Transcript Highlights:

• No court in Louisiana shall recognize or enforce an arbitral agreement or an arbitral award that governs
• Can you tell me what arbitration means to you?
• Like who would be an arbitrator?
• Can you tell me what arbitration means to you?
• Like who would be an arbitrator?

Bills: HR38 , HR96 , HR160 , HCR31 , HCR61 , HB578 , HB668 , HB1198 , SCR19 , SB66 , SB68 , SB76 , SB139 , SB336 , SB475

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: privacy rights, surveillance, USA Patriot Act, FISA, Fourth Amendment, civil liberties, government oversight, civil bench warrants, judgment debtors, notification process, judgment debtor examination, Louisiana State Law Institute, property transfer, public records doctrine, bad faith, real estate law, HCR 31, House Concurrent Resolution 31, foreign entities, foreign corporation

Bills: HF826 , HF81 , HF2253 , HSB501 , HF2697 , HSB616 , HF2515 , HSB617 , HF2695 , HF2554 , HF2360 , HF2086 , HF2557 , HSB669 , HF2711 , HSB668 , HF2660 , HF817 , HF2720 , HF2436

Committee: Joint Judiciary

Keywords: obscenity, minors, sexual offenses, penalties, sex offender registry, HF 81, Iowa obscenity law, child sexual exploitation, child pornography, synthetic child sexual abuse material, CSAM, minor sexual imagery, obscene material, visual depictions, sex offender registration, chapter 692A, chapter 728, aggravated misdemeanor, class D felony, attempt offense

Transcript Highlights:

• costs, and most cities have labor contracts.
• How do you pay for those labor contracts?
• But, you know, a lot of what drives us is the labor market.
• So, you know, if we're looking at the labor market and labor costs are going up three and a half, four
• So certainly, labor costs and what's happening with labor costs is a huge factor.

Bills: HB386 , HB1449 , HB1701 , HB2142 , HB2675 , HB2857 , HB3063 , HB3171 , HB3641 , HB3732 , HB4045 , HB4370 , HB4491 , HB4505 , HB4626 , HB5267 , HB5356

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: construction contracts, change orders, local government, budget limits, Texas legislation, HB 1449, mobile food vendors, food trucks, mobile food service establishments, permits, county health permit, municipal permitting, Health and Safety Code Chapter 437A, Chapter 437, inspection agreements, permit reciprocity, fee cap, preemption, large counties, population over one million

Transcript Highlights:

• So, let's say not only did prices of materials rise, but also labor costs rise.
• Housing costs rise across income levels because of the lack of workforce, skilled trade labor.
• The amendment allows for an impartial arbitrator or judge to hear the evidence from both sides before
• On the second day and a half of our first arbitration under these new procedures, a significant Texas
• This legislation will continue to allow us the right to call for binding arbitration in our contract

Bills: HB386 , HB1449 , HB1701 , HB2142 , HB2675 , HB2857 , HB3063 , HB3171 , HB3641 , HB3732 , HB4045 , HB4370 , HB4491 , HB4505 , HB4626 , HB5267 , HB5356

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: construction contracts, change orders, local government, budget limits, Texas legislation, HB 1449, mobile food vendors, food trucks, mobile food service establishments, permits, county health permit, municipal permitting, Health and Safety Code Chapter 437A, Chapter 437, inspection agreements, permit reciprocity, fee cap, preemption, large counties, population over one million

Transcript Highlights:

• Labor Code and Occupation Code further complicates enforcement.

Bills: HB2450 , SB378 , SB764 , SB917 , SB1254 , SB1255

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Keywords: elevator inspection, building safety, construction standards, health and safety code, regulatory requirements, SB 378, Texas Occupations Code, barbering, cosmetology, barber, cosmetologist, licensing, professional licensing, unauthorized practice, medical procedures, skin incision, dermis, injections, devices, consumer safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Act, introduced by Representative Rick Allen, chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor
• c> Employment,</c> the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor
• 09:31.200><c> At</c><00:09:31.440><c> its</c><00:09:31.680><c> core,</c><00:09:32.000><c> this</c> Labor
• At its core, this Labor, and Pensions.
• ,</c><00:25:58.480><c> and</c> the health, employment, labor, and the health, employment, labor, and

Bills: HB2988

Keywords: ERISA, retirement savings, pension plans, defined contribution plans, 401(k), 403(b), fiduciary duty, fiduciary, ESG, environmental social governance, proxy voting, shareholder rights, brokerage window, self-directed brokerage account, designated investment alternative, plan sponsor, investment adviser, service provider, non-pecuniary factors, pecuniary factors

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, thank you for being a little flexible today, and welcome to the House Workforce, Labor, and Economic
• I mean, our committee hears bills relating to workforce, labor, and economic development, and there's
• The board looked at several data sets, including one from DEED, one from the Department of Labor and
• They added that they do actually have a mechanism in the rules so that if ... people's day uh Labor Day
• and uh people's day uh Labor Day and uh Thanksgiving<01:21:57.840><c> Veterans</c><01:21:58.360><c>

Bills: HF23 , HF1355

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: whistleblower, whistleblower protections, public employees, state employees, retaliation, reporting fraud, misuse of authority, personal gain, state government, state services, state programs, legislative auditor, constitutional officer, public corruption, fraud reporting, government accountability, employee rights, labor law, Minnesota Statutes 181.931, Minnesota Statutes 181.932

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, for the record, Kelly Leonard, staffed this, the labor and workplace standards.
• Again, for the record, Kelly Leonard, staff to the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.
• Trudeus Tangle, staff to the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.
• Trudeus Tangle, staff to the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.
• Trudeus Tangle, staff to the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee.

Bills: HB2104 , HB1903 , HB1909 , HB1982 , HB2034 , HB2105 , HB2210 , HB2215 , HB2271 , HB2345 , HB2355 , HB2384 , HB2389 , HB2397 , HB2418 , HB2429 , HB2442 , HB2479 , HB2481 , HB2681 , HB2688 , HB2714

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response, energy assistance, low-income, utility costs, state program, energy affordability, court unification, task force, Washington courts, judicial administration, court reform, access to justice, local court rules, uniformity, centralization, rural courts

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:28.720><c> force</c> births, deaths, uh labor force births, deaths, uh labor force participation
• labor force participation.
• </c> in the US have seen is falling labor in the US have seen is falling labor force<00:39:14.720><c>
• </c><00:40:28.960><c> force</c> working ages as we've seen labor force working ages as we've seen labor
• Um, and so I guess and manual labor.

Bills: HF3004 , HF3663

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: workforce development, youth employment, internships, mentoring, job opportunities, digital platform, online portal, career pathways, youth workforce, employment and economic development, DEED, general fund appropriation, nonprofit grant, social media outreach, digital outreach, workforce opportunities, teen jobs, young adults, career exploration, Minnesota youth

Transcript Highlights:

• applies and makes conforming changes to relevant codes for agriculture, human resources, insurance, labor

Bills: HB 1240 , HB2768 , HB2788 , HB3146 , HB4850 , HB5032 , HCR90

Committee: Senate Economic Development

Keywords: border region, infrastructure, economic development, government operations, education, HB 2768, Texas information technology apprenticeship, state IT credential, information resources workforce, junior college, technical institute, apprenticeship program, workforce development, state agency hiring, job classification, career ladder, bachelor's degree substitution, associate degree, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, state auditor classification officer

Summary: The Senate Economic Development Committee met without a quorum, so no votes or formal actions were taken. The chair laid out several bills and resolutions for explanation and public testimony, with each item left pending subject to the call of the chair. Early items included House Bill 1240, a cleanup measure to create a single uniform definition of the Texas-Mexico border region across state law, and House Bill 2768, which would establish an IT apprenticeship credential through junior colleges and technical institutions to help fill state government technology jobs. The committee also heard House Concurrent Resolution 90, which would encourage establishing a Texas trade and investment office in Jerusalem. Testimony on the resolution was sharply divided: one witness opposed it on foreign policy and values grounds, while a Texas Association of Business representative strongly supported it, citing Israel’s innovation and trade potential. Another major item was House Bill 4187, a committee substitute for legislation affecting the Texas Historical Commission; the sponsor described changes expanding use of trust fund money for historic sites, allowing more affiliated nonprofits, clarifying retail operations, and creating a framework for training and consistent interpretation at historic sites. A Texas Historical Commission witness explained that the bill would shift responsibility for maintaining many state-owned historical markers and monuments, including markers on private land, to the commission. Additional measures included House Bill 2788, which would shield Texas Workforce Commission fraud-prevention methods from public information requests; House Bill 5032, directing state agencies to plan for public display of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Texas Constitution, and the Victory or Death letter at the Capitol Complex; House Bill 3146, which would eliminate outdated memoranda-of-understanding requirements for certain State Office of Administrative Hearings arrangements; and House Bill 4815, a cleanup bill modernizing economic development statutes, revising the Made in Texas standard to 51% Texas-origin content, repealing the Governor’s Broadband Development Council, and making other conforming changes. The committee ended by recessing, with members indicating they would likely vote on pending business later when a quorum was available.

Bills: HB3940 , HB3078 , HB3043

Committee: Senate Veterans and Military Affairs

Keywords: Oklahoma National Guard, compensation, education assistance, career technology, military benefits, veterans, donations, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, state agency, executive branch, HB3043, ODVA, seasonal employees, project labor, pro rata jobs, unclassified service, state personnel law, state employee benefits, paid leave, paid holidays

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't do baseball-style arbitration, where the arbitrator must choose one of two figures proposed
• The way that we do it is more conventional, or traditional arbitration, where the arbitrator acts as
• We have had some arbitration awards where we continue to litigate, putting those issues before the arbitrator
• arbitration, there would just be one interest arbitration hearing based on their law.
• I think we rarely will go into September for interest arbitration because we do want to give the arbitrator

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Employment Relations

Summary: The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met on May 8, 2026, to review goals and objectives for the 2027–2029 master collective bargaining cycle and to hear updates on higher education and Washington Management Service bargaining. OFM’s Jenny Sheehan outlined the state workforce, noting that most employees are represented, the workforce remains heavily governed by civil service rules and CBAs, and the state is entering bargaining under a constrained hiring and budget environment. She described the bargaining timeline, the role of the June revenue forecasts in determining whether targeted compensation increases can be funded, and the state’s goals of affordability, maintaining labor relations, supporting equity, and addressing non-economic issues such as AI use, leave, immigration-related workplace concerns, and union access in a hybrid work environment. Sheehan also reviewed the 2025–2027 bargaining cycle, including the prior WPEA ratification issue and the requirement that tentative agreements be submitted by October 1 for financial feasibility review and possible legislative funding. She said the 2025–27 agreements cost about $1.2 billion in general funds and $1.7 billion total, excluding the later-funded WPEA agreements. In response to a question, she explained that paid family and medical leave is not bargained over directly because it is governed by statute and ESD rules. She then presented on Washington Management Service bargaining, explaining that only certain WMS employees are eligible to bargain, that representation remains small, and that current WMS contracts are handled through addenda to existing agreements. She also described interest arbitration for certain groups, including ferries and public safety-related employees, and said arbitration awards still must be financially feasible and submitted by October 1. The committee also heard from Western Washington University and the University of Washington on higher education bargaining. Western described its locally bargained contracts, the importance of local bargaining for workload, tenure, grievance, and safety issues, and the impact of the state fund split on budget planning. Western said it has no state funding for student compensation and has requested inclusion of student employees in the wage base. UW outlined its large workforce and the different bargaining frameworks under RCW 41.56 and 41.80, emphasizing that state funding and tuition make up only a portion of its budget and that the fund split and health care cost increases significantly affect compensation planning. UW also highlighted its request for state funding for academic student employee compensation, saying rising costs are reducing the number of positions and affecting class sizes and the academic pipeline. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members discussed the upcoming bargaining and arbitration timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't do baseball-style arbitration, where the arbitrator must choose one of two figures proposed
• The way that we do it is more conventional, or traditional arbitration, where the arbitrator acts as
• arbitration tables.
• And in the state of Washington, who has interest arbitration? Historically, interest arbitration...
• arbitration, there would just be one interest arbitration hearing based on their law.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Employment Relations

Transcript Highlights:

• If the parties involved cannot agree to arbitration, the labor organization shall request a panel of
• So many of our labor contracts already have binding arbitration in them, for instances where disputes
• So without arbitration in place, labor unions in the cities can still file petitions through the courts
• So without arbitration in place, labor unions in the city's So without arbitration in place, labor unions
• I've sat through many arbitrations, you know, and from the labor system, They do a lot of research.

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

Bills: HB2398 , HB4363 , HB3557 , HB3701 , HB2210

Committee: House Postsecondary Education

Keywords: credential of value, education, workforce development, labor market, government reporting, higher education, Oklahoma State University, Board of Trustees, presidential selection, college governance, Oklahoma Agricultural Extension, local funding, financial institutions, county extension services, state funds, academic programs, low-producing programs, Oklahoma State Board of Regents, program review, curriculum quality

Transcript Highlights:

• If the parties involved cannot agree on an arbitrator, the labor organization shall request a panel of
• , the arbitrator shall have 45 days to render a decision, and the decision of the arbitrator shall be
• So many of our labor contracts already have binding arbitration in them for instances where disputes
• So without arbitration in place, labor unions and the cities can still file petitions through the courts
• I've sat through many arbitrations, and from the labor side, it's not an outcome that we always like,

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The committee first heard House Bills 2161, 1830, and 1728 together. Those bills would revise the appointment structure for the St. Charles City-County Library Board so that the four most populous cities in St. Charles County, based on the most recent census, would each appoint one trustee, while the county governing body would continue appointing five members. Sponsors said the change simply codifies an existing informal practice and does not change the board’s total size. St. Charles County supported the measure, and there was no opposition testimony. The committee then heard House Bills 3283 and 3306, which were described as identical bills creating timelines and procedures for collective bargaining between public employers and labor organizations. The bills would require bargaining to begin within set timeframes, move unresolved disputes to mediation after 180 days, then to arbitration if mediation fails, and make arbitration decisions binding. Supporters, including labor representatives, firefighters, police, and some local officials, said the bills would curb delay tactics, reduce litigation costs, improve morale and retention, and provide clear rules when contracts expire. Several witnesses described long-running disputes in places such as Cape Girardeau, Robertson Fire Protection District, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood as examples of why deadlines and enforceable procedures are needed. Opponents, led by the Missouri Municipal League, argued that binding arbitration would shift final fiscal authority away from locally elected officials and could limit cities’ ability to respond to budget stress or emergencies. They said the timeline provisions had merit but wanted alternatives to arbitration that would preserve local control and taxpayer accountability. Committee members questioned how good-faith bargaining would be enforced, how arbitrators would weigh municipal budgets, and whether the bills could affect police, fire, and other public employees. No votes were taken, and both public hearings were completed before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• consumers and manufacturers called the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board.
• The Arbitration Board is funded through the new motor vehicle arbitration account, which is an appropriated
• not necessarily improve labor relations between the employer and our labor groups.
• When you involve binding interest arbitration, usually, When you involve binding interest arbitration
• For the Department of Labor and Industries, $385,000.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on a series of bills, beginning with House Bill 2689 on Working Connections Child Care. Staff explained that the proposed substitute would keep eligibility at 60% of state median income, eliminate scheduled expansions to 75% and 85%, reduce future subsidy rates from the 85th to the 75th percentile of market, end enhanced regional rates, and change reimbursement rules from prospective enrollment-based payments back to attendance-based payments with a reduced monthly payment after 11 absent days. Child care advocates thanked the committee for removing the proposed cap on the program but opposed the cuts to provider rates and eligibility expansions, warning of harm to families and providers. The committee then heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5124 on Medicaid network adequacy for post-acute care, with staff noting administrative costs and indeterminate fiscal effects; hospitals supported the bill as a way to reduce discharge delays and reliance on single-case agreements. Senate Bill 5832, which would raise the new motor vehicle arbitration fee from $3 to $6 to support the Lemon Law arbitration program, drew support from the Attorney General’s Office and auto dealers, who said the fee had not been updated since 1995 and the program was underfunded. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5862, providing a one-time 3% COLA for certain PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees, with retirees testifying in favor and local government representatives warning about added employer costs. The committee next heard Senate Bill 5922, allowing school districts to transfer money from the Transportation Vehicle Fund to other funds if they reduce their fleet and receive OSPI approval; staff said the bill would mainly add administrative work for OSPI, and no one testified. Substitute Senate Bill 5923 would allow a hospital on an island in Skagit County to qualify as a critical access hospital if federally certified; Island Health testified that the designation would help sustain rural services, and a committee member asked about bed count and Medicaid/charity-care pressures. Senate Bill 5944 would require language access providers to bargain over compensation for missed or canceled appointments and clarify that statutes prevail over conflicting contract terms; WFSE supported the bill, saying it would equalize bargaining rights across agencies. Substitute Senate Bill 5972 would extend interest arbitration rights to correctional employees in city and county jails regardless of population size; labor supported the bill as a retention tool, while cities and counties opposed it, arguing it would raise costs and should include ability-to-pay protections. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5988, authorizing the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge accreditation fees, which DOH said was needed to avoid winding down the program. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 6151, which would move Ecology fee revenues for landfill methane emissions and laboratory accreditation into dedicated accounts; Ecology supported the bill as improving transparency and reinvesting fees into the programs, and staff said the lab fee shift would be offset by a related budget action. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6194 would pay a rural hospital on a federally recognized Indian reservation, specifically Astria Toppenish, at 150% of the Medicaid fee-for-service rate beginning in 2027; hospital leaders and community members testified that the hospital serves a high-Medicaid, rural, and tribal population and faces persistent losses. Finally, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6302 would direct L&I to investigate possible misclassification of independent contractors on public works projects involving multiple workers doing the same finishing work; labor and business representatives both described it as a negotiated compromise to address underground economy abuses. The committee took no final votes during the hearing and ended by reiterating amendment deadlines for bills scheduled for executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• > state</c> become a labor arbitrator in the state become a labor arbitrator in the state of<01:08:53.200
• </c> To become a labor arbitrator, you have to demonstrate your qualifications, and there's six ways
• To become a regular roster arbitrator, you have to have effectively experience in labor arbitration,
• ><c> a</c><01:09:31.240><c> labor</c> in labor arbitration, either as a labor in labor arbitration, either
• </c> highly qualified, highly respected labor highly qualified, highly respected labor arbitrators.<01

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Bills: SB34 , SB75 , SB330 , SB1535 , SB18 , SB 18 , SB 34

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: wildfire, wildfire mitigation, wildfire prevention, volunteer fire department, Texas A&M Forest Service, West Texas A&M University, prescribed burning, fuel loading, fuel reduction, firefighting equipment database, emergency communications, disaster preparedness, rural fire protection, asset hardening, natural resource management, emergency management, large wildfire risk, fire grant funding, fire suppression, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• FLPA passed establishing uniform standards of conduct for labor pools to ensure that laborers are treated
• How can this be done when we're held back by this labor pool back?
• I'm a labor foreman. I'm with Beyond the Bars. I understand.
• And what he's saying is really true because I'm in my labor form.
• I was a labor worker.

Bills: S1080 , S1112 , S1324 , S1338 , S1582 , S1672

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Keywords: traffic safety, school zones, speed detection systems, license plate recognition, yellow signal timing, data privacy, municipal powers, labor pool, employment, temporary work, placement fee, Department of Commerce, limited liability companies, corporations, principal office, registered agent, Florida Statutes, charitable giving, endowment agreements, donor restrictions