Transcript Highlights:

• in here, but it did not make it to the special session.
• specific special session for a specific purpose.
• The session.
• . ...for the next session.
• That's going to fill the requirements for that session.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• session of 2025.
• Concurrent Resolution No. 2 requesting the Governor to address the Legislature assembled in joint session
• He said the resolution had been introduced last session but was not adopted because it was not the right
• time to amend the Senate rules in the middle of session.
• colleagues last session this resolution was<00:03:39.680> introduced<00:03:40.319> but

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been some discussion with staff of whether, when we're out of session, that's the right approach
• Due to end-of-session budget negotiations, they requested a delay, which we were happy to accommodate
• We are grateful for the legislature's focus on preventing and detecting fraud last session.
• on fraud oversight led to many important reforms in the governor's budget being enacted this last session
• This paused regular eligibility checks and renewals.

Transcript Highlights:

• And um what I have seen this session is there's basically a referendum on the judiciary.
• We included the sunset clause this legislative session because last legislative session, you all as members
• that as long as water water parks post signs which clearly outline the risks of participating in regular
• Um, the first bill was enacted during the 78th regular legislative session in 2003.
• to incorporate enactments of that session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So on March 12th, right, as we were coming into session, Greg Hilburn wrote an article. ...trying to
• So on March 12th, right, as we were coming into session, Greg Hilburn wrote an article about the fatalities
• So I did agree with those costs, and I put in the cost to the department for that, in addition to regular
• Because what I would say again is this session, the department requested budget for a system.
• sitting up here, we know an inflation and a fiscal note when we see it because we deal with it on a regular

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on May 26, 2026, and first took up Senate Bill 433, which would provide Medicaid coverage for certain weight-loss medications. After adopting a House amendment adding customary subject-to-appropriation language, the committee heard from LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein, who said the state currently spends about $240 million a year on GLP-1 drugs for Medicaid patients with obesity and certain other conditions, and that the bill would let the department expand coverage gradually while controlling costs and negotiating better pricing. Members spoke in strong support, and SB 433 was reported favorable as amended. The committee then considered Senate Bill 157, which creates paid parental leave for eligible public K-12 educators and staff. An amendment was adopted to adjust fund language and make the bill proper for Appropriations. Senator Jenkins and supporters, including the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, described the bill as providing six weeks of paid leave for birth, adoption, fostering, and related family-building events, while members discussed whether medical leave should also be included and confirmed the leave applies to fathers as well. The bill drew broad support and was reported favorable as amended. Senate Bill 250, requiring the Office of Group Benefits to offer a comprehensive weight management plan with employees paying the full premium and medication costs, was briefly discussed and reported favorable without objection. The committee then spent considerable time on Senate Bill 237, a child welfare measure from Senator Barrow that would expand notification, access, and investigative procedures for the Child Ombudsman and DCFS, including child-on-child sexual abuse cases and multidisciplinary fatality reviews. Members and agency officials debated the fiscal note, with estimates ranging from about $525,000 to $3.2 million and disagreement over whether some costs were already covered or could be absorbed; after a roll call, the bill passed 10-9 and was reported favorable as amended. Finally, the committee began Senate Bill 155, which requires insurance coverage for medically necessary dental care tied to cancer treatment. Senator Talbot and medical and cancer advocacy witnesses said the bill would remove a barrier to timely chemotherapy or radiation and could prevent more expensive complications later. Members expressed support and discussed a relatively small fiscal note, but the transcript cuts off before final action on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last session, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Memorial 2, directing a diverse group of stakeholders
• I think I'll likely grudgingly support this, although I'm very skeptical about its passage this session
• And I think that should be done on a regular basis with or without the request of the PRC.
• Should be done on a regular basis, with or without the request of the PRC.
• And this is the final piece of Senate Bill 5 from last session. Thank you. Thank you.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Nice reminder for this time of session.
• Nice reminder for this time of session.
• Nice reminder for this time of session.
• whether another memorial resolution could be added to it, I guess, but it can't be a vehicle for regular
• whether another memorial resolution could be added to it, I guess, but it can't be a vehicle for regular

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• fees, and Minnesotans want EV drivers to pay a commensurate amount, a similar amount of gas tax that regular
• Last session, I was honored to sit on the Commerce Committee.
• That's one of the successes I see in this session.
• The advisory council on traffic safety, which I had carried last session, received some funding, but
• benefits portal website, there will be a link now if you're eligible to get free or reduced rides on regular

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill last session ran out of time in the House, so hopefully we'll get it over to them a little earlier
• Similar efforts are targeted at Texas companies on a regular basis, particularly energy-related companies
• It's also important to note that Senate Bill 312 includes provisions that require regular reporting of
• role is to prosecute, expanding it to prosecute election crimes statewide. ...so many bills this session
• and previous sessions to address the problem of prosecution of election crimes in those situations where

Bills: SB312, SB945, SB946, SB1367, SB1861, SB2044, SB2337, SB2403, SB2819, SJR54

Keywords: public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:07:20.720> leaking effort to remediate the regular leaking effort to remediate the regular
• and this session in finding enough people.
• Um so by the end of end of the session.
• successful with it between last session successful with it between last session and<01:58:59.599
• :00.639> enough and this session in finding enough and this session in finding enough people.<

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on February 3, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing a two-minute limit and noting that bills would die if the hearing ran past noon. For HB 1848, the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development both supported the measure with technical, non-substantive amendments. Testimony focused on requiring early consultation about water availability in district boundary amendment petitions, with water officials explaining that the petitioner should submit a written statement reflecting consultation and that the goal was to identify water constraints earlier in the development process. The Land Use Commission’s representative opposed the bill, arguing that water availability is already addressed through existing environmental review and agency consultation, that the issue had been raised and rejected before, and that the proposal could create unnecessary delay or litigation. The committee then heard HB 1728 on rainwater catchment systems. The Commission on Water Resource Management said it acknowledged the bill’s intent but deferred to counties and other regulatory agencies, including the Department of Health, on regulatory implications. Hawaii Realtors testified in support. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing shown. For HB 1652 on storm water management systems, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections created by Act 281 (“Sharkey’s Law”) and increase drowning risk for children by exempting certain water features from safety requirements. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii supported the bill, saying the language clarifies and better balances child safety with practical green stormwater infrastructure, including depth-based limits and exemptions for certain agricultural ponds. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the agricultural pond exemption, saying such ponds are used for irrigation, livestock, and fire control and are generally away from the public. A private testifier, Allison Schaers, opposed the bill and described her daughter’s drowning in a detention basin, arguing that poor maintenance can turn stormwater features into dangerous hazards. The hearing ended without any recorded committee action or vote in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• its way through the process, I believe it actually died. on the calendar last session.
• Last session this committee voted unanimously to pass.
• Maybe they read my bill last session and got some good ideas.
• But in the rush at the end of the session, it ended up being applied to direct sales as well.
• Bill 1575 and your bill this session, Senate Bill 25.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• session no we session no we don't<00:23:00.760> I<00:23:01.320> I'm<00:23:01.799> I'm
• All these session days take our Thursdays. I could come...
• I can bring the committee act after session.
• regular world, it's on the regular internet.
• it's<04:31:20.159> on you call porno the regular world it's on you call porno the regular

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The discussion focused on a cannabis legalization/regulation bill and whether it should be retained for further study or moved forward. Members debated the fiscal impact, with one side emphasizing that the bill would cost about $7.1 million in the first two years before generating revenue, while supporters argued the House should make a statement in favor of legalization despite likely opposition from the Senate and governor. There was also disagreement over strategy: some said retaining the bill until closer to the next election would give the issue more visibility, while others said delaying would only avoid sending a bill the Senate was unlikely to take up anyway. A major point of contention was whether cannabis should be regulated by a new cannabis commission or placed under the Liquor Commission. Supporters of the Liquor Commission argued it already has enforcement infrastructure, especially for age restrictions, and could handle cannabis more efficiently without creating a new bureaucracy. Opponents said cannabis is a different industry that would require specialized expertise, and they objected to expanding the Liquor Commission, which they described as unpopular and costly. The committee also discussed past versions of the bill, including concerns about limited licenses and the perception that the earlier approach favored large businesses. Members reviewed specific provisions such as licensing fees, THC limits, and cultivation categories. One member noted a $10,000 fee for retail cannabis stores and cannabis product manufacturers authorized to perform extractions, while a smaller tier-one cultivator fee was described as a lower-cost option for small growers. There was also discussion of whether the bill would allow sales through general retail outlets or only dedicated cannabis stores, and whether plants and seeds were covered. No final vote or action was clearly recorded in the excerpt, but the main procedural question was whether to retain the bill for more work or advance it as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the next session, we had a woman for president.
• Senator Greeter, this bill from the 2019 regular session recognizes public safety as a core and essential
• It's a good thing it was a spring session and not a winter session, or we'd have had to outlaw breathing
• The report will be available on Session Organizer this afternoon.
• The report will be available on session organizer this afternoon.

Summary: The Senate began with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognitions, including the doctor of the day and a lighthearted “Cannoli Day” introduction. The chamber then held an extended farewell celebration for Senator Joe Gruters, with numerous senators, colleagues, and family members praising his loyalty, political skill, family focus, and service in the Legislature and Republican Party. Gruters was presented with a commemorative gift recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety and immigration bill that prohibited sanctuary cities and required local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The Senate adopted a motion to spread Gruters’s remarks upon the journal and then recessed briefly. After recess, the Senate returned to regular business and took up third-reading bills. Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 354, relating to blue ribbon projects, was temporarily postponed. The chamber then considered Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1758, relating to public assistance, with Senator Gates explaining that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system discussed earlier in session. During debate on SB 1758, Senator Berman opposed the bill, saying he could not support it in its current form because he believed the Medicaid-related provisions would create a coverage cliff after the one-year transition period and could leave people without care while increasing costs to hospitals and taxpayers. He also said SNAP error reduction should be a priority, but argued the state should focus on fixing administrative errors and fraud rather than imposing a work requirement whose costs and effects were uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the next session, we had a woman for president.
• Senator Greeter, this bill from the 2019 regular session recognizes public safety as a core and essential
• It’s a good thing it was a spring session and not a winter session, or we’d have had to outlaw breathing
• The report will be available on Session Organizer this afternoon.
• The report will be available on session organizer this afternoon.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then devoted most of the first part of the meeting to a farewell-style recognition of Senator Joe Gruters. Senators from both parties offered extended remarks praising his loyalty, political instincts, family involvement, and work as a legislator and as incoming Republican National Committee chair. Gruters responded with remarks about his background, including overcoming a childhood speech impediment, his service in the Legislature, and major policy efforts he highlighted such as alimony reform and the undergrounding of utilities. A ceremonial gift was presented to him recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety/immigration bill, and the Senate adopted a motion to spread his remarks upon the journal before recessing briefly. After the recess, the Senate returned to regular business. No committee reports, governor’s messages, House messages, or reconsideration matters were reported. The chamber then moved to third reading and temporarily postponed CS/CS/CS/SB 354, relating to blue ribbon projects. The next bill, CS/CS/SB 1758, relating to public assistance, was taken up, and Senator Gaetz explained that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system previously discussed by the Senate. Debate was about to continue when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary Stack, you're getting to be a regular.
• We're going to get you an regular.
• <00:30:56.560> Now,<00:30:56.640> one to that regular frontline work.
• Now, one to that regular frontline work.
• another session with the president. president. president.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:19 DCBS 00:01:58, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is the eighth official convening of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary for the 194th legislative session
• They were both filed as part of an omnibus last session, part of which was reported out favorably by
• The debt triggered regular overdraft fees, sometimes in the thousands of dollars.
• I will not have to go to court on a regular basis and explain the physical and economic abuse.
• I would not have to go to court on a regular basis and explain the physical and economic abuse, only

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy public hearing on a wide range of civil actions, labor, consumer protection, and animal welfare bills. Chair Lydia Edwards and Representative Michael Day opened with strict testimony rules and time limits, then heard from legislators and advocates on measures including animal-abuser pet ownership bans (S. 1207/H. 1914), a name-change privacy bill (S. 1045/H. 1973), tort claims reform (H. 1724), law enforcement council coverage under the Tort Claims Act (S. 1199), civil rights and qualified immunity-related proposals (H. 1641), employee free speech/captive audience restrictions (S. 1078/H. 1653), consumer protection and civil rights jurisdiction expansion (S. 1041), private right of action for wage theft (H. 1916), gun-owner liability insurance (H. 1836), pseudoephedrine sales tracking (S. 1243/H. 1581), prepaid legal services plans (H. 1612), structured settlement protections (H. 1863), third-party litigation financing disclosure (H. 1861), antitrust reform for small businesses and workers (S. 1038/H. 1982), legal notices in online-only newspapers (S. 1279/H. 1632), and several animal cruelty and protection bills including H. 1938, H. 1949, S. 1277/H. 1934, and H. 1764. Testimony was largely supportive from bill sponsors and advocacy groups, with repeated themes of protecting vulnerable people and animals, improving access to justice, and updating outdated laws. Supporters of the animal bills argued for stronger possession bans, broader cruelty citations, and civil removal tools to prevent repeat abuse; opponents or conditional supporters raised due process and enforcement concerns, especially around warrantless seizures and requiring retail or shelter staff to check registries. On the labor and consumer side, supporters said the antitrust bill would curb monopoly power and help small businesses and workers, while opponents warned it could destabilize competition and burden successful firms. The employee free speech bill was backed as a response to captive audience meetings, and the wage-theft bill was presented as a way to let workers or organizations pursue claims when individual employees are afraid to come forward. Several public officials and association representatives testified on the law enforcement and civil rights bills. Chiefs of police supported adding law enforcement councils to the Tort Claims Act, saying it would close a liability gap for regional mutual-aid collaborations. But police representatives opposed changes to the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act and qualified immunity-related provisions, arguing the federal system already provides a workable forum and that expanding liability could increase costs, reduce morale, and worsen recruitment and retention. On the consumer/civil rights bill, Senator Collins and a veteran described an out-of-state assault case that they said showed the need for Massachusetts to let residents seek redress at home when rights are violated elsewhere. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself; the committee mainly received testimony and questions. Several witnesses indicated they had submitted written testimony or proposed amendments, and some bills drew requests for favorable reports while others were explicitly opposed unless amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I know we've, last session and a session before that, talked a lot about mandatory minimums in the
• And so they could, and I like the idea of having a parent session available.
• Prevention education usually you want a multi-session approach, so at least two sessions.
• It would be a couple sessions. And I believe red flag, green flag is that two-session approach.
• So when you say sessions, I mean, are we talking like hours or like half-hour each session?

Summary: The committee first approved the December 16 minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their economic and public-system impacts. She explained that ACEs are population-level risk indicators, not individual diagnostic tools, and said higher ACE exposure is associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare and justice involvement, and lower workforce participation. She cautioned that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across the life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based interventions and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, trends in ACEs, and home visiting; she emphasized supportive relationships, protective factors, and the importance of positive childhood experiences. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco, along with a recorded family story from Abby, about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota. Abby described how Healthy Families North Dakota supported her family after a premature birth and NICU stay by providing weekly in-home coaching, developmental screenings, postpartum mental health check-ins, referrals, and parenting support. The presenters explained that home visiting is voluntary, relationship-based, and usually begins prenatally or shortly after birth, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, pregnancy navigators, human service zones, self-referrals, and other community partners. They said North Dakota currently has four main evidence-based models operating through 12 organizations, with Healthy Families available in all 53 counties, though only a fraction of eligible families are served. Funding was described as a patchwork of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E, Medicaid, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and other grants; members discussed whether the Legislature or agencies should expand support and how to improve outreach and sustainability. Finally, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, focusing on AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and chatbot-related risks. The report summarized federal and state law, including North Dakota’s existing computer-generated image provisions, the federal PROTECT Act, the Take It Down Act, and recent federal executive orders on AI policy. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI’s effect on critical thinking and misinformation. The committee then heard from BCI Special Agent Cassidy Halsef, who said AI is already driving a sharp rise in child exploitation cases in North Dakota, including AI-generated explicit images of real minors and school-based incidents involving mass-shared manipulated images. She said investigators are seeing more cyber tips, more difficult forensic work, and lasting harm to victims and families, and urged stronger legal penalties, specialized training, victim services, and prevention education in schools and communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I explore during the next session.
• Regular ATVs.
• So, we're ATVs the same as regular ATVs.
• So if this uh probably next session.
• next session. Thank you, Mr. Chair. next session. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Will it be the regular insurance programs?
• Will it be the uh regular programs? Will it be the uh regular insurance<00:38:23.839> programs?
• many weeks of, you know, of the session. many weeks of, you know, of the session.
• Chair, Senator Umu Verbaten has worked hard through many weeks of the session.
• And so my over over the entire session.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, to the point, we do take regular inspections of the line.
• You know, to the point, we do take regular inspections of the line.
• You know, to the point, we do take regular inspections of the line.
• We do take regular inspections of the line.
• We voted on it, second to go to exec session. Okay, I remember.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all