Transcript Highlights:

• And seeing no questions for you, I will close the hearing on House Bill 2416 and reopen the hearing on

Bills: HB2426 , HB2373 , HB2416

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, electric utility, energy assistance, low-income households, monthly bill assistance, energy equity, waste management, energy, climate action, environmental regulations, fair treatment, renewable energy, sustainability, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll reopen the hearing for a couple testifiers on House Bill 2364. Vice Chair Cortez.

Bills: HB2429 , HB2171 , HB2314 , HB2364 , HB2415

Committee: House Early Learning & Human Services

Keywords: behavioral health, youth support, mental health services, children's health, support services, foster youth, child welfare, education, mental health, dental care, habilitation centers, residential services, healthcare access, patient rights, poverty, task force, legislative, executive, social programs, fatalities

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll reopen the hearing. A couple testifiers on House Bill 2364. Vice Chair Cortez. Thank you, Mr.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on recommendations from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group. Tisha Kirshbaum of the Health Care Authority described the Washington Thriving Strategic Plan, a prenatal-to-25 system-of-care framework meant to reduce fragmentation, improve coordination across multiple state agencies, and expand early, community-based behavioral health supports. Members asked about duplication among agencies, simplification of the system, and upstream services such as community health workers, school-based supports, and crisis access. The committee then heard House Bill 2429, which would direct the governor and state agencies to align with the Washington Thriving plan, create an executive coordination officer and leadership council, extend the work group, and require broader alignment by state, tribal, local, and nonprofit entities. The bill received strong support from the governor’s office, the Health Care Authority, parents, youth, providers, and advocates, while a few testifiers raised concerns about government overreach, cost, or the need to address non-psychiatric causes of distress. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2364, which renames and expands the Legislative Executive Work First Poverty Reduction Oversight Task Force into the Legislative Executive Economic Justice and Well-Being Task Force and updates the related advisory council to align with the state’s 10-year plan to dismantle poverty. Staff and the prime sponsor said the bill reflects the evolution of the poverty-reduction effort and adds agencies such as the Department of Revenue, Health Care Authority, and Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. Testimony from DSHS and advocates was uniformly supportive, emphasizing bipartisan collaboration and the need to update statute to match current work. Next, the committee heard House Bill 2171 on supporting foster youth. The bill would create an endangered foster youth alert system, require county rapid-response protocols, establish a foster youth empowerment account, create an oversight board through the Ombuds office, and expand training for foster parents and child welfare workers. The prime sponsor and several advocates described the bill as a response to lived experience and a way to improve accountability and long-term support. DCYF said it supports the intent but raised legal and cost concerns, and some youth advocates warned that public alerts could increase risk or trauma for youth who run away from unsafe placements. The hearing then moved to House Bill 2314, which would create a pilot allowing certain community-based clients with developmental disabilities to receive dental care at residential habilitation centers. Supporters said the bill would use existing dental capacity to address severe access gaps and long waits in the community, while opponents from disability advocacy groups argued it would pull people back into institutional settings instead of building community-based dental capacity. Testimony on the bill was mixed, and no final committee action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fast forward to 2022-2023, when the Commission was issued a non-reoccurring allocation of 295,000 to reopen

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a closure of the technology gap for a while, but then it has reopened since schools returned in

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with those problems that we had in central count, where we had to go to court and ask a judge to reopen
• You receive a naturalization certificate when you become a United States citizen.
• Uh, yeah, we, we testify throughout the United States. We're located in DC and Philadelphia. OK.
• did get from the manual for a handgun owner that an LTC holder may have a lawful presence in the United
• States as determined by the United States agency responsible for citizenship and immigration in compliance

Bills: HB304

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: franchise tax credit, food desert, grocery store, healthy corner store, nutrition assistance, economic development, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• We had to go to court and ask a judge to reopen central count for early vote ballots.
• A certificate is issued when you become a United States citizen.
• Yeah, we testify throughout the United States; we're located in D.C. and... Okay.
• did get from the manual for a handgun owner that an LTC holder may have a lawful presence. in the United
• States as determined by the United States Agency responsible for citizenship and immigration compliance

Bills: HB304 , HB401 , HB556 , HB1475 , HB1489 , HB2259 , HB2424 , HB2773 , HB2811 , HB3323 , HB304

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: voter ID, citizenship proof, provisional ballot, election security, Texas, voting rights, deep fakes, misleading videos, election integrity, criminal offense, digital misinformation, deep fake, political manipulation, misinformation, artificial media, political influence, artificially generated media, election influence, Texas Election Code, healthcare reform

Transcript Highlights:

• That's it. the United States Senate approved of the United States Senate approved of this<01:17:31.600
• </c><04:01:35.040><c> States,</c> 20% of Haitians in the United States, 20% of Haitians in the United
• </c> response, what we should do is be united response, what we should do is be united in<04:07:34.720
• </c> 100,000 premature deaths in the United 100,000 premature deaths in the United States<05:19:30.958
• </c><06:23:49.920><c> States</c> Democratic leader of the United States Democratic leader of the United

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Massachusetts is home to one of every 10 R&D jobs in the United States.
• We don't want to lose postdocs to Canada, to Germany, to the United Kingdom.
• I lead the Holyoke Community Energy Project, uniting researchers, community groups, and local residents
• I fear that the United States is on its way to becoming a place that is unattractive for scientists and
• The United States has left the Paris Agreement, but Massachusetts has committed to the United States

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, there's a fair number from the higher ed units and facilities.
• So is there a report out there that shows that the Medicaid unit has been successful?
• The Medicaid fraud unit does an annual report in the Attorney General's Office, and it's very good.
• Because I know the Association of Counties has a freestanding IT unit that does security stuff.
• In North Dakota, just 13% of our family cases are reopened.

Summary: The task force reviewed survey results from state agencies on potential statutory revisions, with Levi reporting 70 proposals from 20 agencies and noting that about 33 might become agency pre-file bills. Members discussed the need to share the survey more broadly within higher education and to better coordinate issues involving IT and other cross-agency functions. The task force then heard from the Office of Management and Budget on three topics: concessions, architect/engineering pre-qualification, and legal notices. OMB said the concessions law is outdated and inconsistent with current practice, and suggested a collaborative rewrite to allow best-value evaluation, raise the threshold, and standardize solicitation templates. On architect/engineering pre-qualification, OMB proposed expanding authority beyond current state-agency limits and creating uniform templates. On legal notices, OMB proposed modernizing publication requirements, exploring online and abbreviated notices, and working with newspapers and other stakeholders on technology and accessibility improvements. Members asked about where concession revenues go, whether political subdivisions must follow the same rules, and how to move from discussion to action. The task force agreed to have OMB work with Legislative Council and affected stakeholders to develop bill drafts, and the motion passed unanimously. The University of North Dakota then presented a series of proposed revisions focused on public buildings and procurement. UND asked to rework the definition of construction so routine maintenance and one-for-one replacements over $250,000 would not automatically trigger public-improvement requirements, suggested raising the threshold to $500,000, and asked for more flexibility based on project complexity and risk. UND also proposed changes to public bid advertisements to reflect electronic bidding, revisions to construction manager-at-risk selection criteria, changes to architect/engineer procurement rules, an increase in the direct-hire design threshold, and a higher legislative-consent threshold for privately funded projects. The task force supported having UND work with counsel and OMB to develop bill drafts, and that motion also passed. The Department of Public Instruction concluded with proposed cleanup to credentialing and education statutes. DPI recommended reviewing its credential categories for relevance, possibly transferring credentialing authority to the Education Standards and Practices Board, removing outdated school safety patrol language, clarifying waiver provisions, and updating dyslexia screening reporting requirements so the statute reflects current practice. Members focused mainly on whether the dyslexia reporting requirement should remain, and DPI said the screening itself would continue even if reporting language were revised. No votes were taken on DPI’s suggestions, and the task force recessed after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I direct the first mobile stroke unit in the United States, which is in Houston.
• pathway for these units.
• unit, and I would get treated.
• I'm trying to figure out who runs this mobile stroke unit.
• mobile stroke unit. ...unit where the hospital system is responsible for ensuring that it is properly

Bills: HB35 , HB4490 , HB4454 , HB2188 , HB3078 , HB4743 , HB2556 , HB46 , HB5342 , HB4783 , HB3785 , HB5278 , HB1639 , HB2581 , HB4224 , HB4070 , HB4099 , HB4882 , HB3794 , HB46

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: peer support, first responders, mental health, confidentiality, emergency services, disclosure, next of kin, public information, deceased persons, privacy rights, patient solicitation, marketing practices, healthcare regulation, task force, deceptive advertising, nurse aide, certification, Texas Board of Nursing, healthcare workforce, nursing standards

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Sergeant Lugo enlisted in the United Sergeant Lugo enlisted in the United States<02:08:09.599><c
• </c> should all expect in the United States. should all expect in the United States.
• </c> County Sheriff's digital forensics unit. County Sheriff's digital forensics unit.
• </c> United States does not fold to bullies. United States does not fold to bullies.
• </c> of the United States of America. of the United States of America.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 4, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that we've staved off numerous closures and at least helped one hospital reopen already, and
• From what I understand, the data says there's about 40,000 units in the pipeline that are waiting to
• Charlotte Neal, representing Child Care Providers United, speaking on the work of family child care providers
• Good afternoon, Gabriella Chavez with United Domestic Workers. Thank you to the Assembly.
• Unlike our sister units of local government, cities and counties, special districts do not generally

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please close your screen on your laptop and reopen it.
• Diet-related diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States.
• These conditions account for hundreds of billions of dollars in health care spending each year in the United
• These conditions account for hundreds of billions of dollars in health care spending each year in the United
• They told us stories about how they had to leave the United States and go to Mexico and spend between

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House first established a quorum after a quorum call and welcomed special guests, including the Freedom of the Road motorcycle riders and students from Warsaw High School. It then took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1855, a reporting bill on Alpha-Gal syndrome. The bill sponsor described the condition as a serious tick-borne allergy that has affected his family and many Missourians, arguing that Missouri needs mandatory reporting and surveillance data to identify hotspots, guide public health outreach, and support research and funding. Supporters from both parties said the bill would improve awareness and data collection, while one member raised concerns about the fiscal note and whether the state would get useful information for the cost. The chamber adopted Amendment 1 to HB 1855, changing the follow-up language from “may” to “shall,” but rejected Amendment 2, which would have required patient consent before lab results were reported into the surveillance system. Opponents of the consent amendment said it would undermine disease surveillance and set a bad precedent for other reportable conditions; supporters argued for privacy and individual choice. After debate, the House adopted the committee substitute as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. The House then considered House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2230 and 2978, a K-5 education measure addressing screen time, cursive, and handwriting. The sponsor said the bill responds to research and parent/teacher concerns about excessive screen use, poor literacy outcomes, and mental health effects, and would create a state focus group to review evidence and make recommendations while leaving districts flexibility. Members discussed carve-outs for special education, English language learners, and virtual school, and adopted an amendment excluding the virtual school program. The House then adopted the substitute as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. Finally, the House took up House Bill 2355, the “Food is Medicine” initiative, which would allow Missouri to use federal funds through 1115 waivers for pilot programs such as medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition education, and related supports. Supporters said the program could improve health outcomes, reduce Medicaid spending, and help address food deserts. An amendment adding vitamin therapies and updating a date drew discussion over supplement safety and regulation, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote on that amendment or the bill itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please close your screen on your laptop and reopen it.
• Diet-related diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States.
• These conditions account for hundreds of billions of dollars in health care spending each year in the United
• United States.
• life was like before they had psilocybin therapy, he told us stories about how they had to leave the United

Summary: The House first established a quorum after introductions of the Freedom of the Road Riders and Warsaw High School students. Members then took up House Bill 1855, a reporting bill on alpha-gal syndrome. The sponsor described the bill as a public health surveillance measure to add alpha-gal to Missouri’s reportable conditions, require lab reporting to the Department of Health and Senior Services, and send aggregated data to the CDC. Supporters said the bill would help identify hotspots, guide education and funding, and address a serious tick-borne condition affecting rural and urban Missourians alike. Opponents raised concerns about cost, false positives/negatives, and privacy, but the sponsor and others said the system would be HIPAA-compliant and de-identified at the federal level. Two amendments to HB 1855 were debated. An amendment changing the department’s follow-up authority from “may” to “shall” was adopted, with supporters arguing that if the legislature funds follow-up, the department should be required to do it. A second amendment creating an opt-in/opt-out consent process for reporting was rejected 41-10 after extensive debate over privacy, data collection, and whether consent would undermine disease surveillance. The House then adopted the House committee substitute for HB 1855 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. The chamber next considered House Bills 2230 and 2978, a revised education measure aimed at reducing screen time in K-5 classrooms and encouraging handwriting and cursive instruction. The sponsor said the bill was based on research linking heavy screen use to poorer educational and behavioral outcomes, and supporters emphasized local control, parent access to screen-time policies, and the need to bring experts together through a state-level focus group. An amendment to exclude virtual school programs was adopted. The House then adopted the committee substitute for HB 2230 and 2978 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. Finally, the House began debate on House Bill 2355, the Food Is Medicine Initiative. The sponsor said the bill would let Missouri use federal funds through 1115 waivers to pilot medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling, and related interventions to improve health and lower Medicaid costs. Members generally supported the concept, citing food deserts and the benefits of better nutrition, but an amendment adding vitamin therapies and cleanup language prompted concern from one member about supplement quality and regulation; the transcript ends during that amendment discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you believe that the President of the United States should have the power to step in in an emergency
• <00:58:20.039><c> president</c><00:58:20.480><c> of</c><00:58:20.640><c> the</c><00:58:20.760><c> United
• </c><00:58:21.160><c> States</c> that the president of the United States that the president of the United
• Businesses have been shut down, never reopened.

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll see some of it in the sexual assault unit and some of it in the violent crimes unit.
• SAKI, the sexual assault crimes unit, has about $3 million.
• The Medicaid fraud unit is about 75% federal and 25% state.
• 17 people full-time in that unit. Any questions about our Medicaid fraud unit?
• We'd like to put four additional people on that unit.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Humbly speaking, there's zero chance of us uniting this week.
• </c><00:12:48.560><c> chance</c><00:12:49.440><c> of</c><00:12:49.680><c> us</c><00:12:49.920><c> uniting
• We ask you to unite our hearts somehow, some way, going forward.
• And Alabama was among the formally pre-cleared southern states where the racial turnout gap reopened
• </c><01:22:43.920><c> States</c> the 42nd Congress of the United States the 42nd Congress of the United

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 34 senators present. The chamber then received a House message referring House Bill 1 on primary elections to the Committee on County and Municipal Government, and moved to Senate Bill 1, also dealing with primary elections and tied to ongoing court action over Alabama’s legislative maps. Senator Elliott explained SB 1 as a prospective measure meant to set up a special election if federal courts lift injunctions on the state Senate districts, while opponents argued the bill was being rushed and could disrupt voters, candidates, absentee voters, and election administration. Much of the debate focused on whether the bill would effectively change election rules too close to an election and whether it conflicted with a 2022 statewide amendment requiring election-related changes to take effect at least six months before a general election. Supporters said the bill simply preserves the legislature’s enacted maps and responds to recent court rulings, while opponents said it could disenfranchise voters, especially military, elderly, absentee, rural, and Black voters, and that the underlying litigation and federal Voting Rights Act issues remained unresolved. Several members also referenced a Brennan Center report and broader concerns about racial turnout gaps and minority representation in Alabama. Senator Coleman offered an amendment to give the state discretion rather than mandate a special election, arguing it would better align with the current court order; the Senate rejected it on a roll call vote, 8 yeas to 25 nays. Senator Vivian Figures then offered a notice-focused amendment requiring adequate public notice before any election changes, arguing that voters need time to learn new dates, polling places, deadlines, and ballot information; that amendment also failed on a roll call vote, with the clerk announcing it did not pass. The transcript ends with further discussion beginning after the failed amendment votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands
• Department of Corrections right now is faced with just the need for these additional close-custody units
• help our local governments get started right away on cleaning up the mess and getting our roads reopened

Bills: SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6170 , SB6176 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB5647 , SB6047 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005 , SB6003 , SB6129 , SB6225 , SB6228 , SB6231

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, sewage, grinder pumps, residential buildings, regulation, construction, contracting rules, state highway construction, procurement limits, state regulations, infrastructure funding, vehicle registration, enforcement, renewal, transportation, state law

Summary: The Senate convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then moved to a resolution honoring piano teachers. Senate Resolution 8698 was adopted after remarks from Senator Conway and others describing the role of piano teachers in music education, family life, and community service. Members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then took up the operating budget and considered a long series of amendments. Several amendments focused on housing costs and local planning, utility and energy policy, ballot measure costs, state spending growth, tort liability, and paid family and medical leave. Some amendments were adopted, including a study of utility cost impacts from climate laws, a grid-related funding amendment, a tort liability oversight/reporting amendment, and a workgroup on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Others were rejected, including proposals to create a housing task force, cap state spending growth, fund ballot initiative costs, restore local planning grants, and change paid family and medical leave usage rules. Debate on the budget amendments was often partisan and detailed, with supporters arguing for fiscal restraint, cost transparency, and relief for taxpayers and local governments, while opponents emphasized existing work, program solvency, and the need to preserve services. The Senate also heard amendments on zero-based budgeting, federal education tax credit opt-in language, reproductive health funding, food assistance work requirements, and support for the Pediatric Interim Care Center; some were defeated and some were adopted. Roll-call votes were taken on certain amendments, and the transcript ends during consideration of Amendment 0787, which would restore funding for the Pediatric Interim Care Center.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a great relationship with our Office of the United States...
• So we have a great relationship with our Office of the Office of the United States.
• We have what we call our crisis stabilization unit, our behavioral stabilization unit, which are two
• My father served 30 years in TDCJ, my grandfather at the old Huntsville Unit.
• So I started to call it the Walls Unit.

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: 1185, senate, all