Transcript Highlights:

• That will be covered by divisions. It's many small cuts, hundreds of different places.
• by divisions it's that will be covered by divisions it's many<00:22:41.520><c> small</c><00:22:41.880
• So we combined three such entities into one.
• </c> and so we combined three such entities and so we combined three such entities into<00:33:23.039>
• Have you calculated the difference between what Governor Ayotte suggested the EFA would cost to cover

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments. Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses. The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.

Transcript Highlights:

• One in four adults in rural Minnesota is covered by Medicaid.
• </c><01:02:54.480><c> 77%</c><01:02:55.520><c> of</c><01:02:55.760><c> hospitals</c> covered by Medicaid
• . 77% of hospitals covered by Medicaid. 77% of hospitals with<01:02:56.480><c> negative</c><01:02:56.880
• And as nonprofit entities, Minnesota hospitals have to be transparent about how they're spending the
• And as nonprofit entities, Minnesota hospitals have to be transparent about how they're spending the

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Select Subcommittee first took up adoption of three previously prepared nonpartisan committee summary reports dated October 15, November 13, and November 21. Senator Rasmusson objected to the lack of advance notice about the day’s testifiers and criticized the practice of having nonpartisan staff summarize what he described as a partisan agenda. The chair responded that the committee’s purpose is to gather information, not hear bills, and that the summaries were intended as neutral resources for the Senate. Senator Coopek moved adoption, the motion was opposed by Rasmusson and another member, and the motion passed. The committee then turned to the day’s hearing on federal impacts on Minnesota, with the chair focusing on federal funding threats and the effect of congressional budget actions on health care, especially in greater Minnesota. The first presentation came from the Minnesota Department of Health on the state’s rural health transformation work. Assistant Commissioner Carol Broom introduced the team and described the rural hospital transformation program as a major opportunity to invest in rural health, while acknowledging longstanding challenges such as demographics, transportation barriers, and the financing of care. Nitha Moibi outlined the state’s rural health chart book and data showing an aging population, workforce shortages, and many health professional shortage areas, and described proposed strategies including workforce pipelines, bridge payments for low-volume birth hospitals, telehealth access points, mental health urgent care, and chronic disease prevention. Acting Assistant Commissioner Anna Ashby of the Minnesota Management and Budget office explained the state’s application to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created in federal law and awarded Minnesota just over $193 million for federal fiscal year 2026. She said the application was shaped by public comments, stakeholder meetings, and legislative outreach, and included initiatives on preventive care, workforce, care access, behavioral health, and provider financial stability. She also reviewed implementation constraints, including a January 30 revised budget deadline, limits on administrative spending, restrictions on using funds to offset Medicaid losses, and the need to show measurable progress to remain eligible for future funding. The presentation noted that most year-one funding would go to rural hospitals, with additional support for federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, tribal partners, and technical assistance.

Transcript Highlights:

• It recreates entities transferred to or placed within the Office of the Governor.
• And we get a legislative auditor that gives you the entity, the law, Okay.
• So your next step was to notify all of these entities? Let me ask you.
• Next step was to notify all of these entities.
• And so I think we would have to do is look at that entity.

Bills: HR9 , HR15 , HB202 , HB206 , HB338 , HB379 , HB547 , HB691 , HB843 , HB861 , HB908

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Keywords: human rights, individual liberties, Magna Carta, constitutionalism, free speech, voter identification, election integrity, federal elections, public confidence, election security, SAVE America Act, Louisiana, election fraud, job advertisement, salary transparency, civil service, employment notification, applicant rights, legislative attendance, task force

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, a few years ago, it was changed to allow other entities to also do that because of the workload on
• </c><00:09:28.160><c> to</c> uh changed to allow other entities to uh changed to allow other entities
• And uh unfortunately, other entities.
• <00:10:01.280><c> that</c> entity that entity that was<00:10:02.440><c> interested</c><00:10:02.880><
• </c><00:10:50.960><c> in</c><00:10:51.120><c> the</c> And I think having an entity in the And I think

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a small grant that didn't cover the costs of telemetry, and nor does the U.S.
• So although Sewer and Water Board New Orleans is a separate entity and views a separate sub-applicant
• Moreno in to advocate for the synchronization that's under her authority, working with those two entities
• Cross, and partners from the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response were an outside entity

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:

• This allows a permanent withholding of payment to entities who have a credible allegation of fraud.
• This allows a permanent withholding of payment to entities who have a credible allegation of fraud.
• This allows a permanent withholding of payment to entities who have a credible allegation of fraud.
• But most importantly, when an individual or entity is participating in multiple state programs, this
• Thank you. of payment to entities who have a of payment to entities who have a credible<00:04:07.000>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll hear from invited entities. There is no opportunity for public comment.
• Are they all made by one person, one entity? Folks right over here.
• Simply because a private entity engages with a public entity does not subject the entire private entity
• So in no way is IRG asserting that DRC is a public entity. Obviously, it is not.
• collective governmental entity, regardless of what it is labeled.

Committee: House Assembly Committee on Government Operations, Accountability, and Transparency

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Voting for artificial entities is done by a natural person designated and filed with the town through
• In contrast, the vast majority of the artificial entities registered to vote in Fenwick are family or
• We have one person, one entity, one vote process.
• What that means is if there's a trust or corporation or other artificial entity who owns one property
• A legal entity may not hold office as a council member, nor do they get a vote in national or federal

Committee: Senate Elections & Government Affairs

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Voting for artificial entities is done by a natural person designated and filed with the town through
• In contrast, the vast majority of the artificial entities registered to vote in Fenwick are family or
• We have one person, one entity, one vote process.
• What that means is if there's a trust or corporation or other artificial entity who owns one property
• A legal entity may not hold office as a council member, nor do they get a vote in national or federal

Bills: HB344

Committee: Senate Elections & Government Affairs

Keywords: campaign finance, elections, transparency, political committees, reporting requirements, enforcement

Summary: The Senate Elections and Government Affairs Committee heard several election- and campaign-related bills. House Substitute 2 for House Bill 155 would make Public Integrity Commission reports publicly available on the commission’s website, add a specific travel-expense reporting category, and remove the FOIA requirement for accessing reports; Senator Richardson said he supported the transparency measure and asked to be added as a co-sponsor. The committee also took up House Bill 444, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would create state protections against voter suppression and vote dilution, expand language access, prohibit intimidation and deception, and allow court remedies for violations. The bill drew strong support from advocacy groups including YWCA Delaware, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, and the Legal Defense Fund, and several senators voiced support and interest in moving it quickly. House Bill 430, a constitutional amendment proposal, would make explicit that only natural persons may vote in Delaware elections, including municipal elections, in response to concerns about corporate or other artificial-entity voting in some towns. The discussion focused heavily on Fenwick Island, where the mayor testified that the town’s charter has long allowed certain artificial entities to vote in local elections and said the system is limited and has worked for years; other speakers argued the bill was needed to prevent corporate dilution of residents’ votes. Senator Richardson expressed concern about restricting entities with a local stake, while Senator Hoffner and others emphasized the principle of one person, one vote. Senator Townsend presented House Bill 344, which would tighten campaign finance rules by requiring Delaware bank accounts for candidates and committees, recurring training, better documentation of candidate loans, longer record retention, automatic filing extensions, and inactive status for noncompliant committees; one public commenter opposed the bill on cost grounds. He also presented House Bill 448, which would allow campaign funds to be used for reasonable security expenses for candidates and elected officials, with guardrails, and a commenter suggested allowing electronic security systems without a cap. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 472, a local de-annexation measure for Noble’s Pond in Cheswold to remove scattered residential lots from town boundaries and resolve uneven tax treatment; Senator Hoffner noted local law enforcement supported the change. The committee adjourned after hearing no further public comment on HB 472, and the vote to adjourn was unanimous.

Transcript Highlights:

• The pass-through entity tax says that there are 66,000 businesses, small and medium-sized businesses,
• </c> that use the pass-through entity tax. that use the pass-through entity tax. 66,000. 66,000. 66,000
• That's the number that they're paying at these past two entities paid $2 billion.
• <00:17:58.840><c> tax</c> entity tax entity tax that's<00:18:00.080><c> sending</c><00:18:00.440><c>
• </c> these past two entities paid 2 billion. these past two entities paid 2 billion.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• What would that cover?
• What would that cover?
• What would that cover?
• What would that cover?
• What would that cover?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1783, which would expand public-private partnership options for charter school facilities. The Department of Education offered comments, the Charter School Commission and SFA supported the bill, and Hawaii Technology Academy, Hawaii Kids, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, HGA, Aloha Project, and several individuals testified in support, while UPW opposed it. Supporters said charter schools need faster and more flexible ways to address severe facility shortages and high costs, and SFA described the bill as a pilot model that could leverage developer partnerships and state contributions, citing Maryland as an example. Members asked whether the bill was limited to charter schools; DOE said the language could be read to include other public school facilities, but if focused only on charter schools, DOE was less concerned. The Charter School Commission also described an existing public-private preschool model through Parkway Village Preschool and PACTED. The committee then took up HB 1778, which would establish a CIP database for school facilities. SFA supported the bill, saying it would create a more disciplined, transparent basis for funding decisions by documenting facility condition, needed repairs, classification, and timing. DOE initially said it rested on its comments, then responded to questions by saying it already maintains deferred maintenance lists, uses systems such as Maximo, CPT, GIS, and finance software, and sends legislators project-status letters twice a year. DOE said it is working on improving its outward-facing dashboard and integrating its systems, but questioned whether the bill would add value beyond existing tools. Members emphasized the need for a publicly accessible, real-time transparency tool, while DOE said it was still evaluating its current systems and was not yet seeking funding for a new IT program. For HB 2344, creating an Independent Public School Realignment and Closure Commission, DOE said it wants to remain part of any consolidation process to keep students and education central, while SFA said the bill is timely and framed it as a restructuring response to changing conditions and possible federal funding cuts. SFA compared the proposal to the federal BRAC process for military base closures and said Hawaii has the same enrollment as in 1961 but many more schools, arguing that the state needs a more deliberate approach to school closures and land reuse. The Attorney General’s office raised technical concerns about several sections, including unclear references to administrative support, a governor-approval sequence, a possible conflict with existing statutes governing closed-school disposition, and a missing section number. Testimony on HB 2345, which would establish a geographic CIP district, began with DOE in opposition; DOE said the bill would duplicate existing work, add confusion by creating two agencies doing the same thing, and spend money inefficiently because district project coordinators and project lists already exist.

Transcript Highlights:

• What else do you cover? All civil law, housing, and okay, perfect.
• They're in your packets. law um what else do you cover all civil law um what else do you cover all civil
• So, does anything in Chapter 13 cover the information or prohibit you from giving out the information
• The statute covers additional places as well, such as government services and credit, all detailed in
• What you are seeing here is a slide that shows the main areas that are covered in the Minnesota Human

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 633 addresses managing entity reporting and transparency.
• DCF collects information from the managing entities and other sources through numerous reports and data
• From the managing entities and other sources through numerous reports and data points.
• , and improve transparency of managing entities, system performance, and the provision of behavioral
• Managing entities don't pay for Medicaid services.

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee met and took up four bills. First, CS/HB 633 by Rep. Koster on managing entity reporting and transparency for behavioral health services was amended to clarify reporting requirements and timing, and to address the bill’s fiscal implementation through conferencing. Members and one public speaker supported the measure, emphasizing accountability and better use of state funds. The bill was reported favorably. Next, CS/HB 531 by Rep. Hunschofsky on background screenings was amended with a strike-all that would require ACCA to create a public webpage with screening education, level-two screening standards, and a searchable catalog of positions requiring screening. Because the amendment changed the bill’s relating-to clause, the chair noted it would be temporarily postponed under House Rule 7.11D and returned to the committee later. The committee then heard HB 1089 by Rep. Booth, which adds Duchenne muscular dystrophy to the recommended newborn screening panel, subject to appropriation. A parent testified in strong support, describing the benefits of earlier diagnosis and treatment, and several members spoke in favor. The bill was reported favorably. Finally, CS/HB 907 by Rep. Anderson created the Sunshine Genetics Program, an opt-in newborn whole-genome sequencing program, and established the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU and a Sunshine Genetics Consortium. An amendment made funding contingent on appropriations and added Nicholas Children’s Hospital and Florida International University to the consortium board. After supportive testimony and debate, the bill was also reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c> when two when two very<01:25:27.760><c> very</c><01:25:28.320><c> macro</c><01:25:29.199><c> entities
• </c> very very macro entities very very macro entities the<01:25:31.040><c> max</c><01:25:31.440><c>
• Um, Senator Lucero and Senator Duckworth and Senator Rasmusson, we covered a wide variety of issues.
• There is no entity to enforce that.
• So, if this was covered, you'll have to excuse me and cover it again.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes minimum liability requirements and remedies for instances in which a governmental entity
• It is about a half a million to the entity and then also $20,000 to the individual.
• It is about a half a million to the entity and then also $20,000 to the individual.
• It is about a half a million to the entity and then also $20,000 to the individual.
• It is about a half a million to the entity and then also $20,000 to the individual.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, spanning appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal law. Early discussion focused on HB 2148, which would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures discussed included HB 2091 on insurance-related assessment limits, HB 2122 on reciprocity for BTR-related professions, HB 2138 clarifying firefighter workers’ compensation coverage, and HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public money to pay library professional associations. HB 2110, removed from consent, would allow school governing body members to pray at meetings, with members noting Supreme Court precedent supporting such prayer. Several bills addressed school safety and parental rights. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center at the Arizona Department of Education and allow up to 10% of school safety program funds for administration, with supporters citing an audit and lack of oversight. HB 2249 would expand the Parents’ Bill of Rights to require notice if a school employee facilitates social transitioning of a minor and to provide broader access to educational records, with penalties discussed for violations. HB 2074 would add mandatory reporting for anyone in a medical facility who knows a partial-birth abortion is occurring, and HB 2144 would allow child support calculations to begin during pregnancy based on a confirmed pregnancy test and related DNA testing provisions. The committee also took up election-related measures. HB 2022 would make permanent changes tied to the federal Electoral Count Act, including moving Arizona’s primary earlier to preserve military and overseas voting access, while keeping petition dates valid and preserving existing deadlines for candidates. HCM 2001 urged federal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 supported a separate congressional effort involving CARE and related federal review and designation processes; members debated the distinction between direct designation and a request for federal investigation. HCR 2001 proposed a constitutional amendment to limit voting to U.S. citizens, require government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, and end early voting by the Friday before an election. Water, land use, and tax bills were also reviewed. Measures included HB 2024 on snowpack augmentation as a water supply development project, HB 2029 and HB 2030 tightening how Water Conservation Grant Fund money is used, HB 2053 appropriating $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping, HB 2096 expanding revolving fund uses to address cesspools, HB 2097 capping groundwater withdrawal in irrigation non-expansion areas, and HB 2116 funding potential Colorado River litigation. On the tax side, HB 2016 would remove late-filing penalties when no tax is due, HB 2104 and HB 2105 would protect agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and require notice of inspections, and HB 2289 would update truth-in-taxation examples to reflect higher home values. The committee also heard bills on criminal penalties and other matters, including HB 2043 on felony murder involving an unborn child, HB 2045 on discharging a weapon near a vehicle, HB 2131 and HB 2132 on weapons trafficking and fentanyl penalties, and HB 2062 authorizing a Buffalo Soldiers memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of course, we can't forget the years-long cover-up of the Epstein files.
• Of course, we can't forget the years-long cover-up of the Epstein files.
• Of course, we can't forget the years-long cover-up of the Epstein files.
• </c> more as was announced by Covered more as was announced by Covered California<02:54:33.439><c> uh
• </c><05:48:28.878><c> by</c> Michigan and other states covered by Michigan and other states covered by

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• engaged in, or for the purposes of, a law enforcement investigation. ...person or entity engaged in,
• Amendment 286 by Representative Abell provides that a person or entity that brings a court action to
• Amendment 277 requires the Attorney General to reimburse a person or entity for any cost incurred in
• Amendment 277 requires the Attorney General to reimburse a person or entity for any cost incurred in
• The effect of this amendment is to exempt religious organizations from being among the entities.

Bills: SB5536 , SB5868 , SJM8006 , SB6011

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: divorce, dissolution, marriage, domestic partnership, property division, real property, community property, separate property, liabilities, family law, equitable distribution, court order, personal jurisdiction, absent spouse, absent domestic partner, creditors, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, home equity, family home

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires certain government entities other than counties and cities to complete the review of a project
• official position, office, or functional unit to coordinate with other departments or government entities
• House Bill 2140 exempts land sold or transferred to a governmental entity from additional tax when the
• land is removed from an open space classification if the governmental entity is a local jurisdiction
• The governmental entity will retain the land at its current use classification or will use the land for

Bills: HB2272

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: ski areas, winter sports, terminology update, recreation, regulatory changes, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• official position, office, or functional unit to coordinate with other departments or government entities
• House Bill 2140 exempts land sold or transferred to a governmental entity from additional tax when the
• land is removed from an open space classification if the governmental entity is a local jurisdiction
• The purpose of the sale or transfer is to meet conditions set forth by the governmental entity to enable
• The governmental entity will retain the land at its current use classification or will use the land for

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee held its final hearing of the session and took executive action on four bills. House Bill 2272 updates terminology related to ski areas and winter sports activities, including ski lift device inspection and liability insurance language. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2418 revises local permit review processes for residential projects, including completeness determinations, deadlines for reviews by certain entities, fee refunds for missed deadlines, and requirements for a responsible official and single point of contact; a proposed striking amendment clarified referral procedures for special purpose and public utility districts and adjusted timelines from calendar to business days. The committee also considered Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2451, which changes local tax increment financing rules by adding sunset and construction-start deadlines, modifying project analysis requirements, and creating a negotiation, mediation, and arbitration process with impacted taxing districts. Substitute House Bill 2140 exempts certain land transferred to a governmental entity from additional tax when the transfer supports development under current use classification and the land remains in current use or is used for supporting infrastructure. Fiscal notes were discussed for the bills, including notable local government costs for HB 2418. All four bills received do pass recommendations and were sent to the appropriate next committees: HB 2272 and SHB 2140 to Rules, E2SHB 2418 to Rules after adoption of the striking amendment, and E2SHB 2451 to Ways and Means. Votes were unanimous or near-unanimous, with one senator noting concerns about the cost and implementation burden of HB 2418 and voting without recommendation. The meeting then concluded with thanks to staff and a brief celebration before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It recreates entities transferred to or placed within the Office of the Governor.
• According to the 2025 auditor report, we have 489 boards, commissions, and like entities.
• So your next step was to notify all of these entities? Let me ask you.
• Next step was to notify all of these entities.
• And so I think we would have to do is look at that entity.

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 338, which would recreate certain entities transferred to or placed within the Office of the Governor. Representative Carver described it as a sunset measure, and the committee quickly moved it favorable without objection. House Bill 379 followed, expanding eligibility for election commissioners to include 17-year-olds who are in the 11th grade or equivalent homeschool level rather than only the 12th grade. Members briefly discussed the bill’s youth sponsor, Owen Estey, and the bill was also reported favorable without objection. The most extensive discussion centered on House Bill 861 by Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson, which would eliminate inactive, outdated, or unnecessary state boards, commissions, and related entities. The bill came with a large amendment package that removed some entities, added others, and made technical corrections based on the legislative auditor’s annual report and follow-up review. Members questioned how entities were identified, whether they had been notified, and whether some boards should remain because they still serve a purpose, especially the Waste Tire Task Force. The sponsor said the goal was to streamline government and that he had contacted about 85% of the affected entities; he also said some items in the package were local and therefore excluded. After adopting amendments 17 and 18, the committee reported the bill favorable as amended. House Bill 202 by Representative McMakin would require job advertisements for classified state positions to include salary information and require applicants to be notified when a position is filled or they are rejected. An amendment narrowed the bill to classified positions only. State Civil Service Director Byron Deccato testified that the system already posts salary ranges and sends notices when agencies properly update the hiring system, but that compliance depends on agency staff and some agencies are slow to close out postings. Members expressed frustration that applicants can be left waiting without notice, while Deccato said Civil Service audits agencies and is willing to work on the issue. The bill remained under discussion at the end of the transcript.