Video & Transcript Research : 'parental access to records'

Page 1 of 500
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Policy Committee 2/18/26

Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> in Minnesota has access to education. in Minnesota has access to education.
  • </c> coming home to missing parents. coming home to missing parents.
  • Limiting DHS access to schools is about protecting children. teachers, parents, and the broader teachers
  • to needed medical care, children access to their schools, the displaced access to food and shelter,
  • to needed medical care, children access to their schools, the displaced access to food and shelter,
Bills: HF3435, HF3409
AL

Alabama 2026 Regular Session

Alabama House Agriculture and Forestry Committee Jan 21st, 2026

Agriculture and Forestry

Transcript Highlights:
  • go to law school in the fall and I'll to go to law school in the fall and I'll be<00:01:24.880><c> here
  • So we're trying to separate those out that you either come to us or you have to abide by the ag rules
  • So we're trying to separate those out that you either come to us or you have to abide by the ag rules
  • So we're trying to separate those out that you either come to us or you have to abide by the ag rules
  • to come to the every year they have to come to the probate<00:16:08.000><c> court</c><00:16:08.560><c
Bills: HB267, HB271, HB267, HB271
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Education Policy Committee 2/25/26

Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:02:29.840><c> to</c> actively denying equal access to actively denying equal access to education
  • access to firearms is even a possibility.
  • /c><00:42:29.839><c> a</c> access to firearms is even a access to firearms is even a possibility.
  • Does this ban a parent who has a carry permit to be able to defend these children?
  • 08:39.600><c> able</c> parent who has a carry permit to be able parent who has a carry permit to be able
Bills: HF3409, HF3487, HF3401
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Children and Youth Health Committee Feb 12th, 2025

Children and Youth Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • abusive parents have access to records if their child does decide to confide in a care provider.
  • Are they going to have to go check the courthouse records?
  • It's a threat to youth mental health access in a crisis, harm to children without parental support, increased
  • Seeks mental health and the parents have access to the counseling records and they say, "Oh, you're telling
  • I think one thing is that a lot of parents wouldn't know because they don't have access to that information
Bills: SB58, SB101, SB102
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 2/12/25

Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> parents to direct their children's parents to direct their children's education<00:04:56.720><c>
  • ><c> resources</c> need to empower parents with resources need to empower parents with resources to<00
  • </c><00:15:16.759><c> to</c> be protected the right of parents to be protected the right of parents to
  • ><01:03:36.039><c> medical</c> parents to consent to the medical parents to consent to the medical examination
  • c> time as the way to be a parent um time as the way to be a parent um but<01:10:36.600><c> Parenting
Bills: HF22, HF45
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Appropriations Feb 6th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • to have access to positive role models.
  • providers to access discounted drugs. ...to access discounted drugs.
  • access to health care.
  • and access to care.
  • the parent, and reasonably accessible to the parent.
Summary: The committee heard staff briefings, public testimony, and no final votes on a series of bills. On Substitute House Bill 1128, staff described a proposed second substitute creating a Child Care Workforce Standards Board at L&I with an advisory role only, along with estimated staffing and board costs; supporters said child care workers need a forum to address understaffing and wages, while opponents called the bill duplicative and costly. The committee also heard support for Second Substitute House Bill 1634, which would have OSPI and ESDs develop a technical assistance and training framework for school behavioral health supports, and Substitute House Bill 2636, which would create a public education review advisory council to recommend K-12 policies for JLARC review; staff outlined fiscal impacts for both, and no one testified on 2636. Members then heard House Bill 1316 on expanding the Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness program so multiple campuses within an institution could apply, with testimony that the current language unintentionally limits access to already appropriated funds. Substitute House Bill 2474 would expand use of the Student Achievement Council Tuition Recovery Trust Fund to cover consumer protection violations tied to private college closures and teach-out obligations, with staff noting no expected fiscal impact from the fund itself. Substitute House Bill 2365 would broaden the State Broadband Office’s digital equity duties and rename the grant program, with supporters emphasizing rural access and the loss of federal digital equity funding; staff said Commerce would bear most ongoing costs. The committee also heard House Bill 2401, creating a Washington State Boys and Men’s Commission contingent on non-state funding, with supporters saying boys and men face worsening mental health, education, and social outcomes. Substitute House Bill 2475 would require the Office of Equity to develop statewide language-access guidelines and a plan to address interpreter shortages, with staff saying the office could absorb the work but other agencies’ costs were uncertain. Substitute House Bill 2517 would give regional transit authorities more flexibility to seek permits before acquiring property for high-capacity transit projects, and Substitute House Bill 2145 would restrict manufacturers from blocking 340B drug access through contract pharmacies and add reporting requirements; testimony was sharply divided over whether the bill protects safety-net providers or increases health care costs. Finally, Second Substitute House Bill 1420 would require a textile and apparel coordinating organization and a needs assessment for a future producer responsibility program, with supporters urging a careful first step and opponents warning it presumes the outcome and adds complexity and cost.
AL

Alabama 2026 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee Feb 11th, 2026

Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Transcript Highlights:
  • For instance, the current language says to get a burn permit, you have to call by phone to a district
  • And we really want to go to an online system, although we're going to maintain that you can still call
  • to changed that language to you have to stay<00:02:35.360><c> with</c><00:02:35.599><c> it</c><00:02
  • If no questions, I'd like to make a motion for a favorable report. going to be able to uh prescribe any
  • glad to talk to you if you have a<00:20:23.840><c> concern.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Jan 28th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Early Learning & K-12 Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • students by improving their access to surplus technology hardware.
  • The students who most need access to the technology are often the least likely to receive it.
  • Access to a device at home is no longer a luxury. Access to a device at home is no longer a luxury.
  • to succeed through scholarship applications, college enrollment, and access to online platforms that
  • Current state law requires parents to cause their children who are 8 to 18 years of age to attend a public
Summary: The committee began by waiving the five-day notice rule for Senate Bill 6320, then heard several education-related bills. Senate Bill 6222 would let school districts and educational service districts sell surplus technology hardware such as laptops and tablets to public school students at depreciated cost, or give them free to low-income students, with priority for low-income public school students. The sponsor and witnesses said the bill would help students keep access to devices for school, work, and college; one member asked whether tribal compact schools were included. Testimony was generally supportive. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6263, which raises school district public bid thresholds for purchases and repairs. The sponsor said the limits had not been updated in about 20 years and should be aligned with cities and ports to reduce costs and delays. School employees, finance officers, and coalition representatives supported the bill, saying current thresholds create unnecessary administrative burden and can slow maintenance and purchasing; the fiscal note showed no fiscal impact. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6261, which would require parents of six- and seven-year-olds not enrolled in school to file annual signed declarations of their education plans. The superintendent of public instruction supported the bill as a way to align Washington with other states and improve enrollment data, while homeschool parents, students, and advocacy groups strongly opposed it as burdensome, intrusive, and unnecessary. Senate Bill 6118 would require each school district to create cardiac emergency response plans for schools and athletic facilities, including AED placement, staff training, and coordination with emergency responders. The sponsor said the bill was personal because of her brother’s death from heart failure, and witnesses described sudden cardiac arrest incidents and argued that preparedness saves lives. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6320, which would restrict state-funded online and remote alternative learning experiences to public or nonprofit providers and reduce levy equalization for some remote ALE enrollment, with limited exceptions for medically fragile, severely ill, injured, or severely bullied students. Supporters said it would prevent privatization and better align funding with in-person schooling, while opponents said it would harm students who rely on online programs, especially those with special needs or other barriers to traditional school.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/04/2026 - Senate Government

Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • Chair, I am here to provide any testimony the legislature wanted to put on the record that the bill will
  • Chair, I am here to provide any testimony to the legislature wanted to put on the record that the bill
  • Access to emergency services is a fundamental reason that we pay taxes.
  • to a public records request, but also, you know, it seems to be some cities charge or some entities
  • Phoenix Union wanted to charge us over $72,000 for records relating to DEI work that a consultant...
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Mar 3rd, 2026

Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Transcript Highlights:
  • access to records and legislative immunity from civil liability.
  • But I never got access to the records that I needed to be able to make my case, so I just had to make
  • But I would say to you, this is about making public records accessible to the general public.
  • This is a path forward to get access to those types of records for every member of this commonwealth
  • initiative petition number 25-14, H 5-004, An Act to Improve Access to Public Records.
Bills: H5004
Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-14, H 5-004, “an act to improve access to public records.” Chairs Cindy Friedman and Alice Peisch outlined the Article 48 process and explained that the committee was hearing expert testimony, then proponents, then opponents, before any public testimony. The first expert, Will Clark of the National Conference of State Legislatures, gave a general overview of public records laws across the states, emphasizing that all states have some form of open-records law but that exemptions, timelines, fees, and coverage of legislatures vary widely. He discussed legislative exemptions, legislative privilege, and court cases showing that outcomes often turn on the exact language of state constitutions, statutes, and chamber rules. Rebecca Murray, General Counsel for the Secretary of the Commonwealth, testified about Massachusetts public records administration, saying requests and appeals have risen sharply since the 2017 law update, with state agency requests increasing from 22,572 in 2017 to 47,776 in 2025 and appeals reaching a record 4,051 cases in 2025. She said the initiative would extend the law to the General Court and the Governor’s office and add exemptions for those branches, while warning that the volume and complexity of requests could require more resources. The proponents, led by Jesse Littlewood of the Coalition for Healthy Democracy, Scotia Hila of Act on Mass, and Auditor Diana DiZoglio, argued that Massachusetts is an outlier for exempting the legislature and governor from public records law and that the proposal would create needed accountability without exposing personal constituent communications or internal deliberations. They said the measure would make records such as committee votes, final bill drafts, amendments, expenditures, attendance records, minutes, and public testimony available, while preserving exemptions for constituent services, draft legislation, internal staff communications, and policy development discussions. DiZoglio emphasized that the initiative is aimed at basic administrative and financial records, citing her own difficulty obtaining receipts, contracts, and procurement documents, and said the public should be able to see how taxpayer dollars are spent. Committee members questioned the witnesses extensively about the scope of exemptions, constituent privacy, legislative privilege, and whether the measure could reach communications with nonprofits or lobbying-type interactions; proponents responded that privacy and constituent-service exemptions were intended to remain in place, though some members pressed for clearer statutory language. The hearing also included a contentious exchange over whether the initiative could affect legislative communications and whether the Senate had already taken a position against the measure. Some members raised concerns about separation of powers, legislative privilege, and the possibility of exposing constituent communications or internal deliberations, while proponents argued that the initiative was narrowly tailored and that any legal disputes could be resolved in court. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing. The committee concluded the testimony portion after hearing from the proponents and their questions, with the matter left pending for further consideration.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary Feb 24th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • would still be able to have some sort of privileged access to those records, as well as a request that
  • Best to be able to make public records video records that could be shared electronically causes me grave
  • And I think that just preservation of record is something to pursue.
  • going to not be able to parent in the middle, they're not going to be able to do joint custody.
  • Whenever we shift these presumptions, you're basically having to show why that other parent is not to
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary Feb 24th, 2026

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • still be able to have some sort of privileged access to those records.
  • able to make public records, video records that could be shared.
  • I like... ...to be able to make public records, video records that could be shared electronically causes
  • And I think that just preservation of record is something to pursue. ...open us up to a lot more, and
  • judge or the court to then go to the place that, yes, they're not going to be able to parent in the middle
Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard and advanced a series of bills covering criminal justice, family law, elections, insurance, and property issues. Among the measures approved were SB 2030, a clean-slate/automatic expungement bill; SB 1926, allowing victims seeking protective orders to file in another county; SB 2170, requiring supervised visits when sexual abuse allegations are substantiated by DHS; SB 2151, giving prosecutors discretion to seek a 65% sentence instead of an 85% sentence in some cases; SB 2166, setting evidentiary rules for calculating future medical damages; SB 1213, allowing certain inmates to start at a higher earned-credit level; SB 1381, creating a statewide pretrial hearing process with a pilot program approach; SB 1824, updating corporation and LLC statutes; SB 1876, modernizing service of process on foreign insurers; SB 1728, adding a domestic violence definition for coercive control; SB 1582, defining bona fide resident and lawful permanent resident for alien land ownership rules; SB 1286, requiring more political subdivisions to provide polling places at no cost; SB 1386, creating a courtroom transparency pilot program using audio-video recording; and SB 1708, creating a rebuttable presumption of joint custody and equal parenting time. Several bills were amended before passage, including title-striking motions on multiple measures and committee-substitute language changes. Debate centered on the policy tradeoffs in several of the more controversial bills. Senators raised concerns about forum shopping and judicial bias in the protective-order bill, the fairness and practical effects of the future-damages bill on injured plaintiffs and insurers, the impact of the custody presumption bill on domestic violence cases and guardian ad litem practice, and the risks of foreign land ownership. Supporters generally framed the bills as responses to constituent concerns, efforts to improve fairness or transparency, or ways to modernize outdated statutes and procedures. Opponents or skeptics focused on unintended consequences, possible burdens on victims, and whether existing law already addressed the problems being raised. The committee also heard that SB 1381 would likely return as a pilot program in one county because of fiscal concerns, and SB 1386 was discussed as a limited courtroom-recording pilot rather than a full statewide rollout. SB 1582 passed after discussion of the meaning of “bona fide resident” and whether certain noncitizens could buy land. SB 1708 drew especially detailed debate over whether the law should begin with a presumption of equal parenting time or leave custody decisions entirely to the judge’s best-interest analysis. Most measures advanced on bipartisan roll-call votes, with some dissent on SB 1926, SB 2166, SB 1386, and SB 1708.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Mar 3rd, 2026

Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm seeing a sort of a duality here between public access to records...
  • But I never got access to the records that I needed to be able to make my case, so I just had to make
  • But I would say to you, this is about making public records accessible to the general public.
  • This is a path forward to get access to those types of records for every member of this commonwealth
  • petition number 25-14, H 5-004, An Act to Improve Access to Public Records.
Bills: H5004
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • are subject to HIPAA and must be accessible to all parents.
  • to subpoena these records when the parents are already entitled to these records.
  • So that's an important piece of this bill: these parents are supposed to get their records.
  • I want to finally say to both of you, this issue of parents having medical records, I never dreamed that
  • Giving records, as you've just both described, to the parents is just simply not right.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Health and Human Services May 14th, 2025

Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • are subject to HIPAA and must be accessible to parents.
  • to subpoena these records when the parents are already entitled to these records.
  • So that's an important piece of this bill: the parents are supposed to get their records.
  • And I want to finally say to both of you, this issue of parents having medical records, I never dreamed
  • give your, you know, records or hospitals not giving records, as you've just both described to the parents
Summary: The committee heard testimony on a series of health and human services bills and left each one pending after public testimony. HB 4655 would expand financial literacy instruction for youth aging out of foster care to include credit scores, predatory lending, scams, banking, budgeting, and related consumer topics; the sponsor and Buckner International described the need to protect foster youth from financial pitfalls. HB 923 would add three public members and one physician to the Texas Medical Disclosure Panel; supporters said it would improve informed consent and patient voice, while a witness raised concerns about a House amendment requiring a physician majority for decisions and senators questioned scope-of-practice limits. HHSC said the panel is an independent body and the bill expressly bars it from changing scope of practice.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 26th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • I pledge allegiance, to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands
  • Today we ask confidently for that wisdom to rest upon this House.
  • Empower them to serve not for personal gain, but for the well-being of the people of this state.
  • God help us to remember that whatever we have done for the least of these, we have done for you.
  • To ensure that every student... The House will be in order. Fourth order of business.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 26th, 2026

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under
  • Today we ask confidently for that wisdom to rest upon this house.
  • Empower them to serve not for personal gain, but for the well-being of the people of this state.
  • God help us to remember that whatever we have done for the least of these, we have done for you.
  • We entrust this session to you and ask for your abiding presence over all that is said and done.
Summary: The House convened, the clerk called the roll, and a quorum was declared present. Members recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and Pastor Kayla Garza of Stone Church in Yakima offered the opening prayer, asking for wisdom, patience, humility, and cooperation in public service. The Speaker approved the prior day’s minutes by consent and recognized guests in the chamber, including Roger Jacob and students and faculty from Wapato School District, who had been honored in House Resolution 4679, as well as a fourth-grade class from Log Church Christian School in Brewster. The Democratic caucus was announced immediately, and the Republican caucus was scheduled for five minutes later, with the House briefly at ease. Under the fourth order of business, the House agreed by consent to treat bills, memorials, and resolutions on the introduction sheet as first reading items and refer them to the designated committees. Under the eighth order, Senate Bill 6132 was re-referred from the Transportation Committee to the Rules Committee. No objections were raised to these actions. The House then adjourned by consent until 9:55 a.m. on Friday, February 27, the 47th legislative day.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 25th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Washington House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • I like to lead this to the pride of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands
  • remember that to whom much is given, much is required.
  • Maybe you never treat lightly what it cost to place us here.
  • Teach us to legislate with humility, to debate with dignity, to disagree without dehumanizing, and to
  • The House will be at ease subject to the call of the Speaker. The House is now at ease.