Transcript Highlights:

• PBMs, we have been meticulous in making sure that PBMs will be able to still make money through contracts
• That PBMs will be able to still make money through contracts while the bulk of the savings are passed
• Once they collect their already contracted fees, then directly that cost or that rebate from the savings
• So they're still contracting and they're still able to collect their fees with that contract rather than
• why we have that language, kind of capturing all of that payment instead of just having it be the contracted

Bills: AB93, AB204, AB414, AB504, AB598

Keywords: public employees, police officers, benefits, appropriation, law enforcement, medical debt, collection agency, healthcare, consumer protection, financial assistance, occupational safety, air quality, greenhouse gases, employee monitoring, safety program, hemp, hemp products, cannabidiol, CBD, cannabis

Transcript Highlights:

• the agency's policy bill, and it exempts the Commissioner of Children, Youth, and Families from contract
• Under current law, there are limits to contracts and contract amendments such that They can't go beyond
• The DCYF Commissioner is to contract with specified entities to provide permanency services for children
• The provision allowing the state to extend our contract with EBT providers to avoid a constant churn
• of contracting will support more efficient and effective government.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• Requests for contract amendments.
• Our program staff works with all of those great grantees to make contract amendments.
• They're written amendments to the contract; it's not something that somebody just goes out and makes
• We don't just sign a contract and they go away.
• short on time, so I don't want to go too deeply into this, but we hired five people this year on contract

Transcript Highlights:

• L4, which was a contract number eight with DHS and EMS, L-I-N-Q, is held for today's meeting.
• Representative Richardson is releasing his hold on this contract.
• I move adoption of the report, including review of contract number eight in L-4.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• November 2024, the lottery completed the request for proposal process and signed a new contract with
• With that contract, the lottery's future obligation is 13.110% of ticket sales.
• We then continued... ...paying for advertising services without a written contract.
• So that could be sitting in a jail if we're contracted with a jail. It could be the penitentiary.
• The Restatement of Contracts, the Model Penal Code, the model codes that states should follow.

Summary: The committee opened with a moment of silence for a deceased member, then approved the April minutes and heard a presentation from HHS on the Diversion Task Force and related youth services grants. Chelsea Florey described the $750,000 one-time appropriation from HB 1012, the five awarded grants, and how programs in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Minot are using the funds for youth diversion, including school-based groups, physical activity, and services for problematic sexual behavior. Members raised concerns about staffing shortages, family engagement, service silos, and whether diversion eligibility rules are too rigid; Florey said the task force is focused on better coordination, broader education about available services, and possible changes to diversion criteria, with the Children’s Cabinet likely to drive broader recommendations. The committee then received a North Dakota Lottery biennium report from Director Thomas Lawler, who reviewed the lottery’s history, games, retailer commissions, player programs, and revenue distribution. He reported about $67 million in ticket sales for the 2023-2025 biennium, about $16.2 million transferred overall, including roughly $13.6 million to the general fund, plus transfers to drug task force and compulsive gambling funds. Members asked about the compulsive gambling allocation and whether it is set by statute. Next, the Department of Corrections presented on criminal justice data sharing and reentry. Adam Anderson explained that jails, courts, DOCR, HHS, and other entities use separate systems with limited interoperability, making real-time communication largely manual. He outlined possible hub or point-to-point IT solutions, but noted cost, vendor, identifier, and data-definition challenges. Robin Schmolenberger followed with an update on a Medicaid data exchange project between DOCR and HHS to suspend and reactivate inmate Medicaid coverage automatically and improve care coordination, with full bi-directional exchange expected in fall 2026. The committee also heard from county representatives on 24-7 sobriety program fees and an AG opinion allowing local sheriffs to use cheaper testing options when courts waive fees. Finally, the North Dakota Racing Commission reviewed a troubling audit. Bruce Johnson acknowledged serious findings involving overspending from the promotion fund, missing grant documentation, a reversed decision on breeders fund eligibility, and repeated procurement violations. He said the commission has begun corrective actions, including monthly tracking of the promotion fund cap, stricter grant documentation, written procurement procedures, and clearer eligibility rules in condition books. Members pressed him on how the overspending occurred, whether the commission board would impose consequences, and whether statutory clarification is needed on the promotion fund limit and related spending rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, this language cancels Rural Infrastructure Improvement Fund pool replacement contracts on June 30
• And then Medicaid managed care organization contracts.
• This is from the organization contracts.
• fiscal year 28 for contracted psychiatric<00:46:34.920> services.
• Page 105, veterinary medicine contract spaces.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Free Conference Committee on the 2026 General Assembly budget met to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 500. Leaders opened by thanking the other chamber’s work, asking members to turn microphones on and off to avoid feedback, and stressing the need to clearly note decision points so both chambers record the same actions. Staff then walked through the bill page by page, explaining that the committee was comparing only House and Senate differences, not the governor’s proposed budget. The discussion covered a wide range of appropriations and language items, including next generation non-911 services, school safety reporting tools, restored funding for brain injury, epilepsy, veteran service, homeless veterans, and rocket docket programs, debt service changes, rural infrastructure, disaster aid caps, Attorney General and Medicaid fraud funding, agriculture and county fair grants, auditor and pension-related appropriations, school facilities and SEEK funding, and numerous education programs. Members also discussed charter-related funding such as Star Academy, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, school resource officers, school-based mental health providers, AP/IB exams, Governor’s Scholars and Entrepreneurs, and several pilot or initiative programs in economic development, energy, and labor. Several items were described as technical corrections or restorations of language and funding, while others reflected differences in amounts or how funds would be distributed. There were several questions and comments from members about wording such as “implement and carry out,” the absence of the governor’s budget from the comparison document, and whether SEEK funding should be tied to teacher raises. The chair and other members emphasized that the committee’s role was to reconcile the two chambers’ budgets, not to adopt the governor’s proposal. Members also raised concerns about opioid settlement funds and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library match rate, with one senator urging restoration of the House language. No final vote or formal action was taken in the portion provided; the meeting primarily consisted of explanation, questions, and discussion of proposed budget differences.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're signing essentially an adhesive contract. The lawyers on here will remember that.
• The bill also requires the potential recipients of a county or municipal contract or grant to certify
• Senator Yarborough: Contracts, if they’re basing everything on the merits, which I know everyone doesn
• Hiring, contracting, everything local government does, everything we do should be based on the merits
• Those who work under a contract with a government entity must abide by the general anti-discrimination

Summary: The committee first considered CS/SB 1434 on infill redevelopment. A late-filed strike-all amendment narrowed eligibility to certain contaminated or brownfield properties in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, added adjacency and density/intensity limits, and excluded agricultural land, park land, land outside the urban growth boundary, and land near military installations. The amendment was adopted without opposition, and the bill was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote, with limited support and opposition noted in waived appearance forms. Members then took up CS/CS/SB 212 on sexual offenders and sexual predators. The strike-all added public swimming pools and related child-centered locations to residency and presence restrictions. Testimony was sharply divided: proponents argued the bill would help protect children and law enforcement, while opponents, including treatment experts and homelessness advocates, said there was no empirical evidence the restrictions reduce abuse and warned of retroactive punishment and increased homelessness. The amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 8-1. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after an amendment allowing certain enclaves adjacent to interstates to be developed for commercial, industrial, or single-family residential uses and clarifying exclusions for protected areas. Opponents argued it would weaken zoning and comprehensive plans, while supporters framed it as a property-rights measure; the bill was reported favorably 10-0. SB 554 on nonprofit corporations, a technical update to nonprofit law modeled on prior for-profit corporate revisions, also passed unanimously after supportive waived testimony. Later, the committee approved SB 1338 on charitable giving, which creates a donor remedy for endowment restrictions and limits state reporting burdens on certain regulated or exempt organizations; members discussed cy pres and the sponsor said further changes would be worked out later. CS/SB 532 on court fees was amended to let clerks retain all collections above revenue projections rather than half, with supporters saying clerks have been underfunded for years; it passed 10-0. The committee also favorably reported SB 218 on land use regulations, which restores normal land-use authority to counties not affected by recent hurricanes, and CS/SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability, which creates a presumption against liability for entities that comply with cybersecurity frameworks and reporting requirements; the cybersecurity bill drew concerns about retroactivity and the adequacy of compliance incentives but passed 9-2.

Transcript Highlights:

• The HHRF has contracted an entity right now to explore restarting the fund.
• The HHRF has contracted<00:28:14.240> an<00:28:14.480> entity<00:28:14.960> right
• ><00:28:15.200> now<00:28:15.360> to contracted an entity right now to contracted an entity
• When the AON, the contracted vendor, came back to us, they recommended that with that existing money,
• 26.159> vendor,<00:34:27.040> came The AON, the contracted vendor, came back to us.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a contract that these people sign and you're obligated to pay them to completion of that contract
• There is a contract that these people sign and you're obligated to pay them to completion of that contract
• There is a contract that these people sign and you're obligated to pay them to completion of that contract
• But again, you the contract language.
• So contract interpretation is an issue. So contract interpretation is an issue.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're really angry that we'd include tribal contract students.
• Tribal contract schools are not required to follow those subdivisions.
• Tribal contract schools are not required to follow those subdivisions. They're not public schools.
• So, our tribal contract of these things.
• we're putting on tribal contract we're putting on tribal contract schools.<00:58:09.200> Uh

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of these payments were advanced payments that were issued after the grant contract was signed but
• The grant contract was signed but before the grantee incurred any of the expenses.
• So I'll give you an example: we saw in some grant contracts the language in the contract stated that
• So I'll give you an example: we saw in some grant contracts the language in the contract stated that
• It also tested a sample of 229 payments totaling $9.3 million for other state contracts and found no

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not a matter of reimbursing because the state contracts with the training vendors, so there's no
• It's not a matter of reimbursing because the state contracts with the training vendors, so there's no
• We won't need to contract with the training vendor for that.
• For example, a million-dollar contract is proposed for culturally responsive learning materials.
• <01:16:04.120> is Carrie in that um the um Contracting is Carrie in that um the um Contracting

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in place and you'll see signed contract in place and you'll see those<00:24:23.159> numbers<00
• I would very much like to know how reliable these contracts are and if, in fact, the new administration
• are and if in fact the new contracts are and if in fact the new Administration<00:37:14.520> is
• this doesn't require that the contract this doesn't require that the funds<00:55:41.440> are<
• We're working with our external financial advisers under contract that work with many different states

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Capital Investment held its first meeting of the 2025 session with members and staff introducing themselves and describing their priorities. Senators from both parties repeatedly emphasized the goal of passing a strong bipartisan bonding bill this year, with several members noting that local projects were delayed after no bonding bill passed the previous year. Chair Housley also said the committee would not meet later that week and previewed an upcoming presentation from MMB on federal funds. The committee then heard a presentation from MMB’s Leah Corey and Anna Ming on Minnesota’s federal funding efforts. Corey explained that MMB’s federal funds team coordinates state efforts to maximize funding from IIJA, IRA, CHIPS, and related federal programs. She said Minnesota has secured about $12.3 billion in federal funding so far, including roughly $3 billion more since the last presentation, supporting about 1,800 projects statewide. Most of the funding is going to transportation, roads, and bridges, with other major areas including clean energy and weatherization. She also highlighted an interactive public dashboard showing projects by region and noted that much of the data reflects funds flowing through the state enterprise. Corey also discussed state match programs that helped unlock federal dollars, including the IIJA discretionary match fund, the State Competitiveness Fund, and the Forward Fund. She said $180 million in state match has unlocked about $1 billion in federal investment through the IIJA discretionary match fund, nearly $17 million in state investment has unlocked nearly $90 million in federal funding through the State Competitiveness Fund, and $124 million for the Forward Fund has unlocked nearly $1 billion in federal and private investment. Members asked whether more state dollars could have brought in more federal funds; Corey said she was not sure, but noted the IIJA match fund is expected to run out in the coming months. The presentation also focused on direct pay tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, which allow tax-exempt entities such as governments, nonprofits, school districts, and tribal nations to receive payments for eligible clean energy projects after they are completed. Corey said the state is building awareness and technical assistance around direct pay, including educational sessions and a tax expert resource. She also described Minnesota’s Green Bank, the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority, which is beginning to issue loans for projects such as community energy, nonprofit geothermal systems, and solar-plus-battery installations.

Transcript Highlights:

• structure to evaluate, test, and deploy new technology, whether it's getting smarter about how we contract
• personnel, coordinate field demonstration, and accelerate statewide deployment through more flexible contracting
• structure to evaluate, test, and deploy a new technology, whether it's getting smarter about how we contract
• personnel, coordinate field demonstration, and accelerate statewide deployment through more flexible contracting

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard five wildfire- and emergency-related bills. SB 1270 by Senator Richardson would expand the California Wildfire Mitigation Program beyond its current pilot counties, with testimony from the California State Association of Counties and others supporting broader, data-driven home hardening assistance in high-risk communities. SB 1079 by Senator Stern would create a permanent Fire Innovation Unit within Cal Fire to identify operational needs, test new wildfire technologies, and speed deployment of successful tools; it drew broad support from fire, environmental, local government, and industry groups. SB 1020 by Senator Nilo would require annual reporting on open gubernatorial states of emergency, including spending and lessons learned, to improve legislative oversight without limiting emergency powers; the LAO provided technical assistance and the bill was framed as a transparency measure. The committee also heard SB 894 by Senator Allen, which would establish a wildfire resilience loan program modeled on the state’s Go Green financing platform to help homeowners pay for wildfire hardening and defensible space improvements. Supporters, including the State Treasurer’s office, counties, fire safety advocates, local governments, climate groups, and credit unions, said the bill would make mitigation more affordable and scalable; no opposition was presented. A consent item, SB 973, was also taken up, though the transcript does not describe its substance. All five measures were moved out of committee on due pass or do pass motions as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee repeatedly called roll as members arrived, and each bill ultimately received unanimous support from the members present, with several votes left on call until absent members were recorded. No opposition testimony was heard on any of the bills discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was my question on page four that may contract with one or more entities.
• I'm looking at the bottom of page one, it's the board of county commissioners Shall approve the contracts
• This just narrows down when you can declare an emergency for schools, approving Mercy contracts whenever
• It's a civil contract that we as a state support.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it prohibits funeral and burial service providers from contracting with hospice providers to be the
• So there have been instances where hospices have contracted with one particular funeral provider, even
• if there were pre-need contracts with the families at other funeral homes.
• protection standards for public adjusters, improves the regulatory efficiency for spending and contracting

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee met with a quorum present and heard four bills. HB 1231, relating to final disposition, funeral, and cemetery services, was presented as a consumer protection and workforce modernization measure. After questions about hospice/funeral provider exclusivity, direct disposal licensing, causes of action, and funeral director/embalmer licensure, the bill was amended by strike-all to remove some provisions and add authorization and regulation of natural organic reduction. Support came from funeral industry representatives, and the bill was reported favorably with the committee substitute. HB 943 would require Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to create a commercial lines clearinghouse by January 1, 2027, to move certain commercial residential and other commercial risks into the private market while maintaining current eligibility rules. The sponsor and members discussed Citizens’ remaining commercial exposure, surplus lines participation, and carrier financial-strength guardrails. A strike-all amendment conforming to the Senate version and making technical corrections was adopted, and the bill passed favorably with the committee substitute after supportive debate from members. HB 1221, a Department of Financial Services bill, was described as streamlining DFS processes, improving licensing, updating the My Safe Florida Home Program, strengthening public adjuster protections, and modernizing unclaimed property rules. Three amendments were adopted: notice before a My Safe Florida Home application is deemed abandoned, removal of a misdemeanor disclosure requirement for certain licensure applicants, and a provision allowing public officials to appoint or promote relatives to firefighter positions through a competitive process in a collective bargaining agreement. Testimony was generally supportive, including from firefighters and unclaimed-property claimants’ representatives, and the bill was reported favorably with a committee substitute. HB 99, concerning reinsurance intermediary managers, would exempt certain underwriting managers handling limited facultative reinsurance business from the intermediary manager statute and instead require an agency license. With no public testimony or debate, the bill was reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• homeownership by removing the 180-day resale restriction currently in state law if the developer is under contract
• AB 1245, Stephanie, state contract certification. AB 1245, Stephanie, state contract certification.
• Do pass as amended to limit the bill's application to contracts valued in excess of $550,000, out with

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on January 22, 2026, for its regular order hearing and suspense-file hearing. In regular order, the committee approved consent-calendar bills AB 683, AB 763, AB 1126, and AB 1278 on unanimous due-pass motions, and AB 34 and AB 442 on a second unanimous due-pass motion. The committee then heard and advanced several bills, including AB 35, which would create an APA exemption for Proposition 4-funded programs to speed implementation of water, wildfire, energy-storage, and grid-support projects; AB 748, establishing pre-approved housing programs for local agencies; AB 939, allowing immediate transfer of certain affordable homeownership units to qualified nonprofit housing organizations; AB 643, adding a narrow organic-waste-derived agricultural fertilizer product to SB 1383 procurement options; and AB 96, removing the high school diploma requirement for certified Medi-Cal peer support specialists. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with sponsors and coalition representatives emphasizing reduced delays, lower costs, and improved housing, environmental, or behavioral-health outcomes. The Department of Finance offered general budget comments but no bill-specific positions. The committee voted the bills out, with AB 643 and AB 96 receiving no recorded opposition in the transcript and AB 939 passing with some members noting support and interest in coauthoring. The committee also received a presentation-only discussion of AB 1091, a proposal to authorize eight-letter specialty license plates, which the author said could generate revenue for rural programs such as the Williamson Act; the bill was not acted on at that time. After public comment, the committee moved to the suspense-file hearing on 53 bills. Using a substituted motion for due-pass and due-pass-with-amendments items, the committee held some bills and advanced many others, often with amendments that narrowed scope, deleted provisions, or required reports or studies. Bills held in committee included AB 405, AB 298, AB 333, AB 296, AB 1091, AB 1241, and AB 577, among others. The committee reported moving 43 bills to the Assembly floor, with several on A roll calls and others on B roll calls or with amendments, and noted that amendment language would be posted later online.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are at the heart of our civil society and the glue to the social contract by which we live.
• social civil society and the glue to the social civil society and the glue to the social contract
• contract by which we live. contract by which we live.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• L4, which was a contract number eight with DHS and EMS, L-I-N-Q, is held for today's meeting.
• Representative Richardson is releasing his hold on this contract.
• I move adoption of the report, including review of contract number eight in L-4.

Summary: The committee first took up several subcommittee reports. The Claims Review Litigation Reports Oversight Subcommittee report was adopted after noting two Department of Corrections settlement reviews and one affirmed denial/dismissal by the Claims Commission. The JBC Personnel Subcommittee report was also adopted, covering governor’s letters and amendments, with items related to the Auditor of State and Lieutenant Governor sent back for further review and one Lieutenant Governor amendment not passing. Next, the peer review subcommittee report was adopted after discussion of various temporary appropriations, ARPA and infrastructure-related appropriations, reserve fund transfers, and a resource reallocation. Two DHS-related items were held, including a discretionary grants item and a contract with DHS and EMS/LINQ; one hold was later released after additional information was provided. A member asked about returned ARPA funds, and staff explained the money was being returned to the federal government because it was not fully expended within the federal time frame. The committee then discussed several bills and amendments with special language, including Senate Bills 63, 67, and 73 and House Bills 1089, 1090, and 1093, along with amendments to the Department of Health, the Office of the Treasurer, and the State Board of Election Commission. Leadership warned that holds on bills should be resolved by the following Thursday or be released, and members were encouraged to work with agencies and notify leadership if agencies were not responsive. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• L-4, which was a contract number eight with DHS and EMS, L-I-N-Q, is held for today's meeting.
• Representative Richardson is releasing his hold on this contract.
• I move adoption of the report, including review of contract number eight in L-4.

Summary: The committee heard several subcommittee reports and adopted them. The Claims Review Litigation Reports Oversight Subcommittee reported on two Department of Corrections litigation settlements and one denied and dismissed claim, and its report was adopted. The JBC Personnel Subcommittee reported on Governor’s letters and amendments; all items were released back to the Joint Budget Committee as adopted except item 3, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office amendment, and items 3 and 4 were sent back for further review. The peer review subcommittee reported approval of several temporary appropriations, ARPA and IIJA appropriations, reserve fund transfers, and a resource reallocation. Two items were held: DHS K-2 discretionary grants and an L-4 DHS/EMS contract; after additional information was provided, the hold on the contract was released and the report was adopted. A member asked about returned ARPA funds, and staff explained the money was being returned to the federal government because it was not fully expended within the federal time frame. The committee also referred several measures to special language, including Senate Bills 63, 67, and 73 and House Bills 1089, 1090, and 1093. Special-language amendments were noted for the Department of Health, the Office of the Treasurer, and the State Board of Election Commission. The chair urged members to resolve any remaining holds by the following Thursday or they would be released, and the meeting adjourned.