Transcript Highlights:

• And we will come to a conference committee, I hope, and negotiate those things out and get a bill to
• And we will come to a conference committee, I hope, and negotiate those things out and get a bill to
• When that bill conference committee, do you think that'll be a slow process?
• So, hopefully when we get to a conference committee, it is a committee that comes together and can resolve
• When that bill conference committee, do you think that'll be a slow process?

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate leadership said members were working through a fast-paced, intense session before a break, with many committee hearings still scheduled and about 27 bills expected to be heard that day. The leader highlighted several priorities for when lawmakers return, including an independent Inspector General proposal, additional anti-fraud measures, and packages on gun violence prevention and the Metro Surge response. The Metro Surge package was described as roughly 11 bills dealing with masks in essential spaces, aid obligations for federal agents, civil-rights/Bivens issues, and BCA participation in investigations; the broader gun violence package includes school safety, mental health, an assault-weapons ban, and a ban on high-capacity magazines, though it still awaited Finance Committee action. The leader also said bonding remains a high priority and that the Senate plans to continue moving policy quickly after the break. On budget matters, the leader said supplemental funding is needed for Capitol and Senate building security, largely because of increased personnel and overtime costs. He also said HCMC needs a short-term financing step because it is under financial pressure, but that the issue points to broader instability in Minnesota’s hospital system, especially as other hospitals may face difficulties related to HR1. Other budget-related items mentioned included housing support, rental and heating assistance, energy assistance, small business aid, health care, and food support, with some governor-proposed tax and spending ideas possibly left out because they are not affordable. The leader said the Senate is still working on fraud legislation, including the Inspector General proposal and related enforcement and oversight measures, and expects House differences to be worked out in conference committee. He described the House as a question mark and said the two chambers are moving at different paces, but he hopes to resolve differences and send bills to the governor. He also noted a rough end to the Senate Jobs Committee, said Senator Champion is considering next steps, and said Senator Mohamed and other DFL members had sent the Attorney General’s anti-fraud bill through a different committee path. He added that legislator safety is a growing concern because members from both parties are receiving threats, and he is working with counsel on possible responses. On guns in the Capitol, he said the issue reflects broader divisions and that current law allows permitted carry after screening, though he is frustrated by those using the issue to provoke emotion.

Transcript Highlights:

• currently have the ability to show up for a hearing by phone, in person, affidavit, or by video conference
• In addition to these face to face conferences, schools, and seminars, the institute offers a library
• If it is a face to face multi-day conference, you're looking at rental of facilities, uh, travel expenses
• could work together regionally to do those trainings as well, or do a statewide multi-day, uh, conference
• So basically, you know, if it's an in-person conference and you're, you know, there's an event space

Bills: HB148, HB203, HJR30

Keywords: HB 148, Texas Education Code, Texas Education Agency, TEA, artificial intelligence, AI, machine learning, automated scoring, constructed response, open-ended answers, student assessments, state testing, standardized tests, public schools, education policy, assessment instruments, school accountability, test scoring, 2026-2027 school year, ad valorem tax

Transcript Highlights:

• conference that goes and to include all those other sectors that I had mentioned.
• So every year we, the, through the assumptions, through the estimating conference, there's an assumptions
• estimating conference that goes Through the estimating conference, there's an assumptions estimating
• conference that goes and reviews what that actuarial return assumption is going to be.
• Ultimately, the Assumptions Conference consensus goes to you as the legislature for what you put in the

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee met with a quorum and began with member introductions and remarks from the chair emphasizing the committee’s focus on government efficiency, accountability, and oversight of executive branch agencies. Members shared their districts and backgrounds, with several noting hurricane recovery in their communities and a shared interest in reducing bureaucracy and improving service to Floridians. The committee’s only presentation was from Chris Spencer, Executive Director of the State Board of Administration, who gave an overview of the SBA’s governance structure, investment responsibilities, and divestment policies. He explained the SBA’s management of more than $257 billion in assets, including the Florida Retirement System, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and Florida PRIME, and reviewed the Protecting Florida’s Investments Act restrictions covering Northern Ireland, Cuba, Venezuela, Israel, Sudan, Iran, and China. He also described the implementation of HB 7071, including the required divestment from direct holdings in Chinese companies, and said the SBA had reduced its direct Chinese holdings from 33 companies totaling over $172 million to 13 companies totaling about $64 million, with completion expected ahead of the September 1, 2025 deadline. Members asked detailed questions about the Israel boycott list, Morningstar and MSCI, how the SBA gathers information, whether Cuba’s federal designation changes affect Florida law, how companies are removed from scrutinized lists, and whether divestment timing could affect returns. Spencer said the SBA uses public and paid research sources, gives companies a 90-day cure period in some cases, and brings list changes to the trustees for approval. He also explained that the China benchmark change is intended to reduce passive exposure while still allowing active investment decisions, and said the PFIA restrictions have had a modestly positive overall effect on pension performance. The chair also asked about the Florida Retirement System funded ratio and the CAT Fund’s capacity; Spencer said the pension fund is at 80.7% funded, that actuarial assumptions are reviewed regularly, and that the CAT Fund currently has more than $10.5 billion in liquid claims-paying capacity and is expected to remain well positioned for hurricane losses. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I strongly hope we'll fix this in conference committee.
• And today, with this hope, I will be voting to support the bill to move it along to conference.
• I strongly hope we'll fix this in<00:30:15.360> conference<00:30:15.919> committee.
• And today with in conference committee.
• the bill to move it along to conference. the bill to move it along to conference.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will read the conference committee report.
• House of Representatives report on conference committee.
• The clerk will read the conference committee report.
• The clerk will read the conference committee report.
• The clerk will read the conference committee report.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We should have figures from the Revenue Estimating Conference.
• Don't we as the Senate, can't we direct the Revenue Estimating Conference to meet as an impact conference
• I mean, we even have the process here through the impact conference.
• So I looked at the Florida Association of Counties. ...conferences.
• The Revenue Estimating Conference does this.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the Senate to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has taken up and adopted the conference
• Some of the senators had a few questions, so they requested a conference.
• Could you just briefly walk through some of the changes you'd like to see in the conference committee
• The Speaker hereby appoints to a conference committee to act with a like committee from the Senate on
• So the choice to take it to conference is not there.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's 3:15 p.m., and we're in Conference Room 225.
• We're in Conference Room 225.
• February 7th 2025 we're in conference February 7th 2025 we're in conference room<00:03:22.360>
• room 225 at reconvene here in conference room 225 at 3<00:03:34.080> p.m.
• keep it alive at least until conference keep it alive at least until conference and<00:14:15.720

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: On the deferred agenda, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and SB 1452, which relates to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The chair recommended both measures pass with amendments, including technical corrections and a committee-report effective date of July 1, 2077. For SB 1364, the amendments included specified general fund and transfer fund amounts for DAGS, the Judiciary, and the Department of Law. For SB 1452, the chair said the bill was being corrected to fix a drug-name error that had been replicated from a federal mistake. Both recommendations were adopted by vote, with Senator Dort excused. The committee then discussed SB 1612, a joint measure on fitness to proceed that would require and appropriate funds for a five-year pilot program involving the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health, with interim and final reports to the Legislature. Testimony was mixed: the Judiciary and Department of Health were supportive, while the Office of the Public Defender and the Disability Rights Center opposed it, arguing it conflicted with best practices and the Clark consent order, and that people found not fit to proceed must be sent to the state hospital. DCR said its main concern was that the bill would still require patients to be housed in its facilities, which it said are not rehabilitative and are already strained by staffing shortages and limited access. The bill’s author argued the proposal was meant to create joint custody and reduce the high cost of state-hospital placement, but the committee did not take final action in the portion provided. In the joint hearing with Health and Human Services, the committees heard SB 1322, a broad rewrite of the state mental health code. The Attorney General supported the measure as a comprehensive cleanup and modernization effort, but many testifiers raised concerns. Queen’s Health System and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation supported the concept but warned about emergency-room impacts and asked for amendments; IHS supported the bill with a caveat about assisted community treatment procedures; and the Public Defender, Disability Rights Center, and others opposed parts of it, citing due process, privacy, HIPAA, counsel rights, liability immunity, and the reduction of an involuntary-treatment panel from three clinicians to one psychiatrist. The hearing also covered SB 951 on child protection, where the Department of Defense supported the bill and proposed technical amendments and MOUs with military components to clarify reporting and coordination procedures; DHS and the Attorney General said they were still working through possible changes. Finally, SB 228 on excited delirium was heard, with the Public Defender and Disability Rights Center supporting the bill and arguing the term has been misused and that better police de-escalation training is the real solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• nonconcurred with the House in its amendment and that said branch had appointed a committee of conference
• Microwitz of Boston moves that a committee of conference be appointed.
• Warren, formerly of Three Rivers. further endorsement that said branch had appointed a committee of conference
• Microwitz of Boston moves that a committee of conference be appointed.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House met in joint session, suspended Joint Rule 12 for several petitions, and then took up a series of local bills reported by the Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling. Those bills included authorizing the town of Avon to appoint a town clerk, allowing the City of Revere to pay a sum to Denise Manatra, widow of school committee member Anthony Manatra, and validating the results of a special election in Hardwick. The House suspended Rule 7A, gave the bills second readings, ordered them to a third reading, and later passed House No. 972, authorizing the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to supply water to the Linfield Center Water District, to be engrossed. The major substantive action was on Senate No. 2540, a fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations bill. The Committee on Ways and Means recommended passage with a full substitute amendment contained in House Document No. 4265, totaling $536,832,564. The House adopted the amendment, ordered the bill to a third reading, and then passed it to be engrossed as amended. When the Senate returned the bill with notice that it had nonconcurred in the House amendment and appointed a conference committee, the House voted to insist on its amendment and also appointed its own conference committee members: Mr. Mike Woods of Boston, Ms. Ferrante of Gloucester, and Mr. Smola of Warren. The House then adopted an order to adjourn until Wednesday at 11 a.m., with notice of a Democratic caucus at noon and roll calls at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we'll call the conference committee on Senate Bill 2007 to order and we'll have the clerk take
• So I just want to get clarification from the conference committee on. So thank you, Levi.
• I make that motion with a do pass as amended by the conference committee.
• We will close the conference committee hearing on Senate Bill 2007. We're going to be. Thank you.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The conference committee on Senate Bill 2007 met to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, which concerned funding and staffing flexibility for the Soldiers’ Home/Veterans Home. Members agreed to restore the FTEs to the pool and to keep the $200,000 and $100,000 items in the bill, with discussion noting that the money would come from the Soldiers’ Home fund and would only be used if needed. The main remaining issue was line-item transfer authority. Staff explained that the transfer provision would let the facility move money between salaries and wages and operating expenses, including contract nursing, to address staffing shortages at a 24/7 facility. Members discussed the difference between the House and Senate versions, with the House allowing up to $600,000 in transfers and the Senate version allowing $400,000. The committee concluded that the higher amount would provide needed flexibility without increasing overall spending authority. A motion was made to adopt the conference committee changes, including restoring the FTE pool and changing the transfer authority to $600,000, and then give Senate Bill 2007 a do pass recommendation as amended. The motion passed by roll call, and the conference committee hearing was closed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, at the end of the session, a committee of conference could not get it done, and here we
• Unfortunately, at the end of the session, a committee of conference could not get it done, and here we
• Unfortunately, at the end of the session, a committee of conference could not get it done, and here we
• So I have copies of the committee of conference amendment that was put forward in my name last year,
• Amendment into 249 it's conference Amendment into 249 it's already<00:33:37.679> there<00:33:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Center revolving fund, establishing the conference center revolving fund and accounts under the fund
• to facilitate administration of the revolving fund for conference centers in various campuses.
• There's currently in the statute two Conference Center statutes already for the University of Hawaii,
• Senate Bill 1488, relating to the University of Hawaii Conference Center revolving fund, establishing
• revolving fund for conference centers in various campuses.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The hearing covered Senate Bill 426, which would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the City and County of Honolulu, the Department of Human Services, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education, the Attorney General’s office, the Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, the University of Hawaiʻi’s early childhood educator project, and a Zoom testifier who described the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood education. Committee discussion focused on the program’s estimated cost, with figures of about $14.5 million in 2025-26 and $15 million in 2026-27, and on whether the program would require ongoing base-budget funding. The committee recommended technical, non-substantive amendments, including a statewide-concern amendment and a deferred effective date, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The committees then heard Senate Bill 1622, which would appropriate funds to establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaiʻi to support statewide artificial intelligence initiatives. University representatives described the proposal as the product of campus-wide input and outlined five pillars: governance and policy, outreach and engagement, research and development, workforce development, and AI tools for key sectors such as health care, creative industries, manufacturing, data science, astronomy, and climate change. Members questioned staffing distribution, tuition, enrollment timing, housing, campus placement, and whether positions would be permanent or temporary; the university said it planned about 10 positions across campuses, would start with internal resources, and would house the effort under the Vice President for Research and Innovation initially. The committees recommended an SD1 with the appropriation amounts blanked out, a July 31, 2050 effective date, and committee-report language on housing and West Oʻahu, and the higher education and labor/technology committees adopted the amended recommendation. Finally, the Higher Education Committee took up Senate Bill 1488, a housekeeping measure to consolidate existing University of Hawaiʻi conference center statutes into a single revolving fund structure, and Senate Bill 636, which would fund retention and internship coordinator positions and broader enrollment management efforts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. SB 1488 drew university support and no opposition. SB 636 prompted substantial questioning about Hilo’s declining enrollment, current retention rate of 72.8 percent, and the scope of the request, which includes not only two named positions but also about $432,000 for enrollment management initiatives such as data analysis, IT support, and other student services. Hilo said it is targeting 3 to 5 percent annual enrollment growth and that the positions would support recruitment, retention, internships, and data-driven enrollment strategy. The committee pressed for a clearer broader plan, but the discussion in the transcript ended before a final vote on SB 636 was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We met in committee of conference, and by the way, the committee of conference report was all six members
• of the committee of conference voted in favor of the report.
• of conference. of conference.
• conference on S. 223. conference on S. 223.
• Do you want me a conference committee.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, two left committee of conference.
• Um, but we'll probably flush that out in committee of conference.
• So, what I the committee of conference.
• Uh, I can assure you if they omnibus it, I will be requesting a committee conference.
• Um I can I that committee conference.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as we were sitting at the floor leaders' conference room, this page told us, when asked how many
• It's going to conference, where I'm guessing we can restore title in conference.
• They can't accept those amendments, I believe, and still send it to conference.
• And whatever conference committee recommendation comes out is probably not going to be what we're talking
• category of hypothetical, because aren't we sending this to conference and whatever conference committee

Bills: HR1055, SB2170, SB1833, SB1198, HR1056, SB1730, SB563, SB1379, SB1645, SB2155, SB1280, SB1455, SB1456, SB1461, SB1457, SB1463, SB1465, SB1466, SB1344, SB1309, HR1054, SB2159, SB1948, HB1371, SB1365, SB1976, SB1975, SB2026, SB1565, SB1621, SB237, SB933, SB1427, SB1642, SB171, SB1873, SB2067, SB1623, SB1771, SB1805, SB1826, SB2072, SB444, SB2184, SB1966, SB1812, SB2117, SB2135, SB330, SB1239, SB1428, SB1531, SB1484, SB1405, SB3

Keywords: Oklahoma Agriculture Day, agriculture, farmers, ranchers, agribusiness, food production, wheat, cattle, beef, dairy, soybeans, cotton, poultry, pork, rye, rural economy, urban-rural, trade, commodity production, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture

Summary: The House convened under quorum call and began with several recognitions and presentations, including visits from Comanche County 4-H, the Muskogee Police Department officers who completed EMT training, the March of Dimes, and Ag Day honorees, including the Ag Hall of Fame recipient Ron Justice. The chamber also adopted House Resolution 1054 designating April 2026 as Library Month, with a special presentation honoring library leaders and advocates for their work on the first Library Day at the Capitol. The House then considered and passed a series of bills, mostly on broad bipartisan votes, covering state symbols, fireworks sales, oil and gas royalty protections, AP exam access, veteran records access for grandchildren, Medicaid support for a food-is-medicine grant, law library representation, controlled substances, public health, state security staffing, financial exploitation protections, credit union modernization, workforce data, staffing contracts, enterprise zone incentives, conveyance/title theft protections, hospice narcotics disposal, duplicate statute cleanup, and memorial highway/bridge designations. One major bill, SB 237 on eliminating the solar and battery storage manufacturing tax exemption, was laid over after discussion and questions about tax policy and local incentives. Several measures drew brief explanation and questions, including SB 2159 on state symbols and wheat, SB 1948 on fireworks sales, HB 1371 on oil and gas royalty payments and bankruptcy protections, SB 1975 on AP testing locations, SB 2026 on access to veterans’ discharge papers, SB 1565 on food-is-medicine Medicaid support, SB 1642 on splitting short opioid prescriptions, and SB 933 creating a right-to-try pathway for individualized treatment. Most of these bills passed with little or no debate, and several emergency clauses also passed by the required two-thirds vote. Not all measures advanced: SB 1771, expanding Workforce Commission data authority, failed on a 27-46 vote, and the House later gave notice of intent to reconsider. SB 1365 was reconsidered and then passed, but its emergency clause failed. The session also featured an extended personal privilege speech by Rep. Scott Fetgatter marking his departure, in which he thanked colleagues and staff and reflected on his tenure and legislative work.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're in Conference Room 309 for a 10:00 a.m. hearing.
• So Mark might miss conference committee or have to deal with a lot of pain.
• So Mark might miss conference committee or have to deal with a lot of pain.
• So Mark might miss conference committee or have to deal with a lot of pain.
• So Mark might miss conference committee or have to deal with a lot of pain.

Bills: HCR92, HCR46, HCR172, HCR147, HCR112, HCR100, HR84, HR42, HR139, HR104, HR92

Keywords: automated external defibrillator, AED, cardiac arrest, state buildings, health education, public health, lifeguards, first responders, public safety, ocean safety, emergency response, Hawaii, workers' compensation, auditor, procurement audit, compliance, Department of Human Resources Development, transparency, accountability, medical care

Transcript Highlights:

• I was in Hawaii at a national conference, and they showed us their agrovoltaic.
• conference in the world, thousands of agencies from all across the world.
• At a conference about a week ago, Representative Dixon had a conference, Advanced Energy Ecosystems,
• They participated in our Electrify New Mexico conference. I was there as well.
• And I appreciate it, I heard it before at the other conference, I heard all of it.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill went to the House and they passed it, but at the same time we had an issue in committee of conference
• It was tough at the committee conference last time that we couldn't get there, but that was then and
• It was tough at the committee conference<00:19:24.960> last<00:19:25.200> time<00:19:25.360
• > that<00:19:25.520> we<00:19:25.679> couldn't conference last time that we couldn't
• conference last time that we couldn't get<00:19:26.160> get<00:19:26.480> there,<00:19

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will call the May 14, 2025 meeting of the House and Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Conference Committee
• We have a few more policy items the conference committee has agreed on, and we're going to dig right
• We have a few more policy items the conference committee has agreed on, and we're going to dig right
• And there being no further business before the conference committee today, this meeting is adjourned.
• <00:19:38.000> committee<00:19:38.320> today,<00:19:38.720> this the conference

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• If not, the two chairs have conferred. We'd like to pass both these resolutions out as they are.
• If not, the two chairs have just conferred and we'd like to pass both these measures out as they are
• <00:08:59.760> just If not, the two chairs have just If not, the two chairs have just conferred
• :00.640> like<00:09:00.760> to<00:09:00.880> pass<00:09:01.560> both conferred
• and we'd like to pass both conferred and we'd like to pass both these<00:09:02.160> measures<

Bills: SCR11, SR9

Keywords: Civil Rights Act, discrimination, employment, housing, public accommodations, LGBTQ+ rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, Equality Act, civil rights, federally funded programs, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, Transportation, and later Judiciary heard two sets of resolutions. The first, SCR 132 and SR 124, urged the City and County of Honolulu to take steps to finalize the Makakilo Drive Extension Project. Testimony from a Makakilo resident emphasized the lack of a second access route and raised safety concerns about being trapped in the area in an emergency. Both committees voted to pass the resolutions unamended. The second set, SCR 11 and SR 9, requested that the U.S. Congress amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. Supporters from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, IMUA Alliance, and Pride at Work in Hawaii argued that stronger anti-discrimination protections are needed to reduce vulnerability to violence, housing insecurity, and exploitation, and to provide federal protections that mirror state law. One senator asked whether state protections already exist and was told the resolutions seek federal-level protections because federal law can supersede state law. Both committees adopted recommendations to pass SCR 11 and SR 9 unamended, with votes in favor and some members excused.