Transcript Highlights:

• to<00:09:34.839><c> address</c><00:09:35.200><c> was</c><00:09:35.399><c> the</c> ...because of the deed
• Um, that would be an expenditure of the deed budget. That's correct.
• a um budsman if the bill became<00:17:39.640><c> law</c><00:17:40.120><c> at</c><00:17:40.360><c> deed
• </c><00:17:41.360><c> and</c><00:17:41.520><c> have</c><00:17:41.640><c> a</c> became law at deed and
• have a became law at deed and have a conversation<00:17:42.360><c> about</c><00:17:42.640><c> whatever

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also does not override HOA, deed, or historical preservation restrictions.
• </c><00:22:20.240><c> or</c><00:22:20.600><c> historical</c> not override HOA deed or historical not
• override HOA deed or historical preservation preservation preservation restrictions<00:22:24.039><c>
• HOAs, historical districts, developer restrictions, and deed restrictions are not affected by this bill
• 56.000><c> and</c> districts uh developer restrictions and districts uh developer restrictions and deed

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Local Government met for its first meeting of the year, established a quorum, and heard two bills. House Bill 211, sponsored by Representative Chris Lewis, would create a definition for cigar bars and allow indoor cigar smoking in qualifying establishments if they meet criteria such as deriving at least 15% of gross income from cigar-related sales, restricting entry to those 21 and older, prohibiting cigarettes and vaping, and requiring a smoke-free area for deliveries. Lewis and Louisville Metro Council member Anthony Pantini described the bill as a small-business and tourism measure modeled on Tennessee law, while the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and a St. Elizabeth physician opposed it, arguing it would undermine local smoke-free ordinances and expose patrons and workers to harmful secondhand smoke. Several members raised local-control concerns, and Lewis said he was open to local governments making decisions on less restrictive approaches. The committee adopted a committee substitute and then approved HB 211 on a roll call vote, with multiple members voting yes and several no votes, sending the bill forward as amended. The committee then heard House Bill 160 from Representative Susan Whitten, with Logan Haynes of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute. They said Kentucky faces a housing shortage of roughly 200,000 units and that starter homes are increasingly unaffordable, making manufactured housing an important part of the solution. Whitten said the bill would treat manufactured housing more like site-built housing while still allowing local governments to enforce cosmetic standards such as roof pitch, exterior facade, and foundation material, and she emphasized that HOA, deed, and historical preservation restrictions would remain in place. Haynes argued that modern manufactured homes are federally and state inspected, more energy efficient, faster to build, and more affordable than site-built homes, and he said the bill would not open the door to older-style mobile homes or single-wides except in limited narrow-lot situations. Representatives from the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties expressed concerns about the bill’s current language, saying land-use decisions should remain local and warning that the definition of qualified manufactured home and the bill’s treatment of local standards could have unintended consequences. They said they appreciated Whitten’s willingness to work with them and indicated they hoped to continue negotiating amendments as the bill moved forward. No vote on HB 160 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, and I may need to phone a friend on some of the individual ones, but these are programs that DEED
• need to phone a friend regarding some of the specific ones. >> Chair, would you like someone from DEED
• </c><00:38:33.240><c> had</c> are programs that uh that DEED had are programs that uh that DEED had identified
• </c> &gt;&gt; Chair, would you like someone from DEED &gt;&gt; Chair, would you like someone from DEED
• does every year is now doing that DEED does every year is now doing it<00:42:45.720><c> every</c><00

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• come through this committee and pass this committee before we ask for the mitigation dollars from DEED
• DEED has had a real problem. I don't think $1 has gotten to a business yet.
• Um, because DEED has gotten stuck in their bureaucratic whatever they do.
• Deed has had a real problem. I the door. Deed has had a real problem.
• Um because deed has gotten stuck in yet.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, we have a number of bills up and a presentation from DEED.
• And if DEED can just provide, uh, Mr.
• Uh, with that, uh, members, we're going to move to the presentation by DEED.
• </c> uh, the presentation by DEED. uh, the presentation by DEED.
• Devin Baudry, DEED government relations director.

Bills: HF3878 , HF4131 , HF3796 , HF4097

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: airport workers, wage standards, labor rights, minimum wage, economic equity, surveillance, price discrimination, wage discrimination, consumer rights, automated decision systems, Minnesota Statutes, suitable seating, employee seating, workplace seating, occupational safety, workplace safety, labor standards, employer requirements, chair, stool

Transcript Highlights:

• will have what's called Navigators deed will have what's called Navigators in<00:19:27.520><c> the</
• </c><01:18:13.400><c> conducted</c><01:18:13.800><c> a</c> Frasier mentioned deed conducted a Frasier
• mentioned deed conducted a survey<01:18:14.280><c> and</c><01:18:14.440><c> found</c><01:18:14.800><
• </c><01:25:05.480><c> of</c> most recent data available from deed of most recent data available from
• deed of the<01:25:06.320><c> uh</c><01:25:06.480><c> program</c><01:25:06.840><c> participants</c><01

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, a lot of people do have a primary mortgage, deed of trust on their property.”
• “People do have a primary mortgage, deed of trust on their property, which would include the entire parcel
• thinking most mortgage companies would probably not want to give up any turf on that as far as their deed

Committee: Senate Local Government and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Deeds. Representative Flannery. I'd like to explain my yes vote.
• Representative<00:18:13.160><c> Deeds.</c> Representative Deeds. Representative Deeds.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• And when they start the project, we take over their deed and it becomes a city property.
• And when they start the project, we take over their deed and it becomes a city property.
• Chairman, Senator, it's—we actually take over the deed.
• Chairman, Senator, it's—we actually take over the deed.

Bills: SB101 , SB58 , SB55

Committee: Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 101, which would repeal the July 1, 2030 sunset on the Health Care Delivery and Access Act and make the hospital provider-tax program permanent. The sponsor, the Health Care Authority secretary, and the New Mexico Hospital Association said the program has generated substantial federal Medicaid matching funds and has supported hospital workforce, quality, and infrastructure investments, especially in rural areas. Members asked why the sunset existed originally and whether federal changes under H.R. 1 would phase the program down; the secretary explained the sunset was meant as a review point, but that federal law now prevents creating a new similar program if this one expires. The committee heard support from hospital and business representatives, no opposition, and voted due pass 7-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 58, as amended, which extends the property tax abatement period for metropolitan redevelopment areas from a fixed seven years to up to 14 years. The sponsor and Albuquerque redevelopment officials said the change would give local governments more flexibility to structure projects based on financial need, while still preserving current tax payments and encouraging redevelopment of blighted or underused areas. Several supporters, including realtors and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber, argued the longer window would improve certainty for developers and help spur housing and other reinvestment. Some members raised concerns about lost revenue for schools and whether the tool could be overused, but were told the program applies only in designated redevelopment areas and is intended to leverage future higher assessments. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended 7-0. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 55, which increases New Mexico’s state solar tax credit from 10% to 30% after the federal credit was reduced, and raises the individual cap from $6,000 to $15,000 while keeping the overall annual program cap at $30 million. The sponsor and numerous solar industry, business, and clean-energy advocates said the change is needed to prevent layoffs, stabilize the rooftop solar market, support local jobs, and preserve grid and affordability benefits for customers. Members asked about permitting, certification, consumer protection, and whether battery storage was included; the sponsor said the bill covers rooftop solar only, the credit is refundable, and EMNRD certifies systems before credits are issued. The committee heard broad support, no opposition, and voted due pass 7-0 before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• What happens is the property is deeded to the H.E.B. On the tax records, it is owned by H.E.B.
• you know, that finance market will probably drive things more than anything else, except maybe those deed
• By using a ground lease or a deed restriction, the community land trust takes the traditional bundle
• So if you go to the next slide, you could see that the ground lease and the deed restriction tie the
• down the road decide to sell, you have to sell as required in the covenant or the requirements, the deed

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard presentations on a range of housing finance, permitting, and affordability tools. Chattanooga described its affordable housing PILOT program, which uses a per-unit property tax abatement tied to the rent loss from providing affordable units, with a 15-year term and annual compliance monitoring. Committee members asked about the program’s structure, whether it had been used elsewhere, and who was participating; the presenter said the first mixed-income project would bring 278 units with 42 affordable units and that the model was attracting private market-rate developers. Shoreline then described its MFTE and inclusionary zoning approach, emphasizing that longer tax exemption periods and station-area zoning changes had helped spur development, with most current pipeline projects concentrated near light rail stations. The committee also heard from the Municipal Research Services Center and the Department of Commerce on tax increment financing, proportional impact fees, and permit timelines. Commerce explained that TIF can fund public improvements such as roads, utilities, broadband, and some affordable housing or child care facilities, while proportional impact fee guidance is intended to help jurisdictions charge fees more closely aligned with actual project impacts. On permit timelines, Commerce presented its first annual report under recent law changes, using 2024 as a baseline year and noting that reported timelines were generally longer than statutory goals; members asked about outliers, paper versus electronic processing, and whether back-and-forth between applicants and staff was driving delays. Commerce said it would follow up with more data, including on CHIP funding and permit reform practices. Several local governments then shared permitting process improvements. Auburn reported relatively short review cycles and described its move to fully electronic permitting, internal performance standards, and a stock plan program that speeds review for repeated home designs. Bellevue described an AI permitting pilot with a local startup to help with pre-application questions, document triage, and plan review, aiming to reduce incomplete applications and revision cycles. Seattle presented a pilot for accessory dwelling unit co-development in which a mission-driven partner would help homeowners split lots, finance, build, and manage ADUs, with the homeowner eventually buying out the partner and retaining ownership; committee members asked about rent setting, management fees, and default risk, and staff said they would follow up. The committee also heard brief overviews of community land trusts and limited equity cooperatives as permanent affordability models, with presenters urging continued state and local funding support and policy recognition for these approaches.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can be initiated as long as notice is given to that successor in that transfer-on-death deed, and the
• So transfer-on-death deeds are intended to allow property to pass outside of probate, avoid court.
• What they do is they name a successor in that transfer-on-death deed, which is fully revocable.
• So when you say existing actions, like existing lawsuits or existing transfer-on-death deeds?
• and they're still living, and that's like an existing client and that transfer-on-death deed is still

Bills: HB3329 , HR1039 , HR1040 , HB3413 , HB3414 , HB3415 , HB3416 , HB3417 , HB3418 , HB3419 , HB3420 , HB3706 , HB3711 , HB4139 , HB1268 , HB3660 , HJR1023 , HB3298 , HB3056 , HJR1084 , HB3934 , HB3919 , HB4118 , HB4119 , HB3791 , HB4260 , HB4178 , HB4215 , HB4324 , HB3270 , HB4352 , HB4305 , HB2955 , HB3315 , HB3066 , HB1245 , HB4125 , HB3075 , HB3129 , HB3239 , HB4153 , HB3265 , HB4491 , SB680 , HB4263 , HB4268 , HB1675 , HB3885 , HB2984 , HB3697 , HB2959 , HB3671 , HB3852 , HB2933 , HB3057 , HB3802 , HB4294 , HB4285 , HB3708 , HB3979 , HB3977 , HB3986 , HB3985 , HB3588 , HB3742 , HB3845 , HJR1070 , HB3590 , HB3595 , HB3391 , HB3183 , HB3764 , HB3765 , HB1002 , HB4434 , HJR1086 , HB4060 , HB3881 , HB3500 , HB4408 , HB3648 , HB3127 , HB3606

Summary: The House convened after lunch, established a quorum, and then took up a long series of measures. Early debate centered on H.J.R. 1084, which would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to reaffirm that courts must follow the Oklahoma and U.S. Constitutions and not recognize or enforce religious codes that conflict with them. The author said it was meant as a safeguard against unconstitutional courtroom practices; several members questioned its practical effect and constitutional basis. The resolution passed the House 70-19. The chamber then passed a number of bills on workforce, public safety, tax, and administrative issues, including HB 3934 on dental hygienist workforce gaps, HB 3919 allowing county commissioners to adjust fair board membership to reach quorum, HB 4118 creating a family caregiver tax credit, HB 4119 requiring a bond in certain real-property title disputes, HB 426 on workers’ compensation for first responders suffering heart attack or stroke after strenuous shifts, HB 4178 on sales tax exemptions for municipal-beneficiary public trusts, HB 4215 to aid small post-production companies, HB 4324 allowing district attorneys to adjust sentences after initial sentencing with an amendment clarifying jury verdicts are unaffected, HB 3270 cleanup language for farmed cervidae/chronic wasting disease law, HB 4352 adopting the Uniform Mortgage Modification Act, HB 4305 clarifying ad valorem assessment of low-income housing tax credit properties, HB 2955 modernizing captive insurance law, HB 3315 creating a 90-hour degree program, HB 3066 reestablishing and funding a behavioral health workforce program, HB 1245 changing retirement coverage for certain DHS law enforcement officers, HB 4125 restoring firearm rights for certain nonviolent felons after five years with expungement or pardon, HB 3075 creating a penny-rounding rule for public-sector cash transactions, HB 3129 creating a process for university security fees, HB 3239 modernizing the Veterinary Practice Act, HB 4153 reinstating prior driver-licensing rules tied to an eighth-grade reading test with a hardship exception, HB 3265 defining mental health specialists for police pension disability cases, HB 4491 allowing school districts to opt in to extracurricular participation by charter, virtual charter, and homeschool students, SB 680 creating a tobacco tax incentive for lower-risk products, HB 4263 aligning retirement options for CareerTech employees, and HB 4268 creating the Teacher Effectiveness and Excellence Act with a compensation pilot and National Board stipend. Most measures passed with little or no debate, though several drew extended questioning, especially the school extracurricular bill, the driver’s-license literacy bill, and the tobacco tax measure. Emergency clauses were adopted on several bills, including HB 3934, HB 3270, HB 3315, HB 3066, HB 3075, HB 3129, HB 4153, and HB 4268.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, Deeds has a question. Who was the Commonwealth's Attorney in Danville when you were there?
• I think Senator Deeds has a question for you. Yes, sir.
• Thank you, Senator Deeds. Okay, I don’t see any other questions or comments from the committee.
• Thank you, Senator Deeds. Good afternoon. Welcome.
• Thank you, Senator Deeds. Ms. Cruz, thank you for coming today. Good afternoon and welcome.

Committee: House Courts of Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, I'm going to hand it over to Deed. Welcome to the Senate Labor Committee.
• Deed obviously runs the unemployment insurance program for the state of Minnesota.
• And is it from the Department of Revenue or DEED? Is there any—should we be following any of that?
• Thank you, and is it from the Department of Revenue or DEED?
• </c><01:16:08.520><c> and</c> we're working closely with um deed and we're working closely with um deed

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• So the land sale is a deed sale, and that process, you get 8% interest on whatever your purchase price
• So they do a deed sale. So that's a bid-up process.
• So they do a deed sale. So that's a bid-up process.
• So they do a deed sale. So that's a bid-up process.
• So they do a deed sale. So that's a bid-up process.

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Transcript Highlights:

• I come before you in strong support of a bill, an act to create a graduated deed excise tax for affordable
• This bill seeks to change the trajectory by creating a graduated deed... ...excise tax by asking those
• The lesson is clear: graduated deed and transfer taxes do not collapse markets.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hearing on several housing-related bills, with chairs Adrienne Madaro and James Eldridge framing the discussion as part of the Legislature’s broader response to the state’s housing crisis and noting that many of the bills build on the 2024 Affordable Homes Act. The chairs reviewed hearing procedures, including the three-minute oral testimony limit, the option to submit written testimony, and the hybrid format. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony began with support for H. 3278, a bill to create a graduated deed excise tax for affordable housing. Representative Worel argued that higher-end real estate transactions should contribute more to fund affordable housing production, saying the measure would not burden working families and would help address racial inequities in homeownership and displacement. Representative Soder then supported H. 3247, which would promote redevelopment of abandoned buildings through expanded tax incentives for renovating vacant properties for sale or rent, arguing that it would bring blighted units back into use and generate future tax revenue. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3040/S. 1969, residential improvement or R-PACE legislation. Robert Giles of Home Run Financing and Nicole Steele of Amalgamated Bank described the program as a voluntary, assessment-based financing tool that could help homeowners pay for energy efficiency, resilience, and other major repairs without upfront costs, and said it could complement existing Mass Save programs while expanding access to more homeowners. In contrast, Judith Lieben of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute opposed H. 3039/S. 1946, the Housing Development Incentive Program bill, arguing it would expand subsidies for market-rate and luxury housing in Gateway Cities instead of directing resources to low-income renters. Representative Hawkins also testified in support of H. 3121, which would end large investor control of homes in Massachusetts by imposing an excise tax on large owners of small residential properties and using the revenue for first-time homebuyer down payment assistance. After testimony and a few member questions, the chairs asked whether anyone else wished to testify and then adjourned the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• threshold matter, this bill interferes with the fundamental right to contract by invalidating existing deed
• threshold matter, this bill interferes with the fundamental right to contract by invalidating existing deed
• restrictions, covenants, and binding agreements, contract by invalidating existing deed restrictions

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• , private parties may agree to restrict the use of real property through such things as contracts, deed
• has not yet been sold yet, and this is something that happens in that sale transaction within the deed
• Oh, it's a part of a deed? Mm-hmm. Oh, I see. Yeah, thank you. Sorry if I was confusing.

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• , private parties may agree to restrict the use of real property through such things as contracts, deed
• has not yet been sold yet, and this is something that happens in that sale transaction within the deed
• Oh, it's a part of a deed? Mm-hmm. Oh, I see. Yeah, thank you. Sorry if I was confusing.

Summary: The Washington State Senate Committee on Business, Trade, and Economic Development waived the five-day notice rule to consider Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2274 and Engrossed House Bill 2294. The committee first heard HB 2274, which would modify the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act by requiring false or misleading subject lines to be knowingly false or misleading, and reducing statutory damages from $500 to $100 or actual damages, whichever is greater. Representative Springer and retail witnesses described the bill as a compromise reached with consumer lawyers, retailers, and the Attorney General’s office, intended to address a surge in lawsuits after a recent Supreme Court ruling while preserving consumer protections. Consumer advocates testified that they supported the compromise as a temporary step, while one consumer-side attorney objected to the bill’s text-message damages change, arguing it was unrelated to the email issue and could weaken existing protections. The committee held the public hearing open and did not take final action on the bill during the meeting. The committee then heard HB 2294, which prohibits private agreements that restrict real property from being used as a grocery store or pharmacy, declaring such negative use restrictions against public policy and unenforceable after the bill’s effective date, with exceptions for preexisting agreements and limited relocation scenarios. Representative Farivar said the bill was prompted by grocery and pharmacy closures and aimed to prevent property covenants from blocking replacement stores in underserved communities. Supporters from the Washington Food Industry Association and Northwest Grocery Retail Association said the bill would help independent grocers and communities, though the retail association asked for further language refinement for retail-center situations and noted the bill preserves some limited protections for existing investments. The committee took public testimony but did not vote on HB 2294 during the hearing. In executive session, staff briefed Substitute House Bill 2428, which requires insurers issuing individual life insurance policies to send lapse notices to policyholders and designated third parties. The committee then adopted a due pass recommendation and sent the bill to the Rules Committee. The motion passed by voice vote, with the bill passed subject to signatures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Deeds: Yes. Representative Fleming: I. Representative Freeland: Yes.
• </c> Representative<00:35:18.240><c> Deeds.</c><00:35:18.760><c> Yes.</c> Representative Deeds.
• </c> Representative<00:41:12.960><c> Deeds.</c><00:41:13.400><c> Yes.</c> Representative Deeds.
• Representative Deeds voted yes. Representative Fleming voted yes.
• Representative Deeds: No. Representative Fleming: Explain my vote, Mr. Chairman.

Committee: House Appropriations & Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• For the lottery process, DED will ask current partners with active contracts for other DEED programs
• </c><00:24:42.799><c> programs</c> active contracts for other deed programs active contracts for other
• deed programs to<00:24:43.600><c> help</c><00:24:43.840><c> review</c><00:24:44.320><c> applications
• to administer and for then 2% for deed to administer and for oversight<01:15:27.520><c> of</c><01:15
• I<01:19:40.480><c> know</c><01:19:40.640><c> deed</c><01:19:41.040><c> mentioned</c><01:19:41.360><c>

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development