Transcript Highlights:

• One state I would point to is Texas, which has set up a $350 million state investment via the Texas Advanced
• Under North Dakota Century Code 61-04 and Administrative Code 89-03, the DWR is directed to administer
• Like I said, Sentry Code lays out, Process.
• And really, just parts of the Century Code are silent.
• The other elements of the tax code, they can wait.

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to review prior minutes and hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear technology and state readiness. The committee approved the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon’s William Bridge outlined the advanced nuclear landscape, distinguishing near-term light-water SMRs from more advanced Gen 4 reactors and microreactors, and emphasized that fuel supply, especially HALEU, remains a developing supply chain. He said light-water designs are the most deployable in the near term, while advanced reactors may be better suited for industrial heat applications and could face a 2- to 3-year delay from fuel availability. Representatives from NASEO described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, pilot programs, financing tools, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and regional coordination. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and stressed that states are focusing early on emergency preparedness, community engagement, waste management, affordability, and consumer protections. They also noted that some states are creating nuclear-ready community programs and cost-recovery guardrails, while public utility commissions are examining long-term lifecycle costs and rate impacts. North Dakota agencies then outlined their potential roles. The Public Service Commission said it would likely be involved in public-interest review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted current statutes may not fully address long-term nuclear projects, co-location, or decommissioning. The Department of Environmental Quality said it would continue to regulate radioactive materials and likely support emergency planning, while fission reactor oversight remains federal. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, needing a radiological emergency program, training, exercises, equipment, and possibly industry funding. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota has sufficient surface water, especially from the Missouri River, but that water planning would be important; it did not recommend statutory or budget changes at this time. The committee recessed for lunch after these presentations, with no additional votes or actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aligns with Welfare and Institutions Code 5801, which recognizes that mental health services
• conviction and replacing it with the clear and convincing standard language normally used in the Family Code
• And you've made it very clear that it's not to penalize anybody. It's to get information out.
• Basically, sales in these zip codes, legitimate or not, are going to garner a lot more scrutiny from
• In your mind, is that a violation of the code? Is that a violation of the code? I'm not sure. Yeah.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several bills focused on health care planning, mental health court participation, homeowners association governance, groundwater enforcement, pet-policy disclosure in rentals, and post-disaster property speculation. SB 1088 would update California’s POLST and DNR laws by renaming POLST to Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, allowing electronic signatures, clarifying who may sign on a patient’s behalf, and making clear that these forms are voluntary; it drew support from the Coalition for Compassionate Care and no opposition. SB 1242 would let original family petitioners participate in CARE Court for care coordination and information-sharing, while preserving judicial discretion to exclude them if harmful; supporters said it would improve treatment coordination, while Disability Rights California opposed it as coercive and a removal of patient consent. The committee advanced SB 1242 on a 7-0 vote, with the bill placed on call. The committee also considered SB 1007, which would require more HOA budget transparency, disclosure of evidence for violations, and a lower cap on regular assessment increases without a homeowner vote. Supporters argued it would improve accountability and protect homeowners from steep fee hikes, while HOA industry groups warned it could undermine funding for insurance, maintenance, and other operating costs. Members raised concerns about the cap and the need for flexibility for large expenses; the bill passed 6-1 and was placed on call. SB 1364, as amended, would prevent a person convicted of sexual assault from obtaining custody or visitation of a child conceived from that assault, while preserving the possibility of voluntary co-parenting and aiming to qualify California for federal grant funding; it passed 8-0 and was placed on call. Later, SB 997 would give the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and its groundwater sustainability plan, addressing an enforcement gap for a GSA created by special legislation rather than a joint powers agreement. It drew support from agricultural and county groups and passed 9-0, placed on call. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies up front on applications, websites, and ads, and allow refund of an application fee if disclosure was not provided before payment; supporters said it would reduce wasted application costs and pet relinquishment, while rental housing groups said the ad disclosure requirements were impractical. The bill passed 8-0 and was placed on call. The final bill, SB 1090, was introduced to prohibit large property owners from making unsolicited purchase offers for five years in wildfire-disaster areas, responding to investor activity after the Eaton and Palisades fires; the author and a SAGE witness described it as a protection against disaster capitalism and predatory low offers to displaced residents.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aligns with Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5801, which recognizes that mental health
• conviction and replacing it with the clear and convincing standard language normally used in the Family Code
• And you've made it very clear that it's not to penalize anybody. It's to get information out.
• I mean, basically, sales in these zip codes, legitimate or not, are going to garner a lot more scrutiny
• In your mind, is that a violation of the code? Is that a violation of the code? I'm not sure. Yeah.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their brick and mortar presence is only in the state of Texas, but they operate in about 7 states.
• I just want to make sure and understand that although they operate out of Texas, that the dollars the
• They operate via zip code and sometimes via address, so they have a way to determine and to share Documentation
• It comes directly from the Oklahoma Administrative Code that already regulates the department.
• It is correct that when we attempt to move something over from administrative code into statute, that

Bills: SB1421, SB1427, SB1484, SB1503, SB1553, SB1557, SB1564, SB1566, SB1567, SB1591, SB1642, SB1794, SB1837, SB2044

Keywords: mental health, nonphysical intervention, training, youth care, conflict resolution, staff training, pediatric screenings, type 1 diabetes, health care providers, parental consent, reimbursement, state funding, public health, medicolegal investigation, medical examiner, coroner, sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS, sudden unexpected infant death, SUID

Transcript Highlights:

• One state I would point to is Texas, which has set up a $350 million state investment via the Texas Advanced
• Under North Dakota Century Code 61-04 and Administrative Code 89-03, it directs how the DWR is to administer
• Like I said, Century Code lays out, Process.
• "The Century Code lays out the purpose of the program.
• The other elements of the tax code can wait.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code.
• of just a primary diagnosis code of just a primary diagnosis code of Behavioral<00:08:21.319>
• > I<00:09:03.440> apologize MCO top procedure codes um I apologize MCO top procedure codes
• look over um on the procedure code look over um on the procedure code description<00:09:32.399><
• description you'll see that that uh code description you'll see that that uh code is<00:09:34.640

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services held its first meeting and received an overview from the Department for Medicaid Services on Medicaid’s behavioral health and substance use disorder services. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beal said Kentucky Medicaid serves about 1.4 million members, including over half of Kentucky children, with 485,000 expansion members, more than 69,000 enrolled providers, and total fiscal year 2024 expenditures of $18.5 billion. They said Kentucky covers a broad range of behavioral health services, and behavioral health provider enrollment has grown from a little over 4,500 in 2019 to nearly 8,000 in 2024. They also described how Medicaid spending and utilization are tracked through claims and encounter data, with most members served through managed care organizations. Members focused on sharp increases in certain behavioral health billing codes, especially peer-to-peer services, and asked about reimbursement, utilization review, and whether the growth reflected increased need or expanded coverage. DMS said the rise was partly tied to combining facility and nonfacility behavioral health fee schedules in 2023, choosing the higher reimbursement rate to avoid cuts, and that the department has seen an uptick in peer-to-peer services. In response to concerns about overutilization, DMS said it mailed a letter to behavioral health providers, is considering limits and prior authorizations for some services, and plans to create a standardized monthly behavioral health report to monitor trends consistently and identify when controls may be needed. Lawmakers also asked whether the provider network is sufficient and whether access is adequate, especially for children. DMS said provider enrollment has expanded because behavioral health services were added to Medicaid in 2014 and because demand increased after COVID, but acknowledged studies showing children have less access than adults and said that would be an area of focus. The department said managed care organizations are required to ensure access to needed services and that current trends indicate access is available, though one member disagreed and said workforce shortages remain a major concern. Another member asked about non-emergency medical transportation spending, and DMS explained that it is handled through a capitated arrangement administered by the Transportation Cabinet rather than directly by the managed care organizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• after July 1, 2024. municipality stricture codes enabled municipality stricture codes enabled before
• takes building code.
• The code already takes building code.
• <01:40:46.480> had<01:40:46.719> towns code requirements, but we've had towns code
• If I know that passing this will make sure that the state building code is a state building code, and

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Code is fuzzy, so different interpretations on the individual level, again, is very common.
• Code is fuzzy, so different interpretations on the individual level, again, is very common.
• panels 4, 8, and the correlating committee for the National Electrical Code, responsible for writing
• panels 4, 8, and the correlating committee for the National Electrical Code, responsible for writing
• , such as the National Electrical Code or the California Electrical Code here in California; and finally

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard a series of housing-related bills, with testimony largely focused on streamlining housing production, preserving affordable housing, and improving homelessness responses. AB 1892 clarified HOA repair and election notice rules; AB 1708 sought to give smaller cities a more meaningful role in allocating Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HAP) funds; AB 2058 aimed to reduce duplicative local inspection and permitting barriers for factory-built housing; AB 2576 clarified that historic resources protected under SB 79 include local, state, and national designations; and AB 1751 would expand ministerial approval for qualifying townhome projects to support missing-middle homeownership. Later bills included AB 1924, creating a statewide homelessness prevention strategy; AB 2626, allowing HCD to waive certain monitoring fees for at-risk affordable housing developments; and AB 2089, modernizing welfare exemption recertification and tax filing procedures for affordable housing providers. Supporters across the bills included city officials, housing nonprofits, builders, and advocacy groups, who generally argued the measures would reduce costs, speed approvals, preserve existing housing, or better target homelessness resources. Opposition or concerns were more limited and usually focused on administrative burden, local control, or the need for clearer definitions and safeguards, especially for factory-built housing, townhome approvals, and historic preservation. Several committee members emphasized the need for accountability, data, and balance between housing production and local infrastructure or preservation concerns. The committee took action on multiple measures. AB 1751 passed the committee on an 8-0 vote and was sent to Appropriations. AB 1924 passed on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2626 also passed on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2089 passed on a 6-0 vote to the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation. Other bills were discussed with committee amendments or were held pending quorum or later action, and several authors were invited to continue working with committee members and stakeholders on remaining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas Steve Summiyama Rangel was born on January 5, 1957, in San Antonio, Texas, to Leo and Karen Rangel
• military, including Japan and Panama, and whereas Steve and his family eventually moved to El Paso, Texas
• And whereas Steve and his family eventually moved to El Paso, Texas, where he attended middle and high
• Born in India, spent most reformative years in Michigan before moving to Texas a couple of years prior
• shortage area from property taxation for up to 20 years pursuant to the Metropolitan Redevelopment Code

Bills: HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM18, HM21, HB10, HB11, HB12, HB13, HB14, HB31, HB50

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't tax when I use my Hilton Honors code and points. We don't tax those.
• My Hilton Honors code and points. We don't tax those. And so promotional play is the same thing.
• best things in Louisiana gambling this year was Dan Patrick was reelected as lieutenant governor of Texas
• And so we know Texas will not legalize gaming in the near future, and so hopefully this is a path for

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The previous law is no longer enforceable, and this measure ensures our code accurately reflects current
• The previous law is no longer enforceable, and this measure ensures our code accurately reflects current
• an alien who's unlawfully present, we'd also have to offer that same tuition rate if you came from Texas
• other state to attend our colleges. ...also have to offer that same tuition rate if you came from Texas

Bills: HB4421, HB4426, HB4432, HB4329, HB3551, HB3763, HB1411, HB2730, HB3465, HB3649, HB3650, HB3674, HB3941, HB3970, HB3979, HB3980, HB3981, SB1074

Keywords: child welfare, fentanyl exposure, drug endangerment, environmental testing, safety analysis, remediation, child protection, Department of Human Services, violence prevention, HB4426, SIDE tax credit, strategic industrial development enhancement, income tax credit, economic development, tax incentive, qualified economic development expenditures, qualified initial infrastructure expenditures, industrial park, economic development zone, port authority

Transcript Highlights:

• In the fifth Texas Legislature, this created the Driftwood Conservation District.
• HB5696, it's the Reserve MUD in Mansfield, Texas.
• This bill amends the special district. ...local laws code to allow Harris County Municipal Utility District
• House Bill 5682 amends the special district local laws code to create the Comino.

Bills: HB103

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , we have to figure out how to get in code compliance and what it's going to cost.
• From what I could tell, it looks like maybe they filed it in Texas.
• , or life safety codes and housing building codes.
• Safety codes and housing building codes Safety codes and housing building codes and<00:40:19.480
• If that laptop were to be lost or stolen, there's codes that's built into it.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Randy White on the state’s juvenile detention network and several facility projects. He identified the currently operating detention centers as Boyd County for females, Breathitt County for low-risk males, Fayette County for high-risk males, Adair County for high-risk youth from Jefferson and surrounding counties, Warren County for high-risk males, and McCracken County for low-risk males. Members asked about capacity and staffing; White said Boyd County houses 33 and is usually near full, Breathitt County is about half full, Fayette County runs about 80-90% full, Campbell County’s operational limit is about 25 due to staffing, Adair County can hold 60 and has hit capacity several times this year, Warren County holds 43 and usually runs near capacity, and McCracken County holds 43 and is not currently full. He said staffing is generally harder in higher-risk facilities and in metropolitan areas because of wages and housing costs. White then updated the committee on the Louisville Detention Center downtown renovation and the Lyon facility project. For the Louisville downtown facility, he said schematic design and design development are complete, construction documents are expected by late February or early March, bids are anticipated in April, and completion is projected for March 2027. He explained the delay is due to extensive renovation work needed to bring the building up to current building, life-safety, ACA, and PREA standards, including security, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, food service, and roof work. The project is designed for 64 beds for high-risk Jefferson County boys, with the facility currently vacant and those youth being housed in Adair County and Campbell County. For the Lyon project, he said the contract was issued November 21, 2024, demolition is underway, completion is expected June 14, 2026, and the facility will have 34 beds in four pods for low-risk offenders; he said the project appears to be on time and on budget within the $4.5 million authorization. The committee also discussed the medical services contract. DJJ officials said they are reviewing whether to continue with the current state contract provider, Wellpath, or pursue an RFP, while retaining current merit staff and continuing oversight through four nurse program administrators. They said DJJ uses a state master agreement to staff nurses, APRNs, and the chief medical officer, and that the current contract is about $20 million per year. Members asked about Wellpath’s bankruptcy filing; officials said they were aware of it, asked questions, and were told it would not affect Kentucky service delivery or contracting, though they could not recall the bankruptcy type and offered to provide more detail later. They also said DJJ is working with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to become a Medicaid provider, and any future contractual partner will need to be a Medicaid provider. Finally, White described the proposed high-acuity juvenile mental health treatment facility. He said DJJ must accept court-ordered youth even when they have severe mental illness, but detention centers are not equipped to treat those youth and private psychiatric hospitals often refuse them or discharge them early. He argued that a dedicated secure treatment facility is needed for a small number of highly violent, high-need youth who require intensive psychiatric care and are disruptive in detention. The facility would provide behavioral and psychiatric treatment, reduce delays caused by lack of beds or outside placements, and serve youth determined by clinical assessment to need a secure treatment environment. No votes were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the judge also said, "Well, Britain Lumber should be penalized."
• Actually volunteered that we should be penalized.
• I mean, similar to the Internal Revenue Service, if you file a late tax return, you get penalized at
• And so the judge also said, "Well, Britain Lumber should be penalized."
• Actually volunteered that we should be penalized.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The color coding there, the projects that you see in red, those were funded with 2022-23 money.
• I had a producer from Texas last week, sit by me in Colorado, and he had just written a check to his
• Now they're moving to large-scale data centers, massive data centers, anything they can do in Texas to
• Our tax code is a mess in terms of enhanced oil recovery and the extraction tax.
• If you take that Texas example, which we lived through 10 years ago, and everybody was stifling their

Summary: The committee received a compliance and budget update on Industrial Commission agencies and programs, including the Industrial Commission administrative office, the Oil and Gas Research Program, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the State Energy Research Center, the Research Technology Park grant program, and related funds. Staff reviewed spending and balances for items such as electric grid resiliency grants, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the salt cavern business case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members also discussed timing, carryover balances, matching requirements, and how some programs are structured to reimburse projects over several years rather than spend funds immediately. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described the agency’s administrative budget, the grant management system nearing completion, and the transition to standalone audits and staffing after separating from other agencies. She also outlined the status of active grant rounds across lignite, oil and gas, renewable energy, outdoor heritage, and clean sustainable energy programs. Members asked about the length of active grants, demand for clean energy funding, and the possibility of future grant rounds. Tyler and members also discussed the salt cavern study, the need to better define its commercial value, and the research technology park grant’s cash-match requirement. Ron Ness then testified on enhanced oil recovery and broader oil and gas market conditions. He said North Dakota production remained steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, longer laterals, and better use of natural gas and carbon dioxide for EOR. He described the state’s EOR grant round, the use of federal DOE funding to replace part of a state-funded project, and the expectation of additional grant rounds. Members asked about CO2 supply, storage, and the economics of using legacy fields and pipelines to extend oil production and support agriculture and industrial uses. The committee also heard from Bank of North Dakota President Don Morgan, who reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, lending verticals, disaster programs, and new initiatives. He said the bank is seeing deposit growth flatten and is responding to fintech competition by focusing on liquidity, risk management, and a new payment infrastructure initiative called Rough Rider Coin, which he emphasized is not crypto and not a public coin, but a banking payment rail for North Dakota institutions. Members asked about student loan rates, disaster lending, and how the bank’s lines of credit and balance sheet capacity are affected by deposit trends. Morgan said the bank remains profitable and continues to support agriculture, commerce, and industry through participation loans, student lending, and state-directed programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is coded A5. I recognize a member from Ramsey.
• The amendment to the amendment is coded A10.
• coded coded A8<00:24:39.080> I<00:24:39.240> recognize<00:24:39.760> the<00:24:
• amendment is coded amendment is coded A9<00:27:51.559> I<00:27:51.679> recognize<00
• overwhelmingly Texas Texas in the fiscal overwhelmingly Texas Texas in the fiscal year<00:54:06.280

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In a 2016 study conducted by Texas State University on behalf of the Texas Veterans Commission, it was
• There's definitely a need, as I understand it, uh, in East Texas, Northeast Texas, and one in the Rio
• Counties Texas is a large body.
• Texas is number one.
• A lot has been asked of all of the Texas military forces the last 25 years, and the Texas State Guard

Bills: HB101

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding

Transcript Highlights:

• But I don't think our industry should be penalized because they can't access a program.
• She should not be penalized because she felt the need to walk off of a job, but yet she finds it hard
• But let's not penalize those that you want to work with your hands, to run your cities, to build your

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee first heard SB 410, which would add current and former licensed private investigators, and their spouses and children, to the list of people whose home address, phone number, date of birth, photographs, and related family information are exempt from public records disclosure. Sponsor Senator Trunow said the exemption is meant to protect investigators who work on sensitive matters such as fraud, missing persons, human trafficking, and abuse cases and may face retaliation. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee heard testimony from a private investigator describing threats and safety concerns, then voted to report the bill favorably as CS/SB 410. The committee then took up SB 216 on reemployment assistance eligibility verification. Senator McClain said the bill is intended to combat unemployment fraud by requiring claimants to contact five prospective employers per week, appear for scheduled interviews, and undergo regular identity, immigration, employment, and incarceration checks, with fraud information shared among agencies and published annually. Opponents, including labor advocates and representatives of construction and rural workers, argued the bill would add barriers for legitimate claimants, worsen Florida’s already low recipiency rate, and create problems for seasonal, rural, and transportation-limited workers. Supporters said the system needs stronger fraud controls and that employers and taxpayers bear real costs from noncompliance. The committee reported SB 216 favorably after debate. In routine open-government sunset review business, the committee approved two committee bills. SPB 7014 extends for five years a public records exemption tied to Department of Legal Affairs investigations of a social media standards law, with staff noting the exemption has not been used because of ongoing constitutional litigation. SPB 7016 preserves a public records exemption for certain financial information held by an economic development agency when administering state or federally funded small business loan programs; supporters said the exemption protects applicants from fraud and harassment, while Senator Smith said he would vote no to remain consistent with his prior opposition. Both measures were submitted as committee bills and reported favorably, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm hoping that we're doing these work with groups of providers that are not penalize people just
• when there's only one provider that we in bring more strength around them with collaboration, not penalized
• We being penalized for not doing that and Florida for not allowing people and not to practice within

Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill, all it does, is bring forward the code sections for us to give us time before the end
• <00:20:52.240> Texas other states charge for autopsies.
• Texas other states charge for autopsies.
• All this section does is bring forward the current code sections.
• said it's just bringing forward code said it's just bringing forward code sections.<00:22:56.559

Keywords: Government Structure - Room 216, 29 January, 2026; 4:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bills 2625 and 2636, both described as part of a broader effort to strengthen state cybersecurity. SB 2625 would create a state chief information officer at the governor’s office level to coordinate IT and cybersecurity policy across agencies. Members and the sponsor said it was a conceptual work in progress, and the committee added a reverse repealer before reporting the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. SB 2636 would create a Department of Cyber Security focused on law enforcement and post-attack response, including investigators and coordination with DPS, the auditor’s office, local jurisdictions, and federal partners. Supporters said the goal was to improve collaboration, protect taxpayer information, and separate network protection and recovery from criminal investigation. Some members questioned whether the new department would overlap with existing IT and law enforcement functions, but sponsors said it was intended to clarify responsibilities rather than duplicate them. The committee added a reverse repealer and reported the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. The committee also considered SB 2632, which would delay action on state disaster recovery funding while awaiting federal changes from FEMA/MEMA. The sponsor said the bill would give the state time to evaluate new federal disaster recovery rules and determine the best approach for Mississippi. The committee added a reverse repealer and reported the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard SB 2817, a Department of Public Safety reorganization bill. It would move the Bureau of Investigation, narcotics, homeland security, and the forensic lab under the State Bureau of Investigation to streamline command and allow more flexible staffing. It would also preserve a telecommunications fee, raise autopsy and salvage inspection fees, and continue discussion of DPS police powers. After questions about the autopsy fee and whether the reorganization would save money, the committee adopted a do pass motion. The chair also noted that SB 2673 would be studied further over the next year before any final action.