Transcript Highlights:

• </c> is it provides options for protecting is it provides options for protecting every<00:02:56.320><
• </c><00:15:45.240><c> and</c> must align with IDEA protections and must align with IDEA protections and
• :49.800><c> designation</c> title is protected statutory designation title is protected statutory designation
• , extreme risk protection Therefore, extreme risk protection orders<00:52:00.800><c> alone</c><00:52:
• /c><01:23:49.000><c> families,</c><01:23:49.400><c> and</c> and protect students, families, and and protect

Bills: HF3493 , HF4114

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• this narrow scope, combined with the added exceptions, is a reasonable, important step towards protecting

Bills: HR310 , HR314 , HR316 , HR317 , HR321 , HR275 , HR276 , HR279 , HR282 , HR286 , HR289 , HR292 , HR295 , HR302 , HR319 , HCR112 , HR307 , SCR59 , SCR61 , SCR62 , SCR68 , SCR69 , SCR70 , SCR54 , SCR55 , SCR64 , SCR75 , HCR79 , HCR104 , HB75 , HB410 , HB719 , HB750 , HB944 , HB1098 , HB1220 , HB1252 , HB359 , HB210 , HB468 , HB1117 , SB382 , HB368 , HB552 , HB732 , HB870 , HB1236 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB149 , SB208 , SB274 , SB300 , SB312 , SB387 , SB389 , SB401 , HR74 , HB998 , HB901 , HR20 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB646 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB82 , SB89 , SB97 , SB123 , SB237 , HB36 , HB42 , HB74 , HB119 , HB159 , HB258 , HB259 , HB302 , HB414 , HB459 , HB848 , HB956 , HB1017 , HB1028 , HB1095 , SB217 , SB283 , SB469

Keywords: oil and gas, orphan wells, inactive wells, shut-in wells, marginal wells, plugging and abandonment, well decommissioning, site remediation, site restoration, Oilfield Site Restoration, OSR program, financial security, bonding, taxpayer liability, public liability, offshore wells, onshore wells, coastal erosion, Department of Conservation and Energy, natural resources

Transcript Highlights:

• These protections are popular among Harris County law enforcement.
• It's a moral commitment to protecting every child in Texas.
• I don't think you can go too far in protecting your children.
• This bill does not protect children.
• Lines drawn not to protect, but to preclude. And for what?

Bills: HB240 , HB2097 , HB2731 , HB3087 , HB3234 , HB3319 , HB3394 , HB3687 , HB4105 , HB4205 , HB4350 , HB4462 , HB4642 , HB4801 , HB5403 , HB240

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Summary: The subcommittee on county and regional government heard a long agenda of county-related bills, with most measures left pending after testimony. HB 2097, by Rep. Martinez, would let counties that opt in use an independent hearing examiner instead of a civil service commission for certain deputy sheriff discipline appeals; the bill drew support from CLEET’s Robert Leonard, who said it would be fairer and faster, and it was left pending. HB 4642, by Rep. Gonzalez, would require counties that contract with out-of-state jail facilities to include Texas jail-standard protections and oversight; Gonzalez, detainee Jess Hampton, his wife, Texas Jail Project’s Krish Kundu, and TCJS director Brandon Wood all discussed deaths and poor conditions in Louisiana facilities, staffing shortages, and the need for guardrails and data collection. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4350, by Rep. Capriglione, allowing peace officers to request redaction of personal information from online real property records. Supporters said officers face targeted threats and should have protections similar to judges; a title industry witness warned about preserving the integrity of land records. The bill was left pending. HB 3687, by Rep. Harless, would require county fire marshals in counties over 100,000 to meet training and certification standards within set timeframes; Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen supported professionalization, and the bill was left pending. HB 4105 would let very large counties give a local-bid preference for construction and infrastructure contracts, and HB 4205 would require pay parity for similar law enforcement ranks within large counties; both were supported by Harris County officials and constables and left pending. Later, the committee heard HB 5403, which would repeal a special rule limiting Dallas and Tarrant county sheriffs’ control over commissary funds; the author said it would remove an outdated population bracket, and the bill was left pending. HB 4462 would require large counties to allow elected officials named in civil suits to seek outside counsel and have a role in settlement decisions; supporters argued county attorneys and commissioners court can have conflicts of interest, while questions focused on who qualifies and whether the bill could complicate settlements. The bill was left pending. Finally, HB 240, by Rep. Swanson, would restore a five-member quorum requirement for Harris County tax levies, effectively preventing tax action without all commissioners present and defaulting to the no-new-revenue rate if quorum is not met; urban counties opposed it as a potential budget obstruction, while supporters said it protects taxpayers and representation. That bill was also left pending. The transcript ends as the committee begins HB 3319, which would create a civil service system for constable department employees in large counties, but the discussion is cut off before testimony or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• By following our mission, which is to promote and protect health and well-being and prevent injury and
• That won't change, but we must boldly act to protect all care for Massachusetts residents.
• Vaccines are essential for protecting our patients.
• will safeguard public health and protect our vulnerable populations.
• It really does protect the safety of members in situations.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held an introductory informational hearing for the new session, with Chairs Marjorie Decker and Senator Michael Driscoll outlining the committee’s scope and emphasizing the impact of the federal landscape on Massachusetts public health. They noted the hearing would focus on testimony from agencies and advocates, with short testimony limits due to the hybrid format. No votes were taken; the meeting was for briefing and discussion of priorities. Commissioner Robbie Goldstein of the Department of Public Health described the department’s budget and federal funding, warning that recent CDC grant terminations could cut nearly $100 million and affect lab testing, surveillance, vaccines, and community engagement. He highlighted DPH priorities including racial equity, maternal health, substance use and child welfare coordination, emergency preparedness, data transparency, and public hospital quality. MassHealth Assistant Secretary Michael Levine discussed MassHealth’s role covering about 2 million residents and its priorities in health equity, behavioral health, primary care, member independence, and customer service, while noting the agency relies heavily on federal Medicaid dollars and would face major strain from federal cuts. Several advocacy and provider groups focused on reproductive health and maternal health. Planned Parenthood warned of threats to Title X, 340B savings, and other federal funding, and supported a bill to eliminate parental consent and judicial bypass for abortion care for young people. Reproductive Equity Now urged stronger shield-law protections and changes to Massachusetts’ later-abortion framework. Dr. Indyamaka Anugaka called for full implementation of the maternal health law, better reimbursement for doulas and midwives, stronger data collection, and support for full-spectrum pregnancy care coverage. The Health Policy Commission said new maternal health and primary care task forces would begin work soon. Mental health and health system access were also major themes. The Mass Medical Society urged action on vaccine hesitancy, removal of non-medical school vaccine exemptions, and primary care reform. The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health and the Children’s Mental Health Campaign opposed proposed cuts to DMH and substance use services, called for more school-based supports, and raised concerns about inpatient capacity, including a unit serving LGBTQ youth. The Massachusetts Nurses Association and 1199 SEIU warned that staffing shortages, low wages, workplace violence, hospital closures, and possible Medicaid cuts threaten patient care and the health care workforce. The Betsy Lehman Center also urged investment in automated patient-safety monitoring to reduce harm and costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• And from my foster mother friends, this bill claims to protect parents rights.
• good parents ability to protect their children.
• have child protective services like and we live in the real world.
• This bill seems to protecting parents whose children will come to them.
• We are protections in place in Florida to protect children when they are abused. We can do more.

Transcript Highlights:

• a program to protect farmland or natural<01:54:59.119><c> areas.
• </c><02:41:05.920><c> fiscal</c> to talk about the graves fiscal to talk about the graves fiscal situation
• Uh, as I said before, it just we're going to lose a little of that protection.
• Uh, as I said before, it just we're going to lose a little of that protection.
• Uh, as I said before, it just we're going to lose a little of that protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Protect existing K-12 and higher education funding in the 2026 budget.
• Please raise revenue and protect Washingtonians. Thank you. Thank you. Alison Price.
• Therefore, we urge you to pass a 2026 budget that does protect public health.
• Secondly, please protect the integrity of Climate Commitment Act dollars.
• We need help processing repatriation requests under the Federal Native American Graves Protection and

Summary: The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard an overview from OFM Director Katie Chapman See on Governor Ferguson’s 2026 supplemental budget proposal. She said the budget was built in response to higher caseloads and inflation, a roughly $390 million revenue forecast drop, new federal costs tied to H.R. 1, and a relatively small ending fund balance. The proposal would increase near general fund spending by about $1.1 billion and solve an estimated $2.3 billion two-year gap through about $800 million in reductions, revenue shifts and tax preference changes, use of other funds, and about $1 billion from the budget stabilization account. She also noted the budget is balanced over two years but not fully over four years under the state’s outlook rules. Chapman See highlighted reductions in Working Connections Child Care, including a soft cap on enrollment and holding subsidy rates at the 75th percentile, delays to long-term care and developmental disability-related changes, and across-the-board reductions to higher education and administrative spending. She also described investments in wildfire suppression and preparedness, affordability programs like utility rebates and home energy assistance, housing-related planning and permitting support, One Washington IT replacement, behavioral health workforce programs, and continued support for some K-12 initiatives such as ninth grade success and homeless student stability. In response to questions, she said some proposed cuts were based on the governor’s subjective judgment about what was critically necessary, that current child care enrollees would not be cut off immediately, and that the budget would maintain services for about 500 highest-acuity Medicaid clients who lost eligibility under federal changes. Public testimony was largely critical of the proposed cuts in K-12, early learning, and higher education. School officials, educators, nurses, and advocacy groups opposed reductions to Transition to Kindergarten, Local Effort Assistance, Running Start, MSOC, school leadership and support grants, and higher education funding, arguing the cuts would worsen existing funding gaps and harm student outcomes. Several witnesses supported restoring or maintaining funding for ninth grade success, Treehouse’s foster youth graduation program, homeless student stability, and Science on Wheels. In early learning, child care providers and advocates opposed the Working Connections cap and subsidy-rate reduction, warning it would reduce access and destabilize providers. In higher education, campus leaders and labor representatives opposed across-the-board cuts and fund shifts, while some institutions and advocates supported targeted investments such as behavioral health workforce programs and DigiPen aid restoration. In human services, Planned Parenthood advocates praised restored abortion access funding and Medicaid reimbursements. The committee took no votes or final action in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• we gathered last time to discuss our legislative budget, we talked about the need to continue to protect
• In natural resources and environmental protection, the budget includes a shift of $1 billion from the
• General Fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to support Cal Fire’s fire protection activities in
• AB 124 is the Resources and Environmental Protection trailer bill.
• Protecting immigrants means protecting their access to health care. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee held an informational hearing on the final three-party budget agreement and related trailer bills, with the Department of Finance outlining the major budget bill and omnibus measures. Finance described a package built around balancing the state budget amid economic uncertainty, preserving core health and safety-net programs, and making significant ongoing reductions in some state programs. The budget bill included major items such as shifting $1 billion from the General Fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for Cal Fire, funding universal transitional kindergarten, deferring some UC and CSU funding, supporting foster care and homelessness programs, providing Proposition 36 implementation funding, and achieving Medi-Cal savings through changes to benefits and eligibility. The committee also heard that votes on the budget bills were expected later in the week and the following Monday. Finance then walked through the trailer bills, including health, human services, early learning, education, resources, energy, transportation, labor, housing, tax, public safety, courts, general government, cannabis, and energy-related measures. Notable provisions included a Medi-Cal enrollment freeze for certain adults, new premiums and benefit changes for some immigrants, child care COLA changes, education funding for literacy, teacher support, universal meals, and community college student support, as well as resource and climate measures affecting Cal Fire staffing and energy permitting. The housing trailer bill drew the most discussion, with provisions on CEQA streamlining, a vehicle miles traveled mitigation banking program, a renters’ credit trigger, and a six-year moratorium on new residential building standards. Members also discussed a film tax credit expansion, cannabis enforcement funding, a tribal police pilot program, and changes to tax policy, including military retirement income exclusions and wildfire settlement payment exclusions. Committee members largely praised the staff and the budget process, but several raised concerns and asked detailed questions, especially about the housing trailer bill’s new wage standards, tribal consultation provisions, and possible effects on prevailing wage protections. Finance explained that the housing language was intended to set wage floors for market-rate projects receiving CEQA streamlining, with different county-based tiers and a notwithstanding clause preserving existing prevailing wage laws. Members also questioned the size and timing of funding for the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Clean Cars for All, Proposition 36, and the film tax credit expansion. Other members highlighted support for public safety, veterans’ tax relief, child care providers, housing production, and higher education, while some expressed concern that the budget’s policy changes were being negotiated too quickly or without enough stakeholder input.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assistant principals are among the least protected roles in our system, yet they are essential.
• We ask that you protect the emergency food funding as you go through the budgetary process.
• Therefore, we urge you to pass a 2026 budget that does and protects public health.
• Secondly, please protect the integrity of Climate Commitment Act dollars.
• We need help processing repatriation requests under the Federal Native American Graves Protection and

Bills: SB5998

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses

Transcript Highlights:

• And what tools and protections does Massachusetts need to put in place as a response?
• Most of these policies do pay some lip service to protecting constitutional rights.
• We want to protect our people and our doctors, right? So we pass the shield law.
• information sharing with the federal government protects all of us.
• And I’m talking about TPS, temporary protected status, recipients.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on responding to federal immigration enforcement in Massachusetts, with opening remarks from Sen. Liz Miranda and Rep. Bud Williams emphasizing fear in immigrant communities, recent ICE operations, and the need to learn from advocates and affected residents rather than debate individual bills. The hearing was organized around three topics: detention, arrests, and surveillance, with members repeatedly asking what the legislature can do to improve transparency, legal access, and oversight. On detention, Leah Hastings of Prisoners’ Legal Services said most people end up in ICE custody through contact with the criminal legal system and argued that state carceral systems are deeply intertwined with immigration enforcement. She described conditions at Plymouth County House of Correction and Burlington ICE holding as concerning, citing limited medical care, disability accommodations, solitary confinement, retaliatory transfers, and poor attorney access. Hastings said Massachusetts should reduce funding for sheriffs and the Department of Corrections, ban intergovernmental service agreements and 287(g) agreements, and invest instead in housing, treatment, and other community supports. Members also discussed ICE reimbursement, the immigrant legal defense fund, and the need for more immigration attorneys. On arrests and enforcement tactics, David Albright of JALSA said federal immigration enforcement has been expanded by major new funding and incentives, including higher payments for 287(g) and bed contracts, and he noted that most ICE detainees nationally do not have criminal records. He said Massachusetts has one 287(g) agreement with the Department of Corrections and one IGSA with Plymouth County, and that ICE also uses Burlington, Hanscom, and informal local collaboration in places such as Milford and Auburn. Danny Tampona of Neighbor to Neighbor and the LUCE Rapid Response Network described more than 10,000 hotline calls from 46 cities and towns, with arrests often involving masked agents, surveillance of workers and families, traffic stops, broken windows, and arrests at check-ins or schools; he said the network is concentrated in places including Everett, Chelsea, Lynn, New Bedford, Milford, Marlboro, Framingham, and Springfield. He urged legislation requiring clear identification for law enforcement, limits on surveillance technologies, and stronger legal defense resources. On surveillance, Joshua Dancoff of Citizens for Juvenile Justice argued that current state policies allow broad sharing of fingerprints and surveillance data with ICE, including through BRIC, the Massachusetts Fusion Center, and municipal police policies. He cited cases in Chelsea and Everett where children were taken from police custody into ICE custody and said many departments automatically share arrest fingerprints and other information with federal authorities. He recommended limiting fingerprint sharing, restricting surveillance databases and task-force participation, and curbing police and sheriff collaboration with ICE even where no formal 287(g) exists. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for more immigration lawyers, possible bar advocate-style funding for immigration defense, and legislative action to prevent further collaboration and deportation infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• also make sure that the victim's rights are protected.
• investment, consistent with the protection of national security.
• What I've heard you say is we need to protect our state and protect the environment.
• But I am worried that in our zeal to potentially protect against...
• The protections on any inaccuracies, Senator Gutierrez, would be, the protection would be you and I and

Bills: SJR39 , SB22 , SB30 , SB33 , SB34 , SB37 , SB75 , SB209 , SB310 , SB505 , SB552 , SB618 , SB626 , SB636 , SB732 , SB747 , SB762 , SB769 , SB819 , SB825 , SB870 , SB926 , SB964 , SB1030 , SB1080 , SB1099 , SB1124 , SB1177 , SB1208 , SB1233 , SB1314 , SB1325 , SB1333 , SB1405 , SB1455 , SB1506 , SB1524 , SB1541 , SB1577 , SB1579 , SB1596 , SB1646 , SB1667 , SB1727 , SB1750 , SB1758 , SB1760 , SB1791 , SB1804 , SB1806 , SB1869 , SB1923 , SB1927 , SB1951 , SB1960 , SB1962 , SB2023 , SB2024 , SB2056 , SB2078 , SB2122 , SB2129 , SB2180 , SB2183 , SB2185 , SB2207 , SB2252 , SB2361 , SB2365 , SB2368 , SB2405 , SB2411 , SB2420 , SB2425 , SB2569 , SB2717 , SJR36 , SJR50 , SJR39 , SJR63 , SJR68 , SCR12 , SCR39 , SCR38 , SCR37 , SCR42 , SCR29 , SB762 , SB1596 , SB62 , SB666 , SB847 , SB284 , SB854 , SB1073 , SB810 , SB1539 , SB1505 , SB583 , SB957 , SB1502 , SB507 , SB1026 , SB1349 , SB1433 , SB1434 , SB310 , SB505 , SB264 , SB1364 , SB1376 , SB1585 , SB1772 , SB2016 , SB1163 , SB619 , SB1122 , SB1877 , SB732 , SB731 , SB397 , SB508 , SB1333 , SB1436 , SB964 , SB287 , SB2143 , SB261 , SB1247 , SB1882 , SB618 , SB393 , SB2243 , SB2226 , SB1919 , SB1791 , SB22 , SB651 , SB1080 , SB826 , SB1079 , SB1243 , SB1504 , SB1851 , SB1879 , SB2237 , SB1257 , SB2034 , SB1522 , SB1151 , SB596 , SB1191 , SB226 , SB570 , SB870 , SB991 , SB60 , SB1401 , SB1728 , SB586 , SB529 , SB217 , SB209 , SB1923 , SB1839 , SB387 , SB1874 , SB1872 , SB1873 , SB1921 , SB1883 , SB1620 , SB1838 , SB2024 , SB2429 , SB1999 , SB511 , SB2309 , SB2166 , SB510 , SB33 , SB2420 , SB1860 , SB1541 , SB1314 , SB1398 , SB1869 , SB1750 , SB855 , SB1233 , SB2425 , SB2037 , SB1758 , SB1759 , SB2365 , SB1924 , SB1818 , SB1405 , SB1762 , SB1968 , SB1977 , SB2077 , SB2321 , SB1662 , SB1663 , SB2124 , SB2204 , SB1855 , SB863 , SB37 , SB819 , SB2078 , SB2252 , SB1962 , SB2253 , SB825 , SB1577 , SB1184 , SB2018 , SB2206 , SB1901 , SB1030 , SB2368 , SB1963 , SB1960 , SB1643 , SB1625 , SB1299 , SB841 , SB668 , SB584 , SB231 , SB2411 , SB1085 , SB2431 , SB2231 , SB1490 , SB530 , SB34 , SB1261 , SB552 , SB1099 , SB1646 , SB2180 , SB1804 , SB1937 , SB1936 , SB2569 , SB1372 , SB1208 , SB1124 , SB1506 , SB1806 , SB1868 , SB2361 , SB2314 , SB769 , SB1409 , SB2122 , SB434 , SB1214 , SB1951 , SB2183 , SB2046 , SB1667 , SB1870 , SB1727 , SB2405 , SB2127 , SB1975 , SB1760 , SB1734 , SB1335 , SB2066 , SB2129 , SB2246 , SB2439 , SB1624 , SB1244 , SB1468 , SB2717 , SB1612 , SB1262 , SB604 , SB2395 , SB2185 , SB1832 , SB1745 , SB1746 , SB2207 , SB2023 , SB1784 , SB1524 , SB626 , SB528 , SB437 , SB269 , SB1137 , SB968 , SB636 , SB747 , SB1325 , SB1789 , SB1455 , SB2056 , SB75 , SB1940 , SB2052 , SB1927 , SB2010 , SB1579 , SB2068 , SB3034 , SB844 , SB1920 , SB1177 , SB1558 , SB1236 , SB1044 , SB926 , SB884 , SB463 , SB331 , SB227 , SB240 , SB517 , SB1200 , SB1410 , SB1626 , SB1845 , SB1863 , SB2216 , SB2681 , SB1717 , SB2053 , SB546 , SB2141 , SB2949 , SB2323 , SB2200 , SB2332 , SB2199 , SB1642 , SB1150 , SB1757 , SB2050 , SB1138 , SB2051 , SB2626 , SB2458 , SB1864 , SB30 , SB2201 , SB1862 , SB1583 , SB1583 , SB1055 , SB2660 , SB1898 , SB2662 , SB2662 , SB2161 , SB2161 , SB2964 , SB2881 , SB1065 , SB1065 , SB801 , SB2743 , SB2533 , SB2533 , SB1413 , SB1413

Transcript Highlights:

• It's protected without a search warrant. They do this with ATM machines already.
• How we want to protect citizens.
• protection agency of her credit card.
• This bill also protects Idahoans who depend on these clinics and gives the Department also protects Idahoans
• The original ask was $980,000 one time out of the Consumer Protection Fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• Protect this country. Let Louisiana come together.
• Now, lowering insurance costs protects... ...requires.
• That is a system protecting itself at the cost of an innocent man's life.
• House Bill by Representative Chasseau, personal information protected individuals, protection of personal
• House Bill by Representative Chasseau, personal information protected individuals, protection of personal

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, received and accepted multiple resignation notices from members representing Districts 37, 39, 60, 69, 97, and 100, and then recognized the election and qualification of the members-elect who filled those vacancies: Doyle Boudreau, Reese Broussard, Chasity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray. Each member-elect was sworn in, and the House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session. The chamber then handled a large number of procedural actions related to prefiled legislation. By motion and without objection, the House suspended rules to refer prefile bills to committee and introduced a broad slate of House bills and resolutions. Topics included the state budget and appropriations, retirement system changes, carbon capture and sequestration, criminal justice and bail, public safety, education, health care, local government matters, transportation, and several memorial or commemorative resolutions. Several resolutions and bills were noted as lying over, and some prefiled bills were withdrawn from the files. The House also received a Senate message that SCR 1 had been adopted, and the resolution was taken up without objection. The chamber then recessed for a joint session with the Senate to hear the governor’s address and a presentation honoring Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister with the Distinguished Flying Cross. In his remarks, Governor Jeff Landry highlighted his administration’s priorities, including education, tax reform, workforce development, health and nutrition, insurance reform, transportation infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and criminal justice reform, while urging support for his agenda and several related bills and constitutional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allstate Integrated Coastal Protection Plan for fiscal year 2026, 2027 becomes HR1 by Rep.
• Father, there are earthquakes going around Louisiana; protect our people and our infrastructure.
• Protect this country. Let Louisiana come together. of war. Protect this country.
• That is a system protecting itself at the cost of an innocent man's life.
• House Bill by Representative Chassion, personal information of protected individuals, protection of personal

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then received and processed multiple resignation notices and special-election proclamations for vacant seats. The chamber later recognized and swore in newly elected members Doyle Boudreaux, Reese Broussard, Chassity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray after no objections were raised to their qualifications. The House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session, and it adopted the proposed standing committee meeting schedule and referred prefiled bills to committee without objection. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the introduction and reading of a very large number of House bills and resolutions across many subject areas. Measures included the annual appropriations bill, a proposed constitutional convention, carbon dioxide sequestration and pipeline permitting, retirement-system changes, criminal justice and public safety proposals, education and workforce measures, local government and district creation bills, insurance and liability reforms, and numerous commemorative resolutions. Several prefiled bills were withdrawn, and many introduced measures were assigned to committees or allowed to lie over under the rules. The House then entered a joint session with the Senate for the governor’s address. Governor Jeff Landry outlined his administration’s priorities and praised recent legislative actions on taxes, insurance reform, transportation, education, and fiscal discipline. He urged support for Amendment 3 on teacher pay and retirement, called for further workforce and health initiatives, defended insurance and transportation reforms, and pressed for judicial reform, especially in Orleans Parish, citing the death of Jacob Carter and failures in electronic monitoring as examples. He also promoted replacing the vehicle inspection sticker with a QR code system and highlighted economic growth, lower taxes, and infrastructure investments. The joint session also included a presentation of the colors by the Louisiana National Guard and a Distinguished Flying Cross ceremony for Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister, recognizing his 2018 rescue mission in Alaska. After the governor’s remarks and the military honor presentation, the joint session concluded and the House resumed introducing additional bills, continuing to file measures on topics such as health care, education, ethics, elections, local districts, and constitutional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead of protecting the child, DISHES chose to protect the camp and hide the crime.
• Protection.
• That is, yes, we would want protection. We would want liability protection for the commissioner.
• to protect the safety and welfare of patients.
• When are we going to protect the public?

Bills: HB265 , HB25

Committee: House Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• As a judge, my job is not only to uphold the rule of law but to protect the rule of law itself.
• As a judge, my job is not only to uphold the rule of law but to protect the rule of law itself." it has
• As a judge, my job is not only to uphold the rule of law but to protect the rule of law itself.
• How will our government look without representation from protected groups?
• </c><05:20:54.000><c> groups</c> representation from protected groups representation from protected groups

Summary: The committee began by announcing that afternoon hearings, including House Bill 283, would be moved to Representatives Hall because of expected public interest. It then took up House Bill 671, which would establish a kindergarten literacy readiness program. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Pearson, described the measure as a way to close gaps in early reading readiness and said it was intended as a first step, with only a placeholder appropriation while details are developed. He framed it as a targeted effort to help children who are not entering first grade ready to read. Testimony on HB 671 was largely supportive. Representatives asked about the bill’s structure, whether a specific program had been identified, how it would interact with play-based learning, and why the provider was limited to a registered nonprofit. Waterford.org representatives Teresa Rosenberger and Rob Riley testified in support, describing Waterford Upstart as a home-based, evidence-based early learning program already used in New Hampshire. They said the program provides adaptive instruction, family coaching, and technology support, including computers, tablets, internet access, and translation services in more than 100 languages. They also said the model has been successful in New Hampshire, including a Nashua pilot and later statewide efforts, and that similar legislation has existed in other states. Rep. Jonah Wheeler also spoke in support of the bill. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 671. After a fiscal note for HB 671 was distributed, the committee moved to House Bill 781, which would require school districts to adopt policies for a cell phone-free education and includes an appropriation. The transcript cuts off as Rep. Litchfield was introduced to testify on that bill, so no testimony, debate, or vote on HB 781 is included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Graves? Mr. Chair, Representative Graves, absolutely not.
• Protecting students means protecting stable funding.
• But who is going to protect DPS? If the chief... Thank you. But who is going to protect DPS?
• She was protecting us, and she won.
• All 15 counties protect us. And we love our sheriffs. All 15 counties protect us.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, guest introductions, and a proclamation recognizing March as International Women’s Celebration Month. Members also welcomed guests from several school districts and the Arizona FFA. The chamber then moved through first readings of numerous Senate bills and took up several motions, including reconsideration of HB 2169 and referral of HB 210 and HB 2103 to an additional Committee of the Whole for further amendment. In Committee of the Whole, the House advanced HB 2100 and HB 2103 with technical amendments and due-pass recommendations. It then considered a series of bills on Calendar 2, including HB 2048, HB 2364, HB 2415, HB 2775, HB 2833, HB 2862, HB 2870, HB 2995, and HB 4067. Debate centered on election administration, sovereignty and international organizations, private school regulation, law enforcement face coverings, domestic violence and coercive control, and voter roll categories. HB 2862 drew the most procedural attention, with a division vote on a substitute amendment; the House rejected a motion to replace the adopted amendment, and the report was later adopted. On Calendar 3, the House considered education bills. HB 2093, which repeals the requirement for K-12 health education to include mental health instruction, prompted extensive debate over student suicide prevention, school counseling, parental responsibility, and whether schools should provide mental health support; it received a due-pass recommendation by a 27-22 division vote. The House also advanced HB 2313, which was described as responding to a Tucson Unified School District work stoppage tied to a political protest, and HB 2423, HB 2478, and other education measures after amendments and, in one case, withdrawal of an appropriations amendment. The session continued into HB 2830 as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• protecting our youth and all of those who are most vulnerable.
• It went into very in-depth at protecting the children and protecting people under 21.
• But it also protected the users of these products.
• them at all costs,” “Our constituents, we want to protect them at all costs.
• protect that business from banks and things like that?

Transcript Highlights:

• , child protective service. services, and adult protective services.
• item which is Strengthening Services for Adult Protective Services.
• They are paid less than our Child Protective Services caseworkers.
• That almost complete level of protection. And is that testable?
• This this is a very grave and important question.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article II

Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Protection is one of our more visible bureaus.
• Forest Protection was very busy this year, as some of you know who followed the news.
• was very busy um uh so Forest protection was very busy this<04:47:26.160><c> year</c><04:47:26.360><
• There are some numbers on the Forest Protection Bureau sheet that will tell you what we had this past
• um we have that we are tasked to protect um we have recently<05:09:17.920><c> hired</c><05:09:18.360

Summary: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority officials, led by Executive Director Rob Dapice, briefed legislators on the agency’s structure and funding. They explained that the authority is created by state law but is not a state agency, its debt is not state debt, and it is governed by a board appointed by the governor and approved by the Executive Council. The discussion focused on the Affordable Housing Fund and the lead paint hazard remediation fund, including how state appropriations and federal resources are combined to finance affordable rental housing and lead abatement work. Dapice said the Affordable Housing Fund is used as gap financing for multifamily affordable housing projects, typically alongside federal tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and that state dollars leverage roughly 2:1 to 10:1 in additional federal and private investment, averaging about 4:1. He said the fund has received historic appropriations in recent budgets, including $30 million over the last two biennial budgets and an annual $5 million set-aside from the real estate transfer tax. He also said the fund is usually structured as 0% interest, deferred loans rather than grants, with repayments returning to the fund if projects generate cash flow. Members asked about rents, oversight, staffing, revenues, and whether the programs had added positions. Dapice said affordability restrictions generally last 30 to 99 years, rents are tied to income limits and capped so tenants pay no more than 30% of income, and compliance staff inspect properties regularly to verify income eligibility and rent limits. He said the organization has about 130 to 135 employees, down from about 145, with no new positions added because of the appropriations. He estimated total revenues at roughly $300 million, with administrative budget around $22 million, much of it pass-through grant money. On lead paint remediation, he said the state first appropriated $6 million in 2019, plus $1 million in ARPA funds, and that the program has cleared more than 500 units. He said the federal grant program is not annual or predictable, with a recent award of about $7.75 million, and that the maximum federal grant per unit is $177,000, typically paired with up to $100,000 in state loan support. He also noted that the program can address homes before a child is poisoned if lead hazards are identified, but that cases involving an already exposed child are a higher priority. No votes or formal actions were taken.