Transcript Highlights:

• OPEC is a small agency currently with 16 staff, hopefully soon to be 17 staff, primarily attorneys and
• So, uh, we're a pretty small agency and, uh, I would say we have two expense buckets.
• We're a very small agency. We don't get a lot of bids.
• Residential And small commercial consumers in the water utility matters, is that?
• Small government, low tax, low regulation state, um.

Transcript Highlights:

• The highest are going to be all your... small rural schools because of the way the small rural formulas
• This explains the small reduction in the early draft of the 2026 UTP.
• And again, our Maritime Division itself. is relatively small.
• So it's not a. large list in their small dollar amount.
• I'm in a small town just south of Houston.

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Making progress is not a small thing in this. In this domain, you know for too long.
• To take your small piece, look at somebody else's small piece and then somebody else's and I'll... all
• They're very small and cheap, mainly the ones that have been discussed prior to me.
• And we bought, we acquired a small. a small business about 10 years ago from old people at age of 90.
• Also, many manufacturers are choosing small, territory cities for their operation.

Bills: HB17, HB34, HB41, HB 118, HB 119, HB 127, HB 128, HB 129, HB 130, HB132, HB133, HB17, HB41, HB118, HB119, HB127, HB128, HB129, HB130, HB132, HB133

Keywords: foreign ownership, real estate, national security, designated countries, Texas property law, lobbying, foreign adversaries, compensation prohibition, transparency, civil penalties, higher education, foreign adversary, research security, trade secrets, academic partnerships, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:41:15.040> scale So we're talking very small scale So we're talking very small scale operation
• Small groups like school districts, municipalities, can often be dominated by a small faction within
• districts, Small groups like school districts, Small groups like school districts, municipalities
• can often be dominated by a small can often be dominated by a small faction<01:02:12.400> within
• people who want to cut budgets, small people who want to cut budgets, small groups<01:08:30.560>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is especially vital for rural communities and small business transitions.
• the depth and breadth of the various co-op types, a co-op business model can create five jobs for a small
• And today, thanks to that investment, we are actively supporting a small business owner and their 23
• When a small business owned co-ops.
• <00:42:47.680> businesses investment that some small businesses investment that some small

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're a really small company in Central Wyoming.
• Simply put, this bill makes small solar Simply put, this bill makes small solar energy<00:41:06.840><
• <00:51:22.040> plug-in<00:51:22.520> solar benefit from a small plug-in solar benefit
• from a small plug-in solar energy<00:51:23.120> system<00:51:23.520> and<00:51:23.640>
• enough on the systems that are small enough on the consumer<01:15:22.400> side<01:15:22.840><

Bills: SF0095, SF0107, SF0112

Keywords: driver's license, motor vehicle services, third-party providers, Wyoming, regulatory compliance, motor vehicle, registration, license plate, electronic system, State Department of Transportation, county treasurers, vehicle fees, public records, license plates, replacement cycle, vehicle registration, motor vehicles, state fees, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And there's a small<00:15:52.399> but<00:15:52.720> impactful<00:15:53.360> group
• This created issues for the small This created issues for the small offices<00:17:15.919> that
• That's much more difficult in a small jurisdiction where you only have a few officers available.
• That's much more difficult<00:28:43.760> in<00:28:44.000> a<00:28:44.320> small<
• homes, they're also given a small homes, they're also given a small fraction<00:54:11.680> of

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:01 Kentucky’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative – Domestic Violence: 00:02:00 Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act: 00:46:41, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary approved the minutes from its July 24, 2025 meeting and heard an announcement about a lunch sponsored by the Kentucky State Buildings and Trades Council on forming a blue-collar caucus. The main presentation came from the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center on the Kentucky Justice Reinvestment Initiative’s domestic violence work, which was described as a multi-year effort begun in 2023 to analyze data and interview stakeholders across the state. Presenters reported that domestic violence is widespread in Kentucky, with about half of adults experiencing some form of violence or stalking in their lifetimes, and that an average of about 22,000 IPV incidents occurred annually from 2018 to 2022. They said domestic violence is a major driver of violent crime, accounting for about 48% of person offenses over a six-year period, and is linked to significant shares of homicides, sex crimes, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and simple assault. They also said reported incidents and arrests have risen in recent years, that protective-order violations and convictions have increased, and that Kentucky ranks near the bottom among surrounding states in the share of victim compensation for domestic-violence-related claims. Law enforcement survey results showed strong adoption of model policies and guidance, but limited use of screening tools for serious injury risk. The presenters emphasized that domestic violence also places heavy demands on law enforcement, courts, and corrections, citing roughly 30,000 law-enforcement responses in 2022 and noting that more than a third of people entering DOC custody and nearly a third under supervision had DV-related histories. They said a small group of repeat offenders drives ongoing harm and that targeted interventions could reduce recidivism. They highlighted a North Carolina example in which focused intervention reduced IPV-related homicides and calls for service, and they referenced Kentucky’s 2020 assessment recommendations on training, language access, protective-order service, and coordination with victim services and batterer intervention providers. They estimated that a 25% reduction in reported DV incidents could prevent nearly 5,000 victimizations annually and reduce DOC commitments and costs substantially. Committee members asked about the relationship between civil domestic violence petitions and companion criminal cases, and the presenters said they would check whether the data could answer that question. Members also discussed recent Kentucky legislation, including Senate Bill 319 on crime victims compensation and House Bill 38, which made a third domestic violence offense a Class D felony. Several members thanked the presenters and advocates, and one member raised concerns about service of process and recent violent incidents involving domestic violence-related warrants, prompting discussion of dedicated service units in larger jurisdictions and the resource limits faced by smaller agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we did an assessment two years ago, the PA program is relatively small.
• , and then the registered dietitian program again is very small.
• hpu is just program is relatively small hpu is just launching<00:17:33.320> their<00:17:33.520
• in in size also is relatively um small in in size particularly<00:17:41.520> as<00:17:41.760>
• I know we are only appropriated a small fraction of that special fund every year.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Health Committee held its first hearing of 2025, with Chair Greg Takayama and Vice Chair Representative Leoy opening the meeting and outlining housekeeping rules, including a two-minute limit for testifiers and Zoom etiquette. The committee first heard HB 303 on health care preceptors. The Department of Health, Department of Taxation, University of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, and several health care organizations supported the bill, saying the existing preceptor tax credit program has been successful and that expanding eligibility to additional professions and students would help address workforce shortages. In response to questions, the Department of Health said the annual tax credit cap is $1.5 million, about 650 to 670 credits are currently used each year, and the bill applies only to unpaid preceptors. The committee then moved on to HB 441, which would raise cigarette taxes. The Attorney General, Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, Hawaii Public Health Institute, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and others supported the measure as a way to reduce smoking, especially among youth, and to support tobacco control and cancer-related programs. Opponents, including the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Cigar Association of Hawaii, argued the tax is regressive and unreliable as a revenue source. The Department of Health noted the last cigarette tax increase was in 2011, and one witness urged a larger increase than proposed. No vote was taken on either bill in the portion of the hearing provided. The committee also heard HB 557 on telehealth. The Department of Health supported the bill so long as it did not displace executive budget priorities, and the Hawaii State Health Planning and Development Agency and Hawaii Primary Care Association supported it. HPCA said the bill would conform state insurance law to recent Medicare changes expanding audio-only telehealth coverage beyond mental health services, and it emphasized access for rural residents, kupuna, and people with disabilities. HMSA opposed the bill as written, saying it strayed from the intent of Act 107 and that audio-only telehealth should remain limited because of quality-of-care concerns, though it supported continued access and asked for a different amendment approach. A telehealth provider also testified that payment disparities limit provider expansion and that audio-only access remains important for patients with serious illness. The hearing ended in the excerpt before any committee action or vote on HB 557.

Transcript Highlights:

• And most of those small spills are very small in a home and can be handled quite easily at very little
• And most of those small spills are very small in a home and can be handled quite easily at very little
• And most of those small spills are very small in a home and can be handled quite easily at very little
• ...those small spills are very small in a home and can be handled quite easily at very little expense
• small small fragmentary um just due to small small fragmentary um flaws<06:15:57.040> or<06:15

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee met in work session on several bills, beginning with HB 153, which would require two or more law enforcement officers in each county to receive animal cruelty training. Members said the bill had been sent to the Animal Protection and Licensing Subcommittee, where Representative Kuttab is expected to schedule a meeting soon to consider possible amendments based on testimony and other ideas. The committee later returned to HB 153 and confirmed a work session was planned for February 14, with discussion also including whether to explore a task force concept raised in testimony. The committee also discussed HB 215 and HB 566, both related to landfill permitting and leachate or harm/benefit reporting. Representative Gerana said he had met with the DES director and was working on amendments that would add a preliminary screening phase for determining net public benefit and expand the list of benefits beyond capacity need to include items such as economic and infrastructure benefits. HB 566 was said to be in the same posture as HB 215, and both were slated for subcommittee review the following Tuesday morning. HB 171 was also added for subcommittee discussion, with members saying the changes would be technical rather than substantive. HB 240, which removes forfeiture penalties for non-payment of dog licenses, drew support for a simple amendment changing a statutory “shall” to “may” so municipal officials would have discretion about issuing a warrant. Representative Bixby said OLS advised that this was the cleanest way to provide flexibility, and he reported that the sponsor was agreeable to the change. The committee also discussed HB 179, concerning hazardous waste accident fees, where the sponsor proposed a revised amendment imposing a $1,000-per-day penalty after 90 days of non-payment. Members raised concerns about homeowners, hobby farmers, and whether the bill could unfairly burden people who were not negligent or whose insurance claims were delayed. The sponsor and others said the intent was to recover costs from responsible parties, especially businesses, and to protect local taxpayers and fire departments from bearing the cost of damaged hazardous materials equipment. No votes were taken; the bills were left for further subcommittee work and amendment drafting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:43.440> the small technical difference between the small technical difference between
• There's a small grammatical identical.
• <00:18:35.360> uh Um this section has a very small uh Um this section has a very small uh
• So, and there's a small students.
• the small B to D uh renumbered section. the small B to D uh renumbered section.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The conference committee received a nonpartisan walkthrough of the House and Senate side-by-side for higher education-related legislation, with staff identifying Senate-only, House-only, identical, and technical-difference provisions. Topics included paid blood donation leave for Minnesota State employees, a revised higher education attainment goal, athletic fee restrictions, developmental course disclosures, American Indian Scholars Program eligibility, protections and definitions for pregnant and parenting students, online program management contracts, student aid reporting, work-study and dual training grants, private and out-of-state postsecondary education regulation, private career school licensing and data privacy, college savings plan changes, and several University of Minnesota-related provisions. House-only items also included an unemployment insurance aid adjustment, a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and $5,000 for Bemidji State University reforestation; Senate-only items included Board of Regents appointment language, limits on for-profit control of medical school curriculum, and reporting on for-profit funding in medical education. After the walkthrough, the committee moved to adopt the same and similar provisions and direct staff to make technical corrections. A senator asked about proposed adjustments to the pregnant and parenting student language, and the chair said amendments would be considered after adopting the same and similar provisions. The motion to adopt prevailed. During public testimony, Sydney Spre of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the Senate’s paid blood donation leave language, saying it would create parity for Minnesota State employees and encourage blood and plasma donation. Commissioner Dennis Olsen of the Office of Higher Education thanked the committee for adopting most of the agency’s proposed language and said he was available to help clarify remaining differences. In response to questions, he explained the Senate’s higher education attainment goal proposal, saying it would extend and broaden the existing goal, raise the target from 70% to 75%, expand the age range, and use additional metrics and partner agencies; he also said the overall attainment rate had been 63.5 under the prior goal. The transcript ends as the commissioner was being asked whether the proposal would require additional appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have in the tails a very, very small possible hopeful surplus, ever so small.
• We have in the tails a very, very small possible hopeful surplus, ever so small.
• We have in the tails a very, very small possible hopeful surplus, ever so small.
• This is just such a small thing.
• This is<01:21:05.240> one<01:21:06.160> one<01:21:06.560> small is one one small

Bills: HF4252

Keywords: higher education, student aid, financial aid, grant programs, scholarships, Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, community college, technical college, postsecondary institution, college affordability, student fees, athletic facilities, competitive athletics, developmental education, remedial courses, pregnant students, parenting students, priority registration

Transcript Highlights:

• among working families, small among working families, small businesses,<00:43:14.120> local
• how it affects small business?
• small business? small business?
• included there from small business? included there from small business?
• in and of themselves are their own small in and of themselves are their own small businesses,<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it is a shift, a small shift certainly, but it's a shift onto other property taxpayers, as Chair
• However, the impacts of the bill are still being felt by small private landowners in Minnesota, and in
• private land owners in by small private land owners in Minnesota<00:29:31.640> and<00:29:31.799
• We are a small, member-based nonprofit that represents all sorts of different kinds of reuse businesses
• , from small and large resale businesses, thrift stores, repair shops, as well as government entities

Bills: HF1698, HF632, HF1352, HF2197, HF618, HF1248, HF1697

Keywords: property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor

Transcript Highlights:

• Some other states do offer a small center or group child care license for medium-sized programs, and
• one of the key differences here when we're talking about those small centers versus the bigger centers
• Some other states do offer a small center or group child care license for medium-sized programs, and
• <00:20:04.799> centers we're talking about those small centers we're talking about those small
• <01:11:02.600> business a very real savings to small business a very real savings to small

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Just for information, like many small agencies, the majority of our budget is in fact in fixed costs.
• agencies the majority of our many small agencies the majority of our budget<00:05:20.520> is<
• Most cities are very small to medium-sized.
• Lots of their members are quite small indeed.
• 29.719> um members are are quite small indeed um members are are quite small indeed um the<01:

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Jeff Sigerson, executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, who outlined the board’s mission and core programs: campaign finance disclosure, economic interest statements, and lobbying registration/reporting. He described the board as an independent agency with six members, noted current vacancies and confirmation requirements, and said the board’s budget request was essentially flat, with a base budget of about $1.793 million and most costs tied to salaries, office space, and other fixed expenses. He also reviewed the board’s enforcement structure, emphasizing civil-only penalties, a complaint-driven process, and the availability of reports, enforcement actions, and advisory opinions on the board’s website. Sigerson highlighted several recent and upcoming changes. Local ballot question committees for city, school district, levy, and bond issues now must register with the board if they exceed $750 in activity, and the board is preparing outreach and online registration tools to help local committees comply. He also discussed the public subsidy and political contribution refund programs, saying the board paid out about $2.12 million to 230 House candidates in 2024, that 93% of candidates signed the subsidy agreement, and that 2023 PCR refunds totaled about $447,000 for candidates and $1.616 million for party donors. He noted that the PCR maximum refund was recently increased from $50 to $75 per donation, and that payments could drop significantly in 2026 if the one-time supplement is not renewed. A major focus of the presentation was the board’s lobbying report and related legislative recommendations. Sigerson said the board is moving from tracking marginal expenses to tracking the subjects and entities being lobbied, and that lobbying will be expanded from certain metro-area governmental units to all cities, counties, school districts, townships, and other political subdivisions, potentially adding thousands of lobbyists. He said the board held two public hearings and received 23 written comments on proposed changes. The board’s main recommendations were to broaden the expert-testimony exception so that certain paid experts at local hearings would not need to register as lobbyists, while still requiring disclosure of who testified, before whom, and on what subject, and to adjust the current lobbying definition for local government employees and officials who spend more than 50 hours a month on intergovernmental lobbying work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Small-Cuevas, here. Senator Strickland, here. Senator Cortese? Senator Durazo, here.
• Senator Small-Cuevas? Aye. Senator Strickland, aye. Senator Cortese? Senator Durazo? Aye.
• On the consent calendar, Senator Small-Cuevas? Aye. Senator Strickland? Aye.
• On the consent calendar, Senator Small-Cuevas? Aye. Senator Strickland? Aye. Senator Cortese?
• Senator Small-Cuevas? Aye. Senator Strickland? Senator Cortese? Senator Durazo? Aye. Senator Laird?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> The second meeting of the House Standing Committee on Small Business and Information Technology Services
• recognition, or ACR, roughly every half a second or up to every few seconds, your smart TV is taking very small
• seconds, your smart TV is taking<00:02:23.599> a<00:02:23.840> very<00:02:24.000> small
• <00:02:24.640> snapshots<00:02:25.360> or<00:02:25.520> or taking a very small
• snapshots or or taking a very small snapshots or or video<00:02:26.239> audio<00:02:26.640>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:28 HB 692 Discussion: 01:11 HB 692 Voting: 05:01, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What works for a large metropolitan area may not be feasible or useful for a small rural town.
• Now, is there any way with you all that for — and I understand the situation with small municipalities
• ; it may be an issue. small municipalities; it may be an issue for them that, uh, if they didn't have
• Some cities may not — small towns may not even have a website, but that it be posted at city hall or
• It's a lot of small towns and cities that they would have to maintain that. that they would have to maintain

Bills: HB407, SB306, SB320, SB321

Keywords: local redevelopment, tax payments, transient occupancy, state revenue, authority powers, transparency, discretionary accounts, government accountability, public access, online publication, liquefied petroleum gas, safety regulations, public gathering places, cylinder storage, proximity regulations, drycleaning, environmental remediation, pollution, hazardous waste, trust fund

Transcript Highlights:

• There was one piece of that bill, and I would call it small, but very significant to one population of
• And then finally, there is another small section, I suppose, of value to us that exempts elected and
• I'm worried about our small schools, our schools in the rural... small schools, our schools in the rural
• So, it feels so disingenuous at this time when we're seeing small schools not be able to maintain sports
• Um, it is a travesty that our small towns are not able to open their pools and their tennis courts this

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• “And I know y’all have a lot of different things, and fisheries is a small part of what you do.
• And as data is small and spatially biased...”
• While I represent the Federation, I’m also here today as a Louisiana charter captain, small business
• So meaning not on a lot of these small lakes that you see small charter operations where you might be
• Supporting this bill is... small charter operations where you might be fishing 50 yards from the dock

Bills: SCR54, SCR59, HCR5, HCR62, HCR78, HCR86, HB595, HB688, HB802, HB841, HB1161, HB1171, HB1189, HB1248, HB1258

Keywords: Mississippi River Basin, fishery commission, invasive species, sustainability, economic impact, red drum, fishing regulations, tournament permits, wildlife management, recreational fishing, flood management, FEMA, floodplain maps, environmental risks, Louisiana, flood insurance, risk assessment, community planning, seafood, commercial fishing