Transcript Highlights:

• . process. process.
• <00:57:50.319> In change order control process. In change order control process.
• Logging and auditing. All user and system actions are logged and auditable.
• utilize a process called allow listing. utilize a process called allow listing.
• render the election process vulnerable. render the election process vulnerable.

Keywords: Discussion of BR 25 (2026 RS) 04:15 Presentation on voting systems by ES&S 48:14 Presentation on voting systems by Hart InterCivic and Harp Enterprises 01:13:07, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to approve the October 21 minutes and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and public resources. The sponsors said the bill is intended to strengthen existing law by adding civil and criminal penalties for taxpayer-funded advocacy on ballot questions, especially in light of controversies during the 2024 election over school officials and districts using public resources to oppose a constitutional amendment. They also described related concerns about school districts hiring third-party lobbyists and public relations firms, particularly in Fayette County, and said the proposal was meant to keep tax dollars focused on public services rather than political persuasion. Committee members raised several concerns about scope and drafting. Some asked whether the bill should specifically mention schools, school boards, and school employees, and the sponsors said they would add that language. Others questioned whether the measure would also affect local government lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, and the sponsors said they intended to focus narrowly on schools while exempting certain advocacy organizations and internal government lobbyists. Members also asked whether public employees could still speak as private individuals, and the sponsors said yes. Several members suggested splitting the lobbying and ballot-advocacy issues into separate bills, and the sponsors said they would consider that. Members also pressed for clarification on how the bill would apply in practice, including whether it would cover legal challenges to petition drives or only advocacy after a question is on the ballot. Counsel for the sponsors said the bill would not cover some petition-related litigation as drafted, though they believed it should. The sponsors and supporters argued the proposal was needed to give the existing prohibition real enforcement, while some members warned that the language could unintentionally limit legitimate public representation or be too broad if not carefully drafted. No final vote was taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• those bad audits where there's findings and corrective action.
• There is an annual audit.
• But there is an annual audit where all of this stuff is reported. Very, very transparent.
• It is really because of your engagement that our process gets better.
• But the this came out of an audit said, hey, could you change the statutes in areas?

Transcript Highlights:

• , to have some reform in this process, to have some reform in this process, we've<00:25:19.360>
• conditional use process. conditional use process.
• audit saying, "Hey, Mr. secretary, you can<01:50:52.719> audit<01:50:53.040> the<01:50:
• Hampshire's voting process. If I know Hampshire's voting process.
• process. Thank you. process. Thank you.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3317 restores balance, transparency, and fairness to the contracting process.
• Second part of this is a critical need to curb abusive PBM audit practices.
• He was audited for a claim of insulin for a fragile diabetic patient.
• However, during the audit, the PBM found a simple clerical error.
• Uh, it's been through this process before and hopefully we can get through this time.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1038 is sponsored by the California School Employees Association, CSEA, and it expands the CalPERS audit
• audited.
• It took the school district and CalPERS three years after the final audit report to fix the error.
• So this bill requires employees to forward the initial audit notification.
• in the final audit report to the relevant bargaining unit.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement heard three bills. SB 939 by Senator Laird, sponsored by CalPERS, would end new enrollment in the actuarial equivalent reduction option for service credit purchases starting in 2028 and require any unpaid balance at retirement to be paid within 90 days. The author said the change would reduce unintended consequences for members, employers, and CalPERS administration. There was no opposition, and the bill was approved on a unanimous vote and sent to Appropriations. SB 1038, also by Senator Laird and sponsored by CSEA, would expand CalPERS audit notification procedures so bargaining units receive notice when an employer is audited and receive relevant member information from final audit reports. Supporters said this would help unions protect members from benefit reductions or repayment demands caused by payroll or compensation errors, citing a Kern High School District audit example. Teamsters, the California Labor Federation, and AFSCME testified in support, with no opposition. The committee passed the bill unanimously and sent it to Appropriations. SB 1227 by Senator Drozdoff/Dorazo (as referenced in the transcript) would require the Department of Industrial Relations to work with unions on apprenticeship pathways into enforcement jobs, such as Cal/OSHA and Labor Commissioner classifications, to address staffing shortages and backlogs. The author and supporters from United Steelworkers, SEIU Local 1000, CSEA, the California Labor Federation, and others argued apprenticeship would create a pipeline of trained workers and improve labor law enforcement. The committee accepted amendments, voted the bill out on a unanimous vote, and re-referred it to the Committee on Labor and Employment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um it uh audit conducted by the OA.
• There go through the committee process.
• What process did they use to eliminate any residue of chemical in that recycling process?
• Um what what process did Chair Hansen.
• would<00:34:32.399> eliminate What in their process would eliminate What in their process

Bills: HF858, HF2577, HF2576

Keywords: bioincentive payments, agriculture, job creation, environmental compliance, financial reporting, waste handling, sewage sludge, PFAS regulation, environment, record retention, fertilizer disposal, pesticide disposal, environmental impact, safety regulations, burning prohibition, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• disconnected data, and manual processes disconnected data, and manual processes that<00:04:25.840
• and auditing into a single framework. and auditing into a single framework.
• agencies' implementations of OLA audit agencies' implementations of OLA audit recommendations<00
• , audit procedures, and audit requirements as traditional public school districts.
• , audit procedures, and audit requirements as traditional public school districts.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I look forward to working with committee members and reaching... performance audits.
• Our tax preference reviews follow JLARC's established process and use professional auditing standards
• That's something we didn't definitively really answer during the audit.
• We also do many financial audits.
• Yes, we're in the process of revising our Open Government Resource Manual.

Summary: The meeting began with JLARC’s biennial executive committee elections. After confirming a quorum, members unanimously elected Representative Pollet as chair, Senator Wagoner as vice chair, Representative Orcutt as secretary, and Senator Solomon as assistant secretary for the 2025-27 biennium. The committee also approved the May 14 meeting minutes unanimously. Chair Pollet then outlined a commitment to more member input on audit scope and coordination with the State Auditor’s Office. Staff presented a preliminary report on Washington State recreation boating programs. They reported that six agencies administer boating-related activities, that the state collected about $108 million in boating-related revenue in 2021-23, and that $86 million was spent, mostly on infrastructure and water access, environmental protection, boater safety, and marine law enforcement. Staff said Washington’s boating laws and programs are broadly similar to other states and noted that the final report is expected in September. JLARC then reviewed several tax preferences. For natural gas used as a transportation fuel, staff said the preferences reduce fuel costs but did not meet emissions-reduction targets because fewer vessels and vehicles converted to natural gas than expected; staff recommended continuing some exemptions and modifying reporting requirements. For travel agents and tour operators, staff said the preference continues to provide tax relief, but large beneficiaries’ savings are rising while small beneficiaries’ use is declining, leading to recommendations to continue the small-business rate and add or revise performance metrics. Staff also reviewed a nonprofit low-income housing property tax exemption, concluding it helps developers build homes as intended but that the performance metric should better reflect housing outcomes; they recommended the legislature decide whether to continue or modify it. Other reviews covered multipurpose senior citizen centers, disabled veteran adapted housing, trade convention attendance, agricultural fertilizer and seed wholesaling, hazardous substance tax treatment for pesticides, and silicon smelter energy preferences, with recommendations ranging from continuation to expiration depending on whether the stated objectives were met. The committee then adopted the final cannabis market study for distribution. Staff reported that Washington businesses produced two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023, and that inaccurate and incomplete reporting limits the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s ability to regulate the market. The board said it concurs with the recommendations, including developing a plan for a new data system and considering broader social equity options. Finally, staff presented the proposed final report on Department of Health oversight of hospital data reporting, inspections, and complaints. Staff said DOH was late on most acute-care hospital inspections, had not fully verified third-party inspection standards, and did not adequately review adverse event correction plans or assess language access barriers in its complaint system. DOH said it concurs with all six recommendations and has already made some transparency improvements, including a public dashboard for adverse event reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Office, the information technology personnel, and the many others who help ensure the democratic process
• Still facing California and the budget process.
• SB 414, Ashby, charter school accountability, do pass with author's amendments regarding annual audit
• Regarding annual audit and contracting requirements, out with Republicans not voting.
• SB 791, Cortese, auto sale document processing fee increase, do pass as amended to reduce the cap to

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its August 29, 2025 suspense hearing on Senate bills, with the chair emphasizing the state’s ongoing budget constraints and the need to make difficult choices among 261 bills on the suspense file. After establishing a quorum, the committee began taking action bill by bill, with many measures receiving do pass or do pass with amendments recommendations, while others were held in committee or designated as two-year bills. The chair noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later on the committee website. The hearing covered a wide range of topics, including insurance and claims data, wildfire relief and prevention, water planning, energy and utility regulation, housing and land use, health care, labor and employment, criminal justice, education, environmental policy, and election-related measures. Several bills were amended before passage, often to narrow scope, remove sections, adjust definitions, delay implementation, or clarify funding and enforcement provisions. Some notable actions included moving bills on AI regulation, transit-oriented housing, paid family leave, wildfire mapping, chemical hair relaxers, and pharmacy benefit managers, while other bills on subjects such as controlled substances, high-speed rail, and certain education or housing proposals were held. The committee also took formal roll-call votes on selected bills, with some passing on A roll calls and others on B roll calls; a number of measures were advanced with Republicans not voting. One highlighted vote was SB 79 by Senator Wiener, which passed after amendments and a recorded roll call. At the end of the hearing, the committee reported that 190 bills were moved to the Assembly Floor, either as do pass or do pass with amendments, concluding the suspense hearing for the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• The process of obtaining a mobile ID requires going through a process on the phone, and the data that
• the ISO standard recommends on a device and audit log.
• What is your position or concerns with an audit log if we did do an instituted digital ID?
• the ISO standard recommends on a device and audit log.
• What is your position or concerns with an audit log?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And it continues through this process today.
• Even issuers who are not subject to the bill's audit requirements, or the audit requirements of a publicly
• On this bill, and we have benefited, I think, from a very robust bipartisan process.
• regular order and a process that works is exactly this.
• I am thankful that the process is what it is. The process is messy. Markups are messy.

Bills: SB875

Keywords: banking regulation, federal agencies, reputational risk, financial services, supervision, FIRM Act, bank supervision, depository institutions, federal banking agencies, FDIC, OCC, Federal Reserve, NCUA, CFPB, credit unions, Operation Choke Point, financial discrimination, safety and soundness, supervisory guidance, examination manual

Summary: This meeting focused on the markup of the Genius Act and the FIRM Act, two significant pieces of legislation addressing stablecoin regulation and the financial industry's regulatory framework. The Chairman noted the importance of providing clarity to the digital asset community and protecting American consumers, while also promoting innovation and competition within the financial sector. Members of both parties expressed varying viewpoints, with some highlighting concerns related to national security and the potential risks associated with stablecoins.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will fight with the best of the appropriation process. Thank you very much.
• I'm thinking about compliance and maybe the opportunity to audit AI providers.
• I don't recall any audit provision.
• But there's no specific audit function. Okay. Thank you, Chair Leek.
• It mandates processes.

Bills: S0214, S0482, S7030, S0554, S0994, S0998, S1004, S1074, S1076, S1266

Keywords: special districts, funding, financial assistance, rural community, state agency, economic development, artificial intelligence, personal data protection, consumer rights, chatbot, deceptive practices, government contracts, public records, consumer protection, data privacy, investigations, proprietary information, chatbots, Florida statutes, nonprofit

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism heard and advanced several bills focused on economic development, consumer protection, workforce issues, and technology. SB 1076 would raise Florida’s research and development tax credit cap from $9 million to $50 million beginning with the 2027 allocation, and it was reported favorably. SB 1266, as amended, creates a cybersecurity experiential internship and clearance-readiness program with Cyber Florida and was also reported favorably. SB 554, a Florida Bar-backed update to the not-for-profit corporations statute, was approved without opposition. SB 1004, aimed at protecting buyers of dogs and cats from deceptive sales practices and predatory financing at retail pet stores, received supportive testimony from animal welfare advocates and was reported favorably. SB 1074, which sets rounding rules for cash transactions if pennies are unavailable, also passed favorably. The committee also considered SB 998, the Department of Commerce package, which combines updates to the Small Cities CDBG program, clarification of rural community eligibility, an exemption from a reverter clause for military-related land conveyances, and revisions to E-Verify enforcement. The E-Verify portion drew the most debate, with questions about employer cure periods, treatment of current investigations, and whether the bill creates a loophole for independent contractors. Senator Smith opposed the bill, arguing it creates unequal enforcement between employers and immigrant workers, while Senator Wright supported the military-related provisions. SB 998 was reported favorably on a divided vote. SB 214, which expands the rural community definition to include special districts in rural counties, was reported favorably. The committee then took up SB 482, an artificial intelligence consumer-protection bill that creates an “AI bill of rights” covering companion chatbots, parental controls for minors, data privacy, de-identified data, unauthorized use of likeness, and enforcement by the Attorney General, with a limited private cause of action for minors. The bill drew extensive testimony both in support and in opposition, including concerns about privacy, age verification, and enforcement, but it was reported favorably. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7030, a public-records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations under the AI bill, and adjourned after members requested to be recorded on certain votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• and auditing.
• process I would recommend. process I would recommend. >> Thank<00:23:35.679> you.
• are dealing with audits and auditing. are dealing with audits and auditing.
• with the process what that was sent. with the process what that was sent.
• > process<03:52:13.279> for >> the grant process for >> the grant process for

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another tool that we have is a road safety audit.
• So, sorry, yes, that's a screenshot of the road safety audits on our website.
• We do actually have a whole program guide for road safety audits.
• And so the process can be different for every community.
• I think the ways that we are trying to speed that up is to rely on road safety audits.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's an important process, if I remember correctly, that EPI process. Correct, correct.
• Okay, when we're having these types of audits, we pay these people to have to do these audits.
• You have things in process.
• But we try to do the best we can through the waiver process and through the enforcement process, but
• But we try to do the best we can through the waiver process and through the enforcement process, but

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused. The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action. Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate the diligence with which you approach this process.
• So those sorts of things go through a review process and approval process by the department.
• On improvement of our processes, how do we support the school districts and charter schools in this process
• It has been a long process.
• Reconciliations, audits, and maintaining.

Transcript Highlights:

• Audits that are...
• That process began. It was a pretty significant task.
• Can you just walk me through the entire procurement process?
• That was through the process of a lot of intense work.
• Just this month, we submitted through the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• having a random audit of the signature.
• It's audit- audited audit plan would eviscerate vote-by-mail access in entire counties based on poorly
• of all residents in the redistricting process.
• I do not support false statements however California's long process processes exasperates election concerns
• the process.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It required 2,000 an audit happened.
• So we can permit that audit time to go So we can permit that audit time to go to<01:40:32.080> zero
• But this fund itself is audited. The fund itself is audited by Tate Weller.
• <01:50:37.280> on reggga we maintain a a PCOAB audit on reggga we maintain a a PCOAB audit
• is audited by Tate Weller. is audited by Tate Weller. >> All<01:50:57.920> right.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission met to review stable tokens, real-world asset tokenization, and blockchain-based trust, approved the agenda and December 12 minutes, and heard a presentation from Anchorage Digital after postponing a planned Bitco presentation because of its IPO quiet period. Anchorage’s Melinda Delos, Joe Mioli, and Kevin Wasaki introduced the firm, describing it as a global digital assets platform and the first crypto-native institution in the U.S. to receive a federal banking charter. They said their approach emphasizes security, regulated custody and trading services, and responsible innovation for institutional clients, banks, states, and sovereigns. The presentation focused on post-Genius Act momentum in the stablecoin market. Anchorage said the law provided regulatory clarity and helped spur activity with major clients, including Athena, Tether, and Western Union. The speakers highlighted Western Union’s planned stablecoin as especially significant because it reflects adoption by a long-established traditional payments company, and they said the project illustrates how stablecoins can support programmable, real-time, interoperable payments. They also noted that Anchorage is providing issuance infrastructure for the Western Union project. The commission and presenters also discussed government uses of tokenized assets, including reserve legislation, digital assets for tax collection and fees, and a Marshall Islands initiative to use a tokenized sovereign bond for direct citizen payments. In response to a question, Anchorage said it would follow up on which states are using digital assets for revenue collection, mentioning Louisiana and Pennsylvania as examples. The banking discussion centered on remittances, instant payments, and interbank settlement, with Anchorage arguing that stablecoins can reduce settlement time, fees, and foreign exchange risk while improving traceability and auditability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jefferson County Public Schools audit.
• Page 15, audit billings.
• Page 15, audit billings. Page 15, audit billings.
• <00:14:39.959> of support random and targeted audits of support random and targeted audits
• continue to move through the process. continue to move through the process.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Free Conference Committee on the 2026 General Assembly budget met to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 500. Leaders opened by thanking the other chamber’s work, asking members to turn microphones on and off to avoid feedback, and stressing the need to clearly note decision points so both chambers record the same actions. Staff then walked through the bill page by page, explaining that the committee was comparing only House and Senate differences, not the governor’s proposed budget. The discussion covered a wide range of appropriations and language items, including next generation non-911 services, school safety reporting tools, restored funding for brain injury, epilepsy, veteran service, homeless veterans, and rocket docket programs, debt service changes, rural infrastructure, disaster aid caps, Attorney General and Medicaid fraud funding, agriculture and county fair grants, auditor and pension-related appropriations, school facilities and SEEK funding, and numerous education programs. Members also discussed charter-related funding such as Star Academy, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, school resource officers, school-based mental health providers, AP/IB exams, Governor’s Scholars and Entrepreneurs, and several pilot or initiative programs in economic development, energy, and labor. Several items were described as technical corrections or restorations of language and funding, while others reflected differences in amounts or how funds would be distributed. There were several questions and comments from members about wording such as “implement and carry out,” the absence of the governor’s budget from the comparison document, and whether SEEK funding should be tied to teacher raises. The chair and other members emphasized that the committee’s role was to reconcile the two chambers’ budgets, not to adopt the governor’s proposal. Members also raised concerns about opioid settlement funds and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library match rate, with one senator urging restoration of the House language. No final vote or formal action was taken in the portion provided; the meeting primarily consisted of explanation, questions, and discussion of proposed budget differences.