Transcript Highlights:

• Is the commission of the deaf for the deaf and hard of hearing and the commission for the blind, are
• with both the Commission for the Blind, um, and Visually Impaired, and the, uh, Commission for the Deaf
• come together and work together, because I've worked on state funding for um For the Commission on Deaf

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:54.600> 1<00:05:54.840> relating<00:05:55.240> to<00:05:55.360> deaf
• Conference Draft 1 relating to deaf Conference Draft 1 relating to deaf individuals.<00:05:56.640

Bills: HB2241, HB1163, HB1514, HB1696, HB2021, SB2135, SB2466, SB2727, SB3082, SB3097, SB2861, SCR100, SB3096, SB99, SB2138, HB2289, HB2319, HB1711, HB2270, SB3138, SB3076, HB1642, HB2338, HB2171, HB1785, SB2881, HB2505, SB2552, HB1518, HB1815, SB3125, SB3234, SCR162, SB2614, SB3118, SB2053, SB2494, SB2851, SB3073, HB1678, HB1721, HB2475, HB2246, HB1667, HB1516, SB2532, SB3131, SB3154, HB2297, HB1737, SB2143, SB2398, SB2623, HB1740, HB1920, HB1682, SB2153, SB3140, HB2158, HB1718, HB2207, HB1801, SB3229, SB2338, SB3069, SB2600, HB2300, HB1800, HB1960, SB2999, SB2060, SB2866, SB2239, HB1741, HB1713, HB2023, HB2417, SB2877, SB2598, SB2921, SB2645, HB2547, HB2275, HB2452, HB2329, HB2339, HB1838, HB1509, HB1661, HB2271, HB2272, HB2344, HB1888, HB1707, SB2340, HB2474, HB1576, HB1853, HB1804, HB1854, HB2095, HB2050, HB472, SB3215, SB2247, SB2400, HB1618, HB1802, HB1969, HB1541, HB2310, HB2498, HB2443, HB2218, HB649, HB2104, HB1710, SB2802, HB1973, HB1974, HB1894, HB1891, HB1890, SB177, SB2101, SB3320, SB2487, HB2429, HB1870, HB1839, HB2583, HB1391, HB2094, SB2671, SB2673, SB2892, SB2057, SB3245, HB306, HB2592, SB3157, SB3204, SB3324, SB2580, SB2074, SB411, SB3025, SB2934, SB2567, SB2125, SB3238, SB2367, SB2599, SB3007, SB2001, SB2756, SB3029

Keywords: renewable energy, income tax credit, solar energy, wind energy, low-income households, energy policy, commercial drivers license, non-domiciled, federal regulations, commercial learner's permit, citizenship, lawful residency, Department of Transportation, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, commercial driving, driver's license

Transcript Highlights:

• We maintain funding for the Alabama School for the Deaf and... maintain funding for the Alabama School
• for the Deaf and Blind.
• been funded for $150,000, but the total addition is a million dollars to the Alabama Institute of Deaf

Bills: SB113, SB114, SB305, SB111, HB600, SB112, SB150, SB109, SB122

Keywords: education funding, appropriations, local education boards, school safety, workforce development, Alabama, technology, higher education, career technology centers, public institutions, grants, local education agencies, RAISE Act, student outcomes, public schools, accountability, weighted allocations, special education, English language learners, gifted students

Transcript Highlights:

• Just tone-deaf. I completely understand the testimony we just heard.
• But it is so tone-deaf to say, from my perspective, I don't think this is a big deal.
• I don't think it's tone-deaf.
• So, I'm sorry, I'm going to disagree with you that I'm being tone-deaf.
• So, I'm sorry, I'm going to disagree with you that I'm being tone-deaf.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kind of along the same way, I've got Alabama Street for the deaf and blind in my district, and it's an
• I've been trying to think of the issue that some of them have, and the deaf, they can't hear the sirens
• to figure out how to make a designation where they run the tag or something that pops up, you know, deaf
• Thank you all so much. >> Senate Bill 86. something that pops up, you know, deaf something that pops
• up, you know, deaf individual<00:40:58.880> driving<00:40:59.599> something<00:40:59.920

Bills: SB7, SB22, SB39, SB40, SB45, SB46, SB86, SB95, SB107, SB7, SB22, SB39, SB40, SB45, SB46, SB86, SB95, SB107

Keywords: voting rights, absentee ballot, protected classes, Alabama Voting Rights Act, felony conviction, election integrity, preclearance, Alabama Jobs Act, incentives, job creation, economic development, recapture provisions, capital investment, employment, board governance, occupational licensing, Sunset Law, public accountability, training requirements, SB40

Transcript Highlights:

• This measure authorizes deaf motor vehicle owners to register their vehicle as being owned by a deaf
• Deaf motor vehicle owners to register their vehicle as being owned by a deaf individual so that a deafness
• Senate Bill 2851, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1 relating to deaf individuals.
• <01:32:10.120> 1<01:32:10.320> relating<01:32:10.640> to<01:32:10.760> deaf
• Draft 1, House Draft 1 relating to deaf Draft 1, House Draft 1 relating to deaf individuals. individuals

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee began with resolutions HCR 93 and HR 85, which ask the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, in collaboration with the Department of the Attorney General, to form a working group and report on ways to strengthen protections for survivors of image-based sexual abuse. The Attorney General’s office said it could support the effort as legal counsel to the commission but preferred not to be an active working-group member, and suggested the Legislative Reference Bureau could instead conduct a nationwide study for stakeholders. The Commission on the Status of Women supported the resolutions but urged broader scope to include prevention and intervention, expanded stakeholder membership, keeping the Attorney General involved, and adjusting the report deadline. Testimony in support also came from the Emoa Alliance, which emphasized the prevalence and harms of image-based abuse and the need for stronger protections. Members asked questions about current criminal and civil remedies, reporting barriers, and whether the commission could administer the effort without the Attorney General; no votes were taken on the resolutions during the excerpted discussion. The committee then heard HCR 113 and HR 106, supporting the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group’s request for more resources and a timeline extension to fiscal year 2026-2027. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs testified in support, saying Native Hawaiian culture, traditional knowledge, and cultural expressions are increasingly being commercialized and exploited without adequate protection, and that the working group needs more time, resources, and community consultation to complete its work. The committee noted six supporters and no opposition or comments. The hearing also covered HCR 193 and HR 183, which would establish a court security and Department of Law Enforcement capacity working group to address staffing shortages and the use of private security at state courts. The Judiciary supported the intent, asked that the working group supplement rather than replace its budget request, and proposed allowing the chair to add members with relevant experience. In response to questions, Judiciary said it has requested $3.25 million for armed private security, which it said would cover about 18 contracted individuals, though with significant company overhead. The committee then moved through several bills: SB 2667, which restricts certain commercial vehicles and trailers from the far-left lane on multi-lane roads, received support from the Department of Transportation; SB 2851, which allows deaf vehicle owners to register a deafness designation for law enforcement access, drew testimony in support; SB 2521, which updates emergency vehicle rules and exempts EMS personnel from CDL requirements, received testimony from Honolulu Emergency Services; and SB 2466, which would make the Chief Elections Officer terminable only for cause, drew support from the League of Women Voters and opposition from Hawaiian Islands Republican Women, who argued the change could reduce accountability and create election disruptions if litigation over termination occurs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , Deaf, Blind, and Hard of Hearing.
• I want to share with you all now that one of the most frequent concerns brought to us by deaf, deaf-blind
• ,<01:04:28.000> Deaf, Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, Deaf, Minnesota Commission of the
• Deaf, Deaf, Blind,<01:04:28.640> and<01:04:28.799> Heart<01:04:29.039> of<01:04:
• deaf, deaf, blind and brought to us by deaf, deaf, blind and heart<01:05:01.839> of<01:05:02.000

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Twin Cities-based program that serves the entire state, provided specialized services to ensure that deaf
• 11.560> the specialized services to ensure that the specialized services to ensure that the deaf
• 12.320> of<00:22:12.440> hearing<00:22:12.720> survivors<00:22:13.200> in deaf
• and hard of hearing survivors in deaf and hard of hearing survivors in our<00:22:13.440> state

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we are down to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Board.
• Institute for Deaf and Blind Board of Trustees.

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I hope that my words aren't falling on deaf ears up there in Roseau and that the watershed district
• And I hope that my words aren't falling on deaf ears up there in Roseau and that the watershed district
• And I hope that my words aren't falling on deaf ears up there in Roseau and that the watershed district
• And I hope that my words aren't falling on deaf ears up there in Roseau and that the watershed district
• And I hope that my words aren't falling on deaf ears up there in Roseau and that the watershed district

Bills: HF3879

Keywords: outdoor heritage, conservation, habitat restoration, natural resources, wildlife management, 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the April 8, 2026 minutes and then took up House File 3879, the Legacy Finance Outdoor Heritage bill. The committee adopted the DE1 author’s amendment, which incorporated the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council’s revised recommendations and made technical corrections, and staff explained that the bill appropriates about $191.081 million in Outdoor Heritage funding, plus carryforwards and an extension for a carp deterrent project at Lock and Dam. Staff also noted the bill makes no changes to the Clean Water Fund or Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the bill was moved to the Committee on Ways and Means. A large portion of the meeting focused on the Roseau Lake rehabilitation/Roseau River restoration project and related concerns about landowner impacts, eminent domain, drainage, and whether Outdoor Heritage dollars are being used on private property. Landowners and their attorney testified that the project threatens private farmland, that they do not consent to easements or takings, and that funding should be paused until litigation and legal questions are resolved. They described flooding, drainage problems, financial burdens, and long-term harm to family farms, and asked the committee to suspend funding for the project. Supporters of the project, including Roseau Mayor Dan Fabian and farmer/watershed district manager Jason Bratton, said the project is part of a broader flood-mitigation effort following the 2002 Roseau flood and would help control water, reduce flood damage, and improve conditions for downstream farmers. After testimony, the committee considered the A5 amendment, offered by Representative Heintzeman, which would delete the Roseau Lake Rehabilitation Project Phase 3 from the bill. Members debated the amendment, with some emphasizing landowner concerns and pending litigation and others defending the project and the council’s vetting process. The transcript cuts off during continued discussion, and no final vote on the A5 is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go ahead and invite the School for the Deaf, the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• with Superintendent Herbold with the School for the Deaf.
• The SEG for D level students—that's where deaf and hard of hearing and blind and visually impaired students
• And so how do they do that with deaf and hard of hearing school districts?
• But I think for the School for the Deaf and the School for the Blind, there's something we got to figure

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's whether deaf and contracts.
• I'm also on the commission for the deaf and hard of hearing and how we can better serve them.
• I'm also on the commission for the deaf and hard of hearing and how we can better serve them.
• I'm also on the commission for the deaf and hard of hearing and how we can better serve them.
• I'm also on the commission for the deaf and hard of hearing and how we can better serve them.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As I’ve told you, with Alabama chief for the deaf and blind in my district, this is huge in what Representative
• <00:45:04.160> chief<00:45:04.319> for<00:45:04.400> the<00:45:04.480> deaf
• told you with Alabama chief for the deaf told you with Alabama chief for the deaf and<00:45:04.800

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Early procedural motions were adopted without objection, including excusing absent senators, dispensing with the prior journal, and allowing bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The Senate then took up several confirmation reports from the Committee on Confirmations, unanimously confirming Ralph Foster, Andre Harrison, Katie Randall, Donna Jones, and Reetta McCannan to the State Textbook Committee for Social Studies. The chamber also received a favorable report on Senate Bill 174 from the Transportation and Energy Committee, and later adopted a special order calendar from the Rules Committee. On the floor, the Senate passed a series of measures, including SB 104, which requires training for members of certain boards, commissions, and councils under the sunset law but was amended to exclude county and municipal boards; HB 59, a cleanup bill concerning the Certified Public Accountants Board; SB 8, authorizing the Emergency Management Agency to spend public funds on public information; SB 66, changing University of Monavalo board terms and related requirements, with an amendment protecting certain trustees appointed before January 1, 2027; SB 168, codifying limits on a reading technique and emphasizing the science of reading; SB 149, creating a temporary teaching certificate pathway for qualified military veterans; SB 46, adding a special driver’s license designation for individuals with invisible disabilities; and SB 90, addressing seafood dealer licenses and support for domestic seafood producers. Local bills including SB 175 and HB 84, HB 200, HB 201, HB 184, HB 203, HB 204, HB 205, HB 133, HB 134, HB 193, and HB 112 also advanced or passed, with several county-specific measures receiving BR adoption, final passage, and in one case certification. Near the end of the meeting, leadership and members discussed severe weather and contingency plans for the coming week. Budget hearings scheduled for Monday were canceled and moved to Thursday, with the Senate planning to meet Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. if weather permits, or Wednesday if necessary. The Senate also received several House messages referring local bills to committee. The session adjourned after a motion to adjourn until Tuesday, January 27 at 3:00 p.m., with the journal left open to receive House messages.

Transcript Highlights:

• agency worker who's working so hard and sees things that they've been trying to flag and it's fallen on deaf
• agency worker who's working so hard and sees things that they've been trying to flag and it's fallen on deaf
• agency worker who's working so hard and sees things that they've been trying to flag and it's fallen on deaf
• agency worker who's working so hard and sees things that they've been trying to flag and it's fallen on deaf

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee Chair Kristen Robbins opened by criticizing the governor’s fraud package as too focused on new spending and staffing, and not enough on culture change, accountability, eligibility rules, and an enterprise-wide IT/data strategy. She said the committee had heard a good overview from multiple commissioners, but she remained concerned that piecemeal technology investments and added staff would not address the root causes of fraud. Robbins also said she would introduce a bill based on issues raised in committee, including requiring grants management staff to complete Office of Grants Management training and certification. A major action announced was the launch of a new whistleblower portal at mnfraud.com, which legislators said will let people submit basic fraud allegations, after which staff will follow up and forward matters to the Office of the Legislative Auditor, BCA, law enforcement, or the attorney general as appropriate. Members noted that the Office of the Legislative Auditor already has a separate reporting portal, and there was a question about why the new site does not allow anonymous reporting; Robbins said contact information is needed so staff can follow up. She also said the portal is intended to centralize and triage reports from agency workers, service recipients, and providers. Republican members said the governor’s proposal still misses key pieces. Vice Chair Anderson argued the package mostly adds staff to agencies that failed to catch or act on fraud, and said Minnesota needs a statewide independent inspector general with authority outside agencies and a stronger whistleblower system. Representative Marion Rarick said the proposed criminal penalty increases are too small compared with federal penalties and criticized the package for adding only one forensic auditor at the BCA while DHS receives many more positions. She also argued that agency managers should face sanctions when fraud occurs under their watch and said the state needs a culture where employees can be rewarded for good work but also held accountable for failures. Members discussed several other ideas, including creating new crimes for kickbacks and theft of public funds, requiring fraud fiscal notes, improving data sharing and eligibility verification, and using better IT so systems can talk to each other. There was also discussion of whether government services should rely less on nonprofits and private contractors; one member said fraud often follows a particular business model rather than the sector itself, while another suggested capping salaries of top nonprofit executives receiving government funds. The committee also noted that the governor’s fraud package is being presented as a package but will likely move as separate provisions through different omnibus bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:10:02.960> Office<01:10:03.360> of<01:10:03.440> the<01:10:03.560> Deaf
• ,<01:10:04.400> Deaf >> House bill 866, Office of the Deaf, Deaf >> House bill
• 866, Office of the Deaf, Deaf and<01:10:04.880> Hard<01:10:05.120> of<01:10:05.240>
• ,<01:10:23.840> deaf-blind,<01:10:24.400> and<01:10:24.520> hard<01:10:24.720
• > of for the deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of for the deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of hearing<01:10

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 124 members present, offered a prayer, and recognized foster youth visiting the chamber. Members then adopted two House resolutions honoring Dr. Sonja Santelises for 10 years as CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools and recognizing Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, for 104 years of service, scholarship, and sisterhood. The House also received Senate bills and began taking up committee reports. Several bills were reported favorably and advanced to third reading, including measures on higher education grants, public safety pay restrictions, retirement and pension system work group extensions and cost-of-living adjustments, synthetic turf and aquaculture studies, rail crew requirements, Howard County speed limits, election address confidentiality, IT investment fund uses, ethics financial disclosures, Public Information Act divorce records, aging-in-place grants, judicial assignments, clerk and register salaries, and firearm literature distribution. House Bill 428, concerning temporary assignment of former judges, was special ordered until the next day after the minority whip requested time for an amendment. The chamber also considered and adopted amendments on several bills. House Bill 437, the Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026, was amended to exempt the Chesapeake Bay Bridge project and then special ordered after questions about greenhouse gas impacts on major highway expansion projects. House Bill 457 on menstrual hygiene products at higher education institutions, House Bill 538 on student enrollment disclosures, House Bill 561 on child care credential funding, House Bill 720 on a veterans scholarship, and House Bill 212 on out-of-state vehicle registration all received amendments and favorable reports as amended. HB 212 drew extended debate about Maryland residents using out-of-state tags, with supporters saying it would help enforce registration laws and opponents raising concerns about legislative вмешательство in vehicle regulation and enforcement discretion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just so tone-deaf to what we need in this state.
• what we're seeing here again.<00:23:23.840> Just<00:23:24.200> so<00:23:24.400> tone-deaf
• Just so tone-deaf to what we need again.
• Just so tone-deaf to what we need in<00:23:25.960> this<00:23:26.120> state.
• Again, this is pretty tone-deaf to what's happening in Minnesota.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Minnesota Senate Republicans held a press event focused on school safety, student performance, and relief from what they described as burdensome mandates on districts. Sen. Zach Duckworth promoted the SHIELD Act, which would provide grant funding through the Minnesota School Safety Center for security upgrades such as access controls, ballistic-resistant materials, mass notification systems, and staff training. He also highlighted other education bills, including measures to require parental and teacher notification of violent incidents within 24 hours, allow short removals after serious incidents in K-3 classrooms, expand retention and intervention policies for students not meeting grade level, and increase parental access to curriculum materials and consent for sex education. Duckworth said the school safety proposal has bipartisan support and argued schools should have flexible, locally driven tools to protect students. Sen. Julia Coleman and other Republicans framed the agenda as a response to classroom violence, learning loss, and a lack of transparency. Coleman said teachers and parents are seeing serious problems firsthand and argued that schools should not hide violent incidents. She described Senate File 676 as a notification and anti-retaliation bill, and said Senate File 4023 would give schools a brief reset after serious incidents in early grades. She also backed the transparency bill requiring parental review of curriculum and written consent for sex education. The group repeatedly argued that schools, parents, and teachers should be prioritized over what they called political secrecy or overreach. Sen. Jason Rarick focused on school finance, saying new state mandates have left districts in deficit despite prior funding increases. He discussed bills to expand safe school aid to nonpublic schools, increase staffing at the Minnesota School Safety Center, expand counselor funding for nonpublic students to K-6, and conform state law to federal tax credits that could support scholarships and tutoring. Sen. Carla Nelson Housley argued that more than 60 unfunded mandates have strained districts and said Senate File 3361 would temporarily let districts transfer funds between accounts and opt out of certain new mandates from 2023-24, with public board discussion and votes. In the question period, Republicans also discussed the governor’s supplemental budget, fraud enforcement, possible bonding for IT upgrades, and potential tax and child care credit changes, while emphasizing they want bipartisan cooperation on fraud and school safety but oppose new taxes and what they called harmful mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is for grants that serve our youngest learners from birth to age 3 at the Metro Deaf School
• . of our youngest learners from birth to age 3 at the Metro Deaf School.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that the deaf and blind leadership left, but I was very curious about the autism...
• individuals on the autism spectrum that have an exceptionality, such as being on the autism spectrum plus deaf

Bills: HB447, HB447

Keywords: HB447, school buses, student transportation, public schools, local boards of education, dual enrollment, career technical education, CTE, community college, trade school, technical college, offsite educational venues, student access, transportation policy, school bus law, Alabama education law, Montgomery County, probate court, judge of probate, will registration

Transcript Highlights:

• up is our 950 agenda item in studying accessibility of government services for individuals who are deaf
• And now that you've said that, it's making me think about the school for the deaf.
• I grew up in North Dakota, graduated from the North Dakota School for the Deaf.
• I work with individuals in the deaf community who use ASL as their first mode of communication, or their
• It doesn't work that way with the deaf community when it comes to VRI and VRS.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they if they're deaf?
• issue. >> Well, this was brought up when we had a testimony that someone mentioned that they were deaf
• They're still, their hearing is okay. >> Is speech and hearing people who are deaf. >> Okay.
• are >> Is speech and hearing people who are >> Is speech and hearing people who are deaf
• . deaf. deaf.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all