Transcript Highlights:

• House-passed section 7 was removed in the Senate, and that's the judicial branch back-of-the-budget reduction
• On House-passed section 8, Senate-passed section 7, that is the legislative branch general fund appropriation
• House-passed section 7 was removed in the Senate, and that's the judicial branch back-of-the-budget reduction
• On House-passed section 8, Senate-passed section 7, that is the legislative branch general fund appropriation
• That's House-passed section 222. section 204, Senate pass section 167. section 204, Senate pass section

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 1 and HB 2 met to review revenue estimates and begin working through a side-by-side of the budget. New Hampshire Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre testified that lottery revenues are outperforming prior estimates, projecting a $27 million return to the state this year, up $7 million, and $200 million per year in the next biennium, up $6.5 million per year. He attributed the increase to stronger scratch ticket sales, no negative impact from Massachusetts sports betting, and overall better performance. Members questioned the assumptions behind the higher numbers, including the proposed $50 scratch tickets, the effect of inflation, and whether the projections were conservative enough. McIntyre said the $50 ticket could produce modest growth and that the estimates were intentionally cautious. The discussion also covered gaming revenue assumptions for historical horse racing and video lottery terminals, with McIntyre saying the state market is not yet saturated and that future conversions from HHR to VLTs should be net positive for the state. Members also discussed differences between House and Senate revenue numbers for gaming, including machine counts, daily revenue assumptions, and the tax split. The Senate version used higher machine counts and a 31.25% tax rate, with a quarter-point reserved for responsible gaming and the remainder split between charities and the state. The House had used a 30% rate with a different distribution. McIntyre and committee members also reviewed House Bill 2 items affecting Kino hours and local option games of chance, with McIntyre explaining that the bill would expand playing hours and shift towns to an opt-out model. No votes were taken during the lottery discussion, but the committee indicated it would continue refining the revenue model and circulate the spreadsheet used for the estimates. The committee then moved through the HB 1 detail change sheet, accepting several Senate positions and holding others for later. It agreed to a zero-cost realignment in the Department of Safety moving the international fuel tax agreement function from administration to motor vehicles, and it restored eight passenger motor vehicle inspection positions for later discussion in HB 2. The Department of Corrections reorganization was set aside for a later, more detailed discussion. The committee also accepted no-change positions for the Department of Employment Security and agreed to a technical footnote fix in the Judicial Council section. It discussed a new HB 2 item moving contract counsel for involuntary mental health admissions from the judicial branch to the Judicial Council, funded at $100,000 per year, and noted that the public defender funding issue would be revisited when the overall budget picture is clearer. The meeting ended with the committee continuing its review of the remaining pages of the detail change sheet.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sections 1-7, 13-25, 27-30, 34-35, and 35-35. Sections 2-8, 9-10, 11-11, 12-11, 13-11, and 12-12.
• Section 3 is also from House File 98. Section 6 is also from House File 98.
• Section 7 modifies adult mental health case management service provider training and qualifications.
• Also from House File 2143, Sections 5, 7 through 10, and 35 add complex post-traumatic stress disorder
• Sections in Chapter 245I. Section 25 is from House File 98.

Bills: HF2115 , HF2276 , HF1644 , HF99 , HF2068 , HF2707 , HF2704 , HF2406 , HF1674 , HF1579

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 7 of the bill draft removes the word "certify" in Section 15.1-21-12.2, just to correct a typographical
• language and then strike it out of section two and then just have your new rule section under section
• Section 5 is on page 7 of the bill, amending section 29-27-07. Subsection 1 is, thank you.
• Under Section 2 of the bill, we create the rules section.
• Under section two of the bill, we create the rules section.

Committee: Joint Judiciary Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 7 on page 13 is a $5 million request to the motor vehicle set-aside.
• Section 8 is for $150 million. Section 9 is also for $150 million for public highway improvements.
• Section 7 on page 13, it's a $5 million request to the motor vehicle set aside.
• Sections 8 and 9 Thank you. Sections 8 and 9 are fund transfers to the Quick Action Closing Fund.
• Section 8 is for $150 million. Section 9 is also for $150 million for public highway improvements.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee first reviewed a long list of House and Senate bills that were ready to be passed out, then heard a special language subcommittee report. The report recommended do pass on six bills, including SB 63, SB 67, SB 73, HB 1089, HB 1090, and HB 1093, and amendments on 11 others. A motion to pull HB 107 out for separate consideration failed, and the special language report was adopted. The committee then took up the Revenue Stabilization Law and schedule. Staff explained the schedule’s differences from the governor’s balanced budget proposal and described several fund transfers, including $100 million for Medicaid sustainability, $70 million for the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom account, $43.7 million for the general discretionary majority vote set-aside, $5 million for the motor vehicle set-aside, and two $150 million transfers related to the Quick Action Closing Fund and public highway improvements. Members asked for clarification on allocations, and the committee adopted the amendment and passed both House Bill 1100 and Senate Bill 75 as amended. Representative McClendon then presented a bill to support expansion of the Bella Vista Veterans Wall of Honor, but withdrew it, saying he would seek other funding sources. The committee then moved through the remaining captioned bills, including House Bills 105, 107, 1008, 1022, 1035, 1036, 1037, 1051, 1052, 1064, 1066, 1068, 1089, 1090, and 1093, and Senate Bills 3, 4, 7, 8, 15, 20, 21, 30, 31, 36, 41, 43, 58, 63, 67, and 77, generally passing them with little or no discussion, some as amended. The chair announced that all prior holds had been released and said the next Joint Budget Committee meeting would be Tuesday for peer issues only, then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• On November 7, 2006, Arizona made history for young children.
• On November 7, 2006, Arizona made history for young children.
• House Bill 2199, in meeting section 33-1409, and section 33-2124, relating to rental parks.
• House Bill 2621, amending Title 15, Chapter 7, Article 4 and section 15-776, relating to public education
• Sections 22-126, 22-127, and 22-128, relating to justices of the peace.

Transcript Highlights:

• 7-7 would add a new subdivision 5, basically would strike the period semicolon, and the new subdivision
• It's in code section itself is 61-7-7, subparagraph C, new subdivision 5.
• The penalties for failure to maintain records—you see that in the section heading there for Section 5
• Then we go over to Section 7, which was originally just suspension or revocation of license.
• Then we go over to Section 7, which was originally just suspension or revocation of license.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Next bill, please: House Bill 2132, an act in meeting section 1334-a-8-al-8-al-7-3-4-4-2.
• 1-1-1-1-7-1-1-1-7- Senator Shope.
• House Bill 298, amending Sections 45-1921, 45-1973, and 45-1976, repealing Section 45-1991, and adding
• It was advice statute by adding new Section 45-1997, amending Sections 45-1993, 45-1994, and 45-1996.
• House Bill 2126, amending Title 12, Chapter 7, Article 1, Section 12, relating to change of venue.

Transcript Highlights:

• So let's start with Section 1. And Dustin, do you want to just go quickly through the sections?
• Then Section 7 of the bill is repealing the campaign disclosure statements, so Section 4 is the meat
• This section creates general provision sections that apply to the entire new chapter.
• the section.
• Okay, so in the first section, definitions section of the bill, it would be 18.

Bills: SB2156

Committee: House Government and Veterans Affairs

Summary: The subcommittee met to review HB 2156, which reorganizes North Dakota campaign finance disclosure law by repealing Chapter 16.1 and moving the provisions into a new Chapter 16.2 with mostly technical cross-reference updates. Legislative Council and the Secretary of State’s office walked through the bill section by section, explaining that most language is carried over from current law, with some cleanup to definitions, reporting requirements, public access rules, and filing procedures. The committee discussed how the new chapter would apply to candidates, candidate committees, political committees, political parties, ballot measure groups, and conduits. Several substantive issues were raised and adjusted during the discussion. Members questioned the open-records language for expenditures and contributions over $250, the use of “deposit” versus “receipt” as the reporting trigger, and whether the 48-hour supplemental reporting deadline should be changed to three calendar days; the group ultimately favored keeping 48 hours and using “deposit” consistently. They also clarified reporting dates, including changing one special-election deadline from 40 days to 39 days, and confirmed that balances of campaign funds would be reported but not made publicly available. The Secretary of State’s office also explained that the bill would make late fees public and that the chapter-wide penalty for willful violations remains a Class A misdemeanor. The main policy change debated at length was the late-filing fee schedule. Members expressed concern that the existing penalties were too low to deter intentional non-filers, and after discussion the committee agreed to increase the final late fee from $100 to $500 while keeping the new public posting of delinquent filers. The committee also reviewed an inflation-adjustment provision for reporting thresholds and the “ultimate true source of funds” language, which was described as existing law being carried into the new chapter. The meeting ended with the understanding that additional drafting changes would be made and that the bill would be ready for further committee action later in the week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 7, and just added with which charges tuition, just to Line 7, and just added which charges tuition
• Qualified expenses section coming up next.
• Page 7, I thought you said something about striking out of that amendment. That's right.
• And so we removed that piece in that section, but this is a get-through.
• So page 7, lines 18, 19, 20, starting if, and ending in materials. Yes.

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 1540, an education savings account bill. Senator Wobbema presented Amendment 040-003, describing mostly clarifying and reorganizing changes, including eligibility language, administrator duties, school participation standards, assessment provisions, and a correction removing a requirement that the department pay for state assessment materials if a parent selected that option. The committee adopted the amendment 4-2, then advanced HB 1540 as amended on a 4-2 vote and sent it to Appropriations, with Senator Wobbema designated as carrier. One senator opposed the bill, arguing it would divert resources from public schools and conflict with the state’s obligation to provide a free appropriate education while districts still face funding needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sections 1 through 7, 13 through 25, and 27... representative nors house file 2722 it representative
• /c><00:05:24.960><c> 25</c><00:05:25.720><c> 27</c> Sections 1 through 7, 13 through 25, 27 through 30
• <00:09:59.800><c> 35</c><00:10:00.800><c> add</c><00:10:01.160><c> complex</c> sections 5 7 through1
• and 35 add complex sections 5 7 through1 and 35 add complex post-traumatic<00:10:02.240><c> stress</c
• Section 7 is from House File 1215, as amended from Representative Clardy.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next section goes into federal action. The next section goes into federal action.
• On July 1, 2026, the DEA filed two notices of intent to temporarily classify 7-OH and 7-OH-related substances
• Great. 7-hydroxymitragynine is a way different molecule. 7-hydroxymitragynine is a way different molecule
• Because mitragynine does not cause respiratory depression, period. 7-OH does. 7-OH causes respiratory
• it mitragynine, but they're lumping the 7-hydroxy in with that, because 7-hydroxy no doubt will cause

Summary: The working group met for a legislative-only discussion on kratom ahead of a special session, with members agreeing to keep remarks brief and noting a public open house and expert testimony would follow the next week. Staff provided an overview of kratom regulation, describing the substance, its psychoactive effects, reported health risks, federal DEA action on 7-OH, state approaches, and North Dakota’s recent executive action and special session call. Legislators then debated whether the state should prohibit kratom, regulate it, or distinguish between natural kratom and synthetic or concentrated 7-OH products. Several members cited extensive testimony from the 2025 session, including House Bill 1101, which would have scheduled kratom as a Schedule I substance and failed in the House, and House Bill 1566, which evolved into a study. Supporters of regulation emphasized testimony from people who said natural kratom helped with chronic pain or function, while others stressed concerns about addiction, adulterated products, youth access, infant withdrawal, and deaths linked to kratom or 7-OH. Members also discussed enforcement and public health issues, including whether the Good Samaritan law should be updated, how law enforcement would respond under the executive order, and whether withdrawal could drive people toward harder drugs. One member urged a temporary approach until the 2027 session, while others argued the short special session could still address a narrow ban on 7-OH and tighter controls on natural kratom. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with plans for additional testimony and further legislative hearings during the special session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sections 26, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 22 require private health insurers to provide notice
• So I will just tell you, section 4 and section 7 are almost identical.
• Section 7 is for local governments and private businesses with 50 or more employees.
• If we go to page 11, that is Section 7, which again is the same as Section 4 but for private and local
• But you have in Section 7 here, the division, of the leave. Most people use it correctly.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're going to start at Section 7, which begins on page 13. So everything else is in. Yes.
• Section 7 is the first epilogue section here. That is boilerplate language.
• Section 31 says the former Troop 7 state police location may not be declared surplus, transferred, or
• I move to adopt Section 7 through 25. Section 26 is on hold.
• Section 7 through 25, Section 26 is on hold, Sections 27 through 32, Section 33 is on hold, Section 34

Committee: Joint Capital Improvement

Summary: The committee met for a fiscal year 2027 capital budget writing session with all 12 members present. It first reviewed and approved the DNREC Resource Conservation and Development drainage project list, which would add projects across New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties and bring the total eligible projects to 1,561. Members offered personal remarks thanking retiring conservation district staff, especially Kevin Donnelly, for years of work on drainage and water issues. The committee then reviewed DelDOT Rule 12 changes, including annual date updates and a reduction in the inflation markup applied to older estimates, and approved the rule as amended. The committee next adopted DelDOT Appendix A and the FY27 paving and rehabilitation list, including the subdivision street management fund and various road resurfacing projects. DelDOT explained that paving projects are for state-of-good-repair work and that major changes from corridor studies would be handled separately. The committee also approved DelDOT epilogue changes, including updates to authorization amounts, a $25 million increase for toll infrastructure work, changes to subdivision street paving language, and an increase in the subdivision street paving management fund to $30 million. Several sections were placed on hold for later updates. The committee then moved through boilerplate epilogue sections in the bond bill, approving a wide range of provisions affecting conservation districts, housing, economic development, corrections, DNREC, public safety, transportation, agriculture, fire prevention, education, and other agencies. Many sections were adopted in groups, while some were held for later revisions or deleted as no longer needed. The session included updates to school capital rules, transportation restrictions and reporting requirements, DNREC conservation and land-use provisions, and funding and administrative authorities across multiple agencies. The committee broke for lunch after approving the education-related sections through 147, with additional sections still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to make an explicit reference to Article 7, Section 11 of the Constitution to ensure compliance
• And then lastly, we'll add an effective date of 7/1/3000 to facilitate further discussion.
• We're going to make an explicit reference to Article 7, Section 11 of the Constitution to ensure compliance
• We're going to make an explicit reference to Article 7, Section 11 of the Constitution to ensure compliance
• We're going to make an explicit reference to Article 7, Section 11 of the Constitution to ensure compliance

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on February 18, 2026, and heard four bills. HB 2519 would shift University of Hawaii funding toward block appropriations, a stabilization fund, limited procurement and fiscal exemptions, performance-based metrics, and annual reporting. UH supported the bill, saying line-item budgeting hampers systemwide efficiency across its 10 campuses; the State Procurement Office commented on the procurement exemption. The chair proposed amendments to address concerns from Budget and Finance and procurement, including capping UH’s retained funds at 10%, requiring lapse after three fiscal years, removing CIP-to-operating transfers, narrowing procurement exemptions while keeping Chapter 103B principles, shifting performance metric-setting to the Board of Regents, and requiring annual reporting. The committee then voted to pass HB 2519 with amendments. HB 2409 would establish the Hawaii Geological Survey in Hilo and designate its director as the state geologist. UH Hilo supported the concept but said it would need sufficient general-fund support, estimating roughly $200,000 to start. DLNR and the Attorney General offered comments, with the AG calling it a matter of statewide concern. The chair said the DNR testimony raised public safety concerns and that UH Hilo had not identified a firm funding amount, so the committee voted to defer the bill. HB 2141 HD1 concerned state enterprise zones and would expand eligible business activities and allow DBED to designate up to two areas as enterprise zones with gubernatorial approval. DBED, the Tax Foundation, and other organizations submitted support or comments. After discussion, the chair said the current version no longer fit the higher education committee’s focus and recommended reverting to the original bill, which would limit the zone to Kakaʻako Makai for a biomedical health innovation hub near JABSOM and the Queen’s Cancer Center, with a defective date. The committee voted to pass HB 2141 HD1 with amendments. HB 2233 HD1 would appropriate funds to continue the SNAP-Ed program through UH and the Department of Health. DOH supported the bill and said it had been working on nutrition education and environmental changes; it estimated about $600,000 each for DOH and SEAR, or $1.2 million total. Testimony in support also came from several organizations and individuals, including a senior advocate who described the program’s practical benefits. The chair said the committee would reflect the $600,000-per-entity estimate in its report, and the committee voted to pass HB 2233 HD1 as is before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> section 11. section 11.
• So then that's the next section, Section 7, is a transitioning care to community settings. ...community
• So then that's the next section, Section 7, is a transitioning care to community settings.
• Section 7 is a transitioning care to community settings. This would be January next year, 2027.
• </c> Section 3. Section 3.

Transcript Highlights:

• The... ...which is subparagraph C of section 61-7-7 would add a new subdivision 5, basically would strike
• It's in the code section itself: 61-7-7, subparagraph C, new subdivision 5.
• So there were two penalty sections, five and seven, and there still are two penalty sections, but we
• You see that in the section heading there for Section 5. That stayed the same.
• Then we go over to Section 7, which was originally just suspension or revocation of license.

Summary: The committee considered and advanced several bills. House Bill 4995, concerning video cameras in special education classrooms, was explained as requiring parents to be notified of recording interruptions, providing written notice of the law to parents and school employees, shortening the required random review of recordings from every 90 days to every 30 days, and clarifying that school boards must still conduct independent investigations even if DHS or prosecutors do not act. The committee adopted the motion to report the bill to the full Senate. House Bill 5214, dealing with drug testing in child abuse and neglect cases, would allow courts to order testing of parents in certain cases, require laboratory confirmation of positives, and require DHS to notify the court and other parties; the committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment, then reported the bill as amended and adopted a title amendment. The committee also advanced House Bill 4025 and House Bill 5441, both restructuring state personnel systems. HB 4025 would exempt employees of the Department of Health, health facilities, and human services from classified civil service and grievance procedures beginning July 1, 2026, while preserving status for some current employees and allowing exemptions to comply with federal requirements; the committee adopted a piecemeal amendment and reported it as amended. HB 5441 would eliminate separate civil service systems for Transportation, Revenue, and the Bureau for Social Services and move classifications and compensation structures to the Division of Personnel, with testimony from the governor’s counsel emphasizing faster hiring and more flexibility; the committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment and reported the bill as amended. House Bill 4602, a child welfare pilot program creating a private community-based system for post-removal services, drew testimony from DHS about concerns over costs, continuity, oversight, and child well-being outcomes, while supporters argued it could reduce caseloads and improve flexibility. The chair amended the bill to remove one of the two pilot regions, leaving only the Berkeley/Jefferson County pilot, and the committee then reported the bill as amended despite opposition from the senator from Marion. House Bill 4106, removing the provisional concealed handgun license requirement for ages 18 to 21, heard testimony from a pediatrician opposing the change and from a gun rights advocate supporting it; an amendment requiring firearms training for under-21 carriers failed by a 1-14 roll call, and the committee then reported the bill as amended. Finally, House Bill 4198, after a subcommittee rewrite, was advanced with a strike-and-insert amendment that refined E-Verify requirements for public and private employers, added exemptions for certain small or new employers and sole proprietors, clarified recordkeeping and notice requirements, and adjusted penalties and enforcement procedures. After a motion for the previous question, the committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 4198 as amended. House Bill 5319 was removed from the agenda, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 7 on page 13, it's a $5 million request to the motor vehicle set-aside.
• Section 8 is for $150 million. Section 9 is also for $150 million for public highway improvements.
• Section 7 on page 13, it's a $5 million request to the motor vehicle set aside.
• Sections 8 and 9 Thank you. Sections 8 and 9 are fund transfers to the Quick Action Closing Fund.
• Section 8 is for $150 million. Section 9 is also for $150 million for public highway improvements.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• That reference is corrected to Section 14-07.1-7, which relates to violations of a civil protection order
• Section 7 of the bill draft removes the word "certify" in Section 15.1-21-12.2, just to correct a typographical
• No section exists, so it's corrected to Section 54-08-08.
• What we’ve done in section two of this act is we created a rules section.
• Under section 2 of the bill, we create the rules section.

Summary: The Judiciary interim committee met with a full quorum and approved the June 17 minutes. The main discussion centered on a detailed Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation presentation about prison population, placement authority, classification, recidivism, and the role of transitional facilities. Director Colby Braun emphasized that DOCR’s job includes incarceration, supervision, victim services, and reentry, and said the department is operating over capacity, with people waiting in county jails and deferred placements. He described current and planned bed expansions, including added beds at MRCC, a proposed 600-bed minimum-custody men’s facility, and broader campus studies, while stressing that minimum, medium, and maximum custody are different security levels and that transitional facilities are tightly controlled placements, not releases. Committee members questioned the meaning of “release” versus “placement,” the use of terms like inmate and resident, and whether state law should be clarified to distinguish incarceration from supervision or placement in community-based settings. Braun said the parole board controls release authority, while DOCR controls placement, and explained that people who reoffend while in community placement are generally returned to prison after due process. He also reviewed data showing lower one-year recidivism in recent years, the impact of GPS monitoring, and statistics indicating that most people released never get a transitional-facility placement, while those who do generally have better outcomes. Members also discussed whether transitional facilities and work-release programs should be considered halfway houses and how much freedom and security they involve. The committee then heard a report from the Attorney General’s office on House Bill 1193 funding for law enforcement retention bonuses and tuition assistance. The office said all funds had been distributed, 73 of 101 recipients had reported back, 1,490 officers had received bonuses, and the average bonus amounts differed by agency size. Members generally viewed the program positively. Representative Steve Vetter also presented a pretrial services report, describing constitutional and statutory limits on pretrial detention, the use of risk assessment tools, court reminders, victim-notification practices, and North Dakota’s pilot pretrial programs. He suggested possible future legislation to expand detention authority for certain serious offenses and to require the Judiciary Committee to receive updated jail-population data before sessions. Finally, Megan Gordon from Legislative Council began her annual technical corrections bill presentation, outlining a series of non-substantive Century Code fixes such as cross-reference corrections, punctuation changes, and obsolete-reference removals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to section five.
• </c> law, it is 7 million. law, it is 7 million.
• </c> Section 12 on page 33 is the repealer. Section 12 on page 33 is the repealer.
• Section 16 is the effective date section on page 41.
• Section 15 is a repealer. this year. Section 15 is a repealer.

Transcript Highlights:

• Article 1, section 7, beginning on line 7.1, amends the definitions under the school safety drills law
• Article 1, section 7, beginning on line 7.1, amends the definitions under the school safety drills law
• Article 1, section 7, beginning on line 7.1, amends the definitions under the school safety drills law
• 15:01.040><c> line</c><00:15:01.279><c> 20.3,</c> Section 7, beginning on line 20.3, Section 7, beginning
• Article 3, section 7 is also a relocation provision.