Transcript Highlights:

• Any discussion? I move that House Bill 2179 be voted due pass. Any discussion?
• Any discussion on this?
• Any discussion? Seeing none, please call the roll. Chair Pollitt? Aye. Vice Chair...
• Any discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Committee: House Legislative Review

Summary: The Committee on Legislative Review met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 2179. Members adopted a House committee substitute that clarifies public notice requirements by allowing a digital copy to satisfy the statute when a newspaper is unavailable in the area or cannot print the advertisement. The committee then voted the House committee substitute for HB 2179 “do pass” by a 6-2 vote. The committee next considered House Bill 3465 and voted it “do pass” by a 5-3 vote. After a brief recess, the committee returned to open session for a hearing on House Bill 2576, which would name an overpass over I-44 in Webster County for Dr. Tommy McDonnell, a longtime local physician and World War II veteran. The sponsor explained that the bill would also serve as a vehicle for additional naming requests this session through a forthcoming committee substitute. No testimony was taken on HB 2576 beyond the sponsor’s presentation, and no vote was taken on that bill. The chair said a House committee substitute would be brought the following Tuesday with a vetted list of naming items, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a discussion or debate? Seeing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Nay.
• Chairman, yes, that was one of the issues when we were discussing because... Mr.
• Chairman, yes, that was one of the issues when we were discussing because the changes, the current sales
• Is there discussion or debate on the motion? Representative Gannon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Further discussion, debate. Seeing none, the motion is to introduce RS 3-577. All in favor?

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee met on March 3, 2026, approved the minutes from February 26, and then considered RS 3-577, a proposal related to sales tax exemptions for data centers. Senator Lori Den Hartog explained that the measure was a reprint of earlier legislation, with changes including additional reporting requirements for the Tax Commission, new certification requirements tied to water and power, and a structure allowing each qualifying project to claim the exemption for 20 years rather than using a single sunset date. She said the bill was intended to clarify rules going forward and not disrupt a project already under construction. Members asked about the rapid April 1 effective date, and Senator Den Hartog said it was chosen to establish future ground rules as soon as possible, while still exempting the current project under construction from the new changes. The chair also confirmed the bill would not apply to existing built projects. Representative Gannon spoke in support, describing the measure as a step toward property tax fairness and fairness in the tax system generally. The committee voted to introduce RS 3-577, and the motion carried. No other business was taken up, and the committee adjourned with notice that it would not meet the next day and would likely reconvene on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion on that motion? Hearing none.
• So House Bill 714 repeals all of Chapter 58, and I know that was some of our discussion that we had.
• I know that was some of our discussion that we had at the previous meeting where the other bill did part
• Is there any discussion on that motion? Seeing none.
• Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none.

Summary: The House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee met with a quorum and considered three bills. House Bill 593, which had already been heard, was moved by Representative Redmond and approved for a due pass recommendation to the floor without discussion. House Bill 714, sponsored by Representative Vander Woude, would repeal Chapter 58 and reorganize hazardous waste siting provisions into Chapter 44, Title 39, consolidating and updating language from an older, unused framework. He said the bill was developed with DEQ and stakeholders to remove duplicative provisions and reflect current practice. Roy Gehrin, representing Republic Services, testified in support and said the company worked closely with DEQ and other stakeholders on the legislation. The committee then voted to send HB 714 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1265, presented by Representative Scott, was described as a code cleanup bill related to the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund Act. She said it removes expired historical distribution language, obsolete cross-references, and other outdated provisions without changing funding percentages or eligibility standards. Representative Thompson moved the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the committee approved that motion. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion on that motion? Hearing none.
• So House Bill 714 repeals all of Chapter 58, and I know that was some of our discussion that we had.
• I know that was some of our discussion that we had at the previous meeting, where the other bill did
• Is there any discussion on that motion? Seeing none.
• Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none.

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• away that license and still keeps the guidelines in for the established statute of Will there be discussion
• House Bill 3519 is a solution for the abandoned issue that we discussed in our interim study.
• Will there be discussion or debate? Seeing none, please open the queue for a recorded vote.
• A second, will there Be discussion or debate seeing none, please open the queue for a recorded vote.
• Will there be Discussion or debate? Seeing none, please open the queue for a recorded vote.

Bills: HB3011 , HB3143 , HB3144 , HB3881 , HB3519 , HB3522 , HB3530

Committee: House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances

Keywords: alcoholic beverages, personal use permit, manufacturing, excise tax, Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, medical marijuana, license transfer, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, moratorium, business regulation, commercial grower licenses, licensing restrictions, agriculture, alternative nicotine products, vaping, regulations, manufacturing standards, packaging requirements, penalties, Attorney General

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair is going to entertain a motion to go into executive session to discuss a potential agreement
• 03:03.599><c> executive</c><00:03:04.159><c> session</c><00:03:04.640><c> to</c><00:03:04.959><c> discuss
• </c> uh executive session to discuss uh executive session to discuss &gt;&gt; a<00:03:06.959><c> potential
• Any discussion? Appearing to be none. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye. Aye.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission met on February 2 at the Capitol Annex and via Zoom, with a quorum present. The meeting began with the swearing-in of new commissioner Secretary Derek Ramsey, followed by a roll call confirming members’ locations and noting that Commissioner Arnold Simpson was on his way. The commission then approved the minutes from its December 2, 2025 meeting by motion and voice vote. After that, the chair asked for a motion to enter executive session to discuss a potential agreement. The motion to go into executive session was made, seconded, and approved by voice vote. No further public discussion or action was recorded before the commission moved into closed session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any other discussion? So I will be a no on this, but thank you. Any other discussion? Seeing none.
• Any discussion? Yes, Representative. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a comment quickly. Go ahead, sir.
• Just to push back a little bit, I think we're going to have tremendous discussion on the floor on this
• Any other discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Chair Pollitt? Aye.

Committee: House Legislative Review

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and there needs to be further discussion and there needs to be further discussion to<01:48:57.280
• Thank you for the robust<02:15:55.040><c> discussion.
• </c><02:15:56.560><c> Uh</c> robust discussion. Thank you deputy. Uh robust discussion.
• </c> time to to discuss and move it forward. time to to discuss and move it forward.
• </c><03:13:25.439><c> move</c> But I I think as the discussions move But I I think as the discussions

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2021, a transportation measure creating a framework for electric bicycle and micromobility regulation. The bill would define electric bicycle and electric micromobility device, set age and helmet rules, restrict class 3 e-bikes from sidewalks, allow limited sidewalk use for class 1 and 2 bikes, prohibit high-speed electric devices and certain nonconforming devices in specified locations, update county tax definitions, and change related terminology. Testimony was largely supportive from DOT, police, Honolulu officials, Hawaii Bicycling League, AAA Hawaii, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, and several individuals, while DCCA’s Insurance Division asked for clarity on whether insurance would be required. Committee discussion focused on safety, enforcement, and the fact that no insurance market currently exists for these e-bike classes; members also discussed the need to target bad actors rather than ordinary riders. The chair then proposed and the committee adopted amendments to HB 2021, including clarifying that road-legal, permitted, classified electric bicycles are not subject to insurance requirements at this time; allowing properly classified electric bicycles on sidewalks at 10 mph or less subject to county restrictions; barring high-speed electric devices and other nonconforming devices from public roadways; authorizing impoundment of non-road-legal or improperly registered devices; and requiring direct parental supervision for riders under 16 on class 2 or 3 e-bikes. The committee also made technical and effective-date changes. The recommendation to pass HB 2021 with amendments was adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee next took up HB 1641, a related transportation bill addressing high-speed electric devices. The chair explained that the measure would prohibit the sale, lease, rental, distribution, possession, or operation of high-speed electric devices and establish penalties, but the committee’s version would narrow the focus to devices covered by HB 2021. The amended bill would prohibit offering high-speed electric devices for lease or rent, require sellers to comply with the new regulatory framework, ban operation on bicycle lanes, highways, roadways, and streets, and set a civil penalty of $250 to $1,000 per violation. After no further questions, the committee voted to pass HB 1641 with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted. The meeting then moved to HB 1709, which would transfer regulation of the Hawaii Water Carrier Act from the Public Utilities Commission to the Department of Transportation and make conforming changes with an appropriation. DOT testified in support, while the PUC and DCCA’s Consumer Advocacy Division raised concerns about preserving consumer protections and the complexity of moving the regulatory framework. Young Brothers supported the bill and said the current system is outdated, but the discussion remained ongoing; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 1709 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, in my discussions with them, they say, "We're spending all that. We're getting to it."
• If there's something other discuss it.
• So I think that is part of the discussion of what do we have SPB look at?
• </c> I think that is part of the discussion I think that is part of the discussion of<00:37:07.359><c
• It's got a reverse that discussion.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 3 February, 2026; 1:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's August 1 so that we can discuss it in the interim, fully vet out the opportunities that
• Look forward to our continued discussion on this.
• Look forward to our continued discussion on this.
• Look forward to our continued discussion on this.
• Look forward to our continued discussion on this.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum, first taking up referred administrative regulations. One regulation was deferred, and two others were noted as deficient; with no one wishing to speak, the committee treated the regulations as reviewed. The committee then heard Senate Bill 13 from Chairman Meredith, which would reduce the number of Medicaid managed care organizations from five to three. Meredith argued the bill would reduce administrative burden, improve oversight, help rural providers, and potentially lower costs for families and the Medicaid program. Senators Berg, Herron, and Douglas asked about data, patient impact, network adequacy, and prior authorization burdens; Meredith said the effect on patients would be indirect through better access and less administrative delay. The committee approved a committee substitute and passed SB 13 favorably on a 10-0 vote. The committee next considered Senate Joint Resolution 26, presented by Senator Richardson and Kentucky Pharmacists Association Executive Director Ben Mudd. The resolution asks the Department of Medicaid Services to provide data and cost analysis on paying pharmacists fairly for clinical services already within their scope of practice under Medicaid and KCHIP. Supporters said pharmacists can improve access, especially in rural areas, by providing services such as medication therapy management, chronic disease management, and preventive care, and that the resolution is intended to gather information before any future bill. Senator Douglas questioned whether expanded pharmacy duties have actually improved access or outcomes and whether there is published data; Mudd said the Board of Pharmacy tracks use of protocols but that more data is needed. The committee approved the resolution by roll call, with all members voting aye. At the end of the meeting, Chairman Meredith announced that Senate Bill 27 would be heard for discussion only and not acted on that day so members could review it further. Senator Brandon Storm introduced SB 27, which would create a Kentucky Parkinson’s disease research registry, and noted that a Michael J. Fox Foundation representative could not attend because of a winter storm; her letter was included in the packet. Storm said the registry is intended to support research and policy by tracking Parkinson’s disease in Kentucky, citing national prevalence and cost figures. No vote was taken on SB 27 during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any further discussion? If not, all those in favor...
• So I just look forward to further discussion on it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• We've had quite a bit of discussion about this in our neck of the woods.
• Senator Her, further discussion of the bill?
• No further discussion. We will have cameras on to vote.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• um and certainly matter for discussion um and certainly you<00:16:08.959><c> know</c><00:16:09.279><
• So that's all open for discussion right now as we, you know, move to get this in the right order.
• </c><00:39:51.240><c> right</c> that's all um open for discussion right that's all um open for discussion
• Uh, seeing no further discussion, Representative Backer, do you have a closing for your bill?
• Seeing none, I'll close public testimony and open it up to member questions and discussion.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll then discuss how that population can affect safety and security.
• And those are all things that we'll discuss throughout our presentation today.
• We'll now discuss health and safety enforcement by L&I.
• So there's a lot of discussion going on, but there hasn't been a lot of success.
• The trend seems to be lots of interest, lots of discussion, not a lot of things.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This backfill would allow fee discussions to focus solely on what fee levels are required to support
• So I think you heard my colleague as part of the earlier discussion talk about how...
• So I think you heard my colleague as part of the earlier discussion talk about how there are certain
• The drawbacks are that it does create less flexibility, as my colleagues have discussed, and also you
• would have The drawbacks are that it does create less flexibility, as my colleagues have discussed,

Summary: The subcommittee heard May Revision proposals for higher education, beginning with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Finance proposed a one-time $10 million General Fund backfill to repay a special fund loan used to cover litigation costs, plus provisional language to allow budget flexibility for a remaining legal expense and to repay the loan without interest. The LAO opposed shifting the litigation costs to the General Fund and raised legal concerns about waiving interest on the loan, noting that special fund loans have historically been repaid with interest. Members asked about the litigation amount and the estimated interest savings, which Finance said would be about $245,000. The committee then discussed University of California funding, including the Governor’s proposed compact funding and a $1.5 million one-time increase for the First Star foster youth program at UC campuses. UC said the program has strong outcomes at UCLA, including a 100% college-going rate and high college completion rates, and that the new funding would expand the program to additional campuses and eventually be self-supporting through fundraising. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing that UC already has overlapping outreach programs, including the Early Academic Outreach Program, and that the new initiative would duplicate existing services. Several senators questioned whether the state should expand a new program instead of strengthening existing ones, while UC and Finance emphasized the program’s focus on foster youth and its high success rates. For the California Community Colleges, Finance outlined the May Revision’s increase to the Student-Centered Funding Formula COLA from 2.41% to 4.31%, along with enrollment growth funding, categorical COLAs, deferred maintenance, and other ongoing and one-time investments. The Chancellor’s Office supported the flexible “super COLA” approach and asked for more enrollment growth funding, arguing that many districts are already above current targets and that unfunded growth restricts access. The LAO recommended funding at least the statutory COLA, redirecting some ongoing funds to enrollment growth or one-time priorities, and rejecting the $9.7 million Adult Learner Demonstration Project because districts already have incentives to do similar work. Senators pressed Finance and the Chancellor’s Office on the use of COLA funds to cover the new paid pregnancy disability leave requirement, the impact on hold-harmless and basic-aid districts, and whether the state should fund actual enrollment growth rather than a flat COLA. The committee also reviewed California Student Aid Commission proposals, including adjustments to Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship funding, continued Golden State Teacher Grant funding, and implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance said the Middle Class Scholarship changes reflected updated caseload estimates and that the higher 35% unmet-need level had been one-time funding, while CSAC urged continued support and noted the importance of financial aid for student success. The LAO recommended rejecting additional Golden State Teacher Grant funding as not well-targeted and urged caution on Workforce Pell trailer bill language, citing uncertainty about federal rules, ongoing administrative workload, and the need for clearer implementation planning. Members also raised concerns about declining CADAA applications and the need to better promote state aid for undocumented and mixed-status students. No votes were taken during the transcripted portion, and the committee moved through the agenda items with questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Burton, let's keep this discussion to the bill at hand, please.
• Further discussion from committee. Representative Hayden, permission to inquire.
• We discussed that bill this morning, and the language is similar to this language.
• There's nothing that I could add that hasn't been discussed already. Very good.
• There's nothing that I could add that hasn't been discussed already. Very good.

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Special Committee on Rural Issues heard House Bill 3375, sponsored by Rep. Koslow, a broad eminent domain reform measure aimed at protecting landowners, especially farmers and ranchers. The bill would create protections for beginning farmers and ranchers, require 15 days’ notice before surveyors enter property, extend the response period in eminent domain cases from 10 days to 60 days, bar eminent domain for wind and solar facilities, require land restoration and maintenance after construction, increase compensation to 125% of fair market value in certain cases, add tax-liability compensation, change treatment of heritage and blight-related compensation, and allow attorney’s fees when a landowner wins a higher award than the condemning authority offered. Members raised concerns about the bill’s scope, its effect on energy development, and several drafting and implementation issues, including surveyor access, maintenance standards, and whether the bill could create conflicts with existing attorney-fee provisions. The sponsor said he was open to changes and noted that an HCS would address some drafting errors and feedback. Testimony in support came from the Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, a landowner/banker, and attorney Brent Hayden, who argued that landowners are often pressured into quick, low offers and should be treated as partners rather than obstacles. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency, due process, compensation, and restoration standards, and that it would not stop infrastructure development. Hayden described current eminent domain practice as giving landowners little leverage over route selection or restoration and said the bill would create needed discipline for condemning authorities. Several supporters also defended the wind-and-solar restriction as a response to the amount of land those projects can require and to concerns about using eminent domain for generation projects. Opposition came from the Missouri Energy Development Association, municipal utilities, and MoDOT. Opponents said they agreed some reforms may be reasonable but warned the bill, as written, could increase costs, delay projects, and create litigation risk that would ultimately be passed on to customers and taxpayers. MoDOT said the fiscal impact could be substantial, potentially doubling annual right-of-way spending. Utility representatives also cautioned that the bill could conflict with existing attorney-fee rules and should be aligned with compromise language from other legislation. The hearing ended without a vote or committee action, with the sponsor and witnesses indicating further negotiations and possible revisions were expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our state budget discussions are taking place during historic uncertainty for the budget.
• You're asking me to add to the reserves discussion?
• Well, we might come to this when we turn to issue two when we discuss enrollment.
• When we discuss core funds, we subtract funds that were not spent on campus operations.
• What's being, I just don't know what's being discussed for students.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I know that you remember because you mentioned it earlier in our discussion.
• And that is not a policy discussion. That's a constitutional problem.
• And that is not a policy discussion. That's a constitutional problem.
• It has been discussed by a lot of members.
• That is still in discussion and negotiation. Other questions? Peter Berman. Questions.

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several member introductions of guests and staff. The chamber then took up returning messages from the House and acted on several bills, including transportation facility designations (SB 628), affordable housing/Live Local Act changes (HB 1389), utility services (HB 1451), education (HB 1279 substituted for SB 7038), data centers (SB 484), and land use/development regulations (SB 208/HB 399). Several other measures were temporarily postponed, including education, emergency services, and environmental rule ratification bills. On SB 628, the Senate concurred in the House amendment and passed the bill 31-4. On the affordable housing bill, senators discussed the fourth iteration of the Live Local Act, including a new provision allowing certain affordable housing on religious institution property, removal of accessory dwelling unit language, and changes to tax exemption and expiration provisions; the Senate concurred in the House amendment and passed the bill 35-0. On the utility services bill, the House amendment shortened the surcharge phase-out timeline and advanced reporting dates; the Senate concurred and passed the bill 30-6. The education package was substituted with the House companion, amended to include agreed-upon provisions on student health and safety, early learning, math, virtual instruction, career and technical education, school choice, accountability, tuition protections, and financial aid, and passed 36-1. The data centers bill drew extensive debate over transparency and ratepayer protections. Senators questioned the removal of the Senate’s nondisclosure agreement prohibition, the 12-month confidentiality period, and whether costs could be shifted to residential and commercial customers. Supporters said the amendment strengthened ratepayer protections and maintained local land-use authority, while critics objected to the loss of transparency and the possibility of local NDAs. After debate, the Senate concurred in the House amendment and passed the bill 31-6. The land use and development bill generated the most contentious discussion. Amendments addressed a Fontainebleau/Miami Beach resort water park issue, a sunset provision, and a major rural boundary/property rights proposal affecting counties such as Orange and Seminole. Senators debated whether the rural boundary language protected property rights or undermined local planning and environmental safeguards, with concerns raised about takings, county liability, and the use of an Attorney General opinion. The transcript cuts off during extended debate on that amendment, so no final vote on the land use bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, any final discussion? All right. Madam Vice Chair, please move the bill. Mr.
• A lot of the references being discussed here reference the rates in the DPS contract.
• All right, members, any other final discussion? All right, seeing none, Mr.
• They were discussions. He did discussions on my part, and he knows my concerns about this bill.
• All right, members, any final discussion before we move the bill?

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2957, which would prohibit cities, towns, counties, and districts from requiring a digital or mobile driver license for government identification purposes and would require physical licenses to be accepted. The sponsor argued the bill preserves choice, privacy, and state control over identification, and several supporters said it protects informed consent and limits biometric data use. Some members raised concerns about travel requirements and proof of legal status, but the sponsor said the bill would not eliminate Real ID or change federal travel rules. The committee recommended the bill do pass on a 4-3 vote. The committee then heard HB 2941, which would make certain unsafe motorcycle lane-splitting or lane-sharing behavior subject to reckless driving penalties. The sponsor said the bill is intended to address dangerous conduct and close a gap in enforcement, while a motorcycle rights advocate explained the difference between lane filtering, which is legal under Arizona law in limited circumstances, and lane splitting, which is not. Testimony emphasized public safety and education for riders. The committee approved the bill with a do pass recommendation on a 7-0 vote. Next, the committee considered HB 2305, as amended, dealing with private property towing. The bill would make towing rates a matter of statewide concern, tie charges to DPS tow service agreements, require documentation and notice requirements, and standardize rules for private towing carriers. Supporters said the measure would reduce confusion and predatory towing by creating uniform statewide standards, while opponents from the trucking industry argued the DPS rate structure was designed for emergency towing and that more stakeholder work was needed. After adopting an amendment clarifying the bill applies only to motor vehicles towed from private property, the committee passed the bill 7-0. Finally, the committee heard HB 2257, a strike-everything amendment changing how watercraft fee revenue is distributed between the watercraft licensing fund, the State Lake Improvement Fund, and boating safety/law enforcement purposes, while also requiring an annual expenditure report. Supporters said the change would help Mohave County and other local agencies that are covering more water patrol duties as Game and Fish resources are stretched, but Game and Fish warned the shift would create a significant fiscal impact and said the department is already operating with tight budgets. The committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a do pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• have to abruptly end this hearing due to technical difficulties, the committee will reconvene to discuss
• We'd like to keep this going along for discussion.
• of their concerns that they laid out, with an effective date of January 1st, 2525, for further discussion
• We are going to defer date this to July 1st, 2525, as well for further discussion.
• What might be possibilities so that we could discuss this with agencies that might be relevant?

Bills: SB2064 , SB2312 , SB2811 , SB2662 , SB2744 , SB2809 , SB2862 , SB2343 , SB2336 , SB2075 , SB2308 , SB2601 , SB2397 , SB2219 , SB2849 , SB2449 , SB2781

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Keywords: state architect, construction projects, design approvals, building codes, state agency oversight, government contracts, transparency, record retention, public oversight, Hawaii Revised Statutes, building permits, task force, state-owned lands, construction, regulatory process, government accountability, external consultants, procurement reform, cost efficiency, in-house expertise

Summary: The committee met for decision-making on measures heard earlier in the week and took up a series of government operations, procurement, public records, public meetings, and related bills. Several measures were deferred one week to February 12, 2026, including bills on state construction projects, government accountability, gubernatorial appointments, the legislature, public procurement, and a bill on Hawaiian lei sales, largely so the committee could compare similar measures, address concerns, or integrate related reports. The committee also deferred SB 2449 on public meetings for the year, citing concerns that the proposed business-day definition was overly prescriptive and unnecessary. The committee passed several bills with amendments. These included measures clarifying UIPA applicability to records created or maintained by agencies, with amendments changing “government function” to “agency function” and committee report language noting Attorney General concerns and exempting ERS for now; SB 2811 on state building projects with technical amendments and a delayed effective date; SB 2809 on budget-related reports; SB 2336 on trees, with a Senate draft and removal of “political subdivision”; SB 2308 on small purchase vendor compliance, setting the threshold at $5,000 and adding a delayed effective date; SB 2601 on procurement, reorganizing misdemeanor language and leaving funding/FTE issues to Ways and Means; SB 2219 on a capital visitor center working group; and SB 2849 on public meetings, with technical amendments and a delayed effective date. Bills on neighborhood board concerns and public notice were also adopted, with SB 2929 drawing testimony both for and against. Testimony was generally supportive on procurement and small business measures, especially SB 2928 establishing permanent small business procurement coordinator positions, which drew strong support from the State Procurement Office, DBEDT, the Chamber of Commerce, DOT, the Ethics Commission, and others. On public notice, the County of Maui supported allowing website posting, while another witness raised concerns about accessibility, centralized notice locations, and impacts on kūpuna and people with disabilities. On search and rescue, the committee heard support for creating a statewide coordination structure, along with discussion of where such an office should reside; the Attorney General raised constitutional and placement concerns, while witnesses suggested law enforcement, DLNR, or DoD as possible homes. The committee also heard support for a bill protecting home addresses of covered public servants and candidates, though the Public First Law Center urged broader coverage and a better fit with existing law.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just think that the proper time for us to discuss...
• And so as we proceed forward, I know we'll be discussing such things.
• Okay, so at this time anyway, and we'll have discussion.
• We're only going to discuss the rules.
• And it's the first thing we discuss on this Senate floor.

Bills: SR5 , SB5 , SB11 , SB12 , SB25 , SB26 , SB28 , SB35 , SB5 , SB11 , SB12 , SB25 , SB26 , SB28 , SB35

Keywords: redistricting, Senate procedures, public input, Texas Legislature, amendments, Texas Senate, congressional districts, legislative procedures, legislative transparency, Senate rules, public hearings, committee procedures, hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes

Summary: The meeting centered around the discussion of congressional redistricting, where the committee established the procedures to ensure a fair and transparent process. Led by Senator King, the session focused on adopting a resolution that authorized a special committee dedicated to congressional redistricting and allowed for regional hearings to gather public input via videoconferencing. Concerns were raised about ensuring adequate notice for public participation, especially from marginalized communities potentially affected by proposed changes. Disagreements emerged regarding the timeline for regional hearings and how to address the implications of the redistricting process on minority districts. Overall, participants acknowledged the complex nature of redistricting and the importance of engaging constituents in the legislative process.