Transcript Highlights:

• I think the stability of having the consistent teachers in the classroom for not 3 years, but a minimum
• <02:17:44.519> years,<02:17:44.840> but<02:17:45.040> a<02:17:45.080> minimum
• /c><02:17:45.559> 5<02:17:45.920> years,<02:17:46.280> at not 3 years, but a minimum
• 5 years, at not 3 years, but a minimum 5 years, at least<02:17:46.719> that<02:17:46.880>
• incorporating more objective standards, such as requiring that a position be advertised for a specific minimum

Bills: HB1890, HB1888, HB1676

Keywords: teacher pay, teacher salaries, salary step increase, annual increment, longevity step, public school teachers, public charter school teachers, collective bargaining, Hawaii Department of Education, teacher retention, teacher recruitment, cost of living, educator compensation, public employee bargaining, appropriation, salary schedule, school staffing, teacher shortage, HB1888, Hawaii

Summary: The committees heard three measures, beginning with HB 1890 HD3, which would provide automatic step increases and a COVID-era retention bonus for teachers. Supporters included HSTA, the Democratic Party’s Education Caucus, and a student who said higher pay and predictable salary growth would help retain teachers in Hawaii. The Department of Education supported the intent but asked that the bill be expanded to cover all department employees. The Attorney General’s office said the draft needed clarification to avoid conflict with Chapter 89 and to make clear any funding was subject to legislative appropriation. The Office of the Public Defender and B&F testified in opposition, and committee members questioned whether the step increases were already in the current contract and whether the bill was needed. HSTA said the current contract includes automatic step increases subject to funding, but argued the bill was still needed because funding is not guaranteed and the measure would codify the policy. HSTA also said the COVID bonus would apply only to active teachers who worked during the pandemic and estimated the total cost at roughly $150 million to $200 million over four years. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 1888 HD3, which would require DOE and charter schools to report harassment incidents and strengthen penalties for harassment of educational workers from a petty misdemeanor to a misdemeanor. DOE supported the bill and suggested narrowing language about assisting workers with temporary restraining orders, saying that function would be better handled through the Attorney General’s pilot program. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing the harassment language was overly broad, vague, and potentially unconstitutional, and that existing assault and terroristic threatening statutes already protect educational workers. HSTA, the State Commission on the Status of Women, and several individual testifiers supported the measure, describing increased intimidation and harassment of teachers and other school staff, especially since COVID. The Special Education Advisory Council opposed the bill’s language on “disrupting and interfering” with school functions, saying it could chill parents of students with IEPs from advocating for their children. Testimony was split, with the chair noting 20 in support and 16 in opposition in the portion shown. A final witness, Michelle Pestana, testified in opposition based on her family’s experience with special education services, describing alleged seclusion and restraint of her daughter and expressing concern that DOE testimony in prior hearings had targeted special education parents. Her remarks were cut off as time expired. The transcript ends before any committee action or vote on HB 1888 was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• When care is delivered through bare-minimum staffing models designed to maximize profit, it's the residents
• address this concern about the density by enacting laws requiring the group homes to be at certain minimum
• address this concern about the density by enacting laws requiring the group homes to be at certain minimum
• The question remains open whether they should have some minimum amount on hand or not, which I will leave
• amount on hand or not which some minimum amount on hand or not which I<02:30:29.200> will<02:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• driver's license, establish that as their primary residence for federal tax purposes, for, uh, you know, minimum
• driver's license, establish that as their primary residence for federal tax purposes, for, uh, you know, minimum
• driver's license, establish that as their primary residence for federal tax purposes, for, uh, you know, minimum
• driver's license, establish that as their primary residence for federal tax purposes, for, uh, you know, minimum
• ...for federal tax purposes, for, uh, you know, minimum required distributions of 401(k)s, etc., you

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• benefits, my home state of Idaho was one state that removed all optional benefits down to the bare minimum
• benefits to my home state of Idaho was one state that removed all optional benefits down to the bare minimum
• let's coordinate it so that's an efficient use of your day, and let's try to find a time when, at a minimum
• At a minimum, any entity receiving state funds... ...with potentially life-threatening consequences.
• At a minimum, any entity receiving state funds should be required to have medically trained staff on

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A 29-year-old earning a minimum wage without health insurance, Nancy frequently required emergency room
• health care, a 29year-old um<00:13:44.800> earning<00:13:45.120> a<00:13:45.360> minimum
• ><00:13:45.760> wage<00:13:46.160> without<00:13:46.480> health um earning a minimum
• wage without health um earning a minimum wage without health insurance,<00:13:47.760> Nancy<00
• some of the best things we can do to ensure that folks don't have to resort to these is increase minimum

Bills: HF2400, HF1724, HF3437, HF4333, HF2874, HF4052

Keywords: real estate, appraisers, disciplinary actions, sanction matrix, Minnesota Statutes, direct primary care, healthcare agreements, medical services, patient care, health insurance, mortgage fees, residential loans, commercial loans, finance regulations, investment properties, insurance, supplemental health insurance, short-term care, home health care, nursing care

Transcript Highlights:

• There are 13 million acres of water that occupy the land of Minnesota, and natural wild rice covers a minimum
• /c><00:04:40.919> rice<00:04:41.240> covers<00:04:41.560> a<00:04:41.600> minimum
• and natural wild rice covers a minimum and natural wild rice covers a minimum of<00:04:42.200>
• So, that it would be minimum of 8 years, but no longer than 20, but even at 8 years you could entertain

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Consumer issues like minimum notice for coverage changes, including enforcement and oversight, public
• Consumer issues like minimum notice for coverage changes, including enforcement and oversight, public
• 10.320> like reduce cost. um consumer uh issues like reduce cost. um consumer uh issues like minimum
• 11.360> for<01:18:11.520> coverage<01:18:11.920> changes<01:18:12.640> and minimum
• notice for coverage changes and minimum notice for coverage changes and including<01:18:13.520> uh

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I talk to someone at the SAU level at minimum twice a day. It might be HR.
• I talk to someone at the SAU level at<00:51:30.559> minimum<00:51:30.960> twice<00:51:31.200
• at minimum twice a day. It might be HR. at minimum twice a day. It might be HR.
• state to be accountable for local decisions to keep classrooms at 11 and a half compared to the state minimum

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met to hear from the New Hampshire Association of School Principals as part of its review of a proposal involving statewide administrative consolidation and changes to school governance. Members first discussed how school board witnesses would be selected, with the chair saying the committee would seek a mix of district sizes and structures and would also accept emailed input. The principals’ association said it represents more than 550 principals and assistant principals and urged caution about any mandatory consolidation, arguing that successful consolidations are gradual and voluntary. Association leaders and principals testified that principals already handle a wide range of responsibilities, including instructional leadership, student discipline, safety, staff supervision and evaluation, family and community engagement, and day-to-day crisis response. They argued that shifting more legal, budgetary, and administrative duties onto principals would reduce time for coaching teachers and supporting students, increase burnout and turnover, and create legal and training risks, especially in areas such as special education, privacy, and labor issues. They also said the roles of superintendents, principals, and school board members are distinct and require different training and expertise. Members asked detailed questions about how responsibilities are divided between principals and SAUs, whether principals recruit and evaluate staff, and how much time principals work. One principal said she works about 60 to 70 hours a week and that additional duties would be difficult to absorb. Another principal described his school’s structure, the importance of community building, and the need to preserve district-wide alignment if consolidation moves forward. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a minimum, we're asking that adjustments be made to that language to... ...that's required under the
• So, at a minimum, we'd like to see some language if you are going to basically keep what the House is
• So, uh, as a<00:55:25.040> minimum,<00:55:25.359> we<00:55:25.599> we<00:55:25.839
• :26.000> we'd<00:55:26.319> like<00:55:26.480> to<00:55:26.640> see a minimum
• , we we have we'd like to see a minimum, we we have we'd like to see some<00:55:27.079> language

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on line 234, we have Senate File 1719, a Senator Latz [member_8842] bill, task force on mandatory minimum
• Senator Latz bill task force<00:21:46.480> on<00:21:46.720> mandatory<00:21:47.200> minimum
• <00:21:47.960> sentences, force on mandatory minimum sentences, force on mandatory minimum
• The last section in this article, section 12, is the task force on mandatory minimum sentences.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just helping me with the terminology of minimum allotment state—could you explain what that means?
• 56.120> of just helping me with the terminology of just helping me with the terminology of minimum
• > allotment<00:33:57.360> state<00:33:58.000> could<00:33:58.120> you minimum
• allotment state could you minimum allotment state could you explain<00:33:58.720> what<00:33:
• how much states will receive in federal dollars, I think Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island were all minimum

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division of Long-Term Supports and Services presented its budget and program overview as part of the Department of Health and Human Services operating budget review. Leadership described the division’s three bureaus—Aging and Adult Services, Developmental Services, and Family-Centered Services—and explained that the division provides guidance, technical assistance, quality monitoring, and contracted provider oversight across the lifespan. Members also discussed staffing, with reported vacancy rates of 4% in Aging and Adult Services, 15% in Developmental Services, and 6% in Family-Centered Services; the division said the higher BDS vacancy rate is partly due to the small number of authorized positions. The governor’s budget had left eight positions unfunded in the division, including three in Aging and Adult Services and five in BDS. A major topic was the division’s roadmap initiatives, especially building a system of care for healthy aging and strengthening developmental disabilities systems through a new reimbursement rate structure. The division said it contracted with an actuary to study DD service costs and found rates had not been reviewed since 2017 and were significantly below actual costs and other states’ rates, contributing to provider shortages even when services are authorized. Members asked about the impact on service delivery and whether rates would need to rise overall; the division said its strategy is to focus on lower-cost services that help people remain in the community. The division also reported waiver enrollment figures, including about 4,161 people on the Choices for Independence waiver, 3,688 average nursing facility residents, 5,061 people on the DD waiver, 228 on the acquired brain disorder waiver, and 488 children on the in-home support waiver, while noting there is no funding waitlist but provider availability remains a constraint. The division highlighted IT modernization as a major accomplishment, especially moving Adult Protective Services and Developmental Services into the New Heights system. Officials said these changes improve case-note access, data retrieval, service authorization tracking, and transparency for providers, and they asked for future oversight discussion focused on IT leverage. Members noted that New Heights maintenance is budgeted in the Office of the Commissioner under class 27 and suggested better transparency on system costs and benefits. The division also reported that it closed out a long-running CMS corrective action plan for BDS on July 1, 2023, and said it is now focused on strengthening the system rather than compliance alone. Other discussion covered the Aging and Adult Services bureau’s name change from Elderly and Adult Services to Adult and Aging Services, intended to avoid negative connotations and better reflect preventative services. The bureau described Adult Protective Services trends involving scams, financial exploitation, self-neglect, and isolation, and explained that it administers the CFI waiver, determines medical eligibility for nursing facility level of care, and braids funding from Medicaid, state funds, Older Americans Act money, Social Service Block Grants, and other grants. Members asked about waiver growth targets and federal consequences if enrollment remains below projections; the division said it would explain the shortfall in a future waiver amendment and did not anticipate a federal penalty. The meeting ended without any votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• that this needs to happen, so this is just keeping these pieces of equipment mandatory, and this is minimum
• that this needs to happen, so this is just keeping these pieces of equipment mandatory, and this is minimum
• that this needs to happen, so this is just keeping these pieces of equipment mandatory, and this is minimum
• that this needs to happen, so this is just keeping these pieces of equipment mandatory, and this is minimum
• that this needs to happen, so this is just keeping these pieces of equipment mandatory, and this is minimum

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 365-day operation, so it's important to maintain the same level of services that we have today at minimum
• 365-day operation, so it's important to maintain the same level of services that we have today at minimum
• /c><01:09:49.359> have<01:09:49.560> today<01:09:49.920> at<01:09:50.159> minimum
• services that we have today at minimum services that we have today at minimum so<01:09:51.440>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• There are minimum requirements for the number of precincts that must be tested as part of the public
• There are minimum requirements for the number of precincts that must be tested as part of the public
• There are minimum requirements for the number of precincts that must be tested as part of the public
• There are minimum requirements for the number of precincts that must be tested as part of the public
• There are minimum requirements for the number of precincts that must be tested as part of the public

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Minnesota House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee met to begin its session with member and staff introductions, then heard an overview from Secretary of State Steve Simon and elections director Paul Linnell on the state’s elections administration and budget needs. Simon said the office’s committee-jurisdiction budget request was for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) election security grant match: Minnesota received about $1 million in federal funds in 2024 and needs a $200,000 state match to unlock the money for election security navigator work. He also previewed the office’s broader presentation on the 2024 election, outreach efforts, and election security. Simon described the 2024 election cycle as successful, saying his administrative goals were high turnout and low drama. He reported that Minnesota had very high turnout in the November election, with more than 3.27 million ballots cast and about 76.4% turnout, and noted that more than 1.3 million voters cast ballots before Election Day. He also highlighted outreach and accessibility efforts, including the Students Voting Program, Youth Day at the Capitol, National Voter Registration Day activities, expanded online voter tools in additional languages, and work to inform eligible Minnesotans about the Restore the Vote law for people leaving prison. He emphasized that elections are a team effort carried out largely by counties, cities, townships, and election judges. Linnell then explained the state’s election administration structure and responsibilities, including the Statewide Voter Registration System, candidate filing and election reporting systems, voting equipment certification, and post-election performance reviews. He said counties are central to voter registration updates and ballot preparation, and noted that in 2024 there were a handful of counties with ballot errors that required court action, with a vendor process change identified as a contributing factor. Committee members asked for more detail on the number and identity of the affected counties. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred House Bill 83 FN, an act increasing the minimum
• hands for the rest of this term, but tabling this bill would preserve our ability to address the minimum
• <04:16:24.199> the preserve our ability to address the preserve our ability to address the minimum
• 25.680> sports<04:16:26.040> betting<04:16:26.479> next<04:16:26.760> year minimum
• age for sports betting next year minimum age for sports betting next year if<04:16:27.479> the

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So even to do the townships, you had to go through, and I believe the minimum was 80 hours of education
• grab as much of that prior information as we can to bring it into TaxWise so that, you know, at a minimum
• At a minimum, yeah, we bring in three years; more normal is five years.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• So even to do the townships, you had to go through—and I believe the minimum was 80 hours of education
• grab as much of that prior information as we can to bring it into TaxWise so that, you know, at a minimum
• At a minimum, yeah, we bring in three years; more normal is five years.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met to begin its study of the feasibility and desirability of revising the content of the real estate tax statement to improve property tax transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive under House Bill 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, and the Legacy Fund portion of that credit. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual tax cycle, from county budgeting and valuation notices to budget hearing notices, levy certification, cap calculations, and final tax statement mailing. They emphasized that counties and auditors do extensive coordination with taxing districts and neighboring counties, and that the process is labor-intensive and often manual. Members discussed the limited public response to budget notices and tax statements, the difficulty of explaining the legislative tax relief line, the 3% cap and valuation issues, and whether more frequent assessments or different timing would improve understanding. Several members and witnesses noted that many taxpayers only engage when they receive their final bill, and that clarity may be more important than adding more detail. NDACO also presented a rough cost survey from eight counties, estimating an average tax statement cost of about 74 cents and a statewide total near $600,000 for printing and mailing tax statements alone, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing. Witnesses noted that House Bill 1176 added other mailings and notices, increasing county workload and cost beyond the statement itself. The committee then heard from software vendors, who explained how their systems handle tax billing, budget notices, valuation notices, primary residence credit processing, and tax levy calculations, and they identified the 1600/1685 primary residence credit and discount interaction as a current programming challenge. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate added new requirements to the contract approval process, including that it be a minimum of
• With a late-breaking third reading amendment that excepts for ... it be a minimum of 10 years duration
• . it be a minimum of 10 years duration.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House first took up S. 298, the Vermont Voting Rights Act. Members explained the Senate’s further proposal of amendment, including changes to language about how the State Ethics Commission may respond to ethics inquiries, a directive for the Secretary of State and Ethics Commission to work out a shared process for the candidate financial disclosure form by January 30, and a technical PAC-related wording change. The committee reported an 11-0-0 vote in favor, and the House concurred in the Senate proposal of amendment. The chamber then suspended rules to take up S. 328, the omnibus housing bill, and heard detailed committee reports from General and Housing, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. The bill addresses common interest community resources, a service-supported housing advisory council, expansion of the 10% for Vermont program to 12.5%, an off-site construction accelerator pilot, VHFA’s rental housing revolving loan program, special assessment districts, municipal housing planning requirements, and several reports on housing-related issues. Ways and Means described revenue impacts from the cash-balance expansion and revised the off-site construction pilot and loan program language; Appropriations removed a section already included in the budget and adjusted advisory council per diem funding. The House adopted the amendments, ordered third reading, suspended rules to place the bill in all remaining stages, passed it in concurrence with proposal of amendment, and messaged the action to the Senate forthwith. The House then suspended rules to take up S. 197, relating to payment reform for primary care. The House Health Care Committee recommended a strike-all amendment, saying the health care system is in crisis, premiums are rising, access to primary care is limited, and clinicians are burdened by documentation and administrative work. The committee vote on its amendment was 10-0-1, and the bill was also referred to Ways and Means and Appropriations because of fiscal implications. The transcript cuts off as the House was beginning consideration of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• What's the minimum amount of time a camper spends at a camp like Camp Mystic? What's the minimum?
• be issuing licenses to people to make money to take care of kids, that they need to be abiding by minimum

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I urge you to pass this bill because the minimum we can do is to require the CSU to inform employees
• I urge you to pass this bill because the minimum we can do is to require the CSU to inform the important
• aren't real, baggage fees that aren't included, connection times that are three minutes when the minimum

Keywords: 987, senate, all