Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe we could inquire of that member of the House.
• I think this is a really great balanced bill that takes a lot of interest into account. Sure.
• interest.
• there are conflicts of interest and to regulate the decisions of the commission since we remove that
• official proceedings of the state of Missouri.

Summary: The chamber first established a quorum, then moved through House Bills for Perfection. The first major measure discussed was House Bill 305, which would set policies for reconsideration of library materials in public and school libraries, require appeals processes, and prohibit tracking or retaining personalized user data, especially for minors. Supporters framed it as a local-control and parental-rights bill that largely codifies existing library practices, while some members raised concerns about the privacy language and whether materials should be removed during reconsideration. After discussion, the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. Members then took up House Bills 2366 and 2511, a bipartisan construction-industry bill aimed at combating illegal labor and off-the-books hiring. The bill would give the Attorney General more investigative authority, including subpoena power, require complaints to be made by affidavit, and impose stronger penalties on violators. Supporters said it would protect law-abiding contractors and workers and level the playing field, while some members asked about possible overreach and whether the bill could be used against businesses unfairly. The substitute was adopted and the bills were ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 2409 followed, proposing child care tax credits for contributions to providers, employer assistance, and provider expansion; it was presented as a response to Missouri’s child care shortage and workforce challenges. Members from both parties largely supported it as an economic and family policy, though one member noted the bill’s fiscal cost and contrasted it with recent budget cuts to child care subsidies. The House adopted the substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. The chamber also considered House Bill 1885, which makes changes to the Missouri Clean Water Commission by adjusting membership qualifications and conflict-of-interest rules to make appointments easier while adding recusal procedures. Members said the changes would help fill vacancies and bring in knowledgeable members, and the bill was ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 2658 addressed telephony laws, expanding the no-call list to any phone subscriber, adding anti-spoofing provisions, and creating penalties for caller ID spoofing; an amendment adding misdemeanor penalties for spoofing was adopted, and the bill was then perfected and printed. House Bill 1919 would require more employers to file certain tax withholding documents electronically, aligning state practice with IRS rules; it passed with support and was ordered perfected and printed. Finally, House Bill 1871, an omnibus elections bill, proposed several election administration changes, including electronic receipt of notices, shifting filing deadlines away from holidays, expanding testing windows for voting equipment, protecting the confidentiality of the permanently disabled voter list, requiring tax compliance for certain local candidates, and tightening write-in candidate rules. A key amendment removed an expansion of no-excuse absentee voting to keep the fiscal note at zero; that amendment was debated at length and then adopted before the bill moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe we could inquire of that member of the House.
• I think this is a really great balanced bill that takes a lot of interest into account. Sure.
• interest.
• there are conflicts of interest and to regulate the decisions of the commission since we remove that
• proceedings of the state of Missouri.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of your talking points were interesting because I remember a bill a couple of years ago, and I think
• And I have a statement from the sheriff of St. Bernard I'd like to read, if I may.
• I'm currently the voice of the egg, voice of the strawberry, voice of pecans, and of rice, and we do
• And then you pay per price of number of loads.
• They're aware of this recommendation of this bill.

Bills: HB309 , HB487 , HB503 , HB590 , HB606 , HB679 , HB693 , HB695 , HB707 , HB720 , HB728 , HB733 , HB746 , HB777 , HB846 , HB849 , HB856 , HB868 , HB873 , HB875

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on March 16 with a quorum present and first deferred three local bills at the sponsor’s request: HB 590, HB 679, and HB 873. The committee then advanced HB 503, which cleans up prior local language for Golden Meadow by removing a reference to electric golf carts and updating the definition of utility terrain vehicles; the technical amendment set was adopted and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 720, dealing with tacit dedication of roads and preserving historic public access to waterways and related access points, was reported favorably after members agreed to continue working on the amendment language before floor debate. The committee spent substantial time on HB 309, which originally made it a crime to walk in a crosswalk while looking at a cell phone. After amendments converted the proposal to a $25 civil fine and added a rebuttable presumption of liability for damages, members from both parties raised concerns about enforceability, tourism and urban pedestrian patterns, free-will and overreach arguments, and the lack of data tying the conduct specifically to crosswalk crashes. The author argued the measure was intended to promote situational awareness and reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities, but after opposition testimony the bill was voluntarily deferred. Members then reported HB 856, which expands DOTD’s use of indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity construction contracting and adds the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, after technical amendments clarified the contracts are for construction-phase work. HB 487, increasing penalties for drivers who use shoulders or turning lanes to bypass red lights, was reported with a technical correction after police support testimony. HB 846, prohibiting license plate coverings or films that obscure plates, was reported favorably after law enforcement support and discussion of clear frames versus obscuring covers. HB 733 and HB 875, both tied to OMV fee and lapse-of-insurance recommendations from the Legislative Auditor, were reported with amendments adjusting grace periods and offense timing. The committee also took up HB 695 on consensual non-commercial towing permits. After extensive questioning about whether the bill applied to multiple vehicles, interstate travel, OMV implementation, and the practicality of an honor-system QR code permit, the sponsor agreed to amend the bill to cover multiple vehicles and then voluntarily defer it for further work with OMV and State Police. HB 777, requiring a driver’s license renewal knowledge exam, was amended at the department’s request and then voluntarily deferred for further review. HB 868, prompted by a fatal trailer accident involving a farmer’s wife, would require trailers to meet safety-chain and braking standards consistent with manufacturer specifications or federal standards; after concerns from members and the Agriculture Commissioner about impacts on older farm equipment, the bill was reported with amendments. Finally, HB 707 moved the LPG Commission’s marketing functions to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and was reported with a technical amendment, HB 693 on legislative district highway signs was voluntarily deferred after amendments, and HB 746 on local oversized trucking permits opened a broader discussion about parish-by-parish permit disparities, with the sponsor proposing a one-year moratorium on new local standards while stakeholders work toward a more uniform system.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unlike some who have spoken, we have no financial interest in the outcome of this bill as the Idaho Chiefs
• Part of it is ease of getting to it.
• Part of it is ease of getting to it.
• My name is Christine McCreery, and I would like to make a couple of statements to the previous people
• The prosecutor read a caregiver's doctor letter that stated it's in the best interest of the child that

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to say that, in the interest of generally for our policies, Metro Cities does generally support
• </c><01:14:08.800><c> of</c><01:14:09.199><c> generally</c><01:14:09.719><c> for</c> that in the interest
• of generally for that in the interest of generally for our<01:14:10.080><c> policies</c><01:14:10.480
• that</c> recall if that of a statement like that recall if that of a statement like that is<01:43:33.920
• of statement on their making that type of statement on their ballot<01:45:17.639><c> question</c><01

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• c> you're aware of some of the bills that you're aware of some of the bills that we<00:11:25.360><c>
• </c> a large part of that was was lack of a large part of that was was lack of lack<00:44:46.079><c>
• Um, so as far as the financial aspect of this is concerned, I think that, and I mean no disrespect, I
• ><c> of</c> um one of the one of the challenges of um one of the one of the challenges of visitation<
• 03:35:51.600><c> the</c><03:35:51.840><c> child's</c> interests of the child if the child's interests

Summary: The committee first opened with brief remarks about a member’s recovery and then heard House Bill 518, which would require the commissioner of Health and Human Services to provide a detailed annual report of all costs related to DCYF. The sponsor, Representative Erica Layon, said the bill was intended to improve transparency, clarify how much time and money are spent on DCYF work versus other departmental work, and help future discussions about staffing, resources, and whether DCYF should remain within DHHS or become a separate department. She said the department could likely produce the report without additional cost, though she was open to adjusting the reporting date and possibly adding more detail about federal mandates. Former Representative Betty Gay and several members supported the bill as a way to better document costs and procedures, while DCYF Director Marie Nunan said the department was not taking a position on the bill, already has many policies and operating procedures, and believed it could comply without a fiscal note. Members raised questions about whether the reporting requirement duplicated existing oversight, whether it should apply to other agencies, and whether the report should include federal funding mandates. Some suggested that a broader review or subcommittee on DCYF might be more useful than a single reporting bill. In executive session, the committee voted 15-1 to retain HB 518, so it will not go on the calendar. Members said they wanted more time to discuss the bill, watch the budget process, and consider whether the reporting requirement could be implemented informally or through a broader oversight effort. The committee then moved on to House Bill 775, which was introduced by Representative Jodi Nelson as a measure to support supervised visitation centers. Dr. Scott Hampton testified in favor, describing the loss of visitation centers since 2019, the role of supervised visitation in protecting children and vulnerable parents in domestic violence cases, and the potential benefits for child safety, crime prevention, and family preservation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> standards of practice of school nursing. standards of practice of school nursing.
• Recent survey of Generation Z interests.
• of</c><00:47:59.839><c> those</c> representatives of each of those representatives of each of those
• c><00:49:18.079><c> of</c> of the Minnesota Department of of the Minnesota Department of Education's<
• informed, because as you see at the end of my written statement, I said we have to think, talk, and

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We've read his dissents, his statements and his warnings, particularly about the dangers of distorting
• I agree with all of what you said in your opening statement on the topics that most Americans think about
• We deal with that by leaving a short reversionary interest for a period of 15 years just to make sure
• It's interesting, and there's a lot to dig in on, on the implementation of the Great American Outdoors
• Are you aware of any personal holdings, investments, or interests that could constitute a conflict or

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Keywords: nuclear energy, permitting process, energy production, public lands, national parks, uranium imports, legislative bills, infrastructure development

Summary: The committee meeting was dominated by discussions on a variety of legislative bills including major topics such as nuclear energy advancement, the effects of regulatory hurdles on energy production, and proposals to improve national park staffing and maintenance. Members expressed concerns over the federal government's handling of uranium imports and the necessity for maintaining a robust domestic nuclear supply chain. Efforts to streamline permitting processes to facilitate more efficient energy project development were also a focal point, alongside public testimony from stakeholders in the energy and environmental sectors. The meeting highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure development to meet rising energy demands while addressing climate change impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• of tabulation.
• But as always, let this just be the first of a long line of what I hope is not a long line of rule this
• Trump is named tens of thousands of times.
• of Arizona.
• of Arizona.

Transcript Highlights:

• The value of an hour of work, what the state says is the value of an hour of work, has not gone up.
• What type of business? Any type of industry.
• Ken Bradford, Chief of Staff, Department of Education.
• That's one side of this. The other side of things that aggravate you. That's one side of this.
• of some of our citizens.

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Summary: The House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee met on April 9 and first took up Senate Bill 162, which would change the workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule appeal process. The bill, presented as a collaboration between the Attorney General’s office and trial lawyers, would require additional medical evidence submitted on appeal to be sent back to the medical director for review before court review continues. Members discussed the 30-day turnaround for the medical director and whether the process would delay injured workers’ cases. After testimony from injured workers’ representatives and support cards from several business and labor groups, the committee adopted the technical amendments and reported SB 162 favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 353, which would establish a state minimum wage beginning at $12 per hour in 2027, rising to $15 in 2029 and then indexed to inflation. Supporters, including the sponsor, Invest in Louisiana, the Workplace Justice Project, 10,000 Women Louisiana, the AFL-CIO, and a young witness from People’s Promise, argued that Louisiana’s wages have lagged behind costs of living, that many workers remain in poverty, and that the bill would help families, reduce reliance on public benefits, and improve economic stability. Opponents, including NFIB and small-business advocates, argued that the market should set wages, that the bill would raise labor costs, compress pay scales, reduce hours or hiring, and potentially increase prices. After extended debate, the committee voted and HB 353 failed. The committee next considered Senate Bill 383 on the incumbent worker training program. Senator Bass and Louisiana Works officials said the bill would expand and make the existing program more flexible, increase available funding, shorten the business eligibility period from three years to two, and allow unused funds to roll over. Members focused on how the program would reach workers, how businesses and employees would learn about training opportunities, and how it would support workforce development in growing regions. Support came from business and economic development groups, and the committee reported SB 383 favorably with amendments. Finally, the committee began Senate Bill 382, which would repeal the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council, described as the Senate version of a bill the committee had already considered. The transcript cuts off during discussion of the prior vote on the similar House version, and no final action on SB 382 is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We continue to have concerns about the portions that require economic statements of interest.
• We share those statements of interest.
• He continued that they have concerns about the portions that require economic statements of interest.
• , and what it is is around the limits of economic interest statement, the expansion to elected officials
• apply to file a statement of economic interest<00:28:38.120><c> within</c><00:28:38.360><c> 60</c><00

Committee: Senate Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• So do you have any indication of how much of that is part of that complaint load?
• of money.
• of money.
• complaints are 6,000 of them use of force, or only 5.
• Of course.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program, and the Coleman mental health receivership. The hearing focused on correctional health care, reentry, aging incarcerated populations, and the state’s progress toward compliance in the Plata and Coleman receiverships. Members also discussed the OIG’s intake complaint workload and medical inspection findings, as well as broader questions about staffing, vacancies, and the cost of court oversight. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two permanent positions in its intake processing unit, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025. OIG officials said complaints are categorized by issue and prison, prioritized by urgency, and generally responded to within 30 days, but they do not track complaint “validity” rates. The medical inspection unit reported that in cycle seven, case review performance was generally adequate while policy compliance was often inadequate; the lowest-scoring areas included emergency services, medication management, and health care environment. Members asked for more detailed reporting on complaint types, priority levels, and systemic issues. CCHCS described rising health care costs driven by an aging prison population, staffing vacancies, and contract medical expenses. Officials said more than 80% of the budget is personal services, and they are using hiring events, social media outreach, and expanded classifications to reduce vacancies. CalAIM officials reported early implementation success in pre-release and reentry services, including 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% assigned managed care plans, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about 169,000 claims submitted and $14.7 million reimbursed. The LAO noted that the Plata medical receivership has increased per-person costs and that the state should continue oversight while seeking ways to reduce vacancies and expand federal reimbursement opportunities. For the Coleman mental health receivership, the receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for receiver office staffing and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent. The LAO supported continued oversight but recommended additional steps to address vacancies, including greater out-of-state recruitment, expanded telemental health, and possible consolidation of mental health services. The LAO also recommended reducing the telemental health staffing request and monitoring its effects. Members questioned the long-term cost of receiverships, the pace of compliance, and whether more detailed benchmarks and staffing data should be provided. No formal votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:37:36.079><c> a</c><00:37:36.240><c> statement</c> But uh I'll make more of a statement But uh
• We're going to do, in the interest of time, the committee will stand at ease. system we already know
• </c><00:58:58.400><c> of</c><00:58:58.559><c> time</c> going to do um in the interest of time going to
• do um in the interest of time um committee<00:59:03.520><c> will</c><00:59:03.760><c> stand</c><00:59
• In the interest of time, if you could... >> I'm going to be very brief. Um, >> Please.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then recognized a staff member’s birthday and a guest shadowing Senator Adams. It then moved into informational review of Education and Labor Cabinet, Department of Education regulation 702 KAR 3:30, which sets insurance coverage requirements for school district buildings and structures. Department of Education officials explained that districts are expected to carry coverage at replacement cost and said they understand some districts participate in self-insurance pools with backup policies, but they deferred detailed insurance questions to the Department of Insurance. Senators raised concerns that pooled coverage could leave districts exposed if claims exceed pool limits, and the chair asked KDE to follow up with DOI to confirm districts are adequately covered, especially for bondholders. No vote was taken on the informational review. The committee then reviewed emergency ABC regulations 804 KAR 130:01 through 130:04 implementing Senate Bill 100’s new licensing requirements for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product businesses. ABC and Public Protection Cabinet representatives outlined the emergency rules governing enforcement, license applications, denial criteria, and transitional licenses. Retail industry witnesses Shannon Stiglet and Brian Clark said they support licensure in principle but argued the rules add duplicative requirements borrowed from alcohol licensing, create confusion about transitional licenses, and may be too burdensome for the roughly 7,000 affected businesses to meet by the January 1 deadline. They also said guidance has been inconsistent and requested the agency revise the regulations, remove requirements not grounded in law, and provide clearer, separate processes for new and existing businesses. Committee members asked whether the industry had worked directly with ABC and noted the public comment period was still open. Witnesses said they had communicated with ABC and the Public Protection Cabinet, but responses had been uneven and they wanted written guidance. Members expressed concern about the short timeline and the need to avoid disruption so businesses can operate legally on January 1. Representative Marzian asked for clarification that the discussion concerned emergency regulations already in effect while ordinary regulations remain in process. No formal action was taken beyond receiving the informational testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• employees, the DAGs, within the Department of Lands, as a conflict of interest.
• interest within the scope of something they were looking at and outside counsel has been hired?
• And it's interesting when we have these conversations about conflicts of interest when it comes to the
• People use that word conflict of interest sometimes just conversationally to be like, I don't know that
• it comes to conflicts of interest, attorneys general are recognized in court cases and also in some of

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:01.840><c> 2728</c> school years of of just 2627 and 2728 school years of of just 2627 and
• hundreds of thousands of people.
• IDEA has been discussed today and does set basic requirements for all IEPs, including the statement of
• </c><01:10:12.320><c> of</c><01:10:12.520><c> annual</c> including the statement of annual including
• the statement of annual measurable<01:10:13.400><c> goals</c><01:10:14.239><c> Minnesota</c><01:10:14.880

Bills: HF1124 , HF1457 , HF1803

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• the interest of a foreign government or designated foreign terrorist organization.
• No, I don't see what public interest there is in the state of Florida to permit foreign countries of
• from that type of planning to favor large special interests.
• from that type of planning to favor large special interests.
• Certain information obtained by the Office of Financial Regulation, relevant to exams or investigations

Transcript Highlights:

• We feel it is not in the best interest of Nebraska.
• Our health care system is, in fact, in a period of intense pressure, and there is some financial peril
• statement, “All provisions of law relative to procedure having been complied with,” and then we passed
• She is the reviser of statutes, and all of our amendments, all of our bills, all of our thoughts go upstairs
• One of the earliest interests I remember having as a young fellow, besides girls, sports, and farming

Bills: LR509 , LR510 , LR511

Transcript Highlights:

• The base of the statue needs a lot of work.
• </c> of our search charges are based off of of our search charges are based off of percentages<00:24:
• the public purpose statement of the bill and to elaborate on the history of the State and the Hawaii
• </c><00:34:25.839><c> the</c> Mau, Friends of the uh Friends of the Mau, Friends of the uh Friends of
• </c> Library of Havi. Library of Havi.

Bills: HB2437 , HB2461 , HB2604 , HB2605 , HB1860 , HB2001

Committee: House Culture & Arts

Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts heard several measures focused on arts funding, public art, performing arts, and libraries. HB 2437 would appropriate funds for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ Artists in the Schools program; the Foundation testified in strong support, explaining that demand has increased and that additional funding would allow more schools to be served. HB 2461 would raise the ceiling for the works of art special fund and provide money for maintenance and a collections manager position; the Foundation supported it and described major conservation needs, including large-scale repairs to public artworks such as the Tadashi Sato work in Hilo and the King Kamehameha statue, as well as ongoing bronze maintenance and new commissions affected by rising materials costs. HB 2604 would create a performing arts ticket surcharge; the Attorney General and Department of Taxation raised drafting and administration concerns, while the State Foundation supported the concept. HB 2605 would create a position to coordinate specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions for underserved neurodivergent populations, and the Foundation supported that measure as well. HB 1860 would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony orchestra and require annual reports; the Attorney General suggested clarifying the public purpose, and the Symphony, youth symphony, and many community supporters testified in favor, emphasizing educational, cultural, and civic benefits. HB 20001 would designate the first Friday in February as Love My Library Day; the State Public Library System, Friends of the Library, and individual testifiers strongly supported it, describing libraries as essential community and educational resources. After hearing testimony, the committee took action on several bills. HB 2437 was recommended for passage with amendments in HD1, with the appropriation blanked out and the additional needed funding to be noted for Finance consideration; the vote was unanimous among members present. HB 2604 was also recommended for passage with HD1 and technical amendments, including deleting the term “Hawaii-based,” clarifying that student performances at public charter schools are exempt, aligning recordkeeping provisions with tax law, and setting an effective date of January 1, 2027. HB 2461 was deferred to decision-making on Friday, February 13. The transcript also indicates the committee moved through the remaining measures after testimony, but the excerpt ends before final votes are shown for HB 2605, HB 1860, and HB 20001.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is imperative for the financial It is imperative for the financial health of our state that we act
• In the first few weeks of January, CDFIs heard from hundreds of small businesses requesting urgent financial
• I believe we will see some financial bills coming out of some of our committees this week as chairs get
• I believe we will see some financial bills coming out of some of our committees this week as chairs get
• I believe we will see some financial bills coming out of some of our committees this week as chairs get

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• 70% of the population of the University of Minnesota...
• 70% of the population of the University of Minnesota...
• </c><01:16:24.960><c> of</c> do you know how much the fact of of do you know how much the fact of of
• </c><01:36:53.920><c> new</c> city of St Paul and the form of new city of St Paul and the form of new
• </c> dollars of our state $600,000 left of dollars of our state $600,000 left of what<01:41:29.040><c

Bills: HF192 , HF268 , HF1214 , HF494

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy