Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, basically, physician or other health care professionals shall exercise professional judgment in recommending
• .. has a significant score on their form that they were screened with, and then in your clinical judgment

Bills: HB322, HB346, HB336, HB384, SB237

Keywords: postpartum depression, postnatal care, maternal mental health, perinatal depression, postpartum screening, new mother, birth mother, newborn discharge, hospital discharge materials, public health education, maternal health, depression screening, health care providers, physicians, nurses, Alabama Department of Public Health, medical liability, standard of care, retired physicians, volunteer medical care

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> There are lots of ifs and caveats in there, and so it'd be a judgment call by DBM and by DLS as
• So, is it possible the judgment could be, since this bill became a law and this number is there, it could
• <00:35:23.120> call<00:35:23.400> by there, and so it'd be a judgment call by there
• , and so it'd be a judgment call by DBM<00:35:24.480> and<00:35:24.720> by<00:35:24.880
• <00:35:34.160> this<00:35:34.440> bill judgment could be since this bill judgment could

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first handled routine announcements, including welcoming a new group of pages and noting donations of donuts and chicken from local businesses, along with a citation planned for Mr. Herman’s Bakery, which is closing after 103 years. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 858, establishing a Department of Budget and Management Audit and Finance Compliance Unit. A senator moved to send the bill back to second reading to add an amendment, which was adopted without objection, and the bill was reprinted for third reading. The Finance Committee then reported several bills. Senate Bill 84, concerning collective bargaining for graduate assistants at UMCP and UMBC, was laid over after questions about whether graduate assistants are employees or students. Senate Bill 455, creating a transformational project financing program tied to tax increment financing districts, had two committee amendments adopted and was ordered printed for third reading. Senate Bill 623, creating a premium cigar lounge alcoholic beverage license, also received two committee amendments and was ordered up, but a later Howard County amendment was proposed and the bill was laid over. Senate Bill 777, directing workforce development support in hospital closures and related events, was adopted and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 831, addressing child labor penalties, private-sector labor relations, and state labor standards, was adopted with two amendments and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 932, requiring social media platforms to display users’ general geographic location, was laid over after questions. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 340, requiring at least $2 million annually for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman office, with two amendments adopted and the bill sent to third reading. Senate Bill 489, creating a limited license pathway for physicians trained abroad and repealing the fifth pathway program, was adopted with two amendments and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 496, expanding Medicaid coverage for obesity treatment, prompted extended debate over the fiscal note and who would bear the costs; the sponsor argued the estimate was overstated and did not account for likely lower utilization or health-care savings, while an opponent pressed concerns about the state share and structural deficit. The discussion continued without a final vote in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no direct answer to your question, Representative; it's a matter of judgment.
• It's not like fixing your pipes; it's a judgment call, and that's why it's hard to quantify.
• it's a judgment it's a judgment call<01:44:34.080> and<01:44:34.360> and<01:44:34.560
• <02:11:31.320> of adequate education in the Judgment of adequate education in the Judgment
• It is hard to make judgments about that.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on school funding formulas, adequacy aid, and special education aid, with the chair outlining a schedule for the next several Tuesdays and noting that the committee would likely need multiple executive sessions to narrow down the bills. Members discussed the FY 26 formula, including base cost, differentiated aid, extraordinary needs grants, hold harmless provisions, and the roughly $28 million in excess statewide education property tax (SWP) funds that are not currently returned to the state under the existing formula. The first bill discussed was HB 137, which would allow excess SWP funds to remain with the local municipality for school and municipal purposes. Representative Spilsbury argued the issue is fundamental and suggested the state should require excess funds to be remitted back to the state, while Representative Damon said the bill appears to codify current practice and may be unnecessary, especially given possible court action. The discussion then shifted to a related bill from Representative Fellas that would redefine SWP as local money rather than state money and keep the current adequacy aid numbers revenue-neutral for now. Representative Fellas explained that SWP was created in 1999 after the Claremont lawsuit as part of the state’s effort to show increased school aid, but that it effectively labeled part of the local property tax as state money without changing property tax bills. She argued the state should not be tapping local property tax revenue and said her bill would preserve the current distribution while removing the SWP tax label, with future work possible on a different measure of local capacity such as income, home values, or poverty rate. Members also referenced prior discussions of fiscal capacity aid, relief aid, and other formula changes as part of the broader effort to restructure school funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, today I get to be a lawyer again, and I'll... ...submit to you a motion for summary judgment
• money-making Manhattan, Money earned in Mount Vernon, but I submit to you in this motion for summary judgment
• And I want to deny Senator Bailey his motion for summary judgment, because even though what he said was

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 9, 2026, approved the prior journal, and took up several procedural items, including substituting identical Senate Bill 6734A for Assembly Bill 4382A and adopting a resolution calendar with exceptions for Resolutions 1718 and 1723. The chamber also received amendments on another bill and heard multiple guest introductions, including students from Ahavas Bas Yaakov of Monsey and Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, who was recognized for her work on food and nutrition policy and health equity. A major portion of the session was devoted to Resolution 1680 commemorating Bronx Day. Senators Fernandez, Bailey, Myrie, Serrano, Sepúlveda, Krueger, and others spoke in praise of the Bronx’s history, diversity, culture, resilience, and contributions to music, fashion, sports, and civic life. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1718 recognizing Harriet Tubman Day, with remarks highlighting Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad, her Civil War service, and her later life in Auburn, and adopted Resolution 1723 marking the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday and emphasizing the continuing importance of voting rights protections. The Senate then passed a series of bills from the calendar. These included measures on general municipal law, public health, executive law, education, vehicle and traffic law, criminal procedure, labor law, and legislative law. Several members explained their votes on health-related bills: Senator Cleare spoke about period poverty and access to free menstrual products in educational institutions; Senator Webb supported a bill requiring hospital governing boards to include a registered professional nurse; and Senator Murray, joined by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, described personal experiences with blood clots and pulmonary embolism in support of a bill creating a working group on the issue. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable negative votes, and the Senate adjourned until Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, to your point, if a district has—and again, there's no judgment in here.
• There's no judgment. Nothing else with that.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Replacing that collective judgment with one unilateral executive authority risks policies that could
• Replacing that collective judgment with one unilateral executive authority risks policies that could
• Replacing that collective judgment with one unilateral executive authority risks policies that could
• Replacing that collective judgment with one unilateral executive authority risks policies that could
• Replacing that collective judgment with one unilateral executive authority risks policies that could

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Have when you have first responders coming to a scene, they're making a clinical judgment.
• They're making a judgment whether that person needs to be transported to the hospital or whether or not
• I think they're also potentially able to make a judgment as to whether someone's impaired or not.
• First responders make that judgment all the time.
• to an accident where a driver may appear to be impaired or not in some way, and they're making a judgment

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, March 6, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Pastor Jermaine Turner, followed by welcoming remarks for visiting students and a quorum call confirming the chamber was in session. The body then moved through introductions and began considering bills and messages, including a supplemental budget message from the Governor that was journalized and referred to Budget and Taxation for incorporation into the FY27 budget. The chamber also handled several committee reports and amendments, with multiple measures ordered printed for third reading after no objections. Among the notable committee actions, the Senate adopted amendments and advanced Senate Bill 538 on Baltimore City raffles for organizations affiliated with professional baseball and football teams, Senate Bill 108 on water resources and wetlands enforcement, Senate Bill 328 on property tax credits for disabled or fallen public safety and judicial officers, Senate Bill 587 funding the Maryland Patient Safety Center Fund, Senate Bill 765 on property tax sales heir protection and tax credits, and Senate Bill 767 on property tax credits for commercial buildings rented to small businesses. The chamber also adopted favorable reports for Senate Bill 503 on the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program and Senate Bill 519 on delaying and studying the Earned Income Tax Credit Assistance Program. The Senate then took up third-reading votes on a series of bills, passing measures including Senate Bills 540, 544, 578, 581, 634, 638, 852, 897, 69, 177, 241, 323, 776, and 439. The final bill, Senate Bill 439 on employment discrimination related to fire and rescue public safety employees’ use of medical cannabis, prompted extended discussion about off-duty cannabis use, impairment, and the difference between prescribed opioids and medical cannabis recommendations. The bill sponsor and other senators debated whether cannabis can be prescribed, the role of physicians, and the lack of a measurable standard for impairment, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• But pending indicates that there's not been a final judgment.
• /c><00:40:55.760> been<00:40:55.920> a<00:40:56.079> final<00:40:56.480> judgment
• <00:40:57.040> That there's not been a final judgment.
• That there's not been a final judgment.
• they've been convicted you know judgment they've been convicted you know the<00:41:45.200> layman's

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on findings from the deportation data project and possible policy responses to increased federal immigration enforcement in Hawaii. In opening remarks, the chair said the committee was concerned about changing federal executive orders, policies, and enforcement actions, and framed the issue as one involving due process and public safety. The chair and presenters described reports of ICE activity on multiple islands, including raids, courthouse presence, and fear in immigrant communities, and said the committee was considering whether state policies should be advanced more quickly. Mandy Fernandez of the ACLU of Hawaii presented updated deportation data and argued that increased immigration enforcement is creating fear, reducing crime reporting, and potentially making state and local agencies extensions of the federal immigration agenda if they accept federal funding with conditions. She said the deportation data project, housed at UC Berkeley Law with UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, uses FOIA requests and its latest data runs through late July 2025. She reported 153 ICE arrests in Hawaii from January through July 2025, up from 41 in the same period in 2024; 96 removals, up from 15; a federal detention center average daily population of 91 in June 2025 versus 31 in June 2024; and 111 ICE detainers issued in Hawaii from September 2023 through July 2025, with 49 issued in 2025. She also cited an immigration court backlog of 1,144 pending cases as of August 2025 and noted that about one in five Hawaii residents were born outside the United States. Haley Chang of the Office of the Public Defender said her office is seeing a marked increase in ICE presence around courthouses and more ICE contacts with clients, including reports of people being detained after court appearances or while on supervision. She emphasized that the office is not an immigration law office and that much of its information is anecdotal, but said the pattern appears new compared with prior years. In response to committee questions, she explained that ICE detainers are requests, not judicial warrants, and said local law enforcement is generally not required to honor them unless accompanied by a judicial warrant or other legal authority. She also said the public defender’s office had not yet seen new criminal charges arise solely from an ICE detention or failure to appear tied to immigration enforcement, though cases could be affected if defendants are removed from the criminal process.

Transcript Highlights:

• residential clients and recovery housing clients and even our Restep kiddos with care that is non-judgmental
• residential clients and recovery housing clients and even our Restep kiddos with care that is non-judgmental
• There's a lot of judgment, not everywhere, but a lot of places that you go, you face that.
• There's a lot of judgment, not everywhere, but a lot of places that you go, you face that.
• There's a lot of judgment, not everywhere, but a lot of places that you go, you face that.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Families and Children met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and received an update that the number of children in out-of-home care with active placements was 8,647 as of September 7, 2025. The first presentation was from Isaiah 117 House, a nonprofit that provides a home-like setting for children on removal day so they do not have to wait in a state office. Speakers described the mission as reducing trauma for children, lightening the burden on case workers, and easing transitions to foster or kinship placements. They said the Kentucky home in Logan County opened on August 15 and had already served 10 children in its first six days. Committee members asked about logistics, including whether children placed with kinship caregivers would still come to the house, how long children can stay, who remains responsible for them, and how volunteers are screened. The presenters said children are brought to the house regardless of whether they are headed to kinship or foster placement, that 72 hours is not a hard cutoff, and that a case worker remains in charge at all times while volunteers provide support. They also said volunteers undergo background checks, trauma-informed training, confidentiality instruction, and annual continuing education. In response to questions about funding and expansion, they said Isaiah 117 House is community-funded without state or federal money, and that new homes are opened only when fully funded, with construction costs typically ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 and first-year budgets around $180,000. The committee then heard a presentation from Remy Eastep Homes on its Family Centered Integrated Healthcare and related services. Leaders described the organization’s history from its origins as separate orphanages in Boyd County to residential treatment, treatment foster care, prevention services, and outpatient behavioral health. They said the organization shifted about 15 years ago toward engaging families more directly because family involvement improves outcomes and helps keep children safely at home when possible. The presentation continued into program details, but no votes or formal actions were taken on either presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• much as I do this for a living in a highly regimented mathematical way, ultimately it reduces to judgment
• Look at it and get a sort of mathematical, judgmental impression.
• <00:31:53.519> It ultimately it reduces to judgment.
• It ultimately it reduces to judgment.
• sort of mathematical judgmental sort of mathematical judgmental impression.<00:32:09.120> Here's

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held a hearing on a non-germane amendment to SB 302, a Senate bill originally requiring background checks for solid waste and hazardous waste facility owners. Representative Patenza explained that the amendment was intended to preserve and separate out language developed for the governor’s budget proposal and HB 2 concerning a solid waste facility site evaluation committee, a moratorium, and related public-benefit/site-benefit provisions, so the policy would still have a vehicle if the budget language did not advance. He said the proposal reflects extensive work by the House, the governor’s office, and DES, and he was open to further changes to align with any budget conference committee outcome. Dr. Adam Finkele testified in support of the amendment and the underlying site evaluation concept, arguing that landfill siting decisions should be based on cost-benefit analysis that includes public harms, local impacts, and regional impacts rather than only private benefits. He praised the committee process and prior legislation requiring agencies to respond substantively to public comments, and said the new language improves on the governor’s version by moving the committee’s review earlier in the process and requiring more complete application information, including alternatives and impacts on nearby wells and aquifers. He also supported a three-year moratorium on new landfill applications, saying it would give the state time to address leachate, PFAS, waste reduction, and weak siting rules. Members asked about possible conference committee changes, the value of having a separate review body, and whether the new rules would invite litigation. Dr. Finkele said he would likely sue over the rules because he считает them too weak, but also said the legislature could fix the problems through other bills such as HB 77. He acknowledged that the site evaluation committee is not a perfect solution, but said it is a useful intermediate step between the agency and the courts and likely would meet only rarely if capacity need remains the main trigger for future landfill decisions. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• but as you know, there's limits on how much they can do that without voter approval and some big judgments
• We also have the Declaratory Judgment Act, which is kind of a bizarre act in that the judge in that case
• That says, if I have a judgment against the groundwater conservation district as a plaintiff.
• And so if the fact that if they had attorneys' fees added on to any, you know, damage or any judgment
• And so this bill would, would, you're throwing attorneys' fees on top of any judgments they might lose

Bills: HB 1520, HB 1525, HB 1530, HB 1535, HB 2068, HB 2091, HB 2347, HB 2372, HB 2805, HB 2815, HB 2867, HB 3154, HB 3482, HB 3483, HB 3663, HB 3781, HB 3901, HB 3915, HB 4135, HB 4153, HB 4158, HB 4329, HB 4331

Keywords: Angelina and Neches River Authority, river authority, Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Sunset Act, Special District Local Laws Code, local government, natural resources, board of directors, director training, board governance, public testimony, open meetings, public information, conflict of interest, ethics, complaint system, general manager, board president, staggered terms, removal of director

Transcript Highlights:

• McKinley brought the summary judgment motion. Nothing has changed in the law since then.
• This is not the same thing as the summary judgment motion because they have now presented their case
• Before, in a summary judgment motion, you've yet to take live testimony.
• Now you have the ... ...thing is the summary judgment motion because they have now presented their case
• Before, in a summary judgment motion, you've yet to take live testimony.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The hearing resumed on day two of the Legislative Ethics Board fact-finding matter involving Representative Tara Simmons. After opening remarks and confirmation that board members had not engaged in outside research or ex parte communications, Simmons’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she improperly combined a legislative proviso for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and private conduct were intertwined and that the board had enough evidence to require a defense. After deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss and proceeded to hear defense testimony. The first defense witness, Sharon Navas, testified that she met Simmons through advocacy work, later hired her at the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC), and maintained written employment policies intended to separate Simmons’s legislative role from her work for EEC. Navas said Simmons was never compensated for lobbying or legislative acts, that EEC paid her from unrestricted funds, and that Simmons did not work on the AEJG dashboard project or participate in the contract dispute with Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley. Navas described the proviso request and later contract issues as separate from Simmons’s legislative duties, and said she continued to pay invoices while the project was being completed. Simmons then testified about her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics advice before taking outside employment or pursuing provisos. She said she repeatedly consulted House ethics counsel and reviewed prior board decisions to ensure her outside work and legislative actions were separated. Simmons described her relationship with Anthony Powers, the dashboard project, the proviso process, and her understanding that the work was distinct from her legislative role. The hearing paused for lunch after part of Simmons’s direct examination, with testimony set to continue after the break.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mental wellness impacts judgment, patience, communication, de-escalation, and use-of-force outcomes.
• Mental wellness impacts judgment, patience, communication, de-escalation, and use-of-force outcomes.
• It also prohibits a court judgment that relies in whole or in part on any foreign law. Mr.
• It also prohibits a court judgment that relies in whole or in part on any foreign law. Mr.
• Like you couldn't enforce a judgment that took place from a Peruvian court.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the previous day’s journal by a 129-0 vote. Members then spent considerable time on points of personal privilege and introductions, including remarks recognizing law enforcement wellness, personal health updates, legislative service and family sacrifices, interns, visiting students, and special guests such as a St. Louis entrepreneur honored with a House resolution and a visiting governor from Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The chamber then received Senate messages and committee reports before moving to conference requests on Senate Bills 835 and 1111 and Senate Bill 1020, both of which were approved for conference committees. The House also passed Senate Bills 977 and 1011, a measure barring international organizations or foreign law from exercising authority in Missouri or being used to deny “fundamental rights,” after debate over its scope and concerns about foreign-law venue rules and its practical effect; the final vote was 99-45. Senate Bill 1470, dealing with legislative research and statutory publication procedures, was amended and passed 148-1 after debate over reducing committee size, shifting publication to a primarily web-based format, and preserving printed archival copies. The House then adopted and finally passed Senate Bill 1940, the public notices/newspaper bill, by 142-1, with discussion focused on modernizing notice publication rules and election-related deadlines. It also took up Senate Bill 1871, which included county clerk and election administration provisions and a Senate amendment incorporating campaign finance language; debate emphasized ballot testing timelines and election transparency. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The heart of this bill is the codifying of the business judgment rule, and that is also currently common
• And so the business judgment rule, and you correct me if I get this wrong, with that business judgment
• and hold them accountable after the fact if they made a decision that made sense using business judgment
• And so to answer your question… …sense using business judgment with the facts they had.
• governor and is signed, that’ll be Texas saying we believe this common law concept, the business judgment

Bills: SJR12, SCR39, SB27, SB29, SB241, SB406, SB414, SB464, SB568, SB578, SB609, SB660, SB689, SB693, SB785, SB857, SB879, SB921, SB922, SB955, SB985, SB993, SB996, SB1008, SB1035, SB1036, SB1059, SB1098, SB1120, SB1122, SB1147, SB1188, SB1197, SB1209, SB1227, SB1245, SB1267, SB1307, SB1321, SB1332, SB1386, SB1396, SB1453, SB1484, SB1494, SB1536, SB1537, SB1596, SB1610, SB1664, SB1741, SB1814, SB1822, SB1841, SB1948, SB2065, SB2155, SB2188, SB2230, SB2406, SB2407

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with senators highlighting the university’s growth, medical school, research expansion, and role in serving South Texas. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 368 honoring outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, with numerous senators praising his long public career, leadership in higher education, and statewide impact. Senate Resolution 361 recognizing Texas HBCU Day and Senate Resolution 362 recognizing Denton County Days at the Capitol were also adopted, along with other routine recognitions and gubernatorial appointments being read into the record. The Senate then took up several bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to shorten vacancy posting requirements, allow bilingual certification candidates to retake only failed test sections, give teachers more flexibility with paid leave, clarify classroom removal procedures, and ensure parents are informed of appeal rights. The bill passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a parent’s right to direct a child’s education, was also brought up and passed to engrossment after a contested suspension vote. The Senate next passed Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, which would require reporting of foreign funding at public universities, bar gifts from adversarial governments, and require training and reporting systems to prevent foreign influence and intellectual property theft in higher education. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the so-called “Dexit” bill, was debated at length for its corporate governance changes, including codifying the business judgment rule and altering internal corporate litigation and records rules; it passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed by a 30-1 vote. Senate Bill 857, allowing law enforcement discretion to tow vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed after discussion of towing abuses during flooding and disaster conditions. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536, requiring dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, passed with broad support, and Senate Bill 922, addressing delayed electronic disclosure of sensitive medical test results so physicians can discuss them first, was taken up and passed to engrossment as the chamber continued through its calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• get<00:24:57.520> a ends up winning and then we get a ends up winning and then we get a judgment
• :58.919> we<00:24:59.080> hit<00:24:59.200> the<00:24:59.320> 15year judgment
• you know if we hit the 15year judgment you know if we hit the 15year mark<00:25:00.679> then<
• then really are not able to collect mark then really are not able to collect on<00:25:02.840> judgment
• right so it will just give on judgment right so it will just give us<00:25:05.200> an<00:25:05.360

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several measures, beginning with Senate Bill 869 on community outreach boards. The Office of Information Practices said the bill was now clear and raised no concerns after clarification that it applies to Hawaii County community development action plan committees under the Sunshine Law. Written support was received from several individuals, and one testifier initially opposed the bill but withdrew opposition after hearing OIP’s explanation. No vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then heard Senate Bill 405 on neighborhood board meetings, which would let boards receive and discuss reports from government officials that were not on a noticed agenda, with final action deferred to a later noticed meeting. OIP said the bill was a policy choice but warned it would give boards more flexibility at the cost of less public notice. Support came from the Wke neighborhood board and Jacob Weinek, while Natalie Iwasa and Greg Mian opposed it, arguing it could lead to unclear agenda items and deeper discussion without adequate public notice. No vote was taken. The committee also heard Senate Bill 903 on a claims review working group in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands asking for the measure to be deferred because it believed a complete inventory and audit of the public lands trust should come first. Members asked about the status of related House Bill 1358. The committee then heard tax measures: Senate Bill 1469, which would suspend the collection statute of limitations while tax assessments are on appeal, and Senate Bill 1467, which would clarify that county tax appeals do not need to be served on the Director of Taxation. The Tax Department supported both bills, and the Tax Foundation’s witness generally agreed but suggested a possible amendment to SB 1469 regarding insurance premium tax language. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 544 on sentencing of minor defendants, which would require courts to consider youth-related factors and allow departures from mandatory minimums; OHA, the Public Defender, Human Rights for Kids, and others supported it, citing trauma, diminished culpability, and national trends, and no opposition was noted in the excerpt. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 691 on family courts, which would set a minimum age of 12 for adjudication of law violations. The Public Defender and Human Rights for Kids supported the bill, saying very young children should not be treated as law violators and can still receive services through other family court mechanisms. The Attorney General’s office and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office opposed the measure, arguing it could limit court jurisdiction and services for younger children and might have unintended consequences, including recruitment of children into criminal activity. Members asked whether amendments could preserve the bill’s intent while addressing those concerns; no final action is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we have to use a little judgment and wisdom when we look at those numbers. Thank you, Mr.
• And so we have to use a little judgment and wisdom when we look at those numbers. Thank you, Mr.
• And so we have to use a little judgment and wisdom when we look at those numbers. Thank you, Mr.
• 34.960> W happen and so we have to use a little W happen and so we have to use a little W judgment
• and wisdom when we look at judgment and wisdom when we look at those<00:21:36.720> numbers<00

Keywords: Consideration of HB 491 02:14 Consideration of HB 738 07:58 Guest presentation by Taiwan Consul General Elliott Wang 25:20 Consideration of HCR 50 36:37 Consideration of SB 19 49:29, 958, all

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:

• YesCare themselves have another judgment against them in Michigan. It's almost $300 million.
• Yes, Care themselves have They have Yes, Care themselves have They have another<00:15:45.800> judgment
• <00:15:46.480> against<00:15:46.960> them<00:15:47.640> in another judgment
• against them in another judgment against them in Michigan.<00:15:48.520> It's<00:15:48.640>
• We have the authority to listen to those and make judgments on those.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The public at some level needs to know if that's even a possibility so they can make appropriate judgments
• The public at some level needs to know if that's even a possibility so they can make appropriate judgments
• a possibility so they can make even a possibility so they can make appropriate<00:33:06.400> judgments
• appropriate judgments. appropriate judgments.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a lot of talk about evil people, and that's an obvious moral judgment, which we can probably
• for sure, even with settled law, what is clearly unconstitutional and what is not, because in my judgment
• unconstitutional and what is not because<00:35:42.240> in<00:35:42.480> my<00:35:42.640> judgment
• ,<00:35:43.040> this<00:35:43.280> Supreme because in my judgment, this Supreme because
• in my judgment, this Supreme Court<00:35:43.839> has<00:35:44.079> overturned<00:35:45.119

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• despite the general sense that had been that, at the Superior Court level, there was a partial summary judgment
• At the trial level, there was a partial summary judgment on this particular issue.
• In December, shared custody became final judgment, and within weeks he began to find her teenage behaviors
• In December shared custody became final judgment and within weeks he began to find her teenage behaviors

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on a wide range of state, probate, and family bills, with chairs Edwards and Day outlining strict testimony limits and accepting written testimony. Early testimony focused on H. 1911/S. 1138, which would clarify that a durable power of attorney may create a trust if that authority is expressly granted; sponsors and elder law advocates said the bill would resolve uncertainty created by the Barbetti decision and align Massachusetts with other states. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1102, a proposal to establish medical panels in Probate and Family Court. Supporters, including attorneys, parents, physicians, and advocates, said neutral three-doctor panels would help judges resolve disputed medical issues in guardianship and custody cases involving children, elders, and people with disabilities. Testifiers described cases where medical treatment was blocked or contested by one parent or guardian, arguing the panels would provide impartial expertise and protect vulnerable people. The committee also heard support for bills addressing disability discrimination in family court, military parents’ custody rights, and a shared parenting bill, H. 1710, which drew strong opposition from domestic violence advocates and others who said a 50-50 presumption could harm survivors and children. The committee also took testimony on several probate and court-administration measures. Senator Lovely supported a bill on nominee trust partition, and Senator Comerford and probate officials backed legislation to codify additional registry staff positions and modernize registry operations. Other bills discussed included foster care liability insurance, with providers warning that rising premiums and loss of coverage could force program closures; health care proxy storage and activation; access to decedents’ email accounts; uniform trust decanting; the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act; heirs’ property partition protections; a constitutional right to health care; alimony-related reforms; child-centered family law; and a right of disposition for funeral arrangements. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee repeatedly invited written testimony and follow-up questions.