Transcript Highlights:

• IT DETERMINES AN EQUITABLE SPLIT AND PUTS A 10% ON...
• This bill strengthens our Department of Corrections by focusing on inmate litigation and sentencing,
• One, you might live in, or lead to excessively long sentences for minor offenses.
• Make sure we can carry out sentences by employing...
• [incomplete sentence].

Bills: SB 2, HB 2, HB 2000, HB 2196, HB 213, HB 222, HB 645, HB 1458, HB 1022, HB 141, HB 502, HB 643, HB 3093, HB 1700, HB 117, SB 503, SB 2, HB 120, HB 20, HB 150, HB 6, HB 100, HB 210, HB 215, HB 1393, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB 142, HB 451, HB 124, HB 2, HB 2000, HB 2196, HB 213, HB 222, HB 645, HB 1458, HB 1022, HB 141, HB 502, HB 643, HB 3093, HB 1700, HB 117

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, child grooming, sex offender registration, criminal justice, reportable conviction, law enforcement, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance

Transcript Highlights:

• the judge in that case sentencing the judge in that case allowed<00:09:15.399> for<00:09:16.200
• appearance where he would be sentenced appearance where he would be sentenced and<00:09:34.320><
• One time he hit me so hard he split open my forehead.
• For many, it's a death sentence.
• and once we fled for a death sentence and once we fled for many<00:32:52.679> since<00:32:53.000

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House File 16, and the chair moved the bill with a recommendation that it be re-referred to Elections Finance and Government Operations. Representative Rymer said the bill would require reporting to ICE when an illegal immigrant is arrested on suspicion of a violent crime, even if the county attorney does not prosecute, and would bar state and local entities from blocking federal immigration enforcement. He described the bill as narrowly focused on serious offenses such as murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, and criminal sexual conduct, and said it was intended to improve communication with federal authorities about dangerous offenders. Supporters argued the bill would improve public safety and cooperation with federal law enforcement. David Zimmer, a former local law enforcement official, said cooperation with ICE is consistent with law enforcement practice and helps with information-sharing, warrants, consulate notifications, and locating individuals. Several other supporters, including a crime victim family member and a security officer, said the bill would help identify dangerous criminals and protect communities. Opponents said the bill would reduce trust in local law enforcement and discourage victims and witnesses from reporting crimes. Testifiers from the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, The Advocates for Human Rights, Violence Free Minnesota, the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Northstar Alliance, the City of Minneapolis, and others said mandatory ICE notification could deter domestic violence and trafficking victims from seeking help, harm due process, and undermine community safety. Some also warned it would interfere with local separation policies, burden local agencies, and have negative economic and civil rights impacts. The committee also heard emotional testimony from individuals describing domestic abuse and immigration-related fears, and from family members of a murder victim who supported the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional adds were $2 million to the Sentencing Commission for a data integration project to facilitate
• criminal justice data. ...to the Sentencing Commission for a data integration project to facilitate
• Regarding the Sentencing Commission Data Integration Project, I just want to flag, and I don't remember
• So when we all split up and heard all those kind of agencies, that work group stuff is not included here
• Item 2 is for that data integration project at the Sentencing Commission.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in terms of the numbers of contracts, the way it's split up in the Attorney General's office is there's
• So in terms of the numbers of contracts, the way it's split up in the Attorney General's office is there's
• So, in the bill, Senate Bill 280, line 13, we should do a committee amendment such that that sentence
• <02:20:09.319> that committee Amendment such that that committee Amendment such that that sentence
• will read a food delivery sentence will read a food delivery platform<02:20:12.800> shall<02:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> they operate or you can review the they operate or you can review the single<03:41:33.159> sentence
• floor amendment in your single sentence floor amendment in your seat<03:41:35.159> pockets<03
• 04:03:23.120> not part of the initial conversation not part of the initial conversation not split
• > is<04:03:24.520> inappropriate<04:03:25.080> to<04:03:25.239> create split
• out it is inappropriate to create split out it is inappropriate to create additional<04:03:26.120>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Was that enough questions in one sentence for you? Some want to talk from a local level, or Mr.
• <00:57:36.119> for<00:57:36.359> you enough questions in one sentence for you enough
• questions in one sentence for you some<00:57:37.680> want<00:57:37.880> to<00:57:38.880
• That is split between $734 million in acquisition costs and $120 million in payments to cover contract
• <01:25:33.280> between<01:25:33.639> 734 drugs so that is split between 734 drugs so

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee convened for its first meeting of the 2025 session, with Chair Melissa Wiklund outlining the new co-chair arrangement, rotating gavel, committee size of 12, and the seven-vote threshold needed to move bills and motions. Members and staff introduced themselves, including several new senators, committee administrators, counsel, fiscal staff, researchers, and new pages. The committee then began its agenda with an overview of the Minnesota Department of Health from Deputy Commissioner Wendy Underwood. Underwood described MDH’s mission and structure, emphasizing public health’s focus on prevention, population health, and the social and economic factors that drive health outcomes. She highlighted the state’s health disparities, the department’s five bureaus, and major work areas including infectious disease response, newborn screening, environmental health, chronic disease prevention, health regulation, health equity, and operations. She also discussed the Center for Health Care Affordability, saying the department has been meeting with stakeholders and has hired a director to begin work on advisory bodies and community engagement around rising health care costs. Members asked questions about physician shortages, burnout, administrative burden, and health care bureaucracy. Senator Grunhagen argued that excessive paperwork and micromanagement are worsening access and workforce shortages, while Senator Abeler asked for data on whether past disparity programs have been effective and whether some efforts should be consolidated. Underwood said MDH has rural health programs, workforce supports such as loan forgiveness, and research on administrative costs and low-value services, and she noted the department has published legislative reports with more data to come. The chair then moved the committee to a broader discussion of public health system development in Minnesota, introducing City of Bloomington officials to present on a recent report.

Transcript Highlights:

• He had been speaking in sentences. He no longer spoke until he was about five again.
• He had been<01:29:52.400> speaking<01:29:52.719> in<01:29:53.040> sentences.
• He no longer been speaking in sentences.
• seems to me that uh there a huge split seems to me that uh there a huge split within<01:55:11.440
• <03:19:37.920> the day and they had they all split the day and they had they all split the

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill itself has two sentences.
• So we have a first sentence that is not consistent with a second sentence.
• absolute but then the second sentence absolute but then the second sentence says<01:58:16.320>
• with a second sentence let's consistent with a second sentence let's put<01:58:32.800> that<01
• his sentence his sentence that<02:00:22.360> he<02:00:22.520> is<02:00:22.719>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 148, a bill allowing classification by biological sex in limited settings such as multiple-use bathrooms, certain sports, and involuntary commitment facilities. Supporters said it was needed to protect privacy and safety, especially for minors, and argued it was consistent with recent federal and state developments. Opponents said the bill was poorly defined, unnecessary, and could create discrimination or confusion, especially because it did not define “biological sex” in the text. The committee voted 10-8 ought to pass, and the chair said a minority report would be written. The committee then considered HB 254, a bill concerning medical aid in dying. The chair moved ought to pass and described the bill as a matter of liberty for terminally ill patients within six months of death, arguing it should not be treated as suicide. Opponents raised religious, ethical, and policy concerns, including worries about a slippery slope, misuse by vulnerable people, and the effect on death records and public health data. The committee voted 11-7 ought to pass, and the chair said a majority report would be written with a minority report by Representative Perez. Finally, the committee turned to HB 611 with Amendment 2025-0638, a replace-all amendment dealing with recoupment of costs for appointed counsel. The chair explained the amendment would restore the law to its pre-2020 form, allowing the Office of Cost Containment to seek repayment from some recipients of appointed counsel services, including those found not guilty, if they had the ability to pay. Supporters said the prior change had sharply reduced collections and that the state should not treat indigent defendants differently from people who hire private counsel. Opponents argued the policy unfairly bills innocent people and children who were entitled to counsel. The transcript cuts off during debate on the amendment, before a vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Patients that had diabetes and high blood pressure, patients that would otherwise be a death sentence
• And I'm talking about 80-something-year-olds with diabetes and asthma that would have been a death sentence
• I know Senator Haas read part of a letter that was sent, and it's just that one sentence... ...that he's
• And this evening, members, I just want to say we split today's schedule between today and tomorrow so

Bills: SB331, SB883, SB926, SB1137, SB1138, SB1144, SB1151, SB1236, SB1270, SB1522, SB1869, SB2207, SB2422

Keywords: healthcare, cost disclosure, transparency, administrative penalties, health facility compliance, COVID-19, off-label use, prescription drugs, patient access, medical standards, insurance, physician ranking, incentives, fiduciary duty, health plan issuers, SB 1137, group home, assisted living, residential care, board and care

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill itself has two sentences.
• So we have a first sentence that is not consistent with a second sentence.
• absolute but then the second sentence absolute but then the second sentence says<01:58:16.320>
• with a second sentence let's consistent with a second sentence let's put<01:58:32.800> that<01
• his sentence his sentence that<02:00:22.360> he<02:00:22.520> is<02:00:22.719>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 148, which would allow classification by biological sex in limited circumstances such as multi-use bathrooms, certain athletic events, and involuntary commitment facilities. Supporters argued the bill was needed to protect privacy and safety, especially for women and girls, and said it was consistent with recent federal actions and prior legislation. Opponents said the bill lacked a clear definition of biological sex, could create confusion and discrimination, and was unnecessary because existing law and sports rules already address the issues raised. After debate, the committee voted 10-8 to recommend ought to pass on HB 148. The chair asked for a majority report and noted that a minority report would likely be filed. The committee then considered HB 254, a bill related to end-of-life medical decision-making. Supporters framed it as a matter of liberty and relief from suffering for terminally ill patients, while opponents raised moral objections, concerns about suicide being normalized, and worries about deceptive wording and death-certificate reporting. HB 254 was approved on an 11-7 vote for ought to pass, with the chair indicating he would write the majority report and Representative Perez the minority report. The committee then moved to HB 611 with Amendment 2025-0638, a replace-all amendment restoring prior law on recoupment of appointed-counsel costs from indigent criminal defendants and juveniles. The chair explained the amendment as reversing 2020 changes that had limited cost recovery, and the discussion focused on financial affidavits and the Office of Cost Containment’s ability to review indigency claims. The transcript cuts off before the committee vote on HB 611.

Transcript Highlights:

• We weren't able to split apart the effects of that no-turn-on-red... ...or the pedestrian clearance extension
• And that last sentence about collaboration, that's a really big crew to have people involved that we
• And that last sentence about collaboration, that's a really big crew to have people involved that we

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on October 16, 2025, for a budget and revenue overview, a traffic safety presentation, and a discussion of potential transit and active transportation grant programs. Committee staff reviewed the adopted 2025-27 transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, the large share for WSDOT, and the mix of revenue sources including fuel tax, vehicle-related fees, federal funds, Climate Commitment Act revenue, and new 2025 revenues from SB 5801 and SB 5802. Staff said the 2025 session produced a balanced four-year plan, preserved major project schedules, maintained highway preservation funding, and added money for culverts, local preservation, and other priorities. They also described a September forecast showing lower motor fuel consumption than previously expected, but still enough revenue growth to keep the transportation plan balanced. For the 2026 supplemental, staff said agency requests were relatively modest overall, with most capital requests reflecting reappropriations and timing shifts rather than new projects, while WSDOT’s addendum identified much larger future needs for maintenance, preservation, paving, culverts, and safety work. Senators asked for more detail on how revenues are distributed by fund type and geography, how much of the maintenance and preservation request is actual maintenance versus equipment, whether paving needs could be supported through bonding, and how electric vehicle sales trends might affect forecasts. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chikino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She said U.S. traffic fatalities have risen sharply over the past decade, with especially large increases for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and argued that the U.S. lags other high-income countries in roadway safety. Her presentation highlighted IIHS’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030 through safer speeds, stronger impaired-driving countermeasures, better pedestrian protection, and safer commercial vehicles. She discussed research linking higher speed limits to higher fatality risk, the benefits of lower urban speed limits, speed safety cameras, traffic calming, lighting, pedestrian beacons, and safer intersection design. She also described ongoing work with Bellevue on smart signal technology and pedestrian safety pilots. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and said they would share the materials with others. In the final work session, the committee revisited transit and active transportation grant concepts that had been included in the Senate budget proposal but did not advance in 2025. Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division explained how grant programs need runway, staff capacity, applicant readiness, and clear criteria, and compared program design to getting a plane off the ground. She discussed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting that some projects could be structured as funding-first programs while others would work better as project-line or project-first models. She said regional trail projects are already eligible under existing programs but often score lower because current criteria emphasize safety and population served. Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association then reviewed transit grant programs and argued that transit safety and security needs remain underfunded, including operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health coordination, and non-uniformed security staff. He said many transit capital programs are oversubscribed, that operator barrier retrofits alone could cost $20 million to $30 million, and that agencies face uncertainty about how recent sales tax changes apply to security-related contracts. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So all of those sections really do nothing but put in some age-related sentences that apply so that those
• adult provisions can be applied. sentences that apply so that those adult provisions can be applied
• Representative Kempenich: Yeah, that's the... and you see how it's split out here because there are 13

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2271, which would formally place adult residential facilities in code and rebase their Medicaid reimbursement rates. Sponsor Chairman Ruby and HHS staff explained that these facilities, often serving people with dementia or acquired brain injury, are reimbursed at a much lower rate than skilled nursing care and help reduce bottlenecks in higher-level facilities. Members questioned how the program differs from basic care and nursing facility memory care, and the bill was referred to the HR section for deeper review before possible action on Monday. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2396, as amended, which would authorize an independent third-party performance audit of the Department of Commerce and the North Dakota Development Fund, with findings shared with the state auditor. Sponsors said the proposal was prompted by concerns raised in testimony and that a private audit could begin faster than a state audit. The committee adopted an amendment adding an emergency clause and directing the report to the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee, then passed the bill 20-0 with 3 absent. Next, Representative Clemine presented Senate Bills 2226, 2036, and 2037. SB 2226 would presume an incarcerated person indigent at initial appearance so counsel can be provided at that critical stage; the commission said the appropriation would fund contract attorney hours, and the bill was sent to HR for further review. SB 2036 would create procedures for determining juvenile fitness to proceed in delinquency cases, with a $500,000 appropriation for mental health evaluations, and SB 2037 would begin a juvenile criminal code framework and include a $300,000 appropriation for fitness-to-proceed evaluations; both were also referred to HR, with some concern raised about staffing and overlapping functions. After a short break, the committee heard education-related appropriations bills. SB 2234 would replace expired ESSER funding for Choice Ready grants, but members noted the program was not included in the K-12 budget and sent it to E&E for comparison with existing appropriations. SB 2286, a University of North Dakota request for a new nursing school facility, drew extensive discussion about the age and condition of the current building and the size and scope of the project; the committee ultimately adopted a do-not-pass motion 22-0. SB 2213, the “science of mathematics” bill modeled on the science of reading initiative, would fund math professional development and implementation; it was also referred to E&E for further review. The committee then briefly passed the Racing Commission budget, SB 2023, and began discussion of the Trust Lands budget, SB 2013, including a proposed retention increase for investment-related positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• benefits have historically been 100% federally funded, and currently the administrative costs are split
• Currently, the administrative costs are split 50-50 between the state and federal government.
• However, effective with the new federal fiscal year, that split will change to 75% state responsibility
• In February of this year, she was sentenced to 17 years in prison for this misconduct.
• In February of this year, she was sentenced to 17 years in prison for this misconduct.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kedy, and it's split up into eight divisions, which you can see listed on the screen. the attorney generals
• <00:15:08.800> kedy<00:15:09.560> and<00:15:09.680> it's<00:15:09.880> split
• <00:15:10.160> up Jessica and Mr kedy and it's split up Jessica and Mr kedy and it's split
• The length of the sentence, you know, has does nothing really.
• The length of the sentence, you know, has does nothing really.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Option 1 preserves the current split, where the state continues to own the system and fund the capital
• The project funding is split 65/35 between state and local funding.
• This project uses a 75% state and 25% local cost-share split.
• The cooperation agreement does not fully reflect the split delivery operating model and lacks adequate
• The key actions of this option include statutory and governance changes to codify the ownership split

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The project funding is split 65/35 between state and local funding.
• This project uses a 75% state and 25% local cost-share split.
• Second, role and scope ambiguity: the cooperation agreement does not fully reflect the split delivery
• Option 2 recommends formal state oversight by keeping the current ownership and split delivery model,
• The key actions of this option include statutory and governance changes to codify the ownership split

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:

• <02:18:40.920> that's guilty sometimes the sentence that's guilty sometimes the sentence that's
• If you can close in one sentence, and just close it. Okay, I’ll get my one sentence.
• time is up if you can close one sentence time is up if you can close one sentence and<04:05:54.920
• You can go one sentence.
• <05:16:08.320> your your time you can go one sentence your your time you can go one sentence

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 199, which would extend the statute of limitations for civil actions seeking damages from PFAS contamination from six years to 20 years. The prime sponsor and other supporters argued that PFAS contamination in southern New Hampshire has long-term and often delayed health and property impacts, making the current six-year period too short for victims to discover harm, connect it to exposure, and seek relief. Supporters described contamination in places such as Merrimack and surrounding communities, cited health concerns including cancer, developmental issues, and other illnesses, and said a longer period would better preserve legal rights while still requiring proof of causation. The Department of Environmental Services said it was not taking a position but acknowledged the contamination and ongoing work to address it. The Business and Industry Association opposed the bill, arguing that evidence becomes stale over time, memories and documents fade, and a longer window would make it harder to determine causation when other exposures or intervening factors may be involved. Committee members questioned both sides about causation, the difficulty of proving PFAS-related illness, and whether a 20-year period was necessary if a plaintiff already knows of the injury and its source. Supporters responded that PFAS effects can emerge slowly, that scientific understanding continues to develop, and that current knowledge is still incomplete. Opponents said the existing discovery rule already starts the clock when harm and causal connection are known, and that extending the period would reduce clarity and fairness in litigation. After testimony and questions, the chair closed the hearing on HB 199. The committee then opened House Bill 268 FN, which was described as a technical measure to confirm that the Board of Tax and Land Appeals may hold hearings in its Concord hearing rooms. The sponsor indicated the bill reflects current practice and does not require additional facilities. With only one witness listed and no apparent opposition, the discussion was brief and focused on why the authorization should be placed in statute rather than left to practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe they were somewhere else, and now they're just creating a new accounting unit, splitting it out
• You can see these revenue split changes for business tax alone is like $85 million a year.
• of revenues for business taxes uh splits of revenues for business taxes uh tobacco<03:18:16.560>
• changes for business tax Revenue split changes for business tax alone<03:18:32.319> is<03:18:
• because there has been to do with splits because there has been talks<03:18:49.199> about<03:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education. The Department of Education testified that the bill’s definition would conflict with federal definitions and be very restrictive, potentially affecting a wide range of instructional methods, curriculum materials, teacher training, civics requirements, suicide prevention training, and other programs. The department said the bill could force a broad overhaul of school practices, create local implementation burdens, and require at least one new state position, with a fiscal note estimating roughly $118,000 in FY 2026 rising in later years. Members also raised concerns about possible impacts on federal pass-through funding and whether the bill was workable. Representative Papovich moved to retain HB 129, and the motion passed 7-0. The committee then heard HB 133, a Department of Safety/DMV bill involving follow-up when a person votes using an out-of-state license or non-driver ID and then does not obtain a New Hampshire credential within the statutory timeframe. DMV officials said the bill would require a $40,000 technology upgrade plus a new full-time position, and that the fiscal note did not include postage or fully account for the manual work needed to match records, send notices, and review responses. They said the proposal also raised broader tracking issues because it would apply not only to voters but to anyone who had not obtained a New Hampshire license within 60 days, and they questioned whether DMV was the proper agency to make those inquiries. Committee members pressed the department on how the 60-day clock would be determined, whether the bill could amount to a kind of poll tax or raise privacy concerns, and whether voter ID cards or other exceptions would avoid that problem. The department explained that New Hampshire offers a free voter identification card through town clerks for people without a license or state ID, but said the bill did not exempt those cards and that the DMV would still be asked to investigate status after voting. Officials also said the bill would be difficult to enforce, that some cases would be ambiguous, and that any response from the DMV would likely amount to a request for information rather than an enforceable consequence. No vote on HB 133 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• at line 8 the lee8 the sentence at line 8 the lee8 management<00:46:56.440> plan<00:46:56.920
• This hopefully is the Solomonic kind of wisdom of splitting the lifetime of the landfill in half, so
• This hopefully is the Solomonic kind of wisdom of splitting the lifetime of the landfill in half, so
• This hopefully is the Solomonic kind of wisdom of splitting the lifetime of the landfill in half, so
• What this does is it kind of splits the baby in half.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee opened by noting member absences and then reviewed the governor’s HB 2 trailer bill language creating a solid waste site evaluation committee. The chair explained that Finance would want the committee’s input on the proposal and also announced a temporary change to the committee’s schedule, with additional Wednesday meetings planned around school vacation. The committee then moved into a work session on several bills. On HB 150, Representative Ktoa offered a simple amendment changing food-processing language from “washed and rinsed” to “cleaned and sanitized” in the processing area. Members agreed the change better matched food safety practice, and the committee indicated support for advancing the bill. On HB 307, dealing with homestead food production areas, members discussed proposed amendment language that would add clearer sanitary requirements, including handwashing access, sanitary storage, sanitizable food-contact surfaces, and pest exclusion. The committee also discussed whether to replace “potentially hazardous food” with “time temperature control safe food,” but several members favored keeping the existing term because it is already well defined in food safety law. The bill was held for further amendment work rather than being executed immediately. The committee spent substantial time on solid waste legislation. For HB 479, members recalled a prior plan for a letter to the solid waste working group and agreed to proceed with the bill in executive session, with an offer of drafting help from Representative Bixby. For HB 77, which would require DES to establish site-specific setback distances for proposed new landfills, Representative Penza said his amendment was not ready yet but was close, and the bill was left for further discussion. The most detailed discussion was on HB 2115, which would require landfill permit applicants to submit a report on the project’s harms and benefits. Representative Germana explained an amendment that would replace section one, expand the list of benefits to include economic potential and infrastructure improvements, and set up a third-party review process in which the applicant submits a list of reviewers, DES screens the list, and the commissioner selects a reviewer if no agreement is reached within 60 days. Members asked about who could serve as contractors, whether they had to be local, and how DES would judge qualifications; the response was that environmental engineering and similar firms could be used, local or outside the community, and that the process would remain somewhat flexible. Representative H. Haskins asked whether the legislature or subcommittee would be formally notified of preliminary review problems, and the chair said no additional notification process would be built in beyond existing practice. The committee planned to continue work on the bills in upcoming executive sessions, including after school break.

Transcript Highlights:

• was looking at that exact issue: if this is across state lines, especially, which is why that last sentence
• which is why state lines, especially which is why that<00:19:02.080> last<00:19:02.320> sentence
• says<00:19:02.960> that<00:19:03.440> we<00:19:03.600> would that last sentence
• says that we would that last sentence says that we would contact<00:19:04.000> the<00:19:04.160
• Um, but my understanding is that some of it was splitting off of SAUs because of a wish to be independent

Keywords: 1191, senate, all