Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota, the taxpayers of Minnesota, and the citizens of our country.
• <c> in</c><00:02:51.959><c> years</c> hundreds of millions of dollars in years hundreds of millions of
• </c> question that you would like to ask of question that you would like to ask of of<00:09:55.920><c
• criteria through which a person can become a resident student for purposes of state financial aid.
• Those of us who are afforded the privilege of attending university may remember wearing many of these

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of you House File 30 uh 3650. of you House File 30 uh 3650.
• of House File 3650.
• </c><00:13:59.040><c> alignment</c> of where you see the power of alignment of where you see the power
• </c> kind of jobs that we need in terms of kind of jobs that we need in terms of our<00:14:34.800><c>
• And uh I've talked to several of my DFL colleagues, and if you are at all interested in this, I'm still

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> sort of what are the implications of sort of what are the implications of those<00:09:32.640><c>
• It says by a managed care organization that has a financial interest in... so it's close.
• </c><00:48:15.440><c> it's</c><00:48:15.839><c> I</c> has a financial interest in in so it's I has a
• financial interest in in so it's I think<00:48:16.160><c> it's</c><00:48:16.480><c> close.
• Would it then perhaps make sense that we put another umbrella statement on all of this saying that if

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Even the mere appearance of a conflict of interest is enough to erode faith in our democracy, and HB
• Even the mere appearance of a conflict of interest is enough to erode faith in our democracy, and HB
• Even the mere appearance of a conflict of interest is enough to erode faith in our democracy, and HB
• I find it interesting that 0.5% of our voters could... ...the moderators and all of our election officials
• /c><04:16:56.680><c> of</c> find it interesting that 500s of 1% of find it interesting that 500s of 1%

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Association, the APTA, and I'm here to represent the interests of our members and make a statement in
• c><01:10:04.640><c> make</c><01:10:04.719><c> a</c> interest of our members and make a interest of our
• </c><01:10:06.719><c> So,</c> statement in support of this bill.
• So, statement in support of this bill.
• </c> This poses a lot of financial and systems burden, as you guys are likely familiar with.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of them live very interesting.
• TAN of funding into CCDF of TAN of funding into CCDF of approximately<01:05:05.359><c> $21</c><01:05:
• </c><01:05:45.280><c> TAN</c> one of the four purposes of TAN one of the four purposes of TAN [clears
• of of uh my may have lost the train of of uh my train<01:09:53.199><c> of</c><01:09:53.359><c> thought
• of CCDF of which federal requirements of CCDF of which there<01:11:03.920><c> are</c><01:11:04.239><

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And so a lot of times I get to hear interesting conversations where they're critical of our consultants
• And so a lot of times I get to hear interesting conversations where they're critical of our consultants
• finding some of these conversations of, hey, we've got these positions out here and if anybody's interested
• finding some of these conversations of, hey, we've got these positions out here and if anybody's interested
• high quality who will serve somebody of high quality who will serve our<03:37:28.239><c> interests</

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Senator, can you also kind of provide, I guess maybe some examples of like what kind of coverage
• So units of the best way for me to to to kind of laid out this bill really speaks to kind of the the
• And and that's someone did out of the worst possible of of human reasons.
• And it's a statement of Florida saying in Florida, we want those businesses here and we want them to
• become on the financial capitals of the world and one of the research development capitals of the world

Transcript Highlights:

• It is interesting how so many of us are sons or grandsons or something of dairy farmers.
• It is interesting how so many of us are sons or grandsons or something of dairy farmers.
• It's the biggest indicator of a lack of standards.
• Do you recall any financial impact statement or any kind of actual numbers that the health department
• you can think of in terms of acreage to produce the same amount of food.

Committee: All AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Senator Magrum, so South Dakota has a bit of an interesting state law that was passed probably
• A bit of an interesting state law that was passed probably about 10 years ago now, where for a select
• Okay, for the interest of the students in the room, I'd like to just mention that we're talking about
• There are conflict-of-interest provisions in terms of providing care coordination or that case management
• You know, I do have some interest when you talk about the DDE sections of this bill and just some of

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Summary: The Senate Appropriations HR Division met with all members present to review the medical services portion of the HHS budget. Sarah Aker, Executive Director of Medical Services, walked the committee through several budget items, including HCBS cost-to-continue adjustments, the DD bed assessment, expansion of value-based purchasing, targeted rate increases for home health and QSP services, and the cross-disability waiver. Members generally supported the targeted increases for home health and QSP, and Aker explained that the cross-disability waiver funding would support startup work, service design, and infrastructure ahead of a planned July 1, 2028 implementation. The committee spent significant time on rate-setting and provider payment issues. Members discussed ambulance rate rebasing, with several senators expressing concern that the proposed increase was too high relative to peer states; the committee ultimately moved toward reducing that item to $1 million rather than zero so it could be revisited in conference committee. They also discussed a House-added critical access hospital networking grant and similarly leaned toward reducing it to $1 million. Aker explained the department’s value-based purchasing plans, including use of a vendor selected through RFP, and clarified how the department’s existing Medicaid managed care and hospital value-based programs work. A major portion of the meeting focused on long-term care and basic care payments, including a House-added extension of the $5 per day basic care add-on and a proposed shift in nursing facility incentive grants toward a withhold-based model. Senator Mathern indicated he would bring an amendment to delay or modify the withhold change, and Aker said the department would prefer language that directly addresses whether a withhold may be implemented. Members also discussed 1915(i) services, FMAP changes, the Medicaid legacy system modernization carryover, and a House-added legislative intent section on medical assistance. The committee adjourned for the morning with plans to return later to continue Human Services budget work and revisit unresolved items in conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then there is some discussion about an amendment to prevent a line-of-sight view of any of the games
• kind of puts it out of line of sight for families and for the businesses that way.
• Alignant, in a statement, reliability is its own form of autonomy.
• of those to you.
• I'm a resident of the state of Missouri. I'm here to speak in favor of this bill.

Committee: House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and adopted a House Committee substitute for House Bills 2404 and 2172, then voted the substitute do pass by a roll call vote of 10-2. The bills were not discussed in detail, but the action advanced them out of committee. The committee then took up House Bill 2989, a large gaming-related bill sponsored by Representative Hardwick. Hardwick described numerous changes in the substitute, including removing references requested by the Highway Patrol, clarifying tax reporting, extending local opt-out time, changing the effective date from August 2027 to August 2028, reducing a felony penalty to a misdemeanor, increasing a casino-related fee from $2 to $4 with the extra amount going to the Missouri Veterans Commission, and adding non-severability language. Members adopted three committee amendments, including language barring previously illegal gambling machines from being licensed as video lottery terminals and requiring games to be out of line of sight from the front entrance, then adopted the revised substitute and voted HCS HB 2989 do pass by an 8-5 vote. The committee then moved to public hearing on House Bills 1746 and 1769, both related to artificial intelligence. Representatives Miller and Amato presented the bills as an effort to establish that AI has no personhood and to create a framework for responsibility and accountability. They said the legislation was informed by outside experts and other states’ efforts, and Miller emphasized using the National Institute of Standards and Technology AI risk management framework as a baseline. Members questioned how liability would work, especially for developers, deployers, and users, and raised concerns about undefined terms such as “harm” and about possible conflict with federal policy discouraging a patchwork of state AI laws. The sponsors said the bill would be cleaned up further and that liability should generally rest with the person using or deploying the AI, not the AI itself. During public testimony, one witness spoke in favor of the AI bills, arguing that states should act proactively rather than wait for problems and noting concern about prior federal efforts to limit state AI legislation. No witnesses spoke in opposition during the hearing. The committee then closed testimony and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been working with the Department of Health Care Services and the Department of Social Services
• For these reasons, on behalf of Canter and thousands of older adults and people with disabilities who
• The opposition spoke to a cap of 13, what is it, 1380, something like that, because of the 128.
• of Social Services and Health Care Services to waive the entirety of Division 2 of the Health and Safety
• answer the actual cost of that?

Summary: The Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee met on June 24 with a substitute chair presiding and considered three measures. SB 352 by Senator Reyes was placed on the consent calendar and approved unanimously, 7-0, to be re-referred to the Committee on Emergency Management. SB 433 by Senator Wahab, presented on behalf of Senator Stern, was heard next and focused on room-and-board protections for participants in the assisted living waiver and CalAIM assisted living transition community support programs. Supporters, including Justice in Aging, CANHR, the Western Center on Law and Poverty, the California Commission on Aging, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association, argued the bill would prevent low-income Medi-Cal residents from being charged unaffordable rates and losing their housing. Opponents, including the California Assisted Living Association, LeadingAge California, and Six B’s, said they remained concerned about the bill’s rent-control implications and statutory scope, though they acknowledged recent amendments addressed some eligibility issues. After committee discussion, SB 433 was approved 5-1 with one abstention and re-referred to the Committee on Human Services. The committee also heard SB 582 by Senator Stern, presented by Senator Wahab, which would allow state departments to issue disaster suspensions of active licenses for facilities rendered inoperable by declared emergencies, waive some licensing fees, and provide temporary flexibility for community-based adult services, child care, and evacuation planning requirements for skilled nursing and residential care facilities. Support came from the California Assisted Living Association, LeadingAge California, the California Commission on Aging, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association, CANHR, and a child care resource center, all describing the bill as helpful for rebuilding and continuity of services after disasters. There was no recorded opposition, and SB 582 passed unanimously, 7-0, to the Committee on Health. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> presence of all members of the presence of all members of the committees,<00:15:05.680><c> any</
• </c><00:24:00.400><c> But</c> to any kind of part of the law. But to any kind of part of the law.
• </c><00:26:58.360><c> of</c><00:26:58.720><c> um</c> learn of of um learn of of um any<00:26:59.520><
• I do think that there would be a lot of interest from the counties to implement this kind of training
• I do think that there would be a lot of interest from the counties to implement this kind of training

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Summary: The joint hearing covered HB 1976, relating to dementia training for law enforcement, and HB 2443, relating to disaster services for people with disabilities and access or functional needs. For HB 1976, the Hawaii Law Enforcement Standards Board opposed the bill’s process and cost, arguing there was no documented training gap because existing CALEA accreditation already includes mental illness response training that covers dementia. Supporters, including the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, disability advocates, caregivers, and several individuals, said dementia-specific training would help first responders better handle real-world encounters and avoid harmful misunderstandings. The committee later recommended passage with amendments, including changing mandatory language to permissive language in several places and removing a deadline for the first annual training cycle; the recommendation was adopted unanimously. For HB 2443, testimony was strongly supportive. The Disability Communication Access Board, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and individual testifiers said the bill would strengthen emergency planning and response by adding a Disability Integration Specialist and better integrating people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs into disaster preparedness, sheltering, and FEMA coordination. Several speakers emphasized recent storms and rescues as evidence of the need. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including changes based on Attorney General comments and adding specialized communications and comprehensive communications planning provisions previously contained in another bill; that recommendation was also adopted unanimously. The transcript then moved to a separate mini hearing on HB 1768, relating to immigration enforcement. Supporters, including the ACLU of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, argued the bill would prevent local law enforcement from entering 287(g)-type agreements or otherwise participating in federal immigration enforcement, citing civil rights concerns, community trust, and the need for police to focus on local public safety. One testifier raised concerns that local cooperation could help avoid mistakes in enforcement, while supporters responded that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that local agencies should not be deputized for civil immigration arrests. The excerpt ends amid extended member questions and discussion, without showing a final vote on HB 1768.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, in the interest of time. All right, Senator Hill, you're recognized for a question.
• So, all right, yeah, in the interest of time.
• I just want to make a statement that we did give a state tax cut to the athletes at the University of
• in the University of Arkansas appreciate all the comments and all the interest in the University of
• Superintendent of Garner is going to make a statement, make a request.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee first considered revisions to the JBC rules, which staff said were all prompted by acts passed in the 2025 legislative session. The rules were adopted without objection. Members then received a balanced budget presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s FY27 proposal, which he said was built around three priorities: limiting state government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income tax cuts. He highlighted major additions for education funding, EFA growth, pay plan costs, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, corrections medical costs, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction, and Medicaid sustainability, while also explaining a new A/B funding category structure intended to prioritize recurring costs and preserve room for tax cuts. Members questioned Hudson about the cost of income tax reductions, the constitutional balanced-budget requirement, education funding, the Educational Adequacy Fund, Medicaid trust fund balances, and the impact of federal changes on Medicaid and SNAP. Hudson said each tenth of a percent income tax cut would cost about $58 million, the budget remained balanced, public education would still receive historic increases, and the Medicaid trust fund would be monitored closely with additional set-asides proposed. He also said the FY27 SNAP administrative cost increase would be about $18 million. The committee then heard from the Division of Higher Education, which reported institutions were 2.61% more productive overall and that the budget recommendation followed the statutory productivity formula. Questions focused on why some institutions were receiving decreases or large increases, how the formula works, and how the new return-on-investment metric and committee composition would affect future funding. The committee approved several higher education-related actions, including personnel changes for nine institutions and special language for North Arkansas College’s move into the University of Arkansas system. Staff then walked members through the higher education appropriation summary, explaining large percentage increases at several institutions were tied to federal funds or corrected carry-forward issues, including the U of A School of Mathematical, Sciences and the Arts, South Arkansas College, SAU Tech, ASU Mountain Home, and ASU Newport. Members also discussed UAPB’s 1890 extension program and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s land-grant matching funds; officials said UAPB’s recommendation was being aligned with actual spending and that the Division of Agriculture’s Smith-Lever and Hatch matches were included within its overall appropriation. The committee ultimately adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions and then moved on to the Department of Corrections section, with the chair outlining how the committee would proceed through those appropriations by section.

Transcript Highlights:

• the interests of one side of the debate.
• I submit to you that those who continue to push this agenda have become pawns of special interests, social
• It bars any form of registration of arms.
• of it.
• I've been part of the listing tours, been part of all these, some of these hearings, done lots of written

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Summary: The hearing focused heavily on firearms legislation, especially bills to repeal Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 (including H. 2618/S. 1671 and related repeal measures) and bills on firearm industry accountability (H. 2672/S. 1653). Supporters of repeal, including Senator Peter Durant, Rep. Ken Sweezey, gun owners, instructors, sportsmen, and women’s gun-rights advocates, argued that Chapter 135 overreaches, creates confusion in licensing and training requirements, burdens lawful gun owners, restricts pepper spray and semi-automatic firearms, and is being enforced in ways they said criminalize responsible conduct. Committee members defending the law said it was the product of years of work, public listening sessions, and multiple drafts, and argued that Massachusetts remains the safest state for gun violence and that implementation issues, such as live-fire training, had been delayed to allow time for regulations and infrastructure. Several witnesses also testified on H. 2672/S. 1653, which would create firearm industry standards of conduct and allow civil actions against manufacturers, distributors, and dealers that engage in unsafe or unlawful practices. Supporters from the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown, Brady, Giffords, and survivors described the bill as a way to hold the industry accountable, reduce the flow of crime guns, and give victims and the Attorney General a path to sue bad actors. They cited data on crime-gun traces, disproportionate impacts on communities of color, and examples from other states that have enacted similar laws. Opponents, including gun dealers and industry representatives, argued that existing law already punishes illegal sales, that most crime guns are stolen or diverted after lawful sale, and that the bill would improperly target manufacturers for the actions of others. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to remove the non-resident ban on semi-automatic firearms for hunting (H. 2710/S. 1676), with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers supporting the change as a way to restore access for returning residents, veterans, and hunting programs that had been displaced. Later testimony returned to repeal and related gun-law bills, with sportsmen’s groups arguing Chapter 135 was rushed, confusing, and harmful to youth hunting and lawful ownership. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing; it was a public testimony session with extensive questioning by committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• It could also be of interest to a rural small town that is shrinking and experiencing a large number
• And so this is an example of how that happens, of how the interests of corporations and the wealthy are
• </c> um that the interests of the wealthy and um that the interests of the wealthy and of<01:09:16.520
• the</c><01:09:42.159><c> interests</c><01:09:42.600><c> of</c><01:09:42.799><c> Corporations</c><01:
• 09:43.359><c> and</c> of how the interests of Corporations and of how the interests of Corporations and

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• So you already heard a lot of the detail through all of those sessions.
• So almost 40% of New Mexicans are enrolled in one or more of our programs.
• directly financially related to health and well-being of New Mexicans near and far.
• This is kind of confusing and it is kind of complicated.
• This is kind of confusing and it is kind of complicated.

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• any potential conflict of interest.
• any potential conflict of interest.
• There's an interest and great support in the community to do work in the area of memory care and see
• And of course, there's a lot of options.
• a leaseholder or other possessory interest, for a for-profit leasing of the property for which the nonprofit

Bills: HB1532 , HB2731 , HB3483 , HB4308 , HB4580 , HB4582 , HB5509 , HB5663

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The committee heard and discussed several local-government-related bills, mostly with committee substitutes. House Bill 2731 would let certain border counties regulate roadside vendors selling live animals in unincorporated areas and along public rights-of-way; the substitute narrowed the bill to live animal sales only and excluded livestock and other roadside commerce. House Bill 3483 would streamline TCEQ review of special utility district revenue bonds by removing tax-bond requirements that do not apply to SUDs. House Bill 4308 would create a county industrial development district framework, limited in the substitute to certain counties including Fort Bend County, to help finance industrial sites and related infrastructure. House Bill 5663 would create a Wood County Hospital District memory-care-focused district with no taxing power, intended to help pursue grants and other funding for a new facility. House Bill 4582 addressed attainable housing in Dallas and Tarrant counties, allowing local reimbursement tools for developers under a uniform, optional framework. House Bill 5509 would let municipalities suspend or revoke a hotel’s certificate of occupancy if law enforcement and a criminal court both find probable cause of human trafficking, with the substitute adding due-process protections. House Bill 1532 created a Lake Houston dredging and maintenance district funded by revenue from dredged material sales and revenue bonds, with no taxing authority or eminent domain. House Bill 23, heard as pending business, would revise the process for local governments to rescind development documents and adjust third-party reviewer liability and eligibility rules. House Bill 4580, concerning property tax exemptions for charitable organizations such as the Houston Rodeo, was amended to remove language about exempting revenue from property use and instead focus on land used for agricultural, youth, and educational support. Public testimony was generally supportive on the bills heard, with witnesses including county officials, utility and water association representatives, hotel industry representatives, and housing developers. Several speakers emphasized the need for faster financing or permitting tools, flood mitigation, housing affordability, anti-trafficking enforcement, or local economic development. Some members raised concerns about scope, precedent, consultation with affected senators, and due process, particularly on House Bill 4582 and House Bill 5509, but the committee largely accepted the committee substitutes as improvements. No public testimony was offered on several bills, and most measures were left pending before later being voted out. The committee took recorded votes on multiple pending bills and reported them favorably, often with committee substitutes adopted in lieu of the filed versions. House Bills 1532, 2731, 3483, 5509, 5663, and 4580 were reported out, with 1532 and 5663 passing unanimously and 3483, 2731, and 5509 also receiving favorable votes despite one present-not-voting on 3483. House Bill 23 and House Bill 4582 were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until adjournment or later.

Transcript Highlights:

• He embodies all of the best of someone who has a lifetime full of success and has taken that, and instead
• He embodies all of the best of someone who has a lifetime full of success and has taken that.
• of the people of Mercer County and in Trenton.
• for a unified defense of the health and the safety of the people of the United States of America.
• substance or alcohol use disorder treatment services or support to be assessed for conflicts of interest

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> Boards</c><00:15:59.360><c> of</c> National Association of Boards of National Association of Boards
• I'm the new director of financial sustainability and policy for the governor's office of New Opportunities
• </c> of the lines between the practice of of the lines between the practice of medicine<00:34:15.119>
• Thank you very much. of the removal of the MPJ across um the of the removal of the MPJ across um the
• </c> of RSA 32953. of RSA 32953.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services