Transcript Highlights:

• industry-recognized skills, recognized certifications, practical work experience, and college and career readiness
• student engagement, CTE student organizations, industry certifications, work-based learning hours, and readiness
• indicators such as college, career, or military readiness, all disaggregated—which is a fancy word for
• aligns with Governor Abbott's call to prioritize. and supports our shared goal of building a future-ready
• I was just getting ready to try to look.

Bills: HB 1057 , HB1876

Committee: House S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we are ready for Will with Nucleon.
• Readiness.
• And that's the readiness is a big part of the presentation this afternoon.
• So I think that the states are ready. The U.S.
• And then readiness may become more relevant earlier than one might think.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Summary: The committee met to review advanced nuclear energy issues in North Dakota, beginning with approval of the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon presented an overview of the advanced reactor landscape, distinguishing light-water SMRs, advanced Gen 4 reactors, and microreactors. The presentation emphasized that light-water SMRs are the most near-term deployable and use familiar low-enriched uranium fuel, while many Gen 4 designs may require high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALU), which is not yet supported by a mature U.S. supply chain. Nucleon also noted that advanced reactors are being developed primarily for industrial heat applications, while microreactors are niche, higher-cost systems for remote or mission-critical uses. Committee members asked about fuel availability, safety, recycling, and whether large reactors such as AP-1000s were evaluated; the presenter said fuel development is proceeding in parallel but remains a bottleneck, and that siting and grid capacity often make SMRs more practical than gigawatt-scale plants in North Dakota. Representatives from the National Association of State Energy Officials described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, regional coordination, grants, tax incentives, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and pilot programs. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and said states are focusing on multi-state coordination, demand aggregation, regulatory coordination, waste management, workforce readiness, and community engagement. They also discussed affordability tools such as construction work in progress (CWIP), financing incentives, and consumer protections, citing examples from Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, Tennessee, and others. In response to questions, they explained that pilot programs often involve site-readiness and feasibility studies, and that the federal Nuclear Innovation Campus process is moving forward with multiple submissions while broader waste and recycling policy may require congressional action. The Public Service Commission said it would likely have a major role in any North Dakota nuclear project through certificate-of-public-convenience-and-necessity review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted gaps in current law for small reactors, co-located facilities, NRC coordination, and long-term site stewardship. The commissioner said the commission has no authority over a private, self-contained reactor not connected to the grid. The Department of Environmental Quality explained that the state regulates radioactive materials under its agreement-state authority, but NRC retains primacy over fission reactors; DEQ would likely assist with emergency planning and could have a larger role if fusion reactors emerge. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, requiring a dedicated radiological emergency preparedness program, training, drills, public outreach, and likely additional funding and staffing, with industry expected to bear much of the cost. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota’s water laws and prior-appropriation system are adequate for nuclear siting, that the Missouri River is the best likely source, and that no statutory or budget changes are currently needed from a water perspective. The committee recessed for lunch after these agency presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we are ready for Will with Nucleon.
• Readiness.
• And that's the readiness is a big part of the presentation this afternoon.
• So I think that the states are ready. The U.S.
• And then readiness may become more relevant earlier than one might think.

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to review prior minutes and hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear technology and state readiness. The committee approved the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon’s William Bridge outlined the advanced nuclear landscape, distinguishing near-term light-water SMRs from more advanced Gen 4 reactors and microreactors, and emphasized that fuel supply, especially HALEU, remains a developing supply chain. He said light-water designs are the most deployable in the near term, while advanced reactors may be better suited for industrial heat applications and could face a 2- to 3-year delay from fuel availability. Representatives from NASEO described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, pilot programs, financing tools, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and regional coordination. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and stressed that states are focusing early on emergency preparedness, community engagement, waste management, affordability, and consumer protections. They also noted that some states are creating nuclear-ready community programs and cost-recovery guardrails, while public utility commissions are examining long-term lifecycle costs and rate impacts. North Dakota agencies then outlined their potential roles. The Public Service Commission said it would likely be involved in public-interest review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted current statutes may not fully address long-term nuclear projects, co-location, or decommissioning. The Department of Environmental Quality said it would continue to regulate radioactive materials and likely support emergency planning, while fission reactor oversight remains federal. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, needing a radiological emergency program, training, exercises, equipment, and possibly industry funding. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota has sufficient surface water, especially from the Missouri River, but that water planning would be important; it did not recommend statutory or budget changes at this time. The committee recessed for lunch after these presentations, with no additional votes or actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that, I have no more speakers, and I'm ready to close.
• I am ready to close and I reserve the balance. >> Gentleman reserves.
• I'm ready to close and I reserve. >> Gentleman reserves.
• I'M READY TO CLOSE AND I RESERVE. >> GENTLEMAN. RESERVES.
• Ready to celebrate the 250th anniversary of this country's existence.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you can come up and introduce yourself for the record and proceed when you're ready.
• And when you're ready, Mr. Larson. Mr. Larson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Chairman, if you're ready? Motion is in order. I would move to approve docket number 16-0308-2501.
• And you can proceed when you're ready, Mr. Larson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Larson, when you're ready. Mr. Larson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• You can begin when you're ready. Thank you.
• And when you are ready, you may begin your presentation.
• Becker, we will do your bill if you are ready. SB 923. Whenever you are ready, Senator. Okay.
• Whenever you're ready, Senator. All right. Thank you.
• So, the next bill, if you're ready. Thank you. So, the next bill, if you're ready.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Schultz was here on time and ready. He gets an extra gold star.
• Lowenthal, are you ready? We will move to AB 2076. Mr. Lowenthal, are you ready?
• Lowenthal, you ready? We will move to AB 2076 by Mr. Lohenthal.
• Moving to your witnesses when they're ready.
• Begin whenever you're ready. Yes, thank you. Thank you. Begin whenever you're ready.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Row, I just heard early on some concerns about the system not being ready for a 2026 launch, and I wonder
• if you could confirm in your own words whether the system will be ready in 2026.
• Yes, we are very confident that we will be ready for a full launch on January 1, 2026.
• </c><00:03:57.480><c> for</c><00:03:57.680><c> a</c> about the system not being ready for a about the
• system not being ready for a 2026<00:03:58.680><c> launch</c><00:03:59.200><c> and</c><00:03:59.280>

Bills: HF11

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Online, Erin, when you're ready, please begin.
• Please begin when you're ready.
• Please begin when you're ready.
• Please, Sarah, when you're ready? Thank you. Mr.
• Let's go ahead, Nilo, when you're ready, please begin. Nilo, when you're ready, please begin.

Summary: The committee heard public hearings on several bills. HB 2675 would eliminate a number of state accounts and transfer remaining balances from two accounts to the general fund, while also changing how revenues in the Salary Insurance Contribution Increase Revolving Account are deposited; OFM testified in support and there was no public opposition. SHB 1903 would create a statewide low-income energy assistance program through the Department of Commerce, funded by the general fund and Climate Commitment Act revenues; supporters said it would address Washington’s underfunded and uneven energy assistance system, while utilities and rural co-ops raised concerns about cost, reporting burdens, utility authority, and implementation details. SHB 2384 would require actuarial reviews for certain continuing care retirement communities with prepaid life care contracts; residents and consumer advocates supported the added transparency, while providers opposed the added review costs and said they already pay for actuarial work. SHB 1982 would expand the ability of tribal members to vacate convictions tied to treaty rights, add OPD representation and a tribal liaison position, and then an amendment was described that would remove the liaison position and eliminate the fiscal impact; the sponsor and OPD supported the bill, and testimony emphasized correcting past treaty-rights convictions. The committee also heard SHB 2389, a broad juvenile justice bill that would expand suspended disposition options, create midpoint review hearings, reduce some robbery ranges, and address juvenile rehabilitation capacity and transfers. Supporters argued it would reduce racial disparities, favor community-based rehabilitation when safe, and improve outcomes, while prosecutors, sheriffs, counties, judges, cities, victim advocates, and some tribal law enforcement warned it would weaken accountability for serious violent offenses, increase court and local government burdens, and shift costs without funding. Several witnesses and the bill sponsor discussed proposed amendments, including removing presumptions and the mid-sentence review. The committee then heard SHB 2439, which would raise tobacco and vapor product license fees, create a responsible vendor program, add manufacturer certification and enforcement provisions, restrict certain products and sales practices, and redirect tobacco tax revenue to public health, cancer research, and youth prevention accounts; public health and prevention groups supported it, while retailers and industry representatives opposed the fee increases and some of the new restrictions. Finally, HB 2681 would sharply increase cannabis license fees and index them to inflation; OFM supported the change as aligning fees with program costs, while cannabis businesses and associations opposed or sought changes to the fee structure and CPI indexing. The committee also heard a briefing on SHB 2215, which would require the Caseload Forecast Council to forecast SNAP and state food assistance caseloads in light of upcoming federal cost-sharing changes; no questions were raised at the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think we're ready to go, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Just a few housekeeping details.
• I taught them to be ready to defend this country whenever they were called upon.
• And they stood ready.
• They were ready. They were prepared. They were willing.
• These guys are ready. They’ve been ready. They have served our state and our country.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs held its fourth public hearing of the 2025-26 session on recognitions, definitions, and designations related to veterans. Chairs John Velis and Joseph McGonagle opened the hybrid hearing with housekeeping rules and noted the committee’s reporting deadlines. The hearing focused on several bills honoring veterans and military-related service, including H. 3825 to include reserve components in flag half-staff recognition for service members killed in action, S. 2499 to place a State House marker honoring three Medal of Honor recipients from the war on terror, S. 2498 to add Merchant Marine recognition at veterans cemeteries and the State House and create a Massachusetts merchant mariner medal, and H. 2500/S. 2500 to have Massachusetts fly the Honor and Remember flag for Gold Star families and fallen service members. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 3871 and S. 2467, which would update the Commonwealth’s definition of “veteran.” Testimony came from the Office of Veterans Services, veterans organizations, Public Health Service and NOAA representatives, National Guard and Reserve veterans, and Gold Star advocates. Witnesses argued the current state definition is inconsistent with federal law and excludes some service members who should be recognized, especially members of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, reservists, and some National Guard members. Supporters said the bills would improve fairness, consistency, and access to benefits and services, while several speakers emphasized that service in uniform should be honored regardless of branch. Some testimony also urged a broader moral recognition of all who raised their right hand, while others focused on aligning state law with federal definitions and closing gaps in eligibility. Committee members asked questions about the practical and fiscal effects of broadening the definition, including how the proposed language would interact with existing federal standards and state benefit programs. Witnesses explained that the bills would remove the current 180-day and 90-day active-service calculations and instead recognize certain active service and six-year reserve or Guard commitments, though some members noted that this could create a broader state standard than the federal one. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing, and the committee concluded after hearing from the final witness and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• First of all is shovel readiness. Projects that are ready to move are finished more quickly.
• The more ready they are, of course, the faster that goes.
• And incompatible infrastructure, high capital costs, electrical infrastructure, and grid readiness.
• So we could consider shovel readiness. Some projects are already underway.
• We could also consider areas of grid readiness, as I mentioned in the last slide.

Bills: HB2330 , HB2338

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: energy systems, capital funding, state campus, school infrastructure, sustainability, weatherization, energy efficiency, community projects, environment

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we have a remote panel if you want to get them ready: Karina Cruz, Darren Raynod Knapp, and
• And another panel in person, if you want to come up and be ready to go: Simone Bo, Tyler Munch, and Nate
• We are ready for that.
• And then on the second panel in person, if you want to be ready to go, would be Randy Spalling and Roz
• And then, while they're coming forward, if we could have ready remotely Dr.

Bills: SB6078 , SB6089 , SB5859 , SB5861 , SB6065 , SB5956 , SB5901

Committee: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education

Keywords: SB 6078, child care, childcare, daycare, licensed child care provider, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, DCYF, prelicensing, licensing support, resource guide, child care center, family home child care, family home provider, outdoor nature-based child care, school-age child care, early learning, provider application, local permit notice, city permit, county permit

Transcript Highlights:

• is on<00:16:04.560><c> duty</c><00:16:04.959><c> and</c><00:16:05.199><c> is</c><00:16:05.360><c> ready
• </c><00:16:05.519><c> to</c><00:16:05.680><c> is</c><00:16:05.920><c> ready</c><00:16:06.079><c> to</
• c> on duty and is ready to is ready to on duty and is ready to is ready to receive<00:16:06.560><c> this
• But then it goes back to having that network that is ready to receive veterans. have our final language
• </c><00:18:42.400><c> to</c> having that network that is ready to having that network that is ready to

Summary: The meeting focused on veteran suicide and mental health challenges affecting Mississippi National Guard soldiers, with Colonel Chris Cookie describing recent losses in the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team. He said that in roughly 50 days, from late September to mid-December 2025, three soldiers died by suicide, and that the unit had seen 50 to 60 suicidal ideations over the past year. He emphasized that suicide is a threat he cannot “defeat” through military training alone, and that warning signs are often hard to detect compared with battlefield threats. Cookie identified the biggest gap as the period between drill weekends and annual training, when soldiers are back home and less connected to leadership. He said the unit does well when soldiers are together at drill or Camp Shelby, where behavioral health support is available, but struggles to reach them in between. He urged the state to create preventive and responsive support that leaders in traditional status could activate quickly, and he strongly supported expanded chaplain access because chaplains are trained in behavioral and mental health issues and may be easier for soldiers to approach without stigma. Committee members discussed possible solutions, including a statewide chaplain rotation or on-call system, community-based support networks, and a 24/7 hotline staffed by Mississippi veterans. They also discussed legislation to have the state cover TRICARE costs for Guardsmen and to use TANF funds for related support services. Members said a draft bill was being prepared for public review, with committee reporting deadlines approaching on February 3, and that they would circulate the bill once it received a number and was posted online. The meeting ended with a motion to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• The priority is absolutely toward readiness and war fighting and everything focused on that aspect.
• Chief Pruitt asked us, we set up Building 81, our Readiness Center, and we had 23 tribal police chiefs
• And also on the Military Readiness Council, you know, that's important work that's being done and would
• DoD's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration, also known as REPI.
• It was ready to go. There was a resolution. I know because I wrote it. So just this is a heads up.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met to hear updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington Military Department, the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce on federal and state impacts affecting veterans, military families, and military installations. JBLM’s garrison commander said the base remains focused on housing, child care, and spouse employment, but is facing workforce reductions tied to federal personnel actions, especially in air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and firefighting. He also said JBLM is preparing for increased mutual-aid needs during fire season, and that the Army Transformation Initiative could change unit composition at JBLM over time without a major overall population shift. He confirmed that the Lewis Army Museum is on a closure list, but said the building will remain in use for training and that the base is exploring partnerships to keep museum functions operating, possibly with volunteers or local partners. The Washington Military Department reported about 400 Guard members deployed on federal missions and described ongoing state missions in cybersecurity and firefighting. The department said the Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade will transition to a mobile combat team, with associated changes in equipment, manning, and end strength. It also warned that continuing resolutions are delaying funding, limiting new military construction starts, and increasing costs. The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlined a $3.2 million reduction from the governor’s budget and related cuts affecting internships, vacant positions, outreach travel, claims support contracts, counseling and wellness, veterans’ innovation assistance, and the military transition and readiness council staff position. WDVA said it is ending or scaling back several programs, including in-house nursing assistant training, the veteran farm at Ordean, Vet Corps due to AmeriCorps funding changes, and the tobacco cessation program, while noting that the legislature funded about $23.7 million in capital projects for veteran homes, cemeteries, and transitional housing. The Department of Commerce presented on the Defense Community Compatibility Account, which funds projects that reduce conflicts between military installations and nearby communities. The program currently has 10 projects across five legislative districts, including school and child care improvements, water wells, land acquisition, and a joint firefighting training center in Everett. The presenter said the main challenge is that DCCA projects often need non-state funding secured before they can compete, which can make it hard to leverage federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program dollars; he recommended more flexible state timing to help projects qualify for federal funding. In closing discussion, members raised possible future agenda items including child care near bases, veteran homelessness, suicide prevention, Navy Day, military family housing, and a possible Department of Licensing issue involving guard and reserve designations on driver’s licenses. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members were invited to suggest topics for the October and December committee meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you're ready. Mooney, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Representative Priest, no.
• Okay, Clerk, when you're ready to call the roll. Representative Priest, yes.
• , I'd have a minority ready as well.
• </c><00:29:27.360><c> Representative</c> minority ready as well.
• Representative minority ready as well.

Summary: Division 3 of House Finance met in a continued work session on Senate Bill 118, with no LBA present. The chair reviewed the bill’s complicated history: it began as a short Senate bill, was expanded in the Senate to address Hampstead Hospital and related contracts, and was later amended by the House Health and Human Services Committee to add the substance of House Bill 53, which would allow home cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic use. Members also discussed the bill’s timing against upcoming legislative deadlines and the available options, including recommending it ought to pass, retaining it, ITL, or amending it. A member asked about the $160,000 appropriation tied to Hampstead Hospital employees. Deputy Commissioner Marissa Hen explained that most of the money would cover accrued time owed to a small number of employees who transitioned through multiple staffing arrangements at the hospital, and the rest would honor previously promised bonuses for a few workers who would otherwise miss them after the transition to Dartmouth Health. She said the payments were intended to make employees whole after repeated changes in hospital management and staffing. Representative Stringham then offered Amendment 2345H, which would strip the House-added cannabis provisions and keep only the Senate-originated Hampstead Hospital-related sections. He argued this would improve the bill’s chances of surviving a gubernatorial veto and preserve the portions members broadly supported. The amendment failed on a 6-3 roll call. The committee then voted 6-3 to recommend the bill ought to pass without the amendment. Members also designated Representative Seaworth to speak for the majority and Representative Daniels for the minority when the bill reaches full Finance, and the work session adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can begin when you're ready. You are presenting AB 1014. You can begin when you're ready.
• You can begin when you're ready. Good morning, Madam Chair and members.
• You can begin when you're ready. Thank you, Madam Chair and members.
• You can begin when you're ready. You can begin when you're ready.
• You can begin when you're ready. Good morning, Madam Chair and members.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on May 14, 2025, for a regular order hearing with a large consent calendar and many individual bill presentations. The committee first approved numerous bills on consent, then heard a series of measures spanning reproductive health, child care eligibility, transportation, mental health diversion, county recorder fees, groundwater management, election deadlines, parking enforcement, consumer protections, housing, immigrant and student protections, and utility/CPUC oversight. Several bills were taken up only for presentation because they were on suspense, including ACA 4 on long-term housing funding, and the committee later approved a very large suspense calendar as a whole. Among the bills discussed, AB 260 would protect medication abortion access and providers; AB 904 would clarify child care subsidy eligibility during family leave or job search; AB 1014 would give Caltrans more flexibility on speed limits in rural highway segments; AB 46 would clarify judicial discretion in mental health diversion; AB 1413 and AB 929 addressed groundwater adjudication and SGMA-related protections for small community water systems and wetlands; AB 930 would count vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days; AB 1022 would end towing solely for unpaid parking tickets; AB 290 and AB 302 dealt with automatic payments for the California Fair Plan and medical data protections; AB 1303 would remove the need for a Social Security number for California Lifeline eligibility; and several housing bills, including AB 920, AB 956, AB 1470, AB 893, and AB 1021, sought to streamline approvals or expand housing options. AB 1318 and AB 49 focused on immigrant-serving nonprofits and keeping immigration enforcement out of schools, while AB 1532 extended telecommunications and transportation access programs and added CPUC accountability measures. Testimony was generally supportive for the bills heard, with authors and sponsors emphasizing low or absorbable fiscal impacts, consumer protection, housing production, public safety, and protections for vulnerable communities. Opposition appeared on a few measures, including concerns about ADUs, towing authority, charter school-related issues, and the scale of proposed housing funding in ACA 4. Several members also commented in support of the housing and immigrant-protection measures, and some bills were voted out with recorded no votes or not-voting members noted. After the suspense calendar was deemed approved, the committee opened public comment on bills not presented that day, heard a long list of supporters and opponents on various measures, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so getting the ball rolling now so we're ready to participate if and when that eligibility system
• And so getting the ball rolling now so we're ready to participate if and when that eligibility system
• And so getting the ball rolling now so we're ready to participate if and when that eligibility system
• </c><00:15:23.680><c> to</c> it when you're actually ready to it when you're actually ready to implement
• </c><00:16:09.680><c> for</c> Seeing none, um are we ready for Seeing none, um are we ready for decision

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Summary: The Health and Human Services committee heard testimony on several resolutions. HCR 190, asking the Department of Health to convene a demolition waste reduction work group, drew only written testimony; the Department of Health provided comments in opposition and the Department of Attorney General Services supported it. HCR 91, on requiring insurers and managed care providers to cover prosthetic and orthotic devices, received supportive testimony from SHIPA and an amputee youth advocate who described the high cost and importance of sports prosthetics. HCR 174, on examining the availability and use of land-based learning programs for youth in the juvenile legal system, drew support from the Office of the Public Defender, youth advocates, and a youth council that described land-based learning as culturally rooted and rehabilitative. HR 171, on assessing the social and financial effects of mandatory coverage for continuous glucose monitors, received support from SHIPA, the Hawaiʻi Medical Association, and kidney care and dialysis groups. HCR 146, on the Elderly Simplified Application Project for SNAP, drew support from disability, hunger, and public health groups, with DHS explaining it could implement the project but would need to do manual certification work until its new system is ready. During decision-making, the committee deferred HCR 190 because the Department of Health said it could not carry out the work group without an appropriation. The committee voted to pass HCR 91 as is. HCR 174 was recommended for passage with amendments to clarify that the resolution would request continued use of land-based learning programs and to reflect existing work already underway. HCR 171 was recommended for passage with amendments to correct a statute description. HCR 146 was recommended for passage with amendments to add language that DHS should apply for and implement the project when capable, acknowledging current system limitations. All recommendations were adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, I'm going to call your attention to the bills that are ready to be passed out.
• Members, I'm going to call your attention to the bills that are ready to be passed out.
• The Senate bills ready to pass out are Senate Bill 3, Senate Bill 4, Senate Bill 7, Senate Bill 8, Senate
• And we need to be ready to hear testimony from the affected parties and from the Department of Education
• Representative McClendon, are you ready to present? There we go. I see you down there. One moment.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• That is ready for a due pass as amended, Mr. Chairman. Members, do we have any questions?
• Chair, it's ready for a due pass as amended. Members, any questions? Motion to pass.
• That is also ready for a due pass as amended. Members, do we have any questions?
• On the special language agenda that is ready for a due pass as amended, Senate Bill 10, Department of
• So, back on bills ready for do pass, we'll read these off individually.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee first took up the Special Language Committee report, which adopted nine amendments tied to Governor’s Letter 7 and HB 1005, and then approved several items for due pass as amended, including HB 101 (Department of Corrections), HB 1017 (Department of Agriculture promotion boards), HB 1009 (Department of Public Safety), and SB 10 (Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Services). A question was raised about the $10 million unemployment insurance modernization item in SB 10, and Commerce staff said it was a continuation of a previously approved appropriation rather than a new increase. The main discussion centered on the Treasurer’s budget request, especially salary increases. Committee members questioned why the office had already received substantial raises in 2025 and whether additional funds would go to lower-paid staff or mainly to top leadership. Treasury staff said the request was intended to retain talent, that the office’s investment team manages an $11.5 billion portfolio, and that the state benefits from those returns; they also said the treasurer would be open to discussing a cap on raises. Members expressed concern that prior funds had not gone where expected and that the treasurer was not present to answer directly. Representative Lundstrum moved to hold the Treasurer’s budget until the treasurer could return and provide more information, and the motion passed. Representative Kavanaugh also asked about a $150,000 preparedness and safety appropriation, and staff said it would support IT and security upgrades related to a move from AIS to S4 HANA and a cloud-based system. The committee then batched and passed a series of supplemental and reappropriation bills, followed by individual due-pass votes on multiple House and Senate bills, all of which were approved without objection. The meeting ended with procedural guidance about filing special-language items and a request to release a hold on HB 1064, after which the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is ready for a due pass as amended, Mr. Chairman. Members, do we have any questions?
• Chair, it's ready for a due pass as amended. Members, do we have any questions? In motion, do pass?
• That is also ready for a due pass as amended. Members, do we have any questions?
• So back on bills ready for due pass. We'll read these off individually.
• So back on bills ready for due pass. We'll read these off individually.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE