Video & Transcript Research : 'delegate elections'

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HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

JDC Public Hearing 02-06-2026

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • gives control to the chief elections gives control to the chief elections officer<00:14:19.440><
  • first up on 2461 is uh chief election first up on 2461 is uh chief election officer<00:22:44.960
  • election and not enough for the general. election and not enough for the general.
  • <01:07:16.960> to requires the office of elections to requires the office of elections to
  • <01:07:33.680> Um until well elections after that. Um until well elections after that.
Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 2444 would raise the real property exemption amount for attachment or execution, which the Attorney General said could create vague retroactivity language and litigation risk; the committee noted the exemption had last been adjusted around 1978. SB 2446 would add a seventh associate judge to the Intermediate Court of Appeals. Judiciary staff testified in opposition, saying recent internal restructuring and a pending vacancy had improved output and that it would be prudent to wait and see the effect before adding another judge. The Public Defender supported the goal of faster appellate resolution but said it would defer to the court’s assessment and had no objection to revisiting the issue later. The committee also discussed current appellate timelines, with staff saying at least 225 days is built into the process before a case reaches a merit panel, and that a two-year delay from panel assignment was realistic under the current structure. The committee then heard SB 2450, which would establish a presidential preference primary for the 2028 cycle. The Chief Election Officer said the election would cost about $4 million, less if combined with the regular primary. Several opponents argued the bill would add bureaucracy, duplicate or undermine party-run processes, and waste taxpayer money; one speaker estimated the total cost could be closer to $6 million when county costs are included. Supporters and committee members discussed that the measure would not require parties to use the results and that Hawaii remains one of the few states still using caucuses. The committee also asked whether counties could staff the election and whether the results would be useful given Hawaii’s current primary timing. SB 2453 would require the Office of Elections to include a notice with each ballot that a digital and printed voter information guide is available, with the notice in 32-point font as a separate insert. The Chief Election Officer said the insert would cost about $90,000 and asked for an effective date of January 1, 2027 because mailing preparations for the primary would already be underway. The Disability and Communications Access Board, League of Women Voters, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, and others supported the bill. The committee also began hearing SB 2461, which would have the Office of Elections prepare a questionnaire for candidates and publish responses online and in the voter guide; the Chief Election Officer said the office did not think it should be the agency to shape campaign questions, though he said it could work if the questions were specified in statute. Finally, the committee heard SB 2457, which would require a criminal conviction before seized property could be forfeited. The Attorney General and Honolulu Police Department opposed the bill, arguing it would prolong cases, increase storage costs, and make forfeiture less effective against crime, especially where owners flee, die, or hide assets through shell companies. The Public Defender strongly supported the measure, saying forfeiture should be tied to convictions and that people challenging forfeiture often lack counsel. The Honolulu Prosecutor also opposed the bill, but said it supported transparency, due process, and even a right to counsel; it argued conviction-only forfeiture would fail in cases involving fugitives, deceased suspects, or hidden ownership structures. The committee questioned what would happen to property if an owner could not be found, and the prosecutor said the outcome would depend on the type of property and could involve abandonment or interpleader proceedings.
AL

Alabama 2026 1st Special Session

Alabama House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Committee Feb 4th, 2026

Constitution, Campaigns and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • My name's Bob Fincher, and you're in Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections.
  • Constitution, Campaigns, and Elections is in session now.
  • And remember, the list is published twice in each election cycle.
  • published twice in each election cycle. published twice in each election cycle.
  • you have to be registered in our state to vote in a local election or a statewide election.
Bills: HB272, HB272
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Committee Apr 9th, 2025

Constitution, Campaigns and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • This is not about voter file maintenance, which is the bedrock of election security in any state.
  • same election cycle, then that's... ... on the same election cycle, then that's a problem.
  • There are non-citizens who obviously cannot vote in our elections, and we have had that issue.
  • She also voted in multiple election cycles, which we could verify... election cycles, which we could
  • It happens every single election.
Bills: HB479, HB480
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Mar 19th, 2025

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • They're elected. and we're there to support them.
  • Do you believe this would help election administrators as well? This is not an election bill.
  • It's helpful. but this isn't an election law or an election bill.
  • And the election worker have to take training before they do?
  • No election, this is not an election bill.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/04/2026 - Senate Judiciary and Elections

Judiciary and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee is called to order.
  • To prohibit it from influencing elections and election officials. Okay, thanks. Madam Chair? Yes.
  • They don't consider it an election, essentially.
  • the weekend before Election Day.
  • The causal factor of both findings to the 2020 presidential election, when a Republican election denier
Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then took up several election, family court, and criminal justice bills. SB 1425, the “big bill,” would move Arizona’s 2026 primary election date earlier and adjust related election administration timelines; the chair’s amendment moved the primary to July 21 and removed the shortened curing/ID deadlines. County officials testified in support, explaining the timing changes and the need to align dates, and the committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a do-pass recommendation. SB 1289, dealing with certifications for entities providing money or resources for election administration and foreign funding disclosures, also received a do-pass recommendation after testimony from supporters arguing it would block foreign influence in election administration and ballot issue spending. The committee later heard SCR 1013, a related resolution that would more directly prohibit foreign-source money for election administration and ballot measures; the sponsor and supporters said it was similar to SB 1289 but broader, and testimony focused on foreign money flowing through nonprofit networks. The committee then considered SB 1326, which would allow courts to award attorney fees and costs to victims when a party violates or worsens a victim’s rights. A victim’s attorney testified that the bill would provide needed accountability and guidance, while opponents argued the term “exacerbates” was vague and that existing remedies already exist. The committee approved SB 1326 on a 4-3 vote. SB 1402, requiring courts to impose a fee on certain probationers to cover electronic monitoring costs, drew support from the sponsor and advocates who said offenders should pay for monitoring, and opposition from defense attorneys who warned it could burden indigent probationers and divert money from treatment; it also received a 4-3 do-pass recommendation. The most extensive debate was on SB 1330, which would allow a parent in certain custody cases to request a jury trial on parenting time or legal decision-making. Supporters, including several parents, described costly and traumatic family court experiences and argued a jury would provide a neutral check on judges and court-appointed professionals. County and court representatives opposed the bill, saying family cases require specialized judicial expertise, jury trials would delay urgent matters, increase costs, and risk confidentiality. Despite those concerns, the committee adopted the bill on a 4-3 vote. The committee also approved SB 1328, which declares state policy favoring parental rights and a child’s equal access to both co-parents, after adopting an amendment adding legislative intent language. Finally, SB 1329, which would let parents sue court-appointed professionals who deviate from professional ethics or standards in custody matters, passed 4-3 after testimony from parents and advocates who said court appointees lack accountability, while opponents said existing malpractice and licensing remedies already address misconduct.
AL

Alabama 2026 1st Special Session

Alabama House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Jan 21st, 2026

Constitution, Campaigns and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • the campaigns of our state, and the elections of our state.
  • the campaigns of our state, and the elections of our state.
  • I think elected officials can have that redacted now. Is that correct?
  • I think elected officials can have here.
  • It's election year now and confusion.
Bills: HB67, HB89, HB67, HB89
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Ways and Means Committee 4/20/26

Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • um, going into session, members, on February 1st of this year, uh, myself along with the Range delegation
  • to carry these bills, of the delegation to carry these bills, to<00:39:31.880> tell<00:39:32.120
  • This proposal includes a series of election administration updates designed to improve efficiency and
  • Um, we saw last year the number of special legislative elections is unpredictable.
  • not currently held in conjunction with another state election.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/11/2026 - Senate Judiciary and Elections

Judiciary and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • If there are no corrections, without objection, the Judiciary and Elections Committee minutes of February
  • , move the date of the primary election from the second-to-last Tuesday in July to the Tuesday before
  • With the consolidated election dates, do we keep three, or do we do four in odd-numbered years so that
  • And so I'm concerned about that, and I think that with these two, my town of Tempe has an election.
  • It really doesn't, I don't think it's right to have an election that early and not in November.
Summary: The Judiciary and Elections Committee met with a hard stop at 4:30 and approved the February 4, 2026 minutes. The chair announced several bills would be held for a later supplemental meeting, then took up SB 1426, the “squatter” bill. The bill was described as changing forcible detainer rules for unauthorized occupants and requiring immediate writs of restitution after judgment. Testimony from the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office supported the measure as a practical, collaborative response to unlawful occupancy. SB 1426 received a do-pass recommendation on a 7-0 vote. The committee next considered SB 1687, a strike-everything amendment moving the primary election date from late July to the Tuesday before Memorial Day starting in 2027. The sponsor said the goal was to give more time between the primary and general elections and align Arizona more closely with other states. County election officials testified in neutral, saying they generally supported more time but flagged several issues, including filing deadlines, consolidated election dates, polling place availability, redistricting timelines, signature calculations, and possible conflicts with presidential preference elections. The amended bill passed 4-3, with concerns raised about clean elections qualification periods and state versus local control over elections. The committee then approved SB 1110, which creates a home confinement program for certain nonviolent inmates, with GPS monitoring, eligibility limits, and a 50-to-1 inmate-to-officer ratio. Supporters said it would help families, reduce recidivism, and save money; an opponent criticized the retroactive effective date and questioned funding and monitoring capacity. SB 1110 received a do-pass recommendation on a 5-1 vote. SB 1275, which allows courts to consider PTSD and related service-connected conditions when sentencing certain veterans and first responders, drew support from the sponsor and advocates but opposition from county officials who argued it would undermine mandatory sentencing and victims’ rights; it passed 7-0. Finally, the committee heard SB 1140, as amended, which allows expungement of eligible misdemeanor records after a waiting period, with exclusions for serious offenses and special rules for shoplifting and peace officer employment. Supporters, including a formerly incarcerated advocate and a retired police chief working on anti-trafficking issues, said expungement would improve employment and stability and give people a real second chance. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed SB 1140 as amended on a 7-0 vote before adjourning.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources, February 10, 2026

Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • with the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts is our policies come forward from our 170 elected
  • So each district has a board of five members that are elected across the state.
  • Um, each district has a board of five members that are elected across the state.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources, February 10, 2026

Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • preserve the integrity of the election. preserve the integrity of the election.
  • I support post-election audits.
  • A local elector looks at the election and says, "Here's what happened in the election.
  • A local elector looks at the election and says, "Here's what happened in the election.
  • A local elector looks at the election and says, "Here's what happened in the election.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Rules Jan 27th, 2026

Rules

Transcript Highlights:
  • with no party affiliation for 365 days before the beginning of qualifying preceding the general election
  • I'm the President-elect of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, representing over 1,000
  • It's about the elected state attorney in the Seventh Circuit.
  • The defendant in the Raynor case could have received a life sentence under existing law if the elected
  • It's about the elected state attorney, saving face for the job that he didn't do.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with a quorum present and considered a long agenda of bills, many of which were reported favorably. Early action included CS for SB 62 on candidate qualification, which would create an enforcement mechanism for party-affiliation qualification requirements, and CS for SB 156, the Officer Jason Raynor Act, which would clarify resistance-to-officer language and add mandatory life imprisonment for manslaughter committed against a law enforcement officer. SB 156 drew strong support from the City of Daytona Beach and law enforcement groups, while the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers opposed parts of the bill, arguing it removed useful limits on force and imposed overly rigid sentencing. The committee also approved several open-government sunset review bills, including measures extending exemptions for social media platform investigations, small business loan program records, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles investigatory records, emergency shelter recipient information, Department of Military Affairs records, conviction integrity unit reinvestigation information, Public Service Commission records and meetings, and Florida Gaming Control Commission records and meetings. The committee also advanced CS for SB 624, allowing batterers’ intervention programs to offer optional faith-based activities, with supporters saying faith-based counseling can help reduce domestic violence and no participant would be required to take part. Other approved measures included HB 167 on former phosphate mining lands, which limits certain liability claims if notice and survey requirements are met; CS for SB 48 on housing, which requires local governments to allow accessory dwelling units and was amended to remove hearing and variance requirements and clarify local ordinance obligations; SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, described as a negotiated glitch bill preserving co-op authority over generation and power purchases; and CS for SB 364 on public accountancy, which creates additional CPA licensure pathways and mobility provisions. The committee also approved SB 292 creating a public records exemption for appellate court clerks and their families, despite some opposition votes. Later, the committee passed CS for SB 296 and CS for SB 298, which expand protections for victims of domestic violence and dating violence by creating a feasibility study for a secure web-based 911 alert platform and extending address confidentiality and public records protections to dating violence, stalking, and aggravated stalking victims. SB 386 on farm equipment, described as a “lemon law” for tractors and similar equipment, also passed. Additional open-government bills were approved for emergency shelter recipients, military affairs records, conviction integrity unit materials, PSC records, and gaming commission records. SB 168 on public nuisances was reported favorably as well. One bill, CS for CS for SB 290 on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, was temporarily postponed after extensive stakeholder testimony; the chair allowed public comment but no vote was taken, and the sponsor indicated ongoing discussions and possible changes. At the end of the meeting, senators recorded several individual votes for the record, and the committee adjourned.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

State Affairs (Part I) Mar 20th, 2025

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • associate judge, for those that may not know, so those associate judges, those are appointed by the elected
Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs met and heard several bills related to legislative process and court jurisdiction. Senate Bill 1386, by Senator Huffman, would change compelled legislative testimony from blanket transactional immunity to testimonial immunity, allowing compelled statements or documents to be used against a witness in criminal prosecution only if not derived from the compelled testimony, while preserving protection against perjury and false statements and retaining the right to counsel. No public witnesses testified, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1470, by Chairman Hughes, which would require DPS to share existing data on cross-state driver’s license cancellations with the Secretary of State for voter-roll maintenance. Hughes said the bill does not create new data collection and is intended to improve list maintenance. A DPS resource witness was present, there was no substantive opposition, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1210, also by Hughes, would address conflicts between the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals on constitutional questions by making the Supreme Court the final arbiter in limited circumstances. Chris Hilton supported the bill, but Allen Place, Jack Rohde, and Philip Furlow opposed it, arguing it was unconstitutional, unnecessary, and could create practical problems in criminal post-conviction litigation. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard Senate Bill 311, which would conform the Government Code to the Texas Constitution by clarifying the Supreme Court’s original writ authority against lower courts and officials other than the governor. Justice Evan Young and Chris Hilton supported the bill as a clarification of existing authority, while no one testified against it; the bill was left pending. The committee then recessed to allow the chamber to rearrange for the Senate session.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/11/2026 - House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • We also have in this bill faithless delegate language.
  • We send a delegate to vote yes on term limits, and that delegate backstabs us and votes no.
  • Does that vote count, and can we prosecute that delegate?
  • Um, Chairman Gillette, so you're... ...that delegate.
  • system, a primary system, and the county elections will administer the election.
Summary: The committee first heard HB 2908, which would impose criminal penalties on faithless Arizona Article V convention delegates, require delegates to take an oath, and direct the legislature and governor to ratify any approved amendment through the normal legislative process. The sponsor argued the bill adds guardrails to any future convention, while Common Cause Arizona opposed it as ineffective and insufficient to prevent a runaway convention. After debate about whether the bill could meaningfully constrain delegates, the committee voted 5-2 to return HB 2908 with a do pass recommendation. The committee then considered HB 2608, a veterans housing measure creating a military transitional housing grant program at the Arizona Department of Housing with a $7 million General Fund appropriation in FY 2027 and changes to the military transitional housing fund. Testimony focused on revisions to the bill, including limiting use of funds to new construction and requiring veteran-led or veteran-managed organizations. Several members said the bill was too similar to prior versions and had not gone through the Veterans Caucus process. On a motion to table, the committee voted to lay HB 2608 on the table. After a recess, the committee took up HB 2805, as amended, which creates a secure online portal for nomination petition signatures for local governing board candidates and related election administration changes. The sponsor said the bill was intended to give school board candidates and other local candidates equal access to the state’s electronic signature system, while members debated whether requiring candidates to declare party affiliation would undermine nonpartisan races. The Gillette amendment was adopted, and the committee then voted 5-2 to return HB 2805 as amended with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard HB 2775, which would bar the state and its subdivisions from using state assets or money to implement or enforce rules, taxes, or policies of international organizations, and would add restrictions on Arizona public universities’ dealings with certain foreign entities. Members discussed a proposed amendment to create oversight of foreign funding at Arizona State University and the Board of Regents, but raised concerns about rulemaking authority and constitutional issues. The committee ultimately voted to hold HB 2775 for further work, and then adjourned.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Local and County Government Apr 7th, 2026 at 02:00 pm

Local and County Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • commissioners to establish by vote a five-member board of directors for the Free Fair Association, who are elected
  • One board member must be elected by each county commissioner's district, and the remaining two board
  • members must be elected by the county at large.
  • a lot of the board members don't want to show up except maybe that one time a year when they're electing
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee 3/23/26

Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Finance and Government Operations Committee. meeting of the elections finance and meeting of the elections
  • > they<00:10:44.959> were elected official because they were elected official because they
  • Uh, just adds clarity for our election judges.
  • Uh just adds clarity for our election Uh just adds clarity for our election judges.<00:22:05.600
  • coordinating on uh the federal elections coordinating on uh the federal elections in<00:25:55.440
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Policy Committee 3/18/26

Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:26:58.000> where had um school district elections where had um school district elections
  • standard election law.
  • standard election law.
  • <00:30:39.120> are ensuring that our atlarge elections are ensuring that our atlarge elections
  • Chair Jordan: It's being seen in Elections. Oh, is it being seen in Elections?