Transcript Highlights:

• I think we're second in the country as far as the amount of compensation we stand to make for paying
• It looks like it's an amount of $18 million.
• It's part of this dollar amount, right? That it is. Yes, ma'am.
• So, it is going to be distributed to teachers and it's gonna be an additional $26. There's no...
• And so, then to jump back up on the The amount is, and so can you help me understand how we arrived at

Bills: SB1177

Keywords: education funding, mental health services, public safety, housing, state budget, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of showing here um a distribution kind of showing here um a distribution of<00:07:05.120>
• receive lower combined award amounts receive lower combined award amounts because<00:08:18.080><
• maximize uh their their award amounts maximize uh their their award amounts and<00:23:22.360>
• The total amount we've awarded so far this fall is $44 million.
• awarding parameters for Distributing awarding parameters for Distributing Minnesota<01:21:17.719

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee received an informational presentation from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education on the State Grant program and governor-recommended changes, with some discussion of North Star Promise. Staff explained that State Grant is the state’s largest financial aid program, intended to promote college access and choice for students with the highest financial need, and that it works alongside Pell Grants. They reviewed program eligibility, award calculation, and participation rules, and noted that the program serves a large share of low- and middle-income students, including many dependent students, student parents, BIPOC students, and adult learners. They also described how awards and spending are distributed across public and private institutions and how the agency projects spending using enrollment, tuition, and FAFSA data. A major focus was the current fiscal-year deficit in State Grant. Staff said the program is experiencing a shortfall driven by higher-than-expected enrollment, more students with greater financial need, and major FAFSA formula changes that increased the number of applicants with zero or negative student aid index values. They said the office has already rationed awards where allowed and imposed a FAFSA deadline for spring awards, and does not expect to fund some awards. Officials explained that if the program projects a surplus, they typically adjust the living and miscellaneous expense allowance to spend down funds; if it projects a deficit, they can increase student and family responsibility to reduce award sizes, but the program must stay within its appropriation. Senator Duckworth asked several questions about whether unused funds could be transferred between State Grant and North Star Promise, and how the two programs are treated. Staff said State Grant funds revert to the general fund at the end of the biennium, while North Star Promise uses a special revenue account, and that transfers may be possible but would need clarification under current authority. They referenced a prior legislative transfer from North Star Promise funds to cover a shortfall in the Fostering Independence Grant and said they would follow up on the exact transfer authority. No votes or formal actions were taken during the presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• How much does the policy currently distribute to school districts or per student? >> Mhm.
• to school districts or per distribute to school districts or per student?
• about why change that distribution about why change that distribution percentage<00:05:13.919>
• What would be the most comfortable amount to increase those dollars with.
• The distribution is every March and every September of the school year.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: A Minnesota senator discussed recent education gains, including the state’s all-time high graduation rate of nearly 85%, and credited bipartisan work on education policy and finance, along with targeted investments in classroom funding, student and staff mental health, and overall student well-being. She said those efforts have especially helped groups that have historically lagged behind, including American Indian, African-American, and Asian students. A major topic was Senate File 3593, a bipartisan proposal for a constitutional amendment to modernize the state’s school trust fund. The senator explained that Minnesota’s school trust lands and related fund, now about $2.3 billion, currently distribute roughly $74 per student through interest and dividends. The amendment would allow more flexible investment and increase the distribution from 2% to 4.5%, which supporters estimate would raise per-student funding to about $122 without increasing taxes. She said the proposal is intended to preserve the fund’s corpus while generating more money for schools now, with a three-year lookback to review results. She also highlighted school safety funding in the session’s public safety bills, including money for school security and the first-ever grants to non-public schools. She said those dollars can support not only building security but also mental health and social-emotional needs. In the education omnibus bill, she pointed to changes to compensatory aid formulas, a report on how districts use dollars for teacher and staff health insurance, and interest in a possible statewide health plan to improve efficiency and services. No votes were taken in the interview, but she urged voters to approve the constitutional amendment in November and noted that blank ballots would count as no votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:59:20.200> of succeed another is the distribution of succeed another is the distribution
• way to um allow funds to be distributed way to um allow funds to be distributed to<01:06:51.400>
• > schools agency to distribute out to the schools agency to distribute out to the schools but<
• <01:10:57.800> those and when we were Distributing those and when we were Distributing those
• wanted them to be distributed that you wanted them to be distributed um<01:11:06.239> I<01:11

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of tobacco, prohibit the distribution of tobacco, prohibit the distribution of tobacco, tobacco products
• distribution provide for the distribut distribution provide for the distribut distribution of the fees
• equipment procured by the distribute equipment procured by the distribute equipment procured by the
• of tax distribution of tax distribution of tax revenue.
• determined by the court. an amount determined by the court. an amount determined by the court.

Keywords: 920, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The benefit doesn't have to be exactly commensurate with the amount that's paid, The benefit doesn't
• have to be exactly commensurate with the amount that's paid, but there has to be a relationship.
• The benefit doesn't have to be exactly commensurate with the amount that's paid, but there has to be
• So we recommend increased grant program resources to allow the grant award amounts to just keep pace
• I want the maximum amount of projects actually happening.

Summary: The committee began with member introductions, then heard a presentation on a draft final report studying alternative funding mechanisms for sidewalks and related pedestrian infrastructure. Consultants said current local funding sources are insufficient, with most jurisdictions unable to complete planned sidewalk networks within 50 years. They evaluated four options: a sidewalk utility fee, a modified transportation benefit district sales tax, a new real estate excise tax option, and expanded stormwater fee use for ADA sidewalk ramps. The consultants recommended authorizing the modified TBD sales tax and new REET option, considering a sidewalk utility despite legal uncertainty, broadening any authorization to all pedestrian improvements, and not pursuing the stormwater fee option. Members asked about legal authority, fairness, revenue adequacy, and whether jurisdictions had been consulted; the presenters said state enabling legislation would likely be needed for a sidewalk utility and that fairness could be defined either by direct benefit or by need. The committee then received an update on the 2025 assessment of city transportation funding needs. The consultants reported that city transportation revenues have grown in some local and federal categories since 2019, but state revenues have remained relatively flat and smaller cities are especially affected by declining fuel tax revenues and limited tax bases. They estimated annual city transportation needs at $4.25 billion, average annual spending at $1.89 billion, and a funding gap of $2.37 billion, larger than in the prior study because of updated data, inclusion of system improvements, and higher preservation costs. Draft recommendations focused on reducing costs and improving efficiency, preserving and increasing state support, and expanding local funding options, including preservation-first spending, a permanent federal fund exchange program, streamlined review processes, better coordination with WSDOT, possible property tax flexibility, and exploration of new local tools. Members raised questions about design standards, the role of density and transit, federal compliance, and whether the report would identify specific consolidation or process changes. The committee also heard a project update on evaluating zero-emission vehicle and electrification programs funded by the Climate Commitment Act. Consultants said they had reviewed roughly 23 programs and projects across seven agencies and were now evaluating options to improve delivery, including process improvements, reorganizing programs, or consolidating governance and administrative functions. Early findings highlighted staffing shortages, duplication and variation across agencies, differing levels of risk, and the challenge of coordinating climate priorities across agencies with other core missions. Members asked about program outcomes, administrative costs, whether some programs should have exit strategies, and how to strengthen the EV Coordinating Council. Finally, WSDOT provided an implementation update on its new public-private partnership authority under SB 5801, saying work is underway to prepare governance, legal, policy, and organizational structures ahead of the January 1, 2027 effective date.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there has been some push to increase the $2.5 million to a greater amount.
• So clearly, that amount of groundwater pumping by New Mexico doesn't impair the project.
• So you'll see on here, if we buy groundwater only, that counts a certain amount.
• I realize that's a large dollar amount.
• And there's been a tremendous amount of work among all of the parties working together.

Transcript Highlights:

• It clarifies an employee's role in distributing medical cannabis.
• There is no scientifically determined healthy amount of THC in cannabis products.
• scientifically determined healthy amount scientifically determined healthy amount of<00:31:18.720
• <00:53:01.200> Uh, their name on these distributions.
• Uh, their name on these distributions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so when you think about just the need of what we need to invest in to serve that amount of growth
• And so when you think about just the need of what we need to invest in to serve that amount of growth
• And so when you think about just the need of what we need to invest in to serve that amount of growth
• And so when you think about just the need of what we need to invest in to serve that amount of growth
• They're using the maximum amount of capacity their facility... 92% load factor.

Bills: HB2133, HB2592

Keywords: sexual material, consent, synthetic depiction, privacy, internet regulation, rights protection, artificial intelligence, government regulation, innovation, procurement, administrative burdens, 1182, all

Summary: The House AI and Innovation Committee first heard an informational presentation from Arizona Public Service (APS) on the rapid growth of data centers and AI-related electricity demand in Arizona. APS said Phoenix now ranks near the top in North America for data center development and projected its peak load could rise from 8.7 gigawatts to 12 gigawatts by 2035, with about 19 gigawatts of potential data center demand in its queue. APS emphasized three principles for serving this growth: maintaining reliability for existing customers, preventing data center costs from being shifted to residential and small business customers, and preserving capacity for other growth. APS described its proposed approach as a combination of a pending Corporation Commission rate case and bilateral contracts, including minimum bill requirements, queue management, long-term financial commitments, and direct cost assignment to data center customers. Committee members asked about rate impacts, self-generation, behind-the-meter power, seasonal load, and possible future nuclear or other generation options; APS said it is pursuing an all-of-the-above resource strategy and that the proposed data center rate increase is 45 percent, though not yet approved. The committee then considered House Bill 2133, which would require commercial entities that knowingly distribute or publish sexual material online to obtain reasonable consent and age verification, including for synthetic or AI-generated altered images, and would impose civil penalties for violations. A five-page amendment narrowed the bill by excluding internet service providers, affiliates, search engines, and cloud providers from liability for content they do not create or directly host. The sponsor said the bill is intended to protect people in adult content from exploitation and non-consensual use, including revenge porn and trafficking-related material, and to extend protections to synthetic media. Members discussed the penalty structure, with the sponsor explaining it was modeled on similar penalties in related laws and set at $10,000 per day of violation. After no public opposition was presented, the committee adopted the amendment and voted 5-0, with 2 members present, to return HB 2133 as amended with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill number 107, local government Bill number 107, local government distributions, distributions, distributions
• but we actually had a tremendous amount but we actually had a tremendous amount of<01:14:43.520>
• <01:43:44.159> of going to catch up given the amount of going to catch up given the amount
• It just says they can raise the amount that they raise under this section may include an amount.
• would just as soon have a certain amount would just as soon have a certain amount of<02:19:31.519

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:44:15.040> of costing not an insignificant amount of costing not an insignificant amount
• <01:37:07.920> of we agree to give this certain amount of we agree to give this certain amount
• <04:48:20.798> of wasn't dismissed based on the amount of wasn't dismissed based on the amount
• the amount of money. the amount of money.
• . amount. amount.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House opened with the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Members then approved the journal of April 8, 2026, and heard several introductions and tributes, including recognition of Home Education Day in Colorado, a welcome to Sigma Lambda Gamma members, and a reminder about an education luncheon. The chamber then recessed briefly before moving into second reading and floor consideration of bills. The main substantive debate centered on House Bill 1357, which phases out the Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation (TREP) program. Supporters said the program serves a relatively small number of students, costs more per student than community college alternatives, and should be wound down so limited state education dollars can go to core services and the school finance formula. Opponents argued the state had promised the program to students who planned their education around it, including some who turned down scholarships, and said the change would harm future teachers and should have been treated as a pause rather than an end. The House adopted an appropriations amendment (L003), withdrew a proposed substitute amendment (L005), and then passed HB 1357 as amended. The House also passed House Bill 1358, which reduces the appropriation for the Colorado Academic Accelerator Grant Program by $5.2 million in general fund. The sponsor described it as a grant program supporting community learning centers and math/STEM enrichment, but said funding will end after the following fiscal year and the program must step down so families can seek other services. The bill was adopted without further opposition. Finally, the House considered House Bill 1359, which redirects certain revenue from public school land natural resource removals to the state public school fund rather than the permanent fund, with projected transfers of $25 million in FY 2025-26 and $45 million in FY 2026-27. Supporters said the measure is needed to help balance the budget. An opponent raised concerns about impacts on a constituent ranch lease tied to a proposed green energy project, but the sponsor clarified the bill applies only to royalties and leases on state-owned public school lands. The House then adopted HB 1359.

Transcript Highlights:

• It changed from 'distributed' to 'transfer.'
• The other amount was already in statute, so this bill also did a language change on page two, item C,
• It just changed the words from 'distributed' to 'transfer.' And thank you for that.
• it's more orderly, it's more predictable, there's better completion rates because they get a full amount
• of all, is there going to be $5 million annually into the acequia fund, or is that just a one-time amount

Bills: SB193

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we can allocate to those projects and say okay, at this site there's this amount of capacity that
• Chairman Gleason: So at this point, the "we" in that would be the transmission distribution companies
• Weather forecasting has become integral to really being able to forecast the amount of supply that's
• But again, these costs are really on the system because of these ultra-large loads and the amount of
• So data centers have a significant amount of value given back into the local government.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill on page two, with the appropriation amounts that's identified in the measure, for your agency
• This bill on page two, with the appropriation amounts that's identified in the measure, for your agency
• distribution of disposable body boards distribution of disposable body boards in<00:48:08.720> the
• Beginning January 27th, bans the manufacture, sale, offer of sale, or distribution in the state of any
• , and insert into the committee amount, and insert into the committee report<01:05:30.600> for

Bills: SB2706, SB2320

Keywords: workforce development, agriculture, biosecurity, pilot program, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, University of Hawaii, Leeward Community College, DHRD, training, apprenticeship, career pathways, credentialing, job training, internship, hands-on experience, state employment, workforce pipeline, agricultural jobs, biosecurity jobs, general fund appropriation

Summary: The committees first heard SB 2371, which would prioritize lease offers on agrivoltaics parcels for beginning farmers, require annual compliance reports to DAB, authorize penalties for noncompliance, and allow solar facilities on certain agricultural lands. DAB, the State Energy Office, PUC, and Hawaii Farm Bureau generally supported the intent, while OPPSD recommended amendments to preserve agricultural lease affordability and strengthen food-production language. Members questioned whether the bill would meaningfully encourage solar on ag lands, whether beginning farmers would have enough information to use such parcels, and how the bill would interact with Land Use Commission review. The Farm Bureau said agrivoltaics remains challenging and largely in pilot form, and noted the Mililani project as a promising example of dual use. The committees voted to pass SB 2371 with amendments, with one member expressing a preference that it be opened to all farmers rather than only beginning farmers. The next measure, SB 2800, appropriates funds to DAB, DLNR, and ADC for acquisition, repair, and maintenance of irrigation systems. All testifying agencies and the Farm Bureau supported the bill, and members pressed them for estimates of needed funding and the condition of existing systems. DAB cited major repair needs, including Waimea, Molokai, Kahuku, and Kawailoa, and said its backlog could total roughly $65 million; ADC estimated about $35 million for several systems; and DLNR said its current needs for three systems were about $35 million, with the largest cost tied to piping in Kekaha. The committees amended the bill to defer its effective date to July 1, 2050 and to blank out the appropriation amounts in the bill text, with the agencies’ requested amounts to be included in the committee report for consideration. SB 2800 then passed in AEN, Water and Land, and EIG. The final measure discussed was SB 2718, a food hub pilot program beginning in 2028 that would require state departments and UH to source 30% of certain food purchases from local agricultural products, create a nutrition- and ʻāina-based school program, and have DAT partner with a regional aggregator for Native Hawaiian staple crops. DAT, DOH, the Farm Bureau, Food Plus Policy Group, HAPA, and others supported the bill’s intent, while the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation opposed it, saying it is already struggling to meet the current local procurement percentage and faces procurement and quantity barriers, especially for staple items used daily. The testimony focused on whether agencies could realistically meet the higher local purchasing target and whether smaller farms could supply the needed volumes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to say that the set as this amendment is being distributed, that Senator Graham and I have addressed
• rush to move this along, but to quote Senator Kennedy, it is important that we provide a requisite amount
• Ohio is a great example of a Republican-led state where they've distributed across the state a million
• As Senator Kennedy said, providing the requisite amount of time and getting it right, this is the time
• drugs and also anxiety even politically about not wanting to be on the side of facilitating any distribution

Bills: SB331

Keywords: fentanyl, controlled substances, drug trafficking, public health, research regulations, law enforcement, S-331, Halt All Lethal Trafficking and Fentanyl Act, fentanyl crisis, public testimony, drug legislation, bipartisan support

Summary: In this committee meeting, the focus was primarily on S-331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking and Fentanyl Act, aimed at addressing the fentanyl crisis. The bill's key components include making permanent the class scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, confirming existing sentencing penalties, and easing registration requirements for scientific research on Schedule I substances. Numerous parents shared heartbreaking testimonies about their losses due to fentanyl, which fueled an urgent call to pass the legislation without alterations. The committee members engaged in passionate discussions highlighting the urgency of the situation as overdoses continue to claim American lives.

Transcript Highlights:

• You should decide the right amount to spend.
• We have, in terms of the amount of assets.
• split up the distribution of the cut. split up the distribution of the cut.
• same amount they got this year. Correct. same amount they got this year. Correct.
• It's a large amount of distribution. I think it's $137 million or something.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee of Conference on HB 1 and HB 2 met to review revenue estimates and begin working through the HB 1 detail change sheet. New Hampshire Lottery Director Charlie McIntyre reported stronger-than-expected lottery performance, raising the current-year return estimate to $27 million and the next biennium estimate to $200 million, with the increase attributed to improved scratch ticket sales and sports betting not hurting revenue as much as expected. Members questioned the assumptions behind the higher estimates, including the impact of $50 scratch tickets and whether the figures accounted for future conversion from historical horse racing (HHR) machines to video lottery terminals (VLTs). McIntyre and committee members discussed machine counts, per-day revenue assumptions, and the likelihood that VLT conversion would increase revenues over time, though the timing and pace of conversion remained an open question. The committee also discussed several gaming-related policy items in HB 2, including changes to kino hours and local option games of chance, and noted that the Senate and House differed on how gaming revenues would be allocated between charities, education, and general funds. Members emphasized that revenue projections should remain conservative because operators, not the state, would control the pace of machine conversion. Representative Sweeney noted that operators could earn more per machine under the VLT model, and McIntyre said the new facilities and expansions were largely concentrated near the Massachusetts border. The committee then moved to the HB 1 detail change sheet. It agreed to Senate position on the Department of Safety’s road toll bureau and international registration program changes, which were described as a zero-cost realignment of positions, and held the Department of Corrections section for later discussion. On the judicial side, members approved a technical footnote fix, but held a new contract counsel item for involuntary mental health admissions and deferred discussion of the public defender program increase. The committee also noted no change for the PE development authority, moved safety rest area funding from HB 2 into HB 1 with no additional cost, and flagged the tourism development fund and other judicial items as issues that may depend on overall available revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• is not nearly enough to that this amount is not nearly enough to feed<00:15:52.360> fund<00:15
• We would need to know the size or amount of an inflationary increase before we started bargaining.
• We would need to know the size or amount of an inflationary increase before we started bargaining.
• We would need to know the size or amount of an inflationary increase before we started bargaining.
• <00:32:20.639> is increases and when the amount is increases and when the amount is determined

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• bars and also do their own distribution bars and also do their own distribution wherein<00:12:34.120
• Brewers are allowed to self-distribute Brewers are allowed to self-distribute up<00:13:22.120>
• restrictions um on their distribution restrictions um on their distribution volumetric<00:13:33.240
• simply focused around the distribution simply focused around the distribution the<00:17:29.600><
• :31.000> Pub the distribution of that Brew Pub the distribution of that Brew Pub manufacturing

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with House Bill 242, a liquor bill concerning brew pub licenses. Testimony from the New Hampshire Beer Distributors Association, the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, and the Liquor Commission explained that the bill is intended to correct a clerical error from the prior session and restore the agreed-upon language. The bill would allow a brew pub, within the existing 2,500-barrel limit, to self-distribute its own product to one authorized on- or off-premise license; otherwise it must use wholesale distribution. Witnesses said the measure is a narrow fix specific to brew pubs and does not affect other manufacturing licenses. No opposition was raised during the hearing, and the chair closed the hearing after no committee questions remained. The committee then heard House Bill 81, which would allow patrons to take purchased alcoholic beverages into restaurant restrooms. The sponsor argued the current prohibition is outdated and can create safety risks by forcing people to set drinks down, citing concerns about drink tampering and a personal story about a friend who was drugged and assaulted after leaving a drink unattended. Committee members and the sponsor discussed whether the bill would increase liability for restaurants, how enforcement would work, and whether the current law is aimed at preventing underage handoffs or drink spiking. The sponsor said the bill would be permissive for establishments, not mandatory, and that liability would still depend on overservice and Liquor Commission investigations. The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association testified in opposition, saying the bill could raise liability and create concerns about underage consumption in bathrooms. The hearing ended without a vote, with the chair noting the bill would move on to further committee/subcommittee consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• > of<03:33:03.279> the annual required distributions of the annual required distributions
• Um, the annual distributions are to be expended in amounts that seek to achieve the percentage targets
• 35:41.279> be<03:35:41.359> expended annual distributions are to be expended annual distributions
• , from that annual required distribution, from that annual required distribution, that<03:54:56.080
• governor's recommendation in the amount governor's recommendation in the amount of<04:29:32.640>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• DISTRIBUTION CENTER DIRECTOR.
• ALSO MAKE IT SO IT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF COST TO THE TAXPAYERS AND THE GOVERNMENT.
• IS THERE A FIXED AMOUNT OF WATER MOLECULES IN A LOCAL OR UNIVERSAL ATMOSPHERE?
• A TINY AMOUNT OF SILVER OXIDE OR WHATEVER HE WANTS TO PUT IN -- NO.
• IN PARTICULAR WHO IS SPENDING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AS AN EXPERIMENTAL PHASE?

Keywords: 999, senate, all