Transcript Highlights:

• , they may be being abused at home, the foster care system.
• Now the price you pay is on your phone, on your screen, and maybe ...the store and the price, take it
• As noted by the Assembly Member, surveillance pricing algorithms ...such as surveillance pricing by the
• Price increases are not acceptable.
• about you, and linking that to a price, an enhanced price that you would pay for a good or a service

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• control that prohibits a landlord from increasing the rental price of a dwelling unit at a rate that
• control that prohibits a landlord from increasing the rental price of a dwelling unit at a rate that
• In my community, a person sold the home.
• The new owner bought the home and raised the rent by 1,500.
• </c><00:10:54.399><c> new</c> community uh person sold the home new community uh person sold the home

Summary: The Committee on Housing met on February 6, 2025, first in a joint session with the Committee on Labor and Technology. The joint committees heard SB 1235, which would create a Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation program for government employee housing, including a revolving fund and a leasehold rent-to-own program. Testimony was generally supportive from HHFDC, the Department of Budget and Finance, and UPW, with one testifier opposing the bill because it was limited to state workers and should be broader. The committees recommended passage with amendments, including technical changes, $450,000 for two positions, removal of an income restriction, and clarification that leasehold and day-one projects are eligible; both committees adopted the recommendation unanimously, and the joint meeting adjourned. The Housing Committee then took up SB 67, SB 1133, and SB 1333. SB 67 would bar inclusionary zoning requirements on certain housing offered for sale or rent to qualifying residents, and it received support from HHFDC, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, and others; the committee recommended passage with technical amendments and adopted it. SB 1133 would allow counties to set rent increase limits tied to CPI and create a long-term residential lease tax credit; testimony included support from the Department of Taxation and opposition from Hawaii Realtors, NAIOP Hawaii, and the Tax Foundation, which warned about rent-control consequences. The committee recommended passage with amendments that made the credit nonrefundable, allowed limited carry-forward, restricted claims in certain family-lease situations, set filing deadlines, and applied the measure to disaster-affected counties; the recommendation was adopted. SB 1333 would allow certain counties to use surcharge revenues for transportation and housing infrastructure and extend the surcharge period. DBEDT, OPSD, HCDA, county officials, and the Grassroot Institute supported the bill, while the Tax Foundation opposed it, arguing temporary taxes were becoming permanent. The committee recommended passage with technical amendments, and members noted concerns that prior surcharge revenues had not produced enough housing projects, which were to be reflected in the committee report. Finally, the committee deferred SB 834 indefinitely because it had already been deferred indefinitely by the Hawaiian Affairs Committee, and the Housing Committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, commodity prices are expected to drop this year.
• From our home farm, a microchip plant has come in and so that has driven up the cost of land.
• So your question and that complex issue hits very close to home to me as well.
• Reference prices combined with crop insurance are the two most important tools that bankers have.
• The second one is the increased reference prices that are needed in updated farm bill.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Keywords: farm bill, rural economy, crop insurance, access to credit, young farmers, USDA funding freeze, agricultural policy, risk management

Summary: The meeting of the agricultural committee focused on significant concerns regarding the current state of America's rural economy, highlighting the need for a strong five-year farm bill to address the challenges faced by farmers, particularly young and beginning farmers. Key testimony was given by multiple stakeholders including agricultural leaders and young farmers, emphasizing issues related to crop insurance, access to credit, and the adverse impact of recent USDA funding freezes. Various members discussed the necessity of risk management tools that farmers rely on to secure financing, which is crucial for sustaining agricultural operations and supporting rural communities. The importance of timely legislative action was underscored, as many farmers reported struggles in the current economic climate, raising urgency for reforms within the Farm Bill framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then you have another scenario with manufactured homes, mobile homes, as an example.
• The orange line across the top is the price of crude oil, the Bakken price received.
• So that would be your WTI price, less the discount.
• Crude oil demand, long-term pricing—what is that outlook?
• I utilized the same pricing assumptions, that same pricing model.

Summary: The Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met with a quorum, approved the March 17, 2026 minutes, and heard a lengthy update from Tax Commissioner Brian Croshys on property tax relief programs. He reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting increased relief after House Bill 1158 and House Bill 1176, but also discussing how some households “income adjust out” of eligibility over time. Members asked about indexing income thresholds, expanding eligibility by age alone, simplifying administration, county-level notices, and whether the county and state systems could be streamlined. Croshys said the programs are heavily used, largely administered at the county level, and that the department is still refining compliance and reporting; he also said there were no material findings or overarching concerns in the latest review. The committee agreed more detailed PRC information would likely come back in a September meeting, and the chair announced an afternoon recess for lunch before later reconvening. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase report, the zero-growth report, and a statistical report on property values and tax levies by class. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and identified counties and cities with the largest percentage changes in growth or decline. She also summarized recent trends: agricultural values remain relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed values have risen over the last five years; in 2025, residential property accounted for the largest share of statewide property tax levies, followed by commercial, agriculture, and centrally assessed property. Committee members asked about unusual zero-growth figures, the effect of annexation and land-use changes, and whether the 3% levy cap was forcing political subdivisions to use reserves or defer spending. Myers said many counties complied by using reserves, delaying capital projects, or limiting increases, and that some counties had not used their full cap. The committee then moved to the stripper oil extraction tax exemption. Commissioner Croshys reviewed the state’s oil tax structure and estimated the revenue impact of keeping stripper wells exempt from extraction tax while still paying production tax. He said the exemption saves operators hundreds of millions of dollars over a biennium, while the state still collects production tax on those wells. He also discussed projected impacts if the exemption were changed for future wells and noted that future outcomes depend on oil prices, production declines, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly explained the historical difference between the 35-barrel and 30-barrel thresholds for certain wells, citing differences in completion costs and lateral lengths. The committee then heard from EERC CEO Charles Gorecki, who presented an analysis of oil well life cycles and said most oil is produced before wells reach stripper status, but that refracturing or other reinvestment can significantly extend production and keep wells above the threshold for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• , from a higher price signal to increase production in response to that price is at least six to eight
• The price that I'm referring to there is the Waha Hub price.
• Back when I last looked at it, a $2 to $3 negative price for natural gas reduced the effective price
• Lower price level.
• And I think volatility, you know, relative price volatility in the U.S. relative to price volatility

Committee: House Energy Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Although they're called mobile homes, mobile homes are not typically able to be moved.
• Unlike owners of single-family homes, manufactured homeowners own the home, but they rent the space underneath
• Our region is the manufactured home capital of California, and these homes are a form of homeownership
• We're talking about the ability of people to stay in their home, to maintain the home they've had.
• And I understand the unique nature of mobile homes, that people own the home, but they're renting the

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• It is now time to get to work to secure our border and to lower prices for the American people.
• Hindus in Bangladesh continue to be targeted today, with their homes and businesses being destroyed and
• Hindus in Bangladesh continue to be targeted today, with their homes and businesses being destroyed and
• He's most proud of bringing every soldier there home to his family.
• </c><01:20:54.679><c> home</c> should always have let's go home home should always have let's go home

Bills: HR29

Keywords: Okinawan immigration, cultural heritage, historical contributions, sister city relationships, military history, education, cultural identity, Okinawan Americans, Okinawa, Hawaii, Japanese American, immigration anniversary, diaspora, Asian American history, Pacific Islander, sister city, sister state, Kenjinkai, karate, World War II

Transcript Highlights:

• home builds and got rid of those.
• construction costs by about $24,000 per home.
• I mentioned that consumer price effect earlier.
• He may not use the same language when talking about it, but he's looking at how home prices have just
• How can we get rid of the regulations that are driving home prices up?

Summary: The Special Committee on Regulatory Reform met as a study hearing with a quorum present but no plans to take votes. Chair Mark Wright opened by noting a draft resolution on regulatory reform and introducing Patrick McLaughlin of the Hoover Institution and Pacific Legal Foundation, who was invited to discuss his research on state regulatory accumulation and reform. McLaughlin described his method of measuring regulation through counts of binding terms like “shall” and “must,” and said Louisiana ranks among the most regulated states, with about 183,000 restrictions and faster-than-average growth in its regulatory stock. He argued that regulatory accumulation slows GDP growth, raises consumer prices, and disproportionately burdens small businesses and low-income households. McLaughlin pointed to reform models in British Columbia, Idaho, and Virginia, saying those states reduced regulations through centralized oversight, periodic review, simplified benefit-cost analysis, transparency tools, and AI-assisted comparison of rules across states. He said Virginia’s regulatory management office helped cut requirements and guidance, reduce licensing delays, and lower homebuilding costs, while similar reforms in Louisiana could produce significant economic gains. Committee members asked about the reliability of the research, the distinction between necessary and duplicative rules, the role of federal mandates, and how AI could help identify outdated or “gold-plated” regulations. McLaughlin said AI should assist human reviewers, not replace them, and emphasized that agencies need a process for reviewing old rules, not just issuing new ones. Members also discussed Louisiana’s own reform efforts, including LaDOGE, permit streamlining, and prior legislation creating public hearings and committee review of regulations. Chair Wright said he had filed a broader bill this session and was working with the administration on next steps. Representative Walters requested supporting data and examples from other states, and other members asked for practical comparisons, including how regulations affect housing, occupational licensing, and small businesses. The hearing ended without any votes or formal action.

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't stop price increases.
• It doesn't stop price increases.
• Does that count as a price increase? It's a self-imposed price increase.
• Amendment 10 defines price-setting algorithm, substantial factor, and surveillance-based price.”
• I don't know. a different price.

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Commerce met on Wednesday, April 22, with a quorum present and heard several bills. HB 1195, relating to the Louisiana State Athletic Commission, was amended with technical changes and a fee-related amendment tied to student athlete agents, then reported favorably. Members asked about criminal penalties and whether the bill would affect prison athletic events; the author said he would follow up on those questions. HB 798, the Broadband and Cable Price Notice Act, was amended to clarify definitions, federal compliance, notice requirements, and severability, then reported favorably after extensive debate over whether providers already give adequate notice, whether a separate notice is necessary, and whether the bill would be preempted by federal law. Charter Communications testified in opposition, saying the bill was duplicative and would add costs, while the author argued it was needed to ensure clear, conspicuous notice of price increases and cancellation rights.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, housing prices—the price of a median home went up 38% from 2001 to 2008.
• Um, right now it's around $438,000 at the median home price throughout the nation.
• </c><00:29:07.880><c> price</c> at the median home price at the median home price throughout<00:29:09.120
• , which only drastically increases the median home price.
• home price.

Summary: The House considered the conference committee report on House File 1141, a housing bill, and moved to adopt the report and repass the bill as amended. Rep. Howard said the compromise would help build thousands of new homes, keep Minnesotans housed, and improve transparency and collaboration with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, while remaining budget-neutral. He highlighted investments in housing infrastructure bonds, greater Minnesota workforce housing, manufactured housing, EHPAP, supportive housing, and a new provision for greater public access at MHFA board meetings, while noting that some Senate proposals, including a manufactured housing bill of rights and a ban on private equity home purchases, were not included. Several members spoke in support of the compromise. Rep. Kozlowski emphasized the bill’s role in addressing housing instability, homelessness, and workforce shortages, citing investments in first-generation homebuyer assistance, supportive housing, and preservation of beds and units. Rep. Skraba and Rep. West also supported the bill, with Skraba praising the bipartisan process and West arguing the bill focused on supply-side solutions such as manufactured housing and easing development constraints. Rep. Schultz opposed the bill, arguing the money should instead go to school safety, fraud prevention, asset preservation, and lowering costs for taxpayers. After brief discussion, the House adopted the conference report and advanced the bill to third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have home child care. We have people that have child care in their homes.
• The crisis has left too many people without a home, struggling to pay rent and unable to achieve home
• In fact, California was home to 13 In fact, California was home to 13 federal Indian boarding schools
• that is elevating the price because your battery is about to die and you need to get that price.
• that is elevating the price because your battery is about to die and you need to get that price.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, approved dispensing with the previous day’s journal, and then took up a long third-reading file. Early procedural actions included moving AB 1589 to the inactive file and continuing reconsideration items. The chamber then considered a series of bills largely focused on immigration enforcement, detention, worker protections, child care, voting access, and related public services. Several immigration-related measures passed, including AB 2393 on damages for false imprisonment/arrest, AB 1994 on an immigrant victims’ rights and resources card, AB 1929 on health plan investment disclosures, AB 1633 imposing a tax on for-profit detention facilities, AB 1650 requiring decals on rental vehicles used for enforcement, AB 1655 protecting CalWORKs benefits when a child is detained, and AB 1896 disqualifying people who participated in immigration enforcement from certain public employment. AB 2230, which would bar immigration enforcement near polling places and child care facilities, also passed after extensive debate. Supporters framed these bills as accountability and protection for vulnerable communities; opponents argued they targeted federal law enforcement, were unnecessary, or raised constitutional concerns. AB 1851 on statewide school mental-health guidance also passed unanimously. After the midday recess, the Assembly returned and continued with more bills tied to immigration impacts and child welfare. AB 2379 passed with urgency, requiring child care providers to be informed of constitutional rights and trained on protections when confronted by immigration enforcement. AB 2460 passed to update school behavioral-health referral protocols for students affected by immigration enforcement trauma. AB 2495 passed to expand prohibitions on employer immigration-related threats, and AB 2662 was presented as a way for California to monitor and document federal enforcement actions and report on their community impacts. Throughout the day, the floor featured repeated exchanges over whether the bills addressed real problems or were political messaging, but the measures that came to a vote generally advanced with majority support.

Transcript Highlights:

• In February, the median home price was $510,000. In 2016 it was $220,000.
• Um, in February the median<02:16:11.360><c> home</c><02:16:11.679><c> price</c><02:16:11.920><c> was<
• /c> median home price was median home price was $510,000.<02:16:14.800><c> In</c><02:16:15.199><c> 2016
• Home prices are at record highs. Property taxes have increased for everyone.
• Home prices<02:21:43.760><c> are</c><02:21:43.920><c> record</c><02:21:44.240><c> highs.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> asking price, 34 million. asking price, 34 million.
• </c> Minnesotans get to stay in the homes Minnesotans get to stay in the homes they<00:07:17.400><c>
• It's not like a home. And one fellow spent $180,000 on his home. Like, holy buckets.
• It's not like a home. And they've a car. It's not like a home.
• </c> on his home. Like, holy buckets. on his home. Like, holy buckets.

Summary: Lawmakers and manufactured housing residents discussed a Minnesota bill of rights for manufactured home park residents, aimed at addressing rent increases and private equity ownership of mobile home parks. Rep. Matt Norris and Sen. Liz Bolden described the proposal as a response to out-of-state investors buying parks, raising lot rents, and using enforcement gaps to pressure residents. The bill would define “reasonable rent,” give residents a stronger opportunity to purchase their parks when sold, and strengthen penalties and enforcement of existing protections. Bolden said it is a policy-only bill with no expected fiscal cost and noted it had bipartisan support in the Senate, with a plan to move it from the Commerce Committee to the Judiciary Committee and then to the Senate floor. Residents from Blaine International Village, Sylvan/Lake Elmo, and Cimarron described large rent increases, higher eviction rates, and what they characterized as predatory management practices by out-of-state private equity firms. Tammy Fry said her rent rose from $425 to $700 after her park was sold to Haven Park, while new residents were paying $1,000; Bree Mafee said Sylvan’s lot rent is $1,060 a month and has risen more than 35% in five years, with evictions increasing from about three a year to more than 40 since 2020. Speakers emphasized that manufactured housing residents are both homeowners and renters, and said the bill is needed to protect families from losing homes they own but cannot easily move. Several legislators voiced support. Sen. Judy Seeberger said she had seen predatory practices in Cimarron and would vote yes in committee. Sen. Jim Abeler, a Republican, said he had become aware of the issue and could not stay silent, calling the situation wrong and not a partisan matter. During questions, Bolden said the bill includes a reasonableness standard for lot rent increases, with an exception for health and safety needs, and said similar provisions exist in other states. She also said the bill stalled previously due to timing and moving pieces, not a substantive Senate defeat, and residents argued the issue is about housing stability rather than party politics.

Transcript Highlights:

• Depends on how you measure the crisis, because if they're talking about the price of homes, prices of
• the price of homes increasing? Right? the price of homes increasing? Right?
• The price for those homes on we have allocated .5 acres on these homes to make a conservation clustered
• The price for those homes on we have allocated .5 acres on these homes to make a conservation clustered
• The price for those homes on we have allocated .5 acres on these homes to make a conservation clustered

Committee: House Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• And they use Brent prices in their report.
• And they use Brent prices in their report.
• I'm just going to touch on prices.
• at $70, which would put our prices at $60.
• at $70, which would put our prices at $60.

Summary: The Leadership Division of the Budget Section approved the prior meeting minutes and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s interim work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has reviewed state cash, investments, and liquidity across agencies and concluded the state’s overall mix of long-term and short-term assets is appropriate, with about $35 billion in total liquid assets and investments and roughly 89% in longer-term investments. He highlighted process improvements already underway, including replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work, and said the board sees opportunities to improve forecasting, automation, and statewide coordination. Members asked about whether the CD change would increase returns, how the Legacy Fund transfer for the homestead tax relief bill affected earnings, and whether more state cash could be consolidated or better managed through BND; Sickler and BND staff said those issues are being studied and may lead to legislation for the 2027 session. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the committee on the Task Force on Government Efficiency. He said the group has focused less on cutting dollars and more on defining metrics and asking how the legislature knows whether programs are working. The task force is pushing a standard set of questions for new or expanding programs—who is affected, expected outcomes, alternatives, how success will be measured, and full funding—and OMB has agreed to require those answers in future budget requests. Members discussed possible use of dashboards, program evaluators, AI tools, and possible rule or statutory changes to require performance measurement. Toman said the task force will continue meeting with agencies such as the courts, university system, auditor, HHS, Commerce, and ITD to identify workflow bottlenecks and potential efficiencies. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota gave a workforce update, reporting that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5% and labor force participation is about 68.7%, both well above national performance. He described Job Service’s 15 workforce programs, including H-2A housing inspections for foreign agricultural workers, the job placement partnership program with DOCR, WOTC, and other federal and state workforce efforts. Davis said the agency served more than 11,000 individuals in 2025, operates nine workforce centers, and tracks outcomes through quarterly and annual reporting. In response to questions, he said job openings data reflect only positions in the system and may understate actual hiring needs, that child care and other assistance programs could be better tied to employment outcomes, and that the DOCR partnership has shown strong results with lower recidivism and higher earnings. He also said the H-2A inspection workload is growing quickly and additional staffing or less frequent federal inspection requirements could help. Allen Knutson then presented S&P Global’s updated revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the prior month’s outlook, improving the state’s near-term revenue picture, though the economy remains volatile and agriculture is facing weaker commodity prices. Based on the updated forecast, total major tax revenues for the current biennium are projected to be about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and the next biennium could be about $500 million higher, though that estimate is preliminary and may change. He also walked through an alternate oil-price scenario showing significantly higher oil and gas collections and a larger Strategic Investment Fund balance if prices remain elevated. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about tribal allocation changes in the alternative scenario; Knutson said additional updates are possible through OMB and future forecast cycles.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 493, the Wartime Price Gouging Prevention Act.
• So what does the Wartime Price Gouging Act do?
• And price-gouging is wrong, whether it's caused by wildfire, an earthquake, a pandemic, or war, And price
• The purpose of price gouging, as you know, is to protect consumers when Obviously, the purpose of price
• I don't know if any of you have ever been to one of these homes, and I'll call it a home, not a house

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• A wired to the home option.
• And also that there must be a comparatively priced alternative.
• They don't have home phones, they just don't, they don't have home phones, and that will completely disappear
• When no one has these home lines anymore.
• wireless for home internet.

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Transcript Highlights:

• It did increase prices.
• , or the sale price of the home, which will be based on a postrehabilitation appraisal of the property
• , or the sale price of the home, which will be based on a postrehabilitation appraisal of the property
• , or the sale price of the home, which will be based on a postrehabilitation appraisal of the property
• , or the sale price of the home, which will be based on a postrehabilitation appraisal of the property

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is really tricky right now when prices are at their highest. So who really pays the price?
• And this is really tricky right now when prices are at their highest. So who really pays the price?
• Home. Casey had a lot of newsworthy things going on.
• So again, we have to ask who really pays the price.
• A lot of veterans don't even have a home.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the House Journal by roll call vote (117-5), and a long series of special guest introductions, including YouthBuild students, school groups, family members, former legislators, and a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Day recognition. The chamber then moved to third-reading business and reconsideration motions on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 3283 and 3306. Members explained the bills needed to be sent back to Legislative Review to address possible conflicts with current case law and to tighten the language, especially around arbitration and municipal/court jurisdiction issues. The reconsideration motions and the motion to commit the bills to Legislative Review all passed by roll call votes in the 98-43 range. The House then took up House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 982, which would revise Missouri’s sex offender registry system. The sponsor said the bill responds to concerns from an advocacy group and registry administrators, converting Missouri from a hybrid offense-based system to a true tier-based system aligned with federal SORNA standards, clarifying who must register, reducing litigation exposure, and adding related language on civil commitment housing, name changes, and carnival employees. Members asked about whether offenders could eventually petition off the registry; the sponsor said the bill would streamline removal where allowed under the tier system. House Amendment 1, correcting a typo, was adopted, the committee substitute was adopted, and the bill was third read and passed 141-4. The House also debated House Joint Resolutions 173 and 174, a proposal to amend the constitution to phase out the state income tax and shift more of the tax burden toward sales and use taxes over time. Supporters argued the current income tax hurts the middle class, discourages growth, and places Missouri at a disadvantage compared with no-income-tax states like Tennessee; they said the measure would let voters decide and could improve economic development, population growth, and fairness by making taxes more visible and consumption-based. Opponents argued the plan would raise taxes on most Missourians, especially low- and middle-income families, seniors on fixed incomes, and people who spend more of their income on necessities, and that it would shift costs onto consumers while weakening funding for schools, health care, and other services. The debate was extensive and included questions about constitutional tax limits, revenue neutrality, and comparisons to Tennessee and Washington, but no final vote on the resolutions was shown in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grain prices have been challenging.
• Um, you know, record prices this year for calves and record prices this year for feeders and finished
• >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Um, so we're dealing with lower commodity prices and higher input prices
• One of the a price taker standpoint.
• </c> would be the impact in terms of price would be the impact in terms of price per<00:58:22.960><c>

Committee: Joint Agriculture