Transcript Highlights:

• Arizona supports the rights and obligations of its member airports within the state under federal and
• We have a contract called a compact, and it obligates the upper basin states to forward X amount of water
• Chairman and Senator, I believe most, if not all, of the—I'll have to find out what is not obligated

Bills: HB2003, HB2063, HB2111, HB2116, HB2210, HCM2007

Keywords: driver education, instruction permit, underage drivers, motorcycle licenses, traffic regulations, corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, driver license, examinations, motorcycle awareness, traffic laws, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Transcript Highlights:

• .HEAL Act compliance will prevent DNR from meeting our legal mandates, not to mention our moral obligations
• I'm Sophia Bird-McSherry with the Office of Public Defense.
• And finally, of course, cities are asking for additional help with public defense costs.
• Kentucky, defense attorneys must advise immigrant clients of deportation risks, yet Washington still
• It is many more dollars Washingtonians will simply have to spend downstream on public defense, courts

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Bills: S1512, S1602, S1604, S1656

Keywords: Space Florida, tax exemption, governmental purpose, aviation, defense industry, space exploration, semiconductor technology, veterans, housing, property management, incentives, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, vacancy relief, risk mitigation, housing finance, trust fund, Homes for Veterans, S1656, SB 1656, official state flagship

Summary: The Committee on Military Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security met with a quorum and considered several memorials and bills. It first passed Senate Memorial 1714, urging Congress to support the “No Tax Dollars for Terrorist Acts” measure to prevent U.S. funds from benefiting the Taliban in Afghanistan. The committee then favorably reported SB 1512, which expands tax exemptions and procurement flexibility for Space Florida, and SB 1656, which designates the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship in place of the Western Union. The committee also favorably reported SM 1186, which urges Congress to increase the Florida National Guard’s force structure, with supporters citing Florida’s large population and disaster response needs. Senator Sharif voiced support for the effort. Next, the committee took up SB 1602, creating a Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program in selected counties to help landlords house veterans through vacancy relief and risk mitigation funds; two amendments were adopted, and the bill was reported favorably as committee substitute. SB 1604, which creates the associated trust funds within the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, also received one technical amendment and was reported favorably as committee substitute. Throughout the meeting, several measures drew supportive testimony or comments, including representatives from Space Florida and the Florida Chamber on SB 1512 and a supporter on SB 1602. Multiple members offered to co-sponsor or support veterans-related measures. No bills were opposed in debate, all amendments were adopted without objection, and each item was reported favorably before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate the modest increase. ...public safety systems, which is the collapse of public defense.
• We appreciate the modest increase in public defense grant funding that was included in last year's budget
• It's a mandatory legal obligation and a matter of fundamental fairness.
• Finally, as caseload standards for indigent defense have moved from a policy to a Supreme Court mandate
• I ask that you do not cut the legal defense funding and include the $25 million in WAMAS funding for

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee continued its public hearing on HB 2289, the supplemental operating budget. Testimony focused heavily on the governor’s proposal to redirect or supplant Climate Commitment Act revenue, with environmental and public health advocates arguing that the $569 million diversion would undermine climate pollution reduction, wildfire resilience, clean transportation, affordability programs, and long-term climate investments. Several speakers also urged restoration of full wildfire funding under HB 1168, warning that underfunding would increase future costs and risks to communities and ecosystems. A large share of testimony opposed proposed Medicaid and long-term care changes, including freezing or delaying rate rebasing for nursing homes, shifting pharmacy benefit financing, and reducing support for caregiver staffing. Providers said the cuts would destabilize facilities, reduce access for Medicaid residents, and worsen workforce shortages. Other speakers urged continued funding for public health services, the Working Families Tax Credit, food assistance, housing and homelessness programs, right-to-counsel for tenants, disability services, and public defense, arguing that reductions would increase emergency-system costs and harm vulnerable residents. Education-related testimony supported the Ninth Grade Success Initiative, homeless student supports, and K-12 funding, while school and university representatives opposed higher education cuts and called for new progressive revenue. Child care advocates warned that proposed subsidy caps and rate reductions would reduce access and harm the workforce. The committee also heard support for public works infrastructure funding, land conservation and youth outdoor programs, a tribal liaison position at a museum, and continued support for dental access and immigrant legal services. No votes were taken; after public testimony ended, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That includes $3 million for fiscal year 27 for the Eviction Defense Appointed Counsel Program to maintain
• I'm Sophia Bird McSherry with the Washington State Office of Public Defense.
• And wanting Washington to pivot from defense to offense, I encourage the committee to confer with the
• I'm the Eviction Defense Program Director at the Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid, and I'm
• School districts don't get proper reimbursement for those programs, but we're obligated under federal

Bills: HB2289

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee opened with committee guidelines for the 2026 session, emphasizing time limits, no visual aids, amendment deadlines, confidentiality, professionalism, and the chair’s authority on parliamentary rulings. The chair also noted the meeting was being recorded and live streamed, and that public testimony would be limited to one minute because of the large number of sign-ins. The committee then heard a work session presentation from OFM Director Katie Chapman on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget, followed by questions about the budget’s four-year balance and potential credit-rating effects. Chapman said the proposal addresses a roughly $2.3 billion shortfall through nearly $800 million in spending reductions, revenue shifts, fund transfers, and about $1 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account, while also making targeted investments in areas such as child welfare, wildfire response, housing, and some affordability measures. She also explained that the proposal does not fully balance in the 2027-29 outlook, though she said the governor believed the statutory conditions allowed that choice. Chapman outlined major proposed reductions, including a soft cap and lower subsidy rates for Working Connections Child Care, limits on Apple Health Expansion enrollment, reduced increases for assisted living and nursing homes, reductions to transition to kindergarten and Running Start, flat local effort assistance, and across-the-board cuts to higher education and agency operations. She also described shifts of Working Families Tax Credit funding to the Climate Commitment Account, additional transfers from accounts such as Public Works Assistance, and proposed closure of several tax preferences. Agency and stakeholder testimony largely split along these lines: education groups, child care advocates, higher education leaders, and school employees opposed cuts to TTK, LEA, Running Start, and child care; human services and legal aid groups supported or sought restoration of funding for crime victim services, right to counsel, civil legal aid, and youth/foster care programs; and natural resources and local government witnesses objected to sweeps from wildfire, derelict vessel, and infrastructure accounts. Several statewide officials and agency representatives also testified. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to additional sweeps from his accounts and said prior cuts had forced layoffs and service reductions, including at the libraries and corporations division. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said the wildfire prevention funding in the budget was still $30 million short of the commitment in House Bill 1168 and warned that underfunding would increase fire costs. Other testimony supported funding for the Office of Civil Legal Aid, the Office of Public Defense, the Human Rights Commission, the Economic Security for All program, and the state employee contracts included in the budget. The committee did not take any votes or formal action during the hearing; it continued taking public testimony on the governor’s budget proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• If it was sold fraudulently, don't you have an obligation to not pay it?
• on the contract... were as we are obligated to serve licensed retailers that was legal.
• But again, our obligation was to service the licensed retailer and to We took that obligation seriously
• those obligations. based on their direction.
• Asking for an opinion on if the TEC's rule to toll its obligations Obligation is obligation under government

Bills: SB 28, SB 687, SJR 34, SCR 9, SB 523, SB 62, SB 847, SB 706, SB 869, SB 890, SB 992

Keywords: lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, SB 687, land surveyor, land surveying, surveying services, construction contract, anti-indemnity, indemnity, hold harmless, defense obligation, standard of care, professional negligence, civil practice and remedies code, local government code, governmental agency, public contracts

Summary: The meeting was a crucial session for discussing several important bills including SB992, which aims to establish a clear time frame for the Attorney General's approval on outside legal counsel for state agencies. Senator Nichols presented the bill, emphasizing its necessity for timely responses to ensure efficient legal processing. Another notable discussion centered around SB523, which seeks to allow parole and probation officers to use a business address on their driver's licenses for safety and security purposes. This bill passed favorably out of the committee, with public testimony supporting the need for such provisions due to the risks these officers face.

Transcript Highlights:

• the potential to transform economies through the optimization of oil and gas, financial services, defense
• A gap that is not well defined and... ...whose obligation to maintain electrical infrastructure is not
• Yes, we've been dealing with this clause that allows for an affirmative defense regarding liability.
• Or not ready in the sense of an affirmative defense and addressing the possibility?
• , not on the insurance companies, but on the insured to disprove the affirmative defense being pled by

Bills: HB106, HB144, HB145, HB252, HB1732, HB2221, HB2467, HB2468, HB2517, HB2518, HB2963, HB3016, HB3689, HB3960, HB4386, HB4490, HB4751, HB5247, HJR175, HB2213, HB106, HB144, HB145, HB252

Keywords: HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund, production safety, leasehold operations, electric utility, distribution poles, inspection

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, on page four they referred to getting equipment from the Department of Defense.
• </c> Department of Defense. That was deleted. Department of Defense. That was deleted.
• You know, I think we need to get the Council of Defense set up, and the $25,000 was for that.
• So it does, um, Wyoming traditionally has not stood up the state defense council.
• I want more folks that maybe cyber defense to help us.

Bills: SF0045, SF0058, SF0067

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

Transcript Highlights:

• The Affirmative Defense Act proves that incentives work in Ohio, with 76% of SMBs increasing cybersecurity

Bills: SB1540, SB2610, SB2373

Keywords: election officials, confidentiality, personal information, government transparency, public safety, cybersecurity, data breach, breach of system security, exemplary damages, punitive damages, liability shield, safe harbor, small business, mid-sized business, Texas Business & Commerce Code, sensitive personal information, personal identifying information, identity theft, fraud prevention, NIST

Bills: SB 1888, SB 3003, SB 2417, SB 2459, SB 3055, HB 1393, HB 2884, SB 2943

Keywords: grand jury, jury qualifications, jury wheel, small counties, Texas legislation, age verification, obscene devices, online sales, juvenile protection, penalties, antitrust, attorney general, Texas Free Enterprise, business regulations, legal confidentiality, personal identifying information, data brokers, judicial safety, civil rights, data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• our state, services for people with disabilities, our schools' ability to, you know, meet their obligations

Bills: HF169, HF195, HF194, HF1756, HF2133

Keywords: HF169, Minnesota insurance, health plan, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, patient assistance program, deductible, health insurer, consumer disclosure, out-of-pocket costs, medical assistance funds, copay assistance, health coverage transparency, chapter 62Q, enrollee, HF195, Fairmont, street reconstruction, bonding bill, capital investment

Bills: HF56, HF780

Keywords: HF56, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment, state bonds, bond proceeds fund, Hutchinson Area Transportation Services, Hutchinson, McLeod County, transportation facility, vehicle storage, equipment storage, fueling facility, temperate storage, local infrastructure, public works, general obligation bonds, education finance, school funding, state aid, appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates significant and ongoing financial obligations for the state, introduces unfunded mandates,
• It also expressly states that it does not alter any otherwise applicable agency obligations to provide
• Salmon play a key role in Washington's ecosystem, treaty obligations, diet, ecology, and culture.
• It would not be self-defense crimes.
• . ...must calculate the assessment and notify covered entities of their payment obligations.

Bills: HB1316, HB2401, HB2557, HB2720, HB1073, HB2685, HB2640, HB2403

Keywords: postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, commission, gender equity, boys, men, advocacy, state policy, special education, parental rights, educational access, evaluation reports, disability services, behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access

Summary: The committee heard staff briefings, public testimony, and no final votes on a series of bills. On Substitute House Bill 1128, staff described a proposed second substitute creating a Child Care Workforce Standards Board at L&I with an advisory role only, along with estimated staffing and board costs; supporters said child care workers need a forum to address understaffing and wages, while opponents called the bill duplicative and costly. The committee also heard support for Second Substitute House Bill 1634, which would have OSPI and ESDs develop a technical assistance and training framework for school behavioral health supports, and Substitute House Bill 2636, which would create a public education review advisory council to recommend K-12 policies for JLARC review; staff outlined fiscal impacts for both, and no one testified on 2636. Members then heard House Bill 1316 on expanding the Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness program so multiple campuses within an institution could apply, with testimony that the current language unintentionally limits access to already appropriated funds. Substitute House Bill 2474 would expand use of the Student Achievement Council Tuition Recovery Trust Fund to cover consumer protection violations tied to private college closures and teach-out obligations, with staff noting no expected fiscal impact from the fund itself. Substitute House Bill 2365 would broaden the State Broadband Office’s digital equity duties and rename the grant program, with supporters emphasizing rural access and the loss of federal digital equity funding; staff said Commerce would bear most ongoing costs. The committee also heard House Bill 2401, creating a Washington State Boys and Men’s Commission contingent on non-state funding, with supporters saying boys and men face worsening mental health, education, and social outcomes. Substitute House Bill 2475 would require the Office of Equity to develop statewide language-access guidelines and a plan to address interpreter shortages, with staff saying the office could absorb the work but other agencies’ costs were uncertain. Substitute House Bill 2517 would give regional transit authorities more flexibility to seek permits before acquiring property for high-capacity transit projects, and Substitute House Bill 2145 would restrict manufacturers from blocking 340B drug access through contract pharmacies and add reporting requirements; testimony was sharply divided over whether the bill protects safety-net providers or increases health care costs. Finally, Second Substitute House Bill 1420 would require a textile and apparel coordinating organization and a needs assessment for a future producer responsibility program, with supporters urging a careful first step and opponents warning it presumes the outcome and adds complexity and cost.

Bills: HF4470, HF2418, HF3417, HF3365, HF3463

Keywords: HF4470, Melissa Hortman, memorial, statue, memorial garden, State Office Building, Capitol Mall Design Framework, capital investment, appropriation, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, Department of Administration, public art, commemorative monument, landscaping, artist selection, family consultation, Minnesota legislature, state building site, capital appropriation, political subdivisions

Bills: SB 458, SB 819, SB 1238, SB 1642, SB 1643, SB 1644, SB 1791, SB 1810, SB 1824, SB 1825, SB 758, SB 1455, SB 1706

Keywords: renewable energy, solar power, wind energy, public interest determination, environmental impact, property rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, insurance, discrimination, marital status, widowers, spousal death, equitable treatment, Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance

Bills: SB 458, SB 819, SB 1238, SB 1642, SB 1643, SB 1644, SB 1791, SB 1810, SB 1824, SB 1825, SB 758, SB 1455, SB 1706

Keywords: renewable energy, solar power, wind energy, public interest determination, environmental impact, property rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, insurance, discrimination, marital status, widowers, spousal death, equitable treatment, Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance

Bills: SB 458, SB 819, SB 1238, SB 1642, SB 1643, SB 1644, SB 1791, SB 1810, SB 1824, SB 1825, SB 758, SB 1455, SB 1706

Keywords: renewable energy, solar power, wind energy, public interest determination, environmental impact, property rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, insurance, discrimination, marital status, widowers, spousal death, equitable treatment, Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance

Bills: SB54, SB126, SB128, SB101, SB102, SB104, HB282, HB298, SB54, SB126, SB128, SB101, SB102, SB104, HB282, HB298

Keywords: sunset law, Alabama Surface Mining Commission, environmental regulation, mining, state commission, Alabama Private Investigation Board, regulatory oversight, agency review, continuation, sickle cell disease, healthcare, regulatory commission, public health, regulation, electrical contractors, state agencies, home medical equipment, board continuation, boards, commissions

Transcript Highlights:

• My husband is indistinguishable from a natal male in appearance, yet would be legally obligated to use
• My husband is indistinguishable to a natal male in appearance, yet would be legally obligated to use
• , you know, a defense, we, as prosecutors, you often rely on cops as witnesses, and a defense attorney
• SB 11 therefore establishes an affirmative defense to prosecution for criminal offenses.
• That person deserves the affirmative defense that this bill provides everyone else.

Bills: SB6, SB7, SB8, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB17

Keywords: hemp, consumable hemp, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, delta-8, delta-9, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, edibles, cannabinoid regulation, hemp licensing, retailer registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, minor access

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 8, the Texas Women's Privacy Act, and heard extensive public testimony both for and against the measure. Supporters, including representatives of Texas Values and Texas Values Action, argued the bill was needed to protect women’s privacy and safety in restrooms, locker rooms, showers, prisons, domestic violence shelters, and other government-controlled spaces, and said it would provide clear, sex-based rules. Opponents, including many transgender Texans, civil rights advocates, clergy, business and public safety voices, and others, argued the bill would invite harassment, gender policing, lawsuits, and invasive inspections, while harming trans, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people as well as cisgender women who do not fit stereotypes. Several witnesses said the bill would conflict with federal law or prison standards, worsen safety in shelters and prisons, and hurt Texas’s reputation and economy. The chair repeatedly noted the compressed special-session schedule and said flood relief remained the session’s top priority. Public testimony on SB 8 was eventually closed, and the bill was left pending. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 6, dealing with consumable hemp product restrictions. Testimony on SB 6 focused on whether the bill went too far in restricting hemp-derived THC products. Opponents argued hemp and THC have medical and economic value, that the bill would criminalize conduct and burden courts, and that regulation—not prohibition—was the better approach. Some witnesses supported tighter rules such as testing, child-resistant packaging, and limits on marketing to children, but still opposed the bill’s broad THC ban, higher fees, and age restrictions. Several speakers emphasized benefits for veterans, chronic pain patients, and small businesses, and warned that prohibition would push consumers toward the illicit market. The committee heard the testimony and then continued with additional witnesses, with no final vote or disposition reported in the excerpt.