Transcript Highlights:

• And then 19 is the District one time.
• judicial and court safety.
• to increase judicial and court safety. to increase judicial and court safety.
• safety resources for the judicial safety resources for the judicial branch. branch. branch.
• Um, there are many more at the district court level just because we have many more district judges.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Safety and Security Conference Committee met on May 13, 2026, with a quorum present and no immediate vote taken. Chairs explained the committee was working ahead of a possible target so it could act quickly later if needed, then proceeded with member introductions and a reminder about committee decorum. Staff noted a microphone delay and said the meeting would include a side-by-side walk-through of the House and Senate policy language and a review of the fiscal spreadsheet. Fiscal staff summarized major differences in court, public safety, and legislative security funding. The House and Senate proposals differed on safety and security funding for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District Courts, as well as on courthouse grants, capital security enhancements, and a new legislative/protective services unit. Staff also reviewed Senate-only and House-only items, including a Senate proposal to require removal of insignia from public safety vehicles sold to the public, and House provisions for a security services task force and member security costs. Total general fund impacts were reviewed, with the House total corrected to include an open appropriation that had been omitted from the spreadsheet totals. Nonpartisan staff then walked through the policy differences. The Senate language focused on a Protective Services Unit and security for principal state officials, while the House language focused on a Legislative Services Unit and security for legislators. Both bills included provisions on Capitol Complex Security, reporting requirements, and reimbursement arrangements with local law enforcement, but differed on details such as whether elected officials must provide contact information to DPS and how requests for personal protective services are handled. The House-only amendment A8 was presented for discussion; it would revise emergency contact provisions, replace the House’s personal protective services request language with a more detailed threat assessment and mitigation framework, direct implementation of the new unit, and make related reimbursement and technical changes. Judge Richard Kyle, president of the Minnesota District Judges Association, testified in support of stronger judicial and court safety measures. He described rising threats against judges, citing survey results showing high rates of judges limiting personal information, receiving inappropriate communications, changing personal behavior, and experiencing threats to themselves and family members. He said the association supports legislative authorization and funding for home security and personal data protections for judicial officers, and emphasized that safety concerns for judges and court staff have become more serious in recent years.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jack Thorpe, I'm the district attorney for District 27, that's Adair, Cherokee, Sequoia, and Wagoner
• I'm the district attorney.
• You mentioned 2.5 new hires per district. There are 27 districts, so that's 67 people.
• I have a unique district.
• Thank you all, Tommy Humphrey, District Attorney for District 4, as I mentioned that.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• districts.
• And I'll just give you my example because you were a judge here in the First Judicial District.
• One example, you use Chair, is in the First Judicial District: the dismissals of DWIs.
• They wanted everything to go to the First Judicial District.
• I'm aware of the First Judicial District. It doesn't have a message yet. There's a bill.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , or the exercise of judicial discretion.
• The scope of absolute judicial immunity applies only to acts that are judicial in nature and acts taken
• It came from the district, the Western District Court. A federal court? Yes.
• I did go back to the district court.
• I did go back to the district court.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , as well as input from our judicial conferences.
• We have six district courts of appeal in Florida.
• courts, but they are paid still at the judicial assistant salary.
• And finally, there is an issue for the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
• They are in the Judicial Branch Budget.

Summary: The committee met to hear fiscal year 2026-2027 legislative budget requests from several justice-related agencies. The Florida Commission on Offender Review requested funding for investigator and revocation staff salary increases to address turnover, plus nonrecurring funds for Wi-Fi, seven vehicles, technology support, and commissioner salary adjustments. The State Courts Administrator presented a broad judicial branch request focused on trial court case-management technology, additional case managers, trust fund authority for child support hearing officers, courthouse furnishings, district court flexibility in staffing, a future courthouse for the Sixth District Court of Appeal, Supreme Court elevator replacement, POM accounting implementation support, judicial security liaison positions tied to the Florida Fusion Center, expanded senior management service authority, and judicial salary adjustments. The Office of the Attorney General outlined pay and operating requests for consumer protection, citizen services, ethics, crime compensation, victim services, vehicle replacement, IT and cybersecurity, lease and operating costs, and PALM-related expenses, while several senators questioned the office about outside counsel contracts, contingency-fee arrangements, transparency, and the use of private law firms. The Department of Corrections made the largest presentation, describing severe staffing shortages, high turnover, rising inmate populations, increased assaults, and heavy overtime use. Secretary Ricky Dixon said the agency’s request was driven by constitutional and public safety needs and included funding for operations, security equipment, inflationary costs, vehicle replacement, offender information system modernization, technology restoration, inmate health services, drug and food cost increases, staffing pilots, maintenance, security infrastructure, Florida PALM, recruitment and retention, and $56 million for new correctional housing units. Members asked about inmate labor, prison safety, overtime, vehicle breakdowns, and whether more National Guard support was needed; Dixon said the agency needed more staffing and pay competitiveness rather than a long-term military presence. A correctional officers’ union representative also urged support for pay raises, citing low pay and staffing concerns. No votes were taken on the budget requests. The chair allowed extended questioning, especially for the Department of Corrections, but noted time constraints and asked agencies to return in a later committee meeting, including FDLE, which was deferred because of a House site visit.

Transcript Highlights:

• judicial branch, but all of the judicial judicial branch, but all of the judicial branch<00:04:23.680
• court, district court, chancery court. court, district court, chancery court.
• Does it go to district court?
• Does it go to district court?
• district here in the first judicial district here in the first judicial district<01:07:21.839>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, currently, complaints regarding judicial conduct are sent to the judicial conduct committee, also
• > overreach The monarchal and judicial overreach The monarchal and judicial overreach ensured<
• have checks and balances on the judicial have checks and balances on the judicial system.<01:58:
• and putting districts school districts and putting districts at<04:08:56.399> risk<04:08:57.199
• That's the judicial privileges. >> Right. That's the judicial privileges.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Agency 127, Judicial District 5A, Worland. Agency 128, Judicial District 5B, Cody.
• Agency 131, Judicial District 7B, Casper. Agency 132, Judicial District 9A, Lander.
• 126, Judicial District 4A, Sheridan. 126, Judicial District 4A, Sheridan.
• 132, Judicial District 9A, Lander. 132, Judicial District 9A, Lander.
• 143, Judicial District 1D, Cheyenne. 143, Judicial District 1D, Cheyenne.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, I served on the Judicial Council for four years.
• So it describes the offices as a state or district official.
• And we're creating a judicial removal through, we're creating judicial removal from a third branch, when
• We talk a lot about the Judicial Commission and how it functions.
• It only calls into question judicial discretion.

Summary: The House and Governmental Affairs Committee met on Senate Bill 123, a proposed constitutional amendment to create a legislative process for removing judges for cause. Senator Morris said the bill was needed because of uncertainty in the current Constitution about whether impeachment applies to judges, given the Judiciary Commission’s role in judicial discipline. He argued the measure would provide a clearer, higher-threshold accountability mechanism, and the committee adopted a technical amendment renumbering provisions and later clarified that the bill uses a majority vote in the House and two-thirds in the Senate, consistent with impeachment-style thresholds. Much of the hearing centered on testimony from Anna Carter and her family, who supported the bill after the murder of Jacob Carter in New Orleans. They described his death and other cases they said showed judges releasing dangerous offenders despite repeated violations, missed electronic-monitoring check-ins, and other warning signs. They argued the bill would create a last-resort accountability tool when judicial decisions or supervision failures lead to preventable harm. Several committee members expressed sympathy and said the testimony highlighted serious problems in the justice system, though some also suggested the bill should address district attorneys, electronic-monitoring oversight, or broader systemic issues. Opposition came from members who warned the proposal was overly broad, could become a political tool, and might conflict with existing constitutional provisions governing impeachment and judicial discipline. They argued the Judiciary Commission and Supreme Court already provide a disciplinary framework and that the bill could chill judicial independence or create due-process concerns. The ACLU’s Sarah Whittington also opposed the bill, noting technical inconsistencies in the draft, questioning why impeachment had not been tried first, and arguing the measure singled out judicial discretion while leaving other elected officials’ discretion untouched. The committee took no final vote on the bill during the hearing, but did adopt the technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• the House bill relative to certain powers of the Board of Water Commissioners of the Cotuit Fire District
• The Committee on Rules, to whom was heard the House bill authorizing the Cotuit Fire District to raise
• Third reading of the bill: An act authorizing the Cotuit Fire District to raise and appropriate money
• Third reading of the bill: An act authorizing the Cotuit Fire District to raise and appropriate money
• And now, therefore, be it ordered that the opinions of the Honorable Justices of the Supreme Judicial

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate began with ceremonial items, including the Pledge of Allegiance and a welcome to Tri-County High School’s championship football and boys’ cross-country teams. The chamber then adopted a resolution commending the town of Auburn and the Robert and Esther Goddard Centennial Committee for recognizing the 100th anniversary of the first liquid-fueled rocket launch. Several local bills were taken up and passed to be enacted, including measures authorizing payment by the City of Revere, adjusting the senior property tax deferral income threshold in Wellesley, amending the Hopedinton charter regarding library trustee appointment powers, and later engrossing bills affecting the Cotuit Fire District, the Salem licensing board, and validating Bourne’s May 20, 2025 annual election. The Senate also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer House petitions to committees and, on committee recommendation, advanced two Cotuit Fire District bills to third reading and engrossment. A major portion of the session focused on two Senate orders seeking advisory opinions from the Supreme Judicial Court on pending initiative petitions. One order concerned a public records initiative that would extend public records law to the General Court and the Governor’s office; the other concerned a legislative stipends initiative that would alter internal legislative procedures and compensation rules. Senator Feeney spoke in support of both orders, saying they were meant to inform the committee’s work and were not votes on the merits of the ballot questions. Both orders were adopted without objection. The Senate also received a Ways and Means report on a bill banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and pet sharks, with a new draft and amendment pending, and adopted an order placing the bill on the Orders of the Day for second reading on March 19, 2026. The session concluded with an order to adjourn to Monday at 11 a.m., which was adopted, and the Senate adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then District Court is pretty much the same as Appeals.
• the judicial branch branch supplemental<00:02:21.680> appropriations?
• <00:02:41.000> branch,<00:02:41.920> um judicial branch, um judicial branch, um particularly
• c> and particularly the judicial officers, and particularly the judicial officers, and then<00:02
• $892,000 each year from the district $892,000 each year from the district court<00:04:26.320>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• District Attorney's plan under the judicial retirement fund calculation of service retirement allowance
• increase the multiplier of the district increase the multiplier of the district attorneys<00:21:
• Currently, for district benefit.
• marrying the judges and the district marrying the judges and the district attorneys<00:21:58.240
• district attorney in Madison County. district attorney in Madison County.

Bills: HB304, HB285, HB312, HB311, SB60

Keywords: impoundment, driver licenses, vehicle redemption, local identification cards, law enforcement, HB285, TJ's Law, traffic infraction, traffic ticket, uniform traffic ticket and complaint, minor driver, juvenile driver, parent notification, guardian notification, emergency contact, citing agency, traffic citation, driver safety, youth safety, Alabama traffic law

Transcript Highlights:

• attorney of the being the district attorney of the southern<00:29:40.279> district<00:29:40.640
• The Supreme Judicial The Supreme Judicial Court<00:38:24.480> should<00:38:24.680> hold
• brings the Family Division the district brings the Family Division the district Division<01:11:12.239
• <01:18:22.360> court judges you have can hear district court judges you have can hear district
• an appeal would be based on judicial an appeal would be based on judicial error<01:33:28.960>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee on the Children and Family Law Committee met organizationally to continue work on family court issues, building on a prior special committee’s report and taking a collaborative approach with the Judiciary. The chair said the group would focus on solutions rather than rehashing public complaints, and identified three main topics for early study: specialization and training of family court judges, the extent to which judges should be bound by the rules of evidence, and whether mediation in family cases should be mandatory or voluntary and what qualifications mediators should have. A fourth concern was also raised about overlap between superior court domestic violence cases and family court custody/support matters, and whether one judge should hear both. Members discussed whether to divide into smaller subcommittees, but the prevailing view was to work as a committee of the whole at first. Most members agreed that additional public testimony was unlikely to add much, though recent concerns could still be emailed to the committee. The committee then heard from Attorney Erin Krian, general counsel for the judicial branch, and Judge Michael Mace. Krian said the judicial branch could provide additional witnesses on mediation and judicial training, including Judge Kissinger, and noted the branch was preparing materials on how other states handle the issues. Mace described the history of the Family Division and said he had reviewed older reports going back to the 1990s. He also outlined current judicial branch efforts, including expanded shadowing for new judges, monthly family-law trainings, and a year-long focus on family law topics. He reported that court rules had been updated to clarify notice requirements for minor guardianship changes, and that the branch had received positive feedback on the family access motion, which provides a statutory timeline and listed remedies for parenting-time disputes. Members also discussed prior committee work on rules of evidence and family court procedures. One member recalled recommending quiet review of any judges who appeared to apply evidence rules inconsistently, and Krian said the administrative judge can review complaints even if they come from a single person. The committee also received a status update on prior initiatives, including a federal grant for guardian ad litem services for indigent litigants in four locations, testing of redesigned court forms, and continued training improvements. The chair scheduled the next subcommittee meeting for April 1 and the full Children and Family Law Committee for April 8, with further documents from committee research and NCSL to be circulated.

Transcript Highlights:

• and again, kind of... ...having to change from district to district and, again, having to redistrict
• In my district alone, there are over 70% renters.
• I just had a question for Judicial Council.
• This is an issue that has deeply impacted my district.
• This is an issue that has deeply impacted my district.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:54.320> Federal High School in my district. Federal High School in my district.
• our school building without a judicial our school building without a judicial warrant. warrant.
• the school buildings without a judicial the school buildings without a judicial warrant. warrant
• valid judicial warrant. valid judicial warrant. That's<00:35:59.680> it. That's it.
• our school districts our school districts are<00:37:36.680> very,<00:37:37.200> very

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• judicial districts both respect county lines and judicial candidates are included in the guide.
• and district court statewide judicial and district court judgeships<00:36:10.400> will<00:36:
• judicial judicial district because uh judicial judicial district because uh judicial districts<00
• Wouldn't go by judicial<01:39:24.800> districts.
• Henipin County is a judicial districts.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :14:18.320> the board of judicial standards, the board of judicial standards, the committee<00
• lease cost at the Minnesota Judicial lease cost at the Minnesota Judicial Center.<00:30:29.360><
• the legislative session, our judicial the legislative session, our judicial branch<00:31:38.240>
• This is the language of the judicial branch and district judges association proposed to protect judges
• So, the way we're treating district district district court court court judges,<00:58:22.960> are<

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The conference committee met late on Friday evening to discuss the Public Safety and Judiciary budget agreement, beginning with a brief exchange among members about concerns that the executive branch had been delaying the committee’s work by waiting to approve legislative decisions. Members emphasized that the legislature should retain its independence while still allowing normal collaboration with the governor’s office. The committee then moved through several outstanding policy items and adopted them without opposition, including the A38 amendment addressing data-sharing concerns involving disability-related information, a study of firefighting services by the state fire marshal, and an A46 amendment governing access to unredacted portable recording system data in collision investigations, with guardrails on disclosure and use. The committee next reviewed the spreadsheet and budget targets. Fiscal staff explained the judiciary side of the agreement, including funding for court operating costs, a one-time Justice Partner Access Program appropriation, forensic exam rate increases, guardian ad litem funding, public defense, human rights, the competency attainment board, the cannabis expungement board, and fee increases for civil filings and motions. On the public safety side, staff described the target as well as the discretionary items funded, including nonprofit security grants, BCA staffing changes, fire marshal initiatives, a 10-year arson statute of limitations, prosecutor training grants, legal representation for children, E911 funding for critical infrastructure, Philando Castile Training Fund support, corrections-related savings from the Stillwater phased closure and sentence-to-serve elimination, a mandatory minimums task force, a victims of crime account transfer, a decommissioning study, in-service use-of-force training, and extensions of several expiring appropriations. The committee also noted a correction to a spreadsheet label related to the Stillwater closure item. After the spreadsheet walkthrough, the committee took testimony from Chief Justice Natalie Hudson and State Court Administrator Jeff Shorban on behalf of the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Hudson thanked the committee for its work and said the agreement covers some unavoidable costs, including insurance, lease expenses, forensic examiner pay, and the new access system, but argued it does not adequately address the judiciary’s most urgent problem: staffing and judicial compensation. She said court employees are leaving for better-paying jobs, judicial salaries are frozen for two years, and applicant pools for judgeships have declined, especially in greater Minnesota. She also said the judicial branch was not meaningfully consulted on the budget target and urged lawmakers to recognize the courts as a constitutional obligation rather than a discretionary program.

Transcript Highlights:

• He does live in my and Representative Beatty's district.
• The claim does not seek damages for a judicial decision.
• Absolute judicial immunity applies only to acts that are judicial in nature and acts taken within the
• “It came from the district, the Western District Court.” “A federal court?” “Yes.”
• There—the only other judicial—yeah, it sounds like the court is…” “…judicial court is Judge Hickey’s

Summary: The committee first reviewed several wage-claim and labor-related litigation reports from the Department of Labor and Licensing. Members questioned the department’s authority and jurisdiction, whether it was acting like a court, and why it sought attorney’s fees and costs. Department staff explained that the claims arose under the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act and related labor statutes, that the department investigates small wage claims and can file suit when informal resolution fails, and that filing fees are waived by statute though service costs may be incurred. The committee reviewed individual cases, including one where the employer had not proven cash payments, another that had already been paid and dismissed, and a third where service could not yet be completed. The committee then voted to review or batch-file the labor items. The University of Arkansas System then reported on three pending lawsuits under the litigation-notification statute. One case involving a tenured professor alleging age and race discrimination had already been resolved and dismissed after the university re-engaged in discussions about a position. A second case involving a former employee alleging ADA and FMLA retaliation was moving forward after partial dismissal and an answer denying liability. A third case involved a former vendor employee alleging retaliation tied to a parking ticket; members asked about individual-capacity exposure for a university police sergeant, and counsel explained that punitive damages could potentially create personal exposure. The committee reviewed each report. The Department of Finance and Administration presented a proposed tax settlement reducing a sales-and-use tax assessment from about $48,000 to $20,000, with interest and penalties waived, and the committee approved it. The Claims Commission then presented several claims and settlements, including an unpaid salary differential for the Department of Health, reissued warrants, unpaid bills for DHS, and multiple negotiated settlements involving UAMS, Arkansas State Police, and ARDOT; these were generally approved or batched for approval. The most extensive discussion involved a settlement between the Teacher Retirement System and Tetronics International Limited in liquidation, arising from losses tied to the failed Blue Oak project; members questioned the company’s liquidation status, the prior investment loss, and why the matter was settling for $65,000, and the committee ultimately affirmed the settlement. The committee also heard a disputed tax-sale claim involving the Commissioner of State Lands, where a claimant argued that excess proceeds from a 2009 tax sale should have gone to her family rather than escheating to the county. After testimony from the claimant and counsel, members debated sovereign immunity, heirship, and whether the committee could or should award the $4,200 overage. The motion was amended and then replaced with a motion to hold the matter over for further review in a future joint session, which passed. Finally, the committee considered an appeal by Andrew Simpson challenging dismissal of his claim against the Arkansas Court of Appeals; after Simpson and court staff explained the underlying dispute, the committee reviewed the dismissal and the matter was held over for further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are operated through what we call our major, which is kind of our district.
• circuits, the circuit courts, and 16 county courts, 20 judicial circuits, the circuit courts, six district
• I mentioned our judicial structure.
• We have 342 county court judges, 608 circuit court judges, 71 district court judges, 71 district court
• Then there's one for the district courts, the trial courts, and the Judicial Qualifications Commission

Summary: The Justice Budget Subcommittee met for an introductory overview of the justice budget and the major agencies within it. Chair Maney explained that the committee would hear broad presentations rather than detailed budget questions, and the first panel included the Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Corrections, Commission on Offender Review, Department of Law Enforcement, Office of the State Courts Administrator, and the Attorney General’s Office. Each agency described its mission, staffing, budget, and major responsibilities, with repeated emphasis on public safety, rehabilitation, staffing shortages, technology needs, and the importance of mental health services and education in reducing recidivism. Secretary Hall described DJJ’s prevention-to-aftercare continuum, including civil citation, detention, probation, and residential commitment programs, and highlighted reductions in juvenile arrests and commitments. Secretary Dixon said DOC’s biggest issues are staffing, overtime, and inflation, while noting progress in education, reentry, and a low recidivism rate. FDLE Commissioner Glass outlined the agency’s investigative, forensic, intelligence, and protective functions, including work on fentanyl enforcement and crime reporting systems. The State Courts Administrator emphasized the judiciary’s constitutional role, case volume, and challenges in providing interpreters, experts, and technology support. Chief Deputy Attorney General Guard described the office’s litigation, criminal appeals, consumer protection, and opioid recovery work, especially defending state laws and recovering opioid settlement funds. Members then asked questions about prison conditions, immigration enforcement, court filing fees, crime reporting, staffing ratios, and transnational gangs. Agency leaders responded that they were not aware of ICE contracts in some cases, that FDLE works with immigration authorities and detention facilities under existing authority, and that filing fees are a legislative policy decision. The committee also heard from the Justice Administrative Commission, prosecutors, public defenders, guardian ad litem, regional conflict counsel, and capital collateral regional counsel, who focused on indigent representation, dependency and death penalty cases, and persistent staffing and retention problems. No votes were taken, and the meeting concluded after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is House Bill 1834 and Kelly, District 127. All this is doing...
• I represent District 148, Scott County, Missouri.
• I have filed House Bill 2699, which is a House bill regarding tampering with judicial officers and judicial
• My concern... ...judicial officers, prosecutors, all of that.
• judge or a judicial employee under our current law.

Keywords: 959, house, all