Transcript Highlights:

• This is a bill to address some concerns that have come to the surface.
• in the metropolitan area are looking at data centers and are considering not necessarily off the surface
• After a few years of mismanagement, the farming failed, and the owner then sold the property.
• The next owner could easily be an individual similar to the person who previously purchased the land
• downstream, and if not them, there would be future owners who may have the desire to rape the land.

Bills: HF647, HF2824, HF1249, HF623, HF820

Keywords: water appropriation, aquifer management, potable water, water conservation, environmental policy, fishing regulation, angling, sustainability, biodiversity, game fish, Carley State Park, Minnesota state parks, state lands, park boundary expansion, Wabasha County, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, public lands, land acquisition, park addition

Transcript Highlights:

• permit on McKraney Lake allowed mechanical and chemical removal of aquatic plants so the lakeshore owner
• ><00:05:03.480> so<00:05:03.600> the<00:05:03.720> lakeshore<00:05:04.160> owner
• aquatic plants so the lakeshore owner aquatic plants so the lakeshore owner could<00:05:04.600><
• waters, many of in Minnesota surface waters, many of which<00:10:28.040> are<00:10:28.120>
• So, um, we do monitor surface water in wild rice production areas.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they're confined in a different area, in a certain area, or, you know, how do we protect the livestock owners
• Arizona Department of Water Resources, for the purpose of determining whether sufficient groundwater, surface
• commingling is the practice of mixing different water sources, so this can be effluent, groundwater, surface
• water, into a... ...different water sources, so this can be effluent, groundwater, surface water, into
• says right here for ADWR to consult with the State Land Department, local officials, and property owners

Bills: HB2013, HB2026, HB2056, HB2098, HB2113, HB2156, HB2158, HCM2011, HCR2057

Keywords: air pollution, wildfires, environmental standards, public health, Arizona Revised Statutes, assured water supply, groundwater, commingling, commingled water, water supply, Arizona Department of Water Resources, ADWR, active management area, AMA, subdivision plat, development approval, water rights, municipal provider, private water company, certificate of assured water supply

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from February 27 and March 3, 2026, and then heard several natural resources and water-related measures. House Bill 2013 would require ADEQ to submit an exceptional event demonstration to EPA when wildfire smoke from federally managed land affects Arizona air quality. The sponsor said this would help Arizona’s ozone/nonattainment position, while Sierra Club and ADEQ raised concerns that the bill duplicates an existing process and could waste staff time and resources. The bill passed 5-3. House Bill 2156 would appropriate $250,000 to the Livestock Compensation Fund. Supporters argued ranchers need help with livestock losses and drought impacts, while opponents criticized the board’s transparency and said the program already receives federal and prior state funding. The bill passed 5-3. House Bill 2113 would require RUCO to intervene in utility rate cases when a proposed increase reaches 100% or more; the sponsor said rural customers are being overlooked, while RUCO said it would need significant additional staff and funding and could not absorb the workload without more resources. The bill passed 6-2, with members noting they expected a future amendment to add funding. The committee also approved House Concurrent Memorial 2011, which urges Congress to delist the Mexican gray wolf and return management to states and local authorities. Supporters cited livestock losses and ranching impacts, while opponents said the species remains endangered and recovery decisions should remain science-based; the memorial passed 5-3. House Bill 2026, concerning how ADWR evaluates water availability when supplies are commingled, passed 5-3 despite concerns that it could weaken groundwater safeguards. House Bill 2056, which funds a feasibility study for brackish groundwater desalination sites, also passed 5-3 after debate over whether the study was necessary given existing groundwater accounting and treatment efforts. House Bill 2098, modernizing Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority bonding authority, passed unanimously 8-0. Finally, House Concurrent Resolution 2057, supporting a geothermal permitting roadmap and agency coordination for next-generation geothermal development, passed unanimously 8-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's only scratching the surface.
• It's only scratching the surface.
• It's only scratching the surface.
• It's only scratching the surface.
• It's only scratching the surface.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3403, authored by Vice Chair Rep. Kazowski, and first adopted an A1 amendment. The amendment made technical and implementation changes recommended by the Department of Revenue, allowed a small portion of funds for county and tribal administrative costs, and clarified timing and reporting for spent and unspent funds. After the amendment was adopted, the bill was moved to Ways and Means. Rep. Kazowski described HF 3403 as a $50 million emergency rental assistance measure to help stabilize households facing eviction, with $44 million directed to counties and $6 million reserved for tribal nations, administered through the Department of Revenue using the existing local homeless prevention aid formula. Supporters said the bill would provide immediate, targeted help to renters and landlords, prevent evictions, and reduce downstream costs to shelters, schools, employers, and health systems. Several testifiers, including representatives from Greater Twin Cities United Way, St. Louis County, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, social workers, a resident, and tribal housing leaders, said local resources were insufficient to meet rising need and emphasized the impact of federal immigration enforcement and related economic disruption on families, workers, and communities. Testimony highlighted sharp increases in rental assistance requests, rising eviction filings, depleted county funds, and the strain on nonprofit and mutual aid efforts. County and city officials said emergency rental assistance and related legal services had already prevented thousands of evictions, but current funding was not enough. Tribal testimony stressed disproportionate homelessness among Native Americans and supported the bill’s tribal allocation. During member discussion, Rep. Amani Hiltsley said the bill was an economic stabilization tool and requested a roll call vote, noting safeguards against fraud and the broader costs of inaction.

Transcript Highlights:

• hope people have been paying attention to what economically at-risk oil and gas leases have done to surface
• rights and surface owners and landowners in agricultural producers recently.
• Ag is a surface right; it's on top of the ground.
• Follow up, Senator Bourne, did you consult any pet owners? Thank you for the question. Yes, I did.
• Pet owners, did you consult? Thank you for that question.

Bills: SB1627, SB227, SB366, SB1193, SB1433, SB1450, SB1481, SB1749, SB1810, SB1812, SB1921, SB1948, SB2044, SB2178, SB169, SB1877, HB1409, SB1266, SB1432

Keywords: criminal code cleanup, duplicate statutes, statutory consolidation, repealer bill, emergency clause, Title 21 crimes, Title 47 DUI, child abuse reporting, child neglect, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, sex offenses, rape, stalking, domestic abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, sex trafficking, gang-related offense, eluding police

Transcript Highlights:

• That emotional support animal provides support to its owner.
• That emotional support animal provides support to its owner.
• And those paved surfaces are on and on.
• So I would I would say that surfaces.
• I asked the owner of It didn't matter.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, SAWS is both an excavator and the underground facility owner, so we would, depending on what
• Urban corridors often include multiple utility owners in very tight spaces.
• We've heard a lot of talk today from owners, the utilities themselves, and those that represent those
• Custodially, We serve as partners with utility owners and locators in the Stewardship of the existing
• Excavators, locators, facility owners. one call centers, these are the standard for the industry.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in this committee, an act requiring background checks for solid waste and hazardous waste facility owners
• :08:55.600> facility waste and hazardous waste facility waste and hazardous waste facility owners
• <00:08:59.839> do<00:09:00.160> have<00:09:00.880> um<00:09:01.839> a owners
• And uh we we do have um a owners.
• <00:27:52.000> water landfill 500 feet from any surface water landfill 500 feet from any surface

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held a hearing on a non-germane amendment to SB 302, a Senate bill originally requiring background checks for solid waste and hazardous waste facility owners. Representative Patenza explained that the amendment was intended to preserve and separate out language developed for the governor’s budget proposal and HB 2 concerning a solid waste facility site evaluation committee, a moratorium, and related public-benefit/site-benefit provisions, so the policy would still have a vehicle if the budget language did not advance. He said the proposal reflects extensive work by the House, the governor’s office, and DES, and he was open to further changes to align with any budget conference committee outcome. Dr. Adam Finkele testified in support of the amendment and the underlying site evaluation concept, arguing that landfill siting decisions should be based on cost-benefit analysis that includes public harms, local impacts, and regional impacts rather than only private benefits. He praised the committee process and prior legislation requiring agencies to respond substantively to public comments, and said the new language improves on the governor’s version by moving the committee’s review earlier in the process and requiring more complete application information, including alternatives and impacts on nearby wells and aquifers. He also supported a three-year moratorium on new landfill applications, saying it would give the state time to address leachate, PFAS, waste reduction, and weak siting rules. Members asked about possible conference committee changes, the value of having a separate review body, and whether the new rules would invite litigation. Dr. Finkele said he would likely sue over the rules because he считает them too weak, but also said the legislature could fix the problems through other bills such as HB 77. He acknowledged that the site evaluation committee is not a perfect solution, but said it is a useful intermediate step between the agency and the courts and likely would meet only rarely if capacity need remains the main trigger for future landfill decisions. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we made the exception that they could still remain having the receptacle down below on the surface
• So we made the exception that they could still remain having the receptacle down below on the surface
• owners within a reasonable time of the discovery of any fire, leak, spill, or release of fluid that
• permit section recommended greater specificity to a provision which required the notification to surface
• owners within a reasonable time of the discovery of any fire, leak, spill, or release of fluid that

Summary: The committee approved the March 12, 2026 minutes and granted the Board of Medicine an extension of time to implement rule changes tied to House Bill 1620/1622, which concern North Dakota’s entry into the physician assistant licensure compact. The Board said it is waiting on compact rules, especially fee structures, before finalizing its own rules. The committee then took up extensive Office of Management and Budget personnel rule revisions, covering salary administration, recruitment, leave policies, funeral leave, service awards, appeals, and shared leave. OMB said the changes modernize HR practices and implement recent legislation, including new hire leave and enhanced annual leave for hard-to-fill positions; the committee raised concerns about the subjectivity and fairness of the hard-to-fill leave provisions, but no action was taken against the rules. The North Dakota Lottery presented emergency and regular rule changes, including updates tied to the Millionaire for Life game and miscellaneous clarifications. The Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology described rule updates that add speech-language pathology assistants to the rules, ease continuing education requirements for out-of-state applicants, expand temporary licensure, and clarify supervision standards. The State Electrical Board reviewed numerous code updates, including changes to electrical and fire alarm standards, receptacle labeling, countertop receptacles, and a major new conveyance/elevator inspection program added by the Legislature; the board said it is preparing to begin inspections by August 1. The Industrial Commission’s Geological Survey Division presented new rules implementing House Bill 1459 on critical minerals in coal-bearing formations, including permit, reporting, confidentiality, and royalty-related provisions. The committee asked about confidentiality of exploration data and drilling depth. The Public Employees Retirement System outlined rule changes implementing several bills affecting defined benefit, public safety, defined contribution, insurance, deferred compensation, and retiree health credit programs, and noted possible future proposals to add state EMS or create a LOSAP-style plan. The Department of Health and Human Services presented substance use disorder voucher rules implementing House Bill 1012, including allowing individuals to apply directly and setting reimbursement procedures; the rules were expected to have a $250,000 general fund impact already included in the budget. The longest discussion involved the Gaming Commission rules. Members questioned whether the commission had authority to raise poker tournament buy-ins from $300 to $1,500, viewing it as an expansion of gaming rather than a mere clarification. After debate, the committee voted to void that specific rule section for lack of statutory authority. The rest of the gaming rules covered higher raffle limits from House Bill 1192, the change from “bar” to “alcoholic beverage establishment,” veterans’ organization proceeds, credit ticket voucher kiosks, online raffles, and advertising restrictions; the presenter said several public comments led to revisions or withdrawals of proposed language. The meeting ended with discussion of upcoming Ethics Commission travel-reporting rules and scheduling the next committee meeting in September.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an owner of Prescription Landscape.
• The owners are the richest people in human history and can afford it.
• The owners are the richest people in human history and can afford it.
• The owners are the richest for it.
• So to me, that would include both groundwater and surface water. Okay.

Bills: HF3793, HF3699, HF793, HF3322, HF3426

Keywords: groundwater, water use permit, data centers, public health, environmental regulations, municipalities, state park license plate, specialty license plate, Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources, license plate design contest, North Shore, Lake Superior Agate, AI-generated art, artificial intelligence, Minnesota resident, state parks, specialty plates, vehicle registration, contest requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I'm also wondering, on page six, where it's talking about the other owners, adjacent owners that
• Um, I'm also wondering, on page six, where it's talking about the other owners, adjacent owners that
• Um, I'm also wondering, on page six, where it's talking about the other owners, adjacent owners that
• Um, I'm also wondering, on page six, where it's talking about the other owners, adjacent owners that
• , adjacent owners that the other owners, adjacent owners that may<00:27:10.240> be<00:27:11.120

Bills: SF0050, SF0084, HB0133, HB0116, HB0011, HB0044

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, irrigation, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, conservation districts, supervisors, elections, agriculture, local governance, beneficial use

Transcript Highlights:

• If the oil and gas industry makes some sort of groundwater pollution or surface pollution, none of that's
• One of the things we've got to do is we don't want to create a cause of action for surface owners that

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• OSM, the Office of Surface Mining, pays 64% of running our program.
• If you want to review something on your own time, that Surface Owner Protection Act in Chapter 38 of
• The surface owner land use preference statements are important.
• It was originally an underground mine and then some surface mine.
• But Ourspring will be the owner and the operator. The IP.

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 as the largest lignite mine in the United States, supplying coal to Dakota Gasification, Antelope Valley Station, and Leland Olds Station. He emphasized the mine’s scale, safety record, reclamation work, workforce needs, community involvement, and economic impact, including payroll, taxes, royalties, scholarships, and local hiring. Members asked about how long land stays in production, how quickly it returns to agriculture after reclamation, labor shortages, and how mining affects groundwater and water wells. Hawbaker said most tracts are mined for about three to five years, reclamation is coordinated with landowners, and the company continues to struggle to find electricians, welders, mechanics, operators, and engineers. The committee then heard from Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christman on coal mining reclamation and permitting. He reviewed North Dakota’s coal mining history, the state’s reclamation laws, federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act primacy, bonding, permit renewals and revisions, prohibited mining areas, inspection and enforcement, and contemporaneous reclamation requirements. Christman stressed that North Dakota’s program is professional and thorough, with frequent inspections, financial assurance, and a 10-year revegetation monitoring period before bond release. He also discussed federal coal ownership issues that can delay mine plans, the treatment of prime farmland, and how reclamation differs for wind and pipelines. In response to questions, he said one challenge is sometimes releasing land too soon before long-term compaction issues are fully understood, and he noted that data centers do not currently have a comparable reclamation model because they typically own the land. In the afternoon, the committee received an update from Lignite Energy Council president Jonathan Fortner on the lignite industry. He said North Dakota’s lignite sector supports five commercial power plants, four mines, about 12,000 direct and indirect jobs, and more than $5.5 billion in economic activity, while helping keep the state’s electricity rates among the lowest in the nation. Fortner reviewed coal severance and conversion tax revenues, the lignite research fund, federal regulatory rollbacks, carbon capture policy, and the industry’s legal costs fighting federal rules. He also highlighted a study on large-load development, saying new data centers and critical mineral processing facilities could create major local tax revenue and help justify new baseload generation. Members asked whether new gas pipelines would crowd out coal plant development and whether the economic study included jobs and broader local impacts; Fortner said the industry sees room for both and that the study did include construction, operations, jobs, and tax effects.

Transcript Highlights:

• allocations, and transmissions of utility charges as they are consumed by residents on behalf of owners
• Conservis works with rental property owners throughout the state to provide utility billing services.
• Conservis works with rental property owners throughout the state to provide utility billing services.
• That would be, of course, turned back to the rental property owner to understand maybe what wasn't paid
• What are they external or existential issues that suddenly surfaced that needed to happen?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• allocations, and transmissions of utility charges as they are consumed by residents on behalf of owners
• Conservis works with rental property owners throughout the state to provide utility billing services.
• Conservis works with rental property owners throughout the state to provide utility billing services.
• That would be, of course, turned back to the rental property owner to understand maybe what wasn't paid
• What are they external or existential issues that suddenly surfaced that needed to happen?

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met with a quorum, took up its consent calendar, and passed SB 946 and SB 700 on a do-pass motion to the next committee. The committee then heard SB 546 by Senator Grayson, presented by Assembly Member Blanca Rubio, which would clarify that third-party billing administrators are not debt collectors when they are only performing administrative billing services. Supporters from Conservis Utility Billing Management and the California Apartment Association said the bill reflects the original intent of the Debt Collection Licensing Act, would reduce compliance uncertainty, and still preserves consumer protections by barring coercive collection practices. There was no opposition, and the bill passed on a unanimous roll call to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 505 by Senator Richardson, presented by Assembly Member Maggie Krell, which would require digital wallet providers and money transmitters operating in California to use two-factor or multi-factor authentication for logins. Support came from the National Consumer Law Center, while TechNet said it was currently opposed but working with the author on amendments. Members discussed balancing security with convenience for trusted devices and users. The bill passed unanimously on a do-pass motion to the Committee on Appropriations, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• You still meter it and account for it and pay for it to the royalty owner, but as you're using it to
• We've got a good partner in Franco-Nevada, which is one of the largest owners of precious minerals in
• They're just digging it at surface, right?
• I mean, if we could just dig all the oil out of the Bakken at the surface, we'd probably get that much
• , the state and the mineral owner, want barrels.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met to consider Senate Bill 2397 and a proposed amendment creating a development incentive well program for North Dakota oil and gas production. Representative Dockter explained the amendment as a way to encourage exploratory and innovative drilling in light of the state’s financial outlook and the growing share of stripper wells. Department of Mineral Resources Director Nathan Anderson and DMR geologist Timothy Nashim presented background on the Bakken and Three Forks formations, with Nashim describing research showing that Middle Three Forks second-bench development can add reserves in some areas but not others, and that roughly 600 additional wells in the strongest area could yield about 250 million barrels of oil. Continental Resources representatives William Houser and John Argo supported the amendment. They said the bill would give a temporary oil extraction tax exemption for certified development incentive wells, limited to 36 months or 300,000 barrels, and would also update tax treatment for gas used in enhanced oil recovery and on-site electric generation. They argued the measure would encourage new technology and testing in existing spacing units, complementing House Bill 1483, which they said focused on geographic expansion into non-Bakken and non-Three Forks areas. Argo said Continental still invests heavily in North Dakota but is shifting rigs elsewhere because of economics, and he urged incentives to spur exploration and preserve the basin’s long-term future. North Dakota Petroleum Council executive director Ron Ness also supported the concept, calling it a targeted, low-risk way to encourage innovation and future barrels. Committee members asked about royalty treatment, the difference from House Bill 1483, pressure maintenance, and how the program would be administered. DMR said the amendment should clarify that the operator bears the burden of proving a well qualifies and that only one incentive well per stratigraphic interval should be certified. No vote was taken; the committee paused to work on revised language and indicated the bill would likely need further adjustment, possibly in conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And where, in this equation, is the owner and the distributor, the federal government?
• And it is part of our surface water in the state. And it was a way of protecting that.
• I do think they had specific appropriations requests related to surface water permitting.
• Yes, and we did reauthorize it for FY27 so that they can use it for surface water permit?
• We did have a $3.5 million request for the surface water permitting program to implement Senate Bill

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, I like, you know, it's if it's if it's going to be the pervious surfaces, all the more
• Most owners, especially those with vacation rentals Most owners, especially those with vacation rentals
• The beach front owner is suing us for trespassing.
• The property owners filed suit saying that they were that they didn't like the the bill we passed.
• It's a very, very tough issue on county property owner and have been for over 40 years.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• existing structures that, if you've been in the Lacey area, are more of a large big-box style with surface
• With surface parking lots and build that into that walkable community, and then look at incentivizing
• And this property owner bought the house and simply wanted to do that.
• So for this property owner who wanted to simply add one lot for generational equity, they didn't come
• I'm a principal and owner at the company.

Summary: The committee held a work session on form-based codes, child care facility siting, and street standards/frontage improvements. On form-based codes, Commerce’s Dave Anderson explained that these codes emphasize building form, orientation, and the public realm more than traditional use and density tables, and that they are typically applied in specific districts rather than citywide or statewide. Lacey’s Vanessa Dolby described the city’s Woodland District code, developed through community charrettes, fiscal and market analysis, and subdistrict-specific standards to create a walkable downtown. She said the approach has helped produce a more desirable built environment and more flexibility in permitted uses, but also noted it can be less user-friendly for applicants and still requires some use restrictions; both presenters said a hybrid approach is often best. The committee then heard from DCYF and multiple providers about barriers to opening child care facilities. DCYF officials said Washington has more than 6,500 licensed providers and that a new pre-licensing support team is helping applicants navigate licensing, but local zoning, building, fire, parking, utility, and occupancy requirements still create delays and confusion. Testifiers described long permitting timelines, inconsistent local interpretations, costly upgrades, and utility hookup delays; one Yakima provider said county requirements, a floodplain-related elevation certificate, and a private well issue stopped her in-home child care proposal, while others described traffic impact fees, parking mandates, and zoning barriers that made projects infeasible. Enterprise Community Partners highlighted examples of successful local reforms, including fee waivers, expedited permitting, and zoning changes in several cities, and DCYF said it is working toward a 2026 action plan and a resource guide for providers. In the final section, planners and developers discussed how street standards and frontage improvement requirements can undermine infill and middle housing. Poulsbo’s planning manager said current standards were designed for greenfield subdivisions and often force costly curb, gutter, sidewalk, stormwater, and utility upgrades on small infill sites, sometimes adding tens of thousands of dollars and causing projects to be abandoned. A Seattle-based developer made similar points about small middle-housing projects being burdened by frontage work, curb ramps, buried standards, and EV-ready parking requirements that can trigger expensive undergrounding. Committee members asked about possible state-level changes, including whether child care should be treated as an essential public facility and whether parking requirements had already been reduced; one senator noted that minimum parking requirements for child care facilities were eliminated in prior legislation, with implementation phased in over the next few years.

Transcript Highlights:

• or try to acquire work with land owners or try to acquire properties<00:24:38.159> but<00:24:
• For the record, I'm Jason Stock, executive director of the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association
• You know, landowners and almost all timberland owners have an interest in wildlife.
• And if two months this to the surface.
• They talk, uh, Dan Walsh talked about condo owners; you mentioned it also mobile home owners could do

Keywords: 1191, senate, all