Transcript Highlights:

• I know that the School of Reentry, I have still yet to get out to visit the School of Reentry, which
• But my visits over the last few months to the DOC, I know that they are very hyper-focused on re-entry
• Go visit your houses of correction.
• Holmes can go visit, because one of the things that I know is the community feels very differently.
• Great to visit your districts.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next is HCR 220, which is a House Concurrent Resolution welcoming the March 17th, 2026 namesake visit
• And whereas in addition to the namesake visit occurring today, March 17th, 2026, there will be a USS
• 18:10.600><c> today</c><00:18:11.600><c> March</c> namesake visit occurring today March namesake visit
• Your General and Housing Committee visited new for sale manufactured homes.
• Your General and Housing Committee visited new for sale manufactured homes.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, it reminds me, we visited<00:59:19.359><c> with</c><00:59:19.520><c> the</c><00:59:19.680><c>
• governor</c><00:59:19.839><c> a</c><00:59:20.000><c> while</c><00:59:20.160><c> ago,</c> visited with
• As you can see here, that's where we see the strongest return of investment in terms of visitation and
• We prioritize year-round visitation, especially when it turns from spring back to winter on a day like
• We prioritize year-round visitation, especially when it turns from spring back to winter on a day like

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• said that when he went to the farm businesses, and where he came up with this, it was partly from visiting
• He said the idea came from a visit to a family farm about two years ago, shortly after the law was passed
• have</c><01:09:00.600><c> a</c><01:09:00.719><c> farm</c><01:09:00.960><c> to</c><01:09:01.159><c> visit
• </c><01:09:01.640><c> uh</c><01:09:01.920><c> together</c> longer have a farm to visit uh together longer
• have a farm to visit uh together as<01:09:02.679><c> as</c><01:09:02.759><c> a</c><01:09:02.960><c>

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of you have visited us before.
• Some of you have<01:18:55.320><c> visitors</c><01:18:56.040><c> visited</c><01:18:56.520><c> us</c><01
• </c> have visitors visited us before. have visitors visited us before.
• a lot before this bill, but visited a lot before this bill, but there<01:34:42.200><c> are</c><01:34
• Senator Kupec and Chair Putnam have had the chance to visit my farm, so thanks for taking me up on that

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, very concerning, but also it's such a huge facility, and I hope that this committee can visit
• So, uh, very concerning, but also it's such a huge facility, and I hope that this committee can visit
• With respect, I just visited the farm at Kulani, and it's a very robust program.
• </c> community this committee can visit community this committee can visit because<00:39:46.320><c> the
• I visited when I was overseeing DoD as well years ago, and just the need is there. >> Yes, ma'am.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or so that would say um the once a year or so that um<00:16:05.440><c> they</c><00:16:05.759><c> visited
• the school nurse for um they visited the school nurse for some<00:16:07.440><c> sort</c><00:16:07.680
• </p> <p>Another credit-earning opportunity I had was a seven-day visit to historically Black colleges
• During the trip, I explored the rich history of the cities I visited and also gained insight into the
• </p> <p>I also had a chance to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• programs, there are developmental screening aid, early childhood family education aid, and home visiting
• programs, there are developmental screening aid, early childhood family education aid, and home visiting
• programs, there are developmental screening aid, early childhood family education aid, and home visiting
• programs, there are developmental screening aid, early childhood family education aid, and home visiting
• Aid there are some changes visiting Aid there are some changes there<00:16:16.720><c> as</c> well<00

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• A couple of weeks ago, I was visited by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry with a request to remove
• city wants an exemption in the metropolitan area from the requirement for a prevailing wage. was visited
• by the um Commissioner of um was visited by the um Commissioner of um Labor<00:35:30.720><c> and</c>
• you talk about that frankly as you talk about continuing<01:22:06.280><c> to</c><01:22:06.520><c> visit
• </c> only time I've actually received a visit only time I've actually received a visit from<01:22:11.199

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These techniques include prompting return visits from emotional support, excessive praise, mimicking
• I have had the opportunity thus far in my nine months serving as state superintendent to visit over 50
• “I have learned a lot, and technology has come up at almost each and every visit that I have done.
• that I've been hearing about in school visits across the state.
• But on a positive note, and I’ll end here, I was visiting with one of our Children’s Advocacy Center

Summary: The committee met at Minot State to continue its study of artificial intelligence, with a focus on child safety, sexual exploitation, chatbot risks, and education policy. Members first approved the minutes and then received a Legislative Council overview of AI-related harms to children, including AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, extortion, and chatbot companion risks. The memo reviewed North Dakota and federal law, recent state enactments, First Amendment limits, and examples from other states, including Connecticut’s AI companion safeguards and federal efforts such as the Take It Down Act. Members discussed whether North Dakota’s existing 2025 laws on minors and harmful material are strong enough in light of recent court decisions, and Legislative Council indicated it would provide additional comparison material before the next meeting. Superintendent Levi Bachmeier then presented on AI in education, arguing that schools need guardrails but should not ban AI outright. He said AI should be treated as a tool that can support instruction, teacher efficiency, and digital literacy, while warning against passive use, academic integrity problems, and overreliance on machines. He suggested embedding AI and digital literacy across subjects rather than creating a standalone class, and said schools should provide basic instruction when students receive one-to-one devices. Members asked about parent concerns, local control, higher education partnerships, and how to balance access with safety; Bachmeier emphasized a “threading the needle” approach and said the department would likely seek more guidance on digital literacy and cybersecurity. Special Agent Hellseth of BCI followed with testimony on AI and child exploitation. He said AI is already being used in North Dakota to create explicit images from innocent photos, impersonate children and adults, and facilitate grooming, harassment, and extortion. He described several cases involving AI-generated sexual images and said victims often suffer lasting trauma even when the images are fake. Hellseth explained that investigators use AI tools themselves to process large volumes of data and identify synthetic images, but that the workload is growing and victim services need expansion. He urged stronger accountability for companies, more resources for law enforcement and victim support, and continued training and public education. Members asked about cyber tip volume, staffing, false accusations, and corporate reporting obligations; Hellseth said every tip is reviewed, the unit is small but expanding, and current federal reporting laws are not proactive enough. Representative Porter suggested combining the Legislative Council memo and Bachmeier’s recommendations into a comprehensive bill draft for the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And he always visited every silo in the appropriations suite.
• And I wanted to bring the Black Caucus to visit Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay.
• a substance abuse center or I'm visiting to talk about rehab and what we can do.
• Preventative and restorative dental care can reduce emergency room visits, improve quality of life, and
• Preventative and restorative dental care can reduce emergency room visits, improve quality of life, and

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and doctor-of-the-day introduction, then moved through a long special-order calendar. Early proceedings included a resolution honoring former Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber also heard several member introductions and recognitions before taking up bills. The most substantial debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758 on public assistance and Medicaid/SNAP reforms. The bill would strengthen fraud enforcement, impose a Medicaid work requirement for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid pharmacy purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Senators Berman, Smith, Bracy Davis, Osgood, and others argued for Medicaid expansion and added protections for vulnerable SNAP recipients, while Gates defended the bill as a compliance and cost-saving measure. Multiple amendments were offered, including Berman’s Medicaid-expansion condition and Osgood’s SNAP photo-ID safeguards; both were defeated. The bill was placed on the calendar for third reading after extended questioning. The Senate then passed a series of bills, often substituting House companions before final vote. These included tax conformity legislation (7031/7048), technology and computer science education (1503/1694), Parkinson’s disease registry and related public-records measures (1443/1684), designation of the SS American Victory as the official state flagship (249/1656), electronic payments for local governments (967/1612), legal tender and related public-records exemptions for gold, silver, stablecoins, and virtual currency kiosks (1311/1588/1087/7044/1568), local government finance and spending transparency (1329/1566), digital voyeurism (1536), insurance customer representative licensing (1343/1504), and medical freedom legislation (1756) with amendments on anti-kickback rules and vaccine information materials. Most bills passed on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with several amendments adopted and some withdrawn; the medical freedom bill was still under consideration at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And he always visited every silo in the appropriation suite.
• And I wanted to bring the Black Caucus to visit Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay.
• a substance abuse center or I'm visiting to talk about rehab and what we can do.
• Preventative and restorative dental care can reduce emergency room visits, improve quality of life, and
• Preventative and restorative dental care can reduce emergency room visits, improve quality of life, and

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And he always visited every silo in the appropriations suite.
• And I wanted to bring the Black Caucus to visit Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay.
• Years saying, hey, I'm visiting a substance abuse center or I'm visiting to talk about rehab and what
• Preventative and restorative dental care can reduce emergency room visits, improve quality of life, and
• Preventative and restorative dental care can reduce emergency room visits, improve quality of life, and

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And thank you folks for being online to visit about it as well. Thank you. Thank you. All right.
• So when you visit the library this summer, you'll see native plants that NDSU had a hand in making sure
• Poole come up, and we are going to be visiting now about our economic analysis study.
• But, you know, I had an opportunity to visit with the state engineer a couple days ago in Devil's Lake
• But, you know, I had an opportunity to visit with the state engineer a couple days ago in Devil's Lake

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and opening remarks from NDSU President David Stewart, who emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission of statewide service through teaching, research, and extension. He highlighted the university’s role in agriculture, water, soil health, and community outreach, and pointed to examples of research commercialization such as Lilac Agriculture’s work on nitrogen-fixing microbes for crops. He also said he is still early in his tenure and intends to spend time listening and learning across the state. The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study estimated that North Dakota could develop about 1.3 million additional irrigated acres, with major potential in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau. Testimony stressed the economic benefits of irrigation for crop yields, value-added processing, dairy, and potato production, while members also discussed water availability, aquifers, downstream water use, and the need for more flexible permitting. The drainage portion of the study found significant economic benefits from legal drains, and staff explained that the impacts were calculated through increased productivity and related input purchases. Greg Lardy then gave NDSU’s required agriculture update, saying agriculture accounts for more than $41 billion in annual economic activity, one in five jobs, and about 25 percent of state GDP. He reviewed the role of SBAR, the statewide research-extension network, new crop varieties, virtual fencing, AI and weather-network tools, and Extension’s county partnerships and youth programs. He also outlined NDSU’s priorities for the next session: restoring proposed budget cuts, increasing operating support, and addressing deferred maintenance. Members asked about storage shed construction, NDSU’s relationship with Grand Farm, and whether NDSU could help with water-related research tied to drainage and aquifers. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor on water and data centers, who described graduate fellowships, a water workforce certificate program, and research on data center cooling, water use, and “Legendary Harvest” concepts that would reuse waste heat for greenhouse or aquaculture production. Questions focused on whether the cooling systems were closed-loop, who would own any related production facilities, and whether the project was still only a feasibility study. Finally, North Dakota AgTech described its NSF-funded “engine” project, saying it has brought millions in federal investment to the state, supported startups and on-farm trials, and is focused on commercialization, workforce development, and helping producers lower input costs and improve profitability.

Transcript Highlights:

• When this bill was filed and I visited with the chairman, it turns out there was a location in Catahoula
• She can be paid reasonable expenses, I believe, that would, you know, of course, like for doctor visits
• The front line visits our families.
• workers who are going out to the home, doing the assessments, doing the investigations, making the visits
• with the families for family services, making the visits for foster care for our foster children and

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Summary: The committee first heard SB 145, which would require adult residential care providers, especially assisted living centers, to have generators or other backup power arrangements and to submit preparedness plans to LDH. After technical amendments and testimony from the sponsor, LDH, and the assisted living industry clarifying the bill’s scope and cost concerns, the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. It then took up SB 433, which would require Medicaid coverage of medically necessary FDA-approved weight loss drugs, including GLP-1 medications, subject to appropriations and fiscally sustainable coverage criteria; the bill was reported favorably after discussion of current Medicaid coverage and costs. The committee also approved SB 52, which requires better coordination between DCFS and LDH so SNAP and Medicaid benefits can follow children more quickly when they are removed from or returned to a home. Technical amendments changed reporting deadlines and required written notice, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 4 on public water fluoridation was amended to allow local governments or voters to opt out through a petition and election process, with support from the Louisiana Dental Association and others after compromise language was adopted; it was reported favorably with amendments. SB 152, which would prohibit the sale of cultured or lab-grown food products for human consumption, was also reported favorably with amendments after brief testimony in support and opposition. The committee next approved SCR 37, which asks the Surgeon General to review Louisiana’s informed consent laws and report back on any gaps, after discussion that the existing medical disclosure panel had not met since 2018. It then considered SB 194, a public assistance bill aligning Louisiana Medicaid and SNAP rules with recent federal changes on non-citizen eligibility and tightening Medicaid’s reasonable opportunity period for citizenship verification. After extensive debate over immigration, emergency care, and whether the bill could harm eligible applicants or rural hospitals, the committee adopted an amendment allowing LDH discretion for emergency health care services and reported the bill favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, HCR 113 created a task force to study gestational carrier agreements and assisted reproductive regulation; after debate over surrogacy, ethics, and referral to Civil Law, the committee rejected the referral motion and then reported the resolution favorably, and the meeting moved on to SB 333 on child-in-need-of-care proceedings and legal representation funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• When this bill was filed and I visited with the chairman, it turns out there was a location in Catahoula
• She can be paid reasonable expenses, I believe, that would, you know, of course, like for doctor visits
• The front line visits our families.
• workers who are going out to the home, doing the assessments, doing the investigations, making the visits
• with the families for family services, making the visits for foster care for our foster children.

Bills: HR267 , HCR105 , HCR107 , HCR110 , HCR113 , HCR114 , SB4 , SB52 , SB57 , SB145 , SB152 , SB194 , SB237 , SB333 , SB433 , SB483 , SCR37

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: diabetes, amputation, amputations, diabetic foot ulcer, peripheral artery disease, PAD, wound care, podiatry, vascular disease, endocrinology, limb salvage, health policy, public health, healthcare costs, insurance coverage, Louisiana Department of Health, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana Center for Health Innovation, patient education, screening

Transcript Highlights:

• A more effective way of legislators finding out what is really happening is to visit these places.
• All anyone would need to do to determine what needs to be done is to visit a school or two.
• I have a few schools you can visit, should you so choose. Just let me know.
• Now, let's take a brief stroll down one main street to visit the things Meg loves: Ohio State, hugs,
• I will greatly miss this wild and crazy place, but I do promise to visit from time to time.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I also want to invite any of you to come visit our school, meet our students, look into their bright
• And I also want to invite any of you to come visit our school, meet our students, look into their bright
• In that visit, they share every struggle, every frustration, and most impactfully, their loss of hope
• In fact, we visited out in the hall. We caught up on a lot of the same stuff. Yeah.
• You need to, yeah, visit that one day. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mint, on this return visit to Louisiana House of Representatives.
• Mint, on his return visit to the Louisiana House of Representatives.
• good job, but because of those issues, this bill would implement a code of conduct where they have to visit
• , because of those issues, we have, this bill would implement a code of conduct where they have to visit
• oversight or if you followed the BESE regulations already in Bulletin 741, which also requires a site visit

Bills: HR244 , HR245 , HR246 , HR247 , HR248 , HR249 , HR250 , HR251 , HCR101 , HCR102 , HR223 , HR224 , HR225 , HR226 , HR227 , HR229 , HR230 , HR231 , HR232 , HR234 , HR235 , HR236 , HR237 , HR238 , HR239 , HR240 , HR241 , HR242 , HR243 , HCR94 , HCR95 , HCR96 , HCR97 , HCR98 , HCR99 , HCR100 , SCR31 , SCR33 , SCR35 , SCR37 , SCR56 , SCR57 , SB171 , SB251 , SB252 , SB353 , SB367 , SB433 , SB461 , HR170 , HR191 , HR206 , HR207 , HR208 , HR217 , HCR11 , HCR53 , HCR60 , HCR66 , HCR68 , HB66 , HB153 , HB165 , HB326 , HB387 , HB454 , HB455 , HB484 , HB513 , HB603 , HB660 , HB719 , HB762 , HB766 , HB793 , HB802 , HB816 , HB833 , HB940 , HB947 , HB950 , HB975 , HB1028 , HB1039 , HB1051 , HB1053 , HB1080 , HB1201 , HB1215 , HB1228 , HB1251 , HB1252 , SCR2 , SB26 , SB28 , SB29 , SB30 , SB41 , SB44 , SB64 , SB84 , SB87 , SB93 , SB98 , SB107 , SB118 , SB142 , SB192 , SB195 , SB199 , SB219 , SB222 , SB234 , SB241 , SB255 , SB275 , SB277 , SB292 , SB294 , SB306 , SB314 , SB482 , SB233 , SB326 , HR171 , HCR49 , HCR65 , HCR72 , HR37 , HCR64 , SCR19 , SCR3 , SCR6 , SCR18 , SCR11 , SCR22 , HB64 , HB68 , HB92 , HB130 , HB258 , HB633 , HB801 , HB89 , HB341 , HB451 , HB456 , HB579 , HB595 , HB621 , HB818 , HB841 , HB1064 , HB1101 , HB1191 , SB47 , SB82 , SB106 , SB206 , SB210 , SB248 , SB305 , SB376 , SB397 , SB441 , SB2 , SB19 , SB24 , SB50 , SB70 , SB96 , SB101 , SB103 , SB104 , SB114 , SB122 , SB159 , SB160 , SB173 , SB180 , SB182 , SB260 , SB412 , SB418 , SB424 , SB442 , SB460 , SB476 , SB1 , SB23 , SB32 , SB42 , SB43 , SB46 , SB51 , SB110 , SB113 , SB150 , SB154 , SB161 , SB218 , SB220 , SB221 , SB253 , SB289 , SB310 , SB351 , SB399 , SB404 , SB502 , HCR32 , HB955 , HB284 , HB617 , HB730 , HB926 , HB1125 , HB1194 , HB1203 , HB798 , HB998 , HB1084 , HB1223 , HB646 , HB824 , HB901 , HB79 , HR20 , HR74 , HB59 , HB306 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB682 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB911 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1234 , HB1240 , SB89 , SB68 , SB149

Keywords: disclosure, local law, public notice, legislative transparency, Artists at the Capitol Day, art education, Louisiana Art Education Association, recognition, community engagement, House Resolution 247, HR247, Laura Lewis, birthday commendation, 104th birthday, centenarian, longevity, St. James Parish, Louisiana House of Representatives, Mount Calvary Baptist Church, ceremonial resolution

Transcript Highlights:

• California School-Based Health Alliance conference at the beginning of last week, and we did a site visit
• in Kern County in the latter part of last week, where we were visiting school district sites, going
• I believe deeply that it was school-based supports that really helped my child after the hospital visit
• housing models and laws in other states, as well as operational expense funding to support travel to visit
• The four positions requested are three dental hygienists. to visit a few of these programs and to consult

Keywords: 988, house, all