Transcript Highlights:

• So it strengthens legislative control over agency rulemaking.
• So I'm curious, was this legislation an original thought?
• Is this something that was brought to you by an organization, maybe model legislation?
• I have some original thoughts and some not-so-original thoughts that turn into legislation.
• We'll have to meet the guidelines set forth in the legislation outlined by this rule.

Summary: The Joint Administrative Procedures Committee heard a presentation from Representative Esposito on a proposal to strengthen oversight of agency rulemaking under Chapter 120. The bill would require cost-benefit analysis at the front end and after implementation, create an eight-year sunset and review process for rules, and require express legislative authority for agency rulemaking. Members questioned the lack of concrete examples of burdensome rules, the effect on already slow rulemaking, the choice of an eight-year sunset, and the bill’s origin; Esposito said she was working with stakeholders and cited her chamber-of-commerce background and research with the Cicero Institute. No vote was taken on the bill itself. Staff then reported on legislatively mandated rulemaking from 2023 and 2024, noting that most required rules had been adopted, proposed, noticed, or scheduled, with a few agencies still outstanding. The Department of Financial Services explained a delayed notice of rule development for the MySafe Florida Home condominium pilot program as an oversight that has since been corrected, and the Department of Education said it did not proceed with rulemaking for the Fostering Prosperity grants because the program received no funding in the 2025 budget. The Department of Health described delayed rulemaking for the sickle cell disease and trait registry, saying the registry and opt-out forms were being implemented and that notices of rule development had now been filed. Members pressed the department on why rules took so long and discussed the need for statutory deadlines. The Department of Children and Families reported on two 2023 human-trafficking-related rules: signage requirements for residential treatment facilities and children’s safe homes, and a new certification process for adult safe homes. DCF said the signage rule is now moving forward and the adult safe home certification rule has been submitted for final review after workshops and stakeholder feedback. Senators questioned the lengthy timeline and the lack of oversight during the interim, while the chair emphasized the need for time-certain deadlines in legislation and for JAPAC oversight hearings. The committee also considered staff-proposed amendments to Chapter 120 addressing emergency rules pending legislative ratification and the process for initiating ratification, including a one-year limit and notice to JAPAC. After discussion, the committee voted to forward the proposed amendments to the Senate President and House Speaker. Finally, members discussed a proposed amendment to the administrative law judge appointment and retention process under Section 120.65. DOAH’s interim director opposed the change, saying ALJs and workers’ compensation judges have different functions and warning against shifting appointment power to cabinet officers whose agencies appear before DOAH. Members raised concerns about timeliness, consistency, and accountability in DOAH decisions. The committee voted to forward this proposal as well, with Senator Smith voting no on that motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, bless this legislative body. So much has been achieved.
• And that, whether it be in legislation or whatever, is what is best for the people.
• And that's a lot of money we tax people to do these moronic pieces of legislation.
• It is our responsibility as legislators to represent our communities wholly.
• It is our responsibility as legislators to represent our communities wholly.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, I mean, yeah, it's very good to have legislators involved, but the idea is that...
• I mean, yeah, it's very good to have legislators involved, but the idea is the expertise from the field
• Now we have an idea coming to the legislators that they could decide, well, is this meritorious enough
• You have the governor, you have superintendent, two legislators, four legislators, and then you've got
• Management would approve it. ...what they would study and Legislative Management would approve it.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The conference committee met to resolve differences on a bill creating or funding the K-12 Coordination Council. Members discussed the purpose of the council as a research and filtering body for K-12 studies, with several speakers emphasizing that it should draw on field expertise rather than be directed solely by DPI or another agency. They also noted concerns about giving an agency too much control over studies and the desire to have Legislative Management help direct or approve study topics. The House explained that its earlier version had included a $120,000 appropriation, but the amount was removed after concerns arose that the council lacked authority to contract. Committee members discussed whether the council could still be useful with reduced funding and whether it should be able to contract for outside research. One member suggested funding at least enough for a couple of studies, citing an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000 per study and a message from the director requesting at least two studies. A motion was made for the House to recede to the Senate version and further amend Section 2 to reduce the appropriation from $120,000 to $60,000. The motion passed unanimously by roll call, with all members voting yes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> legislate. The clerk will call the role. legislate. The clerk will call the role.
• </c> legislator to introduce the bill. legislator to introduce the bill.
• </c> to legislate. Further comments? to legislate. Further comments?
• </c> legislative body for adoption. legislative body for adoption.
• Um, if this is enabling enabling enabling legislation legislation legislation and<05:37:04.080><c> if

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> the decision on the prior legislation, the decision on the prior legislation, &gt;&gt; correct?
• is the prior to the prior legislation is the prior legislation,<01:44:14.239><c> it</c><01:44:14.560
• like this and the previous legislation like this and the previous legislation<02:27:51.920><c> that<
• </c><02:35:15.439><c> or</c> the committee ITL this legislation or the committee ITL this legislation
• </c> think the framing of this legislation think the framing of this legislation might<02:37:25.760><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> information and contacts legislative information and contacts legislative leadership<00:18:46.160
• legislators legislators don't<00:26:22.640><c> control.
• </c> activity is prevalent by legislators activity is prevalent by legislators does<00:27:35.120><c>
• legislator legislator to<00:29:48.000><c> learn</c><00:29:48.240><c> the</c><00:29:48.480><c> ethics
• </c><00:34:07.200><c> Representative</c> legislative session. Representative legislative session.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The commission heard argument on a renewed motion to compel discovery and related sanctions in an ethics case. Enforcement counsel said the respondent had provided incomplete and inconsistent discovery responses, including no authenticated medical records, and asked the commission to compel full interrogatory answers, bar the respondent from relying on unsupported medical claims at hearing, allow subpoenas for medical records and an LRC report, and continue the December 2 hearing. Respondent’s counsel replied that the defense had complied with discovery, that medical records were being withheld for reasons previously discussed, and that no outstanding discovery remained. The next matter was enforcement counsel’s motion in limine, which sought to exclude a wide range of evidence as irrelevant to the three ethics charges already found to have probable cause. Counsel argued the hearing should focus only on whether the respondent intimidated Fox’s, offered a favor in exchange for a donation, and engaged in inappropriate conduct while intoxicated in his office, and not on complainants’ motives, media coverage, bullying, religious discrimination claims, LRC policies, or other legislators’ conduct. He also argued that any claim of mental or physical condition should be excluded absent supporting medical proof. Respondent’s counsel opposed the motion, saying the excluded topics went to witness credibility, bias, motive, and context, and that LRC materials and testimony from additional witnesses were important to the defense. Commission members questioned both sides about the breadth of the motion in limine and whether any topics could be agreed to as irrelevant. Counsel for the respondent maintained that some challenged topics, including Lexington media coverage and broader legislative practices, were relevant to credibility and context. Enforcement counsel responded that even if such conduct were common, it would not excuse a violation of the ethics code. No final ruling or vote was announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> Head</c><00:04:17.519><c> Start,</c> legislation that funded Head Start, legislation that funded
• </c><00:16:08.079><c> session</c> forward with this legislative session forward with this legislative
• But those conversations led me through many of the legislation and how I’ve legislated here.
• But those conversations led me through many of the legislation and how I’ve legislated here.
• Those conversations led me through many of the legislation and how I’ve legislated here.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And that there is legislation that's trend continue.
• So there was only a few cases before that legislation came along.
• Austin Gunderson, Legislative Council.
• And do you know if... legislative council.
• This is about the legislative body. What do we want to clarify?

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to continue its study of charitable gaming, especially the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations and the relationship between charities, site owners, and gaming manufacturers/distributors. Legislative Council reviewed the background memo and Attorney General’s Gaming Division explained the legal framework, including site authorizations, rent limits, allowable expenses, and restrictions on distributors and manufacturers. Members focused heavily on electronic pull tabs, asking about the large gap between gross proceeds and adjusted proceeds, how much is paid out in winnings, how much is retained for expenses, and whether the 60% allowable-expense cap is being used as intended. The AG’s office said e-tabs account for most gaming volume, that winnings make up much of the difference, and that some organizations do not use the full 60% while others may exceed it, though only the capped amount counts as gaming expense. The committee also discussed the number of gaming organizations that appear to own or be affiliated with bars, the ways those ownership structures are formed, and whether some arrangements may create conflicts or site-selection pressure. The League of Cities and the Association of Counties described the local site-authorization process and recent model policies adopted after the 2025 session. Cities said they can require signed agreements, limit games and machines, set qualifications, and charge up to $100 for site authorization, but cannot require charities to donate net proceeds or force a specific charity or site. They said the new policies are meant to add transparency and local control, though the more controversial parts involve requiring a local nexus or community connection. County representatives said the issue is mostly a city matter and that counties generally take a lighter-touch approach. Committee members raised concerns about whether local rules could unfairly exclude larger regional charities or create inconsistent standards across cities. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance said it supports the study and provided information on charities that own or are affiliated with bars, emphasizing that most gaming organizations do not own alcoholic beverage establishments. Its representative said some charities may pursue bar ownership for site stability and diversification, while others decide against it because operating a bar is difficult. He also said a ban on charity-owned bars could raise federal tax-law issues depending on how it is written, and agreed to provide more detail. The committee asked Legislative Council and the Gaming Alliance for additional information on ownership structures and federal-law questions before the next meeting. Later, the Racing Commission gave a separate update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and related charitable partnerships, and the State Hospital superintendent reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, staffing, and wait lists; no votes were taken on these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the capital in the presence of members of the legislator who are conducting legislative business.
• Conducting legislative business example would be off-site hearings or meetings.
• Now, this is a great piece of legislation. We need this.
• I don't know if it's a part of the legislation, and that's my mistake.
• I don't know if that's a part of the legislation. House rules are easy to change.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think this is important legislation.
• It has to be in the same legislation.
• Where in the legislation does it say sales... ...future legislation, that could put constraints on our
• And so essentially when it says that we do pass legislation...
• And if we do nothing else, that is legislation we must pass.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This idea and this piece of legislation has been a labor of love.
• This legislation also strengthens enforcement against cruel conditions.
• And so this legislation would authorize civil penalties as an alternative.
• This legislation also strengthens enforcement against cruel conditions.
• Given the importance of this legislation that I know is very near and...

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• New Jersey has also passed this legislation. ...prevent these alimony payments.
• New Jersey has also passed this legislation.
• Robert and Marianne quickly learned that they didn't just file legislation.
• They didn't just file legislation. They actually went to Washington. They lobbied.
• And that is the framework for this piece of legislation in front of you.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on a wide range of state, probate, and family bills, with chairs Edwards and Day outlining strict testimony limits and accepting written testimony. Early testimony focused on H. 1911/S. 1138, which would clarify that a durable power of attorney may create a trust if that authority is expressly granted; sponsors and elder law advocates said the bill would resolve uncertainty created by the Barbetti decision and align Massachusetts with other states. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1102, a proposal to establish medical panels in Probate and Family Court. Supporters, including attorneys, parents, physicians, and advocates, said neutral three-doctor panels would help judges resolve disputed medical issues in guardianship and custody cases involving children, elders, and people with disabilities. Testifiers described cases where medical treatment was blocked or contested by one parent or guardian, arguing the panels would provide impartial expertise and protect vulnerable people. The committee also heard support for bills addressing disability discrimination in family court, military parents’ custody rights, and a shared parenting bill, H. 1710, which drew strong opposition from domestic violence advocates and others who said a 50-50 presumption could harm survivors and children. The committee also took testimony on several probate and court-administration measures. Senator Lovely supported a bill on nominee trust partition, and Senator Comerford and probate officials backed legislation to codify additional registry staff positions and modernize registry operations. Other bills discussed included foster care liability insurance, with providers warning that rising premiums and loss of coverage could force program closures; health care proxy storage and activation; access to decedents’ email accounts; uniform trust decanting; the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act; heirs’ property partition protections; a constitutional right to health care; alimony-related reforms; child-centered family law; and a right of disposition for funeral arrangements. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee repeatedly invited written testimony and follow-up questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• NCSL has been tracking prescription drug legislation for about a decade now through our drug legislation
• Several states do have legislation roll over from year to year...
• legislation during those years.
• So we won't be seeing legislation from those states either.
• We don't do model legislation. And so we don't weigh in on litigation.

Bills: HB2145, HB1828, HB2155, HB2437

Keywords: 340B drug pricing, healthcare access, patient rights, discounted medications, manufacturer limitations, health professions, plasma donation, physician substitutes, medical regulation, nursing titles, healthcare, regulation, professional standards, licensure, accreditation, opioid treatment, health services, fee authority, public health, 904

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Legislative Counsel with the Division of Legislative Services.
• So that was kind of part of the conversations that the commission had in moving that legislative legislation
• It mentioned was created by 2025 legislation.
• It was also the legislative session was a barrier to meeting.
• And as a legislator, I appreciate good data.

Summary: The Commission on Unemployment Compensation met, established a quorum, and elected Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling as chair and Senator Mike Jones as vice chair. The commission also adopted its electronic meeting policy and heard introductions from new members, staff, and officials from the Secretary of Labor’s office and the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). Secretary Jessica Lumen outlined the administration’s workforce and labor priorities, including supporting workers, employers, and program transparency, while members raised concerns about business climate, job losses, labor participation, and the implementation of paid family and medical leave. Staff provided legislative updates on recent unemployment-related bills. These included increases to the weekly unemployment benefit amount enacted in 2025 and 2026, a bill on labor dispute disqualification that changed how lockouts are treated for benefit eligibility, and a budget item providing $75,000 for actuarial support to the commission. The commission also discussed the 2025 work group on annual adjustments to weekly benefit amounts; staff reported that the work group did not complete its charge, and members agreed to revisit whether to reconstitute it at a future meeting. Delegate Martinez expressed support for continuing the work, and the chair said the issue would be taken up at the next meeting. Deputy Commissioner Joanna Darkus gave a detailed presentation on Virginia’s unemployment insurance system, including current claims data, eligibility rules, employer tax structure, benefit levels, trust fund solvency, fraud prevention, and customer service operations. She reported that Virginia’s unemployment rate remains low, weekly claims are modest, the current weekly benefit range is $160 to $478, and the trust fund balance factor is projected at 50.9 percent, near the threshold for additional employer charges. Members asked about the taxable wage base, trust fund solvency, the effect of benefit increases, fraud controls, and the planned paid family and medical leave program. VEC said it is implementing that program through regulations, staffing, IT procurement, public listening sessions, and consultation with other states. A public commenter from the Virginia Poverty Law Center urged the commission to strengthen state investment in unemployment insurance and warned that federal support is uncertain. The commission then adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Legislative Counsel with the Division of Legislative Services.
• I'm Legislative Council with the Division of Legislative Services.
• This work group, as Marvie mentioned, was created by 2025 legislation.
• The legislative session was also a barrier to meeting.
• And as a legislator, I appreciate good data.

Keywords: Commission on Unemployment Compensation, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've worked with this team of people on legislative reform.
• I know that I want to focus on legislation probably.
• I know that I want to focus on legislation probably.
• There are specific parameters listed in the legislation.
• Do we have to create a new law and pass additional legislation?

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislative body. So even if we pass them, they're not law. They're not, they're not.
• This will be done through legislation.
• Let's work through that through a piece of proposed legislation.
• And it's the, I guess... ...to at least begin legislation on.
• Now, that doesn't prohibit any legislator from bringing a piece of legislation that looks like Tier 1

Summary: The special legislative study committee met with seven members present, adopted minutes from prior meetings, and then heard public testimony from Terrell Butler and his father about a transfer-eligibility dispute involving Leesville High School and Anacoco High School. They described a family decision to move schools for broader educational and personal reasons, but said the student was ruled ineligible for varsity athletics despite strong grades and a desire to play basketball. Several members responded that the rule seemed to punish students for adult decisions and for transfers within the same parish, and they urged the family to keep working hard while the committee considered broader policy changes. The committee then reviewed a draft report containing factual findings about LHSAA and discussed recommendations. Members expressed concern about inconsistent enforcement, lack of transparency, limited accountability, and LHSAA’s repeated absence from committee meetings. The committee adopted findings for the report and approved three recommendations: creating a structured student-transfer eligibility process allowing one transfer through junior year; making the House and Senate representatives on the LHSAA executive committee voting members; and adding a governor-appointed voting member to the executive committee. Speaker Pro Tem Johnson then outlined broader options for legislative action. One proposal, adopted as the committee’s recommendation, would create a cooperative endeavor agreement framework between the Department of Education/BESE and a nonprofit to administer high school athletics, with public-records coverage subject to existing privacy exceptions and an option for nonpublic schools to participate. A second, more expansive proposal would create a state Office of Sanctioned Athletics within the Department of Education; the committee agreed to include that concept in the report for future discussion but not as a recommendation. The committee also authorized staff to finalize the report, incorporate the adopted findings and recommendations, make technical edits, and send the report to the House and Senate education committees and LHSAA. The meeting ended with closing remarks thanking staff and members, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> single legislator. single legislator.
• </c><00:04:50.120><c> Those</c> they took no legislative action.
• Those they took no legislative action.
• </c><00:05:08.160><c> That</c> that was after the legislative day.
• That that was after the legislative day.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• RS 33695 is legislation that...
• RS 33695 is legislation that is meant to address a couple of things.
• This legislation does not impact existing... It's the state's purview.
• This is additional legislation related to procurement.
• This is additional legislation related to procurement.

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee met in a special session and introduced several measures focused largely on immigration enforcement and firearms policy. The committee introduced RS 33695, which would impose an excise tax on international money transfers and provide a tax credit for Idahoans; RS 33831, requiring local and county law enforcement to apply for and participate in ICE 287(g) agreements; RS 33832, the Refugee and Illegal Alien Accountability Act, which adds reporting and status-verification requirements and restrictions on unlawful harboring or transporting; and RS 33835, which would allow certain Idaho Department of Correction inmates with federal immigration detainers and final removal orders to be released to federal authorities before sentence completion, with an estimated state savings of $3.5 million. All of these RSs were moved to print without opposition. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1430, which strengthens enforcement of Idaho’s firearms preemption law by creating penalties and a private cause of action against local governments that willfully violate state firearms statutes, while preserving existing authority for discharge ordinances and university rules. Support came from the NRA and the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance, and the bill’s sponsors emphasized notice and an opportunity to cure before litigation. The committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a do pass recommendation. House Bill 894, concerning open meetings, was presented as clarifying that members of the public may record open meetings by audio, video, or photographs, with exceptions for executive sessions and certain correctional and parole settings. It was advanced to the floor unanimously. House Bill 932, an advisory vote measure asking Idahoans to choose a favorite firearm from a list of historically significant guns, drew extended discussion and humor from committee members and was also sent to the floor with a do pass recommendation. H.C.R. 36, a resolution honoring the Idaho National Guard and supporting modernization, including a transition from A-10s to F-16s and Army force-structure changes, was approved despite one member expressing reluctance about losing the A-10s. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 888, which would shift procurement of information technology services to the Office of Information Technology Services and allow use of third-party brokers or existing procurement channels. Testimony from the bill’s supporters emphasized faster procurement, cost savings, and centralized oversight, while the Office of Information Technology Services testified neutral but raised concerns about workload, transparency, and the need for clearer selection and appeals procedures. After discussion about rulemaking and safeguards, the committee voted to send the bill to the floor with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this critical legislation helps us achieve that. Thank you again for allowing me to testify.
• Senate voted out legislation just yesterday. Senator Geiss, for your questions.
• Senate voted out legislation just yesterday on a variety of housing issues.
• You obviously worked on this in the House and brought one particular set of legislation.
• We have a number of other folks who'd like to testify on this legislation.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services met with a quorum, adopted the June 16, 2026 minutes, and then unanimously adopted S-1 substitutes for House Bills 5570 and 5571. The chair said the committee would take testimony and likely not move to final passage that day, in order to allow more discussion and questions. The bills, as substituted, would allow local governments to permit certain multifamily buildings up to four stories to be built or converted with a single staircase, subject to conditions such as limits on units per floor, floor size, and existing fire safety requirements. A sunset provision was described as ending the statute once LARA adopts corresponding building code rules. Representatives Fairbairn and Wooden testified in support, saying the bills are intended to address Michigan’s housing shortage by making smaller infill and “missing middle” projects more feasible and less costly. They argued the current two-stair requirement drives up costs, makes land assembly harder, and limits development on narrow or irregular lots. Senators asked about stair width, emergency safety, the choice of four stories instead of six, and why the American Institute of Architects opposed the approach; the sponsors said the 48-inch stair width was intended to allow two-way movement, four stories was a compromise aligned with expected code changes, and the architects preferred rulemaking over statutory change. Supportive testimony came from Pew Charitable Trusts, which said research from New York City, Seattle, and other places found fire death rates in modern single-stair buildings to be indistinguishable from other multifamily buildings, and that modern safety features such as sprinklers, alarms, and fire-rated construction make these buildings safe. A developer from Ann Arbor and the Michigan Home Builders Association said the reform would improve floor-plan efficiency, reduce wasted circulation space, lower construction costs, and help smaller projects pencil out. Abundant Housing Michigan also supported the bills, estimating they could reduce apartment construction costs by nearly 13%. The clerk read in numerous written cards in support from business, housing, municipal, and advocacy groups, while the Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs and the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union were listed as neutral. The committee adjourned without further business.