Transcript Highlights:

• as Minnesotans we can show our leadership and recognizing the value of foraging as part of our connection
• as Minnesotans we can show our leadership and recognizing the value of foraging as part of our connection
• as Minnesotans we can show our leadership and recognizing the value of foraging as part of our connection
• as Minnesotans we can show our leadership and recognizing the value of foraging as part of our connection
• I established my foraging education business, Ironwood Foraging, in 2017 to create profound connections

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• with uh we are and industries to connect with uh we are better<00:25:53.159> positioned<00:25
• It’s my honor to champion our Y, which is closely connected to the students that we serve in northern
• our Workforce those connections our Workforce those connections institution<00:42:28.680> to<
• We connect students and employers across the state for internship and real-world experience.
• worried about avien flu I can connect worried about avien flu I can connect you<01:58:43.199>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're using those services upon release, within 7 days of release in the community, and connecting
• So these are all things that, you know, each part is connected.
• So these are all things that, you know, each part is connected.
• <01:14:15.880> so that you know each part is connected so that you know each part is connected
• Kyg said crisis centers also provide safety planning and connection to legal services.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:15.680> with<00:08:15.919> him<00:08:16.319> on deal dealer connected
• If they didn't believe that there was a connection between what people see on Facebook and what they
• <00:19:13.120> between<00:19:13.360> what there was a connection between what there
• was a connection between what people<00:19:13.840> see<00:19:14.080> on<00:19:14.320><
• excessive social connection between excessive social media<00:19:19.120> use<00:19:19.360>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , and so many other things. ...sources, connections, and so many other things.
• far as the port itself is concerned, one of the strong things about our port is the logistics connectivity
• Connectivity that we have—whether it's air, deep sea, inland waterways, or highways.
• This connectivity really puts us on the map.
• A Class One is one of the largest railroads in the United States, and we have five of those that connect

Bills: HB1, HB247, HB1

Keywords: DUI, driving under the influence, ignition interlock, interlock device, driver license suspension, restricted license, motor vehicle, alcohol offense, first offense, repeat offender, blood alcohol concentration, BAC, license revocation, Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, ALEA, public safety, traffic safety, chemical dependency, substance abuse, court referral program

Transcript Highlights:

• And it is unique, is that it's connecting 50% of the population of the state of Texas.
• understand. and the plumbing, is it fair to say all the plumbing's connected somewhere in the mix?
• They're all connected. Generally, now I can argue that, I know the Ogallala separates at Colorado.
• Because you've got to look at the total water that's connected.
• If it's connected to three different rivers underneath, you've got to think about all of it.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're connected. Again, that 53-county network—we're all over the state.
• How does Sanford Research get connected to NDSU? And I'll make the case: we're very well connected.
• Campuses communicate their own achievements without connecting to the system.
• Every one of our institutions has deep employer connections.
• Thank you. ...those connections are really clear in the qualitative data.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met at NDSU and heard an extensive presentation from President David Cook/President Stewart and NDSU leadership on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research growth, and use of New Horizons funding. Leaders emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission, its role in workforce development, and its goal of becoming more distinctive through strategic planning, recruitment and retention, commercialization, and partnerships. They highlighted that NDSU awarded 2,370 degrees in 2025, produces a large share of the state’s engineering, nursing, and agriculture graduates, and reported strong outcomes for graduates staying and working in North Dakota. They also noted enrollment headwinds, competition from other institutions, and the need to manage tuition waivers more carefully through a scholarship optimization effort. Provost Sherry Vale outlined academic stewardship efforts, including review or consolidation of low-producing programs, strategic hiring tied to institutional priorities, faculty workload policy changes, and expanded online and regional offerings. She said the university is using New Horizons dollars to strengthen advising, student support, and programs in engineering, agriculture, and health. NDSU leaders also described new or expanded academic offerings such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, material science and engineering, nuclear engineering certificates, accelerated nursing, nurse practitioner certificates, a Master of Health Administration, and a clinical research master’s program with Sanford Health. They stressed that these investments are intended to improve student completion, meet workforce needs, and increase return on public investment. The committee also heard testimony from students and recent graduates who described the value of NDSU’s education, mentorship, internships, research opportunities, and support services. Alyssa Hodges spoke about pharmacy education, public health work, and campus support as a parent and student; Ethan Blessy described engineering coursework, internships with Marvin, and career preparation; and Aiden Freolic discussed neuroscience research, federally funded projects, and plans for graduate study. Their testimony was followed by presentations on partnerships with Gateway to Science for K-12 STEM outreach and with Sanford Research on biomedical research, clinical trials, obesity research, and a joint biostatistics hire. NDSU also highlighted systemwide shared services, Governor’s School programming, and research growth, including a reported 8% increase in research expenditures from $199 million to $215 million. No bill votes were taken; the meeting was informational and featured presentations, testimony, and discussion of future planning and partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• better reason for people to fight for and connect than agriculture.
• Food is the one thing that truly connects us all. We all need it to survive.
• better reason for people to fight for and connect than agriculture.
• Food is the one thing that truly connects us all. We all need it to survive.
• agency work and it comes to connecting agency work and it comes to connecting people<00:45:48.680

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:52.720> with issues, but also just to connect with issues, but also just to connect
• <00:21:39.440> to connectedness and um youth connected to connectedness and um youth connected
• and connected opportunities is positive.
• and connected opportunities is positive.
• and connected opportunities is positive.

Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:10 - Discussion of 26RS HB 669 08:25 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 669 09:25 - Discussion of 26RS HCR 36 13:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HCR 36 14:05 - Discussion of 26RS HB 686 29:20 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 686 30:10 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Families and Children met and first adopted a House committee substitute for House Bill 669, which would protect federal benefits belonging to children in out-of-home care. The sponsor explained the bill is intended to prevent the state from using a child’s Social Security survivor, disability, or death benefits to offset care costs, instead requiring those funds to be preserved in an account for the child and made available at certain milestones or when the child leaves care. Members asked about who would oversee the funds, how annual eligibility reviews would work, and when the child could access the money; the sponsor said the cabinet would set the review process by rule and that the funds would remain available for the child. The committee approved HB 669 15-0 with favorable expression. The committee then considered House Concurrent Resolution 36, as amended by committee substitute, which creates a child welfare and family court reform task force. The substitute changed the reporting structure to send the task force’s report to the interim joint committee on families and children and the judiciary committee, rather than a now-defunct Health and Human Services committee. Supporters said the task force should review child abuse and neglect, foster care, and family court processes, and gather input from experts and people with lived experience. Members discussed whether the work should be divided into separate family court and child welfare task forces, but the resolution moved forward and passed 15-0 with favorable expression. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 686, which would establish a Kentucky Positive Youth Development Commission and a dedicated trust and agency account to support community-based youth programming up to age 25. The sponsor and witnesses said the bill responds to rising youth mental health concerns, self-harm, and suicide, and would coordinate statewide efforts, support evidence-based out-of-school programming, and provide technical assistance to local partners. Testimony emphasized the importance of connectedness, trusted adults, community-based responses, and using settlement funds from social media-related harms to youth to support the trust. Members asked about how the bill compares with other states and how the “dose-response” language relates to adverse and positive childhood experiences. HB 686 also passed 15-0 with favorable expression. The committee announced its next meeting for Thursday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• If I may, Madam Chair, Representative Martinez, currently, Synchronous has connections with 90 percent
• All of them aren't connected or sharing records with the HIE.
• But Synchronous itself, does it have any connections or used in any other state, or is New Mexico the
• Can you percentage that out, as in, like, how many providers, how many people are connected?
• Or entities are connected versus how many need to be connected in general, Madam Chair.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Remaining funds overall $7 million for community connectivity projects to be awarded this Q1 2026.
• My question is really focusing on the least connected communities.
• They're still deploying blimps and analyzing connectivity using those.
• It's a very critical part of connectivity in New Mexico.
• So it is a very big part of what we do, and it is very important to school connectivity here.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They wanted to connect to a water supply corporation.
• Founded in 1971, we have over 7,000 connections. ...spanning a surface area of nearly 160 square miles
• lines, and the option for developers to defer service connection fees until lots are sold. ...rather
• Y'all don't have that subsidy for Rural Connects, so it's all on y'all to get it done and then recover
• costs when meters are connected.

Bills: SB863, SB1190, SB1261, SB1413, SB1624, SB1662, SB1663, SB1855, SB1967, SB2124, SB2204, SB1623

Keywords: Edwards Aquifer, water conservation, reclaimed water, aquifer storage, environmental protection, water loss, municipally owned utilities, Texas Water Development Board, administrative penalties, water audit, water infrastructure, water supply, state water plan, water management strategies, water financing, municipal bonds, revenue bonds, public debt, obligations, TWDB

Transcript Highlights:

• to copper wires; it's connected to the internet.
• connectivity when you have high capacity.
• landline at home but it's not connected landline at home but it's not connected to<00:20:23.360>
• to the internet so there's connected to the internet so there's strong<00:20:42.440> connectivity
• The county... connecting to an address okay so so I connecting to an address okay so so I can<00:24:32.760

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard and discussed three nominations to the 911 Board: Matthew Kurara (Governor’s Message 505), Re Mahuna (Governor’s Message 614), and Rebecca Liberman/Weberman (Governor’s Message 661). Kurara, a Honolulu Police Department communications captain, said he would bring PSAP and dispatch experience to the board, with a focus on Next Generation 911, better coordination among PSAPs, and recruiting and retaining telecommunicators. Mahuna, a longtime Hawaiʻi Police Department officer and current board member, emphasized his emergency-response experience during disasters on the Big Island and his support for improving communication through Next Generation 911, including the new joint call center on Hawaiʻi Island. Liberman, the board’s VoIP representative and a Charter/Spectrum government affairs director, said she was continuing her second term and would keep working on legislative and government issues, including the statutory change removing “enhanced” from the board’s name to better support Next Gen efforts. Members asked each nominee about rural coverage, redundancy, training, broadband, radio-system limitations, and how Next Generation 911 would affect service in places like Puna and other rural areas. The nominees generally said the system is designed with redundancy so service would revert to backup systems if new technology fails, and that the main challenges in rural areas are often broader communications or radio issues rather than 911 itself. Kurara and Mahuna both said each PSAP currently handles much of its own training, though there is interest in more standardization and national best practices. Liberman explained that VoIP calls generally work over the internet and may benefit from Next Gen, but that location/address issues for some internet-based calling services may still need further review. The committee also discussed public education about text-to-911, the use of technologies such as FirstNet, and whether the E911 special fund ceiling needed to be raised again. Mahuna said he did not see a current need to raise the ceiling further. Written testimony was received in support of all three nominees, including support from public officials, law enforcement, county agencies, and private individuals. No opposition testimony was noted, and the chair said decisions would be made later with the other nominees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Net revenue comes from higher-quality, more connected trails.
• <01:15:39.480> and Health provide Community Connection and Health provide Community Connection
• make a 180-mile long connected system.
• Rail trails also connect communities and strengthen New Hampshire.
• <01:57:50.520> um visitors uh feel more connected um visitors uh feel more connected um really

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The recently completed North Energy Exchange Center and thermal energy storage tank are connected to
• If you require expertise in a particular field, we can connect you with our world-class faculty.
• And that's why Compass Rail is so important for this region to connect us.
• Municipal roads, state roads, municipal transit systems, you know, all connected with the MBTA.
• And so I think it really connects well with hunting and increased access to those resources.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing at UMass Amherst on Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2027 budget, focusing on energy/environment-related transportation issues and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The chairs and members opened with thanks to UMass, university leadership, court officers, and legislative staff, and Chancellor Javier Reyes highlighted UMass Amherst’s research, workforce, sustainability, and transportation contributions, including energy research, transit operations, and partnerships with MassDOT. The hearing then moved to MassDOT and MBTA testimony on the administration’s transportation funding package, including House 2, the FY26 Fair Share supplemental, and a proposed four-year Chapter 90 authorization. MassDOT officials described the budget as part of a broader multi-year transportation investment strategy, citing funding for operations, snow and ice removal, regional transit authorities, the MBTA, the Merit Rating Board, sustainable aviation fuel credits, micro-transit and last-mile grants, unpaved road improvements, bridge and pavement work, and housing-related transportation infrastructure. They emphasized workforce expansion, capital delivery capacity, safety improvements, and local aid, including the new lane-mile-based Chapter 90 formula intended to benefit rural communities. Officials also discussed major projects and programs such as Grant Central, culvert and unpaved road grants, work zone speed cameras, congestion hotspot fixes, the Sagamore and Bourne Bridge projects, and MBTA operating support and safety upgrades. Testimony from the MBTA and rail/transit staff focused on improved ridership, service frequency, accessibility, and safety, including progress on the Green Line Train Protection System, reduced delays, expanded bus and commuter rail service, and the South Coast rail extension. Regional transit authorities reported increased ridership and described new fare-free, connectivity, and community transit grants. Aeronautics testimony covered airport capital work, drone and data programs, sustainable aviation fuel efforts, and workforce development in aviation maintenance. Committee members then asked questions, especially about Western Massachusetts priorities, Chapter 90 funding, bridge repairs, snow and ice costs, Cape Cod bridges, Buzzard’s Bay rail, and Compass Rail/West-East Rail. Officials said several federal rail grants were moving forward, that Sagamore Bridge procurement would begin soon, and that the administration remained committed to pursuing federal funding and multi-year transportation investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:37.080> disabled helping to connect disabled helping to connect disabled veterans<00
• There's a 60% decline since the 70s in things like picnicking and other ways that we used to connect
• There's a 60% decline since the 70s in things like picnicking and other ways that we used to connect
• We’re talking a lot about connections.
• <01:15:19.400> to might be inhouse are still connected to might be inhouse are still connected

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> We had such a strong, close neighborhood connection.
• launch a new bus route thanks to the help of our Met Council member, Reva Chandas, in terms of connecting
• <00:07:11.759> It's<00:07:12.000> part<00:07:12.240> of neighborhood connections
• It's part of neighborhood connections.
• a uh east west line uh from connecting a uh east west line uh from AIO<00:09:15.360> uh<00:09

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The Be Proud mobile workshop is a proven way to connect the dots for students, their parents, teachers
• the dots for students, their connect the dots for students, their parents,<00:05:52.800> teachers
• them to companies finally, it connects them to companies in<00:06:24.639> their<00:06:24.960>
• This is primarily due to the effort from public and private stakeholders not being connected, the gaps
• This is primarily due to the effort from public and private stakeholders not being connected, the gaps

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development met without a quorum and heard presentations on several workforce and school-safety funding requests. The first item was a proposal for a school mapping data program, presented by Rep. Steve Bratcher with law enforcement and mapping partners. They said the plan would move money to the 911 system so school maps could be embedded there and kept current for all schools, public and private, to improve response times and officer, student, and teacher safety. The request was described as a $10 million one-time appropriation, with an estimate that the work could be completed in about a year. The committee then heard testimony on the Be Proud Initiative, a mobile workshop program aimed at exposing students age 13 and up to skilled trades and related education and career opportunities. Speakers from the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers, MI2, the Kentucky Treasury, and the Associated General Contractors said the program would improve perceptions of manufacturing, construction, and metals careers, connect students to training and employers, and help build the workforce pipeline. They said private industry would contribute $1 million in FY 2026-2027 before state funds are released, and requested $3 million in state funding in FY 2027-2028 contingent on that match. A Treasury official said handling the funds through the Treasury would have minimal impact on the office. Committee members responded favorably, including a comment from Rep. Bojanowski about the value of hands-on learning for students who struggle with test-focused instruction. Speakers also explained that the program includes classroom materials before and after the truck visit and ongoing outreach for students and parents. The final presentation was on an MI2 metals career pathway proposal, which cited economic impact data for Kentucky’s metals industry and asked for a $3 million one-time investment for FY 2027-2028 to pilot a middle- and high-school pathway in Carroll and Logan counties. The proposal would be matched by industry funds and used for curriculum, equipment, dual-credit and apprenticeship connections, student stipends, and parent outreach. The chair closed by noting it was the final scheduled meeting of the session and moved toward adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And look forward to connecting with you. Yes.
• I think we'll connect with you on that.
• I think we'll connect with you on that. Okay.
• I think we'll connect with you on that. Okay.
• So that's when people connect to our water and sewer for new units.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee work session focused first on Civic Commons’ “starter home production plan,” a statewide strategy intended to increase production of homes affordable to households roughly between 60% and 120% of area median income. Presenters said the Covenant Home Ownership program will not succeed without more starter homes, and outlined recommendations including a temporary cross-sector crisis task force, a developer network, new financing tools, public seed funding, and a multi-site demonstration program to test off-site construction and standardized designs. Committee members asked about silos in the current system, the role of off-site and modular construction, target income ranges, and where the plan would be most useful. Civic Commons said the plan is meant to be statewide, community-informed, and respectful of local context, with pre-approved plans and standardized approaches for both single-family and multi-unit housing. The Department of Labor and Industries then gave an update on factory-built housing oversight. Officials said residential factory-built structures are a small but important part of their work and described progress in prioritizing residential plan reviews, which they said has reduced review time from months to about two days. They also reported creating a plans examiner supervisor position, moving forward with rules for third-party plan review and inspection, and beginning analysis of national standards from the Modular Building Institute to see whether they align with state code. Committee members and L&I discussed the value of standardized plans, real-time tracking for applicants, and the role of state inspection in reducing local jurisdictional variation. The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council testified that it supports efforts to reduce permitting delays and increase housing production, but warned against weakening safety standards or labor protections. The labor representatives said prefabrication and modular construction can help if the workforce is protected, wages and apprenticeship opportunities are preserved, and projects use tools such as community workforce agreements. They also raised concerns about wage theft, misclassification, and unlicensed contractors in residential construction, and suggested stronger front-end contractor education or licensing. Committee members responded that the goal is to expand production without sacrificing safety or good jobs. The committee also heard city perspectives on local housing reforms. Olympia described its affordable housing emergency ordinance, which gives qualifying projects priority in the permitting queue, and said success depends on communication among housing staff, planners, engineers, and developers. Walla Walla, an early adopter of middle housing, reported increased ADUs, duplexes, and smaller-lot development after eliminating single-family zoning and expanding tools such as MFTE and ADU flexibility. Des Moines described adopting middle housing and ADU ordinances in June 2025 after a lengthy public process, while Poulsbo described proactive code changes including duplexes on corner lots, unit lot subdivisions, manufactured home protections, expanded ADU allowances, and pre-approved ADU plans shared with neighboring jurisdictions. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• This connectivity is going to help us reduce our emissions, get people out on the road other than in
• They work overall for our long-term goals. connecting to the bike path connecting connecting to the bike
• have areas that that are not connected have areas that that are not connected right<00:35:57.440
• So you can bike and ped connected to it.
• That's where I think we connectivity.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committees received an informational briefing from Hawaii DOT and related partners on the Navahine settlement and the department’s plan to meet its climate and transportation commitments. Speakers described the settlement as a first-of-its-kind agreement rooted in the state constitution, the public trust doctrine, and prior legislative findings and laws, including Act 131. They said the settlement is intended to formalize DOT’s work, establish milestones, and keep climate and transportation policy less dependent on changes in administration. The presentation emphasized that transportation is Hawaii’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and that the plan is aimed at meeting 2030 and 2045 clean energy goals. DOT outlined several major implementation pieces: creation of a new Office of Energy Security and Community Outreach, formation of a youth council, and development of an emissions reduction plan that will be updated over time. The youth council reported on its membership, statewide representation, meetings, and work on charter, bylaws, and committees focused on policy and legislation, events and advocacy, and ground transportation. Youth members said they provided feedback on the energy security plan and discussed walk audits and safe routes to school. The department also described a new project-scoring tool to measure greenhouse gas impacts of every DOT project, which it said is intended to make Hawaii a national leader in evaluating transportation emissions. A major topic was the settlement’s transportation network requirement, which speakers said compresses roughly 15 years of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit network work into five years and will require about $40 million to $50 million per year over the next five years. They said a GIS map is being developed to identify gaps and that the work will involve counties and other partners, with benefits for safety, connectivity, and emissions reduction. Other topics included clean fuel standards, electrification of ground transportation, sustainable aviation fuel, marine fuel transitions, cold ironing at ports, and the costs and availability challenges associated with those transitions. DOT also reported progress on EV charging infrastructure, including two completed sites and more planned, and said it is using a sustainability partner contract to maintain chargers and recover only electricity costs. The briefing also highlighted carbon sequestration and fire mitigation work, including native tree planting. DOT said it has exceeded its minimum annual tree-planting commitment, with 3,000 trees planted in 2024 and 4,200 by mid-2025, and noted that the Legislature provided $15 million for fire mitigation that is being used for this work. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.