Transcript Highlights:

• we shouldn't be encouraging forfeiture so police departments or other departments can grow their budget
• We actually think the state and the county should be paying the budgets of those departments and not
• of those departments and not on budgets of those departments and not on the<00:27:26.760> backs
• Yes, they're all public, and so we would have to redesign our awards database to include not only your
• <01:18:14.239> to the awards our Awards database to the awards our Awards database to include

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 1324, which would require the Judiciary to contract for legal services for residential tenants in landlord-tenant disputes and allow attorneys, paralegals, and law students to provide those services, with an appropriation. The Department of the Attorney General recommended removing reference to Hawaii Public Housing Authority tenants because HPHA eviction proceedings are administrative and could conflict with the bill. Hawaii Appleseed and other testifiers strongly supported the measure, citing studies showing much higher tenant retention when counsel is available, and suggested adding notice of the right to counsel at key points such as rent increases, eviction notices, and lease signing. The committee adopted amendments, including the Attorney General’s suggested change and a technical amendment, and passed the bill out with a recommendation to move it forward; members voted aye, with one member voting with reservations and several excused. The committee then heard House Bill 126 on property forfeiture, which would increase transparency and accountability in civil asset forfeiture by clarifying covered property, changing disposition rules, and removing language requiring liberal construction of the forfeiture act. The Attorney General said forfeiture remains an important law enforcement tool and that the bill would not impair its use. The Office of the Public Defender supported the measure but argued civil forfeiture is broadly problematic because many people cannot meaningfully challenge it and are not entitled to counsel. Honolulu Police Department opposed the bill, saying forfeiture is useful in fighting illegal activity and that added procedures would delay enforcement and reduce operational funding from forfeiture proceeds. Community Alliance on Prisons, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and other supporters urged reform or abolition of civil forfeiture, citing transparency concerns and the risk of abuse. No vote on HB 126 was taken in the portion provided. The final measure discussed was House Bill 166, which would require the state to defend professionally licensed or certified state employees in certain civil actions, allow employees to hire their own counsel at their own expense, and set a process for the Attorney General to transfer or withdraw representation if the state declines to defend. Testimony from the Hawaii Association for Justice and labor representatives was in strong support, describing the bill as a negotiated clarification that balances employee protections with accountability and noting it had passed previously but died in conference. The transcript cuts off before any committee action on HB 166.

Transcript Highlights:

• centralized voter registration database centralized voter registration database and<01:49:59.119
• who have databases that that house<03:05:00.479> citizenship<03:05:01.399> information
• more readily available for databases more readily available for this<03:05:52.520> purpose<03
• There is no single database that a person can go to and get citizenship information from.
• and the sharing of that U databases and the sharing of that information<03:10:25.760> was<03:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They uploaded into CODIS, our national database, and it hit a match back to mine and multiple others.
• When New Mexico did this, they saw an 83% match rate increase in surges in matches in the database.
• So, it's really important to database.
• Since its inception in 1998, we have never had a breach in the database.
• Since its inception in 1998, we have never had a breach in the database.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:02 Roll Call 00:00:23 HB 414 Discussion 00:01:58 HB 414 Vote 00:22:34 HB 43 Discussion 00:24:56 HB 43 Vote 00:26:37 HB 518 Discussion 00:27:37 HB 518 Vote 00:45:20 Adjournment 00:46:35, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up three bills. House Bill 414, sponsored by the chair, would require collection of DNA at booking for felony arrests. Supporters, including Sen. Julie Rocky Adams, Michelle Kyper, and Ashley Spence, argued that felony-arrest DNA collection is already used in many states and in the federal system, helps solve cold cases, and can exonerate innocent people. Kyper and Spence gave detailed personal testimony about sexual assaults and how delayed DNA collection allowed serial offenders to remain unidentified for years. Members asked about the removal of a $5 fee in the committee substitute and about what happens to DNA if a case is dismissed; the sponsor said the fee was removed to treat DNA collection like other booking procedures, and that dismissed-case language was taken out because of concerns about duplicate samples. The committee adopted the substitute and passed the bill favorably on a roll call vote. House Bill 43, sponsored by Rep. Diana Gordon, would create a grace period for deputy coroners to complete required annual training when extenuating circumstances prevent timely completion. Gordon said the bill was a repeat of last session’s HB 403 and was intended to let deputies remain employed rather than lose their license and reapply. After a brief question about how often extensions would be used, she said the grace period would be discretionary and limited to unusual circumstances. The committee then passed the bill favorably by roll call. House Bill 518, also with a committee substitute, addressed local tax collection and payment procedures. The sponsor described it as a compromise between business groups and local governments, aimed at simplifying payment of local occupational license fees and net profits taxes by requiring cities and counties to offer electronic payment options. Testimony from the Kentucky League of Cities, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the County Judge/Executive Association focused on reducing paperwork for businesses while preserving local control and avoiding forced centralization. The committee adopted the substitute and passed the bill favorably on a roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had it for a few sessions, to be honest, but what it does is it creates a database.
• It would require the Texas Workforce Commission to create and sustain a publicly accessible database
• It gives you an ability to pay, so you're not on the database.
• you some background, states that the comptroller shall bar any employee listed in the commission database

Transcript Highlights:

• autobiometric Their database is the autobiometric Their database is the autobiometric identification
• Six, the Department of State database, consular consolidated database, does searches for identity, travel
• of State database, consularor of State database, consularor consolidated<03:14:45.680> database
• different government databases.
• > nine<03:18:32.560> government databases from the nine government databases from the nine

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the purpose could be to help send those through the SAVE databases, as I mentioned, to help identify
• DOJ intends to run these state voter registration lists through the SAVE Act or the SAVE database and
• What about all the budget needs that people are asking for?

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, IC3 is the nationwide database, and it will help us with investigation pattern spotting, similar
• In our experience, and this is, you know, one where I think there’s funding mechanisms and budget constraints
• The IC3 database is a powerful tool in helping investigators across the country spot patterns and disrupt

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Empower, yes, there is a program and data is collected because we want to make sure that we are using database
• and what's important to them to try to come up with a consolidated plan, and it's measured by a database
• initial infrastructure was a HUD grant that Congressman Womack helped us secure in the 2020 federal budget

Summary: The meeting opened with routine business, including approval of the January 13, 2026 minutes, and a brief recognition of Autism Awareness Month. The task force then heard a presentation from the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions on two student support programs: the Empower Program for non-degree-seeking students ages 18–24 with mild intellectual disabilities, and the Autism Support Program for degree-seeking students with autism. Speakers described academic coaching, peer and career coaching, residential supports, person-centered planning, internships, and scholarship/fee structures, noting that both programs charge a $5,000 per-semester fee and rely on scholarships and fundraising to offset costs. Members asked about dorm arrangements, individualized plans, and how students transition in and out of supports; presenters explained that Empower students remain in the program throughout, while Autism Support Program students may enter or leave services as needed. The committee next heard from Pulaski Technical College’s 3D program, a three-year transition and post-secondary program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities focused on culinary, baking, and hospitality training. Presenters outlined integrated classes with traditional students, faded support over time, internships, and outcomes such as 97 students enrolled since the program began, 57 graduates, strong completion rates, and many graduates obtaining and retaining jobs in the food service industry. Members asked about how success is measured, why rates are not 100 percent, the role of integrated classes, tuition, and community partnerships; staff explained that grading includes technical and professional skills, tuition is $5,700 per semester, and scholarships such as GETS and FAFSA help reduce costs. They also noted plans to expand offerings and pursue accreditation through the Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council. Finally, the task force received a presentation from SLS Community, a Fayetteville nonprofit serving neurodivergent adults through residential supports, supported employment, community activities, and advocacy. Leaders described a long-term vision tied to the Cato Springs mixed-use development, where housing, jobs, clinical services, and community amenities would be integrated in a “live, work, play” model. They discussed a residential program, a new vocational program called Program Forge, community events, and the challenges of the “services cliff” after age 21, especially for adults with complex support needs. Members and parents spoke about the importance of trained direct support professionals, ABA-based supports, and the need for better funding and service models for adults. The meeting ended with announcements about upcoming autism-related events and a request for future discussion on task force appointments and broader issues around ABA oversight and misuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• provide an assessment schedule every 7 years to look at the conditions and then create created that a database
• Public accessible database will be available defective award.
• list of facilities requiring upgrades preliminary cost estimates and project timelines with tight budgets

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll create the database for everybody to be able to look at where people reside, where they're from
• O'Connor sharing that maybe my office could look at all the recommendees and look at creating that database
• And any other staff that is available to us will pull together a database from the document that we have
• And let's include that in the database that we will produce.
• pull this together so that way we can have our next meeting, send out these letters, and create the database

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Cabo Verdean Cultural Center Feasibility Commission met to continue its work toward making recommendations to the Legislature on establishing a cultural center in Boston. The chair reviewed the commission’s mandate, upcoming monthly meetings, site visits, listening sessions, and the plan to eventually hire a consultant for the feasibility study. Members also discussed the importance of capturing the broader 200-plus-year Cape Verdean history in Massachusetts, especially in light of Boston’s 250th anniversary and Cabo Verde’s recent 50th independence anniversary. A major portion of the meeting focused on reviewing and narrowing a list of potential additional commissioners. Members discussed the need for geographic, sector, and generational diversity, and several commissioners raised concerns about overrepresentation from New Bedford and the need to include people connected to other Cape Verdean communities such as Brockton, Boston, Wareham/Onset, Taunton, the Cape, and Haverhill. Testimony and comments emphasized including people with skills in arts, culture, history, construction, philanthropy, law, education, museum curation, and community organizing. Members also discussed whether to use a slate, an inventory of skills and regions, or individual votes, and whether abstentions should be treated as “reserve your rights” instead. The commission voted to appoint three individuals: John Cruz, former State Senator Vinny deMacedo, and Angelo Lopes Barbosa or a designee from the Center for Cape Verdean Studies at Bridgewater State University. The body then voted to pause the remaining commissioner appointments until the next meeting and directed the chair and staff to create an inventory of candidates by skills, region, and other relevant criteria. Members also agreed to add two newly suggested names—former Brockton City Councilor Tina Cardoso and Maria Gomez-Pena—to the candidate list. The chair said the next meeting would be scheduled for January, and the meeting adjourned after the commission approved the motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Administration Budget Subcommittee will come to order. Missy, please call the roll.
• Welcome to the State Administration Budget Subcommittee.
• in our LBR, our budget requirements.
• And that won't cost anything. any more budget authority or money.
• Does the budget provide the funding for that? Yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Here, we've grown our budget by 75% in the last six years.
• Understanding that the undertaking of doing that requires staff, it requires a budget, it requires a
• I think it's, you know, how hard that committee works not only to build these budgets but to ensure that
• And rarely is there anything that happens based off of that that actually changes the budget.
• That the taxpayers of New Mexico send to us and then we put in the budget to spend.

Transcript Highlights:

• regulation called Billy's Law that requires law enforcement to enter data into two missing persons databases
• us and our loved ones who have missing persons, it reaches out across state lines in a national database
• Clerk, please call the roll. missing persons databases. One NCIC missing persons databases.
• c><00:13:39.760> for<00:13:40.079> those<00:13:40.399> unfortunate national database
• for those unfortunate national database for those unfortunate times times times when<00:13:43.200>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and approved the journal from February 17, 2026. The House communicated passage of several bills and requested concurrence, and committee reports were received, including favorable reports on Senate Bills 70, 74, 80, 127, and 154. Senate Bill 191 was also reported and then recommitted to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Senate Bill 104 was passed over and retained its place on the calendar. The chamber then took up and passed Senate Bill 47, which provides line-of-duty death benefits for search and rescue volunteers, with supporters emphasizing the dangerous emergency work these teams perform and the need to treat them like other first responders. Senate Bill 159, concerning missing and unidentified persons and aligning Kentucky with federal “Billy’s Law” database requirements, also passed unanimously after testimony about its value in helping families and law enforcement. Senate Bill 85, allowing state retirement beneficiaries to establish special needs trusts, passed unanimously as well, with members describing it as a way to provide long-term security for dependents with special needs. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 78 honoring the CSX Santa Train and Senate Resolution 76 honoring Frank Ryard and the Ryard’s Scoreboard for its long-standing role in Kentucky high school athletics. Members spoke about the scoreboard’s importance to athletes, families, and sports coverage statewide. Later, new bills and a concurrent resolution were introduced, including measures on state government, duty-related disability benefits, arrest-related deaths, detainee fatality review, carbon dioxide sequestration, and a mental health alternative response task force. The Senate received notice that Senate Bill 172 had been delivered to the Governor, then recessed for committee meetings and adjourned until February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of this bill, we do create a statewide voluntary exclusion database because the way it works
• because the way it exclusion database because the way it works<00:29:11.559> now<00:29:11.840
• So I think a self-exclusion database is a nice idea.
• So I think a self-exclusion database is a nice idea.
• So I think a self-exclusion database is a nice idea.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're simply checking a database.
• We're simply checking a database.
• We're simply checking a database.
• We're simply checking a database.
• We're simply checking a database.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• for county attorney case dismissals, a publicly searchable database for criminal sentencing reductions
• <00:05:10.400> for<00:05:10.680> criminal<00:05:11.120> sentencing database for
• criminal sentencing database for criminal sentencing reductions<00:05:13.320> and<00:05:14.320
• Our publicly searchable databases would make everyone able to go in and find that information.
• The information is now in some courthouse and in some database, and it's scattered around.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 7, a broad public safety package that the author said was intended to support law enforcement, keep violent offenders off the street, and increase accountability in the criminal justice system. The bill was described as combining multiple Republican-authored provisions, including tougher penalties for reckless fleeing, making it a crime to be in a stolen vehicle, allowing tracking devices on occupied or fleeing stolen vehicles, increasing penalties for blocking roads and damaging critical infrastructure, raising penalties for assaulting police officers, adding a mandatory minimum for first-degree sex trafficking, and expanding public disclosure around bail, dismissals, sentencing reductions, and sentencing guideline changes. The motion before the committee was to pass the bill and re-refer it to Ways and Means. Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher testified in support, focusing on aggravated fleeing, occupied stolen vehicles, vehicle tracking, and the impact of the state’s raised age of delinquency on younger offenders. He argued that law enforcement needs more tools to pursue and arrest repeat offenders, especially in auto theft and carjacking cases, and said the bill would help officers intervene before stolen vehicles are used in more crimes. He also urged reconsideration of the timeline for the delinquency-age change, warning that it could limit police options with 11- and 12-year-olds involved in stolen cars. Shane Mey of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association also supported the bill, citing rising assaults on officers and the need for stronger penalties for fleeing, stolen-vehicle offenses, and assaults on peace officers and corrections officers. He said the proposed stolen-vehicle and tracking provisions would improve safety and help officers address juvenile auto theft and dangerous pursuits. Jeff Potts of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association likewise supported several sections, especially the transparency provisions, assault-on-officer penalties, fleeing penalties, the stolen-vehicle offense, and the tracking-device exception, saying the measures align with the association’s agenda and would help address rising crime and pursuit risks. No vote or final committee action was stated in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• >>Chair Maney: The Justice Budget Subcommittee will now come to order.
• the department to provide recommendations for the use of future funding in its annual legislative budget
• Appointees from the Senate, House of Representatives, Office of Policy and Budget, and Executive Office
• Before that, I want to understand this is a budget committee.
• We toured the facilities, reviewed operating budgets, and examined the salary and personnel costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• While there's no single database that isolates college shootings specifically by non-affiliated status
• <00:05:29.440> that While there's no single database that While there's no single database
• Representative Coulter, what's the higher ed budget for this biennium? Rough guess.
• It has an annual budget of $247 million and an average award of just under $3,000.
• But essentially how a state grant award is calculated is we first set a budget for the student.

Bills: HF4362, HF4252, HF4440

Keywords: firearms, guns, gun rights, gun control, campus safety, public college, university, postsecondary institution, higher education, visitor carry, concealed carry, open carry, campus policy, Minnesota Statutes 624.714, petty misdemeanor, parking lot carry, firearm possession, public safety, college campus, student carry

Transcript Highlights:

• In the spirit of expediency, we have a budget account, regulation and supervision of captive insurers
• this and just get it funded through the budget.
• The first is the budget issue.
• This policy decision is a budget mistake.
• This policy decision, it is a budget mistake.

Bills: AB568, SB90, SB133, SB147, SB229, SB233, SB240, SB245, SB280, SB378, SB393, SB417, SB434, SB494, SB495, AB62, SB104, SB119, SB132, SB193, SB262, SB422, SB431, SB435, SB468, SB503

Keywords: higher education, Nevada System of Higher Education, operational expenses, instructional expenses, public funding, education funding, teacher grants, classroom supplies, instructional support, specialized personnel, civics education, Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, funding, youth programs, civic involvement, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas Valley, regional planning, economic resiliency

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to clarify, so the bill would actually not put everybody to the code as database flag...
• through a SACI grant, the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant, to start this process of creating a database
• This bill will allow us to actually create the database to have that coordination with law enforcement
• But I think just off the criminal aspect of the CODIS database, that's going to be on the criminal aspect
• Yes, upon a collection, we would actually put it into the CODIS database, and that would tell us that

Bills: HR170, HR191, HR206, HR207, HR208, HCR53, HCR60, HCR68, HB714, HB762, SB40, SB48, SB55, SB56, SB69, SB115, SB133, SB151, SB170, SB235, SB278, SB330, SB420, SB438, SB449, SB489

Keywords: U.S. Highway 90, US 90, Highway 90, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, DOTD, bridge removal, closed bridges, bridge demolition, transportation funding, federal appropriations, THUD appropriations, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, infrastructure, road reconstruction, evacuation route, hurricane evacuation corridor, New Orleans metro area, Mississippi Gulf Coast, public safety

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, May 5, and considered a long agenda of mostly transportation, public safety, and local infrastructure measures. Among the bills reported favorably were Senate Bill 420, which adds Vermilion and Iberia Parish representation to the Lafayette Metropolitan Expressway Commission; Senate Bill 69, which updates appointments to the South Tangipahoa Parish Port Commission after redistricting; Senate Bill 40, which expands Louisiana’s move-over/safety protections for emergency and disabled vehicles; and House resolutions from Rep. Dickerson urging DOTD action on Highway 16 widening, turn lanes on Highway 1024, and a roundabout on Highway 1019. The committee also advanced HCR 53 creating a study committee on oversized vehicle permits, SB 438 increasing per diem for the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, SB 449 giving the New Orleans Public Belt more procurement flexibility, SB 115 allowing DOTD to assume certain federal NEPA duties to speed project delivery, and SB 489 authorizing third-party verification of vehicle insurance coverage. Members heard testimony on several safety and enforcement measures. SB 151 would flag OMV records for people who owe DNA samples under CODIS-related criminal provisions; State Police explained it would help law enforcement collect required samples and aid cold cases. SB 48 would create driver’s license reciprocity between Louisiana and Ireland, and SB 235 would clarify payment and liquidated damages rules for public contracts, with contractors and industry representatives saying it would help ensure timely payment to contractors, subs, and suppliers. SB 55 clarified that seat belts must be worn across both the lap and shoulder, and SB 278 required ignition interlock devices for DUI-related license reinstatement; committee members raised questions about due process, vehicle use, and how the devices would work, but both bills were reported favorably. Several measures drew more extensive debate. HB 762, as amended, would give OMV discretion over referring certain debts to the Office of Debt Recovery or Attorney General, and the amendment passed 14-2 after discussion about relief for drivers who cannot pay. SB 330 on school-zone automated speed enforcement received an amendment preserving existing compliant pavement markings, but a separate amendment to exempt Shreveport, Gretna, Livonia, and Westwego from the law failed on a roll call vote. HB 714, as substituted, would have created a railroad commission and required railroads to address blighted or abandoned lines, but after concerns about federal preemption, definition of blight, and whether a new commission was needed, Rep. Phelps moved to defer the bill, and the committee agreed. The meeting ended with adjournment after a brief recognition of committee staff and visitors.