Transcript Highlights:

• So, I think that it's important to have this conversation and I'm looking forward to the discussion.
• <00:03:51.840> and important to have this conversation and important to have this conversation
• Uh I know as part of the conversation Uh I know as part of the conversation from<00:08:54.800>
• and just are part of the conversations and just are part of the conversations along<00:10:39.360
• <00:15:38.079> today uh we're having this conversation today uh we're having this conversation

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2037, which would replace the current executive board model for Direct Care and Treatment with a commissioner-led structure. Representative Frederick moved the DE1 amendment, which was adopted, to conform the bill with Senate language and place the CEO under the commissioner. Frederick said the change was intended to preserve some continuity while increasing accountability and insulating direct health care services from politics. Frederick argued that the existing executive board, which meets only a few times a year and hires the CEO, would leave the legislature and governor with limited ability to respond quickly to serious problems in a billion-dollar agency. He said the bill is about accountability to Minnesota taxpayers and creating a structure more like other state agencies. Public testimony was closed without any outside witnesses. Members discussed the tradeoffs between board governance and a commissioner model. Chair Schumacher noted Frederick would become chief author of the bill, and several members said they appreciated the effort to balance accountability, continuity of care, and operational expertise. Questions focused on the role of the advisory council; Frederick said it would remain in place so stakeholders could advise the commissioner and CEO, and that legislators are included among its members. The committee then laid over House File 2037, as amended, for possible inclusion in a later bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I remember it was that conversation.
• <00:19:36.880> actually conversation because I do actually conversation because I do actually
• , nor a conversation.
• The committee adjourned. beyond a a civil conversation. beyond a a civil conversation.
• said, I don't remember the conversation said, I don't remember the conversation on<00:31:42.320>

Bills: SF0069, SF0084, SF0050, SF0109, HB0069, HB0098

Keywords: wastewater, stormwater, infrastructure, environmental quality, public data, data collection, funding, study, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, irrigation, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls

Transcript Highlights:

• Conversion therapy is harmful.
• <00:20:34.080> We conversion therapy to continue. We conversion therapy to continue.
• undergone conversion therapy. undergone conversion therapy.
• never subjected to conversion therapy. never subjected to conversion therapy.
• Again, this has been great conversation by a lot of people, very respectful conversation, and I expect

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up administrative regulations, found no concerns, and then passed House Bill 389 with a favorable expression by a 9-0 vote. HB 389 was described as a cleanup bill for the CASPER prescription monitoring program: it clarifies that practitioners must have active CASPER accounts, exempts charitable health care providers from e-prescribing requirements, allows sharing CASPER data with certain federal entities such as military-base providers, and updates references to hydrocodone’s Schedule II status. The sponsor said there was no expected fiscal impact. The committee then passed House Bill 392, also by a 9-0 favorable expression. HB 392 would streamline payment for non-elective medical care for patients in state mental facilities when the facility cannot provide the needed treatment, allowing care in community-based settings and payment to those providers. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve efficiency and would not have a fiscal impact on the cabinet. House Bill 501 was next and likewise passed 9-0 with favorable expression. The bill would allow pharmacists, in their professional judgment, to refill certain prescriptions for up to 180 days when a physician has died, while excluding controlled substances and preserving pharmacist discretion to require follow-up care. Senators raised concerns that the bill does not require patients to seek a new provider during that period, but supporters said the longer window addresses rural provider shortages and access delays. The committee then heard House Bill 495, as amended by a committee substitute. The substitute would prohibit Medicaid services and managed care organizations from covering cross-sex hormones above normal levels and gender reassignment surgery. Testimony on the bill was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers including a former senator, psychologists, advocates, and legal and social work representatives arguing that conversion therapy is harmful, that the substitute would deny medically necessary gender-affirming care, and that the measure could increase suicide risk and litigation. One witness from the Family Foundation of Kentucky spoke in favor, arguing the executive order on counseling limits free speech and that counseling should not be restricted by government. The transcript ends during testimony, with no final committee vote on HB 495 shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And he called her back, and I happened to hear the conversation.
• And he called her back and I happened to hear the conversation.
• You know, having those conversations about what does that look like?
• are like, ‘No, we don't want to have this conversation.
• and hopefully we can start a conversation between all of us.

Summary: The committee met to discuss domestic violence with a focus on teen dating violence, healthy relationships, and the impact of technology on abuse. Chair Blanca Rubio opened by describing the urgency of the issue, including a recent teen murder in her district tied to domestic violence, and emphasized that restraining orders alone do not prevent abuse. The first panel featured Janica Morin Pasquale and Taylor Stone Mill, who described warning signs in teens such as constant monitoring through phones and social media, isolation from friends, jealousy normalized by online content, and control through gifts, food delivery, and access to passwords or tracking apps. They stressed that many teens do not tell parents, that parents often miss the signs, and that prevention should begin early and be reinforced in schools, homes, and youth activities. They also cited resources such as Love Is Respect, One Love, and Take It Down, and urged consistent funding and implementation of the California Healthy Youth Act rather than one-time lessons. The second panel shifted to the effects of domestic violence on children and the systems that respond to them. Joyce Blue of the Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center described the center’s wraparound services, including forensic interviews, legal help, housing support, child therapy, and high-risk response, and highlighted the prevalence and danger of strangulation, including cases with no visible injury. She explained that domestic violence is about power and control, that children often normalize abuse, and that safety planning must accompany restraining orders. Susie Flores of Inner Circle Children’s Advocacy Center explained the multidisciplinary forensic interview model used for child abuse cases, gave examples of severe abuse involving children exposed to domestic violence, and noted that many centers are overwhelmed by caseloads. She stressed the need for immediate trauma-informed services and more front-end intervention rather than waiting until long-term harm develops. Dr. Pamela Tate of Black Women Revolt Against Domestic Violence and other members discussed the need to support not only victims but also the systems and educators who are expected to respond. Several members shared personal experiences with domestic violence, sexual assault, and family trauma, and raised concerns about school implementation, immigrant families’ fear of reporting, and the need to address abusers’ behavior and trauma as well. The discussion also touched on statute of limitations issues, with panelists saying memory and trauma can delay disclosure for years and that rigid deadlines can prevent justice. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and ended with members expressing support for continued collaboration, prevention funding, and stronger implementation of existing law.

Transcript Highlights:

• have conversations.
• We've had many conversations.
• We've had many conversations. principal. We've had many conversations.
• as we were having a a conversation as we were having a a conversation um<01:12:16.159> about<
• we're able to have those conversations we're able to have those conversations with<01:13:16.000>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:30.720> uh negotiations and the conversations uh negotiations and the conversations
• and we let them have that conversation. and we let them have that conversation.
• It's not a conversation about the policy.
• It's not a conversation about the policy.
• <00:43:34.480> much conversation here would be much conversation here would be much different<

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:28.519> and is some really good conversations and is some really good conversations
• We haven't had those conversations as of yet this year.
• I mean, what kind of conversations do you plan on having with some of your Republican colleagues?
• uh I have had some brief conversations uh I have had some brief conversations around<00:18:41.840
• the entire national uh conversation the entire national uh conversation start<00:20:19.200> to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Doesn't it help to spark the conversation to have a photo of Amelia Earhart to start that conversation
• I’m happy to have this conversation.
• So happy to have the conversation.
• “It brings diversity to a conversation.
• And I found the conversation to be one of the most interesting conversations that I've had as a member

Bills: S0124, S0206, S0420

Keywords: Florida Virtual School, FLVS, virtual school, online education, distance learning, K-12 education, public school choice, charter-like franchise, student enrollment priorities, home education, homeschool, military families, active duty military, rural schools, inner-city schools, accelerated graduation, education technology, supplemental funding, direct-support organization, foundation

Summary: The committee first heard SB 124, which updates Florida Virtual School’s statute to remove outdated language and clarify its service, funding, governance, reporting, and district coordination provisions without changing day-to-day operations. Florida Virtual School testified in support, members praised the bill, and it passed unanimously on a roll call vote. The committee then took up CS for SB 206 on students with autism spectrum disorder. Senator Harrell explained that the bill would require autism and neurodevelopmental training in educator preparation programs, require ESE-certified teachers to complete an autism microcredential, create an Autism Educator Loan Forgiveness Program, provide salary supplements for teachers with the autism endorsement, and require district professional development to include autism-specific training with local CARD centers. A large number of speakers—teachers, parents, students, and advocacy groups—supported the bill while urging that implementation be fully funded, high quality, and not become an unfunded mandate. Several members spoke in favor, emphasizing the growing number of students with autism and the need to recruit and retain special education teachers. The bill was reported favorably by committee vote. Finally, the committee considered SB 420 on patriotic displays in classrooms. Chair Burgess explained the bill as a way to place portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in schools to encourage civic and patriotic reflection, and he offered an amendment narrowing the requirement from every classroom to one prominent display in each school and adding language making it subject to state appropriation. The amendment was adopted. Testimony on the bill was mixed: some speakers supported the idea as a spark for civic discussion, while many others opposed it as symbolic, unnecessary, or better addressed through curriculum and teacher training rather than mandated displays. In debate, some senators argued the portraits could prompt broader historical conversations, while others raised concerns about representation, classroom autonomy, and funding. The transcript ends during debate on the amended bill, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just a conversation.
• there needs to be a conversation. there needs to be a conversation.
• Just<00:41:38.160> a<00:41:38.200> conversation. Just a conversation.
• Just a conversation.
• <00:42:22.440> We then that's a conversation, too. We then that's a conversation, too.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took Senate File 3210 off the table and then adopted an amendment from Representative Nadeau that added the word “reasonable” and a statutory reference clarifying who qualifies as a person with a disability. The bill, as amended, was then given third reading. The measure is described as relating to human rights and disability accommodations as protection from discrimination. Representative Hicks, the bill’s author, said the proposal is intended to send a clear message that discrimination against people with disabilities is unlawful and that entities must engage in a good-faith process to identify reasonable accommodations. Supporters, including Representatives Finke, Feist, and Luetkemeyer, argued the bill reinforces existing law, reflects the interactive process already used in practice, and helps protect access in employment, public accommodations, schools, and other settings. Hicks also responded to questions from Representative Joy by describing the process as a simple conversation to meet a person’s needs. Representative Niska opposed the bill, arguing that it is unclear whether it changes the meaning of other provisions in the Minnesota Human Rights Act beyond employment and that it could create ambiguity and more litigation for businesses, schools, and public entities. He said the legislature should be explicit if it intends to change those provisions and warned the bill could invite lawsuits rather than provide clarity. Representative Loegering-Nicolai responded that the bill would change the practice of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and that referencing the interactive process in public policy would provide a lens for assessing whether accommodations were handled in good faith. No final vote on passage was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pollution Control agency's conversation Pollution Control agency's conversation this<00:27:06.919
• There's real conversations that need to There's real conversations that need to happen<00:29:35.360><
• <00:29:53.360> with talk about the real conversation with talk about the real conversation
• never get to hear those conversations never get to hear those conversations and<00:31:39.679>
• I think the conversations that I've had with members are the real conversations that we all should be

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of HB 495 which protects conversion of HB 495 which protects conversion therapy<00:15:11.480>
• demonstrating harm from conversion demonstrating harm from conversion therapy<00:15:32.240> the
• <00:15:43.399> therapy practice of so-called conversion therapy practice of so-called conversion
• <00:21:45.880> therapy my experiences with conversion therapy my experiences with conversion
• <00:26:12.840> therapy workers affirms that conversion therapy workers affirms that conversion

Keywords: Consideration of HB 9 00:02:20 Consideration of HB 495 00:08:53 Consideration of HB 520 00:46:51 Consideration of HB 622 00:54:39 Consideration of HB 635 00:59:25, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 9, which would create oversight for Medicaid-related policy through a board modeled after the Public Pension Oversight Board. Sponsor Rep. Adam Bowling said the measure was intended to bring legislative, executive, and stakeholder voices together to vet issues and make better-informed Medicaid policy. Members generally supported the concept, though some questioned the proposed board’s party breakdown and whether the language should be updated now rather than later. After discussion, the committee voted 19-0 to pass HB 9 favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 495, which Rep. Hail said would protect mental health care professionals, institutions, and ordained ministers from discrimination when providing what the bill calls protected counseling services. He described the bill as a parental-choice measure that would allow counseling aligned with family values and said it also creates a civil cause of action for harmed parties. Opponents argued the bill would shield conversion therapy, with Dr. Eric Russ, Brandon Long, Dr. Brandon Creech, Brenda Rosen, Chris Hartman, and Dr. Bobby Glass testifying that conversion therapy is discredited, harmful, and associated with depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide risk. They said professional medical and counseling organizations oppose such practices and urged rejection of the bill. During questions, Rep. Layman pressed the sponsor on whether the bill would protect therapies even if a child was not in distress and on whether the committee should be endorsing a practice discredited by professional organizations. Rep. Hail responded that he viewed the issue as a parental choice and said he believed the bill protects providers offering those services. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HB 495, with no final vote shown on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Great question, and it's a conversation that we have had.
• And I think that's another interesting conversation that we should have.
• Red, I think that's a good conversation. I think we need to have that whole conversation.
• I really welcome the conversation and again we'll stress that...
• Thank you, and I appreciate this conversation.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to those conversations.
• So we're going to continue those conversations.
• Bottom line, conversion therapy is quite... Bottom line, conversion therapy is quackery.
• But we're happy to have those conversations with them.
• These aren't conversion therapists.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on domestic violence protections, pay equity enforcement, Jewish demographic data collection, court transparency, auto glass insurance practices, pet policy disclosure for renters, and civil rights accountability for federal officers. SB 99 would require courts and law enforcement to better recognize military protective orders in domestic violence cases; supporters from the Department of Defense and military organizations said it would close jurisdictional gaps for military families, and the bill passed to Public Safety. SB 1237 would increase penalties for repeat noncompliance with California pay data reporting laws; supporters said stronger enforcement is needed to address persistent wage gaps, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1387 would allow Jewish identity to be reported as an ethnic category in state demographic data; supporters said better data would improve policy and anti-discrimination efforts, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary or divisive, and it passed to Privacy. SB 932 would require assignees filing civil actions to identify the original party in the case caption; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it passed to Judiciary/Appropriations on call. The committee also took up SB 98, which would regulate auto glass insurance claims by restricting assignment of benefits, requiring clearer estimates and invoices, and limiting inducements to consumers. The sponsor and NICB said the bill would curb fraud and unsafe repairs, while independent glass shops and industry groups argued it could reduce consumer choice and favor insurer-aligned networks; the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees and provide refunds if nondisclosure materially affected an applicant’s decision; supporters said it would save renters time and money, while rental housing representatives objected to a provision limiting eviction based solely on failure to sign a pet addendum. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 747, the No Kings Act, would create a California cause of action allowing people to sue federal officers for constitutional violations using standards similar to Section 1983. Senator Wiener and a witness who said he was unlawfully detained by Border Patrol argued the bill is needed because federal officers currently lack comparable accountability after the Supreme Court narrowed Bivens remedies. Law enforcement groups opposed the bill, warning that the qualified immunity language is unclear, could create a separate California standard, and might expose officers and governments to retroactive litigation; members discussed possible amendments on qualified immunity and retroactivity, and the bill was moved forward with an urgency amendment while negotiations continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:34.320> uh some really phenomenal conversations uh some really phenomenal conversations
• , the university and having conversations, the university and having conversations, we<00:09:29.120
• Chair, thanks for conversations. Mr.
• I very much look forward to continuing that conversation.
• I very much look forward to continuing that conversation.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee held an informational discussion on three proposed bills authored by Representative Gottfried addressing artificial intelligence in the workplace. Gottfried said the bills are intended to create labor protections around AI use, focusing on mitigating harms to workers while preserving innovation. House File 4369 would require notice before implementing technology that could displace jobs and provide a transition period for retraining, reskilling, or upskilling. The other two bills would regulate electronic monitoring systems and automated decision systems by requiring pre- and post-use notice when used for substantive employment decisions, giving workers access to data and a right to appeal decisions based on inaccurate or erroneous data, and setting prohibited and permitted uses. Melissa Heising of the Minnesota AFL-CIO supported the overall approach and said the bills are an important step toward common-sense workplace AI regulation. She praised the notice, appeal, and anti-discrimination protections, but urged stronger provisions, including mandatory impact assessments, independent third-party review, regular updates, a cease-use requirement if discriminatory outcomes are found, and anti-retaliation protections for workers who raise concerns or refuse to follow harmful automated outputs. Committee members from both parties generally agreed that AI policy should balance worker protections, business competitiveness, and innovation, and several said the issue is urgent because the technology is advancing quickly. No vote was taken. Chair and members emphasized that the hearing was informational and that the bills were not formally before the committee for action. Several members expressed interest in continued discussion, and Representative Schultz said he had an interest in working with Representative Gottfried on the issue.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm in ongoing conversations currently. Highest rated child care providers.
• Because right now, those conversations are being had between whoever...
• Some of the conversations I've had have been around getting to zero homelessness.
• So we need to be having these conversations on the front side.
• Let's have these conversations on the front side so that we can plan for it.

Bills: HB3131, HB3380, HB3502, HB3552, HB3849, HB3886, HB3907, HB4201, HB4302, HB3448, HB3409, HB4095, HB3637

Keywords: homelessness, shelter standards, safety, accountability, state funding, local governance, regulation, Oklahoma Homeless Shelter Safety and Accountability Act, foster care, child welfare, Department of Human Services, educational opportunities, employment support, technology in child welfare, faith-based organizations, self-sufficiency, financial literacy, HB3502, Oklahoma, children's code

Transcript Highlights:

• Conversion therapy is harmful.
• . conversation. conversation.
• those conversations with you. those conversations with you.
• Minnesotans from conversion therapy. Minnesotans from conversion therapy.
• . conversations. conversations.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that that's a worthwhile conversation.
• I think that that's a worthwhile conversation.
• And by the way, when every conversation we started with, we said we don't come into this conversation
• We had that conversation in spades three years... ...of its mission.
• They just popped up in the conversations.

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and receive updates on the Legacy Fund transparency website and fund performance. Staff reported the website procurement was in contract negotiations, with a planned go-live around November 1, and that the site would provide downloadable, more transparent information on fund holdings, allocations, history, and legislative appropriations while protecting confidential data. The investment office then reviewed performance through January 2026, describing strong returns relative to benchmarks, noting real estate and fixed income as weaker areas, and explaining that the fund’s diversification and internal management had helped offset market volatility, including recent geopolitical impacts. Members also discussed the in-state investment program, especially the Bank of North Dakota’s CD-match allocation. Several members questioned whether the program had been static for years and whether the uncommitted balance should remain parked there if it was not being used. The committee voted to pause further transfers into the program until the Bank provides a report and the committee can consider possible statutory changes; the motion also requested a cost-benefit analysis from RVK, and it passed by roll call vote. In the afternoon, RVK presented its review of the investment policy statement as it relates to the in-state investment program. The consultant said it found no major policy impediments, and that implementers and stakeholders generally felt the program was proceeding as intended. RVK emphasized best practices such as third-party due diligence, competitive risk-adjusted returns, diversification, pacing, and exit strategies, while cautioning that required lower-return investments or spending commitments can create pressure on the fund’s long-term real value. The consultant also raised ancillary concerns about state-level concentration risk, the need to distinguish between public and commercial infrastructure, and the lack of a central repository for all state funding commitments to the same projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• that conversation.
• that conversation.
• I am here to have a serious<01:07:26.480> conversation serious conversation serious conversation
• . conversation. conversation.
• have that conversation. have that conversation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our door is always open to conversations about amendments.
• to those conversations.
• to those conversations.
• Bottom line, conversion therapy is quackery.
• These aren't conversion therapists.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 99, which would require courts and law enforcement to better recognize military protective orders in domestic violence cases and allow civilian judges to consider those orders when reviewing restraining order requests. Supporters, including the Department of Defense and military-related organizations, said the bill would close jurisdictional gaps that leave military families vulnerable off base. The bill drew no opposition and was approved on a unanimous vote, with members also expressing support for the author’s request to be added as coauthors. Members then heard SB 1237, a pay equity reporting enforcement bill that would increase penalties for repeat noncompliance with California’s employer pay-data reporting requirements. The author and supporters from Power California Action and HOPE argued that stronger penalties are needed because the state is still missing pay data for hundreds of thousands of workers and wage gaps persist, especially for women of color. There was no opposition testimony, but one member voted no; the bill passed to Appropriations and was placed on call. SB 1387 followed, proposing to allow Jewish identity to be reported as an ethnic category in state demographic data collection. Supporters said the change would improve data accuracy and help identify discrimination, while opponents from Jewish Voice for Peace and other Jewish speakers argued the bill was unworkable, unnecessary, and could be harmful or exceptionalizing. The committee approved the bill on a unanimous vote to Privacy. The committee also approved SB 932, which would require assignees filing civil actions to identify the original party in the case caption, after testimony that the change would improve transparency and help courts, the public, and journalists track assigned claims. SB 988, an auto glass industry bill, drew the most extensive debate: the author and the National Insurance Crime Bureau said it would curb fraud, restrict certain assignment-of-benefits practices, and improve consumer safety, while independent glass shops and their associations warned it could restrict consumer choice and favor insurers or large networks. Despite those concerns, the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1296, requiring landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees, also passed after supporters described the bill as a narrow transparency measure and opponents raised concerns about pet addenda and eviction procedures. Finally, SB 747, the “No Kings Act,” would create a state cause of action for constitutional violations by federal officers; supporters cited abuses by ICE and Border Patrol and the need for accountability, while law enforcement groups warned about uncertainty around qualified immunity and retroactivity. The bill was supported by several members, but the transcript ends before a final committee vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is going to be an ongoing conversation.
• I'm excited to start this conversation.
• It was a full, informative conversation.
• This will be an ongoing conversation.
• That is a critically important conversation.