Transcript Highlights:

• <00:57:23.480> Uh place to strengthen public trust. Uh place to strengthen public trust.
• So we trust them to train the POLGAR roster, we don't trust them to hear the cases.
• So we trust<01:10:47.400> them<01:10:47.880> to<01:10:48.000> train trust them to
• roster, we don't trust them the POLGAR roster, we don't trust them to<01:10:52.240> hear<01:10
• , we build relationships, we build trust, we build relationships, we build trust, and<01:39:34.240

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• using some of the opioid abatement trust using some of the opioid abatement trust fund<04:45:03.320
• This one appears to be directing all the access to the education trust fund.
• This is just a straight video lottery machines into the education trust fund.
• <05:33:22.878> fund education trust fund education trust fund yeah<05:33:26.638> hacken
• , we could then, you know, relieve other revenue sources that are going to the Education Trust Fund.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 713, which would require mile markers on Route 112, the Kancamagus Highway. The sponsor and DOT testimony described the road as a heavily traveled but isolated corridor with little or no cell or radio service, frequent accidents and breakdowns, and serious public-safety problems when emergency responders cannot quickly locate incidents. Members discussed where markers should be placed, how frequently they should appear, whether both sides of the road should be marked, and the potential cost; DOT said the project could be done with federal funds and might be combined with other work to reduce mobilization costs. The committee agreed the bill was straightforward and voted OTP 18-0, with discussion that a friendly amendment might be offered later to refine the language. The committee then heard HB 563, concerning calculation of adequate education grants. Testimony explained that the bill would add fiscal capacity disparity aid in FY 27 and increase the special education differentiated aid factor, while also reducing extraordinary needs grants so the overall fiscal impact would be net neutral. Members noted the changes were limited to the second year because of the budget process and school district ballot timing. Supporters argued the fiscal capacity aid would help property-poor towns and should be expanded, while others emphasized the bill’s budget-neutral structure. The committee voted to retain HB 563 for further consideration in the budget process. Finally, the committee opened HB 675, which would limit the authority of school districts to make certain appropriations. A Derry resident and former local official testified in favor, arguing that property taxes are too high, that school spending has outpaced town-side tax caps, and that local voters should have more control over school budgets. Committee members questioned whether the issue should instead be handled locally through existing processes or broader governance changes, and one member noted the state’s constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education. The discussion continued, but no final action on HB 675 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any expansion of condemnation authority that includes the public trust lands raises serious concerns
• about potential impacts to the trust corpus, beneficiary rights, and the state's trust obligations.
• Mahalo. trust lands and revenues derived from trust lands and revenues derived from them<01:25:29.040
• <01:25:38.960> lands<01:25:39.280> raises public land uh trust lands raises public
• 43.760> state's<01:25:44.080> trust<01:25:44.400> obligations.

Bills: SB2885, SB2174, SB2925, SB2798, SB2320, SB2800, SB1230, SB2706, SB3233, SB2405, SB2350, SB2169, SB3320

Keywords: coconut rhinoceros beetle, invasive species, biosecurity, green waste, environmental management, agriculture, quarantine, pest control, transport regulations, Hawaii Revised Statutes, coconut trees, tax credit, natural management, Hawaii, environment, agricultural enforcement, agricultural theft, farm theft, crop theft, commodity theft

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2885 SD1, which would create mandatory handling and storage rules for commercial and residential coconut rhinoceros beetle host material beginning in 2027, with penalties and an effective date. Support came from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, DLNR, Maui County Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Testifiers generally said the bill would help reduce CRB spread, though some urged additional science-backed methods, better coordination, and technical or cost-share support for smaller operations. Hawaiian Earth Recycling recommended amendments to align the bill with existing Department of Health/EPA composting rules, add other materials that can harbor CRB, allow future approved treatment methods, and replace the bill’s 60-day turning requirement with existing pathogen-reduction standards. One individual supported the goal but argued the state’s CRB strategy has lacked community and cultural consultation and should include a cultural advisement role. Department witnesses said enforcement would rely on inspection and an educate-before-regulate approach, and they noted the challenge of creating enough drop-off sites, especially in rural areas. The committee then took up SB 2174 SD2, which would authorize the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to declare an emergency quarantine, halt operations in affected areas for 96 hours with possible extension, quarantine suspected pest areas, issue notices and compensation to affected farmers, and adopt interim transportation rules for materials that may harbor high-impact invasive species. The department and DLNR supported the measure, emphasizing the need for fast action in the first hours of an invasion. Hawaii Farmers Union supported the compensation provisions but asked for stronger communication with producers and a post-action report to the Board of Agriculture after about 90 days to evaluate effectiveness and economic impacts. In response to questions, department staff said the bill would be a short-term, department-only quarantine authority distinct from the governor-declared biosecurity emergency authority enacted previously, and that it could serve as an intermediate step. They also said outreach would need to be done through farm organizations such as Farmers Union, Farm Bureau, and Cattlemen’s groups. The final measure discussed was SB 2925 SD1, relating to coconut trees. The bill would recognize coconut trees as a source of food and water and a cultural treasure, require rules for coconut tree seed banks, require signage identifying landscape palms where applicable, set labeling standards for non-consumable landscape palms, and create an income tax credit for consumable coconut trees maintained through natural management practices. The transcript ended before testimony or action on this bill was completed, and no vote was taken on any of the measures discussed in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I trust the Board of Pharmacy that on the big ones, they're still going to file an accusation for the
• the, we do, but we should trust them to take care of their own and discipline their own when in fact
• To Senator Menjivar’s earlier point, this trust-us process isn’t working.
• To Senator Menjavar's earlier point, this trust us process isn't working.
• We welcome all feedback and are confident that CCIDC is honoring the public trust.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In Chelsea, we know schools are trusted anchors, but we also know that we cannot do this work alone.
• And we also know that we need partners at the local level to make sure that they are trusted partners
• It's vital to build trust by establishing power... ...realities.
• Local ownership is essential for trust, sustainability, and legitimacy.
• Local ownership is essential for trust, sustainability, and legitimacy.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business held its final hearing of the session on H. 5187 and S. 3022, the Enough Act, with Chair Andy Vargas and Senator Adam Gomez opening by thanking committee members and stakeholders for their work during the session. The bills were described as a grant-based, place-based anti-poverty initiative intended to support cradle-to-career services by funding local nonprofits, schools, community organizations, and backbone entities that can coordinate housing, education, health, workforce, and family supports in high-poverty neighborhoods. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support of the bills. Speakers including Strategies for Children, Chelsea Public Schools, Bunker Hill Community College, Senator Sal DiDomenico, Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian, Rep. Antonio Cabral, the Harlem Children’s Zone’s Kwame Owusu Kesse and Jeffrey Canada, former Education Secretary Paul Reville, AFT Massachusetts, United Way, the Boston Foundation, Give Black Alliance, Eastern Bank Foundation, and others argued that poverty is a systems issue that schools alone cannot solve. They emphasized the need for local control, community voice, coordinated services, and long-term public-private investment, often citing examples from Chelsea, New Bedford, Springfield, Lowell, Boston, and other communities, as well as the Harlem Children’s Zone and Maryland’s similar model. Committee members asked several questions about how the bill would function in practice, including what organizations would do on day one, how it would interact with existing efforts like community schools, McKinney-Vento, and the Student Opportunity Act, and how it would be sustained over time. Witnesses said the act would help create or strengthen backbone organizations, reduce duplication, align existing resources, and leverage philanthropy and future revenue sources for long-term sustainability. No vote was taken during the hearing, but multiple speakers urged the committee to report the bill favorably and quickly.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we trust them to drive.
• But we trust them to drive.
• But we trust them to That is correct.
• But we trust them to drive.<00:29:59.200> We<00:29:59.440> trust<00:29:59.679> them<
• We trust them to vote, which can drive.

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 04:41 Calendar/2nd Readings 05:37 Orders of the Day 06:14 HB 312 06:41 Interrupted Stream 38:41, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with an invocation focused on the approaching storm and the need to check on neighbors, first responders, hospitals, and vulnerable residents. A quorum was established, absent members were excused, the rules were suspended for co-sponsorship and vote modification filings, and the journal from Thursday, January 22, 2026 was approved. The clerk also reported Senate passage of SB 13, 22, 46, 51, and 90 and requested concurrence. Under orders of the day, HB 258 was recommitted to the Transportation Committee. The chamber then took up HB 312, an act relating to concealed firearms and deadly weapons, which would create a provisional concealed carry license for law-abiding 18- to 20-year-olds. The sponsor argued the bill restores equal treatment for adults, aligns Kentucky with other states, and imposes training and background-check requirements. Supporters said the Second Amendment applies to this age group, that military service and other adult responsibilities are already entrusted to them, and that the bill would not change prohibited locations for firearms. Opponents argued the measure would increase gun violence and public safety risks, citing concerns from school district police, SROs, and empirical research about firearm-related assaults, homicides, and brain development in young adults. They emphasized that concealed weapons reduce visibility for parents, schools, and law enforcement and pointed to local youth-violence prevention efforts in Lexington as progress that could be undermined. Supporters countered that defensive gun use is common, that the CDC and other studies overstate gun harms, and that the bill is about constitutional rights rather than hunting or alcohol analogies. The transcript provided does not include the final vote on HB 312.

Transcript Highlights:

• that due process is done for everybody, to officers and for administrators, to maintain that public trust
• , to transparency, To maintain that public trust, transparency, understanding what the process is, what
• And law enforcement agency leadership must have experience, expertise, trust, and the ability to guide
• I think that really helps with public trust. And so thank you for that. Chief Padilla?
• The need to maintain supreme public trust and wield the incredible power of the office responsibly is

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do I trust my doctor? Absolutely. But I also know Do I trust my doctor? Absolutely.
• My sweet, trusting mother never would have dreamed that a serial killer was roaming the halls as she
• trusted in the security that management had promised.
• They trusted the system.
• This is a trust problem. Senate Bill 269 addresses this failure head-on.

Bills: SB227, SB269, SB407, SB463, SB527, SB547, SB1283, SB1380, SB1383, SB1511, SB1640, SB1784, SB2069

Keywords: school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, healthcare policy, vaccines, exemptions, religious beliefs, public health, workplace violence, healthcare facilities, definition expansion, safety regulations, health and safety code, health insurance, anesthesia, pediatric dental services, coverage, medical necessity

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with several members initially absent, then later established a quorum. The committee heard multiple bills, with most testimony focusing on access to care, insurance practices, senior safety, and health care worker protections. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes, and public testimony was limited to two minutes per witness. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with no final votes taken in the portion provided. Senate Bill 2069 would create a work group to study the feasibility of a statewide acute psychiatric bed registry; the substitute shifts appointment authority to the Health and Human Services Commissioner and extends reporting and sunset dates. Senate Bill 463 would expand workplace violence protections to additional hospice, home and community support, intermediate care, and state-supported living center settings. Senate Bill 1283 would require background checks and transparency measures for senior retirement communities after testimony about the Dallas-area serial killings of elderly residents. Senate Bill 1784 would require 60 days’ written notice before medical debt is sent to collections. Senate Bill 527 would require medical insurance coverage for general anesthesia for medically necessary pediatric dental procedures for children under 13 with qualifying conditions; pediatric dentists testified that denials delay needed care. A major portion of the meeting centered on prior authorization. Senate Bill 1380 would eliminate prior authorization for a broad list of services, including emergency, primary, mental health, substance use, chemotherapy, preventive, pediatric hospice, and certain chronic-condition care. Physicians and hospice advocates supported the bill, describing delays, administrative burden, and patient harm, while health plans opposed blanket exemptions and argued prior authorization helps prevent unnecessary care and control costs. Relatedly, Senate Bill 547 would require insurers to report gold-card prior authorization exemptions to TDI and create a centralized database and annual report; TMA supported better tracking, while health plans warned of duplicative reporting and administrative cost. Senate Bill 407 would require health care facilities to honor conscience- and religion-based vaccine exemptions for employees, with testimony from a physician and vaccine-choice advocate supporting the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1383, which would regulate senior living referral agencies, allow more flexible compensation structures, and add disclosure and consumer protections; an out-of-state referral company and A Place for Mom supported it. Senate Bill 1511 would allow freestanding emergency centers to provide outpatient services in addition to emergency care, with consumer protections such as estimates, limits on facility fees, and restrictions on balance billing. The chair repeatedly announced that bills were being left pending after testimony, and no final committee action or recorded votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, we should be looking at public trust duties.
• I mean, we should be looking at public trust duties.
• We should be looking at public trust duties.
• The state does have a duty to a legal obligation to protect public trust resources under the DLNR.
• Um, does the state have a duty to protect the public trust resources under the DLNR? Yes.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures. On HB 211 relating to stream maintenance, DLNR supported the intent but requested amendments to clarify that responsibility for removing abandoned property rests with the entity that has jurisdiction or ownership of the stream, and asked for appropriations to help cover cleanup costs. Members discussed existing county authority to clean streams and then seek reimbursement from private owners, and the City and County of Honolulu’s written testimony was noted as arguing the bill conflicts with a federal court stipulation requiring notice and storage of personal property before disposal. On HB 502 relating to land use, OPSD and the Land Use Commission supported the bill’s intent but raised concerns about the short timeline and the need for rule changes, with OPSD recommending a more permanent county plan-based district boundary amendment process instead of a temporary one. The Department of Agriculture asked counties to make concurrent revisions to ordinances and rules affecting agricultural land partitioning. Testimony also noted the bill is aimed at legacy agricultural subdivisions and would require Land Use Commission rulemaking. On HB 510 relating to declaration of water shortage and emergency, DLNR and the Board of Water Supply strongly supported the measure, saying it would give CWRM a more timely tool to respond to emergencies outside designated water management areas and would require rulemaking, permit classifications, and criteria for declaring shortages. In response to opposition concerns from the Land Use Research Foundation and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, DLNR said the rulemaking process would allow public input and that permit classifications could help balance agricultural and other water uses. On HB 511 relating to public lands, DLNR, the Department of Agriculture, and Hawaii Farm Bureau supported removing the survey requirement before setting aside public lands between state agencies, saying it would speed Act 90 transfers and save time and money, though one testifier cautioned against misuse of agricultural lands. No votes were taken during the excerpted portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• that when providers or patients interact with any state actors, not just law enforcement, they can trust
• Establishing this framework will put trusted state experts...
• Establishing this framework will put trusted state experts squarely in control.
• of justice that concerns us is that we feel that the restrictions after 24 weeks show a failure to trust
• women, to trust women to do what is best for them and to trust women to be able to consider the serious

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Steering and Policy held a public hearing on potential updates to Massachusetts’ 2022 Shield Law to strengthen protections for reproductive and gender-affirming health care. Chair Cindy Friedman said the hearing was prompted by escalating federal and out-of-state threats, and testimony was sought on loopholes and clarifications involving emergency abortion care, limits on cooperation with outside investigations, protection of patient data, and safeguarding licenses of providers and attorneys involved in this care. The Attorney General’s Office, ACLU of Massachusetts, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, Reproductive Equity Now, the Massachusetts Medical Society, TransHealth, and Health Imperatives all supported strengthening the law. Witnesses urged broader bans on sharing health data with hostile states, explicit AG enforcement authority, exclusion of reproductive and gender-affirming prescriptions from the prescription monitoring program, protections for electronic medical records, and allowing clinicians to use practice names on prescription labels. Several speakers also called for protections for parents of transgender youth, attorneys, and nonprofit organizations, and some raised related concerns about insurance discrimination and the burden of post-24-week abortion restrictions. Committee members asked questions about enforcement mechanisms, data privacy, patient consent, and how to balance interoperability with privacy protections in electronic records. Witnesses said the goal was to prevent immediate harm while preserving patient control and access to care. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed by inviting written testimony and then moved to adjourn the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• someone who served for more than 27 years as a chief elections official, I can tell you that public trust
• We have a problem, and that is the low level of trust and confidence in our elections.
• . ...seems to suggest that only the Attorney General and the Secretary of State can be trusted to police
• This is not about trust or confidence and enhancing that.
• It gives land trusts and other qualified entities the financial stability they need to maintain important

Summary: The Assembly convened, initially lacked a quorum, then completed the roll call and prayer, adopted routine procedural motions, and moved through the daily file with many bills passed and retained or passed outright. Early measures included AB 2417 on community college faculty retirement information, AB 1579 expanding the Children’s Crisis Pilot Program, AB 2041 on emergency medical services reporting, AB 1547 on a UC medical school feasibility study in Kern County, and AB 1552 directing higher education segments to report on civic engagement and democracy education. The body also took up SB 73, an urgency elections-security bill, where supporters argued it would protect ballots, voting systems, and election workers from interference, while opponents said it could be unconstitutional, partisan, and overly restrictive of local and federal investigations. SB 73 passed with urgency and immediate transmittal to the Senate. The Assembly then approved a long series of policy bills, many with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including AB 1554 on California Earthquake Authority transparency, AB 1584 on civil rights duties at the Air Resources Board, AB 1592 on the California Indian Cultural Center, AB 1629 on direct payment to dentists, AB 1645 on prison visitation physical-contact rules, AB 1688 on foster care notice and accountability, AB 1699 on prescribed and cultural burns, AB 1738 on virtual final inspections for single-family homes, AB 1741 on charging sexual battery during a residential break-in as a wobbler, AB 1802 on mitigation lands endowments, AB 1813 on community renewable energy program changes, AB 1899 creating a youth homelessness prevention office, AB 1904 on a credentialing apprenticeship program, AB 1941 on organized metal theft, AB 2043 on drone-attack prevention for mass gatherings and critical infrastructure, AB 2054 on paid family leave for military relatives, AB 2081 on home-based Medi-Cal care, AB 2116 on predatory lending, AB 2122 limiting bench warrants for vehicle-code infractions, AB 2176 on student housing coordination, AB 2187 on tribal public-contract exemptions, AB 2221 on charitable fundraising processing deadlines, AB 2232 on advance parole hearing reporting, AB 2235 on confidentiality of judges’ home addresses, AB 2250 on cannabis/hemp enforcement cleanup, and AB 2266 on electricity. Most measures were described as support or bipartisan bills and passed with little or no opposition. A few bills drew notable debate or recorded opposition, including AB 1813, AB 2122, and SB 73, though all ultimately passed. After finishing 35 items, the Assembly announced it would return the following week with a much larger file, noted upcoming floor amendment deadlines, and adjourned until Tuesday, May 26 at 1 p.m. A post-adjournment vote change was also recorded, changing Assembly Member Dixon’s vote on AB 2041 from aye to no.

Transcript Highlights:

• technical things, but I see where you're moving money from the aeronautic division to the Transportation Trust
• go to the Office of Aviation, is pursuant to this session, shall be deposited in the Transportation Trust
• So that Transportation Trust Fund. Why are they going there now? So that remains the same as well.
• states any money is collected on the sale of aviation fuel should be deposited in the Transportation Trust
• the aviation appropriation is an appropriation that this body makes as a part of the Transportation Trust

Summary: The committee met with four members present and approved the May 7, 2026 minutes. It then considered a series of transportation, motor vehicle, aviation, port, and memorial designation bills. Several measures were reported favorably, including HB 1086 on electronic titling and digital title transfers, HB 745 extending special tandem load permits, HB 1175 updating the definition of aerospace, HB 1108 creating a Homeschool Proud license plate, HB 722 changing reinstatement procedures so certain suspended licenses are restored once fees are paid, HB 1024 creating a Louisiana Democratic Party license plate, HB 1173 giving drivers on reinstatement payment plans a three-month grace period before late fees apply, and HB 98 imposing a $25 annual royalty fee on a retired legislators’ plate to help restore the Pentagon Barracks. HB 487, dealing with red-light overtaking and an added fine, and HB 1032, a technical cleanup bill aligning DWI/drug-impairment language, were also reported favorably. HB 1050, a CDL cleanup bill that adjusts age and testing provisions and removes outdated vision-waiver language, and HB 1192, creating a Louisiana Dental Hygienist Association plate, were approved as well. HB 989, which would have raised public license tag agent convenience fees, was supported by private tag agents but drew questions about fee parity and business impacts; it was reported favorably. A separate bill on driving school pricing and refunds was deferred and turned into a study resolution after the sponsor said more stakeholder discussion was needed. The committee also advanced several memorial and infrastructure measures. HB 401 designated the Lance Corporal Justin McLeese Memorial Bridge, with members speaking about his military service and sacrifice. HB 1081 moved the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission under the Office of Multimodal Commerce for administrative support while leaving port boards independent. HCR 63 created a task force to study whether certain active-duty military personnel could operate federally owned vehicles on state highways without a civilian license. HCR 69 urged priority improvements to the Interstate 12 corridor, especially the bottleneck and interchange areas near I-55, citing safety and evacuation concerns. SCR 58 asked DOTD to review public-private partnership practices, using the Belle Chasse Toll Bridge as a case study and focusing on lessons learned for future projects. HB 1001 designated a portion of U.S. 190 as the Jesse Jackson Memorial Highway. HB 1218 named Highway 1090 the Lewis Pett Miramon Memorial Highway, with family members and supporters describing Miramon’s wartime service and role in building Slidell. HB 1172 designated a highway segment in memory of a 14-year-old hit-and-run victim, Kulin Carrier. One major policy bill, SB 514, was amended and reported favorably. It updates Louisiana’s aeronautics statutes, transfers responsibility for aeronautics activities and facilities from the DOTD secretary to the Office of Multimodal Commerce commissioner, and modernizes the law to align with federal aviation rules and new technologies, including advanced aviation and electric vertical takeoff and landing programs. Members asked about the lengthy amendments, fuel tax language, airport development reporting, and the Transportation Trust Fund, and the sponsor and DOTD explained that the changes were largely technical and intended to keep Louisiana eligible for federal aviation funding and compliant with current standards. The committee also heard extensive testimony on HB 1244, which would add a brain-injury designation to driver’s licenses and require law-enforcement training. The sponsor and advocates described how the designation could help de-escalate encounters and improve safety for people with brain injuries; the bill was reported favorably, with members noting it could also cover broader brain-injury conditions if medically certified. After that testimony, the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 8 is the ICF grant for Ann Carlson from the Community Health Trust Fund.
• Diversion $500,000 one-time funding from Community Health Trust?
• Then other funds, Community Health Trust Fund, we've got the tobacco broken down now to $6.25 million
• I think this section is just to designate which our Community Health Trust Fund.
• Then Section 50 is from the Community Health Trust Fund, an appropriation of $150,000 to Council for

Bills: SB2015

Keywords: corrections, rehabilitation, prison budget, department of corrections, adult services, youth services, correctional facilities, Heart River correctional center, Missouri River correctional center, James River correctional center, minimum security facility, county jails, regional jails, deferred maintenance, capital construction, strategic investment and improvements fund, Bank of North Dakota, line of credit, tasers, body cameras

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met with all members present and took up several bills, focusing most of the discussion on SB 1577 and SB 1619, along with a detailed review of the HHS budget bill draft. On SB 1577, Senator Magrum explained that the bill was being revised to focus on wastewater rather than raw water, possibly shifting the Washburn project to the Department of Water Resources so it could access matching funds, and potentially converting the bill into a line of credit if federal money is restored later. Members discussed whether to keep an emergency clause or instead use a date-based approach, and agreed the bill would likely be handled through the full committee and possibly reconsidered later. On SB 1619, Senator Davison said amendments were still being worked on, including changes requested by the Bank of North Dakota, and the committee planned to hold it for possible amendment before full committee consideration. The bulk of the meeting was a section-by-section review of the HHS appropriations bill draft. Members discussed one-time funding items such as technology projects, child care programs, housing programs, behavioral health facility grants, infant and toddler care provider support, juvenile justice diversion, medical housing, and other public health and human services projects. Several adjustments were noted, including reductions or changes to IMD-related funding, incarcerated-person treatment funding, the child welfare technology project, and the provider rate increase. The committee also discussed the FTE block grant structure at length, with staff explaining that the apparent increase in positions reflected budgeting mechanics, zero-dollar “phantom” positions, and positions approved previously but not counted in the FTE total. Members raised concerns about transparency and whether the bill should list FTE numbers, but staff said the block grant was intended to give the department flexibility while quarterly reporting would provide oversight. Other topics included Medicaid expansion funding and provider reimbursement rules, the move toward certifying human service centers as certified community behavioral health clinics, a moratorium on new ICF beds, and studies or reports on Medicaid, obesity, disability services, truancy, and behavioral health facility grants. The committee also discussed removing or revising broad intent language in Section 31 so the department would report findings rather than implement changes without further legislative action. No final votes were taken in the transcript; instead, members agreed to make a few technical adjustments, continue reviewing the bill, and likely revisit it the next day before moving it to conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I trust her, and she's right; she convinced me. I knew it was the right thing to do.
• You know I trust markets much more than I trust government, and markets work.
• Trust me, I was on a very, very strict diet, and so I think I understand this very well.
• We trust our schools to provide meals that are safe for our kids, and we assume that what they're eating
• Our labeling is, trust me, very lacking.

Bills: SB 25, SB25, SB314

Keywords: attorney ad litem, indigent parents, parent-child relationship, legal representation, Texas Family Code, court procedures, nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We test steel trust test all materials.
• And so protecting the Transportation Trust fund.
• We do a lot for with with our trust fund. And we've got a lot of priorities.
• And to me, that's one of the big buy products potential emerging is your building that trust not only
• Trust me.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Father in heaven, we gather today with grateful hearts, humbled by the privilege to serve and the trust
• 2262, Edgone Geological; HB 2263, Colorado River; HB 2266, Foreign Mining Mineral; HB 2268, State Trust
• Foreign mining mineral. 2268 state trust land. 2271 insurance covering 2272.72 dental or optimistic services
• display, 2702 data centers TPT, 2709 landlord-tenant, 2710 landlord-tenant eviction, 2711 housing trust

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior day’s journal, and recognized the Doctor of the Day, Dr. John Lynch of Legislative District 12. Members also introduced a number of guests and visiting groups, including Arizona electric co-op representatives, March of Dimes advocates, CRNAs, AEA retirees, a University of Arizona legislative fellow, and other constituents and visitors in the gallery. The chamber then handled routine floor business: attendance was recorded at 58 present, one absent, and one excused; committee substitutions were announced; HB 2677 was removed from the Judiciary Committee and additionally referred to Public Safety and Law Enforcement; and a large slate of House bills and one concurrent resolution were first read and referred to committees. The clerk also read a lengthy list of bills on second reading, covering a wide range of topics including education, health care, housing, taxation, elections, water, labor, public safety, and other policy areas. No substantive debate or votes on legislation occurred during the floor session beyond the referral actions and procedural announcements. Members made announcements about upcoming blood donations, a Veterans Caucus coffee and donuts event, and several committee meetings scheduled for later in the day or the following day. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 10 a.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Public trust in courts depends on believing that judicial processes are protected from interference,
• and allowing parole for those who undermine that trust could damage confidence. ...from interference.
• Allowing parole for those who undermined that trust could damage confidence in the justice system.
• So this is a serious offense, and basically when we begin to deteriorate trust in the judicial system

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A CALL TO SERVE FAITHFULLY THOSE WHO PLACE THEIR TRUST IN US.
• TRUSTING THAT YOU WHO BEGAN THE GOOD WORK BEFORE WE WERE BORN WILL SEE IT THROUGH AND WE PRAY ALL THESE
• AND TRUST THAT WE WILL TRY TO UNDERSTAND OUTCOMES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.
• THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT THAT YOU PLACED IN ME TO SERVE AS YOUR PRESIDENT

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're a trusted resource to help preserve soil and water quality in our lands, lakes, and rivers.
• dating back nearly 90 years<00:01:46.399> they're<00:01:46.600> a<00:01:46.719> trusted
• ><00:01:47.200> resource<00:01:47.719> to<00:01:47.880> help years they're a trusted
• resource to help years they're a trusted resource to help preserve<00:01:48.600> soil<00:01:48.880

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 1066, a Soil and Water Conservation District funding bill. An author’s amendment, 66A1, was offered and adopted by voice vote, putting the bill in the form preferred by the author. The amendment and bill discussion centered on changing the state aid level for SWCDs, with the bill as amended described as eliminating a scheduled reduction in funding and instead increasing the annual appropriation to $22 million. Representative Ryer explained that SWCDs are long-standing, locally elected conservation entities that help preserve soil and water quality, support farmers and homeowners, and do not have levy authority. He said the funding level was based on a bottom-up assessment of district needs and was intended to help districts maintain staffing and address local problems early. Sheila Vany of the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts testified in support, saying the aid has been a major improvement in SWCD funding and describing district work such as lakeshore stabilization, cover crops, nutrient management, lake monitoring, rain gardens, and irrigation guidance. The chair noted the voluntary nature of SWCD work with willing landowners and expressed support for the bill. No opposition testimony was presented, and no department testimony was offered. The committee then laid House File 1066, as amended, over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I trust Senator Givens.
• c><00:03:22.480> consumers<00:03:23.040> but<00:03:23.200> I<00:03:23.360> trust
• <00:03:23.680> Senator impact our consumers but I trust Senator impact our consumers but I
• trust Senator given<00:03:24.319> I<00:03:24.400> know<00:03:24.519> he's<00:03

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:06 SB145 Discussion: 00:34 SB145 Vote: 03:05, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up Senate Bill 145, first adopting a committee substitute. Senator Givens explained that the bill addresses retail installment contracts under KRS Chapter 190 by adjusting the timing for collection/enforcement on past-due vehicle installment payments, with the substitute also aligning KRS Chapter 371 for non-vehicle retail installment contracts such as furniture and appliances. The substitute raises a fee from $10 to $15, a change described as updating an amount that had not been revised since 1996 and bringing the two chapters into alignment. Members discussed the bill in general terms, noting its relevance to weekly installment arrangements, buy-here-pay-here car lots, and consumer purchases of household goods. One member said the proposal made them somewhat nervous because of possible effects on consumers with low-value items, but stated there were no known concerns and that they trusted the sponsor’s judgment. No opposition was voiced during the roll call. The committee voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 145 as amended by the committee substitute, and the bill passed. After the vote, members thanked Senator Givens, and there was brief discussion that the bill had not yet reached the point of being ready for consent.