Transcript Highlights:

• where they would, were, uh, uh, subcontractors, they would be 1099 and they would have dominion and control
• Dominion and control is, do you tell that individual where to work, what they have, what time they have
• And, and whenever you have that kind of a control over an individual, you have dominion and control and
• It was, it was dominion and control.
• as, as a public authority and has the authority for all actions related to construction, rental, control

Bills: SB 36

Keywords: transportation, regional authorities, mobility, infrastructure, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• We agree with the Senate on Section 3: appropriate funds received by entities controlled by the State
• And like Representative Hanson mentioned, they do have those controls in place through the Board of Higher
• the committee, Representative Richter, I think that what you're seeing here is that there's the controls
• I think that what you're seeing here is that there's the controls in place regarding at the state level
• And so what this would do is it would allow any institution under control of the board to offer dual

Bills: SB2003

Keywords: higher education, student loans, scholarships, capital projects, workforce development, funding, North Dakota university system, 908, all

Summary: The committee met to work through the higher education budget, beginning with a conflict-of-interest request from Representative Martinson, who was excused from voting because of a partnership that leases office space to Bismarck State College. Members then reviewed the higher education institution budget sheets, covering ongoing and one-time funding items for campuses and system projects such as BSC housing, Lake Region roof repairs, UND’s STEM and National Security Crossroads projects, the UND allied health facility, NDSU projects including New Horizons, DSU deferred maintenance and campus security, Mayville’s Old Main, Minot projects, and the regional health institutes. Members also discussed student financial assistance, the professional student exchange program, IT security funding, and workforce/education innovation grants. Several amendments and policy questions were debated. The committee adopted an amendment to make workforce education innovation grants competitive rather than automatically distributed, and then voted to remove language prohibiting those funds from being used to duplicate academic programs. Members also removed similar anti-duplication language from the New Horizons section. They agreed to extend the UND hyperbaric chamber transfer authority to 2027 and clarified language around UND land-sale proceeds. A proposed amendment to add $5.6 million for the Wahpeton State School of Science building purchase failed for lack of a second, and a proposal to restore fetal alcohol spectrum disorder funding to UND was left for conference. The committee also discussed, but did not add, a tuition cap change, a study on the Praxis exam, and several governance-related provisions. The committee spent significant time on broader higher education policy items, including a $3 million enterprise resource planning request for the university system, a $2 million grant program for students who are pregnant, recently gave birth, or are caring for young children, and a $1.1 million request for library age-verification software tied to the Odin system. Members also discussed dual-credit authority for UND and NDSU, a goal for the UND medical school to increase North Dakota resident enrollment, and intent language regarding the commissioner/chancellor model and presidential search authority. At the end of the meeting, the committee approved the amendments and then gave the higher education budget a do-pass recommendation as amended, with Representative Sanford designated as the carrier. The Forest Service budget was also approved, including two additional FTEs, and the committee adjourned after noting it would continue with other budgets the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're already controlled by the companies that are manufacturing globally, and so I would not expect
• The Centers for Disease Control linked the outbreak to illicit market vapes, not legal vapes, and removing
• . at market aren't subject to California's strict safety standards, age verification, or quality controls
• Support AB 617 community priorities, preserve local control, and promote efficient use of resources.
• Many of which are critical to California's fuel supply out of business for reasons beyond their control

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 878 extends that to controlled substances so that those committing crimes under the influence of controlled
• The bill provides districts with greater control over their short- and long-term facility plans.
• The bill enhances financial control for districts. personal evaluations but require student performance
• The bill provides districts with greater control over their short and long-term facility plans.
• The bill enhances financial control for districts, The bill enhances financial control for districts

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and several recognitions, including visiting student groups, chambers of commerce, and apprenticeship participants. Senators also observed a moment of silence for a fallen Walton County deputy and later for the late John Pasadoma. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading calendar and special order calendar, with most bills passing overwhelmingly and several amendments adopted along the way. Among the major measures, SB 234 on criminal offenses against law enforcement officers passed 37-0 after debate and an amendment clarifying “good faith” in an officer’s duties; SB 7020 on open government and cybersecurity information passed 37-0; SM 1488 urging Congress to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund was adopted by voice vote; SB 944 reducing insurance overpayment claim deadlines for psychologists passed 37-0; SB 878 expanding misdemeanor probation treatment provisions to controlled substances passed 36-1; SB 538, the state court system package, passed 37-0; SB 480 on nonprofit agricultural organization medical benefit plans passed 32-4; SB 472 on correctional-facility education credit for licensure passed 37-0; and SB 56 on geoengineering and weather modification passed 28-9 after extensive debate about enforcement, federal preemption, and the bill’s purpose. Later, the Senate passed CS/HB 421 on peer support for first responders 37-0 after substituting the House companion, and SB 164 on vessel accountability advanced with a technical amendment. SB 166 on administrative efficiency in public schools drew the most extended debate and multiple amendments; it changes testing, promotion, teacher evaluation, certification, and facilities rules, and passed 37-0. The chamber also passed SB 282 on warranty association financial requirements 36-0, SB 316 creating series LLCs 35-1, and SB 384 on annexing state-owned lands 36-0. At the end of the day, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify all passed bills to the House, received budget schedule guidance from Appropriations Chair Hooper for SB 2500 and SB 2502, and adjourned until April 9.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill provides districts with greater control over their facilities, removing prescribed five-year
• The bill enhances financial control for districts, authorizing school districts to determine make-up
• part a couple of years ago, sadly between 2023 and 2024, we saw a 28% increase in calls to poison control
• see an increase in exposure to children to these products, to where somebody needs to call a poison control
• That's about shifting control. And we need to talk about who's gaining that control.

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy considered several bills and reported all of them favorably. SB 70-24, on state planning and budgeting, was presented as a modernization of the long-range planning program to simplify reporting, remove outdated measures, and focus on key data points and outcomes; it passed without opposition. CS/SB 166, on administrative efficiency in public schools, made broad changes to school accountability and operations, including lowering the stakes of certain student assessments, giving districts more flexibility on evaluations, contracts, certification, calendars, facilities, and VPK oversight. Two amendments were adopted: one clarifying that Title I funds may be used for STEM services, and another refining how advanced degrees count on salary schedules. The bill passed favorably after testimony both supporting and opposing the changes, with supporters emphasizing flexibility and opponents raising concerns about teacher evaluation and instructional practice. CS/SB 164, on vessel accountability, was described as a measure to address derelict and at-risk vessels by improving owner identification, creating a free long-term anchoring permit program, increasing penalties, and authorizing grants for local governments in the FWC prevention program. It received support from marine industry groups and was reported favorably. CS/SB 472, on education and correctional facilities for licensed professions, would allow inmates to receive credit toward licensure for qualifying coursework; a strike-all amendment added coordination with DBPR and professional boards. The bill drew support from criminal justice, business, and policy groups and passed unanimously. The committee spent the most time on CS/SB 438, on food and hemp products. Senator Burton and co-sponsor Senator Davis argued the bill was needed to regulate intoxicating hemp products, restrict child-appealing packaging and signage, ban synthetic hemp products, cap THC content in edibles and beverages, and require hemp beverages to be sold through alcohol-style distribution channels. Supporters, including alcohol distributors and some public safety advocates, said the bill would improve testing, labeling, and consumer protection. Opponents, including hemp retailers, farmers, and libertarian advocates, argued it would harm small businesses, reduce consumer choice, and push sales to the black market. After extensive debate, the bill was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on tab five, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• These internal controls include a complex environment of federal, state, and local laws...
• These internal controls include a complex environment of federal, state, and local laws, regulations,
• So we've hopefully turned a corner the last few months and have begun to repair these internal controls
• We do not have animal control.
• Should we collect the animal control and the public safety fire and that sort of thing?

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee met to review how county budgets are developed and how constitutional officers fit into that process. Davin Suggs of the Florida Association of Counties gave an overview of county budgeting, explaining the statutory framework, the role of property taxes and TRIM notices, the fiscal-year timeline, fund balances and reserves, and the Department of Revenue’s oversight. He emphasized that county budgets include the board’s budget plus the budgets of constitutional officers, and that relationships and communication are critical to resolving budget issues. A panel of constitutional officers then described their offices’ budget processes and responsibilities: Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons discussed law enforcement budgeting and the importance of negotiated agreements with county commissions; Alachua County Property Appraiser Aisha Solomon explained the June 1 budget deadline, valuation methods, and the appeal process for property assessments; Manatee County Clerk and Comptroller Angelina Coleniso outlined the clerk’s court and finance duties, the county-side budget process, and the clerk’s personal liability under section 129.09 for unlawful expenditures; Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Early described the cyclical nature of election costs, staffing, equipment, and the impact of turnout and election law changes; and Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keene explained that tax collectors’ budgets are reviewed by the Department of Revenue, with fee offices funding themselves through service charges and budget offices relying on county support. Members asked about personal liability for unlawful spending, conflicts between clerks and county commissions, property valuation and storm damage adjustments, reserve levels, and whether tax collectors can retain excess fees. Responses noted that clerks must refuse illegal expenditures, property appraisers use market-based assessments with VAB and court review available, counties should maintain healthy fund balances for cash flow and emergencies, and tax collectors generally must zero out year-end balances and distribute excess revenues to taxing authorities. The committee took no votes and adjourned after thanking the panelists for their testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• The third type of supervision I'll talk about is called community control, which you all may know as
• The majority of the people placed on community control have failed out of another type of probation,
• Earlier I mentioned one of the variations, and that is for our house arrest or community control cases
• For our community control, there is a statutory cap of 30.
• For our community control, there is a statutory cap of 30.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard an informational presentation from the Florida Department of Corrections on how the prison and community supervision systems operate after sentencing. Assistant Deputy Secretary Hope Gartman described the reception process for new inmates, including intake, medical and mental health screening, classification, custody and housing levels, gain time, and the department’s academic, vocational, substance abuse, chaplaincy, visitation, and communication programs. She emphasized that reentry begins on day one and that program placement is driven by risk and needs assessments, with facilities matched to inmates’ medical, mental health, and security requirements. Members also asked about family contact, visitor applications, inmate welfare trust funds, tablet access, private prison placement, staffing shortages, overtime, contraband interdiction, and waiting lists for programs; several follow-up materials were requested for distribution to all members. Mr. Winkler then outlined community corrections, explaining the different supervision types under Florida law, including probation, drug offender probation, community control, sex offender supervision, conditional release, and addiction recovery supervision. He described the department’s monitoring tools, such as office and field visits, warrantless searches, alternative sanctioning for technical violations, telephone reporting for low-risk offenders, employment assistance, and mobile probation and reentry units. He said the department’s supervision success rate is about 62%, with more than 91% of successful completers not returning to custody within three years. Members questioned officer workloads, the use of radios and GPS check-ins, the rollout of uniforms and firearms, how violations are handled, and whether all circuits participate in alternative sanctioning; Winkler said the program is statewide and that the department is seeking funding for radios. During public comment, Florida Cares Charity urged the committee to consider evidence on deterrence, parole, and recidivism, arguing that community supervision is less costly than incarceration and can be effective. James Beardy of the Florida PBA emphasized the dangers faced by correctional and probation officers, including long shifts, field searches, and working alone, and argued for higher pay and better support comparable to other law enforcement. The meeting concluded with the chair thanking the presenters and public speakers, and the subcommittee adjourned without taking any legislative votes or formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• are seeking ratification for services valued at $93,000 for HVAC services provided by Northwest Controls
• are seeking ratification for services valued at $93,000 for HVAC services provided by Northwest Controls
• for the diagnosis and treatment, developmental rehabilitation nurse practitioners, and infection control
• UAMS for the diagnosis and treatment developmental rehabilitation nurse practitioners and infection control
• This is for the care registry-based approach for the Centers for Disease Control objectives under their

Summary: The committee met to review a supplemental agenda, procurement rule revisions, methods of finance, discretionary grants, contracts, and a member disclosure. The Office of State Procurement presented rule changes tied to 2025 legislative changes, including Act 782, with updates to sole-source definitions, unrealistic bids, protest requirements, debarment procedures, and recodification references; the committee voted to accept the supplemental agenda and approve the rules. Members also approved eight methods of finance covering university repairs, equipment replacement, property purchase, and capital projects, along with a large slate of discretionary grants for courts, health, DHS, historic preservation, and tobacco prevention programs. The committee then reviewed RFQs and six ratifications. The ratifications included a Workforce Connections payment to ACT WorkKeys, Department of Health costs from an ice-storm-related water leak, a large Department of Public Safety ratification for Motorola’s Arkansas Wireless Information Network upgrade, Veterans Affairs HVAC and medical-service payments, and a UA Little Rock painting contract. The Department of Public Safety ratification drew extended questioning about why the expired Motorola contract had not been renewed sooner and why the issue took months to reach the committee; agency officials said the project was bond-funded, had not been tracked in ASIS, and involved ongoing negotiations and system updates. Despite concerns, the committee approved the ratifications. Members also reviewed a long list of construction, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including numerous university, DHS, health, corrections, and state agency agreements. Several contracts were discussed in more detail, including an SAU custodial contract question about sales tax and transparency reporting, and Department of Corrections aerial application contracts for Tucker and Cummins farms, which officials said served separate facilities in different parts of the state. The committee approved the contract lists, reviewed reports, and accepted a disclosure from Representative Andrew Collins regarding his investment interest in a company leasing property to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're not trying to be in control. You're always in control.
• you, we acknowledge your sovereign grace, we acknowledge your wisdom, we acknowledge your power to control
• Therefore, you're in control. So, Father, we pray for those who are in leadership.
• Resolution No. 176 by Senator Mizell is a resolution to urge and request the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control
• do that, which would coordinate with the ID verification used by the ID with Alcohol and Tobacco Control

Bills: SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, HB75, HB1222, SB121, SB312, SB348, SB485, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR54, HCR79, HCR87, HCR94, HCR104, HCR32, HB944, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB410, HB750, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB208, SB217, SB283, SB387, SB389, SB401, SB408, SB469, HB74, HB119, HB368, HB414, HB552, HB732, HB776, HB848, HB870, HB953, HB956, HB1236, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB149, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB382, SB441, SB449, HB134, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB784, HB1117

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Transcript Highlights:

• Did a lot of flood control work and design of flood control projects over the years.
• when they call me in to review some plans, specifications, and things like that related to flood control
• So y'all had control of the report the whole time. No, we didn't. Who did?
• He's very familiar with flood control, having worked as an engineer and retired as an engineer, and I
• Have we filled those two spots, the head of operations and the pump control manager?

Bills: SR86, SB491, HB205, HB210, HB228, HB813, HB1045, HB1177

Keywords: Senate rules, Louisiana Senate, Senate Chamber, smart glasses, recording eyewear, audio recording, video recording, wearable technology, covert recording, legislative security, media access, chamber decorum, Senate President, internal rules, public access, lobbyists, official journal, public notices, competitive bid, Louisiana legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• Did a lot of flood control work and design of flood control projects over the years.
• .when they call me in to review some plans, specifications, and things like that related to flood control
• So y'all had control of the report the whole time. No, we did not. Who did?
• He’s very familiar with flood control, having worked as an engineer and retired as an engineer, and I
• Have we filled those two spots, the head of operations and the pump control manager?

Summary: The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee met on May 6, 2026, approved the April 28 minutes, and heard several bills before moving into confirmation hearings. HB 205, by Rep. Bacala, would allow local governing authorities to supplement election commissioners’ pay by up to $100 per day; supporters from clerks of court and the Secretary of State’s office said the increase is needed to recruit and retain qualified commissioners amid longer days, training demands, and election security changes. The committee also reported HB 210, a cleanup bill clarifying retroactive application of a prior ethics law, and HB 228, which recreates the Department of State Civil Service and related entities through 2033. It likewise reported SR 86, which bars eyeglasses with audio/video recording capability in the Senate chamber without the Senate President’s permission, and HB 1177, which protects the identities of lottery hunt winners until after the drawing. HB 1045, limited to Pointe Coupee Parish, raises an audit threshold for certain water districts from $500,000 to $600,000 to reduce audit costs, and HB 813 would move Orleans Parish sheriff terms so the sheriff takes office in January instead of waiting until May; all were reported favorably. Senator Miller also announced that SB 491 would not be taken up that day. The committee then questioned nominees to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East. The first group, including Peter Vicari and Ronald Schumann, was asked extensively about recent personnel actions, an internal investigation, and the authority’s handling of a report that members said would likely be released after a board vote. Senators focused on the firing of the chief of police/operations personnel, allegations of payroll fraud, and whether the authority had improperly combined the chief of police role with compliance duties in a way that may conflict with statute and Civil Service guidance. Committee members also raised concerns about the chief’s contract, whether it had board approval, and whether the authority’s bylaws and salary practices complied with law. The nominees and counsel said some matters were still under review and that a separate compliance position was being considered. The committee later heard from additional nominees, including David Martin, Gregory Marsiglia, and Elton Jude Myers, who described backgrounds in engineering, law, procurement, and governmental contracts. Senators again pressed them on the need to separate compliance/auditing duties from the chief of police role, and the nominees generally agreed that those functions should be distinct and that the authority should have qualified auditing expertise. The meeting ended with no public comment and adjournment after the confirmation discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is an important cost control measure for a health care plan, getting rid of the deductible.
• solar energy devices, for renewable energy production, residential solar energy devices, pollution control
• When we’re talking about renewable energy or residential, not residential, but pollution control equipment
• When we’re talking about renewable energy or residential, not residential, but pollution control equipment
• the House, House Bill 2170 prohibits a company domiciled in the People's Republic of China and controlled

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the richest 1% of Minnesotans control 1/3 of all the wealth in our state, while the lowest 50% of
• income earners only control 5%.
• Now, the richest 1% of Minnesotans control 1/3 of all the wealth in our state, while the lowest 50% of
• income earners only control 5%.
• Minnesotans control 1/3 of all the wealth in our state, while the lowest 50% of income earners only control

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House DFL leaders held a press event outlining an affordability agenda focused on housing, child care, health care, groceries, energy, and taxes. Speakers argued that Minnesota families are being squeezed by rising costs and income inequality, and said the caucus would pursue policies aimed at lowering everyday expenses and shifting more costs onto corporations and wealthy residents. Representative Bierman said health care costs are pushing people to skip care and called for system reforms, including moving toward a more universal model and reducing the role of insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. Representative Kotiza-Wazhushk said the caucus is pushing for universal or low-cost child care, expanded pre-K and community-based care, and a bill to stop grocery surveillance price gouging. Representative Acomb and other energy leaders said the House DFL wants to lower utility bills through more energy assistance, weatherization, renewable energy support, limits on utility cost recovery for lobbying and executive pay, and stronger PUC authority to prevent shutoffs and limit rate increases. Representative Agbaje described housing as unaffordable for many renters and homeowners, cited a shortage of housing units, and said the caucus supports restricting private equity and corporate purchases of single-family homes. Leader Stevenson framed the agenda as a response to a budget picture that he said reflects gains for corporations and wealthy Minnesotans, and he criticized federal tax policy and Medicaid cuts. In response to questions about cost, he said several proposals would not require state spending, while others could be funded by looking at new revenue and at those who benefited most from recent tax changes. The event also included a detailed explanation of the grocery surveillance pricing proposal, which would restrict the use of personal data and AI to set individualized prices and limit rapid electronic shelf price changes. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• infrastructure to create an accurate surveillance interface between the aircraft and air traffic control
• Far enough to be able to send your information to another aircraft and to the ground controller, knowing
• And we have also talked to their controlled tower operations, who are not seeing this as a problem in
• Tallahassee is a controlled airport.
• Air traffic control can have better situational awareness as well, and hone flight paths to manage the

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met and first considered SB 86, which would make it unlawful for unauthorized aliens to operate commercial motor vehicles in Florida. The sponsor described the bill as a highway safety measure, requiring lawful presence, a valid CDL, English proficiency, and the ability to communicate with law enforcement. The bill also provides for impoundment, custody transfer to federal authorities, a civil penalty on the motor carrier, and an out-of-service order. An amendment was adopted, public testimony included support from the Florida PBA, and the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee then heard SB 706, which preempts naming of major commercial service airports to the state and would rename Palm Beach International Airport as Donald J. Trump International Airport. An amendment was adopted to make the change subject to FAA approval, a trademark agreement, and a reasonable implementation period for Palm Beach County. Palm Beach County representatives supported the measure and the amendment, and the committee reported the bill favorably. Next, the committee approved SB 1670, a specialty license plate bill for the “outsider” plate, after adopting an amendment reducing the Huber Brothers Foundation’s share of proceeds from 25% to 10%. The committee also passed SB 1054, which increases penalties for traffic infractions that result in crashes involving red lights or stop signs, including higher fines, license suspensions, and a one-year bodily injury insurance requirement after injury-causing crashes. Testimony from law enforcement and advocacy groups supported the bill, and it was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 422 on ADS-B aviation surveillance data. The bill would prohibit use of ADS-B data to calculate or collect landing-related fees, and an amendment narrowed the prohibition to fees tied to landings, touch-and-goes, or entering a fee-assessing airspace radius. Aviation groups, pilots, and airport officials offered extensive testimony, with supporters arguing the bill protects safety and prevents inaccurate or surprise billing, while airport representatives said they use the data for fee collection and operational purposes and wanted further changes. Despite those concerns, the committee reported the bill favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• ING, Instruction in General Purposes, Research and Genomics. and Environmental Health, the Poison Control
• The troubles, to me, rolling the dice of... less traffic control people, watching the skies and so forth
• Being that, I mean, I see something here for poison control, and I see something here for cervical cancer
• Pulling from the 2024 report from NUPAC, Category 6 focused on capacity development for tobacco control
• youth engagement work is recognized by the CDC as a best practice in youth engagement and tobacco control

Transcript Highlights:

• Mental health, birth control, pregnancy testing, and planning.
• Mental health, pregnancy planning, birth control, HIV services—the list goes on. And on and on.
• Birth control, and the list goes on and on.
• They gave her birth control, which was substandard and failed.
• So she got pregnant and had another abortion, and she got more of their birth control pills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trauma often involves a loss of control.
• Sexual abuse is about power and control.
• It's a monster that's still there, still controlling a child's life long into adulthood.
• I think, again, it goes back to control, but I think for that child, the abuse is always going to be
• It doesn't have to control their life, but it's going to be who they are.

Bills: HB128, HB34, HB128, HB621, HB748, HB2259, HB2960, HB3113, HB4749, SB835

Keywords: heat illness prevention, workplace safety, administrative penalties, advisory board, employee protection, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy, local government, state agency, political subdivision, foreign adversary, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Taiwan, major non-NATO ally

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chancellor: Next up, we have the Pollution Control Agency's Assistant Commissioner, Kurt Koudelka
• I'm a planning director and the agency PFAS coordinator at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• We're here today to talk about a series of reports the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency did at the
• I'm the agency PFAS coordinator at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. aggregate material on them
• Locking mechanisms and lack of climate control.

Bills: HF3220

Keywords: school safety, school security, emergency access, law enforcement access, master key box, secure key box, entry device, school grants, education finance, Department of Education, charter schools, school districts, cooperative units, appropriation cancellation, one-time appropriation, school safety plan, emergency preparedness, public safety, school building security

Transcript Highlights:

• with PERS last session, you know, the governor, we gave the governor the authority to, like, more control
• other issue that I think was central around yesterday, excuse me, was the continuity of legislative control
• That should be a legislative matter that's controlled by the legislature, because it's general fund money
• That should be a legislative matter that's controlled by the legislature, because it's general fund money
• It's nearly impossible to do that if you don't have all of those pieces under legislative control.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee reconvened to work through the amended version of Senate Bill 2025, beginning with a clarification from the Department of Veterans Affairs on the source of funds used to cover the commissioner’s salary equity increase. Commissioner Lonnie Wong explained that the money came from federal highly rural transportation grant administrative/salary funds, within the allowable 10% administrative cap, and that the department had not exceeded that limit. The committee then reviewed the major House changes to the veterans budget, including funding for a veterans benefits specialist FTE, salary equity increases for veterans service officers, additional operating funds, one-time funding for homeless veteran services and the Veterans Post-War Trust Fund, carryover authority for Fisher House and veterans transportation projects, accrued leave, and a document scanning project. Members also discussed a section changing governance authority for veterans affairs and the veterans home, with questions about the ACOVA board and the governor’s appointment authority. The committee debated the appropriateness of using federal grant administrative funds for salary adjustments and the broader shift in authority over veterans affairs, with some members emphasizing legislative control over salaries and budget decisions and others supporting the reorganization as a way to improve administration. After discussion, Amendment 25.092.0203 was moved, seconded, and adopted on an 8-0 roll call. The committee then moved SB 2025 as amended, and that motion also passed 8-0. The meeting then shifted to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget issues, where members reviewed FTE reductions, salary equity funding for correctional officers and parole/probation officers, and the status of federal ARPA dollars that had previously been used to backfill salaries and bonuses. DOCR officials described pay levels for correctional officers and compared them with county jail wages, arguing that the proposed equity funding was needed for retention and competitiveness. Members also discussed transitional facility costs, women’s treatment unit funding, and county jail overflow housing, including new or planned bed capacity in Grand Forks, Burleigh-Morton, Rugby, and other facilities. The committee agreed to continue refining the budget through a new long sheet and planned to request amendments for consideration in the following days before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• experienced professionals can be misled by individuals who are confident, persuasive, and determined to control
• Domestic abuse is a pattern of course of control, driven by entitlement, jealousy, and a need to dominate
• The ultimate act of control is murder, disguised as something else.
• passenger vehicles to be manufactured after 2018, which allows backup cameras, electronic stability control
• They would see that there’s a history of coercive control.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a public hearing with opening remarks from Senate Chair John Cronin and House Chair Dan Cahill, followed by member introductions and instructions limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee first heard testimony on S. 2743, an act addressing staged suicides. Elizabeth Sherin Feiner of Jewish Family and Children’s Service and later Susan Altman, a domestic violence advocate, described cases in which deaths initially treated as accidents or suicides were later found to be homicides, arguing the bill would improve training, investigation protocols, and accountability in deaths involving domestic abuse. Committee members asked about current police and medical examiner practices, and one member noted that sudden-death determinations are handled by the chief medical examiner in Massachusetts. The committee then heard testimony on S. 2861, a special commission to examine school bus safety, led by Representative Sabadosa and Amanda Taylor, whose daughter Summer Steel was killed in a school bus door incident. Taylor urged adoption of anti-pinch sensor technology on new buses, saying it could have prevented her daughter’s death. Representative Sabadosa and later a Mazur USA representative supported the bill, explaining that anti-pinch and anti-drag technologies are already used in other transportation sectors and could prevent similar tragedies. The hearing also included discussion of costs and the fact that the proposal would apply prospectively to buses manufactured going forward. Finally, the committee heard testimony on S. 3021, updating Massachusetts student transportation. Ever-Driven Technologies and Chamber of Progress supported the bill, saying it would modernize Section 7D requirements for smaller passenger vehicles used for alternative student transportation while keeping core safety standards in place. They argued the change would help districts serve students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or with disabilities, reduce costs, and expand transportation options amid a statewide transportation crisis. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned after public testimony concluded.