Video & Transcript : 'UNT System' :
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DE
Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee Meeting Jun 25th, 2026 at 11:00 am
Elections & Government Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- for Black voters, we believe Delaware must protect against voter suppression, unfair maps, election systems
- do maintain those records themselves directly, and even for the municipalities that use the state system
- The system has worked for our town for over... We need to cut it off.
- It's just, again, I think that it doesn't necessarily serve the broader system to have weekly or even
- monthly reporting, but I think right now our system is way too lax to have it just basically occur at
Committee:
Senate Elections & Government Affairs
DE
Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee Meeting Jun 25th, 2026
Elections & Government Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- for Black voters, we believe Delaware must protect against voter suppression, unfair maps, election systems
- The system has worked for our town for over— We need to cut it off. Thank you.
- It's just, again, I think that it doesn't necessarily serve the broader system to have weekly or even
- monthly reporting, but I think right now our system is way too lax to have it just basically occur at
- Candidates can use campaign funds for electronic security systems and safety expenses without a monetary
Bills:
HB344
Committee:
Senate Elections & Government Affairs
Keywords:
campaign finance, elections, transparency, political committees, reporting requirements, enforcement
Summary:
The Senate Elections and Government Affairs Committee heard several election- and campaign-related bills. House Substitute 2 for House Bill 155 would make Public Integrity Commission reports publicly available on the commission’s website, add a specific travel-expense reporting category, and remove the FOIA requirement for accessing reports; Senator Richardson said he supported the transparency measure and asked to be added as a co-sponsor. The committee also took up House Bill 444, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would create state protections against voter suppression and vote dilution, expand language access, prohibit intimidation and deception, and allow court remedies for violations. The bill drew strong support from advocacy groups including YWCA Delaware, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, and the Legal Defense Fund, and several senators voiced support and interest in moving it quickly.
House Bill 430, a constitutional amendment proposal, would make explicit that only natural persons may vote in Delaware elections, including municipal elections, in response to concerns about corporate or other artificial-entity voting in some towns. The discussion focused heavily on Fenwick Island, where the mayor testified that the town’s charter has long allowed certain artificial entities to vote in local elections and said the system is limited and has worked for years; other speakers argued the bill was needed to prevent corporate dilution of residents’ votes. Senator Richardson expressed concern about restricting entities with a local stake, while Senator Hoffner and others emphasized the principle of one person, one vote.
Senator Townsend presented House Bill 344, which would tighten campaign finance rules by requiring Delaware bank accounts for candidates and committees, recurring training, better documentation of candidate loans, longer record retention, automatic filing extensions, and inactive status for noncompliant committees; one public commenter opposed the bill on cost grounds. He also presented House Bill 448, which would allow campaign funds to be used for reasonable security expenses for candidates and elected officials, with guardrails, and a commenter suggested allowing electronic security systems without a cap. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 472, a local de-annexation measure for Noble’s Pond in Cheswold to remove scattered residential lots from town boundaries and resolve uneven tax treatment; Senator Hoffner noted local law enforcement supported the change. The committee adjourned after hearing no further public comment on HB 472, and the vote to adjourn was unanimous.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- focus of the RRC effort was to enhance public safety, restore confidence in the criminal justice system
- And, you know, we have heard from inmates about the various HVAC systems and not always working.
- But I can guarantee you this: we will be a better system when it's done.
- We will be a better system when it's done. That I can tell you. So thank you. Thank you, Sheriff.
- You know, it is a custodial system to some extent, and it has a lot of the same people in it, just at
Summary:
The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met on June 15 with co-chairs Senator Will Brownsberger and Representative Dan Hunt. After deciding not to approve prior meeting summary notes at this session, the commission heard testimony from the Massachusetts Parole Officers Association (Brian Lucier and Shauna Hawksley). They described parole officers’ work in both institutions and the community, including housing, mental health, substance use, employment, education, and benefits referrals, and argued that parole officers often know local service providers best. They also said the former reentry navigator positions were lost in 2025 and that regional reentry centers used in the past helped reduce duplication and improve information sharing; they urged more funding, staffing, and training, and said parole should be better integrated with MPTC/POST training and with community-based reentry resources.
Commission members asked about the relationship between parole and Community Justice Support Centers, training and arrest authority, revocation practices, and coordination with sheriffs and the Department of Correction. The witnesses said CJSC access is limited by location, transportation, and scheduling, while parole’s older reentry centers were referral-based and did not require regular attendance. They also said parole officers are special state police officers with arrest authority, receive a parole-specific academy plus firearms/defensive tactics/first responder training, and would benefit from more formal reentry training. On revocations, they said they lacked data but believed parole now returns fewer people for mental health or first-time substance use issues and focuses more on public safety threats. They also said collaboration with sheriffs and DOC reentry staff is generally good but still suffers from duplicative referrals and last-minute changes that can undo work done inside facilities.
After testimony, the commission discussed next steps, including extending its reporting deadline from September 30 to November 30 through the pending budget, finishing remaining DOC facility visits in the fall, and holding additional meetings on mental health and other unresolved issues. Members also discussed whether to seek more input from the judiciary and district attorneys, with agreement to continue outreach and document responses. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, and the commission indicated it would reconvene in the fall.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Status of Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- . have someone that's in that mental state, they don't have the ability to navigate that system.
- But the VA, if you can get them into that system, there are tremendous programs.
- They have a really robust mental health support system.
- We understand the system. So feel free, reach out, use us, ask us questions, happy to help.
- We understand the system. So feel free, reach out, use us, ask us questions, happy to help.
Summary:
The Employment Subcommittee of the Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met on May 18 and approved the prior meeting minutes. The first presentation was an update on the Massachusetts Disability Employment Tax Credit from MassAbility. The speaker explained that the credit, created in 2022, offers employers up to $5,000 in the first year and $2,000 in later years for hiring certified employees with disabilities. He described a streamlined self-attestation certification process, the online application and outreach tools, and noted that the first full tax season resulted in one company successfully claiming the credit. Members asked about how employers learn to file, available data, carry-forward rules, and whether more information from the Department of Revenue could be shared.
The second presentation was from the Office of the Veteran Advocate. The speaker described the office as an independent agency created after COVID and the state veterans home tragedy to improve veteran services and investigate problems. He reviewed VA disability ratings, the fact that service-connected disability does not necessarily prevent work, and the barriers faced by veterans with less-than-honorable discharges. He also highlighted vocational rehabilitation, GI Bill and housing supports, and the office’s work on professional licensure barriers, especially for nurses and other skilled trades. Members discussed whether Massachusetts is behind other states on licensure reciprocity and the need for more openness from licensing boards; the office said it is starting with a narrow nursing-focused review and will report back on findings.
In the final portion of the meeting, members discussed a lengthy policy brief from Seed and agreed it should be taken up at the August 31 meeting rather than rushed through by email. The group focused on two emerging areas of work: the benefit cliff and youth/young adult pathways into employment, including apprenticeships. Members suggested creating a clearer tool or spreadsheet to map existing resources and possibly a white paper for appointing authorities, while noting the commission’s limits on direct advocacy. The meeting ended with an invitation for members interested in the benefit cliff work or youth employment pipeline to join follow-up discussions, and the subcommittee adjourned.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- right now is we try to change the way we educate Louisiana as our executive vice president of the system
- So it's not an overarching board for the entire system.
- It provides for concurrence of a public school system prior to changing certain information assigned
- to a student in the data collection system.
- Fell out of the system. We don't know where they are. Correct.
Committee:
House Education
Summary:
The House Education Committee met on May 6 and first welcomed LSU President Wade Roos and Chancellor Jim Dalton, who outlined LSU’s goals of becoming an elite, accessible flagship university, increasing research expenditures, improving student recruitment and retention, and expanding pathways that keep Louisiana students in-state. Members praised the new leadership and LSU’s workforce and research direction, and a representative from LSU enrollment reported gains in TOPS Excellence commitments for the coming fall.
The committee then advanced several education bills. SB 105 by Sen. Kathy, which reinstates TOPS Tech eligibility for honorably discharged veterans, was reported favorably without objection. SB 374, also by Sen. Kathy, creates a uniform framework for college economic development districts; members adopted an amendment adding a legislator to each district board, and the bill was reported favorably with amendments. SB 304 by Sen. Edmonds, which authorizes the Board of Regents to establish a list of eligible accreditors and allows institutions to seek different accreditors, was reported favorably. SB 522 by Sen. Edmonds, allowing vocational and technical charter schools to apply directly to BESE as Type 2 charters with Commerce and Industry support, drew discussion about whether the authority should extend to public schools as well; it ultimately passed 9-1.
The committee also approved SB 290 by Sen. Abraham, a cleanup bill requiring school system concurrence before student exit-code changes in the data system, and HCR 81 by Rep. Freiberg, which asks the Department of Education to study options for districts facing declining enrollment and related financial pressures. HCR 175 by Rep. Larvadain, a study resolution on possible TOPS Tech changes, was deferred by the author because it overlapped with another measure. Several members also used personal privilege to welcome local mayors and community guests to the committee room.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Apr 6th, 2026
Banking and Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- and make sure that they see that those who are in power recognize that there's a problem and it's a system
- We all in some way have benefited from the system.
- But I think it's important for us to say that we recognize that the system is broken and that we're trying
- than 50 years ago, calling on corporations to aggressively increase their influence in our political system
- People have adapted to this broken system and are comfortable operating with it, even as the system is
Committee:
House Banking and Finance
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Rules Committee Mar 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- communities, and our extraordinary Caltrans workforce, we will continue to build the transportation system
- We are just witnessing all these things that are happening to the road system because of the changing
- One is we need to look at what we can do to fortify our system as it is today.
- things we have to do in climate while we still move ahead with construction and repairing our road system
- We also recognize that small businesses have a challenge when they're trying to navigate our system.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Rules met to consider several governor’s appointments, bill referrals, a rule waiver, and floor acknowledgments. The committee approved multiple appointments not required to appear, including members of the Board of Behavioral Science, the Contractors’ State License Board, and the Medical Board of California, with most votes either 3-2 or 5-0. It also approved a reference of bills to committees, a waiver of SR 55 to allow guests on the Senate floor for an adjourn-in-memory of former President Pro Tempore John Burton, and floor acknowledgments, all by 5-0 votes.
The committee then heard testimony on the appointment of Dina El-Tawansy as Director of Caltrans. In her opening remarks, she emphasized her 28 years at the department, and said her priorities would be safety, equity, climate resilience, economic prosperity, workforce development, and a multimodal transportation system. Senators questioned her on a range of transportation issues, including impacts from federal and state disputes over immigrant truck drivers, the Highway 58 truck climbing lane, DBE certification changes, asphalt recycling and waste disposal, climate adaptation on coastal infrastructure, and the future of road funding as electric vehicles reduce gas tax revenue. El-Tawansy said Caltrans is pursuing project prioritization, climate vulnerability assessments, partnerships with local governments, DBE reevaluation guidance, recycling efforts, and research into road user charges.
Members also asked about toll lane agreements, homelessness encampments and litter on Caltrans property, and the Los Angeles-San Diego rail corridor and broader transit integration. El-Tawansy said Caltrans is moving toward more consistent statewide toll agreements, has signed or is negotiating delegated maintenance MOUs with local agencies to address encampments and litter, and is expanding rail and transit planning. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with representatives from transportation agencies, contractors, local governments, labor, and technology firms backing the nomination. The committee voted 5-0 to move El-Tawansy’s appointment to the full Senate for confirmation, and then adjourned.
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
New York State Senate Session - 03/04/2026
New York Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- At its core, our workers' compensation system was created to provide a swift and certain source of benefits
- These guidelines were meant to streamline care, not to function as an automatic denial system.
- COMPENSATION SYSTEM WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE A SWIFT AND CERTAIN SOURCE OF BENEFITS TO INJURED WORKERS
- THESE GUIDELINES WERE MEANT TO STREAMLINE CARE, NOT TO FUNCTION AS AN AUTOMATIC DENIAL SYSTEM.
- When the New York State Independent System Operator and members of the Governor's own... ...administration
Summary:
The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silent reflection, approval of the prior journal, and several ceremonial introductions. Senator Mayer welcomed students and alumni from the New York Alliance for Early College Pathways, highlighting early college opportunities for high school students. Senator Zellner introduced members of the Buffalo Professional Firefighters Union Local 282 and honored fallen Buffalo firefighter Jayson Arno, with remarks praising firefighters’ service and sacrifice.
The chamber then took up Senate Resolution 1489, commemorating the 182nd anniversary of Dominican Republic independence. Senator Sepúlveda presented the resolution and spoke about Dominican history, sovereignty, the Dominican diaspora in New York, and the role of Consul General Jesús Vásquez Martínez. Senators Jackson, Weber, Bailey, and others spoke in support, emphasizing the contributions of Dominican New Yorkers. The resolution was adopted and opened for co-sponsorship.
The Senate next moved through the calendar, passing a series of bills on insurance, public health, education, social services, tax, penal law, and workers’ compensation. Several bills were approved by wide margins, including measures related to vaccination policy and education law; Senator Weik opposed the public health/vaccination bill, while Senator Mayer defended it as science-based. Senator Fernandez explained and secured passage of a workers’ compensation bill that would raise a pre-authorization threshold, clarify medical treatment guidelines, and restore access to out-of-network providers for injured workers.
The only contentious item was Calendar 117, a bill amending the Executive Law related to climate resilience and the Office of Resilience. Senator Walczyk offered an amendment to repeal the statewide cap-and-invest program, but the chair ruled it nongermane; the Senate upheld that ruling on a 21-aye vote. Senators Harckham, Borrello, Krueger, Lanza, Martins, and Gianaris spoke at length on climate policy, energy costs, and the bill’s merits. The bill ultimately passed 51-9. The Senate then adjourned until Thursday, March 5 at 11:00 a.m.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- There was a priority system that we're essentially removing because every student gets access.
- Would the school business system be responsible? Would the coach be responsible?
- Would the school business system be responsible? Would the coach be responsible?
- So for me, this is with guardrails. ...things that the school system isn't providing everything they
- Mary Summers, representing BayCare Health System, waves in support.
Committee:
House Education & Employment Committee
Summary:
The Education and Employment Committee heard and voted on several education-related bills. HB 129 on Florida Virtual School was presented as a cleanup bill responding to audit-related statutory updates; it would remove priority language, allow all Florida students and eligible overseas military dependents access, clarify teacher employment/retirement status, permit local schools to administer required exams, and authorize direct support organizations. The bill drew support from Seminole State College and Florida Virtual School and was reported favorably 15-0.
HB 423 on student elopement, sponsored by Reps. Eskamani and Tramont, would require schools to establish safety teams and procedures to prevent and respond to elopement by students with autism or similar needs. Testimony from the Autism Society of Greater Orlando and a student advocate emphasized safety risks and the need for clear school protocols. Members spoke strongly in support, and the bill passed unanimously 16-0. CS for CS for HB 753 on school counselors removed two certification barriers, kept the master’s degree requirement, and aligned evaluations with Florida school counseling standards; school counselor groups and several members argued it would help address counselor shortages and workload issues. It also passed unanimously 16-0.
The committee also approved CS for CS for HB 1253, which would let school-employed coaches use up to $15,000 per team per year of personal funds to support student-athletes with items like food, transportation, therapy, and rehabilitation, with an amendment requiring written parental consent. Several members raised concerns about liability, fairness, and guardrails, but the bill passed 17-0. PCS for CS for HB 833 on private school facilities would allow small private schools of 150 students or fewer to locate in commercial or mixed-use zoning without rezoning and to use certain existing buildings if fire and life-safety standards are met; members discussed traffic, school zones, and proximity to dispensaries, and it passed 15-0. PCS for CS for HB 1325 on the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund clarified matching contributions, allowed use of funds for expansion or modernization of existing space, and permitted two-year awards; it passed 16-0. Finally, CS for HB 1437 on conversion charter schools created dispute-resolution options over facility maintenance and, via amendment, allowed capital outlay funding if the charter assumes full maintenance responsibility; despite some opposition, it passed 13-3. The committee then adjourned.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Feb 5th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The VA health care system is already understaffed and wait times are growing as cuts continue under this
- We should invest in bold health care, not undermine the systems that keep people alive.
- It's a broken system issue. Poverty issue. It's a structural issue. It's a broken system issue.
- It's a broken system perpetuated by the ruling class in the White House and a feckless Congress with
- He believed the problem of our civic life was not political messaging, but the structures and systems
Summary:
The Assembly convened in Sacramento, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. After routine procedural motions, members voted to withdraw SB 106 from committee for third reading and to suspend the rules so AJR 25 could be taken up immediately. AJR 25, authored by Assembly Member Bonta, urged Congress to restore and extend enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that expired on January 1, with supporters arguing the lapse would sharply raise premiums for millions of Californians, including veterans, working families, and other vulnerable residents. Opponents, led by Assembly Member DeMaio, argued the resolution blamed federal action for California’s high health care costs and said state mandates and spending choices were the real problem. The resolution was adopted 58-4, and Assembly Member Addis was added as a joint author.
The chamber also took up H.R. 76 on affordable homeownership, presented by Assembly Member Schultz and supported by Assembly Member Wicks, who emphasized the importance of homeownership for wealth-building and noted ongoing efforts to expand programs such as CalHome. H.R. 79, by Assembly Member Valencia, recognized February 2026 as Unclaimed Property Month; supporters highlighted the large amount of unclaimed property held by the state and encouraged residents to search for funds owed to them. Both resolutions received broad support, with co-author rolls opened before final adoption. The second-day consent calendar, including ACR 127 on National School Counseling Week, was adopted 64-0.
Members also heard a lengthy adjournment in memory from Assembly Member Soria honoring Pablo Rodriguez, a Central Valley organizer and civic leader remembered for his work with United Farm Workers, Communities for a New California, and AB 1441 on the Merced County Independent Redistricting Commission. The Assembly observed a moment of silence for Rodriguez, welcomed his family and colleagues, and then adjourned until Monday, February 9, at 1 p.m.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Community Safety Feb 2nd, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Community Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- I think it's important to remember that in this state we have a plea system and not a trial system, and
- This amendment simply indicates that if the state were to establish a parole system, either this year
- Talking about other countries is a little bit hard because their system is different than ours, so I
- But the reality is we have a criminal legal system that already tips significantly in favor of criminal
- The system is built for the protection and preservation of criminal defendants, not for victims.
Committee:
House Community Safety
Keywords:
reentry, reentry readiness, recidivism, earned release time, good time credits, graduated reentry, community custody, partial confinement, home detention, work release, electronic monitoring, substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, corrections, Department of Corrections, DOC, prison reform, sentencing, release date recalculation, transition services
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm a senior at ASU studying urban planning with a certificate in geographic information systems and
- So I believe that our transportation system should unite Arizonans.
- We have really appreciated that this legislature understands that in our prison system, our correctional
- officers and our staff are part of a system that cares for and provides services, including programming
- We don't, to the best of our ability, want that to happen within the prison system.
Committee:
Senate Public Safety
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Republican Leaders Media Availability Jan 20th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- I've talked about a lot, or child protective services, or foster care, or managing our child care system
- Something's wrong with our system if that happens. Thank you. Thank you.
- The other big structural issue is we've got a very generous system of joint and several liability in
- And I think that might be a very tiny baby step towards a little bit more fairness in our tort system
- We don't charge other foster youth when they're in the system.
Summary:
Republican legislative leaders used the availability to focus on affordability, budget pressures, and opposition to several Democratic tax proposals. They criticized a circulating draft income tax proposal as a de facto small-business tax, arguing it would hurt LLCs, S corporations, housing investment, and the broader economy. They also attacked a proposed tire fee, a possible cigarette tax increase, and other tax ideas as regressive or hidden from consumers, while saying Republicans would not support any tax increases and urging budget cuts and spending restraint instead.
The leaders said they planned to raise these concerns in an upcoming meeting with Governor Ferguson, along with questions about his budget and how he reconciles prior opposition to a wealth tax with support for an income tax. They also discussed a bill to make it harder to qualify initiatives for the legislature, calling it anti-democratic, and said the majority was ignoring or undermining voter-driven policy efforts. On child welfare, they criticized DCYF oversight and supported stronger accountability, including a bill to fix the state’s “imminent harm” standard and another proposal to stop the state from collecting certain federal disability and survivor benefits from foster youth.
Other topics included tort liability reform, where Republicans said the state’s repeated failures in child welfare and juvenile rehabilitation are the underlying problem, not just the cost of claims, though they were open to limited reforms such as disclosure of litigation financing. They also discussed the 340B drug pricing program, saying it is complicated and could affect hospitals, FQHCs, patients, and pharmaceutical innovation. On public safety and technology, they expressed cautious support for bills regulating kids’ social media and AI use, but stressed First Amendment concerns and the need to avoid private rights of action; they were more skeptical of a bill limiting police retention of automatic license plate reader data, saying law enforcement needs effective tools to solve crimes. No votes were taken, and the event ended with Republicans reiterating that affordability was their top priority.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- So as you look at animals through the slaughter system last year, steer slaughter, heifer slaughter,
- Roughly 20% of the cattle in the feedlot system in the U.S. right now actually are dairy-influenced.
- Roughly 20% of the cattle in the feedlot system in the U.S. right now actually are dairy-influenced.
- Some of those cash receipts are calves sold out of state into a feedlot system, right?
- high of a per-unit margin going to the next guy, whether that's the wholesaler, food distribution system
Committee:
House Agricultural Affairs
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Transportation Jan 15th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- committee must be representatives of an established passenger rail user group or frequent users of the system
- community feedback, as well as potential indeterminate costs for use of internal and external IT systems
- in the unique position among state agencies of being a retail service provider through the ferry system
- The ferry system customers have a direct relationship with state employees but not system management.
- This includes one-time costs for updating their driver software system, creating new forms, and webpage
Summary:
The Transportation Committee heard briefings and public testimony on four bills. HB 1823, a Transportation Improvement Board cleanup bill, would remove obsolete references, update terms, and repeal outdated sections; a proposed substitute would restore remaining bond authority that the original bill would have inadvertently removed. The sponsor and TIB supported the technical corrections, describing the bill as good-government cleanup, and there were no questions or opposition. HB 2092 would create a Washington State Amtrak Cascades Passenger Rail Advisory Committee to provide regular user feedback to WSDOT; the bill was presented with a fiscal note of about $82,000 this biennium and $156,000 ongoing for staffing. The prime sponsor and multiple advocates supported the concept, while committee members and witnesses raised possible amendments to broaden membership, include disability representation, and possibly add rail industry and statewide passenger rail interests.
HB 2111 would allow the Interstate 5 bridge replacement project toll facility bond retirement account to retain its share of interest earnings instead of sending them to the general fund. The sponsor, the Treasurer’s Office, and a business community witness said the change would keep dedicated toll-related revenue with the project and avoid accounting and tax concerns; the bill was described as a technical fix with fiscal impact expected to benefit the project account. HB 2114 would require the Department of Licensing to waive replacement plate fees for defective plates within two years of issuance and allow waivers between two and five years in some cases. The sponsor said the bill responds to widespread plate delamination, especially in eastern Washington, and county auditors and subagents testified in support as a customer-service measure, though they noted the fiscal note seemed high relative to the small number of replacements estimated and asked for clearer definitions and implementation guidance.
No votes were taken during the hearing. The chair closed public hearings on HB 1823, HB 2092, and HB 2111 after testimony, and temporarily closed HB 2114 to allow a later opportunity for a witness who had audio issues to testify.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Schools should not be acting as a second court system, especially when decisions can be made based on
- We are deeply concerned about the, you know, advocacy to further integrate school discipline systems
- Systems as it's been stated, school districts are going to be represented.
- Um, but for there to be a system for that, and so he'll go and come back, sounds like a very simple thing
- These goals help modernize our education system and better align it with Texas's economic priorities.
Committee:
Senate Education K-16
Keywords:
hemp, consumable hemp products, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, Texas hemp law, hemp regulation, cannabinoid products, delta-9 THC, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, retail registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, youth access, minor sales
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- CFIUS can negotiate mitigation agreements to reduce national security threats, and our constitutional system
- what spurred the SCOPE Act from the last legislature, HB 18. required internet sources to implement systems
- I'm sorry, the election management system for jurisdiction-wide accumulators.
- So I'm not sure why we would wait until 2026 when our systems, as we sit here today, should be certified
- The current system relies solely on the American Bar Association (ABA) for institutional recognition,
Bills:
SB1065 , SB2117 , SB2217 , SB2363 , SB2533 , SB2742 , SB2743 , SB2881 , SB2964 , SB3013 , SB3014
Committee:
Senate State Affairs
Keywords:
SB 1065, handgun carry, license holder, concealed carry, open carry, government contracts, governmental entity, property lease, state agencies, local government, higher education, university, Texas Government Code, Penal Code 30.06, Penal Code 30.07, Penal Code 46.03, Second Amendment, gun rights, firearms, civil penalty
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Government and Veterans Affairs Apr 9th, 2025 at 11:01 am
Government and Veterans Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- So your system, your new software will take that same name and add it for us?
- That's what the system is designed for. So 48 hours makes sense to me and it's there.
- Same thing: you have to track when the transaction was made for the system.
- So you have to report that in your campaign finance software system and then also in Indy as well. ..
- Do you set it for that criminal who wants to beat the system?
Bills:
SB2156
Committee:
House Government and Veterans Affairs
Keywords:
campaign finance, disclosure, political contributions, election transparency, North Dakota Century Code, 908, all
Summary:
The subcommittee met to review HB 2156, which reorganizes North Dakota campaign finance disclosure law by repealing Chapter 16.1 and moving the provisions into a new Chapter 16.2 with mostly technical cross-reference updates. Legislative Council and the Secretary of State’s office walked through the bill section by section, explaining that most language is carried over from current law, with some cleanup to definitions, reporting requirements, public access rules, and filing procedures. The committee discussed how the new chapter would apply to candidates, candidate committees, political committees, political parties, ballot measure groups, and conduits.
Several substantive issues were raised and adjusted during the discussion. Members questioned the open-records language for expenditures and contributions over $250, the use of “deposit” versus “receipt” as the reporting trigger, and whether the 48-hour supplemental reporting deadline should be changed to three calendar days; the group ultimately favored keeping 48 hours and using “deposit” consistently. They also clarified reporting dates, including changing one special-election deadline from 40 days to 39 days, and confirmed that balances of campaign funds would be reported but not made publicly available. The Secretary of State’s office also explained that the bill would make late fees public and that the chapter-wide penalty for willful violations remains a Class A misdemeanor.
The main policy change debated at length was the late-filing fee schedule. Members expressed concern that the existing penalties were too low to deter intentional non-filers, and after discussion the committee agreed to increase the final late fee from $100 to $500 while keeping the new public posting of delinquent filers. The committee also reviewed an inflation-adjustment provision for reporting thresholds and the “ultimate true source of funds” language, which was described as existing law being carried into the new chapter. The meeting ended with the understanding that additional drafting changes would be made and that the bill would be ready for further committee action later in the week.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
HF1501, bill to boost funding to rare disease advisory council, heard in health committee 3/5/25
Transcript Highlights:
- these diseases is the barriers to care that an individual faces when encountering our health care system
- these inefficiencies in diagnosis and management represent a significant cost to our health care system
- </c><00:04:00.360><c> in</c><00:04:00.439><c> the</c> of every health healthare system in the of every
- health healthare system in the world<00:04:01.480><c> and</c><00:04:01.640><c> these</c><00:04:01.840
- </c> significant cost to our healthare system significant cost to our healthare system as<00:04:06.920
Summary:
The committee heard House File 1501, which would fund the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council and make the current fiscal year 2025 budget its permanent base. Representative Murphy said the bill would provide about $342,000 in general fund money for the 2026-27 cycle and argued that the council helps shorten diagnosis times, support research, and keep Minnesota a leader in rare disease work. Erica Barnes, the council’s executive director, testified in support and explained that the council was established in 2022 to improve care for the estimated one in 10 Minnesotans living with a rare disease. She said the council needs the full $668,000 level it operated with this year to maintain its statutory duties, noting that the current ongoing base is about $326,000 and that the extra funding was previously one-time money.
Barnes described the barriers faced by rare disease patients, including long diagnostic delays, limited provider knowledge, and the fact that only a small share of rare diseases have FDA-approved treatments. She said rare disease care is costly to the health system and that the council has used prior funding to convene the community more regularly and carry out its work. Representative Leing questioned why the budget should be doubled and asked what additional work the council would do with the higher amount; Barnes responded that without the larger ongoing appropriation the council would fall back to 1.8 FTE and would have to stop some programs. Representative Hingson Jger spoke in support, saying the council’s collaboration has been valuable for policy work in the genetic and rare disease space.
In closing, Murphy emphasized Minnesota’s leadership in rare disease and shared a personal story about how diagnosis and treatment changed his family’s life. No public testimony was offered. The chair then laid House File 1501 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Joint Legislative Auditing Committee Feb 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- With the amount of money that goes to the school systems, it would seem to me that there should be, and
- And yet Ricky Dixon, who runs our prison system, his vehicles are wore out.
- So, I mean, when you look at the big system, the whole thing of the state of Florida, this is really
- I can't imagine what the total budget is for the school systems. I guess we should find out.
- I think this is like the checks and balance system, and the buck stops here. So...
Summary:
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee received a presentation from Auditor General staff on recurring findings from audits of district school boards, colleges, and universities. For school districts, the main issues discussed included missing or outdated safe-school officer training documentation, weak purchasing-card controls, vendor banking-change fraud risks, incomplete background screenings and disqualification-list procedures, missing website budget disclosures, excessive or untimely IT access, late deactivation of former employees’ access, missed emergency drill deadlines, inaccurate capital outlay and resiliency education records, weak tangible property inventories, adult education reporting errors, untimely bank reconciliations, and improper use of workforce development funds. The auditors said many of these issues are repeated from prior years and are summarized in their annual report on significant findings and financial trends.
For universities and colleges, the auditors highlighted similar control weaknesses, including vendor information change controls, IT access issues, cash and investment reconciliation problems, purchasing and procurement deficiencies, personnel and compensation issues, and student fee compliance concerns. Specific examples included a UF consulting contract totaling about $6 million, FAU underreporting carry-forward balances by about $77 million, UCF’s payment loss of about $107,000 from an email scam tied to vendor changes, and a North Florida College unauthorized transfer involving a few hundred thousand dollars. The committee asked questions about the UF consulting work, the FAU carry-forward issue, and whether the listed findings meant every named entity had every issue; auditors clarified that the lists reflected entities with findings in those categories, not necessarily each specific problem.
The committee then turned to enforcement for entities with long-standing uncorrected audit findings. Staff reported 144 entities with 197 findings repeated in three or more successive audit reports and recommended sending letters requesting updated corrective-action status, including for late-filed 2022-2023 reports where appropriate. The committee approved the staff recommendation and directed letters to be sent. The meeting ended with members emphasizing the importance of audit oversight and taxpayer accountability.