Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, 2929 relating to public Okay.
• With the interest of public and scientific transparency, our office always welcomed public comments,
• So if public wants uh to be part effect.
• </c> we have uh can be informed to the public we have uh can be informed to the public as<00:21:11.280
• </c> information to the public. information to the public.

Bills: SB2064 , SB2662 , SB2862 , SB2343 , SB2075 , SB2781 , SB2927 , SB3068 , SB3015 , SB2929 , SB2938 , SB3230 , SB3249 , SB3332 , SB3216

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Keywords: state architect, construction projects, design approvals, building codes, state agency oversight, government accountability, external consultants, procurement reform, cost efficiency, in-house expertise, gubernatorial appointments, senate confirmation, executive branch, accountability, civil service, SB2343, Hawaii Legislature, regular session, lengthened session, continuous legislature

Summary: The committee met on February 12, 2026, to take decision-making on measures previously heard earlier in the month. Several bills were deferred indefinitely or set for later discussion, including SB 2064 on the Office of the State Architect, SB 3068 on procurement, and SB 3216 after its contents were moved into another measure. SB 2862 on gubernatorial appointments, SB 2781, and SB 315 were all deferred to Tuesday, February 17 at 3 p.m. in Room 225 for further work. The committee also noted that if technical problems interrupted the meeting, it would reconvene later for outstanding decision-making. The committee passed SB 2343 on the Legislature with amendments incorporating language from SB 3216, technical changes, and a defective date of 2525. SB 2075 was advanced as a Senate draft 1 after amendments responding to constitutional concerns raised by the attorney general and SPO. SB 2927 on procurement was also passed with amendments clarifying debriefing requirements and adding technical changes, and SB 2938 on search and rescue was amended to place the position in Hima rather than the Governor’s office before being adopted. SB 3249 on procurement protests was amended to remove the term "frivolous," reduce the forfeiture to half the bond amount, and note unresolved issues, then adopted. The committee also took up SB 3332 on state-funded travel, amending it to remove certain lines, report travel by position number to protect confidentiality, remove subsection G, and add a defective date of 2525; it was adopted. SB 2929 on public notice was amended into a pilot project for counties with populations between 100,000 and 175,000, with a year-end report to the Legislature, and was adopted. Later, the committee returned to SB 2094 on environmental action levels, heard testimony from the Department of Health in support of its current scientific process and from an environmental caucus witness in strong support of the bill’s transparency and petition provisions, and then deferred decision-making to February 17 at 3 p.m. in Room 225. In the joint hearing portion, SB 3233 on agricultural workforce housing drew generally supportive testimony from ADC, the Farm Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, the Hawaii Farmers Union, and the State Procurement Office, with concerns focused on clarity, flexibility for smaller farms, and avoiding concentration of benefits in one large operation. The committee ultimately recommended passing SB 3233 with the State Procurement Office’s clarifying amendments and the Hawaii Farmers Union’s amendment to ensure workforce housing incentives benefit multiple farmers, and the measure was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• Estey, for getting involved in public service and getting involved in the political process.
• with the agencies to post that job to ensure that job is posted in accordance with the rules so the public
• I'm talking about the general public who's looking to get a job, right?
• And we're... ...tremendous job of communicating with the public and their employees, and we have other
• say, we're going to close these out for you because you haven't closed them out because we want the public

Bills: HR9 , HR15 , HB202 , HB206 , HB338 , HB379 , HB547 , HB691 , HB843 , HB861 , HB908

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Keywords: human rights, individual liberties, Magna Carta, constitutionalism, free speech, voter identification, election integrity, federal elections, public confidence, election security, SAVE America Act, Louisiana, election fraud, job advertisement, salary transparency, civil service, employment notification, applicant rights, legislative attendance, task force

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got budget things, we've got other concerns, public safety.
• Since this is a public hearing with recorded public testimony, I want to make sure to ask the question
• It will enhance public trust and confidence.
• This is impactful public policy. This is important public policy.
• And with that, we're closing public testimony on Senate Bill 5974.

Bills: SB5865 , SB5880 , SB5912 , SB5855 , SB6011 , SB6009 , SB5868 , SB5974

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Keywords: garnishment, debt, form standardization, financial protection, legal processes, toxicology testing, laboratories, accreditation, public health, standards, indigent defense, task force, criminal justice, legal aid, public defense, face coverings, law enforcement, public safety, civil liberties, court security

Transcript Highlights:

• We will not take public comment today, and we will not vote on any bills today.
• It's considered a public, publicly owned entity now.
• For pure possession cases, the public safety concerns are modest.
• Sometimes that's not apparent to us, but also to the public and to the press.
• around public documents, public records, webcasting.

Bills: HB99 , HB49 , HB164 , SB30 , SB43 , SB50 , SB136

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Transcript Highlights:

• We will not take public comment today, and we will not vote on any bills today.
• It's considered a public, publicly owned entity now.
• And we will go to the public after this, okay?
• For pure possession cases, the public safety concerns are modest.
• around public documents, public records, webcasting, those sorts of things help everyone.

Bills: HB99 , HB49 , HB164 , SB30 , SB43 , SB50 , SB136

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 99, which would make changes to the Medical Malpractice Act, especially around punitive damages. The chair and sponsor said the bill would not be voted on that day and that public comment would wait until Monday, when a fuller presentation and any recommended substitute would be considered. Dr. Brooke Baker, a physician-lawyer, gave a long presentation on physician wellness, malpractice stress, and the effect of litigation on staffing and burnout, while also discussing hospital ownership structures, private equity, and rural hospital vulnerability. She argued that punitive damages are often pled too broadly in New Mexico, that the amendment language was unclear about which entities would be capped, and that better oversight and internal quality systems—not punitive damages—are the better tools for addressing bad actors and unsafe care. Committee members from both sides asked extensive questions about the patient compensation fund, indemnification, corporate structures, the effect of caps on insurance and recruitment, and whether the bill would protect physicians’ personal assets. No vote was taken on HB 99, and the committee recessed before moving to the next bill. The committee then returned to House Bill 49, a public safety measure increasing penalties for felons who possess firearms. The sponsors and law enforcement witnesses said the bill is aimed narrowly at serious violent felons who are already prohibited from having guns, and that it would align state sentencing with federal law and give police and prosecutors a stronger tool against repeat violent offenders. An amendment was offered to narrow the bill further, add destructive devices, and make the offense a second-degree felony rather than escalating to first degree on repeat offenses. The amendment was adopted without opposition. Public testimony on HB 49 was largely opposed. The Law Office of the Public Defender argued the bill criminalizes possession without a new act of violence, that current law already punishes felon-in-possession conduct, and that New Mexico has repeatedly increased penalties without evidence of reduced gun crime. The ACLU of New Mexico also opposed the bill, saying increased penalties are not a proven deterrent. The transcript cuts off as additional online opposition testimony was beginning.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the public is hearing what the public heard was that we did this in the dark of the night, that we
• And let's just be clear with the public.
• And let's just be clear with the public.
• I mean, if public money was spent... ...there, I mean, if public money was spent, whether it should be
• I just saw there's a public caucus.

Bills: HB99 , HB49 , HB164 , SB30 , SB43 , SB50 , SB136

Committee: Senate House Judiciary

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Summary: Senate Judiciary began by announcing that Senate Bill 136 would be rolled over because the sponsor was unavailable. The chair then addressed criticism from the floor over how a prior bill had been handled, defending the committee’s practice of using committee substitutes and amendments without waiting for a new version from council, and emphasizing his authority to set hard stops and limit debate when he believes discussion is repetitive or dilatory. Several members responded, with some supporting the chair’s approach and others arguing that contentious bills deserve more time and fuller committee vetting. The committee then heard Senate Bill 30, which would repeal New Mexico’s requirement that induced abortions be reported to the state registrar. The sponsors argued the reporting law is outdated, unnecessary for public health, and potentially dangerous because provider information can be disclosed under broader vital statistics statutes; supporters from the ACLU, League of Women Voters, Bold Futures, and NOW echoed privacy and safety concerns. Opponents argued the reporting requirement provides transparency and public health data. After debate, the committee approved SB 30 on a roll call vote. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 43, a bipartisan measure to modernize the Adult Parole Board statute after a prior veto. The bill would update parole factors for life-sentenced inmates, authorize per diem and closed hearings, and prevent parole hearings from being scheduled on victims’ birth or death dates. It received support from corrections officials and victims’ advocates, and the committee passed it without objection. The final major item was Senate Bill 50, which would remove several statutory in-service training mandates for law enforcement and give the Standards and Training Council more flexibility to set curriculum. Supporters said the current requirements are outdated and too rigid; opponents warned the bill could weaken recurring training in domestic violence, sexual assault, crisis intervention, and other high-risk areas. A motion to table failed, and the committee ultimately passed SB 50 on a roll call vote, despite divided member views.

Transcript Highlights:

• that's before you is to give the body that's in charge of this, the borrowing authority, and also the oversight

Bills: SB60 , SB103 , SB60 , SB103

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: prison modernization, corrections finance, bonding authority, state debt, capital improvement, Department of Corrections, Alabama Corrections Institution Finance Authority, prison construction, prison renovation, prison replacement, bed space, overcrowding, women's prison, men's prison, Escambia prison, Tutwiler, Kilby, Elmore, Staton, St. Clair Correctional Facility

Transcript Highlights:

• purposes only, present, willing to provide any information: Lieutenant Colonel Robert Burns with Public
• offender medical cost, and overtime pay. $36.2 million to DOTD for road projects. $22.2 million for public
• safety expenses, including major repairs and upgrades to the state public safety facilities and funding
• And I agree completely that this is what the public expects us to do with their tax dollars.
• I don't remember what the public testimony was for the exact amount. Right. Okay.

Bills: HB1 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB383 , HB983 , HB1126 , HCR3

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, budget, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year, economic development, state treasury, emergency response, education, voting technology, sustainability, revenue sharing, fund distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota has a long history of supporting public education.
• Cleave. ...from Lake Superior Public Schools and Mr. Gross. Which one's up? Cleave? And Ms.
• But, you know, as a father of four kids that go to public school, my sister's a teacher.
• defenders, or other necessary parts of our public safety teams.
• I'm the Superintendent of Goodhue Public Schools.

Bills: HF51 , HF1161 , HF2201 , HF2786 , HF1053

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: HF51, Sibley County, State-Aid Highway 21, capital investment, bonding bill, general obligation bonds, transportation infrastructure, road improvements, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, local infrastructure, county grant, Minnesota Department of Transportation, bond proceeds fund, public works, utility infrastructure, education finance, school district funding, tax base adjustment

Transcript Highlights:

• Would be available to the public.
• available to the public.
• Public safety officers.
• Or an offense report to the public, not just to the media, but to the public, to anyone.
• As stated, my name is Garrett Arthur and I am the TCEQ Public Public Interest Counsel.

Bills: HB512 , HB2248 , HB2679 , HB2832 , HB3112 , HB3368 , HB3490 , HB3512 , HB3623 , HB3666 , HB3700 , HB3711 , HB3770 , HB3963

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Keywords: grievance procedures, state agency, employee rights, workplace regulations, employment law, employees, employment actions, appeal, state employees, workplace rights, disciplinary actions, employment conditions, employment disputes, job protections, public information, transparency, government accountability, information access, notification requirements, federal funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing none, public testimony is closed. The bill will be left pending at this time.
• Hearing none, we're going to open public testimony on Senate Bill 1470.
• Hearing none, we're going to close public testimony and leave the bill pending.
• Hearing none, we're going to close public testimony and leave the bill pending. Thank you.
• Hearing and seeing none, public testimony is closed, and the bill will be left pending.

Bills: SB16 , SB76 , SB310 , SB311 , SB396 , SB505 , SB827 , SB964 , SB1209 , SB1210 , SB1386 , SB1470 , SB2035 , SJR37

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: voter registration, proof of citizenship, Election Code, criminal offenses, limited federal ballot, transportation, infrastructure, funding, public safety, state regulation, election, polling places, voter access, state oversight, electronic voting, voting, polling place, elections, countywide program, election integrity

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs met and heard several bills related to legislative process and court jurisdiction. Senate Bill 1386, by Senator Huffman, would change compelled legislative testimony from blanket transactional immunity to testimonial immunity, allowing compelled statements or documents to be used against a witness in criminal prosecution only if not derived from the compelled testimony, while preserving protection against perjury and false statements and retaining the right to counsel. No public witnesses testified, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1470, by Chairman Hughes, which would require DPS to share existing data on cross-state driver’s license cancellations with the Secretary of State for voter-roll maintenance. Hughes said the bill does not create new data collection and is intended to improve list maintenance. A DPS resource witness was present, there was no substantive opposition, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1210, also by Hughes, would address conflicts between the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals on constitutional questions by making the Supreme Court the final arbiter in limited circumstances. Chris Hilton supported the bill, but Allen Place, Jack Rohde, and Philip Furlow opposed it, arguing it was unconstitutional, unnecessary, and could create practical problems in criminal post-conviction litigation. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard Senate Bill 311, which would conform the Government Code to the Texas Constitution by clarifying the Supreme Court’s original writ authority against lower courts and officials other than the governor. Justice Evan Young and Chris Hilton supported the bill as a clarification of existing authority, while no one testified against it; the bill was left pending. The committee then recessed to allow the chamber to rearrange for the Senate session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, real quick, uh, I want to let everybody know there's a public hearing that's been called on Senate
• If you're interested in signing up to speak on the public hearing, please go ahead and do so.
• Okay, we've got the public hearing sheet retrieved, and we're going to go ahead and get started.
• </c><00:03:11.280><c> hearing</c> Okay, we've got the uh public hearing Okay, we've got the uh public
• I was hoping you would let me sit through that public hearing. >> Hey, Sam, hold on a second.

Bills: HB163 , HB344 , HB163 , HB344 , SB11 , SB92 , SB164 , HB22 , HB89 , SB227 , SB6 , SB11 , SB92 , SB164 , HB22 , HB89 , SB227 , SB6

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: income tax, research expenditures, economic development, tax deductions, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Alabama tax law, educational intervention, State Superintendent, local boards of education, subpoena, accountability, state control, property improvement, private financing, energy efficiency, capital expenditure, local government, volunteer fire departments, federally insured financial institutions, fund management

Transcript Highlights:

• That's public money, okay?
• public money.
• All of this money is not public.
• All of this money is not public.
• That is still all public dollars.

Bills: HB55 , HB608 , HB997 , HB1035 , HB1045 , HB1048 , HB1049 , HB1057 , HB1131 , HB1177 , HB1201

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Keywords: juror confidentiality, public records, criminal procedure, privacy, court disclosure, intercollegiate athletics, confidentiality, revenue sharing, student athletes, official journal, public notices, government transparency, local government, municipal website, school board notices, parish council, police jury, special districts, levee district, drainage district

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:46.400><c> and</c> to be able to have an oversight and to be able to have an oversight and
• </c> United Public Workers in support. United Public Workers in support.
• United Public Workers in support.
• They're not public. So, this would simply be a matter of toggling the switch and making it public.
• . oversight. oversight.

Bills: SB2543 , SB2014 , SB2115 , SB3095 , SB3264 , SB2114 , SB2117 , SB2246 , SB2519 , SB3055 , SB3131 , SB3144

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: state construction, construction manager, design review, public works, capital improvement, DAGS, Department of Accounting and General Services, DOE, Department of Education, comptroller, pilot program, design review special fund, county permit review, accessibility compliance, Disability and Communication Access Board, state infrastructure, government construction, project oversight, civil service exemption, county agencies

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill requires reduction of the residential address of candidates and elected officials in publication
• So it's going to be posted right before it goes public.
• , it's going to take that home address off. >> So the public can never see that address, right?
• Um, no, not when they go public.
• No, the public won't see it. >> We got the Secretary of State's office here.

Bills: HB433 , HB443 , HB433 , HB443

Committee: House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections

Keywords: tax distribution, Talladega County, economic development, public safety, rural infrastructure, HB443, Underground Damage Prevention Program, One-Call Notification System, 811, utility locate, dig law, excavation safety, damage prevention, underground utilities, pipeline safety, public utilities, buried facilities, excavation notice, demolition notice, Alabama Public Service Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, tab 5, Senate Bill 572 on ethics for public employees.
• It expands eligibility for certain leave protections to include public officials and public employees
• Expands eligibility for certain leave protections to include public officials and public employees who
• How does withholding their identity serve the public interest?
• How does withholding their identity serve the public interest?

Bills: S7020 , S0308 , S0692 , S0474 , S0572 , S1106 , S1650 , S0350 , S1442 , S7032

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Keywords: open government, sunset review, aquaculture, public records, exemption, Florida Museum of Black History, cultural heritage, education, Board of Directors, local governance, cybersecurity, data breach, data privacy, information security, local government, county, municipality, vendor contracts, third-party service provider, liability shield

Summary: The committee heard and voted on several measures. SB 308 on the Florida Museum of Black History was explained as implementing a prior task force recommendation by designating St. Johns County as the museum site, creating a board, and coordinating with a supporting nonprofit; it passed favorably. SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability was amended to bar local governments from imposing cybersecurity requirements on vendors beyond generally accepted best practices, and after testimony both for and against, it was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 572 updated ethics law to include legally recognized foster parents and foster children in the definition of relative; after a technical amendment and support from the Ethics Commission, it passed unanimously. SB 1442 revised the long-range program plan to require more specific performance metrics and agency-specific measures; it also passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 1106, as amended by a strike-all, to require state agencies and certain educational materials to use “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank,” despite opposition arguing it would impose political language and conflict with federal and international terminology. SB 7020 reenacted a public records exemption for certain aquaculture and shellfish production records and passed with support from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. SB 474 expanded military leave and related benefits for public employees and officials, including members of the Coast Guard and Florida State Guard, and added three amendments before being reported favorably. SB 350, dealing with public records protections for crime victims and certain law enforcement victims, was heavily amended to add time-limited confidentiality for an officer’s name in some cases and then passed favorably after discussion about balancing transparency and safety. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to shift more fleet management responsibilities from DMS to individual agencies, while still requiring data reporting to DMS for legislative oversight. SB 1650 by Senator Gates was temporarily postponed. At the end of the meeting, members recorded votes on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• through it, and it put four counties out of complete ability to have communication in relation to public
• It's a safe harbor bill for public authorities that award bids for public works projects.

Bills: HB320 , HB207 , HB208 , HB290

Committee: House State Government

Keywords: public works, sealed bids, bid notice, public notice, newspaper advertisement, centralized website, digital platform, Department of Finance, Department of Transportation, county commissions, municipalities, contracting, procurement, construction bidding, Alabama code Title 39, bidding requirements, electronic bidding, online bid posting, HVAC, heating and air conditioning

Transcript Highlights:

• partnerships while continuing to steward our public dollars.
• So the state law restricts the use of public facilities.
• The state law restricts the use of public facilities, which this would likely be considered a public
• I'm the Deputy Director of the Public Disclosure Commission.
• And so the public will be getting more information earlier on.

Bills: SCR8406 , SB5825 , SB5842 , SB5863 , SB5840

Committee: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections

Keywords: civic health, community engagement, committee reestablishment, public participation, governance, Washington State Leadership Board, WSLB, gift acceptance, grants, endowments, private funding, public funding, fundraising, state board, youth leadership, civic engagement, leadership development, Washington World Fellows, sports mentoring, Boundless Washington

Transcript Highlights:

• Public policy must do the same.
• Public policy must do the same.
• Public policy must do the same.
• Public policy must do the same.
• </c> These are public health issues. These are public health issues.

Bills: HF3668 , HF2779 , HF2771

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: gun violence, public health, Department of Health, prevention, criminal justice, health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration

Transcript Highlights:

• This measure strengthens public... and get a majority to adopt it.
• That was a great opportunity for public-private partnerships.
• That was a great opportunity for public-private partnerships.
• That's not how we think of taxation in terms of public goods, right?
• This concept has broad public support.

Bills: HB2143 , HB2273 , HB2290 , HB2373 , HB2784 , HB2794 , HB4037

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: public safety, retirement system, investments, trust fund, board of trustees, financial report, income tax rebate, Pinal County, taxpayer eligibility, state revenue, financial assistance, transaction privilege tax, business location, tangible personal property, shared vehicle, sourcing, income tax, veterans, donations, tax refunds