Transcript Highlights:

• That concludes virtual public comment for this legislation. Thank you.
• That concludes virtual public comment for this legislation. Thank you.
• I am a past president and a co-legislative chair.
• That includes virtual public comment for this legislation.
• Thank you. virtual public comment for this legislation. Thank you.

Bills: SB313, SB296

Keywords: Delaware Health Fund, healthcare access, preventive care, tobacco settlement, public health initiatives, grant program

Summary: The House Health and Human Development Committee met and considered a series of health, human services, and related bills. The committee heard and advanced House Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 13, which standardizes hospital charity care and financial assistance statewide, and Senate Bill 296 with Senate Amendment 1, which restructures the Delaware Health Fund grant process with a more formal, transparent competitive rubric. Both measures received supportive testimony from DHSS, the Delaware Healthcare Association, and the Delaware Nurses Association, and both were released by committee on roll-call votes. The committee also released Senate Bill 313 with Senate Amendment 1, which places a temporary moratorium on acquisitions of nonprofit acute care hospitals by for-profit entities and expands notice/review requirements for sales of hospital real estate; Senate Bill 340 with Senate Amendment 1, which requires long-term care facilities to carry specified liability insurance, with questions raised about the exemption for state-owned facilities; Senate Joint Resolution 20, which directs DHSS to study independent assessment tools for Medicaid home- and community-based services; and Senate Bill 341, which updates Delaware Health Information Network law and formally recognizes DIN as the state’s health data utility. Testimony on these bills was generally supportive, with some discussion on constitutional concerns, insurance coverage, and the rationale for the state exemption in SB 340. Later, the committee advanced Senate Bill 257, which requires new animal shelters to be licensed and inspected before operating and removes a prior exception for certain rescue organizations; and Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 278 with House Amendment 1, which allows earlier pre-authorization for summer child care enrollment and lowers copays for half-day care. Public testimony on these measures came from animal welfare advocates, YMCA representatives, and other stakeholders, all largely in support. Each bill was released by committee, with several votes walked for absent members, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were addressed.

Transcript Highlights:

• commonwealth and the legislation of the other 49 states.
• So that's the first thing this legislation tries to ban.
• And so that's what this legislation simply does.
• And so that's what this legislation simply does. It kind of imposes this legislation simply does.
• In terms of problems I see in my research that are relevant to this legislation, current legislative

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing focused on a package of Massachusetts privacy and technology bills, especially measures to ban the sale of location data, establish a comprehensive consumer data privacy law, and regulate biometric recognition and surveillance pricing. Chairs and sponsors argued that self-regulation has failed, that data brokers and large tech companies routinely collect and monetize sensitive information, and that state action is needed because federal protections are weak or absent. Several speakers tied the bills to reproductive health, gender-affirming care, domestic violence, children’s data, and other sensitive uses of location and biometric information. Supporters included legislators and advocates who backed H. 86/S. 197 (Location Shield), H. 78/S. 45/H. 104/S. 29 (comprehensive privacy bills), H. 99/S. 47 (surveillance pricing in grocery stores), and H. 36/S. 36 (biometric recognition accountability). They emphasized data minimization, bans on selling sensitive data, consumer rights to access, delete, and opt out, and in some cases a private right of action. Several witnesses said Massachusetts should lead or align with other states, while others argued that stronger protections are needed because data can be weaponized by stalkers, anti-abortion actors, abusive partners, insurers, or law enforcement. Industry and coalition witnesses urged the committee to favor a more standardized, interoperable framework modeled on laws already adopted in other states, warning that novel definitions, data-minimization rules, and private rights of action could create compliance burdens, confusion, and costs for businesses, including small businesses. They argued that entity-level exemptions for sectors already covered by federal laws like HIPAA or GLBA promote consistency, and that Attorney General enforcement is preferable to private lawsuits. Committee members questioned witnesses on patchwork concerns, the scope of exemptions, and whether the proposed bills would harm or help consumers and small businesses. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; written testimony was noted as due later, and the committee continued taking testimony from multiple panels and virtual witnesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• legislative factf finding inquiry. legislative factf finding inquiry.
• Legislative procedures.
• lobbyist during this legislative lobbyist during this legislative session?
• other pending legislation? other pending legislation?
• legislation at all? legislation at all?

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the trouble with the legislative rule on this is legislative rules affect us as legislators.
• And the trouble with the legislative rule on this is legislative rules affect us as legislators.
• And the trouble with the legislative rule on this is legislative rules affect us as legislators.
• legislative rule on this is legislative legislative rule on this is legislative rules<01:11:06.440
• former legislators and not affect us as former legislators and therefore<01:11:12.520> it<01:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• inexpedient to legislate. Representative inexpedient to legislate.
• legislative prerogatives. legislative prerogatives.
• inexpedient to legislate. Representative inexpedient to legislate.
• Our job as legislators is not to legislate fear.
• is inexpedient to legislate. is inexpedient to legislate.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Individual legislators also rose to the occasion. 192 of the 201 legislators carried at least one bill
• effort to legislators effort to legislators as<00:04:39.280> best<00:04:39.600> or
• want to be a true bipartisan legislator. want to be a true bipartisan legislator.
• to take a normal legislative process. to take a normal legislative process.
• state legislators. state legislators.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But anyway, I represent the 14th Legislative District.
• Brian Considine, external legislative relations director for your state parks.
• This request comes as a result of direction from our legislative transportation committee last legislative
• There's also the new Joint Legislative Executive Committee There's also the new Joint Legislative Executive
• ...for the legislative district where you're looking for an account.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the June 18, 2025 minutes, and heard four proposed budget format changes. Washington State Parks requested a structural change to separate and better track its Stewardship Services Division, including cultural and natural resources, environmental planning, and Climate Commitment Act investments. DCYF proposed moving direct service functions now housed in program support into the child welfare program so operational costs and direct services would be reported separately; members asked how this would help avoid across-the-board reductions affecting direct services, and the agency said the change would improve transparency and prevent that problem. The Department of Transportation sought to create a new Ferries Program Support sub-program to consolidate four related projects and two existing sub-programs into one administrative/project support structure, while the Department of Veterans Affairs requested only a title change for Program 20 from Field Services to Veteran Services and Counseling and Wellness. The committee voted unanimously to approve all four changes. Kevin Feltis then gave an interim work plan and staffing update for LEAP. He said the office is continuing work on the rewritten capital budget application (BuildSUM), updating the transportation bond model, completing carry-forward levels for the 2027-29 biennium, publishing 2026 legislative budget notes, updating 2025 salary data, and participating in a LegiTech AI pilot for system development within the legislative network. He also noted LEAP’s role in supporting the new Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability. Staffing remained steady at 11 FTEs, with no retirements or staffing changes in the past year, though one vacancy may be filled later and two retirements are anticipated over the next four to five years. The committee also discussed updates to the fiscal.wa.gov website. Planned work includes streamlining how budget data is updated when budgets are released, converting more than 100 reports from Microsoft Reporting Services to Power BI because support is ending, and evaluating whether the site’s search tool should be improved or replaced. Senators and representatives raised concerns about the number of clicks needed to reach capital and transportation project maps and about making public-facing budget information easier to find and understand. Staff said the website redesign was based on prior user testing and that they would look at ways to make maps and other top-level information more accessible. Finally, the committee elected new officers under its alternating-chair rule. Representative Gregerson was nominated and elected chair, and Senator King was nominated and elected vice chair. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I filed the legislation to establish the commission, and she included it in a much larger piece of legislation
• I am grateful for the widespread support of this legislation.
• Is that accurate in this particular piece of legislation?
• We strongly support several provisions in this legislation.
• I'm the deputy legislative director at SEIU Local 509.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting foster youth, child welfare oversight, homelessness services, juvenile justice, social work licensure, and human services workforce supports. Committee co-chairs Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jay Livingstone opened the hybrid hearing by outlining testimony procedures and accessibility measures. Several members and legislators participated throughout the day, and many witnesses were invited to submit additional written testimony after speaking. A major portion of the hearing focused on House 227/Senate 105, which would protect federal benefits owed to children in foster care. Supporters, including advocates from Hopewell, the Disability Law Center, CPCS, the Children’s Law Center, More Than Words, Friends of Children, and youth witness Onyx Rosario, said DCF had already ended the practice of taking most Social Security and SSI benefits and now conserves them in accounts for youth, but argued the policy should be codified to prevent future reversals. Witnesses described how conserved benefits help with basic needs, housing, education, transportation, and transition to adulthood, and several noted the bill also adds financial literacy and transparency requirements. Senator Joan Comerford and others said the change would protect vulnerable youth, especially children of color, LGBTQ youth, and youth with disabilities. The committee also heard testimony on House 225, which would expand the grandparents-raising-grandchildren commission by adding appointments and helping with quorum and representation. The committee also took testimony on Senate 136, which would improve emergency housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness by easing documentation requirements, allowing use of existing state data to verify eligibility, requiring notice before benefit reductions, and creating an ombudsperson. Senator Adam Gomez and other supporters said the bill would reduce barriers for families in crisis. On House 262/Senate 148, an omnibus child welfare bill, witnesses supported provisions on data reporting, education coordination, and Office of the Child Advocate reforms, while CPCS raised concerns about expanded access to sensitive records and the OCA’s role in certain proceedings. The Office of the Child Advocate supported codifying current practices and also backed child fatality review changes in House 234/Senate 133. The committee additionally heard support for Senate 108, which would require attorneys and audio/video recording during juvenile custodial interrogations, and for House 247/Senate 116, which would update the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board to add supported lived-experience seats. Finally, the committee heard competing testimony on Senate 135, a bill to ensure parity in social work licensure. SEIU Local 509 and supporters argued the current exam requirement disproportionately harms Black, Latino, multilingual, and multicultural applicants and worsens workforce shortages, while the Association of Social Work Boards opposed the bill, saying the exam is a necessary public-protection measure and that removing it would conflict with interstate compact efforts. The hearing also included testimony in support of a loan repayment program for human service workers, with providers and workers describing low wages, high student debt, and the need to retain staff in essential services. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• As Patricia Owen, legislative staff for the committee, as the chair indicated, Legislative staff for
• request. ...independent of any formal legislative request.
• Patricia Owen, legislative staff with the committee.
• I would as a legislator normally.
• Today we had a lot of pieces of legislation.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by state legislators and legislative staff in 1975.
• It's a trade group of legislators that bridges the divide between states and helps connect legislators
• by state legislators and legislative staff in 1975.
• It's a trade group of legislators that bridges the divide between states and helps connect legislators
• The National Conference of State Legislators was created by state legislators and legislative staff in

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be no vote taken on this legislation be no vote taken on this legislation today.<00:16:36.240>
• uh sort of a summary of the legislation uh sort of a summary of the legislation and<00:21:56.799
• We've not had that legislative fix.
• legislative session began legislation legislative session began except<00:57:32.640> for<00:57
• about my legislation. Thank you. about my legislation. Thank you.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education opened its first meeting with roll call, member introductions, and introductions of numerous interns from Kentucky colleges and universities. The chair reviewed committee rules for the 2026 session, including witness oaths, sign-up procedures, limits on testimony, and the deadline for submitting committee substitutes and amendments. The committee then took up House Bill 96, sponsored by Chair Tipton, which would revise the membership and timing of the performance-based funding work group. Tipton said the bill would expand legislative participation from one House and one Senate member to five from each chamber, keep university and KCTCS presidents on the group, make the CPE president a nonvoting chair, and change the work group’s schedule from a fiscal year to a calendar year. He argued the changes would build institutional knowledge, allow university leaders to meet without creating quorum/open-meeting issues, and help the group develop recommendations for the next General Assembly. Members raised concerns about politicization and the even-numbered membership, while Tipton said he wanted consensus rather than a tied vote. The committee approved HB 96 on a roll call vote, with most members voting yes and Representative Willner voting no but saying she might change her vote later on the House floor. The committee also heard House Bill 94 for discussion only, so no vote was taken. Representative Vanessa Gracel and CPE counsel Travis Pal described the bill as a transfer-pathways measure aimed at making two-year-to-four-year and four-year-to-four-year transfers more seamless in high-demand programs. They said the proposal would require CPE, public universities, and KCTCS to collaborate on statewide transfer pathways based on student and workforce demand, with institutions able to opt in or out of specific pathways but required to disclose nontransferable courses for transparency. Gracel argued the bill would reduce credit loss, lower time and cost to degree, improve completion rates, and help students and families understand transfer options; she also criticized some universities for not engaging in the process. No action was taken on HB 94 at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• all members may have five legislative all members may have five legislative days<00:24:18.360>
• devastating under this legislation devastating under this legislation mandatory<00:35:10.880>
• colleagues to oppose this legislation colleagues to oppose this legislation and<00:43:40.359>
• legislation legislation you<00:54:26.599> can<00:54:26.839> stand<00:54:27.160> up<
• That's our job as legislators.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation will save billions of This legislation will save billions of taxpayer<00:20:59.280><
• The resulting legislation is straightforward. The resulting legislation is straightforward.
• colleagues to support this legislation. colleagues to support this legislation.
• This legislation does so by life.
• all members to support this legislation. all members to support this legislation.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, September 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moran for legislation to establish a sick leave bank for James Caruso, an employee of the Massachusetts
• Moran for legislation to establish a sick leave bank for James Caruso, an employee of the Massachusetts
• These new rules will streamline our legislative process, hopefully ending legislative logjam, and making
• These changes will also streamline the joint legislative process to remote legislative efficiency, including
• to remote legislative efficiency.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House received a gubernatorial message requesting certain fiscal year 2026 appropriations before final action on the general appropriation bill, and referred it to the Committee on Ways and Means. It also adopted several congratulatory and honorary resolutions, including recognitions for retiring members and public servants, and later welcomed a number of guests and honorees to the chamber. The main legislative business was House Bill 423, establishing a sick leave bank for James Caruso of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. After the Public Service Committee reported the bill ought to pass, the House suspended the rules, gave it a second reading, and ordered it to a third reading. Later, the House also took up House No. 1590, a sick leave bank bill for Eric Inakwick of the Trial Court, adopted an amendment adding an emergency preamble, and passed it to be engrossed as amended. A major action of the day was adoption of the conference committee report on the joint rules for the 2025-2026 legislative session. Members from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing reforms intended to improve transparency, public access, committee notice, live streaming, posting of votes and summaries online, and more efficient handling of legislation. The report was adopted by roll call, 147-2. The House also approved an order transferring matters from the Joint Committee on Agriculture to the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries, and from Elder Affairs to Aging and Independence. The House briefly questioned quorum several times, then recessed and later adjourned to meet Monday at 11 a.m. in informal session. The chamber also recognized the retirement of Chief Court Officer Gene DePersio, with remarks entered into the record.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:01.519> facilities employed by the legislative facilities employed by the legislative
• 19.680> department legislative affairs for the department legislative affairs for the department
• I've worked with him on the legislation. I've worked with him on the legislation.
• officer from the joint legislative officer from the joint legislative committee<00:06:57.759>
• <00:35:08.560> My legislatively of Senator Larson. My legislatively of Senator Larson.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Administration Committee opened with Senate Bill 197, which would remove the Department of Health and Human Services commissioner’s supervisory role over the legislative facilities committee nurse and instead place the nurse under the Board of Nursing’s scope of practice. The sponsor’s aide and DHHS legislative director explained that the change updates outdated language last amended in 1995, aligns the statute with current practice, and was reviewed with legislative staff and nursing regulators, who were said to be comfortable with the proposal. Members asked why the change was needed and whether the commissioner had actually been supervising; the response was that the language no longer reflected how the position functioned. The chair said the bill might still be a simple consent item, but additional modifications were being discussed, so the hearing was closed with no vote taken at that time. The committee then heard Senate Bill 186, authorizing the Joint Legislative Historical Committee to accept and display a portrait of former Senator Jeb Bradley in the State House. The sponsor’s aide described Bradley’s legislative and congressional service and urged the committee to move the bill ought to pass. Members asked practical questions about whether the portrait was completed, its size, and where it would be hung. The witness said the portrait was not yet completed and that size and placement had not been determined, though the committee was told the historical committee would decide placement. A committee member noted that portrait sizes and locations are already being reviewed because of space concerns, and the hearing ended without a vote. A work session followed on the portrait bills, with the chair using them as a vehicle to discuss broader problems in the statutes governing portraits and the historical committee. He said the committee had gathered information from other states and suggested possible policy ideas such as portrait moratoriums, waiting periods after death, size limits, and clearer placement rules. Members discussed the need to update the RSAs and better define the historical committee’s authority. The committee did not take final action during the work session, but the discussion indicated that the portrait bills may be held while broader statutory revisions are considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• every piece of legislative business. every piece of legislative business.
• legislative day. legislative day.
• legislators who dined together. legislators who dined together.
• right in the middle of legislative days. right in the middle of legislative days.
• legislator? legislator? >> Representative<00:20:26.320> Hudson.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• that has been moving throughout the legislative process.
• We will also talk about cannabis-adjacent legislation that moved forward during the 2026 legislative
• We sent legislation that moved forward during the 2026 legislative session, and then we will have public
• , and legislative staff.
• Hatcher to examine the relevant legislation that did get signed into law this year.

Keywords: Cannabis Retail Market, Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• legislature time to implement any legislative auditor recommendations.
• mandate in the performance statement or the legislation creating that tax preference.
• So we don't know the expectations or the intent of the legislators when passing it.
• I’m Keenan Katapasky, the former legislative auditor.
• I just want to add as a legislator.

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on May 6, 2026, with quorum present and unanimously approved the October 21, 2025 minutes. The Attorney General’s Office then provided its annual open government refresher, covering key points of the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, including broad disclosure requirements, records retention, response timelines for public records requests, and rules for meetings, special meetings, emergency meetings, and executive sessions. JLARC staff gave a 2026 legislative session update on tax preference bills. They highlighted 20 bills affecting tax preferences, including repeal of the coal-related sales and use tax exemption, changes to data center exemptions, new property tax exemptions for renewable energy facilities and land bank authorities, and a broad tax package in engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6346 that created multiple credits, deductions, and exemptions. Staff also presented the 2026 expedited tax preference review report covering 64 preferences, noting it is based on prior JLARC reviews and Department of Revenue studies and is now available in an interactive searchable format. The commission approved the 2026 public testimony questions without changes and then adopted the 2027–2036 tax preference review schedule, along with a new rolling 10-year schedule that will be updated each May. During discussion, commissioners raised concerns about how preferences are prioritized for full review versus expedited review, especially for older or high-revenue preferences without performance statements, and staff explained that legislative mandates, expiration dates, and workload constraints drive the schedule. The meeting also included a public and staff recognition of Commissioner Grant Forsyth’s 13 years of service and leadership, with remarks praising his collaborative approach and long tenure; the next meeting was set for August 4, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• that all members have five legislative that all members have five legislative days<03:10:25.400>
• This legislation does just that.
• This legislation does just that. This legislation does just that.
• that all members have five legislative that all members have five legislative days<04:20:53.480>
• > reauthorized The legislation would have reauthorized The legislation would have reauthorized

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be the legislative body.
• to legislate. Thank you Mr. President. to legislate. Thank you Mr. President.
• recommendation in expeding to legislate. recommendation in expeding to legislate.
• I move SB 623FN inexpedient to legislate. Senate Bill 623FN, inexpedient to legislate.
• Please speak. legislate on Senate Bill 623. A roll legislate on Senate Bill 623.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all