Transcript Highlights:

• As their letter of opposition points out, they've been negotiating four years over an MOU, three years
• And now it just seems like this is an attempt to try to ignore the years of negotiations that were taking
• How is this not circumventing those years of negotiations that have already taken place, specifically
• and to negotiate an agreement for an ISR with the Port of L.A. and Long Beach, they have already been
• I'm incredibly sympathetic to the ILWU and those negotiations at the ports.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• So you have to have a license to uh negotiate on behalf of someone to enter a contract and uh sell and
• <00:16:09.279><c> uh</c> So you have to have a license to uh So you have to have a license to uh negotiate
• 11.120><c> of</c><00:16:11.199><c> someone</c><00:16:11.519><c> to</c><00:16:11.680><c> enter</c> negotiate
• on behalf of someone to enter negotiate on behalf of someone to enter a<00:16:12.160><c> contract</c
• on behalf of my own &gt;&gt; but if I negotiate on behalf of my own self<00:16:48.800><c> as</c><00:

Bills: SB274 , HB586 , SB274 , HB586

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Keywords: cannabis, psychoactive cannabinoids, CBD, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-10 THC, criminal penalties, youth protection, medical cannabis, HB586, Cullman, Cullman County, City of Cullman, annexation, municipal boundaries, corporate limits, local legislation, boundary adjustment, city limits, municipal expansion

Transcript Highlights:

• The next question, you might have touched upon this in your remarks as well, but I know there's negotiations
• going on with labor as well, and I wanted to hear an update on any negotiations. ...on with labor as
• well and wanted to hear an update on any negotiations with labor.
• going on with labor as well. and wanted to hear an update on any negotiations. on with labor as well
• and wanted to hear an update on any negotiations with labor we as you probably know we are working with

Transcript Highlights:

• nothing more important to the state right now than a successful conclusion of the Colorado River negotiations
• Because if they are not successfully negotiated and we wind up losing as much as has been suggested by
• Been to strengthen and support our state's position in the lower basins in these negotiations.
• especially important, as we just heard, 27, and that if Arizona is not positioned well, as these negotiations
• much insecurity with regard to what's going to happen in the near future with the Colorado River negotiations

Committee: House House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee took up a series of water, mining, and regulatory bills. HB 2260 and HB 2986, both cleanup/technical measures, were passed unanimously with due-pass recommendations after brief staff presentations and no opposition. HB 2827, extending Pinal AMA groundwater fee authority and related fund timelines to support irrigation district infrastructure, also passed unanimously after testimony from district representatives about using the fees for wells, piping, and conservation projects tied to the loss of CAP water. The committee then heard HCM 2009, which urges Congress to amend the Antiquities Act, address split estate mineral rights, and streamline mining permitting. Mining industry testimony emphasized Arizona’s copper and critical mineral production and the economic and national security importance of access to mineral resources; opponents argued the memorial would undermine protected lands and conservation. The memorial passed on a 5-4 vote. HCR 2038, supporting a seven-state Colorado River agreement and Arizona’s position in ongoing negotiations, drew broad support from water interests and passed 9-1. HB 2078, clarifying that expanded public notice for aggregate mine reclamation plans applies only to new plans and not existing mines, passed 9-1 after the sponsor and industry witnesses said it was meant to match prior legislative intent. HB 2026, HB 2027, HB 2028, HB 2031, HB 2094, and HB 2095 were then considered as water-management bills. HB 2026 and HB 2028 passed 6-4 over concerns from ADWR, while HB 2027 passed 6-4 after adoption of a Griffin amendment despite strong opposition from CAP, municipal water users, ADWR, and several cities who warned it could weaken assured water supply protections and CAGRD replenishment obligations. HB 2031 and HB 2094 also passed on narrow 5-4 votes. HB 2095 was still under discussion at the end of the transcript, with opposition testimony from municipal water interests arguing that groundwater availability should be evaluated regionally rather than by a single-well or site-specific approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• But navigating the process of that, negotiating bids, looking at repair costs, maintaining FEMA eligibility
• They can step in and provide that buying power for us for things that we're not able to negotiate, such
• They can step in and provide that buying power for us for things that we're not able to negotiate, such
• But this year, instead of negotiating, they attacked me because the legislature was good enough.
• So there is no negotiating over that when we sit down with the union; you just read the law, you debit

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee met to discuss the needs of rural school districts and the role of Florida’s three regional education consortia: the Panhandle Area Education Consortium, Northeast Florida Educational Consortium, and Heartland Educational Consortium. Executive directors and several rural superintendents described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide shared services, professional learning, leadership development, grant support, cooperative purchasing, risk management, IT/cybersecurity help, and back-office assistance that small districts could not afford to provide on their own. They emphasized that rural districts are often very small, have limited staff, and must still meet the same state reporting and compliance requirements as large urban systems. Testimony focused heavily on teacher recruitment and retention, alternative certification, and the difficulty of staffing specialized roles such as CFOs, MIS directors, IT staff, and content-area teachers. Superintendents said many new hires are career changers or alternatively certified teachers who need consortium-supported training, and several argued for more flexibility in funding so districts can raise salaries and compete with neighboring districts and nearby states. Members also asked about the impact of declining enrollment, homeschooling, and voucher-related school choice; superintendents said those trends are reducing FTE and creating budget instability, while also requiring districts to right-size staff and programs. Several speakers described the financial strain on rural districts, including rising insurance costs, transportation costs, and the challenge of forecasting budgets when enrollment changes after the school year begins. One superintendent recounted major hurricane damage and said consortium risk-management support was essential to recovery. Others said the consortia help districts pool resources for property and health insurance, payroll, student data systems, and procurement, and that this shared approach saves money and improves services. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Explanation: Just some clarifying language through negotiations with stakeholders. Mr.
• Explanation: Just some clarifying language through negotiations with stakeholders.
• And this is a negotiation. It's the best we can do. Okay, thank you for that.
• Teacher organizations don't just negotiate pay.
• He said that elected officials should not negotiate against public employees.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a negotiated, stakeholder-supported package aimed at improving housing supply while maintaining
• That would be part of a negotiation with the property owner.
• And that is the substance of the strike-all that was negotiated with all stakeholders and, thankfully
• with rural communities and shifts the effective date through conversation and negotiations with rural
• Thank you. ...related to legal strategy and negotiation posture during the pre-suit Burt Harris period

Committee: Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Through those negotiations, we asked for DHCS—there's a committee that meets—six months within that committee
• To negotiate an updated amount, and this amount is then presented in bankruptcy court, and they are able
• Do you have a sense of what percentage of the total we have been getting out of those negotiations?
• , for example, you owe a million dollars, let's say, and then you go through bankruptcy and the negotiated
• To answer your question, the plans set the payment rates through a negotiation process with each provider

Transcript Highlights:

• Other than that, the U.S. and Taiwan governments have finished the negotiation for the first part of
• the Free Trade Agreement last year, and now both sides are negotiating the rest of it and also trying
• for the uh finished uh the negotiation for the first<00:30:11.600><c> part</c><00:30:12.000><c> of</
• <00:30:17.200><c> are</c><00:30:17.399><c> negotiating</c><00:30:18.120><c> the</c><00:30:18.279><c>
• rest</c><00:30:18.559><c> of</c><00:30:18.720><c> it</c> negotiate are negotiating the rest of it negotiate

Summary: The House State Government Committee met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 491 by Representative Steve Riley. The committee adopted a proposed committee substitute, then heard that the bill would raise the threshold for certain capital project and equipment purchases from $200,000 to $500,000, remove a requirement for a special board meeting when replacing a board of regents member, allow certain employees or contractors to perform capital construction work up to $500,000, remove limits on retired police officers working at postsecondary institutions, and speed release of pension information to employers. Members asked about reporting and oversight of the higher threshold, and the witness said the records are maintained by institutions and available upon request. HB 491 passed on a 19-0 roll call vote. The committee then heard House Bill 738 by Representative Griffey, relating to state personnel and the constitutional officers. The bill would give independently elected constitutional officers more flexibility to hire unclassified employees and set salaries for classified employees up to the midpoint without Personnel Cabinet approval, while leaving pay scales, appropriations, and funding limits unchanged. Representative Griffey and witnesses from the auditor’s office said the measure was intended to reduce red tape, address salary compression, improve pay equity, and help recruit and retain staff; they also said it would allow offices to fill policy roles needed for audits and other work. Members questioned the fiscal note, salary caps, and whether the bill would affect future budget requests. The bill passed 18-1, with one pass, and the chair noted it would move favorably to the House floor. After those bills, the committee briefly welcomed Taiwan’s consul general, Elliot Wang, and Representative Adam Bowling spoke about Kentucky’s relationship with Taiwan, including trade, investment, and prior assistance during disasters. Wang described Taiwan’s economic ties with the United States, ongoing trade and investment developments, defense and education cooperation, and people-to-people exchange programs, noting Kentucky was the first state to sign an education cooperation MOU with Taiwan in 2021.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's just something that we have to consider when designing our formularies and having negotiations.
• It was negotiated.
• And just want to clarify that the amendments, because, again, this was a tough negotiation, but they
• It sounds like there needs to be further negotiations.
• It sounds like there needs to be further negotiations.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health heard a series of bills focused on access to care, insurance coverage, and public health. AB 387 on youth sports AED access drew support from the author and safety advocates, but opposition from school, park, city, and county groups over liability, cost, and access concerns. The author said he would continue working on amendments to shift the bill toward requiring access to existing AEDs rather than mandating facility procurement. Committee members emphasized the life-saving purpose of the bill while also raising affordability and access concerns for youth sports programs. The committee also heard AB 1682, which would require health plans and insurers to cover FDA-cleared scalp cooling devices for chemotherapy patients. Supporters, including breast cancer survivors and health groups, described the emotional and quality-of-life benefits of preventing hair loss and said cost is the main barrier to access. There was no formal opposition, though one senator raised concerns about whether the mandate could exceed essential health benefits. The chair and members expressed support for the bill’s goals and said it would be taken up when quorum was established. AB 2093, a follow-up to the 988 crisis line law, sought to clarify statewide leadership, improve coordination among 988, 911, and mobile crisis teams, and create a more sustainable funding structure. Behavioral health organizations and crisis center representatives supported the bill, saying implementation challenges and demand growth require statutory fixes. Committee members generally supported the concept but noted the bill was a gut-and-amend and that additional work was needed with county and behavioral health stakeholders. The committee then heard AB 1843 on hepatitis C treatment, AB 1629 on dental assignment of benefits, AB 2540 on community college access to medication abortion services, and AB 1929 on disclosure of health plan investments. AB 1843 had broad support from medical and public health groups but opposition from health plans, which argued it conflicted with the prior-authorization framework in SB 306 and could raise drug costs. AB 1629 was supported by dental and patient advocates but opposed by dental plans and insurers over concerns about network participation and out-of-pocket costs. AB 2540 drew strong support from reproductive health advocates and student representatives, while community college health services and some others opposed or were neutral pending amendments; the author said the bill was about equity and accepted amendments to reduce burdens. AB 1929 was backed by labor and immigrant rights groups as a transparency measure, but opposed by health plans and insurers who said Covered California was not the right entity to administer the disclosures and that the information was already publicly available. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly weighed public access and transparency against cost, administrative burden, and implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> than we thought that the negotiations than we thought that the negotiations would<00:22:26.080><
• </c><00:24:23.880><c> because</c><00:24:24.799><c> of</c> um in actual negotiations because of um in
• phase this is during this negotiation phase this is where<00:26:56.559><c> we're</c><00:26:56.919><c
• And so that's the current negotiation that we're going through right now.
• And so that's the current negotiation that we're going through right now. Okay, thank you.

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and Higher Education heard HB 1494, relating to sports facilities. Testimony was largely in opposition to the bill as drafted from the Stadium Authority, the Department of Accounting and General Services, and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, with several other written comments also opposing; each asked that if the measure advances, Senate language from related stadium bills be incorporated instead. The University of Hawaiʻi testified in support of the Nāʻid project and said it wants the project delivered at Halawa so the university can have a football facility, though members pressed the university on whether it was effectively supporting both the project and the bill’s current approach. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on the stadium project’s financing, schedule, and oversight. DAGS and Public Works discussed a consultant contract that had grown to about $28 million and an audit that recovered $441,000 after improper travel and expense reimbursements, including first-class airfare and other personal expenses; officials said the audit exposed weak internal controls and led to revised reimbursement policies. Members questioned whether the problems would have been found without media reporting and whether stronger oversight should have been in place earlier. The committee also discussed the current Ching Field setup for UH football, with witnesses describing it as less than ideal and temporary until the new stadium is built. Stadium Authority representatives said the current preferred offeror is Aloha Halawa Development Partners, negotiations have recently accelerated, and the goal remains a contract this summer and a fall 2028 opening. They said the state is committed to $350 million in general obligation bonds, with the overall project expected to cost more, and that the developer is exploring other financing sources such as TIF or CFD while the state and city work to expedite permits and demolition. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are we going to have to negotiate that, or is the state going to be paying them out for those days?
• It was a week-to-week negotiation with my boss when I would have preferred an extended leave.
• It was a week-to-week negotiation with my boss when I would have preferred an extended leave.
• It was a week-to-week negotiation with my boss when I would have preferred an extended leave.
• with most of for contract negotiations with most of the<01:24:18.120><c> largest</c><01:24:18.560><c

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Veu, how long do you think this process of negotiation may take?
• Um, I would say I'm not an expert in PILT or pilot negotiations.
• I would say I'm not an expert in PILT or pilot negotiations.
• Um uh some I I or pilot negotiations.
• . negotiations. negotiations.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• This was a significant process making it through negotiating with the Senate.
• This was a significant process making it through negotiating with the Senate.
• Um folks negotiating with the Senate.
• We did reduce some negotiations on that.
• </c><01:09:20.319><c> with</c> to say look employer you negotiate with to say look employer you negotiate

Transcript Highlights:

• We have been negotiating with ASU and the Board of Regents, and they've not negotiated in good faith,
• They've not negotiated in good faith. And I will explain that.
• This was their response to these negotiations.
• Now, I wish ASU and ABOR would have negotiated honestly because they did not.
• They're reluctant to negotiate.

Bills: SB1003 , SB1060 , SB1134 , SB1275 , SB1327 , SB1429 , SB1618 , SB1634 , SB1654 , SB1803 , SCR1002 , SCR1005 , SCR1023 , SCR1027

Committees: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections , House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Keywords: election, canvass, certification, ballot tabulation, write-in candidates, registration, voting procedures, voter registration, temporary absence, absentee voting, residency, military voters, overseas voters, election law, Arizona Revised Statutes, political signs, campaign materials, public safety, municipal regulation, foreign relations

Transcript Highlights:

• with federal rules and regulations without having all of these... ...bureaucratic processes of negotiating
• had in there built in, with bipartisan support from both the House and the Senate, that they had negotiated
• then also, local boards, you're now going to be responsible for taking 16 partner programs and negotiating
• programs have any control over any authorization or the like, so they spend all their time trying to negotiate
• They spend all their time trying to negotiate cost arrangements and service delivery arrangements in

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• From limiting our rights to negotiate for a contract that benefits members and nonmembers alike to giving
• us 15 days to negotiate said contract, I ask why does this committee and legislative body continue to
• Throughout my career, they have failed to negotiate a contract prior to the service which means my colleagues
• Negotiations were stalled because MCA's president wanted to continue collecting his teaching salary while
• public office to solicit campaign donations and a new section of the bill simply states if you are negotiating

Transcript Highlights:

• So we would want to see some consideration for those existing negotiated agreements in any future version
• What we actually think it does is it gives us a better basis to be able to negotiate with the county.
• We are not on the same starting point to negotiate the ILA, so Snohomish County is very clear: here is
• In many cases, we negotiated a lower-than-appraised-value price.
• In many cases, we negotiated a lower-than-appraised-value price. Yes.

Bills: HB2201 , HB2154

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: urban growth, city planning, county regulations, development standards, land use, land ownership, conservation districts, property rights, regulatory authority, environmental policy

Transcript Highlights:

• even had three extra small billing charges last year, even though I have Army TRICARE, and the negotiated
• Number one, it takes away our negotiating power.
• Because I just don't understand why, if you have a negotiated rate, why you can't just say that my negotiated
• We support regulations that send a strong message: The health of our children is not negotiable.

Bills: SB2024 , SB227 , SB268 , SB1467 , SB1580 , HB5537 , SB1313 , SB1677 , SB918 , SB331 , SB2207 , SB2721

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: e-cigarettes, marketing prohibition, youth protection, criminal penalties, public health, school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, health care, licensing, complaint procedure, disciplinary action, law enforcement, death records, vital statistics, healthcare, trauma facility, Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• and I have been working on for a long time. ...working on for three, three and a half years in negotiations
• I mean, it's been a long negotiated iterative process.
• It has been really a negotiated process, and we've literally looked at the financial statements of different
• So, as Chair Frank mentioned, this has been a heavily negotiated bill.
• If someone owns the real estate, you're paying the rent that's negotiated there.

Bills: HB660 , HB4845 , HB3902 , HB5396 , HB4615 , HB1825 , HB1403 , HB4336 , HB4585 , HB4371 , HB863 , SB1589 , HB5223 , HB3195 , HB2734

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: child protective services, adult protective services, caseload limits, call processing goals, child-care licensing, employee workload, reporting requirements, employee caseload limits, protective services, workload management, accountability, Department of Family and Protective Services, employee goals, call processing, child care, human resources, government accountability, Medicaid, provider enrollment, revalidation