Transcript Highlights:

• They pay us those royalties until they've reached four times the amount.
• Once they reach four times the amount, they continue to pay us a royalty.
• I am very familiar with royalties. You don’t have to make them disappear.
• Never asked the royalty arrangement. I figured all of them were different.
• But the royalties that they are paying us initially range from 3% up to 5%.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken. The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information. The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• You may be familiar with the Federal Royalty Resiliency Act of 2024, or RRA.
• This is a federal bill affecting federal royalties that are shared with the states.
• Thus, the royalty rate is less than half of it, minus a 2 percent administrative fee.
• The Craig baseline uses a 12.5 percent royalty rate, so an estimated $1.7 billion of lost royalties over
• So royalty rates are sort of outside of these. So it's not just expectations. Thank you, Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• How we do on our royalties. All those types. How our permanent trust fund does.
• We're actually working right now on our royalty payment template.
• Our minerals and our royalty compliance teams are.
• Royalty compliance is one of those areas where I think we could really do a lot of good Analysis.
• What is more important, the royalty compliance person or field services person?

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oil and gas royalties are a substantial source of state funding.
• Current statute requires the state to collect at least one-eighth royalties on most minerals produced
• This effectively cuts minimum oil and gas royalties in half.
• So those royalties don't exist, whether it's a quarter, a sixteenth, or anything.
• That is my concern is the... and I do agree, one-eighth is a generous royalty.

Summary: The committee first considered several local property-transfer and wildlife/fisheries bills, including SB 229 (Bojeur Parish property transfer), SB 71 (Lafayette Parish property transfer), and a series of Department of Wildlife and Fisheries measures. SB 203 simplified possession rules for fish on multi-day trips and remote camps; SB 429 created an administrative path to register “orphan” boats with lapsed registrations; SB 204 removed a residency-based restriction on certain commercial fishing gear licenses; SB 205 reduced duplicate registration requirements for federally documented boats; SB 213 clarified titling rules for vessels and outboard motors; and SB 257 removed Social Security number requirements from certain commercial fishing tags. Each of these bills was reported favorable, generally without objection, after brief explanations from sponsors and department counsel about reducing red tape, improving enforcement, or modernizing records. The committee also heard SB 214, which would allow the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District to stop pumping during an imminent flood threat identified by the National Weather Service or GOSEP, addressing liability concerns and giving local officials more flexibility in emergencies. SB 274, as amended, required lead hazard risk assessments for certain child care, early learning, and pre-kindergarten facilities and required hazards found in assessments to be addressed before licensing. Both bills were reported favorable. SB 379, a technical reorganization bill for the Department of Conservation and Energy, received two amendment sets: one changing investment language and another standardizing judicial-review procedures and online notice requirements; it was reported favorable after those amendments. The committee then adopted HCR 62, urging FEMA to review flood maps every five years instead of every ten and to better account for local flood-protection projects, with members discussing the burden of flood insurance and the need for FEMA to recognize levees, pump stations, and elevated homes. HCR 78 was also reported favorable, memorializing Congress to pass the American Seafood Competitiveness Act of 2026 in support of Louisiana’s seafood industry. HB 662, as substituted, was reported favorable after being rewritten to codify the department’s internal protocol for seized sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife, prioritizing release, rehabilitation, placement, and euthanasia as a last resort. Finally, the committee considered two more contentious items. HR 216, which urged repudiation of the Louisiana Climate Action Plan of 2022, drew extended debate over whether the plan had been adopted without legislative input and whether it could affect permits or future policy; after discussion, the sponsor voluntarily deferred the resolution to return with a revised approach focused on a legislative hearing or review. SCR 24, dealing with chronic wasting disease rules, was introduced with amendments that would raise the prevalence threshold, cap samples, allow zone removal after three years without new detections, and lift baiting/feed prohibitions above a higher prevalence level; the transcript cuts off before final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is only direct energy revenues, that's royalties and severance taxes.
• Um, as you know, we increased the royalties, um, to the oil and gas industry by 5%, but royalties don't
• Royalties go to the education, um, budget.
• So the, the royalty rate increases, as you know, of course, only on new leases.
• council in that permanent fund and hopefully grown by even more than what the royalties were collected

Transcript Highlights:

• New fund created, distribution of rent and royalties of federal coal lease sales.
• New fund created, distribution of rent and royalties of federal coal lease sales. Thank you, Mr.
• because this is not federal royalties because this is not just<00:12:45.200> coal<00:12:46.320
• <00:12:56.639> that<00:12:56.880> come and it gets federal royalties that come and
• it gets federal royalties that come back<00:12:57.120> to<00:12:57.279> the<00:12:57.440

Bills: HB304, HB285, HB312, HB311, SB60

Keywords: impoundment, driver licenses, vehicle redemption, local identification cards, law enforcement, HB285, TJ's Law, traffic infraction, traffic ticket, uniform traffic ticket and complaint, minor driver, juvenile driver, parent notification, guardian notification, emergency contact, citing agency, traffic citation, driver safety, youth safety, Alabama traffic law

Transcript Highlights:

• Finishing up on Slide 31, we'll talk about severance taxes and rents and royalties.
• That bill reverses a recent increase to the federal royalty rate.
• $170 million annually, which has been taken out of the royalty forecast.
• And so, that's page 26, 29, and also royalties.
• We have some issues because the feds have lowered the royalty rate.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll work with operators and royalty owners to resolve discrepancies.
• This is probably one of the areas that we assist royalty owners with more than any.
• So as we look at the next page, this talks about just the cases on royalty oversight program.
• Royalty owners' cases, regulatory review. These are some of the eligibility of it.
• I appreciate what you told us about the Royalty Oversight Program, Ombudsman.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Energy Development and Transmission Committee met in interim session and approved the November 6 minutes. Chair Novak outlined the committee’s study agenda, including large energy users such as data centers, geothermal, landowner relations, wind and solar, and other energy topics across the state. The meeting was framed as informational only, with no bills or formal legislative action taken beyond the minutes approval. Testimony focused first on landowner relations. Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger described the county’s energy history and local support for coal and related development. North Dakota Farmers Union President Matt Perdue emphasized proactive, face-to-face communication with landowners, respect for property rights, and the need for developers to be transparent about tradeoffs; he also discussed insurance and liability concerns tied to easements. Committee members asked about eminent domain, local versus state authority, and how communities can better understand the revenue and infrastructure implications of energy development. Department of Agriculture Deputy Commissioner Tom Bodine then described the department’s ombudsman programs for pipeline restoration and reclamation, wind restoration, and royalty oversight. He said the programs provide confidential, third-party assistance on reclamation and royalty disputes, but do not provide legal advice. Senators raised concerns about post-production deductions in royalty leases and whether the ombudsman can explain them; Bodine said the program can clarify statements and deductions but cannot resolve legal disputes. He also said the department has not received requests related to fiber lines. Representatives from Grid United and One Oak described their project development and landowner engagement practices. Grid United’s Brent Johnson discussed the North Plains Connector transmission project, its route selection process, voluntary acquisition approach, and efforts to avoid eminent domain by working closely with regulators, counties, townships, and landowners. One Oak’s Danette Welsh and Tom Giltner described the company’s midstream operations, extensive North Dakota footprint, and emphasis on direct landowner communication, consistent local regulation, careful construction practices, and post-construction reclamation. Members asked about setbacks, zoning consistency, invasive species prevention, outside advocacy groups, and eminent domain use; One Oak said it has not used eminent domain on its North Dakota projects, largely because most gathering lines are negotiated easements.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, outside of the benefits that are at least somewhat subjective in calculations, what is the royalty
• So in terms of the royalty equity provision, that's always been part of our statute under 102-256.
• They will pay the state royalties until they reach four times the amount of the grant award that is made
• Merck is paying Texas a royalty payment, so last quarter our royalty...
• They're paying us about 0.115 percent in royalty payment.

Bills: SB623, SB1266, SB1310, SB1373, SB1580, SB1952, SB2032, SB2269, SB2544, SB2653, SB2796

Keywords: pharmacist, vaccine administration, COVID-19, exclusive authority, healthcare, Medicaid, provider enrollment, credentialing, administrative burden, Texas Health and Human Services, senior retirement communities, emergency response, residential safety, contract provisions, health and safety regulations, medical staff privileges, hospital administration, healthcare regulation, Texas Health and Safety Code, consistency in privileges

Transcript Highlights:

• We want the state to come in and declare it and help us pay these citizens, these royalty owners, this
• We're actually trying to provide compensation to those royalty owners.
• We want to pay those royalty owners.
• That means you go to a zero royalty. And I don't think that was what they intended.
• has really been based on that Government Accountability Office number and then the federal coal royalties

Bills: SB2339

Keywords: wildfire mitigation, utility liability, strict liability, electric utility, public service commission, PSC, rural electric cooperative, municipal utility, transmission provider, vegetation management, power lines, reclosers, electrical safety, wildfire prevention, grid reliability, public safety, first responders, ANSI A300, National Electrical Safety Code, community outreach

Summary: The Energy and Natural Resources Committee continued work on House Bill 1459, which concerns rare earth and critical mineral recovery from North Dakota lignite coal. Testimony from UND researcher Dan Ludo and industry representative David Straely focused on the urgency of developing the process quickly, the technical differences between extracting minerals from coal versus ash, and the potential value of elements such as terbium, dysprosium, gallium, germanium, and synthetic graphite. Straely argued the bill is constitutional, limited to minerals within the coal seam, and needed to avoid years of quiet title litigation and provide certainty for development and compensation to royalty owners. Committee members raised questions about landowner rights, compensation levels, possible amendments from the Department of Trust Lands, and whether the bill should be modified to address constitutional concerns or sunset provisions. No final action was taken on HB 1459; the chair said parties could work on language until Monday before the committee revisits it. The committee then returned to House Bill 1579, a high-load study bill with a possible energy infrastructure investment amendment. Jody Smith of the Retirement and Investment Office presented updated language adding guardrails for in-state infrastructure investing, including requiring approved projects to be underwritten and managed by a qualified investment manager or financial institution and to follow the Legacy Fund investment policy. Members discussed whether the amendment had been shared with the House sponsor and noted that the related bill 1330 was still pending, so HB 1579 was being held for the time being. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 1566, which had an amendment from the Agriculture Commissioner’s office. The committee adopted the amendment 7-0, then passed a due-pass motion on the amended bill and referred it to Appropriations, also by a 7-0 vote. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal impact, including an estimated $580,000 for two FTEs over two years, and clarified that the study component remains in the bill. Senator Gerhardt was assigned to carry the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• a lot of buildings, we did a lot for our schools, and part of this, it was excess federal mineral royalty
• a lot of buildings, we did a lot for our schools, and part of this, it was excess federal mineral royalty
• a lot of buildings, we did a lot for our schools, and part of this, it was excess federal mineral royalty
• a lot of buildings, we did a lot for our schools, and part of this, it was excess federal mineral royalty
• <00:26:25.919> that was excess federal mineral royalty that was excess federal mineral royalty

Bills: SF0018, SF0036, SF0047

Keywords: K-12 education, part-time attendance, public schools, student enrollment, education funding, scholarship, Hathaway, academic eligibility, financial aid, Hathaway scholarship, education, state funding, college access, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state will receive royalties because we have, quite frankly, $75 million invested in this, and there's
• So as the state of North Dakota is receiving royalties, we have to be able to legally accept them.
• The state will receive royalties because we have, quite frankly, $75 million invested in this, and there's
• So as the state of North Dakota is receiving royalties, we have to be able to legally accept them.
• session and this session, they were getting relatively close to doing that, and um... receiving royalties

Bills: SB2003

Keywords: higher education, student loans, scholarships, capital projects, workforce development, funding, North Dakota university system, 908, all

Summary: The committee first reconsidered Senate Bill 2003 in the higher education budget and adopted several changes. It removed $3 million for enterprise resource planning, struck $2 million for a grant program for students who are pregnant or recently gave birth, and then added $3 million back into workforce education and innovative grants, restoring that line to $12 million. Members also discussed a possible purchase of the 19th Avenue building in Fargo for the State School of Science, but the motion was withdrawn for later consideration. Other higher ed items were briefly noted, including tribally controlled community colleges and a state magazine funding line, but no final action was taken on the building proposal during this segment. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 2018, the Commerce budget, and reviewed a long list of funding items. It restored a vacant workforce FTE, increased tourism marketing to $10 million and Find the Good Life to $5 million, raised Operation Intern by $1 million, removed a $100,000 infrastructure study, increased autonomous agriculture grants to $15 million, and set the Regional Workforce Impact Program at $10 million. It also kept or adjusted several other items, including the uncrewed aerial vehicle replacement program, the global talent office, tribally controlled community colleges, Native American small business grants, and technical skills training grants. A major new provision would transfer $50 million total, split between SIF and Bank of North Dakota profits, to the Theodore Roosevelt Library Museum Endowment Fund, matching a private fundraising challenge; members expressed both support and concern, and said they would revisit it later. The committee also discussed language to allow commercialization of Vantis and to permit the Turtle Mountain gaming compact proposal to move forward with required federal approvals, while clarifying that a previously discussed $100,000 study had been removed. Commerce officials said the workforce language was intended to centralize data and strategy, and they noted Operation Intern would need an emergency clause because applications begin in May. No final vote on the Commerce budget was taken in this segment, and the chair said the committee would return later to finish both budgets.

Transcript Highlights:

• The very well, one thing I just mentioned earlier, the PR&SA and the royalty compliance.
• So about 70% between lease bonus and royalties, we average about 70 million dollars a year in minerals
• from the surface property management, so I consider our mineral group the leasing agents and the royalty
• Royalty compliance makes sure that we get paid correctly.
• And when we lost our minerals or when we lost our royalty compliance. director, we're like, well, do

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What we're talking about is increasing our royalty rate to make it comparable to what a private party
• The terms, perhaps by term, I mean the length of time: five years, two years, three years, the royalty
• That, coupled with higher taxes and now higher royalties, I believe will put us at a real disadvantage
• You're going to pay one eighth royalty attributable to that third track, me the operator.
• Together, you have to run your economics off of, you know, a 25% royalty versus a 20%.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're also, uh, in the presence of royalty.
• <01:16:32.239> So, also uh in the presence of royalty.
• So, also uh in the presence of royalty.
• > have<01:28:26.560> other<01:28:26.880> royalty.
• Please join we also have other royalty.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened for the opening of the second regular session of the 75th General Assembly with ceremonial presentations, including the colors, the national anthem, a musical performance, and a land acknowledgment by Southern Ute Chairman Melvin J. Baker. Baker spoke about Ute history, tribal sovereignty, and the importance of cooperation with the state, including on trespass and land issues, and urged lawmakers to work together for a better future. The chamber then called the session to order, established a quorum, and elected Esther Van Murik as Secretary of the Senate by unanimous voice vote. The Senate adopted Senate Joint Resolution 002 to authorize a joint session for the governor’s message and Senate Joint Resolution 003 for a joint session to hear from Ute tribal representatives. Both resolutions passed 35-0. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 002, which concerns appointment of Senate officers and employees, also by a 35-0 vote. The Senate appointed committees to notify the House and the governor that it was organized and ready for business, and later received reports that both the House and governor had been informed. The remainder of the meeting focused on opening-day remarks from Senate leadership. Majority and minority leaders welcomed members, staff, and guests, recognized new and returning staff, and paid tribute to the late Senator Faith Winter. Leaders highlighted priorities for the session, including housing affordability, health care costs, deceptive pricing, workforce development, climate and energy policy, water, and protecting rights and liberties. They also emphasized the need for bipartisan cooperation, noting budget constraints and federal uncertainty, and urged members to govern courageously and work across the aisle for Coloradans.

Transcript Highlights:

• A central and meaningful part of the tradition is the Allachi Royalty Program, since 1951, young women
• Members, right now, I'm going to introduce the 2025 Allachi Festival Royalty, beginning with Kalachi
• if you'll direct your attention to the north gallery, I'm also proud to recognize the 2026 Allai Royalty
• Members, one last time, please join me in welcoming and congratulating the Allachi Festival Royalty and
• Members, it's tough to follow royalty, but I'm gonna give it my best shot.

Bills: HCR1026, SB1130, SB1134, SB1131, SB1132, SB1133, SB1142, HR1049

Keywords: light pollution, bird mortality, migration, energy conservation, wildlife protection, University Hospitals Authority, funding, behavioral health, appropriation, adolescent health, emergency legislation, Oklahoma State University, Medical Authority, human performance, pharmaceutical expansion, emergency funding, juvenile justice, youth services, pandemic relief, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:50.480> that outputs are licenses and royalties that outputs are licenses and royalties
• Yes, Representative Allen, we are getting royalties.
• Yes, Representative Allen, we are getting royalties.
• Yes, Representative Allen, we are getting royalties.
• Yes, Representative Allen, we are getting royalties.

Keywords: 1183, house

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right so so but we We don't own the patent, we get the royalties.
• Royalties, okay? That's small. $11 million in royalties out of $6 billion, so while that's nice.
• It's not so much the royalties.
• Royalties. One of y'all brought up, um, I don't know.
• Interestingly, one of the royalty recipients was Anthony Fauci, and here's what he said.

Bills: HB5, HJR3, HB155, HB513, HB5, HB155

Keywords: dementia, research, health care, Texas Institute, grants, medical breakthroughs, oversight, prevention, funding, healthcare, Texas, autopsy, confidentiality, public records, medical examiner, law enforcement, HB 513, surgical smoke, surgical plume, smoke evacuation

Transcript Highlights:

• They agree to provide us some small amounts of royalties, and it's those royalties that then come back
• They agree to provide us some small amounts of royalties, and it's those royalties that then come back
• and and it's small amounts of royalties and and it's those<00:49:54.160> royalties<00:49:55.119
• that then come back to those royalties that then come back to the<00:49:56.079> university the
• would go back this goes of any royalties would go back to<00:50:08.880> the<00:50:09.000>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee met and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The chair noted that agency overviews from the Office of Higher Education and other state agencies were not available, so the committee proceeded with University of Minnesota presentations instead. The committee also reviewed posted committee rules. University of Minnesota representatives gave an overview of the university’s research enterprise, describing it as a system of five campuses with a possible expansion to St. Cloud, and highlighting research strengths across campuses in agriculture, energy, natural resources, health, and the Twin Cities flagship campus. They said the university has more than $1.3 billion in annual research expenditures, receives most of its research funding from federal sources, and is ranked highly for both overall research and interdisciplinary research. Examples discussed included the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Forever Green initiative, and research tied to sustainable crops, health, and commercialization. Members asked questions about specific research areas, including biodegradable or renewable plastics, wheat research, food dyes, health and environmental toxins, and the market for winter camelina and winter pennycress. University staff said they could follow up with more detailed information and explained that the winter crop work is intended to become market-driven over time, while also improving soil health and creating new revenue streams for farmers. They also clarified that the university’s federal research funding includes money from NIH, NSF, DOE, DOD, and other agencies, and that the “other” funding category includes foundations, subawards, and internal university seed funding. The committee then heard a second University of Minnesota presentation focused on partnerships, commercialization, and workforce development. Testimony highlighted collaborations with industry and government partners such as U.S. Steel, 3M, Medtronic, Cisco, and defense-related industry leaders, as well as programs supporting microelectronics, AI, cybersecurity, and sustainable aviation fuels. No formal votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the committee ended the segment by moving on to the next testifier.