Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1803 requires all California businesses with five or more employees to include anti-hate speech training
• When employees can recognize hate speech, they can understand their rights and they can feel empowered
• Training employees... With employees' ability to do their job.
• Second, hate speech is not unprotected speech under the First Amendment.
• Offensive speech is still protected.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1803 requires all California businesses with five or more employees to include anti-hate speech training
• When employees can recognize hate speech, they can understand their rights and they can feel empowered
• Training employees... With employees' ability to do their job.
• Second, hate speech is not unprotected speech under the First Amendment.
• Offensive speech is still protected.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with testimony largely focused on transparency, public health, labor enforcement, health privacy, high-speed rail oversight, and antitrust policy. AB 1544, by Assemblymember Crowell, would strengthen transparency and access to courthouses; the author said it was aimed at protecting press and public access, and the bill was pulled pending quorum. AB 1604, by Assemblymember Stephanie, would ban BPA and other bisphenols in thermal receipt paper by 2027-2028; supporters from Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Californians Against Waste, and a broad coalition argued receipts are a major source of toxic exposure and recycling contamination, while the author said she would continue working with opposition. AB 1859, by Assemblymember Jackson, would let Joint Labor Management Committees visit public works sites to help identify wage and safety violations; labor groups supported it as a low-cost enforcement tool amid a large wage-theft backlog, while contractors and local government groups opposed it as creating private enforcement, liability, and safety concerns. The committee later took up AB 1930, by Assemblymember Burr and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta and Equality California, which would require notice to the Attorney General before certain entities respond to subpoenas or inquiries involving legally protected reproductive or gender-affirming care; supporters framed it as a patient privacy and anti-intimidation measure, while opponents said it would shield providers from scrutiny and interfere with lawful investigations. The bill was approved on a 6-2 vote and placed on call. The consent calendar, including several unrelated bills, was also approved. The committee also heard AB 1584, by Assemblymember Jackson, which would create an Office of Civil Rights within the California Air Resources Board to provide training, language access, and compliance oversight. Supporters said CARB needs a stronger legal framework and dedicated office to enforce civil rights commitments, while an opponent argued CARB already has a civil rights office and should expand existing structures instead of creating a new one. The bill was moved to Appropriations after a roll call vote. AB 1608, by Assemblymember Wilson, would expand the powers and staffing tools of the High-Speed Rail Office of the Inspector General, including public reporting requirements and authority over classifications and purchasing; supporters said stronger independent oversight is needed for the costly project, while opponents criticized the project itself and raised concerns about confidentiality and who should receive reports. The bill was also passed to Appropriations after extended discussion. Finally, AB 1776, by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, would revise California antitrust law to address single-firm conduct under the Cartwright Act. Supporters, including small business and labor advocates, argued dominant firms can harm competition and that the bill would protect small businesses and workers; opponents from business, biotech, retail, housing, and other sectors warned it would create legal uncertainty, expand litigation, and chill investment. The transcript ended during that bill’s testimony and debate, before a final vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not interested in silencing speech.
• Free speech is messy, and the type of free speech we tend to be most critical of, and the manner in which
• And I think the people ought to be able to exercise their free speech.
• You know, as an employee, you have somewhere to go work.
• What's an independent contractor and what's an employee.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It targets speech.
• The employee walks in the back and says, 'The cops are here.'
• Content-based speech. Okay. Thank you for answering all these questions. Mr.
• It criminalizes speech, content-based speech, whistles, gestures, social media posts, or warnings based
• That is a content-based restriction on speech and triggers strict scrutiny.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then heard a long series of bills, mostly from Senators Hoffman, Fernandez, and Bolick. Early action included SB 1436 on school bond/override ballot language, which passed 4-3 after brief debate over ballot length and transparency. SB 1568, requiring election systems to keep clocks within 60 seconds of official time and making violations a misdemeanor, was amended and passed 4-3 despite concerns about machine failures and the breadth of the penalty. SB 1569, limiting special election board members from collecting voter registrations while assisting confined voters, also passed 4-3 after testimony from county officials and a deputy registrar describing alleged misuse of SEBs. SB 1746, requiring schools to serve as polling places and closing schools on regular primary/general election days for staff training, passed 4-3 over objections about school autonomy and safety. SB 1295, allowing certain incarcerated people needing long-term care or treatment to be transferred to contracted medical institutions, passed unanimously after an amendment narrowing the medical eligibility language. The committee then took up SB 1067, a county blight/abatement bill allowing property tax bills to include assessments for removing rubbish, debris, and dilapidated structures; county officials from Gila and Pima Counties strongly supported it, and it passed 7-0. SB 1285, which would have repealed kratom protections and added kratom and its alkaloids to the narcotic-drug list, drew strong opposition from industry and a pharmacist and failed 3-4 after debate over safety, regulation, and criminal penalties. SB 1413, removing the $100,000 restitution cap for serious injury or death caused by a moving violation, passed after a short explanation that it was intended to conform statutes to a prior Arizona Supreme Court ruling. SB 1476, making prenatal exposure to dangerous or narcotic drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome a class six felony child neglect offense with an affirmative defense for mothers who completed treatment, drew emotional testimony from a foster/adoptive parent and opposition from reproductive justice and criminal defense advocates; it passed 4-2. Later, SB 1585, creating standards and funding mechanisms for sex offender-specific evaluations, treatment, and polygraphs, passed 4-2 after supporters argued it would improve oversight and opponents questioned the added surcharge and appropriation. SB 1662, requiring probation conditions to be the least restrictive necessary and tailored to risk and needs, passed 5-0 with support from justice reform advocates and defense attorneys. SB 1664, adjusting constable nomination signature requirements in Maricopa and Pima Counties, passed unanimously after county association support. The committee then began SB 1666 on in-state custodial interference, with the sponsor and a supporter describing repeated violations of custody orders and arguing for a tiered civil-penalty-to-felony structure; the transcript ends during questioning on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not about speech. It is not about content. This bill is not about speech.
• There are spaces where companies are deciding what speech is heard and what speech is not, which fundamentally
• There are software that employees utilize, particularly employees with disability, where it requires,
• So this is not just a bad thing for employees.
• In fact, a lot of employees will say, I like you. ...a bad thing for employees?

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not about speech. It is not about content. This bill is not about speech.
• There are spaces where companies are deciding what speech is heard and what speech is not, which fundamentally
• There are softwares that employees utilize, particularly employees with disability where it requires,
• So this is not just a bad thing for employees. In fact, a lot of employees will say, I like you.
• A bad thing for employees?

Summary: The committee heard AB 1988, which would require AI companion chatbots to respond to credible self-harm or violence-related crisis expressions by displaying the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, warning users, and pausing the chat for human review after repeated crisis signals. The author and supporters said the bill is a measured safety standard to redirect vulnerable users to human help, citing research and cases where chatbots worsened suicidal ideation or violent behavior. Support came from crisis and medical advocates, while no opposition testimony was offered. The chair and members expressed strong support, and the bill was held pending quorum before later action on the agenda. The committee then took up AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for users to create or maintain accounts on social media platforms with harmful addictive features and would create an E-Safety Advisory Commission in the Attorney General’s office. The author argued the bill targets product design, not speech, and is intended to curb compulsive features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds while allowing safer or non-addictive platforms to remain available. Supporters, including a psychologist and the Organization for Social Media Safety, described cyberbullying, predation, compulsive use, and mental health harms; opponents, including EFF, ACLU-Cal Action, TechNet, and youth advocacy groups, warned about privacy, First Amendment, and access-to-community concerns, especially for LGBTQ youth and other marginalized groups. Committee members debated whether the bill is a ban or a delay, how age assurance would work, and whether the proposal would be effective or could push youth to less safe spaces. Several members said they would support the bill as a first step, while others raised concerns about enforceability, privacy, and constitutional issues. The author emphasized that the bill is limited to specific harmful design features, not content or general internet access, and that the new commission would monitor evolving technology and recommend future updates. No final vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And within our division, we have nine full-time employees.
• And within our division, we have nine full-time employees.
• We have one part-time employee, and he is our apiary inspector.
• Those inspections are conducted by the part-time employee.
• </c> are conducted by the part-time employee are conducted by the part-time employee and<03:48:05.760

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held an introductory orientation for members, many of whom were new or newly assigned to the committee. Leadership emphasized that the committee is intended to operate in a nonpartisan, collaborative way, and members introduced themselves and described their backgrounds in farming, gardening, food service, environmental work, water and waste issues, veterinary work, and related fields. Several members noted personal ties to homesteading, livestock, orcharding, food security, landfill concerns, and animal welfare, while others said they were eager to learn the committee’s work. The chair then reviewed committee procedures and expectations. Members were told the committee would generally meet on Tuesdays, with hearings starting around 10 a.m. and often running until about 4:30 p.m., and that absences, substitutes for executive sessions, and email communications would be handled through House rules and the committee’s email system. The chair also covered decorum rules for live-streamed meetings, including professional dress, limiting food and drink at the table, and giving full attention to witnesses. Members were reminded that legislative emails are subject to public records laws and that the committee may soon transition to a new email domain. The chair also explained logistics such as bill folders, committee room storage, and emergency procedures for evacuation or shelter-in-place. No bills were debated or voted on in this meeting, but the chair noted that the committee already had roughly two dozen bills pending, including animal welfare, landfill, policy, and cat-and-dog related measures. Members were told to expect a broad mix of topics beyond agriculture, including solid waste and animal-related legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know how passionate you are about free speech.
• Well, I'm kind of a free speech maximist as well in this regard. So.
• I have the right to say whatever I want as a free speech maximalist.
• , including speech on matters of public concern.
• We were talking a lot about free speech. I know you're a big advocate for it.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committee first heard HB 1079 by Rep. Boudreaux, which would allow charter schools to give enrollment preference to children who attended a licensed early learning center operated by the charter school or under an articulation agreement. An amendment expanded the preference to include children of active-duty military members, foster children, and children in court-ordered custody situations, and a second amendment clarified that the preference is permissive. Supporters said the bill would improve continuity from preschool to kindergarten and encourage more early learning centers. The committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 1079 as amended. The committee then took up HB 737 by Vice Chair Amedee, which would remove the state requirement that students show proof of meningococcal vaccination for school or post-secondary entry. The author argued the bill aligns state law with updated CDC guidance and preserves parental choice and physician consultation, while opponents, including pediatricians, public health advocates, and meningitis survivors, warned that removing the requirement would lower vaccination rates and increase the risk of severe illness or death. After extensive testimony and questions, the committee voted 4-8 against the motion to report the bill, so HB 737 failed. Next, the committee considered HB 628 by Rep. Landry, as substituted, to allow school boards and the Department of Education to work with licensed early learning centers to operate micro centers at schools, including dual licensing at one location. Supporters said it would expand access for three-year-olds, improve school readiness, and help families and the workforce. The substitute was adopted, and the bill was reported by substitute without objection. Finally, the committee heard HB 1008 by Rep. Owen, which would prohibit public post-secondary institutions from retaliating against faculty for disclosing certain violations or exercising academic freedom and free speech. The author and a professor witness said the bill would protect open inquiry and reduce self-censorship in higher education. The committee adopted two amendments to clarify academic freedom and tighten remedies; the transcript cuts off before any final vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:24:16.399><c> if</c><02:24:16.560><c> employees</c> bill is that employee if employees bill is
• that employee if employees intentionally<02:24:18.359><c> act</c><02:24:18.880><c> to</c><02:24:19.160
• [Unintelligible / no substantive speech captured.]
• [Unintelligible / no substantive speech captured.]
• [Unintelligible / no substantive speech captured.]

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Like this is, we are very intertwined in the free speech space.
• It's first and foremost important that we don't regulate free speech.
• This is, again, in the free speech space.
• That is also protected by free speech.
• And they would introduce themselves as an employee of a certain agency, but would— ...as an employee

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And 1 John, chapter 3, verse 18, says, 'Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with
• That is speech. That is what we do here every day.
• That is speech. That is what we do here. fault to actively dispute. That is speech.
• This bill does not criminalize speech. I took that part out of the bill.
• So it does not affect whether or not they're an employee or not.

Summary: The House convened with 66 members present, approved the journal, and received a Senate message transmitting enrolled House Bill 504 to the Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee for delivery to the Governor. Committee reports followed, including several bills recommended do pass and referred to the appropriate committees or calendars, along with House Bill 562 being placed on general orders without objection. During third reading, the House first took up House Joint Memorial 14, which urges federal agencies to advance water-storage research and planning in Idaho, including small and medium reservoir feasibility, basin studies, and a long-term goal of 750,000 acre-feet of new storage by 2100; it passed by voice vote and was sent to the Senate. The House then passed House Bills 676, 737, 615, 683, 684, 645, 703, 560, and 637, with recorded votes on several measures. The bills addressed geothermal utility water-right planning, consolidation of state agency functions, disturbing the peace at religious services, sex-offender residency clarification, reimbursement for counties retrieving escaped prisoners, portable benefits for independent contractors, consolidation of DOPL disciplinary provisions, allowing prospective jurors to serve as poll workers, and recognizing foreign gold and silver coin as legal tender in Idaho. House Bill 637 passed on a narrower 55-13 vote; the others passed with larger margins. Members also agreed to hold the remaining third-reading bills one legislative day. In announcements, committees scheduled upcoming meetings, the Energy Caucus and construction industry reception were noted, and members were reminded to submit amendments before the next general orders calendar. The House then adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with action and in truth. Let's pray.
• That is speech. That is what we do here. That is what we do here every day.
• That is speech. That is what we do here. fault to actively dispute. That is speech.
• This bill does not criminalize speech. I took that part out of the bill.
• So it does not affect whether or not they're an employee or not.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2060 prohibits a public educational institution or university and their employees from encouraging
• Although the government is free to regulate its own speech under the government speech doctrine, as we
• A ban on referrals then could be an unconstitutional infringement on that speech.
• A ban on referrals then could be an unconstitutional infringement on that speech.
• So I think the circuit split is there is whether the referral is speech, which is the giving of that

Committee: House Rules

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We hired our office administrative employees. We hired all seven district defenders.
• So all of our contract and conflict employees use LegalServer for free.
• When they came over to be state employees, they didn't lose everything they had.
• So you have county employees that were afraid to transfer over to the state.
• So you had a Have county employees that were afraid to transfer over to the state.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Employee ownership and provide funding and advisory support.
• And most importantly, free speech is lost. Finally, A-2218... Importantly, free speech is lost.
• So we do have some problems in New Jersey with free speech.
• But, I mean, you're, look, fight speech with speech.
• This is not outside of the speech.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1109 seeks to encourage open and honest communication between a representative employee and their
• in order to permit the union agent to best represent the employee.
• It's a childhood apraxia of speech. Assemblymember Soria, you're recognized.
• motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to speak clearly and consistently.
• There is a shortage of speech therapists in the Central Valley.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Like this is, we are very intertwined in the free speech space.
• It's first and foremost important that we don't regulate free speech.
• This is, again,... ...in the free speech space.
• That is also protected by free speech.
• And they would introduce themselves as an employee of a certain agency, but would— ...as an employee

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The committee first approved the March 16 and March 17, 2026 minutes. It then introduced RS 33798, a proposal related to cooperative and group discount purchasing in the Department of Administration procurement division, and sent it for printing. The main policy item was Senate Bill 1422, a major rewrite of Idaho campaign finance law. Senator Harris and Secretary of State Phil McGrane said the bill would move the laws into Title 74, reorganize reporting rules, prohibit foreign contributions, require new disclosures for signature-gathering and independent expenditures, add pre-primary and pre-general reports, increase contribution limits modestly, and create a graduated fine structure. Questions focused on reporting thresholds, commercial recordkeeping, and the distinction between reporting violations and other violations. The committee voted to send SB 1422 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 889, a broad update to the State Procurement Act. Representative Britt Raibolt said the bill clarifies procurement definitions, best-and-final-offer procedures, use of subject-matter experts, multiple-award contracts, bid scoring, prior performance, federal CMS approval timing, confidentiality of technical information, debarment, cooling-off periods, protest bonds, and disclosure of procurement-related spending. He said the goal was to improve consistency, transparency, and efficiency in large state procurements. After brief questions about the need for the overhaul and the definition of frivolous protests, the committee voted to send HB 889 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 890, also presented by Raibolt, would repeal a surplus-property carve-out used in the ITD building sale and return disposal of surplus administrative property to the regular process under the State Board of Land Commissioners. The committee also advanced HB 900, which sets procedures for private insurance claims over $100,000 involving state property damage, requires appraisal opportunities, public notice of settlement offers, and a public hearing plus legislative notice if an agency relocates services or sells property after such a claim. Both bills received due pass recommendations. The longest discussion was on House Bill 898, which would move the State Historic Preservation Office from the Idaho State Historical Society into the new Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination. Senator Den Hartog said the move would improve coordination on federal permitting and preserve SHPO’s functions, while opponents argued the current placement supports preservation work, grants, archives, and Section 106 review, and that moving SHPO into an office focused on energy and minerals could create conflicts of interest and weaken preservation outcomes. Testimony came from historians, preservation professionals, local commission members, utility and water industry representatives, and a youth witness, with supporters emphasizing streamlined permitting and opponents emphasizing mission alignment and public trust. The sponsor closed by saying the bill complies with federal law and that federal law allows states flexibility in where to house the office; the transcript ends before any final committee action on HB 898.

Transcript Highlights:

• Prohibiting any student or employee on a non-immigrant visa from engaging in or espousing terroristic
• So we are clarifying that in an amendment to ensure that there's no suppression of freedom of speech
• This is predefined and recognized... ...speech in any kind of way.
• For a first violation, it requires that a student or employee be suspended for a period of at least one
• We separated students and employees who hold non-immigrant visas to make it easier for institutions to

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum, heard an invocation, dispensed with the previous journal, and received a House message. Members also recognized Dr. Namita Bardwaj as doctor of the day. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 554 honoring Christopher “Chris” Jake Stone of Santa Fe for his heroism during the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, with several senators and the lieutenant governor offering remarks about his sacrifice and the ongoing impact on his family and community. The Senate also signed a number of bills and resolutions and adopted Senate Resolution 533 recognizing the Texas Legislative Internship Program class, with multiple senators highlighting individual interns and the program’s role in developing future public servants. The floor then took up and passed several bills, often by suspending the regular order and the three-day rule. These included HB 1639 on a study of cancer incidence among female firefighters; HB 102 granting early registration for students in military-related programs; HB 4325 increasing civil penalties for barratry; HB 5342 creating a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline trust fund and related funding study; HB 3370 allowing late timberland appraisal applications after an owner’s death; HB 3376 requiring certain guardians to complete dementia/Alzheimer’s training; HB 132 extending confidentiality protections to information about hostile acts by foreign adversaries; and HB 1978, which sought to restrict ERCOT interconnections, but its motion to pass to engrossment failed on a 20-11 vote. Additional measures passed included HB 511 on unsolicited voter registration mailings, HB 2187 on nurse staffing, retaliation, and overtime protections, HB 2510 creating offenses for unlicensed assisted living operations, HB 694 on DFPS notification timelines, HB 1893 making license plates in law-enforcement video nonconfidential for public information requests, HB 2733 updating barratry and solicitation laws for digital communications, HB 4506 allowing opt-in electronic zoning notices, HB 3751 transferring a TxDOT property to DPS, HB 3033 creating a grant program for nonprofits supporting injured or killed DPS employees, HB 4273 on Medicaid fraud prevention and eligibility verification, HB 3211 on vision care benefits, HB 4529 exempting certain DoD-certified child care facilities from state licensure, HB 2522 easing fingerprinting requirements for certain vehicle dealers, HB 4219 tightening public information request response requirements, and HB 4783 requiring a report on opioid antagonist programs. The Senate also received a House message noting passage of SB 9, and a nominations committee report was announced for future consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 187, which would allow parents or guardians to seek restraining orders on behalf of a minor child even when the alleged perpetrator is not a family or household member. Tracy Sirles testified that the bill was prompted by her family’s experience after being told by state police to seek a restraining order, only to learn the current law did not allow it because the offender was the child’s best friend’s father. Members agreed the change was straightforward, noted the fiscal note reflected only a small indeterminate cost to the judicial branch, and moved House Bill 187 ought to pass; the motion was approved unanimously. The committee then discussed House Bill 66, a Right-to-Know bill that removes “citizen” language in favor of “person” in some provisions and allows certain New Hampshire-connected requesters to seek records electronically if the records already exist in that format. Members reviewed concerns about defining “member of the media,” the scope of electronic requests, and a sentence stating appeals would have no filing fee or search charge. After debate, the committee voted to amend the bill by removing that fee-waiver sentence, then recommended House Bill 66 ought to pass as amended. The vote was 6-3. Next, the committee heard from the Environment and Agriculture chair about several solid-waste-related bills being folded into trailer bill language, including House Bill 215 and House Bill 171, with discussion of a possible three-year landfill moratorium and the need to address DEES staffing and funding concerns. DEES later clarified that the revised approach would not require new positions or create a fiscal impact because the new solid waste commission would be self-funded through filing fees. The committee voted unanimously to retain House Bill 215. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 566, which requires landfill permit applications to include a detailed leachate management plan and more information about disposal contracts. The sponsor said the bill was developed with DEES to address leachate problems and improve safety oversight. DEES testified that the bill largely reflects current practice and would have no specific fiscal impact, with existing staff able to absorb any review workload. The committee moved House Bill 566 ought to pass, and the motion was approved unanimously. The committee also briefly discussed House Bill 624, a grant program for local river management advisory committees, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ultimately this is a blatant attack on our First Amendment right of free speech and expression.
• Storytelling is powerful free speech. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony.
• This is a government overreach and a threat to the proud American value of free speech.
• It's for speech.
• , TAC has 179 employees.

Bills: SB 18 , SB 19 , SB18 , SB19 , SB666 , SB688 , SB707 , SB888

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water permit, water appropriation, dam permit exemption, reservoir, flood control, floodwater control, erosion control, sediment control, watershed protection, flood prevention, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, USDA, local sponsor, district, authority, water infrastructure