Transcript Highlights:

• But that is actually different than the conversation we're having today.
• My office has engaged in productive conversations with stakeholders in opposition.
• Just appreciate the conversation and we'll continue to work with our agriculture chair.
• I've had conversations with a few of you about this.
• I've had conversations with a few of you about this.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call and first dealt with a procedural dispute over four amendments to AB 1240. The Speaker ruled the amendments out of order as not germane, and the Assembly sustained that ruling on a 49-16 vote. Members then added co-authors to several consent-calendar resolutions, including measures on the National Conference of State Legislators, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, ALS Awareness Month, and Men’s Mental Health Month, before adopting the consent calendar. The chamber also heard guest introductions, including a welcome for Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and took up a motion to bring AB 41 up out of file, which failed 19-48. The bulk of the meeting was floor action on a long series of bills and resolutions, many of which passed with broad bipartisan support. Measures approved included ACR 40 supporting immigrant students and FAFSA privacy; AB 917 on permanent status for certain school employees; AB 985 on anesthesia access; AB 7 and AB 42 on higher education and student services; AB 245 providing property tax relief for wildfire victims; AB 255 allowing funding for drug-free recovery housing; AB 279 updating K-12 library standards; AB 289 creating a pilot for automated speed enforcement in highway construction zones; AB 291 on an educator apprentice program; AB 327 addressing swatting; AB 340 on confidential union communications; AB 341 creating an oral health technical assistance center for people with disabilities; AB 356 on San Diego health care infrastructure; AB 410 on bot disclosure; AB 476 on copper theft enforcement; AB 477 on educator pay targets; AB 485 on stolen wages and business licensing; AB 487, the insurance committee’s technical omnibus bill; AB 573 on tobacco retail license fees; AB 598 on school mapping technology; AB 635 on mobile home law enforcement referrals; AB 651 on remote participation for incarcerated parents in dependency hearings; AB 654 on homelessness hotline assistance in Los Angeles County; AB 662 creating a South County higher education task force; AB 667 on language access in professional licensing; AB 669 limiting early denial of addiction treatment; AB 670 on naturally occurring affordable housing; AB 695 on online continuation of community college for deported students; AB 723 on disclosure for digitally altered real estate images; AB 727 placing Trevor Project information on student IDs; and AB 736, a $10 billion affordable housing bond for the June 2026 ballot, which passed on a 61-11 urgency vote after extensive debate. Debate on AB 736 was the most extensive of the day, with supporters arguing the bond would help address California’s housing crisis and give voters a chance to weigh in, while opponents criticized the state’s bond debt and past spending results. The Assembly then recessed for caucus meetings and later returned to continue the daily file, where additional measures were taken up, including AB 798 adding diapers and wipes to the emergency food bank reserve program, which passed 56-0, and AB 821 on career technical education, which was presented as bipartisan-supported as the transcript continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a great conversation.
• Um, tough conversations to have.
• These are real conversations. Uh, it's a beginning of a conversation.
• Uh it's a are real conversations.
• Um my beginning of a conversation.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There's so many conversations and so many things that I think we can really work on at the University
• There's so many conversations and so many things that I think we can really work on at the University
• There's so many conversations and so many things that I think we can really work on at the University
• And a similar question to before around your level of engagement in conversations with students: how
• level of Engagement in conversations level of Engagement in conversations with<00:45:23.119>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• significantly alter the conversation significantly alter the conversation that<01:50:21.440>
• take your conversations off the floor. take your conversations off the floor.
• The trying to lower the conversation.
• gearing up for a great conversation gearing up for a great conversation and<03:27:35.840> I
• I look forward to the conversation. forward to the continued conversation forward to the continued conversation

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Coal conversion tax: as we take the coal, burn it, turn it into electricity, we pay a conversion tax.
• And then the orange is the coal conversion.
• And I think there needed to be some balance to that conversation.
• I've already had a conversation with him about this.
• I've already had a conversation with him about this.

Summary: The committee met at the Coteau Freedom Mine in Mercer County, approved the June 2 minutes, and heard an overview of the mine from Coteau Properties president Andrew Hawbaker. He described the Freedom Mine as the largest lignite mine in the United States, supplying coal to Dakota Gasification, Antelope Valley Station, and Leland Olds Station. He emphasized the mine’s scale, safety record, reclamation work, workforce needs, community involvement, and economic impact, including payroll, taxes, royalties, scholarships, and local hiring. Members asked about how long land stays in production, how quickly it returns to agriculture after reclamation, labor shortages, and how mining affects groundwater and water wells. Hawbaker said most tracts are mined for about three to five years, reclamation is coordinated with landowners, and the company continues to struggle to find electricians, welders, mechanics, operators, and engineers. The committee then heard from Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christman on coal mining reclamation and permitting. He reviewed North Dakota’s coal mining history, the state’s reclamation laws, federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act primacy, bonding, permit renewals and revisions, prohibited mining areas, inspection and enforcement, and contemporaneous reclamation requirements. Christman stressed that North Dakota’s program is professional and thorough, with frequent inspections, financial assurance, and a 10-year revegetation monitoring period before bond release. He also discussed federal coal ownership issues that can delay mine plans, the treatment of prime farmland, and how reclamation differs for wind and pipelines. In response to questions, he said one challenge is sometimes releasing land too soon before long-term compaction issues are fully understood, and he noted that data centers do not currently have a comparable reclamation model because they typically own the land. In the afternoon, the committee received an update from Lignite Energy Council president Jonathan Fortner on the lignite industry. He said North Dakota’s lignite sector supports five commercial power plants, four mines, about 12,000 direct and indirect jobs, and more than $5.5 billion in economic activity, while helping keep the state’s electricity rates among the lowest in the nation. Fortner reviewed coal severance and conversion tax revenues, the lignite research fund, federal regulatory rollbacks, carbon capture policy, and the industry’s legal costs fighting federal rules. He also highlighted a study on large-load development, saying new data centers and critical mineral processing facilities could create major local tax revenue and help justify new baseload generation. Members asked whether new gas pipelines would crowd out coal plant development and whether the economic study included jobs and broader local impacts; Fortner said the industry sees room for both and that the study did include construction, operations, jobs, and tax effects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fast forward, we found out, and we had conversations.
• I had conversations with the Senate Appropriations Chair about it.
• And I would suggest to you that you're furthering that conversation.
• I appreciate all the conversation.
• I appreciate all the conversation.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 107-1 roll call vote. Members then spent a substantial portion of the morning introducing guests, including family members, students, interns, nonprofit representatives, a park ranger recognized for life-saving work, and legislative staff being honored for service or graduation. Committee reports and Senate messages followed, including Senate refusals to concur on several amendments to Senate Bill 1421 and the appointment of a conference committee on House Bill 2818. The main floor debate centered on the conference committee report for House Bill 2002, the K-12 education budget. The budget chair explained that the report maintained record-level overall funding for the foundation formula but changed the mix of funding sources, including a reduction in capital commission dollars and use of blind pension funds, with possible later ARPA dollars to offset shortfalls. Several members argued the bill still underfunded schools by about $190 million and raised concerns about relying on projected or one-time funds; others defended the budget as meeting or exceeding constitutional requirements and noted record spending per pupil and recent increases in education funding. A substitute motion to send the bill back to conference failed 62-89, and the conference report was then adopted 83-68; the bill was subsequently third read and passed 83-68. The House then adopted and passed House Bill 2003, the higher education budget, by 119-28 on adoption and 109-32 on third reading. Debate there focused on restoring the governor’s recommended funding while directing higher education institutions to develop a new performance-based funding formula by the end of the year. Members generally described the compromise as a step toward a more sustainable model while preserving current funding levels. Next, House Bill 2004, covering the Departments of Revenue and Transportation, was adopted 128-21 and passed 127-27; discussion highlighted transportation funding, rural roads, and a small local safety appropriation that had already been addressed by MoDOT. The House then began debate on House Bill 2005, the Office of Administration budget, with members emphasizing IT accountability, state employee functions, and ongoing technology consolidation/deconsolidation issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so back on the conversation<00:30:20.720> of<00:30:21.559> SF2811,<00:30:22.559>
• the<00:30:22.799> Prepare conversation of SF2811, the Prepare conversation of SF2811, the
• Um, so it doesn't have to end here, the conversation, but I know for myself I'd like to find out a little
• , but I know for myself I'd conversation, but I know for myself I'd like<00:54:17.680> to<00:54
• Now we can put this amendment on, continue to have the conversation, strip it off in finance if we decide

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• simpler conversations with others in the field, which is that this is a common-sense change that is
• In the conversation that I had with the professional engineer organizations last year, I offered them
• was that um this in those conversations was that um this is<01:14:42.520> not<01:14:42.760>
• <01:16:22.440> that<01:16:22.600> I projects um in the conversation that I projects
• <01:21:52.000> with frankly following my conversation with frankly following my conversation

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have um, you know, again, conversations have um, you know, again, conversations with<00:45:42.480
• individual needs to have a conversation individual needs to have a conversation with<00:56:15.760
• <01:09:55.600> whether outlined in our conversation whether outlined in our conversation whether
• conversation that Deputy Commissioner conversation that Deputy Commissioner Row<01:28:58.880>
• ,<01:29:26.960> well, and we had had that conversation, well, and we had had that conversation

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I look forward to having some of those conversations.
• I look forward to having some of those conversations.
• I look forward to having some of those conversations.
• I welcome the continued conversations. Thank you.
• I welcome the continued conversations.

Bills: HF1082, HF1042, HF1295, HF1686, HF1998, HF1775, HF1163

Keywords: public safety, law enforcement, mental health, domestic violence, appropriations, criminal justice, Minnesota corrections, victim services, task force, personal safety, Independent Use of Force Investigations Unit, criminal sexual conduct, sexual assault, peace officers, law enforcement oversight, Minnesota National Guard, U.S. armed forces, military installation, armory, air base

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we have been in a long conversation.
• I look forward to continuing the conversation on that.
• I look forward to continuing the conversation on that.
• I look forward to continuing the conversation on that.
• I look forward to continuing the conversation on that.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Conversion therapy is quackery and it is psychological torture.
• This ban mental health professionals from engaging in conversion therapy.
• I respectfully ask for an aye vote in the name of all of the survivors of conversion therapy.
• For an aye vote in the name of all of the survivors of conversion therapy. Thank you.
• If you have conversations, please take them to the rear. Senator Archuleta, you are recognized.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the beginning of a conversation. It's certainly not the only or the end of a conversation.
• There's truth to that, but let's save it for a healthy conversation.
• There are conversations happening, and this matters.
• Just to follow up on the conversation you're just having.
• And I think, especially as we're in the larger conversation, L.A.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the governor and I have had this conversation.
• “Well, that conversation changed quickly. Thank you for your time today. I appreciate it.
• And, I mean, we have to start this conversation now for next year in order to do that.
• So innovation, I think, is really important for us to continue strong conversations on.
• all probably enter into those kind of conversations at some point with these.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the state, and it's a good conversation to have.
• So, we move on to the next conversation.
• <00:51:23.920> to state and it's a good conversation to state and it's a good conversation
• <00:51:37.280> I<00:51:37.599> think on to the next uh conversation.
• I think on to the next uh conversation.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Budget Caucus Public Commission met with a quorum present, approved the September 3, 2025 minutes, and then heard a presentation from Legislative Budget Office Director Christian Larson on proposed updates to the fiscal note uniform standards and procedures. The main changes clarified that agencies must still complete a fiscal note when a bill or section cannot be implemented because of federal law, with the note explaining the implementation issue and costing only the portions that can be implemented. A second change said technical comments about possible future litigation may be included in the narrative but not in the cost tables. Members discussed how these rules would apply when only part of a bill is unimplementable versus when an entire bill is, and whether requiring a note in those cases is the best use of agency time. The commission also approved a new procedure on funding-source assumptions for expanded programs, including assuming the current funding source unless the bill says otherwise and defaulting to the general fund if no source is identified. The updated standards and procedures were adopted by a 7-0 roll call vote, with Senator Wickland excused. The commission then received a second presentation from Director Larson on a possible analysis of the accuracy of fiscal estimates and budget items after enactment. He described this as a variance analysis comparing fiscal note estimates to actual fiscal impacts, intended to improve future estimates, inform the legislature, and increase accountability. He summarized practices in other states, noting that most variance reviews are ad hoc, while Utah and Tennessee have more formalized legislative reports; he also referenced an LBO pilot review done in 2022 based largely on Tennessee’s model. The presentation outlined possible report formats, including a single annual report, standalone briefs, or topic-specific reviews, and raised implementation questions such as who would select items for review, whether the analysis should be limited to fiscal notes, what statutory authority or data access would be needed, and what resources would be required from both agencies and the LBO. Members did not take action on the second presentation. Representative Anderson and Vice Chair Pratt commented that the proposal is complicated but potentially useful for improving future fiscal notes and transparency, and the chair indicated the discussion was for future consideration rather than an immediate decision.

Transcript Highlights:

• We would love for mental health experts to come in and be a part of this conversation.
• I want to have that conversation more.
• That's the conversation with the pharmacist, you know, the box already has instructions on it.
• I'm saying what's commonly understood as far as conversations with minors without parents present.
• As much as I've enjoyed this conversation, we are off topic. I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, thank you, Mr.

Bills: HB 265, HB25

Keywords: youth camp, safety regulations, advisory committee, child welfare, health standards, summer camp, camp safety, child abuse reporting, child neglect, mandatory reporting, background check, criminal history check, sex offender registry, CPR training, first aid, public health, child protection, camp operator, camp counselor, Health and Safety Code

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm probably hurting prime contractors, and this converse is true as well.
• So I'm happy to continue those conversations.
• Conversations. Just follow up. And I apologize.
• This conversation has been going on for a long time. It goes back 20, 20-plus years.
• I don't remember having a conversation with anybody about grandfathering them in.

Summary: The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, and with no conversation, Mr.
• Madam Speaker, earlier I had a conversation with the representative and I just Have it reiterated?
• Speaker and gentle lady, you know, we are always, there's been this conversation about the con about
• Started here in the house a very sober uh values based conversation Mr.
• Thank you so much, gentlemen, for all the answers, and I appreciate uh the conversation. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• The practice of introducing bills by request without attribution has been the subject of some conversation
• over the years while rarely conversation over the years while rarely used<00:44:39.000> about
• When we adopt our rules today, it allows us to continue the conversations for my auntie, Julian Kirkland
• <01:16:52.800> under<01:16:53.040> our<01:16:53.199> new important conversation
• under our new important conversation under our new house<01:16:53.679> leadership<01:16:54.159

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House convened, completed roll call with 48 members present and three excused, deferred reading of the journal, and received Senate communications noting adoption of House Concurrent Resolutions Nos. 1 and 2. The chamber also recognized several visiting groups and guests, including Congresswoman Jill Tuda, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii participants and students, Okinawan visitors, Farrington High School students, James Campbell High School students, and Waiau High School students, many of whom were introduced in connection with Chamber Week activities and educational presentations. The main business was unfinished business on House Resolutions 6 and 7, which adopted the House rules for the 33rd Legislature, including rules for the Committee on Standards of Conduct. Members generally supported the rules package as a transparency and modernization update, citing earlier public access to testimony, a public list of Speaker appointees, changes to conference committee eligibility, telework for staff, social media guidance, and a public list of bills introduced by request. Several members raised reservations or opposition, focusing on concerns about staff involvement in approving written remarks, budget information timing, the Vice Speaker’s role, social media/free speech issues, and whether some changes reduced public access or conflicted with constitutional open-meeting requirements. No vote on the rules package is recorded in the excerpt. The debate ended with multiple members yielding time and the discussion continuing on the merits of the proposed rule changes, especially the balance between transparency, internal House procedure, and public participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• conversation conversation and<01:26:37.920> I<01:26:38.239> represent<01:26:38.639>
• Um during those conversations?
• I am uh probably 100% conversations?
• further conversations we can have. further conversations we can have.
• conversation. Thank you Mr. Chair. conversation. Thank you Mr. Chair.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met on March 4, 2026, and focused almost entirely on an update and oversight discussion of the Promise Act, including its grant and loan programs. The chair opened by explaining that the committee wanted to better understand how the 2023 law was implemented, how funds are still being deployed in greater Minnesota and the metro, and whether adjustments made in 2024 and 2025 were working as intended. The minutes from March 3 were approved at the start of the meeting. Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon of DEED outlined the program’s legislative history, funding structure, eligibility rules, and oversight process. He said the grant side has about $94 million available, with $16 million going to the Minnesota Initiative Foundations and $86 million to the Neighborhood Development Center, plus administrative and technical assistance set-asides. He noted legislative changes over time, including shifting the revenue eligibility test to the prior year, adding a home-office deduction requirement for businesses using a home address, and maintaining a preference for applicants who had not received more than $10,000 in prior state assistance. McKinnon said about $22 million had been awarded to 35 businesses at the time of the update, and that the loan program has $30 million appropriated, with about $9.5 million lent so far. He also described the application, verification, audit, and payment process, emphasizing that partners handle intake and DEED conducts final review and random audits. Shahir Ahmmed of the Neighborhood Development Center described the round-one and round-two grant process in more detail. He said NDC spent about nine months building the application platform, launched round one in June 2024, received more than 3,000 applications, and later paused awards while DEED and legislators clarified the law. He reported that 651 applications were approved in the first round for just under $9 million, and that round two launched in September 2025 with a goal of distributing up to $50 million in remaining grant funds. Ahmmed also explained the step-by-step applicant process, including email confirmation, eligibility screening, document upload, identity verification through Plaid, and final DEED review. He said applicants commonly use funds for payroll, equipment or inventory, rent, and utilities. The chair indicated there would be further testimony from other program partners and then member questions, but no votes or formal actions were taken on the Promise Act itself during this portion of the meeting.