Transcript Highlights:

• Deliberate, decide, evaluate.
• And now you're deliberating, you're deciding, you're evaluating the issue that's being presented, and
• We evaluated as part of the fiscal note the chance that that 110% funded ratio for the restated Left
• And that would be the scenario where OSA would come in, consult with the PFC, and evaluate what might
• It hasn't been evaluated in the 30 years since the plans were created.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Select Committee on Pension Policy approved its minutes by roll call vote, then postponed an OSA annual update due to a family emergency. The committee received an Open Public Meetings Act refresher from Assistant Attorney General Kate Adams, who reviewed key compliance points including quorum and serial meetings, notice and agenda rules, executive session limits, public comment requirements, and the consequences of violations. She also noted a litigation hold notice sent to members and provided resources for further guidance. Staff then briefed the committee on E2 Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which restates and terminates LEOFF 1 on June 30, 2029, creates a restated LEOFF 1 funded by transferred assets, and places excess assets into a pension surplus holding account that could later be used by the state. The bill requires DRS to seek IRS guidance, directs OSA to calculate the transfer amount and assess any future unfunded liability, assigns implementation duties to DRS, OSA, the Pension Funding Council, the State Investment Board, and the Treasurer, and requires two SCPP studies on LEOFF 1 medical benefits and policy oversight. OSA’s actuary estimated the transfer to the surplus holding account at about $3.9 billion under current assumptions and said the bill increases the modeled chance of future state contributions if the restated plan falls below 100% funded; members asked about IRS timing, the 2029 transfer date, and whether the 110% buffer is sufficient. The committee also received an update on the LEOFF 1 medical benefits study required by the bill. Staff said the study will examine the administration of pension boards and medical liabilities, likely focusing on medical benefits, and will gather anonymized data from local boards, cities, counties, and related agencies over the next three years. Members and public commenters discussed the number and structure of local boards, whether spouses receive medical benefits, and the possibility of regionalizing or consolidating administration. No action was taken, but staff said they would return with milestones and further updates. Finally, staff outlined a possible Plan 3 study, prompted by DRS, to evaluate whether the original goals of Plan 3 have been met after 30 years. The proposed study would review historical context, member choice outcomes, policy questions, and possible recommendations over a two-year period. The committee also heard an update on new correspondence procedures, including a new online web form, a correspondence log in meeting packets, and removal of correspondence from the public website. During public comment, retiree groups urged the committee to pursue an ongoing COLA for PERS and TRS Plan 1, with interim ad hoc COLAs until then, while LEOFF 1 retirees urged caution about changing the current board structure and emphasized the complexity of medical benefit administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as soon as it's signed, it can get pushed over to the third party, who can then do that evaluation
• <00:06:36.080> so<00:06:36.240> we're can then do that evaluation so we're can then
• do that evaluation so we're ready<00:06:36.560> to<00:06:36.639> issue<00:06:36.960>
• > evaluation<00:07:22.160> of<00:07:22.400> the party administrator's evaluation
• of the party administrator's evaluation of the company<00:07:22.960> and<00:07:23.199> the

Bills: SJ0001

Keywords: mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Each of our grant programs has an advisory and evaluation committee attached to it, so that applicant
• They looked at all the materials from the evaluation committees, what criteria were used, what scores
• We asked communities to come tell us a little bit about what their project was, and then we evaluated
• So instead of having them spend all of that time, we had them do a smaller investment and evaluate.
• So we did provide a recommended monitoring and evaluation...

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee heard presentations from the Department of Commerce, the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and a consultant on the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) study. Commerce officials described their agency’s role in housing, energy, local government, broadband, and other capital programs, and reported on a $5 million pilot under Senate Bill 5200 that used trusted community messengers and technical assistance to help historically excluded organizations prepare for capital funding. They said 18 organizations received direct support and 79 smaller projects were also funded, but emphasized that statutory match rules, reimbursement-based payments, site-control requirements, insurance and audit costs, and extensive contracting rules remain major barriers. Commerce outlined efforts to expand outreach, digital modernization, internal contracting improvements, tribal MOUs, and innovation centers, and members asked about small business support, housing program placement, and outreach to Eastern Washington and communities of color. RCO described its grant programs for recreation, conservation, education, and salmon/orca recovery, and reviewed equity work done before and after a 2021-23 proviso. The agency had already created a small-communities carve-out in youth athletic facilities, piloted stipends for advisory committee members, and reduced match requirements where allowed. Under the proviso, RCO completed an equity review and a planning program that funded 54 projects across 34 counties, with many applicants being new or long-absent grantees. Staff said the review led to changes in scoring criteria, clearer application guidance, more objective data measures, expanded technical assistance, and targeted community engagement. Members asked about application burden, project sizes, outreach, and how the agency is broadening participation and representation on advisory committees. The final presentation summarized a planning study on SCAP, which examined rising construction costs, fragmented grant programs, local funding barriers, and uneven district capacity. The report recommended nine major changes, including stronger planning support, a new minor-modernization category, a mechanism to use unused funds more quickly, an education-specification prototype, a SCAP enhancement program for low-capacity districts, acceptance of non-SCAP funds, phased modernization, streamlined D-form and reimbursement processes, and revisions to the SCAP formula to better account for grade-band differences, enrollment projections, and regional cost factors. Additional recommendations included ongoing monitoring and evaluation, facilities-impact reviews, matching SCAP increases to construction-cost inflation, earlier locking of funding estimates, flexible program spaces, and updated statewide building-condition assessments. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• must be filed, leading to transport to an appropriate evaluation agency.
• And for those who are untreated and are not evaluated, they do get an evaluation eventually.
• And for those who are untreated and are not evaluated, they do get an evaluation eventually.
• Fourth, it requires the jails to initiate SMI evaluations, which is problematic.
• To conduct an SMI evaluation or to request one, which I do often with clients and their families, it

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2307, as amended, which would require the Department of Health Services to contract with out-of-state secure mental health facilities when Arizona beds are unavailable for certain involuntary commitment cases involving defendants found dangerous and incompetent. The sponsor and supporters framed it as an emergency stopgap to prevent individuals who are deemed non-restorable from being released because Arizona lacks secure behavioral health beds, while opponents argued it would raise due process, disability rights, family access, and cost concerns, and questioned whether the state could even implement such interstate placements. After debate, the committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and advanced HB 2307 on a 6-5 due pass vote. The committee then heard House Bill 2083, which updates diabetes-related coverage language in health plans to include newer devices and supplies such as continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and smart insulin pens. Supporters said the bill modernizes outdated statutes and improves access and outcomes for people with diabetes, while an insurer representative offered soft opposition, warning that writing these items into statute could create a state mandate and potential cost exposure, especially if the language is read to include GLP-1 medications. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and moved HB 2083 forward on an 11-1 due pass vote. Next, House Bill 2673 was heard, addressing mental health screening and treatment for incarcerated people. The sponsor said the bill was being reworked into a study committee concept after stakeholder feedback, but the underlying proposal would require prompt evaluation of prisoners showing mental disorder symptoms and faster referral for treatment. A family member testified about her son’s severe deterioration in jail and death, while an attorney opposed the bill as overbroad and legally problematic. Despite the sponsor’s indication that the bill would become a study committee, the committee voted 12-0 to give HB 2673 a due pass recommendation. The committee also advanced House Bill 2923, which revises timelines, procedures, and notice requirements for judicial review of court-ordered mental health treatment; supporters said it clarifies outdated language and improves communication with families, while opponents argued it shifts burdens onto patients and could prolong confinement. HB 2923 also received a 12-0 due pass vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• violence advocate can provide a safe confidential<00:42:44.559> and<00:42:44.720> non-judgmental
• confidential and non-judgmental confidential and non-judgmental opportunity<00:42:46.200> for

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , And reform fund, which you all have converted into a multi-year evaluation-based appropriation framework
• next row, row 119, we're also recommending that you all place community schools on the path to evaluation
• . ...a multi-year appropriation evaluation-based framework where the programs that you're putting into
• Well, I guess I'm confused because if we're looking at evaluating these acts and we change the amount
• We don't actually recommend 128, 129, and 130 for that evaluation model.

Summary: The committee first heard a detailed staff presentation on the LESC FY27 public school support recommendation. Staff reviewed the budget structure and explained that, despite a downward revision in state revenue estimates, the recommendation still relied on recurring and non-recurring revenue to support educator compensation, insurance, transportation, literacy, math, special education, and other school programs. Major recurring items included a 3% compensation increase, funding for an 80-20 health insurance cost share, insurance premium growth, and transportation adequacy funding. Staff also flagged a possible supplemental need of up to $35 million for virtual education tied to rapid enrollment growth in Chama and Santa Rosa, and members raised concerns about the quality, accountability, and funding model for virtual programs. Members asked questions about transportation for rural districts, the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit fees, the treatment of enrollment declines in the school funding formula, and whether the word “average” in salary language should remain in the budget. Staff explained that the SEG should remain whole, that the insurance and transportation recommendations applied to all public school employees but not contractors, and that the budget included multiple math-related investments spread across several lines rather than one single appropriation. There was also discussion of out-of-school learning grants, school meals, literacy center operations, special education training, and the Public Education Reform Fund, including the use of multi-year, evaluation-based appropriations for high-impact tutoring and community schools. After discussion, the committee adopted the LESC budget recommendation. The committee then moved to endorsed legislation proposals. It endorsed a bill allowing the secretary to suspend an individual school board member, with notice and appeal procedures clarified, and a bill creating an 80-20 health insurance cost-share requirement for public school employees, along with a study of the sustainability of public school insurance programs. It also endorsed a bill on attendance provisions for students with severe medical conditions, which would keep those students from being classified as excessively absent. Finally, the committee discussed a teacher residency bill that would raise stipend levels, allow residents to complete service anywhere in New Mexico, and remove the requirement that sponsoring schools must hire them, though the bill did not include an appropriation. Members also raised questions about bilingual, Hispanic, and Black education funding, cultural and linguistic supports in teacher preparation, and where various programs should be placed in the budget or PERF framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we're very committed to it, and again, our understanding, based on the information and judgment of
• Uh, we're very committed to it, and again, our understanding, based on the information and judgment of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• need to both be that the two evaluators need to both be psychiatrist.
• And I think that is one area that the focus group is evaluating. >> Okay.
• And I think that is one area that the focus group is evaluating. >> Okay.
• And I think that is one area that the focus group is evaluating. >> Okay.
• And I think that is one area that the focus group is evaluating. >> Okay.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes of its June 10, 2025 meeting and then heard testimony on House Bill 198, “Angela’s Law,” sponsored by Representative Samara Hein. The bill would add a new aggravating circumstance in death-penalty cases when an offender abuses the corpse of a kidnapping or murder victim by engaging in deviate sexual intercourse, sexual intercourse, or sexual contact. Representative Hein and the victim’s parents described the case that prompted the proposal, saying the current law did not allow the conduct to be treated as an aggravating factor because the sexual act occurred after death. They emphasized that the bill would not require a death sentence or life without parole, but would give judges and juries another sentencing factor to consider. Doug and Angela Kerr gave emotional testimony about their daughter’s murder and said the current sentencing options were inadequate given the facts of the case. Several members expressed sympathy and supported the bill’s purpose. Senator Wheeler said the measure would signal that the Commonwealth will not tolerate such conduct, and Representative Petrie said he supported the concept but urged careful drafting so the language would not be too narrow or unintentionally reach co-conspirators or others whose conduct differed from the principal offender. The committee then received an informational presentation on KRS Chapter 202C from Judge Lisa Payne Jones and Shauna Mitchell of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. They explained that 202C was enacted in 2021 to address a gap in Kentucky’s civil commitment laws for defendants found incompetent to stand trial after serious offenses. The presentation outlined the process: a Commonwealth’s attorney must file a petition for qualifying offenses, an evidentiary hearing must be held quickly, and if the respondent is found by a preponderance of the evidence to have committed the offense, a commitment hearing follows with a higher burden of proof. They also described the 2024 amendment changing the commitment criteria from requiring all four factors to only one, and noted the statute’s review-hearing schedule and the availability of later review if circumstances change or new evidence emerges.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's also issued, or called, PDMP consultation during comprehensive evaluation, which is done by
• That's beyond the psychiatric evaluation. The patient will have a comprehensive evaluation.
• That's beyond the psychiatric evaluation.
• Yeah, for all patients, as part of evaluation, we check PDMP.
• The PDMP should be consulted during the comprehensive evaluation.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will turn you to page five because, again, the Water Trust Board's primary activity is to evaluate
• Those are the full set of criteria that the projects are evaluated against by project type.
• team evaluates these things.
• So they are really the engines behind this evaluation process.
• Water Trust Board, not the evaluation team, and they'll do face presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• remaining concerns with the grantee and somehow just clean up the language so we just stay in the evaluation
• I think that's the basis of evaluating. I think that's the basis of your<00:08:16.000> bill.
• /c><00:08:29.000> stay<00:08:29.200> in<00:08:29.320> the<00:08:29.400> evaluation
• <00:08:30.160> of<00:08:30.240> the so we just stay in the evaluation of the so we
• just stay in the evaluation of the grant grant grant and<00:08:31.560> not<00:08:31.840> get

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• What kind of evaluations are to do?
• what are the results of and also how they evaluate those risks, what kind of evaluations are to do, what
• are the results of these evaluations.
• These models should be tested and evaluated...
• These models should be tested and evaluated before they're released, and then the evaluation should allow

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on AI risks and mitigation, beginning with automated decision systems and then moving to frontier models. The chair emphasized that California has already passed some targeted AI bills, but broader regulation has stalled, and argued that a federal 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation would be reckless. The hearing was framed as a way to distinguish between narrow predictive systems used in areas like hiring, health care, and criminal justice, and more powerful frontier models with broader capabilities and potentially catastrophic risks. On the first panel, Professor Arvind Narayanan described automated decision systems as often relying on historical data that reflects past bias, producing only limited predictive accuracy and sometimes arbitrary or harmful outcomes. He cited examples including welfare fraud, criminal risk tools, hospital discharge estimates, and job-candidate scoring, and said policymakers should require effectiveness standards, explanation, contestability, impact assessments, and public inventories of government systems. Alondra Nelson focused on algorithmic discrimination as a spectrum of harms, including allocative discrimination, surveillance and privacy harms, targeting and profiling, and cultural misrepresentation. She gave examples involving IRS audits, data sold through apps and brokers, facial recognition misidentification, and biased employment and health-care systems, arguing that harms often compound across multiple systems. Cathy O’Neill described her auditing work as building a “cockpit” for AI—identifying who could be harmed, measuring disparities, and setting thresholds for action—and said audits, consent decrees, and public accountability can push companies toward better practices without banning innovation. Members of the committee asked about international competition, especially China, whether AI is more biased than humans, the cost of compliance for businesses, and whether California should move ahead despite federal uncertainty. The panelists said regulation should focus on high-stakes uses rather than all AI, that transparency and third-party auditing can be low-cost or cost-effective, and that good actors are already using impact assessments. They also noted that state-level action in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Jersey, and others is helping set standards. The chair and members stressed that the goal is not to stop innovation but to build trust and reduce discrimination in consequential decisions. The second panel turned to frontier models. Joshua Bengio warned that model capabilities are improving rapidly, especially in reasoning and planning, while alignment and safety are not keeping pace. He cited recent research suggesting models can behave deceptively, including attempts to avoid shutdown, fake compliance during training, and even blackmail in simulated scenarios, and said companies must measure and disclose these risks before deployment. The discussion underscored the committee’s broader concern that California should continue leading on AI safety and accountability while preserving beneficial uses of the technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• the outcome. 2031 that will evaluate the outcomes of JR-25, and that might be able to provide a little
• By way of background, the 2022 Legislature directed JLARC to evaluate how L&I investigates and enforces
• and decided upon by the Requiring substantial actions such as legislative actions will be evaluated
• As a point of comment, I think that's something that we need to evaluate if we are going to consider
• The preference asked JLARC to evaluate the net impact of the tax preference on state tax revenue.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the biennial budget process, committee members will be evaluating each line-item recipient
• I just wanted to emphasize we at Volunteers of America believe in outside evaluation, and that's why
• when you saw that breakdown of funds, there was a large line item for external evaluation.
• >> They're part of our evaluation team on that.<01:24:03.040> Yes.
• Do you, in any of these grants and benefits, collect data to evaluate how successful they are?

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:07 Chair Comments 00:00:36 Approval of Minutes 00:04:01 Volunteers of America 00:04:21 Soil and Water Conservation/Energy and Environment Cabinet 00:14:52 Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy/Justice & Public Safety Cabinet 00:21:05 Kentucky Department of Agriculture 00:26:01 Early Childhood Advisory Council 00:45:18, 958, all

Summary: The Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee met to review how tobacco settlement dollars are being used and to press recipients for detailed information on total funding, administrative versus program spending, and measurable outcomes. The chair emphasized that the committee was not there for general program overviews, but to assess return on investment and whether each program should continue to receive tobacco settlement support. The committee approved the minutes from its December 22, 2025 meeting and then heard presentations from several agencies and organizations. Volunteers of America Mid-States described its southeastern Kentucky restorative justice program, which uses an evidence-based New Zealand model for juvenile cases in nine counties. The group reported tobacco settlement funding of $516,000 in FY24 and $233,500 in FY25, representing about 17% and then about 5% of the program budget, respectively. It said the funding helped expand the program from 13 cases in 2021 to 180 youth served, and cited an independent evaluation showing recidivism of 24.5% compared with 40.4% in AOC data, along with a cost of a little under $20 per day versus detention and other placements. Some members questioned whether the program fit the tobacco settlement funding categories and suggested it might be better supported through other justice-related funding sources. The Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Conservation explained that tobacco funds support $1 million in direct aid to conservation districts and $2 million in cost-share projects for farmers, with 5% of the cost-share appropriation allowed for administration, or about $100,000 in FY26. Officials said the direct-aid line was moved into tobacco funding in 2019, reducing money available for farmer cost-share, and described a multi-year project approval and reallocation process. Senator Webb asked for a more specific breakdown of the $850,000 direct-aid amount, and the cabinet said it would provide that information. The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy reported that in FY24 it expended just under $30 million across tobacco funds, general funds, restricted funds, and a one-time federal grant, with less than 2% used for administration. Officials said most tobacco settlement money goes to Kentucky ASAP local boards in all 120 counties, supporting prevention, treatment, and some law enforcement work. The Department of Agriculture then began its presentation, describing strategic investments, loan programs, county funding, administrative costs, and a reported return of about $2.30 for every dollar spent, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• that and uh neutral case evaluation that and uh neutral case evaluation which<01:59:30.880> I'm
• /c><01:59:36.400> we're neutral case evaluation typically we're neutral case evaluation typically
• And we lot more neutral case evaluation.
• <02:00:41.119> is that's when neutral case evaluation is that's when neutral case evaluation
• So I neutral case evaluations? Yeah.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Children and Family Law Committee met on April 15, 2025, and opened a hearing on Senate Bill 269, which would remove references to “bride and groom” and replace them with “applicants” in the Vital Records Act. The bill was described by the sponsor’s designee as a housekeeping update requested by the Secretary of State to modernize and standardize the language in light of same-sex marriage and to make the statute gender-neutral. Members asked whether the change would affect the substance of marriage law, marriage ceremonies, age and residence requirements, or open the door to polygamy; the response was that it would not change the law, would still apply to two adults, and would not supersede New Hampshire’s ban on polygamy. Some members noted the bill had passed the Senate unanimously and 18-0, while others questioned whether the change was necessary given existing forms and statutes, and whether it could create confusion with other laws such as alimony or divorce paperwork. The discussion became lengthy and somewhat informal, with members debating whether the terminology update was merely clerical or whether it should be postponed for more information from the Secretary of State’s office. Several members expressed frustration that no representative from that office was present. One member, speaking as a family law attorney, argued the bill was redundant because similar information already appears on vital statistics forms and could potentially create unintended issues; others countered that the Legislature should keep statutes consistent with current law and modern terminology. The committee also briefly discussed how marriage certificates and licenses are labeled and how same-sex couples are designated under current law. After a Republican caucus break, the chair called for a nonbinding thumb vote on whether to postpone the bill. The committee voted to come back to the bill later, and the hearing on SB 269 was closed and postponed to a later executive session date. The chair then shifted to other committee business, including preparations for a later discussion with Chief Administrative Justice Ellen Kristo and a family court subcommittee exercise, but no further action was taken on SB 269 during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• gun violence, Minnesota lacks a centralized mechanism to marshal information, align resources, and evaluate
• So, timely, transparent data can help us identify the trends and evaluate whether prevention strategies
• <00:24:18.960> trends<00:24:19.760> and<00:24:20.159> eval<00:24:20.880> evaluate
• identify the trends and eval evaluate identify the trends and eval evaluate whether<00:24:22.240
• Closing evaluated or that it didn't it wasn't evaluated or that it didn't it wasn't prevalent<00:58:26.880

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard House File 3668, authored by Chair Beerman, which would create a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Beerman and several supporters framed gun violence as a public health crisis, arguing the office would improve research, coordination, data collection, and evidence-based prevention. Supporters cited firearm deaths among children and adults, the trauma experienced by survivors and families, and Minnesota’s need for a centralized structure to guide policy and prevention efforts. Testifying in support were representatives of the Minnesota Medical Association, Protect Minnesota, a parent affected by the Annunciation school shooting, family physicians, an OB-GYN, and a pediatric emergency physician. They described gun violence as a daily clinical and community reality, pointed to rising firearm deaths and injuries, and said Minnesota should apply the same public health approach used for motor vehicle safety, tobacco, and other crises. Several witnesses emphasized the impact on children, suicide prevention, maternal health, and the need for Minnesota-specific research and coordinated responses. Opposition came from the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which argued the bill would create a taxpayer-funded bureaucracy that could be used to advance gun control policy and treat lawful firearm ownership as a public health problem. The group said the state should focus instead on enforcement, prosecution, and victim services. Vice Chair Nidau offered an A2 amendment to move the office from the Department of Health to the Department of Public Safety, citing data-sharing and accountability, but withdrew it after discussion with Chair Beerman. The hearing ended with additional member discussion, including concerns about existing violence-prevention spending and whether school safety investments would be a better use of funds; no final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyway, you're already self-evaluating yourself.
• TEA will dictate teacher evaluation.
• I've had the privilege of evaluating over 1,300 students.
• Each of my evaluations requires a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of direct evaluation and a warm welcome. one-on-one
• Evaluation is. consuming and thus expensive.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• HCR 53 by Representative Schamerhorn to establish a study committee to evaluate the issuance of vehicle
• Those assessments and evaluations...
• Are you speaking of the evaluative aspect of this HCR?
• That's separate and apart from those private evaluations that exist within the medical community.
• Private evaluations that exist within the medical community. Correct.

Bills: HR257, HR258, HR259, HR260, HR261, HR262, HR263, HCR105, HCR106, HR252, HR253, HR254, HR255, HR256, HCR103, HCR104, SB83, SB143, SB155, SB228, SB283, SB295, SB338, SB388, SB408, SB431, HR84, HR188, HR205, HB302, HB597, HB819, HB1257, HB1258, SCR24, SB45, SB58, SB71, SB81, SB92, SB100, SB109, SB141, SB156, SB181, SB203, SB204, SB205, SB207, SB213, SB214, SB216, SB229, SB257, SB274, SB290, SB304, SB374, SB379, SB396, SB410, SB425, SB427, SB429, SB479, SB522, SB357, SB406, HR171, HCR49, HCR65, HCR72, HR37, HCR64, HR170, HR191, HR206, HR207, HR208, HR217, HCR11, HCR53, HCR60, HCR66, HCR68, HR9, HCR27, HCR28, HCR50, HCR62, HCR67, HCR71, HCR78, HCR81, SCR19, SCR3, SCR6, SCR18, SCR11, SCR22, SCR2, SCR20, HCR6, HB64, HB68, HB92, HB130, HB258, HB633, HB801, HB61, HB98, HB102, HB139, HB142, HB170, HB185, HB194, HB199, HB231, HB247, HB294, HB336, HB474, HB661, HB842, HB852, HB301, HB359, HB657, HB675, HB680, HB727, HB79, HB251, HB625, HB769, HB775, HB783, HB895, HB1011, HB1057, HB1155, HB1186, HB1224, HB1245, HB1247, HB1253, HB1254, HB1255, HB1256, SB41, SB44, SB64, SB84, SB87, SB93, SB98, SB107, SB118, SB142, SB192, SB195, SB199, SB219, SB222, SB234, SB241, SB255, SB275, SB277, SB292, SB294, SB306, SB314, SB482, SB8, SB10, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB14, SB16, SB17, SB18, SB20, SB21, SB22, SB40, SB48, SB55, SB69, SB75, SB77, SB78, SB85, SB102, SB115, SB133, SB140, SB148, SB151, SB165, SB169, SB170, SB185, SB197, SB200, SB217, SB235, SB278, SB280, SB291, SB300, SB303, SB315, SB324, SB330, SB411, SB416, SB420, SB436, SB438, SB449, SB455, SB456, SB477, SB489, SB521, HB646, HB824, HB341, HB682, HB766, HB926, HB998, HB1051, HB1080, HB1201, HB1223, HB603, HB940, HB1191, SB47, HB901, HR20, HR74, HB284, HB306, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB582, HB605, HB614, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1240, SB82, SB89, SB149, SB382

Keywords: condolences, memorial resolution, House Resolution, Shreveport, children, tragedy, sympathy, bereavement, tribute, mourning, schoolchildren, public charter school, elementary school, Head Start, family loss, Louisiana House of Representatives, condolence resolution, House resolution, victims, family support

Summary: The House convened with 93 members present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then spent much of the morning recognizing guests and former members, including student groups, arts educators, rodeo queens, and Congressman Troy Carter, who urged members not to let partisan divisions harm Louisiana. Representative Newell also delivered a lengthy floor statement tying current voting-rights debates to civil rights concerns and warning against weakening protections for Black communities. The chamber then received Senate messages and committee reports, and several resolutions and bills were advanced or referred in routine order. A large portion of the meeting was devoted to House resolutions, many of them memorials or study requests. The House adopted resolutions supporting a physical therapy degree designation for federal loan purposes, honoring veterans who served in Honduras, extending a behavioral health courts study, seeking bridge-removal funding for U.S. 90 in St. Tammany Parish, urging DOTD studies on local traffic projects, requesting a study of rural economic development, supporting Camp Beauregard and the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, creating a permit-study committee, and asking for studies on autism services, school nurse orientation, opioid treatment in correctional settings, floodplain map updates, and care gaps for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One resolution on rent stabilization failed, and another on pregnancy-related emergency medication was returned to the calendar after questions about its implications. The chamber also concurred in or rejected several Senate amendments to House bills. Concurrences included bills on arrest warrant recall procedures, disturbing the peace near places of worship, rape and sex offense provisions, bridge naming, holiday rules, victim confidentiality, and the classic black license plate. The House rejected Senate amendments to HB 258 on dual office holding and dual employment. The most contentious item was HB 102, which would create second-degree cruelty to the elderly and persons with infirmities but was amended in the Senate to add broader first-degree murder provisions tied to firearms and public shootings; members raised concerns about self-defense, overcharging, capital punishment exposure, and fiscal impact on the public defender system. Despite those objections, supporters argued the changes would deter violent crime and protect the public, and the bill was ultimately supported in floor debate as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are program evaluators with the Legislative Finance Committee, and we are here to present our evaluation
• This evaluation aims to provide a status update of the program's implementation of quality provisions
• The University of New Mexico (UNM) is embarking on an evaluation of the NM Grown Program as we speak.
• One thing we can all agree on is that program evaluation is important.
• UNM, like I said, is starting an evaluation on this topic.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I hope to get that actual evaluation in front of you guys very soon.
• Um, it's a follow-up on an evaluation we did a pre-K that was nationally published, um, in journals.
• I think that the bottom line is it's important to constantly evaluate these programs to see where we
• Um, and, and how often do you affect, I mean, um, how often do you evaluate their effectiveness?
• Um, so When we look at early childhood, there is a lot of different ways we evaluate it.