Transcript Highlights:

• consent calendar?
• bill being placed on the consent bill being placed on the consent calendar,<00:05:33.240> assuming
• consent calendar? consent calendar? All<00:05:35.760> right.
• I will be be placed on consent calendar.
• Obviously, no consent calendar. I should have made the joke. Consent calendar. Oh, okay. All right.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In recognition of the confusion many in our nation are facing, our office issued two guidance documents
• The guidance documents issued by our office also provide examples of best practices, which I'll highlight
• The guidance documents issued by our office also provide examples of best practices, which I'll just
• Just open the document and then press share screen.
• Click on the document. Yep, got that. Amen. Yep, got that. And then share that.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held an informational hearing on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Massachusetts; no bills were heard or voted on. Chairs Bud Williams and Liz Miranda opened by framing the hearing as a response to recent federal actions they said threatened DEI efforts, funding, and civil rights protections in education and other sectors. They said the committee would hear from experts, agencies, advocates, and businesses about the legality and benefits of DEI and the impact of federal actions on the Commonwealth. Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler testified virtually that Massachusetts is pushing back against federal efforts to restrict DEI, including guidance and certification demands directed at schools. He highlighted state investments in early education, child care, early college, career and technical education, and educator diversity, arguing these efforts help close opportunity gaps for Black and brown students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other underserved groups. In response to member questions, he said federal education dollars are core to services for students and that the state is prepared to fight funding cuts while monitoring impacts across K-12, early education, and higher education. Elizabeth Matos of the Attorney General’s Office said DEIA programs remain legal under state and federal law and described AG guidance issued to help institutions navigate federal confusion. She reviewed litigation the office has joined or won, including efforts involving withheld school funds, museums and libraries, the Minority Business Development Agency, Head Start, AmeriCorps, and other federal actions. Members asked about immigration-related fear and profiling, and Matos pointed to existing Know Your Rights guidance, said complaints to the Civil Rights Division have increased, and noted the office is seeing issues involving housing discrimination, employment, public accommodations, and threats to call ICE. She also said the office is open to further legislative ideas but did not discuss specifics. Evelyn Carter, a social psychologist, testified that diversity, equity, and inclusion are often misunderstood and defined the terms plainly, emphasizing that diversity is a group characteristic, equity addresses unequal starting points, and inclusion is about belonging and access. She argued that DEI matters because it creates guardrails against bias, helps make environments accessible, and addresses ongoing inequities. In response to questions, she suggested practical strategies such as using clear criteria and written records in decision-making, broadening who is considered part of one’s in-group, and pairing bias awareness with concrete behavior-change tools. The hearing also included testimony from Meredith Tewitt of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, who spoke about the importance of DEI for women, veterans, and people who rely on federal institutions, and urged lawmakers to continue supporting inclusion and access.

Transcript Highlights:

• The following measures are proposed for consent: Item 1, ACR 157 Hoover; Item 4, SB 899 Grove.
• I'm going to start with, as you just said, two items on consent and two resolutions that aren't on consent
• We have a motion on the consent calendar by Ms. Wicks and a second by Mr. Haney.
• The consent calendar is out. And before you do your final bill, Mr.
• We'll start with consent. I'm absent member for consent is Ellis. Ellis aye. It has 13 votes.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to start with, as you just said, two items on consent and two resolutions that aren't on consent
• We have a motion on the consent calendar by Ms. Wicks and a second by Mr. Haney.
• Consent items. Item 1, ACR 157. Consent items.
• The consent calendar is out. And before you do your final bill, Mr.
• We'll start with consent. I'm absent member for consent is Ellis. Ellis aye. It has 13 votes.

Summary: The committee considered several coastal, climate, and air quality measures. Senator Laird presented SCR 136 marking the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy Act, and SJR 12 opposing the federal offshore oil and gas leasing program; both drew broad support from environmental groups, local governments, and other advocates, with no opposition heard. Senator Padilla presented SB 10, requiring state climate plans to include gender impact assessments, with supporters arguing climate harms fall disproportionately on women and LGBTQ+ people; the bill also drew no opposition in the hearing. Senator Padilla also presented SB 675 to restructure the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District board and expand public transparency, while supporters cited severe air quality problems and opponents raised concerns about unfunded mandates, consultation, and impacts on local permitting and economic development. Senator Allen presented SB 1229 to limit disaster-rebuild coastal permit exemptions when replacement structures would newly impede coastal access or sensitive protections, with supporters saying it would prevent investor abuse of post-disaster rebuilding rules. After testimony, the committee took up the measures and recorded votes. SCR 136, SJR 12, SB 10, SB 675, and SB 1229 all advanced on party-line or near-party-line votes, with some members voting no on the more regulatory measures. The consent calendar was also approved, including ACR 157, SB 899, SB 949, SB 963, SB 1008, SB 1207, SB 1428, and SJR 5. All of the listed measures were sent onward, generally to Appropriations, and the committee concluded its hearing after the roll calls.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is being pulled off consent, which may be presented today.
• The consent calendar is out, and we're going to keep the roll open for that for later.
• We'll do the consent first. We'll do the consent first.
• Consent calendar: Item 1, H.R. 44; Item 3, SB 233; Item 5, SB 410. SB 233. Item 5, SB 410. Garcia?
• Consent calendar is out, 11 to 0. All right. Item number two, SB 9. Haney? Aye. Wilson? Aye.

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee met with a quorum and announced that SB 340 would be moved to a later hearing. The consent calendar included HR 44, SB 233, and SB 410, which were later approved. The committee then heard several housing-related bills, with testimony largely focused on streamlining accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules, regional planning, and homelessness response. SB 9 would require local agencies to submit ADU ordinances to HCD within 60 days and respond to HCD findings within 30 days, or the ordinance would become null and void and state standards would apply. Supporters, including California YIMBY, Casita Coalition, UnidosUS, Housing Action Coalition, and Power California, argued the bill would strengthen enforcement of existing ADU law and reduce local barriers. The bill passed 7-0 with two abstentions and was sent to the Assembly Local Government Committee. SB 486 would exempt UC and CSU projects from having to analyze a no-project alternative under CEQA while requiring the universities to share enrollment forecasting data and participate in regional sustainable communities planning. It passed 9-0 and was referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. SB 748, as amended, would expand funding and authority for safe parking sites and related services for people living in RVs or vehicles, using encampment resolution funding and requiring reporting by the California Interagency Council on Homelessness. The City of Compton, the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association, and the League of California Cities supported the measure, emphasizing public health, neighborhood safety, and humane alternatives to displacement. The committee members discussed the limits of current encampment cleanup approaches and the need for services and temporary shelter; the bill passed 11-0 and was sent to the Assembly Human Services Committee. SB 543, a cleanup bill for ADU and junior ADU law, clarified review timelines, size standards, and consistency with existing ADU statutes; it also passed unanimously and was referred to the Assembly Local Government Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• projects going on right now, and I can't imagine that reporting and assembling and collating all the documentation
• Next amendment for consent. >> Representative Sherwood. >> Oh, no. I'm 99. >> 99. Okay. Thank you.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And now, that would sound reasonable, but the truth around consent is much more complex and much less
• <00:03:59.920> Consent based on these characteristics.
• Consent based on these characteristics.
• Okay, so I'm trying to understand the consent part.
• model; it will lead to consent fatigue and doesn't meaningfully protect consumers.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House first returned to Senate Bill 71, a consumer data privacy and online surveillance bill. Members debated a proposed amendment that would have removed language allowing companies to rely on consumer consent to sell certain sensitive data. Supporters argued consent pop-ups and terms-of-service notices are not meaningful consent and that sensitive data should be categorically protected, citing Maryland and other states. Opponents, including the committee presenter, said the bill was a carefully negotiated compromise needed to establish Vermont’s first data privacy framework and warned that adopting the amendment could jeopardize passage in the Senate or with the governor. The committee reported the amendment unfavorable on a 9-0 straw poll, the House rejected the amendment, and then approved the committee’s recommended proposal of amendment by roll call vote, 129-3. During questioning on S. 71, members discussed the bill’s applicability thresholds, with the presenter explaining that the 35,000-consumer threshold was modeled on Connecticut, while lower 3,000 thresholds for sensitive data and data sales were based on business testimony and intended to capture smaller entities such as accountants, lawyers, nonprofits, and trade associations that share or sell lists. Members also asked about the bill’s many exemptions, which were described as covering entities already regulated by state or federal law, including health care entities under HIPAA and banking and insurance sectors. The presenter and supporters emphasized that the bill still requires clear privacy notices, limits data collection to what is reasonable and disclosed, and gives consumers rights to opt out, correct, and delete data. After the roll call vote, the House ordered third reading, suspended rules to place S. 71 in all remaining stages, passed it in concurrence with proposal of amendment, and suspended rules to message the action to the Senate forthwith. The House then moved to Senate Bill 193, relating to establishing a forensic facility for certain criminal justice-involved persons. The committee presenter from South Burlington previewed that the bill would create a permanent forensic facility, with a separate amendment expected to address interim arrangements while the facility is being developed. The transcript ends as the House begins second reading of S. 193 and the committee reports are introduced, with further debate not shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up is the consent agenda. Are there any items that come off the consent agenda?
• The ayes have it; the consent calendar is adopted.
• Moving on to the regular calendar. consent to calendar. It's been moved by consent to calendar.
• further discussion on the consent further discussion on the consent calendar?
• it, the consent calendar is adopted. it, the consent calendar is adopted.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and adopted the consent calendar without objection. It then took up Department of Safety Rule 25161 on administrative license suspension forms. After discussion of a staff concern that the rule text should expressly require a defendant’s signature or refusal to sign, and the officer’s witness signature, the agency agreed to revised language. The committee voted to grant conditional approval with those edits. The committee next considered Department of Agriculture rule 192, concerning importation of bovines and domestic animals. Staff identified several issues, including an overly broad federal citation, an unclear definition of infection, a possible conflict between provisions on telephone-issued permits and documents that must be carried, and missing struck-through repeal language. Because the department had not proposed written fixes, members moved to postpone the item until next month, and the motion passed. A second Agriculture item, 25207, was discussed as a long-expired set of rules that the agency said were still needed to run its programs; the committee granted conditional approval. The Public Utilities Commission’s competitive natural gas supplier and aggregator rules prompted the most extensive debate. Staff argued the cited statutes did not clearly authorize the commission to impose fines on natural gas suppliers, while the agency responded that authority could be read from related Department of Energy transition language and general rulemaking provisions. Members discussed whether the issue reflected a statutory gap created when responsibilities were split between the Department of Energy and the commission. The committee ultimately voted to waive and postpone the item to next month so the attorneys could work out the authority question. The committee also postponed Department of Energy items 219 and 220 at the agency’s request, and it noted that the Liquor Commission’s emergency rule had been revised to reduce reporting from monthly to quarterly before being reissued, with the item also postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, we are going to be moving on to a vote on the consent calendar, members.
• Members, does anybody wish to remove an item from the consent calendar?
• Anybody wish to remove an item from the consent calendar?
• Seeing and hearing none, the Clerk will read the second day consent calendar.
• The consent calendar is adopted. Clerk will read the remaining items on the consent calendar.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, with members observing a moment of silence for the Minnesota tragedy mentioned by the Speaker. The chamber then moved quickly through a large daily file, taking up many Senate amendments and third-reading measures, with most bills passing by wide margins or unanimously. Early procedural actions included returning AB 1308 to the Senate, rescinding action on SB 863, and later taking up several resolutions and bills on concurrence and third reading. Among the main policy items, members adopted AJR 8 on temporary protected status after debate over immigration policy, and AJR 19 urging opposition to dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The Assembly also adopted ACR 112 recognizing September as Deaf Awareness Month, with several members speaking in support of the deaf community and accessibility. Other notable measures included bills on water reclamation and Colorado River Aqueduct maintenance (AB 580), telehealth (AB 688), housing approvals and ADU enforcement/cleanup (AB 920, SB 9, SB 543), pension and retirement rules (SB 301), volunteer fire department tax exemptions (SB 87), dementia training for home care aides (SB 412), and a San Francisco public-safety measure on stolen goods resale (SB 276), which drew opposition over permitting and criminalization concerns. The Assembly also passed or concurred in a number of Senate bills dealing with local government finance and infrastructure, public contracts, the Delta, fairgrounds compensation, and San Francisco liquor licenses, as well as AJR 3 on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Most measures were approved on roll-call votes with few no votes; SB 227 and SB 276 were urgency measures and received the required two-thirds support. The consent calendar was adopted unanimously, and the day concluded with several adjournment-in-memory tributes, including remembrances of former Assembly staffer Lawrence Merman, Jeff Brady, Fran Urcini, and Alejandro Luna, before the House adjourned until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Consent and second. I have a motion for consent. All those in favor say aye.
• > consent motion for consent motion for consent All<00:17:46.240> those<00:17:46.400>
• Consent. We have to the bill as amended. Consent.
• And do I have a motion for consent? Move consent.
• Move consent. motion for consent? Move consent.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do advise and consent. Is everybody in favor say I. Anybody opposed? All right, thank you.
• Do advise and consent. Everybody in favor say I. Anybody opposed? All right. Thank you so much.
• Do<00:02:34.840> advise<00:02:35.240> and<00:02:35.360> consent.
• <00:02:35.640> Everybody<00:02:36.000> in Do advise and consent.
• Do advise and consent. All those in favor say I. Anybody opposed?

Keywords: Highways and Transportation - Room 216, 25 March, 2026; 11:45 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee considered several reappointments and appointments to transportation-related boards. Jerry Waldrop of Hattiesburg, associated with Pam Auto Group, appeared in person for a reappointment and was confirmed after staff noted his oath and statement of economic interest were in compliance. James Morris Richards of Ridgeland appeared by Zoom for reappointment to the Commercial Transportation Appeals Board; he described his long career with KLLM Transport, including serving as president and CEO and overseeing a large refrigerated trucking operation, and his reappointment was also approved. The committee then heard from Curtis Leon Auber Jr. of Hattiesburg for a reappointment. He said he is originally from Pascagoula, attended the University of Southern Mississippi and MC Law, worked at Entergy, served with the Public Service Commission and as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under President Bush, and is now a partner at Brunini. Members said his paperwork was in order and thanked him for his service. For each nominee, the committee moved to advise and consent, took voice votes with no opposition noted, and approved the appointments. The meeting concluded with a motion to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have a quorum yet, so we will not be taking roll or approving the consent calendar.
• But I would like to begin with bill presentations. ...the consent calendar.
• And then may I have a motion on the consent calendar? Second. Motion. Rogers motion. Macedo second.
• This is the consent calendar real quick. Oh, this is a consent calendar. Excuse me. ACR 107.
• ACR 107, on consent, motion is do pass. Lackey? Aye. AB 568, motion is concur in Senate amendments.

Summary: The Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee met with a short agenda and initially lacked a quorum, so the chair began with bill presentations before taking formal action. Assemblymember Macedo presented AB 568, explaining that it would help Tulare County and the Tulare Sub-Basin comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act by providing a stable groundwater sustainability agency structure after the local joint powers authority became fractured. Tulare County grants and resources manager Denise England testified in support, describing the basin’s overdraft conditions, the breakdown of the existing JPA, and the county’s need for a long-term entity to implement SGMA. No opposition testimony was offered. After quorum was established, the committee took up AB 568 and the consent item ACR 107. Members voted to concur in Senate amendments on AB 568 and to approve ACR 107 on the consent calendar, with both measures receiving unanimous or near-unanimous aye votes from members present. The chair also noted that Assemblymember Lackey was substituting for an absent member and that the committee would leave the roll open briefly for add-ons before concluding. The meeting ended with final votes recorded, including Assemblymember Lackey’s aye votes on both AB 568 and ACR 107, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any objection to consent? All those in favor of consent say aye.
• It sounds like somebody would object to consent if she wasn't... No, I'm fine with consent.
• Senator Lang moves consent. Senator Roach seconds. All those in favor say aye.
• fine with consent I'll I'll make fine with consent I'll I'll make inquiries<00:48:57.000> I<00
• Move consent. We have a motion for consent. I'll second it.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will hear one measure today with four measures on consent.
• Again, we do not have a quorum at this point, so we will defer voting on consent.
• We will, in fact, take up the consent calendar now. We have a motion, Bauer-Kahan.
• On the proposed consent calendar, our item number two, SB 39.
• Opening the roll again for consent. Castillo? Consent. Oh, aye. Castillo, aye. Lee? Aye.

Summary: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee heard SB 615 by Senator Allen, which would create a Department of Toxic Substances Control program for end-of-life electric vehicle battery management. The bill is intended to promote reuse, repurposing, recycling, tracking, and responsible handling of EV batteries, with producer responsibility and certification of recyclers as key features. Supporters, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, California State Association of Counties, automakers, recyclers, and environmental groups, said the measure would help prevent hazardous waste problems, reduce illegal dumping, and prepare for a coming wave of battery retirements. Opponents, including Tesla, Rivian, the California Chamber of Commerce, and others, raised concerns about liability, burdens on smaller entities, and the bill’s structure, while some groups supported it if amended. Committee members discussed the current low recycling rate for EV batteries, the difference between reuse, repurpose, and recycling, and whether the bill appropriately places responsibility on producers rather than consumers. The author said the bill builds on prior work and stakeholder input and is designed to create a workable system without overburdening DTSC. After quorum was established, the committee voted SB 615 out on a 5-1 vote, with one member voting no. The committee also took up a consent calendar containing SB 39, SB 454, SB 724, and SCR 3, and those measures were approved. The hearing then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:52.079> before basically would require consent before basically would require consent
• prior consent. prior consent.
• to be part of the exam to your consent to be part of the exam to be<00:13:53.920> part<00:13:
• <00:13:59.920> prior<00:14:00.240> to shouldn't also get consent prior to shouldn't
• also get consent prior to someone<00:14:00.720> being<00:14:01.160> anesthetized<00:14

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a consent item, so no presentation is necessary. Do I have a motion on consent?
• Let's open up consent. Let's open up consent. This is for SB 480. Hoover, aye. SB 480. Hoover, aye.
• This is for the consent. This is for the consent.
• This is for the consent calendar, SB 480, Archuleta. Bonta, aye.
• Our consent calendar, which contains SB 480, Archuleta, is out 9 to 0.

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee heard three bills. SB 371 by Senator Cabaldon would reduce uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage requirements for transportation network companies from $1 million to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, with committee amendments adding findings and declarations, higher limits than originally proposed, and a joint study on UM/UIM impacts. Supporters, including Uber, Lyft, business groups, and some consumer advocates, argued the bill would lower fares and increase driver earnings by reducing insurance costs. Opponents, including consumer attorneys, labor groups, and consumer watchdog organizations, warned it would cut protections for riders and drivers and might not guarantee savings would be passed through. The committee approved SB 371 on a due-pass basis and re-referred it to Appropriations by a 9-0 vote. The committee then heard SB 716 by Senator Durazo, which would create a Home Internet Lifeline Program to let eligible low-income households apply Lifeline subsidies to home broadband service. Proponents said the bill addresses broadband affordability after the federal Affordable Connectivity Program expired, and that it would help students, workers, and families access reliable internet. Opponents from the wireless industry objected to the funding mechanism, arguing the surcharge would fall unfairly on wireless consumers, while one broadband group moved to neutral after amendments. The bill was approved on a due-pass basis and sent to Appropriations, but the roll was held open and later completed with the bill passing 7-1. The committee also took up SB 480 by Senator Archuleta relating to autonomous vehicles as a consent item, with no presentation or debate. It was approved on a due-pass basis and re-referred to Appropriations by a 9-0 vote. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly focused on affordability, consumer protection, and whether savings from the bills would actually reach riders, drivers, or households.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I request unanimous consent to suspend.
• I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A.
• Three, now move on to the second day consent calendar.
• Clerk will read the resolutions on the consent calendar.
• Ayes 66, noes 0, the consent calendar is adopted.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, starting in 2019, and we've gotten the majority of the allotment consents.
• And starting in 2019, we've gotten the majority of the allotment consents.
• And starting in 2019, we've gotten the majority of the allotment consents.
• So, if an allotment has over 50 landowners, the superintendent can sign their consent if they approve
• There might be consent plus another 30%.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can see on the budget calendar, they have until the end of May to provide me some documentation
• I start preparing some documents, estimating fund balances that we may have for the end of the year,
• No one asked for any of the documents that I was holding in my office.
• Again, with the changes to budget hearing notices, this document is a little bit obsolete.
• I didn't really plan to present, but I can maybe show a couple of the documents.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• I start preparing some documents, estimating fund balances that we may have for the end of the year,
• No one asked for any of the documents that I was holding in my office.
• I know these are some old examples on here; the dates are from '21 and '22 because this document that
• Again, with the changes to budget hearing notices, this document is a little bit obsolete.
• I didn't really plan to present, but I can maybe show a couple of the documents.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met to begin its study of the feasibility and desirability of revising the content of the real estate tax statement to improve property tax transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive under House Bill 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, and the Legacy Fund portion of that credit. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual tax cycle, from county budgeting and valuation notices to budget hearing notices, levy certification, cap calculations, and final tax statement mailing. They emphasized that counties and auditors do extensive coordination with taxing districts and neighboring counties, and that the process is labor-intensive and often manual. Members discussed the limited public response to budget notices and tax statements, the difficulty of explaining the legislative tax relief line, the 3% cap and valuation issues, and whether more frequent assessments or different timing would improve understanding. Several members and witnesses noted that many taxpayers only engage when they receive their final bill, and that clarity may be more important than adding more detail. NDACO also presented a rough cost survey from eight counties, estimating an average tax statement cost of about 74 cents and a statewide total near $600,000 for printing and mailing tax statements alone, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing. Witnesses noted that House Bill 1176 added other mailings and notices, increasing county workload and cost beyond the statement itself. The committee then heard from software vendors, who explained how their systems handle tax billing, budget notices, valuation notices, primary residence credit processing, and tax levy calculations, and they identified the 1600/1685 primary residence credit and discount interaction as a current programming challenge. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.