Transcript Highlights:

• There's not been a study done as far as the actual impact.
• But any impact that has an impact on the Baton Rouge City Court also has an impact on the city in general
• There's not been a study done as far as the actual impact.
• But any impact that has an impact on the Baton Rouge City Court also has an impact on the city in general
• But any impact that has an impact on the Baton Rouge City Court also has an impact on the city in general

Committee: Senate Judiciary A

Summary: The committee first approved the May 5 minutes and then heard House Bill 578, which would define sex in Louisiana law as biological sex, replace references to gender with sex in various statutes and forms, and direct the Law Institute to make conforming changes. Supporters from the governor’s office said the bill would bring clarity and consistency, while opponents argued it could create conflicts with existing law and weaken protections tied to gender identity. After debate, the committee reported HB 578 favorably. Members then considered House Bill 1250, a measure aimed at aerospace-related litigation. The bill would allow a special motion to strike certain claims against aerospace flight entities when the claims are preempted by federal law. Senators raised concerns that the language was broad enough to affect airports, airlines, contractors, and even unrelated incidents, and the author said he was willing to work on narrowing amendments. The committee nevertheless reported HB 1250 favorably. House Bill 718, dealing with liability protections for private airstrips used for recreation, was amended to narrow its scope and then reported favorably, while House Bill 163, a narrower related airstrip bill, was voluntarily deferred so the committee could work from the other measure. The committee also approved House Concurrent Resolution 61, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to review possible conflicts between the constitution and statutes on expropriation. House Bill 180, defining foreign adversaries and agents of foreign adversaries for a proposed constitutional amendment, and House Bill 192, a constitutional amendment barring foreign adversaries from expropriating land in Louisiana, were both reported favorably. House Bill 1008, which sets out academic freedom and whistleblower protections for higher education, was rejected on a roll-call vote after concerns about its scope and limits on university discipline. House Bill 638, a prompt-payment bill for contractors, was set aside while amendments were being located. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 71, which would extend existing liability protections for justified use of force to properly trained armed security guards. The author and the Board of Private Security Examiners said security officers receive training and often face dangerous situations, but opponents argued the bill would give too much protection to personnel with far less training than law enforcement and could shield bad shootings. After debate, the committee voted to defer HB 71. The last measure discussed was House Bill 1082, which would change venue rules for lawsuits involving the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System so actions by the system would be filed where the employer is located; the author said the bill was meant to help small municipalities, and members indicated they were open to narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the impact of this proposal... ...in the hearings.
• We know what those would qualify and what areas they impact.
• Like almost everyone on this floor was impacted by this disaster.
• . we also almost So almost all of us were impacted.
• Senate Bill 43 would impact them and the 2,039 dams across Texas.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, invocation, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then observed a moment of silence after Senator Eckhardt referenced a mass shooting in Austin. The chamber also agreed to postpone reading and referral of bills until later in the day. Early procedural business included a motion not to print Senate Bill 3, which was adopted without objection. Later, Senator Mendez raised a parliamentary inquiry about moving flood relief bills to the top of the calendar, but the presiding officer said the order of business was up to the chair. The main floor action centered on Senate Bill 4, the congressional redistricting bill. Senator King laid out the bill, describing it as the companion to the House version, based on 2020 census data, and arguing it was legal, race-blind, more compact, and likely to elect more Republicans. Senators asked extensive questions about the process, public hearings, and the map’s effects on districts and communities. The Senate voted to suspend the regular order of business and the three-day rule, then passed SB 4 to engrossment and finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 19 yeas and 2 nays. The Senate also took up Senate Bill 6, relating to abortion and civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs. Senator Hughes argued the bill was needed to stop illegal abortion pills being mailed into Texas and harming women and unborn children. The Senate suspended the regular order of business and the three-day rule, passed the bill to engrossment, and then finally passed it, with the recorded votes showing 18 yeas, 10 nays, and one present not voting. A lengthy discussion followed on the committee substitute for Senate Bill 14, which would standardize law enforcement personnel and departmental files statewide. Senator King said the bill codifies a TCOLE model policy and limits public access to personnel files to substantiated misconduct, commendations, and evaluations, while keeping other records available through other legal processes. Senators Eckhardt, West, Hinojosa, and others questioned how the bill would affect transparency, meet-and-confer agreements, civilian review boards, and access to unsubstantiated complaints. An amendment by Senator Hinojosa of Dallas to narrow the bill to unfounded complaints failed, and SB 14 was then passed to engrossment on a vote of 18 yeas and 10 nays. The final major item was Senate Bill 1, the natural disaster omnibus bill responding to the July flooding. Senator Perry said the bill addresses camp and RV park safety, evacuation plans, emergency rooftop access, lines of succession for local emergency management, annual drills, volunteer management, drone restrictions over disaster areas, small-business recovery loans, and a statewide data hub for flood and weather monitoring. Senators Menendez, Eckhardt, and Kolkhorst asked about autopsies, volunteer background checks, liability, warning systems, floodplain mitigation, and coordination with FEMA and local governments. Perry said the bill focuses on preparation, response, and recovery, while broader prevention and mitigation issues may be addressed later. The transcript ends during this extended discussion, before final action on SB 1 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, again, the impact is minimal on travel times.
• </c> the impact is minimal on travel times. the impact is minimal on travel times.
• So, again, the impact is minimal on travel times.
• So, again, the impact is minimal on travel times.
• </c> heavily more heavily weighted in rural heavily more heavily weighted in rural areas<01:14:32.880

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development.
• How would this impact private schools?
• So, their whole season would not be impacted by this.
• Would not be impacted by this.
• </c><02:14:24.640><c> by</c><02:14:24.760><c> the</c> the classroom impacted by the the classroom impacted

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Factors include medical acuity, accessibility to treatment, and impact on the referring facility.
• Factors include medical acuity, accessibility to treatment, and impact on the referring facility.
• Factors include medical acuity, accessibility to treatment, and impact on the referring facility.
• number of resources at the 12 level, and I got to say we also need resources in the community, in rural
• </c> available and even more scarce in rural available and even more scarce in rural Minnesota<01:18:

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to rural to rural Minnesota<00:30:55.760><c> uh</c><00:30:56.080><c> and</c><00:30:56.240><c> then
• It does not impact.
• impact impact harder<01:00:42.200><c> I</c><01:00:42.400><c> just</c><01:00:42.720><c> um</c><01:00:
• So this does have an impact on our main streets.
• </c><01:30:02.199><c> on</c> be a correlation or an impact on be a correlation or an impact on that that

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> collateral and direct negative impacts collateral and direct negative impacts not<00:07:51.159><
• How will Trump's halting of all grants impact you? What programs are impacted with that?
• </c> that we could consider without impacting that we could consider without impacting the<00:36:36.680
• </c><03:23:14.760><c> both</c> department and how it impacts both department and how it impacts both
• </c><03:24:26.479><c> of</c> not can you uh speak to the impact of not can you uh speak to the impact

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 2 Finance Committee heard an overview and budget presentation from New Hampshire Fish and Game, led by new Executive Director Stephanie Simi and Business Division Chief Kathy Leonti. The agency described its mission to conserve and manage fish, wildlife, and marine resources, and emphasized growing pressures from disease, climate impacts, habitat change, and increased public demand. Simi said the department is largely funded by hunting and fishing license revenue and federal grants, is reviewing staffing and internal processes, and faces critical needs including permanent funding for environmental review staff, infrastructure and IT modernization, and possible service reductions if additional support is not found. Members asked about specific program and policy issues, including chronic wasting disease in deer, hemorrhagic disease in rabbits and hares, moose population decline, and a proposed bait-disease bill. The department said it is actively monitoring diseases and did not see a need for the bait bill at this time. Legislators also discussed the Hike Safe program, which the department said has grown from an expected $100,000 annually to more than $300,000, and a possible boating version of that program, which the department said remains under consideration but would involve complex logistics and multiple agencies. Questions were also raised about rescue costs, out-of-state hikers, and whether boat registrations could be used as a revenue source; Fish and Game said boat registration is handled by the Department of Safety, though the department receives $5 per registered boat for the public boat access program. The budget discussion focused on revenue projections, use of unrestricted Fish and Game funds, and dependence on federal reimbursements. Leonti said the department met the governor’s general fund target but not the Fish and Game fund target without using surplus unrestricted funds, leaving only about $100,000 in the fund by the end of the biennium. She said the budget uses more than $18 million in Fish and Game funds annually against about $14 million in unrestricted revenue, and that five of 193 full-time positions remain unfunded. The department warned that if federal grants were halted, it could cost about $5 million over five months and force the Fish and Game fund to cover the gap. Committee members also requested that future presentations be sent electronically in advance, and the department agreed to do so.

Transcript Highlights:

• of people with disabilities are impacted by the programs in DHS.
• of people with disabilities are impacted by the programs in DHS.
• of people with disabilities are impacted by the programs in DHS.
• </c><00:08:41.000><c> by</c> people with disabilities are impacted by people with disabilities are impacted
• </c><01:10:26.800><c> the</c> and how that's going to to impact the and how that's going to to impact

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So right now, the rural districts that are outside of the cities are not covered.
• And in the rural counties alone, 100,000. Okay?
• And I think it's a small investment that could have a huge impact on the future of Arizona's education
• I understand how attractive this is, to take the interest because there is no general fund impact, but
• And so really taking that interest does impact our general fund. And we cannot do that right now.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard several appropriations and policy bills, beginning with HB 263, which would appropriate $1.5 million to fund the Independent Correctional Oversight Office. Representative Blackman argued the office is needed to address serious problems in the Department of Corrections, including lawsuits, staffing shortages, injuries, and safety concerns, and said he was open to shifting existing dollars to cover the cost. A supportive witness from Justice Action Network said the funding would make the oversight office operational and is a small investment compared with the department’s overall budget. The bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 17-1 vote. The committee then considered HB 2993, as amended, which would let the Department of Public Safety spend money on legal services independent of the Attorney General and move $5 million from the Consumer Protection/Consumer Fraud Revolving Fund to the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission Fund. Speaker Montenegro said the bill was intended to support law enforcement and shift resources toward frontline public safety work. The amendment changed the destination of the $5 million from the Peace Officers Training Fund to GITEM, and the bill passed 11-7. HB 2271 followed, dealing with firefighter cancer insurance reimbursement and rate deviations for insurers. Witnesses described it as a technical, unfinished consensus measure meant to bring fire districts into the existing cancer reimbursement structure without changing claim handling for firefighters. Members repeatedly noted more work was needed, but the bill still received a do-pass recommendation on a 16-1-1 vote. HB 2416 appropriated $20 million to DPS for local border support, including law enforcement positions, prosecution and detention costs, and equipment. Sheriffs and the Arizona Sheriffs Association testified in support, saying the funding has been used for drug interdiction, fentanyl seizures, and joint task forces, while opponents argued the money should go elsewhere. The bill passed 11-6-1. HB 2692, a procurement bill, would create or revise rules for construction delivery methods, including one-step competition and progressive design-build for federally funded public infrastructure projects. Construction and procurement stakeholders said it was a long-negotiated consensus measure, while some members worried about taxpayer risk and wanted more information; it passed 10-7-1. The committee also amended and passed HB 2478, which creates the Arizona Commission on Student Outcomes and funds it with Classroom Site Fund dollars to study K-12 accountability, standards, graduation requirements, early childhood education, and a possible trade pathways diploma. Supporters said Arizona needs a broader conversation about student outcomes and school accountability, while opponents questioned the funding source and whether the work should instead be done by existing education agencies. The amended bill passed 11-7. Finally, HB 4044 was introduced to create a Public Safety Parity Fund for DPS and Corrections salaries using proceeds from forfeited digital assets and interest from the Budget Stabilization Fund; the sponsor and a troopers association witness said it would help address long-standing pay parity and vacancy problems, but the transcript cuts off before any vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The newly created high-impact jobs fund makes up about 44% of total funds.
• The newly created high-impact jobs fund makes up about 44% of total funding, budgeted at $75 million
• And so last year you approved Act 372, which was our high-impact jobs program.
• You know, economic impact, and we can read an economic impact study all day long.
• Okay, so it's not going to any great degree affect or impact function within the agency.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then what is your opinion of the COCs and the city's ability to impact what COCs do?
• We all know that we’re in a crisis impacting, as the Senator said, over 120,000 individual Californians
• On behalf of the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation and the Public Interest Law Project in
• They directly impact the quality and durability of the housing being constructed.
• This does not impact those labor standards because those are hardwired in state law.

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mark Smith on behalf of Origins Council, representing small and independent cannabis farmers across rural
• This is especially important for people living in remote rural areas where a trip to the pharmacy can
• We believe the problem we reference may also impact pharmacists at retail pharmacies. such as the care
• We believe the problem we reference may also impact pharmacists at retail pharmacies.
• The problem we reference may also impact pharmacists at retail pharmacies.

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard a long agenda of bills, with several cannabis-related measures drawing the most testimony. AB 1598 would extend and standardize licensing timelines for behavioral health professionals, AB 1850 would clarify that real estate wholesalers are subject to licensure and disclosure rules, AB 1794 would allow enteral formula to be shipped directly to patients’ homes, and AB 2402 would update an old cap on fees for multi-service health club studios. The committee also heard AB 1990 on compounded GLP-1 drugs, AB 2249 on cannabis packaging attractive to children, AB 2532 on cannabis beverage serving sizes, AB 2537 on prioritizing cannabis enforcement, and AB 1826 on due process protections for cannabis businesses facing embargoes or recalls. Testimony was generally split between public health or consumer-protection advocates and industry representatives. Supporters of the cannabis bills argued for clearer rules, better consumer safety, and more predictable enforcement, while opponents warned that some proposals could overreach, burden compliant businesses, or restrict legitimate branding and access. On AB 1990, supporters said compounded GLP-1 products need stronger testing and truthful advertising, while pharmacists and compounding advocates said existing law already covers much of the conduct and that the bill could create access problems. On AB 2249 and AB 2532, public health witnesses emphasized risks to children and accidental overconsumption, while industry groups sought narrower language and more implementation time. The committee took several roll-call votes after quorum was established. AB 2249, AB 1826, AB 2402, AB 1794, and AB 2532 were all approved and sent to Appropriations, and AB 1826 was sent to Judiciary. The chair and members repeatedly noted accepted committee amendments and, in several cases, said they were prepared to support the bills with those amendments. Some measures were left open or held pending further action as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the fiscal impact here is minimal, state appropriations for these agencies will be reassigned in
• No, I think that even FY28 it would be a minimal impact because again we already have those monies at
• When we think about this transition, what will be the impact on the agencies that are remaining?
• I mean, transitions are not always easy, and what will be the impact on those that remain in the office
• So, I would love to hear your ideas on how that would be impacted. You've had it.

Bills: SB1778 , SB1570 , SB134 , SB1966 , SB1636 , SB1725 , SB1726 , SB259 , SB504 , SB592 , SB2030 , SB1572 , SB843 , SB1242 , SB1255 , SB1262 , SB1264 , SB1286 , SB1581 , SB1290 , SB1316 , SB1319 , SB1369 , SB1379 , SB1381 , SB1400 , SB1427 , SB1436 , SB1461 , SB1496 , SB1509 , SB1534 , SB1553 , SB904 , SB1592 , SB1645 , SB1684 , SB1767 , SB1772 , SB1813 , SB1894 , SB1928 , SB1946 , SB1980 , SB2040 , SB2060 , SB2061

Keywords: reading instruction, literacy, educational equity, intervention services, third grade retention, Strong Readers Act, child welfare, child safety, administrative transition, Department of Child Safety and Well-being, Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, juvenile justice, foster care, retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, memorial highways, bridge designations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> needs in our rural communities. needs in our rural communities.
• </c><01:37:01.040><c> our</c> compared to negatively impacting our compared to negatively impacting our
• Um, this impacts so many people across our state, but specifically in House District 5.
• Um this impacts so many people well.
• impacts impacts on<04:44:04.960><c> the</c><04:44:05.080><c> state</c><04:44:06.160><c> impacts</c><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> greatest needs um whereas the SAI impact greatest needs um whereas the SAI impact to<00:07:06.319
• , including many from rural areas.
• <c> less</c><00:20:52.000><c> parental</c> impacts students with less parental impacts students with
• </c> processes, including many from rural processes, including many from rural areas.<00:20:57.520><c
• As was said, it impacts students, it impacts costs. There's two pieces to this.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill doesn't impact punitive damages at all.
• So I would agree that this bill doesn't impact punitive damages.
• It's a minor impact collision.
• This scheme has had a profound impact on our business.
• This bill will hit rural Texas hardest.

Bills: SB 30 , SB 517 , SB 1313 , SB 1314 , SB 1316 , SB 1541 , SB 1698 , SB 1845 , SB 1860 , SB 2420 , SB 2429

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs convened to discuss several critical pieces of legislation including SB30 and SB38. Senator Betancourt introduced a committee substitute for SB38 which underwent a smooth adoption process, moving it favorably toward the Senate. The meeting featured a mix of invited testimonies where both proponents and opponents took the floor. One notable highlight included a testimony from Melissa Casey, who criticized the current legal state as prone to fraud and detrimental to both insurers and the public at large, contending that it inflated insurance costs across the board. The discussions delved deeply into the implications of the bills on judicial processes and potential insurance ramifications, with spirited debates surrounding issues of non-economic damages and jury rights. The atmosphere remained engaged as committee members heard varied perspectives on the bills, showcasing a robust democratic process. The meeting underscored the importance of public testimony in shaping legislation, ensuring that multiple voices were considered as the committee pressed on towards making decisions that affect the legal landscape of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mortuary science and that concerned me especially in our rural communities.
• And even though it's amended, I think it's still going to make a great deal of help to uh rural Minnesota
• of</c><00:30:18.240><c> help</c><00:30:18.480><c> to</c><00:30:19.039><c> uh</c><00:30:19.120><c> rural
• </c> be a great deal of help to uh rural be a great deal of help to uh rural Minnesota<00:30:19.919><
• </c><02:45:36.880><c> the</c> ...the problems for those impacted the most negatively.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> hear about the impacts on WIC and SNAP. hear about the impacts on WIC and SNAP.
• This isn't a positive impact; this is a negative impact.
• </c> on, the more people will be impacted. on, the more people will be impacted.
• It has a drastic impact. The shutdown has a drastic impact as well.
• It has a drastic impact. The shutdown has a drastic impact as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, obviously, this issue impacts me personally. I have four beautiful children.
• You know obviously this issue impacts me personally.
• If I could follow up, how do you think these criticisms impact public perception?
• 6% showing negative impacts.
• 6% showing negative impacts.

Bills: SB 2

Committees: Senate Education K-16 , Senate Education

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think the only thing that hasn't been brought forward in this discussion is the impact that it
• brought forward in this discussion is brought forward in this discussion is the<00:22:30.840><c> impact
• </c><00:22:31.240><c> the</c><00:22:31.400><c> impact</c><00:22:31.720><c> that</c><00:22:31.840><c>
• The agency amendment to section 11B4 establishes that the medical director's participation in a rural
• in a rural trauma team development<01:15:10.719><c> course</c><01:15:11.600><c> is</c><01:15:11.800>

Keywords: 0:01– Meeting start/roll call 0:34 – Approval of minutes 0:48 – Welcome of new committee members 1:34 – Council on Postsecondary Education 25:17 – Teachers’ Retirement System 27:00 – Kentucky Public Pension Authority 29:04 – Board of Veterinary Examiners 31:40 – Board of Nursing 34:01 – Board of Emergency Medical Services 36:15 – Fish & Wildlife Resources 40:34 – Department of Corrections 56:00 – Department of State Police 58:05 – Department of Criminal Justice Training 59:22 – Transportation Cabinet 1:00:18 – Department of Education 1:01:23 – Department of Employment Services 1:04:17 – Department of Workplace Standards 1:05:25 – Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction 1:06:59 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Sanitation) 1:13:50 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Trauma System) 1:17:46 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Radon) 1:18:30 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Medicaid Services 1:19:15 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. of Aging Services 1:20:36 – Other Business/Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and welcomed new members before taking up Council on Postsecondary Education regulations 13 KAR 2:120 and 13 KAR 2:130. The regulations, as amended by staff and agency amendments, update public university and KCTCS performance funding models to conform to 2024 Senate Bill 191 and the performance funding work group’s recommendations. Changes discussed included replacing the underrepresented minority metric with an underrepresented students metric defined as first-generation students, adding an adult learner metric, increasing the low-income degree premium, adjusting small-school and nonresident credit-hour weights, revising data aging and progression metrics, and adding STEM+H criteria in 13 KAR 2:120. Travis Pal of the Council on Postsecondary Education explained that the changes reflect the work group’s three-year review process and that the work group ultimately voted to define underrepresented students as first-generation students and to apply half-weighting between research and comprehensive universities for the new metric. Michael Frasier of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition and Eastern Kentucky University student government opposed 13 KAR 2:120, arguing that the regulation improperly applies weights where the statute does not clearly authorize them and that the funding changes disadvantage comprehensive universities and vulnerable students. He asked the committee to find the regulation deficient or, alternatively, recommend legislative clarification and a revised fiscal analysis. Pal responded that weighting has been part of the model since 2017, that CPE was following the statute and work group recommendations, and that the model could be changed by future legislation. Members asked about the timing of the broader performance funding review, and Pal said the full model is reviewed every three years, with the next work group cycle beginning in 2026. No motion to find the regulation deficient was made, and the committee allowed the regulations to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The committee then approved a staff amendment to Teachers’ Retirement System regulations 102 KAR 1:195 and 102 KAR 1:340, which require annual reporting of accumulated sick leave, leave policies, and salary schedules to TRS and make technical changes to the final average salary calculation and related definitions.