Transcript Highlights:

• think ignorance about our government is what allows corrupt people to engage in our government, to control
• 00:03:05.200><c> our</c><00:03:05.400><c> government</c><00:03:05.799><c> to</c><00:03:05.959><c> control
• </c><00:03:06.319><c> our</c> engage in our government to control our engage in our government to control

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:25:47.440><c> So,</c> have a little more control of that.
• So, have a little more control of that.
• There are a couple uh control on this.
• It puts more controls and oversight of the process, and it helps us to have a better program in order
• It puts more controls accountability.

Committee: House Appropriations & Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill helps support crop production, control costs, and make produce more affordable while keeping
• As noted in the analysis, the Department of Cannabis Control anticipates absorbable costs as a result
• A drive-through model addresses this gap in a controlled, compliant manner.
• It includes local control.
• The bill also requires cannabis edibles and beverages to have the National Poison Control phone number

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the way to control spending is actually to cut back on programs that we authorize that are not
• And so that would control some of the costs without taking everybody out and have the members then have
• But it's kind of a mechanism to control the costs, not necessarily get rid of all of the Medicaid expansion
• And so that would control some of the costs without taking everybody out and have the members then have
• Agriculture operates Wildlife Services under a memorandum of understanding with the Animal Damage Control

Summary: The committee first heard reports from the House and Senate Health and Welfare chairs on budget issues and related policy concerns. Senator Van Orden said the department’s non-Medicaid budget had been presented and that members were focused on scrutinizing public health contracts, avoiding broad across-the-board cuts, and preserving essential services. She also said she was not in favor of moving 988 suicide crisis hotline services into the behavioral health managed care contract at this time, while Representative Tanner noted prior intent language had only required a cost-benefit analysis and that any change would need more detail. Representative Van der Woude said the House committee was committed to a bill holding back about $21 million for RESHAB, with audit and oversight provisions, and raised concerns about rural health fund oversight, provider rate reductions, and Medicaid expansion spending. Members then questioned the chairs about possible policy changes to reduce costs, including reviewing programs not in Idaho Code, restoring provider rates if revenues improve, and adding work requirements or enrollment caps to Medicaid expansion. Van der Woude said he was drafting a bill that would let Medicaid expansion expire and restart with work requirements and a cap, and he said he would support an asset-based waiver request for people with substantial assets. Several members raised concerns about the human impact of cuts, especially in adult dental and developmental services, while others emphasized the need for clearer evaluation tools and better return-on-investment data for programs. Van der Woude explained that RESHAB funding concerns stemmed from unclear assessment standards and the loss of a prior evaluation tool in litigation, and Senator Wintrow cautioned that a straight $21 million reduction could harm services and providers. The committee then heard from House Agricultural Affairs Chair Gerald Raymond, who reviewed agriculture-related budget items and emphasized the importance of dedicated funds, research, and invasive species prevention. He highlighted funding for quagga mussel prevention, Mormon cricket control, Japanese beetles, and carnal bunt response through a deficiency warrant, and said prevention at boat check stations is cheaper than treatment. He also discussed the University of Idaho dairy/cafe project, saying the facility was nearing completion and expected to have about 400 cows milking by the end of the summer. Members asked about the impact of recent cuts on check stations, and Raymond said his committee had not yet discussed that issue but would consider it, and that the Snake River Basin study had mostly been left to the resource committees. The meeting ended with notice that work groups would meet immediately after adjournment and that budget-setting would begin the next day, with the committee reconvening at 7:15 a.m. and the full committee at 8:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• For those reasons, because it's a non-interstate commerce issue, I believe in local control.
• I believe in our state control.
• So there's, this is local control all the way down, if I remember right? That's correct. Okay.
• So if... ...is one individual only has span of control of so many square feet at a time.
• I asked the bill hand, learn, you know, there's a process of local control.

Committee: House General Laws

Summary: The Committee on General Laws met with a quorum and first went into executive session on House Bill 2774, the Jeff Knight bill concerning gas-powered leaf blowers. An amendment was adopted to exempt the city of Clayton, Missouri, allowing it to ban gas-powered leaf blowers if it chooses. The committee then rolled the amendment into a House Committee Substitute and voted the substitute do pass by 12 yeas and 0 nays. The committee next took up House Bill 2176 by Representative Perkins and voted it do pass by 8 yeas and 4 nays. After that, the committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1730, sponsored by Representative Koslow, which would treat Missouri-made firearm suppressors that remain in-state as outside federal Commerce Clause oversight. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill would protect hearing, reduce federal burdens, and not increase crime; members raised concerns about concealment and public safety, but no opposition testimony was offered and the hearing closed. The final public hearing was on House Bill 2504 by Representative Elliott, which would expand who may be designated as school protection officers to include additional school personnel, such as classified staff, if they volunteer, complete required training, and are approved through local school board and state processes. Supporters, including a school superintendent, security trainer, law enforcement officer, and public advocate, said the bill would improve response times in rural districts that cannot afford school resource officers and emphasized the extensive training and vetting already required. Opponents or skeptical members questioned whether adding more armed personnel in schools was the right response to school violence, but no formal opposition testimony was presented before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It hands more power to an agency that is out of control, an agency that has proven it will commit murder
• You know, this bill is just out of control.
• It's out of control, and it's contributing to an out-of-control environment.
• And so I would posit to you that this restores control to our communities. Please.
• To you that this restores control to our communities. It certainly restores the rule of law.

Bills: SB1055 , SB1065

Committee: Senate Military Affairs and Border Security

Keywords: immigration enforcement, law enforcement, illegal aliens, state legislation, civil penalties, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, veterans, military health, mental health treatment, funding allocation

Transcript Highlights:

• to 43, the last sentence—'any policy authorizing payment by booster clubs or association may not control
• What does that exactly mean, 'may not control the provision of funds'?
• DEL, in partnership with the OIG and our ELCs across the state, have processes and controls in place
• So those internal fiscal controls are required, and they ensure that we have things in place such as
• And all of the requirements regarding the internal fiscal controls and our anti-fraud plans are then

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and first heard House Bill 731, which would address coach and extracurricular sponsor compensation and change how student-athlete transfer eligibility is determined. The bill would allow local school boards to adopt policies letting booster clubs or similar associations support coaches and activity sponsors, and it would let superintendents treat certain coaches and athletic leaders as administrative personnel for compensation purposes. It would also shift eligibility decisions for transferred student-athletes to the governing athletic association and require clearer bylaws and timelines for those determinations. Members raised questions about booster club oversight, pay equity, the new athletic administrator language, and safeguards against abuse or unequal treatment, while supporters argued the bill would help retain coaches and better support student athletics. The bill was debated and then reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then received presentations from the Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning and the Florida Association of Early Learning Coalitions on school readiness fraud prevention and mitigation. Speakers explained that Florida’s school readiness program pays providers based on verified attendance rather than enrollment, requires daily parent sign-in/sign-out records, and uses multiple layers of oversight including coalition anti-fraud plans, annual audits, programmatic monitoring, DCF inspections, and referrals to state fraud investigators when needed. They emphasized that Florida delayed implementation of a federal rule that would have required prospective enrollment-based payments, and said the state’s current system makes fraud difficult. Members asked about military and grandparent guardianship situations, audit findings, and the number of fraud referrals; presenters said fraud cases are relatively limited and that the existing controls and public enforcement act as deterrents. The meeting ended after members thanked the presenters and the committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• lighting systems, special lighting systems, electric vehicle charging stations, electronic traffic control
• </c><00:06:46.639><c> signals,</c><00:06:47.440><c> and</c><00:06:47.759><c> camera</c> traffic control
• signals, and camera traffic control signals, and camera systems,<00:06:49.039><c> and</c><00:06:49.280
• And then it also adds the language... additional language for traffic control additional language for
• traffic control camera<00:07:47.039><c> systems</c><00:07:48.000><c> was</c><00:07:48.240><c> added<

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the president of the Texas Animal Control Association, and we are in support of this bill.
• The more than a thousand animal care and control professionals that we represent are opposed to that
• regulations will fall on us to enforce, and each one of you you in your jurisdictions have animal control
• I asked that, and the answer is we cannot control all of that. Some of it is out of control.
• Some of it is supposedly controlled now, but we can control that.

Bills: HB 12 , HB149 , SB229 , SB1361 , SB1749 , SB1897 , SB2113 , SB2566 , SB2677 , SB1652 , SB2327 , SB2344 , SB2696 , HB12 , HB149

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• That recommendation includes three additional FTEs in our Internal Control and Accountability Unit, four
• Attorney General Ellison's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit already does great work catching people who steal
• And so as the medical assistance budget grows, Attorney General Ellison's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
• That's why this MAP Act provides funding for nine new staffers for the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
• Chair Nash, members of the committee, I'm Nick Wonka, the Director of Minnesota's Medicaid Fraud Control

Bills: HF2783 , HF2603 , HF2846 , HF2354 , HF1836 , HF2713 , HF1198 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Flood control systems.
• More than 10,700 linear feet of the flood control systems were deployed, and this time we needed 106
• We deployed over 35,500 linear feet of our flood control systems, and this time 235 pumps that moved
• This is unprecedented numbers, even for us, as affluent as we are with our flood control measures and
• So if your blue sky debris contract, which each county independently controls—the state does not have

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Summary: The committee received a program review from the Florida Division of Emergency Management on the 2024 hurricane season and FEMA reimbursement process. Deputy Director Keith Pruitt described the impacts of Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, including major storm surge, flooding, tornadoes, debris removal, power restoration, flood-control deployments, sheltering, and logistics missions. He emphasized that Florida’s approach is “federally funded, state managed, locally executed,” and said the division has already obligated large amounts of public assistance funding and mitigation dollars while continuing to work on remaining missions and reimbursements. A major focus of the discussion was how local governments can better document and vet debris-removal and other disaster costs so they are eligible for FEMA reimbursement. Chair DiCeglie and other senators raised concerns about local planning, commercial debris collection, and whether counties and municipalities that spend money up front will be reimbursed. Pruitt explained that eligibility depends on documentation, scope of work, insurance, and FEMA rules, and that the state’s FROC process is intended to help counties identify eligible work before costs are incurred. He also said commercial debris may be eligible in some cases but is not guaranteed, and that counties should coordinate early with FDEM and FEMA. Senators also asked about possible FEMA reforms, the age of outstanding reimbursement claims, and a proposed state fund to advance money to fiscally constrained counties while they wait for FEMA payments. Pruitt said Florida’s system is a national best practice, but that more county-level training and clearer coordination would help reduce de-obligations and audit problems. He said the reimbursement-advance idea is still being developed, and that the state continues to look at ways to streamline mitigation through programs like Elevate Florida. The committee took no formal action beyond hearing the presentation, and the meeting adjourned after closing comments from senators praising FDEM’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> taxpayer dollars, restore local control, taxpayer dollars, restore local control, ensure<00:10:
• ,</c><00:10:14.320><c> and</c> dollars, restore local control, and dollars, restore local control, and
• I think at one point we just need to let the local control be what that is, local control.
• I think at one point we just need to let the local control be what that is, local control.
• I think at one point we just need to let the local control be what that is, local control.

Bills: HF3698 , HF4243 , HF4239 , HF4241 , HF4242 , HF4240

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• to be collected pertaining to the controlling methane gas emissions from landfills.
• And I think in our opinion, our language around control, which is very broad.
• We have complete control over clinical judgment.
• We have complete control over clinical judgment. We share the technologists.
• I didn't choose who watched me and I didn't have control over what happened to me.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill allows for local control, but what it does is it limits local out-of-control.
• So, the bottom line is that these local controls and regulations are actually inhibiting what we need
• So, the bottom line is that these local controls and regulations are actually inhibiting what we need
• I don't begrudge any of the mayors or city councilors who are standing up for local control.
• I don't begrudge any of the mayors or city councilors who are standing up for local control.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also do lose some level of design and control.
• </c> can you build us so that we can control can you build us so that we can control our<00:42:01.160
• It does have budget and cost implications that can help us control costs a lot better.
• For those, we retain control of the design.
• There's certain things that we can control and others we can't. It shouldn't restrict competition.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> started was not gun control talking started was not gun control talking points.<00:36:44.160><c>
• </c> When we hear things like gun control When we hear things like gun control talking<00:36:55.760><
• </c> fighting for uh gun control. fighting for uh gun control.
• Please pass sensible gun control Please pass sensible gun control legislation<02:44:10.399><c> and</c
• We do not to prioritize gun control.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:38:30.079><c> for</c> Court, um new boilers and controls for Court, um new boilers and controls
• Uh three are for projects in the Lakeport Dam so that controls Lake Onapasaki.
• </c><01:18:12.800><c> Lake</c> Lakeport Dam so that controls Lake Lakeport Dam so that controls Lake
• Clean water had no control over this.
• I think the latter, the ones you're in control of. Okay. Yeah.

Committee: Senate Capital Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have our internal controls unit, which is a team of five people.
• </c> sure they've got good internal controls sure they've got good internal controls in<00:45:08.160>
• </c> procedures and uh internal controls are. procedures and uh internal controls are.
• ><c> and</c><00:46:03.359><c> audit</c> They've got internal control and audit They've got internal control
• And that wasn't processes or controls.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We definitely support the counties to have the ability to define the controls a little more closely.
• </c><00:37:46.040><c> uh</c> with respect to controlling uh with respect to controlling uh agricultural
• </c> for the development of a controlled for the development of a controlled environment<01:27:29.400
• I know Hawaiʻi County has recently put Animal Control under an agency.
• Moving on to the next measure, HB 1184, relating to controlled environment agriculture.

Summary: The joint House Agriculture and Food Systems and Tourism hearing focused on HB 189 and HB 966, both dealing with agricultural tourism. HB 189 would require counties to adopt ordinances governing review and permitting of agricultural tourism as secondary uses on working farms, require the principal agricultural use to pre-exist any tourism-related permit, and limit ag tourism to land where productive agriculture is occurring. HB 966 would create statewide uniform standards for agricultural tourism, require county registration of activities, require ag tourism to coexist with agricultural activity on a farming operation, and end the tourism use when agricultural activity ceases. Testimony on HB 189 was mixed. The Department of Agriculture and Kualoa Ranch opposed the bill, arguing that the proposed restrictions and income-based limits could burden bona fide farms and ranches, reduce flexibility for counties, and harm food production, jobs, and diversification efforts. Kualoa Ranch said ag tourism supports its food sales and community market and warned the bill could cost more than 350 jobs. The Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Council also opposed the measure for similar reasons. The Hawaiʻi Farmers Union supported the bill with suggested amendments, including clearer language around agricultural dedication. The Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau supported the intent of the bill but urged caution, saying ag tourism should remain tied to actual agricultural production and that counties need flexibility to address abuses without imposing overly rigid standards. Members discussed how to define a bona fide agricultural operation and whether property tax agricultural dedication could serve as a clearer qualifier. They also raised concerns about how counties would enforce revenue thresholds or separate accounting for tourism and farm income, and whether state law should better target clearly non-agricultural uses such as gondolas or other abusive developments. The Department of Agriculture and Farm Bureau said counties already have authority to regulate ag tourism through ordinances, but that any new standards should avoid unintended burdens on true farmers and ranchers. HB 966 was then introduced, and initial testimony again reflected support for the bill’s intent from some agricultural groups and opposition or caution from others. Kualoa Ranch said ag tourism can help educate visitors and support agriculture, the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union supported county flexibility, and the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau reiterated concerns about the bill’s income comparison provisions and the need to distinguish legitimate agricultural tourism from misuse. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> themselves would then have more control themselves would then have more control over<01:35:32.280
• </c><01:46:33.040><c> over</c><01:46:33.440><c> the</c> has full control over the has full control over
• </c><01:48:13.960><c> from</c><01:48:14.199><c> the</c> topown um control from the topown um control
• So the net result of this bill would be more local control.
• So the net result of this bill would be more local control.

Summary: The committee began by announcing that afternoon hearings, including House Bill 283, would be moved to Representatives Hall because of expected public interest. It then took up House Bill 671, which would establish a kindergarten literacy readiness program. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Pearson, described the measure as a way to close gaps in early reading readiness and said it was intended as a first step, with only a placeholder appropriation while details are developed. He framed it as a targeted effort to help children who are not entering first grade ready to read. Testimony on HB 671 was largely supportive. Representatives asked about the bill’s structure, whether a specific program had been identified, how it would interact with play-based learning, and why the provider was limited to a registered nonprofit. Waterford.org representatives Teresa Rosenberger and Rob Riley testified in support, describing Waterford Upstart as a home-based, evidence-based early learning program already used in New Hampshire. They said the program provides adaptive instruction, family coaching, and technology support, including computers, tablets, internet access, and translation services in more than 100 languages. They also said the model has been successful in New Hampshire, including a Nashua pilot and later statewide efforts, and that similar legislation has existed in other states. Rep. Jonah Wheeler also spoke in support of the bill. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 671. After a fiscal note for HB 671 was distributed, the committee moved to House Bill 781, which would require school districts to adopt policies for a cell phone-free education and includes an appropriation. The transcript cuts off as Rep. Litchfield was introduced to testify on that bill, so no testimony, debate, or vote on HB 781 is included in the excerpt.