Transcript Highlights:

• Hampshire, and I've spent probably the last 15 years of my career as an advocate and supporter of modern
• I think the reason we've seen a slowdown in modern wood heat is probably four- or five-fold.
• seen a week ago I think the reason we've seen a Slowdown<00:50:16.640> in<00:50:16.839> modern
• their internal software and modernizing their internal software and upgrading<05:07:18.400> to
• Existing software modernization efforts at each utility.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is why it is important to modernize the structure for protecting consumer privacy across the
• SB 354 responds to this current outdated landscape by establishing a modern, sector-specific privacy
• Modern, sector-specific privacy regulatory framework that creates stronger consumer protections, clear
• SB 969 is a common-sense set of measured modernization reforms that supports both consumer protection
• Our technologies are built in modern facilities today.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• table so that we can within the next year, 2 years, 3 years really bring those systems up to the modern
• Finally, the legacy systems and old infrastructure lack modern features, making updates and integration
• I urge you to support Senate File 3879 as it provides a real long-term mechanism to modernize our IT
• old Finally, the legacy systems and old infrastructure<00:42:59.720> lack<00:42:59.960> modern
• <00:43:00.280> features, infrastructure lack modern features, infrastructure lack modern features

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, you have to procure those contracts, you know, every several years, modernizing along the way
• . contracts, you know, every several years, modernizing along the way.
• We help state governments eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse using proactive, intelligent, and modern
• And I do believe modern technology, dropped in without having to substantially change the technology
• To build on these efforts, HHS needs to modernize their IT systems.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services convened to discuss interim charges regarding fraud, waste, and abuse in Texas human services, particularly focusing on Medicaid and childcare programs. The meeting highlighted the importance of preventing misuse of taxpayer funds, with testimony from various stakeholders emphasizing the need for increased oversight and accountability in these programs. Key points included the alarming rise in healthcare fraud in other states, the necessity for Texas to enhance its fraud prevention measures, and the potential financial repercussions of failing to meet federal compliance standards. Several committee members expressed concerns about the impact of fraud on vulnerable populations, particularly those relying on Medicaid services. Testimonies from experts underscored the effectiveness of Texas's Office of Inspector General (OIG) in combating fraud, yet pointed out existing vulnerabilities, such as inconsistent enforcement and the need for better data sharing among agencies. The discussion also touched on the challenges faced by hospice care providers, with a significant increase in the number of hospices in Texas raising concerns about quality and oversight. The committee heard from various witnesses, including representatives from health plans and advocacy organizations, who provided insights into the complexities of managing Medicaid and the importance of maintaining program integrity. The meeting concluded with a commitment to further explore legislative solutions to enhance oversight and ensure that resources are directed to those in genuine need.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the last modernization bill we had, I think, was HB 1243 dealing with RSA 361-A, the audits, and this
• burden with these audits happening right now, and I'm just fearful that, you know, we're trying to modernize
• The last modernization bill we had, I think, was HB 1243 dealing with RSA 361-A, the audits, and this
• been a change for them having that law been a change for them having that law modernized<01:17:06.880
• and and brought into line modernized and and brought into line with<01:17:08.480> all<01:17:08.640

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, it closes the door on the opportunity to create a modern, enforceable framework that
• , the opportunity to create a modern, the opportunity to create a modern, enforceable<01:12:46.080
• We can modernize<01:13:02.800> sweepstakes<01:13:03.280> laws<01:13:03.640> in<01
• :13:03.760> a<01:13:03.840> way<01:13:03.960> that modernize sweepstakes laws in
• a way that modernize sweepstakes laws in a way that creates<01:13:04.400> clarity,<01:13:05.000

Bills: HF3794, HF4472, HF4410, HF4347, HF4412, HF4398, HF4397, HF4201, HF4199, HF4203, HF3706, HF4071, HF4120, HF4175, HF4188

Keywords: surveillance, price discrimination, wage discrimination, automated decision systems, consumer protections, data privacy, biometrics, school district health insurance, charter school health benefits, employee benefits, public sector health insurance, health insurance survey, Legislative Budget Office, LBO report, premium costs, retiree coverage, broker commissions, third-party administrator, health plan transparency, health reimbursement arrangement

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1142, Task Forces to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures, favorable.
• House Bill 1142, Task Forces to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures, favorable.
• the state have been coming to us asking for additional options, additional flexibilities, and to modernize
• county<01:41:11.240> and<01:41:11.360> municipal<01:41:11.920> revenue modernize
• to modernize their revenue structures. to modernize their revenue structures.

Keywords: House streaming session for Saturday, March 21, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 126 members present, heard the prayer, approved the previous day’s journal, and then took up a series of Senate messages and committee reports. Senate bills on consent calendars 21 and 22 were read the first time and referred to committees. The House then adopted favorable reports, often without amendment, on a wide range of bills including workers’ compensation evaluation procedures (HB 1325), a state shark designation (HB 97), several local alcoholic beverages measures, commemorative months for Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage (HB 661), and local license commissioner changes in Anne Arundel, Worcester, Harford, Baltimore City, and Prince George’s counties. Several bills were amended before being ordered printed for third reading. HB 121 (Baltimore County alcohol sales) was amended to change the sponsor to the Baltimore County delegation. HB 1335 on Department of Information Technology workforce recruitment and retention was amended to convert the measure into a study and recommendations report. HB 1037 on PSC oversight of broadband and VoIP was similarly amended from direct oversight to a study and report. HB 1164 on water and sewage rate consolidation and limited-income mechanisms was amended to remove rate-consolidation provisions, require a PSC study, and delay implementation. HB 1381 on stopping or parking in bike lanes added exceptions for emergency, transit, disability pickup/drop-off, disabled vehicles, loading/unloading, and construction or maintenance; HB 1504 prioritized sidewalk and bicycle pathway projects near highways with complete streets or Vision Zero policies; HB 912 adjusted community cat trap-neuter-return rules; and HB 969 clarified electric vehicle charging billing and service fees. The most extended debate centered on HB 639, the Transportation Aviation Passenger Health and Safety Act. After amendments turned it into a reporting measure for fixed-base operators and aviation service companies regarding flights carrying detained individuals, warrants, refueling, and emergency-response documentation, members questioned its practical operation, safety implications, and possible federal preemption issues. The floor leader explained the bill as amended was intended to gather information for Maryland safety and emergency planning. On motion of the committee chair, the House agreed to special order HB 639 until the end of the session for further clarification. The House also amended and advanced HB 1063 on hunting management, including deer damage permits and Sunday hunting rules, and heard a brief statement from an Eastern Shore delegate about the Rural Caucus’s approach to offering amendments rather than opposing bills outright. The session ended with HB 972, creating the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, amended to rename the bill in honor of the late Delegate Charles Otto and to replace lottery funding with an annual appropriation; the House adopted the amendments and the favorable report.

Transcript Highlights:

• provide some technical context<00:35:21.280> on<00:35:21.480> how<00:35:21.720> modern
• on how modern retail pricing systems<00:35:23.400> work<00:35:23.880> and<00:35:24.160
• These are foundational components of modern commerce and often lower cost to consumers.
• struggle to determine how those provisions apply to common pricing and compensation tools used in modern
• compensation tools used in modern compensation tools used in modern business<01:29:26.480> operations

Bills: HF3794, HF3408

Keywords: surveillance, price discrimination, wage discrimination, automated decision systems, consumer protections, data privacy, biometrics, consumer protection, price setting, biometric data, retail, privacy, 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from March 3, 2026, and then received a presentation from the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General on the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act. Assistant Attorney General Caitlin Miko and Deputy Attorney General Jessica Whitney reviewed the law’s scope, consumer rights, business obligations, and enforcement history. They said the law took effect July 31, 2025, gives Minnesotans rights to access, delete, and opt out of sale, profiling, and targeted advertising, and is enforced by the Attorney General with penalties up to $7,500 per violation. They reported more than 200 complaints in the first six months, many warning letters, and a shift from education to active enforcement now that the initial warning-letter period has expired. Committee members asked about how the universal opt-out works, what happens when companies deny deletion or editing requests, how the office determines willful noncompliance, and whether the law could burden small businesses. The AG’s office said the opt-out can be set through privacy-protective browsers or extensions, companies must respond to consumer requests within 45 days, small businesses are exempt as defined by the SBA, and investigations look for patterns and evidence of willful conduct rather than minor technical violations. The office also said it needs additional funding to fully staff enforcement efforts and noted that it has already issued subpoenas and civil investigative demands. The committee then took up House File 3408, the Stop Grocery Surveillance Price Gouging Act. The author explained that the bill would prohibit retail grocers, physical and online, from setting individualized prices based on consumer information, would limit certain uses of facial recognition and electronic shelf labels, and would preserve narrow exceptions for discounts and loyalty programs. Public testimony followed from the Minnesota Farmers Union in support, arguing that grocery consolidation and surveillance pricing could worsen already high food costs and harm fair competition. The Minnesota Grocers Association opposed the premise that grocery stores use surveillance pricing, said shelf prices are generally uniform and set from a single storewide database, and argued electronic shelf labels are efficient and not nefarious. A technology company representative similarly said ESLs do not use personal data or facial recognition, prices are uniform, and a 2025 study found no meaningful price increases after ESL adoption. The bill was laid over for possible further discussion after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will modernize the way Florida purchases, manages, and oversees major IT projects and programs.
• that the agencies are going through, and perhaps the modernization kicks off when we're first elected
• , and then eight years later, the modernization has not been completed yet, and every budget we send
• , and then eight years later, the modernization has not been completely, off when we're first elected
• We're bringing these legal notices into the modern age.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for former member Chester Clem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum confirmation. Members then adopted the special order report for the day and approved a Rules and Ethics Committee report amending House Rule 15.3 to allow fundraising under certain circumstances during extended or special sessions. The chamber then took up several bills. HB 1405 on a statewide project for missing persons with special needs passed unanimously. CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill, passed 94-10 after debate focused on conservation land surplus procedures and agricultural use of state lands. CS/CS/CS/HB 905, the “Fire Act” on foreign influence, foreign gifts, critical infrastructure, sister city agreements, and related restrictions, passed 80-20 after the House adopted an amendment adding a prohibition on certain surrogacy contracts involving citizens or residents of foreign countries of concern. CS/CS/HB 1197, dealing with information technology procurement and contracting, passed 109-0. HB 1103 on local administration of vessel restrictions passed unanimously. The House also debated CS/CS/CS/HB 399 on land use and development regulations. Supporters said it would limit development fees, standardize compatibility rules, allow manufactured homes in RV parks, and lower voting thresholds for comprehensive plan changes to address housing affordability; opponents argued it would preempt local control, weaken voter-approved urban boundary protections, and risk conservation lands. An amendment to preserve Orange County’s boundary rules failed, while a technical amendment on manufactured homes passed. The bill then passed 71-38. The House also passed several local bills, including measures for the Pace Fire Rescue District, Avalon Beach/Mulat Fire Protection District, East Point Water and Sewer District, Fellsmere Water Control District, and Headwaters Water Control District, with votes ranging from 83-27 to unanimous approval. The transcript also included farewell remarks from Representative Angie Nixon before the House returned to remaining business.

Transcript Highlights:

• They couldn't compete against the modern supermarket.
• They couldn't compete against the modern supermarket.
• They couldn't compete against the modern supermarket.
• They couldn't compete against the modern supermarket.
• They couldn't compete against the modern supermarket.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes unanimously and then heard extended testimony from Senator Jimmy Higdon, who reflected on Kentucky’s 2011 childhood obesity task force and said the state’s childhood obesity problem has worsened since then. He described prior recommendations from that task force, including more physical education, nutrition education, classroom-based physical activity, complete streets, bike lanes, sidewalks, and safe routes to school. Higdon also argued that government programs have contributed to obesity and drug abuse, focusing especially on SNAP and Medicaid, and said he has long advocated for a waiver to distribute SNAP benefits twice a month rather than once a month. Higdon said SNAP fraud and abuse are significant, claiming some recipients sell benefits and some retailers bend the rules on eligible purchases. He also said spreading benefits through the month could help families keep fresh food in the home and stabilize grocery store business, especially in food deserts and rural areas. In response to questions, he said he would not support allowing hot prepared foods under SNAP, though he said a grocery-store produce incentive similar to the farmers market match could be beneficial if structured separately. He also said the WIC program is a model for how SNAP could be better administered. Members thanked Higdon for his service and discussed whether the issue is food insecurity or poor nutrition. Senator Douglas emphasized adding stronger guardrails to nutrition-related programs, and Representative Proctor asked about the challenges of operating grocery stores in rural areas and food deserts. Higdon said independent grocers face thin margins, competition, and cyclical market pressures, and that SNAP distribution patterns can worsen those challenges. After Higdon’s testimony, the committee heard from Ann Cressilious, a registered dietitian with the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who began a presentation on the profession and on efforts to improve nutrition and access to nutrition information in Kentucky.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, there was a good debate on whether we use a more modern translation and I looked it up
• But I think the modern idea, and it is much more modern, that You can't have any reference to anything
• Is a modern and too dangerous because I would argue for my standpoint, the unwillingness to talk about
• So we find very. little evidence except in modern writing that they're called deists, and that really
• These are my- modern times with a modern electorate, which is shocked and offended at this proposed violation

Bills: HB4, HB54, SB 10, SB 24, HB4, HB54, HB775, HB850, HB 1122, HB 1249, HB1405, HB2336, HB2757, HB3372, HB3622, HB4442, HB4687, HB4893, HB5089, HB5515, HB5606, SB10, SB24, HB1573, HB3369

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, citizenship, U.S. citizen, non-citizen, public office, advisory board, task force, state government, local government, political subdivision, commission board, appointment eligibility, officeholder qualifications, public service, naturalization, Texas Government Code

Transcript Highlights:

• unable to costs, energy inefficient and unable to scale<00:19:38.480> to<00:19:38.799> modern
• <00:19:40.559> And scale to modern data demands. And scale to modern data demands.
• Um, and replacing that copper with modern networks reduces the risk of copper theft and enhances the
• The bill is a first step in a larger effort to modernize landline telephone regulations.
• Modernizing Minnesota law to align with federal standards will ensure consumers are protected and have

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• entire piece of law is that it is quite outdated and predates the ways recordings are used in the modern
• <00:56:22.000> the recordings and such are used in the recordings and such are used in the modern
• <00:56:22.760> in<00:56:22.880> the<00:56:23.000> modern<00:56:23.480> context
• <00:56:24.480> um<00:56:25.319> and modern in the modern context um and modern in the
• modern context um and there<00:56:26.680> no<00:56:26.880> attempts<00:56:27.240> to

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 313 and, on motion by Representative Perez, voted to retain the bill because members felt it needed further work and was not ready for final action. The motion passed 18-0, and no further action was taken on the bill. House Bill 391, an anti-SLAPP measure, was then discussed; supporters said it addressed a real problem and should move forward, while opponents raised concerns that it was too broad, could affect criminal cases, and might create procedural complications. The committee voted 18-0 to retain HB 391 as well, and it was placed on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 462, establishing a cause of action for unwarranted video imaging of residential properties. Representative McFarland moved OTP, saying the bill raised First Amendment and property-rights concerns. The motion passed 18-0, and the bill was also placed on consent. The committee then turned to House Bill 509, which would require reporting on forfeitures. Supporters argued the information was useful for future legislation, while opponents said the reporting would be costly, duplicative, and potentially split data across fiscal years. The committee voted 11-7 to recommend OTP, with a minority of members opposed. House Bill 520, authorizing Department of Education hearing officers to issue subpoenas, drew the most extended debate. Supporters argued DOE needed the same tools other agencies have, while opponents said DOE already had access to needed information, the Attorney General could handle subpoenas, and the bill would create an unbalanced process and raise due process and student-record concerns. Representative Tur offered Amendment 0842H to shift subpoena power from DOE hearing officers to the Attorney General; after debate, the amendment failed 10-8. The transcript cuts off as the committee begins the roll call on the underlying bill after rejecting the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I ask your support to make these long-needed changes to modernize eye health care in Minnesota, ensure
• So I ask your support to make these long-needed changes to modernize eye health care in Minnesota, ensure
• So I ask your support to make these long-needed changes to modernize eye health care in Minnesota, ensure
• This bill modernizes eye care, ensuring patients can access the treatment they need from trusted providers
• for like the mid 2000s to modernization for like the mid 2000s for<01:42:41.159> some<01:42:41.400

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This change modernizes existing law by adding one short phrase. hours, even if the worker only works
• This change modernizes outdated.
• , Hampshire forward in a more modern, Hampshire forward in a more modern, balanced,<03:47:15.359>
• It allows New Hampshire to lead the nation in common-sense, modern employment practices.
• lead the nation in common sense, modern lead the nation in common sense, modern employment<05:26

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed House Bill 1150, which would require disclosure of complaints to public employees within five business days. Members said the sponsor was still working on an amendment, so the bill was held for another week with the understanding it would be executed next week if no amendment was ready. The chair also outlined the committee’s schedule, including upcoming floor reports and the goal of finishing the remaining committee bills on time. The committee then took up House Bill 1168, concerning employer documentation requirements. Supporters argued the bill would give employers more time to gather payroll records, especially when claims arise years later, and said the current system should be adjusted for fairness to businesses. Opponents, including several members, said payroll records are usually electronic and should be produced quickly so workers waiting on wages are not delayed. The Department of Labor deputy commissioner testified that employers can already request extensions and that further extensions could still be requested under the current process. The committee voted 11-9 to ought to pass HB 1168. Next, House Bill 1250, dealing with notice, documentation, and job reinstatement requirements for leave related to childbirth, postpartum care, and pediatric appointments, was considered. Members said the statute was newly enacted, had been carefully negotiated, and should be allowed to work before being revised. The committee voted 20-0 to recommend inexpedient to legislate, and the bill was placed on the consent calendar. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1043, which would allow private employers to adopt their own minimum pay policies for report-to-work situations instead of being bound by the current two-hour minimum, so long as the policy is established in advance. The sponsor said the bill would modernize an outdated law and preserve the current default if no policy is adopted. Members raised questions about collective bargaining agreements and whether the bill could weaken existing worker protections, while the sponsor and supporters said it was intended to provide flexibility rather than a mandate. The hearing continued with questions and discussion, but no final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The path forward must be investment, modernization, and expansion to meet the needs of this vulnerable
• speaking as a resident of Canton to voice my strong support for the preservation, funding, and modernization
• I understand that the Pappas campus requires significant investment to meet modern needs, and that is
• investment to meet model, I understand that the Pappas campus requires significant investment to meet modern
• Working Group identified both a phased investment plan that I fully support that would preserve and modernize

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The special legislative commission on the future of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children held a hybrid public hearing focused on the hospital’s future, admissions, staffing, infrastructure, and whether the facility should be preserved, expanded, or reimagined. Opening remarks from legislators, commissioners, parents, and union representatives emphasized that Pappas provides a unique combination of medical, rehabilitative, educational, and residential services for children with complex needs, and several speakers argued that the hospital is effectively being depopulated through reduced admissions and ongoing discharges despite public assurances that it remains open. Multiple speakers urged the commission to extend its authorization and continue its work before any closure or major change can occur. Testimony from labor leaders, including AFSCME, SEIU Local 509, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, described a “silent closure” in practice, with staff reporting confusion about the hospital’s status, declining census numbers, blocked admissions, and uncertainty about the workforce’s future. They called for immediate action to stop admission denials and unnecessary discharges, and some proposed short-term solutions such as temporary modular structures to address infrastructure barriers and allow admissions to resume. Parents and former patients testified that Pappas provided life-changing independence, specialized therapy, and campus-based supports that they said could not be replicated elsewhere, and they criticized alternative placements as inadequate. Commissioner Robert Goldstein of the Department of Public Health said the administration supports keeping Pappas open and funded while the commission works, but he argued that admissions must comply with hospital-level-of-care rules and that the campus’s deteriorating infrastructure limits the kinds of children who can safely be served there. He said the department is continuing admissions for appropriate patients, working to expand outreach and services, and exploring long-term options, including broader statewide models of care. Commissioners pressed him on whether discharge status or lack of a clear discharge plan had been used as a barrier to admission, and requested de-identified data on patients recommended for admission but denied. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• spending to necessary augmentations for the CHP and the DMV that will enhance safety and continue modernization
• condition of the MVA, the DMV is also proposing trailer-bill language for various efficiencies to modernize
• courtesy renewal notices and other notices, eliminating the required printing of driver handbooks, and modernizing
• Second, we want to continue modernization efforts.
• Second, we want to continue modernization efforts.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee heard the Department of Finance’s May Revision overview and the LAO’s budget assessment, then questioned administration officials on several natural resources and transportation proposals. Finance described the state’s improved near-term fiscal picture, but also highlighted continued budget balancing measures, including use of the temporary surplus holding account, climate bond spending, transportation and DMV/CHP augmentations, and changes affecting CEQA filing systems, water programs, CalRecycle, and food and agriculture. The LAO argued the budget still relies heavily on reserves and borrowing, recommended rejecting or delaying many new discretionary proposals, and urged caution about ongoing costs and future-year impacts, especially for the General Fund, Motor Vehicle Account, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance officials said the $25 million request would support early implementation of an enforceable program combining environmental flows, habitat restoration, and scientific monitoring, with the State Water Board retaining regulatory authority. The LAO said the proposal was premature because the updated Bay-Delta plan had not yet been adopted and asked for more clarity on the state’s existing commitments and future funding expectations. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce long-running conflict over water policy, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquisition of the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat restoration. State agencies said the project had a completed appraisal, was moving through a rolling grant process, and would leverage philanthropic and local funding, while members questioned why it was being elevated ahead of other park and conservation requests and whether it was the best use of limited bond dollars. The hearing then turned to transportation items, including $40 million for Clean California litter abatement, $6.2 million for Caltrans homeless coordinators, $73.4 million in DMV/Motor Vehicle Account requests, and funding for the 2028 Games route network. The LAO generally recommended rejecting or delaying the Clean California and homeless coordinator proposals pending more information, while members debated the need to preserve essential CHP and DMV operations despite the Motor Vehicle Account’s structural imbalance.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's all to help modernize and keep our IT modernized.
• , they come with subscription costs to keep things updated and to allow us to keep the technology modern
• Updated and to allow us to keep the technology modern.
• We're at IT. updated and to allow us to keep the technology modern.
• The Formula Modernization Task Force is meeting right now.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 415 modernizes, tries to modernize our franchise agreements in Maryland, which are very outdated
• Senate Bill 415 modernizes, tries to modernize our franchise agreements in Maryland, which are very outdated
• Senate Bill 415 modernizes, tries to modernize our franchise agreements in Maryland, which are very outdated
• modernizes those sections of law.
• <01:22:25.640> our series of bills that modernized our series of bills that modernized our

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened on March 10, 2026, established a quorum, and began with an invocation by Reverend Damien Flowers, which was journalized without objection. The chamber then recognized several guests and honorees, including Dr. Courtney Glickman for being named 2025 Play Therapist of the Year, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Dr. Sonja B. Santelises for her leadership of Baltimore City Public Schools, students shadowing legislators, Navy Alliance representatives, the Maryland Alliance for Advocacy for Sickle Cell, and Ms. Kimberly Body for her lupus advocacy. The Senate also journalized prior remarks about the 6888 regiment. The Finance Committee report then moved several bills forward. Senate Bill 348 would allow hospitals and freestanding birthing centers to contact, rather than only call, patients after high-risk pregnancies; its amendments were adopted and the bill was ordered to third reading. Senate Bill 390 on Wicomico County liquor licenses was laid over under the rule. Senate Bill 492, addressing massage therapy advertising and prohibiting misleading sexual-service advertising, was amended and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 562, concerning pharmacist-prescriber agreements for opioid use disorder treatment, was amended and advanced. Senate Bill 773 would let pharmacists order certain vaccines, including intranasal flu vaccines, for self-administration and was advanced without amendment. Senate Bill 53, on Maryland Port Administration land acquisition notice in Anne Arundel County, was amended and advanced. Senate Bill 428 would bar cost-sharing for collaborative care model services under Medicaid and private coverage and was advanced without amendment. Senate Bill 473 would require human trafficking awareness training for for-hire and transportation network drivers; its amendments were adopted and it was sent to third reading. Senate Bill 585 would shift administration of the human relevant research fund from Health to Agriculture and was advanced. Senate Bill 606, the Easy Pass Commuter Fairness and Transparency Act, would require an MDTA report on commuter plans and unused trips; its amendment was moved as the transcript ended. During debate on Senate Bill 917, which would expand the definition of audiology practice to include certain screenings and non-radiographic imaging, a senator questioned whether the bill would make Maryland the only state restricting a health occupation from performing Medicare-required screenings. The floor leader said the committee had heard that claim in testimony but had not verified it, and the senator moved to special order the bill for amendment, which was granted without objection. Most other bills were reported favorably, with committee amendments adopted without objection and several bills ordered printed for third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• , primarily for IT systems modernization, primarily for IT systems modernization, SNAP<01:48:45.760
• <02:16:21.280> So<02:16:21.440> you'll<02:16:21.760> see equipment modernization
• So you'll see equipment modernization.
• and towns investment to provide cities and towns funds<02:43:47.200> to<02:43:47.439> modernize
• those digital permit funds to modernize those digital permit systems.<02:43:50.319> And<02:43

Keywords: 916, all