Transcript Highlights:

• Gentleman from Green. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Gentleman from Green. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Gentleman from Green. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Gentlemen from Green. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Gentleman from Green. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by roll call vote. Members then spent much of the morning introducing guests, including FFA groups from multiple counties, school officials, chamber leaders, veterans advocates, and other visitors. Several members also used personal privilege remarks to congratulate election workers and candidates following the previous day’s election. The chamber then took up committee reports and several bills. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3239, dealing with the workforce diploma program for adults seeking a high school diploma, was reconsidered after debate over its cost, eligibility, and relationship to other adult education programs. Supporters argued it offers a second chance and better outcomes than a GED, while opponents raised concerns about cost and diversion of K-12 funds. After motions for the previous question and reconsideration, the House ultimately passed HCS HB 3239. House Bill 1772, aimed at easing and encouraging adoptions and foster care permanency by helping cover legal costs and reduce delays, also passed with broad support. The House then passed House Bill 2096, which increases state matching funds for regional planning commissions and updates the statewide commission list, and later perfected House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2740, creating a pediatric disease task force in the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to track research, outcomes, and funding with annual reports and a sunset in 2030. Members emphasized the bill’s accountability and its personal importance to the sponsor and others affected by pediatric illness. House Bill 2422, which raises a recording fee from $4 to $5 to support the Department of Agriculture’s land survey program and adds rulemaking authority for related records and maps, was also perfected and printed after debate; an amendment to redirect the fee increase to the Missouri Housing Trust Fund was offered, discussed, and then withdrawn. The House then recessed until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Green votes no. Go ahead. Julie. No. Green votes no.
• Green. Cha yes. Cha votes I. Green. Green.<02:51:03.359><c> Yes.
• </c><02:51:07.520><c> Go</c> Green. Yes. Green votes I. Hussein. Go Green. Yes. Green votes I.
• </c> and vote green. and vote green.
• Green. Green. Yes. Green votes aye. Hussein. Hussein. Yes. Hussein votes aye. McDonald. Aye.

Transcript Highlights:

• , ag resources, plant industries, market development, sheep and goat health board, animal damage control
• The green column represents total appropriation that the agency has received each year.
• Additionally, the green includes any supplemental requests.
• The green column represents total appropriation that the agency has received each year.
• Additionally, the green includes any supplemental requests.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Please vote green again. Thank you. Is there any discussion? Vote green again. Thank you.
• Please vote green. Is there any discussion?
• So please vote green. Is there any discussion?
• He asked members to vote green. There was no discussion.
• So with that, we encourage you to pass the green vote.

Summary: The North Dakota House convened with prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests and student visitors, then moved through a long calendar of resolutions and bills. Early in the session, members honored Mandan High School’s e-sports team for state championships and recognized House Minority Leader Zachary Ista’s birthday. The House then passed HCR 3037 unanimously, urging mandatory reporting requirements for public officials, after committee support and remarks emphasizing accountability in public office. The chamber then considered numerous Senate amendments and final-passage votes on bills covering ambulance service grants (HB 1597), Public Service Commission records and open meetings (HB 1110 and HB 1063), squatter/trespass law (HB 1305), nonconforming structures in local governments (HB 1500), academic tenure policy (HB 1437), retirement eligibility for correctional officers and state radio dispatchers (HB 1274 and HB 1419), a Medicaid dental study (HB 1567), above-ground fuel storage tank regulation (HB 1058), gaming site authorization procedures (HB 1615), an oil extraction tax incentive outside the Bakken and Three Forks formations (HB 1483), and simple assault protections for hospital workers (HB 1341). Most of these measures passed, though HB 1231, which would have created a study on early discontinuation of sex offender registration, failed on final passage. A major point of debate was Senate Bill 2354, which would restrict student use of personal electronic devices during the school day in public and nonpublic schools, with exceptions for medical and special education needs and annual reporting on impacts. Supporters argued it would improve focus, behavior, and mental health, while opponents raised concerns about private-school regulation, logistics, liability, and duplication with a similar bill. The House passed SB 2354, and also passed SB 2112, which temporarily authorizes the Life Skills and Transition Center to serve certain non-eligible youth in crisis, despite objections that the facility should remain focused on developmental disabilities and concerns about repeating past institutional problems. The House also debated and rejected HB 1300 on legislative term limits after extensive discussion about whether the Senate’s date change altered the effect of the voter-approved measure. The session ended with announcements, committee notices, and adjournment until April 8, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Green? Representative Hilferty? Representative Jacob Landry?
• You can paint my white card green then. Thank you, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. I appreciate it.
• Because the industrial base to replace the ship to shore cranes, in progress still because the industrial
• I am not part of the iron industry, so I couldn't. Are there any other plants we inspect?
• Representative Green? Representative Hilferty? Representative Jacob Landry? Yes.

Bills: HB1163 , HB1168 , HR252 , HR253 , HCR103 , HCR108 , SB80 , SB131 , SB251 , SB254 , SB279 , SB384 , SB414 , SB468 , SB469 , SB496

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Keywords: fireworks, retail sales, fire safety, legislation, holiday celebrations, construction standards, precast concrete, DOTD, building regulations, minimum requirements, public projects, private projects, consumer protection, credit card fees, cash transactions, rounding practices, transparency, low-income, economic impact, residential construction

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Whip Osienski, green agenda number seven.
• It is on the Green Agenda, item number one.
• But I think caps on any particular industry is a risky policy move.
• But I think caps on any particular industry is a risky policy move.
• Green agenda, one sec, let me get back to where I was before.

Summary: The House convened on June 30, 2026, with opening ceremonies, guest introductions, and moments of silence for Gerlindy Lancelotti and Iva Durham. Members then took up a long agenda of bills and resolutions, including consent calendar items and several measures related to agriculture, lottery reporting, health care, fire service membership standards, inmate work, telecommunications, rent increases, youth camp licensing, primary elections, respiratory care practice, and marriage equality. The chamber also heard extended debate on Senate Bill 233, concerning removal of snow and ice from vehicles, and on House Bill 188, which would allow unaffiliated voters to choose a party primary while barring participation in both parties’ primaries. Among the notable actions, House Concurrent Resolution 157 passed as amended, directing the State Lottery to report on options to support traditional lottery retailers. Senate Bill 53, preserving the Delaware Farm to Community Program if federal support declines, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 307, giving the Public Service Commission authority to designate eligible Lifeline carriers, and Senate Bill 339, clarifying advance health care directives, also passed. Senate Bill 235, removing a sunset on manufactured home rent increase calculations, passed, as did Senate Bill 325 after House Amendment 1 narrowed disqualifying offenses for fire service membership and adjusted related background-check rules. Senate Bill 309, discharging remaining incarceration-cost balances, and Senate Bill 324, addressing constable-related firearm permit provisions, both passed. The chamber tabled Senate Bill 233 once to consider a proposed amendment for trucks and other hard-to-clear vehicles, but the amendment failed and the bill later passed as amended by the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 19, directing DHSS to study strategies to reduce health care costs, was tabled pending legal review. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 100, proposing a constitutional amendment to protect the right to marry, passed after extensive floor debate and personal statements from members on both sides. Senate Bill 293, creating a licensure pathway for summer camps to participate in purchase-of-care, passed after House Amendment 1. House Bill 188 on open primary access for unaffiliated voters passed 22-17, and Senate Bill 94, concerning respiratory care practitioners and ECMO medication delivery, passed after House Amendment 2. The transcript ends as the House begins consideration of House Substitute 1 for House Bill 404.

Transcript Highlights:

• That said, I recognize that different industry sectors would benefit.
• I know this industry inside and out.
• It is not government-administered; it is industry-administered because we create a consortium of industry
• Consortium, and that is the industry. Mr.
• green glass.

Bills: SB410 , SB795 , SB2510 , SB728 , SB2689 , HB143 , HB143

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Today is March 26th, and this is the hearing of the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee.
• If you've got testimony, you know the card system: there's red, green, and white.
• You go to our other schools where that is the industry that you need.
• But let me read the rest of the green cards here.
• And I have to mention, great job, all green cards, Chairman Cruz.

Summary: The Labor and Industrial Relations Committee first took up House Bill 680 by Rep. Weibel, which proposes a major overhaul of Louisiana’s workforce development system. The bill and a large amendment package were described as modernizing workforce planning, consolidating some state-level strategy and administration, and strengthening coordination with local workforce partners, employers, and regional stakeholders. A transition advisory team with an 18-month sunset was added to help implement the changes, and members repeatedly raised concerns about preserving local input for different regions, parishes, and cities. Rep. Weibel, the secretary of Louisiana Works, parish officials, and other supporters said the goal is to shift more resources from overhead to training and direct services while keeping local boards and parish involvement in place. Testimony from a Utah official and from local government and business representatives emphasized that similar consolidations can create efficiencies without eliminating local responsiveness. The committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 680 with amendments. The committee then heard House Bill 780 by Rep. Furman on workers’ compensation. The bill seeks to streamline disputes over compensation and medical benefits, reduce litigation, and lower costs by restoring an expedited preliminary determination process and changing the standard for penalties and attorney fees to an arbitrary-and-capricious standard. Supporters, including lobbyists and defense attorneys, argued that the current process is outdated, overly technical, and too litigious, especially because adjusters now often work remotely and the statute still relies on fax and certified-mail procedures. They said the bill would speed up decisions, reduce unnecessary attorney-fee claims, and help employers and injured workers alike. Opponents, including attorneys for injured workers, argued the bill would make it harder for workers to recover penalties when benefits are delayed, shift the burden in favor of insurers, and fail to address understaffing and defense costs. Members debated whether the bill’s new standard should replace the current “reasonably controverted” language; an amendment to restore that language was offered but opposed by the author and other members and was not adopted. The committee adopted technical amendments and other committee amendments, heard additional testimony, and continued debating the bill’s substantive changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• you will step forward and be prepared to present whenever you get seated, um, the microphones have a green
• light, so if you want to speak in the microphone, you'll have to press that button until you see the green
• Make sure that green light is on and pull those a little closer, if you don't mind.
• that profits from addiction industry that profits from addiction every<00:03:17.560><c> year</c><00:
• </c><00:09:24.800><c> button</c> you got to hit the little green button you got to hit the little green

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with a quorum and heard first from the Washway Nicotine Youth Advocacy Group, which urged stronger enforcement of Kentucky’s Tobacco 21 law. Youth advocates described the harms of flavored vaping products, argued that nicotine use is targeting children, and called for retailer licensing, annual compliance checks, harsher penalties for illegal sales, and more funding for enforcement. Committee members praised the presentation, and one senator said he had heard a bill on licensed retailers may be coming soon. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Cloverport Independent School District and the Kentucky Virtual Academy about the state’s virtual school model. Superintendent Keith Haynes and principals Brandy Fagan and Sally Johnson said KYVA serves about 2,800 students, many of whom are at-risk or have health, safety, behavioral, or family reasons for choosing virtual education. They emphasized that the program uses live synchronous instruction, provides devices and materials, and offers special education and related services. They also said the school had a large wait list and that virtual programs need more flexibility in staffing ratios, scheduling, and testing windows. School leaders acknowledged criticism of KYVA’s proficiency scores and said many students entered far below grade level, with 59% not proficient in English language arts and 79% not proficient in math on recent state testing. They argued the program is too new to judge solely on one year of data and pointed to growth in MAP scores, as well as middle and high school rankings in the top half of Kentucky schools. Fagan and Johnson outlined improvement efforts, including daily interventions, small-group instruction, literacy programs, staff training, and expanded clubs and student activities. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was built as a resource and rail community, anchored in coal mining, sandstone, and timber industries
• The coal mine here fueled railroads and industry.
• My grandfather was the last coal miner to work in Wilkeson, marking the end of an industry that built
• It supported industry and recreation, and it supported public access to Mount Rainier.
• There were two to the west shown in purple and green, and the one to the east is essentially along the

Bills: SB5987 , SB6170

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: SB 5987, SB5987, Fairfax Bridge, State Route 165, SR 165, Carbon River, WSDOT, Washington State Department of Transportation, emergency bridge replacement, infrastructure failure, transportation emergency, climate commitment account, climate investment account, clean energy, climate funding, greenhouse gas reduction, environmental justice, renewable energy, building electrification, industrial decarbonization

Transcript Highlights:

• It was built as a resource and rail community, anchored in coal mining, sandstone, and timber industries
• The coal mine here fueled railroads and industry.
• My grandfather was the last coal miner to work in Wilkeson, marking the end of an industry that built
• It supported industry and recreation, and it supported public access to Mount Rainier.
• There were two to the west, shown in purple and green, and the one to the east is essentially along the

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee began with a work session on the Fairfax Carbon River SR-165 Bridge closure and replacement. Wilkeson Mayor Jamie Pololi described the bridge as a long-neglected state asset whose closure cut off a gateway community from Mount Rainier access, hurt local businesses and municipal revenue, complicated emergency response, and severed access to public lands. Pierce County’s Melissa Littleton emphasized that the Fairfax closure, along with recent bridge closures from other causes, shows the need for stronger preservation and modernization funding. WSDOT’s Steve Rourke explained that the 105-year-old bridge was permanently closed after structural failure, that a detour route on private property is now the only access for some residents, and that the agency’s planning study considered seven alternatives; the current recommendation is to continue geotechnical work and NEPA review, with construction likely taking 24 months or more once a design is finalized. Committee members asked about detour distance, speeding up the project, emergency authority, historic-preservation issues, community mitigation, and funding needs; WSDOT said about $7 million in existing preservation funds has already been used and more will be needed. The committee then heard public testimony on proposed substitute Senate Bill 5987, which would declare the Fairfax Bridge closure an emergency, direct WSDOT to restore SR-165 access as soon as possible, and give the transportation secretary some emergency authorities. Supporters, including the mayor, residents, recreation advocates, and trail groups, said the bill is needed because the closure was foreseeable, has harmed local economies and recreation access, and lacks a current emergency response pathway. WSDOT testified in opposition, warning that the bill could create false expectations because most of the timeline is driven by federal environmental review and historic-preservation requirements that the secretary cannot waive. The bill drew strong support in testimony, with 606 pro, 1 con, and 2 other recorded on the sign-in tally. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6170, which would raise dollar thresholds for state highway work performed by state forces and for certain contracting rules that help small and disadvantaged businesses compete. Staff said the limits have not been updated since 2005 and the bill would increase the normal state-force threshold from $60,000 to $100,000 and the emergency threshold from $100,000 to $160,000. Senator King, the prime sponsor, said the change would better match inflation and help keep maintenance work in-house when appropriate. Washington Federation of State Employees and WSDOT supported the bill, saying it would help maintenance workers do more timely work without harming existing equity and small-business contracting programs; the committee noted 55 pro and no con on the sign-in tally. The chair then reminded members that amendment requests for the upcoming executive session were due the next day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That process is now underway with significant stakeholder participation from builders, industry experts
• Housing First also operates the state's largest green energy home building program, Minnesota's Green
• </c><00:14:52.320><c> energy</c><00:14:52.800><c> home</c> the state's largest green energy home the
• state's largest green energy home building<00:14:53.360><c> program,</c><00:14:53.760><c> Minnesota's
• </c><00:14:54.240><c> Green</c> building program, Minnesota's Green building program, Minnesota's Green

Transcript Highlights:

• So are these the red stars on the map, or those the green stars?
• Yeah, the green stars.
• </c><01:22:11.000><c> including</c> dozen of us from all industry including dozen of us from all industry
• that's going to get composted the green that's going to get composted with<01:24:22.320><c> green</c
• </c> metal every year 880,000 tons of green metal every year 880,000 tons of green waste<01:31:50.600

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Department of Environmental Services officials outlined the solid waste system, including curbside collection, convenience centers, transfer stations, H-POWER, and the existing landfill, and explained that H-POWER reduces the volume of waste going to the landfill by about 90%. They reviewed the siting history, including the 2019 Land Use Commission deadline, the 2020 enactment of Act 73 with landfill setback and conservation-district restrictions, and the 2021-2022 landfill advisory committee that evaluated six sites but recommended none because they were within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. The city said it ultimately selected a site in central Oahu, on agricultural land near Wahiawa and the Dole Plantation, as the best legally permissible option and described it as requiring about 150 acres, with 90 acres for the landfill itself. City officials also described the proposed landfill design and safeguards, emphasizing a modern sanitary landfill with double liners, leachate collection, groundwater monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring. They said the ash from H-POWER is dry and that leachate would be pumped to a wastewater treatment plant. They stated the site is away from residences and groundwater wells, accessible by highway, and can be permitted under state and federal rules, though they acknowledged that a full environmental review, public hearings, and multiple permits would still be required. When asked whether the new landfill could be operating before the 2028 closure date, the city said it did not yet know and that an extension of Waimanalo Gulch might be needed if the new site is not ready in time. The Board of Water Supply strongly opposed the city’s decision to site a landfill above Oahu’s freshwater resources. Its representative said the agency’s mission is to protect safe, dependable water for the future and that it had disapproved all six previously proposed sites because they were located over freshwater aquifers. In response to questions from legislators, the Board said it could not guarantee the liner system would remain impermeable forever and warned that leachate can contain hazardous chemicals, including so-called forever chemicals. The Board characterized the proposal as a long-term risk to the island’s drinking water supply and compared the decision to past infrastructure choices that later proved problematic. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vote green.
• Thank you. vote green. Um, I'm not going to repeat vote green.
• Vote green for it. Thank you.
• </c> green for it. Thank you. green for it. Thank you.
• </c><01:26:00.320><c> Thanks,</c> green vote. Thanks, green vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Being chaired by Representative Osborne and Senator Grant Green.
• Please, Gossett, Senator Green, Senator Hasteen Hicks.
• You please call the roll for Sarah Dossett, Sarah Green, Sara.
• Sammons, please call the overarrah Dawsett Enator Green to haste.
• Sammons, Senator Dossett, Senator Green, and haste, Sir Hicks.

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Our top three industries are in education and health services, retail trade, and manufacturing, which
• is important to note, are not usually industries where you can work remotely.
• As one of the largest centers of Blue Collar Industrial Jersey. Thanks, Marilyn.
• As one of the largest centers of Blue Collar Industrial Jersey.
• As one of the largest centers of blue-collar industrial jobs in the Boston area, we take pride in our

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of transportation bills focused on rural microtransit, commuter rail fares and service, rail electrification, climate alignment, and safety. Several speakers supported H. 4054 and related microtransit proposals, arguing that rural communities need stable, permanent funding for services like the Tri-Town Connector and Quaboag Connector, which have strong ridership, high satisfaction, and measurable economic and health benefits. Testimony also supported a commission bill to study microtransit funding and definitions, with witnesses emphasizing that current grant programs are helpful but short-term and insufficient for long-term service planning. A major theme was commuter rail equity and expansion. Boston-area officials and advocates backed bills to make all Boston commuter rail stations Zone 1A, citing large fare disparities between nearby stations in Hyde Park, Roslindale, and Readville. Related testimony supported studying an Orange Line extension from Forest Hills to Roslindale Square and expanding The Ride to Foxborough, as well as restoring commuter rail service to Cape Cod via Middleborough to Buzzards Bay and beyond. Speakers said these projects would improve access, reduce car dependence, and better serve neighborhoods and regions that currently face limited rapid transit options. Multiple panels urged action on electrification and climate-focused transportation planning, including H. 3726, the Freedom to Move Act, and bills to electrify commuter rail, buses, school buses, and public fleets. Advocates from environmental, transit, and public health groups said transportation is the state’s largest emissions source and argued that statutory goals, coordinated planning, and streamlined permitting are needed to speed decarbonization while improving safety, affordability, and reliability. The committee also heard support for a bill to streamline rail electrification permitting, a bill to exempt certain transit projects from MEPA review, and a bill to improve commuter rail pedestrian safety with gates, fencing, and warning devices at at-grade crossings. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• A green card back, never.
• We have green cards in support. Liz Mangum, Women's Hospital, not wishing to speak, in support.
• Chair Villio, I know you've been waiting, Representative Green, but we've got... What's it?
• Representative Green. All right, good afternoon. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members.
• And I've had a chance to talk to Representative Green about the issues with this bill.

Committee: Senate Judiciary A

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Green.
• Senator Green. Uh Mr. Chair, I guess I Senator Green. Uh Mr.
• Senator Green.
• It's not proposal is industrial.
• Sarah<01:53:55.440><c> Green.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Duckworth, Farnsworth, Farnsworth, Farnsworth, Fateh,<00:04:23.720><c> French,</c><00:04:24.480><c> Green
• ,</c><00:04:25.120><c> Gruenhagen,</c> Fateh, French, Green, Gruenhagen, Fateh, French, Green, Gruenhagen
• And there are representatives from the industry to showcase the equipment and answer questions and talk
• And there are representatives from the industry to showcase the equipment and answer questions and talk
• </c><00:24:43.880><c> to</c> are representatives from the industry to are representatives from the industry

Transcript Highlights:

• As it is Florida's tourist industry.
• We should encourage industries, Mr.
• </c> industry, it's good for our environment. industry, it's good for our environment.
• </c> classifying certain industrial classifying certain industrial facilities<02:31:47.359><c> as</c>
• </c> lines of these 1,800 industrialized lines of these 1,800 industrialized facilities<02:36:25.040>