Transcript Highlights:

• It does not expand the list of disqualifiers for a permit to carry or permit to acquire.
• conducting background investigations for permits to purchase and for sheriff's permits to carry firearms
• </c><02:41:45.760><c> or</c> disqualifiers for a permit to carry or disqualifiers for a permit to carry
• for permits to purchase and<02:42:05.520><c> for</c><02:42:05.760><c> sheriff's</c><02:42:06.240><c>
• permits</c><02:42:06.560><c> to</c><02:42:06.720><c> carry</c> and for sheriff's permits to carry and

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• state law before we issue a permit to put that water to beneficial use.
• So the public has an opportunity to comment on each and every one of these permit applications.
• sort of decision on any of these permit applications.
• We would never issue a permit for a new facility if it's going to impact someone who already has a permit
• We'll just want to give a final thank you to the EERC for hosting us.

Summary: The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of Minnkota Power Cooperative before hearing presentations on large energy consumers and related infrastructure issues. The first presentation, from the North Dakota Transmission Authority, focused on the need for better local decision-making tools for counties, townships, and planning and zoning boards facing major projects such as transmission lines, pipelines, data centers, wind, solar, and large-scale agriculture. The speaker urged more objective, data-driven analysis, noted that local officials often have limited time and resources, and said the state should support training and tools through groups like the League of Cities and the Association of Counties. Members asked about proactive outreach, data center ordinances, and how to avoid subsidizing large loads or causing reliability problems. The Division of Air Quality then discussed environmental oversight of data centers, emphasizing that North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the country and that the agency’s role is limited to air, water discharge, stormwater, and waste—not zoning or water use. The presentation explained that data centers generally have low direct emissions but may rely on diesel backup generators when the grid is unavailable, which creates air-quality concerns; the department said it is requiring air monitors at some projects to collect real-world data and guide future decisions. Members asked about generator emissions, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession, and the agency said permit applicants pay for the monitors while the state handles some QA work. The Department of Water Resources followed with an overview of North Dakota water law and data center water use. The director explained the state’s prior-appropriation system, the public-interest review for permits, and the large overall water supply available from groundwater and the Missouri River. He said most proposed data centers use closed-loop cooling systems and generally request relatively small amounts of water compared with other uses such as power plants, irrigation, and oilfield operations, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use only a tiny fraction of Missouri River flow. Questions focused on downstream impacts and comparisons to fracking water use, and the director said the state’s use is too small to materially affect downstream users. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd-Erickson testified online about data center zoning and permitting. He asked the committee to have Legislative Council gather information on how other states handle data center permitting and to keep the topic on the interim agenda. He argued that local zoning should remain local, but said counties lack the technical and legal resources to manage complex reclamation or bonding requirements and that state-level enabling legislation may be more appropriate. He also recommended eliminating tax incentives for data centers. The committee chair said staff would prepare a document on other states’ zoning and permitting approaches. After a lunch recess, the committee reconvened at the EERC, where CEO Charles Gorecki gave an overview of the center’s 75 years of work and its role in oil and gas, carbon management, and other energy technologies, highlighting enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide utilization as major opportunities for future production and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the Senate will come to order, and the Secretary will call the roll.
• Thank you for the honor of serving your people.
• Be with us as we craft legislation to address these needs and to make certain, Father God, in their memory
• We pray. are your blessing on all that you do for us.
• Senator Zaffirini for a motion. Thank you, Mr. President.

Bills: SB2 , SB3 , SB5 , SB9 , SB10 , SB14 , SB16 , SB18 , SB34 , SB6 , SB7 , SB8 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB15 , SB 2 , SB 3 , SB 5 , SB 9 , SB 10 , SB 14 , SB 16 , SB 18 , SB 34 , SB 6 , SB 7 , SB 8 , SB 11 , SB 12 , SB 13 , SB 15 , SB 17 , SB 4 , SB1 , SB2 , SB3 , SB5 , SB9 , SB10 , SB14 , SB16 , SB18 , SB34 , SB6 , SB7 , SB8 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB15 , SB17 , SB4

Keywords: flooding, public safety, outdoor warning sirens, disaster preparedness, emergency response, flood warning, outdoor sirens, local government, safety measures, flood management, emergency preparedness, municipal safety, disaster response, disaster relief, emergency funding, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, hemp regulation, consumable products

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate will come to order.
• Members, please rise for the invocation in the gallery, and on the floor, delivered by Senator Sparks
• Father, this is my prayer for today, that we may do all of this with wisdom and courage as we go about
• Welcome, everyone, to the gallery. It's good to have you with us today.
• The Chair recognizes the Dean of the Senate for a highly privileged motion. Thank you, Mr.

Bills: SB2 , SB3 , SB4 , SB5 , SB6 , SB7 , SB8 , SB9 , SB10 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB14 , SB15 , SB16 , SB18 , SB34 , SB2 , SB3 , SB4 , SB5 , SB6 , SB7 , SB8 , SB9 , SB10 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB14 , SB15 , SB16 , SB18 , SB34 , SB 2 , SB 3 , SB 4 , SB 5 , SB 6 , SB 7 , SB 8 , SB 9 , SB 10 , SB 11 , SB 12 , SB 13 , SB 14 , SB 15 , SB 16 , SB 17 , SB 18 , SB 34 , SB2 , SB3 , SB4 , SB5 , SB6 , SB7 , SB8 , SB9 , SB10 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB14 , SB15 , SB16 , SB17 , SB18 , SB34

Keywords: flooding, public safety, outdoor warning sirens, disaster preparedness, emergency response, flood warning, outdoor sirens, local government, safety measures, flood management, emergency preparedness, municipal safety, disaster response, disaster relief, emergency funding, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, Texas congressional redistricting, U.S. House districts

Transcript Highlights:

• to drill a well in that same proximity, what's going to be in the same, To drill a well in that same
• These well-spacing rules only apply to permitted wells, which generally are for commercial purposes.
• Otherwise, and this just allows it to pay for itself for the inspection and classification for this Grade
• Move it to option, open for questions.
• The effect that I'm going for with this bill is to eliminate the access to marijuana for children.

Bills: SB1346 , SB1509 , SB1928 , SB2028 , SB2071 , SB2110 , SB2117 , SB2127 , SB2134 , SB722 , SB3

Committee: House Agriculture

Summary: The committee began by introducing new member Rep. Dylan Travis, who was elected in a special election and will represent District 35. The first measures taken up focused on water policy. HB 1346, as amended, would create a revolving fund for water and wastewater infrastructure loans through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, with the amendment removing population-based language so infrastructure needs can be considered more broadly; it passed 9-0. SB 1509 would make well-spacing standards apply uniformly across the state by aquifer rather than waiting on maximum annual yield studies, and OWRB staff explained that domestic wells are not affected and existing rules still protect landowners; it passed 6-3. SB 1928 would establish a five-year flex allocation for groundwater use, allowing producers to shift unused water from one year to another, and it passed 7-2. The committee also considered several agriculture and food-related bills. SB 2028 would authorize the sale of raw milk products without consumer notification or container labeling beyond indicating the product is unpasteurized; it passed 8-0. SB 2071 would align Oklahoma’s Grade A milk regulations with federal standards and increase the dairy inspection fee from 1 cent to 2 cents per hundred pounds, but after concerns from members and testimony from ODAF about the fee burden, the committee adopted an amendment restoring the 1-cent rate; the bill then passed 8-1. SB 2110 would allow sale of ungraded eggs off-farm at farmers’ markets or directly to consumers, including unwashed eggs, and passed 9-0. SB 2117 would clarify that the Department of Agriculture can stop the sale of contaminated grain and direct remediation or destruction in a current contamination event involving sewer leakage into a field; it passed 9-0. Other measures addressed livestock transport, crop protection, hemp, and a proposed reimbursement scheme. SB 2134 would create procedures for wreck services and emergency management to handle livestock involved in transportation accidents, with the Department of Agriculture setting humane handling policies; members discussed whether the bill should explicitly address state or county emergency management and rail incidents, and it passed 8-0. SB 2127 was described as a work in progress to address crop protection and nontraditional producer practices, especially amid difficult conditions for row-crop producers, and it passed 8-1. SB 722, after the committee rescinded a prior referral, was presented as a new section requiring ODAF to reimburse agricultural operations for economic losses caused by agency actions enforcing court-ordered rules from an attorney general suit; after extensive questioning about scope, valuation, and legal effects, the author laid the bill over for further work. Finally, SB 3, on a newly adopted PCS, was reframed from a biosolids bill into a hemp-definition bill intended to align state law with the new federal definition and reduce youth access to marijuana-like hemp products; it passed 8-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Part 2 of the roadmap requires DEP to submit a priority ranking for upgrading all sewage facilities to
• , for presenting it to us today.
• This bill aims to amend the Florida statute regarding permits for oil and gas drilling, exploration,
• And so we still have to be able to try to provide for that and yet protect our environment.
• I'd like to take this time to thank Senator Arrington for being here the whole time.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government heard and advanced a large slate of bills, beginning with SB 978, which directs DEP to report on large sewage disposal facilities, rank them for wastewater treatment upgrades, and provide progress reports; it was reported favorably without public opposition. The committee also adopted an amendment and favorably reported SB 1388, which restricts vessel safety inspections without probable cause, creates a five-year safety decal, addresses spring protection zones, and bars FWC fishing licenses for commercial vessels owned by alien powers. Members raised some questions about spring protections and boating access, and one public witness urged further review of the spring-zone language. The committee then favorably reported SB 880, designating the American flamingo as state bird and the Florida scrub jay as state songbird, after testimony supporting both birds as symbols of Florida’s identity and conservation values. Several other measures were heard and passed. SB 830, dealing with lost or abandoned migrant vessels and aligning with House language, was amended and reported favorably. SB 1326, which requires local plans to maintain hurricane evacuation clearance times and allocates building permits in Monroe County and nearby municipalities, was amended to spread allocations over at least 10 years and then passed. SB 490, expanding off-duty concealed carry eligibility to correctional officers and correctional probation officers and exempting certain public safety personnel from the waiting period for rifles and shotguns, was reported favorably after support from the Florida PBA. SB 26, an uncontested claim bill for injuries from a 2022 crash, also passed, with one member suggesting future consideration of health insurance coverage for victims in similar cases. The committee additionally approved SB 98 on securities regulation and fingerprinting requirements, SB 1212 on firefighter health and safety, SB 196 on labeling food and cosmetics that contain vaccine materials or certain chemicals, SB 1300 restricting oil and gas drilling structures in sensitive areas, SB 1612 on financial institution assessment and stock offering timelines, and SB 492 on mitigation banking and wetland conservation easements. SB 1212 drew strong support from firefighters, while SB 492 drew both support and opposition from environmental and development interests, with concerns raised about wetland function, credit release timing, and conservation easement releases. Finally, the committee unanimously recommended confirmation of 12 appointees to water management district governing boards and adjourned after members recorded individual votes on selected bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• a viable solution for Louisiana for us to develop?
• There's something for us to, for y'all to pay attention to and to pass along to the legislature if funding
• to have a federal agency responsible for filling that gap of catastrophic resource application post-disaster
• In order for a parish to make application and receive a federal award, they have to have...
• In order for a parish to make application and receive a federal award, they have to have a current emergency

Summary: The committee met on May 26, 2026, and first approved the minutes from the May 22, 2025 meeting. The main topic was the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster, with testimony from Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy staff, LSU and Tulane geoscientists, and later LSU law professor Keith Hall. Witnesses said the cause of the swarm has not been definitively identified, but induced seismicity from wastewater injection or hydraulic fracturing remains a concern. They described 50 earthquakes reported by the USGS in Red River, Bienville, DeSoto, and Natchitoches Parishes, including a magnitude 4.9 event on March 5, 2026, and explained that Louisiana’s sparse seismic network limits detection and depth/location estimates. C&E said it inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the events, found no violations, now requires more frequent injection reporting, and is working with researchers and LSU on a possible state monitoring network and future policy changes. Committee members asked about injection depths, fault locations, whether the activity could be natural, and whether Louisiana should adopt stronger monitoring or a traffic-light regulatory system like other states. The witnesses said more data is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn, but that denser monitoring can detect smaller quakes and help identify patterns. Professor Hall summarized responses in other states, including more frequent reporting, increased monitoring, injection reductions, moratoria, and traffic-light systems in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. Members also discussed whether operators should share more seismic and geologic data, and several said the state should avoid jumping to conclusions while still improving oversight. The committee then heard from William Berger, a Texas geoscientist, who described using AI and operator data to model wastewater injection and seismic risk, and said broader data sharing would improve forecasting and siting decisions. He and another witness emphasized that many earthquakes arise from clusters of wells rather than a single well, and that proprietary concerns limit voluntary disclosure. The committee also received a brief update from GOSEP and the Louisiana National Guard on the Barksdale Air Force Base drone incursions. GOSEP said it logged the incident in WebEOC and shared releasable information, while State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose. Officers said a task force has been formed, some personnel have received federal drone-mitigation training, and House Bill 940 is intended to mirror the task force MOU. Finally, Major General Thomas Friloux and Brigadier General Jason Maffus updated the committee on the merger of GOSEP into the Louisiana Military Department. They said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, brought back employees to in-person work, modernized the state’s common operating picture, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance through staffing and contract changes. They also noted the planned transfer of the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, ongoing hurricane preparedness, and continued coordination with parish emergency managers. No votes were taken on the substantive topics, and the meeting ended with the committee moving through its agenda items and receiving informational testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Economic Security to give a denied applicant for credentialing or re-credentialing 14 business days
• for them and then from that point to submitting it to the feds for CMS approval?
• to review those applications.
• to the applicant?
• In November 2025, I was very pleased to see that Arizona's initial application for HR1's rural health

Bills: SB1052 , SB1115 , SB1118 , SB1120 , SB1121 , SB1124 , SB1171 , SB1172 , SB1174 , SB1175 , SB1214 , SB1233 , SB1235 , SB1316 , SB1345 , SB1372 , SB1399 , SB1458 , SB1494 , SB1496 , SB1564 , SB1602 , SB1621 , SB1628 , SB1630 , SB1631 , SB1668 , SB1672 , SB1814 , SB1821

Committees: House Health & Human Services , House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Keywords: assisted living, health care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, physician orders, informed consent, AHCCCS, remote work, state agency, employment, public health, housing, zoning, middle housing, urban development, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, historic preservation, radiation protection

Transcript Highlights:

• of having to probate your estate to transfer your interest for that particular reason.
• Chairman, I want to move for a favorable report.
• So I just want to move for a favorable report. You got a motion for a favorable report?
• not opposed to the bill for the purpose of what it does.
• But this bill won't allow us to do that. That's not my intent for this bill to go to that level.

Bills: HB2 , HB43 , HB49 , HB94 , HB137 , HB156 , HB200 , HB250 , HB3 , HB42

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: vaccination, parental consent, minors, medical consent, guardian approval, criminal procedure, split sentencing, probation, Class A felony, Class B felony, minimum confinement, HB49, Alabama criminal code, capital offense, capital punishment, death penalty, rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, sexual torture, child sexual abuse

Transcript Highlights:

• DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO EVEN HAVE A PLACE FOR FOLKS TO GET CONNECTED.
• FOR ANYONE TO VISIT AND SEE AND DRILL DOWN AND SEE THE SPECIFICS OF WHERE THE FUNDING HAS GONE AND HOW
• SEE PROVIDERS FOR THE FIRST TIME REQUESTING PERMITS THOUGH WE'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION
• NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO CONTINUE TO KEEP WORKING LIKE THIS SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR
• 90 DAYS FOR WHATEVER CURATING WE HAVE TO DO MOVING FORWARD.

Transcript Highlights:

• you're going to need it, and I'm not going to apologize for that.
• So I want to say, I for one think it's appropriate to do this.
• So I want to thank... Thank you for that.
• How long is it going to take for me to get registered as a volunteer?
• To prevent this, we need proper dam permitting for those private earthen dams that exist, proactive creek

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:05.560><c> thank</c> for the record you know the drill thank for the record you know the drill
• to represent schinski for our gratitude to represent schinski for authoring<00:18:16.360><c> house</
• Thank you for the answer to it.
• to</c> aquafer um for uh for residents to aquafer um for uh for residents to access<00:41:41.640><c>
• So, just for the record, this bill would allow them to use—them being people who are requesting permits

Bills: HF647 , HF2824 , HF1249 , HF623 , HF820

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• COMMITTEE FOR RULES WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
• IT IS REALLY FOR THE CONSUMER TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT.
• CONCERN, REQUIREMENTS FOR A PERCENTAGE OF ADJACENT PARCELS TO BE DEVELOPED FOR PROPERTIES TO QUALIFY
• NEXT TAB 18 SB 1300 ON PERMITS FOR DRILLING EXPLORATION AND EXTRACTION OF OIL AND GAS RESOURCES, SENATOR
• AS BUSINESS OWNERS WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING WHAT PERMITS AND REGULATIONS WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, I'd like to turn it over to the attorney for Animal Protection Voters, who has some comments
• But for right now, you know, the decision for the legislature is really to look at the question of whether
• And as for the question about the actual constitutionality, I will leave that for the attorneys to argue
• Thank you for the opportunity to hear the bill.
• We just wanted to thank you for Saturday; that saved us going from committee to committee.

Bills: HB25 , SB38 , SB101 , HB199

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Keywords: juvenile delinquency, firearm possession, criminal background checks, state law, gun control, youth offense, conviction, public safety, SB38, pet food, registered pet food, registration fee, fees, sunset repeal, repeal of repeal, revenue, state fee, business regulation, animal feed, pet food registration

Transcript Highlights:

• And then when I have to leave it for a while and come back to it, it's like, okay, I have to reread it
• for no-cost allowance reductions. ...that for Ecology to come back in October with recommendations for
• for to look at their emissions reductions.
• I want to be clear that I do not speak for BPA.
• asking for that plant to operate for a short period of time dealing with that to ensure that the grid

Bills: SB6172 , SB6246 , SB5932

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: Washington climate policy, greenhouse gas, GHG emissions, cap-and-invest, carbon market, emissions trading, allowances, covered entity, coal-fired power plant, coal plant, electric utility, electric generating facility, fossil fuels, natural gas, imported electricity, emissions leakage, air pollution, renewable energy transition, industrial emissions, railroad emissions

Transcript Highlights:

• vague as to what you need a permit for and particularly when you get into non-agricultural burns, extremely
• vague as to what you need a permit for and particularly when you get into non-agricultural burns, extremely
• vague as to what you need a permit for and particularly when you get into non-agricultural burns, extremely
• vague as to what you need a permit for and particularly when you get into non-agricultural burns, extremely
• vague as to what you need a permit for and particularly when you get into non-agricultural burns, extremely

Bills: HB267 , HB271 , HB267 , HB271

Committee: House Agriculture and Forestry

Keywords: HB267, Alabama, minor consent, medical consent, mental health, school counseling, parental rights, parental consent, parental access to records, health information, health records, vaccine consent, school mental health services, student counseling, youth healthcare, adolescent health, emancipated minor, pregnancy care, sexually transmitted infections, STI treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• and to allow for state and tribal consultation.
• Cost recovery allows utilities to adjust rates to raise funding for SMR facilities.
• Vista supports and likes to help customers who want to self-generate. for this.
• For the record, Kim Cushing, staff to the committee.
• be ready for use in five to ten years, maybe more.

Bills: SB5821 , SB6004 , SB6010 , SB5941

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: nuclear energy, energy strategy, advanced technology, sustainability, state policy, renewable energy, public entities, electric generation, contracting, SB 6010, Washington energy siting, EFSEC, Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, tribal consultation, government-to-government consultation, federally recognized tribes, energy facility siting, RCW, clean energy, alternative energy

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to lay out this bill.
• I can't imagine how much time it would take for agencies to have to do that.
• them to expand or to be into things that we didn't say for them to do as legislators.
• I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify in strong support. Of HB 4310.
• not to exceed one manager for every 11 employees.

Bills: HB565 , HB3743 , HB4310 , HB5083 , HB5129 , HB5195 , HB5331 , HB5469 , SB21 , HB3185 , SB 21

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Keywords: constitutional amendment, fiscal impact, state budget, ballot measure, transparency in voting, management-to-staff ratio, state agencies, employee regulations, government efficiency, workforce management, public information, governing board, transparency, confidentiality, access rights, privacy, identifying information, state agency, consent, occupational license

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:50:56.000><c> window</c><00:50:56.400><c> for</c> to us to claim the narrow window for to us
• </c> refer to it as the GHG law for short. refer to it as the GHG law for short.
• I'd like to reason for for this law.
• gas and to the trips to the pump for gas and to the mechanic<01:50:27.679><c> for</c><01:50:27.920><c
• to come for this planet.

Bills: HF2438

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school

Transcript Highlights:

• These two sections are modifications to a special permit that is issued by road authorities for overweight
• These two sections are modifications to a special permit that is issued by road authorities for overweight
• It increases the fee for a failure to appear for an exam.
• Uh, salvage permits inspection— is that what the insurance application for title is? Page 59.
• </c> application for title is? Page 59. application for title is? Page 59.

Bills: HF2438

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school