Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not on the committee.
• Um, and so I just want to get committee.
• But according Supreme Court ruling that.
• </c><00:36:22.160><c> of</c><00:36:22.400><c> the</c> confines of the rules of the confines of the rules
• </c><00:47:27.040><c> yesterday</c> offered in committee yesterday offered in committee yesterday and

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 34 senators present. The chamber then received a House message referring House Bill 1 on primary elections to the Committee on County and Municipal Government, and moved to Senate Bill 1, also dealing with primary elections and tied to ongoing court action over Alabama’s legislative maps. Senator Elliott explained SB 1 as a prospective measure meant to set up a special election if federal courts lift injunctions on the state Senate districts, while opponents argued the bill was being rushed and could disrupt voters, candidates, absentee voters, and election administration. Much of the debate focused on whether the bill would effectively change election rules too close to an election and whether it conflicted with a 2022 statewide amendment requiring election-related changes to take effect at least six months before a general election. Supporters said the bill simply preserves the legislature’s enacted maps and responds to recent court rulings, while opponents said it could disenfranchise voters, especially military, elderly, absentee, rural, and Black voters, and that the underlying litigation and federal Voting Rights Act issues remained unresolved. Several members also referenced a Brennan Center report and broader concerns about racial turnout gaps and minority representation in Alabama. Senator Coleman offered an amendment to give the state discretion rather than mandate a special election, arguing it would better align with the current court order; the Senate rejected it on a roll call vote, 8 yeas to 25 nays. Senator Vivian Figures then offered a notice-focused amendment requiring adequate public notice before any election changes, arguing that voters need time to learn new dates, polling places, deadlines, and ballot information; that amendment also failed on a roll call vote, with the clerk announcing it did not pass. The transcript ends with further discussion beginning after the failed amendment votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I ask all members of the committee to be present in Room 112 so we can establish quorum. ...of the committee
• Thank you so much, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
• Good morning, Chair and committee members.
• I've been on this committee for a year.
• I've been on this committee for a year.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the record reflect that this is the time and place, pursuant to notice, for the House Judiciary and Rules
• Committee to meet.
• As a reminder, the committee may question each person as they deem appropriate that's presenting the
• RS 32977 is properly before the committee.
• Chairman: "RS 32977 is properly before the committee.

Summary: The House Judiciary and Rules Committee met for an introduction hearing and briefly outlined that members could question presenters but that the goal was generally to allow bills to be printed. The first RS, 3-2-914, was presented by Representative Hill to address drone threats around correctional facilities. He said the bill would authorize the Department of Corrections and law enforcement to take reasonable measures against drones and operators delivering contraband such as drugs, phones, or weapons into prisons, with penalties described as a fine and up to a year in jail. Members asked whether the measure would apply to county jails and how the restricted-airspace language would work with FAA rules and aircraft over urban areas; Hill said he would verify details, but the committee ultimately moved to introduce the RS unanimously. The committee then considered RS 32977, presented by Representative Chris Mathias, which was prompted by a traffic incident involving an electric-assisted bicycle and a court ruling that existing law did not clearly cover e-bikes under the duty to exercise due care. Mathias said the proposal would clarify that drivers must avoid colliding with electric-assisted bicycles, and would also make clear that traffic laws and related code provisions apply to e-bikes, including rider duties and equipment rules. Members expressed concern that the current code had omitted e-bikes in several places, and the RS was introduced unanimously. At the end of the meeting, the committee approved the minutes from Thursday, January 15, by unanimous voice vote. The chair also noted the committee would meet again on Wednesday and possibly Friday, with timing to be adjusted if needed for floor activity.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members of the committee for having us.
• Chair and members of the committee.
• least where this rule is in place.
• going to happen through lawsuits with this rule.
• They need to know the rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Education Committee K through 16 will now come to order.
• Committee Substitute House Bill 2853.
• This bill passed the House Public Education Committee.
• Now, this bill that we come out with on the committee, I assume this is a committee substitute.
• I'm very excited about being able to get this bill up through committee with the input of the committee

Bills: HB4 , HB20

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Wait, wait, we got to adopt the committee substitute.
• But those would be okay if the committee wanted to recommend.
• This was one to bring back to the committee. Okay.
• The committee can also choose just not to do this bar. Well, Mr.
• Committee, enjoy your dinner, Senator Steinborn and Senator Padilla."

Bills: SB241 , SB145

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, Chair, members of the committee. Audrey Vasek, staff to the committee.
• Good morning again, Chair, members of the committee. Audrey Vasek, staff to the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee.
• Thank you, Chair Peterson, members of the committee.
• Thank you, Chair Peterson and members of the committee.

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the committee, happy to be here.
• Seeing none, we'll bring it back to the committee.
• Chairman and thank you, committee members.
• Chairman and thank you committee members.
• Good morning, committee chairperson and members.

Committee: Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee.
• <00:11:22.760><c> Senator</c> committee Senator committee Senator Waters<00:11:25.399><c> so</c><00:11
• Questions from the committee, and I'll draft up that amendment and get that to the committee.
• with the committee on.
• Chair, members of the committee.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the first House Health Committee of 2006.
• And currently I am the legislative committee chair.
• There are some remote practice rules.
• So if I want some remote practice rules.
• Two of sit on the PA advisory committee.

Bills: HB31 , HB31

Committee: House Health

Keywords: absentee voting, disabled, blind, voter assistance, voting rights, SNAP, public assistance, nutritional standards, waiver, food regulation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much, members of the Senate Rules Committee.
• Chair, or Madam Chair, if I may, members of the Senate Rules Committee, Elaine Luna was born in...
• Thank you very much, members of the Senate Rules Committee.
• of the Senate Rules Committee, Elaine Luna was born and raised in Española, New Mexico.
• Chair, members of the Senate Rules Committee, it's an honor to present to you, Ray Serrera.

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee substitute for committee substitute for committee substitute for House Bill 597, a bill to
• Committee substitute for committee substitute for committee substitute for Senate Bill 784, a bill to
• Committee substitute for committee substitute for committee substitute for Senate Bill 784, a bill to
• Committee substitute for committee substitute for committee substitute for Senate Bill 784.
• Committee substitute for committee substitute for committee substitute for committee. Activities.

Summary: The Florida Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and gallery recognitions, including students, university basketball coaches, and other visitors. The chamber then moved through a long special order calendar of bills, with most measures explained by sponsors, often substituted with identical House companions, and many passing on unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, utility services, higher education, pre-arranged transportation services, the Uniform Commercial Code, altered sexual depictions, firearms during emergencies, brownfields, false reporting, health care billing and collection, and motor vehicles. Among the bills passed were measures on the Florida Trust Code, school district reporting requirements for educator arrests and misconduct, debt collection email communications, service of process, public lodging and food service establishments, lien waivers and releases, public records protections for Crime Stoppers personnel, foreign ties affecting health care licensure, diabetes management in schools, platting procedures, fentanyl testing in hospitals and emergency departments, third-party reservation platforms, electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices, restitution for leaving the scene of a crash, background screening of athletic coaches, and surrendered infants. Debate was especially notable on the surrendered infants bill, where some senators raised concerns about safety, anonymity, and liability, while supporters argued the devices could save lives. The affordable housing/Live Local bill also drew extensive discussion and a late-filed amendment, with the sponsor describing major land-use and permitting changes and the chamber adopting the amendment before final passage. The most contentious floor debate came on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill, where senators argued over its fluoride-related provisions and broader policy package. Opponents criticized the bill as an overbroad preemption and raised public health concerns, while the sponsor defended it as a farm-and-consumer package with multiple unrelated provisions. That bill ultimately passed 27-9. At the end of the session, the Senate agreed to certify all bills passed that day to the House, recognized a resolution honoring Florida’s sister-state relationship with Taiwan, made additional announcements, and then adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports of standing committees. Reports of select committees.
• Upon review of the amendment and in accordance with Rule 6, Section 4(b), I rule it nongermane and out
• I'm disappointed in your ruling.
• So please, vote to overrule the ruling of the Chair. Let's pass this.
• Thank you for your consideration, and overruling The ruling of the Chair tonight. Thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Imam Tahir Kukaj of the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, who offered remarks about gratitude, diversity, and support for Kosovo’s independence. The Journal was approved, and the chamber then took up several previously adopted resolutions, including Resolution 1516 commemorating the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence and Resolution 1317 honoring the Stillwater Girls Varsity Soccer Team and Head Coach Christine Ihnatolya for winning the NYSPHSAA Class C state championship. Both resolutions were adopted, and the sponsors were authorized to seek additional co-sponsors. The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed a series of bills, including measures on environmental conservation, education, public health, civil service, penal law, public service, labor, and a retroactive real property tax exemption for the Silver Lake Foundation. Most bills passed with broad support, though several drew recorded no votes from a small group of senators. Senator Fahy explained her vote on a bill renaming an OASAS scholarship in honor of Father Peter Young, emphasizing his work on addiction, incarceration, and homelessness. Two items drew extended debate. On Calendar 141, Senator Walczyk appealed the chair’s ruling that an amendment to a public service bill was nongermane; the Senate voted 21 to overrule the chair, so the ruling stood, and the bill then passed 52-6. On Calendar 213, Senators Kavanagh and Borrello debated a food-safety bill concerning disclosure of certain food ingredients and chemicals; supporters said it would improve transparency and protect children’s health, while opponents argued federal action was already underway and a national standard would be preferable. After the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar, it passed 56-2. The Senate then adjourned until Monday, February 9 at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days as legislative days.

Transcript Highlights:

• We gladly accept committee amendments.
• committee analysis and her comments.
• I look forward to talking to you in this next committee and my local gov committee to try to address
• And once again, you did accept the committee amendments? I do accept committee amendments, yes.
• I've worked with the committee and I want to thank the committee for their hard work.

Summary: The committee heard several housing-related bills. AB 2002 would clarify and extend the REAP 1.0 regional housing planning grant program, with the author and regional planning groups arguing it provides needed technical assistance for housing elements and RHNA compliance; the California Building Industry Association opposed unless amended over concerns about local constraints. The committee discussed accepted amendments on regulations, suballocation to subregions, and spending deadlines, and then passed the bill on a do pass as amended motion to Senate Appropriations. AB 1684 would prohibit HOAs from restricting homeowners’ ability to install or replace cooling systems, with supporters citing heat safety and opponents focusing on building integrity, electrical capacity, permits, and common-area placement; the committee adopted amendments on licensed electrical contractors, disclosure, and permit requirements, and passed the bill to Senate Judiciary. AB 1710 would extend SB 330-style vesting protections to state and regional agencies so housing projects are not subject to later regulatory changes, with supporters emphasizing predictability and opponents warning it could conflict with later state, regional, and federal requirements, especially for water and environmental rules; the bill was passed as amended to Senate Local Government. The committee also heard AB 2263, which would authorize the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to provide employee housing on its land with a preference for VTA workers while keeping units open to the public and compliant with fair housing law. VTA said the bill would help employees facing long commutes and high housing costs, and the committee discussed financing through transit-oriented development partnerships and existing land holdings; the bill was passed as amended to Senate Appropriations. AB 2270 would require the state tax credit committee to account for rural realities when scoring farmworker housing projects for low-income housing tax credits; supporters said current amenity-based scoring disadvantages rural farmworker developments, and the bill was passed as amended to Senate Appropriations. Later, AB 2118 would refine AB 2011 by limiting local objective standards that can block mixed-use and affordable housing projects, with supporters saying cities still use loopholes to delay projects; the committee discussed possible state mandate reimbursement issues and passed the bill to Local Government. Finally, AB 2050 would require HOA reserve funding based on reserve studies, add notice and safeguards for reserve transfers, and phase in funding over six years; supporters argued it would prevent large special assessments and protect homeowners, while opponents said enforcement remains weak and the bill could still burden owners. The committee did not take a final recorded vote on AB 2050 in the portion provided, but members discussed the need for stronger enforcement and the balance between reserve funding and affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there any questions from the committee?
• Weaver, welcome to the committee.
• Yeah, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
• Weaver, welcome to the committee.
• Yeah, Madam Chair, members of the committee.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a Dropbox for the members of the committee where we will post materials for committee meetings
• Please ensure that a quorum of the committee does not meet in the back to discuss any committee business
• I just want to be clear that as the chair of this committee, as the chair of the district committee,
• The rules require that just because there's not a bill before the committee. Okay, and but...
• Well, hello to the committee.

Committee: House Congressional Redistricting, Select

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Standing Committee on Education will come to order. Please call the roll.
• I'll read the rules for the Education Committee. I'll read the rules for the Education Committee.
• No signs are allowed in the committee room.
• And that was his suggestion in the House committee.
• That was his suggestion in the House committee.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and came through Rules unanimously.
• I did want to also thank the committee members that passed it out of committee with a 9-0 vote.
• Out of Rules Committee with a 15-0 vote, I would appreciate the members of this body to also support
• House Bill 1644 passed out of the Economic Development Committee by a vote of 13 to 0 and Rules Committee
• House Bill 2641 passed out of your Committee on Crime and Public Safety 15 to 1, and passed out of Rules

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal by roll call vote, 126-0. Members then offered several points of personal privilege and introductions, including recognition of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, a tribute and moment of silence for the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, and greetings to various visiting groups such as manufacturers, FFA students, university graduate students, and the Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corps for an America 250 event. The chamber then moved through first reading of several bills and took up multiple measures for perfection and printing. House Bill 2596, dealing with multiple employer self-insured health plans for small businesses, received supportive testimony from members who said it would help small employers recruit and retain workers and modernize outdated law; it was adopted and ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 1644, establishing a franchise-specific joint employer standard, drew extensive debate over liability, franchisor control, and whether it would protect small franchise businesses without limiting legitimate claims; it was also adopted and ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 2423, updating consumer credit licensing fees for the fee-funded Division of Finance, was presented as a way to keep the agency self-funded and maintain consumer protection staffing, and it too was ordered perfected and printed. The House also considered House Bill 2641, which would regulate intoxicating hemp products and align state law with federal changes set to take effect on November 12, 2026. The bill’s sponsor said it was intended to protect children, provide clarity, and create a coordinated enforcement framework, while opponents argued it was unconstitutional because it would effectively reclassify hemp products under the marijuana framework in Article 14 of the Missouri Constitution and could harm lawful hemp businesses. An amendment and a technical amendment were adopted, and the bill was then adopted and perfected and printed as amended. The House later announced committee meetings and other notices before voting to recess until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> committee sub. committee sub.
• All those in favor committee sub.
• Title sufficient, do pass, committee sub. All right. You heard the motion to do pass committee sub.
• </c> committee sub. committee sub. &gt;&gt; All<00:35:22.320><c> right.
• All those in favor pass committee sub.

Committee: Joint Finance

Keywords: Finance - Room 216, 2 February, 2026; 3:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, we have a few other committees that will be going.
• I don't know very much about your committee.
• Madam Chair and Representative, you have to know if we have any standing committees or interim committees
• Hello, Madam Chair and members of the committee.
• Do we need to—does the committee need to...

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 287, which would create a permanent Health and Human Services Committee. The sponsor argued the state spends about $14.4 billion annually on health and human services and needs a standing committee to better oversee programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, CYFD, hospitals, pharmacy benefit managers, and related issues. Members discussed staffing, start-up costs, and whether the committee would have subpoena power; staff said interim funding exists in the feed bill and additional funding would likely be needed later. The committee adopted an amendment striking the appropriation and changing the effective date, then voted due pass on the amended bill, with several members recorded in opposition. The committee then considered House Bill 371, as substituted, to create land grant and acequia infrastructure funds financed from remaining severance tax bond capacity. The sponsor and acequia/land grant advocates said the measure would provide a short-term funding source for infrastructure needs such as land acquisition, right-of-way access, ditch cleaning, and repairs, with distributions beginning only after the fund reaches a threshold and subject to limits through 2031. Members asked about bond capacity, the relationship to capital outlay, legislative approval of projects, and whether the bill would reduce reliance on repeated capital requests. The committee adopted the substitute and passed the bill, with one member in opposition. The committee also heard Senate Bill 143, which raises fee caps under the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s inspection and grading programs, including egg grading, nursery stock, pesticide, feed, and related services. The department and industry supporters said the caps had been unchanged for decades and that the bill would help fund inspections and staffing without meaningfully affecting consumer prices. After questions about fee administration, consumer impact, and staffing levels, the committee voted do pass. Finally, the committee discussed House Bill 329, which would create an Energy Affordability and Grid Reliability Council attached to the Public Regulation Commission. The sponsor said the council would study affordability, reliability, grid modernization, and energy options, drawing on experts from state agencies and utilities. Members raised concerns about the bill’s vagueness, lack of term limits and detailed structure, possible duplication with existing agencies, missing representation for rural co-ops, tribes, and nuclear energy, and the funding source. The sponsor said the governor’s office had requested the bill and that funding would come from governor-controlled GROW money, but the committee ultimately rolled the bill for further work and did not adopt the amendment presented that day.