Transcript Highlights:

• Members, we have a program here at 11 a.m.
• One is the WIC program, Women, Infants, and Children, is a program run by the government, and it's very
• You cannot buy soda or chips or candy on the WIC program.
• We had a bill, HB 2224, which is our produce incentive program for a program called Double Up Food Bucks
• We could be having programs that benefit people, like our Double Up Food Bucks program.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Fred Kogan. Members also introduced numerous guests and groups, including Lunar New Year celebrants, Freedom Academy students, local officials from Nogales and Santa Cruz County, and representatives of Phoenix Ballet, which was honored in a proclamation recognizing National Ballet Day and the company’s contributions to Arizona’s arts community. The chamber also announced committee assignments, upcoming committee meetings, and several birthday and event notices, including African American Legislative Day and a statehood celebration for Arizona. On third reading, House Bill 2190, relating to the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants and the Physician Assistant Compact, failed on a 20-38 vote after debate over licensing compacts and rural health workforce needs. House Bill 2206, relating to SNAP rulemaking, passed 33-25 after a dispute over whether it created new rulemaking authority; supporters said it clarified existing authority and would help administer the program, while opponents argued it improperly delegated legislative power. House Bill 2396, also relating to SNAP and food restrictions, passed 34-25 after extensive debate about whether the state should limit purchases by low-income families; supporters framed it as promoting healthier choices and responsible use of public funds, while opponents argued it was paternalistic and harmful in food deserts. During the SNAP debate, members on both sides cited food access, nutrition, personal freedom, and the cost of living. Supporters referenced WIC restrictions, school lunch standards, and concerns about taxpayer-funded benefits, while opponents emphasized food deserts, rising prices, and the need for families to make their own choices. After the votes, the House recessed briefly, then returned for additional announcements and procedural business, including committee substitutions, bill referrals, and first reading of HB 4097. The House then adjourned until Monday, February 16, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:25.519><c> related</c><00:09:25.839><c> to</c> programs or other programs uh related to programs
• from a department program.
• Section 14 allows a program participant excluded from that program to request a contested case hearing
• </c> teacher preparation grant program. teacher preparation grant program.
• </c><00:27:03.840><c> without</c> unemployment insurance program without unemployment insurance program

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We issued an unmodified opinion on the federal program, a clean opinion on the federal program.
• The three programs that we audited this year were the mortgage insurance program, the Ginnie Mae program
• That program maintains all of that information.
• That program maintains all of that information.
• A child care workforce incentive program, a program that we had never had in North Dakota.

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and a review of the state’s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and the Office of Management and Budget reported a clean opinion on the state’s financial statements and described continued growth in net position, strong general fund balance, and significant Legacy Fund investment income. Committee members asked about how the report reflects long-term finances and how North Dakota compares with other states, and OMB noted that the ACFR is based on audited actual results rather than budget forecasts. The committee then heard the North Dakota University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund construction money, insufficient monitoring of service organizations, improper bank reconciliations at several campuses, and investment/cash recording issues at Bismarck State College. University System officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations and greater use of shared services. Members also questioned practices such as campus use of certificates of deposit and whether repeated findings were being adequately addressed. Additional audits were presented for the State Fair Association, State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Securities Department, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Most received clean opinions with no findings; exceptions included a repeat component-unit issue at the State Fair Foundation, a securities personnel-evaluation finding, and a Housing Finance Agency finding involving a late return of escrow surplus. The committee also discussed broader oversight issues, including the need for independent auditing of the Ethics Commission, possible legislative changes to give the State Auditor more subpoena power and independent legal counsel, and future work on data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, and audit capacity. The meeting recessed for lunch after these discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh many county jails offer some of these programs but many more uh would expand those programming if
• Uh many county jails offer some of these programs but many more uh would expand those programming if
• Uh many county jails offer some of these programs but many more uh would expand those programming if
• Uh many county jails offer some of these programs but many more uh would expand those programming if
• Uh many county jails offer some of these programs but many more uh would expand those programming if

Keywords: Reupload to restore attendance roll call Roll Call 00:00:00 Approval of Minutes from September Meeting 00:00:24 Presentation of the Kentucky Association of Counties Legislative Platform for the Upcoming 2026 Session 00:01:48 Discussion of Legislation Concerning Firefighter Death Benefits 00:35:43 Discussion of DNA Collection in Jails for Felony Arrests 00:45:52 Discussion of Federal Immigration Law Enforcement 00:54:18 Adjournment 01:15:39, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its sixth meeting, established a quorum, and approved the minutes from the October 21 meeting. The main agenda item was a presentation from Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) leaders and county officials on jail funding and jail-system reform. Speakers said county jail costs have reached crisis levels, citing large and rising general-fund subsidies in counties such as Hardin, McCracken, and Warren, and noting that county general-fund contributions to jail funds have increased by 76% since 2019. KACo outlined a three-part legislative approach for the upcoming session: incentivizing regional jails, clarifying responsibility for pre-trial felony detainees, and redefining the model for housing state inmates in county jails. On regional jails, they proposed one-time state construction funding, statutory changes to allow former county jails to serve as 96-hour holdover facilities, broader participation of jailers on regional jail authority boards, an increased supplement for closed county jails, and a one-time payment for counties that close local jails and join regional facilities. Union County Judge Adam Onan described his county’s savings from contracting with Webster County and said regionalization can reduce costs where feasible. Harlan County Judge Executive Dan Mosley focused on pre-trial felony detainees, saying counties bear the full cost of housing people awaiting trial for long periods, sometimes years, and that pre-trial time is later credited toward state sentences. He argued the state benefits from that credit and referenced prior bills that would have reimbursed counties for time-served credit. Shelley Hampton then proposed replacing the current per diem model for state inmates with contracts requiring the Department of Corrections to pay actual housing costs and to support programming such as substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavioral programming, re-entry services, workforce training, and academics. No votes were taken on the jail proposals, and the meeting ended with the presentation and discussion of the county recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not going to vote to repeal the<00:18:28.640><c> program.</c> the program. the program.
• Now, of the three programs, one of them is a straight training program.
• ><c> and</c> program, why not look at the program and program, why not look at the program and and<01
• </c> advantage program. advantage program. Okay. Okay. Okay.
• </c> advantage program. advantage program.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee worked through several HB 2 budget amendments, focusing first on energy-related transfers and then on judicial funding. For the energy item, members discussed moving remaining money from the renewable energy fund into the general fund for the biennium, with later-year amounts going to the general fund rather than ratepayers. They noted the proposal was based on prior House Bill 111 language, that the exact amount was still being worked out with the Department of Energy, and that some language about “incentive payments” was being removed or clarified. Amendment 1211H was moved and adopted on a 5-4 vote. The committee then considered amendment 1040 on the governor’s scholarship fund, which would eliminate the program and sweep uncommitted funds. Members supporting the program argued it helps New Hampshire students afford in-state college and should be reworked rather than repealed; opponents said the remaining balance was limited and the program should be ended. Amendment 1040 was defeated 4-5. The committee then turned to a judicial council request tied to a Franklin Pierce criminal justice clinic that had previously used ARPA funds. Supporters said the clinic cleared 323 cases in nine months, provided training for future attorneys, and could reduce more expensive assigned-counsel costs by helping the public defender system handle cases more efficiently. The amendment would add $100,000 to the judicial council line for that purpose. There was some confusion over the line item and whether the request should be attributed to the judicial branch or judicial council, which was corrected during discussion. Members also discussed a larger issue: the judicial council’s budget request appeared lower than intended because of a possible clerical error in how prior-year funding was calculated, especially after the last budget combined HB 1 and HB 2 funding. The committee compared the public defender line and assigned counsel line, noting that if public defender funding is cut, more cases would shift to assigned counsel, which is more expensive. No final vote on the judicial council amendment is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• to that program we're making adjustments to that program then<00:09:36.360><c> that</c><00:09:36.480>
• UI program is a very large program that DEED administers now.
• UI program is a very large program that DEED administers now.
• They've done kind of similar analyses for state programs and private programs around the country.
• it's an important program.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• New York's three-year program is $3 billion or $149 per capita.
• be the highest program per capita in the nation.
• The programs that are run by public benefits like Mass Save are large programs.
• A decade later, that program has cost $6.2 billion.
• You have been paying into this program on everything.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that the public school has is really great sports programs.
• So we're trying to do as best we can with the sports program, like the public schools.
• You mentioned that a couple of school districts you'd talked to about this program, or shared this program
• preparation programs.
• The governor's had a really aggressive K-3 reading program. We've decided that's where it is.

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee heard a presentation from Dr. Ed Kates, headmaster of Kootenai Classical Academy, describing the Hillsdale College charter school model and its emphasis on classical education, virtue development, Socratic discussion, phonics, limited technology use, constitutional history, and sports. He highlighted the school’s rapid growth, strong waitlists, spelling bee success, and student achievement, and answered questions about how new schools are founded, why some districts have declined the curriculum, the role of music, the purpose of education, and the school’s per-student cost. Committee members generally praised the school’s approach and discussed broader concerns about education focused too narrowly on jobs or testing. The committee then heard from Dr. Sally Brown of the Idaho Higher Education Literacy Partnership (I-HELP), joined by colleagues from NNU and Boise State. She explained that I-HELP works across Idaho’s higher education institutions to strengthen teacher preparation in the science of reading, revise literacy standards and assessments, and support literacy initiatives statewide. She described the partnership’s concept and competency guides, reliability and validity work on assessments, and a literacy learning lab at the College of Idaho that trains pre-service tutors and supports first-grade reading intervention. Members asked about collaboration with BYU-Idaho, whether the effort is improving teacher readiness, and how the state’s K-3 reading investments are working; Brown said the state is moving in the right direction but emphasized the need for continued teacher preparation, mentoring, and instructional coaching. No formal votes or committee actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• We used to have a litter program. program that worked with the cities, and the cities were allocated
• And we're not talking about a 25-year program.
• during fiscal year 2024, these programs included.
• Implement this program. We're going to do this to implement this program.
• What to do with a program like this.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Skills Training Corporation program Skills Training Corporation program today.<00:03:30.720><c>
• programs.
• So uh the reimbursement program.
• . program. program.
• </c> are more attracted to the cash program. are more attracted to the cash program.

Keywords: Cabinet for Economic Development – Bluegrass State Skills Corporation Overview 02:35 ----Discussion of BR 868, 2026 Regular Session 24:08, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call and approval of the August 21 minutes. The main presentation was from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development on the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation (BSSC), which was created in 1984 and is administratively tied to the cabinet. Staff explained that BSSC supports workforce training for companies in Kentucky through two main programs: the grant-in-aid reimbursement program and the skills training investment tax credit. They also described the board’s structure, quarterly meetings, annual audit, and the metropolitan tax credit tied to UPS in Louisville, along with public-private training consortia supported by the program. The cabinet outlined eligibility and funding rules: applicants must be qualified companies, trainees must be full-time Kentucky residents meeting wage requirements, and eligible training includes in-house company-specific training, train-the-trainer efforts, safety/OSHA training, and outside training through KCTCS or other providers. Grant-in-aid is a 50% reimbursement program capped at $75,000 per company per fiscal year and $2,000 per trainee, while the tax credit is capped annually and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are scored based on county tier, wages, workforce development activity, veteran hiring, participation in consortia, and job growth. Members asked for data on trainees and industries served, and staff said they could provide it. They also discussed coordination with other workforce programs, especially KCTCS and the state’s TRAIN program, to avoid overlap and double dipping. Several members asked about program usage and differences between fiscal years. Staff said the tax credit is less popular because it is not refundable and requires tax liability, while grant-in-aid is more attractive because it is cash reimbursement. They said lower or delayed spending in some years can reflect one-year training windows, reimbursement lag, new facilities ramping up, consortia activity, and special allocations such as those tied to Ford facilities. Questions also covered support for new businesses, which staff said can receive favorable scoring for new jobs and may have funds set aside for new location projects. On veterans, staff said they connect companies to Kentucky Valor and other resources, but the program does not track veteran retention outcomes. The final discussion was on a draft bill related to the Kentucky Horse Park and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Representative Vanessa Gracel and Kentucky Horse Park President Lee Carter explained that the proposal is intended to help the park maintain integrity and protect athletes, volunteers, coaches, trainers, and guests from abuse and misconduct. They described SafeSport’s federal role in Olympic and Paralympic sports and said they hope to move the draft forward as legislation in 2026. No votes were taken on the BSSC presentation or the horse park discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have before you a new consolidated rule chapter on federal welfare programs, and then the following
• We have before you a new consolidated rule chapter on federal welfare programs, and then the following
• that are necessary in rule to administer the program that are not stated in state law or in federal
• So, yeah, it's necessary to carry out the program. Any further questions?
• Can you give me any dollar figure on what kind of money this program is expending at this point?

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee met with a quorum and first considered RS 33132, the “expanded medical freedom” bill sponsored by Representative Beiswenger. The bill would clarify school and daycare vaccine language, make immunization registry participation voluntary, prevent local governments from preempting the Medical Freedom Act, and adjust employer-related travel vaccination provisions. Representative Egbert raised concerns about possible conflicts with state and federal medical-document requirements for employment, and Representative Furman said the statement of purpose was misleading. The committee voted to introduce RS 33132. The committee then took up several Department of Health and Welfare rule dockets. It approved a consolidated federal welfare programs chapter and repealed separate TANF and LIHEAP chapters as part of the consolidation. During discussion, members asked whether TANF had any vaccination-related requirements and about LIHEAP funding; the department said it was not aware of any TANF vaccination requirement and that LIHEAP is entirely federally funded at $22.6 million. The committee next handled Medicaid rule dockets tied to House Bill 345, which had removed several Medicaid rule sections from the administrative code with the expectation they would be repromulgated in a single chapter. The department said the updates were mostly consolidations and cleanup, including case management for certain HCBS waiver participants, removing an age-18 requirement for some personal care providers, aligning extraordinary care definitions with federal guidance, removing obsolete Healthy Connections language, and adding speech-language pathology assistants as providers. The committee extended a temporary Medicaid docket to July 1, 2026, approved the corresponding pending rule, and also approved the repeal of the Consumer Directed Services chapter. The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• and county assistance programs.
• and county assistance programs.
• as well this is a accessing this program as well this is a program<00:11:05.320><c> myself</c><00:11
• </c> again this the success of this program again this the success of this program is<00:21:38.720><c
• </c><00:31:38.600><c> that's</c> sprinkler system grant program that's sprinkler system grant program

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've had a few questions on what a family transition program is.
• It refers to itself as a family transition program.
• and those programs exist within a professional... ...mandates participation in a vaguely defined program
• It's a private program, so I would not.
• Who's going to make this program? Who's going to pay for this program to be made?

Committee: Joint Child Custody Review Task Force

Summary: The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up draft legislation to create a future interim committee to study the feasibility of a family court in North Dakota. Beth outlined the draft’s purpose, proposed 15-member membership, and the study topics, including constitutional authority, court structure, jurisdiction, fiscal impact, implementation, and possible phased-in approaches. Members discussed committee composition at length, ultimately agreeing to keep the committee at 15 by reducing legislative members from eight to six, adding two judges from different judicial districts, two family law section members with rural/urban representation, one parent subject to a custody order, and a clerk of court representative; the self-help, mental health, and domestic violence positions were debated, with domestic violence advocacy retained and some other positions removed or replaced. The committee also agreed to include analysis of state and local fiscal impacts and efficiencies, and to keep the provision on procedural rules in the draft. The revised draft was approved and recommended to Legislative Management, with one recorded no vote from Judge Hovey after the fact. The committee then turned to a second draft dealing with mandatory participation in a family transition program in contested parental-rights cases. Members first clarified that the term should be changed to a more general “parenting education course,” rather than a named private program, and discussed whether the bill should also require education about court process and family-law procedures. Some members argued the bill should specify content such as co-parenting, parental alienation, harassment, disorderly conduct, removal of a child from the jurisdiction, and contempt consequences, while others objected that the proposal was too vague, could impose costs without clear limits or waivers, and might amount to compelled legal advice or an undefined private program. Several members said the bill needed more specificity before it could be presented, and the discussion became increasingly divided over whether to keep the draft at all. The transcript ends amid that debate, with no final action yet taken on the second draft.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, we are attempting to have this program removed from statute so that when it's time for this program
• program program because<00:00:59.160><c> they</c><00:00:59.320><c> were</c><00:00:59.640><c> just</c
• </c> requested to have this program stopped. requested to have this program stopped.
• And so, we have this program stopped.
• </c> are attempting to have this program are attempting to have this program removed<00:01:21.160><c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . world-class programming.
• </c> you're able to put through this program. you're able to put through this program.
• </c> this program in enrollment? this program in enrollment?
• </c> specifically through the Legacy Program. specifically through the Legacy Program.
• </c> and SNAP program impacts. and SNAP program impacts.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now I want to turn to the health education programs.
• The other UME program is the University of Utah Medical School medical education program, where Idaho
• The other UME program is the University of Utah Medical School Medical Education Program where Idaho
• Then there are two other programs: the Idaho Dental Education Program, or IDEP, which trains dentists
• And that can include things for programs like the Empowering Parents Program.

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1227, which would direct the State Board of Education to develop a statewide framework for generative AI in K-12 schools and require local districts to adopt related policies. Senator Cook said the bill is meant to promote AI literacy, transparency, privacy, and human oversight without mandating AI use, replacing teachers, or collecting new student data. Committee members asked about facial recognition, student data, parental opt-out, and age-appropriate use; Cook and supportive witnesses said existing privacy law covers data concerns, local districts would handle opt-out questions, and the framework is intended to start early with age-appropriate instruction. Testimony in support came from the Workforce Development Council, Idaho Education Technology Association, St. Luke’s Health System, Idaho PTA, and others, who said the bill would help prepare students for future jobs while protecting privacy and keeping humans in charge. The committee voted to send Senate Bill 1227 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then received a budget briefing from Joint Finance Appropriations Committee staff on public school support and higher education. Analysts explained that the public school budget is driven largely by support units and the Public Education Stabilization Fund, and that the governor’s FY27 recommendation is about $152 million below the agency request, with reductions tied to statutory population adjustments, Idaho Digital Learning Academy, virtual school transportation, and supplemental learning funds. They also noted recent enrollment declines and discussed how policy changes affect school funding. In higher education, staff outlined a combined $753 million request for colleges and universities, with the governor recommending about $11.5 million in rescissions across the institutions, plus separate health education programs totaling $30.4 million and recommended enhancements for 15 GME residents and fellows, including family medicine and psychiatry. JFAC staff also reviewed the state’s broader fiscal picture, saying ongoing revenues are not keeping pace with ongoing appropriations and that the legislature may need to rely on one-time money or policy changes to restore structural balance. They discussed the impact of tax conformity legislation, revenue forecast changes, and the growth of major budget areas such as public schools and Medicaid over the past decade. Committee members asked follow-up questions about enrollment trends, university enrollment weighting, rescissions, Medicaid expansion costs, and the effect of prior tax policy decisions. No votes were taken on the budget presentations, and the meeting adjourned after the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Interest on Trust accounts Program is commonly called the the program or I the counts.
• rate parameters for savings institutions participating in programs to fund programs providing or facilitating
• the programs rule.
• When Florida became the first state in the nation to implement an IOTA program, the program that serves
• No how we're trying to undo this program.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have before you today a similar program called Continuous Living Cover, which is a program that works
• </c><00:03:55.079><c> that</c> living cover which is uh a program that living cover which is uh a program
• </c> is an uh an economic development program is an uh an economic development program uh<00:04:58.240
• </c> operate the S Tech internship program operate the S Tech internship program sech<00:21:19.080><c
• or competitive grant programs.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• MHP supports aligning the program with the workforce housing program for maximum impact.
• MHP supports aligning the program with the workforce housing program for maximum impact.
• </c> the effective design of this program the effective design of this program which<01:06:47.359><c>
• </c> affordable housing finance programs. affordable housing finance programs.
• Thank you for your the program.

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> projects over there and um that program projects over there and um that program over<00:02:16.879
• </c> and I know you all are of this program and I know you all are of this program too.<00:06:25.440>
• </c> other compliance that does the programs other compliance that does the programs and<00:09:37.040
• </c><00:31:48.080><c> for</c> thought why that that this program for thought why that that this program
• Um I will say programs that we fund.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:18 KOAP Report 00:58 Approval of Minutes 53:58, 958, all

Summary: The Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee met on June 11 but did not have a quorum, so it could not approve the prior minutes. The committee then received a compliance and program update from Brandon Reed and Bill McClowski of the agricultural development board, who said the office is fully staffed, has digitized most records, and has added a Facebook page to share board actions, projects, and compliance work. They also reported that the board and finance corporation continue to operate with strong county-council participation and that the office had completed numerous site visits, program reviews, and project closeouts over the reporting period. The presenters reviewed monthly funding actions from December through May, including board approvals ranging from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars, with a December finance meeting delayed by a snowstorm. They highlighted that the Kentucky Agriculture Finance Corporation now has 57 loans generating more than $2 million per month in payments, and that the revolving loan program has grown to support more than $24 million annually in repayments available for relending. They also noted that 75% of the portfolio is in beginning farmer loans and that the office had recently surpassed 1,000 active loans. Several projects were discussed in detail. These included a grain facility in Callaway County supporting organic corn production for expanding egg-layer operations, a Union County cattle business expansion, a West Liberty Veterinary Clinic project to build a working cattle facility, a Grayson County farmers market project, a Casey County veterinary services project, and a packing warehouse for the Kanye family to support specialty crops. The presenters emphasized that county and state tobacco settlement funds are often combined, sometimes with participation loans, to leverage local investment. They also stressed the importance of supporting greenhouses, farmers markets, specialty crops, and large-animal veterinary services as key agricultural priorities. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the lack of quorum and the informational presentations.