Transcript Highlights:

• We have some of the rural parts in our state, particularly along the Iowa line and along the Oklahoma

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Budget Committee heard budget presentations from the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance and then the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. For Commerce and Insurance, Director Angela Nelson and budget staff outlined the department’s largely non-GR funding structure and reviewed the divisions regulating insurance, finance, credit unions, professional registration, the Public Service Commission, and the Office of Public Counsel. Members focused heavily on insurance affordability, rate review, consumer complaints, and outreach, including a new education initiative aimed at reducing uninsured and underinsured homeowners after severe storms. The department also described a new qualified membership organization workload tied to Senate Bill 79, a market-growth request to support special purpose life reinsurance captives, and the transition of the Office of Public Counsel to a new fee-funded structure under Senate Bill 4. Several members asked about rate-setting authority, refunds, high-risk pools, flood coverage, and whether more disclosure or agent education should be required; the director said the department can scrutinize filings, order refunds, and already recovers substantial consumer dollars, including a reported $46.2 million in 2025. The committee also received updates on the Division of Professional Registration’s new MoPro licensing system, which was described as being live for one year and operating within budget using ARPA funds. Officials reported large volumes of online payments, renewals, and account claims, and said the system has improved licensing speed and transparency. Members asked for follow-up information on unexpected fund balances, salary parity for finance examiners, and the status of the Office of Public Counsel funding shift. The presentation concluded with routine fund transfers and no votes or formal committee actions on the department budget items during the hearing. The committee then heard from Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Director Anna Hugh, who also discussed her new role overseeing the Movers IT modernization project after a Guidehouse review and a pause recommendation under HB 5. She said she is reviewing the project, reworking governance, and coordinating with cabinet members and legislative representatives to help guide the system to completion. In the budget overview, she said DOLIR is requesting $341.8 million and 787.63 FTE for FY 2027, down from the prior year request, with reductions tied to lower expected caseloads and the winding down of federal and CARES Act funding. She highlighted modernization work in unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems, a projected 12% UI tax reduction for most employers, and ongoing safety and labor standards programs. The hearing ended while the department was still in the middle of its presentation, with no votes taken before the committee recessed for floor activity.

Transcript Highlights:

• Iowa Gardens was a perfect example.

Bills: HB48, HB66, HB68, HB71, HB75, HB164, HB171, HB254, SB3, SB18, HB123, HB149, HB117

Keywords: HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, missing persons alerts, accessible alerts, hearing impaired

Summary: The committee met in special session to hear a series of flood, preparedness, and youth-camp safety bills, with members repeatedly noting that many of the measures were intended as planning, warning, or authority-clarifying bills rather than direct spending bills. House Bill 254 would expand eligibility for the Rural Infrastructure Disaster Recovery Program to include Kerr County and 18 other flood-affected counties by raising the GDP cap and lowering the poverty threshold; it drew no opposition and was left pending. House Bill 68 would direct a study of flood mitigation in flatland areas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, to develop cost-effective drainage and infrastructure recommendations; local officials and advocates supported it, and it was also left pending. The committee then heard several youth camp bills tied to the recent Hill Country flooding. House Bill 75 would impose flood-aware building and site standards for youth camps near floodplains, and House Bill 71 would require camps and youth activity entities to submit emergency preparedness plans to TDEM, coordinate with local responders, and maintain readiness protocols; both bills were supported by safety advocates and camp representatives, and both were left pending. House Bill 171 would require campgrounds near flood-prone waters to give written flood-risk notice to campers and obtain signed acknowledgment; it was presented as informed consent and left pending. Testimony on these bills emphasized Camp Mystic and other recent flood tragedies, with some witnesses urging broader building-code and floodplain reforms. The committee also heard House Bill 117, which would let counties regulate impervious cover for flood mitigation in unincorporated areas. Supporters, including county officials, environmental groups, and residents, argued that rapid development in the Hill Country and other growing areas is worsening runoff and downstream flooding; opponents from the builders’ association said counties already have substantial authority and warned about overreach into rural property use. After extensive testimony, the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 18 would streamline permitting for certain flood control districts to repair dams and reservoirs and build small holding areas, and it was left pending after supportive testimony from Plum Creek Conservation District. Senate Bill 3 would create a state-backed outdoor flood warning siren program for identified flood-prone areas, funded through a grant program; witnesses generally supported it, though some cautioned that sirens are not sufficient by themselves and may not be heard indoors or in overnight storms. It too was left pending. The committee also began hearing House Bill 149 on public-safety radio interoperability, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full testimony or action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And states like Florida, Iowa, Georgia, New Jersey, and Wisconsin have already enacted laws. ...allowing

Bills: HB240, HB2097, HB2731, HB3087, HB3234, HB3319, HB3394, HB3687, HB4105, HB4205, HB4350, HB4462, HB4642, HB4801, HB5403, HB240

Keywords: quorum, tax levy, county governance, local government, population regulations, quorum requirement, Texas counties, population threshold, deputy sheriff, civil service, law enforcement, appeals process, sheriff's department, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code

Transcript Highlights:

• About 35,000 Iowa farmers and small business owners have maintained these health insurance coverage with

Keywords: Michael Falkender, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, IRS, taxpayer privacy, nomination process, committee hearing

Summary: The committee convened to discuss critical issues surrounding the nomination of Michael Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. This meeting included a series of remarks from committee members who expressed divergent views on Falkender's qualifications and the implications of his appointment. Senator Wyden voiced strong opposition, arguing that Falkender represents harmful policies expected to be perpetuated under the current administration, especially concerning taxpayer privacy and IRS tactics. Meanwhile, other members defended Falkender, noting his extensive experience, including a commitment to transparency in government operations if confirmed.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I grew up on a farm in Iowa.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard a series of bills, beginning with HB 759, which would lower Florida’s minimum age to purchase or transfer firearms from 21 to 18. The bill drew strong opposition from gun-violence prevention groups, Parkland survivors and families, and several members who argued the current law was enacted after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting and should not be reversed. Supporters, including gun-rights advocates and some members, argued 18-year-olds are legal adults who serve in the military, vote, and should have full Second Amendment rights. After debate, the committee voted 13-5 to report HB 759 favorably. The committee then unanimously approved HB 431, extending Level 2 background screening requirements for youth athletic coaches through July 1, 2026, and HB 231, which keeps certain medical examiner information confidential, both with little opposition. It also approved HB 663, increasing penalties for unlawfully using tracking devices or apps in furtherance of dangerous crimes, after adopting a technical amendment, and HB 845, which clarifies the intake process for Veterans Treatment Court and removes Veterans Hall of Fame language from the bill. Each of those measures passed without recorded opposition. Members also approved PCS for HB 255, known as Dexter’s Law, which creates a sentencing multiplier for aggravated animal cruelty cases. The bill was presented as a response to a high-profile dog abuse case and was supported by animal welfare and law enforcement groups; members cited animal cruelty as a predictor of broader violence. The committee then approved HB 1021, allowing active law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons at sporting events, after debate over identification, venue procedures, and whether the bill should extend more broadly; it passed 16-1. Finally, HB 653, adding aggravating factors for capital felonies involving the assassination or attempted assassination of a head of state, was reported favorably after brief discussion about federal penalties and deterrence. The transcript ends as the committee begins hearing HB 6025, a repeal bill related to emergency restrictions on firearms during local states of emergency, but the discussion is cut off before action is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• I can recall a snowy night in Iowa where I was one of the few members of the body that was solely defending

Transcript Highlights:

• world going through what I was going through, that in my lifetime an openly gay person would win the Iowa
• LIFETIME, AN OPENLY AGAINST PERSON WOULD WIN THE IOWA CAUCUS TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, I

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the journal, and then moved through a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills for third reading. The chamber also received and accepted a Finance Committee report on nominations for Kathleen Mosier as Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Terrence O’Leary as Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and John Kagia as Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management. All three nominees were confirmed, with Mosier and O’Leary confirmed unanimously and Kagia confirmed 57-1, with Senator Walczyk voting no. The Senate adopted previously approved resolutions recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and mourning the death of Susan Irene Wright of Harlem. Senators Brisport and Bottcher spoke at length in support of Pride Month, emphasizing LGBTQ+ history, resilience, and ongoing threats to the trans community. On the Susan Wright resolution, Senators Cleare, Bailey, and Bottcher praised her community leadership, philanthropy, and family legacy, and Assembly Member Jordan Wright was recognized in the chamber. The body then considered and passed many bills on the calendar, including measures on insurance, environmental conservation, public health, education, business law, labor, social services, highway law, and local tax exemptions. Several bills drew brief explanations of vote, including a measure to end higher insurance premiums for widows, a bill to prohibit correctional facilities from denying visitation because of menstrual products or IUDs, and a Medicaid-related bill to expand access to blood pressure monitors for pregnant people. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable opposition from a small group of senators. Late in the session, the Senate took up a proposed constitutional amendment on redistricting. Senator Stewart-Cousins sponsored the measure, and Senator Walczyk questioned it extensively, arguing voters had previously approved an independent redistricting process and objecting to changes that would remove the Legislature’s two-thirds map-approval requirement and alter the commission’s role. The sponsor said the changes were needed in response to aggressive partisan redistricting in other states and would still require voter ratification in future sessions. The transcript ends during that debate, with no final vote on the amendment shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• ambulance serves 225 square miles, including the southeastern corner of Minnesota and into northern Iowa
• ambulance serves 225 square miles, including the southeastern corner of Minnesota and into northern Iowa

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had multiple bills as long as I've been here and probably 20 years before that after Iowa did a
• and probably 20 years before<01:18:06.400><c> that</c><01:18:07.280><c> after</c><01:18:07.679><c> Iowa

Bills: HF3793, HF3699, HF793, HF3322, HF3426

Keywords: groundwater, water use permit, data centers, public health, environmental regulations, municipalities, state park license plate, specialty license plate, Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources, license plate design contest, North Shore, Lake Superior Agate, AI-generated art, artificial intelligence, Minnesota resident, state parks, specialty plates, vehicle registration, contest requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• In October 2023, the Iowa Attorney General determined that 98% of the transactions facilitated by Bitcoin
• My name is Claire Wolfson, joining you this morning from Des Moines, Iowa.

Bills: HB0098, HB0075, HB0041, HB0101

Keywords: gun control, Second Amendment, constitutional rights, misdemeanor, law enforcement, virtual currency, kiosk, financial institutions, regulation, Wyoming Money Transmitters Act, penalties, death benefits, retirement, survivor support, public safety, guardianship, monitoring, ward protection, financial independence, case management

Transcript Highlights:

• Kevin McCaslin on behalf of Iowa Park. CISD and yourself testifying for the bill is that correct?
• Iowa Park has used norm reference testing for its teacher incentive allotment.

Bills: HB4, HB54, SB 10, SB 24, HB4, HB54, HB775, HB850, HB 1122, HB 1249, HB1405, HB2336, HB2757, HB3372, HB3622, HB4442, HB4687, HB4893, HB5089, HB5515, HB5606, SB10, SB24, HB1573, HB3369

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, citizenship, U.S. citizen, non-citizen, public office, advisory board, task force, state government, local government, political subdivision, commission board, appointment eligibility, officeholder qualifications, public service, naturalization, Texas Government Code

Transcript Highlights:

• She said she also attended medical school for three and a half years at the University of Iowa, but was
• three and a half years at the University three and a half years at the University of<00:19:58.280><c> Iowa

Bills: HF44, HF2102, HF2279, HF2280, HF2281

Keywords: HF44, Casey Jones State Trail, Pipestone Trailhead, Currie Loop, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment, state bonds, bond proceeds fund, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, trail rehabilitation, trail reconstruction, recreational trail, bike trail, hiking trail, infrastructure, state trail, Pipestone, Currie, bonding authorization

Transcript Highlights:

• I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Iowa, Mr.
• Taxpayers across Iowa are seeing real relief through bigger refunds and higher take-home pay delivered
• I just want to point out that my friend from Iowa is facing a situation in his district where 12,000
• I just want to point out that my friend from Iowa is facing a situation in his district where 12,000

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of those turned deadly, hitting a Boy Scout camp near Little Sioux, Iowa.
• hitting a boy scout camp near<00:27:06.799><c> Little</c><00:27:07.039><c> Sue,</c><00:27:07.360><c> Iowa
• /c><00:27:08.080><c> Four</c><00:27:08.320><c> boys</c><00:27:08.640><c> were</c> near Little Sue, Iowa
• Four boys were near Little Sue, Iowa.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've had to this summer lay off 60 full-time staff who worked from Canada to Iowa to help people be healthy
• full-time staff who worked from Canada full-time staff who worked from Canada to<02:37:18.000><c> Iowa
• </c> to Iowa to Iowa to<02:37:20.720><c> help</c><02:37:21.040><c> people</c><02:37:21.520><c> be</c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hurricane Katrina, when communities from Florida to North Carolina were swamped by Hurricane Helene, when Iowa
• were swamped by Hurricane helina<00:16:56.880><c> uh</c><00:16:57.000><c> when</c><00:16:57.360><c> Iowa
• faced</c><00:16:58.480><c> d</c><00:16:58.880><c> ruction</c><00:16:59.360><c> from</c> helina uh when Iowa
• faced d ruction from helina uh when Iowa faced d ruction from high<00:16:59.839><c> winds</c><00:17:

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

Transcript Highlights:

• budgetary increase on their subs or their taxing districts, so maybe a look at what they've done down in Iowa

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• budgetary increase on their subs or their taxing districts, so maybe a look at what they've done down in Iowa

Summary: The committee met to receive updates from the Tax Commissioner’s office on property tax relief programs and related compliance work. Commissioner Brian Croshys reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting that the Homestead program expanded significantly after HB 1158, that some households are “adjusting out” of eligibility as incomes rise, and that the committee may want to consider indexing income thresholds. Members asked for additional data on bracket breakdowns, possible costs of eliminating income limits for seniors, and how many households are zeroed out by the combined programs. Croshys also discussed the simpler administration of the disabled veteran credit, the growth in participation, and the heavy workload and auditing safeguards built into the new primary residence credit system. He said the department found no material compliance findings and that the program is designed to be digital-first, with county auditors and the Tax Commissioner’s office both involved in review and notification. The committee recessed for lunch and later reconvened, with the chair noting that more detailed PRC information would likely be available at a September meeting. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase, or “zero growth,” report and the 2025 statistical report. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and which jurisdictions showed the largest percentage changes in countywide, citywide, school district, and park district levies. In the statistical report, she summarized recent trends in assessed values: agricultural values remained relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed property values increased over the past five years. She also reviewed statewide tax levies by property class and clarified that centrally assessed growth figures were annual averages. Members discussed how shifts in land use and annexation can make it appear that tax burdens are moving from ag to residential/commercial property. Myers then summarized the interim study on the 3% levy limitation under HB 1176, saying most counties complied without budget changes, while some used hiring freezes, deferred purchases, or reserve funds; 23% of counties had to reduce levies, and the affected funds were mainly general, road and bridge, and weed control. She said 12 counties reported zero new growth in the data and that 35 counties reported not using all of their cap. The committee also received an oil tax presentation from Croshys on the stripper well extraction tax exemption. He outlined the number of active stripper wells, the production and revenue implications of the exemption, and projections for future biennia under different tax scenarios. He said the exemption represents substantial savings to operators but also corresponds to production tax revenue that would otherwise be collected, and he emphasized that future outcomes depend on oil prices, well counts, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly answered a question about why Red River wells have a different production threshold than Bakken wells, explaining it was tied to completion costs and lateral length. The committee then heard from Charlie Gorecki of the EERC, who presented an analysis of typical Bakken well decline curves and argued that most oil is produced before a well reaches stripper status, but that keeping wells open and investing in refracturing or other interventions can recover additional production. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting; the main actions were receiving reports, asking for follow-up data, and scheduling further discussion for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• budgetary increase on their subs or their taxing districts, so maybe a look at what they've done down in Iowa

Summary: The Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met with a quorum, approved the March 17, 2026 minutes, and heard a lengthy update from Tax Commissioner Brian Croshys on property tax relief programs. He reviewed the Homestead Property Tax Credit, Disabled Veteran Credit, and Primary Residence Credit, noting increased relief after House Bill 1158 and House Bill 1176, but also discussing how some households “income adjust out” of eligibility over time. Members asked about indexing income thresholds, expanding eligibility by age alone, simplifying administration, county-level notices, and whether the county and state systems could be streamlined. Croshys said the programs are heavily used, largely administered at the county level, and that the department is still refining compliance and reporting; he also said there were no material findings or overarching concerns in the latest review. The committee agreed more detailed PRC information would likely come back in a September meeting, and the chair announced an afternoon recess for lunch before later reconvening. Shelly Myers then presented the statewide property tax increase report, the zero-growth report, and a statistical report on property values and tax levies by class. She explained how county auditors report levy and valuation data, how increases and decreases are counted, and identified counties and cities with the largest percentage changes in growth or decline. She also summarized recent trends: agricultural values remain relatively flat, while residential, commercial, and centrally assessed values have risen over the last five years; in 2025, residential property accounted for the largest share of statewide property tax levies, followed by commercial, agriculture, and centrally assessed property. Committee members asked about unusual zero-growth figures, the effect of annexation and land-use changes, and whether the 3% levy cap was forcing political subdivisions to use reserves or defer spending. Myers said many counties complied by using reserves, delaying capital projects, or limiting increases, and that some counties had not used their full cap. The committee then moved to the stripper oil extraction tax exemption. Commissioner Croshys reviewed the state’s oil tax structure and estimated the revenue impact of keeping stripper wells exempt from extraction tax while still paying production tax. He said the exemption saves operators hundreds of millions of dollars over a biennium, while the state still collects production tax on those wells. He also discussed projected impacts if the exemption were changed for future wells and noted that future outcomes depend on oil prices, production declines, and technology such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Nathan Anderson of the Department of Mineral Resources briefly explained the historical difference between the 35-barrel and 30-barrel thresholds for certain wells, citing differences in completion costs and lateral lengths. The committee then heard from EERC CEO Charles Gorecki, who presented an analysis of oil well life cycles and said most oil is produced before wells reach stripper status, but that refracturing or other reinvestment can significantly extend production and keep wells above the threshold for years.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's a truck coming from somewhere down in Sioux City, Iowa.

Keywords: 908, all