Transcript Highlights:

• constitutional scrutiny, essentially saying that psychological torture of children is somehow free speech
• constitutional scrutiny, essentially saying that psychological torture of children is somehow free speech
• Strict employees. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote at the appropriate time. Thank you.
• Millions of public sector employees across California all operate under PERB.
• And when employees don't report, the state really can identify where those wage disparities lie.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard SB 934 by Senator Wiener, which would extend the statute of limitations for malpractice claims arising from conversion therapy and clarify how expert testimony and scientific evidence may be used in those cases. Supporters, including a survivor, a licensed therapist, and LGBTQ advocacy groups, described conversion therapy as harmful and argued survivors often cannot come forward within current filing deadlines. Opponents, including civil justice and conservative legal groups, argued the bill was a workaround to recent Supreme Court rulings and raised concerns about free speech, evidentiary standards, and whether the bill could chill legitimate therapy. Committee members largely focused on whether the bill was limited to conversion therapy malpractice claims and not broader gender-affirming care; the bill was moved on a 7-2-1 vote to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. The consent calendar was also adopted on a 6-0 vote and placed on call. The committee then heard SB 1092 by Senator Allen, a housing bill aimed at manufactured home parks. The bill would give residents or their designated representatives a right to make a competitive bid when a park owner intends to sell, lease, or transfer a park, with notice and response periods intended to give residents time to organize financing. Supporters said the measure would preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, especially for older and lower-income residents, and help resident-owned cooperatives or nonprofits buy parks before investor buyers do. Opponents from park owner and realtor groups argued the bill would burden private property rights, devalue parks, and create unconstitutional takings and litigation risk. Committee questions centered on the bill’s timelines, whether residents would have 120 days to express interest and another 120 days to close, and whether the purchase agreement would be binding if accepted. The author and supporters said the second period was needed for due diligence and financing, while opponents said the structure could still delay sales and reduce market value. Several members expressed support for the bill’s goal but asked for further clarification or possible tightening of the timing and good-faith provisions; no final vote on SB 1092 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And here, this is a pro-employee bill and every public employee in the state deserves to have their voice
• We shouldn't subject employees to a union unless a majority of public employees want them.
• So three employees voted to create a union and a union was created that now encompasses 202 employees
• So 276 employees voted for a union that now is bargaining on behalf of 4,282 employees.
• This bill is pro-public employee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the free speech clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution limits the ability
• The United States Supreme Court has held certain categories of unprotected speech, which...
• So the two people that we have doing that job are full-time employees without benefits.
• There's many hotel chains right now that have mandatory training as well for their employees.
• Those are just a few of the chains right now that mandate that their employees have it.

Committee: Joint Protection and Victim Services Committee

Summary: The committee first approved the December 16 minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their economic and public-system impacts. She explained that ACEs are population-level risk indicators, not individual diagnostic tools, and said higher ACE exposure is associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare and justice involvement, and lower workforce participation. She cautioned that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across the life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based interventions and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, trends in ACEs, and home visiting; she emphasized supportive relationships, protective factors, and the importance of positive childhood experiences. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco, along with a recorded family story from Abby, about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota. Abby described how Healthy Families North Dakota supported her family after a premature birth and NICU stay by providing weekly in-home coaching, developmental screenings, postpartum mental health check-ins, referrals, and parenting support. The presenters explained that home visiting is voluntary, relationship-based, and usually begins prenatally or shortly after birth, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, pregnancy navigators, human service zones, self-referrals, and other community partners. They said North Dakota currently has four main evidence-based models operating through 12 organizations, with Healthy Families available in all 53 counties, though only a fraction of eligible families are served. Funding was described as a patchwork of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E, Medicaid, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and other grants; members discussed whether the Legislature or agencies should expand support and how to improve outreach and sustainability. Finally, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, focusing on AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and chatbot-related risks. The report summarized federal and state law, including North Dakota’s existing computer-generated image provisions, the federal PROTECT Act, the Take It Down Act, and recent federal executive orders on AI policy. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI’s effect on critical thinking and misinformation. The committee then heard from BCI Special Agent Cassidy Halsef, who said AI is already driving a sharp rise in child exploitation cases in North Dakota, including AI-generated explicit images of real minors and school-based incidents involving mass-shared manipulated images. She said investigators are seeing more cyber tips, more difficult forensic work, and lasting harm to victims and families, and urged stronger legal penalties, specialized training, victim services, and prevention education in schools and communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech; stray vocalization.] [No audible speech; stray vocalization.]
• [No audible speech; stray vocalization.] [No audible speech; stray vocalization.]
• [No audible speech; stray vocalization.] [No audible speech; stray vocalization.]
• [No audible speech; stray vocalization.] [No audible speech; stray vocalization.]
• [No audible speech; stray vocalization.] [No audible speech; stray vocalization.]

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• includes hateful speech, speech that incites violence.
• Discussions around how and when speech may be regulated, from commercial speech, obscenity, and speech
• Discussions around how and when speech may be regulated, from commercial speech, obscenity, and speech
• and speech commercial speech obscenity and speech that<00:47:10.760><c> is</c><00:47:10.880><c> used
• of</c><00:57:56.599><c> using</c> hate speech using speech sus of using hate speech using speech sus

Bills: HF414 , HF768 , HF359

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• How is the average person, let alone a public employee, supposed to know if something they say or do
• Two town employees are having a private conversation about the election in a municipal building.
• We should not be asking our public employees or our judges to guess what behavior is allowed and what
• ><c> a</c><05:32:10.638><c> private</c> town employees are having a private town employees are having
• Patrick is another employee who is just indispensable. had everything you needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.]
• [No audible speech captured.] Got award kicking around if we've seen her.
• They employ approximately 1,500 employees and pay countless millions in state and local taxes.
• They employ approximately 1,500 employees and pay countless millions in state and local taxes.
• They employ approximately 1,500 employees and pay countless millions in state and local taxes.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• when we already face shortages of medical examiners, this creates a lot of legal risk for public employees
• This creates a lot of legal risk for public employees simply for doing their jobs.
• to give me and everybody in this Senate floor the opportunity to speak their mind, the freedom of speech
• of association and prevent them from participating in activity that we do not prevent any other employee
• Of speech by being a member of this body.

Summary: The Senate met, opened with prayer and the pledge, and then handled a series of messages and floor actions. The chamber transmitted a large group of Senate bills to the governor and Senate Concurrent Memorial 1004 to the Secretary of State. It also received House requests to return Senate Bills 1175 and 1198 for reconsideration, which were granted without objection. The Senate then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider several House concurrent resolutions. On H.C.R. 2001, a constitutional referral on election requirements, senators debated a Judiciary Committee amendment and a Hoffman floor amendment that would require voter ID, allow election-day tabulation of early ballots at polling places, and require legislative funding for implementation. Supporters said the measure would improve election security, voter confidence, and speed up results; opponents argued it was vague, could undermine mail voting, and lacked clear implementation details. The amendment was adopted, and after further debate the Committee of the Whole gave H.C.R. 2001 a do-pass recommendation by a 15-12 vote. Later, on third reading, the full Senate passed H.C.R. 2001 by a 16-12 vote and transmitted it to the House. The chamber also considered H.C.R. 2003, a referral on student athletics and biological sex. Senator Ortiz offered a floor amendment to replace the blanket ban approach with rules based on athletic ability and inclusion; supporters said it would preserve fairness while avoiding discrimination, while opponents said it would gut the measure and weaken protections for girls’ sports. The Ortiz amendment failed 11-16, and H.C.R. 2003 then received a do-pass recommendation in Committee of the Whole and later passed third reading. H.C.R. 2044, a referral on prohibiting preferential treatment and discrimination, also received a do-pass recommendation without recorded controversy. The Senate then adjourned after completing the remaining procedural motions and votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2004, Angel Hernandez was diagnosed with autism and a speech impairment.
• The final employees have left the Fairview Developmental Center, as it was closed in California.
• The final employees have left the Fairview Developmental Center as that was closed in California.
• If it were speech therapy, can we like consider, if the person wants it, having, you know, make it up
• If it were a speech therapy, can we like consider if the person wants it, having, you know, make it up

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the governor’s IHSS budget proposals and extensive testimony from the Department of Social Services, Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, county representatives, labor, consumer advocates, and advocates for older adults and people with disabilities. The administration described IHSS as a large and growing program serving more than 900,000 recipients, and outlined three proposals: shifting the cost of growth in authorized hours per case to counties, eliminating the backup provider system, and aligning IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations. The LAO said the overall budget estimates appeared reasonable but raised concerns about the hours-per-case proposal, including the lack of a comprehensive root-cause analysis, the limited control counties have over statewide cost growth, and uncertainty about how the baseline and savings would work. CWDA, SEIU, and consumer advocates strongly opposed the hours cost shift, arguing that counties use state-designed tools, that demographic changes and rising need explain much of the growth, and that the proposal would pressure counties to cut services and destabilize care. The chair and members repeatedly questioned the administration about the proposed baseline, the claimed savings, and whether the measure effectively circumvents the county maintenance-of-effort agreement. On the backup provider system, the administration said the statewide program is underutilized and administratively expensive, and proposed eliminating it to save about $3.5 million. The LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether administrative costs could be reduced while preserving some version of the program. County and consumer advocates opposed the cut, saying the system is a critical safety net when regular providers are unavailable, especially in rural areas and for people with complex needs. They argued that low utilization reflects the difficulty of finding emergency backup care, not lack of need, and that many counties already rely on local backup systems or other models. Committee members also pressed for better data on requests, fulfillment, and administrative costs, and discussed whether the state could support local alternatives instead of eliminating the program. The final topic was the proposal to align IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations by automating the process when recipients fail to complete Medi-Cal redeterminations. The administration said this would reduce General Fund costs by about $86 million by preventing payment of IHSS in the residual program when recipients are no longer eligible for Medi-Cal, while also automating reinstatement when Medi-Cal is restored. The LAO noted the proposal has been rejected in prior years and suggested improved notice and communication to recipients as an alternative. CWDA and advocates warned that the change could create gaps in care, especially for people who lose Medi-Cal for procedural reasons, and urged additional safeguards such as better notices, faster reprocessing, and automatic reinstatement. Members questioned how many people would be affected, how the residual program currently works, and whether providers could go unpaid during the gap; the department said the automation is already built and would be activated if the proposal is approved. No votes were taken during the discussion, and the committee moved through public comment and questioning without final action on the proposals in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, I move to separate Jeffrey Aaron, appointee to the Public Employee Relations Commission, from
• Aaron to the Public Employee Relations Commission. Thank you, Mr. President.
• Aaron to the Public Employee Relations Commission. Is there a debate?
• Jeff Aaron to the Public Employees Relations Commission.
• the nomination speech, I talked about the Pasidomo, of course, but also when you look at the five Ps

Summary: The Senate first handled a large batch of executive appointments reported by the Ethics and Elections Committee. Senators debated several nominees, with some members objecting to particular appointees over their views or past conduct. The report on the first group of appointments was adopted 31-0, and Jeffrey Aaron’s separate confirmation to the Public Employee Relations Commission was approved 26-10 after extended debate centered on his role as counsel to the Hope Florida Foundation and allegations that he helped facilitate the transfer of Medicaid settlement funds into political activity. The chamber then considered Chavon Harris as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration. Supporters praised her work on Medicaid directed payments and hospital funding, while opponents criticized her prior tenure at the Department of Children and Families, citing problems with Medicaid redeterminations, postpartum coverage, Hope Florida oversight, and a women’s shelter case. The Senate adopted her confirmation report 32-5. Next, Taylor Hatch’s confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families was taken up; the committee report noted ongoing concerns about SNAP/EBT compliance, child welfare practices, audits, and Hope Florida, but recommended confirmation based on her stated commitments to reform. After debate over DCF’s performance and accountability, the Senate adopted her confirmation report 33-4. After a brief recess, the Senate held a recognition ceremony for outgoing President Kathleen Passidomo. Senators from both parties offered lengthy remarks praising her leadership, diligence, humor, and support for members, often recalling personal interactions and her role in shaping legislation and mentoring newer senators. The ceremony emphasized her service as Senate President and continued leadership as Rules Chair, and included a presentation of a handmade keepsake box filled with letters and mementos from staff and colleagues.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nothing in here is intended to, or construed to be, basically any sort of restraint on speech.
• One is a question of compelled speech, on whether or not this is forcing a physician to say something
• So this is not compelled speech, and that has been well litigated throughout the years dating back to
• We don't need to compel their speech and tell them what to do in this instance.
• </c><01:05:45.680><c> She</c> employees, not individually. She employees, not individually.

Bills: HB0117 , HB0126

Committee: House Labor, Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:

• MPR has about 500 employees in Minnesota, with staff and reporters who live and work throughout the state
• in Minnesota we has about 500 employees in Minnesota we have<00:22:07.120><c> staff</c><00:22:07.400
• I think that's kind of the same speech I'm given to these last three, but you're actually doing it all
• The funds, what they're doing, I think that's kind of the same speech I'm given to these last three,
• um and why funding doing my speech um and why funding platforms<01:27:49.000><c> like</c><01:27:49.159

Bills: HF1679 , HF1019 , HF2321 , HF1740 , HF2278

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We often pay the private sector far more than we pay our own employees.
• The employee replied, 'You must be in a different group.
• no longer an employee of the Commonwealth. ...the employee is separated from service, which means he's
• and employees of the public authorities.
• It would also enable the employees to become part of the cost solution.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement classification and benefit bills affecting municipal and state employees. Much of the hearing focused on proposals to move various workers from Group 1 to Group 2 or Group 4, including municipal building officials (H. 2776), MassDOT highway workers (H. 2908/Sousa’s Law), DCF attorneys (H. 2771), probation officers, licensed electricians, drinking water operators (H. 3000/S. 1834), MWRA non-clerical workers (S. 1803), transitional parole officers (H. 2878), Plymouth BCI criminal investigator officers (H. 2975/S. 1863), Beverly fire alarm operators/public safety telecommunicators (S. 1876), Massport pipefitters and refrigeration technicians (H. 2788/S. 1829), and other public safety or hazardous-duty classifications. Witnesses generally argued that their work is physically dangerous, understaffed, or comparable to already higher-classified employees, and several said the changes would help recruitment and retention with little fiscal impact because the affected groups are small. The committee also heard testimony on H. 4508, a home rule petition to grant a disability pension to Boston principal Patricia Lampron. Supporters, including Representative Dan Hunt, Boston city councilors, and Lampron herself, described a severe 2021 assault at the Henderson Inclusion School that left her with lasting physical and psychological injuries and forced her into early retirement. They urged the committee to advance the bill quickly. One witness, Pamela McLaughlin, testified in opposition, arguing the bill would set the wrong precedent and describing alleged prior misconduct by Lampron, and asked that the bill be sent to study. Several witnesses and committee members asked brief questions, mainly about the scope of the bills, whether certain workers were already in higher groups, and the fiscal or precedent concerns. No votes were taken during the hearing. At the end, the chairs announced that testimony was complete, asked whether anyone else wished to speak, and then the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• In practice, it would penalize employers based on whether their employees or employees' dependents enroll
• would have to pay for insurance for this employee.
• The employee didn't do anything wrong.
• They hope their employees take it. Some employees don't.
• on a per diem basis, temporary employees, and seasonal employees.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met on June 28, 2026 and considered a long list of budget and policy bills, reporting many of them out of committee, often with amendments. Early measures included AB 2550 on continued dependent health coverage for certain adults with disabilities, AB 4794 allowing tax data sharing with the New Jersey Innovation Authority and Secure Choice Savings Board, and AB 3381/SB 1493 updating occupational therapy licensure requirements. The committee also advanced AB 4014, creating a social media research center at a public four-year institution, though one member opposed it as unnecessary spending given existing research on social media harms. Another bill, AB 5048/SB 1281, would ban certain apparel and diaper products with intentionally added PFAS; some members opposed it over safety and cost concerns, especially for firefighter gear, but it was reported. The committee also moved AB 383, which promotes volunteerism to help FamilyCare and SNAP recipients meet eligibility requirements, and AB 4357, extending telehealth pay parity, though one member objected to parity between telehealth and in-person care. The committee then took up several energy, environmental, and housing-related bills. AB 5188, the Advanced Grid Technologies Act, was released despite opposition from some members and labor interests. AB 2524 would let dual-use solar projects participate in community solar, and AB 5236 would strengthen pediatric psychiatry and behavioral health services; both were reported. AB 5348, allowing temporary use of open-space and related funds for certain municipalities, drew sharp criticism as a diversion of preservation money to fill budget holes, but passed. AB 5280 returned unexpended county appropriations to Hudson County and authorized supplemental operating aid; it also passed despite objections about prior bidding violations. AB 5347 provided certain motor vehicle-related funding to municipalities and was reported, as was AB 5334/SB 4423, appropriating Green Acres and CBT revenues for local open space and park projects. A major portion of the meeting focused on tax and business-related bills. AB 5329 increased the child tax credit for 2026-2028, with testimony urging that the expansion be made permanent; it was reported. AB 3899, the General Contractor Licensing Act, also passed. AB 5310/SB 4406 clarified sentencing under certain circumstances and was reported. AB 5330, allowing temporary transfers in the pension system, drew testimony from NJEA warning that the State Health Benefits Program was in crisis and asking for a longer repayment period to avoid rate spikes; the bill was still reported. AB 1326 created a higher education governance and funding task force and was amended to add a Talmudic institution or theological seminary representative. Later, AB 5333/SB 4424 appropriated additional Green Acres and CBT funds for recreation and conservation projects and was reported. The committee also advanced several business and alcohol-related measures, including AB 5235 establishing the School-Based Partnership for Access and Resilience for Kids program, AB 5325 reducing business formation fees, AB 4836/SB 2368 on portable solar devices, AB 4881 establishing an advanced nuclear energy procurement program, AB 3974/SB 3183 revising renewable energy incentive and solar interconnection rules, AB 4013 creating a social media research center focused on addictive behavior, AB 5225 making temporary alcohol beverage provisions permanent, and AB 5295 revising alcoholic beverage licensing laws. The most contentious debate came on AB 4085, the Fair Price Protection Act, which would restrict “surveillance pricing” and regulate grocery pricing practices. Consumer advocates supported the bill as a protection against individualized pricing, while retailers and chambers of commerce argued the language was too broad and could undermine loyalty programs, discounts, and electronic shelf labels. Despite those objections, the committee voted to report the bill after amendments. Finally, AB 4530/SB 3739 on EV supply equipment standards was reported, and AB 5322 imposing a temporary cap on net operating loss deductions under the corporate business tax sparked strong opposition from business groups and a policy debate over whether legitimate losses and investment-related deductions should be limited; the bill was still moved out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we had agency employees, contract nursing, and you have to pay them quite a bit more.
• And it certainly is a give and take and a push and a pull with your state employees.
• And it certainly is a give and take and a push and a pull with your state employees.
• But a guardian is normally the employee of the school district.
• Your SRO is a joint employee, mostly of your law enforcement agency.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget and the Department of Education on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 education budget. Shelby Salmons outlined the overall budget framework, and Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsis highlighted major education investments, including $486 million for VPK, $30.6 billion for K-12 education, a $761.1 million increase in FEFP funding, the highest per-student funding level to date, and $201 million more for teacher pay flexibility. The presentation also emphasized school safety, mental health, civics education, and the Guardian Program, along with continued funding for TEACH, HIPPY, Help Me Grow, and civics debate and literacy initiatives. Members asked about how the mental health allocation would be used, counselor staffing ratios, school closures and whether the department intervenes, oversight of school choice and voucher-funded schools, and the Guardian Program’s pay structure and effectiveness. Senators also raised concerns about the FISH school capacity report, data collection, teacher pay, professional development, AI and tutoring technology, and whether the budget adequately supports mental health services and school safety. The Commissioner said many funding decisions are left to districts, that the department stands ready to assist, and that the Guardian Program has been successful and expanded over time. During public testimony, Pinellas County School Board member Laura Hine said her district spends far more on safety and mental health than it receives in state categorical funding, and urged the committee to consider full-day VPK funding, arguing it has improved third-grade reading outcomes in Pinellas. Senators followed up on district flexibility and local spending choices. The committee took no substantive vote on the budget presentation and adjourned after thanking the department for its recommendations and partnership.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 50 employees.
• To pass discriminatory, unnecessary, anti-LGBT legislation in Texas that is bad for our employees and
• Today it's about bathrooms; tomorrow it can be about speech, or religion, or voting.
• Thank you so much for that moving speech, Representative Jones. There was some tittering back here.
• This was supposed to be a simple speech to begin with, which had to do with I don't want males going

Bills: SB 8 , HB7 , HB15 , HB265 , HCR13 , SB8 , HB7 , HB15 , HB265 , HCR13

Transcript Highlights:

• Atzahas team, he is also a member of the speech and debate team. ...as Mr. Otzahas team.
• He is also a member of the speech and debate team and the Native Warrior Club.
• President, enjoying the shows and the different speeches and the different things that happen there.
• An act relating to public employee retirement, including public safety telecommunicators as police members
• under the Public Employees Retirement Act, providing for elections pertaining to the adoption of the

Transcript Highlights:

• I would think it's free speech that puts it up in the paper.
• And they could say, well, there just seems like a free speech element to this.
• And they could say, well, there just seems like a free speech element to this.
• And they could say, well, there just seems like a free speech element to this.
• And they could say, well, there just seems like a free speech element to this.

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Summary: The committee first heard HB 1071, which creates a public records exception for certain aerospace facility and activity records, including blueprints, plans, technical data, operational documents, and security information tied to federally regulated work and contracts with the U.S. Department of War or intelligence agencies. The sponsor and several members emphasized protecting Louisiana aerospace and defense-related work, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up HB 181, as amended, which authorizes the legislative auditor to review confidential income tax records to help LDH verify Medicaid eligibility, and, after amendment, SNAP eligibility as well. Supporters said the bill would help identify ineligible recipients, reduce fraud, and improve the state’s error rate to avoid federal penalties; opponents argued tax returns are outdated and unreliable for current eligibility, could create false flags, and might burden or discourage eligible low-income residents. After extensive debate, the committee adopted Amendment Set 2633 and reported HB 181 favorably by a 10-6 vote. Later, the committee considered HB 250, which removes the requirement that immediate family members of appointed board or commission members disclose certain employment information, while leaving existing ethics prohibitions in place. The Ethics Board said the bill would not change substantive conflict-of-interest rules, only the disclosure requirement, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. HB 544, authorizing a citizen’s advisory referendum election, was briefly explained as a nonbinding, petition-driven local ballot question process, but the sponsor deferred it for further consideration and the committee deferred the bill. The committee also heard HB 1036, which clarifies when a group is considered a “committee” for campaign finance purposes by using a more objective spending threshold rather than the current “primary purpose” standard. Ethics officials said the change would give clearer investigative guidance without changing other disclosure rules, and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, HB 210 was amended to address retroactivity concerns in a prior ethics-related provision affecting school board and local governing authority members employed by entities with contracts or business before June 5, 2024; the amendment grandfathered earlier situations while requiring disclosures going forward, and the bill was reported favorably as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Circuit read the statute more broadly than intended and deemed that portion applied to protected speech
• Within this division, there are 609.5 full-time employee positions for a grand total of $132,341,700.
• President, to echo similar words, that was a true speech of statesmanship, and I hope it's recognized
• Representatives, House Bill 543, by the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, an act relating to the public employee

Transcript Highlights:

• I had the speech written out, but I kind of want to address Representative Redman in regards to the licensing
• And I have a speech written up if you'd like to hear it.
• I've heard those employers say, you know, I've had employees that want to be kept at 29 hours because
• Representative Healy: You know, I've had employees that want to be kept at 29 hours because if they go

Committee: House Health and Welfare