Video & Transcript Research : 'foreign influence'

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OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Senate Legislative Session Apr 29th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • When you talk about a foreign government adversary. Would that include Russia?
  • Consider foreign trade professionals.
  • Foreign workers.
  • I'm not saying anything necessarily against foreign workers. What I am.
  • Because we filled them with foreign workers, that's my principal concern about this.
TX
Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs met to consider several pending measures and adopted committee substitutes on multiple bills before voting them out. Senate Bill 2403, Senate Bill 1888 (jury wheel procedures in certain counties), Senate Bill 2417 (Attorney General actions under the Free Enterprise and Antitrust Act), Senate Bill 2459 (personal identifying information for judiciary employees), and Senate Bill 2943 (discrimination involving occupational licenses) were each reported favorably to the full Senate, with most passing unanimously and SB 2943 passing on a 10-1 vote. The committee also certified SB 1888, SB 2417, and SB 2459 for the local and uncontested calendars, and later did the same for SB 2943. The committee then considered House Joint Resolution 98, the Convention of States resolution, which was reported favorably to the full Senate on an 8-3 vote. House Bill 1393, dealing with daylight saving time and keeping the state on daylight saving time year-round, was also reported favorably, with the committee noting it heard the House bill rather than a Senate companion. House Bill 2884, concerning financial relationship disclosures for defense contractors, was likewise reported favorably, with the final tally announced as 11 ayes and 1 nay. No testimony was taken in the excerpt, and no substantive debate was recorded beyond brief clarifications about the bills and their companions. After completing the votes and calendar motions, the committee recessed.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

ECD Public Hearing - Fri Feb 13, 2026 @ 8:30 AM HST

Economic Development & Technology

Summary: The committee opened with HB 1813 on taxation and HB 2429 on tax expenditure evaluation, taking mostly written testimony and limited oral discussion. On HB 2429, the Tax Foundation and Department of Taxation raised privacy and federal-law concerns, warning that the bill could require taxpayers to file duplicative returns and could risk disclosure of federal tax information if released publicly. Members and witnesses discussed using anonymized or summary reporting instead of individual public release, with the department saying summarized data would be preferable and that the state can ask for the information as a policy matter, but individual public release could create problems. The committee then heard HB 2423 HD1 on biodiesel, where Pacific Biodiesel said it can supply all biodiesel needed for B5 in Hawaii without imports and asked to move the implementation date earlier to November 2027 to allow rollout planning. HB 1996 HB1 on hearing aids drew broad support; a disability access representative said earlier insurance-based efforts had run into administrative problems and that this bill would immediately lower costs for consumers. HB 1851 HD1, also related to hearing aids, received support from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, while the Tax Foundation argued the program would be better funded directly rather than through the tax system, citing overhead costs and blank provisions that should be filled in before passage. On HB 2546, the research activities tax credit, HCDC said the credit supports long-term R&D and should be converted from a first-come, first-served system to proration so more applicants receive some benefit; the agency described the credit as helping companies move from idea to commercialization and noted the state is leaving potential jobs and federal dollars on the table. HB 2028 HD1, relating to Labor Day for construction workers, drew support from labor representatives who said it recognizes construction workers and helps offset cost-of-living pressures, while the Tax Foundation opposed it as an industry-specific subsidy and flagged technical issues with undefined terms and blank credit amounts. The committee also heard HB 2583, HB 2490, HB 2545, HB 2114, and HB 1859 HD1. HB 2490, concerning coastal erosion at Mokuhiki Bay, received strong support from a temple representative who described severe shoreline loss, years of temporary emergency work, and the need for a long-term, nature-based solution in coordination with state agencies. HB 2545, involving HCDC and SBIR commercialization, was supported as a way to turn R&D into economic development; HCDC said it had more applications than it could fund and that the bill could help create high-wage jobs. HB 2114, the Hawaii Benefits Hub, received comments from ETS and DHS emphasizing support for the concept but cautioning that operational, policy, cybersecurity, and data-sharing standards must be carefully aligned. HB 1859 HD1 on workforce development drew strong support from workforce and philanthropic groups, who said Hawaii faces a long-term gap between projected living-wage jobs and the number of young people entering the workforce, and argued the bill would create durable infrastructure for coordination and long-term planning. No formal votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

State Affairs Apr 28th, 2025

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • We are dealing with other foreign entities as well, Russia in particular.
  • Certainly, there are concerns brought by foreign governments.
  • I'm a U.S. citizen, but for 15 of those 20 years, I was a foreigner.
  • Foreign countries do not have our best interest at heart.
  • This bill attempts to prevent foreign governments and foreign individuals from owning agricultural land
TX

Texas 89th Regular

State Affairs Apr 28th, 2025

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • of certain higher-risk foreign transactions.
  • You know, there's lots of foreign investment in housing.
  • The United States has historically been very open to foreign investment.
  • Because we do deal with quite a bit of foreign investment issues in our company. Thanks.
  • Texans deserve to know that every dollar influenced. election council within the United States.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/11/2026 - Senate Health and Human Services

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • The bill defines foreign adversary to mean the People's Republic of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea,
  • This bill is simple, saying that these machines, this technology, should not be coming from a foreign
  • we've seen it in the past where this kind of ...technology and this information has been sold to foreign
  • There are plenty of companies that do this that are not on that list of being a foreign adversary, so
  • That testing would not be able to be done with a foreign-adversary-based nation, is that correct?
Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then heard House Bill 2050, which updates Department of Health Services rules for radiologic technologists and radiologic assistants. The bill changes school accreditation and training requirements, reduces clinical hours, revises supervision and scope-of-practice rules, adjusts fees, and removes radiologic technologists from the telehealth health care provider definition. Testimony from a radiologic technologist supported the bill as an update to outdated standards and a response to workforce shortages, while a nurse practitioner supported the section allowing NPs to use diagnostic x-ray machines under nursing board standards. HB 2050 passed 7-0 with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then considered House Bill 2082, which creates a Childhood Cancer and Rare Childhood Disease Research Commission and expands the research fund to include appropriations, gifts, donations, and federal grants. An amendment shifted grant-awarding authority to the DHS director, required the commission to set criteria and review applications, and added public meeting requirements; it also tied funding to at least $5 million in available resources and removed the return-on-investment reporting requirement. Supporters said the bill would strengthen pediatric cancer research and leverage an underused funding source, though members raised concerns about oversight. The bill was amended and then passed 7-0. House Bill 2176 and House Bill 2195 both dealt with DHS licensing and complaint-investigation procedures for health care institutions and nursing care institutions. HB 2176 allows DHS to deny licenses or ownership changes based on serious prior licensing problems or safety risks, and it sets notice, investigation, and deficiency-statement rules; speakers from public health and hospital groups supported it as improving transparency and preventing bad actors from cycling through ownership. HB 2195 limits DHS access to certain personnel records, requires deficiency statements within 10 business days, and bars investigations of incidents older than 12 months; an amendment delayed implementation to July 1, 2027 and added corrective-plan and off-site review provisions. Both bills passed 7-0 as amended. The committee also approved House Bill 2202, which appropriates $300,000 annually for a dementia care tele-mentoring program to train providers statewide, especially in rural and underserved areas. The Alzheimer’s Association and a patient with younger-onset Alzheimer’s testified that the program would improve early diagnosis and care, though one senator opposed state funding on the view that medical schools should teach the material. HB 2202 passed 6-1. Finally, House Bill 2307, addressing placement for dangerous, incompetent, non-restorable defendants when secure state hospital beds are unavailable, drew the most debate. An amendment replaced out-of-state placement with a temporary, limited-use solution involving up to three beds at the Arizona State Hospital forensic campus, created a study committee, and shifted some non-psychiatric costs to counties; counties and hospital stakeholders opposed the county-cost language, while sponsors and DHS said the measure was an emergency stopgap. The amended bill passed 4-3. The committee then passed House Bill 2584 4-3, which prohibits public funds from being used for genetic sequencing equipment from foreign adversary countries or entities; supporters framed it as a national security measure, and opponents voted no. The committee then adjourned.
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

Senate - Rules Feb 13th, 2026 at 09:19 am

Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:
  • But with an added public benefit, potentially greater influence over issues that New Mexicans actually
  • additional theoretical benefit for purchasing substantial shares to increase opportunity to promote and influence
  • really how we were talking about possibly a majority stake or separately from just having shareholder influence
  • Well, the goal at the end of the day would be some type of majority stake, if not some type of influence
  • With others coming in and investing, it gives outside influence that's a more stable opportunity for
Bills: SM20, SM9, SJR6, HB124
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/28/2026 - Senate Public Safety

Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:
  • The bill establishes the foreign adversary fraud fund to provide office resources and staffing and for
  • technology produced by a foreign adversary from critical infrastructure.
  • That's why I've sponsored this legislation to create the Foreign Adversary Fraud Office.
  • adversary and to replace critical infrastructure technology produced by a foreign adversary.
  • The Foreign Adversary Fraud Office would mirror the work done by the federal Committee on Foreign Investment
Summary: The Public Safety Committee met and approved several bills, beginning with SB 1107, which creates an alternative Arizona peace officer certification pathway for honorably discharged veterans who served as military police. The sponsor and a former military police officer testified that the bill would recognize existing training while still requiring Arizona-specific training, certification testing, background checks, and fitness standards. The committee adopted a clarifying amendment limiting the pathway to military police veterans and then passed the bill 7-0. The committee then passed SB 1308, which creates a Foreign Adversary Fraud Office in the Attorney General’s Office and related funds to pursue consumer fraud claims involving technology from foreign adversaries and to help replace such technology in critical infrastructure. Supporters argued the bill would address both consumer fraud and national security risks tied to foreign-made technology in utilities, communications, and other infrastructure. The bill was approved 7-0. The committee also passed SB 1020, creating an Arizona Space Commission specialty license plate to support the commission’s work; supporters said it would raise voluntary revenue and promote Arizona’s growing space industry. That bill also passed 7-0. SB 1160 was approved after amendment. The bill restricts drones near ticketed entertainment events, and the amendment expanded the restricted area from 400 feet to 5,280 feet. The sponsor, along with representatives from NASCAR and Live Nation, said the measure would close a public safety gap and protect large crowds from unauthorized drones. The committee passed the bill as amended 7-0. SB 1117 was also approved 7-0; it appropriates funds to DPS crime lab services for processing evidence from counties with populations under one million, with the sponsor saying it would help rural counties handle DNA and other evidence backlogs. Finally, the committee passed SB 1216, which removes the sunset on traumatic event counseling for public safety employees and expands eligibility to include crime scene and digital forensic technicians. Testimony from the Arizona Police Association supported making the counseling program permanent and extending it to additional employees exposed to traumatic material. The bill passed 7-0, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary Jan 27th, 2026

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • The disclosure needs to be that there is a foreign entity; this is the foreign entity.
  • They're required to disclose if there is a foreign entity and which those foreign entities might be—whom
  • That's the end of that when it does not involve a foreign entity.
  • Foreign funders must be disclosed, and no foreign adversaries to this state or this nation are permitted
  • who those foreign actors are.
Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum present and first postponed SB 532. It then heard and approved SB 620, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judicial, and school board office to disclose any citizenship other than U.S. citizenship. The bill drew one waiver in opposition from Common Cause and passed 8-0. The committee also heard SB 1396 on litigation financing consumer protection. Supporters said it would add transparency, limit funder control over litigation, and require disclosure of foreign entities involved in funding; opponents argued it would create strategic advantages for defendants and could burden plaintiffs. The bill passed 7-2. The committee later approved SB 192, repealing a $1,500 cap on patient funds held in trust by chiropractic physicians, and SB 888, extending limits on indemnity and insurance requirements for design professionals in private contracts; both passed unanimously among those voting. The committee also approved several Judiciary-related measures. CS/SB 332, as amended, creates a narrow temporary public meetings/public records exemption for certain pre-suit Burt Harris litigation strategy discussions by local governments, and passed 7-0. SB 820, which strengthens quarterly reporting requirements for problem-solving courts, passed 10-0. SB 1500, implementing probate process recommendations to raise small-estate thresholds, clarify access to safe deposit boxes, and improve enforcement in uncontested probate, also passed 10-0. SB 144, creating a public records exemption for personal information of current and former Judicial Qualifications Commission employees and their families due to harassment concerns, passed 9-1. The committee then approved CS/SB 1224, as amended, making it a third-degree felony to fraudulently obtain possession of a rental unit through false written statements, counterfeit documents, or impersonation; the bill passed 10-0. SB 1000, setting a floor and ceiling for interest rates on law firm trust accounts tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate, passed 10-0 after testimony from banking and credit union representatives and support from Senate leadership. Finally, CS/SB 694, providing compensation to the descendants of the Groveland Four, was heard with emotional testimony from family members and advocates describing the wrongful convictions, killings, and decades-long effort for redress; an amendment specified equal shares for the four families, and the bill passed 10-0. Several members requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on specific bills before the committee adjourned.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Commerce May 18th, 2026

Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • That would amend the definition of foreign principal on page three, item D.
  • principal from a foreign adversary under certain circumstances.
  • The foreign-made product is not. Okay.
  • This foreign-created product.
  • Do foreign companies know what our specifications are?
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session Mar 10th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Senate Bill 1579 by Blanco relating to the appointment of a receiver. foreign sale or acquisition of
  • Senate Bill 1585 by Hughes relating to a prohibition on governmental contract with companies of foreign
  • clarify that the States and Congress may reasonably regulate and limit the spending of money to influence
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Public Safety REVISED Feb 24th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:
  • The driver who caused the accident was convicted of driving under the influence which resulted in great
  • What we've done with this bill is remove this particular crime, which is driving under the influence