Transcript Highlights:

• Bodine about the irrigation study, so thank you. It was great. How about the irrigation study?
• The study looked at impacts of legal drains in 12 counties, and there's a list of them in the study,
• We provide half the salary and benefit package.
• So we will move over to the next study that was under our direction, the inundated land study, and a
• So we will move over to the next study that was under our direction, the inundated land study, and a

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and opening remarks from NDSU President David Stewart, who emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission of statewide service through teaching, research, and extension. He highlighted the university’s role in agriculture, water, soil health, and community outreach, and pointed to examples of research commercialization such as Lilac Agriculture’s work on nitrogen-fixing microbes for crops. He also said he is still early in his tenure and intends to spend time listening and learning across the state. The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study estimated that North Dakota could develop about 1.3 million additional irrigated acres, with major potential in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau. Testimony stressed the economic benefits of irrigation for crop yields, value-added processing, dairy, and potato production, while members also discussed water availability, aquifers, downstream water use, and the need for more flexible permitting. The drainage portion of the study found significant economic benefits from legal drains, and staff explained that the impacts were calculated through increased productivity and related input purchases. Greg Lardy then gave NDSU’s required agriculture update, saying agriculture accounts for more than $41 billion in annual economic activity, one in five jobs, and about 25 percent of state GDP. He reviewed the role of SBAR, the statewide research-extension network, new crop varieties, virtual fencing, AI and weather-network tools, and Extension’s county partnerships and youth programs. He also outlined NDSU’s priorities for the next session: restoring proposed budget cuts, increasing operating support, and addressing deferred maintenance. Members asked about storage shed construction, NDSU’s relationship with Grand Farm, and whether NDSU could help with water-related research tied to drainage and aquifers. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor on water and data centers, who described graduate fellowships, a water workforce certificate program, and research on data center cooling, water use, and “Legendary Harvest” concepts that would reuse waste heat for greenhouse or aquaculture production. Questions focused on whether the cooling systems were closed-loop, who would own any related production facilities, and whether the project was still only a feasibility study. Finally, North Dakota AgTech described its NSF-funded “engine” project, saying it has brought millions in federal investment to the state, supported startups and on-farm trials, and is focused on commercialization, workforce development, and helping producers lower input costs and improve profitability.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a Connecticut study that is a tracking study in Connecticut that shows that they've been doing
• <01:07:46.480> shows<01:07:46.920> that study in Connecticut that shows that study
• <01:15:13.000> that um you know, research or studies that um you know, research or studies
• > by<01:20:38.560> Siena A study released yesterday by Siena A study released yesterday
• referenced this study earlier. referenced this study earlier.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A 2018 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that...
• Overall, several studies have provided positive results that associate harm reduction programming and
• I mean, I took it that he was saying that the salaries earned by...
• He was saying that the salaries earned by peer support specialists are not comparable to other service
• So what studies have shown is that there is no difference in the genetic heritability of a substance

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be released, hopefully, yet this month, but we're running out of April, is a three-and-a-half-year study
• But if there's a vacant position within your department, it does not stay on the salary line; it could
• We did a study quite a few years ago—now a couple of decades ago—when legislative analysts brought the
• same issue and asked for a study.
• They are paying themselves large salaries or executive officers, etc.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we talked about whether they wanted even a temporary salary increase to administer these funds.
• been here, but because we are primarily federally funded, every time that there's an increase in salary
• And so actually last year we requested, and this body granted us, $750,000 to do a study of labor force
• So we will be happy to share this in the interim as we finish the study.
• So that's why we're doing the more in-depth study. Thank you, Chairman.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• behalf of the sheriffs of the Commonwealth, I want to voice our support for creating a commission to study
• This legislation creates a commission to study and evaluate essentially how we sentence people to sheriff's
• I will say, because I have studied it, I have a lot of data I can share with you.
• It is literally cost-free, okay, the salaries for the two members, but cost-free.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security heard testimony on several bills affecting correctional facilities, disability access, public health, youth education, parole, and vehicle noise. Early testimony focused on H. 2736/S. 1762, “Matt’s Law,” which would permanently ban free weights in medium- and maximum-security correctional facilities and require exercise equipment to be secured. The bill was supported by the Tidman family, Rep. Wells, and the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union, who described the assault on Corrections Officer Matthew Tidman and argued the measure would prevent similar attacks. Committee members expressed sympathy and asked whether the Department of Correction could make the change administratively; witnesses said free weights had already been removed but that codifying the policy in law was needed. The committee also heard S. 1753 on synthetic drugs in correctional facilities, which would make possession, distribution, and use of Class C synthetic substances in prisons and jails a felony with a mandatory minimum sentence. Senator O’Connor and MCOFU said synthetic drugs like K2 are being smuggled in through mail and are causing violence and medical emergencies among inmates and staff. H. 4123, filed by Rep. Donahue and Chair Vargas, would require correctional facilities to offer two doses of naloxone to people upon direct release; Donahue cited overdose risk after incarceration and her personal loss of a son to overdose. Sheriff Donna Buckley also testified in support of a commission to study sentencing jurisdiction and whether more people should be sentenced to county houses of correction rather than DOC facilities. A large portion of the hearing was devoted to S. 1733, “An Act Building a More Accessible Massachusetts,” which would expand the Architectural Access Board’s authority over older buildings, workplace areas, and adaptable housing units. Chris Ho, disability advocates, and people with disabilities testified that the bill would help close gaps in accessibility for employment and housing, reduce long waits for accessible units, and support aging in place and independent living. The committee also heard S. 1721 on educational rights for incarcerated youth, with Avery Farmer arguing that 18- to 21-year-olds in DOC and houses of correction should receive the same educational services and disability supports as youth in DYS custody. Additional testimony supported S. 1716 regulating illegal exhaust systems, with one witness citing public health harms from vehicle noise and another opposing the bill as overbroad and harmful to classic car owners. Finally, Claire Massington testified for H. 2694 on equitable access to parole, calling for a more transparent, best-practices-based parole system with a revised board composition and a presumption of parole unless the board shows otherwise. The hearing ended with the chair adjourning the meeting due to a roll call in the House and Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• It did not go through, but we were able to get a study in the interim.
• be pragmatic, what we brought, what became a bill, so it's an interim committee bill since it was a study
• pragmatic, what we brought, what became a bill, so it's an interim committee bill since you was a study
• So when they're starting out as a $53,000 salary employee and they're getting $10,000 off the top of

Bills: SB175, SB277, SB374, SB400

Keywords: military, veterans, education, teaching, Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, licensure, certification, public schools, charter schools, school social worker, school counselor, school psychologist, internship, practicum, student support services, mental health, harassment, bullying, power-based violence, school safety

Transcript Highlights:

• We're inundated with all kinds of reports and studies.
• We're inundated with all kinds of reports and studies.
• You know, I know you folks made some salary adjustments and stuff.
• know you folks made some salary know you folks made some salary adjustments<01:24:28.960> and
• change the salary change the salary >> the<02:53:44.960> consult<02:53:45.200> and

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Association has studied it.
• So, it's not well studied, especially in the U.S. population, because it's been hard to study.
• It is a dated study.
• We've heard a lot of studies show, I've heard that a lot today. Well, who conducted those studies?
• The studies you referenced—because a big deal has been made—these are not peer-reviewed studies.

Bills: SB5, SB11, SB12, SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes, election law enforcement, criminal prosecution, Election Code, Government Code Chapter 402, local prosecutors, county attorney, district attorney, grand jury, probable cause reports, state election offenses, voter fraud, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• There is some funding for clinician salaries, but again, we can't say we're going to hire a doctor or
• There is some funding<00:09:55.520> for<00:09:55.680> clinician<00:09:56.280> salaries
• for clinician salaries but again we<00:09:57.320> can't<00:09:57.680> say<00:09:57.920
• You know, we had one person who, you know, we're very focused on case studies and how these case studies
• And some of the newer studies are coming out saying it's actually 80%.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, that includes the cost of employer-paid health care contributions, FICA, Medicare, other salary and
• and compensation related other salary and compensation related costs<00:16:41.480> operating<
• name of it was the carbon storage study name of it was the carbon storage study do<00:33:50.840>
• I think the study that you were referring to, we also had a pilot peatland restoration appropriation,
• I think the study that you were referring to, we also had a pilot peatland restoration appropriation,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• changes due to CPI or salary increment changes given?
• <00:04:48.960> listed a group one step one PVA salary listed a group one step one PVA salary
• you salary schedule, those numbers that you were<00:05:29.199> sharing.
• we were using for this PVA salary we were using for this PVA salary schedule. schedule. schedule
• :55.759> increment changes due to CPI or salary increment changes due to CPI or salary increment

Keywords: Call to Order: 00:15 PVA Administration : 00:15 Adjournment: 10:17, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved prior meeting minutes, and then took up a single agenda item involving the Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) salary schedule and payroll administration. Finance Cabinet representatives Dale Clemens and general counsel Barbie Dickens testified that the cabinet’s role is to administer PVA payroll and that it needs clear statutory language to do so without interpretation. They said the salary schedule is set in statute, not regulation, and explained that the last update they were aware of was in 2020, with later changes tied to CPI and then updated in 2024 through House Bill 122. Members asked whether PVA salaries had effectively doubled under the 2024 update, how the schedule had been adjusted before 2024, and whether the cabinet could update the schedule administratively. The Finance Cabinet responded that the current language would apply the same increment given to other state employees rather than a CPI-based increase, and that the schedule itself remains in KRS 132.590. The chair and members discussed proposed budget language, including references to the Kentucky Association of PVAs and issues arising since the 2022 budget, with the goal of cleaning up the language so the cabinet could make necessary adjustments. The chair indicated the most recent language appeared to be in the newly dropped HB 500 budget bill and asked whether the PVA representatives could live with it; the PVAs appeared agreeable. No formal vote was taken on the substantive issue during the meeting, and after concluding there were no further questions, the chair adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's about a year-old study, but I've found it invaluable as we talk about criminal justice, the
• Remind us and help us maintain those bonuses and those salary increases at the state level.
• to what Representative Romero [ID: member_13415] was saying, and looking at some of our national studies

Transcript Highlights:

• Studies.
• Additionally, there's been significant resources pulled into the study of the popular weight loss drugs
• Whole study, and it was $2 billion dollars over the next 10 years to maybe get there.
• I'm a little concerned that some of that study wasn't done before we granted $8 million to.
• I think they are probably salary is not too far under market.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a study by the National Academy of Science that that was really what was identified in our research
• The UF study has shown that awareness and promotion lead to attributed movement of juice and consumers
• That specialize in feasibility studies management on its specialize in feasibility studies management
• Those were not part of our society of the 49 districts that were part of our study with the independent
• We don't need the salary for the conservation technician.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• salary that the sheriff that left got. salary that the sheriff that left got.
• today would follow that salary. today would follow that salary.
• salary, they could still raise a salary. salary, they could still raise a salary.
• /c><00:03:37.440> salary.
• his rhenium in that salary. his rhenium in that salary.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Between 2017 and 2019, the state spent nearly $8 million on the Jacob study.
• We've studied this problem long enough. We've studied this problem long enough.
• nearly $8 million on the Jacob study. nearly $8 million on the Jacob study.
• <03:49:40.640> into and finally turns years of study into and finally turns years of study
• While salaries may look with reality.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to getting on interlock so that more people can use it, because interlock has been shown in many studies
• spent $721,000 on their CEO and their top 10 people made $3 million and were over the governor's salary
• spent $721,000 on their CEO and their top 10 people made $3 million and were over the governor's salary
• $3 million and were over the people made $3 million and were over the governor's<00:43:11.119> salary
• So, um I I just want governor's salary.

Bills: SF1959, HF2444, SF2298, HF2445, SF2216, HF2443, HF2130, HF1943, HF2436, HF2442

Keywords: veterans, military affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Military Affairs, omnibus veterans bill, appropriations, National Guard, state active service, armory, State Armory Building Commission, veterans homes, veterans cemeteries, county veterans service office, Minnesota GI Bill, Gold Star families, Blue Star families, Secret War in Laos, Hmong veterans, Laos veterans, special guerrilla units

Transcript Highlights:

• And the majority of those degrees are in general studies and humanities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• And so half of it goes directly to just paying DOT salaries and benefits.
• And 25 million of that goes to salaries And benefits.
• But we're going to start with a grant to do a study and See what options we can come up with.
• So when we look at priority projects, I'm glad to hear that you're doing a study.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our physician call in nurse salaries alone have totaled $1.1 million.
• You're the one who studies this. I think if you get over 200, Doctor?
• You're the one who studies this. I think if you get over 200, you're sustainable.
• For seven years, I've been carrying around this case study that was Dr.
• For seven years, I've been carrying around this case study that was Dr.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.