Video & Transcript Research : 'regionalization'
Page 110 of 383
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, April 29, 2026)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Tracy Morant Adams, the 27th Southeastern Regional Director.
- Regional Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.
- From her initiation Regional Director.
- <00:18:28.240>
Mom Southeastern Regional Director. Mom Southeastern Regional Director. - <01:22:45.120>
processing strengthen local and regional processing strengthen local and regional
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention - 03/03/26
Housing and Homelessness Prevention
Transcript Highlights:
- So, broadly, we'd say regions that tend to build more tend to have lower costs.
- The ones that are identified in green are the peer regions that Greater MSP has identified as peer regions
- Some of the people who are moving into that building are new to the region.
- <01:45:51.040>
for building throughout our region for building throughout our region for affordable - I do want to note that the region.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Human Committee Meeting - 2026-04-14
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- 60% of our region, that rank among the highest in poverty statewide.
- The comprehensive result is significant strain to Beltrami County's... five region 2 counties, which
- /c><00:05:13.199>
the 60% of our region that rank among the 60% of our region that rank among - 05:17.440>
absorbs regional hub, Belrammy County absorbs regional hub, Belrammy County absorbs - I am the regional vice president of PACE operations for Volunteers of America National Services.
Keywords:
county cost share, economically distressed county, human services finance, substance use disorder treatment, SUD services, civil commitment, state aid, county levy, poverty threshold, tax-exempt acreage, property tax exemption, Minnesota human services, county fiscal relief, local government finance, chemical dependency, behavioral health, PACE, elderly, Medicaid, health services
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 2/25/26
Housing Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- That's a gap The region produced 16,000. That's a gap of<00:04:59.759>
20,000. - These regions collectively rank and submit applications for nearly 200 projects.
- In your packet, you'll see a detailed list with the awards listed by region.
- In your packet, you'll see a detailed list with the awards listed by region.
- . region. region.
Keywords:
supportive housing, grants, housing assistance, funding, Minnesota Statutes, eviction, rent, nonpayment of rent, landlord-tenant, residential tenant, notice to quit, unlawful detainer, housing, lease violation, late fees, rental assistance, legal aid, tenant rights, Minnesota Statutes 504B.321, pre-eviction notice
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Government Contract Review Committee (12-9-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:21:59.760>
prevention <01:22:00.239>center including our regional prevention center - including our regional prevention center that's<01:22:00.880>
located <01:22:01.199>at - So, this existing network allowed us to get those funds spread regionally and into all 120 counties.
- They have seven food banks that are affiliated with them, and each of those covers a different region
- I don't have a final those regions.
Summary:
The committee first established a quorum, approved the minutes from the November 10 meeting, and then approved a large agenda of contracts and related items, with the total agenda amount stated as $359,638,393.88. Most items were approved without objection, but two contracts were pulled for discussion: attorney general panel counsel contingency fee contracts and a Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission personal services contract.
For the attorney general’s office, Chris Lewis explained that the contracts were panel counsel contingency fee agreements, with 14 qualified awards from 16 applicants. He said the contracts were contingency-based, so no money would be paid unless cases were successful, and that the fee structure worked out to roughly 5% under the statutory waterfall. Senators asked about the size of the contracts, whether the terms were uniform, why no Kentucky firms were among the awardees, and how the public should understand the large dollar figures. Lewis said one Kentucky firm applied but was disqualified for a late submission, other Kentucky firms had inquired but did not apply, and local firms could still work with national firms on cases. The committee then approved the contracts.
The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission contract drew more extensive questioning. Commission representatives said they had previously had a contract disapproved because the proper process was not followed, so they used an RFI process posted on the state and commission websites for at least three weeks. They received one applicant, a Kentucky firm, and set the rate at $125 per hour. Members questioned whether the commission was acting beyond its ethics mission, whether staff were helping draft complaints against legislators, and whether the commission was taking on a prosecutorial or human-resources role. The commission said its role is limited to enforcing the legislative code of ethics, providing advisory guidance, and following the formal complaint process; it does not pursue matters outside that code. Members also raised concerns about the earlier procurement misstep and the commission’s credibility, and the commission apologized, said it had corrected the process, and pledged to comply going forward. The committee then approved the contract.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board (11-12-25) - Part 2
Transcript Highlights:
- If we can put those regionally throughout the state, that will help Kentuckians.
- If we can put those regionally throughout the state, that will help Kentuckians.
- If we can put those regionally throughout the state, that will help Kentuckians.
- That varies by region; it varies by many different factors.
- That varies by region, it adequacy.
Summary:
The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board received a presentation from Dr. Stack and Commissioner Langfeld on Kentucky’s application for a federal Medicaid-related funding opportunity tied to House Resolution 1. They described a compressed six-week stakeholder process that produced more than 50 responses and letters of support, and said the application was organized around five broad priorities: maternal health, behavioral health and substance use disorder, oral health, EMS/trauma response, and chronic disease. They emphasized that the proposal was designed to align with CMS goals, use allowable funding categories, and focus on sustainability rather than a short-term grant.
Commissioner Langfeld outlined five core initiatives: rural community hubs for chronic care innovation, beginning with obesity and diabetes; a maternal and infant health effort called POWER; a behavioral health and substance use model called IMPATH; an oral health initiative called Rooted in Health; and an integrated crisis-to-care EMS and trauma response effort. He said the chronic disease work would include prevention, food-as-medicine concepts, and technology tools, while the maternal health effort would expand team-based care around mothers and infants using community health workers and doulas. The behavioral health proposal would build on existing crisis intervention models, oral health would address workforce and access gaps through training, mobile vans, and telehealth, and the EMS proposal would better connect emergency response with home-based and community care.
Several senators questioned whether the proposal would meaningfully address rural hospital closures or the broader rural health care crisis. Senator Meredith said the plan was not transformational and would not save rural hospitals, while Senator Berg asked how success would be measured. In response, the presenters said they would use both lagging and leading indicators, with an emphasis on rapid-cycle feedback and data use that is more actionable in real time. They also said the work could help existing models that already show promise, such as behavioral health units and dental workforce expansion, even if it would not solve the larger funding gap created by HR1.
Senator Douglas asked how the proposals would motivate patients to participate in their own health care. The presenters responded that the chronic disease prevention work would focus on obesity, diabetes prevention, nutrition, and consumer-facing technology tools to help people engage in their own care, and that EMS-community health worker partnerships could identify unmet needs in the home and reduce preventable problems. The board then moved on to its next agenda item, Medicaid managed care delivery models, with Tom Stevens, Katherine North, and Dr. Patel scheduled to present.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention - 03/06/25
Housing and Homelessness Prevention
Transcript Highlights:
- Paul and a regional manager for the National Fire Sprinkler Association.
- <00:38:28.880>
and <00:38:29.079>state and those like it are Regional and state and - Affordable housing like Dow Towers is deeply necessary in our region, and our residents cannot afford
- level which is not in any way regional level which is not in any way uh<01:02:56.119>
and <01: - by Metro Area uh and then HUD regionally by Metro Area uh and then HUD also<01:21:00.040>
sets
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Appropriation and Revenue. (1-28-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- .<00:34:41.440>
And <00:34:41.599>lastly, regionally. - And lastly, regionally.
- two facilities in the<00:37:27.040>
Jefferson <00:37:27.520>County <00:37:27.839>region - And so we had to, you know, augment the staff at those regional driving license locations.
- We had to, you know, augment the staff at those regional driving license locations.
Summary:
The committee met to hear a presentation from Dr. Hicks on the governor’s recommended budget for the next biennium. He reviewed the revenue outlook, noting modest general fund growth, a large rainy day fund balance, and the impact of recent income tax reductions. He said the budget was built around recurring reductions, lower debt service and retirement contribution rates, and the use of excess restricted funds, while protecting K-12 education, Medicaid, postsecondary education, public safety, and pension obligations.
Dr. Hicks outlined several major spending and reserve proposals, including $350 million from the Department of Insurance’s excess restricted funds to support Medicaid in the first year, $150 million for the affordable housing trust fund, $125 million for rural hospitals, $100 million to offset lost federal ACA premium tax credits, $75 million for utility assistance, and $50 million for food assistance. In education, the proposal included a phased pre-K for all plan funded by sports wagering tax revenue, a 3% annual salary increase for full-time school personnel, continued full funding of teacher pensions, a 2.5% annual increase in SEEK base funding, and additional support for career and technical education and school facilities.
He also discussed Medicaid cost pressures, including higher managed care, pharmacy, behavioral health, and nursing facility costs, and explained the expected effects of federal HR1 changes on Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Those changes include work and community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion members, which the administration estimated would reduce enrollment by about 4,300 in the first year and 28,000 in the second year. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting, which was limited to the budget presentation and member questions.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- for First District because Geo Bond funding and financing ... people across the people across the region
- and it also affects hundreds of region and it also affects hundreds of farm farm farm families<01:05
- <01:10:28.159>
states <01:10:28.679>and <01:10:28.880>other <01:10:29.159>regions - our neighboring states and other regions our neighboring states and other regions that<01:10:29.920
- As many of you know, we're a regional destination.
Keywords:
wastewater, infrastructure, funding, Litchfield, economic development, environmental compliance, Hastings, water treatment, PFAS, nitrates, bonds, capital investment, public health, HF212, Round Lake-Brewster, Independent School District No. 2907, school construction, school building, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Conference Committee on H.F. 4252 - Omnibus Higher Education finance and policy - 05/14/26
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, Senator Umoren, you want to go on to the regions discussion? Mr.
- It's the Senate-only language for the regions process, the regions appointment. 39.18.
- It's the Senate-only language for the regions process, the regions appointment. Oh, page 39, I see.
- I was also frustrated and upset with what went on last year and the way the regions were appointed.
- the way the uh regions were appointed. the way the uh regions were appointed.
Summary:
The committee discussed a higher education attainment-goals bill and several related amendments. Members first reached agreement on funding changes: one amendment redirected money for fraud-prevention software for MnSCU and $5,000 for trees in Bemidji, and another moved $570,000 for workforce development-related funding. Members noted the use of general fund dollars to cover a FIG shortfall and expressed support for addressing fraud prevention while also saying MnSCU should be made whole in the next biennium. Both amendments were adopted.
The main policy debate centered on an amendment updating the statewide attainment goal and related P-20 partnership language. Senator Um Ruebain proposed returning the attainment goal from 75 percent to 70 percent, and members discussed whether the bill’s expanded reporting and coordination duties would create costs for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Nonpartisan staff and Commissioner Olsen said the Office of Higher Education and the P-20 partnership expected no costs, while DCYF’s fiscal note assumed reporting and staffing costs. After discussion, DCYF indicated it would absorb the costs, but some members still objected to expanding the partnership and creating additional bureaucracy.
Members also debated whether early childhood and K-12 subgoals should be included as part of the attainment-goals framework. Supporters said aligning early childhood, K-12, and higher education goals is necessary to improve postsecondary attainment, while opponents argued the committee should focus on existing higher education goals and basic K-12 achievement. The committee ultimately adopted the Senate language on the attainment-goals section as amended, including the change back to 70 percent and revisions directed by staff to ensure the correct references were updated. The A12 amendment on pregnant and parenting students was also adopted earlier in the meeting.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee May 5th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- that Ohio has gone up really rapidly, and that's because there are maintenance issues in the Pat-2 region
- If there are higher prices currently in the Midwest and Great Lakes region, why is that?
- There were no unbranded stations or regional brands in that group.
- Professor Bornstein mentioned that you really can't avoid a global shock, but local or regional shocks
- And as of six weeks forward-looking, we are looking really good and healthy regionally in the West Coast
Summary:
The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the impact of the Iran conflict and global oil supply disruption on California fuel markets. Committee members and administration witnesses from the California Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight described California’s heavy reliance on imported crude and refined products, the state’s shrinking refining base, current inventory levels, and how global supply tightness is affecting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel prices. CEC officials said near-term supply looked adequate for roughly the next six weeks, but warned that continued disruption would likely raise prices further and increase competition for imports. DPMO said the conflict is a real supply shock, but also emphasized a separate, longstanding problem of unusually high California retail gasoline prices, especially among major branded stations.
Witnesses and members debated the causes of high prices and the state’s longer-term fuel strategy. Professor Severin Borenstein argued that much of the price gap beyond taxes and environmental costs comes from a “mystery gasoline surcharge” downstream of refineries, while also noting that California’s shrinking number of refineries creates market-power and supply-resilience concerns. Western States Petroleum Association CEO Jody Mueller argued that state policies have weakened California’s refining system and made it more vulnerable to global shocks, urging the state to protect remaining refining capacity and improve infrastructure for imports. United Steelworkers Local 675 Vice President Norman Rogers stressed the need for safe, reliable refinery operations and adequate staffing.
Several members pressed witnesses on whether California should rely more on imports, how to manage inventories and port/storage capacity, and whether the state needs clearer authority and better data collection to coordinate fuel policy. Discussion also covered branded versus unbranded gasoline pricing, the role of California fuel specifications, and whether a floating gas tax or other policy tools could buffer consumers from global price spikes. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 03/18/26
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- It is a true statement that there was a gas infrastructure base rider within the Colorado region that
- So this is a truly regionally equitable program.
- So, this is a truly uh, regionally<01:04:00.240>
equitable <01:04:00.760>program. - <01:04:01.840>
Um, <01:04:02.320>I regionally equitable program. - Um, I regionally equitable program.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Sep 2nd, 2025
Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Watering Lane, Bonnie Morton, Airport Civil Engineering Center, our sound guy, sorry, Bob Chavez, Regional
- The numbers, so the colored numbered sections of the country, those are EPA regional offices.
- There are many in the state, many in the region, in the country, and internationally.
- One is our regional office, which is based in Dallas, which is Region 6, and then there's the D.C. office
- 6 In particular, Regional Director Mason's team has been quite responsive to us.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Investments in IT Improvement & Modernization Projects Oversight Board (3-7-25) - Upon Adjournment
Transcript Highlights:
- by region as those storms moved across the Commonwealth.
- by region as those storms moved across the Commonwealth.
- <00:25:17.240>
by and appropriate responses region by and appropriate responses region by - region<00:25:17.960>
as <00:25:18.120>those <00:25:18.360>storms <00:25:19.280>- the region as those storms moved across the Commonwealth.
Keywords:
Investments in Information Technology Improvement & Modernization Projects Oversight Board will met upon adjournment of both chambers. The time set is noon on YouTube, But the official time will likely vary based on chamber proceedings.
Meeting start 00:00:00
Roll Call 00:00:00
Tools for Managing Remote Work
Kentucky Personnel Cabinet 00:00:30
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 00:20:20
Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:33:10
Housing, Buildings and Construction 00:47:40
Commonwealth Office of Technology 00:56:20, 958, all
Summary:
The committee received testimony from Personnel Cabinet Secretary Mary Elizabeth Bailey and Deputy Secretary Robert Long on the state’s telecommuting policy. Bailey explained that telecommuting in the executive branch is governed by a statewide policy requiring eligible employees to work in the office three days a week and telecommute up to two days a week. Eligibility depends first on the position, not the person: public-facing jobs, roles requiring special equipment or insecure document handling, and other duties that cannot be performed remotely are not eligible. Employees and managers must complete training, sign agreements, comply with safety and IT requirements, and telecommuting privileges can be revoked for poor performance or discipline. She said the cabinet audits compliance and that telecommuting has helped maintain services during inclement weather, disasters, and building renovations. Bailey also said about 33% of the workforce is hybrid, 11% telecommutes full-time, and 56% does not telecommute.
Members asked about cost savings, eligibility, discipline, and technology requirements. Bailey said she did not have statewide cost-savings figures and referred that question to the Finance and Administration Cabinet. She said employees must have reliable connectivity and appropriate equipment, but there is no fixed broadband speed requirement; if an employee cannot connect, they must come into the office. She also said telecommuting postings indicate whether a position is eligible, and that performance issues are handled through progressive discipline rather than being ignored.
Transportation Cabinet officials then described how their agency manages remote work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock, along with IT and human resources leaders, said the cabinet follows the executive branch policy and actively manages telecommuting employees through Microsoft Teams, VPN access, daily standups, project tracking, and manager oversight. They said more than 2,600 of the cabinet’s 4,000 employees cannot telecommute because their jobs are public-facing or field-based, while about 35% are eligible to telecommute up to two days per week. The cabinet also has 13 state employees and 94 contract employees working full-time remotely in IT. Officials said telecommuting has improved recruitment and retention, supported emergency response and weather operations, and allowed the cabinet to continue working during storms and other disruptions. Members asked about phone equipment, monitoring, and “mouse jiggler” devices; officials said phones are often forwarded to personal or state devices, Teams shows real-time availability, and managers rely on daily accountability and project management tools to monitor work.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Finance (Part II) Jan 29th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- But you have not ignored other regions, and you have now provided grants for different regions to help
- to the agency that directs more funds to grants to poison control centers and reduces grants to regional
- Funding to compensate the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission for taking on the responsibility
- The agency provides grants to the regional planning commissions to implement 911 services within their
- , and administration of poison control services through grants to the six statutorily designated regional
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee heard budget presentations for the Texas Historical Commission, the Pension Review Board, the Employees Retirement System (ERS), Social Security and benefit replacement pay, the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System (TESSRS), and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The Legislative Budget Board outlined recommendations and major changes for each agency, including reductions tied to one-time projects at the Historical Commission, continued funding for courthouse grants, heritage trails, and Holocaust/genocide education, as well as new or modified riders and capital items. For the pension-related items, LBB described funding changes for PRB, ERS, Social Security, and TESSRS, including ERS health plan cost growth driven largely by pharmacy costs, the status of pension funding reforms, and TESSRS’s request for additional state support to address its unfunded liability and staffing needs.
Members asked extensive questions about the Historical Commission’s one-time funding, unexpended balance authority, courthouse preservation, the Presidio La Bahia and National Museum of the Pacific War projects, and coordination of Texas history messaging across sites such as the Alamo, San Jacinto, Washington on the Brazos, and other heritage locations. The Historical Commission chair emphasized heritage tourism, economic development, and the need for continued investment in historic sites, staffing, IT modernization, and vehicles. On the pension items, senators discussed PRB oversight of local systems, including the Dallas police and fire pension situation, and ERS investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health costs. ERS officials said the plan remains well funded overall, noted a 2021 cash balance reform and a planned supplemental legacy payment, and explained that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro are a major driver of pharmacy spending; they also said the agency is working with the Texas Pharmacy Initiative and that rebates are contractually returned to ERS.
For TESSRS, LBB and agency staff said the system serves volunteer and part-paid emergency personnel, is facing an infinite amortization period, and is requesting additional appropriations, staffing, and IT funding, along with a statutory change to allow an actuarially determined state contribution. The agency said it may otherwise need to cut benefits for volunteer firefighters. For CPRIT, LBB reported about $600 million in recommended funding for the biennium and a 10-FTE increase, while the agency described its $6 billion voter-approved program, $3.75 billion in grants awarded to date, and $10.4 million in revenue sharing since 2011. CPRIT’s only exceptional item was a request for a 10% salary increase for two exempt positions. No committee votes or formal actions were taken in the transcript.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
Transcript Highlights:
- So we in Southeastern Massachusetts, as all you do throughout the regions of the Commonwealth, had a
- It's led to inconsistencies across regions, so what happens in one area of the state might not be the
- addition, as serving on the council, I also serve as a peer coordinator for the Massachusetts West Region
- I held many officer positions in the Blackstone Valley region, then the Central Region, where I am now
- regional manager.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing focused largely on DDS-related bills, with chairs Kennedy and Livingstone outlining strict time limits, accessibility procedures, and a 5 p.m. stop to preserve ASL and CART services. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including a bill from Sen. Mike Moore to create a centralized electronic education records system for students in out-of-home placements, which supporters said would improve communication, preserve IEP continuity, and reduce missed services. Paul DePaulo also testified in support, describing the educational and justice-system harms that can follow when foster youth do not receive coordinated records and supports.
A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 242/S. 149, a bill to enhance standards of care for people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Rep. Garballey and many advocates, parents, clinicians, and disability leaders supported the bill, saying it would require provider training, statewide standards, and better emergency department practices to reduce misdiagnosis, trauma, and unnecessary ER boarding. Testimony described sensory and communication barriers in medical settings, lack of provider training, and the need for continuing education and license-related requirements. Related testimony also supported H. 213/S. 111, which would improve access to behavioral health services for children involved with state agencies by requiring better discharge planning, coordination with hospitals and agencies, and more appropriate post-hospital placements.
The committee also heard strong support for H. 256/S. 102, requiring universal changing stations in public buildings, from parents, advocates, and the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council. Witnesses said current restroom accommodations often force unsafe or undignified changes on floors, in cars, or in inaccessible spaces, and argued the cost of adding changing stations to new or renovated buildings would be modest compared with the benefits to dignity, safety, and community access. Another major topic was H. 261/S. 155 on supported decision-making agreements for certain adults, which supporters described as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship that preserves autonomy while providing trusted support. Finally, testimony on Tommy’s bill (S. 168/H. 282) described a preventable death after a hospital discharge and urged clearer communication and training requirements for residential staff handling life-sustaining equipment; the bill was presented as a safeguard for people with disabilities relying on such equipment.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Agriculture and Water Management Committee Jun 17th, 2026
Agriculture and Water Management Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- those native rangelands remain an active and viable part of the production system across the Coteau region
- you'll see native plants that NDSU had a hand in making sure were locally adapted to the Badlands region
- demonstrate that they could build an engine that was functional and could really drive change in a region
- Our region of service being North Dakota, we incentivize startups to move all over the state.
- It allows for regional variation, and it provides flexibility when design assumptions no longer match
Summary:
The committee met in Fargo and approved the minutes from the March 31 meeting before hearing a series of informational presentations focused on North Dakota agriculture, water, and research. NDSU President David Cook opened with remarks about NDSU’s land-grant mission, emphasizing statewide service through research, teaching, and extension, and highlighting examples such as the Lilac Agriculture startup and the university’s role in applying research to real-world problems. He said he intends to spend time listening across the state to better understand local needs.
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 projected significant potential for expanded irrigation acreage, especially in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau, and estimated major economic gains from irrigation, including higher farm returns and support for value-added agriculture. Members discussed water permits, surface water versus aquifers, infrastructure, drought resilience, and the role of legal drains in improving productivity and generating economic activity. The presenters also noted that the full report is available online.
Dr. Greg Lardy followed with NDSU’s required interim report, outlining the university’s agricultural research and extension system, including the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, seven research-extension centers, and the economic importance of agriculture to the state. He highlighted recent research impacts such as new crop varieties, potato breeding successes, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, weather-network tools, and 4-H programming. He also described NDSU’s budget priorities: restoring the governor’s proposed 10% cuts, additional operating support, and deferred maintenance funding. Committee members asked about the new agricultural field lab, storage sheds, and NDSU’s partnership with Grand Farm.
The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor presenting water-related research, including data center cooling, water reuse, smart irrigation, and a feasibility study on co-locating data centers with greenhouse and aquaculture production. Members asked about water use, ownership, and whether the concepts were operational or still speculative. Finally, North Dakota AgTech presented its NSF-funded innovation engine work, describing startup commercialization, on-farm trials, workforce development, and partnerships with NDSU, UND, tribal colleges, and other land-grant institutions. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the prior meeting minutes.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Higher Education Funding Review Committee Jun 3rd, 2026 at 09:00 am
Higher Education Funding Review Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- what are the costs of the instructors to produce this, what other service to the institution, the region
- For example, Lake Region had a wind turbine gearbox, the Mayville Old Main project, Dakota College at
- Lake Region State College. And I would reiterate what my colleagues have shared with you.
- Lake Region State College. And I would reiterate what my colleagues have shared with you.
- Because we all know, or at least the regional...
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Many of these projects throughout the state do not meet regional qualifications for legacy funding.
- <00:03:16.360>
qualifications <00:03:17.160>for do not meet regional qualifications - for do not meet regional qualifications for legacy<00:03:17.920>
funding. - It<00:24:54.600>
spans <00:24:54.960>every <00:24:55.160>region <00:24:55.480> - of the state, the It spans every region of the state, the northern<00:24:57.080>
forests <00:24
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- It means licensure fields and economic development regions reported by PELSB as experiencing a teacher
- It also means an economic development region where the aggregate percentage of Indigenous teachers and
- teachers of color in the region is lower than the aggregate percentage of kindergarten through grade
- 12 Indigenous students and students of color in that region.
- And it uh just geographic regions.