Transcript Highlights:

• It's not so much that the school district had an event for the teachers or something.
• district expended $33,436 from operating funds for an end-of-the-year celebration and entertainment event
• district expended $33,436 from operating funds for an end-of-the-year celebration and entertainment event
• One, anytime I go speak at different events where school officials are, we try to talk about the issues
• One, anytime I go speak at different events where school officials are, we try to talk about the issues

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Transcript Highlights:

• We see rain events that are more like this.
• And every time we turn on the news, somebody's saying an historic event or unprecedented.
• If we build this to a 10-year event, what does a 10-year event look like?
• structure, not a one-in-10 event structure.
• I just mean it's the change from that previous set of events.

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Summary: The committee met for its third interim meeting, approved the prior meeting minutes, and heard a series of statutory reports from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Water Resources. Chair Hauck noted that Legislative Management had denied the committee’s earlier request for a fertilizer capacity study, and that the committee would also revisit the proposed Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger later in the day. Commissioner Doug Goring reported on several agriculture topics, including uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, irrigation expansion potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and usage in North Dakota. He emphasized that fertilizer supply depends heavily on natural gas and water, that most nitrogen fertilizer is imported, and that large-scale fertilizer plants require very large capital investments. Members discussed fertilizer storage, natural gas pipeline capacity, water availability, and the role of state infrastructure in supporting value-added agriculture. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the tool was created under 2017 legislation to help evaluate projects expected to cost $1 million or more, and that the department is proposing adjustments to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and changing hydrologic data. He said the changes would remain focused on direct, demonstrable costs and benefits, not indirect impacts, and would be implemented through guidance and operating procedures rather than statutory changes. Committee members and water users discussed whether the revisions would better reflect real-world conditions, including deferred maintenance, changing rainfall patterns, and downstream effects. A representative from the Water Resource District Association said the group was working with DWR and hoped to review test scenarios before the June meeting. The committee then received a detailed presentation on Devils Lake, its outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. State Engineer John Paskowski reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow constraints, and the purpose of the Tolna Coulee structure in limiting head cutting and preventing uncontrolled downstream releases. Members questioned whether the structure was effectively a dam, whether the lake would naturally overflow without it, the last time the outlets ran, and whether water quality in Devils Lake has improved over time. Paskowski said the outlets last operated in August 2025, that sulfate levels still limit operations, and that the lake has freshened somewhat but not enough to eliminate water-quality concerns. The discussion also touched on whether water from flooded areas or closed-basin systems could be reused for irrigation, and on the broader implications of wet cycles, inundated land, and drainage management across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is really going to focus around what does a seven-day qualifying event mean.
• This is really going to focus around what does a seven-day qualifying event mean.
• <00:15:14.240><c> in</c><00:15:14.360><c> the</c> event in the event in the 2023<00:15:16.360><c> fiscal
• </c><00:15:49.800><c> and</c> I'm eligible of my qualifying event and I'm eligible of my qualifying event
• But my real question is what happens when this rare event happens?

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Held at the BSC Bavendick State Room in Bismarck, the event welcomed more than 160 attendees.
• Adverse events do cost. And the other part is opioid use disorder, right?
• done with the opioids by day three to five after that painful event.
• A surgical event supported with fewer opioids is a less costly experience.
• . ...talks about lost productivity when it comes to these non-traumatic dental events.

Summary: The committee first approved the previous meeting minutes and then heard a detailed annual report from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and policy issues. He explained the committee’s review process, confidentiality protections, and national and North Dakota data showing that most maternal deaths are preventable and that mental health conditions, substance use, cardiovascular issues, infection, hemorrhage, and embolism are the leading causes. Members asked about suicide, domestic violence, midwife training, home births, and whether pregnancy testing at death scenes should be expanded; Dr. Arnold said better coroner education, more investigation of unexplained deaths, and possible post-mortem pregnancy testing could improve case identification, especially in rural areas. He also noted that deaths often occur well after 42 days postpartum and that mental health-related deaths remain a major concern. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark on cigarette reduced-ignition-propensity standards and related fire prevention issues. He recommended updating the state’s cigarette propensity law to current national standards and also raised a separate recommendation to require fast-breakaway oxygen tubing for home oxygen users, citing fatal fires linked to smoking around oxygen. Members asked about implementation, cost, insurance coverage, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Dr. Clark said he would provide follow-up information and was willing to help with any legislation, but no agency bill had yet been planned. Next, Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services reported on the North Dakota Stroke System of Care. She described the statewide network of stroke-ready hospitals, registry-based quality improvement, and performance data showing continued improvement in stroke recognition, imaging, thrombolytic treatment, transfers, and EMS pre-notification. She highlighted new quality measures for inter-facility transfers and intracerebral hemorrhage care, and said the system remains strong but depends on continued legislative and hospital support. Committee members asked about participation by the VA hospital and were encouraged to consider outreach to include it more fully in the stroke system. Finally, the committee began a presentation on prior authorization and non-opioid pain treatment from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to non-opioid acute pain medications, especially in the 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window when pain is most severe, and said delays can push patients toward opioids. He emphasized that prior authorization has a role in utilization management but should not create barriers in acute pain care, and he noted that current use of the company’s non-opioid product remains very low. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• In any event, I know we have a lot of speakers who are eager to talk on this subject.
• In any event, I know we have a lot of speakers who are eager to talk on this subject.
• In any event, I know we have a lot of speakers who are eager to talk on this subject.
• In any event, Mr.
• IN ANY EVENT, MR. SPEAKER, IT GIVES ME GREAT PRIVILEGE TO Mr.

Bills: HCR74 , HJR72 , HR1042 , HR1048

Keywords: joint session, Congress, communication, President, HCR74, national emergency, government authority, Executive Order, legislative action, rule, special rule, House resolution, floor procedure, procedural resolution, firearms, gun laws, less-than-lethal weapons, weapons technology, National Marine Sanctuaries Act, undersea fiber optic cables

Transcript Highlights:

• So thank you to the community for all the work you put into this annual event that is so important to
• So thank you to the community for all the work you put into this annual event that is so important to
• SNAP to meet the food and nutrition needs of Arizona, especially in the event of an economic downturn
• Their event, their annual event, is this Saturday.
• And I have been attending that event with Melissa for the last several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• Events and whatnot.
• They are our schools, private employers, nonprofit entities, and event organizers.
• Those event organizers tend to, a lot of times, be bulk purchases.
• So we have specific events that occur during the year.
• And then our bulk purchase, which is the event passes, for example, that we were talking about.

Committee: Joint Transportation Interim Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And what C should have read was organizing or conducting surveys, forums, or events that are expressly
• organizing or conducting surveys, forums organizing or conducting surveys, forums or<00:07:04.400><c> events
• </c><00:08:28.560><c> that</c> questionnaires, forums, or events that questionnaires, forums, or events
• It is organizing or conducting surveys, questionnaires, forums, or events that expressly advocate for
• It is organizing or conducting surveys, questionnaires, forums, or events that expressly advocate for

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The only event that comes to mind is when the protest happened here, um, just a few days ago outside
• The only event that comes to mind is when the protest happened here, um, just a few days ago outside
• The only event that comes to mind is when the protest happened here, um, just a few days ago outside
• The only event that comes to mind is The only event that comes to mind is when<00:13:47.680><c> the</
• I was directly told no from attending a private after-hours event as an individual citizen.

Bills: HB0159

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Events like this are routinely announced without shame on the House floor.
• They're celebrated as bipartisan events that everyone looks forward to throughout the session.
• , traveling the state, talking to events, traveling the state, talking to<00:20:41.240><c> people</c>
• I find that hard to believe, uh, given the events of that day and the fact that you were able to tell
• that are outside the scope of to events that are outside the scope of this<00:26:49.280><c> complaint

Committee: House Ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for repayment of the loan in the event for repayment of the loan in the event the<00:06:50.000><
• that the Federal Emergency in the event that the Federal Emergency Management<00:07:46.080><c> Agency
• Looks like a wonderful event. Anyone else?
• Looks like a wonderful event. Anyone else?
• </c><01:03:21.040><c> Anyone</c> Looks like a wonderful event. Anyone Looks like a wonderful event.

Transcript Highlights:

• qualifying event service time that<00:10:31.360><c> would</c><00:10:31.680><c> just</c><00:10:32.079
• So it's laid in there, and then we would say that in the event that the federal regs would be able to
• In the event that the federal regs would be able to change, obviously we're preempted, but you could
• In the event that the federal regs would be able to change, obviously we're preempted, but you could
• In the event that the federal regs would be able to change, obviously we're preempted, but you could

Summary: The Senate VMAP Committee met with a quorum and heard three bills. Senate Bill 144, sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll, would require destruction of firearms used in homicides and allow destruction of certain defaced, hazardous, unsafe, or owner-requested firearms, while prohibiting agencies from intentionally damaging firearms before transfer and requiring written agency policies. Senator Tichenor asked about lost auction revenue; KSP said it could not track homicide weapons separately, that auctions bring in about $1.2 million annually, and that most proceeds support Kentucky Homeland Security. Senators Boswell and others said they generally oppose destroying firearms but supported moving the bill forward; the bill passed favorably with no nays. House Bill 191, sponsored by Representative Aaron Thompson and presented with state and veterans’ officials, would align Kentucky law with federal changes to allow additional burials in state veteran cemeteries for certain National Guard and Reserve veterans, their spouses, and dependents who were not previously eligible. Testimony explained the bill would cover veterans who served in reserve components without Title 10 activation, including those who assisted during floods, fires, and tornadoes, and clarified eligibility rules for spouses and children. Senators asked about minimum service and dependent eligibility, and the committee passed the bill favorably and unanimously. Senate Bill 198, sponsored by Senator David Yates, addressed protection of veterans’ benefits by regulating third-party claims consultants. The committee adopted a substitute adding definitions and accreditation-related provisions, and Yates said the bill was intended to curb abusive fee practices and direct penalties to the special license plate fund for veterans. He explained the bill’s fee limits, including a cap tied to three times the monthly increase in benefits and an overall ceiling, while senators questioned whether the cap might discourage good actors and how the dollar limits would work. A veteran witness, Bob Casher, supported the bill and urged more public information on free claims assistance; the committee held further action while allowing guest comments, and the discussion focused on balancing consumer protection with access to legitimate consultants.

Transcript Highlights:

• approval of individual events throughout the year.
• Streamlines the event streamlining. Streamlines the event licensing<01:01:44.640><c> model.
• Um it has event recommended by OCM.
• </c> events throughout the year. events throughout the year.
• It individual uh event at that point.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• , in these events. agreement.
• And we were able to during that event.
• </c><00:20:00.799><c> in</c><00:20:01.039><c> these</c><00:20:01.280><c> events.
• I'm sorry, ma'am. >> What are we talking about on events that we can see coming?
• I'm sorry, ma'am. >> What are we talking about on events that we can see coming?

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and heard a brief announcement from Senator Richardson about the Missing in America Project interring unclaimed veterans’ remains at the Western Kentucky Veterans Cemetery in Hopkinsville. He read the names of several veterans being laid to rest with military honors, and the chair thanked the volunteers involved in the effort. The main presentation was an update on Kentucky’s urban search and rescue program from the Department of Military Affairs and Kentucky Emergency Management. Officials said the program is being built around two regional task force hubs, a helicopter aquatic rescue team, an incident support team, and a rescue aid fund for local search and rescue units. They reported that the $8.3 million appropriated for the program in the 2025 budget was fully executed, that $482,670 of the rescue aid fund went to 29 local teams, and that $493,592 has already been allocated in the current year to 36 teams. They also described warehouse and equipment purchases, staffing with full-time and part-time personnel, and a new training site on state property for collapsed-structure and multi-agency exercises. Officials said the program has already been used in recent disasters, including flood response and urban search and rescue operations in several parts of the state, and claimed the effort has impacted more than 1,500 citizens through rescues, evacuations, and related assistance. They said the helicopter aquatic rescue team is fully operational, the task force roster should be finalized by January, incident support should be online by April, and the full program should be deployable by June 30 or July 1, 2026. Members asked about statewide response times, K-9 search capabilities, and the long-term cost of the program, including concerns about reliance on federal matching funds. The presenters said K-9 assets will be part of the task force, that pre-positioning during forecasted storms can reduce response times significantly, and that they would provide more detailed budget information later.

Transcript Highlights:

• The provision currently in the bill basically says that in the event that the federal government cuts
• </c><00:35:35.920><c> that</c> um basically says that in the event that um basically says that in the
• event that the<00:35:36.560><c> federal</c><00:35:36.800><c> government</c><00:35:37.119><c> cuts</c
• So, if in the event that the language.
• So, if in the event that the underlying<00:40:32.560><c> language</c><00:40:32.960><c> already</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• section five of this bill updates the cross-references to the fee schedules that must be paid in the event
• section five of this bill updates the cross-references to the fee schedules that must be paid in the event
• section five of this bill updates the cross-references to the fee schedules that must be paid in the event
• section five of this bill updates the cross-references to the fee schedules that must be paid in the event
• section five of this bill updates the cross-references to the fee schedules that must be paid in the event

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not so much that the school district had an event for the teachers or something.
• district expended $33,436 from operating funds for an end-of-the-year celebration and entertainment event
• district expended $33,436 from operating funds for an end-of-the-year celebration and entertainment event
• One, anytime I go speak at different events where school officials are, we try to talk about the issues
• One, anytime I go speak at different events where school officials are, we try to talk about the issues

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Summary: The Legislative Audit Education Institution Subcommittee met to adopt the previous minutes and review 57 education audit reports, 52 of which had no findings and were filed as reviewed. The committee heard several findings involving school district spending and internal control issues, including Camden-Fairview’s use of operating funds for an employee awards banquet and unauthorized credit card charges, Forest City’s use of operating funds for an end-of-year celebration and entertainment event, Nettleton’s fraudulent vendor payment scheme involving $1.9 million in attempted transfers, Cedar Ridge’s misallocation of Title I funds and payroll/bank reconciliation errors, and Green County Technical’s diverted vendor check that was recovered. Three of the reports had been referred to the prosecuting attorney and attorney general. Members asked questions about whether district officials were present, how the questionable expenditures were broken down, and whether school boards had prior knowledge or approval. The committee deferred the Camden-Fairview, Forest City, and Nettleton reports to the June meeting and requested district representatives attend to answer questions. Cedar Ridge and Green County Technical were not deferred; Cedar Ridge was filed, and Green County Technical was reviewed without further action. Staff also discussed recurring fraud and banking-control issues seen in school audits, including altered checks, email-based banking changes, and the use of positive pay and in-person verification for deposit changes. Members encouraged better communication with school districts and noted that clean audits should be recognized. The committee then filed the remaining no-finding reports and adjourned with no new business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Matthias explained the events very well, and I hope my personal account will illustrate
• school and their friends' houses, and families ride through neighborhoods to the park and community events
• Representative Matthias explained the events very well, and I hope my personal account will illustrate
• school and their friends' houses and families ride through neighborhoods to the park and community events
• I have houses and families ride through neighborhoods to the park and community events.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Boots and his group are going to be having an event that I will be sending an invite to all of you.
• But I will be sharing an invite for you all to also attend that event. Thank you so much.
• track and field competition with 100 athletes and now offers 21 different sports and more than 400 events
• track and field competition with 100 athletes and now offers 21 different sports and more than 400 events
• Second reading of bills: as we each over five motor vehicle booting fees regulation; SB 1216 traumatic event

Transcript Highlights:

• The fish that we're concerned about, it's not a fish kill; it's just a usual event.
• school of fish or something else, I didn't have to have a fishing license because it was a Jubilee event
• It's a wonderful event, and as Representative Simp said, you may not know when they're going to happen
• It's something that changes this particular Jubilee that happened last year; this event lasted for about
• Last year, the county participation rate in Jackson County's fishing events was only 8%, and you know

Bills: HB55 , HB212

Committee: House Agriculture and Forestry

Keywords: fishing, licensing, jubilee, Marine life, Alabama, regulations, HB212, aquatic plants, public waters, state waters, waterways, water management, aquatic vegetation, weed removal, vegetation control, lake management, river management, environmental regulation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR