Video & Transcript Research : 'Legislation'
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NM
Transcript Highlights:
- Legislative committees also cover council service, interim expenses, preparations for next session, legislative
- Chairman and Senator Woods, the legislative.
- So, for the district's legislative aides to date.
- , Legislative Education Study Committee, and the Legislative Council Service.
- The Legislative Council Service is the administrator of the appropriations for the District Legislative
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Rules and Administration - 04/10/26
Rules and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:03:16.360>
that provide a a group of legislators that provide a a group of legislators - by legislators by legislators to<00:10:31.000>
kind <00:10:31.280>of <00:10:31.360> - And those enable the legislation.
- <00:16:08.560>
um legislative um legislative um um um um legislative<00:16:12.079>um legislative - legislative language. legislative language.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:02:46.080>
budget that we created the legislated budget that we created the legislated - Leading up to the 2024 legislative session, or early in the legislative session, the Legislative Budget
- Leading up to the 2024 legislative session, or early in the legislative session, the Legislative Budget
- Leading up to the 2024 legislative session, or early in the legislative session, the Legislative Budget
- completed prior to the 2024 legislation completed prior to the 2024 legisl<00:13:02.440>
session<
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the fiscal note process, prompted by concerns raised in a prior hearing about the fiscal note for the Paid Family and Medical Leave law. Chair Marty, Senator Pratt, and Senator Wiklund said the goal was not to revisit the bill itself but to strengthen understanding of fiscal note standards, the role of the Legislative Budget Office (LBO), and communication with agencies. They emphasized bipartisan concern that fiscal notes must be respected and that the process should be clearer going forward.
Christian Larison of the LBO explained that the 2024 fiscal note issues stemmed from three main problems: choosing the proper baseline for a program that had not yet started, interpreting the seven-day qualifying event/waiting period, and determining whether DEED could adjust the first-year premium rate. He said the LBO, DEED, MMB, and House fiscal staff ultimately used the October 2023 actuarial analysis as the baseline because it was the most recent and likely most accurate estimate, but that choice meant the fiscal note did not show the difference from the 2023 enacted budget. He also described how DEED later interpreted the seven-day provision as a waiting period and how the premium-rate assumptions affected the fiscal impact.
Larison outlined possible responses, including more assertive early communication from the LBO, providing more detailed analysis in unusual cases, and possibly creating a working group through the LBO Oversight Commission to consider new standards for substantial assumption changes, complex new programs, and third-party actuarial work. He also noted the LBO has authority to issue unapproved fiscal notes if standards are not met, though it has not used that authority. In questions, Senator Murphy asked about protecting the credibility of fiscal notes, and Larison said maintaining independence, objectivity, and consistent standards is central to the LBO’s role. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Government, Elections And Indian Affairs Jan 30th, 2026 at 08:35 am
House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the chief economist for the Legislative Finance Committee.
- This bill is to strengthen the legislative authority... ...bill is for all of us.
- We feel that HB 164 helps build public trust in the legislative process.
- Lobbyists play an important role in the legislative process.
- So that doesn't put any additional work on the legislator.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- Signed, John Treadwell, clerk. local legislation signed. John local legislation signed.
- the Committee on Local Legislation. the Committee on Local Legislation.
- House Bill from local legislation.
- House Bill from local legislation.
- House Bill from local legislation.
Summary:
The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 29 senators present. The chamber adopted the previous day’s journal, allowed bill introductions throughout the day, and received multiple House messages referring local bills and proposed constitutional amendments to the Committee on Local Legislation, along with a lieutenant governor’s confirmation referral to the Committee on Confirmations.
Committee reports were then received from several standing committees. The Senate confirmed a series of gubernatorial and other appointments, including Michael Kulovitz and Barbara Maul to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Board of Trustees, Logan Glass to the Educational Television Commission, Ed Croll and James Harris to the Alabama Committee on Monument Protection, Matt Barnes to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, Scott Moes and Jeffrey Wilson to the Alabama Electronic Security Board of Licensure, and Jeffrey L. Cameman to the Tuscaloosa County Civil Service Board. The Senate also received favorable committee reports on numerous bills from Judiciary, State Governmental Affairs, Education Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Health Care, Veterans and Military Affairs, and Local Legislation, with several bills amended or substituted and placed on the next day’s calendar.
On the floor, the Senate adopted a special order calendar from the Rules Committee and passed several bills. Senate Bill 101 extended the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors to October 1, 2028. Senate Bill 93, as amended, allowed certain municipalities with populations of 12,000 or more and even-numbered councils to authorize a mayoral tie-breaking vote by council resolution. Senate Bill 115 created a competitive-bidding exemption for certain expenditures of $15,000 or less involving rolling stock, with quote and approval requirements. Senate Bill 131 on county subdivisions was amended and passed. Senate Bill 30, known as “Trey’s Law,” would make certain nondisclosure provisions unenforceable in cases involving sexual abuse victims; the sponsor described it as protecting survivors from being silenced, while Senator Albritton cautioned about the broader effects on settlements and institutions.
The Senate also adopted two resolutions: Senate Joint Resolution 19 honoring the life and legacy of Anna Smith Bedsole Holmes, and Senate Joint Resolution 20 commending the Alabama Birth Equity Initiative. The Rules Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and the listed bills were taken up and passed or advanced by unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Municipal and County Government (03/03/2025)
Municipal and County Government
Transcript Highlights:
- and if they are would legislation and if they are would legislation<00:11:54.760>
have <00:11: - <00:18:26.440>
proposed proposed legislation proposed proposed legislation proposed legislation - <00:27:14.760>
is same goal of what this legislation is same goal of what this legislation - Lastly, the legislation, so-called enabling legislation, is enabling legislation that can't be rescinded
- legislation and um as legislators legislation and um as legislators whenever<05:17:54.000>
that
Summary:
The Municipal and County Government Committee held public hearings on House Bill 471 and House Bill 373. HB 471 would create a temporary commission to study growth, traffic, planning, and land use issues in a group of southern New Hampshire towns, with possible recommendations on regional planning commission boundaries or coordination. Representative Perez said the bill was requested by Londonderry residents and local officials, and Eric Power of Brookline testified in support, saying the towns share corridor and development issues that cross regional planning commission lines. Several members questioned whether existing law already allows towns to form regional planning commissions under RSA 364:6, whether the bill should be broader, and whether the town list should include additional communities. The hearing closed with testimony counts reported as two in support and three opposed on remote sign-in, plus one opposed and one in support on the blue sheet.
HB 373, sponsored by Representative Diane Powers, would revise RSA 41:11-a on town property leases. Powers said current law is too restrictive because leases over five years require repeated town votes, which she argued is impractical for long-term arrangements. She cited examples from Hampton and Brookline, including long-term road and property leases, and said she had found multiple similar cases. The bill would keep select board authority for leases under one year, allow a legislative body to authorize a specific longer lease by a three-fifths ballot vote, and preserve the existing five-year blanket leasing authority with a three-fifths vote, while keeping existing leases valid if authority is later rescinded. Eric Power testified in support, describing recurring lease renewals in Brookline and saying longer terms are needed for projects such as housing, cell towers, and solar arrays. Members asked about the change from a simple town vote to a three-fifths threshold and whether the bill duplicates existing mechanisms; Powers said the higher threshold was intended because the leases involve long-term commitments. No votes were taken during the hearing portion described.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Ethics Board May 5th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- had approved over time that the That a legislator had approved over time, that the legislator then might
- And if a legislative staff person comments...
- Doesn't mean it's not about legislation.
- This is engaging on our legislative stuff.
- So it says official legislative websites that are not the official legislative websites of a legislator
Summary:
The committee approved the minutes as corrected and noted there were no employment disclosure forms. It then discussed a draft advisory opinion on legislative stickers, pens, business cards, and similar items. Members agreed the opinion should identify historically provided items as presumptively within normal legislative conduct, but add clearer language that such items still cannot be used in a campaign-related way or otherwise conflict with ethics rules on use of public resources. Staff said Legislative Support Services and administration would be the main points of review for questionable requests, and the draft would be revised for board review.
The committee also reviewed a second advisory opinion request about legislative and caucus staff interacting with caucus social media posts. The discussion focused on whether staff may like or engage with posts about legislation or policy positions. Members generally agreed that liking or otherwise engaging with caucus posts could be viewed as support and could create ethics problems, especially because social media content remains online and could later be tied to legislation. The draft was to be revised to draw clearer lines for compliance.
Members then discussed a long-running project to review and either retain or retire older advisory opinions, and agreed to continue and complete that review process. They also discussed the recently passed ethics bill and supported issuing an ethics alert summarizing major changes, including concerns about a House amendment affecting social media and website references during the election year activity period. Finally, the committee approved spending about $19,171 to digitize archived case files into searchable format, with members expressing support for moving away from paper records. After public business ended, the committee adjourned the public session and planned to reconvene in executive session.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Child Custody Review Task Force Apr 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- legislation?
- , non-legislators.
- to the Legislative Management.
- This is very, very good legislation, or proposition. Hopefully it will become legislation.
- This is very, very good legislation, or proposition. Hopefully it will become legislation.
Summary:
The Child Custody Review Task Force met to approve prior minutes and then worked through draft legislation related to a possible family court study committee. The group discussed the proposed 15-member committee’s makeup in detail, including whether to add parent representation, judges, family law section members, child support, clerks of court, domestic violence advocates, and other stakeholders. The task force ultimately agreed to keep the committee at 15 members, reduce the legislative membership from eight to six, add two judges from different districts, add two family law section members with rural and urban representation, include one parent subject to a custody order, and replace the mental health professional with a clerk of court representative appointed through the trial court administrator’s office. The draft was also revised to keep domestic violence advocacy representation and to clarify that the study could consider juvenile court issues as part of the family court umbrella. The committee voted to approve the revised draft and recommend it to Legislative Management, with one recorded “no” vote from Judge Hovey after the meeting resumed.
The task force then turned to a second draft dealing with requiring participation in a family transition program, which was renamed in discussion to a parenting education course. Members debated whether the bill should simply refer to an existing program like Parents Forever or instead specify broader education about the court process, parental rights, co-parenting, and related issues. Some members supported the requirement as a way to reduce conflict and improve understanding of the system, while others raised concerns about vague language, cost to parents, lack of exemptions, and whether the bill was too open-ended or potentially duplicative of other legislation. The discussion became lengthy and unresolved, with the drafter noting that more specific direction would be needed to revise the bill. The transcript cuts off before a final vote or action on this second draft is shown.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
JLARC – Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee Dec 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Respectful of what the legislation says.
- We also review legislative records to see what has happened.
- By way of background, in 2017 the legislative...
- The legislative auditor has two recommendations.
- This leads us to legislative auditors two recommendations.
Summary:
The committee met on December 3, 2025, with a quorum present and approved the September 17 minutes. Members first voted to suspend the 2026 JLARC lodging tax expenditure report for one year, based on staff’s explanation that the report is self-reported, not verified, and less useful than State Auditor accountability audits; the motion passed. The committee also approved renaming the JLARC I-900 subcommittee to the “Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits,” while keeping the opening script noting that the performance audit process exists under Initiative 900.
The committee then heard follow-up updates on two prior performance audits. The Department of Health presented a draft strategic management plan in response to findings on hospital inspections, complaints, adverse event review, and hospital data access. JLARC staff reiterated that 72% of hospital inspections were late, that DOH did not verify third-party inspection standards or review adverse event reports, and that complaint data suggested possible language-access barriers. DOH said it concurred with the recommendations, had improved on-time inspection compliance to about 49%, planned annual updates starting in July 2026, and would work on accreditation oversight, complaint-language access, and data accessibility, though members pressed for firmer deadlines and questioned the three-year timeline for language access improvements.
The Liquor and Cannabis Board also reported on its cannabis market study recommendation. JLARC staff said the agency’s data were incomplete and unreliable, limiting oversight of production, recalls, tax collection, and diversion. LCB said it had improved its current CCRS system but still relied on self-reported data, and it presented a decision package for a new traceability system estimated at about $9 million over three fiscal years. LCB described a plant-tagging and serialization approach tied to production, processing, testing, and retail, but acknowledged it did not currently have sufficient staff to fully implement the system without additional funding.
The committee also received briefings on JLARC’s recommendation-tracking tools and the 2024 public records reporting summary, including a high-level review of agency response rates, request volumes, costs, and litigation. Finally, JLARC presented the proposed final report on the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, concluding that OPDP meets its statutory responsibilities and has high user satisfaction, but that its mandate should be updated to better match its current capacity and focus; the committee adopted the report for distribution. The meeting then moved into the 2025 tax preference performance reviews, where JLARC staff summarized nine reviews and noted that the Citizens Commission on Tax Preference and Performance Measurement endorsed all 17 legislative auditor recommendations, with comments on seven. Early reviews discussed included natural gas transportation fuel preferences, travel agent and tour operator B&O rates, nonprofit low-income housing development, multipurpose senior centers, disabled veteran adaptive housing, and trade convention attendance, with staff and commissioners generally recommending continuation of some preferences, modification of others, and improved objectives or performance measures where needed.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
House Floor Session Jan 21st, 2026 at 08:30 am
North Dakota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- This rule was presented to Legislative Procedures and Arrangements and Legislative Management, and we
- that it promotes a better workflow for Legislative Council and allows them to focus on legislative bills
- legislative day, so seven legislative days sooner.
- day to the 34th legislative day, and moving the crossover date for resolutions from the 43rd legislative
- day to the 37th legislative day. ...from the 43rd legislative day to the 37th legislative day.
Keywords:
presidential physical fitness test, physical education, fitness assessment, student fitness, school curriculum, graduation requirements, elementary school, middle school, high school, public schools, nonpublic schools, superintendent of public instruction, exceptions, disability accommodations, North Dakota studies, computer science, cybersecurity, health education, concept-based fitness class, school standards
Summary:
The North Dakota House convened in special session with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the reading of communications from the Secretary of State and Governor Kelly Armstrong certifying the special session call. The governor’s executive order said the session was called to act on funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program so the state could accept and appropriate federal funds and avoid interruptions to government services. Three new members, Representatives McNally, Scraw, and Timmons, were sworn in, and the roll showed 91 members present, establishing a quorum.
The main business was a Rules Committee report outlining temporary special-session rules. The changes were designed to speed up floor action, including allowing second reading the same day a bill is reported from committee, final passage one day after first reading, and immediate transmission to the other chamber unless reconsideration is noticed. The report also replaced the regular standing committee structure with two joint committees: Joint Appropriations and Joint Policy, allowed remote testimony and remote member participation with approval, and limited bill introduction to Legislative Management-approved bills or bills approved by a two-thirds vote. Several deadline changes for resolutions and bill filing were also described, with some provisions delayed until the special session ends.
The House adopted the Rules Committee report after a motion by Representative Bosch and no opposition. During announcements, the clerk listed the membership of the Joint Appropriations and Joint Policy committees, and the Highway Patrol announced safety sessions for legislators in the Rough Rider Room at 11 a.m. that day and the next day. The House then recessed until the joint session scheduled for 10 a.m. the following day.
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
New York State Senate Session - 02/11/2026
New York Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- LEGISLATIVE INTENT IS EXACTLY WE HAD, 200 FEET AND 500 FEET.
- DEFINED IN THAT LEGISLATION OR IN CANNABIS LAW.
- PERMISSIVE UNDER THE ORIGINAL MRTA LEGISLATION.
- WITH INTERVENING DAYS BEING LEGISLATIVE DAYS.
- WITH INTERVENING DAYS BEING LEGISLATIVE DAYS.
Summary:
The Senate first handled routine business, approving the prior journal and taking up several messages and motions. A Rules Committee report was accepted on Senate Print 915, a Cannabis Law bill, and the chamber then moved to debate that measure on the controversial calendar. The bill was described by supporters as clarifying how distances are measured for adult-use cannabis dispensaries near schools and houses of worship, with the sponsor saying it would create statewide consistency and provide clearer direction to the Office of Cannabis Management. Opponents argued it would weaken protections for children and churches, reward agency mistakes, and allow dispensaries to be sited closer to school property than intended. After extended debate, the Senate passed the bill 36-23.
The cannabis debate centered on whether the bill merely clarifies legislative intent or substantively changes the law. Supporters said the current language left measurement methods undefined and that the bill would help legal dispensaries, reduce confusion, and push back illicit stores. Opponents said the original law already protected school grounds and houses of worship, and that the new language would allow dispensaries to abut school playgrounds, fields, or church-related property in some cases. Several senators also raised concerns about youth exposure, public consumption, local zoning, and the performance of the Office of Cannabis Management. After the vote, the Senate returned to the calendar and passed additional measures, including Calendar 121 (Public Authorities Law), Calendar 170 (Public Health Law), and Calendar 190 (Labor Law), each by comfortable margins.
The chamber also adopted a resolution package honoring Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School’s boys cross country team and girls field hockey team for state championships, with Senator Tedisco introducing the guests. Later, the Senate passed Senate Print 6990A, the Civil Voice Law, which requires state agencies to conduct exit interviews for employees who resign or retire. Supporters said the bill would improve accountability, morale, and retention by standardizing a way to hear from departing workers. The bill received affirmative explanations of vote from Senator Jackson and others, and the Senate continued through the calendar after its passage.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Monday, March 24, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Foster legislate together.
- Foster legislate together.
- Foster legislate together.
- reintroducing this important legislation reintroducing this important legislation I<03:21:04.359
- <03:21:34.040>
hr1 legislation hr1 legislation hr1 1350<03:21:36.720>the <03:21:36.920>
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs (04/22/2025)
Election Law and Municipal Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- legislation, we would support the bills. legislation, we would support the bills.
- the legislation.
- the consent of those legislative bodies. the consent of those legislative bodies.
- And I'm by the legislative body.
- subject to amendment by the legislative subject to amendment by the legislative body
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency Jun 30th, 2026
Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- If this is a legislative directive, we want information given to Legislative Management; it should come
- from Legislative Council and not from OMB.
- If this is a legislative directive, we want information given to Legislative Management; it should come
- from Legislative Council and not from OMB.
- So that ties the hands of legislative management right away.
Summary:
The task force first approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, including a correction removing language that suggested the auditor’s office would contract with a security vendor. Members then moved to a bill draft on concessions (LC 27.0161.00000), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, clarify that proceeds go to the entity’s operating fund or general fund, and make other technical updates. OMB explained the draft and answered questions about scope, fragmentation, vendor restrictions, school districts, and whether concession proceeds could be directed to nonprofits; OMB said the draft could be refined further, including clarifying covered entities and contract length. No vote was taken on the draft during the discussion.
OMB also reported on other survey items. It said a proposal to broadly allow agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering/land surveying vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is working well for the agencies that already have it. On legal notices, OMB said it has been working with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernization, including an ADA-compliant online notice system and possible statutory updates to reflect changing technology and notice definitions. On click-through agreements for routine IT purchases, OMB and the Attorney General’s office said policy clarification—not statutory change—was enough, and the $20,000 threshold was intended to distinguish low-dollar adhesive contracts from purchases where terms can be negotiated.
The committee also heard that OMB and the Center for Distance Education had resolved questions about alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures through existing policy, so no statutory changes were needed there. North Dakota University System representatives gave a brief update on ongoing collaboration with OMB on statutory efficiency ideas, including concessions and surplus property. Finally, the task force discussed a draft on requirements for new or expanded spending programs, which would require agencies to identify purpose, expected benefits, alternatives, success measures, and full implementation costs, and would require reporting on outcomes over time. Members debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how to use the new program evaluators, whether real-time dashboards should be used, and how to choose which programs to evaluate; staff from Legislative Council said they would work with OMB and the auditor’s office to revise the draft and process.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Legislative Administration (03/12/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- /c> pending legislation absolutely not thank pending legislation absolutely not thank you<00:48:44.160
- and just the nature of of uh legislation and just the nature of of uh legislation<00:50:46.280>
it - legislation legislation is<00:55:18.280>
uh <00:55:18.720>thank <00:55:18.920>you - <01:02:16.359>
why great interest in the legislation why great interest in the legislation - um the information of What legislation um the information of What legislation is<01:34:49.000>
Summary:
The committee first took up House Bill 118 in executive session and adopted Amendment 0882H, which would remove the House and Senate members from the Child Care Commission while leaving the commission in place. Members said the amendment was a continuation of earlier committee discussion and supported it as a needed change. The committee then voted 12-0 to recommend ought to pass as amended, and HB 118 was placed on consent.
The committee next considered House Bill 142, dealing with Gold Star Mother’s Day. The sponsor explained that the bill was unnecessary because existing statute already directs the governor to issue a proclamation for Gold Star Mother’s Day and to urge appropriate observance, including flag-related ceremonies. Several members discussed how to ensure the proclamation and flag observance would happen and whether the committee report should note the existing statute. Other members said they would oppose killing the bill because the recognition was important. The committee voted 9-3 to table/ITL the bill, and HB 142 was declared inexpedient to legislate.
The final major item was a public hearing on a non-germane amendment to House Bill 456, with a related draft amendment also discussed. The sponsor said the amendment would raise the annual membership allowance from $20 to $75, rename fees as dues, prohibit dues from being used to pay lobbyists, require NHMA dues to be brought before voters as a separate warrant article for transparency, and require separate accounting so lobbying funds are not co-mingled with other funds. Supporters said the goal was to keep taxpayer-derived money from funding lobbying while preserving non-lobbying services such as legal advice and training. Opponents argued the proposal was an overreach and would micromanage local towns. No vote was taken in the portion provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Press Conference: Update on Special Session Negotiations - 09/30/25
Transcript Highlights:
- The legislature is legislative process.
- <00:02:50.000>
process there's been a legislative process there's been a legislative process - through the entire uh legislative through the entire uh legislative session.<00:04:13.519>
Bills - <00:05:12.479>
want but specifically should legislators want but specifically should legislators - the legislative committee process out. the legislative committee process out.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- They're taking, disrupting the legislative process of the Texas legislature.
- Actually, in 2023... inviting the courts into legislative.
- So that's the legislative continuance.
- Legislation is to prohibit legislators from financially benefiting from breaking quorum.
- Legislative sessions are legislative sessions.
Bills:
HB18
Keywords:
HB 18, Texas Legislature, quorum break, quorum-busting, legislative walkout, absent legislators, political contributions, campaign finance, political expenditures, legislative caucus, specific-purpose committee, Texas Ethics Commission, civil penalty, show cause order, district court, Fifteenth Court of Appeals, session fundraising, travel lodging food expenses, legislative session, compelled attendance
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Ethics Board Oct 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Let's call this public portion of our Legislative Ethics Board to order. Is TVW already signed in?
- And so we can have a recommendation for legislation.
- And so we can have a recommendation for legislation.
- You may help us discuss persons who are not current legislators. Feel free.
- a person who was previously a legislator.
Summary:
The Legislative Ethics Board approved the minutes from its September 8, 2025 meeting and reported that there were no employment disclosure forms. The board then discussed whether RCW 42.52.187(1) permits legislators to write letters of recommendation in a broader range of situations, including citizenship, clemency/pardon, immigration waivers, scholarships, and appointments. Members generally favored a broad reading for constituent-requested letters, while staff noted their existing advice had been narrower and suggested drafting an advisory opinion to clarify the definition and scope of “letter of recommendation.”
The board also considered whether the statute’s reference to commemorations or celebrations of “persons who are not current legislators” allows use of state resources to recognize entities such as the Mariners or Seahawks. Members discussed whether “person” includes organizations under the Ethics Act’s definition, and the consensus leaned toward a plain-language reading that would allow posts about teams and other non-legislator entities, though some members suggested the language may need cleanup in the future.
A third item addressed a previously retired advisory opinion concerning legislators who are attorneys and represent clients before state agencies. Staff proposed republishing or updating the opinion with current citations, but several members expressed concern that the old opinion could be read too narrowly or as implying legislators cannot do outside legal work involving agencies. The board agreed the issue needed more refinement and deferred further action to a future meeting. There was no public testimony beyond a brief check-in from Jerry Cornfield, and the meeting adjourned after a motion and second.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- There's a premise that, uh, legislators shouldn't benefit from their position.
- And so I would look at this along the lines of you have legislators that are.
- that are during the legislative session, it's all of us.
- So that's the legislative continuance.
- The intent of this legislation is to prohibit legislators from financially benefiting from breaking quorum
Bills:
HB18
Keywords:
HB 18, Texas Legislature, quorum break, quorum-busting, legislative walkout, absent legislators, political contributions, campaign finance, political expenditures, legislative caucus, specific-purpose committee, Texas Ethics Commission, civil penalty, show cause order, district court, Fifteenth Court of Appeals, session fundraising, travel lodging food expenses, legislative session, compelled attendance
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- corrections for the 2026 legislative corrections for the 2026 legislative session.<00:07:29.560>
- <00:07:46.760>
Council <00:07:47.280>and Legislative Council and Legislative Council and - 00:07:59.480>
undertakes that our Legislative Council undertakes that our Legislative Council - >
its Legislative Council found in its Legislative Council found in its statutory<00:11:00.400 - Updates for green books, one Legislative Updates for green books, one Legislative Council<00:13: