Transcript Highlights:

• People traveling over 100 miles an hour just on the interstate system alone.
• miles an hour. miles an hour.
• Uh, maybe we could get done in one hour or two hours, but they do take time because there's a lot of
• Uh, maybe we could get done in one hour or two hours, but they do take time because there's a lot of
• > they<01:18:26.560> do one hour or two hours, but they they do one hour or two hours,

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We could be here for an hour.
• I believe we will be on one-hour notice.
• I believe we will be on one-hour notice.
• I believe we will be on one-hour notice.

Summary: The Higher Education Appropriations Conference Committee convened and organized its leadership, with Senator Harrell named chair and Representative Snyder named vice chair by unanimous consent. Senator Harrell noted that Chair Basada was absent due to family obligations but remained engaged in the process and would participate in future decisions. Both chairs made brief opening remarks emphasizing the goal of maintaining Florida’s higher education system as the nation’s best. The committee then reviewed a conference offer package for the higher education budget, including the budget, proviso, and implementing bill. Members were given side-by-side spreadsheets showing House and Senate positions, with shaded areas indicating agreement and highlighted columns showing the offer and any changes. The chair explained that the committee would not go through the proposal line by line and that the implementing bill had replaced a conforming bill. No questions or objections were raised by members. The committee was placed on one-hour notice to consider the offer and continue negotiations, and the meeting adjourned without any vote on the substance of the budget offer.

Transcript Highlights:

• So anyone that's eligible at this time is someone that works 20 hours or more.
• So anyone that's eligible at this time is someone that works 20 hours or more.
• So anyone that's eligible at this time is someone that works 20 hours or more.
• Types of measures has provided the avenue for an employer to maybe reduce an employee's hours worked
• a week, but whose more than 20 hours a week, but whose employers<00:42:40.160> may<00:42:40.400

Bills: SB2141, SB2593, SB2824, SB2135, SB2115

Keywords: retirement, law enforcement, pension, public safety, employee contributions, Law Enforcement Standards Board, LESB, civil service exemption, collective bargaining exemption, law enforcement certification, police standards, law enforcement training, officer certification, training and curriculum coordinator, lead investigative agent, administrative manager, administrator, Hawaii HRS 76-16, Hawaii HRS 139-3, personnel exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• You took that case, and you took it to a lawyer, and then you gave that lawyer six hours to figure it
• offered or two thirds of student Contact hours.
• Contact hours.
• if council was in session, and then drive two hours home.
• if council was in session, and then drive two hours home.

Bills: SB1, SB3

Keywords: interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• of the testing window and raw results within 48 hours of test administration.
• I want to ask you about hours. We talked about days of testing.
• I'd argue it's about an hour old.
• That's a lot of hours for three cases being closed. Closed. It must have been complex.
• Well, I think 20,000 hours is incredibly complex.

Bills: HB8, HB12, SB 3, HJR1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14, HB 8, HB 12, SB 3, HJR 1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• This man drove four hours to come see me. This man saved my life.
• Mintz Levin took over 10,000 man hours to seal the juvenile prostitution charges.
• If we had lived just an hour away in Connecticut or New Hampshire, I would have been protected.
• I was trafficked into forced labor and spent four years working long hours for just $3.50 an hour.
• I was trafficked into forced labor and spent four years working long hours for just $3.50 an hour.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on a wide range of bills involving domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, trafficking, victim compensation, and related criminal justice reforms. Testimony focused on measures to support survivors and close perceived legal gaps, including bills to protect domestic violence survivors in child welfare proceedings, expand victim compensation for homicide families and trafficking survivors, create a DNA exception to the rape statute of limitations, eliminate or extend statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse, and strengthen laws on upskirting, sexual abuse by adults in positions of authority, and sexual assault by rideshare drivers. Several speakers also addressed bills concerning vulnerable adults, harassment and custody-related abuse, and early evidence kits. Witnesses included legislators, prosecutors, advocates, and many survivors who described personal experiences with abuse and barriers to justice. Supporters argued that current laws often leave survivors without meaningful remedies, especially where consent, reporting requirements, evidentiary rules, or statutes of limitations prevent prosecution or compensation. Prosecutors and advocates said the bills would clarify vague statutes, increase penalties in some cases, and better reflect the realities of coercion, grooming, trafficking, and delayed reporting. Some testimony also urged amendments, including changes to victim compensation reporting rules and clarifications to avoid unintended conflicts with other wage-recovery laws. No committee votes or final actions were taken in the hearing itself. The chairs emphasized strict time limits, respectful conduct, and the submission of written testimony, and several witnesses were called out of order to accommodate the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• 10 to 12 hours a week um at the St. 10 to 12 hours a week um at the St.
• I believe it's 80 hours, but it is a month—80 hours a month, not a week.
• Um, hours as being the work requirement.
• , but it is a I believe it's 80 hours, but it is a month.<00:36:31.920> 80<00:36:32.160> hours
• Do they—I mean, are they traveling four or five hours?

Bills: HF3474, HF3475, HF3508

Keywords: agriculture, funding, research, agricultural institute, state appropriations, education, leadership council, compensation, research institute, dairy assistance, investment, relief initiative, farm support, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll recess then for an hour.
• We'll recess then for an hour.
• We'll recess then for an hour.
• <04:14:46.159> without during that first 72 hours without during that first 72 hours without
• So I would concur with the observation that 72 hours is plenty of time.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session continued its review of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid budget and related policy issues, with CFO Nathan White and Medicaid Director Henry Litman presenting updated materials. The discussion focused on a crosswalk between the adjusted FY 2025 Medicaid budget and the governor’s FY 2026 recommendation, plus handouts showing service additions, eligibility changes, dental rates, and other Medicaid changes since 2019. The department also said it would provide a clearer breakdown of the pharmacy cost-sharing item by general, federal, and other funds. Members asked detailed questions about the Medicaid enhancement tax, the 80% plan, and how funds are allocated between hospital payments, directed payments, and DSH uncompensated care. The department explained that the MET is being used more toward rates and directed payments to better align with federal matching rules, while DSH remains important for uncompensated care. They also noted that a pending Senate Bill 249 would keep the 80% structure and move to Senate Finance. On the trigger law, the department identified the governing provision as Chapter 342:12, Laws of 2018, and explained that if the federal match for Medicaid expansion falls below 90%, the state must notify legislative leaders and participants and the program would sunset after 180 days unless the legislature acts. The committee also reviewed current Medicaid expansion enrollment and program trends. Officials said enrollment was just under 59,000 as of March 3, with about 87,000 people enrolled over the past year and more than a quarter-million residents having used the program over its lifetime. They said enrollment has fallen from a post-pandemic high of nearly 97,000 and may eventually settle in the low 50,000s. Finally, the department discussed federal DSH funding risk, saying New Hampshire could face a significant reduction if Congress does not extend current protections, which is part of why the state has shifted more funding toward payment rates and directed payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• of revenue, or $20 to $30 a megawatt hour of revenue.
• electricity the kilowatt hours electricity the kilowatt hours themselves<02:22:32.720> um
• , offsetting the 8 cents per kilowatt hour they are paying them.
• , offsetting the 8 cents per kilowatt hour they are paying them.
• , offsetting the 8 cents per kilowatt hour they are paying them.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In my final hours, I have to be honest.
• I have spent many hours traveling...
• It's the texts at all hours, the long...
• It's the texts at all hours, the long hours, the stress, the missed moments, the moments when you're
• [cheering] at the hour of 7:17...

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a curated story hour featuring six different stories.
• We will keep it to one hour. It's in Room 11. Everyone is welcome.
• It's a curated story hour featuring six different<00:08:15.520> stories.
• We will keep it to one hour. meetings. We will keep it to one hour.
• <00:26:37.919> from a 15-year-old boy just a few hours from a 15-year-old boy just a few hours

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House convened, suspended its rules to introduce 18 bills by number only, and referred the bills to the appropriate committees. House Bill 647, relating to the Vermont Sister State Program and carrying an appropriation, was referred to Appropriations under House Rule 35A. The chamber also read several resolutions: HR13, concerning support for the people of Palestine and Israel and the end of apartheid, was treated as a bill and referred to Government Operations and Military Affairs; JR88, condemning a U.S. military incursion in Venezuela and calling for withdrawal of U.S. forces, was likewise referred to Government Operations and Military Affairs; and JRS37, supporting gender equality in Nordic combined Olympic competition, was referred to Commerce and Economic Development. JRS39, a weekend adjournment resolution, was adopted in concurrence. On the action calendar, the House passed H541, relating to interference with voters and election officials. It then took up H5, which expands Vermont’s existing hearsay exception for child victims from age 12 and under to age 15 in specified abuse and sexual assault proceedings, with judicial safeguards and a July 1, 2026 effective date. The Judiciary Committee reported the bill favorably 10-1, and the House adopted the committee amendment and ordered third reading. The House also considered H626, a major Judiciary Committee bill on voyeurism, non-consensual disclosure of explicit images, and sexual extortion. Committee members described the bill as updating criminal and civil remedies for image-based abuse, creating a separate sextortion offense, extending criminal statutes of limitation, and clarifying civil recovery for trauma-related harm. During floor debate, members questioned the distinction between the voyeurism and disclosure provisions and the meaning of “reasonable expectation of privacy”; the committee responded with examples and statutory explanations, including that voyeurism covers unlawful recording while the disclosure offense covers later dissemination of images. The bill remained under consideration as the discussion continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• The gentlelady from Minnesota is recognized for one hour. Mrs. Fischbach: Mr.
• RECOGNIZED FOR ONE HOUR. MRS. FISCHBACH: MR.
• Speaker, I sure hope you did not watch all seven hours of the Democrat group therapy session last night
• Last night and into the early hours of this morning, they showed everyone that they couldn't even agree
• Speaker, it's big news and breaking news in the last hour.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• body, that we will move legal fees up to $650 an hour.
• and yet there are times you $125 an hour and yet there are times you know<00:35:17.920> as<00
• So, one might say somewhere hour. Okay.
• By way of each hour of audit work build.
• That rate, as the auditor $84 per hour.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:30 Personnel Cabinet 00:03:25 Department of Veterans Affairs 00:12:40 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:22:39 State Treasurer 00:42:24, 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard from Personnel Cabinet officials on House Bill 6, which required the Kentucky Employees Health Plan to offer a qualified high-deductible health plan by the 2026 plan year. Officials said the plan was already added for 2025, described it as the lowest-premium option with higher deductibles, and explained that federal rules prevent first-dollar coverage except for limited preventive services. They said 264 members had selected the plan out of about 142,000, and noted it also allows health savings accounts. Members asked about the plan’s benefits, what “catastrophic” meant, the deductible amounts, and whether employees were aware of the option; the cabinet said it would continue to highlight the plan in communications and that the deductible is above $8,000 for individuals and above $16,000 for families. The committee then received an update from the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs on the Bowling Green veterans center. Officials said the current target is to move into the building on October 28, with first admissions about two months later, pending final fixes and certification steps for Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA. They explained that about $7 million in FY25 appropriations lapsed because of construction delays, staffing ramp-up was postponed to avoid unnecessary spending, and the unspent funds should be considered in the next budget request. Members praised the project and asked about annual operating costs; officials said the current operating budget is about $15 million, though they do not expect to spend all of it this year. The commissioner also announced the fifth annual state commanders conference in Lexington, focused on veterans issues and featuring state, federal, and advocacy leaders. State Auditor Allison Ball then outlined her office’s budget priorities. She said the office is primarily a billing agency that charges audited entities for its work, and warned that some agencies are now signaling they may refuse to pay for audits related to kinship care and the medical cannabis application process. She said the office plans to continue requesting outlier credits for unusually burdensome county audit fees, funding for the ombudsman office’s transition and expanded in-office operations, and revenue replacement for local government audits and possibly state audits and special examinations. Ball also said the office conducts about 500 audits, reviews, and examinations a year and wants to restore performance audits with seed funding, as well as add investigators to the ombudsman office to focus more on child abuse and neglect cases. Members discussed the value of performance audits, the possibility of raising certain board thresholds to account for inflation, and the need for additional capacity to handle more audits.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think Representative Wu mentioned the 22-hour lockdowns.
• I may have to make that a 12-hour schedule or a 10-hour schedule or an 8-hour schedule or some modification
• And without the rules in place, those 16 hours potentially could go to 18 hours and could go to 20 hours
• and go to 22 hours.
• I was left in handcuffs and shackles for hours.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we will be implementing the 24-hour rule for committee amendments, committee substitutes, to the
• record um and we will be implementing record um and we will be implementing the<00:02:02.360> 24-hour
• <00:02:03.240> for<00:02:03.439> committee<00:02:04.039> committee the 24-hour
• rule for committee committee the 24-hour rule for committee committee amendments<00:02:05.039> committee
• KCCA spent endless hours training clerks and election staff, and that training paid off.

Keywords: Consideration of HB 27 00:04:20 Presentation by Secretary of State 00:10:44 Presentation by Karen Sellers and Jason Denny 00:35:56 Consideration of HB 45 00:55:36, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled House Bill 27, which would remove the prohibition on political yard signs in planned communities statewide while still allowing communities to regulate size, placement, and duration. The sponsor said the 2023 Planned Communities Act created an unintended consequence by treating similar homeowners differently based on grandfathering dates, and a legal explanation was offered that the bill would clarify the law and avoid constitutional problems. After discussion, the committee voted 15-0 to pass the bill with favorable expression. The next item was an update from the Secretary of State on the 2024 election and implementation of House Bill 53, which created prompt post-election audits. He said the audits were carried out smoothly, most found no discrepancies, and no election winners changed, though he recommended adding a specific timeline to the law. He also discussed voter-roll maintenance, saying Kentucky has removed more than 440,000 ineligible voters since 2020, and argued that federal law and limited access to federal databases remain the main obstacles to faster cleanup. Members asked about the possibility of improper removals, double voting across states, and how provisional voting works. The Secretary said anyone improperly removed can reregister, that any double-voting abuse is likely marginal but still unacceptable, and that provisional ballots are available when eligibility is in doubt and can be reviewed by the county board of elections. He also urged Congress to modernize the 1993 federal voter-registration law, improve access to death and citizenship data, and create a central interstate information-sharing system for election officials.

Transcript Highlights:

• , why SEIU—well, 12 years ago, PCA workers were making $7.25 an hour.
• They see a 3% decline in hours compared with industry average.
• <01:38:53.360> And hour which um it's just a problem.
• And hour which um it's just a problem.
• and that the 48 hours kicks in when there is a medically appropriate bed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:02:13.920> round we drove a total of two hours round we drove a total of two hours round
• Each one-hour tutoring session trip. Each one-hour tutoring session costing<01:02:17.359> $90.
• That's going to be about 55 hours.
• Um, That's going to be about 55 hours.
• Um, we're up against our two-hour limit.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No college degree is required for hour.
• In just three years, we've provided over 11,000 hours to more than 700 youth.
• provided over 11,000 hours to more than<02:13:40.320> 700<02:13:40.880> youth.
• Without this funding, we face the possibility of reduced classroom hours and fewer home visits.
• Without this funding, we face the possibility of reduced classroom hours and fewer home visits.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing on Act 310 grants and aid focused on organizations describing how federal funding cuts, Medicaid/SNAP changes, and related policy shifts are affecting their services and budgets. Committee members explained there would be no Q&A, testimony would be limited to one minute, and in-person participants would be heard before Zoom callers. Members repeatedly asked testifiers to identify the amount of federal funding lost or at risk. Testimony came from a wide range of nonprofits and community providers, including Aloha Care, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Literacy, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, the Tsunami Museum, The Kohala Center, West Hawaii Community Health Center, West Hawaii Region Hospital Foundation, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii, Dynamic Community Solutions, Feeding Hawaii Together, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Homana, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Most described reduced or threatened federal support and requested state funding to maintain services such as health care access, food security, disaster preparedness, literacy and digital inclusion, youth mentoring, arts education, housing, and climate or agricultural resilience. Several speakers emphasized direct impacts on vulnerable populations, including kūpuna, low-income families, immigrants, homeless youth, and people with disabilities. Requests ranged from relatively small planning or program grants to multi-million-dollar stabilization asks, with some organizations citing specific losses such as reduced Medicaid or USDA funding, canceled EPA or FEMA support, or expiring federal grants. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes me an hour, took me an hour and a half, a little bit more than an hour and a half, to drive
• And I know that for Western Mass it's taking me three hours, you know, to get there, so it's a lot easier
• community, so it's both an art gallery and coffee, but they need something to extend their evening hours
• community, so it's both an art gallery and coffee, but they need something to extend their evening hours
• It's both an art gallery and coffee, but they need something to extend their evening hours to actually

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a public hearing on a wide range of alcohol, liquor licensing, and hemp-derived beverage bills. Early in the hearing, there was a procedural dispute when Senator Jacob Oliveira attempted to testify virtually on S. 279; the House chairs declined to recognize virtual testimony from a committee member, and Senator Pavel Payano instead read prepared remarks supporting the bill to return liquor license authority to municipalities. The committee then heard testimony on H. 437/S. 279 from the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Cohasset Town Manager Christopher Senior, both of whom argued that local control would streamline licensing, better match modern community needs, and support downtown economic development. A Lexington business owner also supported local licensing flexibility for a paint-and-sip business seeking a beer and wine license. The committee also heard extensive testimony on hemp-derived beverage regulation, including H. 357 and S. 222. Supporters from the Commonwealth Beverage Coalition and Theory Wellness said the products are already widely available in unregulated settings, including gas stations and smoke shops, and argued for a regulated framework with age limits, testing, labeling, and local public health funding. The Massachusetts Brewers Guild supported regulation of low-dose hemp beverages but asked that breweries be allowed to participate using their existing retail and distribution rights. The Guild also supported H. 478, which would allow limited self-distribution by pub breweries, saying it would reduce inefficiency and help small breweries grow. Several bills modernizing alcohol licensing laws were also discussed. Representative Ruel supported H. 477, describing it as a cleanup measure that would remove the contiguous-premises requirement, add a character standard for applicants, and extend public notice periods. Representative Sangiolo testified in support of H. 3893, a local liquor-license bill tied to economic development and new businesses in Lexington, including a movie theater, coffee shop, and paint studio. Fable Brewing Company also supported the local license bill, saying the licenses are needed before they can finalize leases and open. The committee then heard opposition from the Massachusetts Package Stores Association and several retailers, who warned that the retail tier is under pressure from oversaturation, declining revenues, and expanded competition, and opposed a long list of bills they said would further weaken existing stores or the three-tier system. At the end of the hearing, Representative McKenna testified in support of H. 437 and S. 279, emphasizing municipal autonomy and the importance of on-premises licenses for restaurants and other economic-development projects. The chairs noted that additional written testimony could still be submitted on bills that did not receive in-person testimony. The hearing concluded with a motion by Representative Sangiolo, seconded by Representative LeBoeuf, to close the hearing, which passed by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill revises training requirements for bail bond agents by reducing mandatory in-person classroom hours
• We realized that last week several people drove up for hours to come and testify and they didn't have
• We realized that last week several people drove up for hours to come and testify and they didn't have
• That being said, if we are asking to start pay at $28 per hour plus benefits, we should first take a
• Let's stop focusing on raising starting pay to $28 an hour for 18-year-olds that only require a high

Bills: S0436, S0532, S0600, S0644, S0682, S0928, S1072, S1332, S1632, S1634

Keywords: foreclosure, court clerks, budget management, judicial sales, Florida statutes, bail bonds, pretrial release, forfeiture, criminal justice, bond conditions, surety, attorney fees, litigation costs, court jurisdiction, equitable awards, financial resources, domestic violence, protective injunctions, electronic monitoring, enhanced penalties

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met to consider several criminal justice and court-related bills, along with the committee’s proposed $7.9 billion budget. The committee first heard and approved CS/SB 600 on bail bonds, as amended to adjust solicitation, cash bond return, forfeiture remission timing, and clerk procedures; CS/SB 436 on felony battery, which expands qualifying prior offenses and was amended to correct a drafting issue; CS/SB 928, “Missy’s Law,” requiring immediate remand to custody after conviction for dangerous crimes; SB 1332 on career offender registration, adding in-person reporting, more detailed registration requirements, and stronger penalties for noncompliance; and CS/SB 682 on violent criminal offenses, a domestic violence measure adopted via a substitute amendment that adds stricter penalties, electronic monitoring, injunction protections, and related procedures. All of those bills were reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 1072 creating an anti-Semitism task force in the Attorney General’s Office. The bill drew extensive public testimony both for and against, with supporters emphasizing rising anti-Semitic incidents and the need for statewide review, and opponents raising concerns about free speech, the definition of anti-Semitism, and possible conflation of criticism of Israel with hate speech. Senators also discussed the bill’s scope and the IHRA definition before it was reported favorably. In addition, CS/SB 532 on clerks of court was amended to clarify foreclosure sale procedures and funding predictability for clerks, then reported favorably. CS/SB 644 on attorney’s fees, suit money, and costs was also approved after amendments that aligned family-law fee provisions and codified standards for fee awards in dissolution and paternity cases; the sponsor said the bill was intended to curb vexatious litigation and improve consistency across districts. After the bill actions, the chair summarized the criminal and civil justice budget, describing it as a disciplined proposal that addresses corrections deficits and future inmate growth while funding core public safety needs. The committee then heard substantial public testimony on prison conditions, staffing, pay, heat, infrastructure, and the possibility of reducing prison populations or adding air conditioning in facilities. The chair announced that SB 1632 and its conforming bill SB 1634 would be temporarily postponed to the following week, and the record was supplemented with the names of many people who had registered to speak for or against those bills. The meeting concluded after members were invited to record votes and the committee adjourned.