Transcript Highlights:

• <01:32:59.639> about have a more robust conversation about have a more robust conversation
• That's, I think, where the future is, and I hope we can continue that conversation.
• <01:41:13.440> thank<01:41:13.599> you that conversation thank you that conversation
• We have been engaged in conversations with them to have this termination.
• We have been engaged in conversations with them to have this termination.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate this committee having these conversations. That's where it starts.
• committee having these conversations committee having these conversations that's<01:37:03.320>
• <01:40:19.320> like I just remembering the conversation like I just remembering the conversation
• And it reminds us to continue this conversation.
• And it reminds us to continue this conversation.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Amber Cameron of the University of Minnesota’s Office for Public Engagement about the University’s Outstanding Community Service Awards and, specifically, the community partner award given to Communities United Against Police Brutality in 2021 and 2024. Cameron explained that the awards program recognizes faculty, staff, students, and community partners, that nominations are reviewed by University selection committees using criteria such as positive societal impact, innovation, extraordinary results, and overall impression, and that the committee evaluates only the application materials. She said the nomination for Communities United Against Police Brutality described a long-standing partnership with the University through student learning, including work through the Center for Community-Engaged Learning and a student white paper connected to the passage of Travis’s Law. Committee members raised concerns about the organization’s history, its public messaging, and whether it was appropriate for the University to honor it. One member argued that the group’s IRS records showed it was formally organized in 2020, questioned claims that it had existed for 25 years, and objected to the organization’s letterhead and activism. Cameron responded that the award does not require formal tax status and that the selection process relies on the nomination packet rather than outside information. She also said the award nomination documented work with 130 course offerings across 17 academic departments and about 1,000 students over 24 years. Cameron further said the award program was being phased out and retooled into a new internal Engaged Scholar Awards program focused on community-engaged scholarship rather than volunteer service. No vote or formal action was taken during the exchange, and the discussion ended with questions about the nomination materials and how the University defines the organization’s work with students and faculty.

Transcript Highlights:

• We met with conversations continued.
• > with<00:47:39.599> many conversations ongoing work with many conversations ongoing work
• also because throughout the conversation also because throughout the conversation of<01:14:19.199
• <02:42:06.240> on I mean, we had a long conversation on I mean, we had a long conversation
• on this,<02:42:09.200> the<02:42:09.439> conversation this, the conversation this, the

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so after conversations with county commission association and ALDOT, this was some language that
• And so after conversations with county commission association and ALDOT, this was some language that
• And<00:12:50.480> so<00:12:50.800> after<00:12:51.200> conversations<00:12:51.839
• > with<00:12:52.240> county And so after conversations with county And so after conversations

Bills: SB205, SB222, SB205, SB222

Keywords: appropriation, education funding, priority schools, Alabama education, State Department of Education, medical clinic board, clinic board, hospital bankruptcy, Chapter 11, bankruptcy, debt restructuring, municipal indebtedness, municipal bankruptcy, health care provider, acute care hospital, lease property, board immunity, director liability, civil liability, healthcare finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, um, just appreciate any conversation of investment in food. Thank you, chair.
• So, conversations continue.
• So, conversations<00:04:30.560> continue.
• <00:04:30.960> I<00:04:31.120> mean,<00:04:31.280> we've conversations continue
• I mean, we've conversations continue.

Bills: SF2077, HF2439, HF841

Keywords: environmental protection, natural resources, wildlife management, public funding, community grants, pollution reduction, waste management, climate change, funding allocations, food support, emergency funding, shelf programs, Minnesota statutes, appropriation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I'm happy to have side conversations with you about the language.
• Um, I'm happy to have side conversations<00:05:01.440> with<00:05:01.680> you<00:05:02.000
• > about<00:05:02.400> the conversations with you about the conversations with you about
• She said she would like to circumvent that a little and is happy to have further conversations.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 1239, authored by Representative Wam and presented by Legislative Auditor Judy Randall, would align reporting requirements for suspected theft, embezzlement, unlawful use of public funds, and similar misconduct by public employees and officers with existing language used for reporting to the state auditor. Randall said the bill is intended as a cleanup measure to clarify that such matters should be reported promptly to law enforcement and to the legislative auditor, and to remove language that she said had sometimes been used to delay reporting. Committee members raised concerns about the bill’s reference to “law enforcement,” saying the term is broad and could create confusion about where reports should go. They questioned whether reports should go to local police, the BCA, or another entity, and suggested that the current process may already work adequately. Randall responded that she was open to further discussion and said delays in reporting to law enforcement have been problematic. The author emphasized that the bill mirrors existing state auditor language and said any changes should remain consistent across both auditors’ reporting statutes. The chair said the committee should resolve the language and definitions before the bill moves further and preferred to address it in the policy omnibus bill. By agreement, House File 1239 was laid over for possible inclusion rather than advanced out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• those in this room, but I know if they are willing to allow you to guide them through those hard conversations
• those in this room, but I know if they are willing to allow you to guide them through those hard conversations
• :37.280> hard you to guide them through those hard you to guide them through those hard conversations
• > Minnesota<00:03:39.760> will<00:03:40.360> succeed<00:03:40.799> in conversations
• Minnesota will succeed in conversations Minnesota will succeed in a<00:03:41.159> way<00:03:41.680

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Minnesota House was called to order by the Secretary of State at noon for the opening of the session, with remarks welcoming both returning and newly elected members and emphasizing the significance of their service to Minnesota. Representative-elect Peggy Scott was appointed Clerk Pro Tem. Pastor Ben Mayatt of Watermark Church in Stillwater, identified as the son-in-law of Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth, delivered the opening prayer. His prayer asked for blessings on members, their families, and staff, and stressed unity, wisdom, discernment, mercy, and truth as the House begins its work. After the prayer, members and guests stood for the Pledge of Allegiance, and then were seated. No bills were debated and no votes were taken in this portion of the proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• And through many of those conversations, we heard... ...sides over very, very many conversations.
• There has been continued conversation.
• I think we had great conversations with the administration and with stakeholders.
• But I have told Representative Melorine in conversations, brief conversations with him, that I didn't
• I get into conversations with somebody in the hall, and they're telling me that's terrible.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 408 by Senator Myers, a workers’ compensation overhaul creating an all-claims medical database, requiring electronic reporting and billing, and setting up confidentiality, rulemaking, and penalties. Senator Myers said the bill was meant to modernize a paper-based system, speed injured workers back to care and work, reduce disputes through a more predictable fee schedule, address outliers and abuse, and generate reliable data for future fee-schedule decisions. Representative Melarine then offered a large amendment package combining portions of House Bills 780 and 1101 into SB 408, adding preliminary-determination procedures, changes to benefit durations, fraud language, and a deadline for the department to establish a fee schedule if no agreement is reached. Supporters said the package would create a more complete reform; opponents argued the additions were rushed, not germane, and would harm injured workers, especially those without lawyers, by adding technical filing burdens and stricter fraud consequences. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment package, then adopted a follow-up amendment removing the word “potential” from a fines provision and deleting the fraud section, and finally reported SB 408 with amendments on a divided vote. Testimony on SB 408 was sharply split. Proponents, including Alton Ashy and Trey Mustian, argued the bill’s transparency and data-collection provisions were the most important part, that the system needs a modern fee schedule, and that the added reforms would help control costs and speed payment. Opponents, including Shannon Lindsay and another injured-worker advocate, said the original bill was a good compromise but the added provisions changed its character and would disadvantage pro se claimants, remove materiality from fraud law, and reduce benefits for seriously injured workers. Committee members also questioned the timeline for the database and fee schedule, the effect of historical data gaps, and whether the reforms would help employers and injured workers alike. The committee ultimately agreed the bill still contained its core goals of faster care, predictable fees, anti-abuse measures, and modernization. The committee then moved to House Bill 585 by Representative Chasson, a workplace-violence/safety measure for small-box discount retailers. Chasson explained that the bill had been narrowed to require retailers to submit an existing written workforce safety plan, or develop one if they do not already have one, with no penalties attached. The committee adopted a substitute bill incorporating prior amendments. Representative Glorioso noted continuing concerns about civil-liability implications and the duty to protect against third-party criminal acts, but the bill was advanced from committee after the substitute was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've convened conversations with survivors.
• I've had conversations with survivors who have told me about times that they've written documents and
• There's the fiscal component of this, which I know we've had lots of conversations about.
• Today I want to have a frank conversation about weight.
• Today we are in respectful opposition; however, we look forward to continuing conversations with the

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mitchell, beyond this conversation, this specific conversation, when pollsters or surveys are done, again
• They sat down in conversation with us.
• This is when you can have deeper conversations. Having...”
• “Is when you can have deeper conversations.
• And so I think that might be a conversation for another day as well.

Summary: The Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up a draft bill to make legislators’ and candidates’ residential addresses confidential in public records. Legislative Council and the Secretary of State explained the proposal was prompted by security concerns and would protect residential addresses while still allowing election officials to verify residency and keep candidate names and offices public. Members raised concerns about unintended consequences, transparency, and how the change would affect rural districts and residency enforcement. The Secretary of State suggested an amendment to end the confidentiality when a candidate’s term ends, and the committee agreed to hold the bill over for further discussion at the next meeting. The committee also reviewed follow-up materials on legislator security and best practices, including advice on situational awareness, internet hygiene, varying routines, and reporting threats, along with NCSL materials comparing capitol security practices in other states. Members discussed a recent security incident and the need to keep alert contact information current, and staff said they would continue working with the Highway Patrol on legislative-specific notifications. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to Garrity Consulting’s final report on mitigating the effects of legislative term limits. The consultants summarized survey, focus group, and stakeholder input showing concerns about loss of institutional knowledge, leadership turnover, onboarding demands, and workload pressures, while also noting public support for term limits and annual sessions. Recommendations included considering annual sessions or shifting biennial sessions to even-numbered years, restructuring organizational session and interim committee work, creating office hours and more structured orientation and mentorship, expanding ongoing training and staff support, improving public communication and virtual testimony rules, and addressing barriers to service such as employer support and travel costs. Members discussed the tension between making the legislature more effective and preserving a citizen-legislature model, and the report was received as a roadmap for future implementation rather than immediate action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I think this is a fuller conversation. Yes, please, Sarah.
• We've been very coordinated with DWS, but I haven't had as many conversations with the Secretary.
• I'm happy to have this conversation. ...conversation offline, but I would appreciate that information
• Chair, Senator Trujillo, I do sort of vaguely remember that conversation.
• Take any conversations outside. And Chairs, whenever you're ready. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you could imagine the conversations, or you can imagine the conversations.
• He said the committee has to have a very candid conversation about the direction they are moving in.
• He said a lot of the conversations are about addressing the historic divestment of education and the
• So the plan of action should be the equality of the conversations that we need to have.
• And it's incumbent on us to hold spaces where we can have those types of conversations.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs held a historic hearing at Table Mountain Rancheria focused on tribal education, culture, resilience, leadership, and trust. The opening prayer and remarks emphasized the significance of holding the first committee hearing on tribal land. Members said the hearing was intended both to hear testimony about ongoing problems in schools and to identify next steps for legislation and policy, especially as the session neared its end. The committee also referenced recent efforts supporting Native students’ right to wear regalia at graduation and broader concerns about representation in education and state institutions. The first panel centered on Native students’ experiences in public schools. Bella Garcia described a two-year fight with Clovis Unified over wearing tribal regalia at graduation, including a restrictive approval form and administrators who she said denied Native identity and made her feel invisible. Morningstar Ghali connected those experiences to the legacy of boarding schools, racial profiling, suspensions, and the “boarding school to prison pipeline,” and called for culturally responsive education, Native educators, counselors, Native studies, and restorative justice. Janet K. Bill, from the Attorney General’s Office of Native American Affairs, described her own path from tribal Head Start to Stanford, law school, tribal council, and state service, and said education, justice, and sovereignty are linked. Members asked about restorative justice, representation, and how to build pipelines into leadership and education roles. The second panel focused on solutions. Chairwoman Michelle Heredia Cordova urged a reimagined education system that is more personalized, experiential, culturally grounded, and balanced with land-based learning, while also recruiting Native teachers and creating stronger tribal partnerships. Chairman Leo Sisku said schools should educate educators, stop tokenizing Native students, and create accountability and consequences for discriminatory behavior; he also supported stronger tribal-school partnerships and more positive outreach. Chairman Fred Bean emphasized consistent engagement from tribal leaders at every level of schooling, stronger transitions from elementary to college, and programs that prepare Native youth for leadership, trades, and higher education. Chairman Shaineto of Tule River argued that schools and administrators should face consequences for violating Native students’ rights, and that Native people should not have to keep educating institutions about basic cultural respect. Committee members responded by discussing possible statewide solutions, including regional tribal boards, better enforcement of existing laws, stronger pipelines into teaching and leadership, and improved representation on boards and in state agencies. Several members raised the need to implement existing laws, fill vacant Native appointments, and consider broader protections for Native regalia and cultural expression. No formal vote was taken in the transcript, but the hearing concluded with a clear call for continued collaboration, accountability, and legislation driven by Native voices.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when I had my conversation with DOC about how they want to fix it, they said at least $160 million
• And when I had my conversation with DOC about how they want to fix it, they said at least $160 million
• I'm going to shift the conversation quite a bit away from the closure of Stillwater.
• I'm going to shift the conversation<00:30:00.399> quite<00:30:00.640> a<00:30:00.880>
• When the session first started, we had conversations with the fiscal staff and we asked them, with the

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that's an important step to just start the conversation. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• And I appreciate this conversation<00:22:16.559> because<00:22:16.880> I'm<00:22:17.120
• So, prosecutor, um, just comments again from the conversation, please.
• So, prosecutor, um, just comments again from the conversation, please.
• we've had enough of this conversation we've had enough of this conversation and<00:32:07.679>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Hawaiian Affairs briefly met and adjourned after noting that GM 574, a nomination on its agenda, had been withdrawn, leaving the committee with no business to consider. A separate joint hearing of the Senate Committees on Economic Development and Hawaiian Affairs then took up HCR 192, a resolution to convene a tourism and gaming working group. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including representatives from the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Nation of Hawaii, and CARES, said the measure would allow Hawaiians to have a seat at the table, learn from Native nations with gaming experience, and make informed decisions about whether and how gaming should be approached. Some supporters emphasized that the working group was about research and self-determination, not immediate legalization, and suggested the state should focus on broader economic development options as well. Opponents, including the Honolulu prosecuting attorney and several community members and faith leaders, warned that gambling would increase addiction, crime, family breakdown, debt, and exploitation of low-income and vulnerable residents. They argued that online sports betting and other forms of gaming would be especially harmful, with some citing examples from other states and concerns about problem gambling, domestic violence, and illegal activity. Committee members questioned witnesses about the purpose of the working group and whether it could provide enough data to make an informed decision, while supporters and opponents alike acknowledged the need for Hawaiians to be involved in any future discussion. No vote or final action on HCR 192 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm glad that we are having this conversation today.
• Yeah, so if you could do five to eight minutes, that way we can have conversation.
• Conversely, we began plowing under 50% to 70% of our crops that we had grown.
• much conversation in the regenerative agriculture world.
• I appreciate this conversation, and there's more to come.

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on food insecurity in California and how state and federal nutrition programs, agricultural production, and food distribution systems intersect. Assemblymembers emphasized that many Californians, including farmworkers, seniors, children, and communities of color, remain food insecure despite California’s agricultural abundance. Panelists and members discussed CalFresh, WIC, school meals, Sun Bucks, food banks, and the impact of federal policy changes, including possible nutrition cuts, tariffs, and immigration enforcement, on access to food and the agricultural workforce. Secretary Karen Ross described CDFA programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local agriculture, including the senior farmers’ market program, California Nutrition Incentive Program, Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, Community Food Hubs, Farm to School, urban agriculture, and a proposed tribal food sovereignty program. She said these efforts help connect local producers to consumers, expand healthy food access, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. Department of Social Services Deputy Director Alexis Fernandez Garcia outlined CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, emergency food programs, and tribal nutrition assistance, noting that CalFresh and related programs significantly reduce poverty and food insecurity, but participation gaps remain for non-English speakers, some Asian American communities, and undocumented households. PPIC researcher Tess Thorman presented data showing that 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households. She said nutrition programs reduce poverty and food hardship, but federal rules, income thresholds, immigration restrictions, and high living costs limit their reach. Members asked about simplifying applications, improving call center access, increasing outreach in multiple languages, and adjusting benefits for inflation. Officials said the state has used available federal options to streamline enrollment, improve customer service, and target outreach, but many core rules and benefit levels are set federally. The second panel shifted to food production and market access. A farmer, a UC food systems leader, and a produce distributor described efforts to connect small and medium farms with food banks, schools, universities, and Medi-Cal food-as-medicine programs. They highlighted programs such as Farms Together, the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Farm to School, food hubs, and climate-smart infrastructure grants as ways to create stable markets for local growers while improving food access. Speakers also raised concerns about land tenure, consolidation, regulatory burdens, labor constraints, and the loss of federal funding, and members discussed whether state investments and Prop. 4 funds could help sustain and expand these efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I very much want to thank the chair for our conversations on this policy and I am very committed
• Patel excuse me and This is something that will absolutely have more conversations about I'm curious
• And so I had an opportunity to have a conversation with Dr. Rodriguez.
• Okay well certainly we'll continue the conversation Mr.
• Look forward to the productive conversations on this bill.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this conversation has gone off the rails.
• And thank you again for having that conversation. And so I commend you for that.
• yesterday and look forward to continuing to have those conversations.
• It's a whole different conversation, right? But you are already potentially facing that 15 years.
• I know that we'll have continued conversations. I appreciate it.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard a series of bills, beginning with HB 759, which would lower Florida’s minimum age to purchase or transfer firearms from 21 to 18. The bill drew strong opposition from gun-violence prevention groups, Parkland survivors and families, and several members who argued the current law was enacted after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting and should not be reversed. Supporters, including gun-rights advocates and some members, argued 18-year-olds are legal adults who serve in the military, vote, and should have full Second Amendment rights. After debate, the committee voted 13-5 to report HB 759 favorably. The committee then unanimously approved HB 431, extending Level 2 background screening requirements for youth athletic coaches through July 1, 2026, and HB 231, which keeps certain medical examiner information confidential, both with little opposition. It also approved HB 663, increasing penalties for unlawfully using tracking devices or apps in furtherance of dangerous crimes, after adopting a technical amendment, and HB 845, which clarifies the intake process for Veterans Treatment Court and removes Veterans Hall of Fame language from the bill. Each of those measures passed without recorded opposition. Members also approved PCS for HB 255, known as Dexter’s Law, which creates a sentencing multiplier for aggravated animal cruelty cases. The bill was presented as a response to a high-profile dog abuse case and was supported by animal welfare and law enforcement groups; members cited animal cruelty as a predictor of broader violence. The committee then approved HB 1021, allowing active law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons at sporting events, after debate over identification, venue procedures, and whether the bill should extend more broadly; it passed 16-1. Finally, HB 653, adding aggravating factors for capital felonies involving the assassination or attempted assassination of a head of state, was reported favorably after brief discussion about federal penalties and deterrence. The transcript ends as the committee begins hearing HB 6025, a repeal bill related to emergency restrictions on firearms during local states of emergency, but the discussion is cut off before action is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• **Senator Perry.** Real quick, is the bulk of the trade conversations that the Governor put out what
• That's a philosophical conversation, especially amongst their faculty.
• The recommendations include modifying the semester credit hour to FTSE conversion rate.
• Sometimes we do make adjustments, but again, that's purely budgetary as we get conversions.
• So, along with this conversion, if the conversion wasn't done, this action follows another action taken

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um so, if I were to have a conversation with the Catholic Conference uh in the interim um and we were
• able to come to you, could we have a discussion about um bringing that as a part of the conversation
• Um so, if I were to have a conversation with the Catholic Conference uh in the interim um and we were
• so, if I were to have a conversation so, if I were to have a conversation with<00:15:41.440>
• conversation as well then? conversation as well then?

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, quorum call, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then received Senate Bill 890 and several House committee reports. The first major measure taken up was House Bill 627, which establishes a Commission on Histories, Culture, and Civics in Education. Committee amendments clarified the commission’s purpose, membership, and charge to review curriculum materials and school calendars and make recommendations to the State Board of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Additional amendments added a disability community expert and preamble language. The bill prompted extended debate about whether the commission would promote diversity in curriculum, how it would address religious and ethnic representation, and whether it would include Christian or Catholic perspectives; supporters said it was meant to reflect communities that had requested inclusion and to improve the completeness of Maryland history, while critics questioned the need for a new commission and raised concerns about identity politics and curriculum control. The bill was ordered printed for third reading after second-reader consideration. The House also considered House Bill 1582, the Education Program Accountability, Comprehensive Outcomes and Measures of Progress for Supporting Schools (COMPASS) Act. An amendment removed references to advanced professional certificates and national board certification from school quality indicators and required annual reporting on the relationship between composite scores and concentrations of low-income students. During discussion, members asked whether the bill was changing the scoring system and how much weight academics would carry; the response was that academic indicators would remain a majority of the score, but no single indicator could exceed 20% of the composite. The amendment and favorable report were adopted, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. The House then took up House Bill 1514 concerning Calvert County county officials and Board of Education salaries and benefits. Committee amendments were technical and removed a benefit provision related to a former commissioner; both the amendment and favorable report were adopted without opposition, and the bill was ordered printed for third reading. Finally, the chamber moved to special order calendar item Senate Bill 283, the Maryland Consolidated Capital Bond Loan of 2026. The House Appropriations Committee presented 198 amendments to the capital budget, describing them as balanced across regions and within debt affordability limits, and began moving the amendments in groups, starting with a technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we focus on very specific agencies because we've had conversations with these agencies.
• We focus on very specific agencies because we've had conversations with these agencies.
• :55.919> general<00:22:56.240> comment conversation with the general comment conversation
• And, you know, I think in our conversations, I think there’s some big concern about that.
• >> So, we're having budget conversations all day, every day.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:00:17 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:09 Legislative Proposals: HB 213: 00:02:13 HB 516: 00:25:00 HB 589: 00:39:30 Kentucky Public Pension Authority: 00:44:52 Adjournment: 01:14:07, 958, all

Summary: The Public Pension Oversight Board met on February 13 and approved the minutes after establishing a quorum. The committee then took up three pension-related bills, beginning with Rep. Callaway’s proposal to allow certain retired police officers with 15 to 19 years of service to be rehired by local law enforcement agencies. Callaway and Brandon Lincoln of the FOP said the bill is intended to help recruitment and retention, especially for departments facing staffing shortages, and emphasized that it would be optional and would not allow double-dipping. Committee members raised concerns that lowering the service threshold from 20 to 15 years could create an unfunded liability and weaken the pension system, and several members said they did not yet fully understand how the pension and insurance provisions would work. The sponsor said she was open to working on the bill, and the chair noted the committee would continue to examine it with help from KPA staff. The second bill, presented by Rep. Lewis with Brandon Lincoln and Jeff Taylor, addressed probationary employees in CS agencies, including firefighters and police officers. The bill would let certain former probationary employees purchase service credit for time spent in probation, and would extend line-of-duty death and disability protections to employees who are injured or killed during probationary service. Testimony said the measure is optional for employers, could be used as a recruitment tool, and would allow employees within six months of the probationary period to buy back the time themselves if they choose. Members generally supported the concept, noted a negligible fiscal note, and discussed whether current employees could buy back older probationary periods; the sponsor said the bill did not appear to allow that, though he was open to further discussion. Throughout both bills, members focused on whether the proposals would create new pension costs or liabilities and how they would interact with existing retirement tiers and contribution rules. Several members asked for clarification on whether rehired workers would contribute to the pension system, whether employers would pay normal cost or any contribution at all, and whether the bills would affect future retirement benefits. The sponsors and witnesses repeatedly said the measures were limited, optional, and intended to address staffing and fairness issues without changing the core retirement system, but the committee did not take final action on the bills during the discussion.