Transcript Highlights:

• so an E&M code.
• The biopsy of the concerning spot would get a procedure code, or a CPT code for short.
• The procedure code covers all of that.
• and management, or E&M, code.
• These policies penalize efficient patient care.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• the residential landlord tenant code. the residential landlord tenant code.
• Section two, section A2 is specifically within the court's scope.
• Section two, section A2 is specifically within the court's scope.
• At page two, section two, section A2 is specifically within the court's scope.
• phrase being used in the penal code. phrase being used in the penal code.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several housing, landlord-tenant, and condominium-related measures. Senate Bill 62, relating to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, would allow HPHA-owned parcels and related areas such as parking lots to be closed to the public with posted signage; HPHA strongly supported the bill, saying it would help reduce loitering, drinking, and other problems, and no further testimony was offered. Senate Bill 822, relating to the landlord tenant code, would create a three-year working group in the Department of the Attorney General to study and improve the residential landlord-tenant code. The Judiciary supported the measure but said the scope should be narrowed; the Attorney General opposed leading the group and suggested another agency should do so; Hawaii Realtors and the Hawaii Worker Center supported the concept and suggested moving the chairmanship to the Judiciary and including Legal Aid participation. The Judiciary said it could chair the group if the bill were narrowed to matters within the court’s purview. Senate Bill 38, relating to housing, would limit counties from imposing stricter conditions, AMI requirements, or fee-waiver reductions on certain affordable housing proposals if those changes would increase project costs. HHFDC supported the bill, saying county changes after state approval create uncertainty for developers, while the Hawaii State Association of Counties opposed it as an intrusion on local authority and a restriction on county safety and infrastructure conditions. Members asked about whether existing county review periods were sufficient, and the county association said the main concern was the bill’s language limiting counties from making cost-increasing conditions. Senate Bill 146, relating to condominiums, would revise alternative dispute resolution procedures for condo disputes, including evaluative mediation and binding arbitration. The Hawaii Real Estate Commission said it took no position overall but supported a $150 mediation fee and asked for a similar arbitration fee; Community Associations Institute supported the bill with suggested amendments; however, most testimony was strongly opposed by condominium owners and advocates, who said the bill had been changed to the detriment of owners and would increase costs and reduce protections. The committee noted 44 testimonies on the bill, with 2 in support, 37 in opposition, and 2 with comments. Senate Bill 253, relating to condominium reserves, would require a detailed budget summary to stand on its own, remove a good-faith defense for certain noncompliant budgets, and clarify standing and the association’s burden regarding substantial compliance. Hawaii Realtors and Community Associations Institute supported the measure as improving transparency and giving owners and buyers a clearer picture of association finances. Greg Msakian also supported it, arguing it would help owners and describing problems he experienced with budget committee exclusion and budget noncompliance in his own association. The discussion ended while testimony on the bill was still underway, with additional witnesses expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oz went on to say this annual adjustment isn't meant to penalize states. Dr.
• adjustment isn't meant to penalize adjustment isn't meant to penalize states.<00:05:14.040> Dr
• All the while that if you know the secret code, you can find it on the website.
• Maybe so, but you've got to Maybe so, but you've got to know the secret code of how to find it.
• There's going to be a narrative section, these things we described this morning.

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 4 June, 2026; 2:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this act, which adds sections 187035 and 187037 to the Public Utilities Code, imposes a limitation on
• My colleague from the city of Clovis noted a particular section that was found on page 12, section 14
• He, or sorry, section, I'm sorry, page 12, section 14, and he noted at the end the need for protecting
• The suspects were charged under Penal Code 2236.1.
• The suspects were charged under Penal Code 2236.1 for human trafficking of a minor, a crime that is now

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then approved a procedural motion by a 41-17 roll call to re-refer AB 2690 and AB 1863 to Appropriations and to allow guests for the Latino Spirit Awards ceremony. House Resolution 92, recognizing Cinco de Mayo Week, was adopted after supportive remarks from members of several caucuses, and the chamber then held the 2026 Latino Spirit Awards ceremony honoring 11 individuals and organizations in higher education, human rights, philanthropy, health and science, advocacy, business, environmental justice, journalism and media, culinary arts, and a legacy award for Los Tigres del Norte. After the ceremony, the Assembly resumed business with guest introductions and moved through the daily file, passing or retaining a number of bills and resolutions. Among the measures taken up, the Assembly passed AB 1657 on domestic violence restraining order procedures (64-0), AB 2042 on civil procedure and service of process (66-0), AB 1660 on probate and public guardians (45-10), AB 1917 on criminal procedure and reinstatement of dismissed charges (43-15), AB 2148 clarifying that public school employees are human beings in the context of AI (69-0), AB 1647 protecting juvenile statements at transfer hearings (63-0), AB 1555 expanding community college access in Siskiyou County (66-0), AB 1608 on High-Speed Rail Inspector General oversight and reporting (45-18), AB 1803 requiring anti-hate speech training in workplace harassment prevention (50-9), AB 2128 protecting tenants in subsidized housing from certain federal work requirements and time limits (44-16), AB 2576 as a land-use cleanup bill protecting historic resources (61-0), AB 2601 allowing concurrent review for certain housing projects, and AB 2764 on extended foster care eligibility (60-0). Several items were passed and retained on file, and AB 2601 was interrupted by a call of the house before later business continued. The chamber also adopted ACR 159 on indigent defense after adding 59 coauthors, then heard guest introductions from chief public defenders from multiple counties. ACR 179, designating Wildland Urban Interface Preparedness and Resilience Day, was adopted with 65 coauthors after remarks on wildfire risk and forest management. Later, ACR 183 establishing Black Health Equity Advocacy Week was presented with extensive testimony from members of multiple caucuses emphasizing racial health disparities, maternal mortality, life expectancy gaps, and the need for systemic change; the debate continued beyond the excerpt provided. Throughout the session, members repeatedly used guest introductions to recognize visiting groups and individuals, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority members, UAW President Shawn Fain, California Women in Agriculture, and others.

Transcript Highlights:

• Law. >> Read the last section. >> Section: This act shall take effect immediately. >> Call the roll.
• think, an act to amend the Public Housing Law. >> Read the last section. >> Section 2, this act shall
• >> READ THE LAST SECTION. >> SECTION 2, THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
• >> CALENDAR 777, SENATE PRINT >> Read the last section. >> Section 2, this act shall take effect
• >> READ THE LAST SECTION. >> SECTION 2, THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and adopted a resolution calendar with several exceptions before taking up a series of ceremonial resolutions and bills. Members welcomed student visitors from the YWCA of White Plains’ Voices Unfiltered Policy Program, then adopted resolutions honoring Senegalese independence and the Senegalese community, MWBE Advocacy Day, John Coltrane’s 100th birthday, the Sing Sing Prison Museum, I Love My Park Day, Animal Advocacy Day, Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month, and Denim Day. Speakers emphasized cultural recognition, public service, environmental stewardship, animal welfare, rare disease awareness, and support for survivors of sexual violence; each resolution was adopted. The chamber then moved through the regular calendar, passing a number of bills on broad roll-call votes. Among the measures approved were bills amending the Penal Law, Executive Law, Public Housing Law, Retirement and Social Security Law, Social Services Law, Environmental Conservation Law, General Municipal Law, Railroad Law, Election Law, Labor Law, and Public Service Law. Several bills passed unanimously or nearly so, while a few drew notable opposition, including a public health measure that passed 39-19 and the labor-related bill on ghost job postings that passed 39-19 after extended debate. The most detailed floor debate centered on the Labor Law bill addressing “ghost jobs,” requiring employers with 100 or more employees to disclose whether postings are for current vacancies, expected future openings, or general resume collection, with Department of Labor enforcement and civil penalties. Supporters argued it would protect job seekers from deceptive postings; opponents said it was unnecessary, burdensome, and could invite litigation or penalties disproportionate to the problem. The Senate also debated and passed a bill expanding election-language assistance under the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act to Haitian Creole and Middle Eastern and North African communities, with supporters citing growing language-access needs and opponents raising concerns about scope and local costs. The Senate then adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• the tax code like traditional firearms. the tax code like traditional firearms.
• If it's about the tax code, let's deal with the tax code. But as Mr.
• We also should be penalized for that.
• care and poor people to try to penalize care and poor people to try to penalize those<02:59:29.520
• Yes, you've committed a USC section 4.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, February 12, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill contains numerous minor updates to various code sections within the jurisdiction of our respective
• Section 361.5(b)(12), the bypass provision.
• Section 361.5(b)(12), the bypass provision.
• Welfare and Institutions Code Section 361.5(b)(12), the bypass provision.
• When a parent has a violent felony as defined by the California Penal Code, services need not be offered

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally then, Senate Bill 2122 would remove outdated language from the Natural Resources code regarding
• The Railroad Commission promulgated rules in our, our Rule 7816 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3,
• It's not really consistent with what the Natural Resource code and the legislature has intended.
• But the surcharge system in the, in the natural resource code is, is the way we would want to implement
• First and most importantly, the substitute insurers, individual consumers cannot be penalized for de

Bills: HB16

Keywords: judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments

Transcript Highlights:

• Code Section 1189. There are no memos in support or opposition.
• If reported, this bill will be reported to the Codes Committee.
• If reported, this bill will be reported to the Codes Committee.
• You know, why Codes instead of another committee or anything?
• Code.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Higher Education Committee met on May 5 and considered 12 bills, with most measures relating to higher education administration, student services, and professional licensing. The committee advanced a rural teacher loan repayment program for teachers serving underserved rural areas, a SUNY/CUNY mental health staffing requirement, a bill allowing SED access to patient or client records in professional misconduct cases, an AI-in-therapy regulation bill, cross-profession supervision for certain mental health professionals, an extension of limited permits for social workers, continuing education requirements for acupuncturists, and updated supervision rules for physical therapy assistants. One bill reorganizing SUNY police was held for further negotiations with SUNY, SUNY police, and stakeholders. Two Article 7, Section 2, subdivision E motions for committee consideration were taken up. Senator Rose’s bill to withhold financial aid from SUNY or CUNY institutions that permit organizations designated as terrorist organizations was defeated after several senators voted no or without recommendation. Senator Kanzanari Fitzpatrick’s bill requiring anti-Semitism awareness training, incident reporting, and compliance with state reporting rules for higher education institutions was approved and sent to the Codes Committee, with some senators voting without recommendation because they viewed the subject as already covered by existing law. The committee also reported Senator Rivera’s nurse practitioner conformity bill to the floor, and several other bills were reported either to the floor or to Finance depending on their fiscal impact. Most measures were approved without opposition, though some senators voted without recommendation on bills they said overlapped with existing statutes or prior legislation. The meeting adjourned at 10:52 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• currently operate exclusively under federal jurisdiction, meaning they are subject only to federal penal
• codes.
• The federal penal codes just don't address those very much.
• House Bill 1894 updates the Government Code Chapter 662 to designate November as Veterans' Month.
• It's as defined in the water code, and so it would only be those retail utilities, potentially two. .

Bills: HCR92, HB 114, HB561, HB 1171, HB1894, HB2026, HB2143, HB2337, HB2564, HB114

Keywords: Tuskegee Airmen, commemoration, African American history, civil rights, military recognition, veterans, mental health, Texas Veterans Commission, peer support, suicide prevention, community mental health, grant program, defense, grants, local government, economic support, community development, health and wellness, outdoor recreation, state land use

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would amend section 2306.5621 of the government code by updating subdivision 2 to include social
• House Bill 1998, proposes amendments to various sections of the Education Code and the Local Government
• That threshold for purchases made by municipalities under that section of code was last updated in 2007
• They both have an entire chapter in the Texas Penal Code. I came here with an empty toolbox.
• Corruption is a term of art, and that's why it's in Chapter 36 of the Texas Penal Code.

Bills: HB158

Keywords: public funds, lobbying activities, political subdivision, government spending, transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so this section of the code addresses 61014A which is specifically about a voting station.
• Excuse me, there are other, other sections of that code that address recording devices and photos.
• Uh, under Section 16.033 of the Texas Election Code, if a person responds to a jury summons to say that
• Increase in the penalties, it is, um, it makes it more now consistent with the penal code.
• There's Chapter 33 of the penal code for computer crimes with with regard to modifying a DRE, a direct

Transcript Highlights:

• of the code.
• Statutes that amended different sections of the code on the same topic or even sometimes the same sections
• They're in the optional municipal code sections. They're in the GMA sections.
• , building code, fire code...
• But also, you have to consider energy code, building code, fire code, inclusionary zoning requirements

Summary: The committee heard a series of presentations on comprehensive plan updates, permitting reform, special purpose district coordination, and subdivision reform. Pierce County and the City of Redmond described their recent comprehensive plan updates, emphasizing housing production, transit-oriented development, middle housing, preservation of affordable housing, and the need for technical assistance and clearer state guidance. Both jurisdictions said the planning process took years and was complicated by overlapping state requirements, changing legislative mandates, and multiple review authorities. Redmond in particular said mid-course legislative changes forced supplemental environmental review and added significant cost and delay, and both local governments asked for more stability, clearer statutes, and better-aligned timelines. Presenters from the architecture, building official, and development sectors focused on permitting delays and proposed ways to speed housing delivery. Dave Boucher of AIA Washington argued for a provisional construction permit process for projects stamped by licensed professionals, along with mandatory deadlines and fewer stalled review cycles. Tim Woodard of WABO described existing tools such as pre-application meetings and phased approvals, noting they can improve certainty but also require staff time and careful coordination. Representatives from Master Builders and D.R. Horton said permit and subdivision delays add substantial cost to housing, citing studies showing months of delay and tens of thousands of dollars added per home, and urged administrative approvals, concurrent review, self-certification, and limits on repeated review cycles. The committee also reviewed a Commerce-led task force report on integrating special purpose districts into Growth Management Act planning. The task force recommended early invitation and notice to water, sewer, school, port, and other service providers during countywide planning policy and comprehensive plan updates, better coordination on grants and capital projects, updated water system coordination plans, and improved school siting and funding alignment in fast-growing areas. Speakers stressed that the recommendations were intended to be light-touch and focused on better communication rather than major statutory overhaul, while also noting that rural and slow-growing areas should not be burdened with the same requirements as rapidly growing jurisdictions. On subdivision reform, FutureWise and the City of Spokane discussed making more subdivision decisions administrative, preserving vesting, clarifying exemptions, and reducing unnecessary notice and appeal steps. Spokane described local reforms such as smaller minimum lot sizes, unit lot subdivisions, and reduced-process “minor engineering review” for simple plats, while raising concerns about new notice requirements and appeals to city councils for technical plat decisions. Across the hearing, members repeatedly returned to the theme that local governments, builders, and state agencies need clearer, more coordinated rules to reduce delay and uncertainty while still protecting safety and planning goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:08:52.719> of be subject to the education co code of be subject to the education co code
• This is the code of ethics and code of conduct for those that are licensed and certified.
• This is the code of ethics and code now.
• This is the code of ethics and code of<02:10:19.679> conduct<02:10:20.400> for<02:10:20.719
• > conduct<02:11:06.639> have these these code of conduct have these these code of conduct

Keywords: 10:00am HB 1260 11:00am HB 1574 12:00pm HB 1816 2:30pm HB 1499 2:45pm HB 1709, 928, house, all

Summary: The conference committee first met on HB 1260, a bill requested by municipal clerks to allow certain divorce-related records to be kept confidential. House members argued the Senate amendment would reverse the presumption of openness established in the Keene Sentinel case and raise constitutional issues under the state constitution’s privacy and open-government provisions. Senate members responded that the 2018 privacy amendment, the limited scope of the proposal, and modern internet risks justified the change, but the House maintained the issue needed a full hearing in a separate bill. The committee ultimately voted unanimously for the Senate to recede and adopt the House version, preserving the underlying bill without the Senate amendment, and both sides said they would revisit the topic in a future session. The committee then took up HB 1574, which extends free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs and provides funding for SNAP administrative costs. The main dispute was the Senate’s addition of $4.4 million for SNAP administration, which DHHS said was needed because federal law would shift more administrative costs to the state and could increase the state’s SNAP error rate, potentially triggering much larger future penalties. DHHS officials reported the current error rate was 7.57% for federal fiscal year 2024, below the national average, and estimated that if the rate rose above 8%, the state could owe about 10% of SNAP benefits, or roughly $12 million for a partial year and nearly $16 million for a full year. Some House members supported the added funding as a preventive measure, while others objected that the underlying bill was modest and the amendment resembled a previously rejected proposal. The discussion ended with the committee moving toward the House position and the bill’s future depending on the chamber’s vote on the Senate amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• That section requires utilities to pay third-party suppliers the amount the suppliers' customers owe
• It did not begin in 1997; it actually Section 1D was added in by the Green Communities Act of 2008.
• You would be in favor of a new law that would penalize your industry if, after we subtract out those
• You would be in favor of a new law that would penalize your industry if, after we subtracting of a new
• I guess just going after those bad actors and penalizing them for doing something like that.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several energy-related bills, with the main focus on H. 3534/S. 2255, which would ban or sharply restrict residential third-party electric suppliers, and on related reform proposals. Supporters included the Attorney General’s office, municipal and regional planning officials, environmental justice groups, consumer advocates, and city officials from Boston and Chelsea. They argued that the residential competitive supply market has produced higher bills, deceptive sales tactics, auto-renewals into higher rates, and disproportionate harm to low-income residents, seniors, communities of color, and people with limited English. Witnesses cited AG reports estimating hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges over time, described door-to-door and storefront marketing abuses, and said municipal aggregation programs have saved residents money while offering more stable rates. Several supporters said the Legislature should either ban residential competitive supply or adopt strong guardrails such as ending automatic renewals, banning incentive-based commissions, and capping rates relative to basic service. Opponents or industry representatives from the Retail Energy Advancement League, Vistra, and Constellation argued that the market can provide savings, longer-term price stability, and value-added products such as renewable options and time-of-use offerings. They said Massachusetts has already improved consumer protections through DPU proceedings, that complaints are relatively few compared with the size of the market, and that a ban would eliminate consumer choice. They also defended direct sales and commissions as normal features of a retail market, while saying they would support additional protections, licensing, bonding, and stronger oversight of bad actors. Committee members pressed both sides on whether the market truly saves money, whether automatic renewals should be banned, and whether the AG’s proposed reforms would be enough. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3972, a bill to extend utility shutoff protections during extreme heat, with Rep. Mindy Domb arguing that Massachusetts should treat extreme heat like extreme cold and protect customers facing financial hardship. Rep. Barrett also testified for H. 3450, a municipal broadband/right-of-way bill, arguing that communities need easier and cheaper access to utility poles and public rights of way to build municipal broadband. In addition, Senate Majority Leader Creem testified for S. 2239, which would bar utilities from recovering ratepayer funds for lobbying, promotions, trade association dues, and similar expenses. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.
• Read the last section.
• Read the last section. 1838C, Assembly Member Eachus, an act to amend the Penal Law. Call the roll.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation, then approved the prior day’s journal and proceeded to a lengthy third-reading calendar. Early business included several motions to discharge Assembly bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills, along with a few bills laid aside for the day. The chamber also recalled two bills from the Assembly, restored one bill to the Third Reading Calendar after reconsideration, and received amendments on two other bills without changing their calendar status. The Senate then took up a large number of bills across topics including labor, energy, insurance, consumer protection, environmental conservation, health, banking, elections, public service, education, workers’ compensation, criminal justice, local government, and tax law. Most measures passed with broad support, though several drew recorded opposition. Notable debate included Senator Mayer’s explanation for a bill intended to prevent treatment-court participants, including veterans, from losing their driver’s licenses twice after completing diversion programs; Senator Ryan’s support for a bill expanding prosecutors’ ability to treat repeat sexual abuse as persistent abuse; and a sharp exchange on a bill repealing New York’s HIV/STI criminalization law, with Senators Borrello and Chan opposing it and Senator Salazar defending the repeal as necessary to reduce stigma and protect survivors. The chamber also adopted and recognized several resolutions and guest presentations. Members welcomed the Tri-Valley Secondary School girls cross country champions, Miss America Cassie Donagan and Miss New York Teen Nadia Anwar, and the Hudson High School varsity boys basketball team. Later, the Senate took up a resolution proclaiming May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Month, with multiple senators speaking in support of greater awareness, reduced stigma, and improved care for pregnant and postpartum New Yorkers. At the end of the session, the sponsors opened the day’s resolutions for co-sponsorship, and the Senate adjourned until Monday, June 1 at 12 noon, with intervening days designated as legislative days.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a right reserved to the people in Article 11, Section 3 of our Constitution.
• We already have laws in place to penalize bad actors.
• We already have laws in place to penalize bad actors.
• So here's how you get my yes vote: your section as it relates to the expenditures by state government
• We need to note it, we need to say it's wrong, and then we need to penalize it.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of member introductions recognizing interns, pages, and a retiring Senate employee. Leadership also announced that budget talks with the House were continuing and that senators should not plan to be in next week, with hopes of sharing more budget news soon. The chamber then moved to third reading and took up a major bill on citizen initiatives and constitutional amendments, with sponsors saying it was needed to address documented petition fraud and to protect the integrity of the process. That bill drew extensive debate. Supporters argued that recent investigations showed widespread fraud in petition gathering, that the measure would add reasonable guardrails, and that it would prevent taxpayer-funded government messaging from being used to influence ballot measures. Opponents said the bill would make it much harder for ordinary Floridians to place amendments on the ballot by adding costs, deadlines, registration requirements, fines, and felony exposure, and they warned it would chill grassroots participation and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed campaigns. After debate, the Senate passed the bill 28-10. The Senate then adopted several House amendments and concurred on a series of education and public-safety measures, including bills on stem cell therapy, student-athlete electrocardiograms, cardiac emergency planning in schools, school safety, Bright Futures and other education policy items, and educator preparation. Most of those measures passed unanimously or with overwhelming support, and the chamber also recognized additional interns and a long-serving education advocate before recessing and returning to continue with House messages.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE WORKED TOGETHER WITH FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF CODE ENFORCEMENT.
• TEPPER FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY SPEAKING FOR INFORMATION ON SECTION 2 OF THE AMENDMENT.
• THAT IS THE ONE SECTION, PRESIDENT AS A DOUBLE I WILL GIVE YOU A YES VOTE.
• Pizzo: IT WAS SECTION 2 OF YOUR BILL TWO YEARS AGO.
• YOU RETAIN IN YOUR AMENDMENT THE SECTION THAT SAYS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAW, CORRECT?

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so because whether you possess... ...36 of this section.
• So we're talking about penalizing people.
• So we're talking about penalizing people.
• So we're talking about penalizing people.
• What, okay, so I have Coconino County, Navajo County, Heala County, and Penal County.

Bills: HB2043, HB2046, HB2126, HB2131, HB2132, HB2133, HB2223, HB2265, HB2411, HB2666

Keywords: felony murder, unborn child, homicide, Arizona Revised Statutes, life imprisonment, death penalty, education, funding, school districts, state aid, education reform, venue, employee conflict, superior court, legal proceedings, workplace disputes, weapons, explosives, trafficking, firearm regulations

Summary: The committee heard several criminal justice and victims’ rights bills. HB 2131 would remove the financial-gain element from weapons/explosives trafficking and impose stricter sentencing, including no early release for trafficking three or more weapons; it received a due pass recommendation on a 6-1 vote. HB 2132 would lower the fentanyl trafficking threshold from 200 grams to 100 grams and adjust related motor-vehicle language; supporters said it would help prosecutors and law enforcement, while opponents warned it would sweep in heavy users and lacked data on current prosecutions. It passed 4-3. HB 2223 would require sex offenders seeking a name change to notify prosecutors and victims, and to register under the new name with the old name as an alias; it passed 6-1. The committee also considered HB 2411, creating the crime of coerced abortion for secretly or forcibly administering abortion-inducing drugs without a pregnant woman’s knowledge or consent. Supporters argued existing laws do not clearly cover situations where the drug is given but no death occurs; opponents said assault, manslaughter, homicide, and food-contamination statutes already address the conduct and warned the bill was unnecessary and aimed at abortion access. The bill passed 4-3. HB 2043 would add unborn children to the felony-murder statute; supporters called it a cleanup measure closing a loophole, while opponents said it was an abortion/personhood measure with broader implications. It passed 4-3. HB 2046 would require victims of sex offenses to be notified of pre-hearings in probation review matters involving young sex offenders; victims and prosecutors said the change would ensure meaningful participation, and it passed unanimously 7-0. HB 2666 would increase penalties for sexual extortion involving 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds when committed by an adult, and it passed unanimously 7-0. HB 2265 would eliminate court fees and assessments tied to public defenders, jury trials, appeals, and related criminal-case charges; supporters framed it as protecting constitutional rights, while counties warned of lost revenue, and it passed 7-0. Finally, HB 2133 would require commercial websites hosting sexual material to verify consent and age of depicted persons, retain records, and treat synthetic depictions as images; the sponsor said it was meant to curb CSAM and revenge porn, while testifiers raised concerns about breadth, record retention, and constitutional issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, Texas Government Code Section 571.096 mandates that, quote, the Commission shall rely on opinions
• 2503 of the Election Code and also violated the Education Code.
• There are some exceptions here in the code on Section 305.04.
• There are Penal Code prohibitions that prevent someone from accepting, and it applies to members of the
• It doesn't say it's a per se violation of the Penal Code prohibitions, but it does go on to say that

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission met on March 11, 2025, first in executive session and then in open session. The chair announced that, in light of Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-484, the commission would conform its practices to the opinion and move to repeal tolling rules for sworn-complaint deadlines. The chair also said the commission would dismiss 36 pending sworn-complaint cases in which the 120-day settlement deadline had been exceeded, even though the delay had been tolled under prior TEC rules. The commission then set future meeting dates for June 12 and September 17 and approved prior meeting minutes. The commission adopted a new criminal-referral rule clarifying that, once jurisdiction over a complaint is accepted, commissioners may vote to make a criminal referral. It also adopted revised advisory-opinion rules, with a clarifying amendment from a commenter, and republished proposed changes to the definition of “principal purpose” for political committees after staff recommended a 49 percent political-activity threshold and further public input. The commission published for comment proposed changes to ethics training rules, facial-compliance review procedures, late-filing waiver and reduction rules, and sworn-complaint procedures, including tighter discovery limits, a default-order set-aside process, and removal of tolling language inconsistent with KP-484. It also republished Chapter 28 rules on Speaker-candidate reporting. The commission adopted several advisory opinions. It declined to give an affirmative defense on whether certain school-district communications were political advertising because related litigation had already addressed the issue. It reaffirmed that a House member may use donated district-office space if it is not reimbursable with public funds and was accepted before the contribution moratorium. It also concluded that a judge may use political funds for travel to a Navy-hosted event as a local dignitary, that legislators’ use of a corporate aircraft for a border-region fact-finding trip could be permissible but would likely trigger reporting obligations, that a TCEQ commissioner’s revolving-door restrictions apply only to matters actually placed before the commissioner, and that a part-time legislative staffer may not take outside employment assisting a registered lobbyist. The commission then heard and acted on numerous fine-waiver appeals, granting several full waivers or reductions and approving staff recommendations on others, and terminated a number of inactive campaign treasurer appointments. Finally, the executive director briefed the commission on the 2025 legislative session, noting that staffing requests are tied to Sunset recommendations and that the House had preliminarily recommended about half of the commission’s appropriations requests.