Transcript Highlights:

• capacity training series one, which we went out into different areas of the state working with the COGs
• Each COG is, from what I understand, very busy trying to assist their communities.
• Each COG is very busy trying to help their communities.
• Is that what you're looking at for FTEs in the different COGs?
• That seems to be a really big issue if you're looking at rural COGs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Homeland Security Executive Committee, which is under the Council of Governments, referred to as the COG
• Homeland Security Executive Committee, which is under the Council of Governments, referred to as the COG
• , that is in D.C. is under the council of governments referred to as the COG that is in DC that is a

Keywords: House Committee Room A, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and a wheel, and if that cog is missing, that is a problem and it needs to be replaced.
• and a wheel, and if that cog is missing, that is a problem and it needs to be replaced.
• 00:58:26.480> a humans outside of that they are just a humans outside of that they are just a cog
• wheel<00:58:27.319> and<00:58:27.440> if<00:58:27.599> that<00:58:27.799> Cog
• <00:58:28.079> is cog and a wheel and if that Cog is cog and a wheel and if that Cog is missing

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 1325 and adopted the author’s A2 amendment before hearing testimony. Representative Schultz presented the bill as a set of bipartisan changes to make Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law more workable for small businesses, public employers, and taxpayers, arguing the current law is an unfunded mandate that increases costs and property taxes. The bill’s supporters said it would add flexibility, including changes affecting coverage for certain workers, employer size thresholds, front-loading, weather-related exceptions, and a delay on penalties. Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach of the Department of Labor and Industry opposed the bill, saying it would exclude about 800,000 workers, or roughly 30% of the workforce, from earned sick and safe time protections and create confusion and enforcement problems. She also objected to the proposed penalty delay, saying the department already uses compliance assistance and needs penalty authority for serious violations. The Minnesota Chamber supported modifications to the mandate, saying businesses—especially small ones—have struggled with compliance and that the law has had unintended effects on PTO policies and leave use. The League of Minnesota Cities supported parts of the bill, especially changes affecting more generous city leave policies and weather-event exemptions, saying current language creates confusion and can interfere with emergency staffing. Opponents from Education Minnesota, SEIU Minnesota, TakeAction Minnesota, and a nurse from Unity Hospital argued the bill would strip protections from part-time workers, minors, and workers with family caregiving needs, and would weaken a law they said has helped workers avoid discipline or lost wages when sick. Supporters from counties and an HR consultant emphasized administrative burdens, emergency staffing needs during weather events, and the difficulty of applying ESS rules to existing leave policies. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the bill was laid over for further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• constituents, from the small to the, you know, it's just that is such a gift to be able to pull the cog
• constituents, from the small to the, you know, it's just that is such a gift to be able to pull the cog
• constituents, from the small to the, you know, it's just that is such a gift to be able to pull the cog

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, we should be going through the COG, and I think that is a possibility.
• We do in our area; we use the COG. That's what they're there for. Mr.
• Chair, I think—really, whether you go through the COG or you work with McKinley County...

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I have worked with DOC staff to create opportunities for this representative of COG to be able to
• Uh, certainly made the opportunity available for the COG members to come into headquarters and also talk
• the prison was conducted, I believe, two days ago, and so I'm sure that that person that represents COG
• The prison was conducted, I believe, two days ago, and so I'm sure that that person that represents COG
• I will say, sir, that the conversation that I had with that member of COG was very helpful in the first

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Fiscal Committee met on June 20, 2025 and first approved the May 16 minutes and the non-removed items on the consent calendar. It then took up a Health and Human Services item for $5 million in additional nursing facility payments (FIS 25158). HHS explained the transfer was for private and county nursing facilities and was the third and final transfer in FY25, funded through federal matching dollars, county cap funds, and general funds. Members asked about the size of the transfer, whether it signaled future shortfalls, and how projections were developed; HHS said the request reflected updated estimates and that they did not expect similarly large transfers going forward. The committee adopted the item. The committee also considered an ARPA-related item to remove a line from a funding request because the issue had been resolved and the positions/funds were no longer needed. Members approved the item with that line removed. Commissioner Caswell then answered questions about ARPA spending authority, saying remaining projects must be expended by December 31, 2026 and that the item was intended to preserve authority for ongoing capital projects; any unspent funds would revert to the federal government. Members noted the recurring nature of these ARPA adjustments and the need to keep tracking deadlines. The Department of Corrections presented several items, including a $10 million request tied to staffing shortages and overtime costs, plus additional corrections-related funding items. Interim commissioner John Skipa said 18 employees had received preliminary layoff notices pending final budget approval. He and staff said the overtime need was driven by staffing shortages, later collective bargaining pay increases, and double-time compensation for uniform officers forced into overtime; they also said one housing unit section had been closed to reduce staffing pressure. In response to questions about morale and operational risk, Skipa said the department was under strain, that leadership was in transition, and that staffing or budget reductions could create litigation risk. The committee also heard about the Site Evaluation Committee’s budget shortfall, which was attributed to fewer new facility applications but continued casework and public engagement, and approved that item. Finally, members discussed a YDC claims administration item, questioning the role and cost of the Verald Dana consultant; staff said the firm handles intake and processing of claims for the Attorney General’s office and had been involved since the claims process was created. Several items were adopted after brief discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, last year it was, I think it was $2 million that went to the COGs. There are seven COGs.
• So I hope we can up that to $2 million and really make sure that language directs it to the COGs.
• The COGs. Mr.
• I think some of us would love to see how the COGs are working.
• I think we all know not all COGs are created equal. And so, you know, can we learn from others? Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in my district, we have COGS and EBID.
• So in my district, we have COGS and EBID, those types of agencies.
• especially in my smaller rural areas, we use. that, especially in my smaller rural areas, we use our COGS
• that they would have to apply and get the ICIP number, but can the pass-through still be through the COG

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What we do is we give all the money to COG, and we just put general language, but we do have health services
• Give all the money to COG, and we just put general language, but we do have health services in there.
• And we are planning to get some money to the hospital through the COG. Mr.

Bills: SB152, SB145, SB190, HB247

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• Having a strong cog and relationship with the cog definitely makes us very very successful in our capital
• But yeah, Priscilla, the COG has been an amazing thing.
• So I want to thank you for not only caring about your local area but really raising up the COG leaders
• Cog, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and El Paso.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as part of that, with funding processes we go through with BFCOG, I feel like this group, the COG
• And it was previously a BF COG high-priority project, and it is regionally significant.
• Obviously, we've received federal pass-through funding through the scoring process with BF COG successfully
• for planning, engineering, right-of-way,... ...with BF COG successfully for planning, engineering, right-of-way
• priorities at the Good Roads. as regional priorities at the Good Roads list of priorities as well as BF COGS

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• As somebody who was at a COG, I call the other COG executive directors and it's like, what are y'all

Transcript Highlights:

• implement implementation of that plan, how they work with the other state agencies, how they help the COGs
• annual, the plan doesn't mean anything if it's if it's not implemented and how they work with the COGS

Bills: SB 36, SB 2202

Keywords: homeland security, border security, critical infrastructure, Department of Public Safety, intelligence operations, public-private partnerships, SB 2202, firearm trafficking, gun trafficking, terrorism, foreign terrorist organization, Texas-Mexico border, United Mexican States, Mexico, DPS, second-degree felony, weapons transfer, illegal firearms transfer, arms smuggling, cross-border crime

Transcript Highlights:

• My second question is about the COG process for the GROW funds.
• administrative work that needs to be happening now to get agreements into place between DFA and the COGs
• and between the COGs and whoever the sub-grant recipient will be.
• If you have more information, we can certainly follow up with DFA and the COGs to make sure people know

Transcript Highlights:

• So do the COGs work within Native lands or do they have any authority within Native lands?
• Madam Chair, COGs, so like the Council of Government, they can work together with them.
• So I believe just in recent past history, the COGs have been given the authority to be the fiscal agents
• So maybe that's part of the solution: get the COGs involved in letting them be the fiscal agents.
• Someone also had a question about the COG, the Southern Council of Governments.

Transcript Highlights:

• you start looking at the financing of that, it's gonna take 4 years before they even reach that first cog
• I mean, it's, it's part of, it's a cog and part of the process and we feel like they are important and

Transcript Highlights:

• Community violence is not a separation from law enforcement, but it's a piece and a cog that supports
• And as it relates to public safety, it's not a one-off, it's not a separation, but CVI is a cog in the

Summary: The Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety met with a quorum and adopted the June 4, 2026 minutes. The committee first took up Senate Bill 712, adopting the S-2 substitute, which expands residency requirements to include adjoining districts and removes a provision allowing a district to appoint someone employed by the district. The committee then reported SB 712 to the floor. It also considered House Bills 4025 and 4026, described as safe storage tax exemption bills; the committee heard one supportive written card and reported both bills to the floor, each on a 5-1 vote. The committee next heard testimony on Senate Bill 885, which would create a statewide Parent and Child Legal Representation Commission and Office within LARA to address child protective legal representation. Senator Singh and Alicia Moon of the Michigan Supreme Court described the current county-by-county system as uneven, with attorney shortages, inconsistent pay, and limited specialized training. They said the bill would set standards for training, caseloads, client contact, and compensation, while requiring public comment and future appropriations before implementation. Testimony and written cards from a broad range of organizations and judges supported the measure, and the committee reported SB 885 to the floor on a 6-0 vote. The committee then heard extensive testimony on Senate Bills 1015 and 1016, which would create an Office of Community Violence Intervention and Prevention within MDHHS and establish a grant program to support community violence intervention efforts statewide. Sponsors and witnesses from Force Detroit, D-Live, Seize the Smoke, Advance Peace, public health, law enforcement, and advocacy groups described CVI as a public health and public safety strategy that reduces shootings, supports survivors, and saves public costs. Several witnesses cited local data showing reductions in shootings and homicides in Detroit and Lansing, while one witness from the Michigan Sheriff's Association opposed the bills as written. The committee voted to report both SB 1015 and SB 1016 to the floor, each on a 5-0 vote with one pass, and then adjourned after additional testimony and reading of support cards.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was actually a request by a Community of Opportunity Grant (COG) in the Chandler area that is experiencing
• I believe they're going to get the support from the local area COG.
• So, I think you'll see that local COG working for them in that regard. Any further questions?

Bills: HB4030, HB4031, HB4032, HB4033, HB4034, HB4035, HB4036, HB4037, HB4038, HB4039, HB4040, HB4041, HB4042, HB4043, HB4044, HB4045, HB4046, HB4047, HB4048, HB4049, HB4050, HB4051, HB4052, HB4053, HB4054, HB4056, HB4057, HB4065, HB4067, HB4071, HB4072, SB1144, SB1145, SB1146, SB1147, SB1148, SB1149, SB1156, SB1157, SB1158, SB1159, SB1161, SB1162, SB1163, SB1164, SB1165, SB1166, SB1167, SB1174, SB1175, SB1176

Keywords: education funding, budget appropriations, public schools, teachers' retirement, early childhood education, aeronautics, infrastructure, funding, sustainability, Oklahoma, mining, operator fees, coal production, noncoal mining, department of mines, revenue, state budget, budgetary reform, financial legislation, fiscal accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• Recognize Cog for a follow up. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Recognize Cog for a follow up. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Bills: HB3674, HB4326, HB4331, HB3029, HB2963, HB3551, HB2973, HB3019, HB3461, HB2961, HB3261, HB3759, HB3429, HB3069, HB3372, HB3705

Keywords: school resource officer, sexual assault training, law enforcement training, CLEET, school safety, mental health, continuing education, HB4326, Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, Oklahoma's Promise, scholarship, tuition assistance, higher education, State Regents for Higher Education, eligibility expansion, adopted students, foster care, DHS custody, child-placing agency, tribal custody

Transcript Highlights:

• They are just a cog and a wheel, and if that cog is missing, that is a problem and it needs to be replaced
• c> are<01:29:06.800> just<01:29:07.080> a<01:29:07.280> a<01:29:07.440> cog
• outside of that they are just a a cog outside of that they are just a a cog and<01:29:07.800>
• <01:29:08.920> is<01:29:09.040> missing and a wheel and if that Cog is missing and
• a wheel and if that Cog is missing that<01:29:09.560> is<01:29:09.679> a<01:29:09.840><

Keywords: 1183, house