Transcript Highlights:

• of Jack Patrick Lewis relative to retirement benefits for Suzanne Garcia, a member of the State Employees
• who receive wages through an electronic wage card; Employees who receive wages through an electronic
• An act protecting wages of employees who receive wages through an electronic wage card, House Bill 2074
• An act protecting wages of employees who receive wages through an electronic wage card, House Bill 2074
• An act establishing a minimum wage for employees of airline catering companies, House Bill 2145.

Summary: The House began with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and procedural orders. It adopted a resolution commending the Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts for recognizing March 2026 as Endometriosis Awareness Month. The House also adopted multiple orders extending committee reporting deadlines, including for the Committees on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities; Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure; Health Care Financing; Revenue; and Transportation. In addition, the House concurred with a Senate referral on legislation concerning Great River Regional School Districts and suspended Joint Rule 12 to send two petitions to committee, one on retirement benefits for Suzanne Garcia and another on senior property tax credits. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling recommended a slate of bills for House consideration, including measures on call firefighter rights, foreclosure protection for recently widowed spouses, wage protections for electronic wage cards and hospital workers, a minimum wage for airline catering employees, incentives for donations to local nonprofits, limits on prison labor, and a sick leave bank for a DCF employee. After suspending Rule 7A, the House gave these bills second reading and ordered them to a third reading. On third reading and final action, the House passed to be enacted a sick leave bank bill for a Department of Correction employee, concurred in a Senate amendment to a land conveyance bill for Brockton, and passed to be engrossed several local and special legislation bills, including measures involving Conway police and fire department employees and an Arlington firefighter civil service exception. The House then adopted an order to meet again Monday at 11 a.m. and adjourned to that time in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> affiliation this past election employees affiliation this past election employees of<01:08:36.440
• </c> of pulling undertaken by UNH employees of pulling undertaken by UNH employees be<01:12:57.880><c
• </c> you're saying that no Public Employee you're saying that no Public Employee could<01:18:58.760><
• </c> position and thus not a public employee position and thus not a public employee under<02:43:29.120
• will</c><02:46:51.560><c> be</c> employees or public employees will be employees or public employees

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:32.480><c> Um</c><00:15:33.920><c> so</c> employees that work at this site.
• Um so employees that work at this site.
• Not seeing any. >> The only question I had was how many employees do you have?
• I know lock masters, you said they work weekends. >> Correct. >> Are they full-time employees?
• So, we have nine employees total. >> Okay. All right.

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met without a quorum at first, then heard an update on child exploitation enforcement efforts from the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Criminal Investigations. The presenters described the specialized investigation and prosecution unit funded in House Bill 6, saying the added resources allowed them to hire four staff members and expand work on cyber tips, search warrants, arrests, forensic processing, victim advocacy, and training for local law enforcement. They highlighted a recent rescue of a 5-year-old victim from a Discord-related case and said the office had also filed a civil lawsuit against Roblox, alleging the platform lacked adequate age verification and allowed predators access to children. Senators asked about the lawsuit, and the presenters said Kentucky was one of only two states to sue Roblox and that the complaint was based on evidence collected by the office. The committee then received an update from the Kentucky River Authority on lock and dam repairs funded in the 2024-2026 budget. The authority reported progress on three capital projects: upper guide repairs at Locks 2 and 3, design and repair work at Dam 7, and design work to reopen Lock 5 for navigation. Officials explained that river construction is limited by flooding and fish-spawn restrictions, and they described the engineering and safety issues involved in replacing guide walls and repairing Dam 7’s spillway. They also said the authority had demolished three obsolete lockmaster houses and filled a fifth lockmaster position, while continuing to work on pay retention for those employees. Members asked about the transfer of the lock and dam properties from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the permitting process through the Division of Water, and the timeline for reopening navigation. The authority said the Corps had transferred the properties to Kentucky, that permits for river work are handled through the Division of Water and the Army Corps, and that Locks 1 through 4 are open seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through the end of October. Officials said Lock 5 would add 14 miles of navigation if reopened, but that it would still take a few more years before that project is complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• to their employees.
• Are you saying then by this bill that a cannabis dealer who had an employee—my concern is for the employee
• I would classify an employee as a W-2 employee.
• But if you're a 1099 employee or a cash-based employee, even an off-the-books employee, or in some cases
• But if you're a 1099 employee or a cash-based employee, even are off-the-books employee, or in some cases

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee and heard several bills focused on insurance transparency, wildfire mitigation, market access, and workforce issues. AB 75 would require insurers to give homeowners 30 days’ notice before collecting aerial images of their property and allow homeowners to review those images; supporters said it would improve privacy and prevent inaccurate non-renewals, while consumer and industry groups both sought amendments. AB 234 would add the Assembly Speaker and Senate President pro Tem, or designees, as non-voting members on the California FAIR Plan governing committee; the Department of Insurance supported it as an oversight measure, while Consumer Federation of California said it was only a small first step toward broader transparency reforms. AB 428 would let water corporations join joint powers authorities for pooled insurance, with supporters citing rising insurance costs for small water systems and no remaining opposition after amendments. AB 943 would streamline producer pre-licensing education by removing the 20-hour per-line requirement while keeping ethics training; industry sponsors said it would reduce barriers to entry, while consumer advocates warned it could lower professional standards. AB 1209 would create a pathway for cannabis employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage and related services through a state-coordinated network; supporters said it would help bring the industry into compliance, while one member raised concerns about creating a special carveout for a federally restricted industry. AB 1 would require periodic review of the state’s Safer from Wildfire regulations every five years, and it drew broad support from the department, insurers, local governments, and industry groups as a way to keep wildfire mitigation incentives current. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 69, AB 487, and AB 570, all of which were sent to Appropriations. The committee approved AB 75 to Privacy and Consumer Protection, AB 234 to the Assembly Floor, AB 428 to Local Government, AB 943 to Appropriations, AB 1209 to Business and Professions, and AB 1 to Appropriations. Most measures passed on strong or unanimous votes after members added coauthor requests and expressed support for the bills’ consumer protection, transparency, or wildfire-related goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• We receive in-kind donations from Microsoft employees.
• They weren't enough to pay for employees.
• Employee meetings. Okay. Who was in attendance at these employee meetings?
• “Are you still an employee?” “We don’t have employees. What were the dates of your employment?”
• I'm technically—we don't have any employees.

Summary: The hearing concerned a Legislative Ethics Board complaint against Representative Tara Simmons in Washington State OAH Docket 401-645. The judge outlined the process, the two issues on appeal—whether Simmons violated RCW 42.52.020 and RCW 42.52.070, and, if so, what penalty should apply—and admitted a number of exhibits by stipulation or prior ruling, while taking one exhibit under advisement pending an offer of proof. The board also moved to sequester witnesses, which was granted, and the judge deferred ruling on a motion to exclude three defense witnesses until after hearing the board staff’s case. Opening statements followed, with staff alleging Simmons used her position to benefit an outside organization and to secure special privileges, and the defense arguing the conduct was lawful, technical in nature, and consistent with prior ethics guidance. Board staff then called Kimberly Gordon, an attorney and founding board member/treasurer of American Equity and Justice Group (AEJG), as its first witness. Gordon testified that AEJG used data dashboards to make justice-system data more accessible, received state proviso funding sponsored by Simmons, and also received two donations from Simmons—$10,000 and $40,000. She said the first donation was intended to help hire Antoine Coleman, whom Simmons had recommended and who was later identified as Simmons’s romantic partner, and that AEJG returned the $10,000 and declined the $40,000 after concluding there was a potential conflict of interest. Gordon also testified that AEJG believed Simmons’s involvement in the organization and her communications about Coleman created ethical concerns. Gordon further testified about a second proviso intended to expand AEJG’s work into education data and its subcontract with Equity in Education Coalition (EEC). She said EEC did not perform the expected deliverables, prompting repeated communications with the Administrative Office of the Courts and a meeting involving Chris Stanley, where AEJG raised concerns that EEC was not complying and that Simmons had intervened in the dispute. According to Gordon, Stanley ultimately directed the parties to rewrite the subcontract and continue, but AEJG later moved forward largely without EEC’s assistance. The board staff introduced AEJG’s complaint and related timeline exhibits during her testimony. After direct examination, the hearing recessed for lunch, and cross-examination by Simmons’s counsel began when the hearing resumed.

Transcript Highlights:

• um starting in 2028 uh after employees um starting in 2028 uh after the<00:08:32.959><c> 2028</c><00
• My vision is not that we fight against UI, but that we give the opportunity for employees not to file
• Um, districts said they thought 100% of their employees would. The fiscal notes had deeds had 50%.
• Um, districts said they thought 100% of their employees would. The fiscal notes had deeds had 50%.
• Um, districts said they thought 100% of their employees would. The fiscal notes had deeds had 50%.

Bills: HF1049

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve, along with my employees as staff to the Judicial Council.
• employee relations for a decade or so and have had it in the past.
• We have a whole bunch of unrepresented employees.
• We have a whole bunch of unrepresented employees.
• </c><00:30:09.679><c> um</c> one district has no Union employees um one district has no Union employees

Transcript Highlights:

• should be an employee whose somebody who should be an employee whose employer<01:00:30.240><c> controls
• speaking, employees as they've classified them.
• </c> determine whether someone is an employee determine whether someone is an employee or<01:01:51.280
• than an actual employee rather than an independent<01:04:05.680><c> contractor.
• </c> we keep seeing employer employee we keep seeing employer employee business<01:10:23.679><c> that

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:00.880><c> by</c><00:34:01.200><c> mutual</c> employee by mutual employee by mutual agreement.
• Um, and that an employee can use it.
• Um, and that an employee can excuse me. Um, and that an employee can use<00:35:24.000><c> it.
• </c><00:45:27.760><c> and</c> somewhat uncertain if employees and somewhat uncertain if employees and
• </c> also let's say I have a trouble employee also let's say I have a trouble employee I<00:50:53.359

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• One, those categories of employees.
• </c> um to leave Minnesota's ban on employee um to leave Minnesota's ban on employee non-compete<00:08
• </c><00:09:01.519><c> that</c> communicate to those employees that communicate to those employees that
• 00:09:09.920><c> employees</c><00:09:10.640><c> ongoing</c> clear the employees ongoing clear the employees
• </c><00:12:59.680><c> Thank</c> employees without restriction. Thank employees without restriction.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to need telework for state employees and others.
• So it's really a great privilege to be working on this bill with so many state employees.
• Local 1000 is California's largest state employee union, and we represent nearly 100,000 employees across
• Employees face the same burden when their workplaces do not formally recognize Eid.
• And it's explicit about the ability of employees to be able to use public employees' existing leave mechanisms

Committee: Senate Governmental Organization

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, these plans serve approximately 226,000 active public employees.
• This was done to ensure these employees have plan portability with a guaranteed income option.
• And whereas PERA also offers employees.
• </c><00:33:42.240><c> who</c> Auditor found that public employees who Auditor found that public employees
• c> plan</c><00:34:05.240><c> portability</c> these employees have plan portability these employees have

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we started in 2021 with myself as employee number one. We're actually up to 22 employees.
• We want to go from 22 employees up to 50 employees in the next two years.
• 22 employees up to 50 employees in from 22 employees up to 50 employees in the<00:51:07.440><c> next
• Very difficult to do. that employee is required to file by that employee is required to file by statute
• :50.160><c> 30-day</c> uh employee triggers that 30-day uh employee triggers that 30-day threshold,<01

Bills: HF2048 , HF2360 , HF2006 , HF950 , HF912 , HF3140 , HF2931

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:05.800><c> information</c> to obtain private employee information to obtain private employee
• </c><00:02:11.880><c> beliefs</c> predictions about the employees beliefs predictions about the employees
• 25.720><c> universally</c> can't monitor employees in universally can't monitor employees in universally
• </c> should an employee be aware? should an employee be aware?
• </c> keep an employee or to make an employee keep an employee or to make an employee violate<00:12:59.320

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 40-7-05.2, temporary employees and interns, we clarified that temporary employees and interns
• with regular and probationary employees.
• The term permanent employee was replaced with regular and probationary employee.
• with regular and probationary employee.
• We replaced the term permanent employee with regular and probationary employee.

Committee: Joint Administrative Rules Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It states two, but no more than 50 eligible employees.
• employee, you're good to apply in group situations.
• or in an LLC or a partnership is truly an employee.
• company that has many employees.
• Kansas didn't preclude a wife from being a second employee, a legitimate employee of the company, whereas

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Summary: The committee first went into executive session on House Bill 2099, adopting a House committee substitute and an amendment clarifying language about non-private, non-commercial property and authorized agents, including executors, administrators, trustees, and verified heirs. Members discussed the amendment as a way to prevent people from exploiting recent obituaries to occupy property without authorization. The committee then voted unanimously to do pass the House committee substitute for HB 2099. The main public hearing was on House Bill 1791, which would set deadlines for political subdivisions to act on building permit applications and reduce fees if deadlines are missed. The sponsor and supporters, including the Missouri Municipal League’s critics from the construction industry, argued the bill would reduce costly delays, improve predictability, and help housing and business development. Opponents from municipal groups said the bill could create liability concerns, impose one-size-fits-all mandates on cities of different sizes, and interfere with local inspection and safety processes. Several witnesses said they were willing to work on the bill’s definitions and timelines, but no vote was taken in the transcript. The committee also heard House Bill 2465, which would let sole proprietors and single-member businesses obtain group health coverage outside the ACA framework and would revise the employee-count threshold from two to one, with discussion about whether the upper limit should remain 50 or be changed. Supporters said the bill would help small businesses, especially family-run firms, access more affordable and flexible coverage, including out-of-network options; one witness described personal difficulty obtaining coverage for a spouse who works in the business. Members raised questions about federal implications and the impact of changing the 50-employee cap, but the hearing ended without a recorded vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2717, a storage-unit and public notice bill that would modernize notice requirements by reducing reliance on newspaper advertisements, allow electronic delivery of rental agreements, shorten certain notice periods, and address storage units being used as housing. Supporters said the bill reflects current business practices and improves communication and efficiency, while opponents focused on preserving newspaper notice and raised concerns about public awareness and process. The sponsor said the bill had been repeatedly introduced in prior sessions and was intended to update the industry’s rules; the hearing concluded without final action in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• and working conditions under the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act.
• Employees' Collective Bargaining Act.
• I'm unfamiliar with the term employee-initiated layoff.
• And essentially an employee can raise their hand.
• Employees could apply, but ETS controlled who was accepted and how many positions.

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held its first meeting of the session and heard four bills. HB 2107 would make permanent and slightly narrow a temporary L&I requirement that, after an on-site safety inspection at a building construction site, the agency make a good-faith effort to notify the owner or employer within 10 working days if an immediately identified hazard could injure a worker. Construction industry groups and L&I supported the bill and said the pilot had worked well, with L&I reporting it had been able to notify owners almost 96% of the time during about 1,400 inspections. HB 2137 would remove the population threshold for binding interest arbitration for correctional employees in city and county jails. Teamsters representatives said the change would give corrections officers in smaller jurisdictions the same bargaining rights as other uniformed personnel and help address safety, staffing, and wage inequities. County representatives opposed the bill, saying it would increase bargaining and compensation costs for many counties, and asked for amendments requiring arbitrators to consider county finances and making awards nonbinding on county legislative authorities. HB 2264 would clarify unemployment insurance eligibility for workers who opt into an employer-initiated layoff or reduction-in-force plan, even if they can rescind their decision, so long as the termination results from the employer’s plan. Supporters said current court rulings create confusing and unfair denials of benefits for workers who leave in good faith during layoffs; NFIB raised questions about severance, retirement, and UI solvency. HB 2243 would allow physical therapists and occupational therapists to serve as attending providers in the workers’ compensation system. Physical therapy and occupational therapy advocates said this would speed care and return workers to work sooner, while retailers, food industry representatives, NFIB, the Washington State Medical Association, and L&I raised concerns about diagnosis, scope of practice, added costs, and the possibility that all PTs and OTs would have to join the provider network. No votes were taken; the committee heard testimony and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state health care plan for state employees—there are some employees that do not avail themselves
• Representative Koslow: "For state employees, there are some employees that do not avail themselves to
• And if you become an employee and we're spending $900 additional on another employee, but maybe this
• employee, this other employee doesn't want health care.
• So my apologies here, but it says if the employee opts out of the health insurance, the employee must

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and took up House Bill 2330, reconsidering a prior due-pass vote and then voting the House Committee Substitute due pass by roll call. It then considered House Bill 2291, where an amendment meant to clarify municipal building-code and zoning authority was discussed at length and ultimately withdrawn after members raised concerns that it would undercut the bill’s purpose; the bill itself then received a due-pass recommendation. House Bill 2336, dealing with state property conveyances and title issues, also drew questions about unclear title and the status of several properties, but the committee adopted the House Committee Substitute and voted the bill do pass. The committee then moved into public hearing on House Bill 3136, which would remove the state prohibition on creating a Missouri-based health insurance exchange; the sponsor and a witness argued it could save money, keep exchange fees in-state, and give Missouri more control, while several members objected that it would reverse the 2012 voter-approved prohibition and could entrench federal health-care policy. No action was taken on that bill in the hearing. The committee next heard House Bill 1833, which would let certain state employees opt out of the state health plan and receive a partial cash payout if they have other coverage. The sponsor argued it could be cost-neutral or save money and give employees more flexibility, while members and the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan raised concerns about fiscal impact, adverse selection, administrative burden, and whether the proposal turns a benefit into an entitlement. The witness for the plan said the fiscal note was based on about 4,112 active employees who already opt out, warned the stipend would be taxable and could create a new benefit that is hard to remove, and said proof of outside coverage would need to be maintained. The hearing then moved to House Bill 2506, which would require DESE to post QR-code placards at licensed child care facilities linking parents to existing inspection and complaint records; supporters said it would help parents make safer choices at no fiscal cost, while DESE explained the portal already exists and complaints are investigated quickly, and a witness described serious problems at one facility to illustrate why the information matters. Finally, the committee opened public hearing on House Bill 1758, a proposal to move Missouri to permanent daylight saving time once federal law allows it. The sponsor argued it would improve safety, boost economic activity, and avoid the inconvenience of changing clocks twice a year, while members raised concerns about darker mornings for schoolchildren and commuters and questioned whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The hearing was still underway when the transcript ended, and no final committee action on House Bill 3136, 1833, 2506, or 1758 was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> quite sure that the judicial employees quite sure that the judicial employees are<00:14:26.959><
• These are state employees.
• </c> Um, these are state employees. Um, these are state employees.
• And I now have 10 employees.
• </c> asking for two judicial um employee asking for two judicial um employee employees<00:37:04.160><

Summary: The committee took up House File 3874, the Judiciary budget bill, and first moved it to the Ways and Means Committee. The bill was described as funding the judicial branch’s budget request, including courthouse and judge security measures, home safety for judges and staff, a $1 million courthouse safety grant program, and funding related to paid family and medical leave costs that the courts must absorb. A court administrator explained that some base adjustments were budget-neutral internal shifts within the court system, moving money from district courts to other courts to better meet overall needs. Members then debated several amendments. The A7 amendment, which reduced some of the requested security funding for administrators and aligned it more closely with legislative security levels while retaining flexible Supreme Court security personnel, was adopted. The A1 amendment, which would have deleted the additional operating adjustment for paid family and medical leave, failed on a 7-7 tie after debate over whether the courts should bear the employer share of that cost and whether the program itself was an unfunded mandate. The A2 amendment, also related to paid family and medical leave funding, likewise failed on a 7-7 tie after similar discussion about the judiciary’s ongoing employment costs and the branch’s inability to raise its own revenue. The committee then adopted the A4 amendment, which increased the courthouse safety grant program from $1 million to $4 million. Supporters said there was unmet demand for courthouse security grants and that the money would help with hardware such as screening equipment, while the court administrator said the branch would not spend more than it could use and that the grants would be reviewed by a committee including law enforcement and county representatives. The administrator noted the funding would be one-time money and would not cover staffing costs. The committee also discussed the judiciary’s ongoing need for funding, with members arguing both that the courts should be treated like other employers and that the judicial branch, as an independent branch of government, must be funded by the legislature. The final A5 amendment was then introduced, with staff noting it would delete a section already covered by the adopted A7 amendment and reduce an appropriation on page four, line 14.

Transcript Highlights:

• It simply extends to all government employees. Thank you.
• It simply extends to all government employees.
• It prohibits public employees from requiring, rather, from requiring public employees to use colleagues
• It will fall on the employee already navigating hostility.
• I think that all employees and employers need clear guidance.

Summary: The subcommittee first took up HB 339, which would create liability for vaccine manufacturers that advertise in Florida and require them to stand behind their products if consumers are harmed. The sponsor argued the bill is meant to restore trust in vaccines, improve informed consent, and address inadequate federal vaccine-injury compensation systems; he said he was open to amendments and noted the bill was modeled on Texas law. Opponents, including a former vaccine-court official, a Florida Justice Reform Institute representative, and a physician, argued the bill is preempted by federal law, raises First Amendment concerns, is vague, and is unnecessary because existing federal compensation programs already provide a remedy. After an amendment delaying the effective date by three months was adopted, the committee heard extensive public testimony, mostly opposed, and then approved HB 339 as amended by a 12-4 vote. The committee then began HB 1001, a strike-all on official actions of local governments that would bar counties and municipalities from official DEI-related actions and spending, define DEI and related terms, add enforcement provisions, and include broad exceptions for holidays, observances, and certain content-neutral civic events. The sponsor said the measure is intended to curb what he described as divisive and wasteful DEI activity in local government while preserving compliance with anti-discrimination laws and other listed exceptions. Members questioned the lack of definitions for terms like “preferential treatment” and the bill’s possible effects on local festivals, language-access services, Pride events, memorials, and community programs; the sponsor said some concerns were addressed by exceptions and that he was open to further changes. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers warning of overbreadth, preemption, frivolous lawsuits, harm to local autonomy, and impacts on marginalized communities, while supporters said the bill would restore neutrality, accountability, and merit-based governance. The amendment to HB 1001 was adopted, and the committee continued hearing testimony and debate on the bill as amended.