Transcript Highlights:

• , and every day.
• So announcements for today: it is Border Development Day, New Mexico Mesa Day, Workers Day, and Luna
• Announcements for today: it is Border Development Day, New Mexico Mesa Day, Workers Day, and Luna College
• Community Day at the legislature.
• Autism Day in the Senate.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I just want to celebrate the lifelong friendships between these two cities.
• But I'm going to help with that bucket of celebration, because I have to tell you, as a former chair
• Even after we put the bill out in 2016 and '18, I would still hear from Melissa Riley almost every day
• President, I want to thank all of the folks that have worked to get us to this day, where we stand on
• So that means we've completed the orders of the day.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up several committee reports, resolutions, and House messages, then moved through a series of bills on the calendar. Early action included adopting a Ways and Means order on Senate Bill 2549, which promotes student learning and mental health, by substituting a new draft and setting amendment deadlines and a second reading date. The chamber also adopted congratulatory resolutions for the Sport Fish Restoration Program’s 75th anniversary and the Hawthorn Hotel’s 100th anniversary, and suspended rules on a sick leave bank petition for a trial court employee and on a House bill validating a special election in Hardwick, which was ordered to a third reading. The Senate also adopted a motion to adjourn in memory of Peter Hayden Lapin of Springfield, a veteran and former public servant. The Senate then considered Senate Bill 137, renaming and updating references in the General Laws to replace outdated and offensive terms regarding people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Senators spoke at length in support of the bill, emphasizing respect, disability rights, and the work of advocates such as Melissa Riley and the Arc of Massachusetts. An amendment by Senator Creem replaced “hearing impaired” with “deaf or hard of hearing,” and a corrective amendment by Senator Lovely was also adopted. The bill was then passed to be engrossed by a unanimous 40-0 roll call. Next, the Senate considered Senate Bill 1034, which repeals archaic laws including sodomy-related provisions, the common nightwalker law, and the blasphemy statute, and creates a commission to review archaic laws going forward. Senators described the measure as a civil liberties and dignity issue, with particular attention to the misuse of the common nightwalker law against women and trans people and the historical injustice of blasphemy laws. Amendments were adopted to add the Supreme Court as a recipient of commission reports and to remove the crime of petite treason. The bill was then passed to be engrossed unanimously, 40-0. Finally, the Senate considered Senate Bill 2558, the “blue envelope” bill to improve interactions between police officers and people with autism spectrum disorder. Supporters said the voluntary program would help drivers and passengers with ASD during traffic stops and would be made permanent through the Registry of Motor Vehicles, with the State Police and advocacy groups involved. An amendment requiring in-service training by the Massachusetts Police Training Council was adopted, while a proposed yellow-dot amendment for older drivers with chronic illness was rejected 5-34. A Ways and Means amendment was then adopted, and the bill passed to be engrossed unanimously, 39-0. The Senate then adopted an order to meet again the following Monday at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair Feister Forest Day, excuse me, Representative Cole.
• their issue here today, but, uh, it's a busy time of session, so members will be coming in and out all day
• We build them up to host a three-day event and then we tear them down.
• And while we look to sell about 75,000 tickets plus or minus for that three day weekend, what we've seen
• business opportunities in the Lone Star State, business opportunities that extend far beyond the ten-day

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:04.639><c> and</c> always something to celebrate and always something to celebrate and actually
• Um, celebrating public health lab week.
• So before there at the end of the day.
• You can smell the room, but to this day.
• Um in animals at the end of the day.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on April 17 and approved the prior meeting minutes, then set its next meeting for May 29 at 9:30 a.m. Members also discussed a New Futures effort to collect questions about Medicaid changes and post answers as an FAQ, with a preference that the FAQ live on New Futures’ website rather than the state website. The commissioner’s office said it would coordinate responses and that the issue is still evolving. The main presentation was an HHS update focused on the state public health laboratory and its work during Public Health Lab Week. Officials reviewed the lab’s history, its biosafety functions, and its role in disease prevention, food safety, preparedness, and response. They highlighted mosquito surveillance for eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Jamestown Canyon virus, noting that the lab tested more than a quarter million mosquitoes last year and that mosquito testing helps provide early warning for local public health decisions. They also discussed rabies testing, saying New Hampshire’s lab is the only one in the state that performs it, that rabies is fatal once symptoms begin, and that the work is preventable through early prophylaxis. Members asked about federal funding cuts, water testing, and whether CDC changes to rabies testing would affect New Hampshire. The department said it had been affected by an $80 million federal clawback but was managing through other funds and staff reassignments; for the water lab, temporary staff had been hired to continue swimming-area testing. Officials said the state remains able to handle rabies testing and that federal changes would mainly affect areas without similar services. They also answered questions on Jamestown Canyon virus, saying New Hampshire had one human case in 2025 and three in 2024, compared with zero West Nile cases in 2025 and one in 2024, and that weather and protective measures influence mosquito-borne disease levels. Additional questions covered biosafety levels, cyanobacteria coordination with the Department of Environmental Services, and the Brown Building flood mitigation, which was described as about halfway complete with a hoped-for reopening of the west side by June.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members and guests will join Hopper, who is celebrating her ninth birthday, in pledging allegiance to
• Hopper, please stand, who is celebrating her ninth birthday and loves Hawaiian pizza.
• There will be greater disclosures around transparency requirements, and there will be a 30-day period
• notice at least three days prior.
• He was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, welcomed several guests and birthday celebrants, and adopted a resolution honoring the Jeller family for 100 years of service to Plymouth. Members also suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow consideration of a petition authorizing a lease for Pilgrim Memorial Park in Plymouth. The chamber then took up Senate No. 3028, the omnibus animal welfare bill titled “An act promoting pet equity, treatment, and safety,” which Ways and Means recommended ought to pass with a House amendment and an emergency preamble. During debate on S. 3028, members described the bill as a package of animal welfare reforms covering veterinary technician regulation, expanded oversight of veterinary medicine, pet insurance disclosures and cancellation rights, changes to the Beagle Bill adoption process, a ban on animal testing for household products when alternatives exist, requirements for reporting found dogs to law enforcement, protections for service dogs in transportation, stronger kennel licensing enforcement, and limits on discrimination against companion animals in public and senior housing. Several members spoke in support, especially of Section 25, which creates a civil process for animal neglect cases so authorities can seek care or removal without relying solely on felony prosecution; supporters said it better balances animal protection with due process and human crises. The House rejected two proposed amendments, adopted two others, and then passed the bill to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 151-1. The House also passed Senate No. 2577, increasing parking fees in the town of Scituate, and House No. 2250, dissolving the Whately Water District, by roll call vote of 150-0. In addition, the House declined to concur with Senate amendments to House No. 4361, a bill concerning benefits for teachers, and instead ordered a Committee of Conference, appointing Representatives Ryan of Boston, Gonzales of Springfield, and Ferguson of Holden. Finally, the House passed House No. 5492, authorizing Billerica to transfer land for the Yankee Doodle Bike Path, and then adjourned to meet the next day in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of course Our Wednesdays and Saturdays afternoons were the best of our days.
• I vividly remember the days when I was 5 and he was 10 years old, days where we would get picked up from
• day period, for a 10-year period ending in 2035.
• A matter of 45 days.
• He went every day. I watched the kids, my two grandchildren, while he attended.

Bills: HCR7

Committee: House S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: memorial, tribute, military service, community contribution, Texas legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• replacement for House Bill 811, which has been at the top of the Third Reading Calendar for several days
• And at that point, drivers would still have 60 days to take care of their back-paid fines.
• At the end of the day, what we're trying to do is provide the best health care and be the best steward
• Once again, at the end of the day, we wanted it very focused, so we didn't have a larger problem and
• Representative Monks: Just as a clarification there, if you'll notice this is part of our 250 celebration

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met at 8:11 a.m. and first approved minutes from prior meetings, including March 9, March 12, March 13, and later March 16. The committee then considered several RS measures, most of them replacements for bills that had already received hearings or floor action, and in each case took action to introduce them and generally advance them to the Second Reading Calendar. Representative Cannon presented RS 33763, a community infrastructure district bill that would extend to counties a tool currently available to cities to help ensure growth pays for growth; it was introduced and sent to Second Reading. Representative Raymond presented RS 33766, a rules-approval measure for the Agriculture Committee, and it was also introduced and advanced. Representative Sauter presented RS 33736, a public safety bill restoring driver’s license suspension for unpaid traffic infractions; the committee introduced it. Representative Hostetler presented RS 33759, the Merit-based Health Care Act, which would restrict Medicaid-related bias or DEI training requirements for providers; the measure drew the most debate, with Representative Rubel arguing it needed a real hearing and objecting to the substantive policy change, but after motions and recorded nays from Rubel, Burtz, and Church, the committee voted to introduce it and send it to Second Reading. The committee also advanced RS 33754, a cleanup measure related to insurance contract language, and RS 33756, which would require separate campaign accounts, report candidate loans over $1,000, and clarify campaign investment rules. Representative Monks presented RS 33734, a trailer bill to the portable benefits legislation that removed language suggesting the Department of Insurance should promulgate rules, and it was introduced and advanced. He also presented RS 33738, an advisory ballot measure to designate a state gun for the America 250 celebration; Representative Church argued it would add ballot cost and conflict with recent efforts to reduce county election expenses, and moved to return it to the sponsor, but that motion failed and the committee ultimately voted to introduce the measure and send it to Second Reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• Glad to see everybody here on this beautiful day.
• Talk about celebrating.
• I think it's worth celebrating, and I think it's... ...worth celebrating, and I think it's worth rewarding
• And is that during the day or is it after school?
• So I like to say, don't count down the days, make every day count, right?

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Glad to see everybody here on this beautiful day.
• Talk about celebrating.
• And is that during the day or is it after school?
• And is that during the day or is it after school?
• So I like to say, don't count down the days, make every day count, right?

Summary: The committee approved the March 9 and 10 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Arkansas Department of Education on the Arkansas Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, featuring three third-grade teachers from Cabot, Poyen, and Drew Central who are also teacher merit pay recipients. The teachers described the fellowship as a year-long Zoom-based collaboration with about 23 educators statewide, focused on sharing classroom strategies, data use, and professional support. Members asked about the teachers’ experience, how they share what they learn with their districts, the range of grades represented in the fellowship, and the relationship between the fellowship and merit pay. The teachers emphasized building relationships with students, using data to drive instruction, early intervention, and collaboration across grade levels, while the secretary said the program is intended to identify and elevate high-performing teachers and spread their practices. A major portion of the discussion focused on third-grade reading, retention, and the new ATLAS testing system. Teachers and the secretary said students are screened and progress monitored throughout the year, families are notified early if students are at risk, and schools are using interventions, tutoring, and individualized reading plans. They said ATLAS results are now available much faster than in the past, often within 24 hours or a few days, allowing teachers and parents to respond quickly. Members asked about the impact of poverty, trauma, foster care, DHS involvement, IEPs, and critical shortage areas; teachers said relationship-building, small-group instruction, and coordination with counselors and special education staff are key. The secretary said the fellowship is a small subset of a broader merit pay program, that participation was voluntary, and that the state is trying to build a coherent system with literacy coaches, high-impact tutoring, and clearer standards rather than teaching to the test. Members also discussed broader policy issues, including the need for more positive public messaging about public education, teacher input in decision-making, and support for early childhood education. Several legislators asked whether the state should expand funding for early learning and whether more literacy or academic coaches are needed in districts that improve and then lose eligibility for state support. The secretary said the state has committed literacy coaches to D and F schools and is still working through how to sustain support as schools improve. He also said the administration would look at data and return on investment before supporting additional funding, and he encouraged legislators to help recruit eligible teachers into future fellowship cohorts. After the teacher panel concluded, the committee moved on to the adequacy resource allocation study, where Bureau of Legislative Research staff began a presentation on state and local education funding sources, categorical funds, and district spending patterns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next order of business, the orders of the day. Lady from Davis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
• We can't change that day, but we can be better prepared.
• Speaker, that concludes the orders of the day.
• Citation 82, Representative Hancock and Representative Fleming, citation of celebration.
• The House of celebration.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While recent weeks have tested us all, today is a day that we come together, that we move forward, and
• Speaker Hortman, I will never forget celebrating together the passage of driver's licenses for all, with
• c> forget</c> speaker Hortman I will will never forget speaker Hortman I will will never forget celebrating
• ><c> together</c><00:08:01.919><c> the</c><00:08:02.159><c> passage</c><00:08:02.599><c> of</c> celebrating
• together the passage of celebrating together the passage of driver's<00:08:03.240><c> licenses</c><00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Battle of the Bulge, D-Day<00:18:39.039><c> at</c><00:18:39.280><c> Omaha</c> D-Day at Omaha D-Day
• </c> days working for violence against women. days working for violence against women.
• And this is part of what we celebrate as we celebrate 100 days of President Trump's administration.
• And this is part as we celebrate<07:23:00.878><c> a</c><07:23:01.040><c> 100</c><07:23:01.440><c> days
• </c><07:23:02.240><c> of</c><07:23:02.478><c> President</c> celebrate a 100 days of President celebrate

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 28, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Martin Luther King, because we're now on the cusp of Martin Luther King's birthday, which we celebrated
• :07:48.919><c> birthday</c><00:07:49.360><c> which</c><00:07:49.520><c> we</c><00:07:49.680><c> celebrated
• </c> King's birthday which we celebrated King's birthday which we celebrated January<00:07:50.720><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> your walks together one of these days. your walks together one of these days.
• that's something that I really hope that we can set the tone in the state, especially on the first day
• </c> the state, especially on the first day the state, especially on the first day of<00:20:30.960><c
• 14th and tragedy that happened in June 14th and also<00:20:38.720><c> just</c><00:20:38.960><c> celebrate
• uh you know, Senator also just celebrate uh you know, Senator Hoffman<00:20:40.960><c> coming</c><00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, as we celebrate Line Worker Appreciation Day and the dedicated men and women who serve as line
• workers, As we celebrate Line Worker Appreciation Day and the dedicated men and women who serve as line
• This bill takes prosecutions down from 30 days to 10. Ten days.
• down to 10 days.
• down to 10 days.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so the America 250 celebration, the $25,000.
• Oh, less than six days. Six days? Less than six days. And then what about do you have?
• The other day we had a discussion about building a new hospital, but at the end of the day they said,
• The Command Center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• So it should be a very short brief day. With that, we are adjourned.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the full-day pre-K plus 1,380 hours.
• It's 10 hours a day, and it's five days a week, and sometimes it's 24 hours, and it's flex.
• They're open way more than 10 hours a day, sometimes six days a week.
• And then five days a week after they go to the part-day pre-K program?
• a day.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Day at our state Capitol.
• LaSalle County Day in the Texas Senate.
• LaSalle County Day in the Texas Senate.
• Jim Hogg County Day at our state Capitol.
• Well, we just had Fayette County Day here in the Texas Senate, and now we have Austin County Day.

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation, messages from the House, and several recognitions, including county day delegations from Fayette, LaSalle, Jim Hogg, Austin, and others, as well as a recognition of Rob Keppel for his career with the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. The chamber also adopted several resolutions, including SR 429 designating October 2025 as RET Syndrome Awareness Month and SR 432 honoring Rob Keppel. A doctor-of-the-day introduction and a public announcement about free skin checks were also made. The Senate then took up and passed several bills. SB 1152, creating the offense of continuous manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, passed after suspension of the rules. SB 1868, regulating kratom and related substances, was amended to prohibit smokeable kratom products and kratom pills and to clarify THC variants such as Delta-8 and Delta-10, then passed. SB 1349, creating offenses for transnational repression and unauthorized enforcement of foreign law, drew debate over a failed amendment that would have added election misinformation and foreign meddling; the bill ultimately passed unanimously. SB 2037, expediting review of LNG environmental permits, passed after amendments clarifying fees and deadlines, with opposition focused on its energy-policy implications. SB 1164, addressing emergency detention and court-ordered inpatient mental health treatment, passed after a drafting-error correction and discussion of the bill’s basis in recommendations from the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health. The Senate also advanced SB 2743 on prosecution of certain election offenses, which would allow a court process to disqualify a local prosecutor who repeatedly refuses to prosecute election cases and appoint the Attorney General; it passed to engrossment amid questions about evidence and local discretion. SB 1299, protecting nonprofit members, supporters, volunteers, and donors from disclosure by public agencies, passed unanimously. SB 2349, exempting certain short-term leases and temporary tenancies from floodplain notice requirements, passed unanimously. SB 2788, adding PSAT and pre-ACT scores for Texas Success Initiative exemptions and clarifying dual-credit eligibility, passed unanimously after amendment. SB 843, creating a TEA database of school district bonds, taxes, and bond-related projects and adding charter schools, passed after amendments on funding and scope. Finally, SB 1832, allowing parents to transfer a student who was victimized by a public school employee to another campus, passed to engrossment after extended debate over whether the bill should also cover private schools and how it would interact with school choice and ESA policy. SB 39, revising the admission rule in commercial motor vehicle collision cases, was laid out and debated over its effect on negligent entrustment and related evidence, with the author emphasizing that the bill preserves the bifurcated trial structure and does not alter other admissibility rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, today's the day everybody has been waiting for, as you know, especially those who had their bill
• c> culture,</c> celebrating culture, city culture, celebrating culture, city culture, county<00:59:20.000
• </c><01:05:46.400><c> of</c> incidents in those um in the days of incidents in those um in the days of
• So, at Redhead Mountain Bike Trail, we did an event sort of celebrating the funds. Okay.
• And celebrating the the funds. Okay.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And thanks that we get to celebrate our state's birthday, that we just get to look back and think about
• Every day we come to work and we do our best, right?
• And also, we wanted to give you one of the first newly minted 250 celebration coins from the Senate just
• And just to make sure that I understand things, even from the meeting the other day, I mean, there has
• And just to make sure that I understand things, even from the meeting the other day, I mean, there has

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call, prayer, and approval of the previous minutes. Members then adopted a resolution honoring Lori McDonald of the Department of Human Services for nearly 28 years of state service, with remarks praising her legislative work, constituent services, leadership, and emergency response roles. McDonald thanked the committee, and the Senate also presented her with a citation, flag, and commemorative coin. The committee received the May 2026 revenue report, which showed gross adjusted collections of $7.76 billion year-to-date, up 4.4% from the prior year, and a projected surplus of $585.8 million. The executive subcommittee report was adopted, covering emergency rules for DHS and the Department of Education, school district waiver requests, committee fund allocations, cancellation of the July ALC meeting, and authorization for subcommittees to meet in July on urgent matters. The administrative rules report was also adopted after members noted that most rules were approved, with a few pulled by agencies or held. Members then heard a lengthy exchange on the Arkansas Education Department’s ClassWallet contract and delays in expense review for education savings account payments. Department officials said they were meeting regularly with ClassWallet, enforcing contract standards, keeping some reviews in-house, and adding staff and technology improvements to speed processing while maintaining oversight. The committee also adopted reports from Game and Fish and State Police, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Lottery Oversight, Occupational Licensing Review, Peer Review, Review, State Insurance Programs Oversight, and Personnel, including a Department of Commerce reallocation tied to a broader shared-services realignment. Under review of communications, members filed several retirement system investment items as reviewed, approved rural community grant funding, gave favorable advice for state park additions, approved special maintenance funding for state parks, and filed Office of State Technology service-rate changes as reviewed. The meeting concluded with no new business and adjournment.