Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Griffin said he saw that under the major accomplishments in survey and mapping there were
• He said he saw that under the major accomplishments in survey and mapping there were 1,123 new records
• to prison service and looked at mapped to prison service and looked at our<03:59:43.120><c> Medicaid
• of the recruitment initiatives and map of the recruitment initiatives and retention<04:18:34.080><c>
• We really map through that.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.

Transcript Highlights:

• filed by Representative Gary of Dracott, relative to providing municipal notices to the public of hazardous

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up a series of resolutions reported by the Committee on Rules. These included resolutions congratulating Joseph J. Jacobs for recognition on Massachusetts Military Appreciation Day, promoting skin cancer awareness and prevention in May 2025, recognizing May 2025 as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, and commending the National Brain Tumor Society for Brain Tumor Awareness Month. Representative Hogan moved suspension of the rules, the motion prevailed, and the House adopted the resolutions. The House then considered a set of petitions for legislation after the Committee on Rules and the concurrent Rules committees recommended suspending Joint Rule 12. The petitions included a proposal by William F. McGregor to regulate social media feeds, a measure concerning municipal notices for hazardous waste sites, a petition on historic districts and commissions, and a petition to prohibit sex offenders from entering public or private school property for any reason. Representative Gabbily moved suspension of the rules, the House agreed, and Joint Rule 12 was suspended so the petitions could be referred to the appropriate committees. After these actions, the House took a brief recess and then adjourned. The chamber agreed to meet again on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, the legislature repealed all statutes relating to the mapping system and directed all mapping
• The mapping hadn't been done for a period of time.
• The mapping hadn't been done for a period of time.
• maps up to date.
• appropriately, every building could be mapped appropriately.

Bills: SB5992, SB5918, SB5951, SB6042, SB5952, SB5961, SB5969

Keywords: youth development, funding, positive programs, youth services, community programs, school funding, education, supplies, operating costs, K-12 education, albuterol, access, public schools, private schools, healthcare, school safety, emergency preparedness, mapping, local education policies, curriculum requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• In combination with historic drought conditions, this created a perfect storm of hazardous ladder fuels
• laid their loved ones to rest for generations, long before jurisdictional boundaries were drawn on a map
• jurisdictional boundaries were drawn on jurisdictional boundaries were drawn on a<04:26:00.040><c> map
• </c> a map. a map.
• These tools help provide real-time information on ocean conditions, weather patterns, coastal hazards

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 16, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, the legislature repealed all statutes relating to the mapping system and directed all mapping
• And at that time, we talked about mapping and talked about something that the state... ...mapping and
• The mapping hadn't been done for a period of time.
• maps up to date.
• appropriately, every building could be mapped appropriately.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5992, which would create a non-appropriated Youth Development Fund account to support grants for positive youth development programs serving ages 5 to 24. Staff explained that OSPI would administer grants to nonprofits, tribes, and local parks and recreation entities, with school districts and ESDs eligible mainly as partners; annual reporting would be required. The sponsor and many testifiers, including students, youth-serving nonprofits, tribal representatives, and agency partners, described after-school, mentoring, arts, sports, outdoor, and wraparound programs as important for mental health, belonging, safety, civic engagement, and prevention, especially for vulnerable and rural youth. The committee then moved to executive session and adopted a substitute and passed SB 5992 to the Rules Committee. The committee also took executive action on Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for excusing high school students from physical education, and on Senate Bill 5961, which would transfer the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. In both cases, the committee adopted proposed substitutes that narrowed or adjusted the bills, then voted them out of committee: SB 5952 was sent to Rules, and SB 5961 was sent to Ways and Means. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5969 on allowing an IEP transition plan to satisfy high school and beyond plan requirements; after discussion, a substitute was adopted that instead directs OSPI to reduce duplication in the statewide IEP system, and the bill was passed to Ways and Means. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 5918, which would increase materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) funding by $100 per student or $100,000 per district, whichever is greater, starting in the 2026-27 school year. Testimony from educators, administrators, school board members, PTA, and OSPI emphasized that districts are using local levy dollars to cover basic operating costs such as utilities, insurance, curriculum, and maintenance, leaving less for enrichment and forcing cuts or deferred purchases. One opponent argued against additional taxes and questioned the return on school spending. The sponsor framed the bill as necessary to meet the state’s paramount duty to fund basic education. The transcript then shifted to Senate Bill 5951 on school access to albuterol, which would allow schools to keep stock albuterol under a statewide standing order and let trained staff administer it under certain conditions; students, nurses, and advocates testified that stock albuterol could reduce absences and improve safety for students with asthma. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 6042 on school mapping, which would require school safety plans to include accurate, interoperable digital maps for first responders; the sponsor and emergency response witnesses said standardized maps are critical for coordinated, timely response in school emergencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, to come back to say but saying to put back in place or try to put in place a map, two maps that was
• I'm not arguing about the congressional maps. I'm talking about the state maps.
• >> Which map?
• map?
• His name was Thomas Hofeller. >> The map that you're trying to introduce. >> I'm not introducing a map

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• maps legal in the eyes of federal judges.
• maps legal in the eye of federal judges.
• Then you have the same map being litigated... Nonsense.
• Alabama map.
• We're going to stick with the one-district map.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this new map cuts that number down to just eight.
• The map that Republicans put out yesterday, in that map more than one-third of Texans, more than 10 million
• This map is a gross injustice. Dr.
• That means that if this map goes through, if it passes, this.
• This map is a gross injustice. Dr.

Keywords: redistricting, gerrymandering, Texas Democrats, voter suppression, Hakeem Jeffries, equitable representation, minority communities, legislative session, political motivations

Summary: Texas Democratic leaders and members of Congress held a press event in Austin with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to denounce the Republican-led special session and proposed congressional redistricting map. Speakers, including Lizzie Fletcher, Lloyd Doggett, Al Green, Joaquin Castro, Sylvia Garcia, and Greg Casar, argued that the session should instead focus on flood recovery after the Hill Country Independence Day floods, affordability, health care, the energy grid, and other state priorities. They said the new map was a partisan and racially discriminatory gerrymander designed to help Donald Trump and Texas Republicans gain seats, weaken minority voting power, and undermine free and fair elections. Several speakers said the current Texas map is already under legal challenge and claimed the proposed changes would further reduce the ability of Black and Latino communities to elect candidates of choice. They also tied the redistricting fight to broader national issues such as Medicaid, Social Security, tariffs, housing costs, and corruption. Jeffries said Texas Democrats would not “bend the knee” and pledged support for their efforts, while emphasizing that the fight would continue politically, in court, and through public organizing. In the question-and-answer portion, Jeffries said all options should be on the table to protect Texans, but that Texas Democrats would decide their own strategy. Fletcher said the immediate priority was informing the public about the rushed process, noting that many Texans testified before seeing a map and that the hearings were moving quickly. No formal vote or legislative action occurred at the event itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> map that we're under? map that we're under?
• </c> who drew those maps? who drew those maps?
• c> maps.
• Okay, now that was the map in maps. Okay, now that was the map in 2021. 2021. 2021. Correct.
• </c> Who drew that map? Who drew that map? It's the 2021 map. It's the 2021 map. Okay.

Bills: SB1

Keywords: special primary election, redistricting, State Senate districts, federal court ruling, injunction, vacated order, election calendar, 2026 general election, 2026 primary election, runoff election, party nominee, Governor proclamation, Alabama elections, district boundaries, court-ordered redistricting, special election, nomination process, Secretary of State, election law, 1136

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Jerry mandard is who controls the map Jerry mandard is who controls the map drawing<00:22:51.080
• </c><00:23:35.799><c> um</c> use it to Ram through Jerry Maps um use it to Ram through Jerry Maps um
• </c><00:23:46.799><c> um</c> commission vote to approve a map um commission vote to approve a map um
• </c><00:45:47.880><c> more</c> Interest might also um make maps more Interest might also um make maps
• </c> happens when you have Jerry Mander Maps happens when you have Jerry Mander Maps is<00:47:23.960>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And refused to let any of them see a map. I've been there and I can tell you.
• So he's demanded a rigged map, and he told Governor Abbott to make it happen.
• And this new map cuts that number down to just 8.
• The map that Republicans put out yesterday, in that map, more than 1/3 of Texans, more than 10 million
• This map is a gross injustice.

Transcript Highlights:

• Think of the budget bill status report as a map, not a destination.
• high sector on some on really some new high high<01:51:55.119><c> technology</c><01:51:55.840><c> mapping
• </c><01:51:56.560><c> that's</c><01:51:56.880><c> helping</c> high technology mapping that's helping
• high technology mapping that's helping out<01:51:57.360><c> our</c><01:51:57.599><c> energy</c><01:51
• And finally, the JAC added $390,000 from the general fund for firefighter paid leave and hazard pay,

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• catastrophic incident, extensive investigations, and concerns involving facilities already regulated as high-hazard
• What if we can now take next-level related industry when it comes to hazardous materials and jump on

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on worker protections, AI in the workplace, bereavement leave, and construction labor standards. SB 909 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas would increase public works contractor registration fees, raise prevailing wage and related penalties, and direct half of collected penalties back into the Public Works Enforcement Fund. Supporters said the bill would help combat wage theft and misclassification and strengthen enforcement; opponents argued the higher fees and penalties would burden contractors without fixing enforcement backlogs. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass motion to Appropriations. The committee also approved SB 951 by Senator Reyes, which would require 60-day notice when 25 or more workers are displaced by technology and require reporting on AI-related job impacts. Supporters framed it as a response to rapid AI-driven layoffs and a way to gather real-time data; opponents raised concerns about small employers, proprietary information, and litigation. SB 947 by Senator McNerney, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” would require human review of automated discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and restrict predictive behavior analysis. Supporters said it would prevent biased or mistaken automated decisions; opponents objected to the inclusion of independent contractors, private rights of action, and other provisions. Both bills were advanced to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee also passed SB 1149 by Senator Durazo, which would expand bereavement leave to cover a “designated person,” including chosen family relationships. Supporters, including AARP and a witness who described losing a long-term partner, said the bill reflects modern family structures; there was no opposition. In addition, SB 1185 by Senator Cortese, applying skilled and trained workforce standards to pharmaceutical facility construction, was approved despite opposition from business and construction groups who said there was no demonstrated safety problem and that the mandate could raise costs and reduce competition. Several other bills on the consent calendar were also approved, and all measures were reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• catastrophic incident, extensive investigations, and concerns involving facilities already regulated as high-hazard
• What if we can now take next-level related industry when it comes to hazardous materials and jump on

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• directs the Insurance Commissioner to convene a working group by January 1, 2028, to incorporate hazard
• AB 1699 returns good fire to our landscapes, restoring tribal practices, reducing hazardous fuels, and

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:

• directs the Insurance Commissioner to convene a working group by January 1, 2028, to incorporate hazard
• AB 1699 returns good fire to our landscapes, restoring tribal practices, reducing hazardous fuels, and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 911, transfer of real property in fire hazard severity zones. The motion is do pass.
• SB 959, Student Attendance Major Safety Hazards. The motion is do pass.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met for a suspense-file hearing and voted only on measures already heard previously, with no public testimony. The chair explained that bills were taken up quickly in author order, with amended bills to be followed by addendum analyses. The committee considered a very large slate of Senate bills and two Assembly measures covering wildfire resilience, housing, insurance, energy, transportation, public safety, elections, health care, labor, environmental regulation, and various administrative and tax issues. Most measures were approved, many on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, while a substantial number passed on 5-2 or 5-1 party-line votes with Republicans generally voting no. Several bills were amended before passage, including changes to funding contingencies, timelines, reporting requirements, definitions, and removal of certain enforcement or private-right-of-action provisions. A few members noted concerns on specific bills, including Senator Richardson on SB 1203 (private security training), though he said he would vote for it at this stage. Among the notable actions, the committee advanced bills on wildfire smoke, wildfire recovery, mobile home parks, insurance nonrenewals, AI transparency, data center energy issues, Medi-Cal and health coverage, criminal justice, election administration, housing, and labor/workforce standards. The committee also approved AB 46 and AB 736. No bills were held for testimony because the hearing was vote-only, and the meeting adjourned after all items on the agenda were disposed of.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 911, transfer of real property in fire hazard severity zones. The motion is do pass.
• SB 959, Student Attendance Major Safety Hazards. The motion is do pass.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state becomes a participant in a moral hazard.
• produces written findings supported only by documented evidence that The structure obviously has safety hazards

Bills: HB3834, HB3940, HB4346, HB2947, HB3257, HB3264, HB4326, HB4421, HB3944, HB3979, HB4118, SCR22, SB169, HB1047, HB2123, HB2650, HB3260, HB3403, SR41, HB3649, HB3742, HB3831, HB3996, HB4321, HB4339

Keywords: HB3834, Oklahoma Breakthrough Therapy Act, ibogaine, ibogaine-based therapeutics, ibogaine analogs, clinical trials, FDA approval, breakthrough therapy designation, opioid use disorder, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, mental health, neurological disorders, drug development, public-private partnership, State Department of Health, intellectual property, revolving fund, research funding, medical licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• for the removal of rubbish, trash, weeds, fill debris, and dilapidated buildings that constitute a hazard
• for the removal of rubbish, trash, weeds, fill debris, and dilapidated buildings that constitute a hazard

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long agenda of Senate bills across elections, commerce, education, government, health and human services, judiciary, public safety, transportation, rural development, and ways and means. Many measures were described as consent or third-read consent items, including bills on campaign finance termination statements and late-report penalties, AI provenance data for media, adjuster/contractor conduct during emergencies, Industrial Commission changes, association meeting closures, banking and remittance rules, central bank digital currency, public safety parity funding, barbering and cosmetology board continuation, digital asset reserve management, contractor licensing, gaming and racing commission continuation, school AED instruction, classroom removal procedures, school safety reporting, special education complaint transparency, foreign influence and land ownership restrictions, DCS and DES process changes, health care licensing and reimbursement rules, EMS compact adoption, and multiple tax, housing, and transportation measures. Staff repeatedly summarized each bill and answered questions, with several bills noted as mirror or identical to House measures or as strike-everything amendments from committees. A few bills drew discussion. On SB 2874, staff explained that the Senate amendment would limit penalties for untimely campaign finance reports when a committee certifies it received no contributions and made no expenditures, but the sponsor did not concur. SB 1074 prompted questions about whether parental notification changed; staff said it did not and that the bill was aimed at improving communication between teachers and principals about discipline. SB 1175, requiring DCS caseworkers to photograph children at each interaction in abuse or neglect cases, drew concern about the scope of the photos, while supporters said it would improve continuity and documentation. SB 1180 also drew comment because the sponsor and committee chair disagreed over an amendment, though the bill was advanced for further work. The most extended debate came on SB 1751, which would allow death-row inmates to choose firing squad, lethal injection, or lethal gas if voters approve the related constitutional measure. One member strongly opposed the bill on moral and personal grounds, another argued it could be a more humane option if the state is going to carry out executions, and a third raised concern that it could be used against Second Amendment rights. The bill remained on the third-read consent calendar despite the objections. The caucus concluded after moving through the remaining agenda items, with no formal votes recorded in the transcript beyond committee status and consent-calendar placement.