Transcript Highlights:

• They've locked in a site, and it takes away a bit of that competition in gamesmanship.
• We're not there as much as we are a locked facility.
• Is it locked? What does that mean? Whose authority is it currently? Whose authority should it be?

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've locked in a site, and it takes away a bit of that competition in gamesmanship.
• I think that's important too. [02:08:20] We're not there as much as we are a locked facility.
• Is it locked? What does that mean? Whose authority is it currently? Whose authority should it be?

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to continue its study of charitable gaming, especially the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations and the relationship between charities, site owners, and gaming manufacturers/distributors. Legislative Council reviewed the background memo and Attorney General’s Gaming Division explained the legal framework, including site authorizations, rent limits, allowable expenses, and restrictions on distributors and manufacturers. Members focused heavily on electronic pull tabs, asking about the large gap between gross proceeds and adjusted proceeds, how much is paid out in winnings, how much is retained for expenses, and whether the 60% allowable-expense cap is being used as intended. The AG’s office said e-tabs account for most gaming volume, that winnings make up much of the difference, and that some organizations do not use the full 60% while others may exceed it, though only the capped amount counts as gaming expense. The committee also discussed the number of gaming organizations that appear to own or be affiliated with bars, the ways those ownership structures are formed, and whether some arrangements may create conflicts or site-selection pressure. The League of Cities and the Association of Counties described the local site-authorization process and recent model policies adopted after the 2025 session. Cities said they can require signed agreements, limit games and machines, set qualifications, and charge up to $100 for site authorization, but cannot require charities to donate net proceeds or force a specific charity or site. They said the new policies are meant to add transparency and local control, though the more controversial parts involve requiring a local nexus or community connection. County representatives said the issue is mostly a city matter and that counties generally take a lighter-touch approach. Committee members raised concerns about whether local rules could unfairly exclude larger regional charities or create inconsistent standards across cities. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance said it supports the study and provided information on charities that own or are affiliated with bars, emphasizing that most gaming organizations do not own alcoholic beverage establishments. Its representative said some charities may pursue bar ownership for site stability and diversification, while others decide against it because operating a bar is difficult. He also said a ban on charity-owned bars could raise federal tax-law issues depending on how it is written, and agreed to provide more detail. The committee asked Legislative Council and the Gaming Alliance for additional information on ownership structures and federal-law questions before the next meeting. Later, the Racing Commission gave a separate update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and related charitable partnerships, and the State Hospital superintendent reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, staffing, and wait lists; no votes were taken on these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're locked out of the bond program altogether.
• They're locked out of the bond program altogether. AB 2316 will help to fix this inequity.
• It would make projects feasible for schools that would otherwise be locked out because the math doesn't

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee first heard two bills. AB 1665 by Assemblymember Pacheco would require school sports coaches to complete approved mental health training. Supporters said coaches are trusted adults who are often first to notice student-athlete distress, and a witness described personal experience with body image and disordered eating pressures in athletics. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved out of committee on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations, ultimately passing 9-0 after add-on votes. AB 2316 by Assemblymember Hoover would allow charter schools to apply for the same financial hardship relief in the state school facilities program that traditional districts can seek. Supporters argued this would improve parity and help smaller and low-income charter schools access permanent facilities; some initially opposed agencies said their concerns were addressed by amendments. The bill also passed unanimously, 9-0, to Appropriations. The committee then took up a consent calendar containing 12 additional measures, including bills on education funding, facilities, and other school-related matters, plus a resolution. Those items were approved on a 7-0 vote, with the roll left open for add-on votes. After the bill hearing portion was recessed and later reconvened, additional members added votes to AB 1665, AB 2316, and the consent calendar, bringing each to 9-0. The committee then held an informational hearing on state-level education governance, centered on Governor Newsom’s proposal to restructure the California Department of Education and the role of the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, with AB 2117 serving as a policy vehicle carrying the same language and no action to be taken. Testimony came from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Education Commission of the States, and former CDE chief deputy Richard Zager. Witnesses reviewed the history of California’s governance structure, compared it with other states, and discussed accountability, legislative oversight, and the role of the superintendent under the proposal. Committee members raised concerns about preserving checks and balances, the fiscal implementation plan, county-office relationships, and whether the superintendent’s role would be reduced too far; no vote was taken at the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're locked out of the bond program altogether.
• They're locked out of the bond program altogether. AB 2316 will help to fix this inequity.
• It would make projects feasible for schools that would otherwise be locked out because the math doesn't

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also requires that the cannabis be stored securely in a locked container in the patient's room, or
• cannabis in accordance with procedures governing medical waste, and for providing the secure and locked
• cannabis in accordance with procedures for governing medical waste and for providing the secure and locked

Bills: HB1069, HB2091, SB6355, HB2104, SB6003, HB2441, HB2124, HB2610, HB2338

Keywords: collective bargaining, retirement benefits, employee rights, public sector, supplemental benefits, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation, electric transmission, energy policies, infrastructure, regulatory framework, transmission systems, aviation, wildland fires, funding, disaster relief, emergency response

Transcript Highlights:

• The cannabis must be stored securely in a locked container in the patient's room, or a designated location
• cannabis in accordance with procedures for governing medical waste and for providing the secure and locked
• cannabis in accordance with procedures for governing medical waste and for providing the secure and locked

Summary: The committee took up executive action on the capital budget, Proposed Substitute Senate Bill 6003, and several policy bills. Staff described amendments to the capital budget that shifted funding among behavioral health, local/community projects, irrigation projects, and juvenile rehabilitation capacity, plus a technical fix to the water pollution control revolving program. The committee adopted Senator Dozier’s budget-neutral amendment and a technical amendment, then advanced the amended capital budget to the Rules Committee. It also moved House Bills 2441, 2124, 2471, 2133, 2610, and 2338 forward with due-pass recommendations, and advanced Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 on Climate Commitment Act accounts to the Transportation Committee after adopting two amendments and withdrawing three others. A major public hearing focused on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which would terminate and restate LEOFF Plan 1 in 2029, transfer surplus assets, and direct portions to the Climate Commitment Account and the pension funding stabilization account. Staff said the plan is currently about 160% funded and explained the bill’s IRS-review process, statute of limitations, and estimated implementation costs. Testimony was sharply divided: some retirees, firefighters, counties, and cities opposed the bill as an improper use of pension assets and urged benefit enhancements or protection of local medical obligations, while others supported using the surplus for broader public purposes. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard House Bill 2179 on PERS coverage for certain port workers, with ports and the Washington Public Ports Association supporting clarification for railroad employees covered by the federal railroad retirement system. House Bill 1069, allowing Department of Corrections employees to bargain over supplemental retirement benefits, drew support from Teamsters and corrections workers, while House Bill 2091, expanding employee-information sharing with bargaining representatives, drew union support and privacy objections from Washington Policy Center. Finally, Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1210 on targeted urban area tax preferences drew support from labor, local governments, and project proponents, and opposition from contractor groups and environmental advocates over project labor agreement requirements and nuclear-related concerns; Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 on community preservation and development authorities and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974 on land bank authorities for affordable housing were also heard, with both receiving supportive testimony from community and housing advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they go, 'Well, look, there's a lock on the port.'
• Well, they go, 'Well, look, there's a lock on the port.' Oh, a lock on the port. All right.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2348, which would appropriate state funds for Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs training-center needs, including Wi-Fi for reserve units at joint facilities, a reimbursement program for service members using personal computers, lodging and kind for drill weekends, and HVAC upgrades and maintenance. Two amendments were considered: the Marquez Amendment, which filled in dollar amounts for each purpose, failed; and the Gillette Amendment, which added national-security restrictions on networking equipment, removed the reimbursement and lodging provisions from the underlying bill, and adjusted the funding language, passed. The sponsor and several military witnesses testified that reserve and Guard members at places like Buckeye lack Wi-Fi, adequate HVAC, and lodging, forcing soldiers to use public libraries, personal devices, or sleep in cars or on armory floors. After debate over whether the state should fund needs tied to federal reserve units and how the money would be sourced, the committee recommended HB 2348 as amended by a 4-3 vote. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2016, a ballot referral that would cap precinct size at 2,500 registered voters and eliminate county authority to use vote centers, emergency voting centers, and certain on-site early voting options. The sponsor said the measure was intended to restore precinct-based voting and reflect voter preference, noting the change from an earlier 1,000-voter cap to 2,500 after feedback from county officials. County and advocacy witnesses opposed the resolution, arguing that vote centers provide flexibility, are often more cost-effective, and are necessary in rural counties and large counties like Maricopa; they also said precinct voting would require many more locations, staff, and equipment, and could force some counties into central-count tabulation. Supporters argued precinct voting improves voter confidence and access. The committee approved HCR 2016 for the ballot by a 4-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2165, which exempts veterans from Arizona State Parks admission fees, and adopted the Marquez Amendment to extend the exemption to active military, National Guard, and reserve members and to broaden acceptable identification. Arizona State Parks testified in a neutral position, saying the agency is self-funded through user fees and already offers discounts to active duty, veterans, and disabled veterans, but warned that expanding free admission could affect park revenue and rural economies. The bill discussion ended with the amendment adopted and the measure moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• She said that during an emergency lockdown, no one is allowed to enter classrooms because they are locked
• Gutierrez said that in an emergency and lockdown, no one is allowed to enter classrooms because they are locked
• there is an emergency and a lockdown, there are no people allowed to enter classrooms because they're locked

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:10:58.680><c> um</c><00:10:58.839><c> really</c><00:10:59.360><c> land</c><00:11:00.320><c> locked
• </c><00:11:01.320><c> so</c> school that is um really land locked so school that is um really land locked

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• events where we would be one of those events where we would<00:10:26.800><c> all</c><00:10:27.000><c> lock
• 27.880><c> say</c><00:10:28.120><c> we</c><00:10:28.279><c> have</c><00:10:28.399><c> to</c> would all lock
• arms and say we have to would all lock arms and say we have to fix<00:10:28.880><c> this</c><00:10:29.399

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, she was smart and she said, "I'm going to call the insurance company and see what's happening."
• It is a smart investment.
• <c> It</c><00:48:49.160><c> it</c><00:48:49.480><c> is</c><00:48:49.960><c> a</c><00:48:50.040><c> smart
• It it is a smart certainly savings.
• It it is a smart investment.<00:48:51.000><c> It</c><00:48:51.120><c> does</c> investment.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so all these people around us really make us look smart.
• And so all these people around us really make us look smart.
• these people around us really make us these people around us really make us look<00:18:46.960><c> smart
• :48.480><c> I</c><00:18:48.720><c> just</c><00:18:48.880><c> want</c><00:18:48.960><c> to</c> look smart
• And so um I just want to look smart.

Bills: SF1750, HF4250, HF3938, HF3904, HF3642

Keywords: common interest community, CIC, homeowners association, HOA, condominium, planned community, cooperative, unit owner, association board, declarant, declarant control, special declarant rights, assessment lien, foreclosure, late fees, fines, attorney fees, resale disclosure, annual report, maintenance plan

Transcript Highlights:

• affordable rental housing has ever been compared to single-family home ownership, and so renting is the smart
• /c><00:51:23.880><c> renting</c><00:51:24.280><c> is</c><00:51:24.440><c> the</c><00:51:24.599><c> smart
• </c> ownership and so uh renting is the smart ownership and so uh renting is the smart choice<00:51:25.440
• together and said, you know, on some of these issues in the economic development space, it would be smart

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a smart, effective step to protect public health. ...and retailers.
• It's a smart, effective step to protect public health.
• The bill also makes other smart updates, like allowing experience faculty to serve on the state board

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health heard testimony on a wide range of bills focused on children’s health, tobacco control, newborn screening, pediatric cancer, palliative care, and professional licensure. Early testimony highlighted Senate bills to expand newborn screening for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, lysosomal storage disorders, and congenital CMV, with families and clinicians describing severe diagnostic delays, missed treatment windows, and the benefits of early detection. Speakers also supported a bill to improve pediatric cancer research through a dedicated trust fund, and a bill to extend pediatric palliative care services to age 22, with parents and providers emphasizing continuity of care for seriously ill young people. Several witnesses gave personal accounts in support of the newborn screening measures. Families described children who endured years of misdiagnosis before receiving diagnoses such as Gaucher disease, Fabry disease, Pompe disease, Niemann-Pick disease, and CMV, often after irreversible damage had already occurred. Medical and advocacy witnesses said Massachusetts already collects some of the relevant screening data and argued that results should be reported to families, while others urged the committee to add conditions to the state panel because effective treatments already exist. The committee also heard support for a bill to establish a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder program and training for providers. On tobacco and youth health, testimony supported bills to ban internet tobacco sales, strengthen youth protections, and reduce lung cancer deaths through point-of-sale information and quit-line access. A student testified about easily purchasing flavored nicotine products online without meaningful age verification, and public health advocates backed measures to keep tobacco out of children’s environments. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to ensure parents have access to their children’s medical records through age 16, with exceptions for sensitive services already protected by law. The committee additionally took testimony on an optometry licensure bill, where ophthalmologists opposed language they said could broaden scope of practice and allow optometrists to use the title “optometric physician,” while optometry educators and students supported the bill as a modernization measure with no scope expansion. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair repeatedly reminded speakers of time limits and noted that written testimony could be submitted for additional comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• year in, year out in order to help continue to show what that growth trajectory looks like, make good smart
• For instance, our smart thermostat program helps residential customers save money, and I'm happy to say
• voting for—but those that are filed by others, and it is a daunting challenge and I have some very smart

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're smart people, but, you know, sometimes it's just real simple: is it right or is it wrong?
• opposition, not wishing to speak: Jasmine Brown, GNO; Adam Knapp, Leaders for a Better Louisiana; Thomas Smart
• , Tommy Smart with LOGA; Brian Hanks with Lobby; Neil Abramson with Capture Point; Pat Robinson with

Summary: The House Natural Resources Committee met on House Bill 7 by Speaker Pro Tem Johnson, the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act, which would remove eminent domain authority for carbon capture and geological sequestration projects. After housekeeping and roll call, the committee adopted a set of technical amendments that cleaned up definitions, removed a stray statutory reference, and changed “commissioner” to “secretary.” The author then gave an extended presentation arguing the bill was needed to align Louisiana law with the state constitution’s property-rights protections and recent court rulings, and to ensure carbon capture projects proceed only through voluntary agreements rather than forced takings. Several members questioned the author and supportive witnesses about whether the bill would stop carbon capture, affect oil and gas pipelines, or disrupt investment. The author and supporters said it would not stop projects, only prevent taking land without consent, and argued that landowners—especially small and rural owners—should not face the threat of expropriation. Supportive testimony also emphasized family land, inheritance, and constitutional limits on takings. Some members raised concerns about changing the rules after prior legislative action and about the economic importance of carbon capture, but the author responded that the legislature had made a mistake in 2020 and should correct it now. Opposition testimony came from representatives of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, the Louisiana Chemistry Association, and attorneys who handle right-of-way matters. They argued that eminent domain is a rare last resort, that existing law and the Landowner Bill of Rights already protect owners, and that the Constitution’s provisions for private-entity expropriation are different from the provisions discussed by the bill’s supporters. They warned that removing the tool for carbon capture would chill investment, threaten jobs and revenue, and could spill over into other energy infrastructure. The committee did not reach a final vote on the bill in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're smart people, but, you know, sometimes it's just real simple: is it right or is it wrong?
• Jasmine Brown, GNO, Adam Knapp, Leaders of a Better Louisiana, Thomas Smart, Tommy Smart with LOGA, Brian

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a lot of really smart folks working on this right now, but it is something that investors certainly
• We need to make smart ones. I and the NEI do support recycling.
• Storage forever is not smart.

Summary: The committee met to hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear economics, workforce, community impacts, and financing. Nucleon Energy’s William Bridge presented a report estimating the economic impacts of hypothetical 200-megawatt and 600-megawatt SMRs, including construction and operating jobs, local spending, tax revenue, and the private-sector conditions needed to attract investment. He said the report used nth-of-a-kind cost assumptions, discussed security and water siting considerations, and argued that early community engagement and permitting work should be timed to when projects are closer to being economic. Committee members questioned cost assumptions, security staffing, transmission and water siting, and whether large reactors or SMRs are more likely to be financed in the near term. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning. She described declining labor-force demographics, the need for hundreds of thousands of new energy workers by 2050, and six workforce priorities: career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and non-traditional pipelines. She highlighted the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, robotics, and when training should begin relative to future plant construction; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers broadly and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. Red Wing, Minnesota Mayor Gary Yako described hosting the Prairie Island nuclear generating facility. He said the plant provides a large share of the city’s property tax base, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to local emergency preparedness, and is a strong community partner through donations and employee involvement. He said the city supports relicensing, has regular emergency drills, and has had no issues with dry cask storage. The committee also heard from NEI’s Benton Arnett, who reviewed the current financing landscape, including federal tax credits, DOE loan authority, offtake agreements, and the shift toward project developers and special-purpose vehicles. He said early projects face high first-of-a-kind costs, but federal support and long-term power purchase agreements are helping make projects financeable. Finally, DOE’s Julie Kazeraki described the Office of Energy Dominance Financing and its role in supporting new nuclear, restarts, uprates, and supply chain investments, emphasizing that federal loan and tax-credit tools are intended to reduce upfront risk and improve project affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• considered ourselves to be tech savvy, and our children grew up in a house full of gadgets, video games, smart
• Meta has hosted Screen Smart events in California. Meta has hosted Screen Smart events.

Summary: The hearing focused on online safety controls and whether parental controls are sufficient to protect children on social media and other digital platforms. The chair and several members framed the issue as a child safety and public health problem, not just a technology issue, and said the goal was to understand what parental controls do, where they fail, and what policy solutions might be needed. Opening remarks also emphasized that California should lead on safer online spaces for children. Victoria and Paul Hinks gave emotional testimony about the death of their daughter, Alexandra, saying that despite using screen time limits, content filters, app restrictions, and other parental controls, their daughter was still exposed to harmful content and found ways around the settings. Researchers and advocates from Stanford, Children Now, and other organizations said parents face major challenges because digital parenting is complicated, platforms and apps change constantly, children can bypass controls, and many tools are costly or inaccessible. They argued that parental controls are often incomplete, hard to use, and not enough on their own to prevent harms such as cyberbullying, self-harm content, eating disorder content, and exploitation. Witnesses also discussed broader risks in digital spaces, including mental health harms, addiction, fentanyl-related contact through social media, and concerns about AI chatbots. Several speakers said safety should be built into products from the start, with stronger age assurance, clearer reporting systems, independent standards, and corporate accountability. Members asked about what “safe” means, whether other countries’ restrictions are effective, and which features are most harmful. There was broad agreement that no single tool is enough and that multiple layers of protection are needed. The final panel featured representatives from Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Roblox, who described their companies’ teen safety features and parental tools. They pointed to default protections for minors, content limits, bedtime and screen-time tools, age assurance efforts, and new parent notifications for certain self-harm searches. They also supported legislation on age assurance and app-store parental approval. Members pressed the companies on whether their tools are truly effective, and several witnesses acknowledged that current systems still have gaps and that more work is needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• considered ourselves to be tech savvy, and our children grew up in a house full of gadgets, video games, smart
• considered ourselves to be tech savvy, and our children grew up in a house full of gadgets, video games, smart
• Meta has hosted Screen Smart events in California. In California, I hosted one in San Francisco.

Keywords: 988, house, all