Bills: SB43 , SB50 , SB145 , SM2

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: parole, life imprisonment, rehabilitation, criminal justice, victim rights, law enforcement, training requirements, mental health, domestic abuse, child abuse, public safety, crisis intervention, auditing, financial reporting, state auditor, public agencies, capital outlay, compliance, federal audits, pediatric palliative care

Transcript Highlights:

• So I recognize that the bill is not entirely and fully baked, but we did model it after cannabis policy
• I guess my question then is, is it a stretch from a policy standpoint to say this should be regulated
• We want to make sure that the policy keeps moving. And obviously I'm encouraging a yes, but we...
• We want to make sure that the policy keeps moving.
• Madam Chair, that there is continued work on this policy.

Bills: HB2291 , HB2629 , HB2439 , HB1078 , HB1701 , HB2207 , HB2501 , HB2361 , HB1932

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: kratom, consumer protection, regulation, health safety, substance control, infrastructure, protection, safety, security, state regulations, public health, tobacco regulation, smoking cessation, vapor products, health policy, youth prevention, pet insurance, insurance regulation, animal welfare, claims processes

Transcript Highlights:

• want to thank Representative Keith Bell for his unwavering commitment to education and workforce policies
• We appreciate your time. work that you were putting into creating policy to foster and grow the important
• As students take a CTE course, one CTE course, they are financially much better off in terms of wages
• Or would they be left out financially?
• I'm the director of education workforce policy at Texas 2036, and I'm here today to testify on House

Bills: HB20 , HB 120 , HB20 , HB120

Committee: House S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education

Keywords: applied sciences, career education, high school diploma, certificate program, work-based learning, job placement, high-growth jobs, technical training, career readiness, education reform, workforce training, public schools, financial aid, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Transcript Highlights:

• Tuition policy.
• The last time that tuition policy was changed was in 2015.
• Switching to financial aid, this state will provide over a billion dollars of financial aid during the
• State appropriations, tuition, and financial aid are all interrelated.
• And that concludes All of the different aspects of financial aid.

Bills: HB2148 , HB2132

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Keywords: education, pay it forward program, tuition, student loans, financial aid, state financial aid, financial aid application, postsecondary education, higher education, student aid, Washington Student Achievement Council, public records exemption, privacy, student records, personally identifying information, financial information, data sharing agreement, enrollment assistance, institutional records, FERPA

Bills: SB1623 , SB2067 , SB2132

Committee: House Banking, Financial Services and Pensions

Keywords: credit union, Oklahoma State Credit Union Board, membership, loans, investments, board compensation, financial regulations, financial exploitation, protected adults, financial institution, notification, temporary hold, credit card, surcharge, discounts, consumer protection, payment methods, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The banks make decisions based on financial risk, not political preference.
• This protects the financial system. It promotes competition.
• The CFPB was created in the wake of the great financial crisis.
• I urge everyone to vote yes on this to protect our financial system.
• The Taylor Act It mandates that federal financial regulators consider individual financial institutions

Bills: SB875

Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Keywords: banking regulation, federal agencies, reputational risk, financial services, supervision, FIRM Act, bank supervision, depository institutions, federal banking agencies, FDIC, OCC, Federal Reserve, NCUA, CFPB, credit unions, Operation Choke Point, financial discrimination, safety and soundness, supervisory guidance, examination manual

Summary: This meeting focused on the markup of the Genius Act and the FIRM Act, two significant pieces of legislation addressing stablecoin regulation and the financial industry's regulatory framework. The Chairman noted the importance of providing clarity to the digital asset community and protecting American consumers, while also promoting innovation and competition within the financial sector. Members of both parties expressed varying viewpoints, with some highlighting concerns related to national security and the potential risks associated with stablecoins.

Bills: HB166 , HB487 , SB130 , SB181 , HB166 , HB487 , SB130 , SB181

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: education policy, wireless communication devices, internet safety, social media, mental health, HB487, Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program, veterans, disabled veterans, dependents, spouse benefits, widow benefits, children of veterans, tuition assistance, education benefits, scholarship, college aid, undergraduate tuition, private school reimbursement, books and fees

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chief Financial Officer is authorized to appoint review panel members to assist DFS in the grant
• include credit unions and financial institutions generally.
• include credit unions and financial institutions generally.
• We have Ash Mason, Office of Financial Regulation, waving in support.
• From a policy standpoint, we respectfully suggest that this puts pressure in the wrong place.

Bills: S0198 , S0570 , S0772 , S0808 , S1038 , S1040 , S1286 , S1440 , S1504 , S1668

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Keywords: virtual currency, kiosks, money services business, regulation, financial services, consumer protection, cryptocurrency, registration, payment scams, task force, fraud prevention, property insurance, roofing requirements, inspector, insurance policies, homeowners insurance, roof age, residential structures, insurance renewal, investment

Summary: The Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 1286 by Senator Wright. That bill expands the law enforcement recruitment bonus program to include firefighters, creates a DFS grant review panel for fire-related grants, and establishes an institute for PTSD and first-responder behavioral health. Testimony from fire chiefs and others supported the measure, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee then considered several insurance and financial regulation bills. CS/SB 198 by Senator Rousan, as amended, regulates virtual currency kiosks with transaction limits, notice and receipt requirements, and OFR enforcement authority; witnesses described it as a needed anti-fraud measure, especially for seniors, and it was reported favorably. CS/SB 772 by Senator Burgess, as amended, allows limited licenses for portable electronics and eyewear insurance, and CS/SB 1504 by Senator Claudio, as amended, creates a pathway for high school students to qualify for insurance customer representative licensure; both were reported favorably. The committee also approved two cryptocurrency reserve bills by Senator Gruters: CS/SB 1038 creates the Florida Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve framework, and CS/SB 1040 creates the related trust fund; both received technical amendments and favorable reports. CS/SB 1440 by Senator Martin, as amended, creates public records exemptions and cybersecurity reporting provisions for financial institutions and related entities, and it was reported favorably. Finally, SB 1668 by Senator Burton, which updates the NICA program’s funding and benefit structure, and CS/SB 570 by Senator Polsky, which creates a task force on payment scams, were both heard with supportive testimony and reported favorably. Senators later recorded additional affirmative votes on selected bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Alabama Policy Institute is an advocate for this bill. ...Institute is an advocate for this bill

Bills: SB210 , SB292 , HB360 , HB233 , HB66 , HB356 , HB164 , HB238 , HB209 , SB223 , HB307 , SB210 , SB292 , HB360 , HB233 , HB66 , HB356 , HB164 , HB238 , HB209 , SB223 , HB307

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: hospital liens, medical billing, government healthcare, insurance claims, patient rights, education oversight, subpoena authority, investigation, State Superintendent, school misconduct, drug courts, accountability, veterans, mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation, criminal justice, court intervention, elder abuse, financial exploitation

Transcript Highlights:

• Um because then folks for policy sake.
• </c> line with other traditional financial line with other traditional financial institutions.<00:32:
• </c> because ARP does not have policy on it. because ARP does not have policy on it.
• As we know, financial institutions.
• </c><01:05:30.000><c> and</c> really influence public policy and really influence public policy and national

Bills: HB2227 , HB1775 , HB1560 , HB1642 , HB1647 , HB2003 , HB1640 , HB2198

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: eviction, housing stability, tenant screening, court records, writ of possession, foreclosures, public sale, eligible bidders, housing, downpayment, judicial foreclosure, digital financial assets, consumer protection, financial kiosks, refunds, transaction security, HB1642, Hawaii, cryptocurrency ATM, crypto ATM

Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 5, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 227 relating to eviction records. Supporters, including the Public First Law Center and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, argued the bill would help people who prevail in eviction cases avoid long-term housing harm from online court records, while the Public First Law Center said keeping records off eCourt Kokua would not violate the First Amendment because the records would still be available in person. Members discussed access-to-justice concerns, and a witness said legal aid attorneys could still access the records through the attorney-only Jeff’s system and the court’s access-to-justice room. The chair also asked about precedent, and a witness cited a Hawaii Supreme Court case as supporting removal from the online database rather than sealing records entirely. The committee then took up HP 1775 relating to foreclosures, but the transcript only shows in-person opposition comments from the Hawaii State Bar Association Collection Law Section, the Hawaii Credit Union League, and the Hawaii Bankers Association. The credit union and banking groups said they had concerns about broader negative impacts on mortgage lending and other requirements, but no detailed discussion or action was captured before the committee moved on. The next measure, HB 1560 relating to consumer protection, drew support from the Office of Consumer Protection and cryptocurrency companies including Coinflip and America Digital, which said they already use wallet-pinning and other safeguards to prevent fraud. AARP Hawaii did not take a formal position but said the bill addressed a real problem, noting that Hawaii residents, especially in Kona, had lost more than $920,000 in 2024 to cryptocurrency ATM scams and arguing that stronger oversight was needed. The committee also heard HB 1642, which would ban cryptocurrency kiosks. The Office of Consumer Protection supported the ban as the best way to protect consumers from fraud, while Coinflip, Bitcoin Depot, and America Digital opposed it, arguing kiosks provide cash-based access to crypto, especially for unbanked or underbanked consumers, and that targeted regulation would be better than an outright ban. AARP Hawaii took no formal position but strongly emphasized the harm caused by scams, saying victims are often frightened into acting quickly and that kiosk transactions currently lack enough friction or intervention. Finally, HB 1647, also on consumer protection, would impose liability on host businesses that provide space for crypto kiosks. The Office of Consumer Protection warned small businesses might not understand the liability, while Coinflip, Bitcoin Depot, and America Digital opposed the bill, saying it would unfairly shift enforcement duties to host stores and could discourage businesses from hosting kiosks, effectively creating a de facto ban. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• life insurance policies, life insurance policies for which payment of the premium is due monthly or
• protect their financial well-being.
• These private insurance policies offer much better coverage and higher policy limits than the federal
• policy does.
• The federal policies do offer contents coverage now, but it's a separate policy.

Bills: HB2428 , HB2399 , HB2087

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: life insurance, policy lapse, policy cancellation, nonpayment of premium, premium grace period, lapse notice, termination notice, third-party notice, third-party designee, beneficiary protection, consumer protection, insurance regulation, insurer notice requirements, policyholder, beneficiary, Washington RCW, insurance code, unintentional lapse, coverage continuation, premium delinquency

Transcript Highlights:

• bill creates the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to develop research security policy
• Will Hall, representing the Louisiana Baptist Office of Public Policy, were listed in support.
• This is what I've always said about our policies.
• Sadie back now with Louisiana Policy Institute for Children.
• I would offer to you Public Policy Research Center at a Louisiana public university.

Bills: HR171 , HCR49 , HB632 , HB1084 , SB310 , SB351 , SB399

Committee: House Education

Keywords: HR171, House Resolution 171, M.J. Foster Promise Program, TOPS-Tech, TOPS Tech Award, Board of Regents, Louisiana Works, Louisiana Community and Technical College System, LCATCS, financial aid, scholarship, workforce development, career training, technical education, vocational education, postsecondary credential, associate degree, industry-based credential, high-demand jobs, high-wage occupations

Transcript Highlights:

• How much focus has DHS done in recent years to really focus on improving the financial well-being of
• How much focus has DHS done in recent years to really focus on improving the financial well-being of
• </c><00:14:53.120><c> well-being</c><00:14:53.720><c> of</c><00:14:54.440><c> residents</c> the financial
• well-being of residents the financial well-being of residents who<00:14:55.079><c> are</c><00:14:55.160
• I think they have some funding, especially around financial literacy, to give other Native Hawaiians

Bills: SCR63 , SCR8 , SCR160 , SCR90 , SCR93

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: disability, accessibility, healthcare communication, sign language interpreters, deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, auxiliary aids, building permits, seniors, health care, safety modifications, county regulations, expedited processing, housing ladder, move-up housing, subsidized housing, public housing, affordable housing, housing mobility

Summary: The House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness heard several resolutions focused on disability access, housing, and support for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. SCR 63 SD1 would have the Disability and Communication Access Board study communication needs in health care settings for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind and revise provider guidance; testimony was strongly supportive, including from the board, a physician, and a family member who described harmful delays in care, and the committee later recommended passage as is. SCR 8 would require counties to act within 45 days on completed permit applications for home modifications needed for an older adult or person with a disability; testimony noted delays in permitting and financing, and the committee recommended passage as is. The committee also heard SCR 160, which urges state housing agencies to create a “housing ladder” program to help individuals and families move from subsidized to unsubsidized housing. Hawaii Public Housing Authority and other agencies supported the concept, and DHS described its family self-sufficiency program and said prior federal resident-services funding had declined over the past 20 years. The committee acknowledged the program may already exist in some form but still recommended adoption of the resolution as is. SCR 90 would ask county planning departments to establish kupuna-friendly building permit requirements for parking accessibility in private businesses. The committee moved it forward with an HD1 for technical amendments; a member raised concern that the measure did not specify the age threshold for “kupuna,” and said they would vote with reservations. Finally, SCR 93 would direct DHHL and the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions to develop a coordinated support and stabilization pathway for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries experiencing homelessness or very low income. DHHL said it is already operating a transitional housing effort called Ka Leo Opu Mama for about 18 beneficiaries using more than $6 million in federal Nah Ho Sa funds, with no dedicated state funding, and the committee recommended passage as is. The meeting ended with the chair thanking testifiers and members and adjourning the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• being laid over right now, but we will have an amendment later on that will go on to the Commerce Policy
• As part of the overall agreement to be able to get to a policy bill that we can pass out of committee
• Again, as part of a global agreement to get a commerce policy bill that can be supported by the parties
• I think this is bad policy, and while it may seem like a small sector of the overall insurance industry
• Madam Chair, just looking forward to moving the policy bill all to the general register.

Bills: HF1224 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: foreclosure, mortgage postponement, homeowners, redemption period, Minnesota Statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• being laid over right now, but we will have an amendment later on that will go on to the Commerce policy
• <00:03:01.280><c> to</c><00:03:01.480><c> go</c><00:03:01.599><c> on</c><00:03:01.720><c> the</c> policy
• bill um and I want to go on the policy bill um and I want to go on the record<00:03:02.360><c> that<
• </c> agreement to be able to get to a policy agreement to be able to get to a policy bill<00:09:44.600
• Madam Chair, just looking forward to moving the policy bill out to the general register.

Bills: HF1224 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: foreclosure, mortgage postponement, homeowners, redemption period, Minnesota Statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• That is the Commerce Committee 2025 policy bill for the House.
• Our next item on the agenda is House File 2403, the Commerce Policy Bill.
• But I would like to just remind members that this is the policy bill.
• I am the Vice Policy Chair for the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce.
• I'm the Policy Vice Chair and Cannabis Policy Lead for the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, and I

Bills: HF1545 , HF2426 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical cannabis, cultivation, cannabinoid products, plant canopy, Minnesota statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no HF2403 commerce policy bill.
• </c><00:08:43.120><c> from</c> um where you're separating policy from um where you're separating policy
• </c><00:43:50.079><c> bill</c> cannabis um omnibus policy bill cannabis um omnibus policy bill tomorrow
• </c> manipulate policy in their own interest. manipulate policy in their own interest.
• I'm the policy vice chair and cannabis policy lead for the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, and I

Bills: HF1545 , HF2426 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical cannabis, cultivation, cannabinoid products, plant canopy, Minnesota statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• systems and provide vault facilities, requires deposits to be insured under an all-risk insurance policy
• In fact, The Wizard of Oz is a book about monetary policy. The yellow brick road is gold.
• Those closest to newly created money, financial institutions, Wall Street, are the ones that benefit.
• The newly created money, financial institutions, Wall Street, are the ones that benefit.
• Again, the Bank for International Settlements, which oversees global financial regulations, upgraded

Bills: HB2123 , HB2140

Committee: House Regulatory Oversight

Keywords: bullion, depository, legal tender, Arizona, finances, precious metals, financial transactions, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Financial Capability Manager for the City of St.
• I often feel dependent on others and have had to ask for financial support more than once.
• We work with a financial company to ensure that all...
• are some of the financial qualifications that I talked about before.
• Article two Is miscellaneous commerce policy.

Bills: HF1646 , HF2443

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical debt, debt relief, healthcare financing, consumer protection, financial hardship, commerce, cannabis, insurance, housing, ombudsperson, affordability, property, task force, financial institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• Available to the superintendent on a wide variety of different policies.
• So the financial solvency question is universal for the state.
• We need to have a minimum fund balance policy in place.
• I would probably be the person reporting the monthly financial data.
• on financial indicators.

Bills: HB2440 , HB2551 , HB2593

Committee: House Education

Keywords: education, ombudsman, record-keeping, transparency, advocacy, school funding, financial solvency, education budget, district financial health, state funding, accounting, budgeting, reporting, 904, all