Transcript Highlights:

• As the lieutenant governor and chair of this joint committee, I get the pleasure of introducing a young
• </c><00:02:16.640><c> and</c> upon his excellency the governor and upon his excellency the governor and
• It is my distinct privilege to present to you the governor of Vermont, the Honorable Philip B.
• When I became governor, it was $1.6 billion.
• Will the committee please reassemble and escort the governor from the chamber? Heat.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Lieutenant Governor.
• Lieutenant Governor, good morning.
• I appreciate the lieutenant governor being here.
• I've seen the Governor come support Cabinet members, but I've never seen a Lieutenant Governor.
• She thinks I'm cuter than the Lieutenant Governor.

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary, read the proclamation from the governor. Proclamation by the Governor.
• Now, therefore, I, Kay Ivey, as Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby proclaim and direct the Legislature
• Signed, Kay Ivey, Governor, and Wes Allen, Secretary of State. matter, primary elections.
• c><00:12:45.400><c> secretary</c><00:12:45.880><c> of</c> governor and Wes Allen, secretary of governor
• All right, Senator Gudger. notify the governor that the legislature notify the governor that the legislature

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened in special session after the governor’s proclamation calling lawmakers to Montgomery to address primary elections. The proclamation stated that the Legislature may consider legislation creating special primary elections for U.S. House and Alabama Senate districts whose boundaries are changed by a court order, and that any other legislation would require a two-thirds vote to be considered and passed during the session. After prayer, the pledge, and roll call, the Senate established a quorum with 32 senators present and agreed to excuse absent members. The chamber then introduced three bills: Senate Bill 1 on primary elections, referred to the Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development; Senate Bill 2 on redistricting, referred to the same committee; and Senate Bill 3 on redistricting, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Senate also adopted two resolutions: Senate Resolution 1, notifying the House that the Senate had convened, and Senate Joint Resolution 2, appointing a committee to notify the governor that the Legislature was in special session. No substantive debate or votes on the bills occurred, and the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bondy's hearing, I was surprised to hear her speak of a, quote, "peaceful transition of power" in 2021
• She claimed there was a peaceful transfer of power in 2021, part of the effort to erase January 6.
• This directive was so clear outside the boundaries of presidential power that a federal judge blocked
• She has never been persuaded by those who might hold power.
• She must be willing to speak the truth to power, whether that power is the President of the United States

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• On a very powerful AI computing unit, Powered by Nvidia, it not only can do all the analysis, but also
• Power was still a challenge.
• Even for MUST devices, to be able to operate 24/7, it requires permanent power.
• We came up with a solution to power the device using solar power.
• We had Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation looking at solar-powered radar speed signs.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met in Yakima to focus on tribal traffic safety, with members and Yakima Nation leaders emphasizing the importance of safety, the right to travel, and continued partnership on U.S. 97 corridor improvements. Yakima Nation Vice Chair Christopher Wallachie and engineering staff described the Tribal Traffic Safety Committee, the U.S. 97 safety project, heritage connectivity trails, roundabout construction, and the use of federal grants and advanced sensing technology to identify hazards before crashes occur. They highlighted collaboration with WSDOT, the Traffic Safety Commission, the University of Washington, and other regional partners, and explained that the goal is to move from reactive crash response to proactive risk reduction. The Yakima Nation engineering team and AI Vision presented the MUST sensor project, which uses compact AI-enabled devices to collect traffic counts, speeds, near-miss events, roadway conditions, and pedestrian activity, with data transmitted to a dashboard and used for real-time warnings and longer-term planning. Committee members asked about speed tracking, driver behavior, enforcement, and partnerships with WSDOT and counties. Yakima Nation staff said the relationship with WSDOT has improved over time, especially after community outreach on proposed roundabouts, and that the tribe now supports several roundabout projects and broader safety coordination. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission then presented statewide fatality trends and tribal traffic safety data. Mark McKekney said 2024 showed a roughly 10% decrease in fatalities statewide, though recent years remain among the highest in decades. He noted that race and ethnicity data are only available for people who die in crashes, and that many American Indian and Alaska Native fatalities involve passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists rather than drivers. Penny Rerick outlined tribal traffic safety coordinator grants and other state-funded tribal projects, including work with Yakama Nation, Colville, Kalispel, Makah, Port Gamble S'Klallam, Muckleshoot, Lower Elwha, and Puyallup, stressing that flexible state funding helps fill gaps left by federal programs and supports community-led solutions. The final presentation covered impaired driving enforcement and ignition interlock compliance in Yakima County. Yakima Police Chief Sean Boyle said the city created a DUI enforcement and education officer program that helped reduce serious injury and fatal impaired-driving crashes, supported by state funding and social media outreach. Yakima County District Court’s Nick Bazan described a supervision program for DUI offenders and interlock compliance, reporting more than 1,000 DUI convictions in 2024-25 and about 3,800 noncompliant interlock users countywide. He said the court is using a two-pronged approach—pretrial assistance for indigent clients and post-conviction accountability and case planning—to improve compliance and reduce impaired driving. The committee expressed support for the work, noted the progress made, and adjourned the work session after thanking presenters for their updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, it expands the office's subpoena power when it comes to investigating Medicaid fraud.
• cases, and so it only makes sense that Attorney General Ellison's office should have these subpoena powers
• We use Minnesota statute regulations, and we have a list of powers that the commissioner has in this
• Section 3 is a conforming change adding data calls to the list of powers the commissioner has in this
• That authority and power is not necessarily going to be available to the legislature for something like

Bills: HF2354 , HF1672 , HF2389 , HF2870 , HF2743 , HF1918 , HF2551 , HF1671

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• I learned the importance of family from my mother, who, at all of five feet tall, was the most powerful
• For a long time I've been troubled with Congress's chronic delegation of the lawmaking power.
• Yes, so that case reinforced for me the importance of Article I, the vesting of legislative power in
• I read Article 3, which defines judicial power. Where does it... mention universal injunction.
• So when we talk about separation of powers, it does go both ways. It does go both ways.

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Keywords: John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general, national security, China Initiative, Department of Justice, judicial authority, executive actions, nomination hearing

Summary: The committee meeting primarily involved discussions around key nominations and pressing legal issues pertaining to the Department of Justice. Notable discussions included the nomination of John Eisenberg for assistant attorney general for national security, where concerns over the revival of the China Initiative were raised. Senators expressed significant apprehensions regarding previous actions taken under this initiative and its implications for national security. Additionally, there were critiques of the broader implications of executive actions that challenge judicial authority, aligning with ongoing dialogues about the integrity of the judiciary and executive oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the subpoena power.
• </c> job, a lot of the powers are taken away. job, a lot of the powers are taken away.
• We have the C subpoena power. the state. We have the C subpoena power.
• , that we have subpoena power, that we have the power necessary to do our jobs.
• The power necessary to do our jobs.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• The damage impacted 25% of homes, interrupted water, power, and communication services, and displaced
• The power is inevitably shut off when wildfires hit now. That's always the case.
• And when the power goes off, there they had in the Thomas fire, no ability to run the water pumps.
• We want them to be more thoughtful about what happens if the power goes out.
• A lithium battery fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant led to its evacuation in January.

Committee: House Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a bill that Governor Healey filed.
• Governor Healey and her team, my staff, and the Chelmsford Select Board.
• Thanks to the Governor for her leadership on this. And thank you for your time.
• And when leadership was needed most, Governor Maura Healey delivered.
• Thank you for coming forward with this bill, and I thank the governor as well for filing it.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its 21st hearing and took up late-filed bills, with testimony focused mainly on firefighter and police personnel matters. The committee heard strong support for H.5429/H.6138, Governor Healey’s bill to provide injured-on-duty compensation and full pay and benefits to Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinelli after he was seriously injured while instructing at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Testimony from Rep. Simon Cataldo, Rep. Rodney Elliott, PFFM leaders, Chelmsford Fire Chief Gary Ryan, and others emphasized that Spinelli was performing public service training work, that the incident exposed gaps in coverage for firefighters serving in academy roles, and that the bill should be a prompt, statewide fix. Several speakers also urged future legislation to address broader policy gaps for DFS support-branch and part-time personnel. The committee also heard testimony on a Topsfield home rule petition, H.54435, to allow Police Chief Neil Hovey to continue serving until age 68 or retirement. Rep. Kristen Kasner and local officials praised Hovey’s leadership, training, regional coordination, and management of public safety at the Topsfield Fair, and asked for favorable passage. In addition, Sen. Ryan Fattman and Rep. Joe McKenna testified for S.3051, a bill to provide certain retirement benefits to the surviving spouse of fallen Uxbridge Police Officer Stephen LaPorta, describing his death while assisting a stranded motorist in a snowstorm and the town’s support for honoring his family. PFFM and other police/fire union representatives generally supported the firefighter and LaPorta bills, while PFFM also stated opposition to H.5389, a separate bill authorizing continued employment of the Upton police chief. After testimony concluded, the committee adjourned without taking a recorded vote during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're giving the governor the authority to transfer it.
• So all this property is just giving the governor authority to transact it, and said it was laying there
• They want to just give the governor the authority to sell these.
• We can recommend that they be sold, but the ultimate decision is up to the governor. Okay, got it.
• The governor, but you have to get permission from us to sell.

Committee: House Corrections and Public Institutions

Summary: The committee heard only Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 937, which would authorize the governor to convey a list of state-owned properties that are no longer needed. Representative Veit and Office of Administration witness Hanna Swan explained that many of the parcels are vacant, costly to maintain, or are former DESE school properties closing at the end of the year. They said the bill is intended to consolidate multiple conveyance authorizations into one measure, with some properties to be sold on the open market and others transferred for specific public purposes. Members asked about the location, ownership, and intended use of several parcels, including whether some were easements, how “indeterminate” acreage would be handled, and whether the Donovan School District would receive a property back in the substitute. Swan said the state generally seeks the best deal for Missouri while also considering community impact, and that maintenance savings on some vacated school properties could be roughly $100,000 to $130,000 annually. Questions also focused on whether local school districts or the state owned the properties, and on how community input would be considered before any sale. A second witness, Jefferson City city engineer David Bangy, testified in support of the parcel related to the High Street viaduct. He said the conveyance would help the city redesign and rebuild the bridge, improve pedestrian safety, add underpasses, and support a roundabout and better access to downtown and emergency services, though it could reduce parking by about 20 to 30 spaces. No witnesses spoke in opposition or for information only, and the committee adjourned after testimony without taking a recorded vote in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:16:08.079><c> and</c> estimate at the time the governor and estimate at the time the governor
• House had 57.7 used by the governor.
• </c> uh from the House and the governor uh from the House and the governor proposal.<00:37:06.560><c>
• Those are two Governor proposal.
• </c><01:21:29.360><c> and</c> with approval of the governor and with approval of the governor and council

Summary: The Legislative Budget Assistant staff presented an overview of the Senate changes to the House-passed budget, focusing on revenue estimates, appropriations, and ending balances across the general fund and education trust fund. The presentation emphasized that the Senate’s budget reflected higher revenue assumptions than the House, driven in part by updated April revenue figures, changes to business, tobacco, and real estate transfer tax splits, and different assumptions about video lottery terminal revenue. The Senate also adjusted lapse estimates upward, especially for HHS, after receiving updated information that lapses could be much larger than originally assumed. The presenter walked through the major differences in the surplus statements for fiscal years 2025 through 2027. Compared with the House, the Senate budget generally showed higher revenues, lower or different appropriations in some areas, and larger balances carried forward, including a larger education trust fund balance and a different rainy day fund transfer. The Senate’s approach also changed several policy assumptions, such as maintaining liquor revenue dedication, removing the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap, changing the treatment of unique revenue, and altering the process for meeting a targeted revenue amount by giving the governor more flexibility. On the appropriations side, the Senate removed or modified several House reductions and added funding or adjustments in areas including the judicial branch, corrections, HHS, the Human Rights Commission, and certain settlement costs. The presenter also highlighted Senate changes in House Bill 2 and related budget provisions, including a new arts tax credit, a nursing home bed fee, changes to Medicaid premium assumptions, and differences in how motor vehicle inspection repeal and BLT-related revenue are handled. No votes were taken in the portion shown; the discussion was informational and comparative, aimed at explaining the Senate budget changes before conference committee negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• to get less overhead and system out of the money and get more dollars in the hands of states and governors
• A governor and the state can figure out, okay, do we need to invest more in out-of-school youth?
• We know that Governor Huckabee Sanders, your legislature, have been leaders in this.
• can be held accountable to the governor, the people, and the legislature.
• And that can only happen when you get the governor... ...have a posture that's effective.

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Career and Technical Education, on efforts to better align workforce, education, and human services programs. Moore argued that WIOA, Perkins, and ESSA were designed to function as an integrated talent system, but that federal and state bureaucracy has kept them siloed. He said the Department of Labor and OCTAE are working on more integrated state plan guidance, including a 2026 plan modification timeline, combined Perkins/WIOA plans, and greater use of labor market information to align training with in-demand jobs and Workforce Pell. Moore emphasized reducing overhead, cross-training staff, using common intake and integrated case management, and focusing on the “shadow labor force” of people facing benefit cliffs, child care barriers, or other obstacles to work. He repeatedly urged states to use waivers and flexibility where possible, to consolidate or streamline local workforce structures, and to hold programs accountable through measures such as labor force participation, training-related employment, retention, and cost per successful outcome. Members asked about the balance between flexibility and accountability, the role of employers versus postsecondary institutions, rural “training deserts,” state waivers, and data systems such as Mississippi Spark and Arkansas Launch. Moore said states should use technology and integrated intake to co-enroll eligible participants in multiple programs and better match people to jobs. In response to questions, Moore said some federal rules cannot be waived, but many reporting and administrative requirements can be streamlined, and he encouraged Arkansas to propose ideas for waivers or state-level integration. He also discussed the need for enhanced wage records and state longitudinal data systems to improve workforce planning and economic development. After Moore’s presentation, DHS Secretary Janet Mann and Director Jay Hill gave a brief update on reimbursement rates, saying the department had compiled more than 100 public comments, recommended holding the current rate, and was awaiting executive review; they estimated the process could take 30 to 60 days. The committee then adjourned, noting a later audit presentation scheduled for the afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• will have for um their the governor will have for um their presentations<00:07:38.039><c> um</c><00:
• It's everything they could potentially need money for once the governor has their hearings.
• </c><00:09:50.040><c> is</c> in this case there's a the governor is in this case there's a the governor
• It says agencies give us everything so that the governor can consider it.
• </c> when the agencies came to the governor when the agencies came to the governor they<00:20:44.960>

Summary: The Public Works and Highways committee held a capital budget orientation led by Legislative Budget Assistant Office staff, who walked members through the budget materials, the capital budget process, and the committee’s compare sheet. The presentation explained that agencies begin developing capital requests nearly a year in advance, submit them by May 1, and that the governor’s recommended capital budget is a reduced version of the much larger agency wish list. Members were told the agencies initially requested about $1.1 billion in projects, the catalog was trimmed to just over $400 million in general fund projects, and the governor’s recommendation in the pink book totals about $143 million in general fund capital appropriations. The committee also reviewed the prior capital budget and related statutes and committee procedures. Several specific projects drew discussion. The Department of Education’s CTE projects were explained as having been shifted into the operating budget in the prior cycle and now returning to the capital budget recommendation; members asked whether there was a backup CTE project and whether local approval had been secured for the named project. The Cannon Mountain tramway request was highlighted as a $20 million recommendation, with the presenter explaining that an earlier $18 million appropriation would be lapsed back to the general fund to help balance the budget. The Department of Corrections’ new prison project was also discussed; members were told the state has already appropriated $50 million for planning and site evaluation, but the governor’s current capital budget does not include a new prison construction appropriation because the project is not yet ready for that phase and may need to be funded differently, possibly through a separate, staggered appropriation. State Treasurer Monica Mezzapelli then presented on debt affordability and the state’s borrowing capacity. She said the state’s credit position has improved, with the debt-to-revenue ratio falling from 8.2% in 2015 to 3.8% in 2024, and explained that RSA 6-C limits debt authorization to 10% of unrestricted prior-year revenue. She noted that the Treasury’s planning assumes $60 million in annual bond issuance, with the prison-related $40 million now expected to be issued in 2026 rather than 2025 because the project is not ready to spend the funds. She said the state can still borrow more, but additional debt service must be paid from operating funds, and recommended keeping capital bonding in the $120 million to $130 million range to preserve affordability and the state’s credit rating. Members asked for clarification on the CTE funding shift, the prison schedule, and the meaning of the large agency request totals. The chair and treasurer discussed the governor’s $143 million recommendation versus the committee’s usual target range, and the treasurer said $130 million would be more comfortable than $140 million, with $135 million described as a possible compromise. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion provided; the meeting was informational and ended with the presenters offering to answer follow-up questions as agencies come before the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Albritton: Messages from the Governor or other executive communications?
• Senator Polsky: What is to stop a future Governor, any Governor from deciding that is not following the
• It is only a portion of what the Governor has control over.
• That is correct, but I think the Governor will now have the ability.
• The Governor has been laser focused on this.

Transcript Highlights:

• The governor is recommending adjustment.
• So the governor is proposing this change in order to clarify what Minnesota resident is.
• So the governor is proposing this change in order to clarify what Minnesota resident is.
• So the governor is proposing this change in order to clarify what Minnesota resident is.
• </c> recommendation from the governor recommendation from the governor regarding<00:50:24.559><c> the

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• so much with this terrible ice storm, and we know that there are many today who are still without power
• first responders who are attending to them and doing their best to clear the roads and to get the power
• <00:07:11.440><c> are</c><00:07:11.560><c> still</c><00:07:11.880><c> without</c><00:07:12.280><c> power
• ,</c> today who are still without power, today who are still without power, without<00:07:13.200><c>
• and</c><00:07:24.280><c> to</c><00:07:24.360><c> get</c><00:07:24.480><c> the</c><00:07:24.600><c> power

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> those gas powered frame mounted engines. those gas powered frame mounted engines.
• Regardless of how it's own power, right? Regardless of how it's powered. powered. powered.
• Electric motors or gas powered. Yeah.
• Electric motors or gas powered. Yeah.
• Electric motors or gas powered. Yeah.

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:54:25.559><c> due</c> faced about 10 hours without power due faced about 10 hours without power
• </c> outdoor tools gas powered outdoor tools gas powered lawnmowers<04:50:51.240><c> uh</c><04:50:51.360
• </c> do you take away a gas or diesel power do you take away a gas or diesel power generator<04:51:01.520
• </c> at least temporarily what do you power at least temporarily what do you power that<04:51:08.840>
• </c><05:49:26.478><c> people</c> but I mentioned these powerful people but I mentioned these powerful

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, the governor has to agree um to the special session deal, right?
• Well, the governor has to agree um to the special session deal, right?
• Well, the governor<00:04:51.360><c> has</c><00:04:51.600><c> to</c><00:04:52.000><c> agree</c><00:04:
• has to agree um to the special governor has to agree um to the special session<00:04:55.680><c> deal
• Do you want the governor to call you back at 12:01? Peni did it a couple times. Ventura wasn't.