Transcript Highlights:

• The prosecution hits their limit for bringing an indictment, and so the prosecution decides to dismiss
• during interviews are attorney work product, and second, it establishes that the Attorney General is
• attorney and ask for a criminal case to be filed.
• General of Texas to contact the Attorney General of Ohio.
• The Attorney General would have the power to enforce that.

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Pastor Tedrick Woods, followed by routine chamber actions including excusing Senator Gutierrez and receiving House messages that the House had passed HB 21 and HB 49. Senators also recognized advocates visiting the gallery on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis awareness and introduced the Doctor of the Day. The chamber adopted several resolutions, including HCR 66, by voice vote. The Senate then took up and passed a series of measures, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. Among the bills finally passed were HJR 2, which would prohibit state death taxes; HB 206, limiting counties from requiring cash bonds for pipeline construction; HB 517, barring property owners associations from fining homeowners for discolored vegetation during watering restrictions; HB 2756, requiring TDCJ correctional officers to receive de-escalation and behavioral health training; HB 451, expanding screening for commercial sexual exploitation risk among children in DFPS and TJJD custody; SB 705, cleaning up the air conditioning and refrigeration contractors advisory board; SB 2017, creating an offense for burnouts and wheelies; SB 1858, expanding body armor grant eligibility to ISDs; SB 1400, directing a study on transfer-student outcomes for community college funding; SB 2764, requiring notice to manufactured home buyers about converting homes to real property; SB 748, a licensing cleanup bill on laser hair removal; SB 2519, restricting certain ad valorem tax uses and bonds after amendment; SB 2878, the courts bill with amendments on Brazoria County courts and youth diversion provisions; SB 466, allowing families to request fetal death certificates at any gestational age; SB 1608, requiring timely physical exams for inpatient mental health admissions; SB 1730, limiting civil damages claims arising from certain uses of force or deadly force; SB 2417, clarifying Attorney General antitrust investigation work product and discovery rules; and SB 1946, creating a family violence, criminal homicide prevention task force. The Senate also passed HB 3204, renaming and updating the Polytechnic College at Sam Houston State University, and SB 1986, requiring opioid warning labels. Several bills drew brief debate or amendments. Senators discussed broader HOA reform while considering HB 517, and SB 2203 on TCEQ discovery procedures was amended to require party motions, set a 15-day expiration for certified issues, and limit hearing abatement. SB 2017 was amended to change the mens rea language from knowingly to intentional. SB 2519 was narrowed by amendment to a forward-looking policy statement separating maintenance-and-operation taxes from debt-service taxes. SB 2878 also received amendments to reduce the number of new Brazoria County courts and add youth diversion and crisis-response provisions. SB 466 prompted a floor debate over whether fetal death certificates are appropriate for pre-20-week losses, with supporters emphasizing family closure and opponents arguing the document has no estate-related purpose. SB 1730 also prompted questions about the relationship between criminal findings and civil liability in self-defense cases. The session concluded with additional House and Senate measures being signed in the presence of the Senate and continued consideration of SB 2177, a grant program to help local law enforcement solve violent and sexual offenses.

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a concern that investigating or prosecuting activities legal in the state was too broad.
• I wasn't sure if it was an attorney general decision. Right. And that's my cue. Thank you, Mr.
• Forgive me for being cynical to the attorneys with the ACLU.
• I'm an attorney with the Department of Health. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• I can't hire an independent attorney to look at it after, Richard— I can't hire an independent attorney

Bills: SB40, SB104, SB136, SB164

Keywords: SB40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate reader, vehicle surveillance, privacy, data sharing, law enforcement data, immigration enforcement, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, civil liberties, surveillance, public records, Inspection of Public Records Act, New Mexico State Police, Department of Public Safety, data sovereignty, vehicle tracking

Transcript Highlights:

• But a lot of times... ...we aren't seeing further prosecution on these items.
• But again, these aren't frequently prosecuted, to my knowledge.
• There was four different attorneys for five different kids or three different attorneys.
• There was four different attorneys for five different kids or three different attorneys.
• There was four different attorneys for five different kids or three different attorneys.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2708, which would increase penalties for bringing or possessing unauthorized electronic communication devices in prisons and jails, raising the offense from a misdemeanor to a Class D felony and clarifying the statutory language. Representative Hovis said the bill is intended to deter contraband cell phones and similar devices that can be used to coordinate criminal activity, threaten victims, or continue gang operations from inside facilities. Department of Corrections staff supported the bill, saying cell phones are dangerous contraband and that current administrative sanctions are not always enough. Members asked about notice to visitors, current DOC discipline, whether the bill applies to inmates, staff, and visitors, and whether the language should be tightened to cover devices “capable of” communication; the sponsor agreed to have House Research review the wording and potentially offer a committee substitute. No opposition testimony was presented. The committee then heard House Bill 3038, which would place the Department of Health and Senior Services’ Office of Special Investigations into statute and give it limited authority to assist investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of eligible adults. Representative Cook said the office already exists and the bill mainly codifies its role, allowing limited subpoena and search warrant authority to speed investigations, especially financial exploitation cases, while preserving local law enforcement and prosecutorial control. DHSS witnesses supported the bill, explaining that their investigators have long worked on vulnerable-adult cases and often need quicker access to records; they said the office has law enforcement experience and coordinates with Adult Protective Services and public safety agencies. Committee members asked about the fiscal note, vacancies, the definition of exploitation, whether the office can investigate public administrators or guardianship cases, and whether investigators have arrest authority; witnesses said the bill is not intended to create a new police force or expand arrest powers, but to formalize existing functions and improve access to records. No witnesses testified in opposition, and the hearing concluded without a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hello, to introduce myself, my name is Sam Meyer, Attorney Advisor, Bruce.
• Hello, to introduce myself, my name is Sam Meyer, Attorney Advisor from the Wisconsin National Guard.
• Yeah, so after local jurisdiction, if they declined to pursue charges or prosecute, we review the case
• Along those lines, I guess for the attorney, is that something what we just addressed that has, because
• They had support from the local district attorney and Department of Defense.

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It removes language addressing circumstances where a court may or must appoint an attorney for a minor
• I'm the executive director for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
• I'm the executive director for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
• I'm the executive director for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
• I never could have imagined that four months later, I would be one of the attorneys representing her

Bills: SB5837, SB6011, SB6009, SB5868, SB5974, SB5720, SB5833, SB5936, SB5993, SB6070, SB6002, SJM8014, SB6086

Keywords: guardianship, conservatorship, protective arrangement, protective arrangements, supported decision-making, supported decision making, court visitor, adult guardianship, limited guardianship, full guardianship, adult conservatorship, less restrictive alternative, capacity, legal capacity, respondent rights, due process, vulnerable adults, disability rights, elder abuse, estate management

Transcript Highlights:

• Before, by the time we would get good, we would hire young attorneys who had a passion for prosecution
• attorney employees.
• attorney employees.
• attorney employees.
• attorney employees.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Commonwealth’s Attorneys, County Attorneys, Prosecutor’s Advisory Council 00:00:18 Approval of Minutes 00:20:09 State Treasurer 00:20:33, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from representatives of the Prosecutor’s Advisory Council, including county and commonwealth attorneys, on their proposed budget. They described the scope of their work in district and circuit court, juvenile and dependency cases, specialty courts, guardianship, involuntary hospitalization, and the Rocket Docket program. The witnesses emphasized that their budgets are overwhelmingly personnel costs and warned that proposed cuts could lead to layoffs, reduced retention, and loss of recently added positions. They also said the General Assembly’s recent salary classification plan had improved recruitment and retention, and that underfunding could reverse those gains. A major topic was the Rocket Docket program, which they said speeds lower-level cases through the system, reduces jail costs, and saves money for both counties and the state. They reported that in one circuit, average jail time for certain cases dropped from about 50 days to about 6 days. They also raised concerns that the Rocket Docket line item may not be clearly included in the committee substitute and asked for clarification on how the budget would treat it. In response, the chair said the intent was to move some of those items into the base budget, though the exact structure was still uncertain. The presenters also discussed a 2022 subsidy for county attorney employees tied to retirement contributions, saying it totals about $1.3 million and should not be reduced because the obligation remains. They said the budget would need to support the salary classification plan extensions, House Bill 8 subsidies, and a new case management system that they described as essential to modernizing operations and improving communication with victims and law enforcement. The chair thanked them for the testimony and indicated the committee would continue reviewing the budget. The committee then heard from Deputy State Treasurer Russell Weber, who reported that the treasury has now returned more than $90 million in unclaimed property to Kentuckians. He said the office faces ongoing fraud issues and requested funding for a dedicated legal counsel and a fraud investigator, along with outreach money to educate the public about unclaimed property. He also outlined several capital requests, including the final year of a printer-system lease and replacement of HVAC equipment in the treasury building. Members briefly joked with him about a mineral-rights bill and coal, but no votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have prosecuted people for theft under the theft statutes that exist currently.
• . prosecution. prosecution.
• Representative Greenman. attorneys that understand the attorneys that understand the intricacies<01:19
• </c> to uh detect and prosecute fraud. to uh detect and prosecute fraud.
• criminally prosecuted or fired, right?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Uinta County Prosecuting Attorney, but more pertinently, I am the president of the Wyoming County
• and Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
• I did want to note for the committee that the Wyoming County and Prosecuting Attorneys Association has
• </c><00:28:25.679><c> in</c> had occurred during his prosecution in had occurred during his prosecution
• </c><00:38:19.680><c> Sovereign</c> reasonable attorney fees. Sovereign reasonable attorney fees.

Bills: SF0101

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearm regulation, state legislation, public safety, civil penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It, it happens some, um, it's, it doesn't get prosecuted very often as as far as just the false report
• Um, Sure that they're um making a false report and being um prosecuted on this, especially a young person
• Able to have a felony prosecution, Madam Chair.
• Um, Madam Chair, uh, Senator, you know, with the attorneys in Senate Judiciary, they really felt like
• And, um, a mistake and um do this that, you know, they would be prosecuted. Ma'am.

Transcript Highlights:

• which has broad bipartisan and bicameral support, would also close a loophole in the ability to prosecute
• Attorney, FBI, DEA, ATF, CBP, Washington State Patrol, the King County Sheriff's Office, and Bellevue
• Is lacing drugs with fentanyl can now be charged and prosecuted, including for murder.
• And those poisoning Texans can no longer kill one pill at a time without fear of arrest and prosecution
• Unfortunately, according to several reports and lawsuits filed by state attorneys generals, both the

Keywords: Coast Guard, maritime drug enforcement, illegal drugs, fentanyl crisis, legislative reforms, public testimony

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation addressed critical issues surrounding maritime drug enforcement and the Coast Guard's role in stopping the influx of illegal drugs. The chairman highlighted the alarming consequences of current policies allowing drugs to cross borders, emphasizing the need for legislative reforms, such as the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2025. There was an intense discussion regarding the operational challenges faced by the Coast Guard, which has recently made significant drug seizures, indicating progress but also revealing gaps that need addressing. Several witnesses, including victims of the drug crisis, shared their compelling testimonies, which underscored the urgency for stricter controls and comprehensive support for law enforcement agencies involved in drug interdiction efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• So with that, we will turn to the panel from the Office of the Attorney General.
• Election officials to be prosecuted if they don't carry those out.
• I'm a deputy attorney general in the Attorney General's office.
• I'm a deputy attorney general in the Attorney General's office.
• Any further questions for Deputy Attorney General Bowers before we let him go?

Summary: The House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee held a virtual work session focused first on federal actions affecting elections. A representative from NCSL reviewed recent U.S. Supreme Court and pending cases, including a redistricting/Voting Rights Act case and a case on whether mailed ballots received after Election Day can be counted. She also discussed a Trump executive order directing USPS to draft mail-ballot rules, the federal SAVE system’s expanded use for voter list maintenance, DOJ requests for unredacted voter rolls, and reduced federal election-security support. Committee members asked about proof of citizenship requirements, whether DOJ requests are compulsory, and how federal election funding and grants may be changing. The Attorney General’s Office then described Washington’s litigation challenging two election-related executive orders and DOJ’s lawsuit seeking unredacted voter registration lists. State lawyers said courts have already enjoined parts of the executive orders, including documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements and voting-system changes, and have upheld Washington’s ballot-receipt deadlines so far. They said DOJ’s voter-roll demands have been rejected by multiple courts and that Washington’s position is that state law limits disclosure of sensitive voter data. Members asked about the legal basis for DOJ’s requests, the risk of immigration-enforcement use, and whether attestation on registration forms counts as proof of citizenship; the office said it does under state law and that no evidence of mass voter-fraud problems in Washington has been shown. Deputy Attorney General Todd Bowers then gave a broader overview of the Attorney General’s federal litigation, saying Washington has filed 61 cases since January 2025, often with other states, and has had notable success obtaining preliminary injunctions and favorable summary judgments. He highlighted cases involving election rules, environmental and energy disputes, public health funding, student loans, housing, and data privacy, and said many challenges involve executive-branch conditions added to congressionally appropriated funds. He also described a growing number of federal audits and inquiries directed at state agencies. Finally, Office of Equity Director Megan Matthews discussed how federal actions are affecting state and local equity work, community organizations, and public confidence. She said the office is coordinating more closely with the Attorney General, governor’s office, other agencies, and local governments through the immigration subcabinet, while also working on data privacy, Keep Washington Working compliance, and community outreach. Committee members asked about the office’s human-trafficking work and how it is encouraging agency compliance; Matthews said the focus is on clearer guidance, technical support, and consistent expectations across agencies. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:46:26.640><c> General</c> investigation by the Attorney General investigation by the Attorney
• </c> warrants investigations and prosecution warrants investigations and prosecution for<00:46:37.680
• and the U.S. attorney to do that.
• </c><01:19:15.760><c> and</c><01:19:16.159><c> and</c> attorney to do that us attorney and and attorney
• </c><01:31:06.520><c> to</c> possibly having a county attorney to possibly having a county attorney to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the Attorney General may have someone here today.
• Deborah Salvador, Self, Bradley Burgott, District Attorney, Seventh.
• District attorneys, the Attorney General, and the sheriffs, the ones who's dealing with these victims
• The district attorneys, the Attorney General, and the sheriffs are the ones who's dealing with these
• victims, having to prosecute once it happens.

Bills: HB62, HB124, HB182, HB193, HB198, HB203, HB223, HB237, HB469, HB486, HB574, HB779, HB796, HB919, SCR2, SB4, SB36, SB38, SB109, SB152, SB168, SB195, SB216, SB221, SB236, SB404

Keywords: Louisiana Women's Policy, gender equality, policy research, commission membership, women's representation, Domestic Violence, judicial experience, legislation, criminal law, family law, HB182, sexual assault, rape kit, forensic examination, forensic medical exam, sexual assault survivor, sexual assault nurse examiner, SANE, emergency department, hospital staffing

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been a criminal defense attorney in this state for 20 years.
• I've been a criminal defense attorney in this state for 20 years.
• It includes when it’s at the police level, when it’s at the prosecution level.
• It includes when it’s at the police level, when it’s at the prosecution level.
• </c><01:54:35.560><c> without</c> cases you can be prosecuted without cases you can be prosecuted without

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:49.520><c> and</c> Prosecuting Attorney for the City and Prosecuting Attorney for the City
• </c> limitations for criminal prosecutions limitations for criminal prosecutions under<00:43:23.839><
• According to the and can be prosecuted.
• Next is Daniel Hugo for the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County.
• </c> for the department of the prosecuting for the department of the prosecuting attorney<01:26:46.639

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 2246, which would expand public financial disclosure requirements. The State Ethics Commission strongly supported the bill, saying broader disclosure could help restore public trust and potentially deter corruption, and it offered a clarifying amendment to make clear the requirement applies to board and commission members rather than all employees of listed agencies. Several organizations and individuals also testified in support. A committee member asked about the amendment, and the commission explained it was intended as a clarification rather than a substantive change. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2250, which would add homeless facilities to the locations covered by the drug-free-zone offense for promoting controlled substances. The Public Defender opposed the measure, arguing that many homeless facilities are unmarked and not easily identifiable, creating notice, fairness, and due process concerns and risking arbitrary enforcement. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying it targets distributors rather than users, that notice can be proven through evidence, and that the law is aimed at protecting vulnerable people in shelters and similar facilities. In questioning, senators asked how homeless facilities would be identified and whether the bill would cover all shelter models; the prosecutor said the definition is cross-referenced in statute and must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and other groups testified in opposition, while several service and advocacy groups testified in support. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2325, which would allow courts to review and potentially reduce sentences for certain juvenile offenders after 15 years if the person is not a danger to the community. Judiciary staff said the court supports the bill’s intent but noted Hawaii’s indeterminate sentencing structure leaves no alternative sentence for a court to reduce to, suggesting the measure may need structural sentencing changes or could instead be directed to the Hawaii Paroling Authority. Public defender representatives and youth-justice advocates supported the bill, emphasizing rehabilitation, adolescent brain development, trauma, and the need for a meaningful opportunity for release. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dangerous because it absolutely leaves the door open for political prosecutions.
• Or the actual violation of a state statute to be prosecuted in Arizona.
• So again, the conduct outlined in this bill can already be prosecuted in Arizona.
• The sponsor has been told that the conduct can be prosecuted in Arizona.
• House Bill 4049, an act amending section 41-192, relating to advice to the Attorney General.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But they will not be the prosecuting entity.
• But they will not be the prosecuting entity.
• But they will not be the prosecuting entity.
• But they will not be the prosecuting entity.
• </c><00:23:50.840><c> General</c> has Minnesota the State Attorney General has Minnesota the State Attorney

Bills: HF1, HF1384

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Sharing ALPR data for purposes of investigating or prosecuting human trafficking incidents.
• Forgive me for being cynical to the attorneys with the ACLU.
• So we don't anticipate having thousands of these cases to prosecute, but it...
• I'm an attorney with the Department of Health. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• I can't hire an independent attorney to look at it after it's drafted, which...

Bills: HB99, HB38, HB165, HB127, HB72, HB151, SB40, SB104, SB136, SB164

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 40, a committee substitute addressing automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and privacy. Sponsor Sen. Worth said the bill was intended to preserve ALPRs as a law-enforcement tool while adding guardrails to prevent sharing or selling data for immigration enforcement, protected health care activity, or criminalizing constitutionally protected conduct. Supporters included state and local law enforcement, the ACLU, immigrant-rights, reproductive-rights, and sexual-assault advocacy groups. Law enforcement witnesses said the bill balanced privacy with public safety and cited cases where ALPRs helped locate kidnapped children, murder suspects, and stolen vehicles; opponents and some senators argued the bill was too narrow, too focused on immigration and health care, and raised concerns about federal law, data sales, and enforcement. After debate, the committee adopted an amendment removing subsection F, then approved the committee substitute and advanced SB 40 on a do-pass motion. The committee then heard Senate Bill 104, which would create a process for removing wildlife commissioners after the 2023 wildlife commission legislation and the governor’s veto of the prior removal language. Sen. Worth explained that SB 104 would allow the governor to initiate removal for malfeasance, incompetence, or failure to attend meetings, with notice, a hearing, and exclusive review by the state Supreme Court; he said it was modeled on the Board of Regents removal process and was intended to complete the wildlife commission reforms. The New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Audubon Southwest, and the Department of Game and Fish supported the bill, saying it would depoliticize wildlife management and provide stability. Senators asked about the existing “three consecutive meetings” vacancy language, current vacancies, and the prior removal of a commissioner. The committee discussed the governor’s earlier veto and whether the bill was necessary, but no amendment was adopted and the committee approved SB 104 on a do-pass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• prosecution, and this is in 11 and 12.
• Prosecutor declines prosecution.
• Peace officers, attorney general, prosecuting attorneys.
• Your attorney will get that.
• And then, so you practice law as an attorney.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and adopted a House committee substitute for House Bill 2587, then voted the substitute do pass on an 18-0 roll call. The sponsor said the bill was updated to mirror federal law and included an emergency clause, with supporters noting it was intended to align Missouri law ahead of the FIFA World Cup and related public safety concerns. The committee also briefly took up House Bill 2055 and voted it do pass 18-0 before moving on to public hearings. The main public hearing was on House Bill 2868, which would expand Missouri DNA collection to all felony arrests rather than the current narrower list of qualifying offenses. Representative Parker argued the change would help solve crimes and exonerate the innocent, citing Maryland v. King and examples from other states. Committee members raised concerns about juvenile language, privacy, the presumption of innocence, retention and destruction of samples, access to CODIS, and whether the bill should be limited to violent or higher-level felonies. Supporters, including victim Ashley Spence and other advocates, described how arrest-stage DNA collection helped identify a serial rapist and solve cold cases, while opponents Joshua Kieser and others argued the bill was overbroad, could be used as a fishing expedition, and should not apply before conviction. Missouri State Highway Patrol staff testified that the bill would add nearly 14,000 arrestees annually, could aid about 731 investigations each year, and would reduce confusion in current collection practices. The hearing also included detailed testimony about wrongful convictions, expungement safeguards, identical twins, and the difference between arrest, charge, and conviction. Several members said they supported the goal of helping victims but wanted narrower language or stronger guardrails, especially for nonviolent felonies. The hearing on HB 2868 was then closed, and the committee began hearing House Bills 3012, 2997, and 3058, with the bill sponsors introducing themselves as the next items up.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can’t control what the state’s attorney of Stark County decides to prosecute or not prosecute, nor
• ’s attorney or a city attorney whenever the Attorney General feels like he or she might want to do that
• I think the criminal prosecution or the fines... ...the criminal prosecution or the fines or the referral
• not the Attorney General.
• And the Attorney General doesn't have the capability, so I don't really want to give the Attorney General's

Keywords: 908, all