Transcript Highlights:

• That can trigger a bill, as we've heard, as large as 37% of the settlement.
• that compensatory damages or settlements that they<04:21:25.520><c> receive.
• So the law already says that settlement is not taxed.
• </c> says that uh settlement is not taxed. says that uh settlement is not taxed.
• And as you can settlement as tax-free.

Bills: HB3317 , HCR75 , HR227 , HB7959 , HB8364 , HB6431 , HB6903 , HB5334 , HB2347 , HB5366 , HB6495 , HB7971 , HB6956 , HB4930

Keywords: gratuity, death benefit, civil servants, line of duty, federal employees, compensation, survivor benefits, emergency appropriations, Iran, military force, War Powers Resolution, U.S. Armed Forces, hostilities, Congress, national security, agriculture, National Agriculture Day, support, industry impact, celebration

Transcript Highlights:

• And it is patently clear in the language of this bill.
• And it's patently clear on the testimony of the people who came before me.
• superintendent.<04:44:31.680><c> And</c><04:44:31.920><c> it</c><04:44:32.080><c> is</c><04:44:32.160><c> patently
• And it is patently clear superintendent.

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• With the House First NCAA settlement taking effect, universities will soon be able to make direct NIL
• With the House First NCAA settlement taking effect, universities will soon be able to make direct NIL
• </c><01:06:25.280><c> structure</c><01:06:25.680><c> the</c> settlement and the the structure the settlement
• </c> the settlement. That's possible. Yeah. the settlement. That's possible. Yeah.
• Even with the House settlement, there's only so many kids that can be on a team.

Summary: The joint House-Senate higher education briefing focused on how the University of Hawaii athletics department plans to remain competitive in the NIL era, especially as the House settlement and related changes allow new forms of athlete compensation. Chair and Senator Kim opened by framing the issue as balancing competitiveness, sustainability, compliance, and UH’s educational mission. Coaches Laura Beeman and Timmy Chang described how NIL and the transfer portal are already affecting recruiting and retention, with Beeman saying women’s basketball has lost six to 10 recruits because UH cannot yet match offers, and Chang citing examples of players being courted with large sums and the need to retain proven local and out-of-state athletes. Both emphasized that student-athletes should still prioritize education, culture, and team values, while also receiving support that helps them stay at UH. Athletic Director Matt Elliott then outlined UH’s broader strategy. He said the department’s vision is to create an outstanding student-athlete experience, recruit and retain elite athletes, compete at the highest level of the Mountain West, and strengthen the bond with the community. He described NIL as having moved from a largely unregulated period to a new phase in which institutions can directly control some NIL payments, while outside deals still must be reviewed for fair market value. Elliott said UH wants to use NIL to help athletes cover basic needs and build financial stability, while also keeping them academically on track. He noted the department is pursuing fundraising, including a “Boost the Bose” account, corporate sponsorships, and licensing deals, to support NIL opportunities. In response to questions from Senator Kim, Elliott clarified that UH’s approach involves both institution-controlled payments and outside NIL deals: internal payments can be structured at the department’s discretion within the cap, while external sponsor deals must go through NIL Go and meet market-value standards. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 2.16 million however one one settlement 2.16 million however one one settlement or<01:49:56.239>
• These are cost settlement recoveries.
• These are cost settlement recoveries.
• That is a continuing settlement, and this is called the NPM adjustment settlement agreement.
• . called the um npm adjustment settlement called the um npm adjustment settlement agreement agreement

Summary: The Department of Safety presented an overview of highway fund and unrestricted revenue collections, focusing on the Division of Administration, the Road Toll Bureau, and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Amy Newbery explained that the main unrestricted funding sources are highway funds and general funds, with highway fund revenue of about $263 million in FY 2024 and a FY 2025 projection of $261.2 million. She said revenue growth has been modest and has not kept pace with costs, creating structural deficits that required general fund transfers of $50 million in FY 2022-23 and another $10 million in FY 2024-25 to balance the fund. Jennifer Hall described Road Toll operations, including motor fuel tax collection at the distributor level, compliance enforcement, and licensing for fuel distributors, transporters, IFTA carriers, and oil discharge/pollution control. Members asked about IFTA, dyed-fuel enforcement, the possibility of using the state forensic lab for dyed-fuel testing, and whether audit positions had been filled; the department said it recently hired a part-time fuel enforcement officer, still uses IRS testing, could explore lab testing, and had no audit vacancies. Hall also discussed factors affecting fuel-tax revenue, including gas prices, crude oil forecasts, weather, tourism, GDP, and inflation, and said FY 2024 road toll revenue was $127.5 million, above plan, with FY 2025 projected at $127.71 million. The committee then turned to DMV-related revenues. Newbery said motor vehicle registration revenue was $93.1 million in FY 2024 and is projected at $90.4 million in FY 2025, with the state share going directly to the highway fund. Members asked about the state/town fee split, the five-year registration cycle dip, the distribution of registration revenue by vehicle weight category, and the impact of electric-vehicle surcharges; the department said the five-year dip is still occurring and will fade over time, and it would follow up on the weight-category breakdown. The presentation also noted that driver-license revenues have stabilized, inspection revenues remain steady, plea-by-mail revenue was added to the highway fund in FY 2024, and general fund revenues tied to the department are relatively small and have declined as some functions moved to OPLC. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, settlement does not mean guilt.
• Settlement means fiduciary responsibility to your constituents.
• Settlement does not mean guilt.
• A settlement agreement was entered into.
• Speaker, that litigants will enter into a settlement agreement for a variety of reasons.

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1065 , HB1795 , HB2107 , HB2113 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2133 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2211 , HB2219 , HB2245 , HB2253 , HB2283 , HB2343 , HB2406 , HB2501 , HB2531 , HB2574 , HB1170 , HB1544 , HB1834 , HB2156 , HB2188 , HB2206 , HB2360 , HB2471 , HB2478 , HB2525 , HB2605 , HJM4012 , HB1104 , HB1152 , HB1254 , HB1443 , HB1710 , HB1750 , HB1903 , HB1941 , HB1974 , HB1982 , HB1983 , HB2006 , HB2034 , HB2105 , HB2179 , HB2203 , HB2215 , HB2223 , HB2239 , HB2247 , HB2297 , HB2303 , HB2322 , HB2329 , HB2334 , HB2338 , HB2345 , HB2348 , HB2350 , HB2353 , HB2355 , HB2363 , HB2367 , HB2379 , HB2388 , HB2399 , HB2418 , HB2420 , HB2428 , HB2441 , HB2462 , HB2464 , HB2467 , HB2495 , HB2505 , HB2534 , HB2539 , HB2544 , HB2551 , HB2554 , HB2557 , HB2575 , HB2577 , HB2588 , HB2594 , HB2604 , HB2636 , HB2714

Summary: The House took up second reading and final passage on several bills. House Bill 2575, relating to reducing certain environmental reporting obligations, was amended to direct savings from reduced utility reporting toward low-income electricity assistance, then passed 95-0. House Bill 2334, on cash transaction rounding for the loss of pennies, passed 89-6 after debate over common-sense rounding, tax treatment, and concerns about moving away from cash. House Bill 2714, updating caseload forecasting for food and nutrition assistance programs including SNAP, passed 95-0. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2557, concerning parental access to special education evaluation meetings and timelines, passed 95-0 after a technical amendment clarifying terminology and discussion about giving parents more time to prepare for meetings. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 2594, which codifies protections for unhoused students and aligns state law with federal McKinney-Vento protections; supporters described the bill as ensuring continued educational access for homeless youth, and it passed 94-1. House Bill 2348, updating timber sale process efficiencies, including electronic notice and appraisal/approval requirements for certain land sales, passed 95-0. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2215, dealing with Climate Commitment Act compliance obligations for fuels, drew extensive debate over market fairness, fuel prices, rural impacts, and Ecology’s authority; after adopting a striking amendment and rejecting several others, it passed 57-38. The House then considered House Bill 1710, a Washington Voting Rights Act compliance bill creating a new chapter in Title 29A RCW. Members debated numerous amendments focused on preclearance standards, lookback periods, fee shifting, rulemaking authority, settlement treatment, and the use of citizen voting-age population. Some technical amendments were adopted, while many substantive amendments were rejected. The transcript ends during continued amendment debate on the bill, before final passage is recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the Consumer Settlement Fund, since 2023, the department has deposited over $350 million into the
• then the percent of that that's allocated out of the Consumer Settlement Fund to our agency.
• Though early on in 2021, almost 80% of the Consumer Settlement Fund was reinvested into the agency.
• It's sustainable if there were not a single settlement.
• Abuse settlements that are occurring at school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• with the settlement of Kentucky sorry with the settlement of Kentucky lands<00:33:48.080><c> by</c><
• </c> moved from Detroit to attack settlements moved from Detroit to attack settlements in<00:38:52.320
• </c> settlements could not survive the year. settlements could not survive the year. take<00:39:04.800
• We mined our collection for artifacts related to that settlement period, some from very common people
• </c><00:51:10.079><c> uh</c> related to that settlement period. uh related to that settlement period.

Committee: Joint Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• That is patently false.
• That is patently false. Here's what we're talking about.

Committees: House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• He authored over 500 scientific papers, held dozens of patents, and was a relentless advocate for using
• HE AUTHORED OVER 500 SCIENTIFIC PAPERS, HELD DOZENS OF PATENTS AND WAS A RELENTLESS ADVOCATE FOR USING

Bills: HR480 , HR481 , HR488 , HB2035 , HR252 , HB1948 , HR1373 , HR1182 , HR248 , HR137 , HB2390 , HB2351

Keywords: House of Representatives, congressional training, workplace rights, workplace responsibilities, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, sexual harassment training, employee training, Member orientation, House Administration Committee, Congressional Accountability Act, CAA, interns, unpaid interns, fellows, detailees, legislative workplace, congressional offices, compliance training, ethics training

Transcript Highlights:

• A patent disregard of state law with regard to property rezoning.
• My husband's a patent paralegal.

Bills: HB24 , HB2015 , HB2149 , HB2559 , HB2701 , HB2797 , HB3172 , HB24

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: zoning, public notice, local government, residential development, protests, water conservation, municipal utility districts, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental regulation, groundwater management, nonconforming uses, zoning regulations, land use, property rights, municipal authority, municipal moratorium, development moratorium, property development, subdivision, site plan

Transcript Highlights:

• That they force the silence of the voice of a victim and settlement agreements as they relate to the
• Other provisions of a settlement agreement, including the amount or payment terms of a settlement or
• In order to avoid repercussions, victims should not disclose settlement terms.
• To say survivors should be able to request a mutual NDA in a civil settlement agreement, but this approach
• A unilateral confidentiality provision to protect their names and whatever settlement terms they want

Bills: HB34 , HB 128 , HB621 , HB748 , HB2259 , HB2960 , HB3113 , HB4749 , SB835 , HB128

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there another vote that you can put up in settlement? Oh, I have three more bills, right?
• Is there another vote that you can put up in settlement?
• Is this the monies from the opioid settlement fund? Mr. Sherman, Representative, that is correct.
• For those that haven't been around the last four years, this is the opioid settlement money.
• This is the opioid settlement money.

Committee: House House Judiciary Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1655, which would have allowed qualified jurors to substitute temporary election work for jury service if summoned 90 to 120 days before an election. The Arizona Association of Counties opposed the bill, saying the timing would create major planning problems for county jury commissioners and courts, and that a better approach would be to excuse jury service only when election work overlaps the summons period. Members raised concerns about jury shortages, training, and whether the bill mixed two very different civic duties. The motion for a due pass recommendation failed on a 4-5 vote. The committee then heard SB 1751 and SCR 1049, identical measures to expand Arizona’s execution methods to include firing squad and lethal gas, with the choice left to the person sentenced to death. Senator Payne argued the change was needed because Arizona has had repeated problems with hangings, gas chambers, and lethal injection, and said the firing squad option would be more reliable. Opponents, including a death penalty attorney and a corrections chaplain/former officer, argued the bill would increase suffering, litigation, costs, and trauma for corrections staff, and that the state should instead improve existing lethal injection procedures or reconsider the death penalty itself. After debate, both measures received due pass recommendations, with several members explaining split or reluctant votes. The committee next considered a strike-everything amendment to SB 1317 that would appropriate opioid settlement remediation funds for county coordinated reentry planning services and a statewide database. Supporters from the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association and county sheriffs said the county jail reentry programs have reduced recidivism, helped people find housing and work, and should be expanded to more counties, with the database needed to track outcomes. Members asked about data, funding levels, and whether the opioid settlement money would be sufficient, but generally supported the concept. The strike-everything amendment was adopted, and SB 1317 as amended received a due pass recommendation on a 9-0 vote. Finally, the committee heard SB 1656, which would change court procedures for appointing professional personnel in family court cases. A court representative’s written concerns were read into the record, arguing the bill duplicated existing practice, would add unnecessary depositions and recording requirements, could raise costs, and included provisions that were already available under current law. With no bill sponsor or outside speakers present to address those concerns, members expressed uncertainty and the bill failed to receive a due pass recommendation on a 3-6 vote. The meeting ended with closing remarks thanking members and staff for the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there another vote that you can put up in settlement? Oh, I have three more bills, right?
• Is there another vote that you can put up in settlement?
• Is this the monies from the opioid settlement fund? Mr. Sherman, Representative, that is correct.
• For those that haven't been around the last four years, this is the opioid settlement money.
• This is the opioid settlement money.

Bills: SB1317 , SB1655 , SB1656 , SB1751 , SCR1049

Committees: House Judiciary , House House Judiciary Committee of Reference

Keywords: reentry programs, criminal justice, funding, grants, recidivism, attorney general, jury duty, election worker, Arizona Revised Statutes, temporary appointment, civic duty, family court, professional personnel, parenting time, legal decision-making, evidentiary hearings, child custody, ethical standards, capital punishment, death penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, there is a second set of eyes on big things like settlements over a million dollars.
• We've seen in the past some settlements get made for pennies on the dollar for, um, perhaps political
• Uh, there is a second set of eyes on big things like settlements over a million dollars.
• We've seen in the past some settlements get made for pennies on the dollar for, um, perhaps political
• at the last hour without oversight because we have had major settlements as someone was leaving office

Committee: House State Government

Transcript Highlights:

• We've gotten letters from the settlement folks, right?
• Because right now those settlements are not being funded, okay?
• Because right now those settlements are not being funded, okay?
• However, they're planning on spending it for that settlement.
• However, they're planning on spending it for that settlement.

Summary: The committee first took up a House Bill 2 amendment to remove a bail-related section that had already passed in another bill and was now considered duplicative. Members discussed the earlier change to how bail commissioners are reimbursed, concerns that the Judiciary was losing money collecting the fees, and whether the magistrate-related language would still be needed. They noted the bill had already crossed over to the Senate, that the section was obsolete, and that any remaining issue about magistrates’ five-year terms might need to be raised with the Criminal Justice Committee. Amendment 997H, deleting section one, was moved, seconded, and adopted unanimously. The committee then reviewed a package of HB 1 position transfers involving the Department of Environmental Services, Fish and Game, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Staff explained that several positions were being shuffled to correct position numbers and align permitting functions, including one Fish and Game position moving back to Fish and Game, one DEES position remaining funded after ARPA money ends, and adjustments to hours for permitting and environmental services positions. Members discussed whether the Fish and Game position had been intended to be temporary, but ultimately agreed to accept the first four Environmental Services items and the last two Natural and Cultural Resources items as a package; that motion passed unanimously. They then also accepted sections 2 through 8 of HB 1 with the related amendments and footnote language. The committee next turned to dredge-and-fill fee changes in section 11, where one member objected to a 50% fee increase for seasonal docks, arguing it could discourage permitted work and might apply to repairs that only require notification. Staff said the increase was intended to help cover the cost of additional positions in future biennia, but members decided to hold that section for more information, including how many seasonal dock repair fees are actually collected. Finally, the committee began discussing HB 215 and a proposed tipping-fee/surcharge structure to make a solid waste accounting unit self-funded, with members saying the fee could offset about $2.9 million in general fund costs and support the grant program, but no final action was taken on that item in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Senate Bill 1414 grants insurers 30 days to review and respond to third-party settlement demands
• It's a condition of the settlement demand that an affidavit be provided by an insured that contains asset
• Settlement of claims is a public policy of the state, and I think that public policy is furthered by
• Settlement of claims is a public policy of the state, and I think that public policy is furthered by
• In settlement, it could have been taken care of earlier. There's no incentive for them to do that.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee approved the February 2, 2026 minutes and held Senate Bill 1090. It then took up SB 1503, which would require pension fiduciaries and proxy advisory firms to base voting and advice solely on economic interests, prohibit ESG or ideological considerations except in limited circumstances, and authorize attorney general enforcement. The sponsor said the bill was meant to protect investors and align with federal action; supporters argued proxy advisors lack transparency and can influence votes against shareholders’ financial interests. Arizona retirement system representatives said they were neutral but warned the bill would add major operational costs, create reporting burdens, increase litigation risk, and could narrow the market for proxy advisory services. The committee passed SB 1503 on a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered SB 1293, which would bar GPLET abatements from applying to school-district revenue during the eight-year abatement period. Supporters said the bill would protect school funding and reduce the state aid backfill tied to GPLET projects, while opponents from Phoenix, Mesa, and economic development groups said GPLET is a key redevelopment tool that helps finance downtown and blighted-area projects and that the bill would weaken future investment. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1293 on a 4-3 vote. It also heard and passed SB 1414, which gives insurers 30 days to review and respond to third-party settlement demands; insurers supported the bill as a reasonable commercial timeframe, while trial lawyers opposed it as too slow and urged a 15-day standard, with members indicating they expected a possible friendly amendment. Next, the committee heard SB 1633, which would create an Arizona income tax subtraction for capital gains from the sale of a primary residence, after five years of occupancy. Opponents argued it would mainly benefit wealthy homeowners and could cost the state tens of millions annually, while the sponsor said it could help homeowners move without facing large tax bills and improve housing turnover. The committee passed the bill 4-2. It also adopted an amendment to SB 1429, which would have expanded Arizona Commerce Authority board ex officio membership, then held the bill for further consideration. Finally, the committee passed SB 1536, allowing temporary consolidation of street light improvement districts, and heard SB 1724, which clarifies when property splits or consolidations trigger limited property value recalculation, with county assessors supporting the measure as an anti-gaming reform.

Transcript Highlights:

• It does say insurance records related to claim settlement.
• </c><00:24:06.080><c> I</c> records related to claim settlement.
• I records related to claim settlement.
• </c> When it comes to the insurance records related to claim settlement. Mr. Walker.
• . settlement. settlement.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• If you specifically want us to comment on the recent settlement.
• We entered into a settlement with the family for $725,000.
• How much money has the state of Arkansas paid out on these wrongful death settlements?
• I know that there has been a settlement said, but money does not bring back Zachary.
• And that just happened the 27th, the day that the settlement was signed. So where's the change?

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the critical reasons is settlement time.
• So from a payments perspective or from an equities perspective, settlement takes time.
• Second, we want to enable real-time trading and settlement.
• </c> enable real time trading and settlement. enable real time trading and settlement.
• </c> Again really shortening that settlement Again really shortening that settlement time<00:12:08.959

Summary: The meeting began with roll call and approval of the prior meeting minutes, which passed unanimously. Members then introduced the day’s presentations, including one on the Canton network and another on tokenizing real-world assets, with a focus on how blockchain systems can support regulated financial institutions and asset tokenization. Julie, the director of policy and government affairs at Digital Asset, presented on the Canton network, describing it as a privacy-enabled public blockchain designed for regulated finance. She said tokenization should preserve the same legal and economic rights as the underlying asset, and argued that blockchain-based books and records can shorten settlement times, improve 24/7 trading, and reduce friction in capital markets. She identified three main barriers to institutional adoption of public blockchains: lack of privacy, limited throughput/scalability, and lack of control for compliance purposes such as freezing assets, pausing transactions, and meeting AML/sanctions obligations. She explained Canton’s structure as a public, permissionless network with application-level privacy controls, a global synchronizer, and super validators chosen by vote. She also highlighted current ecosystem participants and use cases, including Broadridge, Circle, and the DTCC’s planned tokenization of U.S. Treasuries on the network. Members and online participants asked about the relationship between tokenized assets and the Clarity Act, tokenized deposits, safeguards for faster settlement, and whether the platform could be used for municipal or property records. Julie said Digital Asset was not taking a position on rewards, but supported clearer statutory definitions because tokenized securities should carry the same rights as the underlying assets and investors need to know whether a token is a true tokenized security or a synthetic/reference token. She said the company is agnostic on whether the cash leg is stablecoins or tokenized deposits, though it expects both to develop. In response to concerns about rapid settlement, she pointed to institution-level permissions and SEC disclosure expectations as safeguards. She also said the technology could be used for other records, including potentially property-related records, if those assets can be tokenized.

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, merchants through payment cards have faster settlements.
• we've seen, for example, the industry move forward with a historic, multi-billion-dollar litigation settlement
• We're also aware of the issue, you know, was part of the litigation settlement that I addressed.
• And I think we've shown through the litigation settlement and in other ways that we've tried to be very
• just asked and encouraged to give the commission a little bit of an update on the federal lawsuit settlement

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission studying the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses held what leaders described as its last public hearing, though they said the commission would continue meeting to develop a report and recommendations. Chair Paul Feeney and other members noted the issue is complex and that they had sought testimony from a wide range of stakeholders before moving into a more deliberative phase. The commission adjourned after hearing from several in-person and virtual witnesses. Banking and card-industry witnesses, including the Massachusetts Bankers Association, the Card Coalition, the Electronic Payments Coalition, and others, argued that payment cards provide major benefits to consumers and merchants, including convenience, fraud protection, fast settlement, and broad access to electronic commerce. They warned that state-level changes to interchange rules could create a patchwork of conflicting requirements, disrupt global payment systems, and especially affect state-chartered community banks and small businesses. Several also said recent federal actions and litigation, including OCC and NCUA preemption rules and the Illinois interchange-fee litigation, have limited the practical reach of state laws. Restaurant, retail, and convenience-store witnesses pushed for relief from swipe fees, saying independent businesses operate on thin margins and pay fees on amounts that are not really their revenue, such as sales tax and gratuities. They urged transparency, the ability to surcharge, vendor compensation for tax collection, and limits on interchange or related fees. Some witnesses said merchants bear significant fraud and chargeback costs and that banks and card networks have not offered enough direct relief. Commissioners asked questions about surcharging, fee regulation, fraud, and whether industry should share more of the burden. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adjourning the hearing.