Transcript Highlights:

• Japan has faced the rising tide of political violence before, and we have overcome it.
• Japan has faced the rising tide of political violence before, and we have overcome it.

Transcript Highlights:

• , because I have been working for quite a while in Japan.
• , because I have been working for quite a while in Japan.
• , because I have been working for quite a while in Japan.
• , because I have been working for quite a while in Japan.
• , because I have been working for quite a while in Japan.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Los Angeles Dodgers, my hometown heroes, took the global stage by opening the MLB season in Tokyo, Japan
• They took the global stage by opening the MLB season in Tokyo, Japan, facing off against the Chicago
• With the largest representation of players from Japan, amplifying the team's excellence on the national

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, pledge, and a moment of silence for Marysville Police Officer Osmar Rodarte. Members then handled several procedural motions, including re-referring bills and moving items on the file, with AB 567 re-referred by a recorded vote of 42-17 and the remaining referral requests approved without objection. The chamber also heard a brief personal statement from Assembly Member Macedo thanking colleagues and staff for support during a health episode. On the floor, members presented and passed several measures. AB 310 by Assembly Member Alanis, requiring youth sports organizations to have AED access, emergency response plans, and coach training, passed 56-0. AB 437 by Assembly Member Lackey, expanding CIF reporting to include sports-related injuries and medical problems, passed 59-0. ACR 55 by Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez, commemorating the 40th anniversary of ARC v. DDS and the Lanterman Act, received 62 co-authors and was adopted by voice vote. The Assembly also adopted HR 28 recognizing Major League Baseball Opening Day 2025, with extended lighthearted remarks about the Dodgers, Giants, and Athletics, and HR 23 honoring Cesar Chavez Day, which drew broad support from caucus leaders and members speaking to Chavez’s labor and civil rights legacy. Both resolutions were adopted by voice vote after adding co-authors. The chamber then approved the second-day consent calendar, including ACR 39 on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month and ACR 53 on Women’s Equal Pay Day, and later adjourned in memory of Ralph Miller after tributes from Assembly Members Hart and Gibson. The House adjourned until Tuesday, April 1 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• from the 21st Century Fund to the Department of Commerce to establish three overseas trade offices in Japan
• Well, they're already our trading partners: Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
• Commerce to... million to the Department of Commerce to establish three overseas trade offices in Japan
• We can reach out to them in South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, or Vietnam.
• They're not... ...Taiwan, Japan, or Vietnam.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Japan is number two, Mexico three.
• Japan is number two, Mexico three.
• I would just look at the top four: Canada, Japan, Mexico, China. Next slide, please.
• Japan, we signed a deal not very long ago, maybe a month ago, to increase market access for U.S. agricultural

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held an interim work session focused on Washington agriculture’s viability, workforce, and competitiveness. Director Derek Sanderson of the Washington State Department of Agriculture and WSU Dean Raj Kosla described the size and diversity of the state’s farm sector, declining farm numbers, major export markets, and pressures from labor costs, low commodity prices, trade barriers, drought, regulatory burdens, and pests and disease. Kosla emphasized WSU’s land-grant role in education, research, and extension, including precision agriculture, broadband needs in rural areas, and the need for state support to help producers adopt new technologies and train the next generation of agricultural workers. Members asked about retaining farmland, increasing workforce capacity, and the role of precision agriculture. Kosla said precision agriculture can help address labor shortages and water scarcity, but adoption is limited by cost and rural broadband gaps. He explained precision agriculture as tailoring inputs to the right place, time, amount, and manner, and said WSU is working on low-cost sensor technologies and other innovations. Members also asked about how widely precision agriculture is used and whether it improves farm bottom lines; Kosla said adoption varies by tool and that he would follow up with more data. The committee then heard from Dr. Randy Fortenberry of WSU’s Impact Center on an agricultural competitiveness study and the effects of tariffs and trade. He reported that Washington’s competitiveness has generally declined relative to peer states in dairy, grapes, hops, apples, and wheat, with potatoes as the main bright spot. Surveyed producers said a substantial share of revenue is tied to regulatory compliance, with labor-related costs a major driver, and small diversified farms reported land access, capital, and profitability as bigger barriers than regulation. On trade, Fortenberry said Washington agriculture is highly export-dependent and vulnerable to retaliation, citing past losses in wheat, apples, pulses, and cherries when tariffs disrupted markets, while noting current uncertainty around China and India. The committee asked follow-up questions about compliance time, peer-state comparisons, and regulatory burdens; no votes were taken, and the department said it plans an interim report by the end of the year and a final report by June 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• And like I testified before, maybe we can tap into that meeting that Ishiba, Prime Minister from Japan
• And like I testified before, maybe we can tap into that meeting that Ishiba, Prime Minister from Japan
• And like I testified before, maybe we can tap into that meeting that Ishiba, Prime Minister from Japan
• And like I testified before, maybe we can tap into that meeting that Ishiba, Prime Minister from Japan

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committees on Economic Development and Tourism and on Transportation, Culture, and the Arts heard HCR 142, which urges the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Department of Transportation to expand the airport greetings program to display art in all neighbor island airports. Testimony from CARES supported the measure, emphasizing that public art and youth art competitions help educate keiki, strengthen cultural understanding, and support economic development through Hawaii’s creative industries. No one testified in opposition, and members raised no questions. Both committees recommended passage of HCR 142 unamended. The measure was adopted by voice vote in each committee, with some members excused. Later, the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard HTR 102, which concerns translating the real estate salesperson exam into Japanese for timeshare-related sales. Supporters, including DBEDT and ARDA Hawaii, argued the change would help Japanese-speaking applicants, improve workforce recruitment, and support Hawaii’s timeshare industry and Japanese visitor market. A representative from APAC Hawaii supported the idea but suggested considering additional languages such as Korean, Chinese, and Filipino. Some senators questioned whether the proposal adequately addressed continuing education and long-term English proficiency, and the Real Estate Commission explained it does not currently issue a limited timeshare salesperson license and that the proposal would not restrict licensees from selling other real estate products. The committee also heard HCR 156, which asks the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to increase its focus on advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity to support economic diversification, high-wage jobs, innovation, and national security. HTDC and the Hawaii Military Affairs Council supported the resolution, citing the recent federal discontinuation of the local Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, Innovate Hawaii, and the loss of related staff positions as reasons to reinforce state support. Testimony and discussion stressed cybersecurity, supply-chain resilience, automation, and the need to sustain manufacturing momentum in Hawaii. Both HTR 102 and HCR 156 were recommended for passage as is and were adopted by the committee, with some members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• Japanese business leaders who are here from across California, across the country, as well as from Japan
• Chamber of Commerce of Northern California, and they are an organization that has about 270 members of Japan-affiliated
• When she wasn't traveling to places like Scotland, Japan, and New Zealand, she found peace closer to

Summary: The Assembly met with a quorum present after a roll call and prayer, then proceeded through routine journal, procedural, and guest-introduction business. Members recognized several guests, including local district officials, Japanese business leaders, and students/interns, and the chamber also observed remarks about the Texas flooding tragedy during the prayer. The body then moved through the daily file, including second-reading items and concurrence votes on AB 390, which expands the slow-down/move-over law to stationary vehicles, and AB 1478, which allows retailers to absorb mattress recycling fees; both measures had Senate amendments concurred in by recorded vote. The Assembly adopted AJR 12, a bipartisan resolution recognizing Head Start Month and urging Congress and the President to protect and increase Head Start funding. Multiple members spoke in support, emphasizing the program’s role in early education, health, nutrition, and family support, especially in rural and low-income communities; the resolution received 70 ayes and no noes after 69 co-authors were added. The chamber also adopted ACR 96, designating a portion of Highway 101 in Humboldt County as the Patty Berg Memorial Highway, and SCR 50, which calls for state review of climate adaptation and maladaptation criteria to improve climate resilience planning; both measures passed without opposition. On the consent calendar, the Assembly added co-authors to ACR 81 and adopted the second-day consent calendar and remaining consent items, all by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The body also approved a motion to return AB 529 from engrossing and enrolling to the Senate for further action. The session concluded with numerous adjournment-in-memory tributes, most notably for Rincon Tribal Council Chairman Bo Mazzetti and former legislative secretary George Steffes, followed by a moment of silence for each and adjournment until Monday, July 14 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The French have actually also reprocessed for foreign customers in Europe and even as far away as Japan
• The French have actually also reprocessed for foreign customers in Europe and even as far away as Japan
• So one of the things is that when the anti-interested, Europe and even as far away as Japan.
• Japan is considering three different sites right now.
• Japan is considering three different sites right now, and one of which is an island quite remote in the

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The program is celebrating its 35th anniversary, making it the longest-running Hawaii-Japan high school
• The program is celebrating its 35th anniversary, making it the longest-running Hawaii-Japan high school
• The program is celebrating its 35th anniversary, making it the longest-running Hawaii-Japan high school
• the longest Anniversary making it the longest running<00:12:56.560> Hawaii<00:12:56.959> Japan
• <00:12:57.399> high<00:12:57.600> school<00:12:57.880> student running Hawaii Japan

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• National Championship the mes college National Championship the mes college golf team went to myosi City Japan
• to golf team went to myosi City Japan to golf team went to myosi City Japan to compete in the University
• which features men and league tournament which features men and women's collegate golf teams from Japan
• women's collegate golf teams from Japan women's collegate golf teams from Japan the United States and

Bills: SJR 36, SJR 2, SB 4, SR 45, SR 47, SR 63, SR 66, SR 70, SR 85, SCR 14, SB 10, SB 11, SB 10, SB 11

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a great relationship with the Consumer Protection Agency in Japan as well, so I just want to
• exam to give them the option to say yes today: I will take this exam in English or in Japanese. in Japan
• as well so I just want to note in Japan as well so I just want to note that<00:32:21.360> um<

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on April 1 at the State Capitol and heard four measures. HCR 45/HR 38 urged the Public Utilities Commission to support transferring regulatory authority over motor carriers, water carriers, and other transportation means to the Department of Transportation; both the PUC and DOT testified in support, and members discussed that the resolution was largely symbolic because statutory changes would still be needed. HCR 58/HR 54 requested a geothermal energy working group; the Consumer Advocate, PUC, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and Life of the Land supported it, while Students for Justice in Palestine at UH opposed it, citing an active injunction, environmental risks, and the need to prioritize Native and local community voices. Members asked about the injunction and community representation, and the PUC said it would support including Hawaiian community members in the working group. HCR 91/HR 87 sought insurance coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devices; a 14-year-old amputee testified in support, describing the need for sports prosthetics and arguing that coverage should allow people with limb loss to participate fully in school and athletics. HCR 102/HR 98 urged the Real Estate Commission to allow the salesperson exam to be administered in Japanese for timeshare sales; the Real Estate Commission opposed, while ARDA supported it, arguing there is a shortage of bilingual real estate professionals and that Japanese-language testing would help the timeshare industry and Japanese visitors. Members questioned the limited-license concept and public protection concerns, and the committee later amended the measure to a limited real estate salesperson’s license for timeshare sales, changing the target from Japanese-speaking visitors to Japanese nationals, before passing all four measures out of committee, with HCR 102 passing with amendments and the others passing as is.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if we look at the statistical data, if we look at the country of Japan when a product that is similar
• But in the real world, anytime we can reduce that harm, and we have real-world examples of that with Japan
• And again, the raw data out of Japan and Greece shows a in Japan, 4 million people less use tobacco products
• or quit smoking cigarettes in Japan, and 30% of the people in Greece quit smoking cigarettes.

Bills: HB3329, HR1039, HR1040, HB3413, HB3414, HB3415, HB3416, HB3417, HB3418, HB3419, HB3420, HB3706, HB3711, HB4139, HB1268, HB3660, HJR1023, HB3298, HB3056, HJR1084, HB3934, HB3919, HB4118, HB4119, HB3791, HB4260, HB4178, HB4215, HB4324, HB3270, HB4352, HB4305, HB2955, HB3315, HB3066, HB1245, HB4125, HB3075, HB3129, HB3239, HB4153, HB3265, HB4491, SB680, HB4263, HB4268, HB1675, HB3885, HB2984, HB3697, HB2959, HB3671, HB3852, HB2933, HB3057, HB3802, HB4294, HB4285, HB3708, HB3979, HB3977, HB3986, HB3985, HB3588, HB3742, HB3845, HJR1070, HB3590, HB3595, HB3391, HB3183, HB3764, HB3765, HB1002, HB4434, HJR1086, HB4060, HB3881, HB3500, HB4408, HB3648, HB3127, HB3606

Keywords: long-term care, advisory board, sunset legislation, mental health, psychologists, University of Oklahoma, gymnastics, NCAA, congratulations, sports excellence, recognition, honor, athletics, Joseph Castiglione, leadership, education, sports management, HB3413, public finance, state budget

Transcript Highlights:

• cut off critical minerals from Japan. cut off critical minerals from Japan.
• we see this huge investment from Japan. we see this huge investment from Japan. based<01:12:17.040
• I know they're involved, but it Japan?
• I Japan, particularly with the canal.
• It's Taiwan, it's Japan, uh, the big one is Japan, but Korea, uh, South Korea and some others.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sustainable practices in the provisions of health care services, following examples set by California and Japan
• set by care services following examples set by California<00:27:20.880> and<00:27:21.120> Japan
• So,<00:27:22.720> first<00:27:23.039> up<00:27:23.360> we California and Japan
• So, first up we California and Japan.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard SR 12/SCR 16, which asks the Department of Health to convene a task force to identify minimum professional standards for community health worker training programs. The Department of Health supported the measure and said it could take on the work with current resources. Testimony from Papa Ola Lokahi, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, the Hawaii Community Health Worker Association, and community health workers strongly supported the resolution but urged broader task force representation, including community health workers themselves, Papa Ola Lokahi, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Community Health Worker Alliance, and community-based rural nonprofit organizations. Several testifiers also asked that community health workers make up at least half of the task force. The department indicated it had no objection to adding the requested groups, and members discussed those proposed amendments. The committee then took up SR 141/SCR 172, which requests a Department of Health working group on demolition waste reduction. Energy Justice Network and other supporters urged amendments, including use of the internationally recognized zero-waste definition and hierarchy. The committee also heard SR 165/SCR 205, which would direct the Department of Health to adopt rules setting maximum decibel levels for concerts or events at private venues in primarily residential areas. The department said it was already working on noise issues and wanted a community noise working group to address nuisances beyond current statutory categories, but members questioned the lack of specific standards, the absence of a defined working group membership, and whether the proposal would lead to broader restrictions on events. Testimony and discussion focused on concerns about noise impacts, enforcement, and the balance between community complaints and long-standing local events. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided. The hearing then moved on to SR 174/SCR 194, which would ask the Department of Health to reduce the use of disposable surgical equipment and adopt sustainable practices, but discussion of that measure was not included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they export beef all around the world, not just do they serve Arizona, but I mean Japan, Mexico,
• And they export beef all around the world, not just do they serve Arizona, but I mean Japan, Mexico,
• Not just do they serve Arizona, but I mean Japan, Mexico, the Asian Pacific, Canada, all over.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House Committee on International Trade held its first meeting of the year, with members introducing themselves and the chair emphasizing Arizona’s role in foreign relations, especially with Mexico. The committee then heard presentations from the Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce and related local partners about the region’s importance as a trade, tourism, agriculture, logistics, and mining corridor. Chamber representatives described efforts to support small businesses with bilingual resources, digital and procurement assistance, entrepreneurship training, Google certificates, and workforce development tied to the South32 mine and other emerging industries. They also highlighted tourism promotion efforts to counter negative perceptions of Nogales, noting increased online engagement and stronger visitor activity. Members asked about state and federal improvements that could help trade, and witnesses said the top needs were infrastructure upgrades, especially roads and port-of-entry access, along with more pedestrian-friendly crossings and housing to retain workers. The Santa Cruz County Provisional Community College District described its unusual provisional status, its contract with Pima College, and the challenge of limited spending authority despite expected revenue growth from mining. The college said it is expanding workforce training, especially in AI, advanced manufacturing, trades, and ESL support, and is working toward eventual accreditation. The committee also heard from cattle industry representatives from Cattlemex, T4 Ranch, and J.M. Fletcher Cattle Co. They urged the reopening of the U.S.-Mexico border to live cattle imports, arguing that Sonoran cattle are safe, traceable, and vital to Arizona’s economy and the national beef supply. Witnesses said the New World screwworm-related border closure has reduced imports, raised beef prices, hurt feedlots and packing plants, and shifted cattle trade to other states. They asked lawmakers to advocate with USDA for a Sonora-specific reopening and to support Arizona’s livestock infrastructure and grazing lands. No bills were heard and no votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• SO, WHEN HE BEGAN SCHOOL IN KINDERGARTEN AND AFTER HE SPENT TIME AT SCHOOLS AND IN IDAHO, JAPAN, ALABAMA
• SO I THINK THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND THINGS THAT THEY GOT TO SEE AROUND THE WORLD THEY LIVED IN JAPAN
• MY MIDDLE SON WAS A MODEL IN JAPAN BECAUSE HE IS BLOND.

Transcript Highlights:

• announcement that they're gonna be building several of these in Tennessee as part of a big trade package with Japan
• The French have actually also reprocessed for foreign customers in Europe and even as far away as Japan
• what other countries are doing, and you can go and you can just ask ChatGPT questions like, what is Japan
• Japan is considering three different sites right now.
• Japan is considering three different sites right now, and one of which is an island quite remote in the

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to hear a series of presentations on the economics, financing, workforce, and community impacts of advanced nuclear deployment in North Dakota. William Bridge of Nucleon Energy presented the committee’s economic impacts and private-sector financing report, estimating construction and operating job impacts, local spending, and state/local tax effects for hypothetical SMR projects. He said the report assumes first-of-a-kind costs are still high, used a $6 million per megawatt nth-of-a-kind proxy, and estimated peak construction workforces of about 500 for a 200-MW plant and 1,000 for a larger facility, with roughly 100 operating jobs for a 200-MW plant. Committee members questioned security costs, capital cost assumptions, water and transmission siting constraints, and whether the model included fuel and waste; Bridge said the report included initial fuel in capital cost and that waste disposal is funded through existing federal mechanisms. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning efforts. She described declining labor-force participation, retirements, and the need for a much larger future workforce, and said NEI has organized recommendations around career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and nontraditional recruitment. She highlighted tools such as the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, timing for training relative to plant development, and whether advanced manufacturing would reduce staffing needs; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. The committee also heard from Gary Yaco, mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota, who described Prairie Island’s role in his community. He said the plant provides a large share of local property tax revenue, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to emergency preparedness funding and training, and is broadly supported by the city despite periodic protests and public concerns. He emphasized the plant’s security, regular drills with local and federal responders, and the absence of problems with dry cask storage. Later, Benton Arnett of NEI discussed the current financing landscape for advanced nuclear, explaining how tax credits, federal loan support, off-take agreements, and new business models are helping projects move forward. He said early projects face high upfront costs and long lead-time procurement, but that investor confidence is improving as federal policy and regulatory streamlining continue. The committee asked about waste funding, comparisons with natural gas, the effect of political shifts on investor confidence, and whether the market will narrow to a few winning technologies; Arnett said the industry is still sorting that out, but expects clearer winners in the late 2020s and early 2030s. The meeting concluded with an introductory presentation from Julie Kazeraki of DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, who said the office is focused on accelerating nuclear deployment through financing support.

Transcript Highlights:

• drop rain in the Atlantic or on the coast of Portugal, then we're getting, presumably we're getting Japan
• drop rain in the Atlantic or on the coast of Portugal, then we're getting, presumably we're getting Japan
• and Korea's clouds that began informed and then rain on the Presumably, we're getting Japan and Korea's

Summary: The committee considered and reported favorably several bills, most of them sponsored by Senator Rodriguez. CS/SB 164 on vessel accountability was presented as a measure to help law enforcement identify vessel owners, create a free long-term anchoring permit program, increase penalties for derelict vessel violations, and authorize grants for local governments in FWC’s prevention program; it passed without amendment. SB 388, dealing with FWC trust funds, was also reported favorably after Senator Berman asked whether non-game wildlife funds would support immigration enforcement; Senator Rodriguez said they would not. CS/SB 1320 was amended to recreate the Resilient Florida Trust Fund and then passed favorably. CS/CS/SB 344 modernizing the Telecommunications Access System was amended to define new terms and reduce the maximum surcharge from 25 cents to 15 cents, then reported favorably. CS/SB 86 on peer support for first responders expanded eligibility to support personnel and passed with broad support from law enforcement and related groups. The committee also took up CS/CS/SB 92, a hit-and-run accountability bill by Senator Gruters. The adopted amendment added a front license plate requirement, lowered the damage threshold from $5,000 to $2,500, and retained reporting requirements for repair shops. NFIB testified in opposition to parts of the bill, citing concerns about the lower threshold, short reporting deadlines, and potential license revocation, while supporters argued the bill would improve accountability and help solve hit-and-run cases. The bill was reported favorably after debate. The final and most contentious measure was CS/SB 56 by Senator Garcia, which would prohibit geoengineering and weather modification activities in Florida, repeal older weather-modification statutes, create a public reporting system at DEP, and impose penalties for violations. Supporters, including individuals identifying with weather-watch and anti-geoengineering concerns, argued that the bill would address public fears and environmental risks. A cloud-seeding company representative testified that cloud seeding is distinct from solar radiation management and said permitting should exist for responsible weather modification, while warning the bill could hinder beneficial precipitation enhancement. Despite skepticism from some members about the bill’s premise and scope, the committee reported it favorably. The meeting then concluded after members recorded missed votes and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trying to even just, you know, like Japan—Japan lives to just make its interest payment.
• just<00:20:04.480> you<00:20:04.720> know<00:20:05.120> like<00:20:05.360> Japan
• <00:20:06.240> Japan<00:20:06.880> lives<00:20:07.360> to just you know like
• Japan Japan lives to just you know like Japan Japan lives to just<00:20:07.919> make<00:20:08.160

Keywords: Concurrent meeting of the House Standing Committee on Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs and the House Standing Committee on State Government. Title of video has been shortened due to YouTube length restrictions. Discussion of HCR 45: 00:04:14, 958, all

Summary: The joint meeting of the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and the House State Government Committee was called to consider House Concurrent Resolution 45, sponsored by Representative Jason Petri. The resolution would support calling for a federal balanced budget amendment through the Article V process. Petri argued that Kentucky’s own constitutional balanced-budget requirement shows the value of fiscal restraint, and he said decades of federal deficit spending and rising debt make a constitutional amendment necessary. Governor Ron DeSantis and Lauren Ends of the National Campaign for a Balanced Budget Amendment also testified in support, emphasizing the growth of federal debt, the risk of a future debt crisis, and the view that Congress is unlikely to solve the problem on its own. Members asked about the mechanics and risks of an Article V convention, including whether the convention’s “sole purpose” language would be enforceable and whether a convention could become a “runaway” process. DeSantis and Ends said states can impose guardrails on delegates, including criminal penalties and delegate-limitation laws, and noted that any proposed amendment would still require ratification by 38 states. They also said that if Congress chose to draft the amendment itself in response to state pressure, that would be acceptable. One witness said 18 states have passed faithful-delegate or delegate-limitation laws. Representative Callaway asked what would happen if the debt issue is not addressed. Witnesses responded that continued borrowing could lead to economic dislocation, higher interest costs, and a debt crisis that would crowd out other federal spending. They said the current debt burden is already more than $100,000 per U.S. citizen and roughly $300,000 per taxpayer, and that a balanced budget amendment would be a first step toward stopping the growth of debt before any long-term paydown could occur. The transcript provided does not show a final vote or other committee action on the resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• organization in the house and say that not only do we have 10 years of longitudinal studies in markets like Japan
• and Italy, but also... markets like Japan and Italy, but also, just from a scientific method standpoint

Bills: SB282, SB300, HB72, HB396, SB282, SB300, HB72, HB396

Keywords: virtual currency, cryptocurrency, tax exemption, state tax law, digital assets, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, business incentives, economic impact, firefighter, license plate, fees, funds distribution, support programs, memorial, disabled veterans, property tax exemption, debt-to-income ratio, homestead, veterans affairs