Transcript Highlights:

• Ben is a 2010 graduate of Columbia University where he received his BA in Economics and Political Science
• Joint honors from BA and McGill University in Political Science and History, my major, and a law degree
• The National Science Foundation fueled such programs with tens of millions of dollars.
• So, you know, and something like COVID was— really contested in the science.

Keywords: censorship, First Amendment, social media, misinformation, free speech, government regulation, Big Tech, public discourse

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on the implications of government involvement in censorship, particularly regarding social media platforms and compliance with misinformation standards. senators and witnesses discussed growing concerns over the influence of large tech companies, like Facebook and Google, in shaping public discourse and suppressing dissenting views. A significant part of the meeting included testimonies from various experts emphasizing the dangers of the 'censorship industrial complex'—a term used to describe the collaborative efforts between government entities and private organizations to control information flow. This collaboration is viewed as a violation of First Amendment rights, with calls for urgent legislative action to restore free speech protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• At that time, faith-based counseling referred me to to the Kinsey science to justify whatever is consensual
• On Indiana University campus, I researched the fake science exposing. eight decades of lies in this Capitol
• Paxton, where I... educated the justices on the history and the science behind obscenity exemption. and
• Texas adopted the monopenal code based on Kinsey's science. and allowed the obscenity exemption and the

Bills: HB14, HB 106, HB146, HB267, HB274, HB 1127, HB1359, HB1393, HB1584, HB1640, HB1710, HB2152, HCR101, HJR8, HR51

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund

Transcript Highlights:

• She teaches a wide range of Career and Technical Education subjects, including computer science, media
• Technical education subjects including Technical education subjects including computer<00:16:32.560> science
• <00:16:33.399> media<00:16:33.800> production<00:16:34.279> and computer science
• media production and computer science media production and stem<00:16:35.319> while<00:16:35.519

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• California State University, Dominguez Hills, where I've obtained my Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science
• not only did I feel financially supported to continue my academics, but through my service at CSULB Science
• didn't realize then was that this opportunity would shape my future beyond completing my Bachelors of Science
• Additionally, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published a recent report describing

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HR 203 by Tepper honoring the Texas Tech University Health Science Center for its contributions to rural
• Speaker and members, HR 203 honors Rural Healthcare Day, celebrates the Texas Tech University Health Sciences
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center established in 1969 as the Texas Tech University School
• Hodge School of Pharmacy, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE STATE REGIONAL LITERACY DIRECTOR PROGRAM, WE TRACK THE NUMBER OF COMPLETERS WHO COMPLETE OUR SCIENCE
• PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT LOW INCOME STUDENTS, PROVIDE EDUCATION, LITERACY, SCIENCE
• SUMMER AND AFTERSCHOOL LEARNING ACTIVITIES, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRAMS, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING,
• INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL AT THE DISTRICT, I HAVE ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, I HAVE ONE FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Science advances through questioning, Science advances through questioning, debate,<01:06:18.319>
• <01:06:40.160> It's not whether we trust science. It's not whether we trust science.
• collected data and that is how science collected data and that is how science is<01:34:20.239>
• So if in my district two quarters of students fail in science and proficiency in science, should we take
• science science and<02:07:00.719> proficiency<02:07:01.280> in<02:07:01.599> science

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The science is proven and irrefutable that excess nitrogen and phosphorus pollutes fresh water and salt
• guided by a non-biased, scientifically based system that can quickly adjust seamlessly if and when the science
• creating a patchwork of confusing and contradictory regulations that do not align with the sound science

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources opened its first hearing with introductory remarks, instructions on three-minute testimony limits, and notice that written testimony would be accepted. The committee then heard testimony on several local bills, beginning with H. 984, which would change water management for Silver Lake, Furnace Pond, Monponset Pond, and the Jones River system. Supporters said the 1964 water arrangement has harmed water levels, water quality, and habitat, and argued the bill would add needed environmental oversight without cutting Brockton off from water. Testimony emphasized impacts on alewife, freshwater mussels, drought conditions, and the need for more balanced management; no vote was taken during the hearing. The committee also heard H. 1069, a proposal to raise the parking surcharge at Douglas State Forest from $1 to $5 to help Douglas cover emergency response costs at the DCR park. Supporters said the town bears the burden for rescues, brush fires, and other incidents and has used the current surcharge for equipment like drones and ATVs. Another bill, H. 994, would let Orleans regulate fertilizer use locally; the town argued that nutrient pollution has worsened water quality in Cape Cod ponds and coastal waters, while opponents from the lawn care and landscape industries said Massachusetts already has a strong statewide nutrient-management system and warned against a patchwork of local rules. The committee also took testimony on H. 1073 concerning wastewater treatment and disposal options at Joint Base Cape Cod for the town of Sandwich. Supporters said the base could help meet Sandwich’s immediate and long-term wastewater needs and that the region has already invested in planning. In addition, Senator Driscoll testified in support of S. 575, to add transparency to the Blue Hills Reservation Trust Fund, and S. 574, to establish memorial markers honoring law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. He also supported related park-naming legislation, including a bill to rename Farragut Park and dedicate athletic fields there. Finally, a marine trades representative supported a bill to expand pleasure boat access to Boston Harbor, arguing that boating supports the local economy and that boaters are strong environmental stewards. The hearing concluded after all registered testimony was heard, with no committee action reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee on Science and Technology, let me turn on the room. Room unmutes. Let's see here.
• All right, the Committee on Science and Technology is called to order.
• And in order to even qualify for the award, you have to win something at the Science and Engineering

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Committee on Science and Technology met to hear a presentation from Ananya Lakaraju, a Hamilton High School junior, on her research project using metabolomics and machine learning to identify potential salivary biomarkers for major depressive disorder. She described using a UCSD saliva metabolomics dataset, statistical methods such as Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U, and PLS-DA, and an ensemble AI model with SHAP and permutation importance to identify metabolites and pathways associated with depression. She said the work suggested several novel biomarkers, with some metabolites and pathways showing stronger associations with depression than others, and noted that her model achieved about 90% accuracy and a 97% AUC in distinguishing depressed from non-depressed samples. Lakaraju also discussed a drug-discovery component of the project, using pathway analysis and molecular docking in UCSF Chimera to identify a target protein and potential compounds that might block a depression-related pathway. She said flupinazine showed the lowest binding energy in her simulations. Members asked questions about what the metabolites were, whether the findings were novel, how the saliva samples were obtained, and how the app she developed would be used. She explained that the data came from an online dataset rather than direct sample collection, that some top-ranked compounds were exogenous and not likely biomarkers, and that the app was intended to supplement AI results with mood and behavioral information because the model is not a doctor and could still be wrong. The committee praised the presentation and discussed the broader implications for AI policy and mental health diagnostics. Lakaraju said she became interested in coding through robotics and later combined that interest with biology, and she emphasized her goal of making mental health assessment more objective and holistic. The meeting ended with members thanking her for the presentation and adjourning without any formal votes or legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tulsa, she moved into medical school
• Abbott currently serves as associate dean of Oxley College of Health and Natural Science at the University
• founder of Scrubs Unity Health. model where she utilizes graduates and undergraduate nursing and health science

Bills: HB3725, HB3260, HB3660, HB3369, HB3370, HB2937, HB3419, HB3264, HB3266, HB3267, HB3268, HB3310, HB4311, HB3841, HB3024, HB3075

Keywords: labor, e-verification, immigration, employers, employment eligibility, Department of Labor, penalties, funeral licensing, continuing education, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, professional development, licensing requirements, HB3660, natural organic reduction, human composting, soil reduction, green burial, funeral services, cremation, burial permit

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it's important that we continue to invest in the science that's needed by groundwater districts
• This legislation was a crucial step... in supporting the science and monitoring needed to assess the
• This bill would help us manage the resources better and continue to update our science with the best

Bills: HB2018, HB1633, HB1689, SB612, SB3058

Keywords: agricultural conservation, land preservation, environmental protection, wildlife habitat, Texas Farm and Ranch, groundwater conservation district, Texas Water Code, water permit, permit amendment, groundwater permit, water rights, aquifer, well registration, exempt wells, beneficial use, water conservation, groundwater quality, well plugging, Hill Country Priority Groundwater Management Area, surface water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• If you are familiar with science fiction and you see cloning take effect, I think of the Clone... cloning
• You think, well, that's just something from science fiction.
• And so what HB 380 does is just basically put some guardrails around the science that's quickly advancing

Bills: SB210, SB176, SB167, SB244, SB218, SB9, SB153, SB9

Keywords: hospital liens, medical billing, government healthcare, insurance claims, patient rights, controlled substances, unlawful distribution, marijuana, violent offense, sentencing guidelines, criminal justice, aggravated theft, employee benefits, retirement funds, criminal penalty, state law, overdose, failure to render aid, public health, Alabama Athletic Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• Science and evidence-based practice are the foundation of our profession.
• They want the science; they want to know what's going on. So I think there's a lot of...
• nutrition affect health, but how it's also... also causing a lot of the biochemistry of it, all the science

Bills: SB 25, SB25, SB314

Keywords: attorney ad litem, indigent parents, parent-child relationship, legal representation, Texas Family Code, court procedures, nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He served on the faculty at the University of Utah and later at the University of Arizona Health Science
• Center and the VA hospital in Tucson, at the University of Arizona Health Science Center and the VA

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House convened with routine opening proceedings, including attendance, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the previous day’s journal. The prayer was delivered by Gen Chenma, a guest of Representative Patty Contreras, and focused on compassion and service. Representative Simacek introduced the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Fred Kogan, highlighting his medical career, academic background, and prior service as a naval aviator during the Vietnam War. Members then used points of personal privilege to introduce guests on the floor. Representative Contreras introduced Gen Kelseng Chenma and Rebecca Potter from the Kadampa Meditation Center in Phoenix. Representative Kavaro introduced guests attending a Lunar New Year celebration in the gallery, noting that the community gathering was being held ahead of the holiday next week. No bills were debated, and no votes or substantive legislative actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Important is habitat restoration, for example, and science and monitoring and adaptive management.
• It’s based on robust science and it can build water security.
• An important part of this funding is to stand up the science program: scientific monitoring, transparently
• an early career fellow and leadership facilitator for the Consortium for Developing Leadership and Science
• an early career fellow and leadership facilitator for the Consortium for Developing Leadership and Science

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Educating those providers so that they understand what the current science says. and what the current
• Chair, for you and the members, members of the public, even In about 2017, the science was really starting
• Yeah, the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommends the following: Reduce ongoing
• I think what we need to do is come back to you in a science-based way, a public health-based way.
• But again, I think to your point, we should be following the science and the risk in New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• They really focus on the intersection of science, technology, health, and wellness, and they really seek
• <00:21:22.880> technology intersection of science technology intersection of science technology
• They use humor and demonstrations and create those connections, like I said before, between science,
• <00:31:26.919> museums<00:31:27.960> that's Awards for Best science museums that's
• Awards for Best science museums that's something<00:31:28.360> for<00:31:28.480> all<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we also have some citizen science.
• We get a lot of citizen citizen science.
• <04:54:41.680> for for example and so is there science for for example and so is there science
• time to reflect the state of the science time to reflect the state of the science and<04:54:56.480
• I'm a science teacher. I um information. I'm a science teacher.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 163FN, dealing with requiring current, verifiable evidence of a species’ presence before land-use restrictions are imposed for habitat protection. Members discussed an amendment that had been worked on with agencies and stakeholder groups. Fish and Game testified that, while the amendment improved the bill, the agency still opposed it because of concerns about citizen science, how the proposal would apply to public versus private property, and how the transition to DES would work. Representative Darby argued the amendment was ambiguous, lacked a full hearing, and did not clearly address record verification or private-property access issues. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, with a minority report noted. The committee then moved to HB 1752FN, which would create a chain of custody for timber and carbon credits. Representative Davis presented an amendment saying it would help law enforcement investigate timber theft and add transparency to New Hampshire’s carbon registry by identifying buyers of carbon credits. Supporters said the change would impose little burden and align with practices in other states. Opponents, including Representative Darby, Representative Vale, and the state forester from DNCR, said the carbon market is complex, the amendment was not fully vetted, and a hearing with all stakeholders was needed; they also raised fiscal-note concerns. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, again with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on HB 1019, which would add an active water treatment professional to the state water well board. Representative Peter Petrino and Representative Wendy Thomas said the board should include expertise on contamination risks and treatment technologies, citing concerns about arsenic, radon, and PFAS in private wells. The chairman of the Water Well Board testified in opposition to the bill as drafted, saying the board supports the general idea of licensing water filtration work but does not currently have authority or rules to oversee that field and believes the proposal would put “the cart before the horse.” Members questioned whether the board’s current mandate even covers filtration systems, and the discussion ended with those concerns unresolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• In high school, Minty and I founded a science club that put on science nights at local elementary schools
• In high school, Minty and I founded a science club that put on science names at local elementary schools
• Cyclists don't dismount, as science instructs, and often don't slow down, using a bell to alert pedestrians
• Counterintuitive, but that's the science, and those are the facts behind it.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on 46 bills covering bicycle and pedestrian safety, autonomous and specialty vehicles, street design, and related transportation issues. Chair Jim Arciero and Senate co-chair Brendan Crighton opened the hearing, noted that Senate Bill 2347 was postponed at the sponsor’s request, and explained the hearing procedures. No votes were taken during the hearing. A major portion of testimony focused on autonomous vehicles. Labor representatives from the AFL-CIO, Teamsters, Machinists, and app-based driver organizations opposed bills that would authorize fully autonomous vehicles, arguing they could displace workers, weaken bargaining power, increase congestion, and create safety and data-privacy risks. Waymo and Chamber of Progress supported legislation creating a framework for autonomous vehicles, saying the technology has strong safety results and could improve mobility and economic opportunity, but they opposed provisions requiring a human operator in the vehicle. Transportation and environmental advocates urged stronger oversight, local control, crash-data reporting, and privacy protections before deployment. Several bills on pedestrian and bicycle safety drew support from advocates and affected residents. Testimony backed measures to improve crosswalk timing for slower pedestrians, raise penalties for crosswalk violations, expand truck sideguard and safety-device requirements, and improve roadway marking reflectivity. AARP, MassBike, and other advocates emphasized the need to protect older adults, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users, while some speakers opposed bills expanding e-bike access to sidewalks and natural-surface trails, citing safety concerns. The committee also heard strong support for the Blue Envelope program for drivers with autism and developmental disabilities, with testimony from the Arc of Massachusetts, the Developmental Disabilities Council, families, and individuals describing how the program can reduce misunderstandings during traffic stops and crashes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, a briefing on Oregon's involvement in the National Science Foundation's AI-Ready America
• And finally, a briefing on Oregon's involvement in the National Science Foundation's AI-Ready America
• This final item concerns the National Science Foundation's AI-Ready America Initiative.
• So the AI-Ready America Initiative was launched by the National Science Foundation and a really quick
• So the AI-Ready America Initiative was launched by the National Science Foundation and a really quick

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee held a series of informational briefings on information management and technology issues. It first heard from ACLU representatives on data privacy, who argued that Oregon should strengthen protections against private data brokers, government purchases of personal data, reverse warrants, automatic license plate readers, and local police surveillance. They urged data minimization, limits on data sales and retention, and broader transparency and accountability measures. Members asked about practical uses of license plate readers, state sales of data, and how Oregon’s approach compares with other states; the presenters said similar proposals have been adopted elsewhere, including data minimization in Maryland and a state version of the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act in Montana. The committee then received a detailed update from the Department of Administrative Services and Enterprise Information Services on licensing system modernization for 14 boards and commissions with the most immediate need. DAS said it is seeking a shared procurement approach through an RFP that would create either one scalable system or two tiers of systems, depending on agency needs and security requirements, with contracts expected by September. Committee members emphasized the need for a more unified, user-friendly statewide login and service experience for businesses and residents, and raised concerns about small agencies “figuring it out on their own” without sufficient cybersecurity or technical expertise. EIS said it is overseeing the investment review, security and architecture review, and future implementation planning, and noted that multiple agency requests may still come back to the legislature in the next session. The committee also discussed a revised cybersecurity incident notification concept. Staff explained that the earlier bill had raised stakeholder concerns, so the co-chairs directed further interim work with the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council and other local government and K-12 stakeholders. The goal is a narrower, voluntary “911-style” notification process that would let public bodies alert peers and potentially receive assistance after cyber incidents; a temporary voluntary process is being tested now, with a work group developing language for possible 2027 consideration. Finally, the committee heard updates from the new state chief data officer on data governance, data sharing, geospatial work, and the state transparency website, followed by a briefing on data centers from NCSL and the Technology Association of Oregon. The data officer described efforts to expand data inventories, data governance plans, data literacy, and interagency sharing, along with statewide aerial imagery, geospatial standards, and the open data portal. The data center discussion focused on national and state trends, including rapid growth in data centers, rising electricity and water demand, and legislative responses such as new rate classes, reporting requirements, and cost-allocation rules to protect ratepayers. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only.