Transcript Highlights:

• parent who is undocumented taking their child to the hospital.
• Yvonne helped build Childhelp into a global leader in child abuse prevention and intervention, serving
• She co-founded the first national 24-hour child abuse hotline, later expanding it to include text and
• The Drive the Dream Gala directly supports Childhelp's life-saving programs: the National Child Abuse
• HB 4135, income packs credit child care. Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't have a child.
• a safe way for someone to give a child without harming a child versus, you know, if they know that family
• Can they harm the child?
• And so even sidelining the deceased part is the fact that if somebody gave a child up and that child
• An abusive husband or boyfriend finds out that this happened.

Committee: Senate Health

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 27 years of teaching, I had several cases of abuse and neglect in my classroom, even sexual abuse
• In 2004, I had a severe case of abuse in my class.
• and neglect in my classroom even sexual abuse only two of the cases of abuse only two of the cases of
• Over 27 years of teaching, I had several cases of abuse and neglect in my classroom, even sexual abuse
• abuse.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Because if a parent respects the ID of that child, that child is their daughter.
• Because according to Child Help, an organization that focuses on fighting against child abuse and neglect
• Almost 10% of these sexual abuse victims are committed by coaches... ...because according to Child Help
• , an organization that focuses on fighting against child abuse and neglect, states that between 14 and
• I don't want that for any child.

Summary: The Missouri House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal by a 113-0 roll call vote. Members then offered several points of personal privilege recognizing military history, student heroes who responded to a medical emergency at South Tech High School, Black History Month remarks on Maya Angelou, student athletic achievements, and a moment of silence for former Fire Chief Henry Williams. The House also welcomed special guests, including a student shadowing a member and former Rep. Ben Baker in his role with USDA Rural Development. The chamber then took up several bills. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2014, the supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026, was debated at length over constitutional concerns about MODOT funding and the need for disaster relief, Medicaid, and mental health appropriations; it passed 130-11. House Bill 2189, allowing five-year vehicle registrations and removing the even-odd model-year restriction, passed 143-0 after members discussed county clerks, tax payment verification, and the bill’s lack of fiscal impact. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1790, which changes ballot language requirements including Hancock Amendment-related wording and levy examples, passed 114-24. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2178, dealing with property tax assessment limits and appeal procedures, drew the most extended debate. Supporters said it would cap annual increases and help taxpayers, while opponents argued a floor amendment was not vetted, could shift burdens to schools and fire districts, and might harm local revenues; it passed 86-53. House Bill 1844, the athletic trainer compact, passed 117-27 with support framed around workforce mobility and rural health access. The House also perfected House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1663, which removes the sunset from Missouri’s Save Women’s Sports Act; debate centered on fairness in women’s athletics versus concerns about discrimination, local control, and the lack of a broader policy review, and the chamber adopted the substitute and ordered it perfected and printed. The session ended with announcements, including a blue alert and the death of a Christian County deputy, committee meeting notices, and adjournment until February 24, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• The crime of failure to report by mandatory reporters who suspect child abuse is a third-degree felony
• The crime of failure to report by mandatory reporters who suspect child abuse is a third-degree felony
• I filed this bill at the request of my state attorney after incidents of suspected child abuse and sexual
• The crime of failure to report by mandatory reporters who suspect child abuse is a third-degree felony
• I filed this bill at the request of my state attorney after incidents of suspected child abuse and sexual

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• Your child, and maybe your child got it from the child next door, whose family is undocumented.
• And that's because my daughter was abused at a child care center.
• The world that abused the individuals there abused many children; the center itself faces a $200 fine
• The vast burnout we're seeing in child welfare and the child protection system at the grassroots level
• protection, I care about child..."

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> child for state tax purposes. child for state tax purposes.
• I. only one adult may claim that child. Uh only one adult may claim that child.
• The Department of claim the child.
• </c> four is protective of the child. four is protective of the child.
• </c> for the child. for the child.

Transcript Highlights:

• Generative AI has destroyed people's lives with fabricated pornography, child sexual abuse material that's
• , child sexual abuse material pornography, child sexual abuse material that's<00:01:17.760><c> indistinguishable
• And when the child said, "Would this noose hold a human?"
• And when the child said, "Would diagram.
• So, tailored to the individual child.

Summary: Senators Erin Maye Quade, Eric Lucero, Liz Boldon, and Chair Ron Latz discussed a package of bipartisan bills aimed at regulating artificial intelligence and related technology in Minnesota. The speakers argued that AI can be beneficial but has been rolled out without adequate safeguards, citing concerns about consumer surveillance, insurance claim denials, dynamic pricing, chatbot harms to children, and the use of AI in healthcare utilization review. Maye Quade and Boldon emphasized protecting kids, consumers, and constitutional rights, while Lucero framed the issue as keeping law aligned with rapidly changing technology and protecting individual liberties. A major focus was the “reverse warrant” bill, which would restrict law enforcement from using warrants that start with an unknown suspect and sweep up data from everyone in a location or search terms in a broad area. The senators said such warrants are the opposite of the Fourth Amendment’s particularity requirement, though they noted ongoing conversations with the BCA and police chiefs about balancing privacy and public safety. They also discussed a bill to prohibit minors from accessing chatbots, describing chatbots as conversational, addictive, and uniquely harmful to developing brains; Maye Quade cited examples of self-harm, sexual content, and dangerous advice allegedly given to minors. The senators said the package was intentionally heard in Judiciary first so it could be referred to Commerce, and they expressed hope for further hearings there and in the House. Lucero said he did not support all the bills, naming the dynamic pricing bill and the AI utilization review prohibition as measures he had reservations about, while supporting the reverse warrant, disclosure, and minor-access restrictions. The discussion also touched on federal preemption concerns, with the senators saying states are stepping in because federal action has lagged and the harms cross party lines. No formal votes or committee actions were described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It means that nearly 90% of all reports of child abuse and neglect allegations to a child protection
• One in two Black and Native American children are subjected to an investigation of child abuse before
• Research shows that anti-poverty programs like CalWORKs and CalEITC are child abuse prevention programs
• Don Kepke, on behalf of the Child Abuse Prevention Center and California Family... Thank you.
• Don Kepke, on behalf of the Child Abuse Prevention Center and California Family Resource Association,

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held an informational hearing on child welfare, foster care, child support, and related prevention efforts. The chair opened by emphasizing mandated reporting reform, foster care system improvements, and community-based prevention, and noted that no votes would be taken. Public testimony focused first on mandated reporting, where a lived-experience advocate and several organizations argued that the current system overreports families, especially Black, Native, and Latino families, causes trauma, and should be reformed through standardized training, clearer thresholds, and stronger community supports rather than more hotline referrals. Casey Family Programs cited data showing nearly 90% of reports are unsubstantiated, while CDSS said it is already forming a Mandated Reporting Advisory Committee, updating training, and exploring community pathways and possible changes to the list of mandated reporters. CWDA and SEIU supported training and alternative response concepts but stressed child safety, county capacity, funding, and the need for careful implementation and accountability. The committee then discussed a proposal to create a foster care multi-agency office within the California Health and Human Services Agency, led by a chief foster youth advocate with authority to coordinate across departments. Advocates said foster youth often need services from education, health, housing, and behavioral health systems that do not coordinate well, and argued that a central office with real authority could improve placement stability and access to services. CDSS responded that existing structures already provide coordination, including AB 2083 interagency teams, the Child Welfare Council, complex care steering committees, and the foster care ombudsperson, but said it was open to technical assistance. Members raised concerns about whether the new office would have enough authority and funding to avoid becoming another layer of bureaucracy, and the chair emphasized the need for real “teeth” and better interagency action. The final major topic was the continuation and expansion of Promise Neighborhoods. A community leader described strong early results from the state-funded neighborhoods, including improved kindergarten readiness, reduced chronic absenteeism, higher graduation rates, food access, housing supports, and mental health services, but warned that current funding sunsets in June 2025 and that a fiscal cliff could jeopardize staff and services. CDSS said the four funded neighborhoods have reported positive outcomes and valuable flexibility, but also noted challenges with one-time funding, student mental health, and long-term planning. Assemblymember Mia Bonta urged continued investment, saying the place-based model is difficult to rebuild once lost, and the chair asked LAO to help identify the minimum funding needed to preserve the existing infrastructure while evaluation results are still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• abuse.
• No child should ever be exposed to animal cruelty, animal fighting, or the sexual abuse of animals.
• When adults expose minors to these acts, it is abuse.
• This bill politicizes and penalizes every interaction with a child in need.
• The first thing that this child asked me to do to help them was cut his hair.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard and voted on a series of bills covering child abuse reporting, firearms products liability, crime victim records, guardianship eligibility, historic monuments, animal welfare, juvenile justice, and restrictions on sex reassignment care for minors. HB 373, on the statute of limitations for violations involving required child abuse reports, passed unanimously. HB 1551, as amended, clarified that a firearm is not defective merely because it lacks optional safety features and preserved design-defect claims and nonretroactivity; after substantial testimony and debate, it passed 13-5. CS/HB 1113, expanding public-records protections for crime victims and briefly exempting law enforcement victims, passed unanimously. CS/HB 737, allowing courts more discretion in appointing guardians with prior felony convictions and adding a narrow exception for certain older convictions, also passed unanimously as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• courts, but also people can come to agreements on their child support.
• courts, but also people can come to agreements on their child support.
• But also, people can come to agreements on their child support.
• They have visitation with their child to make sure that they are paying a fair amount of child support
• </c> middle of a s any trial that an abuser middle of a s any trial that an abuser would<00:31:29.720

Summary: The committee heard extended debate on a bill requiring cooperation with ICE and reporting related to undocumented people in certain criminal contexts. Representative Rymer argued the measure was meant to align with federal priorities focused on violent offenders and to ensure local governments respond to federal inquiries, not proactively target immigrants. He also said the bill was intended to address serious crimes and protect victims, citing examples of violent offenders and trafficking-related cases. Several members raised concerns that the bill’s language was broader than described and could affect family court matters, health care, elder care, and routine interactions with government agencies. Testifiers and members warned it could be used as leverage against undocumented people in custody, child support, domestic violence, and labor exploitation situations, and could discourage people from reporting crimes or seeking help. The sheriff’s association and county attorneys’ association letters were cited as raising due process, equal protection, civil rights, and public safety concerns. The discussion also focused on the bill’s definitions and mechanics, especially whether section three would require reporting after arrests that do not lead to charges and how county attorneys would know when to report. Representative Pinto pressed on the bill’s reference to “violent crime” and whether drug possession could be swept in, while Rymer argued the bill was narrower than critics suggested. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided; the exchange remained at the discussion and questioning stage.

Transcript Highlights:

• Search out every abuse. And when you have found the... ...every abuse.
• It was being abused by people for profit and being abused by people for some sort and being abused by
• , and that child country and have a child, and that child gets to have citizenship, which has things
• Stop the abuse of asylum. Stop the abuse of parole.
• Stop the abuse of catch and release policies and all the policies that were being abused to undermine

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for patrons to be part of the sex abuse for patrons to be part of the sex abuse registry?
• CSAM, child sexual abuse material or exploitation material, often gets quickly downloaded by viewers,
• CSAM child sexual abuse platforms.
• CSAM child sexual abuse material<04:37:56.160><c> or</c><04:37:56.719><c> exploitation</c><04:37:57.359
• So, for example, if a parent is abusing his or her child and that child is brought to the hospital or

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• care and not enough child care slots.
• I've been a large child care provider since 2008, and... ...child care providers since 2008, and I support
• Five out of five did not have training on child abuse identification, commercial sexual exploitation,
• Chelsea Filer, on behalf of the Institutional Child Abuse and Advocacy Network.
• Chelsea Filer, on behalf of the Institutional Child Abuse and Advocacy Network, we strongly support this

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• abuse and neglect.
• I go back to the prevention implementation science for substance abuse. Mr.
• I think that part of this is, I think substance abuse and drug abuse is a cultural issue, and I don't
• No one's opposed, so let's go ahead with the child advocacy centers.
• No one's opposed, so let's go ahead with the child advocacy centers.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 29, 2006 minutes, then spent most of the meeting reviewing Idaho Children’s Trust Fund and related prevention-focused grant requests. Members repeatedly discussed whether proposals fit the committee’s mission of youth substance-abuse prevention, the need for measurable outcomes and oversight, and whether some requests were more like child care or general social services than prevention. Several members also noted that future legislation and a clearer planning framework may be needed so the committee is not simply reacting to applicants’ own goals. The committee then considered individual funding requests. It approved one-time funding for the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund ($692,240), the Idaho Safety Assessment Center Coalition ($1 million through the Department of Juvenile Corrections), the Idaho Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers ($3 million through ICDVVA), a recovery center request ($150,000 ongoing through Health and Welfare), a statewide drug awareness media campaign ($5 million through the Office of Drug Policy), and the governor’s recommended $25 million one-time transfer to the Department of Health and Welfare/Division of Medicaid to help address the Medicaid forecast and general fund impact. The Children’s Bridge request for $3.5 million did not receive a second and died. Throughout the meeting, members emphasized that any approved funding should include intent language for distribution, oversight, reporting, and in some cases procurement or performance measures. There was also discussion that some programs should have a designated state agency “home” for long-term sustainability, and that the committee should better track whether funded programs are actually reducing youth substance use and related harms. The meeting ended after the committee adopted the motions and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• advocate, that person in terms of the kind of expertise they have with Regard to child welfare, child
• So if a child, if a native child is domiciled within a tribal Pueblo community, then that, for instance
• abuse.
• Um, I'm still getting a lot of, uh, calls on fentanyl as child abuse.
• We just saw a recent article, um, of that situation where the kids were exposed to child abuse and there's

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Layla's diagnoses were the result of child abuse, causing traumatic brain injuries, seizures, and cerebral
• Experts have testified that Layla was subject to repeated and severe child abuse.
• Layla's diagnosis were results of child abuse, causing traumatic brain injuries, seizures, and cerebral
• Experts have testified that Layla was subject to repeated and severe child abuse, and this So, have testified
• that Lela was subject to repeated and severe child abuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Director of Journey to Safety, the Domestic Abuse Program of Jewish Family and Children's Service
• David Adams, has shown that people who abuse their partners are often skilled manipulators, able to That
• Domestic abuse is a pattern of coercive control, driven by entitlement, jealousy, and a need to dominate
• And no parent in this world should have to fear that a child could be trapped in a bus door.
• They would see that there was a history of domestic abuse.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a public hearing with opening remarks from Senate Chair John Cronin and House Chair Dan Cahill, followed by member introductions and instructions on testimony time limits. The committee heard testimony on several bills, including S. 2743 addressing staged suicides, S. 2861 creating a special commission on school bus safety, and S. 3021 updating Massachusetts student transportation rules. On S. 2743, advocates and family members described cases in which domestic violence deaths were allegedly misclassified as accidents or suicides, arguing the bill would improve training and require more careful investigation when there is a known history of abuse. Testimony emphasized the need for law enforcement, district attorneys, and medical examiners to recognize signs of coercive control and staged scenes. Committee members asked about current investigative practices and noted that sudden deaths are already reviewed by medical examiners and prosecutors, but that better training and awareness may still be needed. On S. 2861, Amanda Taylor testified emotionally about her daughter Summer Steel, who died after being trapped in a school bus door, and urged adoption of anti-pinch sensor technology on future buses. Representative Sabadosa and a company representative said the technology already exists, is used in other transportation sectors, and could prevent similar tragedies; they noted estimated retrofit and prospective costs and pointed to Maine’s similar action. On S. 3021, Ever Driven and Chamber of Progress supported modernizing vehicle requirements for alternative student transportation, arguing that current rules are designed for full-size buses and make it harder for districts to serve homeless students, foster youth, and students with disabilities. The hearing ended after testimony concluded, and the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• For a charter school, no parent has to send their child to a charter school. They choose to.
• A choice of a parent who loves their child and wants what's best.
• Based on the needs of her child, from having a remote option for her child to attend and her child to
• Fraud and abuse that occurs in the state, we could be here all day.
• Learning to read, I think we'll all agree, is life changing for any child.

Transcript Highlights:

• Suman will go through child support, child welfare, and child welfare placement.
• child support child welfare go through child support child welfare and<00:02:10.479><c> child</c><00:
• abuse sexual abuse substantial physical abuse sexual abuse substantial child<00:45:34.920><c> endangerment
• </c> center-based child care our family child center-based child care our family child our<00:58:33.359
• /c><01:32:46.880><c> is</c><01:32:47.360><c> still</c> child care and child care is still child care

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy