Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:55.360><c> And</c> relative to its historical averages.
• And relative to its historical averages.
• </c><00:18:48.720><c> flat</c> square foot area in a relatively flat square foot area in a relatively
• on social media and Facebook. they can search and see what's available they can search and see what's
• </c> what we're doing with the urban search what we're doing with the urban search and<01:48:08.159><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met with a quorum, approved the August meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Dr. Jerry Brosky of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center. He described the Mesonet’s statewide weather network, now with 84 stations in 78 counties, real-time data used by the National Weather Service, mobile apps, and more than a billion observations. He said recent legislative funding has allowed upgrades such as soil temperature and moisture sensors, cameras at every site, and improved communications and power systems, and has enabled expansion into new counties. He also highlighted products used for flooding, drought, and heat safety, including a wet bulb globe temperature tool being developed with the Department of Public Health. In response to questions, he said counties interested in a station should contact his center, that a station typically costs about $50,000, and that the program is already considering a second Pike County site. The committee then heard from Ryan Drain of Blue Skies and Chris McGee of the American Red Cross on long-term disaster recovery and a software platform called Darcy, short for Disaster Aware and Ready Communities Initiative. McGee explained the Red Cross’s long-term recovery work, including support for recovery groups, direct financial assistance, grantmaking, and coordination with local and federal partners. He emphasized that disasters are occurring more frequently and with repeated impacts, and shared examples from Kentucky and other states showing the need for organized recovery and storm shelter support. Drain said Darcy was developed after the 2021 Mayfield-Graves tornado recovery to replace fragmented spreadsheets and PDFs with a centralized, survivor-led system for preparedness, response, and recovery, designed to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and shorten recovery time. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, relative to water grants we give for other communities, right, how does that usually work?
• This is a relatively modest request.
• This is a relatively modest request.
• </c> responsibility of a homeowner relative responsibility of a homeowner relative to<01:02:44.760><c
• </c> good news that actually the uh search good news that actually the uh search and<01:26:30.639><c>

Committee: Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Since she's a relative of a former Mystic girl, she'll be considered a mystic grandchild.
• And they search and search. It takes a while.
• and rescue person searching.
• That was clearly the job of search and rescue, and it was clearly not being done.
• The relatively short distances to all of those places of safety.

Committee: The July 2025 Flooding Events, General Investigating

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• at smaller populated areas of the state at a<00:03:58.159><c> disadvantage</c><00:03:58.799><c> relative
• </c><00:03:59.120><c> to</c><00:03:59.239><c> people</c><00:03:59.439><c> who</c> a disadvantage relative
• to people who a disadvantage relative to people who live<00:03:59.920><c> in</c><00:04:00.040><c> larger
• </c> forget about the fact that the search forget about the fact that the search for<00:57:39.280><c>
• </c><00:57:57.400><c> through</c> kind of do this searching through kind of do this searching through

Bills: HF1917, HF1083, HF367

Committee: Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: data practices, public official, transparency, government accountability, employment data, domestic abuse, domestic violence, battered women, victim advocate, advocacy, confidentiality, privilege, evidence law, witness privilege, court-ordered disclosure, shelter, crisis intervention, sexual assault counselor, victim services, protective services

Transcript Highlights:

• Capital assets: this is a relatively small line, and we use the capital assets line for our crime lab
• So we're relatively new, but we have been successful.
• Once we find that information, we cut a search warrant.
• We did a search of the place. We found one to two devices. We grabbed a couple of...
• So he searches, and he hits on that area.

Summary: The committee met as the Commerce and Legal Services Division and first approved the minutes, then received a Legislative Council overview of the Attorney General’s current budget status and a blue-sheet summary of the AG’s base budget for the next biennium. Staff highlighted compliance with legislative intent items, including FTE changes, one-time funding updates, litigation pool spending, opioid settlement receipts, and continuing appropriations. Members asked about specific funds such as the Missing Indigenous People Grant Fund and the Internet Crimes Investigation Fund, and staff explained the statutory basis and status of those items. The Attorney General’s office then presented an extensive overview of its divisions and budget pressures. Chief Deputy Attorney General Clare Ness described the office’s 14 divisions, the role of the office in defending the state and recouping funds, and concerns about attorney pay, recruitment, and retention. Members discussed whether attorney salaries should be benchmarked across state government and whether more legal work could be centralized in the AG’s office. The office also described challenges with the new-and-vacant FTE pool, operating expense cuts, leased office space, and the criminal justice information systems used to connect law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts. The Crime Laboratory director gave a detailed update on space and infrastructure problems, saying the current lab is overcrowded and outdated, with safety, workflow, air-handling, glycol leak, alarm, and maintenance issues that can delay casework and risk evidence integrity. She said a 2024 study projected a need for a much larger facility and that the preferred option would be a new building on the current health department site, at an estimated cost of roughly $40 million to $45 million. She also reported that backlogs have improved significantly in DNA, firearms, fingerprint, and drug cases, though toxicology had recently developed a small backlog after an air compressor failure. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, gaming division, and BCI also provided updates. MFCU’s new director said the unit is federally funded 75/25, focuses on fraud, abuse, and neglect, and is seeking two attorney hires while continuing to work with federal partners on cases and recertification. Gaming staff reported continued growth in charitable gaming and electronic pull-tab activity, with concerns about site competition, large trust balances, possible ineligible expenditures, and the need for more scrutiny as revenues have grown. BCI outlined its staffing, drug task forces, ICAC work, and the Missing Indigenous Person Task Force, which is using its $250,000 appropriation to help tribal nations develop emergency response plans and purchase alerting tools such as IPAWS. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• to the... ...challenges from the industry relative to the Commerce Clause and relative to the ability
• compared to an AI-enhanced search, an AI search will use something like 10 to 15 times more energy than
• The Northeast, relatively high.
• If you dig down into the... ...far ahead the highest, the Northeast, relatively high.
• It's relative to some other factors, right? Price of cars are going to continue to go up.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, established a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from Majority Leader Hogue and the chair about the committee’s charge. Members said the goal was to build a factual foundation on AI, hear from experts and stakeholders, and develop practical North Dakota-focused recommendations rather than simply produce a large volume of bills. Legislative Council also reviewed interim committee rules and procedures before the informational presentations began. Staff and NCSL presenters then gave overviews of AI concepts and the state and federal policy landscape. The background memo and presentations covered AI categories and terms, state laws in areas such as consumer protection, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, chatbots, children’s safety, health, education, and government use, as well as data center siting and economic impacts. NCSL described a growing number of AI bills introduced and enacted across the states, with comprehensive laws in places like Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois, and noted recurring issues around transparency, privacy, liability, and protections for minors. A major focus of the discussion was federal preemption and the tension between state regulation and national AI policy. NCSL said a recent White House executive order and related federal framework seek a light-touch, innovation-friendly national standard, with possible challenges to state laws and possible funding conditions tied to compliance, though no broad federal preemption has yet been enacted. Members asked about Commerce Clause concerns, industry pushback, oversight models, and whether AI policy is bipartisan; presenters said the issue cuts across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfake restrictions but more disagreement on broader regulatory approaches. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting, and the committee recessed briefly for technical issues during the second presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• To that end, unless any member of this body has a question relative to the resolved items, I would ask
• </c> law changed relatively recently. Mhm. law changed relatively recently. Mhm.
• >> If it's relatively brief, >> I'm happy to be as brief as you would like.
• >> If it's relatively brief, >> I'm happy to be as brief as you would like.
• ;&gt; If it's relatively brief, &gt;&gt; If it's relatively brief, &gt;&gt; I<00:55:36.400><c> I'm</c

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened by approving the September 5, 2025 minutes, with one member asking that future minutes use honorifics such as Mr. or Ms. The agenda was then adjusted so Police Standards and Training could present first. Director John Skipa reported on the 2019 performance audit, saying 12 of 16 findings were fully resolved and the remaining items were substantially or partially resolved. He highlighted work on a job task analysis to update curriculum and develop a more realistic physical aptitude test, including possible replacement of the long-used Cooper test and a shift away from mandatory baton training toward electronic weapons training. He said stakeholder work groups would meet in October and November, with a goal of completing the work by the first quarter of 2026. On the strategic planning and performance measurement finding, Skipa said the agency had relied on the 2019 audit and the LEAC report as guides while also implementing a digital records system. He acknowledged that a formal forward-looking strategic plan with the council had not yet been completed, but said he and the council chair wanted to do so, possibly through a retreat-style planning session. Members asked how many LEAC recommendations had been fully implemented; Skipa said he did not know the exact number but believed nearly all of the 22 items assigned to his agency were complete. On the administrative rules finding, he said a part-time former director had been brought back to help revise outdated rules, the council subcommittee had finished its work, and proposed changes would be sent to the full council, then to stakeholders and the public, with a public hearing expected and implementation targeted for 2026. For the Corrections Advisory Committee finding, Skipa said the committee had been reconvened in 2020 and 2021 but had limited usefulness because the statutorily named members were mostly high-level administrators rather than line supervisors or newer corrections staff. He said some positions later went unfilled because of budget and staffing issues, and the committee had not been called back, but he was open to either informal adjustments or possible legislative changes to make the committee more useful. Committee members suggested that the statute may need to be amended to allow more appropriate designees or supervisors to participate. After Police Standards and Training concluded, the committee moved on to the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, where the executive director said he would focus on the partially resolved items in the dental examiner audit and the National Path audit, noting that many changes were tied to recent statutory revisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• De Niva is searching for the bighorn sheep, continuing to search for the voices of California's first
• relative to Cinco de Mayo Week.
• Assembly Concurrent Resolution 159 by Assembly Member Kalra relative to indigent defense.
• Assembly Concurrent Resolution 179 by Assembly Member Flora, relative to wildland urban interface.
• House Resolution 101 by Assembly Member Alanis, relative to Star Wars Day.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...always guaranteed to walk with almost no sanction, or very little sanction relative to the crime
• your community, you might want to find a different profession if all it takes is a little bit of a search
• If you do a search... ...five kennels that they have on record. There's five in West Bridgewater.
• If you do a search in a third party or on a mom's group, there's probably 50.
• you can't—however, without having some sort of mechanism that explains to them that they need to search

Committee: Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The joint Audit Committee meeting focused on implementation of Ali’s Law, including MDAR’s progress on kennel regulations and municipal reporting. MDOT/MDAR officials said the department formed the required advisory committee, held trainings for animal control officers and municipal clerks, created a public information webpage, and completed draft regulations that are now under secretarial review. They reported that 269 of 351 municipalities had filed kennel counts, leaving 82 out of compliance, and said the reported statewide total was 1,408 licensed kennels, with an estimated 1,800 to 1,850 statewide. Committee members pressed the department on the pace of rulemaking, the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism for municipalities that fail to report, and the need for stronger accountability. The chair said he wanted to avoid a formal investigation if answers could be obtained, but urged MDAR to move quickly and to consider stronger public reporting and possible sanctions. He also asked about injury reporting and suggested that injury data should be sent to the state and tracked in a way that provides context, such as the number of animals in a facility. Representatives from animal welfare organizations and the advisory committee supported the law’s goals but emphasized that rollout should be fair to compliant businesses and that municipalities and ACOs need better training, resources, and standardized guidance. They backed a filed bill, House Bill 4849, which would give MDAR authority to fine municipalities that do not comply and would add more detailed reporting, including last inspection dates and injury reports. They also raised concerns about third-party advertising platforms that may list unlicensed kennels and argued that public education, consumer transparency, and stronger oversight are needed to prevent bad actors from operating.

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas, while too many families grieve and hope for their missing children, others are in search
• And whereas, while too many families grieve and hope for their missing children, others are in search
• </c> murdered indigenous relatives murdered indigenous relatives which<00:42:00.960><c> is</c><00:42:
• And I also I know I'm relatives office.
• /c><00:58:30.960><c> um</c><00:58:31.599><c> Colorado</c> quick search on what um Colorado quick search

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then another question: of those 30%, how many are permit-by-notification, and how many are relative
• </c><01:43:01.400><c> to</c> couple of um specific things relative to couple of um specific things relative
• </c> the governor's office is is searching the governor's office is is searching for<02:51:27.840><c>
• At that burn rate, relative to our balance, we expect to be negative in FY 27.
• You know, Vermont has a $6 per ton search charge that they have had for a really, really long time.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from the Department of Environmental Services on proposed changes in House Bill 2 and related technical changes in House Bill 1 tied to the governor’s permitting realignment initiative. The proposal would move environmental review staff from Fish and Game and DNCR to DES to create a more centralized “one-stop shop” for applicants needing DES permits, especially for wildlife and natural heritage reviews. DES said the goal is to speed permitting, support a 60-day review clock, and improve coordination among agencies while keeping the substantive review work in place. Members asked about staffing impacts, the scope of the transferred duties, and whether the change would create redundancy or weaken the other agencies. DES said most of the affected staff work primarily on these reviews, though Fish and Game staff also handle other state and federal reviews, which is why the proposal was adjusted to keep one of the four Fish and Game positions there and move three to DES, along with two positions from DNCR. DES also described a new supervisory position in HB 2 to manage the transferred staff within its land resources bureau. Officials said the reviews would still be done by specialists, but under DES supervision, and that the agencies would continue to coordinate recommendations on species impacts and mitigation. The committee also discussed fee increases intended to offset costs, including a 50% increase in wetlands fees and a 100% increase in alteration-of-terrain fees, with the department saying the changes would cover the new positions. Members raised concerns about impacts on private homeowners, possible incentives to work without permits, and whether fines should be used more as a revenue source or for mitigation. DES said wetlands permits are roughly split between homeowner-related and commercial projects, that permit-by-notification already creates a two-tier structure for smaller projects, and that enforcement relies partly on public complaints and online permitting systems. The department also said most fines currently go to the general fund and vary widely year to year, with about $75,000 budgeted, and that the proposal would also create permit-by-notification authority for alteration-of-terrain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet, mirroring language in Senate Bill 110. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• attorney present during the search.
• B5 specifies that, for purposes of certain requirements related to conducting searches of individuals
• Amendment B7 requires body cavity searches and strip searches to only be conducted by a medical professional
• The inmates that they can have a defense attorney present during this search.
• The inmates that they can have a defense attorney present during this search.

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee met on February 24 to executive a large docket of bills and one gubernatorial appointment. The committee first heard and then moved several bills in two packets. Topics included the Community Protection Program (SHB 1390), jail search policies for transgender and intersex individuals (EHB 1604), medically tailored meals (EHB 2211), limits on DSHS reviews of community residential service providers (SHB 2230), and a children and youth behavioral health coordination bill (2SHB 2429). Later, the committee also considered bills on foster care licensing and adult family homes (SHB 2505), DOC supervision of stalking convictions (HB 2510), inmate funds and indigency thresholds (SHB 2539), and transparency for residential habilitation centers (SHB 2350), along with the reappointment of Corey McNally to the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. Most of the debate centered on SHB 1390 and EHB 1604, where Senator Christian offered numerous amendments aimed at adding restrictions, notifications, assessments, and delays; most of those amendments failed on party-line votes. On SHB 1390, the committee adopted only a technical amendment updating agency names and references, then advanced the bill to Rules. On EHB 1604, all proposed amendments failed and the bill was sent to Rules. On EHB 2211, an amendment to add a competitive bidding credit for nonprofit and small-business meal vendors failed, and the bill advanced. SHB 2230 moved forward without amendment, and 2SHB 2429 was amended with a striking amendment and referred to Ways and Means because of its fiscal impact. In the second packet, SHB 2505 and HB 2510 were both moved out of committee without amendment. On SHB 2539, the committee rejected an amendment to lower the indigency threshold to $50, adopted an amendment allowing the threshold to be at least $100 and adjustable, and then advanced the bill as amended. On SHB 2350, the committee adopted a negotiated amendment requiring notices about residential habilitation center noncompliance to be emailed to relevant legislative committees, withdrew a second notice amendment, and passed the bill. The committee also voted to recommend confirmation of Corey McNally’s appointment to the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. Several bills were reported out subject to signatures, and the meeting adjourned after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:04.720><c> charges</c> $79 times the number of search charges $79 times the number of search
• And search charges on electric vehicles?
• ><c> search</c><00:25:49.279><c> charge</c><00:25:50.159><c> of</c> imposing a search charge of imposing
• It imposes a search charge motorcycles.
• </c><00:42:26.839><c> inexpensive,</c> can install for relatively inexpensive, can install for relatively

Committee: Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am relative to the use of air rifles for hunting game. Yikes.
• That’s the next one, which is relative to the use of air rifles for hunting game.
• Search and rescue funding for May will come to the department, yes, it will.
• There's an exemption put in for land... of search and rescue difficulties of uh of search and rescue
• </c><01:14:55.360><c> and</c> I don't have that Authority search and I don't have that Authority search

Committee: Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, if you search the headlines, you're not going to find problems in South Dakota for giving citizens
• Again,<00:10:46.880><c> if</c><00:10:47.000><c> you</c><00:10:47.120><c> search</c><00:10:47.400><c>
• the</c><00:10:47.480><c> headlines,</c> Again, if you search the headlines, Again, if you search the
• </c> things happen relatively quick. things happen relatively quick.
• And then as I think about searched.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard Chair Bliss present HF 13, a bill to change Minnesota self-defense law so that a person using reasonable force in resisting an offense against the person would not be required to consider retreat. Bliss tied the proposal to a recent Minnesota Supreme Court case involving a man at a light rail station and argued the court had effectively created a duty to retreat that the legislature had never enacted. He said the bill would codify the right to stand one’s ground while still leaving reasonableness to judges and juries. Supporters Bryan Gosh of the NRA and Rob Door of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus testified that Minnesota’s duty-to-retreat rules are confusing, judicially created, and out of step with other states. They argued the bill would clarify self-defense law and protect people who defend themselves or others, citing examples from other states and a Texas church shooting to argue that a retreat requirement can endanger victims and bystanders. Opponents Maggie Emery of Protect Minnesota, Sarah Erickson of Giffords, and Don Einwalter of Moms Demand Action argued the bill would function as a “shoot-first” law, increase homicides, worsen racial disparities, and make communities and law enforcement less safe. They cited studies linking stand-your-ground laws to higher homicide rates and pointed to incidents in Florida and Minnesota involving firearms and children. The committee also took up two amendments. Representative Hollins offered an amendment on safe and secure firearm storage, saying it was intended to reduce child access to guns and suicides; she requested a roll call. Chair Bliss opposed it, saying current law already covers negligent storage and that the amendment was too broad, including for a rural constituent who keeps a shotgun by his door. Representative Hudson and Representative Pinto argued over whether current law is sufficient and whether the amendment would remove needed flexibility. The transcript ends during discussion of the amendments, with no final vote or disposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a request to search the motor vehicle. a request to search the motor vehicle.
• But if it's a non-consensual search, a search warrant is required, subject to it meeting one of the search-warrant
• </c> merely expands it to home search. merely expands it to home search.
• </c> search of somebody's property? search of somebody's property?
• </c> with the intent to search, right? with the intent to search, right?

Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, relatively decentralized, and there's no way of sharing this information.
• So the following terms were<02:18:12.960><c> searched.
• They go through a number were searched.
• </c> similar articles would be to to search similar articles would be to to search on<02:22:53.680><c
• </c><02:37:45.680><c> of</c> so uh it it's funny uh a relative of so uh it it's funny uh a relative of

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met as a special House committee on COVID response efficacy, noted absences, and restated its mission to review New Hampshire’s pandemic response, including federal guidance, federal funds, emergency use authorization vaccination efforts, long COVID treatment, patient bill of rights implementation, and vaccination policies. The main business was discussion of a proposed letter or report language concerning current COVID vaccine recommendations for young children, especially those under age two, and how to support any conclusions with cited scientific and state sources. Representative Polozov argued that the committee should ask the governor or agencies to reconsider current recommendations, saying the committee should focus on whether vaccination is needed for that age group, whether it is effective, and whether the risks outweigh the benefits. He said he had distributed articles and wanted the committee to pair its conclusions with scientific and statistical data. Other members asked him to identify the specific New Hampshire DHHS and American Academy of Pediatrics sources for the recommendation, clarify the age range being discussed, and separate any evidence about adverse effects in other age groups from the infant/toddler demographic so the letter would be transparent and not misleading. Members generally agreed the letter should be carefully sourced and refined, with citations for each claim. The chair said the committee would treat the request as urgent and try to finalize a version by the next meeting, noting that some members would be traveling. The committee also discussed scheduling additional testimony in September and October, possibly with extra meetings, to continue gathering evidence and to hear from witnesses. The chair then began reviewing supporting articles, including studies he said were new since the 2024 report, and introduced a 2025 South Korea cohort study and another 2025 Italian cohort study as examples of the evidence he wanted to incorporate into an updated 2026 report.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they cannot do a partial search. They have to do a specific search.
• Correct, it's real-time search.
• </c> person to like approve the search. person to like approve the search.
• </c> official can run the search in SPRS. official can run the search in SPRS.
• </c> authorizes the search. authorizes the search. Further<00:27:49.039><c> questions?

Committee: Election Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And whether he indeed believes that or not is up to question relative to various statements that he's
• SB 99 adds to that list, requiring a court to search the National Crime Information Center system to
• Birth parents are being contacted through DNA testing and through search angels and aren't having an
• The search was conducted... Which is an indicator of a marijuana grow.
• The search was conducted lawfully.

Committee: Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if they've got these illegal cell phones, are we no longer searching their cells for contraband?
• I mean, how is it we miss that when we search their cells and their person?
• We still search, and over the last seven years or so, we've probably found about 6,500 cell phones.
• Is any, where are we relative to the situation in Charleston in the 3,000-bed stadium?
• Is any, where are we relative to the situation in Charleston in the 3,000-bed stadium?

Committee: JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee first filed a report on the executive protection detail and then reviewed a long list of House and Senate bills that were ready for action, with members instructed to hold any items they wanted removed. The committee then took up several agency requests to amend bills: the Auditor of State’s request for a $370 increase for special deputy expense allowance, the Administrative Office of the Courts’ requests for additional funding for court interpreters and substitute court reporters, and requests tied to local sales tax refunds, county property tax redistribution, emergency medical and law enforcement support, and Northwest Arkansas Community College tornado-related repairs. All of those amendments were adopted, and one amendment on House Bill 1034 was held over at Senator Johnson’s request. A major portion of the meeting focused on an amendment for the Department of Corrections to fund a pilot program using mobile technology to identify and disable illegal inmate cell phones at Varner and Cummins prisons. The bill sponsors and Corrections officials described the problem as a serious public safety issue, saying inmates use contraband phones for criminal activity, trafficking, scams, and outside coordination. Members asked about FCC rules, procurement, whether the system would jam or only identify phones, whether it would affect staff or nearby users, how quickly it would work, whether it would be a one-time or ongoing cost, and whether the department had existing budget authority. Officials said the proposal would require an RFP, that current funding was not available in the department’s budget, and that the technology would be a two-year pilot. The committee ultimately adopted the amendment and then gave the underlying bill a do-pass recommendation. The committee also considered an amendment for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, which sought a $4 million increase in appropriation authority. Senators discussed the division’s role in county extension offices, 4-H, research, and salary competitiveness, while others questioned why the division needed more appropriation room when it already had about $10 million in headroom and had requested a different funding level through higher education. Division representatives said the increase would help with salaries and provide flexibility for future funding, and Higher Education staff clarified the original request and recommendation amounts. After extensive discussion, the committee adopted the amendment and gave it a do-pass recommendation. Finally, the committee began acting on governor’s letters, adopting amendments for a homestead property tax credit increase, insurance department conference travel, property appraisal analysis support, career and technical education professional development, regulatory and casino gaming appropriations, a new program integrity line for the Department of Inspector General, consolidation of licensing board appropriations, deletion of a completed Fort Chaffee Readiness Center appropriation, and a revised reappropriation package for prison expansion that included special language limiting use of the funds. Members asked several questions about the prison reappropriation, including whether it still related to the earlier Calico Rock project and whether special language should be considered separately; the committee moved the governor’s letters forward for drafting and further action.