Transcript Highlights:

• apply for scholarships, but is there a way that we do any marketing or try to make sure people are aware
• the Bright Futures Award and other state scholarship and grant opportunities that students should be aware
• Awareness and advocacy is very important, and on our website we do have a one-page of material for all
• And that is just a constant need of awareness across the board, just being available and having that
• So this idea, as you've mentioned, the earlier exposure and the earlier awareness that students have

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met for an introductory overview of the higher education programs under its jurisdiction. After roll call and member introductions, Chair Busatta outlined that the subcommittee oversees programs in the Department of Education and the State University System, including vocational rehabilitation, blind services, private postsecondary licensure, student financial aid, career and adult education, the Florida College System, and the Board of Governors. The chair and staff also noted that these areas represent roughly $9 billion in current-year funding. Officials from the Department of Education presented on several programs. Vocational Rehabilitation Director Kelly Rogers described services for adults and youth with disabilities, including pre-employment transition services, job coaching, assistive technology, and employer support; she said the program served more than 55,000 people last year, has no wait list, and reported a return of $7.61 to the economy for every $1 invested. Division of Blind Services Director Robert Doyle explained services from birth through older adulthood, including early intervention, school-age support, vocational rehabilitation, independent living, the Business Enterprise Program for blind vendors, and the Braille and Talking Book Library; he said the division serves about 12,000 people annually and also has no wait list, though some community rehab providers may have one. Tiffany Hurst of the Commission for Independent Education described licensure and consumer protection for independent postsecondary institutions, reporting oversight of about 1,100 institutions and 721 non-degree schools, along with enforcement actions against unlicensed operators. Sean Haskin of Student Financial Assistance reviewed 22 scholarship and grant programs totaling about $1 billion for more than 200,000 students, including Bright Futures, Benacquisto, need-based grants, EASE, EASE Plus, veterans’ scholarships, dual enrollment reimbursement, first responder scholarships, and the Ocoee and Rosewood scholarships. Members asked about surplus funds, marketing, Bright Futures eligibility requirements, and whether EASE awards had changed; Haskin said any unused funds are reverted to the Legislature, that the department markets through schools and the Florida Lottery, and that EASE remained at $3,500 per FTE for the last two fiscal years. Several members raised concerns that students and parents may not learn about aid programs early enough, especially in economically disadvantaged communities. Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell then presented on Career and Adult Education, highlighting record participation in career and technical education, adult education, and apprenticeship. He said about 800,000 secondary students and 480,000 postsecondary students are in CTE, adult education serves about 183,000 learners, and apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs include more than 22,000 participants. He also described the workforce development fund, Perkins, WIOA Title II, the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, workforce capitalization grants, CAPE performance funding, and the Pipeline nursing initiative, noting strong NCLEX outcomes and expanded outreach through the Get There, Your Way, Future of Work Florida, and Zello platforms. Kathy Hebda began the Florida College System presentation by emphasizing open access, workforce preparation, statewide reach, and strong enrollment and completion growth, including more than 672,000 students, over 131,000 degrees and certificates, and significant dual enrollment savings for students and families.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 68 by Senator Cervantes relative to Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Denim Day.
• This month is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month, where we recognize by wearing teal as a symbol of
• As a caucus, the Legislative Black Caucus, we remain committed to turning awareness into action through
• Sexual Assault Awareness Month is about more than simply knowing that sexual assault is happening.
• Research consistently shows that early intervention, family support services, and community awareness

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through privileges of the floor recognizing Fresno State Ag Leadership Development Program students and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The body also approved the Senate journals and took up several gubernatorial appointments, including confirmations to the Court Reporters Board and the California Law Revision Commission, each approved by roll call vote. The chamber then considered SCR 136 marking the 50th anniversaries of the California Coastal Act, Coastal Commission, and Coastal Conservancy. Supporters emphasized coastal access, habitat protection, public trails, and resilience, while one senator argued the commission can overrule local control and slow development. The resolution passed 27-4. The Senate also adopted SR 68 for Denim Day and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, with broad support focused on survivor advocacy and accountability, and SCR 130 recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, which passed unanimously. Several bills were then approved on unanimous roll call, including SB 1058 on school nutrition procurement, SB 930 on encryption for school exam proctoring, SB 917 on winery sales at farmers’ markets, SB 1002 on continuity of out-of-state telehealth care, SB 1036 on mitigation fee credits for redevelopment, SB 1285 on juvenile record dismissals, and SB 969 on remote developmental services. Later, SCR 131 called for an urgent, coordinated response to unsheltered homelessness, emphasizing interim shelter, permanent housing, and supportive services. Supporters said the state must stop normalizing encampments and better coordinate resources; one senator objected that the resolution did not sufficiently address self-sufficiency or alternatives to housing-first approaches. The resolution passed 34-0. The Senate also adopted SCR 157 honoring school bus drivers, approved the consent calendar, heard committee announcements, and adjourned in memory of Sandy Steers, a conservation advocate and longtime executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not aware that they're running the ESG program at ADFA. I know for a fact, sir.
• I'm just not aware of it. Pagan? I'm aware of Pagan, yes. Okay. She's my contact with the ESG.
• So you're both aware of the severity of my hospital situation and hope—you know, they submitted an application
• And Representative Henley, to your point, we're keenly aware of the situation with your hospitals.
• And Representative Henley, to your point, we're keenly aware of the situation with your hospitals.

Summary: The committee first heard extensive public testimony from youth and advocates urging stronger restrictions on vaping. Speakers described vaping as a youth-targeted public health problem, citing flavored products, social media marketing, nicotine addiction, brain development concerns, school disruption, and exposure to harmful aerosol. They recommended prohibiting vaping in public indoor spaces and aligning vape rules with smoke-free laws. Committee members praised the speakers and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was on Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, administered through DFA. Secretary Jim Hudson and program director Brad Andi explained that Arkansas received about $209 million in the first year under the federal program, with potential for roughly $1 billion over five years if performance is strong. They emphasized that the program is meant for long-term rural health transformation, not general operating support, debt relief, or new construction. The state’s plan centers on four initiatives: HEART for prevention and community health, PACT for access and provider collaboration, RISE for workforce development, and THRIVE for technology and telehealth. Officials said applications will be handled through upcoming notices of funding opportunity, with a focus on local, shovel-ready projects, regional collaboration, and transparency. Committee members asked how the program would work for hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, schools, faith groups, and urban providers serving rural patients. Officials said eligibility is broad if applicants can show a connection to rural health, and that targeted renovations, mobile units, school-based clinics, farm-to-school or garden projects, EMS equipment, residency expansion, and behavioral health initiatives may fit if they align with the plan. They stressed that the program cannot fund working capital, routine maintenance, or new buildings, but can support repurposing space and collaborative networks. Members also raised concerns about protecting existing rural providers from being displaced, and officials said applications would be reviewed by a state committee with technical assistance and a reimbursement-based process. The committee then reviewed and took no objection to several DHS and Health Department rules. DHS presented a Medicaid/CHIP rule implementing federal requirements for incarcerated youth, including pre- and post-release coverage, care coordination, targeted case management, and screening services, with no public comments received. The Health Department also presented a licensing rule for audiology and speech pathology that implements recent acts and changes the renewal deadline; that rule was likewise reviewed without objection. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• As Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month.
• This is why awareness is critically important.
• Awareness can mean the difference between early diagnosis and years of pain and uncertainty.
• Designating March 2026 as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month serves as a crucial step in advancing the
• Designating March 2026 as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month serves as a crucial step in advancing the

Summary: The Assembly met, established a quorum after a roll call, and handled a series of procedural motions, guest introductions, and floor items. Members recognized several guests and student groups, then moved through the daily file, including second-reading items, Senate amendments, and the consent calendar, which was adopted 54-0. The chamber also adopted ACR 151 recognizing March 25 as Greek Independence Day, with 59 co-authors added, and ACR 146 designating March 2026 as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, with 61 co-authors added; both resolutions were adopted by voice vote. ACR 140, proclaiming March 21 as Women in STEM Day, also passed with 56 co-authors added and was adopted by voice vote. The most substantial debate centered on AB 2156, which renames Cesar Chavez Day as Farm Workers’ Day and declares an urgency clause. Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry and several members spoke in support, emphasizing recognition of farm workers’ collective contributions and, in light of recent revelations about Cesar Chavez, the need to honor the broader movement rather than one individual. Other members echoed support while discussing farmworker history, accountability, and the importance of acknowledging survivors. Assembly Member DeMaio supported the bill but criticized state policies affecting agriculture and argued for broader recognition of Latino Californians and farmworker policy reforms. The bill passed with 67 votes and was transmitted immediately to the Senate. Later, the Assembly recessed for the Joint Convention and heard the 26th State of the Judiciary address from Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero. She focused on judicial independence, threats to judges, remote proceedings, CARE Act implementation, trial court funding and judgeship shortages, AI use in courts, immigration-related courthouse concerns, State Bar reforms after the February 2025 bar exam problems, and judicial salaries. She also highlighted the judiciary’s centennial, the importance of collaboration with the Legislature and Governor Newsom, and the need to preserve equal access to justice. After the address was ordered printed in the Journal, the joint convention adjourned and the Assembly later adjourned until Thursday, March 26 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• But anytime you begin to raise the awareness and... ...begin to raise the awareness and not just to have
• It's in my area, and I was enlightened by the awareness of having the dampers and, you know, where they
• That's where the awareness and the understanding of why this is so important.
• I was aware...
• I was aware that, you know, we have requirements both through our fire protection district and the city

Committees: House Local Government , House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Transcript Highlights:

• So I don't know, were you aware that Packaging Corporation of America, they were innovative enough to
• Were you aware of that? I'm not prepared to speak to a particular packaging industry.
• So I don't know were you aware that package Thank you, Madam Chair. So I don't know.
• Were you aware that Packaging Corporation of America, they were innovative enough to close their plant
• And it's it they, they drop 200, they let 200 people go, were you aware of that?

Bills: HB2537 , HB2245 , HB2296

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: emissions, climate commitment act, environmental regulation, trade regulation, facility compliance, consumer-owned utilities, clean energy, port districts, market customers, energy transformation, distributed energy, renewable energy, energy resources, sustainability, energy policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So I don't know, were you aware that Packaging Corporation of America, they were innovative enough to
• Were you aware of that? I'm not prepared to speak to a particular packaging industry.
• So I don't know were you aware that package Thank you, Madam Chair. So I don't know.
• Were you aware that Packaging Corporation of America, they were innovative enough to close their plant
• And it's it they, they drop 200, they let 200 people go, were you aware of that?

Summary: The Environment and Energy Committee heard testimony on House Bill 2537, which would change how energy-intensive, trade-exposed facilities (EITEs) are treated under the Climate Commitment Act. Committee staff and the bill sponsor explained that the measure would require Ecology to update its post-2034 report to include proposed allowance-reduction methods, leakage-risk adjustments, and consignment recommendations, and would add new reporting and decarbonization-planning requirements for EITEs to continue receiving no-cost allowances. The committee also briefly took up House Bill 2245, a separate Clean Energy Transformation Act bill, and later voted the proposed substitute out of committee on an 11-8 vote with 2 excused, after debate over exemptions for certain utilities and market customers. Supporters of HB 2537, including The Nature Conservancy, NRDC, Washington Conservation Action, Climate Solutions, Clean and Prosperous Washington, Ecology, and some utility representatives, said the bill would provide needed clarity, better data, and a path for long-term industrial decarbonization while helping prevent emissions leakage. They argued that EITEs receive substantial public value through free allowances and should be required to document emissions sources, energy needs, and feasible reduction pathways so the state can design a post-2035 policy consistent with climate goals. Ecology said it generally supports the bill, though it recommended streamlining duplicative reporting and noted the work would require significant agency resources not included in the governor’s budget. Opponents, including the Association of Washington Business, the Northwest Pulp and Paper Association, the Association of Western Pulp and Paperworkers, WISPA, the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers, Food Northwest, Simplot, Kaiser Aluminum, and Newcor Steel, warned that the bill could increase compliance burdens, expose sensitive business information, and worsen leakage risks by making Washington less competitive. They said many facilities have already made major investments and face high capital costs, limited clean electricity supply, permitting delays, and technologies that are not yet commercially viable at scale. Several speakers pointed to recent plant closures and job losses in pulp and paper, food processing, and metals as evidence that leakage is already occurring, and urged the committee to preserve flexibility, protect confidentiality, and consider targeted funding or other incentives rather than new mandates alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pew, if you're not aware, is a nonpartisan organization. nonprofit organization that seeks to improve
• And then I know you're aware how significant Medicaid is within those federal funds that your state gets
• Counties are tasked with fronting that money, as you're well aware.
• Moving on, you all are well aware of the recent decisions for part of the contingency funds from USDA
• So I want to make sure that we're all aware of this.

Committee: House Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• A LOT OF OUT OUTREACH AND HOW WE MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THIS AND I WOULD SAY, NO, THE SHORT ANSWER
• INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACTUALLY GET ALL MILITARY MEMBERS WITH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN AWARE
• Holcomb: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CONTACT WITH SENATE COMES DOCTOR NATION MILITARY AWARENESS, THEY MAKE US
• I WORKED TO BRING AWARENESS TO AND HELP ENSURE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPACT THROUGH ACTIVE
• I KNOW IN OUR COMMUNITY WE ARE HOME TO EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE AND HURLBURT FIELD AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE

Transcript Highlights:

• work in this area, so the study aims to get that information to legislators so they may become more aware
• work in this area, so the study aims to get that information to legislators so they may become more aware
• Just a quick question: Are you aware of either the Catholic Church or other ministries in North Dakota
• Home on the Range is the one area that I'm aware of.
• You may be aware that we have been in North Dakota since 1986.

Bills: HCR3028

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard and acted on several measures related to human trafficking, criminal procedure, and child protection. It first took up House Concurrent Resolution 3028, which would direct a legislative study of human trafficking victim services and re-entry programs. The sponsor and supporters emphasized helping victims rebuild basic life and workforce skills and better understanding existing services; YouthWorks and the North Dakota Catholic Conference described current programs and the trauma victims face. The committee discussed overlap with other interim studies, then voted unanimously to give the resolution a due pass, with Senator Braunberger designated to carry it. The committee then considered House Bill 1263, concerning sealing criminal records, and moved it forward without changing the House version after members noted the House had removed presumption language and reduced the waiting period. That bill also received a due pass recommendation. Next, House Bill 1226, which revises the state’s mask law for public places, drew testimony from the sponsor and an expert witness who argued that masking to conceal identity during group criminal conduct undermines public safety and law enforcement. Members debated the House-added requirement that law enforcement request unmasking; the committee adopted an amendment to remove that language, then passed the bill as amended, with Senator Luick to carry it. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1410, a study resolution on criminal conduct against children, including child sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and the use of artificial intelligence in exploitation crimes. Supporters from the Child Sexual Assault Prevention Task Force, YouthWorks, and the Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Dakota said the study would help update outdated terminology, review AI-related issues, and improve investigation and prosecution tools. The committee approved the resolution with a due pass recommendation, and Senator Cory was assigned to carry it. The committee also received a brief report that, in a quick review, there were 82 active studies introduced, including 10 shall studies and 35 shall-consider studies, with limited overlap identified beyond the trafficking-related measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• state programs do, but one of the programs that is not listed on that. flyer is the state public awareness
• As you're all aware, we're experiencing expansive growth in Texas.
• absolutely so we are partnering with the Texas water foundation to create a new statewide water awareness
• So that'll be rolling out soon, and that's not all as we start to learn from that awareness campaign,
• I do envision that as people become more aware of the benefits of being in a PUA, that they will have

Bills: HB 1089 , HB 1163 , HB 1177 , HB 1238 , HB1318 , HB1400 , HB1407 , HB1532 , HJR7 , HJR7

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation

Transcript Highlights:

• Or, like she said, the awareness could potentially stop future harm.
• Or, like she said, the awareness could potentially stop future harm.
• Or, like she said, the awareness could potentially stop future harm.
• Or, like she said, the awareness could potentially stop future harm.
• </c> mistake like she said the awareness mistake like she said the awareness could<00:10:02.120><c> potentially

Transcript Highlights:

• to see how many people there are, but I may limit it to a certain number of people, just so you're aware
• to see how many people there are, but I may limit it to a certain number of people, just so you're aware
• That's an important definition for you to be aware of, and what it means is that the conditions of the
• Beyond that, we are not aware of or here today discussing any petitions.
• We are not aware of any petitions that are in the particular proposals.

Committee: House House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you're well aware of the funding campaign that goes along kind of hand in hand with 281.
• So, you're well aware of the funding campaign that goes along kind of hand in hand with 281.
• </c> awareness campaign. awareness campaign.
• </c><01:35:18.200><c> trading</c><01:35:18.640><c> is</c> aware again, commodity future trading is aware
• Yes, we are very aware.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, you know, I didn't know, I wasn't aware of what that was and maybe the committee would like to
• And just help amplify awareness as well.
• NDACO has also been made aware of similar reductions in other states.
• Representative Bosch, I'm not aware of anything.
• But I'm not aware of anything material that we would watch for.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The Information Technology Committee approved the March 26 minutes and received a series of reports from NDIT on major IT projects, the annual report, mainframe modernization, and cybersecurity services. The project portfolio was reported at 116 major projects with a baseline cost of $546 million, overall under budget but modestly behind schedule. Several projects that had been in variance status last quarter were said to have closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning. New startup reports were mostly HHS efforts tied to refugee data management, technical debt cleanup, and legacy application decommissioning, while closeouts included HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT projects with mixed budget and schedule results. In the annual report discussion, NDIT described its service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management reporting, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how revenues and grants flow through the service fund, how NDIT charges agencies for services, and whether customer satisfaction or CSAT scores are tracked and could be reported more regularly. NDIT said it does track service-team CSAT and survey data, and committee members encouraged more regular reporting of those metrics. The committee also discussed application portfolio management, statewide IT planning, and whether agencies should slow new system replacements while the state pursues an ERP system. The mainframe update focused on the state’s ongoing effort to retire legacy systems by about 2030. NDIT and HHS said the work is being managed as a tech-debt program, but progress is slowed by data cleanup, integration complexity, staff retirements, vendor capacity, and federal requirements. Members asked whether there is a coordinated commitment and whether additional vendor support or consultants are needed; NDIT said it is working jointly with HHS and is seeking an RFP to help accelerate modernization. The cybersecurity presentation then shifted to statewide maturity assessments and services. NDIT said it provides endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that assessments are based on CIS controls. Members raised concerns about low participation in the self-assessment process, the lack of mandatory reporting or audit authority, and whether insurance incentives through Enderf or possible State Auditor involvement could improve compliance. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please be aware that to use the website email for the committee, obviously anything that goes to the
• Just please be aware of that, with discretion by the chair.
• Unfortunately, we are aware that this practice of tampering with emissions controls is happening.
• I would like to make you aware of...
• Management, as far as I'm aware, has not communicated a process to us.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 452, a right-to-repair bill for agricultural equipment. Farm Bureau and several manufacturers’ representatives opposed the bill, arguing that existing memorandums of understanding already provide farmers access to parts, diagnostics, and repair information, and warning that broader software access could increase emissions tampering and safety risks. Supporters, including repair advocates, a legislator, and a farmer representative, argued that the MOUs are not binding, that farmers need enforceable repair rights to avoid costly delays during critical harvest periods, and that owners should be able to repair equipment they bought without dealer lock-in. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on bills to limit or eliminate “grab-and-go” alcohol sales at large venues, including House Bill 325 and Senate Bill 225. Union workers from Fenway Park and the TD Garden described self-checkout alcohol kiosks as creating public safety and compliance problems, including underage access, over-serving, theft, and difficulty monitoring intoxication in crowded settings. They said workers are often understaffed and bear discipline when violations occur. In contrast, the Boston Red Sox and Aramark defended the supervised self-checkout model, saying it speeds service, is widely used, and operates with multiple layers of supervision, training, and regulatory oversight; they said they had not received violation notices and that any incidents are isolated. Senator Edwards also testified in support of House Bill 369, aimed at restricting marketing of certain harsh cosmetic products to children, and in support of the grab-and-go bill. She argued that children should not be targeted with products containing toxic chemicals and that alcohol service should remain supervised by trained staff to protect consumers and jobs. Senator Collins and other legislators also spoke in favor of restricting grab-and-go alcohol service, citing concerns about underage drinking and overconsumption. The hearing additionally included a separate bill on Sunday morning alcohol service, with Representatives Scanlon and Lewis arguing for allowing sales beginning at 8 a.m. on Sundays rather than 10 a.m., but that bill was only discussed briefly and no action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we were aware of great work of actually here soon. Oh, yes. Okay. Great. Thank you.
• But we were aware of great work of actually here soon. Oh, yes. Okay. Great. Thank you.
• We also have a separate group of constituents who are less aware of the dangers associated with data
• The first step is really that communications campaign, that education awareness, to really raise awareness
• I'm certainly, I think, generally aware and maybe with some level of specificity, but I think it would

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held an early planning hearing on how Massachusetts can maximize participation in the 2030 census, with Chair Will Brownsberger and Vice Chair Rebecca Rausch emphasizing the need to start well in advance. The first panel, made up of leaders from the Massachusetts Voter Table, MassVOTE, MIRA, and MESA, stressed that grassroots community organizations are trusted messengers and should be funded early to do multilingual outreach, training, and direct assistance in hard-to-count communities. They described lessons from 2020, including the shift to internet response, reduced federal census infrastructure, the importance of coordinated statewide networks, and the need to begin messaging several years before Census Day because building trust and staffing outreach takes time. Panelists repeatedly warned that immigrant communities are facing heightened fear because of federal immigration enforcement and the possibility of a citizenship question or other federal changes, making census participation more difficult. They said 2020 funding arrived too late to fully staff and train outreach teams before the pandemic, and argued that future resources should be deployed earlier and more flexibly. In response to committee questions, they estimated Massachusetts should invest roughly $8 million to $10 million or more in state census outreach, with one proposed model of about $3 million to $5 million at the start, additional funding in the middle years, and a larger final push closer to 2030. They also suggested that funding should support communications infrastructure, translation, social media and ethnic media outreach, and possibly a permanent complete count structure or trust fund to preserve institutional knowledge. A second panel from Common Cause Massachusetts and the ACLU of Massachusetts echoed the call for stronger, earlier investment and stronger privacy protections. They urged the legislature to expand existing census line items, consider a trust fund or other dedicated funding stream, and coordinate census outreach with other state programs that already work through trusted community messengers. The ACLU testimony focused on racial inequities in census counts and warned that federal efforts to exclude non-citizens or add a citizenship question would deepen distrust and undercount immigrant communities. Committee members asked about the 2020 overcount/undercount results, funding levels, timing of grant distribution, and whether census outreach should be routed through the Secretary of the Commonwealth or other state mechanisms; no votes were taken, and the hearing moved on to a later panel on immigrant-community outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• I rise today to present SCR 156, which declares May as Stroke Awareness Month.
• Awareness and bring attention to aphasia, which impacts language and speech.
• And she wants to bring awareness to this so that others, we...
• So it's something that we all need to really be aware of.
• The more people who are aware... ...need to know the signs, like my colleague said.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just wanted to raise your awareness of the potential in northwest Louisiana.
• So I just wanted to raise your awareness of the potential in northwest Louisiana. awareness of the potential
• So for the committee to be aware of and for all listening, between 2019 and 2021, Tulane, LSU, and the
• Do you know, are you aware of the report? Have you seen it? I am, yes.
• What I find, though, is a lot of people are not aware of the rules.

Summary: The committee met on May 26, 2026, and first approved the minutes from the May 22, 2025 meeting. The main topic was the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster, with testimony from Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy staff, LSU and Tulane geoscientists, and later LSU law professor Keith Hall. Witnesses said the cause of the swarm has not been definitively identified, but induced seismicity from wastewater injection or hydraulic fracturing remains a concern. They described 50 earthquakes reported by the USGS in Red River, Bienville, DeSoto, and Natchitoches Parishes, including a magnitude 4.9 event on March 5, 2026, and explained that Louisiana’s sparse seismic network limits detection and depth/location estimates. C&E said it inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the events, found no violations, now requires more frequent injection reporting, and is working with researchers and LSU on a possible state monitoring network and future policy changes. Committee members asked about injection depths, fault locations, whether the activity could be natural, and whether Louisiana should adopt stronger monitoring or a traffic-light regulatory system like other states. The witnesses said more data is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn, but that denser monitoring can detect smaller quakes and help identify patterns. Professor Hall summarized responses in other states, including more frequent reporting, increased monitoring, injection reductions, moratoria, and traffic-light systems in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. Members also discussed whether operators should share more seismic and geologic data, and several said the state should avoid jumping to conclusions while still improving oversight. The committee then heard from William Berger, a Texas geoscientist, who described using AI and operator data to model wastewater injection and seismic risk, and said broader data sharing would improve forecasting and siting decisions. He and another witness emphasized that many earthquakes arise from clusters of wells rather than a single well, and that proprietary concerns limit voluntary disclosure. The committee also received a brief update from GOSEP and the Louisiana National Guard on the Barksdale Air Force Base drone incursions. GOSEP said it logged the incident in WebEOC and shared releasable information, while State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose. Officers said a task force has been formed, some personnel have received federal drone-mitigation training, and House Bill 940 is intended to mirror the task force MOU. Finally, Major General Thomas Friloux and Brigadier General Jason Maffus updated the committee on the merger of GOSEP into the Louisiana Military Department. They said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, brought back employees to in-person work, modernized the state’s common operating picture, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance through staffing and contract changes. They also noted the planned transfer of the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, ongoing hurricane preparedness, and continued coordination with parish emergency managers. No votes were taken on the substantive topics, and the meeting ended with the committee moving through its agenda items and receiving informational testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not aware that it's been through that process. Has it?
• No, I was not aware that it needed to be. So, is it an application for a distinctive license plate?
• Not aware of that. Senator Co Madison, thank you.
• </c> aware that it needed to be. aware that it needed to be.
• Not aware of that. Okay. All right. Not aware of that.

Bills: SB309 , HB192 , SB178 , SB179 , SB237 , HB10 , HB107 , HB189 , HB37 , HB226 , SB309 , HB192 , SB178 , SB179 , SB237 , HB10 , HB107 , HB189 , HB37 , HB226

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: automated driving systems, oversized vehicles, transportation, regulations, permits, HB192, international wire transfer, wire transfer fee, remittance fee, money transmission business, Alabama Securities Commission, Department of Revenue, Education Trust Fund, ELL instructors, English Language Learner, ESL teachers, income tax credit, remittances, international money transfer, migrant families