Video & Transcript Research : 'text messaging'
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MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
Transcript Highlights:
- stronger... ...scheduling those drivers to pick up anybody, which I think is probably a stronger message
- I texted the driver, let them know exactly where I was, and the app said that they were here.
- Others call me or text me and tell me to cancel after holding the ride long enough to get a payment regardless
- Others call me or text me and tell me to cancel after holding the ride long enough to get a payment regardless
Summary:
The hearing opened with the co-chairs introducing House and Senate members and explaining the hybrid format, three-minute testimony guidance, and the deadline for written testimony. The committee then heard extensive testimony on S. 2665, which would require employers to post notice to employees when an I-9 audit or similar federal immigration inspection is underway. Supporters, including immigration attorneys, a pediatrician, a labor leader, and an affected family member, argued the bill would protect privacy, give workers time to gather documents and consult counsel, and reduce fear and wrongful arrests. One witness from Illinois described a similar law there and said it had not caused the problems employers feared, while others said recent ICE enforcement has made notice especially important. The committee also heard testimony on S. 1360, a bill affecting collective bargaining rights for State Police, with the State Police Association arguing that a statutory gap lets departmental rules override their contract and that the bill would restore intended bargaining protections. A separate labor bill, S. 1305, was also briefly supported by the AFL-CIO as part of broader worker-classification protections for app-based delivery drivers.
A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 2066, which would impose fines on transportation network drivers who refuse rides to people with disabilities using service animals. Testimony from blind and disabled riders, service dog users, advocates, and the Disability Law Center described repeated ride cancellations, drivers pulling away after seeing a service animal, and the difficulty of enforcing existing anti-discrimination laws through MCAD or other agencies. Witnesses said the current system leaves riders without practical recourse because drivers are hard to identify and complaints can take years, and they argued that fines on individual drivers would create a real deterrent. Several witnesses also described the impact on employment, medical appointments, and daily independence. Committee members asked about service-animal verification, whether refusals are ever appropriate, and whether penalties should target drivers or companies; witnesses said legitimate refusals are limited to misbehaving or unsafe animals and that companies already have policies and some training, but enforcement remains weak.
The committee also heard from a witness supporting a related bill on rideshare accessibility and from advocates describing broader transportation discrimination issues. One witness discussed a separate proposal to study service-animal denial, and others noted that Uber’s self-identification feature and company policies have not solved the problem. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the meeting ended after the final witnesses on the service-animal bill and a brief organizational discussion about related legislation and committee business.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Oct 1st, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- The text, this is only for a few months, sort of getting started, and so I don't think that we're going
- And I just got a text from Health and Human Services, and that HCA just noted that at the end of fiscal
- every single one of the requirements and not get that health care if they don't respond to a call, a text
- I think my message is calm down and let's look at it. Let's look at the facts.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- Now move on to House messages. Secretary, call the first House message. Message from the House. Mr.
- Message from the House. Mr.
- Message from the House. Mr. President, Message from the House. Mr.
- Message from the House. Mr. President, Message from the House. Mr.
- All right, that concludes House messages. Now move on to committee messages.
Summary:
The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 29 senators present. The chamber adopted the previous day’s journal, allowed bill introductions throughout the day, and received multiple House messages referring local bills and proposed constitutional amendments to the Committee on Local Legislation, along with a lieutenant governor’s confirmation referral to the Committee on Confirmations.
Committee reports were then received from several standing committees. The Senate confirmed a series of gubernatorial and other appointments, including Michael Kulovitz and Barbara Maul to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Board of Trustees, Logan Glass to the Educational Television Commission, Ed Croll and James Harris to the Alabama Committee on Monument Protection, Matt Barnes to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, Scott Moes and Jeffrey Wilson to the Alabama Electronic Security Board of Licensure, and Jeffrey L. Cameman to the Tuscaloosa County Civil Service Board. The Senate also received favorable committee reports on numerous bills from Judiciary, State Governmental Affairs, Education Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Health Care, Veterans and Military Affairs, and Local Legislation, with several bills amended or substituted and placed on the next day’s calendar.
On the floor, the Senate adopted a special order calendar from the Rules Committee and passed several bills. Senate Bill 101 extended the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors to October 1, 2028. Senate Bill 93, as amended, allowed certain municipalities with populations of 12,000 or more and even-numbered councils to authorize a mayoral tie-breaking vote by council resolution. Senate Bill 115 created a competitive-bidding exemption for certain expenditures of $15,000 or less involving rolling stock, with quote and approval requirements. Senate Bill 131 on county subdivisions was amended and passed. Senate Bill 30, known as “Trey’s Law,” would make certain nondisclosure provisions unenforceable in cases involving sexual abuse victims; the sponsor described it as protecting survivors from being silenced, while Senator Albritton cautioned about the broader effects on settlements and institutions.
The Senate also adopted two resolutions: Senate Joint Resolution 19 honoring the life and legacy of Anna Smith Bedsole Holmes, and Senate Joint Resolution 20 commending the Alabama Birth Equity Initiative. The Rules Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and the listed bills were taken up and passed or advanced by unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on State and Local Government - 02/13/25
State and Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- resources to deal with her addiction, but at the same time she was still getting bombarded with messages
- 58:41.799>
with she was still getting bombarded with she was still getting bombarded with messages - about um more incentives to messages about um more incentives to continue<00:58:47.640>
on <00 - a your not sitting in committee and all a sudden<01:10:27.120>
DraftKings <01:10:27.719>texts - Chair, the sudden DraftKings texts you: “Hey, do you want to bet on tonight’s baseball game?”
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Jun 10th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- legislative arrangements, which do include the State of the State, the tribal-state relationship message
- The tribal-state relationship message was delivered at 10 a.m.
- But there's easily ways to use a talk-to-text application on your Word program that you could just talk
- And I just got a message from Jason saying that I can have that.
- I just got a message from Jason saying that I can have that admin position that he's hoarding right now
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Jun 10th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The tribal-state relationship message was delivered at 10 a.m.
- But there's easily ways to use a talk-to-text application on your Word program that you could just talk
- And I just got a message from Jason saying that I can have that.
- I just got a message from Jason saying that I can have that admin position that he's hoarding right now
- We clearly didn't necessarily get that message across well enough...
Summary:
The Legislative Procedures and Arrangements Committee met with a quorum and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The committee first considered and adopted a Joint Rule 211 change clarifying the deadline and statutory references for bill drafts involving health insurance mandates, after discussion that the process is still somewhat cumbersome but improved by the clarification. The committee then reviewed a revised draft addressing confidentiality protections for certain legislators and candidates, but members expressed concerns about the breadth, enforceability, and transparency implications of the proposal, and the committee chose not to advance it at this time.
The committee received an informational update on the new NCSL Legislator Security Fund. Staff explained that North Dakota is applying for the grant, which could provide about $200 per legislator for home security or related safety expenses, subject to Emergency Commission approval and reimbursement procedures. Members asked about eligible expenses, administrative burden, and whether new legislators would be covered; staff said guidance would be provided if funding is approved. The committee also approved the 2027 timing for the State of the Judiciary, tribal-state relationship message, and State of the State address on January 5, and set the Commerce Department and agricultural commodity reports for January 13 and 14, respectively, as required by statute.
A major portion of the meeting focused on legislative staffing and organizational planning. The committee approved a recommendation for 36 Senate staff positions and 41 House staff positions, along with a 3% compensation increase for session staff. Discussion centered on replacing some procedural clerk duties with permanent policy analyst staff, retaining quality assurance roles for now, and adding or repurposing positions in IT, program evaluation, legal, and administration. Members also discussed expanding program evaluation capacity and the need for clearer oversight of new programs, with staff noting upcoming training and model-sharing with other states. Finally, the committee reviewed a proposed new legislator orientation day on November 30 and broader organizational session training changes, including mock committee and floor sessions, security training, and more robust budget/appropriations instruction, but took no final action on the agenda items and adjourned after completing the budget-related recommendations.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- provides for the inclusion of the financial impact statement on the petition form, as well as the full text
- against any matter that is the subject of any constitutional amendment, including public service messages
- This in no way prohibits public service messaging campaigns from the state.
- A very important part of state government is messaging and informing when they cross over into attempting
- This in no way prohibits public service messaging campaigns from the state.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections met to consider SPB 7016, a major bill revising Florida’s constitutional initiative petition process. Senator Grall presented it as a fraud-prevention and ballot-integrity measure that would add sponsor training, stricter circulator rules, more voter identification information, faster submission deadlines, notice to voters whose signatures are verified, and additional civil and criminal penalties. The committee also considered several amendments, including a $1 million bond requirement, font and page limits for petition forms, restrictions on incentive-based circulator pay, removal of a criminal-conviction prerequisite for certain fines, deposit and reimbursement procedures for supervisors of elections, invalidation of petitions gathered by ineligible circulators, mandatory circulator training, and a prohibition on public funds being used to advocate for or against constitutional amendments. All of the amendments were adopted, with some roll-call votes recorded and most passing on party-line or near party-line splits.
The bill drew extensive questioning from senators, especially about the practical effects of the new requirements. Senator Polsky and Senator Rouson raised concerns about disenfranchising voters, burdening grassroots volunteers, the cost of bonds and deposits, the 10-day return deadline, and whether voters would be notified if a petition they signed was later invalidated. Grall said the measures were intended to protect the constitutionally significant initiative process, reduce fraud, and ensure sponsors—not taxpayers—bear administrative costs. Dave Ramba, speaking for supervisors of elections, supported the deposit and reimbursement concepts but warned that the bill’s implementation would be operationally difficult and that software vendors might not be ready for the changes by the effective date. He also said the process should avoid subsidizing petition drives with county taxpayer money.
Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers from Common Cause Florida, the League of Women Voters, the NAACP Florida State Conference, Florida Rising, Equal Ground, Voices of Florida, and other civic groups arguing the bill would suppress direct democracy, criminalize volunteer activity, impose excessive costs, and create confusion and litigation risk. One speaker from the Florida Chamber of Commerce supported the bill, saying the initiative process should be protected from fraud and outside interests. During debate, Senator Polsky argued the Legislature has steadily made the initiative process harder after recent citizen-led amendments succeeded, while supporters framed the bill as a necessary integrity measure. The committee had not yet taken final action on the bill itself by the end of the transcript.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- Secretary call the first House message. that your hand be on this state. that your hand be on this state
- Secretary call the first house<00:15:12.560>
message. Executive message. - Maybe somebody will text me and tell me where it is.
- I think y'all know where I'm trying to share the message. Y'all know loud and clear.
- I think y'all know where I'm trying to share the message. Y'all know loud and clear.
Summary:
The Alabama Senate convened with a prayer by Pastor Jeremy Ward and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Sophia Woods. A quorum was established with 27 senators present, and the Senate adopted routine motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with the previous day’s journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The chamber also referred Executive Message 69, appointing Brandy Williams to the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards and Education Commission, to the Committee on Confirmations.
The Senate received several Judiciary Committee reports. House Bills 41 and 149 and Senate Bills 230, 87, 169, 238, and 233 were reported favorably, with amendments on Senate Bills 87, 169, and 233. Those measures received second reading and were placed on the calendar for the next legislative day. The Senate also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 31, commending Mackenzie Grace Stigel, and Senate Joint Resolution 32, recognizing the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science for its national ranking; guests from the school were welcomed in the gallery.
The Rules Committee report was then adopted by a 33-0 vote, setting a special order calendar that included Senate Bill 71 on administrative rules, along with several other bills on dredging, county subdivisions, legislative matters, public corruption, rural hospital investment, minority affairs, campaign finance, and natural resources. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 71, the “sound science” bill, which would limit state agencies from adopting environmental rules more stringent than federal law and require science-based standards where federal law is absent. Senator Coleman-Madison offered an amendment to preserve stronger scientific and causal standards, arguing the bill could weaken protections in heavily burdened communities; the amendment failed on a roll call vote of 25 nays to 1 yea. Senators then continued debating the bill’s effect on ADEM’s authority, emergency rulemaking, federal standards, and environmental enforcement in Alabama.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- The text of the House proposal of amendment can be found in today's calendar on page 22.
- Section 2032 sets forth a disclosure required when publishing a synthetic media message within 90 days
- <00:18:46.240>
So <00:18:46.480>it <00:18:46.720>sat be messaged back to this - So it sat be messaged back to this body.
- publishing a synthetic media message publishing a synthetic media message within<00:20:23.520>
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Administration (01/22/2026)
Legislative Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- I actually have this same message online.
- <02:42:05.280>
this <02:42:05.600>same <02:42:06.399>uh <02:42:06.800>message - actually have this same uh message actually have this same uh message online.<02:42:08.240>
I - was that the process that the message was that the process that the house<04:48:29.040>
that < - I actually made some corrugated line lawn signs with the text of the marker.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Messaging and notification to homeowners and residents is still a challenge, and we'll, we're going to
- And as much as it pains me to have that conversation, we still have to improve on messaging and local
- But the, but the point is, the, the utilities, the co-ops, they got the message too.
- Chairman Chris Turner for supporting the Laredo effort and I wanted to also mention that I just got a text
- Regarding that specific question again, Al Davis, director, texting the Forest Service, and I'll defer
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- President, there's a message from the House. Admit the messenger. Mr.
- The following message from the governor: The secretary will read the message.
- So I want to make sure I'm looking at the text correctly, because I think specifically the writ of quo
- I want to make sure I'm sticking to the text.
- President, there is a message from the House. Admit the messenger. Mr.
Summary:
The Senate convened with an invocation, received a House message that H.B. 422 had passed the House, and heard gubernatorial nominations for the Council on Sex Offender Treatment. The chamber also recognized the Doctor of the Day and several visiting groups and adopted a resolution designating June 20, 2025, as Texas Nuclear Legislative Day.
Members then considered and passed several bills and resolutions, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. SB 311 passed to final passage on the Texas Supreme Court’s writ power. SB 883, on off-label prescription access for COVID-19 treatment, passed to engrossment. SB 1706, creating an Open Meetings Act exception for certain defense, military, and aerospace deliberations, passed despite concerns from Sen. Eckhardt that the bill’s use of “deliberate” could weaken open-government protections. CS SB 1677, directing a study on diabetes-related amputations, passed with support from Sen. Menendez. SB 1967 expanded flood infrastructure fund eligibility to certain multipurpose projects, and SB 1255, a cleanup bill on mold assessor and remediator regulation, passed unanimously.
The Senate also approved CS SJR 40 and CS SB 871, which would change emergency and disaster law to require legislative involvement after prolonged or widespread emergencies and to limit gubernatorial suspension powers, with Sen. Eckhardt questioning whether the bill could slow urgent business closures during a disaster. Additional measures passed included SB 1426 transferring management of the First Capital State Historic Site to the Texas Historical Commission, SB 249 requiring TxDOT to fund memorial markers for fallen peace officers, SB 1592 centralizing collection of hotel occupancy taxes from accommodation intermediaries, SB 1271 allowing concurrent jurisdiction on military installations for certain juvenile matters, SB 745 creating a higher penalty for intoxication manslaughter involving multiple deaths, SB 365 shortening the academic fresh start waiting period at public colleges, and SB 1171 adjusting compensation and standards for certain Texas Juvenile Justice Department inspector general employees. CS SB 36, creating a Homeland Security Division within DPS, passed after questions about its relationship to federal homeland security and its focus on border security and critical infrastructure.
The latter part of the session focused heavily on CS SB 38, a major eviction and squatter-related bill. Sen. Bettencourt described widespread squatter cases and argued the bill, with a Moody amendment, would clarify notice and eviction procedures while balancing property-owner and tenant rights. Sen. West said he supported addressing squatters but worried the broader eviction changes could harm vulnerable renters, especially single mothers, and said he would vote present not voting. The discussion continued with additional testimony from Sen. Kolkhorst about the need for a balanced eviction process.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Jun 3rd, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- bills will be deferred, reports of committees will be deemed read and amendments deemed adopted, messages
- from the Governor there are none, messages from the Senate there are none.
- By voting yesterday, we sent a clear message that California stands united.
- They can call 866-488-7878 or text 678-678.
- And so this goes into that same type of messaging.
Summary:
The Assembly met after a quorum call and first dealt with a procedural dispute over four amendments to AB 1240. The Speaker ruled the amendments out of order as not germane, and the Assembly sustained that ruling on a 49-16 vote. Members then added co-authors to several consent-calendar resolutions, including measures on the National Conference of State Legislators, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, ALS Awareness Month, and Men’s Mental Health Month, before adopting the consent calendar. The chamber also heard guest introductions, including a welcome for Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and took up a motion to bring AB 41 up out of file, which failed 19-48.
The bulk of the meeting was floor action on a long series of bills and resolutions, many of which passed with broad bipartisan support. Measures approved included ACR 40 supporting immigrant students and FAFSA privacy; AB 917 on permanent status for certain school employees; AB 985 on anesthesia access; AB 7 and AB 42 on higher education and student services; AB 245 providing property tax relief for wildfire victims; AB 255 allowing funding for drug-free recovery housing; AB 279 updating K-12 library standards; AB 289 creating a pilot for automated speed enforcement in highway construction zones; AB 291 on an educator apprentice program; AB 327 addressing swatting; AB 340 on confidential union communications; AB 341 creating an oral health technical assistance center for people with disabilities; AB 356 on San Diego health care infrastructure; AB 410 on bot disclosure; AB 476 on copper theft enforcement; AB 477 on educator pay targets; AB 485 on stolen wages and business licensing; AB 487, the insurance committee’s technical omnibus bill; AB 573 on tobacco retail license fees; AB 598 on school mapping technology; AB 635 on mobile home law enforcement referrals; AB 651 on remote participation for incarcerated parents in dependency hearings; AB 654 on homelessness hotline assistance in Los Angeles County; AB 662 creating a South County higher education task force; AB 667 on language access in professional licensing; AB 669 limiting early denial of addiction treatment; AB 670 on naturally occurring affordable housing; AB 695 on online continuation of community college for deported students; AB 723 on disclosure for digitally altered real estate images; AB 727 placing Trevor Project information on student IDs; and AB 736, a $10 billion affordable housing bond for the June 2026 ballot, which passed on a 61-11 urgency vote after extensive debate.
Debate on AB 736 was the most extensive of the day, with supporters arguing the bond would help address California’s housing crisis and give voters a chance to weigh in, while opponents criticized the state’s bond debt and past spending results. The Assembly then recessed for caucus meetings and later returned to continue the daily file, where additional measures were taken up, including AB 798 adding diapers and wipes to the emergency food bank reserve program, which passed 56-0, and AB 821 on career technical education, which was presented as bipartisan-supported as the transcript continued.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Commerce and Tourism Jan 21st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- It requires that all users of bots receive a pop-up message at the beginning of the interaction and then
- And so I'm just looking for opportunities based on your assessment of what the text means and impact
- And there was a message there from Michael Crichton, the author, and Steven Spielberg, the film’s director
- When I was walking up to the Capitol today and I walked by the House Office…” “...and there was a message
Summary:
The Committee on Commerce and Tourism considered a series of bills affecting tax policy, workforce development, business regulation, consumer protection, rural development, and artificial intelligence. SB 1076 would raise Florida’s research and development tax credit cap from $9 million to $50 million beginning with the 2027 allocation, and it was reported favorably. CS/SB 1266 would create a cybersecurity experiential internship and clearance-readiness program with the Department of Commerce and Cyber Florida; an amendment removed an appropriation from the bill, and the committee reported it favorably. SB 554, a broad update to Florida’s not-for-profit corporation law, was also reported favorably after supportive testimony from Florida Bar representatives. SB 1004, aimed at protecting buyers of dogs and cats from deceptive sales and predatory financing practices, received strong support from animal welfare advocates and was reported favorably. SB 1074, which provides rounding rules for cash transactions if pennies are unavailable, was likewise reported favorably. SB 214, expanding the rural community definition to include special districts in rural counties for economic development purposes, was reported favorably. SPB 7030, a public records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations, was adopted as a committee bill and favorably reported.
The committee also heard extensive discussion on SB 998, the Department of Commerce package. The bill would modernize the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, clarify rural community eligibility for certain unincorporated areas, exempt military entities from a reverter clause on land conveyances, and revise E-Verify enforcement procedures. Members questioned the E-Verify provisions, including penalties, protections for workers incorrectly flagged, and the treatment of gig workers. Senator Smith opposed the bill, arguing it creates unequal treatment between employers and immigrant workers, while Senator Wright supported the military-related provisions. Despite the debate, SB 998 was reported favorably, with Senators Bracy Davis, Smith, and Errington voting no.
The committee also took up SB 482, an “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights” that would create consumer protections for companion chatbots, require parental consent and access for minors, mandate periodic disclosures that users are interacting with AI, restrict certain uses of personal data and likenesses, and give the Attorney General enforcement authority. The bill drew both support and criticism: supporters emphasized child safety, transparency, and consumer protection, while opponents raised concerns about privacy, broad definitions, lack of audit mechanisms, and the absence of a private right of action for adults. Senators Smith and Davis urged clearer definitions and stronger accountability, but both said the bill was a starting point. The committee reported SB 482 favorably. The meeting ended with recorded affirmative votes requested by Senators Yarbrough, Wright, and Davis on selected tabs, and the committee adjourned.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Apr 10th, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Health and Public Affairs Feb 4th, 2026 at 06:25 pm
Senate Health & Public Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- What message does that send? I can't support the bill.
- But an instant message or electronic mail Would a direct message, as opposed to an instant message, be
- , but a direct message I think might be more expansive.
- The drafter chose 'instant message.'
- I don't think 'direct message' might be a more appropriate phrase.
Keywords:
prior authorization, pharmacy benefits manager, PBM, health insurer, prescription drugs, step therapy, formulary, auto-adjudication, electronic portal, appeals, medical necessity, serious mental illness, mental health, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, cancer, autoimmune disorder
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- and intends to convey its own message.
- Away sends a clear message of marginalization. It says that we're not welcome anymore.
- Message to LGBTQ+ Texans that their identities are controversial and their visibility is something to
- Even if that language is removed, the message is loud and clear and remains the same.
- She then posted it on Facebook, and a mutual friend texted the photo to me.
Keywords:
HB 229, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county dues, county association, state association of counties, lobbying, lobbyist, public funds, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, Government Code Chapter 556, Local Government Code Section 89.002, legislative advocacy, municipal government, county government, city government, special district
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session-Day 12, February 23, 2026-PM
Wyoming House Floor Meeting
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
New York State Senate Session - 05/27/2026
New York Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Messages from the Assembly. Secretary will read. Messages from the Governor.
- >> THERE IS A MESSAGE OF NECESSITY AT THE DESK. >> MOVE TO ACCEPT THE MESSAGE.
- Is there a message of necessity at the desk? There is a message of necessity at the desk.
- Move to accept the message. All in favor of accepting the message, please signify by saying aye.
- BILL TEXT.
Summary:
The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation, then approved the prior day’s Journal and moved into motions, resolutions, and budget-related business. Senator Gianaris called up Senate Print 5898A for reconsideration; the Senate voted 59 ayes to restore the bill to the third reading calendar. Several amendments were also received on third-reading bills, and the Finance Committee was called into session while the chamber proceeded with resolutions.
The Senate adopted Resolution J.2106 recognizing Second Chance Month and the mental health impacts of incarceration, with Senator Brisport speaking in support and a guest from the community recognized in the chamber. The body also adopted Resolution J.1492 designating May 27, 2026, as Taiwan Heritage Day, with remarks from Senators Sepúlveda, Stavisky, and Liu highlighting Taiwanese contributions to New York and expressing support for Taiwan amid current geopolitical tensions. The Finance Committee then reported several budget bills, including Senate Prints 9003D, 9004D, 9007C, and 9009C, which were moved to third reading.
The remainder of the session focused on the supplemental and controversial budget calendars, especially tax and spending provisions. Senators debated the “Protecting Our Wallets” energy rebate, with supporters describing it as a one-time check for eligible taxpayers and critics arguing it was too small and not tied directly to utility bills; the chamber accepted the message of necessity and laid the bills aside. Members also debated extensions and changes to tax provisions affecting corporations, alternative fuel exemptions, Broadway and theatrical production tax credits, charitable deductions for certain 501(c)(3)s, nicotine pouch taxes, a new New York City pied-à-terre tax, and a standardbred horse-racing testing fee. Several senators criticized the budget as raising costs or favoring certain industries, while supporters defended the measures as revenue-raising, affordability, or public-health policies. No final votes on the controversial budget bills are shown in the excerpt beyond procedural rulings, adoption of the resolution calendar, and acceptance of committee reports.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I believe ConocoPhillips texted me this morning and asked me to look over a case because they've just
- So they were actually texting me this morning when I was getting on a plane to be here.
- And so I want to make sure that we're on the same page here and that you're sending the same message
- truck obviously plays a part in this, the individual that opens up the gate, but we need to send a message
- It left a terrible situation that burned for two or three days, and we just need to send the right message
Keywords:
HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft