Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1187 by Hughes, relating to an unauthorized vote by a delegate or alternate delegate to a
• Senate Bill 1334 by Hughes, relating to the approval, selection, and use of an alternative electronic
• Senate Bill 1334 by Hughes relaying to the approval selection and use of an alternative electronic visit

Summary: The Senate met briefly to receive first-reading referrals of a large number of bills, resolutions, and joint resolutions. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public education, health care, criminal justice, business regulation, transportation, water and natural resources, local government, taxation, elections, and public information. Many of the filings were by Senators Hughes, Perry, Alvarado, Creighton, Hancock, Parker, Zaffirini, Blanco, and others, and included proposals on school safety, health records and billing, election procedures, water planning, housing and rent issues, energy and environmental regulation, and criminal penalties. The chamber also read several concurrent and joint resolutions, including measures designating state symbols and local honors, a proposed constitutional amendment related to gaming by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, a proposal concerning special-session subjects, and resolutions on fiscal restraints and retirement obligations. No debate, testimony, or substantive action on the merits of the measures occurred in this portion of the transcript; the items were simply read and referred to committees. At the close of the proceedings, the Senate adjourned pursuant to a previously adopted motion and announced it would reconvene at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:10:47.440> to<01:10:47.640> this could be another alternative to this could be
• another alternative to this issue<01:10:49.040> our<01:10:49.400> crisis<01:10:49.800><
• response teams they these alternative response teams they call<01:13:43.840> it<01:13:44.000>
• <01:30:02.560> to<01:30:02.800> police<01:30:03.119> transporting alternative to
• police transporting alternative to police transporting someone<01:30:04.800> um<01:30:05.199>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have two of them there that fail alternately, and the price to replace those is $336,000.
• Third is construction and testing.
• Third is construction and testing.
• Third is construction and testing.
• Third is construction and testing.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we are finding out is there's a huge need to do massive scaled testing.
• that is independent from the main grid, or actually, when it's not needed for those massive scale testing
• A lot of places have those test facilities, but they're all providing power or generation.
• To things they can't disconnect from to test the EMP process, right? Right.
• The first thing that we noticed was Frank only had one testing center. It was in Wakefield.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm gonna pivot from that discussion to the issue of the sexual assault kit testing.
• Director: ...testing.
• So, the University of North Texas was doing testing. We were outsourcing some of that to them.
• Another one, they started testing everything in those kits, these local kits.
• I'll be asking him, it's just a test.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they really have no alternative.
• So they really have no alternative.
• So they really have no alternative.
• So they really have no alternative.
• So they really have no alternative.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• providers because sure, we could probably track everything, monitor everything, submit everyone to every test
• really hard, at least for me personally, to turn people away or then try to negotiate to offer alternative
• 11.040> offer or or then um try to negotiate to offer or or then um try to negotiate to offer alternative
• <01:48:12.000> sizes<01:48:12.400> for alternative sizes for alternative sizes for them

Bills: HF2135, HF776, HF1581, HF1158, HF2226

Keywords: child welfare, fiscal analysis, third-party consultant, program evaluation, Minnesota, HF776, Minnesota Family Assets for Independence Initiative, family assets for independence, FAI, asset-building, matched savings, financial literacy, family savings, economic mobility, children youth and families, general fund appropriation, family support, low-income families, financial stability, budget bill

Transcript Highlights:

• Or is the other alternative to give up those wells and actually drill new wells someplace else beyond
• c><01:10:22.880> is<01:10:23.080> the<01:10:23.239> other<01:10:23.480> alternative
• <01:10:24.120> is possible or is the other alternative is possible or is the other alternative
• So this material has been tested.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• assessments, and those include interest inventories, career exploration, work evaluations, and aptitude testing
• The Big Red Barn provides an alternative therapeutic environment and supports emotional regulation.
• work samples, and... ...goals by combining information from interviews, work samples, vocational testing

Keywords: 977, all

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• that we would have, in a time when cities and towns are already feeling stretched, we may have no alternative
• And then the ultimate test: the tax cut was reversed after five years.
• And then the ultimate test, the tax cut was reversed after five years.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on two proposed ballot initiatives: one to reduce the state personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, and another to revise the state’s tax collection cap/62F process so it would be based on prior-year collections plus wage growth and include surtax revenue. The committee chair and House co-chair outlined the hearing process, and the first witness was Doug Howgate of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, who testified as the committee’s subject-matter expert on both measures. He said the income tax proposal would lower taxes broadly but would reduce state revenue by about $5.4 billion when fully implemented, with an estimated $800 million hit in FY27, and he discussed possible effects on competitiveness, taxpayer savings, and public finances. On the 62F proposal, he said the revised cap would make refunds more likely, could have produced several large refunds in recent years, and would reduce stabilization fund deposits and constrain recovery after recessions. Committee members questioned Howgate about competitiveness, outmigration, prior tax ballot measures, spending growth, MassHealth, and the interaction between the income tax and surtax. He emphasized that taxes are only one part of the state’s overall competitiveness and that housing, public services, and other factors also matter. He also noted that the surtax is constitutionally restricted but can still support ongoing spending choices. After his testimony, the committee moved to the proponents’ panel. Proponents of both initiatives, including representatives from Taxpayers for an Affordable Massachusetts, the National Federation of Independent Business, Pioneer Institute, and the Mass Opportunity Alliance, argued that the measures would improve affordability, help retain residents and businesses, and support job growth. They cited polling support, outmigration, small-business reinvestment, and comparisons to lower-tax states such as North Carolina. Their economist, Rebecca Paxton, said her model showed smaller revenue losses than critics claim and projected that the revised revenue cap would not create additional annual revenue losses while producing more regular taxpayer refunds. Committee members pressed the panel on competitiveness, prior ballot initiative implementation, and whether the measures would actually address broader affordability pressures; the hearing ended with the committee continuing to take questions from the proponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• With my mother opening the window so that he could hear the lessons enough to be able to be handed a test
• However, now we have to wait until a negative test to go back to school. That means my.
• They would have to find an alternate provider through a private insurance or healthcare provider or pharmacy

Transcript Highlights:

• million for the Resilient Florida program, $50 million for springs restoration, $50 million for alternative
• disabled individuals unless a material change occurs; requiring coverage of blood-based biomarker tests
• raise the standards, change where the finish line is, change how the schools are graded, change the test

Summary: The House convened on the final day of session, observed a moment of silence for the Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for Representative Rosenwald’s father, then swore in and seated new members Boyles and Hodgers. The Speaker also outlined the chamber’s end-of-session priorities, including action on the budget and related conforming bills. The House then took up H.J.R. 5019, a constitutional amendment to expand Florida’s budget stabilization fund by raising the cap, requiring annual transfers, and allowing withdrawals for critical state needs. After sponsor explanations and questions about what would qualify as a critical need and how the fund might respond to possible federal funding cuts, the House adopted an amendment that added more flexibility for suspending transfers and withdrawals. The joint resolution then passed on final passage. Members next considered HB 7031, the tax package conference report. The bill repeals the business rent tax and aviation fuel tax, delays the natural gas fuel tax, creates or extends several sales tax exemptions and holidays, and makes changes affecting property taxes, local taxes, pari-mutuel taxes, and revenue distributions. Debate focused heavily on the new permanent exemption for ammunition and hunting-related items, the elimination of recurring housing trust fund and transit-related distributions, and the shift of some funding from recurring to nonrecurring status. Supporters argued the package provides tax relief and preserves annual budget flexibility, while opponents criticized the ammunition exemption and the reductions in recurring housing and transit support. The conference report was adopted and the bill passed. The House then passed HB 5017, which creates a debt reduction program funded by a recurring transfer from general revenue to retire state bonds early, and HB 5015, the state group insurance conforming bill, which directs DMS to develop a formulary management plan and codifies the administrative health insurance assessment. Finally, the chamber began explanation and questions on the General Appropriations Act conference report for fiscal year 2025-26, described as a $115.1 billion budget that is down from the current year and includes more than $12 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs summarized major budget areas, including K-12 education, health care, transportation and economic development, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and information technology, highlighting funding for school choice, Medicaid, housing, transportation infrastructure, Everglades restoration, workforce programs, cybersecurity, and technology modernization.

Transcript Highlights:

• and was forced to choose an alternative and was forced to choose an alternative not<00:15:10.720
• Without a functioning and equivalent alternative in place, I'd be happy to talk more about this at an
• It will say later on in the waiver plan amendments that it does replace, uh, and is an alternative to
• It will say later on in the waiver plan amendments that it does replace, uh, and is an alternative to
• <00:26:45.399> to replace uh and is an alternative to replace uh and is an alternative to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So a tax expenditure is something we exclude if it is subject to an alternative tax.
• tax so for subject to an alternative tax so for example<00:15:54.240> there's<00:15:54.440>
• And finally, what would be an alternative tax?
• It also repealed the corporate Alternative Minimum Tax.
• <01:22:38.520> Minimum Alternative Minimum Alternative Minimum Tax<01:22:40.920> uh<01:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:38:24.400> when forensic genetic genealogy testing when forensic genetic genealogy testing
• , that's the first question on the test, that's the first question on the test, right?
• at least passed the test. at least passed the test.
• passed that state's test. Yes? passed that state's test. Yes?
• , you passed a test, you passed a test, learned<04:03:18.600> the<04:03:18.680> traffic

Keywords: MS House Floor - 31 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a guest vocalist, and the Pledge of Allegiance before moving into routine business. Members first recognized several special guests and school groups, including championship teams from Simpson County Academy, New Albany High School, Tougaloo College, Madison-Richland Academy, East Rankin Academy, Morton High School, and others, along with honorees such as Dr. Katrina Cox, Pamela Moody, Joe Helen Joey Walker, and Jimmy Carr. The chamber also noted a prior resolution honoring Reverend Dr. Victor Dixon and the Copiah County Ministerial Alliance, and Dr. Dixon led the opening prayer. On the calendar, the House adopted a conference report on House Bill 1752 dealing with judicial salaries. The report set new salary amounts for state court judges effective January 1, 2027, froze district attorney salary increases until January 1, 2028, and then tied DAs to 95% of circuit and chancery judges’ pay. It also removed mandatory raise language for judges and county court judges, and members briefly discussed the broader issue of legislative compensation. The report passed 115-2. The House then adopted a conference report on House Bill 377, the missing persons bill, which clarified definitions, added forensic genetic genealogy testing provisions, and set timelines for law enforcement to enter credible missing-person reports into NamUs and NCIC. That report passed 120-0. The chamber also adopted a conference report on House Bill 525, changing the penalty for sexual battery in a position of trust or authority from a 0-to-30-year range to a 5-to-30-year range; it passed 112-0. Later, the House adopted a conference report on House Bill 925 after removing veto-message language, and adopted another conference report on House Bill 939 combining a low-sat repealer change and a fire truck acquisition program that creates a Fire Equipment Fund supported by recurring black tag revenue. The House also approved unanimous-consent amendments to Senate Bill 3105 and recommitted Senate Bill 2747 for further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• But this is what we have to work with now in the current system, and again, the alternative is doing
• <01:04:06.480> is<01:04:06.640> what to do, because the alternative is what to do,
• because the alternative is what we<01:04:06.920> have<01:04:07.160> now.
• But this is what we have to work with now in the current system, and again, the alternative is doing
• But this is what we have to work with now in the current system, and again, the alternative is doing

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the right thing to do is to eliminate the criminal proceeding, and then if there is no other alternative
• <00:26:40.800> to<00:26:40.960> send there is no other alternative to send there is
• no other alternative to send them<00:26:41.440> to,<00:26:41.920> they<00:26:42.040>
• risk and public safety in terms of how we're assessing pre-trial and then also trying to find alternatives
• for for folks that are not alternatives for for folks that are not just<00:47:45.520> jail.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on draft constitutional amendment language from Representative Holland to create universal pre-trial release except in certain circumstances and eliminate cash bail. Representative Holland said the proposal is intended to make Minnesota’s pre-trial system fairer and more equitable by basing detention decisions on public safety and due process rather than a person’s ability to pay, and noted that a separate bill would later provide the detailed framework for an intentional release-and-detention system. He emphasized that no action would be taken at this hearing. Testifiers in support included Joshua Page of the University of Minnesota and the Pre-Trial Justice Minnesota Coalition, Alicia Gransee of the ACLU of Minnesota, Jess Palia of Violence Free Minnesota, and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. Supporters argued that cash bail creates unequal treatment, contributes to racial disparities, harms families and communities, and does not reliably improve court appearance or public safety. They cited research and coalition findings about high pre-trial detention rates, overrepresentation of Black and American Indian Minnesotans, the impact of detention on housing and employment, and the need for courts to use individualized risk assessments, conditional release, and services instead of money-based release decisions. Palia focused on domestic violence cases, saying cash bail can pressure survivors to pay for abusers’ release and that current hearings often give little time to victim safety concerns. During member questions, concerns were raised that the amendment could remove an important tool for judges in the middle range of cases. Choi responded that conditional release and other protections could still be built into implementing legislation, and Page said detention would become an option but many cases would still involve conditional release and support services. He also argued there is no evidence that money itself motivates court appearance and said cash bail often shifts costs to low-income family members, especially women of color. The hearing ended without any vote or formal action, with members and testifiers noting that further legislation and discussion would follow if the amendment advances.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then finally, I just want to leave you with a few thoughts on some alternative approaches that you
• leave you with a few thoughts on want to leave you with a few thoughts on some<00:10:44.320> alternative
• approaches that you may some alternative approaches that you may want<00:10:46.080> to<00:10:
• I remember signing the lease with little time to consider alternatives.
• time to consider alternatives. time to consider alternatives.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 2687, as amended by a DE1 amendment. The amendment narrowed the bill to prohibit private equity companies from buying single-family homes and to limit corporations and partnerships to owning no more than 50 single-family homes, with enforcement through the Attorney General’s office. The committee adopted the DE1 amendment, and the author, Representative Bajaj, described the bill as a step toward expanding homeownership and reducing corporate concentration in the housing market. Representative Bajaj and supportive testimony argued that corporate ownership of single-family homes makes it harder for first-time buyers and working families to compete, especially in lower-income neighborhoods, and can lead to absentee ownership and poor maintenance. Ellen Sahli of the Family Housing Fund cited research on single-family rentals showing that larger portfolios are associated with worse renter experiences, higher rents, and more repair problems. Rachel Ruby Jones testified in support based on her experience renting from Havenbrook, describing flooding, delayed repairs, safety concerns, and poor treatment by management, and said private equity ownership can shift risks and costs onto vulnerable tenants. Opposition focused on market effects and the bill’s scope. Mark Brunner of the Minnesota Manufactured Home Association said the language was too broad and could unintentionally affect manufactured home communities on leased land. Paul Eger of Minnesota Realtors warned that market prohibitions could create unintended consequences, especially in a cyclical housing market, and suggested alternatives such as tax incentives for sales to owner-occupants and more first-time buyer assistance. In member discussion, Representative Nash questioned whether the problem was widespread and pressed for details on enforcement and divestiture; Representative Agbaje said the current language is forward-looking, would not force existing owners below the cap, and would rely on lawsuits and remedies the Attorney General deems appropriate, with more detail to be worked out later. The chair indicated the bill would be laid over for further consideration and likely move next to Judiciary, with some discussion of whether Commerce should also be a stop.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's really trying to then identify what are the alternative methods that we can use to make those
• methods that we can use to alternative methods that we can use to make<00:40:33.599> those<00
• So, if there's a blurb, uh, that's going to be an alternative motion to this bill, just know the deadline
• <01:15:34.640> motion<01:15:35.440> to<01:15:35.840> this to be an alternative
• motion to this to be an alternative motion to this bill,<01:15:37.600> just<01:15:37.920>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The work session was limited to House Bill 1750, a supplemental appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services’ SNAP administration. Before testimony, Representative Terski distributed a written statement from Representative Priest for the record. Department officials Karen Heert and Nathan White then walked the committee through a chart showing SNAP participation, federal benefit dollars, and state administrative costs, emphasizing that the benefits themselves do not flow through the state budget. They explained that the reported administrative cost includes overhead and cost-allocation methods used to maximize federal reimbursement, and that the current participant count is about 75,000 with the trend steady in recent years. Members questioned whether the reported costs were stable, how much of the administrative expense was directly tied to SNAP, and whether reducing overhead would lower the need for the appropriation. The department said the cost per participant and per dollar distributed would be lower if SNAP were isolated, but that the broader allocation system also supports federal claiming across multiple programs. Officials said SNAP eligibility is redetermined every six months, that the department processes nearly 50 eligibility programs with about 250 field staff, roughly 70 unfunded positions, and a vacancy rate around 25%. They also said most errors in the program are unintentional and can come from either staff or participant mistakes, and that the department reviews errors to identify systemic fixes. The committee discussed the fiscal impact of the bill and related budget issues. DHHS said the current adjusted authorization for 2026 is about $31 million, but actual spending is expected to be closer to $25–26 million because of vacancies and unfilled positions. Members asked whether the $4.4 million shortfall identified in the fiscal note would come from the rainy day fund; staff said it would not be taken directly from that fund, but would reduce the amount available to flow into it at the end of the biennium. The committee also reviewed Senate Bill 603 FN, which was described as an alternative approach that would require DHHS to transfer funds within its existing budget rather than provide new money; officials said it would simply codify an option the department already has. No vote or final action on House Bill 1750 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• the alternate judge's ability to observe actions. to sign voters in and preclude the alternate judge
• would ensure the sharing of political power by creating a procedure where both the judge and the alternate
• It would also allow an alternate presiding judge to freely occupy.
• Or observe the area where voters are being accepted for voting and it would allow an alternate judge
• of SB 108 would ensure the sharing of power by creating a procedure where both the judge and the alternate

Keywords: HCR65, HCR19, Senate resolutions, memorial, community impact, legislative proceedings

Summary: The recent Senate meeting primarily covered two resolutions, HCR65 and HCR19, both of which were passed unanimously with little to no opposition. HCR65 was introduced in memory of Tracy Lee Vincent of Longview, while HCR19 was presented to honor the late Terrell Lynn Roberts of Angleton. The meeting included brief addresses from several senators, who shared personal reflections on the impacts of the individuals being honored and expressed gratitude for their contributions to the community. This collaborative atmosphere showcased the members' capacity for camaraderie and respect, emphasizing the importance of human connection in legislative proceedings.