Video & Transcript Research : 'political reform'

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TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate of the 89th Legislature Feb 19th, 2025 at 11:00 am

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • the concerns of the public and victims rights groups by prohibiting the use the public funds by a political
  • The bill also creates a pathway for a taxpayer or resident of the political subdivision to seek junctive
  • relief to prevent further action by a political subdivision that violates these restrictions.
  • A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action is entitled to recover from the political subdivision
  • Senate Bill 40, relating to the use by political subdivision of public funds to pay bail bonds.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

JDC DEFER Public Hearing 02-25-2026

Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met on a decision-making agenda and considered four Senate bills. SB 2731 would cap misdemeanor jail terms at 364 days and allow people previously sentenced to one year to seek modification; the chair recommended passage with amendments limiting the change to nonviolent offenses, and the measure was adopted with one no vote. SB 2830 would extend the statute of limitations for misconduct-in-office offenses by public servants to allow prosecution during service and for 10 years afterward; members discussed tightening the definition of misconduct in office while leaving the public servant definition unchanged, and it was adopted with amendments. SB 2914, which would prohibit public disclosure of legislators’ personal contact information and certain voter and campaign records, was deferred because the chair believed existing law already covered much of the issue and wanted to see how that law works over time. SB 3072 would require a mandatory 12-month minimum sentence for first-degree theft involving property or services valued over $250,000; the committee recommended passage with amendments clarifying that the sentence could be imposed as a condition of probation or before parole, and it was adopted with the vice chair voting with reservation. The committee then adjourned.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Elections and Ethics Feb 9th, 2026 at 03:00 pm

Elections and Ethics

TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

State Affairs Aug 26th, 2025

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • Uh, Senate Bill 19 will ensure the same prohibitions in place on accepting political contributions during
  • A person may not knowingly make political contributions to a statewide officeholder member of the legislature
  • It also bans such individuals from accepting political contributions during a special session.
  • And with this, um, I think we need everyone to understand in the state that's involved in elected politics
Bills: SB 53, SB 54, HB16, SB 19
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Local and County Government Feb 17th, 2026 at 02:00 pm

Local and County Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • state's share of matching requirements for federal funds shall be equally shared by the state and political
  • subdivision liability insurance guarantee program and the political subdivision guarantee fund, and
  • That's what it's intended uses for these will be with your shared insurance groups in those political
  • They're going to take the county, whether that be over a jail issue or whether it's a political subdivision
  • But what we are trying to do is help the citizens in the subdivision, political subdivision, the school
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • The same prohibitions on accepting political contributions during a regular session will apply to a special
  • The person may not knowingly make political contributions to... ...a statewide officeholder, a member
  • It also bans such individuals from accepting political contributions during a special session.
  • it, and with this, I think we need everyone to understand in the state that's involved in elected politics
Bills: SB 53, SB 54, HB16, SB 19
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Elections Apr 3rd, 2025

Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have political terrorists, you know, and so anything in their hands.
  • free speech and political expression.
  • It's not the political cartoons that we're all familiar with.
  • But on political speech that doesn't harm children, that is overbroad and limits political speech.
  • Certain political speech protected by the First Amendment.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/25/2026 - House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • And that is why they continue to operate and try to get accreditation reformed on the federal level.
  • This is the bill that reforms accreditation and puts similar guardrails in place for this industry.
  • I mean, people will, like, destroy your life because they don't... ...like your politics. We know.
  • I don't know it is absolutely correct that the nominating commission is a politics, I don't know.
  • And you can't weight the jury by political ideology.
Summary: The committee first heard a lengthy presentation and discussion focused on Arizona State University’s foreign research ties, especially collaborations and funding connected to China and Chinese military-affiliated institutions. The presenter argued that ASU and the Arizona Board of Regents had not been transparent about foreign gifts, contracts, and research partnerships, citing federal reporting forms, the Wolf Amendment, export-control concerns, and alleged links to dual-use technologies such as quantum systems, AI, robotics, microelectronics, and biosecurity. A witness from American Global Strategies testified in support, saying the bill would help protect U.S. research security and national security by imposing state-level guardrails on sensitive collaborations. After questions, the committee considered a strike-everything amendment to SB 1060 that would bar public universities from entering into or continuing certain loans, gifts, contracts, research partnerships, or sponsored projects involving the PRC, the CCP, and listed Chinese military-linked universities, require ABOR review and approval, and impose reporting and budget penalties. The amendment was withdrawn, and the committee instead took up SB 1327, which directs ABOR to require university research security policies and to report annually on those policies and on foreign contributions over $250,000; SB 1327 received a 4-2 do-pass recommendation, with Del Santos, Hernandez, and Márquez voting no and Kolodin, Powell, Keshel, and Gillette voting yes. The committee then heard SB 1803, a veterans bill regulating unrecognized persons who assist with VA disability claims. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill would protect veterans from bad actors by requiring disclosures, capping fees, banning certain practices, and filing service agreements with the Attorney General, while opponents argued it could restrict consumer choice, resemble a price ceiling, and still allow non-attorneys to engage in the unauthorized practice of law. After extensive debate over contingent fees, legal ethics, and whether the bill was too favorable to one company, the committee continued the hearing with additional testimony and questions.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/16/2026 - Senate Federalism and Family Law

Federalism and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • And I understand in our current political environment, everybody's got reasons for being worried about
  • You see, long before modern politics and long before the language of today's...
  • People of good conscience can and do disagree about international politics.
  • They are symbolic and they are political statements.
  • They know of the political rhetoric that is being talked about, about the Muslim community.
Summary: The committee approved the March 9, 2026 minutes and then heard House Bill 2908, which would require any approved U.S. constitutional amendment to be ratified by bill and gubernatorial action, create oath and reporting requirements for convention delegates, and impose penalties for “faithless” delegates. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill was a needed safeguard against a runaway Article 5 convention, while opponents said the proposed guardrails would be ineffective and could create a false sense of security. An amendment changing recall to disqualification was adopted, and HB 2908 as amended passed 4-3. The committee then considered HCR 2047, a memorial supporting the use of “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank” in official state communications. Supporters framed it as a matter of historical and biblical accuracy and solidarity with Israel, while opponents argued it injected the legislature into an international conflict and raised First Amendment and civil-rights concerns. The memorial passed 4-3. The committee also passed HCM 2006, urging Congress to reform the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Conservation Act in response to Mexican gray wolf impacts on ranchers, and HB 4042, which clarified the evidence needed to terminate a parent-child relationship by requiring a potential father to both file and serve a paternity action within 30 days. Later, HCM 2005 passed 4-3 after debate over restricting foreign ownership of real property by communist or authoritarian governments. The committee then took up HCM 2001 and HCM 2002, both focused on Muslim organizations: HCM 2001 urged the President and Congress to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 urged a review of CAIR for possible terrorist designation. Witnesses and members opposing both measures argued that state lawmakers lacked authority or evidence for such designations and that the memorials would stigmatize Muslim communities and chill civic participation; supporters described them as appropriate statements of concern. Both memorials passed 4-3, and the committee adjourned after completing its calendar.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session Feb 19th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • the concerns of the public and victims rights groups by prohibiting the use the public funds by a political
  • The bill also creates a pathway for a taxpayer or resident of the political subdivision to seek junctive
  • relief to prevent further action by a political subdivision that violates these restrictions.
  • A taxpayer or resident who prevails in an action is entitled to recover from the political subdivision
  • Senate Bill 40, relating to the use by political subdivision of public funds to pay bail bonds.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • They've already made a statement against this bail reform on their website.
  • reform.
  • Bail reform was sold to this country and this state.
  • We've heard today about maybe politics is part of the problem. I want to identify...
  • , but SJR 1 is not bail reform.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

House in Session Mar 4th, 2025

Florida House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • LET'S PASS ACTUAL REFORMS RATHER THAN SYMBOLIC GESTURES.
  • ] A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY CAME TO THE LEGISLATURE AND SAID WITHOUT SWEEPING REFORMS
  • Where we find waste let us bring reform. Where there is injustice let us bring accountability.
Summary: The Florida House of Representatives convened for the 2025 Regular Session. Speaker Perez delivered opening remarks emphasizing collaborative governance over personal priorities, announcing no House Bill 1 to focus on collective work. He outlined key policy areas including property insurance reform, with plans for subcommittee hearings and subpoena powers to investigate insurance company practices and potential accounting irregularities. The Speaker called for meaningful reforms in housing, healthcare, education, and public safety, while challenging budget subcommittees to find recurring revenue savings rather than relying on temporary tax holidays. The session will focus on government accountability, waste elimination, and taxpayer protection. Governor DeSantis requested to deliver the State of the State address on March 4th, which was approved through concurrent resolution.