Transcript Highlights:

• The 3rd and final thing that I'd like to highlight is the reason why we're here today.
• But the reason I bring that up...
• But the reason I bring that up...
• increasing the EV annual fee and dedicating some of that funding to mitigation efforts.
• However, we found this legislation alarming for several reasons.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 748, a bill revising Minnesota’s transportation greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) impact assessment requirements for trunk highway projects. The chair first moved and adopted the A2 author’s amendment and then the A3 amendment, which was described as adding implementation time and project exemptions when federal dollars are available. The bill author explained that the measure responds to concerns from stakeholders that the current law can force costly mitigation, delay or stop safety and capacity projects, and create uncertainty because key implementation details are still being developed by a technical advisory committee. Testimony was split. County and city engineers, county commissioners, the Minnesota Transportation Alliance, and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities generally supported the bill, arguing that the current requirements can add 20% to 40% or more to project costs, are difficult to administer, and could jeopardize critical safety improvements, congestion relief, and federal funding. They cited examples such as Scott County and Trunk Highway 65, and said VMT mitigation is especially hard to quantify and fund. Opponents, including Move Minnesota and Sierra Club, argued that safety and climate goals are not in conflict, that reducing driving can save lives and reduce pollution, and that the bill would weaken an important tool for cutting transportation emissions. Members also asked about how GHG and VMT are measured, whether the required assessment was ready, and who would be responsible for mitigation assets and costs. After discussion, the committee held a roll call vote. The bill, as amended, passed 8-7 and was moved to the General Register.

Transcript Highlights:

• What constitutes a reasonable effort?
• efforts to determine make reasonable efforts to determine whether<01:16:01.679> a<01:16:01.840
• <01:16:33.520> Um What constitutes a reasonable effort?
• Um What constitutes a reasonable effort?
• The reasonable efforts—what constitutes a reasonable effort—that is leaving it up to individual interpretation

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's an intensive effort, and this is what a lot of what our staff efforts are going to be at a certain
• There are reasons why maybe that Hawaii lags behind other states, but I think that efforts like what
• <00:41:19.160> are a lot of what um our staff efforts are a lot of what um our staff efforts
• into that um there's uh of effort into that um there's uh there's<00:42:41.160> reasons<00:42
• HWP and um the reason that I say this is HWP and um the reason that I say this is the<00:59:33.400>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services held an informational briefing on the Developmental Disabilities Council and related agencies. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities outlined its 2025 legislative priorities, including a pilot project for guardian ad litem and capacity evaluations in guardianship/conservatorship cases, a supported decision-making bill, a health disparities study for people with disabilities, an ABLE savings outreach/staffing measure, a Medicaid buy-in proposal, an adult changing tables equity bill, and a resolution on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Council representatives emphasized that supported decision-making would complement tools like powers of attorney and medical releases, and that the health disparities study would help identify unmet needs by ZIP code and improve state data on the intellectual and developmental disability population. The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii described its role as the research and training arm within the DD system, working with the DD Council and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center. It reported activities such as interdisciplinary training, community education, technical assistance, research collaborations, the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, publications, telehealth, ECHO Autism, and counseling for Maui fire survivors. The center said it leveraged about $16 million in outside funding last year and highlighted goals focused on workforce development, community capacity, research with direct participation from people with disabilities, and accessible dissemination of information. The Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the state’s protection and advocacy agency, supported the Council’s priorities, especially supported decision-making, which it said could help some people avoid guardianship while preserving liberty and reducing state resource use. The center also raised concerns about the DD system budget and urged legislators to review whether the Developmental Disabilities Division is requesting enough funding, noting possible backsliding in services and eligibility. The Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health then outlined its statewide waiver program serving just over 3,500 people, its service array, and its budget request for increased waiver funding, a federal initiatives coordinator, and IT upgrades to comply with the new HCBS access rule; no votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the reason is, they're our future.
• And so there's a reason it's not there for collection.
• The board is there for a reason.
• The reason that We have different branches. The reason we have boards.
• The reason we have a separation of powers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And those terms will be reasonable, right?
• Licensing terms, and those terms will be reasonable, right?
• Reasonable, though, for the library mission.
• It's also the reason why I opened All She Wrote Books.
• And there should be a reasonable way for that to happen.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several bills related to access to library materials, including measures addressing book bans and censorship in public and school libraries, as well as legislation on digital library collections and e-book licensing. Committee leaders said testimony would be limited to three minutes and encouraged written submissions. Early testimony from Chair Brian Murray highlighted H. 3595, which would address challenges facing public libraries and digital resource collections by limiting restrictive publisher-library contract terms, protecting patron confidentiality, and creating a special legislative commission to study the issue. A large number of legislators, librarians, authors, students, publishers, and advocacy groups testified in support of the free expression bills, including H. 3594 and S. 2328, arguing that book challenges in Massachusetts disproportionately target LGBTQ+ and BIPOC titles and that librarians and educators need protection from retaliation and harassment. Witnesses described local incidents of book removals, threats, and pressure campaigns, and several said the bills would create transparent challenge procedures, keep materials available during reviews, and ensure decisions are made by trained professionals rather than political actors. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s office also submitted support, and multiple speakers cited national trends and Massachusetts-specific censorship attempts. Testimony on the digital access bills emphasized that e-books and audiobooks are essential for readers with disabilities, homebound patrons, students, and others who rely on accessible formats, but that current licensing terms are far more expensive and restrictive than print purchasing. Library representatives said libraries spend millions on digital content, face long wait times for popular titles, and often must repeatedly re-rent the same materials. Legal and library experts supported the proposed commission as a practical step toward fairer licensing and stronger bargaining power for libraries. The hearing ended after extensive testimony; no votes or final committee action were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is one of the reasons that we have an affordability crisis, and I appreciate that there's an effort
• It's for these reasons we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA via sweeping policy change in the budget process
• For these reasons, we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA in the state budget.
• For these reasons, we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA in the state budget. Thank you.
• For these reasons, we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA in the state budget. Thank you.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• The reason I think we're not there, the reason you guys come every year asking for more, I think the
• So for that reason, I support your effort and I believe that accountability regardless of political affiliation
• This is a continued level of effort across the spectrum of state government.
• So thank you very much for your effort in bringing this forward.
• So this is a multi-pronged effort with a lot of departments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that the reason why? Chair Forbes again, Assembly Budget Committee.
• It's for these reasons we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA via sweeping policy changes in the budget
• For these reasons, we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA in the state budget. Thank you.
• For these reasons, we oppose efforts to roll back CEQA in the state budget. Thank you.
• CEQA is not the reason for the delays in development, and building codes are not the reason for rising

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I really appreciate your work and your efforts.
• It was an all-hands effort.
• It was definitely a community effort to do that.
• And that's what happened back with our 2020 efforts.
• All of our town departments use GIS for myriads of reasons, everything from— GIS for myriads of reasons

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on September 22, 2025 focused on preparations for the 2030 census, with an emphasis on Massachusetts’ role in building a complete address list and improving local participation in census-related address review programs. Chair Brownsberger and witnesses from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, the UMass Donahue Institute, Watertown, and MassGIS described the importance of accurate address data for congressional apportionment, federal funding, and state and local planning. They also discussed the first major upcoming step, the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, and the later Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process, both of which rely on municipalities reviewing and correcting census geography and address files. John Rosenberry of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office said outreach to cities and towns is beginning now, with a likely December start for the block boundary process based on the 2020 cycle. He stressed that local officials, clerks, building inspectors, housing authorities, and GIS staff should be engaged early, especially to capture new development and conversions created under the state’s housing policies. Susan Strait of UMass Donahue explained that LUCA allows local governments to compare their address lists with the Census Bureau’s master address file, and that Massachusetts had very high participation in 2020; she cited examples where local review added hidden or newly built housing units and noted that Boston later corrected a group-quarters undercount of about 6,000 students through a post-census review program. In response to questions, she clarified that those corrections affected annual estimates and funding formulas, but not the 2020 apportionment count. Watertown City Manager George Proakis described how local address review is complicated by accessory dwelling units, single-family to two-family conversions, and large multifamily projects, and urged continued state support for local governments doing this work. Dan Marrier of MassGIS then outlined the Massachusetts Master Address Database, explaining that it combines multiple sources, including E911, assessor, voter, and municipal data, to create a standardized residential address repository used for census preparation and other state functions. He said the database has helped improve census accuracy, including by updating more than one million Census Bureau address-point locations before 2020, and noted that local municipalities remain the final authority on addresses even as MassGIS standardizes and reconciles variants across the Commonwealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I appreciate the effort.
• I urge your passage of the bill and support these efforts to stop duplicative legal efforts.
• I heard your passage of the bill and support these efforts to stop duplicative legal efforts.
• I urge your passage in bill and support these efforts to stop duplicative legal efforts.
• I heard your passage bill and support these efforts to stop duplicative legal efforts.

Summary: The committee heard several water, wildlife, conservation, and local government bills. AB 362, by Assembly Member Ramos, would add tribal water uses as a statewide beneficial use and strengthen tribal consultation in water planning; tribal representatives and conservation groups supported it as a long-overdue correction, while water agencies, business groups, and agricultural interests raised concerns about CEQA, regulatory uncertainty, and impacts on existing water planning. The bill was moved on a due pass motion to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, with some members noting ongoing stakeholder discussions and one abstention. AB 1089, by Assembly Member Carrillo, would expand local permitting authority under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act to include commercial and industrial projects. The author and the City of Adelanto argued it would speed housing and economic development in the high desert while preserving the overall conservation framework, but environmental groups opposed it as premature and potentially weakening protections for Joshua trees. The committee approved the bill on a due pass motion to Appropriations. AB 1024, by Assembly Member Harabedian, would require a regional black bear mitigation plan for the San Gabriel Valley and related areas; Sierra Madre officials described rising bear intrusions and the need for state help, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 846, by Assembly Member Connolly, would streamline permitting for local wildfire preparedness and vegetation management projects in local responsibility areas by creating a faster review process at Fish and Wildlife and improving mapping coordination with Cal Fire. Local government, fire service, and agricultural witnesses supported the bill as a common-sense wildfire prevention measure, and it passed to Natural Resources with no opposition. AB 263, by Assembly Member Rogers, would extend emergency minimum-flow regulations for the Scott and Shasta Rivers for five years or until permanent rules are adopted; supporters said it protects salmon recovery, tribal subsistence, and the fishing economy during a transition period, while opponents argued it bypasses normal regulatory process and harms farmers. The committee approved it on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations, with one abstention and two no votes. AB 1044, by Assembly Member Bains, would create a new Tulare County groundwater sustainability agency for undistricted lands after other local agencies split off; the bill passed to Local Government. AB 1426, by Assembly Member Arambula, began testimony on creating a Diablo Range Conservation Program to fund habitat protection and restoration across the range.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanted to also display this graph to show you the reasons people call.
• You can see that the most frequent reason is thoughts of suicide, but that's not the only reason people
• I've seen a lot of various callers call in for different reasons.
• This is just a reflection of our efforts, and you can review this data.
• The reason I ask that, and the reason it worries me, is because frequently the police-involved shootings

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just wanted to flag that as an ongoing effort as we speak.
• There’s not really another reason I need to be here.
• This has been my main reason to help cover basic needs.
• We really appreciate those efforts.
• However, we don't dig deeper into the reasons why.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this budget, I believe, is the beginning of this effort.
• There's an alternative fund source that can go towards this effort.
• Enough efforts, I'll get the number right for you. I promise. Exactly.
• So it's a statewide effort, and I'm not able to commit to a date today.
• Within that period, we think this is reasonable.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We followed that effort with personal phone calls.
• I'm going to tell you two reasons. There's a lot of reasons.
• I'm going to tell you two reasons. There's a lot of reasons.
• Main reasons are: one, veterans understand supporting law... ...reasons. There's a lot of reasons.
• If that's not something they want, is there a reason we're going?

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee met to organize the new term, take roll, and hear introductory presentations from the six agencies under its jurisdiction: the Agency for Health Care Administration, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Department of Children and Families, Department of Elder Affairs, Department of Health, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The chair outlined the committee process, including assigning members to review agencies and make budget recommendations. Each agency head gave a high-level overview of their budget, staffing, major programs, and priorities, with recurring themes including Medicaid, long-term care, disability services, child welfare, mental health, aging services, public health, and veterans’ health care. Several agency leaders highlighted recent initiatives and funding priorities. AHCA emphasized Medicaid managed care, provider regulation, Hope Florida, hospital-at-home, and cancer-related efforts; APD discussed iBudget services, Hope Florida, a managed-care pilot, online applications, and forensic care costs; DCF focused on child protection, foster care, adult protective services, food/cash/medical assistance, mental health, and opioid treatment; Elder Affairs highlighted Alzheimer’s services, community-based senior care, guardianship, ombudsman services, and disaster outreach; DOH covered cancer innovation, maternal telehealth, cybersecurity, HIV/hepatitis/syphilis screening, and school nursing; and Veterans Affairs described benefits and health care access for veterans, long-term care, and federal reimbursement. Several speakers also raised concerns about rising costs, provider rates, disaster response, and access to services. The committee heard two public comments from disability advocates about Medicaid redeterminations affecting iBudget waiver recipients and provider payment delays. In response, AHCA and APD said they were coordinating on data sharing, early outreach, escalation processes, and efforts to reduce disenrollments and make recertification smoother. Members then asked questions about provider rates, opioid settlement spending, managed care quality measures, pediatric rare disease grants, group home transparency, senior outreach, ABA services moving into managed care, annual Medicaid recertification, veterans’ service utilization, waiting lists for elder services, and prevention spending. No formal votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think they're all very reasonable.
• And thank you for the working efforts. And as Mr.
• And thank you for the working efforts. And as Mr.
• So since 2019, you had an effort in redirection for students, and even with that effort, we're still
• And with that, I know that this took a lot of effort.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the reason why it's on consent is there is some testimony.
• Um, which is the reason we decided to start instituting the observation surveys.
• validate our catch per unit effort validate our catch per unit effort approach<00:31:42.799>
• Nothing has really been perunit effort.
• So, I I'd remind us the reasons that it.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, approving the consent calendar and the minutes. It then took up a Department of Employment Security rule, 24193, where the only issue was that a form had not been incorporated by reference. The department submitted an oral conditional approval request with revised language, and the committee approved the rule conditionally. A second Employment Security rule, 195, raised concerns that the notice language was too broad and vague and could amount to oral rulemaking; because the agency had not yet finalized revised language, the committee granted a one-month waiver so the rule could return next month with a conditional approval proposal. The Department of Safety’s contact person notification program rule, 24237, drew comments about Social Security number collection, unclear drafting on one section, and ambiguity about which application needed a signature. The agency agreed to remove Social Security number references from the rules and forms and to adopt the suggested clarifying language with minor edits. After discussion about why the identifiers were needed, the committee approved the rule conditionally with the oral changes. The committee then moved a previously consent-calendar item, OPLC rule 2547, off consent after Representative Maguire objected that the renewal application form was too health-care-focused and user-unfriendly for other professions; the agency said it would revisit the form, and the committee postponed action until next month without needing a waiver. The final major item was Fish and Game’s HB 2548, which changes licensing and permit rules for taking deer, bear, moose, turkey, and furbearing animals. Staff noted extensive public testimony, including a coalition submission, and said the main dispute was over what data the agency should rely on in setting seasons and take limits. Fish and Game explained that declining trapper participation made capture-per-unit-effort data less reliable, so it also uses hunter surveys and UNH research projects funded in part by federal money; the agency said current trapping removals are very low and do not appear to threaten populations. Committee members and public witnesses questioned whether the agency’s responses to comments were sufficiently specific under the new public-comment law, but no final vote on the Fish and Game rule was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And thanks to the efforts of the General Assembly, we now have colorectal, prostate, and lung for early
• and policies and practices to efforts and policies and practices to prevent,<00:19:11.280> detect
• And thanks to the efforts of and detect.
• <00:21:20.799> and<00:21:21.039> keeps reason she's so resilient and keeps reason she's
• <00:23:03.280> I'm<00:23:03.600> wearing and acknowledge the reason I'm wearing and

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum with 34 members present. The chamber approved the journal from January 28, received notice that the House had passed House Bills 56, 320, 366, and 389 and requested concurrence, and heard a report that second-reading bills were sent to the Rules Committee. Committee reports advanced several measures, including Senate Bills 1, 3, 48, 84, 102, and 122, which were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar. The Senate also received new bills and resolutions, including measures on SNAP benefits, unemployment insurance, medical licensing, proxy advisory services, child protection, disabled veterans, public school construction, and a concurrent resolution encouraging nuclear workforce training at Kentucky universities. The Rules Committee posted Senate Bills 20, 34, and 68 for the next regular orders, and the Committee on Committees referred Senate Resolutions 60, 61, 63, 64, and 65 to the floor. Senate Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3 was introduced. Several honorary and memorial resolutions were adopted, including Senate Resolution 63 honoring Reverend George Clifton Currington, Sr., Senate Resolution 49 honoring Dr. Jacqueline Sugarman, and Senate Resolution 31 designating Suits and Sneakers Day to recognize cancer patients, survivors, and advocates. Senators spoke at length about cancer awareness, personal family experiences, and Kentucky’s efforts to improve screening and treatment access. Announcements were made about an oversight committee meeting after adjournment and a Kentucky State Police Professional Association breakfast the next morning. The Senate adjourned until 9:00 a.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of the, there’s structural reasons to do those or not to do them, and there’s political reasons
• So I think it makes sense for us to continue to pursue this one for those reasons.
• I want to say UVA, the law students especially, spent a lot of effort on this one.
• And yet... ...for some reason.
• But again, the reason we deferred those...

Keywords: Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for those reasons, I would oppose the amendment.
• It matters for a very simple reason.
• Don't think about all the reasons it can't be done.
• The reason that I am in support of the bill in front of us today is for a few reasons.
• Come to reasonable terms on this project, and I'll I believe we can do both, come to reasonable terms

Keywords: 905, all

Transcript Highlights:

• regulations a reasonable period of time. regulations a reasonable period of time.
• reason to know. reason to know.
• variety of reasons. variety of reasons.
• It's ironic that the reason that this is failing, Madam Chair, is the effort of the government to fail
• It's ironic that the reason that this is failing, Madam Chair, is the effort of the government to fail

Keywords: 1187, senate, all