Transcript Highlights:

• recent success story, however, comes from the state of Virginia, where former Governor Glenn Youngkin launched

Summary: The Special Committee on Regulatory Reform met to hear from Patrick McLaughlin of the Hoover Institution and Pacific Legal Foundation about regulatory accumulation and reform. Chair Mark Wright explained the meeting was a study hearing only, with no votes planned or quorum for action. McLaughlin described his research measuring regulation by counting binding words such as “shall” and “must,” and said Louisiana ranks among the most regulated states, with about 183,000 restrictions and growth in regulatory stock outpacing the national average. He argued that excessive regulation slows GDP growth, raises consumer prices, and disproportionately burdens small businesses and low-income households. McLaughlin pointed to reform examples in British Columbia, Idaho, and Virginia, where centralized oversight, periodic review, one-in-one-out or similar rules, and simplified benefit-cost analysis were used to reduce regulations without harming safety. He said Virginia’s regulatory modernization effort, including use of AI and a regulatory management office, helped cut requirements and lower homebuilding costs. Committee members asked about how the data were measured, how regulation affects housing, licensing, and population growth, and whether Louisiana could use similar tools. McLaughlin emphasized that AI should assist human reviewers, not replace them, by identifying outdated, duplicative, or overly burdensome rules. Members also discussed Louisiana’s own reform efforts, including LaDOGE, permit streamlining, and prior bills to create public hearings and legislative review of regulations. Wright and others asked about federal mandates, “gold plating” of state rules, and how to identify unnecessary state-level additions. McLaughlin said some state rules are required by federal law, but many others are not, and AI can help distinguish required language from added burdens. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after members expressed interest in following up on McLaughlin’s report and examples from other states.

Transcript Highlights:

• I went along with David, and at that time the governor said, 'I'm launching a national campaign for an

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• In many cases, developers are not quite so lucky, especially small-scale developers who are operating
• I'm a social worker and the chief operating officer of First Step Communities, and I am here in support
• A key milestone launches this summer: a task force made up of elected officials from across the region
• Are they going to continue to operate? Are they going to seek not to do so?
• Well, I mean, your legislation is making it more complex to operate in the space.

Summary: The committee heard several housing-related bills, beginning with SB 1003, which would create pro-housing enhanced infrastructure financing districts to help local governments fund infrastructure needed for housing developments. The author and supporters argued that infrastructure costs often prevent projects from penciling out, while the chair expressed support and said the bill would be taken up later when quorum was available. SB 1014 followed, proposing new disclosure requirements for local jurisdictions to provide good-faith estimates of on-site and off-site improvements within 30 days of application, with supporters saying it would reduce late surprises and opposition from several cities citing implementation concerns with the 30-day timelines. The committee then took up SB 802, a Sacramento-region bill requiring a joint powers authority to coordinate housing and homelessness services. Senator Ashby and former Mayor Darrell Steinberg argued that Sacramento’s fragmented system has failed for years and that a JPA would improve accountability, coordination, and use of state funds. The bill drew broad support from local officials, service providers, business groups, and advocates, while some county and city representatives registered opposition or neutral concerns about state-mandated local governance. Several committee members said they were persuaded by the need for regional coordination, though some raised concerns about local control; the chair noted the bill would be moved when quorum allowed. The committee also heard SB 1092 and SB 1093, both focused on mobile home park residents after disasters or park sales. SB 1092 would give residents a right of first opportunity to match a sale offer for a park, with supporters saying it protects vulnerable seniors and preserves affordable housing, while park owners and their representatives argued it would devalue property and raise constitutional and financing concerns. SB 1093 would require more transparent communication, access to property, and consideration of rebuilding or closure after a disaster; supporters cited the long uncertainty faced by Palisades residents, while opponents warned about liability, safety, and burdensome review requirements. Members split along similar lines, with some emphasizing property rights and market impacts and others stressing the need to protect residents and preserve scarce affordable housing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing that we do not have a quorum, we will operate as a subcommittee.
• Are we helping people launch their personal lives in the right direction?
• For example, I have a fully operating hotel in my district supporting jobs and tourism.
• If you have to make amendments to the bill because the Senate operates differently from the Assembly,
• If you have to make amendments to the bill because the Senate operates differently from the Assembly,

Committee: Senate Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:01:49.840><c> to</c><00:01:50.479><c> are</c><00:01:50.720><c> state</c><00:01:51.200><c> operated
• </c> commonly referred to are state operated commonly referred to are state operated career<00:01:52.079
• While House Bill 499 included the state-operated area technology centers in the funding formula, it's
• </c><00:08:24.240><c> comprehensive</c><00:08:24.879><c> high</c> locally operated comprehensive high
• locally operated comprehensive high school<00:08:25.280><c> or</c><00:08:25.520><c> center</c><00:08

Summary: The subcommittee met without a quorum and first heard from Kentucky Department of Education officials on career and technical education funding. KDE explained that House Bill 499 created a CTE funding formula using 60% weighted full-time equivalent enrollment and 40% incentives, but House Bill 6’s budget language excluded area technology centers (ATCs) from that supplemental funding. KDE requested approval of an additional budget request of $14,789,352 in each fiscal year 2027 and 2028 to include ATCs in the formula and hold local districts harmless. Officials said ATCs serve students from 117 of Kentucky’s 171 districts and argued the change would reduce funding disparities and better reflect the return on investment from CTE programs, citing growth in dual credit and work-based learning participation. Members asked whether the issue would need to be revisited each budget cycle. KDE responded that the problem could be fixed by removing the notwithstanding language from the budget bill, which they said would allow ATCs to be included under the existing statute. Representative Klein supported the request, saying the current clause could lead to stagnation and that the committee should help the program continue to grow. No vote was taken on the CTE item during the portion of the meeting provided. The committee then heard a presentation from PreK for All on expanding preschool access in Kentucky. Advocates said the state’s preschool program has been funded since 1990 and currently serves about 14,200 children at roughly $84 million per year, but that many working families still fall into a coverage gap. They proposed expanding eligibility to 250% of the federal poverty line, which they said would add about 9,600 children at a cost of $40 million in year two, after a planning year. The proposal also included regulatory flexibility for classrooms and partnerships with private child care providers and nonprofits, with speakers emphasizing child care deserts in some counties and citing research that early learning improves kindergarten readiness and later outcomes. No action or vote was taken on the preschool proposal in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:20:28.040><c> into</c> worried that we're about to launch into worried that we're about to launch
• Are you okay knowing that an existing operational landfill is allowed to continue to operate while its
• </c><06:03:56.160><c> in</c> ...the landfill that's operated in Bethlehem.
• That is not uncommon in landfill operation situations.
• </c> components of the landfill operations components of the landfill operations including<06:18:14.080

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee met in work session on several bills, beginning with HB 153, which would require two or more law enforcement officers in each county to receive animal cruelty training. Members said the bill had been sent to the Animal Protection and Licensing Subcommittee, where Representative Kuttab is expected to schedule a meeting soon to consider possible amendments based on testimony and other ideas. The committee later returned to HB 153 and confirmed a work session was planned for February 14, with discussion also including whether to explore a task force concept raised in testimony. The committee also discussed HB 215 and HB 566, both related to landfill permitting and leachate or harm/benefit reporting. Representative Gerana said he had met with the DES director and was working on amendments that would add a preliminary screening phase for determining net public benefit and expand the list of benefits beyond capacity need to include items such as economic and infrastructure benefits. HB 566 was said to be in the same posture as HB 215, and both were slated for subcommittee review the following Tuesday morning. HB 171 was also added for subcommittee discussion, with members saying the changes would be technical rather than substantive. HB 240, which removes forfeiture penalties for non-payment of dog licenses, drew support for a simple amendment changing a statutory “shall” to “may” so municipal officials would have discretion about issuing a warrant. Representative Bixby said OLS advised that this was the cleanest way to provide flexibility, and he reported that the sponsor was agreeable to the change. The committee also discussed HB 179, concerning hazardous waste accident fees, where the sponsor proposed a revised amendment imposing a $1,000-per-day penalty after 90 days of non-payment. Members raised concerns about homeowners, hobby farmers, and whether the bill could unfairly burden people who were not negligent or whose insurance claims were delayed. The sponsor and others said the intent was to recover costs from responsible parties, especially businesses, and to protect local taxpayers and fire departments from bearing the cost of damaged hazardous materials equipment. No votes were taken; the bills were left for further subcommittee work and amendment drafting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can I just operate this year?
• Are the BLM wells operating under, when you plug them, operating under the state price agreement?
• Operators have to submit that before they plug wells. Mr.
• , excuse me, the state operators.
• to continue to operate.

Transcript Highlights:

• We went back immediately after that hearing and we told our people to not operate in the gray area.
• invitation remains open for anybody here if you'd like to come by and see the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation
• Yesterday, we launched a website. We're hoping it's an MMIP hub of resources.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs held an informational hearing on the state’s response to the missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) crisis, with an added focus on foster youth and child welfare. Opening remarks from the chair and members emphasized that California has made some progress through the Feather Alert, DOJ coordination, grant funding, and MMIP summits, but that the crisis remains severe and requires ongoing, not one-time, investment. Members repeatedly noted the need for stronger statewide coordination, better data, and more consistent attention to tribal communities and foster youth. Tribal leaders described the crisis as rooted in jurisdictional gaps, poor data collection, and lack of urgency from law enforcement. Witnesses from Hamul, Chachancey, Tahon, Yurok, and Hoopa tribes shared personal accounts of missing and murdered relatives, criticized inconsistent responses, and called for regional response agreements, direct tribal access to data, sustained funding, and clearer law enforcement protocols in Public Law 280 settings. Several leaders said Feather Alert and state grants have helped build infrastructure and partnerships, but stressed that trust-building, training, and accountability are still uneven across the state. The second panel featured the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Justice’s Office of Native American Affairs, both of which reported on implementation improvements. CHP said it has tightened Feather Alert practices, increased activations, improved outreach and training, appointed a tribal liaison, and expanded human trafficking training. DOJ described work under AB 3099 and AB 1334, including a Public Law 280 advisory council, improved crime reporting and data systems, MMIP outreach, and a tribal police pilot program with the Yurok Tribe. Members also raised the need to better support tribal courts and ensure protection orders are enforced. The final panel focused on foster youth as part of the MMIP crisis. Advocates from Pitt River, the California Tribal Families Coalition, and Coyote Valley said Native children are disproportionately represented in foster care and are at heightened risk of going missing or being exploited. They argued that foster care, trafficking, poverty, housing instability, and historical trauma are all connected to MMIP, and called for stronger ICWA implementation, culturally grounded services, better coordination with social workers and law enforcement, and immediate use of Feather Alert when Native children are missing. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with continued calls for legislative, budgetary, and policy action.

Transcript Highlights:

• actually defines procedures and gives judges the actual statutory authority from the state in order to operate
• House Bill 4108 adds the operational area of an airport to the list of places considered critical infrastructure
• timely reporting to an independent law enforcement entity to make sure that these investigations are launched

Bills: SR44 , HCR1027 , SJR50 , SJR52 , SJR53 , HB1185 , HB1937 , HB2035 , HB2137 , HB2166 , HB3148 , HB3323 , HB3466 , HB3498 , HB3661 , HB3678 , HB3710 , HB3977 , HB3986 , HB4104 , HB4108 , HB4142 , HB4191 , HB4274 , HB4275 , HB4322 , HB4336 , HB4484 , HB3880 , HB1687 , HB3673 , HB1170 , HB2959 , HB3718 , HB3021 , HB3443 , HB3501 , HB4143 , HB4326 , HB2992 , HB3660 , SB171 , SB1325 , SB1980 , SB2045 , HB4422 , HB4423

Keywords: SR44, Senate Resolution 44, Teacher Appreciation Week, teachers, educators, Oklahoma educators, public schools, K-12 education, pre-K, school recognition, education resolution, appreciation week, National PTA, Eleanor Roosevelt, teacher recognition, school staff, classroom, Oklahoma Legislature, concurrent resolution, sine die adjournment

Transcript Highlights:

• In May, ICE agents conducted Operation Patriot, a month-long surge in immigration enforcement that led
• In September, ICE agents conducted Operation Patriot 2.0, a week-long surge in enforcement that led to
• As a result of these operations, undocumented immigrants and some people with legal status have been
• ..we can name, and the 287G agreements create laws specifying identification for law enforcement operating
• I want to speak about the Protecting Massachusetts Community campaign that we recently launched.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on responding to federal immigration enforcement in Massachusetts, with opening remarks from Sen. Liz Miranda and Rep. Bud Williams emphasizing fear in immigrant communities, recent ICE operations, and the need to learn from advocates and affected residents rather than debate individual bills. The hearing was organized around three topics: detention, arrests, and surveillance, with members repeatedly asking what the legislature can do to improve transparency, legal access, and oversight. On detention, Leah Hastings of Prisoners’ Legal Services said most people end up in ICE custody through contact with the criminal legal system and argued that state carceral systems are deeply intertwined with immigration enforcement. She described conditions at Plymouth County House of Correction and Burlington ICE holding as concerning, citing limited medical care, disability accommodations, solitary confinement, retaliatory transfers, and poor attorney access. Hastings said Massachusetts should reduce funding for sheriffs and the Department of Corrections, ban intergovernmental service agreements and 287(g) agreements, and invest instead in housing, treatment, and other community supports. Members also discussed ICE reimbursement, the immigrant legal defense fund, and the need for more immigration attorneys. On arrests and enforcement tactics, David Albright of JALSA said federal immigration enforcement has been expanded by major new funding and incentives, including higher payments for 287(g) and bed contracts, and he noted that most ICE detainees nationally do not have criminal records. He said Massachusetts has one 287(g) agreement with the Department of Corrections and one IGSA with Plymouth County, and that ICE also uses Burlington, Hanscom, and informal local collaboration in places such as Milford and Auburn. Danny Tampona of Neighbor to Neighbor and the LUCE Rapid Response Network described more than 10,000 hotline calls from 46 cities and towns, with arrests often involving masked agents, surveillance of workers and families, traffic stops, broken windows, and arrests at check-ins or schools; he said the network is concentrated in places including Everett, Chelsea, Lynn, New Bedford, Milford, Marlboro, Framingham, and Springfield. He urged legislation requiring clear identification for law enforcement, limits on surveillance technologies, and stronger legal defense resources. On surveillance, Joshua Dancoff of Citizens for Juvenile Justice argued that current state policies allow broad sharing of fingerprints and surveillance data with ICE, including through BRIC, the Massachusetts Fusion Center, and municipal police policies. He cited cases in Chelsea and Everett where children were taken from police custody into ICE custody and said many departments automatically share arrest fingerprints and other information with federal authorities. He recommended limiting fingerprint sharing, restricting surveillance databases and task-force participation, and curbing police and sheriff collaboration with ICE even where no formal 287(g) exists. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for more immigration lawyers, possible bar advocate-style funding for immigration defense, and legislative action to prevent further collaboration and deportation infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• The operating budget, which is the browner half of that pie chart, really represents our operational
• The operating budget, which is the browner half of that pie chart, really represents our operational
• The operating budget, which is the browner half of that pie chart, really represents our operational
• </c><01:07:43.720><c> get</c><01:07:43.960><c> the</c> operate the lines The Operators get the operate
• For our four freight operators, we get 5% of their annual gross freight operating revenue.

Summary: The committee met with New Hampshire DOT Commissioner Bill Cass and Finance Director Danielle Shandra to review the agency’s FY 2026 budget. Cass gave a high-level overview of DOT’s mission, organization, funding structure, and staffing trends, noting the agency has about 650 employees across five divisions. He said the Governor’s recommended FY 2026 budget totals $95.99 million, essentially flat from FY 2025, with funding primarily from Turnpike funds, Highway funds, federal sources, and a small General Fund share for non-highway units. Members asked about how Turnpike and Highway funds are treated in state accounting, and DOT explained that while they are enterprise funds restricted to their purposes, they are considered unrestricted from the statewide perspective and are appropriated through the budget process. A major topic was staffing and budget targets. DOT said its full-time staffing level has remained relatively flat since 2014 even as vehicle miles traveled increased and vacancies rose. To meet budget targets, the department unfunded seven permanent positions and nine temporary full-time positions, and later noted additional reductions in Finance, including the elimination of two full-time positions, reduced print shop equipment purchases, and deeper cuts to overtime, temporary help, equipment, and supplies in FY 2027. DOT also explained that it shifted funding for one unmanned aerial system position from General Funds to Highway Funds, saying the change was workable because the position supports highway-related work and federal-aid-eligible activities. Members asked for clarification on the state transit operating match, and DOT explained that the Legislature had previously provided about $1.8 million annually in General Funds to help local transit agencies meet federal match requirements, but that funding was not included in this budget. DOT said that could reduce the ability to draw down some federal transit funds, though the impact may not be immediate because those funds can be used over several years. The department also described its unmanned aerial system program, saying it has been used for about five years for mapping, survey work, construction oversight, and storm damage assessment, and that it now has about five drones and two full-time positions supporting the program. DOT said it is expanding cross-training so more employees can operate drones without adding positions. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Afghan parolees who assisted with U.S. military operations will no longer be eligible.
• And currently across the state, health centers operate around 2,300 clinics, serving around 6 million
• Second is the operational impact on community health centers.
• This includes the operation of their continuum of care in their public county hospital.
• Another important program we operate is our Medi-Cal Doula Program in Ventura County.

Transcript Highlights:

• Drug Enforcement Administration's special operations unit.
• This bill will have a chilling effect and a paralysis on current operations.'
• This bill will have a chilling effect and a paralysis on current operations.'
• This bill will have a chilling effect and a paralysis on current operations.
• I'm excited to launch the new combined work groups.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the journal, and adoption of the special order calendar for the day. The chamber then took up House Bill 1B on immigration, along with discussion of anticipated Senate changes. The sponsor described the bill as creating a chief immigration officer housed in the Department of Agriculture, establishing an Office of State Immigration Enforcement, expanding cooperation with federal immigration authorities, increasing criminal penalties for certain offenses by unauthorized aliens, ending undocumented-student fee waivers, and providing substantial appropriations for enforcement and related programs. Members also questioned the Senate version’s proposed mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses involving unauthorized aliens, as well as pretrial detention, 287(g) participation, DMV reporting requirements, and the bill’s effects on schools, teachers, social workers, and local agencies. The sponsor and supporting members repeatedly said the bill required broad cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and that existing federal law would control where conflicts arose. A major portion of the debate focused on whether the bill would allow or require immigration enforcement in schools and other sensitive settings, and whether teachers, school resource officers, and social workers could be placed in conflict with federal privacy or professional obligations. Members also raised concerns about detention based on suspected status, the standard of proof for immigration-status determinations, prison and jail impacts, workforce shortages, and the fiscal effects on counties and state agencies. The sponsor said the bill did not provide DMV funding, that the state would need to study some implementation questions, and that the appropriations included $25 million for a local law enforcement participation incentive program and up to $350 million for broader implementation and coordination. Several amendments were offered and failed. Representative Chambliss proposed protecting schools, churches, and places of worship from enforcement activity; Representative Escamani offered amendments to preserve in-state tuition for Dreamers and to grandfather currently eligible students; Representative Woodson offered a similar Dreamer-related amendment; and Representative Bartleman proposed barring local law enforcement from entering schools during school hours to detain children solely for immigration status. Supporters of these amendments argued they would protect children, preserve educational access, and prevent trauma in schools and houses of worship. The House rejected each amendment by voice vote, and the transcript ends during debate on the Bartleman school-safety amendment before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• When do you think it'll have cows and be fully operational?
• It's not really important for operations.
• to support that operation.
• It depends on what type of operation you're in.
• Now they're operating on a mission.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from University of Idaho representatives on the university’s land-grant mission and its role in federalism, followed by detailed overviews of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Natural Resources. Speakers described the Morrill, Hatch, and Smith-Lever Acts, the university’s history, and examples of research, extension, and workforce training in agriculture, engineering, law, forestry, fire science, and youth programs such as 4-H. They highlighted facilities and programs including research stations, the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, the deep soil ecotron, the Wildland Fire Center, the experimental forest, and the policy analysis group, while also noting the impact of federal and state funding delays and cuts on staffing and research capacity. Committee members asked about several current issues, including quagga mussels, screw worm, chronic wasting disease, and the effects of funding cuts. University officials said they were not actively researching some of those wildlife and livestock disease issues but were willing to help if capacity and funding allowed. They also said budget reductions had caused real losses, including layoffs and reduced programs, and that federal grant delays had disrupted research timelines. The committee also raised questions about conflicts of interest and university employees’ outside work; the university said it has annual conflict-of-interest and conflict-of-commitment training and review procedures. The committee then heard from Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse and the Idaho Sheriffs Association on the federal 287(g) immigration partnership program. Hulse argued that participation should remain voluntary and locally controlled, describing the different 287(g) models, the training and liability concerns, and the distinction between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. He said Idaho agencies already cooperate with ICE in other ways and that mandatory participation could create staffing, legal, and community-trust problems. Members asked about costs, liability, detention standards, and whether deputies lose local control under task force arrangements; Hulse said the answer depends on the specific model and operation, and he emphasized the need for local discretion. Later, the committee took testimony on the long-running bighorn sheep and domestic sheep conflict affecting western Idaho grazing allotments. Idaho Wool Growers representatives and affected ranchers described the history of state legislation, federal litigation, and the closure of grazing areas after bighorn sheep transplants, which they said cut livestock operations in half and caused major financial and personal hardship. They argued that the state and federal agencies had not lived up to assurances that permittees would be held harmless, and they urged continued attention to the issue. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not aware of any air impact issues with the data center operations.
• I doubt there's actually an up and operational AI specific data center.
• They're about 3% of the total land there, about 40% of their operating revenue.
• When developers and operators need large loads, who should bear that cost?
• When persons operators give you the money that's going to cost them for whatever the operation may be

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Spilsbury, so everything with respect to data, which would inform our decisions about spending, operates
• > a</c><00:29:18.320><c> lag</c><00:29:18.880><c> time</c><00:29:19.880><c> even</c> spending uh operates
• on a lag time even spending uh operates on a lag time even today<00:29:21.120><c> uh</c><00:29:21.440
• the free and the number of kids in the free and reduced<03:23:16.600><c> price</c><03:23:16.800><c> launch
• program uh I think reduced price launch program uh I think that<03:23:18.600><c> makes</c><03:23:18.800

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met to review a large package of bills, with the first four—HB 717, 742, 773, and 603—focused on special education aid, formerly called catastrophic aid. Chair Ladin explained that the committee needed to move a special education bill forward by March 4 and was trying to determine which bill would serve as the vehicle. He described the current formula and the difficulty of estimating the fiscal impact of lowering the threshold from 3.5 times the statewide average cost per pupil to a lower level, noting that DOE did not have reliable data on how many students would fall into the lower-cost bands. The committee also noted that several other bills in the package addressed SWEP and adequacy issues, and that HB 510 dealt with due process rather than funding. Mark Mello of the Bureau of School Finance testified that the department only has reliable data for special education expenditures above $70,000 per student, since claims are submitted for reimbursement at that point. He said the bureau was trying to estimate how many students might fall between 2.5x and 3.5x or 3x and 3.5x the average cost, but that the basic answer was they did not know and that any estimate would be difficult. He explained that moving the threshold from 3.5x to 2.5x would create a minimum additional cost of about $13.6 million based on existing claims, not counting new students who would enter the range. Members discussed whether districts already had the underlying data, whether a survey should be required, and how districts know when to begin tracking costs for reimbursement. The committee also discussed proration and the state’s share of special education aid. Mello explained that the current 80% state share is modeled in the formula, but the actual payment has been prorated because appropriations have not matched the statutory liability; he said the state liability was about $50 million, while the budget had provided $34 million, resulting in a 68% payment rate. HB 742 was described as a bill that would eliminate proration by paying the liability directly from the education trust fund with an overflow mechanism. Members also discussed possible alternatives such as changing the state share, using a lower threshold in a transition period, or requiring districts to submit data. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the committee was still in discussion and considering which bills to advance.

Transcript Highlights:

• We just launched a new campaign called the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota New Moms campaign.
• The operative language is coverage of services or payment for specified providers of services.
• ...and any affiliated PBMs that are operating in North Dakota, could we get that data?
• You know, essential health, we operate on narrow margins.
• We then returned to normal operations and have had consistent enrollment levels in 2024 and 2025.

Summary: The committee met to review the history and current treatment of North Dakota health insurance mandates, with presentations from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Sanford Health Plan, the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and the Insurance Department. The discussion focused on how mandates apply differently to fully insured, self-funded, ACA, Medicaid, and PERS plans; how the state’s benchmark plan and federal essential health benefits affect coverage; and how the existing process requires cost-benefit analysis and, for certain measures, a PERS pilot period before broader application. Presenters also reviewed the long list of existing state mandates, including provider, beneficiary, and coverage requirements, and noted that many were enacted decades ago and have not been revisited despite changes in medical evidence and treatment options. Witnesses from the carriers argued that mandates should be reviewed periodically because some are outdated, can create unintended costs, and may not align with current medical guidance. Examples cited included PSA screening, off-label drug coverage, prior authorization rules, step therapy, and cost-sharing provisions for mental health and substance use treatment. They emphasized that carriers often cover services without a mandate when supported by clinical evidence, and that mandates can shift costs to employers and employees, especially in the fully insured small-group market. They also suggested possible policy improvements such as clearer mandate definitions, better transparency around cost-benefit analyses, a regular 10-year review of mandates, and more timely submission of proposals through the interim process. PERS and the Insurance Department highlighted a recurring tension over what counts as a mandate and when a measure triggers the state’s defrayal obligation under federal law. PERS described its interim committee process, the April 1 deadline for fiscal-impact proposals, and the limited pilot program used for certain measures, noting that only a few bills have gone through the full pilot process. The Insurance Department explained that it views new benefit mandates through the lens of the ACA benchmark plan and essential health benefits, distinguishing true new benefits, such as infertility coverage, from changes to existing benefits, such as telehealth or insulin cost-sharing caps. No votes were taken on policy changes; the meeting was informational, with members asking questions about costs, applicability, transparency, and whether a periodic mandate review should be established.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yet we're going to authorize an automatic... launch?
• This is a private contractor operating under a contract with the City of Lee's Summit.
• We've prioritized transparency and lean operations.
• These districts can be operated much more efficiently.
• We really only have three entities now in the state of Missouri that operate landfills.

Committee: House Government Efficiency

Summary: The Committee on Government Efficiency heard House Bill 2761, sponsored by Representative Banderman, which would shift solid waste grant administration from the 20 regional solid waste districts to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), preserve the grant program, clarify tipping fee increases, and give DNR authority and funding to assess, test, remediate, and manage 29 abandoned landfills. Banderman said the bill is intended to address abandoned landfill contamination, prevent problems with repeated tax sales of landfill property, and reduce administrative overhead so more tipping-fee revenue can be used for solid waste purposes. He emphasized that the bill would not eliminate current grants or change grant priorities, only the administering entity. Committee members raised concerns about the late distribution of the committee substitute, the effect on local control, the tipping fee language, and whether the bill would actually provide enough money to clean up abandoned sites. Several members questioned whether the fee increase mechanism could function like a tax increase without voter approval and whether DNR or the districts were better suited to manage the program. Supporters, including affected landowners Jim Roberts and Joe Van Lear, described contamination from an abandoned Franklin County landfill, including leachate, lead, arsenic, and PFAS, and said state agencies had told them the site could not be addressed without legislation. Opponents, including local officials and district representatives, argued that the districts provide local oversight, respond quickly to community needs, and already administer grants, recycling, household hazardous waste, and other programs efficiently. Additional testimony came from district and advisory board representatives who said the districts have issued hundreds of grants, maintain annual reporting and audits, and use local boards to tailor programs to community needs. They argued the bill would eliminate local control and could disrupt existing services, though some said they were open to reform and collaboration with DNR on abandoned sites. DNR Director Kurt Schaefer testified that the department currently lacks sufficient authority and funding to address abandoned landfills, said the districts receive more tipping-fee revenue than DNR while spending up to 50% on overhead, and argued the bill would improve efficiency and allow the state to begin addressing the abandoned landfill problem. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And is the RISE funding temporary for launching, or is it sustainable over time?
• My understanding was that for UNM to operate them, but I don't want to misspeak for them.
• I think I see the biggest impact might be on those tribes who are not operating their own facilities
• So it really is important to us that we don't disturb agency operations.
• We are looking at some operational improvements as well.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Two, it will place the state in an operational posture.
• Cyber criminals, some operating from Russia. with ties to Russian military and intelligence operations
• I'm a retired Air Force Cyber Operations Officer.
• We've launched the initiative.
• On slide 27, the next. area I want to highlight for oversight is operations, so we do biennial operations

Bills: HB150 , HB869 , HB876 , HB 1043 , HB1494 , HB1522 , HB150

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Keywords: cybersecurity, state command, information resources, data protection, incident response, information technology, classification officer, job descriptions, state positions, competency-based, information sharing, government efficiency, public sector, private sector, distributed ledger, title registry, real estate, property liens, pilot program, healthcare