Transcript Highlights:

• Also in that same section, the Senate added in words or exclusion of evidence after this sentence of
• Also at the end of that sentence, by a veterinarian licensed to practice in the state of Vermont, the
• Then again in subsection two, at the end of the sentence, failure to be accompanied by a veterinarian
• Also in that same section, the Senate added in words or exclusion of evidence after this sentence of
• <00:59:18.320> of Also at the end of, um, that sentence of Also at the end of, um, that sentence

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House first took up S. 298, the Vermont Voting Rights Act. Members explained the Senate’s further proposal of amendment, including changes to language about how the State Ethics Commission may respond to ethics inquiries, a directive for the Secretary of State and Ethics Commission to work out a shared process for the candidate financial disclosure form by January 30, and a technical PAC-related wording change. The committee reported an 11-0-0 vote in favor, and the House concurred in the Senate proposal of amendment. The chamber then suspended rules to take up S. 328, the omnibus housing bill, and heard detailed committee reports from General and Housing, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. The bill addresses common interest community resources, a service-supported housing advisory council, expansion of the 10% for Vermont program to 12.5%, an off-site construction accelerator pilot, VHFA’s rental housing revolving loan program, special assessment districts, municipal housing planning requirements, and several reports on housing-related issues. Ways and Means described revenue impacts from the cash-balance expansion and revised the off-site construction pilot and loan program language; Appropriations removed a section already included in the budget and adjusted advisory council per diem funding. The House adopted the amendments, ordered third reading, suspended rules to place the bill in all remaining stages, passed it in concurrence with proposal of amendment, and messaged the action to the Senate forthwith. The House then suspended rules to take up S. 197, relating to payment reform for primary care. The House Health Care Committee recommended a strike-all amendment, saying the health care system is in crisis, premiums are rising, access to primary care is limited, and clinicians are burdened by documentation and administrative work. The committee vote on its amendment was 10-0-1, and the bill was also referred to Ways and Means and Appropriations because of fiscal implications. The transcript cuts off as the House was beginning consideration of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• They might be sentenced to jail. They might be sentenced to the Department of Corrections.
• They might be sentenced to jail. They might be sentenced to the Department of Corrections.
• Sentence to the Department of Corrections. Some more information.
• to pay it until after that sentence is served.
• Truth and sentencing is a parole system that we talked about in depth in the last two meetings.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Section one relates to protection of victim identity in sentence adjustments.
• identifi identity in uh sentence identifi identity in uh sentence adjustments.<00:08:13.840>
• prosecutor's petition for a sentence prosecutor's petition for a sentence adjustment.<00:08:22.639
• <00:08:26.160> adjustment,<00:08:26.800> they petition for a sentence adjustment, they
• petition for a sentence adjustment, they are<00:08:27.120> required<00:08:27.520> to<00

Bills: HF4075, HF3826, HF3825, HF3827, HF3459, HF3711, HF4200, HF3908, HF3712

Keywords: firearm restrictions, domestic violence, public safety, court orders, criminal convictions, identity theft, subpoena authority, fraud, statute of limitations, financial crime, victim notification, expungement, criminal justice, plea agreements, minor victims, identification protection, stalking, crime data, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, law enforcement grants

Transcript Highlights:

• It has three sentences, which I will take one by one.
• This sentence is a departure from the federal Constitution, which has no such enumerated protections.
• It has three sentences<00:30:56.960> which<00:30:57.200> I<00:30:57.440> will<00
• sentences which I will take one by one. sentences which I will take one by one.
• > measures This sentence clarifies that measures This sentence clarifies that measures included

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional for Mental Health Awareness Month, focused on the fragility and renewability of mental health and the importance of human connection, kindness, and reaching out to people who are struggling. The chamber then handled several referral items, including first reading and referral of Senate Bill 329, an act relating to criminal procedures involving firearms, to the Judiciary Committee. It also referred Senate Bills 323 and 326 to the Committee on Appropriations because they carry appropriations, and noted that Senate Bill 278, relating to cannabis and state revenue, had been reported favorably with amendment and was referred to Ways and Means under House Rule 35A. The House took up Joint Senate Resolution 53 on weekend adjournment for May 15, 2026, and adopted it in concurrence by voice vote. The chamber also read House Concurrent Resolution 284 honoring former Senate Majority Leader and Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs’ Executive Director John F. Campbell for his public service, including his work on marriage equality and gun control, and members gave remarks recognizing his leadership, humor, and impact on the institution. Several guests were welcomed and recognized during announcements, including a representative involved in a diaper drive, local officials, and Norma Malone, who was honored for decades of public service in Barry Town and related local boards. The main floor action was on Proposal 4, a proposed constitutional amendment on equality of rights. The Judiciary Committee recommended concurrence, and the member from Burlington explained the amendment’s purpose and process, emphasizing that it would add an equal protection guarantee to the Vermont Constitution covering race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and national origin, while preserving other constitutional protections. The member also reviewed the proposal’s prior passage in both chambers in the previous biennium and its current path toward appearing on the November 2026 ballot if approved again by the House and Senate. The transcript ends while the House is still hearing extended remarks on Proposal 4, with no final vote on the amendment shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, as you know, lawyers, especially whenever you're in a courtroom before a judge sentences someone,
• I think this is imposes a sentence?"
• says that no know that first sentence says that no other<00:57:06.000> debt.
• of that, I like that second sentence of that, I like that second sentence where<00:57:56.640>
• . sentences. sentences.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The jury came back criminally negligent homicide for reasons unknown, and the defendant was sentenced
• The jury came back criminally negligent homicide for reasons unknown, and the defendant was sentenced
• unknown and the defendant was sentenced unknown and the defendant was sentenced under<00:14:38.959
• um the defendant defendant was sentenced um the defendant was<00:15:05.600> sentenced<00:15:05.920
• less than if she would was sentenced less than if she would would<00:15:07.360> have<00:15:07.600

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:41:03.839> Um but you have not yet been sentenced.
• Um but you have not yet been sentenced.
• Now, um I are serving a prison sentence.
• because there are, serving a sentence because there are, you<00:51:22.240> know,<00:51:22.400
• We also see one more law I'm going to highlight is a 364-day law, and at the federal level, sentences

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety held an informational briefing on findings from the deportation data project and possible policy responses to increased federal immigration enforcement in Hawaii. In opening remarks, the chair said the committee was concerned about changing federal executive orders, policies, and enforcement actions, and framed the issue as one involving due process and public safety. The chair and presenters described reports of ICE activity on multiple islands, including raids, courthouse presence, and fear in immigrant communities, and said the committee was considering whether state policies should be advanced more quickly. Mandy Fernandez of the ACLU of Hawaii presented updated deportation data and argued that increased immigration enforcement is creating fear, reducing crime reporting, and potentially making state and local agencies extensions of the federal immigration agenda if they accept federal funding with conditions. She said the deportation data project, housed at UC Berkeley Law with UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, uses FOIA requests and its latest data runs through late July 2025. She reported 153 ICE arrests in Hawaii from January through July 2025, up from 41 in the same period in 2024; 96 removals, up from 15; a federal detention center average daily population of 91 in June 2025 versus 31 in June 2024; and 111 ICE detainers issued in Hawaii from September 2023 through July 2025, with 49 issued in 2025. She also cited an immigration court backlog of 1,144 pending cases as of August 2025 and noted that about one in five Hawaii residents were born outside the United States. Haley Chang of the Office of the Public Defender said her office is seeing a marked increase in ICE presence around courthouses and more ICE contacts with clients, including reports of people being detained after court appearances or while on supervision. She emphasized that the office is not an immigration law office and that much of its information is anecdotal, but said the pattern appears new compared with prior years. In response to committee questions, she explained that ICE detainers are requests, not judicial warrants, and said local law enforcement is generally not required to honor them unless accompanied by a judicial warrant or other legal authority. She also said the public defender’s office had not yet seen new criminal charges arise solely from an ICE detention or failure to appear tied to immigration enforcement, though cases could be affected if defendants are removed from the criminal process.

Transcript Highlights:

• said this, you get a shorter sentence. said this, you get a shorter sentence.
• another offender prior to sentencing. another offender prior to sentencing.
• <03:24:09.840> below the court may impose a sentence below the court may impose a sentence
• to take into condition in the sentence. to take into condition in the sentence.
• 60 days off their um off their sentence. 60 days off their um off their sentence.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• like that bill still calls for six months with no benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence
• In Louisiana, once you're done with your sentence, you regain your right to vote, and I'll go on record
• Firearms: In Louisiana, after you are 10 years out from your sentence, you get your gun rights back,
• When we acknowledge that a sentence is over, that sentence should be over.
• people who are clear of the five years, the currently clear of the five years finished with their sentence

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard House Bill 1033, which expands the definition of critical infrastructure to include airports, heliports, spaceports, aerospace facilities, certain government and military sites, and oil and gas platforms. Supporters said the bill is part of a broader effort to position Louisiana for aerospace and defense investment, while opponents from the Sierra Club warned that repeatedly broadening critical infrastructure could chill protest and free-speech activity. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 1034, which authorizes local officials to declare temporary protection zones for public safety for up to 72 hours, with one extension. The sponsor and the Department of Economic Development said it would be a tool for aerospace and defense projects and other public-safety needs; ACLU testimony raised concerns about notice, property rights, and possible impacts on public waterways. The bill was also reported favorably. The committee next considered several criminal justice bills. House Bill 51, barring post-conviction bail for defendants convicted of aggravated offenses against children, and House Bill 55, limiting public disclosure of juror information to protect juror privacy, both received broad support and were reported favorably. House Bill 635, aimed at protecting Louisianians from transnational repression by foreign governments through penalty enhancements for underlying crimes, was supported by a national security advocate and reported favorably. House Bill 133, increasing penalties for students who commit attacks on teachers or other students, was amended to address juvenile procedure and exceptionalities; teachers testified about serious injuries they suffered, while the ACLU and criminal defense lawyers raised concerns about mandatory minimums and individualized sentencing. The bill was reported with amendments. The committee also heard House Bill 676, which creates the crime of fraudulent patient referrals, or “body brokering,” in the substance-use treatment industry. The sponsor and Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives described schemes that steer vulnerable patients into fraudulent treatment arrangements for profit; the bill was reported favorably. House Bill 159 created a Caddo Parish pilot program for pretrial home incarceration with electronic monitoring to reduce jail overcrowding. The sheriff said the jail is far over capacity and that the program would be limited to nonviolent, non-sex-offense defendants with risk assessments, court approval, and behavioral-health check-ins. Witnesses supported the concept but urged tighter liability language; the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill with amendments. House Bill 106, dealing with unauthorized administration of melatonin to children in child care settings, was reported favorably. Later, the committee amended and reported House Bill 108, which changes juror qualifications to exclude people convicted of crimes of violence or sex offenses from criminal juries, after opponents argued it would unnecessarily bar citizens from jury service. House Bill 784, a cleanup bill on sex offender registration and notification, was amended and reported with technical changes. Senate Bill 388, which removes a trigger clause tied to a border compact and authorizes review of state contracts for foreign-adversary benefit, was amended and reported. Finally, House Bill 772, a bail-procedure reform requiring accurate mailing and electronic notice information and consolidating notice rules, was presented as a fairness and efficiency measure and had support from the bail industry and prosecutors; the transcript ends before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first sentence says, "Strike Judiciary Committee Amendment Number 3."
• And frankly, the sentence on voluntary manslaughter is six years.
• This bill would increase sentences within the... section related to delinquent offenders and youthful
• And I said, "Did the Sentencing Commission endorse the House amendments to HB 255?"
• The Sentencing Commission, which I also have enormous respect for, is split.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:56:52.079> 86 murder and serve was sentenced 86 murder and serve was sentenced 86 months
• For it was over a year and probably four months before he was sentenced, and still after sentencing it
• before he was sentenced and still after<01:06:46.799> sentencing<01:06:47.559> it<01:06
• But again, this process took about a year and four months to get them finally sentenced.
• sentenced um coming up to the sentencing sentenced um coming up to the sentencing day<01:08:40.679

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what would be the sentence? 5 years. And what would be the sentence? 5 years.
• , And if you'll go to the last sentence, And if you'll go to the last sentence, it<02:36:46.400><
• It says the penalty is 12 sentenced.
• I know it's up to a 6-month<03:54:05.720> sentence<03:54:06.240> or 6-month sentence or
• sentenced to death or um life in prison. sentenced to death or um life in prison.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 31 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a guest vocalist, and the Pledge of Allegiance before moving into routine business. Members first recognized several special guests and school groups, including championship teams from Simpson County Academy, New Albany High School, Tougaloo College, Madison-Richland Academy, East Rankin Academy, Morton High School, and others, along with honorees such as Dr. Katrina Cox, Pamela Moody, Joe Helen Joey Walker, and Jimmy Carr. The chamber also noted a prior resolution honoring Reverend Dr. Victor Dixon and the Copiah County Ministerial Alliance, and Dr. Dixon led the opening prayer. On the calendar, the House adopted a conference report on House Bill 1752 dealing with judicial salaries. The report set new salary amounts for state court judges effective January 1, 2027, froze district attorney salary increases until January 1, 2028, and then tied DAs to 95% of circuit and chancery judges’ pay. It also removed mandatory raise language for judges and county court judges, and members briefly discussed the broader issue of legislative compensation. The report passed 115-2. The House then adopted a conference report on House Bill 377, the missing persons bill, which clarified definitions, added forensic genetic genealogy testing provisions, and set timelines for law enforcement to enter credible missing-person reports into NamUs and NCIC. That report passed 120-0. The chamber also adopted a conference report on House Bill 525, changing the penalty for sexual battery in a position of trust or authority from a 0-to-30-year range to a 5-to-30-year range; it passed 112-0. Later, the House adopted a conference report on House Bill 925 after removing veto-message language, and adopted another conference report on House Bill 939 combining a low-sat repealer change and a fire truck acquisition program that creates a Fire Equipment Fund supported by recurring black tag revenue. The House also approved unanimous-consent amendments to Senate Bill 3105 and recommitted Senate Bill 2747 for further work.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a second sentence up there that all men are created equal.
• It's a second sentence up there that all men are created equal.
• ever written and it is the sentence ever written and it is the sentence<00:21:16.320> from<00
• are sentence up there that all men are created<00:21:28.400> equal.
• the first word of that second sentence the first word of that second sentence is<00:22:00.720>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I need you to wrap finish two sentences.
• So we have the ability already to sentence people as harshly as we'd like to sentence them.
• 03:05:25.760> to<03:05:25.920> life who can be sentenced to life who can be sentenced to
• harshly as we'd like to sentence them. harshly as we'd like to sentence them.
• I've Uh, that's a very harsh sentence.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much for considering their sentence. Any comments? Any other testifiers for SB 2479?
• And lastly, for those people who have already been sentenced and never had the opportunity to present
• So basically the thing that she said Linda Lingo had tried to push... who have already been sentenced
• who have already been sentenced uh<00:45:59.200> and<00:45:59.520> never<00:45:59.760>
• or perhaps even at trial sentencing or perhaps even at trial should<00:46:07.119> have<00:46:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint HHS and LBT meeting opened with accessibility concerns, as several blind attendees arrived after the general public had already been seated. The chair apologized and said future hearings would try to seat blind members earlier. The committee also announced the hearing was being streamed on YouTube, testimony would be limited to one minute, and written testimony was available online. The first bill heard was SB 2281, relating to the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. The Department of Health supported transparency for patients but preferred disclosure through provider websites and office signage rather than a new regulatory program. The Hawaii Medical Association and Healthcare Association of Hawaii generally supported the bill’s intent but raised concerns about administrative burden and suggested a working group or model policies. Hawaii Pacific Health said it already uses AI for note-taking and patient portal functions and worried that written notice requirements could create too much consumer information. In response, the chair emphasized that patients should be informed when AI is used, especially if it affects diagnosis or consequential decisions, and said AI should not be making medical decisions. The committee later voted to recommend SB 2281 pass with amendments, including narrowing the definition of consequential decisions, removing certain language requested by DOH, adding a two-year implementation period, and setting a far-future defective date for further discussion; both committees adopted the recommendation, with the chair voting aye and the vice chair voting with reservations. The second major bill was SB 2852, a civil rights measure focused on digital access for people with disabilities. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii all supported the bill, arguing that existing law clearly protects physical access but should also make digital access explicit. Blind testifiers described how accessible technology, such as VoiceOver on iPhones, allows them to participate independently in public processes and warned that inaccessible digital systems can create barriers for thousands of blind residents. One testifier, an attorney with disability-law experience, supported the bill’s intent but said the draft had flaws, including no exceptions for archived materials, no distinction between small and large businesses, and concerns about the timing and choice of accessibility standards; he suggested delegating regulatory authority to the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission. The bill’s sponsor said he supported DAB’s proposed amendments, and the committee indicated those amendments would address many of the concerns raised. No final vote on SB 2852 was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up SB 2751, which defines compounded prescription drugs for workers’ compensation purposes. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations supported the bill but requested clarifying amendments to keep pharmacists as the primary professionals authorized to compound in licensed pharmacies and to limit any physician compounding authority to the physician’s own patient. Supporters included the Work Injury Medical Association of Hawaii, while Solera Integrated Medical Solutions opposed the measure, arguing the current definition was already broad enough and warning about cost inflation, especially with 503B bulk compounding facilities and physician dispensing. In questioning, members asked about rural access, reimbursement for 503B products, and late testimony suggesting definitions for 503A and 503B facilities, limits on physician dispensing to 30 days post-injury, and pre-approval for non-FDA-approved drugs. DLIR said not every rural community has licensed pharmacists available, that products with a national drug code are reimbursed at 140%, and that 503B facilities raise concerns because they are bulk manufacturers rather than patient-specific compounding operations. The meeting then moved into decision-making on SB 2281; the chair’s pass-with-amendments recommendation was adopted by both committees, with the vice chair voting with reservations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second issue is, in addition to Deputy Raynor, just recently, Travis Garrett was sentenced to 45
• Just recently, Travis Garrett was sentenced to 45 years in prison for a Hillsborough deputy's death.
• There's also the provision that Senator Pizzo just discussed that requires a mandatory life sentence
• or any mitigating factor whatsoever into account or consideration during sentencing.
• The jury in this case found his killer guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to 30 years in prison

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard several member introductions and recognitions, including awareness resolutions and visiting groups in the galleries. The chamber then moved to special order bills. Senate Bill 88 on utility terrain vehicles passed 32-5 after debate over allowing local governments to opt in to street use of UTVs under safety restrictions; Senator Smith opposed it over safety concerns. Senate Bill 102 on exceptional student education passed 36-0, creating a workforce credential/badge program for students with autism or on modified curricula; supporters emphasized employment opportunities and safety training, while Senator Davis raised concerns about added costs to school districts. Senate Bill 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults passed 37-0, allowing alternative service on scammers through the same apps used to contact victims. Senate Bill 130 on compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration passed 38-0, extending filing deadlines and removing restrictive barriers; supporters called it a long-overdue justice fix. Senate Bill 158 on diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations passed 38-0, eliminating cost sharing for follow-up breast tests in the state employee health plan to encourage early detection. The most contentious measure was Senate Bill 234 on criminal offenses against law enforcement officers. The bill sought to clarify that violent resistance to officers is not justified by claims about the legality of the detention and to add manslaughter of a law enforcement officer to offenses carrying life imprisonment without release. An amendment by Senator Jones to restore “in good faith” language failed, after debate centered on due process, racial profiling, and the role of juries and suppression motions. Several senators spoke in support of law enforcement but objected to the bill’s breadth and mandatory life penalty; Senator Leek ultimately postponed the bill temporarily rather than taking a final vote. Senate Bill 262 on trust code technical changes passed 36-0. Senate Bill 274 designating roads for Harris Rosen and Geraldine Thompson passed 38-0, followed by a successful co-sponsorship motion and remarks honoring Thompson’s legacy. Senate Bill 280 on candidate qualification passed 38-0, creating an enforcement mechanism for party-affiliation filing requirements. Senate Bill 296 on middle and high school start times passed 38-0, repealing the statewide start-time mandate and shifting implementation decisions to local districts while requiring public reporting and discussion. Senate Bill 356 designating January 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day also passed unanimously, with senators emphasizing remembrance, anti-Semitism, and the educational value of the memorial and observance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, if you look at the language, it's that first sentence that I have some concerns about.
• So, I'm here just to sort of say I'd like the amendment except that one sentence, and I want to thank
• Um, if you look at the language, it's that first sentence that I have some concerns about.
• So, I'm here just to sort of say I'd like the amendment except that one sentence, and I want to thank
• So, I'm here just to sort of say I'd like the amendment except that one sentence, and I want to thank

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 1999 informationally only, with no formal action taken. Representative Green explained that the bill addresses large and sometimes anonymous data requests made to school districts and other government entities, arguing that while public access to data is essential, some requests create significant staff and cost burdens when requesters do not follow through. She described examples from districts that spent thousands of dollars preparing data that was never inspected, and said the bill aims to add accountability while preserving open government and press access. Testifiers largely supported the bill’s goals but discussed technical changes. Matt Eling of Minnesotans for Open Government said the amendment largely codifies existing guidance on handling large requests by breaking them into components and allowing inspection or copying in stages. Superintendent Jeff Felson of Owatonna Public Schools said his district had received 12 anonymous requests in three years, nine of which were abandoned, costing about $40,000, and one large request cost more than $400,000 and required significant staff time. Rich Newmeister also supported the effort but raised concern about language referring to providing data on a “rolling basis,” suggesting training and clearer guidance for districts instead. Members asked whether school districts already set their own data-request policies, whether anonymous requests must be answered, and how the bill would affect private personnel data. Representative Green said districts do have their own policies, anonymous requests are allowed under current law, and the bill is meant to provide clearer statutory guidance. She also said she was open to removing the “rolling basis” language after feedback. The discussion ended with general support for the bill’s intent and a reminder from the chair that the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• The sentence<00:46:46.680> that sentence that sentence that uh<00:46:47.800> starts<00:
• that sentence entirely. that sentence entirely.
• I think it's, at the very least, prudent to remove that sentence entirely.
• ,<00:55:49.320> it<00:55:49.440> says, part of the sentence, it says, part of the sentence
• remove that sentence entirely. remove that sentence entirely.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also provides a 1.5 sentencing multiplier for a second or subsequent fleeing or attempting to elude
• It also provides a 1.5 sentencing multiplier for a second or subsequent fleeing or attempting to elude
• So just note that the multiplier that's applied here applies to a convicted defendant's subtotal sentencing
• The 1.5 sentencing multiplier, does that take away the judge's ability to, or give them more ability
• because I need to better understand that even on a first offense that person might get that 1.5 sentence

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered three bills. HB 91, by Reps. Rayner and Jacques, would align probation rules for certain misdemeanor reckless driving cases involving controlled substances with existing DUI law, allowing up to 12 months of probation in those cases. The bill was described as a technical “glitch” fix and as supporting both accountability and treatment; it drew one supportive public appearance and passed 17-0, reported favorably. HB 113, by Rep. Chamberlin, sought to increase penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. Members raised concerns about unmarked vehicles, jurisdictional markings, and whether the bill could apply to drivers who slow down or stop for safety reasons when unsure a vehicle is police. Chamberlin said he was open to clarifying language and other amendments. A strike-all amendment was adopted that increased the penalty for fleeing in a patrol vehicle with lights and sirens from a third-degree to a second-degree felony, revised offense severity rankings, and added a 1.5 sentencing multiplier for second or subsequent offenses. The amended bill received supportive public testimony and passed 16-1, with Rep. Hart voting no, and was reported favorably as amended. HB 195, by Rep. Chambliss, would require the Department of Corrections to coordinate with professional boards under DBPR so inmates completing classes tied to licensure can receive credit toward those licenses after release. Supporters said the bill would help rehabilitation, reduce recidivism, and give returning citizens a better path to employment. The bill had no amendments, received supportive public testimony, and passed unanimously 17-0, reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:03.679> in consideration that that sentence in consideration that that sentence in
• So, um, the construct of the sentence might be a little off.
• sentences which involves drafted unclear sentences which involves very<02:00:34.599> significant<
• When I read those two sentences together, I'm totally lost. I don't understand what that means.
• <04:55:48.520> together when I read those two sentences together when I read those two sentences

Keywords: 1189, house, all