Transcript Highlights:

• The bill implements the Commission on Ethics' recommendations for clearly mandating that reporting individuals
• Form 10 is the number of the form the ethics commission uses, rather than electronically, also Form 1
• Carrie Stillman, the executive director of the Ethics Commission, is here. Ms.

Bills: S0964

Keywords: financial disclosures, ethics, government transparency, gift reporting, procurement

Summary: The committee convened with a quorum present and Senator Polsky excused. The main bill heard was Senate Bill 964, sponsored by Senator Wright on behalf of Senator Stewart, which revises financial disclosure reporting requirements for certain gifts and honoraria. The bill is intended to conform the filing process for Ethics Commission Form 10 by clarifying that it is filed with the Commission, rather than attached electronically to financial disclosure forms, and to allow the Commission to update its rules accordingly. Carrie Stillman, executive director of the Ethics Commission, testified in support of the bill, saying it clarifies the filing location and reflects current practice. There was no debate, and the committee voted unanimously to report SB 964 favorably. The committee then took up confirmation hearings for appointments listed in Tabs 2 through 15. No appointee was requested to be heard separately, and the committee approved all of the nominees in one vote. The meeting concluded after a motion to rise was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• :12:20.240><c> Authority,</c> entities. the Port Authority, entities. the Port Authority, the The Ethics
• I don't—I think that removes that's why I wanted discussed because I see the Ethics Commission had signed
• cuz</c><00:13:34.720><c> I</c><00:13:34.959><c> see</c><00:13:35.120><c> the</c><00:13:35.279><c> ethics
• </c><00:13:35.600><c> commission</c><00:13:36.000><c> had</c> bas cuz I see the ethics commission had
• bas cuz I see the ethics commission had signed<00:13:36.959><c> up</c><00:13:37.360><c> but</c><00:13

Bills: HB139, HB220, SB274, SB282, SB277

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Ethics and Elections will now come to order.
• Good to be back in Ethics and Elections. This bill seeks to...
• Good to be back in Ethics and Elections.
• We have now the first of many appointments that will come before the Ethics and Elections Committee.
• We have now the first of many appointments that will come before the Ethics and Elections Committee.

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and first considered SB 1416, which would move municipal elections to coincide with the general election and extend incumbent terms until the new schedule takes effect. Senators discussed whether the bill would affect runoff elections, with the sponsor explaining that runoff timing would shift to the August primary/general election framework. The Florida League of Cities and Florida Association of Counties were noted as opposed, while members cited potential taxpayer savings and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then took up SB 766, as amended by strike-all, which would require agents of certain “countries of concern” to register with the Division of Elections when engaging in political activity. The amendment narrowed the bill’s focus and aligned terminology with existing state law. After no opposition or debate on the amendment, the committee adopted it and then reported the bill favorably. Members next heard the reappointment of Mike LaRosa to the Public Service Commission. Questioning focused heavily on PSC transparency, the sufficiency of commission orders, Supreme Court criticism of PSC decisions, storm protection plans, utility rate cases, and how the commission evaluates evidence and consumer impacts. LaRosa said the commission had changed its procedures to produce more detailed orders and more robust discussion, and he described ongoing work on rate cases, public engagement, and emerging energy issues such as small modular reactors. Despite concerns raised, the nomination was reported favorably to the full Senate. The committee then approved a block of additional appointments in tabs 4 through 27, also reporting them favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• You guys probably will know this through your research.
• You guys probably will know this through your research.
• pressing issue for Massachusetts, a national leader in technology, life sciences, academia, and research
• I submit that the supposed problems are overblown and that the ethics rules governing attorneys are adequate
• , but to the extent the discussion The supposed problems are overblown and the ethics rules governing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several financial services bills, with the main focus on cryptocurrency kiosk regulation, financial literacy, and earned wage access. Legislators and witnesses described widespread crypto-related scams targeting older adults, often involving impersonation, urgency, spoofed phone numbers, and rapid transfers through kiosks that are difficult to trace or recover. Supporters of the kiosk bills said Massachusetts needs licensing, registration, transaction limits, warning notices, receipts, refund protections, and other safeguards; some also urged a “pause” or hold on transactions to give victims time to reconsider and allow law enforcement to intervene. The Attorney General’s office, AARP, local law enforcement, and several prosecutors and sheriffs backed the consumer-protection approach, while Bitcoin Depot supported a narrower regulatory framework but opposed low fee caps and strict daily limits, arguing they would function like a ban and reduce legitimate use. Witnesses from Waltham police, Middlesex and Essex County law enforcement, and the AG’s office said crypto scams are growing quickly, losses are often unrecoverable once funds move, and current tools are limited. They described cases involving elderly victims losing thousands of dollars, and said warnings alone are not enough because scammers keep victims on the phone and guide them through the process. Some witnesses said a temporary hold or refund mechanism has worked in at least one case, while others emphasized that transaction limits and visible disclosures could reduce harm even if they do not stop fraud entirely. The AG’s office also said it would submit written opposition to separate earned wage advance legislation, while DailyPay testified in support of that bill, saying earned wage access helps workers bridge short-term gaps without debt or credit reporting. The committee also heard support for mandatory financial literacy education from Representative Jim Hawkins, who said high school students need instruction on credit, debt, and inflation before they enter adulthood. In addition, the committee took testimony on litigation financing bills from insurance industry representatives, who argued for disclosure and regulation of predatory litigation lending and warned about foreign interference and reduced plaintiff recoveries. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; members asked questions throughout, and the chair noted the need to move testimony along because of time constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we continue to abide by established guidelines with an eye to cutting-edge research and the professional
• And it concerns raised with the Ethics Commission in Section 7 gives a...
• And it concerns raised with the Ethics Commission in Section 7.
• I also work and teach at the University of New Mexico, where I do research, and I stand in support of
• I think my experience on the board deals with the research, and in my experience, implementing this change

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 246, which would require licensure and inspections for massage therapy establishments. The sponsor and Regulation and Licensing Department said the bill is intended to close a gap in oversight, improve sanitation and public safety, and help address human trafficking and prostitution concerns. Supporters from the massage therapy profession and industry groups said establishment licensing would create accountability and protect legitimate practitioners, while AMTA took a neutral position but supported the rulemaking process. Several senators raised concerns about privacy, home-based businesses, and whether mobile or traveling therapists would be affected; the department said the bill would apply to establishments, not individual therapists, and that home inspections would be governed by rules. The committee voted 8-0 to give SB 246 a do pass recommendation. The committee then took up Senate Bill 300, an appropriation for CYFD computer hardware and software to improve compatibility with the national child welfare management system. The sponsor said the goal was to reduce delays and improve data sharing, especially in child welfare and ICWA-related cases. Members asked about the current system and how the funding would help, and the sponsor said the bill was aimed at better interoperability. The committee voted 8-0 to send SB 300 forward with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 146, which would amend the New Mexico Civil Rights Act. The bill and committee substitute would align the legal standard more closely with federal deliberate indifference language, reduce damages caps, shorten the statute of limitations, require 90 days’ notice, and bar double recovery under both the Civil Rights Act and Tort Claims Act. Supporters, including county and city representatives, law enforcement, AFSCME, and risk management officials, argued the changes were needed to control rapidly rising claims costs and protect public budgets. Opponents from the ACLU, civil rights, poverty, immigrant, and LGBTQ advocacy groups said the bill would weaken accountability, reintroduce qualified immunity-like protections, and make it harder for people harmed by government actors to seek justice. After a failed motion to table and a 5-5 vote on the committee substitute, the bill remained in committee and did not advance.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Professional Standards Commission already investigates allegations of ethical conduct.
• The Commission already investigates allegations of ethical conduct.
• The Commission still handles the licensing, the ethics, and the discipline, but law enforcement will

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 635, which Representative Heather Scott described as a narrow clarification to existing law governing the Professional Standards Commission. The bill would require the Commission to report any complaint or investigation involving suspected criminal behavior to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, while leaving the Commission’s existing role in licensing, ethics, and discipline unchanged. Scott said the measure would separate administrative discipline from criminal enforcement, protect students, and close a gap in current statute. There was no public testimony, no opposition, and the committee voted unanimously to send HB 635 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then considered RS 3363, presented by Vice Chair Handy, which would make permanent pending and temporary rules from the Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and CTE education. Handy said the resolution was procedural, had no fiscal impact, and simply codified rules already previously reviewed. A motion was made to send the resolution to the floor for second reading with a due pass recommendation, and the committee approved it without objection. Before adjourning, the chair offered a brief procedural reminder that once recognized, members do not need to ask permission to make motions or ask questions. Representative Hostetler then moved to adjourn, and the committee agreed, ending the meeting.

Bills: SB2347, SB2911, SB2033, SB2158, SB2993, SB2778, SB2672, SB2014, SB3144, SB3096, SB3097, SB2968, SB2363, SB3154, SB2400, SB3313, SB2896, SB3279, SB2614, SB2687, SB2754, SB2549, SB3325, SB2658, SB2659, SB2602, SB2611, SB2877, SB3063, SB2615, SB3232, SB2875, SB3272, SB2854, SB3203, SB2803, SB2804, SB3302, SB3229, SB2969, SB2412, SB2657, SB2880, SB2540, SB2414, SB3142, SB3202, SB2281, SB2852, SB2272, SB2479, SB2589, SB2936, SB2720, SB2730, SB2749, SB2688, SB2798, SB3040, SB3107, SB3010, SB3109, SB3140, SB3187, SB2057, SB2377, SB3048, SB3083, SB3182

Keywords: tenant rights, landlord obligations, housing crisis, eviction prevention, multilingual access, intoxicating liquor, direct shipment, breweries, distilleries, Hawaii, renewable energy, grid-ready homes, interconnection process, electric utility, energy independence, surcharge, customer access, energy storage, smart inverters, veterinary workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• anything in this report were to be leaked, there would be severe consequences and that we would want our ethics
• that we would severe consequences and that we would want<00:06:41.759><c> our</c><00:06:42.080><c> ethics
• 42.880><c> to</c><00:06:43.360><c> go</c><00:06:43.600><c> to</c><00:06:43.840><c> the</c> want our ethics
• committee to go to the want our ethics committee to go to the furthest<00:06:44.400><c> extreme</c><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• standard clinical reassessment that death has been appropriately determined and that it is safe and ethical
• 00:03:10.720><c> and</c> determined and that it is a safe and determined and that it is a safe and ethical
• </c> ethical to proceed with organ recovery. ethical to proceed with organ recovery.

Keywords: This meeting failed to start and as part of it was not live streamed. This is the complete meeting pulled from backups. 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:03 - Discussion of 26RS HB 510 05:32 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 510 06:32 - Adjournment, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Hours of ethics. >> Yeah, you get 2 hours on— >> Can you send us an email out as a reminder?
• &gt;&gt; hours<00:10:23.720><c> of</c><00:10:23.880><c> ethics.</c> &gt;&gt; hours of ethics.
• &gt;&gt; hours of ethics.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The commission met in open session to take action on several motions related to an adjudicatory hearing. It denied a motion to dismiss, granted a motion to quash, and granted in part a renewed motion to compel and for sanctions only to the extent it continued the hearing that had been scheduled for that day. Two motions in limine, one by Mr. Jenkins and one by Representative Grossberg’s attorney, were denied, with the chair noting that relevance issues would be decided during the hearing and that the focus should remain on the conduct and allegations at issue. The commission then set hearing dates for January 26 and February 2, with hearings to begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude before the General Assembly reconvened. It also approved the financial report/budget for October. During discussion, members noted the need to keep the commission’s work moving despite legislative schedules and the importance of not pulling members away from General Assembly responsibilities. In other business, staff announced a current issues training/CLE event for January 7, the hiring of new general counsel Larissa Pletcher effective December 16, and the start of re-registration. The chair reported ongoing efforts to fill remaining commission vacancies through the Speaker’s and President’s offices, and members discussed a possible tentative special meeting on January 12 at noon if needed. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• at the joint memorial, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General, academic researchers
• at the joint memorial, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General, academic researchers
• , and investment, and Human Services Inspector General, academic researchers, and investigative journalists
• Progress happened not because of a large trial, but because families refuse to give up, and researchers
• It's an untenable position for any nurse, legally and ethically.

Summary: The Health Care and Wellness Committee held a public hearing on several bills and a joint memorial. SB 5915 would update the health technology assessment program by adding technologies recommended for Medicare populations or in national guidelines to the review priority list, requiring broader evidence review for life-threatening or rare diseases, and setting timelines for posting and deciding review requests. Supporters, including rare disease advocates and providers, said the current process is outdated and too rigid; the bill was then held for later action. SJM 8002 urged Congress to strengthen original Medicare, oppose privatization, add benefits like dental, vision, and hearing, and reduce Medicare Advantage overpayments and fraud. Supporters from labor and senior groups argued it would protect beneficiaries and send a message to federal officials; the memorial was also held after testimony. The committee also heard SB 5395 on prior authorization. Staff explained it would tighten notice requirements, require a licensed clinician—not AI alone—to deny requests based on medical necessity, add transparency around policy changes, and change how retrospective denials are treated. The prime sponsor and provider groups said the bill was a negotiated compromise meant to reduce delays and inappropriate denials, while insurers were generally neutral but sought a narrow amendment. Testifiers described prior authorization as a major source of delay and administrative burden, and the bill was held after public testimony. SB 5845 would require carriers to pay or deny clean claims within 30 days, set timelines for non-clean claims and information requests, and allow penalties for repeated noncompliance. Hospitals, physicians, and health systems supported it as a way to improve predictable payment, while insurers were neutral and asked for a narrow amendment; the bill was also held. The committee heard SB 6025, which would change the definition of fetal death so gestational age is calculated using the best clinically accurate age rather than the last menstrual period. Obstetric and nursing witnesses said the current law can force inaccurate records and unnecessary burdens on grieving families, while opponents objected to the bill’s abortion-related definitions. The bill was held after testimony. Finally, SB 5988 would authorize the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge fees to support that work. The department and the sponsor said the measure would preserve a patient-centered accreditation option amid budget pressure, and the committee closed testimony and held the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate and I experience your working ethic, your connection and. And you are 724 style.
• And then our marketing and research team helps to support all of our efforts to market. and promote the
• University Research Initiative is another program with the goal to bring the best and brightest researchers
• Our research team does a really excellent job at tracking expansion and growth in the state.
• They're answering questions, they're helping them do research, they're helping explain the law.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> quite</c><01:35:51.199><c> frankly,</c> ethical obligation, but quite frankly, ethical obligation
• I mean, ethically, first appropriate.
• We have the ethical obligation to control what we say to the public.
• We have the ethical obligation to control what we say to the public.
• We have the ethical obligation to control what we say to the public.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I went back and I did some research, and I've made some modifications to it.
• Research has shown that children not.
• Previous<00:45:37.680><c> research</c><00:45:38.400><c> has</c><00:45:38.800><c> shown</c> Previous research
• </c><01:01:41.040><c> shows</c> elevated suicide risk and research shows elevated suicide risk and research
• We also have our Eddie ethical hunters.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another body of research demonstrates that school nurses in school nurse interventions are associated
• </c> unprecedented circumstances with unprecedented circumstances with educated,<01:26:40.960><c> ethical
• ><01:26:41.679><c> decision-making,</c><01:26:42.560><c> and</c><01:26:42.719><c> a</c> educated, ethical
• decision-making, and a educated, ethical decision-making, and a deep<01:26:43.199><c> compassion</c>
• students to learn and grow in environments that are compassionate toward their humanity because the research

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• warrant articles, HB 10 establishing a parental bill of rights, HB 235 amending the educator code of ethics
• HB 235 amending the educator code of ethics.
• I think the word 'cherish' is there, and they did a great deal of research into the history of the meaning
• I think the word 'cherish' is there, and they did a great deal of research into the history of the meaning
• 01:21:31.199><c> there's</c><01:21:31.440><c> a</c> "Look at merger, maybe, but there's a lot of research

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee Subcommittee on Adequacy and Funding Sources opened its second meeting by reviewing four retained bills assigned to it: HB 651, HB 772, HB 491, and HB 734. The chair said the goal was to compare the bills across the board, consider whether any one of them should be the committee’s recommended vehicle, and then vote on a recommendation to the full committee. He noted the bills would move out before November 21 and be taken up on the House floor in January, while related LSRs were also being developed for the coming session. Representative Ames argued that HB 651 should be the main vehicle because it would substantially raise the adequacy base and adjust differential aid categories to better reflect real school costs, including poverty, special education, and English learner needs. He described the bill as building on court guidance and said the current funding formula is far below actual district needs. He also supported HB 491 as a study vehicle to examine revenue options, saying the legislature needs informed choices about how to pay for the changes. Representative Damon strongly backed HB 651 and HB 491, citing constitutional obligations, the Conval and Rand rulings, and large projected funding increases for districts such as Claremont, Windham, and communities in the chair’s district if HB 651 had passed earlier. Representative Fellows said he has an LSR similar to HB 491 that would study existing and new revenue options using criteria such as revenue potential, administrative cost, affected groups, implementation timeline, and implementation cost, with input from revenue administration and outside agencies. Representative Papich Muller emphasized constitutional separation-of-powers concerns, reading Article 83 and saying he was not comfortable with the broad claim that “cherish” clearly mandates a specific spending level, though he said he intends to follow Supreme Court guidance. Representative Ricky read testimony from a local school board member arguing that the state already imposes many mandates on schools while providing the least funding in the country, and that HB 651 would help restore meaningful local control. No final vote or action was taken in the portion provided, though the chair had indicated the subcommittee would vote before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:08.720><c> Um,</c> Parenthetically, when I was doing my research on this bill, I had spoken
• We also have an ethical responsibility.
• That's<04:26:11.760><c> just</c><04:26:12.000><c> ethically</c><04:26:12.960><c> wrong.
• We have a That's just ethically wrong. We have a legal<04:26:14.319><c> obligation.
• </c> We also have an ethical responsibility. We also have an ethical responsibility.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is self-monitored through a code of ethics and a board of ethics, but they have some teeth behind
• through</c><00:23:00.880><c> a</c><00:23:01.039><c> code</c><00:23:01.280><c> of</c><00:23:01.440><c> ethics
• </c> self-monitored through a code of ethics self-monitored through a code of ethics and<00:23:02.480
• ><c> a</c><00:23:02.640><c> board</c><00:23:02.880><c> of</c><00:23:03.039><c> ethics,</c> and a board
• of ethics, and a board of ethics, but<00:23:06.080><c> they</c><00:23:06.240><c> have</c><00:23:06.400

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Finding eight: Ethics training.
• Town policies and procedures were insufficient to ensure that town council members received the ethics
• Finding A, ethics training.
• required by and procedures were insufficient to ensure that the town council members received the ethics
• The town lacked policies and procedures to remind them council members of the mandatory ethics training

Summary: The committee first took up a long-running audit finding involving the City of Daytona Beach’s unexpended building permit fund balance, which has exceeded the statutory cap for several years and was reported at $10.8 million in the latest audit. Mayor Derek Henry and city staff said the city had analyzed the fund, adopted a corrective action plan, waived more than $5.5 million in permit and inspection fees, used some excess funds for a training facility rehabilitation, and is pursuing a $9.4 million City Hall expansion that they say is allowed under a November 2024 Attorney General opinion permitting construction of a building to house the building code enforcement function. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the city was simply trying to spend down the money, whether the proposed uses were truly lawful, why the balance kept growing despite fee waivers, and where the interest earnings were going. The mayor and deputy city manager said the city’s growth and staffing needs justified the plan, but several members expressed frustration and skepticism. A public commenter also urged accountability and raised concerns about the city’s spending plans and the size of the remaining balance. The committee then received an Auditor General presentation on the Town of Greenville, which found 31 operational audit findings and described pervasive control failures, possible fraud, waste, and abuse. The findings included election paperwork problems that left a council seat vacant, conflicts of interest, late financial disclosure filings, related-party transactions, inadequate meeting notices and minutes, quorum and voting documentation problems, council members’ involvement in day-to-day operations, missing ethics training, budget adoption and monitoring deficiencies, inaccurate accounting records and bank reconciliations, utility billing and rate issues, grant compliance problems tied to an unfinished grocery store project, weak personnel and contracting controls, improper severance and compensation issues, late vendor payments, weak procurement and P-card controls, vehicle-use and property-control weaknesses, poor public records access, and IT access and fraud-policy gaps. Greenville’s mayor and staff said the audit largely reflected the prior administration and that the current council and staff are taking corrective action. They said the town terminated the former manager, adopted seven new policies since the audit began, and is working with the Auditor General to improve procurement, financial controls, inventory management, grant oversight, and ethics compliance. The town attorney said he had alerted federal authorities earlier about concerns, and committee members noted that FDLE has received a criminal referral and is investigating. Several members praised the new leadership’s cooperation but also suggested the town consider consolidation or dissolution if problems persist.

Transcript Highlights:

• We generate more than $10 million in research annually. million in research annually.
• That fact places Langston University third in the state for research output, behind only the University
• Research does not stay within the confines of our campuses; it starts right here in Oklahoma and has
• The heart, the intelligence, the hard work ethic on our team is unmatched.
• Parliamentarian, clerk's office, speaker's staff, all the legislative assistants, fiscal research, legal

Bills: HB4028, HB4075, HB4077, HB4074, HB4076, SB1221, SB1921, SB2118, SB1932, SB2134, HCR1025, SB1432, HCR1024, HCR1022, SB1122, HB4029, HB4063, HB4073, HB4078, SB1936, SB44, SB237, SB248, SB1360, SB985, SB1204, SB1239, SB1307, SB2143, SB1428, SB1390, SB1400, SB1405, SB1732, SB1832, SB1859, SB1989, SB2018, SB1427

Keywords: tax deduction, venture capital, economic development, Oklahoma, investment, water resources, appropriations, funding, state treasury, infrastructure projects, emergency act, emergency management, disaster relief, pandemic response, state appropriations, HB4074, Health Care Workforce Training Commission, Health Care Workforce Revolving Fund, health workforce, health care workforce