Transcript Highlights:

• 00.320> Minnesota the Humphrey Forum, and the Minnesota the Humphrey Forum, and the Minnesota Geological
• Geological Geological Survey.<00:11:04.240> On<00:11:04.560> line<00:11:04.880> 60,

Keywords: 1183, house

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• And the Geological Survey says that Delaware is sinking, so wetlands is only a light part of what's actually

Bills: SB219, SB9

Keywords: military pension, military retirement pay, veterans, retiree tax relief, income tax exemption, pension exclusion, Delaware income tax, retirement income, state tax subtraction, armed forces retirement, National Guard, Space Force, Coast Guard, NOAA, Public Health Service, taxable income, Title 30, Section 1106, wetlands protection, nontidal wetlands

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met to hear several bills, with members repeatedly reminded to focus on fiscal impacts rather than policy merits. The committee first considered SB 9 on freshwater wetlands, which would combine tidal and non-tidal wetlands programs into one permitting framework; supporters said the bill resulted from a two-year consensus process and that the governor’s office and DENREC would absorb a significant share of the cost. Public testimony was largely supportive, emphasizing flood control and ecosystem services, though one speaker opposed the spending. The committee voted to release SB 9. The committee then heard SB 278 on child care assistance, which would preauthorize summer camp for eligible school-age children and create a separate lower co-payment for half-day care. The sponsor and the YMCA of Delaware said the change would better align family co-pays with provider reimbursement and make before- and after-school care more affordable for working families. The committee also released SB 278, SB 168 on alcohol delivery for package stores, SB 120 on health insurance coverage for certain testing and treatment, and HB 4, a pilot program for artificial intelligence and extended reality in schools; HB 4 was described as having a near-$3 million fiscal note and a one-year implementation delay because it was not funded in the budget. Later, the committee approved SB 219, which gradually increases the military pension income tax exclusion from $12,500 to $25,000 over three years and includes related joint-filing and residency changes. Supporters argued it would help attract and retain military retirees and bring federal dollars into the state. The committee also released SB 1, a major primary care reform bill that would increase primary care spending and implement hospital payment reforms, with projected long-term savings to the state employee health plan, and SB 325, which expands background checks and wrap-back monitoring for fire service personnel and adds an investigator position for the Fire Prevention Commission. In each case, public commenters and committee members generally supported the bills, and all were released from committee by recorded vote.

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• Geological Survey, capping 40 years of federal service.

Keywords: June 22, 2026 - Special Session 1, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So a great example of this would be the $2 million for the geological survey that had the aerial geophysical
• 01:24:31.840> million<01:24:32.400> for<01:24:32.560> the<01:24:32.719> geological
• <01:24:33.520> survey $2 million for the geological survey $2 million for the geological survey

Bills: SF0032, SF0010, SF0001, HB0001

Keywords: 911 services, emergency response, grant funding, next generation technology, government accountability, public safety, mental health, detention, competency evaluation, treatment, contractual agreements, Wyoming, budget, funding, education, wildfire prevention, healthcare, community colleges, grants, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• And in walking into this room, I noticed that there's a Bruntton geological compass in the mural on the
• ><01:02:31.920> Bruntton noticed that there's a Bruntton noticed that there's a Bruntton geological
• :34.319> the<01:02:34.480> mural<01:02:34.880> on<01:02:35.040> the geological
• compass in the mural on the geological compass in the mural on the wall<01:02:35.440> and<01:

Bills: HB0150

Keywords: Wyoming business council, economic development, task force, evaluation, policy reform, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• can be used to tell you a specific tree's dollar value based on certain measures such as carbon sequestration
• 01:38:12.000> such<01:38:12.239> as<01:38:12.560> carbon<01:38:12.960> sequestration
• , measures such as carbon sequestration, measures such as carbon sequestration, clean<01:38:14.800

Bills: HF1323, HF3500

Keywords: undocumented, financial aid, state policy, higher education, noncitizen eligibility, funding, storm damage relief, Bemidji State University, reforestation, state appropriations, 1183, house

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• critical access program has since eroded at the federal level to cost minus 2%, with Congress using sequestration
• :12.600> with<00:24:12.799> Congress<00:24:13.159> using<00:24:13.600> sequestration
• 2% um with Congress using sequestration 2% um with Congress using sequestration to<00:24:14.679>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Health Finance and Policy Committee heard testimony from the Minnesota Hospital Association and several hospital leaders about the financial strain facing hospitals across Minnesota. The association’s CEO said hospitals are essential 24/7 safety-net providers, but rising labor, supply, technology, and drug costs are outpacing reimbursement from Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers. He warned that many not-for-profit hospitals are struggling, that workforce shortages remain significant, and that the committee should consider help on Medicaid rates, discharge/boarding problems, mental health services, workforce development, protecting the 340B drug discount program, and avoiding new mandates that add costs. Relle Schultz of Winona Health described a community hospital with a 49-bed facility and long-term care services that has faced years of losses, including a $17 million loss in 2023 and $12 million in losses the following year. She said government payers now make up about 65% of the hospital’s mix, and each 1% increase in that mix costs about $1 million. She highlighted the difficulty of sustaining services such as dialysis, which was nearly closed until a local donor provided $3 million to keep it open for three years, and she emphasized the importance of 340B savings and the need for higher Medicaid payments. Carrie Mulski of Riverview Health in Crookston said critical access hospitals are also under pressure despite their federal designation. She explained that federal support has eroded, that Medicaid and other public programs do not cover full costs, and that her hospital’s 340B savings help keep the doors open. She said Riverview opened a new hospital in 2020 but was hit by the pandemic and inflation, leading to annual losses of $5 million to $6 million and a negative operating margin of 9% to 10%. She also described bond covenant problems, low cash on hand, the prior closure of the nursing home, and the need for rapid state action to stabilize rural hospitals and preserve access to care.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the $500,000 was for the Department of Mineral Resources Geological Survey.
• And then the $500,000 was for the Department of Mineral Resources Geological Survey.

Summary: The committee received a compliance and budget update on Industrial Commission agencies and programs, including the Industrial Commission administrative office, the Oil and Gas Research Program, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the State Energy Research Center, the Research Technology Park grant program, and related funds. Staff reviewed spending and balances for items such as electric grid resiliency grants, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the salt cavern business case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members also discussed timing, carryover balances, matching requirements, and how some programs are structured to reimburse projects over several years rather than spend funds immediately. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described the agency’s administrative budget, the grant management system nearing completion, and the transition to standalone audits and staffing after separating from other agencies. She also outlined the status of active grant rounds across lignite, oil and gas, renewable energy, outdoor heritage, and clean sustainable energy programs. Members asked about the length of active grants, demand for clean energy funding, and the possibility of future grant rounds. Tyler and members also discussed the salt cavern study, the need to better define its commercial value, and the research technology park grant’s cash-match requirement. Ron Ness then testified on enhanced oil recovery and broader oil and gas market conditions. He said North Dakota production remained steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, longer laterals, and better use of natural gas and carbon dioxide for EOR. He described the state’s EOR grant round, the use of federal DOE funding to replace part of a state-funded project, and the expectation of additional grant rounds. Members asked about CO2 supply, storage, and the economics of using legacy fields and pipelines to extend oil production and support agriculture and industrial uses. The committee also heard from Bank of North Dakota President Don Morgan, who reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, lending verticals, disaster programs, and new initiatives. He said the bank is seeing deposit growth flatten and is responding to fintech competition by focusing on liquidity, risk management, and a new payment infrastructure initiative called Rough Rider Coin, which he emphasized is not crypto and not a public coin, but a banking payment rail for North Dakota institutions. Members asked about student loan rates, disaster lending, and how the bank’s lines of credit and balance sheet capacity are affected by deposit trends. Morgan said the bank remains profitable and continues to support agriculture, commerce, and industry through participation loans, student lending, and state-directed programs.

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• Geological, excuse me, geological. Or archaeological, Mr. Chair, both.

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• far lower emissions, whether those are directly offset, whether those are carbon capture use and sequestration

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• Geological Survey.
• Geological Survey.
• Geological Survey.
• Geological Survey. I was a small aircraft operator and captain of a research vessel.
• Geological Geological Survey<07:52:17.040> uh<07:52:17.160> Indian<07:52:17.520> Affairs

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first tranche of $10 million is in contract, and they are doing geological analysis of the property
• The first tranche of $10 million is in contract, and they are doing geological analysis of the property
• doing<01:06:56.200> all<01:06:56.319> of<01:06:56.440> the<01:06:56.599> geological
• <01:06:57.279> analysis<01:06:57.760> of doing all of the geological analysis of doing
• all of the geological analysis of the<01:06:58.079> property<01:06:58.480> behind<01:06

Keywords: 1189, house, all

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• largely determined by federal agencies and partners like the US Department of Agriculture and the US Geological

Bills: SB1346, SB1509, SB1928, SB2028, SB2071, SB2110, SB2117, SB2127, SB2134, SB722, SB3

Keywords: water infrastructure, wastewater, investment program, loans, local government, SB1509, groundwater, water wells, well spacing, water rights, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, OWRB, basin, subbasin, maximum annual yield, aquifer management, water allocation, water permits, temporary permits, irrigation

Transcript Highlights:

• The Natural Resource Commission, Land Council, the Geological and Water Survey Council, and the Mining

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• section 27.151 that transects the Edwards Aquifer in Medina County from the injection of water into geological

Bills: HB143, HB4530, HB4931, HB5559, HB5560

Keywords: election, bonds, authorization, financial governance, public funding, HB 143, bond election, debt authorization, November uniform election date, Texas Election Code, emergency election, voter approval, municipal bonds, local government finance, public debt, school bonds, special election, uniform election date, bond issuance, water rights

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanted to ask, is there anything that would be considered CO2 sequestration in this particular process
• Our technology does not involve sequestration.
• That's a lot of carbon sequestration. I think that's the best way to sequester carbon, right?

Summary: The committee hearing centered first on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on the largest polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would make polluters help pay for climate harms, protect taxpayers, create jobs in construction and clean energy, and dedicate at least 40% of funds to disadvantaged communities. Support testimony came from environmental justice groups, labor, youth advocates, health organizations, and many individual witnesses, while opponents from the building trades, chambers of commerce, petroleum, and business groups warned it would raise fuel and consumer costs, threaten refinery jobs, and create legal and economic uncertainty. Committee members debated the bill’s impact on affordability, jobs, refinery closures, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses climate funding needs. The committee ultimately voted to give AB 1243 a due pass recommendation to the Judiciary Committee, with the roll left open. After AB 1243, the committee moved to another bill on wildfire mitigation and related resilience work. The author said the measure addresses a long-running wildfire problem and accepted committee amendments, describing the bill as a response to increasingly severe wildfire seasons and the need to help communities stay safe and rebuild after disasters. The transcript cuts off as that presentation begins, so no final action on the second bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• 12.800> carbon would you consider uh part of a carbon would you consider uh part of a carbon sequestration
• 14.240> speak<00:09:14.519> when<00:09:14.640> it<00:09:14.760> comes sequestration
• so to speak when it comes sequestration so to speak when it comes to<00:09:15.079> the<00:09:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• we've got large tracks of land up north that are being essentially put on a shelf due to carbon sequestration
• > being Tracks of land up north that are being essentially put on a shelf due to carbon sequestration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Geological Survey for statewide stream... U.S.
• Geological Survey for statewide stream, well, and rainfall monitoring.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, I want to talk about geologic impacts.
• On the side of geologic impacts, there are really two types of risks that can occur related to the geology

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.