Transcript Highlights:

• schools are eligible through the free and reduced lunch program.
• It just made it available to everybody, every school in the state.
• School, there's someone there who can do that.
• But these mash units in school were really cool.
• In some ways, you know, they—we have the profession and we have no school.

Committee: Joint Health Care Committee

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard a detailed annual presentation from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and review findings. He explained the committee’s structure, the de-identified review process, and the distinction between pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. He said national maternal mortality has declined from its 2021 peak, but mental health conditions, substance use, overdose, suicide, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, infection, and embolism remain major causes. He emphasized that many deaths are preventable, with especially high rates among non-Hispanic Black women and in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and noted that a large share of deaths occur after 42 days postpartum. Committee members asked about suicide, domestic abuse, pregnancy testing in unexplained deaths, and the role of home births and midwife training. Dr. Arnold said the committee is adding a caseworker, exploring post-mortem pregnancy testing in suspicious cases, and working with coroners and forensic officials; he also said home births and untrained midwifery pose safety concerns and that better public education and facility-based care are important. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matt Clark on cigarette ignition propensity standards and fire prevention. He recommended updating North Dakota’s cigarette ignition legislation to the current national standard and also considering legislation requiring fast-breakaway oxygen tubing, citing fatal fires involving smoking around home oxygen. He explained that his office verifies manufacturer testing and maintains certification for cigarettes sold in the state, but does not itself conduct the testing. Members asked about implementation, cost, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Clark said he would follow up with cost information and additional details, and that he had not seen evidence of a major issue on tribal lands but would look further. Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services presented the North Dakota Stroke System of Care report. She described the statewide network of two comprehensive stroke centers, four primary stroke centers, and 30 acute stroke-ready hospitals, along with the stroke registry and quality-improvement efforts. She reported that most strokes are ischemic, that the median stroke patient age is 71.5, and that common risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. She highlighted improvements in door-to-CT, thrombolytic treatment times, dysphagia screening, EMS pre-notification, and interfacility transfer performance, and said new priorities include hemorrhagic stroke quality measures and standardized EMS stroke screening tools. Members asked about the VA hospital’s participation, and Greff said she would pursue outreach. After a break, the committee heard testimony from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals as part of the prior authorization study, focused on non-opioid pain treatment. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to acute pain treatment and may push patients toward opioids, especially in the critical 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window. He cited data showing that even short opioid exposure can increase the risk of long-term use and said prior authorization is often a barrier for physicians and patients. Khan recommended open access with a quantity limit rather than prior authorization, suggesting a 14-day limit supported by the product’s data and an episode-of-care approach. Members asked about dental use, payer discussions, and cost; he said the product’s wholesale acquisition cost is about $16.10 per tablet, with patient assistance available, and that he would follow up on payer and comparison-cost questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• schools.
• So you take big schools and small schools together.
• And then I'm looking at the school safety grants and I'm looking at what you can purchase with it and
• I graduated from Northeast ISD, Madison High School. What school? Madison High School.
• English class—elementary school, middle school, or high school.

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, that's kind of the ideal free market economy, like a grade school summary.
• </c><01:39:18.160><c> Um</c><01:39:19.000><c> and</c> like grade school summary.
• Um and like grade school summary.
• We had an incident at a school in Bristol last year.
• incident at a school in Bristol last year. year. year.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was in school trying to work and stay well.
• ,</c><00:43:00.160><c> families,</c> activists, surveil schools, families, activists, surveil schools
• </c><00:43:07.040><c> purposes,</c><00:43:08.400><c> give</c><00:43:08.560><c> traffic</c> public school
• purposes, give traffic public school purposes, give traffic tickets,<00:43:09.680><c> and</c><00:43:
• um ALPR data and uh decide to purchase um ALPR data and work<00:56:39.760><c> with</c><00:56:39.880>

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• you that there is a very real cost of the cost allocation associated with the incremental power purchase
• or perhaps some statutory changes on how to better delineate and isolate this incremental power purchase
• or perhaps some statutory changes on how to better delineate and isolate this incremental power purchase
• you that there is a very real cost of the cost allocation associated with the incremental power purchase
• or perhaps some statutory changes on how to better delineate and isolate this incremental power purchase

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• company and buy an auto policy, she would actually receive a copy of that auto policy at the time of purchase
• both they really need to be focusing on both because<00:25:26.440><c> they</c><00:25:26.600><c> purchased
• /c><00:25:27.000><c> that</c><00:25:27.159><c> coverage</c><00:25:27.480><c> to</c> because they purchased
• that coverage to because they purchased that coverage to make<00:25:27.720><c> sure</c><00:25:27.880
• this through the decades, cleaning up bad actors, and that if you had the experience of having a purchase

Bills: HF2601 , HF2607 , HF2027 , HF2608

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• rates that this bill would allow HPIA to consider selling insurance to a building that actually can purchase
• 00:41:03.440><c> that</c><00:41:03.920><c> actually</c><00:41:04.240><c> can</c><00:41:04.560><c> purchase
• </c> building that actually can purchase building that actually can purchase insurance<00:41:06.200><
• rates, that this bill would allow HPIA to consider selling insurance to a building that actually can purchase

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on March 12, 2025, and heard testimony on several bills, with most measures drawing support from state boards, agencies, and industry groups. SB 102 (restaurants) had one supportive testifier and no questions. SB 1367 SD1 (installment loans) drew support from DCCA and other boards, but the chair raised concerns about a proposed $5 debit-card convenience fee, saying it seemed high and suggesting it might be amended downward; DCCA said it would check with industry on the likely impact. SB 1373 SD2 (administrative licensure action against sex offenders) received broad support from DCCA and multiple professional licensing boards, including psychology, physical therapy, naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, massage therapy, nursing, optometry, barbering and cosmetology, the Hawaii Medical Board, and HPD. The committee then heard SB 1142 SD1 (insurance proceeds), which was supported by DCCA, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, AARP, Hawaiʻi Realtors, and the Hawaiʻi Insurers Council, while State Farm offered comments and the Hawaii Bankers Association opposed. Testimony focused on insurance access after the Lahaina wildfires and the need to address underinsured homeowners. The committee also discussed SB 144 SD2 (stabilization of property insurance), with support from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, AARP, Hawaiʻi Realtors, and the Hawaiʻi Insurers Council, and comments from the Attorney General and DCCA Insurance Division about revising the financing structure and correcting bill language. Opponents and reservationed supporters argued the bill may not help if applicants can still obtain coverage at very high prices, while supporters said it would expand market capacity and provide a safety net as climate-related losses continue. Finally, SB 253 SD2 (condominium reserves) received support from Hawaiʻi Realtors, CI, and several individual testifiers. Supporters said it would enforce existing disclosure requirements under Act 199 and improve reserve funding transparency, while one individual argued stronger enforcement and an ombudsman-style office would be more effective. The chair reminded testifiers to stay on the bill at hand. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Coal built every school in Wyoming, and we have a lot of new schools.
• , more hands-on kind of training through that school.
• that training, more hands-on kind of training through that school.
• The limitation of that is it's exclusively for students who come out of the Navy Nuclear Power School
• The closest four-year school with a nuclear engineering program to us is the University of Wisconsin.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Interim Committee met for its final meeting on August 19, 2026, approved the June 16 minutes, and heard a series of informational presentations focused on policy, siting, community engagement, and fuel-cycle issues. Committee members also received an update on a recent injury to Representative Mitskog, who participated virtually after surgery. Rod McCullum of the Nuclear Energy Institute discussed DOE’s “innovation campus” initiative for used nuclear fuel. He said DOE has narrowed responses to five states—Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Idaho, and Louisiana—and that any host agreements will likely require state legislation and decisions on funding. He argued industry should not need a restarted nuclear waste fee and said the effort should proceed through appropriations and changes to federal law, including removing Yucca Mountain exclusivity. In response to questions, he said Yucca Mountain failed because it was imposed top-down rather than through consent-based siting, and he rejected deep seabed disposal as impractical and treaty-laden. Chase Blazer and Austin Blanche of Envoy Public Labs described state-led community engagement models for advanced nuclear projects, highlighting examples in Kentucky, Indiana, New York, Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Utah. They emphasized that successful projects depend on early education, local support, workforce planning, and clear communication about benefits, safety, and siting. Members asked about how broad engagement should be, and the presenters said the scope depends on the project but should at least include the host county and nearby communities, with broader regional outreach where appropriate. Senator K.L. Case and Rita Meyer of Wyoming Energy Futures outlined Wyoming’s legislative path to support TerraPower’s Natrium project in Kemmerer. They reviewed earlier state laws that effectively blocked nuclear waste siting and later legislation that opened the door to on-site storage of spent fuel from an active in-state reactor. Meyer said the project is being built with federal ARDP support and private investment, but faces major supply-chain challenges, especially for HALEU fuel and specialized components. Both speakers stressed that Wyoming’s approach has relied on legislation, community support, and private capital rather than direct state funding, and that the project is expected to create substantial construction and permanent jobs if it reaches completion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes it's gone back into school district transportation funding.
• These are those students, obviously, that cannot attend school.
• These are those students, obviously, that cannot attend school.
• These are those students, obviously, that cannot attend school.
• There was no off-the-shelf system we could purchase.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development received a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education officials on the final SEEK estimate for fiscal year 2025. Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, Matt Ross, and Chay Ritter explained that SEEK is developed through a consensus process with the Office of the State Budget Director using multiple models and district-level inputs, and that the estimate is a projection made well before actual data are available. They emphasized that the discussion was separate from the pending education-funding lawsuit and described SEEK as one part of a much larger K-12 budget picture. The presenters said the current SEEK estimate shows a statutory shortfall of about $14.7 million, or roughly 0.53% of the appropriation, with additional optional items that could bring the total to about $40.5 million if funds are available. They noted that prior years have sometimes produced excess funds, which are redirected according to budget language rather than automatically flowing back through SEEK. They also reviewed the main drivers of the estimate, including property assessments, average daily attendance, free lunch counts, exceptional child counts, home hospital, and limited English proficiency, and said property assessments have been especially volatile while exceptional child counts and ELL populations are difficult to predict. Members asked about why the estimate missed on some categories, especially special education and ELL, and whether district-level changes were being monitored closely enough. The presenters said KDE does monitor special education counts and will review larger districts and districts with unusual growth, and they acknowledged that exceptional child growth has been hard to forecast. Representative Bojanowski asked about the Cloverport virtual school, and staff said its growth was much larger than projected and accounted for a significant portion of the shortfall. Members also discussed the impact of property value growth, population shifts, illness, and legislative changes on SEEK projections. No vote or formal action was taken, and the meeting ended after questions and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• staff</c><00:34:24.800><c> in</c> schools, putting schools and staff in schools, putting schools and
• </c> school for I'm happy in middle schools. school for I'm happy in middle schools.
• </c> Elementary School. Elementary School.
• </c><01:17:46.880><c> the</c><01:17:47.199><c> school</c> school districts and and the school school
• c> school by school, you know, grades school by school, you know, grades across<01:58:23.840><c> the<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on school governance and a proposed shift in responsibilities related to SAU consolidation, with committee members first discussing how school board members and other local officials would be selected for future testimony. The main presentation came from the New Hampshire Association of School Principals, whose executive director Brady Belair and several principals argued that mandatory statewide administrative consolidation should be approached cautiously and that any consolidation should be voluntary and locally driven. They said anticipated savings may not materialize, citing possible higher personnel, transportation, and technology costs, and warned that forcing changes could create disruption without improving student outcomes. Principals testified that their jobs are already broad and demanding, centered on instructional leadership, student safety, staff supervision, family communication, and day-to-day crisis response. Kathleen Murphy of Amherst described working 60 to 70 hours a week and said principals spend substantial time coaching teachers, handling student issues, and supporting school climate; she said adding more administrative duties would compromise student learning and teacher growth. Adam Osborne of Bow Memorial School similarly described principals as daily problem-solvers who set school-level direction and create conditions for schools to thrive. The witnesses also emphasized that principals, superintendents, school boards, and business administrators have different training and responsibilities, and that specialized tasks such as special education compliance, FERPA/HIPAA issues, and labor matters require appropriate expertise. Committee members questioned the witnesses about overlap between superintendent and principal duties, the completeness of statutory responsibility lists, and whether some functions such as curriculum, discipline, hiring, and evaluation are shared. The principals acknowledged some overlap and collaboration, but said superintendents typically handle broader system-level, legal, and central-office responsibilities while principals focus on building-level leadership and teacher support. One member raised the earlier expectation that districts might move to a principal-plus-business-manager model, but the witnesses said that model did not develop as expected and that district structures vary widely. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's many people in this body who have school district, school sites, despite the Um, the Zia Pueblo
• We're hoping that folks are going to be able to get new schools in their school district.
• Will this increase the cost of building those schools or lower the cost of building those schools?
• So if, if I was building a pro if I was in charge of a school and a construction job at a school and
• a new school?

Transcript Highlights:

• But aren't we also diluting practice of medicine by physicians who went through medical school, residency
• But aren't we also diluting the practice of medicine by physicians who went through medical school, residency
• But aren't we also diluting the practice of medicine by physicians who went through medical school, residency
• when we purchase commercial health coverage for mental health.
• when we purchase commercial health coverage for mental health.

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> endorsements for graduating high school endorsements for graduating high school students. students
• Public entities also include public schools, and schools can be exposed to liabilities, particularly
• ,</c> entities also include public schools, entities also include public schools, and<01:00:59.520><c
• ><c> to</c> and schools can be exposed to and schools can be exposed to liabilities,<01:01:01.920><c>
• “The AG, including public schools, like K-12.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by the moderator shall make up the board of recount for school ballot recounts.
• , or I should say the School Board encompasses more than one town?
• </c> make up the board of recount for school make up the board of recount for school ballot<00:05:06.800
• board or I should say the as the school board or I should say the uh<00:06:08.960><c> School</c><00:
• And I see a bunch of Dartmouth students, and Dartmouth is a great school.

Committee: House Election Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the bar so high to get into vet school? the bar so high to get into vet school?
• Um I did fortunately excel um in college and in vet school after a pretty terrible high school career
• Um I did fortunately excel um in college and in vet school after a pretty terrible high school career
• Um I did fortunately excel um in college and in vet school after a pretty terrible high school career
• Graduated veterinary school.

Committee: Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, as schools, as numbers go down and schools consolidate, it's a more challenging... the smaller
• You know, as schools, as numbers go down and schools consolidate, it's a more challenging.
• As numbers go down and schools consolidate, it's a more challenging environment out there to maintain
• DPI works with the REAs pretty thoroughly and it works with the local school districts.
• the training is provided out in the field by people in the field, either with an REA or within a school

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2265, which would provide the Fargo National Cemetery with up to a $3 million line of credit to help fund improvements such as indoor bathrooms, parking, a family gathering area, an office, a hearse garage, and a veterans gallery. Supporters said the cemetery has expanded rapidly since 2019, has already conducted about 1,000 burials, and needs better facilities for families and the Honor Guard; they also said the project would be subject to federal VA approval and, once completed, would be taken over by the VA. Members raised questions about the project’s cost, timing, funding sources, whether the bill should be a grant instead of a line of credit, and whether a chapel should be specifically included. No vote was taken on SB 2265 during the excerpt. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2230, which would have the Secretary of State mail active voters a guide on ballot measures at least 45 days before an election, with objective summaries, fiscal impacts, and arguments for and against each measure. Secretary of State Michael Howe said the office already receives many questions about ballot measures and would post the same information online and at polling places, while emphasizing the need to keep the material objective and consistent with election-law restrictions. Members generally supported the idea as a voter-education tool, and the committee adopted a due pass motion on SB 2230 by a 19-0 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2256, which would provide one-time state support for the NDSU Research and Technology Park in Fargo to expand its role in commercialization, robotics, precision agriculture, and defense-related technology. Park CEO Brenda Weiland explained that the park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit spun out of NDSU, governed by a board with both university and industry representation, and that the new model is intended to bridge the gap between research and market-ready products without competing directly with private industry. Members asked about ownership, intellectual property, the planned partnership with Carnegie Mellon’s robotics center, and how the park would use the funding; the discussion focused on contracts, licensing, and the park’s intent to build technical capacity and attract companies. The excerpt ends before any vote on SB 2256.

Transcript Highlights:

• school bestowed by the Pennsylvania School Board Association.
• great schools.
• bestowed by the Pennsylvania school bestowed by the Pennsylvania School<00:08:54.959><c> Board</c><00
• </c><00:08:56.000><c> This</c> School Board Association. This School Board Association.
• </c> Superintendent Mitchell, and the school Superintendent Mitchell, and the school board<00:09:23.200

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, January 12, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just then they allowed, uh, the school buses couldn't go.
• </c> allowed uh the school buses couldn't go. allowed uh the school buses couldn't go.
• We<00:47:58.880><c> have</c><00:47:58.960><c> a</c><00:47:59.599><c> school</c><00:47:59.920><c> bus<
• It's going to be a New Hampshire citizen who's purchasing gas or going out to a meal.
• Who's purchasing gas or going out to a meal. Is that not correct?

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on the workplace, she said, small business owners could be forced to reconfigure workspaces and purchase
• </c><00:14:21.120><c> All</c> purchase additional equipment. All purchase additional equipment.
• organizations or think about large organizations or businesses<01:36:34.080><c> or</c><01:36:35.040><c> schools
• ><c> I</c><01:36:36.159><c> work</c><01:36:36.320><c> at</c><01:36:36.480><c> a</c> businesses or schools
• or I work at a businesses or schools or I work at a hospital,<01:36:37.120><c> for</c><01:36:37.199>

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to avoid any unintended consequences because people have purchased other systems and then
• I just think that if we just have FDLE purchase the database and then send it out to everybody and then
• But we just have to be clear on the one database that's picked, the purchasing of it for all 67 counties