Video & Transcript : 'Middle East' :

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LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

House of Representatives May 12th, 2026

Louisiana House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • But in the middle of all that grief, ...son with dignity and grace.
  • But in the middle of all that grief, something amazing happened that I'll never forget.
  • In East Baton Rouge, and again, they had 27 judges, you look at East Baton Rouge, they have 23,000.
  • You look at East Baton Rouge, they have 23,000, and they only have 15 judges.
  • Sixty in Caddo, 31 in East Baton Rouge, 53 in St.
Bills: HR265 , HR266 , HR267 , HR268 , HR269 , HR270 , HR271 , HR272 , HR273 , HCR107 , HCR108 , HCR109 , HCR110 , HCR111 , HR257 , HR258 , HR259 , HR260 , HR261 , HR262 , HR263 , HCR105 , HCR106 , SCR30 , SB57 , SB157 , SB202 , SB237 , SB276 , SB450 , SB465 , SB501 , SB525 , HR3 , HR80 , HR197 , HR243 , SCR5 , SCR35 , HB4 , HB623 , HB944 , HB986 , HB1098 , HB1222 , SB34 , SB164 , SB172 , SB198 , SB208 , SB232 , SB281 , SB286 , SB317 , SB322 , SB334 , SB380 , SB385 , SB409 , SB417 , SB421 , SB430 , SB439 , SB447 , SB458 , SB510 , SB398 , HB646 , HR84 , HR188 , HR205 , SCR19 , SCR3 , SCR6 , SCR18 , SCR11 , SCR22 , SCR2 , SCR20 , SCR24 , HCR6 , HB301 , HB359 , HB657 , HB675 , HB680 , HB727 , HB302 , HB819 , HB1257 , HB1258 , SB8 , SB10 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB14 , SB16 , SB17 , SB18 , SB20 , SB21 , SB22 , SB40 , SB48 , SB55 , SB69 , SB75 , SB77 , SB78 , SB85 , SB102 , SB115 , SB133 , SB140 , SB148 , SB151 , SB165 , SB169 , SB170 , SB185 , SB197 , SB200 , SB217 , SB235 , SB278 , SB280 , SB291 , SB300 , SB303 , SB315 , SB324 , SB330 , SB411 , SB416 , SB420 , SB436 , SB438 , SB449 , SB455 , SB456 , SB477 , SB489 , SB521 , SB45 , SB58 , SB71 , SB81 , SB92 , SB100 , SB109 , SB141 , SB156 , SB181 , SB203 , SB204 , SB205 , SB207 , SB213 , SB214 , SB216 , SB229 , SB257 , SB274 , SB290 , SB304 , SB374 , SB379 , SB396 , SB410 , SB425 , SB427 , SB429 , SB479 , SB522 , HCR72 , HB633 , HB603 , HB940 , HB251 , HB775 , HB998 , HB1191 , HB625 , HB1255 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1240 , SB82 , SB89 , HB258 , HB842 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441
Summary: The House convened with prayer, the pledge, roll call, and several personal privileges recognizing visitors and special observances, including Transportation Day and a day without child care at the Capitol. Members also honored the Southern University Laboratory School track teams, early childhood educators, and later offered condolences and tributes, including a memorial resolution for Derek Butler’s family and birthday recognitions for members and staff. The chamber received Senate messages, committee reports, and introduced or adopted several resolutions and bills throughout the day. A major portion of the floor was devoted to retirement-system cleanup and funding bills, including Senate Bills 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21. Members and authors explained these measures as technical changes to simplify contribution formulas, separate funding for COLAs and benefit increases from debt paydown, and update reemployment or benefit rules for retirees in various systems. Most of these bills passed with large margins after brief questions about whether they would affect automatic debt reduction; authors repeatedly said they would not stop debt paydown. Other measures passed on topics such as emergency vehicle procedures, international driving reciprocity with Ireland, seat belt use, port commission appointments, GOHSEP cybersecurity authority, storage facility rental rules, biomarker testing coverage, DNA sample collection procedures, and a law-institute bill on movable-property leases. The House also adopted HCR 72, the Jonas A. Feeley Act, which memorializes Congress to expedite research and treatment development for acute myeloid leukemia in honor of a deceased veteran, and H.B. 1258, which directs the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on handling unlawfully possessed sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. Another notable bill, Senate Bill 200, created a process for expropriating property tied to foreign adversaries near military bases, with amendments allowing voluntary divestment before expropriation. Most measures were adopted by wide margins, with co-author votes taken on some resolutions and bills tabled or returned to the calendar when requested. The most extended debate centered on Senate Bill 217, which would reduce the number of judges in Orleans Parish courts based on a statewide workload study. Supporters said the National Center for State Courts study showed Orleans had more judges than comparable parishes and that the bill would right-size the courts and save about $2.1 million. Opponents questioned the study’s methodology, the lack of Orleans delegation involvement, the counting of cases, the absence of uniform statewide clerk-of-court standards, and whether reducing criminal judges made sense given crime concerns. Despite the criticism, the bill was advanced after lengthy questioning, while the chamber continued to move other bills and resolutions forward.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

House of Representatives Apr 15th, 2026

Louisiana House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Hoverty, composition of the board of commissioners, Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East
  • House Bill 444 by Representative Marcel, Recreation Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge
  • In other words, when the districts change in East Baton Rouge Parish, will this body have to amend the
  • Since 1994, the filing fee has not been raised in East Baton Rouge Parish for the Juvenile Court.
  • Members, this repeals a bill we passed two years ago for East Baton Rouge Parish specifically.
Bills: HR153 , HR154 , HR155 , HR156 , HR157 , HR158 , HCR57 , HCR58 , HCR59 , HR133 , HR134 , HR135 , HR136 , HR137 , HR138 , HR139 , HR140 , HR141 , HR142 , HR144 , HR145 , HR146 , HR147 , HR148 , HR149 , HR150 , HR151 , HR152 , SCR28 , SB141 , SB169 , SB206 , SB233 , SB417 , SB421 , SB429 , SB437 , SB477 , SB510 , SB521 , HR1 , HR17 , HCR5 , HB55 , HB385 , HB394 , HB396 , HB406 , HB608 , HB622 , HB676 , HB772 , HB897 , HB902 , HB943 , HB1030 , HB1035 , HB1038 , HB1045 , HB1049 , HB1056 , HB1058 , HB1059 , HB1092 , HB1100 , HB1117 , HB1160 , HB1161 , HB1162 , HB1177 , HB1180 , HB1189 , HB1216 , HB1239 , HB1240 , SB127 , HB284 , HB1 , HB2 , HB3 , HB312 , HB313 , HB383 , HB314 , HCR3 , HB983 , HB1126 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB376 , HB377 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB211 , HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB241 , HB244 , HB306 , HB345 , HB366 , HB446 , HB511 , HB514 , HB655 , HB730 , HB743 , HB1027 , HB1037 , HB1043 , HB1082 , HB1091 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1230 , HB1237 , HB1238 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , HB401 , HB51 , HB58 , HB140 , HB982 , HB1010 , HB132 , HB193 , HB635 , HB690 , HB1003 , HB750 , HB911 , HB151 , HB180 , HB192 , HB310 , HB961 , HB1146 , HB977 , HB181 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB9 , HB393 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773 , HB996 , HB1113
Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened in prayer, and led the pledge. The bulk of the early portion of the meeting consisted of personal privileges and recognitions, including ARC Appreciation Day, Teach for America, Film Louisiana, the Child Care Association of Louisiana, Textron Systems, Iberville Parish Day, AARP Louisiana Family Caregiver Day, and several visiting groups and honorees. The chamber also received Senate messages, enrolled and introduced resolutions, and referred a number of Senate bills to committee. The House then took up a long series of bills, many of them local or technical measures, with most passing by wide margins. Among the bills adopted were measures on municipal and teachers’ retirement systems, retired clerk insurance funds, fire and police civil service, a local Cameron Parish insurance program, specialty courts, jury bond filing by paper check, non-compete limits for interns and apprentices, a memorial bridge naming for Lance Cpl. Justin D. McLeese, veteran points in civil service exams, provisional fire/police appointments, special masters in complex litigation, judicial and court-cost funding measures, aerial applicator safety rules, cell-cultured food labeling, wine and spirits container standards, nonprofit eligibility to appoint economic development commissioners, a homeless diversion pilot program in Orleans, animal shelter standards, a Fort Oge police chief appointment change, retirement benefit calculations for divorced firefighters, an alcohol-permit moratorium in Shreveport, waste-collection contract renewal authority, and a backdrop retirement option for certain judges. There was one notable defeat: House Bill 444, which would have added legislative seats to the East Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission, failed on a 37-49 vote after debate over whether legislators should appoint themselves to the board and whether the proposal had adequate stakeholder support. House Bill 284 on expropriation also failed earlier by a 48-47 vote and was returned to the calendar. Several other measures were temporarily returned to the calendar or held over, and some bills were referred or received amendments before final passage. Most final votes were unanimous or near-unanimous, and the House repeatedly adopted titles and motions to table after passage.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 03/03/25

Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:
  • Others exist in the middle.
  • Design</c><00:09:18.839><c> all</c><00:09:18.959><c> of</c><00:09:19.120><c> us</c> exist in the middle
  • The Heights is the redevelopment on the east side, a 112-acre site providing 1,000 units of affordable
  • The Heights is the redevelopment on the east side, a 112-acre site providing 1,000 units of affordable
  • And one provided funding for The Heights, which is the large project on the east side of St.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Legacy Finance Committee 3/25/26

Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • I can't tell you how much snowmaking on the east side of the region has opened up opportunities for so
  • I can't tell you how much snowmaking on the east side of the region has opened up opportunities for so
  • I can't tell you how much snowmaking on the east side of the region has opened up opportunities for so
  • Uh, and then the middle and right slide, we had a wonderful well-known artist at Teduch State Park who
  • I went out there in the middle of park.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Let me extend that and say that what you're doing is you're jumping California right into the middle
  • This is one of the things that's funding the wars in Europe and in the Middle East is crypto money.
  • So it just seems like, you know, to do that in the middle of pending litigation against Coinbase that
  • As I shared earlier, happy to continue dialogue in hopes of finding some sort of middle ground and compromise
  • As I shared earlier, happy to continue dialogue in hopes of finding some sort of middle ground and compromise
Summary: The committee took up AB 2285, a bill related to cryptocurrency staking and broader crypto regulatory issues. The author said the amendments would give California clearer guidelines for staking-as-a-service, maintain consumer disclosures, and remove a fee cap to make the business model workable. Supporters, including representatives of the Crypto Council for Innovation and the Satoshi Action Fund, said the bill would provide needed clarity and help Californians participate in blockchain-related opportunities. Opposition came from the Consumer Federation of California and credit union representatives, who argued the bill would weaken consumer protections, create an uneven playing field for state-chartered institutions, and move California into the middle of unresolved federal debates over the Clarity Act. They also raised concerns about fraud, money laundering, and the effect of the bill on DFPI’s authority and pending litigation involving Coinbase. The author responded that staking is distinct from buying crypto, that blockchain can improve traceability, and that the bill was still a work in progress with room for further amendments. Members discussed preemption, the pending federal framework, and whether the bill should wait until federal law is settled. The chair emphasized California’s role in setting policy and said other states were allowing consumers to benefit from staking. The committee ultimately adopted a due pass as amended motion and sent AB 2285 out on a 7-2 vote.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Ann Thornton, uh, District 19, the East Mountains of Albuquerque includes Bernalillo, Sandoval
  • We do have a, a provider that's out east of Roswell, and they do provide meat.
  • And uh one of our elementary schools, excuse me, 1 middle school and 1 high school.
  • So it's kind of a middle ground where it's, they're not completely separate.
  • Credits earned in middle school, health, algebra one, and geometry can be earned at the middle school
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • But as you can see, there are areas in East Kentucky that had four and a half inches of rain.
  • Those are the areas over in that far east.
  • They did not see the same amount of impact over there in far east. Moving on.
  • So this is the far east. Moving on.
  • But that slide in the middle the damage.
Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then spent much of the meeting recognizing members of the Falmouth Police Department and related support personnel. Representatives and senators described the department’s response to a May 17, 2025 shooting between two vehicles, saying officers secured the area, apprehended suspects, and prevented further harm within about 30 minutes. They also recognized Officer Jonathan Bis for helping rescue a person from a burning storage facility on May 3, and honored Chaplain Abram Croer and police administrator Marilyn Belure for their support roles. Members praised the officers’ service and presented citations; one member also noted the recent flooding in Falmouth and the strain on local responders. The committee also observed a moment of silence for a firefighter who died after a vehicle crash while responding to a call. The committee then recognized Sergeant Major Jimmy Thorne, USMC (Ret.), with a lengthy citation for his military service and community involvement. The citation highlighted more than three decades of service, including Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia, multiple injuries, exposure to Agent Orange, and numerous decorations such as the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. Speakers also noted his continued civic work in Williamstown and Grant County. Thorne thanked the committee, said enlisting in the Marine Corps and moving to Kentucky were two of his proudest decisions, and received a committee coin. Members and guests offered additional remarks about his character and service. Finally, Brigadier General Charles Jones and Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave an update on spring storm response and recovery. They said Kentucky has had three declared disasters and one undeclared event this year, with 113 of 120 counties affected in the last 12 months, including February flooding, April flooding, and May tornadoes; a January ice storm appeal was denied. Gibson emphasized the rising frequency and cost of disasters, citing about $350 million in public assistance over the first 10 years of the period reviewed versus about $2 billion in the last five years. He reported on sheltering, disaster recovery centers, FEMA and SBA assistance, and said about $57 million in individual assistance had been paid and nearly $69 million obligated, while public assistance projects were still moving through review and payment.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

FL House Floor Session - 2026-03-06 (10:00AM Session)

Florida House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing Timmy personally, he served with East Manatee Fire Rescue
  • Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing Timmy personally, he served with East Manatee Fire Rescue
  • But there were times that I was in the middle where I had a job that was not sufficient to provide the
  • Born in the east side of Fort Lauderdale, that stumbled into recovery.
  • If you could jump on the desk, you would, in the middle of selling beekeepers insurance.
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized several introductions and memorials, including a resolution designating August 9, 2026, as Bob Graham Day and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, with several bills substituted with House companions and adopted by voice vote or recorded vote. Early measures included a tax conformity bill tied to federal Internal Revenue Code changes, which passed 34-0, and a Medicaid/public assistance bill that drew extensive debate over work requirements, fraud reduction, behavioral health services, and SNAP/EBT reforms. Amendments offered by Senators Berman and Osgood to condition or soften the work and photo-ID provisions were rejected, and the underlying bill was placed on the third-reading calendar after lengthy questioning about implementation, exemptions, and eligibility effects. The Senate also passed bills on computer science education and AI instruction, a Parkinson’s disease registry public-records exemption and registry update, designation of the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the legal-tender sunset for gold and silver, public-records protections for gold/silver custodians and stablecoin-related entities, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, and local government budget transparency/spending measures. Most of these measures were adopted after minor amendments or technical substitutions, with votes generally ranging from 31-3 to 34-0. The chamber also recognized the Florida Channel’s 30 years of legislative coverage. Later, the Senate approved a digital voyeurism bill expanding the reasonable-expectation-of-privacy definition to include private fenced yards, and an insurance customer representative licensing bill allowing high school students to complete insurance/personal finance coursework and later qualify for licensure. The final major item was a medical freedom bill that would expand parental vaccine information requirements, add a conscience-based exemption to immunization mandates, allow behind-the-counter ivermectin for adults, and repeal the sunset on the mRNA mandate prohibition; two amendments clarifying anti-kickback rules and requiring vaccine information to include risks, benefits, safety, and efficacy were adopted, while questions from Senators Smith and Massullo focused on public-health impacts and the content of the required materials. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Senate in Session Mar 6th, 2026

Florida Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing Timmy personally, he served with East Manatee Fire Rescue
  • Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing Timmy personally, he served with East Manatee Fire Rescue
  • ... ...born on the east side of Fort Lauderdale that stumbled into recovery.
  • If you could jump on the desk, you would, in the middle of selling beekeepers insurance.
  • Middle-aged women would walk out of their janitorial jobs at an office building.
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Feb 27th, 2025

Alabama Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Beth Chapman Jame attends Barry middle Beth Chapman Jame attends Barry middle school and is paging for
  • from District 4 in Central and East from District 4 in Central and East Alabama please stand and be
  • in high school in elementary and middle in high school in elementary and middle school and the same
  • East Campus and west separate two School East Campus and west separate two School East Campus and west
  • campus East Campus for black student campus East Campus for black student campus East Campus for black
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Mar 19th, 2026

California Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • vernal equinox and has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years by millions of people across the Middle
  • East, Central Asia, Europe, and the United States.
  • to get feedback, to find him to get direction, and on more than one occasion, they found him on the East
  • And John Burton at some point recognized the extraordinary advantage he had from being from a middle-class
  • family as a... ...advantage he had from being from a middle-class family, as opposed to what he just
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and welcomed numerous former legislators to the floor. The body then moved through the daily file, including several resolutions recognizing cultural observances and a memorial tribute to former President Pro Tem John Burton. Senator Padilla also moved file item 24 to the enacted file, and the Senate announced upcoming committee and budget subcommittee meetings later in the day. The chamber adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 133, recognizing California Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Day, after remarks from Senator Grayson about the contributions and dignity of people with Down syndrome and the importance of support systems for individuals and families. The Senate also adopted SCR 134 recognizing Nowruz and the Afghan American community, with remarks from Senator Wahab and support from Senator Kaverya, and adopted SCR 139 recognizing Afghan American Heritage Month. Each resolution passed by roll call vote with no opposition. A major portion of the session was devoted to an adjourned-in-memory tribute to former Senate President Pro Tem John Burton. Senators from both parties and several former members offered personal recollections emphasizing Burton’s advocacy for foster youth, working people, and marginalized Californians, as well as his blunt style and political influence. Members highlighted his legislative legacy, his later work through the John Burton Advocates for Youth, and his role in shaping California politics and San Francisco. The Senate concluded the tribute, invited members to a reception, and announced that it would remain in recess before reconvening later in the week.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • It's in the middle of the country, and the population growth that we are experiencing here in the middle
  • I think what I see is we've got small contractors and big contractors, and we don't have as many middle-sized
  • And you know, how do we get freight from the east coast?
  • really materializes as beneficial is providing an alternative that links north to Kansas, hits the east-west
NM
Transcript Highlights:
  • and retention in these early grades have has large positive impacts on student achievement through middle
  • We are super excited that we are adding a reading specialist to East Grand Plains this next year.
  • Yes, uh, Casey Rodriguez will be taking the, the reading specialist position out of East Grand Plains
  • Once they get to the point where they can independently read more complex texts, so once they reach middle
  • cannot do that, but I think there are opportunities for school districts, uh, elementary schools, middle
VT

Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Session - 2026-03-18 - 1:00PM

Vermont House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • , will be taking us to a musical journey that echoes the migration of the Roma people through the Middle
  • East and Europe.
  • </c><00:21:21.440><c> East</c><00:21:21.760><c> and</c><00:21:21.960><c> Europe.
  • </c><00:21:22.400><c> And</c> through the Middle East and Europe.
  • And through the Middle East and Europe.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Senate in Session Feb 26th, 2026

Florida Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • They are the only democracy in the Middle East, and we need to continue to support them.
  • So we are in the middle of a defining moment in history. AI is rapidly...
  • We are in the middle of a defining moment in history.
  • We are in the middle of a defining moment in history.
  • They're in the East Gallery, the Cardenas family. Sean is a Navy pilot for the past eight years.
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including guests from the press, Florida State women’s soccer, and former Senator Janet Cruz. Members also announced there would be no conference that weekend. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions and proceeding quickly to third reading and final passage. Among the measures approved were bills modernizing trust settlement and trustee discharge procedures; revising military affairs laws, including leave protections, retirement eligibility, and assistance programs; creating uniform cash-rounding rules as Florida prepares for the end of the penny; refining podiatric medicine rules on cellular/tissue-based products and informed consent; expanding veterans’ court access statewide; clarifying RV park special assessments; establishing concurrent state-federal jurisdiction for juveniles on military installations; reauthorizing alcoholic beverage loss deductions; and revising bail bond and pretrial release laws, including training, electronic notices, forfeiture timing, and related procedures. Members also passed bills on eyewear insurance licensing, expanding the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund into health science education, streamlining recovery residence regulation, enhancing felony battery penalties, and updating child welfare rules to reduce repeated background checks, make the Step Into Success program permanent, and create a best-practices program. Several bills drew brief supportive remarks, especially those affecting veterans, the National Guard, foster youth, and military families. One bail bond bill prompted questions about charitable bail bonds, with the sponsor stating the current statute would remain unchanged. Most bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously; the bail bond measure passed 36-1, while the others noted here passed with no or minimal opposition. The Senate also adopted an amendment to the military affairs bill and a delete-all amendment to the military-installation jurisdiction bill before final passage. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to honoring Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman on her farewell. Members from both parties offered extended remarks praising her leadership, preparation, collegiality, advocacy on issues such as voting rights, women’s rights, Israel, anti-Semitism, breast cancer, school safety, and family law, and her effectiveness in committee and on the floor. Berman delivered an extended farewell speech reflecting on her 16 years in the Legislature, her family, her district, and her legislative priorities, and the Senate ordered her remarks spread upon the journal before recessing and later returning to continue the calendar.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • There's a hostile nation to my uh east called Virginia. >> That uh I'm what I'm wondering about is uh
  • nation</c><00:22:38.400><c> to</c><00:22:38.720><c> my</c><00:22:39.120><c> uh</c><00:22:39.440><c> east
  • </c> There's a hostile nation to my uh east There's a hostile nation to my uh east called<00:22:40.000
  • </c><00:30:07.600><c> maybe</c><00:30:07.840><c> it</c><00:30:08.000><c> was</c><00:30:08.159><c> middle
  • </c> and hearing about or maybe it was middle and hearing about or maybe it was middle school<00:30:08.559
Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call and approval of the prior meeting’s minutes. Senator Williams then presented a discussion draft involving KCNA and COOT/Kentucky Wired governance changes. He said the proposal would make the COOT executive director the KCNA director, place the education CIO as chair of a new board of constitutional officers, terminate existing KCNA employees at inception, and return KCNA funds to the general fund. He described the measure as a temporary holding pattern focused on customer connectivity until an audit is completed next summer. Senator West asked whether the bill would change existing Kentucky Wired contracts, and Williams said the contracts would remain in place and COOT would simply handle the work without an extra layer of bureaucracy. No vote was taken; the item was for discussion only. The committee then heard a presentation on geoengineering and related legislation from Rep. John Hodgson, Sen. Rollins, and retired meteorologist Randy Baker. They described geoengineering as attempts to alter climate or weather, including solar radiation modification, stratospheric aerosol injection, marine cloud brightening, and cloud seeding. The presenters distinguished these activities from ordinary jet contrails, crop dusting, ground-level emissions, and airport fog control, and said the proposed Kentucky bill would exclude those ordinary activities. They argued Kentucky lacks a current prohibition on weather modification, said the bill would protect farmland, crops, animal agriculture, aquaculture, and human health, and cited public concern, federal uncertainty, and similar legislation in other states. They also said cloud seeding is used in some western states but remains scientifically unproven and potentially harmful. Members asked about enforcement, federal preemption, and whether other states’ actions could affect Kentucky. The presenters said high-altitude spraying would be difficult to hide, that satellite imagery could detect large releases, and that the bill was intended as an assertion of state sovereignty even if federal law later changed. They also said there were no known active geoengineering projects in Kentucky. The discussion remained informational, with no committee vote or final action taken on either topic.
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, February 25, 2026)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Waverly Davis, from Reeves Middle School in Olympia, Washington, and Ryan Walker, from Curtis Senior
  • Waverly Davis, from Reeves Middle School in Olympia, Washington, and Ryan Walker, from Curtis Senior
  • East, and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Speaker, another war in the Middle East is not America first.
  • East.
Bills: HB4758
ID

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

Feb 4th, 2026

Local Government and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:
  • So the first thing that we should talk about about this table is that middle column that's under the
  • I don't have a lot of good news on this front, but there is a lot of movement back east to change the
  • zero interest in trying to deal with the Great Recession or... ...but there is a lot of movement back east
  • And so I think the decision-making... ...but there is a lot of movement back east to change the structure
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • little bit about South San Francisco and the community facilities district we're envisioning: the east
  • Alfredo de Redondo on behalf of Irvine Ranch Water District and East Valley Water District, in support
  • Alfredo Redondo on behalf of Irvine Ranch Water District and East Valley Water District, in support.
  • I'm in the middle of three committees at the same time, as you all know. All too well. Thank you.
Summary: The committee opened the June 18, 2025 Local Government hearing with housekeeping rules, noting that testimony would be in person and that disruptive conduct would not be tolerated. Because a quorum was initially lacking, the committee proceeded as a subcommittee and heard several bills before later taking formal votes once quorum was established. The agenda included 15 bills, with eight placed on the consent calendar and one bill pulled by the author. The bills discussed included SB 333, which would let San Luis Obispo County voters consider raising the local sales tax cap for transportation funding; SB 390, a district-specific measure for South San Francisco to address a Mello-Roos/CFD issue affecting properties with conservation easements; SB 394, which would increase penalties for water theft and allow local agencies to recover damages; SB 611, which would restore protections for housing projects tied to adopted community plans while CEQA litigation is pending; SB 757, which would allow nuisance abatement liens or special assessments to collect cleanup costs for chronic nuisance properties; and SB 489, which would require public agencies involved in housing approvals to post application requirements online. Supporters generally framed the bills as tools for infrastructure financing, housing production, transparency, public safety, or deterrence of theft and blight. Opposition was heard on SB 757, with critics warning about due process, foreclosure risk, and displacement of low-income homeowners. After quorum was called, the committee voted 7-0 to pass SB 757, and later approved SB 489 on a 10-0 vote. The consent calendar bills—SB 74, SB 225, SB 272, SB 409, SB 558, SB 735, SB 736, and SB 737—were approved together. SB 333 advanced on a 7-2 vote, SB 390 passed 9-0, SB 394 passed 9-0, and SB 611 passed 10-0. The hearing concluded with the committee adjourned after all listed actions were taken.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Finance Committee 2/19/26

Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:03:40.959><c> of</c> Our schools are caught in the middle of Our schools are caught in the middle
  • ><c> heavy</c><00:26:32.000><c> Somali,</c> We're heavy East African, heavy Somali, We're heavy East
  • </c> had planned to hold our first middle had planned to hold our first middle school<00:55:51.680><c
  • </c> preschool, elementary school, middle preschool, elementary school, middle school,<01:12:06.719><
  • </c> grade teacher at Nicollet Middle School. grade teacher at Nicollet Middle School.