Transcript Highlights:

• code a little bit too.
• code a little bit too.
• so it's going to fall to political subdivisions to work through the water usage and impacts on water
• water.
• water.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, established a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from Majority Leader Hogue and the chair about the committee’s charge. Members said the goal was to build a factual foundation on AI, hear from experts and stakeholders, and develop practical North Dakota-focused recommendations rather than simply produce a large volume of bills. Legislative Council also reviewed interim committee rules and procedures before the informational presentations began. Staff and NCSL presenters then gave overviews of AI concepts and the state and federal policy landscape. The background memo and presentations covered AI categories and terms, state laws in areas such as consumer protection, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, chatbots, children’s safety, health, education, and government use, as well as data center siting and economic impacts. NCSL described a growing number of AI bills introduced and enacted across the states, with comprehensive laws in places like Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois, and noted recurring issues around transparency, privacy, liability, and protections for minors. A major focus of the discussion was federal preemption and the tension between state regulation and national AI policy. NCSL said a recent White House executive order and related federal framework seek a light-touch, innovation-friendly national standard, with possible challenges to state laws and possible funding conditions tied to compliance, though no broad federal preemption has yet been enacted. Members asked about Commerce Clause concerns, industry pushback, oversight models, and whether AI policy is bipartisan; presenters said the issue cuts across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfake restrictions but more disagreement on broader regulatory approaches. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting, and the committee recessed briefly for technical issues during the second presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• <05:05:32.878> section This section uh the next section This section uh the next section starting
• or reclaimed water.
• and water usage talks about water and water usage um<05:55:26.958> and<05:55:27.360> how
• <05:58:59.280> they water, drink drinking water, or are they water, drink drinking water,
• using reclaimed water? using reclaimed water?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An act relating to water, increasing the maximum penalty for a violation of water law.
• And it's taking out Section 3 because Section 3 was adding language to And it's taking out Section 3
• Section 3, we just amended out on a unanimous vote. We just amended Section 3 out.
• Section 3 is current law.
• Dress code, but for tomorrow, the dress code still remains as usual.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The insurance code requires the following insurance coverages.
• It relates to the regulation of code enforcement officers and code enforcement officers in training.
• section.
• We bring the water. We need hot rocks.
• We inject the water into the hot rocks, and we generate electricity.

Bills: HB111

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• La Junta building collapses seeking water rescue 501 kcs o issues code red alert.
• The code red went out at 5.
• So going forward, under the Helping Him Search Code I believe it is safety codes.
• We've had water over our low water crossings before, but we haven't had the road water. washout.
• National Water Model.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• dam under Kentucky law, the water dam under Kentucky law, the water barrier<00:01:26.400> has
• An acre foot being that in any water.
• Every square foot you a foot of water.
• have to replace the raw water lines. have to replace the raw water lines.
• of federal money uh known as section of federal money uh known as section 40101D<00:21:29.440>

Keywords: 00:02 EEC – State-Owned Dams 21:07 EEC – Grid Resilience Grant Funds 37:24 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations from the Department for Environmental Protection and the Office of Energy Policy on Kentucky’s state-owned dam repair program and the electric grid resilience program. Commissioner Tony Hatton explained how state dams are defined and classified under Kentucky law, the criteria used to prioritize repairs or decommissioning, and the status of several projects funded in the last biennium. He said the department is using a design-bid-build process, with major work planned or underway at Willisburg Lake, Big Bone Lick State Park Dam, Clemens Lake Dam, Marion County Sportsman’s Dam, Chinoa Lake Creek/Canning Creek Dam, and Lake Malone, and that $0.5 million is reserved for routine repairs. He also described the timeline and cost pressures, noting that construction seasons and bid uncertainty can affect schedules and estimates. Members asked several questions about whether the estimates were current, how accurate the bids tend to be, why the process takes so long, and whether it would be better to fund design separately before construction. Hatton said the estimates are the best current engineering estimates, that costs often stay within about 10% but can vary, and that the overall process is usually closer to two years than four, though delays can occur. He also said all of the allocated dam funds must be available before bids can be let. The committee discussed whether design work can become stale if construction is delayed. Kenya Stump then updated the committee on Kentucky’s electric grid resilience program under federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. She said Kentucky has received years one through three of the five-year program and has allocated funds to state park electric systems and municipal utilities, with years four and five not yet received. She identified Ken Lake State Park and Kentucky Dam Village as the two state park projects in progress, and Owensboro, Princeton, Williamstown, and Hopkinsville as the municipal projects selected through a competitive process. She said the projects are under contract or in final negotiations, with municipal construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and finish by the end of 2026, and explained that the work includes line, pole, transformer, meter, and outage-management upgrades. Members asked about the relationship between this program and prior park appropriations, the timing of agreements with Parks, and whether the park systems could eventually be transferred to the local electric cooperative; Stump said the park agreements are imminent and that the upgrades are intended to bring the systems up to code so the cooperative can maintain them. No votes were taken, and the chair adjourned the committee until the following Wednesday, with a possible time change to avoid a scheduling conflict.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our water fund funds the salary benefits pensions of over 130 water utility employees and recently covered
• I beat the residents that receive water from Miami-Dade County and receive water from Opa Locker.
• This water plant was built by private developer at the I research and all of the water plants were privately
• Our primary purpose is to assist water and wastewater systems with every phase of their water and wastewater
• But literally what is provided is a section on costs and the section on benefits.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Waters. Thank you. Senator Waters. Thank you.
• The study on line five, section eight, makes the reference to the tax code here.
• The study on line five, section eight, makes the reference to the tax code here.
• The study on line five, section eight, makes the reference to the tax code here.
• questions for Senator Waters. questions for Senator Waters.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• OF COURSE WE DELIVER THE WATER.
• WE DELIVER THE WATER.
• MIAMI-DADE THE WATER PLANT.
• THAT 10 PERCENT LATE CHARGE ON THE WATER BILL IS FOR WATER UTILITY.
• IT IS LIKE GEORGE CARLIN SAYING A SMOKING SECTION IS LIKE HAVING A PEEING SECTION IN A POOL.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 3 and Section 6 of SB 1991.
• but for this 3% in that same section but for this 3% in that same section weights<00:14:01.160><
• <00:36:57.720> to regulations amends various sections to regulations amends various sections
• staff Amendment amends various sections staff Amendment amends various sections to<01:00:33.280>
• The regulation also covers water quality, water supply, sewage and wastewater disposal requirements,

Keywords: 0:01– Meeting start/roll call 0:34 – Approval of minutes 0:48 – Welcome of new committee members 1:34 – Council on Postsecondary Education 25:17 – Teachers’ Retirement System 27:00 – Kentucky Public Pension Authority 29:04 – Board of Veterinary Examiners 31:40 – Board of Nursing 34:01 – Board of Emergency Medical Services 36:15 – Fish & Wildlife Resources 40:34 – Department of Corrections 56:00 – Department of State Police 58:05 – Department of Criminal Justice Training 59:22 – Transportation Cabinet 1:00:18 – Department of Education 1:01:23 – Department of Employment Services 1:04:17 – Department of Workplace Standards 1:05:25 – Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction 1:06:59 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Sanitation) 1:13:50 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Trauma System) 1:17:46 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Public Health (Radon) 1:18:30 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. for Medicaid Services 1:19:15 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Dept. of Aging Services 1:20:36 – Other Business/Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and welcomed new members before taking up Council on Postsecondary Education regulations 13 KAR 2:120 and 13 KAR 2:130. The regulations, as amended by staff and agency amendments, update public university and KCTCS performance funding models to conform to 2024 Senate Bill 191 and the performance funding work group’s recommendations. Changes discussed included replacing the underrepresented minority metric with an underrepresented students metric defined as first-generation students, adding an adult learner metric, increasing the low-income degree premium, adjusting small-school and nonresident credit-hour weights, revising data aging and progression metrics, and adding STEM+H criteria in 13 KAR 2:120. Travis Pal of the Council on Postsecondary Education explained that the changes reflect the work group’s three-year review process and that the work group ultimately voted to define underrepresented students as first-generation students and to apply half-weighting between research and comprehensive universities for the new metric. Michael Frasier of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition and Eastern Kentucky University student government opposed 13 KAR 2:120, arguing that the regulation improperly applies weights where the statute does not clearly authorize them and that the funding changes disadvantage comprehensive universities and vulnerable students. He asked the committee to find the regulation deficient or, alternatively, recommend legislative clarification and a revised fiscal analysis. Pal responded that weighting has been part of the model since 2017, that CPE was following the statute and work group recommendations, and that the model could be changed by future legislation. Members asked about the timing of the broader performance funding review, and Pal said the full model is reviewed every three years, with the next work group cycle beginning in 2026. No motion to find the regulation deficient was made, and the committee allowed the regulations to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The committee then approved a staff amendment to Teachers’ Retirement System regulations 102 KAR 1:195 and 102 KAR 1:340, which require annual reporting of accumulated sick leave, leave policies, and salary schedules to TRS and make technical changes to the final average salary calculation and related definitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• CS for CS/SB 54 creates a new section of statutes, section 406.139, to establish uniform requirements
• Reagan National Airport has the code letters DCA, which were their original code letters, and George
• MCO is a code for McCoy Air Force Base. It doesn't represent Orlando.
• And they did the code change from IDL to JFK.
• With at least one water or pool safety feature.

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and a series of gallery introductions recognizing visitors, local officials, students, and public safety personnel. The chamber first took up a report from the Ethics and Elections Committee on 42 executive appointments; after Senator Gaetz explained that the committee had reviewed the appointees’ qualifications and suitability, the Senate adopted the report and confirmed the appointments by a 36-0 vote. The Senate then moved through a long special-order calendar focused largely on open-government sunset reviews and other policy bills. It passed measures to continue or consolidate public records and meeting exemptions for aquaculture records, agency-held trade secrets, and cybersecurity information, with one technical amendment adopted on the cybersecurity bill. The chamber also approved bills extending the statute of limitations for failure to report child abuse, strengthening regulation of commercial driving schools, requiring human trafficking education for nursing graduates, creating a new injunction for protection against serious violence by a known person, and making the related public-records exemption. Additional bills passed included a nature-based coastal resiliency measure with an amendment restricting dredge-and-fill in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, a chiropractic trust-funds bill, specialty license plates, a one-time waiver of late financial disclosure fines, public school personnel compensation changes, the annual Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services “Farm Bill,” homestead exemption clarification for long-term leaseholders, disability-presumption clarifications for first responders, reinsurance intermediary manager changes, patriotic displays in public schools, ADS-B fee restrictions, autism-related law enforcement training and a Blue Envelope program, campus safety policy transparency at public colleges and universities, and veterinary prescription disclosure. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including local vessel restrictions, temporary certificates for practice, and domestic animals. The Senate also debated and passed a bill allowing licensed insurance agents to market health care sharing ministries, despite concerns raised by Senator Polsky about consumer confusion, commissions, and the sale of non-insurance products; supporters argued it restored free speech, religious liberty, and consumer choice. The chamber approved the bill 32-5 after debate. Most other measures passed with strong bipartisan support, often by unanimous or near-unanimous votes, and several companion House bills were substituted in place of Senate bills before final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• building codes.
• And both the building code and the fire code have been silent on this.
• Well, I certainly hope that you'll comply with the plumbing code if you do have water.
• of the code.
• building code or fire code amendments building code or fire code amendments that<03:02:02.160>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 94, which would prohibit municipal amendments to the state building code and move New Hampshire toward a more uniform statewide code. Senator McConi and several supporters, including the Josiah Barlo Center for Public Policy, the State Fire Marshal, the Associated General Contractors of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association, argued that local variations create confusion, raise housing costs, and make compliance harder for builders operating in multiple towns. The Fire Marshal said the goal is a single state building and fire code with only limited administrative amendments at the local level, not technical changes, and noted that municipalities could still seek exceptions through the Building Code Review Board if needed. The chair explained that a similar House bill was already moving forward with fire code and administrative amendment language, and members agreed that retaining SB 94 would avoid conflicting bills. The committee then voted to retain SB 94 by roll call, 13-0, with no minority report. The committee then took up Senate Bill 30, which would designate the Virginia opossum as New Hampshire’s state marsupial. Senator Fenton presented the bill as a light-hearted measure inspired by Chesterfield School fourth graders, who had submitted written testimony and supported the idea. Members discussed the bill in a humorous but mostly supportive way, with one member objecting that it trivialized the legislature, while others said it could help engage students in the legislative process. The committee voted ought to pass on SB 30, 11-2, and agreed to place it on consent with no minority report. Later, the committee opened a hearing on Senate Bill 95, concerning youth camp cabins and state fire/building codes. Senator McConi said the bill would exempt new residential cabins in youth recreation camps from sprinkler requirements and allow them to omit electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems, while requiring any such systems that are present to comply with state code. He said the measure was intended to resolve recurring interpretation problems that have caused expense and uncertainty for camp owners, and he praised work with the Fire Marshal’s office to reach a workable compromise. Representative Schmidt asked about cabin sizes and whether larger cabins with multiple occupants would still be safe; the senator explained that camps typically use counselors, drills, and supervision, and that the people behind him could answer more detailed questions. The transcript cuts off before the hearing concludes or any vote is taken on SB 95.

Transcript Highlights:

• building codes or add requirements to the state building codes only with prior Council approval.
• respective county building codes.
• code, if they so choose.
• We're going to remove section 4 of the measure, remove section 6 of the measure, and remove section 7
• section 6 of The Measure remove section section 6 of The Measure remove section 7<00:15:10.399><

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 540, which would make the most recent state building codes supersede county codes beginning in 2028 and limit county changes without State Building Code Council approval. Grassroot Institute testified in support, while IBEW Local 1260 strongly opposed the bill as written, warning it could let counties weaken state minimum standards and create problems for fire code and sprinkler requirements. Members discussed the need for consistency in building codes and the impact of the State Building Code Council’s status, and the chair said the measure would be deferred indefinitely. The committee also heard SB 626 on disaster preparedness, which would prohibit planting large trees along evacuation routes and require HEMA to identify and remove obstructive trees. Testimony included comments from DLNR, HEMA, and others, with HEMA opposing the measure. The chair said more coordination was needed between DLNR and HEMA and deferred the bill. SB 692, regulating retail and wholesale spray paint sales and assigning jurisdiction to the Department of Law Enforcement, drew opposition from the Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi, which said the bill would impose costly storage and reporting burdens on small retailers and raise identity-theft concerns. The committee deferred that measure as well. In a separate decision-making segment, the committee considered SB 9 on fireworks and recommended passage with amendments. The amendments narrowed or removed several sections, increased certain penalties from $500 to $1,000, adjusted forfeiture allocations, accepted an Attorney General amendment, added an appropriation for community safety education programs, and changed the effective date to July 1, 2077. The motion to pass with amendments was adopted by a vote of 2-1. Later, in a joint hearing, SB 1102 on the aircraft rescue firefighting unit drew support from DOT but opposition from the Hawaiʻi Firefighters Association, which asked that the bill be held. SB 41, establishing Hawaiʻi Disaster Drill Day on August 8, received support from HEMA and a public testifier. SB 1570, addressing Molokaʻi air service disruptions and a possible runway expansion, drew strong public support from Molokaʻi residents and service providers, while the Attorney General raised separation-of-powers concerns about the emergency declaration language and DOT noted the high cost and feasibility issues of runway expansion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section three deals with a combination of water usage and PFAS.
• I'm going to report on the water usage component of section three, and then I'll yield to the senator
• And all of section E1 says all applicable quality and water resource protection permits will be required
• And then section E2A sets the standard for gallons of surface water per day at which the agency will
• And then section E2A sets the standard for gallons of surface water per day at which the agency will

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• NAICS code report, we separate our industries based on NAICS code.
• NAICS code report, we separate our industries based on NAICS code.
• NAICS code report, we separate our industries based on NAICS code.
• NAICS code report, we separate our industries based on NAICS code.
• NAICS code report, we separate our industries based on NAICS code.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• System. water system and others.
• I work for the San Antonio Water System, here representing San Antonio Water System.
• The San Antonio Water System is the primary water and wastewater utility in Military City, USA.
• It's only water utilities.
• It's as defined in the water code, and so it would only be those retail utilities, potentially two. .

Bills: HCR92, HB 114, HB561, HB 1171, HB1894, HB2026, HB2143, HB2337, HB2564, HB114

Keywords: Tuskegee Airmen, commemoration, African American history, civil rights, military recognition, veterans, mental health, Texas Veterans Commission, peer support, suicide prevention, community mental health, grant program, defense, grants, local government, economic support, community development, health and wellness, outdoor recreation, state land use

Transcript Highlights:

• Unanimous consent to allow for a relaxed dress code for the morning session of the state Senate.
• President, you add this filtration system that has specialized oil in this water.
• It strikes Sections 1 through 7, which is the oil and gas equalization surtax section.
• President, it strikes Sections 1 through 7, which is the section that creates the oil and gas equalization
• surtax. equalization surtax section.

Transcript Highlights:

• CS for CS/SB 54 creates a new section of statutes, Section 406.139, to establish uniform requirements
• That the FAA Airport Code, PBI, for Palm Beach International, remain unchanged.
• Reagan National Airport has the code letters DCA, which were their original code letters, and George
• MCO is a code for McCoy Air Force Base. It doesn't represent Orlando.
• And they did the code change from IDL to JFK.

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and several introductions recognizing visitors, students, local officials, and professional groups in the gallery. The chamber then took up a report from the Ethics and Elections Committee confirming 42 executive appointments; the report was adopted by a vote of 36-0. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the Ripple Project for childhood cancer awareness and funding. The bulk of the meeting was spent on special-order bills, many of them open-government sunset review measures and policy bills. The Senate passed bills preserving or updating public records exemptions for aquaculture records, trade secrets, and cybersecurity information; a child-abuse reporting statute of limitations bill; a commercial driving schools bill; a human trafficking training requirement for nursing graduates; a new injunction for protection against serious violence by a known person and its companion public-records bill; a nature-based coastal resiliency bill with an amendment restricting dredge-and-fill in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve; a chiropractic patient-funds bill; specialty license plate legislation; a one-time waiver for late financial disclosure fines; public school personnel compensation changes; the Florida Farm Bill with amendments protecting Everglades lands and technical corrections; homestead exemption clarification for long-term leaseholders; disability presumption clarifications for firefighters and law enforcement; reinsurance intermediary manager conformity changes; patriotic displays in public schools; ADS-B aviation fee restrictions; autism-related law enforcement training and a blue envelope program; public post-secondary safety policy requirements; and a bill allowing licensed agents to market health care sharing ministries. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including local vessel restrictions, temporary certificates for practice, and domestic animals. Members debated a number of measures, especially the health care sharing ministries bill, where opponents raised consumer-protection and commission concerns and supporters argued for free speech, religious liberty, and expanded consumer choice; it passed 32-5. Other debated bills included the autism law enforcement bill, the school athletics bill addressing coach support for student-athletes, and the Farm Bill, where senators discussed surplus land safeguards and biosolids timing. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, often 37-0 or 38-0, with a few closer votes such as the patriotic displays bill (36-2) and the health care sharing ministries bill (32-5).

Transcript Highlights:

• With an article to the Clean Water Fund, there's about $304 million to clean up our waters.
• water comes from up north.
• The amendment is coded A12.
• The amendment is coded A-10.
• The amendment is coded A13.

Transcript Highlights:

• So just as a reminder, what was in House Bill 1020, Section 21, directed the State Water Commission to
• If we could eliminate this statutory code and set up the State Water Commission to be able to be more
• We have 20 rural water districts. So those were created in Century Code in 61.35.
• We have 20 rural water districts. So those were created in century code in 61.35.
• They purchase water from another water system.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met to receive interim status updates on several water-related studies and Department of Water Resources projects. The committee approved the March 26, 2026 minutes, observed a moment of silence for the late Representative Conmy, and then heard updates on the watershed management study and the stormwater/wastewater study. Staff reported that the committee had already received the testimony contemplated in the study plans, including input from state agencies, local governments, and out-of-state entities, and that any further action would be at the committee’s discretion. The Department of Water Resources then provided project and budget updates on NAWS and the Southwest Pipeline Project. Reese reported NAWS is expected to serve about 81,000 users, with a total projected cost of about $571 million and about $96 million remaining, while the Southwest Pipeline Project is estimated at $1.06 billion total with about $409 million remaining. Members asked about funding sources, capacity needs, and whether current and future construction is being designed for increased demand; department staff said current work is designed for ultimate capacity, but some future components may need redesign based on new requests. The committee also discussed local cost shares, Minot’s role in NAWS funding, and whether the system is adequate for peak demand. A major portion of the meeting focused on the department’s cash management, carryover, and long-term water funding outlook. The department said Resources Trust Fund revenues are tied to oil extraction taxes and are affected by stripper well exemptions and future oil price declines. Members expressed concern about large carryover balances and whether the state is obligating more money than can realistically be spent in a biennium. The department reported about $340.6 million in remaining carryover and said it is trying to reduce that through a two-tier pre-construction/construction process and closer project vetting. The department also summarized the Deloitte studies on regional governance and finance and on cost-share policy. Stakeholders generally favored keeping the current governance structures for NAWS and Southwest with improvements, while Red River stakeholders leaned toward a different option; the department said it will bring an implementation plan back in September. On cost share, Deloitte’s recommendations would reduce some percentages, prioritize projects differently, and use other measures to close a projected long-term funding gap. Members debated affordability, local burden, deferred maintenance, and whether statutory changes may be needed to allow the commission more flexibility in prioritizing and funding projects. No formal votes or final actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the updates.