Transcript Highlights:

• If somebody boats over a wild rice bed and destroys a bunch of it, you know, inadvertently or not, what
• It doesn't matter about that particular boat channel.
• We do have a bill about boat channels that does very specifically talk about what that can do, because
• boating through wild rice beds is a really big problem.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're really having trouble getting people off the boats and out of the mountains and off the couch to
• really having trouble getting people<01:48:54.159> off<01:48:54.320> the<01:48:54.480> boats
• > and<01:48:54.960> out<01:48:55.040> of<01:48:55.199> the people off the boats
• and out of the people off the boats and out of the mountains<01:48:55.600> and<01:48:55.760><

Bills: HB0022, HB0052, HB0076

Keywords: municipal officers, recall election, petition requirements, local governance, voter participation, elections, hand counting, recounts, vote auditing, Wyoming legislature, electoral process, annexation, landowner rights, municipal law, city planning, property, local government, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• [laughter] Um, the Midwest and the Northeastern states are kind of in the same boat that we are, for
• of<00:50:40.640> in<00:50:40.880> the<00:50:41.040> same<00:50:41.200> boat
• 00:50:41.440> that<00:50:41.680> we<00:50:41.839> are are kind of in the same boat
• that we are are kind of in the same boat that we are for<00:50:42.240> and<00:50:42.480> they

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we're in the same boat that I've seen historically.
• Again, we're in the same<01:16:45.920> boat<01:16:46.239> that<01:16:46.560> I've
• same boat that I've seen historically. same boat that I've seen historically.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee continued its hearing on enforcement and compliance with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, first taking additional public testimony from Melissa Zimmerman and Matt Senot of the East Side Corridor residents in Owatonna. They described submitting roughly two dozen data requests across several government entities related to a proposed highway project, saying some agencies responded but others did not, and that even after they substantially prevailed in a data practices complaint and the court imposed a maximum civil penalty, they still did not receive meaningful access to the records. Zimmerman said the lack of access harmed their ability to comment on the project’s environmental review, and both witnesses argued that the law needs stronger enforcement, realistic timelines, better communication, and more accessible remedies for requesters who cannot afford repeated litigation. They also raised practical barriers such as inaccessible file formats, missing software on a county-provided laptop, and the need for electronic delivery options. The committee then heard from Eric Johnson of Anoka County, who testified about Chapter 13 issues involving third-party polygraph data used in probation monitoring. He argued that when the state relies on third-party-generated summaries, the responsible authority’s obligations for access, retention, and correction are unclear, and there is no effective remedy when the third party does not respond. Johnson said the county directed him to seek raw data from the third party, which had not responded, and he warned that short retention periods can make data subject rights unenforceable if the records are destroyed before a request is resolved. Members asked about statutory citations and retention schedules, and several commented that the issue may warrant review of data-retention rules. During member discussion, legislators broadly agreed that the Data Practices Act’s enforcement mechanisms are not working well enough and that many requesters cannot afford to pursue administrative or court remedies. Co-Chair Scott suggested staff compile the testimony into a report to identify possible legislative fixes, while Senator Lucero said there may be some “low-hanging fruit” that could be addressed quickly in the short session. The chair also floated the idea of involving the Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution in a mediation role to improve communication and reduce gridlock, though members noted that any process would still need to produce results consistent with the law. The committee then moved on to its next agenda item, a discussion of the BCA Fusion Center and its annual reporting requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• So then I guess that it's saying that we're in the same boat as everybody, right?
• we're<01:46:22.560> in<01:46:22.719> the<01:46:22.880> same<01:46:23.040> boat
• <01:46:23.280> as every we're in the same boat as every we're in the same boat as everybody

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met to hear from the New Hampshire Association of School Principals as part of its review of a proposal involving statewide administrative consolidation and changes to school governance. Members first discussed how school board witnesses would be selected, with the chair saying the committee would seek a mix of district sizes and structures and would also accept emailed input. The principals’ association said it represents more than 550 principals and assistant principals and urged caution about any mandatory consolidation, arguing that successful consolidations are gradual and voluntary. Association leaders and principals testified that principals already handle a wide range of responsibilities, including instructional leadership, student discipline, safety, staff supervision and evaluation, family and community engagement, and day-to-day crisis response. They argued that shifting more legal, budgetary, and administrative duties onto principals would reduce time for coaching teachers and supporting students, increase burnout and turnover, and create legal and training risks, especially in areas such as special education, privacy, and labor issues. They also said the roles of superintendents, principals, and school board members are distinct and require different training and expertise. Members asked detailed questions about how responsibilities are divided between principals and SAUs, whether principals recruit and evaluate staff, and how much time principals work. One principal said she works about 60 to 70 hours a week and that additional duties would be difficult to absorb. Another principal described his school’s structure, the importance of community building, and the need to preserve district-wide alignment if consolidation moves forward. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just asking myself the question, where are we missing the boat?
• /c><00:20:24.799> we<00:20:25.039> missing<00:20:25.360> the<00:20:25.600> boat
• where where are we missing the boat? where where are we missing the boat?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the June 10 minutes, and then handled a routine agenda of contracts and agreements. It deferred one Kentucky Educational Television contract to the August 2025 meeting because the vendor was not registered with the Secretary of State, and then approved the remaining routine items on the PSC green list and related contract lists without objection. The most detailed discussion involved two personal service contracts for the Kentucky Employees Health Plan. Officials from the Personnel Cabinet and Department of Employee Insurance explained that the contracts were designed to identify claims errors and overspending, with vendors paid a percentage of validated savings recovered for the plan. Senators asked how the savings were calculated and whether the contracts had changed plan processes; staff said the contracts had produced realized savings, some errors had been corrected going forward, and the vendors report quarterly. The committee approved those contracts. The committee then took up a retroactive Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority contract for a customized College Info Road Show bus. Members questioned why the contract was being presented months after execution, why it involved an out-of-state vendor, and whether the purchase was reasonable and timely. KHEAA staff said the delay stemmed from the need to finalize sustainability and safety details after the RFP, and acknowledged internal process and staffing issues. Several members criticized the retroactive approval process and said they could not validate the purchase from the information provided, but the committee ultimately approved the contract after debate. A final KHEAA discussion focused on the purpose and value of the mobile outreach bus. Staff said the bus supports college and financial aid outreach, especially in rural areas, and has been used for 26 years. Some members questioned the return on investment and whether the state should rely more on broadband and remote outreach, while others supported the program as a way to reach students and families. The committee approved the KHEAA contract, with Senator Douglas voting no and explaining concerns about whether such outreach programs are the proper role of government and whether they are the best use of public funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• fight the invasive species, mitigation, prevention, as well as then doing a lot of inspections so the boats
• 01:26:30.000> inspections<01:26:30.400> so<01:26:30.560> the<01:26:30.719> boats
• doing a lot of inspections so the boats doing a lot of inspections so the boats leaving<01:26:31.280

Bills: HF1587, HF2293, HF2218, HF1208, HF1482

Keywords: HF1587, Cass County, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, DNR, condemnation, eminent domain, state land, surplus land, public waters, tribal land transfer, federally recognized Indian Tribe, tribal ownership, land conveyance, no consideration, land appropriation, natural resources, U.S. Highway 2, Section 27 Township 145 North Range 28 West, land return, Tribal sovereignty

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, a pleasure craft less than 17 feet, that is the state's most common type of registered boat
• state's most common type<00:18:05.520> of<00:18:05.720> registered<00:18:06.240> boat
• /c><00:18:06.960> fee<00:18:07.200> would<00:18:07.360> go type of registered boat
• the fee would go type of registered boat the fee would go from<00:18:07.760> that<00:18:07.880

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to make a little more profit, certainly coming out of '24, whereas crop producers are not in that boat
• to make a little more profit, certainly coming out of '24, whereas crop producers are not in that boat
• to make a little more profit, certainly coming out of '24, whereas crop producers are not in that boat
• Little more profit, certainly coming out of '24, whereas crop producers are not in that boat at all;

Bills: HF711, HF653

Keywords: agriculture, agricultural education, leadership development, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council, MAELC, chapter 41D, grant funding, general fund appropriation, commissioner of agriculture, farm education, youth agriculture programs, ag literacy, workforce development, extension education, research funding, extension services, technology transfer, grant programs, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm kind of in the same boat.
• kind of<01:49:09.599> in<01:49:09.719> the<01:49:09.880> same<01:49:10.080> boat
• I<01:49:11.920> think<01:49:12.159> this<01:49:12.280> is of in the same boat
• I I I think this is of in the same boat I I I think this is a<01:49:12.560> big<01:49:12.760>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're in the same boat.
• we're<00:36:12.240> in<00:36:12.319> the<00:36:12.440> same<00:36:12.599> boat
• one has done that we're in the same boat one has done that we're in the same boat I<00:36:13.200

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services committee heard a presentation from Department of Children, Youth, and Families Commissioner Tiki Brown on the department’s 2025 budget and transition plans. Brown said the governor’s budget pairs targeted reductions with modest investments, resulting in net general fund savings, while preserving core safety-net programs. Major proposals included funding for program integrity, modernization of the child welfare SSIS system, compliance changes for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), operating adjustments, and a transition account reallocation as the new department continues moving programs from other agencies through July 1, 2025. A large portion of the discussion focused on CCAP fraud prevention and oversight. Brown and Assistant Commissioner Diane Hy explained that the proposed statewide electronic attendance recordkeeping system would replace retroactive paper-based attendance reporting with more timely data, making it harder to falsify attendance and claim payments improperly. Brown also said the department is working with the Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General and other partners on compliance and fraud controls. Senators pressed for more detail on current enforcement, whether payments can be withheld for violations, and whether recent media reports showed gaps in oversight; Brown said payments can be stopped for false attendance records, suspended or revoked licenses, or fraud allegations, but not for health and safety violations alone. The committee also reviewed other budget-neutral policy changes, including expanding permanency support services for relative foster care and tribal equivalents, strengthening tribal child welfare grants, updating TEACH scholarship rules for early childhood educators, and adjusting the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program to create a special revenue fund and extend a 10% payment increase to tribally licensed programs and programs on tribal reservation land. Brown also described a $1.5 million annual reduction to restorative practices grants, leaving a smaller ongoing base. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But yeah, we're in the same boat in the HHS. Thank you. All right, thank you, Christopher Ball.
• FMS with no money but yeah we<00:20:49.400> the<00:20:49.520> same<00:20:49.720> boat
• > the<00:20:50.320> HHS<00:20:51.320> thank<00:20:51.840> you we the same boat
• in the HHS thank you we the same boat in the HHS thank you all<00:20:53.000> right<00:20:53.520

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rattling around in my brain, and I think most of the members of the committee probably are in the same boat
• rattling around in my brain, and I think most of the members of the committee probably are in the same boat
• rattling around in my brain, and I think most of the members of the committee probably are in the same boat
• rattling around in my brain, and I think most of the members of the committee probably are in the same boat

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Put differently, everyone has an oar, but no one can be sure if we're rowing the boat in the same direction
• Put differently, everyone has an or, but no one can be sure if we're rowing the boat in the same direction
• This bill But no one can be sure if we're rowing the boat in the same direction.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on artificial intelligence, child safety, mental health, and privacy. SB 574 by Senator Umberg would require transparency and human oversight when attorneys, judges, and court neutrals use AI; it drew support from privacy advocates and committee members, with no opposition. SB 1276, the End Child Exploitation Act, would update child sexual exploitation laws to cover live-streamed and AI-generated abuse material and clarify that viewing such content can be criminally punishable; prosecutors, child advocacy groups, and others supported it, while no one appeared in opposition despite opposition on file. SB 813 would create a California AI standards and safety commission and a voluntary two-tier certification framework for AI safety standards; supporters said it would create scalable, independent oversight, while TechNet and CalChamber opposed it as duplicative, under-defined, and likely to create a de facto mandate. The committee discussed market pressure, federal preemption concerns, and the role of voluntary standards, but no final vote was taken in the excerpt. Senator Padilla also presented SB 300, which would strengthen protections for minors from sexually explicit chatbot content by moving from a reasonableness standard to an affirmative duty to prevent such exposure and to prohibit facilitation. Supporters said new evidence showed greater risks and that companies can and should build stronger safeguards; opponents, including TechNet and CCIA, argued the bill was premature because SB 243 had only recently taken effect and warned it could create strict-liability-like exposure. Padilla then presented SB 903, which would bar AI chatbots from being advertised as therapists, require licensed clinician oversight and informed consent for AI use in psychotherapy, and protect patient confidentiality; it received broad support from mental health professionals and labor groups, while industry and health associations were opposed unless amended over triage and crisis-detection language. The committee members emphasized the need for human judgment in mental health care and noted ongoing negotiations on amendments. The committee also heard SB 1119, a companion to AB 2020, which would require annual risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, default child settings, parental controls, limits on data use, public incident reporting, and third-party audits for chatbots used by children. Supporters argued the bill would address documented harms and improve transparency, while industry groups objected to ambiguous standards, liability exposure, and the private right of action. A roll call vote was taken on SB 1119 after quorum was established; the motion to pass to Appropriations succeeded on a 5-1 vote, with one no vote and the measure left on call for absent members. Finally, SB 354, a privacy bill for insurance consumers, would modernize outdated insurance privacy rules, bar sale of personal information, and expand consumer rights to know, correct, and delete data. Supporters said it would implement Proposition 24’s privacy mandate, while a large coalition of insurers, agents, brokers, and related businesses opposed unless amended, mainly seeking a small-business exemption and narrower treatment of publicly available information; members and the author said negotiations were ongoing and the bill had already been substantially revised.

Transcript Highlights:

• red flag on the lake you don't<01:26:21.360> go<01:26:21.440> out<01:26:21.679> boating
• /c><01:26:22.080> we<01:26:22.480> the<01:26:22.800> department don't go out boating
• . we the department don't go out boating. we the department gets<01:26:23.440> those<01:26:23.679

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• navigable because, you know, you're not going to go over Niagara Falls or anything like that in a boat
• My guess would be they were talking about moving paddle boats up the river from St.
• Louis or all the way from the Gulf, and there was no paddle boats going into that basin.

Summary: The committee opened its third interim meeting with roll call, approved the November 13, 2025 minutes, and the chair reviewed prior committee work, including a denied request for a fertilizer-capacity study and a planned later discussion of the Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger issue. Commissioner Doug Goring then presented Department of Agriculture updates on uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, the state’s irrigation potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and supply in North Dakota. Members asked about funding sources, fertilizer storage and availability, natural gas and water needs for future fertilizer plants, and how the model zoning website would help counties and townships apply setback and odor tools. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the department is proposing changes to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and updated hydrologic data, while still limiting the model to direct, demonstrable costs and benefits. He said the goal is to make the analysis more realistic and consistent without changing statute, and he provided examples of how project benefits could change as drains age or as rainfall and flood data evolve. Committee members and water-user representatives generally supported continued work on the proposal, while raising concerns about downstream impacts, closed-basin projects, and whether the changes would meaningfully affect project approvals. The committee then heard from John Paskowski, state engineer, on Devil’s Lake, the West End and East End outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. He reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow limits, and explained that the control structure is intended to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled release by slowing erosion and head cutting. Members asked about water quality trends, the length of the downstream flow constraint, and whether the Tolna Coulee area had been studied for possible natural overflow or silt buildup. The discussion emphasized ongoing flooding concerns, mitigation for affected landowners, and the need to balance outlet operations with downstream water quality and infrastructure protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's where the lakes are, and that's where we increase their fishing and boating.
• And that's where the lakes are, and that's where we increase their fishing and boating.
• And I like to think communities hopefully had the mindset, you know, high tide raises all boats.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• dollars that are coming in that<00:21:36.480> raises<00:21:37.000> all<00:21:37.240> boats
• of<00:21:37.760> those<00:21:38.040> who<00:21:38.200> are that raises all boats
• of those who are that raises all boats of those who are still<00:21:39.160> um<00:21:39.880><

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The commission first approved the minutes and then took up several pension omnibus items. Representative Rapinski’s item, related to an I-RAP issue, was moved ahead of the agenda and passed without further information after members noted the State Board of Investment and Minnesota State had not identified additional facts; the bill, as previously amended, was recommended for inclusion in the 2026 Pension Omnibus Bill. The committee also corrected a procedural issue on Senator Gustafson’s bill, SF 3897/HF 3703, after realizing an amendment referenced earlier belonged to a different bill; the motion was restated without the amendment reference and the bill was then recommended to pass and be incorporated into the omnibus bill. The main policy discussion centered on SF 3897/HF 3703, which would change how terminating firefighter relief association plans value benefits for firefighters under age 50. Senator Gustafson said the current statute can unfairly reduce benefits by requiring present-value discounting and that the bill would instead allow benefits to be based on accrued benefit under the plan formula, while still leaving relief associations flexibility to use present value if they choose. Staff confirmed the bill applies only to relief associations under chapter 424B, not PERA or the statewide plan. Senator Rasmussen raised concerns about consistency between SVF and non-SVF reliefs and about differing treatment on termination; the bill author acknowledged the difference. The committee ultimately voted to recommend the bill for inclusion in the omnibus pension bill. The final major item was House File 4162, as amended by an A1 amendment, which requires employers of reemployed annuitants in TRA to make employer contributions during reemployment, including Minnesota State Colleges and Universities employees covered under section 354.445. Representative O’Driscoll argued the bill would direct existing education-formula pension dollars to TRA, prevent districts from using those funds elsewhere when retirees are rehired, and keep the employee neutral because the annuitant’s benefit would not change. Supporters said the measure would help pension funding and address situations where districts rehire retired teachers, often in hard-to-fill specialties. Opponents, including Senator Rasmusson, questioned the added cost to school districts, citing an estimated $5.385 million in annual TRA revenue from the change and warning it could reduce districts’ ability to hire or retain staff. After discussion, the committee had not yet taken final action on this item in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know what<00:18:39.039> the<00:18:39.280> boat<00:18:39.440> will<00:18:39.600
• 39.760> It'll<00:18:39.919> be<00:18:40.080> like<00:18:40.320> 35 what the boat
• It'll be like 35 what the boat will be.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Don't put me in the same boat. >> She's not a... >> It's just that the man. >> Thank you, Representative
• But between her and Representative Shear, the numbers coming at me. >> Don't put me in the same boat.
• But between her and Representative Shear, the numbers coming at me. >> Don't put me in the same boat.

Keywords: 1189, house, all