Transcript Highlights:

• If there's a discussion at all. Thank you. I don't see any discussion. I'll take a moment here.
• Do we have any discussion? Representative Nelson? Mr.
• Do we have any other discussion or questions? I do not see any lights.
• I have no idea how that ties into here, but if we need to discuss that when it comes, we shall, this
• We have any other discussion or questions. I do not see any lights.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee first agreed by unanimous consent to hear RS 33413C1 before House Bill 712, and then introduced RS 33413C1. The proposal, presented by Rep. Byswinger, would allow students to participate in sports at the school they attend, including flexibility for homeschool and charter school students to play different sports at different schools if needed. Members asked about how the arrangement would work across multiple schools and whether there was a funding mechanism; the sponsor said eligibility limits by the IHSAA would remain intact and that no funding mechanism was attached. The committee voted to introduce the RS. The committee then heard House Bill 712, a voluntary “seal of excellence in civics” for graduating students. Rep. Veeley said the bill would let students earn a civics endorsement on their diploma, special graduation cords, and allow schools to be designated as civics-excellence schools if they meet certain standards involving GPA, civics coursework, research, and volunteerism. Rep. Nelson noted the bill could provide a useful pathway for senior projects. During testimony, Edward Clark of the Idaho Family Policy Center supported the bill, saying it would help strengthen civics instruction and patriotism. After questions about who would pay for seals and cords, the committee voted to send House Bill 712 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Next, the committee introduced RS 33400, presented by Rep. Ehart as a parental-rights measure requiring parental permission to enroll a student in a school district. Rep. Nelson raised concerns about how the proposal might affect custody disputes and school responsibilities when parents are separated. The committee voted to introduce the RS. The committee also introduced RS 33461, another Rep. Ehart proposal aimed at clarifying homeschool students’ ability to participate in school activities such as sports and band, while allowing schools to charge fees. Rep. Nelson questioned what would count as a reasonable fee. That RS was also introduced. The meeting ended with a visit from Fruitland’s mayor and members of the city’s new mayoral youth council, who described their meetings, community service projects, and an upcoming 5K event tied to America 250 celebrations.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, members, any final discussion? Seeing none.
• All right, members, any final discussion? Seeing none.
• When we were discussing solutions on the council, one question kind of kept When we were discussing solutions
• Members, is there any final discussion?
• Okay, and members, any final discussion?

Committee: House House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard three measures. HB 2013 would require the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to submit an exceptional event demonstration to the EPA when wildfire smoke from federally managed land affects the state. The sponsor said it would help Arizona avoid penalties tied to uncontrollable wildfire events and could ease pressure on air-quality compliance; Sierra Club opposed it, arguing the bill could create unnecessary filings and burdens, while ADEQ was neutral. The committee voted 5-1 to give HB 2013 a due pass recommendation. HB 2292, as amended, would create the Wildfire Mitigation and Risk Reduction Authority and fund under the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, with the amendment renaming the authority, capping administrative costs at 8%, and prioritizing funding for single-family and multifamily dwellings. Supporters from Coconino County and the County Supervisors Association said the program would help reduce wildfire risk, support community hardening, and address rising homeowners insurance costs by redirecting $20 million from existing insurance premium tax revenues; members clarified it was not a new tax. The committee adopted the amendment and then approved the bill 8-0. HCM 2011 urges Congress to pass federal legislation to delist the Mexican wolf, defund the reintroduction program, and transfer management to local authorities. Supporters said ranchers have been harmed by wolf predation and that delisting is overdue, while Sierra Club opposed the memorial, saying the species remains under-recovered and decisions should be based on science. The committee approved the memorial 5-2 and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, when you were discussing, are you going to spend the full $28 million on this system in the next
• And so you had discussed giving us a line of credit instead of carrying over the dollars.
• On page two, the waities and block grant pool, I did pull out the FTE positions as we discussed yesterday
• On page 5, no changes there, but I will make the change to the 12, 12,000 960 that we just discussed.
• On page 6, That we just discussed.

Bills: SB2015

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Keywords: corrections, rehabilitation, prison budget, department of corrections, adult services, youth services, correctional facilities, Heart River correctional center, Missouri River correctional center, James River correctional center, minimum security facility, county jails, regional jails, deferred maintenance, capital construction, strategic investment and improvements fund, Bank of North Dakota, line of credit, tasers, body cameras

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met to finalize changes to the human services budget bill and related amendments. Members discussed several items, including a proposed $5 million appropriation for the Altru Hospital project to address inflationary costs, with the rest of the funding question left for conference committee. They also agreed to keep the 10-year operating requirement language for the project and remove a matching-funds provision that was no longer needed. The committee spent considerable time on the OASIS child welfare IT system. Donna Auckland explained that the project is still in the RFP stage, with vendor selection and contract negotiation likely taking months, and that the system will require 50-50 federal matching authority. Based on that testimony, the committee agreed to reduce the general fund amount from $14 million to $6 million and use a line of credit for the remaining authority, while preserving the federal match authority so the contract can be signed and the project can proceed. Members also approved a technical fix to add governor’s designee language for the Children’s Cabinet, which had been missed in another bill already on the governor’s desk. Keith reviewed updated long sheets showing additional budget adjustments, including provider inflation changes, a $50,000 Family Voices grant, reductions to CARES Act COVID funds, and moving the $5-per-day basic care rate increase from ongoing to one-time funding. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, and the committee adjourned with plans to reconvene Monday if the final bill version was ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be reviewing our e-omnibus bill, taking public testimony and member discussion.
• And that's what we're going to discuss.
• And Madam Chair, that's the end of the discussion. Thank you, Ms. Perrin.
• Okay, well, members will have discussion, and I'll just say before we do, there are areas here that are
• All right, we will end the discussion and resume consideration of the DE 1 amendment tomorrow.

Bills: HF1306

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: education, school policy, teacher training, student health, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• Further discussion? Thank you. Further discussion.
• Further discussion.
• Further discussion<03:47:24.399><c> on</c> discussion on discussion on today's<03:47:26.160><c> seeing
• Further discussion?
• Further discussion?

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a discussion that goes?
• Like, what was discussed? Why did the board feel the need?
• to go into executive session to discuss this. Why couldn't it be discussed out in the open?
• Okay, so the contents of what was discussed in a closed session.
• I'm certainly open to those discussions.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to discuss it.
• :40.159><c> um</c><01:08:40.400><c> ongoing</c> that discussion is really um ongoing that discussion
• But I do, if you do want to discuss or ask questions about it, members discussion on the A2 amendment
• the discussion and as an exemplar of many discussions we'll have to have going forward.
• discussions we'll have exemplar of many discussions we'll have to<01:46:15.840><c> have</c><01:46:16.000

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:29:48.000><c> uh</c> uh to work through and discuss uh uh to work through and discuss uh hundreds
• </c><00:40:54.079><c> about</c> missed it is there any discussion about missed it is there any discussion
• Um allowing uh under discussion.
• </c> complicated and may involve discussions complicated and may involve discussions with<00:47:00.000
• </c> some discussion around disability some discussion around disability service<01:14:02.320><c> and

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this year uh and have discussion.
• ,</c><00:56:51.760><c> have</c> facilities that you have discussed, have facilities that you have discussed
• </c><01:04:25.520><c> out</c><01:04:25.839><c> what</c> have discussed uh building out what have discussed
• I think it's time to start those discussions.
• So, thank you for bringing discussions.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:03 Roll Call: 00:00:09 Agency Updates: 00:01:44 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board Update: 00:03:36 Department of Juvenile Justice Update: 00:23:10, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council approved the minutes from its November 8, 2024 meeting and welcomed new member Representative Nick Wilson. The council also heard an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on a school attendance awareness campaign aimed at reducing truancy referrals to court, and a member requested a future, more detailed presentation on truancy trends. The council then received an update from the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board from Dr. David Frink and Elsie Berger. They described the board’s membership, meeting schedule, public access, annual report and three-year plan, and its role in helping Kentucky remain compliant with federal juvenile justice requirements so the state can receive Title II funding. They said the board reviews grant applications for community-based services, substance use, and early intervention programs, with about $584,000 in federal funds this year and a little over $600,000 expected next year. Members asked about participation, board vacancies, and how to engage with the board, and the presenters emphasized the importance of statewide representation and community input. The Department of Juvenile Justice then provided a broader update through Commissioner Randy White and Deputy Secretary Mona Wamik. White said DJJ is under an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation focused on conditions in detention facilities, including use of force, isolation, abuse, mental health care, and special education, and said the department has cooperated with repeated information requests and site visits. He also reviewed recent legislative and administrative changes, including 2023 Senate Bill 162, regional detention planning, facility segregation requirements, staffing and salary investments, improved staffing levels, reduced mental health vacancies, and training efforts related to security threat groups. He said DJJ has made progress but continues to work on staffing, safety, and facility improvements.

Transcript Highlights:

• I agree that I want our transit dollars to be well used, and this is an important discussion.
• </c> chair Cosmic for this robust discussion chair Cosmic for this robust discussion um<01:07:43.880>
• I really do feel that this bill needs a lot more work and a lot more discussion.
• </c> lot more work and a lot more discussion lot more work and a lot more discussion um<01:08:13.760>
• </c> needs to be part of the discussion needs to be part of the discussion because<01:10:30.120><c> the

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 269 and House File 749 together, both aimed at ending Northstar Commuter Rail service. The bill author described HF 269 as directing the Metropolitan Council and MnDOT to request a federal waiver and discontinue Northstar operations, with HF 749 setting performance requirements that would trigger a similar termination request. Supporters argued Northstar has low ridership, high operating subsidies, and large maintenance costs, and said the agencies now agree with the intent to terminate the line and possibly replace it with bus rapid transit. The chair moved HF 269 to the general register while also laying HF 749 over in committee, and testimony was heard on both bills at once. Testimony split sharply. Supporters of termination, including the bill author and Annette Meeks, said Northstar has consistently underperformed ridership projections, has required large taxpayer subsidies, and should be ended rather than extended. Opponents, including Jesse Cook, Darwin Scherlan, Joel Mueller, Katie Nicholson, and Annie Buckle, argued the line still serves riders, workers, and communities, that low frequency and underinvestment are the real problems, and that the state should improve service rather than shut it down. Several opponents emphasized Northstar’s role for commuters, special events, and future growth, especially the St. Cloud corridor. Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle and MnDOT Commissioner Danenberger said they support carefully evaluating alternatives to commuter rail and acknowledged the subsidy is not acceptable, but they also said the agencies are working with the federal government and BNSF on possible next steps. Zelle said the agencies believe bus service could provide more frequent and direct service, and when asked directly, he confirmed they are in favor of terminating Northstar and replacing it with bus service if feasible. No final disposition beyond the motion on HF 269 and the laying over of HF 749 was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fund, Oregon State Treasury presentation on state bonding, and that will be followed by task force discussion
• Fund, Oregon State Treasury presentation on state bonding, and that will be followed by task force discussion
• Well, my dump truck might last 20 years, and it might, and we'd be open to the discussion.
• So the marketing and discussion with the rating agencies and investors is pretty involved.
• Local haulers should also be central to this discussion.

Summary: The task force met to focus on funding systems and incentive structures for a proposed regional waste infrastructure effort, including how a future WIPA framework might support solid waste planning in the Willamette Valley. Staff and members heard presentations from DEQ on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, from Business Oregon on the Special Public Works Fund, and from Oregon State Treasury on state bonding capacity and the bond issuance process. Presenters explained how their programs are structured, how projects are scored or approved, what kinds of public entities and projects are eligible, and how interagency coordination and co-funding can work. DEQ emphasized that its revolving loan fund is driven by water-quality benefits and public-health criteria, while Business Oregon described a broader infrastructure loan program for public entities with no scoring system, and Treasury outlined the state’s debt-capacity process and the differences between general obligation and lottery bonds. Members used the presentations to discuss whether similar funding tools could support solid waste infrastructure, especially for transfer stations, regional hubs, and related facilities that may need to be built before Coffin Butte reaches the end of its lifespan. Several questions centered on whether public-private partnerships could qualify, whether equipment inside facilities could be financed, how repayment would work, and whether planning costs could be covered. DEQ and Business Oregon both said they could potentially collaborate on scoring or co-funding, but noted eligibility limits and the need for public ownership in many cases. Treasury said bond capacity is limited and competitive, especially for lottery bonds, and that project authorization generally runs on a two-year cycle, though unused authority can sometimes be reauthorized. In task force discussion, members debated whether the group should pursue a dedicated funding lane for the seven-county region rather than having local governments compete with other statewide needs. Some members stressed the importance of criteria to avoid stranded assets and to ensure funding is available when projects are ready, while others raised concerns about how cities and counties would generate revenue to repay debt during construction and early operations. The group also discussed flow control, system fees, and the need for regional collaboration among counties, cities, and haulers to create enough waste volume to support new infrastructure. Staff noted that pre-session filing materials for the legislature are due September 11, and the chair said the August meeting will focus on organizational structure and identifying partners. During public comment, Representative Kevin Mannix submitted written testimony supporting the WIPA concept and urging the task force to endorse it. Commissioner Bubba King of Yamhill County urged the task force to compare alternatives objectively and warned against adding bureaucracy before evaluating existing infrastructure and costs. Commissioners Kevin Cameron and Roger Nyquist of Marion and Linn counties described regional hub-and-spoke concepts, transfer stations, and intermodal options, emphasizing the need for planning, strategic siting, and collaboration with haulers and local governments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, everybody, for making contributions to the discussion.
• So we actually had a discussion with my office.
• So we actually had a discussion with my office.
• But that's not something that I've discussed with my team, nor have I discussed with Sage, but that's
• If it's pointed in Altadena, I think it's definitely worth discussing and considering.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to our caucus of the whole to discuss and hear an update on House Bill 955, which is this year's
• the advisability of form and discuss the advisability of becoming<00:03:58.920><c> a</c><00:03:59.000
• Were you able to discuss those? Are we getting rid of those, hopefully?
• Were you able to discuss of agreement. Were you able to discuss those?
• We lost about a year of discussion as a result.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much for having me here today to discuss the state of the AV industry.
• It's not an autonomous vehicle, and there's some discussion of that.
• Thank you for the opportunity to discuss AV policy in California.
• I would say we would welcome any discussions that you would want to have. All right.
• We have had discussions with several first responder organizations.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on autonomous vehicle technology in California, focusing on safety, regulation, first responder impacts, and the state’s evolving oversight framework. The chair said the committee would hear all panels before public comment, with witnesses limited to five minutes and public commenters to one minute. The first panel featured an industry representative, a safety academic, and victims/advocates who described sharply different views of AV safety and accountability. Ariel Wolf of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association argued that fully autonomous vehicles are distinct from driver-assist systems, said AVs are already reducing crashes and fatalities, and urged clear, uniform standards. Dr. Missy Cummings countered that remote operations and computer-vision failures show the technology still depends on human intervention and can be unsafe, especially when remote assistance is done from abroad. Robert O’Dowd and Dylan Angulo, both tied to Tesla crash cases, described fatal and serious injuries involving Autopilot/Full Self-Driving, criticized limited transparency and data access, and called for stronger disclosure, preservation of crash data, and mandatory fixes or disabling of defective software. Committee members questioned witnesses about data comparing AVs to human drivers, the role of remote operators, liability, and whether California should create clearer standards for the human element behind AV systems. Several members and witnesses discussed the need for “guardrails,” black-box-style data access, and accountability for the remaining crash risk. The hearing then shifted to first responders and road users: a San Francisco Fire Department representative described AVs blocking fire scenes, ambulances, and apparatus access during emergencies and urged a public safety manual override; a San Jose police representative said officers need clear enforcement authority, training, and reliable ways to stop or redirect AVs; a rideshare driver described near-collisions and congestion caused by robo-taxis; and a Teamsters representative opposed proposed heavy-duty AV truck rules as too reliant on manufacturer self-certification and lacking independent validation. In the final panel, DMV and CPUC officials defended California’s regulatory structure. DMV said it has regulated AVs since 2014, has issued multiple rulemakings and permit types, and is developing a fourth package that would add reporting, enforcement tools, emergency-response requirements, and rules for heavy-duty AVs. DMV said it has revoked or suspended permits when needed, including Cruise and Pony.ai actions. CPUC said its authority covers passenger service only, requires safety plans and ongoing reporting, and continues oversight after permits are issued. No votes or formal actions were taken, as the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Clerk, sound the chimes.
• Is there any discussion of the committee substitute?
• there any discussion of the committee substitute?
• Is there any discussion of the committee substitute?
• Is there any discussion of Amendment 1.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion of the committee substitute?
• Is there any discussion of the floor amendment?
• Is there any discussion of the committee substitute?
• Is there any discussion of the floor amendment?
• Is there any discussion of the committee substitute?

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 05:09 Calendar/2nd Readings 05:59 Report of Committees 07:10 Orders of the Day 08:11 HJR 25 08:26 HB 66 11:58 HB 305 16:20 HB 432 22:44 HB 313 27:29 HB 44 30:26 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 34:30 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 42:07 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 43:38 ConC/Rules Report 47:26 Floor Amendments 48:25 Adjournment 48:54, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• going over the statutorily required topics, but rather than follow the order in statute, we'll be discussing
• them by topic and in sections, and discussing throughout the areas that connect and align with parts
• them by topic and in sections, and discussing throughout the areas that connect and align with parts
• goals for students were to graduate academically competent students, and as Elizabeth and Taylor discussed
• The discussion of human fetal growth and development has not identified a specific implementation year

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When discussing Senate Bill 176, one of our legislators in this past session said, when discussing the
• Now, I'm going to be discussing what we can do to solve these three main problems.
• I think with this, at least it gets the discussion going where it's not siloed.
• I think with this, at least it gets the discussion going where it's not siloed.
• So some of the discussion about the GRT and tax on soft drinks and all is very familiar.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its fourth meeting, held October 27-28 in Santa Fe, with Representative Duncan moving approval and no opposition. The chair then introduced a panel on the cost of providing medical care in New Mexico, focusing on physician shortages, rising practice costs, and access problems, especially in southern New Mexico and Las Cruces. Panelists included family physicians, a pediatrician, a cardiologist/electrophysiologist, and a community health center medical director, who described their backgrounds and practices before turning to the policy discussion. The doctors argued that New Mexico is losing physicians because of three main pressures: medical malpractice exposure, gross receipts tax on medical services, and low Medicaid reimbursement. They said malpractice premiums are much higher than in neighboring states, punitive damages and venue shopping increase risk, and the patient compensation fund and attorney fee structure create additional costs. They also described administrative burdens from insurance billing and referrals, the high debt and long training period for physicians, and the effect of corporate medicine and private equity on practice decisions. One panelist emphasized the economic impact of each physician on jobs and local spending, while another noted that shortages force patients into emergency rooms and delay specialty care. The panel presented a list of proposed solutions: reform punitive damages, limit venue shopping and stacking, restore lifetime medical payments from the patient compensation fund, enact apology protections, cap attorney fees, continue Medicaid funding improvements, and eliminate gross receipts tax on medical and dental services. Committee members generally agreed the presentation was thorough and useful, but several noted that some proposals fall outside this committee’s jurisdiction and would likely need to move through other committees, especially judiciary and tax. Some members supported drafting legislation or working on separate bills, while others urged caution, requested more input from hospitals and economists, and raised concerns about local government revenue impacts from GRT changes. The chair concluded by encouraging members to continue discussions offline and noted that the tax-related issue would be taken up further in the next day’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• But anyway, I'll be more prepared to discuss this in the future.
• There's a lot of discussions going on, as you can imagine.
• Leads into this discussion today that, you know, we need to do better.
• Discussion that future purchases would be with air conditioning.
• So, some further discussion on this.

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate your discussion.
• So this is the amendment I discussed earlier with Chairman Schwertner.
• But this discussion needs to be had. This discussion needs to be had.
• Representative Isaac, there was the discussion. Thank you, Mr.
• Seth Isaac, there was the discussion earlier about Chevron, scope three emissions.

Bills: SB312 , SB945 , SB946 , SB1367 , SB1861 , SB2044 , SB2337 , SB2403 , SB2819 , SJR54

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 945, 946, 2044, 2819, 2403, 2337, and 312, with all bills left pending after testimony. SB 945 would restrict insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage based on oil and gas activity or ESG-related goals, and supporters argued it would protect Texas energy producers from politically motivated shareholder activism and insurance discrimination. SB 946 would bar creditors from using social credit, ESG, DEI, or religious/political affiliation as a basis for denying or limiting credit; witnesses said it would prevent viewpoint-based financial discrimination and protect access to capital for Texas businesses. SB 2337 would require proxy advisory firms to disclose when recommendations are based on non-financial factors or when they give conflicting advice to different clients; supporters said the measure would increase transparency and curb ESG-driven influence over shareholder voting. SB 312 would direct public retirement systems to focus on financial returns rather than social or political objectives, with the author saying the bill responds to activist pressure on pensions and would reinforce fiduciary duty. The committee also took up election and ethics measures. SB 2044 would strengthen electioneering restrictions for publicly funded education institutions and personnel, prohibiting use of official resources to promote political agendas; testimony focused on alleged school district electioneering in bond and tax elections. SB 2819 would prohibit county elections administrators from holding certain officer positions appointed by elected officials, addressing potential conflicts of interest. SB 2403, the Texas Ethics Commission sunset bill, would restructure complaint handling with a three-tier violation system, risk-based complaint prioritization, longer response times, bipartisan preliminary review panels, and expanded hearing options; members discussed amendments aimed at dismissing minor complaints, clarifying categories, and adjusting lobbying and penalty provisions, but the amendments were withdrawn during committee consideration. Across the ESG and finance bills, invited witnesses from the American Energy Institute, Heartland Impact, Consumers Research, ADF Action, Texas Civil Justice League, and related groups generally supported the measures, arguing that banks, insurers, proxy advisors, and asset managers have used ESG or reputational-risk standards to discriminate against energy, agriculture, firearms, and religious organizations. No opposition testimony was presented in the excerpt, and the committee closed public testimony on each bill and left them pending.