Transcript Highlights:

• COAST GUARD CAPTAIN'S LICENSE OR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ISSUED A CAPTAIN'S LICENSE OR SOMEONE THAT IS EXEMPT
• AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER EXEMPTIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT COAST GUARD, CAPTAIN'S LICENSE, THOSE KINDS
• DATA AROUND THE BILL AND I JUST FIND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET AROUND THAT ISSUE OF NOT HAVING TO BE LICENSED
• SB 472 ON EDUCATION AND CORRECTION FACILITIES FOR LICENSED PROFESSIONALS BY SENATOR TRUENOW.
• THIS UPDATES SEVERAL PACKAGES UPDATING COURT AND JUDICIARY TO MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THE MODERN COURT

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill seeks to modernize the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991.
• Specifically a few things to build as a modernizes.
• the number of days the department can extend a license from 30 days to 90 days.
• This amendment authorizes license caregivers and representatives of life licensed child caring agencies
• This bill is entitled an act relating to driver's license education requirements.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Coast Guard captain's license or has been previously issued a captain's license, or someone that's exempt
• Coast Guard captain's license or has been previously issued a captain's license or someone that's exempt
• And then there's other exemptions that we talked about, about Coast Guard captain's license and that
• And I just find we weren't able to get around that issue with not having to be licensed or getting any
• It is SB 472, Education and Correctional Facilities for Licensed Professionals.

Summary: The Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met with a quorum present and first received an implementation update on CS for SB 606, the Boating Safety Act of 2022, from FWC Lieutenant Colonel Robert Roe. He described the livery permit system, safety and insurance requirements, required pre-rental and pre-ride instruction, recordkeeping, overdue-vessel reporting, accident reporting, and penalties for violations. He also reported enforcement results since the permit requirement took effect in January 2023, including 1,428 permits issued, 1,093 liveries operating, three 90-day suspensions, one revocation, and two pending revocations. Members asked whether liveries may require boating safety education even for people exempt under current law; Roe said they may do so as a business decision, but current law does not require it unless the statute is changed. A member noted concern that many accidents involve boaters in the older exempt age group and said the issue may be revisited this session. The committee then considered SB 878 by Senator Martin, which extends probation for misdemeanor offenders who were using controlled substances when they committed the offense, allowing supervision for up to one year and aligning those cases more closely with existing alcohol-related misdemeanor probation rules. With no appearance forms or debate, the bill was voted favorably. Next, the committee took up CS for SB 538 by Senator Bradley, the state court system package. The bill updates statutes to reflect current court operations, including duty judge procedures, removal of a location limit for duty hearings, repeal of a cap on arbitrator compensation in court-ordered non-binding arbitration, and an alternative method for judicial authentication when a court seal is unavailable. An amendment shifting certain clerk reimbursement requests through the Justice Administrative Commission was adopted, and the bill was then reported favorably with support waivers from several court-related entities. Finally, the committee heard SB 472 by Senator Truenow, which provides that inmates who complete classes meeting required curriculum standards may receive credit toward licensure requirements for those classes. Several organizations waived in support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, we received over $160 million in revenue from licensed technologies.
• FDA approval, the licensing stream, and royalties all come back to UT MD Anderson. Thank you.
• Somebody that's even remotely connected to driver's licenses.
• The commercial driver's license problem became exacerbated very badly about eight years ago.
• It's a much more rigorous license than it used to be, and so I appreciate it.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . license. license.
• Emergency preparedness license.
• <02:57:23.439> The emergency preparedness license. The emergency preparedness license.
• Notwithstanding the the license.
• valid license pursuant to this act. valid license pursuant to this act.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The meeting included a Senate recognition ceremony honoring the Winona High School boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Alabama High School Athletic Association 5A state championship. A resolution was read commending the team for its 101-40 victory over Silicag, noting the team’s record-setting performance, Brendan Davis’s MVP honor, the contributions of other players, and Coach Cedric Lane’s leadership. Senators and the lieutenant governor praised the players’ sportsmanship, the school community, and the team’s historic season, and copies of the resolution were presented to the team, coaches, and administrators. Several guests and school representatives also spoke briefly, including the coach and principal, who thanked the Senate and noted the team’s success and the principal’s retirement after 35 years. After the recognition, the Senate returned to session and adopted the Committee on Rules report setting the special order calendar. The calendar included Senate Bill 99 on the Ten Commandments, Senate Bill 298 on Class 3 municipalities, House Bill 381 on camp safety, Senate Bill 370 on tax increment districts, Senate Bill 363 on the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, House Bill 466 on firefighters, House Bill 95 on elections, House Bill 259 on stablecoin, and Senate Bill 342 on education. The chamber then took up SB 99, sponsored by Senators Kelly and Sessions. Senator Kelly described the bill as requiring local school boards to display the Ten Commandments, together with founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Alabama Constitution preamble, in certain history classrooms and common areas for grades five through 12, using donated displays and funds when available. He said the bill was intended as a historical and educational measure, not religious instruction, and emphasized the inclusion of a disclaimer stating Alabama is not establishing a religion. After extended debate and a petition to close debate from the Rules Committee, the Senate voted on the bill by long roll and passed SB 99, with the recorded vote announced as 30 yeas and 4 nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative West brought up childcare licensing modernization.
• I am the House author of childcare licensing modernization.
• Representative West brought up childcare licensing modernization.
• I am the House author of childcare licensing modernization.
• I am the House author of childcare licensing modernization.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Senate File 4612, a state government bill affecting the Department of Health, Human Services, and Children, Youth, and Families, was taken up with a House language amendment adopted at the outset. The bill’s authors gave sharply different perspectives: one described it as a limited, reactive measure tied to federal Medicaid changes and said it fell short of needed health care improvements, while the other argued it would avoid large federal penalties, add Medicaid work requirements, save taxpayer money, and help certain rural and disability-related services. Members then debated several amendments. A technical House research amendment was offered, followed by a contested amendment on the all-payer claims database. Supporters of that change argued the bill expanded data access and could allow sensitive health data to be sold or used outside the United States, raising privacy and jurisdiction concerns; opponents said the data would remain deidentified, access would be limited to researchers, and the fee structure was a cost-recovery mechanism rather than a sale. The amendment to the amendment failed on a 67-67 tie, and the underlying amendment was not adopted. The committee also adopted an amendment updating mortuary science rules for natural organic reduction and another that would automatically enroll certain people into medical assistance if they did not choose a program themselves. A later amendment creating a therapeutic psilocybin pilot program for mental health and PTSD treatment drew strong bipartisan support, especially from members citing veteran suicide, trauma, and promising research; it was adopted after discussion. The transcript ended while discussion continued on how the program would be administered, including questions about using the Office of Cannabis Management rather than the Department of Health.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, the bill authorizes the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife to allow certain hunting licenses
• This provides additional administrative flexibility and convenience for license holders.
• Third, the bill includes several administrative and technical corrections related to licensing procedures
• One is to modernize it with some more automation where automation makes sense, and to increase the number
• to support uh grants for modernization to support uh grants for modernization uh<01:09:00.640>

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:35:29.760> our funds in there to really modernize our funds in there to really modernize
• Streamlining licensing rules.
• We've just streamlining licensing rules.
• <00:58:29.359> rules through the childcare licensing rules through the childcare licensing
• It was um child care licensing bureau.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met with DHS Chief Financial Officer Nathan White to receive an update on the department’s budget lapse and vacancy rates. White explained the difference between the “back-of-the-budget” reduction and lapse assumptions, saying DHS is facing a current biennium reduction of about $23 million and estimating roughly a $60 million general fund lapse in state fiscal year 2025, compared with about $13.5 million the prior year. He said DHS’s lapse is driven largely by program utilization, labor market conditions, contract spending, and statutory carry-forwards in areas such as Medicaid and developmental disabilities, which tend to produce a smaller lapse in the first year of the biennium and a larger one in the second year. He also noted that the House and Senate budgets differ on some operating items, including Medicaid rates, with the Senate having struck a House proposal to reduce rates by 3%. Members questioned White about whether DHS ever spends down lapse money on last-minute purchases. He said the department does not engage in that practice, though it does retain some flexibility in its facilities budget for emergencies. He also described the process for transferring funds within and between class lines, including the need for fiscal committee approval above statutory thresholds, and gave examples such as moving funds to cover overtime in the SYSC budget and to ensure Medicaid payments for nursing facilities. White said such transfers are public and transparent and are reviewed by the governor and Executive Council. The committee then discussed DHS staffing. White said the department has a little over 3,200 authorized positions, with a vacancy rate around 14.5%, and that a hiring freeze had been imposed a few months earlier while exempting direct care positions. He said DHS is planning for about a $30 million general fund reduction to personnel, equivalent to just under 400 positions, and is managing postings centrally to stay within budget by July 1. In response to questions about the loss of about $80 million in federal funds, White and Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilly said DHS avoided layoffs by shifting staff into vacant positions, but that the cuts affected community contracts, public health workers, laboratory work, and some IT/data projects. Tilly said roughly 20 positions were affected, most were reassigned, a few staff left voluntarily, and the department has less flexibility going forward if more federal funding ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:29.639> ownership argued that modern ownership argued that modern ownership Arrangements
• I held the master mariner’s license of unlimited tonnage, and I was a Jones Act mariner.
• I’m here to speak in opposition to H.R. 10. master Mariners license of unim tunage master Mariners license
• Hampshire resident and dual licensed Hampshire resident and dual licensed Mariner Mariner Mariner
• “More about the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Make no mistake: what we're looking at is modern-day slavery.
• So, my name is Sabrina Montoya, I'm a licensed clinical social worker.
• That's slavery; the modern-day slavery happens in our own districts.
• Reyes can help explain how that modernization makes more sense in this context.
• New Mexicans already carry openly without a license.

Transcript Highlights:

• Practicing therapy without a license is already illegal.
• He studied California driving laws so he could get his license.
• First, license plate readers are a valuable law enforcement tool.
• SB 1013 implements a maximum data retention time of 30 days for license plate reader data.
• We want to take license plate pictures here, and if we're not...

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on AI, privacy, and surveillance. SB 903 would prohibit AI from independently providing psychotherapy or presenting itself as a licensed mental health provider, require disclosure and informed consent, and reinforce confidentiality and privacy protections for therapy records. Supporters, including a mother and therapist whose son died by suicide after extensive chats with ChatGPT, argued the bill is needed to prevent harmful, crisis-related interactions. Behavioral health groups and labor/privacy organizations supported the measure, while TechNet, the California Medical Association, and the California Hospital Association opposed unless amended, saying the bill could restrict useful clinical tools and create conflicts around triage, screening, and data use. The committee passed SB 903 4-0 to Appropriations, with members noting the need for further work on definitions and implementation. SB 1119 would create a broader framework for chatbot safety for children, including annual risk assessments, crisis response protocols, default child protections, parental controls, notice and time limits, restrictions on advertising and use of children’s data, incident reporting, audits, and a private right of action. The author and supporters again cited the death of Adam Raine as evidence that chatbots can reinforce suicidal ideation and isolate children. Common Sense Media and several labor and privacy groups supported the bill. CalChamber, TechNet, the California State Sheriffs’ Association, and other industry and local government groups opposed unless amended, raising concerns about vague standards, overlap with SB 243, prescriptive design mandates, and litigation risk. The committee approved SB 1119 4-0 to Judiciary, with amendments to be taken there. The committee also heard SB 1013, which would tighten rules for automated license plate reader data by requiring DOJ audits, employee training, and a 30-day retention limit for most data. Supporters said the bill responds to documented misuse and over-retention of data that mostly belongs to innocent drivers. Law enforcement groups opposed, arguing the retention limit would hinder investigations and reduce the usefulness of ALPRs in serious or delayed cases. The bill passed 4-1 to Appropriations. SB 1292, a local control bill for six cities, would allow camera or sensor-based enforcement of curb and loading zones, with a human reviewing each violation before issuance. Supporters said it would help cities manage congestion and unsafe blocking of bike lanes and loading zones; privacy advocates warned about expanding automated surveillance. It passed 4-1 to Appropriations. Finally, the committee heard SB 1101, which would require higher education institutions to notify students, faculty, and staff when personal information is shared with federal agencies and limit disclosure to what is legally required. Supporters framed it as a transparency and anti-doxing measure in response to recent federal investigations and subpoenas; there was no opposition testimony. The bill passed 5-0 to Appropriations. The committee then began hearing SB 951, the California Worker Technological Displacement Act, which would require advance notice and reporting when employers displace workers due to technology and give displaced workers priority for openings, but the transcript cuts off before the hearing concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is similar to the underlying bill in providing guidelines to help modernize and strengthen
• I to modern day form of slavery that preys on the vulnerable. As you just heard.
• diagnosis, but also include children with an individual family support plan documentation from a licensed
• individual family support plan documentation from a licensed health care professional also allows use

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• tenure in the Texas House, beginning in 2005 and clerking since 2011, and his first committee was Licensing
• , Grant program by expanding the allowable uses of grant funds to better reflect the realities of modern
• , Grant program by expanding the allowable uses of grant funds to better reflect the realities of modern
• ensures that this applies to both new and existing programs that lead to industry certifications, licenses

Bills: HB322, HB331, HB673, HB 1147, HB 1154, HB2488

Keywords: JET Grant Program, career education, technical education, community colleges, technology solutions, high demand jobs, first responders, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, benefits, compensation, presumption of disability, emergency services, healthcare, Medicaid, mental health, substance abuse, treatment access, cost, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• He's known for his compassionate, personal approach, blending traditional family medicine with modern
• And black Americans and how important that is to modern history and I'm a proud signer of this because
• It even came after our lieutenant governor personally visited one of the licensed retail establishments
• will reiterate the responsibility we have given the commission to ensure lottery couriers and their licensed

Bills: SB26, SB28, SJR36, SB616, SB565, SB384, SB28, SB28, SR131, SR168, SR174, SR175

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've licensed over 6,000 businesses, including restaurants and others food providers.
• This is a program that is self-funded through those licensing and registration fees.
• This is a program that is self-funded through those licensing and registration fees.
• This is an account that has other funds, again, some licensing fees.
• This is an account that has other funds, again, some licensing fees.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Persons-Mulicka: The bill modernizes various statutes to provide a more efficient hearing process as
• years and there are archaic provisions and from a processing standpoint we need to bring it into the modern
• This is House Bill 841 and this is the bill that will remove the yellow decal from Florida license tags
• Tax Collector in support of House Bill 841 which will eliminate the registration decal for Florida license
• It is bipartisan to make sure to reflect a shared commitment to modernize government and improving service

Transcript Highlights:

• SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR CTE FUNDING AS WELL AS COMPETITIVE GRANT FOR EQUIPMENT, UPGRADE AND MODERNIZATION
• WE DID RECEIVE A CAPITALIZATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT. $660,000 TO EXPAND AND MODERNIZE OUR MARINE
• BUT FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR ONE OF -- I GUESS PROUD MOMENTS WAS FOR OUR LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSING
• CLASS AA FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING CLASS A. $3,100 COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVING CLASS B $2,600 LICENSED
• STATE FUNDING IS ALSO ALLOWING US TO INVEST IN CUTTING EDGE EQUIPMENT AND MODERNIZE FACILITIES ENSURING

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 2633 gives us the modern and voter-driven tools we need to attract new businesses, create
• However, the demands of my office is that modern airline logistics, particularly related to food and
• I've been a licensed... I have been a realtor in Arizona for over 30 years.
• I have been a licensed realtor for 45 years, and I'm also an ordained minister.
• Yourselves in a civil suit beyond defending yourselves related to your licensing? No.

Bills: SB2101, SB2334, SB2633, SB2637, SB2713, SB2781, SB2782, SB3059, HB1130, HB256, HCR19

Keywords: minors, sexually explicit materials, public libraries, age verification, civil penalties, library collection review, alcohol storage, airline permits, beverage regulations, airport, commercial flights, alcoholic beverages, local option election, zoning regulations, municipality control, land use, state law, social media, bot accounts, misinformation

Transcript Highlights:

• New Mexicans deserve a reliable, modernized grid that not only meets our current energy demands, but
• We do agree electric grid modernization is a priority.
• We know that we have an incredible opportunity here in the state of New Mexico to, uh, to modernize,
• I carried a New Mexico driver's license for 20 years, even though I didn't live in New Mexico.
• This is math, OK, at least modern math. Although I still use a pencil and paper as mold, but uh.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have some updated regulation of health maintenance organizations to align with modern insurance
• I guess my only question is, is MDH prepared to take over the licensing for this?
• This would sort of put forward the process by which they would be able to provide those licenses.
• <01:10:37.440> license<01:10:38.239> I able to provide those license license I able
• to provide those license license I know<01:10:38.520> that<01:10:38.679> mdh<01:10:39.280

Keywords: 1187, senate, all