Transcript Highlights:

• Ponder, everything that we put in to whatever bill we pass, if we pass a bill, it needs to be paid.
• We're going to pass all these issues on to them, and then, you know, when they fail, we'll just say,
• By your vote of three ayes, seven nays, and zero not voting, you have failed to pass Senate Bill 1504
• So when a person fails a generic, why are they failing? I don't know.
• Pass. Senator Fernandez. Senator Fincham. Passed. Senator Kuby? Aye. Senator Leach? Aye.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1630, which would direct AHCCCS to seek federal approval for a home- and community-based services program for adults determined to be seriously mentally ill, with quarterly implementation updates, a stakeholder work group, and a cap on enrollment. The sponsor and advocates from Arizona Mad Moms argued the bill would create a Medicaid-funded long-term care option for the most disabled SMI patients, reduce costly hospital and state-only care, and improve continuity of care. A committee amendment narrowed eligibility to individuals needing a long-term SMI level of care, changed reporting to semiannual, reduced the initial cap to 250 members with possible growth tied to savings, and required AHCCCS to keep pursuing approval if CMS denies it. The amendment was adopted, and SB 1630 as amended passed 10-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1131, which originally required every school district and charter school to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan and appropriated $1 million for implementation. A Warner amendment replaced the mandate with a reporting requirement on AED counts, CPR/AED-trained staff, and whether a plan exists, while shifting the appropriation toward AED grants and limiting school spending to purchasing and maintaining AEDs. The American Heart Association supported the amendment as a way to gather baseline data and target resources, while some members questioned the funding split and the rural-school priority. The amendment was adopted, and SB 1131 as amended passed 9-1. Next, the committee took up Senate Bill 1582, dealing with the school safety interoperability fund. The amendment changed the appropriation from ADE to ADOA and allocated funds to specific county sheriff’s offices to continue existing interoperable communication systems linking schools and first responders; supporters said the systems had been used in drills and some real incidents, and were important for school safety. One member raised concerns about the auditor general’s report and whether the program should continue, but sheriffs and school officials described it as a useful communication tool. The amendment was adopted, and SB 1582 as amended passed 6-4. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 1504, which would change retirement rules for Tier 2 and Tier 3 public safety personnel and reduce the waiting period for cost-of-living adjustments. The sponsor, police and fire representatives, and pension consultants argued the bill would improve recruitment and retention and align benefits more closely with what employees were promised, while cities, counties, and taxpayer groups warned it would add substantial unfunded liabilities and undermine the 2016 pension reforms. The committee spent extensive time on actuarial costs, funding status, and the effect of the amendment exempting the bill from statutory pre-funding requirements; the transcript ends during that discussion before a final vote on SB 1504 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The county failed them, the river authority failed them, and in a larger sense, their government failed
• In some ways, I know I have failed them. I take this personally.
• I fully intend to pass, and I hope with your support, to pass House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, to send
• There being 135 ayes and 1 nay, HB1 is finally passed.
• So, I'm very saddened by her passing.

Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 5, HB20, HB 22, HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 5, HB 20, HB 22

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, we're sending a message to, if we pass this and if we continue to pass these things, we're sending
• It passes on a roll call vote. Thank you, Mr. Duffin. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Duffin. Thank you.
• It passes with six in favor. Committee passes on a roll call vote.
• It passes with eight in favor. It passes with a roll call vote.
• So it fails. Committee fails on a roll call vote. We'll go to the original motion.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee met to consider several pending administrative rules from DOPL, beginning with approval of the January 20, 2026 minutes. The first major item was the Physical Therapy Licensure Board fee rule, which would raise physical therapist licenses from $25 to $40 and assistant licenses from $20 to $30. DOPL testified that the board’s cash balance had fallen below statutory targets because of higher overhead, the move to the Chinden campus, and the transition to the OASIS licensing system, while the Idaho Physical Therapy Association supported the increase to preserve an independent board. Some senators objected that the committee lacked a formal cost-benefit analysis and that fee increases were being used instead of broader restructuring, but the rule was approved on a roll call vote, 6-4. The committee then revisited the Occupational Therapy Licensure Board fee rule after a prior tie vote. DOPL said the board’s reserves had declined to about 20% of expenditures and projected depletion by 2027, prompting a proposed increase in initial licensure and renewal fees. Committee members and the Division of Financial Management discussed whether a failed motion to approve required an explicit motion to reject and findings of fact under Idaho law. After that procedural discussion, the committee rejected the rule in part by approving the chapter except for the fee section, which passed 8-1. Next, the committee considered the Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals rule. DOPL described several technical changes to licensure requirements and education monitoring, along with fee increases intended to move the board toward a 30% cash reserve. The committee approved the rule except for the fee section, which was removed from the motion and passed 8-1. The final major item was the State Board of Acupuncture fee rule, which would raise fees by roughly 100% to 150%. Testimony included support from one senator who said an out-of-state acupuncturist favored licensure and would pay substantial fees for the ability to bill insurance, but other senators argued the increase was unjustified and that the board had few complaints and no recent applicant denials. A substitute motion to reject the rule failed, and the original motion to approve the rule was then adopted, ending the meeting with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• They all can't understand why this has not been passed.
• in on it, it's almost guaranteed to pass.
• in on it, it's almost guaranteed to pass.
• Because in 2012, when it was passed, really the person that passed this, she was a representative from
• I ask the committee to pass H.J.R. 115 cleanly.

Summary: The Special Committee on Tax Reform heard three measures focused on property tax relief and tax administration. House Bill 2869, sponsored by Rep. Mike Jones, would authorize counties to offer up to a 100% property tax credit on the primary residence of 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans, with a $500,000 value cap, surviving-spouse carryover, no stacking with other credits, and protections for bonded indebtedness. Jones and supporting witnesses from Missouri veterans organizations said the bill is a practical, county-option approach that recognizes veterans’ service and could help keep federal retirement and disability income in Missouri. The Department of Revenue noted the bill could reduce eligibility for the existing property tax credit and urged timely fiscal-note review. No opposition testified. The committee also heard H.J.R. 115, sponsored by Rep. Dave Griffith, which would place a constitutional amendment before voters to exempt 100% disabled veterans from personal property tax and homestead-related taxes, with surviving-spouse protections. Griffith said the measure has been pursued for years, would affect a relatively small number of veterans, and should be treated as a common-sense benefit for service-connected disabilities. Veterans’ groups strongly supported the resolution, describing it as overdue relief for veterans on fixed incomes and urging the committee to move it forward. Several members discussed whether the policy should be in the Constitution or statute, but all testimony was in favor. Finally, the committee heard HB 3303 from Rep. Cecily Williams, a cleanup bill to clarify that state and local sales or use taxes are exempt when the General Assembly purchases goods or lodging for official business and is reimbursed with public funds. Williams said the current statute lists outdated tax categories and leaves some local taxes on reimbursable expenses, causing the state to pay unnecessary taxes. Members generally supported the concept, and the Department of Revenue testified only on the need for timely fiscal-note requests and said the fiscal impact appeared minimal. No one testified in opposition to any of the three bills, and the committee concluded its hearing without taking final action or votes in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• calendar. pause, do pass on consent calendar.
• failing.
• Do we have a do pass motion? Do we have a second?
• We passed the New Mexico.
• If that happens, your bill passes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Notably, it passed all 58 counties. Notably, it passed all 58 counties.
• We can’t underfund it and say it’s failing.
• That bill fails on a vote of 2 to 3. What's the tally? Okay, that bill fails on a vote of 2 to 3.
• Motion is do pass as amended to appropriations. Motion is do pass as amended to appropriations.
• Motion is do pass as amended to appropriations. Motion is do pass as amended to appropriations.

Summary: The committee met without a quorum and operated as a subcommittee while hearing a long agenda of public safety bills. The chair announced recess and return times, noted several consent items, and said SB 906 was pulled from the agenda. Testimony procedures were explained, including limits on principal witnesses and public comment. Several bills were heard out of file order with authors presenting and witnesses speaking in support and opposition. SB 1446 would expand discretion in en banc parole review, make votes public, and allow CDCR referrals for sexually violent predator evaluations in certain cases. Supporters, including the author and district attorneys, said it would improve transparency and public safety; opponents from Uncommon Law, the Ella Baker Center, and public defender groups argued it would add confusion, litigation risk, and unnecessary duplication. The bill was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. SB 1278 would exclude certain sex offenses and habitual or serial sexual offenses from elderly parole eligibility; the author and district attorneys cited recent releases of serious sex offenders and the need to respect victims and sentences, while opponents said the elderly parole process is already rigorous and evidence-based and that the bill would reduce rehabilitation incentives. The chair and other members strongly supported the measure, but no vote was taken. The committee also heard SB 1354, which would bar out-of-state military or law enforcement forces from entering California without the governor’s permission; the author and supporters framed it as a state sovereignty and constitutional authority measure, and the committee discussed an amendment removing a criminal penalty and leaving enforcement to the Attorney General. SB 926 would provide funding for implementation of Proposition 36; supporters said counties need resources for treatment, probation, and related services, while opponents called it fiscally reckless and said the budget process was the proper place to address funding. The chair summarized amendments removing a specific appropriation and limiting eligible recipients, and members emphasized that the voters approved Prop. 36 but it remains underfunded. SB 874 would require background checks and clearer oversight for Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment providers, especially ABA providers serving children; it drew support from health plans and behavior analysis groups and no opposition. SB 1210 would extend CalGang oversight and due process protections to all gang databases, including local ones; supporters described privacy harms and racial disparities, while police chiefs opposed applying CalGang rules to informal local investigative files. SB 1019 would create a DOJ cargo theft task force; supporters from BNSF, trucking, shipping, and port interests described organized theft, rail sabotage, and supply-chain losses, and there was no opposition. SB 1217, on non-consensual intimate image removal, was introduced with privacy and public safety amendments and framed as a survivor-driven effort to create a DOJ clearinghouse for rapid takedown requests; the author said it would help end ongoing digital harm from exploitation.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can pass that. It's an >> I see that. You can pass that.
• Let's We're going to pass or fail this bill. It'll be laid over.
• Let's We're going to pass or fail<01:03:29.119><c> this</c><01:03:29.359><c> bill.
• </c> fail this bill. It'll be laid over. fail this bill. It'll be laid over.
• It's just one giant plan to fail. And I It's just one giant plan to fail.

Bills: HF3439, HF3763

Keywords: Medical Assistance, Medicaid, MNsure, MinnesotaCare, disability determination, expedited eligibility, state medical review team, compassionate allowance, rare disease, home and community-based services, long-term care, managed care, county-based purchasing, eligibility redetermination, periodic data matching, death master file, Social Security Administration, program integrity, income eligibility, asset test

Transcript Highlights:

• I yield for questions and ask for due pass.
• Senator Prieto, I think you had a due pass. ...and ask for due pass.
• Senator Prieto, I think you had a due pass, and we have a due pass from Senator Prieto, a second from
• With that, I move due pass and yield for questions.
• I declare the same to have passed.

Bills: SB1288, SB1705, SB1878, SB2019, SB2118

Keywords: emergency management, federal funding, disaster relief, cost sharing, public assistance, bail reform, public funds, nonprofit organizations, political subdivisions, injunctive relief, criminal procedure, surety bond, judicial discretion, uniform bond schedule, liability insurance, judgments, insurance fund, Oklahoma, county sheriff, commissary

Summary: The Senate Local and County Government Committee heard several bills related to local government finance, liability, bail, and jail operations. Senate Bill 1288, by Senator Gillespie, would require the state and political subdivisions to equally share FEMA-related matching costs for federally declared disasters; supporters said it would codify long-standing practice and provide certainty for local governments, with an estimated fiscal impact of just under $4.9 million. After questions about future appropriations and delayed reimbursements, the bill advanced on a 9-0 vote. Senate Bill 2019, by Senator Logan, would create a political subdivision liability insurance guarantee program and fund to help local governments and shared insurance pools manage large federal civil rights judgments. Members questioned the bill’s scope and whether it applied to catastrophic events or civil rights cases; the author said it was intended to spread the burden of large judgments over time and reduce pressure on property taxpayers. The committee adopted a title-off motion and advanced the bill 7-2. Chair Hamilton presented Senate Bills 1705, 1878, and 2118. SB 1705 would bar nonprofits from bailing people out of jail if they receive public funds, with supporters citing public safety and opponents raising concerns about impacts on nonprofit and church-based assistance; it passed 7-2. SB 1878 would establish a uniform bail schedule, limit personal recognizance release for certain repeat or higher-risk offenders, and require court approval to lower certain bonds; it also passed 7-2. SB 2118 would clarify how county sheriffs may use commissary funds for jail-related purposes such as training, equipment, inmate care, and operations; it passed 7-2. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, um, also I passed around an amendment, and that simply just points to the new law that was passed
• </c> ought to pass with amendment. ought to pass with amendment.
• </c> what happens if multiple articles pass what happens if multiple articles pass and<01:13:48.800><
• So, for those reasons, I recommend this bill ought to pass and ought to pass as amended.
• </c><01:18:52.480><c> as</c> pass and I and ought to pass as pass and I and ought to pass as amendment

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion was due pass to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• The motion was due pass to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
• The experiment of a voluntary structure for designers has failed.
• Motion is due pass to Senate Appropriations. Wahab? Aye.
• That bill fails. Without objection, reconsideration will be granted. Thank you. Bill fails.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 1921 on video game shutdowns. The author and Consumer Reports supported requiring game operators to give 60 days’ notice before ending server support and to offer a menu of remedies, including refunds or playable/offline alternatives, while the Entertainment Software Association opposed the bill as an unwarranted new standard for digital products and raised safety and legal concerns about community servers. Members questioned the scope of refunds, copyright, and community-server issues, and the author said he was open to further amendments. The bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. AB 1965, dealing with cannabis testing, was presented as a measure to strengthen the Department of Cannabis Control’s authority over testing labs and improve product safety and transparency. The California Cannabis Operators Association supported the bill, saying it would help ensure consistent standards and protect consumers in a market with a large illicit component. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. The committee also heard AB 2141, which would allow the Board of Pharmacy to resolve certain disciplinary matters through a voluntary pre-accusation settlement process. The author and a supporting pharmacist said it would speed resolution of smaller, technical cases and reduce costs, while a member raised concerns about transparency and whether the public would have less information about licensee misconduct. The bill passed the committee on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations, with Senator Menjivar voting no, and was placed on call. AB 2163, creating strategic clean energy and critical mineral development zones, was supported by the author and Imperial County as a way to prioritize geothermal and lithium development in areas like the Salton Sea region; it passed on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. Later, AB 1990 on compounded weight-loss drug advertising drew significant debate. Supporters argued it would curb misleading ads and require disclosures about risks and non-FDA approval, while opponents from the compounding pharmacy community said it would create burdens, duplicate existing false-advertising law, and could harm patient access. Members questioned whether the bill actually addressed targeting minors and whether it would force use of FDA-approved labeling; the author said the bill was meant to add specificity and guardrails. The bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Senate Judiciary, with some no votes, and placed on call. The committee also heard AB 2783 on court reporters, which would add a national certification pathway and extend a remote reporting pilot; it drew support from court reporting stakeholders and passed unanimously on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations, placed on call. Finally, AB 2771, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education sunset bill, and AB 2772, the interior design certification sunset bill, were presented and heard with mixed testimony: AB 2771 received support from student and borrower advocates and was moved to Senate Education, while AB 2772 drew both support and strong opposition over CCIDC governance and accountability, with the committee hearing extensive public comment before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Report that out with the due pass.
• Having a due pass in a second.
• Chair, I move due pass. Second.
• But they would not be subject to retention if they were to fail in the third grade, as they already passed
• As they already passed the test in the second grade.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on economic development, infrastructure, and education policy. SB 1530, described as a research and development ecosystem bill, would encourage universities, businesses, and industry to partner to strengthen Oklahoma’s high-tech economy; it passed 29-0. SB 1847, a measure aimed at helping Oklahomans avoid nursing home placement and reduce costs, also passed 29-0. SB 1990 would require the Incentive Evaluation Commission to send its annual report to the Secretary of State and expand its review of incentives to include broader comparative analysis and strategic economic goals; it passed 28-0. The committee also considered SB 2060, the Build Act, which is intended to help small towns finance upfront infrastructure costs for development. Members raised concerns about independent boards, debt, assessments, zoning authority, and accountability, and the author said an adopted amendment was meant to preserve city and county control over planning and infrastructure protections. The bill passed 22-5. SB 1992, a Department of Commerce cleanup bill, passed 27-2. Later, the committee took up SB 1579, a taxpayer bill of rights, which passed 26-0. SB 1778, agreed-upon reading legislation language that cleans up formulas and clarifies the SRA formula and related reading provisions, also passed 28-0. The chair noted upcoming longer Appropriations and J-CAB meetings and then adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the appropriate time, I'd like to give this bill by saying I 205 passes. Thank you.
• And I want park 205 passes. Thank you.
• I'm just wondering if the seriousness of it meets the criteria of failing.
• That's that's where I think failing.
• All opposed, like sign. >> 242 passes. that. And if you if you're providing a that.

Bills: SB205, SB242, SB205, SB242

Keywords: appropriation, education funding, priority schools, Alabama education, State Department of Education, codification, state law, legal revisions, Alabama code, legislative updates, underground damage prevention, notification system, construction safety, infrastructure, commercial driver license, English proficiency, work authorization, impoundment, false documentation, 1136

Transcript Highlights:

• So it fails the second test.
• It fails all three tests of the Kennedy court.
• There being 20 ayes and 11 nays the bill is finally passed.
• There being 20 ayes and 11 nays, the bill is finally passed.
• Secretary will call the roll. eight nays the bill is finally passed.

Bills: SCR5, SCR13, SB3, SB6, SB10, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB17, SB18, SB19, SB24, SB35, SB57, SB65, SB112, SB284, SB290, SB388, SB400, SB402, SB412, SB495, SB499, SB502, SB509, SB621, SB706, SB740, SB815, SB842, SB854, SB875, SB893, SB917, SB974, SB1025, SB1061, SB1073, SB1106, SB1268, SB1281, SB1300, SB1362, SB1379, SB1447, SB1451, SB1555, SB1902, SJR36, SJR12, SCR13, SCR25, SCR5, SCR22, SCR12, SCR24, SB495, SB412, SB10, SB18, SB565, SB372, SB842, SB765, SB62, SB19, SB666, SB707, SB888, SB687, SB706, SB847, SB290, SB13, SB1248, SB740, SB14, SB1006, SB504, SB917, SB925, SB388, SB1902, SB1121, SB995, SB857, SB305, SB296, SB284, SB35, SB6, SB815, SB3, SB1281, SB1379, SB1300, SB1497, SB1499, SB1498, SB1451, SB1061, SB15, SB65, SB241, SB304, SB402, SB499, SB621, SB974, SB1023, SB1024, SB1025, SB1106, SB686, SB112, SB371, SB204, SB400, SB609, SB1447, SB670, SB502, SB427, SB850, SB854, SB413, SB1555, SB1362, SB1346, SB1033, SB1220, SB1073, SB810, SB987, SB1539, SB893, SB447, SB875, SB406, SB509, SB985, SB965, SB17, SB1119, SB1505, SB12, SB24, SB57, SB1194, SB1253, SB1215, SB1532, SB1268, SB1302, SB856, SB650, SB583, SB673, SB840, SJR57, SCR8, SB213, SB681, SB1172, SB1252, SB378, SB610, SB918, SB1343, SB608, SB487, SB955, SB957, SB988, SB990, SB1019, SB1021, SB1120, SB251, SB958, SB535, SB761, SB1, SB541, SB315, SB379, SB1018, SB1737, SB266, SB1415

Keywords: SCR 5, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, Texas School for the Deaf, TSD, Robert Rives, gymnasium naming, building naming, honorary resolution, commemorative resolution, deaf education, hard of hearing, Gallaudet University, alumni hall of fame, football coach, school facility naming, education K-16, State Affairs, Texas Legislature, public school tribute, water rights

Transcript Highlights:

• Prior to her passing, she was truly the light of our family.
• Please continue fighting and pass SB1.
• Never put them out to fail, and they didn't.
• Carve-outs that have passed the legislature.
• thereof do pass and be printed.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:15.120><c> Act</c><00:09:15.760><c> and</c> passed the Inflation Reduction Act and passed
• </c> friend AB Swindell who peacefully passed friend AB Swindell who peacefully passed on<00:15:13.839
• </c><00:49:28.640><c> a</c> Um, House Republicans just passed a Um, House Republicans just passed a resolution
• ,</c> are increasingly cozy with a failed, are increasingly cozy with a failed, discredited<00:52:06.640
• And where these policies were tried, yes, they failed.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Friday, November 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Lenny: “I mean, we're sending a message to, if we pass this and if we continue to pass these
• That motion failed, but that was not an outright rejection.
• It passes with six in favor. Committee passes on a roll call vote. Committee.
• It passes with eight in favor. It passes with a roll call vote.
• So it fails. Committee fails on a roll call vote. We'll go to the original motion.

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved the January 20, 2026 minutes and then took up several DOPL administrative fee and rule dockets. The first major item was the Physical Therapy Licensure Board fee rule, where DOPL said the board’s cash balance had fallen below statutory targets because of higher overhead, the move to the Chinden campus, and the transition to the OASIS licensing system, while licensee numbers were also declining. The Idaho Physical Therapy Association supported the increase to preserve an independent board. Some senators argued the committee needed a fuller cost-benefit analysis and objected to raising fees instead of using cross-subsidization or broader restructuring, but the committee ultimately approved the rule on a roll call vote. The committee then reconsidered the Occupational Therapy Licensure Board fee rule after a prior tie vote. DOPL said the board’s reserves were down to about 20% of expenditures and would be exhausted by fiscal year 2027, even after personnel and travel cuts, and proposed doubling several fees. Committee counsel explained that a rejection requires findings of fact under Idaho Code, which prompted discussion about the proper procedure for rule rejection. After debate, the committee voted to reject the fee increase and then approved the rest of the rule package. Next, the committee reviewed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals rules, which included several technical licensing changes and a fee increase intended to restore the board’s cash balance to at least 30%. A senator raised concerns about federal versus state control in water regulation, but the committee approved the docket with the fee section excluded. Finally, the committee revisited the Acupuncture Board fee rule, where DOPL proposed a 100% to 150% fee increase to address financial shortfalls. Testimony included a board official’s explanation that the board needed the increase to remain solvent and a senator’s anecdotal support from South Dakota practitioners, but other senators argued the increase was excessive and unsupported. A motion to reject the acupuncture fee increase failed, and the committee then approved the docket, with the meeting adjourned afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was passed in 2019 and it was passed unanimously.
• Whatever you pass down to IDOPL, they're going to do.
• If we fail to do that, pay out for our services.
• A tie means that the motion fails.
• The tie means that the motion fails. The tie means that the motion fails.

Summary: The Senate Commerce Committee approved the March 3 and March 5, 2026 minutes, then heard House Bill 750 as amended on programmable money protections. Representative Heather Scott described the bill as a Consumer Payment Rights and Transparency Act intended to prevent programmable money from being used to discriminate, require use without a non-programmable alternative, or deny transactions based on protected characteristics. Testimony included support from David Lichty, who said similar legislation had passed in Utah, and questions from senators about whether the technology is already operational. Opponents raised concerns about the bill’s interaction with the Uniform Commercial Code and whether it would create legal confusion. The committee voted 5-3 against the motion to send HB 750 to the floor, so the bill was held in committee. The committee then advanced HB 585, which would extend the 48-hour inspection refund/private inspector option to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections; it passed on a due-pass recommendation. HB 562, which increases notice periods for nonrenewal of homeowners’ and fire loss insurance policies to 60 days, also passed to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 545, dealing with military chaplains and counselor licensure. Representative Barbara Ehardt and Senator Ben Adams argued the bill would recognize military chaplains’ counseling experience and allow them to apply that experience toward civilian licensure, while noting Idaho law already says licensing authorities may not require certain exams for military applicants. Supporters, including chaplains Jared Gifford and Robert Morris, said military chaplains receive extensive counseling training, work with trauma, suicide, and moral injury, and could help address Idaho’s mental health and veteran care shortages. They said the bill would help chaplains bill insurance and expand access to trusted care. Opponents, including licensed counselors Monique Barber, Kelly Loy, Christy Weissman, Carmen French, Susan Reading, and others, argued chaplain counseling is not equivalent to clinical mental health counseling, that the bill could lower licensure standards, and that it should require the National Counselor Exam and supervised clinical hours under licensed counselors. Senators also questioned whether chaplains could diagnose, whether insurance would reimburse them, and whether the bill should be limited to military settings. After extensive debate, Senator Lenney moved to send HB 545 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation, but Senator Guthrie offered a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee. Several senators said they respected military chaplains but were concerned about blending pastoral counseling with clinical licensure and about the bill’s broader application beyond the military. The transcript ends during the roll call on the substitute motion, before the final vote is announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• And maybe we do want to put a penalty in if they failed to do it.
• And maybe we do want to put a penalty in if they failed to do it.
• So in passing, codifying a maximizer, which actually goes against the bill that was passed three years
• No other state in the country has passed such a regime.
• of some sort, and then 474 that passed last year.

Bills: HB591, HB765, HB826, HB870, HB938, HB1151, HB1162, HB1176, HB1196, HB1236, HB1241

Keywords: family leave, insurance, paid leave, employment benefits, caregiver support, liability insurance, coverage defenses, direct action, judgment enforcement, legal procedures, insurance referrals, compensation, non-licensed agents, consumer protection, insurance products, HB 870, Act 907, Louisiana insurance, health insurance, prescription drugs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> do pass as amended. Voting [snorts] I. do pass as amended. Voting [snorts] I.
• So if we pass this, we're really passing what I would call a rain tax with unchecked top on it.
• , Senate File 96 has failed to pass the Senate.
• </c><01:54:51.040><c> to</c><01:54:51.199><c> pass</c><01:54:51.440><c> the</c> Senate File 96 has failed
• to pass the Senate File 96 has failed to pass the Senate.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I won't pass that one.
• The amendment fails. We're on the next amendment to the amendment.
• The amendment to the amendment fails.
• So the amendment to the amendment fails. So. All opposed, no. No. So the amendment fails.
• or failed.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/HB 1263 on insurance regulation. The sponsor said the bill would strengthen the Office of Insurance Regulation’s tools to oversee property and auto insurance markets, including market conduct and solvency exams, mitigation discounts, storage of mitigation inspection forms, and clearer oversight of pharmacy benefit managers. An amendment narrowing fingerprinting requirements was adopted, and the bill passed favorably after supportive testimony from OIR and others. Members then considered CS/HB 527, which would require a qualified human review before an insurance claim can be denied or reduced when artificial intelligence is used in the process. After an amendment removing the word “algorithm” was adopted, insurers and trade groups testified in opposition, arguing current law already covers claims handling and that the bill could create duplicative work and slow innovation. Supporters, including a consumer and labor representative, said human judgment is needed to protect claimants. The bill passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/HB 637 on farm equipment “lemon law” rights, with an amendment clarifying consumer definitions, refund rights, repair-period extensions, and a July 1, 2026 effective date. CS/HB 107 on data centers also passed after an amendment narrowing the five-mile siting restriction to data centers over 50 megawatts and adding noise-study requirements; business groups supported a framework but opposed the NDA ban and siting limits, while several members raised competitiveness and local-impact concerns. Later, the committee passed CS/HB 1291 on NICA funding and solvency, CS/HB 185 on a sales tax exemption for home-hardening products, CS/HB 425 on historic African-American cemetery preservation, CS/CS/CS/HB 1177 on Space Florida and spaceport operations, CS/CS/CS/HB 657 on community associations and HOA/condo reforms, and CS/CS/HB 1221, the DFS package. The final major item discussed was CS/HB 1001 on local government DEI restrictions, which drew extensive questioning about definitions, exceptions, cultural and religious observances, advisory councils, and contracting rules; the transcript cuts off before the bill’s final disposition.