Transcript Highlights:

• Nancy does a great job of trying to juggle all of that.
• of it, part of it, or it'd already be done.
• a heck of a lot of leverage as a state.
• I think 17% as of the end of March.
• So, so please we either with the attorney general or the secretary of DPS or whomever we need to convince

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Director of the Department of Administration. financial systems adds to the duties of the director of
• The bill requires the Secretary of State to submit this proposition at the next general election.
• So it's kind of interesting that we see two of these types of bills.
• Do we know why the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce sent in support of the bill?
• Madam Chair and members, HB 4041 allows school districts to spend monies in excess of the general budget

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of bills and resolutions, with staff giving brief descriptions and members flagging which items were on consent, had unanimous committee votes, or should be pulled for further discussion. Topics included education, health care, public safety, labor, water, taxation, housing, and elections. Several measures were noted as party-line or mixed votes, while many others were reported as unanimous and placed on third-read or consent calendars. Among the more discussed items were bills on school and labor policy, including a proposal to prohibit teacher strikes, a measure restricting school district bond actions, a bill requiring school safety protocols and assigning felony penalties for noncompliance, and a resolution limiting public money for labor organization activities. Members also raised concerns or requested further review on bills involving pharmacist testing authority, expired opioid antagonists, a county sheriff-related measure, a housing affordability district proposal, and a tobacco/vape regulation bill. Some measures were explicitly pulled from consent, including a Medicaid audit resolution, a budget-related pay-withholding resolution, and several education and public safety bills. The caucus also heard multiple health and human services measures, such as genetic counselor licensing, nursing board and pharmacy board continuations, foster care rights, psychiatry access funding, and free school meals. In addition, there were water and energy bills on Colorado River management, groundwater, transmission-line review, and renewable energy valuation, plus election and campaign-related proposals. The meeting ended with announcements, including an upcoming Colorado River breakfast briefing and an internal award recognizing Representative Brian Garcia, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• How exactly have you adopted that as part of the general plan? Yeah, thanks.
• schools because these last couple of generations are not having children as much as previous generations
• Lots of things that deal with children are already in the general plan.
• I am Nick Dominguez, General Manager of Lassen Municipal Utility District, and proud sponsor of the bill
• I am Nick Dominguez, General Manager of Lassen Municipal Utility District, and proud sponsor of the bill

Summary: The committee heard several local government-related bills, with testimony focused on permitting, transportation funding, EV infrastructure, and commercial revitalization. AB 1578 by Assembly Member Jackson would require elected local and state officials to take anti-hate speech training through existing sexual harassment training. Supporters said elected officials should understand the impact of their words on hate and democracy; opponents argued the bill lacked a definition of hate speech and could chill protected speech, especially around sex-based issues. AB 2083, also by Jackson, would authorize a regional child care special district serving Moreno Valley and Paris to expand child care facilities and programs for five years. The California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions opposed the bill’s mechanism but said it was working with the author. AB 1693 by Assembly Member Suber would streamline retail tenant improvement permits by extending a process similar to a prior restaurant permitting law, with qualified professional certification and tighter local review timelines. It drew broad support from retail, business, and property groups and no opposition. Assembly Member Gonzalez presented AB 1679, which would create a temporary commercial activation permit for pop-up businesses to operate in vacant storefronts for up to 120 days. Supporters said it would help fill vacancies and lower barriers for small businesses; there was no opposition, and the bill advanced. Gonzalez also presented AB 2418, which would set timelines for nonresidential plan checks and inspections and allow private plan checkers after excessive delay. Business groups supported it as a way to reduce costly delays, while local government groups had no position but continued discussions with the author; the bill advanced with amendments. Assembly Member Shevlin presented AB 1820, which would cap local permit fees for EV charging installations and create a statewide fee schedule. Supporters said fees vary too widely and can deter charger deployment, while cities and counties argued existing law already requires reasonable cost recovery and that the bill could undercut local budgets and public safety review. Assembly Member DeMaio presented AB 1783, which would prohibit state and local mileage taxes or road user charges. Supporters framed it as a defense against a new tax burden, while opponents said studying road user charges is necessary to address declining gas tax revenue and future transportation funding needs. AB 1693, AB 1679, and AB 2418 were moved forward with motions and roll calls; AB 1783 was taken up with a motion and roll call left open, and AB 1820 remained under discussion at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The digitization of Minnesota newspapers is a national model.
• Frankly, we've got some 7 million pages of Minnesota newspapers on our digital hub, and that's from all
• the digitization of Minnesota<01:26:05.760><c> newspapers</c><01:26:06.760><c> is</c><01:26:06.880><
• ><c> our</c> pages of Minnesota newspapers on our pages of Minnesota newspapers on our digital<01:26:
• The digitization of Minnesota newspapers is a national model.

Bills: HF1250

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• this stuff out of circulation.
• of this stuff stuff stuff out<00:40:23.520><c> of</c><00:40:23.640><c> circulation.
• </c> out of circulation. out of circulation.
• </c> of those. of those.
• Engages in conduct that refuses to create a substantial risk of bodily injury to the officer or the general

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• of, of, of...
• I think a lot of our newspapers would be willing to donate copies to the local teacher who's teaching
• What this is saying is, it's general in nature, it applies to a lot of areas, and it's designed for the
• The legislature hasn't passed them, and the Missouri courts generally treat parental rights as kind of
• Parents are the heart of our communities and the key to raising the next generation.

Committee: House Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:

• to the General Assembly on the use of epinephrine at institutions of higher education.
• the PFAS stuff out of circulation.
• of caffeine.
• Nor do I think it's good precedent to do it generally, but we do have the House sponsor of the bill here
• Not one of them talked about a kratom ban of any kind.

Bills: HB305 , HB395 , HB341

Committee: Senate Health & Social Services

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:

• I don't know if the commission has generated particular rules, but in the fourth year of the program,
• else we're assessing in terms of the wellbeing of kids, I also looked at the geographic spread of the
• It's estimated that this will have a revenue decrease to the state general revenue fund of approximately
• kinds of things that are required of public schools.
• fear of being out of compliance.

Bills: SB683 , SB1579 , SB1389 , SB1387 , SB1390 , SB1391 , SB2063 , SB1829 , SB2060 , SB1842 , SB1398 , SB1212 , SB2158 , SB102

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: education, tax credit, student support, private school, Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit, financial assistance, homeschooling, qualified expenses, property tax, valuation increase, taxpayer rights, homestead, protest process, school choice, tuition assistance, income limits, parental choice, accreditation, sales tax, motor vehicles

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a generational opportunity in front of us to change that trajectory.
• We have a generational opportunity in front of us to change that trajectory and to make the whole system
• Even in this tax category, that's not of the 30,000 people, which just remember is half of 1% of the
• One of the main concerns Republicans have raised about the bill, based on the draft language that circulated
• I'm not that inclined to take into account the votes that happened generations ago before many of us

Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders announced and defended a new “Millionaire’s Tax” bill, saying it is intended to raise revenue from the highest earners while reducing reliance on sales tax and B&O tax and funding education, health care, community safety, and other state needs. They said the proposal is a starting point and will likely change as they continue talks with the governor, business groups, local governments, and other stakeholders. They also said the bill is not subject to cutoff because it affects state revenue, and that the Senate hearing is scheduled first in Ways and Means, with the House expected to follow after the Senate version moves over. The leaders described the bill as narrowly targeted at roughly 30,000 individual payers, with the first $1 million of income taxed at zero and the rate matching the state capital gains tax above that level. They argued the measure is not a broad income tax and rejected claims that it creates a marriage penalty, saying the structure mirrors the capital gains tax and uses Washington’s capital gains definitions. They also said the bill includes credits and deductions to address pass-through businesses, including dollar-for-dollar credits for B&O and public utilities taxes and an election allowing some businesses to pay the tax at the entity level. A major part of the discussion focused on how the bill would use revenue. Leaders said about 5% would go to counties for public defense costs tied to a new Supreme Court mandate, while the rest would support tax relief and new spending. They said the package would expand the Working Families Tax Credit, increase the small business credit, end the B&O surcharge a year early, and exempt some hygiene and grooming products from sales tax, with the tax-relief share estimated in the 20% range. They also said the necessity clause is needed because of structural budget problems and federal policy changes, and they expressed confidence that voters and lawmakers have become more open to taxing high earners, citing the capital gains tax vote and broader public concern about inequality and federal cuts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a generational opportunity in front of us to change that trajectory.
• We have a generational opportunity in front of us to change that trajectory and to make the whole system
• One of the main concerns Republicans have raised about the bill, based on the draft language that circulated
• I mean, can you, I know that this can get technical kind of fast, but can you just respond to that general
• I'm not that inclined to take into account the votes that happened generations ago before many of us

Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders, joined by Speaker Laurie Jinkins and House Finance Chair April Berg, introduced a “Millionaire’s Tax” proposal and framed it as a way to reduce Washington’s reliance on sales tax and B&O tax while raising revenue from the state’s highest earners. They said the bill is a starting point and will continue to change through negotiations with the governor, business groups, local governments, and lawmakers. The leaders also said the proposal is intended to support education, health care, public safety, and tax relief measures such as sales tax exemptions on hygiene products, an expanded working families tax credit, a larger small business tax credit, and an early end to the B&O surcharge. The governor had already said he could not support the bill in its current form, which the sponsors said surprised them because they had spoken positively with him the day before. They said the bill will not be the same by the time it reaches his desk and that they expect continued talks to address his concerns, including more money for small business relief and the working families tax credit. They also defended the bill’s structure, saying it mirrors the state capital gains tax, uses Washington’s capital gains definition, and includes credits intended to prevent double taxation for pass-through businesses and others already paying B&O or related taxes. Much of the discussion focused on criticism from Republicans and outside groups that the proposal amounts to a marriage penalty or could drive away high earners and tech businesses. Democratic leaders rejected those concerns, saying the tax applies only to income above $1 million, that the first million is taxed at zero, and that the state would still compare favorably with other income-tax states. They said about 30,000 taxpayers would be affected and estimated the bill would raise roughly $3.5 billion, with about 5% dedicated to county public defense costs. They also said the bill is not subject to cutoff because it affects state revenue, and that the Senate public hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon in Ways and Means, with the House expected to hear the Senate version later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• And now therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
• the Reyard's scoreboard, applauding the positive impact that he has had on generations of high school
• </c><00:39:54.960><c> the</c><00:39:55.119><c> General</c> resolved by the Senate of the General resolved
• by the Senate of the General Assembly<00:39:55.920><c> of</c><00:39:56.079><c> the</c><00:39:56.240>
• </c><00:40:12.320><c> in</c> generations of high school athletes in generations of high school athletes

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and approved the journal from February 17, 2026. The House communicated passage of several bills and requested concurrence, and committee reports were received, including favorable reports on Senate Bills 70, 74, 80, 127, and 154. Senate Bill 191 was also reported and then recommitted to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Senate Bill 104 was passed over and retained its place on the calendar. The chamber then took up and passed Senate Bill 47, which provides line-of-duty death benefits for search and rescue volunteers, with supporters emphasizing the dangerous emergency work these teams perform and the need to treat them like other first responders. Senate Bill 159, concerning missing and unidentified persons and aligning Kentucky with federal “Billy’s Law” database requirements, also passed unanimously after testimony about its value in helping families and law enforcement. Senate Bill 85, allowing state retirement beneficiaries to establish special needs trusts, passed unanimously as well, with members describing it as a way to provide long-term security for dependents with special needs. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 78 honoring the CSX Santa Train and Senate Resolution 76 honoring Frank Ryard and the Ryard’s Scoreboard for its long-standing role in Kentucky high school athletics. Members spoke about the scoreboard’s importance to athletes, families, and sports coverage statewide. Later, new bills and a concurrent resolution were introduced, including measures on state government, duty-related disability benefits, arrest-related deaths, detainee fatality review, carbon dioxide sequestration, and a mental health alternative response task force. The Senate received notice that Senate Bill 172 had been delivered to the Governor, then recessed for committee meetings and adjourned until February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, it's sort of outlined in the handout in that when you have on-cycle elections, you have generally
• And that's the general intent of the bill. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Chair Quam.
• One of the things that we know when you are a candidate in a general election is that the price of the
• If they bring some of those local elections into the general election, is...
• I believe it. will inspire future generations to take an active role in shaping the future of our state

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Franklin provides care to patients of all ages while also teaching and mentoring the next generation
• of physicians.
• They serve across a good portion of the eastern part of Oklahoma, and they use a lot of different methods
• They serve across a good portion of the eastern part of Oklahoma, and they use a lot of different methods
• Members of the chairs of subcommittee, of appropriations, if we could meet in my office in the morning

Bills: SB843 , SB1733 , SB1476 , SB1237 , SB1410 , SB1894 , SB1272 , SB1204 , SB1721 , SB1725 , SB1735 , SB1337 , SB1339 , SB1461 , SB1975 , SB1450 , SB1458 , SB1232 , SB1238 , SB1325 , SB1209 , SB1362 , SB2072 , SB1451 , SB1540 , SB1581 , SB1535 , SB1266 , SB1927 , SB1460 , SB2084 , SB2182 , SB392 , SB985 , SB1265 , SB1283 , SB1441 , SB1307 , SB1425 , SB1826 , SB1365 , SB1696 , SB1870 , SB1722 , SB1639 , SB715 , SB716 , SB182 , SB609 , SB169 , SB134 , SB1611 , SB432 , SB1407 , SB2039 , SB1356 , SB1288 , SB2019 , SB1705 , SB1878 , SB2118

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and recognized the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Rachel Franklin, along with several student pages and visiting groups in the galleries, including Catholic home educators, Leadership Moore, and ALS advocates. The ALS introduction highlighted the disease’s effects and the need for awareness and support. The chamber then took up several bills. Senate Bill 392 reestablished the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission through 2030 to support military installations and related planning, and it passed 47-0 with emergency status. Senate Bill 985 codified the local food for schools program and gave the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry more flexibility to administer it; members discussed its benefits for school nutrition and local producers, and it also passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1265 extended the deadline for municipalities to publish ordinances from 15 to 30 days due to the decline of daily and weekly newspapers, and it passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1283 updated probate law so out-of-state executors, administrators, or guardians must appoint an agent in Oklahoma rather than in the county where the case is heard, and it passed 47-0. Senate Bill 1441 made it unlawful to knowingly fly a drone over critical infrastructure below 400 feet or into the structure, with penalties aligned to physical trespass, and it also passed 47-0. The Senate then made several committee and devotional announcements before adjourning until Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• God bless the United States of America. ...McDermott as Interim General Counsel.
• $12,438, to be referred to the Attorney General for collection if not paid within 30 days of the date
• such as a newspaper, magazine, or broadcast, generally speaking.
• My name is Rachel Hooper, and I serve as the general counsel for the Republican Party of Texas.
• Hey, I'll take out more of the full brunt of this.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> one of the organizers of the Stop the one of the organizers of the Stop the Pine<00:10:06.000><c>
• </c><00:36:21.839><c> of</c> we you know we had a number of of we you know we had a number of of projects
• Um, and I feel comfortable as the author of the bill for it to out of the general register. >> Chair
• Um, we heard one of the testifiers say when you learn more from your newspaper than you learn from your
• </c><01:20:47.920><c> of</c> if you're not legally capable of of if you're not legally capable of of

Bills: HF4077 , HF3798 , HF3886

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to this meeting of the State Board of Election Supervisors, which is now being called to order
• I'm the Secretary of State and Chair of this board.
• the board and to conduct appeals of merit evaluations of registrars of voters.
• Furthermore, the law lays out the membership of this body consisting of elected officials and election
• The presentation of the State Board's report is simply a preliminary review of what will ultimately be

Summary: The State Board of Election Supervisors met on February 5, 2026, with Secretary of State Nancy Landry presiding. The board approved the minutes from its March 11, 2025 meeting and then received a presentation from First Assistant Secretary of State Catherine Newsom and Deputy Commissioner Lainey Boyd on proposed technical changes for the 2026 elections omnibus bill. The board removed item 7 from consideration before the presentation began. The proposed provisions covered a wide range of election-administration topics, including ROV payroll timing, restrictions on ROV employees running for office, party affiliation clarification for voters marked “unaffiliated,” registration transfers, assistance for disabled voters, protection of pre-registrant information, removal from protected voter lists, absentee voting procedures, precinct boundary notices, candidate death notice procedures, nomination petitions, ballot design, watcher deadlines, overvote definitions, absentee ballot curing, nursing home voting timelines, procurement authority for voting equipment, and contest procedures for elections and constitutional amendments. Board members asked several clarifying questions, and staff explained the intent of various technical and procedural changes. Two items were specifically discussed as policy concerns. Board member Guidry objected to item 37, which would allow the Secretary of State to bring an election contest based on irregularities reported by an election official, and staff agreed to remove it from the omnibus bill for separate consideration. Item 38, concerning deadlines and causes of action for contesting the calling of a constitutional amendment, and item 39, clarifying that such a contest cannot be filed before election day, were explained as intended to align amendment contests with other election contest deadlines. After discussion, the board approved items 1 through 6, 8 through 36, and 38 through 39 for inclusion in the report and eventual omnibus bill. No public comments were submitted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It sort of depends on the type of organization it is. Actually, see Mr.
• of to the point um of uh organ of<00:22:18.640><c> people</c><00:22:19.039><c> giving</c><00:22:19.320
• 22:25.199><c> for</c> allowing sort of of an exemption for allowing sort of of an exemption for them<
• </c> could look at some of that ISS some of could look at some of that ISS some of those<01:25:12.760
• of the of the discussion um all in favor of the of the amendment<01:32:25.159><c> say</c><01:32:25.520

Bills: HF72 , HF66 , HF69 , HF73

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• But this authority could look at all kinds of energy generation, right?
• Natural, you know, [It] could look at all kinds of energy generation, right?
• for any kind of generation, but these days energy storage is in that list.
• for any kind of possible generation.
• the General Assembly, and thank you all for being a part of the task force.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> most of them I suspect maybe all of them most of them I suspect maybe all of them didn't<00:13:15.920
• If there's been a case in the state of Mississippi, if there's been a conviction from the Attorney General
• If there's been a case in the state of Mississippi, if there's been a conviction from the Attorney General
• of the committee, designation of the chair of the organization, and a treasurer.
• </c> of state maybe a current secretary of of state maybe a current secretary of state<00:35:26.320><

Committee: Joint Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• But this authority could look at all kinds of energy generation, right?
• Any recommendation that we make has to be passed by the General Assembly by the end of tomorrow.
• for any kind of generation.
• You don't need it for nuclear, but this is for all of the above financing for any kind of possible generation
• DP&L cannot own, operate, or build their own power generation in the state of Delaware, right?

Summary: The meeting focused on finalizing recommendations from the Delaware Nuclear Energy Task Force, with most of the discussion centered on how the state should organize itself to evaluate and potentially pursue nuclear power. Public commenters strongly supported nuclear energy, emphasizing energy reliability, economic competitiveness, data center demand, and the need for Delaware to act quickly. Several speakers argued that Delaware is falling behind neighboring states and should not delay if it wants to attract developers and preserve access to federal tax incentives. Members then worked through revisions to the recommendations, especially the section on state actions moving forward. There was broad agreement that Delaware needs a clearly empowered leadership structure, but disagreement over the best form: a cabinet-level energy agency, an expanded existing agency such as DENREC, a dedicated coordinator, an expanded Sustainable Energy Utility, or a separate quasi-independent authority. Some members favored a nimble, one-off entity with bonding and financing authority; others cautioned against creating a new body outside state government and stressed the need for coordination with existing agencies, public oversight, and cost discipline. The group also discussed adding responsibilities such as site identification, public engagement, coordination with PJM and federal agencies, and financing tools, while removing or folding in items that seemed duplicative or too broad. The committee also revised earlier modules to broaden the focus from small modular reactors to nuclear power more generally, while keeping the task force’s original SMR work in view. Members agreed to keep recommendations on state and local regulatory readiness, financial mechanisms, permitting coordination, and public engagement, and to add a recommendation for Delaware to participate as an observer in the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative through NASEO and NARUC. The committee approved the revised Module Four recommendations by vote, with one abstention from Tom Noyes. Minutes from the prior meeting were also approved with minor corrections.