Transcript Highlights:

• Health and welfare. Senate Bill 157 by Senator Jenkins relative to parental leave for educators.
• Health and welfare.
• the program, phase two sub-fund, emergency sub-fund grant awards, and rate-study requirements.
• Health and Welfare reports, House Resolution 174 favorably, H.
• Health and Welfare reports, House Resolution 174 favorably, HCR-194 favorably, HCR-98 favorably.

Bills: HR265, HR266, HR267, HR268, HR269, HR270, HR271, HR272, HR273, HCR107, HCR108, HCR109, HCR110, HCR111, HR257, HR258, HR259, HR260, HR261, HR262, HR263, HCR105, HCR106, SCR30, SB57, SB157, SB202, SB237, SB276, SB450, SB465, SB501, SB525, HR3, HR80, HR197, HR243, SCR5, SCR35, HB4, HB623, HB944, HB986, HB1098, HB1222, SB34, SB164, SB172, SB198, SB208, SB232, SB281, SB286, SB317, SB322, SB334, SB380, SB385, SB409, SB417, SB421, SB430, SB439, SB447, SB458, SB510, SB398, HB646, HR84, HR188, HR205, SCR19, SCR3, SCR6, SCR18, SCR11, SCR22, SCR2, SCR20, SCR24, HCR6, HB301, HB359, HB657, HB675, HB680, HB727, HB302, HB819, HB1257, HB1258, SB8, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB14, SB16, SB17, SB18, SB20, SB21, SB22, SB40, SB48, SB55, SB69, SB75, SB77, SB78, SB85, SB102, SB115, SB133, SB140, SB148, SB151, SB165, SB169, SB170, SB185, SB197, SB200, SB217, SB235, SB278, SB280, SB291, SB300, SB303, SB315, SB324, SB330, SB411, SB416, SB420, SB436, SB438, SB449, SB455, SB456, SB477, SB489, SB521, SB45, SB58, SB71, SB81, SB92, SB100, SB109, SB141, SB156, SB181, SB203, SB204, SB205, SB207, SB213, SB214, SB216, SB229, SB257, SB274, SB290, SB304, SB374, SB379, SB396, SB410, SB425, SB427, SB429, SB479, SB522, HCR72, HB633, HB603, HB940, HB251, HB775, HB998, HB1191, HB625, HB1255, HB901, HR20, HR74, HCR65, HCR71, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1240, SB82, SB89, HB258, HB842, SB149, SB382, SB441

Keywords: Pineville High School, Lady Rebels, softball, LHSAA, Louisiana High School Athletic Association, Class 5A, state championship, high school sports, student athletes, commendation, resolution, athletics, girls softball, championship team, Pineville, school recognition, sportsmanship, coach Allison Frye, Louisiana legislature, House Resolution

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the pledge, roll call, and several personal privileges recognizing visitors and special observances, including Transportation Day and a day without child care at the Capitol. Members also honored the Southern University Laboratory School track teams, early childhood educators, and later offered condolences and tributes, including a memorial resolution for Derek Butler’s family and birthday recognitions for members and staff. The chamber received Senate messages, committee reports, and introduced or adopted several resolutions and bills throughout the day. A major portion of the floor was devoted to retirement-system cleanup and funding bills, including Senate Bills 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21. Members and authors explained these measures as technical changes to simplify contribution formulas, separate funding for COLAs and benefit increases from debt paydown, and update reemployment or benefit rules for retirees in various systems. Most of these bills passed with large margins after brief questions about whether they would affect automatic debt reduction; authors repeatedly said they would not stop debt paydown. Other measures passed on topics such as emergency vehicle procedures, international driving reciprocity with Ireland, seat belt use, port commission appointments, GOHSEP cybersecurity authority, storage facility rental rules, biomarker testing coverage, DNA sample collection procedures, and a law-institute bill on movable-property leases. The House also adopted HCR 72, the Jonas A. Feeley Act, which memorializes Congress to expedite research and treatment development for acute myeloid leukemia in honor of a deceased veteran, and H.B. 1258, which directs the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on handling unlawfully possessed sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. Another notable bill, Senate Bill 200, created a process for expropriating property tied to foreign adversaries near military bases, with amendments allowing voluntary divestment before expropriation. Most measures were adopted by wide margins, with co-author votes taken on some resolutions and bills tabled or returned to the calendar when requested. The most extended debate centered on Senate Bill 217, which would reduce the number of judges in Orleans Parish courts based on a statewide workload study. Supporters said the National Center for State Courts study showed Orleans had more judges than comparable parishes and that the bill would right-size the courts and save about $2.1 million. Opponents questioned the study’s methodology, the lack of Orleans delegation involvement, the counting of cases, the absence of uniform statewide clerk-of-court standards, and whether reducing criminal judges made sense given crime concerns. Despite the criticism, the bill was advanced after lengthy questioning, while the chamber continued to move other bills and resolutions forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of the time we call it the ABD program, the aged, blind, and disabled.
• We're going to talk about the targeted investments program.
• How many providers are approximately participating in each program, 1.0 and 2.0?
• Just for clarification, in each of the programs would you like, or in totality?
• Madam Chair, this is exclusive to the fee-for-service program.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services held a fourth hearing in its ongoing review of alleged fraud, waste, and abuse involving AHCCCS/Access and DHS, with a major focus on Medicaid eligibility verification for the aged, blind, and disabled (ABD) population, behavioral health and sober living oversight, and payment delays to providers. Senator Shamp presented findings she said showed major gaps in ABD asset verification, including claims that only a fraction of enrollees were checked and that many ineligible members may remain on the rolls. She urged referrals to law enforcement, tighter verification requirements, better PARIS data sharing, and legislative changes to close what she described as a compliance and taxpayer-risk gap. Reva Stewart also testified that patient brokering and fraudulent recruitment of vulnerable people, including Native Americans, continues through social media and other channels, and she called for stronger enforcement and transparency. Heather Dukes, representing behavioral health and sober living operators, argued that the state’s response to fraud has become overly punitive toward legitimate providers. She said ADHS often sends technical paperwork deficiencies straight to enforcement instead of allowing plans of correction, that zoning approvals are being questioned despite not being within ADHS authority, and that long Access approval timelines are creating licensing and billing delays. ADHS Deputy Assistant Director Tiffany Slater said the department has seen a large volume of unlicensed complaints, that it is trying to improve staffing and data systems, and that some enforcement tools have been expanded for sober living homes. She also said many sober living operators are in recovery themselves and provide low-cost housing and support rather than direct billing to Access. Access Director Virginia Roundtree said the agency is trying to balance fraud prevention with support for legitimate providers. She reported steps such as daily internal huddles, live dashboards, added project management support, an outside review of the Division of Fee-for-Service Management, and a new external claims vendor to help reduce backlogs. Senators pressed her on a specific provider’s long-delayed payments and prepayment review, and she said the agency would provide answers early the following week. Access staff also described provider resolution roundtables and said unadjudicated claims had been reduced to zero, though members questioned whether that was due to denials rather than resolution. The hearing ended with the chair announcing legislation to preserve the American Indian Health Plan as a fee-for-service option while requiring Access to contract administrative and care management functions to another entity, citing structural failures in Access’s ability to operate the plan safely and effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then during, I think it was during a child welfare subcommittee or a courts and corrections committee
• And that's pretty typical, and that's what a child welfare agency should do.
• benefits that we now—there was legislation and a national kind of a movement to ensure that child welfare
• We do have some consultants coming in—the ones who are managing our foster care plus program—to do a

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Greg Takashima, Program Manager, representing the Department of Agriculture.
• Greg Greg Greg Takashima,<00:01:55.520> of<00:01:55.560> the<00:01:55.960> Program
• c><00:01:56.320> Manager Takashima, of the Program Manager Takashima, of the Program Manager representing
• Um, it is a really bad measure for public health, for animal welfare.
• for public health, for animal welfare. for public health, for animal welfare.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The AEN hearing on March 14, 2025 reviewed several agriculture, biosecurity, animal, and climate-related measures, but the chair announced at the outset that the committee would not have decision-making that day because quorum was not expected. Decision-making for the full agenda was rescheduled to Monday, March 17, 2025 at 1:02 p.m. in room 224. Testimony was limited to one minute per speaker. Measures heard included HB 48 HD2 on coffee labeling and regional origin, HB 782 HD1 creating a Department of Agriculture working group to review obsolete agricultural laws, HB 980 HD1 on mongoose and feral chicken control, and HB 1237 HD1 appropriating funds for agricultural biosecurity and invasive species work in Maui County. The Department of Agriculture supported HB 48, HB 782, and HB 1237, and several industry and conservation groups testified in support of the first two. HB 980 drew strong opposition from Pono Advocacy and the Hawaiian Humane Society, who argued it raised animal cruelty and public health concerns, especially during H5N1 risks; the measure also had support from agriculture-related groups. HB 1237 received broad support, with witnesses asking for language changes to broaden coverage to additional invasive species and to better support Maui Invasive Species Committee work on little fire ants and other pests. The committee also heard SCR 88/SR 71 on a microbial algae soil products pilot program, SCR 91/SR 74 on self-defense law changes for agricultural communities, SCR 93/SR 76 on integrating indigenous knowledge into climate policy, SCR 94/SR 77 on Maui axis deer control and venison, and SCR 103/SR 84 on a PFAS working group. Testimony on SCR 91/SR 74 came largely from ranching and agricultural interests in support, citing trespass, poaching, and safety concerns. SCR 93/SR 76 drew support from a Native Hawaiian testifier and others who emphasized stewardship, intergenerational planning, and climate resilience. SCR 94/SR 77 and SCR 103/SR 84 also received support, including from the Department of Agriculture and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply on the PFAS measure. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The county attorney's problem with the endangering the welfare...
• The county attorney's problem with the endangering the welfare...
• The county attorney's problem with the endangering the welfare...
• The county attorney's problem with the endangering the welfare...
• I I also in our in our in our program.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• DEIA programs are much more... DEIA programs are much more than race.
• This bill also creates a two-year pilot program that will allow of the Middle Class Scholarship Program
• In our country, the federal government writes the checks for welfare programs, many welfare programs,
• but states are for welfare programs, many welfare programs, but states are the implementers of the benefits
• program meet the criteria, that they're not fraudsters.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance recognizing 9/11. Members then moved through a long daily file and concurrence calendar, with many items passed without debate or temporarily retained. The chamber also took procedural actions, including re-referring AB 1152 to the Public Safety Committee, suspending rules for guest access and file-item handling, and later taking a roll-call vote to allow a late-filed journal letter request. Among the major Senate bills taken up on third reading, the Assembly approved SB 385 on peace officers’ rights, SB 753 on shopping cart recovery, SB 838 on housing and hotel projects, SB 643 on carbon dioxide removal grants, SB 645 on jury peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 761 on CalFresh access for students, SB 774 on real estate licensing sunsets, SB 400 on renewable energy labor tax incentives, SB 24 on utility spending transparency, SB 37 on attorney advertising ethics, SB 258 on spousal rape involving disabled spouses, SB 364 on outdoor advertising near new freeways, SB 403 removing the sunset from medical aid in dying, SB 770 on HOA barriers to EV charging, and SB 22 on gift certificate cash redemption values. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition; SB 403 and SB 770 drew more divided votes, while SB 24 was briefly delayed by a call before passing. The Assembly also concurred in numerous Senate amendments on Assembly bills covering a wide range of topics, including service of process (AB 747), local clean energy planning (AB 39), firearms (AB 1078), workers’ compensation (AB 1336), public health (AB 1487), survivor leave protections (AB 406), solid waste (AB 70), water reporting for data centers (AB 93), Diwali recognition (AB 268), wildfire workforce recovery (AB 338), educational equity (AB 419), civic education (AB 422), office-to-housing conversions (AB 507), cannabis tax relief (AB 564), privacy/browser opt-out rules (AB 566), housing element transparency (AB 610), tenant appliance requirements (AB 628), code enforcement penalties (AB 632), homelessness and LGBTQ-related policy (AB 678), energy (AB 740), DEIA review in state government (AB 766), inmate firefighter wages (AB 247), children’s health (AB 798), real estate (AB 851), COVID-era rehiring protections (AB 858), hazardous materials (AB 961), real property and housing covenants (AB 1050), aging (AB 1069), health care facilities (AB 1172), endangered species protections (AB 1319), CalWORKs modernization (AB 1324), cannabis access for seriously ill patients (AB 1332), foreign labor contractors (AB 1362), and downtown revitalization financing (AB 1445). Several of these passed overwhelmingly, while a few drew notable opposition, including AB 93, AB 403, AB 770, AB 851, AB 1050, and AB 1319. The transcript also included extended debate on SB 34, which was presented as a compromise measure on air pollution and port operations in the San Pedro Bay area. Supporters said it narrowed the scope to protect union jobs while preserving AQMD authority, while opponents and supporters alike noted the underlying distrust between labor and environmental stakeholders. The Assembly passed SB 34, SB 515 on disaggregated demographic data collection, and then began taking up AB 495 on immigration, with the sponsor describing family separation and immigration enforcement trauma before the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• support other programs across the state. support other programs across the state.
• Kentucky 7 1915 C waiver programs. Kentucky 7 1915 C waiver programs.
• the waiver program. the waiver program.
• Same program.
• <01:46:52.400> and But boy, so many of these programs and But boy, so many of these programs

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are underutilizing the program.
• Compensation program demonstrate that survivors of trafficking are underutilizing the program.
• There were no programs and services at that time.
• Their programs were created based on the services I received.
• The services and programs now exist, but they didn't; there really wasn't programs and services back

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on a wide range of bills involving domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, trafficking, victim compensation, and related criminal justice reforms. Testimony focused on measures to support survivors and close perceived legal gaps, including bills to protect domestic violence survivors in child welfare proceedings, expand victim compensation for homicide families and trafficking survivors, create a DNA exception to the rape statute of limitations, eliminate or extend statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse, and strengthen laws on upskirting, sexual abuse by adults in positions of authority, and sexual assault by rideshare drivers. Several speakers also addressed bills concerning vulnerable adults, harassment and custody-related abuse, and early evidence kits. Witnesses included legislators, prosecutors, advocates, and many survivors who described personal experiences with abuse and barriers to justice. Supporters argued that current laws often leave survivors without meaningful remedies, especially where consent, reporting requirements, evidentiary rules, or statutes of limitations prevent prosecution or compensation. Prosecutors and advocates said the bills would clarify vague statutes, increase penalties in some cases, and better reflect the realities of coercion, grooming, trafficking, and delayed reporting. Some testimony also urged amendments, including changes to victim compensation reporting rules and clarifications to avoid unintended conflicts with other wage-recovery laws. No committee votes or final actions were taken in the hearing itself. The chairs emphasized strict time limits, respectful conduct, and the submission of written testimony, and several witnesses were called out of order to accommodate the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that vision of a in the program.
• So, really all this bill does program.
• program awards sponsored by education. program awards sponsored by education. referred<01:33:03.440
• away then Wyoming's Indian child welfare away then Wyoming's Indian child welfare act<01:58:42.560
• conservation program. Thank you, Mr. conservation program. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank UCF and the Legislative Scholars Program for connecting us with such a talented student
• You talked about the Guardian program now with our child care facilities.
• in the same way that a school may take advantage of the Guardian program.
• Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 7012, a bill to be entitled an act relating to child welfare.
• They're eligible for loan forgiveness in the FRAME program.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of member introductions recognizing interns, pages, and a retiring Senate employee. Leadership also announced that budget talks with the House were continuing and that senators should not plan to be in next week, with hopes of sharing more budget news soon. The chamber then moved to third reading and took up a major bill on citizen initiatives and constitutional amendments, with sponsors saying it was needed to address documented petition fraud and to protect the integrity of the process. That bill drew extensive debate. Supporters argued that recent investigations showed widespread fraud in petition gathering, that the measure would add reasonable guardrails, and that it would prevent taxpayer-funded government messaging from being used to influence ballot measures. Opponents said the bill would make it much harder for ordinary Floridians to place amendments on the ballot by adding costs, deadlines, registration requirements, fines, and felony exposure, and they warned it would chill grassroots participation and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed campaigns. After debate, the Senate passed the bill 28-10. The Senate then adopted several House amendments and concurred on a series of education and public-safety measures, including bills on stem cell therapy, student-athlete electrocardiograms, cardiac emergency planning in schools, school safety, Bright Futures and other education policy items, and educator preparation. Most of those measures passed unanimously or with overwhelming support, and the chamber also recognized additional interns and a long-serving education advocate before recessing and returning to continue with House messages.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to safety, and welfare.
• What does that mean, welfare?
• What does that mean, welfare?
• <01:01:53.119> welfare.
• welfare. For me, it What does that mean? welfare.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If states can't pick up the bill, they will have to cut benefits or kick folks off the program, a program
• If states can't pick up the bill, they will have to cut benefits or kick folks off the program, a program
• If states can't pick up the bill, they will have to cut benefits or kick folks off the program, a program
• to other education programs.
• All sorts of cuts to nutrition programs, food assistance, Education programs, Head Start, the list goes

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Both of these programs are only available to those who meet the criteria for free Medi-Cal.
• It's just for participants of the Assisted Living Waiver Program.
• What are the components of the ALW program and also the assisted living transitions program and they
• So this is a very lucrative program for providers.
• So, this program position is the rent control piece, right?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is essential to resolving significant problems relating to animal welfare, public safety, and
• , problems relating to animal welfare, problems relating to animal welfare, public<00:16:33.440><
• <00:46:22.240> is<00:46:22.560> brought the Okamaya arrival program is brought the
• that include the intent of and programs that include the intent of this<00:46:31.960> resolution<
• Is there any Okami arrival program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• program.
• our federal welfare programs a priority. our federal welfare programs a priority.
• CEOs that ran the welfare programs in our states were getting bonuses for denying welfare recipients
• CEOs that ran the welfare programs<05:56:05.920> in<05:56:06.240> our<05:56:06.480>

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• more openings we can provide in senior housing would be really critical for their health and their welfare
• really critical for their health and really critical for their health and their<00:02:31.280> welfare
• so we thank you for their welfare so we thank you for listening<00:02:33.080> to<00:02:33.319
• The proposal would allow the line of credit to be extended for the bond recycling program.
• <00:23:42.159> has to re-evaluate whether this program has to re-evaluate whether this program

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Housing heard testimony on several housing-related measures. Senate Bill 65 would appropriate funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for rehabilitation and repair of public housing units. Testifiers from the Department of Human Services, HPHA, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and Roar Cares supported the bill, emphasizing that repairing vacant units is a fast, cost-effective way to increase available housing for homeless and elderly residents. HPHA later told the committee it had 139 vacant units, with an estimated average repair cost of about $73,000 per unit. In decision-making, the committee recommended passage of SB 65 with amendments, including an appropriation of $10,147,000, and the motion passed. The committee also considered Senate Bill 40, which would allow HHFDC to secure a line of credit or other indebtedness for the bond volume cap recycling program. HHFDC supported the measure and explained that Act 35 had provided a $150 million line of credit for fiscal year 2025 only, so this bill would extend that authority; HHFDC said the bonds involved would be revenue bonds. Roar Cares supported the bill, while the chair asked whether the Legislature would need to pass such a bill annually. In decision-making, the committee recommended passage with amendments to specify revenue bonds and noted the administration should study other ways to secure the line of credit without annual legislation. For Senate Bill 35, which would create a Housing Efficiency and Innovation subaccount within the rental housing revolving fund and allow fund transfers without legislative approval, HHFDC and several others supported the measure, arguing that more flexible fund movement would improve efficiency. The committee adopted a recommendation to pass SB 35 with amendments, including language prioritizing projects on state or county land or projects by entities required to reinvest surplus into housing, and noting nonprofit developers could qualify for prioritization. Senate Bill 42, which would repeal certain 30% AMI set-aside and preference requirements for rental housing revolving fund projects, drew opposition from Catholic Charities Hawaii, which argued the bill would reduce the supply of the most vulnerable housing units, while HHFDC warned it could reduce production of 30% AMI units. The committee deferred SB 42. The final bill discussed was Senate Bill 75, which would establish a working group to revise the state’s qualified allocation plan and related rental housing revolving fund loan terms and report back to the Legislature. HHFDC and others offered comments, while Catholic Charities asked that the bill be deferred, saying HHFDC already had the capacity to work with the community without a new law. Roar Cares supported the concept but urged broader stakeholder inclusion. In decision-making, the chair said the committee report would note concerns about prior QAP revisions and the need for more transparent, ongoing stakeholder participation, and the committee recommended passage of SB 75 without amendments. All recommendations were adopted, and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <04:11:41.640> is people's rights and animals welfare is people's rights and animals welfare
• Police officers do not have a specialty in animal welfare or husbandry.
• That's an animal welfare issue; that's law enforcement. So they called Public Health.
• That's an animal welfare issue; that's law enforcement. So they called Public Health.
• That's an animal welfare issue; that's law enforcement. So they called Public Health.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in a work session on several environmental bills, beginning with HP 152, which would prohibit the sale and use of adhesive-based rodent traps. Members discussed whether the bill should be amended to allow professional pest control use while restricting retail sales to the public. Testimony and member comments focused on animal welfare concerns, the relative humaneness and effectiveness of glue traps versus snap traps, consumer education, enforcement difficulties, and whether the bill should instead be limited to professionals. No vote was taken on HP 152 during the discussion. The committee then turned to HB 171, establishing a moratorium on new landfill permits. Representative Gruber distributed an amendment shortening the proposed moratorium from five years to three years as a compromise. Members supporting the moratorium said it would give the Department of Environmental Services time to update rules and reflect recent landfill-siting reforms, while opponents argued that three years was too long, could tie the hands of a future legislature, and might be difficult to pass in the Senate. Others noted the House, Senate, and governor had each discussed different lengths of moratorium, making the bill a likely bargaining position in later negotiations. Throughout the landfill discussion, members emphasized that the three-year version was intended as a middle ground between a one-year proposal associated with the governor and a six-year Senate bill. Several members said the moratorium reflected years of bipartisan work on solid waste and landfill policy and would help create time for new rules to take effect. The transcript provided does not show a final committee vote or other action on HB 171 during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• My son had many friends, and those friends are now participants in the program.
• When you fund CVI, you're not funding just violence prevention programs.
• When you fund CBI, you're not funding just violence prevention programs.
• It means we can build real infrastructure instead of patchwork programming.
• Instead of patchwork programming. It means we can be here for the next grieving family.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety met with a quorum and adopted the June 4, 2026 minutes. The committee first took up Senate Bill 712, adopting the S-2 substitute, which expands residency requirements to include adjoining districts and removes a provision allowing a district to appoint someone employed by the district. The committee then reported SB 712 to the floor. It also considered House Bills 4025 and 4026, described as safe storage tax exemption bills; the committee heard one supportive written card and reported both bills to the floor, each on a 5-1 vote. The committee next heard testimony on Senate Bill 885, which would create a statewide Parent and Child Legal Representation Commission and Office within LARA to address child protective legal representation. Senator Singh and Alicia Moon of the Michigan Supreme Court described the current county-by-county system as uneven, with attorney shortages, inconsistent pay, and limited specialized training. They said the bill would set standards for training, caseloads, client contact, and compensation, while requiring public comment and future appropriations before implementation. Testimony and written cards from a broad range of organizations and judges supported the measure, and the committee reported SB 885 to the floor on a 6-0 vote. The committee then heard extensive testimony on Senate Bills 1015 and 1016, which would create an Office of Community Violence Intervention and Prevention within MDHHS and establish a grant program to support community violence intervention efforts statewide. Sponsors and witnesses from Force Detroit, D-Live, Seize the Smoke, Advance Peace, public health, law enforcement, and advocacy groups described CVI as a public health and public safety strategy that reduces shootings, supports survivors, and saves public costs. Several witnesses cited local data showing reductions in shootings and homicides in Detroit and Lansing, while one witness from the Michigan Sheriff's Association opposed the bills as written. The committee voted to report both SB 1015 and SB 1016 to the floor, each on a 5-0 vote with one pass, and then adjourned after additional testimony and reading of support cards.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is not welfare.
• Almost every program in what you would refer to as the welfare state has incentives to discourage there
• Other programs also discourage marriage, programs that you would lose eligibility for if both parents
• Almost every program in what you would refer to as the welfare state has incentives to discourage there
• <05:50:46.680> uh<05:50:46.958> the<05:50:47.120> welfare welfare uh the welfare

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . programmings. programmings.
• In developing the program, the bill says the director of animal welfare shall consult with Vermont veterinarians
• This is the section that directs the division of animal welfare to adopt rules to implement the program
• Similarly, under C, the program shall authorize the director of animal welfare, in collaboration with
• animal welfare procedures. animal welfare procedures.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional reading for St. Patrick’s Day, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the reading of a resignation letter from Representative Hooper of Burlington. The letter said the House environment had changed significantly and that he was resigning before the next cycle, while thanking colleagues and urging bold leadership to address major problems facing Vermonters. Members then received first readings and referrals for a large slate of bills. House bills introduced included measures on tax administration, hunting license fees, emergency management, oath and affirmation language in statutes, judiciary procedures, a Vermont homelessness response continuum, paperwork reduction, public utility subjects, municipal regulation of agriculture, miscellaneous agricultural subjects, and municipal permitting of ground-mounted solar arrays. Senate bills referred to House committees included vocational rehabilitation, home improvement and land improvement fraud, advanced metering infrastructure devices, water quality, and fair employment practices. Several other bills on the notice calendar were also referred to Ways and Means or Appropriations because they affected state revenue or carried appropriations. The House adopted two concurrent resolutions on the consent calendar: HCR 214, honoring Irish-American patriots and their role in American independence, and HCR 220, welcoming the USS Vermont’s namesake visit and designating April 18, 2026 as USS Vermont Day. Members also offered announcements recognizing guests from the USS Vermont and related veterans’ groups, remembering former Representative Ken Harvey, and noting upcoming events such as March Madness pools, the Legislative Cabaret, a Rural Caucus meeting, and a NAMI Walks team. On the floor calendar, H. 723 on posting of land was taken up, amended as recommended by the Committee on Environment, and ordered to third reading on a 10-0-1 committee vote. The House then began second reading of H. 757 on manufactured homes and limited equity cooperatives; committee members described manufactured housing as a key affordable housing option in Vermont and said the bill would clarify how these homes are purchased, titled, taxed, and financed, while reducing costs and improving consistency for homeowners, lenders, and municipalities.