Transcript Highlights:

• Besides safety improvements, the proposed project will also provide a more efficient connection between
• </c><01:29:43.400><c> connection</c> also provide more efficient connection also provide more efficient
• It seems like it would be much cheaper and efficient to add this section to the project to the north
• "This year would be a proactive measure to be as efficient as possible with taxpayer dollars to make
• Senate File 130 would provide funding to finally connect the entire Iron Range with a safe, efficient

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :31.760><c> more</c> ever been figuring out how to be more ever been figuring out how to be more efficient
• with the process is a top efficient with the process is a top priority<00:24:34.840><c> for</c><00:24
• a solution that doesn't jeopardize, you know, safety, but tries to encourage a little bit more efficiency
• a solution that doesn't jeopardize, you know, safety, but tries to encourage a little bit more efficiency
• a solution that doesn't jeopardize, you know, safety, but tries to encourage a little bit more efficiency

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This proposed change maintains high professional standards while embracing regulatory independence, educational
• standards maintains high professional standards while<04:12:42.640><c> embracing</c><04:12:43.279><c> regulatory
• </c><04:12:43.920><c> independence,</c> while embracing regulatory independence, while embracing regulatory

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing and then an executive session on Senate Bill 401, which DHHS described as a cleanup bill. Testimony from the department explained that the bill would repeal obsolete reporting requirements tied to a repealed municipal reimbursement program and to the now-repealed commission on demographic trends. No one testified in opposition, and the committee voted 12-0 ought to pass, placing the bill on the consent calendar. The committee then heard Senate Bill 402, which would eliminate certain non-compete agreements for physician associates going forward. Senator Gray introduced the bill, and a representative of the New Hampshire Society of Physician Associates said it would improve workforce recruitment and access to care without changing scope of practice or affecting existing agreements. Committee members asked about the length of current restrictions and whether the change would make New Hampshire more attractive to PAs. The committee voted 12-0 ought to pass and sent the bill to the consent calendar. Next, the committee took up Senate Bill 426, which would repeal the permissible fireworks committee. Senator Uler and the deputy state fire marshal said the committee’s original purpose had been overtaken by later changes adopting federal fireworks standards, and that the fire marshal now has the necessary authority. The committee voted 12-0 ought to pass and placed the bill on the consent calendar. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 469, a DMV modernization bill allowing electronic signatures in place of wet signatures for certain motor vehicle title and registration processes. Senator Lang, Carvana, the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association, Copart, and DMV staff all supported the measure, saying it would reduce delays, errors, and paperwork burdens. Members asked about AI, consumer protections, costs, and how electronic signatures would work in practice, including in cases involving deceased owners. The transcript cuts off during that hearing before any committee action on SB 469.

Transcript Highlights:

• on the part of this administration to do these exact things: electoral systems, the independent regulatory
• . electoral systems,<00:18:48.480><c> the</c><00:18:48.720><c> independent</c><00:18:49.280><c> regulatory
• </c> systems, the independent regulatory systems, the independent regulatory bodies, bodies, bodies,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But really, there are regulatory efforts in terms of if someone is registered with Medicaid, there is
• that there initially, but it's really that there are<00:39:29.680><c> there's</c><00:39:30.560><c> regulatory
• /c><00:39:31.280><c> efforts</c><00:39:31.680><c> in</c><00:39:32.000><c> terms</c> are there's regulatory
• efforts in terms are there's regulatory efforts in terms of<00:39:32.880><c> if</c><00:39:33.200><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session opened with routine announcements, including new and absent members, a tribute to former chair Rep. Jess Edwards, and an explanation that Division 3 is advisory and will make recommendations to full Finance. Chair Mooney also distributed a self-created index to the budget binder and reviewed the committee’s options under House Rule 45. Members discussed scheduling a future visit to the Veterans Home in Tilton, with several October dates unavailable, and the chair said she would circulate possible dates. The committee also reviewed the second-year budget context and sources of funding, including surplus monies, existing and new revenue streams, grants, reappropriations, and the rainy day fund. The committee then took up several retained bills and repeatedly heard that their substance had already been addressed in the budget. House Bill 519, funding the Waypoint Youth and Young Adult Shelter, was moved ITL and passed 10-0. House Bill 547, county reimbursement funds, was also moved ITL and passed 10-0 after members noted the reimbursement had been included in HB 2. House Bill 570, repealing the prescription drug affordability board, was moved ITL and passed 10-0, with minority members saying they still believed the board had value but acknowledging the repeal had already occurred in HB 2. House Bill 704, concerning caregiver respite and senior volunteer programs, received the most discussion. Mr. Ripple explained that most items were already funded or suspended in the budget, leaving only the senior volunteer grant program unfunded. Chair Mooney offered amendment 2963H to fund the RSVP program at $180,000 for one year, contingent on surplus funds, and DHHS witnesses explained that RSVP is a federally funded AmeriCorps program that would be added to existing state licensing structures. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was reported ought to pass as amended on a 10-0 vote. The committee then heard House Bill 751, which would require licensure of outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities and create an ombudsman-related complaint process. DHHS witnesses said the bill had been narrowed substantially from an earlier certification model with multiple positions and IT costs to a licensing model using existing department infrastructure, reducing the fiscal note to $211,000 for one position. They also said the ombudsman section was no longer needed because licensed facilities would fall under existing oversight. Members questioned how many facilities exist and whether licensing fees would cover costs; DHHS said it did not know the full provider landscape and that licensing revenue across the board does not cover the department’s costs. Rep. Daniels then proposed amendment 2964H to form a study committee because of the remaining questions and lack of a clear revenue stream, and the committee was still discussing that amendment when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• , the authority of the Department of Education, the CCE, ...the efficiency, the authority of the Department
• And if it's efficiency and effectiveness and just clear signals for the beleaguered superintendent of
• That's still valuable: to be more efficient and to be more effective without making broad, unsubstantiated
• For those more immediate measures, I think, yes, I'm looking at measures of satisfaction and efficiency
• directives or similar responses to challenges that they're facing, that could be made a lot more efficient

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How can we help them be more efficient?
• Uh, Parasite Systems is developing a new unit to help farmers and vet clinics more efficiently track
• to help farmers and vet clinics uh unit to help farmers and vet clinics uh more<00:31:14.880><c> efficiently
• > uh</c><00:31:16.640><c> track</c><00:31:16.960><c> parasites</c><00:31:17.760><c> so</c> more efficiently
• uh track parasites so more efficiently uh track parasites so that<00:31:18.080><c> we</c><00:31:18.159

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• will make the state in a way that will make services<00:54:30.000><c> more</c><00:54:30.240><c> efficient
• /c><00:54:30.960><c> save</c><00:54:31.280><c> money,</c><00:54:32.000><c> and</c> services more efficient
• , save money, and services more efficient, save money, and improve<00:54:32.720><c> population</c><00
• </c><00:54:53.599><c> and</c><00:54:53.839><c> more</c> money and be more efficient and more money and
• be more efficient and more effective.<00:54:54.880><c> Uh,</c><00:54:55.200><c> because</c><00:54:55.520

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on March 20, 2025, to hear a series of Human Services and Health resolutions. HCR 146, which asks the Department of Human Services to apply for and implement the Elderly Simplified Application Project, drew strong support from disability, public health, and hunger advocates. Testifiers emphasized that the measure could create a more uniform benefits application, reduce repeated paperwork, extend certification periods from one year to three years, and ease burdens on both applicants and DHS staff. DHS said it stood on its written testimony and was available for questions. The committee also heard that a universal application could help people with disabilities avoid delays and denials caused by complex or duplicative forms. The committee then heard HR 170/HCR 174, which requests review of Aloha-based learning programs for youth in the juvenile legal system. Supporters from Opportunity for Youth Action Hawaii and DebtFree Justice Hawaii said the resolution would help advance restorative justice, community service, and culturally grounded rehabilitation, especially if youth fees and fines are reduced or eliminated. Testimony also supported HR 133/HCR 139, which asks the Office of Wellness and Resilience to report on the developmental needs of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Witnesses from the developmental disabilities council, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, the Hawaii Community Foundation, and others said the pandemic’s trauma and behavioral impacts justify a multidisciplinary, evidence-based report, and the office requested more time to complete its findings, suggesting a deadline at the end of 2026. The committee also heard HR 88/HCR 92, proposing a two-year homelessness sanctuary pilot program in Honolulu. One testifier described sleeping in a car and said the pilot could provide a safer option, while the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions said it supported the intent but stressed that a sanctuary is still an unsheltered situation and should lead people toward permanent housing. HCR 180, calling for collaboration among homelessness and law enforcement agencies, received comments that many of the issues are already being addressed locally. HR 103/HCR 107, which would convene a working group to strengthen Title 9 protections, received support from education, women’s, and LGBTQ advocates, who asked for student and queer representation on the working group and said federal Title 9 changes make state action important. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the committee moved from one resolution to the next after testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We just recently had a conversation about a wide range of changes and ways to. more efficiently invest
• The member of the committee who actually proposed the term efficient, which really is a cornerstone of
• Hours of debate, and it has a clear framework for providing an adequate, efficient, equitable public
• It happens with a brutal efficiency, especially in the charter sector.
• The more options there are, the more brutal, brutally efficient your accountability. is.

Bills: HB3 , HB3

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• But we have to be more creative and efficient with the resources that we have to make sure we're able
• Maybe counties can partner together to be able to provide the efficiency of those numbers so that they
• And getting some insight as to what's effective and how we can be more efficient with the limited dollars
• that we have... ...insight as to what's effective and how we can be more efficient with the limited

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To implement their authority efficiently and to avoid being tied up in lengthy litigation, North Fork
• SB 997 simply grants lien authority to North Fork Kings, which ensures that the GSA can efficiently implement
• groundwater sustainability plan. ...lien authority to North Fork Kings, which ensures that the GSA can efficiently
• It's a common-sense transparency measure that reduces avoidable costs, improves efficiency, and supports

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several bills focused on health care planning, mental health court participation, homeowners association governance, groundwater enforcement, pet-policy disclosure in rentals, and post-disaster property speculation. SB 1088 would update California’s POLST and DNR laws by renaming POLST to Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, allowing electronic signatures, clarifying who may sign on a patient’s behalf, and making clear that these forms are voluntary; it drew support from the Coalition for Compassionate Care and no opposition. SB 1242 would let original family petitioners participate in CARE Court for care coordination and information-sharing, while preserving judicial discretion to exclude them if harmful; supporters said it would improve treatment coordination, while Disability Rights California opposed it as coercive and a removal of patient consent. The committee advanced SB 1242 on a 7-0 vote, with the bill placed on call. The committee also considered SB 1007, which would require more HOA budget transparency, disclosure of evidence for violations, and a lower cap on regular assessment increases without a homeowner vote. Supporters argued it would improve accountability and protect homeowners from steep fee hikes, while HOA industry groups warned it could undermine funding for insurance, maintenance, and other operating costs. Members raised concerns about the cap and the need for flexibility for large expenses; the bill passed 6-1 and was placed on call. SB 1364, as amended, would prevent a person convicted of sexual assault from obtaining custody or visitation of a child conceived from that assault, while preserving the possibility of voluntary co-parenting and aiming to qualify California for federal grant funding; it passed 8-0 and was placed on call. Later, SB 997 would give the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and its groundwater sustainability plan, addressing an enforcement gap for a GSA created by special legislation rather than a joint powers agreement. It drew support from agricultural and county groups and passed 9-0, placed on call. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies up front on applications, websites, and ads, and allow refund of an application fee if disclosure was not provided before payment; supporters said it would reduce wasted application costs and pet relinquishment, while rental housing groups said the ad disclosure requirements were impractical. The bill passed 8-0 and was placed on call. The final bill, SB 1090, was introduced to prohibit large property owners from making unsolicited purchase offers for five years in wildfire-disaster areas, responding to investor activity after the Eaton and Palisades fires; the author and a SAGE witness described it as a protection against disaster capitalism and predatory low offers to displaced residents.

Transcript Highlights:

• How do we look at maybe what other states are doing to do this more efficiently or in a more cost-effective
• c><00:04:06.960><c> do</c><00:04:07.120><c> this</c><00:04:07.320><c> more</c><00:04:07.840><c> efficiently
• </c><00:04:08.560><c> or</c><00:04:09.240><c> in</c> doing to do this more efficiently or in doing to
• do this more efficiently or in a a a uh<00:04:10.120><c> more</c><00:04:10.480><c> cost-effective</c

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To the point of Senator Limmer and Senator Miller, you know, there was a question about the efficient
• question Miller, you know, there was a question about<00:16:02.120><c> the</c><00:16:02.240><c> efficient
• 03.200><c> do</c><00:16:03.440><c> that</c><00:16:03.800><c> and</c><00:16:03.920><c> I</c> about the efficient
• way to do that and I about the efficient way to do that and I think<00:16:04.240><c> you're</c><00:16

Committee: Senate Rules and Administration

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we'd like to find ways to be more efficient about this, and I think the data would be helpful.
• :08.160><c> more</c> So, we'd like to find ways to be more So, we'd like to find ways to be more efficient
• 21:09.200><c> and</c><00:21:09.360><c> I</c><00:21:09.400><c> think</c><00:21:09.600><c> the</c> efficient
• about this, and I think the efficient about this, and I think the data<00:21:09.920><c> would</c><00

Bills: SB2479 , SB2557 , SB2861 , SB3204 , SB3324 , SB3325

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: criminal procedure, family violence, dating violence, child abuse, evidence admissibility, reduced sentencing, homelessness, reporting requirements, statewide office, housing solutions, kauhale projects, public oversight, SB2861, Hawaii, Office of Wellness and Resilience, OWR, Department of Human Services, DHS, Kakou Pilot Program, Kakou

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures related to criminal procedure, homelessness, family resilience, Medicaid-funded services, and school Medicaid reimbursement. On SB 2479 SD2, the Judiciary testified in neutral opposition with concerns that the bill could require imprisonment even for probation-eligible defendants, expand sentence reconsideration in ways that could undermine finality for victims, conflict with existing sentencing statutes, and require additional judicial resources. The Office of the Public Defender supported the bill’s intent but asked for language changes so people serving sentences could raise the new evidence in Rule 40 petitions and so probation would remain available in appropriate felony cases. Written testimony also included opposition from several county prosecutors and police, and support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The chair later deferred SB 2479 SD2, citing unintended consequences and problems with the bill. For SB 2557 SD1, which would require annual reporting by the State Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions, the office said it supported the intent but noted it already produces annual and quarterly reports, that some requested data is already available, and that staffing and cost constraints could make the new reporting burdensome. The State Council on Mental Health supported the measure and suggested narrowing the reporting language to data on individuals with serious mental illness or co-occurring behavioral health conditions, to the extent practicable and in collaboration with relevant agencies. A committee member asked about the availability of point-in-time count data, and the office explained that some figures may not be available every year and may need to be generated through HMIS. Dr. Jack Lewin testified in support, saying the data would be useful for understanding health care costs. The committee passed SB 2557 SD1 with amendments, including a deferral of the effective date. The committee also heard SB 2861 SD2 and SB 3204 SD1, both family resilience pilot program measures. For SB 2861 SD2, the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS supported the bill but requested amendments to clarify that the office’s role is planning and advisory, that DHS is a key partner, and that federal compliance safeguards are included. The chair raised concerns about overlap with DHS’s existing Ka Ohana program and asked for language to avoid redundancy while allowing the bill to cover other at-risk children; decision-making was deferred to the next hearing. For SB 3204 SD1, which would create a peer-navigator-based family resilience pilot, the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS supported the measure, with the office requesting a two-year pilot period, and both agencies and several advocacy groups submitted support. The committee discussed funding, the proposed five peer navigators, and whether the pilot should be limited to one or two geographic areas; no final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee also heard and supported SB 3324 SD1 on Medicaid home and community-based services, with the Department of Health emphasizing caregiver shortages and the cost-effectiveness of community care, and SB 3325 SD1 HD1 on public school Medicaid reimbursement, where DOE and the Attorney General requested clarifying amendments to reporting language and position titles.

Transcript Highlights:

• SSD may have been created with aspirations of equity, efficiency,... and start with your name at the
• SSD may have been created with aspirations of equity, efficiency, Diane Dragon: SSD may have been created
• with aspirations of equity, efficiency, and shared responsibility, but whatever promise that was on
• Removing or diminishing this district will not create efficiency. It will create harm.

Committee: House General Laws

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, a much more efficient process makes much more sense. I urge you it's something that I support.
• So, a<00:25:02.560><c> much</c><00:25:02.920><c> more</c><00:25:03.120><c> efficient</c><00:25:03.560
• ><c> process</c><00:25:04.600><c> makes</c><00:25:04.960><c> much</c> a much more efficient process makes
• much a much more efficient process makes much more<00:25:05.400><c> sense.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And when you do that, you incentivize agencies not to be efficient, but to carry extra weight, carry
• Not to be efficient, but to carry extra weight, carry extra fat, right?
• If we want our agencies to be efficient like we say we do, then we have to look at them independently
• how many times I've heard criticism of the public school system for being wasteful, not being as efficient

Summary: The Senate opened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the corrected journal, then received committee reports and House messages before moving into floor action on several bills. Among the measures introduced and referred were bills on housing, education, machine guns, cash rounding, virtual currency kiosk fraud prevention, unauthorized workers, and other State Affairs topics. The Senate also took up a number of third-reading bills, including Senate Bill 1314 on Health and Welfare board structures, Senate Bill 1316 on newborn screening exemptions, Senate Bill 1301 on brewer retail taprooms, Senate Bill 1331 on a broad rescission/appropriations reduction package, Senate Bill 1332 on cash transfers to balance the budget, and later Senate Bill 1308 on mediation and Senate Bill 1309 on juvenile corrections. Senate Bill 1314 drew the most substantive debate early in the meeting. Supporters said it would eliminate outdated board structures in the Department of Health and Welfare and regional behavioral health boards that no longer served a necessary function, while opponents argued the boards still provided public accountability, regional input, and transparency, especially for behavioral health services. The bill passed 28-7. Senate Bill 1316, which updated exemption language for newborn screenings to align with other Idaho law and clarify parental rights, passed unanimously 35-0. Senate Bill 1301, allowing small brewers to expand from one to two remote taproom locations, passed 31-4 after supporters framed it as a free-market and small-business measure. The most contentious vote was on Senate Bill 1331, the rescission bill reducing fiscal year 2026 appropriations by about $192.7 million, including cuts to general fund, federal, and dedicated funds, along with reductions in FTEs and some program funding. Supporters said it was needed to balance the budget amid revenue uncertainty and that agencies had been asked where to make the additional 1% cuts; opponents criticized the bill as an across-the-board, opaque “Christmas tree” approach that cut lean and bloated agencies alike and created confusion about specific reductions. After extended debate, the bill passed narrowly 18-17. Senate Bill 1332, which transferred money from several funds back to the General Fund to help balance the budget, also drew criticism for shifting money from programs such as Launch, water pollution control, and building projects, but it passed 26-9. Later, Senate Bill 1308 passed 35-0 and Senate Bill 1309 passed 35-0 with little opposition. The Senate then returned to other business, introduced Senate Bill 1361 on public safety appropriations, and began consideration of Senate Bill 1300, which would change confirmation and appointment provisions for certain state agency directors.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when you do that, you incentivize agencies not to be efficient, but to carry extra weight, carry
• Not to be efficient, but to carry extra weight, carry extra fat, right?
• If we want our agencies to be efficient like we say we do, then we have to look at them independently
• how many times I've heard criticism of the public school system for being wasteful, not being as efficient

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• people with that institutional knowledge and keeping them in those places are keys to keeping us efficient
• people with that institutional knowledge and keeping them in those places are keys to keeping us efficient
• people with that institutional knowledge and keeping them in those places are keys to keeping us efficient
• people with that institutional knowledge and keeping them in those places are keys to keeping us efficient

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 5 February, 2026; 8:30 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and also bring all sides together and say, okay, how do we make things better, safer, faster, more efficient
• So this is some cleanup and some help to make that process easier and more efficient. So, Ms.
• So this is some cleanup and some help to make that process easier and more efficient. So Ms.
• multiplier that supports, not replaces, our officers, and allows us to use limited resources more efficiently

Summary: The committee first took up HB 2669, which would limit railroad train length in Arizona to 8,500 feet. The sponsor and several witnesses argued that very long trains create public safety risks, block rural crossings, delay EMS and fire response, and can worsen hazardous materials incidents, citing derailments and blocked crossings in places such as El Mirage, Holbrook, Sanders, and Santa Cruz County. Railroad representatives opposed the bill, saying train length does not cause derailments, that railroads already use tracking and crossing-management systems, and that shorter trains would increase congestion and delays. After debate, the committee voted 7-0 to give HB 2669 a do-pass recommendation, though some members said they supported the safety concerns but had constitutional concerns about interstate commerce. The committee then considered HB 2369, as amended, which requires photo-enforcement citations to be signed by the presiding judge, with the amendment limiting the requirement to photo-enforcement citations and allowing an electronic signature. The sponsor said the bill was prompted by a Mesa issue involving thousands of citations signed by the wrong judge after that judge had left the bench. A Paradise Valley court representative said their photo citations already include a judge/clerk signature and that the form had long been approved. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill 7-0. HB 2256, a technical cleanup bill for salvage auction dealers, was also passed unanimously. It allows a salvage auction dealer to receive title to an abandoned vehicle tied to a denied or unpaid insurance claim and sets out notice and title-release procedures; the amendment clarified that insurers may request actions rather than taking possession of a vehicle and that storage fees must be paid. HCM 2007, which urges renaming sections of State Route 69 in honor of veterans from five former wars, also received a 7-0 do-pass recommendation, with members discussing whether World War I should be included and how the memorial highway designation would work alongside the existing route number. HB 2772, which would place a pre-hospital medical care directive indicator on driver licenses and state IDs, generated extended discussion and was ultimately held over after a recess. Supporters said it could help first responders and families quickly identify a DNR/advance directive, while opponents and committee members raised concerns about liability, whether first responders or bystanders would be protected, whether the bill should instead reference advance directives, and whether ADOT and EMS stakeholders had been fully consulted. The committee then heard HCR 2004, a proposed voter-approved prohibition on photo enforcement systems. The sponsor argued photo radar is unconstitutional and cited Mesa and Paradise Valley problems with erroneous or dismissed citations. Scottsdale and Phoenix police opposed the resolution, saying photo enforcement reduces serious injury and fatal crashes, supports local traffic safety efforts, and is especially useful amid officer shortages. The Phoenix commander noted the department has more than 600 sworn vacancies and said automated enforcement helps augment roadway safety.