Transcript Highlights:

• Um I will just say to that point, that is a conversation that we should have and that the Housing Committee
• conversation conversation too. too. too.
• <00:15:31.680> with<00:15:31.920> the to have more conversation with the to have more
• conversation with the agency agency agency um<00:15:34.160> so<00:15:34.360> that<00:15
• And I think we had a conversation here, Chair, about that. Um, so I'm a short-timer.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Two or three Gallup projects that haven't been moving, but that's been a topic of conversation as it
• Obviously, that's the crux of the conversation here.
• I recognize that we want to have a conversation around those projects that are stalled.
• I'm not totally sure that this is the way to approach the conversation.
• But, as I indicated in our conversations, these aren't the projects to do it with.

Transcript Highlights:

• We just want to make sure we get some of those things fine-tuned and right, and appreciate the conversation
• I want to acknowledge that we've had really good conversations with the author's office and the sponsors
• This is a major compromise that is a product of months of conversation and mutual understanding.
• I'm asking the Assembly Banking Committee to remain involved in these conversations.
• We have a second. and the conversation will continue there as well. Do we have a motion?

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met to hear several bills focused on consumer and small business financial protections. SB 97, by Senator Grayson, would update and clarify California’s digital financial assets law; supporters from the blockchain industry and consumer groups said it would improve compliance clarity while preserving room to align with possible federal action. The committee passed SB 97 on a due-pass motion to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee also heard SB 362, which would strengthen disclosure rules for small business financing by requiring clearer pricing information throughout the marketing process. Supporters said the bill would help small businesses compare offers and avoid harmful financing, while some industry groups objected to the bill’s treatment of communications and APR disclosures during negotiations. After discussion, the committee passed SB 362 to the Judiciary Committee, with several members voting aye and the roll left open. SB 784, a bill addressing predatory home-improvement and solar financing practices, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters described scams targeting seniors, low-income homeowners, and non-English speakers, and said the bill would add safeguards such as confirmation calls, document access, fee transparency, and longer cancellation periods. Solar industry groups moved to neutral after amendments, while banks and other lenders raised concerns about overbreadth and impacts on legitimate lending. The committee passed SB 784 to Judiciary, with some members not voting or changing votes during the roll call. Finally, SB 825 sought to give the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation clearer authority to enforce existing consumer financial protection laws against its licensees, especially in light of reduced federal CFPB enforcement. Supporters argued California needs independent state enforcement tools, while banking and mortgage groups opposed the bill as duplicative and unnecessary, urging coordination with federal regulators and proposing narrower amendments. The committee passed SB 825 to Appropriations on a due-pass vote, and then adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of the conversations can sometimes get confusing.
• I'd say that I think the conversation about how and when we pay for it is premature.
• I'm happy to continue the conversation and take questions. Thank you.
• I think that's something we can have conversations about.
• I understand you want to litigate the last couple of elections; we can have that conversation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in your area, after that difficult conversation that we had, I got a...
• And, you know, to be honest with you, it's a conversation I'll probably never forget.
• And obviously, you know, we've had a lot of good conversation in this committee.
• I think that there's an opportunity to, you know, continue this conversation.
• Chair, and thank you for the conversation. I know these are tough issues.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development met to review its fiscal year 2025-2026 budget proposal and several bills. The chair outlined a roughly $18 billion budget area, including major funding for the Department of Transportation work program, Visit Florida, library/cultural/historical initiatives, affordable housing, National Guard tuition assistance, and Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles needs. The committee adopted a motion allowing technical adjustments and then approved the budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee next heard and approved CS/SB 666, creating a Miami Northwestern Alumni Association specialty license plate, with proceeds supporting scholarships, academic, athletic, and arts programs at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. Members praised the school’s academic and athletic achievements, and the bill was reported favorably without opposition. The committee also heard extensive testimony on CS/SB 1318, which would rename Florida’s texting-while-driving law as the hands-free driving law and expand the prohibition to handheld use of wireless devices, including in work zones. Supporters, including law enforcement, health care, bicycling, and crash victims’ advocates, argued it would save lives and make enforcement clearer; some senators supported the goal but raised concerns about enforcement, privacy, and impacts on drivers with older vehicles. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then approved SB 1408, designating memorial highways in Hillsborough and Charlotte counties for Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen and Sergeant Elio Diaz, and SB 1516, creating the International Aerospace Innovation Fund to be administered by Space Florida to support partnerships between Florida and international aerospace companies. Both bills were reported favorably with little debate. Senators also requested to be recorded in the affirmative on selected bills, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are looking for bold solutions, and we thank you for having these hard conversations and taking on
• We are looking for bold solutions, and we thank you for having these hard conversations and taking on
• We are looking for bold solutions, and we thank you for having these hard conversations and taking on
• We are looking for bold solutions, and we thank you for having these hard conversations and taking on
• We are looking for bold solutions, and we thank you for having these hard conversations and taking on

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 4, first adopting the H004A1 amendment without objection. The author described the bill as a constitutional amendment intended to create a tax relief account funded from projected budget surpluses, defined as revenues exceeding 105% of projected expenditures based on the November forecast. Supporters framed the proposal as a way to return excess taxpayer money to families, homeowners, and seniors rather than allowing the state to retain or redirect it. Testimony in support came from Ranna Lee of Americans for Prosperity, who praised the bill’s clarity and argued that taxpayers are overburdened and should receive surplus funds back; she also suggested broader tax and budget reforms, including rate reductions and tighter spending limits. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project testified in opposition, saying the legislature already has authority to use surpluses for rebates or tax cuts and warning that constitutionalizing tax policy would reduce flexibility, weaken accountability, and make it harder to respond to changing conditions, emergencies, or recessions. Members then briefly commented, with Republicans expressing support for returning money to taxpayers and citing cost-of-living pressures and fixed incomes. The committee did not hear a formal department position. At the end of the hearing, Representative Johnson renewed the motion that House File 4, as amended, be recommended to pass and sent to the Ways and Means Committee; the motion prevailed on a voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll also conversion systems.
• > include Wind energy conversion systems include Wind energy conversion systems include any<00
• <00:57:59.839> system show wind energy conversion system show wind energy conversion system
• revenue for the wind energy conversion revenue for the wind energy conversion systems<01:00:51.280
• <01:05:16.880> systems for the wind energy conversion systems for the wind energy conversion

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• conversations in the state going on about fire sprinkler requirements and residential homes.
• We've been dealing with for the last two years, these conversations.
• However, this missing middle housing, attainable housing, is a conversation nationwide.
• We've had the conversations with the builders. We've had the conversations with the bankers.
• Christine Hess, for the record, some of my favorite conversations.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now this is like a proof of concept, certainly open to conversations with everybody about what would
• <00:21:08.320> with certainly open to conversations with certainly open to conversations with
• I think certainly deserve conversation I think certainly deserve conversation right<00:36:29.119
• In our conversations, I have often said that I don't like the judgy language.
• The motion does not prevail. need to have more conversation about um need to have more conversation about

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met on February 11 and began with introductions from members and staff, who shared brief personal and district facts. Chair Jim Nash then outlined the committee’s goals for the session, emphasizing bipartisan cooperation, the need to address a looming structural deficit, and the committee’s role in moving legislation forward. The committee also reviewed its rules for the year. The main item was House File 3, authored by Chair Nash and referred to Ways and Means. The bill would require the Office of the Legislative Auditor to produce an annual report tracking whether agencies have implemented prior audit and evaluation recommendations, with the goal of improving internal controls, transparency, and accountability and helping legislators make funding decisions. Nash described the bill as a preventative measure to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and said it was modeled in part on practices used in Colorado. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall testified that the office already produces similar update reports but lacks resources to independently verify many agency responses; she said the bill would provide a framework for more regular reporting and discussion, not a “shame tool.” Ranna Lee of Americans for Prosperity testified in support, saying the bill would increase accountability and transparency for how public agencies manage taxpayer resources. A letter from the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits was also noted in support. Representative Clardy offered the A7 amendment to add an appropriation matching the fiscal note; Nash accepted it, saying savings could be found later in the process. The committee approved the A7 amendment by voice vote. During discussion, Representative Quam supported the bill’s focus on accountability, and Representative Freiberg questioned the Legislative Auditor about the office’s expertise on a specific ambulance-services recommendation in the report. Randall responded that the office’s staff are policy research generalists who use standards, best practices, interviews, surveys, and site visits to develop recommendations, and that the goal is to prompt further discussion rather than require blind acceptance. The transcript ends during that exchange, with no final committee vote on House File 3 shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So ongoing conversations about that.
• again we continue to be in conversation again we continue to be in conversation and<00:29:25.559
• coalition have had uh conversations coalition have had uh conversations about<00:31:24.200> the
• you've been open to this conversation you've been open to this conversation I'm<01:02:20.880>
• <01:02:27.200> um continue to have this conversation um continue to have this conversation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to make sure that that's part of this conversation.
• Yeah, I mean, I was having a conversation with...
• This was not, you know, a conversation.
• I mean, I was having a conversation with our founder recently.
• This was not, you know, a conversation.

Summary: The Select Committee on Youth Mental Health and Treatment Access held its third hearing to review the state of youth mental health, progress under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), and remaining implementation and funding challenges. The chair emphasized that schools are often the main point where education, health care, and social services intersect for students, and that the committee’s goal is to ensure public investments translate into better access and outcomes. The hearing featured testimony from researchers, a youth advocate, state officials, and local practitioners. PPIC researcher Shalini Mostala reported that teen mental health remains a serious concern, with high rates of chronic sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts, though recent California data show some improvement since the pandemic. She noted persistent disparities by gender, race, and rural status, and said school-based health centers, wellness centers, and community schools are associated with lower suicidal thoughts. Youth advocate Ella Cruz, speaking for NAMI California, described her own mental health struggles and argued that youth voice, peer-to-peer support, and reducing stigma are essential; she also said technology and AI cannot replace trusted adults or trained professionals. Committee members asked about phone use, stigma, cultural barriers, and how to make supports more accessible and relatable to students. Dr. Sohill Sood of the California Health and Human Services Agency said statewide survey data show declining stigma, increased counseling use, and lower suicide ideation among students, and he highlighted CYBHI’s certified wellness coaches, digital tools, awareness campaigns, and the first-in-the-nation fee schedule that allows schools and colleges to bill health plans for behavioral health services. He said the program is growing quickly, with more than 230,000 claims and over $11 million in new revenue to date, while acknowledging that billing systems and coordination are still being built. Trina Frazier of Fresno County described a multi-tiered system of care supported by CYBHI, CalAIM, and other grants, serving thousands of students through school-based services, wellness centers, and mobile therapy units; she said ongoing funding and flexibility are critical. Rachel Kroberniski of El Segundo High School’s James Morehouse Project described a long-running wellness center and peer mentorship model that supports students in multiple languages, and said peer programs help students feel seen, connected, and more willing to seek help. Members broadly praised the flexibility, collaboration, and peer-based approaches described by the witnesses. Questions focused on sustaining funding after one-time grants expire, improving coordination among schools, counties, and providers, expanding the fee schedule to higher education, and ensuring continuity of care for students after high school. Officials said county offices of education, DHCS, and other partners are using communities of practice and technical assistance to spread best practices, and that CYBHI services can follow some young adults through age 25, with additional supports through community-based programs and digital platforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we will welcome our panelists to weigh in as we're having a conversation.
• And the only other thing I can say before I start that is that, with this kind of conversation.
• That is money that can make these conversations marginally easier.
• Thank you, and I just want to close by saying I really appreciate this conversation.
• So, I'd like to wrap up the high speed rail conversation with these.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But lower numbers do not end the conversation.
• Sometimes you want to have a private conversation with an individual.
• I have no doubt that you'll continue to engage in those conversations.
• I know I've had several conversations about this bill.
• I look forward to continuing those conversations. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills and took testimony on each, with members often noting amendments and continuing negotiations. SB 1009 by Senator Becker would require juvenile courts to find that less restrictive alternatives are unsuitable before ordering detention, and would require periodic review of continued detention and consideration of alternatives at disposition. Supporters argued it would reduce unnecessary youth detention and improve transparency; probation, judges, and police groups opposed it as an undue limit on judicial discretion and potentially unsafe in serious cases. The chair said he would recommend an aye with amendments, but the bill was held pending quorum and later remained on call. SB 1130 by Senator Gomez Reyes would update privacy law for wearable recording devices such as smart glasses, requiring consent before recording in places where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy and banning devices or accessories designed to defeat recording indicators. Supporters said the bill addresses secret recording and invasive surveillance; opponents from tech and hospitality groups sought clarification to avoid unintended liability for businesses and exempt workplace communication devices. Members discussed those exemptions, and the chair recommended an aye, but the measure also remained on call. Senator Blake Spear presented SB 99, which would let courts consider military protective orders in domestic violence proceedings and require better communication between civilian law enforcement and military authorities. Supporters from the Department of Defense, local officials, and military representatives said it would close protection gaps for military families; the ACLU opposed it on due process grounds because MPOs are issued without judicial process. The chair and author emphasized that the bill only allows consideration of MPOs and does not require civilian enforcement of them. The bill passed out on a vote, though it remained on call for additional members. The committee also heard SB 937 by Senator Gonzalez, restricting flashbang use for crowd control and banning flashbangs and explosive breaching charges in immigration enforcement, and SB 1022, creating a statewide anti-trafficking task force. SB 937 drew support from civil rights and community groups and opposition from police and sheriffs over the use-of-force standard and limits on tactics; it passed out on a vote but remained on call. SB 1022 was supported by survivor and faith groups and opposed by public defenders and sex worker advocates who raised concerns about racial disparities and enforcement harms; it also passed out on a vote. Later, SB 1395, extending criminal protective orders for certain felony sex offenses against minors up to 20 years, and SB 1230, increasing penalties for repeat illegal dumping, were both heard with mixed testimony and were held on call after committee votes. The committee also adopted a consent calendar and several bills were moved forward with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• as part of their broader conversation as part of their broader conversation around<00:02:59.599>
• I had a conversation with Mr.
• I had a conversation with Mr.
• I had a conversation with Mr.
• <00:18:41.600> with had extensive conversations with had extensive conversations with environmental

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THESE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN ARE TOUGH.
• I DECIDED I'M GOING TO SHARE SOMETHING QUITE VULNERABLE, BUT I HOPE IT WILL SUPPORT THIS CONVERSATION
• Skidmore: MEMBERS, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION WE ARE HAVING.
• I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A TOUGH CONVERSATION. I REALLY DO. I GET THAT.
• YOU AND I HAVE ASKED EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is a broader conversation.
• which is a whole separate conversation. which is a whole separate conversation.
• Uh, hopefully continued conversation about that as Chair Baker referenced.
• And I appreciate and and appreciate our conversations. I actually am very familiar with this law.
• To me, that's have that conversation.

Bills: HF3228, HF2441

Keywords: workers' compensation, insurance programs, employee protection, Minnesota statutes, safety regulations, prevailing wage, certified payroll, payroll reporting, construction contracts, public works, project registration, labor standards, contractor compliance, subcontractor reporting, state government, Department of Administration, Commissioner of Labor and Industry, Metropolitan Council, highway construction, public construction

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:58.000> that had the the community conversation that had the the community conversation
• But I also appreciate having this conversation and a continuation of this really important conversation
• But I also appreciate having this conversation and a continuation of this really important conversation
• But I also appreciate having this conversation and a continuation of this really important conversation
• But I also appreciate having this conversation and a continuation of this really important conversation

Bills: HF3418, HF3739, HF3791, HF3356, HF3695, HF3430

Keywords: pedestrian safety, traffic safety, roadway improvements, nonmotorized transportation, crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes, complete streets, Vision Zero, Toward Zero Deaths, MnDOT, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, local road authority, county roads, city streets, tribal transportation, capital improvements, safety design solutions, grant program

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from February 25, 2026, and the chair noted the absence of Representative Katie Jones due to the birth of her baby. The chair also acknowledged that the committee would be discussing difficult topics related to the June 14 killing of Mark and Melissa Hortman and Gilbert. The main business began with House File 3418, which Chair Tabke moved for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill, and the committee adopted the A1 author’s amendment. The bill was described as a pedestrian safety measure prompted by a fatal Moorhead crash involving a young boy; it would create an opt-in program for communities to use pre-made traffic safety templates, with the state covering 80% of project costs to speed implementation of measures like lane narrowing, rumble strips, and bollards. A Moorhead testifier said the city could have acted faster with such funding, and members generally supported the goal while raising concerns about overlap with existing Safe Routes to School and active transportation programs, the bill’s fiscal note, and how communities would be selected. MDOT testified that it already supports similar community demonstration projects and has funded about 30 such projects since 2019. HF 3418 was laid over. The committee then took up House File 3739, a memorial highway bill for Mark and Melissa Hortman. An A1 amendment to shift funding away from trunk highway funds and toward legislative budgets was moved but not adopted after members argued memorial signage should continue to be paid for with private funds, as in prior memorial highway designations. The bill author explained the memorial was intended to honor Melissa Hortman’s service and connection to Highway 610, and members discussed the length of the proposed memorial stretch and whether it should be narrowed to the area she represented. Several members supported the tribute but expressed concern about using public funds and about setting a precedent for future memorial highways. The committee indicated the bill would move on to Ways and Means with other issues still to be worked out.

Transcript Highlights:

• Appreciate the conversation. Next up, we have Ken Rogers, then Sean Heg, and then Dan Dwight. Mr.
• look forward to uh the conversations look forward to uh the conversations that<00:37:04.160>
• important not only in this conversation important not only in this conversation but<00:52:24.000
• <01:01:56.319> Let's included in this conversation. Let's included in this conversation.
• I think this is really worth a conversation and really digging in and talking about this.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 5313, a bipartisan bill to create a statewide framework for autonomous vehicles in Minnesota. The author said the bill is intended to improve safety, provide regulatory clarity, avoid a patchwork of local rules, and support economic development and mobility for seniors and people with disabilities. The bill was described as a work in progress, and the committee adopted three author amendments: A12, a technical correction; A15, which states MDOT and Public Safety can absorb the bill’s incidental costs within existing resources; and A14, which added clarifying airport-related language requested by the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport/MAC. The Minnesota Department of Transportation testified in support of continued discussion but said the bill needs more work in several areas, including an annual MDOT permitting process for AV operators, defining operational design domains, adding stronger enforcement authority, clarifying remote assistance roles, and requiring fully automated vehicles to be registered with Public Safety. MDOT said it has worked with the governor’s connected and automated vehicles council and more than 70 stakeholders on recommendations. Industry and transit witnesses strongly supported the bill, citing existing AV deployments and safety benefits. Southwest Transit’s CEO said its Eden Prairie AV service has carried 27,000 riders over 112,000 miles with no accidents, strong customer satisfaction, and increased ridership. A Whimo representative said the bill would create regulatory certainty and help expand AV deployment. Several public witnesses emphasized accessibility and safety. A disability advocate described how autonomous vehicles could improve independence for people who cannot drive, including those with epilepsy and other disabilities, and urged passage of the bill. A former 911 dispatcher and state patrol employee said AVs could reduce crashes and protect drivers, pedestrians, and officers, contrasting a dangerous human ride-share experience with a safer autonomous ride. Another disability advocate and blind Minnesotan testified that AVs could help address transportation barriers, though he also noted ongoing discrimination problems with ride-hailing services for blind riders with guide dogs. After the amendments were adopted, the bill was moved to the Commerce Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, that's probably a whole other conversation, really honestly. Mr.
• Finally, a conversation with the governor's office...
• I feel like we really should flush that out and have that conversation.
• I feel like we really should flush that out and have that conversation.
• Would that help this conversation? Mr.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• > in<00:09:23.920> this And conversely, each name in this And conversely, each name in
• . conversation. conversation.
• childhood, I think it's a conversation childhood, I think it's a conversation that<00:37:44.080>
• 00:46:56.320> on have these conversations on have these conversations on cybersecurity,<00:46:
• <01:03:30.840> about couple additional conversations about couple additional conversations

Bills: HF3455, HF3936, HF3860, HF3656, HF4060

Keywords: public television, funding, Minnesota, operations, appropriation, cybersecurity, state government, legislative commission, extension, technology, civil law enforcement, attorney general, record custody, government transparency, legal services, 1183, house