Transcript Highlights:

• Please call the roll. Thank you.
• Thank you. I've heard that debate before in the legislature. Thank you.
• Laird: On call. Okay, that is 5 to 0. The bill's on call. Thank you. Thank you.
• Okay, the bill's on call. Thank you.
• Could you say what the existing vote is before you call the roll? Sure.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1393, an omnibus update to the Fish and Game Code covering steelhead trout and Dungeness crab management. Supporters from The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, CalTrout, and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations said the bill would strengthen the steelhead report card program, refine crab fishery rules, and clarify vessel transit through closed crab areas. There was no opposition, and the bill was accepted with amendments and moved on a 4-0 vote to the Appropriations Committee. The committee also heard SB 1250, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning and asset management, with performance targets and coordination with wildlife agencies. The author and supporters argued it would improve ecosystem connectivity, reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, and save money by integrating crossings, culverts, and fencing into planned projects. The California Building Industry Association moved to neutral after amendments clarifying the bill would apply to transportation rights-of-way and not create exactions on private property. The bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1212, which would repeal California’s ban on importing and selling kangaroo products. The author argued kangaroo harvest in Australia is tightly regulated and that California’s ban is outdated, while opponents from Humane World for Animals, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and others said the bill would reopen the market to products from a cruel commercial slaughter industry and undermine long-standing wildlife protections. No motion was taken at that point. The committee also heard SB 1268, codifying the Outdoors for All initiative, which supporters said would protect and expand equitable access to parks and outdoor recreation; it advanced 3-0. Finally, the committee heard three Western Joshua Tree bills from Senator Arreguín: SB 1061, SB 1062, and SB 1063. Supporters from water agencies, local governments, and industry said the bills would reduce fees and streamline permitting for tree relocation, public infrastructure, and basic utility hookups in desert communities. Opponents withdrew or softened opposition on the first two bills after amendments, but objected to SB 1063 as too broad. SB 1061 and SB 1062 each passed 2-0 to Appropriations, while SB 1063 was still under discussion at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an honor to be here and to speak before you. My name is Kevin Johnson.
• I've been before you before representing Concord citizens who sweepingly passed two home rule petitions
• Actually, you had one more before you want to ask your question. I do, but I prefer to you.
• for your testimony actually you had one more before you want to ask your question I do but I prefer
• to testify before you.

Bills: H5001

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-12, H.503, an act to implement all-party state primaries. Committee leaders explained the Article 48 process and said the hearing was part of the Legislature’s review before any measure could advance toward the 2026 ballot. The hearing format included subject-matter experts, proponents, opponents, and public testimony, though this excerpt mainly covers the expert and proponent panels. The first expert, Northeastern University political scientist Costas Panagopoulos, described top-two primaries used in states such as California, Washington, Alaska, Louisiana, and Nebraska, and said the research shows only modest or mixed effects. He argued that top-two systems do not reliably reduce polarization, can weaken party gatekeeping, may increase campaign spending and incumbent advantages, and can lead to undervoting when voters do not see a preferred candidate on the ballot. In response to questions, he said turnout effects are mixed and not substantially higher overall. Katie King of the National Conference of State Legislatures then outlined different primary systems, including closed, open, top-two/top-four, nonpartisan, all-comers, and blanket primaries, and reviewed Supreme Court cases holding blanket primaries unconstitutional while upholding Washington’s top-two system. She also noted that changing primary systems would require significant voter education and administrative preparation. The proponent panel, led by Danielle Allen of the Coalition for Healthy Democracy, argued that Massachusetts has too many uncontested elections, low primary participation, and too little accountability, and that all-party primaries would give every voter a meaningful choice in a higher-turnout general election. Supporters said the proposal is tailored to Massachusetts, would keep party endorsements visible on the ballot, and could broaden competition, improve representation, and help independent and minor-party candidates. Jim Henderson, coalition counsel, said the bill is narrowly focused on state-level primaries and was drafted to fit Article 48 requirements. Other proponents, including Kevin Johnson, Kate Kavanaugh, and Spencer Reynolds, echoed that the current system overrepresents a small partisan electorate and that the reform would shift power to voters. Committee members pressed the proponents on turnout evidence, party endorsements, ballot access, the role of fusion-style cross-endorsements, the effect on polarization, and whether the change would actually improve representation or simply move party influence to an earlier stage. No votes or final committee action were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to give you a little backdrop on the impact of the program before they ask, as you all might know
• Thank you. It's very exciting; I'll dig a little more into it. Okay, thank you. Great question.
• Before we go to the bond, let's just talk about Do you have, and pun intended, I think, do you have a
• And I know I've asked you this before, but I think it's important.
• I cannot tell you how many calls I'm getting from the contractors.

Transcript Highlights:

• So just want to clarify that before we move on. Okay, Senator Irvin. Thank you.
• So thank you. Did you guys want to respond to that before we go to the next question? Sure, yeah.
• Or a case manager—do you call them all the same? And how many do you have?
• Or a case manager, do you call them all the same? And how many do you have? So we have.
• When you look at your quality misses or mistakes, whatever you want to call those, and zero in on resolutions

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, just briefly, I am um grateful to be before you and for you to hear about this.
• and ultimately the bill that's before you today.
• </c><01:08:10.400><c> you</c> ultimately the bill that's before you ultimately the bill that's before
• to come before you and talk about me to come before you and talk about what<01:13:38.080><c> happened
• I'm calling on all of you to do better and reject these changes. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• think about the issues that you face and that will come before you.
• That means that before you get to the end of 20 years, you’ve hit zero, and you may need to recapitalize
• How much capital do you bring in before an event?
• So what AB 1774 asks is that there are audits every year, and you have to spend that money before you
• Smith, did you have a comment just before we move on from that topic?

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Transcript Highlights:

• When you lift the calls and the rest of the members are here, you can take a motion then.
• We'll keep that bill on call. I see Senator Achadjian? You have several bills with us.
• Thank you. I've heard that debate before in the legislature. Thank you.
• Laird: On call. That is 5 to 0. The bill is on call. Thank you.
• Could you say what the existing vote is before you call the roll? Sure.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Transcript Highlights:

• line on the general fund side is what you see in this document before you.
• line on the general fund side is what you see in this document before you.
• line on the general fund side is what you see in this document before you.
• line on the general fund side is what you see in this document before you.
• line on the general fund side is what you see in this document before you.

Committee: Senate Capital Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you so much. Staff will call the vote. Thank you so much. Staff will call the vote.
• Thank you so much. Staff will call the roll. Thank you so much. Staff will call the roll.
• Thank you so much. Staff will call the roll. Thank you so much. Staff will call the roll. Berg.
• Thank you, Madam Chair. We concur. Staff will... Staff will call the roll.
• Okay, can we have the roll call? Thank you. I'm sorry. I know you're just like...

Bills: SB5994 , SB6244

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: timber tax, school funding, levy failure, tax distribution, education funding, tax exemption, agriculture, hazardous substances, crop protection, warehousing

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, I just call upon you to be with us this day.
• Thank you so much. Mr. Floor, thank you, Speaker.
• So thank you for the clarification that we actually have two school years before retention and two school
• for that you have referenced a couple times Oklahoma's past and what we've what we had before would
• when we had something similar before would it surprise you to know that when we did this Oklahoma had

Bills: HB4420 , HB3974 , HB3016 , HB3062 , HB3021 , HB3145 , HB4128 , HB3131 , HB3015 , HB3472 , HB3453 , HB1638 , HB4126 , HB2696 , HB2710 , HB3552 , HB3031 , HB3544 , HB3521 , HB4490 , HB4488 , HB1746 , HJR1069 , HB4428 , HB4429 , HB1170 , HB3538 , HB4124 , HB3904 , HB4106 , HB2999 , HB3982 , HJR1077 , HB3464 , HB2588 , HB3462 , HB4440 , HB3674 , HB3345 , HJR1067 , HB4326 , HB4331 , HB4337 , HB4338 , HB4359 , HB4392 , HB3557 , HJR1076 , HB4003 , HB3495 , HB3497 , HB3501 , HB3505 , HB3749 , HB3011 , HB4336 , HB4346 , HJR1087 , HB3240 , HB3647 , HB3796 , HB3969 , HB3972 , HB3983 , HB3984 , HB3989 , HB3383 , HB3130 , HB4358 , HB3327 , HJR1055 , HB3386 , HJR1089 , HB3087 , HB2970 , HB3314 , HB4129 , HB4199

Transcript Highlights:

• Vettel, would you please call the roll? Senator Miller. Mr. Vettel, would you please call the roll?
• If you must make a call, please step outside of the committee room.
• You got to call that a clue. Okay. I did a good sale to him.
• So, as you can see before you, I would like to turn your attention to this first map that we have right
• Before you leave, they'll stick around. I don't have any problems with it.

Committee: Senate Judiciary A

Summary: The committee first approved the May 5 minutes and then heard House Bill 578, which would define sex in Louisiana law as biological sex, replace references to gender with sex in various statutes and forms, and direct the Law Institute to make conforming changes. Supporters from the governor’s office said the bill would bring clarity and consistency, while opponents argued it could create conflicts with existing law and weaken protections tied to gender identity. After debate, the committee reported HB 578 favorably. Members then considered House Bill 1250, a measure aimed at aerospace-related litigation. The bill would allow a special motion to strike certain claims against aerospace flight entities when the claims are preempted by federal law. Senators raised concerns that the language was broad enough to affect airports, airlines, contractors, and even unrelated incidents, and the author said he was willing to work on narrowing amendments. The committee nevertheless reported HB 1250 favorably. House Bill 718, dealing with liability protections for private airstrips used for recreation, was amended to narrow its scope and then reported favorably, while House Bill 163, a narrower related airstrip bill, was voluntarily deferred so the committee could work from the other measure. The committee also approved House Concurrent Resolution 61, which asks the Louisiana Law Institute to review possible conflicts between the constitution and statutes on expropriation. House Bill 180, defining foreign adversaries and agents of foreign adversaries for a proposed constitutional amendment, and House Bill 192, a constitutional amendment barring foreign adversaries from expropriating land in Louisiana, were both reported favorably. House Bill 1008, which sets out academic freedom and whistleblower protections for higher education, was rejected on a roll-call vote after concerns about its scope and limits on university discipline. House Bill 638, a prompt-payment bill for contractors, was set aside while amendments were being located. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 71, which would extend existing liability protections for justified use of force to properly trained armed security guards. The author and the Board of Private Security Examiners said security officers receive training and often face dangerous situations, but opponents argued the bill would give too much protection to personnel with far less training than law enforcement and could shield bad shootings. After debate, the committee voted to defer HB 71. The last measure discussed was House Bill 1082, which would change venue rules for lawsuits involving the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System so actions by the system would be filed where the employer is located; the author said the bill was meant to help small municipalities, and members indicated they were open to narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an honor to be here and to speak before you. My name is Kevin Johnson.
• I've been before you before, representing Concord citizens who sweepingly passed two home rule petitions
• Actually, you had one more before you want to ask your question. I do, but I prefer to you.
• for your testimony actually you had one more before you want to ask your question I do but I prefer
• to testify before you.

Bills: H5001

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation that is before you requires public school classrooms to give 60 seconds of moment of
• While I respect the intention that is before us, that you want kids to be thoughtful, and thank you for
• But I thank you for bringing this before us.
• Chairman, I'd request a roll call vote. Representative Lee: Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• workarounds before moving to this, you know, where we need to have these clear definitions.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. and for the first roll call to be open for co-authors. I yield, thank you.
• Quorum call is lifted and we are adjourned. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning.
• Districts call and come and visit us, and they want to know, what are you doing?
• Listen, I’ve been called worse. You can call me whatever you want.
• “We get called into the principal’s office and say this person, you know, their family was called, DHS
• Well, I think, you know, if you look at a lot of the conversations here, it starts proper before students

Transcript Highlights:

• Regardless of how you participate, you must be recognized by the chair before speaking.
• And with that, Vice Chair, would you like to call up testifiers? Thank you, Madam Vice Chair.
• Under the proposed substitute before you, it's marked H-1267.2.
• have before you today.
• We appreciate the opportunity to be before you today.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Fugate: Thank you. So I’m digging through the language itself.
• You just call me whatever you want. I'm just kind of late for dinner, right?
• I do appreciate you catching me before the meeting and talking about those concerns.
• change your city ordinances in this manner before January 1, then you can avoid...
• Members, before you is House Bill 3075. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Bills: HB1268 , HB3041 , HB3075 , HB3378 , HB3463 , HB3619 , HB3620 , HB3624 , HB3722 , HB4335

Committee: House Government Oversight

Summary: The Government Oversight committee opened with prayer and then took up a series of bills, many related to census preparation, election administration, municipal oversight, and state/local regulatory policy. Leader Lawson presented three census and mapping measures: HB 3619 updated the state geographic information one-stop initiative and authorized leaf-off aerial surveys to support a single boundary map layer; HB 3620 created the 2030 Complete Census Count Committee; and HB 3624 repealed a statute tied to meandering waterways and county boundary interpretation. All three passed, with HB 3619 and HB 3624 receiving unanimous support and HB 3620 passing 13-2. Chairman Bowles presented HB 3463 to modernize municipal audit procedures for small communities under 2,500 population, emphasizing transparency and accountability; it passed 16-0. Floor Leader West presented HB 3041 on credit-card surcharge rules for retailers. Members debated whether the bill’s cap language was really a cap or a notice threshold, and an amendment to raise the percentage from 2% to 4% was ultimately withdrawn so the language could be fixed later; the bill still passed 19-0. Pro Tem Moore’s HB 4335, aimed at preventing a patchwork of local pet-shop and pet-breeder bans while preserving statewide standards, drew questions about preemption and enforcement but passed 13-6. Representative Hildebrandt’s HB 3075 created a penny-rounding rule for cash transactions by public entities, allowing rounding to the nearest nickel; it passed 18-0. Representative Ranson’s HB 3378 made a temporary change to the Oklahoma Science and Technology Research and Development Board’s terms to address delays in grant timing, and it also passed 18-0. Representative Crosswhite Hader’s HB 3722 would require incomplete voter registration applications to be returned rather than defaulted to “independent/no party,” prompting extended debate with the State Election Board about voter intent and processing; it passed 15-3. Finally, Vice Chair Hays presented HB 1268, which adds a DROP option to the pension system for EMTs, county jailers, and assistant sheriffs with a five-year cap; it passed 13-4. The committee adjourned after announcing a Thursday meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think many of you have heard that before, so I really won't spend your time today talking about that
• Before we commit funding, I mean, you have to commit the planning dollars, but then going through that
• Have you made any policy changes? Wait a minute. OK. CEO Everybody calls you Martina.
• That It's what I make my kids call me, so that's. Thank you.
• Chairman, just really quickly, I'd like for folks to take with you before you leave the budget adjustment

Transcript Highlights:

• How many meetings do you miss before it's considered neglect of duty?
• Only because you guys are before us today, and I'm going to support the bill.
• me to come in before you because it sounded like you were going to start beginning to try and fix this
• before you.
• Because when I ask for you all to come on the call of the chair, you may get an hour's notice, and you

Bills: SB40 , SB104 , SB136 , SB164

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• So as you come on up and testify, or hopefully don't testify, you know, and you can testify, you… So
• Chair, Madam Chair, Commissioner, when was the last five-year disposition plan completed before you were
• Chair, I'd like to request a roll call vote. Okay, thank you. So then, you've heard the motion.
• Chair, I'd like to request a roll call vote. Okay, thank you. So then, so you've heard the motion.
• I used the wrong phone number calling from the... so I look forward to working with you, Bill.

Summary: The committee first heard an Auditor General presentation on the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board’s sunset review. The audit found the board generally met some licensing requirements, but it did not timely investigate and resolve 49 of 159 complaints in fiscal year 2024, and it did not fully comply with conflict-of-interest disclosure and filing requirements. The Auditor General also noted the board lacked a formal process to verify continuing education compliance. The board’s executive director said the agency had already corrected some conflict-of-interest issues, was working to improve complaint handling, and would implement all 21 recommendations. A veterinarian representing the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association supported the board and said the profession is also working to address the shortage of large-animal veterinarians. The committee then voted to recommend continuation of the board for eight years, until July 1, 2034. The committee next received the Auditor General’s sunset review of the Arizona State Land Department. The audit identified three major problem areas: the department had not updated its required five-year disposition plan for state trust land since 2011, it had not adjusted agricultural rental rates to reflect market conditions for many years, and it had not consistently inspected mineral-related leases and permits before releasing reclamation bonds. The Auditor General said these issues risked lower returns for trust beneficiaries, lost revenue, and public safety hazards, and made 18 recommendations in the performance audit plus 34 additional recommendations in the sunset review. The department agreed to implement or partially implement nearly all recommendations and said it had begun a mass appraisal process. State Land Commissioner Robin Zahid then testified that the department was making operational improvements, including rulemaking updates, stakeholder outreach on water-use policy, a new customer-service status bar, and process changes for land sales and mining applications. She defended the decision not to renew the Fondomonte leases in a transportation basin, citing the high value of groundwater and the trust’s fiduciary duty. Members questioned her about agricultural lease water charges, the status of a water policy framework and addendum, the lack of a formal expedited review process, the Fondomonte reimbursement payments for improvements, and the department’s handling of a high-profile land auction tied to the Coyotes arena proposal. Several members also asked for follow-up information on pending residential housing applications, acreage, administrative fees, and third-party contractors.