Transcript Highlights:

• These were unspent bond proceeds reported as restricted investments.
• All bond proceeds were invested in CDs when the bond was issued at BND, and this was for the construction
• for bonds, all that gets used for debt service relief.
• Is there a national database? So we use the state procurement office.
• Is there a national database? So we use the state procurement office.

Summary: The committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with the statewide Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and OMB reported a clean, unmodified opinion for the state, with strong financial results including a $40.6 billion net position, $30.99 billion in assets, $1.81 billion in liabilities, and continued Legacy Fund growth. OMB also explained the new GASB 101 compensated-absences reporting change and discussed pension-liability fluctuations tied to discount-rate assumptions and investment performance. Members asked about how the state compares to others and about the effect of short-term commodity price swings, and OMB said the report reflects actual fiscal-year results rather than forecasts. The committee then heard the University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund revenue, insufficient monitoring of service organizations at CTS, NDSU, and UND, improper bank reconciliations at Dakota College of Bottineau, Dickinson State, and Williston State, and investment/cash reconciliation problems at Bismarck State College related to bond proceeds. University officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations. Members raised questions about NDSU’s use of certificates of deposit, and university staff explained that CDs are used to earn interest on funds being accumulated for future projects. Several other audits were presented, most with clean opinions and no findings, including the State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Notable exceptions included a State Fair Association audit with an adverse opinion on the foundation component unit because its financial statements were not available for audit, and a Securities Department performance audit finding that performance-based pay increases and bonuses were issued without required evaluations. The committee also discussed the State Auditor’s future needs, including more staff capacity, data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, possible subpoena authority, independent legal counsel, and whether some audits—such as the Ethics Commission and State Fair—should be handled by independent third parties or under different statutory arrangements.

Transcript Highlights:

• THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR BOND IN THIS BILL.
• IF AN INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT ON THE DATABASE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE RIGHTS HAVE
• BETWEEN COMMITTEES AND WITHIN OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR A MILLION-DOLLAR BOND
• THEN SENATOR GRALL DID RESEARCH ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO OBTAIN A MILLION-DOLLAR BOND IN AN
• YOU COULD SAY A MILLION-DOLLAR BOND COST AS LITTLE AS $10,000 BUT THAT'S IF MR.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Perez, which strengthened employee screening requirements and established a statewide misconduct database
• All public schools must provide a 50% local match to access state bond funds.
• In most cases, school districts can raise local funds for their match through local bonds or developer
• Charter schools can't raise local bond funding.
• They're excluded from local bond funds in most cases.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> I think you focus on that that bond process and the performance on process, sometimes we see.
• But bonds, which by the very nature I structured procurement, would serve the same purpose.
• You know, when you talk about the risk associated with performance bonds and and and the big bond process
• approaching appropriate bonding amount.
• Management database park, higher level of maturity. That's where I'd like to get.

Transcript Highlights:

• So first, FY27, our bonding capacity has increased.
• So, sometimes we interject bond and mill levies.
• So, sometimes we interject bond and mill levies.
• So, for example, we in November 2025, we passed the voters approved 350 million of bonds worth of bonding
• So, the 350 million for example, the first bond sale for that is we're going to do this in bonds, four

Transcript Highlights:

• I was triangulating from one set of information to another, going through financial databases and the
• OptumHealth that sent nurses and nurse practitioners a current database of nursing homes, so they would
• CMS databases on nursing homes, where you find the rankings of nursing homes and the like.
• So now, as of 2023, we have a database where we test the products and post the results.
• infants and support parents' ability to continuously care for and interact with their child, enhance bonding

Bills: HF2779, HF1645, HF1885, HF1289, HF1534, HF2707, HF1675, HF3046

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The state was funded by a county bond issue.
• My last question is just: when we report or when we collect, do we run through what database?
• So if someone is decertified, what database does that go into, and then is that a national database?
• deep certified, what database does that go into, and then that is a national database?
• What is that database and how does it work? That's correct.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its sixth public hearing on the Governor’s H-2 budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, focused on public safety and judiciary agencies, at the Foxborough Community Center. After opening remarks and local welcomes, the committee heard first from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, led by Secretary Gina Kwan, who outlined a $1.72 billion budget, up $69.8 million from FY26. She said the proposal emphasizes core operations, readiness, and partnerships with municipalities, and highlighted work on firearms-law implementation, State Police reform, DOC reentry efforts, hate-crimes prevention, emergency response, and planning for major events including the World Cup. Members also raised concerns about DNA backlog reporting, State Police academy boxing and training standards, ICE communication, disaster relief funding, crime lab staffing, EMS placement, and diversity in public safety leadership. Several exchanges focused on specific operational issues. Secretary Kwan and her team said the State Police are tracking the influx of forensic work from local sheriffs, that the boxing program remains suspended pending an IACP review and likely will not return in its prior form, and that EOPS has no direct communication with ICE but supports law-enforcement coordination where appropriate. On disaster preparedness, officials said the new disaster relief fund is being developed with MEMA and A&F, currently capitalized at $14 million with another $14 million expected, though members urged a more permanent funding source. On the crime lab, staff said the roughly $4.5 million increase is intended to cover core operations and a structural funding gap rather than expand services. The secretary also said EOPS is not ready to absorb OEMS from DPH at this time, though she would keep an open mind. The committee then heard from district attorneys, led by Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden, who said the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association is seeking a 10% increase in operating budgets, including about $16.7 million for staffing salaries, to recruit and retain prosecutors, advocates, and support staff. He said the request reflects rising workload and the need to keep the criminal justice system functioning efficiently and fairly. The hearing was recessed briefly after the district attorneys’ opening remarks, with additional testimony expected to continue afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill prohibits political subdivisions from using public funds to pay back bail bonds.
• SB 843 by Colcourt, relating to an education agency database of school district bonds, taxes, and bond-related
• Senate Bill 843 creates transparency for bonds.
• They can pay back the bonds that they have at that $100,000.
• If you raise this to $140,000, they say they're going to be unable to pay back those bonds.

Bills: SB4, SB23, SB3, SJR2, SJR85, SB34, SB60, SB75, SB706, SB1814, SB1220, SB523, SB565, SB1253, SB840, SB764, SB2383, SB2155, SB1535, SB1405, SB1423, SB1566, SB1804, SB1728, SB1816, SB1952, SB1948, SB2037, SB2068, SB1455, SB213, SB243, SB627, SB646, SB670, SB896, SB917, SB1184, SB971, SB1255, SB1261, SB1283, SB1358, SB991, SB1733, SB21, SB231, SB739, SB1252, SB1371, SB664, SB40, SB9, SJR1, SB687, SB1332, SB458, SB482, SB927, SB984, SB651, SB1620, SB2124, SB2448, SB841, SB843, SB402, SB2662, SB2053, SB2332, SB2112, SB745, SB1247, SB1789, SB27, SB207, SB2938, SB1901, SB1227, SB1248, SB912, SB1321, SB2143, SB2145, SB1497, SB1239, SB2180, SB1388, SB1662, SB1951, SB1537, SB493, SB378, SB1020, SB1018, SB992, SB958, SB920, SB1350, SB1762, SB552, HCR109, SB2185, SB4, SB23, SB3, SJR2, SJR85, SB34, SB60, SB75, SB706, SB1814, SB1220, SB523, SB565, SB1253, SB840, SB764, SB2383, SB2155, SB1535, SB1405, SB1423, SB1566, SB1804, SB1728, SB1816, SB1952, SB1948, SB2037, SB2068, SB1455, SB213, SB243, SB627, SB646, SB670, SB896, SB917, SB1184, SB971, SB1255, SB1261, SB1283, SB1358, SB991, SB1733, SB21, SB231, SB739, SB1252, SB1371, HB2970, HB 109, SB2308

Keywords: property tax, homestead exemption, school funding, state aid, constitutional amendment, elderly, disabled, ad valorem taxation, school district funding, SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• , 16, tax increment obligations, bonds, 16, tax increment obligations, bonds, warrants,<03:42:21.439
• > other Bonds, warrants, notes, or other Bonds, warrants, notes, or other evidences<04:09:17.920
• centralized grant management database centralized grant management database within<04:28:27.680>
• , and any barriers to administration of the database identified by the department.
• Management Database is established Management Database is established within<04:31:24.000> the

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The meeting included a Senate recognition ceremony honoring the Winona High School boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Alabama High School Athletic Association 5A state championship. A resolution was read commending the team for its 101-40 victory over Silicag, noting the team’s record-setting performance, Brendan Davis’s MVP honor, the contributions of other players, and Coach Cedric Lane’s leadership. Senators and the lieutenant governor praised the players’ sportsmanship, the school community, and the team’s historic season, and copies of the resolution were presented to the team, coaches, and administrators. Several guests and school representatives also spoke briefly, including the coach and principal, who thanked the Senate and noted the team’s success and the principal’s retirement after 35 years. After the recognition, the Senate returned to session and adopted the Committee on Rules report setting the special order calendar. The calendar included Senate Bill 99 on the Ten Commandments, Senate Bill 298 on Class 3 municipalities, House Bill 381 on camp safety, Senate Bill 370 on tax increment districts, Senate Bill 363 on the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, House Bill 466 on firefighters, House Bill 95 on elections, House Bill 259 on stablecoin, and Senate Bill 342 on education. The chamber then took up SB 99, sponsored by Senators Kelly and Sessions. Senator Kelly described the bill as requiring local school boards to display the Ten Commandments, together with founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Alabama Constitution preamble, in certain history classrooms and common areas for grades five through 12, using donated displays and funds when available. He said the bill was intended as a historical and educational measure, not religious instruction, and emphasized the inclusion of a disclaimer stating Alabama is not establishing a religion. After extended debate and a petition to close debate from the Rules Committee, the Senate voted on the bill by long roll and passed SB 99, with the recorded vote announced as 30 yeas and 4 nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE BOND MAY BE WAIVED IF IT WOULD IMPOSE AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE RESOURCES OF
• IF THEY DO THE WAIVER IS REVOKED AND THE BOND BECOMES DUE IMMEDIATELY.
• IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCE THE AMENDMENT PROHIBITS PETITIONS FROM BEING VALIDATED UNTIL THE BOND IS POSTED
• HOW MUCH MONEY DOES ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO PUT DOWN TO GET $1 MILLION BOND?
• THE ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE BETWEEN ONE PERCENT AND 10 PERCENT AS A TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE BOND.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:26:41.920> because the publicly searchable database because the publicly searchable database
• We don't have money to do the publicly searchable database so that everyone can see.
• charged how are we going to know if Bond charged how are we going to know if Bond bonding<01:30:
• to do the publicly searchable database to do the publicly searchable database so<01:31:24.320>
• <01:31:45.000> anyone publicly searchable database anyone publicly searchable database anyone

Bills: HF1082, HF1042, HF1295, HF1686, HF1998, HF1775, HF1163

Keywords: public safety, law enforcement, mental health, domestic violence, appropriations, criminal justice, Minnesota corrections, victim services, task force, personal safety, Independent Use of Force Investigations Unit, criminal sexual conduct, sexual assault, peace officers, law enforcement oversight, Minnesota National Guard, U.S. armed forces, military installation, armory, air base

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 276 by Senator Myers is an act in Title 22 relative to the appointment of a bail bond producer
• Code of Civil Procedure relative to documents filed in court, to provide for the filing of a jury bond
• compensation medical reimbursement system by creating an all workers' compensation medical claims database
• requires that a sheriff transferring an inmate notify the prosecuting DA and the court that set the bond
• I see no questions. ...executing DA and the court that set the bond. I see no questions.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the cards and can keep coming at the voters until they relent, just like they did to me. ...do for bond
• The only recourse they have is, "I didn't get it," but they'll tell you that their record database says
• Their database will say that we did this, this, and this.
• The mail service carrier will actually have proof of that on their database.
• RMAs to backstop loans for bonds for local government road projects, both toll and non-toll, may sound

Bills: HB1589, HB2208, HB2297, HB2560, HB2725, HB3080, HB4417, HB4473, HB4520, HB4662, HB4888, HB4905, HB4906

Keywords: HB 1589, toll road, toll project, toll project entity, voter approval, local control, county election, commissioners court, Transportation Code, Chapter 372, road construction, highway funding, infrastructure, public referendum, ballot measure, transportation policy, Texas toll roads, regional mobility, toll collection, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• SF 4745 seeks to simplify and modernize prevailing wage reporting by utilizing a centralized database
• October of 2027 for the Department of Administration to develop the payroll reporting portal and database
• date, local units of government and project owners may opt in to participation in the portal and database
• know, that can be through a bonding know, that can be through a bonding bill, bill, bill, that<00
• It's just I seeing that the actual<00:54:17.840> database actual database actual database would

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we also house Florida's DNA database, and the state of Florida has the second-largest DNA database
• If we were talking about some of the database on the sex offender database, it grows by 3% every year
• Salaries increase for correctional officers, we have the third lowest recidivism, second-largest database
• try to hold them in secure detention, awaiting a trial, or whether they can be safely released on bond
• It's because perhaps we let something get past us and we let somebody out on bond where we didn't, couldn't

Summary: The Justice Budget Subcommittee met for an introductory overview of the justice budget and the major agencies within it. Chair Maney explained that the committee would hear broad presentations rather than detailed budget questions, and the first panel included the Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Corrections, Commission on Offender Review, Department of Law Enforcement, Office of the State Courts Administrator, and the Attorney General’s Office. Each agency described its mission, staffing, budget, and major responsibilities, with repeated emphasis on public safety, rehabilitation, staffing shortages, technology needs, and the importance of mental health services and education in reducing recidivism. Secretary Hall described DJJ’s prevention-to-aftercare continuum, including civil citation, detention, probation, and residential commitment programs, and highlighted reductions in juvenile arrests and commitments. Secretary Dixon said DOC’s biggest issues are staffing, overtime, and inflation, while noting progress in education, reentry, and a low recidivism rate. FDLE Commissioner Glass outlined the agency’s investigative, forensic, intelligence, and protective functions, including work on fentanyl enforcement and crime reporting systems. The State Courts Administrator emphasized the judiciary’s constitutional role, case volume, and challenges in providing interpreters, experts, and technology support. Chief Deputy Attorney General Guard described the office’s litigation, criminal appeals, consumer protection, and opioid recovery work, especially defending state laws and recovering opioid settlement funds. Members then asked questions about prison conditions, immigration enforcement, court filing fees, crime reporting, staffing ratios, and transnational gangs. Agency leaders responded that they were not aware of ICE contracts in some cases, that FDLE works with immigration authorities and detention facilities under existing authority, and that filing fees are a legislative policy decision. The committee also heard from the Justice Administrative Commission, prosecutors, public defenders, guardian ad litem, regional conflict counsel, and capital collateral regional counsel, who focused on indigent representation, dependency and death penalty cases, and persistent staffing and retention problems. No votes were taken, and the meeting concluded after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• These were unspent bond proceeds reported as restricted investments.
• All bond proceeds were invested in CDs when the bond was issued at BND, and this was for the construction
• I see they have $2.46 billion in bonds outstanding.
• to in regards to the bonds, when we talk about the receivables for bonds, all that gets used for debt
• How can you keep the operation going without maintaining a database?

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for appropriations to reimburse Montgomery County for administrative fees, including some of their bond
• whether it's an MOU between the mental health facility and the state to help, you know, offset cost of bonds
• And this would be a, a database system that would let them connect with where there are providers available
• CEMA was, uh, this, the legislation for this program, for this uh database was passed last session.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, at one time, we used to have bond issues. ...bonds for 33 years, and we used to have Kyuss
• and Company do our bond.
• I never went to New York to sell the bonds, but they would take you to New York and have all this thing
• good for the cities and the municipalities when we can get this kind of interest rate and not have bond
• Do you report that to a centralized water repository database of any kind?

Transcript Highlights:

• DSU Woods Hall and Ag and Tech Building, again, using revenue bonds for those projects at $12.5 million
• The bond issue, we agreed there, authorizes the issuance of revenue bonds for NDSU, Minot, and Dickinson
• New bonds for NDSU, Minot, and Dickinson.
• Emergency clauses in there for capital projects, bonding, and land sale.
• this language that says it provides legislative intent to provide $50 million from state funds or bonds

Bills: SB2003

Keywords: higher education, student loans, scholarships, capital projects, workforce development, funding, North Dakota university system, 908, all

Summary: The committee met to work through the higher education budget, beginning with a conflict-of-interest request from Representative Martinson, who was excused from voting because of a partnership that leases office space to Bismarck State College. Members then reviewed the higher education institution budget sheets, covering ongoing and one-time funding items for campuses and system projects such as BSC housing, Lake Region roof repairs, UND’s STEM and National Security Crossroads projects, the UND allied health facility, NDSU projects including New Horizons, DSU deferred maintenance and campus security, Mayville’s Old Main, Minot projects, and the regional health institutes. Members also discussed student financial assistance, the professional student exchange program, IT security funding, and workforce/education innovation grants. Several amendments and policy questions were debated. The committee adopted an amendment to make workforce education innovation grants competitive rather than automatically distributed, and then voted to remove language prohibiting those funds from being used to duplicate academic programs. Members also removed similar anti-duplication language from the New Horizons section. They agreed to extend the UND hyperbaric chamber transfer authority to 2027 and clarified language around UND land-sale proceeds. A proposed amendment to add $5.6 million for the Wahpeton State School of Science building purchase failed for lack of a second, and a proposal to restore fetal alcohol spectrum disorder funding to UND was left for conference. The committee also discussed, but did not add, a tuition cap change, a study on the Praxis exam, and several governance-related provisions. The committee spent significant time on broader higher education policy items, including a $3 million enterprise resource planning request for the university system, a $2 million grant program for students who are pregnant, recently gave birth, or are caring for young children, and a $1.1 million request for library age-verification software tied to the Odin system. Members also discussed dual-credit authority for UND and NDSU, a goal for the UND medical school to increase North Dakota resident enrollment, and intent language regarding the commissioner/chancellor model and presidential search authority. At the end of the meeting, the committee approved the amendments and then gave the higher education budget a do-pass recommendation as amended, with Representative Sanford designated as the carrier. The Forest Service budget was also approved, including two additional FTEs, and the committee adjourned after noting it would continue with other budgets the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• A similar proposal was filed in the environmental bond bill as well.
• It directs the Commissioner of Insurance to create a publicly accessible database of certificates of
• That database would show the name of the insured, the insurer, and the expiration date of the policy.
• In addition to 12 weeks of leave for bonding, PFML offers up to 14 weeks of medical leave.
• with her, something the PFML program explicitly supports by granting up to 12 weeks of bonding leave

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing with about 43 witnesses and a 1:00 p.m. hard stop, and the chair repeatedly asked speakers to keep testimony to three minutes. Much of the hearing focused on S. 747/H. 1336, which would extend paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance to graduate student workers. Supporters included legislators, union leaders, graduate workers from MIT, Harvard, BU, WPI, UMass Lowell, and others, and legal advocates. They argued graduate workers perform full-time teaching and research work, pay taxes, and should not be excluded from basic safety-net benefits; several witnesses described personal hardships involving childbirth, serious illness, mental health crises, funding cuts, or fear of losing income. Testifiers also said the change would be revenue-neutral or revenue-generating and would not create major administrative burdens for universities, which already provide similar benefits to other employees. The committee also heard testimony on insurance-related bills. Christopher Stock of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation supported H. 1113 on public adjusters and H. 1345/S. 753 on flood-zone notifications for homebuyers, but opposed H. 4112, which would add a $2 surcharge on home insurance policies to fund fire cistern programs. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council strongly supported H. 1345, saying flood disclosure is needed because Massachusetts lacks statewide flood-notification requirements and flooding risks are increasing. Karen Alvarado supported H. 4352 on travel insurance, and John Fielding supported H. 1186 on pet insurance; both said the bills would create uniform regulatory frameworks and consumer protections. Rep. LeBoeuf testified for H. 4061 on workers’ compensation premium fraud, describing the bill as a transparency measure to combat fraud in construction by creating a public certificate-of-insurance database and QR-code verification system. Joe Bright of the carpenters’ union also supported H. 4061, citing fraud, misclassification, and the harm to injured workers. The hearing also included testimony on H. 4112, a bill to create a statewide fire suppression water resource fund and cistern program. Rep. Hogan and a Stowe fire chief described drought, brush fires, and the need for dedicated cisterns in communities without municipal water systems, saying the tanks provide reliable water for firefighting and are relatively low-tech once installed. Committee members asked questions about tank capacity, siting, maintenance, and funding. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.