Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we have proposed, besides the pay additives and merit pay, a competitive pay increase...
• Besides the pay additives and merit pay, a competitive pay increase of 2 percent and a specialty pay
• Article 24 on call pay... Article 24 on call pay, they are asking for an increase in on-call pay.
• pay plan.
• pay plan.

Summary: The Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining met for an informational public hearing on several state employee bargaining units at impasse. The Department of Management Services outlined negotiations for the FDLE special agents, security services/correctional officers, sworn law enforcement officers, Florida Highway Patrol troopers, and Florida State Fire Service units. Across the units, the state said most contract articles had been resolved, with remaining disputes centered mainly on wages, hours of work, grievance language, safety, grooming, travel, and other housekeeping items. The state repeatedly emphasized proposed 2% competitive pay increases plus specialty or special pay increases in some units, insurance held harmless with no added employee cost, and its desire to keep current scheduling practices and remove outdated grievance language referencing the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. No votes were taken. Representatives for the Florida State Fire Service Association argued that firefighters are being asked to perform work far outside their job descriptions, including major construction, and said the state’s work-schedule and on-call practices unfairly avoid overtime and underpay firefighters. They also sought higher on-call compensation, a stronger wage plan with incentives and certification-based increases, restoration of a pay differential for firefighter-EMTs, and added PPE, decontamination, and cancer-prevention protections. The PBA’s Florida Highway Patrol unit said troopers need a larger career development plan, veteran stipends, updated grooming/tattoo rules, safer and newer vehicles, and better pay to address turnover. The PBA’s law enforcement unit focused on vehicle safety, performance evaluation language to prevent case-presentation quotas, and a $7,000 across-the-board raise, while disputing whether certain articles were timely opened. The security services unit said correctional officers, probation officers, and ISS officers need an $8-per-hour starting pay increase, retention bonuses, special pay for death row and close-management assignments, and overtime pay for lieutenants and captains who currently receive comp time and sometimes work beyond their limits. The committee heard the presentations, asked a brief question about correctional officers’ overtime, accepted written materials from the FOP special agent unit, and adjourned without action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Give today to secure the longevity of balanced, unfiltered civic programming.
• Give today to secure the longevity of balanced, unfiltered civic programming. ...the longevity of balanced

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you have to respect the fact of longevity and the fact that people want to serve in these roles making
• And you have to respect the fact of longevity and the fact that people want to serve in these roles making
• And you have to respect the fact of longevity and the fact that people want to serve in these roles making
• And you have to respect the fact of longevity and the fact that people want to serve in these roles making
• And you have to respect the fact of longevity and the fact that people want to serve in these roles making

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Senate convened with an opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, then completed roll call, excused absent senators, and approved the journal from February 3, 2026. The chamber received second readings for Senate Bill 5 on Kentucky-grown agricultural product procurement and Senate Bill 73 on tallow-based cosmetic products, and heard committee reports advancing Senate Bill 18 with a committee substitute, along with Senate Bills 33, 85, and 132. The House also communicated passage of House Bill 1694 and requested concurrence. Senate Bill 162, relating to children, was introduced, and Senate Bill 34 was passed over while retaining its place on the calendar. The Senate adopted Senate Citation 4 recognizing National School Counseling Week, with remarks emphasizing the role of school counselors in student academic and mental health support. The body also adopted Senate Resolution 71 honoring Dr. Samantha Shaver for her service as president of the Kentucky Dental Association; the sponsor and other members praised her leadership and oral health advocacy. Later, the Senate received a committee report posting Senate Bills 5, 12, and 73 to the regular orders and referring several bills to committees, including Senate Bills 129, 136, and 183 to Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor, Senate Bill 71 to Education, and Senate Bill 9 to State and Local Government. Members made several co-sponsorship requests for bills including Senate Bills 9, 12, 33, 132, 143, 153, 154, 159, and 183. A lengthy floor statement from the Senator from Clay praised Senator McConnell’s long service and recent federal funding achievements for Kentucky, including education, transportation, defense, and economic development projects. The Senate also received a floor amendment to Senate Bill 33, introduced Senate Bill 163 on unemployment insurance and Senate Resolution 78 honoring the CSX Santa Train, and then adjourned until 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:34.160> the the average resident or paying the the average resident or paying the monthly
• One thing to note is we are still paying debt service on this facility until 2039.
• One thing to note is we are still paying debt service on this facility until 2039.
• One thing to note is we are still paying debt service on this facility until 2039.
• exponentially how are we going to pay exponentially how are we going to pay for<01:42:51.400>

Bills: HF220, HF230, HF240, HF241, HF295, HF429, HF490, HF505, HF574, HF576, HF581, HF865, HF918, HF1085, HF1449, HF1452, HF1454, HF602

Keywords: HF220, Minnesota transportation, highway user tax distribution fund, trunk highway fund, Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT, transportation finance, dedicated funds, funding restrictions, arts in transportation, cultural strategies, transportation project planning, project design, project construction, placemaking, public art, infrastructure spending, state statutes 161.045, HF230, Wyoming

Transcript Highlights:

• university will not be required to pay university will not be required to pay rent<00:18:16.799>
• <00:28:27.880> for project that you're trying to pay for project that you're trying to pay
• the practice of the university to pay the practice of the university to pay for<00:57:29.359>
• triple net leases in which you do pay triple net leases in which you do pay maintenance<00:57:53.079
• university does in fact often pay university does in fact often pay maintenance<00:59:39.920>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• long does it last or is it a one time for 10 years or 5 years or have they Showed anything on the longevity
• I couldn't speak to the longevity or studies on longevity.

Bills: HB4423, HB3342, HB3645, HB3647, HB3887, HB4430, HB4431, HB2964, HB3834

Keywords: Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Medicaid, immigration verification, healthcare access, federal reporting, health care providers, auditing, patient rights, claims, protection from fraud, audit process, error correction, hospice care, physician determination, healthcare standards, symptom management, health information exchange, all-payer claims database, health care transparency, health care costs

Transcript Highlights:

• We pay 100% of the dental premiums for my staff at Mikami Drugs.
• ><00:13:15.880> for<00:13:16.320> 100<00:13:16.760> of waiting for cleaning we pay
• I appreciate the conversation that we've been having about certainly the longevity of the cancer center
• I appreciate the conversation that we've been having about certainly the longevity of the cancer center
• I appreciate the conversation that we've been having about certainly the longevity of the cancer center

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met on February 6 and began with decision-making items. SB 663, concerning additional positions for the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, was deferred again after the chair said the university’s response did not include the requested details on vacant positions, recruitment status, and fill dates. The chair said the committee needed the full information before considering new positions, and the university apologized for treating the request as informal rather than a formal committee inquiry. The committee then discussed SB 672, relating to capital improvement projects for the Y. Manalo Research Station. University representatives said the project had been identified late because of timing and that they were still developing a broader plan for SEAR research facilities. The chair questioned how the project fit within the university’s existing Board of Regents-approved CIP priorities and whether any current priorities should be displaced. The university said it could not unilaterally reprioritize the budget, and the measure was deferred pending better direction on how it fits into the overall plan. For SB 557, which would require the John A. Burns School of Medicine to direct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention for Maui, the committee heard strong testimony in support from Maui health care providers and community representatives. Supporters described severe shortages of physicians and dentists, long waits for care, and the need for housing, loan repayment, scholarships, transportation, and telehealth support to retain providers. The university said it was willing to help and suggested the work could be done through existing rural health and AHEC efforts. The bill was kept alive for further work, with the chair encouraging the parties to develop a plan. The committee also heard SB 1107, establishing a medical education position at JABSOM to support ECHO-style mentorship and guidance programs. The university opposed the bill, saying it did not believe the measure addressed a problem that needed fixing and that Hawaiʻi already has five ECHO clinics administered through the Hawaiʻi State Rural Health Association, not JABSOM. The committee then took up SB 1204, concerning integration of the Kakaʻako medical school and cancer center. University leadership asked for time to develop a plan and timeline, possibly with an external consultant, and requested the bill be withdrawn. The chair expressed skepticism, citing long-standing concerns about the cancer center’s finances and planning. Testimony included support from the American Cancer Society and a patient who warned that integration could jeopardize the cancer center’s NCI designation and clinical trials, while a university vice president said the NIH P30 grant does not require the cancer center and medical school to remain separate and that many NCI centers are integrated. No final votes were taken on the measures discussed in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• But if it's still costing the school district $58,000, you've got to pay for it.
• Once you exceed the threshold, the state will pay you only that amount over.
• We pay about, we have about 120,000 students that we pay.
• And so somebody will pay for that.
• The other $8 million you pay out of your general fund.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, please pay attention.
• This judicial pay raise is long overdue.
• In 2019, we set forth a longevity pay schedule.
• So at four, eight, and 12 years, based on a judge's longevity, that pay is increased and that is still
• pay.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• People that say they volunteer for the election, it's because we pay them poorly.
• Supervisors received a base pay... Increase for these constitutional officers.
• So how do we maintain that longevity?
• It is very important to have longevity and commitment to this job.
• They're not showing up for what we pay them.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from several county supervisors of elections and the Florida Supervisors of Elections Association on the 2024 election cycle and priorities for the 2025 session. They described very high turnout in the presidential election, major operational planning needs, and the heavy reliance on seasonal workers, list maintenance, ballot-on-demand systems, and secure chain-of-custody procedures. They also discussed the impact of recent legislative changes on voter-roll maintenance, including inactive voter removal, and said Florida’s election administration has improved to what they called a “platinum standard.” The supervisors outlined several legislative requests: allowing more than one non-government “wild card” early voting site to improve access and emergency flexibility; requiring newly naturalized citizens to update driver’s license information so voter records match DHSMV data; exempting home addresses of certain election workers and ballot transporters from public records to improve safety and recruitment; restoring a checkbox on vote-by-mail return envelopes so voters can stay on the vote-by-mail list for the next cycle; aligning base salaries for supervisors, property appraisers, and clerks with other constitutional officers; and reducing ballot length by removing precinct committee races from the ballot. They also said they expect a committee bill to carry some of these proposals. Members questioned the panel about ballot transport security, signature verification, vote-by-mail expiration, public records transparency, and the petition process for constitutional amendments. The supervisors said ballots are transported under detailed county plans with tamper-evident seals, chain-of-custody logs, trained workers, and in some cases two-person transport teams. On petitions, they said the process is labor-intensive and expensive, that fraud has occurred in some cases, and that they favor reforms such as requiring more personal identifying information and having initiative sponsors mail petitions to voters rather than making supervisors handle the mailing. They also said signature mismatches can be cured within 72 hours after Election Day and that voters are notified when possible. After the supervisors’ presentation, the committee also heard brief public testimony from Kathleen Griffiths, who urged adoption of commercial-style risk management standards in election systems and referenced several election-related bills her group supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:37.120> and to do is is do it based on longevity and to do is is do it based on longevity
• So, both of the employees did get a pay raise in September of last year.
• raise in September of last get a pay raise in September of last year.<00:08:52.160> Um,<00:08
• And that's to pay for what again? I can't hear you.
• <00:33:22.880> I And that's to pay for what again? I And that's to pay for what again?

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 409, 28 January, 2026; 10:30 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The meeting began with testimony from the Nursing Home Administrator Board, whose executive director explained the board’s role in licensing nursing home administrators, the AIT internship pathway, reciprocity, board composition, meeting schedule, and staffing. Members then shifted to an ice-storm-related discussion about nursing home emergency preparedness. Legislators asked whether any facilities lacked power, generators, or water, and urged clearer communication protocols so facilities would report problems directly through the Department of Health and emergency channels rather than through scattered calls to legislators. The board said facilities generally communicate with the Department of Health, that emergency contact information had been distributed before the storm, and that every facility has some form of generator, though not all can power the whole facility. The board also presented a small budget request, including modest salary increases for its two employees and a cloud-migration cost tied to House Bill 1491, with the understanding that statewide funding for that requirement might be handled separately. The discussion then moved to the Department of Health’s budget and operations. Agency leadership said the department has spent the last three years improving county health department efficiency, reducing overhead, and adjusting fees to eliminate program deficits, which has reduced spending by about $10 million and would shift roughly $8 million in general funds away from deficits. The department requested level funding overall, citing inflationary pressures and the possibility of another federal shutdown, but said it could absorb the impact for another year. Members discussed the public health trust created in a prior session, the need to rebuild county health departments, maternal and fetal care initiatives, and the importance of maintaining the $2.9 million in public health program support that has helped expand services such as obesity management, OB care, and home visitation for high-risk mothers and babies. Oversight and compliance issues were also reviewed. Legislators asked about prior problems with grants and sex education funding, and department officials said they had tightened oversight, adopted OpenGov for compliance, and corrected earlier violations so the programs are now in full compliance. They said the agency had improved accountability for both state and federal funds and that transparency remained a priority. The department also highlighted the cannabis program, saying it is now profitable, generating about $9 million in net revenue last year and about $12.5 million this year, with projections of $40 million to $50 million annually as it matures. Officials said they are asking for seed money for the public health trust from cannabis revenue so private-sector donations can be leveraged for long-term public health support. They described enforcement actions including fines, suspensions, license revocations, plant destruction, and referrals to law enforcement, the attorney general, and licensure boards for serious violations. The meeting ended with general support from legislators for the department’s work and acknowledgment of improved health outcomes, including Mississippi moving from 49th to 48th in overall health outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• they would get longevity payments.
• have all of these incentive pay right now, like bonuses.
• retention bonuses as well as longevity retention bonuses as well as longevity pay<00:36:54.560><
• Yeah, and the pay, but it's also the environment.
• Just maybe we attract by paying higher.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• experts, you have to self-pay for them. experts, you have to self-pay for them.
• They may be under the impression that if they don't pay, if they don't continue therapy and pay for it
• can be required to pay for treatment. can be required to pay for treatment.
• They are also paying for this. They are also paying for this. Okay. Okay. Okay.
• the United States, which they pay back. the United States, which they pay back.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, Polysorbate 80 is one we really need to be paying attention to.
• They want to see the longevity of life; they want quality of life.
• So it's not even just about longevity; we're talking about the overall well-being of our community. quality

Bills: SB 25, SB25, SB314

Keywords: attorney ad litem, indigent parents, parent-child relationship, legal representation, Texas Family Code, court procedures, nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I I really want to suggest that as we as we move forward, Disney, I'm interested in the longevity
• a body as we continue to talk with the stakeholders in every one, I'm sure they will also on the longevity
• to me that what we're doing that this bill is requiring out of state beneficiaries, the higher and pay
• Economy 340 billion with a B billion dollars. >> Every year, Florida drivers pay an average of 37% more
• We're paying 45% more. Then the national average.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• tomorrow, Wednesday, we'll start at 10 o'clock, taking advantage of the pro forma with a briefing on longevity
• c><00:12:50.480> a<00:12:50.639> briefing<00:12:51.040> on<00:12:51.440> longevity
• proforma um with a briefing on longevity proforma um with a briefing on longevity ready<00:12:52.399

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with a quorum present and began the session with an invocation by Rabbi Ari Goldstein of Temple Beth Shalom, who urged senators to listen carefully, act with humility and integrity, and keep policy focused on real people and practical justice. His remarks were journalized without objection. The chamber also welcomed several guests, including a senior Girl Scout troop from Jefferson, family members of a senator, and visiting teachers, educators, and students from the College Board Foundation. The main floor action was a resolution recognizing Korean-American Day and honoring the Korean Society of Maryland and the broader Korean American community for their contributions to Maryland and the nation. The sponsor highlighted the community’s history since the first Korean immigrants arrived in North America in 1903 and named several Korean American leaders present in the gallery. The resolution was read in full and adopted unanimously, with applause and thanks extended to the guests. The Senate then handled first-reader bill introductions: Senate Bill 280, relating to state parks terminology in the Natural Resources/Education/Energy/Environment committees, and Senate Bill 281, the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026, referred to Budget and Taxation. Leadership noted that the early weeks of session would be committee-heavy, with most bills going to standing committees rather than the floor. Committee chairs then gave scheduling updates, including truncated hearing formats due to bill volume, upcoming hearings on longevity, the AHEAD model and emergency department wait times, election law bills, controller briefings, and departmental hearings. The Senate adjourned without objection until Wednesday, January 21, for a 10:00 a.m. pro forma session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, please pay attention.
• Their service reflects more than longevity.
• But you'll remember, members, back in 2019 we set forth a longevity pay schedule, so at 4, 8, and 12
• years, based on a judge's longevity, that pay is increased, and that is still in statute and will still
• pay.

Summary: The House met on sine die and began with prayer, pledges, quorum verification, and a series of announcements and recognitions. The chamber received Senate messages reporting adoption of conference committee reports on SB 268 and SB 2972, and Senate concurrence in House amendments to SB 1637. Members also referred several resolutions and announced the signing of numerous House and Senate measures by the presence of the House. Technical correction resolutions were adopted: HCR 171, authorizing corrections to HB 46, passed 138-0, and SCR 55, making a wording correction in SB 1964, passed 126-12. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to memorials and recognitions. The House honored Pastor Dave Welch, with several members offering condolences and reflections on his work organizing pastors and engaging in civic life, followed by a moment of silence. Members also recognized the Ganado High School Maidens for winning the 2025 UIL 2A Division I softball state championship, Waco police K-9 Andor after being shot in the line of duty, Region 7 DPS for Capitol Complex security, and various restaurants, staff members, interns, caucus staff, and caucus freshmen of the year across Republican, Democratic, Black, Progressive, LGBTQ, IT, Energy and Climate, and Mexican American Legislative Caucuses. The chamber also heard a retirement-style address from Rep. Tony Tinderholt, who reflected on his six sessions in the House, his military service, and his decision to step aside to focus on family, while colleagues from both parties praised his service, discipline, and willingness to work across differences. The House then continued with additional staff and caucus recognitions, including committee staff, district office staff, and interns, with members repeatedly thanking their teams for their work during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jot down the prices you pay.
• JOT DOWN THE PRICES YOU PAY.
• Everybody pay except me. Everybody pay, but me.
• EVERYBODY PAY EXCEPT ME. EVERYBODY PAY, BUT ME.
• And guess who pays for that?

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, September 8, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• supply, plain and simple. ...cannot move water from one part of the state to the other, robbing Peter to pay
• The longevity of these projects presents a real challenge. It's as if we're.
• It's the longevity of these projects. It takes a lot of people to get it right so that we don't.

Bills: SB7

Keywords: water infrastructure, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, water supply, environmental sustainability, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, polysorbate 80 is a really one we need to be paying attention to with all the uptick of dementia
• They want to see that longevity of life. They want the quality of life.
• So it's not even just longevity. We're talking about quality here.

Bills: SB 25, SB 314

Keywords: nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health