Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, she talked a little bit about civil liability questions, lack of exceptions and protections

Bills: HCR3025

Keywords: law enforcement, first responders, heroism, community safety, condolences, 908, all

Summary: The State and Local Government Committee first heard House Concurrent Resolution 3025, a resolution honoring the police and first responders of Fargo. Representative Hendricks presented it as a straightforward tribute tied to a tragic incident, and several members and a representative of the Chiefs of Police Association and North Dakota League of Cities spoke in support. There was no opposition, and the committee closed the hearing and later gave the resolution a 6-0 do pass recommendation, with Senator Braunberger volunteering to carry it. The committee then heard House Concurrent Resolution 3010, which would direct Legislative Management to study legislative responsibility to review existing law before proposing new law. Representative Kempinock said the idea was to reduce repetitive or duplicative bills and improve legislative education, but also noted that current efforts by Legislative Council and leadership had made the resolution largely unnecessary. Members generally agreed with the premise but questioned whether a study was needed, and the committee ultimately gave it a 4-2 do pass recommendation, with Senator Lee volunteering to carry it. Next, the committee heard House Concurrent Resolution 3003, which would raise the threshold for approving constitutional amendments from 50% to 60%. Speaker Wise argued constitutional changes should be difficult and cited other states’ higher thresholds, while Eric Spencer of the Greater North Dakota Chamber supported the measure and emphasized how often North Dakota’s Constitution has been amended. Members discussed the irony of asking voters to raise the threshold by a simple majority and the broader issue of an overused constitution, but the committee still recommended it do pass on a 6-0 vote. The committee then spent considerable time on House Bill 1297 and related House Bill 1307 amendments dealing with approval voting, ranked-choice voting, and a Fargo-specific exemption. Members and witnesses from the Secretary of State’s office and the League of Cities debated whether Fargo should be exempted and how to avoid conflicts between the two bills. An amendment to strip approval voting from 1297 failed on a 3-3 tie, after which the committee gave 1297 a 4-2 do pass recommendation so the floor could decide the issue, with plans to reconcile 1307 afterward based on that outcome.

Transcript Highlights:

• Meanwhile, Ramsey... ...is requested to be excluded from any financial liability in this matter.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because ultimately it's going to be their liability by overseeing this.

Bills: HB441, HB445, HB477, HB441, HB445

Keywords: speech-language pathology, licensure, clinical supervision, educational qualifications, healthcare assistant, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, THC, delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, consumable hemp products, psychoactive cannabinoids, cannabinoid regulation, hemp licensing, ABC Board, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, retail hemp sales, wholesale hemp distribution, hemp tax

Transcript Highlights:

• There are still questions around issues like poor space ownership, questions around long term liability

Transcript Highlights:

• how much is left in that fund and whether those monies will be sufficient to cover the expected liabilities

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, the general liability insurance covers them in a car crash on the way to the inspection

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and heard several bills, with SB 1742 on condos temporarily postponed. SB 1298 on building construction was reported favorably after sponsor testimony about continuing education for building professionals, rural sharing of building officials, residential inspector limits, a planning examiner internship, permitting modernization, and contractor transition liability. SB 638 on home inspectors was also reported favorably after discussion of increasing required education from 120 to 200 hours, adding subject-specific exam and course requirements, and requiring $300,000 in errors and omissions insurance. SB 960 on elevator accessibility requirements was reported favorably, allowing additional shorter support rails in elevators while keeping the existing 42-inch rail requirement. The committee also unanimously recommended confirmation of a block of board and commission appointees. The committee adopted amendments and reported favorably CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation platforms, aimed at stopping bots and unauthorized resale of restaurant reservations; the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and Booking Holdings supported the bill, and members discussed how the measure would preserve direct restaurant-platform relationships like OpenTable and Resy while targeting third-party marketplaces that resell reservations. CS/SB 196 on foods containing vaccines or vaccine materials was reported favorably after amendments that defined mRNA vaccine use and added a cosmetics-related amendment addressing harmful chemicals such as PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasing agents, and mercury compounds; the Florida Retail Federation raised concerns but said it was working with the sponsor. CS/SB 1418 on heated tobacco products was reported favorably after an amendment clarifying the definition of heated tobacco products and excluding hookah, with support from the Florida Retail Federation and comments that the bill would distinguish these products from cigarettes for tax purposes. The committee also adopted a strike-all amendment and reported favorably CS/SB 1262 on construction contracting, which adds consumer protection and financial literacy topics to contractor continuing education, increases penalties for unlicensed contracting, creates a standardized disciplinary reporting system, and requires timely refunds and project completion standards; the Florida Home Builders Association supported the measure. Finally, CS/SB 1304 on solar facilities was reported favorably after extensive testimony from county commissioners and local officials supporting greater local oversight and decommissioning requirements for utility-scale solar on agricultural land; the bill would remove the current statewide by-right treatment for solar on agricultural land and authorize counties to adopt decommissioning ordinances. The meeting ended with members recording additional affirmative votes on selected bills and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• REGULATIONS AND REQUIRES THE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE FOR PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• actuarially calculated schedules of information associated with the entity's share of the pension liability

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries. Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs. OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• , has stated that these organizations, whether it be the county or local authorities, risk civil liability
• 51.280> civil county or local authorities, risk civil county or local authorities, risk civil liability
• if they hold people based liability if they hold people based solely<00:59:53.839> on<00:59:54.079
• 13:10.720> subject<03:13:11.359> counties<03:13:12.160> to<03:13:12.560> liability
• so would subject counties to liability. so would subject counties to liability.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they require insurance to cover liability. Extension. They require marketing such Extension.
• And they require insurance to cover<07:20:31.760> liability.
• cover liability. cover liability.
• So, if you are taking part in this program, you can't get liability insurance.
• You you can't get liability insurance.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So would that be one of the benefits of this bill, that it would allow you to do that without the liability
• Allow you to do that without liability away? Is that... Yeah, that's the express purpose.
• 29.000> that<05:24:29.558> yeah<05:24:29.798> that's<05:24:29.958> the liability
• away is that yeah that's the liability away is that yeah that's the express<05:24:30.600> purpose
• be given back to the person to take back and use, and said he thought there was probably risk and liability

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At its core, Senate File 3803 is about data governance, liability, and compliance under chapter 13, and
• And how common is it to have retroactivity on civil liability damages?
• retroactivity<01:46:23.280> on have retroactivity on have retroactivity on civil<01:46:24.440> liability
• <01:46:25.480> Just<01:46:25.920> as<01:46:26.040> a civil liability damages
• Just as a civil liability damages?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• major investments to modernize its pension administration system and address longstanding unfunded liabilities
• The budget provides $78.5 million in additional support to reduce the unfunded liability of the KERS
• additional support to reduce the additional support to reduce the unfunded<00:35:38.640> liability
• <00:35:39.680> of<00:35:39.920> the<00:35:40.160> Kers unfunded liability of
• the Kers unfunded liability of the Kers non-hazardous<00:35:42.079> pension<00:35:42.560>

Keywords: Several minutes after the convene vote and before the introduction failed to properly steam. This version was pulled from a local back up., 958, all

Summary: The House convened with 97 members present, declared a quorum, approved excusing absent members, and suspended the rules to allow co-sponsorships and vote modifications. The journal for February 25, 2026 was approved. The clerk also reported that the Senate had passed Senate Bills 98 and 122 and requested concurrence. The House then received second-reading reports on a range of bills, including measures on prison educational programs, respiratory care, dietitians, wildlife depredation, temporary structures, military families, civil rights, local boards of education, light pollution, controlled-substance prescribing licenses, youth health services, class sizes for exceptional children, the athletic trainer compact, limited commercial driver’s licenses, and Senate Bill 145 relating to the Department of Agriculture and Alcohol Beverage Control. Committee reports moved several bills forward, including the main budget bills House Bill 500 and House Bill 504, along with measures on workforce investment, data centers, domestic violence, guardians ad litem, domestic relations, health delivery and “food is medicine” initiatives, state personnel, open records, and fish and wildlife resources. House Bill 500 and House Bill 504 were taken from the Rules Committee and placed on the orders of the day. House Bill 500, the executive branch budget bill, was then taken up for third reading and explanation. Members presented extensive floor explanations of House Bill 500 and House Committee Substitute 1, describing it as a “good first draft” of the executive budget. Supporters said the proposal emphasizes restrained spending growth, base reductions with exemptions for key areas, employee salary increments, and deposits to the Budget Reserve Trust Fund for future one-time investments. They highlighted funding for K-12 education, postsecondary aid and workforce training, Medicaid and behavioral health, public health infrastructure, pensions, veterans, public safety, economic development, tourism, and state technology and facility maintenance. The budget substitute was adopted by voice vote, and the discussion continued with detailed descriptions of the bill’s provisions; no final passage vote was shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the time of seizure, many owners don't understand the financial liability they're facing if found
• reduced it to $475,000, less than 1.3% of what the jury said the suffering was worth, based on a state liability
• 08.000> state suffering was worth, based on a state suffering was worth, based on a state liability
• 10.719> the<01:13:10.960> Supreme<01:13:11.280> Court<01:13:11.520> is liability
• Now, the Supreme Court is liability cap.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So accepting the grant, um, may be a short-term gain and a medium and long-term liability for the school
• So accepting the grant, um, may be a short-term gain and a medium and long-term liability for the school
• So accepting the grant, um, may be a short-term gain and a medium and long-term liability for the school
• So accepting the grant, um, may be a short-term gain and a medium and long-term liability for the school
• So accepting the grant, um, may be a short-term gain and a medium and long-term liability for the school

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The work session began with HB 656, as amended, which would treat federal funds received by school districts as unanticipated money unless already listed in the annual report, and would require notices and school board minutes to identify the grant and summarize any obligations attached to accepting it. Supporters said the bill was aimed at transparency so voters would understand the “strings attached” to grants, while opponents raised concerns that the amendment was new, potentially vague, and could require districts to publish lengthy or redundant information, increasing costs and administrative burden. Several members suggested alternative approaches, such as a state-level list of common grant obligations or posting grant documents online. No vote was taken, and some members argued the bill was not ready for action. The committee then moved to HB 665, which would expand eligibility for free school meals to households at up to 300% of federal poverty guidelines and use education trust fund money to cover the added cost. Representative Damon strongly supported the bill, citing food insecurity and arguing the fiscal note likely overstated costs because the bill requires at least one free meal, not necessarily both breakfast and lunch. The discussion was just beginning when the transcript ended, and no vote or final action on HB 665 was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so then the team really kind of has to refer to that because of liability reasons.
• them on somehow extending their cap because it's going to benefit the local property taxpayers on a liability
• benefit the local property taxpayers<01:47:56.480> on<01:47:56.719> a<01:47:56.960> liability
• c><01:47:57.520> that<01:47:57.760> they<01:47:58.000> fully taxpayers on a liability
• that they fully taxpayers on a liability that they fully own,<01:47:58.960> so<01:47:59.199><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened its second meeting on House Bill 742, which would require catastrophic special education aid to be drawn from the education trust fund, and discussed whether to also examine differentiated aid within the adequacy formula. The chair said the committee had previously heard from HHS/Medicaid officials and now wanted to hear from local special education directors about how the aid system works in practice, including billing, training, data collection, and whether districts handle claims consistently. Members also referenced Arkansas as a possible comparison state and said they hoped to develop ideas by November to address the current funding process. Committee members focused on the current special education aid thresholds and the impact of proration. The chair described the existing formula as requiring districts to absorb costs up to 3.5 times the state average per student, with the state paying 80% from 3.5 times through 10 times and paying above that, and said FY25 appropriated about $34 million while actual claims were about $50.1 million, leaving roughly a $16 million shortfall that caused proration. Members also raised the possibility of lowering the threshold to 2.5 times and asked how that would affect the number of eligible students and costs. Another member asked about how districts decide whether services are education-related or medical-related and how Medicaid or private insurance reimbursement affects later state aid claims. District representatives from Boothby Therapy Services, Bedford, and Guilford introduced themselves and described their roles. Guilford’s director said the district tracks students with paraprofessional support, nurses, transportation, or specialized programming, uses a data system to log every service touchpoint, and tries to maximize both Medicaid and special education aid; she said a lower threshold would likely capture all students with paras or nurses and that rising staffing and service costs would increase the number of students over the cap. Bedford’s assistant director said the district uses a different system, tracks roughly 60 to 80 students a year, and pursues Medicaid and special education aid simultaneously but does not pursue private insurance if it would affect FAPE; she said reducing the threshold to 2.5 times would likely double the number of qualifying students. Members asked follow-up questions about software, data entry, and how districts decide whether to bill Medicaid or seek state catastrophic aid, and the directors explained that their systems log services by staff type and student, with some districts using the same data for both Medicaid and state reimbursement claims.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, the model can protect districts against significant cost liabilities.
• protect districts against<01:31:18.440> significant<01:31:18.960> cost<01:31:19.280> liabilities
• against significant cost liabilities. against significant cost liabilities.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Budget Process 00:02:28 Allotment Process 00:10:30 School Facilities Construction Commission 00:29:10 Role of KDE in School Facilities Funding 00:47:00 Kentucky School Boards Association 01:13:25 Elementary and Secondary School Construction 01:20:40 Perkins V Funding 01:35:32, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Open fires and overnight camping are prohibited, and then over time a waiver of liability for the state
• c><01:15:57.679> what<01:15:58.080> what<01:15:58.800> the<01:15:59.040> liability
• Now, what what the liability that can't.
• Now, what what the liability that I<01:16:00.239> might<01:16:00.400> face<01:16:01.280

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I need you to just be very clear about how you’re going to get that, um, that is not a criminal liability
• I need you to just be very clear about how you’re going to get that, um, that is not a criminal liability
• I need you to just be very clear about how you’re going to get that, um, that is not a criminal liability
• I need you to just be very clear about how you’re going to get that, um, that is not a criminal liability

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• potentially harmful and fatal doses, violating inmate constitutional rights and creating potential liability
• constitutional rights and creating constitutional rights and creating potential<00:27:38.920> liability
• <00:27:41.040> Um potential liability for providers.
• Um potential liability for providers.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all