Transcript Highlights:

• So the question is for legislative counsel if he gets paid double for being on two committees today or
• It's been more based on requests of legislators and committees like this.
• That's why we're bringing this to the committee and brought it to the last legislative session, that
• And that's not only annoying, it's very distressing to a legislative committee, I think.
• Several years ago, I was on a committee that considered model legislation from various states.

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lily Smith, staff to this committee.
• The work of this committee and the work of this legislation is how we build a comprehensive approach
• Chair Reeves, members of the committee.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee. Rebecca Lewis, staff to the committee.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee, Rebecca Lewis, staff to the committee.

Bills: HB2275 , HB2238

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: wildfire prevention, Washington wildfire council, fire safety, environmental protection, state regulations, HB 2238, HB2238, statewide food security, food security strategy, hunger, food insecurity, food access, food assistance, anti-hunger, nutrition education, food system literacy, agricultural viability, supply chain resilience, Washington Department of Agriculture, food policy forum

Transcript Highlights:

• County is referred to the Committee on Local Legislation. Message from the House. Mr.
• Referred to the Committee on Local Legislation. Signed, John Treadwell. Clerk.
• Referred to the Committee on Local Legislation. Signed, John Treadwell.
• Committee on Local Legislation. Signed, John Treadwell, Clerk. Message from the House. Mr.
• Secretary, call the next committee from the Committee on Local Legislation: Senate Bill number 44.

Bills: SJR 3 , SB 5 , SJR 36 , SJR 3 , SB 616 , SB 565 , SB 384 , SB 5 , SB 21 , SB 72 , SB 140 , SB 262 , SB 370 , SB 372 , SB 495 , SB 627 , SB 703 , SB 764 , SB 842 , SB 971 , SB 790 , SB 767 , SB 480 , SB 1066 , SR 44 , SR 135 , SR 171 , SR 180 , SR 185 , SR 187 , SR 188 , SR 191 , SR 197 , SR 198 , SR 199 , SR 200

Transcript Highlights:

• Porter Committee.
• Report of committee: The Committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the bill relative to increasing
• This is practical, common-sense, life-saving legislation.
• I also want to thank my staff on the Joint Committee on Transportation for their hard work on the committee
• I also want to thank my staff on the Joint Committee on Transportation for their hard work on the committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a new member of this committee.
• I'm excited to be a part of this committee, and I hope to, what I can get from this committee is seeing
• Madam Chair, um, committee, it's, it's, I've never been on this committee, so I have no idea what I'm
• I will say that the outside of the Legislative Finance Committee and the Legislative Education Study
• Committee and the Education and Finance Committees.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, committee. We are here to hear one piece of legislation.
• Thank you very much for joining our committee. Thank you. Okay, committee. Okay, committee.
• Okay, welcome to our committee.
• And committee,... Please.
• So committee, we thank you again. And with that, this committee will conclude.

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee, as well as to the Legislative Finance Committee, a summary of the science concerning the
• I know that in the summer, the Legislative Finance Committee held a hearing in Carlsbad where many local
• It was the Legislative Finance Committee, which is a summary of the science, and I have a copy of that
• I've been on the Legislative Finance Committee.
• I've been on Legislative Education Committees.

Committee: House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• You can look it up, too, and I'm glad that members in the Legislative Finance Committee didn't seem to
• informative, and drive legislation, emergency legislation like this.
• Speaker, gentlelady, you know, we held a, um, the final day of our legislative finance committee interim
• With the membership of the... ...operations and finance committee and the legislative finance committee
• And through our incredible finance committees and the Legislative Finance Committee, we can right-size

Transcript Highlights:

• I actually really enjoy this committee.
• I don't think it's going to be necessary, but thank you, committee. But thank you, committee.
• Committee, we do have a proper motion before the committee.
• Janet Jessup said the committee would work from the legislative home page, which is a good place to start
• Appropriations Committee.

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, so as is the custom of the committee, we'll take legislators out of turn.
• Appreciate your following this legislation. Are there any questions from the committee members?
• And with the custom of the committee taking legislators at a turn, I see Representative Scanlan—excuse
• I want to thank the committee, the chairs, for taking the time to hear this important legislation.
• This legislation, which has passed the House three times and received a favorable report from this committee

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from the co-chairs explaining committee procedures, testimony limits, submission instructions, and the new deadlines for acting on House and Senate bills. The committee then heard testimony on several bills related to agriculture, land use, environment, housing, transportation, and taxation, with legislators often taken out of turn. No votes were taken during the hearing. The first major topic was H. 3206, a bill to allow fossil fuel-free 529 college savings plans to qualify for the state tax deduction if MEFA does not offer a comparable option. Representative Steve Owens said the bill would not force MEFA or Fidelity to change existing plans, but would create a definition for fossil fuel-free funds and extend the deduction to qualifying out-of-state plans. The committee also heard strong local testimony on a Belmont home-rule petition, H. 3970, to change tax treatment for the Belmont Country Club under Chapter 61B. Belmont residents and officials argued the private golf course receives an unfair tax break that shifts costs to other taxpayers, while Senator Brownsberger and Representative Rogers supported the measure as a way to help the town recover revenue. Committee members asked about town meeting support, the club’s lack of payment in lieu of taxes, and the size of the tax savings. The committee next heard testimony on a vehicle miles traveled tax proposal, S. 1925, from Senator Barrett and economists Gilbert Metcalf and Christopher Knittel. They argued that declining gas-tax revenue and rising fuel efficiency, especially with electric vehicles, require a more stable transportation funding source; they also said a VMT tax could be designed to be revenue-neutral and mildly progressive, though members raised concerns about administration, fairness, EV disincentives, and the possibility of annual tax shocks. The largest block of testimony focused on the Ahead Act, H. 3194/S. 1973, which would double the deed excise fee and dedicate the new revenue to affordable housing and climate adaptation. Supporters from MACDC, MAPC, FICC, Boston Climate Action Network, CLF, 350 Mass, CHAPA, and a tenant advocate said the bill could generate about $300 million annually for housing production, vouchers, weatherization, resilience, and environmental justice communities, and that it links two urgent crises with a stable funding stream. The committee also heard testimony on the Conservation Land Tax Credit bills, H. 3147/S. 2083, which would raise the annual cap on the credit from $2 million to $5 million for three years and then sunset back down. Conservation groups and a landowner said the program has conserved thousands of acres and that the higher cap would reduce delays and help meet state conservation goals. Finally, the committee took testimony on the Fairness for Farm Workers bills, S. 2011/H. 3107 and S. 2012, which would extend overtime, minimum wage, breaks, and paid time off protections to farm workers and include a refundable tax credit to help farmers offset overtime costs. Senator Gomez and advocates described the bills as overdue civil rights and public health measures, citing low wages, long hours, dangerous conditions, and the racial history behind farm labor exclusions. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3240, a bill to give municipalities a local option vacancy tax on chronically vacant shopping malls, with the sponsor arguing it would help towns address blight, encourage redevelopment, and potentially create housing and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am one of the co-chairs of this committee, the Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency
• direction for this committee.
• Section 907 of the budget established the Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency
• ...since there is a lot of committee interest in this, for us to follow up with the committee to kind
• to other committee members.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative-Executive Committee on Budget Transparency and Fiscal Sustainability

Summary: The committee held its first meeting, with co-chairs and members introducing themselves and staff outlining the committee’s statutory charge under the 2026 supplemental operating budget. Staff explained that the committee is tasked with studying budget transparency and fiscal sustainability in two phases: first, revenue growth, spending assumptions, statutory cost drivers, and carryforward/maintenance levels; and later, staffing, overhead, performance management, and public reporting tools. The committee also discussed its goals, with members emphasizing a shared factual understanding of Washington’s fiscal situation, the causes of projected structural deficits, and possible paths to a more sustainable operating budget. Staff then gave a detailed operating budget basics presentation. They reviewed the size and composition of the operating budget, explaining that most spending is concentrated in grants and client services, salaries and benefits, and goods and services, with K-12 education, DSHS, the Health Care Authority, DCYF, corrections, and higher education making up most NGFO spending. They also walked through the distinction between constitutional, federal, statutory, and discretionary spending; the role of caseload and per-capita forecasts; how maintenance level and policy level budgets are built; and how the four-year outlook works, including revenue forecasts, reversions, budget stabilization account reserves, and the official outlook adoption process. Members asked several questions about what is or is not included in the outlook, especially future collective bargaining agreements, health care inflation, court-ordered liabilities, and whether the budget could better separate mandatory from discretionary spending over time. Staff said some of those questions would require follow-up and noted the existence of an outlook accuracy report. The committee then heard from Josh Goodman of the Pew Charitable Trusts, who introduced Pew’s state fiscal work and its role as the nonprofit partner supporting the committee. He said Pew would help analyze long-term fiscal sustainability, reserve policies, recession preparedness, and practices from other states, and would draw on its 50-state data and subject-matter experts. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think from what folks on this committee have expressed, what people have passed legislation, I think
• I know the chairman and some other legislators on this committee, so I want to make it perfectly clear
• Chairman, committee, thank you. When you're ready. Mr. Chairman, committee, thank you.
• She thanked the committee.
• Before the committee was House Bill 1311 to do with as the committee pleased.

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> you to tell them to contact a legislator you to tell them to contact a legislator law<00:07:09.080
• </c> her and uh in testimony in committee her and uh in testimony in committee very<00:08:12.479><c>
• </c> enforcement or the OA but legislators enforcement or the OA but legislators under<00:09:30.920><
• </c> seeing is there's a there's a committee seeing is there's a there's a committee face<00:13:44.440
• we've</c> committee our fraud committee we've committee our fraud committee we've worked<00:14:29.680

Summary: State Representative Jim Nash and Representative Kristin Robbins discussed a package of fraud-prevention bills, centered on House File 3 and a separate whistleblower-protection measure. HF 3 would require annual reports based on Office of the Auditor (OA/OLA) findings to be sent to ranking members of relevant committees, with the goal of giving appropriators more information about internal controls and follow-up on audit recommendations. Nash said the bill is intended to help reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, cited the Feeding Our Future case as an example of weak controls, and noted that the OA helped draft the proposal and supports it. He also said the bill’s language is modeled in part on Colorado and on earlier recommendations for more information to be shared with decision-makers. Robbins said her bill would expand whistleblower protections for state employees, including unclassified employees, and add new protected reporting channels and definitions. She said employees are often afraid to come forward because of job and career concerns, and that the bill would better protect reports made to legislators, the OA, governmental bodies, and law enforcement. She and Nash said they were working with DFL members and committee chairs on bipartisan amendments to define “fraud” and “misuse,” and to align the language with the Inspector General bill and prior law. In questions, Robbins explained that current law protects only certain employees and that her bill would broaden coverage and make it easier for employees to report concerns without fear. She said the OA supports the effort and that the added reporting pathways would help with follow-up on agency recommendations. Nash and Robbins both emphasized that the measures are part of a broader fraud-fighting package and expressed hope for bipartisan support, though Nash criticized DFL leadership for not backing the bills more openly. No votes or final actions were taken in the exchange shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members of the committee.
• There is brand new legislation.
• We are staff to the committee.
• We are staff to the committee.
• your favorite legislator and prime the pump for whatever legislative action we need to take.

Summary: At the April 8, 2026 JLARC meeting, members approved the January 7 minutes and recognized Marilyn Richter for more than 12 years of service to JLARC and the Citizens Commission. Staff then gave a legislative recap and work plan update, noting that JLARC staff presented to five committees during session, six bills or budget provisos implementing prior recommendations were enacted, and seven new study assignments were received. Members approved the updated 2025–2027 biennial work plan, including the new studies and the required 2027 lodging tax review. The committee also heard a presentation on a new post-meeting member survey tied to JLARC performance measures. Members then considered the final report on ignition interlock device compliance and monitoring. Staff reported that many drivers required to install ignition interlock devices do not do so, with installation rates rising with income, and identified problems in the Department of Licensing’s financial assistance program and coordination with the State Patrol. Both agencies said they concurred with JLARC’s recommendations to clarify responsibilities, formalize coordination, and develop a plan to increase installation rates. The committee approved the final report. Next, JLARC reviewed the final report on drug takeback fee setting and expenditures. Staff concluded that the Department of Health’s fee design limits full cost recovery and that the agency should publicly report oversight costs and activities; the legislature should revise the fee structure to better align with best practices. Members discussed whether the program should remain at DOH or be housed elsewhere, and adopted committee comments emphasizing transparency and future sunset review work before approving the final report. Finally, staff presented the scope and objectives for the Clean Buildings Performance Standard study, focusing on state-owned Tier 1 buildings and K-12 facilities in the first compliance cohort, with questions centered on compliance costs, energy savings, funding sources, fines, and possible workforce or budget impacts. The meeting ended with administrative announcements about upcoming meetings and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, please give them a round of applause. legislative process chambers's education legislative process
• </c><00:38:45.560><c> session</c> passed in the last legislative session passed in the last legislative
• Interim committees, such as legislative working groups, have typically abided by these notice and open
• on the legislative process and legislative<00:52:37.200><c> decisions</c><00:52:38.200><c> because</
• For example, committee chairs have significant latitude in how they run their committees.

Summary: The House convened, completed roll call with 48 members present and three excused, deferred reading of the journal, and received Senate communications noting adoption of House Concurrent Resolutions Nos. 1 and 2. The chamber also recognized several visiting groups and guests, including Congresswoman Jill Tuda, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii participants and students, Okinawan visitors, Farrington High School students, James Campbell High School students, and Waiau High School students, many of whom were introduced in connection with Chamber Week activities and educational presentations. The main business was unfinished business on House Resolutions 6 and 7, which adopted the House rules for the 33rd Legislature, including rules for the Committee on Standards of Conduct. Members generally supported the rules package as a transparency and modernization update, citing earlier public access to testimony, a public list of Speaker appointees, changes to conference committee eligibility, telework for staff, social media guidance, and a public list of bills introduced by request. Several members raised reservations or opposition, focusing on concerns about staff involvement in approving written remarks, budget information timing, the Vice Speaker’s role, social media/free speech issues, and whether some changes reduced public access or conflicted with constitutional open-meeting requirements. No vote on the rules package is recorded in the excerpt. The debate ended with multiple members yielding time and the discussion continuing on the merits of the proposed rule changes, especially the balance between transparency, internal House procedure, and public participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary call next legislative day. Secretary call next committee. committee. committee.
• </c><00:49:26.880><c> Signed,</c> committee on local legislation.
• Signed, committee on local legislation. Signed, John<00:49:27.359><c> Treadwell.
• to the committee on local legislation.<00:50:48.000><c> Mobile</c> legislation.
• Legislation, Committee on Local Legislation, Jefferson<00:51:35.359><c> County.

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Early procedural motions were adopted without objection, including excusing absent senators, dispensing with the prior journal, and allowing bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The Senate then took up several confirmation reports from the Committee on Confirmations, unanimously confirming Ralph Foster, Andre Harrison, Katie Randall, Donna Jones, and Reetta McCannan to the State Textbook Committee for Social Studies. The chamber also received a favorable report on Senate Bill 174 from the Transportation and Energy Committee, and later adopted a special order calendar from the Rules Committee. On the floor, the Senate passed a series of measures, including SB 104, which requires training for members of certain boards, commissions, and councils under the sunset law but was amended to exclude county and municipal boards; HB 59, a cleanup bill concerning the Certified Public Accountants Board; SB 8, authorizing the Emergency Management Agency to spend public funds on public information; SB 66, changing University of Monavalo board terms and related requirements, with an amendment protecting certain trustees appointed before January 1, 2027; SB 168, codifying limits on a reading technique and emphasizing the science of reading; SB 149, creating a temporary teaching certificate pathway for qualified military veterans; SB 46, adding a special driver’s license designation for individuals with invisible disabilities; and SB 90, addressing seafood dealer licenses and support for domestic seafood producers. Local bills including SB 175 and HB 84, HB 200, HB 201, HB 184, HB 203, HB 204, HB 205, HB 133, HB 134, HB 193, and HB 112 also advanced or passed, with several county-specific measures receiving BR adoption, final passage, and in one case certification. Near the end of the meeting, leadership and members discussed severe weather and contingency plans for the coming week. Budget hearings scheduled for Monday were canceled and moved to Thursday, with the Senate planning to meet Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. if weather permits, or Wednesday if necessary. The Senate also received several House messages referring local bills to committee. The session adjourned after a motion to adjourn until Tuesday, January 27 at 3:00 p.m., with the journal left open to receive House messages.

Transcript Highlights:

• Board of Committee.
• The Committee on Rules and the committees of the two branches, acting concurrently, report recommending
• Being on the conference committee once again, another conference committee for the CCC regulations and
• I want to thank the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Education, and the Speaker's Office
• I want to thank the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Education, and the Speaker's Office

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, and welcome to the Friday, February 20th House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
• I was serving as their first legislative director.
• Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the committee. My name is Karina Allen.
• I will give the caveat to the committee that our team is very, very new.
• , and it says ongoing agency request legislation.

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a Judiciary Committee amendment. Mr.
• President, your Committee of the Whole, having had under consideration the legislation list below, by
• President, your Committee of the Whole, having had under consideration the legislation list below, by
• In 2000, Barbara received the Legislator of the Year Award from the National Republican Legislators Association
• President, your Committee of the Whole, having had under consideration the legislation listed below,

Transcript Highlights:

• So you may see some of that come out in committee.
• I'm so excited for this committee.
• I think it's going to be an amazing committee full of lots of lively debates and... ...this committee
• things that we can do in this committee.
• MQA has submitted a legislative budget request for consideration during the upcoming legislative session

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met for an introductory and oversight briefing from the Florida Department of Health on implementation of several 2024 laws. The committee heard first from Jennifer Winhold on practitioner-regulation measures, including SB 1716 and SB 1600, which expanded workforce pathways through foreign-trained physician licensure, area-of-critical-need temporary certificates for APRNs and physician assistants, graduate assistant physician licenses, interstate compacts, and a new universal licensure-by-endorsement process. She also reviewed HB 197 on massage therapy enforcement, HB 975 on broader background screening, HB 1561 on office-surgery and liposuction safeguards, HB 159 on pharmacist HIV post-exposure prophylaxis certification, and HB 1063 on chiropractic dry needling and foreign degree licensure. Members asked about compact scope, foreign graduate requirements, massage enforcement overlap with DBPR, and registration thresholds for liposuction procedures. Dr. Emma Spencer then outlined implementation of SB 76 and related programs, including changes to the FRAME and dental loan repayment programs, the volunteer health care provider program, the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, the Health Care Innovation Council and revolving loan program, and the Andrew John Anderson Pediatric Rare Disease Grant Program. She said the department had updated portals, posted forms, launched or was developing public search tools, and submitted required reports and contracts. Members questioned whether loan repayment funds were reaching rural and underserved areas, how nonprofit applicants were being informed about the Alphonse screening grant program, the short application window for that grant, and how the department would evaluate whether the programs were improving recruitment and retention. A third presentation, delivered by Mike Mason standing in for Shea Holloway, covered maternal and child health and other public health initiatives. He reported on the telehealth maternity care program’s expansion from a pilot in Duval and Orange counties to 23 counties, the pregnancy-and-parenting resources website required by HB 415, CMV newborn screening requirements under SB 168, sickle cell registry and research grants under HB 7085, and the swim lessons voucher program under SB 544, which received nearly 10,000 requests for 3,500 vouchers and enrolled 86 facilities. Members asked about utilization, marketing, website launch timing, and how the department was promoting these services. No bills were voted on; the meeting concluded with the chair noting that more committee presentations and bills would follow and that briefing materials would be distributed to members.