Transcript Highlights:

• to do this, and I respectfully think that it's just another level of things for us, hoops for us to jump
• I appreciate that, but those are hoops, and those are hoops that city officials should not have to jump
• I appreciate that, but those are hoops and those are hoops that city officials should not have to jump
• If I could just jump in here real quick, because, I mean, you're talking about the policy reasons for
• I can just jump in again to that point.

Bills: HB2780, HB4029, HB4030, HCR2052

Keywords: judicial foreclosure, tax lien, redemption rights, excess proceeds, property auction, income tax, federal tax conformity, revenue analysis, legislative session, tax reporting, municipal fees, county fees, utility rates, moratorium, tax classification, local government, inflation, economic stability, tax increases, cost-of-living protection

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:37:06.000> in >> we jumped in >> we jumped in >> there.<01:37:07.440
• Um, jumping down to E here.
• That was just like, you know, jumping off a cliff [laughter] and not knowing what you’re jumping into
• um and not knowing what you're jumping um and not knowing what you're jumping into.<02:03:36.800
• c> here So jumping on down here So jumping on down here um<02:04:48.880> into<02:04:50.320

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission met to approve the May 18, 2026 minutes and then focused on how SB 57’s special education cost study should inform HB 1099, which creates a separate study committee on residential placements and related education costs. Members discussed sending the commission’s minutes and findings to that new committee, noting the short timeline for its work and the need to be specific about unresolved issues so the new group does not duplicate the same questions. A major topic was the cost and responsibility for students placed at Spalding and similar residential programs, especially transportation and whether costs are paid through the Department of Education’s episode-of-treatment (EOT) fund, local districts, DHS, or Medicaid. Staff explained that for students with disabilities, EOT funds cover special education and transportation costs tied to the placement, while students without disabilities are handled through DHS care-management and best-interest meetings. Members raised concerns about whether some students at Spalding are receiving no schooling, whether transportation costs are substantial, and whether Medicaid reimbursement could offset some expenses. The commission also discussed confusion over district responsibility when students placed in residential programs attend school in another district, using Winnisquam as an example. Several members said the receiving district was not notified that DHHS-approved programs could bring in additional students and costs, and they suggested DHHS or its care-management entity should notify both the district of residence and the receiving district when a program is approved. The group agreed this notification issue, along with transportation funding, privacy concerns in Medicaid-to-schools billing, and the distinction between special education placements, EOT placements, and other voluntary residential placements, should be passed to the HB 1099 study committee for further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• I won't jump on this with the National Guard as a critical partner that more and more is being utilized
• I'm going to have the one that you jump out of the chair and that Joya jump in. Mr. Chair and Mr.
• If you guys want to jump out, the Choi, Commissioner, you want to come up.
• If you, you'll jump over and then we'll just pull you up and eventually, we'll start with the PRC in
• It's a huge jump.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Homes program that the legislature passed at the end of the 2023 session and appropriates money to jump-start
• 00:38.080> appropriates<00:00:38.760> money<00:00:39.120> to<00:00:39.440> jump-start
• <00:00:40.040> the and appropriates money to jump-start the and appropriates money to jump-start

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 4223 was presented as an appropriation to implement and jump-start the Strengthening Our Homes program enacted in 2023. Rep. Elkins said the goal is to help homeowners strengthen roofs using standards promoted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, citing other states such as Alabama as examples where hardened homes performed better in major storms. He emphasized rising homeowners insurance costs, especially for affordable apartments, older condo buildings, and seniors on fixed or limited incomes, and said the grants would help people who may not have the upfront cash to make improvements. Committee members generally supported the concept, describing it as a way to reduce storm damage and lower insurance premiums. One member highlighted that the income threshold for grant eligibility could reach a large share of Minnesota homeowners and potentially harden nearly a million homes, while another noted the program’s focus on lower-income households. A Commerce Committee discussion was referenced in which an alternative approach was raised: tax incentives, including possible sales tax relief, for materials and labor used to harden homes against hail and other weather risks. Rep. Elkins responded that labor is an important part of the cost and that many potential beneficiaries are seniors with little taxable income, making a grant program more practical than a tax-based incentive. Another member agreed the upfront cost is a major barrier and said the grant design appears thoughtful. No vote was taken; the bill was laid over for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• The previous chief of staff was in the 120s, giving them room and flexibility to jump up into that 140
• The previous chief of staff was in the 120s, giving them room and flexibility to jump up into that 140
• But even though the range is large, 141 to 191 is a $50,000 swing, the upper side of your office jumps
• to the upper midpoint, and then the general staff just jump up to less than midpoint.

Summary: The committee first reviewed a list of bills already ready for “do pass,” including several House bills (HB 1010, 1018, 1020, 1023, 1041, 1055, 1077) and Senate bills (SB 4, 16, 23, 24, 55, 59). It then took up the JBC Personnel Subcommittee report (B1), where a substitute motion to separate out the governor’s staff-related item for a separate vote was debated at length. Members raised concerns about transparency, a requested appearance by a governor’s staff member, and whether the administration should be compelled to testify. The substitute motion failed on a roll-call division vote, and the committee then adopted the subcommittee report as presented. The committee next questioned Treasurer John Thurston on House Bill 1034 and his office’s budget request, focusing on salary increases for his executive team, the size of raises under the new pay plan, office hours, and whether the increases were justified. Thurston said the request was to fully fund the approved pay plan, later reduced to a 10% increase after discussion with legislative leaders, and explained that salaries were set within the approved plan. Several members criticized the raises as too large or unfair, while others noted the compromise and thanked him for cooperating. The committee then adopted the HB 1034 letter. After that, the committee reviewed Schedule C and several special-language items, including amendments to SB 4, SB 58, HB 1052, and SB 77. It discussed a new item allowing DFA to establish a GAMP program for agricultural extension office improvements, with no funding attached, and adopted it. The committee then passed or adopted a series of measures, including SB 29, SB 51, HB 1034, and the remaining ready bills listed at the start of the meeting. SB 4 was set aside as not ready. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would reconvene in 15 minutes in another room to handle special language.

Transcript Highlights:

• January of 2024, uh, Gau saw his fellow SEAL Team Three member fall into the water and heroically jumped
• He just jumped into the water to save his, his, his, his fallen, uh, teammate.
• He jumped into the water to try to save his friend because that's who he was first and foremost.
• Before he jumps in the water and attempts to Saved the life of his teammate.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Gage heroically jumped into the rough seas and attempt to rescue his fallen seal.
• fall, fall into the, into the, into the rough oceans and not even, you know, second-guess and just jumped
• So in, in, uh, trying to honor Gage over this last year, and I apologize if I jump around, there's so
• next to me as we were, uh, honoring the life in his service and the Navy SEAL leapfrog team, they jumped

Transcript Highlights:

• So I had a pretty good idea of what to expect when I jumped under this side.
• So if we can get staff on board, then we can achieve what we're trying to do without fully jumping into
• We jumped into the Pluris water case last year, knowing we were heading into all these cases, but those
• people were under really bad water quality issues, and we decided we were going to jump into the space

Summary: The joint committee met with a quorum present and first received an overview of its jurisdiction and duties related to appointing the Florida Public Counsel. Staff explained the committee’s authority under joint rules and state law, noted that the current Public Counsel’s term expires February 28, 2025, and that applications for the next four-year term were open with a February 6, 2025 deadline. The committee then heard an extensive update from Public Counsel Walt Truerweiler on the Office of Public Counsel’s work representing utility ratepayers before the Public Service Commission and in appeals. Truerweiler described the office’s caseload and priorities, including electric, gas, water, and wastewater rate cases; storm recovery dockets; cost-recovery clauses; rulemakings; and customer service hearings. He emphasized that the office seeks to challenge unsupported or imprudent costs, find value for customers, and use expert analysis and customer testimony to shape outcomes. He highlighted recent and ongoing matters, including major Duke, TECO, Sunshine water/wastewater, and hurricane recovery proceedings, and said the office had fully litigated four of its last five rate cases, while also achieving a major settlement in Duke that reduced a requested increase and imposed cost controls on solar projects. Members praised the office’s work and asked about the benefits of settlements, staffing and compensation, and how the office decides when to fully intervene versus provide guidance or monitor a case. Truerweiler said settlements can create predictability, reduce uncertainty and expense, and produce tangible value for both customers and utilities. He also acknowledged recruitment challenges, including lower pay than comparable agencies and difficulty attracting attorneys who do not want in-person litigation work. The committee took no substantive action beyond receiving the presentations, and adjourned after a motion was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• You did a great job of jumping in when it wasn't your turn, but it's okay because if you have an item
• So we are going to jump to number 19.
• We jumped to 17, which is the disaster rebuilding fund and trailer bill language. Got it. Sorry.
• I don't know if you want to jump in. Yeah, I can answer it.
• Sure, I'll start and Megan can jump in on the first question around programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• assigned family responsibility jumped assigned family responsibility jumped from<00:59:32.799>
• There was 29% in fiscal year 24, and it jumped up to 43% in fiscal year 25.
• was 29% in fiscal year 24 and it jumped was 29% in fiscal year 24 and it jumped up<01:20:48.560>
• Jumping back into the OHE policy language.
• Ohei<01:41:34.880> policy Jumping back into the Ohei policy Jumping back into the Ohei policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's see any other guests today before we jump in.
• But let's go ahead and jump into we have an executive nominations report.
• we jump in. we jump in.
• Um but let's go ahead<00:12:58.680> and<00:12:58.800> jump<00:12:59.040> into<00
• we<00:12:59.880> have<00:13:00.000> an<00:13:00.120> executive ahead and jump

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, March 26, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with 39 members present and a quorum. The session opened with an invocation by Bishop Antonio Palmer of Kingdom Celebration Center, whose remarks were journalized. The President and members also welcomed several guests to the chamber, including former Delegate Sean Terrence, students from Charles H. Flowers High School and Garrison Forest School, Dr. Lee Snyder as doctor of the day, and Dr. Barbara Ann Palmer in recognition of Women’s History Month. The President also noted that the next day would be pro forma and that some scheduled items would be moved to the following week. The Senate considered Executive Nominations Report No. 6, covering gubernatorial nominees for boards and commissions including the State Board of Education, MEDCO, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. On motion of the committee chair, the report was special ordered to Tuesday, with members asked to review the list for recusals or related issues. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 890, which concerns an insurance premium receipts tax exemption for captive insurance procured by nonprofit hospitals and health care systems. On SB 890, the Senate adopted the committee amendments and then adopted a floor amendment offered by the bill sponsor. The amendment was described as replacing the bill’s earlier approach with a two-year moratorium on collection of any related liabilities, followed by a Maryland Insurance Administration report back on ongoing investigations. One senator raised concern that the amendment’s language could require the state to refund taxes already paid by hospitals and others, potentially costing millions, and asked for more time to review it; the motion to special order the bill was defeated. After discussion, the amendment was adopted and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. At the close of the floor session, committee and delegation announcements were made, including Finance, Triple E, Judicial Proceedings, Budget and Tax, Executive Nominations, and several county delegations. A senator from District 6 also spoke about the anniversary of the Key Bridge collapse and thanked colleagues for bipartisan work on related legislation and recovery efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• some fun this morning, and begging her forgiveness if Meredith Sites would be in a position to just jump
• Russ, by the way, online, just jump in and yell if you’ve got something.
• So I guess I want to see if DSHS or the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner would want to jump up either
• So I guess I want to see if DSHS or the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner would want to jump up either
• ban kratom, Senator Hoffner was doing it at the same time, and he said, “Well, you run it, and I’ll jump

Bills: HB305, HB395, HB341

Keywords: hemp, marijuana, THC regulations, cannabis products, adult-use industry, public health, youth protection, child support, reunification, Department of Services for Children, family court, liability

Summary: The committee met in late June with Senators Hansen, Buckson, Siegfried, Townsend, and Huxable present, and first approved the meeting minutes by voice vote. The opening bill, HB 341, would limit DFS from filing child support in foster care cases unless doing so would not hinder reunification; Children’s Department staff said the department has already decided to stop filing in all such cases, with an estimated fiscal impact of about $140,000 annually. Public testimony from the League of Women Voters supported the bill as a compassionate measure to help families reunite. The committee then heard HB 446/related anaphylaxis legislation for colleges and universities, which would allow institutions to stock and use intranasal epinephrine alongside auto-injectors and update training and reporting requirements. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America supported the measure, emphasizing the need for needle-free options and faster treatment of anaphylaxis. The committee also took up HS1 for HB 356 on PFAS, which would ban firefighting foam containing PFAS beginning in 2028, require disclosure if PPE contains PFAS, and address recalls; DNREC and the fire service supported it, saying most departments have already transitioned away from PFAS foam. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 305, a diabetes wellness pilot program that would use continuous glucose monitoring, app-based care coordination, lab testing, and DHIN data analysis to shift care toward prevention and remission. Sponsor Senator Siegfried described the bill as a response to Delaware’s high diabetes costs and prevalence, and the Medical Society of Delaware supported it as a proactive model. The committee also discussed HB 395, which would regulate intoxicating hemp-derived products and synthetic cannabinoids by classifying products over a THC threshold as marijuana and creating penalties for unlicensed sales; the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner supported the bill, while hemp industry representatives and Senator Hoffner warned it could harm legitimate hemp retailers and access to hemp products. The final item, HS1 for HB 332, would ban sales and marketing of kratom products to those under 21 and direct the state to study testing and regulation of kratom and synthetic variants. Supporters, including the Delaware Healthcare Association and several recovery advocates, said age-gating is a reasonable first step and that synthetic products are the main concern; opponents and some senators argued the bill should go further and fully ban kratom or better distinguish synthetic products from natural leaf kratom. No formal roll-call votes were taken on the substantive bills during the transcript, and the meeting adjourned after public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It seems like a pretty sizable jump there.
• And then we have a huge jump because of The APA money came into that fund.
• I'm gonna jump ahead a little bit. Savings and efficiencies.
• And you see that jump up. The reason that went up was because of that funding on the project.
• If you jump down to the Bottom line, you'll see that last year it was 22.1. This year it's 22.6.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I want to jump right into this meeting and we'll welcome other folks as they come in.
• I'm thinking is that maybe we'll do intros of the rest of us when a few more folks are here and just jump
• violations by report are roughly the same, but when you talk about overtime violations, that number jumps
• But when you talk about overtime violations, that number jumps to 76%.
• So jumping in that and working to try and make sure we really were scoping it to just the underground

Summary: The committee first received an update from the Attorney General’s office on a new workers’ rights unit and two request bills. The office said the unit will focus on wage theft and civil rights enforcement, using existing resources for a small staff. It also described a bill to expand civil investigative demand authority for labor, wage theft, prevailing wage, and discrimination investigations, and an Immigrant Worker Protection Act that would require employer notice when federal immigration authorities request employee records, limit access to nonpublic work areas without a warrant, and restrict disclosure of employee data without proper legal process. Senators asked about costs, funding sources, and the scope of the proposed authority, and the office said it would follow up with more detail. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Washington’s workers’ compensation system from Labor and Industries, including how claims are filed, how the medical provider network works, and how treatment authorizations and utilization review are handled. L&I said the network was created to improve care quality and return workers to work, and explained that most routine care is automatically authorized while certain procedures require prior approval or review. A question from Senator Conway focused on the role of the medical director and the appeals process; L&I said decisions can be protested and reconsidered, with exceptions reviewed through a complex treatment unit and medical staff. An experience panel followed with testimony from labor representatives, physicians, and an injured-worker attorney, who argued that the medical provider network and treatment guidelines can delay or deny needed care, especially in complex cases such as PTSD, brain injuries, and serious orthopedic injuries. They described long appeals, utilization review barriers, provider shortages, and the impact on injured workers and families, while L&I’s presentation emphasized the system’s structure and review safeguards. The committee then heard a report from the Underground Economy Task Force in the construction industry. L&I summarized the task force’s findings on worker misclassification, unregistered contractors, and unpaid taxes and premiums, and outlined consensus and majority recommendations, including better interagency communication, stronger penalties for repeat offenders, more authority to address successorship, possible contractor notice requirements, and further study of cash payments. The Attorney General’s office, labor, and business representatives generally supported the report’s goals but differed on some recommendations, especially those affecting independent contractors, contractor liability, and administrative burdens. The chair and Senator Conway thanked participants and said the report would inform future legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• do we have a set of parameters that we're considering when we're putting forth this study before jumping
• So, with that, I'm going to pause there because somebody else should jump in at this time.
• And even with the earlier item, it might sound as if, you know, some people jump on a microphone and
• One, why maybe finance the jump in the allocation requirement from $40 million to $65 million?
• Okay, so first the jump. This allocation is going to cover more implementation.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then I want to jump over to Representative Gottlieb and Representative Rainer.
• So, jumping right in, I'm looking at the So, jumping right in, I'm looking at the case trends, and what
• So jumping right in.
• So I'm looking at the So, jumping right in, so I'm looking at the case trends and what I did was is I
• In probate, the probate cases remained steady through the pandemic year of 2019-20, but then jumped in

Summary: The committee first heard an update from the Florida Department of Corrections on the proposed Lake Correctional Institution mental health project in Clermont. Tim Fitzgerald explained the project’s history, including the 2016 Disability Rights Florida litigation, the 2018 consent decree, and the original plan for a 550-bed inpatient mental health facility. He said inflation and design changes pushed the project above the bond amount, leading the department to shift to a “continuum of care” alternative with 572 beds total: 92 inpatient beds and 480 residential treatment beds in three special housing units. Fitzgerald said the project is currently paused pending House concurrence, while the Senate has already agreed to the alternate plan, and noted the bond balance, prior expenditures, and the need to spend down the tax-exempt bond by August 2026. Members questioned how the new plan differs from the original facility, whether it satisfies the consent decree, and what caused the cost increases. Fitzgerald said the department believes it has already met the consent decree through systemwide improvements to housing, staffing, programming, and out-of-cell time, though he said he would confirm the court documentation. He also said the original scope grew from 275,000 to 350,000 square feet as treatment, nursing, security, and programming needs were refined, and that inflation, fees, permitting, and contingencies contributed to the higher cost. Several members asked for follow-up information on Senate approval, consent decree documentation, and the project’s impact on crisis-stabilization capacity. The committee then received a joint court-system presentation from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure and Clerks Corporation Executive Director Jason Welty on caseload trends, case tracking, and staffing. McClure described statewide filing trends, the use of weighted caseload studies to certify judicial need, and recent Supreme Court rule changes aimed at active civil case management, including differentiated case tracks, stricter deadlines, and proportional discovery. He said the latest workload study led the Supreme Court to certify a need for 23 circuit judges and 25 county judges. Welty reviewed clerk workload trends, the statewide case maintenance and CCIS systems, and declining clerk FTE despite rising case volumes, and said clerks are seeking additional funding for injunctions, Baker Act/Marchman Act/sexually violent predator work, and juror management. In questions, members pressed both presenters on data quality, case-weight calculations, filing fees, and whether current resources are enough to reduce delays. McClure clarified that the workload weights are based on judge time studies and that a capital murder case averaged 3,177 minutes, while other examples such as auto negligence and dissolution cases were much lower. Welty said the Legislature could help by increasing funding or potentially revisiting filing fees, and noted that many clerk services are unfunded or underfunded, especially indigent and protective filings. The chair and members also raised concerns about backlog, inconsistent case reporting across circuits, and enforcement of judicial time standards; McClure said there is no direct sanction in the rules, and compliance is largely managed through chief judges and the Supreme Court. The meeting ended with no votes taken and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before you jump on to your testimony, I do want to recognize Senator Pat O'Connor, who's joined remotely
• online i'm looking for abril rodriguez shannon weissman or wistman and david higgins please before you jump
• Other states have already jumped ahead of our $15 minimum wage: California, Connecticut, New Jersey,
• Do me Larry, who I've known for my entire life, and one of my closest friends, and he says jump, I say
• Let's give them a few seconds to virtually jump up and down.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid hearing on legislation concerning unemployment insurance, non-compete agreements, prevailing wage, and minimum wage issues. Committee leaders outlined the hearing process, asked witnesses to keep oral testimony to three minutes, and invited written testimony through November 20. No votes were taken during the hearing; it ended with a motion to adjourn and notice of the next hearing on November 20. Much of the testimony focused on bills to expand unemployment insurance for striking workers, including H. 2168 and S. 1319. Labor leaders, union members, and legal advocates argued that workers who are out on strike for more than 30 days should be able to receive UI benefits, saying the policy would help workers and families meet basic expenses, reduce employers’ ability to “wait out” strikes, and encourage good-faith bargaining. Speakers cited recent strikes, including the Republic Services strike, and said the proposal would not meaningfully increase strike activity or strain the UI trust fund. Another major topic was minimum wage legislation, especially H. 2107/S. 1349 to raise the minimum wage to $20 by 2029 and index it to inflation, and H. 2191 to create a $25 enhanced care worker minimum wage. Supporters said current wages are not keeping pace with housing, food, and childcare costs, and that care workers, direct support staff, and human service employees face chronic vacancies, burnout, and turnover. Testimony also supported H. 2126 on prevailing wage by adding apprenticeship and training contributions to the wage calculation, and H. 2159 and S. 1363 on prevailing wage-related issues. One witness, Russell Beck, testified against S. 1336, which would ban non-competes, and against H. 2118, arguing Massachusetts’ current non-compete law is a balanced compromise that should not be disrupted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Everyone in this working group jumped into the trenches to help thread a needle to create the solutions
• many more people that have come to the table, and I'm just really thankful again to everyone who jumped
• again to and I'm just really thankful again to everyone<00:08:02.800> who<00:08:02.920> jumped
• in<00:08:03.240> the<00:08:03.320> trenches<00:08:03.720> to everyone who jumped
• in the trenches to everyone who jumped in the trenches to try<00:08:03.960> to<00:08:04.080><

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Senate File 4401, a cannabis bill, was presented as a broad maintenance package developed through months of work with more than 80 stakeholders, including small businesses, labor, tribal representatives, medical licensees, and the Office of Cannabis Management. The author said it makes a series of technical and policy adjustments, including support for small businesses, hemp QR codes, privacy protections, event coordinator changes, clearer product definitions, investor and timeline changes, and a bridge for hemp businesses to enter cannabis. It also addresses medical cannabis access by renaming medical combination licenses as macro licenses, eliminating the grow-and-sale ratio, correcting canopy estimates, requiring key products to be stocked, and creating a first step toward a medical psilocybin program with a report and federal funding directive. Representative West supported the bill overall but criticized the canopy reduction for medical combination licenses, arguing it changes the rules midstream and could lead to litigation and taxpayer costs. He said the bill helps social equity applicants by allowing more outside investment and described the hemp provisions as a way to save that industry. The author responded that the bill right-sizes a temporary system and reflects stakeholder agreement on needed changes. After discussion, the author again urged a green vote and thanked staff and prior cannabis workers for their help. There were no amendments at the desk, the bill was given a third reading, and the House passed Senate File 4401 by a vote of 92 ayes to 42 nays, with the title agreed to.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nordic combined is a sport which combines a competition in cross-country skiing with ski jumping.
• with<00:18:52.080> ski in cross-country skiing with ski in cross-country skiing with ski jumping
• 53.679> men's<00:18:54.000> division<00:18:54.320> has<00:18:54.559> been jumping
• A men's division has been jumping.
• But have you ever secretly wanted to tell the honorable lieutenant governor to go jump in a lake?

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional by Vermont poet laureate Bianca Stone, followed by remarks recognizing her work and the presence of students from her Dartmouth poetry class, as well as a separate recognition of community-based domestic and sexual violence advocates in the House gallery. Members also noted Creative Arts Day in Vermont and announced a reception, and later corrected a location for the Sportsmen’s Caucus meeting. No bill introductions were made. The main legislative item was H.527, extending the sunset of 30 V.S.A. section 248A, the telecommunications siting process that allows certain cell tower projects to be reviewed by the Public Utility Commission instead of Act 250. The committee report said testimony showed broad agreement that the process needs improvements in notice, transparency, fairness, and local participation, while preserving a statewide framework for telecommunications infrastructure. The bill would extend the sunset from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2030, and direct the PUC to hold public workshops, consult with stakeholders, and report recommendations by December 15, 2027. The House adopted the committee amendment and ordered third reading; the committee vote was reported as 5-3-1. The House also took up JRS 37, a joint resolution supporting gender equality in Nordic combined Olympic competition and urging the International Olympic Committee to require both men’s and women’s divisions for new Olympic sports. The committee heard from the lieutenant governor, the Senate sponsor, and the Vermont Ski Areas Association president, and recommended adoption in concurrence by a vote of 10-1. After an interrogation clarified that the resolution calls for separate men’s and women’s divisions rather than combined teams, the House ordered third reading. The body then adjourned until Friday, February 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I will just jump right in. What I would tell you is I'll just jump to this one.
• I'll jump.
• Obviously, we'll jump on board, but I will tell you that each and every year I'm gonna come and I'm gonna
• and how that happens and what the deal is with that, as well as the letter ID process, so and and jump

Keywords: 914, all