Transcript Highlights:

• I think this indicium of reliability is a... it's like it might rain and so you're not having a picnic
• What if Lydia is not well cared for and they don't show up and they're billing and um... rain and so
• you're not having a picnic rain and so you're not having a picnic even<02:38:49.840> though<02

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It does when it rains? Does it move into the streams and then ultimately into the nearshore waters?
• It does when it rains? Does it move into the streams and then ultimately into the nearshore waters?
• It does when it rains? Does it move into the streams and then ultimately into the nearshore waters?

Bills: HB20, HB2612, HB2404, HB2459, HB2194, HB1880, HB2284, HB1969, HB2458, HB1546, HB2161, HB1721, HB1641, HB2137, HB1782, HB2360, HB1965, HB1897, HB1513

Keywords: lava insurance, homeowners, insurance market, subsidy, Hawaii, mortgage, debt, secured transactions, real property, Hawaii Revised Statutes, cooperative associations, electric utility cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, mutual help, food innovation, agribusiness, food safety, market access, branding, economic diversification

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 20, which would create a lava zone insurance subsidy/fund. The Insurance Division opposed the bill, arguing that lava zones 1 and 2 are the highest-risk areas, that a subsidy would not reduce the underlying risk or loss costs, that it could invite similar subsidy requests for other hazards, and that the bill may conflict with HICV by diverting funds from the CRF. Members discussed the lack of authorized homeowners insurance in those lava zones, the role of HPIA and the surplus market, and the difference between the proposed lava-zone subsidy and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. The chair noted 37 submitted testimonies in support and one in opposition, and the committee then moved on without taking a vote on HB 20 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 2612, relating to mortgages, which would clarify that a mortgage does not exist independently of the debt it secures and is not independently enforceable from that debt. The Hawaii Credit Union League and Hawaii Financial Services Association opposed the bill, while several individuals testified in support, arguing it would restore Hawaii’s long-standing lien-state rule and prevent so-called “zombie mortgages” after the Hawaii Supreme Court’s White decision. Supporters said the bill would protect borrowers from delayed foreclosures and predatory lending practices, while opponents and the Insurance Division emphasized that foreclosure actions still require proof of standing and possession of the note, and that lenders generally pursue foreclosure without seeking deficiency judgments. Committee members questioned the Insurance Division about how the current market works, whether lenders could wait out the statute of limitations and then foreclose only on the mortgage, and whether equitable tolling or later defaults could allow refiling. The division said it is still trying to attract authorized insurers back into the lava-zone market, but has seen little progress. No vote or final action on HB 2612 was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:38:31.760> and<00:38:32.000> produce<00:38:32.480> produce<00:38:32.960> rain
• <00:38:33.839> or<00:38:34.160> snow cloud and produce produce rain or snow cloud and
• produce produce rain or snow in<00:38:34.880> most<00:38:35.040> cases.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• gov's<00:07:25.199> wreck<00:07:25.520> on<00:07:25.759> the<00:07:26.240> rain
• 00:07:26.639> system<00:07:26.960> and<00:07:27.199> I the gov's wreck on the rain
• system and I the gov's wreck on the rain system and I know<00:07:27.440> you<00:07:27.599>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we<00:30:30.320> also<00:30:30.559> have<00:30:30.960> uh<00:30:31.120> Rain
• Um, we also have uh Rain Gustoson.
• Um, we also have uh Rain Alexander<00:30:32.080> has<00:30:32.320> signed<00:30:32.480>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><04:36:20.240> can<04:36:20.480> cannot<04:36:20.840> be<04:36:21.240> rained
• <04:36:22.240> through access S can cannot be rained through access S can cannot be rained

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The discussion focused on a cannabis legalization/regulation bill and whether it should be retained for further study or moved forward. Members debated the fiscal impact, with one side emphasizing that the bill would cost about $7.1 million in the first two years before generating revenue, while supporters argued the House should make a statement in favor of legalization despite likely opposition from the Senate and governor. There was also disagreement over strategy: some said retaining the bill until closer to the next election would give the issue more visibility, while others said delaying would only avoid sending a bill the Senate was unlikely to take up anyway. A major point of contention was whether cannabis should be regulated by a new cannabis commission or placed under the Liquor Commission. Supporters of the Liquor Commission argued it already has enforcement infrastructure, especially for age restrictions, and could handle cannabis more efficiently without creating a new bureaucracy. Opponents said cannabis is a different industry that would require specialized expertise, and they objected to expanding the Liquor Commission, which they described as unpopular and costly. The committee also discussed past versions of the bill, including concerns about limited licenses and the perception that the earlier approach favored large businesses. Members reviewed specific provisions such as licensing fees, THC limits, and cultivation categories. One member noted a $10,000 fee for retail cannabis stores and cannabis product manufacturers authorized to perform extractions, while a smaller tier-one cultivator fee was described as a lower-cost option for small growers. There was also discussion of whether the bill would allow sales through general retail outlets or only dedicated cannabis stores, and whether plants and seeds were covered. No final vote or action was clearly recorded in the excerpt, but the main procedural question was whether to retain the bill for more work or advance it as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because I said that because how many of y'all, when a big rain come, seen them big old carp fish about
• y'all<00:49:31.119> when<00:49:31.359> a<00:49:31.599> big<00:49:31.839> rain
• <00:49:32.240> come<00:49:32.880> that many of y'all when a big rain come that many
• of y'all when a big rain come that them<00:49:33.359> big<00:49:33.599> old<00:49:33.760

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate first recognized the Montgomery Academy boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Class 3A state championship, their second straight title. Senator Barfoot introduced the team and read a resolution commending the players, coaches, and school community for the 66-39 win over Southside Selma, noting standout performances by Braden Gordon, Mason Ellis, and Jarrett Friendley. Coach Jeremy Aant and school head John Williams thanked the Senate and emphasized the team’s selflessness, teamwork, academic standards, service, and leadership development. The Senate applauded the team, added all senators to the resolution, and arranged for a picture and challenge coins for the players. After the recognition, the Senate came to order, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and adopted the previous day’s journal. Committee reports followed. The Committee on State Government Affairs reported House Bill 541 favorably with one amendment; the bill would create the Safeguard Alabama Voter Engagement Act, requiring party registration for primary voting, restricting crossover voting, retaining voter history as a public record, revising voter registration forms, and requiring parties to publish candidate qualifications. The bill was ordered to a second reading and placed on the calendar. The Committee on Local Legislation reported House Bills 630, 631, and 632 favorably, all relating to Etowah County, including changes to tax exemptions and personnel board membership. These bills were also sent to second reading and the calendar. The Senate then took up Senate Joint Resolution 117, commending Dylan Nut for winning the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic, and added all members as co-sponsors. During discussion, one senator used the opportunity to speak at length about a separate concern involving alleged unlicensed real estate solicitation and the need for legislation to protect citizens from property-related scams; he also discussed the calendar process and other bills. The floor later included extended informal remarks about fishing and a separate discussion of a proposal to designate Miss America as an official state ambassador, with support expressed for a possible stipend amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bullets and glass rained down on 300 plus kids, staff, parents, and community members in the church for
• Bullets<00:15:11.760> and<00:15:12.079> glass<00:15:12.800> rain<00:15:13.199>
• down<00:15:13.519> on<00:15:14.079> 300<00:15:14.880> plus Bullets and glass rain
• down on 300 plus Bullets and glass rain down on 300 plus kids,<00:15:16.240> staff,<00:15:17.199

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You're either sitting in the sun or the rain or it's dark.
• You're either sitting in the sun or the<03:18:11.760> rain<03:18:12.239> or<03:18:12.479
• <03:18:13.439> Um<03:18:13.760> there's<03:18:14.000> no the rain or it's dark
• Um there's no the rain or it's dark.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this fight, including the National Children's Alliance, the National District Attorneys Association, RAIN
• this fight, including the National Children's Alliance, the National District Attorneys Association, RAIN
• Attorneys Association, uh RAIN, Covenant Attorneys Association, uh RAIN, Covenant House,<03:49:32.479

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, January 12, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their mission was to disable the heavy defense artillery guns set to rain fire on the brave soldiers
• the heavy defense artillery guns<03:32:51.920> set<03:32:52.239> to<03:32:52.479> rain
• > fire<03:32:53.600> on<03:32:54.000> the<03:32:54.239> brave guns set to rain
• fire on the brave guns set to rain fire on the brave soldiers<03:32:55.040> on<03:32:55.279><

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, July 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So let's be clear: removing protections for the longfin smelt will not make it rain.
• will<00:27:26.080> not<00:27:26.240> make<00:27:26.400> it<00:27:26.640> rain
• long fence smelt will not make it rain. long fence smelt will not make it rain.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 1, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Trobridge said that if a lot of rain that would normally go into the ground is converted into stormwater
• c><00:11:19.519> predict<00:11:20.000> how<00:11:20.240> the<00:11:20.399> rain
• <00:11:20.959> the models uh to predict how the rain the models uh to predict how the rain

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• perfect, and then under conditions of fairly high pressure, leachate breaks out during or after a rain
• high pressure leech eight during<03:51:41.439> after<03:51:41.680> a<03:51:41.840> rain
• <03:51:42.080> event<03:51:42.560> in<03:51:42.800> the during after a rain
• event in the during after a rain event in the surficial<03:51:43.520> layers<03:51:43.680>
• 100-year plus whatever margin, because intensity is a critical factor besides the total quantity of rain

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rain, flooding, that type of thing. He said these markings are susceptible to inclement weather.
• care of that work, including day-to-day operations, monitoring water flows, and dealing with heavy rain
• c><04:32:33.120> you<04:32:33.279> know,<04:32:33.439> heavy<04:32:33.760> rain
• any sort of um you know, heavy rain any sort of um you know, heavy rain event,<04:32:34.399>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• change that we're seeing all the time, and the traffic, which was already bad to begin with, plus the rain

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to open meeting law, municipal meetings, town meetings, and remote participation. Senator Rausch supported S. 2205 and S. 2206, and House companion H. 3382, saying they would make remote participation in public bodies permanent and streamline open meeting law and public records complaint processes to reduce burdens on local officials. Committee members and the senator discussed concerns about complaints being weaponized, the role of the Attorney General, and whether public testimony should be presumed allowed unless a chair limits it with justification. The senator said the bills do not change public records fees and are meant to improve process and transparency. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 3342 and S. 2197, which would modernize municipal meetings, town meetings, and local elections by allowing permanent remote or hybrid participation. Supporters included Wayland officials, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, MAPC, MACC, and others, who argued that hybrid and remote options increase participation, help parents, caregivers, people with disabilities, and residents with travel or work constraints, and have worked well during the pandemic-era extensions. Municipal officials emphasized that a mandate would be costly and difficult for smaller communities because of staffing, technology, room design, cybersecurity, and uneven internet access, especially in western Massachusetts. Committee members asked about equal access, funding, and whether local discretion should remain; the chair said the committee wants a permanent solution beyond emergency rules but must balance access with local capacity. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3328, which would allow remote participation to count toward quorum for statewide appointed bodies such as commissions on women and LGBTQ issues. Supporters argued this would improve regional equity and make it easier for people outside Greater Boston to serve, while committee members noted it is a separate issue from municipal meetings and may be easier to address than broader local-government changes. Another bill, H. 4351, was supported by Rep. Brandy Fluker Reed, who described it as creating an Office of Freedmen Affairs to address longstanding racial wealth disparities affecting descendants of enslaved Americans. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3299 from Common Cause and MASSPIRG in favor of guaranteed hybrid access for public meetings with public participation components, with advocates saying it would improve transparency, accessibility, and civic engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Jackson urges the Department of Transportation and Development to study recent occurrences of rain

Bills: SCR59, SCR70, HR275, HR279, HR282, HR289, HR307, HCR112, SCR61, SCR62, SCR64, SB121, HR310, HR314, HR316, HR317, HR321, HCR117, SCR5, SCR29, SCR33, SCR37, SCR63, SCR30, SCR40, SCR65, HCR3, HCR49, HCR66, HCR67, HB54, HB137, HB321, HB368, HB386, HB414, HB431, HB552, HB555, HB578, HB590, HB593, HB618, HB638, HB670, HB692, HB707, HB708, HB715, HB718, HB732, HB741, HB748, HB776, HB796, HB807, HB822, HB848, HB856, HB887, HB888, HB917, HB921, HB1082, HB1243, HB1246, HB1, HB2, HB42, HB45, HB71, HB79, HB126, HB133, HB159, HB213, HB218, HB222, HB289, HB291, HB312, HB313, HB324, HB352, HB383, HB398, HB403, HB429, HB457, HB459, HB549, HB571, HB579, HB591, HB608, HB616, HB624, HB766, HB769, HB783, HB804, HB864, HB874, HB909, HB951, HB971, HB983, HB1005, HB1017, HB1051, HB1056, HB1126, HB1186, HB1193, HB1223, HB1224, HB1235, HB1249, SB259, SB295, SB312, SB348, SB444, SB485, SB441, SB149, HB359, SB29, SB43, SB78, HB463, HB998, SB197, SB268, SB123, SB276, SB326, SB80, HB901, HR20, HR74, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB82, SB89, SB97, SB479, HB74, HB119, HB134, HB210, HB258, HB468, HB784, HB870, HB953, HB956, HB1117, HB1236, SB42, SB208, SB217, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB379, SB382, SB387, SB401, SB449, SB487

Keywords: Major Richard Star Act, veterans, military retirement, disability compensation, VA benefits, combat-wounded, medically retired, military retirees, service members, veterans benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, concurrent receipt, retirement offset, combat-related disability, bipartisan support, memorial resolution, Congressional memorial, Louisiana delegation, Richard Star

Summary: The House convened with a quorum and opened with prayer by Archbishop Checchio, the pledge, and the national anthem. Members also used personal privilege to recognize visiting officials, university leaders, grocers, Governor’s Fellows, and several special guests and honorees, including Grambling State University for its 125th anniversary, Tiger Athletics, and the Tiger Marching Band, as well as CASA volunteers and advocates. The chamber adopted a number of ceremonial resolutions and made several conference committee appointments and committee discharge motions. The floor then took up a series of Senate and House resolutions, many of which were adopted without objection or after brief debate. These included resolutions creating or studying task forces on topics such as homeowner catastrophe claims and insurance-related litigation, the Louisiana-Ireland Trade Commission, informed consent laws, fiscal note procedures, K-12 student success pathways, and military funding alignment. Members also adopted resolutions on domestic violence protective-order access, flood risk mapping, seismic activity in North Louisiana, illegal dumping enforcement, toll signage and customer service, and other local or commemorative matters. Several Senate resolutions were temporarily returned to the calendar, while others were adopted by recorded vote, including SCR 29, SCR 33, SCR 37, SCR 63, SCR 30, SCR 65, and SCR 40. The House then considered Senate Bill 259, which authorizes an online application process for civil protection orders and restraining orders for domestic violence victims; it passed 93-0. Senate Bill 312, dealing with public-sector labor organizations and dues/withdrawal procedures, prompted extended debate focused on whether the bill unfairly singled out teachers’ unions and whether teachers already have the ability to opt out; the bill ultimately passed 60-38. Senate Bill 348, allowing the City of St. George to contract for administrative assistance in motor-vehicle crash response, passed 84-9 after questions about citations, reports, and the role of third parties. Senate Bill 485, concerning St. George’s municipal fiscal authority and insurance premium taxes, passed 91-0 after an amendment removed new public facility charge authority. The House also debated Senate Bill 197, which would reduce the number of judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal from 12 to 10 based on a workload and population study by the National Center for State Courts. Supporters cited the circuit’s smaller population and lower per-judge workload, while questions focused on the study’s publication and whether it actually recommended a reduction. The transcript ends during that debate, before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• this kind of massive fire, in addition to all of the weather dynamics and conditions, us not seeing rain

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The joint Senate hearing of the Natural Resources and Water Committee and the Emergency Management Committee focused on wildfire resilience, with members discussing the SB 254 report on enhancing California’s response to natural catastrophes. Opening remarks emphasized the scale of wildfire damage, the need for prevention and preparedness, and concerns about the affordability and insurability crisis. Senators repeatedly contrasted the relatively small share of funding going to community hardening with the much larger amounts spent on utility wildfire mitigation and landscape-scale projects, and several members raised concerns about CEQA delays, one-time funding, and the need for more sustainable, ongoing financing. The Legislative Analyst’s Office presented an overview showing about $4.7 billion in state wildfire resilience appropriations from 2018-19 through 2025-26, with funding shifting from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the General Fund and then to Proposition 4. LAO noted that only about $65 million had been specifically targeted to community hardening, while most funding went to forest health, fuels, research, and related programs. LAO also said one-time funding will decline in coming years and that future GGRF support is uncertain, though General Fund use is not legally precluded. Members asked about maintenance costs, polluter-pays ideas, and whether performance metrics should focus more on property and community risk reduction than acres treated. Cal Fire’s State Fire Marshal described the state’s community wildfire preparedness strategy, centered on home hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood-scale mitigation. He said roughly 4 million homes are in the wildland-urban interface, most built before modern fire-resistant standards, and argued that the state must move from response to prevention. He said Cal Fire is incorporating the SB 254 recommendations into its updated action plan, has streamlined some fuel-reduction projects under a recent executive proclamation, and is shifting some grant funding toward maintenance of existing treatments. Cal OES described the AB 38 pilot and FEMA hazard mitigation work, saying the pilot helped build tools and standards for home hardening but that federal approval delays remain a major barrier; the agency reported 155 hardened properties, 19 under construction, and 370 assessed and waiting. The Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force said it has coordinated more than $6 billion in state and federal investments, is moving toward regional block grants and better data-driven prioritization, and is developing separate community and landscape strategies. The hearing ended with discussion of modeling, data gaps, utility coordination, contractor capacity, and possible legislative or budget changes to better align funding and metrics with community safety outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• As when you were a kid in elementary school, couldn't go to recess because it was raining outside, and

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• one-of-a-kind facility in the world, where we can test full-scale structures against the perils of wind, rain

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on home hardening and defensible space as wildfire mitigation tools, with members and witnesses emphasizing that California’s wildfire losses, insurance costs, and affordability pressures require a broader strategy than the status quo. The chair framed the issue as a tipping point for the state and asked witnesses to discuss how to scale mitigation, improve coordination, and make programs more effective and sustainable. Early testimony from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety explained how embers, flames, structure density, and combustible materials drive community conflagrations, and described the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home standards, including a base “Prepared” level and an enhanced level. IBHS said California is ahead of other states but still needs standardized, verified mitigation, and noted research suggesting home hardening can reduce losses and improve insurability. The Legislative Analyst’s Office highlighted key policy questions for lawmakers, including the state’s role, intergovernmental coordination, cost-effectiveness, program design, long-term sustainability, and barriers to implementation. Members pressed for practical, lower-cost approaches, and witnesses repeatedly stressed that the first five feet around a home is critical, that many mitigation steps are DIY or relatively low-cost, and that financing will be necessary because many homeowners cannot afford full retrofits. Megafire Action argued that home hardening is a market adoption challenge, not something the state can fully pay for, and recommended a blended model of education, low-interest loans, smaller grants, and insurance discounts to drive mass adoption. Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council and Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority described local programs using assessments, neighborhood-based Firewise efforts, grants, and resident participation, while also calling for better marketing, clearer standards, workforce development, and stronger links between mitigation and insurance benefits. In the later panels, Cal Fire and the State Fire Marshal described the state’s layered approach: parcel-level hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood-scale mitigation. Cal Fire said its defensible space inspection program needs ongoing funding and staffing to remain permanent, and the LAO said the proposal has merit but could be modified depending on budget conditions and alternative funding sources. Cal Fire also described a forthcoming defensible space financial assistance program focused on Zone Zero and vulnerable communities, estimating about $8,000 per home and roughly 3,125 homes served with the proposed funding. The State Fire Marshal clarified that local Zone Zero ordinances cannot be less restrictive than state minimum standards, though local governments have flexibility above that floor. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses returned to the need for a coordinated statewide marketing campaign, consistent standards, targeted incentives, and sustained funding to move from pilot efforts to mass adoption.