Transcript Highlights:

• alongside that law by ensuring relevant information is requested and shared across all educational entities
• alongside that law by ensuring relevant information is requested and shared across all educational entities
• When I look at the bill on page two, lines three and four, state an educational entity or administrator
• I didn't realize that private schools were part of the definition of educational entity.
• So in subsection four on page one, prior to hiring and employing an educational entity, shall obtain

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, to be taken credibly in our effort, we needed an unbiased entity to conduct the outreach, collect
• For these reasons, the commission and I contracted with the Langdon Group and another entity, BoardWorks
• So this is the list of all the entities that we met with.
• So this is the list of all the entities, but we wanted to ensure we got all representations.
• So this is the list of all the entities that we met with.

Summary: The House Agricultural Affairs Committee approved the February 10, 2026 minutes and then introduced RS 331-92, a proposal by Rep. VanderWater to allow additional milk-testing quality categories to be set by rule between producers and buyers. VanderWater said the measure would give the Department of Agriculture flexibility to address testing issues beyond butterfat, protein, and somatic cell counts, including possible bacteria-related standards. Members asked whether organic dairy would be included, and he said it would apply to dairy sold to processors. The motion to introduce the RS passed unanimously. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Matt Weaver of the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission and Brian Keekley of the Langdon Group on a proposed merger of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission into the Idaho Department of Water Resources. They described a months-long evaluation process that included stakeholder interviews, a survey, a workshop, and a final report. The presenters said the recommended structure would keep the commission’s board and mission intact while moving support functions into IDWR, preserving local conservation district autonomy, maintaining the commission’s branding and non-regulatory identity, protecting funding, and creating a formal partnership framework to guard against enforcement or policy conflicts. Members generally expressed support for the proposal’s sideboards and the involvement of local districts. Questions focused on how the merger framework would be implemented and when. Weaver said Senate Concurrent Resolution 115 and House Bill 503 were the main legislative vehicles, with additional statutory cleanup and a combined budget expected for the 2027 session, along with a memorandum of understanding between the agencies. Committee members indicated they were comfortable with the legislation coming before them as early as Monday. The meeting concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• But what keeps that entity from transferring? for other money and then applying for this grant. Mr.
• that's something that the healthcare authority will have to address through our contracts with those entities
• If you had an entity, would it be the expectation, Mr.
• Have these entities, rural health care facilities, applying for this.
• In other iterations of the bill, tribal entities were spelled out, and it was left out inadvertently

Transcript Highlights:

• rider on the next page, except the one on the next page appropriates it to the agency and not that entity
• For interoperability between their systems, the first one appropriates it to an entity that DFPS contracts
• The entity to provide an independent assessment of rules, regulations, and minimum standards for childcare
• It's not super clear if this is intended for one specific entity or if it's multiple, uh, and how Medicaid
• works is you can't single out one specific entity.

Transcript Highlights:

• So whether subsection C becomes law is dependent on what this outside private entity chooses to do.
• Although the legislature may delegate the administration of laws to governmental entities, it may not
• that Legislative Council's bill drafting manual generally recommends against references to specific entities

Summary: The Rules Committee met to consider a mass motion declaring Senate Bills 1041, 1118, 1168, 1189, 1274, 1286, 1428, 1457, 1497, 1503, 1519, 1582, and 1713 constitutional and in proper form. Counsel reviewed the measures and said they were generally acceptable, but raised one concern about Senate Bill 1428, specifically a Strang-Everting amendment that conditions enactment of a subsection on permission from a private outside entity. Counsel said this could be an unlawful delegation of legislative authority and recommended removing the conditional enactment language. Counsel also suggested replacing the specific entity name with a general description to avoid drafting and continuity issues. Members did not ask further questions, and the committee proceeded to a roll-call vote on the motion. The motion passed with seven ayes and one absent, and the committee recommended the measures as constitutional and in proper form before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• was updated on the status of the December 31st, 2022 delinquent private water and sewer audits. 19 entities
• Of the 64 delinquent entities, 59 have filed their reports.
• Of the 64 delinquent entities, 59 have filed their reports since the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee
• Officials from eight entities were present to address repeat findings.

Summary: The Legislative Joint Audit Committee met on February 13, 2026, and first adopted the January 9, 2026 minutes. It then received and adopted reports from the Executive Committee, the Standing Committee on Counties and Municipalities, the Standing Committee on Education Institutions, the Standing Committee on State Agencies, and the Medicaid Subcommittee. Those reports covered audit follow-up items, delinquent private water and sewer audits, municipal accounting compliance issues, education audit findings, state agency audit findings, and a Medicaid oversight presentation. Several reports were filed after discussion, and in multiple cases agencies or local officials were present to answer questions about repeat findings or compliance concerns. Among the notable audit matters, the committee reviewed a Cleburne County library audit that found more than $80,000 in unauthorized or questionable disbursements, including purchases that appeared personal in nature and improper fuel expenses. The library director had been placed on leave, later charged with felony theft of property and abuse of office, and the matter was referred to the prosecuting attorney and Attorney General. The committee also heard a special report on the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which found scholarship ineligibility issues and numerous disbursement-processing exceptions, while noting that the program had ended in 2024 and remaining funds were returned to the school districts. During the state agency report, Legislative Audit described findings at DHS, Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, Corrections, and Veterans Affairs, including improper benefit payments, a cashed warrant by someone other than the intended payee, missing receipts, unauthorized fuel card purchases, and payroll and overtime issues. The committee filed that report after agency representatives responded to questions. The meeting ended with the filing of the Cleburne County and Donaldson Scholars Academy reports, and the next committee meeting was announced for March 12-13, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um after the bill was filed uh there was a particular entity that uh saw the bill for the first time
• <00:12:25.839><c> was</c><00:12:26.000><c> a</c><00:12:26.079><c> particular</c><00:12:26.399><c> entity
• </c><00:12:26.800><c> that</c><00:12:27.279><c> uh</c> there was a particular entity that uh there was
• a particular entity that uh saw<00:12:27.760><c> saw</c><00:12:28.079><c> the</c><00:12:28.240><c> bill

Bills: SB205, SB222, SB205, SB222

Keywords: appropriation, education funding, priority schools, Alabama education, State Department of Education, medical clinic board, clinic board, hospital bankruptcy, Chapter 11, bankruptcy, debt restructuring, municipal indebtedness, municipal bankruptcy, health care provider, acute care hospital, lease property, board immunity, director liability, civil liability, healthcare finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Second of all, tracking and verifying an income tax credit that is given to an entity that flows through
• income tax credit that is given<00:14:24.440><c> to</c><00:14:24.720><c> an</c><00:14:25.000><c> entity
• that</c><00:14:25.959><c> flows</c><00:14:26.759><c> through</c><00:14:27.680><c> to</c> given to an entity
• that flows through to given to an entity that flows through to individuals<00:14:28.759><c> and</c><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Economic Development and Technology met on February 11, 2025, to hear House Bill 96 and House Bill 106. HB 96 would allow low-income housing tax credits to offset state transient accommodations taxes, limit the credit to taxes imposed in the same county as the qualified building, and make Act 129 permanent. The Department of Taxation opposed the bill, saying it would be difficult to administer, would complicate the tax system, and could be susceptible to abuse; it also noted the credit would benefit the hotel owner even though the tax is paid by the customer. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii raised consumer protection concerns. No other testimony was offered, and the chair later recommended deferring HB 96 for further work with the Department of Taxation and the committee. HB 106 would authorize the Agribusiness Development Corporation to financially support farming businesses engaged in agricultural tourism and expand the definition of enterprise accordingly. The Agribusiness Development Corporation testified in support, saying farmers requested the change, it would diversify income, and it would provide technical and financial support. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the measure, and the chair noted eight pieces of testimony in support and one in opposition. No questions were raised, and the chair recommended passing the bill as is. The committee voted on HB 106, with the chair and vice chair voting aye, along with Representatives Holt, Hussey, Ilagan, and Todd; Representative Matsumoto was excused. The chair’s recommendation to pass HB 106 was adopted, and the hearing was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, AB 1534 makes clear that unaccredited entities may not exercise control over course design or
• First, we allow programs to partner with outside entities to provide instruction within federal limits
• Greater state-level alignment of the many state entities that oversee public education.
• There are about a baker's dozen of state entities that oversee public education in California.
• There are about a baker's dozen of state entities that oversee public education in California.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But what have you found as far as these entities that are coming before you saying that they do have
• So this allows entities to put water use in a quote-unquote bank. It's a paper bank.
• And so you had to get that down after they merged these different entities together.
• No one entity can tell another one what to do.
• That's another entity that we work closely with through the management of this grant.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But what have you found as far as these entities that are, you, you?
• So this allows entities to put water use in a quote-unquote bank. It's a paper bank.
• And so you had to get that down after they merged these different entities together.
• No one entity can tell another one what to do.
• That's another entity that we work closely with through the management of this grant.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• So whether subsection C becomes law is dependent on what this outside private entity chooses to do.
• Although the legislature may delegate the administration of laws to governmental entities, it may not
• that Legislative Council's bill drafting manual generally recommends against references to specific entities

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:51.599><c> could</c> it so that even a private entity could it so that even a private entity
• So, no private entity can even request a late refund.
• So, no private entity can even refund.
• ,</c> states and many other um entities, states and many other um entities, districts<01:35:54.080><c
• </c><01:35:58.320><c> um</c><01:35:58.960><c> have</c> know smaller entities um have know smaller entities

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Respondent entities and so forth, the need and demand.
• So yes, we... do that with those entities and organizations.
• That is essentially the process to... for entities to submit applications.
• You know, UGRA is not an emergency response entity.
• Is it a different entity? Is it the USGS?

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The authorization would be extended to entities that engage in cash transactions on behalf of the state
• Among them, the entity is not currently suspended or disbarred, and that none of its owners, officers
• Of note, section 8, the term related entity is now defined. grants and expand the responsible grants
• Among them, the entity is not elements.
• Among them, the entity is not currently<00:52:42.160><c> suspended</c><00:52:42.760><c> or</c><00:52:

Bills: HF4364, HF4821, HF4543, HF3945

Keywords: Central and Eastern European Affairs, ethnic council, advisory council, Minnesota state government, immigrant communities, refugees, humanitarian parolees, Ukraine, Poland, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Czech Republic, Baltic states, Slovakia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Russia

Transcript Highlights:

• Patrol, and the Commissioner of Public Safety still has the authority in the functioning of that entity
• And the law enforcement entity had to be included in the work that I was supposed to do for the people
• :08:45.680><c> the</c><00:08:45.760><c> law</c><00:08:45.880><c> enforcement</c><00:08:46.640><c> entity
• had to be And the law enforcement entity had to be included<00:08:48.400><c> in</c><00:08:48.600><c>
• </c> have a process whereby we have an entity have a process whereby we have an entity responsible<00

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• referrals from DHS, from managed care organizations, from the public, from other law enforcement entities
• referrals from DHS, from managed care organizations, from the public, from other law enforcement entities
• referrals from DHS, from managed care organizations, from the public, from other law enforcement entities
• referrals from DHS, from managed care organizations, from the public, from other law enforcement entities
• The agency, we are a separate entity set up by the Minnesota Constitution, and we operate in the role

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This takes care of the exemption for the local broadcasters and entities such as our two flaggings.
• Local broadcasters and entities such as our two flagship research universities.
• organizations to include any Indian health care provider or any independent practitioner or other entity
• organizations to include any Indian health care provider or any independent practitioner or other entity
• It places all reporting requirements for covered entities and manufacturers under the prescription drug

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met in executive session on February 9, 2026, first hearing a staff briefing on Senate Bill 6346, which would impose a tax on individuals earning over $1 million. Staff described the bill’s revenue and spending impacts and reviewed a proposed substitute and 11 amendments addressing items such as public defense funding, charitable deductions, out-of-state tax credits, small business credits, diapers, constitutional issues, and a contingent constitutional amendment. The committee later took up the bill and rejected all of the offered amendments, then advanced the substitute bill with a due pass recommendation to the Rules Committee. Members supporting the bill argued it would help address tax fairness and fund public services, while opponents raised concerns about constitutionality, economic harm, and the effect on businesses and charitable giving. The committee also acted on a series of policy bills. It advanced a substitute bill on grocery store closures in food deserts after adopting a narrower substitute, despite concerns from some members about burdening grocers. It approved a substitute bill expanding voting access for military, overseas, Native American, and disabled voters, adopting a second substitute that removed a cybersecurity review requirement. The committee also advanced bills on tort claim arbitration against governments, victim and witness protections in sexual assault and domestic violence cases, JLARC review of student aid fraud, agricultural collective bargaining, labor relations if federal preemption ends, a cost-of-living adjustment for Plan 1 retirees, workers’ compensation and medical care access, line-of-duty death reimbursements, law enforcement background checks and eligibility, veterans’ discharge definitions, and extraordinary medical placement. Several of these bills had amendments adopted, including changes to tort claim oversight, victim-requested standby counsel, agricultural labor definitions, workers’ compensation penalties, law enforcement volunteer support, and extraordinary medical placement criteria. In the second group of bills, staff briefed measures affecting property taxes, housing, cannabis, disaster-related tax relief, technical tax code changes, aircraft fuel tax revenues, the estate tax, and a pesticide tax exemption. The committee heard that a substitute for the fire protection district bill would alter how city or town levy capacity is reduced and include consultation requirements and board-creation provisions. It also heard that the property tax relief expansion for seniors and disabled retirees needed a substitute to make the consolidated school levy revenue-neutral. Other bills would expand tax exemptions for low-income housing and nonprofit homeownership, authorize local cannabis excise taxes, extend disaster repair tax relief, expand housing-related local sales tax uses, make technical tax code changes, redirect aircraft fuel tax revenues to aeronautics, reduce the estate tax rate, and extend a pesticide tax exemption. The transcript ends during the committee’s consideration of Senate Bill 6346, with the committee debating and rejecting amendments before moving the bill forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our public entities, like our volunteer fire departments, provide essential services to our banks, our
• That includes minuscule differences to larger entities, such as a percent of interest, a percent and
• The rest of it I raise. larger entities, larger public entities larger entities, larger public entities
• Well, the volunteer fire departments are a tax-exempt entity.
• It seems like a tax exempt entity.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it's very important to us that every other entity that is taking tax dollars abides by the same
• And so it's very important to us that every other entity that is taking tax dollars abides by the same
• so we can have competition and not have one entity with a boot on its throat.
• To not have one entity with a boot on its throat, and that's where we are.
• Those other entities that they talk about are not. There are fundamentally different systems.

Keywords: 1182, all