Transcript Highlights:

• Leaving the NICU and going home was a triumph.
• Third, expanded home and community-based care of mental illness.
• at home and who aren't caring for an aged individual or somebody who needs special care at home because
• children at home, who don't take care of an elderly person at home, who don't take care of a disabled
• Let's get them home to where they're loved.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• We’ve seen a small dip last year.
• Our team has a group of about 300.
• We're constantly doing a lot of group work, case studies.
• That's a pretty small group right now. It's very immaterial.
• That's a pretty small group right now. It's very immaterial.

Summary: The committee met at North Dakota State College of Science for a presentation from President Flanagan and campus leaders on the college’s mission, enrollment growth, workforce programs, facilities needs, and industry partnerships. Flanagan highlighted student success in national competitions, strong placement and retention, the college’s strategic plan, and new or expanding programs such as aviation maintenance, fire science, dental hygiene, community health worker, surgical technology, HVAC/plumbing, and precision agriculture. He also described the need for a new dorm and a remodel of the library into academic and allied health space, including a simulation center, to address capacity limits and support growth. Several committee members asked about program demand, faculty recruitment, pay competitiveness, and how the college shifts resources from lower-demand programs to high-demand ones. Industry partner Jim Albright of Comdell testified that the college has been essential to the local manufacturing workforce and that many employees and interns come from NDSCS. A major topic was dual credit. Flanagan said dual credit is important but financially challenging, noting that only a small share of dual credit students ultimately matriculate to NDSCS and that the college’s dual credit model is close to break-even. He explained that many dual credit credits are general education rather than CTE, and that the college pays instructors, supports high schools, and absorbs indirect costs. Williston State College President Bernal Herning added that his institution loses money on the front end but has shifted toward helping students complete associate degrees before high school graduation because many go directly to work after high school. Committee members questioned how dual credit is delivered, how instructors are qualified, and whether students are truly doing college-level work. The committee then received a University System presentation from Jamie Wilkie on the cost of delivering dual credit statewide. Wilkie explained the methodology used to allocate direct and overhead costs and said the analysis shows dual credit is not profitable at several institutions once tuition, instructor payments, and overhead are included. Members asked how much of the cost is borne by students, families, and the state, and whether K-12 funding should also be considered. Discussion also covered the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized dual credit, payments to high school teachers or schools, and the possibility of waiving tuition in the future. No votes were taken, and the committee mainly gathered information for the ongoing dual credit cost study.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Madam Chair, members of the working group.
• They're very small.
• That's a really small demographic.
• So early on, but it was a really small number.
• We are considered a formal working group.

Summary: The Kratom Working Group met to hear public testimony and expert presentations on whether North Dakota should prohibit or regulate kratom and 7-OH products. Early testimony split sharply between speakers who described natural kratom as a helpful, lower-risk alternative for chronic pain, opioid withdrawal, PTSD, and recovery, and speakers who urged prohibition because of dependence, overdose risk, and the growth of concentrated or synthetic 7-OH products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and online. Several witnesses, including consumers and shop owners, argued that banning kratom would push people to more dangerous drugs or unregulated internet sources, while public health and medical witnesses said the marketplace is confusing and inadequately controlled. A number of witnesses, including representatives of the North Dakota Public Health Association, the state crime lab, and addiction-treatment and pediatric clinicians, emphasized risks from adulterated or concentrated products, lack of labeling and age restrictions, contamination concerns, and harms to adolescents, pregnant patients, and newborns. The crime lab described recent cases involving mitragynine, 7-OH, and pseudoindoxyl, and said products purchased in a smoke shop were inaccurately labeled. A Sanford pediatric hospitalist testified that kratom exposure in pregnancy can cause severe neonatal withdrawal and that adolescents are using the product. By contrast, American Kratom Association representatives and other advocates argued that natural leaf kratom should be distinguished from synthetic 7-OH, that deaths usually involve other substances, and that a regulatory framework with testing, labeling, age limits, and product registration would better protect consumers than a blanket ban. No formal bill was debated or voted on in this transcript. The working group heard testimony, asked questions, and took no final action before breaking for lunch and later resuming with additional presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is an honor to celebrate Laredo and Washington's birthday, all who call it home.
• It is an honor to celebrate Laredo and all who call it home.
• I got a group of wonderful people, my colleagues, who want to join me to celebrate.
• We are proud to have both of her childhood homes.
• Please stick around after the game for a group photo and a response. Reception starting at 7 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• That makes us home to the largest diaspora community anywhere, with the exception of Russia.
• That makes us home to the largest diaspora community anywhere, with the exception of Russia.
• We put a very small check in this company.
• I think three more ServiceTitans is no small task, but I think possible.
• Small invest, huge growth. It's exactly what we want. And continue to invest.

Summary: The inaugural meeting of the Select Committee on California and Armenia Mutual Trade, Art, and Cultural Exchange focused on strengthening California-Armenia ties through trade, investment, education, culture, and diplomacy. Chair Harabedian and Assemblymember Caloza opened by emphasizing the importance of the Armenian-American community in California and the committee’s goal of expanding opportunities for business, job creation, cultural preservation, and academic exchange. The Republic of Armenia’s ambassador and the Armenian Consul General both described Armenia as a growing strategic partner for California, highlighting recent peace and connectivity developments, Armenia’s diversification strategy, and the role of the Armenian diaspora in linking the two places. The first panel featured Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and Go-Biz trade specialist Trisha Utterback. Kounalakis reviewed the 2019 California-Armenia framework agreement and the opening of the California trade and services desk in Yerevan, noting growth in academic ties and California’s support for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Utterback outlined Go-Biz’s trade and investment programs and reported that California-Armenia two-way trade has more than doubled since 2019, with exports rising sharply; she cited examples of California companies expanding into Armenia and Armenian businesses seeking California opportunities. Members asked about future priorities, and panelists pointed to tech, clean energy, agriculture, and continued outreach through trade and investment programs. A second panel centered on Glendale’s role as a gateway for the partnership. Mayor Ara Najarian described Glendale’s large Armenian-American population, the Armenian American Museum, sister-city relationships, and the city’s role in cultural and economic diplomacy, while also raising concerns about Artsakh, displaced Armenians, detainees, and discrimination against Armenian Americans. Vahe Kozoyan of ServiceTitan shared his company’s growth from a Glendale startup to a global firm with major operations in Armenia, and Armina Galstian of SmartGate VC and Hero House Glendale described a California-Armenia innovation corridor supporting startups, AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and neuroscience. Committee members discussed how the state can further support the partnership through investment, delegation visits, education, innovation hubs, and ensuring Armenian-owned businesses are not excluded from supplier diversity and anti-discrimination protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• For me, I was able to secure housing and a structured group home. I left with a plan.
• For me, I was able to secure housing and a structured group home. I left with a plan.
• And everyone from that original group is home now.
• I went home July 8th. He was still there. I went home July 8th.
• And I love that group, right? I love that group.

Summary: The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met to approve prior minutes and then heard extensive testimony from people incarcerated or formerly incarcerated in county and state facilities, along with a few family/community perspectives. Much of the testimony focused on how county sheriff programs, reentry services, and step-down placements helped people obtain education, treatment, work experience, housing, IDs, and support for sobriety and family reunification. Witnesses from Hampshire, Barnstable, Hampden, and Franklin counties repeatedly described these programs as life-changing and credited staff with treating them with dignity, helping them prepare for release, and connecting them to community resources. Several witnesses contrasted county programming favorably with their experiences in DOC custody, saying DOC facilities often had overcrowding, limited access to programs, long waits, and little individualized reentry planning. Some said their sentence length or classification status made them ineligible for needed programs, while others described county facilities as more responsive and rehabilitative. A few witnesses also highlighted the value of culturally specific programming, educational blocks, restorative justice, and employment training. One witness from Hampden County described All-Exclusive Support Services as pivotal to her recovery and later employment with the sheriff’s office; another from Franklin County said the reentry center’s outside location made it easier to access help after release. Not all testimony was uniformly positive. A witness from Framingham described serious mental health needs that were not adequately addressed, saying she was offered superficial coping tools instead of counseling and that visitation restrictions for family members worsened her mental health. Another witness, a juvenile lifer, said long sentences and classification barriers limited access to meaningful programming and delayed preparation for release. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about DOC programming access, reentry preparation, visitation policies, and whether people were ready to benefit from services. No formal votes or policy actions were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes and moving through the testimony agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that this bill is targeting small that this bill is targeting small residential<00:02:21.840><c>
• </c><00:03:36.599><c> and</c> greater investment in their homes and greater investment in their homes
• </c><00:09:06.480><c> where</c> and we also do buying groups where and we also do buying groups where
• </c><00:09:50.120><c> by</c> is uh important um we do uh Group by is uh important um we do uh Group by
• While I could give them specialized care at Mayo Clinic, if they went home to a small town, especially

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• We have kept seniors in their homes.
• It's a very small, modest increase. I vote yes. Further remarks.
• It's a very small, modest increase. I vote yes. Further remarks.
• We have officers that have take-home cars... ...agencies.
• up hitting Group B.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5467 , SB5820 , SCR8406 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB6278 , SB5831 , SB5915 , SB5963 , SB6025 , SB6046 , SB6084 , SB6134 , SB6136 , SB6137 , SB6188 , SB6291 , HB2689 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5957 , SB5988 , SB5994 , SB6011 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151 , SB6244

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, SB 5467, water-sewer district, water sewer district, surplus property, public property sale, local government, RCW 57, real property disposal, personal property, notice of intent to sell, public auction

Transcript Highlights:

• They operate a small historic site on our behalf. That falls into a little bit of a gray area.
• That's their um part of their group that preserves their own history.
• </c><00:14:15.200><c> historic</c> And again, these are small historic And again, these are small historic
• </c><00:24:13.480><c> business</c> proposing a small business proposing a small business that<00:24:15.120
• </c> impact small businesses. impact small businesses.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• It also allows a policyholder to request and review aerial images taken of their home.
• Insurers are increasingly using aerial imagery to inspect homes and deny coverage.
• The days of people coming to your home to assess are, by and large, long gone.
• I'm also the chair of the California Water Association Small Company Committee.
• Lukens Brothers Water Company is a small water system.

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee and heard several bills focused on insurance transparency, wildfire mitigation, access to coverage, and workforce issues. AB 75 would require insurers to give homeowners 30 days’ notice before collecting aerial images of their property and allow homeowners to review those images; supporters framed it as a privacy and consumer protection measure, while consumer advocates and insurers sought amendments to strengthen access and clarify coverage. The committee also heard AB 234, which would add the Assembly Speaker and Senate pro tem, or their designees, as nonvoting members of the California FAIR Plan governing committee; supporters said it would improve oversight, while opponents argued it was only a small transparency step and more reform was needed. Both bills were advanced, with AB 75 sent to Privacy and Consumer Protection and AB 234 sent to the Assembly Floor. Members also heard AB 428, which would allow water corporations to participate in joint powers authorities for pooled insurance purposes, with testimony from small water utilities describing steep premium increases and the need to reduce costs. The bill was supported by water industry and labor groups and passed to Local Government. The consent calendar included AB 69, AB 487, and AB 570, all sent to Appropriations. AB 943 would streamline producer pre-licensing education requirements by removing the 20-hour per-line mandate while keeping ethics training; industry sponsors said it would reduce barriers to entry, while consumer advocates warned it could lower professional standards. The committee approved AB 943 to Appropriations. AB 1209 would create a pathway for cannabis employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage and related services through a state-coordinated network, with supporters saying the industry faces unique banking and insurance constraints and that the bill would improve compliance and transparency. Opponents argued it could amount to a form of amnesty and questioned whether the industry was simply avoiding existing requirements. The committee advanced AB 1209 to Business and Professions. Finally, AB 1 would require the Department of Insurance to review and consider updates to the Safer from Wildfire regulations every five years starting in 2030; it drew broad support from the department, insurers, local governments, and fire-safety advocates, and was sent to Appropriations. Most measures passed on strong or unanimous votes, with AB 1209 receiving a 15-2 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, it's a relatively small percentage of Florida's budget, according to the packet, 2.6%.
• Good afternoon, Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Madam Ranking Member, and members of this group.
• It's a very small agency. It's a very small agency.
• We're a small agency, as I said, with only 30 FTEs, and we have a relatively small budget of $5.6 million
• We are asking for $450 million for My Safe Florida Home Program.

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met for an introductory overview of the agencies under its jurisdiction and their current-year budgets. Chair Vicki Lopez welcomed members and staff, and each member briefly introduced themselves and identified areas of interest, with recurring themes including fiscal restraint, insurance regulation, revenue administration, condominium issues, and government efficiency. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s overall budget, about $3.1 billion, and noted major recent policy areas affecting the budget such as condominium legislation and emergency communications funding. Agency heads then presented high-level summaries of their missions and budgets. The Department of Revenue described property tax oversight, tax administration, and child support enforcement; the Department of Management Services reviewed state purchasing, telecommunications, fleet, state insurance, retirement, and digital services; DBPR highlighted licensing, enforcement, condominiums, and building code work; DFS covered insurance consumer services, risk management, unclaimed property, fire marshal functions, and criminal investigations; the Gaming Control Commission discussed pari-mutuel and tribal gaming oversight and enforcement; OIR explained insurer solvency and rate review; the Lottery emphasized education funding and record sales; OFR described regulation of banking, securities, lending, and money services; DOAH outlined administrative and workers’ compensation adjudication; PSC covered utility rate regulation and consumer complaints; PERC described labor relations and career service appeals; and FCHR summarized discrimination complaint investigations and outreach. Several members asked questions about utility returns, insurance regulation staffing, DMS’s state employee health plan deficit and prescription drug formulary management, agency recommendations for reducing regulatory burden, and state facilities usage. Responses generally emphasized that utility rates and insurer filings are determined through evidentiary and actuarial processes, that OIR has reduced vacancies but still seeks specialized staff and a Tampa office expansion, and that DMS acknowledged rising health plan costs and said the issue likely requires broader budget-level discussion. The chair also pressed multiple presenters to stay focused on agency operations and budgets rather than broader policy issues. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's more of an issue when somebody inherits a family home or transfers a family home and they get a
• And I know they know the difference, how many homes were destroyed in Altadena.
• There were family homes. I was raising this home. What do you mean? I don't own this home now?
• It’s a simpler, more unified standard for small businesses.
• There's a small question of this issue; be right back.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a football coach, I used to coach some group of kids called offensive linemen.
• Small job, well, thank you, Madam Chair, welcome members.
• My wife was a group driver of a PR advertising firm, and we started our family.
• We, in Miami, in particular, we don’t have any registered homes.
• Safe travels home. And thank you. Of your week, safe travels home.

Summary: The Education Administration Subcommittee held an introductory meeting focused largely on member introductions and “homework” reports about education issues in each district. Members raised a wide range of concerns and priorities, including early childhood care and VPK access, school choice and school closures, teacher recruitment and retention, conflict resolution and school safety, early literacy and preparedness, technology and AI/STEM instruction, attendance and mental health, ESE services, dual enrollment and career/technical education, caregiving youth, and real-time student enrollment/funding tracking. Several members also emphasized local challenges such as housing-driven teacher turnover, disaster-related attendance problems, and funding inequities across counties. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Florida’s early learning system from Chancellor Carrie Miller of the Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning. She outlined the structure and funding of School Readiness, VPK, and the Gold Seal Quality Care program, the role of early learning coalitions and DCF, and the state’s quality and accountability measures. She highlighted the importance of kindergarten readiness, teacher quality, and the new School Readiness Plus program, which helps families transition off subsidy more gradually. Additional panelists from the Children’s Forum, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, and a Tallahassee child care provider discussed workforce shortages, low wages, provider turnover, the TEACH scholarship program, Help Me Grow, local coalition operations, and the need for more providers and more consistent regulation. During questions, members asked about wait lists, special needs services, teacher retention, provider onboarding, and DCF regulation. The panel said Miami-Dade’s wait list was about 4,000 children and described priority categories for service; they also said children with disabilities are screened and referred for support, though not given a separate priority category. Panelists reported that TEACH has helped reduce turnover through education support and service commitments, but said wages and career pathways remain major issues. Members also pressed for clearer, more consistent licensing standards and more support for new providers entering the field. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I got to serve on that work group as an AWC representative for small cities.
• That's something I think the working group needs to look at as well.
• That's something I think the working group needs to look at as well.
• That's something I think the working group needs to look at as well.
• Here's our work group. We worked very closely with our work group members.

Committees: Joint Transportation , Joint Joint Transportation Committee

Summary: The committee met in the Quad Cities area and first heard a joint presentation from public works directors from Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland on regional transportation priorities, challenges, and project delivery. The cities said their priorities align with JTC goals such as safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They highlighted regional coordination through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments and Good Roads, use of multiple funding sources including TIB, REIT, impact fees, transportation benefit districts, and tax increment financing, and a shared approach to Vision Zero, complete streets, ADA access, and active transportation planning. They also described major projects such as Richland’s downtown connectivity and SR 240/Aaron Drive improvements, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard corridor and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street, Broadmoor interchange, and north-south bridge concepts, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain project. The directors also described common obstacles: rising construction costs, project phasing, permitting and right-of-way delays, utility coordination, pavement preservation needs, and workforce shortages. West Richland emphasized that its SR 224 project stayed on schedule by setting clear roles, maintaining frequent communication, resolving right-of-way issues early, and reducing contractor risk through detailed plans and utility relocation. Committee members asked about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens. The cities said sidewalk gaps are most common in older infill or unincorporated areas, state right-of-way processes can be slow, apprenticeship requirements are generally built into funded projects but are hard for smaller contractors to meet, and there is no easy fix for low-bid contractors with poor performance histories. After the local presentations, staff introduced a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development policy, and Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark presented findings from work covering 33 cities in the Puget Sound, Spokane, and Vancouver regions near rail and bus rapid transit stations. He said Washington faces a severe housing affordability problem, with rising rents and home prices, and that TOD can help connect housing and transit but must be tailored to different market conditions. The study found that higher-cost cities near transit have seen more development but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and still face worsening affordability. Freemark identified barriers including high debt and construction costs, limited subsidy resources, high land costs, regulatory and parking requirements, and impact fees, and he said HB 1491 and related legislation may address some zoning and parking constraints. He recommended more targeted state support for neighborhood infrastructure around stations and policies that reflect the different conditions of high- and low-demand communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the community of Proctor, um a small the community of Proctor, um a small city<00:19:28.160><c>
• </c><00:24:54.280><c> You</c> it's fairness for small cities. You it's fairness for small cities.
• Um it has relevance on small state.
• I had a school group upstairs delay.
• </c> the way I know it and kind of like home. the way I know it and kind of like home.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• into new home construction are imported.
• into new home construction are imported.
• INTO NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION ARE IMPORTED.
• Luis Gutierrez's home was firebombed.
• HIS HOME WAS FIRE BOMBED.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 5000, an act to allow single-family homes on small lots in areas with adequate infrastructure
• We are trying to make it legal to build single-family homes on lots as small as 5,000 square feet and
• I'm here today in support of an act to allow single-family homes on small lots in areas with adequate
• that's going to require anybody or any group, any municipality, to make this a starter home.
• These were homes that... Small unfinished capes on small lots that they could afford to buy.

Bills: H5009

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Keywords: collective bargaining, worker rights, labor relations, public counsel services, state employees

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's a whole other group of students.
• The third thing is homes.
• She opened her home, and her home became the campaign headquarters. So thank you, Barb.
• homes.
• Majority Leader, take us home.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> units of energy to to energize that home units of energy to to energize that home if<00:35:54.440
• </c><01:08:20.679><c> they're</c> one city small small City so and they're one city small small City
• worked outside the home in many years<01:23:30.960><c> her</c><01:23:31.159><c> small</c><01:23:31.520
• 01:23:34.000><c> security</c> and had she had a small social security and had she had a small social
• from their job back home?

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We are home to Naval Base Ventura County, And more than 40,000 veterans call our community home every
• stop being a champion for small businesses.
• This weekend, President Trump put out a social media post conflating the actions of a small group of
• This weekend, President Trump put out a social media post conflating the actions of a small group of
• A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO BROKE A WINDOW, BROKE A COUPLE OF WINDOWS AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING WITH THE