Transcript Highlights:

• Also, for VoteCal, VoteCal was developed in response to a federal mandate.
• In other words, designing, developing the solution. Next fiscal year...
• Execution, in other words, designing, developing the solution.
• My name is Crystal Coles and I am with Housing and Community Development.
• My name is Crystal Coles and I am with housing and community development.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 heard updates from the Secretary of State, EDD, the State Controller’s Office, CalHR, and DGS on a range of budget proposals and federal policy impacts. Secretary of State Shirley Weber opened with remarks about California’s election system, emphasizing its safety, transparency, high voter registration and vote-by-mail participation, and the office’s response to bomb threats and other election threats. Her staff then presented funding requests for the Cal-Access Replacement System (CARS) and Help America Vote Act/VoteCal activities, describing them as needed to modernize campaign finance and lobbying disclosure systems and maintain election security and voter services. A major portion of the hearing focused on federal election policy, especially the potential effects of a presidential executive order and the SAVE Act. Secretary of State staff said California would face significant, potentially unquantifiable costs if forced to comply, including new burdens on county recorders, county election offices, and the Secretary of State’s office, and warned of voter disenfranchisement, especially for students, seniors, disabled voters, military and overseas voters, rural residents, and people with limited transportation. Members and public commenters strongly opposed the federal proposals and argued California’s current system is functioning well. The committee also heard that federal HAVA funds were not expected to be at risk because the state draws them down into an interest-bearing account. EDD reported on paid family leave, explaining that recent delays were tied to a system transition and increased claim volume, and said it was simplifying applications and adding staff and automation. Public testimony supported expanding paid family leave to chosen family. EDD also said it is prepared for possible unemployment spikes, citing a recession plan, a command center, and recent hiring. The State Controller’s Office requested funding to continue the Fiscal migration project, which would move the state’s accounting book of record to the new system by July 1, 2026; Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee expressed support for the project’s progress. CalHR presented a proposal for a statewide recruitment, outreach, and education paid media campaign under AB 1511, saying its current advertising budget is too small to reach diverse communities effectively. The final item addressed Governor Newsom’s executive order requiring a return to office on a four-day schedule. CalHR and DGS said they were working department-by-department to assess space, parking, transit, and other logistics, but had not completed a statewide cost analysis. Members and many public commenters criticized the order, arguing it was rushed, costly, harmful to telework benefits, and potentially disruptive to workers, especially those with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or long commutes. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• J.N. testified that she has developed facial numbness, has had to miss school because of migraines, and
• In that case, the tourist development tax would be reapproved before 2029, or before 2033 in the case
• Local residents generally do not pay the locally generated tourist development taxes.
• Local residents generally do not pay the locally generated tourist development taxes.
• Visit Pensacola is opposed to the inclusion of tourism development tax in Senate Bill 1664.

Summary: The committee took up several claims bills first and reported both favorably without debate. SB 20, relating to relief of J.N., a minor, would pay the remaining $400,000 of a $600,000 settlement after an 11-year-old was injured on a Hillsborough County sidewalk with a known defect; SB 14, relating to the estate of Pineal Januier, would authorize payment of the remaining $1.7 million of a $2 million settlement after a drowning at a Miami Beach youth center pool. Both bills were supported by the sponsors and the Senate Special Master’s favorable recommendations, and both passed on roll call votes. The committee then considered SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, SB 1512, both by Senator Avila, which would create a new property tax benefit for owners who lease a non-homestead residential property for more than six months in order to encourage more affordable rental housing. Local governments, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Association of Counties opposed the proposal, warning of major revenue losses, impacts on public safety and services, and uncertainty for local budgets; several senators also questioned whether landlords would pass savings on to renters and whether the measure would worsen density and parking issues. Despite the opposition, both measures were reported favorably after the sponsor said the bills would be refined and revised. SB 674, by Senator Wright, was reported favorably with support from property appraisers who said it would let them budget and pay hiring or retention bonuses, similar to authority already given to tax collectors, to help compete for specialized staff. CS for CS SB 268, by Senator Jones, also passed after an amendment adding congressional members; the bill would create a public-records exemption for certain home-address information for elected officials, and debate centered on balancing transparency with safety after members described death threats and harassment. The committee then approved SB 100, by Senator Fine, which would bar government buildings from displaying flags representing political viewpoints and allow active or retired military or National Guard members to use reasonable force to stop desecration of the U.S. flag; the bill drew extensive opposition from transparency, civil rights, and LGBTQ advocates who argued it was vague, unconstitutional, and aimed at pride flags, while supporters said government should not endorse political messages. Finally, CS for SB 1664, by Senator Trumbull, was reported favorably after a strike-all amendment. The bill would require voter reapproval every eight years for certain local discretionary taxes, including tourist development taxes and some local option taxes, unless pledged to revenue bonds. Cities, counties, tourism groups, and the lodging industry opposed it, saying the measure would create uncertainty, threaten tourism marketing and beach restoration funding, and make long-term infrastructure and debt planning difficult. Senator Trumbull argued the proposal simply gives voters a recurring chance to decide whether they still support the taxes and the projects they fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of our strategies is to develop rotations on the neighbor islands, Maui, and in the hopes that
• So we're working very hard to develop neighbor island training opportunities for our medical students
• is to develop rotations on the<00:14:36.320><c> neighbor</c><00:14:36.680><c> Islands</c><00:14:37.839
• 50.720><c> to</c> locations so we're working very hard to locations so we're working very hard to develop
• neighbor Island training uh develop neighbor Island training uh opportunities<00:14:54.759><c> for</

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education heard Senate Bill 101, which would require University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine graduates who paid in-state tuition to serve as physicians in Hawaiʻi for at least two years after residency or fellowship, beginning with the class of 2029. The Deputy Attorney General said the bill addressed a matter of statewide concern. JABSOM Dean Sam Shoemaker testified in opposition, arguing the school already uses scholarships, loan repayment, and other incentives, and that the strongest predictor of where physicians practice is where they complete residency; he said the school is working to expand residency slots, neighbor-island training, and class size. Supporters argued the state faces a severe physician shortage and should do more to ensure publicly subsidized students remain in Hawaiʻi. The committee ultimately recommended passage with amendments, including a statewide concern statement, and deferred the measure to July 31, 2025; the vote was adopted. The committee then heard Senate Bill 19, which creates funds to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program on Maui. University of Hawaiʻi and nursing workforce representatives testified in support, saying there is ample capacity on Maui and strong demand for higher nursing education. Members discussed the broader nursing pathway, including existing associate and bachelor’s programs at UH campuses and the need to improve access for Maui and nearby communities. The measure was moved to decision-making and adopted with amendments and a deferred date. Senate Bill 637, appropriating funds for various University of Hawaiʻi nursing programs, also received support from UH nursing leaders, who said the funding would support the final phase of the West Oʻahu-Manoa collaboration and an online RN-to-BS program. The Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing said its research showed capacity and demand for these programs. The committee recommended amendments to blank out appropriation amounts for the committee report and deferred the measure, then adopted it. The committee also adopted Senate Bill 741, which establishes an external audit committee within the UH Board of Regents, and deferred or amended several other measures, including a wastewater technology pilot program, a coconut rhinoceros beetle response program, and a climate-resilient development appropriation.

Transcript Highlights:

• haawi College with expanded Certified Pharmacy<00:13:41.120><c> Technician</c><00:13:41.600><c> development
• </c><00:13:42.240><c> which</c> Pharmacy Technician development which Pharmacy Technician development
• appropriates funds to establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaii to develop
• She is on target to complete her first of three milestones, a Child Development Associate, a nationally
• </c> of three Milestones a Child Development of three Milestones a Child Development Associate<00:29:

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on January 31 and heard six bills. The chair opened by outlining committee practices, including giving at least 72 hours’ notice for hearings, releasing testimony by 5:00 p.m. the day before hearings, and deferring bills needing substantive HT1 changes so members would not vote “blind.” Members briefly thanked the chair for the transparency approach before moving to the agenda. HB 223 would create a Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy special fund and workforce assessment fee to support a pharmacy center. Testimony from the Board of Pharmacy, the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo College of Pharmacy, Mokai Drugs, and others generally supported the measure, emphasizing workforce data, rural access, student loan repayment, and retention. The committee later advanced HB 223 with amendments, including leaving fee amounts blank for further discussion and inserting a defective date, and the motion passed unanimously. HB 940 would appropriate funds for the rat lungworm lab at UH Hilo; HB 546 would establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute at UH to advance AI; HB 549 would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program; HB 1172 would add the Department of Taxation to the Statewide Longitudinal Data System for wage-data sharing; and HB 1320 would require UH to collect and publicly report graduate outcome data and create a dashboard. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with some privacy concerns raised on HB 1172 and a request to protect taxpayer confidentiality. In decision-making, the committee passed all five bills with amendments, generally deleting or blanking appropriations and FTEs for Finance Committee review, adding defective dates for further discussion, and in HB 549 adding a statement that the program is a matter of statewide concern. The committee recessed briefly for decision-making and then adopted the chair’s recommendations on each bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in order to develop the necessary in order to develop the necessary Workforce<02:03:21.880><c> this
• </c><04:09:01.399><c> and</c> coordinator of nuclear development and coordinator of nuclear development
• </c> look at creative uh options to develop look at creative uh options to develop additional<04:35:46.039
• and the utilities for development of and the utilities for development of projects projects projects
• </c> mean no nuclear project can be developed mean no nuclear project can be developed without<04:44:

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you also had seen a lot of development occur in land that didn't require a lot of site work.
• occur in um land that didn't development occur in um land that didn't require<01:48:14.199><c> a</c>
• it in the way they want but to develop it in the way they want but to utilize<02:09:33.320><c> and</
• So figuring out what policy levers to pull in order to enable that type of development, which is what
• </c> economically viable for the developer economically viable for the developer and<02:59:56.640><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a Ways and Means briefing opened by the vice chair, who introduced Jason Wong of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to discuss the national and regional economy. Wong focused on inflation, asking why it had fallen from about 9% in 2022 to the 2%–3% range, and what that meant for monetary policy and the risk of an economic downturn. He said the Fed’s target is 2%, noted that recent PCE inflation was about 2.4% and core PCE about 2.7%, and described the ongoing debate over whether interest rates should stay tight or be lowered further to protect the labor market. Wong explained that the improvement in inflation has been driven largely by goods prices, especially durable goods such as cars, appliances, and furniture, as well as non-durable goods like food. He said supply-chain disruptions during the pandemic caused major price spikes in 2022, but those pressures have eased and many goods prices are now at or below the Fed’s target. He also referenced the New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index, saying it showed extreme pandemic-era disruptions that have since receded. The main remaining inflation problem, he said, is in services, especially housing. Wong broke services into rent of shelter and all other services, explaining that shelter is a large share of household budgets and that housing inflation has a lag because rent measures often reflect older lease terms rather than current market rents. He said monthly Zillow data suggest market rents have cooled and may eventually feed through to official inflation measures. Members asked several questions about the chart’s time scale, the treatment of real estate, property taxes, and utilities, and Wong clarified that housing costs are counted in services and that the slides would be shared digitally. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> implementation office is developing implementation office is developing their<00:13:26.720><c> new
• physically as well as brain development.
• physically as well as brain development physically as well as brain development.<01:04:44.400><c> An
• An area that MDE does not development.
• </c> development in the mental health world. development in the mental health world.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What role does Louisiana Economic Development play in research and medicine?
• I guess when I see economic development and Louisiana Department of Economic Development, I think about
• I was just wondering if Louisiana's Department of Economic Development are looking for our funds.
• We put lots of taxpayer money into economic development.
• So, not a developer. I see between 250 to 300 families every year go to construction.

Bills: HB267 , HB478 , HB617 , HB659 , HB800 , HB922 , HB924 , HB947 , HB1166 , HB1223

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: home inspectors, board membership, licensing, term limits, Louisiana State Board, utility, reimbursement, overcharges, consumer protection, economic relief, hidden fees, junk fees, drip pricing, price transparency, mandatory fees, surcharges, unfair trade practices, advertising disclosures, total price, service fees

Transcript Highlights:

• It was developed collaboratively with public and private bodies.
• Additionally, architects, developers, building operators, and code officials as well have need to be
• Additionally, um,<00:36:23.320><c> architects,</c><00:36:23.840><c> developers,</c><00:36:24.880><c>
• building</c> um, architects, developers, building um, architects, developers, building operators,<00:
• </c><00:36:59.840><c> code</c> architects and developers about code architects and developers about code

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The CWS project has completed B1 initial development and is working to complete the quality assurance
• I believe it's in the works with our partners at the Department of Health Care Services to develop the
• California has developed its approach to providing these new early intervention and prevention programs
• Our transitional housing providers also work with youth to develop those career pathways.
• So, as a part of continuing care reform, legislation and policy development from 2015 to the present,

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , it's how can we reach a balance with pressures like habitat loss and fragmentation, expanding development
• The loss of private property in rural areas can lead to development, subdivisions, and that decreases
• We've developed a habitat suitability model and, incorporating that with wolf biology, we've been able
• We are developing in animals' area.
• We are developing in animals area.

Summary: The hearing focused on human-wildlife conflict in California, especially predator management involving bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves. The chair and Assemblymember Hadwick framed the issue as a balance between protecting people, livestock, and property while preserving wildlife and biodiversity, citing habitat loss, development, drought, wildfire, and climate change as drivers of conflict. Department of Fish and Wildlife officials described their conflict-response work, including public education, depredation permits, wildlife incident reporting, and coordination with sheriffs, counties, and other agencies. They also noted that wildlife sightings and conflicts are increasingly common in both rural and urban areas, including recent mountain lion activity in San Francisco and ongoing bear conflicts in places like Tahoe and Sierra Madre. CDFW staff outlined the department’s human-wildlife conflict program, including the WEIR reporting system, a public toolkit, limited-term staff, and regional response efforts. They said the program grew out of drought-related incidents and later state funding, but that one-time money has expired, creating service gaps. Officials also discussed specific management approaches such as Tahoe’s trap-tag-haze bear program, DNA-based incident tracking, and the use of nonlethal deterrents before lethal action. For wolves, they explained that the species is protected and managed differently from bears and lions, that there is no general depredation-kill process for wolves, and that the department is working on data-sharing agreements, county liaisons, compensation programs, and improved coordination with ranchers and local law enforcement. Members pressed the department on underreporting, trust in state agencies, the need for sheriffs to participate in investigations, and whether more authority should be given for public-safety removals or hazing. Assemblymember Gonzalez also raised wildlife trafficking and border enforcement issues in Southern California. The panel repeatedly emphasized that more resources, technology, and local partnerships are needed. Officials gave budget context, saying roughly $17 million in one-time funding over several years supported conflict response and wolf compensation efforts, but that staffing and program capacity remain limited. The chair concluded by noting interest in further work on technology, funding, and institutionalizing collaboration, and the hearing then moved to a second panel of university researchers who presented on wolf and mountain lion conflict, habitat planning, trust, and the need for flexible, science-based, locally tailored mitigation strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a number of provisions in the tax bill that promote economic development and will create jobs
• </c><00:04:02.599><c> and</c><00:04:02.720><c> will</c><00:04:02.959><c> create</c> Economic Development
• So again, it's trying to keep Minnesota as a leader, uh, in business innovation and R&D development.
• We need to increase the growth of, uh, research and development. This credit will help do that.
• you never fully as a and development you never fully as a business<00:09:18.200><c> uh</c><00:09:18.440

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:59.319><c> phase</c> ...of development phase.
• My office's IT developers were able to randomize this data in order to select one ballot scanner and
• </c><00:16:22.199><c> were</c> scanners my office's it developers were scanners my office's it developers
• Clerks and county boards work to develop county-specific plans to address the high numbers of voters,
• </c> clerks and County boards work to develop clerks and County boards work to develop County<00:47:34.079

Keywords: Consideration of HB 27 00:04:20 Presentation by Secretary of State 00:10:44 Presentation by Karen Sellers and Jason Denny 00:35:56 Consideration of HB 45 00:55:36, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled House Bill 27, which would remove the prohibition on political yard signs in planned communities statewide while still allowing communities to regulate size, placement, and duration. The sponsor said the 2023 Planned Communities Act created an unintended consequence by treating similar homeowners differently based on grandfathering dates, and a legal explanation was offered that the bill would clarify the law and avoid constitutional problems. After discussion, the committee voted 15-0 to pass the bill with favorable expression. The next item was an update from the Secretary of State on the 2024 election and implementation of House Bill 53, which created prompt post-election audits. He said the audits were carried out smoothly, most found no discrepancies, and no election winners changed, though he recommended adding a specific timeline to the law. He also discussed voter-roll maintenance, saying Kentucky has removed more than 440,000 ineligible voters since 2020, and argued that federal law and limited access to federal databases remain the main obstacles to faster cleanup. Members asked about the possibility of improper removals, double voting across states, and how provisional voting works. The Secretary said anyone improperly removed can reregister, that any double-voting abuse is likely marginal but still unacceptable, and that provisional ballots are available when eligibility is in doubt and can be reviewed by the county board of elections. He also urged Congress to modernize the 1993 federal voter-registration law, improve access to death and citizenship data, and create a central interstate information-sharing system for election officials.

Transcript Highlights:

• This committee, uh, hearing of the Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
• about dairy development and profitability enhancement continuation and dairy business planning grant
• about dairy development and profitability enhancement continuation and dairy business planning grant
• This is the Dairy Development and Profitability Enhancement Program, and this was established in 1996
• and profitability development and profitability enhancement<00:49:11.799><c> program</c><00:49:12.799

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• item on the agenda today is a discussion of a death that occurred at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development
• that incident specifically, and then if you want to give some information generally about human development
• centers, what your policies and ...information generally about human development centers, what your
• make the decision, I can't provide that care in my own home, and so they then put them in a human development
• what specific policy... ...and what specific policies or procedures are to be used in the human development

Summary: The Joint State Agencies committee met to approve the October 8, 2025 minutes and then held an extended hearing on the death of Zachary Moore at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. DHS officials Lori McDonald, Jennifer Brise, and Melissa Weatherton described the HDC system, staffing and resident needs, and said Moore died after being held in a prone restraint for about 13 minutes, followed by a delayed chemical restraint and delayed CPR. They said the family settled a wrongful death claim for $725,000, 13 staff were terminated, the facility leadership was changed, and at least five staff had been criminally charged, with the death certificate later described as homicide and the cause of death as physiologic stress associated with struggle and prone restraint. Members pressed DHS on why the family was not kept informed, whether there was a written restraint protocol, how staff are trained, and why the agency did not have more complete information ready for the hearing. DHS said staff receive CPI restraint training, annual restraint training is mandatory, and a consultant is reviewing policies, retraining staff, and conducting a root cause analysis under a directed plan of correction from the Office of Long-Term Care. Legislators also raised broader concerns about low pay, staffing shortages, use of float and contract staff, and a waiting list of about 2,000 people for home- and community-based care. DHS said it is working on a retention and recruitment plan and a rate report for certain PASS services, but that the PASS rate study does not cover CNA pay. Several members said the incident reflected both a failure of restraint practice and a broader staffing and oversight problem. DHS acknowledged that prone restraint should not have been used, that the chemical restraint was given at the wrong time, and that multiple breakdowns occurred in supervision, communication, and equipment use. The committee also discussed whether there should be more regular independent audits of HDC policies, and DHS said it does not currently have a separate annual policy audit beyond existing oversight. At the end of the meeting, the committee asked DHS to keep it updated on recruitment, consultant reports, and to contact Moore’s mother about the communication she had been promised. The meeting adjourned without any additional formal action beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• item on the agenda today is a discussion of a death that occurred at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development
• that incident specifically, and then if you want to give some information generally about human development
• centers, what your policies and ...information generally about human development centers, what your
• make the decision, I can't provide that care in my own home, and so they then put them in a human development
• specific policy... ...and what specific policies or procedures that are to be used in the human development

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got everything from tourism, we've got economic development, and we have lots of families in our
• When it comes to the economic development, the extra hour of daylight encourages people to spend more
• We’re seeing economic development increase big time when it comes to that extra time of daylight.
• And then you mentioned some economic development statistics.
• I went out to an establishment and took part in some economic development for some folks outdoors.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal, and a long series of introductions recognizing student groups, interns, FCCLA and FBLA participants, a Missouri Rural Water Association delegation, medical students, family guests, and legislative assistants. Members also highlighted the Tipton Lady Cardinals girls basketball state championship team and several job-shadowing students from across the state. Announcements included committee meetings and a Missouri Department of Conservation Earth Day tree-seedling giveaway in the rotunda. On legislation, the House received committee reports recommending passage of several measures, then took up House substitute for House Committee Substitute for House Bills 3068 and 3049. Members discussed the bill as a vehicle for multiple bipartisan provisions, including public safety, AI, trafficking training, and other topics; opponents raised concerns about anti-trans language and the bill’s breadth, while others defended it as a package of widely supported items. The House passed the measure 117-10 with 17 present. The chamber also truly agreed to and finally passed Senate Bill 914, dealing with soil analysis/perk test issues, by 108-34 with one present, and Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1142, a Secretary of State business filing measure for series LLC certificates of good standing, by 142-0 with one present. The most extended debate was on House Bill 1758, a daylight savings time trigger bill. The sponsor argued Missouri should lock in daylight savings time if the federal government authorizes a nationwide change, to avoid neighboring states forcing Missouri into standard time and to support tourism, safety, and economic activity. Supporters cited health, mental health, family, and business benefits, while opponents argued for standard time, raised concerns about children, circadian rhythms, and prior failed experiments, and questioned the federal-state authority issues. After extensive discussion and a point of order, the House ordered House Bill 1758 perfected and printed. The session ended with announcements and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, application development: we wanted to start with a public survey.
• For example, the director of State Board of Ed, director of the Workforce Development Council, we had
• Initiative five is about rural health infrastructure, but also developing partnerships.
• workforce development.
• Listening to the director, I think you guys have a great strategy on workforce development.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Rural Health Transformation Committee met to receive an overview from Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon on Idaho’s Rural Health Transformation Program, created under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Sharon explained the $50 billion federal program, Idaho’s application timeline, the state’s ranking and award amount, and the five broad initiative areas in the approved plan: technology and access, innovative care models, workforce development, chronic disease and behavioral health, and rural infrastructure/partnerships. She emphasized that the funding is tightly overseen by CMS, with required reporting, compliance checks, sustainability plans, and the risk of losing funds if Idaho does not obligate money or meet milestones on time. She also outlined the state’s plan to hire a 12-person temporary team and to use a mix of RFPs and competitive subgrants, with monthly reporting to the committee and a shared information space to track solicitations, rubrics, and awards. Committee members questioned several parts of the plan, especially scope-of-practice issues tied to the application, the use of telehealth funding, workforce retention, and the survey process used to shape the application. Representative Tanner asked whether the state could continue pursuing scope changes for dental hygienists and physician assistants and whether legislative action could affect funding outcomes; Sharon said the state would continue to evaluate those policies, but that compliance, timely spending, and performance would be the main factors affecting funding. Representative Healy raised concerns about the survey’s heavy use of “other” responses and about telehealth spending, arguing some telehealth uses may not be practical for specialty care. Representative Manwaring requested a shared drive for real-time data and asked for raw survey results and dollar-based funding caps. Sharon agreed to provide follow-up information, including survey data and additional details on funding limits. Chris Jones of Catalyst Policy Group then presented broader policy observations and examples from other states. He praised Idaho’s application, urged the committee to keep the focus on patient-centered rural access, and highlighted ideas such as community health workers, remote patient monitoring, rural training pipelines, value-based care networks, and telehealth models that reduce staffing needs and improve sustainability. He also cautioned against relying on social determinants of health funding, noted the importance of rural training and partnerships, and praised Idaho’s 3.5% tribal set-aside. The committee ended by agreeing to set up a shared information hub with LSO, to expect follow-up materials and possible solicitation drafts soon, and to tentatively plan its next meeting around CMS’s Idaho visit on May 28.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it’s just like a typical investigation, you know, we develop surveillance, investigate it, develop
• a report, develop probable cause... ...go serve a search warrant, see what we can find on site.
• But importantly, sharing that the risk associated with cannabis, especially in that brain development
• The Labor and Workforce Development Agency proposed new regulations in February of 2026 to strengthen
• The Labor and Workforce Development Agency set up a PAGA unit that is primarily, I would say, running

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You really should pay for the cost, at least, of developing that licensure in the state.
• There's a continual training and skill set development for the staff that are doing that.
• So this might be for development staff, a project manager, a business. future invoicing.
• There's a continual training and skill set development for the staff that are doing that.
• So this might be for development staff, a project manager, a business. Service.

Summary: The Government Finance Committee met with new leadership, approved the December 11 minutes, and received a series of informational updates on the state’s finances and related policy issues. The Office of Management and Budget reported the general fund is tracking very close to forecast, with revenues about $2 million above forecast and an estimated ending balance of about $397 million, higher than previously expected. OMB also reviewed balances in major funds, including the budget stabilization fund, legacy fund, foundation aid stabilization fund, social services fund, and strategic investment and improvements fund, and answered questions about oil tax revenues and fund management. The Tax Department provided updates on taxable sales and purchases by county and industry, noting Cass County as the largest county by taxable sales and that retail trade remains the largest industry sector. Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus also discussed the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its estimated effects on North Dakota income tax collections, explaining that the projected revenue impacts are measured against a 2025 baseline and that some provisions are temporary while others are permanent. He also reported that primary residence tax credit applications were running ahead of last year, with more than 154,000 received so far and an expectation of roughly 160,000-plus applications. The committee also heard fee-study presentations from the Department of Transportation and the Information Technology Department. DOT explained that driver’s license fees cover only about half of program costs and that the shortfall is subsidized by the highway fund, while also noting recent changes such as the blackout plate and motor vehicle excise tax distribution changes. NDIT described its internal service fund model, current billing structure, and possible future changes to simplify invoices and billing frequency. Legislative staff also updated the committee on office space needs in Bismarck-Mandan and on legislative branch space planning, and subcommittees reported progress on fixed-route transit funding and regional jail capacity, including a visit to the Burleigh-Morton detention facility and discussion of future prison bed needs. No formal votes or legislative actions beyond approving the minutes were taken, and the committee adjourned with its next meeting set for June 25.