Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Simpson on the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• function of general counsel into... ...the function of general counsel into two different departments
• the citizens of the state of Alabama.
• very much, and that's because Alabama is the best state in the United States in terms of monitoring
• ... the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

Bills: HB159 , HB110 , HB114 , HB115 , HB116 , HB123 , HB125

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Transcript Highlights:

• of transportation.
• the Texas Department of Transportation many of you all do know we've got 25 districts Distributed around
• Those are really the front door of the Texas Department of Transportation.
• we do with the Texas Department of Transportation.
• On behalf of the Texas Department of Justice. Department of Transportation, thank you. Go ahead.

Committee: House Transportation

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• He personally invited everyone to join a special reception on March 4th at the Alabama Department of
• Alabama Department of Archives at the re Alabama Department of Archives and<00:19:20.240><c> History.
• state of Alabama.
• in the state of Alabama. And because we in the state of Alabama.
• ><c> to</c> of anything in the state of Alabama to of anything in the state of Alabama to reach<02:38

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• Alabama House Federation of Alabama House Federation of Alabama House Representatives and the house
• of Alabama roll University of Alabama roll tide members of the Tusc Loa delegation tide members of the
• of Education bill the State Department of Education bill the State Department of Education would then
• in the state of Alabama only I think in the state of Alabama only I think in the state of Alabama only
• directs the Alabama State Department of Education to implement an Internet of Education to implement

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• ><c> Exchange</c> of Alabama Japan Legislative Exchange of Alabama Japan Legislative Exchange Group<00
• </c> the great state of Alabama. the great state of Alabama.
• of the Alabama as executive officer of the Alabama Board<00:25:44.880><c> of</c><00:25:45.120><c> Nursing
• schools of Alabama.
• Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975.

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• Many of you know me already as the President and CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute, but what you might
• So here's what's true about smartphones: Every person in the state of Alabama, including children, number
• The distribution of obscenity to children or adults is already illegal in Alabama, as stated in Section
• I'm Becky Garritson with Eagle Forum of Alabama, and I'm going to just kind of combine a couple of things
• It automatically switches to the filter being on when the phone is activated in the state of Alabama.

Bills: SB186 , SB187

Committee: Senate Children and Youth Health

Keywords: internet filtering, child protection, obscene content, civil liability, manufacturers, app store, app store provider, app developer, mobile app, age verification, parental consent, minor safety, child online safety, parental controls, age gating, digital privacy, data protection, in-app purchases, online consumer protection, deceptive trade practice

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• Alabama sends thousands of children to in-state and out-of-state camps every year. communication, evacuation
• ><c> children</c> Alabama sends thousands of children Alabama sends thousands of children to<00:01:57.440
• The customer is in Alabama. A meaningful portion of our supply chain is in Alabama.
• A meaningful portion of our supply chain is in Alabama.
• Doing a lot of good work. This is Alabama Arise. This is the Apple Seed Program.

Bills: HB381 , HB259 , HB393 , HB399 , SB358 , SB362 , SB363 , SB348 , SB187

Committee: Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

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• </c> of Alabama. of Alabama.
• </c> Governor of Governor of Alabama.
• c> But I hope that for the good of the state of Alabama, for the growth of the state of Alabama, which
• the state of Alabama.
• </c> of Alabama. of Alabama.

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• </c> piece of legislation. piece of legislation.
• </c> kind of record and if even only 10% of kind of record and if even only 10% of those<00:17:57.200
• </c> acts of sexual abuse. acts of sexual abuse.
• </c> piece of property or commercial piece of piece of property or commercial piece of property, property
• So, property of another or of another.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve parts of Youalla and the south end of Barber County.
• At least five of us have voters in the city of Eufaula.
• What is consistent across the state of Alabama in public counties?
• Uh, that's one of the 13 counties in Alabama that has changed their requirements.
• Jefferson County is one of them. I have... Jefferson County is one of them.

Bills: SB287

Committee: House Local Legislation

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• as an emissions-intensive trade-exposed facility by the Department of Ecology.
• Joel Creswell, manager of the Climate Pollution Reduction Program at the Department of Ecology, here
• of Ecology and the state of Washington on where the opportunities are. ...information with the Department
• Joel Creswell, again, manager of the Climate Pollution Reduction Program of the Department of Ecology
• of the Climate Pollution Reduction Program of the Department of Ecology, signed in as other today on

Bills: SB6013 , SB6291

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: ski areas, winter sports, terminology, recreation, economic development, SB6291, on-site wastewater treatment, onsite wastewater treatment, septic system, sewage treatment, wastewater inspection, environmental health, local board of health, public health, professional engineer, land surveyor, certificate of competency, inspection standards, design review, supervised practice

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• And what I said was that the state of Alabama didn't give the citizens of Birmingham anything.
• a great job for the great citizens of Alabama. 775,000 served by the Birmingham Waterworks.
• the economy of the state of Alabama.
• And even at the state of Alabama, we just wrote another $500 million blank check for a mega prison that
• like my chairman did over here across the state of Alabama.

Bills: SB330

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: water management, regional boards, municipal governance, ethics compliance, public utility

Transcript Highlights:

• Involve the waterways of the state of Alabama so that, Father, when our time is gone, people will know
• Involve the waterways of the<00:06:43.039><c> state</c><00:06:43.120><c> of</c><00:06:43.280><c> Alabama
• </c><00:06:44.160><c> So</c><00:06:44.319><c> that</c><00:06:44.560><c> father</c> the state of Alabama
• So that father the state of Alabama.
• South Alabama, Department of Conservation, and others.

Bills: HB38 , HB39 , HB181 , HB38 , HB39 , HB181

Committee: House Ports, Waterways & Intermodal Transit

Transcript Highlights:

• If passed into law, Senate Bill 1919 would help the Texas Department of Transportation improve efficiency
• The Transportation Commission may provide financial assistance to support construction and repair of
• Chairman Nichols, Dan Harmon, I'm the Aviation Director for the Texas Department of Transportation.
• Make sure you all know that Scott Hewitt is a resource with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
• It grants the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles enforcement authority

Bills: SB1493 , SB1598 , SB1895 , SB1919 , SB2039 , SB2226 , SB2243 , SB2425

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard and advanced a wide range of transportation-related bills. Early in the meeting, SB 1598 by Senator Hagenbuch was heard on allowing collision report information to be used and shared more clearly for law enforcement investigations, including through records-management partners and nonconfidential VIN data; the bill drew support from the Sheriff’s Association and Carfax for Police and was left pending before later being reported favorably. SB 1493 by Senator Parker, which would codify DPS’s position on flashing/pulsing stop lamps as compliant with federal standards, also received supportive testimony and was reported favorably. SB 1895 by Senator Perry would designate Loop 88 in Lubbock as a First Responders Memorial Loop and was reported favorably, and SB 1919 and SB 2243 by Senator West, dealing with TxDOT liability claim settlements and TxDMV authority to require VIN inspections for certain trailers, were likewise heard without opposition and later reported favorably. SB 2039, concerning right-of-way and traffic rules for sidewalk users such as bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards, and scooters, was heard and left pending before being reported favorably later in the meeting. SB 2226 by Senator Nichols, reducing the local match requirement for aviation grants in economically disadvantaged counties from 10% to 5%, was discussed with TxDOT testimony explaining how federal and state airport funding interact; it was reported favorably. SB 2499 by Senator Flores, involving memorial markers and an account for donations, and SB 1394 by Senator Hall, concerning concrete truck axle rules, were also reported favorably. The committee recessed after handling the pending items and leaving some additional matters for a later hearing. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 2425 by Senator Nichols, a comprehensive bill on commercial autonomous vehicles. The author said the bill was developed through extensive stakeholder meetings with industry, agencies, insurers, and lawyers, and it would require AV companies to provide information to TxDMV, submit first-responder interaction plans to DPS, and allow DPS and DMV to suspend or revoke operations in certain circumstances. The committee substitute also updated definitions, addressed Level 3 systems, clarified commercial use and fleet penalties, and created an expedited process for reinstating operating authority after disputes. Supporters included the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Tesla, GM Cruise, Bot Auto, and the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, who said the bill balances innovation and safety and helps Texas remain a leader in AV deployment. One witness opposed the bill, arguing that it would improperly shield manufacturers from liability, but committee members and the industry witnesses said liability would continue to be governed by state law and that the bill was intended to clarify, not eliminate, responsibility. After debate, the committee adopted the substitute and reported SB 2425 favorably on a 6-0 vote. Throughout the hearing, members asked questions about practical effects and funding. On SB 2226, TxDOT’s aviation director explained that some airports already receive federal and state support and that the bill would mainly help state-only airports in disadvantaged counties that struggle to meet local match requirements. On SB 2425, members asked about reliability metrics, commercialization, and liability; industry witnesses said the technology is still being refined but that Texas’s framework has attracted investment and could improve road safety over time. Several bills were recommended to the local and uncontested calendar after favorable votes, and the committee also agreed to keep motions in writing open briefly for members who were absent, so long as doing so would not change any bill outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment, within the definition of person, clarifies that one of the responsibilities is transporting
• those aspects of the abuse of the child, the physical, the sexual, and all of those traumas that may
• of the circumstances are already part of the statute in terms of what's considered at sentencing.
• I will say that in defense of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections Division of Probation and
• And it wasn't in the State Department of Corrections.

Bills: HB75 , SB134 , SB201 , SB258 , SB288 , SB313 , SB320 , SB321 , SB325 , SB339 , SB345 , SB393 , SB422 , SB440 , SB470 , SB487 , SB523

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of these are like Utah, South Carolina, Alabama.
• Some of these are like Utah, South Carolina, Alabama.
• Utah, South Carolina, Alabama—these are, I guess, most of those examples; they're economic powerhouses
• Cox, the head of our mapping department, says, 'Mr.
• , is in the best interest of the child, the department consents, and, three, the parents consent, or

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 4198, which would require employers to use E-Verify to confirm new hires’ work authorization and impose escalating penalties for violations, including warnings, debarment from state contracts, loss of business licenses, and other sanctions. Counsel and senators raised extensive drafting concerns, including circular language, conflicts with existing record-retention provisions, unclear references to “seeks to employ,” possible application to babysitters, lawn care, and other casual or household arrangements, and uncertainty about how the bill would work for employers who never actually complete a hire. The bill sponsor defended the measure as a way to strengthen compliance with existing law, protect employers who use E-Verify in good faith, and deter illegal hiring. After debate, a motion to table the bill failed on a roll call vote, 6 in favor and 10 opposed, and the chair then announced the bill would be sent to a subcommittee to be cleaned up, with instructions to resolve the drafting conflicts and other ambiguities. The committee then turned to House Bill 4710, with an amendment, which would require a person to be registered with a political party or as an independent 210 days before filing a certificate of candidacy. Counsel explained that the change would lengthen the current 60-day requirement and would affect both party-switching and independent candidacies, making it harder for candidates to change affiliation shortly before an election. Senators asked about how the 210-day period would work relative to the primary and general election filing deadlines, and counsel clarified that it would be measured backward from the relevant filing dates. The discussion focused on the practical effect of the bill as a “sore loser” measure and on the timing rules for candidacy filings.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing we have done is in the instance of the State Water, or Department of Water Resources,
• For instance, in the instance of the Department of Water Resources, the Legislature...
• You know, in the instance of the Department of Water Resources, the Legislature had enabled them to hold
• I just know from a local perspective in the city of Williston for our finances, the finance department
• We work on this with our workforce partners from the Department of Commerce.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous minutes, and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has been reviewing statewide cash, liquidity, and investment practices, finding that the state generally manages money well but could improve forecasting, automation, and coordination across agencies. He highlighted that the state has about $35 billion in liquid assets and investments, with most in longer-term investments, and described a change already underway replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work. Members also discussed the impact of House Bill 1176 on Legacy Fund earnings and the possibility of future legislation to avoid losing investment returns when large transfers are made all at once. The board also noted that some agencies still hold funds outside the Bank of North Dakota system, and that this is being reviewed. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the Task Force on Government Efficiency, saying the group has focused on how to measure whether programs are actually working. He said the task force has not yet proposed legislation, but the administration has agreed that new and expanding programs should answer five questions, including who is affected, what outcome is expected, whether there is another way to do it, and how success will be measured. Members discussed the need for dashboards, program evaluators, better data collection, and possible use of artificial intelligence to identify duplicate or outdated programs. Toman said the task force will continue reviewing agency workflows, with upcoming presentations from courts, the university system, the auditor, and other agencies, and that future legislation or rule changes may be needed to require performance metrics. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota presented labor market and program updates. He reported that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5%, labor force participation is about 68.7%, and the state continues to rank near the top nationally. He reviewed job openings, in-demand occupations, and several workforce programs, including H-2A agricultural worker inspections, the Job Placement Partnership Program with DOCR, and virtual and in-person job fairs. Davis said the DOCR partnership has shown strong results, with lower recidivism and higher earnings for participants, and he emphasized that Job Service tracks outcomes and reports them to federal and state partners. Members asked about child care subsidies, workforce participation, agency coordination, and whether more staff are needed for H-2A inspections. Finally, Allen Knutson presented the updated S&P Global revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the last update, making the revenue outlook more favorable but still volatile. S&P’s baseline forecast showed the current biennium’s four major tax collections about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and a much larger increase for the next biennium, though he cautioned that federal tax changes and oil market uncertainty could alter the numbers. In an alternate scenario using higher near-term oil prices, he estimated about $242 million more in oil and gas tax collections and roughly $120 million more for the Strategic Investment Fund. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about changes in tribal oil production assumptions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the Legislature of Alabama that we congratulate and commend
• Be it resolved by the Senate of the Legislature of Alabama that immediately upon the adoption of this
• Senate Joint Resolution 14 by Senator Orr commending the Alabama chapters of the Daughters of the American
• Senate Joint Resolution 14 by Senator Orr commending the Alabama chapters of the Daughters of the American
• ><c> the</c><00:42:15.680><c> Alabama</c> ladies and gentlemen of the Alabama ladies and gentlemen of

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved excusing absent members, dispensed with the previous day’s journal, and allowed bill introductions and committee reports throughout the day. Members also recognized guests in the gallery, including Judge Smitherman and later Karen Butler, wife of Senator Tom Butler. The chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11, honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated on its Founders Day and 118 years of service, after reading the resolution at length and hearing brief remarks from Senator Figures. The Senate then adopted the Rules Committee’s special order calendar and took up several bills. Senate Bill 12 by Senator Gudger, repealing a prior community development districts law tied to a Coleman County project, passed. Senate Bill 19 by Senator Livingston, dealing with health insurance/prostate cancer screening, also passed. Senate Bill 89 by Senator Sessions, repealing the 1931 State Pilotage Commission statute, passed; Senate Bill 134 by Senator Beasley, concerning taxation and interstate warehousing of tobacco products, passed after a committee amendment was adopted; Senate Bill 100 by Senator Kelly, extending the State Board of Pharmacy sunset for one year with appointment changes, passed; Senate Bill 114 by Senator Bell, expanding Alabama’s handling of out-of-state warrants to additional felonies, passed; Senate Bill 122 by Senator Stewart, regarding the State Board of Registration for Foresters, passed; Senate Bill 35 by Senator Kitchens, updating vessel registration language for Coast Guard compliance, passed; and Senate Bill 127 by Senators Coleman-Madison and Stewart, continuing the Board of Examiners in Counseling for four years, passed. Senate Bill 28 by Senator Elliott, which would raise the earnings cap for retired law enforcement officers and district attorneys returning to work and address school bus driver staffing, was discussed at length but carried over at the sponsor’s request. Senators raised concerns about the bill’s impact on RSA/retirement system funding and the possibility of broader pressure for similar retiree reemployment arrangements, while supporters emphasized staffing shortages, training savings, and benefits for schools and public safety. The session concluded with the calendar completed and a new resolution introduced by Senator Orr recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States Postal Service, which was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE FIRST TAB PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF DATA FOR EACH DEPARTMENT AND INCLUDES A SNAPSHOT OF THE POSITIONS
• WITH THAT SAID I THINK THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS FIRST.
• OF ALABAMA IS ONE MORE COMPETITOR THAT WE DEAL WITH.
• DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS.
• WE HOUSED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS, ARE OFFICE OF STATEWIDE PROSECUTION AND OF THOSE THERE

Transcript Highlights:

• Arkansas is at the bottom of some lists that none of us want to be at the bottom of.
• departments.
• The top 20% of earners will receive 80% of the tax benefit.
• It was out of my hands.
• A lot of what we talk about is generated locally, some of the tax.

Committee: All REVENUE & TAX - SENATE

Summary: The Senate Revenue and Tax Committee considered Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senator Jonathan Dismang, which would continue Arkansas’s phased income tax reductions, lowering the personal income tax rate to 3.7% and delaying the corporate income tax change until the following January. Dismang said the bill was part of a long-running effort begun in 2013 to reduce rates using conservative budgeting and surplus revenue, and he estimated the change would reduce the effective tax burden for a person making $65,000 by about 45%. Committee members supporting the bill emphasized that the measure would not cut state services and argued Arkansas should balance competitiveness with funding essential programs. Several speakers opposed the bill, including a clergy member/social worker, a parent advocating for disability services, representatives from Arkansas Appleseed and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and a community advocate from the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese. They argued the state should preserve revenue for public schools, health care, housing, food assistance, early childhood education, and supported living services, citing underfunded schools, a waitlist for pre-K, hospital and child care pressures, and the needs of low-income and vulnerable residents. Some speakers said the tax cuts would disproportionately benefit higher-income taxpayers while providing little relief to working families. In closing, Dismang said Arkansas could be both compassionate and competitive and that no essential services would be cut because the state is operating with a surplus. After discussion, Senator Dismang moved do pass, Senator Petty seconded, and the committee approved SB 1 by voice vote. The committee then adjourned.