Transcript Highlights:

• Each legislative session, TCAA reviews hundreds of bills and monitors those bills.
• We work routinely with legislators. and stakeholders to obtain and provide feedback on bills that affect
• With legislators to draft well balanced legislation that takes into consideration.
• These are all factors that have. to be considered when you are drafting well-balanced legislation.
• AA is certainly appreciative of all the legislators and their hard work, and their thoughtfulness in

Bills: HB406

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: local economic development, notification, workforce development, municipal agreements, county contracts, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That was something that was recommended for this legislation.
• It wasn't something that was currently being addressed in current legislation.
• Thank you all legislators and committee members. My name is Raymond Soroy.
• Thank you all legislators and committee members. My name is Raymond Soroy.
• Jack Rogers is our legislative affairs director.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Transportation Committee took up several bills and agency priorities. SB 44, as amended, increased penalties for operating a vehicle with unauthorized red or blue lights and for obscuring a license plate, including new penalties for using, possessing, manufacturing, or selling license-plate obscuring devices. The sponsor and supporting law enforcement witnesses said the bill addresses widespread plate obstruction and enforcement problems; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also passed SB 654, designating a railroad overpass in Starke as the Heroes Memorial Overpass, and SB 620, creating a Miami-Dade College specialty license plate with proceeds supporting scholarships and limited administrative/marketing costs. The committee then considered SB 594, which would allow Florida deep-water ports to seek Fish and Wildlife Commission approval for no-anchoring/no-mooring buffer zones adjacent to port channels and turning basins. An amendment clarified the application process, review timeline, rulemaking, and enforcement. Port representatives supported the bill as a way to protect channels and commerce, while several boating and cruising advocates opposed it, arguing the 5,000-foot buffer was excessive, could create safety issues, and would displace anchored vessels without adequate alternative dockage. Despite the opposition, the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard a presentation from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on its 2025 legislative priorities, including stricter proof-of-address and identification requirements for vehicle registration, changes to tank vehicle and IFTA rules, a higher crash-report damage threshold, and electronic notice options. Secretary Perdue then outlined FDOT priorities focused on workforce development, research, rural road funding, small business participation, consistent traffic-control standards, modal infrastructure, transit accountability, spaceport support, advanced air mobility, and shifting some power-consumption revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund to offset electric vehicle impacts. No votes were taken on the agency priorities, and the meeting adjourned after members recorded additional affirmative votes on SB 44 and SB 654.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here today as a member of the TCASE Legislative Task Force.
• I agree with the spirit of the legislation.
• proud of the legislation that has Texas continually raising the bar.
• For parents, this legislation provides peace of mind.
• And thank you, Senator Campbell, for authoring this legislation.

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Summary: The committee continued hearing testimony on Senate Bill 2252, which would expand early literacy and numeracy screening, parent notification, intervention supports, and teacher training, including math academies and early childhood supports. Supporters from Texas 2036, Good Reason Houston, Texas Business Leadership Council, and several parents argued that early identification of skill gaps, clearer data for families, and stronger teacher preparation would improve student outcomes, workforce readiness, and long-term earnings. They cited low math proficiency statewide, the importance of early intervention, and examples of districts using screeners and data dashboards to guide instruction and resource allocation. One witness also highlighted home visiting as a family-support model, while another urged more funding for pre-K partnerships and stronger support for parents with reading materials and guidance. A district special education administrator testified neutrally, saying the bill reflects practices already used in her district but expressing concern that it could reduce local control and teacher discretion by standardizing screening and tying it to funding. A Texas Classroom Teachers Association representative supported the intent but warned that mandatory math academies and intervention academies could burden teachers if implemented like prior reading academies, and a substitute teacher/teacher-of-the-year witness asked for clearer protections around special education information and pay for alternative certification candidates. After public testimony closed, SB 2252 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2253, as substituted, which would phase out routine hiring of uncertified teachers over time, require parent notification when a teacher is uncertified, and expand high-quality preparation pathways such as university programs, residencies, improved alternative certification, and grow-your-own programs. Senator Creighton said the bill responds to the rise in uncertified teachers and aims to strengthen the teacher pipeline with more structured preparation, mentorship, and oversight by SBEC. Invited testimony strongly supported the measure: a Texas Tech researcher said uncertified teachers and fast-track programs are associated with significant learning losses, while year-long residencies and mentored pathways produce stronger outcomes and higher earnings for students. Leaders from Dallas College and Sam Houston State University described successful residency and grow-your-own models, high completion and retention rates, and the need for paid residencies and stipends so candidates can afford to enter the profession. Committee members asked about the difference between mentorship and residency, the cost-effectiveness of paid residencies, retention incentives, and how to scale the model statewide. The committee also adopted the substitute for SB 2253 and later paused to vote out several other bills, including SB 1191, SB 1786, SB 226, SB 326, SB 570, SB 870, SB 991, SB 60, SB 365, SB 1401, and SB 1067, all of which were reported favorably, many with unanimous votes and some placed on the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration will come to order. A quorum is present.
• </c><00:02:38.239><c> must</c> expenditures that the legislator must expenditures that the legislator
• </c><00:12:26.680><c> from</c> will handcuff future legislators from will handcuff future legislators
• </c> back um in this in this legislation back um in this in this legislation thank<00:49:52.280><c> you
• I'm just sort of wondering how I shake out in this legislation.

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Stewart for carrying the legislation. Stewart for carrying the legislation.
• So, thank you. take some legislative action on it. So take some legislative action on it.
• </c><01:30:38.000><c> next</c> quickly with new legislation next quickly with new legislation next session
• should be ready to put that legislators should be ready to put forward<01:32:46.320><c> legislation<
• </c> for keeping us involved as legislators. for keeping us involved as legislators.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We evaluate legislative member requests. We evaluate legislative member requests.
• It's a as is any a lot of legislation that as is any a lot of legislation that as is any a lot of legislation
• Um I you know, so I of the legislation. Um I you know, so I of the legislation.
• So, man, legislation to be implemented. So, man, legislation to be implemented.
• passed the legislation passed the legislation the definition changed.

Bills: HB 29 , HB 125 , HB 145 , HB 171 , HB 255 , HB 50 , HB 796 , HB 363 , HB 116 , HB 491 , HB 589 , HB 1495 , HB 368 , HB 1285 , HB 1905 , HB 1360 , HB 2002 , HB 917 , HB 2723 , HB 2067 , HB 1238 , HB 2337 , HB 745 , HB 1188 , HB 1606 , HB 2003 , HB 2147 , HB 2391 , HB 2355 , HB 2546 , HB 2495 , HB 2818 , HB 2249 , HB 1749 , HB 3109 , HB 3228 , HB 3240 , HB 1507 , HB 658 , HB 1748 , HB 1851 , HB 1922 , HB 2001 , HB 2798 , HB 107 , HCR 29 , SB 5 , SB 262 , HB 11 , HJR 72 , HB 106 , HB 18 , HB 48 , HB 27 , HB 37 , HB 1481 , HB 581 , HB 1696 , HB 2216 , HB 1035 , HB 1633 , HB 742 , HB 754 , HB 1689 , HB 1690 , HB 2669 , HB 391 , HB 517 , HB 1024 , HB 1607 , HB 252 , HB 1716 , HB 1562 , HB 4116 , HB 1866 , HB 1741 , HB 2103 , HB 2637 , HB 2884 , HB 503 , HB 1089 , HB 2986 , HB 972 , HB 502 , HB 29 , HB 125 , HB 145 , HB 171 , HB 255 , HB 50 , HB 796 , HB 363 , HB 116 , HB 491 , HB 589 , HB 1495 , HB 368 , HB 1285 , HB 1905 , HB 1360 , HB 2002 , HB 917 , HB 2723 , HB 2067 , HB 1238 , HB 2337 , HB 745 , HB 1188 , HB 1606 , HB 2003 , HB 2147 , HB 2391 , HB 2355 , HB 2546 , HB 2495 , HB 2818 , HB 2249 , HB 1749 , HB 3109 , HB 3228 , HB 3240 , HB 1507 , HB 658 , HB 1748 , HB 1851 , HB 1922 , HB 2001 , HB 2798 , HB 107 , HCR 29

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• Critically, this legislation addresses the rental property barriers that lock out 30% of Massachusetts
• So Massachusetts building trade unions would also like to be supported in this legislation to ensure
• One of the other reasons why this legislation is so important is the uncertainty that's happening at
• We need legislators to protect these jobs for current and future generations.
• My name is Lindsey, and I serve as the legislative director for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy held a hearing on grid transmission and distribution, green financing, environmental justice, renewable portfolio standards, and clean energy workforce policy. Testimony on H. 352/S. 2268 focused on eliminating or scaling back the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, with Green Energy Consumers Alliance arguing it costs ratepayers about $30 million annually and largely subsidizes fossil-fuel combined heat and power, biodiesel blending, and woody biomass. Committee members raised concerns that a full repeal could affect heat pumps and solar thermal projects that currently receive APS credits, and the witness acknowledged those technologies are the strongest part of the program but said Mass Save would be a better home for them. Renew Northeast supported H. 3497 on renewable portfolio standard review and clean energy procurements, but urged an indexed renewable energy credit model like New York’s rather than an attribute-only arrangement, arguing it would reduce financing risk and consumer costs. Vote Solar and Senator Liz Miranda testified in support of H. 3540/S. 2303 on clean energy equity, saying environmental justice communities and renters receive too few benefits from clean energy spending and need stronger tracking, tenant protections, and measurable benefit allocation. Miranda described long-standing environmental harms in Roxbury and called for data and accountability to ensure benefits reach environmental justice communities. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to H. 3475/S. 2276 on just transition and clean energy workforce standards. Labor representatives from the pile drivers, building trades, electrical contractors, SEIU, United Steelworkers, the AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs Massachusetts Action backed the bill, emphasizing prevailing wage, project labor agreements, apprenticeship requirements, workforce transition plans, and protections for gas workers and other fossil-fuel employees as the state shifts to clean energy. They argued the bill would create family-sustaining jobs, support training, and prevent workers from being left behind during the transition. The hearing concluded after all sign-ups were heard, and the committee voted to close the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The incident that happened at the school yesterday in Pauls Valley is in my legislative district.
• I think legislation like this is really harmful to youth and adults.
• Oh, are you concerned with legislation like this leading to an increase in youth and adult suicide?
• This was follow-up legislation on the bill that you just referenced. ...because, you know, my Senate
• And so, in his good wisdom, he ran this legislation.

Bills: SB667 , SB904 , SB1344 , SB1380 , SB1423 , SB1425 , SB1484 , SB1500 , SB1502 , SB1503 , SB1555 , SB1561 , SB1562 , SB1565 , SB1572 , SB1644 , SB1749 , SB1833 , SB2007 , SB2044 , SB2074

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: chiropractic, licensure, animal chiropractic, Board of Chiropractic Examiners, licensing requirements, gender transition, gender-affirming care, transgender, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, hormone therapy, sex reassignment, transition surgery, Medicaid, public funds, state facilities, state hospital, Oklahoma, intersex, DSD

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a large number of health-related bills, with much of the agenda focused on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) regulation, Medicaid administration, and health-system cleanup measures. Bills passed included HB 1344 on insulin affordability and state support for low-cost biosimilar insulin manufacturing; HB 1380 requiring the Health Care Authority to check death records to disenroll deceased Medicaid recipients; SB 2007 and SB 2074, both PBM-related measures addressing pharmacist reimbursement, dispensing fees, appeals, and penalties; SB 1572 creating a feasibility study on reorganizing the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and temporarily allowing the Health Commissioner to serve in a dual role; and SB 1555 updating the definition of intellectual disability to match the federal definition. Members also approved several bills eliminating or repealing outdated councils and programs, including SB 1423 ending the Hospital Advisory Council, SB 1425 repealing the Health Care Workers and Educators’ Assistance Program and Health Care Workforce Resources Center, and SB 1502 eliminating the Alzheimer Dementia Disclosure Act Advisory Council. Other measures passed included SB 1561 changing EMS discipline to a progressive system, SB 244 and SB 667 making chiropractic language and training cleanup changes, SB 1749 on LP gas inspections for food trailers, SB 1484 requiring more detailed medical information for infant and child death investigations, SB 1562 clarifying hospice patient protections, and SB 1644 creating reporting related to alpha-gal to support possible research funding. The most debated bill was SB 1503, which would expand the Choosing Childbirth Act so nonprofits without an Oklahoma physical address could receive grants to connect women seeking abortions with pregnancy resources. Members questioned whether grant dollars and salaries would stay in Oklahoma, whether reporting and accountability would be sufficient, and whether Oklahoma-based providers could do the work instead. The bill passed 5-2 after the sponsor said he was open to amendments and oversight. SB 1833, codifying a SNAP waiver restricting candy and soft drink purchases, and SB 904, modifying the use of certain state funds and facilities for medical procedures, also drew questions and passed on divided votes. The meeting ended after all listed bills were heard and voted on, with most measures passing unanimously or by wide margins.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office.
• The first item on the agenda today is the Judicial Branch budget, which can be found on Legislative Budget
• The uses of the fund are determined by legislative appropriation.
• I'm the division manager of budget policy analysis for the Legislative Services Office.
• I'm the Division Manager of Budget Policy Analysis for the Legislative Services Office.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee considered several FY 2027 budget items, beginning with the Idaho Judicial Branch. The committee approved an additional $3.9007 million from dedicated funds for court operations, including $800,700 from the Senior Magistrate Judge Fund, $700,000 from the Drug Court/Mental Health Court/Family Court Services Fund, $400,000 from the Substance Abuse Treatment Fund, and $2 million ongoing from the Court Technology Fund. Members noted the technology fund had grown enough to sustain the ongoing transfer, while Senator Wintrow remarked that funding for a treatment-court peer support program had not been restored. The motion passed with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then approved a Guardian Ad Litem Division budget increase of $165,300 in general funds, including $77,900 ongoing for the Second Judicial District CASA program and $87,400 to restore a one-time FY 2027 rescission. Supporters described the CASA request as funding a trainer-recruiter position and related office costs, and several members spoke favorably about the role of guardian ad litems. The motion passed, also with a do-pass recommendation. Members next took up the Millennium Income Fund. They approved $9,872,200 from the fund for recommendations including the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, Youth Assessment Centers, children’s advocacy centers through the Idaho Domestic Violence Council, an additional recovery center in Kamiah, and a statewide drug awareness media campaign. A substitute motion added $30,000 one time to restore funding for statewide training and coordination of school resource officers, which passed after discussion about whether the Millennium Fund committee had been consulted. The committee then adopted maintenance and new language for the Millennium Fund items, including reporting and oversight provisions, and later adopted language for reappropriating unspent state archives move funds for the Idaho State Historical Society. Finally, the committee approved the Idaho State Historical Society budget, adding $486,300 from dedicated funds for archival moving and OITS hardware. Members explained the move would be handled in phases and funded through dedicated sources rather than general funds. The committee also adopted statewide appropriations language making conditions, limitations, and restrictions in budget bills binding law, and adjourned after announcing the next day’s agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to thank Senator McEwen for support of this legislation, Senator Chapman for his support, and
• The council developed policy recommendations within that strategy for both legislative consideration
• I represent the 19th legislative district, and thank you for hearing this bill.
• I'm Jeff Wilson representing the 19th legislative district.
• Under this legislation, that maximum term would be increased to 75 years.

Bills: SB5750 , SB6148

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: electric vehicles, charging fees, state facilities, sustainability, infrastructure, regional transit authority, RTA, transit bonds, general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, bond maturity, debt limit, 25-year cap, regional mobility grant program, public transit financing, transportation funding, Washington RCW, bond issuance, municipal finance, infrastructure finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to bless this proceeding and this legislative session with a song, and I'll leave you with
• Zach's commitment to the work of this institution goes back to his time here as a legislative assistant
• The impact of this legislation on Washington is ugly. Nearly 300,000...
• Legislation has been introduced to do just that, and we should act on it.
• Tuesday, January 13th, the second legislative day.

Summary: The House convened for the opening day of the 2026 regular session of the 69th Legislature, with 96 members present. The session included the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, a prayer, and a tribal welcome and blessing from Squaxin Island Tribe members, followed by the swearing-in of several representatives by retired Justice Mary Yu. The Speaker also recognized the deaths of Senator Bill Ramos, Speaker Emeritus Frank Chopp, and Trooper Tara Marissa Gooding with a moment of silence. In opening remarks, the Speaker emphasized the impacts of federal actions on Washington, including tariffs, H.R. 1, health care costs, Medicaid and food assistance losses, climate and clean energy funding threats, immigration and civil rights concerns, and the need to protect food, health, shelter, and affordability. Representative Stokesbary responded for House Republicans, focusing on Washington’s high cost of living, opposing an income tax, and urging action on affordability, housing, and crime. Both sides framed the session as a difficult but important period for budget and policy decisions. The House adopted House Resolution 4665 to notify the governor that it was organized and ready for business, and adopted House Concurrent Resolutions 4406 and 4407 to receive the governor’s address and establish the session’s cutoff dates. The chamber also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 8407, adopted permanent House rules, and approved several committee reassignments and appointments. A House delegation then reported back from a visit with Governor Ferguson, and the House adjourned until the next day, when it was scheduled to meet in pro forma session before the joint session for the governor’s State of the State address.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, and then let me get to the um to the Legislative council and what they, the opinion that they had
• OK, I know you mentioned the Legislative council and their opinion that we cannot subpoena a federal
• Maybe 36 case out of Pennsylvania, uh, where, uh, uh, where a, uh, a legislative body was attempting
• The DOJ entered into our legislative sphere.
• or if you can enforce legislative subpoenas outside the state of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state of Florida needs this legislation to extend these protections to all pre-existing facilities
• This bill received unanimous approval from this committee during the 2024 legislative session, and we
• humbly ask for your support, consideration, and co-sponsorship of this crucial legislation to protect
• Additional legislation is expected this year in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina
• Additional legislation is expected this year in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health Policy met with a quorum and heard five bills. SB 126, on prescription hearing aids, would remove Florida’s prohibition on mailing hearing aids when required tele-audiology testing and procedures are completed before sale. The sponsor said the bill would improve access, especially for people with travel or geographic barriers. The Florida Academy of Audiologists expressed support in concept but said it was still working with the sponsor on an amendment for consumer safety. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 152 would require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems during certain surgical procedures. Supporters, including the Florida Nurses Association and several nurses, described surgical smoke as a workplace and patient safety hazard containing harmful chemicals, viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants, and said evacuation technology is available and already required in some settings. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 264 would expand step-therapy exemptions for severe mental illness, including certain postpartum and pregnancy-related mental health conditions, so physicians would not have to require patients to fail preferred drugs in specified circumstances. Support came from Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, NAMI Florida, and several medical and pharmacy groups, who argued that delays in effective treatment can worsen crises and increase hospital and crisis-care costs. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 342 would create a public-records exemption for current and former AHCA employees and certain family information, citing threats and harassment directed at inspectors and regulators. President Gaetz said he generally opposes such exemptions but supported this one because the employees are not elected officials and face real safety risks. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 294 would limit the Board of Pharmacy’s ability to add heart failure, coronary heart disease, and cardiac rhythm disorders to the list of chronic conditions eligible for collaborative pharmacy practice, keeping those conditions under direct physician management. The Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons, Florida Medical Association, and the Florida chapter of the American College of Cardiology supported the bill, while the Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists opposed it. The committee voted the bill favorably. Senator Trumbull asked to be recorded in support of SB 126 and SB 152, and the meeting adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unanimous consent we go to that order of business: introduction of legislation.
• Unanimously, we go without our business: introduction of legislation.
• Hearing no objection, we are on that order of business: introduction of legislation.
• Introduction of legislation. The reader will read. House Bill 1. House Bill 1.
• Introduction of legislation. The reader will read.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that information to the legislative that information to the legislative committees<00:57:36.400>
• This legislation will 5 to 10 years.
• </c> the intent of the 2023 legislation. the intent of the 2023 legislation.
• </c><02:30:31.280><c> Uh</c> legislators in a budget year. Uh legislators in a budget year.
• </c><02:40:03.439><c> from</c> um legislation from um legislation from 2023.<02:40:05.840><c> Um</c><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• legislators legislators and<00:13:32.200><c> programs</c><00:13:32.680><c> to</c><00:13:32.800><c> budget
• I can't legislate that away days.
• </c><00:44:57.880><c> support,</c> getting some legislative support, getting some legislative support
• </c><00:52:59.480><c> I</c> kind of like legislating the wind. I kind of like legislating the wind.
• </c> at least in the proposed legislation at least in the proposed legislation that<03:17:19.080><c>

Committee: Joint Labor, Health & Social Services

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:28:30.760><c> um</c> this bill inexpedient to legislate um this bill inexpedient to legislate
• <01:30:46.719><c> better</c> Legislation better, legislation better yet, due to the constitutional violations
• I hope you'll just find this bill inexpedient to legislate, as we did in the last legislative session
• </c><01:51:10.800><c> any</c> we need to take this legislation any we need to take this legislation any
• </c> taxes they're Changed by legislative taxes they're Changed by legislative action<04:06:15.319><c

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened a public hearing on HB 402, a bill dealing with whether Education Freedom Account (EFA) payments should be described in state law as not constituting taxable income. The bill sponsor argued that the current statute is misleading because New Hampshire should not imply a federal tax result, and said the bill would remove that language and could also be amended to clarify that families should consult tax advisors. He emphasized that the measure was not intended to impose a state tax on EFAs, but to avoid giving inaccurate advice about possible federal tax liability. Testimony was divided. A retired representative and a tax preparer both opposed the bill, saying EFA payments are already treated consistently with IRS rules and that the bill would create confusion, administrative burden, and possible tax consequences for low- and moderate-income families. They argued the bill is a solution in search of a problem and warned that requiring 1099s could add costs for the scholarship organization and recipients. A tax attorney supported the bill’s repeal of the state language, saying New Hampshire should not put tax advice into statute and that the current wording is inaccurate because federal law, not state law, controls taxability. He cited IRS Section 117 and Publication 970, explaining that only some scholarship-like payments are tax-free and that many EFA-eligible expenses may not qualify for federal exemption. Members asked questions about what would be misleading, whether the bill was trying to tax EFAs, and the cost of issuing 1099s. The sponsor and witnesses repeatedly said the bill was not a state tax on voucher payments, but a clarification about federal tax treatment. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I've gotten plenty Legislators.
• I've had a piece of legislation, sponsored a piece of legislation, to make body cam footage a matter
• Such an amazing legislator.
• Such an amazing legislator.
• legislator. legislator.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 35 senators. The journal was adopted without objection, absent senators were excused, and there were no house messages, committee reports, motions, or resolutions before the first bill was called. The main item of business was House Bill 1, described as a conditional measure to set a process for electing U.S. House candidates in Alabama’s congressional districts 1, 2, 6, and 7 if a federal court order lifts current injunctions. The sponsor said the bill would only take effect if the court order is issued and would allow quick compliance with federal rulings. Debate centered on whether the bill was truly responsive to the court or instead an attempt at mid-decade redistricting; opponents argued it would violate Alabama’s constitutional limits on elections and ignore the court’s redistricting orders, while supporters said they were trying to comply with the court and that the issue was partisan rather than personal. Much of the discussion focused on Allen v. Milligan, the Voting Rights Act, and the meaning of the court’s injunctions. One senator argued the bill would dilute Black voting strength and was being driven by national Republican politics, while the sponsor and others insisted the legislature was acting only conditionally and that the court had not ordered the specific action being debated. The exchange became lengthy and contentious, but no final vote or other action on HB1 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So obviously we're assuming guilt and changing this piece of legislation.
• So we would remove all data if we just repealed this piece of legislation, right?
• So we would remove all data if we just repealed this piece of legislation, right?
• because it costs almost $50,000 a day to convene the legislature, an extremely expensive way to legislate
• But I hope that this increase in reactionary legislating gives us all an opportunity to force us to hear

Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 1448, described by the sponsor and Deputy Attorney General Phil Skinner as a cleanup bill responding to a Ninth Circuit ruling in ongoing litigation over Idaho’s library law. Skinner said the bill removes language the court flagged as potentially unconstitutional, including a phrase that added subjective factors to the obscenity analysis, and adds an “adolescent minor” definition to align the statute more closely with Supreme Court obscenity precedent. He emphasized that the bill was intended to preserve the existing standard and penalties while helping moot the lawsuit and avoid further litigation costs and possible attorney fees. Several members raised concerns that the bill still left in place provisions defining “sexual conduct” in ways that could sweep in benign material, especially references to homosexuality, and questioned whether the bill truly fixed the constitutional problems. Representative Handy asked about the cost of the litigation and whether repealing the law would be an option; Skinner said the goal was to save the state money by resolving the case and that repeal would be a policy choice for lawmakers. Jenny Emery Davidson testified against the bill, arguing that the process was rushed, public access was limited, the new minor definition was problematic, and the better course would be to repeal the underlying law rather than amend it. Members also questioned the bill’s late arrival and legislative path. Chairman Scott explained that the bill had moved quickly through the Senate and that posting was limited because the bill number was not yet available. Skinner added that an earlier, similar House bill had not advanced and that this measure was a narrower attempt to address only the court-identified issues. After a motion to send S-1448 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation, the committee voted, with at least one member requesting to be recorded as a no. In closing remarks, some members reflected on the cost and frequency of court-driven legislation and the challenges of passing bills that later require fixes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We apologize for anyone that came in for that legislation, but we won't be considering that today.
• I think Senator Harris was involved in that legislation creating that program.
• This legislation will do two things.
• He's aware of this legislation.
• I also met with Representative Don Hall, who agreed to sponsor the legislation.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all