Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Members, please vote. The chief clerk will call the names of the members voting remotely.
• Members, please vote. >> The clerk will call the names of the members voting remotely. >> Green. >> What's
• </c> members voting remotely. members voting remotely. &gt;&gt; Green. &gt;&gt; Green.
• The clerk will call the names of the members voting remotely. >> [clears throat] >> Green. >> Green votes
• The clerk will call the names of the members voting remotely. Green votes yes. Green votes aye.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I would uh vote green for the bill.
• The clerk will call the names of the members participating remotely. Hill, aye. Canudson votes aye.
• Kenudson votes aye. Swisinski votes aye. The clerk will close the roll. Swisinski. Swisinski.
• </c> members, I really urge a green vote. members, I really urge a green vote.
• Kenudson votes aye. Canudson votes aye. Suazinski votes aye. The clerk will close the roll.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, and by your vote, Senate Bill 1286 is reported favorably.
• By your vote, CS for SB 1504 is reported favorably. Thank you.
• Yes, and by your vote, Senate Bill 1660 is reported favorably.
• Yes, and by your vote, CS for SB 570 is reported favorably.
• Yes, and by your vote, CS for SB 570 is reported favorably.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and took up a full agenda of bills, beginning with SB 1286 by Sen. Wright. That bill expanded the state recruitment bonus program to include newly employed firefighters, created a DFS grant review panel, and established a PTSD institute within DFS for first-responder behavioral health. Fire chiefs, the Florida League of Cities, and others supported the measure, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee then considered SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks by Sen. Rousan. A substitute amendment was adopted that clarified daily transaction limits, registration requirements, expiration rules, and OFR authority to deny registrations. Testimony focused on protecting seniors from crypto-ATM scams while giving the industry regulatory certainty. The committee also favorably reported CS/SB 198. Members next approved CS/SB 772, which allows portable electronics limited licensees to sell eyewear insurance, and CS/SB 1504, which updates insurance customer representative licensing pathways by allowing a high school insurance and personal finance course to count toward pre-licensure education. The committee also favorably reported Sen. Gruters’ CS/SB 1038 and CS/SB 1040, which together create the Florida Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve and its trust fund framework, and CS/SB 1440, which expands public records exemptions and cybersecurity-related protections for financial institutions, loan originators, money service businesses, and credit unions. Sen. Burton’s SB 1668 on the NICA program drew extensive testimony from a NICA board member and family advocate, who urged stronger funding to preserve lifelong care for catastrophically injured children; the bill was reported favorably despite concerns from the Florida Justice Association about benefit restrictions and retroactivity. Finally, the committee approved CS/SB 570, creating a DFS task force on payment scams, after an amendment reduced FDLE’s required representation. At the end of the meeting, Sen. Burton requested to be recorded in the affirmative on SB 1286, and Sen. Passidomo requested affirmative votes on tabs 3, 5, and 9; the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I report Senator Her votes I. Senator Rest votes I. Senator Fateh votes I.
• </c> Her votes I. Senator Rest votes I. Her votes I. Senator Rest votes I.
• Senator Fate votes Senator Rest votes I. Senator Fate votes I. I. I.
• Senator Muhammad votes Muhammad votes I.
• Senator Her votes I. Senator Rest votes I. Senator Fate votes I. Senator Muhammad votes I.

Transcript Highlights:

• With our first... on coming in remotely is Representative Paul McMurtry.
• As was mentioned, this was voted out favorably out of this committee in the past.
• Everyone that I had talked to prior to that said it should go to a vote.
• Everyone that I had talked to prior to that said it should go to a vote.
• Next up remotely is Michael Palmer on S. 1841. Hello, everybody. Great. Okay. Thank you very much.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its third hearing of the 194th General Court session, taking testimony on several individual bills and home rule petitions, mostly involving retirement and pension-related relief. The committee chair outlined hearing procedures, including three-minute limits for individuals, ten-minute limits for panels, livestreaming, and the deadline for written testimony. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted that House matters heard that day must be reported by Friday, July 11, 2025, subject to extensions, and the committee adjourned after testimony concluded. Several witnesses supported bills seeking retirement credit or pension adjustments for public employees. These included H. 2917 for Dedham-Westwood Water District employees seeking pension buy-in credit; H. 2976 for Eileen Mullen to purchase creditable service for teaching in a criminal justice pilot program; H. 2996 for Virginia Cummings, a retired Department of Correction lieutenant seeking greater pension parity; H. 2977 for Wendy Lopieri to buy back part-time community college service; and H. 2989 for Wayne Taylor, who said he was mistakenly credited for fewer years of select board service than he expected. Testimony emphasized long public service, injuries, and what witnesses described as unfair denials or flawed interpretations of retirement law. The committee also heard testimony on bills involving post-retirement earnings and disability-related relief. Kevin Blanchett testified in opposition to H. 2931, arguing it would improperly reduce money owed to a regional retirement system and its members, while the bill’s sponsor argued the retirement board was seeking an excessive recovery based on law firm gross earnings rather than the individual’s earnings. Jamie Magarian described severe injuries from a 2018 crash and urged favorable action on his bill, with support from the State Police Association. Michael Palmer testified in favor of S. 1841, seeking to extend prior violent-crime retirement income-cap relief to his case after being shot on duty and later finding that even part-time private-sector work exceeded his retirement earnings limit.

Transcript Highlights:

• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Okay, we'll go ahead and take a vote.
• Vote count... Item number two, AB 1673. Vote count 12-0. Item number three, AB 1702.
• Vote count is 12-0. Item number four, AB 1804. Vote count is 12-0. Item number five, AB 1912.
• Vote count is 12-0. Item number seven, AB 1987. Vote count is 12-0. Item number eight, AB 2216.
• Vote count is 11-1. Item number nine, AB 2260. Vote count is 12-0. And item number 10, AB 2630.

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Transcript Highlights:

• Like a provision that you all will have the chance to vote on.
• I think we have next up, we have a few people that are remote. We have Laurel Webster.
• With that, we have another remote testifier, and if people could try to keep to about two minutes so
• This testifier's remote might just take a sec. Okay, we can come back to that one if we need to.
• Next up on remote, the last remote testifier, Dr. Gil Gift Saloco.

Bills: HF1966 , HF54 , HF2043 , HF1171 , HF2741

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I assume your urge and I vote also. I absolutely urge an aye vote. Thank you so much.
• Vote no on AB 2563. Stop this mad game. Vote no on AB 2563. Thank you.
• Vote no. Thank you. Vote no. All right. Others wish to provide testimony on AB 2563?
• I think 72 votes out of the Assembly, not a single no vote thus far. So thank you for that.
• You had voted. You had voted. Yes. Yeah. We would have figured that out. All right.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met without a quorum and proceeded as a subcommittee while hearing a long consent calendar and several Assembly bills. Early testimony focused on AB 1744, which would prohibit sunscreen products marketed as “reef safe” or similar from containing chemical UV filters; the author and student supporters said the bill is a truth-in-labeling measure to protect marine ecosystems, and there was no opposition. Committee members praised the student witnesses and the author asked for an aye vote, but no vote was taken because of the lack of quorum. The committee then heard AB 713, which would allow undocumented students at UC, CSU, and community colleges to access campus jobs. Supporters, including a UCLA law professor and a large coalition of student, labor, immigrant-rights, and education groups, argued the bill would reduce exploitation and improve affordability and retention; opponents argued it would conflict with federal law. Members expressed strong support, and the author closed by emphasizing that students simply want the chance to work, but again no vote occurred due to the subcommittee status. The committee also heard AB 1359, allowing people age 80 and older to opt out of jury service without a doctor’s note, with support from the Alzheimer’s Association and LeadingAge California and no opposition. Additional measures included AB 2563, which would standardize California’s definition of sex discrimination across state codes to align with equal-rights principles; it drew strong support from women’s rights and labor groups and strong opposition from anti-trans advocates. AB 1705 would require websites to verify consent before hosting sexually explicit images of people, with supporters framing it as a response to nonconsensual pornography and opponents warning it could sweep in sites that prohibit such content. AB 1940 would explicitly name menopause in workplace protections, with supporters citing workforce equity and opponents saying existing accommodation law already covers it. The committee also heard AB 1824 and AB 2115 on Native American child welfare and a formal legislative apology for historic harms, both backed by tribal representatives and allies, as well as AB 2076 on nitrous oxide sales to minors and AB 2783 on court reporter licensing and remote reporting; all drew support and no recorded opposition. Several members praised the bills and indicated they would move them when a quorum was available.

Transcript Highlights:

• I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
• aye vote on SCR 136.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.
• I strongly urge your aye vote. Thank you.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through privileges of the floor recognizing Fresno State Ag Leadership Development Program students and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The body also approved the Senate journals and took up several gubernatorial appointments, including confirmations to the Court Reporters Board and the California Law Revision Commission, each approved by roll call vote. The chamber then considered SCR 136 marking the 50th anniversaries of the California Coastal Act, Coastal Commission, and Coastal Conservancy. Supporters emphasized coastal access, habitat protection, public trails, and resilience, while one senator argued the commission can overrule local control and slow development. The resolution passed 27-4. The Senate also adopted SR 68 for Denim Day and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, with broad support focused on survivor advocacy and accountability, and SCR 130 recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, which passed unanimously. Several bills were then approved on unanimous roll call, including SB 1058 on school nutrition procurement, SB 930 on encryption for school exam proctoring, SB 917 on winery sales at farmers’ markets, SB 1002 on continuity of out-of-state telehealth care, SB 1036 on mitigation fee credits for redevelopment, SB 1285 on juvenile record dismissals, and SB 969 on remote developmental services. Later, SCR 131 called for an urgent, coordinated response to unsheltered homelessness, emphasizing interim shelter, permanent housing, and supportive services. Supporters said the state must stop normalizing encampments and better coordinate resources; one senator objected that the resolution did not sufficiently address self-sufficiency or alternatives to housing-first approaches. The resolution passed 34-0. The Senate also adopted SCR 157 honoring school bus drivers, approved the consent calendar, heard committee announcements, and adjourned in memory of Sandy Steers, a conservation advocate and longtime executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley.

Transcript Highlights:

• Scott Waller and Sean Dene Wagonseller, all remote to our other and to our con.
• on it, so I'll vote yes.
• If you have the votes, vote. All right.
• And encourage people to vote yes. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed?
• So we voted on the proposed substitute.

Bills: SB6290 , SB6282 , SB5379 , SB6197 , SB6158 , SB6302 , SB5882 , SB6303 , SB6180 , SB6195 , SB6196 , SB6204 , SB6287

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: liquor regulation, cannabis board, reorganization, state agency, governance, apprenticeship, behavioral health, construction trades, workforce training, wellness, interest arbitration, parks and recreation, public employees, labor relations, employee rights, SB 6197, plumbing contractor, plumber, contractor licensing, licensing enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm voting no.
• Me to vote no, so respectfully I'm voting no.
• Thank you, Chairman Meredith. me to vote no so respectfully I'm voting me to vote no so respectfully
• All in favor vote aye; all opposed vote no. Senator Rocky Adams may explain my vote, Mr. Chairman?
• I vote aye. Senator Carol Douglas, explain my vote? Mr.

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services opened with the chair welcoming several new members and outlining session rules: hearings would start and end on time, the committee would limit the number of bills heard each meeting, prioritize bills heard during the interim, and generally avoid using the consent calendar except in extreme circumstances. The committee then briefly considered administrative regulations, which were treated as approved if members had no questions. The main item was Senate Bill 14, a measure addressing the 340B drug discount program. The chair said the bill had already passed the Senate in a prior session and had been heard in interim, so he did not present it again. He described the bill as prohibiting drug manufacturers from discriminating against 340B covered entities by refusing 340B pricing when the same drug is offered at that price in the state. He also said the committee would not debate the federal 340B program itself, but would hear testimony on the bill. Hospital leaders and Kentucky Hospital Association representatives testified in support, arguing that 340B savings are essential to rural hospitals, oncology services, transportation support, chronic care, addiction recovery, and new service lines such as chemotherapy and hepatitis treatment. They said the program helps keep care close to home and that manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies have reduced access and cost hospitals millions. Opponents from BIO Kentucky and the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions argued the bill would expand federal law beyond Congress’s intent, create administrative burdens, and not lower patient out-of-pocket costs. The chair repeatedly pressed opponents to address why Kentucky should be denied the same 340B pricing available in other states. No vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I vote yes.
• So I vote yes.
• So I vote yes.
• vote please I vote Meredith explain my vote please I vote Yes<00:32:37.960><c> but</c><00:32:38.360>
• Senator Meredith stole my line I vote Senator Meredith stole my line I vote vote vote I<00:32:51.240

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children heard Senate Bill 181, which would require school districts to use only traceable forms of communication for staff, coaches, and volunteers when contacting students, require reporting of known private direct communication, notify parents, protect minors’ anonymity in EPSB investigations, and extend the investigation period for sexual misconduct cases to 120 days. Senator Lindsay Tichenor said the bill is meant to restore safeguards for children and families and address inappropriate private communications between school personnel and students. The committee also heard testimony from Stacy and Brad Brisco, who described allegations that an Anderson County guidance counselor had communicated privately with their daughter, encouraged her to pursue emancipation and CPS involvement, and used school channels to facilitate contact; they said the resulting abuse report was unsubstantiated and that the school system and EPSB had not acted promptly. Ashley Nation also testified in support as a survivor of educator sexual abuse, arguing that traceable communication policies are needed to prevent grooming and misconduct and that the bill does not stop communication, only makes it transparent and accountable. Members asked questions about what counts as traceable communication and whether schools already have policies. Tichenor said traceable communication could include paper notes, email, and apps such as ClassDojo or Google Classroom, and said the bill requires a trail parents can access. She also said some districts have ethical standards but they are not consistently followed, and that state-level action is needed. Senator Denine suggested the bill should allow districts more flexibility to choose among trackable platforms, noting that some systems already use tools like Dojo and Remind; Tichenor said a floor amendment would address that concern. Senators Williams, Meredith, Mills, Wise, and others voiced support, emphasizing child safety and the need for timely EPSB action. The committee then voted 9-0 to pass SB 181 with a favorable recommendation to the Senate floor. Afterward, the committee took up House Bill 242, sponsored by Representative Samara Heavrin, which would increase transparency in the child welfare system by making Kentucky child welfare data available to researchers while preserving privacy protections. With no questions, the committee approved HB 242 as well, also by a favorable vote, and members briefly noted support for the bill and the need for better data to inform child welfare policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> one votes for it, one votes against it? one votes for it, one votes against it?
• So that leaves an even number of people voting. >> If it's a tie vote, the vote fails.
• &gt;&gt; The clerk vote.
• &gt;&gt; The clerk votes yes. Representative &gt;&gt; The clerk votes yes.
• &gt;&gt; The clerk votes. Representative Fron, &gt;&gt; The clerk votes.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we need a majority vote? So I will say Senator Baitman is available remotely. Okay.
• It's in our baby's remote. There you go.
• It passed the House with a vote of 93 to 1, and a new fiscal note has been requested.
• It passed the House with a vote of 93 to 1 and a new fiscal note has been requested.
• I’m sensing a vote.

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee waived the five-day notice rule and then took up two House bills. HB 2418 would tighten and expand permit-review timelines for residential projects, including requiring “procedural completeness” determinations, adding excluded time periods, extending timeline and refund requirements to certain fee-charging state and local entities, creating review deadlines for special purpose districts and public utility districts, and requiring local governments to designate a permit responsible official and a single point of contact. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve predictability and reduce delays in permitting; builders and housing advocates strongly supported it, while sewer and water districts and county representatives raised concerns about incomplete referrals, staffing shortages, business-day versus calendar-day deadlines, and the cost of implementing the new contact requirements. The committee heard testimony but took no final vote on the bill in the transcript. HB 2451 would revise Washington’s local tax increment financing program. Staff explained that the bill adds guardrails and transparency, changes notice and hearing requirements, adjusts the assessed-value cap for increment areas, adds public safety facilities to eligible improvements, requires more detailed project analyses and annual reporting, and creates a negotiation/mediation/arbitration process for impacts to taxing districts. The sponsor said the measure was a carefully negotiated compromise intended to address junior taxing district concerns without creating an opt-out. Supporters from the Port of Tacoma, fire chiefs, cities, and counties said the bill improves the earlier TIF framework by strengthening the but-for test, notice, and participation rules, while counties still expressed concern about cumulative impacts and asked for future opt-out discussions. No final committee action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and we were voting and we were voting um<00:27:13.000><c> what</c><00:27:13.159><c> what</c><00:
• legislative session, can you please tell me, would we be able to vote remotely?
• </c> please tell me would we be able to vote please tell me would we be able to vote remotely<00:54:36.240
• ><c> represent</c> remotely represent remotely represent roach<00:54:39.119><c> I'm</c><00:54:39.240>
• We can vote on that if you'd like.

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Reeves votes aye. Representative Reeves votes aye. Morgan. Morgan votes aye.
• Burnbaum votes aye. McClintock. McClintock votes nay.
• Representative Richards votes aye. Richards votes aye. Representative Richards votes aye. Schmick?
• Representative Reeves votes aye. Reeves votes aye. Representative Reeves votes aye. Morgan.
• Representative Engel votes aye. Burnbaum. Representative Burnbaum votes aye. McClintock votes nay.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2598, which would create a Salmon Advisory Commission made up of tribal leaders, state agencies, legislators, and local governments to develop recommendations on salmon and steelhead recovery. Prime sponsor Rep. Lekanoff described the bill as a way to bring executive, legislative, and tribal leaders together on salmon recovery and treaty obligations. Staff noted a fiscal note of roughly $35,000 in out years. Supporters emphasized salmon’s cultural and treaty importance and the need for coordinated leadership, while the lone public testifier, Todd Myers of Washington Policy Center, opposed the bill as another statewide layer of bureaucracy and argued that recovery efforts should focus more on local, watershed-level action. The committee noted 10 signed in pro, 886 con, and one other, but no vote was taken on the bill in the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2620, which would repeal the recently adopted Forest Practices Board rule expanding riparian buffers on non-fish-bearing streams and impose new standards for future riparian buffer rulemaking, including an economic viability standard for the timber industry and additional consensus and alternative-analysis requirements. Rep. Dent said the bill was intended to restore communication and collaboration in the forest practices process. Testimony was sharply divided. Tribal representatives and environmental advocates said the rule was the product of a long, science-based adaptive management process under the Forest and Fish framework and was needed to protect water quality, salmon habitat, and treaty rights; they argued the bill would undermine that process and conflict with Clean Water Act compliance. Forest industry and small forest landowner witnesses supported the bill, saying the process had lost trust, ignored alternatives, and imposed significant economic harm on rural communities and family tree farms. DNR and Ecology testified in opposition, saying the rule was based on science and that the bill would weaken water-quality protections and jeopardize HCP compliance. The committee recorded 592 signed in pro, 489 con, and one other, with no vote taken during the hearing. After the public hearings, the committee moved into executive session on five bills. Staff briefly described House Bill 2104, which would make permanent the Aviation Assurance Funding Program for wildfire response; House Bill 2348, a DNR request bill on land and material sales advertising; House Bill 2544, which would require an adjudication process for the Upper Columbia River with a proposed substitute; House Bill 2554, which would repeal Initiative 456 concerning state declarations on tribal natural resource management; and House Joint Memorial 4009, urging federal action on wildland firefighting consolidation. The committee then recessed briefly for caucus and began executive action, starting with a motion to report House Bill 2104 out of committee with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Call the name of the member participating remotely. Katiza Wachun.
• Can you say, participate remotely? At Union Station Area, Katiza Watoon, present.
• We ask for your aye vote in support of the report. Introduction of bills.
• This is the first time we've had a vote on this motion, so I would encourage members to support it.
• Vote yes; support the bill. Motion prevails.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think those are all the votes that Senator Cortese has recorded a vote on.
• Current vote is 2-0. Caballero? Aye. We'll keep that vote on call. Item 16, AB 2122, Calra.
• Current vote is 2-1. Caballero? Not voting. We'll keep that on call. AB 2164, Bauer-Kahan.
• Current vote is 3 to 1. Perez? Aye. Wiener? Okay, that bill is out on a vote of 5 to 1.
• Current vote is 4 to 0. Perez? Aye. Wiener? AB 2339 is out on a vote of 6 to 0.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a landing strip you fly remotely.
• </c><00:17:17.439><c> I</c><00:17:17.600><c> talked</c><00:17:17.839><c> to</c> voted.
• I talked to voted. Okay, that's my bad.
• Okay, let's vote on it first. All in favor say I. All vote. Okay. House Bill 234 passes. Go ahead.
• Oh, and we came back the next... we did a $200,000 appropriation that we voted on in committee.

Committee: House Jefferson County Legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• everyone, for attending, for those taking the time to come in person, and also for all those joining us remotely
• Taking the time to come in person, and also for all those joining us remotely.
• Everyone here is And Senator Fernandes joining us remotely.
• We were all voted in as part of phase one.
• She's joining remotely. Thank you.

Bills: H4987 , S2905

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Keywords: transportation bond bill, municipal roads, municipal bridges, Chapter 90, road aid, highway funding, bridge repair, pavement, MassDOT, MBTA, rail reliability, commuter rail locomotives, Fair Share surtax, Commonwealth Transportation Fund, infrastructure financing, bond authorization, deferred maintenance, climate resilience, parkways, DCR