Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:15.280> the additional staff to help process the additional staff to help process the
• uh and small tweaks to to the process. uh and small tweaks to to the process.
• <00:19:12.160> more uphold them by making the process more uphold them by making the process
• sherpa businesses through our process. sherpa businesses through our process.
• the permitting process plays a role. the permitting process plays a role.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:19.680> Those<00:05:19.919> grants competitive grant process.
• Those grants competitive grant process.
• district can apply to MDE through a competitive grant process.
• <00:09:00.959> the science of reading um uh terminating the science of reading um uh terminating
• > and<00:10:50.480> synthesize listen and process and synthesize listen and process and

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Mr. just uh primarily around uh process >> Mr. just uh primarily around uh process
• Representative Schultz, you have a process question. Asking for a roll call.
• >> Represent Schultz, you have a process >> Represent Schultz, you have a process question
• And this is a continuous process. employees how we're doing.
• I also want to terminals so amazing.

Bills: HF3889, HF2567, HF3878

Keywords: workforce development, grant program, employment, economic development, funding, employment contract, labor policy, employee rights, unconscionable provisions, public policy, legal enforcement, airport workers, wage standards, labor rights, minimum wage, economic equity, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and our legal processes.
• First of all, attorneys in Florida have ethical obligations not to abuse the discovery process.
• And if, for example, I as the lawyer for the insurance company were using the discovery process to try
• can be hiccups and delays in this process.
• can be hiccups and delays in this process.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met and took up a series of bills, beginning with SB 620, which would require candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board offices to disclose any citizenship in countries other than the United States. The bill was presented as a transparency measure, with one opponent waiving time, and it was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote. The committee then heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters from the Florida Justice Reform Institute, American Tort Reform Association, and U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform argued the bill would add transparency, limit funder control, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in litigation funding. Opponents, including the Florida Justice Association, argued the bill would create strategic advantages for defendants and could affect discovery and settlement dynamics. The bill passed 7-2. The committee also approved SB 192, removing a $1,500 cap on patient funds chiropractors may hold in trust; SB 888, limiting indemnity and insurance requirements in design-professional contracts; CS/SB 332, creating a temporary closed-meeting exemption for pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions; SB 820, requiring quarterly reporting on problem-solving courts; SB 1500, updating uncontested probate procedures; SB 1224, making fraudulent entry into rental dwellings a third-degree felony; and SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts. Each of these bills was reported favorably, with broad support and little or no opposition. The committee also advanced CS/SB 694, which would compensate the descendants of the Groveland Four. Senator Bracey Davis described the bill as a final step in addressing the wrongful convictions, deaths, and long-term harm suffered by Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepard, and Ernest Thomas. Family members and advocacy groups testified in support, urging the state to complete its acknowledgment of wrongdoing with monetary compensation. An amendment was adopted to divide any appropriation equally among the four families. The bill passed unanimously. Finally, SB 144 creating a public records exemption for personal information of Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families was approved 9-1. Several members also requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That process is cumbersome to get you licensed in the state of Arkansas.
• We've started that process.
• We've started that process.
• We've started the process. We're in the right direction. That's good.
• So I guess my thought process or question is: Do you see that as a problem?

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The House Health Services Subcommittee met to approve the October 7, 2024 minutes and then shifted to behavioral health as the main topic. Representatives Wooldridge and Vaught described the work of the behavioral health working group, saying Arkansas needs a more proactive system focused on access, workforce, reimbursement, and reducing red tape. Members raised concerns about provider shortages, licensure barriers, rural access, reimbursement rates, jail-based services, non-emergency transport, and the need for step-down options and crisis diversion before people end up in jail or the state hospital. DHS Director Paula Stone outlined the behavioral health system, emphasizing that Medicaid pays for most behavioral health services in Arkansas and that many services cannot be billed once a person is in jail or the state hospital. She described current efforts including family-centered treatment for children, community reintegration group homes, a new adolescent substance use disorder unit, forensic evaluation and restoration changes, and a planned IMD waiver to allow Medicaid payment for certain psychiatric and residential services. She also explained the backlog at the state hospital and in forensic restoration, the role of therapeutic communities, and the challenges of serving rural and difficult-to-serve populations. Members asked about crisis stabilization units, civil commitment, dashboards for bed availability, and whether Arkansas should expand step-down or long-term facilities. Stone said the state has supported crisis stabilization units in several cities, with mixed results, and noted that Fort Smith and Jonesboro have been more successful than Fayetteville and Little Rock. She said DHS does not yet have a statewide bed dashboard but sees it as a useful tool. The meeting ended with agreement that the discussion was a starting point and that the committee would continue the work, tentatively in August, to develop policy ideas for the 2027 session.

Transcript Highlights:

• , in our legal processes.
• First of all, attorneys in Florida have ethical obligations not to abuse the discovery process.
• And if, for example, I as the lawyer for the insurance company were using the discovery process to try
• can be hiccups and delays in this process.
• SB 1500 implements recommendations. ...and delays in this process.

Bills: S0144, S0192, S0332, S0532, S0620, S0694, S0820, S0888, S1000, S1224, S1396, S1500

Keywords: public records, employee protection, Judicial Qualifications Commission, information exemption, confidentiality, chiropractic physician, chiropractor, patient trust funds, escrow, advance payments, prepaid treatment, trust account, fiduciary duty, patient property, Florida Statutes 460.413, Board of Chiropractic Medicine, disciplinary action, commingling of funds, client funds, medical billing

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and first postponed SB 532. It then heard and approved SB 620, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board office to disclose any citizenship other than U.S. citizenship. The bill drew one waiver in opposition from Common Cause and passed 8-0. The committee also heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters said it would add transparency, limit funder control over litigation, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in funding; opponents argued it would create strategic advantages for defendants and could burden plaintiffs. The bill passed 7-2. The committee later approved SB 192, repealing a $1,500 cap on patient funds held in trust by chiropractic physicians, and SB 888, extending limits on indemnity and insurance requirements for design professionals in private contracts; both passed unanimously among those voting. The committee also approved several Judiciary-related measures. CS/SB 332, as amended, creates a narrow temporary public meetings/public records exemption for certain pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions by local governments, and passed 7-0. SB 820, which strengthens quarterly reporting requirements for problem-solving courts, passed 10-0. SB 1500, implementing probate process recommendations to raise small-estate thresholds, clarify access to safe deposit boxes, and improve enforcement in uncontested probate, also passed 10-0. SB 144, creating a public records exemption for personal information of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families due to harassment concerns, passed 9-1. The committee then approved CS/SB 1224, as amended, making it a third-degree felony to fraudulently obtain possession of a rental unit through false written statements, counterfeit documents, or impersonation; the bill passed 10-0. SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate, passed 10-0 after testimony from banking and credit union representatives and support from Senate leadership. Finally, CS/SB 694, providing compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four, was heard with emotional testimony from family members and advocates describing the wrongful convictions, killings, and decades-long effort for redress; an amendment specified equal shares for the four families, and the bill passed 10-0. Several members requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it establishes a process for the termination of an authorization for agricultural tourism activities
• process it bioremediates the soil. process it bioremediates the soil.
• declaratory order process, or the ruling process, process, process, right?
• through the declaratory order process. through the declaratory order process.
• , amendment through that process, amendment through that process, right?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, with most measures drawing either support or comments rather than opposition. HB 2395, relating to taking marine deposits for research, education, management, or propagation, received support from the University of Hawaii and DLNR. HB 2585, relating to agricultural tourism, drew broad support for its intent to keep agritourism secondary to farming, but agencies and farm groups raised concerns about enforcement, county authority, and the rebuttable presumption language. Testifiers included OPSD, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Farm Bureau, a small farm operator, and others, with some urging clearer definitions, simpler registration, and protections for bona fide farms and hosted farm stays. HB 1728, on rainwater catchment systems, was supported in principle by DLNR, which cited drought conditions and said it deferred to counties and the Department of Health on safety and regulation. HB 1881, which would prohibit passenger ropeways on mountain lands, drew strong support from community testifiers who said it would help prevent development disguised as agritourism and protect forests and country lands. HB 1990, establishing penalties and possible foreclosure for unresolved zoning violations, received comments from the Attorney General recommending removal of AG references and more county-centered enforcement, while the Hawaii Association of Realtors warned the 30-day timeline could create problems for absent or unaware homeowners. The committee also heard HB 1712, which would expand and make permanent certain seats on the State Building Code Council. The Plumbers and Fitters union supported the bill, but BIA Hawaii requested amendments to add “licensed contractor” language, and architects and other professionals opposed the measure, arguing that increasing the council from 12 to 15 voting members would make it less efficient and harder to reach quorum. Finally, HB 2151, relating to hempcrete, was supported by a Kauai workforce development advocate and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, who said hempcrete could support agriculture, manufacturing, and affordable housing while reducing carbon and reliance on imported materials. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you don't have your state system in process, in process where you're, And if you don't have your
• And so if that's going to be part of the process, it needs to be part of the process up front.
• And then there's the process of how long it's going to take for them to go through that process.
• And then there's the process of how long it's going to take for them to go through that process.
• That process takes a long time.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on energy, public safety, and environmental cleanup. House Bill 455 would create a historic preservation license plate to raise funds and awareness for Delaware preservation efforts, and House Bill 471 would tighten rules and penalties for off-highway vehicles on shared private roads, with golf carts excluded. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 439, the Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act, would require clearer disclosures when selling electric mopeds and electric motorcycles so consumers understand classification, power, and licensing/insurance requirements. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 407, related to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act and brownfields, would shift funding for brownfield cleanup from the original realty transfer tax approach to a dedicated share of the hazardous substance cleanup fund and raise civil penalties for fraudulent acts. The committee also approved the June 18, 2026 minutes once quorum was reached. Most of the meeting centered on House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 233, as amended, a large-load/data center bill intended to protect ratepayers from costs tied to massive new electricity users. The sponsor and Public Advocate said PJM’s warnings about a coming reliability backstop auction made it urgent to establish a Delaware framework now, requiring large energy users to sign utility agreements, cover their share of transmission, distribution, and capacity costs, and comply with curtailment and other protections. Supporters from environmental groups and some labor and business voices said the bill was needed to prevent cost shifts to households and small businesses, while opponents argued it was being rushed, could deter investment, and might unintentionally affect other industries; several asked for more time and clearer definitions. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee also took up House Bill 470, which would authorize Delmarva Power, with PSC approval, to build and operate utility-owned battery storage and spread costs across the customer base. The sponsor and Delmarva said the bill would improve reliability quickly and help avoid outages, while the chair expressed concern that the state had not yet fully studied whether utility-owned or competitively procured storage is the best model, noting a recent SEU storage study and broader policy questions. Supporters said utility storage could be deployed faster and help with peak shaving, while others urged a competitive process; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 470.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you have this due process, this actual due process, making sure that all the i's are dotted and the
• So you have this due process, this actual due process, making sure that all the eyes are dotted and the
• Let's talk about the decertification process real quick and the due process protections in decertification
• review process.
• says they're in the investigation process and then the next day is back into the review process and

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you see there, the Bahamas is really a kind of terminal where you're moving the product through,
• So there's going to be some time that we need to really digest and process the information that's coming
• California must increasingly rely on imports and must also increase marine terminal capabilities.
• So while the molecules, I assume, are all utilized with the refining process, so you're taking crude
• But I think the clear strategy here is to convert Benicia to an import terminal in a way that enhances

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the impact of the Iran conflict and global oil supply disruption on California fuel markets. Committee members and administration witnesses from the California Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight described California’s heavy reliance on imported crude and refined products, the state’s shrinking refining base, current inventory levels, and how global supply tightness is affecting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel prices. CEC officials said near-term supply looked adequate for roughly the next six weeks, but warned that continued disruption would likely raise prices further and increase competition for imports. DPMO said the conflict is a real supply shock, but also emphasized a separate, longstanding problem of unusually high California retail gasoline prices, especially among major branded stations. Witnesses and members debated the causes of high prices and the state’s longer-term fuel strategy. Professor Severin Borenstein argued that much of the price gap beyond taxes and environmental costs comes from a “mystery gasoline surcharge” downstream of refineries, while also noting that California’s shrinking number of refineries creates market-power and supply-resilience concerns. Western States Petroleum Association CEO Jody Mueller argued that state policies have weakened California’s refining system and made it more vulnerable to global shocks, urging the state to protect remaining refining capacity and improve infrastructure for imports. United Steelworkers Local 675 Vice President Norman Rogers stressed the need for safe, reliable refinery operations and adequate staffing. Several members pressed witnesses on whether California should rely more on imports, how to manage inventories and port/storage capacity, and whether the state needs clearer authority and better data collection to coordinate fuel policy. Discussion also covered branded versus unbranded gasoline pricing, the role of California fuel specifications, and whether a floating gas tax or other policy tools could buffer consumers from global price spikes. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Favorable with two amendments. frame and a corresponding fee to process frame and a corresponding fee
• consumer health information termination consumer health information termination date,<01:11:23.199
• Predetermination Review Process. Predetermination Review Process. Favorable. Favorable.
• <01:19:45.199> under predetermination review process under predetermination review process
• In that process, we hope by the test.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, April 13, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened on the final day of session, heard an invocation, recognized guests and pages, and outlined a tentative plan for multiple sessions and breaks through the day. The chamber then took up several messages between the Senate and House, including a refusal to concur in House amendments to Senate Bill 311 on the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and the appointment of conferees, as well as a House message on House Bill 9007 establishing a conference committee on third-degree assault. The Senate also considered a series of second-reader bills. House Bill 6, requiring MHEC to collect data on pregnant and parenting students, was amended to exempt Maryland Global Campus and limit certain provisions to public senior higher education institutions and community colleges before being ordered to third reading. House Bill 182, concerning replacement of faithless electors, was amended to conform with Senate Bill 237 and then passed. House Bill 575, creating excused absences for student civic engagement, drew the most discussion; senators asked about the definition of civic engagement, county discretion, and whether students could use the bill for repeated protests. The floor leader explained that county boards would retain discretion and that the bill would not require weekly absences. The bill’s two amendments were adopted and it was sent to third reading. Additional measures passed with little or no opposition. House Bill 640 revised boards, commissions, and reporting requirements; House Bill 1335 required an independent study of IT and cybersecurity staffing and pay; House Bill 587 created a work group to review transportation procurement procedures; House Bill 854 established a nonpublic special education school renovation program; and House Bill 898 adjusted economic development provisions, including VLT proceeds and film tax credit language, after questions about the general fund impact. The Senate also advanced House Bill 1247 on Prince George’s County tax increment financing for an immersive entertainment venue, with amendments making it an emergency bill and addressing zoning and outdoor advertising issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• That process is cumbersome to get you licensed in the state of Arkansas.
• We've started that process.
• We have started the process. We're in the right direction. That's good here.
• So I guess my thought process or question is: do you see that as a problem?
• So I guess my thought process or question is, do you see that as a problem?

Summary: The House Health Services Subcommittee met to approve the October 7, 2024 minutes and then shifted to behavioral health as the main topic. Representatives Woodridge and Vaught described the work of the behavioral health working group, saying Arkansas needs a more proactive system that improves access, reduces red tape, and focuses on a few achievable policy changes for the 2027 session rather than many bills. Members discussed barriers such as low reimbursement, workforce shortages, licensing and credentialing hurdles, rural access problems, and the need to better use community providers, compacts, and step-down services. Director Paula Stone of DHS’s Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health gave a detailed overview of the behavioral health system. She said Medicaid pays for more than 75% of behavioral health services in Arkansas and explained that when people are jailed or admitted to the state hospital, Medicaid generally stops, leaving state general revenue to cover care. She described current efforts including family-centered treatment for children, community reintegration group homes, a new adolescent substance use disorder residential unit, expanded community mental health center contracts, a secured restoration unit to reduce state hospital backlogs, and an IMD waiver to allow Medicaid payment for certain residential services. She also said DHS is working on crisis services, forensic evaluations, and provider rebidding in areas previously served by ERISA. Members asked about reimbursement for jail services, the lack of a statewide behavioral health dashboard, civil commitment options, crisis stabilization units, and whether Arkansas should expand step-down or long-term facilities for people who cannot safely return to the community. Stone said the state hospital backlog remains significant, average stays are still about 14 months, and crisis stabilization units have had mixed success, with Fort Smith and Jonesboro performing better than Fayetteville and Little Rock. The meeting ended with a commitment to continue the work, with more substantive discussion planned for August.

Transcript Highlights:

• review at any stage in the process. review at any stage in the process.
• of this and then the process? of this and then the process?
• there by more than one process. there by more than one process.
• /c><05:53:13.520> local robust process for including local robust process for including local
• interferences with the custody process interferences with the custody process and<06:18:02.878><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It would not suspend the variance process.
• Nothing else would change about the process, the process for appeals, process for variance.
• Nothing else would change about the process, the process for appeals, process for variance, or any other
• But that's a process for that, right?
• But there's a process for that.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first disposed of several measures without debate, including deferrals of House Bill 460, House Bill 561, Senate Bill 322, and another deferred Senate measure, before taking up House Bill 819 by Chairman Cruz. HB 819 would replace Louisiana’s current workers’ compensation medical treatment schedule with ODG by MCG, a private evidence-based guideline system used in other states. Cruz and Troy Prevo argued ODG is more comprehensive, updated more frequently, and could reduce claim duration, medical costs, and premium rates; Dr. Jason Picard said Louisiana already uses ODG as a secondary reference for gaps in the state schedule and that the bill would not change appeals or variance procedures. Opponents, including injured-worker advocates Joseph Jola St. and Robin Crumholt, argued Louisiana’s current guidelines are working, that ODG is more cost-cutting and insurer-driven, and that the bill could increase denials and delay care. Members discussed amendments to add a two-year sunset, allow tacit approval when treatment follows the schedule, require payment within 30 days, and raise the carrier’s burden to challenge care; the committee adopted the amendments and then reported HB 819 favorably by a 7-6 vote. The committee then began Senate Bill 409 by Senator Myers, the Louisiana Living Donor Leave Protection Act. The bill would provide paid leave protections for living organ donors, set eligibility and verification procedures, and prohibit forfeiture of leave in certain circumstances for private employers. Myers said the measure is intended to remove job and paycheck barriers for people willing to donate organs and to support better transplant outcomes. Technical amendments were adopted at the start of the presentation, and the bill was introduced for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• The processes that are used.
• I just want to say I love this process.
• them, then while that process is going on, and this is a separate process than if a... ...of a municipality
• That's a whole separate process.
• And it should be handled through the International Code Council process and the process at every county

Bills: HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042, HB45

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money, HB 1232, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, public employee, retaliation

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:51.360> that is the result of a long process that is the result of a long process that
• They leave that's alive in the process.
• House Bill 60 is sections 307 and 308 relative to the termination of TENY.
• Uh this is to the termination of teny.
• I've described the three things process.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our process is our process. I am not a delegate; I cannot change Title II.
• and process it.
• we're not processing multiple IGAs.
• We don't know if DFA changed the process or if IAD is the one that changed the process or this language
• We've always followed the same process.

Transcript Highlights:

• committee uh for the um for this process committee uh for the um for this process we<00:09:12.360
• relatively new unit merger process relatively new unit merger process passed<00:36:26.560> into
• <00:48:23.599> or form or run a labor union terminating or form or run a labor union terminating
• It's not just to process and write decisions.
• It's not just to process and write decisions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Labor Committee received an overview from Chief Judge Patricia Millan of the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals (WCCA). She explained the court’s history, created in 1981, its role as the appellate body for workers’ compensation disputes after Department of Labor and Industry and Office of Administrative Hearings proceedings, and its original jurisdiction over petitions to vacate settlement agreements. She also noted the court is composed of five judges, is funded entirely by the workers’ compensation fund, and operates with five staff attorneys and two full-time employees. The committee then heard introductory remarks from the judges present for confirmation: Deb Sunquist, Katherine Carlson, Shan Quinn, and Thomas Christensen, with a procedural note that Quinn’s reappointment had not yet been formally referred to the committee, so his motion would be held until paperwork arrived. The judges emphasized their collaborative, panel-based work, their experience representing both injured workers and employers, and their commitment to the workers’ compensation system. Quinn also described efforts to teach workers’ compensation at the University of Minnesota and encourage younger lawyers to enter the field. Members asked about the court’s caseload and about delays in workers’ compensation claims. In response, the judges said the WCCA’s caseload has generally declined and fluctuates, and they offered to provide case-count data. In a more detailed exchange, a senator described a family member’s long-delayed claim; judges explained that repetitive-trauma or “Gillette” injuries often require substantial medical proof and can be difficult for insurers to accept, but that the system is intended to be no-fault and typically takes about a year to a year and a half from filing to resolution. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected here.

Transcript Highlights:

• those states, provided that the individual goes through the requisite training and certification process
• The bill amends definitions and allows people with life-threatening illnesses rather than just a terminal
• The new termination date would extend to July 1, 2031. I urge passage.
• of the state chief information security officer within the Office of Technology and outlines the process
• Ultimately, the circuit court would keep responsibility for the adjudication, improvement period, and termination

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 11, 2026, with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and numerous guest and page introductions, including school groups, prayer caucus visitors, and advocates for Home Family Education Day and Women in Blue Day. The chamber then took up committee reports and a large number of House bills, most of them on third reading, along with several resolutions and referrals. Senate Resolution 62, designating March 12, 2026, as West Virginia Athletic Trainers Day, was adopted after remarks emphasizing the value of athletic trainers in preventing injuries and tragedies in school sports. Several other resolutions and concurrent resolutions were referred to the Committee on Rules or laid over under the rules. The Senate passed a wide range of bills addressing economic development, public safety, health, licensing, and state administration. Measures approved included bills on the West Virginia Collaboratory at Marshall University, the Business Ready Sites program, volunteer fire company spending authority, the Load Forecast Accountability Act, funeral service licensure, work zone fines, biennial business reporting, correctional officer retirement law, the Right to Try Act, quick claim deed tax exemptions, an ibogaine drug-development grant program, aggravated vehicular homicide sentencing, 529 savings plan definitions, opportunity zones, barber apprenticeship, municipal and county hotel occupancy fund uses, criminal-record licensing standards, intimate image disclosure remedies, executor training materials, contempt penalties, PEIA treatment flexibility, PANS/PANDAS information, the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, capitation rate review expansions, convention and visitors bureau board membership, peer support services, cosmetology licensure compacts, natural resource police retirement, DNR fee indexing, ALS care services, the Neighborhood Investment Program, oil and gas well plugging and carbon capture-related provisions, DUI technical changes, abuse intervention program terminology, and a youth summer employment and career readiness program. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, with a few closer votes, including the Load Forecast Accountability Act and the DNR fee-indexing bill. Several bills were amended on the floor, including title amendments and strike-and-insert changes. The Senate also debated the work zone penalty bill, with supporters citing worker safety and fatalities and opponents arguing the bill increased fines too much without requiring removal of outdated work-zone signs. On the energy-related load forecast bill, senators discussed the inclusion of provisions from Senate Bill 420 and concerns about coal plant utilization and utility impacts. After debate, the Senate adopted amendments and passed the bill. In most cases, after passage the Senate ordered the bills communicated to the House, and for a few measures it also adopted title amendments or made bills effective from passage or on a specified date.

Transcript Highlights:

• , all those terminals are going to be refreshed.
• are<00:31:32.960> going terminal, all those terminals are going terminal, all those terminals
• We are in the process of doing that.
• We are in the process of same vendor. We are in the process of doing<00:32:34.240> that.
• Do we have any the use of this process.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first approved the minutes from its May 13 meeting. Members then reviewed a deferred contract with the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy for the Kentucky Pharmacist Recovery Network (KYPRN), a program that provides monitoring and support for pharmacists and pharmacy interns with substance abuse or mental health issues. Board representatives explained that the contract is a long-running arrangement, renewed periodically, with an option for two additional two-year renewals. Senators asked about the program’s structure, participation trends, follow-up, and consequences for noncompliance. The board said enrollment has remained fairly consistent at about 52 participants, with roughly 500 participants over the life of the program, weekly and monthly check-ins during the five-year typical enrollment period, and possible additional sanctions if participants fail to meet obligations. The committee then approved the contract. The committee next considered a group of economic development contracts, including items from the Cabinet for Economic Development. Secretary Jeff Null and general counsel Matt Wingate testified about contracts tied to regional innovation and entrepreneurship hubs. Members focused on the large differences in funding between regions and pressed for more support for rural and eastern Kentucky. Null said the cabinet is working on a more tailored, non-one-size-fits-all approach, including possible changes to capital support, build-to-suit options, and additional resources for rural areas. He said the hubs have helped 193 startups over the last two years and helped attract nearly $350 million in private capital, and he agreed to provide a written report by hub district on startup viability. The committee approved the economic development contracts. The Kentucky Lottery Corporation then presented its contracts with vendor IGT for retail and internet sales systems. Lottery officials said the contracts are mission-critical, cover both the traditional retail system and iLottery, and are structured as a percentage of sales so no payment is made until revenue is earned. They described planned equipment upgrades, including refreshed terminals, new ticket checkers, cashless vending and bill acceptors, and connected-play features that would link retail and online wallets. Officials said keeping the same vendor reduces the risk of business disruption and that the arrangement has already produced cost savings. They also said the lottery continues to see year-over-year growth and expects to meet its annual contribution target of $360 million for scholarships and grants. The committee approved the lottery contract after discussion.