Transcript Highlights:

• With me today are State Economist Dr. Tony Becker and State Budget Director Anamingi.
• :25:56.240><c> referred</c> state provides monthly payments referred state provides monthly payments
• </c> large an impact on Minnesota's state large an impact on Minnesota's state budget<00:31:45.279><c
• </c><00:46:41.119><c> Um,</c> this state. Um, this state.
• </c><01:23:56.320><c> I</c> effectively gone in in the state. I effectively gone in in the state.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> "Let's do what the state does." "Let's do what the state does."
• </c> have state money or you don't have state have state money or you don't have state money.<01:02:53.680
• But this isn't the way that the state regulates what happens with state money.
• </c> exurban state. exurban state.
• . state. state.

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, March 12, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met in Annapolis on February 27, 2026, with 128 members present. After a prayer, the chamber adopted the previous day’s journal and recognized a resolution honoring Brunswick High School’s first Tech Challenge team, Minerva’s Mechanics, for winning the FTC Regional Championships and qualifying for the World Championship in Houston. The resolution was read and adopted with applause. The main legislative item was House Bill 355, concerning the Education, Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program and human and sex trafficking; the House adopted the favorable committee report and ordered the bill printed for third reading. The next bill, House Bill 534 on nonpublic school transcripts and prohibiting punitive measures related to student debt, also received a favorable report. Debate then centered on an amendment offered to HB 534 that would have tied school funding to student choice for students in repeatedly one-star-rated schools and allowed parents of habitually violent or disruptive students to consider military boarding school options. The sponsor argued Maryland’s public schools, especially in Baltimore City, were failing students despite heavy spending, citing low literacy, violence, and the book Failure Factory; several members echoed concerns about school performance, bureaucracy, and the need for educational freedom. Opponents and procedural speakers said the amendment was not germane to HB 534, which they described as a narrow bill about transcript access for students leaving nonpublic schools with unpaid fees, often students with disabilities. The floor leader urged the body to resist the amendment and stick to the bill’s actual subject. Despite multiple members explaining their votes in support of school choice and criticizing the Blueprint and school outcomes, the House ultimately took a roll call on the amendment after a voice vote was challenged. The transcript cuts off during the roll call and does not show the final recorded result on the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's getting them in the state.
• It's getting them in the state.
• It's getting them in the state.
• Backer had stated as well.
• join states like California, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey.

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in this state. in this state.
• some states that are right-to-work<02:46:08.040><c> states</c> right-to-work states right-to-work states
• </c> the United States. the United States.
• states.
• states.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm state law that prohibits this?
• </c><00:38:20.000><c> and</c> inspecting vehicles for the state and inspecting vehicles for the state
• Please state.
• We live in the rust state.
• c> have</c> breakdown of state by state, but we have breakdown of state by state, but we have still<02

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Way over to the State House area, park perhaps in the Market Basket or state liquor store parking lot
• for the state.
• </c> companies in every pocket of the state. companies in every pocket of the state.
• </c> in the state over the last two years. in the state over the last two years.
• United States. Um, I feel that just as a United States.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to state to state, there's a patchwork of rules.
• to state to state, there's a patchwork of rules.
• to state to state, there's a patchwork of rules.
• by state.
• </c><00:59:08.000><c> I</c> being different state by state. I being different state by state.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> states to New Hampshire. states to New Hampshire.
• , other states.
• , other states.
• </c> know the state will have my back." know the state will have my back."
• </c> state and he's an asset to my agency. state and he's an asset to my agency.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> not uh first up we have um uh State not uh first up we have um uh State Department<00:10:38.120>
• State law allows that if somebody is committed to the state hospital, they can be involuntarily medicated
• State law allows that if somebody is committed to the state hospital, they can be involuntarily medicated
• It's not 48 states that have syringe exchange; some states prohibit it entirely.
• ><c> syring</c><00:55:15.240><c> ex</c> it's not 48 states that have syring ex it's not 48 states that

Committee: House Health

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Health heard testimony on several bills. On SB 1441, which would repeal the transfer of the Oahu Regional Health Care System from HHSC to the Department of Health, the Department of Health said it strongly supports the measure and requested clarifying amendments. HHSC/Oahu Region also supported the bill and said it had no objection to the department’s amendments. In response to questions, witnesses said the agencies have been working on an MOU to support transfers of long-term care patients to Leahi, with the current goal being about 10 to 15 patients, but transfers would occur only as space and staffing allow; one patient was reportedly being admitted at the time, and the process was described as slow and case-by-case. The committee then heard SB 1443 on payment rates for state hospital patients and related Department of Health services. The hospital administrator said the bill would allow rates above Medicaid for community or foster-home placements if patients cannot be placed at Leahi or elsewhere, and would set Medicaid-level reimbursement for outside medical services used by state hospital patients. He said at least one provider was interested in offering services at that rate and that the population involved is largely non-ambulatory long-term care patients. Members asked about availability and training, and the witness said special training could be provided. SB 1322, a broad mental health bill, drew mixed testimony. The Department of Law Enforcement supported giving crisis-intervention-trained officers more discretion to transport people to medical care instead of arresting them. The Attorney General supported the bill but recommended revisions to emergency-transport language and restoring liability protections. HHSC and Queens Hospital supported the overall goal but sought amendments to preserve the mental health emergency worker role in decision-making and to avoid negative impacts on emergency departments. The Disability Rights Center and ACLU opposed parts of the bill, arguing that it weakens due process, reduces protections in involuntary treatment and transport, and should retain a three-person treatment panel rather than reduce it to one. A Queens representative said the current program works well and reported that more than 90% of MH1 cases once went to hospitals, but that figure has dropped to about 60-70%, with about 20% now diverted to community settings or the behavioral health crisis center. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:36:12.440><c> in</c> part of the question uh in state in part of the question uh in state in
• </c><00:37:36.040><c> individuals</c> are like in Alabama Texas individuals are like in Alabama Texas
• </c> for so many ac across our great state for so many ac across our great state thank thank thank you
• states there's very<01:28:02.360><c> few</c><01:28:02.560><c> states</c><01:28:02.880><c> that</c><01
• </c> for a disorganized of effort on a state for a disorganized of effort on a state level Okay.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Orange states are states that pay more in taxes than they get back in federal funds.
• Orange states are states that pay more in taxes than they get back in federal funds.
• Orange states are states that pay more in taxes than they get back in federal funds.
• Orange states are states that pay more in taxes than they get back in federal funds.
• that flow to the red states.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:12.560><c> Um</c> the state. It is truly remarkable. Um the state.
• </c><00:24:13.679><c> and</c> and they're all across the state and and they're all across the state and
• </c> sector typically throughout the state. sector typically throughout the state.
• So states are doing it state by state, and Minnesota would like to join the other states who have this
• </c> the state level. Any follow? All right. the state level. Any follow? All right.

Bills: HF2362 , HF2136 , HF1316 , HF2009 , HF1918 , HF1614

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: youth intervention, funding, mental health, education, community programs, HF1316, child support, new hire reporting, centralized work reporting system, independent contractors, payors, employers, payor of funds, withholding orders, income withholding, child support enforcement, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, gig economy, rideshare drivers, delivery drivers

Transcript Highlights:

• We write and research about state issues: education, public safety for this committee, energy, the state
• We write and research about state issues: education, public safety for this committee, energy, the state
• We write and research about state issues: education, public safety for this committee, energy, the state
• </c> we learn school choice you know state we learn school choice you know state budget<00:08:59.200>
• </c><01:24:27.600><c> any</c> zero we everywhere in the state any zero we everywhere in the state any

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of State-Recognized Tribes and the State Recognition Process Across the United States*, and that was
• of State-Recognized Tribes and the State Recognition Process Across the United States*, and that was
• of State-Recognized Tribes and the State Recognition Process Across the United States*, and that was
• of State-Recognized Tribes and the State Recognition Process Across the United States*, and that was
• We are not a state Vermont state tribe.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 610, which would fold the Office of the Consumer Advocate into the Department of Energy rather than fully eliminate consumer advocacy functions. The prime sponsor argued the current office is small, funded by a special assessment on ratepayers, and duplicative of DOE work. He said moving the function to DOE would streamline energy policy review, reduce bureaucracy, and better focus the larger agency on lowering residential energy costs. He also disputed claims that the Consumer Advocate is independent, saying the office is appointed through a political process similar to DOE leadership. Committee members and the sponsor discussed whether the bill would actually relocate existing positions or replace them, and whether the Department of Energy would absorb the cost of the transferred staff. The sponsor said the fiscal note shows roughly a million-dollar reduction in both revenue assessment and spending, and that the bill would effectively reduce the office from five positions to three. He also defended his cost estimates for energy-code-related housing impacts and said the Consumer Advocate has sometimes supported policies he считает increase costs, such as energy-efficiency measures and building code changes. He argued the office should focus more on energy supply and generation, including natural gas and nuclear, rather than efficiency alone. Representative Wendy Thomas testified in opposition, saying the Consumer Advocate is an important, fair, and impartial voice for ratepayers and warning that the bill was fiscally irresponsible because the incumbent could still be owed salary and benefits if the office were repealed. She also said the bill’s drafting was confusing and that the Consumer Advocate’s role is to push back on utilities on behalf of consumers. Other members raised questions about whether the DOE would simply inherit the same political appointment structure and whether the bill would meaningfully lower bills. No vote was taken in the excerpt; the chair indicated additional testimony would follow, and the Department of Energy was present to answer questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many additional states uh state Wyoming.
• <c> Oregon,</c> from state to state, including Oregon, from state to state, including Oregon, Oregon,
• </c> be litigated in another state. be litigated in another state.
• </c> contracts in the state. contracts in the state.
• state? state?

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, state of the United States.
• So, um, state of the United States.
• So, um, state of the United States.
• So, um, state of the United States.
• So, um, state of the United States.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• change from a state agency to everything being done through vendors for the state of Iowa.
• The state was at 1.91. The state was at 1.91 at that point in time.
• It was Starlink in our state.
• system and the state.
• I think we're, as a small state, we can do something that other states aren't able to do.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• change from a state agency to everything being done through vendors for the state of Iowa.
• It was Starlink in our state.
• Would we be joining any other state, or will we be the only state that is at that place?
• I think there were a couple states that were investing state dollars to close that gap.
• system and the state.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Summary: The Information Technology Committee approved the March 26 minutes and received a series of reports from NDIT on major IT projects, the annual report, mainframe modernization, and cybersecurity services. The project portfolio was reported at 116 major projects with a baseline cost of $546 million, overall under budget but modestly behind schedule. Several projects that had been in variance status last quarter were said to have closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning. New startup reports were mostly HHS efforts tied to refugee data management, technical debt cleanup, and legacy application decommissioning, while closeouts included HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT projects with mixed budget and schedule results. In the annual report discussion, NDIT described its service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management reporting, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how revenues and grants flow through the service fund, how NDIT charges agencies for services, and whether customer satisfaction or CSAT scores are tracked and could be reported more regularly. NDIT said it does track service-team CSAT and survey data, and committee members encouraged more regular reporting of those metrics. The committee also discussed application portfolio management, statewide IT planning, and whether agencies should slow new system replacements while the state pursues an ERP system. The mainframe update focused on the state’s ongoing effort to retire legacy systems by about 2030. NDIT and HHS said the work is being managed as a tech-debt program, but progress is slowed by data cleanup, integration complexity, staff retirements, vendor capacity, and federal requirements. Members asked whether there is a coordinated commitment and whether additional vendor support or consultants are needed; NDIT said it is working jointly with HHS and is seeking an RFP to help accelerate modernization. The cybersecurity presentation then shifted to statewide maturity assessments and services. NDIT said it provides endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that assessments are based on CIS controls. Members raised concerns about low participation in the self-assessment process, the lack of mandatory reporting or audit authority, and whether insurance incentives through Enderf or possible State Auditor involvement could improve compliance. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Typically a core state responsibility, and that there are a variety of other federal, state, and local
• I mean, and he said it in the State of the State address, right?
• The State-Assessed Property Division is responsible for valuing state-assessed public utilities and railroad
• other states.
• And one of the reasons for the variance you see from state to state is because these are relatively new

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an informational overview from the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GoServe), including California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission. GoServe reported strong participation in programs such as California Service Corps, College Corps, Youth Service Corps, Climate Action Corps, and the new men’s service challenge. Testimony emphasized enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes, outreach results, and efforts to reduce administrative costs. The Department of Finance said the administration supports the programs but has already made reductions to help address the budget deficit, while the LAO said it had no new recommendations on the informational item. Committee members raised questions about program scale, demographics, and effectiveness, especially for Climate Action Corps and whether the programs are duplicative of existing volunteer opportunities. One member criticized the programs as too fragmented and costly, while others asked for more data on who is being served and whether the programs increase actual participation in state services. GoServe said it would follow up with demographic and regional impact information. The committee also discussed the men’s service challenge, which GoServe said has formed partnerships with organizations such as YMCAs and Big Brothers Big Sisters and has already attracted more than 2,000 participants. The item was informational only. The committee then heard a BOE overview and a budget request to implement SB 293, which gives wildfire-affected families additional time to claim intergenerational Prop. 13 property tax transfers. BOE requested $154,000 for guidance, public materials, and inquiry response, explaining that the work is urgent and tied to disaster relief in Los Angeles County, especially Altadena. The LAO had no concerns, and Finance had no comment. Members asked how many cases might be affected and whether more funding would be needed later; BOE said the full number is not yet known and that future requests are possible. The committee also heard BOE’s IT modernization proposal for the state-assessed property tax system, a 30-year-old mainframe replacement costing $3.2 million in 2026-27 and $3.1 million in 2027-28. BOE and Finance supported the project as necessary, while the LAO said it had no concerns but urged a high bar for new IT spending. Members generally supported modernization but cautioned about implementation risk. Finally, CDTFA presented an overview and two policy proposals. The department described administering 42 tax and fee programs, collecting $98 billion in FY 2024, and improving administrative efficiency. Members then discussed local sales tax tools and revenue-sharing agreements, with concerns raised about transparency, consultant-driven tax allocation disputes, and the impact on local communities. CDTFA and the LAO explained that local jurisdictions control how district sales tax revenues are spent and noted the Legislature could revisit the statutory cap on local add-on sales taxes. The committee then heard CDTFA’s proposal to treat all delivery network companies as marketplace facilitators so they must collect and remit sales tax on delivery-app orders. CDTFA said the change would resolve confusion, shift compliance from thousands of small restaurants to a few large platforms, and raise about $44 million annually. Several members questioned whether the proposal would effectively raise consumer costs and whether it would create a competitive advantage or disadvantage among delivery platforms. The item remained under discussion, with no vote taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• In a period where the state had a very aspirational agenda about all the things that state government
• I mean, we, and he said it in the State of the State address, right?
• A state fiscal year specifically.
• And we do need a state-level...
• other states.

Summary: The subcommittee first received an informational update on the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GoServe), including California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission. GoServe reported strong participation in College Corps, Youth Service Corps, and Climate Action Corps, along with outreach results from OCPSC and the Trusted Messenger Network. The Department of Finance said the programs remain a priority but noted prior budget reductions, while the LAO said it had no new recommendations. Committee members raised questions about program diversity, geographic reach, administrative costs, and whether the programs duplicate existing volunteer opportunities; one member criticized the programs as costly and duplicative, while another emphasized the value of volunteerism and asked about the men’s service challenge. The item was informational only. The committee then heard an overview of the Board of Equalization’s property tax responsibilities and its first budget proposals since the 2017 reorganization. BOE described its role in county assessment oversight, state-assessed property valuation, and related tax administration. Members asked about BOE’s interaction with counties, property tax reassessments, and local tax notices; BOE explained it mainly works with county assessors and handles technical property tax questions, while local special district charges are generally outside its scope. The committee also considered a BOE proposal to implement SB 293, which would give additional time for certain intergenerational property tax transfer claims after the 2025 wildfires. BOE requested $154,000 for guidance, public materials, and inquiry response work, saying the change is urgent for wildfire-affected families, especially in Altadena. The LAO had no concerns, and the item was held open. BOE also presented an information technology modernization proposal for its state-assessed property program, seeking $3.2 million in 2026-27 and $3.1 million in 2027-28 to replace a 30-year-old mainframe system. BOE said the current system relies heavily on manual data entry and paper processes, creating inefficiencies, cybersecurity risks, and delays, while modernization would free staff for more audits and valuation studies. The LAO supported the need but urged a high bar for new IT projects; Finance said the project met the threshold of necessity. Members generally supported the upgrade but asked about audit gains, revenue impacts, and implementation risks, and the item was held open. Finally, CDTFA gave its department overview and then discussed a proposal to require all delivery network companies, such as Uber Eats and DoorDash, to be treated as marketplace facilitators for sales tax purposes. CDTFA said the current carve-out creates confusion for restaurants and small businesses because some DNCs collect and remit tax while others do not, and the change would improve compliance and shift reporting to larger platforms. Members debated whether the proposal amounts to a tax increase for consumers, with CDTFA and Finance arguing it is a consistency and compliance measure rather than a new tax, while others said it would likely raise consumer costs. The committee also discussed broader CDTFA issues, including local sales tax districts, revenue-sharing agreements, and the growth of special taxing jurisdictions. No votes were taken, and the agenda items were informational or held open.