Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> employees of assisted living facilities, employees of assisted living facilities, adult<00:05:13.840
• <00:05:16.080><c> home</c> adult daycare facilities, and other home adult daycare facilities, and other
• So, they would not have those in the facilities. That's why they were left out.
• and plan for next steps as they age out of the system.
• What made the change from 8 years of age to 9 years of age? Miss Ddian.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Like we don't have enough processing facilities, we don't even have enough kitchens, right?
• or we just don't know what the processes are to get certain facilities certified.
• Like we don't have enough processing facilities, we don't even have enough kitchens, right?
• or we just don't know what the processes are to get certain facilities certified.
• 'Cause you guys got a lot of ag going on in Puna, we... You know, that's a good question.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard several governor’s nominations for advisory and regulatory boards. The first group included William Smith, Michelle Ige, and Kayana Neman for the Community-Based Economic Development Advisory Council; Leland Park and Cynthia Hobson for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board; and Nicole Kacal for the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation board. DBEDT and related witnesses testified in support of all nominees, and each nominee described experience in small business, finance, community engagement, or technology. Much of the discussion focused on strengthening Hawaiʻi’s economy through small business support, financial literacy, and better access to capital and grants. Committee members questioned nominees about priorities for Hawaiʻi Island and the state more broadly. Topics included agricultural infrastructure, value-added food production, shared processing facilities and commercial kitchens, workforce housing, and ways government and nonprofits can partner to help small businesses navigate permitting, licensing, and grant processes. Several nominees emphasized community impact, measurable outcomes, and practical regulatory reform. Nicole Kacal also discussed diversifying the economy beyond tourism, expanding technology and AI opportunities, and creating locally governed training and research pathways so workers can adapt to changing jobs. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to recommend advice and consent for all nominees. The nominations for GM 608, GM 609, GM 612, and GM 613 were adopted by voice vote, with Senators Kim and Fevella excused. The committee then voted separately on GM 794 for Nicole Kacal, and that recommendation was also adopted. The hearing concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• You oversee and license behavioral health facilities, and those facilities have been in the news somewhat
• , any health care facility that performs.
• But we license the facility, not the therapy. That's the...
• All I can tell you is under state statute, we license the facilities, and if that facility has a scope
• and the facility is licensed as a counseling facility, they're not permitted to put anyone in seclusion

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A nuclear facility is a quiet operation.
• We're thankful that coal facilities have received new life.
• You know, let's say a 500-megawatt facility that has a much taller... ...facility that has a much taller
• You got to see a lot of the EERC facility today.
• North Dakota's two biggest industries are energy and ag.

Summary: The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of the Mincota Power Cooperative headquarters before returning for presentations on large energy consumers, especially data centers. The first presentations focused on how North Dakota should respond to rapid growth in energy-intensive projects, with speakers emphasizing the need for reliable transmission, local decision-making tools, and factual information for county and township officials who are being asked to weigh major projects with limited staff and technical support. The North Dakota Transmission Authority director said local governments are being asked to make high-impact decisions on pipelines, transmission lines, large agriculture, wind, solar, carbon dioxide pipelines, direct-air capture, and data centers, and urged development of simple statewide decision tools and support from the League of Cities and Association of Counties. The Department of Environmental Quality’s air division director said North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the nation, but large data centers can create air-quality concerns because of diesel backup generation; he said the department is requiring air monitors at some facilities and expects grid power and, potentially, cleaner natural gas backup to reduce emissions. Members asked about emissions standards, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession at DEQ. The Department of Water Resources director said North Dakota’s water law is based on common ownership and prior appropriation, and that data centers generally use relatively small amounts of water, often in closed-loop systems. He said the Missouri River and groundwater supplies are ample for projected needs, that the department’s permitting process protects senior water rights, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use a very small share of Missouri River flow. Members asked about downstream impacts and compared data center water use with fracking. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson urged the committee to study how other states regulate data centers, warned against litigation-driven delays and overly broad local ordinances, argued reclamation bonding should be handled at the state level if at all, and said data centers can bring jobs and tax base but should remain subject to local zoning. The committee ended the morning session for lunch and later heard an EERC update from CEO Charles Gorecki on the center’s 75 years of work in energy and environmental technologies, especially oil and gas development and related research.

Transcript Highlights:

• We should not be playing basketball at this age in this altitude, ever.
• President and President Pro Tem, that facility is owned by the state.
• The possibility of maybe a motel, a new facility for entertainment? It means...
• A new facility for entertainment. It means housing. It means public safety.
• Senator Ezell and I are the same age, so I can kind of talk along the...

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AG AG sorry<00:39:42.520><c> that's</c><00:39:42.680><c> the</c><00:39:42.839><c> next</c><00:39:43.040
• </c> that for solar energy facilities that for solar energy facilities presence<01:31:31.520><c> of</
• </c> agriculture make sure that it is true AG agriculture make sure that it is true AG volic<01:36:13.360
• Like, that's not really ag.
• and then we think about ag.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We just had one facility.
• a new coal facility, at least that I have heard of.
• acts were first put into place, is for actual discrete facilities like generating facilities, wind farms
• When you look at our other ventures, and you mentioned like value-added ag, crushing facilities... ..
• .like value-added ag, crushing facilities, we've looked at multiple fertilizer plants because of the

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> it's defined facility comfort dog okay it's defined facility comfort dog okay whereas<00:21:07.520
• That comes facility dog in the title.
• It's a facility that houses banks of computers, and these facilities can be the size of football fields
• </c><01:59:42.800><c> might</c> that you know these facilities might that you know these facilities might
• It's when over-age or above-age people, obviously over 21, buy these vapes and they sell them to youth

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 1281, which would establish standards and voluntary certification for agency-owned “facility comfort dogs” used by police and other public safety agencies. Representative Morton, the prime sponsor, said the bill is intended to create a consistent statewide framework because different departments currently use different policies. He emphasized that the bill is meant to distinguish comfort dogs from service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs, and noted that a small amendment may be needed to make that distinction clearer. He also said the bill is timely under the ADA because comfort dogs fall outside service-animal protections, but still need training standards for public safety and consistency. Committee members questioned whether the bill was too detailed and whether the legislature should be setting rules on matters like training methods, diet, and breeding. Laura Barker of Hero Pups, who helped train New Hampshire’s first police comfort dog, supported the idea of a minimum standard but said the bill should be less prescriptive and should not interfere with therapy dogs or private handlers. She explained that comfort dogs vary in temperament and deployment needs, that raw diets raise zoonotic disease concerns, and that the program should remain voluntary and not cost the state money. Detective Michelle Jones of Portsmouth Police opposed the bill as written, saying the term “facility comfort dog” is confusing, the bill is overly restrictive, and some provisions go beyond what should be mandated by statute; she suggested a more flexible, guideline-based approach and noted that departments already have their own SOPs and can enforce them internally. Justin Brassen of the Manchester Police Department also testified, describing the history of comfort dog programs in New Hampshire and the work of a prior subcommittee formed through the governor’s commission on PTSD among first responders. He said there are currently no statewide standards and that the earlier study involved police, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections, and NAMI New Hampshire, with the goal of creating a thoughtful work product. He agreed the bill needs work and answered questions about how departments handle training and public access. By the end of the hearing, members and witnesses discussed possible amendments, and one committee member suggested the bill may be better handled through interim study because of the amount of work still needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've had nine cochlear implants, all working-age people.
• And I talked about this when the bill was going through: all working-age people that will probably end
• They're participating in their future at an early age.
• They're participating in their future at an earlier age.
• When harm is real and urgent, the AG must be able to act decisively, and she has.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a senior living facility that is outstanding in the state of New Mexico, where individuals get
• Day, whereas 19.2% of the population in New Mexico is over the age of 65, and whereas New Mexico has
• State, a demographic shift that will have far-reaching implications as the baby boomer generation ages
• And whereas, the La Vida Llena Senior Living Facility has long been recognized as one of the leading
• And whereas La Vida Llena has won awards for its outstanding facilities and services, and Whereas La

Transcript Highlights:

• The Health Care Facilities and System Subcommittee will come to order and please call the roll.
• Up first is PC for HB 1057, assisted-living facilities by Representative Fabricio.
• CS members, the CS for HB 1057 is the assisted-living facilities bill.
• It's a situation in which the facility has LNS beds.
• Co Robbins healthcare facilities waiving in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're now on to tab number two: Senate Bill 274 on transportation facility designations, Harris Rosen
• We're now on to tab number two: Senate Bill 274 on transportation facility designations, Harris Rosen
• Today I'm asking for your support for SB 274, transportation facility designations for Harris Rosen Way
• The Adam Michael Rosen Neuro-Oncology Laboratories and the Adam Michael Rosen Neuromedicine Facility
• And the Adam Michael Rosen Neuromedicine Facility at University of Florida Health were created to work

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development met with a quorum present and considered two bills. The first, CS for SB 88 by Senator Wright, would create a framework for local governments to allow or prohibit utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) on certain low-speed roads, define UTV equipment and driver requirements, and make violations noncriminal traffic infractions. An amendment was adopted to correct the insurance requirement to match automobile-style minimums of $10,000 personal injury and $10,000 property damage liability. Testimony on SB 88 was divided. The Florida Justice Association and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association opposed the bill, arguing UTVs are designed for off-road use, do not meet federal safety standards, and could increase crash risk on public roads; Honda’s letter was cited as opposing road use. Supporters, including the sponsor and agencies waiving in support, argued the bill would address an existing loophole, provide insurance and licensing requirements, and help rural users and law enforcement by creating a clear legal pathway. Senators raised concerns about nighttime visibility, taillight spacing, speed limits, and whether the bill should be more restrictive, but the committee ultimately voted to report CS for SB 88 favorably. The committee then heard SB 274 by Senator Arrington, which designates a portion of International Drive in Orange County as Harris Rosen Way in honor of hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen. The sponsor and several senators praised Rosen’s business success, philanthropy, and support for education, cancer research, veterans, and the Central Florida community. There was no opposition, and the bill was reported favorably by roll call vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee, there are some dairy processing facilities that are happening in
• I'm just trying to see, of the $5 million, how—is there a, is this for one facility or could it be for
• So that scoring would be set up by that committee with the ag diversification.
• Chairman, or Representative Bosch, could it go to one facility? Mr.
• And visiting with Senator Thomas, he was happy with that, as well as ag players, that, you know, the

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to work on three remaining policy bills. On HB 2225, members discussed an amendment reducing the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund housing grant program from $50 million to $30 million, lowering the maximum grant amount, and clarifying that existing lots can qualify after a certificate of occupancy is issued so the program can help communities like Watford City and Williston use prepared lots. Members also discussed the matching requirements, tribal eligibility, and how Commerce would score applications to ensure the money lowers lot costs rather than being absorbed by political subdivisions. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed 22-0, and Representative Murphy was assigned to carry the bill. The committee then took up SB 2200, which funds the 988 crisis hotline. After discussion, members agreed to strip out the proposed phone-line charge approach and instead provide a $500,000 appropriation from the Community Health Care Trust Fund, consistent with the Senate version, to supplement existing funding for increased staffing and texting-related demand. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed 22-0, and Representative Nelson will carry the bill. Finally, the committee considered SB 2342, which creates a value-added milk processing facility incentive program. The amendment reduced the proposed line of credit from $10 million to $5 million, with the program intended to support dairy-related processing infrastructure such as utilities, roads, water, wastewater, and rail access. Members noted the program would be administered through the Agriculture Diversification and Development Committee, could potentially support one or multiple facilities, and sunsets June 30, 2027. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed 22-0, and Representative Brandenburg will carry the bill. The committee then adjourned, planning to reconvene the next morning to take up additional bills and budget adjustments.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's our main source of funding for facility renewal and upkeep.
• At its core, this request is about providing some pretty basic facilities.
• Our facility-related expenses are growing faster than our resources.
• We have treatment facilities for petroleum and oil-contaminated water.
• facilities.

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:

• those who are less fortunate and whose families might not be able to afford it otherwise, and under the age
• this just provides one way for the appropriations to be sent out to each, to make sure that the facilities
• So those individuals, they can’t retroactively receive these benefits for kids who have aged out, including
• going to be able to have children who are going to be in an early childhood education due to their age
• It’s only those with young children under the age of five. Am I misunderstanding that?” “Yeah.

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee met in executive session to consider House Bill 2379, which had a pre-distributed House Committee Substitute. The bill sponsor, Rep. Cecily Williams, explained that the substitute was revised to align with a Senate version and to clarify definitions, limit applicability to certain counties, rename the fund the Early Childhood Education Fund, expand eligible uses to include child care services, move fund custody to the county treasurer, broaden the types of eligible providers, and prioritize children with the greatest financial need. Members discussed how the measure would work in practice, with repeated clarification that it does not create a new tax but instead governs how locally approved early childhood sales tax revenue would be collected and distributed. Several members focused on whether the bill involved tax credits or a sales tax, whether any tax was already in place, and whether the money would otherwise go to general revenue. The sponsor and other members clarified that local governments already have authority to place an early childhood sales tax on the ballot, and the bill would require any revenue approved for that purpose to be deposited into a dedicated children’s service fund rather than diverted to general funds. Supporters, including Rep. Taylor and Rep. Wright, said the bill would improve transparency and ensure funds are used for the intended early childhood purpose, while Rep. Davis questioned the fairness of a sales tax that would be paid broadly but benefit only families with young children. Rep. Coleman also raised questions about the funding mechanism and remained uncertain during the discussion. The committee first adopted the House Committee Substitute by voice vote. It then voted on the substitute version of House Bill 2379 and passed it do pass by a roll call vote of 7 ayes and 2 noes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a $35 million transfer from the Educational Facility Set-Aside.
• This is to fund the Education Facilities Partnership Program.
• Ag, I guess. Ag? Can we get Ag to the table, please? You're on number 32, Senator Johnson?
• Are you with the Department of Ag sitting with them? Is she with you? Okay.
• Any other questions for Ag? All right, I guess y'all are excused.

Summary: The PEER Review Subcommittee met to consider a large agenda of appropriation, transfer, contract, and other review items. Members approved temporary appropriation requests in Sections B through F, including funding for prosecuting attorneys, education-related adjustments, school operating needs, labor licensing divisions, ARPA fund returns from Workforce Services, IIJA grants for state police CDL implementation and a forestry-related county grant, reserve fund transfers for teacher scholarships, school facilities, and economic development, and a Commerce reallocation tied to organizational realignment. Cash fund requests in Section G and budget classification transfers in Section H were also reviewed, along with pay plan requests in Section I, overtime requests in Section J, and multiple methods of finance in Section K. The committee also reviewed discretionary grants in Section L, including agriculture promotion board grants and DHS aging/adult behavioral health grants, plus RFQs, construction contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and out-of-state contracts in Sections M1 through M5. Several items drew questions from members. Workforce Services explained that $225,000 in TANF-related funds would be returned to the federal government because the two-year hold period for uncashed or moved checks had expired. Commerce officials described the $25 million site infrastructure grant program, saying it supports site development, due diligence, and infrastructure build-out at eligible sites of 30 acres or more, including rural communities, with grant agreements and matching requirements providing accountability. DHS and Education officials answered questions about the Care Solace mental health referral contract, saying it is a statewide concierge/referral service that helps schools connect students to Arkansas providers and follow up so students do not fall through the cracks; members asked for more information on provider selection, school-day scheduling, and Arkansas vendor participation. The committee held one item over: the DHS discretionary grant item for the RSVP retired senior volunteer program in L2, after concerns were raised about whether state general revenue was being used effectively and how much administrative overhead the providers retain. Members also questioned several contracts, including a DHS sole-source contract with EMSLink for document management software and a DHS bridge contract with Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care for Medicaid inspections of care reviews; in both cases, agency staff explained the need to avoid service disruption and said follow-up information would be provided. A Department of Corrections reentry center contract was discussed for its recidivism results, and ARDOT retirement-system investment contracts were briefly explained. The meeting ended after a lengthy discussion of the Medicaid Trust Fund balance, with DFA and DHS officials saying the state is expected to finish the fiscal year without exhausting the fund, that a restricted reserve of $100 million is available as a backstop, and that the larger question is what minimum balance should be maintained going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I do wonder, within the Ag chapter, what is the approach, given that quite a bit of it relates
• Responsible for issuing any new lease that authorizes a use for the island and the onshore facilities
• I'm Alexandra Levy on behalf of the Ag Energy Consumers Association.
• We're a network of 50 or so organizations across the state representing anti-hunger, sustainable ag,
• We support all Prop 4 CDFA programs investing in our regional food systems and climate-smart ag, but

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by not instituting it at an earlier age by not instituting it at an earlier age and<01:01:33.480><c>
• at the age of 14.
• at the age of 14.
• </c><01:44:27.520><c> groups</c> taking my question uh what age groups taking my question uh what age
• I know you had said age appropriate. Do you have a definition of what you feel is age appropriate?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I started as a high school ag teacher, and that's where it was.
• On the ag side, we see continuing to build ag technology, ensuring that we're equipping students with
• Chairman and Beth, what age group?
• Both of them are in the food and ag world, a different sector.
• Both of them are in the food and ag world, a different sector.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met at NDSU and heard an extensive presentation from President David Cook/President Stewart and NDSU leadership on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research growth, and use of New Horizons funding. Leaders emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission, its role in workforce development, and its goal of becoming more distinctive through strategic planning, recruitment and retention, commercialization, and partnerships. They highlighted that NDSU awarded 2,370 degrees in 2025, produces a large share of the state’s engineering, nursing, and agriculture graduates, and reported strong outcomes for graduates staying and working in North Dakota. They also noted enrollment headwinds, competition from other institutions, and the need to manage tuition waivers more carefully through a scholarship optimization effort. Provost Sherry Vale outlined academic stewardship efforts, including review or consolidation of low-producing programs, strategic hiring tied to institutional priorities, faculty workload policy changes, and expanded online and regional offerings. She said the university is using New Horizons dollars to strengthen advising, student support, and programs in engineering, agriculture, and health. NDSU leaders also described new or expanded academic offerings such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, material science and engineering, nuclear engineering certificates, accelerated nursing, nurse practitioner certificates, a Master of Health Administration, and a clinical research master’s program with Sanford Health. They stressed that these investments are intended to improve student completion, meet workforce needs, and increase return on public investment. The committee also heard testimony from students and recent graduates who described the value of NDSU’s education, mentorship, internships, research opportunities, and support services. Alyssa Hodges spoke about pharmacy education, public health work, and campus support as a parent and student; Ethan Blessy described engineering coursework, internships with Marvin, and career preparation; and Aiden Freolic discussed neuroscience research, federally funded projects, and plans for graduate study. Their testimony was followed by presentations on partnerships with Gateway to Science for K-12 STEM outreach and with Sanford Research on biomedical research, clinical trials, obesity research, and a joint biostatistics hire. NDSU also highlighted systemwide shared services, Governor’s School programming, and research growth, including a reported 8% increase in research expenditures from $199 million to $215 million. No bill votes were taken; the meeting was informational and featured presentations, testimony, and discussion of future planning and partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are also eligibility standards for facility modernization that relate to building age.
• program that focuses on youth athletic facilities.
• program that focuses on youth athletic facilities.
• The other program that receives money from the gas tax is the boating facilities program.
• A lot of aging ball fields, a lot of new athletic kids entering into athletics.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.