Transcript Highlights:

• as addressing a concern raised last time by a member, adding language on line 7 to include class 6 roads
• We added road frontage requirement, which was similar to a previous bill we passed.”
• 55.640><c> ro</c> per primary dwelling unit uh we added ro per primary dwelling unit uh we added ro road
• Frontage</c><00:24:56.799><c> requirement</c><00:24:57.559><c> which</c><00:24:57.720><c> was</c> road
• Frontage requirement which was road Frontage requirement which was similar<00:24:58.399><c> to</c><00

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So when they have something that is affected by that, and if you look at Eagle Road in the valley here
• And if you look at Eagle Road in the valley here, that's a highway.
• Meridian Road is a highway. Chinden is a highway here in the Treasure Valley.
• ...apply to present road project development projects? Representative Monks.
• You're going to want good roads out there.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved minutes from February 2, 3, 5, and 9, 2026, then considered several revenue-related measures. RS 33317, a clarification to last year’s urban renewal district changes, would require agencies not to deny fire district or ambulance service district withdrawal requests when no outstanding bonded or written contractual obligations remain, and it was introduced after brief questions about consultation and fiscal impact. The committee then heard House Bill 506 and related RS 33329 on the STARS program, which allows developers to front infrastructure costs for qualifying projects and receive a rebate of up to 60% of new sales tax revenue. Representative Monks explained the bill would raise the program’s floor and ceiling, while the RS would instead lower the floor and keep the ceiling at $100 million; after questions about timing, windfalls, and project scope, the committee held HB 506 in committee and introduced RS 33329 with a due pass recommendation to the second reading calendar. House Bill 610, which would extend homestead exemption treatment to people away on religious missions in the same way it applies to military service members, was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 594, which codifies a Supreme Court ruling directing late property tax fees and interest to the jurisdictions that assess them, also received a due pass recommendation after supportive testimony from county treasurers and a city administrator. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• On behalf of the Senate, myself as chair, Roads co-chair Fukunaga, Richards, and AA members.
• on behalf of the Senate myself<00:03:34.560><c> as</c><00:03:34.799><c> chair</c><00:03:35.200><c> roads
• myself as chair roads co-chair Fukunaga Richards<00:03:37.640><c> AA</c><00:03:38.640><c> members</c
• On behalf of the Senate, myself as chair, Roads co-chair, Senator Awa manager.
• Senate myself as chair roads co-chair, Senate myself as chair roads co-chair, Senator<00:07:10.000><c

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Here in California, fuel cell trucks equipped with Bosch technology are already operating on public roads
• There are more and more buses coming on the road every month at this point.
• And what is it currently, the cost of hydrogen, as is available on the roads for vehicles or for you
• And how about on the roads? So the main fuel provider in California is First Element Fuel.
• And the diesel trucks, 18-wheelers moving down the road, and you can fill up the trucks and the buses

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you mentioned two things I want to go down the road on.
• Johns County, the Lowell Loman Road in Volusia County, the George Maribel Road in Volusia County, the
• John's County, the Lowell-Loman Road in Volusia County, the George Maribel Road in Volusia County, the
• Is it true that Mar-a-Lago is on the east side of State Road 80 where this road begins?
• That causes infrastructure problems, break in roads, road repair work, sea walls that crumble.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and included several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate measures before final passage. The first major bill, health care patient protection, required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, a pediatric emergency care coordinator, and readiness assessments; it passed 36-0. A public records bill protecting victim identities and temporarily exempting the name of a law enforcement officer who is a victim also passed after questions about access for victims of police misconduct, with a 33-4 vote. The Senate next approved a local government cybersecurity bill creating a state-administered program through Florida Digital Service to help counties and cities strengthen cyber defenses, with priority for rural and fiscally constrained governments; after amendments, it passed 37-0. A clerks of court bill allowing clerks to retain all revenue above projections and, through a House amendment, revising legal notice and traffic citation distribution provisions, passed 38-0 despite debate over impacts on municipalities and law enforcement. The chamber also passed a trademark modernization bill and a septic system permit bill intended to reduce delays for builders; the septic bill was amended to align the House and Senate versions and passed 38-0. The longest and most contested item was the elections bill, which updated citizenship verification procedures using REAL ID and state databases, changed candidate qualification rules, and altered election administration provisions. Numerous amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to exempt certain seniors, preserve student and retirement-center IDs, allow attestations in place of documentary proof of citizenship, and require human review over automated systems. One amendment to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, was also debated. The transcript ends while debate is still underway on the elections measure, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• As I mentioned last week, we had a really good road show.
• trying to do this year is also have a packet showcasing all of the comments that were delivered in the road
• It is for any project discussed at the hearings, at the road show hearings, that is not included in the
• year: once at this time when we come for approval of the HPP, and then once again when we go into the road
• more important than dialing 911 when we're dealing with a railroad issue, particularly across the road

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works met on March 9, 2026, established a quorum, and approved the March 3 minutes. The chair introduced new members and then moved through four priority-program items: the statewide flood control program, the airport construction and development priority program, the port construction and development priority program, and the state highway priority program. DOTD staff said there were no changes to the flood control, airport, or port projects from the prior week, and the highway priority packet reflected about $1.2 billion in total investment, including about $913 million slated for construction in the upcoming fiscal year. Members also discussed the written justifications for projects raised during the road show but not included in the highway priority list, with the department explaining that those comments would continue to be tracked and addressed in future priority programs. Each of the four programs was approved without objection. The committee then received a presentation from Amtrak’s Todd Stennis on Louisiana service and the new Mardi Gras route between New Orleans and Mobile, which began in August 2025. He described the route as a state-supported service funded by Louisiana, Mississippi, the city of Mobile, and their transportation agencies, and said ridership had exceeded projections, with more than 80,000 riders in about six months against a first-year estimate of 76,000. He also outlined strong on-time and customer-service performance, station usage patterns, fares, and planned capital improvements funded through federal CRISI grants and state matches that are intended to improve rail fluidity and shorten travel times over the next several years. A substantial portion of the Amtrak discussion focused on railroad crossing safety after members raised concerns about recent accidents and fatalities. Stennis emphasized the blue emergency placards at crossings, the 800-number system for reporting incidents, and ongoing coordination with Operation Lifesaver and the host railroads to improve public messaging. Members also asked about an app used to identify crossings when signs are unreadable, and Stennis said he would follow up. The meeting concluded with a motion by Vice Chair Carter to adjourn, which carried without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pinal County collected up to about $80 million worth of taxes that the voters wanted to go to the roads
• This bill... ...want to go to roads.
• This bill allows ADOT to take this money to use it for Pinal County roads.
• most fair thing to do was to give it to ADOT, let ADOT use it for what the voters intended, which are roads
• fair thing to do was to give it to ADOT, let A dot use it for what the voters intended, which are roads

Bills: HB2065 , HB2066 , HB2071 , HB2106 , HB2237 , HB2258

Committee: House Rural Economic Development

Keywords: appropriation, housing, Apache Junction, affordable housing, rehabilitation, blight abatement, broadband, fiber optic, technology, connectivity, infrastructure, rural development, workforce hub, health services, transportation tax, county excise tax, regional transportation authority, public transportation authority fund, regional transportation fund, ADOT

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not apply if you already own the property and somebody has a signage easement or a road.
• Does that mean you can move a road somewhere else as long as you're giving them access?
• Yes, as long as you meet the standards for whatever the road is in that county or location.
• To get that right-of-way, we just need to have his sign moved over or removed to be able to put the road
• Senator Melson: If a driveway comes into a road and you need to move his sign over and give him another

Bills: SB185 , SB194 , SB72

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Keywords: veterinary medicine, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, prescription refills, animal care, regulatory compliance, agriculture authority, eminent domain, property rights, tax exemption, agriculture center, medical cannabis, cannabis license, integrated facility license, Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, AMCC, medical marijuana, dispensary, cultivation, processing, license appeal

Transcript Highlights:

• or 10 years down the road.
• These are roads that are right there; there's one right by an elevator.
• He had all his equipment up along his road where it was dry or high, and we purchased that.
• And there's a high embankment there to the north of that road.
• And there's a high embankment there to the north of that road.

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Summary: The committee met in Fargo and approved the minutes from the March 31 meeting before hearing a series of informational presentations focused on North Dakota agriculture, water, and research. NDSU President David Cook opened with remarks about NDSU’s land-grant mission, emphasizing statewide service through research, teaching, and extension, and highlighting examples such as the Lilac Agriculture startup and the university’s role in applying research to real-world problems. He said he intends to spend time listening across the state to better understand local needs. The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study projected significant potential for expanded irrigation acreage, especially in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau, and estimated major economic gains from irrigation, including higher farm returns and support for value-added agriculture. Members discussed water permits, surface water versus aquifers, infrastructure, drought resilience, and the role of legal drains in improving productivity and generating economic activity. The presenters also noted that the full report is available online. Dr. Greg Lardy followed with NDSU’s required interim report, outlining the university’s agricultural research and extension system, including the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, seven research-extension centers, and the economic importance of agriculture to the state. He highlighted recent research impacts such as new crop varieties, potato breeding successes, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, weather-network tools, and 4-H programming. He also described NDSU’s budget priorities: restoring the governor’s proposed 10% cuts, additional operating support, and deferred maintenance funding. Committee members asked about the new agricultural field lab, storage sheds, and NDSU’s partnership with Grand Farm. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor presenting water-related research, including data center cooling, water reuse, smart irrigation, and a feasibility study on co-locating data centers with greenhouse and aquaculture production. Members asked about water use, ownership, and whether the concepts were operational or still speculative. Finally, North Dakota AgTech presented its NSF-funded innovation engine work, describing startup commercialization, on-farm trials, workforce development, and partnerships with NDSU, UND, tribal colleges, and other land-grant institutions. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the prior meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:49.720><c> in</c> um killing someone on our roads in um killing someone on our roads in Wyoming
• face more than take a life on our roads face more than a<00:21:38.880><c> little</c><00:21:39.080><c
• </c><00:22:00.480><c> safer</c> legacy that helps make our roads safer legacy that helps make our roads
• I think that's too excessive, so I don't think that's the road to go.
• I think that's too excessive, so I don't think that's the road to go.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met under time constraints and asked members to rank interim topics for a letter to Management Council. The committee then took brief public testimony on a series of proposed study topics, with no formal votes recorded in the transcript. Early testimony focused on landlord eviction rights, where speakers said the court eviction process is too slow, can worsen housing shortages, and leaves landlords unable to recover rent, fees, or damage costs. The foster care topic was presented as a request to examine whether the system gives too much weight to reunification and not enough to the child’s best interests, especially for younger children. A Blue Envelope Program proposal was also discussed; supporters said it would help law enforcement communicate with autistic or otherwise communication-challenged individuals during traffic stops and emergencies, and improve consistency statewide. The committee also heard a proposal to study Wyoming’s homicide-by-vehicle statute, with testimony from a constituent whose mother was killed by a repeat dangerous driver. Speakers argued the current law leaves a gap because prior DUIs, high-risk driving history, and other aggravating factors do not meaningfully affect charging unless intoxication or extreme conduct is present. Related testimony from Wyoming Pathways said the change should be a tool in the toolbox for prosecutors and could improve safety for pedestrians and drivers. Senator Cooper then raised campaign finance reform and dark money, urging a resolution asking Wyoming’s congressional delegation to seek a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and restore state control over election spending transparency. Additional topics included a request from the Wyoming Livestock Board to review peace officer statutes so its investigators could act on felonies committed in their presence or prevent imminent bodily harm, while remaining within their current duties and certification. Representative Lee asked for review of non-disclosure agreements in public-private partnerships and executive sessions so the public can eventually understand how such agreements were used. Senator Pearson asked for interim consideration of shared custody amendments, saying fit parents should have a fair opportunity for shared parenting after separation. Representative Storer proposed revisiting DUI penalties, especially for refusal of chemical testing, arguing that refusal often prevents prosecution and that the law should impose treatment and license suspension consequences. The committee also heard a request to review statutes involving political parties, and the state court administrator asked for interim study of remote public access to court records, citing ongoing automation efforts, privacy concerns, and funding needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , letter road, up to the house, and he said, 'I'll never see my money.
• It follows our... ...access road. It's 50 to 60 feet from our property line.
• The solar panels are so close to the roads that we travel on every day.
• And so the people up around the road, they got setbacks.
• We have road agreements. We have decommissioning agreement bonds that are involved.

Committee: House Utilities

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• amend the Agriculture and Markets Law in relation to the recovery of a deceased dog or cat in public roads
• know if they see tragically a dog or a cat was struck by a car on a collar, the local town highway or road
• crew may know more what those roads are.
• I mean, is there a way to make it a little more, I guess, I just want to be sure that state roads, which
• are obviously a lot of roads and the Thruway, those employees would that be about in the same way, you

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food met to consider a short agenda of seven bills. The committee first advanced S.1742, which would increase penalties for knowingly violating dog shelter requirements, though one member noted concern that the definition could be applied too broadly and might affect unhoused people. The committee also reported S.4769, authorizing a study on vertical farming; S.5159A, adding duties to the Community Gardens Task Force; S.6573A, concerning recovery of deceased dogs or cats from public roads, with discussion about whether state employees should be included; and S.6848, expanding regional farmers markets. The committee then took up S.9478, a bill to prohibit state incentives for siting or operating commercial renewable energy systems in sensitive environmental areas. Members supporting the bill said it would help protect farmland and environmentally sensitive land from large solar and wind projects and would remove financial incentives without changing the underlying permitting process. Questions focused on how the bill would interact with ORES, local IDAs, and existing state subsidy programs; sponsors explained that it would not stop permits but would cut off state funding and incentives for projects in protected areas. The committee agreed to report the bill to the Energy Committee. All bills were approved by committee vote, with no recorded opposition noted in the discussion, and the meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• for ordinary expenses of the executive branch of state government, pensions, public schools, public roads
• for ordinary expenses of the executive branch of state government, pensions, public schools, public roads
• for ordinary expenses of the executive branch of state government, pensions, public schools, public roads
• First, one of the biggest complaints I get in my district is road and bridge repairs.
• help get the funding, and how much more additional funding DOTD needs to start catching up on our roads

Bills: HR159 , HR160 , HR161 , HR162 , HR163 , HR164 , HCR60 , HCR61 , HCR62 , HCR63 , HCR64 , HR153 , HR154 , HR155 , HR156 , HR157 , HR158 , HCR57 , HCR58 , HCR59 , SB124 , SB399 , SB441 , SB447 , SB460 , HCR4 , HCR47 , HB59 , HB74 , HB159 , HB175 , HB330 , HB364 , HB414 , HB458 , HB525 , HB568 , HB628 , HB786 , HB909 , HB1008 , HB1033 , HB1034 , HB1041 , HB1052 , HB1062 , HB1070 , HB1079 , HB1112 , HB1118 , HB1139 , HB1151 , HB1154 , HB1176 , HB1182 , HB1196 , HB1214 , HB1231 , HB1241 , SB244 , HB1 , HB2 , HB3 , HB312 , HB313 , HB383 , HB314 , HCR3 , HB983 , HB1126 , HR1 , HR17 , HCR5 , HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB241 , HB244 , HB306 , HB345 , HB366 , HB446 , HB511 , HB514 , HB655 , HB730 , HB743 , HB1027 , HB1037 , HB1043 , HB1082 , HB1091 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1230 , HB1237 , HB1238 , HB55 , HB385 , HB394 , HB396 , HB406 , HB608 , HB622 , HB676 , HB772 , HB897 , HB1030 , HB1035 , HB1038 , HB1045 , HB1049 , HB1056 , HB1058 , HB1059 , HB1092 , HB1100 , HB1117 , HB1160 , HB1161 , HB1162 , HB1177 , HB1180 , HB1189 , HB1216 , HB1239 , HB1240 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , SB127 , HB51 , HB58 , HB140 , HB750 , HB911 , HB982 , HB1010 , HB151 , HB180 , HB192 , HB193 , HB310 , HB635 , HB690 , HB961 , HB1003 , HB1146 , HB864 , HB977 , HB181 , HB31 , HB664 , HB615 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB9 , HB284 , HB393 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773 , HB996 , HB1113 , HB1234 , HB1236

Keywords: occupational therapy, healthcare, medical professionals, recognition, professional day, property transfer, public records doctrine, bad faith, Louisiana State Law Institute, real estate law, Black Maternal Health Week, maternal health, racial disparities, healthcare access, culturally competent care, Louisiana, community health, motorcycle safety, awareness month, motorcyclists education

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and received Senate messages, including several Senate bills and resolutions that were referred or laid over. The chamber also adopted a series of House resolutions honoring local organizations, commemorations, and community events, and referred one resolution on climate action to Natural Resources. Several Senate bills were read and referred to the appropriate committees, including measures on peer review confidentiality, higher education research security, pre-K program standards, police civil service, and a memorial highway designation. The main floor business was the budget. The House considered House Bill 1, the general appropriations bill, in Committee of the Whole and reviewed major funding levels and committee changes across state government. The bill included significant funding for early childhood education, higher education, TOPS, health care, corrections, public safety, transportation, and other agencies, along with adjustments tied to LASERS debt payoff, Medicaid, MFP, and various one-time or recurring items. Members heard brief questions on higher education funding and DOTD road needs, but no amendments were offered on the floor during the schedule-by-schedule review. HB 1 was reported from Committee of the Whole with amendments and then finally passed by a vote of 104 yeas. The House then took up House Bills 2 and 3, the capital outlay bill and the omnibus bond authorization act, both of which were explained as the financing measures for the capital program. HB 2 emphasized limited member project funding, reallocation of dormant projects, and bundling of projects to move them forward more efficiently; HB 3 authorized the bond sales needed to fund HB 2. Both bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously. The chamber also passed supplemental and fiscal bills including HB 312, HB 313, HB 383, HB 314, HCR 3, HB 983, and HB 1126, covering supplemental appropriations, treasury fund transfers, ancillary funds, hospital assessments, judiciary funding, and legislative expenses. The meeting ended with personal privileges, staff recognition, announcements, and adjournment to Monday at 1:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Affairs Committee, an act relating to parks and recreation, to revise provisions regarding the off-road
• It updates the interpretation of Idaho's slow-moving vehicle law to reflect modern road conditions and
• State Affairs Committee, an act relating to rules of the road, to require vehicles to be driven on the
• So I think I probably have more miles of road than anybody else here.
• Because I would agree, even if it's $100,000, that money could go to our roads to repair our roads so

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and then I look for the biggest problem that I see that's going to cause the state problems down the road
• But I'm not saying that you're wrong, that you won't see savings down the road from that.
• . ...some behavioral health ones that will have larger cost implications and drivers down the road in
• with a new legislature and have to revote on. lose the potential of having that program down the road
• My thought process is we can't push this down the road until March. Mr.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard an extended presentation from Representative Josh Tanner on the Health and Welfare budget, with a focus on Medicaid, supplemental spending, and the governor’s proposed holdbacks and cuts. Tanner said the state is facing major budget pressure, including a 3% holdback, provider rate cuts, and a projected need for additional reductions in Health and Welfare. He argued Medicaid growth is a major cost driver, described the program as difficult to control because of federal rules, and urged the committee to identify real savings, especially in programs he viewed as less essential than services for children and people with disabilities. He also emphasized that any recommendations to JFAC should be backed by actual numbers and fiscal notes, not assumptions. Members asked Tanner about cost shifting to other budgets or local governments, the role of fiscal notes, how JFAC handles minor budget changes, the effect of House Bill 345 and Medicaid eligibility changes, and whether expansion cuts could be redirected to other Medicaid needs. Tanner repeatedly said JFAC’s job is to balance the budget and that the germane committee should develop policy and identify savings before JFAC is forced to make cuts. He also discussed ongoing versus one-time funding, saying the state is short in ongoing revenue and that the committee should not rely on hoped-for savings. On revenue forecasting, he explained that EROC uses multiple projections and that JFAC ultimately adopted a revenue number near the middle of the range. The committee then received a detailed overview from Legislative Services staff Alex Williamson and Morgan Poloni on budget tools and resources, including the base budget dashboard, the Legislative Budget Book, the Legislative Fiscal Report, the Fiscal Source Book, session records, and performance reports. They demonstrated how members can drill down by agency, division, program, fund source, and enhancement history, and noted that staff can provide deeper detail on specific line items if requested. Keith Bivey also presented inflation-adjusted and per-capita budget trend information, showing long-term general fund growth and noting that similar agency-level analysis is still being developed. The chair asked members to review the Health and Welfare divisions, identify possible cuts or programs to protect, and return with recommendations; the committee was told it would not meet the rest of the week, and the JFAC presentation was tentatively moved to the first week of February.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're going down the county roads in rural Texas and they're dumping them in ditches and creeks.
• And law enforcement and teach them how to deal with illegal dumping because the first thing the road
• In my district, the Jones Road water plume stands as a stark example of how communities can be left to
• In fact, they're dealing with the Jones Road issue.
• So, as you know, the Jones Road Superfund site used to be in my district before redistricting, and now

Bills: HB456 , HB482 , HB1463 , HB1682 , HB1949 , HB5549 , SB763

Committee: House Environmental Regulation

Keywords: translation, environmental quality, complaints, accessibility, multilingual, TCEQ, environmental justice, environmental complaints, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, language access, public information, Texas Commission, multilingual access, administrative actions, environmental regulations, state representatives, state senators, penalty notice, Water Code, legislative notification

Transcript Highlights:

• When we don't improve farm-to-market roads, when we don't improve county roads, when we don't improve
• When we don't improve farm-to-market roads, when we don't improve county roads, when we don't improve
• This road is a county road.
• This road is a county road.
• will not get repaired and new roads will not be developed.

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In that yellow square, it blocks the current road into the back end of the DOC.
• </c> Faribault because they do have a road Faribault because they do have a road that<01:13:18.680><c
• into the back end of the current road into the back end of the DOC.
• </c> forward the local government roads forward the local government roads wetland<01:28:16.640><c> replacement
• </c> local government roads to use to plan. local government roads to use to plan.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They happen in our communities, on our roads, and often involve decisions that could have been avoided
• That behavior change matters because it directly reduces the number of impaired drivers on the road.
• I ride on roads, and so do you, and if it could... A better law to protect everyone.
• I ride on roads, and so do you.
• Look forward to the path of this down the road.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and approved House Bill 2808 on a 9-4 vote with one present. The hearing then focused on House Bill 1808 and its companion House Bill 3435, both titled Grace’s Law, which would create a narrow social host liability cause of action for knowingly providing alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person age 21 or older when that conduct leads to injury, death, or property damage. Sponsors said the bill is intended to fill a gap in Missouri law, align the state with other states that recognize social host liability, and promote accountability without punishing responsible hosts. Members raised questions about how the visible-intoxication standard would apply in private settings, whether the bill could reach casual gatherings, and whether it should also address other substances; sponsors said the measure is intentionally limited and still being refined. Supporters of Grace’s Law included the mother of Grace, the crash victim for whom the bill is named, a relative of another drunk-driving victim, and representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. They described the bill as a response to preventable tragedies and argued that liability would encourage hosts to stop serving intoxicated guests, take away keys, or arrange safe rides. Testimony emphasized that the bill is about reckless conduct rather than ordinary hospitality, and several members expressed sympathy and support for stronger accountability in drunk-driving cases. No opposition testimony was presented before the hearing on those bills concluded. The committee then heard House Bills 3439 and 3480, which would extend the Public Safety Protection and Recruitment Act to volunteer firefighters by allowing them to qualify for tuition assistance and related benefits under the program. Sponsors said volunteer firefighters in rural areas perform essential and often dangerous work, but are currently excluded from the statute, and that the change would help recruit and retain volunteers. Committee members questioned the fiscal impact, whether volunteers should receive the same benefit as full-time personnel, and whether the program should be structured as a tuition waiver rather than a scholarship to reduce costs. Fire chiefs and other supporters testified that volunteer departments are critical in rural Missouri, that volunteers often receive extensive training and respond to fires, EMS calls, and disasters, and that the benefit would help departments recruit and keep members. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce also supported the bill, citing public safety and workforce benefits. No opposition testimony was offered, and the hearing was concluded after discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you look at the curvature of it, obviously the roads... ...be that inner circle.
• So if you look at the curvature of it, obviously the roads and boundaries utilized won't form a perfect
• So if you look at the curvature of it, obviously the roads and boundaries utilized won't form a perfect
• But again, that had more to do with the roads and waterways that were available.
• With the roads and waterways that were available, it also took into account processor locations.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The task force met to handle routine business, including roll call, adoption of the amended agenda, approval of prior minutes, and withdrawal of one agenda item because a presenter could not attend. The main presentation came from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the recent chronic wasting disease (CWD) emergency declaration and control-area expansion after a positive deer was confirmed in Concordia Parish, including on Richard K. Yancey Wildlife Management Area. LDWF explained the expanded control area, the enhanced mitigation zone where baiting and supplemental feeding are prohibited, the buffer zone rules, carcass transport restrictions, and the taxidermy waiver process. Officials also said the emergency declaration lasts 180 days unless extended or replaced by formal rulemaking, and that the department will pursue a notice of intent process that may or may not mirror the emergency rules. Members asked detailed questions about where the positive deer may have been exposed, how the control-area boundaries were drawn, how many deer were sampled, and how surveillance targets are set. LDWF and Dr. Roberts said the positive likely reflects prior exposure but the source is unknown, that the map follows roads, waterways, and processor locations, and that the deer was sampled through a hunter check-in process with a large sample size from the WMA. They also explained that surveillance goals are based on risk models and that sample collection is voluntary, with costs covered by the department and some federal research funds, not by hunters. Several members asked for better public-facing maps and parish-level data showing harvest, sample goals, and actual samples, while staff noted the information exists and can be stratified, but some harvest totals are delayed by DMAP reporting. The National Deer Association then read a statement saying CWD is the most serious long-term threat to wild deer and deer hunting and that hunters, landowners, scientists, and wildlife agencies must work together to slow its spread. The task force also discussed its legislative charge under HR/ACR 75, with staff outlining five areas for recommendations: testing and tracking practices, interagency information sharing and public notification, monitoring captive and wild herds, containment protocols, and needed statutory or regulatory updates. Members discussed the timeline for recommendations relative to the commission’s April notice-of-intent process and the 2027 reporting deadline. Near the end, two members reported large declines in retail sales of deer feed products since CWD feeding restrictions, and a public comment thanked the governor for assistance after a severe ice storm. The meeting adjourned without any votes beyond adopting the agenda and approving minutes.