Video & Transcript : 'Section 94B' :
Page 87 of 500
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:20:05.200><c> Any</c> remove section 5 in its totality.
- Any remove section 5 in its totality. Any discussion?
- Reinstate a blank cap in section 2A on page six. >> Any discussion?
- a blank cap in section 2A on page<00:22:01.200><c> six.
- </c> financing in the appropriation section financing in the appropriation section to<00:24:30.880><c
Keywords:
coconut trees, tax credit, natural management, Hawaii, agriculture, biosecurity, environment, coconut rhinoceros beetle, student-athletes, name image likeness, NIL, compensation, transparency, University of Hawaii, Title IX, funding, protections, pharmacy benefit managers, maximum allowable cost, drug pricing
Summary:
The joint committee on Ways and Means and Consumer Protection met for decision-making only on two agendas and took action on a large number of Senate bills, with no oral testimony heard. On the 1016 agenda, the committee recommended passage of measures including SB 2088, SB 2925, SB 2781, and several others, and passed a number of bills with amendments. Notable amendments included SB 3263, which adopted AG amendments related to the name, image, and likeness endowment trust fund; SB 2047 on pharmacy benefit managers, which incorporated Hawaii Pharmacist Association changes; SB 2087 on health insurance, which added Insurance Division clarifications; SB 2100 on pesticides, which added a blank appropriation; SB 2353 on outdoor signage, which removed provisions related to the Wiki special district; and SB 2902 on renewable energy, which clarified certification standards for portable solar devices and exempted them from certain disclosure requirements. Most recommendations were adopted without objection, though a few members noted reservations on selected bills. The committee also deferred one bill on the agenda, SB 3327.
The committee then moved to the 1015 agenda and acted on additional measures. SB 2003 was passed with amendments tied to Act 255, including a repeal trigger if deadlines are missed; SB 2497 on utility-related transparency drew the most discussion, with one member warning about litigation and costs while another argued it was simply about electricity-rate transparency, and it ultimately passed with PUC-related amendments and an exemption for utility cooperatives. Other measures were passed unamended or with technical or fiscal amendments, including bills affecting land planning, tax credits, conveyance tax language, shoreline maintenance, and community improvement projects. Several bills had appropriations blanked or effective dates deferred to 2050, and many were adopted with members noting reservations rather than opposition.
On the 1017 agenda, the committee continued approving measures, including SB 709 on crisis intervention officers and assisted community treatment, SB 2153 on defining bona fide farmer/agriculture activity, SB 2694 on water rate adjustments, SB 3025 on income eligibility limits, and SB 3085 on the Hawaii film studio, which included a five-year repeal provision if the studio has not relocated. The committee also passed numerous other bills unamended or with technical amendments, often deferring effective dates or blanking appropriations. Across both agendas, the committee’s actions were largely consistent: bills were advanced with amendments tailored to agency requests, technical corrections, or fiscal adjustments, and votes were generally unanimous or near-unanimous with occasional reservations recorded.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- When I'm reading the different sections here, there's the state-owned endowment land section, and then
- there's the state-owned endowment land section... ...the sections here, there's the state-owned endowment
- land section, and then there's the newly acquired land section.
- the individual who owns a small six-acre section of federal land.
- The second section of this amendment basically provides us with a backstop.
Summary:
The committee first considered RS 33178, a proposed constitutional amendment on management of state endowment and public lands. Representative Britt Raibald said the amendment would shift emphasis away from maximum long-term financial return alone and toward ongoing revenue generation, public access for recreation/hunting/fishing/trapping where it does not interfere with revenue-producing uses, and sale or exchange only when those priorities cannot be met. He said it would also preserve exchange practices, account for existing rights and obligations on any newly acquired federal lands, and create a dedicated fund for revenues from those lands. Members raised concerns about wildfire impacts, tribal rights, appraised value, and whether the proposal could encourage land sales; Raibald said the legislature would set policy and that the measure was intended as a backstop and a way to broaden the Land Board’s options. The committee voted to introduce RS 33178.
The committee then heard House Bill 542, which would regulate social media access for minors. Representative Jaron Crane and Chelsea Yeoman of Alliance Defending Freedom described the bill as a first-in-the-nation approach aimed at social media addiction and youth mental health, citing depression, anxiety, body image issues, and suicide statistics. They said the bill would use platform age-estimation tools to identify minors, require verified parental consent for users 16 and under, disable certain addictive interface features, prohibit targeted advertising based on children’s data, and provide a private right of action and attorney general enforcement. Supporters, including Idaho Family Policy Center, argued it would empower parents and protect children.
Opponents and skeptics, including the Computer and Communications Industry Association, argued the bill would violate minors’ First Amendment rights, regulate content moderation and software design, and invite litigation. Some members raised concerns about constitutional vulnerability, federal preemption, and the cost of defending the law, while others said the problem warranted action even if the bill might be litigated. After public testimony and committee discussion, the motion to send HB 542 to the floor with a due pass recommendation passed.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
PSM, PSM DEFER, TCA-PSM Public Hearings 02-10-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We're going to remove section 4 of the measure, remove section 6 of the measure, and remove section 7
- 132 d-3 we're going to remove Section 132 d-3 we're going to remove section<00:15:05.399><c> four</c
- </c> section 6 of The Measure remove section section 6 of The Measure remove section 7<00:15:10.399><
- </c><00:16:00.560><c> 132</c> to under HRS section 132 to under HRS section 132 d-14<00:16:03.279><c>
- </c> testimony we're going to remove section testimony we're going to remove section 15<00:16:26.519>
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on SB 540, which would make the most recent state building codes supersede county codes beginning in 2028 and limit county changes without State Building Code Council approval. Grassroot Institute testified in support, while IBEW Local 1260 strongly opposed the bill as written, warning it could let counties weaken state minimum standards and create problems for fire code and sprinkler requirements. Members discussed the need for consistency in building codes and the impact of the State Building Code Council’s status, and the chair said the measure would be deferred indefinitely.
The committee also heard SB 626 on disaster preparedness, which would prohibit planting large trees along evacuation routes and require HEMA to identify and remove obstructive trees. Testimony included comments from DLNR, HEMA, and others, with HEMA opposing the measure. The chair said more coordination was needed between DLNR and HEMA and deferred the bill. SB 692, regulating retail and wholesale spray paint sales and assigning jurisdiction to the Department of Law Enforcement, drew opposition from the Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi, which said the bill would impose costly storage and reporting burdens on small retailers and raise identity-theft concerns. The committee deferred that measure as well.
In a separate decision-making segment, the committee considered SB 9 on fireworks and recommended passage with amendments. The amendments narrowed or removed several sections, increased certain penalties from $500 to $1,000, adjusted forfeiture allocations, accepted an Attorney General amendment, added an appropriation for community safety education programs, and changed the effective date to July 1, 2077. The motion to pass with amendments was adopted by a vote of 2-1. Later, in a joint hearing, SB 1102 on the aircraft rescue firefighting unit drew support from DOT but opposition from the Hawaiʻi Firefighters Association, which asked that the bill be held. SB 41, establishing Hawaiʻi Disaster Drill Day on August 8, received support from HEMA and a public testifier. SB 1570, addressing Molokaʻi air service disruptions and a possible runway expansion, drew strong public support from Molokaʻi residents and service providers, while the Attorney General raised separation-of-powers concerns about the emergency declaration language and DOT noted the high cost and feasibility issues of runway expansion.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- That then empowered agencies to review code sections relevant to their sections, and they then submitted
- If you follow me on the first page, starting with Section 2, line 26, Section 21-121 is to be repealed
- And that gets us to Section 12.
- in sections five through nine.
- And then, thirdly, down in Section 3, beginning on line 33, there's one remaining section of code where
Summary:
The Senate Transportation Committee heard Senate Bill 1272, a code-cleanup measure from Senator Semmelroth tied to prior Idaho Code Cleanup and DOGE Task Force work. The bill repeals or updates outdated provisions involving pilot registration, livestock movement language, and obsolete license plate references and administrative duties. Semmelroth said the Department of Transportation reviewed the changes and supported them. After a brief question about the old-timer license plate language, the committee voted to send SB 1272 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
The committee then heard House Bill 500 from Representative Chris Matthias, which would update Idaho traffic law to expressly include electric-assisted bicycles in provisions requiring drivers to exercise due care and in related bicycle safety sections. Matthias said the bill was prompted by a collision involving a teenage constituent riding an e-bike, and by a court ruling that the existing statute did not cover e-bikes because it referred only to human-powered vehicles. He said the bill is intended both to protect e-bike riders and to make clear that e-bike riders are subject to the same traffic laws as traditional cyclists. Testimony in support came from Daniel Murphy and from the injured rider, Sean Norton, who described the crash, the traffic-court ruling, and his later civil-court recovery.
Committee members asked questions about the e-bike class system and the effect of the court case. Norton clarified that the traffic case was an infraction proceeding and that fault was later determined in civil court. After testimony, the committee voted to send HB 500 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The meeting ended with brief farewell remarks for committee staff member Shaila Tyler, who said she had learned a great deal about the legislative process and planned to study in Madrid before pursuing history and possibly law school.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Section 10 is timelines for permitting process.
- The next section on page 18 is Section 20, non-discriminatory access.
- Section 30 is your make-ready work, that's on page 19.
- and providing more clear guidelines in Section 2.
- The last section, Section 50, is time for decision.
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes from February 9 and 10, then took up rules for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission governing pole attachments and telecom utility access. Taylor Thomas explained the rulemaking was intended to implement House Bill 180A and create an Idaho-specific permitting framework for pole attachments, with stakeholder negotiations leading to changes on definitions, standardized calendar-day timelines, non-discriminatory access, make-ready work, and dispute resolution. Members asked about the main sticking points in negotiations, including uncured violations, unauthorized attachments, fee structures, and enforcement; Thomas said several of those provisions were removed as beyond legislative intent. The committee approved the docket.
The committee then heard rules from the Idaho State Police Alcohol Beverage Control division. Lieutenant Colonel Russ Wheatley said the changes were based on prior committee feedback and public meetings, and focused on clarifying what it means for a liquor license to be in “actual use,” removing duplicative statutory language, and revising multipurpose arena rules to make them less restrictive. The proposed changes would eliminate requirements such as a security-staff ratio, certain beverage-transaction policies, diagrams of alcohol-service areas, and monthly schedules for private-event venues. Members asked about age requirements for alcohol servers, speculation in liquor licenses, and how ABC monitors whether a license is being used; Wheatley said unused licenses can be reclaimed through administrative action.
During discussion, Wheatley also addressed the fiscal impact of changes to liquor-license transfers, saying the loss of transfer-fee revenue has created about a $900,000 shortfall for ABC and could affect staffing, enforcement, and license processing times. He said the division currently has 11 detectives and that delays in licensing could grow if funding is not restored. The committee then approved the alcohol beverage control docket and adjourned.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Those agencies then submitted their sections of code to LSO.
- So if you look at Senate Bill 1244, we can walk through each section.
- There are eight sections that are being repealed in this bill.
- There are eight sections that are being repealed in this bill.
- So, section in the bill, if you look at line 21 on the first page, Section 33-26-12 has to do with regional
Summary:
The Senate Education Committee heard House Bill 515, which would require schools to have a procedure for notifying families when a serious bullying incident occurs, defined as one resulting in suspension. Representative Chris Matthias said the bill also removes an annual bullying-reporting requirement to reduce administrative burden, and he noted earlier versions included suicide-prevention and law-enforcement notification language that was removed after concerns. With no testimony in opposition, the committee voted to send HB 515 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation; Senator Blaylock was named as the floor carrier.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 1244, a code-cleanup measure repealing eight obsolete statutes related to regional library systems that have not existed for decades. Senator Carrie Semmelroth explained the bill came from the post-HB 14 cleanup process and contained no policy changes. The committee had no questions or opposition testimony and voted to send SB 1244 to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
Finally, the committee took up RS 3318 for print, a proposal from Senator Kevin Cook to reduce the school choice tax credit by 4% in fiscal year 2026 and 5% in fiscal year 2027 as part of broader budget holdbacks. Supporters framed it as a revenue measure and part of spreading reductions across education, while opponents argued the program is new, still in its application window, and should not be cut before implementation is fully underway. After discussion about K-12 budget reductions, the committee approved the RS on a 6-3 roll call vote and sent it to print. The meeting then adjourned, and members were reminded there would be no committee meeting the next day.
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Feb 9th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- water loan fund according to Section 39-7602, Idaho Code, and such other purposes as authorized by the
- Make sure that you are comfortable and have a recommendation about each of those sections of language
- That table of contents signifies each of the starting points for the sections of clear language found
- So that's how that section looks.
- Similarly, you would find sections of clear language throughout the packet that you would want to be
Summary:
The joint Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee met to consider several FY 2026 and FY 2027 cash transfers and then began reviewing maintenance budget language for FY 2027. The first transfer moved $33.745 million from the permanent building fund to the general fund. Keith Bybee and Lori Wolf explained the money was tied to canceled or stalled capital projects, including the Carnegie Library purchase/renovation, juvenile corrections facility additions, an Idaho State Police district facility, IDOC reentry-related projects, and an ISU pedestrian crossing. Senator Wintrow raised concerns that some projects remained important, but the committee approved the transfer 18-2 and sent it with a due pass recommendation.
The committee then approved a $15 million transfer from the Water Pollution Control Fund to the general fund and a $10 million transfer from the In-Demand Careers Fund to the general fund, both with due pass recommendations. Members asked whether there were eligible students waiting for In-Demand Careers grants and whether the transfer would reduce aid availability; staff said the fund had a large cash balance relative to current obligations and that some money had been returned or remained unclaimed. The committee also approved a FY 2027 In-Demand Careers transfer of $10 million, but only after awards are obligated and reconciled on December 31, 2026, or as soon thereafter as practicable, reflecting concerns about preserving student aid while allowing unused balances to revert.
After the cash-transfer votes, the committee shifted to maintenance budget work for FY 2027. Bybee explained that the packet contained the standard clear language for the maintenance bills, but the reporting structure in the budget database had been disrupted by the many adjustments, so staff would do additional testing before final numbers were circulated. He walked members through the table of contents and examples of the language, noting that maintenance budgets have only existed for three years and generally contain less controversial statutory language, though workgroups could still consider adding intent language. The committee was told that workgroups for General Government and Natural Resources would begin, with additional lunch meetings possible, and the meeting adjourned until the next morning.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- Definition sections, but what it does is all through the code.
- So it goes all the way to section 9, okay, up to 24.
- So we on section in section eight subsection C. we're reverting back.
- In Section 14, we. remove reference to the consumer advocate.
- Lastly, we revert back to a 'shall' instead of a 'may' in Section 9. Subsection B.
Keywords:
mental health, commitment, involuntary commitment, civil commitment, assisted outpatient treatment, AOT, court-ordered treatment, behavioral health, psychiatric hold, danger to self, danger to others, suicide prevention, self-harm, homicide risk, capacity, decisional capacity, guardianship, treatment guardian, crisis stabilization, crisis triage center
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- We modified section 155. Then, on the bottom of page 9, we modified section 15504.
- Chairman, Representative Green, to clarify, is this Section 407, you said, on page 14? Okay.
- Yeah, so basically that's taking care of what's articulated there up in Section 404.03.
- What's articulated there up in Section 404.03.
- Representative Gannon: Yeah, page six, section 012-03. That's what I'm going to say. Thank you.
Summary:
The committee first approved the January 26 and January 28 minutes, then introduced RS 33089, which would amend Idaho Code 44-443 to eliminate the 10-year replacement requirement for license plates and instead require replacement only when plates are worn out or no longer legible. The committee also introduced RS 33080, a change to the RCARS fund language clarifying that reimbursement eligibility applies to an Idaho resident, or someone who was an Idaho resident at the time of purchase, to avoid out-of-state misuse of the fund.
The committee then reviewed two Idaho Transportation Department rule dockets. Docket 39-0260-2501 covered license plate rules and related administrative cleanup, including removing unused definitions, updating terminology, and clarifying special plate program cancellation language. Members raised concerns about removing the rule language on manually completed temporary registrations when the computer system is down; after discussion and confirmation that an emergency manual process still exists, the committee voted to approve the docket but retain the manual-registration paragraph in the rule.
Docket 39-0349-2501 covered ignition interlock device rules. ITD said the changes were mostly cleanup, including removing an ethanol-specific reference because no device measures ethanol separately from other alcohols, and deleting redundant references to the department. After brief questions, the committee approved this docket in full. The meeting then adjourned.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Science, Technology and Energy (04/13/2026)
Science, Technology and Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- The addition that had been asked for as section two should have been renumbered to section three.
- , which should be section three.
- two, which should be second section two, which should be section<00:23:46.480><c> three.
- </c> section three. section three.
- Section 2B, 2C, and 2D are sections that were added at the suggestion of Representative Summers.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- There is a detailed section-by-section summary of the entire amendment in your packets if you care to
- </c><00:11:04.480><c> of</c> detailed section bysection summary of detailed section bysection summary
- two in section three.
- uh on section two and on section uh on section two and subdivision<00:56:11.280><c> two</c><00:56:11.680
- </c> subdivision two in in uh section three. subdivision two in in uh section three.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Education (3-3-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- So that's what section four does.
- It said those sections are repealed? Yes, sections are repealed.
- It said those sections are repealed? Yes, sections are repealed.
- It said those sections are repealed? Yes, sections are repealed.
- It said those sections are repealed? Yes, sections are repealed.
Summary:
The Senate Standing Committee on Education met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 68, which was presented by Kentucky Department of Education staff as a cleanup measure to reduce duplicative or outdated reporting requirements. The bill, as amended by a committee substitute, would streamline reporting on local wellness policies, school breakfast programs, school budgets, audits, and school nutrition assessments, while preserving existing requirements to adopt wellness and physical activity policies and maintain audit obligations. Members asked whether removing reporting on physical activity and related topics would weaken oversight; KDE responded that districts would still have to adopt the policies and be reviewed under federal nutrition monitoring, but the state reports were often incomplete, hard to compare, and not especially useful. The committee adopted the substitute and passed SB 68 unanimously.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 207, the School Innovation Act, sponsored by Senator West. The bill would create an optional program allowing school districts to apply to the Kentucky Board of Education for waivers from certain administrative regulations and establish three-year “schools of innovation,” potentially with third-party partners, to give struggling schools more flexibility and a fresh start. Senator West said the model was inspired by a visit to a school of innovation in South Carolina and by examples from South Carolina and Indiana, and he argued that the bill would let districts try new approaches without mandating participation. He also said existing “district of innovation” language in statute is a relic and that the bill would replace it with a school-based model.
Committee members asked about fiscal impact, eligibility, and whether the bill was limited to failing schools. Senator West said the fiscal note was indeterminate because participation is voluntary and could range from none to many districts, but he expected little direct budget change and possible outside philanthropic funding if a district chose to participate. He said the bill does not limit participation to the bottom 5% of schools and would be left to local district discretion. Members also raised whether high-performing or specialized schools could use the model; West said yes, if a district chose. Supportive testimony emphasized that the bill could reduce burdensome oversight and allow schools more flexibility to innovate. The discussion ended with continued questions and no final action recorded in the excerpt.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House health committee OKs omnibus finance bill that complies with Medicaid changes Apr 16th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Sections two and three and section 18 are from House File 4969.
- Sections two and three and section 18 are from House File 4969.
- </c> Section five uh is from House File 4969. Section five uh is from House File 4969.
- Sections 6 and 7 and section 13 were both in House File 3439 and House File 4969.
- </c> Section 11 uh is from house file 3439. Section 11 uh is from house file 3439.
Summary:
The committee took up House File 4466, the sub health supplemental budget bill, and moved it to the Ways and Means Committee after a walkthrough of the fiscal spreadsheet and the DE1 amendment. Nonpartisan staff explained that the bill produces general fund savings of about $2.4 million in FY27 for the 2026-27 biennium and about $97.7 million in the next biennium, with most savings tied to HR1-related Medical Assistance changes affecting adults without children. The Department of Health provisions were described as largely cost-neutral, with some increases for implementation, data, and IT work.
Staff then reviewed the DE1, which combines several bills into four articles. The bill includes health licensing board changes, Department of Health provisions such as all-payer claims database fees, newborn screening fee exceptions, loan forgiveness and scholarship program extensions, workforce shortage grant changes, and reciprocal licensure and mortuary science provisions. The federal conformity article makes changes related to MA work and community engagement requirements, six-month renewals, retroactive eligibility limits, contact information updates, cost sharing for MA expansion enrollees, and related provider tax and disability-notice provisions. Article 4 and Article 5 were described as forecast adjustments for DHS and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Public testimony focused largely on the federal conformity and eligibility provisions. Legal aid testified that the work requirements and retroactive eligibility changes would be confusing, could expand requirements beyond intended groups, and would increase uncompensated care. The Minnesota Hospital Association said shortening retroactive eligibility would increase uncompensated care and strain hospital finances, and Unidos Minnesota criticized the immigrant eligibility changes as harmful to lawfully present immigrants and Native communities. Blood Cancer United supported the all-payer claims database provisions and urged attention to fertility coverage. Representative Elkins offered an amendment to add $55,000 for the Department of Health to include denied-claims data in the all-payer claims database; Department of Health staff said the idea was useful and provided a one-time setup cost, but the amendment was not acted on in the portion of the transcript provided.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee, an act relating to the Public Records Act amending Section
- and Human Resources Committee, an act relating to the Public Employee Retirement System, amending Section
- and Human Resources Committee and act relating to the Public Employee Retirement System, amending Section
- House Bill No. 550 by the Health and Welfare Committee, an act relating to midwifery, amending Section
- House Bill No. 551 by the Revenue and Taxation Committee, an act relating to taxation, amending Section
Summary:
The House convened with 68 members present and approved the House Journal from the previous legislative day. The chamber also received notice of a temporary substitute for Legislative District 17, Seat B, and a Senate Joint Memorial transmitted from the Senate. House Concurrent Resolutions 23 and 24 were introduced and referred for printing; HCR 23 seeks a U.S. constitutional convention to impose congressional term limits, while HCR 24 honors fallen Kootenai County and Coeur d’Alene firefighters and supports Idaho first responders.
Standing committee reports moved several bills forward. The Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee reported House Bills 532-539 printed and referred them to the Transportation, Local Government, and State Affairs committees as appropriate. The Business Committee recommended House Bill 514 do pass. The House also received first readings for a large group of bills, including measures on juvenile correction public records, child enticement, social media restrictions for children, public employee retirement contributions, military leave, counselor licensure for military chaplains, restroom access, cosmetology licensing, boating enforcement, hospital district dissolution petitions, midwifery authority and rules, and property tax assessment.
On the Third Reading Calendar, Representative Ben Adams asked unanimous consent to hold House Bill 493 for one legislative day while the sponsor works with an affected stakeholder; there was no objection. During announcements, members welcomed visiting county officials, the Idaho Vacation Rental Alliance, nurses in the gallery, and noted upcoming meetings including the Rural Health Transformation Program and an Energy Caucus luncheon. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn and recessed until 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- 16-6202, Idaho Code, to revise the definition, make technical corrections, amending Section 39-5302,
- 41-4910A, Idaho Code, relating to apportionment of monies, amending Section 41-4911, Idaho Code, to
- remove code references, repealing Section 41-4925, Idaho Code, relating to the application for trust
- registration, amending Section 41-4925A, Idaho Code, to remove obsolete language, amending Section 41
- The bill covers this in Section 3.
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and swore in new pages. It then received messages from the governor and Senate, including the governor’s signing of House Bills 514 and 515 and Senate passage of several bills. Standing committee reports moved a number of measures forward, including bills on taxation, utilities, medical neglect, daycare licensing, public assistance, property tax exemptions, mental health detention, blindness reporting, insurer investments, the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund, and foster care placement. House Bill 692 was sent back to general orders, while House Joint Memorial 17 and House Concurrent Resolution 30 were referred to Judiciary, Rules and Administration. The House also advanced House Bill 751 and House Bill 591 to third reading.
On third reading, the House passed several bills. House Bill 630, on aerial shooting of predators, was approved 60-8; House Bill 631, on certificates of free sale for Idaho exporters, passed 62-7; House Bill 548, requiring reasonable suspicion for stopping and boarding vessels on the water, passed 68-0 with two abstentions; House Bill 599, changing the public school digital content and curriculum grant process to a need-based model, passed 68-0 with two abstentions; House Bill 731, entering Idaho into a federal tax credit scholarship program, passed 68-0; House Bill 603, clarifying rules on camping and property handling on state facilities, passed 66-2; House Bill 689 and House Bill 690 also passed unanimously or near-unanimously; House Bill 698, closing a voting-law loophole involving out-of-state treason, passed 68-0; House Bill 642, creating a catastrophic benefit for public safety officers and their families, passed 68-0; and House Bill 563, easing CPA licensure pathways and updating practice privilege language, passed 67-0 with three absent.
The most debated measure was House Bill 623, which requires a 60-second moment of silence at the start of each public school day. Supporters argued it would help students focus, reduce stress, and address behavioral and mental health concerns, while opponents raised local control and implementation concerns. After extended debate, it passed 51-17. House Bill 641 was held on the third reading calendar for one legislative day, and the remaining third-reading bills were also held one day. The House later filed a committee letter approving pending agriculture rules, heard announcements including the death of former Representative Bob Geddes Sr. and a welcome to Idaho firefighters, and adjourned until 11:00 a.m. on February 25, 2026.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement - 03/25/25
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- the changes made in section 15.
- Uh, sections one and two quickly.
- Uh section three $425 in one month.
- <c> as</c><00:43:24.720><c> amended</c> Section six as amendment as amended Section six as amendment
- </c> section 15. Thank you, Chair Friends. section 15. Thank you, Chair Friends.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- The journal show it has been read a third time, section by section, and now before the Senate for final
- The journal show it has been read the third time at length, section by section, and placed before the
- The journal show it has been read the third time at length, section by section, and placed before the
- sections 2170 through 2186.
- It also repeals Idaho Code sections 27-406 and 27-409.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, heard prayer and the Pledge, approved the prior day’s journal, and received committee and House messages moving a large number of bills and memorials through the process. Several measures were referred, enrolled, or transmitted, including appropriations bills, election and utility-related legislation, and various House bills sent to standing committees. The chamber also handled routine motions to hold bills on the calendar and to advance between orders of business.
A major floor debate centered on House Bill 760, a low-income housing tax credit measure. Supporters argued it would encourage private investment in workforce housing, help local workers and families, and give counties an optional tool to address housing shortages. Opponents said it amounted to subsidized, rent-controlled housing that would benefit developers and banks while shifting property tax burdens onto other homeowners. The Senate first voted to reconsider the bill, then later defeated it on final passage, 15-20, returning it to the House.
The Senate then passed Senate Bill 1397, which would regulate private sewer/wastewater utilities serving more than 100 connections, with supporters describing it as consumer protection for captive customers and opponents warning about overregulation. It also passed Senate Bill 1398 on presidential primaries, Senate Bill 1396 repealing obsolete Pacific Fisheries Task Force code, House Bills 631, 826, 585, 648, 773, 787, and 790, and rejected House Bill 630 on airborne predator control. The chamber also adopted a memorial honoring Lyndon B. Bateman, with several senators sharing personal tributes to his teaching, public service, and handwriting. The session ended with announcements, committee scheduling, and a recess.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Commerce and Economic Development Feb 11th, 2026 at 05:14 pm
House Commerce & Economic Development Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- is Section 3 of the bill.
- So if we can turn to Section 7, can you just describe for us what Section 7 does of this bill?
- That are in Section 7, or rather that Section 7 would prohibit.
- are in Section 2.
- violates Section 7.
Keywords:
State Fairgrounds District, fairgrounds bonds, public financing, bond authorization, gross receipts tax, gaming tax, tax-backed bonds, infrastructure funding, Albuquerque fairgrounds, State Fair Tid, economic development, municipal bonds, revenue pledge, capital projects, New Mexico finance, technology, innovation, advisory board, entrepreneurial support, stakeholder representation
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Committee on the Census Jul 7th, 2026
Senate Committee on the Census
Transcript Highlights:
- the true impact of PL 94-171, we have to look at the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and particularly Section
- This shift complicates the traditional 50% threshold needed to establish Section 2 protections under
- The Court was dealing with how to define what constitutes vote dilution under Section 2 of the Voting
- The Calais decision impacted the implementation and reading of Section 2.
- The Calais decision addressed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act using the Louisiana situation.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on July 7, 2026 focused on how the census defines and tabulates race and ethnicity for redistricting. The sole witness, Professor Jeffrey Weiss, reviewed the history of Public Law 94-171, the Voting Rights Act, and Census Bureau race categories, explaining how block-level census data has been central to one-person, one-vote compliance and to enforcing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. He described the evolution from separate race and Hispanic-origin tabulations to multiracial reporting, the addition of voting-age and citizen voting-age data, and the increasing complexity created by coalition districts and multiracial populations.
A major theme was uncertainty about Census 2030. Weiss said the federal government is considering changes to race and ethnicity questions, possible elimination of the MENA category, reduced multiracial detail, and discontinuation of differential privacy, while also discussing a possible citizenship question and other procedural changes coming through the Commerce Department rather than the Census Bureau. He warned that these shifts, combined with staffing cuts, reduced outreach, and scaled-back testing, could affect the availability and granularity of redistricting data and may trigger litigation. Committee members pressed him on the Biden-era revisions, the Trump administration’s current actions, and whether future data might have to be reported at a higher geographic level if block-level privacy protections are removed.
Weiss also summarized Supreme Court redistricting doctrine, describing the move from Baker v. Carr and Reynolds v. Sims to the Gingles framework, then to later decisions limiting race-conscious districting, including Shelby County, Rucho, and the recent Louisiana v. Calais decision. He said Calais significantly narrowed federal Section 2 protections but does not directly preempt state voting rights acts, which he noted are being adopted in several states and may still allow coalition-based protections. The hearing ended after questions from the chair and vice chair, with no votes or formal committee actions taken, and the committee adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Committee on the Census Jul 7th, 2026
Senate Committee on the Census
Transcript Highlights:
- the true impact of PL 94-171, we have to look at the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and particularly Section
- . ...racial and ethnic data, Section 2 would have been nearly impossible to enforce.
- This shift complicates the traditional 50% threshold needed to establish Section 2 protections under
- The Calais decision impacted the implementation and reading of Section 2.
- The Kallade decision addressed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act using the Louisiana situation.