Video & Transcript Research : 'Century Code'

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ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tribal and State Relations Committee Apr 13th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • , and we ask for all five zip codes of data.
  • One thing that is recognized, and it's in North Dakota Century Code, is that land owned by a tribal entity
  • North Dakota Century Code does create an exemption there.
  • North Dakota Century Code 57-51.2-04 requires this committee to receive a report from the governor describing
  • But the report from the governor is that pursuant to that North Dakota Century Code, this report is submitted
Summary: The meeting focused heavily on behavioral health and substance use treatment, especially the IMD exclusion and whether North Dakota should pursue a Section 1115 waiver to allow Medicaid reimbursement for services in institutions for mental diseases for adults ages 21 to 64. Turtle Mountain representatives described major local needs, including limited access to care, high syphilis rates, and the importance of timely public health data. They also discussed the tribe’s recovery center, which opened the prior year, now operating five levels of care with 16 beds, and the desire to expand capacity, possibly through an IMD waiver or related policy changes. Committee members also raised related issues such as rural health transformation funding, telehealth, workforce retention, and the need for better coordination between tribal and state public health systems. A central issue was Turtle Mountain Public Health’s long-running effort to secure a data use agreement with the state so it can receive surveillance data and respond directly to infectious disease cases among tribal members. Speakers said the tribe had a successful COVID-era agreement that allowed faster contact tracing and case management, but that agreement ended with the pandemic. They argued that current delays in sharing data, especially for sexually transmitted infections, leave the tribe unable to respond quickly, while the state and county epidemiology workload is too distant and stretched to be effective. Committee members expressed support and said they would look into the issue, noting that other tribes have secured similar agreements. The committee also heard a detailed presentation from the National Health Law Program on the IMD exclusion. The presenter explained that federal Medicaid law generally bars payment for care in facilities with more than 16 beds, but that states can use other tools such as state plan amendments, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He said IMD waivers are administratively complex, time-limited, and have shown mixed results in other states, with some gains in residential treatment access but limited evidence of improved overdose outcomes or stronger community-based care. He urged the committee to consider broader continuum-of-care solutions and cautioned that waivers alone are not a cure-all. No final vote was taken on the bill draft during the portion shown, but the committee discussed the proposal to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE to HHS to pursue an IMD waiver and report back in the next interim. Members also debated the policy rationale for the 16-bed limit, the role of the state versus tribal sovereignty, and whether the bill should move through the Health Care or Human Services committee in the future.
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Monday, March 31, 2025)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • REMOVING OUR NAVAJO CODE TALK YOURS WHO HELPED US DEFEAT JAPAN.
  • Congratulations on a century of excellence. I yield back.
  • CONAN obviously has a rich history dating back over two centuries.
  • in the tax code and ensure disaster victims are able to receive more timely relief.
  • Through that journey, year after year, decade after decade, century into century, Raúl Grijalva held
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session (Part II) Apr 30th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • It adds three new codes: the Elections Code, the Penal Code, and the Health Senator Creighton: and Safety
  • Code.
  • checks and balances that the framers of our Constitution and the philosophers upon whom they drew for centuries
  • can look at every abortion statute in Texas history, going back to the 1800s, to the 1900s, to this century
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Apr 9th, 2025

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • Chapter 32 of Texas Penal Code corruption has Chapter 36.
  • It's time to create a 21st century border.
  • I'm really just trying to create a 21st century border for us.
  • PC penal code 6.03C.
  • OK, Texas Penal Code 2205, it, it talks about the deadly conduct charge.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • This is a Century Code that's on the screen. It must be printable.
  • North Dakota Century Code 40-24-16 outlines that.
  • North Dakota Century Code 40-24-16 outlines that special assessments must be included on the first installment
  • We just went through it in Century Code. And as you can see, it's pretty full.
  • We read the statute or the Century Code change, and we had to incorporate it into our system through
Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Health Care Committee Jul 15th, 2026

Health Care Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • The International Fire Code in particular The International Fire Code in particular is adopted under
  • Code, Chapter 23-43.
  • Code, Chapter 23-43.
  • Participation in the statewide stroke registry as required by the Century Code remains a critical component
  • Now, I'll tell you, with coding, there's a lot of issues with missing data, with codes that overlap.
Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard a detailed annual presentation from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and review findings. He explained the committee’s structure, the de-identified review process, and the distinction between pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. He said national maternal mortality has declined from its 2021 peak, but mental health conditions, substance use, overdose, suicide, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, infection, and embolism remain major causes. He emphasized that many deaths are preventable, with especially high rates among non-Hispanic Black women and in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and noted that a large share of deaths occur after 42 days postpartum. Committee members asked about suicide, domestic abuse, pregnancy testing in unexplained deaths, and the role of home births and midwife training. Dr. Arnold said the committee is adding a caseworker, exploring post-mortem pregnancy testing in suspicious cases, and working with coroners and forensic officials; he also said home births and untrained midwifery pose safety concerns and that better public education and facility-based care are important. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matt Clark on cigarette ignition propensity standards and fire prevention. He recommended updating North Dakota’s cigarette ignition legislation to the current national standard and also considering legislation requiring fast-breakaway oxygen tubing, citing fatal fires involving smoking around home oxygen. He explained that his office verifies manufacturer testing and maintains certification for cigarettes sold in the state, but does not itself conduct the testing. Members asked about implementation, cost, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Clark said he would follow up with cost information and additional details, and that he had not seen evidence of a major issue on tribal lands but would look further. Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services presented the North Dakota Stroke System of Care report. She described the statewide network of two comprehensive stroke centers, four primary stroke centers, and 30 acute stroke-ready hospitals, along with the stroke registry and quality-improvement efforts. She reported that most strokes are ischemic, that the median stroke patient age is 71.5, and that common risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. She highlighted improvements in door-to-CT, thrombolytic treatment times, dysphagia screening, EMS pre-notification, and interfacility transfer performance, and said new priorities include hemorrhagic stroke quality measures and standardized EMS stroke screening tools. Members asked about the VA hospital’s participation, and Greff said she would pursue outreach. After a break, the committee heard testimony from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals as part of the prior authorization study, focused on non-opioid pain treatment. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to acute pain treatment and may push patients toward opioids, especially in the critical 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window. He cited data showing that even short opioid exposure can increase the risk of long-term use and said prior authorization is often a barrier for physicians and patients. Khan recommended open access with a quantity limit rather than prior authorization, suggesting a 14-day limit supported by the product’s data and an episode-of-care approach. Members asked about dental use, payer discussions, and cost; he said the product’s wholesale acquisition cost is about $16.10 per tablet, with patient assistance available, and that he would follow up on payer and comparison-cost questions.
AL

Alabama 2026 Regular Session

Alabama House Judiciary Committee Feb 18th, 2026

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • old tradition and is there's a centuries old tradition and I<00:29:22.000> just<00:29:22.159>
  • is just a more comprehensive bill, but, um, I know there's an issue about reference to one federal code
  • The amendment simply— it replaces... code is about digital replicas uh which code is about digital replicas
  • If a defendant is an illegal alien charged with an offense enumerated under Section 15-13-3, Code of
  • I wanted to put drug trafficking in with it, and that was in that code, but we found out that that was
Keywords: 1136, house, all
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee Mar 24th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • And by the way, if you're interested in seeing what this looks like, there's a QR code on the screen.
  • One of the next reports that we owe the committee is a commentary on some of the Century Code elements
  • As we were going through the work, obviously you're familiar with Century Code 38-23, which has the general
  • Code, would be any— Nucleon discusses our Century Code would be any, once we've listened to the presentation
  • Most of what I think, if I remember right, that we have in Century Code right now deals with the storage
Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to hear a series of presentations on the economics, financing, workforce, and community impacts of advanced nuclear deployment in North Dakota. William Bridge of Nucleon Energy presented the committee’s economic impacts and private-sector financing report, estimating construction and operating job impacts, local spending, and state/local tax effects for hypothetical SMR projects. He said the report assumes first-of-a-kind costs are still high, used a $6 million per megawatt nth-of-a-kind proxy, and estimated peak construction workforces of about 500 for a 200-MW plant and 1,000 for a larger facility, with roughly 100 operating jobs for a 200-MW plant. Committee members questioned security costs, capital cost assumptions, water and transmission siting constraints, and whether the model included fuel and waste; Bridge said the report included initial fuel in capital cost and that waste disposal is funded through existing federal mechanisms. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning efforts. She described declining labor-force participation, retirements, and the need for a much larger future workforce, and said NEI has organized recommendations around career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and nontraditional recruitment. She highlighted tools such as the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, timing for training relative to plant development, and whether advanced manufacturing would reduce staffing needs; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. The committee also heard from Gary Yaco, mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota, who described Prairie Island’s role in his community. He said the plant provides a large share of local property tax revenue, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to emergency preparedness funding and training, and is broadly supported by the city despite periodic protests and public concerns. He emphasized the plant’s security, regular drills with local and federal responders, and the absence of problems with dry cask storage. Later, Benton Arnett of NEI discussed the current financing landscape for advanced nuclear, explaining how tax credits, federal loan support, off-take agreements, and new business models are helping projects move forward. He said early projects face high upfront costs and long lead-time procurement, but that investor confidence is improving as federal policy and regulatory streamlining continue. The committee asked about waste funding, comparisons with natural gas, the effect of political shifts on investor confidence, and whether the market will narrow to a few winning technologies; Arnett said the industry is still sorting that out, but expects clearer winners in the late 2020s and early 2030s. The meeting concluded with an introductory presentation from Julie Kazeraki of DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, who said the office is focused on accelerating nuclear deployment through financing support.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • All these pillars are current commitments that are now codified as part of the Public Utilities Code.
  • So the Public Utilities Code is codified and comes from Assembly bills, Senate bills.
  • As the CPUC, we have the responsibility to implement what is statutory code on Public Utilities Code.
  • As the CPUC, we have the responsibility to implement what is statutory code on Public Utilities Code.
  • But as I articulated in my testimony, that fiber line, which is the 21st century infrastructure, every
Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) to examine its history, current operation, and possible future changes in California. Chair Tasha Berner said the hearing was prompted in part by AT&T’s 2023 request for relief from COLR obligations and by broader concerns about public safety, affordability, universal service, and access to modern broadband and telecommunications. The first panel featured a telecommunications expert who traced COLR back to universal service principles and explained how states have handled COLR differently, including full deregulation, limited rural obligations, or transition pathways tied to competition and customer protections. Members asked about affordability, federal and state processes for service withdrawal, and whether COLR remains necessary given modern competition. CPUC staff then described California’s COLR framework, explaining that universal service rests on access, reliability/quality, and affordability, and that COLR requires carriers to provide basic service, including voice-grade calling, 911 access, relay services, and Lifeline. Staff said AT&T’s application sought relief in nearly all of its territory, but no replacement COLR came forward during the proceeding, and public participation hearings drew thousands of comments and strong concern from rural and vulnerable customers. The CPUC outlined its ongoing rulemaking to reconsider whether the 1996 COLR rules and 2012 basic-service definition still fit current conditions, with workshops and public hearings scheduled and a proposed decision expected later in the year or into 2026. Members pressed staff on geographic outreach, wireless coverage, whether broadband can be part of basic service, public safety during wildfires, and what reporting and complaint processes currently exist. In the final panel, industry and public-interest witnesses sharply disagreed. A U.S. Telecom representative argued COLR is outdated, costly, and copper-focused, and said reform should allow technology-neutral alternatives such as wireless, fiber, and satellite while preserving reliable voice and emergency access. The CPUC Public Advocates Office countered that COLR remains a necessary public safeguard, especially for rural and low-income customers, and argued that any transition should maintain or improve service, with public benefits such as broadband investment and continued protections for 911, disability access, and affordability. Committee members focused on the difference between an obligation to serve everyone and a mere option to serve, and on whether the Legislature should provide clearer guidance as the CPUC’s rulemaking moves forward.
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • of entertainment and a century of significance.
  • <00:31:13.200> of for your service and may your century of for your service and may your century
  • And it's time that we move it to the 21st century.
  • I I I I just I cannot centuries.
  • I've both titans of the 20th century.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Labor - 04/16/26

Labor

Transcript Highlights:
  • > it<00:05:42.200> is<00:05:42.360> a<00:05:42.440> very for almost a century
  • Uh it is a very for almost a century.
  • <00:16:02.320> and<00:16:02.440> licensing for the construction codes and licensing
  • for the construction codes and licensing provisions<00:16:03.520> in<00:16:03.720> Sections
  • And so, um being it was building code.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources Apr 16th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • structural and format-related that the Legislative Counsel deemed necessary and removes the list of codes
  • that do not have a change in the code from the section.
  • the same regulatory framework and procedures as water districts under Chapter 13 of the Texas Water Code
  • Under Chapter 36 of the Water Code, groundwater conservation districts enforce their Chair: rules by
  • That's a provision that's been in place for over a half a century now.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • In the House, we didn't believe that this needed to be in Century Code.
  • We embedded in Century Code.
  • We thought that the organizations, whether it be whatever organization, Code, we thought that the organizations
  • would be helpful or something that would be requested by schools, we would absolutely want to do a QR code
  • I guess without this information in the bill or in central code, would it be possible maybe for a competing
Keywords: 908, all
Summary: The Senate conference committee on Senate Bill 2330 met to resolve differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill, which concerns human trafficking and exploitation prevention and awareness education in schools. House members explained their amendments, including adding non-public schools, narrowing some statutory language, removing the appropriation section because funding had been moved into the Attorney General’s budget, and changing the bill’s structure to reduce what they viewed as an overly broad mandate. Senators and House members then debated whether the education should be required for all grades or limited to specific grades, and whether it should be delivered every year or every other year. Testimony from Amy Boyd-Bomey of YouthWorks and Stacey Schaefer of the 31A Project supported focusing the program on grades 6 and 10, with later discussion adding grade 12. They said sixth grade is a key entry point into junior high and social media exposure, tenth grade is important because of dropout risk, and twelfth grade would be the last opportunity to reach students before adulthood. They also said repeating the same material every year could dilute the message, that the curriculum should be thoughtful and trauma-informed, and that “best practices” may be preferable to the bill’s “evidence-based” language because of cost and feasibility. They emphasized that presenters must be prepared for disclosures from students after the training. Committee members also discussed logistics and funding. The witnesses said the Attorney General’s budget line for the program would fund third-party organizations through a grant process, with reporting requirements, and that the proposed amount was based on their cost estimates. Members raised concerns about whether the funding would cover all schools and grades, especially if non-public schools were included. Several members argued against mandating the program in non-public schools at this time, citing uncertainty about related legislation and the need to maximize available funds, while others said private school students also face trafficking risks and should not be excluded. The committee did not take final action on the bill; instead, members agreed to continue working on amendments, including grade levels, annual versus biennial implementation, the “may include” language, the “evidence-based” standard, and the non-public school issue, and to reconvene at a later meeting.
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Local Legislation Committee Apr 30th, 2025

Local Legislation

Transcript Highlights:
  • The qualifications to become sheriff are already outlined in Alabama code, and if already outlined in
  • Alabama code, and if there is a need to make changes to the outline code, there should be public hearings
  • It's a new year, 21st century. It's a new year, 21st century.
Bills: SB287
VA
Transcript Highlights:
  • This is something we have to do, I think every year, or at least every other year, as per the code.
  • Our code, our agencies, and our practices need to reflect that truth.
  • where it makes sense, and we can point back to that as a precedent for other areas in the code where
  • What we're trying to do is update our code, the Virginia code, so that it recognizes that that's a truism
  • . that potentially this month, the commission will ratify that model state code.
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

Emerging Issues Jan 12th, 2026

Emerging Issues

Transcript Highlights:
  • Why would you put in code this kind of thing?
  • It's not up to speech code.
  • It's not up to speech code.
  • There is no other source of discrimination code or protection of rights of minority code that talks about
  • As other people have said, antisemitism is centuries, centuries old. My family knows this.
Keywords: 959, house, all
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Monday, April 20, 2026)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • After considering the Secretary's report, the factors in section 232(d)(19), United States Code 1862(
  • Kellogg Arabian Horse Center on a century of excellence and impact, and cheers to the next 100 years.
  • These issues don't exist in a vacuum, and many of them are rooted in decades, I would say centuries,
  • These issues don't exist in a vacuum, and many of them are rooted in decades, I would say centuries,
  • These issues don't exist in a vacuum, and many of them are rooted in decades, I would say centuries,
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • is our state's national affiliate for the national party, I want to get this off: two and a half centuries
  • both state guard members under Title 32 as well as reservists under Title 10 of the United States Code
  • Under United States Code Title 10, Section 301, as an example, in time of war or national emergency,
  • Under United States Code Title 10, Section 301, as an example, in time of war or national emergency,
  • As currently written, enforcement of the Massachusetts Code of Military Justice...
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The committee held a hybrid public hearing on seven House bills and seven Senate bills related to the Massachusetts National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserves. Opening remarks covered hearing procedures, livestreaming, testimony limits, and expected reporting dates, and chairs noted the committee’s focus on Guard and Reserve issues. Testimony then moved through several bills, including S. 2465 to expand the National Guard welcome-home veterans bonus to all deployed Guard members regardless of residency, H. 3876/S. 2462 to authorize military-style headstones for long-serving or deceased Guard members, and S. 2482/H. 3833 to establish a Massachusetts National Guard Museum in Salem. Supporters of the bonus and headstone bills argued they would correct inequities and better honor service; Senator Lovely described the museum proposal as a way to preserve the Guard’s history in Salem and potentially support federal funding for the project. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 3829/S. 2471, the “Defend the Guard” proposal that would bar Massachusetts National Guard deployments into active combat absent a formal congressional declaration of war. Supporters argued the bill would restore constitutional war powers, reduce repeated undeclared deployments, and protect Guard members’ mental health and state readiness. Opponents, including retired Guard leaders and current service members, warned it could conflict with federal law and Title 10 authority, undermine federal funding and training, and harm readiness, force structure, and unique Guard capabilities. Committee members repeatedly questioned the bill’s legal authority, constitutional basis, and practical effects under the Supremacy Clause and Title 10, and several witnesses were asked to submit additional written legal support. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3831, which would extend Chapter 115 benefits to currently serving Guard and Reserve members who do not meet federal veteran-status thresholds, and on related proposals to clarify Guard command structure and the duties of the Adjutant General. Supporters said these changes would improve access to benefits, reduce confusion in the chain of command, and strengthen discipline and responsiveness. Separately, the National Guard Association of Massachusetts backed H. 3860/S. 2458, the Guard Enlistment Enhancement Program, as a recruiting tool, while opposing the Defend the Guard bills. No votes were taken during the hearing.
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • This bill would cut through bureaucracy by bringing VA scheduling into the 21st century.
  • <04:11:53.840> This scheduling into the 21st century.
  • This scheduling into the 21st century.
  • Um I am very honored to rise in support of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act.
  • Um I am very honored to rise in support of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Transcript Highlights:
  • I've formerly been the fire marshal for the city, which is charged with enforcing the state fire code
  • of the state fire code, which they are not authorized to enforce.
  • It has become routine to meet resistance to our recommendations based on the code.
  • They range from state-owned high-rise properties down to properties built in the 19th century.
  • It has become routine to meet resistance to our recommendations based on the code.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Public Safety and Homeland Security Joint Committee heard testimony on several bills focused on accessibility, fire safety, and transportation safety. House 2569, expanding adaptable housing for people with disabilities and seniors, drew broad support from Rep. Christine Barber, disability advocates, and members of the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council. Witnesses said the bill would close gaps in the Architectural Access Board’s authority, require more adaptable housing in rehabs and older conversions, and extend accessibility requirements to employee-only work areas. They emphasized the shortage and cost of accessible housing, the benefits for aging in place, and the risk of institutionalization when accessible units are unavailable. The committee also heard strong support for House 2577, which would allow local fire departments to inspect and enforce fire code compliance in state-owned buildings. Rep. Robert Cataldo and Boston Fire Chief Pat Ellis described this as closing a long-standing loophole that leaves state properties outside local fire-code enforcement, despite the hazards posed by aging state buildings and life-safety systems. Fire service representatives also supported bills to create a statewide technical rescue system under the Department of Fire Services, standardizing training, equipment, funding, and coordination across regional rescue teams, and they backed related fire-safety measures including sprinkler-related legislation and professionalism measures. Rep. James O’Day testified for House 2676, which would require window screens to prevent child falls, arguing it is a common-sense safety measure and noting recent fatal incidents. Ann Shuey and John Kalura testified for House 2601, which would require motor coach passengers to wear seat belts, citing a family tragedy, low seat-belt use, and research showing signage can improve compliance. Steven Poglisi of NAGE supported House 2568, requiring carbon monoxide alarms in public buildings, describing a past CO exposure incident involving a union member. The committee took no votes on the bills during the hearing and adjourned after testimony concluded.