Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 210 cracks down on school board corruption by banning contracts with individuals
• Bill 210 establishes penalties, including a state jail felony, if a vendor pays a trustee for a contract
• This ensures contracts are awarded on merit, not insider deals. And with that, Mr.
• House Bill 210, relating to contracting with a school district or open enrollment charter school by a
• House Bill 210, relating to contracting with a school district or open enrollment charter school by a

Bills: SB128 , SB203 , SB317 , SB393 , SB397 , SB731 , SB781 , SB801 , SB867 , SB1071 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1232 , SB1262 , SB1444 , SB1483 , SB1782 , SB1798 , SB1861 , SB1897 , SB1944 , SB2023 , SB2082 , SB2215 , SB2309 , SB2497 , SB2549 , SB2566 , SB2603 , SB2607 , SB2617 , SB2688 , SB2797 , SB2799 , SB2841 , SB2891 , SB2919 , SB2928 , SB2969 , SB2994 , SB3070 , HB11 , HB12 , HB26 , HB33 , HB34 , HB45 , HB48 , HB130 , HB148 , HB198 , HB210 , HB303 , HB647 , HB668 , HB677 , HB762 , HB791 , HB1022 , HB1041 , HB1188 , HB1240 , HB1242 , HB1261 , HB1318 , HB1397 , HB1465 , HB1520 , HB1535 , HB1729 , HB1778 , HB1950 , HB2003 , HB2027 , HB2029 , HB2559 , HB2596 , HB2607 , HB2692 , HB2712 , HB2742 , HB2768 , HB2775 , HB2788 , HB2802 , HB2894 , HB3474 , HB3594 , HB3611 , HB3698 , HB3699 , HB3700 , HB4187 , HB4753 , HB4804 , HB4850 , HB4885 , HB5061 , HB5238 , HB5560 , HCR90 , SJR34 , SB529 , SB541 , SB693 , SB963 , SB1173 , SB1646 , SB1734 , SB1833 , SB1968 , SB2544 , SB1 , SB17 , SB260 , SB509 , SB1506 , SB1637 , SB2308 , SJR36 , SJR50 , SJR63 , SCR12 , SCR39 , SB2023 , SB128 , SB2309 , SB1861 , SB2617 , SB62 , SB666 , SB847 , SB284 , SB854 , SB810 , SB1505 , SB583 , SB507 , SB1434 , SB1772 , SB2016 , SB1122 , SB731 , SB397 , SB508 , SB1436 , SB287 , SB1882 , SB393 , SB1791 , SB209 , SB2429 , SB511 , SB1085 , SB1975 , SB2717 , SB1262 , SB636 , SB2056 , SB884 , SB1200 , SB1845 , SB2458 , SB801 , SB3014 , SB3013 , SB758 , SB2797 , SB2076 , SB2876 , SB1640 , SB1449 , SB1181 , SB1234 , SB2926 , SB2841 , SB1528 , SB2891 , SB1854 , SB317 , SB1250 , SB2082 , SB1237 , SB2819 , SB629 , SB2608 , SB1602 , SB2009 , SB867 , SB640 , SB1698 , SB2680 , SB913 , SB1071 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1483 , SB1444 , SB1553 , SB1556 , SB1703 , SB2133 , SB2297 , SB2298 , SB2622 , SB2955 , SB2334 , SB1367 , SB2044 , SB2363 , SB2565 , SB1888 , SB3036 , SB3057 , SB3043 , SB3063 , SB3035 , SB203 , SB2799 , SB2688 , SB2522 , SB2459 , SB2655 , SB2251 , SB1884 , SB2928 , SB2566 , SB1749 , SB2549 , SB2553 , SB2919 , SB1782 , SB1944 , SB1232 , SB2969 , SB2497 , SB1798 , SB2603 , SB2607 , SB781 , SB524 , SB2233 , SB2683 , HB1393 , HB2559 , HB26 , HB2607 , HB3810 , HB388 , HB12 , HB2712 , HB2692 , HB1633 , HB1318 , HB685 , HB4753 , HB2742 , HB303 , HB198 , HB1535 , HB762 , HB148 , HB1520 , HB5061 , HB2286 , HB1606 , HB1041 , HB132 , HB11 , HB45 , HB48 , HB1261 , HB1465 , HB1778 , HB2596 , HB5238 , HB33 , HB1188 , HB210 , HB1022 , HB1458 , HB5560 , HB1240 , HB1950 , HB2027 , HB2768 , HB2788 , HB2791 , HB3146 , HB3698 , HB3699 , HB1893 , HB3700 , HB4850 , HB4187 , HB1397 , HB4885 , HB4804 , HB3751 , HB3611 , HB2775 , HB2061 , HB2003 , HB1729 , HB1242 , HB791 , HB2029 , HB647 , HB2522 , HB4738 , HB3033 , HB3594 , HB3474 , HB2563 , HB2802 , HB34 , HB128 , HB130 , HB581 , HB668 , HB677 , HB766 , HB2259 , HB2960 , HB2358 , HB2894 , HB4384 , HB2663 , HB748 , HB793 , HB1193 , HB1734 , HB2340 , HB2350 , HB3104 , HB5180 , HB4739 , HB1584 , HB4344 , HB4238 , HB4219 , HB3806 , HB3805 , HB3804 , HB3803 , HB3229 , HB3228 , HB1922 , HB1522 , HB431 , HB3597 , HB1612 , HB4224 , HB754 , HB1314 , HB2254 , HB2789 , HB3560 , HB4643 , HB1237 , HCR90 , HCR98 , SJR60 , SB1319 , SB1978 , SB3038 , SB3045 , SB1633 , HB3126 , HB2856 , HB3114 , HB3041 , HB3505 , HB4205 , HB5652 , HB3687 , HB5424 , HB4506 , HB3370 , HB2025 , HB4273

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, student privacy, numerical class rank, education policy, academic programs, high school, monuments, memorials, public property, historical significance, civil penalties, local governance, SB 393, Sparks, Middleton

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 3887 increases payment and performance bond thresholds to $150,000 for public work contracts
• projects must take out certain security bonds, including payment bonds and performance bonds, for contracts
• Current state law requires payment bonds for contracts in excess of $25,000 and performance bonds for
• contracts in excess of $100,000.
• bonds guarantee that a contractor will complete a project according to the terms outlined in the contract

Bills: HB3129 , HB3251 , HB3556 , HB3724 , HB3887

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Keywords: construction, wildlife impact, height restrictions, national wildlife refuge, environmental regulations, HB 3887, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Parks and Wildlife Code, performance bond, payment bond, contractor bonding, public works, construction contracts, public building, procurement, bid security, subcontractors, suppliers, contractor payment protection, project completion

Transcript Highlights:

• several rounds of back-and-forth negotiation between the developer and the city's legal team, and the contract
• You know, I think in law school, we call it a contract of adhesion.
• It's a take-it-or-leave-it contract.
• They don't have a contract with Syntex but did say their authority comes from the bylaws.
• We just heard in the previous conversation. that the nature of the contract with the developer can't

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• favoritism, subsidies, or special legal protections, such as Section 230 immunities or government contracts
• In a breach of contract case, if you and I enter into a contract and I breach the contract, and you sue
• me and win, I have to fulfill the contract. ...but you're still at your attorney's fees.

Bills: SB38 , SB287 , SB291 , SB292 , SB508 , SB618 , SB901 , SB1436 , SB1494 , SB1626 , SB1719 , SB1999 , SB1333 , SB 38

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: evictions, property law, tenant rights, landlord responsibilities, justice court, court rules, SB 287, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, sexually oriented business, adult entertainment, strip club, nude entertainment, live nude performance, alcohol prohibition, alcohol consumption, possession of alcohol, criminal offense, Class A misdemeanor, state jail felony, third degree felony

Transcript Highlights:

• funding to cover 10% cut from contract funding to cover their<00:34:51.440><c> administrative</c><00
• a specific contract that would happen between the department and the MCOs, which would provide some
• from what we currently have at the department for a contract.
• from what we currently have at the department for a contract.
• from what we currently have at the department for a contract.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee to study long-term managed care met to approve the prior meeting minutes, with a clarification that “OB3” referred to the “one big beautiful bill.” The minutes were then approved. Chair Jim Kofalt outlined the day’s agenda, which included testimony from the Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, the New Hampshire Association of Counties, and later DHHS. He also noted that future meetings were expected soon and that the meetings were being livestreamed on YouTube. Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, represented by Kellyanne Totten and Amy Moore, urged inclusive planning and a cautious, phased approach if managed care is considered. They emphasized that home care providers are not uniform, with different licensing and service models, and said any pilot should include varied provider types, rural and southern regions, and agencies of different sizes. They warned that workforce shortages, inflation, and a possible 9% CMS cut to Medicare home health payments could force agencies to reduce service areas or service types. They also said the 2023 Medicaid CFI rate increase has begun to lose its effect. In response to questions, they said the rural health transformation fund may help with planning and telehealth but likely cannot be used directly for rates or recruitment/retention. They also described the New England Home Care Nurse Residency Program, a Department of Labor grant, as a way to bring new registered nurses into home care with added training and school partnerships. The New Hampshire Association of Counties, through county nursing home administrators Craig Labore and David Ross, revisited the earlier Step Two managed care discussions from 2016-2018. They said prior consultants found the long-term services and supports system was underfunded and needed investment to stabilize providers and expand community-based care. They argued the same concerns remain today and said a managed model would jeopardize the Medicaid quality incentive payment program and, for county nursing homes, the proportionate share payment program. Their testimony was generally opposed to moving forward with managed long-term services and supports without significant additional funding and safeguards.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, there is a statute that allows a municipality to sort of contract out the operation.
• So if the owner is contracting with an architect to design this thing, they could interface.
• </c><00:48:39.680><c> to</c><00:48:40.000><c> design</c> contracting with an architect to design contracting
• </c> themselves and the person contracting themselves and the person contracting with<00:59:37.680><c
• </c> approved agency shall employ or contract approved agency shall employ or contract with<01:05:58.240

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I guess, within the warranty period of the contract, as far as latent defects, you know, we call on the
• the contract so we could<00:28:33.840><c> make</c><00:28:33.960><c> a</c><00:28:34.159><c> claim</c>
• we certainly don't want Finance contract we certainly don't want them<01:01:22.880><c> doing</c><01:
• Also, amend section 2 so that this bill will only apply to contracts entered into on or after October
• entered into on only apply to contracts entered into on or<01:28:06.560><c> after</c><01:28:06.880><

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to consumer protection, liquor regulation, construction procurement, and state contracting. On House Bill 565, DCCA and the Office of Consumer Protection stood on written testimony, and a committee member raised a question about whether creators of remains would have to hold them indefinitely if family members did not respond; the member indicated language would be fixed to address that issue. No vote was taken. House Bill 208, dealing with liquor law changes, drew strong support from Scarlet Honolulu and Maui Brewing Company, who said the measure would modernize liquor rules and add guardrails, while the Wine Institute and Anheuser-Busch opposed it as a special tax break or unnecessary expansion of liquor-related authority. Members questioned whether anonymous complaints should be allowed and whether the bill could lead to retaliation; the supporter said complaints should not be anonymous and suggested the Liquor Commission had been accused of writing complaints to target licenses. No action was taken. House Bill 939, concerning taxation of low-ABV spirits-based beverages, received support from Maui Brewing Company and Johnson Brothers, who said it would align tax treatment with existing categories and reduce confusion, while the Wine Institute and Anheuser-Busch opposed it as a narrow tax break that could reduce revenue and should instead be considered in a broader alcohol tax review. House Bill 808, on construction defect insurance or related protections for state projects, drew comments from DAGS, the State Procurement Office, and the Subcontractors Association, with the latter warning it would make state contracting harder and shrink the contractor base; the chair questioned what recourse the state has when defects appear after a project is completed. House Bill 809, addressing procurement and subcontractor-listing corrections, drew opposition from SPO, DAGS, and the Subcontractors Association, while the General Contractors Association supported it; members debated whether a 24-hour correction window would create abuse or simply allow minor ministerial fixes, and the bill’s sponsor said the goal was to reduce bid protests and procurement discretion. No votes or final committee actions were recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We contracted with the Texas Water Foundation.
• We contracted with the Texas Water Foundation.
• Staff are currently managing 49 grant contracts and six active loans.
• amongst the people that were doing these contract for deeds, and he was the Diablo Blanco.
• Would be a standard contract term, that they should not be able to resell it.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm still not sure, positive about the written contract part of it.
• I would not have gotten into a deal without a written contract, so I'm not exactly sure what happened
• All the expenditures, contracts, you just go through the whole... ...is done appropriately.
• All the expenditures, contracts, you just go through the whole line.
• The contract between the department and O'Leary Ventures provides that the contract will terminate in

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The committee convened, approved the prior meeting minutes, and received a memo summarizing major audit items. The State Auditor’s office and outside auditors then presented a series of audits, many of which were clean with unmodified opinions and no findings, including the Bank of North Dakota, the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, the Office of the Governor, the State Treasurer, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Quality, Lake Region State College, and the Office of the Governor. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association audit was also clean overall, but it repeated findings about limited segregation of duties and auditor assistance in preparing financial statements, which the auditor said were expected to continue because of the organization’s small size. Committee members asked about out-of-state board addresses, and the association explained those members were North Dakota residents using South Dakota mailing addresses. Several audits did include findings. The Council on the Arts audit identified two issues: payroll charged to federal awards without supporting time records, and $12,825 in Cultural Endowment Fund spending that was not allowable under state law, including staff training, retreats, and executive director candidate travel. The Department of Public Instruction audit found unsupported scholarship applications in the paraprofessional-to-teacher program, but additional testing confirmed the funds were credited properly and students completed required school district work, so no improper payments were identified. The University of North Dakota audit found a lack of documentation and transparency in School of Law admissions decisions; the auditor said the law school used a holistic process but did not keep notes or evaluation tools to show why applicants were admitted, waitlisted, or denied. UND leadership said the school is in good standing with the American Bar Association and agreed better documentation is needed, and the auditor said the issue was the missing documentation, not ABA accreditation itself. The most extensive discussion centered on the North Dakota Racing Commission audit, which found four findings: overspending the promotion fund’s 25% operating cap, grant conditions not being met, improper breeder fund awards, and improper procurement. The auditor said promotion fund spending exceeded the cap by $327,447 and the fund balance dropped sharply over the audit period. Racing Commission director Bruce Johnson said the agency had become complacent, that grant requests were treated as routine, and that controls and documentation need to be tightened. He also explained that the breeder fund overpayments involved two horses whose ownership transfers were not properly documented before racing, and that the procurement issue stemmed from an advertising contract that proceeded without proper written procurement procedures after a misunderstanding with the State Procurement Office. The auditor said the Racing Commission will now be audited every two years because of the findings. The committee also received updates on Dakota College at Bottineau’s bank reconciliations, which Minot State University said had been brought current after an 18-month backlog, with only one account still needing cleanup; members asked for a written report on the corrective actions. The North Dakota Fair Foundation was reported to have dissolved, with remaining funds transferred to another nonprofit account for continued support of the state fair. Finally, the Department of Public Instruction provided an update on school meal debt, revising the earlier estimate to about $1.1 million based on incomplete district survey responses, and said the Anti-Lunch Shaming law likely increased meal debt because schools must feed students regardless of account balance. Members discussed the need for a more accurate year-end debt figure and possible future reporting at a later committee meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're planning to bring that up to governor and council in a contract amendment in the near future
• We went in front of Governor Council and made reductions to contracts.
• .<00:37:44.560><c> Um,</c> contract.
• Um, contract.
• So, we're at over 220 contracted providers in the adult dental network.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met on January 23, 2026, to approve prior minutes and receive an update from the Department of Health and Human Services. The main presentation focused on “Project Compass,” an internal cross-department effort to prepare for changes to Medicaid and SNAP eligibility. Department staff said the goal is to maintain continuous coverage for eligible people, align policy, operations, communications, legal, finance, and eligibility work, and use the new integrated New HEIGHTS system to streamline implementation. They emphasized outreach to beneficiaries, providers, managed care organizations, and other partners, and said temporary manual workarounds had already been used to stay in compliance with fast-moving SNAP changes. Members questioned how the department would avoid repeating the costly outreach effort used in a prior Medicaid work-requirement rollout. Department officials said they are focusing on ex parte processes, sharing eligibility information across programs, and using community partners to reduce duplicate contacts and paperwork. They also said the department is monitoring the SNAP error rate closely, expects automation and a planned system contract amendment to help reduce it, and noted that current error rates are trending downward and remain below the national average. Questions were also raised about possible future SNAP restrictions on certain foods; the department said it can implement whatever the legislature directs, but that defining and administering such restrictions would be complex. The commissioner and CFO then outlined the department’s budget reduction plan. They said the department has begun implementing required “back of the budget” reductions for fiscal year 2026, using contract savings and not cutting existing services where possible. Examples included dental and home-visitation contracts, where spending was adjusted based on utilization and projected need. Officials said they had already written down a little over $15 million in prior-year encumbrances, but that this one-time source will not be available next year, making fiscal year 2027 more difficult. They also explained the difference between legally required back-of-budget cuts and lapse, and said staffing remains a major challenge because vacancies have increased and customer-facing service levels are strained. Dr. Jonathan Ballard then began an update on opioid overdose fatalities, presenting the latest medical examiner data and describing the long-term rise in deaths after fentanyl entered the illicit drug supply, with a peak in 2017 and a later increase in 2022. The transcript cuts off before his full presentation and any further committee action beyond discussion of the minutes and receipt of the department updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• This basically says that if a service is covered by a contract, then the contract rates apply.
• If the service is not covered under that contract, then the contract rates don't apply, correct?

Bills: SB227 , SB1942 , SB1627 , SB625 , SJR39 , SJR47

Committee: House Rules

Keywords: gross production tax, ad valorem tax, property exemption, Oklahoma Tax Commission, oil and gas production, regulatory impact, economic implications, dental insurance, health care, medical necessity, insurance claims, dentist rights, criminal code cleanup, duplicate statutes, statutory consolidation, repealer bill, emergency clause, Title 21 crimes, Title 47 DUI, child abuse reporting

Summary: The committee heard several measures, led by SJR 39, a proposed constitutional amendment to send to voters that would cap annual homestead property tax valuation growth at 1% and all other property at 3%. The speaker argued it would not cut taxes but slow growth for taxpayers facing rising assessments, while opponents questioned the effect on county revenues, sheriff funding, and whether growth below inflation would strain local governments. After debate, the committee voted 10-2 to report the resolution due pass. The committee also heard HJR 47, which would place proof-of-identity requirements for voting in the Constitution. Supporters said it would strengthen election integrity and noted existing law already requires proof of identity, while opponents raised concerns about impacts on voters with disabilities and the difficulty of changing constitutional language if problems arise. The measure was reported due pass on an 11-1 vote. Senate Bill 227, described as supporting fair taxation and investment without duplicative tax, and SB 1942, clarifying the distinction between reimbursable and reimbursed dental services to protect providers and patients, both passed the committee on near-unanimous votes. The committee then advanced SB 1627, a 116-page sentence-modernization and consolidation bill that was described as a cleanup measure with no substantive change to existing law, and it was reported due pass unanimously. Finally, SB 625 was presented as temporary cleanup language related to domestic violence legislation and judicial requests, with the sponsor noting the bill would be replaced by a floor substitute later; the committee approved it due pass 10-0. The meeting ended with the chair noting the committee was dismissed and likely to meet again under the rules committee schedule.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we contracted with Vince Schleitweiler, who also conducted the six Speaker...
• I believe the cost for about $10,000 to $15,000 when we are contracting, so we can expect that for the
• If not, we can look at contracting with TVW on that. Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you.
• so they don't necessarily, but I think they might be interested and open to doing potential small contracts

Committee: Joint Legislative Oral History Committee

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we contracted with Vince Schleitweiler, who also conducted the six Speaker...
• I believe the cost for about $10,000 to $15,000 when we are contracting, so we can expect that for the
• If not, we can look at contracting with TVW on that. Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you.
• so they don't necessarily, but I think they might be interested and open to doing potential small contracts

Committee: Joint Legislative Oral History Committee

Summary: The Legislative Oral History Committee met to elect officers for the coming year, unanimously selecting Senator Schessler as chair and Ramos Santos as vice chair by voice vote. Staff then updated members on completed and in-progress oral history projects, including the printed oral history of former House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, which has had interviews completed and is now being edited with photographs added, and the Mary Margaret Howgan project, for which staff is still seeking a contractor to finish the work. Members discussed where completed oral histories are stored and learned they are posted on the committee website, with some additional printed copies available and the website itself being redesigned. The committee also reviewed its finances, hearing that the account balance was $79,639.20, though members noted inconsistencies in the report and asked staff to provide a fuller accounting later. Staff said typical oral history projects cost about $10,000 to $15,000 each. The committee received an update on TVW-produced video projects, which are complete and will be posted once the oral histories web page is ready. Staff identified the topics as the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, early legislative technology, and the PDC/party-switch history involving former legislator P.V. Reichertbauer. Members then brainstormed future projects, including campus history, leadership-focused histories, interviews with departing members, and oral histories of women and former staff who became legislators. By motion and voice vote, the committee approved conducting oral histories of former Representative Barb Lisk and Senator Hargrove, and also established a program to interview the longest-serving retiring member of each caucus every biennium. Members discussed possible interviewers, including staff, TVW, and university-based or other nonprofit oral history practitioners, and asked staff to explore options and report back.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I don't, I mean, most physician contracts are locked into a multi-year, evergreen contract where
• For existing services, perhaps for those long-term contracts you just described, the administrative fee
• already performed that test, then we already know what those costs are because you already have a contract

Bills: HB138

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: voter registration, application rejection, transparency, election integrity, state law

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be effectively changing the terms of the contract that you'd already issued.
• Um, well, first of all, our permits are not contracts.
• And our final speaker is Mark Revalis. contract that you'd already issued.
• That contract that you'd already issued.
• </c> all, our permits are not contracts. all, our permits are not contracts.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the amendment is drafted contract.
• You know, for a long time they were signing contracts that would be forever.
• They end up signing contracts.
• They end up signing contracts.
• Is that a contract if there is an issue?

Bills: HF3560 , HF3295 , HF2937 , HF3540

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: electronic signatures, estate planning, uniform law, legal documents, Minnesota statutes, open meeting law, transparency, public engagement, social media, government accountability, parenting consultant, parenting time, custody, family court, family law, neutral third party, alternative dispute resolution, child custody, visitation, parenting coordinator

Transcript Highlights:

• And so you have third-party vendors who basically contract with jurisdictions or contract with retailers
• Contract Cities represents a lot of my cities within my, I think all of my cities within my assembly
• That undermines the very premise of these conservation contracts, contracts that local governments and
• If a contract is canceled or land is rezoned, those parcels can be included in financing districts in
• If a contract is canceled or land is rezoned, those parcels can be included in financing districts in

Summary: The committee first heard SB 753, which would modernize California’s shopping cart recovery rules by allowing cities and counties to return abandoned carts directly to retailers, recover documented retrieval costs, and avoid the current impound-and-wait process. The author and supporters, including San Jose officials and the League of California Cities, said the bill would help clear streets, sidewalks, and waterways and reduce local costs. Grocers and retailers opposed the measure unless amended, arguing it would turn cart retrieval into a new cost burden and could create incentives for cities to charge too much for stolen property. After extensive discussion about notice periods, cost caps, and local ordinances, the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 as amended. The committee then took up SB 445, which would speed up permitting and approvals needed for high-speed rail by requiring early engagement, setting rules for third-party coordination, and creating a dispute-resolution process. The author said the bill was narrowed from an earlier, broader transit proposal and was intended to reduce delays caused by utilities, local governments, and other entities. Supporters said permitting bottlenecks add major costs and delays to infrastructure projects, while opponents from utilities, cities, counties, telecoms, and special districts raised concerns about safety, reliability, affordability, and the need to review the pending amendments. The bill passed 8-1 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee also heard SB 9, a narrower housing bill focused on accessory dwelling units. The author explained that it would require local ADU ordinances to be submitted to HCD for review and would make state standards control if a local agency fails to submit a compliant ordinance or respond to HCD findings. Supporters from housing and YIMBY groups said the bill would improve enforcement of state ADU law and prevent local barriers from slowing housing production. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 6-0. The committee then began hearing SB 79, which would allow more housing near major transit stops; the author and supporters framed it as a response to the housing shortage and transit underuse, and the hearing continued with extensive support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does not replace any public works contracting methods currently codified in law.
• AB 948 creates task order contracting for small school districts.
• AB 948 creates task order contracting for small school districts.
• We have provided amendments to the author that ensure that the task order contracting authority this
• Steve McDougall, contract teacher from the SLEES Union High School District, strong support.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a full agenda of bills, first adopting a consent calendar of 11 measures without individual presentations. The committee then took up AB 1412, which would require California schools to implement or adopt a transferred special education student’s IEP within 30 days for out-of-state transfers and to coordinate more quickly on records. The author and military-family witnesses said the bill would reduce delays for highly mobile students, especially military children; a school administrators group opposed it. The bill received initial support from committee members and was moved on call. The committee also reconsidered AB 281, which would require notice to parents when outside consultants provide sex education instruction; the author accepted amendments removing a copy-right provision, but the bill remained on call after a split vote. The committee heard AB 1005, which would create a statewide drowning-prevention education and swim-lesson voucher framework for underserved communities. The author and supporters described drowning as a preventable public health and equity issue, while the bill was clarified as developing a plan rather than immediately launching a voucher program. It was voted out on a 3-0 roll with the measure placed on call. AB 908, as amended, would add compliance monitoring for existing requirements that schools use LGBTQ-inclusive instructional materials and curriculum under the FAIR Act. Supporters said the bill would improve implementation and student safety; opponents raised concerns about privacy, girls’ sports, and school burdens. The committee approved the bill 5-2 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 1401, which would affirm parents’ access to school records, including unofficial records unless exempt by law. The author argued that parents need clearer access to information held by schools and vendors, while school officials and teachers’ union representatives warned the bill was too vague and could sweep in personal notes, journals, and other sensitive material. The bill failed on a 2-3 vote and was placed on call. Finally, AB 727 would require student ID cards to include the Trevor Project hotline for LGBTQ youth; supporters framed it as a suicide-prevention measure, while opponents argued it conflicted with parental rights and religious beliefs. Committee discussion focused on whether 988 already provides similar access and whether the Trevor Project is an appropriate resource to print on IDs; the hearing continued with the bill still under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Wagner responded that the program is specific to reverse osmosis systems and that they have a contract
• They said this was a big discussion as they negotiated the contract with local partners, and it is in
• </c><01:10:45.560><c> and</c> customers are issuing contracts and customers are issuing contracts and
• contracts and have contracts<01:18:53.920><c> currently</c><01:18:54.199><c> in</c><01:18:54.320><c>
• the</c><01:18:54.400><c> market</c><01:18:55.000><c> so</c> contracts currently in the market so contracts

Bills: HF363 , HF2155 , HF1524 , HF821 , HF1677 , HF1292

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF363, property tax credit, agricultural water quality credit, Minnesota agricultural water quality certification program, clean water fund, class 2a, class 2b, certified acres, conservation incentive, water quality, agricultural property, county assessor, county auditor, Department of Revenue, Department of Agriculture, property tax reimbursement, school district reimbursement, legacy finance, taxes committee, southeastern Minnesota

Transcript Highlights:

• We weren't doing a contract. We weren't doing anything that was binding on either state.
• Now they’ve got staff that they’ve hired, that they contracted, but they don’t need them.
• Now they’ve got staff that they’ve hired, that they contracted, but they don’t need them.
• They contracted their staff, and all of a sudden you have these people leaving.
• Now they’ve got staff that they’ve hired, that they contracted, but they don’t need them.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 662, which would require discussion of abortion procedures and the viewing of certain videos in public school health education. Members argued the bill went too far by naming specific videos and involving the Attorney General in enforcement, and they said curriculum decisions should be left to educators. The committee voted ITL on HB 662 by a unanimous 18-0. The committee then considered HCR 6, a resolution calling for the removal of the superintendent of District 67. Members said the resolution targeted an individual and that the underlying dispute was already in court, so the matter should be left to the legal process. The motion to ITL passed 18-0. Next, HR 9, urging the Department of Education to emphasize STEM education, received broad support as a nonpartisan statement of priorities, and it also passed 18-0. HB 440, concerning educator licensing and shortages in Career and Technical Education, was amended to clarify that the bill applies to initial licensure only. After discussion about whether the amendment was necessary, the committee adopted Amendment 0188 unanimously and then voted OTPA on the bill as amended, 18-0. HB 222, which repealed the requirement for an MOU between charter schools and districts on services for students with disabilities, drew testimony that districts already provide substantial oversight through IEP processes and that the MOU requirement was burdensome and largely unenforced; the committee voted OTP 18-0. The committee then took up HB 719, which would repeal the right of first refusal for charter schools to purchase or lease unused district facilities. Supporters said the existing law had not generated complaints and could impede charter expansion, while opponents said the issue had not proven to be a problem and local control should be preserved. The committee voted ITL 17-1, with one member opposed and no minority report. The chair then postponed HB 184, a study committee bill on school start times, because it was scheduled for the next day, and the committee moved into a work session on bullying-related bills, discussing HB 108, HB 384, and HB 673 without taking final action in the portion provided.