY 2024, and improving administrative efficiency. Members then discussed local sales tax tools and revenue-sharing agreements, with concerns raised about transparency, consultant-driven tax allocation disputes, and the impact on local communities. CDTFA and the LAO explained that local jurisdictions control how district sales tax revenues are spent and noted the Legislature could revisit the statutory cap on local add-on sales taxes. The committee then heard CDTFA’s proposal to treat all delivery network companies as marketplace facilitators so they must collect and remit sales tax on delivery-app orders. CDTFA said the change would resolve confusion, shift compliance from thousands of small restaurants to a few large platforms, and raise about $44 million annually. Several members questioned whether the proposal would effectively raise consumer costs and whether it would create a competitive advantage or disadvantage among delivery platforms. The item remained under discussion, with no vote taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• State-Assessed Property Division is responsible for valuing state-assessed public utilities and railroad
• This division is responsible for valuing state assessed public utilities and railroad properties.
• In 2025, the BOE determined the value ...and railroad properties.
• This division also administers the Private Railroad Tax Program.
• Thank you for the opportunity to provide a brief overview. ...the Private Railroad Tax Program.

Summary: The subcommittee first received an informational update on the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GoServe), including California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission. GoServe reported strong participation in College Corps, Youth Service Corps, and Climate Action Corps, along with outreach results from OCPSC and the Trusted Messenger Network. The Department of Finance said the programs remain a priority but noted prior budget reductions, while the LAO said it had no new recommendations. Committee members raised questions about program diversity, geographic reach, administrative costs, and whether the programs duplicate existing volunteer opportunities; one member criticized the programs as costly and duplicative, while another emphasized the value of volunteerism and asked about the men’s service challenge. The item was informational only. The committee then heard an overview of the Board of Equalization’s property tax responsibilities and its first budget proposals since the 2017 reorganization. BOE described its role in county assessment oversight, state-assessed property valuation, and related tax administration. Members asked about BOE’s interaction with counties, property tax reassessments, and local tax notices; BOE explained it mainly works with county assessors and handles technical property tax questions, while local special district charges are generally outside its scope. The committee also considered a BOE proposal to implement SB 293, which would give additional time for certain intergenerational property tax transfer claims after the 2025 wildfires. BOE requested $154,000 for guidance, public materials, and inquiry response work, saying the change is urgent for wildfire-affected families, especially in Altadena. The LAO had no concerns, and the item was held open. BOE also presented an information technology modernization proposal for its state-assessed property program, seeking $3.2 million in 2026-27 and $3.1 million in 2027-28 to replace a 30-year-old mainframe system. BOE said the current system relies heavily on manual data entry and paper processes, creating inefficiencies, cybersecurity risks, and delays, while modernization would free staff for more audits and valuation studies. The LAO supported the need but urged a high bar for new IT projects; Finance said the project met the threshold of necessity. Members generally supported the upgrade but asked about audit gains, revenue impacts, and implementation risks, and the item was held open. Finally, CDTFA gave its department overview and then discussed a proposal to require all delivery network companies, such as Uber Eats and DoorDash, to be treated as marketplace facilitators for sales tax purposes. CDTFA said the current carve-out creates confusion for restaurants and small businesses because some DNCs collect and remit tax while others do not, and the change would improve compliance and shift reporting to larger platforms. Members debated whether the proposal amounts to a tax increase for consumers, with CDTFA and Finance arguing it is a consistency and compliance measure rather than a new tax, while others said it would likely raise consumer costs. The committee also discussed broader CDTFA issues, including local sales tax districts, revenue-sharing agreements, and the growth of special taxing jurisdictions. No votes were taken, and the agenda items were informational or held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• Haynes Schrader: The panel that's sitting here in front of you today represents enterprise-grade, high-quality
• The buildings we're building are built for the types of companies that are, again, doing investment-grade
• Transmission is planned separately from load requests.
• people they need, at least for the period of time to try to accelerate these processes, that's a separate
• And so since there was a lot of, as we've received this tidal wave of applications and having two separate

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , Amendment H, offered by Senator King, provides funding for the Bingen, Walnut Creek, and Maple Railroad
• Amendment H, offered by Senator King, which provide funding for the Bingen, Walnut Creek, and Maple Railroad

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met in executive session to brief and act on three measures: proposed substitute Senate Bill 6005, the 2006 supplemental transportation budget; proposed substitute Senate Bill 6225, authorizing transportation bonds; and engrossed substitute House Bill 2508, relating to the Office of Independent Investigations. Staff first reviewed eight amendments to SB 6005, including technical corrections and several funding changes for ferry service, rail projects, transit electrification, and other transportation programs. The committee then adopted all eight amendments, rolled them into the bill, and advanced SB 6005 with a due-pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. For SB 6225, staff explained that the bill would authorize additional transportation bonds, including $1.1 billion in general bonds backed by gas tax and vehicle-related revenues, $400 million for potential cost increases on Move Ahead Washington projects, and a $500 million increase in SR 520 bond authorization, while repealing some older bond authority. With no amendments offered, the committee advanced the bill with a due-pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. The committee also considered engrossed substitute House Bill 2508, which would clarify the scope of authority of the Office of Independent Investigations and add public disclosure and privacy provisions. The committee moved the bill without recommendation to the Ways and Means Committee. Members concluded by thanking staff for their work on the budget and bond package before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is for highway railroad crossing warning devices.
• are the signal arms that come down and signal when it is safe or not safe for cars to cross over railroad
• We did receive funds for public ports in 2023 as well. it's time to Cross or not cross railroad it's
• does the railroad company have for these crossings, and what is our responsibility?
• Representative Skraba, so, um, we do coordinate with railroads on these projects.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Highway 45 that spans the BN Railroad between Sportslex Road and Belg Grayson Road and Mingo as the Fred
• I have some resolutions from rules. the BN Railroad between Sportslex Road the BN Railroad between Sportslex
• In fact, this is the reason we're handling it in a separate bill is purposely earmarking it for the purpose
• In fact, this is the reason we're handling it in a separate bill is purposely earmarking it for the purpose
• In fact, this is the reason we're handling it in a separate bill is purposely earmarking it for the purpose

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer and the pledge, confirmed a quorum, excused absent senators, and adopted the previous day’s journal. The chamber then received House messages referring House Bill 614 on supplemental appropriations and House Bill 224 on the distribution and use of tax funds to the Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee. Committee reports followed on several bills, including favorable reports for House Bills 169, 542, 593, and 13, with HB 542 amended in committee. The Senate also referred Senator Orr’s proposed rules change to the Rules Committee. A series of resolutions were taken up and adopted, including Senate Resolution 109 creating the Alabama Boating Safety Task Force, Senate Joint Resolutions 102 and 103, House Joint Resolutions 237, 215, 216, 218, and 235, Senate Joint Resolution 88 supporting the U.S. Department of Energy’s nuclear life cycle innovation effort, Senate Joint Resolution 93 creating a rural EMS and volunteer fire department study commission, Senate Joint Resolution 94 commending Exchange Club of Tuscaloosa Officer of the Year honorees, and Senate Joint Resolution 110 commending William Riley Hawkins Jr. on his retirement from AARP Alabama. The Senate also recognized several guests in the gallery, including local school superintendents and a student visitor. The chamber then moved through local legislation, adopting BRs and passing numerous local bills and constitutional amendments, including measures for Mobile, Prichard, Class 2 municipalities, Mingo County, Talladega County, Perry County, Wilcox County, Clay County, Washington County, and Madison County. Senate Bill 376 on Mobile County and Senate Bill 379 on Madison County were both passed and transmitted. Most local bills passed on unanimous or near-unanimous votes using the previous roll. The Senate also adopted Special Order Calendar Resolution 111, setting a special order calendar for the 27th legislative day that prioritized a long list of appropriations, education, retirement, dam safety, and higher education bills. On that calendar, House Bills 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 565, and Senate Bill 380 were taken up. HB 235’s committee substitute was tabled, a floor substitute was adopted restoring funding to the McQuain Center and removing some arts grants, and the bill passed. HB 236 passed after a language amendment. HB 237 passed as the Education Opportunities Reserve Fund bill. HB 238 passed after a floor substitute that shifted arts grants, added Voices for Alabama’s Children, adjusted RAISE Act weights, and increased funding for poverty, special education, and gifted students, along with a small amendment. HB 239 passed as the public education employee pay raise bill, with a substitute adding a retiree bonus and members discussing that the bonus would also be carried through SB 380. HB 240, HB 241, HB 242, and HB 565 all passed. SB 380 on the teachers retirement system received committee amendments and was being advanced as the vehicle for the retiree bonus, with Senator Orr explaining the bonus would be about $33 million and based on $1 per month of service for eligible retirees with at least 10 years of service.