Transcript Highlights:

• meaning our birth rates are below replacement levels, and without migration from other states or foreign
• meaning our birth rates are below replacement levels, and without migration from other states or foreign
• And I'd rather do this than force individuals to seek care elsewhere, be it in a foreign country or,

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Summary: The Veterans and Armed Forces Committee established a quorum, then met in executive session and voted House Bill 2593 do pass by a roll call of 21 ayes and 1 no. The committee then moved to public hearing on House Bill 1749, sponsored by Representative Scott Miller, which would give honorably discharged veterans a three-point preference in state procurement and set a 3% contract-award goal for veteran-owned businesses. Miller said the bill is meant to recognize veterans’ service, has a zero fiscal note, and is limited to Office of Administration contracts; committee members asked about equal treatment, how the points and percentage target work, whether the bill overlaps with other preference systems, and how “honorably discharged veteran” and veteran-owned business are defined. A lobbyist for the Missouri Valor Alliance testified in support, saying the preference would matter most in close bids and that price and deliverables would still drive most awards. No one testified in opposition or for informational purposes, and the hearing on HB 1749 was closed. The committee then heard invited testimony from Landmark Recovery Center, a Jefferson City nonprofit focused on recovery support for substance use and mental health. Jericho Bowman described the organization’s peer-support model, free therapy, outreach, recovery events, and a new men’s recovery housing project; members asked about funding, graduation criteria, success measures, credentials, and how the housing model works with the Department of Corrections and treatment courts. Bowman and founder Scott Breedlove said the group is funded mainly through Department of Mental Health grants and contracts, uses Missouri Credentialing Board credentials for peer staff, and measures success through housing, employment, community connection, and abstinence/recovery progress. Finally, Sean Broker and Greg Williams of the Modern Health Coalition gave informational testimony on veteran mental health and psilocybin-assisted therapy. Broker argued Missouri should take a careful, supervised approach to alternative therapies to help veterans and attract them to the state, while Williams shared his personal experience with psilocybin treatment in Oregon for alcohol use disorder and survivor’s guilt. Committee members asked about safety, hallucination risks, candidate screening, supervision, and cost; the witnesses said treatment should be limited to appropriate candidates and conducted in a clinical setting with prep, dosing, and integration sessions. The chair and several members expressed interest in continued study of alternative treatments as another tool to address veteran suicide and mental health.

Transcript Highlights:

• Importantly, Florida does not have the authority to rename foreign territories.
• The bill does not attempt to dictate foreign policy or broaden negotiations.
• The bill doesn't draw borders, doesn't dictate foreign policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• welcome everybody to today's hearing, the title of which is, A Time for Truth. oversight of MEDA's foreign
• He disclosed to this committee that Twitter shared user information to foreign intelligence agencies,
• Here you have an American company going to our chief foreign adversary on whom we currently have tariffs

Committee: Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism

Keywords: Meta, Facebook, whistleblower, regulation, China, user data, artificial intelligence, testimony, Congress

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism focused on oversight of Meta's foreign relations and representations to Congress. An essential witness, Sarah Wynne-Williams, a former executive at Facebook, provided testimony outlining significant concerns about the company's practices and its complicity in aiding oppressive regimes. The atmosphere was charged, with ongoing debates about the regulation of big tech companies and the ethical implications of their policies. The committee explored topics such as user data management, whistleblower retaliation, and the need for legislative measures to protect users and enhance accountability in the tech sector. A notable point of contention was Facebook's alleged cooperation with the Chinese government regarding the dissemination of user data and AI tools, leading to serious ethical implications.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 4296 by Shaheen relating to the interest of certain foreign governments.
• advertisements and the information reporting concerning medical procedures for treatments conducted in a foreign
• HB 4378 by Patterson, relating to the affiliation of certain foreign entities and certain persons working

Bills: HJR4 , HJR6 , HB195 , HB 13 , HB143 , HB135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also weakened consumer protections by forcing activities into foreign jurisdictions that don't have
• and activities are properly regulated, but we also have to make sure that we don't have flight to foreign
• And by the way, they have empowered foreign countries to be able to fly over our airspace and the airspace

Committee: Senate Subcommittee on Digital Assets

Keywords: Digital Assets, Bitcoin, Stablecoins, Legislation, Bipartisan, Consumer Protection, Regulatory Framework, Financial Innovation, Testimony

Summary: The inaugural meeting of the Digital Assets Subcommittee brought a wave of excitement and anticipation regarding the future of digital assets, including Bitcoin and stablecoins. Chair Lummis expressed gratitude towards Senator Scott for establishing the subcommittee, indicating a commitment to promote responsible innovation while safeguarding consumers. Members discussed the necessity for a bipartisan legislative framework to regulate digital asset markets effectively while outlining the potential benefits such legislation could have on enhancing financial inclusion and streamlining payments. The meeting featured expert testimonies from key figures in the digital asset industry, highlighting the importance of creating clear regulatory guidance for digital assets to foster innovation without compromising consumer protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• This group also helps promote foreign direct investment.
• Finally, in order to support our businesses not only here but also to promote foreign investment, we
• helps promote foreign direct investment uh<00:30:57.600><c> so</c> uh so uh so uh<00:30:59.000><c> a
• investment uh and continue to foreign investment uh and continue to grow<00:31:19.000><c> here</c><00
• investment uh we promote for foreign investment uh we have<00:31:30.120><c> offices</c><00:31:30.799

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, in saying this: you're talking about these big companies, foreign companies.
• Chair, in saying this: you're talking about these big companies, foreign companies.
• Chair, in saying this: you're talking about these big companies, foreign companies.
• Chair, in saying this: you're talking about these big companies, foreign companies.
• Chair, in saying this: you're talking about these big companies, foreign companies.

Bills: HF3718

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• be very dangerous, certainly not intentionally by any of these companies, but hostile nations and foreign
• And maybe you could mandate that they're all foreign-made vehicles.
• immigration enforcement and rescind reciprocity for these already illegally issued CDLs, whether foreign
• immigration enforcement and rescind reciprocity for these already illegally issued CDLs, whether foreign
• We absolutely opposed CDLs to foreign drivers, and we were actually very instrumental in getting this

Summary: The committee met to hear interim charges on rail grade crossing safety, autonomous vehicle deployment, and commercial driver’s license oversight. After opening remarks from the chair and members, the committee first focused on rail grade separations under SB 1555, with TxDOT and the Texas Railroad Association testifying that the new state grant program was implemented quickly, drew far more applications than available funding, and helped Texas leverage state dollars into major federal awards. TxDOT said the first round funded five projects, with additional federal matching funds helping support a total project portfolio worth more than $1 billion, including the Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Bridge in Houston. Witnesses emphasized that grade separations improve safety and mobility, and committee members discussed alternative mitigation tools such as siding relocation, digital routing/notification systems, and better public education about emergency notification signs at crossings. Public testimony on rail grade separations largely supported continuing and expanding the program. Representatives from regional business and transportation groups in Houston-area communities said blocked crossings harm safety, freight movement, emergency access, and economic activity, and urged the Legislature to extend SB 1555 and keep state funding in place so Texas can continue competing for federal grants. One witness argued that railroads should bear more of the cost because the projects primarily benefit rail companies, while others stressed that the state should continue using public-private partnerships and federal matching opportunities. Committee members asked about project selection criteria, how success should be measured over time, and whether railroads contribute financially; TxDOT said future success would be measured by projects moving to construction and by reductions in crashes and fatalities at treated crossings. The committee then turned to autonomous vehicles and heard from Texas DMV officials on implementation of SB 2807. DMV explained that Level 4 and Level 5 automated vehicles transporting people or goods for a commercial enterprise must obtain a state authorization, in addition to normal title, registration, insurance, and other requirements. The agency described its rulemaking timeline, the online application and verification system, coordination with DPS on first-responder interaction plans, and the current status of authorized companies operating in Texas. A companion enforcement presentation showed how law enforcement and the public can search AV authorizations and file complaints through the DMV’s truck stop database. The hearing continued into questions about the regulatory framework and complaint process, with the committee emphasizing that safety remains the central concern as the technology expands.

Transcript Highlights:

• data should not be stored stored outside of the country or with any country that's designated as a foreign
• any um country that's designated<01:13:46.840><c> as</c><01:13:46.920><c> a</c><01:13:47.000><c> foreign
• </c> designated as a foreign adversary. designated as a foreign adversary.
• </c><01:14:58.240><c> adver-</c> designated as a foreign adver- designated as a foreign adver- adversary
• that answer, and I'm wondering about the possibility of still sending that data to be stored in a foreign

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:07:57.680><c> entities</c> foreign entities foreign entities buying<01:07:59.320><c> carbon</c><01
• So, um, in terms of your worry about foreign entities, uh, the landowners retain all of their rights.
• So, there would be no risk<01:09:02.000><c> of</c><01:09:02.120><c> foreign</c><01:09:02.480><c> entity
• </c><01:09:03.080><c> even</c><01:09:03.920><c> if</c><01:09:04.160><c> they</c> risk of foreign entity
• We have no way of—I don't think we should be selling carbon to foreign adversaries.

Summary: The meeting began with introductions and approval of the previous minutes, including a small amendment clarifying a note about “leakage” in a prior presentation. The committee then heard a presentation from Sarah Hall of the American Forest Foundation on the Family Forest Carbon Program, which she described as a voluntary carbon and forest management program for smaller landowners. She said the program provides annual payments and technical assistance, requires a forest management plan within two years, and is designed to support improved forest management while still allowing compatible uses such as recreation, hunting, and some harvesting. Hall emphasized that the program is intended as one tool among many and is not a fit for every property. She said most enrolled landowners did not previously have a forest management plan or work with a forester, and that the program helps bring “unengaged” landowners into active management. She also said the program is compatible with current use and other commitments on a case-by-case basis, and that landowners retain ownership of their land and timber rights while AFF holds the carbon rights for the contract term. She highlighted examples of landowners using the program to support taxes, family ownership, wildlife habitat, timber stand improvement, and continued recreational or business uses. Committee members asked about registry compliance in New Hampshire and the relationship between carbon markets and the program. Hall responded that AFF handles registry administration for landowners and would follow up on the specific registry count raised by a member. She explained that the program is funded through a mix of carbon market revenue, philanthropy, and grants, and that carbon credits are generated through landscape-level methodology and monitored using randomly selected plots compared with FIA data. She also noted that consulting foresters are key partners in the program and that AFF has paid more than $3 million to consultants nationwide.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:03:10.640><c> governments</c> concern is that uh foreign governments concern is that uh foreign
• express ourselves in defense of our political beliefs or whatever it may be, if we are limited by foreign
• Thank you. ...political beliefs or whatever it may be, if we are limited by foreign countries as to how
• hear, "Well, it's not happening here, but this would verify that it's not happening here with the foreign
• </c> happening here with the foreign happening here with the foreign interferences<01:08:18.480><c> and

Transcript Highlights:

• line 579 is Senate File 509, Senator Mann's bill that has licensing requirements for graduates of foreign
• line 579 is Senate File 509, Senator Mann's bill that has licensing requirements for graduates of foreign
• </c> graduates of foreign medical schools. graduates of foreign medical schools.
• </c><00:42:58.560><c> medical</c> graduates of foreign medical graduates of foreign medical schools.<
• Optometrists already perform procedures that require similar technical precision, like removing foreign

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And I can say that I have had many foreign... Thank you very much, Mr. President.
• And I can say that I have had many foreign exchange students over the years who have lived in my home
• And I can say that I have had many foreign exchange students over the years who have lived in my home
• I mean, a foreign student cannot do that.
• Legally, who was from a foreign country or who shouldn't have been voting or voted in multiple states

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and included several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate measures before final passage. The first major bill, health care patient protection, required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, a pediatric emergency care coordinator, and readiness assessments; it passed 36-0. A public records bill protecting victim identities and temporarily exempting the name of a law enforcement officer who is a victim also passed after questions about access for victims of police misconduct, with a 33-4 vote. The Senate next approved a local government cybersecurity bill creating a state-administered program through Florida Digital Service to help counties and cities strengthen cyber defenses, with priority for rural and fiscally constrained governments; after amendments, it passed 37-0. A clerks of court bill allowing clerks to retain all revenue above projections and, through a House amendment, revising legal notice and traffic citation distribution provisions, passed 38-0 despite debate over impacts on municipalities and law enforcement. The chamber also passed a trademark modernization bill and a septic system permit bill intended to reduce delays for builders; the septic bill was amended to align the House and Senate versions and passed 38-0. The longest and most contested item was the elections bill, which updated citizenship verification procedures using REAL ID and state databases, changed candidate qualification rules, and altered election administration provisions. Numerous amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to exempt certain seniors, preserve student and retirement-center IDs, allow attestations in place of documentary proof of citizenship, and require human review over automated systems. One amendment to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, was also debated. The transcript ends while debate is still underway on the elections measure, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of them is the fact that most cruise ships are foreign-flag vessels.
• They're all built in France, and thanks to the Passenger Vessel Act of 1886, they're all foreign-flag
• <01:03:29.880><c> cruise</c><01:03:30.160><c> ships</c><01:03:30.400><c> are</c><01:03:30.520><c> foreign
• </c><01:03:30.839><c> flag</c> most cruise ships are foreign flag most cruise ships are foreign flag
• flag vessels so I they're all foreign flag vessels so I don't<01:03:42.200><c> know</c><01:03:42.440

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and on Water and Land heard testimony on HB 504, a measure relating to environmental stewardship and funding for natural resource protection and restoration. Supporters included multiple state agencies and advocacy groups, such as DLNR, HTA, Hawaiʻi Ocean Legislative Task Force, Resources Legacy Fund, the Hawaiʻi Climate Action Coalition, and others, who said the bill would create dedicated funding for environmental, climate, and cultural resource needs and help address wildfire, flood, coastal storm, and tourism-related impacts. Several witnesses emphasized that Hawaiʻi’s environmental funding gap is large and that visitor contributions should be directed to stewardship and restoration. Some supporters also urged that the measure be applied equitably across all visitor accommodations and related uses, including cruise ship cabins and state rooms, while a few suggested amendments to broaden coverage or create a working group for implementation. Opposition and concerns focused largely on the bill’s tax structure and legal/administrative issues. The Department of Budget and Finance and the Tax Foundation questioned the reimbursable general obligation bond special fund in part two, suggesting it be converted to a regular special fund or deleted. The Attorney General’s office said part two may violate the single-subject rule in the state constitution and recommended deleting it. The Department of Taxation said the proposed points-and-miles language would be difficult to audit and enforce, and Expedia and others said the proposed tax treatment of loyalty points and certain payment forms would be operationally difficult. Industry witnesses also warned the bill could raise costs in a high-tax destination and asked for more marketing support if the tax is increased. The committee also heard concerns that a new tax on cruise ship cabins could raise federal preemption issues. The chair noted the testimony count as 23 in support, 179 in opposition, and one with comments. No vote was taken in the portion provided, and the hearing ended with questions from senators and agency responses about possible amendments, enforcement, and constitutional concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are having more individuals who speak foreign languages living now in Minnesota.
• are having more individuals<00:40:38.520><c> who</c><00:40:38.720><c> speak</c><00:40:39.040><c> foreign
• </c><00:40:39.400><c> languages</c> individuals who speak foreign languages individuals who speak foreign
• </c><00:40:46.599><c> languages</c><00:40:47.319><c> but</c> those are not only foreign languages but
• those are not only foreign languages but sign<00:40:47.920><c> language</c><00:40:48.560><c> as</c><

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• By extending the 45Z foreign producers.
• </c> towards greater dependence on foreign towards greater dependence on foreign nations,<04:50:57.840
• </c> energy dominance to hostile foreign energy dominance to hostile foreign nations<05:20:16.240><c>
• I'd like to from foreign adversaries.
• I reliant on hostile foreign nations.

Bills: HB4553 , HJR105 , HJR106 , HJR104 , HR539 , HR672

Keywords: energy, water development, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, flood control, infrastructure, Bureau of Land Management, North Dakota, resource management plan, congression disapproval, public lands policy, HJR106, H.J.Res. 106, Congressional Review Act, CRA, BLM, Central Yukon, Alaska, public lands, land management

Transcript Highlights:

• Our three biggest come from foreign markets: the European Union, Japan, and South Korea, our biggest
• That's why all these foreign industries do business with us, because we have the best infrastructure
• Johnson made a statement that foreign governments demand this CCS operation.
• So I also heard it mentioned that we're doing what foreign governments want us to do.
• It's not foreign governments.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• consistently been a national leader in the fight to secure our state against a growing threat posed by foreign
• Since 2003, we have worked together to build a robust legal firewall by implementing the Foreign-Owned
• The Foreign-Owned Real Estate and National Security Act, the Pacific Conflict Stress Tests Act, the Foreign
• public to carve out these specific exemptions for higher education at a time when global tensions and foreign
• a bipartisan law introduced at my request by Senator Bostar, LB 1096, Nebraska helps stand up to foreign

Bills: LR509 , LR510 , LR511

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh we'll also remove the proposed amendments purporting to subject foreign artificial persons to
• So, uh we'll also remove the proposed amendments purporting to subject foreign artificial persons to
• </c> proposed amendments purporting to proposed amendments purporting to subject<00:11:29.600><c> foreign
• also making amendments to the preamble, removing proposed amendments again purporting to subject foreign
• artificial persons to to subject foreign artificial persons to the<00:12:26.639><c> bill's</c><00:12

Bills: SB3326 , SB2911

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The committees heard SB 3001 on artificial intelligence in a joint Commerce and Consumer Protection/Labor and Technology hearing. Testimony included support from the Department of Education and Google, comments from the Office of Consumer Protection and the Attorney General’s office, and late opposition from Agentic LLC. The Attorney General raised constitutional and vagueness concerns and suggested clarifying amendments, while Google said the bill’s risk-based approach and proposed amendments could help establish industry-wide safety standards for minors. The committees recessed and then voted to pass SB 3001 with amendments, adopting DCCA/OCP recommendations on data minimization for minors and UDAP clarity, the Attorney General’s proposed clarifications and deletions, and Google’s nonconflicting amendments; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050. The vote passed unanimously among members present, with some members excused. The Commerce and Consumer Protection committee then took up several previously heard measures in decision-making. SB 2045 on combat sports passed with amendments reflecting DCCA and boxing commission recommendations, including clarifying the on-site medical professional requirement, reporting duties, promoter payment, removal of the combat sports registry and ambulance requirement, and other technical changes; the effective date was deferred to July 1, 2050. SP 2347 on the residential landlord-tenant code passed with amendments striking landlord requirements so OCP could work on a multilingual tenant-rights notice, and SP 2495 on consumer protection passed with amendments requiring OCP to publish an annual report on potential code violations. SB 2777 on insurance was deferred to February 17, 2026 for further decision-making. At a later CPN decision-making agenda, SB 2471 and SB 2829, both relating to the powers of artificial persons, passed with amendments clarifying the preamble, removing language about foreign artificial persons, and making other consistency and non-substantive changes; both effective dates were moved to January 1, 2027. SP 2033 on renewable energy also passed with amendments clarifying the definition of grid-ready homes, cost-sharing provisions, applicability to interconnecting customers, and safety/certification compliance, with the effective date deferred to July 1, 2050. In each case, the committee voted to adopt the recommendations without objections from members present. The committees also heard SB 3000 on insurance, which would authorize the Attorney General to bring civil actions to recover costs and losses tied to climate-attributable harm and future climate risk, including costs incurred by state insurance-related entities. The Insurance Division and Attorney General’s office offered comments seeking clarification and warning about redundancy, implementation issues, possible representation of private insurers, and concurrent litigation concerns. Supporters, including the Center for Climate Integrity, a resident testifier, Sierra Club, and Green America, argued the bill would help shift insurance costs to fossil fuel companies responsible for climate harms and address rising premiums and nonrenewals in Hawaii. Opponents, including the American Petroleum Institute, argued the bill singled out one industry, raised constitutional concerns, and should be deferred because related climate litigation is already pending. The transcript ends with the committee continuing testimony and discussion on SB 3000 and then moving into SB 3326 on energy, where the consumer advocate and Hawaiian Electric opposed the bill’s proposed separation of generation from transmission and distribution, while the PUC stood on written testimony, Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported it, and Life of the Land raised concerns about assumptions and the need for more substance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kushner was shaping U.S. foreign policy while simultaneously building relationships with foreign leaders
• Kushner was shaping U.S. foreign policy while simultaneously building relationships with foreign leaders
• Kushner was shaping U.S. foreign policy while simultaneously building relationships with foreign leaders
• 03.760><c> House</c> announce my resignation from the House announce my resignation from the House Foreign
• Committee effective Foreign Affairs Committee effective April<02:10:06.320><c> 21,</c><02:10:07.119>

Bills: HR1202 , SB1020 , HB2493 , HB5201 , HB3419 , HB2319 , HB6387 , HR1189 , HR1201

Keywords: H.Res. 1202, HR1202, House resolution, committee assignment, standing committee, House Committee on Homeland Security, Homeland Security Committee, committee membership, committee ranking, seniority, Ms. Mejia, Mr. Walkinshaw, House organization, procedural resolution, internal House rules, congressional committee, hydropower, construction, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, license extension