Transcript Highlights:

• act in relation to requiring the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to establish discharge
• plans and reentry services for wrongfully convicted individuals upon their discharge.
• Law in relation to requiring the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to establish discharge
• plans and reentry services for wrongfully convicted individuals upon their discharge.

Committee: Senate Crime Victims, Crime And Correction

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, chaired by Senator Salazar, met with Senators Harckham, Murray, and Bailey present, and considered 10 bills related to correctional policy, reentry, victim services, and public health in facilities. Measures discussed included educational access for incarcerated individuals, a phone call before transfer, expanded substance abuse programming for non-English speakers, commissary/canteen issues, a reentry pilot program, SNAP screening before release, discharge planning for wrongfully convicted individuals, public water testing transparency in correctional facilities, evidentiary standards in disciplinary hearings, and notification to victims about the address confidentiality program. The committee also corrected the record on one bill title during the meeting, clarifying that S. 1645 was actually a human trafficking assistance priority bill. Members generally expressed support for the bills, with brief comments highlighting the importance of reentry services, public health, and victim protections. Senator Harckham spoke in support of the water testing bill, citing PFAS and other contaminants, and Senator Murray praised the address confidentiality program bill. Most bills were moved by motion and seconded without substantive debate. All bills were reported out of committee, with several specifically reported to Finance. Senator Murray cast negative votes on some measures, while the rest were approved by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:55.360><c> debt</c> bill pertaining to uh coerced debt bill pertaining to uh coerced debt discharge
• <00:02:56.120><c> of</c><00:02:56.200><c> indebtedness</c> discharge of indebtedness discharge of indebtedness
• While we are not yet there in aligning all of our systems, this tax bill honors the funds needed through
• </c><00:40:39.480><c> the</c><00:40:39.600><c> funds</c> systems, this tax bill honors the funds systems
• , this tax bill honors the funds needed<00:40:40.240><c> through</c><00:40:40.480><c> the</c><00:40:40.600

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're honored that the Cal Fire Local 281 Honor Guard is here today.
• it is an honor to play a song from a beautiful All our freedoms, and it's an honor to play a song from
• It is our honor to be here with you today.
• And dedicated family to honor our Senate leader.
• We are so honored that she is here joining us today.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1833 by Van Dever relating to the honorably retired police officer serving as an armed security officer
• Elections HP 1969 by Collier relating to providing inmates with certain documents on release or discharge
• of Public Health HB 2095 by Martinez ruling to the prosecution, the criminal offenses of reckless discharge
• family for the inclusion of certain patient medical records and the healthcare provider duties when discharging

Transcript Highlights:

• several conflicting regulations in an attempt to reduce the amount of dissolved copper that is discharged
• several conflicting regulations in an attempt to reduce the amount of dissolved copper that is discharged
• And we would be honored and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• claim the veteran's civil service preference when transitioning out of military service, with a pre-discharge
• certification prior to the receipt of final discharge documents.
• I am the Pierce County Human Resources Director, and I'm honored to be here today to ask for your support

Summary: The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee met on January 23, 2026, first taking executive action on several bills. The committee held SB 6035 and SB 5842 for another week, then worked through SB 5973 on initiative and referendum signature gathering rules. Members debated 12 amendments to a proposed substitute and the underlying bill, but none were adopted. The substitute would prohibit pay-per-signature and require 1,000 pre-filing signatures for initiatives; opponents argued it would burden the initiative process, while supporters said it would curb fraud and improve accountability. The committee then advanced SB 5892, SB 6081, SB 5877, SB 5968, and SB 6034, each on a due pass recommendation, with SB 6081 referred to the Transportation Committee and the others sent to Rules or Ways and Means as noted in the motions. During public hearing, the committee heard SB 5888, which would remove Senate confirmation for members of the Washington State Women's Commission. Senator Wellman said the change would align the commission with similar bodies and correct an inconsistency, and commission staff testified in support, saying the appointment process is already thorough and that the governor would retain appointment authority. The committee also heard SB 6123, expanding a public-records exemption for voluntarily supplied demographic information to local government employees; a Pierce County HR director supported the bill, saying it would help build trust while preserving aggregate reporting. The hearing on SB 5853, sponsored by Senator Wilson, drew strong support and no opposition; it would create a statewide emergency notification system for public officials to alert them to targeted threats, with the Secretary of State and Military Department involved in administration. Secretary of State staff said they supported the concept but wanted to work with the sponsor on implementation details, and the sponsor said he was willing to amend the bill to address those concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe it is Section 31, Your Honor. I'm in the wrong room.
• For example, in the case a service provider discharges the client for whatever reason, the client should
• For example, in the case a service provider discharges the client for whatever reason, the client should

Bills: SB2015

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Keywords: corrections, rehabilitation, prison budget, department of corrections, adult services, youth services, correctional facilities, Heart River correctional center, Missouri River correctional center, James River correctional center, minimum security facility, county jails, regional jails, deferred maintenance, capital construction, strategic investment and improvements fund, Bank of North Dakota, line of credit, tasers, body cameras

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources division met with a quorum and spent much of the meeting on a proposed “medical home” concept for people with significant disabilities and medical needs. Matt Schwartz described the need for small, community-based homes so adults like his daughter could live in a least-restrictive setting without losing housing if service providers change. Architect Jeff Eubel presented a conceptual budget for one roughly 5,000-square-foot facility for four residents, explaining that the design would likely include four large sleeping units, common space, support areas, and medical infrastructure such as emergency power, oxygen, sprinklers, and accessibility features. Committee members and George Sink, joining by phone, raised questions about layout, zoning, ownership, staffing, and whether families would actually move loved ones into such facilities if they were far from home. The department said the concept was not in the governor’s budget and identified staff who could continue discussions; the committee did not take final action and instead discussed refining the language with interested members. The committee then turned to amendments related to long-term care and behavioral health funding. One amendment would reduce a planned $4 million general fund incentive payment and instead create a withhold-based quality program for nursing facilities, to be developed collaboratively by the department and providers and reported to Legislative Management by September 2026. The department said it could live with the language but preferred the governor’s timing; several senators questioned whether the committee should be directing an operational policy change and whether the study would simply delay implementation. No vote was taken, and the amendment was set aside for later consideration. A second amendment would clarify use of an existing $2 million general fund item for behavioral health services in nursing homes and basic care facilities, directing it toward training, technical assistance, consultation, and direct patient care for residents with medically based behavioral health disorders. Members noted the funding was already in the bill and discussed it in the context of other budget items, but again deferred action. The committee also clarified that a separate $750,000 juvenile justice diversion appropriation in House Bill 1425 was distinct from a similar amount in the budget and should likely remain in that separate bill. The chair indicated a goal of having amendments ready by the end of the week, and the committee recessed without final votes on the discussed items.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Minnesota, and that you will faithfully discharge
• </c> Minnesota and and that you will Minnesota and and that you will Faithfully<00:03:01.080><c> discharge
• the</c><00:03:02.239><c> duties</c><00:03:02.800><c> of</c><00:03:03.000><c> the</c> Faithfully discharge
• the duties of the Faithfully discharge the duties of the office<00:03:03.959><c> to</c><00:03:04.200

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I have the honor of serving as the chair of the State Water Resources Control Board.
• remember that a lot of efficiencies had been built into the federal programs, the National Pollutant Discharge
• remember that a lot of efficiencies had been built into the federal programs, the National Pollutant Discharge
• The JLBC considered whether the positions were associated with permitting and enforcement of discharges
• permitting and being able to respond to applications for projects, or just permitting our regular dischargers

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So a municipality could say, um, we don't want to have rifles discharged in our municipality during the
• </c><00:06:31.000><c> uh</c> don't want to have rifles discharged uh don't want to have rifles discharged
• </c><00:08:49.880><c> from</c><00:08:50.040><c> the</c> from the point of discharge from the from the
• point of discharge from the muzzle<00:08:51.040><c> down</c><00:08:51.440><c> range</c><00:08:52.279
• of firearms our primary the discharge of firearms our primary issue<00:22:20.360><c> with</c><00:22:

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When a patient's discharged, they alert the AI to them.
• they've been discharged from.
• </c><00:53:28.240><c> So</c><00:53:28.480><c> they're</c> they've been discharged from.
• So they're they've been discharged from.
• </c> institution that's just discharged them. institution that's just discharged them.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: A presenter from Fast Health Corporation described a proposed Kentucky Health Command System tied to Senate Bill 175, which would create a state-sanctioned AI platform for rural hospitals and telehealth. The company said the system would help rural residents get health information remotely, triage minor issues, and escalate more serious cases to Kentucky providers, with use cases including blood pressure, diabetes, maternity care, smoking cessation, and other preventive-care topics. The presenter argued the system would help rural hospitals compete with out-of-state telehealth companies and keep patients connected to local care. The presentation also emphasized a commercial model the sponsor said would generate new revenue through ads and branded interactions, with the bill reportedly directing 80% of that revenue to rural hospitals and 20% to the state to maintain the system. The presenter said the technology would augment, not replace, doctors and nurses, and claimed it could improve access and convenience in underserved areas. Committee members raised concerns about liability, whether the AI could provide medical advice, and whether there was evidence it had reduced emergency room visits; the presenter said the system could not give medical advice and acknowledged the technology is still very new. The sponsor of the bill said the goal was to help transform rural health care, reduce unnecessary ER use, and capture revenue that would otherwise go to commercial search engines and out-of-state companies. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion ended with questions about branding, loyalty, and the legal limits of the AI system.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a subtraction for discharged coerced debt.
• There is a subtraction for discharged coerced debt.
• Section seven is an income tax subtraction for discharged coerced debt, and this is from Senate File
• Section seven is an income tax subtraction for discharged coerced debt, and this is from Senate File
• <00:38:25.520><c> dis</c><00:38:25.800><c> excuse</c><00:38:26.079><c> me</c> That the amount of discharge

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Individuals can be discharged or provisionally discharged by the special review board and the Supreme
• </c><00:49:48.880><c> or</c><00:49:49.079><c> provisionally</c> be discharged or provisionally be discharged
• or provisionally discharged<00:49:50.599><c> um</c><00:49:51.359><c> by</c><00:49:51.599><c> the</c>
• <00:49:51.720><c> special</c><00:49:52.040><c> review</c> discharged um by the special review discharged
• </c><00:59:18.240><c> from</c><00:59:18.400><c> a</c> residence upon discharge from a residence upon

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 2026 would expand access to military discharge papers to grandchildren.
• So if a DD-214, our active duty... if someone decides to store their military discharge papers of the
• Does that mean it will not be available to the public, the discharge papers, none at any time?
• It just caught up one section that wasn't prior to that, but now none of the discharge papers will be
• And it makes sure military discharge papers are not available to any person except as provided in the

Bills: SB1983 , SB444 , SB1503 , SB1561 , SB592 , SB1501 , SB1946 , SB1567 , SB1833 , SB2026 , SB904 , SB2178 , SB1651 , SB1558 , SB1565 , SB1553 , SB1257 , SB65 , SB1749 , SB1242 , SB1642 , SB640 , SB667 , SB1436 , SB1484 , SB1562 , SB1794 , SB1644 , SB1533 , SB933 , SB1555

Committee: House Health and Human Services Oversight

Keywords: SB1983, foster care, resource family partner, resource family partners, Department of Human Services, DHS, child welfare, foster homes, foster children, placement data, data sharing, de-identified data, aggregated data, sibling groups, placement disruptions, foster parent recruitment, foster parent retention, private child-placing agency, Title 10A, Oklahoma

Summary: The committee opened with prayer and then heard a long series of Senate bills, many of them agency request or cleanup measures. Early bills included SB 1983, directing DHS to provide foster care data to resource family partners to better identify foster family needs; SB 444, allowing hospice personnel to control or destroy controlled substances after a patient’s death; and SB 1503, a PCS related to pregnancy resource center outreach and in-state referrals, which drew discussion about virtual versus face-to-face support and was reported out after members agreed to continue working on the language. Other measures advanced included SB 1561 on progressive discipline for certain M.T.M.S. personnel, SB 592 and SB 1946 on alcohol-related licensing/sales issues, SB 1501 and SB 1567 as cleanup or implementation bills, and SB 1833 codifying a SNAP waiver barring candy and soft drinks purchases. The committee also considered several health and human services bills. SB 2026 expanded access to military discharge papers to grandchildren; SB 904 addressed public funds and state facilities, with members raising concerns about legislative interference in medical decision-making and liability; SB 2178 modified alcohol licensing insurance requirements; SB 1651 updated Oklahoma Medical Board license language; SB 1558 clarified the definition of a child for level E group homes; SB 1565 promoted Food is Medicine efforts to improve maternal and infant outcomes; and SB 1553 required psychologist review of appealed adverse determinations involving mental health claims. SB 1257, with a policy recommendation, expanded THC/controlled substance language to align with federal guidelines, and SB 1749 made a cleanup change related to food trailers and LP gas inspections. Later in the meeting, the committee advanced SB 65 with a policy amendment adding fentanyl and xylazine test strips; SB 1242, which included OMMA education and abandoned grow cleanup provisions; SB 1642, allowing shorter acute prescriptions to help reduce addiction risk; SB 640, treating abandoned grow facilities as public nuisances so local governments can abate them; SB 667, clarifying accreditation language for chiropractic programs; SB 1436, requiring hospitals to provide information on obtaining records after stillbirth or miscarriage; SB 1484, codifying medical examiner practices in infant or child deaths; SB 1562, addressing hospice patient solicitation; SB 1794, creating a mental health bed-availability database; SB 1644, seeking data on alpha-gal syndrome to support federal research funding; SB 1533, ensuring burial assistance for Oklahoma veterans who die out of state; SB 933, creating a right-to-try pathway for individualized treatments; and SB 1555, aligning the definition of intellectual disability with federal law. Most bills were reported out do pass, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to a few nays on some measures. SB 1304 was laid over, and the committee adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Assessment shall have the same power, discharge the same duties, and proceed in the
• discharge of duties in the same manner and be subject to the same liabilities as listers pursuant to
• the same duties um and proceed discharge the same duties um and proceed in<00:25:46.480><c> the</c><
• </c><00:25:48.159><c> the</c><00:25:48.320><c> same</c> in the discharge of duties in the same in the
• discharge of duties in the same manner<00:25:48.880><c> and</c><00:25:49.120><c> be</c><00:25:49.279

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And there's actually counselors, mental health providers, medical discharge planners, and psychiatric
• staff, where they're looking at their medications and discharging them into the community.
• We have addiction specialists that do discharge planning, and then we have the PSU discharge planners
• For this population, they are focused on discharge planning upon release. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• As they're getting released, we'll send those discharge plans to her team and they'll flag those.

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it's an honor to carry this bill on behalf of my constituents in Shakopee, who very much believe
• Um, it's<00:04:48.560><c> an</c><00:04:48.720><c> honor</c><00:04:48.880><c> to</c><00:04:49.199><c>
• carry this bill on it's an honor to carry this bill on behalf<00:04:50.400><c> of</c><00:04:50.880><
• It does not end with a hospital discharge. It does not end when the stitches dissolve.
• It does not end with a hospital discharge. discharge. discharge.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to health, requiring the Department of Health to pay licensed boarding homes for housing people discharged
• The Honorable Speaker Martinez and members of the House, I have this day signed House Bill 1 with the

Transcript Highlights:

• veteran of the Oklahoma National Guard who served at least six years, died in this state, and has been honorably
• discharged to receive a proper memorial, headstone, marker, or medallion.
• So one of the areas that I am honored to be able to serve in my capacity is on...
• One of the areas that I am honored to be able to serve in my capacity is on the Safe Board, the Sexual

Bills: SB1189 , SB1295 , SB1297 , SB1330 , SB1333 , SB1338 , SB1341 , SB1344 , SB1355 , SB1377 , SB1378 , SB1546 , SB1859 , SB1946 , SB1990 , SB1998

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: school security, funding, public schools, security enhancements, resource officers, domestic violence, fatality review, revolving fund, database, public safety, Oklahoma, census accuracy, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, federal census, grassroots outreach, marketing campaign, SB1330, Pardon and Parole Board, parole board, pardon board

Summary: The committee met in an appropriations setting and first laid over Senate Bill 1946. It then advanced Senate Bill 1344, creating an insulin access affordability program at the Health Department, on a 19-1 vote. Senate Bill 1295, establishing a Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board revolving fund and database, was amended to delete a section and then passed 21-0. Senate Bill 1355, creating a program for memorials and headstones for eligible National Guard veterans, also passed unanimously. Members then advanced several other measures, including Senate Bill 1998 to help smaller towns qualify for quality events incentives, Senate Bill 1330 raising Pardon and Parole Board salaries, Senate Bill 1297 creating a decennial census revolving fund to support outreach for the 2030 census, and Senate Bill 1189 extending the school security fund for three more years at $50 million annually. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1338 making the Heroes Literacy Instructional Team permanent, and Senate Bill 1546 increasing scholarship support for teacher preparation students. Additional bills passed included Senate Bill 1378 creating the Olympics and Oklahoma Revolving Fund, Senate Bill 1859 creating an OSBI cyber crime and fraud unit fund, Senate Bill 1341 creating a Career Counseling Revolving Fund, Senate Bill 1377 directing DHS to provide bags for foster children’s belongings, and Senate Bill 1990 broadening the Incentive Evaluation Commission’s comparative analysis of incentives. Several bills had appropriations stripped by amendment at the chair’s request before passage, and the committee repeatedly discussed fiscal impacts, local matching expectations, transparency, and whether programs should remain state-funded or rely on local or philanthropic support. The meeting ended with adjournment and notice of a meeting the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Driskell: It's an honor to carry House Bill 1479. Why are you all sitting over here?
• It's an honor to carry House Bill 1479, a bill that continues work this legislature started years ago
• statute serves all communities because I think we can all understand the importance of being able to honor
• facility that they have been assured that they are going to be able to use and they can no longer discharge