Transcript Highlights:

• I’m vulnerable.
• If you don't have enough adult supervision, things are going to happen.
• Please tell adults. If you see something, say something. If you all see something, say something.
• Please tell adults. If you see something, say something.
• So this adult that has the ability to make that decision, it would not.

Bills: HB165 , HB603 , SB77 , SB140 , SB185

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Keywords: HB165, lottery proceeds, Lottery Proceeds Fund, Veterans Service Grant Fund, constitutional amendment, veterans, military veterans, veterans' benefits, veterans services, family support, state lottery, education funding, Minimum Foundation Program, problem gambling, compulsive gaming, state treasurer, ballot proposition, constitutional referendum, lottery revenue, Louisiana resident veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• Because you're a young adult, and we thank you for your participation.
• I'm a young adult. Just kidding. Hi. Marnie Regan. I'm...
• Larkin Street, for 42 years we've been serving minors and young adults who are homeless with shelter,
• I echo what my counterparts have said, and I would like to remind everyone that in 2024, 74,000 adults
• My counterparts have said, and I would like to remind everyone that in 2024, 74,000 adults and 24,000

Summary: The committee heard an overview from Cal OES on disaster response, LA wildfire recovery, federal FEMA reimbursements, security monitoring, and the state’s 911 transition. Cal OES said its budget supports disaster preparedness and recovery, including ongoing work in Los Angeles, where it reported about 700 FEMA public assistance applications totaling roughly $1.2 billion and about $545 million in state wildfire response and recovery funding already allocated under AB 100. Members pressed for more detail on FEMA delays, hazard mitigation grants, federal event planning, and the status of Operation Stonegarden, while also raising concerns about small-disaster recovery, federal shutdown impacts, and the need for more timely reporting. A major portion of the hearing focused on Next Generation 911. Cal OES described problems with the current regional deployment, especially call-routing and transfer failures, and said it now plans to shift to a statewide provider as an interim step, then run an open procurement for a long-term vendor. The agency said it expects to execute a bridging contract in the coming weeks, release an RFP in the second quarter of 2026, award a long-term contract in the fall, begin transitioning Los Angeles-area PSAPs ahead of the 2028 Olympics, and complete statewide migration by summer 2030. The LAO urged the Legislature to pause further implementation until it has more information on the problems, alternatives, costs, privacy/security issues, and oversight needs, and recommended quarterly and monthly reporting if the project proceeds. Several senators echoed concerns about cost, redundancy, cybersecurity, and whether the statewide model could create new risks, and the chair said she would pursue a joint oversight hearing with the Emergency Management Committee and seek input from the State Auditor. The Department of Justice then presented its overall workload and budget pressures. DOJ highlighted its work on fentanyl enforcement, human trafficking, firearms recovery, housing enforcement, consumer protection, environmental and civil rights litigation, and a large federal litigation workload, saying it has filed 59 lawsuits against the Trump administration and won most of them. DOJ said the added federal cases and other mandates have strained existing staff, though 44 additional hires have been made. Members praised DOJ’s work on immigration, housing, and federal accountability, and asked for more information on detention facilities and staffing. The committee also reviewed DOJ’s firearms-related budget proposals. DOJ requested funding for continued firearms IT modernization, implementation of SB 704 on firearm barrels, and a temporary shift of Bureau of Firearms costs to the General Fund. The LAO supported the IT modernization request but recommended funding SB 704 from the Dealer’s Record of Sale Special Account, with startup costs covered by a loan from the Firearm Safety and Enforcement Special Fund, and suggested limiting the General Fund shift to one year and treating it as a loan. The LAO also asked DOJ to develop a framework by January 10, 2027, for deciding which firearm and ammunition workload should be supported by fee revenue rather than the General Fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• A survey just last week by Common Sense Media found that 84% of adults believe that adult pornography
• A survey just last week by Common Sense Media found that 84% of adults believe that adult pornography
• A survey just last week by Common Sense Media found that 84% of adults believe that adult pornography
• </c> would not be permissible for adults. would not be permissible for adults.
• </c> identified as adult entertainment. identified as adult entertainment.

Bills: HF357 , HF3389 , HF1434 , HF2500 , HF1606

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• How are adults dealing with this community?
• We know that using not just in the adult system, but also in the juvenile system.
• Getting results out of these programs by the time they become legally adults.
• Two to three years into the adult system?
• We've got to be the adult because the only one that's suffering is that patient.

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Since the legalization of adult recreational marijuana use in 2016, with Proposition 64, California has
• Since the legalization of adult recreational marijuana use in 2016 with Proposition 64, California has
• We provide multidisciplinary evaluations for the state's most vulnerable children struggling at home
• Individuals in vulnerable communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and many communities
• have limited access to security resources and may be more frequently targeted due to perceived vulnerability

Committee: House Business and Professions

Transcript Highlights:

• life felony for the sex trafficking of a child to create a capital offense in that situation where an adult
• It clarifies the definition of the criminal offense of an adult trafficking a child or mentally incapacitated
• While I believe that this bill is driven by a genuine desire to protect vulnerable people, it ultimately
• While I believe that this bill is driven by a genuine desire to protect vulnerable people, it ultimately
• Investing in education, social services, and law enforcement to protect vulnerable children could make

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice considered and reported favorably a series of criminal justice, corrections, and public safety bills. Among the measures approved were SB 468, increasing penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and allowing impoundment of involved vehicles; SB 1136, tightening age-related criminal offense provisions and clarifying that ignorance or misrepresentation of a victim’s age is not a defense in covered cases; SB 144, which was described as a broad public safety measure addressing law enforcement tools, AI/body camera use, concealed carry licensing exemptions for law enforcement, blood testing after exposure incidents, and related matters; and SB 1782, creating a dangerous excessive speeding offense for extreme speeding conduct. The committee also approved SB 964 on objective parole guidelines, SB 1450 giving law enforcement discretion on immediate arrest of individuals with significant medical conditions in nursing home or assisted living settings, SB 612 closing a loophole related to charging minors in drug-distribution deaths, SB 1838 protecting court officials from tampering, harassment, and retaliation, SB 776 adding an aggravating factor for assassination or attempted assassination of a head of state, and SB 716 imposing mandatory minimums for certain sexual offenses committed by registered sex offenders or predators. Several bills drew notable testimony and debate. SB 1804, which would make sex trafficking of a child under 12 or a mentally incapacitated person a capital offense, received strong support from the sponsor and some members who argued it was needed to address the most heinous trafficking cases, but it also drew opposition from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and others who argued the death penalty should not be expanded to non-homicide crimes and would be unconstitutional, costly, and retraumatizing to victims. SB 1604 on corrections, which included provisions on inmate litigation, limitations periods, tracking devices, and involuntary mental health treatment, prompted questions about inmate rights, accountability, and possible abuse; the sponsor said the bill was intended to balance access to claims with institutional safety and to continue refining the language. SB 1838 also drew concerns from criminal defense lawyers about possible unintended effects on attorneys, and the sponsor said he would work on clarifying the language. The committee adopted amendments on several bills, including a substitute amendment to SB 144 that removed some provisions for further work, added first responder-related provisions, and adjusted motor vehicle kill-switch language; an amendment to SB 1136 changing the age threshold and refining luring/enticement language; a strike-all amendment to SB 964 limiting retroactivity and focusing on presumptive parolees; and a delete-all amendment to SB 1604 that revised multiple provisions, including tracking devices and consecutive sentencing under 10-20 Life. Most bills were reported favorably by roll call, with SB 776 and SB 1804 passing despite recorded no votes from some members. The chair closed by noting it was the committee’s final meeting of the session and thanked members before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Kucky's most vulnerable youth. Kucky's most vulnerable youth.
• </c><00:27:09.520><c> Adult</c> 3,000 Kuckians across the state.
• Adult 3,000 Kuckians across the state.
• </c><01:08:53.199><c> Lowering</c> and adult correctional systems.
• Lowering and adult correctional systems.

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on the Judiciary met on November 6, 2025, approved the minutes, and welcomed guests including Kentucky Specialty Courts manager Elizabeth Nichols and Boyle/Mercer Family Court Judge Bruce Petri. The committee then heard the Chief Justice of Kentucky, Deborah Lambert, deliver her state of the judiciary address, focused largely on judicial branch funding, facilities, technology, and specialty court programs. Chief Justice Lambert said the branch is facing a projected $14.3 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026 and asked lawmakers for supplemental support, access to reserve funds, and higher base appropriations to cover inflation and nondiscretionary costs. She also requested a 15% across-the-board pay increase for judicial branch employees, citing salary gaps with other state workers and declining judicial compensation relative to national averages. She emphasized that the branch has received a clean FY 2025 audit and said the requests were intended to sustain current operations rather than expand them. A major portion of her remarks covered court technology and facilities. She described the move to Chamberlain during Capitol renovations, the purchase of that building as a cost-saving measure, and the need to fund courtroom audio/video systems and a new statewide case management system. She also discussed courthouse maintenance, flood damage, mold issues, security system upgrades, and the $47 million asset preservation fund created last session, while asking for additional local facilities funding and one-time disaster-related support. Lambert highlighted specialty court and statewide program results, including foster care review boards, family recovery courts, court designated worker programs, drug and mental health courts, and the Judicial Commission on Mental Health. She thanked legislators for prior bills and support, including House Bill 1, Senate Bill 26, and the CES law, and said 2026 recommendations will focus on civil commitment reforms under KRS 202C. During questions, Senator Wheeler asked whether some courthouses are being overbuilt; Lambert said most facilities are inadequate, though some may be larger than needed, and that future needs and population changes must be considered. She also noted that virtual hearings and technology have improved efficiency. No votes or formal committee actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's because this is about protecting vulnerable Californians, plain and simple.
• It also... ...elder or dependent adult abuse.
• It allows us to extend a 30-year-old Safe at Home program to those who are serving our very vulnerable
• foster youth, older adults, people with dependent children, and people experiencing homelessness.
• This measure will help protect vulnerable Californians from real estate fraud.

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides a vehicle to serve the needs for the most vulnerable in Minnesota.
• </c> for the most vulnerable in Minnesota. for the most vulnerable in Minnesota.
• </c> about were people that that were adults about were people that that were adults and<00:36:54.960
• </c><01:36:15.120><c> and</c> which was to ensure that vulnerable and which was to ensure that vulnerable
• vulnerable patients receive their<01:39:18.800><c> medicines.

Summary: The committee first approved the March 11, 2026 minutes, then heard House File 4048, which would exempt chiropractors from Minnesota’s provider tax if they are no longer eligible to provide chiropractic benefits under Medicaid/MinnesotaCare. Representative Robbins said the bill corrects an unfair situation because chiropractors still pay the tax even though the benefit was eliminated. Testifiers from the Minnesota Chiropractic Association and a longtime chiropractor supported the bill, arguing that most chiropractors are small-business owners and should not pay a tax for services they can no longer provide. Several members said they supported restoring chiropractic coverage instead of changing the tax, and there was discussion about whether the tax applies to all providers and whether it is effectively passed on to patients. The committee adopted a motion to recommend HF 4048 to the Committee on Taxes. The committee then took up House File 3893, as amended, a bill to restrict artificial intelligence from engaging in psychotherapy or counseling with humans. The author and supporters said the bill is intended to prevent AI chatbots from posing as therapists or counseling vulnerable people, citing reports of suicides and other harms linked to chatbot interactions. The A2 amendment was adopted; the author said it reflected stakeholder concerns and added informed-consent language. Testifiers in support, including a psychologist and a suicide-prevention nonprofit leader, urged strong safeguards and said AI should not replace licensed professionals in crisis settings. Other testimony raised concerns about overbreadth and unintended effects. TechNet and a rural mental health provider said the bill should be narrowed so it applies to clinical therapy rather than wellness or educational tools, and should allow supervised AI uses such as transcription and administrative support. Members discussed rural access, existing licensing-board authority, privacy laws, and whether the bill should target AI companies directly rather than licensed clinicians. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HF 3893, with no final committee action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2019, almost 13,000 older adults went to emergency departments, and over 4,300 older adults were admitted
• </c> insignificant uh uh for older adults insignificant uh uh for older adults data<01:04:18.760><c>
• and over 4,300 older adults departments and over 4,300 older adults were<01:04:39.720><c> admitted</
• </c><01:04:57.079><c> to</c> encouraging more older adults to encouraging more older adults to consider
• </c><03:48:49.279><c> disclosure</c> to implement a vulnerability disclosure to implement a vulnerability

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports of disabled and vulnerable adults being left for hours, days at a time, even when fraud providers
• be saved. reports of disabled<00:00:42.079><c> and</c><00:00:42.559><c> and</c><00:00:42.800><c> vulnerable
• </c><00:00:43.280><c> adults</c><00:00:43.920><c> being</c> disabled and and vulnerable adults being
• disabled and and vulnerable adults being left<00:00:44.559><c> for</c><00:00:44.800><c> hours,</c><00
• Republicans are presenting an action plan that will protect taxpayers and protect services for the most vulnerable

Summary: Senate Republican leaders held a press event to roll out a package of anti-fraud proposals focused on state welfare and human services programs. Mark Johnson opened by citing recent fraud scandals, including a shuttered housing program and reports of vulnerable adults being left without care while providers billed for full services, and said Republicans want top-down reform, stronger accountability, new technology, and tighter oversight of taxpayer dollars. Michael Kreun said Republicans support an independent Office of Inspector General and argued the Senate-passed bill should not be weakened in the House; he also said the Senate should restore its role in confirming agency commissioners, especially at DHS, which he described as central to the fraud problem. Jordan Rasmusson outlined a plan to stop “blank checks” for DHS and DCYF services by requiring legislative audit review when a program exceeds budget by 5 percent and legislative approval for additional spending at 10 percent over budget. He also said DHS should adopt basic integrity tools such as electronic visit verification and client sign-off. Steve Drazkowski described two bills: a statewide “do-not-pay” list to block payments to ineligible people or entities, and an “I’m Not a Robot” proposal for Medicaid managed care that would require enrollee verification forms, with a 2 percent payment withhold used to encourage compliance and potentially fund county system upgrades. Mark Krueger said the state should improve technology and data use for eligibility determinations, citing other states’ rapid fraud-fighting systems, and proposed penalties for false reporting to the Legislative Auditor after a DHS audit found falsified site-visit records. Steve Gruenhagen said his bill would require DHS and DCYF to resume annual fraud-prevention and oversight reports to the legislature, which he said had stopped after 2017 despite rising fraud cases. Michael Holmstrom proposed unannounced site visits for all DHS and DCYF providers before enrollment, reenrollment, and revalidation, funded through provider service fees, and cited a recent case involving a woman with autism who was billed for far more care than she received. In the Q&A, Kreun said House Democrats’ delete-everything amendment to the inspector general bill removed the law enforcement division and stripped the bill of its “teeth,” and he suggested the governor’s office may have been involved in efforts to replace the bill with a weaker coordination council model. No votes were taken in the press conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• Human Services agencies have a critical mission including protecting the welfare of children and adults
• Supporting children and adults with disabilities, including funding to reduce the interest list for Medicaid
• historic investment to further increase wages for community attendants who support some of our most vulnerable

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Greater Minnesota has a larger share of older adults and is aging faster than the metro area.
• </c><00:24:31.039><c> also</c> at the same time older adults also at the same time older adults also
• </c><00:24:53.200><c> not</c><00:24:53.480><c> as</c><00:24:53.600><c> a</c> state sees older adults
• Most older adults do experience changes in mobility and abilities, and some of us become disabled.
• </c> marginalized underserved and vulnerable marginalized underserved and vulnerable communities<01:17

Bills: HF1837 , HF361 , HF2725 , HF2566 , HF2744 , HF1685 , HF501 , HF1889 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Colleagues, I rise today to present AB 2052, a measure designed to protect some of our most vulnerable
• As our population ages, we are seeing more cases where seniors and dependent adults become victims of
• allows the same prosecutor to stay with the case and, when necessary, request a continuance so that vulnerable
• At its core, this bill ensures that vulnerable victims have continuity in their case by allowing the

Transcript Highlights:

• It also introduces licensing requirements for adult residential care providers.
• I do feel whether this is standing practice or not, I would like to see people who are vulnerable in
• know where they've been or what they've done or what their past is and put them around a potential vulnerable
• the good representative's concern, and I know that he's coming from a place of wanting to protect vulnerable

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• It also introduces licensing requirements for adult residential care providers.
• requirements exist, if at all, to assist with a discharge plan, especially if somebody's pretty vulnerable
• We don't want people to be homeless, especially if they're vulnerable or need assistance.
• We don't want people to be homeless, especially if they're vulnerable or need assistance.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities in TJJD facilities, are especially vulnerable
• and ensure that only qualified, compassionate individuals are entrusted with the care of these vulnerable
• Therefore, as adults, they need to be treated accordingly. Locked up for a long time.
• We really need to have that framework in place to make sure that young people who are the most vulnerable

Bills: HB2947 , HB3276 , HB3513

Committee: House S/C on Juvenile Justice

Keywords: truancy, school attendance, parent responsibility, education code, community service, criminal record nondisclosure, juvenile board, Moore County, appointments, juvenile justice, county legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill promotes child welfare services in rural Texas, ensuring that vulnerable children and families
• And as an adult, my husband and I fostered many children over the years.
• This leaves many Texans vulnerable to PBM practices that limit their choice and potentially jeopardize
• into just buying insurance from the few providers we have now, and the whole healthcare arena is vulnerable

Bills: SB502 , SB513 , SB622 , SB670 , SB731 , SB732 , SB916 , SB961 , SB1122

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The concern has to be that you just recently listened to the testimony about inmates, and that's adult
• I hope you agree that this is a very important bill to protect our most vulnerable from situations like
• I hope you agree that this is a very important bill to protect our most vulnerable from situations like
• I just can’t reiterate how important this bill is to our most vulnerable. It’s the first step.
• and letting them know that in the state of Louisiana, we’re going to protect those who are most vulnerable

Bills: HB51 , HB58 , HB69 , HB82 , HB93 , HB143 , HB166 , HB231 , HB429 , HB806 , HB884

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Keywords: bail, conviction, aggravated offense, minors, constitutional amendment, bail reform, post-conviction, minor victims, legal rights, ignition interlock device, DUI, public safety, vehicle operation, criminal justice reform, DWI, driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, penalties, criminal justice, jury commission

Transcript Highlights:

• For many immigrant workers, limited English proficiency increases the vulnerability; clear and accessible
• Coercion, especially toward our most vulnerable workers.
• Now we must ask, why is it taking this long to protect adults?
• Now we must ask, why is it taking this long to protect adults?
• adults in our society desperately need and are entitled to.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a lengthy hearing on June 18 focused on workers’ compensation, independent contractor and classification issues, workplace safety, warehouse worker protections, extreme temperature protections, retaliation against injured workers, and workplace bullying. Committee chairs outlined procedures for the hybrid hearing and noted that members would be leaving intermittently for floor votes. Testimony also touched on a bill to expand workers’ compensation disfigurement benefits by removing the current $15,000 cap and extending coverage beyond scars on the hands, neck, and face. A major theme was workplace safety in warehouses and in extreme heat or cold. Teamsters, warehouse workers, and labor advocates described high injury rates, strict quotas, lack of water, inadequate ventilation, frozen or missing safety equipment, and pressure to work through heat waves and snowstorms. Supporters urged favorable reports on bills protecting warehouse workers and requiring employers to adopt heat- and cold-safety plans, while the NFIB opposed the temperature bill as overly prescriptive and burdensome for small businesses. Sen. Edwards, Sen. Roche, Rep. O’Day, and others argued that the measures are needed to prevent heat illness, provide shade, water, rest breaks, training, and emergency plans, and to cover all workers regardless of immigration status. Another major subject was the “Act to Protect Injured Workers,” backed by labor groups, immigrant worker centers, legal services organizations, and individual workers. Witnesses said employers often retaliate after injuries by threatening deportation, lying about how injuries occurred, delaying care, or firing workers, and they supported stronger anti-retaliation enforcement, multilingual notices, and a rebuttable presumption of retaliation within 90 days of protected activity. The Mass AFL-CIO and immigrant advocacy groups supported the bill and opposed measures they said would weaken employee classification standards. Testimony also supported a funeral-benefits bill to raise workers’ compensation death-benefit reimbursement for burial and funeral costs, based on a family’s experience after a workplace fatality. The committee heard additional testimony on workplace bullying bills, with some witnesses urging a new legal duty for employers to prevent and respond to bullying, while others described the harms of toxic workplaces and the lack of effective remedies.