Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I move the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned.
• Chair, I move the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned.
• I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned.
• I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned.
• The report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned.

Summary: The Senate met in multiple Committee of the Whole sessions and considered a large number of bills, many related to digital assets and cryptocurrency, including SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1044, SB 1045, SB 1432, SCR 1003, SCR 1033, and SCR 1028. Members discussed whether the state should accept cryptocurrency for payments, tax or exempt virtual currency, ban central bank digital currency, and support digital assets in retirement systems. Senator Epstein repeatedly argued against the measures and tried to offer amendments targeting data center tax exemptions, but one such amendment was ruled not germane and the ruling was upheld on a division vote. The bills and resolutions in that group generally advanced with do-pass recommendations, with SB 1043 and SB 1044 amended before advancing. The Senate also advanced several bills on family law, public records, scholarship organizations, property conveyances, underground facilities, and environmental and energy issues, including SB 1039, SB 1139, SB 1147, SB 1148, SB 1328, SB 1078, SB 1142, SB 1184, SB 1254, SB 1278, SB 1281, SB 1418, SB 1445, and SB 1566. Some measures drew discussion and amendments: SB 1254 received a clarifying amendment for deeds handled by title and escrow professionals; SB 1278 had a floor amendment withdrawn; SB 1281 was amended by committee and floor changes; SB 1418 prompted questions about small modular reactors and concerns about uranium mining and health impacts; and SB 1566 was amended to address malicious delay enforcement and judicial review. Most of these bills received do-pass recommendations. In the health and human services calendar, the Senate advanced SB 1052, SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, SB 1345, SB 1346, and SB 1631, with SB 1124 retained on the calendar. Debate centered on ACCESS and remote work, administrative deficiency cure periods, anonymous complaints, fee-for-service claims, and DCS-related hearings and investigations. Senator Gonzales opposed several ACCESS-related bills, arguing they lacked appropriations, could disrupt services, or conflicted with federal Medicaid law, while sponsors said the bills addressed agency performance and provider complaints. SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, and SB 1345 were amended before receiving do-pass recommendations, and SB 1345’s sponsor said ACCESS was removed from the bill. The final calendar included regulatory and veterinary-related bills such as SB 1137, SB 1144, SB 1205, and SB 1286. SB 1205, dealing with motor vehicle booting fees, received a floor amendment requiring an appeals process for private parking lots. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine and prescriptions, drew the most extended debate, with a committee amendment and a Kavanagh floor amendment restoring a 14-day prescription extension and adding flea and tick treatment; Senator Leach opposed the floor amendment, describing prior stakeholder negotiations and changes in committee support. The transcript ends while that debate is still underway, after several bills have already been reported out with do-pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every<00:01:54.360><c> committee</c><00:01:54.720><c> hearing,</c> Every committee hearing, Every committee
• ,</c> in a committee, you left the committee, in a committee, you left the committee, and<00:14:21.000
• are assigned to be in committee?
• assigned time to be in committee. >> Representative Hudson.
• time to be in when we are assigned time to be in committee. committee. committee.

Committee: House Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee will now come to order.
• Our committee staff members are Janine Kelly, the committee administrative assistant, Debbie White, CPA
• We currently have three committee-directed engagements in progress.
• Auditing Committee.
• Is there any other business before the committee? Is there any other business before the committee?

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries. Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs. OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> their appropriate standing committees. their appropriate standing committees.
• That the committee chairs and the staff are assigning those are making sure that the bills are completely
• Uh committees. Yes, please. Uh &gt;&gt; Oh yes. Uh committees. Yes, please.
• Any other standing committees, select committees, caucuses? It appears not delegations. Nope.
• </c> committees, select committees, caucuses? committees, select committees, caucuses?

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with a quorum present and began the session with an invocation by Rabbi Ari Goldstein of Temple Beth Shalom, who urged senators to listen carefully, act with humility and integrity, and keep policy focused on real people and practical justice. His remarks were journalized without objection. The chamber also welcomed several guests, including a senior Girl Scout troop from Jefferson, family members of a senator, and visiting teachers, educators, and students from the College Board Foundation. The main floor action was a resolution recognizing Korean-American Day and honoring the Korean Society of Maryland and the broader Korean American community for their contributions to Maryland and the nation. The sponsor highlighted the community’s history since the first Korean immigrants arrived in North America in 1903 and named several Korean American leaders present in the gallery. The resolution was read in full and adopted unanimously, with applause and thanks extended to the guests. The Senate then handled first-reader bill introductions: Senate Bill 280, relating to state parks terminology in the Natural Resources/Education/Energy/Environment committees, and Senate Bill 281, the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026, referred to Budget and Taxation. Leadership noted that the early weeks of session would be committee-heavy, with most bills going to standing committees rather than the floor. Committee chairs then gave scheduling updates, including truncated hearing formats due to bill volume, upcoming hearings on longevity, the AHEAD model and emergency department wait times, election law bills, controller briefings, and departmental hearings. The Senate adjourned without objection until Wednesday, January 21, for a 10:00 a.m. pro forma session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chair Larson and committee.
• a year when we're assigned to represent someone.
• And we do run our committees, our legislative efforts through a committee, and my instructions were to
• What are the wishes of the committee?
• One of the bills, committee, that we did not assign to anybody to do, we just didn't have time to act

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee opened with a hearing on HB 1596, which would change low-level marijuana and THC possession and paraphernalia offenses into non-criminal citations or infractions, with fines and court procedures varying by amount and age. The bill’s sponsor said it was intended to reduce burdens on law enforcement, prosecutors, indigent defense, and the courts, while still deterring possession; testimony from the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents supported the bill but suggested an amendment to keep those under 21 in infraction status rather than non-criminal citation status, to align more closely with alcohol laws. Committee members questioned whether the bill was based on weight rather than potency, how it would affect criminal records, and whether the proposed amendment would treat 20-year-olds with marijuana similarly to 20-year-olds with alcohol. Opposition came from the Chiefs of Police Association, Ward County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, which argued the bill would decriminalize a Schedule I substance and move North Dakota toward legalization contrary to voter decisions. They also said existing local plea practices already reduce workload and that the bill would still leave law enforcement with evidence handling and reporting duties. After debate, the committee adopted a do not pass recommendation on HB 1596 by a 5-2 vote. The committee then took up HB 1416, a gaming-related bill involving charitable gaming and the ability to conduct multiple gaming activities at a site. Members discussed concerns about rural facilities, local flexibility, and whether the bill was necessary given that gaming activities can be paused or covered during another event. Senator Myrdal moved a do not pass recommendation, which passed on a 5-2 vote. The committee then adjourned until the next morning, with two bills still pending for later consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• recommendations to the Appropriations Committee.
• Chairman, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• Chairman, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• Good morning, Chair Hooper and committee members.
• Any other business to come before the committee?

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, Sandy Meyer, staff to the committee.
• Sandy Meyer, staff to the committee.
• Chair, Ranking Member, members of the committee.
• Chair, and members of the committee.
• Thanks, Chair, members of the committee.

Bills: HB2096 , HB2134 , HB2323

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: confidential identification, investigators, attorney general, security, law enforcement, transportation planning, greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled, regional planning organizations, environmental policy, blue envelope program, healthcare, patient privacy, state laws, medical records

Transcript Highlights:

• assigned.
• assigned.
• Chairman, I move the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and bills be properly assigned.
• Chairman, I move the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and bills be properly assigned.
• Chairman, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the committee. My name is Carl Germaine. the committee. My name is Carl Germaine.
• </c> Uh, we have troopers that are assigned Uh, we have troopers that are assigned to<00:19:27.360><c
• Chairman, members of the committee.
• What's the pleasure of the committee? committee? committee?
• </c><01:02:34.319><c> They</c> bring a committee amendment. They bring a committee amendment.

Bills: HB0130 , HB0095 , HB0096 , HB0097 , SF0101 , SF0106 , SF0067 , SF0123

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, committee. Representative, you're ready to introduce your bill?
• There's a committee sub. You want to use the PCS's working draft?
• You see, there's a committee amendment on it. You want to explain that?
• We'll report your bill out of committee as a do pass.
• Absolutely, there's a committee sub also. I see there's a committee substitute.

Bills: HB3257 , HB3428 , HB3043 , HB3044 , HB3078 , HB3940 , HB3432

Committee: House Veteran and Military Affairs

Keywords: veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service, veterans benefits, workplace poster, human resources, employment law, mental health resources, educational resources, HB3043, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, ODVA, seasonal employees, project labor, pro rata jobs, unclassified service, state personnel law, state employee benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the first committee of the Transportation Committee.
• Tell you, for me, this is the only committee in the House I've not been on except appropriation, which
• Speaker and Chairman, members of the committee, it's an honor to be here today with you all.
• Members of the Committee, Chairman.
• Paper plate, a set of metal license plates will be assigned at the time.

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Druszkowski. or for assigning a telephone number to a or for assigning a telephone number to
• </c> legislative telephone number assigned legislative telephone number assigned by<00:03:27.600><c>
• </c> actions by the committee? actions by the committee?
• Members of the committee. committee. committee. Senator<00:59:43.600><c> Gustafson.
• I actually have a list I can share with your committee later. Your committee later.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports of standing committees and divisions.
• :11:17.360><c> and</c> Reports of standing committees and Reports of standing committees and divisions
• The bill is being referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
• The bill is being referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
• Report from the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to go ahead and get started with the first of the Education Oversight Committees.
• Thank you, committee. House Bill 2950 does two things.
• Chairman, and thank you, committee. This bill simply... Thank you, committee.
• Chairman and members of the committee.
• So just to be clear, if a professor assigns an assignment, an academic focus on the coursework of the

Bills: HB2950 , HB2978 , HB3132 , HB3242 , HB3467 , HB3700 , HB3701 , HB4115 , HB4274

Committee: House Education Oversight

Summary: The Education Oversight Committee heard several bills focused on higher education, school library materials, military student transfers, women’s privacy, academic grading standards, program review, and teacher professional development. HB 2950, by Rep. Woolley, would remove the ACT requirement for homeschool students seeking Oklahoma’s Promise and bar colleges from imposing extra homeschool-specific hurdles; supporters said it would treat homeschoolers the same as other students, while opponents raised concerns about oversight and taxpayer-funded aid. The committee also heard HB 3132, which would direct higher education institutions to seek accreditors that do not impose DEI mandates, and HB 3700, which would require colleges to grade students only on academic criteria rather than opinions or beliefs. HB 3701 would codify regents’ procedures for reviewing and acting on low-performing degree programs, and HB 4115 would cap required teacher professional development hours, with the sponsor emphasizing local control and that the bill is permissive rather than mandatory. The committee also considered HB 2978, which would prohibit public school library materials from including descriptions or depictions of sexually explicit conduct. Supporters framed it as protecting children and aligning library collections with community standards, while opponents worried the language could limit access to materials that help students understand abuse and safety. HB 4274, a cleanup bill on military student schooling and school choice, would restore omitted transfer language, clarify in-district enrollment timing, and align the six-month relocation requirement with the Open Transfer Act. HB 3242, dealing with privacy for women in schools, universities, and domestic violence shelters, drew questions about how gender would be verified and how the bill would affect transgender students and shelter access. Most bills advanced on motions for due pass after committee discussion. HB 2950, HB 2978, HB 3132, HB 4274, HB 3242, HB 3700, HB 3701, and HB 4115 all received due pass recommendations. HB 3467 was laid over until the next meeting, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ALSO HAVE AN AI GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WE ARE ON VERSION 5.0 ON OUR IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE.
• WE MEET MONTHLY WITH THAT COMMITTEE, WHICH IS PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, DISTRICT STAFF.
• WE DEFER TO THAT COMMITTEE THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PURCHASING.
• MANY OF YOU ON THIS COMMITTEE HAVE SEEN HOW WE SET A RECORD WITH 97% RETENTION RATE.
• YOU CAN BRING INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNERS IN TO ADD THOSE ASSIGNMENT ACTIVITIES. >> Chair: THANK YOU.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> number of legislators on the committee number of legislators on the committee and<00:23:48.480><
• &gt;&gt; I think testimony and committee he did say<01:48:17.040><c> yes.
• </c><01:59:09.279><c> The</c> assignment. That's one question. The assignment. That's one question.
• ,</c><02:02:31.279><c> you</c> and the boarding school is assigned, you and the boarding school is assigned
• </c><02:27:16.880><c> that</c> other committees and commissions that other committees and commissions

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, just to review, last week I handed out another copy of the subcommittee assignments.
• > had</c><01:03:13.440><c> had</c><01:03:13.599><c> initial</c> committee, but I had had initial committee
• </c><01:10:15.679><c> before</c> special committee before special committee before will<01:10:17.760>
• I'd like to close our committee. Thank you all.
• </c><01:24:46.800><c> Thank</c> &gt;&gt; I'd like to close our committee.

Summary: The subcommittee on Family Court reviewed several previously distributed reports, including a comparison of family court structures in other states and a report on improving New Hampshire family court pre-trial and mediation practices. The main new topic was a report on the intersection of domestic violence and family courts in New Hampshire, with members discussing how domestic violence cases in superior or district court can overlap with custody matters in family court and how courts may not be aware of related proceedings in other venues. Members discussed RSA 490-D:2 and related statutes, noting that family courts have original jurisdiction over certain abuse, neglect, and domestic violence matters, with concurrent jurisdiction in some protective-order cases. The discussion focused on practical problems such as confidentiality in domestic violence cases, limited access to case information by nonparties, and the need for courts to better communicate about companion cases. Suggestions included a shared or unified database, expanded lethality assessments for law enforcement, and a requirement that criminal courts report domestic violence convictions or protective-order violations to family court so judges are aware of the full case context. The subcommittee also discussed ways to help self-represented litigants, including better education at first appearance, clearer guidance about raising protective orders or criminal charges at hearings, daily docket review by clerks, and a possible “lawyer for the day” program modeled on Massachusetts. One member raised the idea of a family safety docket, while another noted that New Hampshire already has a complex case docket for high-conflict matters and that cases generally stay with one judge when possible. No votes were taken, and the chair said the subcommittee would continue reviewing materials and could return to work next year, with possible bill amendments to follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee. My name is John Voss.
• Please vote House Bill 3142 out of committee.
• Good evening, Chairman and members of the committee.
• Chair, members of the committee.
• Good evening, Chair and committee members.

Committees: House Emerging Issues , House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, committee accept the House Resolution. What number is this going to be?
• We are voting on LSR 25-1159, codifying the revenue estimates of the committee.
• <00:21:57.440><c> did</c><00:21:57.760><c> its</c><00:21:58.000><c> work</c> committee did its work committee
• Yeah, retain is a committee function, not a committee report, so that's not appropriate.
• retain is a committee function not a<00:50:50.599><c> committee</c><00:50:51.000><c> report</c><00:50

Summary: The committee first met in a revenue estimate work session to approve an LSR codifying the committee’s revenue estimates. Members reviewed the process for turning the LSR into a House Resolution and discussed how the adopted estimates would be used to amend House Bill 1. After a brief question-and-answer about current revenue splits and the governor’s proposed video lottery and tax-split changes, the committee voted 19-0 to approve the revenue estimates. The committee then moved into executive session on HB 669, which would require all revenue from the statewide education property tax to be deposited into the education trust fund and set an equalized statewide tax rate. Supporters argued the bill would better direct education funding, while opponents said it was unnecessary or duplicative. The committee voted 12-7 to retain the bill (ITL), and a minority report was noted. Next, the committee considered HB 290, which would raise cigarette and electronic cigarette taxes and create a study committee on tobacco and nicotine taxes. Testimony focused on revenue needs, inflation, public health, and concerns that a higher tax could reduce sales or drive purchases across state lines. The committee voted 11-8 to ITL the bill, with a minority report. The committee also ITL’d HB 402, dealing with whether Education Freedom Account payments are taxable income, after debate over unintended consequences and whether the bill’s language was misleading; that vote was 11-8 with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened HB 483, and Representative Tierney moved ITL, arguing the bill’s requirement that the scholarship organization be incorporated in New Hampshire would likely violate the Commerce Clause; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• They get assigned to a managed care plan who assigns them to a primary care provider.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, committee members, and committee staff.
• This is the Health Committee. We shouldn't be the unhealthiest committee ever. Um.
• Health Committee. We shouldn't be the unhealthiest committee ever.
• We'll take it back to committee. Committee members, do we have any questions? Senator Patel.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on April 22 and took up a special order of bills focused largely on prior authorization and utilization management in health care. The chair framed the discussion as part of a broader legislative effort to reduce delays and barriers to care, especially in behavioral health, chronic disease management, cancer treatment, and rehabilitation services. AB 384 by Assembly Member Connolly would prohibit prior authorization for inpatient mental health or substance use emergency admissions and related physician care; supporters said it would prevent dangerous delays in crisis care, while insurers and health plans warned about fraud, abuse, and ambiguity around residential treatment facilities. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended motion and passed the committee on a party-line style vote, with Republicans largely absent or not voting. The committee then heard AB 510 by Assembly Member Addis, which would require health plans, upon request, to provide a peer reviewer of the same or similar specialty when a treating provider appeals a prior authorization denial or modification. Supporters argued that specialty-matched review would make appeals fairer and more clinically informed; opponents said the requirement was too rigid and that timelines and electronic submission rules needed changes. After discussion about the need for timely, specialty-specific review, the bill was approved on a due pass as amended motion and placed on call. AB 539 by Assembly Member Schiavo would extend prior authorization approvals to one year or the duration of the physician’s prescribed treatment for chronic conditions; supporters cited repeated denials and treatment interruptions, while opponents raised concerns about overbreadth, fraud, and the need for shorter validity periods. The bill was also passed as amended and placed on call. The committee next considered AB 669 by Assembly Member Haney, which would bar concurrent and retrospective review for the first 28 days of medically necessary substance use disorder treatment and limit prior authorization for related outpatient medications. The bill was presented with a powerful personal story from Ryan Matlock’s mother about her son’s death after an insurer cut off treatment early; supporters said the measure would keep patients in care long enough to stabilize, while opponents argued it would reduce oversight and could allow lower-quality or non-evidence-based care. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended motion and placed on call. Finally, AB 512 by Assembly Member Harabedian would shorten prior authorization response times to 24 hours for urgent requests and 48 hours for non-urgent requests; supporters said delays can worsen outcomes, while opponents warned the timelines were unrealistic and could increase administrative burdens and safety issues. The bill was approved as amended and placed on call. AB 574 by Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez was then heard; it would allow up to 12 medically necessary physical therapy sessions for a new episode of care without prior authorization, with supporters emphasizing stroke and neurological recovery and opponents warning of reduced oversight and unnecessary care. The transcript ends during testimony on AB 574, before final action is shown.