Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll plan that. Thank you.
• Line 34, the Southern Delaware Horse Retirement Association. How many horses are retiring?
• We assume there's no horses' retirement. So maybe nobody's retiring this year? I don't know.
• We assume there's no horses retiring this year?
• Hadn't planned on it, but never give a politician a microphone.

Committee: Joint Finance

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what happens is lawyers want to retire, lawyers die, and the Industrial Labor Commission doesn't
• Well, even if they don't, the attorney may want to retire.
• Okay, if the attorney dies or retires, then...
• Attorney dies and just wants to retire.
• Thank you. attorney dies and just wants to retire.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They’d like to align that with the other current pension plans.
• not count toward retirement.
• not count toward retirement.
• retirement.
• not count toward retirement.

Keywords: Consideration of SB 176 01:52 Consideration of SB 104 05:03 Consideration of SB 9 08:09 Consideration of SB 129 18:50 Consideration of SB 178 31:20, 958, all

Summary: The House State Government Committee met with a quorum and took up several Senate bills, adopting committee substitutes where offered. Senate Bill 176, relating to statutory committees within the Legislative Research Commission, was presented by Senator Matt Nunn as a cleanup and process-streamlining measure for appointments, vacancies, and appointing authorities. It passed the committee 15-0 with a title amendment. Senate Bill 104, presented by Senator Scott Maiden and the Kentucky Public Employees Deferred Compensation Authority, would update deferred compensation law by adding a fiduciary standard, allowing less expensive liability insurance, making federal-law compliance self-correcting, and authorizing a self-directed brokerage account option. It passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Senate Bill 9, presented by Senator Jimmy Higdon, would change teacher retirement-related leave provisions, including up to 30 days of maternity leave, a 13-day annual rollover toward retirement, limits on using annual leave to increase retirement benefits, reporting requirements, and related cleanup provisions. After questions about maternity leave, district flexibility, and the actuarial cost of additional days, it passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Senate Bill 129, presented by Senator Rocky Adams and House sponsor Representative John Hudson, was described as a housing and redevelopment measure aimed at vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties in Louisville. Testimony focused on allowing qualified nonprofits to purchase certain tax-delinquent properties after a waiting period, along with provisions on density development, accessory dwelling units, urban development incentives, fire and code enforcement recovery, a Central Business District tax fix, and changes to binding elements. Members raised concerns about nonprofit qualifications, land bank overlap, and county clerk burden; the bill passed 13-1 with one pass and received a title amendment. Senate Bill 178, presented by Senator Mike Nemes, was a short reorganization bill to codify the transfer of the Department of Disability Determination Services Program from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Labor Cabinet. It passed 12-0. The committee then recorded additional votes and adjourned, with the chair thanking members and staff, noting it was likely the final meeting of the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• These floor plans are inaccurate.
• A retired fire chief is with me: Chief Brian Nardelli from the Brockton Fire Department, and retired
• North Andover police officer of 30 years, and a retired Sergeant Major, U.S.
• He had retired recently and just recently passed away.
• He had retired recently and just recently passed away.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on a range of public safety bills, with especially emotional testimony on the Maggie Hubbard Rental Safety Act, which would require short-term rentals to be inspected for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and require platforms or agents to verify compliance before listing. Rep. Hadley Luddy, Sen. Julian Cyr, and the Hubbard and Waldron families described the fatal Airbnb fire that killed Shannon Hubbard and her daughter Maggie in New York, saying the deaths were preventable and that the bill would save lives. Committee members expressed sympathy and support for the families’ efforts to turn their loss into legislation. The committee also heard testimony on a proposed peace officer oath (S. 1680), described by Sen. Lydia Edwards as a binding ethical standard tied to certification and recertification, with discipline and annual reporting to promote accountability and de-escalation. Rep. Tom Walsh testified for a bill requiring hotel and motel workers to be trained to recognize human trafficking and to post hotline signage, and later testimony supported a school safety data grant program to provide first responders with standardized, up-to-date school maps for emergencies. Another major topic was a bill to allow temporary door-locking devices in public buildings; supporters said the devices are removable, do not alter fire code, and could improve lockdown response during active shooter events. Additional bills discussed included measures to transfer the Office of Emergency Medical Services to EOPSS, increase penalties for unlicensed hood-system cleaning, expand membership on the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, and strengthen confidentiality for peer support and critical incident stress debriefings. Firefighters and fire chiefs also supported a bill to tighten penalties for violations of hot-work regulations, citing the 2014 Beacon Street fire that killed Lt. Walsh and Firefighter Kennedy. Law enforcement groups backed a package including a Blue Star plate and Blue Alert system for fallen officers’ families, stronger move-over penalties, and a memorial fund, while the State Police Association supported the move-over provisions but asked for further work on the special state police officer bill before final action. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Work-based learning is a featured aspect of our new strategic plan.
• </c><00:35:12.760><c> and</c> president of academic planning and president of academic planning and policy
• </c> 847 relating to Hawaii retirement 847 relating to Hawaii retirement savings<00:51:30.280><c> ACT
• </c><01:07:10.720><c> savings</c> relating to the Hoy retirement savings relating to the Hoy retirement
• Hawaii retirement savings act and as Hawaii retirement savings act and as such<01:07:48.720><c> I'm</

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought you were retired, but okay, come on down. RS-33-320.
• I thought you were retired, but okay, come on down. RS-33-320.
• Representative John VanDerrata from District 22, soon to be retired.
• I move the introduction of RS-33-320, and good luck in retirement. Okay, thank you.
• Is that the official part of your motion, that he should have good luck in retirement?

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• who opted into transfer to Plan 3 from Plan 2 prior to 2002.
• From Plan 2 prior to 2002. This is a class action that's been going on since 2005.
• Aaron’s planning, as he mentioned earlier, to close out the left one study.
• Three of them were related to Plan 1 COLAs.
• And then the third one just is endorsing Plan 1 COLAs in general.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy Executive Committee approved the September minutes and received updates on two court cases, Fowler and Dolan. Staff explained that Fowler concerns interest calculations for members who transferred from Plan 2 to Plan 3 before 2002; the Ninth Circuit has already found liability, and the remaining issue is damages, which could be significant depending on the expert-driven calculation. Dolan was described as quieter, with briefing completed at the Court of Appeals and oral argument possible later this year or early next year. The committee also heard an actuarial update on the interim work plan, including planned informational briefings on month-of-death policy, a Plan 1 ad hoc COLA, and the OSA demographic experience study, which is still under external audit. Members asked whether updated fiscal notes had been prepared for two bills under study; staff said preliminary analysis had been done and full updates would come if the bills move forward. The committee then discussed how to handle the ad hoc COLA item and agreed to have staff draft a letter endorsing House Bill 1474 and any similar Senate bill for a one-year ad hoc COLA, to be brought back for full committee consideration in November. Staff reviewed the draft November and December work plan. The committee adopted the November agenda, which includes annual updates from the State Investment Board and Retirement Systems, the left one study closeout, and the ad hoc COLA action item. Members also discussed whether excess compensation and 2026 session prep should be handled by email rather than in a meeting, with general agreement to move the session prep to electronic communication and possibly handle excess compensation as an informational item, depending on availability. Constituent correspondence included several messages on climate change and Plan 1 COLAs, including support for the merger bill and COLAs in general. Jacob White of the LEOFF 2 Board reported that the board had only held an educational briefing on excess compensation and overtime, found the data limited, and took no further action. The meeting ended with thanks to staff and an adjournment vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> are in our pension plans. are in our pension plans.
• are on the local plan.
• </c><01:02:39.160><c> plan</c><01:02:39.640><c> administrators</c> uh retirement plan administrators
• uh retirement plan administrators administrators<01:02:41.640><c> or</c><01:02:41.800><c> others,</c>
• </c><01:03:28.640><c> However,</c> from the new plans. However, from the new plans.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Retirement savings, while important for everyone to have, many do not plan for it until it's too late
• Planning for retirement in today's economy is becoming increasingly more difficult to attain.
• of retirement savings at all.
• I'm Tristan Wollicott, Deputy Director for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Board.
• accounts for participants who are eligible to receive retirement benefits.

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Bills: HB816 , HB1535 , HB1537 , HB1541 , HB1562 , HB1574 , HB1591 , HB1853 , HB1854 , HB1871 , HB1965 , HB1966 , HB1969 , HB1973 , HB1974 , HB2315 , HB2343 , HB2501 , HB2505 , HB1577 , HB2443 , HB2498 , HB2581 , HB2622

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: HB816, Hawaii, opioid overdose, opioid crisis, buprenorphine, naloxone, Narcan, paramedics, emergency medical services, EMS, first responders, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, withdrawal management, overdose reversal, pilot program, Department of Health, DOH, county population under 100,000, rural health

Transcript Highlights:

• Option Plan.
• It comes from the Committee on Retirement favorably, as ordered to the Legislative Bureau.
• option plan.
• It comes from the Committee on Retirement Favorably, as ordered to the Legislative Bureau.
• It comes from the Committee on Retirement favorably.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You were limited to your teacher retirement, your educator retirement.
• When it talks about a retirement allowance, does that include like IRAs and personal savings?
• Okay, so not just a company's retirement system. No, no. No.
• These are deferred plans. Okay. If it's a Roth, no. Okay. Don't work. Got it. All right.
• Chairman, it was amended to your bill and your retirement bill. I remember.

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The Committee on Pensions heard House Bill 1762 and House Bill 2059 together because both addressed the same issue: expanding Missouri’s tax deduction for private pensions. The sponsors explained that current law allows a limited deduction for private pension income only for taxpayers below certain income thresholds, and their bills would double both the deduction amount and the income limits. They said the proposal is intended to make private pension treatment more comparable to public pension treatment and to help retirees, self-employed people, and small business owners who saved through IRAs, SIMPLEs, or SEPs. One sponsor noted the bill was a scaled-back version of a prior proposal that would have fully eliminated the tax, in part to reduce the fiscal impact. Committee members asked several questions about who would benefit and how the limits work. The sponsors said the deduction would apply only to taxpayers under the income thresholds, would not help higher-income taxpayers, and would not apply to Roth accounts because the plans must be deferred. Members raised concerns about the fiscal note, which was discussed as roughly $135 million to $140 million, and about whether the income test could still allow some relatively wealthy taxpayers to qualify because Missouri adjusted gross income can differ from broader measures of income. The sponsors defended the bill as a fairness issue and noted that similar treatment already exists for public pensions. No witnesses testified in support, opposition, or for informational purposes. The committee did not take any vote or other action before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• You were limited to your teacher retirement, your educator retirement.
• When it talks about a retirement allowance, does that include like IRAs and personal savings?
• Okay, so not just a company's retirement system? No, no. No.
• These are deferred plans. Okay. If it's a Roth, no. Okay. Don't work. Got it. All right.
• Chairman, it was amended to your bill and your retirement bill. I remember.

Committee: House Pensions

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for these people to eventually be a member of the public school retirement system, we would just as
• And then, of course, we do pay into the retirement system that is appropriate to what that... ...And
• So, Representative, the retirement system is on board? Yes. Yes.
• So if we put them in the retirement system, I get it.
• STA members report having their planning time taken from them on a daily or a weekly basis.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2195, a driver education-related measure. The ranking member offered an amendment to remove the word “training” and add specific safe-driving topics such as pedestrian and motorcycle safety, based on prior testimony. The amendment and then a committee substitute were adopted. Members clarified that the bill does not require schools to offer driver education; it instead creates a mechanism for schools that choose to provide it. The committee then voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2195 do pass by a unanimous 18-0 vote. Next, the committee considered House Bill 2502. The substitute mainly changed the term “non-public” to more specific references to private, parochial, and parish schools. The substitute was adopted, and the committee voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2502 do pass unanimously, 18-0. The committee then revisited House Bill 2776, which had previously been voted out but was brought back after additional concerns from PSRS and others. The sponsor described major revisions, including changes to teacher certification tiers, more flexible service timelines, expanded credit for professional development, and limits to elementary grades. Members debated whether the bill watered down teacher preparation, whether the new certification structure could create unintended rights or salary issues, and whether the elementary-only scope was appropriate. After extensive discussion, the committee adopted the substitute and voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 2776 do pass by a 14-4 vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1767, the Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act. The sponsor said the bill was intended to balance educator and parent rights and encourage collaboration rather than conflict. Supporters from Missouri NEA and the Missouri State Teachers Association said the bill would help address teacher retention by protecting classroom discipline authority, planning time, and other working conditions. School administrators raised concerns about practical implementation, potential legal conflicts, and added burdens on districts. After testimony and discussion, no further action was taken and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Liz will be retiring this October after more than three decades of dedicated service with the Assembly
• And good luck in your retirement. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• I wish you the best in retirement and am really excited for the time that we got to have together.
• the number of acres allowed in plans.
• Retirement plans may also report and transfer unclaimed retirement distributions to the State Controller

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest and retirement recognitions, including tributes to long-serving Assembly staff Liz Foster and Teresa Trujillo. Members also made procedural motions, including placing SB 546 on the inactive file, re-referring SB 716 to the Local Government Committee, and rescinding prior actions on SB 1344 and SB 1273 to return them to the third reading file. The body then took up a long series of concurrence and third-reading items, with most measures passing overwhelmingly. Among the bills discussed were AB 442 on working forest management plans, AB 2042 on civil actions, AB 1145 on vehicles, ACR 162 honoring Congressman Doug LaMalfa, AJR 17 on immigration registry renewal, SB 941 limiting commissary markups in private detention facilities, SB 1306 on controlled substances and semiconductor manufacturing, SB 1169 extending tentative map validity, SB 1211 on conviction integrity units, SB 971 on older adult education, SB 1193 on Alameda County discretionary funds, SB 1115 on public cemetery district trustee removal, SB 1187 removing language-access provisions from a Brown Act transparency measure, SB 505 on money transmitter security, SB 799 on the South Bay Regional Housing Trust, SB 994 banning NDAs for local officials and staff, SB 1405 on unclaimed retirement distributions, SB 881 extending food-bank-related tax incentives, SJR 18 on campaign finance reform, SB 1307 on forged real estate documents, and SB 1196 on utility hookup timelines. Most measures were approved with little or no opposition; SJR 18 passed 43-14, and several items required urgency or 54-vote thresholds and were adopted. The Assembly also adopted HR 136 designating Home Hardening Week and the consent calendar, including ACR 228. The session concluded with adjournment-in-memory presentations for David and Lupe Navarro and Rachel Summers, followed by an announcement that the Assembly would reconvene the next day at 9 a.m. for a floor session recognizing departing members, and the House adjourned until Tuesday, August 18 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency attributes this issue to high turnover, particularly retirements.
• agency's overall retirements and other Article 8 agency retirements.
• Retirements, I get it.
• We also plan to make increases and add positions across the agency where our capacity is needed.
• For Planned Parenthood the entire time he was working, he took an early retirement.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's a subset of SRF funding that's available for that type of planning.
• Many municipalities do not have an urban forest master plan.
• We're seeing a number of farmers retire from farming.
• We're seeing a number of farmers retire from farming.
• My dad's a retired Air Force enlisted senior master sergeant.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Summary: The Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets held a hearing on S. 2542, the Mass Ready Act, the Healey-Driscoll administration’s environmental bond bill. Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper and Undersecretary Jen Sullivan described the bill as a $3 billion resilience package to protect drinking water, farms, fisheries, roads, bridges, parks, and communities from flooding, heat, drought, wildfires, and other climate impacts. They highlighted major authorizations for flood and coastal resilience, DCR infrastructure, drinking water and wastewater upgrades, PFAS remediation, open space and land protection, food security infrastructure, and a new Resilience Revolving Fund for low-cost loans to municipalities, tribes, and water districts. Committee members asked about project lifespans, flood and salt marsh permitting, wastewater and combined sewer overflow funding, parkway maintenance, land acquisition priorities, Quabbin stewardship, and how the revolving fund would be capitalized and administered. The administration said the fund would be modeled on the Clean Water Trust, use existing trust resources rather than new fees, and could later support special obligation bonds; they also said the bill would streamline certain permitting and improve flood-risk disclosure and climate-related building standards. Many witnesses urged the committee to strengthen the bill’s funding levels or add related policy provisions. Labor, contractor, and plumbing groups supported creating a water reuse and graywater recycling commission, saying it could conserve water, reduce stormwater and sewer burdens, and create skilled jobs. Boston Harbor Now asked for higher authorizations for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program and resilient coast work, plus permitting reforms for nature-based and waterfront projects. The Massachusetts Rivers Alliance backed the bill but also urged inclusion of drought-management legislation, a water reuse commission, a statewide flood buyout program, and more support for community resiliency. Environmental justice advocates from Green Roots called for dedicated funding for outdoor and indoor air quality monitoring and indoor air quality improvements in schools and public housing, while conservation and tree advocates sought larger investments in urban forestry, local nurseries, and workforce training, along with clearer language to ensure municipal reforestation funds go to cities and towns. Agricultural and food system witnesses emphasized the importance of the bill’s food security and farmland provisions. The Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership and the Mass Food System Collaborative supported the $125 million food security infrastructure grant program, saying it has funded critical facilities and equipment for farmers, fishers, processors, and food access organizations, but warned that without the bill there could be a funding gap in fiscal year 2027. They also supported farmland protection and asked for more funding for agricultural capital programs, used-equipment eligibility in grant programs, and a next-generation farmer fund. Water utility representatives said the bill still falls short of the state’s long-term drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater needs, citing EPA estimates of nearly $37 billion in needed investments over 20 years and urging dedicated recurring funding and broader eligibility for climate resilience grants. No votes were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you have an $800 a month bill for your Blue Cross Blue Shield plan or whatever plan you have, those
• and commercial health care plans, ...on Medi-Cal managed care plans and commercial health care plans
• The charge is on the health plan, but it is possible for costs to be passed along to consumers in the
• He has unfortunately announced his retirement, which won't happen for a year.
• So I know his retirement is richly deserved, but I just want to say we will miss him greatly.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then honored astronaut Captain Victor J. Glover Jr. for his achievements as a Navy officer, NASA astronaut, and California native. Senators Weber Pearson and Rubio highlighted his historic space missions and his role as an inspiration for students, especially in STEM, before the chamber took a photo with Glover and his family. The body then took up SCR 183 on Juneteenth. Senator Weber Pearson presented the resolution as a commemoration of emancipation and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice. Senators Padilla, Smallwood-Cuevas, Valladares, and Becker spoke in support from the perspectives of the Latino, LGBTQ, Women’s, Hispanic, and Jewish caucuses, emphasizing historical memory, faith, and the need to continue fighting discrimination. The resolution passed unanimously, 39-0. The Senate next considered budget trailer bills SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. SB 110 made technical budget amendments and passed 29-10. SB 122 expanded sales tax to electronically delivered prewritten software, extended and limited business tax credits, adjusted LLC minimum taxes, and included other revenue changes; supporters said it helped balance the budget and protect services, while opponents argued it would raise costs for businesses, hospitals, and families. It passed 27-9. SB 125 created a federally compliant managed care organization tax to support Medi-Cal and avoid deeper cuts; supporters said it was necessary after federal changes eliminated the prior tax, while opponents warned premiums could rise. It also passed 27-9. The chamber also adopted SR 114 designating June 15-21, 2026 as AVID Week, and SJR 14 urging a Congressional Gold Medal for World War II Army and Navy nurses, both by unanimous roll call. SCR 187 recognizing Father’s Day in California also passed unanimously. The Senate then approved a large consent calendar and closed with remarks about Juneteenth and the next session scheduled for June 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• So how are you—what's the action plan behind this?
• So then are you going to create a plan for every single grade level?
• So then are you going to create a plan for every single grade level?
• We look at resources and share lesson plans across our real-world experience.
• Now, my focus as a retired educator...

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Working forest management plans developed by landowners serve as living long-term plans for sustainable
• Under current law, a planned harvest area sustainable forest stewardship.
• Under current law, a planned harvest area cannot include more than one watershed.
• We made significant changes, adjusted retirement formulas, increased retirement ages, and required greater
• Assembly Bill 1439 by Assembly Member Garcia, relating to the public retirement systems.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum, offered a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and then took up a long third-reading file with several guest introductions and ceremonial resolutions. Early floor action included AB 713, allowing undocumented students equal access to campus jobs at UC, CSU, and community colleges, and AB 1049, streamlining California Food Assistance Program applications for low-income immigrant families; both passed. The body also defeated an amendment to AB 1421, a bill to begin studying a statewide mileage-based road user charge, before passing the measure. AB 1171, modernizing part-time community college faculty health insurance access, also passed with strong support. The Assembly then approved a series of policy bills on animals, domestic violence, telehealth for autism services, forestry, false lien filings, tianeptine restrictions, housing, common interest development fee transparency, prison sexual abuse accountability, PBM reporting, foster youth benefits protections, illegal dumping and abandoned RV removal, condo financing/liquidated damages, public contracting, pension-related study language, climate resiliency research funding, and a disposable vape reduction measure. Most passed with broad margins; AB 762 on vapor inhalation devices drew the most debate, with supporters emphasizing landfill fires and public health and opponents warning about revenue losses and illicit-market growth, but it still passed. AB 1406 on condo development financing drew extensive discussion about housing affordability and consumer protections before passing. The chamber also adopted three resolutions: ACR 120 declaring January 2026 Positive Parenting Awareness Month, ACR 121 designating January 2026 National Mentoring Month, and ACR 122 designating Anesthesiologist Week. Later, the Assembly concurred in Senate amendments on AB 1485, extending welfare-tax exemption treatment to federally recognized tribes holding land for conservation, and adopted the consent calendar, which included several additional bills and SCR 6. The session ended with adjournment until February 2, 2016, after which several members recorded vote changes from the floor.