Transcript Highlights:

• rule, whatever those rules are.
• Some of the EPA rules that I just briefly mentioned, so the MATS rule as a mercury emissions control
• rule, that has been in place. rule as a mercury emissions control rule.
• Regional haze rule is a rule in federal parks.
• Now, the one thing that does change is the legislative administration rules that come in with the—doesn't

Summary: The committee met at the Coteau Freedom Mine in Mercer County, approved the June 2 minutes, and heard an overview of the mine from Coteau Properties president Andrew Hawbaker. He described the Freedom Mine as the largest lignite mine in the United States, supplying coal to Dakota Gasification, Antelope Valley Station, and Leland Olds Station. He emphasized the mine’s scale, safety record, reclamation work, workforce needs, community involvement, and economic impact, including payroll, taxes, royalties, scholarships, and local hiring. Members asked about how long land stays in production, how quickly it returns to agriculture after reclamation, labor shortages, and how mining affects groundwater and water wells. Hawbaker said most tracts are mined for about three to five years, reclamation is coordinated with landowners, and the company continues to struggle to find electricians, welders, mechanics, operators, and engineers. The committee then heard from Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christman on coal mining reclamation and permitting. He reviewed North Dakota’s coal mining history, the state’s reclamation laws, federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act primacy, bonding, permit renewals and revisions, prohibited mining areas, inspection and enforcement, and contemporaneous reclamation requirements. Christman stressed that North Dakota’s program is professional and thorough, with frequent inspections, financial assurance, and a 10-year revegetation monitoring period before bond release. He also discussed federal coal ownership issues that can delay mine plans, the treatment of prime farmland, and how reclamation differs for wind and pipelines. In response to questions, he said one challenge is sometimes releasing land too soon before long-term compaction issues are fully understood, and he noted that data centers do not currently have a comparable reclamation model because they typically own the land. In the afternoon, the committee received an update from Lignite Energy Council president Jonathan Fortner on the lignite industry. He said North Dakota’s lignite sector supports five commercial power plants, four mines, about 12,000 direct and indirect jobs, and more than $5.5 billion in economic activity, while helping keep the state’s electricity rates among the lowest in the nation. Fortner reviewed coal severance and conversion tax revenues, the lignite research fund, federal regulatory rollbacks, carbon capture policy, and the industry’s legal costs fighting federal rules. He also highlighted a study on large-load development, saying new data centers and critical mineral processing facilities could create major local tax revenue and help justify new baseload generation. Members asked whether new gas pipelines would crowd out coal plant development and whether the economic study included jobs and broader local impacts; Fortner said the industry sees room for both and that the study did include construction, operations, jobs, and tax effects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do I have a motion to adopt the rules? Okay.
• your court from legislating from the bench.
• That is a world in which we are not ruled by law.
• Is there a practice or a rule or anything that's?
• Yeah, it is a legislative-ish role.

Keywords: Texas Water Fund, water management, infrastructure funding, local governments, workforce development, community colleges, educational programs, sustainability

Summary: The meeting focused on several crucial issues, including the Texas Water Fund and its implications for development in the state. Various members highlighted the critical need for effective management of water resources, discussing the role of the Water Development Board and their strategies for outreach to local governments. The committee engaged in a thorough examination of funding projects and the sustainable financing necessary for communities facing challenges in meeting their infrastructure needs. Additionally, there was notable discussion regarding promoting workforce development and the alignment of educational programs with the demands of the job market as indicated by recent trends in community colleges.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation represents a significant positive development.
• tools that the firefighter stakeholders had in place. before the Supreme Court ruling.
• to take into consideration the city's financial condition as part of the ruling.
• I thought we had a good fast track on this legislation.
• We're not frightened of rules and regulations. We love rules and regulations.

Bills: HB386, HB1449, HB1701, HB2142, HB2675, HB2857, HB3063, HB3171, HB3641, HB3732, HB4045, HB4370, HB4491, HB4505, HB4626, HB5267, HB5356

Keywords: construction contracts, change orders, local government, budget limits, Texas legislation, HB 1449, mobile food vendors, food trucks, mobile food service establishments, permits, county health permit, municipal permitting, Health and Safety Code Chapter 437A, Chapter 437, inspection agreements, permit reciprocity, fee cap, preemption, large counties, population over one million

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Uh, point of order under Rule 35.2.
• and I would ask you respectfully to rule and I would ask you respectfully to rule accordingly.<00
• you to rule this amendment not germane. you to rule this amendment not germane.
• ,<00:28:42.920> rhyming caucus, under our Senate rules, rhyming caucus, under our Senate rules
• pursuant to Rule 40.7. pursuant to Rule 40.7.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• those rules?
• That's a good legislative question.
• legislative session?
• Because if you can't enforce your rules as a district, why... even have rules, right?
• We spent all day talking about rules and trying to justify those rules for the GCDs, and GMAs and all

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, there is a report of the Rules Committee at the desk.
• The report of the Rules Committee is accepted.
• >> IN AACCORDING TO RULE 6 I RULE IT NON-GERMANE AND OUT OF ORDER AT THIS TIME.
• The vote is on the procedures of the House and the ruling of the Chair.
• So I would say again, why is that included in your legislation today?

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met briefly, approved the prior journal, and then took up a Rules Committee report that advanced a large package of bills, mostly Election Law measures, along with several bills in other subject areas. The chamber then moved through a supplemental and controversial calendar focused primarily on election administration, campaign finance, and voter access. Senators also announced committee meetings and later filed majority committee assignments in the journal. On the supplemental calendar, the Senate passed several Election Law bills. One measure by Senator Gianaris aimed to curb foreign influence in New York elections by restricting foreign-influenced corporations; Senator Walczyk argued it was too narrow and ignored dark money, while Senator Gianaris said it was needed to address foreign meddling. Senator May’s bill creating short-term early voting sites passed after debate over whether pop-up sites would confuse voters or improve access, especially in rural areas; supporters said it would help bring voting closer to where people are, while opponents called it costly and confusing. Senator Myrie’s bill establishing standardized training for elections commissioners also passed, with supporters citing the need for uniform training and opponents calling it an unfunded mandate. On the controversial calendar, the Senate passed Senator Myrie’s bill allowing additional early voting locations and clarifying that a voter’s intent can determine residency for voting purposes, including in some cases a second or vacation home. The most debated measure was Senator Gonzalez’s bill creating civil remedies and confidentiality protections for election officers who are threatened or intimidated; supporters said it responds to rising threats against election workers, while opponents warned it could chill legitimate questioning at polling places and create vague liability. Several senators explained their votes on both sides, and the bill passed despite significant opposition. The Senate then adjourned until Tuesday, January 14 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• talented legislative staff.
• since love will rule since love will rule heaven<00:04:21.600> and<00:04:22.000> earth
• a money committee pursuant to House Rule a money committee pursuant to House Rule 35A.<00:06:04.479
• affairs pursuant to house rule 52. affairs pursuant to house rule 52.
• House Bill 205 for two legislative days. House Bill 205 for two legislative days.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House began with a devotional performance by the State House Singers in honor of John Gilmour, followed by the introduction and first reading of House Bill 917 on military affairs and House Bill 918 on school district board membership. HB 917 was referred to Ways and Means because it affected municipal revenue, HB 918 was referred to Education, and HB 549, already on the notice calendar, was also referred to Ways and Means because it affected state revenue. The chamber also received HB 841 from the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs and referred it to Ways and Means pending notice-calendar entry. The House took up Joint Senate Resolution 42 condemning the Russian Federation’s actions in Ukraine and their impact on Ukrainian children; it was read by title only and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs. During announcements, members welcomed AFT Vermont guests advocating for stronger workers’ rights, including lifting the ban on striking for higher education workers, and noted an upcoming caucus on Vermont’s economy with speakers from the Vermont Small Business Development Center and the State Sustainable Jobs Fund. On the action calendar, the House postponed action for two legislative days on HB 205, relating to agreements not to compete, and HB 635, relating to eliminating Department of Correction supervisory fees. It passed HB 566, which seals post-charge court diversion records upon successful completion. The House then adopted the conference committee report on HB 790, the fiscal year 2026 budget adjustments bill. The report’s changes included increasing funding for the Vermont Center for Independent Living, revising Section 8 housing-related language to address possible federal funding changes, updating developmental disabilities services payment reform language and deadlines, and expanding allowable uses of the $50 million set aside for federal funds changes to include municipal support. The House adjourned until Friday, February 27, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the House traditionally operates under the prior session's rules as the temporary rules on opening
• The House will now consider a motion in writing to adopt last session's rules as temporary rules.
• Rule 16 as temporary rules.
• as temporary rules.
• As we did last session, we are excluding Rule 16 as a temporary rule.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, it was mentioned, rules for thee, rules for me, not for thee.
• for thee, thee, thee, rules, rules, rules, rules<01:35:16.000> for<01:35:16.159> me,<01
• Supreme Court ruling. Supreme Court ruling.
• need this additional legislation? need this additional legislation?
• <04:33:47.520> That's opposed the legislation. That's opposed the legislation.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, I appreciate the rules.
• consideration of the Rules Committee. consideration of the Rules Committee.
• the rules we place upon ourselves. the rules we place upon ourselves.
• uh rule 15. uh rule 15.
• That's what Rule 17.6 says.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Rules and Administration Committee met on March 19, 2026, to consider the referral path for Senate File 4139, the sports betting bill, rather than the substance of the proposal. Senator Franzen, the bill’s chief author, asked that the bill be referred first to the Commerce Committee, saying he had discussed the matter with the relevant committee chairs and that Commerce was the best place to address the bill’s consumer protection provisions. He emphasized that any final path to passage would still require the bill to go through State and Local Government as well. Senator Rasmusson objected and argued the bill should go first to State and Local Government, citing Senate jurisdiction rules, which he said assign gambling bills to that committee. He noted that prior sports betting bills had been referred there first and said a predictable referral process is important. Senator Maye Quade, Senator Dibble, Senator Bar, and Senator Jasinski also supported sending the bill to State and Local Government first, arguing that the committee has primary jurisdiction over gambling and that the bill’s consumer protection language does not change that basic referral. Senator Champion and Senator Miller supported the Commerce referral, saying authors may request an initial committee and that the bill’s consumer protection sections fit Commerce jurisdiction. Senator Marty moved to re-refer Senate File 4139 to the Committee on State and Local Government. Before the vote, members continued debating whether the bill’s structure and prior referral history justified Commerce or whether committee jurisdiction rules required State and Local Government first. The transcript ends with the motion pending and no final vote or disposition shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rule 7A is suspended.
• Rule 7A is suspended.
• Rules are suspended.
• Rules are suspended.
• The rules are suspended.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and adopted a Rules Committee resolution commending the National Alliance for Children’s Grief for Children’s Grief Awareness Day. It also concurred in several Senate petitions referred under suspension of Joint Rule 12, including proposals on manufactured home insurance costs, firefighting water supplies and a state cistern program, Medicare coverage for end-stage renal disease, and short-term rental building inspections. The chamber then took up several bills and local matters. It advanced and later enacted measures including a workplace violence prevention bill for health care employers, a bill amending use restrictions at Foxborough State Hospital, a bill authorizing disposal of certain Upton land, a sick leave bank for Amy Tangway, and local bills for Ipswich, Palmer, Wareham, North Carver Water District, Lowell easements, and Westford agricultural preservation restrictions. The House also adopted a resolution rescinding prior Massachusetts Article 5 Convention applications, with Rep. Peisch explaining that the measure would withdraw old state requests for a constitutional convention; the resolution passed 155-3. Much of the floor debate focused on House 4767, the workplace violence prevention bill. Supporters, including Reps. Lawn, Kane, and Fields, described frequent assaults and threats against health care workers, cited injury statistics, and said the bill would require facility-specific risk assessments, prevention plans, training, incident reporting, and paid leave for injured workers. An amendment narrowing language about covered workers was adopted, and the bill ultimately passed to be engrossed by roll call 158-0 before later final enactment. The House also heard a commemorative resolution recognizing the Iwagua, Taino, Lukyu, and Cario Tribal Nations and other Taino tribes and their heritage in the Commonwealth, with Leader González and other members speaking in support. Several final passage votes were taken by roll call or voice vote, with the bills and emergency preambles adopted and the House adjourning to meet the next day in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you able to work on bills and legislation if we don't meet formally?
• They cannot pass legislation.
• Is there any objection, Chair, none of the rules are suspended.
• The chair hears none and the rules are suspended.
• Is there any objection, chair, as none of the rules are suspended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(c), the following bill is referred to the Committee on Rules: File
• I rise today as chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. Mr.
• Joint Rule 62A is suspended. Noes 6, ayes 7. Joint Rule 62A is suspended. Senator Ashby.
• Joint Rule 62A is suspended. Senator Ashby. Thank you, Mr. President.
• Joint Rule 62A is suspended. Senator Ashby. Thank you, Mr. President.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Helen Kirstein with the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• My name is David Garcia, Legislative Director for CARB.
• I have seen over successive legislative cycles, as the legislature has adopted new legislation, helping
• and the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Rule.
• Furthermore, contrary to what legislative staff and the **LAO** have said, legislative oversight is not

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Created as a result of the 2025 legislation.
• And in ruling that way, they pointed back to a ruling in 1986, O'Leary v. Department of Revenue.
• As always, taxpayers may also email our ruling requests inbox.
• But otherwise, a tax ruling by the department is binding. Thank you so much.
• As they come up, I just want to go over some ground rules.

Summary: The House Finance Committee held a work session that began with welcoming new member Rep. Janice Zahn, who introduced herself as representing the 41st Legislative District. The Department of Revenue then gave an update on the Antio-related legislation following the Washington Supreme Court decision and the 2025 session changes. DOR explained its voluntary disclosure program and the new expanded voluntary disclosure agreement for taxpayers with unreported investment income, including broader eligibility and interest/penalty relief, but said utilization has been minimal so far because additional implementation questions remain unresolved. The committee next received the annual update on the Working Families Tax Credit. DOR reported record participation in 2025, with about $205 million refunded through October and a major increase in applications after TurboTax added the credit to its filing software. Officials said most dollars went to households with children, outreach efforts remained important, and community partners and state agencies helped increase uptake. Members focused heavily on fraud concerns, especially tax preparers allegedly filing claims without applicants’ knowledge or diverting refunds; DOR said it is using fraud detection tools, training preparers, and trying to make applicants whole, but current law does not provide direct penalties against preparers. The final portion covered implementation of engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5814, which expanded sales tax to certain services. DOR described the new tax framework, its guidance process, and the large volume of ruling requests and outreach since the law took effect October 1. Committee members asked about fiscal assumptions, the scope of taxable services, and whether the department had revised its implementation estimates; DOR said the fiscal note assumed broad application absent explicit exemptions and that no expenditure revision had been made. In stakeholder testimony, Expedia and T-Mobile argued the law creates complexity and competitive disadvantages for Washington businesses, while a construction training provider said the tax raises tuition for workers seeking required certifications. School and nonprofit representatives said the tax will increase costs for special education services, arts programming, and other public-facing activities, and urged exemptions or further legislative fixes. The chair closed by noting the committee would revisit 5814 in the next session and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rules 408 and 405 text Rules of Evidence.
• That would be a cleanup for legislative counsel.
• rules in place for adult cases.
• To see what the legislative intent was.
• I mean, it, it said that the reason that, uh, from the legislative record, so it's in the legislative

Bills: HB207, HB235

Keywords: HB 207, Texas Government Code, Section 411.201, license to carry, LTC, handgun license, concealed carry, federal judge, immigration judge, immigration court, U.S. immigration court, judicial security, firearm carry permit, Texas handgun license, federal judiciary, HB235, Texas, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, disabled veteran

Transcript Highlights:

• And so they can rule accordingly.
• legislation um this year. legislation um this year.
• to introduce new legislation. to introduce new legislation. >> Agreed. >> Agreed.
• c><01:13:04.320> are of ev the rule the rules of court are of ev the rule the rules of court are
• I think<01:20:09.120> it's<01:20:09.520> rule think it's rule think it's rule 135A<01:20

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee on Family Court reviewed several previously distributed reports, including a comparison of family court structures in other states and a report on improving New Hampshire family court pre-trial and mediation practices. The main new topic was a report on the intersection of domestic violence and family courts in New Hampshire, with members discussing how domestic violence cases in superior or district court can overlap with custody matters in family court and how courts may not be aware of related proceedings in other venues. Members discussed RSA 490-D:2 and related statutes, noting that family courts have original jurisdiction over certain abuse, neglect, and domestic violence matters, with concurrent jurisdiction in some protective-order cases. The discussion focused on practical problems such as confidentiality in domestic violence cases, limited access to case information by nonparties, and the need for courts to better communicate about companion cases. Suggestions included a shared or unified database, expanded lethality assessments for law enforcement, and a requirement that criminal courts report domestic violence convictions or protective-order violations to family court so judges are aware of the full case context. The subcommittee also discussed ways to help self-represented litigants, including better education at first appearance, clearer guidance about raising protective orders or criminal charges at hearings, daily docket review by clerks, and a possible “lawyer for the day” program modeled on Massachusetts. One member raised the idea of a family safety docket, while another noted that New Hampshire already has a complex case docket for high-conflict matters and that cases generally stay with one judge when possible. No votes were taken, and the chair said the subcommittee would continue reviewing materials and could return to work next year, with possible bill amendments to follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:08:35.359> were because at that time uh the rules were because at that time uh the rules
• States Supreme Court has already ruled States Supreme Court has already ruled that<02:07:04.760>
• <02:12:00.199> services guidance from both legislative services guidance from both legislative
• The rulings' core principle applies broadly.
• even more than what New Hampshire has. um I imagine if um legislation passes um I imagine if um legislation

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislature is legislative process.
• <00:03:12.879> process there's been a legislative process there's been a legislative process
• through the entire uh legislative through the entire uh legislative session.<00:04:36.400> Bills
• Is your through the rules committee.
• legislation? legislation?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Rules are suspended. The clerk will read the resolution.
• They ruled out a heart attack and ruled out all of the serious issues. Thank you very much.
• Some legislators, and certainly the public, may not be aware that legislators, House members and senators
• In this context, the caption complies with the rule.
• Will there be a ban on the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, on the Mexican American Legislative Caucus

Summary: The House met in a late-session floor session that began with prayer, pledges, quorum, and a series of excused absences and Senate messages reporting action on numerous bills, conference committee appointments, and conference reports. Members also adopted a memorial resolution honoring Mark James Hanna, a Capitol lobbyist and advocate for nurses, and a congratulatory resolution for Rishi Tarumalasetti, an eighth-grade civics bee winner from Katy. The chamber also received and recorded a parliamentary colloquy about an unusual Senate request on SB 293, with the Chair stating the House could not recede from only part of its amendments and could not suspend the rules because the bill had not been returned from the Senate. The bulk of the session was devoted to taking up conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions, especially the state budget. The House adopted a resolution allowing the SB 1 conferees to go outside the normal bounds, then adopted the SB 1 conference report on a 107-21 vote. Debate on the budget centered on public education funding, tax relief, health care, corrections pay, and judicial compensation, with supporters calling it a responsible compromise and opponents arguing it was overly expansive and insufficient on property tax relief. The House also adopted a technical correction resolution tying judicial pay increases in SB 1 to the House version of SB 293, and members discussed at length the relationship between judicial salaries and legislative pensions. The chamber then adopted a long series of conference reports on measures covering topics such as school library review and book challenges (SB 13), SNAP restrictions on sweetened drinks and candy (SB 379), hospital price transparency (SB 331), nursing home accountability (SB 457), school district personnel compensation conflicts (HB 3372), property notice rules (HB 2011), research and development tax credits (SB 2018), and several other bills affecting elections, permits, education, and criminal justice. Most reports passed by wide margins, though some drew significant opposition, especially SB 13 and SB 379. The House also granted several Senate requests for conference committees and introduced additional resolutions to suspend conferee limits on various bills as the session moved toward adjournment.