Transcript Highlights:

• Resources, and its 35 employees were put in jeopardy because of a financial institution targeting companies
• His business, JAN, resources, and its 35 employees were put in jeopardy because of a financial institution
• new statutes to forbid publicly funded education institutions and personnel from using official resources
• Under current law, Texas governments are prohibited from using public resources to influence election
• Under current law, Texas governments are prohibited from using public resources to influence election

Bills: SB312 , SB945 , SB946 , SB1367 , SB1861 , SB2044 , SB2337 , SB2403 , SB2819 , SJR54

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 945, 946, 2044, 2819, 2403, 2337, and 312, with all bills left pending after testimony. SB 945 would restrict insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage based on oil and gas activity or ESG-related goals, and supporters argued it would protect Texas energy producers from politically motivated shareholder activism and insurance discrimination. SB 946 would bar creditors from using social credit, ESG, DEI, or religious/political affiliation as a basis for denying or limiting credit; witnesses said it would prevent viewpoint-based financial discrimination and protect access to capital for Texas businesses. SB 2337 would require proxy advisory firms to disclose when recommendations are based on non-financial factors or when they give conflicting advice to different clients; supporters said the measure would increase transparency and curb ESG-driven influence over shareholder voting. SB 312 would direct public retirement systems to focus on financial returns rather than social or political objectives, with the author saying the bill responds to activist pressure on pensions and would reinforce fiduciary duty. The committee also took up election and ethics measures. SB 2044 would strengthen electioneering restrictions for publicly funded education institutions and personnel, prohibiting use of official resources to promote political agendas; testimony focused on alleged school district electioneering in bond and tax elections. SB 2819 would prohibit county elections administrators from holding certain officer positions appointed by elected officials, addressing potential conflicts of interest. SB 2403, the Texas Ethics Commission sunset bill, would restructure complaint handling with a three-tier violation system, risk-based complaint prioritization, longer response times, bipartisan preliminary review panels, and expanded hearing options; members discussed amendments aimed at dismissing minor complaints, clarifying categories, and adjusting lobbying and penalty provisions, but the amendments were withdrawn during committee consideration. Across the ESG and finance bills, invited witnesses from the American Energy Institute, Heartland Impact, Consumers Research, ADF Action, Texas Civil Justice League, and related groups generally supported the measures, arguing that banks, insurers, proxy advisors, and asset managers have used ESG or reputational-risk standards to discriminate against energy, agriculture, firearms, and religious organizations. No opposition testimony was presented in the excerpt, and the committee closed public testimony on each bill and left them pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and the natural resources of California.
• , and natural resources of California.
• But other additional resources... Respond to help when asked and when called.
• And other additional resources that we have is through our grant program.
• We're providing personnel, as well as our personnel, to do some fuel resources.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs met on Barona tribal land to examine rising homeowners insurance costs affecting tribal communities, with opening remarks from tribal leaders and Assembly members emphasizing tribal sovereignty, the history of forced settlement in high-risk areas, and the need for the state to recognize mitigation work already being done on tribal lands. The committee heard that wildfire, drought, and other climate-driven disasters have sharply increased insurance premiums and reduced coverage options, especially for tribes located in rural or mountainous areas that were not chosen by the tribes themselves. Cal Fire Deputy Director Frank Bigelow described the state’s wildfire response and tribal engagement efforts, including tribal liaisons on incident management teams, a Southern Region Tribal Affairs Deputy Chief, cultural burning agreements, and more than $30 million in tribal wildfire resilience grants over the last three years. Members questioned why tribal communities receive only a small share of grants, whether Cal Fire should do more outreach and budget proposals for tribes, and whether mitigation work is being recognized by insurers. Bigelow said Cal Fire is working with insurers and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety on mitigation standards, but acknowledged that more tribal outreach and participation are needed. Tribal chairpersons and fire chiefs testified that their communities are already investing heavily in fire protection through dedicated fire departments, fuel reduction, defensible space, prescribed burns, firebreaks, and home-hardening efforts, yet premiums remain high or coverage is denied. Barona leaders said premiums can range from $6,000 to $18,000 and urged insurers to assess properties individually rather than by broad high-risk zones. Soboba, Hamu, and Pechanga representatives described similar efforts and said grant rules, environmental review, and insurer practices can make it difficult to translate mitigation into lower rates. Several members suggested short-term state assistance or a tribal insurance mitigation fund, and the committee discussed the possibility of requiring insurers to better account for tribal mitigation and sovereignty in risk assessments.

Transcript Highlights:

• using the system that AHP is creating for resource and referrals.
• First, 988 is a critical and often life-saving resource.
• Our frontier county is too small to keep those kinds of resources afloat.
• So we see ourselves—I mean, we can be a resource for rural areas.
• So trying to get them the correct resources.

Summary: The hearing focused on California’s 988 suicide and crisis lifeline and the broader crisis response system, with members and witnesses emphasizing both the system’s life-saving role and the risks posed by funding gaps, rising demand, and uneven local implementation. Opening remarks highlighted the personal impact of suicide and the need to strengthen crisis response so calls are answered quickly and linked to appropriate care rather than defaulting to 911, emergency rooms, or law enforcement. State officials described the AB 988 five-year implementation plan, which sets goals around public awareness, equitable access, high-quality call/chat/text response, and better integration with ongoing behavioral health services. State agencies reported progress on infrastructure, coordination, and related behavioral health investments. CalHHS said California has expanded mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization units, and youth behavioral health supports, and is preparing additional public awareness and grant programs tied to Proposition 1. DHCS explained that 988 is funded through a federal SAMHSA grant and the AB 988 surcharge, while Medi-Cal separately funds mobile crisis services; officials said the mobile crisis benefit is active in 53 counties and that statewide expansion remains a work in progress. Cal OES described the statewide technical buildout, including network infrastructure in all 11 crisis centers, interoperability with 911, and a pilot of next-generation routing and call-handling tools. The 988 California Consortium said call volume continues to rise sharply, missed calls remain a major concern, text/chat capacity is limited, and centers need more stable funding, better reimbursement, and stronger feedback loops with the state. County and community witnesses stressed that local systems need more flexible, sustained support to match the demand. Lake County described a peer-led rural mobile crisis model that has reduced law enforcement holds and increased housing placements, but said county-run mobile crisis teams still cannot reliably access 988 surcharge dollars and face reimbursement problems from Medi-Cal and commercial plans. Santa Clara County reported strong performance metrics, rapid call answer times, and a broad continuum of mobile crisis services, but said staffing and funding are strained and commercial reimbursement remains slow. The Mental Health Association of San Francisco said the peer-run warm line complements 988 by offering non-emergency support and warm handoffs, but recent budget changes forced cuts to Spanish-language service, federation support, and hours. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; members mainly asked questions about surcharge levels, budget timing, coordination among agencies, data collection, and how to improve collaboration with frontline crisis centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with Aeroq Action, the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and I oppose this bill.
• I'm with Aeroq Action, the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and I oppose this bill.
• I am the Executive Director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and Arab Resource and Organizing
• I'm the organizing director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and with AROC Action.
• Resource Action Center and the Asian Pacific School Board Members Association. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee held a special hearing on AB 715, with the authors presenting the bill as a response to rising anti-Semitism in K-12 schools. The authors said the measure is intended to strengthen protections for Jewish students, improve district accountability, expand the uniform complaint process, clarify protections related to religion and nationality, and create a state-level anti-Semitism coordinator. They emphasized that the bill was developed through collaboration with the Black, Latino, AAPI, and Jewish caucuses and argued it is meant to protect all students from hate while preserving legitimate classroom discussion. The hearing included extensive public testimony. Supporters, including students, parents, rabbis, Jewish organizations, and some educators, described harassment, biased curriculum, delayed or ineffective school responses, and fear among Jewish students and families. They urged the committee to act to make schools safer and more responsive. Opponents, including teachers, ethnic studies advocates, civil liberties groups, Palestinian rights advocates, and some Jewish parents, argued the bill was rushed, vague, and could chill academic freedom, censor discussion of Palestine and Israel, and expand complaints against teachers and school districts. Several witnesses said existing complaint and anti-discrimination systems already address these issues. Committee members then questioned the authors and witnesses about implementation, definitions, and possible effects on curriculum and school boards. The authors said the bill is still intent language and that details would be refined in further negotiations with stakeholders. Representatives from the California School Boards Association and California Teachers Association raised concerns about the new language and possible unintended consequences, while ACLU California Action said it had concerns but wanted to keep working on the bill. The transcript does not show a final vote or action taken on AB 715 during this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We meet weekly on our strategic priorities, and we're always assessing and looking at the efficiency
• of of each and looking at the efficiency of of each district<00:23:10.040><c> office</c><00:23:10.840
• It is designed to provide resources.
• And there will also be some, I think, delivery efficiencies for the merger.
• </c> delivery efficiencies for the merger. delivery efficiencies for the merger.

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and the natural resources of California.
• , and natural resources of California.
• And but other additional resources... Respond to help when asked and when called.
• And other additional resources that we have are through our grant program.
• So I do commend the work that you are doing in the most efficient way possible.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• what we call a resource guide, which has been posted on our website.
• Here you'll see some more data on the disaster resource centers.
• We had a resource center which Mayor Bass helped set up.
• We had a resource center which Mayor Bass helped set up. we we were a resource center which Mayor Bass
• We had our public health nurses and doctors, access to resources.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the health impacts of wildfires and the effects on health care systems and access to care. The first panel focused on public health consequences, with testimony from UCLA and UCSF physicians, a community organizer, and an Altadena recovery leader. Witnesses described acute and long-term physical harms from wildfire smoke and ash, including asthma and COPD exacerbations, cardiovascular and stroke risks, pregnancy impacts, infection risk, and possible added hazards from lithium-ion battery fires. They also emphasized mental health effects such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, “firebrain,” and the need for psychological first aid, trauma-informed community networks, and youth-focused resilience programs. Community advocates stressed that Latine, Indigenous, undocumented, and Black communities face disproportionate harm because of language barriers, unsafe work conditions, lack of insurance, and exclusion from disaster aid, and they called for stronger language access, worker protections, permanent disaster relief, and better outreach. Committee members asked about air monitoring, masks, wind events, lithium-ion batteries, and how to reach communities with translation and emergency information. Panelists said AQI is useful but incomplete, that N95s help for smoke but P100 masks are needed for ash/asbestos exposure, and that communities should be warned to stay indoors and avoid windy dust-ups after fires. They also discussed the importance of building relationships during non-emergency periods, using text alerts and trusted community organizations, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate information. Several members and witnesses highlighted the need for more research on long-term health effects, especially for people with chronic lung disease, workers who cannot stay indoors, and residents exposed to repeated disasters. The second panel addressed health care system response and access to care. DHCS and DMHC described emergency flexibilities used during the Southern California fires, including federal waivers, extended Medi-Cal renewal deadlines, reinstated coverage for some disenrolled members, suspension of prior authorization and prescription refill barriers, out-of-network access at in-network cost-sharing, and communication through websites, toll-free numbers, and social media. Hospital and community health center leaders described major operational strain: emergency room surges, canceled surgeries, dialysis disruptions, staff displacement, temporary housing needs, and financial losses. Huntington Health and AltaMed reported using incident command systems, temporary care spaces, bilingual and culturally tailored services, mobile clinics, infection control measures, and community health workers to keep care going. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better disaster staffing pools, more flexible facility rules, stronger mental health coverage, child care planning, and statewide coordination for future emergencies; no formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> agency, there certainly is resources agency, there certainly is resources required<01:08:00.320>
• </c> how how much resources are required. how how much resources are required.
• </c> would inherently be a a large resource would inherently be a a large resource requirement<01:12:
• </c> five and 10, we think that's a resource five and 10, we think that's a resource allocation<01:12
• </c> our current resources. our current resources.

Bills: HF1234 , HF3528 , HF3672 , HF3679 , HF3680 , HF1944

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: payment transparency, public contracts, contractor rights, government accountability, construction payments, barbering, licensing, examinations, barber schools, public safety, certifications, Barber Examiners Board, data transparency, Legislative Budget Office, state agencies, fiscal notes, public data, standard time, federal law, time zone

Transcript Highlights:

• rather than giving the legislative branch... ...ways to improve the system and make it more efficient
• Specifically, the bill expands the mission to include efficiency, optimization, and modernization of
• And all this bill does is seek to codify and prioritize the work of that Efficiency Council.
• Generally, you're probably talking more on the side, less on the side of savings and efficiencies and
• Generally, you're probably talking more on the side, less on the side of savings and efficiencies and

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Summary: The House and Governmental Affairs Committee met on Senate Bill 123, a proposed constitutional amendment to create a legislative process for removing judges for cause. Senator Morris said the bill was needed because of uncertainty in the current Constitution about whether impeachment applies to judges, given the Judiciary Commission’s role in judicial discipline. He argued the measure would provide a clearer, higher-threshold accountability mechanism, and the committee adopted a technical amendment renumbering provisions and later clarified that the bill uses a majority vote in the House and two-thirds in the Senate, consistent with impeachment-style thresholds. Much of the hearing centered on testimony from Anna Carter and her family, who supported the bill after the murder of Jacob Carter in New Orleans. They described his death and other cases they said showed judges releasing dangerous offenders despite repeated violations, missed electronic-monitoring check-ins, and other warning signs. They argued the bill would create a last-resort accountability tool when judicial decisions or supervision failures lead to preventable harm. Several committee members expressed sympathy and said the testimony highlighted serious problems in the justice system, though some also suggested the bill should address district attorneys, electronic-monitoring oversight, or broader systemic issues. Opposition came from members who warned the proposal was overly broad, could become a political tool, and might conflict with existing constitutional provisions governing impeachment and judicial discipline. They argued the Judiciary Commission and Supreme Court already provide a disciplinary framework and that the bill could chill judicial independence or create due-process concerns. The ACLU’s Sarah Whittington also opposed the bill, noting technical inconsistencies in the draft, questioning why impeachment had not been tried first, and arguing the measure singled out judicial discretion while leaving other elected officials’ discretion untouched. The committee took no final vote on the bill during the hearing, but did adopt the technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this, uh, with this DE amendment put on, this is a bill that will focus on bringing greater efficiency
• This DE amendment put on, this is a bill that will focus on bringing greater efficiency, accountability
• </c><00:26:08.159><c> It</c><00:26:08.400><c> also</c> efficient for everyone involved.
• It also efficient for everyone involved. It also strengthens<00:26:09.279><c> oversight.
• </c> efficiencies if they choose to do so. efficiencies if they choose to do so.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're also working to improve the efficiency and customer service across state agencies.
• It's more efficient for you. And it's government meeting people where they're at.
• :40:20.320><c> service</c><00:40:20.720><c> across</c> efficiency and customer service across efficiency
• It's more efficient<00:40:43.280><c> for</c><00:40:43.440><c> you.
• And it's government efficient for you.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• bills that we brought over the last couple of years to consolidate and make things a little more efficient
• go out and start doing those boiler inspections themselves, and it's just going to create a more efficient
• that we learned a lesson about how to look at the bill a little bit differently in order to be more efficient
• Southern, and UL the ability to take all their projects and bundle them so that they can be more efficient
• Do we need to look at that process again and see about changing it up where we can make it more efficient

Summary: The Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs met on May 19, 2026, established a quorum, approved the May 11 minutes, and then took up several House bills. House Bill 1039, presented by Rep. DeSotel, would add taxpayer protections in local sales tax audits by requiring clear notice that waiving prescription is voluntary, requiring a written request identifying records sought before an estimated assessment, and allowing mutual agreements to suspend interest and penalties during an audit. The committee had no opposition and reported the bill favorably. House Bill 799, handled by the State Fire Marshal’s office, would move boiler inspections into the Fire Marshal’s office and allow licensed industry inspectors to perform them, with the stated goal of improving efficiency because current staffing only covers about 20% of inspections; it was also reported favorably without objection. The committee then spent most of the meeting on House Bill 2, the capital outlay bill, with Chairman Bacala explaining that the House had worked with the Division of Administration and Facility Planning and Control to find about $50 million in savings through cash-flow adjustments, under-budget bids, over-appropriations, and bundled-project savings. He argued the bill has grown beyond a true five-year plan and that some prior funding is not transparent because money placed in projects in earlier years no longer appears in later versions of the bill. Division officials said the savings would help address deferred maintenance, especially in higher education, and that Priority 2 projects are used to absorb additional funds if more savings are found later in the year. Senator Luneau asked about dormant projects and the process for removing or reallocating funds from projects with no recent expenditures; officials said such removals must go through the Bond Commission and that they are considering ways to improve the process. Bacala then offered amendments to HB 2, saying they kept Priority 1 fully funded, added about $54 million in Priority 2 projects, and included a large Priority 5 list of member requests. The committee adopted the amendment set without objection and then reported HB 2 as amended favorably. The committee also reported House Bill 3 favorably; Bacala described it as a housekeeping measure that provides bonding capacity to move HB 2 forward. Finally, the committee granted staff authority to make technical changes to the reported bills and adjourned on Senator Lambert’s motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget, manages 6.8 million square feet of state assets, and leads projects aimed at improving efficiency
• We have the most fuel-efficient and diverse fleet, incorporating electric and hybrid vehicles.
• We now have energy-efficient programs in our buildings.
• I have worked to make government operations more efficient, more transparent, and more responsive.
• If confirmed, I will lead with the vision that lends efficiency with humanity.

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Government Efficiency will come to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
• The Committee on Government Efficiency is now going into executive session.
• This will conclude the hearing on the Committee on Government Efficiency for today. Nine, do pass.
• This will conclude the hearing on the Committee on Government Efficiency for today.

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Summary: The Committee on Government Efficiency met with a quorum and went into executive session to consider SSSB 889 by Senator Coleman. The bill was described as a cleanup measure intended to remove expired, terminated, sunset, and obsolete language from Missouri statutes, with supporters noting the state had not done this kind of cleanup in several years. During discussion, one representative joked about possible unrelated amendments, including health benefit exchange language that could save the state money and horse racing language, but no amendments were offered. Representative Burton said he had wanted to remove one part of the bill but the sponsor would not agree to changes, and he felt the committee had not had enough time to review the measure. He announced he would vote present. Other members generally supported keeping the bill unchanged so the cleanup could proceed. After discussion, the committee voted on the motion to do pass. The roll call resulted in 9 ayes, 6 noes, and 2 present, and SSSB 889 was voted do pass. The committee then adjourned for the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Government Efficiency will come to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
• The Committee on Government Efficiency is now going into executive session.
• This will conclude the hearing on the Committee on Government Efficiency for today. Nine, do pass.
• This will conclude the hearing on the Committee on Government Efficiency for today.

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This request is intended to support an additional 5,500 hours of contractor resources.
• We're going and paying a million dollars for 5,500 hours for contract resources.
• So it would not exist unless we had these additional resources to go get it from providers and offset
• So we would use additional resources for that. We also see some concerns around GLP-1s.
• And the director can help as well, but we certainly have our resources here as well.

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee held a budget hearing on the Division of Medicaid within the Department of Health and Welfare. Legislative Services analyst Alex Williamson reviewed Medicaid’s five budgeted programs, enrollment groups, staffing, historic spending growth, and the distinction between ongoing base adjustments and one-time enhancements. She explained that most Medicaid spending is in trust and benefit payments, discussed the large FY 2026 and FY 2027 budget changes, and walked through the governor’s recommendations, including hospital assessment fund alignment, claims forecast updates, MMIS procurement funding, estate recovery, program integrity support, and population forecast adjustments. Members asked extensive questions about the 4% provider rate reduction, the expansion population, federal match rates, and the effect of House Bill 345 and federal changes on Medicaid costs and eligibility. Williamson and Deputy Director Sasha O’Connell said the expansion population has declined, but costs are driven by utilization, provider rates, pharmacy, hospital, developmental disability, behavioral health, and long-term care services. They said the department is pursuing cost containment through prior authorization, redeterminations, higher cost sharing, and program integrity efforts, while noting that expansion is codified in law and any repeal or major eligibility change would require legislative action and could affect hospital assessment revenue and other offsets. The committee also discussed the MMIS replacement project, with lawmakers emphasizing milestone-based funding and risk control. O’Connell explained the estate recovery request as a replacement case management system plus contractor support to help recover Medicaid costs from estates, and said the program is federally required and revenue-generating. Several members raised concerns about backlogs, contractor costs, and whether AI or other technology could improve efficiency in program integrity and estate recovery. No votes were taken during the hearing; the discussion remained informational and focused on the governor’s budget recommendations and possible future reductions or policy changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're efficient, so we're not going to have him sit down. Mr.
• The IRS has said, let's be efficient here.
• The IRS has said, let's be efficient here.
• So the IRS has a process... ...said, let's be efficient here.
• So it's one of those rare occasions where the efficiencies go both ways, both for the taxpayer and the

Summary: The committee first set aside RS 33066, Health Care Sharing Ministries, and then took up House Bill 733 on income taxes and partnerships. Representative Jeff Ehlers presented HB 733 as a way to let Idaho handle partnership audits at the partnership level, rather than auditing each individual partner, mirroring federal practice and reducing burden for both taxpayers and the Tax Commission. Ken McClure of the Idaho Society of CPAs and Jacob Swigart, a CPA partner, testified in support, explaining that the bill would simplify audits, reduce amended-return filings, and apply to pass-through entities such as partnerships, LLCs, and S corporations. Questions from members focused on interstate effects, limited partners, and how disputes would be handled; witnesses said the underlying audit and appeals process would remain unchanged, with only the payment and reporting mechanism shifting to the entity level. The committee then voted to send HB 733 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee next heard RS 33066 from Senator Ben Taves, which would amend Idaho law to treat health care sharing ministry expenses as eligible medical expenses for medical savings accounts. Senator Taves said the change would allow MSA funds to be used for these ministry expenses, which are not currently treated like traditional insurance premiums under Idaho tax law. After no questions, the committee voted to introduce RS 33066. At the end of the meeting, the committee approved the minutes from February 23 and 24, 2026, and announced that it would not meet the following day, with the next meeting scheduled for the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Congress of the United States to authorize a reliability report on Marine Highway 65 and the Water Resources
• But as far as cost efficiency and being able to handle what they are supposed to be doing as a board
• But as far as cost<01:47:25.600><c> efficiency</c><01:47:26.400><c> and</c><01:47:26.719><c> being</c
• ><01:47:26.960><c> able</c><01:47:27.119><c> to</c><01:47:27.280><c> handle</c> cost efficiency and being
• able to handle cost efficiency and being able to handle what<01:47:27.760><c> they</c><01:47:27.920>

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer and the pledge, then established a quorum with 27 senators present. The body excused absent senators, approved the previous day’s journal, and allowed bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The Senate also welcomed guests in the gallery, including Auburn University McCarter School of Building Science students and retired MPD Sergeant Martin Bean. The chamber received multiple House messages and gubernatorial confirmations, referring several local bills and appointments to the appropriate committees. Committee reports included favorable action on Senate Bills 298 and 91 from County and Municipal Government, and House Bills 297, 365, and 436 from Local Legislation. The Senate adopted several resolutions, including recognitions for Tharptown Baptist Church, Tuskegee University Day, Dr. Bradley Heim, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School volleyball, and a special order calendar resolution setting priority bills for the 15th legislative day. On local bills, the Senate advanced and gave final passage to a series of county and municipal measures, including SB 301 (Perry County), SB 314 (Morgan County), SB 295 (Montgomery County), SB 312 (Marshall County), HB 371 (Pike County constitutional amendment), HB 386 (Elmore County), HB 330 (Etowah County), HB 409 (City of Alabaster), HB 408 (Shelby County), SB 299 (Barbour County), HB 416 (Cleburne County), and HB 421 (Lawrence County constitutional amendment). HB 337 on Madison County was carried over. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring Alabama’s record-breaking economic development year, citing major investments and job creation, and heard a lengthy Black History recognition segment on W.E.B. Du Bois, Patricia Roberts Harris, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou. The main policy discussion centered on Senate Bill 240 regarding parole hearings, with the sponsor explaining it would allow the Pardons and Parole Board to hear from inmates and victims by phone or video to reduce travel burdens and improve access. The sponsor said an amendment was being worked on and moved to carry the bill over to the call of the chair, while another senator raised questions about whether inmates currently have an in-person opportunity to speak and whether board members would be able to question participants remotely.

Transcript Highlights:

• contract with the Boston Consulting Group to look at CDCR's operations to see what can be done more efficiently
• budget issues and have been working consistently throughout this year to bring those kinds of efficiencies
• contract with the Boston Consulting Group to look at CDCR's operations to see what can be done more efficiently
• management and streamlining, the department's use of overtime and excuse me, headquarters kind of efficiencies
• the greatest power of the Legislature is that of oversight in ensuring that every dollar is spent efficiently

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For some 911 centers, the most cost-effective and efficient way to deliver the services is to partner
• I'm happy to, you know, we've got time because everybody else was so efficient and Senator Carley pulled
• , our constituents, the lens is liable to see... ... constituents, the lens is liable to see an efficiently
• To be handled efficiently, uh, just give me your thoughts.
• You know, I look at it in a way that it may allow you to operate more efficiently because you don't have

Bills: SB174 , SB180 , HB196 , HB25 , SB193 , HB25

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: business taxes, annual reports, Alabama Tax Tribunal, tax appeals, local government, media monitoring, government contracts, state agencies, local agencies, media regulations, transparency, juvenile detention, county management, legal procedures, juvenile justice, county commission, supervision, administration, emergency services, 911