Video & Transcript Research : 'voting procedures'
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MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
MS House Floor - 2 February, 2026; 2:00 PM
Mississippi House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Madam Clerk, is everyone voted? Is everyone voted? Close the machine.
- Clerk, we will follow that procedure.
- Clerk, we will follow that procedure.
Summary:
The House opened with prayer by Representative Hulum of Harrison, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. After the roll call, the chamber found a quorum present and approved dispensing with the reading of the journal. There were no select committee reports, no resolutions or memorials, and no guest introductions noted at that point. The Speaker also thanked members for their calls and prayers following the recent death of his father.
The main business of the day was procedural and organizational rather than substantive legislation. The House agreed to dispense with the reading of bill introductions, and the clerk announced a series of committee meetings scheduled for later that day and the following day. The Speaker said no floor work was expected that day, that the House would likely recess and reconvene the next afternoon, and that regular floor work would begin Wednesday morning after the committee deadline.
During member announcements, Representative Ford introduced Dr. Sarah Robertson as the doctor of the day. Other members mentioned upcoming meetings and events, including AET, the capital prayer group, Public Utilities, and primary care day. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 10:00 a.m. the next day.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits Sep 17th, 2025
JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits
Transcript Highlights:
- points out that as technology and the threat landscape changes, updated policies, standards, and procedures
- threats, as the technology and threats threat landscape changes, updated policies, standards, and procedures
- And that's a great vote of confidence for them.
- Indeed it is, and both in vote of confidence in having the independent audits by the State Auditor's
Summary:
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee held a public hearing on the State Auditor’s Office cybersecurity performance audits for fiscal year 2025, covering both state agencies and local governments. SAO staff explained that the audits are conducted independently under Initiative 900 and are kept confidential at the entity level, with detailed findings shared directly with the audited organizations. They reported that state agency audits found nearly one-third of assessed safeguards fully implemented on all systems and 227 vulnerabilities across seven agencies, including three critical and 21 high-severity issues. For seven local government cybersecurity audits, nearly a quarter of safeguards were fully implemented on all systems, and auditors identified nearly 300 vulnerabilities, including nine critical and 47 high-severity issues.
SAO also summarized its ransomware resiliency audits and critical infrastructure audits for local governments. In six ransomware audits, a little over 35% of assessed safeguards were not in place, while about 60% were at least partially in place. In 39 critical infrastructure audits, focused largely on water and sewer providers, auditors found over 260 vulnerabilities and said more than 10% were critical or high. Staff highlighted that these audits have led to improvements, including one vendor making security changes after SAO testing that were later echoed in a federal advisory. They also described related services such as cybersecurity checkups, policy guidance, and other cyber-related work by the office.
Washington Technology Solutions’ state chief information security officer, Ralph Johnson, praised the audits and said they help protect essential public services. He cited a sharp national rise in ransomware incidents against governments and said Washington has used more than $11 million in federal and state cybersecurity grant funds for over 200 projects. In response to questions from Representative Scott, SAO and WOTEC discussed options for addressing urgent vulnerabilities, including compensating controls, grant funding, and low-cost mitigation steps. The committee also discussed how Washington’s program compares nationally, with Johnson saying Initiative 900 is unusually comprehensive and that local governments often seek audits voluntarily. No votes were taken, and the hearing adjourned after public testimony was offered but none was given.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Members vote for your desk. Members, I'll give you plenty of time to get to your desk.
- You can vote from your desk. Have all members registered. Have all members registered.
- to advertise and promote charitable bingo part of the Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures
- occupational permit authorizing a fee referred to the Committee on Licensing and administrative procedures
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Members, vote from your desk. Members, I'll give you plenty of time to get to your seats.
- You can vote from your desk. Have all members registered? All right, have all members registered?
- advertise and promote charitable bingo, referred to the Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures
- occupational permit and authorizing a fee, referred to the Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
06/12/2026 - House Republican Caucus Calendar #26 & #27
Transcript Highlights:
- requires the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs and the Military Affairs Commission to adopt procedures
- This is standard procedure on sine die day. We're just getting things back and forth to the Senate.
- office when they're moving all this paperwork and preparing the bills so we can get to the floor and vote
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Imagine a scenario where a chiropractor is practicing outside of their scope, and they're doing a procedure
- Patients who choose to have surgery in an ASC arrive the day before their procedure.
- On the day of their procedure, they have their surgery in a fully equipped operating room and recover
- All you are is a facility where healthcare providers, physicians, perform whatever medical procedure
- I urge you to use your power to keep kids and my peers safe by voting in favor of SB 2024.
Keywords:
e-cigarettes, marketing prohibition, youth protection, criminal penalties, public health, school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, health care, licensing, complaint procedure, disciplinary action, law enforcement, death records, vital statistics, healthcare, trauma facility, Medicaid
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII Feb 25th, 2025
Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII
Transcript Highlights:
- from those procedures. If the question is did we engage in rulemaking, we did not.
- Determining that certain procedures should be prohibited practices in the state.
- Gender modification procedures on minors almost certainly happening at Texas Children's Hospitals.
- I think the Attorney General telling you that certain medical procedures constitute child abuse.
- I may testify as an expert and in a case on our policies and procedures as well.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Fiscal Committee (12/19/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Understand there'll be some people that will not be voting because they weren't there.
- <00:02:13.840>
because <00:02:14.080>they that will not be voting because they that - will not be voting because they weren't<00:02:14.480>
there. - Um, and we'll have a surplus of funds, which would make this vote a lot easier.
- vote a lot easier. vote a lot easier.
Summary:
The Fiscal Committee met on December 19, with Senators Long and Lang serving as replacements. The committee approved the November 21 minutes and adopted the consent calendar after removing two Department of Health and Human Services items for separate discussion. It then took up an HHS request involving nursing facility rates, where Nathan White explained that $2.2 million would be transferred from a long-term care Medicaid eligibility contract to the nursing facilities budget. He said the funds would offset an otherwise projected 3.9% average rate decrease and bring the overall average change to zero for the next six months, with rates reset again in July under state law. Members asked about the budget adjustment factor, bed counts, and whether additional funds could raise rates further; White said the factor is statutory, capped at 28.76%, and that more money would lower the factor and increase rates. The committee also corrected a date in the request from February 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026, and approved the item.
The committee next approved another HHS item related to rural health transformation grants. Members confirmed the request covered the full amount applied for this biennium, and asked about the technology component. HHS said the grant is not solely about AI, but about broader technology improvements such as electronic medical records, back-end systems, and tools to improve access and sustainability in underserved areas. The committee approved that item as well.
The Judicial Council then requested funds for contract attorneys providing indigent defense on a fixed-fee basis. The council said current funds had already been exhausted and that the new appropriation would be used immediately. Members questioned the size of the request and the number of people awaiting counsel; the council reported about 150 incarcerated people and about 300 non-incarcerated people waiting for counsel, more than in recent years. It attributed the increase to competition for attorneys, public defender offices closing intake in some locations because of caseload limits, and broader case and court-system changes. One member raised constitutional concerns about delays in counsel for incarcerated defendants. The committee ultimately amended the request downward to $1 million, approved it, and then approved a motion to place several annual financial reports on file and release them to the public when available. The committee also discussed dashboard reporting from HHS, asking for more detail on community mental health center caseloads and budget-reduction information, and HHS agreed to provide more useful monthly detail.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Legislative Ethics Commission (11-18-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- "The policies and procedures as well.
- and procedure manual and the training. and procedure manual and the training.
- We followed the rules of civil procedure.
- I followed them by civil procedure.
- procedure to be followed. procedure to be followed.
Summary:
The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission met on November 18, 2025, approved the October 14 minutes, and then took up five motions in ethics matters 24LEC3 and 24LEC6. Those motions included a renewed motion to dismiss and motion to quash by Representative Daniel Gberg, a renewed motion to compel/sanctions and continuance request by Mr. Jenkins, and competing motions in limine concerning evidence and redaction of deposition transcripts. Vice Chair Mike Schaw was appointed hearing officer for the motion practice, and the commission agreed to hear the motions one at a time in open session. Representative Chris Lily joined later by Zoom.
Counsel for Representative Gberg argued the remaining allegations were minor, that the commission lacked key exculpatory materials such as an alleged LRC report, policies, procedures, and training materials, and that the record did not support the ethics charges. She also argued the case had been broadened by extraneous allegations and that the respondent had been unfairly prejudiced. Enforcement counsel responded that he had produced all materials in his possession, that any LRC materials were not in the commission’s custody, and that the commission’s probable-cause findings were based on sworn testimony and affidavits already in the record. He argued the motions to dismiss and for summary judgment should be denied because genuine issues of material fact remained and the commission had already found probable cause on three ethics violations.
Commission members questioned both sides about the alleged LRC report and whether it was part of the commission’s record. The chair stated the commission had not relied on any LRC report and had not withheld anything, while another member emphasized that the proceeding concerned alleged violations of the ethics code, not LRC sexual-harassment policy. A commissioner also noted the unusual structure of the proceeding and questioned whether the complaints, taken as true, stated a basis for dismissal. The transcript ends during continued discussion of the standard for dismissal and summary judgment, with no final ruling on the motions captured in the excerpt.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- You have a 25th vote, I believe. Thank you, Mr. President.
- This was passed last session about ranked choice voting.
- Fourteen states have already banned ranked choice voting.
- my partner, and we’re voting together today on this bill.
- Alvarado, Bettencourt, Birdwell. 11 yes votes, 20 no votes. The amendment fails.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, received a House message announcing passage of H.B. 500, and a gubernatorial nomination for the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority Board. The chamber adopted several resolutions, including SR 409 recognizing Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, SR 402 honoring the discovery of the woolly devil plant at Big Bend National Park, and recognitions for Operation Christmas RGV and Wilson County Day. The Senate also heard an announcement that the Committee on Senate Nominations action report had been placed on members’ desks.
The body then took up and passed several bills. SB 2365 was passed to prohibit personal wireless communication devices by public school students during instructional time, with exceptions for health, special education, and safety needs. SB 1869 was passed to reaffirm the DSHS commissioner’s authority over controlled-substance schedule changes without rulemaking or judicial review. SB 1124 was passed to revise criminal discovery procedures in response to the Heath decision, with supporters saying it preserves exculpatory evidence protections while limiting suppression of inculpatory evidence when the defense already knew of it. SB 1758 was passed to create a Grayson County pilot study and temporary permitting hold concerning a cement kiln/quarry near a semiconductor wafer facility, and SB 2078 was passed to regulate composting in certain counties, after a clarifying amendment.
The Senate also passed SB 33, barring governmental entities from transactions that support abortion assistance or out-of-state abortion procurement; SB 34, expanding wildfire preparedness measures, studies, equipment databases, and rural fire department funding; SB 1208, increasing the penalty for interference with public duties from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony; SB 1030, removing the maintenance, repair, and overhaul tax for general aviation; SB 505, creating processes to address election irregularities; SB 2411, updating the Business Organizations Code and changing filing-method requirements; and SB 1333, addressing unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, or conveyance of real property. Most measures advanced on voice vote or recorded roll call after motions to suspend the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule, with several members raising questions or objections, especially on the criminal justice, abortion, and public duties bills.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select Aug 5th, 2025
Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select
Transcript Highlights:
- At this hearing, I intend on voting these bills out, whether or not the House has a quorum.
- Also, Representative Darby, because you voted to pass 2701 out of the House, and we really appreciate
- Ten years ago, the population, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure, was five It's been moved,
- I intend on voting on some of these bills we heard.
- I will be voting those out; this committee will be voting them out in anticipation of a...
Keywords:
emergency communication, interoperability, grant program, first responders, state council, disaster response, emergency management, mass fatality, justices of the peace, training programs, emergency manager license, volunteer management, justice of the peace training, criminal history checks, state health services, broadband, public safety, disaster preparedness, funding, flood disaster plan
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- We're going to go ahead and vote on this. OK. Members, we'll proceed to vote.
- Senator Paxton, do you want to be shown as voting for...?
- Yeah, first off, we recognize you being present and then we're voting aye on the...
- And without objection, Senator Paxton is shown voting present on— I mean voting yes on House Bill 9 and
- services, observing the population almost reaching the threshold to require a vote.
Bills:
SB1331, SB1375, SB1443, SB1578, SB2251, SB2519, SB2553, SB2655, SB2764, SB2907, SB3030, SB3033, SB3035, SB3036, SB3037, SB3043, SB3047, SB3050, SB3051, SB3056, SB3057, SB3063, HB9, HB467, HB331, HB1244, HB1399, HB2559, HB2730, HB3307, HJR1, HJR99, SB3048, SB3052, SB3053, SJR78, HB1327, HB2723, HB9, HJR1
Keywords:
civil service, firefighters, police officers, municipalities, local government, repeal, voter petition, health care, provider participation, continuation programs, population-based regulation, health care provider participation, Medicaid, hospital funding, voluntary compliance, mandatory payments, public health, healthcare program, county participation, nonpublic hospitals
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
EDN Public Hearing - Tue Feb 3, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Transcript Highlights:
- Chair and Vice Chair vote aye. Any members voting no? Any members voting with reservation?
- Chair and Vice Chair vote aye. Any members voting no? Any members voting with reservation?
- Chair and Vice Chair vote aye. Any members voting no? Any members voting with reservation?
- Chair and Vice Chair vote aye. Any members voting no? Any members voting with reservation?
- Chair and Vice Chair vote aye. Any members voting no? Any members voting with reservation?
Summary:
The committee on Education heard testimony on HB 1895, which would add education-worker protections by expanding harassment-related offenses. The Department of Education, HSTA, HGA, and several school employees and principals testified in support, describing increased harassment and threats toward teachers and staff, especially since COVID, and saying the bill would help deter bad actors. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, saying the language was vague and overbroad, could criminalize ordinary parental advocacy or speech, and might not survive constitutional scrutiny. In response to questions, the public defender said existing statutes already cover threatening or assaultive conduct against educational workers, while DOE representatives said the bill was aimed at excessive and repetitive disruptive behavior. No vote or final action was taken in the excerpt.
The committee then took up HB 1592, concerning protections for educational workers and sports officials. DOE, the Charter School Commission, HGA, HSTA, school principals, athletic programs, and many individual testifiers supported the bill, with several describing threats, harassment, and aggressive behavior at schools and athletic events. One principal said he had repeatedly involved law enforcement after threats and incidents on campus, and a teacher testified about the need to keep school environments safe and orderly. The Office of the Public Defender again opposed the bill, arguing that current law already enhances penalties for assaults and terroristic threatening against educational workers and sports officials, and that new offenses would have little deterrent effect. Committee members questioned whether the bill should be a separate statute and how to distinguish passionate advocacy from harassment; DOE said the line was crossed when conduct became excessive and repetitive, while the public defender urged clearer drafting and more emphasis on prevention, education, security, and de-escalation. No vote or final action was announced in the excerpt.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Have you all voted? Have you all voted? Thank you. Have you all voted?
- Speaker, I vote aye. Representative Martinez votes aye. Have you all voted?
- I urge a no vote on H.C.M. 2008. How do you vote? I vote no. Representative Kupper votes no.
- The House will now proceed to vote. We all voted. Have you all voted?
- Are you done with your vote? I vote no. Have you done with your vote? I vote no.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- I mean basically, I think that's standard procedure. But yes, and I think...
- The bill received a vote of 32...
- I did vote for your substitute to be adopted for us to vote on, but I would just like to ask you on behalf
- vote on it.
- Uh, the vote is 29 ayes. Mr. Williams. 29 no.
Bills:
SJR 1, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 36, SJR 1, SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40, SR 61, SR 91, SR 97, SR 103, SR 104, SR 112, SR 115, SR 116, SCR 16, SB 26, SB 26
Keywords:
bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform, Texas Music Advocacy Day, music industry
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- The bill was voted out of House General and Housing favorably on a vote of 10-0-1, and we respectfully
- The bill was voted out of House General and Housing favorably on a vote of 10-0-1, and we respectfully
- The bill was voted out of House General and Housing favorably on a vote of 10-0-1, and we respectfully
- Uh, straw poll vote, not an official, but a straw poll vote of 9-0-2.
- Madam Speaker, the committee voted Madam Speaker, the committee voted 11-0-0<01:15:12.400>
in
Summary:
The House opened with a devotional and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through first readings and referrals of several bills. House Bill 950, the pay act for certain state employees, was read and referred to Appropriations, and House Bill 951, the government appropriations bill, was read and referred to Ways and Means. Senate bills referred included S. 138 on commercial property assessed clean energy projects, S. 181 on eliminating a pre-sentence investigation requirement for deferred sentences, S. 206 on licensure of early childhood educators, S. 219 on an energy navigator program report, S. 239 on the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group, and S. 291 on travel disclosures for legislators and certain executive officers, each sent to the appropriate committee.
The chamber also read several House concurrent resolutions adopted on the consent calendar. These included resolutions congratulating Rice Memorial High School’s Division Two girls soccer team and Division One field hockey team, designating March 2026 as Athletic Trainers Month in Vermont, and remembering the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan. The Japan remembrance resolution included a message from the Japanese consul general expressing gratitude for Vermont’s solidarity and friendship after the disaster.
Later, members offered announcements recognizing guests in the gallery, including Rice Memorial athletes and coaches, representatives of the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers, and students and teachers from Pondbrook and Sterling College. The House also heard a detailed floor speech in support of House Bill 861, which would establish a statewide Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. The sponsor described accessibility barriers faced by disabled Vermonters, argued that ADA responsibilities are currently uneven across state government, and said a coordinator would improve coordination, compliance, and access across agencies. The House then announced the order of upcoming bills, starting with H. 861 and H. 931, but no final vote on H. 861 was taken in the portion provided.
SC
Transcript Highlights:
- Votes aye. Senator Clymer votes aye. Senator Bennett votes aye.
- Senator Devine votes no. The Divine votes no. Senator Cash votes no. Senator Sabb votes aye.
- All senators voted. Senator Bright votes no. Senator Grooms votes aye. Senator Stubbs votes aye.
- Votes no. Mr. Young. Votes aye. Mr. Zell. Aye. All senators voted. Senator Clymer votes aye.
- Votes aye. Votes aye. Senator Bright votes aye. Further members wishing to cast your vote.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- We are going to begin our hearing today by laying out our pending business and voting on bills.
- I urge you to vote in support. Thank you. Thank you.
- I respectfully ask for your vote.
- I implore you to vote yes on HB 426. Thank you. of yourself and you're for the bill.
- What's the procedure that happens if they're guilty?
Bills:
HB2646, HB3941, HB5153, HB5155, HB5394, HB 1106, HB426, HB4529, HB3984, HB4273, HB 1097, HB3940, HB1941, HB4377, HB3153
Keywords:
child care, task force, high-quality care, affordability, prekindergarten partnerships, foster care, transitional living, Medicaid reform, youth assistance, independent living, services for youth, employment training, educational support, mental health services, health care, public health, child health program, reimbursement, local health entities, maternal health
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Committee of Conference on HB 155, HB 1102, HB 1109, HB 1356, HB 1469, HB 1323, HB 1376 (05/26/2026)
Transcript Highlights:
- . >> We can vote. >> So, yeah, we should take a vote.
- >> We<00:10:13.120>
can <00:10:13.519>vote. >> We can vote. - >> We can vote.
- As much as I votes to get it passed.
- The votes um in the House or the Senate.
Keywords:
9:00am HB 155
9:30am HB 1102
10:30am HB 1109
11:00am HB 1356
11:30am HB 1469
1:00pm HB 1323
2:00pm HB 1376, 928, house, all
Summary:
The meeting began with unanimous committee approval of amendment 2026-2021S to HB 2. Senator Lang explained the amendment corrected a drafting error so that $2.5 million in state funds, matched with federal money for a total of $5 million, could be spent during the biennium rather than lapse at the end of the fiscal year. The money is intended to stabilize Medicaid per diem rates for county nursing homes, and members agreed without objection to adopt the amendment and continue working from the bill as amended by the Senate.
The committee then discussed HB 155 and a proposed amendment, 2026-201H, dealing with the business enterprise tax. The House side described the proposal as a compromise that would raise the filing threshold from $250,000 to $375,000 and create a trigger that would reduce the BET rate by 0.05% for each $100 million in combined business tax surplus, down to a floor of 0.25%. Senate members opposed lowering the rate at this time, arguing that tax relief should focus on the filing threshold, which they said would remove filing burdens for about 3,500 small businesses, and that rate cuts should be considered in a budget cycle rather than an off-year. Concerns were raised that one-time revenues, such as tax amnesty receipts or federal repatriation-related surpluses, could unintentionally trigger reductions.
Representative Sweeney later offered a revised approach by moving the effective date of the trigger mechanism to January 1, 2028, and said he was also willing to carve out tax amnesty revenues or adjust the effective date to avoid using one-time funds. The Senate remained unwilling to agree to a rate reduction, though it expressed openness to raising the filing threshold further. The committee ultimately did not resolve the business tax issue and recessed to continue discussions at a later time.
The final item discussed was HB 1102, concerning an increase in the research and development tax credit paired with changes to state park fees. House members supported the R&D credit increase but opposed tying it to higher park fees, citing concerns about tourism, especially at border parks, and noting that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources had said it did not need the increase. Senate members defended the park fee changes as a fairness issue, arguing that New Hampshire residents should pay less than out-of-state visitors and that the department had not raised rates in many years. No vote was taken on this item during the discussion captured here.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency Jun 30th, 2026
Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- have the entity provide us what the full cost would be if the full program was implemented before we voted
- So the plan is that we'll come back to legislative procedure arrangements at their next meeting.
- So the plan is that we'll come back to legislative procedure arrangements at their next meeting.
- Perhaps when they present the report to Legislative Arrangements and Procedures, we should be invited
- Well, they're not presented to Legislative Procedure and Arrangements, I don't think, right?
Summary:
The task force first approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, including a correction removing language that suggested the auditor’s office would contract with a security vendor. Members then moved to a bill draft on concessions (LC 27.0161.00000), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, clarify that proceeds go to the entity’s operating fund or general fund, and make other technical updates. OMB explained the draft and answered questions about scope, fragmentation, vendor restrictions, school districts, and whether concession proceeds could be directed to nonprofits; OMB said the draft could be refined further, including clarifying covered entities and contract length. No vote was taken on the draft during the discussion.
OMB also reported on other survey items. It said a proposal to broadly allow agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering/land surveying vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is working well for the agencies that already have it. On legal notices, OMB said it has been working with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernization, including an ADA-compliant online notice system and possible statutory updates to reflect changing technology and notice definitions. On click-through agreements for routine IT purchases, OMB and the Attorney General’s office said policy clarification—not statutory change—was enough, and the $20,000 threshold was intended to distinguish low-dollar adhesive contracts from purchases where terms can be negotiated.
The committee also heard that OMB and the Center for Distance Education had resolved questions about alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures through existing policy, so no statutory changes were needed there. North Dakota University System representatives gave a brief update on ongoing collaboration with OMB on statutory efficiency ideas, including concessions and surplus property. Finally, the task force discussed a draft on requirements for new or expanded spending programs, which would require agencies to identify purpose, expected benefits, alternatives, success measures, and full implementation costs, and would require reporting on outcomes over time. Members debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how to use the new program evaluators, whether real-time dashboards should be used, and how to choose which programs to evaluate; staff from Legislative Council said they would work with OMB and the auditor’s office to revise the draft and process.