Transcript Highlights:

• I have served in a combat zone.
• I have served in a combat zone.
• What schools are here? Madam Chair, I am the only fourth grader from Chaparral.
• We're rarely having any interaction as a school board member.
• If we go back in time, does any of the school funding change?

Bills: SB104, SJR3, SM3

Keywords: wildlife commission, removal procedures, malfeasance, appointed officials, governance, education reform, public education, state board of education, superintendent, chartering authority, constitutional amendment, policy setting, insects, insect workshop, insect identification, ecology, monitoring, management, pollinators, pollination

Transcript Highlights:

• We again open a public hearing on Senate Bill 404 relative to economic revitalization zone tax credits
• tax credits and revitalization zone tax credits and recognize<00:11:00.079> the<00:11:00.240>
• Change is much slower than that when it comes to these zones that they're creating and all that is me
• just making sure they still meet the criteria to be a zone.
• these zones and the relatively<00:15:22.240> small<00:15:22.880> increase<00:15:23.199

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• area in relation to motor vehicle dealer and manufacturer licensing and driving under the influence schools
• We've seen so many areas in our state that were flooded in a non-flood zone.
• That would be consistent with that particular special flood zone. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Finance and Tax met and first considered CS for SB 1290, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency package. The bill would align Florida law with IFTA and federal motor carrier rules, raise the crash-reporting damage threshold from $500 to $2,000, define “economically disadvantaged area,” update registration and email-notice procedures, and revise the definition of tank vehicles. An amendment was adopted to allow nonprofits to perform VIN inspections under an MOU and to create a DV-embossed specialty plate option for eligible disabled veterans. The bill, as amended, was reported favorably. The committee then passed SB 1292, which exempts certain email addresses collected by DHSMV for notification purposes from public records disclosure. The committee also considered two flood-resiliency measures by Senator DeSantis/DeSigley. SJR 174 would amend the Florida Constitution to allow the Legislature to exclude from assessed value improvements made to mitigate flood damage, with the proposed amendment to appear on the 2026 ballot. SB 176 provided the implementing details, including eligibility tied to flood-risk areas or prior flood damage, square-footage limits for rebuilt or elevated homesteads, and documentation requirements for property appraisers. Members asked about how rebuilding and square-footage caps would work, and the sponsor explained the intent was to encourage elevation and resiliency without allowing major expansion. A technical amendment was adopted to SB 176, and both measures were reported favorably. After the bills, staff director Azar Khan gave a brief presentation on the latest General Revenue conference results, noting collections were running ahead of forecast and explaining the main forecast adjustments, including increases in sales tax and investment earnings and a reduction in corporate income tax projections. No questions were raised on the presentation. The committee then noted that additional bills were still moving through earlier committees, invited members to follow up with staff, and adjourned without any recorded votes beyond the committee actions on the bills and amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• combining a two-school vacation period with some volunteer work.
• <03:03:24.399> janitor make that work with his school janitor make that work with his school
• > situation are or a different time zone situation are or a different time zone situation where
• <03:21:09.760> We We're not changing the time zone. We would still be Eastern Time Zone.
• war zone without a formal declaration. war zone without a formal declaration.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But you'd at least have to vote in your zone or something.
• I love my school, and I'm so grateful to get the education I've received.
• a school board member should be focused on.
• And not just in private schools, but even in public schools, to try to find a way to tap into that market
• I have recruited three high school students.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• zone and all those kinds of things.
• zone and all those kinds of things.
• an<00:15:56.800> hour<00:15:56.880> in<00:15:57.040> a<00:15:57.360> school
• <00:15:57.600> zone<00:15:57.839> and 150 miles an hour in a school zone and 150 miles
• an hour in a school zone and all<00:15:58.240> those<00:15:58.399> kinds<00:15:58.639>

Bills: SB2004, SB2039, SB2042, SB2043, SB2044, SB2132

Keywords: outdoor advertising, billboards, public safety, penalties, community pollution, elections, campaign finance, business entities, political activity, regulation, liability, non-natural persons, insurance, captives, examination, regulations, policyholders, dormant captive, tax exemption, Hawaii revised statutes

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee opened its first hearing of the year with remarks from Chair Jared Kohole outlining hearing procedures, a two-minute testimony limit, rules for remote testimony and decorum, and a revised testimony-publication pilot that keeps 96-hour notice but returns to a standard 24-hour testimony deadline. He then moved through the agenda, beginning with SB 2004 on outdoor advertising, which would increase penalties for violations of billboard and outdoor advertising laws. Testimony on that measure was limited; Henry Curtis of Life of the Land was first up, and written support was noted from Hawaiian Electric and the Outdoor Circle. The committee then heard SB 2039 on election campaign finance, which would prohibit certain business entities from engaging in campaign finance activities. The Attorney General’s office offered comments and did not take a formal position at the hearing. Several proponents testified in support, including Josh Frost, Tom Moore of the Center for American Progress, Hapa/Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, and Common Cause Hawaiʻi, all arguing the bill would curb corporate and dark-money influence and return elections to the people. Moore distinguished between regulating corporate “rights” and limiting corporate “powers,” and said the state can redefine the powers it grants corporations. In questions, Senator McKelvey asked whether the bill could be expanded to include unions; the Attorney General said he would need to get back with legal analysis, while Moore said his preferred approach would include all entities and that leaving out nonprofits or unions would create problems. Members also discussed whether the bill would affect PACs, and Moore explained that the proposal would prohibit corporate and dark-money flows into PACs while leaving individual political giving and existing political committees in place. The committee then moved on to the next measure. SB 2042, relating to insurance, was heard next. The bill would reduce the unimpaired minimum capital and surplus required of class 4 sponsored captive insurance companies under certain circumstances. The DCCA Insurance Division said it stood on its written testimony, and the Hawaii Captive Insurance Council testified in support, describing the change as a narrow, risk-based adjustment that would not affect the commissioner’s authority where actual risk resides and would help keep Hawaii competitive. The committee noted additional written support and proceeded without a vote or final action in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <04:03:59.560> in uh 55 through a 35 mph Zone in uh 55 through a 35 mph Zone in Washington
• I'm a senior at Newfound Regional High School.
• Within a couple of weeks, those kids were back at school.
• police officer I would go to the school police officer I would go to the school often<05:32:34.160
• high school and the child in high school high school and the child in high school says<05:42:30.958

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:55.440> numerous Services numerous School numerous Services numerous School numerous
• 57.920> 640 schools bethley University and 640 schools bethley University and 640 residential<
• <00:42:15.079> I surprise I mean maybe in high school I surprise I mean maybe in high school
• lamberton's future the new school lamberton's future the new school represents<01:20:52.159>
• school<01:31:44.400> students<01:31:44.800> volunteered closed high school students

Bills: HF220, HF230, HF240, HF241, HF295, HF429, HF490, HF505, HF574, HF576, HF581, HF865, HF918, HF1085, HF1449, HF1452, HF1454, HF602

Keywords: HF220, Minnesota transportation, highway user tax distribution fund, trunk highway fund, Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT, transportation finance, dedicated funds, funding restrictions, arts in transportation, cultural strategies, transportation project planning, project design, project construction, placemaking, public art, infrastructure spending, state statutes 161.045, HF230, Wyoming

Transcript Highlights:

• clarify the relationship between the Office of Cannabis Management and local governments regarding zoning
• and schools and everything else<01:41:27.640> where<01:41:27.800> we<01:41:27.920>
• :43:15.640> complies<01:43:16.080> with<01:43:16.200> local<01:43:16.480> zoning
• fail complies with local zoning fail complies with local zoning ordinances,<01:43:17.840> the
• code with building code with zoning code with building code with zoning ordinances<01:45:01.720>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oceti Sakowin Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, and High Schools.
• like, oh, school, you're in A school, B school, C school, F school, and then you see these schools Decline
• Schools.
• They bounce from school to school.
• And when you look at those. schools peoples in those areas when you say private school charter school

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, that revenue goes right back into schools and infrastructure and services.
• Are there schools in which we can help support that?
• I'm from Houston and we don't have zoning in Houston.
• We don't have zoning in Houston, so they just drop it in, mostly in the minority community.
• zoned in Round Rock and, you know, the city was publishing their metered rates.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of these schools are really, really struggling right now.
• A lot of these schools are really, really struggling right now.
• Eastern Oregon University's enrollment is less than Hermiston High School. School.
• Blue Mountain Community College's enrollment is less than Hermiston High School.
• And Madam Co-Chair, as you know, I live in one of the fire zones.

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The Emergency Board met on June 17, 2026, and approved a series of subcommittee recommendations, mostly on consent, related to federal grant applications, agency funding adjustments, and position authority. Early actions included approval of four federal grant applications from natural resources agencies, three public safety grant applications, a one-time increase for Judicial Department court security, retroactive approval for an AmeriCorps volunteer-generation grant, and a $7.5 million allocation to Southern Oregon University from a special appropriation for short-term financial stability. Members supporting the SOU item emphasized the university’s structural deficits, declining enrollment, and the need for a long-term higher education plan; several members voted no or raised concerns about sustainability, but the motion passed. The board also approved a federal apprenticeship expansion grant for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, a school nutrition equipment grant for the Department of Education, and an Oregon Health Authority request tied to Medicaid community engagement requirements under H.R. 1. Public safety items included funding for Oregon Military Department readiness facilities, a report on the stalled juvenile justice information system modernization project with a follow-up viability report due in 2026, and a statewide evacuation planning tool for emergency management. The evacuation tool drew strong support as a wildfire preparedness measure, with members noting it could significantly reduce alert times and save lives. A major point of debate was the Department of Justice request to add 16 permanent positions and increase other funds limitation for antitrust enforcement. Supporters argued the federal government has pulled back and Oregon needs capacity to pursue active cases and protect consumers; opponents objected to the process, the size of the expansion, and the incentive structure tied to settlements and awards. Despite those concerns, the motion passed. The board also approved Water Resources Department requests for the Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement program, an assistant water master position in Washington County, and federal funding for Lower Umatilla Basin groundwater data collection. The water master item prompted questions about county cost shifts, but staff said the position would remain externally funded and would not be filled without those resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• school their normal job? school their normal job?
• There are also special funds for each school. The school does have a school community council.
• the needs of each individual school. the needs of each individual school.
• for school bus drivers and for school for school bus drivers and for school events<00:45:45.599>
• safe for their children to go to school. safe for their children to go to school.

Bills: HB1977, HB1764, HB1934, HB2533, HB1790, HB2181, HB1870, HB2140, HB2468, HB2358, HB1588, HB1688, HB1986, HB2030, HB2195, HB1949, HB1695, HB1950, HB2094, HB2115, HB2297, HB2336, HB2416, HB2049

Keywords: maternal health, infant health, mobile application, Medicaid, healthcare access, state programs, music education, public concerts, Hawaii State Library, cultural collaboration, music accessibility, libraries, education, reading programs, early childhood, nonprofit, community engagement, teacher retention, Hawaiian language education, special needs schools

Transcript Highlights:

• the safe school resour routes to school the safe school resour routes to school um<00:27:42.840>
• zones as designated by the State Routes School Advisory Committee, establishes requirements for the
• zones as designated by the State Routes School Advisory Committee, establishes requirements for the
• zones as designated by the State Routes School Advisory Committee, establishes requirements for the
• by the state routes zones as designated by the state routes to<01:02:07.680> school<01:02:07.960

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation heard several bills on March 11, including measures on harbor vessel requirements, transportation funding, clean fuels, water carriers, parking enforcement, and electric mobility. For SB 1402 SD1 on vessels in state commercial harbors, testimony was split: the General Contractors Association of Hawaii and the Longline Association supported it, while Hol Holo Charters and one individual opposed it, saying the bill should be more specific about tourboat operators. For SB 1473 on central services assessments, SB 321 on privately owned roads, and SB 419 on insurance coverage for child passenger restraint systems, the committee heard brief testimony with no noted objections or actions beyond moving through the agenda. For SB 1009 SD2 on parking, the bill would create fines for misuse of disability and EV parking spaces and direct the revenue to the Safe Routes to School special fund. Support came from Ulupono Initiative, Climate Protectors Hawaii, the Disability Communication Access Board, and others, while the Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported the bill’s intent but questioned using the fines for Safe Routes to School, and Hawaiian Electric suggested directing EV-related fines to the EV charging system subaccount instead. Hawaii Appleseed supported the measure but raised concerns about the size of the fines and possible impacts on low-income residents. The committee asked questions about enforcement when EV chargers are inoperable; DAGS indicated the stalls could be used and would not be enforced in that situation. For SB 1120 on a clean fuel standard, the Department of Transportation supported the measure but asked for the implementation date to be delayed by one year and requested an independent Hawaii-specific economic impact study due before the next session. Support also came from several transportation, airline, and industry groups, while Tim Rhymer and Frank Schultz opposed it. The committee then heard SB 21 on water carriers, which would authorize a PUC inflationary cost index adjustment mechanism and exemptions; DOT, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Young Brothers, and the Hawaii Harbors Users Group supported it, while Frank Schultz opposed. Finally, the committee heard SB 117 on electric mobility, which would expand and rename the rebate program, set age limits and operating rules for e-bikes and electric motorcycles, require insurance for electric motorcycle operators, and make conforming changes. Testimony was largely supportive, including from DOT, the Hawaii Bicycling League, the Queen’s pediatric trauma center, and Ulupono Initiative, though one testifier warned that the bill’s wattage definition could unintentionally capture some pedal-assist e-bikes. No votes were taken on the individual bills in the portions shown, and the transcript ended with the committee continuing its hearing agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• To go into their schools, you need to have affordable and reliable power, and sometimes that's going
• I'm a mom, a grandma, a retired high school science teacher, and I'm not a paid lobbyist.
• I'm a mom, a grandma, a retired high school science teacher, and I'm not a paid lobbyist.
• I'm a mom, a grandma, a retired high school science teacher, and I'm not a paid lobbyist.
• mom a grandma a retired High School mom a grandma a retired High School science<00:29:05.640>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And is kind of where the danger zone is?
• and zoning.
• In 1986, she was a senior at the high school in her town.
• I hated every second of high school because of my breasts.
• high school because of my breasts. high school because of my breasts.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think schools are busy.
• We've never talked about school. They brought school debt up, but that's a separate issue.
• The school said it was 200.
• the school debt?
• the school debt?

Summary: The committee convened, approved the prior meeting minutes, and received a memo summarizing major audit items. The State Auditor’s office and outside auditors then presented a series of audits, many of which were clean with unmodified opinions and no findings, including the Bank of North Dakota, the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the Office of the Governor, the State Treasurer, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Quality, Lake Region State College, and the Office of the Governor. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association audit was also clean overall, but it repeated findings about limited segregation of duties and auditor assistance in preparing financial statements, which the auditor said were expected to continue because of the organization’s small size. Committee members asked about out-of-state board addresses, and the association explained those members were North Dakota residents using South Dakota mailing addresses. Several audits did include findings. The Council on the Arts audit identified two issues: payroll charged to federal awards without supporting time records, and $12,825 in Cultural Endowment Fund spending that was not allowable under state law, including staff training, retreats, and executive director candidate travel. The Department of Public Instruction audit found unsupported scholarship applications in the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, but additional testing confirmed the funds were credited properly and students completed required school district work, so no improper payments were identified. The University of North Dakota audit found a lack of documentation and transparency in School of Law admissions decisions; the auditor said the law school used a holistic process but did not keep notes or evaluation tools to show why applicants were admitted, waitlisted, or denied. UND leadership said the school is in good standing with the American Bar Association and agreed better documentation is needed, and the auditor said the issue was the missing documentation, not ABA accreditation itself. The most extensive discussion centered on the North Dakota Racing Commission audit, which found four findings: overspending the promotion fund’s 25% operating cap, grant conditions not being met, improper breeder fund awards, and improper procurement. The auditor said promotion fund spending exceeded the cap by $327,447 and the fund balance dropped sharply over the audit period. Racing Commission director Bruce Johnson said the agency had become complacent, that grant requests were treated as routine, and that controls and documentation need to be tightened. He also explained that the breeder fund overpayments involved two horses whose ownership transfers were not properly documented before racing, and that the procurement issue stemmed from an advertising contract that proceeded without proper written procurement procedures after a misunderstanding with the State Procurement Office. The auditor said the Racing Commission will now be audited every two years because of the findings. The committee also received updates on Dakota College at Bottineau’s bank reconciliations, which Minot State University said had been brought current after an 18-month backlog, with only one account still needing cleanup; members asked for a written report on the corrective actions. The North Dakota Fair Foundation was reported to have dissolved, with remaining funds transferred to another nonprofit account for continued support of the state fair. Finally, the Department of Public Instruction provided an update on school meal debt, revising the earlier estimate to about $1.1 million based on incomplete district survey responses, and said the Anti-Lunch Shaming law likely increased meal debt because schools must feed students regardless of account balance. Members discussed the need for a more accurate year-end debt figure and possible future reporting at a later committee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think schools are busy. Mr.
• We've never talked about school debt. They brought school debt up, but that's a separate issue.
• We've never talked about school debt. They brought school debt up, but that's a separate issue.
• The school said it was 200.
• the school debt?

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, lived in Nashua since 1981, was on the school board in Nashua for eight years.
• Um, I've worked at the polls in Nashua and um been involved with PTOs, the schools volunteer programs
• the Town Council level and at the school the Town Council level and at the school budget<00:12:25.839
• I've also had 30 years of military, and 30 years of zoning and planning under my belt.
• I've also had 30 years of military, and 30 years of zoning and planning under my belt.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Public Works and Highways Committee held an orientation meeting focused on introducing members, outlining committee norms, and hearing an overview from the Department of Transportation. Chair David Mills emphasized the committee’s long-standing bipartisan working style, asked members to share contact information for short-notice scheduling, and noted that the committee would need to complete as much work as possible before the building is vacated later in the year. Members introduced themselves and described backgrounds in engineering, construction, planning, local government, military service, education, and business. Several members highlighted prior service on planning boards, school boards, zoning boards, or in transportation-related fields as relevant to the committee’s work. Members repeatedly described the committee as collegial and nonpartisan, with most bills going to the consent calendar. The chair also noted that the committee’s work centers on state infrastructure, including roads, bridges, highways, and buildings. Representative Cluder, the ranking member, and others echoed that the committee is effective because it talks issues through and resolves disagreements collaboratively. One member mentioned a recent trip that reinforced the importance of infrastructure resilience after storms and rebuilding efforts in other states. Department of Transportation officials, led by Assistant Commissioner and Chief Engineer David Rodrig, gave a detailed organizational and operational overview. They described DOT’s structure, mission of “transportation excellence,” and major responsibilities across highways, bridges, rail, transit, aeronautics, maintenance, and administration. Rodrig reported 1,651 permanent positions and 404 vacancies, 2,160 state bridges with 115 on the Red List, 4,600 centerline miles of roadway, 25 public airports, 11 transit systems, and 194 active state-owned rail lines. He also outlined FY 2024 spending, project development activity, highway maintenance operations, fleet and fuel systems, and the distinction between the highway fund and DOT’s budget, including the role of federal funds and the turnpike enterprise fund. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on during this orientation meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think schools are busy. Mr.
• We've never talked about school debt. They brought school debt up, but that's a separate issue.
• We've never talked about school. They brought school debt up, but that's a separate issue.
• The school said it was 200.
• the school debt?”

Summary: The committee was called to order, the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer were offered, and the minutes from the previous meeting were approved. Members then received a memo summarizing major audit items and began hearing audit presentations from the State Auditor’s Office and private auditors on a range of state agencies and organizations. Several audits were reported as clean, including the Bank of North Dakota, the North Dakota Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the Office of the Governor, the Office of the State Treasurer, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Transportation’s flexible transportation fund, Lake Region State College, and the Department of Environmental Quality. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association also received an unmodified opinion, though repeat findings were noted for limited segregation of duties and financial statement preparation due to its small staff. The Council on the Arts audit found two findings: payroll charged to federal awards without adequate timekeeping records, and unallowable expenditures from a restricted cultural endowment fund. The Department of Public Instruction audit identified unsupported scholarship applications in the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, though additional testing showed the funds were used for their intended purpose. The most extensive discussion centered on the North Dakota Racing Commission audit, which identified four findings: overspending the promotion fund’s 25% operating limit, grant conditions not being met, improper Breeders Fund awards, and improper procurement for advertising services. Racing Commission director Bruce Johnson acknowledged complacency and weak controls, said the agency would tighten procedures, and explained that the commission had since worked with procurement and would follow the rules more closely. Auditors also explained that the commission would now be audited every two years because of the findings. Another major discussion involved the University of North Dakota School of Law, where auditors found a lack of documentation supporting admissions decisions for post-baccalaureate programs. UND officials said they remain in good standing with the American Bar Association but agreed better documentation and tools are needed; the committee pressed for more transparency and follow-up on admissions criteria. The committee also received an update on Dakota College at Bottineau, where Minot State University reported that bank reconciliations had been brought current after a significant backlog and would now be maintained through shared services. Members requested a written follow-up report on the issues and corrective actions. Finally, the North Dakota Fair Association explained that its foundation has been dissolved and remaining funds were transferred to another nonprofit for continued support of the state fair, and the Department of Public Instruction provided an update on school meal debt, saying the reported amount was about $1.1 million from a partial district survey and that debt remains a local issue, though it could be revisited if school meal funding changes.