Transcript Highlights:

• It empowers taxpayers to make informed decisions.
• We show you registered as Carl Walker on behalf of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, and
• We'd like to thank Chairman Gahan for introducing this legislation that will ensure taxpayer Texas taxpayer
• If passed, HB 3900 would guarantee more taxpayer dollars remain in Texas banks and increase financial
• opportunities for those same taxpayers.

Bills: HB245 , HB700 , HB2783 , HB3526 , HB3900 , HB4061 , HB4124 , HB4166 , HB4395 , HB4534 , HB4609 , HB4641 , HB4736 , HB4738 , HB4739 , HB4945 , HB5015 , HJR175 , HB245

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees, payroll deductions, retirement plans, fiscal transparency, local government, bond issuance

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, with that, Senate File 4067 is laid over and we'll move to Senate File 3804. to the taxpayers and
• Uh, to the taxpayers and say too bad.
• </c><01:46:26.239><c> that</c><01:46:26.560><c> pay</c><01:46:26.800><c> our</c> owners and taxpayers
• </c><01:59:12.159><c> in</c> and timeconuming for every taxpayer in and timeconuming for every taxpayer
• the taxpayers and the are representing the taxpayers and the people<02:09:48.880><c> people</c><02:09

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Ultimately, you're here today discussing this because it's about the faith and trust in our taxpayers
• and our taxpayers having that faith and trust in our system.
• There are taxpayer dollars at stake, and I think it's something we need to look into.
• of thanks, and I make it a point to say thank you for what you do because ultimately we owe our taxpayers
• lot of thanks and I make it a point to say thank you for what you do because ultimately we owe our taxpayers

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee heard the Auditor General’s operational audit of the City of Mexico Beach, which identified nine findings. The audit cited significant turnover in key management positions, late filing of required annual financial reports, weaknesses in competitive procurement and purchase approval controls, a duplicate payment on stormwater repairs that was later largely refunded, issues with the city accountant’s contract and IRS classification, IT access control problems, and the lack of fraud-reporting policies. Committee members asked about corrective action, and the Auditor General said a follow-up audit is required by statute within 18 months, with no enforcement authority beyond reporting progress back to the committee. Mayor Rich Wolf and city staff responded that the city had experienced major turnover and was rebuilding its finance and administrative team. He said the city had hired a city administrator, financial director, city clerk, and accounting firm, and was working to create policies, procedures, forms, and review processes to address the findings. Members discussed whether the turnover and hurricane-related workload contributed to the problems, and city officials said some of the larger purchases were storm-related and tied to FEMA or emergency work. The committee then received a staff update on enforcement for local governments that have not filed required financial reports. Staff said 400 entities had been notified, and as of the meeting two counties, 33 municipalities, and 48 special districts still owed reports or audits. The committee adopted a motion to proceed under section 11.42, Florida Statutes, including possible withholding of state funds for municipalities and enforcement actions for special districts, with authority for the chair and vice chair to delay action if new information warranted it. Finally, the committee unanimously directed the Auditor General and OPPAGA to conduct the required 2024-2025 audit of the Department of the Lottery, with the Auditor General handling financial, internal control, and compliance issues and OPPAGA developing operational recommendations. Members also briefly discussed whether the committee had reviewed transportation surtaxes and expressed interest in improving the timeliness and transparency of the audit and enforcement process before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• People are, you know, that's our taxpayer money, and that needs to be handled and administered professionally
• And that's a dollar that you're taking away from another taxpayer that needs it.
• that you're taking away<00:02:41.760><c> from</c><00:02:41.959><c> another</c><00:02:42.280><c> taxpayer
• ><00:02:42.800><c> that</c><00:02:42.879><c> needs</c><00:02:43.120><c> it</c> away from another taxpayer
• that needs it away from another taxpayer that needs it so<00:02:43.959><c> I</c><00:02:44.080><c> say

Transcript Highlights:

• Indeed, MA actually cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars extra every year.
• He's spending taxpayer dollars on a lavish White House ballroom.
• HR 8595 advances the America First policy agenda and restores accountability to how taxpayer dollars
• Cost the taxpayers billions. That's what he's consumed about.
• of taxpayer funds included in all settlements, payments, reimbursements, awards, or other financial

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendments that they are killing with this motion right here include amendments to stop taxpayer
• Meanwhile, our Texans, Texas taxpayers are still paying into the system.
• Currently, today, have billions and at the same time, we have taxpayers that are... desperate to not
• I'd rather return the money to our taxpayers. put it back into their pockets.
• That is a blank check for taxpayer-funded vouchers, and let's be clear.

Bills: SB1 , HB500 , SB1 , HB1400 , HB 1094 , HB365 , HB 1109 , HB647 , HB500

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, groundwater, water conservation, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, innovation fund, local conservation districts, transportation protection agreement, funeral services, insurance exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> time and taxpayer dollars. time and taxpayer dollars.
• </c><02:09:29.360><c> absent</c> unfairly imposed on taxpayers absent unfairly imposed on taxpayers absent
• ><c> protection,</c> This is property taxpayer protection, This is property taxpayer protection, local
• Is there things that can be done to save taxpayer dollars, or can you make your taxpayer dollars go further
• So, this option at taxpayer expense.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Long. taxpayers would benefit when agreements taxpayers would benefit when agreements are<01:03:51.039
• And it doesn't make any sense to me as a taxpayer.
• And it doesn't make any sense to me as a taxpayer.
• I'm representing Roniotti as a taxpayer.
• </c> representing Roniotti as a taxpayer. representing Roniotti as a taxpayer.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Summary: The committee opened its labor hearing on SB 655 and outlined the day’s schedule, including a later working session on SB 416 and an executive session planned for 2:30 p.m. Senator Dan Innis introduced SB 655, describing it as a technical bill affecting employee leasing companies/professional employer organizations (PEOs), workers’ compensation coverage, and a Senate-added minimum wage exemption for minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement. He said the PEO change would let either the PEO or the client business hold workers’ comp coverage, while still requiring coverage, and argued it would align New Hampshire with most other states and reduce barriers for small businesses and multi-state employers. He also said the baseball provision would clarify wage treatment for minor league players and support the Manchester team. Justin Warell of Insperity testified in support of the PEO portion, explaining that PEOs provide HR, payroll, benefits administration, and workers’ compensation administration through a co-employment model. He said the bill would preserve mandatory coverage while allowing flexibility for the client or PEO to maintain the policy, which could help clients who already have preferred coverage or who face cost or administrative issues in multiple states. He noted that most clients would still remain under the PEO’s policy and said Insperity would submit written comments. Committee members asked about how the arrangement would work, whether the client or PEO would pay, and whether the bill would affect liability insurance packaging; Warell said the employer still bears the cost and that the bill mainly gives larger clients an option. One member asked him to remain available for possible follow-up after hearing from the labor department. Stephen Gonzalez of Major League Baseball testified in support of the minor league baseball exemption. He said MLB and the MLB Players Association negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that already provides players with salary, housing, meals, per diems, health and retirement benefits, disability continuation, tuition assistance, and signing bonuses. He argued that treating players as hourly workers creates impractical time-tracking problems because players do work-related activities on their own time, and said the bill would recognize them as salaried workers and avoid litigation over what counts as hours worked. Committee members questioned why the exemption was needed if players are already salaried and whether MLB could simply amend its CBA; Gonzalez said the bill would help prevent wage-and-hour lawsuits and noted that similar exemptions have been enacted in other states. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the chair indicated the bill would be considered for executive action later that afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• property taxpayers I know that<00:52:37.079><c> in</c><00:52:37.280><c> 2023</c><00:52:38.280><c> uh
• Accounting, tax preparation, and taxpayer representation.
• Many of our clients are seniors, immigrants, day laborers, and low-income families—the very taxpayers
• </c><01:09:18.799><c> and</c> broad cross-section of taxpayers and broad cross-section of taxpayers and
• </c> accounting tax preparation and taxpayer accounting tax preparation and taxpayer representation<01

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• property taxpayers or the general<01:19:29.120><c> fund.
• They can't afford it where I taxpayers.
• This cannot be absorbed by our local property taxpayers.
• This cannot be absorbed by our local property taxpayers.
• </c> generation of workforce and taxpayers. generation of workforce and taxpayers.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Illegal immigrants do not need taxpayer-funded legal representation.
• </c><00:52:22.839><c> funded</c><00:52:23.839><c> legal</c> need taxpayer funded legal need taxpayer
• I hope that you stand with the taxpayer of Hawaii and vote against HB 438.
• </c> system while ensur that our taxpayer system while ensur that our taxpayer funds<00:57:10.440><c>
• </c><02:34:53.920><c> funded</c> don't believe that taxpayer funded don't believe that taxpayer funded

Summary: The joint Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees heard HB 756 HD1, a measure on flavored tobacco products. Supporters included the Attorney General, Department of Health, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, youth advocates, public health groups, and Kaiser Permanente. They argued flavored tobacco and menthol are used to attract and addict young people, cited rising youth and young adult vaping rates, and pointed to public health harms and evidence from other states that flavor restrictions reduced e-cigarette sales. The Attorney General requested oral amendments to correct a statutory reference, repeal a county preemption provision so counties could enact stricter flavor bans, and restore appropriations, positions, and the original effective date. Opponents, including retail and wholesale businesses, argued the bill would hurt small businesses and state tax revenue, push sales to the black market, and remove a harm-reduction option for adult smokers; they urged stronger enforcement instead of a ban. After testimony, the committees took up amendments and recommendations. The chair proposed correcting the statutory citation to HRS 26-38, adopting a Department of Health amendment on disposal of electronic smoking devices and e-liquids as hazardous waste, and noting the appropriations, FTE, and effective date in the committee report. Members then voted to pass HB 756 HD1 with amendments in both committees, with the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee recording one member as supporting with reservations. The transcript then moved to HB 806, relating to fireworks, which would appropriate funds for the Department of Law Enforcement to conduct sting operations on Oʻahu to enforce fireworks laws. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying undercover enforcement is costly and additional funding is needed. A community testifier also supported stronger enforcement, citing illegal aerial fireworks, noise, and impacts on pets and kupuna. No final vote on HB 806 was shown in the excerpt. The Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee also heard HB 438, which would create a Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program to provide legal representation in immigration court for income-qualified individuals. Support came from civil rights, legal aid, ACLU, and law school clinic representatives, who said counsel is needed to ensure due process and fair access to justice, especially because immigration proceedings can lead to deportation and family separation. Opposition testifiers argued taxpayer-funded counsel for people in immigration proceedings is inappropriate, unlawful, or unfair to citizens and legal residents. One law school representative suggested a technical amendment to broaden language about training and education. The excerpt ends before a final vote on HB 438 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a taxpayer from the seacoast of New Hampshire.
• Do you think you will be taxpayers?
• Spending taxpayer dollars in this 37.
• But what we truly lose is taxpayers.
• Chief, your time is taxpayers clearly.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Without this legislation, there's no way for state taxpayers to make private donations to the UN's fund
• It doesn't burden Massachusetts taxpayers unless they want to voluntarily step up to contribute.
• What sort of protections are there for the American taxpayer who might unknowingly put their tax dollars
• And would any information be provided to the taxpayer before they make the selection about where the
• law is in the section of the property tax statutes that really were meant to recapture delinquent taxpayers

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 3256, a bill stemming from the Massachusetts Cranberry Revitalization Task Force that would remove Chapter 61A barriers for certain renewable energy projects on non-producing agricultural land. Supporters said the bill would let farmers separate adjacent land from Chapter 61A without a municipal right of first refusal, avoid rollback and advance tax penalties, and use small solar or other renewable projects to generate supplemental income while keeping the farm in operation. Testimony emphasized that the proposal is intended to be “farm-first,” limited to marginal or accessory land, and could also produce local tax revenue for municipalities. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill should be limited to solar, the appropriate project size, impacts on other agricultural sectors, and whether future sales or conversion back to other uses should trigger local rights of first refusal. Witnesses said the bill had been reported favorably in a prior session and noted that similar projects typically involve 20-year leases with extensions. The committee also took testimony on S. 2009, which would authorize regional transportation ballot initiatives. MAPC and Transportation for Mass argued that the bill would give municipalities and groups of municipalities a flexible tool to raise local revenue for transportation projects such as transit, roads, bridges, bikeways, and pedestrian infrastructure, with sunset provisions so the revenue ends when the project ends. They said the measure would not raise taxes on its own, but would allow local voters to decide whether to adopt a revenue source, and pointed to examples from other states where similar initiatives funded major transit and infrastructure projects. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony was also heard on S. 1922, which would create a Massachusetts fund allowing voluntary taxpayer donations to the UN Least Developed Countries Fund or related 501(c)(3) nonprofits supporting climate-vulnerable communities. Climate Reality Project representatives said the bill would let Massachusetts residents support climate resilience projects in the world’s poorest countries at no cost to the Commonwealth, and could serve as a model for other states. Senators questioned how recipient countries and nonprofits would be selected, what safeguards would exist regarding countries such as Yemen, and how taxpayers would know where donations would go; witnesses said the fund would be administered through the UN system and that they would provide more clarification. Rep. Michelle Ciccolo also testified on H. 3051, seeking a one-year deferral of the higher interest rate that applies when deferred property taxes become due after the death of a senior or veteran, saying the current jump to 16% can burden heirs and discourage use of the deferral program. The hearing concluded without any votes or committee actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why should taxpayers' dollars that are set aside for K-12 be used for college and sometime beyond when
• Why should taxpayers' dollars that are set aside for K-12 be used for college and sometime beyond when
• making a trade with the state of Arizona in which they are foregoing all of the investment that taxpayers
• we have seen even a recent president try to forgive illegally transfer student loan payments to taxpayers
• It actually saves the state money, saves the taxpayers' money.

Bills: HCR2048

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Transcript Highlights:

• This is just to ensure that, because this not-for-profit does get taxpayer money.
• I just, as a precedent, even though, sure, Misha takes some taxpayer dollar, we could argue that.
• And the purpose of... ...and focused on protecting Missouri taxpayers.
• There is no reason why Missouri taxpayers should be on the hook for paying general revenue to me...
• Missouri taxpayers should be on the hook for paying general revenue to my division whenever our Missouri

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Summary: The Committee on Government Efficiency met in executive session and voted several bills due pass. House Bill 3136 passed 13-1, House Bill 2506 passed 14-0, and House Bill 1758 passed 14-0 after brief comments, including one member stating he would vote present because the issue divided the public. The committee then took up House Bill 2278, which was combined with House Bill 2403 in a House Committee Substitute. Members discussed and adopted a committee substitute and amendment creating an appeals board for MSHSAA-related eligibility disputes, with supporters saying it would provide a final, independent appeal option for students and parents and opponents raising concerns about process, timing, and gubernatorial appointments. The substitute for House Bill 2278 and 2403 was adopted and voted do pass 11-7, with several members voting no over concerns about independence and government oversight of a nonprofit. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 2877, which would create a new unemployment administration adjustment fund funded by a small portion of employer unemployment contributions, capped at $10 million annually, to reduce reliance on general revenue for administering unemployment insurance. Representative Voss said the bill would not raise employer costs or affect benefits, and Division of Employment Security Director Alan Andrews testified in support, saying the measure would help avoid general revenue exposure and keep the program self-sustaining. Members asked about the effect in a recession, the relationship to federal funds, and whether the proposal could become a precedent for other funds; no opposition testimony was offered. The committee also heard House Bill 3428, a cleanup bill to move expired dormant funds back to general revenue. The sponsor said several funds had expired and were no longer in use, though some accounts had already been renewed or were still active and would be removed by amendment. Members questioned whether the affected agencies had been contacted and whether some of the money should instead be renewed or used for the original purposes; the sponsor said she was open to discussion, but the bill as presented was intended to reclaim expired balances. No one testified in opposition, and the hearing concluded without a vote on the bill in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are trying to create transparency between lawmakers, taxpayers who don't understand the people that
• Mississippi Miracle, that we fund them, we define them, and we do it in a way that is transparent so that taxpayers
• Taxpayers can see this is where our money is going. It's going to these positions.
• Or else we will find ourselves in a place of not transparency, of lawmakers, taxpayers, saying, what
• So let's be reactive lawmakers and add definitions that make sense and are transparent for our taxpayers

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Execution of AOT's mission delivers strong returns for taxpayers, supporting infrastructure, local services
• and maintaining a laser-focused commitment to delivering the best possible returns to Arizona's taxpayers
• to Arizona's tax. laser-focused commitment to delivering the best possible returns to Arizona's taxpayers
• So we have a better handle on how best to market and stretch our dollars and taxpayer dollars really
• So my question is, How do you measure the return on investment for the taxpayer-funded tourism campaigns

Summary: The Senate Committee on Director Nominations met to consider Alex Scalpsa Ridgeway’s nomination to serve as Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. Chair Jay Kaufman opened with remarks about the committee’s role in reviewing nominees for fidelity to state law and executive accountability. Ridgeway gave an opening statement describing her Arizona background, prior state service, and her view that tourism is a major economic driver for the state. She highlighted record visitation and spending, the importance of marketing the whole state, and efforts to expand social media, data use, and support for rural communities. Committee members questioned Ridgeway about the state of tourism, responsible visitor messaging, the need to market Arizona despite major attractions like the Grand Canyon, rural tourism strategies, international travel declines, return on investment for marketing, and how she would respond to unlawful or poor policy directives. She said she would always follow the law, would raise concerns about policy using data, and emphasized an activity-based marketing strategy focused on family travel, outdoor recreation, cultural travel, culinary, wellness, and luxury. She also discussed conflict-of-interest safeguards, said she would support more transparency and checks and balances, and noted plans to explore AI and other technology to improve efficiency. Public testimony strongly supported the nominee. Representatives from the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, the Cactus League Baseball Association, and Experience Scottsdale praised Ridgeway’s experience, leadership, and collaborative approach, and emphasized tourism’s economic importance statewide. The committee then moved to recommend her confirmation. The motion passed 5-0, and Chair Kaufman congratulated Ridgeway on the committee’s approval and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is to protect American taxpayer dollars and make sure that welfare is going to American citizens
• The Federation for American Immigration Reform calculated that American taxpayers spent at least $182
• any lever that we can pull to ensure that the law is being followed and to ensure that Oklahoma taxpayer
• Same concept, setting up for American taxpayers, but this one is applied to Medicaid.
• States have a duty to uphold the law and protect taxpayer funds. We are putting them on notice.

Bills: HB3057 , HB3130 , HB4113 , HB3310 , HB3314 , HB3985 , HB4486 , HB3040 , HB3407 , HB4343 , HB2981 , HB3764 , HB3765 , HB3767 , HB3982 , HB3321 , HB3322 , HB3323 , HB4126 , HB4130 , HB4170 , HB3345 , HB2941 , HB3062 , HB3244 , HB3298 , HB2977 , HB3304 , HB3299 , HB3297 , HB4260 , HB3906 , HB3648 , HB3319 , HB2933 , HB3544 , HB1322 , HB4104 , HB4105 , HB4106 , HB4107 , HB4108 , HB3974 , HB3134 , HB3055 , HB3115 , HB3471 , HB3497 , HB3500 , HB3505 , HB3755 , HB4202 , HB4226 , HB4236 , HB4139 , HB4144 , HB4422 , HB4423 , HB4317 , HB4321 , HB4322 , HB3176 , HB3239 , HB3263 , HB3673 , HB3794 , HB3796 , HB4265 , HB4266 , HB2123 , HB3048 , HB2445

Summary: The House convened with a prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including the Duncan Girls Golf Team, the Doctor of the Day, and the Nurse of the Day. Members also made personal announcements and committee meeting reminders before moving to legislation. The main floor action centered on House Bill 4422, which would require applicants for SNAP and TANF to be U.S. citizens and use the SAVE system to verify immigration status. Supporters argued it would protect taxpayer dollars, enforce the law, and reduce improper benefits use; opponents said it would deter eligible families, especially children in mixed-status households, from seeking aid and would not address DHS error rates or budget problems. After extended debate, the House passed HB 4422 by roll call vote, 18-0. The House then considered House Bill 4423, a similar measure applying the same citizenship-verification concept to Medicaid through the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Debate repeated many of the same arguments about fiscal responsibility, eligibility, children’s access to benefits, and immigration enforcement. HB 4423 also passed by roll call vote, 18-0. The chamber then moved to announcements and adjourned until Monday, March 2, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• AJR 25 says that we should continue to have taxpayer-funded subsidies for sky-high health care costs
• At the same time, you are taking $13 billion of state taxpayer money to give free taxpayer-funded health
• AJR 25, and instead we bring a measure forward to eliminate the $13 billion in our budget of state taxpayer
• This means that the taxpayer dollars, our taxpayer dollars, were taken away from our nurses, our doctors

Summary: The Assembly convened in Sacramento, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. After routine procedural motions, members voted to withdraw SB 106 from committee for third reading and to suspend the rules so AJR 25 could be taken up immediately. AJR 25, authored by Assembly Member Bonta, urged Congress to restore and extend enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that expired on January 1, with supporters arguing the lapse would sharply raise premiums for millions of Californians, including veterans, working families, and other vulnerable residents. Opponents, led by Assembly Member DeMaio, argued the resolution blamed federal action for California’s high health care costs and said state mandates and spending choices were the real problem. The resolution was adopted 58-4, and Assembly Member Addis was added as a joint author. The chamber also took up H.R. 76 on affordable homeownership, presented by Assembly Member Schultz and supported by Assembly Member Wicks, who emphasized the importance of homeownership for wealth-building and noted ongoing efforts to expand programs such as CalHome. H.R. 79, by Assembly Member Valencia, recognized February 2026 as Unclaimed Property Month; supporters highlighted the large amount of unclaimed property held by the state and encouraged residents to search for funds owed to them. Both resolutions received broad support, with co-author rolls opened before final adoption. The second-day consent calendar, including ACR 127 on National School Counseling Week, was adopted 64-0. Members also heard a lengthy adjournment in memory from Assembly Member Soria honoring Pablo Rodriguez, a Central Valley organizer and civic leader remembered for his work with United Farm Workers, Communities for a New California, and AB 1441 on the Merced County Independent Redistricting Commission. The Assembly observed a moment of silence for Rodriguez, welcomed his family and colleagues, and then adjourned until Monday, February 9, at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, smaller counties, cities, and local government units have no choice but to spend taxpayer
• And the most efficient way to do that with taxpayer dollars. We've talked about it for 20 years.
• They don't tell us beforehand, so this would allow us to be good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars,
• <00:19:42.520><c> stewards</c><00:19:43.039><c> of</c><00:19:43.159><c> the</c><00:19:43.280><c> taxpayers
• </c> us to be good stewards of the taxpayers us to be good stewards of the taxpayers dollars<00:19:44.200

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up four bills. House Bill 131, sponsored by Representative Meredith, would give former second-class city fire departments more flexibility in firefighter scheduling. Meredith explained the committee substitute would allow a hybrid “1323” schedule while preserving existing collective bargaining agreements and affecting only 13 cities. There was no opposition or public testimony, and the committee adopted the substitute and passed the bill with a favorable expression. House Bill 256, sponsored by the chair, was presented by Representative Flry and Kentucky Land Title Association President Eric Case. The bill sets a 40-year statutory limit on certain dormant title interests to clear old encumbrances and make titles more marketable, while not specifically excluding coal and mineral interests. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the bill with a favorable expression. House Bill 290, sponsored by Representative Wilson, would update county law library funding rules to allow local bar associations to use library funds for online legal services, addressing unused balances in some counties. The chair and others said the change would better use the resource for attorneys and the public. The committee approved the bill with a favorable expression. House Bill 368, sponsored by Representative Decker, would let smaller counties and local governments use the same alternative public notice methods already available in larger counties, such as posting notices on government websites after a brief newspaper notice. Supporters from county and city groups said the change would save money, improve efficiency, and help with transparency, while Kentucky Press Association Executive Director David Thompson said newspaper publication costs are relatively small and urged the legislature to set standards for government websites before expanding online notice options. The transcript cuts off during Thompson’s testimony, and no final committee action on HB 368 is shown.