Transcript Highlights:

• </c> And it would separately require a receipt for cash payments.
• The next House change item is on line 66, which is the debt service payment for the authorization of
• </c> 66, which is um the debt service payment 66, which is um the debt service payment for<00:19:58.120
• Now, while most households utilize FHPPP for rental assistance and utility payments, this program is
• Show of hands, homeowners: who here could hold on to your home if your mortgage payment doubled every

Summary: The conference committee on the housing omnibus bill began with member introductions and a staff walk-through comparing House and Senate provisions. House Research staff reviewed major policy differences affecting Minnesota Housing Finance Agency operations, including limits on how much the agency may retain from state appropriations for administrative costs, new reporting requirements, restrictions on transfers between appropriated accounts, and House-only language requiring annual expenditure of investment income from state appropriations. Senate provisions were also summarized, including tighter rules on when appropriations may be placed into Housing Development Fund bookkeeping accounts, updated operating-cost reporting, and Senate-only changes to how investment earnings may be used. Staff also described shared and differing provisions on program-money transfers, a lived-experience earnings exemption, and a long list of Senate-only policy changes, including manufactured home park tenant protections, low-income housing tax credit and bond-related changes, a task force on housing taxes and fees, and repealers affecting Housing Development Fund authority and certain older programs. Fiscal staff then reviewed the budget impacts. The House side included one-time appropriations for workforce housing development, family homeless prevention and assistance, a Minnesota Nice Home Share pilot, and homebuyer education, along with debt service for $100 million in housing infrastructure bonds and transfers/cancellations that produced a net zero general fund impact across the budget window. The Senate side noted a fiscal note for the housing taxes and fees task force and a smaller housing infrastructure bond authorization, with corresponding debt service costs and a total Senate budget-window impact of about $1 million in general fund debt service. After the staff presentations, the committee moved to public testimony. Commissioner Jennifer Ho of Minnesota Housing said the bill’s housing infrastructure bonds and continued support for family homeless prevention were important, and she supported the lived-experience earnings exemption, while noting concerns about the interest-earnings provisions. Testifiers from Greater Minnesota groups praised the workforce housing investments and Senate updates to the state housing tax credit and infrastructure grant program, though they suggested changes to the geographic distribution language. HOME Line urged funding for statewide tenant hotline services, citing rising demand and asking for $1 million if additional money becomes available. The Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers supported the bill’s investments and emphasized the need to pair housing development with supportive services. Housing First Minnesota praised housing infrastructure bonds and other investments but criticized the omission of the Minnesota Starter Homes Act. The Minnesota Multi Housing Association began testimony opposing certain rent-control-related provisions in the House bill. No votes or final actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• relating to an alternative volumetric tax on natural gas throughput, relating to agreements and a payment
• gas throughput, relating to a municipal impact grant program and fund, relating to agreements and a payment
• relating to an alternative volumetric tax on natural gas throughput, relating to agreements and a payment
• throughput; relating to a municipal impact grant fund program and fund; relating to agreements and a payment

Transcript Highlights:

• This strike-all amendment removes the following from the bill: the Most Favored Nation Upper Payment
• This bill creates an efficient statewide mechanism to resolve payment disputes by allowing either party
• This bill will allow providers and payers to go to the federal process to determine a fair rate for payment
• a very small amount in most instances, forcing the providers to go into litigation to get a fair payment

Transcript Highlights:

• The improper payments have not been recovered.
• The improper payments on this one have not been recovered as well.
• And so was using our understanding different online payment options for that.
• issue at hand that we've made corrections to as well to make sure that there is verification versus payments

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and then heard audit reports from Mr. Bullington. Four reports without findings were filed without objection. The Department of Human Services FY24 report contained three findings: suspected fraud involving disaster food assistance and Medicaid benefits by employees, a delayed notification of a forged and cashed state warrant for nearly $610,000, and several fixed-asset and sales-tax errors. DHS officials said they had referred the benefit fraud cases to prosecutors, recovered some restitution, and would change internal procedures so accounts payable staff report such incidents directly to the chief fiscal officer. Committee members questioned the missing assets, the warrant delay, and the tax issue, and the report was deferred to the next meeting so DHS could return with written policy changes. The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism FY24 report had two findings: the loss of nearly $3,500 in museum receipts, believed to be theft at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, and issues with change funds at Daisy State Park and War Memorial Stadium. Agency officials said they had implemented new controls, including a point-of-sale and reservation system for museum rentals and more frequent reconciliation of change funds. Members asked about the criminal case, the statute of limitations, bond board reimbursement, and whether the employee’s final paycheck could be withheld. Mr. Bullington later reported that the prosecutor’s office said the Parks and Tourism investigation remained open and that additional information had been requested from the agency. The committee then deferred that report as well, and adjourned after setting the next meeting for February 12, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Insurance intercept programs take data about people who are behind on child support payments and match
• law took effect, the state has seen an increase in collections from the interception of insurance payments
• However, the state can only intercept payments if it is aware of the claim.
• However, the state can only intercept payments if it is aware of the claim.

Committee: Joint JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits

Summary: The JLARC I-900 Subcommittee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on Washington’s child support insurance intercept law. Auditor Lisa Weber explained that the 2022 law made insurance claim reporting mandatory, which increased collections from about $1.7 million in 2021 to more than $3.5 million in 2022, but the audit found many claims still may go unreported. The office estimated DCS learns about roughly 1 in 10 claims through other channels, and said insurers may miss reporting because they are unaware of the law, misunderstand its application, or make administrative errors. The audit also noted that DCS’s outreach resources are not easy for insurers to find and that OIC’s website currently lacks information on the law. The audit recommended that the Office of the Insurance Commissioner help educate insurers by posting information on its website and sharing insurer contact information with DCS. It also recommended that the Legislature amend the law to create authority for monitoring and enforcement, since neither DCS nor OIC currently has clear authority to enforce compliance. Weber said the audit discussed the possibility of assigning enforcement to DCS, OIC, or both, but left the details to the Legislature. Members asked questions about whether the agencies had discussed coordinated enforcement, which types of claims are covered, and how settlements are handled. Weber said the audit did not go into implementation details beyond recommending legislative action. Brian Welch, speaking for the Insurance Commissioner, said OIC is willing to help educate insurers, post information, and share contact information with DSHS, and that there had not yet been discussion of joint legislation, though the agency is open to further coordination. No public testimony was offered, and the hearing adjourned after members were invited to submit written comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE GAMING COMPACT REVENUE ARE REFLECTED IN THE CHART AND THERE WAS A PERIOD OF ACTIVITY THAT THE PAYMENTS
• THERE ARE FEES AND GRANTS AND THERE ARE SETTLEMENT PAYMENTS AND THERE IS ALL KIND OF THINGS THAT GO INTO
• THE REVENUE PAYMENT.
• THE SEVERANCE TAX REVENUE AND SOME OTHER TRANSFERS AND PAYMENT. >> Sen. Bernard: PERFECT.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trying to even just, you know, like Japan—Japan lives to just make its interest payment.
• If it misses that interest payment, its stock market probably implodes.
• </c><00:20:09.440><c> If</c><00:20:09.600><c> it</c> just make its interest payment.
• If it just make its interest payment.
• </c> payments are on the debt unbelievably. payments are on the debt unbelievably.

Summary: The joint meeting of the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and the House State Government Committee was called to consider House Concurrent Resolution 45, sponsored by Representative Jason Petri. The resolution would support calling for a federal balanced budget amendment through the Article V process. Petri argued that Kentucky’s own constitutional balanced-budget requirement shows the value of fiscal restraint, and he said decades of federal deficit spending and rising debt make a constitutional amendment necessary. Governor Ron DeSantis and Lauren Ends of the National Campaign for a Balanced Budget Amendment also testified in support, emphasizing the growth of federal debt, the risk of a future debt crisis, and the view that Congress is unlikely to solve the problem on its own. Members asked about the mechanics and risks of an Article V convention, including whether the convention’s “sole purpose” language would be enforceable and whether a convention could become a “runaway” process. DeSantis and Ends said states can impose guardrails on delegates, including criminal penalties and delegate-limitation laws, and noted that any proposed amendment would still require ratification by 38 states. They also said that if Congress chose to draft the amendment itself in response to state pressure, that would be acceptable. One witness said 18 states have passed faithful-delegate or delegate-limitation laws. Representative Callaway asked what would happen if the debt issue is not addressed. Witnesses responded that continued borrowing could lead to economic dislocation, higher interest costs, and a debt crisis that would crowd out other federal spending. They said the current debt burden is already more than $100,000 per U.S. citizen and roughly $300,000 per taxpayer, and that a balanced budget amendment would be a first step toward stopping the growth of debt before any long-term paydown could occur. The transcript provided does not show a final vote or other committee action on the resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first payment will be $640,240, and then 12 quarterly payments of $480,180.
• <00:07:11.360><c> of</c><00:07:11.680><c> $640,240</c> payment of $640,240 payment of $640,240 and<00
• </c><00:07:16.479><c> of</c> and then 12 quarterly payments of and then 12 quarterly payments of $480,180
• </c> quarterly payments quarterly payments &gt;&gt; and<00:07:47.360><c> they're</c><00:07:47.680><c>
• </c><00:56:05.920><c> um</c> "It had scheduled principal payments.

Summary: The committee first received several information items, including University of Kentucky reports on medical and research equipment purchases, five school districts’ planned bond issues, and a School Facilities Construction Commission list of prior debt issues. Members then heard and approved an appropriation increase for a federally funded University of Kentucky project at the Central Kentucky Regional Airport in Richmond. The project will construct a terminal building and is tied to EKU’s airport operations and planned flight school; members asked about the public funding, the role of EKU, and possible aviation expansion, and the item was approved by roll call. The committee next approved a University of Kentucky lease purchase for an 85,000-square-foot facility at 415 West Sun Street in Morehead for $6.4 million. UK said the property, formerly the Rowan County Board of Education site, is directly across from UK St. Clair and will be used for multiple purposes; members questioned the quarterly payment structure and why the county preferred not to receive the full amount upfront, but the item was approved. The committee then heard three appropriation increases in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet: a Fish and Wildlife pump project at Ballard Wildlife Management Area and two Lake Barkley State Resort Park repair projects. Finance staff explained the Lake Barkley increases were mainly to cover construction contingencies after bids came in close to available funding, and the committee approved the action items. Janice Thomas then presented four pool projects requiring no action: HVAC upgrades at the Future Farmers of America Leadership Training Center in Hardinsburg, geothermal and HVAC work at the Kentucky School for the Blind, a Brady Hall HVAC project at the Kentucky School for the Blind, and a renovation of Shanti Hall at Kentucky State University for the School of Engineering Technology. Members asked no substantive questions on those items. Finally, Natalie Broner presented a new CHFS lease in Wayne County and a Transportation Cabinet lease modification in Christian County. The Wayne County lease drew the most discussion, with members questioning the rent, the lack of other bids, and whether another county location might be preferable; CHFS said it maintains county-seat offices statewide and that the Wayne County site would replace an existing office. The Christian County item was described as a replacement site for driver licensing services with renovation costs largely absorbed by the lessor. Both lease items were presented for action after the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• that the net value of the 150 million toward the initial construction cost uh uh there was an annual payment
• that the net value of the 150 million toward the initial construction cost uh uh there was an annual payment
• What is the expected reduction in payment to the sports facility as a result of this bill?
• So what has been put in statute and what uh about $62 million in payments going uh about $62 million
• in payments going forward.<00:14:43.680><c> The</c><00:14:44.160><c> city</c><00:14:44.959><c> uh</c>

Bills: HF4094 , HF3390 , HF3813 , HF3583 , HF3751 , HF4324 , HF4789 , HF3596 , HF4033 , HF4424 , HF4053

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: Crosby, local sales tax, bonding authority, community projects, voter approval, Owatonna, use tax, special law, community center, municipal finance, capital project, sales and use tax, local option tax, city tax, public facility, general election, bond referendum, debt limit, levy limit, Minnesota local government

Transcript Highlights:

• He said a patrol shift paid by a private entity could be considered payment toward the New Hampshire
• He said that if the officer is working a patrol shift, that could be considered a payment toward the
• He said that if the officer is working a patrol shift, that could be considered a payment toward the
• Representative Schmidt then asked another question, saying he thought one concern was not the payment
• He said the pay for a patrol shift could be considered a payment toward the New Hampshire retirement

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 180, which concerns critical incident stress management teams. Representative Mark PR, the bill sponsor, proposed an amendment to add a definition of “team leader” and to clarify that teams may or may not be affiliated with a municipality. He argued that a certification test offered by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation is unnecessary and too expensive at $400, since team members are volunteers who already receive training and continuing education. Committee members asked about the training structure and certification language, and the sponsor explained that the teams are self-certified and that the amendment was intended to clean up the bill’s language. The committee then voted on HB 180 in executive session. Amendment 0261H was adopted 11-0, and the bill was then moved as amended and passed 11-0. The committee placed the bill on consent. Later, the committee heard House Bill 438, sponsored by Representative Timothy Horan, dealing with immigration detention and related state policy. Horan described the bill as an update to earlier legislation and said it would codify best practices, prohibit state cooperation with mass deportation efforts, bar for-profit operation of immigration detention facilities, and require Executive Council approval before the governor could deploy the National Guard for immigration deportation activities. Committee members questioned whether the bill could be read as authorizing detention facilities and discussed the relationship between the state and Strafford County Jail. An amendment presented on behalf of Representative Patrick Long was described as a technical rewrite that removed several sections and changed language, but the hearing ended before any vote was taken on HB 438.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state is given 60 days to locate the account, and payment only occurs if the account truly cannot
• The payment she should have received hasn't been received for a number of years.
• Um, Miss Cook can testify that the payments were deducted and there's been no payment received on her
• ><c> received</c><00:04:43.680><c> hasn't</c> payment she should have received hasn't payment she should
• payment deducted and there's been no payment received<00:05:01.840><c> on</c><00:05:02.080><c> her</

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, this is only a technical difference between the House and the Senate in terms of how the payment
• after that, I would of those payments after that, I would appreciate<00:25:49.039><c> it.
• Um, one of the things that we have identified as a potential challenge is as we get to that last payment
• Um, one of the things that we have identified as a potential challenge is as we get to that last payment
• Potential challenge is as we get to that last payment of the year, and if we have a set budget, we'll

Transcript Highlights:

• Every member of this committee received a public subsidy payment.
• Every member of this committee received a public subsidy payment.
• Every member of this committee received a public subsidy payment.
• </c><00:41:14.119><c> comes</c> for the public subsidy payments comes for the public subsidy payments
• </c><00:41:57.359><c> and</c> that to the general account payment and that to the general account payment

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• Even though the payment to the provider.
• This includes breakdowns on reinsurance payments by health plan and their products.
• No for-profit insurer is receiving reinsurance payments.
• This includes breakdowns on reinsurance payments by health plan and their products.
• No for-profit insurer is receiving reinsurance payments.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And paid leave sends benefit payments directly to Minnesotans on leave.
• </c><00:03:22.480><c> to</c> sends benefit payments directly to sends benefit payments directly to motans
• </c><00:23:57.440><c> is</c> Our current average weekly payment is Our current average weekly payment
• Uh, and a payment might have in time.
• So you do payment cap is at 3600.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• payment for second injuries. injuries. injuries.
• And this allows an exception for membership-based and direct payment facilities.
• </c> payment for legal services. payment for legal services.
• </c><06:31:39.200><c> So</c><06:31:39.440><c> we're</c> pay that payment out.
• So we're pay that payment out.

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 1 and HB 2 reviewed comparison documents and worked through a long list of House and Senate positions, agreeing on some technical or already-enacted items while setting aside others for later discussion. Early on, members agreed to delete a House Bill 2 section tied to a bill already passed into law, and a representative explained a technical amendment to the EFA provisions clarifying enrollment-cap repeal language and compulsory attendance rules for EFA students. That amendment was discussed but a vote was postponed because not all members were present. The committee also noted that the overall EFA budget numbers had already been settled separately. Several items were either agreed to or held for further negotiation. Members agreed to delete sections already covered by other enacted bills, including BTLA-related language, and to accept a technical amendment changing "municipalities" to "political subdivisions" in a section affecting funding eligibility. They also agreed on some items involving workers’ compensation second injuries, certain pilot-program language, and some sections related to state loan repayment and other technical corrections. In contrast, they set aside or disputed items involving site evaluation, lottery-related provisions, opioid abatement, the Commission on Aging, Granite Advantage premium costs, renewable energy/offshore wind funding, special education funding, and several education trust fund and unique-fund provisions. The committee spent substantial time on policy disputes. The House side argued against keeping money in dedicated Fish and Game funds rather than increasing the main Fish and Game fund, while the Senate side defended its approach and raised concerns about fee impacts, including one tied to the fishing license. The members also discussed a housing appeals board proposal, with one member suggesting a possible compromise that would preserve some function while shifting duties and possibly sunsetting the arrangement later; the contracts for the positions were noted as running through June 30, 2028 and June 30, 2029. Another extended discussion concerned the child advocate records-access section, which one side wanted removed as policy that should go through the normal bill process, while another member asked to hold it and suggested a possible middle-ground, time-limited approach. Later, the committee agreed to remove sections already handled in other bills, including House sections 254 and 255, and discussed but did not resolve disputes over liquor licensing functions, cannabis-related language, cost containment, special education, and several fee and fund provisions. The Senate explained its position on the governor’s commission language, saying opioid abatement trust funds could not be used for that purpose and that the commission should continue to be funded through 5% of gross liquor profits; it also described renaming the body the Commission on Addiction Treatment and Prevention and expanding its scope to include problem gambling. The meeting ended with several major items still open for later negotiation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that word incentive payments.
• Does this eliminate all alternative compliance payments for the renewable?
• ,</c><02:44:07.520><c> but</c> still receiving the overp payments, but still receiving the overp payments
• </c> over payments are for prior periods. over payments are for prior periods.
• payments payments &gt;&gt; and<03:11:47.920><c> and</c><03:11:48.080><c> also</c><03:11:48.399><c> again

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you got two things going on. payments. You have major maintenance payments.
• </c> maintenance payment for the formula. maintenance payment for the formula.
• </c> We can calculate the major maintenance payments for each building category.
• </c><00:36:09.760><c> for</c> in how we calculate a payment for in how we calculate a payment for maintenance
• </c> next fall we'll get another July payment next fall we'll get another July payment going<02:45:51.360

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• have been lags in payment before.
• and the late payments.
• All of the late payments were up date. All of the late payments were up to<03:22:26.800><c> date.
• Um, we have met all the payments. I mean, the payments are on track.
• Um, we have met all the payments. I mean, the payments are on track.

Summary: The joint House Committee on Tourism and Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism held an informational briefing on the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s interim action plans, current projects, contract updates, destination management action plans, and state auditor findings. Interim CEO Caroline Anderson described her role as temporary and said she was focused on identifying problems, gathering information, communicating with stakeholders, and implementing solutions. She said HTA is now operating as a typical state agency subject to state controls, but noted that HTA’s work often involves nontraditional programs that can create process errors. She also said she had directed staff to review the auditor’s findings on the destination management action plan process and that the review was posted publicly. A major topic was the search for a permanent CEO and the agency’s restructuring under SB 1571. HTA board chair Tata Po said he hoped to select a CEO within about four months, with three to six finalists expected in roughly two to two-and-a-half months, and said the job description would largely remain the same except for compensation and reporting changes under the new law. Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism representatives explained that HTA’s board is now advisory and does not approve the budget, while DBEDT retains budget authority. They also said HTA is working with the governor’s office and DBEDT on contract and budget transitions, including a possible shift to a calendar-year process so grantees and contractors have more certainty. Members pressed HTA on staffing, oversight, and accountability, especially around the destination stewardship team and the CNHA/Kilohana and HVCB contracts. HTA said the destination stewardship team supports destination management and product development, including workforce development, sports, and implementation of destination management action plans, and that staff provide direction to contractors rather than simply handing work over to them. Anderson said the stewardship team had 11 people and that the destination management side covered about 15 contracts, while the branding side had three managers overseeing nine contracts. She said the agency had 47 contracts overall and that the major contracts included CNHA/Kilohana and HVCB. Several members criticized HTA’s management history, questioned staffing qualifications and compensation, and expressed concern that the agency had lost public trust. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Other compensation includes payments to a loan-out company by a production company only if the production
• Alabama income tax at the rate of 5% on all payments to the loan-out company for services performed in
• withheld and remitted to the Alabama Department of Revenue is considered to be an estimated income tax payment

Bills: SB90 , SB255 , SB268

Committees: House Tourism , House Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: Green County, racing, pari-mutuel wagering, gaming regulations, commission appointments, historical horse racing, local tax, SB255, cannabinoid, hemp, hemp-derived THC, THCa, delta-8 THC, HHC, CBD, THC, novel cannabinoid products, hemp products, intoxicating hemp, delta-8