Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here today. Today I have House Memorial Resolution 101.
• Madam Chair, committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers. Got some great students up there.
• Madam Chair, committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers.
• district and a couple of other representatives' districts concerning a lawsuit from the state of Oklahoma
• . ...of the type of person that we are honoring today, Bishop Kenneth L.

Summary: House Management considered a batch of House resolutions recognizing individuals, teams, and organizations, and approved them without objection or with voice votes. The measures included honors for Justin Tate and the Elkins football team; memorial resolutions for Senator Gary Stubblefield, Representative Stan Berry, and Bishop Kenneth L. Robinson; observances such as May as Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Arkansas Line Workers Appreciation Day; and recognitions for several championship teams, including the Roland Razorbacks wheelchair basketball team, the Mansfield Lady Tigers volleyball team, the Mansfield Tigers football team, the Pogy Patriots basketball team, and Rogers students. The committee also heard a resolution supporting poultry producers affected by litigation tied to the Illinois River watershed, and a resolution honoring the Junior League of Texarkana’s 100th anniversary. Members discussed the consent-calendar process and were reminded that noncontroversial resolutions are typically placed on the blue consent calendar, while memorials and potentially controversial items go to the red calendar. The parliamentarian explained that presentations are livestreamed and archived, and that members may bring up to three guests for floor presentations. Several resolutions were noted for upcoming calendar placement, including memorials on the red calendar and some recognitions on the consent calendar. All resolutions taken up in the meeting were approved. The chair also noted possible schedule changes, including a potential Thursday meeting and an additional meeting the following Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, and thank you for your hospitality today. Thank you. Representative Lara.
• We will be talking about several of these things during our presentation today.
• It builds multiple skills for you and your hands-on learning today.
• I came from another state; please don't hold that against me, Oklahoma.
• My husband and I retired from Oklahoma for three days.

Transcript Highlights:

• In those cases, as the law stands today, there is a three-year statute of limitations.
• Thank you for your time today.” Ms.
• Thank you, Chairman, and committee members, for listening to my testimony today in support of SB 1278
• Thank you, Chairman, and committee members, for listening to my testimony today in support of SB 1278
• Hence the reason I'm here today to testify in support of Senate Bill 1278.

Summary: The Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence met with a quorum and heard a series of Senate bills, generally receiving sponsor explanations and, in most cases, no public testimony. SB 2595 would create a Class B misdemeanor for harassing, threatening, or intimidating someone while intentionally concealing identity with a mask, with broad affirmative defenses for legitimate mask use; SB 1980 would increase penalties for assaulting peace officers, parole officers, and community supervision officers and add related presumptions and interference protections; and SB 1896 would require magistrates to issue emergency protective orders in certain family violence, sexual assault, stalking, and aggravated cases, with law enforcement required to provide needed information. All three were left pending. The committee also heard SB 955, which increases trafficking of persons from a second-degree to a first-degree felony when the victim was recruited from a correctional facility, and SB 614, which would let the Texas Forensic Science Commission refer dismissed complaints to the Office of Capital and Forensic Writs when they reference a prior FSC report; both were left pending. Members then heard several forensic and criminal procedure bills. SB 1372 would resolve a discovery/access conflict involving the DPS crime lab portal by limiting portal access to defense attorneys rather than defendants directly, prompting questions from members about access for pro se defendants; DPS’s chief crime lab witness testified neutrally. SB 1936 would change the LSD “abuse unit” definition for unmarked/unperforated paper from a square-measurement method to a 10-milligram weight standard, and SB 1937 would require a subject matter expert from the testing lab to participate in pretrial meetings in capital cases involving biological evidence to help identify viable testing and conserve resources. SB 2580 would lower the population threshold for sheriff’s departments to independently use tracking equipment and access certain communications from 3.3 million to 500,000, expanding the authority beyond Harris County; it was described as a public safety and emergency response measure and left pending. The committee also considered SB 2798, which would extend the statute of limitations for certain financial crimes from three years to seven years, with testimony from a Montgomery County assistant district attorney supporting the change because fraud is often discovered late. SB 1099 would increase penalties for felony offenses committed by undocumented or unauthorized aliens, but drew strong opposition from the Texas Civil Rights Project, which argued immigration is a federal matter and that the bill would create difficult and potentially unfair status determinations for local courts; members raised concerns about the lack of an expert-testimony requirement. SB 1278 would create an affirmative defense to prostitution prosecution for trafficking victims compelled by their traffickers to commit the conduct, and testimony from advocates and a member’s personal account emphasized the coercive, traumatic nature of trafficking; members discussed whether the defense should be narrower or framed as mitigation, and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 127 would extend the statute of limitations for failure to report or conceal child abuse, with members discussing mandatory reporting duties and the need to allow more time for delayed discovery of cover-ups; it too was left pending before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no way to go today. I can go to my city council.
• I know we've all been here for a while today, so two things.
• And some of the stuff I heard today kind of...
• Today I vote present. I want to thank my good friend...
• That is all for today.

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 1566, which would prohibit municipalities and counties from maliciously delaying licensing, permits, or approvals, with expedited court review and AG enforcement. The sponsor and supporters framed it as an affordability and property-rights measure aimed at stopping intentional government delay, while local government representatives and some members raised concerns about the bill’s scope, enforcement, and whether ordinary administrative delays or incomplete applications could be swept in. The sponsor said the county language would be fixed to match the city language in a floor amendment. The bill was moved and passed out of committee on a 7-3 vote, with one present and one absent. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1787, which would require written notice and individualized determinations for municipal or county exactions, allow appeals, and provide judicial review. The sponsor and supporters argued it would curb excessive or unrelated conditions imposed on development and align Arizona law with constitutional takings principles. Opponents from cities and counties said existing law already requires nexus and proportionality, and warned the bill would create a duplicative process, confusion, and a more punitive, winner-take-all system. After testimony from property owners and advocacy groups on both sides, the bill passed on a 7-2 vote, with one present and one absent. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1478, a largely technical liquor-regulation cleanup bill that clarifies interim permits, updates terminology, and makes other conforming changes. Stakeholders described it as a consensus measure developed by industry participants and the Department of Revenue, and the bill received broad support. It passed unanimously, 10-0, with one absent. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1431, which would bar municipalities from dictating certain home design features and from requiring some shared amenities that lead to HOAs. Supporters said it would reduce housing costs and preserve homeowner choice, while opponents argued it would weaken local control, reduce design quality, and limit crime-prevention and neighborhood-character standards. Testimony focused heavily on aesthetics, HOAs, and affordability, but no final vote on SB 1431 was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know if anybody's from up there today, but we did the same thing.
• We pulled the today, but we same thing.
• And, um, so, uh, wanted to welcome them here today.
• </c><01:05:27.119><c> today.</c> Senate recess until 11:30 a.m. today.
• Senate recess until 11:30 a.m. today.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and members for your time today.
• Thank you for your time today. Thank you, Chairman.
• Thank you for letting me testify today. regarding the bill.
• I am here today to rectify that.
• I am speaking in opposition today in House Bill 1952.

Bills: HB1952, HB3258, HB3524, HB3851, HB4478, HB4613, HB4703, HB4742, HB4744, HB4809, HB4864

Keywords: county appraisal district, board of directors, governance, taxing units, public representation, penalty, property report, taxation, timely filing, chief appraiser, appraisal district, ad valorem tax, property appraisal, tax protests, unequal appraisal, property rights, property tax, public employees, protest leave, appraisal review board

Transcript Highlights:

• Um here today uh to and Aging Services.
• Today, I'm coming to you as a farmer.
• </c> other farmers are able to make it today. other farmers are able to make it today.
• So if we think here today we can say, So if we think here today, we can say, "Hey, federal government
• </c><01:31:41.360><c> One</c> here today. Um, just two questions. One here today.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and the committee for having us today. We truly appreciate it.
• And even today, that's still on the forefront of everybody's mind.
• Okay, guys, great job today. Thank you. Super informative.
• I don't know how many times I've been here before today.
• And, you know, give anyone interested an opportunity to talk to us today.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I'm testifying today in support of SB 1020. Thank you. Mr. Kahn. Good morning.
• I am here today to express my support for SB 1164 filed by Senator Zaffirini.
• I think we'll hear testimony consistent with that today. Mr.
• And I think we'll hear testimony consistent with that today. Mr.
• I think that does it for today.

Bills: SB330, SB663, SB1020, SB1152, SB1164, SB1896, SB2111, SB2196, SB2383, SB2581, SB2797, SB2798, SB2371

Keywords: county funding, prosecutors' offices, elections, law enforcement, local government, community supervision, budget approval, corrections department, strategic plan, judicial oversight, SB 1020, Texas, personal bond office, pretrial release, electronic monitoring, GPS monitoring, global positioning system, bond conditions, probation, parole

Summary: The committee heard several criminal justice bills, with testimony largely focused on public safety, court procedures, and local criminal justice administration. SB 2371 would expand mandatory skimmer-reporting requirements from gas pumps to ATMs, point-of-sale systems, and virtual currency kiosks, with the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center saying centralized reporting would improve investigations, preserve evidence, and help identify organized criminal groups. SB 2581 would repeal a special law governing commissary funds in certain large counties; the sponsor and the Sheriff’s Association said it would restore parity with other counties while keeping spending subject to audit and inmate-benefit limits. Both bills were laid out and left pending after testimony, with no public witnesses opposing them at the hearing. The committee also heard SB 330, which would require voter approval before counties over a certain size reduce prosecutor funding, similar to an existing law for law enforcement budgets. Supporters argued prosecutors are essential to public safety and need stable funding, while an opponent from the Texas Civil Rights Project said the bill would restrict local budget flexibility and impose costly elections. SB 663 would remove district judges’ approval role for community supervision and corrections department budgets, replacing it with judge review after TDCJ-CJAD approval; probation officials said the change would reduce delays and confusion without reducing judicial oversight. SB 1020 would require more immediate sharing of ankle-monitor violation information and clarify that such records are not judicial work product; the Harris County DA’s office and Crime Stoppers supported it, citing inconsistent local practices and delays that can hinder prosecutions. The committee then took up SB 1164 on emergency detention and court-ordered mental health services. The bill, from the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health, would update emergency detention forms, clarify officer duties, allow filings in the county where a person is apprehended or located, and add a factor related to a person’s inability to recognize symptoms or appreciate treatment risks. Supporters included family members, law enforcement, and mental health and judicial witnesses who described cases where earlier intervention might have prevented tragedy; opponents warned the broader language could be misused and emphasized due process and the need for dangerousness to remain the standard. SB 2111 on indigent defense would expand access to counsel at first hearings, strengthen managed assigned counsel programs, create internships and fellowships, and adjust other defense-related procedures; the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and county defense program leaders supported it, while the committee substitute removed some provisions to reduce fiscal impact. Finally, SB 2383 would let recently retired DPS officers return to work in limited roles to help address staffing shortages, and SB 2797 would create reciprocal discovery requirements for criminal cases; prosecutors and some committee members said it would reduce trial surprise and improve truth-seeking, while others questioned whether the bill fully matched the state’s disclosure obligations and whether it could burden defense rights. Several bills were left pending after testimony, and the committee established a quorum later in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, you know, look at day over 70. Debate. Debate.
• Can we apply this to the Oklahoma House of Representatives sessions as well? Next year.
• literacy, potential on math, but really we're talking about 20 minutes difference from where we are today
• literacy, potential on math, but really we're talking about 20 minutes difference from where we are today

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several education-related bills. Senate Bill 1360, expanding the state’s math proficiency efforts through a specialized Office of Math Instruction and related funding, drew questions about vendor involvement and budget implications. The author said the focus is on evidence-based teacher professional development, screening, and implementation support, and noted the bill’s funding increased from a $5 million request to $10 million. It passed 7-1. Senate Bill 1204, providing three days of paid bereavement leave for educators and support personnel, was presented as a way to support school employees during difficult times. The fiscal note was discussed, but the author said SDE could absorb the cost using carryover maternity leave funds, so no additional budget appropriation was needed. The bill passed 7-0. Senate Bill 1989, which adds digital peer-to-peer payment networks as an option for contributing to college savings accounts, also passed unanimously. The committee then approved Senate Bill 1189, continuing the $50 million school resource officer and school safety funding plan, with discussion noting it could support officers and other safety improvements. Senate Bill 1481, adding 20 minutes of recess for full-day kindergarten, prompted questions about flexibility for disruptive students, schedule impacts, half-day programs, and enforcement; the author said schools would retain some discretion and that compliance could be handled through accreditation. It also passed 7-0. The meeting ended with notice that the committee was likely to meet again on Wednesday afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• I rise today to &gt;&gt; Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to thank<00:08:47.920><c> Dr.
• </c> South Carolina's third district today. South Carolina's third district today.
• And I rise today, Mr. Speaker, with a very special topic. I rise today, Mr.
• Today, only 25.2% higher.
• Today, that's that went to 65 and up. Today, that's reversed. reversed. reversed.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, March 19, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here today. Today I have House Memorial Resolution 101.
• Madam Chair, committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers. Got some great students up there.
• Madam Chair, Committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers. Got some great students up there.
• Madam Chair, committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers.
• . ...of the type of person that we are honoring today, Bishop Kenneth L.

Summary: House Management considered a series of House resolutions and memorial resolutions honoring individuals, teams, and organizations. Measures included recognition of Justin Tate and the Elkins football team, memorial resolutions for Senator Gary Stubblefield and Representative Stanberry, Skin Cancer Awareness Month, the Razorbacks’ national wheelchair basketball championship, the High Hall boys basketball state championship, Mansfield High School’s volleyball and football championships, Rogers student achievements, the Piggott Patriots basketball championship, support for poultry producers affected by an Illinois River watershed lawsuit, the Junior League of Texarkana’s 100th anniversary, and Arkansas Line Workers Appreciation Day. The committee also heard an explanation that noncontroversial items generally go to the consent calendar, while memorials and potentially controversial items go to the red calendar. Most resolutions were briefly presented by their sponsors, with no questions from the committee, and were approved by voice vote. The committee also received guidance from the parliamentarian on the consent calendar process and how presentations are livestreamed and archived for public viewing. Representative Steele’s memorial resolution for Bishop Kenneth L. Robinson was described as a bipartisan, multi-district tribute reflecting his statewide ministry and community impact; it was also approved and placed on the red calendar. At the end of the meeting, members were reminded that the schedule could change, with possible meetings on Thursday and Monday the following week. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, thanks for the opportunity to be here and to address you Today.
• And, of course, to all of the cadets with us today, representing the U.S.
• And that's why we're here today, and that's why today is Fort Drum Day for us.
• Today truly is a special day. It is a unique and special honor.
• In 2024, he left home and headed to Oklahoma to join the U.S.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with ceremonial opening proceedings, approved the prior journal, and then moved through a series of calendar actions, including discharging and substituting identical companion bills from committee and restoring several bills to the Third Reading Calendar after reconsideration. The chamber also took up a supplemental budget calendar and a controversial supplemental budget extender, with Senator O’Mara questioning the delay in final budget negotiations, the size of the extender, table targets, and unresolved policy issues such as auto insurance reforms, SEQRA, New York for All, and CLCPA changes. Senator Serrano responded that negotiations were ongoing and that the extender was a clean measure to keep state government functioning. The budget extender bills were then passed, with Senator Weik voting in the negative on one of them. The Senate also adopted a resolution memorializing May 4, 2026, as 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Day, and hosted Major General Scott Naumann and other Fort Drum leaders and soldiers for remarks on the division’s deployments, readiness, economic impact, and requests for continued state support on items such as microreactors, health care, DMV services, dining facilities, airports, and mineral-related development. The Fort Drum resolution drew extensive bipartisan praise from Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Minority Leader Ortt, Senator Scarcella-Spanton, Senator Ashby, Senator Walczyk, and others, who emphasized the division’s military history, its role as a major employer and economic driver in Northern New York, and the sacrifices of service members and their families. Several senators highlighted individual soldiers in attendance and their service records, while the resolution was opened for co-sponsorship and adopted. The Senate also recognized a visiting child author, Thomas Ortiz, who was introduced for publishing a book encouraging kindness and friendship. After the ceremonial segment, the Senate returned to regular business and passed a series of bills on the calendar, including measures affecting environmental conservation, executive law, public service, education, public authorities, real property tax, criminal procedure, election law, and civil rights. Some bills drew negative votes from a bloc of senators, particularly on the environmental, criminal procedure, election, and civil rights measures, but all listed bills were ultimately passed. The Senate then adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here today. Today I have House Memorial Resolution 101.
• Madam Chair, committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers. Got some great students up there.
• Madam Chair, Committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers. Got some great students up there.
• Madam Chair, committee, I come to you today recognizing Rogers.
• and a couple of other of our representatives’ districts, concerning a lawsuit from the state of Oklahoma

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate everybody being here today.
• Those commercial dairies have gone down to about 10 operating in the state today.
• to meet Oklahoma state standard, say.
• That same partner is with me today.
• The hydroponic farm system that we presented today was really for what's going on now.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate everybody being here today.
• Those commercial dairies have gone down to about 10 operating in the state today.
• to meet Oklahoma state standard, say.
• That same partner is with me today.
• The hydroponic farm system that we presented today was really for what's going on now.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate everybody being here today.
• Those commercial dairies have gone down to about 10 operating in the state today.
• to meet Oklahoma state standard, say.
• That same partner is with me today.
• The hydroponic farm system that we presented today was really for what's going on now.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm grateful to be here today in support and presenting House Bill 58.
• “The bill that you see before you today isn’t talking about testing.
• “Today I’m expressing a concern that I have on this bill.
• Today, over 7,600 Idaho students are enrolled in our program.
• Thank you for allowing us to be here and give voice today in support.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, you're not teaching teachers for Oklahoma or Tennessee; you are teaching for Alabama.
• Oklahoma or Tennessee, you are teaching for Alabama.
• That's the focus of what we're talking about today.
• I have not seen the governor's budget; I don't know if it hit today or not.
• We'll be working closely with our partners that presented earlier today.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank everyone for being here today.
• That's really what we're going to talk about today. Can you not hear me okay? Great.
• Also, I just want to say we're going to be talking about a lot of numbers today.
• First off, I want to thank you for having me here today.
• Well, I want to thank everyone for coming today.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the Department of Child Safety met to review child welfare reforms developed after prior oversight hearings on the deaths of Emily Pike, Zariah Dodd, and Rebecca Baptiste. Committee members and the chair described a series of stakeholder meetings with tribes, DCS, law enforcement, county attorneys, schools, and other advocates that produced several bills aimed at improving communication, reporting, investigations, and court decision-making. The chair said SB 1125, creating a tribal-DCS memorandum of understanding, had already been signed, and highlighted HB 1126 on school records access, HB 1127 on mandatory reporting by people with direct knowledge, HB 1174 on hotline case history and review of prior reports, HB 1175 on photo documentation of children in care, HB 1496 on allowing attorneys to share more safety information with judges, and HB 1631 requiring advanced forensic interviews within 72 hours in sexual abuse cases, with some exceptions. DCS Director Catherine Patak presented agency data showing nearly 160,000 hotline calls in 2025, about 43,000 investigations, and a relatively steady out-of-home care population that ended the year at 7,077 children. She said about 3,000 children were reunified, 1,300 adopted, and 800 entered guardianship, while 1,100 young adults received transition services. She also reported 534 new foster homes licensed, a 50% reimbursement increase for older youth caregivers, a 40% decrease in youth missing from care since September 2024, and a 30% reduction in fatalities of children in care since 2024. Patak discussed the annual fatality review process, noting that 52 of 123 alleged fatality or near-fatality reports had prior DCS involvement, and described agency responses such as health plans for children with complex medical needs, a diabetes training app, expanded LifeSet services, fentanyl and safe-sleep prevention campaigns, staffing realignment, retention efforts, and improved coordination with law enforcement and tribes. Members asked about group home notification rules, the distinction between “missing” and “runaway,” behavioral health needs driving children back into care, training under Jacob’s Law, and whether best practices exist for placing sexually abused youth with appropriate staff. Patak said DCS is updating rules to remove “runaway” and “AWOL” in favor of “missing,” and that the agency is considering whether the statute’s immediate-or-24-hour reporting language should be clarified. She also said DCS does not currently have a specific staffing requirement tied to a child’s sex in group homes, but would look into practices in other states. The committee then heard from Malcolm Hightower of Casey Family Programs, who said Arizona is generally in the middle of the pack nationally: slightly higher than average in foster care entries and congregate care use, but near the national average on screening, substantiation, recurrence, re-entry, and maltreatment fatalities. He praised Arizona’s kin placement rate, said congregate care remains a challenge, and noted that neglect definitions and poverty-related removals remain an area of policy discussion. Finally, K.C. Melsick of Collaborative Safety described the organization’s safety-science approach to systemic critical incident reviews, arguing that child welfare systems should move away from blame and toward learning from near-misses and system failures. Members discussed applying similar methods across state agencies, and the committee adjourned after members and witnesses emphasized continued collaboration and further reforms in the interim and next session.