Bills: SB2401, SB2402, SB2403, SB2404

Keywords: SB 2401, North Dakota, Century Code, occupational therapy, occupational therapy board, criminal history record check, background check, licensee investigation, physician continuing education, medical license renewal, nutrition education, metabolic health, chronic disease prevention, health occupation boards, medical board, licensure fee, audit response, disciplinary action, Title 43, board of medicine

Summary: The Senate convened in special session with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call establishing a quorum of 45 members present and two absent. The chamber received certification from the Secretary of State and the governor’s executive order calling the special session to address funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program and to act quickly to accept and appropriate federal funds. The main action was adoption of the procedural rules for the extraordinary session. Senator Klein explained the proposed rule changes, which were designed to speed up consideration of bills during the short session, including limits on bill introduction, same-day second reading and final passage, elimination of standing committees for the session, creation of a Joint Policy Committee and Joint Appropriations Committee, and authorization for remote testimony and limited remote participation. The procedural committee’s report on these rules was adopted without opposition. The Senate also adopted reports naming members to the Joint Policy Committee and Joint Appropriations Committee. Announcements noted that the Senate Employment Committee, Joint Policy Committee, and Joint Appropriations Committee would meet later that morning, that the Senate would not reconvene at 4 p.m., and that a Highway Patrol presentation on legislator safety would be held. The Senate then moved through the listed orders of business and recessed, planning to meet in joint session with the House before adjourning until Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Bills: SB147, SB158, SB163, SB147, SB158, SB163

Keywords: construction zone, work zone, speed camera, automated enforcement, photo radar, photographic speed enforcement, traffic safety, highway safety, road construction, maintenance workers, civil citation, civil fine, speeding ticket, owner liability, registered owner, ALDOT, Alabama Department of Transportation, ALEA, Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• We knew it was in there, but we had it in a wrong part of the code.
• And so therefore, if you look on page three, you'll see we've added the right part of the code.
• <00:02:00.479> And<00:02:00.640> so in a road wrong part of the code.
• And so in a road wrong part of the code.
• And then if you look on page the code.

Bills: HB245, HB138, HB151, HB152, HB245, HB138, HB151, HB152

Keywords: inhalants, controlled substances, butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, health, public safety, pregnancy, pregnant defendant, incarceration, jail intake, pregnancy test, bail, pre-incarceration probation, supervised probation, electronic monitoring, electronic supervision, perinatal care, prenatal care, maternal health

Bills: S0100, S0102, S0104

Keywords: Florida Statutes, codification, revisers bill, statutory adoption, official law, general laws, repeal by omission, statutory compilation, Florida Legislature, legal code update, session law, statute revision, F.S., codified laws, legislative services, pending civil remedies, accrued rights, reviser bill, statutory cleanup, technical corrections

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with a quorum present and heard three housekeeping/statutory revision bills. Chair Passidomo introduced the committee’s new staff director, and the committee proceeded quickly through the agenda with no public appearance forms, questions, or debate on any of the bills. SB 100, the Adoption Act, prospectively adopts the 2026 Florida Statutes as an official document and adopts the statute materials passed by the 2025 regular session as official state statute law. SB 102 deletes statutory provisions that were previously repealed or expired and are now without effect. SB 104 is the General Reviser's Bill, which removes obsolete language, updates cross-references, and corrects grammatical and typographical errors in the Florida Statutes. Each bill was reported favorably by roll call vote. After the votes, several senators asked to be recorded as voting favorably on tabs 1 and 2, and the committee adopted that request without objection. The meeting then adjourned, with members reminded that the committee would meet again on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• will try and consolidate, but there is very limited availability over winter break due to lack of occupancy

Bills: HB2476, HB2893, HB4848, HB5062, SB37, SB60, HB2860, HB4930, SB646, SB 37

Keywords: living expenses, higher education, student support, homeless students, financial aid, grant program, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, workforce development, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, competency-based education, baccalaureate degree, cost of attendance, dual credit, computer science, course credit, foreign language requirement, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council

Bills: HB1730, HB1823, HB2048, HB2266, HB2440, HB3333, HB4086, HB4271, HB4413, HB4839, HB4841, HB5151

Keywords: PFAS, perfluoroalkyl substances, polyfluoroalkyl substances, forever chemicals, public health study, environmental regulation, drinking water, groundwater, surface water, food packaging, chemical exposure, firefighters, chemical manufacturing workers, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, Railroad Commission of Texas, Department of State Health Services, University of Houston, occupational exposure, contaminants

Bills: HB345, HB721, HB2580, SB815, HB3057, HB4603, HB3233, SB495, HB3863, HB3914, HB4570, HB5099, HB5173, SB458

Keywords: insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 3914 amends Title VIII of the Insurance Code by adding Chapter 1373, which would
• You put in what you're shopping for or the code that's associated with it and your zip code, and it spits
• They all have different rates for different CPT codes. ...DRG codes and other things related to that.
• To conduct a study on the effect of Chapter 1352 of the Insurance Code on the coverage of traumatic brain
• As a specific example, HB 2090 requires NAIC codes of 5 or 14 digits.

Bills: HB345, HB721, HB2580, SB815, HB3057, HB4603, HB3233, SB495, HB3863, HB3914, HB4570, HB5099, HB5173, SB458

Keywords: insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair Louderback, this is all part of government code 411, so if we...
• It's in the Texas Penal Code. Thank you, Chairman and members.
• Regardless of the nature of the offense, under Section 4604A of the Penal Code, any person convicted.
• I also would not have applied to stalking under Penal Code 42.0702.
• The general zero tolerance policy we have in the education code allows them to prohibit weapons.

Bills: HB259, HB 1128, HB1337, HB1506, HB1794, HB2215, HB2470, HB2771, HB2882, HB2993, HB3053, HB3428, HB3669, HB3789, HB3924, HB4201, HB4675, HB259

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical expenses, access to care, affordability, legislation, firearms, penal code, regulation, short-barrel firearms, ammunition, gun control, public safety, Texas law, short-barrel, law enforcement, election judges, concealed handgun, polling places

Transcript Highlights:

• And all of this, by the way, is protected already in current law. and Chapter 9 of the Penal Code.
• All of it is currently protected under Chapter 9 of the Penal Code.
• Let's bring our code into compliance with the Constitution and the courts. Let's ensure that...
• This is just going to get our Texas code in line with what's already happening.
• House Bill 4675 would add a subsection to the Texas Penal Code.

Bills: HB259, HB259, HB 1128, HB1337, HB1506, HB1794, HB2215, HB2470, HB2771, HB2882, HB2993, HB3053, HB3428, HB3669, HB3789, HB3924, HB4201, HB4675

Keywords: redistricting, Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission, Texas Legislature, elections, district boundaries, voter representation, healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical expenses, access to care, affordability, legislation, firearms, penal code, regulation, short-barrel firearms, ammunition, gun control, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, there's part of the insurance code that currently lays out and allows school districts and governmental
• substitute provides additional clarity to the bill by requiring the use of applicable diagnostic or billing codes
• So, there are no CPT codes for iatrogenic conditions, or there are many for normal conditions resulting
• Texas insurance code has never enforced insurance providers to pay for all adverse consequences of a
• Insurance coverage is, of course, important, but it also implies the creation of insurance codes for

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• If you follow the building code and you implement an inspection program that TDI oversees, you can get
• This would be something to go above and beyond the current building code. So we...
• indemnity provisions due to restrictions in the state's anti-indemnification statute and the insurance code
• It impacted the building codes; they switched the building codes to support this, so big fans of this

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Bills: SB 26, SJR 36, SB 26, SB 616, SB 565, SB 384, SB 28, SR 109, SR 122, SR 126, SR 130, SR 136, SR 137, SR 141, SR 142, SCR 20

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement, enforcement suspension, utility consolidation, regionalization, water supply, sewer

Summary: The meeting was marked by significant resolutions recognizing various contributions to Texas and celebrating community initiatives. Key discussions included the adoption of resolutions commemorating Texas Hispanic Judges Day and highlighting the 100th anniversary of Memorial Park. Senators expressed appreciation for the judges' dedication and legacy, with notable mentions of individual judges and their impact on the community and legal landscape in Texas. The Senate also honored students and organizations contributing positively to their communities, showcasing the interconnectedness of public service and the legislative process.

Transcript Highlights:

• without engrossment: House Bill number 147 by Representative Pettis regarding the state procurement code
• House Bill number 147 regarding the state procurement code is referred to the committee on Fiscal Responsibility
• They have requested that we actually consider the existing code now in another section related to the
• possession and adopt that existing code section. ... adopt the existing code section that we have now

Bills: SB 26, SJR 36, SB 26, SB 616, SB 565, SB 384, SB 28, SR 109, SR 122, SR 126, SR 130, SR 136, SR 137, SR 141, SR 142, SCR 20

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement, enforcement suspension, utility consolidation, regionalization, water supply, sewer

Bills: HB37, HB187, HB177, SB63, HB82, SB48, HB33, HB37, HB33

Keywords: judicial compensation, salary increase, court system, Alabama legislation, judges, HB187, court fees, docket fee, sheriff's fund, sheriff's office, jail operations, law enforcement, county sheriff, court filing fees, Alabama Code 12-19-312, solicitor's fund, clerk's fund, forensic services trust fund, budget flexibility, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• items are in the 155 building code statute, and the fire code-related items are in 153:5, the fire code
• Seven of them are promulgated by the International Code Council: the building code, the residential code
• So by statute there's eight codes in the State Building Code, eight model codes, but in practice in the
• By statute, there's eight codes in the State Building Code, eight model codes.
• The health of the occupants is important here, and this 2021 code improves the vapor barrier, which improves

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up HB 428, with Philip Sherman of the Building Code Review Board presenting a detailed amendment intended to reorganize building-code statutes and limit local changes. He said the proposal would move code-related provisions into RSA 155-A, preserve municipalities’ ability to adopt and administer local enforcement mechanisms and additional non-state codes such as housing or property maintenance codes, but prohibit technical amendments to the State Building Code. He also explained that local administrative functions like permits, fees, certificates of occupancy, plan review, and staffing would remain local, while any local ordinance would still need BCRB confirmation. Members discussed the distinction between administrative and technical amendments, the need to keep fire-code provisions separate, and a date error in the draft’s submission deadline; Sherman suggested the effective-date language should be corrected to reference July 1, 2024. The committee did not vote on the amendment and instead agreed to circulate the draft and revisit it in a later subcommittee meeting before bringing it to the full committee. The discussion then shifted to fire-code issues, with State Fire Marshal Sean Tumi explaining that fire-code-related provisions should be cleaned up in the fire-code statutes and that the state should restrict technical local amendments while possibly allowing limited administrative local standards for transparency and operational consistency. He gave examples such as driveway access, sprinkler connections, key boxes, and other fire-system details that could benefit from local standardization if clearly disclosed. He noted that a separate Senate bill, SB 94, may be a more appropriate vehicle for some of the fire-code language. The chair again emphasized the need for further review and scheduled another subcommittee meeting before the matter would go to the full committee. The committee then began HB 244, and Sherman introduced it as a cleanup of the older municipal-building-code provisions scattered through the RSA 67X series. He said the bill would consolidate and update those references, continuing the effort to align municipal enforcement and appeals provisions with the statewide building-code structure. The transcript cuts off before any further action or vote on HB 244.

Transcript Highlights:

• with which those codes are build and<00:16:13.240> you<00:16:13.360> can<00:16:13.560>
• Again, one thing that we're looking at right now are the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and
• There are some services, for example, the physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy,
• Again, one thing that we're looking at right now are the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and
• <00:37:46.160> that<00:37:46.280> we the CPT code that we the CPT code that we apply

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services met with a quorum still coming together and first handled roll call and minutes. The main presentation came from the Department for Medicaid Services, with Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beckle giving an overview of Kentucky Medicaid, its federal-state financing structure, and the department’s 1915(c) home- and community-based waiver programs. They explained FMAP funding levels for traditional Medicaid, administration, IT, expansion adults, and CHIP, and noted the size of the program, including more than 600,000 Kentucky children eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, about 485,000 expansion adults, over 69,000 enrolled providers, and $18.5 billion in 2024 expenditures. A major focus was the waiver system, including the acquired brain injury waivers, model waiver, independence waiver, Michelle P. waiver, and Supports for Community Living waiver. The department said these waivers are intended to keep people with physical or developmental disabilities in home and community settings rather than facilities, and that many services are not covered by Medicare or commercial insurance. Officials described participant-directed services, interagency administration, and eligibility rules, including that some waiver programs use the child’s income only rather than family income. They also reported an unduplicated waiver wait list of 13,930 people and said the General Assembly had added waiver slots in the last budget, including 650 ABI slots and 1,275 more to be allocated July 1, 2025. The department also discussed a waiver rate study conducted by Guidehouse, explaining that CMS requires a defensible rate methodology because there is no Medicare or commercial benchmark for many waiver services. They said the study used cost and wage surveys, provider and stakeholder input, and aimed to improve transparency, provider stability, and rate parity. Officials reviewed prior COVID-era Appendix K rate increases and budget-driven increases, and said the budget ultimately funded rates at about 70% of the benchmark study, while preserving higher existing rates where needed so no provider would be cut. They highlighted larger differences in behavioral support and case management rates, and said a public report is available. Members asked several questions about the potential impact of federal FMAP changes, especially possible reductions in the enhanced match for expansion adults and Medicaid IT/admin activities. DMS said any FMAP reduction would require more state general fund dollars, estimating about $75 million for each 1% drop in the expansion match, while impacts on administrative IT funding would depend on the systems being built or implemented in a given year. Members also pressed for clarification on waiver wait-list procedures, funded versus filled slots, and what happens when someone on the wait list is later found ineligible. DMS said people on the wait list may not yet have been assessed, can be reevaluated if conditions change, and are still eligible for regular Medicaid state-plan services if they qualify, even if they are waiting for waiver services.

Transcript Highlights:

• to lay out House Bill 1691, which seeks to expand the list of cancer presumed to be caused by occupational
• brain, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, malignant myeloma, and renal cell carcinoma as occupational
• Uh, for example, Texas Labor Code Section 410 allows.
• Uh, there's nothing currently I'm aware of in the labor code that allows an administrative law judge
• Uh, so there's sort of a standing issue that's not addressed by the labor code.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's right in the code. I if you I it. It's right in the code.
• this by amending the model code. this by amending the model code.
• model code and so forth. Right. model code and so forth. Right.
• Existing Building Code 2021, the International Plumbing Code 2021, the International Mechanical Code
• occupancy. Gota okay. occupancy. Gota okay.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . codes. codes.
• Not just the plumbing code, but the electrical code, the building code, the residential code, the IEC
• code, the electrical code, the building code, the residential<00:52:16.040> code,<00:52:16.400
• state building code. state building code. All<01:00:01.480> right.
• building codes standards. building codes standards.

Bills: HB1700

Keywords: housing, expedited permits, disabilities, access, functional needs, local government, affordable housing, reporting requirements, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard several housing, land use, and infrastructure bills. HB 6019 HD2 on electric vehicle infrastructure and HB 1728 HD1 on rainwater catchment systems both drew limited testimony and were advanced. For HB 1728, the chairs said they would designate the Department of Health as the regulator and incorporate suggested technical amendments from plumbing and rainwater industry groups. Both measures were reported out with recommendations to pass, with HB 6019 passed unamended and HB 1728 passed with amendments. HB 1844, which would have required the Land Use Commission to reclassify lands designated for urban growth, drew significant opposition from the Hawaii Farm Bureau and Sierra Club, who argued it would bypass land-use review and threaten agricultural land, water planning, and long-term resilience. Grassroot Institute supported the bill, and the Land Use Commission said the bill raised concerns. After discussion, the chairs deferred the measure in one committee and later the recommendation to pass it with amendments was not adopted in the other committee. HB 1990 on penalties and liens for unresolved residential zoning violations was advanced with amendments. The chairs adopted Grassroot Institute’s suggested changes requiring any county sale of such property to be at no less than fair market value and requiring excess proceeds to be returned to the owner. HB 2424, which would allow county planning agencies to petition for temporary reclassification of certain agricultural lands to rural, also drew mixed testimony; the Land Use Commission raised due process concerns, and agriculture interests opposed it. One committee advanced it with amendments, but in the other committee the recommendation failed after members cited lack of county support. The later portion of the hearing began on HB 1738 and HB 1739. HB 1738 would expand county authority to amend district boundaries for housing on parcels over 15 acres; OHA, Sierra Club, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau opposed it, while Grassroot Institute supported it. HB 1739 would require transit-supportive densities in county TOD areas and limit local restrictions; DPP raised concerns about timing, permitting, and conflicts with existing TOD frameworks, while OPSD and Grassroot supported it. The transcript cuts off before final action on these later bills.