Transcript Highlights:

• It clarifies the types of events that constitute disasters and emergencies for the purposes of emergency
• It clarifies the types of events that constitute disasters and emergencies for the purposes of emergency
• for the purposes of emergencies for the purposes of Emergency<00:10:29.000><c> Management</c><00:10:
• 29.360><c> agement</c><00:10:30.360><c> and</c> Emergency Management agement and Emergency Management
• </c> the flood of litigation that will emerge the flood of litigation that will emerge because<00:16:

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs heard testimony on several public safety and criminal justice measures. HB 433 HD1 would appropriate funds for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation re-entry services; DCR Director Tommy Johnson said the department supports the bill’s intent but noted the same $4 million request is in the governor’s executive budget, and the Correctional System Oversight Commission, Public Defender, ACLU, OHA, Chamber of Commerce, and other groups testified in support. Members asked whether the funding was already in the governor’s budget, and Johnson confirmed it was requested there for the next two fiscal years. HB 1045 would make emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and the Department of Law Enforcement, DAGS, Budget and Finance, and the Judiciary testified in support, with DLE saying the amounts match what Budget and Finance will present. HB 1296 would require timely notice and reporting to the Legislature when the governor transfers money to the major disaster fund; Budget and Finance and the Governor’s office offered comments, and no opposition was noted. HB 1002 would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify inspection authority; DCR and the commission supported it, with the commission saying a longer term would help the coordinator do the job effectively and allow inspections without notice. HB 596 would clarify what events qualify as disasters and emergencies for emergency management purposes. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency opposed the bill, while maritime and Grassroot Institute representatives supported it. Members asked whether the bill’s 21-day limit should be extended to 30 days, and HEMA said it opposed any change that would limit the governor’s flexibility in the response phase. The committee also heard HB 1128 HD1, which would set factors for warrantless arrests for petty misdemeanors and violations and require officers to record the justification. The Office of the Public Defender, ACLU, and some reform advocates supported it as a check on police discretion and a way to encourage citations, while the Attorney General, Honolulu Police Department, prosecutors, DLE, county police chiefs, SHOPO, and others opposed it as too restrictive and likely to create litigation and court delays. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I did the operational finance.
• I'm owner and founder of Emergent Construction.
• It is just for an emergency overflow.
• The plant in Tracy really needed operating capital.
• Emergent, I believe, is organized by the laborers.

Summary: The Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation met to examine how industrialized construction, including modular, panelized, manufactured, and 3D-printed building methods, could help lower California’s housing costs and speed delivery. Chair Buffy Wicks opened by describing the committee’s purpose as a cross-cutting effort to address construction costs, drawing on visits to factories in Sweden, Idaho, and Indiana. Members from both the committee and invited participants broadly agreed that California’s housing crisis is driven not only by land use and permitting, but also by high construction costs, labor shortages, and a lack of scalable innovation. Ben Metcalf of UC Berkeley’s Turner Center provided the main policy overview, saying California needs roughly 2.5 million additional homes by 2030 and that multifamily construction costs in the state can be far higher than in Texas or Colorado. He said factory-built housing can reduce hard costs and timelines under the right conditions, but barriers remain in financing, local code and design review, uncertain demand pipelines, and fragmented research and data. In response to committee questions, he discussed possible state actions such as pro-housing incentives, state-backed purchasing or subsidies, more standardized approvals, and better research infrastructure. Members also raised the need to involve labor and building trades in the process. A panel of developers and builders then described projects and cost savings from factory-built and related methods. Caleb Rupp of Pacific Companies said modular construction can save about 20% on average and cited a project where modular delivery reduced the need for public subsidy by $18 million; he suggested incentives such as tax exemptions, state-owned sites, third-party inspections, and limits on local code variation. Lois Kim of Mutual Housing California described a pipeline of more than 660 units across six jurisdictions, saying a predictable factory pipeline can reduce construction time by about 40% and total development costs by at least 10%. Danny Haber of O’WOW said standardized design, componentized construction, and mass timber can cut costs substantially, while also criticizing outdated codes, utility hookup fees, and financing costs. Donna Jamian of Emergent Construction described California’s first code-approved 3D concrete printing projects, including homes in Redding and work on a commercial building and fire-recovery projects in Altadena. She said current codes have not caught up to the technology and asked for participation in local self-certification programs. Committee members asked about the role of state incentives, code alignment, financing support, and how to build developer confidence after failures like Katerra. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further hearings and a forthcoming white paper with policy recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• They opened the emergency doors and helped their injured peers off the bus.
• Seeing none, I declare Senate Bill 1806 to have passed as an emergency measure. Mr.
• Your prior measure 346 had an emergency.
• Seeing none, I declare Senate Bill 346 to have passed as an emergency. Mr.
• Seeing none, I declare Senate Bill 514 to have passed as an emergency measure.

Bills: SJR47 , SB1491 , SB1579 , SB1806 , SB1552 , SB483 , SB63 , SB137 , SB346 , SB514 , SB1344 , SB1360 , SB1380 , SB1437 , SB1189 , SB1217 , SB1221 , SB1262 , SB1272 , SB1325 , SB1339 , SB201

Keywords: voter ID, elections, constitutional amendment, Oklahoma, proof of identity, presidential electors, vacancies, oath of office, political party, property tax, valuation increase, taxpayer rights, homestead, protest process, foster care, adoption assistance, transitioning youth, Department of Human Services, voluntary services, county home rule charter

Transcript Highlights:

• So you were saying yes, in labs, but if a patient shows up in the emergency room, those labs don't have
• Well, emergency rooms are always very difficult to do that because you don't have much time, right?
• He's a professor of emergency medicine.
• We operate a county helpline.
• Emergency room visits are not up. This is a manufactured crisis, plain and simple.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), focusing on public health risks, overdose deaths, and regulatory gaps in California. The chair opened by noting that FDA and CDPH consider kratom and 7-OH products unlawful, yet they remain widely sold in smoke shops, vape stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. Members referenced AB 1088, which would be considered later, and said the hearing was intended to clarify the science, medical perspective, and whether stronger safeguards are needed. The first panel featured a toxicology expert, state and local public health officials, an emergency/addiction physician, a medical examiner, and county health representatives. Witnesses from CDPH and Los Angeles County described rising deaths and enforcement actions, including statewide advisories, retailer letters, and product removals from manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Medical testimony emphasized that 7-OH acts much more like an opioid than traditional kratom leaf, can cause dependence, withdrawal, and respiratory depression, and may require naloxone, buprenorphine, or methadone in overdose or withdrawal cases. Local officials said enforcement is difficult because packaging is inconsistent, testing capacity is limited, and counties lack resources and statewide infrastructure; they generally favored a centralized state framework if regulation is pursued. Committee members asked about testing, age restrictions, scheduling, and whether a distinction between kratom and 7-OH could be enforced. Witnesses said forensic labs can potentially test for 7-OH but validated assays are not routine, emergency departments cannot readily distinguish exposures, and local health departments do not have the lab capacity to verify product labels. Several officials warned that a ban or abrupt scheduling could push products into the black market and discourage research, while others argued that current prohibition and enforcement are the most protective approach because legalization or age-limited regulation could create confusion about legality and safety. The second panel included kratom and 7-OH advocates and industry representatives, who argued that natural kratom leaf and concentrated or synthetic 7-OH are different products and should be regulated differently. They supported age-gating, labeling, testing, and packaging rules for kratom leaf while opposing a ban on the botanical. They said 7-OH is used by many adults for pain relief or harm reduction, and that prohibition would drive consumers to illicit markets and worsen harm. Committee members pressed them on whether 7-OH is more potent than kratom, the availability of testing, and whether any safe dose is known. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, with the chair noting the issue will continue to be considered in future legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> fee for service you know operations fee for service you know operations Sometimes<00:41:03.640><
• </c> there are University facility operations there are University facility operations to<00:41:20.520
• </c> responding to reacting to emerging responding to reacting to emerging pandemic pandemic pandemic
• The scale of the operations is not enough to support the clinical operations needed.
• ><c> clinical</c><01:18:28.280><c> operations</c><01:18:28.880><c> needed</c> support the clinical operations

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Medicaid portal is operating efficiently today and was never intended to be shut down.
• The problem has been clarified, and the Medicaid portal is fully operational as we speak. Mr.
• Sir, the direct payments are different than how the government operates.
• When he promoted Operation Warp Speed, he was looking at all of the issues.
• I think President Trump deserves a lot of credit for Operation Warp Speed.

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:14.720><c> the</c> Minnesota participate and operate the Minnesota participate and operate
• </c><00:24:06.960><c> Farmers</c> winwin in my work with emerging Farmers winwin in my work with emerging
• market for them for that is an emerging market for them for these<00:24:33.520><c> emerging</c><00:24
• </c> creates it also creates operational creates it also creates operational efficiencies<01:05:21.960
• </c> in place and thoroughly operational in place and thoroughly operational toward<01:09:58.760><c>

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They opened the emergency doors and helped their injured peers off the bus.
• Seeing none, I declare Senate Bill 1806 to have passed as an emergency measure. Mr.
• You know, more specific plans around emergency management.
• Senator Bergstrom, your prior measure, 346, had an emergency.
• Senator Bergstrom, your prior measure, 346, had an emergency.

Bills: SJR47 , SB1491 , SB1579 , SB1806 , SB1552 , SB483 , SB63 , SB137 , SB346 , SB514 , SB1344 , SB1360 , SB1380 , SB1437 , SB1189 , SB1217 , SB1221 , SB1262 , SB1272 , SB1325 , SB1339 , SB201

Keywords: voter ID, elections, constitutional amendment, Oklahoma, proof of identity, presidential electors, vacancies, oath of office, political party, property tax, valuation increase, taxpayer rights, homestead, protest process, foster care, adoption assistance, transitioning youth, Department of Human Services, voluntary services, county home rule charter

Summary: The Senate began with a quorum call, a ceremonial recognition of two Elgin High School students, Clayton Raoul and Leon Anderson, and bus driver Kevin McDonald for their heroic actions during a March 2 bus crash. A citation was read honoring their selfless efforts to evacuate injured students and assist first responders. The chamber also introduced several student pages and recognized visiting groups in the gallery, including Impact Oklahoma and the Ardmore Leadership Group. The Senate then considered several bills. Senate Bill 1491, requiring appointed presidential electors to take the same oath as other electors, advanced and passed. Senate Bill 1579, which requires assessors to mail taxpayers a statement of rights when property valuations increase, also advanced and passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1806, extending foster care eligibility to age 21 for those who opt in and meet program requirements, drew supportive debate about helping youth transition to adulthood; it advanced and passed as an emergency measure. A lengthy debate followed on Senate Bill 1552, which would allow certain large counties to pursue home rule charters through a voter-approved process. Supporters argued it would give populous counties more flexibility and local control, while opponents raised concerns about unequal treatment, population-based governance, rural representation, and possible constitutional issues. The bill advanced and then passed 26-18. Senate Bill 483, authorizing county-run relocation assistance programs funded by private donations for voluntarily relocating individuals, especially homeless persons, also prompted extensive questions about liability, trafficking concerns, accountability, and whether it could shift people between jurisdictions; it advanced and passed 39-6. Finally, Senate Bill 63, raising school board member stipends from $25 to $190 per meeting under permissive language, advanced over concerns about cost and then moved to final passage, with debate beginning at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Army and all forces in the Special Operations Command.
• Such reasonably believes as an emergency or an unlawful act.
• So, I mean, you cited to the emergency context, I guess, so let's focus on that.
• In the emergency context, I don't... Senator Martin: Thank you.
• In the emergency context, I don't...

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, prayer, pledge, and several recognitions, including remarks from Senator Berman on Democratic priorities and introductions of military leaders and an intern. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, with many bills substituted to House companions, amended, and passed, while several others were temporarily postponed. Major measures approved included the dangerous dogs/Pam Rock Act (SB 572/HB 593), which tightened penalties and procedures for dog attacks and passed 36-0; local government land regulation (SB 1080), which was amended to remove agricultural enclave language and passed 26-8; vessel/freedom-related legislation (SB 1388/HB 1137), which passed 35-0; blood clot screening and treatment (SB 890/HB 1421), which added registry and training provisions and passed 36-0; fleeing or eluding law enforcement (SB 468/HB 113), which increased offense levels and passed 36-0; concealed carry/licensing for certain officers and service members (SB 490/HB 383), which passed 33-3; timeshare management (SB 496/HB 897), which clarified governance and annual meeting requirements and passed 36-0; background screening education (SB 614/HB 531), which created a public webpage and passed 36-0; utility service restrictions (SB 1002/HB 1137), which preempted local energy-source restrictions and passed 36-0; Medicaid oversight (SB 1060), which created a joint oversight committee and passed 35-0; health facilities authorities (SB 68), amended to make fentanyl urine screening more discretionary, and passed 36-0; and veterans’ nursing home beds (SB 78/HB 797), which authorized veteran- and spouse-designated beds and passed 36-0. The chamber also passed disability history and awareness instruction (SB 540/HB 447), a highly personal bill honoring Evan Hartzell that drew extended debate about disability language, inclusion, and education; it passed 35-0 after 35 co-sponsors were added. Manufacturing policy bills SB 600 and SB 602 were approved after amendments to add reporting, ranking metrics, and fee-use restrictions, both passing 35-0. Educational opportunities for military children (SB 1528) passed 36-0 after testimony from student sponsors and senators praising the bill’s origin. Several other bills, including Medicaid oversight, mammograms, Parkinson’s disease, condominium/cooperative associations, waste management, human trafficking, and Bright Futures, were postponed or not taken up during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• These examinations may identify operational deficiencies.
• ...emergency physicians in support. Any folks in opposition?
• Federal immigration officers are operating under different legal authority.
• Non-emergency violations don't stay static.
• Yet SB 1365 treats all private entities operating detention facilities...

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's operating costs. We subsidize this.
• through Grow to see if it's actually functional operating out of there.
• On line 80, increase the PET operational budget by a small degree.
• On line 80, increase the pet operational budget by a small degree.
• So you said 28, 29, and then you said three and where the operating reserve needs to be.

Bills: SB152 , SB145 , SB190 , HB247

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we focus on emergency services as well. ...and again, the Emergency Welfare Services SNAP program
• We operate what's called the... ...children.
• So it's a pretty big operation going on there.
• We also operate the Quality Stars program.
• Would you include... actually operates.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Who's really going to be operating it? Who's going to have some management?
• Who's really going to be operating it? Who's going to have some management?
• Who's really going to be operating it? Who's going to have some management?
• </c> operating at a deficit. operating at a deficit.
• </c><00:32:32.640><c> services</c> and with our other emergency services and with our other emergency

Bills: HB0111 , HB0112 , HB0122

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: capital construction, state funding, Wyoming, major maintenance, community colleges, task force, legislative services, budget appropriation, unexpended funds, sunset clause, healthcare, rural health, transformation program, funding, incentives, training, access, perpetuity fund, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have several different committees that we run our operations through.
• For years, we operated just the public project revolving fund.
• And I wanted to spend time just on the top 3 programs that we operate.
• So we've been operating this program since 1994 when we made the first loan.
• We operate that program in partnership with MERD.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it in the youth operator program.
• </c><04:08:47.760><c> of</c> Uh, basically, uh, impaired operation of Uh, basically, uh, impaired operation
• They are being seen at our emergency rooms.
• They are being seen at our emergency rooms.
• They are being seen at our emergency rooms.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused primarily on House Bill 1087 and House Bill 123, both related to firearms. HB 1087 was introduced as a Second Amendment measure, but after questions from the chair and discussion with law enforcement, the sponsor agreed it should be set aside and referred to a study committee for further review, rather than advanced as written. The New Hampshire Chiefs of Police Association testified in opposition to the bill as written, while also indicating support for the sponsor’s proposed amendment or a study approach. The bulk of the discussion centered on HB 123, which would require the return of firearms after a not guilty verdict or dismissal. The sponsor and several members described the bill’s purpose as speeding up the return of property, but law enforcement and judicial branch witnesses raised concerns about federal law, the need to ensure a person is still legally eligible to possess firearms, and the bill’s 24-hour return requirement. Witnesses from the State Police and judicial branch explained the current process, including background checks through the state police gun line, and said the existing procedure already aims to return firearms promptly while allowing time to verify disqualifying information. Members and witnesses discussed possible amendments, including removing language that would bar background checks and instead tying return of firearms to completion of the check within a set time frame. Judicial branch and State Police witnesses said a process that requires a background check and return within a reasonable period, with notice if there is a delay or denial, would better address safety and legal concerns. The hearing ended without a vote; the committee closed the public hearing and indicated it would continue working on the language before executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• the passage of Initiative 695 in 1999, our ferry system has lacked full dedicated funding for its operations
• Along with providing them some money for their routes, alternate routes, and for their emergency support
• Because we're now at full operating capability, and obviously occasionally there's some hiccups when
• We also propose the creation of an emergency response team so that when the vessels hit logs and have
• We'd like to—we see that there's enough of those emergent conditions that happen with our aging fleet

Summary: Senate Transportation Committee Chair Marko Liias and Ranking Member Curtis King presented the Senate transportation budget package, describing three bills: a supplemental transportation budget, a bond proposal, and a resources bill with technical updates to last year’s law. They said the package prioritizes preservation and maintenance of highways, bridges, ferries, and flood-damaged infrastructure, along with safety investments such as additional funding for preservation-related safety work, State Patrol staffing, and tribal traffic safety. They also emphasized job creation from infrastructure spending and said the plan uses no new taxes, relying instead on bonding and existing revenue changes. The senators highlighted several major elements, including about $1.7 billion for preservation over six years, $1.1 billion in bonding, a $400 million reserve for cost increases, funding to complete the first three new ferries, disaster relief loans for local transportation agencies, Columbia River dredging, and funding for the Fairfax Bridge and related alternate routes. The resources bill would create a mobile driver’s license program, dedicate a portion of future sales tax revenue to ferry operations, and repeal the luxury aircraft tax while replacing it with higher aviation fuel taxes and annual registration fees. They said the ferry system still needs more vessels beyond the first three, but they want more study before committing to a longer-term procurement plan. In response to questions, the senators said WSDOT will determine specific preservation project priorities, including paving and bridge work, and that the budget does not add new passenger-only ferry operating money now that domestic ferry service has largely been restored. They also said the package includes studies on leasing hydrogen ferries and updating the in-state shipyard bid credit, and that flood recovery funding was structured to help local governments repair roads now while waiting for possible federal FEMA reimbursement. No votes were taken in the transcript; the discussion was a budget rollout and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So then they were underfunding their operating.
• operating because they had taken from operating to fund his salary in the budget request.
• The 134 is— Operating, the 134 is what OMB established as what was removed in operating and added to
• So are those dollars needed for the operating, or what is the—on page 9, the operating fee says $315.
• They can move between operating and salaries.

Committee: House Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 2025, the Veterans Home/Veterans Affairs budget, and worked through the long sheet line by line. Members discussed base payroll, salary and health insurance increases, FTE pool adjustments, IT rate increases, operating expenses, transportation grants, the PTSD service dog program, salary equity requests, temporary help/intern funding, a Veterans Benefit Specialist FTE, accrued leave, and several one-time or carryover items including the Fisher House, document scanning, and veterans medical transportation. The committee also reviewed proposed policy language that would shift governance authority for the Veterans Home and Department of Veterans Affairs from the Administrative Committee on Veterans Affairs to the governor, and would remove board authority over salary-setting and related hiring powers. A major portion of the meeting focused on clarifying the commissioner salary equity line and how the agency had shifted operating dollars to fund the commissioner’s current salary increase. After discussion with agency staff and Lonnie, the committee voted to remove the separate commissioner salary equity increase line and instead restore operating funding, ultimately setting the operating line at $50,000 above the prior amount rather than fully funding the executive request. The committee also approved funding for the Veterans Benefit Specialist FTE, approved a carryforward/exemption for accrued leave, approved authority to accept $200,000 in federal transportation grant funds, approved the $500,000 transfers related to veterans homelessness, and approved the exemption language for certain federal/state fiscal recovery funds after discussing whether the funds were properly obligated. On the governance amendment, members expressed concern about making a major policy change in an appropriations bill, but also frustration over the board’s salary actions. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment transferring governance authority to the governor by a 7-1 vote. The committee also approved a smaller amount for veteran service officer salary equity than requested, and rejected funding for temporary salaries and an intern. The chair then directed staff to prepare the amended bill for further action, with the committee planning to revisit it once the revised version was ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• The committees that are, you know, enabling us to operate in a bipartisan way have also explored the
• The committees that are, you know, enabling us to operate in a bipartisan way have also explored the
• The committees that are, you know, enabling us to operate in a bipartisan way have also explored the
• </c> Interstellar space continue to operate Interstellar space continue to operate with<03:30:58.399>
• I do not concur that the added spending is truly for emergency needs.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 24, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Should they be able operations at all.
• </c> >> Uh, and that's because we're out of the emergency time frame.
• If maybe it shouldn't be a whole new line item because the emergency is over.
• President, Senator Albritton, um, this is the provider tax for emergency EMTs."
• <01:39:59.520><c> u</c> emergency u emergency u EMTs.<01:40:02.960><c> There</c><01:40:03.199><c> we<

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. It adopted motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with reading the prior journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be taken up throughout the day. The chamber received multiple House messages and a gubernatorial confirmation, including House Bill 1 on motor vehicles, Senate Bill 170 on health insurance, and Senate confirmation 90 for Chenica Johnson Anom to the Alabama Cickle Cell Oversight and Regulatory Commission, all of which were referred to the appropriate committees. The Senate later concurred in the House amendment to Senate Bill 170 by a 29-0-1 vote. Committee reports covered a wide range of measures, with favorable reports and, in several cases, amendments or substitutes. Judiciary reported favorably on House Bills 228, 132, 347, 405, 86, 263, and 302, and on Senate Bills 318 and 260; State Government Affairs reported favorably on House Bills 435, 97, and 407 and Senate Bill 361; Education Policy reported favorably on Senate Bills 337 and House Bills 520 and 75; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development reported favorably on House Bills 303 and 477 and Senate Bills 360, 325, 329, and 330; Transportation and Energy reported favorably on Senate Bills 341, 354, and 340; Veterans and Military Affairs reported favorably on House Bills 465 and 307 and Senate Bills 338 and 359; and Local Legislation reported favorably on Jefferson County Senate Bill 243 and Shelby County House Bill 532. These reports generally advanced the bills to second reading and placement on the next legislative day’s calendar. The Senate also confirmed George Pierce to the Alabama Ethics Commission by a 33-0 vote after a favorable committee report, with several senators offering brief remarks of congratulations. In motions and resolutions, the chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 77 honoring the Section boys basketball team and Senate Joint Resolution 78 honoring the North Sand Mountain girls basketball team for state championships. It also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 79 establishing a legislative study commission on child sexual abuse laws and policies. A senator additionally urged colleagues to support broadband expansion efforts in rural Alabama and to ask the education chair to place HB 4 on the agenda. The most substantial floor discussion concerned Senate Bill 146, the state general fund budget substitute. The sponsor explained several budget provisions, including a $12 million transfer and an additional $5 million for the judiciary to address funding for newly created judgeships, a conditional $40 million for the Department of Corrections tied to progress on the Elmore and Escambia prison projects, conditional funding for DHR tied to reducing its federal error rate and developing a SNAP-related plan, conditional mental health funding tied to reporting and data requirements, and language preserving legislative control over certain federal rural health care funds. The Senate adopted the committee substitute for SB 146 by a 32-0-1 vote and then continued with the budget explanation as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• as firefighters and EMTs, are often exposed to blood and bodily fluids when they're out providing emergency
• New language is added requiring out-of-state licensees operating in the state to register within 30 days
• There is some ability for reciprocity, but they have to register when operating in the state within 30
• to offer written notice of discharge, whether that's... ...whether that's a 30-day notice or an emergency
• Moss, would you clarify what an emergency discharge is?

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all