Transcript Highlights:

• And I'll just say I spent some time over in Ponderay County last fall and was in Newport.
• I mean, the state has limited authority at best to regulate federal law enforcement.
• I mean, the state has limited authority at best to regulate federal law enforcement.
• We should know who the people are, that they have the authority, and what those interactions should be
• They don't know that they're actually acting under the authority of law.

Summary: Senate and House Democratic leaders used the meeting to discuss a broad package of bills they said were aimed at responding to federal ICE actions and protecting Washington residents. They highlighted an upcoming Senate vote on Senator Valdez’s bill banning law-enforcement masking, a Flock automated license plate reader restrictions bill moving through rules, and a bill to protect emergency response operations. They said the face-covering bill is intended to apply to law enforcement generally but is mainly aimed at federal agents, and argued it would improve accountability and set a clear state norm, while acknowledging legal questions and a similar California case. They also said they were working with the governor and attorney general on related protections and invited Republican support. The leaders also addressed several other policy items. They said a Senate bill to restore Washington College Grant and College Bound scholarship funding would be considered in the operating budget process, but it was too early to know whether reductions could be reversed. They expressed openness to a House bill limiting non-emergency charity care to Washington residents, citing border hospitals and the burden on local resources, and said they were open to oversight ideas for housing-related fraud concerns while defending the accountability systems already in place. They also discussed a House bill on camping enforcement tied to shelter availability, saying it was a complex issue and likely still under discussion. On budget and tax issues, they said an income tax proposal was likely to be introduced later in the week or the following week, with offsets either included in the bill or outlined in a companion measure. They also said they were still evaluating a tort-liability proposal and its projected savings, and were open to Representative Keaton’s memorial urging Washington to opt into a federal education tax credit, though they emphasized their priority remains funding public schools. Finally, they said a recycling/deposit-return bill had improved and was likely to move out of committee, and they expected a floor vote on the BAC bill the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as you may be aware, George and Jackson County were Region 14, and those two counties decided to
• Um, my last question: the Jackson County $650,000, was that a request by Jackson County?
• Um, my last question: the Jackson County $650,000, was that a request by Jackson County?
• Washington County was a large county.
• Washington County was<00:34:48.960><c> a</c><00:34:49.200><c> large</c><00:34:49.359><c> county.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 210; 29 January, 2026: 8:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a mechanical contractor from the Young County, Palo Pinto County area. We need this bill.
• I want to say a huge thank you to the author of this bill, Representative Patterson.
• You know, that's cost the cities and counties... ...back to work.
• You know, that's cost the cities and counties a lot of money.
• A DPS trooper can get involved in just as serious stuff as the city or county officer does.

Committee: House S/C on Workforce

Summary: The subcommittee heard testimony on a broad agenda of workforce, labor, and workers’ compensation bills. HB 4676 would require political subdivision workers’ compensation networks to follow the same notice, access, and complaint rules as certified TDI networks; supporters said public employees and first responders deserve equal access to care, while municipal risk pool representatives opposed added regulation and said existing 504 networks already perform well. HB 4479 would create a rural workforce development grant program at TWC to support college-and-career readiness and local workforce alignment, and HB 3844 would define “opportunity youth” in state law to improve data, coordination, and access to services for disconnected young Texans; both drew strong support from rural, education, and chamber witnesses. HB 5545 would clarify federal tax treatment for wage-replacement benefits in non-subscriber injury benefit plans, with proponents calling it a win for employers and injured workers. HB 5118 would direct TWC and DIR to study AI and automated employment decision tools in hiring, including bias and oversight concerns. HB 1667 would move existing PTSD workers’ compensation language into a broader Labor Code chapter so more first responders, including state and campus officers, could qualify for benefits; supporters called it a technical fix to extend coverage more evenly across agencies. The committee also heard several first-responder and workers’ compensation bills. HB 2369 would speed up claims handling for injured first responders by allowing a single medical evaluation, giving carriers 60 days to accept or deny a claim, and letting workers seek treatment while disputes proceed; law enforcement supporters said it would help injured officers return to work faster, while opponents warned it would revive extent-of-injury waiver problems and increase litigation. HB 4483 would reclassify certain workers’ compensation maintenance taxes as surcharges to reduce retaliatory taxes imposed by other states on Texas-domiciled carriers, and HB 875, as revised by committee substitute, would create a small-project exception to municipal workers’ compensation and bonding requirements for certain low-value construction contracts in small cities; both were presented as cost-saving measures for Texas employers and local governments. HB 4415 would extend anti-retaliation protections for workers’ compensation claimants from first responders to all public employees and expressly waive sovereign immunity for those claims, with supporters describing it as closing a loophole that leaves public workers without the same remedy available in the private sector. The committee also took testimony on HB 5400, which would expand remedies for sexual harassment victims by removing the requirement to first file an administrative charge, extending the filing deadline from 300 days to two years, clarifying retaliation, and eliminating current damages caps. Supporters, including employment lawyers and a parent of a victim, said the current deadlines and caps prevent many survivors from obtaining counsel or full relief, especially younger workers and those in small workplaces or franchises. Across the agenda, witnesses repeatedly emphasized access to care, fair treatment for injured workers, rural workforce development, and stronger protections for vulnerable employees. After each bill was laid out and testimony heard, the chair generally closed the public hearing and left the bill pending; no final votes were taken, and the subcommittee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• State University Polytechnic College under its existing legislative authority.
• So each of your respective counties on that. So with that, members and Mr.
• or even Bexar County.
• Young 20-somethings don't want to come to Del Rio or Kenney County when they're.
• Air County Fostering Educational Success.

Bills: HB173 , HB184 , HB484 , HB678 , HB 1211 , HB1507 , HB1705 , HB1868 , HB2290 , HB2851 , HB2856 , HB3041 , HB3204 , HB173 , HB184

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• County. County.
• . authorities. authorities.
• </c> mitigation fees in Ton County? mitigation fees in Ton County?
• </c> supporter from Teton County. supporter from Teton County.
• </c> in Teton County. in Teton County.

Committee: House House Special Investigative Committee

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Pike County as the family court judge. Pike County as the family court judge.
• 374 J cases filed in Pike County.
• 374 J cases filed in Pike County.
• 374 J cases filed in Pike County.
• 374 J cases filed in Pike County.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:14 Staff Report on the Firefighter Commission Minimum Training Standards and Administrative Spending- 00:02:02 Response from the Kentucky Fire Commission-00:32:06 Judge Testimony on Child Removal-00:42:47 Update on Child Removal and Reunification-01:11:19 Staffing at Kentucky Veteran Centers-01:40:15 Adjournment-02:05:55, 958, all

Summary: The Legislative Oversight and Investigation Committee met without a quorum, so no votes were taken. Staff presented a study of the Kentucky Fire Commission focused on firefighter minimum training standards and administrative spending. The presentation explained that Kentucky’s training standards are built from NFPA guidelines, that the commission currently requires 115 hours for volunteer firefighters and 300 hours for paid firefighters, and that those reduced hours were adopted by removing electives and other non-NFPA content. Staff also said the commission’s IFSAC certification testing for firefighter 1 and firefighter 2 aligns with NFPA standards, but the commission cannot require local departments to train or certify firefighters. Staff recommended that the commission formally promulgate regulations establishing the reduced training hours and work with KCTCS to better separate administrative costs for certain programs so compliance with the statute can be demonstrated. The finance portion of the report said the commission is funded by general fund appropriations for State Fire Rescue Training and by an insurance premium surcharge that supports the Firefighter Foundation Program Fund. Staff reported that the commission stayed within the 5% administrative cap tied to the overall surcharge allotment, but could not confirm compliance with a separate 5% cap for specific programs because KCTCS accounting does not break out those costs in enough detail. Staff suggested the General Assembly may want to clarify what counts as administrative cost in statute. Members asked about investment returns, local fire department funding, and whether training documentation is required; staff said some of those topics were outside the study scope and that IFSAC testing relies on chief certification that a candidate is ready to test. Representatives from the Fire Commission then responded, saying they agreed with the report’s recommendations and would work to clarify the 5% issue with legislators and KCTCS. They explained that the reduction in training hours was intended to remove electives, better align with NFPA standards, and address the difficulty volunteer departments have in getting members to complete lengthy training. Commission officials said training is documented through rosters and annual compliance reviews, and that IFSAC-certified firefighter testing is based on demonstrated skills rather than a required number of training hours. They also said the difficulty in tracking the second 5% cap stems from the way KCTCS’s PeopleSoft system records reimbursements as single transactions, making it hard to isolate administrative costs by program.

Transcript Highlights:

• The audit was conducted solely and independently by the State Auditor's Office under the authority of
• We analyzed Medicaid data comparing the records for these authorized hours with actual hours used.
• There are many reasons clients might not use all their authorized hours, including client choice.
• This map shows, in light green, counties where Medicaid clients have larger gaps between authorized and
• their authorized hours.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee held a public hearing on the State Auditor’s Office performance audit of Washington’s Restoring Quality Home Care Initiative (I-1163). Auditors said the initiative’s background checks and 75-hour training requirement are widely viewed as safety measures, but the state lacks pre-2011 data to directly measure safety outcomes. They also found Washington’s long-term care workforce is still short, though the state ranks better than many others in workers per disabled person, and that some groups and regions have larger gaps between authorized and actually used Medicaid care hours, suggesting access problems for certain clients. The audit focused heavily on the certification process for home care aides. Auditors reported that many applicants never finish certification, that the process often exceeds the 200-day legal deadline, and that delays can cause lost income, job loss, and in some cases repeated employer changes that allow aides to keep working without becoming certified. They recommended that the Department of Health accept applications only after training and testing are completed, move testing into training programs more broadly, and eliminate redundant DOH verification of FBI background checks. Committee members asked about testing contract incentives, language access, and the role of immigration in workforce shortages; auditors said they found no financial performance standards in the Prometric contract, did not specifically study immigration status, and did not focus on language barriers in this audit. Department of Health and Department of Social and Health Services officials largely agreed with the audit’s findings and recommendations. They said they have already made improvements, including expanded in-program testing, more staffing, and rule changes, and that testing has been integrated into more than 110 training programs. DSHS noted testing is offered in 13 languages. Both agencies said they support further streamlining and expect continued collaboration, including possible budget or legislative requests. No public testimony was offered, and the committee adjourned without taking any vote or formal action on the audit.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Witt, members, House Bill 2445 requires that any city, town, county, school district, or state
• Madam Witt, members, as amended by the Health and Human Services Committee, House Bill 2251 authorizes
• FDA-authorized prescription device provided through a durable medical equipment benefit.
• There are key guardrails, including no General Fund dollars used, no state or local taxing authority
• HP 2047 is on authority to consent calendar. If that, I stand for questions. Questions for staff?

Summary: The meeting reviewed two caucus packets covering a wide range of bills, with most items described by staff and then passed over without questions. Topics included appropriations for pregnancy resource centers, home- and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities, veteran specialty courts, child care grants and infrastructure, emergency shelter grants, language acquisition services for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, and uranium contamination monitoring. Other measures addressed utility plant replacement, local government investment pools, task-order contract posting, ambulance reporting and certificate-of-necessity changes, short-term rental regulation, tuition waivers for dependents of disabled veterans, memorial authorization, manufactured home installer licensing, CPR/AED training in schools, national park fee exemptions for military members and veterans, and a tourism improvement area funded by lodging businesses. Several bills focused on child welfare and family law, including expanded kinship placement notification, a neglect definition change tied to poverty, evidence rules in custody and dependency matters, DCS investigations when a protective parent is involved, and parenting-time supervision requirements. Health-related bills included midwife practice changes, controlled substance monitoring program updates, interstate EMS licensure, prostate cancer screening coverage, sleep apnea coverage, and resident electronic monitoring in care facilities. Judiciary and property-related bills included enhanced trespass penalties, post-nuptial agreement rules, tax lien excess proceeds procedures, and unlawful entry into residences occupied by vulnerable adults. A few members briefly explained or defended selected bills, including the child protection measures, the CPR training requirement, the ambulance reporting bill, the tourism improvement area bill, and the bill moving inter-facility transports away from police. The sponsor of HB 2950 emphasized it was a voluntary, opt-in lodging assessment with local approval and statutory guardrails. No roll-call votes were described in the transcript, and most bills were noted as being on consent or third-read consent calendars, with several removed from consent or not yet on a calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does contain provisions that would allow rural parts of the county to work with the county
• And so the criteria is as follows: a county with a population of 75,000 or less residents; a county with
• , any municipality within a county as described above.
• to celebrate Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol.
• Commissioner Maria Sacks, our new county administrator, former Senator Joe Bruzo, and county staff, and

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 executive appointments. After explanation by Ethics and Elections Chair Don Gates, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad rural development package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties losing population, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care measures. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health provisions in light of a new federal rural health grant and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties spoke in support, while also asking about eligibility and access to grant funds. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision for later conforming legislation and changes to enrollment documentation and withdrawal procedures. Senators from both parties supported the bill while raising concerns about accountability, student oversight, and school quality. The bill passed 38-0. Afterward, the Senate waived rules so SB 250 and CS/SB 318 could be immediately certified to the House. The session ended with announcements, including Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and a reminder about the chamber group photograph, followed by adjournment until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Renaissance Grant, helping counties reverse population decline.
• And so the criteria is as follows: a county with a population of 75,000 or less residents; a county with
• , any municipality within a county as described above.
• to celebrate Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol.
• Commissioner Maria Sacks, our new county administrator, former Senator Joe Bruzo, and county staff, and

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer, pledge, doctor-of-the-day introduction, and several recognitions, including a Founders’ Day tribute to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a welcome to a nationally ranked student debater in the gallery. The chamber then took up a committee report on 52 gubernatorial executive appointments; after explanation by the Ethics and Elections chair, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a vote of 39-0. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program, housing and transportation investments, education funding, and rural health care improvements. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping health-care provisions in light of new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding amounts. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing the bill’s focus on rural infrastructure, health care access, and local flexibility. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then considered CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates explained that the bill responds to Auditor General concerns by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, tightening enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees, requiring student identification numbers, improving reimbursement processes, and directing the Department of Education to develop a business plan for scholarship funding organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision from the bill, with that issue expected to move elsewhere. Senators discussed transparency, accountability, and protections against overpayments and unverified enrollments, while also noting the need to preserve support for school districts. The bill passed 38-0. After both bills passed, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House. The chamber also heard announcements recognizing Palm Beach County Day at the Capitol and scheduled a group photograph for the following Thursday before adjourning until January 22 or upon the President’s call.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, two members appointed by the Association of Minnesota Counties and two representatives of county
• counties and two representatives<00:05:23.440><c> of</c><00:05:23.680><c> county</c><00:05:24.000><c
• > financial</c> representatives of county financial representatives of county financial assistance<00
• </c><00:14:54.399><c> who</c> of the chokeold for the counties who of the chokeold for the counties who
• Thank you. all 87 counties, all tribal nations in a all 87 counties, all tribal nations in a really<00

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis County. This bill has been kicked to...
• Louis County, here to present House Bill 2426.
• I don’t know where the authority, if it’s statutory or regulatory, or where the authority in the specific
• Louis County. And so thank you so much, because the doctor's office has no idea.
• I am a detective sergeant for the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

Committee: House Children and Families

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• than we're up here in the Panhandle for Taylor County.
• Some of them ride out the storm with the EOCs in some of the larger counties.
• I'm born and raised in Pinellas County.
• I've never seen the Pinellas County beaches underwater, the flooding that we've seen out in Pasco County
• For our electric customers, we serve about 33,000 customers or so throughout four counties: Jackson County

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The committee met to hear invited presentations on storm recovery and storm protection from the Florida Public Service Commission, Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric, Chesapeake Utilities, and the Office of Public Counsel. The PSC reviewed the history of storm restoration financing and utility hardening efforts after major storms such as Hurricane Andrew, the 2004-05 hurricane seasons, Irma, and Michael, explaining storm reserve funds, storm recovery bonds, and the current three-year storm protection plan process. The commission’s role in approving plans and later reviewing prudence of actual costs was emphasized, along with the types of work included in the plans such as vegetation management, pole replacement, undergrounding, feeder hardening, and substation flood protection. The utilities described their own storm-hardening investments and recent storm performance. FPL said it has spent about $4.9 billion on storm protection and recovery-related efforts, highlighted improved restoration times during Helene and Milton, and said it is expanding undergrounding, feeder hardening, and smart-grid technology. Duke Energy reported more than 40,000 hardened poles and structures since 2021, major gains from self-healing grid technology, and faster restoration during recent storms. Tampa Electric described a roughly $200 million annual storm protection effort, including vegetation management, undergrounding, substation hardening, and new storm surge protections, and Chesapeake Utilities discussed its smaller-scale hardening program, vegetation work, pole replacement, and rapid restoration after Helene in Nassau County. Committee members asked about how utilities prioritize neighborhoods for lateral hardening, whether maps of planned projects could be shared, how much each utility has spent on undergrounding and hardening, and how reliability comparisons are normalized against the national average. Public Counsel Walt Trierweiler argued that storm recovery and hardening costs fall too heavily on investor-owned utility customers, said the current framework lacks a meaningful cost-benefit or prudence check at the planning stage, and urged broader sharing of storm costs because the benefits extend to the whole state. Senators also discussed whether the commission can review the reasonableness of approved programs and whether future reports or recommendations from Public Counsel would be helpful. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of those counties are urban and some of those counties are rural.
• </c> Ambulance currently serves 11 counties Ambulance currently serves 11 counties in<00:28:42.720><c
• c><00:28:49.200><c> are</c><00:28:49.440><c> Bulock,</c> counties that we serve are Bulock, counties
• You take a county like Lowndes County that's rural.
• County to answer a call.

Bills: HB424 , SB63 , SB269 , HB424 , SB63 , SB269

Committees: House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce , House Insurance

Keywords: HB424, Montgomery County, sheriff, county sheriff, salary increase, expense allowance, local act, county general fund, retirement contributions, public official compensation, law enforcement pay, elected official salary, Montgomery County legislation, sheriff compensation, term-based salary, immigration, law enforcement, fingerprints, DNA collection, illegal aliens

Transcript Highlights:

• Locals would be allowed to designate two-lane county roads or municipal streets that have a posted speed
• Before making such designation, the responsible county or municipality must first determine that a UTV
• The local county or municipality would then have the ability to set more restrictive requirements as
• The local county or municipality would then have the ability to set more restrictive requirements as
• We do not have statutory authority to remove a candidate based on this oath.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several member introductions recognizing visiting groups and resolutions, including Blood Clot Awareness Month and Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. The chamber then moved to a special order calendar and considered a series of bills, with most measures passing overwhelmingly after brief explanations and debate. Among the early bills, SB 88 on utility terrain vehicles passed 32-5, allowing local governments to opt in to limited street use of UTVs under specified safety rules; SB 102 on exceptional student education passed 36-0 to create a workforce credential program for students with autism or modified curricula; SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults passed 37-0; SB 130 on compensation for wrongful incarceration passed 38-0 after expanding filing timelines and easing restrictions on compensation claims; and SB 158 on diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations passed 38-0 to eliminate cost sharing for follow-up breast imaging under the state employee health plan. The most extended debate centered on SB 234, which sought to strengthen penalties and clarify the law regarding violent resistance to law enforcement officers and offenses against officers. Supporters argued the bill was needed after the Jason Raynor case to prevent defendants from using claims about an officer’s legal duty to justify violence, while opponents raised concerns about removing “good faith” language, potential impacts on Fourth Amendment protections, racial profiling, and the bill’s mandatory life sentence for manslaughter of an officer. A Jones amendment to restore “good faith” failed, and after further debate the sponsor temporarily postponed the bill without a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 262 on trust code technical changes (36-0), SB 274 designating roadways for Harris Rosen and Geraldine Thompson (38-0) and opening the board for 37 co-sponsors, SB 280 creating an enforcement mechanism for candidate party-affiliation qualifications (38-0), and SB 296 repealing the statewide middle and high school start-time mandate in favor of local decision-making and reporting requirements (38-0). Later, SB 356 designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida, with supporters emphasizing the need to confront antisemitism and preserve Holocaust memory; the bill was introduced and debated, with the transcript ending during remarks by President Gaetz about the recent Holocaust memorial unveiling. Throughout the meeting, senators also used debate to highlight broader policy themes such as autism workforce inclusion, breast cancer screening, wrongful incarceration reform, school district flexibility, and honoring community leaders through road designations. The chamber’s actions were largely affirmative, with several unanimous votes and one notable postponed bill after substantial disagreement."}】}]}}```

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the author is the one who asked me, right? I.e., and I can.
• Now, the author is the one who asked me, right? I.e.
• The suspect fled the scene in a stolen vehicle, triggering a high-speed pursuit through Atoka County.
• The suspect fled the scene in a stolen vehicle, triggering a high-speed pursuit through Atoka County.
• Officer Gary Collin and Officer Aaron Thomas of the Stringtown Police Department, along with Toc County

Bills: HB4139 , HB4143 , HB4144 , HB3974 , HB3303 , HB3790 , HB3697 , HB3262 , HB4226 , HB2936 , HB3322 , HB4296 , HB3278 , HB4202 , HB3648 , HB3500 , HB3037 , HB3428 , HB3257 , HB3432 , HB3043 , HB3044 , HB3078 , HB3940

Keywords: home warranty, service contracts, transparency, insurance regulation, consumer protection, motor vehicles, traffic collisions, car accident, auto accident, crash report, collision report, property damage threshold, Department of Public Safety, DPS, law enforcement reports, insurance claims, financial responsibility, uninsured motorist, private property accidents, public roadway

Summary: The House convened, the roll was called, and the chamber proceeded with opening formalities including an invocation by Chaplain Ronnie Wilson and the Pledge of Allegiance. The chaplain’s message focused on valuing each person’s unique contribution, making the most of each opportunity, and remembering members and families who have experienced loss, including a tribute to Harvey. The House also briefly stood at ease for announcements and administrative matters, including reassignment of measures and scheduling notices. A special floor presentation honored law enforcement officers and first responders involved in a dangerous May 30 pursuit in Atoka County. Representative Eves described how officers from the Atoka Police Department, Stringtown Police Department, and the county sheriff’s office responded to a theft, pursued an armed suspect, and risked their lives to protect a trapped family of five and other citizens. Members gave the officers a standing ovation in recognition of their courage and service. Additional announcements included a reminder about the Civil Judicial Area Committee meeting, introductions of guests in the gallery, birthday wishes for Representative Hasenbeck’s daughter, and notice of a Veterans Military Caucus/committee. No substantive legislation was debated or voted on in the portion provided. The House then adjourned until Monday, February 9, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• County Dublin? Thank you, sir. Peter, what is that accent? County Dublin, sir. Dublin?
• So in places in Cook County, which is a county Chicago’s in, there would be eight different tax treatments
• They would simply just only authorize merchandise.
• They would simply just only authorize merchandise.
• But it's all controlled by one central authority in the Department of Revenue.

Summary: The Special Commission on the future of credit card payments and their impacts on small businesses heard testimony from credit union, retail, banking, and payments industry representatives. Much of the discussion focused on proposals to exclude sales tax and tips from interchange fees, the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and related litigation, and whether similar state action in Massachusetts would help small businesses or instead create a patchwork that burdens state-chartered institutions. Witnesses from defense and community credit unions argued interchange helps fund fraud prevention, cybersecurity, member services, and low-fee products, while retail and NRF representatives said merchants are paying significant swipe fees and that state laws like Illinois’s are aimed at reducing costs that are not being passed on to consumers. Several witnesses emphasized that the current payment system provides security, fraud protection, rewards, and access to credit, and that many of the costs merchants complain about are actually bundled processor or acquirer fees rather than interchange itself. Others countered that small businesses are struggling with rising overall costs and that Massachusetts should consider reforms such as allowing surcharging, improving transparency in merchant contracts, and studying collection costs. There was also discussion of the recent Visa/Mastercard antitrust settlement, with industry witnesses describing it as meaningful relief for merchants and opponents saying it is temporary and incomplete. No formal votes were taken on legislation. The commission accepted oral testimony, noted that written testimony would be accepted through July 31, and concluded the meeting by unanimously voting to adjourn. The chair and members said they would continue gathering testimony and work toward recommendations, with the chair stressing the need to find a fair middle ground that supports both small businesses and the broader payments ecosystem.

Transcript Highlights:

• Weber said, courts having their inherent authority and the ability to disclose this to the extent it's
• Third, the bill authorizes the Attorney General to enter into or revise memoranda of understanding with
• the Department of Health, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and the Health Care Authority to
• the Department of Health, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and the Health Care Authority to
• We understand the purpose of this review authority is to identify any competitive mergers that could

Summary: The committee held public hearings on House Bill 2255, House Bill 2548, and House Bill 2320. HB 2255 would regulate third-party litigation funding by requiring disclosure of funders and agreements, prohibiting funder control over litigation, capping funder recovery at 25%, and creating enforcement remedies. Supporters, including the sponsor, insurance groups, and liability reform advocates, described it as a transparency and consumer-protection measure that could improve court efficiency and reduce costs. Opponents, including the Washington State Association for Justice and the commercial litigation funding industry, argued it would burden plaintiffs, reveal protected work product, chill access to justice, and create satellite litigation. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing and asked testifiers to submit written comments. HB 2548 would expand state oversight of health care market transactions by broadening the types of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, and ownership/control changes that trigger notice to the Attorney General, pausing transactions until information requests are substantially complied with, expanding interagency data sharing, and revoking nonprofit status in certain transactions. Supporters, including patient advocates, nurses, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General’s office, physicians, and individual health care workers, said private equity and consolidation are driving higher costs, reduced access, and lower quality. Opponents from the Washington State Hospital Association and MultiCare said the bill is unclear, may contain drafting errors, does not adequately target private equity structures, and could create problems around nonprofit status and charitable assets. The hearing ended with the committee moving on to the next bill. HB 2320 would update Washington’s ghost gun laws to address 3D-printed firearms, CNC manufacturing, digital firearm manufacturing code, and the sale of machines marketed for firearm production, and would make certain violations per se Consumer Protection Act violations. The sponsor and supporters, including school officials, gun violence prevention advocates, a trauma survivor, a 3D-printing industry representative, and others, said the bill closes a public safety loophole and responds to the growing availability of untraceable weapons. Opponents, including the NRA, makerspace representatives, and some industry witnesses, argued the bill is overbroad, may sweep in lawful 3D-printing and CNC activity, raises First, Second, and Fifth Amendment concerns, and could create uncertainty through rebuttable presumptions and the CPA provisions. The transcript ends during the HB 2320 hearing, with additional testimony panels still to come and no final committee action recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kevin currently serves as a county commissioner in Miami-Dade County and vice chair of the Miami-Dade
• As a county commissioner we have oversight over the port and the airport, and I'll tell you, we face
• It covers Palestinian Authority incitement of violence against Israel.
• My friend Steve Angle did a tremendous analysis of the executive's authority to unilaterally withdraw
• Congress has its view of, for example, its authority to terminate treaties. and Mr.

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Keywords: Israel, Hamas, Panama Canal, U.S. foreign policy, terrorism, diplomacy, Chinese influence

Summary: The committee meeting was focused on various key issues, including the implications of recent violence in the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy in relation to Israel and Panama. Members discussed the need for diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Israeli officials following the recent attack by Hamas. Governor Huckabee emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and reiterated the need for accountability for terrorist organizations involved in violent acts against civilians. Senators shared their concerns regarding the ramifications of U.S. actions in Panama and the presence of Chinese influence, highlighting the significance of the Panama Canal in terms of trade and security.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:51:03.280><c> aging</c> Marshall County will replace aging Marshall County will replace aging
• , port authority, rail-served industry, and industrial and economic development authority board.
• This project will construct a County.
• This project will add in Logan County.
• This project located in Madison County.

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:20 Road Projects 46:30 Approval of Minutes 46:50 Railroads 57:26 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum, so it could not approve the minutes. The chair announced an Eastern Kentucky University health forum later that day and then proceeded with testimony on alternative delivery methods for road projects. Jason Sawala of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Chad Laroo of the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors were sworn in and introduced themselves. Sawala explained KYTC’s use of alternative delivery tools, including design-build, construction manager/general contractor (CMGC), and public-private partnerships (P3s). He said the cabinet’s goal is to deliver the best value to taxpayers in terms of quality, cost, and time, and emphasized that alternative delivery is most useful on projects with special circumstances such as innovation needs, specialized technology, complex constructibility, schedule pressure, or early contractor input. He cited the cabinet’s wrong-way driving prevention project as an example where design-build helped evaluate technologies and coordinate with stakeholders such as EMS and first responders. He also outlined the main tradeoffs: alternative delivery can improve collaboration and sometimes accelerate schedules, but it also brings risks related to right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, changing scope, and the need for dedicated staff and compressed decision-making. He stressed that these methods are not a cure-all and are not appropriate for every project, while noting that traditional design-bid-build remains effective for most of KYTC’s work. Representative Branscum responded favorably, saying early contractor involvement is valuable and consistent with his experience in the vertical construction world. No votes or formal actions were taken because the committee lacked a quorum.