Transcript Highlights:

• Is there water infrastructure?
• I'll verify the codes.
• And it's all I see in the codes, so is there a code for this for the merit?
• Have you ever seen a pay code for that?
• And so, uh, tax code, the Texas tax code generally covers how districts set their INS rates.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code, and ongoing<00:20:46.880> emergency<00:20:47.640> repairs.
• which codes this came from.
• We go snowmobiling, we go fishing, we go water skiing in everybody's district.
• We go snowmobiling, we go fishing, we go water skiing in everybody's district.
• We go snowmobiling, we go fishing, we go water skiing in everybody's district.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:19.679> that to gain benefits from our tax code that to gain benefits from our tax
• code that regular<00:19:20.240> people<00:19:20.559> have<00:19:20.720> no<00:19
• The proposed Mystery Cove Water Park will be a direct construction investment of $325 million and will
• As you've heard, this is specifically for a water park that is related to Mall of America.
• park that is specifically for a water park that is related<00:30:55.919> to<00:30:56.080>

Bills: HF2048, HF2360, HF2006, HF950, HF912, HF3140, HF2931

Keywords: individual income tax, retirement contributions, tax corrections, annuity contracts, tax year attribution, tax credit, economic development, community investment, data disclosure, Minnesota regulations, tax increment financing, municipal authority, job creation, transferred increment, public hearing, nonresident employees, income tax exemption, Minnesota taxation, employment duties, tax withholding

Transcript Highlights:

• It would if you're talking about water. Mhm. Flowing the water.
• <02:20:35.359> And drinking water in the country. And drinking water in the country.
• Then as industry was clean water.
• And it came from the testing of the water that the polio virus came directly from that water.
• That's why the water in Birmingham and the surrounding cities that we built with the water board.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the problem is simply that we have too many people leaving, too much water going out of the bucket
• , and not enough water coming into the bucket.
• I wonder if we can show the QR code.
• You have a QR code, I think, in what you received at your desks, at your seats before, but we are going

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The meeting began with a student performance from Horizon Middle School Show Choir, including songs from an eighth grade concert and the show choir piece “The Body Electric.” After the performance, Deputy Superintendent Donna Fishbeck spoke on behalf of State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler in support of music education, emphasizing its benefits for creativity, collaboration, school climate, and student development, and noting the department’s support for music grants and professional development. She also highlighted the North Dakota Music Educators Association’s role in expanding access and quality in music education. The committee then heard a presentation from Vital Network, introduced as a DPI-funded effort focused on teacher retention. Nate Eklund and Dr. Aaron Rob described the organization’s work with schools and districts to reduce educator burnout by improving workplace conditions, especially around time management, voice in decision-making, and care/support. They said the program uses surveys, dashboards, advisory support, and facilitated school and district processes to identify local friction points and help educators and leaders solve them, with examples ranging from simplifying material requests to improving PLC time and communication. They stressed that retention is driven more by workplace conditions than pay alone, and that solutions must be local rather than one-size-fits-all. Members asked about rural teacher overload, sustainability after grant funding ends, and whether the model could inform broader policy or continuing education reforms. Vital representatives said the work is designed to be embedded in district systems and strategic plans so it can continue beyond their direct involvement, and that the approach aligns with the state’s teacher retention and recruitment task force recommendations. They reported serving about half of North Dakota educators across roughly 50 districts, with partnerships through regional education associations to reach rural areas. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mark Thel, former County Commissioner, former salt and water supervisor, and a longtime organic farmer
• Here we are again, with more population and more concern about influencing the water, and keeping our
• percent of all chain drug stores and pharmacies are gone in the last 10 years, and now 17% of all zip codes
• Map in your packet: 17% of all zip codes in Minnesota don't have access to pharmacies.

Transcript Highlights:

• His wife and two children also died from chemicals used by the communists to poison the water.
• CIA Director William Colby acknowledged the debt owed; without the Hmong codes, 50,000 more.
• Under the code name Water Pump, the Hmong people paid a heavy price for our role on the ground and in

Transcript Highlights:

• THAT IS BAR CODE 37114. SENATOR GRALL. >> Sen.
• WE ADHERE TO A CODE OF ETHICS THAT INCLUDE COMPETENCIES IN NATURE SOCIETY FUNCTIONS EFFECTIVELY AND IDENTIFY
• FELONY OFFENSE TO HELP FOLKS IN YOUR BOOK CLUB WHERE YOUR RUNNING GROUP TO RETURN PETITIONS ABOUT CLEAN WATER
• WE WILL SEE GAMBLING BECAUSE IT WILL PAY WHAT THEY NEED TO PAY TO GET ON BUT WILL WE SEE THE CLEAN WATER

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Colorado should be moving toward a simpler, more predictable tax code.
• out in a special benefit, but to bring clarity, reduce the administrative burden, and align the tax code
• That is a direct payment program routed through the tax code. And Colorado...
• While supporters describe this as a modernization of the tax code, the practical effect is clear.
• Would address extreme heat, like making sure water is available, etc.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hazardous materials specialists, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, training instructors, water
• hazardous materials specialists, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, training instructors, water
• House Bill 460 was a technical fix to better align the code on ESO procurement.
• They actually restore the language to Virginia Code section 15.2-2279 that the bill proposed to strike
• permanent injunctive relief, enjoining the administration, enforcement, and imposition of Virginia Code

Keywords: April 22, 2026 - Reconvened Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• notice of procedural safeguards paperwork listed among a plethora of services, which will muddy the waters
• The Texas Education Code and past actions of this body have prioritized a well-rounded education for
• We cannot allow a student's zip code to determine whether they will have the opportunity to paint, perform
• However, this committee substitute would repeal that provision in Section 48.051 of the code.
• there was a discussion about the difficulty of funding due to so many priorities in our state, such as water

Bills: HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll take up amendment bar code number 844936 by Senator Trumbull.
• So, under the current code, if you're going to make a code change, you have to submit that to DFS.
• And that would be the current fire code that, once it's been approved, specifies the number of critical
• damaged or submerged EVs, which happens pretty rarely, that your battery is going to be under the water
• severely damaged or submerged EVs, which happens pretty rarely that your battery is going to be under the water

Summary: The committee took up several claims bills and tax-related measures. It reported favorably SB 20, providing $400,000 in relief to J.N., a minor injured on a Hillsborough County sidewalk, and SB 14, providing $1.7 million to the estate of Pineal Januier after a drowning at a Miami Beach youth center pool. It also approved SB 674, which would let property appraisers, like tax collectors, budget for hiring and retention bonuses with Department of Revenue approval. In each claims bill, the sponsor described the underlying incident, the settlement amount, and the remaining payment sought under sovereign immunity limits; there was no opposition on the claims bills. The bonus bill drew support from property appraisers who said it would help them compete for specialized staff without requiring new appropriations. The committee then considered SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, which would create a new homestead-like property tax benefit for owners who lease a non-homestead property for more than six months as residential rental housing. Supporters said it was intended to encourage more affordable rental housing by extending a $50,000 exemption and Save Our Homes-style assessment cap to qualifying properties. County and city representatives, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Association of Counties opposed the proposal, warning of major revenue losses, reduced public safety funding, and tax shifts to other property owners and businesses. Several senators also raised concerns about density, parking, and whether landlords would actually pass savings on to renters. Despite the opposition, both the constitutional amendment and the implementing bill were reported favorably. The committee also approved CS for CS SB 268, as amended to include congressional members, creating a public-records exemption related to certain residential information for elected officials. The First Amendment Foundation opposed it, arguing the bill lacked a sufficient public purpose and could hinder transparency, while senators supporting it cited real threats and harassment against themselves and their families. SB 100, which bans government display of flags representing political viewpoints and allows active or retired military members to use reasonable force to stop desecration of the U.S. flag, also passed after extensive debate. Opponents argued it was vague, unconstitutional, and aimed at pride and other identity-related flags; supporters said government buildings should not display political messages and that the bill protects neutrality. Finally, the committee approved CS/SB 1664, which would require voter reapproval every eight years for local discretionary taxes such as tourist development taxes and local option taxes, with exceptions for pledged bond revenues. Cities, counties, tourism groups, and the restaurant/lodging industry opposed it, saying it would create uncertainty, threaten tourism and infrastructure funding, and complicate long-term planning; Senator Sharief and others said the measure would disrupt existing surtax-backed projects and revenue streams.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have all coded, they've all done development, all those things. So they truly are experts.
• It's a little watered down over the first part, right?
• It's a little water down over the first part, right?
• But to answer your question directly, we certainly know who's received a pharmacy or a procedure code
• of hours in readiness work reviewing the specs, all of our testing scenarios, and all of our custom code

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several major technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Department of Financial Services’ Florida PALM project, which is replacing the state’s decades-old FLAIR accounting system. DFS described PALM as a statewide effort affecting all three branches of government, with cash management already live and the remaining financial management, payroll, and data warehouse components still in development. Officials said the project began in 2014, was restructured after a 2022 legislative pause, and is now being recommended for a go-live delay from January 2026 to July 2026. Members asked about governance, staffing, contract structure, cost growth, and maintenance costs; DFS said the contract is deliverable-based, the current amendment would add a net $2.2 million, and post-go-live maintenance is expected to be about $13 million annually under the current contract through July 2027. The Agency for Health Care Administration then updated the committee on the FX Medicaid enterprise modernization program. AHCA explained that federal CMS directed states to move from monolithic Medicaid systems to a modular approach, leading Florida to procure separate vendors for integration services, data warehouse, unified operations, provider services, and claims processing, with pharmacy benefits still to be procured. Officials said the project has spent about $334 million to date, with most costs federally matched, and requested $189.95 million for the upcoming year. They also highlighted a 2024 special assessment that produced 81 recommendations, most tied to staffing shortages, and said the Legislature added 47 FTEs, with 17 currently filled or being filled. Members asked about governance changes, production status, data access, and future technology maintenance; AHCA said some components are operational, the data warehouse is nearing certification, and the agency is working to keep the system adaptable and nonproprietary. The Department of Children and Families presented its Access modernization project, which is replacing a mainframe-based eligibility system used for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid assistance, and related programs. DCF said the six-year, $205 million project is in its third year and has already delivered a new customer portal with mobile access, multi-factor authentication, and fraud protections, while also building a worker portal, document management, community partner tools, and workload management functions. The agency said it is requesting $36.625 million for the next fiscal year, the same as last year, and emphasized that the project has remained on schedule and on budget by breaking work into smaller modules and using strong vendor and staff support. Members praised the project’s progress and asked about cybersecurity testing and the long delay before modernization began; DCF said security requirements were built in from the outset and that the remaining work will focus on moving staff off the legacy mainframe and modernizing notices and back-end processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• duration I suggest we adopt the water duration I suggest we adopt the water and<01:31:24.679>
• We can prevent costly damage and protect our waters for generations to come.
• for generations to come um we waters for generations to come um we have<01:55:00.119> a<01:55
• Nānākuli's landfill also sits above a significant water table, although not defined as an aquifer, it
• I recognize there's problems with putting a landfill over a significant water resource, and I support

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And particularly what's called sweet water is what the term is.
• Is that considered sweet water or? Commissioner? I don't think so. I don't think so.
• And particularly what's called sweet water is what the term is.
• It's going into the water system. There's no ditches around it, no retention pond.
• And it was flooded, you know, five foot of water.

Bills: HCR65, HB512, HB1194, SCR23, SB502

Keywords: crawfish, agricultural labor, H-2A program, seasonal workforce, Louisiana economy, Healthy Food Retail Act, food access, food deserts, economic opportunity, public health, Louisiana agriculture, community development, fresh food, agriculture, national security, food production, supply chain, security task force, farm labor, Chinese investments

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 23, which would create an Agricultural-based National Security Priorities Task Force to study issues such as Chinese drones, farmland ownership, and other technology-related concerns that could affect farmers and national security. Senator Kathy Stewart said the goal was to avoid unintended consequences in legislation and to bring agriculture stakeholders together. The resolution was moved favorably with no objections. The committee then took up Senate Bill 502 on sugarcane bagasse storage. Supporters, including the sponsor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, and the American Sugar Cane League, said the bill would clarify that bagasse is an agricultural byproduct and would protect storage practices that comply with department best practices from local ordinances. Several residents from St. Martin Parish testified in opposition, saying a large bagasse pile near their homes was out of compliance, created dust and odors, and caused health and property-value concerns. Despite the opposition, the bill was reported favorably with no objections. House Bill 512, by Representative Schamerhorn, would prohibit the manufacturing and sale of cell-cultured food products in Louisiana while allowing university research to continue. An amendment was adopted to make the bill effective only if certain federal court rulings allow such a ban. The sponsor and Commissioner Strain argued the issue is still scientifically uncertain and that the state should avoid costly litigation; the bill was reported favorably with amendments after no objections. House Bill 1194, the Healthy Food Retail Act, was amended to shift food-desert research and mapping duties to the LSU AgCenter, while the financing authority would continue handling grants and related funding mechanisms. Supporters said the bill would improve data on food deserts and help target grocery access in underserved urban and rural areas; some members raised concerns about government subsidies and long-term dependence, but the sponsor and Commissioner Strain said the program is intended as infrastructure support to launch stores, not ongoing operating aid. After debate, the bill was reported favorably with amendments by a 10-3 roll call vote. The committee also reported favorably House Concurrent Resolution 65, which urges federal action to reclassify crawfish-industry job duties as agricultural labor for H-2A purposes; testimony emphasized labor shortages, the impact on crawfish and rice producers, and the need for more legal guest workers. The meeting ended with a brief informational handout on direct marketing and custom slaughter plants and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We might have defined something to match the Internal Revenue Code right now.
• We could redefine it to match what the Internal Revenue Code said on a different day.
• Especially in coding.
• They want to help a certain thing through the tax code, a certain activity.
• They just picked the wrong code.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a minute, changes to aesthetics, bridges and interchanges, a de minimis clause, drainage and storm water
• dimminimous clause, drainage<00:04:38.080> and<00:04:38.240> storm<00:04:38.479> water
• <00:04:38.800> management, drainage and storm water management, drainage and storm water management
• government, as defined by section 10.65, subdivision 2, owns a utility system for supplying light, water
• to this stuff to any way to write code to this stuff to stop<00:40:35.200> them<00:40:35.520>

Bills: HF3131, HF3436, HF3106, HF3241, HF3531

Keywords: cancer, disability, parking certificates, transportation, state law, school bus, schoolchildren, student safety, traffic safety, stop arm, flashing red lights, amber lights, passing a school bus, 20 feet, vehicle stopping distance, driver duties, school transportation, Minnesota traffic law, school bus law, bus stop signal

Transcript Highlights:

• They outlawed tar roofs, increased the size of their water mains, mandated brick and stone buildings,
• Fernando Valero, joining us from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
• Fernando Valero, joining us from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
• Fernando Valero, joining us from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
• We tried very hard to stay within the scope of Public Utility Code...

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the California Earthquake Authority’s SB 254 report and broader options for reforming California’s utility wildfire recovery system. The chair framed the discussion around the Palisades and Eaton fires, the scale of wildfire-related costs on utility bills, and the need to weigh trade-offs among survivors, ratepayers, utilities, insurers, and taxpayers. The first panel featured wildfire survivors William Abrams and Joy Chen, who described long delays in compensation, housing insecurity, and what they viewed as a system that protects utility shareholders more than victims. They urged greater transparency, clearer accountability for utility spending and safety performance, faster and fuller compensation for survivors, and reforms such as independent audits and better alignment of utility incentives with wildfire prevention and restitution. The second panel began with Tom Welsh of the California Earthquake Authority, who explained that the SB 254 report was intended as a broad inventory of policy pathways rather than recommendations. He described the report’s process, including stakeholder submissions, workstreams, and a convergence process, and outlined the current wildfire fund structure: utilities remain liable, the fund reimburses eligible claims after a covered wildfire, and the CPUC later determines prudency and possible reimbursement back to the fund. RAND’s Lloyd Dixon summarized compensation data, saying utilities paid about $38 billion between 2017 and 2024, with major shares going to injured parties, insurers, and public entities, while litigation costs and survivors’ own losses remain substantial. He noted that legal fees and delays reduce the amount survivors ultimately receive. Utility and public-interest witnesses offered differing views on the report’s pathways. PG&E’s Tyson Smith said the report shows inaction is the worst outcome and argued for community wildfire risk reduction, equitable allocation of catastrophe costs, and state-led resilience tools. LADWP’s Fernando Valero emphasized the vulnerability of municipal utilities and cities, and supported inverse condemnation reform, a state-sponsored liability insurance framework, damages and subrogation limits, and stronger insurance access. Consumer Attorneys of California’s John Fisk argued that IOU-caused fires are not natural disasters but the result of negligence and sometimes criminal conduct, and opposed reducing utility liability while supporting stronger oversight and audits. The Public Advocates Office’s Nathaniel Skinner focused on affordability, saying ratepayers already bear large and growing wildfire costs and warning against shifting more costs onto bills without measurable risk reduction and tighter accountability. Committee members then began questioning witnesses about what counts as measurable mitigation, how to define full and fair compensation, and how any fast-pay process should work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Making sure that we stay with the standard of the building code. we're going forward these we're going
• standard of the building code. standard of the building code. Okay. Okay. Okay.
• Um, but it varies based on water availability, soil type.
• Um, but it varies based on water availability, soil type.
• They couldn't even give me the data on the amount of water used.

Bills: HB1736, HB1620, HB1695

Keywords: animal control, spay and neuter, pet overpopulation, sterilization, counties funding, tax designation, veterinary care, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, energy policy, rebate program, environmental impact, renewable fuels, sustainable aviation fuel, tax credit, greenhouse gas emissions, local production, energy resilience, agricultural innovation, job creation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1737, which clarifies allowable uses in agricultural districts for farm dwellings and farm employee housing, and HB 1604 HD2, which creates an agricultural workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Testimony on HB 1737 was overwhelmingly supportive, with county agriculture officials, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union backing the measure; one witness asked for a definition of “affordable” to guard against misuse of farm housing. For HB 1604, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, with OHA requesting disaggregated data and a seat on the working group. Committee discussion focused on housing shortages, possible misuse, affordability, and whether innovative housing models such as modular, tiny, and container homes should be considered. The committee then took action on both measures. HB 1737 HD3 was recommended to pass with amendments that would limit farm employee housing to agricultural employees and their immediate family members actively engaged in the farm operation, add a grandfathering provision for existing permitted housing, preserve county zoning authority, clarify that ag tourism must be secondary and not occur in employee housing, delete a square-footage-per-acre ratio, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. HB 1604 HD2 was also recommended to pass with amendments adding OHA and a housing-shortage organization to the working group, expanding its scope to include modular, tiny, and container homes and permitting/zoning streamlining, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. Both motions were adopted unanimously by the members present. The joint hearing then moved to HB 1736, which would establish a spay and neuter special fund and require sterilization and declaration provisions for cats, with some discussion of dogs. DLNR and the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill, while Pacific Pet Alliance objected to the broader requirements and the inclusion of dogs; the Hawaiian Humane Society and American Bird Conservancy supported cat-focused sterilization and the special fund, while some testifiers opposed mandatory sterilization as too costly or intrusive. Members raised questions about toxoplasmosis, trap-neuter-release, enforcement, neighbor-island access, and funding needs, and DLNR indicated additional funding and third-party contracting would likely be needed. The transcript then began HB 1620 HD2 on energy, which would increase the environmental response energy and food security tax and shift funds from the hydrogen fueling subaccount to EV charging infrastructure; state agencies generally stood on written testimony in support, while the Tax Foundation objected to special fund earmarks and noted the bill raises only one part of the barrel tax structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I said, you got to tell me when Joe gets out of the water, because that's the gap I'm going to have
• The rule applies to water users in the North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership Area and consists
• First, it strengthens water conservation by establishing clear milestones and...
• reporting for large water users and a 75-gallon-per-day residential per-capita goal.
• water use that were demonstrated in 2025 demand.

Summary: The Senate began with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognitions, including the doctor of the day and a lighthearted “Cannoli Day” introduction. The chamber then held an extended farewell celebration for Senator Joe Gruters, with numerous senators, colleagues, and family members praising his loyalty, political skill, family focus, and service in the Legislature and Republican Party. Gruters was presented with a commemorative gift recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety and immigration bill that prohibited sanctuary cities and required local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The Senate adopted a motion to spread Gruters’s remarks upon the journal and then recessed briefly. After recess, the Senate returned to regular business and took up third-reading bills. Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 354, relating to blue ribbon projects, was temporarily postponed. The chamber then considered Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1758, relating to public assistance, with Senator Gates explaining that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system discussed earlier in session. During debate on SB 1758, Senator Berman opposed the bill, saying he could not support it in its current form because he believed the Medicaid-related provisions would create a coverage cliff after the one-year transition period and could leave people without care while increasing costs to hospitals and taxpayers. He also said SNAP error reduction should be a priority, but argued the state should focus on fixing administrative errors and fraud rather than imposing a work requirement whose costs and effects were uncertain.