Transcript Highlights:

• Rockefeller looked around his factory and saw pipes moving product from one end of the factory to the
• Rockefeller looked around his factory<01:21:03.120><c> and</c><01:21:03.520><c> saw</c><01:21:03.840>
• factory and saw pipes moving product from<01:21:05.440><c> one</c><01:21:05.600><c> end</c><01:21:05.760
• ><c> of</c><01:21:05.840><c> the</c><01:21:06.000><c> factory</c><01:21:06.320><c> to</c><01:21:06.560
• ><c> the</c><01:21:06.719><c> next</c> from one end of the factory to the next from one end of the factory

Bills: HF4236 , HF4122 , HF4377

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: public utility, interim rates, utility rates, rate case, general rate case, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, PUC, rate increase cap, rate freeze, refunds, customer refunds, ratepayer protection, electric utility, gas utility, regulated utility, ratemaking, return on equity, rate base, test year, rate design

Transcript Highlights:

• that the person born on the anniversary of that tragedy was destined to stand here and help bring closure
• that the person born on the anniversary of that tragedy was destined to stand here and help bring closure
• It's also in a context that's pulled from war propaganda to oppressive systems like slavery or factory

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and several introductions recognizing visitors, students, local officials, and professional groups in the gallery. The chamber then took up a report from the Ethics and Elections Committee confirming 42 executive appointments; the report was adopted by a vote of 36-0. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the Ripple Project for childhood cancer awareness and funding. The bulk of the meeting was spent on special-order bills, many of them open-government sunset review measures and policy bills. The Senate passed bills preserving or updating public records exemptions for aquaculture records, trade secrets, and cybersecurity information; a child-abuse reporting statute of limitations bill; a commercial driving schools bill; a human trafficking training requirement for nursing graduates; a new injunction for protection against serious violence by a known person and its companion public-records bill; a nature-based coastal resiliency bill with an amendment restricting dredge-and-fill in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve; a chiropractic patient-funds bill; specialty license plate legislation; a one-time waiver for late financial disclosure fines; public school personnel compensation changes; the Florida Farm Bill with amendments protecting Everglades lands and technical corrections; homestead exemption clarification for long-term leaseholders; disability presumption clarifications for firefighters and law enforcement; reinsurance intermediary manager conformity changes; patriotic displays in public schools; ADS-B aviation fee restrictions; autism-related law enforcement training and a blue envelope program; public post-secondary safety policy requirements; and a bill allowing licensed agents to market health care sharing ministries. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including local vessel restrictions, temporary certificates for practice, and domestic animals. Members debated a number of measures, especially the health care sharing ministries bill, where opponents raised consumer-protection and commission concerns and supporters argued for free speech, religious liberty, and expanded consumer choice; it passed 32-5. Other debated bills included the autism law enforcement bill, the school athletics bill addressing coach support for student-athletes, and the Farm Bill, where senators discussed surplus land safeguards and biosolids timing. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, often 37-0 or 38-0, with a few closer votes such as the patriotic displays bill (36-2) and the health care sharing ministries bill (32-5).

Transcript Highlights:

• Innovative housing such as manufactured housing, including factory-built buildings, can be remarkable
• Innovative housing such as manufactured housing, including factory built buildings, can be remarkable
• We work to ensure that all manufactured homes, factory-built buildings, and accessory structures adhere

Committee: Senate Director Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• Another one is making it easier to build factory-built housing.
• Factory-built housing is high quality and it can cost less than site-built housing, so enabling more
• factory-built housing as well as smaller lots and making it easier to build condos are all a piece of

Committee: House Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, it's<00:41:10.880><c> a</c><00:41:11.040><c> factory,</c><00:41:11.359><c> I'll</c><00:41:11.599
• </c><00:41:12.000><c> We</c><00:41:12.240><c> just</c> it's a factory, I'll say, right?
• We just it's a factory, I'll say, right?
• I believed that meant accountability and closure, but I had no idea there would still be mountains to
• and closure, but I had<01:41:34.159><c> no</c><01:41:34.400><c> idea</c><01:41:34.719><c> there</c><

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Summary: The hearing focused primarily on House Bill 1087 and House Bill 123, both related to firearms. HB 1087 was introduced as a Second Amendment measure, but after questions from the chair and discussion with law enforcement, the sponsor agreed it should be set aside and referred to a study committee for further review, rather than advanced as written. The New Hampshire Chiefs of Police Association testified in opposition to the bill as written, while also indicating support for the sponsor’s proposed amendment or a study approach. The bulk of the discussion centered on HB 123, which would require the return of firearms after a not guilty verdict or dismissal. The sponsor and several members described the bill’s purpose as speeding up the return of property, but law enforcement and judicial branch witnesses raised concerns about federal law, the need to ensure a person is still legally eligible to possess firearms, and the bill’s 24-hour return requirement. Witnesses from the State Police and judicial branch explained the current process, including background checks through the state police gun line, and said the existing procedure already aims to return firearms promptly while allowing time to verify disqualifying information. Members and witnesses discussed possible amendments, including removing language that would bar background checks and instead tying return of firearms to completion of the check within a set time frame. Judicial branch and State Police witnesses said a process that requires a background check and return within a reasonable period, with notice if there is a delay or denial, would better address safety and legal concerns. The hearing ended without a vote; the committee closed the public hearing and indicated it would continue working on the language before executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vocational Enterprises became extremely financially stressed coming out of the pandemic, as much of their factory
• Is it reflecting their retooling of their factories?
• moving into being able to support their retooling because they haven't been able to invest in their factories
• They’re for the factory staff for MBE that work for MBE. Okay. All right. So it’s tied to that.

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• , those corporations would be like, 'Oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory
• We'd be like, 'Oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory in California?'
• So the question is, if you have reason to locate a factory here or a headquarters here, why would you
• The connection with having a factory or headquarters or a lab here is super attenuated, and so the odds

Summary: The joint informational hearing examined California’s taxation of multinational corporations, especially the Water’s Edge election versus worldwide combined reporting. Chairs opened by framing the issue as a review of whether current rules fairly and sufficiently tax foreign subsidiary income, given profit shifting concerns, budget pressures, and the long history since Water’s Edge was adopted in the 1980s. The first panel from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and Franchise Tax Board explained the mechanics of unitary taxation, apportionment, and the Water’s Edge election, and provided filing data showing Water’s Edge filers are a small share of returns but account for a large share of corporate tax liability. FTB witnesses said the agency already administers both methods and could handle a shift to mandatory worldwide reporting with education and outreach, though revenue estimates are difficult because foreign affiliate information is not directly available. Committee members asked about foreign government pushback, administrative burden, industries with more profit shifting, revenue uncertainty, and whether companies would leave California. LAO and FTB witnesses said pushback from foreign governments was plausible, but they did not expect major business flight because California’s tax is largely based on sales rather than physical presence. They also said worldwide reporting could reduce profit shifting but might increase revenue volatility and litigation risk. A second panel of academic and tax policy witnesses argued that Water’s Edge is a loophole that rewards aggressive tax planning, that worldwide combined reporting would better capture income tied to California, and that modern federal and international rules such as NCTI/GILTI, CAMT, and Pillar Two reduce compliance concerns and make a return to worldwide reporting more feasible. They also said California’s current system can create selection effects and may under-tax large multinationals. In the next panel, a California Budget and Policy Center witness urged eliminating the Water’s Edge election, calling it a costly loophole that benefits large global corporations over smaller domestic businesses and deprives the state of billions in revenue that could support health care and other services. A Silicon Valley Leadership Group witness gave historical context for why Water’s Edge was adopted and began outlining concerns about compliance, double taxation, and the risk of overreaching beyond income truly connected to California. No bill was voted on or advanced; the hearing was informational only, with members using the testimony to weigh the policy trade-offs and possible transition periods if the Legislature were to change the current rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• now those corporations would be like, 'Oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory
• We'd be like, 'Oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory in California.'
• And so the question is, if you have reason to locate a factory here or a headquarters here, why would
• The connection with having a factory or headquarters or a lab here is super attenuated.

Transcript Highlights:

• now those corporations would be like, 'Oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory
• We'd be like, 'Oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory in California?'
• And so the question is, if you have reason to locate a factory here or a headquarters here, why would
• The connection with having a factory or headquarters or a lab here is super attenuated, and so the odds

Summary: The joint informational hearing examined California’s taxation of multinational corporations, especially the state’s water’s-edge election versus worldwide combined reporting. The LAO and Franchise Tax Board explained the basic mechanics of unitary taxation, apportionment, and how water’s-edge generally excludes most foreign subsidiaries while worldwide reporting includes the full unitary group. FTB officials said water’s-edge filers are a small share of corporate filers but account for a large share of tax liability, and they described filing trends, industry mix, and the administrative steps needed to administer either system. Members and witnesses debated the policy trade-offs. Supporters of moving away from water’s-edge argued that it enables profit shifting, especially for large multinational and IP-heavy firms, and that eliminating it could raise significant revenue and improve fairness for smaller domestic businesses. They cited estimates of billions in potential revenue and said California already has the audit and reporting infrastructure to handle worldwide reporting, though some transition time would be needed. Opponents argued that worldwide reporting would tax foreign activity unrelated to California, create double taxation, increase compliance burdens and litigation, and could be difficult for foreign-based multinationals to document. They also warned that some of the revenue estimates are highly uncertain because foreign affiliate income is not directly observable. Committee members asked about foreign government pushback, the risk of companies leaving California, the effect on intellectual property shifting, and whether federal or Supreme Court action could block a change. Witnesses generally said major firms would be unlikely to leave because California taxes sales rather than physical presence, but some costs could be passed on to consumers. The panel also discussed alternatives such as conforming to federal international tax rules like NCTI/GILTI and adding anti-abuse rules. No vote or bill action was taken; the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• then those corporations would be like, oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory
• We'd be like, oh, you're going to give us an R&D credit if we locate a new factory in California?
• And so the question is, if you have reason to locate a factory here or a headquarters here, why would
• The connection with having a factory or headquarters or a lab here is super attenuated, and so the odds

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on California’s taxation of foreign subsidiaries of U.S. corporations, especially the state’s water’s-edge election versus worldwide combined reporting. Committee members and witnesses discussed how unitary taxation and sales-factor apportionment work, why multinational corporations are a small share of filers but a large share of tax liability, and how foreign income, profit shifting, and double taxation concerns affect policy choices. The Franchise Tax Board explained current filing rules, the seven-year water’s-edge election, and recent filing statistics showing about 21,562 water’s-edge returns in 2023, roughly 6% of C corporation filers but about half of corporate tax liability. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and FTB staff emphasized that revenue effects from eliminating water’s edge are uncertain because foreign affiliate income is not directly observable, and they noted possible revenue volatility and administrative complexity. Several committee members asked about foreign government pushback, the burden on FTB, whether certain industries are more likely to shift profits, and whether companies would leave California; witnesses generally said there was no strong evidence that firms would exit the state because tax liability is driven mainly by California sales. They also discussed how California already administers both methods, how the election can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on a firm’s facts, and how federal reforms like GILTI/NCTI, CAMT, and OECD Pillar Two may affect the issue. The second panel presented sharply contrasting views. One professor and a tax policy advocate argued that water’s edge creates unfairness, encourages profit shifting, and leaves California with billions in lost revenue, while a Tax Foundation witness argued that mandatory worldwide reporting would tax the wrong income, create double taxation and litigation risk, and impose heavy compliance burdens, especially for foreign-based multinationals. A later panel from the California Budget and Policy Center supported closing the “water’s-edge loophole,” saying it would raise needed revenue for public services and level the playing field between large multinationals and smaller domestic businesses. No vote or formal action was taken; the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• in El Cajon and Look, for example, at Taylor Guitars, with headquarters in El Cajon and a sister factory
• Companies like Poly and HP operate advanced factories in Tijuana.
• Every new factory job created in Mexico actually creates another job in the United States, and that's
• This is not outsourcing; this is co-production, a single North American factory floor.

Summary: The joint hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on California-Mexico Bi-National Affairs and the Assembly Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee focused on the USMCA and California’s economic dependence on trade with Mexico and Canada. Members emphasized that California exports more than $183 billion globally, with roughly a third going to Mexico and Canada, and argued that the agreement supports jobs in manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, technology, and ports. The hearing was framed as preparation for a legislative report and possible resolution on California’s priorities for the upcoming USMCA review. Academic and policy witnesses described the USMCA as essential to North American competitiveness, affordability, and regional security. Dr. Rafael Fernández de Castro said the agreement is central to a stronger North American alliance, helps keep food and other goods affordable, and supports the Cali-Baja region’s integrated economy. Dr. Ismael Placencia argued that California and Mexico co-produce value through integrated supply chains and nearshoring, and proposed ideas such as specialized technician visas, cross-border innovation zones, binational certification standards, and a technology fund. Members asked about the uncertainty around the agreement’s sunset/review clause and the possibility that investment is being delayed while businesses wait for clarity. Go-Biz representative Diana Dominguez said USMCA gives businesses, especially small and medium-sized firms, predictability, market access, and stronger digital trade and supply-chain integration, while also noting challenges such as regulatory barriers and financing. California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president Julian Canante said the agreement benefits small businesses but also creates complexity through stricter rules of origin, compliance burdens, and tariff uncertainty, and he urged more trade assistance and education. Mexican officials Miroslava Pérez-López and Pedro Casas Alatriste said the treaty remains the cornerstone of North American trade, that Mexico’s public consultation process generated nearly 800 submissions, and that the region should deepen integration rather than weaken the agreement. A later panel from San Diego regional organizations reinforced the same themes, citing the border region’s co-production economy, the importance of border infrastructure, and the need to protect integrated supply chains from tariff shocks. Witnesses urged investment in ports of entry, energy reliability, talent development, and smoother review processes, while members repeatedly stressed that any renegotiation should preserve labor and environmental standards without harming small businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Quicken that you use at your office, everything, all the complex work. that takes place in our factories
• That's just for these large loads to be able to work with this as many already do, factories and such
• We want the large chip plants, we want the large factories, we want the heavy high-end technology. technology
• We were working in the factory one day, had a meeting.

Bills: SCR5 , SCR13 , SB3 , SB6 , SB10 , SB12 , SB13 , SB15 , SB17 , SB18 , SB19 , SB24 , SB35 , SB57 , SB65 , SB112 , SB284 , SB290 , SB388 , SB400 , SB402 , SB412 , SB495 , SB499 , SB502 , SB509 , SB621 , SB706 , SB740 , SB815 , SB842 , SB854 , SB875 , SB893 , SB917 , SB974 , SB1025 , SB1061 , SB1073 , SB1106 , SB1268 , SB1281 , SB1300 , SB1362 , SB1379 , SB1447 , SB1451 , SB1555 , SB1902 , SJR36 , SJR12 , SCR13 , SCR25 , SCR5 , SCR22 , SCR12 , SCR24 , SB495 , SB412 , SB10 , SB18 , SB565 , SB372 , SB842 , SB765 , SB62 , SB19 , SB666 , SB707 , SB888 , SB687 , SB706 , SB847 , SB290 , SB13 , SB1248 , SB740 , SB14 , SB1006 , SB504 , SB917 , SB925 , SB388 , SB1902 , SB1121 , SB995 , SB857 , SB305 , SB296 , SB284 , SB35 , SB6 , SB815 , SB3 , SB1281 , SB1379 , SB1300 , SB1497 , SB1499 , SB1498 , SB1451 , SB1061 , SB15 , SB65 , SB241 , SB304 , SB402 , SB499 , SB621 , SB974 , SB1023 , SB1024 , SB1025 , SB1106 , SB686 , SB112 , SB371 , SB204 , SB400 , SB609 , SB1447 , SB670 , SB502 , SB427 , SB850 , SB854 , SB413 , SB1555 , SB1362 , SB1346 , SB1033 , SB1220 , SB1073 , SB810 , SB987 , SB1539 , SB893 , SB447 , SB875 , SB406 , SB509 , SB985 , SB965 , SB17 , SB1119 , SB1505 , SB12 , SB24 , SB57 , SB1194 , SB1253 , SB1215 , SB1532 , SB1268 , SB1302 , SB856 , SB650 , SB583 , SB673 , SB840 , SJR57 , SCR8 , SB213 , SB681 , SB1172 , SB1252 , SB378 , SB610 , SB918 , SB1343 , SB608 , SB487 , SB955 , SB957 , SB988 , SB990 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1120 , SB251 , SB958 , SB535 , SB761 , SB1 , SB541 , SB315 , SB379 , SB1018 , SB1737 , SB266 , SB1415 , SB3 , SB6 , SB15 , SB35 , SB290 , SB706 , SB842 , SB917 , SB1281 , SB1451 , SB1902 , SB12 , SB13 , SB17 , SB19 , SB388 , SR261 , SR265 , SR276 , SR277 , SR281 , SR286 , SR293 , SCR5 , SCR13 , SB2425 , SB2880 , SB10 , SB12 , SB13 , SB17 , SB18 , SB19 , SB388 , SB412 , SB495 , SB2425 , SB2880

Keywords: SCR 5, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, Texas School for the Deaf, TSD, Robert Rives, gymnasium naming, building naming, honorary resolution, commemorative resolution, deaf education, hard of hearing, Gallaudet University, alumni hall of fame, football coach, school facility naming, education K-16, State Affairs, Texas Legislature, public school tribute, water rights

Transcript Highlights:

• of Kentucky, with the hospital association, and then other private areas where we're working with factories
• working with private insurance every single day it seems like on working on getting this inside of our factories
• 04:00.079><c> our</c> working on getting this inside of our working on getting this inside of our factories
• ,<01:04:00.720><c> hospital,</c><01:04:01.520><c> other</c><01:04:01.839><c> opportunities</c> factories
• , hospital, other opportunities factories, hospital, other opportunities around<01:04:02.720><c> private

Summary: The committee heard first from Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders, who outlined the organization’s current priorities and recent work on farmland transition. Eddie Melton said Farm Bureau is working through 983 county and advisory committee resolutions and highlighted support for the updated selling farmer tax credit, now law through House Bill 775, as well as Senate Bill 28’s agriculture economic development provisions. He said Farm Bureau’s likely priorities include maintaining the 50% share of the tobacco settlement fund for agriculture, protecting funding for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, preserving sales tax exemptions on farm inputs, keeping property taxes controlled, and exploring additional tools to keep farmland in active farmers’ hands, including possible loan or inheritance-tax changes. He also raised concerns about eminent domain transparency, nuisance deer permits, and access to agricultural inputs and crop protection products. Alita Bots described the farmland transition initiative in more detail, saying the revised state tax credit is generating strong interest and that a new federal tax provision now allows eligible land sales to actively engaged farmers to spread capital gains taxes over time. She said the initiative has reached 22 counties and more than 1,300 people this year through outreach and meetings, and that Farm Bureau is pairing policy work with resources to help farm families plan transitions and prepare wills and other estate documents. Drew Graham added that the effort is also meant to bridge the rural-urban divide and support rural communities, and Farm Bureau invited members to its annual meeting in early December. Members asked about rising insurance costs and deer damage. Farm Bureau representatives said severe convective storms, inflation, and higher repair and material costs have driven insurance rate increases, citing five major storm events since 2021 and a recent Owensboro hailstorm that caused about $350 million in losses; they said the company is moving toward percentage deductibles to help moderate increases. On deer, they said crop-loss totals are hard to quantify but acknowledged the problem and discussed possible coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hunters for the Hungry. Commissioner Jonathan Shell then began the Department of Agriculture presentation, reporting gains from the department’s school agriculture outreach program, including a 23% increase in county participation between March and September and improved teacher-reported student learning, before continuing into the department’s legislative priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• ATT. 8. 2756, utilities, high load, low, factory, consumers.
• ATT. 8. 2756, utilities, high load, low, factory, consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they homemade, or are they factory-bought—are they Amazon?
• Some of these are factory-bought drones.
• Typical triggers include nighttime worker lane closures, long-term or complex traffic shifts, high-speed

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota is my home, and I've been working in packing factories since I arrived here.
• worker who uh whose name is factory worker who uh whose name is Gabby.<00:15:44.959><c> And</c><00:15
• </c><00:16:03.680><c> since</c> been working in packing factories since been working in packing factories
• </c><02:42:01.120><c> We</c> pharmacy closures across the state.
• We pharmacy closures across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• units to transport over 2 million tons of sugar beets from our outside receiving stations into the factory
• We have seven different satellite stations located kind of like little moons that orbit our factory.
• And here's a picture of one in factory.
• we have done since our initial deployment hauling sugar beets from our receiving stations to the factory
• we have done since our initial deployment hauling sugar beets from our receiving stations to the factory

Bills: HF3553 , HF3513 , HF3576

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: vehicle platooning, transportation, public safety, pilot project, Wilkin County, Grant County, autonomous vehicles, transportation regulations, driverless cars, safety standards, first responder interaction, school bus, third-party testing, driver certification, transportation regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair then opened the hearing for HP 1620, establishing closure and remediation requirements for
• I, when I was young, uh, I worked at Coca-Cola in a factory in LA and we had to destroy like 5 million
• young, uh, I worked at Coca-Cola<05:18:49.520><c> in</c><05:18:49.680><c> a</c><05:18:49.840><c> factory
• > LA</c><05:18:50.958><c> and</c><05:18:51.200><c> we</c><05:18:51.360><c> had</c> Coca-Cola in a factory
• in LA and we had Coca-Cola in a factory in LA and we had to<05:18:51.680><c> destroy</c><05:18:52.160

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• safety and ensuring as safe a workplace for our driving members on the highways as anyone working on a factory
• He said Clayton Homes is a manufacturing company that builds factory homes in Minnesota.
• </c><00:52:35.200><c> We</c><00:52:35.359><c> build</c><00:52:35.520><c> factory</c> manufacturing company
• We build factory manufacturing company.
• We build factory homes<00:52:36.079><c> built</c><00:52:36.319><c> out</c><00:52:36.480><c> of</c><00

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• these thousands of acres and they have to keep jumping that while they file with us and get a road closure
• So that the 19 megawatts gas unit was there prior to the closure of the...
• So how many megawatts did you lose by the closure of the coal facility at Sydney?
• Big factories, steamboats, and everything else.

Summary: The committee met at the Coteau Freedom Mine in Mercer County, approved the June 2 minutes, and heard an overview of the mine from Coteau Properties president Andrew Hawbaker. He described the Freedom Mine’s production history, customer mix, safety record, reclamation practices, workforce, community involvement, and economic impact. Members asked about how long land stays in production before reclamation, how quickly it returns to agriculture, labor shortages, groundwater impacts, and which skilled trades are hardest to fill. Hawbaker said the mine typically disturbs land for three to five years, reclamation returns much of the land to agricultural use, and the biggest hiring challenges are electricians, welders, mechanics, operators, engineers, and accountants. The committee then heard from Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christman on coal mining reclamation. He reviewed the history of North Dakota and federal reclamation laws, the PSC’s permitting and inspection authority, bonding requirements, contemporaneous reclamation standards, and how the state handles topsoil, subsoil, drainage, and revegetation. He emphasized that North Dakota’s program is well regarded, with frequent inspections and no corrective-action issues in recent federal reviews. Christman also discussed problems caused by federal coal ownership that can delay mine plans, and he answered questions about reclamation timing, wildlife easements, wind and pipeline reclamation, and whether similar bonding concepts could apply to data centers. In the afternoon, the committee received an update from Lignite Energy Council President and CEO Jonathan Fortner on the lignite industry. He highlighted the industry’s long-term role in providing reliable electricity, jobs, and tax revenue, along with North Dakota’s low electricity rates and strong grid reliability. Fortner discussed severance and conversion tax revenues, federal regulatory changes, litigation over EPA rules, carbon capture, critical minerals, and the potential for large-load customers such as data centers to support new coal generation. He said the industry sees a window of opportunity for growth and expressed support for new large-load development, while noting that diversified energy companies are also pursuing natural gas and other resources. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjourning for the tour.