Transcript Highlights:

• destructive behavior referred to the Committee on Public Education AB 1082 by Curry relating to the claiming
• Students referred to the Committee on Public Education HB 1086 by CurRI relating to the cost of living adjustment
• Economic Development, HB 1088 by Slawson relating to the statute of limitations on health care liability claim
• prohibited provisions of a settlement agreement between a governmental agency and employee regarding a claim

Transcript Highlights:

• Referred to the committee on public education it'd be 1082 by curry relating to the claiming an exemption
• Students refer to the committee on public education, HB 1086 by Currie relating to the cost of living adjustment
• economic development Hb 1080 by Slauson relating to the statute of limitations on health care liability claim
• prohibited provisions of a settlement with agreement between a governmental agency and employee regarding a claim

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh Sometimes adjusting for inflation.
• </c><00:40:42.000><c> to</c> other conversations or adjustments to other conversations or adjustments
• Boards are right budget adjustments.
• > staff,</c><01:09:11.279><c> and</c> sizing programs, adjusting staff, and sizing programs, adjusting
• </c><01:13:17.679><c> average</c><01:13:17.920><c> daily</c> is the adjusted average daily is the adjusted

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Properties appropriately adjusted.
• To adjust comparables to the subject without market data, that's what we use to make the adjustment.
• It's impossible to make adjustments to a property without market data.
• If you don't have market data, what are you making the adjustments based on?
• So I guess you need to make the appropriate adjustments on this kiosk. It's... um, okay.

Bills: SB467, SB325, SB867, SB994, SB1052, SB1237, SB1449, SB1531, SB2063, SB2172, SB2173, SB2520, SB2529, SB2538, SB2541, SJR46, SJR84

Keywords: SB 467, Texas property tax, ad valorem tax, homestead exemption, residence homestead, fire damage, house fire, destroyed home, temporary tax relief, appraisal district, chief appraiser, local taxing unit, tax rollback, tax refund, Tax Code Chapter 11, prorated exemption, homestead improvement, disaster relief, property tax exemption, residential property

Transcript Highlights:

• And I didn't want to have to be trying to see a screen laying down on the adjustment table.
• The payments will allow for real-time adjustments to resources and services offered based on patient
• If they receive a waiver service on that day, they're not able to claim that day.
• So if they receive more than four hours, they're not able to claim that. Okay.
• But we, of course, know because we claim the higher match rate for the CHIP kids.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is in parity with federal law prohibiting preparing, presenting, or prosecuting claims for
• It would also prohibit the charging of fees that exceed what a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent
• could legally charge to assist a veteran with benefits claims.
• Many submit improper or incomplete claims that actually increase delays.
• We also know that this bill closes loopholes used to rebrand illegal claims assistance as consulting

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, observed a moment of silence for Alex Prettie, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized several visiting groups in the gallery, including UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute fellows and community college representatives. The body approved the Senate journals and then confirmed two gubernatorial appointments: Dr. Hernando Garsohn as Chief Medical Officer at the Emergency Medical Services Authority and Stephanie Weldon as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the Department of Public Health, both by 39-0 votes. The chamber then took up a series of third-reading bills. Measures that passed included SB 799 on the South Bay Regional Housing Trust, SB 33 on public contracts and contractor payment claims, SB 222 to streamline permitting for heat pump installations, SB 300 to strengthen protections for minors in AI chatbot interactions, SB 457 on community land trusts and affordable housing, SB 479 allowing certain cities to share information in homeless response teams, SB 719 extending a reporting sunset on automated decision systems, SB 722 protecting mobile home park residents from demolition-related displacement, SB 832 updating the Upper Los Angeles River working group, SB 342 on contractor license lapse rules, SB 490 on inspections of unlicensed treatment facilities, SB 828 requiring better state-local permit verification after the Esparto fireworks tragedy, SB 849 barring physician license renewal after specified sexual misconduct, SB 742 addressing decommissioned electrical lines and wildfire risk, SB 96 on over-amplified streaming and digital ads, SB 677 as a technical cleanup to last year’s housing law, and SB 58 on hydrogen sulfide monitoring and public health. Most of these bills passed unanimously or with overwhelming support; SB 222 and SB 677 drew some no votes but still passed. The most extended debate centered on SB 694, which would align California law with federal VA accreditation rules for those assisting veterans with benefits claims and impose penalties for unauthorized claims assistance and data access. Supporters argued it would protect veterans from predatory “claim shark” practices and ensure only accredited providers charge fees; opponents said it would reduce veterans’ choice and could limit access to needed help. After a motion to pull the bill from Rules and take it up immediately passed 29-9, the Senate approved SB 694 on a 29-10 vote. The session concluded with unanimous approval of the consent calendar and adjournment until January 27, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• general fund appropriations historically for current, or real, dollars and adjusted those on a basis
• But after you adjust that number for inflation, now it puts it in real dollar terms.
• And so I've adjusted line two, the mint green highlight that I've set aside for everyone, adjusted that
• So on slide five, where you looked at the legislative scenario with the adjusted revenue projection,
• So the line two adjusts the revenue number for the conformity bill, making the assumption.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee approved the January 19, 2026 minutes and voted to send Michael Kennedy’s gubernatorial reappointment to the Idaho Judicial Council to the Senate floor with a recommendation for confirmation. The committee then received a JFAC budget presentation on the judicial branch, Idaho Department of Correction, and Idaho State Police. Judicial branch highlights included a requested increase for guardian ad litem/CASA pass-through funds in the Second Judicial District and a large increase for the Senior Magistrate Judge Retirement Fund to cover expected retirements and related service purchases. For IDOC, analysts described declining dedicated fund balances, the governor’s holdback exemption, and population-driven costs for county and out-of-state placements and medical services; members asked about vacant FTE reductions, inmate labor revenue declines, probation/parole collections, and population growth despite lower crime trends. For Idaho State Police, the main budget issue was a proposed commission pay plan funded by increasing the Project Choice fee from $3 to $12 per vehicle registration, which drew questions about the impact on motorists and whether state general funds should cover the cost instead. JFAC Chair Scott Grow also discussed overall state budget conditions, emphasizing structural balance, revenue uncertainty, and the need to avoid relying on one-time funds for ongoing expenses. He noted that general fund revenues and appropriations are tightening, that conformity legislation and other policy bills could affect the bottom line, and that JFAC is considering ongoing spending reductions for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Members questioned the assumptions behind the revenue forecast and the size of the ending balance under different scenarios. The committee then printed two RSs from Senator Lakey: RS 33169, which would further align Idaho’s illegal-entry/presence law with federal immigration law and address preemption concerns, and RS 33172, which would clarify juvenile probation officers’ authority to detain or arrest juvenile probationers for in-person violations and to execute warrants and transport juveniles. Finally, the committee heard and passed Senate Bill 1239, a technical change to sex offender residency restrictions that would treat locally approved or zoned daycare facilities the same as state-licensed daycares for purposes of the 500-foot restriction; the bill was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation after questions about retroactivity and whether existing residents would be forced to move.

Transcript Highlights:

• claims.
• Now, there are, these limits would cover the vast majority of the claims, but there are claims that are
• So when we look at the really high claims from the data, it's a non-trivial amount of those claims are
• They also found that claims were often inflated 10 to 12 times.
• a good representation of claims reaching their end in order to see the final claim amounts.

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee heard three bills. SB 371 by Senator Cabaldon would reduce uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage requirements for transportation network companies from $1 million to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, with committee amendments adding findings and declarations, higher limits than originally proposed, and a joint study on UM/UIM impacts. Supporters, including Uber, Lyft, business groups, and some consumer advocates, argued the bill would lower fares and increase driver earnings by reducing insurance costs. Opponents, including consumer attorneys, labor groups, and consumer watchdog organizations, warned it would cut protections for riders and drivers and might not guarantee savings would be passed through. The committee approved SB 371 on a due-pass basis and re-referred it to Appropriations by a 9-0 vote. The committee then heard SB 716 by Senator Durazo, which would create a Home Internet Lifeline Program to let eligible low-income households apply Lifeline subsidies to home broadband service. Proponents said the bill addresses broadband affordability after the federal Affordable Connectivity Program expired, and that it would help students, workers, and families access reliable internet. Opponents from the wireless industry objected to the funding mechanism, arguing the surcharge would fall unfairly on wireless consumers, while one broadband group moved to neutral after amendments. The bill was approved on a due-pass basis and sent to Appropriations, but the roll was held open and later completed with the bill passing 7-1. The committee also took up SB 480 by Senator Archuleta relating to autonomous vehicles as a consent item, with no presentation or debate. It was approved on a due-pass basis and re-referred to Appropriations by a 9-0 vote. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly focused on affordability, consumer protection, and whether savings from the bills would actually reach riders, drivers, or households.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, House Bill 2032 adjusts the testing window for the statewide assessment by requiring
• This clarifies between the two because whenever we're doing laws or adjusting laws or repealing anything
• This clarifies between the two because whenever we're doing laws or adjusting laws are repealing anything
• House Bill 2690 modifies eligibility requirements for UI benefits and requires DES to cross-check UI claims
• against specified data sets in determining the validity of a claim.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a large number of bills and resolutions across education, federalism, government, health, commerce, and judiciary-related topics. In education, members heard bills on moving the statewide testing window later, allowing paper-based testing in more cases, posting school administrator compensation data, expanding who may receive student directory information, reviewing duplicative ADE reporting requirements, requiring religious excusals, creating a school fitness recognition program, and a proposed ballot measure on sex-designated school sports and private spaces. In federalism, the committee discussed banning foreign nationals from funding ballot-measure committees and a proposal to eliminate voting centers and return to precinct-based voting. Other items included memorials urging the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations and the IMF, and a government bill penalizing agencies that fail to submit financial reports on time. Health and human services bills focused on lactation care, a state certification program for lactation providers, prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors, requiring chief medical officers at state agencies to hold active licenses, clarifying air ambulance statutes, seeking a SNAP waiver to restrict non-eligible food purchases, and collecting hospital patient immigration-status data for reporting. Sponsors generally framed these as consumer protection, public health, or administrative cleanup measures, while some members raised concerns about cost, privacy, and possible legal conflicts. In commerce, the committee heard bills on digital goods disclosure, protections for child content creators, liability limits for river outfitters, landlord utility billing transparency, appraisal management company definitions, unemployment eligibility verification, and association-based health plans. Several measures were pulled from consent or flagged for amendments. The judiciary portion included bills creating a civil cause of action for violations of anti-DEI laws, expanding hate-crime-style penalties to include political affiliation and expression, adding reporting requirements for name changes by sex offenders, penalizing possession of falsified commercial driver’s licenses by unlawfully present individuals, adding penalties for mailing abortion-inducing drugs, allowing speed-limiting devices as an alternative to license suspension, extending inmate transition services, increasing penalties for sexual extortion involving older teens, requiring legislative approval to close state shooting ranges, and advancing an Article V convention resolution for congressional term limits. Several sponsors emphasized public safety, parental rights, election integrity, or government accountability, while some members raised constitutional or implementation concerns, particularly on liability, voting systems, and the term-limits resolution. Multiple bills were reported as being on consent calendars, with some pulled for amendments or further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we all know, this July, Texas saw historic flooding that claimed the lives of 137 Texans.
• Huffman, relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and giving direction and adjustment
• Right now, scammers have been calling grieving parents, claiming to have their missing children and demanding
• The changes make adjustments to the accreditation.
• Huffman, relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and giving direction and adjustment

Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 5, HB20, HB 22, HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 5, HB 20, HB 22

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• I have no claim there.
• If we find out that chronic wasting disease is a problem, we would adjust it, or the Game and Fish would
• adjust it.
• Thank you. ...or the Game and Fish would adjust it. If it's not, it will continue on as it is.
• This approach goes against everything that they claim is the issue.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then received a gubernatorial message listing numerous bills signed by the governor. The chamber also handled conference committee business, including appointing conferees for House Bills 1003 and 1169 after refusing to concur with Senate amendments, and adopting a conference committee report on House Bill 1053, which repealed a Century Code section related to the length of the state highway system. A major portion of the meeting focused on Senate Bill 2137, which would allow supplemental feed for hunting and include an expiration date. The House divided the proposed amendments into two parts. Division A, dealing with baiting limits and setbacks near livestock facilities, drew extensive debate over private property rights, enforceability, livestock protection, and hunting access, and failed 14-76. Division B, requiring chronic wasting disease surveillance and a report to Legislative Management, also drew debate over whether the reporting requirement was necessary or too late to be useful; it failed 44-46. With both divisions defeated, the House then passed the underlying bill 56-34. The House also laid over Senate Bills 2340, 2326, and 2289. Later, it defeated Senate Bill 2325, which would have created a process for non-federal easements on wetland areas, by a vote of 4-84. It passed Senate Bill 2210, directing a legislative management study on watershed-based water management, 85-3; Senate Bill 2387, establishing rights for sexual violence survivors, 89-0; and Senate Bill 269, allowing state agencies to satisfy legal notice requirements by posting on their websites if newspaper publication is missed, 72-17. The House then excused absent members and adjourned until Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• market is valued, private property rights are valued, and we'll be able to actually seek a good risk-adjusted
• How do we know if we need to adjust the assumption again?
• How do we know if we need to adjust the assumption again?
• right now, based on our most recent reviews, we have well over $10.5 billion worth of total liquid claims-paying
• number, we were still well positioned from a cash, you know, availability of liquid resources to pay claims

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee met with a quorum and began with member introductions and remarks from the chair emphasizing the committee’s focus on government efficiency, accountability, and oversight of executive branch agencies. Members shared their districts and backgrounds, with several noting hurricane recovery in their communities and a shared interest in reducing bureaucracy and improving service to Floridians. The committee’s only presentation was from Chris Spencer, Executive Director of the State Board of Administration, who gave an overview of the SBA’s governance structure, investment responsibilities, and divestment policies. He explained the SBA’s management of more than $257 billion in assets, including the Florida Retirement System, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and Florida PRIME, and reviewed the Protecting Florida’s Investments Act restrictions covering Northern Ireland, Cuba, Venezuela, Israel, Sudan, Iran, and China. He also described the implementation of HB 7071, including the required divestment from direct holdings in Chinese companies, and said the SBA had reduced its direct Chinese holdings from 33 companies totaling over $172 million to 13 companies totaling about $64 million, with completion expected ahead of the September 1, 2025 deadline. Members asked detailed questions about the Israel boycott list, Morningstar and MSCI, how the SBA gathers information, whether Cuba’s federal designation changes affect Florida law, how companies are removed from scrutinized lists, and whether divestment timing could affect returns. Spencer said the SBA uses public and paid research sources, gives companies a 90-day cure period in some cases, and brings list changes to the trustees for approval. He also explained that the China benchmark change is intended to reduce passive exposure while still allowing active investment decisions, and said the PFIA restrictions have had a modestly positive overall effect on pension performance. The chair also asked about the Florida Retirement System funded ratio and the CAT Fund’s capacity; Spencer said the pension fund is at 80.7% funded, that actuarial assumptions are reviewed regularly, and that the CAT Fund currently has more than $10.5 billion in liquid claims-paying capacity and is expected to remain well positioned for hurricane losses. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• One, adjusting core share percentage and funding ceiling. teams.
• One, adjusting core share percentage and funding ceiling.
• : adjust the reimbursement timing to protect near-term capacity.
• Third-party claims. That would be the claim from out-of-basin states.
• Third-party claims. That would be the claim from out-of-basin states.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One, adjusting core share percentage and funding ceiling. teams.
• One, adjusting core share percentage and funding ceiling.
• Now, this leads to the core recommended option: adjust...
• Third-party claims. That would be the claim from out-of-basin states.
• Third-party claims. That would be the claim from out-of-basin states.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the proposed cost of living adjustments are 1.25% in 2026, 1.75% in 2027.
• Uh, the proposed cost of living adjustments are 1.25% in 2026, 1.75% in 2027.
• Uh, the proposed cost of living adjustments are 1.25% in 2026, 1.75% in 2027.
• . adjustment. adjustment.
• </c> a valid claim in the first place. a valid claim in the first place.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The language in the bill will be expanded to cover all teachers and it's adjusted to match the language
• In the existing language, which doesn't appear in the bill, as I said, we're going to have to adjust
• I guess my encouragement would just be on unsubstantiated claims and making sure that if allegations

Bills: SB514, SB346, SB1593, SB1782, SB1366, SB1497, SB366, SB1895, SB2048, SB2005, SB2006, SB710, SB1480

Keywords: SB514, school choice, charter school, virtual charter school, OSSAA, extracurricular activities, interscholastic activities, athletics, homeschool, other means of education, alternative education, student eligibility, student transfer, district policy, public school district, adjacent district, blended learning, virtual learning, school sports, academic eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• sure that if you have taken qualified expenses as a deduction, you do not use the same ones for claiming
• vote to print, to introduce bills, but I do think the fiscal note needs a lot of work, needs some adjustment
• , significant adjustment.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee met on January 29, 2026, to consider RS 33142, an Internal Revenue Code conformity proposal presented by Rep. Jeff Ehlers. Ehlers said the revised RS would preserve individual tax relief retroactive to 2025, update Idaho’s treatment of research and experimentation expenses by allowing full expensing for new costs starting in 2025 while phasing out prior-year amortization, continue Idaho’s nonconformity with bonus depreciation, and prevent double-dipping by disallowing the same expenses for both deductions and certain credits. He said the changes were intended to spread corporate costs over time and reduce the immediate budget impact. Members focused heavily on the fiscal note and the range of outside estimates. Rep. Gannon cited estimates from ATI, the Tax Foundation, and the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy that were higher than the sponsor’s figure, and asked whether the fiscal note should reflect a broader range. Ehlers responded that the committee must choose a single fiscal note number and defended the $155 million estimate as a reasonable middle-ground projection, explaining differences in how various analysts treated R&E timing and other assumptions. He also said nonconformity would reduce tax benefits for individuals, including seniors and working taxpayers, and noted the corporate impact was much smaller than the individual-side relief. Several members asked for more context on how the bill’s fiscal impact would fit into the broader state budget picture, and Ehlers said he would work with JFAC co-chairs and provide more information later. Rep. Birch supported introduction but emphasized the uncertainty around the fiscal note, while Rep. Monks argued that fiscal notes are attachments prepared by the bill sponsor and should not determine whether a bill is introduced. The committee voted to introduce RS 33142, and the motion carried with Rep. Gannon recorded as opposed. The committee then adjourned and announced it would not meet the following day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Would there be an open warrant to adjust the appropriation?
• Would there be an open warrant to adjust the appropriation?
• Would there be an open warrant to adjust the appropriation?
• Would there be an open warrant to adjust the appropriation?
• </c><00:40:52.319><c> the</c> to adjust the to adjust the appropriation<00:40:54.040><c> so</c><00:40

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met to review a large package of bills, with the first four—HB 717, 742, 773, and 603—focused on special education aid, formerly called catastrophic aid. Chair Ladin explained that the committee needed to move a special education bill forward by March 4 and was trying to determine which bill would serve as the vehicle. He described the current formula and the difficulty of estimating the fiscal impact of lowering the threshold from 3.5 times the statewide average cost per pupil to a lower level, noting that DOE did not have reliable data on how many students would fall into the lower-cost bands. The committee also noted that several other bills in the package addressed SWEP and adequacy issues, and that HB 510 dealt with due process rather than funding. Mark Mello of the Bureau of School Finance testified that the department only has reliable data for special education expenditures above $70,000 per student, since claims are submitted for reimbursement at that point. He said the bureau was trying to estimate how many students might fall between 2.5x and 3.5x or 3x and 3.5x the average cost, but that the basic answer was they did not know and that any estimate would be difficult. He explained that moving the threshold from 3.5x to 2.5x would create a minimum additional cost of about $13.6 million based on existing claims, not counting new students who would enter the range. Members discussed whether districts already had the underlying data, whether a survey should be required, and how districts know when to begin tracking costs for reimbursement. The committee also discussed proration and the state’s share of special education aid. Mello explained that the current 80% state share is modeled in the formula, but the actual payment has been prorated because appropriations have not matched the statutory liability; he said the state liability was about $50 million, while the budget had provided $34 million, resulting in a 68% payment rate. HB 742 was described as a bill that would eliminate proration by paying the liability directly from the education trust fund with an overflow mechanism. Members also discussed possible alternatives such as changing the state share, using a lower threshold in a transition period, or requiring districts to submit data. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the committee was still in discussion and considering which bills to advance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recommendations adjust the 2024-25 base as submitted by HHSC to account for updated information.
• A full list of base adjustments can be found on page 34 of your packet.
• A full list of adjustments is included. board meetings and review of ones behind the scenes for you to
• That was a one-time adjustment. That was a one-time adjustment. that y'all included.
• That rate had not been adjusted since 2005.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every claim is different; all these claims are individual claims. We've resolved 250 of them.
• 1400 1500 claim monolith 00 monolith 1400 1500 claim monolith every<06:27:08.520><c> claim</c><06:27
• are individual claims and you claims are individual claims and you know<06:27:12.718><c> we</c><06:27
• <c> you're</c><06:32:58.000><c> required</c> claim in the claims fund you're required claim in the claims
• </c><06:34:27.320><c> fund</c> claims are coming into the claims fund claims are coming into the claims

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.