Video & Transcript Research : 'boxing'
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WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, February 20, 2026
Minerals, Business & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- You chose the curtain instead of the box. >> Okay. Thank you, gentlemen.
- You chose the curtain instead of the box. >> Okay. Thank you, gentlemen.
- You chose the curtain instead of the box. >> Okay. Thank you, gentlemen.
- You chose the curtain instead of the box. >> Okay. Thank you, gentlemen.
- instead of the box." instead of the box."
Keywords:
pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Or I could just check this box that says I decline conscientiously. Because it's easier, right?
- Just check this box. Let's make it easy. It's modern. No foul.
- Then we check that box.
- If something happened and that baby is no longer living, then we would check the 'no' box.
- But when it's you, you want to get out of your box and be a doctor. Y'all gotta pick one.
Bills:
HB3772, HB1656, HB4504, HB1896, HB4420, HB4421, HB4076, HB3708, HB2806, HB3540, HB1586, HB5459, HB4553, HB4535, HB3811, HB3749, HB4255, HB4051, HB5098, HB3554, HB4539, HB5274
Keywords:
e-cigarettes, health and safety, regulations, directory, penalties, regulation, certification, compliance, manufacturers, FDA, nicotine, mental health, emergency detention, paramedic authority, mental illness, healthcare facility, public health, covenants not to compete, health care practitioners, physicians
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/19/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- while still achieving the critical goals of providing meals to seniors and thinking outside of the box
- is<00:10:17.519>
crucial <00:10:18.079>in <00:10:18.320>this outside of the box - is crucial in this outside of the box is crucial in this space<00:10:19.079>
right <00:10:19.240 - I've tried to explain that a text box on a meeting feedback form is not considered driving a meaningful
- on a meeting feedback form is not box on a meeting feedback form is not considered<01:26:05.080>
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee 3/17/25
Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- We start with the creation of the request for proposals, which includes the 10 steps listed in box one
- /c><00:37:36.440>
steps <00:37:36.760>listed <00:37:37.040>in <00:37:37.240>box - ><00:37:37.560>
one <00:37:38.240>we <00:37:38.400>move the 10 steps listed in box - one we move the 10 steps listed in box one we move on<00:37:38.760>
to <00:37:38.920>the - 16.720>
um <00:59:17.720>as <00:59:17.839>you <00:59:18.200>do The next box - 16.720>
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- It’s not 18 people, and uh, it really wasn’t us that told the Hunter Box.
- It’s not 18 people, and uh, it really wasn’t us that told the Hunter Box.
- /c><00:17:41.039>
told <00:17:41.240>the <00:17:41.360>Hunter <00:17:41.640>Box - <00:17:42.000>
they wasn't us that told the Hunter Box they wasn't us that told the Hunter - Box they that<00:17:42.480>
came <00:17:42.640>out <00:17:42.799>of <00:17:42.960
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- So I just think that we're opening up a box that's much bigger than just the ethnic studies changes in
- like we're opening so I just think that like we're opening up<01:13:12.679>
a <01:13:12.880>box - that's much bigger than just up a box that's much bigger than just the<01:13:14.679>
ethnic <01 - this<01:51:34.840>
was <01:51:35.000>a <01:51:35.520>empty <01:51:36.040>box - and recognized that this was a empty box and recognized that this was a empty box as<01:51:36.599
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Veterans and Military Affairs Division 2/12/25
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- We have this massive electrical box on the wall, and right in front of that electrical box is a pallet
- coyote cartoon we have this massive coyote cartoon we have this massive electrical<00:31:18.760>
box - on the wall and right in electrical box on the wall and right in front<00:31:21.159>
of <00:31 - :21.320>
that <00:31:21.480>electrical <00:31:22.000>box <00:31:22.240>is - <00:31:22.360>
a <00:31:22.559>pallet front of that electrical box is a pallet front of
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- the plan is to have two of the rinks have all-glass boards and zero ESS in and out of the players' boxes
- and out of the penalty boxes, I guess will be the case too, but it just allows for that young athlete
- out<01:44:54.560>
of <01:44:54.679>the <01:44:54.760>players <01:44:55.239>boxes - and<01:44:56.360>
out <01:44:56.480>of <01:44:56.560>the out of the players boxes - and out of the out of the players boxes and out of the penalty<01:44:56.960>
boxes <01:44:57.320
Summary:
The committee first heard from the Minnesota Department of Administration on the governor’s capital budget requests. Commissioner Tamara Grundal described the state’s deferred maintenance backlog, saying Minnesota owns more than 4,800 buildings across 19 agencies, with an estimated replacement value of $11.2 billion and about $2.2 billion in deferred maintenance. She urged continued bonding support for asset preservation, CAPRA emergency repair funding, Capitol Complex security upgrades recommended by the ACAS advisory committee, and a budget-neutral account to help leverage federal funds for renewable energy storage and electric vehicle projects at state facilities.
Members asked follow-up questions about prior security spending and CAPRA use. The commissioner said some 2018 security funds were used for items such as bollards, projectile-resistant glass, key card readers, and security kiosks, but specific details would be provided offline. On CAPRA, staff said recent projects included public safety upgrades, correctional facility repairs, water main and sewer work, roof repairs, lift station repairs, and boiler and steam trap replacements. The commissioner said the account has recently been used heavily, with about $1.9 million remaining, and estimated a typical target range of roughly $3 million to $5 million based on past spending and expected emergencies. A staffer said they did not know whether bonds had been issued ahead of time to fund the reserve and would follow up.
The committee then heard from the Department of Public Safety on BCA capital projects. Commissioner Bob Jacobson and Superintendent Drew Evans said the governor’s proposal includes a new Southern BCA regional office and laboratory in Mankato, expansion of BCA regional office and lab space, and a new Minnesota State Patrol headquarters using trunk highway cash. Evans said the Mankato project is needed because of growth in DNA analysis, digital evidence, controlled substances, cyber tips, and sexual assault kit testing, and because the current St. Paul facility is over capacity. He said the new regional facility would improve turnaround times, reduce travel for scientists and law enforcement, support training, and improve evidence intake and crime scene response in southern Minnesota.
Senator Pappas questioned the increase in the Mankato project cost from about $48 million to $68.6 million. Evans said the increase was driven by rising construction costs and additional specialized laboratory and support-space needs identified during design work with the Department of Administration. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Funding (01/31/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Just a follow-up: Is that a box that they check off?
- It says primary disability, and then you have a drop-down and you put it in there, so it's kind of a box
- Just a follow-up: Is that a box that they check off?
- Just a follow-up: Is that a box that they check off?
- That determination is just a follow-up: Is that a box that they check off?
Summary:
The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere.
Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently.
Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee 1/22/25
Elections Finance and Government Operations
Transcript Highlights:
- Any idea what percentage, roughly, ballpark, that comes from the little check on the box?
- Any idea what percentage, roughly, ballpark, that comes from the little check on the box?
- <00:42:16.800>
um <00:42:17.800>Mr from the little check on the box um Mr from the - little check on the box um Mr chair<00:42:18.520>
representative <00:42:19.240>let chair - /c><00:43:06.200>
this The PCR program, the funding for that does not come from check-in-the-box
Summary:
The committee heard testimony from Jeff Sigerson, executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, who outlined the board’s mission and core programs: campaign finance disclosure, economic interest statements, and lobbying registration/reporting. He described the board as an independent agency with six members, noted current vacancies and confirmation requirements, and said the board’s budget request was essentially flat, with a base budget of about $1.793 million and most costs tied to salaries, office space, and other fixed expenses. He also reviewed the board’s enforcement structure, emphasizing civil-only penalties, a complaint-driven process, and the availability of reports, enforcement actions, and advisory opinions on the board’s website.
Sigerson highlighted several recent and upcoming changes. Local ballot question committees for city, school district, levy, and bond issues now must register with the board if they exceed $750 in activity, and the board is preparing outreach and online registration tools to help local committees comply. He also discussed the public subsidy and political contribution refund programs, saying the board paid out about $2.12 million to 230 House candidates in 2024, that 93% of candidates signed the subsidy agreement, and that 2023 PCR refunds totaled about $447,000 for candidates and $1.616 million for party donors. He noted that the PCR maximum refund was recently increased from $50 to $75 per donation, and that payments could drop significantly in 2026 if the one-time supplement is not renewed.
A major focus of the presentation was the board’s lobbying report and related legislative recommendations. Sigerson said the board is moving from tracking marginal expenses to tracking the subjects and entities being lobbied, and that lobbying will be expanded from certain metro-area governmental units to all cities, counties, school districts, townships, and other political subdivisions, potentially adding thousands of lobbyists. He said the board held two public hearings and received 23 written comments on proposed changes. The board’s main recommendations were to broaden the expert-testimony exception so that certain paid experts at local hearings would not need to register as lobbyists, while still requiring disclosure of who testified, before whom, and on what subject, and to adjust the current lobbying definition for local government employees and officials who spend more than 50 hours a month on intergovernmental lobbying work.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- And then the pullout box there tells you that almost all of that general fund funding, appropriations
- Also, the green box there represents non-state funds.
- total agency funding and then just the total agency funding and then just the pullout<00:09:38.040>
box - there tells you that uh pullout box there tells you that uh almost<00:09:40.600>
all <00:09:40.800 - <00:10:06.600>
there uh also the the green box there uh also the the green box there represents
DE
Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Administration Committee Meeting Jun 24th, 2026
Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- He was taking some boxes out for work, and he seemed like he was in shock.
- He said he had to get these boxes out.
Bills:
SB231
Keywords:
school social workers, salary supplement, LCSW, mental health, education funding, Delaware Code, certification, professional standards
Summary:
The House Administration Committee met and first considered Senate Bill 231, which would extend the existing 6% salary supplement for school-based mental health professionals with advanced credentials to school social workers who hold licensed clinical social worker credentials and have passed the national exam. The bill sponsor and multiple witnesses described school social workers as essential to student mental health, crisis response, attendance, and family support, and argued the measure corrects an oversight and inequity in the current salary supplement structure. Public testimony was uniformly supportive, and the committee voted to release the bill.
The committee then heard Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 212, a constitutional amendment to protect the rights to hunt, fish, and trap. Supporters, including sportsmen’s groups and individual residents, said the amendment would preserve longstanding traditions, support wildlife management, and guard against future threats to hunting and trapping. An opposing witness argued there was no current threat in Delaware and said the Constitution should not be used to protect trapping or elevate hunting and trapping over other wildlife management approaches. Despite the opposition, the committee voted to release the substitute bill.
Finally, the committee took up Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 284, the First State Emergency Response Act, which would create a 25-foot buffer around first responders at emergency scenes after warning, with misdemeanor penalties for knowingly entering or remaining in the zone to interfere with duties. Supporters said the bill would protect police, firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics from interference, while opponents from the ACLU and the Office of Defense Services raised concerns about vague terms, potential First Amendment impacts, enforcement clarity, and jurisdictional issues. Committee members also questioned how the buffer would be marked and enforced. The sponsor and staff said they would continue working on the language, and the committee voted to release the bill.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- I have it up here in the blue boxes.
- I have it up here in the blue boxes.
Summary:
The Pension Funding Council met on June 23, 2026, for a work session that began with an overview of the Higher Education Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) and a 2025 accounting valuation of that plan. Staff explained that the SRP is a closed defined benefit supplement for higher education employees hired before the 2011 closure, with employer contributions currently pre-funding benefits in institution-specific trusts while institutions still pay benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis. The State Actuary’s office reported that the plan’s accounting position has improved, with combined market assets of about $245 million against $377 million in accrued liability, and that strong market performance since 2022 has increased the asset-to-liability ratio. The office emphasized that this was an educational accounting valuation, not a funding valuation for rate-setting.
The council then received the 2025 actuarial valuation report for the state retirement systems. Actuaries reviewed the recent demographic experience study, noting updated assumptions for mortality, retirement, termination, and salary growth, and said the net impact on most plans was small. They reported that most plans’ funded ratios improved, with all plans at least 94% funded and several at or above 100%, and that contribution rates for the 2027–2029 biennium are generally lower than current rates. They also noted that future rates could be affected by market volatility as deferred gains are recognized over the next few years. During public comment, a representative of the Association of Washington Cities urged the council to consider rate reductions to help local governments facing budget pressures.
In executive session, the council first approved a motion directing the Office of the State Actuary to perform an actuarial evaluation and analysis of each institution’s Higher Education Supplemental Retirement Plan, including institution-specific contribution rates, asset sufficiency, and funding policy options, due by July 1, 2028. The council then adopted the 2027–2029 pension contribution rates based on the 2025 actuarial valuation report. Both motions passed 5-0, with one member excused. The meeting concluded with no further business.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Status of Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- If you’re joining us online, you can type your question into the Zoom Q&A box.
- If you're joining us online, you can type your question into the Zoom Q&A box.
Summary:
The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities hosted “Strength and Support,” a networking and resource-sharing event focused on employment for youth and young adults with disabilities, with ASL interpretation, CART, recording, and livestreaming provided. The panel featured self-advocates, job coaches, and employment support staff who shared personal employment stories, including internships and career services through MassAbility, community advocate work at an independent living program, advocacy and podcasting, supported employment in retail and food service, and examples of successful placements through job coaching and clubhouse programs.
A major theme throughout the discussion was the barriers people with disabilities face in finding and keeping work, especially repeated rejection, lack of experience, inaccessible hiring and training processes, weak communication, and employers’ assumptions about disability. Panelists described the importance of accommodations, flexible scheduling, clear communication, patient supervision, and ongoing job retention support. Several speakers emphasized that networking and in-person connections often helped them secure interviews or jobs when online applications did not.
In response to questions about making employment more inclusive and sustainable, panelists recommended person-centered support, accessible applications and onboarding, opportunities to gain experience through internships and fellowships, and stronger employer education about the value of job coaches and disabled workers. They also stressed self-advocacy, patience, and taking chances on people. The event ended with audience Q&A and closing thanks to the speakers, interpreters, tech staff, and attendees.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- This is why we're here, to support local family-owned businesses, not big corporate, big-box-type operations
- All right, these aren't big corporate-owned, big-box-type operations.
Summary:
The Financial Services Committee heard testimony on several insurance, transportation, and labor-related bills. Senator Edwards supported bills addressing app-based delivery workers, arguing that food-delivery drivers should be treated as employees with protections and mileage reimbursement, and that a small surcharge on app-based deliveries could raise revenue for the Commonwealth and localities. Kevin Brousseau of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO also backed the delivery-worker bill, saying it would preserve employee status, add data transparency, and create a process for challenging deactivations. MAPC supported a bill to change transportation network company fees from a flat per-ride charge to a percentage-based assessment, saying the current fee is outdated and that a higher fee could raise more transportation revenue and help address congestion and emissions.
A large portion of the hearing focused on auto insurance and collision repair issues. Insurance industry witnesses supported a bill to limit attorney’s fees in PIP cases by giving insurers 30 days after a complaint is served to pay amounts due without fee exposure, arguing that PIP litigation has surged, is clogging courts, and is being driven by out-of-state firms. They also opposed auto body labor-rate bills, saying the market is already adjusting and that a statutory floor is unnecessary. In contrast, auto body shop representatives and the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts urged favorable action on bills to raise and regularly update collision repair labor rates, saying current reimbursement levels are far below market, have not kept pace with inflation or vehicle technology, and are making it hard to retain workers and keep small shops open. One witness also supported a bill to limit insurance surcharge points for low-damage accidents or minor moving violations.
Committee members asked questions about deactivation rights for delivery workers, the mechanics of the PIP litigation issue, and the gap between body-shop and mechanical labor rates. Testimony emphasized that current auto body reimbursement rates are around the mid-$40s per hour, while mechanical work can be reimbursed at much higher rates, and that advisory-board discussions have produced only limited progress. At the end of the hearing, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, then moved to close the hearing; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session May 22nd, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House Taxes Committee weighs bill to rescind Rochester sports complex funding 4/22/26
Transcript Highlights:
- They voted for that vision, and then somewhere between the ballot box and the bulldozer, the promise
- They voted for that vision, and then somewhere between the ballot box and the bulldozer, the promise
Summary:
Representative Hicks presented House File 4194, which would change how Rochester’s approved local option sales tax funds could be used for a regional athletics facility. Hicks argued the city’s 2023 ballot materials promised substantial community and stakeholder engagement and an indoor/outdoor community recreation complex, but that the project shifted to an outdoor-only plan without meaningful public input. She said the bill was needed to center Rochester residents’ voices and prevent a precedent of approved projects being changed after the vote.
Rochester City Council President Randy Schubring opposed the bill, saying the city is following the 2023 authorization and building as much as possible within the approved funding. He said the ballot question passed with 53% support and urged the committee not to overturn local election results, while asking lawmakers to work with the city and Rochester delegation on the remaining funding shortfall. Testifier Kamau Wilkins also opposed the city’s current direction, saying voters were promised indoor recreation facilities but are now getting mostly outdoor baseball diamonds, which he described as a bait-and-switch.
Several members supported Hicks’ concerns, saying legislators have a duty to ensure local sales tax projects match what voters were told. Representative Lee raised a broader issue about legislative oversight of local option sales taxes and referenced a possible St. Paul-related fix. Hicks closed by saying she supported the tax originally but no longer believes the project matches what voters approved. The committee then laid House File 4194 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism REVISED Apr 21st, 2026
Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism
Transcript Highlights:
- And this is outside-the-box thinking to try to get some infrastructure in some of these career techs.
- And this is outside-the-box thinking to try to get some infrastructure in some of these career techs.
Keywords:
housing finance, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, publication requirements, housing policy, state regulations, HB3031, North Pointe Workforce Development Initiative, workforce development, job training, skills training, job placement, local hiring, economic development, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, revolving fund, state treasury, appropriation, budget, workforce investment, employment outcomes
Summary:
The Senate Economic Development, Workforce, and Tourism Committee met for a work session focused largely on executive nominations and several House bills. The committee advanced nominations for Jared Lundry and Norville Ritter to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission, Amy Blackburn as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, and Jason Kays to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, with each nominee describing their background and priorities and receiving favorable roll-call votes.
Members also considered and advanced a series of bills affecting housing, tourism, workforce, and related programs. HB 1823 would require the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency to provide advance notice of HOME program changes, limit retroactive rule changes, and give preference to nonprofit grant recipients; it passed 8-1. HB 4476 created a revolving fund related to a music industry rebate program and passed 7-2 after an amendment raising a threshold from 25,000 to 28,000. HB 3880 updated tourism advertising law to include digital media and allowed the Oklahoma Today magazine to move online, with an amendment making publication permissive rather than mandatory; it passed 8-1. HB 3031 created a revolving fund for workforce development tied to skilled trades and the North Point Workforce Development Initiative, and HB 3378 staggered terms on the Oklahoma Science and Technology Research and Development Board; both passed.
The committee also passed HB 3369, which aligned LP gas and fire-suppression rules for mobile food vendors and required annual fire safety training, HB 3429, which authorized up to $50 million in bonds for CareerTech-related economic development projects, HB 3657, which clarified agricultural labor reporting and allowed OESC to share workforce data with the Workforce Commission, and HB 4215, which lowered the minimum spend threshold for Oklahoma film post-production incentives from $50,000 to $20,000. Finally, HB 3624, a controversial bill changing how county lines are determined along shifting waterways, drew extensive debate over taxation, property records, and rural impacts before passing 6-5. The chair noted the committee likely had one more meeting remaining and invited further suggested language on the county-line issue.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- Representative Box, you are recognized. Yeah, it's saying show us something.
- Representative Box, you are recognized for an inquiry. Turn your mic. Turn your mic.
Summary:
The Missouri House Legislative Rules Committee met with a quorum and took up a long hearing agenda of House and Senate measures. Early in the meeting, Chair Cupps explained that the committee would not use the “bingo spinner,” would hear the bills in order, and would recommit Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 889 to the House committee of origin for further review because of language that appeared to affect corporal punishment in public schools. That recommit motion passed 9-2.
The committee then moved through a large number of bills, most of which were reported due pass, including measures on tourism revenue, county health officers, library boards, child maintenance after DWI fatalities, initiative petitions, foreign law, post-conviction relief, property development applications, licensed child care facilities, administrative rules, workforce training grants, water resources, water service line fees, unemployment administration, school district operations and emergency response devices, military leave, health care provider networks, mobile food vendors, insurance regulations, tax credit cleanup, public water supply districts, downtown redevelopment incentives, workplace violence prevention in health care settings, pass-through entity taxation, county disability resource board levies, county finances, a civic recognition resolution, and a resolution for the America 250 Commission. Several bills drew brief questions about funding, scope, or policy effects, including whether school panic buttons were subject to appropriations, whether a hospital-zone speeding bill would affect emergency drivers, and whether a bill on initiative petition signature gatherers applied only to certain petition-related entities.
A few measures drew recorded opposition or were not unanimous. House Bill 1734 on the Soil Erosion Control Fund failed to pass 5-6. House Bill 2291 on applications for property developments passed 6-5. House Bill 2693 on water resources passed 9-1 with one present vote. House Bill 3174 on emergency responses in schools passed 9-2 after discussion of wearable panic buttons and funding. House Bill 3210 on compensation for property owners in larger cities passed 9-2. House Bill 3383 on nonprofit corporations’ hiring practices passed 9-0 with two present votes after discussion of E-Verify and initiative petition signature gathering. The committee also gave due pass to House Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 1066 and 1088 on property taxation by a 9-2 vote. The chair said another committee hearing was likely later in the week, probably Thursday, and then adjourned the meeting.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Technology and Telecommunications 2ND REVISED Apr 16th, 2026
Technology and Telecommunications
Transcript Highlights:
- Sometimes you have an opportunity to present bills or be a part of a bill that is thinking outside the box
- Sometimes you have an opportunity to present bills or be a part of a bill that is thinking outside the box
Keywords:
artificial intelligence, education reform, innovation, funding, advisory council, broadband, Oklahoma Broadband Office, broadband access, statewide broadband plan, internet connectivity, grant programs, expansion council, termination plan, Oklahoma, Gas Hub, national laboratory, public-private partnerships, aerospace, high-performance computing, economic development
Summary:
The Senate Technology and Telecommunications Committee considered several House bills focused on artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, broadband, and education technology. House Bill 3176 would create an Oklahoma Gas Artificial Intelligence and Space Research Hub under the Department of Commerce and a National Laboratory Development Program to help Oklahoma pursue federal research designations; members questioned the fiscal impact, public reporting, and agency placement, and the bill passed 7-1. House Bill 3544 would prohibit minors from accessing AI social companions and authorize civil penalties; supporters cited research and safety concerns, and it passed 8-0. House Bill 3619 would modernize state geographic data collection and mapping for census and boundary purposes; members raised concerns about county boundaries, costs, and possible impacts on property and taxation, and it passed 6-2.
The committee also advanced House Bill 3546, which bars artificial intelligence and other non-human entities from being granted legal personhood under Oklahoma law, passing 8-0 without debate. House Bill 1782 would create an Oklahoma AI Education Innovation Act with an advisory council and grant fund; members asked about funding formulas, membership, and dual office-holding, and it passed 8-0. House Bill 2293 would extend the Oklahoma Broadband Office sunset while requiring a wind-down plan and legislative review; members discussed the office’s consultation and termination process, and it passed 8-0.
Finally, House Bill 4358 would limit screen time for pre-K through fifth grade students to one hour per school day. After questions about enforcement, classroom logistics, and special events, the author struck the title to continue working on the measure, and the bill passed 8-0. Throughout the meeting, members generally expressed support for the policy goals of the bills while flagging implementation, fiscal, and jurisdictional concerns.