Transcript Highlights:

• session progresses. session progresses. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay.
• And if you're getting a record that literally is a transcription of every session, all of those sessions
• And if you're getting a record that literally is a transcription of every session, all of those sessions
• ,<00:36:11.280> all is a transcription of every session, all is a transcription of every session
• <01:15:24.880> in right now at our legislative session in right now at our legislative session

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 11, 2026 minutes, then heard House File 4048, which would exempt chiropractors from Minnesota’s provider tax if they are no longer eligible to provide chiropractic benefits under Medicaid/MinnesotaCare. Representative Robbins said the bill corrects an unfair situation because chiropractors still pay the tax even though the benefit was eliminated. Testifiers from the Minnesota Chiropractic Association and a longtime chiropractor supported the bill, arguing that most chiropractors are small-business owners and should not pay a tax for services they can no longer provide. Several members said they supported restoring chiropractic coverage instead of changing the tax, and there was discussion about whether the tax applies to all providers and whether it is effectively passed on to patients. The committee adopted a motion to recommend HF 4048 to the Committee on Taxes. The committee then took up House File 3893, as amended, a bill to restrict artificial intelligence from engaging in psychotherapy or counseling with humans. The author and supporters said the bill is intended to prevent AI chatbots from posing as therapists or counseling vulnerable people, citing reports of suicides and other harms linked to chatbot interactions. The A2 amendment was adopted; the author said it reflected stakeholder concerns and added informed-consent language. Testifiers in support, including a psychologist and a suicide-prevention nonprofit leader, urged strong safeguards and said AI should not replace licensed professionals in crisis settings. Other testimony raised concerns about overbreadth and unintended effects. TechNet and a rural mental health provider said the bill should be narrowed so it applies to clinical therapy rather than wellness or educational tools, and should allow supervised AI uses such as transcription and administrative support. Members discussed rural access, existing licensing-board authority, privacy laws, and whether the bill should target AI companies directly rather than licensed clinicians. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HF 3893, with no final committee action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was last session.
• working with you this session on this.
• Department of Criminal Justice last session.
• The news here is that last session and previous sessions this fund was headed for depletion, but no more
• We did it right before we came in session.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and into the next session.
• and into the next session.
• and into the next session.
• So I'm excited to serve with— ...this session and into the next session.
• and into the next session.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House and Senate chairs opened the first organizational meeting of the special initiative commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. They explained that no testimony would be taken at this meeting; instead, the commission would begin its work, introduce members, and prepare for future hearings and a final report with recommendations on credit cards and other payment methods. The chairs outlined the commission’s charge: to examine payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now, pay later financing, and the effects of section 28A of chapter 140D on small businesses. They said the commission would likely organize hearings around business and consumer impacts, the legal and regulatory landscape, and policy options such as transparency measures, reporting requirements, and possible limits. Members discussed the importance of hearing from retailers, restaurants, banks, small businesses, and possibly experts, and suggested considering cryptocurrency and whether hearings should be held outside the State House or include regional access. Several commissioners and stakeholders introduced themselves, including representatives from the Attorney General’s office, the House, the Executive Office of Economic Development, the Commissioner of Banks, retail and restaurant associations, a banking representative, and two small business owners. The chairs said interested parties could sign up to testify or receive notices, written testimony would be accepted, and the first hearing was tentatively set for April 8 in Gardner Auditorium. The meeting ended with a motion to close, which passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• is present the house will come to order Quorum is present The House and Senator meeting in joint session
• , I will not be back next session asking for for more money for our judges.
• The money is there, this session. And this...
• This session is the time for the Legislature to demonstrate in a dramatic and lasting way how serious
• The purpose for which the joint session was called, having been completed, the House will stand at ease

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are present in this afternoon's session.
• Senators, just a notice to all senators: we are voting on the first bill of the session, so just make
• Section 1 and 2 of House Bill 1 appropriates expenses for the 2025 regular session for the Senate and
• , that we have had in a session for a while.
• We do have a joint session to hear the State of the Judiciary.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we'll move next to an exec session.
• executive session. executive session. while<01:17:31.040> we<01:17:31.199> deal<01
• <01:27:36.480> while continue with other exec sessions while continue with other exec sessions
• So we'll open an exec session All right.
• <01:44:59.360> by want to open this executive session by want to open this executive session

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a morning of work sessions and an afternoon of executive sessions.
• > sessions<00:07:43.680> so afternoon of executive sessions so afternoon of executive sessions
• and now we'll open an executive session and now we'll open an executive<04:30:32.319> session
• session for House Bill 760.
• okay we'll close the executive session okay we'll close the executive session on<04:33:28.719>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Signed in open session.
• Signed in open session.
• Senate Bill 1056, signed in open session.
• You passed House Bill 2206 signed in open session.
• You passed House Bill 2396, signed in open session.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a roll call showing 29 present, and approval of the prior journal. Members then recognized several guests, including Scouting America Cub Scout troops and Dr. Sarah Lee Davidson as Doctor of the Day, and Senator Kavanaugh presented a proclamation recognizing Valley Fever Awareness and the work of the University of Arizona’s Valley Fever Center for Excellence. The chamber then considered several bills in Committee of the Whole. SB 1036, dealing with unemployment insurance requirements, disqualifications, and determinations, drew the most debate; supporters said it was aimed at preventing fraud and improving compliance, while opponents argued it would add red tape and harm struggling workers. The committee adopted a Government Committee amendment and recommended the bill do pass. SB 1056, on reporting vacant budget positions, also received a do-pass recommendation, and SB 1236, concerning AHCCCS enrollment verification and presumptive eligibility, was amended with a Kavanaugh floor amendment and recommended do pass despite concerns from some members that it would restrict access for vulnerable populations. SB 1238, relating to the physician assistant licensure compact, was amended with a conforming Shamp amendment and recommended do pass. On third reading, the Senate passed SB 1036 by 17-12, SB 1056 by 17-12, SB 1126 unanimously, SB 1189 by 27-2, and SB 1211 unanimously. The chamber also substituted and passed House bills identical to earlier Senate measures, including HB 2206 and HB 2396, both on SNAP-related issues, with debate focused on food access, administrative burdens, and federal error-rate penalties. HB 2190, the physician assistant compact bill, and HB 2796, the AHCCCS-related bill, were also substituted and passed. The Senate adopted HCR 255, a death resolution for Victor E. Hardy, observed a moment of silence, and then adjourned until February 17, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a House session, so we're going to weave these people in as they show up.
• You're in session? Yes. Thank you. Janet Dominance from MassPIRG. Good afternoon, Mr.
• So this is my fourth session before you talking about this particular issue.
• I'm right back to session. Tell them... ...for us today. Thank you so much.
• And what I'd like to see this session is for us to put it to bed.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused mainly on two subjects: expansion of the Massachusetts bottle bill and bills to remove woody biomass from state clean-energy and greenhouse-gas programs. On the bottle bill, supporters from municipal, environmental, public health, and local government groups argued that the 5-cent deposit is outdated, redemption rates have fallen, and expanding coverage to more beverage containers—especially water, sports drinks, and small alcohol bottles—would reduce litter, cut plastic waste and microplastics, and save cities and towns money. Several speakers also backed raising handling fees for retailers and redemption centers, and some supported restoring a Clean Environment Fund so unclaimed deposits would support recycling-related purposes. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Beverage Association and the National Waste and Recycling Association, argued that curbside recycling and transfer-station systems are more convenient, that the targeted containers are valuable to local recycling programs, and that the proposal would shift costs onto consumers and municipalities. Committee members questioned witnesses about redemption rates, handling fees, the 2014 ballot question, and whether the bill had changed from prior sessions. The biomass portion drew strong support from Springfield officials, state legislators, environmental advocates, and public health groups. They said woody biomass should not count as clean energy because burning wood produces particulate pollution and carbon emissions, and they warned that current law contains a loophole that could help finance the proposed Palmer Renewable Energy biomass plant in Springfield. Witnesses emphasized Springfield’s air-quality and asthma burdens, the public health impacts of PM2.5, and the need to close the loophole before a January 1, 2026 deadline. One forest-industry witness supported a separate bill promoting modern wood heat with pollution controls, arguing it is cleaner than older wood systems and has minimal ratepayer cost, while noting that those credits would be affected if the governor’s broader energy affordability bill repeals the alternative energy portfolio standard. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chairs managed testimony by alternating between the bottle bill and biomass topics, asking speakers to keep remarks brief and to note when they agreed with prior testimony. Several legislators also testified in support of the bills, and committee members asked follow-up questions on deposit levels, retailer handling fees, recycling economics, and the public-health rationale for the biomass restrictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then following that ruling, the General Assembly met in its regular session in 1995.
• And then following that ruling, the General Assembly met in its regular session in 1995.
• The General Assembly went into special session on December 8, 2003.
• to... ...the bill passed in the 2025 session.
• The meeting is adjourned. the bill passed in the 25 session. Correct.

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the previous minutes and then focused on an update from the Department of Education on early childhood programs, especially the state-funded Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program. Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacey Smith said Arkansas had received a federal Preschool Development Grant and described ongoing work to review ABC slots, which have been flat for years at about 23,800 slots and roughly $114 million. They said about 1,000 slots statewide are currently unfilled despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 families, and the department is shifting toward paying based on enrollment rather than guaranteed slots. Members asked about school choice, income eligibility, year-round access, curriculum flexibility, transportation, and whether funding should be increased or rebalanced; the department said it is collecting data, may survey providers more formally, and is considering whether to modernize income thresholds, daily rates, and other program rules. The committee agreed to form an early childhood subcommittee and asked the Bureau of Legislative Research to help gather historical information on income limits and other program details. The second major portion of the meeting was a legal presentation on the framework for Arkansas school adequacy by BLR education attorney Taylor Lloyd. She reviewed the constitutional basis for a “general, suitable, and efficient” public school system, the Dupree and Lake View cases, and the principle that adequacy and equity are different but related: adequacy asks what resources are needed, while equity asks whether those resources are distributed fairly. She explained that the General Assembly must define adequacy, study it, and react to evidence over time, and that the current adequacy definition includes curriculum and career/technical frameworks, the 38 mandatory Carnegie units, state testing standards, and sufficient funding. She also described the matrix as a funding tool, not a spending mandate, and noted that categorical funds are separate from the matrix. BLR’s Elizabeth Bynum then gave the historical framework, tracing legislative responses from Dupree through Lake View and into the present. She highlighted major changes such as the creation of equalization funding, fiscal distress and academic distress laws, the adequacy study process, the Educational Adequacy Fund, facilities and transportation changes, declining enrollment and student growth funding, and later adjustments to teacher salaries, isolated funding, and categorical programs. She explained that the adequacy study has evolved through committee hearings, surveys, site visits, and outside consultants, and that recent changes include updates to accountability references and the addition or removal of certain funding categories. Members asked follow-up questions about how the matrix is used, whether homeschool or private-school funding raises comparable issues, whether stakeholders include private and homeschool participants, whether school board members should be surveyed, and whether the state should revisit average daily membership versus attendance-based funding. No votes were taken on the adequacy presentations, but the committee did agree to continue the early childhood discussion in a future subcommittee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're absent in the morning session, you're absent all day and you get a deduction.
• Sessions throughout the last couple of months, and they'll continue through March.
• Since then, we've had five sessions. Since then, we've had five sessions.
• We're looking at expanding more of the regional planning collaborative sessions.
• It is next week, correct, here in Santa Fe. ...breakout sessions.

Bills: HB1

Keywords: feed bill, legislative appropriations, legislative branch, New Mexico Legislature, general fund, legislative council service, legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee, house chief clerk, senate chief clerk, per diem, mileage, session expenses, interim committees, district staff, capitol complex, capital outlay data system, legislative processing system, redistricting, census redistricting

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator West, last session the legislature passed House Bill 3 to improve public school safety.
• But our session will expire prior to that ruling, which is why we need the bill.
• Members, earlier in the session, Senate Bill 2365 addressed the... Thank you, Madam Chair.
• So this is a must-pass bill for the session. Thank you very much. Thank you all.
• Moladena for his continued advocacy this session and in his testimony.

Bills: HB126, HB121

Keywords: election laws, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, voting integrity, education, property values, school districts, comptroller, funding formula

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to hear testimony on a full agenda of education-related bills. Several measures were laid out and left pending, including HB 322 to allow JET Grant funds to be used for subscription-based and ongoing technology costs for career and technical education; HB 3062 to require fentanyl and drug-poisoning prevention instruction for entering college students; HB 121 to update school safety laws, including TEA peace officer commissions, annual renewal of certain safety exceptions, new reporting requirements, and special education behavior threat assessment changes; HB 3627 to let the State Board of Education chair employ staff; HB 5515 to curb inflated shipping and handling charges on instructional materials; HB 2674 to prohibit new state regulation of homeschool programs; HB 2310 to require a statewide strategic plan for early learning and inclusion for young children with disabilities; HB 367 to standardize documentation for excused absences due to serious illness; HB 1178 to speed certification for out-of-state educators and military spouses; and HB 1481 to expand cell phone restrictions to the full school day. Testimony was generally supportive on most bills, with some concerns raised on HB 121 about school district police departments investigating misconduct and on HB 2674 about how it would interact with the new ESA program in SB 2. HB 5515 drew support from instructional materials coordinators who described extreme shipping invoices and argued the bill would restore transparency and fiscal responsibility. HB 2310 was supported by disability advocates and early learning groups, who said a coordinated state plan would improve access and inclusion for children with disabilities. HB 367 was presented as a simple clarification to reduce confusion for medically vulnerable students and families, and HB 1178 was described by TEA as a modest pathway that would help bring experienced out-of-state teachers into Texas schools more quickly. HB 126, updating Texas’ NIL law to align with the pending House settlement and allow direct payments and pre-enrollment NIL agreements, received extensive testimony from university counsel and committee questioning about the settlement, recruiting, and future college athletics rules. HB 1481, expanding school cell phone restrictions from instructional time to the entire school day, drew strong support from parents, students, educators, and advocates who linked phones to distraction, cyberbullying, and mental health harms; one teacher asked for flexibility so phones could still be used for limited academic tasks. No bills were voted out; each measure heard was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee then recessed to attend the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a good session the last time, and we're hoping In support of this.
• Well, five-year plan means two sessions. Last session was that first session.
• session.
• We don't like to bring you a mess during legislative session.
• We don't like to bring you a mess during legislative session.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Black**, this session and beyond in the interim as well.
• It's from the previous session.
• Thomas, I think we go back to the last session, right?
• **Chair**: I had last session.
• These are a lot that we didn't expend last session.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or other special session regular session or other special session regular session or other special session
• Sessions, Roberts, Mr. Sessions, Roberts, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelnut, Mr. Mr. Singleton, Mr.
• Sessions, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelnut, Mr. Singleton, Mr. Smith, Singleton, Mr.
• Sessions, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shelnut, Mr.
• Sessions, Mr. Shelnut, Sessions, Mr. Shelnut, Sessions, Mr. Shelnut, Mr. Singleton, Mr.

Keywords: 920, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the essential personnel from the majority and minority parties with us as Maryland again is back in session
• Uh, it was our first meeting of this session, and we had a full complement of presentations, both at
• With three members present for this pro forma session, the Senate of Maryland remains in session, recognizing
• :47.759> session<00:04:48.080> recognizing<00:04:48.560> the remains in session
• recognizing the remains in session recognizing the majority<00:04:49.120> leader.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, January 23, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate held a brief pro forma session with a quorum call and routine procedural business. The chamber received a letter from the General Assembly Compensation Commission transmitting its 14th quadrennial report on legislative compensation and allowances, which was journalized. Senators also introduced Senate Bill 328, concerning property tax credits for disabled or fallen public safety officers, and several bond initiative items, including projects such as the Carroll County Youth Services Bureau, Cromwell Valley Elementary Playground, and Holland Hills Park; these were referred to the appropriate committees or the capital budget subcommittee. No substantive debate or votes occurred. Members shared announcements about delegation meetings, including the Eastern Shore delegation’s presentations from Congressman Andy Harris, MACo, and the Maryland Municipal League, and a mention of Western Maryland organizing activity. Leadership also noted that weather could affect the next meeting and advised members to check the website and watch for email updates. The Senate then adjourned, on motion of the majority leader, until Monday, January 26th, with the exact meeting time to be confirmed on the website.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two more code bills, as we call them, are coming from the House later in the session.
• It's over 200 pages of cleanup from the last session, basically, right?
• So this bill in particular, I would say, 95 percent of it arose from issues from last session.
• Two more code bills, as we call them, are coming from the House later in the session.
• It's over 200 pages of cleanup from last session, basically, right?

Bills: SCR3, SCR30, SB2375, HCR35

Keywords: cowboy culture, Bandera, cultural heritage, historical significance, Texas identity, Birding Capital, Matagorda County, wildlife, conservation, Texas Legislature, statutory revision, code corrections, laws omitted, legislative updates, spaceports, tax-exempt bonds, aerospace investment, Texas space economy, Federal legislation, 1185

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I hope that we can address that this next session. We can address that this next session.
• I think that should have been during special session. This is an emergency.
• are present in this afternoon's session.
• We've looked at a crisis for sessions, session after session.
• It's a really hard process, especially being called into a special session.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're in executive session.
• executive session. executive session.
• Will we go into executive session? Will we go into executive session?
• Um the first bill that we session.
• <01:00:45.680> All session. Anyone else have question? All session.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lofton today, here with us every day during the session, we are so grateful for your service, our nurse
• Colleagues, as we end the fiscal session, we all have attempted to do the best that we could, making
• I think it's only appropriate for the presentation of the last bill of this fiscal session that I yield
• So as you look at how to handle this next session, you will have information.
• How to handle this next session, you will have information.

Keywords: 1204, all