Transcript Highlights:

• to the Board of Trustees of the Crawford to the Board of Trustees of the Teachers'<00:08:53.640><c>
• of Kentucky Board of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees,<00:13:46.640><c> Senator</c><00:13
• He and his family, he loves the horses, very interested in a lot of different things.
• 00:53:33.120><c> different</c> very interested in a lot of different very interested in a lot of different
• </c> of the separate branches of government. of the separate branches of government.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a series of five questions for five of you in here. I just drink a lot of club soda.
• Serving the state of Florida has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and my story is proof that
• I’m so proud of each of you.
• Department of Defense from October 2nd of this year to October 2nd of 2031.
• I am not sure that certain folks may have the best interest of the people and are actually going to ensure

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Lee County Judge John Carlin, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Cody Popple of the FSU Police Department for his actions during the April campus shooting. The Speaker also outlined the final week of session, noting the chamber had passed 253 House bills and 149 Senate bills to date, with budget negotiations still unresolved and the 2026-27 budget not expected to be completed that week. The special order report was adopted, setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up several Senate bills, mostly technical or open-government sunset review measures, and passed them with little or no opposition: SB 100, SB 104, and SB 102 on Florida statutes; SB 7006, SB 7014, SB 7002, SB 7012, SB 7024, SB 7016, SB 7026, SB 7008, SB 7000, and SB 7004 on public-records or meeting exemptions; and SB 7022 on public records related to exams. Members asked questions on a few of these bills, especially the exam-records bill and the military and gaming-related exemptions, but the measures generally advanced without amendment. Votes ranged from unanimous to modest opposition, with SB 7026 passing 106-3 and SB 7022 passing 101-8. The most substantial debate centered on SB 7040, which recreates the emergency preparedness and response trust fund in the Executive Office of the Governor. Rep. Eskamani offered an amendment to let the fund expire, arguing the money had been misused and that the Legislature should retain control over spending; several members supported her position, while others said the fund is needed for rapid disaster response. A strike-all amendment from Rep. Griffiths was adopted instead, adding accountability provisions and expanding the fund to cover man-made emergencies as well as natural disasters. The bill then passed 82-25. The House also passed CS/CS/SB 302 on coastal resiliency, CS/CS/SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits, CS/SB 474 on military affairs, and SB 488 on Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issues, with SB 488 still under amendment debate when the transcript ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:16:46.400><c> of</c><01:16:46.640><c> this</c> opening statement of this opening statement of
• Of course, I've also talked to a lot of the interest groups that are around this, and they said that
• I would invite anyone who's interested to take a look at our hearing of last Friday, in which we did
• ><c> of</c><03:55:56.399><c> interest</c><03:55:56.640><c> to</c><03:55:57.040><c> members</c><03:55:
• 57.520><c> and</c> that might be of interest to members and that might be of interest to members and

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, under 189-B:5, it's the procedure upon determination of existence of a compelling state interest
• </c><03:29:45.920><c> of</c><03:29:46.160><c> their</c> what's in the best interest of their what's in
• </c><03:54:33.760><c> of</c> always not have the best interest of always not have the best interest of
• So I don't know when you making that statement, I was reminded of a meme I saw.
• </c> "So I don't know when you making that statement, I was reminded of a meme I saw.

Summary: The committee opened with Senate Bill 22-FN, which would expand child care licensing background checks so the Department of Health and Human Services can receive fuller criminal history information, including pending charges and other non-conviction records, similar to the system already used for school staff. Grant Bossi, for Senator Pearl, and DHHS officials Melissa Clement and Christine Sheay testified in support, saying the bill closes a gap that can allow people with disqualifying charges to work with children. They explained that the FBI record is a snapshot in time, that juvenile records are not included, and that the bill would apply to child care programs including residential group homes. Questions focused on what “confidential criminal history” means and how often checks are repeated; DHHS said checks are done every five years or sooner if new charge information is received. The hearing on SB 22 was then closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 23-FN, which would expand the child endangerment statute and remove the word “purposely” from part of the language. Senator Pat Long said the bill is intended to strengthen protection for children and allow more serious conduct to be charged appropriately. Testimony from law enforcement, including Executive Counselor Dave Wheeler, Sergeant Ryan Rooney of Nashua Police, and Nicholas Georgulis of Manchester Police, supported the bill as a way to distinguish routine misdemeanor cases from the most egregious abuse and neglect cases, such as children living in squalor or being exposed to severe danger. Wheeler and some members raised concerns that the language could be vague or overbroad and cited a prior Manchester firearm-in-a-car arrest as an example of possible unintended consequences; supporters responded that the bill still requires knowingly violating a duty of care and that the serious bodily injury or death standard limits its reach. Rooney also described a fentanyl overdose case involving an 11-year-old and said the current misdemeanor charge did not fully reflect the seriousness of the conduct. The committee recessed SB 23 briefly to open and close SB 161, then returned to SB 23, which remained under hearing with no final vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• You had commented about just, uh, one of you make a statement about any pending matters or motions and
• We had a lot of complaints, some of which weren't a violation of the ethics law.
• We had a lot of complaints, some of which weren't a violation of the ethics law.
• We had a lot of complaints, some of which weren't a violation of the ethics law.
• We had a lot of complaints, some of which weren't a violation of the ethics law.

Summary: The commission reconvened in open session and announced it had reached a settlement that would avoid a full adjudicatory hearing. Counsel for Representative Gber waived the hearing and agreed to the settlement, and enforcement counsel recommended acceptance. The commission then voted unanimously to accept the agreed settlement. The matter proceeded to an ethics charge involving a proposed finding of probable cause, an agreed order, and a public reprimand. Representative Gber was sworn in and confirmed that he had seen and agreed to the proposed order, waived the adjudicatory hearing, agreed to the findings of violations and penalties in the agreed order, and waived his right to appeal. The commission accepted the agreement and stated that the matter before it was concluded. After the settlement, the chair noted that pending motions related to the case were dismissed and thanked the witnesses for attending, even though they did not have to testify. The chair and Representative Gber each made brief remarks about the long and difficult process, the complexity of the case, and the hope that it would serve as a learning experience. The commission said signed copies of the agreed order and public reprimand would be available, and then moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think one of the key takeaways of the report and of the speech you just gave is that there is real
• And so that's part of why we're interested in working with the Legislature on ways to refine statute
• All of those products have warning statements on them, and all of them are sold in child-resistant packaging
• Have warning statements on them, and all of them are sold in child-resistant packaging.
• And just the nature of them having an interest does not necessarily mean a child would be attracted to

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard an audit on the Department of Cannabis Control’s oversight of cannabis packaging and labeling, focused on whether products are attractive to children. The auditor said the department’s rules are often vague, enforcement is inconsistent, and licensees are left to interpret standards without prior review. In a review of 80 packaging cases, the audit team disagreed with the department’s conclusions in 13 instances, and the report highlighted examples involving cartoon imagery, colorful fonts, candy-like references, flavor names, and cannabis beverages that resembled ordinary drinks. The auditor recommended clearer statutory definitions, possible consideration of plain packaging or pre-approval models like Oregon’s, better internal guidance, and stronger tracking and escalation for repeat violators. Committee members and Assembly Member Irwin emphasized the rise in poison control calls involving children under five since legalization and argued that legal-market packaging can contribute to accidental ingestion, especially when products resemble candy or drinks. Several members pressed the department on why items such as root beer, strawberry lemonade, and cherry pie strain names should be allowed if they may appeal to children. The Department of Cannabis Control responded that it has already centralized label review, added staff and technology tools, improved compliance-history tracking, and is using progressive discipline tools such as notices to comply, citations, embargoes, abatements, and license actions. The department also argued that the illicit cannabis and intoxicating hemp markets are major drivers of youth exposure and that enforcement resources must be balanced across those markets. Public health witness Dr. Lynn Silver urged stronger restrictions, including plain packaging, bans on added flavors and child-appealing imagery, lower THC limits for edibles and beverages, and a dedicated pre-market review process. Industry representatives from the California Cannabis Industry Association and the California Cannabis Operators Association agreed that youth protections are essential, but argued that clearer, objective standards are needed so compliant businesses can know the rules and enforcement can be consistent. They said most licensed products are already compliant, that the most blatant youth-targeted packaging is concentrated in the illicit market, and that the Legislature should refine definitions and guidance rather than rely on subjective case-by-case judgments. No formal vote or bill action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Education.
• Much of this work has been possible because of SB 515 by the Senator.
• the ages of 2 and 10.
• Alejandro Solis on behalf of Los Amigos of the Community and the Cooperative Campesina of California,
• Alejandro Solis on behalf of Los Amigos of the Community and the Cooperative Campesina of California,

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a long slate of education bills, beginning with SB 685 on nonpublic schools for students with disabilities. Senator Cortese and the California Department of Education described the bill as a response to the Ninth Circuit’s Laughman decision, removing the obsolete “non-sectarian” requirement while preserving secular use of public funds, nondiscrimination protections, background checks, credentialing, and incident reporting. There was no opposition, and the bill later passed 7-0 to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1181, a pilot grant program for violence prevention, student wellness, and school safety in Central Valley and other schools. Supporters framed it as a prevention measure, while opponents from EFF, ACLU Cal Action, and community advocates warned it could increase law enforcement involvement, surveillance, and use of fusion centers; despite those concerns, it ultimately passed 5-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1067, which would create a statewide framework for annual K-2 math assessments starting in 2028-29 to identify students needing early intervention. The author and supporters argued California faces a serious math achievement crisis and that early assessment would help close gaps, while CTA and several educators and administrators sought additional clarity and amendments to ensure alignment with existing diagnostic practices and limits on high-stakes use. The bill drew broad support from educators, parents, and advocacy groups and passed 7-0 to Appropriations. SB 1107, a school shade-structure bill, would expand eligible shade projects and allow bundling through design-build to reduce costs; it received support from LAUSD, school boards, and climate-focused groups and passed 7-0. SB 1128, on take-home devices and screen time for kindergarteners, was presented as a modest first step to give families more flexibility and reduce early screen exposure, with support from early childhood advocates and no opposition, and it passed 7-0. The committee also approved SB 1048, creating a voluntary State Seal of Climate Literacy for students who complete climate coursework and hands-on projects. Supporters, including Ten Strands, students, teachers, and county offices, said it would recognize real-world climate learning and green career readiness; it passed 7-0. SB 1140, sponsored by CFT, would require LEA construction contractors to follow campus security provisions during school projects to reduce unauthorized access; it drew support from labor and gun violence prevention groups and passed 7-0. SB 930, requiring end-to-end encryption for proctoring companies handling K-12 exam data, was presented as a student privacy measure in response to cybersecurity risks and passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1083 was introduced by Senator Perez as a follow-up to last year’s Safe Learning Environments Act, with extensive committee amendments to refine the statewide misconduct data system, disclosure rules, contractor fingerprinting, and access requirements; the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full hearing and vote are shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so if that happened, it's kind of interesting that the 18% went up, and then they overtaxed.
• And so if that happened, it's kind of interesting that the 18% went up, and then they Okay.
• If that happened, it's kind of interesting that the 18% went up and then they overtaxed.
• That's not been my experience of that, but that's interesting. Okay, great.
• It's good for the citizens of the state of Missouri, for property owners of the state of Missouri.

Summary: The House established a quorum and then moved to House bills for perfection and printing. House Bill 2189, sponsored by the gentleman from Jasper, would allow five-year vehicle registrations, eliminate the current odd/even model-year registration rule, and limit the five-year option to vehicles six years old or newer. Members asked about emissions and safety inspections, insurance verification, and personal property tax compliance; the sponsor said the Department of Revenue could track those items electronically and that the bill was intended to simplify registration for citizens. House Amendment 1, which set the five-year fee at $45, was adopted, and the bill was then perfected and printed as amended. The House then took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1790, a “fair ballot language” bill. The sponsor said it would require clearer ballot language for local tax levies, including stating tax rates in cents and their dollar impact, labeling propositions alphabetically, requiring disclosure when a measure would nullify a prior voter-approved sunset, and closing a loophole in the Hancock Amendment so taxing entities still roll back levies after reassessment while retaining voter-approved increases. Members generally supported the transparency goals, and a brief amendment adding a comma to existing statutory language was adopted. The committee substitute was then adopted, perfected, and printed. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2178 was then considered, with several amendments. House Amendment 1, offered by the gentleman from Pike, capped assessment increases at 15% over two years and provided a tax credit for amounts above that threshold; after a roll call, it was adopted 92-43. House Amendment 2, from the gentleman from Clay, prevented assessors from reclassifying short-term rental properties from residential to commercial solely because of short-term rental use; it was adopted after debate over whether LLC-owned properties should be treated differently. House Amendment 3, from the gentleman from Jackson, incorporated ballot-language provisions from earlier bills to require clearer labeling and disclosure on property tax measures, and it was adopted. House Amendment 4, also from the gentleman from Jackson, required assessors to disclose valuation methods and supporting data, set a 30-day refund deadline with interest for late refunds, and allowed taxpayers to recover certain litigation costs when appeals succeed; it too was adopted. The bill then continued with discussion of Hancock-by-subclass and related property tax issues, with members debating how the proposal would affect residential, commercial, and agricultural taxpayers.

Transcript Highlights:

• appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• Criminal misuse of a firearm remains illegal regardless of the presence of a suppressor.
• of death is determined to be because of a thing, right?
• So in the interest of encouraging students to get the best education they can get, this does not seem
• ... ...somehow provide more assessments to calculate a new concept of the number of years of water left

Transcript Highlights:

• you'll see a lot of both of us over the course of the session.
• We have the Bureau of Securities, which regulates broker-dealers that deal with financial instruments
• For example, making public statements in favor of or against any candidate, political party, or measure
• </c><01:36:11.000><c> ballots</c> of the number of absentee ballots of the number of absentee ballots
• Yes, all right. the Secretary of State for the use of the Secretary of State for the use of accessible

Committee: House Election Law

Summary: The House Election Law Committee held an orientation and then opened a public hearing on House Bill 67-FN-A, which would make permanent the use of accessible voting machines in local elections and provide funding for additional systems. The chair outlined committee procedures, noting a heavy workload of roughly 70 to 80 bills, mostly Tuesday meetings, likely time limits on testimony, and a default of executive session unless a bill is specifically noticed. Members and staff were introduced, and the Secretary of State’s office described its election-related responsibilities, including voter registration, cybersecurity, ballot-counting equipment, and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) program. Secretary of State David Scanlan and Deputy Secretary Aon Hennessy explained the current pilot program created by last year’s law, which requires accessible voting systems for local elections and allows the state to share machines with municipalities during the first half of 2025. They said the office has made hardware available, but towns have raised concerns about the speed of implementation and the cost of programming each election, especially for towns with multiple ballot questions. Scanlan said the state is also vetting longer-term options, including devices that could remain in polling places year-round, and suggested the committee consider delaying the bill’s effective date to January 1, 2026 to better align with implementation needs. Hennessy said the current state devices are older and complicated to reset for each election, and estimated programming costs could be about $600 for a small single-election ballot and much higher for towns with multiple elections. Supporters of the bill emphasized the importance of accessible voting for people with disabilities. Representative Robert Wy said the measure builds on 2024 law and would move the pilot into a permanent agreement, citing ADA concerns and prior testimony about discriminatory voting experiences. Fred Forier, a legally blind voter from Exeter, testified that accessible voting systems allow him to vote privately and independently and urged support for the bill. Committee members asked about the gap if the pilot ends before a permanent system is in place and about the cost range for programming. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the committee moved on after public testimony began.

Transcript Highlights:

• Deduction for car loan interest affecting a lot of low income families to, $11 million.
• The first item, statement number one in the bill, that will result in my estimation of Idaho companies
• He said the provision would effectively create an interest-free loan to the state of Idaho and burden
• He also said the statement of purpose does not include a third exception, referring to decoupling from
• He added that, related to the Idaho R&D credit being eliminated and not mentioned in the statement of

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm currently looking at the impoundment agent program, but, in the interest of time today with the Senate
• </c> chairman of the Board of Examiners. chairman of the Board of Examiners.
• , and we tried to be accommodating to the people with the interests of these regulations.
• Uh, we tried to be accommodating to the people with the interests of these regulations.
• 00:31:46.440><c> things,</c><00:31:47.200><c> rather</c> statement on all of these things, rather statement

Summary: The committee first reviewed several Fish and Wildlife regulations. Staff explained amendments to 301 KAR 2:176, 4:112, and 6:030, including updating wildlife control tag language, creating an impoundment agent program for seized wildlife, and clarifying boating safety rules. A member raised a concern about boat wakes near docks, and staff said the commission had recently voted on related changes that were not yet included because the regulation had been filed earlier; those changes would have to come back later. The committee approved the staff amendments without objection. The Board of Veterinary Examiners then presented 201 KAR 16:767, which would require veterinary managers to be physically present during business hours and limit them to five registered facilities. Board representatives said they had tried to meet with affected parties before the hearing but had not reached agreement. A representative for Kentucky Pet IQ argued the rule was written for full-service hospitals and would be impractical for short, limited-service clinics that only provide vaccinations, preventive care, and parasite testing. Members expressed concern about the rule’s impact on veterinary access in underserved areas, and the committee voted to defer the regulation until the next month so the parties could continue negotiating. The committee next considered Transportation Cabinet 601 KAR 9:120, the online insurance verification system, in both ordinary and emergency form. The chair said staff had identified conflicts with a bill passed the prior year and moved to find the regulations deficient. The motion passed on a roll call vote, with six ayes and two pass votes. The committee then found ordinary ABC regulations 804 KAR 12:020 and 12:030 deficient as well, again by six ayes and two pass votes, after noting that the emergency versions had already been found deficient the previous month. Finally, the committee reviewed Cabinet for Health and Family Services 902 KAR 55:110, which would require veterinarians to report dispensed controlled substances to KASPER while exempting administered medications. OIG staff said the rule was meant to align regulation with statute, which includes veterinarians as prescribers, and emphasized that the reporting duty applies to prescriptions, not administration to animals. Some members supported the change as a needed anti-diversion measure, while others worried about implementation burdens and timing. After discussion, the committee found the regulation deficient by a 6-2 vote. The meeting then moved into full review of 922 KAR 1:565, a Department for Community Based Services rule implementing kinship care provisions from Senate Bill 151; staff said it was needed for implementation once funding is available, but a member criticized the two-year delay and the inclusion of language conditioning implementation on funding. A public witness from the Kinship Families Coalition argued the rule should not shift the 120-day application window in a way that could affect federal funding eligibility and urged the committee to reject the regulation as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• of it.
• of it.
• of it.
• of it.
• </c> advantage of this a lot of startups advantage of this a lot of startups would<00:58:57.520><c> take

Bills: HF4 , HF173

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• I was first interested in finding this legislation to get after the interest of encouraging manufacturing
• It's one of the interesting things about coming to work here.
• So kind of prepared, you know, a statement over here that will address some of those questions.
• That’s a statement. That’s the opening of a presentation. It’s not statute.
• That's a statement. That's the opening of a presentation. It's not statute.

Committee: House Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Surplus statement, you know, SL, SN, uh, snapshot of the Governor's recommended budget, and I've built
• you know SL SN uh Surplus statement you know SL SN uh snapshot<02:35:58.200><c> of</c><02:35:58.880>
• various</c> the number of positions of the various the number of positions of the various types<02:47
• of pages of their whatever thousands of pages of their budget<02:51:45.239><c> yep</c><02:51:45.880>
• cost of collections is recognized on the Highway Fund surplus statement.

Summary: The committee first took up HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education. Department of Education testimony said the bill’s definition would conflict with the federal definition and be unusually restrictive, potentially affecting curriculum, educator training, and many existing state requirements. The department said it could force a broad overhaul of school programs and create a need for at least one new state position, with local districts likely facing significant unbudgeted costs. Members raised concerns about impacts on federal pass-through funding, curriculum materials, and whether the bill was workable at all. Several members said the proposal would be too costly and difficult to implement, especially during a tight budget cycle. Representative Papovich moved to retain HB 129, and the motion passed 7-0. Members who supported retention said they wanted to set the bill aside because of the scale of the concerns, while also stating they did not support the bill as written. The committee then opened HB 133, dealing with DMV follow-up on residency and licensing issues tied to voting and other interactions. Department of Safety/DMV officials said the bill would require a $40,000 technology update plus a full-time position to handle manual correspondence and review of possible matches, and that postage was not included in the fiscal note. They said the bill’s 60-day residency trigger is vague, that the DMV would be acting outside its normal role by investigating status after the fact, and that the measure could create privacy and operational problems. Members questioned whether the bill would effectively force people to buy a driver’s license to vote, whether non-driver and voter ID options would avoid that concern, and whether the Secretary of State rather than DMV would be the more appropriate agency to handle any follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a statement of principle, a stand for religious freedom, human rights, dignity, and the right for
• It's a statement of proclamation.
• impact of school unfunded financial impact of school districts<02:07:41.280><c> as</c><02:07:41.520>
• What happens in the cases when parents are not acting in the best interests of their child?
• What about the interests of their child?

Transcript Highlights:

• It's interesting. Palliative care, they can't do that. So um that's kind of really tragic in a way.
• >> Well, it's interesting you say that. Initially, um, we were just doing FSA out of pocket.
• mindful of the fact that fit parents are presumed to be acting in the best interest of their children
• </c><05:56:07.520><c> of</c><05:56:07.760><c> society</c> probably in the best interest of society probably
• </c><05:56:30.160><c> of</c><05:56:30.320><c> their</c> acting in the best interest of their acting in

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Californians were promised that cannabis products would be kept out of sight and out of the hands of
• And so that's part of why we're interested in working with the Legislature on ways to refine statute
• All of those products have warning statements on them, and all of them are sold in child-resistant packaging
• So, Have warning statements on them, and all of them are sold in child-resistant packaging.
• And just the nature of them having an interest does not necessarily mean a child would be attracted to

Transcript Highlights:

• :32:54.240><c> the</c> of of this being a part of the uh the of of this being a part of the uh the arsenal
• I kind of like the second portion of this. I kind of like the second portion of this.
• Uh, we're going to have to exempt the Office of the Treasurer because of the financial institution.
• the</c><02:20:24.640><c> financial</c> of treasure because of the financial of treasure because of the
• of interest to keep there's no conflict of interest to keep their<02:38:56.960><c> projects</c><02:38

Transcript Highlights:

• It also sets out a statute of limitations for statements published on the internet. Thank you, Mr.
• It also sets out a statute of limitations for statements published on the internet.
• And we're also giving a special look at the portion of the bill that applies to claims of defamation
• Senate Bill 1148 relates to the licensing of attorneys for the practice of law by requiring that the
• And the issue here is that of separation of powers.

Committee: House Rules