Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to come before you today.
• Is it a phone call, an email? The governor called me. Okay. All right. Thank you very much.
• You could call Peter when you walk out of this room.
• You could have called when you were walking into this room, but you won't do it.
• Thank you very much, Ms. Cobb. Thank you very much, Ms. Cobb. Would you like to call next?

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• You made this statement. Thank you, Representative Crews. There's been many calls.
• Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Representative Blattman, aye.
• Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Representative Blattman, aye.
• Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Representative Blattman...
• Thank you. ...present today only because I want to do more digging.

Bills: HB2011 , HB2089 , HB2090 , HB2092 , HB2477 , HB2785

Committees: House Ways & Means , House House Ways & Means Committee of Reference

Keywords: individual income tax, subtraction, Arizona Revised Statutes, retirement benefits, adoption costs, charitable contributions, health insurance, premium payment, Arizona State Retirement System, contingent annuitant, long-term disability, benefits limitations, disability compensation, social security, retirement system, elected officials, ASRS, eligibility waiver, age 65, taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• The question before you is Senate Bill 1112 as amended, do pass. Roll call vote.
• Can we have a roll call vote on the amendment? Yes, you can. All right, thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Before we go to both roll call votes, and we'll do two roll call votes on purpose on that, okay.
• Can we have a roll call vote on the amendment? Yes, you can. All right, thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Thank you. Additional question? Say no? Thank you. Thank you, sir. And we still want a roll call?

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on March 25 for what was described as its last regular meeting, with a possible special meeting the following week. The committee first took up Senate Bill 1112, adopting a Livingston strike-everything amendment that appropriates $1 million from the special services fund in fiscal year 2027 to the Department of Corrections for holistic, studio-based rehabilitative programming and requires a report on spending, self-harm, discipline, and recidivism by June 30, 2028. Supporters from Art of Our Soul testified that the trauma-informed art and music therapy program has reduced disciplinary violations, self-harm, and mental health watches, and members described it as a rehabilitation effort with documented benefits. The bill, as amended, received a due pass recommendation by a 16-2 vote. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1776, which would expand AHCCCS coverage for traditional healing services to include urban Indian organizations. AHCCCS testified neutrally but said the change would require a waiver amendment, would not qualify for 100% federal match, and would carry an estimated $1.3 million general fund impact. The sponsor argued the bill would align Arizona with federal policy and correct an omission of urban Indian organizations from the existing waiver. After discussion about costs and whether the bill should proceed with a committee of the whole amendment, the committee gave SB 1776 a do pass recommendation by a 9-6-2-1 vote, with several members expressing concern about AHCCCS growth and the funding source. Senate Bill 1537, which would rename the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund as the Public Safety De-escalation and Life Safety Fund and repeal its advisory commission, failed. Testimony explained that the commission has not met in years and that the bill was largely a cleanup measure, but the Arizona Police Association opposed the change and some members wanted the commission reformed rather than repealed. The committee voted it down 6-9, with members split over whether the fund should remain tied to its current structure. The committee next adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 1584 that shifted a $1 million appropriation for Department of Corrections recruitment and training from the general fund to the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund. Supporters said DOC remains understaffed and that the training/recruitment program has worked elsewhere; some members questioned whether the fund could legally be used for that purpose, but the amendment passed and the bill received a do pass recommendation by a 10-5-2-2 vote. Finally, Senate Bill 1673, which funds the law enforcement crime victim notification system, was amended to reduce the appropriation from $5 million general fund to about $2.595 million from the victim compensation fund. Testimony from the Arizona Sheriffs Association, victim notification vendors, and Phoenix officials emphasized the program’s importance, while others argued the amendment would raid victim compensation resources. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed, and the committee adjourned after noting the next calendar had not yet been posted.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can look at it. You can see how many cases we take. It's called cert.
• And you can look at it, you can see how many cases we take. It's called cert.
• Many of you heard me speak on this topic before.
• Many of you heard me speak on this topic before.
• Many of you heard me speak on this topic before.

Committees: Senate Senate Judiciary , Senate House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, so...” “So, you know, APD has what's called a single sign-on program.
• You can call the help desk and get a password reset.
• So we can enter tickets, you know, similar to what you talked about before.
• So we try to, you know, squash any of those bugs before it comes, right?
• Who do you call, Mr. Teubek, when you get frustrated? In addition to your new best friend, Mr.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a lengthy presentation on the Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ I-Connect system, based on an ILAB assessment of the platform’s performance and requirements. ILAB said the system provides useful centralized records, reporting, compliance support, and audit trails, but users described it as cumbersome, outdated, and inefficient, with excessive manual entry, weak navigation, limited notifications, no mobile app, poor printing/export options, and performance issues. ILAB also said the original 2013-era requirements were too high-level and that only a portion of the requirements could be verified, with some features de-scoped or never implemented. Their recommendations included better integration with electronic health record systems, improved performance monitoring, electronic signatures, OCR, and more modern export and verification tools. Public testimony from providers and advocates echoed those concerns. A support coordination provider said the system is nicknamed “I Disconnect,” described problems with EVV/GPS sign-ins, lengthy support plans, lack of a phone app, and possible HIPAA concerns. Another advocate said the system should have preserved family access to records and criticized the need for providers to use workarounds and additional software. APD staff said the agency has spent about $19.7 million through FY 2023-24, has regular build updates under the current contract with WellSky, and uses an internal help desk and vendor ticketing process to triage bugs versus enhancement requests. They said some issues are handled case-by-case, critical tickets have SLAs, and the agency is working on interoperability and other requested improvements. Members questioned whether the system should be fixed or replaced, whether the original contract and SaaS arrangement were sufficient, and whether the state received value for the money spent. APD said the system went live in phases and that all functionality was in place by June 2024, while ILAB and members noted significant technical debt and unresolved gaps. The committee also discussed record retention, provider access to records after a consumer changes providers, and whether federal funding or compliance could be affected. The meeting ended with broader budget remarks emphasizing completion over expansion, stronger upfront planning for technology projects, and more accountability before funding new systems or major enhancements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill draft you have before you today, as the chairman mentioned, has kind of arisen out of the previous
• Could you say, hey, it's now 30 days before—did you move into the district, and how would that play out
• So what you have before you is just really a layout of statistics on what turnover looks like in other
• And so you need to do one before you would potentially need to move on to the other.
• you pick up that phone, Before you pick up that phone and call your favorite LC staff, before you fire

Committee: Joint Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I'm going to admit that I didn't know we had this lengthy presentation by AURI before, and
• You know, I'm going to admit that I didn't know we had this lengthy presentation by AURI before, and
• Those of you who have been on this committee before have heard a combination of our commissioners and
• Those of you who have been on this committee before have heard a combination of our commissioners and
• Those of you who have been on this committee before have heard a combination of our commissioners and

Bills: HF770 , HF857 , HF38 , HF1500 , HF43

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF770, Rural Finance Authority, RFA, capital investment, state bonds, general obligation bonds, bonding bill, agricultural loans, farm loans, beginning farmer, new farmer, seller-sponsored loans, loan restructuring, agricultural improvement loans, livestock expansion, modernization loans, rural development, Minnesota agriculture, farm credit, chapter 41B

Transcript Highlights:

• The question before you is Senate Bill 112 as amended, do pass. Roll call vote.
• Can we have a roll call vote on the amendment? Yes, you can. All right, thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Roll call. Before we go to both roll call votes, we'll do two vote calls on purpose on that, okay?
• Thank you. Additional question? Say none. Thank you. Thank you, sir. And we still want a roll call?
• Thank you. Additional question. Say none. Thank you. Thank you, sir. And we still want a roll call?

Bills: SB1112 , SB1517 , SB1537 , SB1584 , SB1673 , SB1776

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: mental health, hearings, acquaintance witnesses, patient rights, treatment evaluation, barbering, cosmetology, appropriation, funding, licensing, board operations, peace officer, training, public safety, traffic offenses, judicial system, corrections, recruitment, state budget, crime victims

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Chairman McFarland, here.
• Can you answer the question? Where were we before you took your position?
• Can you answer the question? Where were we before you took your position?
• For the nutria program, we have a—what do you call that?
• The nutria program, we have a—what do you call that? They give you the bounty. A bounty program.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> through KCNA before they come to you. through KCNA before they come to you.
• Before you do that, Co-Chair Lockett has a question.
• Before you do that, Co-Chair Lockett has a question. Thank you. Sorry to interrupt you.
• Before you do that, Co-Chair Lockett has a question. Thank you. Sorry to interrupt you.
• Before you do that, Co-Chair Lockett has a question. Thank you. Sorry to interrupt you.

Summary: The committee first approved the July 9 minutes without objection and heard from Jay Hartz and Jonathan Harris of the Legislative Research Commission. Members asked about Capitol and legislator security in light of recent targeted shootings in other states. Hartz said LRC had removed members’ home addresses from its website, was reviewing other state-government records for similar information, and was working with the Speaker, Senate President, Kentucky State Police, and outside security experts on broader safety measures. He also said LRC is exploring commercial products to help block personal contact information from public view, but declined to name vendors publicly. Harris added that driver’s license scans at the Capitol are handled by Kentucky State Police, while LRC has a process for flagging high-volume or concerning contacts for police review. The LRC also reported that redistricting work has already begun, with census coordination underway, evaluation of redistricting software including Mapitude and open-source tools, and plans to make the same tools available to the public in the LRC library. The committee then heard from Kentucky Wired Operations Company CEO Robert Morphonius, COO Tom Snyder, and counsel Patrick Hughes about the Kentucky Wired network. They explained the corporate structure: Kentucky Wired Operations Company is a private for-profit special purpose entity that designs, builds, operates, and maintains the network; Kentucky Wired Infrastructure Company is a nonprofit instrumentality used for financing; and Open Fiber Kentucky handles commercialization of excess capacity under a wholesale agreement. They said Kentucky Wired Operations is in the operations and maintenance phase, with those obligations continuing until 2045, and that technical changes to the network generally require KCNA approval through formal change-order processes. They also said the company conducted a market test in June 2023 under Schedule 19 of its contract, considered proposals including Open Fiber and the incumbent service provider, and retained the existing provider. Members asked about KCNA’s role, procurement, network customers, and revenue. The witnesses said Quac operates outside normal state procurement because its process is governed by contract, while KCNA acts as the Commonwealth’s oversight authority and filter for changes. They identified current network users as including AOC, KCTCS, postsecondary education, and other Commonwealth agencies, with all requests routed through KCNA; they also said a separate change process for Exceliccom is in litigation. On funding, they said the operation is paid through monthly appropriations, with roughly a million dollars a month for the service provider and a couple hundred thousand for Quac’s oversight, not including debt service, which is bundled into the availability payment. The discussion ended as members began asking about responsibility for damage-related costs such as squirrel-related outages.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, when's the last time you read your HIPAA statement before you signed it?
• Like, when's the last time you read your HIPAA statement before you signed it?
• Like, when's the last time you read your HIPAA statement before you signed it?
• Can you give any insight on that? >> Before I recognize you, Ms.
• Yeah, I mean before. Thank you.

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today in support of this bill.
• Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today in support of this bill. on Senate file number
• </c> bill before you today are fairly bill before you today are fairly straightforward<00:41:37.720><
• </c><00:42:43.480><c> you</c> positions the bill before you positions the bill before you today<00:42
• you today in opportunity to speak before you today in support<00:43:54.319><c> of</c><00:43:54.520><

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Do you want to take questions, Senator Bergstrom, before we bring the amendment?
• Do you want to take questions, Senator Bergstrom, before we bring the amendment?
• I'd be happy to dig into that and get you a better answer. Further questions?
• Would you like to take that up before considering the due pass? Yes.

Bills: HB2299 , HB2939 , HB2941 , HB2960 , HB3062 , HB3087 , HB3114 , HB3244 , HB3262 , HB3304 , HB3345 , HB3386 , HB3431 , HB3498 , HB3581 , HB3645 , HB3648 , HB3764 , HB3852 , HB3974 , HB4141 , HB4144 , HB4227 , HB4237 , HB4343 , HB4425

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee considered a large slate of executive nominations and bills. The nominations of Kevin Buchanan to the Oklahoma State Council of Interstate Adult Offender Supervision, Bobby Raines to the Polygraph Examiners Board, and Colton Richardson to the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System Board were each advanced to the full Senate without opposition. The committee then heard and advanced several measures on elections, criminal law, public safety, and civil procedure, including bills on Article V convention commissioner guardrails, precinct official terms and oaths, fraud and identity theft, treatment screening for arrested individuals, electronic monitoring eligibility, press access to certain arrest information, foreign terrorist organization-related offenses, CDL eligibility tied to the meth registry, sheriff service fees, fentanyl overdose reporting and presumptions, corporate law updates, appraiser fees in condemnation cases, child sexual abuse reporting protections, eviction mediation, garnishment response deadlines, retired municipal judges carrying firearms, critical mineral ownership restrictions, removal of a sunset on a sexual assault nurse examiner coordinator, enhanced riot and assault penalties, ability-to-pay hearings at sentencing, firearm component liability protections, hospice admission authority, government tort claims coverage for OU Health Authority, and tort claims coverage for county jails housing inmates for other entities. Several bills drew notable questioning and amendments. House Bill 2299, dealing with Article V convention commissioners, was advanced after debate over the bill’s “intimidation” language and its potential effect on political speech; Senator Jett opposed it on vagueness grounds. House Bill 3852 on precinct officials was amended to reflect Election Board recommendations, including changing a disqualification period from three to six years, before advancing. House Bill 2939, removing obsolete fax-machine references from election law, was amended to strike a repealed-law reference and then advanced. House Bill 4343, setting a $350 fee for court-appointed appraisers, prompted extended concern about fixing a market rate in statute; the title was stricken so the measure could be worked on further, but it still advanced. House Bill 4227, the child sexual abuse NDA bill, advanced after the author recognized concerns and agreed to strike the title for further work, and House Bill 3386 on same-day eviction mediation also advanced after the author struck title to revisit discrimination concerns. Other measures advanced with little or no opposition, including House Bills 3244, 3345, 3114, 4144, 3764, 3304, 3262, 2941, 3498, 4141, 4237, 3062, 3431, 3581, 3648, and 3974. Some bills generated focused policy questions, such as whether the fentanyl overdose presumption would be rebuttable, whether the meth registry is lifetime or time-limited, whether the electronic monitoring bill would be too restrictive, and whether the riot-mask felony language could affect law enforcement officers operating in an official capacity. The committee also restored title on several measures before advancing them. The meeting concluded with Chairman Howard thanking the committee and staff and noting it was his final policy committee meeting as chair before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me ask you another question, though, before you answer that.
• Do you, are you aware, you know, I remember vividly the snowstorm, what's called the Snowmageddon of
• Let me ask you another question, though, before you answer that, do you are you aware, you know, I remember
• And as you, as legislators, they're going to be calling you.
• And as you, as legislators, they're going to be calling you.

Bills: SB287

Committee: House Natural Resources & Energy

Summary: The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee met and considered three Senate bills. SB 287 with Senate Amendment 2, a DNREC cleanup bill on recycling, would tighten recycling collection rules for haulers and commercial generators, require multifamily recycling education, repurpose the Delaware Recycling Fund, and add annual reporting; after brief questions and no public comment, the committee motion to release did not initially receive enough votes, so the bill was circulated for signatures. SB 346, which would speed Environmental Appeals Board hearing and decision timelines so DNREC secretary decisions become final if deadlines are missed, drew support from the Nature Conservancy and also failed to get enough votes at the meeting, so it too was circulated for signatures. The committee then took up SB 326, a major utility-regulation bill sponsored by Senator Hanson and Representative Heffernan that would cap certain non-mandatory utility spending, limit interim rates, increase oversight and transparency, and streamline rate-setting. SB 326 generated extensive testimony and debate. Supporters, including the Public Advocate, Sierra Club, PSC staff, and some legislators, argued that Delmarva Power’s spending on non-mandatory infrastructure has risen far faster than inflation, that the company is a regulated monopoly, and that the bill would help restrain future delivery-rate increases without harming reliability because mandatory reliability, storm response, and vegetation management spending would remain allowed. Opponents, including Delmarva Power, business groups, contractors, labor representatives, and the Delaware Contractors Association, argued the cap would delay needed reliability and capacity projects, hurt economic development, reduce jobs, and interfere with utility planning; they also said supply costs, not distribution spending, are the main driver of recent bill increases. After public comment and additional questioning, the committee voted to release SB 326 on a split roll call, but because several members were absent the bill was also walked for additional signatures. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> go</c> &gt;&gt; And if you would, if you want to go &gt;&gt; And if you would, if you want to go ahead
• Uh, and you all know as well as I do, people get chance after chance before they're put in jail.
• Do you need five? Do you need 10? class? Do you need five? Do you need 10?
• </c> jail call. jail call.
• Thank you. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so I've heard it before. All right. Sounds good. Thank you. Thanks, sir.
• I just didn't say I have to call on you. Seeing none, please call the vote. Chair Pouche. Aye.
• With the soil analysis, you dig a bigger hole.
• Seeing no further business before the committee, I thank you all for being here, and we are adjourned
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Committee: House Consent and Procedure

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard several House Resolutions authorizing use of the House chamber for youth civic and recognition programs. House Resolution 3997 would allow the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’ CYCLE program to hold a mock legislative hearing and floor discussion on July 16; House Resolution 4061 would allow the YMCA Youth and Government program to use the chamber for mock sessions across three weekends; and House Resolutions 4062 and 4113 would reserve the chamber on April 17, 2026, for separate Glory Awards presentations involving local schools. Sponsors described each event as educational, well-supervised, and respectful of the chamber, and committee members asked brief questions about attendance and scheduling overlap. The committee then moved into executive session and voted do pass on the resolutions. HR 3997 passed 7-0, HR 4061 passed 8-0, HR 4062 passed 8-0, and HR 4113 passed 8-0. The committee also took up House Bill 1940 on consent and voted it do pass 8-0 after brief discussion about why it had not advanced elsewhere, with the sponsor noting it had repeatedly passed committee and floor consideration in prior years. House Bill 2395 drew the most discussion. One member argued it was not appropriate for the consent calendar because it made substantive policy changes and raised fiscal concerns, while the sponsor explained that the bill mainly standardizes septic system testing by replacing perk tests with soil analysis and does not create a new program. After questions about fees and the consent process, the committee voted 7-1 to do pass HB 2395 on consent, with one dissenting vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Call it, Is the chemical component of botanical, natural kratom. Call it what you want.
• Call it what you will. Like I said, the research has revealed opioid...
• , whatever you guys want to call it, you know?
• I appear before you today to provide... Ms.

Summary: The Kratom Working Group met to hear public testimony and expert presentations on whether North Dakota should prohibit or regulate kratom and 7-OH products. Early testimony split sharply between speakers who described natural kratom as a helpful, lower-risk alternative for chronic pain, opioid withdrawal, PTSD, and recovery, and speakers who urged prohibition because of dependence, overdose risk, and the growth of concentrated or synthetic 7-OH products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and online. Several witnesses, including consumers and shop owners, argued that banning kratom would push people to more dangerous drugs or unregulated internet sources, while public health and medical witnesses said the marketplace is confusing and inadequately controlled. A number of witnesses, including representatives of the North Dakota Public Health Association, the state crime lab, and addiction-treatment and pediatric clinicians, emphasized risks from adulterated or concentrated products, lack of labeling and age restrictions, contamination concerns, and harms to adolescents, pregnant patients, and newborns. The crime lab described recent cases involving mitragynine, 7-OH, and pseudoindoxyl, and said products purchased in a smoke shop were inaccurately labeled. A Sanford pediatric hospitalist testified that kratom exposure in pregnancy can cause severe neonatal withdrawal and that adolescents are using the product. By contrast, American Kratom Association representatives and other advocates argued that natural leaf kratom should be distinguished from synthetic 7-OH, that deaths usually involve other substances, and that a regulatory framework with testing, labeling, age limits, and product registration would better protect consumers than a blanket ban. No formal bill was debated or voted on in this transcript. The working group heard testimony, asked questions, and took no final action before breaking for lunch and later resuming with additional presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Before we go on, we have some very important people here today.
• Thank you, Mr. Chair. And before we go to the wrap-up from Chair Gomez, I think I saw D.C. come in.
• </c><00:42:24.680><c> on</c> you chair Davis I request a roll call on you chair Davis I request a roll
• Thank you. Thank you. Any questions for the witnesses before we go to the author? Questions for Mr.
• Thank you. Thank you. Any questions for the witnesses before we go to the author? Questions for Mr.

Bills: HF4 , HF173

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• I have never asked you that before.
• The chair calls the following witnesses. Andy Kahn, I've said, you. Thank you.
• The chair calls Julie Schaffer. Kaylee Schaffer and Elisha Byrd. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Every sexual activity that you have engaged in since this occurred to you and before.
• Now open, the chair calls Rachel Burris. Thank you.

Bills: SB251 , SB608 , SB487 , SB535 , SB761 , SB955 , SB957 , SB958 , SB988 , SB990 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1120

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we've really shifted from, you know, looking at things like call centers, which didn't really...
• So, if we could, if you could connect with the individual who was applying, we could dig down and find
• Thank you, committee; really appreciate folks digging in. Madam Chair and Mr. Ranking Member.
• Have you heard of an organization? called JAG, which stands for Jobs for America's Graduates.
• know you call us tomorrow and you can get a full apprentice; you do have to connect.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance