Transcript Highlights:

• You lead not with ego but with empathy, always taking time to listen and connect in a genuine way, whether
• Please join me in welcoming Kaitlyn and the California Youth Connection to the State Assembly.
• housing by addressing a too often overlooked barrier, unpredictable utility collection, excuse me, connection
• these restaurants, and all the while communities can't access these important venues for food and connection
• As all of you know, I'm a retired. hired California Highway Patrol officer, and I have a special connection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that we typically talk about, roads, bridges, and wastewater, that have a statewide impact, um, that connect
• But here, where you have a specific group that a legislator funds money to and then they have connections
• But here, where you have a specific group that a legislator funds money to and then they have connections
• 04.080> close<00:07:04.319> ties<00:07:04.560> to<00:07:04.720> it, have connections
• , real close ties to it, have connections, real close ties to it, uh<00:07:05.360> we<00:07:05.599

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Luckily, I had so much support in opting out, between my mom helping me find connections and resources
• Instructional materials are what connect our current health framework.
• Instructional materials are what connect our current health framework. California is incomplete.
• Instructional materials are what connect our current health framework to our teachers and ultimately
• And any way that we can connect with technology and make sure that we're on the cutting edge and streamline

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee met for its first hearing of the session, adopted its committee rules on a 6-0 vote, and then heard several bills. AB 347, which would require written notice to students about the right to opt out of animal dissection and receive a comparable assignment, drew strong support from the author, a student, and multiple advocacy and education groups, while opponents argued it would burden teachers and duplicate existing law. The committee approved AB 347 on a 7-0 vote and sent it to Appropriations. AB 281, which would expand parent access to sex education materials and require disclosure of outside consultants’ credentials, drew mixed testimony. Supporters framed it as a transparency and parent-rights measure, while school administrators and county education officials said current law already allows inspection and that the bill would create an unfunded administrative burden. After extended member discussion, the bill failed on a 4-3 vote with one abstention, though reconsideration was granted. AB 65, which would provide paid pregnancy leave for educators without requiring them to exhaust sick leave first, was supported by teachers, CTA, and the State Treasurer, but opposed by school administrators and business officials over cost concerns; it passed 6-0 to Higher Education. The committee also approved AB 361, which would extend and expand LAUSD’s best-value procurement authority for school construction to all school districts for five years, on a 5-0 vote with one abstention. AB 86, which would require the State Board of Education to adopt standardized K-8 health education instructional materials, passed 5-0. Finally, AB 228, the Zaki Fast Act, was introduced to clarify that schools may stock any federally approved epinephrine delivery system, including newer devices beyond auto-injectors, and was presented with testimony from the bill’s young namesake and his family; the transcript cuts off before the committee vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I think it's really important that we have students who have good connections with their teachers
• And so I think it's really important that we have students who have good connections with their teachers
• Decades of research show that students who are connected to caring adults at school, counselors, social
• <00:53:20.240> to show that students who are connected to show that students who are connected
• <01:20:46.080> to after we had some comments connected to after we had some comments connected

Bills: HF4893

Keywords: education finance, student support, aid allowances, appropriation, school funding

Transcript Highlights:

• And staff from MnDOT's Connected and Automated Vehicles Office are here with me today, Tara Olds and
• <00:48:47.600> and And staff from MnDOT's Connected and And staff from MnDOT's Connected and
• MnDOT has been working in partnership with the Governor's Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles
• MnDOT has been working in partnership with the Governor's Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles
• they will have these fully accessible wheelchair vehicles within a 2-year timeline or be able to connect

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, they want to be connected to the natural resources.
• to um within our districts and connected to um within our districts and the<01:31:55.440> local
• <01:32:22.560> They connected to the natural resources.
• They connected to the natural resources.
• We do these connected projects. But, you know, where are the district councils?

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee first approved the March 3, 2026 minutes by voice vote. It then heard a presentation from the Minnesota Zoo on its aging facilities and bonding needs. Zoo staff highlighted the zoo’s economic and educational role, its 1.4 to 1.5 million annual visitors, and its Free to Explore program, while stressing that many of its 50-year-old buildings are in poor condition, with more than $78 million in backlog and safety concerns for visitors, staff, and animals. The zoo said the governor recommended $4 million for critical life-support systems and asked for an additional $6 million in asset preservation to renovate the original animal hospital building so a new hospital wing can function properly. Testimony emphasized that the renovation is necessary for staff space, storage, code compliance, asbestos removal, and safe animal care, and described recent injuries and close calls tied to outdated facilities. Members asked questions about porcupine quills, natural predators, and the meaning of the zoo’s incident rate. Zoo staff explained that quills are not poisonous but are barbed and can be difficult to remove, and that predators include larger cats, owls, and fishers. On incidents, staff said they include close calls and injuries linked to aging infrastructure, such as a tiger reaching farther through a wall after fencing shifted over time, and staff injuries during animal procedures in older spaces. Members also confirmed that the hospital project has shifted from a standalone building to a wing attached to the existing hospital because of rising construction costs. The committee then heard from Perpich Center for Arts Education. Perpich described its statewide role as both a public high school and an arts education resource center, serving students and educators across Minnesota. It said it hosted 313 events last year for nearly 2,000 educators and administrators and worked with 275 school districts across all 67 Senate districts. Perpich emphasized that nearly seven in 10 students rely on its residential programs because there are no comparable arts high school options in greater Minnesota, and noted strong student outcomes including a 100% graduation rate and national recognition as an exemplary school. For capital needs, Perpich said it received $1.26 million last year for HVAC and building automation work, is grateful for the governor’s recommended $1.3 million this year, and requested $6 million to create a secure, accessible main entrance and upgrade outdated restrooms to ADA compliance.

Transcript Highlights:

• the public to arts, years of connecting the public to arts, culture,<00:31:32.559> and<00:31:
• <01:44:34.719> It's very uh well-connected developers.
• It's very uh well-connected developers.
• I'm having trouble following the connection to L3.
• I'm having trouble following the connection to L3.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and heard several announcements about upcoming committee meetings, events at the Capitol, and recognitions, including Music Therapy Day, Black History Month activities, adoptable puppies, and a Colorado Agricultural Forum. Members also celebrated Representative Story’s birthday and recognized the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) for its long-running support of arts, culture, science access, and economic impact in Colorado. The House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 12, designating February 20, 2026, as Colorado FFA Day, by a vote of 64-1 with one excused. The chamber then moved to special orders for several bills. The first major bill considered was House Bill 1017, which would prohibit insurers from receiving criminal restitution unless they are direct victims. Sponsors argued the bill prioritizes human victims, prevents restitution from becoming an unpayable burden on low-income defendants, and clarifies the law in response to court concerns and stakeholder feedback. Opponents argued it would shift costs to taxpayers and policyholders and could increase civil litigation and insurance premiums. An amendment, L005, was adopted to clarify the bill’s scope, and the bill then passed as amended. The House also took up House Bill 114, concerning minimum lot size and local land-use rules. An amendment, L002, was offered to prohibit certain local lot frontage, setback, open-space, or coverage requirements that would effectively prevent construction of a single-family home on a 2,000-square-foot residential lot. Supporters framed the measure as protecting housing access, while opponents argued it would override local land-use decision-making and public hearing processes. The transcript ends during debate on a substitute motion related to the amendment, before final action on House Bill 114 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is connected in my opinion process.
• It is connected in my opinion connected<00:38:54.880> to<00:38:55.040> that<00:38:55.280
• > discussion<00:38:55.920> because connected to that discussion because connected to that
• RSA 2150, Roman numeral 4, is defining service-connected injury.
• > numeral 4 is uh divine defining uh numeral 4 is uh divine defining uh service<00:52:20.880> connected

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota um are connected Minnesota um are connected to<01:41:18.599> two<01:41:19.400><
• The reason that productive connections are important is because our communities’ part of the challenges
• that we face is the inadequacy of those connections with government processes and resources.
• <01:46:26.400> with<01:46:26.599> government<01:46:27.199> government connections
• with government government connections with government government processes<01:46:28.560> and

Bills: HF1867, HF1240

Keywords: lottery, retailer contracts, Minnesota Statutes, contract qualifications, public integrity, criminal background, legislative auditor, public funds, state government, compliance, transparency, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• For some, it was providing and building out campus resource centers that would help students connect
• were connecting with campus resources<00:52:59.599> and<00:52:59.680> so<00:52:59.880>
• Are you connected with the resources that are available on campus?
• Are you connected with the resources that are available on campus?
• Are you connected with the resources that are available on campus?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by trillions of dollars in order to finance tax cuts for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected
• <00:03:39.519> the the wealthy the well-off and the the wealthy the well-off and the well-connected
• middle class well-connected leaving middle class families<00:03:43.159> to<00:03:43.480> H
• <02:14:32.920> keep well-off and the well- connected keep well-off and the well- connected
• <04:41:54.638> but the wealthy or the well-connected but the wealthy or the well-connected

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Friday, January 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a little bit to the may connect a little bit to the questions<00:17:10.360> that<00:17:10.480
• <01:17:51.960> them<01:17:52.159> to is to um planning is to connect them to is to
• um planning is to connect them to the<01:17:52.520> types<01:17:52.719> of<01:17:52.960
• Rather than having them leave the prison setting or the correction setting and have no connection to
• thereafter um to provide some connection thereafter um to provide some connection to<01:37:16.239

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session continued its review of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid budget and related policy issues, with CFO Nathan White and Medicaid Director Henry Litman presenting updated materials. The discussion focused on a crosswalk between the adjusted FY 2025 Medicaid budget and the governor’s FY 2026 recommendation, plus handouts showing service additions, eligibility changes, dental rates, and other Medicaid changes since 2019. The department also said it would provide a clearer breakdown of the pharmacy cost-sharing item by general, federal, and other funds. Members asked detailed questions about the Medicaid enhancement tax, the 80% plan, and how funds are allocated between hospital payments, directed payments, and DSH uncompensated care. The department explained that the MET is being used more toward rates and directed payments to better align with federal matching rules, while DSH remains important for uncompensated care. They also noted that a pending Senate Bill 249 would keep the 80% structure and move to Senate Finance. On the trigger law, the department identified the governing provision as Chapter 342:12, Laws of 2018, and explained that if the federal match for Medicaid expansion falls below 90%, the state must notify legislative leaders and participants and the program would sunset after 180 days unless the legislature acts. The committee also reviewed current Medicaid expansion enrollment and program trends. Officials said enrollment was just under 59,000 as of March 3, with about 87,000 people enrolled over the past year and more than a quarter-million residents having used the program over its lifetime. They said enrollment has fallen from a post-pandemic high of nearly 97,000 and may eventually settle in the low 50,000s. Finally, the department discussed federal DSH funding risk, saying New Hampshire could face a significant reduction if Congress does not extend current protections, which is part of why the state has shifted more funding toward payment rates and directed payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rachel Dean can help connect you to the consultants if there are more follow-up questions.
• They also connected us with city staff and helped put together a staff work group.
• That's the street that connects to Thor and Freya, that couplet that the officer showed.
• There's collaboration with WSDOT because the North Spokane Freeway connects in East Central and has big
• Does, are the tubes connected to a speed safety camera that tells the driver how fast they're actually

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With RIMS, there is also a front-end taxpayer-facing portal called Granite Tax Connect, Granite Tax Connect
• It will, through a single sign-in process, connect with systems that might have that data.
• provider until such time as we have our own electrical service coming directly to our campus and connected
• Over time, Vision has become connected to dozens of state,...
• Has become connected to dozens of state, federal, municipal, and commercial systems.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• people are less likely to return to prison when they are prepared for success before release and connected
• For the young people we serve, stability begins with being connected to vital resources such as mental
• So currently the law says that a child may be photographed or fingerprinted in connection with being
• What this would simply say is that a child shall be photographed and fingerprinted in connection with
• And so essentially this is going to be able to connect those juveniles with those other records in the

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We built the systems and partnerships needed to make it function effectively and connect people.
• We built the systems and partnerships needed to make it function effectively and connect people with
• And we, you know, stand available in any way we can to be able to help connect dots so that, you know
• Everything has to be able to connect back to the existing internet.
• But the whole goal has been to make sure that we're connecting in places where individuals have not been

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation on San Mateo County’s request to restore in-lieu vehicle license fee (VLF) funding, which county officials said would otherwise leave the county and its cities facing major budget losses. Supervisors and local officials argued the 2004 VLF swap was intended to hold local governments harmless, but the formula no longer works for San Mateo because of its mix of basic-aid school districts and high property values. They said the loss would force deep cuts to homelessness services, rental assistance, mental health programs, libraries, parks, public safety, wildfire mitigation, and nonprofit partners, with examples including shelter closures, reduced police and fire staffing, and layoffs. The Department of Finance responded that the payments are not statutorily mandated, are discretionary, and are not sustainable in the current fiscal situation, noting the state has still provided more than $300 million since 2012. Members from both parties expressed sympathy, questioned the formula, and said the issue may need a permanent legislative fix; public commenters from cities, labor, nonprofits, and public safety organizations overwhelmingly supported full restoration. The committee ultimately held the item open and later took vote-only action to move two unrelated items on the agenda. The committee also received an update from the Department of General Services on state property redevelopment projects, including the Hillcrest DMV site in San Diego, the Fell Street DMV site in San Francisco, and other state-owned properties. DGS explained that Hillcrest is not yet an active project, while the Fell Street DMV proposal shifted from an integrated housing-and-DMV concept to a plan to relocate DMV into leased space so the site can proceed as housing. Officials said the leased-space option is significantly cheaper than building a new DMV on-site and would allow the housing project to move forward, though questions remained about timing, costs, and whether the partnership model can work. Members pressed DGS on the broader challenge of converting state buildings to housing, and DGS said adaptive reuse depends heavily on building type, floorplate depth, light, and risk from unknown conditions behind walls. The committee also briefly discussed Fairview Developmental Center and the Southern California Veterans Cemetery feasibility study, with DGS saying both are progressing. In Government Operations items, the California Education Learning Lab asked for permanent restoration of its $4 million annual funding and a move from the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to GovOps, arguing that the program supports intersegmental innovation in teaching and learning across UC, CSU, and community colleges, including AI-related work. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the restoration and continuing the planned wind-down, citing the state’s projected deficit and suggesting the interagency council could pursue non-state-funded grant opportunities instead. The committee held that item open. The next item, on the California Education Interagency Council, was presented as a staffing request for four ongoing positions, with GovOps saying the council has already been set up administratively and an executive officer has been appointed.

Transcript Highlights:

• You take the data you've got and you translate it into that, and you can see the inner connections.
• biomedical research in that area, the ability to visualize the shape of a protein and how it might connect
• You take the data you've got and you translate it into that, and you can see the inner connections.
• <00:12:13.360> how<00:12:13.520> it<00:12:13.720> might<00:12:14.080> connect
• <00:12:14.480> with protein and how it might connect with protein and how it might connect

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their friendship is a great example of how mentorship can create confidence, connection, and joy.
• Their friendship is a great example of how mentorship can create confidence, connection, and joy.
• I'm looking forward to Dan of how mentorship can create confidence, connection, and joy.
• only funding their side, and it usually comes over with a total funding across with all the capital connected
• And it usually comes over with a total funding across with all the capital connected.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they play in providing safety for pedestrians who are walking, taking a walk, going to school, connecting
• the transit connections and downtown areas.
• getting our feet underneath us, the first is that we're going to be considering sidewalks alongside connected
• And, you know, the question is, how do you connect? You don't want a sidewalk to nowhere.
• and make those connections.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• That are not deployed today, we will coordinate and connect those to a single hub that is not currently
• So whatever those connections are... ...that exist today if they need assistance.
• What's interesting to me I hear everybody come and testify about how we all ought to be connected, but
• when you go to the very same people that are testifying, okay, we want to connect you to him and you're
• Today, we need to be more connected, and that's what this bill does.

Bills: SB8, SB4, SB43, SB1, SB2, SB13, SB6, SB10, SB16, SB14, SB3, SB8, SB4, SB43, SB1, SB2, SB13, SB6, SB10, SB16, SB14, SB3

Keywords: education, accountability, public school assessment, state law, transparency, intervention, performance ratings, Texas congressional redistricting, U.S. House districts, congressional map, redistricting, gerrymandering, 2020 Census, census tracts, block groups, voting districts, election law, Texas House of Representatives districts, federal congressional districts, 2026 elections