Transcript Highlights:

• So, assuming that those would be the allowable bypass routes... ...base, and so, assuming that those
• would be the allowable bypass routes.
• want to point out that the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Children's Action Alliance
• 20, Article 1 of the Arizona Revised Statutes by section 28-1612, relating to state highways and routes
• House Bill 2601, an act relating to state highways and routes.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we chose to go that route to stay standardized with the rest of the country in this movement.
• I'm an advocate for the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and a health care administrator running a private
• bit, we had a lot—probably tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of bills—come in and get routed
• So we took the route, and the good chairman and I had this discussion as well, where we would do what
• the department already has the capacity to do and is already implementing in a way. ...we took the route

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• vests the North Dakota PSC with exclusive authority to issue certificates of site compatibility and route
• vets the North Dakota PSC with exclusive authority to issue certificates of site compatibility and route
• permits before any covered energy facility can be built. and route permits before any covered energy
• due to local emergency response needs and capabilities, population, land characteristics, access routes
• So if we choose not to do it that way, we can get prime sponsors and co-sponsors and go that route as

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on behalf of several co-sponsors who could not be here today: the Trevor Project, Lambda Legal, Alliance
• Ariane Gerringer from LGBT, that is, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Alliance USA, opposed to this bill.
• Jason Acker, on behalf of the California Mobile Home Park Owners Alliance, I'm going to do my best not
• Chair, I took the long route. Thank you. SB 1166. There we go. Sorry, Mr.
• Chair, I took the long route. Hunter Stern, IBEW Local 1245.

Summary: The committee first took up SB 934 by Senator Wiener, which would extend the time for survivors of conversion therapy to bring malpractice claims and clarify how expert testimony and scientific evidence may be used in those cases. Senator Wiener and supporters, including a survivor and a licensed therapist, described conversion therapy as harmful and argued that survivors often cannot come forward within current limitation periods. Opponents, including attorneys and advocacy groups, argued the bill was an unconstitutional workaround to California’s existing ban and could chill legitimate therapy or expand liability. Committee members pressed both sides on the bill’s scope, with the author emphasizing it does not bar exploratory therapy or medical treatment, only attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill was moved on a 7-2-1 vote to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with the item placed on call; the consent calendar was also adopted 6-0 and placed on call. The committee then heard SB 1092 by Senator Allen, as amended, concerning manufactured home parks. The bill would require park owners who intend to sell to give residents or their designated representatives notice and an opportunity to submit a competitive bid, with timelines intended to allow residents to organize financing and complete due diligence. Supporters said the measure would help preserve naturally occurring affordable housing and give residents a fair chance to buy the land under their homes, especially after fire-related losses and increasing investor ownership of parks. Opponents from park-owner and realtor groups argued the bill would burden private property rights, devalue parks, and create an unconstitutional taking by imposing long timelines and restrictions that could deter buyers. Several senators questioned the 240-day process and whether the bill should include clearer good-faith or reciprocity provisions; the author said he was open to further adjustments. The transcript ends during committee discussion of SB 1092, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• on behalf of several co-sponsors who could not be here today: the Trevor Project, Lambda Legal, Alliance
• Ariane Gerringer from LGBT, that is, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual, Alliance USA, opposed to this bill.
• Jason Acker, on behalf of the California Mobile Home Park Owners Alliance.
• Chair, I took the long route. Thank you. SB 1166. There we go. Sorry, Mr.
• Chair, I took the long route. Hunter Stern, IBEW Local 1245.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We promote the Common Ground Alliances, or CGA's best practices.
• This approach aligns with common ground alliance, best practices which define large complex projects,
• clock is extremely inefficient, compliance requirement that requires... requires our locators being route-based
• on the clock of when a locate was required. to utilizing logistical technology to optimally route technicians
• I'm also the President and CEO of the Common Ground Alliance, which is... arm of the damage prevention

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tom Helm, on behalf of California Environmental Justice Coalition and their members: West Berkeley Alliance
• for Incinerator Alternatives, Richmond Shoreline Alliance, Central California Environmental Justice
• Network, Sunflower Alliance, Access to Thrive, the Sacramento Environmental Justice Coalition, and West
• Tom Helm, on behalf of California Environmental Justice Coalition and their members: West Berkeley Alliance
• for Incinerator Alternatives, Richmond Shoreline Alliance, Central California Environmental Justice

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Alliance for Human Rights.
• Jordan Grimes, on behalf of Greenbelt Alliance, in support.
• Jordan Grimes on behalf of Greenbelt Alliance, in support.
• Jordan Grimes, on behalf of Greenbelt Alliance, in support.
• Jordan Grimes on behalf of Greenbelt Alliance in support.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of local government and housing-related bills, with testimony often centered on regional coordination, permitting reform, and local control. SB 802 by Senator Ashby would require Sacramento-area jurisdictions to form a joint powers authority to coordinate homelessness and housing response; supporters argued the region has long lacked accountability and coordination, while Sacramento County, Folsom, and others opposed the mandate as an unprecedented state-imposed JPA. The bill drew extensive support from local officials, business groups, service providers, and advocates, and opposition from county, city, and nonprofit representatives who said a local process was already underway. Committee members expressed support for the concept, but the bill was held pending a quorum and later discussed again with strong encouragement for regional collaboration. The committee also heard SB 222, SB 677, SB 908, SB 226, SB 828, and SB 1193. SB 222 would streamline permitting for residential heat pump and water heater installations; supporters said it would lower costs and speed clean-energy adoption, while local government groups argued the main barrier is upfront cost, not permits. SB 677 would curb what the author described as abusive appeals and delays in affordable housing approvals, with developers testifying about frivolous subdivision map appeals and TEFRA hearing delays; the California Native Plant Society sought an amendment to preserve appeals on habitat lands. SB 908 would simplify permits for energy-code-compliant window replacements, and SB 226 would clarify financing authority for a West Sacramento baseball stadium proposal; both passed unanimously. SB 828, prompted by the Esparto fireworks warehouse explosion, would tighten fireworks storage and licensing rules, expand inspection and seizure authority, and increase fines; it also passed unanimously after testimony from fire officials and a pyrotechnic operator who opposed it unless amended. SB 1193, a county-specific Alameda County transparency bill, generated the sharpest debate. The author argued it would prevent waste, favoritism, and conflicts of interest in discretionary spending by requiring board approval, a public spending log, and clearer whistleblower procedures. Alameda County and county associations opposed it as overly broad and burdensome, saying existing processes already provide transparency and that the bill would reduce flexibility during fiscal stress. After committee questions about the bill’s purpose and the county’s current practices, the measure passed 7-0, with the author indicating willingness to accept an amendment restoring a four-fifths vote threshold. The committee then moved out of order to SB 1090, which would impose a temporary moratorium on state housing density laws in Altadena through 2030 in response to post-fire displacement concerns. The author said the bill is intended to protect long-term residents from investor-driven redevelopment after the Eaton Fire, while acknowledging amendments to align the moratorium with affordable housing development timelines. The transcript cuts off during the presentation of this bill, so no final action is shown for SB 1090 in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• It deposits fines collected from street parking restrictions into the Safe Routes to School Program special
• as a means of providing safe roadway designs, and also we do support the funds going to this Safe Routes
• </c><00:04:15.879><c> to</c><00:04:16.079><c> school</c><00:04:16.479><c> program</c> the safe routes
• to school program the safe routes to school program special<00:04:17.320><c> fund</c><00:04:18.320><
• </c><00:08:00.520><c> to</c><00:08:00.720><c> school</c> projects for safe routes to school projects

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard several transportation and public safety measures on March 28, 2025. SB 1195 would prohibit parking within certain distances of crosswalks and intersections, direct parking fine revenue to the Safe Routes to School special fund, and remove the need for signs or curb markings in some cases. The Department of Transportation, Department of Health, and Ulupono Initiative supported the bill, emphasizing improved visibility, pedestrian safety, and funding for school-route improvements; written testimony included both support and one opposition. No vote was taken during the hearing segment provided. The committee also heard SB 1102 on the aircraft rescue firefighting unit chief, which would set term-based appointment provisions for the airport division’s fire chief. DOT supported the measure, saying it would give the director flexibility to select leadership and adapt to changing needs, while a member asked about current removal procedures for underperforming employees. The bill was presented as a management and leadership measure, with no action taken in the excerpt. SB 1216, addressing noisy mufflers and safety inspection requirements, drew DOT support in principle but concern that existing rules already cover inspection standards and that enforcement after inspection remains difficult; DOT also described a planned noise-detection camera pilot on Oʻahu. Testimony included support from neighborhood and advocacy groups and opposition from three individuals. For SB 30, which would require helmets for moped riders under 21, DOT and HPD supported the bill, citing crash data and injury prevention; testimony was evenly split overall, with six in support and six in opposition. SB 344 would require helmets for skateboard users under 18; DOT supported it, and a DOT witness explained current helmet rules for other devices such as e-bikes, scooters, and motorcycles. SB 1095, increasing decal size limits for special number plates, drew DOT concerns that larger decals could interfere with plate readability and automated enforcement. SB 1522 would make proof of filing required vehicle-transfer notice forms a complete defense to actions arising from the vehicle’s later use or abandonment; the Judiciary said it had no position on the bill’s merits but objected to language requiring new court forms and raised access and legal-advice concerns, while Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services supported the measure. The committee then heard SB 597, extending the deadline for the Administrative Driver’s License Revocation Office to issue written review decisions. The Attorney General and DOT supported the extension, citing limited toxicology capacity and shipping delays for testing, and several law enforcement and public health entities also supported it. In contrast, the ADLRO hearing officer testified with serious concerns about due process, warning that eliminating or delaying the review process could create constitutional problems, disproportionately burden people without attorneys, and jeopardize thousands of cases. Finally, SB 1285 proposed a tiered revocation system for DUI arrests; ADLRO strongly opposed it on due process grounds, while DOT supported it as a safety measure and the Hawaii Public Health Institute commented that evidence is lacking for standalone mandatory revocation and suggested stronger impaired-driving standards instead. The committee had not yet taken final action in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• If we're not going to go the mandatory route, what are the other reasons that are preventing them from
• So the fee now that we're charging, the $66 per student, that just goes in for support now.
• So it was reduced down to $66 per student semester for funding.
• So what that $66 that we get back now at CTS is to help pay for staffing and some of the third-party
• And I'll point out too, just as you called it out, is we've never increased the $66.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The Information Technology Committee approved the March 26 minutes and received a series of reports from NDIT on major IT projects, the annual report, mainframe modernization, and cybersecurity services. The project portfolio was reported at 116 major projects with a baseline cost of $546 million, overall under budget but modestly behind schedule. Several projects that had been in variance status last quarter were said to have closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning. New startup reports were mostly HHS efforts tied to refugee data management, technical debt cleanup, and legacy application decommissioning, while closeouts included HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT projects with mixed budget and schedule results. In the annual report discussion, NDIT described its service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management reporting, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how revenues and grants flow through the service fund, how NDIT charges agencies for services, and whether customer satisfaction or CSAT scores are tracked and could be reported more regularly. NDIT said it does track service-team CSAT and survey data, and committee members encouraged more regular reporting of those metrics. The committee also discussed application portfolio management, statewide IT planning, and whether agencies should slow new system replacements while the state pursues an ERP system. The mainframe update focused on the state’s ongoing effort to retire legacy systems by about 2030. NDIT and HHS said the work is being managed as a tech-debt program, but progress is slowed by data cleanup, integration complexity, staff retirements, vendor capacity, and federal requirements. Members asked whether there is a coordinated commitment and whether additional vendor support or consultants are needed; NDIT said it is working jointly with HHS and is seeking an RFP to help accelerate modernization. The cybersecurity presentation then shifted to statewide maturity assessments and services. NDIT said it provides endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that assessments are based on CIS controls. Members raised concerns about low participation in the self-assessment process, the lack of mandatory reporting or audit authority, and whether insurance incentives through Enderf or possible State Auditor involvement could improve compliance. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• You also heard from the Energy Communities Alliance and one of my member companies that's interested
• Alliance and one of my member companies that's interested in recycling used fuel.
• But I was in a meeting in Chicago of the Energy Communities Alliance.
• They were all, as well as other states, in Chicago last week at an Energy Communities Alliance meeting
• And so if those were removed, we never would have gone down this route.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am here on behalf of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
• So to get respiratory depression in laboratory animals, you have to give it by an inappropriate route
• We are an alliance of experts, consumers, and industry that advocate for natural kratom leaf.
• We are an alliance of experts, consumers, and industry that advocate for natural kratom leaf.
• And I represent the Seven Hope Alliance. We're a research 501(c)(3).

Committee: House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and adopted House Committee Substitutes, then passed several bills by roll call vote. HCS for House Bills 1746 and 1769 was adopted and then voted do pass by 10-0. HCS for House Bill 3005 was adopted and passed 10-0 after the sponsor explained it removed a sentence requiring specific local review boards in library appeals processes. HCS for House Bills 1717 and 1643, dealing with alternative therapies, passed 7-2 with two present. HCS for House Bills 2817 and 2961 passed 8-1 with two present. HCS for House Bills 2035 and 2350 passed 10-0 with one present after a brief question about statutory citations. HCS for House Bills 1887, 2361, 1913, 2862, and 2321, a combined bill package, also passed 10-0 after members discussed digital depiction language and written victim request provisions. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 1914, which would change Missouri’s franchise law on warranty and recall reimbursement for auto dealers. Rep. David Castile presented the bill as a fairness measure, arguing manufacturers should pay dealers market-rate labor and parts reimbursement and that current warranty work often loses money for dealers and hurts service access. Supporters, including several dealers and technicians, said manufacturer time guides underpay warranty work, that the bill would help retain technicians, and that current appeal processes are cumbersome and time-consuming. They described large gaps between warranty and customer-pay labor times and said technicians often invest heavily in tools and training. Opponents, including the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Toyota, General Motors, Ford, and business groups, argued the bill would raise costs for consumers, amount to a large increase in dealer compensation, and interfere with existing contracts. They said manufacturers already provide a process for requesting additional time, that most requests are approved, and that warranty work remains a profitable captive source of business for dealers. Several witnesses also argued the bill would not directly raise technician wages because technicians are employed by dealers, not manufacturers, and suggested broader competition or allowing independent repair shops instead. The hearing featured extensive questioning about recall versus warranty work, labor time guides, documentation requirements, and whether the legislature should be involved in these franchise disputes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Minnesota Mycological Society and Minnesota Foraging Alliance, and all their partners, support this
• </c> the DNR and Minnesota forging Alliance the DNR and Minnesota forging Alliance and<01:26:18.520><
• to go down especially dangerous route to go down especially with<01:47:57.840><c> the</c><01:47:57.960
• That's why we went this route first, because we can't finish our estate plan until we knew that the DNR
• That's why we went this route first, because we can't finish our estate plan until we knew that the DNR

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Trevor Nelson, with the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, in support.
• Madam Chair and Senator Adam Kegwin, on behalf of California LULAC and Alliance College Ready Public
• My name is David Bolog with the S of V Alliance.
• Trevor Nelson with the California Alliance of Child and Family Services in support.
• Michael Henning, on behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, in support.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A message from the Senate: the President of the Senate has signed SCRs 2, 6, 11, 18, 19, 20, 35, 66,
• that funds the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, Independence Bowl, and regional air service alliance
• funds the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, the Independence Bowl, and regional air service alliance

Bills: HR286 , HR287 , HR288 , HR289 , HR290 , HR291 , HR292 , HR293 , HR294 , HCR114 , HR275 , HR276 , HR277 , HR278 , HR279 , HR280 , HR282 , HR283 , HR284 , HR285 , HCR112 , HCR113 , SCR62 , SCR64 , SB132 , SB135 , SB405 , HR179 , HR216 , HR223 , HR225 , HR274 , HCR89 , SB39 , SB99 , SB111 , SB112 , SB124 , SB134 , SB174 , SB189 , SB190 , SB201 , SB233 , SB236 , SB258 , SB270 , SB273 , SB288 , SB307 , SB313 , SB320 , SB321 , SB325 , SB326 , SB331 , SB339 , SB341 , SB345 , SB346 , SB347 , SB353 , SB357 , SB359 , SB387 , SB393 , SB401 , SB415 , SB419 , SB422 , SB426 , SB435 , SB437 , SB440 , SB451 , SB464 , SB470 , SB487 , SB488 , SB495 , SB504 , SB505 , SB518 , SB523 , SB228 , SB408 , HR168 , HR174 , HR194 , HCR54 , HCR74 , HCR79 , HCR87 , HCR94 , HCR95 , HCR97 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , SCR23 , SCR38 , HCR26 , HB250 , HB265 , HB339 , HB427 , HB445 , HB463 , HB468 , HB606 , HB639 , HB649 , HB665 , HB746 , HB781 , HB853 , HB861 , HB872 , HB886 , HB916 , HB937 , HB1054 , HB1068 , HB1117 , HB1237 , HB75 , HB705 , SB34 , SB164 , SB172 , SB198 , SB208 , SB232 , SB281 , SB286 , SB317 , SB322 , SB334 , SB380 , SB385 , SB409 , SB417 , SB421 , SB430 , SB439 , SB447 , SB458 , SB510 , SB54 , SB56 , SB72 , SB79 , SB97 , SB105 , SB123 , SB125 , SB129 , SB163 , SB171 , SB252 , SB287 , SB375 , SB386 , SB461 , SB466 , HR84 , SCR3 , HB582 , HB625 , HB646 , HB998 , HB1191 , HB1255 , SB81 , SB100 , SB109 , SB197 , SB374 , SB479 , SB78 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HB284 , HB302 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1240 , SB82 , SB89 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB782 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441

Keywords: HR286, House Resolution 286, LED, Louisiana Economic Development, rural development, energy efficiency, renewable energy, public-private partnership, tax credits, economic development, workforce training, school energy costs, community colleges, technical colleges, local government, building modernization, on-site energy generation, public facilities, rural parishes, distressed communities

Summary: The House met with a quorum, received a guest minister for prayer, approved the journal, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including NEC Awareness Day, a European Union delegation visit, and the Glenmore Wildcats baseball team’s state championship. Members also received Senate messages, including concurrence on some House measures, the filing of Senate bills, and several Senate resolutions and bills laid over for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long series of resolutions and bills. Among the resolutions adopted were measures on a Louisiana-United Kingdom Trade Commission, support for migratory waterfowl studies, hunting education in schools, SNAP delivery-fee studies, fraud prevention for seniors, subsurface data preservation, boating safety reporting, and visual acuity screening data. Some items were temporarily returned to the calendar, including a sales-tax uniform-base rule resolution and several Senate measures. The House also adopted a resolution creating an agricultural national security task force and another supporting a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On legislation, the House passed bills on missing-person alerts for people with disabilities (“Brian’s Call”), first responder status for public works employees, planning commission procedures, historic preservation district rules, judges’ supplemental compensation, the Baker Economic Development District, New Orleans downtown development district tax authority, a local crime prevention district, clerks of court records, hotel occupancy taxes in Shreveport-Bossier, firefighter cancer screenings, Shreveport police civil service rules, local ethics entity funding, hemp/alcohol age restrictions, OMV digital signatures, LED recreation, TOPS Tech eligibility for veterans, anatomical gift recordkeeping, crypto kiosk fraud protections, firefighting foam definitions, and consumer data privacy. Several bills failed, including HB 705 on legislative contempt penalties and HB 75 on gaming promotional play. One bill on vehicle insurance reinstatement fees was amended and passed, and a bill on judicial compensation fund adjustments was amended and passed after questions about CPI indexing.

Transcript Highlights:

• where we believe collectively our work aligns, and our effort is to continue to strengthen those alliances
• where we believe collectively our work aligns, and our effort is to continue to strengthen those alliances
• Almost 50% more likely, voters 66 and older are more likely to cure their ballot than voters under 25

Summary: The committee held a work session on voting rights in the United States and Washington, beginning with testimony from Marissa Wright of Campaign Legal Center and David Montes of the ACLU of Washington. They described the federal Voting Rights Act’s main protections—preclearance, vote suppression, and vote dilution—and argued that Supreme Court decisions such as Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich have weakened those tools. They said Washington should consider stronger state-level protections, including a preclearance program and broader safeguards against discriminatory voting practices. Members asked about Washington’s history of discrimination, voter roll purges, noncitizen registration, and remedies under the Washington Voting Rights Act, including ranked-choice voting and district-based systems. The committee then heard from the Office of Equity and several commissions, which described their roles in advising state government and working with communities. They focused on the immigration sub-cabinet created under Executive Order 2509, saying it is intended to improve coordination across agencies, the legislature, the courts, and community organizations on issues such as data privacy, language access, health care, education, and accountability under the Keep Washington Working Act. Members asked about the use of NGOs, accountability for KWW violations, and the sub-cabinet’s goals, and the panel said the effort is meant to help government respond more quickly and collaboratively while centering immigrant, disability, LGBTQ, and other communities. The final panel was from the University of Washington Elections Database Project, which presented data on vote-by-mail ballot challenges, cures, and rejections from 2020 to 2024. They reported that about 1.5% of ballots are signature-challenged in most elections, roughly 60% of challenged ballots are cured, and overall rejection rates are about 1% in general elections and 1.5% in primaries. The researchers said voters of color, younger voters, and some tribal-area voters experience higher rejection rates, and that differences appear tied to signature mismatch, language access, ballot timing, and familiarity with the system. In the last panel, Maria Fernandez and Vicki Frausto of EIA described voter education and civic engagement work in Yakima County and Sunnyside, including concerns about intimidation, language barriers, signature mismatch, and at-large election systems; they said stronger Washington Voting Rights Act protections would help communities elect candidates of choice. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> next we have on Zoom midwives Alliance next we have on Zoom midwives Alliance of<00:18:23.679><c
• Midwife Alliance of Hawaiʻi started a long time ago in 1981.
• Midwife Alliance of Hawaiʻi started a long time ago in 1981.
• Midwife Alliance of Hawaiʻi started a long time ago in 1981.
• And we will not take the last suggested amendment from The Midwives Alliance.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House Committee on Health and Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce heard two midwifery bills, with testimony focused primarily on HB 1194. Committee chairs opened the hearing with rules for Zoom testimony and noted the bills relate to midwives. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said it supported the intent of HB 1194 and offered comments. Supporters of the bill, including the Midwives Alliance of Hawaii, argued that midwifery should remain subject to mandatory licensure to protect consumer safety, citing the state’s regulatory licensing standards and a 2025 state auditor sunset analysis. They said the bill would strengthen educational standards and public protection, and some offered clarifying amendments. Opponents argued HB 1194 would restrict access to care and fail to protect traditional, cultural, and community-based birth practices. Testifiers from the Hawaii Home Birth Task Force, the Hawaii Home Birth Collective, the Libertarian Party of Hawaii, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Pacific Birth Collective, and Papa Ola Lōkahi said the bill would limit licensure pathways, reduce access in rural and underserved areas, and burden Native Hawaiian and traditional practitioners. Several speakers said the measure could worsen Hawaii’s maternal health shortages, especially on Maui, and urged lawmakers to defer HB 1194 or instead advance HB 1328, which they said better protects practitioner access and cultural practices. The Hawaii affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives said it opposed HB 1194 because it did not align with national or state standards for certified midwives and could create conflicts with Medicaid reimbursement and prescriptive authority. The ACLU also opposed the measure, emphasizing reproductive rights, privacy, and the need to preserve apprenticeship pathways to licensure. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• concern was they were trying to decide whether or not there was a fiscal, so it went through the A&B route
• Members, House Bill 3465 is a request from the Oklahoma Petroleum Alliance that extends a sunset for

Summary: The House convened, completed the roll call, prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and recognitions, including guests from a South African refugee program, Weatherford Middle School students, international students, and the 2025 Aviation State Teacher of the Year, Sam Madewell. Representative Ranson also presented remarks for International Student Recognition Day, highlighting the economic and cultural contributions of international students in Oklahoma. The chamber then took up House Bill 4329 on dental insurance claims, with Pro Tem Moore arguing it would restore fairness by preventing insurers from controlling prices for services they do not cover; the bill drew questions about free-market effects, rural dentistry, and premiums, but Moore said it should not raise costs and noted similar laws in other states. HB 4329 passed 91-5. The House also passed House Bill 2730, which ties the interest rate on taxpayer underpayments to market rates rather than a fixed statutory rate, after brief questions about how the rate would fluctuate; it passed 87-11. House Bill 3465, extending the sunset on the emission tax credit program from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2029, passed 82-16. House Bill 4426, extending the sunset on the strategic industrial development enhancement sales tax credit from December 31, 2027 to December 31, 2032, passed 76-20. During announcements, members noted upcoming committee meetings, a rural caucus with OSU President Hess, a devotional, and a lunch event tied to International Student Recognition Day. The House then recessed until the next day, Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriates various one-time appropriation increases to continue prior-year items funded one time, including $66
• Graduation Alliance and the 10 community colleges that I'm talking about that I represent.
• The Grad Alliance, I believe, got $2 million, and Goodwill got $1 million.
• know that it's been tied to, like, where they've tracked individual to individual... graduation alliance
• million dollars we educated 11,000 students or we will educate 11,000 students this year the grad alliance

Bills: HB4154 , HB4155 , HB4156 , HB4157 , HB4158 , HB4159 , HB4160 , HB4161 , HB4162 , HB4163 , HB4164 , HB4165 , HB4166 , HB4167 , HB4168 , HB4169 , SB1847 , SB1848 , SB1849 , SB1850 , SB1851 , SB1852 , SB1853 , SB1854 , SB1855 , SB1856 , SB1857 , SB1858 , SB1859 , SB1860 , SB1861 , SB1862

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: general appropriations act, budget, biennial budget, state spending, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, fiscal year 2027, state treasury, agency funding, operating budget, capital budget, public finance, state agencies, legislative budget, house appropriations, rules committee, HB4155, amusements, amusement industry, entertainment

Transcript Highlights:

• The House has finally concurred in the following Senate concurrent resolutions: SCR 66 without amendment
• that even East Baton Rouge Parish, if this bill passes, would not have to do the inspection sticker route
• Baton Rouge Parish, if this bill passes, would not have to do the inspection sticker route.

Bills: SR116 , SR117 , SR118 , SR119 , SCR68 , SCR69 , SCR12 , HB682 , HB766 , HB769 , HB775 , HB783 , HB824 , HB926 , HB1186 , HB1201 , HB1223 , HB1245 , HB1247 , HB1253 , HB1258 , HB221 , HCR53 , HCR62 , HCR72 , HCR58 , HB54 , HB137 , HB180 , HB192 , HB310 , HB321 , HB396 , HB512 , HB552 , HB578 , HB638 , HB663 , HB708 , HB717 , HB718 , HB1009 , HB1082 , HB1104 , HB1107 , HB1194 , HB1198 , HB1246 , HB1250 , SB29 , SB30 , SB32 , SB41 , SB42 , SB43 , SB47 , SB84 , SB93 , SB113 , SB192 , SB199 , SB219 , SB220 , SB221 , SB222 , SB241 , SB253 , SB255 , SB289 , SB292 , SB306 , SB314 , SB351 , SB399 , SB404 , SB14 , SB102 , SB133 , SB151 , SB165 , SB169 , SB170 , SB200 , SB217 , SB280 , SB291 , SB300 , SB303 , SB330 , SB449 , SB489 , SB521 , SB424 , SCR9 , SB25 , SB250 , SB348 , SB405 , SB444 , SB485 , SB35 , SB65 , SB132 , SB215 , SB246 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , HCR26 , HCR45 , HCR61 , HCR77 , HCR31 , HB649 , HB665 , HB681 , HB721 , HB746 , HB757 , HB781 , HB835 , HB844 , HB857 , HB872 , HB886 , HB889 , HB892 , HB982 , HB987 , HB1037 , HB1068 , HB1072 , HB1078 , HB1085 , HB1132 , HB1137 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1232 , HB1238 , HB23 , HB136 , HB17 , HB21 , HB51 , HB55 , HB74 , HB106 , HB108 , HB133 , HB140 , HB159 , HB168 , HB215 , HB226 , HB263 , HB296 , HB299 , HB322 , HB364 , HB519 , HB535 , HB538 , HB568 , HB571 , HB622 , HB635 , HB676 , HB772 , HB784 , HB1006 , HB1018 , HB1043 , HB1070 , HB1134 , HB1239 , HB62 , HB193 , HB203 , HB210 , HB220 , HB228 , HB246 , HB420 , HB475 , HB486 , HB574 , HB584 , HB750 , HB813 , HB815 , HB826 , HB870 , HB949 , HB953 , HB1045 , HB1092 , HB1151 , HB1162 , HB1176 , HB1177 , HB1196 , HB1214 , HB1241 , HB36 , HB73 , HB119 , HB126 , HB129 , HB166 , HB211 , HB245 , HB271 , HB280 , HB337 , HB351 , HB354 , HB399 , HB677 , HB712 , HB723 , HB726 , HB728 , HB759 , HB789 , HB850 , HB956 , HB966 , HB1036 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441 , HB258 , HB842

Keywords: SR116, Senate Resolution 116, Louisiana Senate, condolences, memorial resolution, tribute, Tyler Marie Grezaffi, law enforcement, corrections officer, deputy sheriff, master sergeant, investigator, Louisiana State Penitentiary, Pointe Coupee Parish, Iberville Parish, public service, bereavement, sympathy, SR117, Senate Resolution 117

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard a prayer and pledge, and then moved through a long calendar of House and Senate measures. Early business included adoption of a large batch of Bureau reports and numerous committee reports, along with several personal privilege recognitions for guests and observances, including Aviation Day at the Capitol, Safe Boating Week, and recognition of a student’s educational achievements. The chamber also received messages from the House on several Senate concurrent resolutions and conference committee reports, including House Bill 842, the omnibus election bill, which was taken up and adopted after discussion of changes to Louisiana election procedures, congressional primary timing, ballot order, and related qualifying and public-records provisions. The Senate also adopted or concurred in several resolutions, including measures on community action, early education, condolences, and a blockchain and digital innovation task force. A major portion of the meeting focused on floor debate and final passage of several bills. Senate Bill 250, dealing with comprehensive weight management services through the Office of Group Benefits, was amended to remove GLP-1 and compounded-therapy provisions and then passed. Senate Bill 348 authorizing local law enforcement to contract for administrative and logistical support for motor vehicle regulatory enforcement passed, as did Senate Bill 405 creating a statewide quality oversight initiative for nursing facilities. Senate Bill 444 and Senate Bill 485, both relating to the new city of St. George’s expropriation and taxing authority, passed after amendments and questions about their local impact. Senate Bill 25, on compensation for registrars of voters and staff, also passed unanimously. Senate Bill 132, requiring exterior master key boxes and school mapping integration for public schools, passed as a school safety measure. The Senate then considered a series of House bills, many of them local or regulatory in nature. These included HB 649 on dual enrollment, HB 665 on hoop nets in North Pass and Manchac Pass, HB 681 on the Lakeview Crime Prevention District, HB 721 on night shrimping in parts of Vermilion Bay, HB 746 on statewide oversized vehicle permits, HB 781 on fleet vehicle registration, HB 835 on charter guide wildlife management area access permits, HB 857 on commingled seafood labeling, HB 872 and HB 886 on menhaden fishing radios and harvest reporting, HB 889 on bulk oyster tagging, HB 892 creating the West End Economic Development District, HB 982 naming memorial highways, HB 987 consolidating LSU energy-related programs, HB 1037 and HB 1072 on DOTD operational reforms, HB 1068 on garbage collection contracting authority, HB 1078 on tuition and fees for distance education, HB 1085 repealing private vehicle inspection sticker requirements, HB 1132 on lab school funding under the University of Louisiana system, HB 1137 limiting adverse employment action against state employees over pronoun use, HB 1167 naming memorial roadways, and HB 1174 recreating DOTD through 2031. Most of these measures passed, often after brief debate and occasional amendments; HB 1085 drew opposition over the loss of inspection-related jobs and concerns about unsafe vehicles, but it still passed. One notable bill, Senate Bill 500 on medical malpractice and the Patient Compensation Fund, was not brought to a vote; after extensive debate about the medical review panel system, claims costs, and proposed certificate-of-merit changes, the author said he would turn it into a study resolution instead.