Transcript Highlights:

• training, regularly scheduled group settings, or other settings that minimize disruption of officer duties
• bill that makes a variety of changes to the provisions of the law dealing with documents that are filed
• It improves processes around corporate filings done by the Secretary of State.
• Charities Division helps with clarity around the filing of reports and fees and recommending a due pass

Bills: HB2239, HB2304, HB2095, HB2248

Keywords: interment, location choices, remains, Washingtonians, funeral services, condominium, housing, warranty, property rights, construction, public safety, vulnerable users, pedestrians, protected classes, transportation, corporate filings, secretary of state, business entity filings, annual reports, foreign corporation

Summary: The Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2239, which would allow family burial grounds on privately owned land. Staff explained that the bill would permit private landowners to establish burial areas, including mausoleums or columbaria, with limits on size, setbacks, recording requirements, and construction standards, while leaving some questions about obligations of later property owners and local regulation. The sponsor said the measure is intended to help rural families and some Native communities keep burial sites on land with deep family and cultural significance. Testimony from a farmer and the Washington Cattlemen’s Association strongly supported the bill as a way to honor family roots and land stewardship. The committee then heard House Bill 2304, a follow-up to last year’s condominium warranty reform. The bill would expand eligibility for the 2-10 warranty option to stacked-flat and other condominium buildings up to four stories, rather than limiting it to lower-rise buildings. The sponsor and supporters from housing, builder, realtor, AARP, Habitat for Humanity, Seattle, and other groups said the change would help make condos and stacked flats more feasible to build, increase attainable homeownership, and improve accessibility for older adults and people with mobility challenges. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner supported the bill but suggested technical language changes, saying the warranty product is not insurance under the insurance code. In executive session, staff reviewed House Bill 2095, which would add education requirements and civil-liability changes related to vulnerable users of public ways, and House Bill 2248, which makes technical changes to Secretary of State filing laws. The committee deferred action on HB 2095. It then voted 11-0, with two excused, to report the proposed substitute for HB 2248 out of committee with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under this statute, the Secretary of State is responsible for filing a variety of events for entities
• Fees for these filings are set by rule by the Secretary of State.
• The filing fee for an annual license renewal is $70 for business entities and $10 for nonprofit entities
• Under this statute, the Secretary of State is responsible for filing a variety of events for entities
• Fees for these filings are set by rule by the Secretary of State.

Bills: HB2248, HB2158, HB2178

Keywords: corporate filings, secretary of state, business entity filings, annual reports, foreign corporation, domestic corporation, nonprofit corporation, registered agent, trademark assignment, charities division, entity registration, foreign registration, ministerial filing duty, filing refusal, international student exchange, exchange visitor placement organization, doing business in Washington, remote worker, branch campus, notary certification

Summary: The Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2248, a Secretary of State cleanup bill covering business filings, foreign entity registration, trademarks, international student exchange program procedures, and authentication services. The prime sponsor and Secretary of State staff described it as a technical clarification measure that does not create new fees or policy changes. Testimony supported the bill, and a question from the ranking member focused on trademark assignment tracking; staff said the public record would still reflect ownership changes. No vote was taken on HB 2248 during the hearing. In executive session, the committee first considered House Bill 2178, which revises court rules and procedures and includes a substitute that removes a two-year extension for electronic submission of protection order petitions while adding statutory authority for the state treasurer to distribute LFO collection grants to county clerks. Members generally supported the substitute, though one member voted no without recommendation over concerns about how the change affects compliance with earlier legislation. The committee approved the substitute 10-2, with one excused, and reported HB 2178 out with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 2158, which updates the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts for remote notarization of tangible records. The substitute narrowed the procedure for confirming a record’s identity, added the word “tangible” for clarity, delayed the effective date to January 1, 2027, and made a technical correction. Supporters said the changes improve clarity, address implementation concerns, and give the Department of Licensing time for rulemaking. The committee approved the substitute unanimously, 12-0 with one excused, and reported HB 2158 out with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trial court clerks request extensions of time to file records on appeal.
• Trial court clerks request extensions of time to file records on appeal.
• So there, this requires that certain forms be filed electronically. I see.
• Um, SQ 2571 is next, relating to jury duty.
• Increases the amount of each juror duty.

Bills: SB2444, SB2446, SB2450, SB2453, SB2461, SB2457, SB2462, SB2313, SB2528, SB2532, SB2571, SB2678, SB2529

Keywords: real property, exemption, attachment, execution, consumer protection, financial security, inflation adjustment, head of family, senior citizens, Intermediate Court of Appeals, judges, Hawaii judiciary, court membership, legal system, presidential preference primary, elections, political parties, Hawaii voting, 2028 election, voting

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 2444 would raise the real property exemption amount for attachment or execution, which the Attorney General said could create vague retroactivity language and litigation risk; the committee noted the exemption had last been adjusted around 1978. SB 2446 would add a seventh associate judge to the Intermediate Court of Appeals. Judiciary staff testified in opposition, saying recent internal restructuring and a pending vacancy had improved output and that it would be prudent to wait and see the effect before adding another judge. The Public Defender supported the goal of faster appellate resolution but said it would defer to the court’s assessment and had no objection to revisiting the issue later. The committee also discussed current appellate timelines, with staff saying at least 225 days is built into the process before a case reaches a merit panel, and that a two-year delay from panel assignment was realistic under the current structure. The committee then heard SB 2450, which would establish a presidential preference primary for the 2028 cycle. The Chief Election Officer said the election would cost about $4 million, less if combined with the regular primary. Several opponents argued the bill would add bureaucracy, duplicate or undermine party-run processes, and waste taxpayer money; one speaker estimated the total cost could be closer to $6 million when county costs are included. Supporters and committee members discussed that the measure would not require parties to use the results and that Hawaii remains one of the few states still using caucuses. The committee also asked whether counties could staff the election and whether the results would be useful given Hawaii’s current primary timing. SB 2453 would require the Office of Elections to include a notice with each ballot that a digital and printed voter information guide is available, with the notice in 32-point font as a separate insert. The Chief Election Officer said the insert would cost about $90,000 and asked for an effective date of January 1, 2027 because mailing preparations for the primary would already be underway. The Disability and Communications Access Board, League of Women Voters, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, and others supported the bill. The committee also began hearing SB 2461, which would have the Office of Elections prepare a questionnaire for candidates and publish responses online and in the voter guide; the Chief Election Officer said the office did not think it should be the agency to shape campaign questions, though he said it could work if the questions were specified in statute. Finally, the committee heard SB 2457, which would require a criminal conviction before seized property could be forfeited. The Attorney General and Honolulu Police Department opposed the bill, arguing it would prolong cases, increase storage costs, and make forfeiture less effective against crime, especially where owners flee, die, or hide assets through shell companies. The Public Defender strongly supported the measure, saying forfeiture should be tied to convictions and that people challenging forfeiture often lack counsel. The Honolulu Prosecutor also opposed the bill, but said it supported transparency, due process, and even a right to counsel; it argued conviction-only forfeiture would fail in cases involving fugitives, deceased suspects, or hidden ownership structures. The committee questioned what would happen to property if an owner could not be found, and the prosecutor said the outcome would depend on the type of property and could involve abandonment or interpleader proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first one, SB301 by Hobie, is related to electronic filing of business property taxes allowed by
• The next bill is SB329, where the revenue commissioner is authorized to perform duties of selling and

Bills: SB301, SB329

Keywords: Lee County, Alabama, business personal property tax, business property tax, personal property tax return, electronic filing, e-filing, tax administration, revenue commissioner, county tax, business tax return, tax preparer, third-party preparer, property tax returns, online tax filing, local legislation, land redemption, taxation, administrative fee, 1136

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, the difference between the committee and the bill as filed is that it would include justices
• Thank you, Dean, for filing this bill; this is an excellent bill and it makes a difference. across the
• Thank you, Dean, and Senator Zaffirini for filing this important bill.
• These programs don't necessarily have to do just with their duties on the bench, and so all of the county
• Madam Chair, when we first filed our guardianship bill, which you co-authored, Senator Schwertner did

Bills: SB1211, SB1574, SB2774, SB2873, SB2900, HJR4

Keywords: hydraulic fracturing, sales tax exemption, oil and gas, environmental impact, water reuse, justice, judicial council, centers of excellence, court operations, recognition program, franchise tax, retail trade, tax classification, business regulation, economic impact, SB 2873, Texas Tax Code, electronic filing, e-filing, tax reports

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 2543 is placed on the general register.
• Senator Driscoll and members, House File 2566, the Minnesota Business Filing Fraud Prevention Act, is
• that I believe it was filed wrongfully.
• We would also mark the filing as fraudulent or unauthorized in the business filings database, and we
• You know, you need to make this filing and pay us a fee to make the filing for you.

Bills: HF2543, HF2566, HF2627

Keywords: garnishment, wage garnishment, earnings levy, bank levy, execution, judgment debtor, judgment creditor, exemption notice, exempt property, bank account freeze, financial institution levy, employer disclosure, garnishee, writ of execution, debt collection, consumer debt, collections, bankruptcy exemptions, public benefits, means-tested benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bill which is house file bill which is house file 2566<00:05:07.600><c> and</c><00:05:07.960><c>
• We would also mark the filing as fraudulent or unauthorized in the business filings database and redact
• and pay us a fee to make the filing and pay us a fee to make the filing<00:10:06.600><c> for</c><00:
• file file 2627<00:17:43.559><c> oh</c><00:17:43.720><c> he</c><00:17:43.880><c> is</c><00:17:44.039>
• </c> chaos we urge you to oppose house file chaos we urge you to oppose house file 2627<00:29:16.240>

Bills: HF2543, HF2566, HF2627

Keywords: garnishment, wage garnishment, earnings levy, bank levy, execution, judgment debtor, judgment creditor, exemption notice, exempt property, bank account freeze, financial institution levy, employer disclosure, garnishee, writ of execution, debt collection, consumer debt, collections, bankruptcy exemptions, public benefits, means-tested benefits

Bills: SB319

Keywords: hazardous duty, Barbour County, court costs, law enforcement, public safety, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, clarity to candidate filings of statements of economic interest.
• specific deadlines on when they're filed.
• So once you go to your political party and file...
• I think even with a municipal election, you have to file a statement.
• That's when you have to file a report to do your FCPA.

Bills: HB250

Keywords: HB250, Alabama Ethics Commission, statement of economic interests, financial disclosure, candidate ethics, campaign finance, candidate filing deadline, qualifying papers, declaration of candidacy, independent candidate, ballot access, election law, ethics reform, public officials, public employees, asset disclosure, income disclosure, real estate holdings, indebtedness disclosure, late filing penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• So what we're doing in this bill is sort of taking the required responsibility of jury duty and sort
• The other thing I'd like to mention is there is a way to sort of excuse you from jury duty if you've
• , you're saying there's a strong possibility that I could use this as an excuse to get out of jury duty
• I was trying to make the distinction between the required service of jury duty and the optional on the
• We are seeing that our courts do not have enough folks coming in for jury duty, and I believe that that's

Bills: SB1317, SB1655, SB1656, SB1751, SCR1049

Keywords: reentry programs, criminal justice, funding, grants, recidivism, attorney general, jury duty, election worker, Arizona Revised Statutes, temporary appointment, civic duty, family court, professional personnel, parenting time, legal decision-making, evidentiary hearings, child custody, ethical standards, capital punishment, death penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• In here, it has criminal cases that have been filed. Orleans Parish had 3,953 criminal cases filed.
• 12,000 filings?
• files all the defendant's crimes on one bill and one person files a bill every date of offense, then
• I can see exactly what's been filed.
• And we're filing things and paying filing fees, we should have access to see the thing that we filed,

Bills: HB141, HB178, HB179, HB187, HB188, HB527, HB782, HB911, HB916

Keywords: court proceedings, transcription, criminal law, recording, judicial discretion, court reporters, record retention, criminal cases, civil cases, legal proceedings, judicial administration, Louisiana Supreme Court, court reporting services, digital reporting, remote proceedings, virtual courts, court reporter fees, judicial district, statewide revision, costs

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> stop</c><00:09:20.080><c> vehicles</c> basically the duty to stop vehicles basically the duty to
• So all the that in active duty folks.
• duty? duty?
• Now, for active duty to preserve to demonstrate good standing, that would be a current active duty ID
• </c><00:56:50.160><c> Army,</c> of the Marine Corps, active duty Army, of the Marine Corps, active duty

Bills: HB0026, HB0042, HB0067, HB0069

Keywords: tribal governments, vehicle registration, exemption, license plates, Wind River Indian Reservation, vehicle, accident, duty to stop, felony, personal injury, death, veterans property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax relief, military tax exemption, Wyoming National Guard, active duty, reserve members, surviving spouse, surviving parent

Bills: HB0026, HB0042, HB0067, HB0069

Keywords: tribal governments, vehicle registration, exemption, license plates, Wind River Indian Reservation, vehicle, accident, duty to stop, felony, personal injury, death, veterans property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax relief, military tax exemption, Wyoming National Guard, active duty, reserve members, surviving spouse, surviving parent

Bills: SB1824, SB1813, SB1326, SB1277, SB1937, SB1217, SB1826, SB1641

Keywords: corporation, corporate governance, business entities, Oklahoma General Corporation Act, limited liability company, LLC, shareholder rights, beneficial owner, controlling shareholder, control group, interested director, fiduciary duty, books and records inspection, corporate records, ratification, defective corporate acts, putative stock, stock issuance, treasury shares, rights and options

Bills: SB1824, SB1813, SB1326, SB1277, SB1937, SB1217, SB1826, SB1641

Keywords: corporation, corporate governance, business entities, Oklahoma General Corporation Act, limited liability company, LLC, shareholder rights, beneficial owner, controlling shareholder, control group, interested director, fiduciary duty, books and records inspection, corporate records, ratification, defective corporate acts, putative stock, stock issuance, treasury shares, rights and options

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and heard several bills, mostly business, licensing, and economic development measures. HB 1277, presented by Rep. Hill, updated OESC job-search requirements and added flexibility for rural residents; it passed 8-0. SB 1217, an OREC request bill presented by Rep. Osborne, would allow a person to tour a house without first signing a contract with a real estate agent; after questions about federal real estate settlement issues and buyer-agent compensation, it passed 7-1. SB 1826 would eliminate the sunset on the Oklahoma Enterprise Zone Incentive Leverage Act and passed 8-0. SB 1824 updated the Oklahoma General Corporation Act as a mirror to a House bill and passed 8-0. SB 1813 would allow the governor to enter athletic trainer licensure compacts with other jurisdictions and passed 7-1. SB 1326 modernized self-storage facility operations and passed 7-0. The committee then took up SB 1937, the Taxpayer Dollars Protect Workers Act, which would condition economic development incentives on labor-practice requirements intended to preserve secret-ballot organizing, employee privacy, and employer rights. Rep. Blancett raised concerns that the bill could harm the film, entertainment, and Olympic-related industries and undermine economic diversification, while Rep. Lepak argued it was aimed at preventing coercive organizing tactics and said similar measures had passed in other states. After a brief debate, the bill passed 5-1-2. Finally, SB 1641, requiring an email address in LLC articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State, passed unanimously. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3892 and recognizes Representative Bell to explain the differences between the bill as filed
• We greatly appreciate him filing this bill for us.

Bills: SB840, HB2025, HB2512, HB3139, HB3798, HB3892, HB4373, HB4398, HB4582, HB4689, HB5187, HB5658, HB5666

Keywords: HB 2025, Texas Property Code, plat filing, replat, amended plat, condominium plat, subdivision, county clerk, tax certificate, ad valorem taxes, delinquent taxes, property records, real property, land use, local government, property development, subdivision recording, condominium recording, tax receipt, eminent domain

Transcript Highlights:

• Under a strategic partnership agreement, it may continue to exercise the powers and duties granted to
• to House Bill 3798 and recognizes the representative to explain any differences between the bill as filed

Bills: SB840, HB2025, HB2512, HB3139, HB3798, HB3892, HB4373, HB4398, HB4582, HB4689, HB5187, HB5658, HB5666

Keywords: HB 2025, Texas Property Code, plat filing, replat, amended plat, condominium plat, subdivision, county clerk, tax certificate, ad valorem taxes, delinquent taxes, property records, real property, land use, local government, property development, subdivision recording, condominium recording, tax receipt, eminent domain

Transcript Highlights:

• This was all in the line of duty.
• This was all in the line of duty.
• </c> need of those hazardous duty benefits. need of those hazardous duty benefits.
• </c> employer had hazardous duty coverage. employer had hazardous duty coverage.
• </c> why they're not in hazardous duty. why they're not in hazardous duty.

Keywords: Reuploaded to restore a few minutes lost at the end of the meeting Representative Tackett-Lafferty: 00:22 • Line of Duty Disability Benefits Representative Grossberg: 26:32 • Loss of TRS Credit Due to Religious Holiday Observance Representative Blanton: 32:01 • Educational Contracts and Membership Dates in KERS Representative Tipton and Representative Blanton: 40:55 • Apply SB 10 Changes from 2025 to KERS/SPRS Senator Higdon: 46:08 • PPOB Reporting on Line of Duty Benefits • TRS Annual Leave Impact on TRS • PPOB Membership • Use of Sick Leave for Religious Holidays Adjournment: 56:03, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Rep. Ashley Tackett Laferty on a bill to extend minimum line-of-duty hazardous duty retirement benefits to certain CERS and KERS non-hazardous members who are injured in the line of duty and cannot return to that work. She used a video and examples from Eastern Kentucky first responders, including a deputy who lost a leg and an emergency management director who lost an eye, to argue that some injured officers and responders fall through the cracks because their employers did not elect hazardous-duty coverage. She said the proposal would provide 25% of pay to the disabled officer, plus 10% for dependent children and minimal health benefits, and noted estimated actuarial costs of about $2.9 million for CERS and $0.542 million for KERS, funded through small employer-rate increases. Members asked how far back the bill would reach, how many people might qualify, and whether the benefit would apply only to active employees or also to past injuries. Laferty said the bill would include a five-year window for recent situations and could potentially cover a total of 3,333 positions statewide that could be certified as hazardous, though benefits would only apply if the person was injured in the line of duty and disabled from returning to that work. Questions also focused on whether a non-hazardous employee could qualify if injured in a hazardous situation; Laferty said yes, if the position could be certified as hazardous, but only for the bill’s minimum benefits. Rep. Josh Calloway and others noted that local governments choose whether to pay the higher hazardous-duty contribution rates, which they said often drives the coverage decision. The committee then heard Rep. Daniel Gberg present a separate bill revising school leave rules so teachers and school employees may use accumulated sick leave to observe religious holidays not on the school calendar, with a required personal statement and advance notice. He said the change would address a longstanding inconsistency for teachers who observe non-Christian holidays and currently may have to choose between unpaid leave or improperly using sick days, and he said prior concerns about retirement service credit and maternity leave were reduced by other policy changes. The discussion ended without a vote, with members indicating they had the relevant materials and that the bill would be revisited later.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:24.280><c> fee</c> change will help align the filing fee change will help align the filing
• </c> their government by reducing the filing their government by reducing the filing fee<00:04:53.199
• the $1,000 filing fee is quite an outlier in relation to other filing fees.
• </c> uh well we ended up being Senate file uh well we ended up being Senate file 2909<00:48:13.640><c
• file file 181<00:49:01.319><c> explicitly</c><00:49:01.880><c> enabled</c><00:49:02.280><c> them</c>

Bills: HF414, HF768, HF359

Keywords: data practices, filing fee, government transparency, complaints, public access, free speech, human rights, censorship, protected speech, Minnesota Department of Human Rights, real property, partition, eminent domain, transfer on death deeds, property rights, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In these days of e-filing, are you literally making hard copies or can you send an electronic file?
• No, we can't send an electronic file, but we do send an electronic file.
• Everything is not automatically in e-filing; it's on our case management systems.
• And some counties have all their filings into one file, and some are broken out by lead documents, so
• Currently, when probate files are transferred between counties, the original.

Bills: HB368, HB3311, HB1734, HB2495, HB2716, HB793, HB3376, HB2524, HB3421, HB3446, HB3181

Keywords: electronic devices, family violence, criminal prosecution, protective orders, tracking, harassment, family allowance, decedent's estate, surviving spouse, minor children, inheritance, child support, maintenance, HB 1734, Family Code, Section 155.207, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, SAPCR, continuing exclusive jurisdiction, jurisdiction transfer