Video & Transcript : 'counties authority' :

Page 412 of 500
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Economic and Rural Development Aug 11th, 2025

Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • , and a touch of San Miguel County.
  • County.
  • between the counties.
  • The county itself has about 75,000.
  • Commuter traffic on any given day from Valencia County into Bernalillo County is anywhere from 35,000
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Um, an increased appropriations of $5 million for a driver's license office in Montgomery County and
  • The JD, this is your writer for the Cameron County Technical Training Facility in TJJD.
  • Um, an increased appropriations of $5 million for a driver's license office in Montgomery County and
  • The JD, this is, um, your writer for the Cameron County Technical Training Facility in TJJD.
  • The authority of the parliamentarians. They have no authority to rule on such matters.
Summary: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Articles 14 and 5 met first and adopted its report on budget recommendations by a 4-0 vote, with three members absent. The chair said the report finalized prior decisions and could not be changed at that stage. Notable additions discussed included increased appropriations for the Office of the Attorney General, DPS driver’s license offices in Hays and Montgomery County, TJJD facilities and programs, Texas Facilities Commission funding for SCIF projects in Lubbock and San Antonio, THC funding for the Juneteenth Museum, an alcohol tourism study, and a TDCJ statewide reentry services pilot program. Members thanked staff and the meeting adjourned after the vote. The Article 3 subcommittee then presented its report for the committee substitute for Senate Bill 1, describing it as a procedural step that incorporated prior discussions, member writers, and changes made with Chairman Bonin. The chair noted that most items had been moved to Article 11 and that rejected riders were duplicates or conflicted with general law. The report was adopted unanimously, 6-0, and the subcommittee adjourned. The Articles 6, 7, and 8 subcommittee followed with its report for Senate Bill 1. During consideration, a member raised a point of order arguing the subcommittee had violated House rules requiring audio and video recording of formal meetings and public availability online. The chair rejected the point of order and proceeded to a roll call vote. After extended debate over the recording issue and the chair’s handling of the point of order, the report was adopted, with the transcript reflecting 6 ayes, 1 nay, and 1 absent. The subcommittee then adjourned.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Taxes - 03/12/25

Taxes

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c><00:13:50.040><c> um</c> County commissioners of Clay County um County commissioners of Clay County
  • </c><00:47:31.839><c> Schools</c> direct relief for Cook County Schools direct relief for Cook County
  • </c><00:49:20.319><c> schools</c> superintendent of Cook County schools superintendent of Cook County
  • Cook County Schools serves the entire county of Cook County, all 3,300 square miles of it, about 470
  • The first section about the bonding authority, the increase in that bonding authority, that wouldn't
Committee: Senate Taxes
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
AR

Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA ADVISORY COUNCIL Jul 9th, 2026

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA ADVISORY COUNCIL

Transcript Highlights:
  • If my mom and I would have had a little bit more support services in our rural county, we may have been
  • If my mom and I would have had a little bit more support services in our rural county, we may be able
  • County, where I'm from.
  • And we go to every county that we have the ability to, but being able to expand...
  • I know that there's a city-county local meeting there.
Summary: The Arkansas Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Advisory Council met to introduce members, adopt its rules and procedures, approve prior minutes, and authorize the co-chairs to approve special expenses. The main discussion focused on updating the Arkansas State Plan for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, with David Cook of the Alzheimer’s Association outlining major changes in prevalence, caregiving burden, diagnostics, and treatment since the prior plan. He noted rising disease and caregiver numbers in Arkansas, the expansion of amyloid PET access, the growing use of blood-based biomarkers, and the availability of FDA-approved treatments such as Leqembi and Kisunla, while emphasizing that access, insurance coverage, and provider education remain major barriers. Members and presenters also discussed the need to better reach rural primary care providers, who may not be aware of new diagnostics and therapies, and the bottlenecks caused by limited specialists and infusion capacity. There was concern about overreliance on blood tests without confirmatory evaluation, and several members stressed the importance of collaboration, public education, and promoting brain health through exercise and diet. The council also heard about existing programs such as the dementia services coordinator, the BOLD grant, caregiver respite grants, workforce training, and a pilot dementia resource center with UAMS Centers on Aging. The council approved a new four-part outline for the next state plan: advancing risk reduction and brain health/early detection, strengthening family caregiver support, improving access to diagnostics and treatment, and supporting access and quality of care, including workforce and crisis response. Members also agreed to consider future agenda items on new treatments, brain health and lifestyle prevention, workforce training, and possible legislative changes to the enabling statute. The meeting ended with discussion of scheduling the next meeting, tentatively set for August 12 in Hot Springs, and adjournment.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Session (Part III) Feb 26th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Proud to join author of this bill. Thank you, Senator Bettencourt.
  • To ask questions of the author sir. Yes, I yield of course.
  • Question for the author. Do you yield? Yeah.
  • Questions of the author of the bill. Do you yield? I yield. Thank you. Mr.
  • We do not know of any other case in Harris County.
Bills: SB26 , SB28 , SJR36 , SB26 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB28
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Indian Affairs Aug 14th, 2025

House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • It would be such a win for San Juan County and for the Navajo Nation.
  • We have a good relationship with the tribal liaisons of HCA, Home Care Authority, Health Care Authority
  • Maybe you guys need the authority instead of us.
  • Maybe you guys need more authority and fewer people to tell you what to do.
  • I said, "Call the State Police, call the county sheriff, call someone else."
NM
Transcript Highlights:
  • And again, it essentially gives the department explicit authority just to come ...of programs.
  • And I had Grant County for six years, and they have, have.
  • I had Grant County for six years, and they have a lot of juniper.
  • But I am excited about selling products out of San Juan County that make cement.
  • At one time, we had... ...San Juan County that makes cement.
Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 253, a committee substitute dealing with virtual and distance learning programs and school funding. Sponsors and staff explained that the substitute removed several earlier restrictions on virtual education, including residency requirements, the 10% enrollment cap, the ban on K-5 distance programs, and the moratorium on new enrollments. It also changed the State Cyber Academy Act to the Distance Learning Act, added reporting and evaluation requirements for districts and charter schools, and allowed the Public Education Department to withhold funding if programs are out of compliance. Members discussed concerns about impacts on rural districts, charter schools, and programs like Mosquero and the New Mexico Communications Academy, as well as the temporary funding fix for Gallup Public Schools, which was amended to average prior-year and current-year enrollment rather than use current-year membership alone. Public testimony on HB 253 was largely supportive, with school leaders and education organizations backing the amendment and the broader substitute while noting that more work may be needed on oversight and funding formulas. Committee members then debated the bill’s temporary provisions, the study requirement, and whether the changes would adequately address the Gallup funding issue and broader virtual-learning accountability. The committee adopted the amendment and then gave the House Appropriations and Finance Committee substitute for HB 253 a do pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 153, a voluntary industrial decarbonization package that combines an Environmental Product Declaration grant program, a rebate or incentive program for lower-carbon building materials, and production tax credits and capital grants for eligible industrial products. Members asked detailed questions about environmental product declarations, hydrogen, anti-donation concerns, funding sources, and whether the bill would support sawmills, engineered wood, biofuels, and forest-thinning-related industries. Supporters from the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and Clean Air Task Force testified that the bill would encourage innovation, attract private investment, and reduce emissions without imposing mandates. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted do pass on the bill, with Representative Brown noted in opposition. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 255, which consolidates public safety workforce funding into a single competitive fund for recruitment, retention, and professional development in law enforcement, firefighting, corrections, and public attorney offices. Testimony from counties, the chamber, AFSCME, and State Police supported the measure as a targeted response to staffing shortages and public safety vacancies. The committee took no extended debate and approved HB 255 with a do pass recommendation. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would meet again the next day.
MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

Finance - Room 216, 29 January, 2026; 1:30 PM

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • Next bill is Senate Bill 2834. 33 counties across the state in the 33 counties across the state in the
  • </c><00:10:23.920><c> to</c> be required uh by their county to be required uh by their county to produce
  • :45.920><c> are</c> these documents some counties are these documents some counties are starting<00:10
  • But I do have a question for the author of the bill.
  • I I do have a question for the author of I I do have a question for the author of the<00:20:16.400><c
Committee: Joint Finance
ID

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

Agenda Feb 11th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • The federal government has certain things that they are authorized in the Constitution that they can
  • I'm from District 9, Payette, Washington County.
  • Before you is a bill regarding the ...Payette, Washington County.
  • I’m Doug Pickett, and I represent District 27, Cassia and I am in the Minidoka counties.
  • We have recently completed analysis of groundwater conditions in South Canyon County.
Summary: The House Resources and Conservation Committee met to consider several RS drafts and receive agency updates. The committee introduced RS 33151, described as a federalism bill intended to clarify state and federal roles in Idaho code; RS 33217, which would clarify distribution of the big game depredation fund so remaining money is paid pro rata to farmers and ranchers; RS 33284, proposing hunting as Idaho’s state sport; and RS 33287 C1, a revised version of a prior bill related to notice language and fish and game issues. RS 313185 was removed from the agenda at the sponsor’s request. The committee also approved pending rule docket 24-3501-2501 for the Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board. The committee then heard an extensive update from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Officials said the division now oversees more than 259,000 licenses across 44 boards and three safety programs, has consolidated offices and systems to improve efficiency, and is moving toward two-year renewals and more function-based organization. They also outlined upcoming executive legislation on controlled substances, board consolidations, and unified disciplinary procedures, and reported on fee reductions, zero-based rulemaking, and board cash-balance corrections under prior legislation. The Department of Water Resources and the Idaho Water Resource Board provided lengthy presentations on budget holdbacks, water administration, groundwater conditions, recharge, cloud seeding, the Bear River Compact, and a proposed merger with the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Director Weaver described budget reductions, staffing challenges, delivery-call enforcement on the Eastern Snake Plain, expansion of groundwater administration into tributary basins, and new monitoring and modeling work in the Treasure Valley. Chairman Raybould reviewed state water funding, recharge and canal-efficiency projects, cloud seeding, and the ESPA sustainability program, including grants for groundwater-to-surface-water conversion and telemetry. The committee asked questions about aquifer management, canal lining and recharge, Bear River depletion rights, and conversion projects. The meeting ended with approval of the February 3 minutes and notice that another RS would likely be taken up at the final meeting later in the week.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • And so authority to transfer funds.
  • </c><00:24:34.400><c> nursing</c> facilities and the county nursing facilities and the county nursing
  • ><c> the</c><00:27:25.360><c> legislative</c> authorized very late in the legislative authorized very
  • So when we look at our county data.
  • ><c> two</c><01:32:26.480><c> mobile</c> Sullivan County, but we have two mobile Sullivan County, but
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The committee met with DHS Chief Financial Officer Nathan White to receive an update on the department’s budget lapse and vacancy rates. White explained the difference between the “back-of-the-budget” reduction and lapse assumptions, saying DHS is facing a current biennium reduction of about $23 million and estimating roughly a $60 million general fund lapse in state fiscal year 2025, compared with about $13.5 million the prior year. He said DHS’s lapse is driven largely by program utilization, labor market conditions, contract spending, and statutory carry-forwards in areas such as Medicaid and developmental disabilities, which tend to produce a smaller lapse in the first year of the biennium and a larger one in the second year. He also noted that the House and Senate budgets differ on some operating items, including Medicaid rates, with the Senate having struck a House proposal to reduce rates by 3%. Members questioned White about whether DHS ever spends down lapse money on last-minute purchases. He said the department does not engage in that practice, though it does retain some flexibility in its facilities budget for emergencies. He also described the process for transferring funds within and between class lines, including the need for fiscal committee approval above statutory thresholds, and gave examples such as moving funds to cover overtime in the SYSC budget and to ensure Medicaid payments for nursing facilities. White said such transfers are public and transparent and are reviewed by the governor and Executive Council. The committee then discussed DHS staffing. White said the department has a little over 3,200 authorized positions, with a vacancy rate around 14.5%, and that a hiring freeze had been imposed a few months earlier while exempting direct care positions. He said DHS is planning for about a $30 million general fund reduction to personnel, equivalent to just under 400 positions, and is managing postings centrally to stay within budget by July 1. In response to questions about the loss of about $80 million in federal funds, White and Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilly said DHS avoided layoffs by shifting staff into vacant positions, but that the cuts affected community contracts, public health workers, laboratory work, and some IT/data projects. Tilly said roughly 20 positions were affected, most were reassigned, a few staff left voluntarily, and the department has less flexibility going forward if more federal funding ends.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • the Air Resources Board, we have a refinement to a Governor's budget proposal for regulatory fee authority
  • This proposal narrows the focus of the fee authority to the transport refrigeration unit and commercial
  • On the bonding authority, so the bonding authority is not a general obligation bond.
  • Karen Lang on behalf of the Delta Counties Coalition, which is the five Delta Counties that ring the
  • The trailer bills before you relate to the bonding authority.
Keywords: 988, house, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Working Group on Omnibus Taxes Bill - 05/23/25

Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • . counties. counties.
  • It would also authorize a new use of the tax revenues, which would be to fund county hospitals, nonprofit
  • county hospitals located in Hennepin County.
  • County.
  • get</c> single county all 87 counties get single county all 87 counties get something<03:22:17.120><c
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • The vice chair let out on behalf of the author, and the author is with us this morning.
  • If there are no other questions for the author, we'll begin with testimony.
  • And it says, uh, it authorized low...
  • for the author. So you discussed the first bill and the second bill.
  • Counties in Texas are maternal deserts.
Bills: SB10 , SB16 , SB6 , SB 6 , SB 10 , SB 16
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Finance Division I (03/05/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • I do want to point out this will have a fiscal impact on the counties and county jails.
  • The rest of the counties do not have the authority to hold, and this likely, if we were to hold someone
  • couple</c> on the counties County jails um couple on the counties County jails um couple of<04:07:11.720
  • </c><04:10:06.920><c> now</c> does not exist in Rockingham County now does not exist in Rockingham County
  • <04:56:34.798><c> and</c> county and county and say<04:56:37.040><c> take</c><04:56:37.200><c> care</
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2 provisions affecting the New Hampshire Retirement System, focusing on Group 2/Tier B retirement changes in pages 25 through 39 of the bill. NHRS Executive Director Jan Goodwin and deputy chief counsel Mark Kavanaugh explained that the 2025 bill is largely similar to prior versions and to HB 727, with the main difference being that the 2025 version does not include the earlier increase in the maximum benefit. They also said the fiscal note for HB 2 is based on earlier actuarial work and that an updated valuation was expected later in the week. A major topic was whether the bill accidentally removed an anti-spiking or special-duty compensation limit. NHRS said the omission appears to be a scrivener’s error caused by moving language between Group 1 and Group 2 definitions, and they planned to flag it in the fiscal note. Members also reviewed the bill’s intent to restore Tier B members to pre-2011 benefit rules, including changes to earnable compensation, average final compensation, and the comp-over-base rule. Some members questioned whether restoring those older rules was appropriate, arguing the 2011 changes were meant to curb pension spiking and that undoing them could be problematic. The committee also discussed the bill’s cost and funding assumptions. NHRS said the 2025 bill would reduce unfunded actuarial liability by about $98.2 million and would have a more favorable effect than the 2023 version, while employer contribution impacts would remain relatively small. Members noted the bill assumes annual appropriations of $27.5 million for 10 years, but House Bill 1 currently provides only $5 million in the first year, and NHRS had not yet analyzed the effect of that shortfall. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on clarifying the bill’s language, intent, and fiscal impact.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Land & Resource Management May 8th, 2025

Land & Resource Management

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm trying to get the authors to come over here, but we're going to start with one now.
  • CCI is all the entities with eminent domain authority except TxDOT in the state of Texas.
  • We had, in my counties that I represent, we had... ...in my counties that I represent, we had two companies
  • We have a MUD in Harris County, MUD No. 405. There's a tract at the end of it.
  • This document doesn’t have any legal authority to it.
Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 5695, which would create the Sayers Ranch Municipal Utility District in Bastrop County between Elgin and Bastrop. Representative Gurdis said Bastrop County commissioners unanimously supported the district. There was no public testimony, the bill was left pending, and later reported favorably to the full House on an 8-0 vote. The main debate centered on Senate Bill 291, which would require condemning entities to pay landowner attorney’s fees if they fail to provide 10 years of appraisal reports with an initial offer in an eminent domain case. Supporters, including Rita Beving and Charles Maley, argued the bill would add an enforcement mechanism and better protect landowners in a process they described as intimidating and lopsided. Opponents, including Tom Zabel and Lisa Kaufman, said current law already provides a remedy through abatement and attorney’s fees under Section 21.047 of the Property Code, and warned the bill could create inconsistency, delay public infrastructure projects, and increase costs. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard House Bill 5699, a simple MUD boundary change in Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 405 that would allow a tract to leave one district and join another. Representative Schofield said the landowner and district agreed to the change and to pay the tract’s share of debt. The committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote. Later, the committee considered House Bill 5489, which would impose a four-year moratorium on impact fees. Representative Dyson framed it as an “active study” to test whether impact fees raise housing costs. College Station officials and other opponents argued impact fees help fund infrastructure for growth and that local governments should retain control; supporters said the fees are regressive and add to housing prices. The bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 292, which would update the Landowner Bill of Rights to add information on surveys, require separate offers for property not sought in condemnation, and require the rights document to be delivered with the initial offer. Supporters said it would improve transparency and fill gaps in the current document, while opponents said it was unnecessary because the law already exists and warned against revisiting a 2021 compromise. The transcript ends during that discussion.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Informal House Session 55 Jun 11th, 2026

Massachusetts House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, and the petition of John Barrett III relative to authorizing
  • amended, an act establishing a sick leave bank for Stephanie Rivera, an employee of the Worcester County
  • Commonwealth; an act establishing a sick leave bank for Stephanie Rivera, an employee of the Worcester County
  • An act establishing a sick leave bank for Stephanie Rivera, an employee of the Worcester County Sheriff's
  • The following engrossed bill, H. 5392, an act authorizing the city known as the town of North Attleboro
Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several committee reports and procedural motions. It adopted a resolution designating August 8 and 9, 2026, as a sales tax holiday, concurred with the Senate on a joint petition establishing a sick leave bank for Edward Suber of the Department of Youth Services, and suspended Joint Rule 12 for two other petitions: one concerning health care worker platforms and another allowing Adams Fire District firefighters to serve past age 65. The House also welcomed visiting students from Amvet Boulevard Elementary School and guests of other members. The House then considered a series of bills recommended by the Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee, including sick leave banks for Shannon Manning and Stephanie Rivera and House Bill 4443 on the maximum age for original appointment as a firefighter or police officer. After suspending Rule 7A, the House ordered those bills to a third reading. It also enacted H. 5392, authorizing North Attleboro to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption. Later, the House passed several bills to be engrossed: Senate Bill 2574 providing accidental death benefits for the surviving spouse of a former Boston firefighter, Senate Bill 2967 concerning ownership and maintenance of Town Line Brook and Lindenbrook culverts and dams, House Bill 4716 amending the Pittsfield city charter, and House Bill 5358 authorizing Newton to place municipal charge liens on property for unpaid local charges, fees, or fines. The chamber also observed a moment of silent tribute for Michael P. Higgins of Woburn, adopted an order to meet again Monday at 11 a.m., and adjourned to that time in informal session.
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency Jun 30th, 2026

Legislative Task Force on Government Efficiency

Transcript Highlights:
  • either in an operating fund for the entity or in the general fund, whether it be with the state, the county
  • , or municipality. whether it be with the state the county or municipality section two of the bill that's
  • for the entity awarding the concessions contract or deposited into the general fund of the state, county
  • You know, DHS sought that authority during the special session.
  • You know, DOT's had authority to do it as long as I can remember. I don't...
Summary: The task force first approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, including a correction removing language that suggested the auditor’s office would contract with a security vendor. Members then moved to a bill draft on concessions (LC 27.0161.00000), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, clarify that proceeds go to the entity’s operating fund or general fund, and make other technical updates. OMB explained the draft and answered questions about scope, fragmentation, vendor restrictions, school districts, and whether concession proceeds could be directed to nonprofits; OMB said the draft could be refined further, including clarifying covered entities and contract length. No vote was taken on the draft during the discussion. OMB also reported on other survey items. It said a proposal to broadly allow agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering/land surveying vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is working well for the agencies that already have it. On legal notices, OMB said it has been working with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernization, including an ADA-compliant online notice system and possible statutory updates to reflect changing technology and notice definitions. On click-through agreements for routine IT purchases, OMB and the Attorney General’s office said policy clarification—not statutory change—was enough, and the $20,000 threshold was intended to distinguish low-dollar adhesive contracts from purchases where terms can be negotiated. The committee also heard that OMB and the Center for Distance Education had resolved questions about alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures through existing policy, so no statutory changes were needed there. North Dakota University System representatives gave a brief update on ongoing collaboration with OMB on statutory efficiency ideas, including concessions and surplus property. Finally, the task force discussed a draft on requirements for new or expanded spending programs, which would require agencies to identify purpose, expected benefits, alternatives, success measures, and full implementation costs, and would require reporting on outcomes over time. Members debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how to use the new program evaluators, whether real-time dashboards should be used, and how to choose which programs to evaluate; staff from Legislative Council said they would work with OMB and the auditor’s office to revise the draft and process.
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Oct 7th, 2025

Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm Chair of State Senator David Gallegos (member_13762), District 41, which is Eddie and Lee County
  • Union County isn't under our Medical Malpractice Act; it is under the Tort Claims Act.
  • While HB 586 allows oversight authority, it does not prevent acquisitions.
  • I don't have the bill number, but we found out later that the health care authority, from Dr.
  • Allegra Hernandez, had to IPRA the health care authority to get us... The data after the fact.
ND

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Apr 7th, 2025 at 01:00 pm

North Dakota Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • This section is a remnant remaining from when there were county courts and is no longer needed.
  • Engrossed House Bill 1487, now with Senate amendments, a bill for an act to authorize the Department
  • I can tell you that the service that I received from my county VSO was excellent.
  • I can tell you that the service that I received from my county VSO was excellent.
  • I mean, the county services or taxes are paying for them.
Keywords: 908, all
Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then moved through a series of conference committee appointments and reconsideration motions. Senator Axtman successfully moved to reconsider House Bill 1160, which had previously failed, and the chamber later passed it. HB 1160 creates a statewide bell-to-bell policy restricting personal electronic devices during instructional time; supporters argued it would reduce distractions, improve mental health and academic outcomes, and help teachers, while opponents raised local control concerns. The bill passed 42-4. The Senate also passed several other measures, including HB 1247 on protecting student victims of sexual offenses, HB 1489 consolidating civil protection orders into one chapter, HB 1032 making municipal courts courts of record and updating related procedures, HB 1487 authorizing a Minot facility for the Highway Patrol and Bureau of Criminal Investigation with a line of credit and emergency clause, HB 1469 requiring annual online statements of interest for public officials, HB 1199 creating the Missing and Indigenous People Task Force and related MMIP initiatives, HB 1169 regulating paid veterans benefits claim assistance with consumer protections, HB 1209 directing a foreign adversary threat assessment, and HB 3018 as amended to study water, wetlands, and taxation of inundated lands. Most of these passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 1169 drew substantial debate over veterans’ service options and HB 1209 passed on a narrower 40-7 vote. The chamber rejected or declined several other measures. HB 1455, which would have required the Indian Affairs Commission to review introduced legislation for tribal implications, failed 7-40 after concerns about an unfunded mandate and duplicative duties. HB 1259, which would have put North Dakota on year-round daylight saving time, was defeated 15-32 after debate over time zones, construction, recreation, and whether the issue should be left to future legislatures. HB 1555, dealing with statements of ownership for foreign organizations of concern, also failed 3-44. The Senate then moved to announcements and committee scheduling for later meetings and conference committees.
ID

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

Agenda Mar 31st, 2026

Local Government and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:
  • of that was given to the cities and counties.
  • We range from city, county, and state officers.
  • ...agencies in Bonneville County where I work.
  • Again, counties are neutral, sheriffs are neutral.
  • Again, counties are neutral, sheriffs are neutral.
Keywords: 989, all