Transcript Highlights:

• It's not something that is just enrolled and you log into a computer. They have to schedule it.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from the previous meeting. It then took up House Bill 5510, which was amended to incorporate provisions modernizing Alcohol Beverage Control licensing and fees and to treat low-proof spirits more like beer, including a $1.25 per gallon tax. The committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment and reported the bill to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. The committee next considered a major education funding bill, Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for House Bill 5453. After counsel explained the proposed block-grant school funding structure and supplemental aid for special education, members discussed whether charter schools should be included. The committee adopted an amendment to include charter school students in the special education funding provisions, then adopted another amendment removing certain outdated staffing ratio and administrator limitations effective July 1, 2027. The amended bill was then reported to the full Senate. The committee also took up House Bill 5412, dealing with multi-year contracts for educational materials with technology licensing components and science-of-reading training for K-5 teachers. Members amended the bill to clarify contract language, extend the training timeline, change “endorsement” to “training,” and require charter school teachers to participate. The amended bill was reported to the full Senate. House Bill 4006, focused on aerospace and advanced manufacturing development, was explained as creating grant and workforce programs tied to aerospace investment and jobs. The committee adopted a strike-and-insert amendment that changed the funding mechanism and other details, then reported the amended bill to the full Senate. Committee Substitute for House Bill 4009 was also amended to shift from the portable benefits concept to a broader workforce-readiness package, including a microcredential program and expansion of the apprenticeship tax credit to all apprenticeship programs; it too was reported to the full Senate. Finally, House Bill 4004, the Recharge West Virginia Act, was explained as a reimbursement program for employers training employees who earn upskill credentials and receive wage increases. The committee adopted an amendment raising the annual employer reimbursement cap from $50,000 to $100,000, then reported the amended bill to the full Senate. The meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s not something that is just enrolled and you log into a computer. They have to schedule it.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then took up several House bills with strike-and-insert amendments. House Bill 5510 was amended to incorporate provisions from Senate Bills 1065 and 928, modernizing Alcohol Beverage Control licensing and adding rules for low-proof spirit alcohol products, including a $1.25 per gallon tax; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then considered House Bill 5453 on school funding. After discussion of a proposed block-grant system and supplemental aid for special education, the committee adopted an amendment replacing much of the bill with weighted funding for level two and level three special education students, exempting those funds from block grant rules and limiting their use to direct instruction. The committee also adopted a clarification to extend the special education funding to charter school students and reported the amended bill to the Senate. House Bill 5412, dealing with multi-year technology licensing contracts for local fiscal bodies and science-of-reading training for K-5 teachers, was amended to clarify contract language, delay implementation dates, change “endorsement” to “training,” and require charter school teachers to participate; it was then reported. The committee next amended and reported House Bill 4006, which creates aerospace development and workforce grant programs, changing the funding mechanism to use Department of Commerce reporting and personal income tax proceeds rather than direct employee withholdings. It also took up House Bill 4009, combining voluntary portable benefits for independent contractors with microcredentialing and an expanded apprenticeship tax credit, adopted the Finance Committee amendment, and reported it. Finally, House Bill 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia training reimbursement program was amended to raise the annual employer reimbursement cap from $50,000 to $100,000 while keeping the $10,000 per-employee limit, and the committee reported the bill. The meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• one method to identify a top biomarker, and the reason being is because obviously this is all computational

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Committee on Science and Technology met to hear a presentation from Ananya Lakaraju, a Hamilton High School junior, on her research project using metabolomics and machine learning to identify potential salivary biomarkers for major depressive disorder. She described using a UCSD saliva metabolomics dataset, statistical methods such as Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U, and PLS-DA, and an ensemble AI model with SHAP and permutation importance to identify metabolites and pathways associated with depression. She said the work suggested several novel biomarkers, with some metabolites and pathways showing stronger associations with depression than others, and noted that her model achieved about 90% accuracy and a 97% AUC in distinguishing depressed from non-depressed samples. Lakaraju also discussed a drug-discovery component of the project, using pathway analysis and molecular docking in UCSF Chimera to identify a target protein and potential compounds that might block a depression-related pathway. She said flupinazine showed the lowest binding energy in her simulations. Members asked questions about what the metabolites were, whether the findings were novel, how the saliva samples were obtained, and how the app she developed would be used. She explained that the data came from an online dataset rather than direct sample collection, that some top-ranked compounds were exogenous and not likely biomarkers, and that the app was intended to supplement AI results with mood and behavioral information because the model is not a doctor and could still be wrong. The committee praised the presentation and discussed the broader implications for AI policy and mental health diagnostics. Lakaraju said she became interested in coding through robotics and later combined that interest with biology, and she emphasized her goal of making mental health assessment more objective and holistic. The meeting ended with members thanking her for the presentation and adjourning without any formal votes or legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, of course, there is the question of whether or not it's in conflict with the computer consumer

Keywords: House Committee Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I don't even know how to turn the computer on. So, he did well there.

Keywords: Roll call 01:19 HB 293 02:50 HB 293 Vote 09:00, 958, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met for its third meeting of the 2026 session and established a quorum after welcoming guests, including the Montgomery County Future Business Leaders of America. The committee had one bill on the agenda, House Bill 293, relating to vehicle wheels. Representative Walker Thomas, accompanied by his intern Declan Farmer, presented the bill and used videos to show damage to roads caused by metal-wheeled equipment and trailers. He explained that the measure was a revised version of a 2024 proposal and, after concerns about religious exemptions, was narrowed in consultation with the local Amish community to require rubber on certain heavy equipment wheels rather than all metal and wood wheels. Members generally supported the bill and framed it as a way to protect public infrastructure. Representative Bivens said agriculture should also help protect roads and that the bill did not go far enough, but he would support it. Representative Dossett noted similar damage in Christian County and joked that horse shoes might eventually need to be addressed as well. Representative Smith also supported the bill and referenced separate legislation aimed at funding road maintenance. No opposition was voiced during the discussion. The committee then voted, with the bill receiving favorable expression and being recommended to pass on the House floor. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced that Transportation would not meet the following Tuesday, the 17th, because of a holiday, and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I'm not big on data and government computers. Period.

Bills: HB3725, HB3260, HB3660, HB3369, HB3370

Keywords: labor, e-verification, immigration, employers, employment eligibility, Department of Labor, penalties, funeral licensing, continuing education, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, professional development, licensing requirements, HB3660, natural organic reduction, human composting, soil reduction, green burial, funeral services, cremation, burial permit

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s for dedicated permanent IT and research support, expanded computing capacity, and machine learning

Bills: SB29, SB64

Keywords: SB29, math requirements for teaching license, teacher licensure, teacher endorsement, mathematics methods, elementary education, secondary education, special education, early childhood education, reciprocity, Public Education Department, Mathematics and Science Education Act, mathematics instructional leadership framework, professional learning plan, K-3 screening, mathematics screening assessment, mathematics difficulty, support plan, multilevel support, intervention

Transcript Highlights:

• speak to all jurisdictions, but at least in ours they wouldn’t have to do one case report in the computer

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee opened with a hearing on HB 1596, which would change low-level marijuana and THC possession and paraphernalia offenses into non-criminal citations or infractions, with fines and court procedures varying by amount and age. The bill’s sponsor said it was intended to reduce burdens on law enforcement, prosecutors, indigent defense, and the courts, while still deterring possession; testimony from the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents supported the bill but suggested an amendment to keep those under 21 in infraction status rather than non-criminal citation status, to align more closely with alcohol laws. Committee members questioned whether the bill was based on weight rather than potency, how it would affect criminal records, and whether the proposed amendment would treat 20-year-olds with marijuana similarly to 20-year-olds with alcohol. Opposition came from the Chiefs of Police Association, Ward County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, which argued the bill would decriminalize a Schedule I substance and move North Dakota toward legalization contrary to voter decisions. They also said existing local plea practices already reduce workload and that the bill would still leave law enforcement with evidence handling and reporting duties. After debate, the committee adopted a do not pass recommendation on HB 1596 by a 5-2 vote. The committee then took up HB 1416, a gaming-related bill involving charitable gaming and the ability to conduct multiple gaming activities at a site. Members discussed concerns about rural facilities, local flexibility, and whether the bill was necessary given that gaming activities can be paused or covered during another event. Senator Myrdal moved a do not pass recommendation, which passed on a 5-2 vote. The committee then adjourned until the next morning, with two bills still pending for later consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm on a shared computer, so that's why it says Erica.

Transcript Highlights:

• OUR FOLKS BECAUSE THEY WOULD SEND AN EMAIL OUT AT 4:00BUT WHEN IT HITS YOUR SERVER, WHEN INTO YOUR COMPUTER

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have facilities, we don't need a lot of computer systems and things like that.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AVERAGE ANNUAL HURRICANE LOSS IS A DEVELOPED TOOL THAT WE USE FOR ADVANCED COMPUTER MODELING TO DEVELOP

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• being destroyed because of the ability to produce a movie from the seat behind your desk and your computer
• <01:08:44.279> your the seat behind your desk and your the seat behind your desk and your computer
• without<01:08:45.319> having<01:08:45.680> any<01:08:45.880> actual computer
• without having any actual computer without having any actual actors, actors, actors, or<01:08:47.920
• Um, my son just put one together, and it was him and his computer.

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met with 125 members present and began with the pledge, prayer, and opening formalities. Two House resolutions were presented and adopted by voice vote: one honoring the pioneering women of the Maryland State Police and State Fire Marshal’s Office during Women’s History Month, and another recognizing the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Infant and Childhood Loss on its 50th anniversary. Both resolutions highlighted the honorees’ service and contributions, and the clerk read each resolution into the record. The chamber then received Senate bills introduced in the House, including Senate Bill 6 and Senate Bill 551, which were read the first time and referred to committee without objection. The House also took up multiple committee reports, largely adopting favorable reports and ordering bills printed for third reading. Measures advanced included bills on residential real estate contract contingencies, Maryland data privacy, local alcoholic beverages licenses and fees in several counties, county salary study commission membership, sheriff and municipal enforcement matters, estates, health occupations background checks, school book fair tax exemptions, school board compensation and voting, and a Calvert County medical center bill. Several bills were amended before advancing. House Bill 443 on Prince George’s County small event center alcohol licensing received a capacity-related amendment; House Bill 348 on Baltimore City alcohol license extension received a technical amendment and a change expanding coverage to transfers of ownership before July 1, 2029; House Bill 682 changed a license classification from Class C to Class GC; House Bill 405 on EV recharging equipment in condo/HOA documents was amended to clarify budget treatment; and House Bill 895 on dynamic pricing and predatory pricing received amendments clarifying definitions, disclosures, and enforcement. After extended discussion of HB 895, including questions about whether it bans dynamic pricing for food, how it treats discounts and loyalty programs, and whether supply-and-demand pricing changes are affected, the House agreed to special order the bill until later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were told this was an internal systemic billing issue within their computers that do not talk to each
• internal systemic billing issue within internal systemic billing issue within their<00:10:25.279> computers
• 26.240> do<00:10:26.480> not<00:10:26.800> quote<00:10:27.440> talk their computers
• that do not quote talk their computers that do not quote talk to<00:10:27.839> each<00:10:28.079
• mother had had that, so how do we fix that, where there does seem to be a manip— it seems like the computer

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are, however, a few cooperatives like the computer regions and a few others that are in that definition
• There are, however, a few cooperatives like the computer regions and a few others that are in that definition
• There are, however, a few cooperatives like the computer regions and a few others that are in that definition
• where you wear some an item on a lanyard that can immediately call... a few cooperatives like the computer
• a few cooperatives like the computer [clears throat]<00:13:29.760> regions<00:13:30.160> and

Bills: HF3492, HF3493, HF3494, HF3495, HF3602

Keywords: school safety, grants, education funding, Northern Lights Express, security improvements, rural schools, safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, safe schools aid, school security, mental health support, Tribal schools, cybersecurity, funding, mental health, evidence-based plans, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• I had no real ID, no transportation, no money for a bus, no computer, no instructions, no one telling
• Providing gross receipts will still allow the Department of Taxation to compute the general excise tax
• Department<02:04:19.520> of<02:04:19.679> Taxation<02:04:20.320> to<02:04:20.560> compute
• <02:04:20.960> the Department of Taxation to compute the Department of Taxation to compute

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1552, which would make the attorney general the interim chief election officer if that office becomes vacant until the Elections Commission appoints a replacement. The Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, saying it could create a conflict of interest if the attorney general were both the state’s lawyer and the chief elections officer in any related litigation. The League of Women Voters supported having some interim backup for the office, but said it was not necessarily advocating that the attorney general fill the role. Several other testifiers, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women, opposed the bill, arguing the current law already provides for a prompt commission appointment and warning about partisan bias and concentration of power. Supporters, including Indivisible Hawaii, said an interim mechanism is needed to ensure election certification in a crisis. The chair also asked whether any statutory acting capacity already exists, and the attorney general said none was known. The committee then took up House Bill 2125, which would bar corporations operating under state law from engaging in election activity. The attorney general opposed the bill, citing Citizens United and arguing that corporations have First Amendment-protected political speech rights and that the bill would likely be unconstitutional. Indivisible Hawaii supported the measure, saying it would keep elections focused on the will of the people rather than corporate influence. Libertarian Party testimony was mixed: one witness supported the goal of reducing corruption but warned the bill could suppress organized dissent and sweep too broadly by treating many associations as corporations. The bill’s introducer asked whether the legislature could still enact it as a policy matter, but the attorney general maintained federal constitutional law would control. No vote was taken on either bill during the portion of the hearing provided. The committee also heard House Bill 2493 on wrongful imprisonment, which would set procedures and compensation for people whose convictions are reversed or vacated on grounds consistent with innocence and whose charges are dismissed. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation supported the bill’s intent but objected to language assigning it responsibility for helping released individuals secure housing, identification, health coverage, and other reentry needs, saying it no longer has jurisdiction after release and suggesting the courts or a community-based contractor handle that role. The Office of the Public Defender strongly supported the bill, emphasizing the harm of wrongful conviction and the need for compensation, case management, and medical coverage after release. No action or vote was reported on this measure in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• electronic data that government entities receive continues to increase with society's reliance on computer-based
• The use of computers, email, online applications, digital files continues to produce more data than ever
• c> use<00:57:12.480> of data practices act, the use of data practices act, the use of computers
• ,<00:57:13.200> email,<00:57:13.680> online<00:57:14.000> applications, computers
• , email, online applications, computers, email, online applications, digitals,<00:57:15.200> files

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee approved the October 15, 2025 minutes and then held a broader discussion on current challenges with data retention and government transparency. Judy Randall of the Office of the Legislative Auditor said historical data is essential for post-audits, which often look back three to five years, and that retention decisions must balance audit needs with the burden of separating public and nonpublic data. She described the records-retention panel process as informal and largely based on individual judgment, noting she had objected to a proposed 60-day email retention period and generally uses a three-year guideline, though she said that standard is not grounded in a formal rule. Members discussed whether auditing standards should set retention periods, with Randall saying auditing is a good starting point but other offices, including the attorney general, also have needs, and that some agency discretion is unavoidable because of the gray area between official records and non-records. Representative Elkins raised the related principle of data minimization, arguing that government should not keep data longer than needed and citing a University of Minnesota legacy data warehouse breach as an example of the risks of retaining unnecessary sensitive information. Randall agreed that data no longer needed is a liability and said her office purges workpapers after five years. Representative Scott pressed whether three years is enough for fraud investigations and financial records; Randall responded that a reasonableness standard is needed and that longer retention can produce diminishing returns, though she said she would follow up on whether financial records should be treated differently. Tanya Tacker of the Rum River Special Education Cooperative testified in support of updating Minnesota’s data-retention laws for schools. She said districts want to protect student information and maintain transparency, but the current general retention schedule dates to 1985 and 2000 and does not reflect digital records, modern systems, or the volume of special education data. She urged modernizing the schedule, clarifying what must be kept in paper versus digitized form, aligning state rules with IDEA and other federal requirements, and providing practical guidance and tools. Members praised the specificity of her recommendations. Dr. BB Newman testified that retention failures in St. Anthony Village have made it difficult to obtain routine municipal and police data, with records delayed, missing, or inconsistently produced and no clear explanation of what systems were searched or whether records were destroyed. Newman argued these gaps undermine statutory access rights and force residents into costly litigation, and recommended stronger retention auditing, documentation of destruction, mandatory disclosure of systems searched, and consequences for noncompliance. In response to questions, Senate counsel said there is generally no direct penalty, but affected parties may seek mandamus, Data Practices Act claims, or informal mediation/opinions from the Data Practices Office. The discussion closed with calls for clearer standards and possible legislative updates to improve compliance and transparency.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><01:09:40.960> to<01:09:41.120> contract On line 48, the bill would eliminate the computer
• It would be the computer science education supervisor position. science education funding.
• /c><01:10:05.679> would<01:10:05.760> be<01:10:05.920> the<01:10:06.080> computer
• Education. uh it would be the computer Education. uh it would be the computer science<01:10:07.040

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• five times because I have to remind myself what it is, because all I know is that it has to do with computers
• five times because I have to remind myself what it is, because all I know is that it has to do with computers
• five times because I have to remind myself what it is, because all I know is that it has to do with computers
• , is how can we use technology to address some of the administrative tasks that could be done by computers
• , is how can we use technology to address some of the administrative tasks that could be done by computers

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We seek state support to launch a new facility focused on three things: modeling and computational simulation
• We seek state support to launch a new facility focused on three things: modeling and computational simulation
• focused on three things<01:32:30.000> modeling<01:32:30.440> and<01:32:30.719> computational
• things modeling and computational things modeling and computational simulation<01:32:32.119>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all