Transcript Highlights:

• I believe the research is... Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• I believe the research is clear, and the voice of Oklahomans is clear.

Bills: HB2989 , HB3724 , HB2992 , HB3464 , HB4246 , HB3989

Committee: House Utilities

Keywords: wildland fire, wildfire, electric utility, electric cooperative, utility liability, vegetation management, power lines, grid hardening, public utility, rate recovery, National Electric Safety Code, NESC, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, wildfire mitigation, fire prevention, landowner incentives, cost-share program, revolving fund, property damage, trespass

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think that's going to take a whole lot of research.
• Year, and it's by the National Transportation Research Nonprofit, and they provide an overview of the

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, we have not done the research yet because, of course, we're just getting started on what's going
• You have research assistants that's done through OCAST.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1486, Soria, Climate Bond Fund for Research Farms, do pass as amended to specify that UC and CSU will
• designate the agricultural experiment stations and agricultural research institutes, out with Republicans

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on January 22, 2026, for its regular order hearing and suspense-file hearing. In regular order, the committee approved consent-calendar bills AB 683, AB 763, AB 1126, and AB 1278 on unanimous due-pass motions, and AB 34 and AB 442 on a second unanimous due-pass motion. The committee then heard and advanced several bills, including AB 35, which would create an APA exemption for Proposition 4-funded programs to speed implementation of water, wildfire, energy-storage, and grid-support projects; AB 748, establishing pre-approved housing programs for local agencies; AB 939, allowing immediate transfer of certain affordable homeownership units to qualified nonprofit housing organizations; AB 643, adding a narrow organic-waste-derived agricultural fertilizer product to SB 1383 procurement options; and AB 96, removing the high school diploma requirement for certified Medi-Cal peer support specialists. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with sponsors and coalition representatives emphasizing reduced delays, lower costs, and improved housing, environmental, or behavioral-health outcomes. The Department of Finance offered general budget comments but no bill-specific positions. The committee voted the bills out, with AB 643 and AB 96 receiving no recorded opposition in the transcript and AB 939 passing with some members noting support and interest in coauthoring. The committee also received a presentation-only discussion of AB 1091, a proposal to authorize eight-letter specialty license plates, which the author said could generate revenue for rural programs such as the Williamson Act; the bill was not acted on at that time. After public comment, the committee moved to the suspense-file hearing on 53 bills. Using a substituted motion for due-pass and due-pass-with-amendments items, the committee held some bills and advanced many others, often with amendments that narrowed scope, deleted provisions, or required reports or studies. Bills held in committee included AB 405, AB 298, AB 333, AB 296, AB 1091, AB 1241, and AB 577, among others. The committee reported moving 43 bills to the Assembly floor, with several on A roll calls and others on B roll calls or with amendments, and noted that amendment language would be posted later online.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1486, Soria, Climate Bond Fund for Research Farms, do pass as amended to specify that UC and CSU will
• designate the agricultural experiment stations and agricultural research institutes, with Republicans

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you've not researched this part, I have had people come to me asking: they have been told that
• And I know one of the things that I found in researching this was here a while back, a couple years ago

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will also work to ensure that this substance can still be researched by accredited institutions, recognizing
• We will also work to ensure that this substance can still be researched by accredited institutions, recognizing

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on January 13, 2026, and heard several two-year bills, with AB 634 (Gonzalez) and AB 298 (Bonta) receiving the most discussion. The chair also announced consent items AB 96 (Jackson), AB 1126 (Patterson), and AB 1366 (Flora), all with motions to do pass to Appropriations. Committee procedures, witness limits, and conduct rules were reviewed at the start of the hearing. AB 634 would prohibit the manufacture, distribution, or sale of tianeptine in California. Assembly Member Gonzalez described the drug as a dangerous substance sold in retail settings and said the bill had been amended to shift penalties from criminal to civil, narrow its scope so employees without authority over sales would not be targeted, allow cost recovery, and avoid a Commerce Clause issue. The California Narcotic Officers Association supported the bill, and there was no recorded opposition. The committee voted the bill out on a do pass to Judiciary motion. AB 298 would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for children’s health care services in large group commercial plans. Bonta argued that deductibles, copays, and coinsurance deter care and create financial strain for families, while noting the bill would not change provider reimbursement and that he would pursue cost-saving amendments in Appropriations, especially for CalPERS. Support came from Health Access California, Family Voices of California, and several medical and pediatric organizations, while the Chamber of Commerce and health plan groups opposed it, warning of premium increases and possible employer shifts to self-insured coverage. The committee advanced the bill on a do pass to Appropriations vote, and the chair later noted the bill was on call before final add-on votes were completed. The consent calendar items were also approved, and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• When he researched trying to find the automated equipment to do grading, the cheapest option he could
• safe, it's, it's that prophylactic, uh, effect that we've had over these years of working and, and research

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Transcript Highlights:

• REPEATEDLY IN THE RIGHT PLACE BUT IF EACH UNIVERSITY HAS ITS OWN SUPERPOWER WHETHER IT'S MEDICAL RESEARCH
• REALLY GO IN MY OPINION TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF ADMISSION WHICH IS TEACHING STUDENTS, PERFORMING THE RESEARCH

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• consistent with records keeping. practices and we use that as background information for a variety of research
• Pickle Research Center. Okay, well. You don't know about it? I don't. That's not good.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• EXISTING RESEARCH CONFIRMS THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OF SURGICAL SMOKE.
• RESEARCH WAS PERFORMED INTO THE EFFECTS OF SURGICAL SMOKE IN 2010 AND REPEATED IN 2023 AND OR NURSES

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Research shows that every three- to five-month delay caused by one of these vetoes can increase the cost
• It's resulted, according to our research, in an estimated 3,500 new small lots across four major Texas
• I did the research on it. There's no laws that obligate them to do that.
• I did the research on it. There's no laws that obligate them to do that. So I think, it.
• I did the research on it. There's no laws that obligate them to do that.

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• fiscal year 24 reporting the aggrowth uh fiscal year 24 reporting the aggrowth uh<00:13:47.519><c> research
• and</c><00:13:48.079><c> innovation</c><00:13:48.639><c> bio</c><00:13:48.880><c> incentive</c> uh research
• and innovation bio incentive uh research and innovation bio incentive program<00:13:49.600><c> to</c
• So, um, uh, to Miss Charlene, House Research, I've talked to some of my colleagues in other areas and
• I've uh talked to some House Research.

Bills: HF3217 , HF2252

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: bioindustrial facilities, economic development, renewable energy, advanced biofuels, state funding, HF2252, Minnesota bonding, volume cap, private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, public facility bonds, public facilities pool, unified pool, bond allocation, municipal finance, bond cap, housing bonds, residential rental projects, manufacturing bonds, enterprise zone bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• The first one, starting on line 29 on page 23, is $1.5 million for hydrogen ammonia research, and this
• And then on line 19, $750,000 to also to the Natural Resources Research Institute to look at the next
• This is the... ammonia research and this was in Senate ammonia research and this was in Senate file<00
• </c> to the Natural Resource Research to the Natural Resource Research Institute<00:20:29.720><c> to<
• Institute um to look at the Research Institute um to look at the next<00:20:48.800><c> generation</c

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Would you like to walk us through the A1, or would you rather have House Research walk us through?
• Research Research walk<00:19:19.560><c> us</c><00:19:19.680><c> through?
• Um, and this may, and if you can answer this, great, and maybe it has to be to House Research.
• This bill is the result of hundreds of hours of research and discussion, and you can learn more about
• for this doing the extensive research for this bill,<01:23:51.560><c> obviously</c><01:23:51.960><c>

Bills: HF3877 , HF3714 , HF3750 , HF3024

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: public authorities, dissolution cases, court system, child protection, legal notice, foster care, child welfare, enrollment priority, education programs, child care assistance, foster youth, extended foster care, bill of rights, out-of-home placement, Minnesota Statutes chapter 260C, social services agency, caseworker, permanency team, sibling visitation, relative contact

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul, and I am a research assistant for the University of Minnesota Law School.
• </c> of these numbers or House research? of these numbers or House research?
• Uh, House research, Mr. Hopkins.
• Uh, House research, Mr. Hopkins.
• Uh, I have heard even from House Research how this would supersede it.

Bills: HF1323 , HF3500

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: undocumented, financial aid, state policy, higher education, noncitizen eligibility, funding, storm damage relief, Bemidji State University, reforestation, state appropriations, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• statement, one of the things I want to remind everyone about is that opiates really undergo a lot of research
• statement, one of the things I want to remind everyone about is that opiates really undergo a lot of research
• opiates</c><00:09:50.600><c> uh</c><00:09:50.680><c> really</c> ...opiates really undergo a lot of research
• including a report done by the New Hampshire legislature, an article by DePalma, and several independent research
• Certainly, our partners at the University of Kentucky Kentucky Injury Prevention Research Center, Find

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee opened its sixth and final interim meeting with roll call, quorum confirmation, approval of the prior minutes, and a brief change in agenda order to preserve quorum and accommodate presenters’ schedules. Members then moved through several proposed health-related items with limited discussion, and the chair noted the committee would reconvene in January for further conversation. The first substantive item was a proposal relating to utilization controls for non-opioid analgesics in Medicaid. Senator Gerald Neal and Tara Hyde of People Advocating Recovery argued that pain parity is needed so patients can access non-opioid options without prior authorization or step therapy barriers, especially in acute pain situations and for people in recovery. Senator Berg supported the concept and suggested expanding the approach to other prescriptions by allowing physicians to explain why step therapy is inappropriate at the time of prescribing; another member cautioned against unintended cost increases if non-opioid drugs are used as add-ons to opioids. The committee then heard a proposal on physician assistants from Senator Scott and Andrew Rutherford of the Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants. They described a shift from a supervisory to a collaborative practice model, with practice scope set at the practice level, limited Schedule II prescribing authority under guardrails, and permission for PAs to perform driver’s license vision testing. Supporters said the changes would improve rural access, reduce administrative burden, and align Kentucky with neighboring states; a question from Representative Bratcher focused on experience requirements and how the proposal compares with nurse practitioner rules. No vote was taken. Finally, Representative Nancy Tate, Adia Wuchner, and Representative Jason Nemes introduced a 2026 proposal aimed at “protecting vulnerable people.” They described a broad package focused on abortion pill trafficking, marketing to minors, commercial surrogacy, assisted suicide, and organ procurement safeguards, arguing that current law leaves gaps and that additional criminal and civil penalties are needed. The presentation was informational only, with no action taken before the meeting ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And these numbers, of course, are coming from Kentucky Housing Corporation and Bowen National Research
• This is from a Habitat for Humanity research brief.
• This is from a Habitat for Humanity research brief.
• This is from a Habitat for Humanity research brief.
• This is from a Habitat for Humanity research brief.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:03 Roll Call 00:00:08 Discussion of Indiana Residential Infrastructure Fund 00:01:27 Discussion of Affordable Housing Trust Fund 00:33:30 Discussion of Urban Infill 01:12:37 Approval of Minutes from July Meeting 01:39:00 Adjournment 01:39:42, 958, all

Summary: The Housing Task Force heard a presentation from Anita Sanford of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky and Sheri Cybert of Indiana’s Residential Infrastructure Fund about Indiana’s low-interest loan program for local housing infrastructure. They described the program as a voluntary, locally driven model that helps communities finance roads, sewers, sidewalks, traffic lights, turning lanes, and other infrastructure needed for new housing development. Sanford emphasized that infrastructure and regulation are major drivers of housing costs, citing estimates that infrastructure can account for up to 30% of a home’s cost and regulations another 25%, and said the association is studying Kentucky-specific regulatory costs. She also noted that every $1,000 added to new home construction can price out about 2,000 Kentucky households. Cybert explained that Indiana’s program, administered through the Indiana Finance Authority, began in 2023 with $75 million appropriated over two years and has since closed 17 loans totaling $60.7 million, with more than 2,700 projected housing units. The program reserves 70% of funds for rural communities and 30% for urban communities, requires applications from local governments rather than developers, and asks communities to show need through a market study, describe the infrastructure and housing to be built, and provide preliminary engineering plans and a repayment source. She said the loans currently carry an interest rate around 3.5%, reset quarterly, and that the program has generated about $25 million in savings to communities compared with private borrowing. She also described recent Indiana legislative changes that encourage higher density and other zoning reforms, and said a majority of those local ordinance changes must be adopted for an application to be fundable. Members asked about the ordinance requirements, the funding split between rural and urban areas, repayment mechanisms, and whether there were caps on project size. Cybert said repayment is worked out case by case, often through existing or project-specific TIFs, temporary tax agreements, or letters of credit, and that the program has no cap on request size or income/affordability restrictions. She said the largest request funded was $19 million for a 700-unit project. Co-chair Mills and others discussed whether Kentucky could adopt a similar model and what it would cost, while Sanford and Cybert said they were still refining budget estimates. Later, Scott Welch, president of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, testified that upfront infrastructure costs are a major barrier in his projects, citing a $1 million pump station and road-widening and utility relocation costs as examples, and said an infrastructure fund would help get projects off the ground.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before that, I want to introduce our DFL committee legislative assistant, Tesan Saong, our DFL researcher
• , loans, and tax credits; and the CHIPS and Science Act, which focuses on domestic semiconductor research
• </c><00:25:52.480><c> development</c><00:25:53.000><c> and</c> semiconductor research development and
• semiconductor research development and deployment<00:25:54.480><c> so</c><00:25:54.799><c> following
• CHIPS, which again is focusing on domestic semiconductor research and development.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have abundant data and research showing that collaboration with stakeholders at the systems level
• showing that collaboration and research showing that collaboration with<00:30:52.200><c> stakeholders
• I'm saying it because I've done the research on that side and I've lived it on this side, so I have it
• So I've researched it and I'm living it, and we're seeing that this is working with the waivers.
• on that because I've done the research on that side<00:53:05.480><c> and</c><00:53:05.680><c> I've</

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all