Transcript Highlights:

• They've got one-party control of every branch of government.
• When we are the Article I branch, we've got the power.
• , and the Supreme Court would stand up for the power of judicial review and what the courts do.
• They eliminated the consumer protection branch that prosecuted corporate fraud.
• ,<04:04:28.479> which orders from the executive branch, which orders from the executive branch

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Likewise, Minnesota's 10 judicial districts and the courts within them also take different approaches
• and the courts 10 dis judicial districts and the courts within<00:10:05.519> them<00:10:05.839
• It has to really judicial district.
• , the judicial branch, staff members of community organizations that have served families of color involved
• , Representatives of the executive branch, the judicial branch, staff members of community organizations

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Audit Commission heard a presentation from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on its evaluation of the Office of Ombuds for Families (OBFF). Auditors said the office remains important because of Minnesota’s long history of racial disparities in the child protection system, but they found major problems with how OBFF is operating. The report said OBFF’s statutory duties are very broad compared with its small staff and budget, and that the ombuds persons are not carrying out all required duties while spending substantial time on activities not required by law. Auditors also said the office’s recent impact is unclear and that its complaint-handling work has significant deficiencies, including poor documentation, limited data, few policies, inconsistent handling, and failure to follow best practices. The presentation also focused on oversight and accountability. Auditors said OBFF’s three community boards, which are supposed to appoint and oversee the ombuds persons, have not provided adequate oversight: meeting requirements were often not met, attendance was low, and there was little evidence the boards were fulfilling their statutory duties. The auditors further said OBFF’s unusual structure, with no single designated leader and shared authority among the three ombuds persons, creates unclear lines of accountability. Their recommendations included revising OBFF’s statutory duties to better match legislative goals and resources, improving complaint-handling practices, strengthening board oversight, and establishing a single leadership position for the office. Members asked follow-up questions about racial disproportionality in out-of-home care, spending on nonrequired activities, and whether the ombuds persons met statutory qualification requirements. Auditors referred members to the report for more detailed data, said the office does not track expenditures by function, and noted that while the ombuds persons have relevant professional backgrounds, the evaluation raised concerns about whether they are meeting their duties as expected. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here on behalf of the NAACP and the three branches and the one college chapter at Dartmouth.
• The three branches we have are in Nashua, Manchester, and the Seacoast.
• <02:47:15.240> three<02:47:15.520> branches<02:47:16.080> we<02:47:16.279>
• > have<02:47:16.479> are Dartmouth the three branches we have are Dartmouth the three branches
• this allows for you know the judicial this allows for you know the judicial discretion<03:25:39.640

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The judicial branch submits its own budget recommendations for court operations and capital construction
• The judicial<01:40:12.320> branch<01:40:13.119> submits<01:40:13.600> its<01:40:
• 13.840> own<01:40:14.080> budget judicial branch submits its own budget judicial branch
• <01:40:40.880> The<01:40:41.119> recommend and judicial branches.
• The recommend and judicial branches.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislative branch can't determine that, only the judicial branch can.
• So now we'll transition to the final kind of branch I've talked about of adequacy, which is the statutory
• The legislative branch can't determine that, only the judicial branch can.
• So now we'll transition to the final kind of branch I've talked about of adequacy, which is the statutory

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and then shifted to an update from Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith on early childhood education, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. They said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ABC as a large state program with about 23,800 funded slots and roughly $114 million in annual appropriations. Department officials said they are reviewing slot allocations because about 1,000 seats are funded but unfilled, while more than 2,000 families are on waiting lists, and they plan to reduce or reallocate slots from providers that have not filled them over several years. They also said they are examining whether income thresholds, curriculum expectations, daily rates, and summer programming should be updated, and members raised concerns about access, local control, transportation, and whether the program should better align with K-12 choice and school readiness goals. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical data and other information for future discussion. The committee then received a legal presentation from BLR attorney Taylor Lloyd on the constitutional and statutory framework for education adequacy in Arkansas. She reviewed the Dupree and Lake View cases, explaining that the state must maintain a general, suitable, and efficient system of free public schools, and that adequacy and equity are distinct but related concepts. She emphasized that the General Assembly is responsible for defining adequacy, studying whether the system meets that standard, and reacting to the evidence, while the courts ultimately decide constitutional compliance. Lloyd also explained the current adequacy definition, the role of the matrix as a funding tool rather than a spending mandate, and the distinction between unrestricted foundation funding and restricted categorical funding. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum followed with a historical overview of how Arkansas responded to the court cases and developed the current adequacy process. She traced major legislative actions from the 1980s through the Lake View litigation, including the creation of funding formulas, categorical aid, isolated funding, declining enrollment funding, and the 2003-2004 adequacy study that led to the Continuing Adequacy Evaluation Act and the matrix used to set foundation funding. She also described later changes to the adequacy statute, the financial reporting requirements for districts, and the ongoing use of surveys, stakeholder testimony, and consultant studies in the biennial adequacy process. Members asked questions about whether private or homeschool programs could use public funds for expenses like utilities, whether stakeholders should include those groups, the difference between average daily membership and attendance, and whether school board members are surveyed; staff said those issues would need further research or were outside the scope of the presenters’ role.

Transcript Highlights:

• if the chair has considered this, but maybe turn this into a resolution directed to the executive branch
• if the chair has considered this, but maybe turn this into a resolution directed to the executive branch
• if the chair has considered this, but maybe turn this into a resolution directed to the executive branch
• <00:17:25.480> in<00:17:25.640> the directed to the executive branch in the directed
• to the executive branch in the dlnr<00:17:26.319> should<00:17:26.559> this<00:17:26.679

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development and Technology heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 22, which would limit state and local cooperation with federal immigration detainers. Supporters, including the Legal Clinic, the Office of the Public Defender, and the ACLU of Hawaiʻi, argued the bill would protect due process and constitutional rights regardless of immigration status. Some supporters requested amendments, including removing a probable-cause terrorism provision, adding enforcement language, and preserving warrant requirements. Public testimony was heavily in favor, with the chair announcing 91 testimonies in support and 52 in opposition. The committee then heard HB 73, which would prohibit setting aside public lands for immigration detention facilities. Testifiers in support said public land should serve local needs, not detention centers, and cited housing, food security, and community trust concerns. The Office of the Public Defender and others also supported the measure, and the chair reported 85 testimonies in support and 40 in opposition. The committee next took up HB 438, which would fund legal representation for people in immigration proceedings. Supporters, including the Public Defender, the University of Hawaiʻi Law School Refugee and Immigration Clinic, the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and the ACLU, emphasized the civil nature of immigration court, the severe consequences of removal, and the need for more pro bono and trained attorneys. Several suggested amendments focused on training and building a legal-services pipeline; the chair reported 83 testimonies in support and 51 in opposition. The committee also heard HB 457, aimed at requiring notice to detained individuals about their rights when ICE seeks to interview them or has a detainer request. Supporters said the bill would ensure people understand their right to remain silent and to refuse interviews, and the Legal Clinic suggested the warning be given orally, potentially via recorded messages, rather than only in writing. The Office of the Public Defender noted the bill aligns with existing due-process warnings in criminal court and suggested referencing current law. Finally, HB 476, which would raise the capital gains tax rate, drew support from Hawaiʻi Appleseed on fairness grounds; the Department of Taxation said it would review revenue questions but had no estimate available. After recess, the committee returned to decision-making and moved HB 22 forward on the chair’s recommendation of HD1, with the chair noting that the bill already contained language allowing counties to adopt stronger standards and protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• But it's also for the executive branch. There was a case called Baskin v.
• It's meant to prevent the executive branch from trying to improperly influence the legislative branch
• It's conversely trying to do the same thing with the legislative branch.
• Branch agency the authority to automatically increase benefits according to a precise formula.
• These are formula-driven adjustments administered by an executive branch agency.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Your state's commitment, both the legislative and executive branches, to building and using evidence
• Have on the executive branch alone, I can speak to that.
• and the legislative branch.
• For example, for many of them outside the executive branch, it's voluntary, right?
• I'll give you one example: we have 26,000 state employees in the executive branch.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, not just this legislative branch, but the executive branch and the judicial branch and all those
• mentioned in several books including Freedom's Children by Ellen Levine, Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch
• 26:27.440> Taylor Lavine, Parting the Waters by Taylor Lavine, Parting the Waters by Taylor Branch
• :29.039> Ride<00:26:29.279> to<00:26:29.440> Justice<00:26:29.840> by Branch
• , and Bus Ride to Justice by Branch, and Bus Ride to Justice by Attorney<00:26:30.480> Fred<00

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In this case, the PALM project impacts all three branches of government, including the legislature.
• The PALM project impacts all three branches of government, including the legislature.
• So in this case, and you see all of the logos up there, every single branch of state government—executive
• , judicial, and legislative—uses FLAIR today and will use PALM tomorrow to make...
• So the payroll obviously affects state employees, to include legislative employees and judicial branch

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several major technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Department of Financial Services’ Florida PALM project, which is replacing the state’s decades-old FLAIR accounting system. DFS described PALM as a statewide effort affecting all three branches of government, with cash management already live and the remaining financial management, payroll, and data warehouse components still in development. Officials said the project began in 2014, was restructured after a 2022 legislative pause, and is now being recommended for a go-live delay from January 2026 to July 2026. Members asked about governance, staffing, contract structure, cost growth, and maintenance costs; DFS said the contract is deliverable-based, the current amendment would add a net $2.2 million, and post-go-live maintenance is expected to be about $13 million annually under the current contract through July 2027. The Agency for Health Care Administration then updated the committee on the FX Medicaid enterprise modernization program. AHCA explained that federal CMS directed states to move from monolithic Medicaid systems to a modular approach, leading Florida to procure separate vendors for integration services, data warehouse, unified operations, provider services, and claims processing, with pharmacy benefits still to be procured. Officials said the project has spent about $334 million to date, with most costs federally matched, and requested $189.95 million for the upcoming year. They also highlighted a 2024 special assessment that produced 81 recommendations, most tied to staffing shortages, and said the Legislature added 47 FTEs, with 17 currently filled or being filled. Members asked about governance changes, production status, data access, and future technology maintenance; AHCA said some components are operational, the data warehouse is nearing certification, and the agency is working to keep the system adaptable and nonproprietary. The Department of Children and Families presented its Access modernization project, which is replacing a mainframe-based eligibility system used for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid assistance, and related programs. DCF said the six-year, $205 million project is in its third year and has already delivered a new customer portal with mobile access, multi-factor authentication, and fraud protections, while also building a worker portal, document management, community partner tools, and workload management functions. The agency said it is requesting $36.625 million for the next fiscal year, the same as last year, and emphasized that the project has remained on schedule and on budget by breaking work into smaller modules and using strong vendor and staff support. Members praised the project’s progress and asked about cybersecurity testing and the long delay before modernization began; DCF said security requirements were built in from the outset and that the remaining work will focus on moving staff off the legacy mainframe and modernizing notices and back-end processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:50:39.760> justice moniker of a fair and judicious justice moniker of a fair and judicious
• After Miss Fuentes's murder, the judicial branch and the AG's office each undertook thorough reviews
• branch and the AG's office each judicial branch and the AG's office each undertook<03:04:21.520>
• The fiscal note states the judicial branch would need 43 dedicated full-time court operations specialists
• The fiscal note states the judicial The fiscal note states the judicial branch<03:07:55.439>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the committee report, we made some amendments at the request of the Judicial Department to make sure
• And this reinforces protections against comprehensive location tracking without judicial oversight.
• judicial oversight. judicial oversight.
• and that access requires judicial and that access requires judicial oversight.<02:09:04.880>
• And um, and then at the end of the day and equally concerning, the executive branch said if there are

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received committee and House messages before moving into third reading and final passage on several bills. Early action included passage of House Bill 1318, which concerns traffic safety near schools; Senator Cutter offered and the chamber adopted a third-reading amendment naming it the Liam Stewart School Zone Act in honor of a child killed in a traffic accident near a school. The bill then passed 33-1. The chamber also passed Senate Bill 134 on payment card network fees, and laid over Senate Bill 17 until April 30. The Senate then considered Senate Bill 45 on workforce development opportunities in Colorado’s nuclear sector, Senate Bill 91 on excluding certain printed news deliverers from employee definitions under labor law, Senate Bill 114 on spirituous liquor manufacturer sales rooms, Senate Bill 162 on releasing healthcare test results to patients, Senate Bill 23 on school finance, Senate Bill 93 on workers’ compensation coverage compliance, Senate Bill 155 on homeowners insurance availability, Senate Bill 146 on restricting single-use food service ware, and Senate Bill 156 on State Workforce Development Council practices. Most of these bills passed, with recorded opposition on several measures: SB 91 passed 26-8, SB 114 passed 31-3, SB 162 passed 29-5, SB 93 passed 19-15, SB 155 passed 22-12, SB 146 passed 20-14, and SB 156 passed 32-2. SB 23, the school finance act, drew broad support and passed 34-0 after multiple senators emphasized education funding priorities and constitutional obligations. During debate, senators highlighted policy rationales and personal stories. On SB 162, Senator Weissman explained his no vote as a patient-autonomy concern despite acknowledging the bill’s earnest intent. On SB 23, supporters said the bill preserved and strengthened K-12 funding, while one senator argued schools should do better on safety and teacher pay. On SB 155, supporters said the homeowners insurance bill could help change market direction and improve affordability. On SB 156, Senator Marchman described the bill’s focus on out-of-school youth and the need to connect young people who are not in education, employment, or training with workforce supports. The Senate also began special-order second reading of consent-calendar bills, adopted the committee reports, and advanced House Bill 1313 on affordable housing fund requirements with amendments related to Prop 123 implementation and stakeholder processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• after the court adjudication is complete and there are court orders, there is initial and subsequent judicial
• So there is an initial judicial review held within 60 days of the disposition where parties have to demonstrate
• For those that are screened out, There's another kind of branch where, through investigation, either
• their required citizen review board functions in their health and human services agencies or in the judicial
• branch. or as a standalone entity.

Transcript Highlights:

• The understanding is that the judicial branch wouldn't need to remake any of the forms and would be able
• understanding is that the judicial understanding is that the judicial branch<00:31:41.039> wouldn't
• My name is Lauren Warner, and I serve as deputy general counsel for the judicial branch.
• I just wanted to note the judicial branch doesn't take a position on the bill.
• Unless there is additional judges or additional staff that are then employed by the judicial branch to

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We were the third state in the country to enact this kind of executive branch court, and we are today
• the largest of three courts that sit inside the executive branch.
• Court and we are today Executive Branch Court and we are today the<01:25:20.760> largest<01:25
• um the other inside the executive branch um the other two<01:25:25.440> being<01:25:25.639>
• review and with that process of judicial review and with that I<01:26:28.440> will<01:26:28.719

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Minnesota House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee met to begin its session with member and staff introductions, then heard an overview from Secretary of State Steve Simon and elections director Paul Linnell on the state’s elections administration and budget needs. Simon said the office’s committee-jurisdiction budget request was for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) election security grant match: Minnesota received about $1 million in federal funds in 2024 and needs a $200,000 state match to unlock the money for election security navigator work. He also previewed the office’s broader presentation on the 2024 election, outreach efforts, and election security. Simon described the 2024 election cycle as successful, saying his administrative goals were high turnout and low drama. He reported that Minnesota had very high turnout in the November election, with more than 3.27 million ballots cast and about 76.4% turnout, and noted that more than 1.3 million voters cast ballots before Election Day. He also highlighted outreach and accessibility efforts, including the Students Voting Program, Youth Day at the Capitol, National Voter Registration Day activities, expanded online voter tools in additional languages, and work to inform eligible Minnesotans about the Restore the Vote law for people leaving prison. He emphasized that elections are a team effort carried out largely by counties, cities, townships, and election judges. Linnell then explained the state’s election administration structure and responsibilities, including the Statewide Voter Registration System, candidate filing and election reporting systems, voting equipment certification, and post-election performance reviews. He said counties are central to voter registration updates and ballot preparation, and noted that in 2024 there were a handful of counties with ballot errors that required court action, with a vendor process change identified as a contributing factor. Committee members asked for more detail on the number and identity of the affected counties. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because, for you know, some of the responses you got, especially from the judicial branch but also some
• <00:48:48.800> branch got, especially from the judicial branch got, especially from the judicial
• branch but<00:48:49.359> also<00:48:49.600> some<00:48:49.840> from<00:48:50.000
• It enables dialogue and shared understanding across branches of government.
• It enables dialogue and shared understanding across branches of government.

Transcript Highlights:

• And right now I'm a deputy district attorney at the 3rd Judicial District.
• I understand the judicial system.
• But really, there are three evaluators that have served the 3rd Judicial District.
• If I were... to do something, I would only have access to doing it third judicial-wise.
• Executive branch. Others? Anyone else? All right. Thank you. I didn't see my chili arrive.

Transcript Highlights:

• branch, and the judicial branch, giving the power to the people of New Hampshire.
• branch, the executive branch,<04:31:10.640> and<04:31:10.800> the<04:31:10.960> judicial
• <04:31:11.359> branch<04:31:11.920> giving branch, and the judicial branch giving branch
• , and the judicial branch giving the<04:31:12.399> power<04:31:12.720> to<04:31:13.199>
• This is something judicial deference.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rules by state agencies in current judicial proceedings refer to the Committee on Delivery and Government
• Harrison relating to the requirement that certain rules proposed by state agencies in the executive branch
• may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature or a statewide elected official. and the executive branch

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These lawsuits really demonstrate judicial policymaking.
• And I think that this is by far a prime example of that that the judicial branch is legislating.
• To do, why we exist as a branch of government, is going to be allocated to the judicial system.
• Right, one of the planning sessions in Bernalillo County for our judicial district.
• and not dependent on judicial intervention.