Transcript Highlights:

• Poppy is a secure, centrally managed GenAI service provided by CDT to support State of California employees
• ...does not capture keystrokes and use the work product and the workflow of state employees to train
• So basically, when a state employee gives it a particular set of information or documents, that employee
• There's lots of potential here, and the feedback from employees is very, very strong.
• ... ...is in existence about how we're protecting against bias, protecting employees, protecting personally

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My husband goes to work every day, an employee of the state for the past 30 years.
• One utility alone reported 180 hostile encounters involving its employees.
• Leah Griffin with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in support.
• I'm a 17-year employee of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
• I'm a 17-year employee of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a member in good standing of

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• position in the legislative branch, and we didn't feel that it was appropriate to ask a legislative employee
• This amendment basically allows county and local governments to extend leave periods for Guard employees
• This amendment basically allows county and local governments to extend leave periods for guard employees
• How does this interact with existing district policies on outside compensation for employees, and does
• guardrail is in there because what's going to happen with this bill is we're going to value other employees

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Lee County Judge John Carlin, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Cody Popple of the FSU Police Department for his actions during the April campus shooting. The Speaker also outlined the final week of session, noting the chamber had passed 253 House bills and 149 Senate bills to date, with budget negotiations still unresolved and the 2026-27 budget not expected to be completed that week. The special order report was adopted, setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up several Senate bills, mostly technical or open-government sunset review measures, and passed them with little or no opposition: SB 100, SB 104, and SB 102 on Florida statutes; SB 7006, SB 7014, SB 7002, SB 7012, SB 7024, SB 7016, SB 7026, SB 7008, SB 7000, and SB 7004 on public-records or meeting exemptions; and SB 7022 on public records related to exams. Members asked questions on a few of these bills, especially the exam-records bill and the military and gaming-related exemptions, but the measures generally advanced without amendment. Votes ranged from unanimous to modest opposition, with SB 7026 passing 106-3 and SB 7022 passing 101-8. The most substantial debate centered on SB 7040, which recreates the emergency preparedness and response trust fund in the Executive Office of the Governor. Rep. Eskamani offered an amendment to let the fund expire, arguing the money had been misused and that the Legislature should retain control over spending; several members supported her position, while others said the fund is needed for rapid disaster response. A strike-all amendment from Rep. Griffiths was adopted instead, adding accountability provisions and expanding the fund to cover man-made emergencies as well as natural disasters. The bill then passed 82-25. The House also passed CS/CS/SB 302 on coastal resiliency, CS/CS/SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits, CS/SB 474 on military affairs, and SB 488 on Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issues, with SB 488 still under amendment debate when the transcript ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• It adds anti-discrimination language for employees and potential employees, provides remedies and penalties
• This excludes part-time employees from the definition of qualifying individuals for the purpose of the
• Amendment number 14 by Senator Gildon excludes any employee who is enrolled in an insurance plan provided
• Here today in my role as the statewide treasurer for the Washington Federation of State Employees, AFSCME
• What happens if the governor negotiates a bonus with state employees that the legislature doesn't like

Summary: The committee opened with a public hearing on Senate Bill 5808, a proposal to require nonprofit health carriers with “excess surplus” to pay 10% of that surplus into the state health care affordability account for Cascade Care Savings. Committee staff said the bill could generate about $330 million one time in 2027, while the Office of Insurance Commissioner would have implementation costs. Supporters argued the bill would redirect consumer premium dollars to help people afford coverage, while opponents from health plans said reserves are needed for solvency, claims, and capital needs and warned the bill would destabilize nonprofit insurers. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 2254, which would let the Partnership Access Line assessment cover administrative costs; HCA and Seattle Children’s supported it as a technical fix that saves general fund dollars, and a child psychiatrist asked that savings be reinvested in behavioral health services. House Bill 2385, which extends deadlines for the Medicaid Access Program because of federal restrictions on new provider taxes, also drew support from provider groups seeking future Medicaid rate increases. The committee then heard Substitute Senate Bill 6286, which would increase fines on private detention facilities that deny Department of Health inspections and dedicate the fines to an account for community repair and assistance to harmed individuals and families. Supporters, including Tacoma’s mayor and family members affected by detention, framed the bill as an accountability measure; fiscal staff estimated Department of Health costs of about $395,000 in the 2025-27 biennium. Senate Bill 6006 would exempt food banks from sales tax on certain services enacted last session, with food bank and tribal representatives saying the savings would go directly to food and operations. Senate Bill 6351 would create exemptions from the new sales tax on live presentations for before- and after-school care, arts and cultural nonprofit classes, and K-12 school purchases; school districts, arts groups, and PTA representatives supported it, while asking for clarifying language and broader nonprofit exemptions. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1717 would let cities and counties create local sales tax remittance programs for affordable housing projects, and housing builders, Habitat affiliates, counties, and city officials supported it as a local tool to lower development costs. In executive session, the committee received briefings on several tax and spending bills and then voted to advance multiple measures. It adopted a substitute and passed Senate Bill 5949, which narrows a B&O tax exemption related to insurance premiums; a proposed retroactivity-removing amendment failed. It adopted a substitute and passed Senate Bill 6129 on cigarette, tobacco, and nicotine taxes after rejecting several amendments, including proposals to study the tax policy or replace the bill with illicit-market enforcement language. The committee also passed Senate Bill 6228 repealing a preferential B&O rate for prescription drug resellers, Senate Bill 6231 repealing data center sales tax exemptions, and Second Substitute Senate Bill 5965, which retained a bag-fee approach rather than a full ban after adopting an amendment. The committee then returned to public hearing and began testimony on Senate Bill 6353, a major Working Connections Child Care bill that would keep income eligibility at 60% of state median income, lower the provider rate target from the 85th to the 75th percentile, and make other program changes; the briefing was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Employees and their families face potential disruption from another expansion.
• We own and operate the stores, and we have about 12 employees working at the store.
• In a short time, our group spoke with residents, property owners, employees, and business owners who
• These properties support our family, our employees, their families, and the surrounding community.
• These properties support our family, our employees, their families, and the surrounding community.

Bills: SB1088 , SB1156 , SB1157 , SB1169 , SB1245 , SB1273 , SB1330 , SB1332 , SB1391 , SB1498 , SB1531 , SB1550 , SB1598 , SB1677 , SB1707 , SB1811 , SB1818

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Keywords: cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, appropriation, public safety, detention, unauthorized aliens, local government funding, border security, fencing, appropriations, southern border, local government, medical education, physician shortage, healthcare funding, Arizona health care

Transcript Highlights:

• adoption of an emergency preamble: an act establishing a sick leave bank for Jeffrey Asinthe, an employee
• the Senate for its final passage: an act establishing a sick leave bank for Jeffrey Ysinthi, an employee
• An act establishing a sick leave bank for Cynthia, an employee of the Department of Elementary and Secondary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then adopted an emergency preamble for Senate No. 2799, establishing a sick leave bank for a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education employee. The chamber also adopted a congratulatory resolution honoring the Warren Public Library on its 150th anniversary. Several local bills then advanced, including Senate No. 2509 on filling mayoral vacancies in New Bedford, House No. 4171 on vacancies among town meeting members in Milford (as amended), and House No. 4233 amending the Charter of the City of Malden, which was passed to be enacted and sent to the Governor. Senate No. 2799 was also passed to be enacted. The Senate adopted a committee report extending the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure’s reporting deadline to March 5, 2026. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer a House petition concerning the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code to the Committee on Financial Services. Multiple Senate orders were then adopted setting expedited procedures for Ways and Means consideration of several bills, including campaign finance reporting by state ballot question committees (Senate No. 507, new draft 2898), property tax bill shocks (Senate No. 1933, new draft 2899), municipal tax relief (Senate No. 1935, new draft 2900), property tax deferral (Senate No. 2713, new draft 2901), a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption (Senate No. 2036, new draft 2902), and honoring Blue Star Families (Senate No. 2903). The Senate also adopted an order to meet again the following Monday at 11 a.m. and dispense with printing a calendar. At the close of business, members moved to adjourn in memory of Mary Ann Lomba of Dorchester, with remarks noting her community service and family, and the motion prevailed. The Senate adjourned in her memory.

Transcript Highlights:

• Substitute for House Bill 4965, relating to patient-centered treatment flexibility within the Public Employees
• Substitute for House Bill 4965, relating to patient-centered treatment flexibility within the Public Employees
• Substitute for House Bill 4965, relating to patient-centered treatment flexibility within the Public Employees

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• who's run this, but under Washington State law, the port districts are prohibited from enrolling employees
• The port districts are prohibited from enrolling employees in two separate pension policy funds, one
• know, when projects are coming to the end, that they will send in a bunch of folks that really are employees

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with citizens of Idaho, is, like, first and foremost, everyone still wants to know how much state employees
• Normally, those would be tied into the benefit section, where the taxes would be tied on from the employee
• portion, and that piece would be... ...from the employee portion, and that piece would be.

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The committee first acted on two gubernatorial appointments to the State Board of Education. Senator Ward-Engelking moved to send Jennifer White and Peter Kohler to the Senate floor with recommendations for confirmation, and both motions carried without opposition. The chair then noted that sponsors for the nominees had not yet been assigned and asked for a volunteer to sponsor Jennifer White on the floor. Brandon Wolfe, Idaho State Controller, then presented an overview of Transparent Idaho’s education data tools. He explained that the site now includes annual financial, payroll, enrollment, and salary data, plus quarterly transactional education spending data received through the State Board of Education from the IC system. He described how users can drill down from district-level summaries to school-level and transaction-level detail, export data, and view audited figures from fiscal years 2019 through 2024, with fiscal year 2025 to be added soon. Committee members asked whether the site could separate federal from state funding and break out other funding sources such as levies and bonds; Wolfe said those breakdowns are not currently available but would be a useful future enhancement. Senator Cook also asked about an IRS line item in the transactional detail, and Wolfe said it likely related to employee benefit taxes but would need further review. Wolfe said his office is open to further ideas through the interim transparency committee, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And on line 15, there is a conformity provision related to excessive employee remuneration.
• </c><00:03:06.120><c> Uh,</c> excessive employee remuneration. Uh, excessive employee remuneration.
• </c> represents more than 6,300 employee represents more than 6,300 employee 6,300<00:35:47.240><c> businesses
• This morning, half a million employees.
• The impacts of this change are meaningful for businesses and their employees.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to perform duties for which the employee has not completed the minimum statutory and administrative
• </c><00:11:58.920><c> or</c> an employer to assign an employee or an employer to assign an employee or
• an<00:12:00.640><c> employee</c><00:12:00.960><c> to</c><00:12:01.040><c> perform</c><00:12:01.480><
• an employee to perform duties for which employee<00:12:02.360><c> has</c><00:12:02.480><c> not</c><00
• the minimum employee has not completed the minimum statutory<00:12:04.280><c> and</c><00:12:04.440><

Bills: HF4446 , HF4066 , HF1082

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: public safety officer, survivor benefits, line of duty death, occupational cancer, firefighter, police officer, paramedic, EMT, correctional officer, first responder, workers' compensation, death benefits, occupational exposure, carcinogen, cancer presumption, mesothelioma, leukemia, lung cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of the larger Minnesota corporations here, such as General Mills and 3M, carry this for their employees
• General Mills and 3M, carry this for General Mills and 3M, carry this for their<00:08:00.080><c> employees
• c> This</c><00:08:01.400><c> bill</c><00:08:01.640><c> would</c><00:08:01.760><c> help</c> their employees
• This bill would help their employees.
• concerned about the health impact the mandate impact of this to insurance and just what we offer to our employees

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• No issues with employees.
• So maybe we can define agent or maybe we can remove agent and let it just be employee.
• Define agent or maybe we can remove agent and let it just be employee. Those are our two concerns.
• You see a lot of contributions from SRP employees who are in government affairs, who are lobbyists.
• I own and operate three successful businesses and employ over 40 employees.

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several bills dealing with elections, juvenile representation, paternity, and campaign finance. SB 1489 would require paid petition circulators to disclose their name, residence, and paid status, wear a badge, register in some local petition efforts, and subject local initiatives to stricter compliance and fiscal disclosure rules. Supporters said it would standardize rules and improve transparency; opponents, including the ACLU, argued it would chill core political speech and compel identification. The bill received a do-pass recommendation by a 4-3 vote. SB 1609, an emergency measure restricting political party names from using terms like “independent” or “unaffiliated,” drew support from county election officials who said it would reduce voter confusion, and opposition from the Arizona Independent Party, which called it retroactive and anti-competitive. The committee adopted an amendment and then passed the bill 7-0. SCR 1040, which would raise the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 75 subject to voter approval, was supported as reflecting longer life expectancy and retaining experienced judges, but opposed by some who favored age limits; it passed 5-2. The committee then took up SB 1234, which would change juvenile court representation by requiring a guardian ad litem in dependency and termination cases and allowing, rather than requiring, separate child counsel in some circumstances. Sponsor Senator Werner said the bill was part of a broader child-safety package and was informed by cases involving children who died after alleged system failures. Child welfare attorneys and advocates opposed the bill, warning it would weaken attorney-client privilege and take away children’s independent voice, while DCS said the bill was intended to clarify the GAL role and could work alongside child counsel. The committee adopted an amendment and passed the bill 5-2. SB 1661, allowing child support obligations to be terminated when genetic testing shows a presumed father is not the biological father, received broad support from the sponsor, a fathers’ advocacy group, and a family representative, and passed 6-0. Later, the committee considered election-administration and campaign-finance measures. SB 1392 would give governing bodies canvassing elections access to election-material locations to observe procedures and review records, while protecting privacy and security; county officials supported access but raised concerns about the term “agent,” and the bill passed 4-3. SB 1634 would require ADOT to provide county recorders with applicants’ handwritten signatures collected during voter registration; county officials said it would improve signature verification, and the bill passed 5-2 after some members noted amendment concerns. SB 1743 would redact donors’ employer street addresses and residence addresses from campaign finance reports; supporters framed it as a privacy measure, while opponents said employer information is important for transparency and identifying influence. It passed 5-2. SB 1099, a strike-everything amendment defining defamation standards for public and private figures, was presented as narrowing and clarifying defamation law and passed 4-3. After a recess, the committee heard SB 1535, which would make paying for sexual conduct a prostitution offense and add a $200 assessment to fund anti-human-trafficking services. Survivors, law enforcement, and neighborhood advocates supported stronger penalties aimed at buyers and demand reduction, while criminal-defense and victim-advocacy groups said the bill needed a rebuttable-presumption amendment to better protect trafficking victims. The transcript cuts off before the committee’s final action on SB 1535.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second thing is paragraph D allows the governing body to designate employees or agents to do this
• No issues with employees.
• So maybe we can define agent, or maybe we can remove agent and let it just be employee.
• You see a lot of contributions from SRP employees who are in government affairs, who are lobbyists.
• I own and operate three successful businesses and employ over 40 employees.

Bills: SB1012 , SB1099 , SB1234 , SB1392 , SB1489 , SB1535 , SB1570 , SB1609 , SB1627 , SB1634 , SB1661 , SB1709 , SB1723 , SB1725 , SB1743 , SB1829 , SCR1027 , SCR1040 , SCR1048

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Elections

Keywords: concealed carry, firearms, restaurants, liquor licensing, public safety, defamation, private figure, public concern, statute of limitations, internet defamation, juvenile court, legal representation, appointed attorney, guardian ad litem, child welfare, election canvass, canvassing board, governing body, election inspection, election access

Transcript Highlights:

• Having that workforce continue to be healthy in a good pipeline of new employees.
• We have more than 200 permanent full-time employees at the Shackelford campus.
• Our employees donate significantly to charities and worthy organizations locally.
• Commissioner McAdams: ERCOT is... they are highly desirable employees for everybody in the system.
• Raymond: time of the year, the IRS has a bunch of temporary employees that they hire.

Transcript Highlights:

• Three point five, employee means an employee of a dealer who, in the course of the employee's duties,
• </c><01:27:19.280><c> a</c><01:27:19.440><c> dealer</c> employee means an employee of a dealer employee
• </c><01:33:49.280><c> The</c> and eight dealers employees. The and eight dealers employees.
• </c> requirements on uh dealers and employees requirements on uh dealers and employees working<02:11:
• Um those definition of employees.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we were losing employees within our division.
• </c><01:01:37.040><c> We</c><01:01:37.280><c> are</c> businesses uh find employees.
• We are businesses uh find employees.
• <01:03:44.799><c> our</c> losing employees and within our losing employees and within our division.<01
• employees um than nonprofits<01:26:32.159><c> any</c><01:26:32.480><c> differently.

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

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been a substantial rise over the past decade in non-traditional employees, and that includes
• contractors, but new employees.
• They're employees of that company, but they may be independent contractors of that sub.
• They're employees of hard to get there.
• They're employees of that company, but they may be independent contractors of that sub.

Bills: HF2362 , HF2136 , HF1316 , HF2009 , HF1918 , HF1614

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: youth intervention, funding, mental health, education, community programs, HF1316, child support, new hire reporting, centralized work reporting system, independent contractors, payors, employers, payor of funds, withholding orders, income withholding, child support enforcement, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, gig economy, rideshare drivers, delivery drivers

Transcript Highlights:

• Education study clause associated with criminal background checks for teachers and other school employees
• to in-person communication. associated with criminal background checks for teachers, other school employees

Bills: HB410 , HR310 , HR314 , HR316 , HR317 , HR321 , HR275 , HR276 , HR279 , HR282 , HR286 , HR289 , HR292 , HR295 , HR302 , HR319 , HR307 , HR273 , SCR59 , SCR61 , SCR62 , SCR68 , SCR69 , SCR70 , SCR54 , SCR55 , SCR64 , SCR75 , HCR32 , HB776 , HB42 , HB119 , HB159 , HB302 , HB1017 , HB1028 , SB217 , SB283 , HB953 , SB208 , HR74 , HB998 , HB901 , HR20 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB646 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB82 , SB89 , SB97 , SB123 , SB237 , HB36 , HB74 , HB75 , HB258 , HB259 , HB414 , HB459 , HB784 , HB848 , HB956 , HB1095 , HB1220 , HB1252 , SB469 , SB479

Keywords: recording, privacy, notification, direct conversation, law enforcement, first responder, penalties, oil and gas, orphan wells, inactive wells, shut-in wells, marginal wells, plugging and abandonment, well decommissioning, site remediation, site restoration, Oilfield Site Restoration, OSR program, financial security, bonding

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, the pledge, and a national anthem performance, then moved through several personal privileges and recognitions. Members welcomed a student cancer survivor and entrepreneur, Bella of Brave Bella Bead Company, and also recognized a new legislative assistant, a page leaving for college, and a resolution honoring National Mississippi River Day. The chamber also received conference committee reports and enrollment reports, and returned some previously failed measures to the calendar, including H.R. 119 and H.B. 410. The main floor action centered on a series of Senate concurrent resolutions, most of which were adopted overwhelmingly. These included SCR 59 on re-evaluating flood maps and insurance rates tied to the Comite River Diversion Canal, SCR 61 urging higher reimbursement for behavioral health crisis centers, SCR 62 calling for review of school-zone safety and speed limits, SCR 68 creating a blockchain and digital innovation task force, SCR 69 encouraging continued research to reduce sugarcane burning, SCR 70 supporting the Major Richard Star Act for medically retired combat-wounded veterans, SCR 54 supporting the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act, SCR 55 designating the Peggy Martin Rose as the official state rose, SCR 64 creating a construction manager-at-risk task force, SCR 75 studying a Louisiana maneuvers museum and trail, and SCR 80 creating a task force on the minimum foundation program and long-term teacher pay funding. Most passed with little or no opposition, with SCR 84 on earthquake seismic activity in several parishes amended to adjust task force membership before final adoption. The House also heard a personal privilege statement honoring the late Ponder P.C. Clinton Jr., a noted Black farmer, cattleman, and community leader in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove neighborhood, and expressed condolences to his family. Later, members received a hurricane-season reminder from Rep. Jay Galle about disaster response procedures and the need to work through parish emergency offices. The transcript ends as the House moves into additional concurrent resolutions returned from the Senate with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education study clause associated with criminal background checks for teachers and other school employees
• ...of shortage of employees that we have, is that something we will be addressing at the same time?
• Representative Chassau to urge and request public school governing authorities and employees to comply
• They actually had some of the airlines force their employees to sign a statement saying, 'I will not
• It might just be that that individual employee has a larger household size that makes them qualify.

Bills: HB410 , HR310 , HR314 , HR316 , HR317 , HR321 , HR275 , HR276 , HR279 , HR282 , HR286 , HR289 , HR292 , HR295 , HR302 , HR319 , HR307 , HR273 , SCR59 , SCR61 , SCR62 , SCR68 , SCR69 , SCR70 , SCR54 , SCR55 , SCR64 , SCR75 , HCR32 , HB776 , HB42 , HB119 , HB159 , HB302 , HB1017 , HB1028 , SB217 , SB283 , HB953 , SB208 , HR74 , HB998 , HB901 , HR20 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB646 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB82 , SB89 , SB97 , SB123 , SB237 , HB36 , HB74 , HB75 , HB258 , HB259 , HB414 , HB459 , HB784 , HB848 , HB956 , HB1095 , HB1220 , HB1252 , SB469 , SB479

Keywords: recording, privacy, notification, direct conversation, law enforcement, first responder, penalties, oil and gas, orphan wells, inactive wells, shut-in wells, marginal wells, plugging and abandonment, well decommissioning, site remediation, site restoration, Oilfield Site Restoration, OSR program, financial security, bonding