Transcript Highlights:

• Neutrally, is that correct? Yes. Okay, and Ms.
• We'll be testifying neutrally, is that correct? Yes. Great, thank you for being here.
• C, Office of Inspector General, and that you will be testifying neutrally, is that correct? Yes.
• On behalf of every Texan and self and that you will be testifying neutrally.
• And you will be testifying neutrally, is that correct? All right, great deal. We would like to.

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, that same offender did petition the court for gender reassignment surgery.
• The Ninth Circuit is the only one to date that has ordered gender reassignment surgery, and that is even
• Like the gender reassignment surgeries are not, but we do provide puberty blockers or other hormones
• to help with a person’s desire to change gender.
• We can get you the exact number for the number who are prescribed it related to a diagnosis of gender

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you guys signed it as neutral, but that didn't sound very neutral.
• The public hearing for House neutral.
• </c> in support, six opposed, zero neutral. in support, six opposed, zero neutral.
• </c> zero neutral zero neutral barn,<01:17:10.000><c> call</c><01:17:10.239><c> that</c><01:17:10.400
• The public nine opposed, zero neutral.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Sexual orientation and gender identity.
• objections made by people who feel like they would be discriminated against based upon their sex or their gender
• , you see, had decided essentially not to take it up, which is to say not to pass the four words: gender
• state said no, we do not believe that we should have, add the four words, sexual orientation and gender

Transcript Highlights:

• um our camel high school football team for the girls division one varsity won last year the first gender
• c><00:15:54.560><c> year</c><00:15:54.959><c> the</c><00:15:55.199><c> first</c><00:15:56.000><c> gender
• </c> varsity won last year the first gender varsity won last year the first gender equity<00:15:57.839

Bills: SB874 , SB2098 , SB2110 , SB2126 , SB2154 , SB2160 , HB818 , SB2047 , SB2116 , SB2246 , SB2250 , SB2334 , SB2505 , SB2520 , SB2561 , SB2721 , SB2820 , SB2971 , SB3019

Transcript Highlights:

• emergency jurisdiction of a court in the state over a child at risk of receiving certain prohibited gender
• transitioning or gender reassignment procedures or treatments.
• school health advisory councils and the instruction regarding human sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender

Summary: The House met briefly to read a large number of first-reading bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions and refer them to the appropriate committees. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public health, education, criminal justice, taxation, transportation, water and natural resources, elections, housing, veterans issues, local government, and constitutional amendments. Several bills focused on school policy, health care regulation, property tax and sales tax changes, criminal penalties, and local or state agency authority. Among the notable items were proposals on name and sex changes on birth records, college admissions inquiries into criminal history, foster care contractor liability, school nutrition and assessment policy, election procedures, homestead and franchise tax exemptions, public retirement system reporting, and numerous transportation and infrastructure measures. The House also received resolutions designating local honors and observances, including Brownsville as the bicycling capital of the Rio Grande Valley, Port Aransas as the fishing capital of Texas, and Selena Quintanilla Perez Day. Some measures proposed constitutional amendments on legislative procedure, homestead taxation, and election-law enforcement authority. No debate or testimony occurred in this segment; the action was limited to first reading and referral. The session also referred several resolutions to the Local and Consent Calendars. At the end of the proceedings, the House adjourned without objection until 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Democrat, former senior counsel at the ACLU, and a board member of Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender
• as a member of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Courage Coalition, Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender
• member of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Courage Coalition, and Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender
• I serve on the board with Kara Dansky of Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender.
• with certification before locally, we amended it because it really turned out to be a problem for gender

Summary: The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee heard and advanced several bills covering workers’ compensation transparency, public pensions, prevailing wage, workplace harassment training, and employee benefits. AB 1048 would require disclosure of the contract justifying reduced workers’ compensation payments to medical providers; supporters said it would improve transparency without changing reimbursement rates, while opponents argued the problem was overstated and existing dispute remedies were sufficient. AB 1601 would give Sonoma County flexibility to target a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees rather than requiring an all-or-nothing COLA; county and union witnesses said retirees have gone without a COLA since 2008 and have lost purchasing power, and the bill passed unanimously. AB 1439 would commission a UC Berkeley study on labor standards in pension-funded real estate and infrastructure projects; labor groups supported it, while local governments, housing, and industry groups opposed it, and it passed on a 4-1 vote after one senator voted no in committee. The committee also heard AB 1697, which would delay implementation of a prior law restricting certain employment debt and pay-to-quit arrangements until 2027; the author said the delay would give employers, including professional sports leagues, time to adjust, while a financial services group sought a further delay to 2028. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech content in existing workplace harassment training for employers with five or more employees; supporters cited rising antisemitic and other hate incidents and said the bill would help workers recognize and report hate, while opponents raised First Amendment concerns and argued existing harassment law already covers hostile conduct. AB 2120 would extend Los Angeles Unified’s selective certification hiring authority and allow retention of specialized employees in layoffs, and AB 2292 would bar providers from charging administrative fees for disability insurance and paid family leave certification forms; both drew support and were advanced without opposition testimony. AB 1198, the Fair Pay for Construction Workers Act, would require prevailing wage to be based on the time work is performed rather than the date a project is advertised for bid. Labor and contractor supporters said the current rule can lock in outdated wages and underpay workers on long projects and change orders, while cities, counties, and contractor groups warned it would create uncertainty, raise costs, and jeopardize projects funded by fixed grants or bonds. After testimony and questions, the committee voted to send all of the bills forward, with final recorded votes later showing unanimous or near-unanimous approval and several measures placed on call before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Working alongside women, gender-diverse individuals, and folks navigating the complex challenges of homelessness
• Working<00:05:24.520><c> alongside</c><00:05:25.080><c> women,</c><00:05:25.480><c> gender-diverse</c
• > Working alongside women, gender-diverse Working alongside women, gender-diverse individuals,<00:05:
• I am committed to ensuring reproductive and gender-diverse health care, securing rights for criminalized
• I am committed to ensuring reproductive and gender-diverse health care, securing rights for criminalized

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard Governor’s Message 572, the nomination of Kirsten Walker to the Commission on the Status of Women, and received testimony in strong support from representatives of the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Hawaii State LGBTQ+ Commission, and others. Walker described nearly a decade of community advocacy focused on women, gender-diverse people, homelessness, domestic violence, substance use, reproductive and gender-diverse health care, and support for criminalized communities. Members asked about the commission’s past work and future priorities, and Walker said it should continue supporting community initiatives, studies on violence, and women-led efforts. The committee voted to recommend advise and consent, with the measure adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee then considered Governor’s Message 685, the nomination of Arielle Castillo to the Board of Registration of the Island of Oahu. Testimony from supporters emphasized her civic engagement, volunteer work, and willingness to serve in uncompensated state work. Castillo said she had worked in local politics and voter engagement, including with Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, and explained her background in voter registration, election rules, and good-government efforts. Members questioned her on how she would handle close voting issues and whether her activism could affect her service; she said she would apply the law fairly, protect voting rights, and that her organization is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The committee again recommended advise and consent, and the nomination was adopted. Finally, the committee heard Governor’s Message 686, the nomination of Jonathan Simons to the Board of Registration of the Island of Hawaii. Supporters described him as thoughtful and analytical, and Simons said he is a Hilo civil engineer with a strong interest in civics and good governance. He said his role on the board would be to protect the franchise by preventing improper disenfranchisement and ensuring votes are counted appropriately, citing his mother’s work enforcing the Voting Rights Act. Members asked whether he would apply election laws fairly and without partisan bias; he said he would. The committee voted advise and consent on GM 686 as well, and all three nominations were adopted before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• the definition of confidential personal information under the motor vehicle code to include sex, gender
• , confidential personal information under the motor vehicle code to include sex, gender, national origin
• It's not that MVD, for example, says, what is your gender? So we can issue a driver's license.
• But someone's gender may be on a birth certificate they provide us as proof of identity or proof of New
• And then underlined: sex, gender identity, immigration status, or national origin.

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 20, a prior-authorization and step-therapy measure, on a committee substitute that had already incorporated many stakeholder changes. The sponsor and agency witnesses described revisions to definitions of chronic health condition and serious mental illness, shorter prior-authorization periods, and limits on reporting requirements. Supporters, including a nurse practitioner and disability advocates, said the bill would reduce barriers to needed medications and urged broader protections for chronic and behavioral health conditions. Health insurance and pharmacy benefit management representatives remained opposed, arguing prior authorization is an important patient-safety tool and objecting to the bill’s limits on its use. Senator Hickey offered two amendments: one to conform electronic prior-authorization response times to existing law by changing seven days to three, and one to restore the prior-authorization period from 12 months to three years. The first amendment was accepted; the second passed on a 5-4 vote. The committee then approved the amended substitute 6-3. The committee next heard Senate Bill 111, which would expand the confidentiality of personal information held by the Motor Vehicle Division to include sex, gender identity, national origin, and immigration status. Tax and Revenue officials explained that the bill would not change what documents MVD collects, but would limit disclosure of sensitive information contained in scanned records unless a statutory exception applies. Members asked about what appears on licenses, what is stored in MVD’s system, and whether law enforcement access would change; officials said criminal law enforcement exceptions would remain in place and that the bill mainly affects public disclosure requests. The committee voted 8-1 to give the bill a do-pass recommendation. Senate Bill 218, funding a Los Alamos Emergency Operations Center, was presented as a regional disaster-response and training facility for northern New Mexico. Los Alamos County witnesses said the project would support emergency management training and coordination across the region and requested $5 million. Several senators questioned whether the county had explored bonding, intergovernmental agreements, or regional cost-sharing, and raised concerns about Los Alamos’s debt capacity and whether the project was truly regional. Supporters said the county has a long capital backlog and that the center would serve communities from Santa Fe north. The committee ultimately voted 9-1 to advance the bill. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 14, a major health professional loan-repayment proposal. Senator Hickey described it as an effort to recruit and retain physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals by increasing repayment amounts, prioritizing physicians and doctors of osteopathic medicine for 50% of the fund, and allowing service commitments with some flexibility, including part-time work. Supporters from medical, nursing, and behavioral health groups said the bill would help address workforce shortages and make New Mexico more competitive. Committee members asked about the inclusion of physician assistants, the 90-day start requirement, anti-donation concerns, tax treatment, tribal and IHS providers, and whether the 50% physician set-aside would leave enough for other professions. After discussion, the committee voted 10-0 to send the bill forward with a do-pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• administration asking questions about a grant that the NIH funded focused on children transitioning genders
• So the NIH funds a study that shows that the gender transition doesn't reduce... suicide rate among adolescents
• own words last night, essentially said America intends to erase any reference whatsoever to race or gender
• absolutely triggered by anything that mentions equality. or inclusion or any reference to race or gender
• Scholars, which I think is a reference to race, and to gender, and to people with different backgrounds

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Keywords: NIH funding, healthcare research, chronic diseases, scientific integrity, public trust, pandemic response

Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on various healthcare and scientific issues, with significant discussions surrounding the impact of recent administrative actions on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its research agenda. Senators expressed concerns over funding cuts and personnel reductions, particularly the reported termination of over 1,200 NIH staff members, which could jeopardize ongoing and future research projects. The session included testimonies on the importance of supporting early-stage researchers and restoring public trust in scientific institutions following pandemic-related controversies. Additionally, the potential for future healthcare management based on diverse scientific ideas was emphasized as crucial to tackle chronic diseases effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:44:40.400><c> violence</c><00:44:41.040><c> never</c> experience gender-based violence never
• We acknowledge the points from uh's testimony, but the levels of gender violence on campus and the rates
• </c> testimony, but the levels of gender testimony, but the levels of gender violence<00:57:46.880><c
• </c><00:58:01.839><c> violence,</c><00:58:02.720><c> more</c> experienced gender-based violence, more
• </c> reporting clearary data and uh gender reporting clearary data and uh gender violence<01:13:41.920

Committee: House Education

Summary: The committees heard testimony on HB 1872, which would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program to help early childhood providers participate in approved apprenticeship programs, require annual reporting, and appropriate funds. Testifiers in support included the University of Hawaiʻi, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the City and County of Honolulu, Commit to Keiki, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, the Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network Speaks, Parents for Public Schools of Hawaiʻi, and Kīʻoka Family Learning Centers. Supporters said the bill would reduce financial barriers, strengthen recruitment and retention, improve compensation and career pathways, and help address child care shortages and workforce instability. The committee then voted to pass HB 1872 with amendments, including an HD1 and a defective date to allow further discussion. The committee next took up HB 2489, which would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaiʻi to establish a bachelor’s degree program in American Sign Language interpretation, with a longer-term plan for a master’s program. Testimony in support came from the Disability Communication Access Board and the University of Hawaiʻi, and members also heard detailed support from DECAP and other advocates describing a statewide shortage of ASL interpreters, long waiting lists for ASL courses, and the need for locally trained interpreters who understand Hawaiʻi’s cultural and community needs. Witnesses said the shortage affects schools, courts, hospitals, emergency services, and other settings, and that the program could be expanded through articulation with other campuses. The committee voted to pass HB 2489 with amendments, again using an HD1 and defective date. After those two measures, the committee moved to HB 441 on campus safety, which would require students, including transfer students, to complete training on federal laws and university policies regarding sexual misconduct before initial registration and would change how often training is provided to students and employees. The University of Hawaiʻi stood on its written testimony, while supporters including IMUA Alliance and other testifiers urged passage, citing survivor experiences, national best practices, and the need for prevention before harm occurs. No vote on HB 441 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we're going to hear from OutFront and Gender Justice and Multilingual Learning.
• 03:08.720><c> and</c> going to hear from um um outfront and going to hear from um um outfront and gender
• justice and multilingual learning gender justice and multilingual learning and<00:03:12.360><c> there's
• My name is Christy Hall, and I'm a senior staff attorney at Gender Justice.
• Students are also hearing that they may no longer have access to sports that align with their gender

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Because that's basically what we did with this amendment so that it was revenue neutral and hopes that
• And how we're going to pay for it so that it is revenue neutral is that these are not union positions
• They were given some educational materials, some worksheets about core gender identity concepts, but
• they were largely ignored. ...about core gender identity concepts, but they were largely ignored.
• Now, I was never on the side of, I mean, I know I never bought into the genders-as-social-construct and

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2681 , SB5467 , SB5820 , SB5863 , SB5892 , SCR8406 , HB2487 , HB2711 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB6278

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, cannabis, license fees, regulatory framework, revenue generation, legalization, SB 5467, water-sewer district, water sewer district, surplus property, public property sale, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• By 12% because that's basically what we did with this amendment so that it was revenue neutral and hopes
• And how we're going to pay for it so that it is revenue neutral is that these are not union positions
• They were given some educational materials, some worksheets about core gender identity concepts, but
• they were largely ignored. ...about core gender identity concepts, but they were largely ignored.
• Now, I was never on the side of—I mean, I know I never bought into the genders-as-social-construct thing

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2681 , SB5467 , SB5820 , SB5863 , SB5892 , SCR8406 , HB2487 , HB2711 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB6278

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the prior day’s minutes, and then moved through caucuses and a series of transportation, elections, energy, historical records, cannabis, abortion-access, and fiscal bills. Members repeatedly emphasized that several measures were supplemental or technical updates to existing law, while others involved larger policy disputes over taxes, fees, clean energy, election security, and reproductive health. The chamber also received Senate messages on other bills and briefly recessed for caucus during the day. The most prominent action was final passage of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6005, the supplemental transportation budget, after adopting a technical amendment and a larger striker amendment. Supporters highlighted preservation and maintenance funding, rail investments, ferry maintenance, road safety, and continued work on major projects statewide; opponents largely reserved comments or noted concerns about future needs. The House passed the bill 93-0 with five excused. The House also passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2711 on transportation resources, after adopting a technical amendment that removed the aircraft tax and delayed an RV-related tax change; supporters said it protected businesses and jobs, while opponents objected to trade-in treatment and other tax changes. That bill passed 83-10. On elections, the House considered Senate Bill 5892 to protect the voter registration database. An amendment to reduce penalties from a felony to a civil infraction and remove the emergency clause failed, while the committee amendment passed 50-34. Supporters said the bill was needed to safeguard sensitive voter data and clarify access; opponents argued it created conflicts with federal law and imposed excessive penalties on local election officials. The bill then passed 57-36. On energy, Substitute Senate Bill 5982 updating consumer-owned utility provisions drew debate over carbon capture, resource adequacy, data centers, and clean energy policy. Amendments on carbon capture and blackout-triggered termination failed, while an amendment preserving cogeneration exceptions passed; the bill then passed 57-37. The House also passed Senate Bill 5863 on preservation and inspection of state historical records, after rejecting an amendment to require longer retention but adopting the committee amendment; supporters stressed preserving the history of residential habilitation centers and the value to families seeking records. Substitute Senate Bill 5874, allowing the Employment Security Department to waive penalties for minor employer reporting errors, passed unanimously. Engrossed House Bill 2681, raising cannabis license fees while removing an escalator, passed 52-42. Finally, Substitute Senate Bill 5917 on access to abortion medications saw several failed amendments from opponents seeking to narrow, reframe, or add fiscal limits to the bill; supporters said it preserved flexibility to ensure access and avoid waste, and the bill passed 57-36.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of the very few people who are gender of the very few people who are gender non-conforming<03:55
• We added gender protections in 2018 with bipartisan support, signed by a Republican governor.
• </c> discrimination on the basis of gender discrimination on the basis of gender identity<03:59:35.920
• </c> way that conforms to gender stereotypes. way that conforms to gender stereotypes.
• and sex when doing confuse gender and sex when doing studies. studies. studies.

Transcript Highlights:

• So by that, it would be revenue- and expenditure-neutral.
• For a program promoted as cost-neutral and beneficial, these figures demonstrate real fiscal damage to
• I urge you to pass SB 5911 and take a neutral step toward empowering foster youth with real financial
• A full ban will not get you a revenue-neutral bill.
• For people with complex trauma, PTSD, and decades of silence behind them, that is not a neutral process

Bills: SB6294 , SB6211 , SB5650 , SB6033 , SB6297 , SB6343 , SB6067 , SB6082 , SB6323 , SB6324 , SB5862 , SB5923 , SB6151

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: local government finance, Washington state, RCW, real estate excise tax, REET, sales and use tax, property tax levy, county tax, city tax, affordable housing, housing services, behavioral health, mental health, developmental disabilities, children and families services, youth services, utility tax, low-income utility assistance, veterans assistance, homelessness

Transcript Highlights:

• So by that it would be revenue- and expenditure-neutral.
• For a program promoted as cost-neutral and beneficial, these figures demonstrate real fiscal damage to
• I urge you to pass SB 5911 and take a neutral step toward empowering foster youth with real financial
• She said a full ban will not get a revenue-neutral bill.
• For people with complex trauma, PTSD, and decades of silence behind them, that is not a neutral process

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, for example, no race and gender data, or what's missing?
• That, I think, was one of the— So, for example, no race and gender data, or what's missing?
• Race and gender data missing.
• Do these data, I'm going to guess, may in fact include some or all of the demographic data—age, gender
• probably are not particularly complete or verified, but at least you're going to get age, probably gender

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm interested in understanding how does race, sexual orientation, or gender equate to political
• And I'm interested in understanding how does race, sexual orientation, or gender equate to political
• It claims to regulate flags about a political viewpoint, invoking sexual orientation and gender.
• Sexual orientation and gender identity are not political viewpoints.
• I'm a non-binary, gender-fluid, pansexual Floridian.

Summary: The committee took up several claims bills first and reported both favorably without debate. SB 20, relating to relief of J.N., a minor, would pay the remaining $400,000 of a $600,000 settlement after an 11-year-old was injured on a Hillsborough County sidewalk with a known defect; SB 14, relating to the estate of Pineal Januier, would authorize payment of the remaining $1.7 million of a $2 million settlement after a drowning at a Miami Beach youth center pool. Both bills were supported by the sponsors and the Senate Special Master’s favorable recommendations, and both passed on roll call votes. The committee then considered SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, SB 1512, both by Senator Avila, which would create a new property tax benefit for owners who lease a non-homestead residential property for more than six months in order to encourage more affordable rental housing. Local governments, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Association of Counties opposed the proposal, warning of major revenue losses, impacts on public safety and services, and uncertainty for local budgets; several senators also questioned whether landlords would pass savings on to renters and whether the measure would worsen density and parking issues. Despite the opposition, both measures were reported favorably after the sponsor said the bills would be refined and revised. SB 674, by Senator Wright, was reported favorably with support from property appraisers who said it would let them budget and pay hiring or retention bonuses, similar to authority already given to tax collectors, to help compete for specialized staff. CS for CS SB 268, by Senator Jones, also passed after an amendment adding congressional members; the bill would create a public-records exemption for certain home-address information for elected officials, and debate centered on balancing transparency with safety after members described death threats and harassment. The committee then approved SB 100, by Senator Fine, which would bar government buildings from displaying flags representing political viewpoints and allow active or retired military or National Guard members to use reasonable force to stop desecration of the U.S. flag; the bill drew extensive opposition from transparency, civil rights, and LGBTQ advocates who argued it was vague, unconstitutional, and aimed at pride flags, while supporters said government should not endorse political messages. Finally, CS for SB 1664, by Senator Trumbull, was reported favorably after a strike-all amendment. The bill would require voter reapproval every eight years for certain local discretionary taxes, including tourist development taxes and some local option taxes, unless pledged to revenue bonds. Cities, counties, tourism groups, and the lodging industry opposed it, saying the measure would create uncertainty, threaten tourism marketing and beach restoration funding, and make long-term infrastructure and debt planning difficult. Senator Trumbull argued the proposal simply gives voters a recurring chance to decide whether they still support the taxes and the projects they fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• transition and gender so-called affirming procedures.
• A thorough meta-review on gender-affirming care has come out in the CAS report, which reports really
• What's particularly pernicious about it is we're talking about gender transition surgeries, gender transition
• Where the voters have said we don't want gender transition procedures performed on minors, the Biden
• I do want to add that people who have gender differences should be respected; they should be loved.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee