Transcript Highlights:

• We track this very granularly.
• Um, but we track that actually daily, but can provide a monthly report to the committee.
• We track this very granularly.
• We we track this uh ve can follow up. We we track this uh ve very<01:02:47.520><c> granularly.
• Um, but we we track different volume.

Bills: SF0032 , SF0010 , SF0001 , HB0001

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there's a lot of work that goes into whether it's a big track of land or a small track of land
• of land or a small it's a big track of land or a small track<00:26:20.559><c> of</c><00:26:20.720><c
• of land, it takes the same amount track of land, it takes the same amount of<00:26:22.640><c> work.
• So, we need to be able to track at every stage of the funnel, all the way from awareness to action.
• And then the other key metric they're tracking is connection of individuals to job opportunities.

Summary: The subcommittee met with leaders of the First Frontier Appalachian Trail System for an update on trail development, economic impact, and funding needs. Speakers said the system has expanded from 18 to 21 counties over the past year, with interest from additional counties, about 450 miles of trails currently open, and a goal of surpassing 1,000 miles within two years. They described the project as primarily an economic development effort that is already drawing public and private investment, supporting lodging and campground businesses, and creating new enterprises such as guide services, repairs, and recovery services for ATVs. The presentation highlighted permit sales, which began on a soft-launch basis earlier in the year and are now available both physically and online. Permits cost $25 per year for in-state residents and allow riding on First Frontier trails. Officials also discussed landowner agreements, saying the standard license agreement is modeled on Hatfield-McCoy, is favorable to landowners, and can be ended with 60 days’ notice. They said the agreements, along with patrols and cleanup efforts, help address trespassing and illegal dumping while encouraging property owners to participate. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Captain Jason Sloan reported 638 hours of patrols under the memorandum of agreement since January 1 and said the partnership has focused on safety, enforcement of existing laws, emergency planning, and cleanup support. The group also cited partnerships with the National Forest, Onyx Off-Road, ARC, and Yamaha, and said a Jeep Jamboree in Lee County drew 237 registered participants, mostly from out of state. They said a GNCC race in Knox County is being pursued for spring. The authority requested $3.5 million for the next two-year budget cycle and said it needs additional staffing, including two full-time trail development coordinators and part-time office help, to keep up with growth. Members praised the project’s progress and its potential to boost tourism and regional economic development.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every dollar is tracked. I was a CFO in the Army responsible for 26.3 billion.
• Every dollar is tracked.<01:03:31.359><c> I</c><01:03:31.760><c> was</c><01:03:31.920><c> a</c> tracked
• I was a tracked.
• This year we have started tracking 80%.
• </c> support to our clients and tracks support to our clients and tracks outcomes.<01:18:20.800><c> I

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• also includes administrative funding for the voluntary pre-kindergarten program, which is separately tracked
• pre kindergarten program, which is pre kindergarten program, which is separately<00:05:35.199><c> tracked
• </c> was created last session um uh to track was created last session um uh to track the<00:38:19.440
• So would the keep the schedule on track.
• That would track cases and conduct financial analysis of programs.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I think they're on the right track.
• Off-track betting kind of stuff.
• Off-track betting some, and these are online off-track betting-type sites.
• These are online off-track betting-type sites.
• It's a wonderful tool that kind of tracks where those folks go.

Summary: The committee was called to order, the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer were offered, and the minutes from the previous meeting were approved. Members then received a memo summarizing major audit items and began hearing audit presentations from the State Auditor’s Office and private auditors on a range of state agencies and organizations. Several audits were reported as clean, including the Bank of North Dakota, the North Dakota Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the Office of the Governor, the Office of the State Treasurer, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Transportation’s flexible transportation fund, Lake Region State College, and the Department of Environmental Quality. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association also received an unmodified opinion, though repeat findings were noted for limited segregation of duties and financial statement preparation due to its small staff. The Council on the Arts audit found two findings: payroll charged to federal awards without adequate timekeeping records, and unallowable expenditures from a restricted cultural endowment fund. The Department of Public Instruction audit identified unsupported scholarship applications in the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, though additional testing showed the funds were used for their intended purpose. The most extensive discussion centered on the North Dakota Racing Commission audit, which identified four findings: overspending the promotion fund’s 25% operating limit, grant conditions not being met, improper Breeders Fund awards, and improper procurement for advertising services. Racing Commission director Bruce Johnson acknowledged complacency and weak controls, said the agency would tighten procedures, and explained that the commission had since worked with procurement and would follow the rules more closely. Auditors also explained that the commission would now be audited every two years because of the findings. Another major discussion involved the University of North Dakota School of Law, where auditors found a lack of documentation supporting admissions decisions for post-baccalaureate programs. UND officials said they remain in good standing with the American Bar Association but agreed better documentation and tools are needed; the committee pressed for more transparency and follow-up on admissions criteria. The committee also received an update on Dakota College at Bottineau, where Minot State University reported that bank reconciliations had been brought current after a significant backlog and would now be maintained through shared services. Members requested a written follow-up report on the issues and corrective actions. Finally, the North Dakota Fair Association explained that its foundation has been dissolved and remaining funds were transferred to another nonprofit for continued support of the state fair, and the Department of Public Instruction provided an update on school meal debt, saying the reported amount was about $1.1 million from a partial district survey and that debt remains a local issue, though it could be revisited if school meal funding changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the Kaiser Permanente health system in San Diego, and they were able to track the actual outcomes
• We might refer them to another program like Bright Track, which does developmental screenings only.
• But I mean, I just think it's more than just tracking somebody's cell phone locations.
• I mean, as a realtor, geo-fencing is tracking what people are doing online.
• This, how they track this person down who was involved in that bank robbery.

Committee: Joint Protection and Victim Services Committee

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:

• ,</c> home supervision program or tracking, home supervision program or tracking, group<00:14:54.720>
• Further, DJJ does not track recidivism for these youth.
• So going forward I think JCOMs is going to significantly enhance our ability to track this data.
• So going forward I think JCOMs is going to significantly enhance our ability to track this data.
• So going forward I think JCOMs is going to significantly enhance our ability to track this data.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s Grants Management Division on federal victim-services funding. Staff described the main grant programs they administer, including STOP VAWA, VOCA victim assistance, sexual assault services, Byrne state crisis intervention, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. They emphasized that VOCA is especially volatile because it is funded by the federal Crime Victims Fund, which has declined sharply in recent years, reducing Kentucky’s available awards and forcing cuts to state, local, and nonprofit subgrants. They also outlined steps the cabinet has taken to stabilize funding, including changing the subaward formula, aligning the grant period with the state fiscal year, subawarding one year behind the federal cycle, and retaining a reserve. Members asked about how funds reach victims, how subgrantee amounts are determined, and requested a breakdown of grant recipients and amounts; staff said they would provide that information later. The committee then received a detailed presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice on alternatives to detention. Commissioner Randy White and staff explained that ATDs are short-term, less restrictive placements for low-risk youth, including electronic monitoring, home supervision, group homes, foster care, private child care, community programs, mentoring, evening reporting centers, and in-home wraparound services. They described the referral and approval process involving court-designated workers, detention alternative coordinators, courts, and county attorneys, and said DJJ currently has 16 ATD-related contracts, with placements, programs, and electronic monitoring among them. They also reported that between July 1, 2024, and July 30, 2025, 1,652 juveniles were involved in the process, including 168 diversion cases. Members questioned the cost of juvenile detention versus adult incarceration, whether families pay for electronic monitoring, whether there is a national model for juvenile detention, and what alternatives exist for truancy and contempt cases. DJJ said families do not generally reimburse for electronic monitoring, there is no single national model, and day treatment centers are an important alternative for some youth. The department also said it builds daily routines and wellness education into its facilities, and that more than two-thirds of its programs are evidence-based. Officials said they currently monitor vendor performance through quarterly reviews and can end contracts for poor performance, but that data tracking is still largely manual. They said the new JCOM system, now in pilot in the eastern region, should improve reporting and help identify outcomes and recidivism more effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our lake, we've tracked water quality for probably 50 years on my lake, and we always have a hard time
• um water quality for probably 50 tracked um water quality for probably 50 years<00:47:38.440><c> on<
• It's on track, but again, because of the large amount of inflow of water, it's struggling to have the
• It's on track, but again, because of the large amount of inflow of water, it's struggling to have the
• what it's doing but again because track what it's doing but again because of<01:03:23.400><c> the</c

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And we do have, we track those ratios very closely on the male to female ratios.
• And we know this because it tracks in Arkansas this way: the percentage of females in the harvest goes
• considerable amount of money, like in the millions of dollars, having Oklahoma State University researchers track

Bills: HB4128 , HB3659 , HB3270 , HB3145

Committee: House Wildlife

Transcript Highlights:

• A grandmother in rural Texas, who's voted in every election since LBJ, now has to track down a birth
• Tracking down flagged voters and reporting it to the state.
• Requiring millions of individuals to track down and submit this additional documentation places an unnecessary

Keywords: legislation, public policy, testimony, committee meeting, debates

Summary: The committee meeting involved various discussions pertaining to legislative initiatives and public policy concerns. Members engaged in debates around significant topics, highlighting their diverse perspectives. The atmosphere was lively with members presenting arguments for and against certain measures. Testimonies from the public were also a key feature, shedding light on community sentiments related to proposed bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there is an added risk requiring clinics to separately track our population.
• At this time, the department is on track for this implementation.
• At this time, the department is on track for this implementation.
• Sorry, I'm not tracking. So yeah. Health and substance use disorder services.
• Sorry, I'm not tracking. So sure, yeah, I'm going to start over because I bounce around.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's got a long track record. I'm going to the next slide, which talks about measles symptoms.
• And so this vaccine, like I said, has a long track record. well.
• Okay, you were correct about that and then are we tracking the efficacy over time of the different?
• If their sibling was at a child care facility, are we tracking all that? Yes.
• Were you tracking? Back in the 1990s and like up until 2010.

Committee: House Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about how do we get people back on track and back into the community?
• And so we have to track them very aggressively.
• And so we have to track them very aggressively.
• So that's, I think, hopefully we're on a better track.
• They did not track with someone's actual security threat.

Summary: The commission opened an informal discussion focused on developing recommendations for its September report on correctional consolidation and cooperation. Chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger emphasized that the group is still in an information-gathering phase, but should begin putting ideas on the table, including possible written recommendations, further hearings, and additional facility tours. Members discussed whether the commission should seek more input from frontline stakeholders such as sheriffs, probation, parole, reentry centers, unions, and the judiciary, and whether recommendations should be organized around specific issue areas like medical costs, programming, reentry, and facility operations. A major theme was the need for a more integrated and consistent correctional system. Participants raised concerns about fragmentation across DOC, county sheriffs, probation, and parole, and suggested exploring step-down pathways, minimum security, pre-release, day reporting, and regional reentry hubs to improve outcomes and reduce recidivism. Several speakers stressed the importance of uniform standards, evidence-based programming, better data on outcomes and spending, and clearer alignment between custody conditions and rehabilitation goals. There was also discussion of looking to other states and international models, as well as revisiting older reports and plans, including the 2009 commission report and the 2010 corrections master plan. Facility-specific issues were also raised, including the need to examine women’s facilities such as Framingham, Bridgewater, and restrictive housing practices in light of suicide concerns and mental health needs. Members discussed the relationship between correctional custody and behavioral health, the role of the judiciary in sentencing and reentry planning, and whether judges should be better informed about available programming and step-down options. There was broad agreement that collaboration, transparency, and accountability should be strengthened, with some members urging that recommendations be based on firsthand facts and data rather than opinion alone. The meeting also included presentation of a written set of eight high-level recommendations compiled by advocacy and legal organizations, which focused on clearer and more consistent programming, equitable application of rules, and reducing punitive conditions that function like solitary confinement. The chairs said the document would be shared with members and posted online. No formal votes were taken during the discussion, and the meeting ended with plans to continue the conversation at a future session, including possible follow-up on reentry centers, restrictive housing, and other systemwide reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• Was this being tracked?
• Was<00:18:47.560><c> this</c><00:18:47.760><c> being</c><00:18:48.000><c> tracked?
• And if so, if if Was this being tracked?
• Would you take charge of that topic and try and track that down for us? Great. Thank you very much.
• </c> try and track that down apps for us? try and track that down apps for us?

Summary: The Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy for New Hampshire held its first organizational meeting. The chair read the committee’s updated mission statement, which says the bipartisan committee will fact-find on the state’s COVID-19 response and its impact on the healthcare system, with focus areas including federal guidance, federal funds, emergency use authorization vaccination efforts, long COVID, the Patient Bill of Rights, and vaccination policies. The chair also announced committee staffing changes: Linda McGrath stepped down as vice chair and Representative Gerard was named vice chair; Representative DeRoy was named clerk. The chair emphasized the committee’s work is intended to be science-based and fact-finding, not anti-vaccine, and noted that the committee may issue follow-up reports and recommendations. Members discussed a broad list of topics for future hearings, including long COVID treatment, ongoing vaccination policies, reporting of COVID deaths, standards of care and provider discretion, COVID-related funding such as ESSER/CARES Act money, and communication of treatment developments during the pandemic. Representative Pollina argued the committee should examine specific treatments and outcomes, including remdesivir, oxygen/intubation practices, and ivermectin, and raised concerns about whether some treatments were harmful or suppressed. He also focused on pediatric vaccination policy, saying the committee should review New Hampshire’s recommendations for children and medical students, and questioned the state’s reliance on federal guidance versus independent review. The chair responded that shifting federal positions may justify an independent New Hampshire evaluation and asked him to gather more information and potential witnesses. In open discussion, members suggested additional witnesses and topics, including local funeral directors, nursing homes, and emergency medical services, as well as how nursing homes were affected by positive tests and admission restrictions. Another member suggested the committee consider what products it should produce, such as a final report, possible bill recommendations, and better documentation or footnotes tying findings to testimony and scientific sources. The chair said the committee’s deliverables could include reports, letters to department heads or legislative leaders, and other actions, and noted that the committee’s 2024 report and supporting documents are available on the House committee page. No votes or formal actions beyond the organizational appointments were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we have an idea of how much we may already have been tracking.
• So we're also tracking that future expenditure.
• Because they were on the track.
• And then for the first program, are we on track for all of it to be used?
• As we track, as Casey Family Programs tracks and identifies effective child welfare policies across the

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think it really tracks,<00:48:18.280><c> but</c><00:48:18.920><c> for</c><00:48:19.080><c> the
• </c><00:48:19.200><c> sake</c><00:48:19.440><c> of</c><00:48:19.560><c> argument,</c> tracks, but for
• It's a little crazy to track all that.
• </c> It's a little crazy to track all that. It's a little crazy to track all that.
• </c><01:21:13.160><c> and</c> centralized, mandatory tracking and centralized, mandatory tracking and

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about how do we get people back on track and back into the community?
• And so we have to track them very aggressively.
• And so we have to track them very aggressively.
• So that’s, I think, hopefully we’re on a better track.
• They did not track with someone's actual security threat.

Summary: The commission met for an open discussion focused on developing recommendations for its report on correctional consolidation and collaboration. Chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger said the group is moving from information-gathering into idea generation, with a report due to the legislature by the end of September. Members discussed whether recommendations should be broad “guardrails” or more specific proposals, and several urged that future recommendations be grounded in firsthand experience, data, and written submissions from agencies and stakeholders. A major theme was how to create a more integrated correctional and reentry system. Participants raised the need to hear more from reentry centers, minimum-security and pre-release facilities, probation and parole, and the judiciary. Ideas included expanding step-down pathways, improving coordination among DOC, sheriffs, probation, and parole, standardizing programming and outcomes data, and better educating judges about available programs at sentencing. There was also discussion of whether the sheriff’s role should be expanded beyond the current two-and-a-half-year House of Correction limit, with questions about sentence structure, good-time credits, and how such a change would affect security and reentry outcomes. Members also emphasized the importance of consistency, transparency, and minimum standards across facilities. Several speakers said the system remains fragmented and that different counties use different definitions, practices, and program models. Suggestions included reviewing prior commission reports, looking at other states and even European models for best practices, and considering regional hubs or specialized facilities for behavioral health, workforce development, and reentry. The chairs noted that the commission has already toured several facilities and plans more visits, including Framingham and Bridgewater, and that future hearings will include unions and other stakeholders. The discussion also touched on restrictive housing, mental health, and contraband K2. Members cited recent suicide concerns and expert reports suggesting some units function like restrictive housing even if not labeled that way. There was broad agreement that custody conditions, programming access, and institutional culture affect trust and rehabilitation. No formal votes were taken; the meeting was primarily a working session to surface ideas and frame possible recommendations for later drafting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then for the ALW program, currently we do not track the average time from the ALW application to
• Are we tracking whether or not there is capacity that is not being used?
• Are we tracking whether or not there is capacity that is not being utilized, or we’re not tracking that
• There is processing of those applications, but we are tracking...
• There is processing of those applications, but we are tracking. We have a wait list.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about how do we get people back on track and back into the community?
• And so we have to track them very aggressively.
• And so we have to track them very aggressively.
• So that’s, I think, hopefully we’re on a better track.
• They did not track with someone's actual security threat.

Summary: The commission held an open discussion on how to develop recommendations for its report due at the end of September, with chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Brownsberger emphasizing that the group is moving from information-gathering into idea-sharing. Members discussed the need for more testimony from stakeholders such as reentry centers, correctional officers, unions, and the judiciary, and several participants urged the commission to use prior reports and existing data as a starting point. There was broad agreement that the work should focus on outcomes, transparency, and identifying gaps across the correctional and community supervision systems. A major theme was whether Massachusetts should move toward a more integrated, step-down model that better connects DOC, county sheriffs, probation, parole, reentry centers, and community-based services. Participants raised the possibility of expanding use of minimum security, pre-release, day reporting, and community justice support centers, and some suggested exploring whether sheriffs should have jurisdiction over people with longer remaining sentences, or whether judges should have more discretion to place people in county facilities. Others stressed the importance of involving the judiciary earlier, improving sentencing information, and aligning programming across agencies so reentry planning begins at sentencing and continues through release. The discussion also focused on facility conditions, women’s housing, Bridgewater, Framingham, restrictive housing, and the relationship between correctional settings and mental health needs. Several members called for more consistent standards, better data on spending and program effectiveness, and stronger accountability for evidence-based practices. The group also raised concerns about contraband K2, the need for cultural change inside institutions, and the importance of trust, staff training, and soft handoffs to the community. No votes were taken; the meeting was primarily a working discussion, and the chairs said they would circulate a written set of recommendations and continue the conversation at future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can we track that? Chair Murdo, Representative Koppelman, we don't track that number.
• We're putting up $180,000 for each track.
• So it does net out to be $180,000 per track, $360,000 altogether.
• So it does net out to be $180,000 per track, $360,000 altogether.
• And there are companies out there that are doing a good job keeping track.

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.