Video & Transcript Research : 'transparency in voting'
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AL
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:05:48.720>
But brought for or for a vote. But brought for or for a vote. - University of South Alabama's PA program is in Mobile. They were founded in 1996.
- Sanford's PA program is also in Birmingham. They started matriculating in 2019.
- And then Faulkner's PA program here in Montgomery started matriculating in 2020.
- interested in that list. interested in that list.
Keywords:
absentee voting, disabled, blind, voter assistance, voting rights, SNAP, public assistance, nutritional standards, waiver, food regulation, 1136, house, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Republicans and Democrats in many states use ranked-choice voting in some form and in some way.
- Certainly in that runoff election, in the general, the candidate who received the most votes in the general
- Every Republican in Georgia voted for ranked-choice voting as part of that.
- That night when they pulled the tapes, she had zero votes in that voting precinct.
- Someone testified earlier and said there's no transparency in ranked-choice voting.
Keywords:
HB 817, Texas Election Code, majority vote, majority threshold, ranked-choice voting, preferential voting, instant runoff voting, vote reassignment, ballot ranking, election administration, public office election, Election Code Section 2.0215, runoff elections, plurality vs majority, voting systems, education reform, budget allocation, teacher retention, student performance, accountability measures
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- In 2022 and 2024, at both conventions—and actually in 2020 as well—the COS plan was pulled, put back,
- Last year when delegates voted on the individual planks, 51% of those in attendance voted against the
- Be in a position of overreach.
- We will be in recess here in just a moment and we'll be coming back after the floor session today.
- We're in recess. Good morning.
Keywords:
public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- the State of Texas, under the hand of the chair of the committee and as the chair deems appropriate in
- affiliate of one of those companies, to appear before the committee at a time and location specified in
- any investment or potential investment of the state's public pension funds to further political ...in
- the subpoena in a manner specified in the subpoena that are in the recipient's possession, custody,
- thanks to each member and your staff and the committee staff, the Committee on State Affairs stands in
Keywords:
public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards
Summary:
The Senate Committee on State Affairs was called to order and a roll call showed most members present, with one absent. The chair explained that the committee had arranged witnesses for a later meeting but had received responses from some parties declining to testify, prompting Senator Bettencourt to offer a written motion for subpoenas.
The motion authorized the committee chair, under Senate Rule 11.20, to issue subpoenas to BlackRock, State Street, or other financial services companies affecting Texas public pension investments, along with their subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, employees, agents, or representatives. The subpoenas would require testimony and production of records concerning investment practices, the impact on Texas public pension funds, and any investments intended to further political or social causes.
Members discussed the importance of obtaining testimony and the limited but necessary use of subpoena power. The committee then voted, with 10 ayes, no nays, and one absent, to adopt the motion. With no further business, the committee recessed until the call of the chair, planning to return after the local calendar.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- They actually show up in the meeting and they take the votes and they vote against the board members.
- In 2024, BlackRock voted a shareholder proposal urging Jack in the Box to determine and disclose short
- In 2024, BlackRock voted a shareholder proposal urging Jack in the Box to determine and disclose short
- In 2024, BlackRock voted a sharehold proposal urging Jack in the box to determine and disclosed short
- include not just anti-economic votes, but also votes in favor of race- and sex-based quotas, which is
Keywords:
public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards
Summary:
The committee heard Senate Bill 945, 946, 2044, 2819, 2403, 2337, and 312, with all bills left pending after testimony. SB 945 would restrict insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage based on oil and gas activity or ESG-related goals, and supporters argued it would protect Texas energy producers from politically motivated shareholder activism and insurance discrimination. SB 946 would bar creditors from using social credit, ESG, DEI, or religious/political affiliation as a basis for denying or limiting credit; witnesses said it would prevent viewpoint-based financial discrimination and protect access to capital for Texas businesses. SB 2337 would require proxy advisory firms to disclose when recommendations are based on non-financial factors or when they give conflicting advice to different clients; supporters said the measure would increase transparency and curb ESG-driven influence over shareholder voting. SB 312 would direct public retirement systems to focus on financial returns rather than social or political objectives, with the author saying the bill responds to activist pressure on pensions and would reinforce fiduciary duty.
The committee also took up election and ethics measures. SB 2044 would strengthen electioneering restrictions for publicly funded education institutions and personnel, prohibiting use of official resources to promote political agendas; testimony focused on alleged school district electioneering in bond and tax elections. SB 2819 would prohibit county elections administrators from holding certain officer positions appointed by elected officials, addressing potential conflicts of interest. SB 2403, the Texas Ethics Commission sunset bill, would restructure complaint handling with a three-tier violation system, risk-based complaint prioritization, longer response times, bipartisan preliminary review panels, and expanded hearing options; members discussed amendments aimed at dismissing minor complaints, clarifying categories, and adjusting lobbying and penalty provisions, but the amendments were withdrawn during committee consideration.
Across the ESG and finance bills, invited witnesses from the American Energy Institute, Heartland Impact, Consumers Research, ADF Action, Texas Civil Justice League, and related groups generally supported the measures, arguing that banks, insurers, proxy advisors, and asset managers have used ESG or reputational-risk standards to discriminate against energy, agriculture, firearms, and religious organizations. No opposition testimony was presented in the excerpt, and the committee closed public testimony on each bill and left them pending.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 37 will clarify and bring... transparency to this process. 635 and in Board of Regents and
- In regards to the vote of no-competence, the faculty senate discussions, their meetings, even though
- was actually going on with the Faculty Senate in their vote of no confidence. for our university president
- And, you know, I think that's what happens in cases of these no-confidence. votes.
- I implore you to vote with students, faculty, and staff in opposition to Senate Bill 37.
Keywords:
higher education, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council, ombudsman, faculty governance, decision-making, transparency, public meetings, department head, employment approval, public institutions, institutional oversight, education, funding, accountability, state budget, school performance, employment, Texas legislation
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Some of these meetings... did not have quorum, which, in one instance, resulted in a budget vote being
- This makes all the sense in the world unless it's going on in the private sector, so it seems to make
- As in a council version of the final draft.
- initiative announced by... back in 2015.
- 151 152 153 154 155 156 in a second.
Keywords:
higher education, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council, ombudsman, faculty governance, decision-making, transparency, public meetings, department head, employment approval, public institutions, institutional oversight, education, funding, accountability, state budget, school performance, employment, Texas legislation
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Retirement and Government Resources Apr 14th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Retirement and Government Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Right, the vote will now occur in the nomination of Marla Thharpe for the board of trustees of the teacher's
- practices in Oklahoma.
- So we're trying to get away from any instance in which we might be advised to vote proxies or invest
- So we're trying to get away from any instance in which we might be advised to vote It's again, we want
- We have an example of Florida, which voted 99% of the time in 2021 with the ESG advice.
Keywords:
government reporting, information technology, child welfare, environmental policy, state agency compliance, employment restrictions, state officers, prohibited acts, government contracts, public service, public finance, pension, pension fund, retirement system, board of trustees, proxy voting, proxy proposal, shareholder vote, shareholder activism, fiduciary duty
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee 3/18/26 - Afternoon Meeting
Elections Finance and Government Operations
Transcript Highlights:
- The bill is, assuming we vote in favor of it, it will go to Commerce where they will have discussions
- activity in in those special elections. activity in in those special elections.
- <00:57:22.960>
in the schedules that you have um in in the schedules that you have um in in - c> um<00:57:34.799>
in have not been reflected in chapter um in have not been reflected in - in in in that that wasn't reflected in in in that particular<00:57:47.440>
provision.
Keywords:
libraries, electronic books, digital audiobooks, licensing agreements, public access, campaign finance, elections, political contributions, disclosure, reporting thresholds, economic interest statements, financial disclosure, ethics, public officials, local officials, metropolitan governmental unit, metropolitan area, candidate filings, principal campaign committee, political committee
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- In 2022 and 2024, at both conventions, and actually in 2020 as well, the COS plan was pulled, put back
- Each vote was 15 to 16 or 16 to 15.
- Last year when delegates voted on the individual planks, 51% of those in attendance voted against the
- We will be in recess here in just a moment and we'll be coming back after the floor session today.
- We're in recess. Good morning.
Keywords:
public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- They deserve a government that values transparency, not just in theory but in practice.
- assets voted in accordance with the recommendations of ISS more than 95% of the time. involved in board
- Be as responsible, except in very egregious cases, for whether those votes were actually in line with
- In 2019 and 2020, BlackRock supported 6% of the vote.
- BlackRock voted in 2020 before BlackRock voted on a shareholder proposal urging Jack-in-the-Box to determine
Keywords:
public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Bettencourt has a motion in writing, which we'll now ask the clerk to read.
- the State of Texas, under the hand of the Chair of the Committee, and as the Chair deems appropriate, in
- Appear before the committee at a time and location specified in the subpoena to testify as to the company's
- the subpoena in a manner specified in the subpoena that are in the recipient's possession, custody,
- But when the state of Texas needs testimony from entities and the state of Texas, in this case, is the
Keywords:
public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Investment (4-15-26) - Upon Recess
Economic Development & Workforce Investment
Transcript Highlights:
- If you're familiar in many places we If you're familiar in many places we have<00:02:12.080>
what< - that would advocate and possibly incent more production in the realm of music here in this state.
- All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed.
- bill, refundable credit is in bill, refundable credit is in not<00:10:06.880>
bold. - vote on Senate Bill 261? vote on Senate Bill 261? Representative<00:14:06.040>
Elliott.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Investment (3-26-26)
Economic Development & Workforce Investment
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor (3-5-26)
Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor
Transcript Highlights:
- I vote I.
- <00:02:18.720>
a uh if we could, that's the bill in a uh if we could, that's the bill in a - I vote I. Senator Wise. Chair Wheeler. I vote I.
- <00:04:56.200>
Eastern giving to our students in Eastern giving to our students in Eastern - <00:05:18.840>
here on the floor than there are in here on the floor than there are in here
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00
Roll Call: 00:26
SB 343 Discussion: 01:00
SB 343 Voting: 02:25
SB 19 Discussion: 03:25
SB 19 Voting: 20:10, 958, all
Summary:
The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor met with a roll call showing members present, then first took up Senate Bill 343, which would extend the Workers' Compensation Funding Commission and preserve the independent funding mechanism for the Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims. The chair explained that the bill would keep the current assessment structure in place beyond its scheduled 2029 expiration and support the department’s independence and budgeting flexibility. The committee voted 11-0 to report the bill favorably.
The committee then heard a presentation on Senate Bill 19, relating to a state mushroom. Senator Scott Madon and Representative Mitch Whitaker introduced students and a biology teacher from Letcher County Central High School, who presented research supporting the indigo milk cap (Lactarius indigo) as Kentucky’s state mushroom. The students described the mushroom’s blue color, ecological role, edible qualities, and possible educational and scientific value, and tied the proposal to Kentucky’s identity as the Bluegrass State. Senators praised the students’ presentation and the effort to involve young people in the legislative process, and one senator asked how to identify edible mushrooms, prompting advice that experience is important and that local mushroom groups can help. The committee then voted 11-0 to report Senate Bill 19 favorably.
Before adjourning, members briefly discussed the presentation and the educational value of involving students, with comments noting the strong participation of young women in science. Senate Bill 324 was on the agenda but was passed over and held for one week. The meeting then adjourned.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Investment (2-26-26)
Economic Development & Workforce Investment
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, if you're interested in testifying, make sure that you have signed the sign-in sheet.
- They, um, we provide in the bill that they can come here in three ways.
- in the future, blackouts in the future, that kind of stuff.
- in the future, blackouts in the future, that kind of stuff.
- So I vote I today, and we need to keep our electricity bills under control in Kentucky. >> Representative
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00
Roll Call: 00:38
HB 576 discussion: 01:56
HB 576 voting: 06:54
HB 593 discussion: 08:25
HB 593 voting: 21:58, 958, all
Summary:
The House Standing Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Investment met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 576, which would create the Kentucky Talent Recruitment Grant Program. Representative Robert Duvall said the bill is intended to address Kentucky’s workforce shortage by funding local recruitment efforts for out-of-state talent, with grants of up to $500,000 to cities, counties, and nonprofits, a required 20% local match, and performance-based payments. He said the program is modeled on existing efforts already operating in Kentucky and cited projected economic and tax benefits. The committee substitute removed an appropriation and emergency clause so funding would go through the regular budget process, and members approved the committee substitute, the bill, and a title amendment with favorable expression.
The committee then took up House Bill 593, sponsored by Representative Josh Bray, which addresses data centers and utility costs. Bray said the bill is designed to protect ratepayers from subsidizing data center infrastructure and to ensure projects either bring their own generation, use power purchase agreements, or pay upfront for any needed transmission or generation upgrades. He explained that the committee substitute made mostly technical changes, including giving municipal utilities more time to set tariffs, clarifying terms, adding exemptions for certain TVA- and DOE-related projects, and preserving existing contracts and net metering arrangements. Members asked about local control, the $75,000 prepayment, and TVA authority; Bray said the prepayment covers utility due diligence and screens speculative projects, local requirements must be certified before incentives apply, and TVA is federally regulated. The bill received supportive comments from several members, who emphasized protecting utility bills and ratepayers, and it passed the committee with favorable expression.
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
House and Governmental Affairs Mar 25th, 2026
House and Governmental Affairs
Keywords:
human rights, individual liberties, Magna Carta, constitutionalism, free speech, voter identification, election integrity, federal elections, public confidence, election security, SAVE America Act, Louisiana, election fraud, job advertisement, salary transparency, civil service, employment notification, applicant rights, legislative attendance, task force
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on State Government (11-13-25) - Reupload
Transcript Highlights:
- We take great pride in and vote here.
- >
check-in <01:10:12.000>station, the vote poll worker check-in station, the vote poll - Our Verity voting system that is in use here in the Commonwealth is manufactured in Austin, Texas, nearby
- system that is in use our Varity voting system that is in use here<01:16:05.840>
in <01:16:06.159 - So you have two marks in a vote for one race, for example.
Keywords:
Discussion of BR 25 (2026 RS) 04:15
Presentation on voting systems by ES&S 48:14
Presentation on voting systems by Hart InterCivic and Harp Enterprises 01:13:07, 958, all
Summary:
The committee met to approve the October 21 minutes and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and public resources. The sponsors said the bill is intended to strengthen existing law by adding civil and criminal penalties for taxpayer-funded advocacy on ballot questions, especially in light of controversies during the 2024 election over school officials and districts using public resources to oppose a constitutional amendment. They also described related concerns about school districts hiring third-party lobbyists and public relations firms, particularly in Fayette County, and said the proposal was meant to keep tax dollars focused on public services rather than political persuasion.
Committee members raised several concerns about scope and drafting. Some asked whether the bill should specifically mention schools, school boards, and school employees, and the sponsors said they would add that language. Others questioned whether the measure would also affect local government lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, and the sponsors said they intended to focus narrowly on schools while exempting certain advocacy organizations and internal government lobbyists. Members also asked whether public employees could still speak as private individuals, and the sponsors said yes. Several members suggested splitting the lobbying and ballot-advocacy issues into separate bills, and the sponsors said they would consider that.
Members also pressed for clarification on how the bill would apply in practice, including whether it would cover legal challenges to petition drives or only advocacy after a question is on the ballot. Counsel for the sponsors said the bill would not cover some petition-related litigation as drafted, though they believed it should. The sponsors and supporters argued the proposal was needed to give the existing prohibition real enforcement, while some members warned that the language could unintentionally limit legitimate public representation or be too broad if not carefully drafted. No final vote was taken during the discussion.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on State Government (11-13-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- when I go in, I interact with a voting when I go in, I interact with a voting system.<01:01:51.119
- on demand, where when a voter checks in at the vote poll worker check-in station, their ballot can be
- >
check-in <01:10:16.000>station, the vote poll worker check-in station, the vote poll - Our Verity voting system that is in use here in the Commonwealth is manufactured in Austin, Texas, nearby
- system that is in use our Varity voting system that is in use here<01:16:09.920>
in <01:16:10.239
Keywords:
Discussion of BR 25 (2026 RS) 04:15
Presentation on voting systems by ES&S 48:14
Presentation on voting systems by Hart InterCivic and Harp Enterprises 01:13:07, 958, all
Summary:
The committee met, approved the October 21 minutes, and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal to prohibit the use of tax dollars and public resources to advocate for or against ballot questions, including constitutional amendments. Senator Rawlings and the other presenters argued the current law already bars such advocacy but lacks meaningful enforcement, citing the 2024 school choice amendment campaign and other examples where public officials and school systems allegedly used taxpayer-funded resources to influence voters. They said the bill would add civil and criminal penalties, while preserving First Amendment rights for public employees acting in their personal capacities.
Much of the discussion focused on whether the bill should be limited to school districts or broadened to cover other public entities, and on how to define terms such as “advocating in impartial terms.” Members raised concerns about possible effects on county and city lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, on legitimate factual explanations by public officials, and on whether the bill could unintentionally restrict needed representation for local governments. The sponsors said the measure was intended to be narrow, would be vetted further, and would not bar individuals from speaking on their own behalf.
Several members suggested revisions. Representative Lockett asked that schools and school employees be specifically named, and suggested separating the lobbying restrictions from the ballot-measure provisions into different bills. Representative Layman questioned the meaning of the bill’s language and whether it would cover factual testimony by officials. Representative Heen asked about a Jefferson County example involving legal fees used to challenge petition signatures; counsel said that situation would likely be allowable under the bill as drafted, though some members thought it should be covered. No final vote was taken on BR 25 during this discussion.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session Day 57 (4-1-26) - Part 1
Kentucky Senate Floor Meeting
Keywords:
open records, public access, transparency, government accountability, public agency, dental practice, licensing, administrative regulations, dental assistants, supervision, Medicaid, community engagement, healthcare, managed care, eligibility, public assistance, insurance, public adjuster, claim process, contract requirements