Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Chief Legal Counsel for the Department of Labor and Licensing. Thank you, Mr. Parker.
• so basically we're recognizing a CPA from another state ...license.
• They are able to service Arkansas clients without getting an Arkansas license.
• We recognize that state license, so that's called substantial equivalency.
• So in order to license, you have to have a certain amount of upper-level accounting hours.

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a series of agency rules and related requests. The Department of Corrections and Post-Prison Transfer Board reported quarterly updates and had no questions, so both were filed. The Department of Commerce sought repeal of rules tied to the minority and women-owned business enterprise programs and the Consolidated Incentives Act, explaining the rules were repealed by implication or duplicative of statute; all were reviewed and approved. The Insurance Department presented a new rule implementing Act 426 of 2025 for online marketplace guarantee providers, using Airbnb-style host damage protection as an example, and it was approved. The Department of Education updated the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program rule to reflect statutory payment amounts for milestones and diplomas, and it was approved. DFA presented a rule creating a reporting method for the Arkansas rice beer and sake excise tax credit; members asked about verification of Arkansas rice use, and the rule was approved. DHS presented a SNAP rule implementing federal changes to work requirements and energy assistance counting, including raising the able-bodied adult without dependents age limit to 64 and removing some exemptions; it was approved after questions about terminology and waiver-related issues. The committee also approved DHS Medicaid rules allowing rehab hospitals to bill for psychiatric units and exempting Arkansas from the federal recovery audit contractor requirement, citing other program integrity measures already in place. The State Board of Public Accountancy, under Labor and Licensing, presented rules implementing Act 428 of 2025, including a new CPA licensure pathway with a bachelor’s degree plus two years’ experience, substantial equivalency for out-of-state CPAs, and removal of the government not-for-profit accounting requirement; despite some negative comments, both rules were approved. The committee then granted the Department of Education’s request to be excluded from certain reporting requirements, and approved its request to retain all 18 Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation rules under Act 781 review. Remaining outstanding 2023-session rulemaking and monthly updates were noted in packets with no questions, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• regulations prohibit retailers and wholesalers from purchasing ungraded eggs and obtaining egg grading licenses
• Would be required to hold an ungraded dealer wholesaler license obtained from the Texas Department of
• when under the original bill, it was a license.
• The cheapest license we have is $100 and that is set in rule.
• Now, there was also talk about this licensing versus registration. Yes, sir.

Transcript Highlights:

• Occupational Licensed Tax Administrators uh<00:38:03.200> association<00:38:04.000> from
• Because of the work of the occupational license tax administrators and KC and KO.
• And then there's also a look so you can see the OS, the occupational license, the single jurisdiction
• can't thank our occupational license can't thank our occupational license administrators<00:48:04.960
• I know<00:48:39.839> our<00:48:40.480> occupational<00:48:41.119> license<00:48:

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:13 Roll Call 00:00:24 Approval of Minutes from September Meeting 00:02:10 Presentation of Special Purpose Governmental Entities Report 00:03:19 Presentation of Kentucky League of Cities Legislative Platform for the Upcoming 2026 Session of the General Assembly 00:15:37 Discussion of Centralized Collection of Net Profits and Occupational License Taxes 00:37:05 Adjournment 00:55:53, 958, all

Summary: The committee received reports on special purpose governmental entities from the Department for Local Government and the Fire Commission. DLG staff described SPGEs as limited-jurisdiction political subdivisions and reviewed the department’s registry, reporting portal, compliance monitoring, and planned system upgrades such as a two-way message center, automated noncompliance notices, and tracking for new entities and board expirations. They reported that, as of October 10, 2025, 69% of SPGEs were active and discussed compliance data by cycle, fiscal year, and district type. The Fire Commission reported that fire department mergers have reduced the number of departments by 16 since last year, largely because of volunteer staffing shortages, while financial disclosure compliance had risen to 94%. The commission also noted 509 compliance reviews, 19 in-house inquiries, seven referrals to outside agencies, and one recent federal prison sentence in a theft case. Members asked whether DLG advises SPGEs on tax rates; staff said it only performs calculations and the entities set their own rates. Questions to the Fire Commission focused on whether department reductions meant station closures; officials explained that most changes were mergers that keep physical buildings in place while combining personnel and finances to meet minimum staffing requirements. They said the trend is spread across the state but is especially pronounced in rural areas. The Kentucky League of Cities then presented its 2026 legislative agenda. Its priorities included modernizing city revenue options, increasing equity in road funding, fixing tax increment financing issues, addressing transient room tax collection from web-based platforms, strengthening emergency response coordination, clarifying massage parlor regulation preemption, correcting unintended consequences of House Bill 606, improving newspaper publication rules, and modernizing procurement statutes. KLC also said it supports allowing all cities to collect restaurant tax revenue, wants cities to receive a larger share of road funds and EV-related revenues, and seeks state collection and remittance of any future local sales tax to comply with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Members asked about best-value bidding, road-fund equity, Airbnb tax litigation, EV prevalence, and disaster funding applications; KLC said cities currently must accept the lowest bid, the road split should better reflect city street costs, the Airbnb tax case remains pending, EV data by locality has not been studied, and allowing cities to apply directly for disaster funds would reduce reliance on county officials. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the September meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• That the services of a licensed midwife.
• born without a licensed midwife present. born without a licensed midwife present.
• licensed and accountable providers. licensed and accountable providers.
• They also could not afford medical and licensed care.
• And I would encourage everyone licensed.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and members, the State Liquor Board is authorized to grant and deny applications for liquor licenses
• adopt rules for proper conduct of a business to be carried out under each specific type of liquor license
• members of the board must not be financially interested, directly or indirectly, with businesses licensed
• During that time, I've gained hands-on experience in operations, staffing, licensing, compliance, and
• I know there are entities out there that have bought liquor licenses to prevent other spirit of business

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• WE WILL TALK ABOUT UPDATES ON COMPLIANCE, LICENSING, AND OUR STATUTORY SITUATION.
• THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON THE LITIGATION LICENSING AND IN SEPTEMBER 2022 THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED
• IN DECEMBER 23, THE DEPARTMENT AWARDED ONE ADDITIONAL LICENSE PURSUANT TO HOUSE BILL 387.
• AND THEN IN NOVEMBER 2024 PURSUANT TO SENATE BILL 1582 THE DEPARTMENT AWARDED TO LICENSES AND SOUGHT
• IF THERE WAS A LICENSING WINDOW FOR 22 TREATMENTS WE RECEIVED ANY FOR APPLICATIONS FOR THE 20 TO LICENSES

Transcript Highlights:

• ODE investigates allegations involving non-licensed personnel, and TSP investigates whether a licensed
• TSP investigates whether a licensed educator has violated Oregon's professional standards and whether
• Our authority is limited to licensed educators, and our responsibility is to determine whether a licensed
• TSP's authority only extends to investigations of licensed educator misconduct.
• So how many licenses or people fall under your purview to investigate those professional practices?

Keywords: 907, all

Transcript Highlights:

• out of area or teachers without a standard license across the state.
• have a structured plan to obtain their teaching license.
• It does not include substitute teachers, licensed, non-administrative employees.
• license but is teaching outside their area of standard licensure.
• Or has a standard license but is teaching outside their area of standard licensure.

Summary: The committee first approved the May 18 meeting minutes and then received a Legislative Audit presentation summarizing Arkansas Department of Education grant distributions for fiscal year 2025. Auditors said the department distributed about $4.6 billion in grants overall, including $3.2 billion from the Public School Fund, $1.1 billion in federal funds, and $268 million from other state and miscellaneous sources, across 56 Public School Fund programs, 14 other state programs, and 29 federal programs. Members asked about specific recipients and programs, including ClassWallet, master principal bonuses, Economics Arkansas, and CDC surveillance funding; audit staff and Department of Education representatives explained that the report was only a distribution summary and not a recipient-level audit. Members also questioned why many districts showed lower funding, and staff said the decline was largely due to reduced federal and one-time COVID-related funds. Senators and representatives also discussed whether some incentive programs, such as master principal and national board bonuses, were tied to student outcomes, and whether Economics Arkansas was the sole entity named in special language for financial literacy funding; department staff said they would follow up on several details. The committee then heard a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on consumer price index projections from Moody’s Analytics and S&P Global, with discussion of CPI-U and core CPI estimates for future fiscal years. Dr. Carlos Silva explained that the forecasts generally trend toward about 2 percent over time and that recent projections may have understated actual inflation because of recent shocks. Members asked about the accuracy of past projections, and he said he would provide more detail later if needed. The bulk of the meeting focused on the final adequacy report on teacher recruitment, retention, and salaries. BLR staff reported that Arkansas had about 32,800 teachers and 473,000 students in 2025, with a statewide student-to-teacher ratio of about 14 to 1, average teaching experience of 11.9 years, and a slight increase in National Board Certified teachers. The report found that districts with higher poverty and minority concentrations generally had less experienced teachers, and that teacher shortages remained widespread, especially in special education, math, science, and foreign language. Members asked about licensure exceptions, alternative preparation pathways, incentives for ESL and special education endorsements, and the cost and return on investment of traditional versus alternative routes. Staff said some licensure exceptions are being phased out under Act 304 of 2025 and that they would follow up on several requested details. The report also found that teacher retention averaged 87 percent statewide in 2025, with districts retaining teachers at higher rates than charters, and that 30 percent of surveyed teachers were considering leaving the profession. Principals and teachers identified school leadership as the strongest positive factor in recruitment and retention, while workload and salary were the strongest negative factors. On salaries, BLR reported a statewide average teacher salary of $60,254 in 2025, with districts averaging $60,458 and charters $55,724. Arkansas ranked 45th nationally on average teacher salary in 2025, though its cost-adjusted ranking improved to 36th; among SREB states it ranked 12th, and among neighboring states it ranked fourth. Members asked about starting salaries, salary compression, district step increases, and whether the report should be shared more broadly with educators and school leaders. Staff said they would provide follow-up information on several questions, and the committee took no formal action beyond receiving the presentations and asking for additional data.

Transcript Highlights:

• And yet, we have 38,000 teachers who are licensed, fully licensed, tier three and four, who just aren't
• And yet, we have 38,000 teachers who are licensed, fully licensed, tier three and four, who just aren't
• And yet, we have 38,000 teachers who are licensed, fully licensed, tier three and four, who just aren't
• And yet, we have 38,000 teachers who are licensed, fully licensed, tier three and four, who just aren't
• > unlicensed<00:12:13.839> educators 80,000 licensed and unlicensed educators 80,000 licensed

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And I was looking at this and said, gee, driver's license from another state.
• the actual number of out-of-state holders of ID and driver's license is not well quantified.
• The ease of obtaining fake driver's licenses and IDs is well established.
• They show their Arizona driver's license and bring their Nevada utility bill with them.
• And then, within seven to ten business days, you will get that Real ID license.

Bills: AB534, AB562, AB595, AB597, AB600, SB74, SB226, SB422, SB488

Keywords: election reform, voter accessibility, conditional ballots, voter registration, mechanical voting systems, election audits, voter access grants, provisional ballot, voting technology, AB562, Nevada, Secretary of State, elections, elections management system, HAVA, Help America Vote Act, automatic voter registration, AVR, election technology, state appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• for muralists to continue to engage in commissioned work without having to obtain a contractor's license
• I have worked with the Contractor State Licensing Board to identify this difference, clarifying that
• Mural work is irregular, and licensing costs create financial barriers that could push artists out of
• Murals, they can paint them, and they can have someone else install them who's a licensed contractor.
• I think licensing law is restricting these people—the time it takes and all that stuff.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• get the the number of of uh licensed get the the number of of uh licensed appliers<01:18:46.800>
• Licensed pest management professionals Licensed pest management professionals in<01:31:29.760> New
• access while preserving use by licensed access while preserving use by licensed professionals<01
• Continuing education units per license category during each licensing cycle.
• to have a dealer's license to sell it. to have a dealer's license to sell it.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• duly licensed Minnesota police officer. duly licensed Minnesota police officer.
• license expire. license expire.
• deer hunting license or your fishing license<02:27:13.960> expired.
• scrap license uh license expire. scrap license uh license expire.
• <02:36:54.880> I license revocation requirements. I license revocation requirements.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a performance of the national anthem, then established a quorum and approved the previous day’s journal. Members handled routine business including second readings of several Senate files, first readings of House files 5067 through 5073, and messages from the Senate transmitting bills and requesting concurrence on House File 3437 and House File 1410. The House concurred in Senate amendments to HF 3437, a commerce bill with a technical cross-reference correction, and passed it 133-0. It also concurred in Senate amendments to HF 1410, a public safety bill on correctional officer procedures, and passed it 132-2 after members described the changes as clarifying and balanced for labor and management. The chamber then took up House File 3404, which increases penalties for impersonating a peace officer. The bill would raise the base offense from a gross misdemeanor to a felony, create aggravated offenses for impersonation involving unauthorized access, misleading orders, law-enforcement-style vehicles, or possession of a firearm, and add a duty for officers to identify themselves while protecting undercover work. Supporters, including the author and several members, tied the bill to the June 14, 2025 killings and said it was needed to restore public trust and protect both the public and legitimate law enforcement. The House passed HF 3404 134-0 after a moment of silence. The House also passed House File 3155, which closes a loophole in gift card fraud law by allowing prosecution based on the value stored on the card rather than just the plastic card itself. Supporters described organized retail crime schemes in which stolen gift cards are drained after activation and said the bill would help retailers, consumers, and law enforcement. The bill passed 134-0. Senate File 3958, which changes the deadline for a disaster assistance contingency account report from January 15 to January 31, also passed 134-0. Finally, the House considered House File 3875, the judiciary policy bill. An author’s amendment removed a section that had been unintentionally left in the bill, and members then discussed provisions allowing courts more flexibility in publishing notices, streamlining some notification requirements in dissolution cases, and making restitution orders permanent unless rescinded by court order. The transcript cuts off during discussion of the bill, before any final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It relates to the revocation of occupational licenses from certain license holders and the issuance of
• This bill would add a driver's license renewal. So, if the issue is...
• Many people who enter into the prison system have a driver's license, but our licenses have to be renewed
• License. Now this bill doesn't change any type of holds on their license.
• We want them to have a valid driver's license.

Bills: HB1826, HB1969, HB2708, HB2729, HB3618, HB4515, HB4764, SB1021, SB1610

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Transcript Highlights:

• But more than anything, so I've got a commercial driver's license.
• But more than anything, so I've got a commercial driver's license.
• But more than anything, so I've got a commercial driver's license.
• But more than anything, so I've got a commercial driver's license.
• But more than anything, so I've got a commercial driver's license.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:51.080> to<00:45:51.200> operate license plates are required to operate license
• Cross special license plate.
• <01:02:32.600> Senator It is license plate time. Senator It is license plate time.
• So, carried a license plate bill before.
• <01:03:43.120> plate Annual fees for the new license plate Annual fees for the new license

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:16.800> This holding a license to practice law.
• This holding a license to practice law.
• I'm here as a volunteer for 20,000 lawyers that are licensed to practice law in Kentucky.
• for 20,000 lawyers that uh are licensed for 20,000 lawyers that uh are licensed to<00:09:01.600>
• But what we know now is who is licensed But what we know now is who is licensed and<00:46:54.640

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00 Roll Call 00:02 HB 526 Discussion 01:12 HB 526 Vote 37:51 HB 424 Discussion 41:41 HB 424 Vote 44:40 HB 459 Discussion 45:57 HB 459 Vote 47:26 Adjournment 48:21, 958, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 526, while House Bill 254 was removed from the agenda at the sponsor’s request. HB 526 would make bar membership and dues voluntary for Kentucky attorneys, and the sponsor argued it protects constitutional rights, prevents compelled association, and would not stop the Kentucky Supreme Court or Kentucky Bar Association from offering services such as CLE, ethics support, and lawyer assistance programs. He also argued Kentucky lawyers should not be forced to fund speech or activities they may disagree with, and urged passage of the bill. Representatives of the Kentucky Bar Association, including its president and the chair of the Young Lawyers Division, opposed the bill. They said the KBA is an arm of the Supreme Court rather than a private association, and that mandatory dues support nonpolitical services such as free continuing legal education, legal research, the Kentucky Lawyers Assistance Program, ethics guidance, mentorship, disaster relief work, and the Legal Food Frenzy. They warned that changing to a voluntary system would reduce infrastructure, increase costs for lawyers, and potentially shift more regulatory and service burdens to the Supreme Court. Members questioned whether the bill would actually prevent the KBA from continuing its programs and asked about other states’ bar structures. The sponsor and supporters pointed to Indiana and other states with voluntary bar membership, while KBA witnesses said Kentucky’s current system is efficient and constitutional and that many services are not truly free but are funded through dues. The discussion became heated at points over whether KBA testimony itself constituted political speech, and the chair intervened to keep the meeting moving. The transcript ends during member questions, with no final vote on HB 526 shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are licensed and regulated by the Division of Insurance. We've been around for over 100 years.
• We are licensed and regulated by the Division of Insurance. We've been around for over 100 years.
• Non-admitted or surplus lines carriers, synonymous terms, are not licensed by the state.
• Yes, absolutely, by a company that doesn't even have to be licensed in this state. That's correct.
• It is heavily regulated and licensed by each state's insurance department.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on a wide range of insurance-related bills. Topics included public adjusters (H. 1100/S. 785), electronic cancellation notices (H. 1123/S. 701), insurance rebates and loss-mitigation devices (H. 1233), flood hazard determinations (H. 1087 and related flood bills), organ donor insurance protections (H. 1248/S. 727), mental health parity in disability policies (S. 780), motor vehicle service contracts (H. 1139/S. 812), modernization of business-to-business insurance transactions (H. 1105), and a bill changing the GIC withdrawal notice deadline (H. 1150). Committee chairs set a three-minute testimony limit and heard from legislators, industry representatives, advocates, and affected consumers. Testimony on public adjusters was sharply divided. Insurance agents and property-casualty industry representatives argued that bills barring insurers from prohibiting public adjusters would interfere with policy terms, while public adjusters and several consumers described cases where adjusters helped secure substantially higher settlements and said some surplus lines policies already contain anti-public-adjuster endorsements. On electronic notices, the insurance industry supported consumer opt-in email communications, while agents warned that email-only cancellation notices could cause consumers to miss cancellations. On rebates/loss mitigation, insurers supported allowing risk-mitigation devices outside the policy to encourage innovation, while agents opposed the bill as an improper inducement. Flood-related bills drew opposition from insurers who said flood determinations are complex and federally governed. The committee also heard strong support for organ donor protections from a kidney transplant recipient and the American Kidney Fund, who said the bill would prevent insurance discrimination against living donors and could encourage more donations. On disability parity, a disability insurance specialist opposed S. 780, arguing that mental health limitations are a consumer choice that helps keep coverage affordable, while the bill’s sponsor said it would prevent unequal limits on behavioral health claims. The committee also heard support for H. 1139/S. 812 from the service contract industry, and support for H. 1105 from APCIA as a modernization measure for specialty commercial lines. No votes were taken; after testimony concluded, the chairs closed the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would bring Level 1 licenses to $55,000, Level 2. licenses to $65,000 and Level 3 licenses to $75,000
• It discusses a Level 3 counseling license. Are there other licenses?
• Do counselors start with a Level 3 license, or do we have Level 1 and Level 2 licenses?
• So, they start with the Level 3 license right after graduation. Mr.
• However, PED does issue Level 1, 2, and 3 school counselor licenses. ...three school counselor licenses

Transcript Highlights:

• board and the board of licensed marriage and family therapists an additional 30 days for temporary licensing
• board as insufficient for licensure, then the license will be suspended or revoked.
• for temporary licensing. for temporary licensing.
• inquiries are returned to the licensing inquiries are returned to the licensing board<00:44:06.080
• will be suspended or then the uh license will be suspended or revoked. revoked. revoked.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 9 March, 2026; 4:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then handled a series of introductions and announcements. Members welcomed guests in the gallery, recognized the doctor of the day, and later made several announcements about memorials, committee meeting times, and calendar deadlines. The chamber also agreed to dispense with the reading of the journal and the titles of bills and resolutions. The body then took up multiple measures, mostly on the appropriations, rules, and general bills calendars. Among the bills discussed and passed were House Bill 941 on the Mississippi Healthcare Industry Zone Act, with an amendment changing the repealer date to 2028; House Bill 1633 on the Site Development Grant Program, with a strike-all clarifying eligible utility and site-improvement expenditures; House Bill 1404 on fraudulent utility conversion, with a substitute strike-all adding protections and criminal penalties related to landlords failing to pay tenant-funded utilities; House Bill 907 revising the timing for sample ballots from the Secretary of State; House Bill 867 allowing Ross Barnett Reservoir funds to be used for shoreline maintenance and erosion prevention; House Bill 1558 revising compensation and reimbursement for the Tishomingo County Water District; and House Bill 514 revising the Veterinary Practice Act to protect certified veterinary technicians and update board membership and fees. Several other measures were also addressed, including Senate Bill 2648, which would let the MSU Extension Service assist poultry farmers with comprehensive nutrient management plans and was amended by the House to add Alcorn State University; Senate Bill 2637, on flexibility for the Northeast District livestock show location, on which the Senate voted not to concur and invite conference; House Bill 1069, the Mississippi Agriculture and Farmland Wind Tower Protection Act of 2026, which was amended to shift review of a waterfowl impact assessment to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and impose a one-year moratorium with a study committee; House Bill 1073, a consumer choice bill restricting bans on gas-powered farm equipment and lawn tools; House Bill 942 extending the chiropractic licensure repealer and allowing certain animal chiropractic work under veterinarian supervision; and House Bill 479, which extended temporary licensing timeframes for psychology and marriage and family therapy and added safeguards tied to background checks and qualifications. Most of these measures were adopted and passed by voice vote or by afternoon or morning roll call, with a few items retained on the calendar and several motions to reconsider or hold bills for later action.