Transcript Highlights:

• > District</c><01:10:20.320><c> of</c> and small businesses in the District of and small businesses in
• ><02:46:02.479><c> businesses</c><02:46:02.960><c> and</c> supporting small businesses and supporting
• </c> engineers, lawyers, teachers, small engineers, lawyers, teachers, small business<04:40:20.320><c
• </c><04:53:24.160><c> businesses</c><04:53:24.958><c> who</c> from families and small businesses who
• It's squeezing our small businesses, our hospitals, and our schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> small schools within a small district. small schools within a small district.
• , and then left the small business innovation research program.
• Uh and then left the small business<02:28:55.760><c> innovation</c><02:28:56.399><c> research</c><02:
• </c> business innovation research program. business innovation research program.
• </c> $54 million from the business council. $54 million from the business council.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we took a skill set and turned it into a business.
• A lot of small businesses have been able to operate in the economy because of that.
• Our initial business was simply selling coal to families and churches and schools and businesses and
• business customers.
• It built schools, it built hospitals, it built small businesses, and it built counties like Mercer County

Committee: Joint Energy Development and Transmission Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• These small communities continue to go through this over and over.
• So in rural New Mexico, we continue to see the small communities lose out.
• They're doing business with Arizona, doing business with Colorado, doing business with Oklahoma.
• The small communities continue to lose out.
• They're doing business with Arizona, doing business with Colorado, doing business with Oklahoma.

Bills: SB241 , SB145 , SB241 , SB145 , HB2

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• No task was ever too small for Gavin.
• Small business owners and my constituents from Rancho Cordova, Ryan and Alicia Strange.
• Processes that for small business owners can create difficult, even insurmountable hurdles.
• Deliveries to homes and businesses.
• These vehicles deliver goods right to our homes and businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if we extrapolated that business model for Oak Ridge, then that would apply to that.
• small and large.
• small and large.
• Steve Frisch, on behalf of Sierra Business Council and the Sierra Consortium, in support.
• I'm the president of the Sierra Business Council.

Summary: The committee heard several bills and one resolution focused on recycling, housing affordability, air quality, coastal protection, wildfire resilience, and nuclear policy. AB 2559, by Assembly Member Ward, would require local governments to return refundable construction and demolition permit deposits if compliance documentation is submitted within three years of final inspection; supporters said it would prevent homeowners and developers from losing deposits due to mismatched local deadlines, and it passed unanimously as amended to Appropriations. AB 1704, by Assembly Member Gonzalez, would require CARB to assess the cost of lower-embodied-carbon building materials and pause the embodied-carbon program if cost parity is not reached; supporters framed it as a housing affordability safeguard, while environmental groups argued it would delay implementation of a key climate law. The bill passed on a party-line vote to Appropriations. AB 2349, by Assembly Member Solache, would create regional air quality incident response centers for emergency monitoring and coordination; it drew strong support from air district and local government representatives and passed unanimously to Appropriations. ACR 149, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy, highlighted coastal access, habitat protection, and climate adaptation; it passed the committee, though some members voted no. AB 1960, by Assembly Member Bennett, would let Cal Fire fund community-level wildfire hardening projects through the Wildfire Prevention Grants Fund; members raised questions about funding and implementation, but it passed to Appropriations. AB 2254, the Coastal Monarchs Protection Act, would require coastal local governments to add monarch overwintering protections when updating local coastal plans; supporters cited steep monarch declines and economic benefits, while local government groups opposed the mandate as duplicative and burdensome, and it passed to Water, Parks and Wildlife. AB 2253 would restrict deceptive recycled-content claims and mass-balance accounting practices; supporters said it would protect consumers and real recyclers, while business groups argued it would conflict with recognized accounting systems and EPR programs. The transcript also included AB 1757, which would create a limited carve-out from California’s nuclear moratorium for microreactors; supporters said it could provide clean, local power and support data centers, while opponents warned of cost, waste, and safety risks. The committee ultimately rejected AB 1757 on a divided vote, then granted reconsideration, and the discussion continued without a final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• It helps businesses verify identities with permission without compromising privacy. helps businesses
• That's why I serve this small community. People call us in the community for small things.
• That's why I serve this small community. People call us in the community for small things.
• card—I'm a business owner.
• businesses.

Bills: HB1455 , HB1777 , HB2101 , HB2136 , HB2609 , HB3142 , HB3552 , HB3846 , HB4155 , HB4514 , HB4879 , HB4995 , HB5014 , HB5139 , HB5228 , HB5436 , HCR40

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: mental health, jail diversion, law enforcement, reporting requirements, criminal justice, data collection, criminal justice reform, intellectual disability, mental illness, data reporting, public safety, reporting, substance abuse, sex offender, driver's license, identification, gunshot detection, unreported gunshots, municipal police, crime investigation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety, criminal justice, and regulatory bills. HB 4995 would create a training and certification program allowing licensed physicians and certain EMS personnel assigned to tactical units to carry firearms during high-risk deployments, with supporters saying it would let tactical medical staff protect themselves while providing immediate care; the bill was left pending. HB 2609 would repeal the failure-to-appear-or-pay/OmniBase license-hold program, with the author and advocates arguing it creates compounding debt and unnecessary barriers to driving, while judges and municipal court representatives said the program is a voluntary, cost-effective tool that improves court appearances and reduces warrants; the bill was also left pending. HB 4879 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement pay for lab testing of suspected hemp/Delta-9 THC substances, and HB 5436 would let licensed auto recyclers buy certain untitled vehicles for scrap or parts to curb illegal sales, VIN cloning, and chop shops; both measures were left pending after brief testimony in support. The committee also heard HB 1777, which would require a discrete designation on driver’s licenses and state IDs for people required to register as sex offenders. The author and supporters argued the marker would help law enforcement and businesses quickly identify potentially dangerous offenders and prevent harm, while opponents called it a stigmatizing “scarlet letter” that would increase harassment, family harm, and reintegration barriers. The bill was left pending. HB 4155 would create a two-year Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force in the Governor’s Office to study family violence homicides, gather stakeholders, and recommend policy changes; the author, HHSC, the Texas Council on Family Violence, and a survivor testified in support, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4514, which would authorize DPS to use facial image verification, with consent and privacy safeguards, to help businesses confirm identities and combat fraud; supporters from the lumber and identity-verification industries said it would reduce theft and fraud, and the bill was left pending. Finally, HB 5139 would clarify that peace officers and jailers are justified in using less lethal force weapons when acting within training and official duties; law enforcement groups supported the measure as a way to encourage use of less lethal tools without fear of prosecution, and testimony was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. of the state business tax credit of the state business tax credit eligibility<00:30:59.039
• </c> because that would have a very small because that would have a very small impact<00:39:32.200><c
• </c> the ledge asking for money for a small the ledge asking for money for a small animal<01:43:50.520
• </c><01:44:06.920><c> animal</c> they are desperate for a small animal they are desperate for a small
• </c> challenging and you know Agri Business challenging and you know Agri Business Development<01:46:

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I'm always concerned about making things so onerous that it harms our small business owners.
• </c> become onerous to these small become onerous to these small businesses. businesses. businesses.
• I think that still supports the small businesses in New Hampshire and doesn't push any, I'm concerned
• about maintaining the small businesses and not particularly because of where my district is, I don't
• </c><00:37:32.760><c> businesses</c><00:37:33.240><c> in</c> still supports the small businesses in still

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent a lot of people who are self-employed or have small businesses.
• I represent a lot of people that are self-employed or have small businesses.
• Part of my job is to represent them in front of the IRA. small businesses.
• I'm the state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, and we represent small independent
• And also, a lot of our members, small businesses, require workers to be on site, so they drive to the

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on several property and local tax bills. The main focus was H.56, the Municipal Empowerment Act, which the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, MAPC, and Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo supported as a package of local options and administrative reforms. Supporters said municipalities need more tools to relieve pressure on property taxes and fund services, citing proposed increases to local meals and lodging taxes, a new local vehicle excise surcharge, senior property tax relief, one-year override flexibility for emergencies, and central valuation of telecom and utility property by DOR. The administration said the bill was based on municipal listening sessions and was intended to give cities and towns optional, not mandatory, revenue tools. Opponents, including the National Federation of Independent Businesses, argued the tax increases would hurt restaurants, hotels, tourism, and small businesses and add to affordability concerns. The committee also heard testimony on H.3211, dealing with deeds excise receipts, from Norfolk County Commissioner Richard Staidi. He said Norfolk County is financially stable but needs additional revenue for major capital needs at its agricultural school, especially a new cafeteria and other aging facilities, and also to support county programs such as veteran transportation services. On S.2020, a bill to allow settlements of tax liability, Greater Boston Legal Services, the Asian American Civic Association, and several individual taxpayers urged creation of a more workable offer-in-compromise process at DOR. They said the current system is too subjective, requires an unaffordable $5,000 threshold, lacks clear standards and appeal rights, and leaves low-income taxpayers stuck with unmanageable debt, license suspensions, or business closures. Supporters said the bill would give both taxpayers and DOR a practical way to resolve liabilities and bring people back into compliance. The committee also took testimony on S.1966, which would require nonprofits selling property to disclose any back-tax obligations to buyers. Senator Peter Durant said the bill was prompted by a personal experience in which a tax bill arrived after a nonprofit property purchase was already completed, and he argued the disclosure would prevent buyers from being surprised by retroactive tax liability. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed the session after hearing from all scheduled witnesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota</c> small communities um small Minnesota small communities um small Minnesota communities<
• businesses.
• </c><01:29:49.760><c> from</c><01:29:50.159><c> small</c> and services for small from small and services
• for small from small businesses.<01:29:51.679><c> Um</c><01:29:52.639><c> these</c><01:29:53.040><c>
• Um these are target business businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• What other states do in terms of regulating these businesses?
• We're not going to do it with how we did business yesterday.
• We're not going to do it with how we did business yesterday.
• </c><01:38:54.119><c> that</c> a friend or whether it's a business that a friend or whether it's a business
• So this bill aims to correct that small gap.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Honorable members, my name is Hayden Meek, and I own a small business.
• HB 5. 4 cannabis policy that respects science, supports small businesses, and protects the health and
• Let's give small businesses a chance and let the free market decide.
• The other thing, and I would like to just ask you guys a question: how many small businesses do y'all
• As a small business owner, I have a retail store.

Bills: HB5

Committee: House Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the rate, that's the premium that's paid by businesses into the fund.
• In a small Florida town, there was an old bridge everyone depended on.
• We see them in the small city that I live in. We see them everywhere.
• Any other business come before the committee?
• Any other business come before the committee?

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy heard and advanced a series of bills covering transportation, unemployment benefits, public records, education, law enforcement, and health. Senator Massullo’s SB 488, the DHSMV agency package, would update fuel tax and motor carrier definitions, raise the crash-reporting damage threshold from $500 to $2,000, expand email use for certain DHSMV transactions, and align tank vehicle definitions with federal rules; SB 490 would create a related public records exemption for certain email records. Both bills were reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 892, revising enhanced sentencing procedures for repeat offenders, and SB 124, which cleans up and clarifies Florida Virtual School statutes without changing day-to-day operations. The most debated measure was SB 216, which would tighten reemployment assistance eligibility by adding work-search and interview requirements, requiring more frequent identity and eligibility verification, and expanding fraud reporting and information sharing. Supporters said the bill targets fraud and improves program integrity; opponents, including labor advocates and several senators, argued it would create burdens for legitimate claimants, especially rural residents, seniors, and workers facing layoffs, and could sharply reduce access to benefits. Despite those concerns, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 382 on e-bike safety, requiring riders to yield to pedestrians, sound an audible signal before passing, and limit speed near pedestrians, while creating a task force to study broader regulation. Testimony from a parent who lost her son in an e-scooter crash prompted discussion about whether scooters should be included in the bill. Additional bills advanced included SB 584, strengthening oversight of commercial driving schools and giving DHSMV and county tax collectors more enforcement tools; CS/SB 656, formally codifying the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force within FDLE and renaming the related grant program; and SB 816, establishing the University of Florida Diabetes Institute in statute to support research, treatment, education, and outreach. All were reported favorably with support from law enforcement, advocacy groups, and institutional representatives. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded on specific bills, and the committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• To still meet the demand of the state and businesses, it must be imported.
• a full suite of technologies, including small modular reactors.
• Chair members, this bill, I think, is so small of a step in the right direction.
• See no further business, we are adjourned. See no further business, we are... here.
• See no further business we are, here.

Committee: Senate Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard an informational presentation on transportation fuel supply in Arizona from Gordon Shemp of Nemecu Analytics. He described Arizona’s dependence on pipeline deliveries, limited terminal inventories, and the resulting vulnerability to outages and price spikes. He also discussed recent refinery closures in California, increased imports from overseas, and a proposed Kinder Morgan project that could add east-to-west capacity into Phoenix. Committee members asked about fuel formulations and how many fuel types move through the system; Shemp said the project would not change destination fuel specifications and that multiple fuel products already move through the pipelines. The committee then took up House Bill 2758, which would allow groundwater transport from the McMullen Valley basin to an initial AMA and related uses, with provisions for eligible entities, transportation fees, and water improvement programs. Supporters, including Stan Barnes, Jim Downing, and Barry Arons, argued the bill follows the 1991 transfer-basin framework, provides needed water augmentation for urban Arizona, and includes local benefits and guardrails. Opponents, including La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, Devonna Sater, and Ed Curry, said the bill would worsen groundwater decline, subsidence, and well failures in Salome and Wenden and favored rural communities being used to solve urban water shortages. The committee approved HB 2758 on a 4-3 vote. The committee also considered HB 2078, which clarifies that certain aggregate mining reclamation notice requirements apply only to new reclamation plans and new aggregate operations, not existing mines. The sponsor said the bill fixes confusion from prior legislation, and the committee passed it 5-0. HB 2031, extending the deadline for applying for a certificate of grandfathered right in the Wilcox AMA from 15 to 27 months, also passed after some members argued the extension was needed for affected applicants while others said it would delay needed protections. HB 2102, allowing county improvement districts in certain basins to use eminent domain for a well and standpipe site and to operate domestic water delivery systems, and HB 2103, allowing gifts and fee revenues to support water hauling and local water improvement programs, both passed 4-3 despite opposition that they were only partial fixes. Later, HB 2117, which increases the annual distribution cap for conservation district education centers and shifts Environmental Special Plate Fund disbursements to the Natural Resource Conservation Board, passed 5-2 after supporters called it a technical cleanup and one member objected to changing the administering entity. HB 2261, revising agricultural property tax valuation terminology and requiring income-based valuation for agricultural real property, passed 4-3 after assessors and county representatives warned it would remove agricultural improvements from the tax rolls and shift costs to homeowners, while farm groups said it would clarify and stabilize agricultural taxation. Finally, HB 2262, transferring the Resource Analysis Division from the State Land Department to the Arizona Geological Survey and changing related geospatial advisory duties, was presented with State Land Department concerns that the bill left several duties and funding questions unclear; the transcript ends before any final action on HB 2262.

Transcript Highlights:

• Wyoming's a challenging place to do business.
• So small impact there.
• employer flex spending account, so small impact there.
• Well, one of the other things that is likely happening more on the business side is that businesses make
• Auto loan interest, really small.

Summary: The Budget Section Leadership Division met with a quorum and approved the March 18 minutes. The committee first heard an update from the Petroleum Council on oil and gas activity in North Dakota. Ron Ness said production is expected to remain relatively flat at just under 1.2 million barrels per day, with efficiency gains and longer laterals helping offset lower rig counts. He discussed oil and gas prices, gas taxation, flaring concerns, northward movement of drilling activity, and the importance of new infrastructure and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) pilots. Members asked about gas taxation, natural gas liquids, pipeline impacts, and the outlook for Continental and other operators. Ness said the industry is likely to remain steady rather than see a major ramp-up or decline. Matt Pearl of the State Tax Department then explained the federal “big beautiful bill” and its effect on North Dakota income tax collections. He said the law extends or makes permanent several federal provisions and creates temporary deductions for seniors, tips, overtime, and auto loan interest, with the biggest state impact coming from the standard deduction increase and business tax changes. He revised earlier estimates downward, saying the net cash impact on state collections is likely in the $30 million to $35 million range after accounting for business prepayments and one-time FY25 oilfield transaction effects. Committee members asked which provisions apply to standard versus itemized returns. OMB staff gave a detailed update on major capital projects and facility funding. Topics included Capitol grounds improvements such as 18th-floor renovations, wayfinding, seating, lighting, tree management, and restroom and lobby upgrades; security work at the governor’s residence, which has been delayed by the discovery of human remains; and space reconfiguration efforts in Bismarck-Mandan to reduce leases and create shared offices and conference rooms. They also reported on the State Facility Maintenance Fund, including roof, window, boiler, and kitchen projects at state facilities, and on the state hospital project in Jamestown, which remains on budget and on schedule for substantial completion in winter 2027 and opening in spring 2028. OMB also updated the committee on the Minot North Central State Office Building, the use of federal State Fiscal Recovery Funds, and the status of legislative intent and trust fund reports, including school aid turnback, the school construction loan program, the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund, the Legacy Fund, and the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund. The committee ended by discussing future agenda items, including government efficiency, cash management, Bank of North Dakota lines of credit, and the rural health transformation program, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're the ones that sit across the table talking with individuals about their insurance—small business
• business owners.
• Small business owners, individual for home, auto, all lines of insurance, and the prices continue to
• business owners.
• This House has been for families, renters, nonprofits, and small business owners.

Bills: HB2255 , HB2320 , HB2548

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: litigation finance, legal funding, lawsuit, financial services, access to justice, firearm regulation, manufacturing, safety standards, background checks, license requirements, health care market standards, hospital consolidation, merger review, health care transaction notice, attorney general review, antitrust, provider organizations, hospital systems, contracting affiliation, material change

Transcript Highlights:

• The first order of business is the approval of the minutes.
• What are their costs for doing business? Mhm. Representative Ryer. Uh, thank you, Mr.
• With that, I think that really is— we do have a pretty small budget and it was pretty simple.
• And this man was in the weed business to make money.
• And with that, with no further business before the committee, we are adjourned. [Music]

Bills: HF1646 , HF2443

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to make sure that small businesses have certainty with our tax policies out there.
• </c><01:19:06.320><c> have</c> sure that small businesses have sure that small businesses have certainty
• </c> small businesses in US history. small businesses in US history.
• </c> cut and makes permanent the 199A small cut and makes permanent the 199A small business<01:46:26.960
• </c> disabilities, on behalf of small disabilities, on behalf of small businesses,<03:26:57.439><c> on

Transcript Highlights:

• Our small businesses will continue to prosper.
• Our small businesses will continue to prosper. This ends now.
• Our small businesses will continue to prosper.
• ,</c><00:33:46.960><c> there</c> every community, big and small, there every community, big and small
• </c> existing businesses in the Apex area. existing businesses in the Apex area.