Transcript Highlights:

• business with the state to have surety bonds, sometimes even fidelity bonds.
• have shity bonds, sometimes even fidelity<00:14:05.839> bonds.
• Um you know, the thing fidelity bonds.
• Um I I have shity and fidelity bonds.
• I could be used for an assurity bond.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the March 3 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on state grant-management requirements. Deputy Legislative Auditor Katherine Tyson outlined the main controls agencies must follow, including pre-award risk assessments for grants of $50,000 or more, reimbursement as the preferred payment method, limits and documentation requirements for advance payments, and monitoring obligations for active grants. She emphasized that these controls are intended to reduce improper payments and fraud, but also require staff time and strong internal systems. In response to questions, she said advance payments are used in some grants but reimbursement is more common, and noted that agencies can add controls such as retaining a portion of funds, surprise visits, or audits. She also said surety bonds are required in some state programs, but not generally for grants, and that this could be a policy discussion for the executive branch. The committee then received a Department of Natural Resources presentation on the new Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund community grant program created in 2023 law. DNR officials said the program is intended to expand access to ENRTF funding, especially for communities affected by pollution and environmental degradation, and to support projects such as environmental education, resource restoration, trail work, and aquatic invasive species management. They said the department will use the same grants team that handles Outdoor Heritage Fund and LCCMR grants, which already manages a large volume of grants, and that the advisory council application is open through April 10. DNR described its implementation plan as similar to the Conservation Partners Legacy program, with both standard and expedited grant rounds, technical assistance, and use of technical experts. Differences include no match requirement, allowance for fiscal agents to help smaller organizations, and more flexibility for administrative expenses to reduce barriers to participation. Officials said the program will follow state grant rules, including pre-award financial reviews and monitoring, and will use the 5 percent administrative allowance to support both oversight and grantee assistance. They also said the report’s suggestion of advance payments for grants under $50,000 was raised for discussion, but they did not dispute the auditor’s emphasis that reimbursement is the preferred approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Regional Transportation Authority.
• The lawsuit was based on the Regional Transportation Authority not having the specific statutory authority
• was found to be not within their authority.
• Their attempt to do that was found to be not within their authority.
• They are not the Regional Transportation Authority.

Bills: HB2143, HB2273, HB2290, HB2373, HB2784, HB2794, HB4037

Keywords: public safety, retirement system, investments, trust fund, board of trustees, financial report, income tax rebate, Pinal County, taxpayer eligibility, state revenue, financial assistance, transaction privilege tax, business location, tangible personal property, shared vehicle, sourcing, income tax, veterans, donations, tax refunds

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee first set aside House Bill 2794 at the sponsor’s request and then took up House Bill 2290, which would clarify Arizona transaction privilege tax sourcing rules for tangible personal property by specifying that an order is received at a seller’s business location and that server location does not control sourcing. The sponsor said the bill codifies existing, historic treatment and would provide certainty for taxpayers, while the League of Arizona Cities and Towns opposed it, arguing it would be a major departure from current practice, could shift revenue away from rural communities, and could create multiple tax rates for a single transaction. The Department of Revenue said it was neutral, acknowledged ongoing ambiguity and administrative complexity, and explained that a 2023 draft ruling had been based on a legal analysis but was never finalized. Several business and association witnesses supported the bill as necessary to prevent inconsistent audits and to preserve origin-based sourcing for in-state sellers. After extended debate, the committee passed HB 2290 on a 5-3 vote, with one member absent. The committee then heard House Bill 2373, which would add a space on the individual income tax return for taxpayers to voluntarily direct part of a refund to the Veterans Donations Fund or a veterans service organization fund. The sponsor and a representative of veterans advocacy groups described it as a simple, voluntary way to support veterans organizations and local projects. No opposition was raised, and the bill was approved unanimously by the members present, 8-0, with one absent. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 2143, a technical change to Public Safety Personnel Retirement System law that would limit the 5% ownership cap to publicly traded corporations. PSPRS representatives said the change would reduce compliance costs and avoid unnecessary workarounds while maintaining existing investment safeguards and diversification rules. Members discussed that ASRS does not have the same cap and that PSPRS already has broader limits on concentration risk. The bill was presented as an administrative cleanup measure, and discussion focused on clarifying that it would not increase investment risk.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Representative Lee, for authoring this bill, for your support of public libraries, and thank
• Thank you, Representative Lee, for authoring this bill, for your support of public libraries, and thank
• Thank you, Representative Lee, for authoring this bill, for your support of public libraries, and thank
• Thank you for authoring this bill, for your support of public libraries, and thank you for your time
• She was our bonding person for a while for the range.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We do include some information on Public Finance Authority bonding authorization.
• Those bonds were issued, and now we've been doing two sessions of bond payments on that at about $102.6
• The Building Authority, there's the option to do the lease payments, to do the bonding and structure
• There really hasn't been any new bonding authorized under that, but we just include some of those limits
• Under the authorized transfer authority, we have transferred a little over a million dollars from the

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee received a compliance and status update on Industrial Commission programs and the Bank of North Dakota. Staff reviewed appropriations and spending for several Industrial Commission funds and grant programs, including lignite research, oil and gas research, clean sustainable energy, grid resiliency, salt cavern analysis, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members discussed the timing of reimbursements, uncommitted balances, and the structure of the pipeline capacity and enhanced oil recovery funding. The Industrial Commission also reported on its administrative budget, grant management system project, and recent leadership transitions across several agencies. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described active grant rounds and the status of major projects. She said the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority approved three projects in its sixth round, with remaining uncommitted cash and loan capacity still available, though no new funding was appropriated this session. She also said the Oil and Gas Research Council approved six enhanced oil recovery projects and expects additional funding after a federal Department of Energy award replaces one project’s state funding. For grid resiliency grants, she said some projects have been funded, some commitments were returned or reallocated, and some DOE funds remain pending. She also updated the committee on the salt cavern business case study, which replaced an earlier larger development proposal, and on the NDSU research park grant, where the nonmatching portion was paid and the matching portion has moved slowly because the match must be in cash. Ron Ness then gave an extended presentation on enhanced oil recovery and North Dakota oil and gas trends. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, especially gas takeaway and projects like the Bakken East pipeline. He argued that enhanced oil recovery using CO2, natural gas, surfactants, and other methods could extend Bakken production for decades, but that the state needs more CO2 supply, better storage, and updated tax and regulatory incentives. Members asked about lateral lengths, CO2 availability, pipeline impacts, and the role of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and Ness emphasized that the projects are intended to share technical learning across operators and attract follow-on investment. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and strategic update. President Don Morgan said the bank’s mission remains to support North Dakota agriculture, commerce, and industry while cooperating with the state’s financial sector. He reviewed the bank’s main business lines: participation lending with community institutions, student loans, disaster lending, mission-based programs, and a new fintech-focused effort. Morgan said deposits are flattening, so the bank is managing balance sheet growth carefully, while still reporting improved net income and strong efficiency. He also introduced Rough Rider Coin as a bank-to-bank payment rail, not a public cryptocurrency, intended to speed and modernize payments within North Dakota’s banking and credit union system. Committee members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster program use, and how credit lines and liquidity would be affected if deposits shrink.

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee is authorized to hold hearings, conduct site visits, request data, and gather input from
• The committee is authorized to hold hearings, conduct site visits, request data, and gather input from
• issue authorized.
• , that you're going to be able to negotiate those bonds at a good rate.
• In fact, state law gives exclusive authority over the budget to the governing board.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long series of bills, mostly in health, education, commerce, federalism, and government. In health, members discussed radiology technology updates (HB 2050), a tribal Medicaid waiver/drawdown measure with no state cost (HB 2177), an emergency medicine study committee (HB 2183), fetal death certificate and remains-transfer requirements (HB 2184), a physician assistant licensure compact (HB 2190), dementia care telemonitoring funding (HB 2202), SNAP error-rate reduction and fraud/eligibility oversight bills (HB 2206, HB 2442, HB 2797), child welfare protections like credit freezes and recorded interviews (HB 2321, HB 2322), and podiatric licensure compacts (HB 2438). Several of these were described as consent-calendar items, while HB 2206 and the SNAP-related measures drew discussion about fraud reduction, administrative burden, and work requirements. In commerce and finance, the committee heard bills on mobile food vendors and local permits (HB 2118), earned wage access services with fee caps and disclosure rules (HB 2309), CPA licensure changes (HB 2476), cash acceptance for retail purchases under $100 (HB 2555), drone delivery and unmanned aircraft guardrails (HB 2875), timeshare salesperson licensing (HB 2877), and a prohibition on state-mandated social credit scoring in lending decisions (HB 2903). The tax and retirement-related items included 529 plan conformity and Roth IRA transfer rules (HB 2477), annual tax conformity to the Internal Revenue Code (HB 2785), ASRS technical and disability-related changes (HB 2089, HB 2090, HB 2092), and a bill on employee health insurance definitions (HB 2089). The Arizona Commerce Authority bill (HB 2754) would add legislative members to the board and shift more control over trade offices and Arizona Competes Fund spending to the legislature. The education section focused heavily on school governance and finance. Bills included patriotic youth group presentations in schools (HB 2312), school board term limits (HB 2318), mandatory training for governing board members (HB 2379), independent municipal advisors for bond elections (HB 2320), restrictions on districts buying operating charter/private school sites to game enrollment formulas (HB 2376), conflict-of-interest limits for school facilities board architects and engineers (HB 2378), public meeting and travel transparency rules for districts (HB 2380), limits on long-term school property leases and reporting requirements (HB 2384), tighter bidding rules for school construction job orders using Building Renewal Grant funds (HB 2482), and a voluntary computer science proficiency seal (HB 2764). Sponsors repeatedly framed these as transparency, accountability, and anti-abuse measures, while some opposition centered on local flexibility, housing use, and existing training providers. In federalism and government, the committee heard bills to give counties more time to mail sample ballots (HB 2006), require courts to identify veterans at first appearance for possible veterans court referral (HB 2226), study veterans’ awareness of benefits (HB 2406), broaden military leave protections (HB 2663), require SAVE verification for voter registration and certain state services (HB 2806), require U.S.-sourced voting machine components by 2029 (HB 2901), affirm the Electoral College (HB 2902), and establish due process protections for justice of the peace courts against outside administrative action (HB 2976). Government committee items included a later deadline for library trustees’ annual reports (HB 2129), a two-year limit on certain adult protective services reports to the Attorney General (HB 2228), and an exemption for public and semi-public cold plunges from ADEQ spa rules (HB 2439). Several bills were reported as consent-calendar items, and a number of sponsors noted committee votes, fiscal neutrality, or favorable testimony in support of the measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<00:03:49.760> but on to the bill, um, as a co-author, but on to the bill, um, as a co-author
• State bond funding has become less predictable and more inconsistent than ever.
• Historically, higher education was the largest recipient of state bond funding.
• So, back to bonding.
• I think we have available for you our 2024 bonding book.

Bills: HF3220

Keywords: school safety, school security, emergency access, law enforcement access, master key box, secure key box, entry device, school grants, education finance, Department of Education, charter schools, school districts, cooperative units, appropriation cancellation, one-time appropriation, school safety plan, emergency preparedness, public safety, school building security, 1183

Transcript Highlights:

• To address the regulatory costs and our concerns, we urge the author to adopt our request amendments
• We are optimistic we can work something out with the author, so look forward to conversations.
• Katherine Charles on behalf of Housing Action Coalition. to work with the author.
• Yes, love this bill and I'm a co-author so thank you for letting me join.
• I would love to be added as a principal co-author and allow you to close.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Clarifies um surety bond requirements. Clarifies um surety bond requirements.
• authorization agent. authorization agent.
• authorized by the legislature in 2025. authorized by the legislature in 2025.
• authorization and do you need authorization<01:10:36.760> for<01:10:36.960> it?
• authorization for it? authorization for it?

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• as a as a also been um authorized as a as a authorized<01:26:53.920> project<01:26:54.520>
• Actually, this is to authorize the university to issue revenue bonds.
• This authorization is required by statute.
• as candidates for revenue bonds however as candidates for revenue bonds however um<01:38:15.639> there
• authorization, right?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The hearing covered Senate Bill 426, which would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the City and County of Honolulu, the Department of Human Services, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education, the Attorney General’s office, the Early Childhood Action Strategy, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, the University of Hawaiʻi’s early childhood educator project, and a Zoom testifier who described the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood education. Committee discussion focused on the program’s estimated cost, with figures of about $14.5 million in 2025-26 and $15 million in 2026-27, and on whether the program would require ongoing base-budget funding. The committee recommended technical, non-substantive amendments, including a statewide-concern amendment and a deferred effective date, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The committees then heard Senate Bill 1622, which would appropriate funds to establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaiʻi to support statewide artificial intelligence initiatives. University representatives described the proposal as the product of campus-wide input and outlined five pillars: governance and policy, outreach and engagement, research and development, workforce development, and AI tools for key sectors such as health care, creative industries, manufacturing, data science, astronomy, and climate change. Members questioned staffing distribution, tuition, enrollment timing, housing, campus placement, and whether positions would be permanent or temporary; the university said it planned about 10 positions across campuses, would start with internal resources, and would house the effort under the Vice President for Research and Innovation initially. The committees recommended an SD1 with the appropriation amounts blanked out, a July 31, 2050 effective date, and committee-report language on housing and West Oʻahu, and the higher education and labor/technology committees adopted the amended recommendation. Finally, the Higher Education Committee took up Senate Bill 1488, a housekeeping measure to consolidate existing University of Hawaiʻi conference center statutes into a single revolving fund structure, and Senate Bill 636, which would fund retention and internship coordinator positions and broader enrollment management efforts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. SB 1488 drew university support and no opposition. SB 636 prompted substantial questioning about Hilo’s declining enrollment, current retention rate of 72.8 percent, and the scope of the request, which includes not only two named positions but also about $432,000 for enrollment management initiatives such as data analysis, IT support, and other student services. Hilo said it is targeting 3 to 5 percent annual enrollment growth and that the positions would support recruitment, retention, internships, and data-driven enrollment strategy. The committee pressed for a clearer broader plan, but the discussion in the transcript ended before a final vote on SB 636 was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• maintain funding for 13 affordable student housing projects. lease revenue bond program to maintain
• If resources become available under the statewide lease-revenue bond process that has been approved,
• I believe they have a multi-billion-dollar bond that was recently approved.
• Santa Rosa Junior College, in particular, had originally started through a revenue bond at CSFA.
• So Assemblymember Fong authored Assembly Bill 2048 last year that requires the Chancellor's Office to

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance held a hearing focused on California Community College budget proposals. Chair Alvarez opened by emphasizing the system’s role in access, transfer, workforce training, and serving more than 2 million students, while also noting persistent challenges in enrollment, persistence, transfer, and graduation. Public commenters and system representatives broadly supported COLA, enrollment growth funding, deferred maintenance, student support block grants, and additional flexibility for districts facing uncertainty. The first major panel covered the student-centered funding formula, COLA, and enrollment growth. The Department of Finance said the Governor proposes a 2.43% COLA ($230.4 million) and 0.5% enrollment growth funding ($30.4 million). The LAO said the COLA was reasonable and recommended funding at least the proposed growth amount, citing uneven enrollment recovery and regional differences. The Chancellor’s Office supported both proposals and asked for additional changes, including using the greater of current-year or three-year average for apportionments and lifting the 10% local enrollment cap, arguing these would better fund growing districts. Members questioned how the formula works, whether SCFF is improving outcomes, and how much additional funding would be needed under different growth scenarios. The committee then reviewed categorical program COLAs, Rising Scholars, career education proposals, IT proposals, and student housing. The Governor proposed a 2.43% COLA for selected categorical programs ($31.9 million). For Rising Scholars, the Governor proposed $30 million ongoing and removal of the cap on participating colleges; the LAO urged waiting for outcome data before doubling funding, while the Chancellor’s Office said the program is serving more students and supports equity for justice-impacted students. On career education, the Governor proposed $50 million for credit for prior learning and $50 million for a career passport; the LAO supported more reporting on credit for prior learning but recommended rejecting the career passport as too undefined, while the Chancellor’s Office supported both. On technology, the Governor proposed $162.5 million for a common cloud data platform and $168 million for a common ERP system; the LAO said both were premature or lacked sufficient planning and recommended rejection, while the Chancellor’s Office argued they would improve real-time data, security, and systemwide efficiency. The committee also heard an update on student housing: the administration said the 2024 shift to a lease-revenue bond model remains in progress for 13 approved projects, with 11 still active, and members asked about withdrawn projects and possible use of any returned funds. No votes were taken, and several items were held open for further discussion and May Revision updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• to borrow money by issuing up to $500 million in public securities or bonds.
• I believe the Hurricane Harvey bonds were like 9 percent or something like that.
• We are the planning authority, so we'll take center points...
• to borrow money by issuing up to $500 million in public securities or bonds.
• I believe the Hurricane Harvey bonds were like 9% or something like that.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These loans are funded through an authorization from the Legislature to sell bonds for the purposes of
• So the family... established on all RFA B RFA Bond funded established on all RFA B RFA Bond funded loan
• from the legis to sell authorization from the legis to sell bonds<00:40:58.119> for<00:40:58.280
• And I don't know if Representative Lee and the bonding committee, if that's a normal process on bond
• I don't know if Representative Lee and the bonding committee, if that's a normal process on bond payments

Bills: HF1063

Keywords: grain buyers, grain dealer, grain elevator, agriculture, financial reporting, audit, CPA review, independent accountant, financial statement, balance sheet, cash flow, nonpublic data, licensee oversight, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, grain purchase volume, insolvency, nonpayment, warehouse chain, fiduciary duties, producer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that's why you authored Senate File 2546, which appropriates money so youth who've been incarcerated
• She wants a bonding bill just as much as all of us do.
• And I have her assurances that there is money in the bonding bill for that project.
• last year, it is critical that we get a bonding bill done this session as well.
• You've authored a bipartisan bill which modifies the state's earned sick and safe time law.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was also wondering if there is a possibility of bonding or a bonding request for this project. fully
• If I am not a co-author, I would like to be a co-author of the bill. Okay. All right.
• Or should this be more of a bonding project or maybe in tandem?
• However, I don't think these can be bonded.
• I can ask, but we don't believe that trees can be bonded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Publicly led housing maximizes the use of public land, tax-exempt bonds, and public financing to create
• Publicly led housing maximizes the use of public land, tax-exempt bonds, and public financing to create
• Publicly led housing maximizes the use of public land, tax-exempt bonds, and public financing to create
• Publicly led housing maximizes the use of public land, tax-exempt bonds, and public financing to create
• , the FHPAP and infrastructure bonds, the FHPAP and preventing<00:13:47.040> homelessness<00:13

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, okay, so we will go to questions to the author then. We will allow the author to wrap it up.
• Okay, okay, so we will go to questions to the author then. We will allow the author to wrap it up.
• <00:14:52.360> if comfortable signing on as a co-author if comfortable signing on as a co-author
• <01:04:58.880> to from a bonding bill or the authority to from a bonding bill or the authority
• city of nisat implemented a road Bond city of nisat implemented a road Bond cycle<01:05:15.799><

Bills: HF1698, HF632, HF1352, HF2197, HF618, HF1248, HF1697

Keywords: property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor

Transcript Highlights:

• districts ask the voters for authority districts ask the voters for authority uh<00:10:34.399>
• authorized purposes if if the authority authorized purposes if if the authority proposed<00:14:34.639
• capital authorized uses. capital authorized uses.
• should give them that authority. should give them that authority.
• bond. Is that about right, Mr. Ernes? bond. Is that about right, Mr. Ernes?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to bond with this change.
• to bond with this change.
• to call a contractor's bond.
• to bond with this change.
• Authorized by law.

Bills: SB65, SB248, SB330, SB378, SB844, SB1330, SB1410, SB1475, SB1476, SB1565, SB1618, SB1623, SJR39, SJR47, SB2084, SB1655, SB1679, SB2174, SB1775, SB1873, SB1204, SB1884, SB1916, SB1937, SB1447, SB1500, SB2007, SB2074, SB1944, SB2018, SB1984, SB2026, SB2045, SB2049, SB2062, SB2112, SB2118, SB2127, SB2134, SB2135, SB2139, SB2154, SB1195

Keywords: SB65, naloxone, Narcan, opioid overdose, overdose reversal, opioid antagonist, emergency opioid antagonist, substance abuse services, harm reduction, public health, overdose prevention, good samaritan, civil immunity, criminal immunity, controlled substances, addiction treatment, fentanyl, opioid crisis, school overdose response, first aid

Transcript Highlights:

• Strengthen the bonds of respect and community.
• , authorizing a civil penalty for the Committee on Public Health.
• HB 3812 by Bond relates to the health benefit plan pre-authorization requirements for certain healthcare
• HB 3846 by Louderback relates to the authority of a reserve.
• H.J.R. 168 by Hopper proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize...

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also international bonds.
• Reporting both before and after bond elections, as well as annual updates on any authorized but unissued
• bonds, will ensure that all of this information is centralized and publicly posted on the bond review
• A bond portfolio that has a book value of about $980 million.
• I'll just ask, what are the authorized investments in banks?

Bills: HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175, HB245

Keywords: military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees, payroll deductions, retirement plans, fiscal transparency, local government, bond issuance