Transcript Highlights:

• On the time that I was on the LBC, I remember we had a couple of requests.
• We have made a request of the Department of Homeland Security in writing requesting that Secretary Noem
• I submit a legislative funding request every year.
• My budget that I bring home is so anemic.
• My budget that I bring home is so anemic that you cannot excuse it.

Bills: S7040, S0110, S0434, S0856

Keywords: property assessment, wind damage, home improvements, real estate, tax exemption, Florida statutes, ad valorem taxes, property listings, tax estimation, disclosure, Florida, residential property

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up three property-tax related bills before turning to a broader discussion of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund. SB 434, which would prohibit counties from increasing a residential property’s assessed value because the owner installed wind mitigation measures, was presented by Senator Lee and reported favorably. CS for SB 110, which clarifies that holders of 98-year-or-longer residential leases remain eligible for the homestead exemption even if the lease ends at death, was also reported favorably. SB 856, requiring online residential listing platforms to display estimated property taxes using prescribed calculation methods and not the current owner’s tax bill, drew support from property appraisers, Zillow representatives, and others and was reported favorably after questions about transparency and realtor obligations. The committee then considered SPB 7040, which would recreate and extend the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund through December 31, 2027. Senator DiCeglie and Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie argued the fund is needed for hurricane response, other natural and man-made emergencies, and reimbursement-based spending; they said the extension preserves legislative oversight that would otherwise lapse. Several senators questioned the use of the fund for immigration-related operations, detention facilities, and other non-disaster activities, as well as the lack of additional guardrails, reimbursement timing, and transparency. Guthrie said the division has used the fund for hurricanes, flooding, civil unrest, security operations, and other incidents, and that some reimbursements are still pending from the federal government. Public testimony on SPB 7040 was largely opposed. Speakers from the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Florida for All, and others argued the fund has been repurposed for immigration enforcement and detention-related spending rather than true emergencies, and raised concerns about deaths in detention and the absence of competitive bidding and oversight. Guthrie answered extensive questions about the South Florida and North Florida detention facilities, Operation Vigilant Sentry, State Guard support, reimbursement requests, equipment purchases, and legislative access to facilities. The committee did not take a final vote on SPB 7040 within the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call the budget section, I guess we're going to call the budget section.
• I mean, you've gotten, been on this budget a long time.
• more to the Commerce budget.
• The information on their overall budget is included on that front page.
• The 2026 number is essentially what was budgeted.

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.

Transcript Highlights:

• requesting</c><00:03:19.280><c> at</c><00:03:19.519><c> this</c> are request we are requesting at this
• It comes out of our budget.
• Um, the current projected budget is $3.2 billion. Do you have any updated projected budget?
• Um, the current projected budget is $3.2 billion. Do you have any updated projected budget?
• </c> budgets. There is that much fraud. budgets. There is that much fraud.

Bills: HF3694, HF3844, HF4006, HF3785, HF3849, HF4102, HF3441, HF3507, HF3562

Keywords: transportation, tow trucks, variable message signs, road safety, emergency service, optometrist, window glazing, motor vehicle regulations, medical prescriptions, transportation safety, infrastructure, construction, appropriation, state project, motorized bicycles, motorcycles, electric vehicles, transportation regulations, safety standards, dealer license

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we should request a report from Eastern Navajo Agency Council.
• They put it in the budget, it's put through.
• It's, it, it's had something to do with one of the requests.
• And also keep in mind this session that's coming up, it's a 30-day budget session.
• I'd like to make that request.

Transcript Highlights:

• rare</c><00:44:06.720><c> personal</c> request a moment of rare personal request a moment of rare personal
• </c> technical amendment that was requested technical amendment that was requested by<01:52:12.400><c
• </c><02:19:48.080><c> uh</c> budget on the backs of our students. uh budget on the backs of our students
• Thank you. requests or and then we did in the requests or and then we did in the amendment<02:55:10.080
• &gt;&gt; A division has been requested &gt;&gt; A division has been requested &gt;&gt; respectfully.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• request is granted.
• request.
• from budget balance carry forwards to adopt the budget that exceed the school district's general budget
• These budgeted money...
• from budget balance carry forwards to adopt the budget that exceed the school district's general budget

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> are in the proposed budget. are in the proposed budget.
• </c> Um but yet in your task force request Um but yet in your task force request number<01:23:50.280>
• </c> and we request your support. and we request your support.
• </c> and it is not part of the FY27 budget and it is not part of the FY27 budget passed<02:24:04.880>
• ANR's budget each year.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And in subsection three there, on line 22, it requested that they accept the request to withdraw by an
• agency resolution or deny the request.
• And in subsection three there, on lines 22, it requested that they accept the request to withdraw by
• an agency resolution or deny the request.
• Both entities respectfully oppose House Bill 670 and request that it be held in committee.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee heard and advanced three bills. House Bill 734, sponsored by Rep. Furman, was described as a narrow fix to wind and geothermal revenue distribution so school districts without supplemental levies would use the county levy rate for calculations; the committee approved it unanimously with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 670, sponsored by Rep. Monks, would clarify last year’s urban renewal changes affecting fire protection and ambulance districts, including when they may withdraw from revenue allocation districts and defining “contractual obligation” as a written agreement signed by both parties. Testimony from the Association of Idaho Cities, the Redevelopment Association of Idaho, and others opposed the bill, citing pending litigation and concerns about ambiguity, while the sponsor argued it simply restated legislative intent. The committee sent the bill to the 14th Order for possible amendment, with Sen. Anthon agreeing to work on amendments. House Bill 658, sponsored by Rep. Birch, would let county commissioners fill vacancies on cemetery maintenance district boards when a quorum is lost due to resignation, death, or similar causes, instead of relying on gubernatorial appointments, and would allow counties to handle temporary district functions until a board is reconstituted. The sponsor said the bill had support from county and city associations and framed it as a practical local-government fix. After a brief question about residency requirements, the committee passed HB 658 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> fireworks committee and at the request fireworks committee and at the request of<00:23:17.120><c
• </c> Corrections um at their request. Corrections um at their request.
• </c> it is a request of the JCEC. it is a request of the JCEC.
• ><c> it</c><01:08:40.239><c> doesn't</c> outside of a budget year, but it doesn't outside of a budget
• incorporated in the budget. Uh, but of incorporated in the budget.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's 18% of their budget. They'll have to close the school.
• request a full reappraisal.
• Within a deadline and the requesting entity must pay for it.
• They can request this. They don't need to use it for taxing.
• My clients do not have litigation budgets.

Bills: HB1952, HB3258, HB3524, HB3851, HB4478, HB4613, HB4703, HB4742, HB4744, HB4809, HB4864

Keywords: county appraisal district, board of directors, governance, taxing units, public representation, penalty, property report, taxation, timely filing, chief appraiser, appraisal district, ad valorem tax, property appraisal, tax protests, unequal appraisal, property rights, property tax, public employees, protest leave, appraisal review board

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> has put forward a request for two items. has put forward a request for two items. one<00:05:09.840
• </c> The measures identified in our request The measures identified in our request will<00:21:05.679>
• </c> security request. security request.
• </c> important funding request. important funding request.
• And I know that it was then, but we did not hear anything in our budget request about the need to do

Bills: HF3874, HF3875, HF3378

Keywords: judicial funding, Chief Justice security, fiscal year 2028, court system, judicial branch, judiciary, court notices, restitution, child protection, publication process, human services, Optum reports, data privacy, transparency, legislative oversight, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so our budget is very locked down.
• So environmental health budget is tight, just like any other agency budget, and we cannot... ...it has
• This is not the total budget for the licensing and certification program.
• And Senator Short has a request. Well, thank you.
• I look to budget writers who have an impossible task. I'm sorry.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on Senate Bill 5816, which would add juice grapes to Washington’s Agricultural Marketing and Fair Practices Act. Staff explained that the bill would allow juice grape producers to form an accredited association to negotiate with processors under the same timelines used for pears, and the prime sponsor said the measure was intended to help growers obtain fairer prices. A grape grower testified that Washington producers face a small number of buyers, little real negotiation, and prices far below New York’s, arguing the bill would give growers a way to bargain collectively. The public hearing closed with 47 people noted in support and one in opposition. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5971, which would create a green fertilizer incentive program for low-carbon nitrogen fertilizer production and use in Washington. Staff described the bill as directing WSDA to establish the program, adopt rules by 2028, and report to the Legislature, with costs shown in the fiscal note. The prime sponsor and several supporters, including Atlas Agro, a port representative, labor, NRDC, WSDA, the League of Women Voters, and the Washington State Potato Commission, said the bill could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support local manufacturing and jobs, stabilize fertilizer supply and prices for farmers, and help Washington compete for federal clean hydrogen tax credits. WSDA said the program was implementable with consultation and that the Climate Commitment Act could be a funding source, though it noted rulemaking costs. The committee then held a work session on commercial shellfish fee assessments after the Department of Health adopted major fee increases for shellfish licensing and certification. Shellfish growers and association representatives said the increases—described as ranging from roughly 233% to 789% overall, with some individual licenses rising much more—would hit small and family farms hardest, could force closures, and were based on a fee structure they said is outdated and not tied well to production. DOH explained that the program has long relied on general fund support, that federal shellfish safety requirements must be maintained, and that the new fees are intended to move the program toward full cost recovery after years without increases. The department said it had used a phased approach, reopened rulemaking to look for a fairer structure, and would continue working with industry and the Legislature; no vote was taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• But it's almost like a performance-based budgeting exercise about funding and results.
• And I think your budget and your whatever sector you're in shows your priorities.
• And if the UC system isn't budgeting this as a priority, then we need to change that.
• Oversight, as has been requested by the Office of the President.
• Another question is, in the case of the campuses receiving a joint repatriation request...

Summary: The joint hearing of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee focused on the University of California’s compliance with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA and the return of Native American human remains and cultural items. Senators and Assembly Members opened by emphasizing the sacredness of repatriation, the ongoing trauma caused by delayed returns, and the need for stronger systemwide accountability. The State Auditor presented the third audit of UC’s repatriation efforts, concluding that UC still lacks the urgency, oversight, and clear timelines needed to promptly return remains and belongings. The audit found thousands of remains and hundreds of thousands of cultural items still in UC custody, new undisclosed collections at several campuses, weak budgeting and underspending, and repatriation plans that often lacked concrete deadlines. The auditor recommended stronger UCOP oversight, performance metrics, proactive searches for undiscovered items, and possible legislative action to tie funding to measurable progress. UC officials responded that the system is committed to full compliance and has accelerated its work since adopting a new policy in 2022. UC Provost Catherine Newman said the system repatriated more than 2,800 ancestors and nearly 80,000 funerary belongings in the past year, and that UC now says 80.3% of Native American remains are either repatriated or available for repatriation. UC announced a new systemwide plan to complete repatriation of human remains by the end of 2028, to finish high-risk campus reviews by June 2026, to recall all loans by January 2026, and to require quarterly reporting to UCOP. UC also said it will spend an additional $8.8 million over three years, expand staffing, improve databases, support tribal consultation costs, and identify potential reburial sites on UC land. Berkeley and San Diego described increased staffing, consultations, and repatriation activity, while Santa Barbara said it had corrected earlier omissions, notified tribes about previously unreported ancestors, and was working toward completing repatriations and updated inventories. Committee members pressed UC on why progress has been so slow, why the audit’s timelines differed from UC’s public reporting, and whether the 2028 goal applies only to human remains rather than all cultural items. UC said the 2028 target is for human remains, while cultural items will take longer, and acknowledged that more work remains. Members also asked about the technical expertise needed for repatriation, the role of tribal experts, and whether repatriation should be embedded more permanently in UC governance or statute. Tribal leaders and representatives then testified that remains and belongings were taken without consent and must be returned with tribal consent and leadership. They criticized the repeated delays, stressed that tribes are the experts on their ancestors and cultural heritage, and urged UC to treat repatriation as a top priority and to return all associated items, not just human remains, so ancestors can truly rest.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee substitute for committee. with one amendment and request the concurrence of the Senate.
• So I hope we, you know, have the money for that as we do the budget.
• President, I move the Senate refuse to concur in the House Amendment Barcode 692-383 and request that
• In the West Gallery, I have two incredible interns. one Tom Cotton and Rick Scott have requested that
• We'll save the traditional hanky drop ceremony for our special session on the budget.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to put it into the budget because the budget<00:37:34.040><c> will</c><00:37:34.160><c> be</c><00:37
• A roll call has been requested. A roll call has been requested.
• Senator Carson: Yes. been requested Senator gray and seconded been requested Senator gray and seconded
• </c> roll call a roll call has been requested roll call a roll call has been requested by<01:20:55.920
• Okay, a roll call has been requested. A roll call has been requested and seconded.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not fully fund what our original request was.
• It does not fully fund what our original request was.
• Chair, Representative Birch, our original request was for $12 million ongoing.
• Representative Hill, you can make a unanimous consent request if you want.
• Representative Hill, you can make a unanimous consent request if you want.

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved minutes from March 17, 18, 19, and 20, then took up House Bill 944, sponsored by Rep. Palmer, which would redirect $5 million from the liquor distribution formula to the Idaho State Police choice fund to help address trooper pay and recruitment problems. ISP Director Bill Gardner testified that the agency has severe staffing shortages, unfilled positions, and difficulty recruiting and retaining troopers, especially at the 5-, 10-, and 15-year marks, because its pay has fallen behind other law enforcement agencies. He explained that the bill would help but would not fully solve the problem; he said the original ongoing funding request was $12 million, and a fully sustainable long-term solution would be about $18 million. He also described a new merit-based pay structure and said he would suspend ISP’s lateral transfer program for three years if a solution is reached, to reduce concerns from sheriffs and city police about losing officers. Committee members raised concerns that the bill would shift financial pain to counties and cities, especially rural counties that already struggle to fund local law enforcement and related services. Some members argued the Legislature should use the rainy day fund or restore prior gas-tax support instead of reallocating existing revenue, while others said the bill was a necessary step to address a real law enforcement crisis even if it was not enough. Rep. Palmer said he did not want to use the rainy day fund for ongoing salaries and asked the committee to consider a smaller, more workable solution. After debate, Rep. Cheatham moved to send House Bill 944 to General Orders as a substitute motion, and the committee approved that motion on a 12-3 roll call vote, sending the bill to General Orders rather than advancing it directly to the floor. The committee then briefly recognized its page and secretary before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The rationale for this is based upon the funding requests submitted by VCTs.
• or the Judiciary budget.
• or the Judiciary budget.
• as we're putting together our budget, if we're aware of whether that's up or not?
• Uh, we do need to ask the question and be mindful of that as we're putting together the budget.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They send us that request to us. We then review them.
• "We budgeted conservatively as we have in the past."
• "We budgeted conservatively as we have in the past."
• the budgeting side of things than my office does.
• School districts were denied gap funding requests for a handful of reasons.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They send us that request to us. We then review them.
• We budgeted conservatively as we have in the past.
• They work more with the budgeting side of things than my office does.
• School districts were denied gap funding requests for a handful of reasons.
• School districts were denied gap funding requests for a handful of reasons.

Summary: The committee met to receive updates from the Tax Commissioner’s office on property tax relief programs and related compliance work. Commissioner Brian Croshys reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting that the Homestead program expanded significantly after HB 1158, that some households are “adjusting out” of eligibility as incomes rise, and that the committee may want to consider indexing income thresholds. Members asked for additional data on bracket breakdowns, possible costs of eliminating income limits for seniors, and how many households are zeroed out by the combined programs. Croshys also discussed the simpler administration of the disabled veteran credit, the growth in participation, and the heavy workload and auditing safeguards built into the new primary residence credit system. He said the department found no material compliance findings and that the program is designed to be digital-first, with county auditors and the Tax Commissioner’s office both involved in review and notification. The committee recessed for lunch and later reconvened, with the chair noting that more detailed PRC information would likely be available at a September meeting. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase, or “zero growth,” report and the 2025 statistical report. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and which jurisdictions showed the largest percentage changes in countywide, citywide, school district, and park district levies. In the statistical report, she summarized recent trends in assessed values: agricultural values remained relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed property values increased over the past five years. She also reviewed statewide tax levies by property class and clarified that centrally assessed growth figures were annual averages. Members discussed how shifts in land use and annexation can make it appear that tax burdens are moving from ag to residential/commercial property. Myers then summarized the interim study on the 3% levy limitation under HB 1176, saying most counties complied without budget changes, while some used hiring freezes, deferred purchases, or reserve funds; 23% of counties had to reduce levies, and the affected funds were mainly general, road and bridge, and weed control. She said 12 counties reported zero new growth in the data and that 35 counties reported not using all of their cap. The committee also received an oil tax presentation from Croshys on the stripper well extraction tax exemption. He outlined the number of active stripper wells, the production and revenue implications of the exemption, and projections for future biennia under different tax scenarios. He said the exemption represents substantial savings to operators but also corresponds to production tax revenue that would otherwise be collected, and he emphasized that future outcomes depend on oil prices, well counts, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly answered a question about why Red River wells have a different production threshold than Bakken wells, explaining it was tied to completion costs and lateral length. The committee then heard from Charlie Gorecki of the EERC, who presented an analysis of typical Bakken well decline curves and argued that most oil is produced before a well reaches stripper status, but that keeping wells open and investing in refracturing or other interventions can recover additional production. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting; the main actions were receiving reports, asking for follow-up data, and scheduling further discussion for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So with respect to Monday's meeting, which is possible executive, please make requests for amendments
• conference with the parties is required to assure the eligibility of the transfer requests.
• I know there's a portion of your budget to keep these roads clean.
• , but I've not briefed in Capital Budget.
• A fiscal note has been requested as of February 3, but it is not yet available.

Bills: HB1367, HB2172, HB2718, HB2139, HB2192, HB2307, HB2379, HB2467, HB2495, HB2604

Keywords: motorcycle safety, right shoulder, shoulder riding, limited access roadway, freeway, expressway, highway congestion, lane splitting, traffic safety, RCW, Washington traffic law, roadside assistance, emergency vehicles, tow truck, congested traffic, motorcyclist, route jurisdiction, abandonment, transportation, local governance