Transcript Highlights:

• It maintains school board member authority to consult with the CFO on budget matters and access any budget
• The amendment requires posting tentative budgets and budget amendments at least five days before hearings
• , posting final budgets online for five years, publishing budgets in downloadable, searchable formats
• adopted budgets to include budget... ...financial data when preparing budgets; create standards for
• adopted budgets to include budget overviews, revenue and expenditure summaries, debt summaries, capital

Bills: S0036, S0620, S0796, S0934, S1080, S1096, S1366, S1536, S1548, S1580, S1588, S1620, S1756, S7034, S7044

Keywords: nursing title, advanced practice registered nurse, advertising, professional standards, disciplinary action, candidate qualifying, federal office, election integrity, regulatory compliance, political candidacy, veterinary medicine, telehealth, veterinary professional associate, animal health, public safety, access to veterinary services, payment bond exemption, Habitat for Humanity, Florida Forever Act, land acquisition

Summary: The committee first took up SB 354, the “Blue Ribbon Projects” bill, which creates a framework for large planned communities on at least 15,000 contiguous acres with 60% reserved area and a streamlined local review process. Senator McLean presented the bill and a strike-all amendment, and members raised concerns about local control, conservation enforceability, data centers, concurrency, multi-county projects, and whether reserve lands could later be converted. Audubon Florida and 1,000 Friends of Florida opposed the bill, arguing the conservation protections were not permanent enough and that the reserve areas could be changed later; small-county representatives also worried about tax-base impacts. Supporters argued the bill would better manage growth, preserve green space, and provide a more orderly alternative to sprawl. After debate, the committee voted to report the bill favorably. The committee then approved SB 620 on candidate qualifying, which requires candidates for federal, state, county, district, judiciary, school, and school board offices to disclose any non-U.S. citizenship. Amendments added disclosure about whether federal candidates intend to trade stock if elected and adjusted 2026 congressional qualifying procedures in the event of redistricting, including a new qualifying window and petition rules. The bill was reported favorably after brief support from a member of the public and discussion about candidate vetting. The committee also reported favorably CS/CS/CS/SB 1452, a Department of Financial Services bill with amendments addressing My Safe Florida Home notices, condo pilot eligibility, firefighter hiring, unclaimed property, and related financial-services provisions. Next, the committee approved CS/CS/SB 1620, a school board members’ bill of rights. A substitute amendment narrowed the bill to access to records, fiscal transparency, and nondisclosure agreements, while preserving board members’ rights to timely documents, budget information, and public comment, and setting deadlines for records requests. Superintendents and a school board member testified in support, saying the bill clarifies roles and prevents board members from being frozen out. The committee also passed CS/HB 245, which replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material”; one senator supported the terminology change but warned about preserving legal precedent and avoiding appellate issues. The committee then reported favorably SB 1548, an update to the Live Local affordable housing law expanding eligible sites and clarifying setbacks, airport proximity, and fair-housing protections. Finally, the committee took up the veterinary medicine bill creating veterinary professional associates. The bill allows trained master’s-level VPAs to perform limited veterinary services under a veterinarian’s supervision, and an amendment tightened the standard to immediate supervision on premises. Supporters said the measure would expand access to care, especially in rural areas with vet shortages, while opponents argued it added unnecessary regulation. After testimony from veterinary educators and others, the bill continued with support expressed by committee members, including praise for the direct-supervision amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• ed budget?
• within our higher ed your entire budget within our higher ed budget?
• So, our entire budget, yes, is budget?
• the higher budget, uh, higher ed within the higher budget, uh, higher ed budget<01:51:56.239><c> as</
• </c> fact that consequences of this budget fact that consequences of this budget will<02:08:15.920><c

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Higher Education Finance and Policy Conference Committee met publicly to compare House and Senate positions on the higher education budget, with the chairs emphasizing transparency and alternating gavel control. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through a spreadsheet of differences across the Office of Higher Education and Minnesota State, including major items such as state grants, childcare grants, work study, tribal college grants, emergency assistance grants, hunger-free campus grants, student parent support, direct admissions, paramedic scholarships, and several medical residency and fellowship programs. The House and Senate also differed on administrative funding, campus sexual assault reporting, and a House FY25 cancellation that would be carried forward. Members discussed several of the larger policy and funding choices. The Senate explained its increase for Minitex as support for operating costs and statewide access to information. The House explained its cuts to student parent support and other items as necessary to work within a zero target and to prioritize direct aid to students, while the Senate said it focused on direct appropriations and access-related programs. On hunger-free campus grants and emergency assistance grants, the Senate said it was changing the distribution method and direct appropriations rather than reducing the overall money, while the House noted differences in whether nonprofit institutions remained included. The committee also reviewed Senate-only additions and reductions in Minnesota State, including free course materials, Lake Superior College remediation, and changes to the Kids on Campus appropriation. A representative from Lake Superior College testified that the PAS remediation funding would help address contamination issues at an emergency training site near Lake Superior and that the money was shifted from the Kids on Campus initiative. No final conference agreement or vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee continued discussing differences and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• had put in an 8% cap, so there was no reason that we could do this because we would lose an entire budget
• had put in an 8% cap, so there was no reason that we could do this because we would lose an entire budget
• So although 389 has had an effect on budget, this one would specifically make sure that we're taking
• And when your total budget is only $4 million today...
• And when your total budget is only $4 million today, we have a hard time building any budget authority

Summary: The Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee heard several bills related to fire districts, impact fees, and housing. House Bill 765 would allow partial annexation and merger of fire districts/departments to better align boundaries and improve efficiency; fire chiefs and city representatives supported it as a fix to problems created by prior law, and the committee sent it to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 766 would streamline the process for fire and EMS districts to adopt development impact fees by reducing the number of required hearings and agreements; supporters said it would save time and attorney costs while preserving public input, and it also passed the committee with a due pass recommendation despite some concern about public visibility. House Bill 797, a cleanup bill to ensure fire district sub-districts retain representation, also passed unanimously to the floor. House Bill 767, which would allow fire districts to use up to 50% of development impact fees for replacement fire apparatus, drew the most debate. Fire chiefs argued it was needed because apparatus costs have risen sharply and growth is wearing equipment out faster, while the Idaho Home Builders Association opposed it as a departure from the intended use of impact fees and a potential step toward broader fee expansion. Several senators said the bill was a response to funding pressures created by House Bill 389, but a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee prevailed, so HB 767 did not advance. The committee also considered House Bill 760, a workforce housing bill that would expand an existing property tax exemption for affordable housing projects, allow nonprofit/for-profit partnerships, and let local governments opt in. Supporters said it would help finance workforce housing without state general fund money and preserve local control; senators noted it could still add pressure on local services, but the bill was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to call to order the assembly's budget subcommittee on number six.
• act and $10 million from the 19-20 budget act.
• Principal Program Budget Analysis, Department of Finance, Kathy McCloud, Finance Budget Analyst, Department
• change proposal which is in line is a line item in the governor's proposed budget.
• I do have a couple questions just to flesh out the this year's budget proposal.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Little towns, little places that don't have big budgets.
• A budget and a bar is a budget change; where did you borrow that money from?
• I didn't say borrowed it from; you had a requested amendment to a budget.
• To have it introduced because it is a budget bill in a sense.
• It's a budget issue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mike Hancock, Deputy Secretary; Sean McCurnan, Executive Director, Office of Budget and Fiscal Management
• </c><00:02:18.239><c> and</c> executive director, office of budget and executive director, office of
• budget and fiscal<00:02:19.440><c> management</c><00:02:20.160><c> and</c><00:02:20.480><c> Ron</c><00
• And with me today, I have Sean McCernan, who is the cabinet's budget director, and Ron Rigney, who's
• And we're going to invite them to our transportation budget review subcommittee.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met on Transportation, approved the prior meeting minutes, and received a road fund update from Transportation Cabinet officials Mike Hancock, Sean McCernan, and Ron Rigney. McCernan reported that FY 2024-2025 road fund revenue came in $38.5 million above the enacted estimate, but was about $11 million below FY24 because of a lower motor fuels tax rate. He said motor vehicle usage tax receipts were stronger than expected, and that the road fund ended the year with a $61.6 million surplus account that, under the budget bill, must be appropriated to state construction. Members focused heavily on how declining motor fuels receipts affect the formula funds that support cities, counties, and rural/secondary roads. Hancock and McCernan explained that lower gas tax receipts reduce both the road plan and revenue sharing, while higher vehicle sales tax receipts from motor vehicle usage go directly to the road fund and do not help the formula distributions. They also said fuel efficiency, hybrid and electric vehicle trends, and the removal of a prior hybrid fee all affect revenue collections. On tolling, officials said Louisville bridge toll revenues are covering bills and commitments, but they did not have the latest collection figures in front of them and said they would provide them later. The committee also asked about project delivery delays, right-of-way acquisition, disaster recovery work, annual contract awards, cash management, and overprogramming in the highway plan. Officials said project delays often stem from right-of-way purchases, utility relocation, and the large volume of projects in the plan, and described the process as a “duck paddling” situation with substantial work happening behind the scenes. They said FY25 contract awards were already just under $998 million by the July letting and expected to exceed last year’s total, and explained that cash balances are managed so they do not fall below $100 million; the current balance was said to be about $166 million. No further votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So much of the Medicaid budget is really driven by the enrollment numbers.
• I think you will look at sort of a lower budget...
• Year's budget were, I think, 32 on a 10 billion budget.
• Current budget.
• The budget of New Mexico, we don't want to protect New Mexico's budget; we want to make sure that budget

Transcript Highlights:

• This week on Senate Spotlight, during a tight budget year, one of the best ways to support economic development
• Uh but you know, this year's a hard budget year and so we weren't able to do that, but we're hoping that
• Uh but you know, this year's a hard budget year and so we weren't able to do that, but we're hoping that
• Uh but you know, this year's a hard budget year and so we weren't able to do that, but we're hoping that
• </c> economically and with our budget economically and with our budget forecast.<00:15:43.519><c> Were

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, House Bill 1018 is the Historical Society budget. Excuse me.
• The first thing I want to mention about the state parks and rec budget is...
• So the House changed from the base budget.
• And it's not a lot of money compared to the budget, the number in this budget.
• Budgets of DOCR and indigent defense.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call, then approved journal corrections and moved to elect Senator Kyle Davison as President Pro Tem. Davison was nominated, elected by unanimous ballot, escorted to the rostrum, sworn in, and gave remarks thanking his family, colleagues, and faith, emphasizing relationships, service, and stewardship. The chamber also recognized National Public Health Week with a floor statement honoring public health workers and training programs, and that statement was ordered printed in the journal. The Senate then considered several House bills, beginning with HB 1485, which increases the personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in certain facilities by $15 per month and indexes it to inflation; the amendment was adopted and the bill passed 46-1. HB 1018, the State Historical Society budget, was amended to adjust one-time and ongoing funding for museum exhibits, repatriation compliance, archives storage, local historic grants, and the military gallery project, then passed 42-0 with one senator excused from voting due to a conflict. HB 1181, defining gender in state code as an individual’s sex and removing a broader application section, passed 41-6. HB 1144, adding a penalty and enforcement mechanism related to transgender student accommodations and restroom use in public schools, passed 40-7 with its emergency clause. The Senate also passed HB 1600, creating an immigration law clinic at the University of North Dakota School of Law and shifting its funding to the strategic investment and improvements fund, by 34-13. HB 1019, the Parks and Recreation budget, was amended to fund deferred maintenance, technology, sewer work, matching grants, and other park projects, add language requiring legislative approval for new or renamed state parks, and clarify use of the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library line of credit; a proposed amendment to remove funding for the International Peace Gardens cactus conservatory failed 20-27, and the bill then passed 39-8. HB 1417, dealing with parole/probation violations, court fees, and a study of criminal justice fees, passed 40-7 after amendments. The most extensive debate centered on HB 1450, which would require parent or guardian access to a minor’s medical exam room and notice of questions asked of the minor, with exceptions for emancipation and suspected abuse or trafficking. Supporters framed it as a parental rights and transparency measure, while opponents warned it could hinder screening for abuse, neglect, mental health concerns, and confidential care; multiple senators shared personal experiences on both sides. A proposed amendment to narrow the bill failed 21-26, and the transcript ends amid continued debate on the bill itself, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• introduction. ...is there's always talk about stipends and bonuses and pay raises, right, but our budget
• So in creating that... ...we're creating a budget culture of permanence and a budget culture that makes
• make sure it doesn't end up with administrators or in some other program. ...that swept from the budget
• We would have to take action, like in any other part. ...of our budget to change that.
• In the history of our state budget, the House has never done this for teacher pay.

Bills: SB26, SB 26

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, SB 26, Texas Property Code, colonia, colonias, Spanish translation, bilingual contract, real estate contract, executory contract, residential property, border county, international border, economically distressed area, consumer protection, language access, translator certified in Spanish

Transcript Highlights:

• a balanced budget within the regular<00:14:58.759><c> session</c><00:14:59.440><c> nobody</c><00:14:
• </c><00:15:10.440><c> discussions</c><00:15:10.920><c> but</c> unreasonable in budget discussions but
• </c> together on the budget to get the budget together on the budget to get the budget approved<00:15
• The budget forecast will be late this year because the forecaster that gives us our economic data is
• That puts the governor's budget arriving on our desk somewhere around March 19.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we use fall 2025, spring 2026, and summer 2026 budgets.
• We do the budget. The governor makes a recommendation.
• budget, the governor's budget.
• Let's be clear about this: the governor's budget is a suggestion, right? We base budget.
• Governor Burgum always complained that we didn't use his budget.

Summary: The committee met to discuss higher education funding and capital building policy. Members first heard an update from NDUS Deputy Commissioner Lisa Johnson on low-producing academic programs. She described a proposed board policy using a five-year rolling window and thresholds of fewer than 10 undergraduate graduates or fewer than 5 graduate graduates, with programs flagged for three consecutive review periods going to the board. Possible outcomes would include continuation, continuation with modifications, inactivation, or termination. Members asked about how the review would account for program costs, service to other students, workforce demand, and the difference between inactivation and termination. Johnson said the board would consider broader factors and that campuses already do detailed program analysis. Several members also asked about cost savings and staffing impacts from program terminations, and Johnson said the board would try to provide more information later. The committee then received a report on the Capital Building Fund from Jamie Wilkie. He reviewed the program’s history, matching requirements, and recent uses, noting that about $334 million in state and matching dollars has been invested overall, with most going to deferred maintenance and extraordinary repairs. Members discussed whether the program is reducing deferred maintenance and requested updated systemwide data on deferred maintenance and campus space utilization. Wilkie said the board is considering a new study to update deferred maintenance figures, which are based on information more than 12 years old. He also reported that several institutions have used current biennium funds for projects such as residence hall renovations, health sciences housing, generators, and building repairs. Later, the committee began a detailed walkthrough of a draft bill that would replace the current higher education funding formula with an FTE-based model and also revise the capital building fund structure. The draft would use fall enrollment FTEs, add completion incentives for degrees in in-demand fields, and create a separate research funding component for UND and NDSU tied to doctoral completions and external research expenditures. Members raised concerns about the use of older data in the formula, the treatment of waivers, the weighting of professional and health sciences programs, and the use of CIP codes to define CTE and education incentives. The bill draft would also combine capital building fund tiers, broaden eligible uses for deferred maintenance and legislatively authorized projects, change matching requirements, repeal the old formula chapter and the capital pool, and transfer funds from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund into the capital building fund. No final votes were taken during the portion provided; the meeting was primarily discussion and review.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget committee.
• This has been a tough budget year. Wouldn't you agree? I agree it's been a tough budget year.
• The budget bill.
• Our budget this year has been reduced from last year's budget and from last year's budget, and from,
• Our budget this year has been reduced from last year's budget and from the governor's recommendation

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:24:27.400><c> um,</c> that puts this into the next budget, um, that puts this into the next
• budget, um, which which which has<00:24:29.760><c> issues</c><00:24:30.120><c> around</c><00:24:30.600
• And I remember my friend here talked about the possibility of, should we fail to pass a budget, what
• </c><00:52:37.440><c> Um</c> pass a budget. Um pass a budget.
• come up with a budget in time to<00:53:39.360><c> have</c><00:53:39.520><c> it</c><00:53:39.640><c>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No funding for this bill is provided in the House budget.
• Most of that is transportation budget funding.
• We have limited budgets as it is.
• This proposal also introduces two major cost drivers for our budgets.
• However, JLARC has capacity for two new medium-sized studies in their budget.

Bills: HB2521, HB2249, HB1796

Keywords: firearms, background check, gun control, public safety, legislation, HB 2249, Washington Technology Solutions, WaTech, civil service, classified service, exempt employees, state employment, state personnel, network security, cybersecurity, information technology, IT contracting, data center, systems integration, network engineering

Transcript Highlights:

• So this budget will include $2,000 pay raises for all the professors at IHL.
• </c><00:07:31.199><c> is</c> you'll see in each of the budgets is you'll see in each of the budgets is
• </c> Are there questions about budget? Are there questions about budget?
• </c><00:23:34.720><c> Um</c> we have put that into the budget. Um we have put that into the budget.
• </c> budgets within it's the treasury office. budgets within it's the treasury office.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 18 February, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 672 addresses the executive budget, and it makes some clarifications.
• It will also help keep budgets focused on numbers, costs, and spending priorities, not messaging.
• And so when budgets are branded, you can see shifts in messaging or promotion rather than the actual
• policy or the details of the budget itself.
• Rather than the actual policy or the details of the budget itself.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from Tuesday, March 3, by motion and voice vote. It then heard RS 33621 from Representative Britt Raibold, which would take effect January 1, 2028, and is intended to give school districts and county clerks more predictability when schools are used as polling places for the 2028 presidential election. The proposal would allow schools to serve as polling locations without requiring other district buildings to close, would prohibit in-person student instruction at the polling site that day, and would still allow extracurricular activities, faculty presence, and student poll workers or volunteers. Raibold said the bill had been discussed with education stakeholders and the Department of Education. The committee voted to introduce the RS after a brief question about whether the Secretary of State’s office had been consulted. The committee also considered House Bill 672 from Representative Heather Scott, which would prohibit the executive budget document from containing logos, mottos, or slogans of the executive branch or governor, except for the state seal and the governor’s official logo. Scott said the bill is meant to keep the budget document politically neutral and focused on fiscal information rather than messaging or branding. There was no testimony in opposition, and no one signed up to testify. The committee voted to send HB 672 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh Representative Ulery, that is the New Hampshire state budget that is the New Hampshire state budget
• </c> budget for the tobacco control program. budget for the tobacco control program.
• </c> have the right to vote on the budgets have the right to vote on the budgets which<01:22:12.159><
• </c> dream about what we might do in a budget dream about what we might do in a budget with<01:55:06.719
• </c><04:13:05.279><c> more</c> so that they can maybe budget more so that they can maybe budget more

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The budget for the state grant is tuition and fees plus a living and miscellaneous expense allowance
• I would say they're treated the same by the agency, but how they operate at the state budget level is
• level is is just a bit budget level is is just a bit different<00:19:57.080><c> yeah</c><00:19:57.400
• session when the remember last uh budget session when the fostering<00:20:09.960><c> Independence</c
• </c><01:36:38.000><c> cuts</c> because of the state Grant budget cuts because of the state Grant budget

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, as this body knows, within our budget, we had requested two additional positions.
• So, that's the budget side of it.
• </c> So, that that's the budget side of it. So, that that's the budget side of it.
• What are we baking into the budget with this? Representative, we have that actually online.
• </c> baking into the budget with this? baking into the budget with this?

Keywords: 916, all