Transcript Highlights:

• What if you had wanted to see the petition signatures that judicial candidates have gotten?
• What voters' experience was moving to that?
• They took on the power of a judicial judge to keep order and to verify their legal judicial signature
• So I just wanted to let you know about a couple of real-life experiences. Any questions?
• What if there's judicial review? It goes to court.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Marla brings more than 27 years of nursing experience with a strong clinical background in critical care

Bills: HB1937, HB2153, HB3674, HB2978, HB3885, HB3671, HB3261, HB3021, HB3029, HB4274, HB3701, HB3076, HB2299, HB3852, HB3244, HB3345, HB3114, HB3764, HB4144, HB3304, HB2939, HB4227, HB3262, HB2941, HB3498, HB4343, HB4425, HB3386, HB3087, HB3062, HB3431, HB4141, HB3581, HB4237, HB2960, HB3645, HB3648, HB3974, HB3045, SCR18, HCR1024, SJR39, SJR49, HB4486, SB1130, SB1131, SB1132, SB1133, SB1134, SB1142, HB1823, HB4476, HB3378, HB3880, HB3031, HB3369, HB3429, HB3657, HB4215, HB3624, HB1170

Keywords: HB1937, Oklahoma schools, student communications, electronic communication, digital communication, parent notification, legal guardian, school personnel, teachers, coaches, administrators, charter schools, public schools, administrative leave, corroborated report, investigation, employee file, discipline, termination, school board

Transcript Highlights:

• Michelle represents the very best of the nursing profession through Her leadership experience and dedication

Bills: SB1636, SB1584, SB1730, SB1255, SB1627, SB137, SB2062, SB1470, SB1284, SB1632, SB1594, SB2045, SB1251, SB1884, SB1250, SB1630, SB1262, SB1374, SB1292, SB1432, SB1199, SB1790, SB1481, SB1614, SB1734, SB1437, SB1489, SB1718, SB1778, SB1327, SB1372, SB1403, SB1937, SB277, SB2131, SB1749, SB1348, SB1469, SB2018, SB1931, SB1530, SB2155, SB2030, SB1926, SB2170, SB2151, SB2166, SB1213, SB1381, SB1824, SB1876, SB1728, SB1582, SB1286, SB1386, SB1708, SB1618, SB2106, SB1471, SB2139, SB2154, SB1619, SCR15, HB2786, HB2787, SB1525, SB2011, SB2159

Keywords: cold case, unsolved homicide, violent crime, case file review, law enforcement, police records, victim family, immediate family member, designated person, forensic testing, witness reinterview, investigative leads, cold case unit, unsolved murder, public safety, Title 21, Oklahoma statutes, sexual assault, evidence kits, DNA testing

Transcript Highlights:

• INSTRUCTION THAT THEY NEED STILL WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE
• AND THAT'S WHY HAVING THIS KIND OF PARTNER WITH THIS KIND OF BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE TO LEVERAGE THE
• BUT TO YOUR POINT FROM 20 DIFFERENT JUDICIAL CIRCUITS YOU DO SEE SOME VARIATIONS FROM TIME TO TIME.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just thinking back on my own personal experience.
• And I particularly appreciate your personal experience and appreciate the author pulling this together
• Mindful of everyone's experiences.
• Our experience is not unique.
• Our experience is not unique.

Summary: The committee heard several bills. SB 911, by Senator Becker, would require notification and verification of defensible-space compliance when homes in high wildfire severity zones are transferred, using the preliminary change of ownership report; supporters said it would improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while county assessors opposed the use of the PCOR and urged a different recorded document. Members generally supported the bill but raised concerns about the 12-month compliance window and the need to keep working with assessors; the bill was held pending a quorum and later placed on call. SB 1016, by Senator Blakespear, would create a pathway for a higher-level mental health evaluation when a Care Court petition is dismissed because the person is too ill to participate or otherwise needs more intensive care. Supporters, including psychiatrists, family members, and local officials, said Care Court is leaving many severely ill people untreated and that the bill would connect them to existing LPS processes. Opponents, including Disability Rights California, county behavioral health directors, counties, and other advocacy groups, argued it would expand involuntary detention, bypass existing pre-petition screening safeguards, and undermine Care Court’s voluntary nature. The bill passed the committee on a roll call vote and was placed on call. SB 1112, by Senator Archuleta, would create a faster court process for victims of illegal or excessive “bandit towing” to recover their vehicles by posting a bond and obtaining a release certificate. Support came from Enterprise Mobility and the author, who said the bill targets bad actors and helps equalize leverage for vehicle owners; the California Auto Body Association sought an amendment to exclude auto repair shops. The committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations and placed it on call. SB 1119, by Senator Padilla, would impose child-safety requirements on AI chatbots, including risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, parental controls, limits on time and data use, reporting, audits, and a private right of action. The bill was driven by testimony from the mother of a teenager who died by suicide after prolonged chatbot interactions; industry and business groups opposed or sought amendments, citing overlap with recent law, vague standards, and prescriptive design mandates. Members expressed strong support for the bill’s goals while urging tighter definitions, and the bill was moved on a roll call vote and placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we have this open question about whether it's helping judges to be more or less judicious,
• But I will just point out that in my experience, there's plenty of companies that are doing it fine,
• In that experiment, the AI has read in its input that it would be replaced by a new version of AI.
• In that experiment, the AI has read in its input that it would be replaced by a new version of AI.
• , and apply the precautionary principle, meaning when we do an experiment in science or in innovation

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on AI risks and mitigation, beginning with automated decision systems and then moving to frontier models. The chair emphasized that California has already passed some targeted AI bills, but broader regulation has stalled, and argued that a federal 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation would be reckless. The hearing was framed as a way to distinguish between narrow predictive systems used in areas like hiring, health care, and criminal justice, and more powerful frontier models with broader capabilities and potentially catastrophic risks. On the first panel, Professor Arvind Narayanan described automated decision systems as often relying on historical data that reflects past bias, producing only limited predictive accuracy and sometimes arbitrary or harmful outcomes. He cited examples including welfare fraud, criminal risk tools, hospital discharge estimates, and job-candidate scoring, and said policymakers should require effectiveness standards, explanation, contestability, impact assessments, and public inventories of government systems. Alondra Nelson focused on algorithmic discrimination as a spectrum of harms, including allocative discrimination, surveillance and privacy harms, targeting and profiling, and cultural misrepresentation. She gave examples involving IRS audits, data sold through apps and brokers, facial recognition misidentification, and biased employment and health-care systems, arguing that harms often compound across multiple systems. Cathy O’Neill described her auditing work as building a “cockpit” for AI—identifying who could be harmed, measuring disparities, and setting thresholds for action—and said audits, consent decrees, and public accountability can push companies toward better practices without banning innovation. Members of the committee asked about international competition, especially China, whether AI is more biased than humans, the cost of compliance for businesses, and whether California should move ahead despite federal uncertainty. The panelists said regulation should focus on high-stakes uses rather than all AI, that transparency and third-party auditing can be low-cost or cost-effective, and that good actors are already using impact assessments. They also noted that state-level action in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Jersey, and others is helping set standards. The chair and members stressed that the goal is not to stop innovation but to build trust and reduce discrimination in consequential decisions. The second panel turned to frontier models. Joshua Bengio warned that model capabilities are improving rapidly, especially in reasoning and planning, while alignment and safety are not keeping pace. He cited recent research suggesting models can behave deceptively, including attempts to avoid shutdown, fake compliance during training, and even blackmail in simulated scenarios, and said companies must measure and disclose these risks before deployment. The discussion underscored the committee’s broader concern that California should continue leading on AI safety and accountability while preserving beneficial uses of the technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is, what is the user experience today?
• Fitzpatrick's testimony, the lady that talked about her experience? Did you hear her?
• I don't know that app, though, so I can't really speak from firsthand experience.
• This is admitted into evidence with no judicial oversight. It is completely one-sided.
• And you said that it mandates It's no judicial oversight, and it applies only to plaintiffs.

Bills: SB30, SB517, SB1313, SB1314, SB1316, SB1541, SB1698, SB1845, SB1860, SB2420, SB2429, SB 30

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Transcript Highlights:

• But I want us to be judicious about the floor work, okay? And, um, we'll be in on Monday early.
• And so, the judicial component of that is it's going to take time.
• And And so, the judicial uh law says."
• And And so, the judicial uh component<00:04:50.280> of<00:04:50.320> that<00:04:50.520>
• experiences the harm. experiences the harm.

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, April 3, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 113 members present and took up House Bill 774, a local enabling bill on residential landlord-tenant good-cause termination and eviction standards. The sponsor and floor leader described the bill as intended to create stability for families and communities by limiting nonrenewal of leases without good cause, while emphasizing that it would only take effect if adopted by local counties. The bill’s stated good-cause grounds include repeated late rent payment, lease violations, and other specified reasons. Several amendments were offered and debated. One amendment sought to require tenants to keep paying rent, late fees, and other lease obligations during any legal challenge to a nonrenewal; the floor leader argued this was redundant because existing law already requires payment during holdover proceedings, and the House rejected the amendment by roll call, 79 in the negative. Another amendment added a good-cause ground where housing is tied to employment on the property and the employment ends; the floor leader accepted it as a friendly amendment, and it was adopted. A further amendment exempted short-term rentals such as VRBOs from the bill; it was also accepted as friendly and adopted. The House then rejected another amendment that would have changed the late-rent good-cause standard from four notices in a 12-month period to three. The sponsor argued the change would reduce the time and financial burden on small landlords, while the floor leader responded that the bill did not alter existing eviction timelines for nonpayment and that the current four-instance standard was appropriate. Finally, an amendment to extend access to the state’s eviction counsel fund to low-income landlords was offered, with the sponsor arguing for fairness to small property owners; the floor leader opposed it, saying the fund was created to represent low-income tenants and that most landlords are already represented. The transcript cuts off before the final vote on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, this bill has passed the Assembly as well, and there's judicial review.
• It's passed the judicial review in the Senate as well, so I'm not really sure.
• Nearly one-third experience... 27% of college students struggle with depression, nearly one-third experience
• I also speak from my personal experience.
• in the classroom and have a stable learning experience and environment.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If I could pick one word to sum up this whole program, in my experience, it would be magical.
• transformed my educational experience transformed my educational experience following<01:01:30.520
• I really appreciate the words that you spoke about it being a magical experience.
• I really appreciate the words that you spoke about it being a magical experience.
• experience experience here<01:15:08.760> um<01:15:08.920> our<01:15:09.120> touris<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:43:04.319> warrant agencies without a judicial warrant agencies without a judicial warrant
• Um, the committee is aware that the court's judicial procedures and the rules of civil procedure and
• > Um the committee is aware that the Um the committee is aware that the court's<00:47:27.760> judicial
• <00:47:28.240> procedures<00:47:28.800> and<00:47:29.040> the court's judicial
• procedures and the court's judicial procedures and the rules<00:47:29.440> of<00:47:29.680>

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the formal swearing-in and seating of newly appointed Representative Jack Bighgam of St. Albans Town, who was also assigned to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry. The chamber then introduced House bills 911 and 912 and referred them to the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Committee and the Judiciary Committee, respectively. Several other bills were referred to money committees under House rules, including H.558 and H.775 to Ways and Means and H.632 and H.778 to Appropriations. Members also made announcements recognizing visiting groups, including fire and rescue personnel, community action agencies, 4-H participants, and other guests, along with caucus meeting notices. The House then took up H.907, a Government Operations and Military Affairs Committee bill to review and repeal outdated reporting requirements. The committee explained that the bill categorizes reports into those repealed, those to be reviewed again in four years, and those retained permanently, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. The committee reported unanimous support, and the House ordered the bill to third reading after agreeing to the committee recommendation. Next, the House considered H.205, dealing with agreements not to compete and stay-or-pay provisions. The Commerce and Economic Development Committee described the bill as generally prohibiting non-compete agreements, especially for lower-wage workers, while allowing narrow exceptions, and limiting stay-or-pay provisions to voluntary, reasonable, and clearly disclosed arrangements. During questioning, a member raised concern about a specific carveout for teacher contracts, arguing it could be used to restrict teacher mobility; the presenter said the language was intended to clarify that the bill did not conflict with existing teacher-contract law. The House adopted the committee amendment and ordered the bill to third reading. The House then began second reading of H.639 on genetic data privacy. The committee described the bill as creating strong protections for consumers’ genetic information, requiring express opt-in consent for collection, use, disclosure, transfer, retention, and marketing uses; allowing revocation of consent; requiring deletion of data and biological samples upon request; restricting storage and transfer outside the United States; and prohibiting disclosure to insurers, employers, and most government access without a warrant. The committee also said the bill would impose security requirements and anti-discrimination protections, and the detailed presentation continued as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• arriving at the scene with a warrant to conduct their investigation, and were denied access even with a judicial
• arriving at the scene with a warrant to conduct their investigation, and were denied access even with a judicial
• arriving at the scene with a warrant to conduct their investigation, and were denied access even with a judicial
• arriving at the scene with a warrant to conduct their investigation, and were denied access even with a judicial
• arriving at the scene with a warrant to conduct their investigation, and were denied access even with a judicial

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And, like, what assurance do you have that our code will be more judicious and thoughtful?
• Do you have that our code will be more judicious and thoughtful? Mr.
• But how about expanding that to the legislative body as well as the judicial body?
• Why aren't we including the judicial and legislative branches in that?
• well as the people, probably, why specifically you did not include the legislative branch and the judicial

Summary: The committee heard and approved several measures. HB 735 expanded Florida’s boating improvement program to fund parking for boat trailers at public ramps and offered a 10% sovereign submerged land lease discount for manufacturers using environmental best management practices; it passed unanimously. HB 4021 expanded the North River Ranch Improvement Stewardship District in Manatee County by 640 acres and was reported favorably. CS for HB 371, which promotes nature-based methods and green/gray infrastructure for coastal resilience, also passed unanimously after supportive testimony from resilience and environmental groups and committee members. The committee then took up HJR 1325, a proposed constitutional amendment to create an elected Commissioner of Government Efficiency (COGE) with authority to audit, investigate, and report on waste, fraud, and abuse in state and local government. The proposal would eliminate the lieutenant governor position, the Government Efficiency Task Force, and the legislature’s current auditor appointment, with many implementation details deferred to a future bill. Members debated the scope of the new office, its relationship to the Auditor General and inspectors general, whether it should cover the legislative and judicial branches, staffing, and the comparison to federal DOGE efforts. An amendment making a minor wording change was adopted, and the resolution passed 23-? with a favorable report after a split vote. The committee also approved two Gulf of America bills. HB 575 redesignated the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, and CS for HB 549 required Florida’s academic standards and newly adopted instructional materials to reflect the federal designation for materials acquired on or after July 1, 2025. Both measures drew criticism from members who argued the renaming was politically motivated, historically insensitive, and potentially confusing for students, while supporters said Florida should align with federal action. HB 575 passed and CS for HB 549 passed 18-7. Finally, HB 4071, a local bill adjusting the boundary between Coral Springs and Parkland in Broward County by about 8.7 acres, was amended and reported favorably with support from both cities and the Broward delegation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Judicial Proceedings. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
• The Judicial Proceedings Committee will meet today at 1:00 p.m. for bill hearings.
• She brought her professional experience... the ordering ahead of time.
• 03.480> brought<00:38:03.760> her<00:38:03.880> professional<00:38:04.480> experience
• She brought her professional experience as a nurse and a teacher into her advocacy for health professions

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, March 26, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with 39 members present and a quorum. The session opened with an invocation by Bishop Antonio Palmer of Kingdom Celebration Center, whose remarks were journalized. The President and members also welcomed several guests to the chamber, including former Delegate Sean Terrence, students from Charles H. Flowers High School and Garrison Forest School, Dr. Lee Snyder as doctor of the day, and Dr. Barbara Ann Palmer in recognition of Women’s History Month. The President also noted that the next day would be pro forma and that some scheduled items would be moved to the following week. The Senate considered Executive Nominations Report No. 6, covering gubernatorial nominees for boards and commissions including the State Board of Education, MEDCO, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. On motion of the committee chair, the report was special ordered to Tuesday, with members asked to review the list for recusals or related issues. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 890, which concerns an insurance premium receipts tax exemption for captive insurance procured by nonprofit hospitals and health care systems. On SB 890, the Senate adopted the committee amendments and then adopted a floor amendment offered by the bill sponsor. The amendment was described as replacing the bill’s earlier approach with a two-year moratorium on collection of any related liabilities, followed by a Maryland Insurance Administration report back on ongoing investigations. One senator raised concern that the amendment’s language could require the state to refund taxes already paid by hospitals and others, potentially costing millions, and asked for more time to review it; the motion to special order the bill was defeated. After discussion, the amendment was adopted and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. At the close of the floor session, committee and delegation announcements were made, including Finance, Triple E, Judicial Proceedings, Budget and Tax, Executive Nominations, and several county delegations. A senator from District 6 also spoke about the anniversary of the Key Bridge collapse and thanked colleagues for bipartisan work on related legislation and recovery efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs for years. enjoyed bipartisan support and our important priorities for the State Bar, the Judicial
• Council, and our judicial branch of government which helped to oversee them.
• Those phone numbers are for local and state nonprofits who have the experience to help them and whom
• And not until you really leave the experience of seeing your parents leave in search of a better life
• That's my experience. Sometimes solvency is an opportunity.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Capitol itself, the Centennial Office Building where the House is currently temporarily located, the Judicial
• 01:37.920> the currently um temporarily located, the currently um temporarily located, the judicial
• 38.960> then<00:01:39.119> of<00:01:39.280> course<00:01:39.439> the judicial
• center and then of course the judicial center and then of course the Minnesota<00:01:40.079> Senate

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The interview focused on changes to security at the Minnesota Capitol complex in response to rising political violence and recent attacks on public officials, including the June 14 assassinations of Melissa and Mark Hartman and the attempted assassination of Senator Hoffman and his wife. The senator said those events, along with broader threats against elected officials, created urgency to strengthen protections for members, staff, and visitors. The discussion centered on the Axtell report, a Department of Public Safety security assessment of four priority buildings: the Capitol, Centennial Office Building, Judicial Center, and Minnesota Senate Building. The report included a public executive summary and a confidential detailed analysis. Its top recommendation was weapon screening, which the advisory committee adopted as the highest-impact measure to prevent weapons or other dangerous items from entering the buildings. The senator described visible changes such as screening at entrances, single-entry points, Evolv machines, and X-ray screening for bags, as well as a Senate rule barring guns in the gallery after concerns about member safety. She argued these measures do not significantly reduce access because most state capitols already screen visitors, and said restrictions on firearms in government buildings are consistent with constitutional limits in sensitive places. She also noted that permit holders may still enter with firearms for now, but said she plans to introduce a bill to ban guns on the Capitol complex entirely. Additional recommendations discussed included encrypted staff badges, more consistent access controls across buildings, and behavioral threat assessment training. The senator said some proposals will require legislative action and funding, citing an estimated $41 million request from the Department of Administration, while other measures could be implemented administratively from the non-public security report.

Transcript Highlights:

• , LEASED, RENTED, OCCUPIED, OR MAINTAINED BY STATE AGENCIES, WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, AND THE JUDICIAL
• OF SOURCES INCLUDING INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY STATE AGENCIES, WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, AND THE JUDICIAL
• LEASES, ARE STATE AGENCIES, WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, STATE UNIVERSITIES, STATE COLLEGES, AND THE JUDICIAL
• SURPLUS FOR STATE AGENCIES WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, STATE UNIVERSITIES, AND STATE COLLEGES, AND THE JUDICIAL

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fact that the executive branch or the judicial branch can't stop the legislative branch from doing
• 03:10.000> the fact that the executive branch or the fact that the executive branch or the judicial
• 10.519> branch<00:03:10.879> can't<00:03:11.200> stop<00:03:11.720> the judicial
• branch can't stop the judicial branch can't stop the legislative<00:03:12.440> branch<00:03:12.680

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The transcript centers on the Minnesota House organizing itself at the start of session, with House Republicans asserting that 67 members were present, enough to elect a Speaker and begin operating, while 66 Democrats were absent. The speaker and other Republican leaders argued that the House has authority over its own quorum rules, internal rules, and presiding officers, and that the Secretary of State does not have constitutional authority to control House organization or adjourn the chamber. They said the Secretary of State’s adjournment was improper and indicated the dispute would likely be resolved by the Minnesota Supreme Court if challenged. The Speaker said she was honored to serve, emphasized working for Minnesotans, and said committees would begin meeting later in the week. Republicans framed their agenda around public safety, fraud prevention, fiscal restraint, and affordability, and repeatedly called on Democrats to return to the chamber and “get to work.” They also said they were open to continued negotiations, but only if Democrats were reasonable and present. Questions from reporters focused on the legal basis for proceeding after the Secretary of State adjourned the session, the likelihood of court review, and whether Republicans would follow any Supreme Court ruling. The Speaker said they would comply with court decisions but were confident in their position. She also said the House would meet again at noon the next day and that the status of members who did not take the oath in the chamber would be reviewed if they appeared.

Transcript Highlights:

• Motion experience to legislate. Do we have a second? I'll second that. Any discussion on page 350?
• I believe that this was the fix... it motion experience to it motion experience to legislate.<00:10:39.120
• While we have not one but two decisions through our courts that tell us from the judicial branch what
• <00:18:51.720> responsibility<00:18:52.720> to and now a judicial responsibility to
• and now a judicial responsibility to meet<00:18:53.360> the<00:18:53.600> needs<00:18:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When bottom lines are very tight, employers are tracking very judiciously and making schedule adjustments
• When bottom lines are very tight, employers are tracking very judiciously and making schedule adjustments
• When bottom lines are very tight, employers are tracking very judiciously and making schedule adjustments
• When bottom lines are very tight, employers are tracking very judiciously and making schedule adjustments
• Judiciously and making schedule adjustments accordingly to calibrate to the amount of time being earned

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee’s first official meeting was framed as an informational session, with the chair saying no legislation would be acted on and that testimony would focus on what is working and not working for businesses and workers in Minnesota. The stated topics included earned sick and safe time, paid family and medical leave, labor shortages, and broader business climate concerns. The chair also noted the absence of DFL members and invited questions to be held until the end so testifiers could present fully. Lauren Shodor of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce argued that Minnesota’s business climate has worsened because of high taxes, rising costs, regulation, and new workplace mandates. She cited chamber survey and research findings saying more businesses are considering leaving the state, that Minnesota companies are investing more in other states than vice versa, and that the state lags national growth rates. She said employers are especially concerned about earned sick and safe time and the upcoming paid family and medical leave program, which the chamber believes add compliance burdens and costs, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses. Matt Hilgart of the Association of Minnesota Counties said the new leave laws affect county budgets and operations because labor is the main county cost and services are often state-mandated. He said the programs were imposed outside the collective bargaining process and can duplicate existing county benefits, increase costs, and create staffing and service challenges. He asked for changes including clearer premium-sharing language, exclusion of elected officials and short-term election workers from paid leave requirements, better exemption and private-plan rules, coordination requirements for intermittent leave, and more clarity for essential employees during weather emergencies. Owen Worth of the League of Minnesota Cities said cities are facing similar implementation problems, with overlapping leave policies and concerns about stacking state and federal leave rules, and he indicated the league would support changes to reduce administrative and budget pressures on cities.