Transcript Highlights:

• system, we are going to skew the entire process.
• I like the system and how everything works.
• We have an integrated financial system.
• We have an integrated financial system.
• Then they input that into our system.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met with a quorum to begin its study of whether the content of North Dakota real estate tax statements should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the background for the study, including House Bill 1176, current statutory requirements for tax statements, and recent changes such as separate line items for bonded debt, primary residence credit, and legacy fund-related amounts. The Tax Department then explained the current statement format and noted that the form is prescribed and approved by the tax commissioner, with changes typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual process for preparing budgets, setting levies, calculating taxable values, and issuing notices and tax statements. They said counties spend significant time coordinating with taxing districts, neighboring counties, and software vendors, and that the new budget hearing notices and valuation notices have not generated much public response. Members raised concerns about the usefulness and clarity of certain line items, especially the legislative tax relief calculation and the primary residence credit, and discussed whether the current statement creates confusion rather than transparency. Testimony also addressed the 3% cap, mill levy worksheets, assessment cycles, and the role of county auditors and tax directors in maintaining accurate values. The committee also heard from software vendors CPT and Tyler Technologies about how legislative changes are programmed into tax systems and how online taxpayer portals can provide more detailed breakdowns of tax bills. Vendors said changes required by law are generally absorbed in contracts rather than billed directly to counties, and they demonstrated web tools and pie-chart style breakdowns that show where tax dollars go. NDACO presented a survey of eight counties estimating tax statement preparation and mailing costs, concluding that outsourced printing tends to be cheaper on average and that total statewide tax statement costs may be roughly $600,000, though the estimate was based on limited data. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Earlier just this year, PowerSchool, a widely used student information system, suffered a major data
• But today, the very system that shaped me is struggling to do the same for the next generation.
• But today, the very system that shaped me is struggling to do the same for the next generation.
• But today, the very system that shaped me is struggling to do the same, Commonwealth.
• But today, the very system that shaped me is struggling to do the same for the next generation.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education opened a hybrid public hearing on a large slate of bills related to school buildings, school finance, technology, data privacy, safety, and related education issues. Chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlined procedures for the hearing, including two-minute testimony limits and the plan to group similar bills together. Several bills drew no testimony and were closed without further discussion, while others drew extensive testimony from legislators, school officials, parents, advocates, and educators. A major theme was school safety and student well-being. Lori Al-Hadeth testified in support of bills on alert systems in public schools, describing the loss of her daughter in the Parkland shooting and urging adoption of Alyssa’s Law-style panic alert technology. Representative Gallagher and disability advocates also supported a bill authorizing, but not requiring, airway clearance devices in schools, arguing they could save lives in choking emergencies and provide an option for people who cannot use the Heimlich maneuver. Another bill on reducing cafeteria waste drew support from a legislator and a Lexington sustainability official, who said installing dishwashers during construction would reduce waste and long-term costs. Much of the hearing focused on Chapter 70 school funding and the inflation cap. Senator Pavel Payano, Senator Sal DiDomenico, Representative Senna, and multiple local officials and school committee members from Bridgewater, Chelsea, Groton-Dunstable, and other districts argued that the 4.5% cap on inflation adjustments has left schools underfunded during years of high inflation, forcing layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to programs and student supports. They urged bills to eliminate the cap, restore lost funding, increase the Commonwealth’s share of the foundation budget, or create commissions to study reforms. Testimony also highlighted the impact on special education, English learners, and low-income students, with Chelsea witnesses saying the cap has cost their district about $7 million annually. School construction and MSBA reform were the other major topic. AIA Massachusetts, Boston Public Schools, Lynn officials, and AFT Massachusetts described aging facilities, overcrowding, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of financing new schools under current reimbursement rules. Boston officials said the district has many pre-World War II buildings and has only built a handful of new schools in decades, while Lynn leaders said reimbursement rates have fallen well below the statutory 80% because of caps and ineligible costs. Witnesses urged modernization of the MSBA program, higher reimbursement rates, and more resources for school construction. The committee also heard support for a bill to study the adequacy and equity of the school building program, and chairs indicated some bills would be closed after no one signed up to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows them to sidestep the deeper systemic problems.
• Our system should not romanticize self-harm or suicide.
• What this is, is the following: it is a safety notification system.
• Robust automated moderation systems.
• What measurable actions have you taken to eliminate systemic racism in your systems, and how are you

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:

• And then water use reductions in the upper basin to stabilize the system.
• Well, the system is what the system is, and when the compact was negotiated in 1922, their concern was
• losses, and that they've drained the system to their detriment.
• Arizona Water acquired those systems years ago, and the systems were a disaster, to say the least.
• So Arizona... ...and the systems were a disaster, to say the least.

Bills: HB2042, HB2052, HB2055, HB2056, HB2094, HB2098, HB2185, HB2328, HB2758, HB2798

Keywords: solar radiation management, environment, prohibition, Arizona Revised Statutes, public health, complaint process, Attorney General, groundwater management, water conservation, irrigation, water supply, brackish groundwater, water supply development, desalination, water infrastructure, financial assistance, environmental reviews, brackish water, groundwater, water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• So, drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, stormwater systems.
• </c><00:14:45.920><c> alone</c> cities on the state aid system alone cities on the state aid system alone
• alone, which does not include need on the local system.
• while also testing, adjusting, and balancing these same systems. go.
• Many of these facilities not systems.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But our current system does not quite yet do that.
• But our current system does not quite yet do that.
• Their system there at Scripps oversees the Cooperative Institute for Marine Earth and Atmospheric Systems
• Natural systems and species like whales.
• We're looking out on a very dynamic system.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• amendment that provides relative to application of non-recurring state monies to state retirement system
• Each system is going to have all sorts of different ones. I'd have to go system by system.
• Different ones, so I'd have to go system by system. This applies to all the retirement boards?
• you pay them down, so it would be advantageous for us to have the option of which retirement debt system
• Keep them out of the system. Keep them out of trouble. That's right.

Summary: The House Committee on Appropriations met on March 30, 2026, and first approved House Bill 27, a constitutional amendment by Rep. McMakin that would let non-recurring state monies be used to pay down state retirement system unfunded accrued liabilities without being limited to the oldest debt. McMakin said the change would allow the state to choose the most actuarially beneficial debt to retire. The committee also favorably reported House Bill 755 by Chairman Turner, which creates indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity professional services contracting for design work tied to deferred maintenance projects, and House Bill 308 by Rep. Bayham, which requires cash acceptance at certain state-owned stadium facilities unless a cash-conversion kiosk is available. The committee then approved House Bill 311 by Rep. Kerner, which increases the dedication of insurance premium assessment revenue to the municipal fire and police civil service operating fund. Kerner said the Office of State Examiners now serves far more jurisdictions than when it was created and needs more funding to keep up with technology and workload. House Bill 417 by Rep. Zeringue was also reported favorably; it raises the cap on the hazardous waste site cleanup fund from $6 million to $8 million so DEQ can keep more dedicated revenue available for cleanup contracts instead of having excess amounts flow into the Environmental Trust Fund. Members questioned DEQ about the end of the Waste Tire Task Force and about how cleanup and tire-program stakeholder input would continue, but the bill itself was advanced. House Bill 980 by Rep. Zeringue, which would expand and alter the membership of the Fireman Supplemental Pay Board, was favorably reported after discussion about ensuring board members are tied to supplemental pay and about possible further changes on the floor. House Bill 575 by Rep. Carver, which gives youth in extended foster care priority to buy surplus state vehicles, was also approved after Carver described the transportation barriers facing former foster youth; an amendment that would have moved them from first to second priority was withdrawn after committee concern. The committee then favorably reported House Bill 290 to reauthorize the Department of Treasury through July 1, 2031, and House Bill 382, which shifts review of certain matters from an oversight committee to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget to avoid a duplicative approval process. Several bills were adopted without objection, and the meeting adjourned after the final motions.

Transcript Highlights:

• continuity instead of what many of our families describe as a cliff as students leave the school system
• As students leave the school system, this bill supports that shared responsibility across our systems
• One side is the systems of support; the other is actually supporting the family and the whole family
• So I believe this takes a very comprehensive approach to this transition system, and I'd love to have
• and moves into the adult system.

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee heard several Department of Social and Health Services-related bills. Senate Bill 6024, sponsored by Senator Gildon, would streamline oversight of community residential service providers by limiting DSHS to one annual routine review per subject area when possible, requiring better document sharing within the department, and preserving investigations tied to complaints, incidents, mortality reviews, and other legally required oversight. Supporters said the bill would reduce duplicative audits and paperwork so providers can spend more time on direct client services. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6063, an agency-request bill sponsored by Senator Bateman and supported by DSHS Secretary Angela Ramirez, to update statutes to reflect DSHS’s recent reorganization into the Home and Community Living Administration and the Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration. Testimony described the measure as a technical cleanup with no fiscal impact. In addition, Senate Bill 6036, sponsored by Senator Kaufman, would exempt certain former foster parents and kinship caregivers from adult family home licensure when they continue caring for a former foster youth who is now an adult and the only unrelated adult in the home. DSHS supported the bill as a narrow way to preserve continuity and stability for vulnerable young adults. The committee spent the most time on Senate Bill 5681, sponsored by Senator Cortez, as amended in a proposed substitute. The bill would lower the age for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to access employment and community inclusion services from 21 to 20, and rename community access as community inclusion. Senator Cortez and multiple advocates, educators, and service providers argued that earlier access would reduce service gaps, support transition from school to work, and help young adults maintain employment. Staff explained that the substitute changed the eligibility age from the original bill’s 19 to 20. No final action was taken; the chair closed the hearings and announced upcoming executive sessions on previously heard bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Melody Rolnick and I'm a mother, a domestic violence survivor, and I've been navigating the court system
• <00:05:25.840><c> legal</c> of perjury and weaponize the legal of perjury and weaponize the legal system
• From what I've witnessed in the court systems and the judiciary procedures, this can be a lot more of
• </c> what I've witnessed in the court systems what I've witnessed in the court systems and<00:08:31.919
• Thank you so orders to abuse the system.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met in a room change and first considered two judicial confirmations. It recommended consent for Governor’s Message 767, confirming Kanoi A.D. Jackson as circuit court judge for the Third Circuit (Hawaii County) for a 10-year term, and the motion was adopted with members voting aye and some members excused. The committee then recommended consent for Judicial Communication 28, confirming Sonia H. Toma as district family court judge for the Second Circuit (Maui County) for a 6-year term. The chair noted prior concerns about the nominee, but said staff reviewed court records and found nothing problematic; the committee adopted the recommendation unanimously among those present. After a brief recess, the committee heard House Concurrent Resolution 55, which asks the judiciary to convene a working group to study the effectiveness of existing laws on domestic violence, temporary restraining orders, protective orders, and harassment by stalking in preventing continued abuse and harassment. Testimony was generally supportive. The Office of the Public Defender asked to be included on the working group and requested representation from the Hawaii Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as well. The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence also supported including public defenders and said the effort needs funding to be effective. Other testimony emphasized survivor experiences, privacy concerns, and the need for broader research and protections for injured parties. The chair recommended passing HCR 55 with amendments to include the public defender and a representative from the Hawaii Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, to allow the judiciary authority to add other participants, and to make additional text changes including removing redundant language. The committee voted to adopt the amended recommendation, and the resolution passed with members voting aye and some excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> county systems are fair free. county systems are fair free. 88%<01:02:48.880><c> of</c><01:02:49.040
• </c> public education system. public education system.
• </c> spoken with the with the new mic system. spoken with the with the new mic system.
• Just to reiterate what um chair system.
• </c> early learning system. early learning system.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is about respect, safety, and trust in our system.
• It's a two-part system.
• This is not about forcing a system on someone.
• of fairness in the system is preserved.
• Ensure that we have transparency and trust in the system.

Summary: The committee first handled housekeeping items, voluntarily deferring HB 63 and HB 622 at the authors’ requests. It then heard HB 131 on post-conviction relief, which would remove the word “inexcusably” from the PCR statute and delay bail eligibility after relief until the state’s appeals are exhausted through the Louisiana Supreme Court. The bill drew support from the Attorney General’s office and district attorneys, with opposition cards from the Southern Poverty Law Center, and it was reported favorably. HB 789, concerning seizure of off-road vehicles used unlawfully on roadways, was amended to direct forfeiture proceeds to the Attorney General when acting as district attorney ad hoc; it was then reported as amended with support from law enforcement and no opposition testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• This allows water utilities to plan and schedule system improvements.
• This allows water utilities to plan and schedule system improvements.
• It applied to all transit systems, not just high-speed rail.
• If not, the transit system could just move forward.
• systems also experience it.

Summary: The committee heard several energy and water affordability bills, with extensive testimony on SB 254 by Senator Becker, SB 541 by Senator Becker, SB 453 by Senator Stern, SB 292 by Senator Caballero, and SB 473 by Senator Padilla. SB 254 was presented as a broad utility affordability package addressing short-term climate credits, a Power Fund, tighter scrutiny of rate increases and utility profits, wildfire spending, securitization of future utility costs, and streamlining. Supporters, including TURN and several environmental and public power groups, said it could lower bills and reduce long-term costs; opponents from investor-owned utilities, labor, business, and local government raised concerns about market impacts, insufficient analysis, and the breadth of the bill. The committee approved SB 254 on a 6-3 vote and placed it on call. SB 541 focused on load flexibility and using existing grid capacity more efficiently. Senator Becker described it as a transparency and planning measure to identify cost-effective load shifting and reduce peak demand, while supporters said it could improve resiliency and save money. Several CCAs and utilities opposed the bill in print or unless amended, arguing that some language implied a mandate and that the concept needed more cost-effectiveness analysis; the author said amendments would remove language dividing the state goal among retail suppliers and clarify that the bill is not a procurement mandate. The committee passed SB 541 as amended to Appropriations on a 9-1 vote and left it on call. SB 453 by Senator Stern would return unspent ratepayer-funded microgrid program dollars and was described as a way to keep the lights on and redirect unused funds. It drew support from local government and environmental groups, with PG&E expressing concern about how the bill would affect its ability to spend awarded funds. The committee passed SB 453 as amended to Appropriations on a 12-0 vote. SB 292 by Senator Caballero would require more granular outage and reliability reporting, including census-tract-level data, to better inform resilience planning after PSPS events; utilities opposed unless amended, citing duplicative reporting and regulatory overlap, but the bill passed 12-0 to Appropriations. SB 473 by Senator Padilla would require or expand water utility decoupling to promote conservation and affordability. Supporters, including water utilities, labor, business, and local government groups, argued decoupling stabilizes revenue, supports conservation, and can keep rates lower for low-use customers. The Public Advocates Office opposed, saying prior pilot data showed no conservation benefit and about $1 billion in added costs, and that the CPUC had already rejected similar requests. Committee members questioned the conservation and capital-investment effects of the different rate structures; the author and supporters argued decoupling helps utilities fund infrastructure while allowing lower fixed charges for low-use customers. The transcript ends during that discussion, before a final vote on SB 473 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just know that there's a lot of errors in our judicial system.
• And so, like in Bear County, we have a presiding system.
• And that's what our system is.
• Abusing the judicial system once again. Thank you, Ms. Clayton.
• I understand that there is a need to shore up the system.

Bills: HB116

Keywords: film industry, incentives, economic development, state funding, media production

Transcript Highlights:

• But we so appreciate the tier system, and I think Chairman Leach was very instrumental.
• And that's what we're discussing: what that legal system should be.
• The problem with the system is these technicalities and the writs now.
• Standardize the procedure statewide, creating a more predictable and fair system.
• This is not only unjust, it is a perversion of our legal system.

Bills: HB32, HB15, HB171, HB421, HB581, HB644, HB745, HB349, HB917, HB204, HB923, HB15, HB171, HB204

Keywords: eviction, landlord rights, tenant rights, justice court, property law, court procedures, chemical dependency, court-ordered treatment, mental health, health care, treatment facility, juvenile justice, criminal justice reform, deep fake, digital impersonation, age verification, private cause of action, explicit content, consumer protection, HB 581

Transcript Highlights:

• And the sheriffs do not support ICE picking up detainees in the court system.
• The State Police, through the APIS, through the seizure system, goes to the FBI, so...
• They also reveal a major gap: Massachusetts has no central reporting system.
• Public systems work best when communities trust them.
• We have also heard from educators about the impact on classrooms and entire school systems.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on several public safety bills, with testimony first on S.2681, Colby’s Law, which would establish safety standards for BMX and motocross tracks. Supporters, including the family of a child killed at a track, argued the bill is needed because some tracks lack basic protections such as barriers, emergency plans, on-site medical staff, and adequate track maintenance. A motocross track representative opposed the bill as overregulation that could impose major costs and argued existing safety efforts and voluntary safety committees are preferable. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on S.2680, which would expand emergency preparedness requirements around aging nuclear power plants and nuclear waste sites from a 10-mile to a 50-mile radius. Supporters from Cape Cod Downwinders, Massachusetts Peace Action, physicians, and other advocates said current law is outdated and insufficient, citing risks from radioactive waste storage, limited federal oversight, and the need for broader evacuation and emergency planning. Testifiers urged the bill’s passage, and no action was taken. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Protect Act, H.5158, dealing with limits on cooperation between state/local agencies and federal civil immigration enforcement. Sheriffs testified about how ICE detainers and notification requests work in practice, emphasizing discretion, public safety, and the difference between sentenced prisoners and pretrial detainees. Supporters from labor, education, and health care groups said immigrant communities are living in fear and asked for stronger protections, including bans on 287(g) agreements and clearer limits on ICE activity in schools, hospitals, and other sensitive locations. The hearing also included testimony on H.4697 regarding training and certification of constables and civil deputy sheriffs, with the Hampshire County sheriff saying sheriffs are already working with POST and MPTC on training standards and that the bill may be duplicative.

Transcript Highlights:

• We should enter the system Native American and graduate Native American.
• And when students are invisible in the data, they are underserved in the system.
• And making sure that there's a transparent system is important.
• Making sure that there's a transparent system is important.
• I experienced homelessness as a child and entered the foster care system at 15.

Summary: The committee heard AB 1159, which would expand and modernize student data privacy protections, extend similar protections to higher education students, and create limited enforcement mechanisms. The author and supporters argued that ed tech now collects far more sensitive information than students and families realize, including health, location, and identity-related data, and said the bill is needed to address AI, subpoenas, data theft, and misuse. Some higher education and bookstore interests raised concerns about definitions and preserving ordinary student communications, but committee members generally supported the bill and emphasized protecting sensitive information; the bill was moved on a due pass motion to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies and Consumer Protection Committee and placed on call. The committee also heard AB 1171, which would protect and stabilize the Part-Time Community College Faculty Health Insurance Program by keeping funds dedicated to that purpose and requiring districts to begin negotiations by 2030. The author and supporters said part-time faculty often lack employer-sponsored coverage despite teaching most community college courses, while opponents from the Community College League and administrators argued the measure was premature because participation is growing and the Legislature should retain budget flexibility. Several senators discussed the tension between budget discretion and honoring the state’s commitment to faculty health care; the bill was moved on a due pass motion to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. AB 1581 followed, proposing changes to improve identification and reporting of Native American students in CalPADS through tribal affiliation data. Supporters said current systems severely undercount Native students and that better data would improve resources and accountability, while members raised implementation questions about multi-tribal identities and consultation with tribes. The bill was moved to Appropriations and placed on call. The committee then heard AB 1665, requiring mental health training for school sports coaches. The author and a psychiatrist witness said coaches are trusted adults who already receive training on physical safety and should also be trained to recognize mental health warning signs and connect students to help. Support came from school, health, and sports organizations, with no opposition, and the bill was moved to Appropriations and placed on call. Finally, AB 1766 was heard, expanding human trafficking prevention education from grades 7-12 to K-12 and adding content on online exploitation, grooming, and digital abuse. The author, a survivor witness, and a foundation representative described the need for earlier, age-appropriate prevention education and stronger staff awareness; supporters included educators, school districts, and industry groups, with no opposition. Senators praised the testimony and the bill’s focus on prevention, and a motion was made to move it forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are not the underdogs in our criminal justice system.
• And a broken system shouldn't be the excuse not to hold them accountable.
• And a broken system shouldn't be the excuse not to hold them accountable.
• and other systems of care.
• involvement than when they are pushed deeper into the justice system.

Summary: The Senate Public Safety Committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 647, which would clarify last year’s RV disposal pilot program for Los Angeles and Alameda counties so local agencies can remove abandoned, inoperable RVs more efficiently. Supporters, including a representative for Mayor Karen Bass, said the bill is needed to address public health, fire, sewage, and neighborhood safety hazards. Opponents argued the measure would be used to remove occupied RVs without adequate housing or service referrals and would harm vehicle residents. The committee later approved AB 647 on a do-pass motion to the Appropriations Committee. The committee also considered AB 1656, which would give judges discretion to delay human trafficking cases when the assigned prosecutor has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress, with amendments limiting the continuance to one time and no more than 10 days. Supporters said the bill would help preserve vertical prosecution and trauma-informed continuity for survivors; opponents raised speedy-trial and due process concerns. After discussion about balancing victim continuity and constitutional rights, the committee passed AB 1656 as amended to the floor. AB 1917, a bill to require prosecutors to file a motion before reinstating charges dismissed at preliminary hearing, also drew support from public defenders and defense groups and opposition from district attorneys, who argued the bill used the wrong procedural mechanism. The author agreed to explore moving the process into the existing 995 framework, and the committee passed AB 1917 as amended to Appropriations. AB 2636 would require courts to consider possession of a loaded firearm when deciding whether a juvenile qualifies for deferred entry of judgment. Supporters, including probation and police chiefs, said the bill would add accountability for serious gun-related conduct while preserving rehabilitation options; opponents said it would reduce access to effective youth diversion and disproportionately affect Black and brown youth. The committee passed the bill to the floor. AB 1632, which would replace notarization with a penalty-of-perjury statement for 602 trespass authorization letters, was supported by cities and law enforcement as a way to reduce bureaucracy and help address trespass and vacant-property hazards, while opponents warned of abuse and Fourth Amendment concerns. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill to the floor. The hearing then moved on to AB 1974, a voluntary firearm safe-storage bill, with the author introducing the measure and witnesses from Pierce’s Pledge expected to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are the lead agency for the Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System.
• These systems can be... Without major electrical modifications to the property.
• , and the cheaper systems, by the way, can be bought for as cheap as about $500.
• In 2025, the Utah Legislature passed HB 340 to allow the use of plug-in photovoltaic systems.
• I've not only lived in the system.

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard a long agenda of housing-related bills, beginning with AB 1892 on HOA/Davis-Stirling Act cleanup provisions. The author and sponsor said the bill would clarify HOA responsibilities for utility service repairs in common areas, align election notice timelines, and require electronic voting ballots to be sent at least 30 days before an election. No opposition was presented, and the bill was set aside to be taken up later when a quorum was available. The committee then heard AB 1708, which would revise the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program to give smaller cities a clearer role in regional homelessness planning and access to funding. Mayors and city representatives from Bellflower, Paramount, and other cities testified that smaller jurisdictions are spending significant local funds on shelters and services but lack direct access to HHAP dollars. Some larger-city and housing advocates opposed or were opposed unless amended, arguing the bill could add administrative burden, but committee members broadly supported the goal of including smaller cities in regional responses. Members also heard AB 2058 on factory-built housing, AB 2576 on historic-resource protections under SB 79, AB 1751 on missing-middle townhomes, AB 1924 on homelessness prevention, AB 2626 on waiving certain monitoring fees for at-risk affordable housing developments, and AB 2089 on welfare-exemption and recertification procedures for affordable housing. Testimony generally emphasized reducing duplicative local permitting for factory-built housing, protecting state and national historic resources while still allowing housing near transit, expanding ministerial approval for townhomes, creating a statewide homelessness-prevention strategy with accountability measures, giving HCD flexibility to waive fees to preserve financially stressed affordable housing, and streamlining property-tax exemption recertification. Several bills were voted out of committee, including AB 1751 and AB 2626, both passing on 8-0 and 7-0 votes respectively, while other measures were discussed with motions pending or held open for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, yeah, this is something that the ASRS system brought forward.
• And the system, you know, each year is looking at the ways that they can better manage the system.
• Again, all of these are brought by the system, and the system, you know, each year is looking at the
• ways that they can better manage the system.
• And so the system feels like that this is an improvement for the system, and it's also an improvement

Summary: The meeting covered a long series of House bills across health, commerce, education, elections, government, and veterans issues, with many measures described as consent-calendar items. In health and human services, members discussed updates to radiology technology standards, a tribal Medicaid waiver bill, an emergency medicine study committee, fetal death certificate and remains-transfer requirements, a physician assistant licensure compact, dementia care telemonitoring funding, and SNAP error-rate reduction and eligibility oversight. Sponsors generally framed these bills as technical updates, workforce or access improvements, cost savings, or support for families and vulnerable populations, while some bills drew brief questions about implementation or opposition. In commerce and finance, the committee heard bills on mobile food vendor licensing, earned wage access services, CPA certification, cash acceptance by retail businesses, unmanned aircraft regulation, timeshare salesperson licensing, social credit score restrictions for lending, and a ban on state assistance to the International Criminal Court. Sponsors emphasized reduced regulation, consumer protections, transparency, and state sovereignty. The committee also considered tax and retirement-related measures, including conformity with the Internal Revenue Code, ASRS technical changes, and a 529 plan update that also addressed Roth IRA rollovers. Education and school governance bills focused heavily on school district oversight and transparency. Members discussed patriotic youth group presentations in schools, school board term limits and mandatory training, bond-advisor requirements, restrictions on school districts buying operating charter or private schools to affect funding formulas, conflicts of interest on the School Facilities Oversight Board, public meeting and travel disclosure rules, limits on long-term school property leases, job-order contracting caps, and a computer science proficiency seal. Sponsors repeatedly argued these bills would improve accountability, prevent misuse of public funds, and increase public access to school board decisions. The meeting also included elections, veterans, government, and other administrative measures. These included changes to sample-ballot mailing deadlines, a requirement that courts ask about veteran status at first appearance, a veterans awareness study, broader military leave protections, SAVE database verification for voter registration and licensing, U.S.-sourced election equipment requirements, Electoral College affirmation, justice court due-process protections, library trustee reporting deadlines, adult protective services reporting cleanup, and procurement transparency. No final floor votes were taken in the excerpt, and most items were presented for questions or moved through consent with brief sponsor explanations and occasional opposition noted in committee testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we have a choice about what kind of justice system we believe in.
• , how many of those children were touched by the CYFD system?
• , and identified at the system level a number of major issues, ...identified at the system level a number
• issues and modernize the criminal justice system.
• Much of the system is very local, and people see things from a local perspective.

Bills: HJR6, HJR7, HB120, HB60, HB151, HR1, HM13, SB40, SB104

Keywords: constitutional amendment, legislative sessions, veto override, New Mexico legislature, session length, legislative session, even-numbered years, New Mexico Constitution, student behavior, physical restraint, seclusion, public schools, training, de-escalation, student safety, behavior interventions, criminal offenses, peace officer, Victims of Crime Act, law enforcement