Transcript Highlights:

• I'll utilize that as my closing. Excellent. Just basically ask for an aye vote. Great.
• Living in a rural area... ...a feasible alignment for a utility trench.
• When Western Joshua trees are located within the replacement area or along a path to connect to the sewer
• With me today, I have Clifford Chan, the general manager at East Bay Municipal Utility District.
• Good morning, Andrea Abreggell with the California Municipal Utilities Association, in support.

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to wildlife access, groundwater enforcement, desert plant regulation, outdoor equity, and water supply planning. SB 1021 would direct the Fish and Game Commission to create accommodations for children with life-threatening illnesses to participate in hunting and fishing opportunities; supporters described the bill as therapeutic and family-centered, while an opposition group argued the state should focus on non-lethal outdoor activities. SB 997 would give the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and penalties under SGMA; the author and agency said the bill closes an enforcement gap for a special-legislation GSA, and it drew broad support from local government and agricultural groups. The committee also considered SB 1061, which would streamline relocation permits for Western Joshua trees on private property; the author and local officials said the current law creates burdens for homeowners and infrastructure, while supporters framed the bill as a balance between conservation and property rights. Members also heard SB 1268, which would codify the Outdoors for All initiative to expand park access and outdoor equity, especially in underserved communities; it received strong support from environmental, parks, local government, and community organizations, with members praising the effort to improve access. SB 1085 would restore water supply assessment requirements for large developments even when CEQA exemptions apply, so local agencies still receive early information about water availability; the sponsor and water agencies said the bill helps prevent “paper water” problems and supports planning in drought conditions, and the building industry indicated it would remove its opposition after amendments. The committee accepted amendments on several bills, took roll once quorum was established, and advanced the measures by vote. Votes taken included SB 997, SB 1021, SB 1061, SB 1085, and SB 1268, all of which were reported out of committee, with SB 1061, SB 1085, and SB 1268 later recorded as passing 11-0. SB 997 was approved on a due-pass motion to Judiciary, SB 1021 was sent to Appropriations as amended, SB 1061 and SB 1085 were sent to Appropriations and Local Government respectively, and SB 1268 was sent to Natural Resources. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after completing the votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Utilization of the system is mandatory for all applicable state-owned vehicles.
• We tried to check out the fact to make sure that the card wasn't utilized, although there were delays
• It's a state accounting system that's currently being worked on to be replaced by PALM.
• So sometimes it's just being replaced by a different union.
• So sometimes it's just being replaced by a different union.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard a lengthy Auditor General presentation on the Department of Management Services’ fleet management operations. The audit found major problems with oversight, recordkeeping, policies, fee-setting, purchase and disposal approvals, public auction controls, and FleetWave system access and processing. Key findings included that 2,279 vehicles valued at more than $57 million could not be matched between FleetWave and FLAIR, disposal records were missing or incomplete, user access remained active long after employees separated, and the department had not documented a reasonable basis for its $1.75 per-vehicle monthly fee. Members expressed strong concern about the accuracy of the state’s fleet inventory and the risk of waste or misuse. DMS Secretary Allende said the department concurred with the findings, was working with the Auditor General, and planned corrective actions, including better training, clearer guidance, improved reconciliation, and possible centralization or pilot programs for fleet purchasing and management. The committee then returned to vacancy discussions with several agencies. The Division of Administrative Hearings said its two long-vacant judges of compensation claims positions had been hard to fill because of low pay and short reappointment terms, but the chief judge said the division could operate without them and offered those positions up as part of a reduction exercise. The Public Service Commission reported 42 vacancies but said statutory deadlines were still being met, though staff workloads and depth of analysis were affected. The commission also said vacancies help it manage salaries within its trust-fund budget. Members questioned whether some of those positions were truly needed given the lack of delays. The Florida Gaming Control Commission reported 29 vacancies, including a vacant chair that prevented appointment of an inspector general, and said the chair vacancy was a gubernatorial appointment issue. The acting executive director also said the commission’s compulsive gambling prevention program had lapsed after no responsive bids were received for a new contract, but an invitation to negotiate was nearly complete and a new provider was expected soon. The Public Employee Relations Commission reported that its caseload had more than doubled after Senate Bill 256, which increased union recertification work; it said it was meeting deadlines only with overtime and that the workload had not fallen despite decertifications. Members asked for follow-up data on union cases, vacancy needs, and whether some positions across agencies could be reallocated to better match workload.

Transcript Highlights:

• Utilized on a daily basis further internal agency policies pertaining to remote work, affect recruitment
• But we look at space utilization in our office space.
• So, those were the utilizers, but only 132 served. 8,250 monthly utilizers in fiscal year 23, but only
• the number served is increasing but it's still dramatically below the the number utilized.
• then the actual utilizers, that's just based. on actual data served.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

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 the road usage charges are meant to be kind of a replacement for the gas tax.
• This would replace the gas tax.
• So this would replace the gas tax.
• And again, when Utah talks about a RUC, we're talking about a replacement for the gas tax.
• So somebody replaced a 10-year-old car and gained 30% fuel efficiency.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee first took up three highway naming resolutions on its consent calendar: ACR 109, SCR 78, and SCR 90. The committee approved the consent calendar with 11 aye votes and no no votes, then adjourned the bill-hearing portion. Members also recognized committee science fellow AJ Mendeola for his service, noting his contributions to bill analysis and staff support. The committee then held an informational hearing on alternatives to the gas tax, focused on the projected decline in fuel-tax revenue and the need for a more sustainable transportation funding model. The chair and invited experts described how inflation, improved fuel efficiency, and growth in electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles are eroding gas-tax revenues. Presenters from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the University of California discussed state options such as higher or indexed gas taxes, EV registration fees, road usage charges, delivery fees, public EV charging fees, transportation network company fees, and managed lanes, emphasizing tradeoffs among revenue adequacy, fairness, administrative cost, and public acceptance. Committee members raised concerns that mileage-based fees or EV fees could function as new taxes on commuters and lower-income drivers, especially if the gas tax is not repealed. Presenters responded that road usage charges are generally intended as replacements for the gas tax, not additions, and argued that mileage-based systems better preserve the user-pays principle while being less tied to vehicle fuel efficiency. They also noted that flat EV registration fees are easy to administer but can be less equitable because they are not linked to actual road use. Officials from Hawaii, Utah, and Oregon described their state programs and policy choices. Hawaii said its new road usage charge began July 1, 2025, for EVs, offers a choice between a per-mile charge and a flat annual fee through 2028, and will transition to mandatory EV participation before expanding to all light-duty vehicles by 2033. Utah described its voluntary EV road usage charge program, quarterly reporting, privacy protections, and legislative scenarios for removing the cap or making participation mandatory. Oregon outlined its constitutional cost-responsibility framework and broader transportation funding challenges, including reliance on user fees and limited use of general-fund support.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment would replace line 108 on page four with the following.
• It replaces lines 118 through 123 on page five with the following: G.
• The the amendment would replace >> Yes.
• The the amendment would replace line<00:06:31.520> 108<00:06:32.160> on<00:06:32.400>
• > 123<00:06:40.160> on<00:06:40.479> page Replaces lines 118 through 123 on page

Bills: HB61, HB176, SB12

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What happens with the utilities?
• Utilities have the opportunity, free of charge, to be able to. utilize our any available right-of-way
• in those along those those roadways. for for their utilities.
• But then to coordinate and schedule the relocation of those utilities.
• And so through utilization of these additional dollars.

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:56.959> these where they need to utilize these where they need to utilize these services
• We certainly utilize a variable hour component in regards to staffing, so that's been helpful to fill
• staffing issues uh certainly we utilize a<00:17:13.880> variable<00:17:14.360> hour<00
• In House File 1911, we are requesting an additional $40 million that would allow us to replace a big
• <01:36:36.360> of into the replacement of into the replacement of ssis<01:36:38.119> in

Bills: HF1380, HF1166, HF487, HF1553, HF1472, HF258, HF1911

Keywords: psychiatric treatment, human services, mental health funding, per diem rate, Clay County, disability services, assistive technology, remote support, advocacy, training programs, HF487, Wellness in the Woods, Minnesota human services, grant funding, general fund appropriation, peer support, substance use recovery, addiction recovery, reentry services, reentry after incarceration

Transcript Highlights:

• to have to rewrite our utilization to have to rewrite our utilization review<00:31:02.000> rules
• fifth highest out of network utilization fifth highest out of network utilization rate<01:30:43.760
• I wish to replace that bill with the amendment. I wish to replace that bill with the amendment.
• <03:30:24.000> review procedures, and utilization review procedures, and utilization review
• It replaces enforcement language.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• State PUCs also deal with oversight of utility resource plans so that they're ensuring that the utilities
• One of the challenges that state utility commissioners have had, utilities have had, as well as you'll
• They are not regulated utilities.
• utility, but a vertically integrated utility throughout almost all of the Midwest, save Illinois, which
• The vertically integrated utility has ultimate responsibility to provide power... ...utility has ultimate

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Secondly, provide an update on our Spokane veteran home replacement home.
• That is the first step in building this replacement home.
• Building a new replacement home is going to improve those outcomes.
• So what we’re looking at here is a diagram of what the new replacement home would look like.
• We requested the amount of what it would take to build a replacement home: $162 million.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs heard presentations on several military and veterans-related topics. Dr. Dan Calvert briefed the committee on the JBLM Sentinel Landscape Partnership, explaining its voluntary conservation work to reduce encroachment around the base by protecting prairie habitat, supporting agriculture, and managing sensitive species. He described REPI funding, recent and proposed projects, and possible policy support such as state designation, dedicated funding, management endowments, prescribed fire flexibility, and water-right transfer tools. Members asked about seed sourcing, the distinction between natural-resource encroachment and development-related encroachment, and the impact of federal REPI staffing cuts. David Puente of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs updated the committee on plans for a new state veterans cemetery in the Tri-Cities area and a replacement Spokane Veterans Home. He said the cemetery project has two candidate sites near Richland/West Richland, with pre-design funded by the legislature and a future request expected for land purchase and construction; he also noted the current cemetery funding source is limited and would not support a second cemetery without additional state operating funds. On the Spokane home, he described the current facility’s limitations and said the replacement would be a 120-bed, small-house model on a larger site, with the VA expected to cover 65% of construction costs if the state provides the match. He also reviewed agency budget reductions, including vacant positions, reduced outreach, cuts to counseling and wellness funding, and reduced support for veterans service organizations. Blue Star Families’ Puget Sound chapter also presented on its programs for military-connected families, including Coffee Connects, a children’s book club, outdoor programming, career support, and Blue Star Welcome Week. The group said it is expanding beyond the South Sound and is using local outposts and online networks to reach more families, while also helping with food insecurity through grocery gift cards and partnerships with local nonprofits. Committee members discussed the need to expand the organization statewide and the ongoing food-security challenges facing military families. During the final discussion on potential legislation, members raised ideas including restoring Washington National Guard retention efforts, expanding E-CAP eligibility to military families, revisiting the composition of the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee, and addressing veterans’ preference issues for service members who have not yet received a DD-214. The committee did not take any formal votes or actions, but members and presenters discussed future policy and budget requests, and the chairs thanked the presenters and staff before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, utility assistance, $75 million, assists low-income Kentuckians to afford their utility bills.
• Uh, utility assistance, $75 million, assists low-income Kentuckians to afford their utility bills.
• Uh, utility assistance, $75 million, assists low-income Kentuckians to afford their utility bills.
• Utility assistance, $75 million, assists low-income Kentuckians to afford their utility bills.
• So we have to replace it.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Executive Budget 00:00:50, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to hear a presentation from Dr. Hicks on the governor’s recommended budget for the next biennium. He reviewed the revenue outlook, noting modest general fund growth, a large rainy day fund balance, and the impact of recent income tax reductions. He said the budget was built around recurring reductions, lower debt service and retirement contribution rates, and the use of excess restricted funds, while protecting K-12 education, Medicaid, postsecondary education, public safety, and pension obligations. Dr. Hicks outlined several major spending and reserve proposals, including $350 million from the Department of Insurance’s excess restricted funds to support Medicaid in the first year, $150 million for the affordable housing trust fund, $125 million for rural hospitals, $100 million to offset lost federal ACA premium tax credits, $75 million for utility assistance, and $50 million for food assistance. In education, the proposal included a phased pre-K for all plan funded by sports wagering tax revenue, a 3% annual salary increase for full-time school personnel, continued full funding of teacher pensions, a 2.5% annual increase in SEEK base funding, and additional support for career and technical education and school facilities. He also discussed Medicaid cost pressures, including higher managed care, pharmacy, behavioral health, and nursing facility costs, and explained the expected effects of federal HR1 changes on Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Those changes include work and community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion members, which the administration estimated would reduce enrollment by about 4,300 in the first year and 28,000 in the second year. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting, which was limited to the budget presentation and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally, House Bill 2598 would replace all statutory references to 'Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
• acknowledges these challenges. and will allow for more Texans who are eligible for this waiver to utilize
• They often do not have a huge support system, which compels them to utilize this feature by the age of
• I am even more fortunate to be applying to medical school, where I plan to utilize my tuition waiver.
• Although I was fortunate enough to utilize the tuition and fee waiver right after high school, so much

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would help families recover costs to replace important household items.
• We're looking for insurance buy-in; we're going to look to the utility sector for more.
• So the more the state does, the more we can take off of the utility bill.
• They are also experiencing about 14 to 17 percent of their monthly utility bills going to the utilities
• You're right about the stack: your insurance bill, utility bill.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on public health, wildfire recovery, local government finance, transportation, and rural health care. SB 1124 by Senator Archuleta would require the California Department of Public Health to create and post lung cancer screening eligibility signage at tobacco retail locations. The author and a physician witness argued the bill would raise awareness of a highly underused screening that can save lives, while retailers and fuel/convenience groups raised implementation concerns about signage size, notice, and penalties. The bill passed to the Health Committee on a 4-0 vote after the committee later took up the on-call item. SB 1352 by Senator Valadao and Senator Allen would clarify that wildfire victims can rebuild homes up to 110% of the original size without triggering reassessment, so long as the property was destroyed in a governor-declared disaster. Supporters, including the L.A. County Assessor, the California Assessors Association, Realtors, and taxpayers groups, said the bill would reduce uncertainty and help families rebuild without higher property taxes. It passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. SB 1343, presented by Senator Allen on behalf of Senator Dodd, would provide a $4,000 income tax credit for sales tax paid on furniture and appliances purchased to furnish a primary residence after a disaster; it drew one opposition witness from the California Teachers Association but otherwise had no public opposition and passed 5-0 to Appropriations. SB 1172 by Senator Hurtado would place caps and transparency requirements on consultant compensation in local tax-sharing agreements, responding to cases in Shafter and Dinuba where revenue was allegedly diverted to consultants. Local government and business groups supported the measure as a guardrail, while some members expressed concern about Sacramento limiting local control; it passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 1408 by Senator Arreguín would authorize the Contra Costa Transportation Authority to place a countywide sales tax measure of up to 1% on the ballot to continue transportation funding; transit agencies and local officials supported it, while taxpayer groups opposed it, and it passed 4-1. SB 1404 by Senator Stern would restore a fee on property owners in state responsibility areas to fund Cal Fire wildfire prevention and suppression, with supporters arguing the fee would broaden funding and opponents calling it an unfair tax on rural and wildfire-prone residents; it passed 4-1 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 1102 by Senator Dodd would create a $2,000 tax credit for frontline nurses working in rural hospitals; supporters said it would help recruit and retain nurses in underserved areas, and the bill passed 5-0 as amended to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, the group purchase of insurance and the proper utilization of health care allows for actuarial
• situated to negotiate with carriers for more efficient administrative coverage and influence member utilization
• These two incentives are designed to replace the two most important state rating factors utilized to
• provide fair rate assessments for small businesses, which have since been prohibited. ...utilized to
• Many times, because of her age, we're able to get replacements from the manufacturer.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a hearing with Chair Jamie Murphy and Senate co-chair Senator Feeney presiding. Members asked witnesses to keep testimony to three minutes and noted that written testimony could still be submitted. The committee heard testimony on several health insurance and pharmacy-related bills, including a proposal to allow controlled prescriptions to be transferred between pharmacies within the same chain, legislation affecting health savings account (HSA)-compatible plans and future insurance mandates, a bill on small business health insurance incentives, and H. 1212 on emergency insulin access. Several parents and patients testified in support of emergency insulin access, describing severe diabetes emergencies, diabetic ketoacidosis, prescription delays, and the need for pharmacists to dispense insulin in urgent situations when doctors or insurers are unavailable. A parent also described the burden of repeatedly obtaining new prescriptions for ADHD medication when pharmacies are out of stock. Witnesses supporting the HSA bill argued that state coverage mandates can unintentionally disqualify HSA-qualified plans and that the bill would preserve tax advantages for enrollees while avoiding repeated legislative fixes. A representative of the Retailers Association supported the small business health insurance incentives bill, saying it could help retain small employers in the merged market by allowing carriers to offer financial incentives tied to cooperative purchasing and utilization efforts. One witness, Kathleen Demarest, testified against a co-pay assistance restriction, saying a state rule had unexpectedly cut off her drug assistance before a generic was actually available, leaving her with very high out-of-pocket costs. Committee members asked a few clarifying questions about HSAs, insulin dispensing, and school support for diabetes care. After all scheduled witnesses had testified and no additional testimony was offered, the committee voted to close the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Utility infrastructure.
• What does it get replaced with?
• When the next replacement of a parallel fence is considered, the replacement cannot be combustible.
• Me, my brain goes to, if we have to replace everybody's roofs, replace everybody's windows, replace their
• When you replace your roof, you replace it with a class A roof.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the downstream communities of eastern New Mexico, being put into the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility
• If this culvert's going to cost 600, then we need to go ahead and replace the culvert and take this 600
• How do you clean up and how do you replace something if you can't handle the debris?
• My name is Travis Martinez, and I'm the Utilities Director for the City of Las Vegas.
• Martinez, as a director of the Utilities Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without replacement, invasives will return.
• Without replacement, invasives will return.
• Without replacement, invasives will return.
• replacement, invasives will Without replacement, invasives will return.<00:16:04.320> Relying
• everything from groceries to utilities everything from groceries to utilities and<01:26:39.440><

Bills: HF3898, HF3957, HF4372, HF4350, HF3692, HF4085

Keywords: pesticides, wild rice, environmental protection, agriculture, water quality, pollinators, training, management plan, fertilizer research, education grants, Minnesota Agricultural Council, technology transfer, agricultural productivity, HF4372, Minnesota agriculture, meat processing, meat processing training, retention incentive grants, grant extension, project deadline extension

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:22:18.200> has grieved by something their utility has grieved by something their utility
• A lot of people are unhappy with their utilities because they don't like paying utility bills or they
• A lot of people are unhappy with their utilities because they don't like paying utility bills or they
• the New Hampshire Public Utilities the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission<00:31:19.679>
• meeting you sir so that we can utilize meeting you sir so that we can utilize some<01:03:32.000>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rather than trying to build a $2 million replacement site someplace else, right?
• So we're utilizing them 100%. Thank you for that. Uh, next question.
• We don’t want to completely replace this radio system 10 years from now or 20 years from now like we
• did with the system that we’re replacing now.
• Meaning, what is our replacement plan for new hardware moving into the future?

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:23 Approve Minutes from January 15, 2026- 00:01:03 Kentucky State Police Update on SERVS- 00:01:47 Adjournment- 00:54:18, 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update from Kentucky State Police on the SERVE radio system project, with David Barker and consultant Brandon Marshall explaining progress across multiple phases. They reported that Mayfield PD fire/EMS and Graves County Sheriff are fully operational on the system, Phase 2 is 77% complete with 48 existing sites finished and 13 new sites pending acquisition, and Phase 3A remains funded but not yet complete. They also said router upgrades are complete, radio dispatch positions and mobile/portable rollout are complete, and microwave replacement is nearly finished, with one remaining site delayed by weather. A major part of the discussion focused on why the project has taken so long and why equipment is being purchased before some sites are built. KSP said the project began as a radio system upgrade but expanded as they discovered additional infrastructure needs, including routers and microwave links that were not in the original scope. They explained that equipment must be purchased in advance to match versions and preserve warranty coverage, and that older existing tower sites are being refurbished rather than replaced to make use of existing public-safety infrastructure. They also said all expenditures are tracked in inventory and accounting records and that the project remains transparent. Members pressed for a master plan and timeline, with Representative Smith arguing the project needs clearer structure and fewer layers of decision-making. KSP acknowledged the need for a timeline, said they had plans but not a full timeline earlier, and stated that if the remaining funding is approved they expect to complete the remaining existing sites and 25 new sites by June 30, 2027. They said 56 new-build sites remain, identified as the yellow-dot sites on the maps, and that some sites may be able to use existing Demar/National Guard tower locations. The committee did not take a vote on the project during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We’re eliminating IDs that show a picture and a signature, but in some cases, we’re accepting a utility
• It deletes the definition of controlling municipalities, mainline municipal utilities, owner property
• Regarding the utility, it must expand the territory.
• it with a general provision stating that the utility must have sufficient treatment capacity.
• It also adds a provision that a municipality that operates water and wastewater utility services and

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of recognitions for interns, staff, and guests. Members also honored retiring Senate staffer Susan Miller and recognized a veteran injured in combat. After routine announcements, the chamber moved to returning messages from the House and began taking up bills and amendments. The Senate concurred in House amendments and passed SB 118 on RV park assessments and SB 572 on ethics for public officers and employees, both by 38-0 votes. It then took up the elections bill, CS/CS/HB 991, which drew extensive debate. Supporters said it would strengthen election integrity by tightening citizenship verification and ID rules; opponents argued it would burden eligible voters, especially students, seniors, disabled voters, and others without the newly required documents. The bill passed 27-12. The chamber also passed the education package SB 182 after adopting a Senate amendment to the House amendment, and approved SB 474 on military affairs, SB 425 on historic cemeteries, HB 929 on local regulation of chickees, and HB 35/SB 1370 on habitual traffic offender designation, all with unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The Senate then considered SB 902/ HB 733, the Department of Health package. Members adopted an amendment and amendment-to-amendment that preserved most Senate provisions while modifying or removing several House additions, including some early steps and medical marijuana-related changes, and the bill passed 37-0. The chamber also began work on HB 905, the foreign influence bill, with a strike-all amendment offered to expand restrictions on foreign influence, sister-city agreements, linkage institutes, and related activities, but the debate on that measure was still underway when the transcript ended. Several other returning messages and bills were temporarily postponed, and the Senate recessed briefly before resuming business.