Transcript Highlights:

• , being that some proposed business expansions might be competitive for a tax credit but are not eligible
• , being that some proposed business expansions might be competitive for a tax credit but are not eligible
• Now, the Cal Compete staff makes the judgment of eligible— For this proposed investment, now, the CalCompetes
• staff makes the judgment of eligibility or ineligibility for the tax credit, along with their usual
• forward, working with Go-Biz to develop a way of incorporating more explicit requirements for grant eligibility

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration heard presentations from Go-Biz and the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation on the Governor’s budget proposals. Go-Biz described California Jobs First, the state’s 10-year economic development strategy, and emphasized support for small businesses, workforce development, and targeted investment in sectors such as ag tech, life sciences, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Members raised concerns about federal policy changes, tariffs, tourism, housing, child care, and whether state incentives are truly additive; Go-Biz responded that it tracks federal actions closely, works with chambers and advocates, and uses programs like California Competes to target jobs that would not otherwise come to California. The committee then reviewed the proposal to restore the California Competes grant program with $60 million. Go-Biz said the grant would help businesses that cannot use the nonrefundable tax credit, and explained the program’s five-year contracts, milestone-based awards, and recapture provisions. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the grant could be effective but recommended stronger oversight and clearer eligibility criteria, while also noting the 30% cap in trailer bill language may be too restrictive given the smaller funding level. Public testimony supported the grant and suggested considering refundability or transferability for the tax credit to broaden access for smaller and startup businesses. Members also heard the CHIPS-related proposal for $25 million to support Natcast’s semiconductor design and collaboration facility in Sunnyvale. Go-Biz and public witnesses argued the state investment would help secure a major federal research facility, retain engineering talent, and leverage billions in broader investment, while the LAO recommended rejecting the item because of its dependence on uncertain federal funding and the state’s budget condition. The committee also considered a $17 million continuation of CA RISE, which supports employment social enterprises; Go-Biz and several grantees cited strong job placement and workforce outcomes, while the LAO recommended rejection absent a more rigorous evaluation, noting prior LA RISE evidence did not show long-term employment gains. Finally, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation presented budget requests for IT security and rent increases, and a trailer bill to raise fees across several programs. DFPI said decades-old fee schedules, inflation, and new regulatory responsibilities have created a structural deficit and warned the department could face insolvency without adjustments. The LAO recommended approving the fee increases only on a three-year limited-term basis and asked for more detailed revenue plans for programs not covered by the proposal, so the Legislature can assess actual collections and market impacts before making the changes permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, uh, House Bill 15 is a simple bill that would lower the age to 15 where you would be eligible for
• their permit, and when they turn 16, if they have had at least 6 months of training, they would be eligible
• uh<00:03:37.200> they<00:03:37.319> would<00:03:37.519> be<00:03:37.760> eligible
• c><00:03:38.439> to<00:03:38.680> take<00:03:39.040> their uh they would be eligible
• to take their uh they would be eligible to take their driver's<00:03:39.799> licensing<00:03:

Keywords: Special Guests 00:13 Roll Call 00:39 HB 15 Discussion 01:35 HB 15 Vote 14:03 HB 157 Discussion 17:28 HB 157 Vote 18:42 HB 444 Discussion 19:35 HB 444 Vote 23:12 HB 188 Discussion 25:20 HB 188 Vote 29:37, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then took up several bills out of order. House Bill 15, sponsored by Leader Rudy, would lower the learner’s permit age to 15 while keeping the graduated driver’s license system in place until age 17. Supporters, including a 14-year-old witness, argued it would give teens more supervised driving experience, align Kentucky with surrounding states, and help families and the workforce. Members raised questions about safety, parental supervision, and regional driver’s license office backlogs, but the bill was reported favorably with a committee substitute attached after a roll call vote. The committee then heard House Bill 444, which would conform Kentucky CDL rules to federal reporting requirements by preventing masking of violations and would lower the age for certain hazmat CDL endorsements from 21 to 18 for in-state use only, excluding school bus endorsements. The sponsor and supporters said the change would help address truck-driver shortages and support delivery of propane, agricultural products, and other hazardous materials. A question was raised about possible insurance cost increases, but the sponsor said companies would decide whether to hire younger drivers and that the bill was intended to keep trucks moving. The bill was reported favorably with expressions of opinion that it should pass. House Bill 157, a Department of Agriculture initiative creating a tag bill for commercial vehicles, was briefly presented and reported favorably with a committee substitute. House Bill 188, dealing with driveaway plates for businesses that transport vehicles for others, was also heard. The sponsor said the bill would clarify how many plates a business needs, reduce insurance exposure, and help keep a Warren County driveaway business in Kentucky rather than moving to neighboring states. After questions about how the plates work and a committee substitute changing the issuing authority language, the bill was reported favorably with expressions of opinion that it should pass. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• health facilities that were burned or partially destroyed in the Palisades or Eaton fires are now eligible
• individuals below. 400% of the federal poverty level who are uninsured or underinsured and who are not eligible
• to reimburse health care providers for providing lower or no-cost abortion and contraception to eligible
• My name is Katie Ravel, and I’m the Director of Policy, Eligibility, and Research at Covered California
• According to Covered California, nearly 400,000 fewer Californians will be eligible for subsidized plans

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• UNLESS, OF COURSE, THE CONTENT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR COPYRIGHT >> Madam President, will the sponsor yield?
• So what legal standard are you using to determine that it is actually copyright eligible?
• You're saying that it could be eligible for copyrighting and therefore it would be exempt.
• I mean, honestly, anyone could claim what they are doing is copyright eligible.
• CLAIM WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS COPYRIGHT ELIGIBLE.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on June 3, 2026, approved the prior day’s journal, and then moved through a long list of discharge motions and substitutions to place many bills on the third reading calendar. The chamber also adopted Resolution J.2314 honoring the New York chapter of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, with remarks emphasizing domestic workers’ role in care work, labor organizing, and protections such as paid sick leave and family leave. Another adopted resolution, J.2298, mourned labor and social justice advocate Minerva Solla, with senators highlighting her work with 1199, the Young Lords, Puerto Rican solidarity efforts, and women’s organizing. A third resolution recognized Olympic curler Daniel Casper for representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Games. The Senate then confirmed a large slate of judicial and executive nominations. It accepted the Judiciary Committee report and confirmed four interim Supreme Court justices, seven Court of Claims judges, and 21 reappointments/extensions by a vote of 44-12. The Finance Committee report was also accepted, and the Senate confirmed a broad set of appointments to state boards and authorities, including the MTA, State Commission of Correction, Power Authority, NYSERDA, Financial Control Board, public health councils, SUNY and Cornell boards, gaming and bridge authorities, and others. One notable confirmation was Alexander Dockery to the State Commission of Correction; supporters called it the first time a formerly incarcerated person had been confirmed to that commission, while Senator Murray criticized the practice of voting on large nomination blocks rather than individually. The chamber then took up and passed many bills, mostly by wide margins, covering labor, health, education, transportation, public service, criminal justice, municipal, tax, insurance, and environmental topics. Several members explained their votes on major measures: Senator Ramos supported a bill modernizing temporary disability benefits and another protecting construction workers from lost pay when jobs are canceled; Senator Baskin spoke about a correction bill tied to the death of India Cummings; Senator Skoufis described a family-court custody bill intended to prioritize child safety; Senator Mayer backed a proposal to reimburse parents of medically fragile children for providing care; and Senator Hinchey defended a bill requiring employers to report AI-related job impacts, while Senator Borrello opposed it as burdensome. Most bills were passed, some were laid aside, and the session concluded with multiple roll-call votes and confirmations before adjournment-related business.

Transcript Highlights:

• When a program determines that a client is eligible for discharge, the primary counselor currently has
• complete their eligibility complete their eligibility redetermination It requires the department
• their eligibility. their eligibility. Senator<00:45:41.720> Rasmussen.
• Chair, to the eligibility determination happen every year and found out later that that eligibility determination
• Chair, to the eligibility determination Chair, to the eligibility determination happen<00:50:56.920><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you violate the eligibility requirements of that scholarship program, then you are no longer eligible

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you violate the eligibility requirements of that scholarship program, then you are no longer eligible

Summary: The committee heard presentations on two Senate-passed HCRs that would refer constitutional amendments to voters. HCR 2040 would bar school districts from using public money or resources to support labor organizations, including payroll deductions for dues, use of internal communication systems for recruiting or political materials, and distribution of labor-related communications using public resources; it also would prohibit the state and political subdivisions from entering exclusive representation or collective bargaining agreements with labor organizations. The sponsor indicated an intent to concur with the Senate amendment, and the measure was left open for questions. HCR 2048 would amend the Arizona Constitution to prevent the state from confiscating money from scholarship accounts belonging to children of military families, and would void any later law or voter-approved measure after November 1, 2026, that violates that protection. Members asked how the proposal would work if a student moved out of state or no longer met scholarship eligibility requirements, and staff explained that funds could still be reclaimed if the student no longer qualified under the program. Questions also focused on the measure’s language making any conflicting future bill or initiative null and void, with staff explaining that courts would still apply severability principles in litigation. The discussion became sharply political, with one member criticizing the measure as a pretext to protect ESA voucher funds and another questioning whether the military-family framing raised DEI concerns. Another member argued the majority was using military families to shield fraudulent ESA spending and said voters wanted action on the issue. No votes were taken in the excerpt, and the chair ultimately closed the discussion after questions and comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, sections 44-602 and 44-603 outline the eligible assignors and assignees.
• prescribes specified qualifications for salaried employees of insurers or managing general agents to be eligible

Bills: SB1181, SB1252, SB1254, SB1415

Keywords: certified public accountants, CPA certification, accounting regulations, professional standards, continuing education, assignment for benefit of creditors, ABC act, insolvency, creditor claims, debt liquidation, business wind-up, receivership, liquidation, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, proof of claim, voidable transactions, fraudulent transfer, wage claims, priority claims

Transcript Highlights:

• A parent in the Roosevelt School District shared that her daughter has been eligible for advanced classes
• children of active military duty parents receive any services or accommodations the child may be eligible
• placed by its agency on request of a parent, which the school district must use as evidence of eligibility
• is placed by its agency on request of a parent which the school district must use as evidence of eligibility
• These disruptions can compound with each move, affecting eligibility, identification, and access to services

Bills: HB2093, HB2370, HB2376, HB2380, HB2381, HB2383, HB2423, HB2481, HB2621, HB2895, HB4005, HB4043, HB4109

Keywords: mental health, school curriculum, education policy, instruction requirements, statute repeal, charter schools, education, weapons detection, public safety, school administration, school districts, real estate transactions, school property, bond issuance, land use approval, capital improvements, school governance, board meetings, education funding, parental notification

Transcript Highlights:

• position as an elected official, and stipulates that the period of employment after retirement is not eligible
• Some of the unregulated centers eligible for funding under this bill endorse or even provide unproven
• Then you referenced taxpayer dollars; public funds are restricted for eligible services, and it's outlined
• Sense Institute of Arizona reported that spending on transportation has increased by 11.3% yet the eligible
• Has increased by 11.3% yet the eligible bus riders overall have fallen 45%.

Bills: HB2211, HB2229, HB2389, HB2403, HB2445, HB2502, HB2620, HB2813, HB2872, HB2889, HB2960, HB4028, HCR2007

Keywords: contractors, subcontractors, resident preference, public contracts, materials supply, Arizona Revised Statutes, local businesses, pregnancy resource center, pregnancy center, crisis pregnancy center, DHS, Arizona Department of Health Services, state appropriation, general fund, nonprofit grant, women's health, maternal health, reproductive health, abortion funding, pro-life

Transcript Highlights:

• The university also has a student population that is 74% Pell Grant eligible, the highest in the California
• Under impaction, eligibility and admission requirements were modified to them on the path toward who
• The university also has a student population that is 74% Pell Grant eligible, the highest in the California
• Under impaction, eligibility, and emission requirements were modified to Funding.
• for admission because they had not earned enough units to be eligible as an upper-division transfer

Summary: The joint Assembly Higher Education and Budget Subcommittee hearing focused on the future of the California State University system, with opening remarks emphasizing CSU’s major role in California’s economy, workforce, and degree production. Chairs and members said the hearing was intended to inform 2026 budget decisions and to examine three main issues: declining enrollment at some campuses, cost controls and possible consolidation, and oversight of recent state investments at campuses such as Humboldt and Sonoma. The meeting was briefly delayed by microphone and sound problems before reconvening. The first panel featured CSU Academic Senate Chair Dr. Elizabeth Boyd and Cal State Student Association Vice President Katie Karam. Boyd urged the Legislature to protect academic freedom, strengthen faculty governance, provide stable ongoing funding, end unfunded mandates, support student food and housing security, fund flexible course schedules, improve transfer systems such as ASSIST, avoid over-centralizing academic programs, protect immigrant students, and expand intersegmental collaboration. Karam said students are feeling the effects of budget shortfalls through fewer course sections, reduced advising and services, longer time to degree, and tuition pressure, and she called for transparency, meaningful student involvement in budget decisions, and sustained state investment rather than cuts that harm the student experience. The second panel covered enrollment management and included CSU Chancellor’s Office and campus administrators from Chico State, Cal State L.A., and San Diego State. Dr. Delcy Perez said CSU Forward and the new systemwide enrollment plan are aimed at expanding access, aligning programs with workforce needs, and increasing resident enrollment; she reported systemwide enrollment gains and strong application numbers, including a direct-admissions pilot that expanded from Riverside to more campuses. Campus representatives described local recruitment and retention strategies, including early outreach to high school students, community college partnerships, guaranteed admission programs, and expanded advising and student support. San Diego State highlighted record enrollment and high demand, while Cal State L.A. described efforts to recover from impaction and rebuild enrollment. Members pressed CSU officials on the accuracy of enrollment data, the gap between funded targets and actual enrollment, and the system’s reallocation formula. CSU staff explained that campuses below target will see a 5% ongoing reallocation beginning in 2026-27, with one-time reserve funding also being directed to campuses that can grow, and that fiscal health reviews have been completed for 21 of 22 campuses. Legislators also asked about turnaround plans required by the budget act; CSU said those plans are being developed and will be shared in the spring after campus consultation. No formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section four would replace an eligibility recertification requirement with a requirement that income
• <00:06:53.520> requirement eligibility reertification requirement eligibility reertification
• award of loans as well as grants and also to modify requirements relating to what buildings are eligible
• preserve affordable housing and then to report on that framework to the legislature. buildings are eligible
• for the program. buildings are eligible for the program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, this provision applies to students eligible for tuition waivers under section 1009.25, including
• It creates a clear path for efficiency and eligibility coordination by designating the Office of Continuing
• , the agricultural property will now be eligible for rezoning.
• So once the board determines whether it is eligible to be an enclave or it is not, if they certify it
• It would be eligible to be developed as well, and the dominoes will continue to fall.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing guests, students, advocates, and a resolution honoring the late USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim. Senators also observed moments of silence for victims of recent campus violence and for former FSU President John Thrasher. The chamber then moved to special order bills, with several members explaining measures and, in some cases, substituting House companions before final passage. Among the bills passed were measures updating child care and early learning provider regulation; strengthening penalties and cost recovery for false reporting and swatting; extending protections against extraordinary medical debt collection; expanding hazardous walking condition criteria for schoolchildren; creating young adult housing support for foster and homeless students; and requiring private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to disclose which accommodations they will provide. The Senate also passed a bill adjusting interest rules for trust accounts funding legal aid, after extended debate over the impact on legal aid funding and banking practices, and a transportation package that was heavily amended to address issues such as school bus camera hearings, beach vehicle use for equipment removal, flooded-street wake restrictions, expectant mother parking permits, micromobility regulation, and traffic signal modernization. The chamber also approved public-records exemptions for Agency for Health Care Administration investigators, Judicial Qualifications Commission employees, and appellate court clerks; a municipal water and sewer rate bill affecting Miami-Dade residents near a plant; motor vehicle offenses involving impersonating law enforcement and obscured license plates; trespass penalties at law-enforcement-controlled locations and large ticketed venues; refund requirements for patient overpayments; stem cell therapy authorization with source and consent limits; and insulin administration authority for direct support professionals and relatives in group homes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including cardiac emergencies, chemicals and consumer products, and motor vehicle manufacturer/franchise dealer legislation. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, though the trust fund interest bill drew notable opposition and passed 28-10, and the Family Empowerment Scholarship bill passed 37-1.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:54.800> I<00:10:55.040> know<00:10:55.200> there conditions on eligibility
• I know there conditions on eligibility.
• 00:11:04.880> too<00:11:05.040> cumbers<00:11:05.440> the<00:11:05.680> eligibility
• uh the rules too cumbers the eligibility uh the rules too cumbers the eligibility rules<00:11:06.480
• 11:17.680> understand<00:11:19.120> uh ...clearer, easier to understand potential eligibility

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered multiple gubernatorial nominations, beginning with several appointments to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund board. Testimony on the Hurricane Relief Fund nominees was overwhelmingly in support from the DCCA Insurance Division, Hawaii Insurance Council, Hawaii Insurers Council, the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, and various individuals and industry representatives. Nominees Michael Naka, Marie White, Raina Miamoto, Leslie Door, Edward Hike, and Gwen McDonald were discussed, with Miamoto and Hike offering brief remarks about the need to address hurricane insurance affordability, condo coverage, and the importance of attracting reinsurers. The committee spent substantial time questioning Hike about the fund’s strategy, including whether to keep eligibility broad in the first phase to move quickly into the reinsurance market, how much capital would be available, and whether later policy refinements such as owner-occupancy requirements could be added after an initial rollout. Hike said the fund intended to start with broad parameters to secure reinsurance and then consider more targeted changes later, and he indicated further responses to prior committee questions would be submitted later that day. No votes were taken during the excerpted discussion. The committee then moved to other nominations. Terresa Hernandez was considered for the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic, with support from the board, and she said chiropractic had been a passion for her for seven years. Terrence Aratani was considered for the Board of Nursing, with support from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and others. During questioning, a senator raised concerns from constituents about a 2019 grant-related controversy involving a proposed resiliency hub project; Aratani responded that his organization had partnered on a grant-in-aid proposal, later withdrew when the project scope changed substantially, and said no money was transferred to the other group. Cheryl Schultz Hansen was also considered for the Board of Nursing and described her long nursing and teaching background, while a senator asked about alleged pressure on nurses to participate in employee give-back campaigns at Hawaii Pacific Health and the University of Hawaii; Hansen said the campaigns were voluntary and she was unaware of harassment, though she acknowledged managers may feel pressure to encourage participation. The excerpt ends before any final committee actions or votes on these nominations are announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know that we, we've definitely done a better job, gotten to 70% of those eligible receiving financial
• What would it cost for us to actually Get to all 100% of those that are eligible, what would be the cost
• Growth in the eligible population and, and increased cost in the program.
• Texas Southern is a HAP eligible institution that currently receives an estimated 12 million annually
• Our students are more likely than not to be first generation Pell eligible, and more than half, more

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s Medicaid eligibility quality.
• at both eligibility and claims one<01:33:37.679> by<01:33:37.880> one<01:33:38.199>
• ourselves that's Medicaid Eligibility ourselves that's Medicaid Eligibility quality<01:33:52.679
• Our quality assurance unit conducts reviews of SNAP eligibility determinations for accuracy.
• You have a seat at the end, and turn the mic on. eligibility determinations for accuracy eligibility

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. know that 42% of people who are of know that 42% of people who are of eligible<00:12:50.959
• :12:52.480> to<00:12:52.800> 75<00:12:53.200> years<00:12:53.440> of eligible
• age, that's 45 to 75 years of eligible age, that's 45 to 75 years of age,<00:12:54.320> have<
• <02:13:46.079> And<02:13:46.480> first account eligible health plans.
• And first account eligible health plans.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing opened with House Bill 1969, which would provide state funding for colorectal cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured residents. The Department of Human Services said it supports the goal of early screening but would need new administrative capacity, including a program manager and claim pre-screening, to run the program. The Department of Health supported the measure and cited low screening rates in Hawaii, noting an educational campaign to encourage screening. The Insurance Division raised concerns about reliance on federal FAQs, warning that guidance can change and may create state cost exposure. Supporters including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the Hawaii Medical Association argued the bill would close a preventive-care gap, reduce late-stage diagnoses, and save long-term costs; the committee also discussed implementation costs, estimated by DHS at roughly $1.4 million to $2 million annually plus administrative expenses, and a 6-month to 1-year timeline to establish the program. The committee then took up House Bill 1965, which would require health carriers to spend at least 6% of total medical expenditures on primary care providers. The Insurance Division said several provisions raise technical and legal concerns, including the premium freeze, the medical loss ratio language, the lack of an existing external review process for downcoding claims, and a new mandate for medically necessary inter-island transportation that could trigger an ACA defrayal. The Department of Human Services supported the intent but suggested broader language to include primary care supports and services, and noted that QUEST integration plans already invested at least 9% of total medical expenditures in primary care in 2024, with additional spending on supports and low-value care reductions. State health planning officials strongly supported the bill as an investment in primary care, saying it could improve outcomes and lower long-term costs, though they acknowledged a possible temporary premium increase during the transition. Testimony in support emphasized Hawaii’s physician shortage, especially on Maui, the Big Island, and other neighbor islands, and warned that clinics are under financial strain and may close without higher primary care reimbursement. The Hawaii Healthcare Task Force, AARP Hawaii, and other supporters said the bill would help retain providers, improve access for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and prevent downstream costs from emergency room use and avoidable hospitalizations. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the current process, even when someone is already on a waiver and eligible, we routinely see 4-
• Under the current process, even when someone is already on a waiver and eligible, we routinely see 4-
• Under the current process, even when someone is already on a waiver and eligible, we routinely see 4-
• Under the current process, even when someone is already on a waiver and eligible, we routinely see 4-
• we routinely see 4 to six Monon eligible we routinely see 4 to six Monon delays<01:47:11.679> in<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thus, the timeline extension proposed alongside the tax credit adder and eligibility language is crucial
• <00:31:08.960> for captured carbon dioxide is eligible for captured carbon dioxide is eligible
• adder and eligibility language is crucial<00:32:32.160> to<00:32:32.280> getting<00:32
• Currently, you can take 35% of eligible expenses.
• The federal government mainly moves that 35% of eligible expenses to 50% and then ups the income limits

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Three ethanol plants have been awarded reimbursement grants for eligible costs associated with installing
• Eligible projects will support the state's ethanol industry and improving production efficiency while
• It is, in fact, an eligibility requirement to participate in USDA programs.
• It's also an eligibility element of participation programs similar to other FSA eligibility requirements
• That's not an eligibility issue for that producer. I continue.

Summary: The committee opened its third interim meeting with roll call, approved the November 13, 2025 minutes, and the chair reviewed prior committee work, including a denied request for a fertilizer-capacity study and a planned later discussion of the Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger issue. Commissioner Doug Goring then presented Department of Agriculture updates on uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, the state’s irrigation potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and supply in North Dakota. Members asked about funding sources, fertilizer storage and availability, natural gas and water needs for future fertilizer plants, and how the model zoning website would help counties and townships apply setback and odor tools. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the department is proposing changes to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and updated hydrologic data, while still limiting the model to direct, demonstrable costs and benefits. He said the goal is to make the analysis more realistic and consistent without changing statute, and he provided examples of how project benefits could change as drains age or as rainfall and flood data evolve. Committee members and water-user representatives generally supported continued work on the proposal, while raising concerns about downstream impacts, closed-basin projects, and whether the changes would meaningfully affect project approvals. The committee then heard from John Paskowski, state engineer, on Devil’s Lake, the West End and East End outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. He reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow limits, and explained that the control structure is intended to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled release by slowing erosion and head cutting. Members asked about water quality trends, the length of the downstream flow constraint, and whether the Tolna Coulee area had been studied for possible natural overflow or silt buildup. The discussion emphasized ongoing flooding concerns, mitigation for affected landowners, and the need to balance outlet operations with downstream water quality and infrastructure protection.