Transcript Highlights:

• It says um building work the end.
• We also have phase-outs in our tax code.
• So, one of the things I'm going to code.
• <01:31:33.760> a these pipelines is central to building a these pipelines is central to building
• experience while helping employers build experience while helping employers build stronger<01:32

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And there's actual tax code, so...
• We've been able to collaborate with international partners who have represented the state at international
• NIH at Bio International.
• We couldn't give them the building; it would have to be the state that would own the building.
• Do anything we want to build this space in Sakura? We want to build this space in.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had an intern, Ms. Zyla Bryant. Zyla, will you please stand?
• into international diplomacy.
• I'd like to recognize my intern, Sebastian Gertl. Thank you.
• In the West Gallery, we have our intern, Michaela Lusena.
• Code commits a first-degree misdemeanor as provided in statute.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of recognitions for interns, staff, and guests. Members also honored a retiring Senate staffer and a wounded veteran, then moved into returning House messages and special order bills. Several measures were taken up and either concurred in or sent back to the House, with multiple unanimous or near-unanimous votes on noncontroversial bills. Among the bills addressed were SB 118 on recreational vehicle park assessments, SB 572 on ethics for public officers and employees, and HB 991 on election integrity. SB 118 and SB 572 were amended to reflect House changes and passed 38-0. HB 991 drew extensive debate over voter registration and identification requirements, with opponents arguing it would burden students, seniors, disabled voters, and others, while supporters said it would strengthen election security and streamline verification; it passed 27-12. The chamber also approved bills on historic cemeteries, chickee regulation, habitual traffic offender designation, military affairs, and a Department of Health package. The Department of Health bill (SB 902/HB 733) was the subject of detailed amendment work, including changes to medical marijuana rules, NICU educational materials, Early Steps, dental loan repayment, and pediatric trauma center designation. The Senate adopted an amendment to the amendment and then passed the bill 37-0. Other measures included a funeral services bill, which the Senate refused to concur in because the House strike-all would redefine cremation to include composting, and a veterans-related bill that was temporarily postponed. The Senate also recessed briefly, then returned to continue the calendar and additional recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• They never get enough to build a new building unless they're able to save up for 10 years or so.
• And often the pressures are, "Build the classroom, build the classroom."
• You know, why is this not just part of the new building code for schools?
• You actually bring up a good point; there are current building codes that say this needs to be done moving
• As we're building these systems, we want to ensure we're building in the infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• to build a community storm shelter. to build a community storm shelter.
• safe rooms that meet FEMA and International Code Council standards and agree to open them to communities
• I am concerned about the building part, about the building codes and international building codes and
• international building codes and what international building codes and what this<00:08:45.040> is<
• And so a building in that area would not be compatible.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection met for its first meeting of the 2026 session, took roll, established a quorum, and heard three bills. The chair reviewed committee procedures, including deadlines for amendments, cell phone etiquette, and sign-in rules for testimony. Senator Clemons was welcomed as a new member, and the committee later noted that Senator Berg had arrived late and wanted his vote recorded on Senate Bills 11 and 13. Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Senator Meredith, would create a pilot rebate program for residential safe rooms in response to increased tornado activity. The bill would reimburse homeowners for 50% of construction and installation costs up to $5,000, require FEMA and code compliance, and allow safe rooms to be used by neighbors during emergencies. Members asked about cost, oversight, and capacity; the sponsor said the bill was not seeking an appropriation this session and would be administered by Kentucky Emergency Management. The committee voted unanimously to pass the bill favorably. Senate Bill 13, sponsored by Senator Deneen, would allow military installations to have an ex-officio, nonvoting representative on local planning and zoning bodies to raise national security concerns before zoning decisions are made near bases. Members spoke in support, emphasizing protection of military installations and surrounding land. The committee voted unanimously to pass the bill favorably. Senator Deneen also presented Senate Bill 42, which would require law enforcement to submit missing-person cases to Kentucky State Police for entry into the national database within 30 days for minors and 60 days for adults. Supporters said it could help in cases where children are missing but do not trigger an Amber Alert. After discussion about timing and law enforcement workload, the committee again voted unanimously to pass the bill favorably. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced a later Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee presentation on Kentucky’s veteran centers, to be held in the same room after adjournment of both chambers, and then the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It updates Florida's corporate income tax by adopting the federal Internal Revenue Code, effective January
• It updates Florida's corporate income tax by adopting the federal Internal Revenue Code, effective January
• It updates Florida's corporate income tax by adopting the federal Internal Revenue Code, effective January
• It updates Florida's corporate income tax by adopting the federal Internal Revenue Code, effective January
• It updates Florida's corporate income tax by adopting the federal Internal Revenue Code, effective January

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met and first heard SB 674, which would allow county property appraisers, like tax collectors already can, to budget for and pay hiring or retention bonuses if approved in their Department of Revenue budget. Support came from property appraiser representatives, who said the bill would help them compete for specialized staff without requiring new funding. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered SJR 318, a proposed constitutional amendment on tangible personal property used on agricultural land, along with an amendment clarifying the exemption’s scope and allowing the Legislature to set conditions by general law. Farm Bureau and the Florida Chamber supported the measure, and the committee adopted the amendment and reported the joint resolution favorably. Members also took up CS for SB 1664, which would require voter reapproval of local discretionary taxes when they expire; an amendment changed the bill to require expiration dates and tied reapproval to tax expiration rather than a fixed eight-year cycle. Local government and tourism groups raised concerns about impacts on tourist development taxes, transportation surtaxes, beaches funding, and long-term financing, while supporters argued voters should periodically affirm local taxes. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. Next, the committee considered SJR 1510 and its implementing bill SB 1512, both dealing with a homestead-style property tax benefit for certain long-term leased residential properties. After multiple amendments narrowed the proposal substantially, limiting it to one qualifying property and then to single-family homes, mobile homes, and condominium units, counties and cities still opposed the measures as a tax shift to other taxpayers. The sponsor said the changes reduced the scope and fiscal impact, and both measures were reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SPB 7034, the Senate tax package, which includes permanent sales tax exemptions, multiple tax holidays, motor vehicle fee reductions, a property tax study, rural investment tax credits, a freeze on local communications services tax rates, and other tax changes, with an estimated $2.1 billion revenue reduction. Testimony was mixed: property appraisers supported the property tax study, while many public commenters opposed the firearm and ammunition tax holiday and urged inclusion of gun safes and locks instead. County, city, tourism, and lodging representatives raised concerns about tourist development tax limits and other local revenue impacts, while supporters emphasized tax relief and the study’s value. After debate, the committee adopted a motion to submit SPB 7034 as a committee bill and reported it favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• for people to be able to build for people to be able to build catchments<00:04:32.080> without
• How complicated would a tax code be if we implementing something like this?
• How complicated would a tax tax code.
• does seem to me like it was an internal does seem to me like it was an internal decision<00:29:27.919
• and it could potentially be an internal and it could potentially be an internal decision<00:29:33.200

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services opened its first hearing of the 2026 session and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing one-minute testimony, written submissions, and live streaming. For SB 768, relating to an alternative water source income tax credit, the Department of Taxation said a drafting issue needed clarification on the $500 cap and estimated a revenue loss of $6.8 million per year beginning in fiscal year 2028. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Libertarian Party opposed the bill as an unnecessary subsidy and tax-code complication, while one supporter was noted. A member questioned the size of the projected loss and suggested future analysis of net fiscal impacts and methodology. The committee then heard SB 389, which expands a general excise tax exemption to additional health-related providers and purchases. The Department of Taxation said the change would be a minimal code adjustment but would require public education; the Tax Foundation said the bill should be framed in light of the original physician-shortage rationale for the exemption. The Hawaii National Guard and Aloha Care supported the measure, along with several other organizations and individuals, while the Libertarian Party opposed it as favoritism and tax-code complexity. A member asked about administrative burden and potential tax impact, and the department said it did not yet have a calculation but was working on one. The committee also heard SB 877, which would appropriate funds to increase Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are maximized, and SB 1139, which would direct DHS to expand Medicaid eligibility for children from birth to age five regardless of household income. DHS stood on written testimony for both bills, and Aloha Care, the Hawaii Medical Association, disability advocates, children’s advocates, and CARES testified in support, arguing the measures would improve access and family stability. The Libertarian Party opposed both bills, warning of higher long-term costs, entitlement growth, and reduced private-sector options. Members questioned the fiscal and programmatic differences between crisis and warm-line services during discussion of SB 787, a bill to fund a Department of Health warm line; the department said the warm line would serve noncrisis callers more cheaply than crisis staffing, and that about 34.7% of 2024 Hawaii CARES contacts were mild issues that could have been routed to a warm line. Supporters cited mental health needs after the Lahaina wildfire and the affordability crisis, while opponents argued the service duplicated existing resources and expanded government involvement.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want you to build, innovate, and hire here.
• tax codes work in fundamentally different ways.
• There's a problem with the way the international tax deals with these types of issues.
• Every state's tax code is full of loopholes, including the Commonwealth.
• International companies in Massachusetts employ over 236,000 people at 1,200 companies.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue, chaired by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Adrian Madaro, opened its hearing with a moment of silence for the late Lowell State Senator Ed Kennedy and reviewed hearing procedures and deadlines. The committee then took testimony on several corporate tax bills, including S. 2033/H. 3110 on offshore tax avoidance, H. 3248 on a manufacturing tax exemption, H. 3057 on a tiered corporate minimum tax, and S. 2041 on a corporate tax haven blacklist, along with a separate business interest deduction bill. No votes were taken during the hearing. Supporters of S. 2033/H. 3110, including labor unions, health care workers, educators, public health advocates, seniors, and several legislators, argued that Massachusetts needs new revenue to offset federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, health care, education, and other services. They said the bill would raise roughly $400 million annually by increasing the share of offshore profits included in the state tax base from 5% to 50%, and they framed it as a fairness measure that would require large multinational corporations to pay more while leaving most local businesses and workers unaffected. Testimony emphasized risks to MassHealth, PCA services, adult dental care, hospitals, schools, and public health programs if new revenue is not raised. Opponents, including the Mass Taxpayers Foundation and the Council on State Taxation, argued the proposal is poor tax policy and likely unconstitutional because it would tax foreign-source income without allowing foreign tax credits or a comparable apportionment method. They said Massachusetts should take a broader, coordinated approach to federal tax changes rather than a standalone bill, and warned of litigation risk and possible double taxation. Supporters such as MassBudget and former tax counsel Don Griswold countered that the bill is a reasonable rough-justice approach, consistent with federal and neighboring-state treatment, and that it would primarily affect a small number of very large multinationals. On S. 2041, the Global Business Alliance opposed the proposed tax haven blacklist, while supporting a separate bill allowing business interest deductibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why would you put in code this kind of thing?
• It's not up to speech code.
• It's not up to speech code.
• There is no other source of discrimination code or protection of rights of minority code that talks about
• We're proud of Amnesty International.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The city of Austin created the OPO in 2018 to build trust between the police and the community.
• They have a whole unit that processes these 3914 requests and maintains their internal databases.
• Our contract can only supersede Chapter 143. ...three of the local government code.
• We can't supersede the occupations code because that's where our licensure requirements are held.
• We're international; we're involved in international trade.

Bills: SB7, SB14, SB 7, SB 14

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct, abortion, civil liability, abortion-inducing drugs, qui tam actions, Texas Citizens Participation Act, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, healthcare regulations, impact fees, water conservation, reuse projects

Transcript Highlights:

• , internal Hospitalizations, medications, internal nutrition,<00:19:18.760> all<00:19:18.960><
• life around around that building. life around around that building.
• To share a comparison, just as an intern To share a comparison, just as an intern resident<00:36
• Madam Chair, Chair Jeske, Chair Jeske, the code is compensated as the code.
• <00:42:18.560> We're person based on the into code. We're person based on the into code.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on a health insurance/home care nursing provision and on other consumer protection items. Nick Keis and Emily Walters, both parents of medically complex children, testified that commercial health plans had recently begun capping home care nursing as if it were intermittent home health visits, which they said was contrary to Minnesota law and legislative intent dating to 2010. They described severe impacts on their families, including hospitalizations, loss of nursing coverage, strain on waiver budgets, and the risk of children being forced out of the home and into institutions. Representative Bierman echoed that the bill was a straightforward clarification of existing law, not a new mandate or added cost, and a staff member later cited the statutory definition of home care nursing as ongoing, continuous nursing services that cannot be met through intermittent or visit-based care. The committee also discussed the practical difference between home health visits and private duty/home care nursing, with testimony emphasizing that the latter is medically necessary, assessed, and not unlimited in practice. Laura Sales of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office testified on changes to the Consumer Protection Restitution Fund (CIPRA). She said the fund has begun distributing restitution, starting with consumers harmed by the closure of Woodbury Dental Arts, but that current statutory language limits the office’s flexibility to prorate payments. She asked for an amendment allowing the AGO to distribute available funds more equitably so more eligible consumers can receive some payment, rather than requiring full payment to the oldest claims first. Annette Meeks, representing Citizens Against Gambling Expansion, testified in support of banning sweepstakes gambling in the Commerce Committee omnibus report. She argued that online sweepstakes casinos are an illegal gray-market form of gambling, cited rapid growth and billions in revenue, and said other states have acted through enforcement and legislation to stop them. She urged the committee to include language from Senate File 4474 to clarify state law and prohibit sweepstakes gambling. No votes were taken in the portion of the meeting shown; members mainly asked questions and received testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Outside of this building, and please help me welcome them to the people's house. >> Will the guest of
• But the HCR 174 recognizes today as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
• recognizes today as International recognizes today as International Holocaust<00:08:45.760> Remembrance
• That Vermont code section, contrary to That Vermont code section, contrary to the<00:13:53.360> applicable
• simply strikes the relevant Vermont code simply strikes the relevant Vermont code section,<00:14

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance, then suspended rules to introduce 16 House bills by number only. The bills were referred to committees, and H.790, the House Committee on Appropriations Budget Adjustment Act, was placed on the calendar for notice the next legislative day. The chamber also read JRH7, a joint resolution supporting the existing U.S.-Denmark treaty relating to Greenland and opposing American efforts to secure sovereignty over the island; it was referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs. HCR 162, congratulating the 2025 Colchester High School Lakers Division 2 championship football team, was read and celebrated, with the team and coaches recognized in the chamber. Members also marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day with remarks tied to HCR 174 and a moment of silence. On the action calendar, the House passed H.508, approving amendments to the Burlington city charter. It then took up H.532, which removes a Vermont statutory provision allowing mandatory retirement of college professors at age 70 so state law aligns with federal age-discrimination law; the committee reported it ought to pass by a 10-1 vote, and the House ordered third reading. The final action item, S.23 on the use of synthetic media in elections, was postponed for one legislative day at the request of the House Government Operations and Military Affairs Committee. The meeting also included several announcements: the Rural Caucus and Older Vermonters Caucus scheduled upcoming meetings, House Democrats noted a caucus and a visit from Congresswoman Becca Balint, House Republicans announced a caucus after adjournment, and House Progressives said they were not caucusing that week. The House then adjourned until Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 3:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Building Code design criteria moving forward.
• <00:14:10.160> something to amend it that when we build something to amend it that when we
• <00:14:48.399> building<00:14:48.720> code the 2024 international building code the
• 2024 international building code design<00:14:49.440> criteria<00:14:50.240> you<00:14
• I am an intern at the Hawaii Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard STR 73 SD1, which requests the Office of Wellness and Resilience to develop a report on the developmental needs of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of Wellness and Resilience testified in support, saying it was eager to work with local researchers on evidence-based, community-informed recommendations. Support also came from a Zoom testifier, the Department of Education, and the Hawaii Community Foundation. The testifier emphasized the need for trauma-informed supports for children who were ages zero to five during COVID, especially in communities also affected by the Kilauea eruption and the Maui wildfires. Members discussed the long-term impacts of the pandemic and natural disasters on children, and one member said they would support the measure but vote with reservations because they wanted the phrase “climate crisis” changed to “natural disasters.” The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the resolution as is, with some members noting reservations. The committee then took up SCR 239 SD1, which asks DAGS, DLNR, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation to provide universal changing accommodations in state and county facilities and parks. DAGS submitted comments, DLNR State Parks testified that it supported the intent but raised concerns about the cost and feasibility of retrofitting existing facilities, noting it has 73 comfort stations statewide, ongoing vandalism and maintenance issues, and possible ADA space conflicts. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center supported the measure, with testimony stressing that accessible changing facilities are important for independence and equity for people with disabilities. In response to questions, DLNR said it had not received complaints about the lack of such infrastructure and that any future installations should be considered in new designs rather than existing facilities. After discussion, the chair moved to defer the resolution, citing budget and implementation concerns and suggesting the issue be revisited in the future with a revised approach and possible needs assessment. The committee agreed to defer SCR 239 SD1 and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this under the state building code.
• <02:53:36.000> like building code review board, things like building code review board, things
• I'm the chair of the Building Code Review Board.
• Code Review Board to amend the state building code.
• New Hampshire State Building Code. New Hampshire State Building Code.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida Building Code.
• The Florida Building Code works.
• the Florida Building Code.
• The Florida building code.
• Coalition, flash degradation of building code.

Summary: The Banking and Insurance Committee heard a series of presentations focused on mitigation, flood and wind resilience, and insurance discounts. Kevin Guthrie of the Florida Division of Emergency Management outlined several funding streams for mitigation, including federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program dollars, BRIC grants, flood mitigation assistance, and the state hurricane loss mitigation program. He emphasized the new Elevate Florida initiative, which will use about $400 million initially to elevate or reconstruct flood-prone homes, starting with National Flood Insurance Program properties and severe repetitive-loss homes, with no current per-home cap. Guthrie said the state will contract directly with licensed vendors and aims to reduce future flood losses, lower insurance costs, and keep properties on the tax rolls rather than relying on buyouts. Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworski described Florida’s windstorm mitigation discount program, explaining that the 1802 inspection form is used to assess a home’s overall “envelope” and determine statutory discounts. He said the office is updating the program based on a new wind loss study, with likely changes including greater recognition of roof types such as metal roofs and possible territorial risk adjustments. He also said the Legislature now requires the office to revisit the study every five years. Stephen Fielder of the Department of Financial Services reported on My Safe Florida Home, noting that the program offers inspections and grants for roof and opening protections, has completed more than 100,000 inspections, and has reimbursed hundreds of millions of dollars. He said the department has validated its discount calculations with insurers and that the program is intended to help homeowners reduce premiums through verified mitigation work. Michael Newman of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety said Florida’s building code is nationally leading and that post-Ian surveys found no wind-driven structural damage in buildings built after adoption of the code. He argued that mitigation should be treated as a system, not isolated upgrades, and suggested adding Fortified designation to the state’s mitigation form to better document verified resilience improvements. Bill Truex, a county commissioner and builder, stressed the need to educate homeowners about floodproofing and roof choices, citing examples where flood panels prevented damage and noting that asphalt shingles often do not last as long in Florida as their marketing suggests. In panel discussion, senators asked about program eligibility, outreach to elderly and digitally challenged residents, contractor vetting, roof-life disclosures, and whether flood insurance should be more broadly required. Officials said outreach will include call centers and in-person assistance, and several participants urged better consumer disclosure and more data-driven guidance on roof and mitigation choices.

Transcript Highlights:

• Airport, Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Tampa International
• Trump International Airport.
• Trump International Airport, Donald J. Trump International Airport, and D.J.T.
• Trump International Airport, Donald J. Trump International Airport, and D.J.T.
• Code 36.

Summary: The committee took up a long agenda of retained bills and several new measures, with most receiving favorable reports after amendments. Major debate centered on CS/SB 706, which preempts airport naming to the state and designates Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport subject to FAA and trademark-related conditions. Senator Jones offered amendments to avoid private royalty benefits, but both failed. Senators Berman, Osgood, Jones, and Pizzo spoke against the bill, raising concerns about naming an airport after a sitting president, lack of local input, and ethical issues; Senator Mayfield defended the bill as cost-free to the airport and noted the naming agreement. The committee ultimately voted the bill favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 546 on conservation land notice requirements and CS/SB 1014 on municipal utility service to properties outside city limits, both with amendments and some opposition from the Florida League of Cities on the utility bill. Several other bills were heard and reported favorably with little controversy. CS/SB 1500 would streamline uncontested probate proceedings; SB 962 would exclude farms and farm operations from certain zoning definitions tied to affordable housing preemption; CS/SB 820 would strengthen reporting for problem-solving courts; SB 840 would revise portions of last year’s hurricane-related land-use law to narrow its scope and sunset temporary restrictions; and SB 856 would require online property listings to show estimated ad valorem taxes, with an amendment excluding social media platforms and broadening liability protections. SB 110 would clarify homestead exemption eligibility for 98-year or longer residential leases. SB 394 would exempt certain underwriting managers handling limited facultative reinsurance from licensure requirements, and SB 434 would prevent wind-hardening improvements from increasing assessed value for residential property tax purposes. The committee also advanced several public-safety and transparency measures. CS/CS/SB 658 and 608, a combined water-safety bill, would require safety features for rental properties with pools or nearby water bodies and authorize DBPR enforcement; supporters framed it as a response to Florida’s high child-drowning rates, and Airbnb waived in support. SB 748 would place constitutional language on restoration of voting rights on sentencing score sheets, with broad support from voting-rights and civil-rights groups. CS/SB 824 would require annual reporting of unimproved school-district land inventories, and CS/SB 848 would create a framework for off-site stormwater treatment and related credits, with support from builders and mitigation bankers. The committee also heard CS/SB 1036 on school counselors, which clarifies certification requirements and performance criteria after a delete-all amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Administrative Codes, House and Senate bills.
• That allows us to utilize new tools for internal controls. All of that is absolutely true.
• That allows us to utilize new tools for internal controls. All of that is absolutely true.
• We also agree that we've got work to do on internal controls.
• So, just as concerning, OSPI lacks foundational internal controls across key areas...

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on OSPI’s school apportionment system, which distributes K-12 funding to districts. Auditors said the system and its underlying 2008-era infrastructure are outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of errors or failure. They also found weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and monitoring, with heavy reliance on a small number of staff and vendor knowledge. In limited testing of three districts, the system calculated 2023–24 funding correctly, but auditors identified small discrepancies between state budget inputs and underlying statutory language and said broader system risks remain unresolved. JLARC members asked about the scope of the district testing, whether smaller districts face greater risk, the meaning of the funding discrepancies, and whether the system could support a future change to a simpler per-student funding formula. Auditors said the discrepancies were small but could compound into millions statewide, and that the audit did not evaluate broader policy questions or alternative system owners. They recommended OSPI modernize or replace the system and address current control weaknesses while the new platform is developed. OSPI officials largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said a feasibility study completed in 2024 found the system at catastrophic risk of failure. They clarified that the Legislature had approved up to $16 million in the state IT pool for the project, but that funding is released through gated oversight and not all of it had yet been appropriated for the current biennium. OSPI disputed the auditor’s characterization of some rounding and budget-law issues, saying the calculations were consistent with agency rules and legislative inputs, and explained that some manual workarounds are used to handle newer statutory requirements. One member of the public testified in support of modernizing the system and strengthening controls. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm representing the International Center for Law and Economics. We have undertaken...
• I'm representing the International Center for Law and Economics.
• Can I add a comment about the international element? I'm sorry.
• There was a comment made about international payments, and I was just going to add a comment.
• And there's a new standard of pay codes, QR pay codes, that was introduced very late last year that would

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission on the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses held a public hearing focused on interchange fees, sales tax and tip processing, chargebacks, fraud, surcharging, and the broader future of payment systems. Chair Paul Feeney and co-chair Rep. Jamie Murphy opened by explaining the commission’s charge and inviting testimony from small businesses, industry groups, banks, and policy experts. Representative Sean Garballey testified first, arguing that Massachusetts tourism depends on universal card acceptance and stable interchange, and urging the commission not to disrupt the current system ahead of major events expected to bring millions of visitors to the Commonwealth. A large portion of the hearing featured independent restaurant owners and advocates describing thin margins and the burden of paying percentage-based processing fees on sales tax and tips that are not business revenue. Jen Ziskin, Kristen Canty, Nancy Cushman, Kerry Colzer, and others said restaurants often operate on very small profits and that processing fees on taxes and gratuities can amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Ryan Lotz also urged reforms to chargebacks, including refunding chargeback fees when merchants prevail, requiring consumers to contact businesses before disputing charges, and limiting repeat abuse. Commission members pressed witnesses on whether tax and tip amounts could be separated at the point of sale, and several witnesses said current consumer card systems do not transmit that level of detail. Testimony from credit union, banking, and payments representatives largely opposed state-level changes that would carve out taxes or tips from interchange, warning of compliance burdens, higher costs, reduced rewards, and possible effects on fraud protection and access to credit. Alex Verine of America’s Credit Unions and Deb Peters and Keely McEwen of the Electronic Payments Coalition said the payment system is complex, that interchange funds fraud prevention and network infrastructure, and that new state mandates could create operational and legal uncertainty. Dan Swanson argued states have authority to act and pointed to Illinois litigation and federal court rulings, while Julian Morris and Brad Popolado emphasized the benefits of card acceptance, the decline of cash, and the need to consider other payment methods and check fraud as well. Several witnesses discussed international payment systems, instant payments, and QR standards as possible future directions. The chairs and members engaged in extended back-and-forth with witnesses about whether Massachusetts could exempt sales tax from swipe fees, whether surcharging should be revisited, and whether vendor compensation or other targeted relief might be more workable than broad changes to interchange. No votes were taken. At the close of the hearing, the chairs said the commission would hold one additional public hearing date to be determined, after which members would begin developing next steps and a report.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it has to do with the international energy conservation code.
• versus, uh, usurping it and mandating higher cost onto the building of our residential code.
• uh energy conservation international uh energy conservation code<00:54:18.000> versus code versus
• And it has to do with the International Energy Conservation Code.
• and mandating higher cost onto the building of our residential code.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with a call of the Senate, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum and moved to messages from the House. The chamber received several House-passed Senate files, including SF 2814 (real estate appraisers), SF 3637 (transportation), and SF 4244 (technical corrections), and took up SF 1714 on payment transparency and public contracts. The Senate concurred in the House amendments to SF 1714, advanced it to third reading, and then passed the bill 65-0. The Senate also received House amendments to SF 3432 on public safety, but instead of concurring, it voted to send the bill to a five-member conference committee. The Senate likewise agreed to a conference committee request on HF 4188, a commerce bill dealing with consumer protections for insurance and financial products. The Senate then handled additional House messages and routine business, including first reading of several House files and adoption of committee reports. A committee report on SF 453, relating to thermal energy networks as public improvements and water works, recommended amendment and passage under Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, and the report was adopted except for the referenced resolution item. The chamber also completed second readings of several Senate bills and one House bill, and approved a motion to withdraw SF 4464 from the Committee on State and Local Government and return it to the author. The main floor debate centered on HF 1141, the housing finance and policy omnibus. Senator Port described the bill as focused on affordability, including $50 million in housing infrastructure bonds, greater Minnesota infrastructure grants, manufactured housing protections, limits on large institutional investors buying single-family homes, and increased oversight of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. The Senate adopted several amendments, including a technical A12 amendment, A7 to dedicate $5 million of bonding to manufactured home park improvements, and A4 on manufactured housing protections such as rent receipts and longer move-out time after eviction. Senator Abler then offered A14, which would limit rent increases in certain non-market-rate, tax-credit housing for seniors to CPI-based increases; supporters framed it as a humanitarian measure for elderly residents facing steep rent hikes, while opponents raised concerns about rent control, the scope of the amendment, and the need for more detail. The transcript ends during continued debate on A14, with no final vote shown on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're building that record right now. Okay.
• Code that's over 100 years old. With that, those are my introductory remarks.
• So we have a different division that does internal audits.
• so those internal audits are also published.
• Our internal auditor did a presentation at our voting meeting.

Summary: The committee first heard Issue 1 on trailer bill language to redirect funding for emergency demand-response programs. The Department of Finance proposed using about $26.9 million in General Fund originally set aside for the Distributed Energy Backup Assets program to bolster the Demand-Side Grid Support Program for summer 2026, and using about $70 million in CalCHAP interest to support ratepayer-funded demand response in summers 2027 and 2028. The CEC and CPUC said they are working on a transition from DSGS to ELRP or a successor program, while the LAO noted the General Fund money would otherwise revert to savings. Members pressed the administration on whether demand response remains important, whether DSGS has been successful, and whether the state should keep funding it through the CEC rather than shifting to a ratepayer-funded CPUC program. The CEC and CPUC said the programs are not directly comparable, emphasized different cost structures and enrollment metrics, and said a CPUC rulemaking is underway with a proposed decision expected in Q3 2026. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then took up Issue 2, a budget proposal tied to SB 254 and the new transmission accelerator. GoBiz and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank described a five-year, roughly $26 million request to staff and administer the accelerator and manage Proposition 4 and AB 1207 funds for transmission financing. Members asked about state liability, ownership of financed lines, FERC revenue requirements, and whether the program would help underserved regions and offshore wind development. Staff explained that the accelerator would only consider projects already identified through CAISO’s competitive transmission planning process, and that state financing would be a small portion of large projects intended to lower overall costs to ratepayers. The LAO said it had no specific concerns but urged the Legislature to ensure the final language matches its intent. The committee also heard Issue 3 on petroleum market oversight. The CEC and its Division of Petroleum Market Oversight requested additional positions and funding to implement ABX2-1 and continue work on supply stabilization, refinery monitoring, and transportation fuels analysis. Members questioned why the work was funded through the Energy Resources Programs Account, whether existing staff from the paused price-gouging work could be reassigned, and whether the program had produced evidence of price gouging or improved supply conditions. CEC and Finance said the new positions are needed because the workload has expanded, while some existing staff remain on related analysis and reporting duties. The discussion ended without a vote in the transcript.