Transcript Highlights:

• Would it be appropriate to go to the reading first or to the introduction, sir?
• Order printed and referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
• And as far as the intent, it is very much appropriate. Mr.
• And who makes that determination, what is appropriate or not appropriate?
• Speaker, gentlelady, it says there is no appropriation in House Bill 120.

Bills: HB111, HB103, HB60, HB108, HB120, HB145, HB154, HB164, HB291, HJR6, HR1, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB38, HB47, HB63, HB64, HB127, HB165, HB184, HB200, HM20, HM51

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, pledges, and a series of recognitions and guest introductions, including a memorial honoring J.B. White, a young Santa Fe basketball player killed by gun violence, and presentations for Disability Rights Awareness Day, Down syndrome advocacy, adult education and literacy, and Western New Mexico University’s 133rd birthday. Members also welcomed students, legislative fellows, and other guests, and several speakers used the announcements period to highlight community work, family milestones, and advocacy efforts. The chamber then received and referred several executive and Senate messages. Governor-authorized bills included HB 282 on school attendance enforcement and juvenile probation coordination, HB 292 creating the New Mexico Prison Rape Elimination Act, and HB 149 involving charter school facility financing; these were referred to the Judiciary or Appropriations and Finance Committees as applicable. The House also received Senate-passed bills and committee substitutes, which were referred to the appropriate House committees. In committee reports, multiple bills and memorials were adopted, including HB 4, HB 7, HB 65, HB 66, HB 80, HB 88, HB 96, HB 270, HB 280, HB 275, HB 285, HB 20, HB 166, HB 295, HM 46, HM 54, and SJR 1. On third reading, HB 38 on wheelchair insurance coverage was announced as being remanded back to the House Health and Human Services Committee for a simple amendment before returning to the floor. The main floor debate centered on HB 120, which addresses restraint and seclusion in schools. Sponsors said the bill is intended to improve student safety, clarify when intervention is allowed, require de-escalation and behavior-support training, improve documentation and parent notification, and prevent harmful or punitive practices. An amendment was adopted to replace the term “punishment” with “disciplinary action” and to add reporting to a legislative study committee. The bill then drew extended questioning about definitions, school resource officers, PBIS references, training requirements, data collection, and possible costs and liability, with sponsors emphasizing that the measure clarifies existing practice rather than imposing a specific curriculum or program.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:31:52.679><c> clothing</c> Transportation or appropriate clothing Transportation or appropriate
• </c><00:37:21.280><c> is</c> I'm pleased to report the Judiciary is I'm pleased to report the Judiciary
• </c><00:37:47.520><c> Ohana</c> do could all of our Judiciary Ohana do could all of our Judiciary Ohana
• Can you please join me in recognizing... the Judiciary and I have been blessed by the Judiciary and I
• </c><00:42:41.960><c> every</c> guide what we do at the Judiciary every guide what we do at the Judiciary

Keywords: House Agenda:, 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Uh the bill is on its way to judiciary. Uh the bill is on its way to judiciary.
• </c> &gt;&gt; Um, this will be going to judiciary. &gt;&gt; Um, this will be going to judiciary.
• </c> to judiciary and keep working on it. to judiciary and keep working on it.
• </c> certain case where that is appropriate. certain case where that is appropriate.
• </c> going to judiciary from here. Correct. going to judiciary from here. Correct.

Bills: HF3465, HF3782, HF4075, HF391, HF3946, HF2976, HF3350

Keywords: theft, vulnerable adults, public safety, penalties, Minnesota statutes, chemical irritants, law enforcement, transparency, building owners, tenant rights, notification, remediation, firearm restrictions, domestic violence, court orders, criminal convictions, firearms prohibition, gun surrender, order for protection, protective order

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentlelady from Bernalillo... providing duties, and making an appropriation.
• Speaker, your Judiciary Committee, to whom has been referred House Joint Memorial 2, has had it under
• But that House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for House Bills 2 and 3 do pass.
• House Bill 271, introduced by Representative Small, an act making an appropriation for land purchases
• from the General Fund, And Senator Brantley, an act making an appropriation from the General Fund to

Bills: HB34, HM7, HM8, HM17, HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25, HM34, HB95, HB111, SB1, HJR1, HM4, HM22

Keywords: HB34, school nurse, school nurses, nurse licensure, licensure, charter school, charter schools, school district, public education, Department of Health, Public Education Department, registered nurse, RN, mentorship, evaluation, competency, teacher salary parity, minimum salary, level one license, level two license

Summary: The House convened with quorum, prayer, pledges, and a series of memorials, certificates, guest introductions, and legislative messages. House Memorial 8 honored the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and Dr. King’s legacy; members spoke about the commission’s work in promoting service, liberty, equality, and student leadership. The memorial passed unanimously, 70-0. Later, House Memorial 25 recognized victims of violent crime and their families, with emotional testimony from lawmakers and guests describing the lasting impact of homicide and the importance of survivor voices. That memorial also passed unanimously, 70-0. The chamber then recognized numerous guests, including Kid Frost, several student “shadows” from Belen High School and other schools, Santo Domingo Pueblo leaders, Habitat for Humanity volunteers, CNM board members and students, Southwest Cheese representatives, military installation leaders, and others. Members also highlighted community events and receptions, including Silver Spikes Day and a 100th bill celebration. The House received several executive messages from the governor authorizing bill submissions on virtual power plants, apprenticeship funding for public works, AEDs at school athletic activities, and an energy affordability and grid reliability commission, along with a Senate message transmitting Senate Bill 2. Committee reports were adopted on a number of measures, including House Bills 145, 200, 32, 33, 61, 201, 153, 154, 184, 110, and 109, plus House Memorials 23, 24, and 26, and House Joint Memorial 2. The Appropriations and Finance Committee also reported a substitute for House Bills 2 and 3, which was adopted. On third reading, Senate Bill 1, dealing with a doctor compact for New Mexico, passed the House 64-0 after discussion about its role in physician recruitment and the need for malpractice reform. House Bill 34, a cleanup bill related to nurse licensure and charter school nurses, was also taken up for debate, with questions focused on the three-tier nurse evaluation system and recruitment impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thankfully, it is unnecessary to veto SB 5 in total as SB 5 appropriates money, it is subject to line
• President, your Judiciary Committee, to whom has been referred Senate Education Committee substitute
• President, your Judiciary Committee, to whom has been referred, Committee, to whom has been referred
• President, was there a Judiciary Committee substitute for this? I don't see anybody from Judiciary.
• Senators, we're debating Senate Judiciary Committee substitute for Senate Bill 510.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are in strong support of SB 933. to support the judiciaries testimony in to support the judiciaries
• </c><00:10:56.839><c> Department</c> Brandon Kimura uh judiciaries Department Brandon Kimura uh judiciaries
• </c> amendments blanking the Appropriations amendments blanking the Appropriations inserting<00:16:44.639
• </c><00:32:35.519><c> to</c><00:32:35.639><c> be</c><00:32:35.799><c> appropriated</c> blank appropriation
• to be appropriated blank appropriation to be appropriated for<00:32:36.760><c> from</c><00:32:37.000

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees considered a large number of Senate bills, with many measures advanced either unamended or with technical or substantive amendments. Early action included SB 88 and SB 11 SD1, both passed unamended, and SB 562 SD1 and SB 642 SD1, which were passed with amendments reflecting agency testimony. SB 1133 SD1 was amended to remove duplicative county requirements and clarify tax credit carry-forward eligibility, while SB 1569 SD1 on sports wagering was deferred. Later, SB 933 on nonprofit/federal funding support drew strong testimony from nonprofit and health advocates emphasizing the risk of federal funding freezes and the importance of protecting services such as early learning, domestic violence support, housing, and workforce supports; the committee recommended amendments to define eligible organizations, require reporting, and include the Judiciary. SB 934 and SB 935 were also amended, with SB 934 tying mass transit funding to Honolulu project milestones and SB 935 revising retirement-system language to change “fewer than five years” to “five or more years.” The committees then took up additional measures with targeted amendments. SB 1033 was amended to clarify that the bill applies to legal entities, not individuals, though members noted concerns about closely held family corporations and asked that the issue be reflected in the committee report. SB 1166, SB 1249, and SB 1256 were advanced with amendments or committee-report notes reflecting concerns from the Attorney General, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and Hawaii Farmers Union United, respectively. SB 1432 and SB 137, both relating to electric utilities, were amended to require retention of covered employees after mergers or acquisitions and to direct the PUC to consider whether proposed transactions further state policy goals. SB 157 on antitrust was narrowed to focus on coordinator conduct in rental housing markets, SB 252 on invasive species received a defective effective date, and SB 336 on defense of state employers and employees passed unamended. SB 536 on the Hawaii Community Development Authority was deferred to a later hearing, and SB 1064 on medical cannabis was heavily amended to authorize cultivator licenses with limits on canopy size, license counts, physician fees, and a special-fund appropriation for enforcement. In the Ways and Means portion, the committee passed several bills unamended, including SB 19, SB 124, SB 264, SB 345, SB 422, and SB 741 and SB 747 later in the agenda. SB 361 was amended to remove references to the attorney general and delete an appropriation section, SB 438 was amended to redefine buffer zones and landfill-unit language, and SB 441 and SB 494 were amended to blank appropriations and, in SB 494, assign charter-school audit responsibility to the state auditor. SB 659 was substantially amended to promote local procurement, including county-level geographic preferences and higher thresholds for locally sourced purchases, and SB 732 was amended to adjust film tax credit provisions, including the streaming-platform definition and sunset-related language. SB 819 was amended to replace references to “educators” with “teachers.” Throughout, most measures were adopted without recorded opposition, though several members noted reservations on particular bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> or the Judiciary Committee? or the Judiciary Committee?
• </c> touch either Commerce or Judiciary touch either Commerce or Judiciary statutes. statutes. statutes
• </c><00:40:27.360><c> Committee</c> the co-chair of the Judiciary Committee the co-chair of the Judiciary
• , so then why did you talk to Judiciary, so then why did you talk to the<00:41:26.080><c> Judiciary</
• c><00:41:26.800><c> co-chair</c> the Judiciary co-chair the Judiciary co-chair about<00:41:29.280><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Appropriations. >> Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• </c><00:05:06.800><c> Judiciary.</c> &gt;&gt; Thank you. Judiciary. &gt;&gt; Thank you. Judiciary.
• Judiciary will &gt;&gt; Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• </c> Judiciary. >> Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• </c><00:08:30.960><c> Sylvia</c> judiciary committee by order Sylvia judiciary committee by order Sylvia

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• today's hearing on Civil Actions 2 and Court Administration bills before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary
• Joining me today from the Judiciary Committee in the House, starting from my right to your left, will
• This is a present-day crisis that the judiciary is facing.
• There's no public interest in protecting the private address information of our judiciary.
• be prosecuted, and go to the district court if that would be appropriate.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on bills in the Civil Actions 2 and Court Administration areas, with testimony spanning judicial security, judicial compensation, civil process fees, bar advocate compensation, interstate discovery, defamation protections for sexual assault survivors, and related criminal procedure changes. Chairs Edwards and Day opened with housekeeping rules on testimony limits and written submissions, then called witnesses on each bill in turn. On H. 1766, judicial officers and the Massachusetts Bar Association strongly supported a judicial security bill that would protect judges’ personal information, citing threats, online harassment, swatting, and violence against judges and their families. On H. 1819, judges and the Massachusetts Judges Conference asked for higher compensation, saying Massachusetts judges rank low nationally after cost-of-living adjustment and that pay affects recruitment and retention. The committee also heard support for H. 1582/S. 1183 to raise civil process service fees, with sheriffs saying the fees have been unchanged since 2003 and are needed to cover rising costs, safety equipment, and operations funded by those fees. The committee heard from prosecutors on H. 1604 and H. 1846, which would give district courts concurrent jurisdiction over certain school-threat and leaving-the-scene offenses, allowing prosecutors to handle less serious or panic-driven cases more efficiently while preserving mandatory penalties. CPCS and bar advocates supported H. 1876 on bar advocate compensation, describing a continuing shortage and crisis in indigent defense despite recent pay increases and staffing investments. The Boston Bar Association supported H. 1857, a Massachusetts version of the Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, saying it would simplify out-of-state discovery and reduce cost and delay. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1974/S. 1143, which would protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment from retaliatory defamation suits unless the plaintiff proves actual malice, and would allow fee shifting and damages against abusive suits. Survivors, advocates, and attorneys described threats, legal costs, and chilling effects that silence reporting, while supporters said the bill would protect truthful speech and improve access to counsel. The committee also heard insurance-industry testimony on S. 1101, which would change personal injury protection payment rules to require insurers to tender disputed amounts within 30 days to avoid attorney’s fees; insurers said the bill would curb a growing volume of provider lawsuits and reduce abuse of the no-fault system. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed after all scheduled testimony was complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, Senate Committee on Judiciary, we'll come to order. Good morning.
• AB 2782 is the Assembly Judiciary Committee Civil Omnibus Bill.
• I will move the bill when appropriate.
• It's not appropriate public policy.
• I ask for your aye vote at the appropriate time.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That was part of feedback in judiciary.
• It's not judiciary, it is about this.
• </c> um and this might be a judiciary um and this might be a judiciary question,<00:22:44.160><c> but
• </c> Policy Committee, the Judiciary Policy Committee, the Judiciary Committee<00:32:12.840><c> and</
• </c> appropriate education, public education. appropriate education, public education.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Was the judiciary requested? That's a good question, Representative. I think the judiciary was.
• Now, who determines whether an IEP is appropriate or not?
• Was the judiciary requested by the governor's office?
• This statute does have language saying subject to appropriations.
• And so they say go to the Appropriations Committee.

Summary: The committee first heard the Office of the Governor’s FY 2027 budget request from Adam Gresham. He explained the office’s staffing and noted a $500,000 core reduction, along with a reallocation of three positions and about $168,000 from the governor’s office to the mansion operating fund to better reflect where those employees work. Members asked about the National Guard emergency line, which Gresham said had already spent about $63,457 in FY 2026 and could be used again for disaster activations, though he did not expect to use the full $4 million. He also said the agricultural resiliency transfer fund had not been used and had no current transfer plans. Several members commented on the size of the governor’s cut and whether the judiciary and other offices were also being asked to reduce budgets. No votes were taken. The committee then moved to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood and early childhood-related budget items. DESE staff described funding for the Office of Childhood, MoQPK child care provider grants, LEA pre-K grants, early childhood special education, Parents as Teachers, First Steps, preschool coordination, after-school programs, and child care subsidy. Members asked extensively about the MoQPK grants, including why Head Start providers were eligible, how curriculum approval works, and what safeguards exist against fraud or improper payments. DESE said it conducts physical inspections, desk reviews, payment-system checks, and investigations as needed, and that it had not had findings in this area. Some members questioned whether DESE or DSS was the right home for early childhood programs, while others defended the partnership and the role of early educators in identifying child needs. A major portion of the discussion focused on early childhood special education and the child care subsidy program. DESE explained that First Steps serves children birth to age three, while early childhood special education covers ages three to five and is driven by IEP eligibility; members asked for more data on diagnoses, trends, and how many children come off IEPs. The committee also discussed the child care subsidy budget and the governor’s proposed shift to paying providers based on authorization and at the beginning of the month. DESE said the change is being piloted, that a wait list is expected to begin around March 1, and that a May rollout is being considered, but only if software testing and fiscal projections show the system is sustainable. Members expressed frustration that promised changes had been delayed and that providers had been told different timelines, while DESE said the delay was driven by software issues, fiscal caution, and the need to avoid repeating prior payment problems. The hearing ended with the committee in recess before later resuming discussion of the subsidy program; no final votes or actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But that is a topic that was discussed last year in Judiciary.
• At the appropriate time, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
• So I agree there is appropriate information sharing that can happen.
• I agree, there is appropriate information sharing that can happen.
• The motion is due pass as amended to Appropriations. The current vote is 6 to 2.

Summary: The committee heard several privacy, technology, and public safety bills. SB 898 would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long software support will last and to notify consumers when support is nearing its end; Consumer Reports supported the measure, while members raised concerns about private enforcement, notice mechanics, and replacement obligations for leased devices. The bill was amended and passed 5-1 to Judiciary, with the measure placed on call. SB 1279 would authorize Long Beach to install additional speed safety cameras on Pacific Coast Highway under the same privacy and equity guardrails as the existing pilot program, including limits on data use, no facial recognition, warning periods, and reduced fees for low-income recipients. Supporters cited severe crashes and fatalities on PCH, while opponents raised civil liberties and due process concerns and questioned how the system identifies the actual driver. The committee approved the bill 6-2 and placed it on call. SB 1111, the Artificial Intelligence Abuse Protection Act, would create civil remedies for non-consensual AI voice, image, and video cloning and digital replicas. Support came from SAG-AFTRA and Common Sense Media, and members discussed concerns about background images and employer liability, including a request to preserve a rebuttable presumption for good-faith employers. The bill passed 7-1 to Public Safety and was placed on call. SB 1217 would create a DOJ-run clearinghouse for survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery and deepfakes to request removal from online platforms; survivors and advocacy groups testified in strong support, and members discussed privacy, cybersecurity, funding, and the lack of a private right of action. It passed 8-0 to Public Safety and was placed on call. The committee also heard SB 1095, which would require fusion centers and participating agencies to adopt MOUs barring use of sensitive personal information for immigration enforcement or racial/identity profiling, require annual reporting, and allow audits and inspections. Supporters argued fusion centers have operated with too little oversight and have been used to circumvent state privacy and immigration laws; some members supported the transparency goals while others raised concerns about operational ambiguity and the bill’s interaction with existing law. The discussion continued, with the author and members debating the scope of permissible information sharing and enforcement consequences for violations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Until we Lawmakers budget appropriately?
• I don't know if it's appropriate, Mr.
• That was not vetoed, so that is the appropriation remains.
• Oh, something that we didn't kill in judiciary, really? Oh, I, I oh yes, I, I, I said judiciary.
• You just can't be on Finance and Judiciary at the same time.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll see what Judiciary does.
• We'll see what judiciary does. I'm in spiritual support. We'll see what judiciary does. And I will.
• We will see this again in judiciary.
• I will see this again in Judiciary.
• I will see this again in Judiciary.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard two bills. AB 1159 by Assembly Member Addis would expand California student privacy protections to cover more education technology use, including college students, and restrict collection or use of sensitive student information, especially for generative AI and other non-educational purposes. Supporters, including Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, CFT, labor and civil rights groups, argued students and educators need stronger safeguards against invasive data collection and misuse. Opponents, including College Board, TechNet, CalChamber, and ACT Education, warned the bill was too broad, could interfere with legitimate college recruitment and scholarship outreach, chill responsible AI development, and create litigation risk. Members discussed the scope of the bill, the private right of action, and whether the measure would affect schools or only vendors. AB 883 by Assembly Member Lowenthal would streamline the process for elected and appointed officials to have their personal information removed from data broker systems by having state and judicial entities provide lists to the privacy agency for deletion requests. Supporters said the bill responds to rising threats and harassment against public officials and would help reduce exposure of their personal data. TechNet, CalChamber, and TechCA opposed unless amended, citing concerns about exemptions for lawful data sharing, the five-day deletion timeline, and the private right of action. Members discussed the existing data broker deletion law, how officials would be notified, and whether the bill should be expanded to candidates or local election processes. Both bills were approved by the committee and left on call for absent members before final roll calls were completed. AB 1159 was sent to the Judiciary Committee, and AB 883 was sent to the Appropriations Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And once again, due pass to the Judiciary Committee.
• Amendments will be taken in the Judiciary Committee.
• You know, what's not prudent is this is going straight to Appropriations.
• This should be going to Health, should not be going straight to Appropriations.
• I have to make that final vote in Appropriations is probably more prudent.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety heard two bills. SB 99 by Senator Blakespear, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, would improve coordination between civilian and military law enforcement in domestic violence cases involving military protective orders (MPOs). The bill would require courts to check for MPOs in the NCIC system when considering restraining orders, allow MPOs to be admissible evidence, require civilian officers to notify military law enforcement of possible MPO violations, and allow local agencies to enter MOUs with the military. Supporters said the bill would close jurisdictional gaps that can leave survivors unprotected; the ACLU opposed it unless amended, citing due process concerns because MPOs are issued by commanders without court process. The committee discussed amendments to make notification and MOU provisions less automatic and to broaden local agency participation, then passed SB 99 to Judiciary on a 5-0 vote. SB 758 by Senator Umberg, as amended, would make the sale or distribution of products with unnaturally concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) a misdemeanor and would restrict nitrous oxide sales by tobacco retailers while preserving legitimate culinary and medicinal uses. Supporters, including local governments, law enforcement, and public safety advocates, described widespread misuse of nitrous oxide and 7-OH, especially among youth, and cited poisonings, injuries, and deaths. Opponents argued the bill would criminalize adults using kratom-related products for pain relief or harm reduction, questioned the scientific evidence, and urged a regulatory or public health approach instead of prohibition. Committee members largely agreed the issue raised public health questions and supported moving the bill forward with amendments; SB 758 passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• It came up in Judiciary when we talked about this.
• Judiciary because there was an amendment to take out the power to arrest.
• The first sentence says, "Strike Judiciary Committee Amendment Number 3."
• We are voting on House Judiciary Committee Substitute for House Bill 586.
• This is House Judiciary Committee substitute for House Bill 255.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is a motion to pass to the Committee on Judiciary by the vice chair.
• This is not a flaw in our judiciary or our system. This is the judiciary actually working.
• That brings me to our final point, which is the pipeline to the judiciary.
• Yes, and it'll head to the Judiciary if it passes out of committee today.
• Yes, and it'll head to the judiciary if it passes out of committee today.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments heard several election-related bills. SB 1175 would require lobbyists to file employment changes, terminations, and amendments directly with the Secretary of State through the Cal-Access replacement system, rather than through their employer or firm, to reduce delays and improve transparency. SB 1357 would protect the privacy of voters who sign a notice of intention to circulate a recall petition by omitting signatures and street addresses from the published notice and adding a disclosure explaining that the notice is not itself a petition. Both bills drew support from the Secretary of State’s office and election officials, with no opposition heard in committee. The committee also heard SB 1369, which would add safeguards to judicial recall efforts by requiring disclosure when signature gatherers are paid and shortening the signature-gathering period for judicial recalls from 160 days to 80 days. Supporters, including judges and trial lawyers, said the measure would protect judicial independence and safety amid what they described as politically motivated recall campaigns; one member raised concerns about treating judges differently from other officials. SB 1414 would create an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County, modeled on other California jurisdictions, to draw supervisorial districts through a more transparent process. It had support from good-government groups and only limited concerns from the county, which said it wanted further amendments. The committee then heard SB 970, which would direct the Secretary of State to develop regulations allowing military and overseas voters to return ballots electronically, with the author saying California should modernize as fax service declines and mail service becomes less reliable. County election officials and veterans’ groups supported the bill, while the Secretary of State’s office and voting-security advocates opposed it, arguing that secure electronic ballot return is not currently feasible and could conflict with existing law. SB 1420 would expand voter education and guidance around “sign, scan, and go” voting, which lets voters cast a vote-by-mail ballot in person at a voting site; supporters said it can speed processing and improve voter convenience, while the Secretary of State’s office sought more clarity on double-voting safeguards. SB 1310 would allow limited information from jury questionnaires to be shared with election officials to help identify possible voter-registration issues, but opponents warned it could lead to wrongful purges and harm eligible voters. All bills were voted out of committee, with SB 1175 and SB 1357 receiving unanimous support, SB 1369 and SB 1414 passing on 4-1 votes, and SB 970, SB 1420, and SB 1310 passing unanimously or near-unanimously after absent members were added on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• You've not been to judiciary. You're planning to go to judiciary. What's the...
• been heard in Judiciary.
• heard in Judiciary.
• </c> an appropriation to conduct. an appropriation to conduct.
• He said, "I am not the smartest, to judiciary. There's some great work in to judiciary.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• TSTA applauds the appropriation towards school safety laid out in HB 3 passed during the 88th session
• Judiciary has argued needs to be increased in order to attract more qualified candidates, which would
• hopefully... lead to a more efficient judiciary.
• the necessary and appropriate reforms are also included.
• We do have some weakness in our judiciary is the democratic process.

Bills: SB260, SB263, SB293, SJR18

Keywords: school safety, Foundation School Program, education funding, student allotment, Texas education, SB 263, Texas franchise tax, cost of goods sold, COGS, broadcasters, television broadcasting, radio broadcasting, media tax, broadcast license, FCC, 47 C.F.R. Part 73, 47 C.F.R. Part 74, film production, television production, tax deduction