Video & Transcript : 'bench trial' :
Page 48 of 243
FL
Florida 2026 4th Special Session
January 29, 2026 - 12:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- has, Lord willing, of years left here in the House to stay engaged on this issue and keep building a bench
MN
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- It's about having an opportunity to sit on a public park bench and take a break.
Summary:
The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition No. 25-15, H.5505, “An Act to Protect Water and Nature.” Committee co-chairs outlined the Article 48 initiative process and explained that the hearing was divided into expert, proponent, opponent, and public-comment sections. The first witness, Undersecretary Stephanie Cooper of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, described current state and federal funding sources for land conservation and outdoor recreation, said existing programs are oversubscribed, and noted that the proposal aligns with the Commonwealth’s 30% land conservation goal by 2030 and 40% by 2050. She also flagged possible governance clarifications in the petition, including board structure and administrative authority, while saying the administration has the expertise to manage such a fund.
Proponents from Mass Audubon, the Trustees of Reservations, Mount Grace Land Trust, the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, the Authentic Caribbean Foundation, and Bemis Associates argued that Massachusetts needs a dedicated, sustained revenue stream for conservation, clean water, climate resilience, and public access to nature. They said current funding is inconsistent and insufficient, cited estimates that the state may need roughly $300 million or more annually to meet conservation targets, and emphasized benefits to public health, mental health, biodiversity, flood protection, and the outdoor recreation economy. Several speakers said the measure would dedicate a portion of existing sales tax revenue tied to sporting goods, recreational vehicles, and golf courses, and that it would support both urban and rural communities, including underserved communities.
Committee members pressed witnesses on the bill’s fiscal and constitutional implications, including how much sales tax revenue would be redirected, whether the measure is constitutional, how funds would be allocated among communities, and why the proposal includes certain revenue sources but not others such as ticket sales. Proponents said the measure would likely direct up to about $100 million annually when fully phased in, that it was designed as a “subject to appropriation” mechanism, and that legal review had found it constitutional. They also acknowledged that the proposal would reduce general fund flexibility but argued it would create a long-term investment in natural resources. The hearing concluded after public testimony, and the committee announced it would accept written testimony until March 27 at 5 p.m.; no vote was taken on the petition at the hearing.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- We have a lot of people on our out-of-work bench. Everybody knows that. I've talked to Rep. Barkis.
Committee:
House Transportation
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
New York State Senate Session - 02/26/2026
New York Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Through you, Madam President, very seldom does a situation of that kind reach the bench if it was indeed
Summary:
The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior day’s journal, and then recognized several guest groups, including the Shenendehowa High School girls varsity cross country team and tennis champion Jolie Chichak, as well as the Downsville Central School Student Council. Senator Tedisco introduced the Shenendehowa athletes, highlighting their state and federation championships and strong academic records, and Senator Oberacker introduced the Downsville students. The chamber extended courtesies to the guests.
The Senate then moved through the calendar, passing a series of bills and resolutions. Among the measures approved were a bill designating Overdose Awareness Day, a real property tax bill, a public authorities bill, several education-related bills, a private housing finance bill, a workers’ compensation bill, and a labor law bill. Some items were laid aside before later being taken up, including the cannabis bill and the environmental conservation bill. Votes were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, with a few recorded negatives on certain bills.
The most extensive debate centered on Calendar 261, Senator May’s environmental conservation bill concerning renewable energy installations and transmission on state reforestation lands. Senator Walczyk and others questioned whether the bill would allow solar, wind, battery storage, tree cutting, herbicide use, and reduced environmental review, while supporters argued the bill was mainly about transmission corridors, climate goals, and preserving flexibility for DEC oversight and mitigation. After debate, the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar and passed 42-13.
The Senate also passed Calendar 353, Senator Ramos’s labor law bill addressing class action wage recovery and statutory damages. Supporters said it would clarify the law so workers can recover full wages in class actions, while opponents warned it could encourage litigation against small businesses over technical payroll errors. The bill passed 47-8. The Senate then completed the calendar and adjourned until March 4, 2026, with intervening days as legislative days.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Retirement and Government Resources REVISED Feb 17th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Retirement and Government Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Agents have the authority to serve and execute bench warrants and other court orders in any judicial
Bills:
SB134 , SB1356 , SB1407 , SB1611 , SB1639 , SB169 , SB1722 , SB182 , SB1870 , SB2039 , SB432 , SB609 , SB715 , SB716
Committee:
Senate Retirement and Government Resources
Keywords:
retirement, public employees, reemployment, benefit adjustment, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, state government, OMES, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Rehabilitation Services, civil service, human capital management, state employee disputes, whistleblower, veterans employment, veterans placement, fleet management, state fleet, motor vehicles
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Feb 5th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
New Mexico House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Speaker, I have two guests on our bench, if you would please rise.
Bills:
HB95 , HB111 , HJR1 , HB32 , HB33 , HB61 , HJM2 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM3 , HM11 , HM14 , HM15 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HB8 , HB30 , HB43 , HB156 , HM2 , HM16
Keywords:
HB95, additional judgeship, district court, judicial district, First Judicial District, Second Judicial District, district judges, court administration, judicial staffing, caseload, access to justice, New Mexico courts, judiciary, judge vacancy, court backlog, state courts, water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Feb 5th, 2026
New Mexico House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Speaker, I have two guests on our bench, if you would please rise.
Bills:
HB95 , HB111 , HJR1 , HB32 , HB33 , HB61 , HJM2 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM3 , HM11 , HM14 , HM15 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HB8 , HB30 , HB43 , HB156 , HM2 , HM16
Summary:
The House opened with a quorum, prayer, pledge, and a series of announcements and recognitions tied to Gallup-McKinley County Day, including the presentation and passage of House Memorial 15 designating February 5, 2026, as Gallup-McKinley County Day. Members spoke at length in support of Gallup and McKinley County, its Native communities, cultural traditions, Route 66 heritage, economic development, and local schools and guests in the gallery. House Memorial 15 passed unanimously, 70-0.
The chamber then took up House Memorial 3 recognizing nurses and other health care professionals. Several members and guests from labor and health care organizations spoke in support, emphasizing the dedication of frontline workers and the importance of honoring nurses. The memorial passed unanimously, 70-0. The House also passed House Bill 32, a counseling licensure compact, after adopting a technical amendment, by 63-0; House Bill 33, a psychologist compact, by 64-0; and House Bill 95, creating a fifth judge position in the Second Judicial District family court division, after a friendly amendment removing an appropriation because funding was already in the budget, by 65-0.
During committee reports, the House adopted favorable reports on several measures, including House Bill 70 substitute, Senate Bill 3 as amended, House Bills 246, 254, 271, 276, 288, and House Joint Memorial 3. In introductions, the House referred several memorials and Senate bills, including measures on teacher workload study, detention facility reuse, health insurance affordability, gifted education endorsements, special education, and burglary definitions. The House also announced committee meetings, upcoming events, and the annual House-versus-Senate basketball game, then recessed until the next morning.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- should instead have serious concern over the judges who might engage in political activism from the bench
Committee:
Senate Judiciary and Rules
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- So there is not that deep of a research bench around the cost of virtual schools around the country.
Committee:
Senate Senate Education
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Land Grant Oct 7th, 2025
House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- For our judicial district, just a little bit of background: I've been on the bench now for approximately
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Education Study Jun 27th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We, we, we need a deeper pool, a deeper bench of folks who understand New Mexican communities to do this
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources Committee, June 11, 2026 - PM
Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- So, you know, it's a project that's being bench tested, and so we'll see what happens with that.
- that<00:58:53.760><c> uh</c><00:58:53.920><c> it's</c><00:58:54.400><c> being</c><00:58:54.640><c> bench
- c><00:58:55.040><c> tested</c><00:58:55.680><c> and</c><00:58:56.000><c> so</c> that uh it's being bench
- tested and so that uh it's being bench tested and so we'll<00:58:56.799><c> we'll</c><00:58:57.200><
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 4/1/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- I have built benches, bird feeders, and sheds.
- construction<01:41:28.719><c> I</c><01:41:28.800><c> have</c><01:41:28.960><c> built</c><01:41:29.239><c> benches
- </c><01:41:29.679><c> bird</c> construction I have built benches bird construction I have built benches
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- Hillsboro County that came and testified, and I asked him the question about, you know, people on a park bench
- 53.960><c> park</c> question about you know people on a park question about you know people on a park bench
- 55.320><c> both</c><01:37:55.480><c> using</c><01:37:55.800><c> drugs</c><01:37:56.159><c> and</c> bench
- where they're both using drugs and bench where they're both using drugs and you<01:37:56.560><c> know
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - 01/29/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- He said from the bench, representing the state, it appears that with all these laws against no more licenses
- specifically he<01:31:59.480><c> said</c><01:31:59.800><c> From</c><01:32:00.080><c> the</c><01:32:00.239><c> Bench
- </c><01:32:00.600><c> Mr</c><01:32:00.960><c> pzer</c> he said From the Bench Mr pzer he said From the
- Bench Mr pzer representing<01:32:02.040><c> the</c><01:32:02.199><c> state</c><01:32:02.960><c> it</
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Local Government Committee Jul 1st, 2026
Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Our presiding judge also appointed two independent judiciaries from the retired bench, or he could have
- Our presiding judge also appointed two independent judges from the retired bench, or he could have chosen
- Our presiding judge also appointed two independent judges from the retired bench, or he could have chosen
Committee:
House Local Government
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- in the grand scheme of things, with all respect to the Senate, I think we do have more depth in the bench
- in the grand scheme of things, with all respect to the Senate, I think we do have more depth in the bench
- in the grand scheme of things, with all respect to the Senate, I think we do have more depth in the bench
Committee:
Senate Human Services
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (01/27/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- that's</c><01:15:02.159><c> not</c><01:15:02.360><c> the</c><01:15:02.480><c> only</c><01:15:02.719><c> bench
- </c> states I mean that's not the only bench states I mean that's not the only bench mark<01:15:03.480
Summary:
The committee convened an informational Division 3 Finance hearing focused on DHHS programmatic issues rather than budget line items. The chair emphasized that members should avoid questions requiring dollar figures and noted that the coming budget cycle would likely be difficult because revenues are expected to be tighter. Commissioner Lori Weaver said the department wanted to use the session to explain its functions at a high level, with more detailed presentations to follow, and to collect questions for later responses.
Weaver outlined DHHS’s mission of supporting optimal health for state residents and described the department’s three main responsibilities: protection and prevention, client service delivery, and regulatory oversight. She said DHHS has eight divisions, a $3.6 billion total budget, about $1.217 billion in general funds, roughly a quarter of state positions, and personnel costs that are less than 11% of the budget. She also noted a recent hiring freeze, explained that the department did not request new positions except where required by law, and said vacancy rates had improved from 22% to 14% over the last two years but could rise again because of attrition and the hiring freeze.
Weaver and CFO Nathan White then discussed why the DHHS budget is complex, explaining that it is built from multiple funding sources and is shaped by assumptions made months before the fiscal year begins, actual service demand, and cost allocation rules used to draw down federal funds. White highlighted maintenance-of-effort requirements, including TANF, where state spending is needed to secure federal matching funds and shortfalls can trigger penalties. At the committee’s request, DHHS agreed to provide a simplified historical accounting of TANF contributions to show how the match is assembled across positions, contracts, and other factors.
The department also reviewed its roadmap, which Weaver described as a framework developed with staff and stakeholders around three themes: culture, community, and customer service. She highlighted priorities such as Mission Zero to end emergency department boarding, expanding access to community-based and residential behavioral health services, reducing reliance on institutional care, improving contract management with nonprofit and provider partners, using data dashboards to guide decisions, and investing in workforce stability and culture. No votes were taken; the main action was DHHS’s commitment to provide additional follow-up materials, including the TANF contribution breakdown.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- There are seats on the benches if you want to not sit on the floor anymore, but you are welcome to continue
- There are seats on the benches if you want to not sit on the floor anymore, but you are welcome to continue
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills focused on pesticides, pollinators, rodenticides, mosquito control, invasive species, and local authority over pesticide regulation. Chair Becca Rausch set strict two-minute testimony limits due to the very large number of speakers. Early testimony from Senator Moore and Representative Hawkins strongly supported a bill to restrict second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, citing harms to wildlife, pets, and public health, and noting that California has already adopted a similar model. Testimony also supported a Lowell home rule petition to allow the city to prohibit or restrict these rodenticides, with local officials describing documented raptor poisonings and municipal efforts to phase out use on city property.
A major portion of the hearing focused on pollinator protection and neonicotinoid-treated seeds. Witnesses from environmental groups, conservation organizations, academics, and beekeepers argued that neonics harm bees and other beneficial insects, contaminate soil and water, and provide little or no economic benefit in most corn and soybean fields. Several speakers pointed to New York, Vermont, and Quebec as models for restricting treated seeds, and one panel cited research showing only a small percentage of fields benefit economically from the treatments. Support was also voiced for a bill establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program, with advocates criticizing aerial and truck spraying and urging non-chemical, locally tailored approaches.
Other testimony supported bills to reform the pesticide board and pesticide regulation process, to give vulnerable municipalities more local control over pesticide use, to protect schoolchildren from pesticides on school grounds, and to respond to invasive species through a centralized state office, coordinator, strategic plan, and trust fund. Many speakers, including representatives from Mass Audubon, MSPCA, the Xerces Society, the Sierra Club, watershed groups, and local wildlife rehabilitators, described impacts on hawks, owls, pets, fish, and broader ecosystems. No votes were taken during the hearing, and committee members generally asked few questions, with the hearing remaining in testimony mode throughout.