Transcript Highlights:

• Within the limits of our time, we will not permit conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes
• These products are often marketed to small businesses with limited options, but buried in the fine print
• This is about due diligence, cost efficiency, and long-term responsible fiscal stewardship.
• the overall benefit of our budget over the long term?
• Over the long term, I think that's the question.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think in a small town you've got limitations.
• So you don't create a got limitations.
• be able to provide that limitation? be able to provide that limitation?
• this, you set your own limits." this, you set your own limits." What<01:07:18.079> changed?
• That seems to me a year over their term.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:57:28.880> Uh<00:57:29.200> the in terms of what they constitute.
• Uh the in terms of what they constitute.
• . ...to increase the limit of transfer appropriation in Carol County.
• And we limited that ability down to $1,000. We have since had new commissioners in place.
• And we limited that ability delegation.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of the long term, I just addressed the short-term immediate response.
• In terms of the long term, I just addressed the short-term immediate response.
• In terms of the long term, I just addressed the short-term immediate response.
• In terms of the long term, I just addressed the short-term immediate response.
• In terms of the long term, I just addressed the short-term immediate response.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As many of you know, the governor is term limited.
• :38.560> is As many of you know, uh the governor is As many of you know, uh the governor is term
• <00:04:39.040> limited.
• limited.
• So we will have a new term limited.

Keywords: Economic and Workforce Development - Room 216, 30 January, 2026; 9:45 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 2417 on employment telework policies. The chair explained the bill was intended to give agencies, boards, and other groups clear authority to set telework policies, noting much of the issue arose during COVID and that the Personnel Board may already have adopted similar rules. The committee adopted a title-sufficient do pass motion and reported the bill out without opposition. Next, the committee considered Senate Bill 2419, a child care workforce proposal from Senator Boyd. The chair described it as a companion to another finance bill and said it would create an employee child care tuition assistance partnership program to help address child care costs that can keep people out of the workforce. The bill was moved as title sufficient do pass and reported out. The committee then advanced Senate Bill 2671, which would bring forward code sections related to state salary-setting and economic development hiring, especially for positions such as MDA and Accelerate Mississippi leadership that are not currently at market rates. Senate Bill 2672 was also advanced; it concerns code sections tied to economic development and Accelerate Mississippi’s role in recruiting, training, and speeding business investment and startup in the state. Both bills were reported out on title-sufficient do pass motions. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2678, a proposal by Senator Taylor to index unemployment benefit duration to the state or regional unemployment rate. Taylor said the bill would shorten benefits when jobs are plentiful and extend them when unemployment is high, citing other states that use similar systems. Members asked whether the measure should be based on state, region, or county data, and the chair agreed it should be made region-specific or county-specific if needed. The committee then adopted a title-sufficient do pass motion, reported the bill out, and adjourned on a motion to rise and report.

Transcript Highlights:

• interfered with or usurped the parents' rights, and it outlines the civil liability statute of limitations
• What the bill is doing is limiting who can serve process for domestic violence protection orders that
• They did have concerns that this would limit their ability to serve.
• of what I think we were wanting to have in terms of the discussion, and so I voted no, but this is a
• House Bill 2024 effectively allows monies in the WIFA Long-Term Water Augmentation Fund and the Water

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus began with introductions from pages and interns, followed by a procedural reminder on consent calendars and how bills can be pulled for floor debate or amendment. Members were told that third-read consent bills bypass caucus debate, while caucus consent bills may have committee amendments adopted together unless pulled. The meeting then moved into Minority Caucus Calendar No. 2. A large number of bills were briefly presented, with several members pulling measures from consent or voicing opposition. Topics included appropriations and federal monies accounting (HB 2148), a Buffalo Soldiers memorial (HB 2062), school library funding restrictions (HB 2008), prayer at school governing body meetings (HB 2110), school safety center administration (HB 2142), parental rights and social transitioning disclosures (HB 2249), insurer assessments (HB 2091), agricultural property classification and inspection rules (HB 2104 and HB 2105), firefighter workers’ compensation definitions (HB 2138), truth-in-taxation bond notices (HB 2289), late tax filing penalties (HB 2016), engineering and professional licensing reciprocity (HB 2122), felony murder involving an unborn child (HB 2043), body concealment and mutilation penalties (HB 2044), domestic violence order-of-protection service rules (HB 2048), mandatory reporting of partial-birth abortions (HB 2074), unlawful flight sentencing enhancements (HB 2108), weapons trafficking and fentanyl sentencing changes (HB 2131 and HB 2132), drive-by shooting forfeiture rules (HB 2045), probation review notice changes (HB 2046), venue changes for cases involving court employees (HB 2126), and child support for pre-born children (HB 2144). Members repeatedly criticized several abortion-related bills, the library bill, and the tax and agriculture measures as harmful, unnecessary, or unfunded mandates. The latter part of the meeting focused on water and election legislation. Water bills included snowpack augmentation funding (HB 2024), water conservation grant disclosures (HB 2029), removal of education/research as an eligible water grant use (HB 2030), stormwater recharge mapping with an appropriation (HB 253), cesspool remediation assistance (HB 2096), groundwater pumping limits in INAs (HB 2097), Colorado River litigation funding (HB 2116), and natural resource conservation board changes (HB 2117). Election-related items included moving the primary date earlier and changing signature cure timelines and observer rules (HB 2022), a memorial urging designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization (HCM 2001), a memorial urging review of CAIR for terrorist designation (HCM 2002), and a constitutional amendment on citizenship, voter ID, foreign contributions, and early voting limits (HCR 2001). Members raised concerns about voter access, anti-Muslim rhetoric, and the practical effects of the election changes. The caucus concluded with birthday acknowledgments and an announcement for Muslim Day at the Capitol before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:05:28.439> to 1352 yeah okay so they're limited to 1352 yeah okay so they're limited to
• <03:09:39.640> on details yet for the the limitations on details yet for the the limitations
• but we still have their hours limits but we still have their hours reported<03:19:07.439> to<
• who are not appointed to a fixed term who are not required<03:19:19.520> to<03:19:19.640>
• We've heard the term “Final Fix” over and over.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 180, which concerns critical incident stress management teams. Representative Mark PR, the bill sponsor, proposed an amendment to add a definition of “team leader” and to clarify that teams may or may not be affiliated with a municipality. He argued that a certification test offered by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation is unnecessary and too expensive at $400, since team members are volunteers who already receive training and continuing education. Committee members asked about the training structure and certification language, and the sponsor explained that the teams are self-certified and that the amendment was intended to clean up the bill’s language. The committee then voted on HB 180 in executive session. Amendment 0261H was adopted 11-0, and the bill was then moved as amended and passed 11-0. The committee placed the bill on consent. Later, the committee heard House Bill 438, sponsored by Representative Timothy Horan, dealing with immigration detention and related state policy. Horan described the bill as an update to earlier legislation and said it would codify best practices, prohibit state cooperation with mass deportation efforts, bar for-profit operation of immigration detention facilities, and require Executive Council approval before the governor could deploy the National Guard for immigration deportation activities. Committee members questioned whether the bill could be read as authorizing detention facilities and discussed the relationship between the state and Strafford County Jail. An amendment presented on behalf of Representative Patrick Long was described as a technical rewrite that removed several sections and changed language, but the hearing ended before any vote was taken on HB 438.

Transcript Highlights:

• With regard to long-term care streamlining, it allows DOEA authorizing certified staff to complete long-term
• and investigation of former guardians, and grants the Office of Public and Professional Guardians limited
• His work helped build a movement of young leaders active in promoting limited government, free speech
• Under this, the residents have limited options to hold CDD board members accountable and in practice
• Many districts, particularly in newer or smaller communities, have limited qualified electors.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• costs by avoiding additional investments and long-term cost recovery for the gas system.
• AB 2313 will provide long-term savings for all ratepayers as California manages our transition. ...term
• Ultimately, we had to move that age limit down to 13, but we got it passed.
• limits and our service.
• Today, as this legislative term... ...peace and safety.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . limits. limits.
• , meaningful parental controls, no limits, meaningful parental controls, no limits, no<00:14:56.959
• we do not solve one problem by limiting we do not solve one problem by limiting opportunities<00
• It also would limit for bad actors.
• to maximize limited resources. to maximize limited resources.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me ask you, what is the term limit for the board that you serve on? Three years, sir.
• Two of them are extremely out of term, so...
• Two of them are extremely out of term, so I would say they're about three or four years out of term,
• while my vice chairman is probably about two years out of term.
• Young people deserve to see themselves reflected in library books, and I think limiting that access limits

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• uh some of the things that by limiting uh some of the things that we<00:05:16.320> have<00:05
• So this is to help nuclear be one of these options again, since Minnesota is limiting the coal energy
• say in the energy sector we're going to go to 100% carbon free, or carbon neutral if you like that term
• We're going to go to 100% carbon free, or carbon neutral if you like that term better, by 2040.
• We're going to go to 100% carbon free, or carbon neutral if you like that term better, by 2040.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we do have a, uh, 4-term veteran here from the, uh, Defense of Veteran Affairs Committee.
• I have been on, uh, this committee now for my 4th term.
• Some, some of the terms in state law are confusing.
• That's probably our true limiter within. Uh, the Texas Air National Guard for our percentage.
• Some other states do have some limits.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are definitely seeing that payoff in terms of skills and dedication to the office.
• And we are definitely seeing that payoff in terms of skills and dedication to the office.
• You do have the limitations on the number of sites that were put into place.
• So they are seeking a little bit of guidance there in terms of how we would regulate the expense.
• The lead in terms of where our dollars are going.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to hear the Attorney General’s budget and related agency presentations. Legislative Council first reviewed the compliance with legislative intent report and the base budget worksheet, highlighting current and ongoing appropriations, FTE changes, one-time funding items, continuing appropriations, and major special and federal funds. Members asked about items such as the Missing Indigenous People Grant Fund, the Internet Crimes Investigation Fund, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit grant funding, and staff explained the funding sources and status of those programs. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness then outlined the Attorney General’s office structure, staffing, and budget pressures. She emphasized the office’s broad statutory duties, the value of its legal and investigative work for state and local governments, and concerns about attorney salary competitiveness, the new and vacant FTE pool, and the impact of the 3% operating budget reduction on BCI, IT, and the crime lab. Members also discussed AG opinions, boards and commissions training, and the office’s litigation and settlement recoveries. Ness and committee members raised the possibility of broader attorney salary benchmarking across state government. The crime lab director described severe space and infrastructure constraints, including overcrowding, shared workspaces, glycol leaks, air handling limits, and aging fire and burglar alarm systems. She said the 2024 study projected a much larger facility would be needed and that a new building on the current health department site would best address the lab’s needs. She also reported that backlogs have improved significantly in DNA, drug, fingerprint, and firearms work, though toxicology had a recent delay after an air compressor failure. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit director described the unit’s fraud, abuse, and neglect work, noted federal-state funding and recent federal scrutiny, and said the unit needs more staff. The gaming division reviewed charitable gaming growth, e-tabs, trust accounts, and compliance issues, while BCI covered its caseload, cybercrime and child sexual abuse material investigations, the missing indigenous person task force, and the use of lottery funds for drug task forces. No formal votes or budget actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a statutory limit associated with those.
• the term.
• We have a long-term, long-standing relationship with them.
• are the vast majority of those terms.
• limits.

Summary: The committee received a compliance and budget update on Industrial Commission agencies and programs, including the Industrial Commission administrative office, the Oil and Gas Research Program, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the State Energy Research Center, the Research Technology Park grant program, and related funds. Staff reviewed spending and balances for items such as electric grid resiliency grants, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the salt cavern business case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members also discussed timing, carryover balances, matching requirements, and how some programs are structured to reimburse projects over several years rather than spend funds immediately. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described the agency’s administrative budget, the grant management system nearing completion, and the transition to standalone audits and staffing after separating from other agencies. She also outlined the status of active grant rounds across lignite, oil and gas, renewable energy, outdoor heritage, and clean sustainable energy programs. Members asked about the length of active grants, demand for clean energy funding, and the possibility of future grant rounds. Tyler and members also discussed the salt cavern study, the need to better define its commercial value, and the research technology park grant’s cash-match requirement. Ron Ness then testified on enhanced oil recovery and broader oil and gas market conditions. He said North Dakota production remained steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, longer laterals, and better use of natural gas and carbon dioxide for EOR. He described the state’s EOR grant round, the use of federal DOE funding to replace part of a state-funded project, and the expectation of additional grant rounds. Members asked about CO2 supply, storage, and the economics of using legacy fields and pipelines to extend oil production and support agriculture and industrial uses. The committee also heard from Bank of North Dakota President Don Morgan, who reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, lending verticals, disaster programs, and new initiatives. He said the bank is seeing deposit growth flatten and is responding to fintech competition by focusing on liquidity, risk management, and a new payment infrastructure initiative called Rough Rider Coin, which he emphasized is not crypto and not a public coin, but a banking payment rail for North Dakota institutions. Members asked about student loan rates, disaster lending, and how the bank’s lines of credit and balance sheet capacity are affected by deposit trends. Morgan said the bank remains profitable and continues to support agriculture, commerce, and industry through participation loans, student lending, and state-directed programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there's a statutory limit associated with those.
• the term.
• We have a long-term, long-standing relationship with them.
• are the vast majority of those terms.
• limits.

Summary: The committee took roll, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a compliance-report update on the Industrial Commission and related funds and programs. Staff reviewed the status of one-time appropriations and grant programs, including electric grid resiliency, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the salt cavern business-case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members asked about funding balances, reimbursement timing, matching requirements, and how some commitments would affect the State Investment Fund and future biennia. Industrial Commission staff then gave a broader update on the agency’s administrative office, grant management system, leadership transitions at several commission agencies, and active grant rounds. They reported that the grant management system is nearing completion, that several agency leadership searches have concluded, and that the commission’s grant programs currently have 108 active grants totaling more than $165 million. They also described the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority round, the oil and gas research program’s enhanced oil recovery awards, the grid resiliency grants, the salt cavern study, and the research technology park program, noting that some projects are awaiting federal funds or additional matching cash. Ron Ness, speaking for the Oil and Gas Research Council, focused on the state of the oil industry and the enhanced oil recovery “Bakken 2.0” effort. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on better infrastructure, longer laterals, and new EOR methods such as CO2, natural gas, and surfactants. He emphasized the importance of the Bakkeneast pipeline and related gas-utilization projects, the recent DOE funding that will return some money to the research council, and the need to modernize tax and incentive rules for CO2-based recovery. Members discussed the potential economic benefits for oil, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and a broader strategic update. Bank leadership reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, participation lending, student lending, disaster programs, and legislatively directed programs, and said the bank is managing for a flatter deposit base and stronger liquidity because of fintech competition and changing market conditions. They reported improved earnings, with net income rising to about $231 million, and described Rough Rider Coin as a new internal payment rail for North Dakota banks and credit unions, not a public cryptocurrency. Members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster lending, and the bank’s capacity to support state programs while maintaining its balance-sheet and liquidity requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The limitation is that you can only do this for the country.
• You get the data by single age, but the race data is very limited.
• So when you assess or look toward 2030, you need to think in these terms, because if the Bureau ends
• To early fall, which was a much later period than usual in terms of the census schedule.
• But people living in rural communities who may have limited broadband access, low-income individuals,

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census met on December 8 at 9:32 a.m. to examine the dynamics that drive census undercounts and overcounts, with testimony first from Joseph Salvo and then from Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute. Salvo explained the Census Bureau’s two main evaluation tools: demographic analysis, which uses vital records, migration estimates, and Medicare data to produce a national benchmark, and the post-enumeration survey (PES), which compares a separate sample-based count to the census. He said the 2020 census showed a small national net undercount, but larger age- and race-based disparities, including the highest undercount among children ages 0 to 4, higher undercounts for men, substantial undercounts for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and overcounts among some older and college-age groups. He also described how self-response, non-response follow-up, administrative records, proxy responses, and imputation affected data quality, arguing that proxies and imputation were especially weak and that outreach remains critical for 2030. Committee members asked Salvo to clarify the methods and error bands, the role of international migration estimates, and how the PES differs from the census address list and LUCA. He explained that PES is based on a separate sample of blocks and can add units within sampled blocks, but it does not measure units missed entirely from the original address list; LUCA matters because it improves that list before enumeration. He also discussed age heaping, duplicate responses among older adults, and why group quarters and COVID-related disruptions complicated the 2020 count. Senator Driscoll briefly interrupted to describe Randolph’s successful appeal of its 2020 count after an undercount in disability care homes, and Salvo noted that the post-census group quarters review helped correct some missed facilities. Susan Strait then focused on Massachusetts-specific results. She said Massachusetts’ 2020 count was strong overall, with population growth above the national average and a PES-based finding that the state was overcounted by 2.24 percent, though she emphasized that this did not mean all areas were accurately counted. Using demographic analysis, she said Massachusetts had an estimated 4.15 percent undercount of children ages 0 to 4, with the largest county-level undercounts in Hampden, Suffolk, and Essex, and she linked higher child undercounts to lower educational attainment and female-headed households. Strait also reviewed operational metrics showing that Massachusetts had relatively strong internet self-response, but that non-response follow-up relied heavily on household interviews, administrative records, proxies, and imputation in different counties. She highlighted higher proxy use in college-heavy counties such as Hampshire and Suffolk, and said counties with more minority residents were more likely to have population-count-only cases and other indicators of harder-to-count populations. The hearing ended with discussion of how these findings could inform outreach and census planning for 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is my... fourth term on this committee.
• And it gave us some limited enforcement mechanisms.
• If you are what's considered a visitor, you receive a limited term license.
• And my stint there included two terms.
• And I love being back on here, my fifth term on here.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I usually don't read at presentations, but based on the limited amount of time that we have to talk,
• Given our limited amount of time this morning, our objective is twofold.
• And it is not my job as mom once my kids are 18 to limit the choices that they have.
• It was purely mentioned in terms of safety. ...about that.
• It was purely mentioned in terms of safety.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm limited to a number of questions.
• You want to limit. You can challenge the chair if you choose. So you're going to burn.
• I just want to show honor during the 3 question limit.
• I don't have time to get in just a few questions that were posed in terms of education.
• Investing in our youth is a better long-term financial decision.

Keywords: 999, senate, all