Transcript Highlights:

• restitution from Attorney General's Office enforcement actions that have not yet been paid due to the judgment
• debtor's insolvency or failure to satisfy the AGO's judgment despite collection efforts.
• restitution from Attorney General's Office enforcement actions that have not yet been paid due to the judgment
• debtor's insolvency or failure to satisfy the AGO's judgment despite collection efforts.
• debtor's insolvency or failure to satisfy the AGO's judgment despite collection efforts.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on a health insurance/home care nursing provision and on other consumer protection items. Nick Keis and Emily Walters, both parents of medically complex children, testified that commercial health plans had recently begun capping home care nursing as if it were intermittent home health visits, which they said was contrary to Minnesota law and legislative intent dating to 2010. They described severe impacts on their families, including hospitalizations, loss of nursing coverage, strain on waiver budgets, and the risk of children being forced out of the home and into institutions. Representative Bierman echoed that the bill was a straightforward clarification of existing law, not a new mandate or added cost, and a staff member later cited the statutory definition of home care nursing as ongoing, continuous nursing services that cannot be met through intermittent or visit-based care. The committee also discussed the practical difference between home health visits and private duty/home care nursing, with testimony emphasizing that the latter is medically necessary, assessed, and not unlimited in practice. Laura Sales of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office testified on changes to the Consumer Protection Restitution Fund (CIPRA). She said the fund has begun distributing restitution, starting with consumers harmed by the closure of Woodbury Dental Arts, but that current statutory language limits the office’s flexibility to prorate payments. She asked for an amendment allowing the AGO to distribute available funds more equitably so more eligible consumers can receive some payment, rather than requiring full payment to the oldest claims first. Annette Meeks, representing Citizens Against Gambling Expansion, testified in support of banning sweepstakes gambling in the Commerce Committee omnibus report. She argued that online sweepstakes casinos are an illegal gray-market form of gambling, cited rapid growth and billions in revenue, and said other states have acted through enforcement and legislation to stop them. She urged the committee to include language from Senate File 4474 to clarify state law and prohibit sweepstakes gambling. No votes were taken in the portion of the meeting shown; members mainly asked questions and received testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• interest that's applied from that point in time, or is it half a million dollars from the date of a judgment
• And so if I'm understanding right, the concern is if we set the date as the date of judgment, obviously
• So if we set the date after a trial is over, the judge—the judgment date—then the sort of victim who's
• that we're incentivizing delay by the plaintiffs by using the updated figure as of the date of a judgment
• that we're incentivizing delay by the plaintiffs by using the updated figure as of the date of a judgment

Summary: The House approved the journal and recognized several special guests and departing staff before moving to bills on perfection and printing. House Bill 2636, the Mortgage Modification Act, was explained as a banking measure to keep a first mortgage in first position when modified, and it received bipartisan support and was ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 1718, dealing with sovereign immunity caps and the inflation factor under section 537.610, was also advanced after questions about whether the cap should be measured at the time of injury or judgment; the sponsor said the bill would use the injury date and that trial attorneys were the main opposition. House Bills 2120 and 1698, combined as an anti-bullying measure known as Sawyer’s Law, were then taken up and advanced after extensive debate. The bill would require prompt reporting and investigation of bullying, reporting to administrators and school boards, and protections for staff and schools acting under the policy. An amendment from the Lady from Boone sought to remove zero-tolerance references, limit identifying information in reports, and give school boards more flexibility, but it failed on a voice vote. Supporters of the bill cited tragic bullying cases and argued schools need stronger reporting and accountability; opponents of the amendment and some speakers warned about due process, school board overreach, and potential liability. House Bill 2748, requiring daily physical activity for students, was then brought up with an amendment that would remove the emergency clause, delay implementation, and specify weekly activity minutes and how some activity time could count toward class requirements; members debated scheduling, teacher workload, and whether the proposal would reduce instructional time, but the discussion was still ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• that, if the fines are not paid within the allowed period under state law, it then turns into a judgment
• , and then we can go to the route of a judgment debtor rule if we need to do, in order to collect these
• And the judgment debtor rule, you've got that, or does that go to the 34th JDC?
• A judgment debtor rule for a judgment out of our court system would, of course, be adjudicated inside
• There are many things that the Justice of the Peace do that is tied to that in regard to judgments of

Bills: HB9 , HB10 , HB16 , HB44 , HB46 , HB61 , HB101 , HB126 , HB153 , HB164 , HB233 , HB242 , HB436 , HB455 , HB571 , HB594

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: HB 9, HB9, Act 527, Shreveport, Stuffed Shrimp Capital, state symbol, Louisiana symbols, municipal designation, honorary title, cultural designation, tourism, local pride, seafood, shrimp, stuffed shrimp, cuisine, city branding, Louisiana Revised Statutes 49:170.26, legal holiday, Acadia Parish

Transcript Highlights:

• And therefore, in our judgment, in another judgment... That continue to be unearthed.
• And therefore, in our judgment, in the judgment of the Ethics and Elections Committee, there was no advantage
• In my judgment, as I read this section, that would not have prevented the Department of Health from its
• In my judgment, as I read this section, that would not have prevented the Department of Health from its

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The committee first took up CS for CS for CS for SB 462 on transportation, adopting a substitute amendment that would require counties receiving transportation surtax proceeds to report how the money is used, prohibit certain airport fees tied to collegiate flight training, create a Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority pilot program, and fund a traffic signal modernization program with $10 million annually from the State Transportation Trust Fund. The amendment also removed several provisions from the bill, including a sales tax transfer to the trust fund, a bid protest-related contracting requirement, and repeal of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. A late-filed amendment was tabled, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard CS for CS for SB 628, “Lucy's Law,” on boating safety, which would strengthen penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and reckless vessel operation. Lucy’s parents gave emotional testimony in support, describing the fatal 2022 boating crash and urging stronger accountability. The sponsor withdrew pending amendments, and the bill was reported favorably. CS for CS for SB 700, the Florida Farm Bill, was next; the strike-all amendment covered a broad range of agriculture-related changes, including water fluoridation restrictions, labeling rules, drone restrictions over farmland, disaster recovery programs, an honest services registry, FFA-related provisions, and agricultural land preservation. Testimony included support from agricultural and gun-rights groups, opposition from banking, dental, and local-government advocates, and a lengthy public debate over fluoridation and financial discrimination. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. SB 796 on general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems was reported favorably with little debate. The committee then took up CS for SB 1618 on K-12 education, adopting a delete-all amendment that combined a wide range of education provisions, including VPK flexibility, agriculture education, financial literacy, reading intervention requirements, teacher assignment reporting, restrictions on spending public funds on political or social activism, postsecondary and workforce-related changes, and other school and college system updates. Several speakers opposed the activism-related funding restriction, while the sponsor said the bill was intended to keep publicly funded schools focused on education; the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 7016 on initiative petitions, adopting a strike-all amendment that would sharply tighten petition circulation rules and increase penalties. The proposal would require circulators to be Florida residents and U.S. citizens, impose training and registration requirements, shorten petition submission deadlines, require more identifying information on petition forms, limit sponsors to one amendment per election cycle, and create new enforcement and investigation triggers, including a 25% invalid-signature threshold. Sponsors argued the changes were needed to address fraud and protect the integrity of constitutional amendment petitions, while senators raised concerns about due process, public-records issues, burdens on volunteers, and the impact on voters and sponsors. The bill was not reported in the portion provided, and the discussion remained ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• say this as the chair of the police commissioner enforcement, police officers are not perfect, and judgments
• say this as the chair of the police commissioner enforcement, police officers are not perfect, and judgments
• say this as the chair of the police commissioner enforcement, police officers are not perfect, and judgments
• say this as the chair of the police commissioner enforcement, police officers are not perfect, and judgments

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• the concern I've got is still about how we manipulate these numbers for something like if I have a judgment
• To give you a specific example, if somebody dies in a county jail and there's a judgment applied against
• 5,000 in navalloum for this, so some of the very small entities it wouldn't apply to in terms of the judgment
• My experience with that in Rogers County was we had a $22 million judgment against the county, and the

Committee: House Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• They have a $2 billion judgment against them. They've covered the first billion dollars.
• They have a $2 billion judgment<00:16:35.279><c> against</c><00:16:35.600><c> them.
• </c><00:16:36.160><c> They've</c><00:16:36.399><c> covered</c> judgment against them.
• They've covered judgment against them.

Bills: SB99 , SB585 , SB2060 , SB2069 , SB2110 , SB2115 , SB2152 , SB2211 , SB2259 , SB2315 , SB2342 , SB2382 , SB2442 , SB2446 , SB2485 , SB2544 , SB2577 , SB2580 , SB2861 , SB2919 , SB3326

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Summary: The Committee on Ways and Means met for decision-making only and adopted recommendations on a long list of Senate bills, with no oral testimony taken. Early actions included SB 99 to pass unamended, SB 585 to pass with a date correction to 2015, SB 2060 to pass with amendments involving public project lists, legislative approval for fund transfers, and removal of certain appropriations, and SB 2069 to pass with amendments extending a sunset date and requiring transit-oriented development zoning. The committee also advanced several other measures, including SB 2110, SB 215, SB 2259, SB 2382, SB 2442, and SB 2485 unamended, while SB 2152, SB 2315, SB 2446, SB 2919, SB 2577, SB 2580, and SB 2861 were moved with various amendments, mostly date changes, appropriation blanks, or technical clarifications. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on SB 2211, where Department of Human Services officials explained how the department was covering costs by using restricted funds and shifting Med-QUEST funding, and noted a need for $14 million plus support for $16.5 million in ACA enhanced tax credit subsidies. The chair indicated the bill would move forward with amendments, including blanking the appropriation pending more information on lapses, and the recommendation was adopted. SB 2544 was also amended to remove a specific appropriation and replace it with a blank cap on funds from DUR, and SB 2342 was amended to require projects to be in transit-oriented development zones and to reflect prior committee concurrence. The most extended debate was on SB 3326, which would address utility restructuring. One senator opposed the bill, arguing it could raise rates, worsen reliability issues, and disrupt an existing utility without a clear plan, especially given island-specific conditions. Supporters argued the bill would separate generation from transmission and distribution, create competition, protect union jobs, and respond to aging infrastructure and financial weakness in the utility sector. After recesses and discussion of the Public Utilities Commission’s role, the chair changed the recommendation from pass unamended to pass with amendments requiring the PUC to conduct a study, provide an interim report before the next session, and a final report the following session. That amended recommendation was adopted, and the meeting then adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, in a non-judgmental way, how can we give you some advice on how to tackle this, or can we connect
• :24:32.320><c> you</c><00:24:32.480><c> know,</c><00:24:32.640><c> non</c><00:24:32.960><c> non-judgmental
• you know, non non-judgmental way with?"
• you know, non non-judgmental way of<00:24:35.039><c> how</c><00:24:35.360><c> can</c><00:24:35.520><c

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Alyssa Gray, president and CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society, on the organization’s statewide animal welfare work and its request for a $5 million matching contribution from the General Assembly for a new Kentucky Animal and Community Campus in Louisville. Gray said KHS, an independent nonprofit founded in 1884, serves cats, dogs, and horses, reaches 96 counties, provides shelter relief, spay-neuter services, low-cost veterinary care, and disaster response, and has supported communities during recent tornadoes and floods. She described the new campus as a hub for disaster housing, shelter transfers, veterinary training, and expanded services to reduce overpopulation and relieve pressure on county shelters and local governments. Members asked about the campus’s location, staffing, veterinary student involvement, and the scope of KHS’s services. Gray said the new site would be next to KHS’s current spay-neuter clinic on Preston Highway, that the facility would include shelter medicine, high-volume spay-neuter, and a low-cost clinic, and that it could host veterinary students and interns for hands-on training. She also explained that KHS works with county officials and shelters to move animals during crises or cruelty cases, can connect counties with partner organizations when KHS is full, and provides mobile clinic services and occasional grant support for rural shelters. Committee members praised the presentation and discussed how KHS could fit into disaster recovery planning. One member suggested the organization could be folded into long-term recovery efforts because of its role in post-disaster animal care. The presenter said KHS wants to be a formal disaster response resource and already works with the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and other partners. No vote on the funding request was taken during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, the committee noted it still lacked a quorum, so approval of the minutes was postponed to the next meeting, tentatively scheduled for October 15. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't trust our own judgment. So, okay. Johnson part of the negotiations.
• c><00:14:19.120><c> trust</c><00:14:19.360><c> our</c><00:14:19.519><c> own</c><00:14:19.760><c> judgment
• </c><00:14:20.399><c> So,</c> We don't trust our own judgment. So, We don't trust our own judgment.

Transcript Highlights:

• government employees to redirect their expertise toward more complex, high-value tasks requiring human judgment
• That work requires a distinctly human touch of empathy, judgment, and creative problem solving that AI
• That work requires a distinctly human touch of empathy, judgment, and creation.
• That work requires a distinctly human touch of empathy, judgment and creative problem solving that AI

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence and automation in Florida government. Panelists from Worldwide Technology, OpenAI, the James Madison Institute, and the Florida Digital Service described AI as a tool to improve efficiency, constituent services, fraud detection, translation, HR workflows, public safety, and regulatory review, while emphasizing that AI should supplement rather than replace workers. They also stressed the importance of data readiness, workforce training, governance, and having existing technology systems and policies in place before broader deployment. Members asked about public records concerns, vendor vetting, model integrity, and how to balance innovation with privacy and security. Chief Schoonover said agencies are already using or exploring AI in areas such as Medicaid analysis, environmental data, emergency management, tax forms, and child support, and noted that the Digital Service publishes prohibited vendor and application lists. OpenAI discussed its red teaming, safety evaluations, privacy controls, and government products such as ChatGPT Gov, and said it does not train on personal data or target users with ads. The committee also discussed concrete examples of efficiency gains, including reduced call times, faster translation turnaround, and streamlined HR classification work, as well as concerns about job disruption and constituent access. In closing, members raised data center infrastructure and energy needs, with panelists noting that AI depends on substantial compute, power, cooling, and utility capacity. The chair concluded by encouraging continued dialogue and noting that future AI legislation should be targeted to specific problems rather than overly broad.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have concerns about saying that the courts shall enter a judgment for child maintenance.
• So we would suggest that removing the cap would allow good judgment to be shown by the commissioners

Committee: House Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met with a quorum, announced that House Bills 3304, 2777, and 3054 would not be heard that day, and then moved into executive session. In executive session, the committee considered House Bill 1910, which concerns child maintenance/child support obligations for certain persons convicted of DWIs. Representative Davis offered an amendment changing mandatory language from “shall” to “may” to preserve judicial discretion; the amendment was adopted 5-2 with one present. The committee then adopted a substitute and voted the House Committee substitute for HB 1910 do pass 7-0 with one present. The committee next took up House Bill 3116, a civil jurisprudence bill. An amendment was adopted to incorporate provisions from three previously heard bills: HB 1711 (Uniform Deposition Act), HB 1713 (allowing circuit courts to dissolve LLCs), and HB 3072 (workers’ compensation changes). The committee rolled the amendment into a substitute and voted the House Committee substitute for HB 3116 do pass 8-0. The committee also considered House Bill 3289 on court operations. An amendment was adopted to add treatment court administrators in certain circuits, subject to appropriations, then rolled into a substitute. The House Committee substitute for HB 3289 was voted do pass 8-0. In public hearing, Representative Dolan presented House Bill 3443, which would raise the court automation fee from $7 to $10 and add a CPI-based annual adjustment. Supporters from the Judicial Conference of Missouri said the fee has not been updated since the 1990s, that court automation costs continue to rise, and that the surcharge covers only a portion of the system’s expenses; they also noted that salaries are generally funded through general revenue rather than fees. Committee members asked about the new fee amount, what the revenue would support, and the collection-rate assumptions in the fiscal note. No opposition testimony was offered. Representative Parker then presented House Bill 2865, which would remove the statutory cap of $75 per hour for attorney’s fees in certain agency/licensure proceedings and replace it with “reasonable” fees. He and supporters said the current rate has not been updated since 1989 and is too low to attract attorneys for cases involving licensed professionals defending their licenses. Testimony in favor came from a private attorney who practices in this area, the Missouri Bar, and another supporter who said the bill would improve representation for Missouri licensees. No opposition testimony was presented, and the hearing on HB 2865 was concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have concerns saying that the courts shall enter a judgment for child maintenance.
• So we would suggest that removing the cap would allow good judgment to be shown by the commissioners

Committees: House Judiciary , House Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• I close with this, colleagues: today we're going to make a judgment about the future of science in this
• It's accompanied by sober judgment and behavior, because the person who leads a major organization has

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• A judgment can be rendered that day. Nothing about this is meant to extend eviction timelines.
• more realistic timeline for employers, stronger due process for defendants, and fewer automatic judgments

Bills: HB4420 , HB3974 , HB3016 , HB3062 , HB3021 , HB3145 , HB4128 , HB3131 , HB3015 , HB3472 , HB3453 , HB1638 , HB4126 , HB2696 , HB2710 , HB3552 , HB3031 , HB3544 , HB3521 , HB4490 , HB4488 , HB1746 , HJR1069 , HB4428 , HB4429 , HB1170 , HB3538 , HB4124 , HB3904 , HB4106 , HB2999 , HB3982 , HJR1077 , HB3464 , HB2588 , HB3462 , HB4440 , HB3674 , HB3345 , HJR1067 , HB4326 , HB4331 , HB4337 , HB4338 , HB4359 , HB4392 , HB3557 , HJR1076 , HB4003 , HB3495 , HB3497 , HB3501 , HB3505 , HB3749 , HB3011 , HB4336 , HB4346 , HJR1087 , HB3240 , HB3647 , HB3796 , HB3969 , HB3972 , HB3983 , HB3984 , HB3989 , HB3383 , HB3130 , HB4358 , HB3327 , HJR1055 , HB3386 , HJR1089 , HB3087 , HB2970 , HB3314 , HB4129 , HB4199

Keywords: reading, intervention, literacy, education, third grade retention, teacher training, funding, Strong Readers Act, tort claims, inmate housing, government immunity, public trust, private prison, emergency legislation, vision screening, binocular vision, kindergarten, elementary education, health, firearm rights

Bills: HB4420 , HB3974 , HB3016 , HB3062 , HB3021 , HB3145 , HB4128 , HB3131 , HB3015 , HB3472 , HB3453 , HB1638 , HB4126 , HB2696 , HB2710 , HB3552 , HB3031 , HB3544 , HB3521 , HB4490 , HB4488 , HB1746 , HJR1069 , HB4428 , HB4429 , HB1170 , HB3538 , HB4124 , HB3904 , HB4106 , HB2999 , HB3982 , HJR1077 , HB3464 , HB2588 , HB3462 , HB4440 , HB3674 , HB3345 , HJR1067 , HB4326 , HB4331 , HB4337 , HB4338 , HB4359 , HB4392 , HB3557 , HJR1076 , HB4003 , HB3495 , HB3497 , HB3501 , HB3505 , HB3749 , HB3011 , HB4336 , HB4346 , HJR1087 , HB3240 , HB3647 , HB3796 , HB3969 , HB3972 , HB3983 , HB3984 , HB3989 , HB3383 , HB3130 , HB4358 , HB3327 , HJR1055 , HB3386 , HJR1089 , HB3087 , HB2970 , HB3314 , HB4129 , HB4199

Keywords: reading, intervention, literacy, education, third grade retention, teacher training, funding, Strong Readers Act, tort claims, inmate housing, government immunity, public trust, private prison, emergency legislation, vision screening, binocular vision, kindergarten, elementary education, health, firearm rights

Bills: HB4420 , HB3974 , HB3016 , HB3062 , HB3021 , HB3145 , HB4128 , HB3131 , HB3015 , HB3472 , HB3453 , HB1638 , HB4126 , HB2696 , HB2710 , HB3552 , HB3031 , HB3544 , HB3521 , HB4490 , HB4488 , HB1746 , HJR1069 , HB4428 , HB4429 , HB1170 , HB3538 , HB4124 , HB3904 , HB4106 , HB2999 , HB3982 , HJR1077 , HB3464 , HB2588 , HB3462 , HB4440 , HB3674 , HB3345 , HJR1067 , HB4326 , HB4331 , HB4337 , HB4338 , HB4359 , HB4392 , HB3557 , HJR1076 , HB4003 , HB3495 , HB3497 , HB3501 , HB3505 , HB3749 , HB3011 , HB4336 , HB4346 , HJR1087 , HB3240 , HB3647 , HB3796 , HB3969 , HB3972 , HB3983 , HB3984 , HB3989 , HB3383 , HB3130 , HB4358 , HB3327 , HJR1055 , HB3386 , HJR1089 , HB3087 , HB2970 , HB3314 , HB4129 , HB4199

Keywords: reading, intervention, literacy, education, third grade retention, teacher training, funding, Strong Readers Act, tort claims, inmate housing, government immunity, public trust, private prison, emergency legislation, vision screening, binocular vision, kindergarten, elementary education, health, firearm rights

Transcript Highlights:

• by Representative Barrow to appropriate monies from the State General Fund to pay certain consent judgments
• by Representative Barrow to appropriate monies from the State General Fund to pay certain consent judgments

Bills: HR19 , HR20 , HR21 , HR22 , HR23 , HR24 , HR25 , HR26 , HR27 , HR28 , HR29 , HR30 , HR31 , HR32 , HR33 , HR34 , HR35 , HR36 , HR37 , HR38 , HCR15 , HCR16 , HCR17 , HCR18 , HB115 , HB208 , HB465 , HB832 , HB964 , HB965 , HB966 , HB967 , HB968 , HB969 , HB970 , HB971 , HB972 , HB973 , HB974 , HB975 , HR14 , HR15 , HR16 , HR17 , HR18 , HCR14 , SCR4 , SCR7 , SCR8 , HB362 , HB963 , HB207 , HB300 , HB331 , HB428 , HB464 , HB587 , HB618 , HB629 , HB801 , HB853 , HB891 , HB78 , HB112 , HB148 , HB149 , HB190 , HB221 , HB346 , HB354 , HB355 , HB356 , HB358 , HB384 , HB427 , HB657 , HB675 , HB716 , HB901

Keywords: HR19, House Resolution 19, Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association Day, LNLA, nursery industry, landscape industry, horticulture, green industry, environmental stewardship, beautification, sustainability, state capitol, special day resolution, commemoration, trade association, wholesale growers, landscape architects, grounds maintenance, interiorscapers, Louisiana agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2244, an act relating to execution of judgments.
• Judiciary and Elections, having under consideration House Bill 2244 relating to eviction satisfaction of judgment
• Judiciary and Elections, having under consideration House Bill 2244 relating to eviction satisfaction of judgment

Transcript Highlights:

• President, today I get to be a lawyer again, and I'll... ...submit to you a motion for summary judgment
• money-making Manhattan, Money earned in Mount Vernon, but I submit to you in this motion for summary judgment
• And I want to deny Senator Bailey his motion for summary judgment, because even though what he said was

Summary: The Senate met on March 9, 2026, approved the prior journal, and took up several procedural items, including substituting identical Senate Bill 6734A for Assembly Bill 4382A and adopting a resolution calendar with exceptions for Resolutions 1718 and 1723. The chamber also received amendments on another bill and heard multiple guest introductions, including students from Ahavas Bas Yaakov of Monsey and Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, who was recognized for her work on food and nutrition policy and health equity. A major portion of the session was devoted to Resolution 1680 commemorating Bronx Day. Senators Fernandez, Bailey, Myrie, Serrano, Sepúlveda, Krueger, and others spoke in praise of the Bronx’s history, diversity, culture, resilience, and contributions to music, fashion, sports, and civic life. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1718 recognizing Harriet Tubman Day, with remarks highlighting Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad, her Civil War service, and her later life in Auburn, and adopted Resolution 1723 marking the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday and emphasizing the continuing importance of voting rights protections. The Senate then passed a series of bills from the calendar. These included measures on general municipal law, public health, executive law, education, vehicle and traffic law, criminal procedure, labor law, and legislative law. Several members explained their votes on health-related bills: Senator Cleare spoke about period poverty and access to free menstrual products in educational institutions; Senator Webb supported a bill requiring hospital governing boards to include a registered professional nurse; and Senator Murray, joined by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, described personal experiences with blood clots and pulmonary embolism in support of a bill creating a working group on the issue. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable negative votes, and the Senate adjourned until Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• SNAP users already navigate judgment from strangers...
• SNAP users already navigate judgment from strangers, reduced budgets, and the constant fear of not having
• Washingtonian deserves dignity and the right to choose their own food without fear, embarrassment, and judgment

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee heard testimony on three bills. SB 6212, sponsored by Sen. Nobles, would create a Department of Commerce pilot program providing monthly cash benefits to families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, with a control group and a final report to the Legislature on whether to expand the program statewide. Supporters said the pilot could reduce child poverty, improve family stability, and provide evidence on the effects of direct cash assistance; the sponsor acknowledged the bill would be expensive and said funding would need to be worked out. No vote was taken. SB 6186, sponsored by Sen. Warnick, would direct DSHS to seek a federal waiver to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to buy candy and sweetened beverages, with annual reapplication if needed. The bill’s preliminary fiscal note was described as significant, and the sponsor said she was open to amendments, including possibly limiting the proposal to Sun Bucks. Testimony was overwhelmingly opposed from anti-hunger advocates, public health experts, economists, SNAP educators, and individuals with lived experience, who argued the restrictions would be costly, hard to administer, stigmatizing, and unlikely to improve nutrition; one supporter said the measure would promote healthier choices and reduce long-term health costs. No action was taken. SB 6707, also by Sen. Warnick, would have WSIPP study DCYF’s screening tools and risk assessment processes for child welfare referrals and their effects on outcomes such as services, removals, re-referrals, and fatalities. DCYF said it supports evaluating its risk assessment tool but is already working with Chapin Hall on a similar redesign and pilot of the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale, and asked how the bill would avoid duplicating that work. Sen. Warnick said the bill was intended to examine child welfare outcomes more broadly. The committee heard testimony but took no vote, and the chair announced amendments for Wednesday’s executive session are due by noon the next day before adjourning.