Transcript Highlights:

• I understand there is a committee substitute. Senator Perry sends up the committee substitute.
• The committee substitute has been provided and reviewed with the staff and everyone on the committee.
• I understand there is a committee substitute. Senator Perry sends up the committee substitute.
• Now, there will be a committee substitute, but the committee substitute is not ready.
• Sometimes, we see the end-of-life issues and we have all the ethics committees and different things.

Bills: SB95 , SB268 , SB493 , SB619 , SB660 , SB922 , SB984 , SB1098 , SB1188 , SB1307 , SB1332 , SB1822

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The entire committee for the opportunity to join again to speak about my bill, House Bill 2249.
• House Bill 2352 amends the state ethics laws and aligns them with the municipal ethics laws regarding
• I move that House Bill 2281 be reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation.
• House Bill 2281 be reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation.
• House Bill 2244 be reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation.

Summary: The committee heard several bill presentations and took executive action on three measures. House Bill 2249 would remove a civil service exemption for Washington Technology Solutions cybersecurity employees, allowing those workers to be covered by state civil service law; the prime sponsor and a Washington Federation of State Employees representative said the bill would correct an unintended statutory discrepancy and let similarly classified IT security staff organize like counterparts in other agencies. House Bill 2475 would direct the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines for state agencies and address interpreter and translator shortages; supporters from the Latino Community Fund, WFSE, and the Office of Equity said the bill would improve access to public services for limited-English-proficiency residents. House Bill 2237 would require deputy state fire marshal salaries to be competitive with comparable local fire agencies and direct a report on whether the State Fire Marshal’s Office should be made independent of the State Patrol; supporters said current pay is too low and hurts recruitment and retention. House Bill 2408 was described as a cleanup bill removing expired provisions and obsolete references to the Department of Personnel and other outdated statutes, and OFM supported it. In executive session, the committee adopted amendments and reported out three bills. Substitute House Bill 2281, concerning tribal traditional cultural places and consultation, was amended to narrow consultation scope, remove a reference to “contemporary” lands, and add a three-year statute of limitations; a proposed amendment to remove the cause of action was rejected, and the bill passed 4-3. House Bill 2309, which limits OFM from treating a postgraduate degree as the only way to show qualifications unless required by law, was reported out unanimously. House Bill 2244, a Sunshine Committee cleanup bill on ethics and public disclosure, was amended to restore exemptions for certain donor records and driver case records and then passed unanimously. The committee also heard House Bill 2352, which would lower the ownership threshold for state ethics conflicts from 10% to 1% to align state law with municipal ethics rules. Representative Paulette argued the current 10% standard is too lax and weakens public trust, but no vote was taken on the bill during the meeting. The hearing on House Bill 2435, which would create a Legislative Office on Indian Affairs to provide training and resources for legislators and staff on tribal affairs, featured strong support from Representative Lekanoff, who said it would strengthen the legislature’s government-to-government relationship with tribes. The committee then recessed and later adjourned after completing the remaining hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'd like to welcome everybody to the confirmations committee, and I always open my committees with
• I believe in strong ethics.
• I believe in the ethics commission. I believe in strong<00:08:56.240><c> ethics.
• Chair, and members of the committee. And Chair, and members of the committee.
• We are committee for being here.

Committee: Senate Confirmations

Transcript Highlights:

• Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• Okay, next is Hawaii State Ethics Commission. Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• My name is Robert Harris, on behalf of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.
• 00:12:33.920><c> commission</c> behalf of the ho State ethics commission behalf of the ho State ethics
• on Finance for decision making on House Bill 1440.

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• uh a bill ethics committee um we had uh a bill that<01:14:13.280><c> came</c><01:14:13.440><c> to</c
• </c> work continuously with the ethics work continuously with the ethics committee<01:14:22.239><c> to
• I looked at this situation maybe a little differently in the committee versus the Ethics Committee.
• </c> the committee versus uh the ethics the committee versus uh the ethics committee.<01:16:21.280><c
• </c><01:22:22.480><c> committee</c><01:22:22.960><c> how</c> and and ask the ethics committee how and

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.
• :26:10.960><c> House</c><01:26:11.199><c> decides</c><01:26:11.520><c> to</c> committee and if the House
• So, if this committee and the House decides to move this bill forward in some form or another, I'd say
• So, if this committee and the House decides to move this bill forward in some form or another, I'd say
• And so that's why I'm choosing not to accept it based on input from the chair of the housing committee

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1531, HD1, which would require the governor or county mayors to provide American Sign Language interpreters during official emergency announcements broadcast on television or the internet, ensure the interpreter is visible, and provide a primary pool feed with picture-in-picture so rebroadcasters would not need to add the feature themselves. Testimony from the Disability and Communication Access Board and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities strongly supported the bill, emphasizing effective communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing residents and noting that interpreter placement and size can make broadcasts inaccessible. The council requested an effective date of July 1, 2027 to allow implementation time. Members raised concerns about interpreter availability and emergency logistics on Hawaiʻi Island, but the chair moved to pass the bill with amendments reflecting the picture-in-picture recommendation and the later effective date. The committee adopted the motion, with several members voting aye and others voting with reservations. The committee then heard House Bill 1880, HD2, which would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2027, the use or application of pesticides containing 1,3-dichloropropene, such as Telone. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity explained that pesticides are already regulated at both the federal and state levels, with EPA risk assessments and state enforcement of label restrictions, reporting, and school-buffer requirements. The Hawaii Public Health Institute supported the bill, citing cancer and respiratory risks and arguing that safer alternatives exist. In opposition, Dole Food and the Hawaii Farm Bureau said Telone is important for controlling nematodes in pineapple production, that it is applied underground under EPA conditions, and that no comparable registered alternative exists for pineapple; they also said the bill’s 2027 start date is too short for growers to adjust. A representative from the Y Alliance for Progressive Action and Support supported the measure, citing statewide usage data and concerns about drift and chronic health impacts. Committee members questioned both sides about drift monitoring, groundwater impacts, alternative methods, and whether a transition period or research into resistant varieties could reduce reliance on the chemical.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are no ethical breaches.
• </c> probable cause findings of ethics probable cause findings of ethics violations.<00:15:04.079><c>
• </c><00:29:49.679><c> Council</c> the code of ethics. That's it. Council the code of ethics.
• That's that's what we're going ethics.
• The commission has ethics violation.

Summary: The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission met on November 18, 2025, approved the October 14 minutes, and then took up five motions in ethics matters 24LEC3 and 24LEC6. Those motions included a renewed motion to dismiss and motion to quash by Representative Daniel Gberg, a renewed motion to compel/sanctions and continuance request by Mr. Jenkins, and competing motions in limine concerning evidence and redaction of deposition transcripts. Vice Chair Mike Schaw was appointed hearing officer for the motion practice, and the commission agreed to hear the motions one at a time in open session. Representative Chris Lily joined later by Zoom. Counsel for Representative Gberg argued the remaining allegations were minor, that the commission lacked key exculpatory materials such as an alleged LRC report, policies, procedures, and training materials, and that the record did not support the ethics charges. She also argued the case had been broadened by extraneous allegations and that the respondent had been unfairly prejudiced. Enforcement counsel responded that he had produced all materials in his possession, that any LRC materials were not in the commission’s custody, and that the commission’s probable-cause findings were based on sworn testimony and affidavits already in the record. He argued the motions to dismiss and for summary judgment should be denied because genuine issues of material fact remained and the commission had already found probable cause on three ethics violations. Commission members questioned both sides about the alleged LRC report and whether it was part of the commission’s record. The chair stated the commission had not relied on any LRC report and had not withheld anything, while another member emphasized that the proceeding concerned alleged violations of the ethics code, not LRC sexual-harassment policy. A commissioner also noted the unusual structure of the proceeding and questioned whether the complaints, taken as true, stated a basis for dismissal. The transcript ends during continued discussion of the standard for dismissal and summary judgment, with no final ruling on the motions captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The drafting committee that I chaired for the Parentage Act. So I...
• No, it's as close as I'm going to get to a committee chairman. Okay, I'll get you at least.
• Or not they violated the ethics act.
• Act prohibit the members of the House Agriculture Resources Committee and legislative staff assigned
• And we also have an ethics advisor from the House.

Summary: The meeting opened with attendance and brief remarks acknowledging recent violence against public servants in Minnesota and the risks of public service. The committee then approved the prior minutes and noted there were no employment disclosure forms to report. An update followed on digitizing committee files: the vendor’s estimate had been reduced after reviewing the files, the contract would be sent via DocuSign for the chair’s signature, and staff discussed whether the work could be completed before the end of the biennium and how it would be paid for. The main business was a review of remaining advisory opinions for possible retention or retirement. Staff walked through several opinions, recommending retention of some that still aligned with current law or practice, and retirement of others that were outdated, duplicative, or no longer useful because the underlying statutes had changed or the supporting materials could not be found. The committee voted to accept staff’s recommendations on the set of previously reviewed advisory opinions. A separate question was raised about an older opinion on outreach/newsletters and whether its factors should still apply outside the election-year context. Members generally agreed that the same factors should continue to guide analysis, with their weight varying depending on timing and circumstances. Staff was asked to review the opinion further and bring back a recommendation on whether to unretire or otherwise clarify it. The public portion of the meeting then adjourned, with the committee preparing to move into executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you suggesting that that is a change that's in the House Committee substitute and you're explaining
• All right, seeing none, I now move that House Committee Substitute for House Bill...
• I now move that the House Committee Substitute for House Bill number 2722 be voted do pass.
• House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2722 do pass. We will now come out. Thank you.
• Like the Speaker of the House, the Joint Committee on Education, we would come up with a way to just

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education first met in executive session and adopted a House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2722, then voted the bill do pass by a roll call vote of 13 yes and 2 no. The sponsor explained that the substitute clarified the roles of liaisons for foster care students, McKinney-Vento students, and unaccompanied youth in higher education, and added language to avoid conflicting with Missouri law on public benefits for non-citizens. Members also discussed the fiscal note, which was expected to be minimal or not yet available until after committee reporting. The committee then heard House Bills 3483 and 3532, sponsored by Representatives Prouty and Pollitt, which would require the General Assembly to create Missouri-specific educational materials about how the state legislative process works and how a bill becomes law. Supporters, including legislators, teachers, students, and social studies coordinators, said the materials would help students understand Missouri government, civic engagement, and the differences between state and federal lawmaking. Several witnesses suggested the materials should be tailored by grade level, with third grade and high school mentioned as likely targets, and some members raised questions about drafting, implementation, and the estimated fiscal note. One witness spoke in opposition, saying only that he opposed the bill in the spirit of civil discourse. Finally, the committee heard House Concurrent Resolution 31, sponsored by Representative Martin, which would establish a Missouri seal of civic recognition for students who demonstrate civic knowledge, participation, and service. The sponsor described a tiered recognition system tied to coursework, civic engagement, and community or military service, administered through DESE and the existing civics and patriotic work group. Members asked about the resolution format, the role of the work group, how schools would track eligibility, and whether the measure should be narrowed to high school graduation before expanding to younger grades. Supporters, including a retired educator and civic education advocates, said the seal could encourage stronger civic learning and student engagement, while one coalition witness urged a streamlined, merit-based model and local district flexibility. The committee took no final action on the latter two measures during the hearing and adjourned after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee and Legislative Ethics.
• </c><00:20:10.080><c> Committee</c><00:20:10.480><c> and</c> to the Legislative Ethics Committee and
• to the Legislative Ethics Committee and Legislative<00:20:11.440><c> Ethics.
• I chair the legislative ethics committee, although I'm not here authorized to speak on your behalf.
• I chair the uh legislative ethics<00:21:30.400><c> committee,</c><00:21:31.200><c> although</c><00:21

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: The Texas Ethics Commission will now hold an executive session pursuant to the government code
• Chair: Okay, the chair reconvenes this meeting of the Texas Ethics Commission at 10:18 a.m.
• There being no further business, the Texas Ethics Commission adjourns at 11:15.
• Commissioner 1: By the way, the Ethics Commission, all we do is fine people.
• Commissioner 1: Has nothing to do with ethics?

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission convened at 9:03 a.m. and held an executive session, reconvening at 10:18 a.m. During the meeting, the Commission approved a settlement agreement with Michael Quinn Sullivan, ending ongoing litigation. The agreement involved Sullivan dropping his legal challenges regarding a civil penalty previously imposed by the Commission. The Commission also announced personnel changes, including the departure of the director of enforcement, Marie Prim, and the appointment of Jordan Hun as interim director. The Commission discussed outside counsel contracts, approving the addition of Bickerstaff, Heath, Delgado, Acosta LLP to their pool of qualified vendors. They scheduled their next meeting for September 23rd and approved minutes from previous meetings. The agenda included several rulemaking items, with three rules adopted and five proposed for publication in the Texas Register. Notably, amendments to Chapter 20 regarding reporting contributions and expenditures were approved, as well as changes to lobbyist registration thresholds in Chapter 34, which were proposed for publication. The Commission also addressed advisory opinions, adopting several, including one regarding political advertising by charter schools and another concerning the revolving door prohibition for former state employees. Appeals for administrative waivers and reductions of fines were considered, with several fines waived or reduced based on individual circumstances. Lastly, the Commission discussed policies related to alternative dispute resolution and clarified responsibilities between the Commission and staff, concluding the meeting at 11:15 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• They there's some bills in the House.
• </c> just had a press conference, House just had a press conference, House Democrats,<00:03:02.319><c
• </c> points for House budgets right now? points for House budgets right now?
• and house between house dflers and house republicans<00:05:15.360><c> is</c><00:05:15.600><c> in</c>
• </c> them to issue their advice, the ethics them to issue their advice, the ethics committee<00:07:16.960

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so I'm Senate and the House.
• dfellers and house between house dfellers and house republicans<00:05:20.880><c> is</c><00:05:21.199>
• Are you going to wait for them to issue their advice, the ethics committee, before you take any action
• take</c><00:07:23.599><c> any</c> ethics committee before you take any ethics committee before you take
• In a tied house, there will tied house.

Transcript Highlights:

• Am I going to— The committee will come to order.
• And John, you might fill the committee in on you were honored as one of...
• There's many risks when it comes to morality and when it comes to ethics.
• Taught me the ethics, how to put my community first.
• I'm a minister at House of Brady, the Living Church.

Committee: All ALC-HIGHER EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Ethics Commission.
• Economic Development and Workforce Committee and was Vice Chair of the Civil Practices Committee during
• his tenure in the House.
• Chapter 10 relating to ethics training general counsel, please introduce this item.
• that directly from the House administration, the House whoever is the lessor.

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission met on March 11, 2025, first in executive session and then in open session. The chair announced that, in light of Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-484, the commission would conform its practices to the opinion and move to repeal tolling rules for sworn-complaint deadlines. The chair also said the commission would dismiss 36 pending sworn-complaint cases in which the 120-day settlement deadline had been exceeded, even though the delay had been tolled under prior TEC rules. The commission then set future meeting dates for June 12 and September 17 and approved prior meeting minutes. The commission adopted a new criminal-referral rule clarifying that, once jurisdiction over a complaint is accepted, commissioners may vote to make a criminal referral. It also adopted revised advisory-opinion rules, with a clarifying amendment from a commenter, and republished proposed changes to the definition of “principal purpose” for political committees after staff recommended a 49 percent political-activity threshold and further public input. The commission published for comment proposed changes to ethics training rules, facial-compliance review procedures, late-filing waiver and reduction rules, and sworn-complaint procedures, including tighter discovery limits, a default-order set-aside process, and removal of tolling language inconsistent with KP-484. It also republished Chapter 28 rules on Speaker-candidate reporting. The commission adopted several advisory opinions. It declined to give an affirmative defense on whether certain school-district communications were political advertising because related litigation had already addressed the issue. It reaffirmed that a House member may use donated district-office space if it is not reimbursable with public funds and was accepted before the contribution moratorium. It also concluded that a judge may use political funds for travel to a Navy-hosted event as a local dignitary, that legislators’ use of a corporate aircraft for a border-region fact-finding trip could be permissible but would likely trigger reporting obligations, that a TCEQ commissioner’s revolving-door restrictions apply only to matters actually placed before the commissioner, and that a part-time legislative staffer may not take outside employment assisting a registered lobbyist. The commission then heard and acted on numerous fine-waiver appeals, granting several full waivers or reductions and approving staff recommendations on others, and terminated a number of inactive campaign treasurer appointments. Finally, the executive director briefed the commission on the 2025 legislative session, noting that staffing requests are tied to Sunset recommendations and that the House had preliminarily recommended about half of the commission’s appropriations requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, Chair Ward, Chair Bauer-Kahan, and members of the committee.
• Good morning, Chair Warden, members of the committee. Thank you for having me.
• Thank you so much, Chairman Ward and the committee, for inviting me here.
• And that ethics review then gets reviewed by another committee that I'm on.
• be implemented, and then a committee that reviews all ethical assessments and all the interview summaries

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:46:08.880><c> Ethic</c> &gt;&gt; What does that mean ethically?
• Ethic &gt;&gt; What does that mean ethically?
• , what's not ethical.
• These information safeguards, what's ethical, what's not ethical.
• Is it fully housed? &gt;&gt; And what is it? Is it fully housed?

Transcript Highlights:

• However, Senate or House Bill 1620, 1622. Got it.
• Notice was emailed to bill sponsors on January 13, 2026, regarding House Bill 1170 and House Bill 1599
• I know the committee read these rules pretty thoroughly.
• On this Ethics Committee, have we already approved what they're doing?
• A question for the Ethics Commission.

Committee: Joint Administrative Rules Committee

Summary: The committee approved the March 12, 2026 minutes and granted the Board of Medicine an extension of time to implement rule changes tied to House Bill 1620/1622, which concern North Dakota’s entry into the physician assistant licensure compact. The Board said it is waiting on compact rules, especially fee structures, before finalizing its own rules. The committee then took up extensive Office of Management and Budget personnel rule revisions, covering salary administration, recruitment, leave policies, funeral leave, service awards, appeals, and shared leave. OMB said the changes modernize HR practices and implement recent legislation, including new hire leave and enhanced annual leave for hard-to-fill positions; the committee raised concerns about the subjectivity and fairness of the hard-to-fill leave provisions, but no action was taken against the rules. The North Dakota Lottery presented emergency and regular rule changes, including updates tied to the Millionaire for Life game and miscellaneous clarifications. The Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology described rule updates that add speech-language pathology assistants to the rules, ease continuing education requirements for out-of-state applicants, expand temporary licensure, and clarify supervision standards. The State Electrical Board reviewed numerous code updates, including changes to electrical and fire alarm standards, receptacle labeling, countertop receptacles, and a major new conveyance/elevator inspection program added by the Legislature; the board said it is preparing to begin inspections by August 1. The Industrial Commission’s Geological Survey Division presented new rules implementing House Bill 1459 on critical minerals in coal-bearing formations, including permit, reporting, confidentiality, and royalty-related provisions. The committee asked about confidentiality of exploration data and drilling depth. The Public Employees Retirement System outlined rule changes implementing several bills affecting defined benefit, public safety, defined contribution, insurance, deferred compensation, and retiree health credit programs, and noted possible future proposals to add state EMS or create a LOSAP-style plan. The Department of Health and Human Services presented substance use disorder voucher rules implementing House Bill 1012, including allowing individuals to apply directly and setting reimbursement procedures; the rules were expected to have a $250,000 general fund impact already included in the budget. The longest discussion involved the Gaming Commission rules. Members questioned whether the commission had authority to raise poker tournament buy-ins from $300 to $1,500, viewing it as an expansion of gaming rather than a mere clarification. After debate, the committee voted to void that specific rule section for lack of statutory authority. The rest of the gaming rules covered higher raffle limits from House Bill 1192, the change from “bar” to “alcoholic beverage establishment,” veterans’ organization proceeds, credit ticket voucher kiosks, online raffles, and advertising restrictions; the presenter said several public comments led to revisions or withdrawals of proposed language. The meeting ended with discussion of upcoming Ethics Commission travel-reporting rules and scheduling the next committee meeting in September.

Transcript Highlights:

• WELCOME TO THE PRESIDENTS' DAY VERSION OF THE JOINT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE COMMITTEE.
• AT THE BILL STANCZYK WOULD COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE REVIEW.
• YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. >> GOOD AFTERNOON MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
• ESPECIALLY IF PROBABLE CAUSE HAS BEEN FOUND BY THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS.
• AND GO THROUGH ALL THE COMMITTEES ON THE FLOOR ETC.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> go to the Judiciary Committee. go to the Judiciary Committee.
• House bill.
• I have testified against these bills in House and Senate committees for over a decade and have never
• House and Senate committees for over a House and Senate committees for over a decade<00:55:44.880><c>
• </c> committee, yeah. committee, yeah.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services