Transcript Highlights:

• It can be data systems that are incorporated.
• It can be data systems that are incorporated.
• And as a result of that, we had the Computer Science Commission.
• And so what we did was we structured our computer science standards.
• That's a really long time when it comes to computer science.

Bills: HR249 , HR251 , HB395 , HB902 , SB83 , SB132 , SB157 , SB338 , SB450 , SB484 , SB501 , SB507

Committee: House Education

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, content standards, K-12 education, public schools, curriculum, digital literacy, computer science, STEM, technology education, student privacy, ethical AI, workforce development, future-ready workforce, instructional resources, education policy, school standards, Louisiana education

Transcript Highlights:

• is both our two year system and our four year system, Number 1 in the nation for now 10 years in a row
• That doesn't necessarily mean that someone has to be a computer programmer or computer scientist, but
• We're talking about AI, but we have outdated computers. That's a problem we need to fix.
• We can have all the books in the world, all the computers in the world at school.
• science major is not necessarily knowing about computer science.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page two, line three, delete a computer, Page two, line three, delete a computer, insert<01:14:00.320
• ,</c> actual human instead of a computer, actual human instead of a computer, which<01:15:10.320><c>
• </c><01:26:29.280><c> that</c> is uh speaking with a computer that is uh speaking with a computer that
• We appreciate the computers and AI.
• </c><02:44:25.680><c> for</c> pricing tools and digital systems for pricing tools and digital systems

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• For the missing computers. We have with us the recorder-treasurer today.
• He didn't remember anything about the computer.
• If we use an accrual system or even a modified accrual system, that would be appropriate.
• But... ...system or even a modified accrual system, that would be appropriate.
• Dover Municipal Water and Sewer System. We received good responses. 97, 94,000.” “And sewer system.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Summary: The committee began with prayer and approval of the January 8 minutes, then received updates on delinquent private water and sewer reports. Staff reported that for the 2022 reports, 19 of 43 entities had had their turnback reinstated, while 24 remained in escrow; for the 2023 reports, 59 of 64 entities had filed, leaving five outstanding. The committee also filed a report on Adona, where staff said the city had made enough progress toward substantial compliance with municipal accounting laws to discontinue withholding turnback, and the committee adopted that recommendation. The bulk of the meeting focused on municipal accounting noncompliance cases. Gum Springs and Denning were presented with extensive repeat findings involving budgets not adopted by ordinance or resolution, missing or incomplete bank reconciliations, inadequate receipts and disbursement records, payroll issues, and improper handling of Act 833 funds or other city money. Both cities’ mayors and recorders-treasurers testified about efforts to correct records, obtain training, and work with the Municipal League; the committee voted to start the 60-day turnback-withholding clock for both and then filed the reports. Fargo was deferred because no city representative was present. Additional reports included Green Forest, Elaine, Strong, Brooklyn, Mineral Springs, Rondo, Waldo, Columbia County, and several private water and sewer entities. Strong drew significant concern over missing garbage-bag revenue, improper fund transfers, and deficit balances; the committee deferred that report to the March meeting. The committee also heard investigative or referred reports on the Faulkner County Fair Association, Brooklyn payroll direct-deposit fraud, and other entities with questionable disbursements or recordkeeping. In several cases, staff recommended filing the reports after responses were received; in others, the committee deferred action when responses were lacking or representatives were absent. The meeting ended with a motion to defer a Cross County Rural Water matter so the entity could appear at the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We weren't told to make this system to work with emergency room system visits.
• c><00:46:09.599><c> somehow</c><00:46:10.079><c> going</c> system or are the systems somehow going system
• </c> real in the system. real in the system. Okay,<00:47:56.640><c> last.
• So one of the things that comes with the system is an alerting system.
• I haven't system is an alerting system.

Summary: A presenter from Fast Health Corporation described a proposed Kentucky Health Command System tied to Senate Bill 175, which would create a state-sanctioned AI platform for rural hospitals and telehealth. The company said the system would help rural residents get health information remotely, triage minor issues, and escalate more serious cases to Kentucky providers, with use cases including blood pressure, diabetes, maternity care, smoking cessation, and other preventive-care topics. The presenter argued the system would help rural hospitals compete with out-of-state telehealth companies and keep patients connected to local care. The presentation also emphasized a commercial model the sponsor said would generate new revenue through ads and branded interactions, with the bill reportedly directing 80% of that revenue to rural hospitals and 20% to the state to maintain the system. The presenter said the technology would augment, not replace, doctors and nurses, and claimed it could improve access and convenience in underserved areas. Committee members raised concerns about liability, whether the AI could provide medical advice, and whether there was evidence it had reduced emergency room visits; the presenter said the system could not give medical advice and acknowledged the technology is still very new. The sponsor of the bill said the goal was to help transform rural health care, reduce unnecessary ER use, and capture revenue that would otherwise go to commercial search engines and out-of-state companies. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion ended with questions about branding, loyalty, and the legal limits of the AI system.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have other systems in place for that.
• Butt, about bias in these systems.
• health system with less bargaining power.
• This has such promise for our entire system.
• This has such promise for our entire system.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Health and Privacy Committees focused on generative AI in health care, with opening remarks emphasizing both its potential to improve care and its risks around privacy, bias, liability, workforce impacts, and unequal access. Chair Bauer-Kahan and Chair Bonta framed the discussion around how California can encourage beneficial innovation while protecting patients, especially given the sensitivity of health data and the possibility that AI could worsen existing disparities if not carefully governed. The first panel featured representatives from Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Penguin AI, and Google, who described current uses of AI such as ambient clinical scribes, nursing documentation tools, imaging triage, maternal-fetal risk prediction, and administrative automation. Speakers said these tools can reduce clinician burden, improve patient experience, speed treatment, and in some cases improve outcomes, including a reported mortality benefit from a Kaiser predictive model and faster thrombectomy times at Cedars-Sinai. Members raised concerns about accuracy with accents and multilingual visits, whether predictive tools could reinforce bias or lead to more interventions such as C-sections, and how to ensure a human remains in the loop for important decisions. The second panel, including representatives from the California Health Care Foundation, UC Berkeley, and Stanford, focused on policy and governance challenges. Testimony highlighted examples of AI supporting homelessness outreach and community health work, but also warned that biased algorithms can encode inequities, especially when trained on data that reflect under-treatment of Black, rural, or low-income patients. Witnesses urged clearer standards for trustworthy AI, stronger monitoring and governance structures, better data access for accountability, and attention to the safety net’s limited resources. Several speakers argued that states should require health systems to have AI governance processes, clarify liability between developers and deployers, and regulate downstream uses of AI while preserving access to data for lifesaving research and oversight.

Bills: HR210 , HR142 , HCR150 , HR132 , HCR140 , HR133 , HCR141 , HR182 , HCR192 , HR96 , HCR104 , HR57 , HCR63 , HR56 , HCR62 , HR39 , HCR43 , HR48 , HCR52 , HR119 , HCR127 , HR111 , HCR119 , HR88 , HCR96 , HR120 , HCR128 , HR117 , HCR125 , HR51 , HCR55 , HR54 , HCR58 , HR149 , HCR159 , HR64 , HCR70 , HR42 , HCR46 , HR84 , HCR92 , HR92 , HCR100 , HCR172 , HR172 , HCR182 , HR75 , HCR83 , HR116 , HCR124 , HR36 , HCR38 , HR73 , HCR79 , HR125 , HCR133 , HR136 , HCR144 , HCR60 , HCR20 , HR32 , HCR32 , HR115 , HCR123 , HR108 , HCR116 , HR7 , HCR8 , HR47 , HCR51 , HR178 , HCR188 , HCR48 , HCR49 , HR15 , HCR13 , HR107 , HCR115 , HR168 , HCR178 , HR62 , HCR68 , HR83 , HCR91 , HR147 , HCR155 , HR164 , HCR174 , HR169 , HCR179 , HR175 , HCR185 , HR106 , HCR114 , HR183 , HCR193 , HR85 , HCR93 , HR137 , HCR145

Keywords: Earl Kawaʻa, Earl Kawaa, H.R. 210, House Resolution, Hawaii Legislature, Hawaiian language, language revitalization, mānaleo, native Hawaiian speaker, Hawaiian culture, cultural preservation, Hoʻoponopono, Kamehameha Schools, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, community mentorship, traditional practices, āina-based education, kaiapuni, Peace Corps

Transcript Highlights:

• systems are limited from those particular websites.
• systems are limited from those particular websites.
• systems are limited from those particular websites.
• systems are limited from those particular websites.
• systems are limited from those particular websites.

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee met on February 24 to executive a large docket of bills and one gubernatorial appointment. The committee first heard and then moved several bills in two packets. Topics included the Community Protection Program (SHB 1390), jail search policies for transgender and intersex individuals (EHB 1604), medically tailored meals (EHB 2211), limits on DSHS reviews of community residential service providers (SHB 2230), and a children and youth behavioral health coordination bill (2SHB 2429). Later, the committee also considered bills on foster care licensing and adult family homes (SHB 2505), DOC supervision of stalking convictions (HB 2510), inmate funds and indigency thresholds (SHB 2539), and transparency for residential habilitation centers (SHB 2350), along with the reappointment of Corey McNally to the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. Most of the debate centered on SHB 1390 and EHB 1604, where Senator Christian offered numerous amendments aimed at adding restrictions, notifications, assessments, and delays; most of those amendments failed on party-line votes. On SHB 1390, the committee adopted only a technical amendment updating agency names and references, then advanced the bill to Rules. On EHB 1604, all proposed amendments failed and the bill was sent to Rules. On EHB 2211, an amendment to add a competitive bidding credit for nonprofit and small-business meal vendors failed, and the bill advanced. SHB 2230 moved forward without amendment, and 2SHB 2429 was amended with a striking amendment and referred to Ways and Means because of its fiscal impact. In the second packet, SHB 2505 and HB 2510 were both moved out of committee without amendment. On SHB 2539, the committee rejected an amendment to lower the indigency threshold to $50, adopted an amendment allowing the threshold to be at least $100 and adjustable, and then advanced the bill as amended. On SHB 2350, the committee adopted a negotiated amendment requiring notices about residential habilitation center noncompliance to be emailed to relevant legislative committees, withdrew a second notice amendment, and passed the bill. The committee also voted to recommend confirmation of Corey McNally’s appointment to the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. Several bills were reported out subject to signatures, and the meeting adjourned after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> run software on your own computer. run software on your own computer.
• resources as any tool computational resources as any tool or<00:37:06.160><c> technology</c> system<
• </c> computational resources. computational resources.
• Computational resources is then defined as any tool, technology, system, infrastructure, whether digital
• </c> Not bad at all. computing too much. Not bad at all. computing too much.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are very large systems that take several years to build.
• This is our high-performance computing center. We call it the Collaborating Computing Center.
• What it means is they have a passive safety system.
• So it's such a simplified system.
• It's a heat ejection system.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Summary: The meeting was a presentation and Q&A at Idaho National Laboratory focused on the state of nuclear energy, advanced reactors, and the lab’s role in testing, regulation, and commercialization. Speakers described INL’s broader mission beyond nuclear, including cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, but emphasized its major nuclear capabilities: the Advanced Test Reactor, TREAT, the Materials and Fuels Complex, and other test beds used to accelerate fuel and materials testing. They also highlighted the lab’s size, workforce, internship pipeline, and partnerships with DOE, DHS, DOD, and private companies. A major topic was the federal push to speed up nuclear deployment through executive orders and regulatory reform. Speakers said DOE and the NRC are reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, streamlining environmental reviews, and working toward a goal of having three new nuclear systems achieve criticality by July 4, 2026. They discussed the difference between microreactors, small modular reactors, and traditional gigawatt-scale plants, arguing that advanced reactors can be factory-built, safer, and better suited for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, and other nontraditional uses. They also said the U.S. is rebuilding its nuclear supply chain, including enrichment and fuel fabrication, and that states willing to host parts of the fuel cycle could see major economic benefits. The speakers addressed questions about cost, safety, waste, and international competition. They said advanced reactors rely on passive safety features, TRISO fuel, and natural circulation, and that the industry’s challenge is often cost uncertainty rather than a precise fuel or materials limit. They argued used nuclear fuel should be viewed as a resource rather than waste if recycling becomes policy, and said microreactors should produce relatively small amounts of spent fuel. They also noted that China and Russia continue to build aggressively, with China on pace to surpass the U.S. in total nuclear generation, while U.S. projects such as Palisades, Crane Clean Energy Center, Duane Arnold, Oklo, Aalo, MARVEL, and Project Pele are moving forward under DOE and private-sector partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> child welfare it system child welfare it system meeting<00:03:01.080><c> Federal</c><00:03:01.519
• </c><00:04:19.040><c> would</c> CCAP once complete the system would CCAP once complete the system would
• The Social Service Information System, or SSIS, is the state's case management and reporting system.
• </c> need to modernize our licensing system need to modernize our licensing system so<00:45:12.359><c
• was</c><01:45:40.320><c> not</c> computering computer program it was not computering computer program

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Once you've your system. Yeah.
• Um, we do have systems in place.
• </c> systems in place. systems in place.
• ><c> systems</c><01:40:07.119><c> are</c> battery storage solar systems are battery storage solar systems
• </c> your system. your system.

Summary: The committee held an informational briefing on fraud in the community, with presenters from ARP, CoinFlip, HPD, the Hawaii Bankers Association, DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection, and the Department of Law Enforcement. The chair described widespread scams targeting kupuna and other residents, including impersonation of grandchildren, lottery/inheritance schemes, romance scams, online shopping fraud, investment scams, and tech-support scams. Members emphasized the emotional manipulation used by scammers, the difficulty of getting victims to report losses, and the need to educate the public on warning signs and available resources. ARP said scams are an epidemic and highlighted national data showing major losses among older adults, including $4.8 billion lost by people age 60 and over in 2024. ARP focused especially on cryptocurrency kiosks as a growing scam channel in Hawaii, citing 64 complaints totaling $922,000 in 2024 and noting that complaints nearly doubled from the prior year. ARP urged stronger safeguards such as limits on transactions, refunds, live customer support, and a law-enforcement contact for operators, and said its Fraud Watch Network can help victims freeze credit, identify next steps, and track current scams. The chair said he intends to introduce legislation to lower and ultimately eliminate the amount of Bitcoin that can be purchased through ATMs. CoinFlip said it supports consumer-protection regulation and described its compliance practices, including scam warning screens, anti-money-laundering controls, blockchain analytics, wallet pinning, transaction monitoring, and cooperation with law enforcement. The company said it is registered as a money services business, files suspicious activity and currency transaction reports, and holds money transmitter licenses in many jurisdictions. It also pointed to Illinois-style refund protections for new users and said it refunds fees to scam victims, though not the underlying funds. In response to committee questions, members and the company discussed whether crypto kiosks are necessary, how scams can be traced, and whether banks and kiosks can better intervene when suspicious activity is detected.

Transcript Highlights:

• Quantum computers are a billion times a billion faster than your classic computer.
• These are systemic barriers. These are systemic barriers.
• Our youth probation system is broken.
• That's not a just system. That's not a system that's built to be able to rehabilitate youth.
• system.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members then moved through guest introductions, including students and fellows from California Lutheran University, UC Merced’s CAPE program, the Maddy Institute, and Madera High School’s Madtown Robotics Team 1323, which was recognized for multiple robotics world championships. The chamber also adopted an adjournment in memory and took up the daily file. Several bills and resolutions were considered and passed, including AB 1390 on school board compensation thresholds, AB 1338 on air district cost recovery for fence-line air monitoring, AB 648 on community college housing, AB 1207 on cap-and-trade price ceilings, ACR 66 recognizing Skin Cancer Awareness Month, AB 49 on keeping ICE out of public schools, AB 317 on a CEQA exemption for certain single-family homes, AB 527 on geothermal exploratory wells, AB 665 on the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation ombudsman report, AB 940 creating quantum innovation zones, AB 1021 on workforce housing for education agencies, AB 1112 on property tax apportionment in Rancho Mirage, AB 1318 on nonprofit eligibility for public funding, and AB 1470 on using student housing loan funds for affordable housing in downtowns and commercial districts. Most measures passed with broad support; AB 49 and AB 1318 were urgency bills and passed with the required higher vote threshold. The floor also adopted H.R. 40, declaring May 25 as Rosenda’s Day to honor a teen killed by a drunk driver, and H.R. 42, recognizing May as Behavioral Health Awareness Month. Both drew extensive personal testimony from members about mental health, suicide, substance use, and the need to reduce stigma and expand access to care. Additional health-related bills passed, including AB 408 creating a physician health and wellness program, AB 546 requiring coverage for HEPA purifiers for certain enrollees after wildfire disasters, AB 967 expediting licenses for out-of-state physicians, and AB 968 expanding pharmacist authority to provide non-hormonal contraception. The Assembly also debated AB 1056 on phasing out gill net fishing and AB 1376 on limiting juvenile probation terms, with supporters framing both as conservation or rehabilitation measures and opponents warning about economic harm or public safety concerns. Both bills ultimately passed. Throughout the session, members repeatedly emphasized public safety, education, housing, climate, health care access, and support for immigrant and youth communities, with recorded roll-call votes and voice votes taken on each measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• to benefit the American people generally, that is if it is allowed to work. within a free market system
• That's one of the reasons why competition policy and our system of antitrust laws designed to protect
• go in and pay a lot of money because it's now all on computers. And the FTC was looking into that.
• And meanwhile, local news outlets and publishers have been suffocating under the system for more than
• a computer company called the Framework Computer. that is an open and interoperable computer.

Committee: Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights

Keywords: antitrust, competition policy, digital advertising, monopoly, America Act, big tech, consumer rights

Summary: The meeting, titled 'Big Fixes, Big Tech', marked the first hearing of the Senate antitrust competition policy and consumer rights subcommittee in the 119th Congress. Chairman Lee opened the session focusing on the urgent need for effective solutions regarding anti-competitive behavior among major tech firms like Google and Facebook, highlighting several ongoing court cases regarding monopolistic practices in the digital advertising and search markets. Key discussions included the limitations imposed on small businesses and innovation due to the dominance of these tech giants, with many testimonies advocating for stronger legislative measures, including the America Act. The act aims to disrupt the monopolistic capabilities of these firms and restore competitive integrity in the marketplace, which has suffered under their oppressive market control.

Transcript Highlights:

• and federal government are investing hundreds of millions of dollars into broadband infrastructure systems
• </c><00:01:51.680><c> in</c> broadband infrastructure systems in broadband infrastructure systems in
• Minnesotans get connected to broadband and get connected on a real computer, not just complete tasks
• And but, you know, I see computer access and things Representative Nelson: You know, computer access
• I think the goals of, you know, developing broadband, you know, when you start adding computer access

Transcript Highlights:

• The breach occurs in the library system. A credit union breach occurs.
• I'm an independent computer scientist. I'm here in opposition to this bill.
• Age verification systems create centralized identity hubs, exactly the systems that hackers target first
• Systems create centralized identity hubs, exactly the systems that hackers target first.
• My parents did have restrictions on their computers.

Bills: HB2112

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: age restrictions, online content, digital media, youth protection, cyber safety

Transcript Highlights:

• These students may be at a disadvantage for computer-based testing.
• they are still acquiring computer keyboarding and typing skills.
• Put him in front of a computer, and he was just clicking bubbles and losing his train of thought.
• That paper is really a lost art, and the computers are removing all the thought process.
• This is not how you build a strong, stable education system.

Bills: HB2020 , HB2032 , HB2033 , HB2249 , HB2313 , HB2318 , HB2378 , HCR2003

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: interference, disruption, educational institutions, public order, conduct rules, statewide assessment, student testing, academic standards, third grade reading, reading retention, promotion and retention, school accountability, assessment window, testing window, test scores, school report cards, nontest data, graduation rates, dropout rates, education data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• So instead of asking families to drive a long way to navigate systems they don't understand or can't
• I get excited when you talk about computers and hardware and all that stuff.
• I get excited when you talk about computers and hardware and all that stuff.
• My dad was the one who enrolled me and put me into their lottery system.
• How do we create a situation or a system of schools or education where we recognize this is a really

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• general and uniform public school system.
• general and uniform public school system.
• general and uniform public school system.
• for professional development in computer science as well.
• for professional development in computer science as well.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several school-related bills, with much of the discussion focused on governance, transparency, and accountability in school districts. House Bill 2318 would impose term limits on school district governing board members in districts with at least 250 students, while allowing county superintendents to appoint a term-limited member to fill a vacancy. Supporters argued it would bring fresh ideas and prevent entrenched leadership; opponents said voters should decide. The bill received a due pass recommendation after a divided roll call. House Bill 2312 would allow certain patriotic youth groups to address students during school hours and require equal access for those groups in school forums. The sponsor said it was intended to promote programs such as FFA, Scouts, and similar organizations. Some members objected that it would take instructional time and was not truly permissive if access was granted to one group, and the bill nonetheless received a due pass recommendation. House Bill 2320 would require school districts to hire a registered independent municipal advisor before calling a bond election and for each successful bond issue. The sponsor and supporters said this could reduce underwriting fees and save taxpayers money, while some members raised questions about costs if a bond failed and whether the bill should be narrowed; it passed with a due pass recommendation after several members voted present or no. The committee also approved House Bill 2376, which would bar districts from buying or leasing school property while a charter or private school is still operating there, and House Bill 2378, which tightens conflict-of-interest rules for the School Facilities Oversight Board by barring the architect and engineer members from having school-construction business. Both were framed by the sponsor as responses to concerns raised in Tolleson Union-related testimony and reporting. House Bill 2379, as amended, requires school board members to complete biennial training approved by the Auditor General, to be offered by county superintendents or ADE, with counties able to contract with others; supporters called it needed training, while opponents raised concerns about unfunded mandates, inclusion of ASBA, and charter schools. It received a due pass recommendation. Finally, House Bill 2380 would require board and subcommittee meetings to be held in-district, preserve online access to materials, and require public approval of out-of-state travel, with reimbursement if retroactive approval is denied. Rural districts and others raised concerns about flexibility, executive-session confidentiality, and administrative burden, but the bill was discussed with amendments and public access concerns rather than a final recorded action in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the community college system.
• </c> this technology how I have my computer this technology how I have my computer right<00:28:59.559
• if you're using your computer acceptable if you're using your computer during<00:29:15.200><c> an</c
• , the community college system.
• System to the University System.

Summary: The meeting was the first session of a newly created House Education Funding Committee, which also handles career technical education and higher education legislation. The chair explained that the committee was split off from the larger education committee because of the high volume of bills in the prior biennium, and said its focus would be on education funding policy and related fiscal issues. He noted that the committee had already reviewed major topics with the Department of Education, including the foundation formula, building aid, career technical education, special education aid, catastrophic aid, and higher education funding, and that chancellors from the university and community college systems were scheduled to appear later that morning. The bulk of the meeting was an orientation on committee procedures and decorum. The chair reviewed attendance and replacement rules, hearing procedures, time limits for testimony, and how the committee would handle crowded hearings, early bills, and fiscal notes. He emphasized that hearings are not debates, that sponsors and co-sponsors may present but should not use their position to dominate questioning, and that the chair controls whether additional technical questions are asked of witnesses. He also stressed neutrality, saying members should not display buttons or placards or engage in running debates with testifiers, and that the committee should treat all testimony respectfully regardless of party or viewpoint. Additional housekeeping guidance covered security procedures, use of cell phones and computers during hearings, breaks and hydration in the dry hearing rooms, and courtesy toward the clerk and other staff. The chair also asked members to notify leadership in advance of absences and explained that some bills may require larger rooms or overflow arrangements. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this portion of the meeting.